Thai han arrered custumes newe,
That thai mai wel sore rewe.
Be hit other clerk or knight,
And him mete a sweuene anight,
He cometh amorewe ich understonde,
An brengeth a besaund in his hond,
And to the maistres hire sweuene telle
Thai hit vndo after her wille.
Thai respounde ase hem liketh ;
Thous thai mani man biswiketh.
And, for that ilche senne, I finde
That thou art bicome blinde."
"Nou, tel me, child, thin entent,
What mai me to amendement ?"
"Leue sire, for mi loue,
Bi on of hem mi tale proue.
Leue sire, taketh th' emprise,
And taketh the eldest of the wise,
Lat smite atwo his nekke bon ;`
The grettest walm shal quenche anon."
Th' emperour dede be the schildes lore,
The eldest maister was slein therfore.
His heued was into the cauudroun cast,
The greste walm queynte on hast.
Tho th' emperour wiste this,
He let sle alle seuene, I wis.
The water bicom faire and lithe;
Th' emperour therof was blithe.
Anon he wichss therof his hond,
And ouersegh al the lond.
"And, sire, so fare maistres thine, Thai schul the bringe to mochele pine. Thai han so i-blent thè,
That thou might nowt that sothe i-se.
Ac yif thou dost more bi here rede,
To swiche blendnesse mote thai thè lede,
As hadde Herowdes the king,
That was negh browt to iuel ending." "Nai, dame, he said, thou art wilde!
Fram swiche schame God me schilde!
For hem I schal me ful wel kepe,
Of hem ne yive I nowt an hepe."
Sire, sche saide, thou hast god right; Thai ben about, dai and night,
The to bigile an bitraie."
Cokkes crewe, and hit was daie.
Th' emperour aros anon,
And wente to his halle of ston;
And ase th' emperour, verraiment,
Hadde yiuen his sone juggement,
The sexte maister com into the halle,
And hendeliche he grette hem alle,
And saide," Sire, thou art wel nice,
To leue so mochel thin emperice.
Whanne thou leuest hire so
That thou wilt thi sone slo,
Thanne mot hit so fare bi thè,
As bi a sschereue of this countrè,
Tha[t] hirt his wif with a knif
In the wombe, he les his lif.
Quath th' emperour, " In alle manèr,
That ilche tale ich moste her."
“Leue sire, what helpeth mi tale,
Yif thi sone tholieth dethes bale?
Yif him to-dai-longes rest;
Ich schal thè telle a newe gest;
THE SCHERIFF HIS WIDOWE, AND THE
KNIGHT.
"SIRE, he saide, thou might me leue,
Hit was a knight, a riche scherreue,
And [had a] yong jolif wif,
That he louede has his lif,
And ssche him, bi vnderstonding,
Louede him wel in alle thing.
So, on a dai, him and his wif
Was i-youen a newe knif;
Fair hit was, and of egge scharp;
And thai on gamen gonne carp.
The knight his wif in the wombe carf;
For doel therof amorewe [he] starf:
He dede gret foli, cert,
Or to tendre was his hert.
Sone amorewe, erliche,
He was biwaked richeliche,
And wel faire browt on erthe,
After that he was werthe.
The leuedi saide, for no wenne,
Sche ne wolde neuer wende thenne,
But, as hir louerd for hir daide,
Sche wolde be ded, an bi him laide.
Here frendes segghen al that cas,
And comen to hire to make solas,
And saiden," Dame, gent and fre,
Of thiselue have pitè ;
For thou art fair and yong, saunz fail,
And maist the werld mochel auail :
Some knight the wedde of noblai,
And haue with him moche to plai;
Gode children biyeten and faire,
Gentil dame, debonaire,
Lete awai thi mourning,
And tak the to som conforting!"
"That wil I do for no wele;
Ac die ich wille on his beriele !”
Sche saide" Allas! and wailawo!
N'el ich hennes neuere go,
Ne confor take neuer mo."―
Here frendes were sori tho.
A logge thai made vpon his
For sche wolde ther bilaue ;
And maked hir a ful fair fer,
And fond hire that night stouer,
And left here alone,
And sche made reuli mone.
"That ich dai thai were i-nome,
The thre theues bi commin dome.
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