XXIX.

"Do you refuse it," says the lady, because it is simple?

"Now forsake 3e þis silke." sayde þe burde þenne,

"For hit is symple in hit-self. & so hit wel seme3?

Lo! so hit is littel, & lasse hit is worþy;

Bot who-so knew þe costes þat knit ar þer-inne,

He wolde hit prayse at more prys, parauenture;

For quat gome so is gorde with þis grene lace,

While he hit hade hemely halched aboute,

Þer is no haþel vnder heuen to-hewe hym þat my3t;

For he my3t not he slayn, for sly3t vpon erþe."

Þen kest þe kny3t, & hit come to his hert,

Hit were a Iuel for þe Iopardé, þat hym iugged were,

When he acheued to þe chapel, his chek forto fech;

My3¹ he haf slypped to þe vn-slayn, þe sle3t were noble.

Þenne ho þulged with hir þrepe, & þoled hir to speke,

& ho bere on hym þe belt, & bede hit hym swyþe,

& he granted, & [ho] hym gafe with a goud wylle,

& biso3t hym, for hir sake, disceuer hit neuer,

Bot to lelly layne for² hir lorde; þe leude hym acorde3.

Þat neuer wy3e schulde hit wyt, Iwysse, bot þay twayne,

for no3te;

He þonkked hir oft ful swyþe,

Ful þro with hert & þo3t.

Bi þat on þrynne syþe,

He hat3 kyst þe kny3t so to3t.

¹ my3t (?). ² fro (?).