Unto his lord, stirring up stern strife:
"'O my liege lord! the god of my life,
Pleaseth you ponder your suppliant's plaint,
Caused of wrong and cruel constraint,
Which I your poor vassal daily endure;
And, but your goodness the same recure,
Am like for desperate dool to die,
Through felonous force of mine enemy.'
"Greatly aghast with this piteous plea,
Him rested the goodman on the lea,