Wher thei the qweene hadden do.
And thei answerde, there he bad,
And have him thilke lettre rad,
Which he hem sende for warant,[635]
And tolde him pleinli as it stant,
And sein, it thoghte hem gret pite
To se so worthi on as sche, 1240
With such a child as ther was bore,
So sodeinly to be forlore.
He axeth hem what child that were;