The king upon this tale ansuerde
And seide, if this thing which he herde
Be soth and mai be broght to prove,
‘It schal noght be to his behove,
Which so hath schapen ous the werste,[673]
For he himself schal be the ferste
That schal be ded, if that I mai.’
Thus afterward upon a dai,[674]
Whan that Demetrius was come,
Anon his fader hath him nome, 1680