Then went they to suppère
Wyth suche meate as they had;
And thanked God of ther fortune:
They were both mery and glad.40
And when they had supped well,
Certayne withouten lease,[749]
Cloudeslè sayd, We wyll to our kyng,
To get us a charter of peace.
Alyce shal be at our sojournyng45
In a nunnery here besyde;
My tow sonnes shall wyth her go,
And there they shall abyde.
Myne eldest son shall go wyth me;
For hym have 'you' no care:[750]50
And he shall bring you worde agayn,
How that we do fare.
Thus be these yemen to London gone,
As fast as they myght 'he,'[751]
Tyll they came to the kynges pallàce,55
Where they woulde nedes be.
And whan they came to the kynges courte,
Unto the pallace gate,
Of no man wold they aske no leave,
But boldly went in therat.60
They preced prestly[752] into the hall,
Of no man had they dreade:
The porter came after, and dyd them call,
And with them began to chyde.
The usher sayde, Yemen, what wold ye have?65
I pray you tell to me:
You myght thus make offycers shent:[753]
Good syrs, of whence be ye?
Syr, we be out-lawes of the forest
Certayne withouten lease;70
And hether we be come to the kyng,
To get us a charter of peace.
And whan they came before the kyng,
As it was the lawe of the lande,
The kneled downe without lettyng,75
And eche held up his hand.