The Thyrd Complaynte of the Empresse.
Whan thempresse herde yt the chylde was not dede she wepte bytterly ⁊ entred in to her preuy chamber / ⁊ tare her skyn wt her nayles, ⁊ wt loude voyce cryed and sayd alas yt euer I was borne, ⁊ yt I soo grete a kynges doughter sholde thus be intreated ⁊ shamed and therof can haue no remedy. Her gētilwȳmen this herȳg wēt ⁊ shewed it to thēperour. ⁊ he went vnto her ⁊ comforted her saying O lady wepe not so ne cry not, for it becometh you no thynge / whiche sayd / the loue that I haue ⁊ owe to you maketh me more to sorowe than the contempte of the dede. for why the inwarde loue of your herte hath hytherto prohybite ⁊ letted me yt I haue not retorned ayen in to my countree to my fader but I fere yf I sholde so do to you it myght do harme for he is myghty to honoure me wt rychesses, and too venge my quarell ⁊ despyte in such wyse yt ye ⁊ youres myght forthynke it. Therto sayd themperour lete that goo out of your mynde, shewe it not / for as long as I lyue I shall neuer fayle you. And she sayd / lorde I praye god that ye maye longe lyue. But I fere me yt it shall hapen vpon you as it dyde of a knyght and of his sone that wolde not burye his faders hede in the chyrcheyerde, and yet his fader was for hym slayne / . Than sayd themperour Shewe me yt example, how that was that he wolde not burye his faders heede / she sayd I shall do it to your proufyte.
