manhede,_[59]
She bade the abbesse her _wisse_[60] and rede,
Which were her kin, one or other,
Father or mother, sister or brother.
The abbesse her in council took,
To tellen her she nought forsook,
How she was founden in all thing;
And took her the cloth and the ring,
And bade her keep it in that stede;
And, therwhiles she lived, so she did.
Then was there, in that cuntre,
A rich knight of land and fee,
Proud, and young, and jollif,
And had not yet y-wedded wife.
He was stout, of great renown,
And was y-cleped Sir Guroun.
He heard praise that maiden free,
And said, he would her see.
He dight him in the way anon,
And jolliflich thither is gone,
And bode his man segge, verament,
He should toward a tournament.
The abbesse, and the nonnes all,
Fair him grette in the guest-hall;
And damsel Frain, so fair of mouth,
Grette him fair, as she well couth.
And swithe well he gan devise,
Her semblant, and her gentrise,
Her lovesome eyen, her _rode_[61] so bright.
And commenced to love her anon-right;
And thought how he might take on,
To have her for his lemon [Errata: leman].
He thought, "Gificcome her to
More than ich have y-do,
The abbesse will _souchy_[62] guile,
And _wide_[63] her away in a little while."
He compassed another _suchesoun;_[64]
To be brother of that religion.
"Madam," he said to the abbesse,
_"I-lovi_[65] well, in all goodness,
Ich will give one and other
Londes and rentes, to become your brother,[66]
That ye shall ever fare the _bet_[67]
When I come to have recet."[68]
At few wordes they ben _at one._
He graithes him[69], and forth is gone.
Oft he com, by day and night,
To speak with that maiden bright;
So that, with his fair _behest_,[70]
And with his glosing, at lest
She granted him to don his will,
When he will, loud and still.
"Leman," he said, "thou must let be
The abbesse _thy neice_,[71] and go with me;
For ich am riche, of swich powere,
Ye finde bet than thou hast here."
The maiden grant, and to him trist,
And stole away, that no man wist;
With her took she no thing
But her pel and her ring.
When the abbess gan aspy
That she was with the knight _owy_,[72]
She made mourning in her thought,
And her _bement_,[73] and gained no