to them, and by
the Queen's advice it was decided that she should be sent back to her
father, and that he should be made acquainted with the whole truth.

But before sending her away they caused many priests and councillors to
speak with her and show her that, since her marriage consisted in words
only, it might by mutual agreement readily be made void; and this, they
urged, the King desired her to do in order to maintain the honour of the
house to which she belonged.

She made answer that she was ready to obey the King in all such things
as were not contrary to her conscience, but that those whom God had
brought together man could not put asunder. She therefore begged them
not to tempt her to anything so unreasonable; for if love and goodwill
founded on the fear of God were the true and certain marriage ties, she
was linked by bonds that neither steel nor flame nor water could sever.
Death alone might do this, and to death alone would she resign her ring
and her oath. She therefore prayed them to gainsay her no more; for so
strong of purpose was she that she would rather keep faith and die than
break it and live.

This steadfast reply was repeated to the King by those whom he had
appointed to speak with her, and when it was found that she could by no
means be brought to renounce her husband, she was sent to her father,
and this in so pitiful a plight that all who beheld her pass wept to see
her. And although she had done wrong, her punishment was so grievous and
her constancy so great, that her wrongdoing was made to appear a virtue.

When her father heard the pitiful tale, he would not see her, but sent
her away to a castle in a forest, which he had aforetime built for a
reason well worthy to be related. (14) There he kept her in prison for a
long time, causing her to be told that if she would give up her husband
he would treat her as his daughter and set her free.

14 The famous chateau of Josselin in Morbihan. See notes to
Tale XL., vol. lv.--Ed.

Nevertheless she continued firm, for she preferred the bonds of prison
together with those of marriage, to all the freedom in the world without
her husband. And, judging from her countenance, all her woes seemed but
pleasant pastimes to her, since she was enduring them for one she loved.

And now, what shall I say of men? The Bastard, who was so deeply
beholden to her, as you have seen, fled to Germany where he had many
friends, and there showed by his f