justice
Ordeigne for my fader here,
That after this, whan men it here,
The world therof may speke good."
The king, which reson understood,
And hath all herde how she hath said,
Was inly glad, and so well paid,
That all his wrath is over go.
And he began to loke tho
Upon this maiden in the face,
In which he found so mochel grace,
That all his prise on her he laide
In audience, and thus he saide:--
"My faire maide, well the[27] be
Of thin answere, and eke of the
Me liketh well, and as thou wilte,
Foryive be thy faders gilte.
And if thou were of such lignage,
That thou to me were of parage,
And that thy fader were a pere,
As he is now a bachelere,
So siker as I have a life,
Thou sholdest thanne be my wife.
But this I saie netheles,
That I woll shape thin encrese;
What worldes good that thou wolt crave
Are of my yift, and thou shalt have."
And she the king with wordes wise,
Knelende, thanketh in this wise:--
"My lege lord, god mot you quite.[28]
My fader here hath but a lite
Of warison,[29] and that he wende
Had all be[30] lost, but now amende
He may well through you noble grace."
With that the king right in his place
Anon forth in that freshe hete
An erldome, which than of eschete
Was late falle into his honde,
Unto this knight with rent and londe
Hath yove, and with his chartre sesed,
And thus was all the noise appesed.
This maiden, which sate on her knees
To-fore the kinges charitees,
Commendeth and saith evermore:--
"My lege lord, right now to-fore
Ye saide, and it is of recorde,
That if my fader were a lorde
And pere unto these other grete,
Ye wolden for nought elles lette,
That I ne sholde be your wife.
And thus wote every worthy life
A kinges worde mot nede be holde.
Forthy my lord, if that ye wolde
So great a charite fulfille,
God wote it were well my wille.
For he which was a bachelere,
My fader, is now made a pere;
So whan as ever that I cam,
An erles doughter nowe I am."
This yonge king, which peised[31] all
Her beaute and her wit withall,
As he, which was with love hente,[32]
Anone therto gaf his assente.
He might nought the place asterte,
That she nis lady of his herte.
So that he toke her to his wife
To holde, while that he hath life.
And thus the king toward his knight
Accordeth him, as it is right.
And over this good is to wite