Auchinleck Manuscript (A), fol. 90v–91r

Corresponding lines in this edition: 1169–1218

line1 Þe maister had so isped Þemperour sone was his frend Þe maister was o wai inome Þemperour was to chaumbre icome line5 Þer he fond his emperice Wiȝ lourand chere and wiȝ nice Hond wringging and loude koupe And here visage al biwope Dame he saide pluk vp þi cher line10 Oþer tel me whi þou makest swich cher Sire ȝhe saide hit is wonder non Hi se þi honor al igon I se þe wede waxe ouer þe corn Allas allas þat iwas boren line15 And þat ischal þis dai ise Þat we ischulle departed be What dame is hit comen þus to We sscholle be departed so Ȝe sire bi Adam & bi Eue line20 ffor þou nelt nowt me ileue Of him þat þout clepest þi sone Certes he had þe deueles wone He þe procureȝ niȝt and dai Al þe sschame þat he mai line25 Þine barouns and þine gentil men Alle þai holden þe aȝen Þai sschal wel sone for nithe an hete Put þe out of þi kinges sete And sette him stede inne þine line30 Þat ware mi deȝ and mi pine Ich hadde leuere to ben an honge Þan þat ischolde liue so longe ˑ A ˑ hou wimmen conne hit make Whan þai wil ani man lake line35 Ac sire ȝif hit falle so Þat þempire is diȝt him to On þe falle swich a cas As de de on him þat his heued was Of his sone icast in a gong line40 Wiȝ felonie and wiȝ wrong ˑ O ˑ dame who miȝt þat be Wolde do his fader swich vilite Tel hit me for god aboue Lat be sire for mi loue line45 Þou ne louest nowt of mi telling Hit schal þe rewe bi heuene kyng Ȝis dame he saide lat here þe speke And ich wil sone þe awreke Sei on dame & ssche bigan line50 To tellen als a fals wimman

Edited text prepared for this edition

Lines 1169–1218

line1 The maister had so isped, Themperour sone was his frend. The maister was owai inome; Themperour was to chaumbre icome. line5 Ther he fond his emperice With lourand chere and with nice Hond wringging, and loude koupe, And here visage al biwope. “Dame,” he saide, “pluk up thi cher, line10 Other tel me whi thou makest swich cher.” “Sire,” she saide, “hit is wonder non. Hi se thi honur al igon; I se the wede waxe over the corn. Allas! allas! that I was boren line15 And that I schal this dai ise That we sschulle departed be.” “What, dame, is hit comen therto, We sscholle be departed so?” “Ye, sire, bi Adam and bi Eve, line20 For thou nelt nowt me ileve Of him that thou clepest thi sone. Certes he had the develes wone. He thee procureth night and dai Al the sschame that he mai. line25 Thine barouns and thine gentil men, Alle thai holden thee agen. Thai sschal wel sone for nithe an hete Put thee out of thi kinges sete And sette him stede inne thine; line30 That ware mi deth and mi pine. Ich hadde levere to ben anhonge Than that I scholde live so longe.” A! Hou wimmen conne hit make, Whan thai wil ani man lake. line35 “Ac, sire, yif hit falle so That thempire is dight him to, On thee falle swich a cas As dede on him that his heued was Of his sone icast in a gong line40 With felonie and with wrong.” “O dame, who might that be Wolde do his fader swich vilté? Tel hit me, for God above.” “Lat be, sire, for mi love, line45 Thou ne lovest nowt of mi telling; Hit schal thee rewe, bi hevene kyng.” “Yis, dame,” he saide, “lat here thee speke And ich wil sone thee awreke. Sei on, dame.” And ssche bigan line50 To tellen als a fals wimman.