Well nigh two fathom, as his hight,
He fet him there in all ther fight,
And for the quene and for the knight,
And for my lady' and every wight,
In haft he fent, so that ner one
Was there abfent, but come echone:
And when they thus affemblid were,
As ye have herd me fay you here,
Without more tarrying on hight,
There to be fene of every wight,
Up ftode among the pres above
A counfaylir, fervaunt of Love,
Which femid well of gret eftate,
And fhewid there how no debate
Othir then godely might be used
In gentilneffe and be excused,
Wherefore he faid his lord'is will
Was every wight there fhould be ftill
And in pees, and of one accord,
And thus commaundid at a word,
And can his tongue to fwiche language
To turne, that yet in all mine age
Herd I nevir fo conningly
Man speke, ne halfe so faithfully,
For every thing he faid there
Semid as it infelid were,
Or approvid for very trew:
Swiche was his cunning language newe,
And well according to his chere,
That where I be me thinke I here
Him yet alway, when I mine one
In any place may be alone:
Firft con he of the lufty yle
All the aftate in lityl whyle
Reherfe, and wholly every thing
That caufid there his lord's comming,
And every wele and every wo,
And for what caufe eche thing was fo
Well fhewed he there in efie fpech,
And faid, That prince, that mighty lord,
Or his departing would accord
All the parties were there prefent,
And was the fine of his entent,
Witneffe his prefence in your fight,
Which fits among you in his might;
And knelid downe withoutin more,
And not o word yfpake he more.
Tho gan this mighty lord him dreffe,
With chere avifed, to do largeffe,
And faid unto this knight and me,
Yo fhall to joy reflorid be,
ye have ben true ye twaine
I graunt you here for every paine
A thousand joies every weke,
And loke ye be no lengir feke,
And both your ladies, lo 'hem here!
Take ech his own; beth of gode chere,
Seing, O lord! your grete mercy
Us hath enriched fo opinly
That we deserve may nevir more
The leftè part, but evirmore
With foule and body truely ferve
You and yours till that we ysterve:
And to ther ladies there they ftode
This knight, that couth fo mikil gode,
Y went in haft, and I also;
Joyous and glad werin we tho,
And al fo rich in every thought
As he that all hath and ought nought,
And them befought in humble wife
Us to accept to ther service,
And fhew us of ther frendly cheres,
Which in ther tresure many yeres
They keptin had, us to grete paine,
And told how ther fervauntis twaine
We were, would be, and so had ever,
And to the deth chaunge would we never,
Ne thought not do, I you enfure,
With our will, whilis we may dure.
This fefon paft, againe an eve
This lord of the quene toke his leve,
And faid he would hastely returne,
And at gode leisure there fojourne,
Both for his honour and his efe,
Commaunding fast the knight to plese,
And gave his statutes in papirs,
And orderit divers officirs,
And forth to ship the fame night
He went, and fone was out of fight.
And on the morow when the aire
Attemprid was and wondir faire,
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