þe lady had defaute boþe of mete & drynk,
& scho dred þer assaute, hunger was at þe brynk.
Scho asked hir conseile, what was þer of to rede.
"Steuen wille vs traueile, & famen vs to dede.
Non ne couth ne wild conseile on no partie,
Bo þe castelle to ȝeld, & ask þe kyng mercie.
þat ne wild scho nouht, hir herte was so stoute.
Bot here now how scho wrouht, & how scho passed oute.
¶ A fulle selcouth rede tok at hir owen herte,
Scho left for life no dede, ne colde þat was so smerte.
Sone after mydnyght, þat crowe suld þe cok,
In þe snowe for syght scho ȝede out in hir smok,
Ouere þe water of Temse, þat frosen was iys,
Withouten kirtelle or kemse, saue kouerchef alle bare vis.
To Walyngford scho wan, & þer scho left a while,
þe way scho ȝed & ran, on length it is ten mile.
& Steuen þe castelle wan of þam euer ilkon.
þei gelded it ilk man, [F. whan.] wham dam Mald was gon.
IN þis tyme had Steuen regned auht ȝere in alle,
Lered & lewed were euen, & pere & paringalle;
So þat knyght & squiere, if þei powere mot make,
Of holy kyrke pleynere tok þat þei mot take.
þe pape þan herd þe pleynt, he sent hider a legate.
At London þei wer atteynt, decre was mad for þate,
ȝif any lewed man laid hand opon clerk,
Or with ille on ran, þat of corun had merk,
He suld not escape, þorgh bisshop granted fre,
Of non bot of þe pape myght he assoyled be.
