[6-text p 426]
¶ ffor which it semed þus þat of hem tuo
Line 715
þer nas but oo wille for as walter liste
That same lust was hire plesance also
And god he þanked al fel for þe beste
Line 718
Sche schewed weel for no worldly vnreste
A wijf as of hir self no þing ne scholde
Wille in effecte but as hir housbond wolde
Line 721
þe sclaundre of walter ofte and wyde spradde
Line 722
That of a cruel herte he wikkedly [folio 138b]
ffor he a pore womman wedded hadde
haþ murdred boþe his children priuely
Line 725
Such murmur was among hem comunly
No wonder is for to þe poeples eere
Ther com no word but þat þay mordred were
Line 728
ffor which þer as his poeple þer bifore
Line 729
hadde loued him wel þe sclaunder of his diffame
Made hem þat þey him hatede þerfore
To ben a murdrer is an hateful name
Line 732
But naþeles for ernest ne for game
he of his cruel purpos nolde stente
To tempte his wijf was sette al his entente
Line 735
¶ Whan þat his douȝter twelf ȝer was of age
Line 736
he to þe court of Rome in subtil wise
Enformed of his wille and sente his message
Comaundyng hem suche bulles to deuyse/
Line 739
In þis maner and in þis same gyse
how þat þe pope as for his poeples reste
Bad him to wedde anoþer if him leste
Line 742
¶ I say he bad þay scholden countrefete
Line 743
The popes bulles making mencion
þat he haþ leue his firste wijf to lete
As by þe popes dispensacion
Line 746
