Ac þe douk, Gij, and Herhaud,
Line 2445
Oft hem makeþ mani asaut,
& miche of his folk þan slouȝ hii,
Wharfore he was in hert sori.
Lordinges, listeneþ to me now!
Of a tresoun ichil telle ȝou:
Line 2450
It was opon a somers day,
Þemperour hadde eten, soþ to say;
His huntes he of-sent þo, [þo altered from so.]
& seyd he wald on hunting go
Into þe forest erlike,
Line 2455
Þat þe douk Segyn nouȝt no wite,
No his kniȝtes neuer þe mo.
Þat him herd a spie þo,
Þat out of þat ost dede him fast,
To þe douke Segyn he com an hast. [C line 2336]
Line 2460
¶ Þe douke Segyn oxed him snelle
What newe tidinges he couþe telle:
'Sir,' quod [he [he omitted in MS.] ], 'herken to me:
Gode tidinges y telle þe,
Þat þemperour, sikerliche,
Line 2465
Wille huntte to morwe arliche
In his forest priueliche
Wiþ litel folk & nouȝt wiþ miche,
Wiþ also litel als he may.
Y no gabbe nouȝt, for soþe to say.'
Line 2470
Þan he hade seyde þus to Segyn,
'Bi Seyn Richer! leue frende mine,'
Seyd þe douke, 'and it so be,
An hundred bessauns ȝif y þe.'
Þe spie seyd, 'soþe y sigge:
Line 2475
My bodi þerfore in ostage y legge.'
¶ Þan haþ þe douk y-cleped Gij, [C line 2355]
& Herhaud of Arderne sikerlij, [folio 120b:a]
Dan Belin, & dan Gauter,
& þe þridde dan Holdimer,
Line 2480
