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ARchilaus Reignid̛ a wise Emperoure in the citee of Rome, a semly man̄, and̛ of grete stature; and̛ this Emperour desirid̛ gretly to have a sherte sotelyche I-made for his body, and̛ wolde have it I-made by þe hondis of a virgine vnfoulid̛. And̛ therfore he sente messageris ouer al the Empire, to loke yf eny swiche myght be founde, þat coude make swiche a shirte, but they coude fynde noon̛, but that they wer̛ corrupte, or vnperfite of the crafte, or vncunnynge
in the mystery. So on̛ a day, as this Emperoure went in his orcharde, þere come to him a Secretarie, þat was nye of his counseiƚƚ, and̛ saide to him, "sir, ther is a damiseƚƚ dwellyng her̛ in this londe, faire and̛ gracious, and̛ merveilouslye sotil in crafte, þe whiche can wel werche your sherte, aftir youre desire & vse." when̛ the Emperoure hurde that, he was glad̛ and̛ iocounde; he callid̛ to him a messager, & saide to him, "go, in al the haste þat þou may, for swiche a damesel, and̛ make to hire a faire salutacion̛, for hit is tolde me, that she is pert, & wise, & clene, for to do my desyre; and̛ yef to hir in my name this lynne clothe, þe whiche is in lenght & brede but iij. ynchis; and̛ sey to hir, that she make for me a shirte of so litle cloþe, longe & brode y-nowhe for my body; & yf so be that she by hir sotill crafte fulfille my wylle, in this cas [she] shalle be my wyf." The messager come to the damiselle, and̛ in the name of the Emperoure he worshipfully gret her̛, and̛ seide to hir, "damisel, my lorde the Emperour̛ sendithe me to the, and̛ he gretithe þe weƚƚ; [leaf 179, back, col. 2] and̛ her̛ he sendithe the lynne clothe, havinge in quantite iij. inchis; and̛ he praythe the Enterly, þat þou make for him of this litle quantite a shirte, and̛ that hit be longe & brode y-nowhe for his body." "Þat wer̛ a wondirfull thing," quod̛ she, "neuertheles I vndirtake to make for him a shirte large I-nowe for his body." Þe messager heringe thes wordes, he turnid̛ home ayene, and̛ tolde to the Emperoure of hir aunswer̛. when the Emperoure harde that, he ordeynid̛ an honest vessel, in the whiche she shulde werche hit. Þe maide yede to werke, & she wrouȝte in that vessel swiche a serke, large I-nowe to the Emperour̛. when̄ the Emperoure harde that, he weddid̛ the damsel, & livid̛ faire lyfe, &c.