Story.
Clipodius was a wyse Emperour reignynge in the citee of Rome, and̛ his possession̛ was moche; the wiche weddid̛ the dowter of a kynge, callid̛ kinge assireorum, & she was faire and̛ glorious in [leaf 190, back, col. 2] syght, and̛ browte forthe a faire sone; but she dide in hir childebed̛. And̛ aftir hir dicese, þe Emperoure weddid̛ anoþer woman̛, and̛ gate on̛ hir a childe; and̛ bothe childerin he sent to fer contree, for to be forsterid̛, & browte vp. so in a certeyne tyme, the wyf of the Emperour̛ saide to him, "sir, my lorde, hit is x. yere agoon̛ sithe I bare a sone, & sawe him neuer sithe I bar̛ him; and̛ þerfore I be-seche yow, þat ye sende after him, that I may see him, & have sum Ioye of my birthe." Þenne saide the Emperoure, "Dame, þou wot welle, that I gate a-noþer sone of my first wyf, and̛ he is with him; & þerfor yf we send̛ for the ton̛, the toþer must come also." thenne saide she, "sir, I assente." Þenne the Emperour sent for hem̛, and̛ thei come bothe. And̛ whenne thei wer̛ I-come, they wer̛ to syght of alle men̛ faire and̛ welle I-shapin̛, wel I-norsshid̛, & welle I-norturid̛; and̛ thei wer̛ so like, that vnneþe the on̛ mygℏt be knowen̛ from̛ the toþer with eny man̛, but onlye of the fadir. Thenne saide the wyf, "gode lorde, telle me whiche is my child̛, for soþely I know not wheþer of hem is myn̛?" Þenne he leyde his honde vpon̛ þe childe that he hadde with the firste wyf, and̛ saide, "lo! this is thi sone." And̛ whenne he hadde so tolde hir, she lovid̛ and̛ pikid̛, fedde and̛ tawȝte this childe, trowing that he had̛ be the same that she bare; & hilie dispisid̛ hir owne sone, trowinge that he was hir stepson̛. whenne the Emperoure sawe her gret vnkyndnes, that she wolde not love bothe y-like, he said̛ to hir, "woman, I have deseyvid̛ the; for that child̛ that thow norisshest so moche, is not thyne, þat oþere is thi childe, that þou lovist not." What dude she but lefte that childe, and̛ was a boute, in al that she myȝt, to plese that oþer. And̛ whenne the Emperoure