(526)
¶ Affrican Scipio, þat noble knyght,
Line 3676
Whan he was xxti and iiij of age, [¶ De casti|tate Scipionis Affricani.]
And by prowesse, and by manhode & myght
Cartágiens putte hadde into seruáge,
Ther was a mayde sent him into hostáge,
Line 3680
Of yeerës ripe I-now, and of beaute
Most excellent that men myghte owher se.
Line 3682
(527)
¶ And whan þis worthi ȝong prince honurable,
Line 3683
This woman sigh, of hir he took good ȝeme,
Thynkynge þat she was of beaute able,
The worthieste on lyuë for to queeme;
And in him multiplied thoughtës breeme;
Line 3687
But nathëles, for al þis besy þought, [thought R, þough H.]
Enquere he gan, if she wyf were, or nouȝt.
Line 3689
(528)
¶ Sche trouthëd was to Iudibal, men seide,
Line 3690
A lord of þat Citee; and Scipio,
On a mynystre of his þe chargë leide,
ffor hir fadir and modir blyuë goo.
Thei at his [his R, om. H.] hestë cam vnto him tho; [folio 64b]
Line 3694
And in hir clenë virginal estat,
Restorëd he þis mayde inuiolat.
Line 3696
(529)
¶ The gold eek þat for hir redempcioun
Line 3697
Purveyëd was, for-ȝaf he vtterly,
In help and increes and promocïoun
Of hir wedlok. and whan Iudibal sy
And knewe how scipio thus nobl[el]y
Line 3701
Demenëd him, he was ful wel apayed
Of þat he grucchid first, and was affrayed.
Line 3703
