(530)
¶ He went vnto testatës [thestates R.] of þe toun,
Line 3704
And tolde hem al þe cas, as it befil;
And thei þis lord yaf loude [laude R.] and hy renoun
ffor þat; and allë, [alle R, al H.] with oon hert and wil,
Submitted hem to þis princë [(? vnto þis prince) to this prynces wille R.] gentil;
Line 3708
Thus hertë [hert H R.] chaast and tendre gentillesse
Conquéreth hertës, rather þan duresse.
Line 3710
(531)
¶ Or marcus marcellus had þe citee
Line 3711
Of Ciracusë taken or y-nome,
He leet do crye amongës his meyne,
That whan þe citee he had ouercome,
And his folk ther-in entred [entred R, entreted H.] were & come,
Line 3715
Noon be so hardy, þe wommen oppresse, [to oppresse R.]
Ne touche hem by no wey of vnclennesse.
Line 3717
(532)
¶ Ther was also a seemly fresshe yong man,
Line 3718
To whom naturë swiche fauour had lent [¶ De casti|tate cuiusdam iuuenis.]
Of schap and beaute, þat þer nas womman
That onës had a look on hym dispent,
But þat hir hertë [hert H R.] yaf flesshely consent; [folio 65a]
Line 3722
And nathëles eschuëd he þe taast
Of vnclennesse, and kepte his body chaast.
Line 3724
(533)
¶ By toknës knew he hire vnclene entente,
Line 3725
And with his naylës cracched he his face,
And scocched it with knyuës, and to-rente,
And it so wonderly þus [þus, om. H R.] gan difface,
That his beaute refusëd hadde hir place:
Line 3729
Al þis dide he, hir hertës [hertes R, hert H.] to remewe
ffrom him, and make hem vnclennésse eschue.
