He wolde thei were sone answerd, [folio 120b]
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That ther drecchyng hem not dered.
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¶ Priamus did to him calle
Kynges and dukes and lordes alle;
Thei stode aboute him on a rowe,
He spak to hem with wordes lowe:
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'Wol ȝe thus longe trewes fulfille?'
Sayde Priamus—'say me ȝoure wille:
What schal I tille [MS. telle.] hem now say?
Schal I seye: "ȝe," or: "nay"?
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¶ Avise ȝow now alle In-fere,
Now ȝe ben to-geder here:
What is ȝoure wit? how thenke ȝow?
Hope ȝe hit be for oure prow
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To graunt this trewe? wol ȝe assente?
Telle me ȝoure best a-visemente!'
THe kyng[es] sayde by on name:
"To graunt trewe, it was no schame,"—
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'Sithen thei it aske at oure request,
Hit is worschepe to oure behest;
And we may reste vs the whiles,
For we ben ful of woundes and biles,
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That ben ful of quytour & wores;
We may the while hele oure sores.
We wol the trewe graunte and hauen,
Sithen thei comen hit to crauen.'
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¶ Ther was no lordyng In that halle,
That thei ne graunte the trewes alle
And wel apayed—saue Ector one;
Ther-to spak he wordes none;
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He saw what thei alle thought,
Therfore wolde he say right nought;
He saw it was al ther [MS. alther.] lykyng
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To be In pes and haue restyng;
