¶ The kynges of Grece herd say [folio 273b]
Line 18529
"That thei hadde take that worthi may
Thorow Calcas the prestes rede,
And that thei haue hir to the dede";
Line 18532
The kynges ran hir to se,
And alle that other comunalte.
¶ When thei saw hir, thei seyde: "alas!
That suche a ladi as sche was
Line 18536
Off schap, of hede, & of bewte,
Scholde so vile ther ded be
With-oute desert or any gilt,
That suche a bodi scholde be spilt."
Line 18540
Many a lord & many a kyng
Wepe wel so[re] for that swetyng.
BE-fore that tombe that mayden stondes [The abbreviations here are not es, but es.] ,
Wryngyng bother hir white hondes [The abbreviations here are not es, but es.] ,
Line 18544
Wel reufully that lady gretis,
That al hir brest that water wetis.
Sche seide: 'lordynges, by god al-myght!
Ȝe do me scle with mochel vn-right!
Line 18548
For—by that god that maked pes!—
Off that knyghtes deth am I giltles;
For I was neuere occasioun
Off his dethe ne enchesoun,
Line 18552
Ne neuere ȝit was at that assent
That he that tyme to dethe went;
¶ But Angured me sore of his schedyng,—
So helpe me god at myn endyng!
Line 18556
Not-for-thi the [In the MS. to is crossed out here, and the inserted over line.] deth I ne drede,
Thus carefully, so Crist me spede!
For me is leuere In my contre
Be sclayn In my virginite,
Line 18560
That I falle not In ȝoure handis,
Þan [Þan inserted by another hand to the left, And being crossed out.] go with ȝow In-to ȝoure landis
