THE TALE（第5页）

asisofyoungemaidensthemannere.

nowwastherethenajusticeinthattown，

thatgovernorwasofthatregioun:

andsobefell，thisjudgehiseyencast

uponthismaid，avising*herfullfast，*observing

asshecameforthbywherethisjudgestood;

anonhisheartechangedandhisod，

sowashecaughtwithbeautyofthismaid

andtohimselffullprivilyhesaid，

"thismaidenshallbemine*foranyman."**despitewhatany

anonthefiendintohishearteran，manmaydo

andtaughthimsuddenly，thathebysleight

thismaidentohispurposewinnemight.

forcertes，bynoforce，norbynomeed，**bribe，reward

himthoughthewasnotablefortospeed;

forshewasstrongoffriendes，andekeshe

confirmedwasinsuchsovreignbounte

thatwellhewisthemightherneverwin，

asfortomakeherwithherbodysin.

forwhich，withgreatdeliberatioun，

hesentafteraclerk

wasinthetown，

thewhichheknewforsubtleandforbold.

thisjudgeuntothisclerkhistaletold

insecretwise，andmadehimtoassure

heshouldetellittonocreature，

andifhedid，heshouldelosehishead.

andwhenassentedwasthiscursedrede，**counsel，plot

gladwasthejudge，andmadehimgreatecheer，

andgavehimgiftespreciousanddear.

whenshapen*wasalltheirconspiracy*arranged