The sacrifices been ful redy dighte; (50) Thencens out of the fyre reketh sote, The flour, the leef is rent up by the rote To maken garlands and corounes hye; Ful is the place of soun of minstralcye, 2615 Of songes amorous of mariage, As thilke tyme was the pleyn usage. And this was in the paleys of Egiste, That in his hous was lord, right as him liste; And thus the day they dryven to an ende; 2620 The frendes taken leve, and hoom they wende. (60) The night is come, the bryd shal go to bedde; Egiste to his chambre faste him spedde, And privily he let his doghter calle. Whan that the hous was voided of hem alle, 2625 He loked on his doghter with glad chere, And to her spak, as ye shul after here. 'My righte doghter, tresor of myn herte! Sin first that day that shapen was my sherte, Or by the fatal sustren had my dom, 2630 So ny myn herte never thing me com (70) As thou, myn Ypermistra, doghter dere! Tak heed what I thy fader sey thee here, And werk after thy wyser ever-mo. For alderfirste, doghter, I love thee so 2635 That al the world to me nis half so leef; Ne I nolde rede thee to thy mischeef For al the gode under the colde mone; And what I mene, hit shal be seid right sone, With protestacioun, as in this wyse, 2640 That, but thou do as I shal thee devyse, (80) Thou shalt be deed, by him that al hath wroght! At shorte wordes, thou nescapest noght Out of my paleys, or that thou be deed, But thou consente and werke after my reed; 2645 Tak this to thee for ful conclusioun.' This Ypermistra caste her eyen doun, And quook as dooth the leef of aspe grene; Deed wex her hewe, and lyk as ash to sene, And seyde, 'lord and fader, al your wille, 2650 After my might, god wot, I shal fulfille, (90) So hit to me be no confusioun.' 'I nil,' quod he, 'have noon excepcioun;' And out he caughte a knyf, as rasour kene; 'Hyd this,' quod he, 'that hit be nat y-sene; 2655 And, whan thyn husbond is to bedde y-go, Whyl that he slepeth, cut his throte a-two. For in my dremes hit is warned me How that my nevew shal my bane be, But whiche I noot, wherfor I wol be siker. 2660 Yif thou sey nay, we two shul have a biker (100) As I have seyd, by him that I have sworn.' This Ypermistra hath ny her wit forlon; And, for to passen harmles of that place, She graunted him; ther was non other grace. 2665 And therwith-al a costrel taketh he, And seyde, 'herof a draught, or two or three,