To scole þey were put; Boþ þey were good of~ wytte. Wonder it was of~ hur lore, And of~ her loue wel þe more. 28 Þe Children louyd to-geder soo, Þey myȝt neu{er} p{ar}te a twoo. When þey had .v. ȝere to scoole goon{e} So wel þey had lerned þoo, 32 Inowȝ þey couþ of latyne, And wel wryte on p{ar}chemyn{e}. Þe kyng~ vnderstod þe grete Amoure Bytwene his son{e} and Blanchefloure, 36 And þouȝt when þey were of Age Þat her loue wolde noȝt swage; Nor he myȝt noȝt her loue w{i}t{h}drawe When Florys shuld~ wyfe after þe lawe. 40 [Sidenote: [98 _b_]] Þe king~ to þe Queene seide þoo, And tolde hur of~ his woo, Off~ his þouȝt and of his care, How it wolde of~ Floreys fare. 44 [Sidenote: The king begins to devise to separate the two, and proposes to put the maiden to death.] “Dame,” he seide, “y tel þe my reed{e}, I wyl þat Blaunchefloure be do to deed{e}. When þat maide is y-slawe, And brouȝt of her lyf~ dawe, 48 As sone as Florys may it vnder ȝete, Rathe he wylle hur forȝete. Þan may he wyfe after reed{e}.” Þe Queene answerde þen and seid{e}, 52 And þouȝt w{i}t{h} hur reed{e} Saue þe mayde fro þe deed{e}. “Sir,” she seide, “we auȝt to fond{e} Þat Florens lyf~ wit menske in lond{e}, 56 And þat he lese not his hono{u}r For þe mayden Blauncheflo{u}r. Who so myȝt þat mayde clene, Þat she were brouȝt to deþ bydene, 60 Hit were muche more hono{u}r Þan slee þ{a}t mayde Blancheflo{u}r.” Vnneþes þe king~ g[{r}a]unt þ{a}t it be soo. “Dame, rede vs what is to doo.” 64 [Headnote: _Floris is sent to Mountargis to school._] [Sidenote: The queen suggests that Floris be sent away.]