Lytel and muche loueden þe For þy goodnesse and þy beaute. 276 Ȝif deþ were dalt aryȝt, We shuld be deed boþ on oo nyȝt. On oo day born{e} we were; We shul be ded boþ in feere.” 280 & muchel {and} litel hit louede þe Vor þi fayr hede {and} þi bunte. Ȝif þat deþ were ideld ariȝt, We scholden habbe idiȝed boþe in ar niȝt. 84 Vor in one deye ibore we were; Mid riȝte we scholden deie ifere.” [Sidenote: He apostrophizes death.] [Sidenote: [101 _b_]] “Deeþ,” he seide, “ful of~ enuye, And of alle trechorye, Refte þ{o}u hast me my le{m}man.” “For soth,” he seide, “þ{o}u art to blame. 284 She wolde haue leuyd, and þu noldest, And fayn{e} wolde y dye, and þu woldest. “Deþ,” he seyde, “vol of enuie, {and} vol of alle tricherie, 88 Mid t{ra}isu{n} þ{o}u me hast mi lef binome. To bi-t{ra}ie þat folk hit is þi wone; Heo wolde libbe {and} þu noldest. Þou nelt me slen {and} ihc wolde; 92 [_No gap in MS._] Wiþ þere me wolde þat þou were. Nul tu no wiȝt come þere, {and} þer me wolde þ{a}t þou . . ne come, Þer þou wolt come Ilome. 96 Þilke þ{a}t buste best to libbe, Hem þou stikest under þe ribbe. {and} ȝif þer is eni forliued wrecche, Þat of is liue nouȝt ne recche, 100 Þat fawe wolde deie for sorewe & elde, On hem neltou nouȝht bi helde. No lengore ich nelle mi lef bileue, I chulle be mid hyre ere eue. 104 After deeþ clepe nomore y nylle, But slee my self~ now y wille.” 288 Nou after deþ clepie ich þe nulle, Ac mi sulue aslen ich wille.” [Headnote: _He tries to stab himself, but is prevented by his mother._] [Sidenote: He attempts to stab himself with a knife, but is prevented by his mother.] His knyf~ he braide out of his sheth; Him self he wolde haue doo to deth. And to hert he had it smeten{e} Ne had his moder it vnder ȝeten{e}. 292 Þen þe Queene fel him vppon{e}, And þe knyf~ fro him noom{e}. She reft~ him of~ his lytel knyf~, And sauyd þere þe Childes lyf~. 296 Forþ þe Queene ranne, al wepyng~, Tyl she com{e} to þe kyng~. Ase a mo{n} þat draȝh him sulue to þe deþe, His knif he draȝh out of his scheþe, 108 {and} to his herte hit wolde habbe ismite, Nadde his moder hit vnder gete. Ac þe quene his moder . . fel vpon, & þis knif heo him binom. 112 Heo bi nom him his atel knif. [Sidenote: [_leaf 6, back, col. 2_]] Þat heo com bi . . . . . . . [Headnote: _The queen discloses to Floris the deception._] [Sidenote: The queen persuades the king to reveal the truth.]