The kinges wordes he answerde; 3080 What thing the king him axe wolde, Therof anon the trowthe he tolde. The king somdiel hadde an Envie, And thoghte he wolde his wittes plie To sette som conclusioun, Which scholde be confusioun Unto this knyht, so that the name And of wisdom the hihe fame Toward himself he wolde winne. And thus of al his wit withinne 3090 This king began to studie and muse, What strange matiere he myhte use The knyhtes wittes to confounde; And ate laste he hath it founde, And for the knyht anon he sente, That he schal telle what he mente. Upon thre pointz stod the matiere Of questions, as thou schalt hiere. [Sidenote: i^a questio.] The ferste point of alle thre Was this: ‘What thing in his degre 3100 [Sidenote: =P. i. 147=] Of al this world hath nede lest, And yet men helpe it althermest?’ [Sidenote: ii^a questio.] The secounde is: ‘What most is worth, And of costage is lest put forth?’ [Sidenote: iii^a questio.] The thridde is: ‘Which is of most cost, And lest is worth and goth to lost?’ The king thes thre demandes axeth, And to the knyht this lawe he taxeth,[502] That he schal gon and come ayein The thridde weke, and telle him plein 3110 To every point, what it amonteth. And if so be that he misconteth, To make in his answere a faile, Ther schal non other thing availe, The king seith, bot he schal be ded And lese hise goodes and his hed. The knyht was sori of this thing And wolde excuse him to the king, Bot he ne wolde him noght forbere, And thus the knyht of his ansuere[503] 3120 Goth hom to take avisement: Bot after his entendement The more he caste his wit aboute, The more he stant therof in doute. Tho wiste he wel the kinges herte, That he the deth ne scholde asterte,[504] And such a sorwe hath to him take, That gladschipe he hath al forsake. He thoghte ferst upon his lif, And after that upon his wif, 3130 [Sidenote: =P. i. 148=] Upon his children ek also, Of whiche he hadde dowhtres tuo; The yongest of hem hadde of age Fourtiene yer, and of visage Sche was riht fair, and of stature Lich to an hevenely figure, And of manere and goodli speche, Thogh men wolde alle Londes seche, Thei scholden noght have founde hir like. Sche sih hire fader sorwe and sike, 3140 And wiste noght the cause why; So cam sche to him prively, And that was where he made his mone Withinne a Gardin al him one; Upon hire knes sche gan doun falle