Forth with the travail of the day[605] Was drunke, aslepe and while he lay, 1010 Sche hath hise lettres overseie And formed in an other weie. Ther was a newe lettre write, [Sidenote: Secunda littera per Regem Episcopo remissa a Domilda iterum falsata.] Which seith: ‘I do you forto wite, That thurgh the conseil of you tuo I stonde in point to ben undo, As he which is a king deposed. For every man it hath supposed, How that my wif Constance is faie; And if that I, thei sein, delaie[606] 1020 [Sidenote: =P. i. 194=] To put hire out of compaignie,[607] The worschipe of my Regalie Is lore; and over this thei telle, Hire child schal noght among hem duelle, To cleymen eny heritage. So can I se non avantage, Bot al is lost, if sche abide: Forthi to loke on every side Toward the meschief as it is, I charge you and bidde this, 1030 That ye the same Schip vitaile, In which that sche tok arivaile, Therinne and putteth bothe tuo, Hireself forthwith hire child also, And so forth broght unto the depe Betaketh hire the See to kepe. Of foure daies time I sette, That ye this thing no longer lette, So that your lif be noght forsfet.’ And thus this lettre contrefet 1040 The Messager, which was unwar, Upon the kingeshalve bar, And where he scholde it hath betake. Bot whan that thei have hiede take, And rad that writen is withinne,[608] So gret a sorwe thei beginne, As thei here oghne Moder sihen Brent in a fyr before here yhen:[609] Ther was wepinge and ther was wo, Bot finaly the thing is do. 1050 [Sidenote: =P. i. 195=] Upon the See thei have hire broght, Bot sche the cause wiste noght, And thus upon the flod thei wone, This ladi with hire yonge Sone: And thanne hire handes to the hevene Sche strawhte, and with a milde stevene Knelende upon hire bare kne Sche seide, ‘O hihe mageste, Which sest the point of every trowthe, Tak of thi wofull womman rowthe 1060 And of this child that I schal kepe.’ And with that word sche gan to wepe, Swounende as ded, and ther sche lay;[610] Bot he which alle thinges may Conforteth hire, and ate laste Sche loketh and hire yhen caste[611] Upon hire child and seide this: ‘Of me no maner charge it is What sorwe I soffre, bot of thee Me thenkth it is a gret pite,[612] 1070 For if I sterve thou schalt deie:[613] So mot I nedes be that weie For Moderhed and for tendresse With al myn hole besinesse Ordeigne me for thilke office, As sche which schal be thi Norrice.’ Thus was sche strengthed forto stonde; And tho sche tok hire child in honde