And hath the vessell undergete,[622] Which Maister was of al the Flete, Bot there it resteth and abod. This grete Schip on Anker rod; The Lord cam forth, and whan he sih That other ligge abord so nyh, He wondreth what it myhte be, And bad men to gon in and se.[623] 1140 [Sidenote: =P. i. 198=] This ladi tho was crope aside, As sche that wolde hireselven hide, For sche ne wiste what thei were: Thei soghte aboute and founde hir there And broghten up hire child and hire; And therupon this lord to spire Began, fro whenne that sche cam, And what sche was. Quod sche, ‘I am A womman wofully bestad. I hadde a lord, and thus he bad, 1150 That I forth with my litel Sone[624] Upon the wawes scholden wone, Bot why the cause was, I not: Bot he which alle thinges wot Yit hath, I thonke him, of his miht Mi child and me so kept upriht, That we be save bothe tuo.’ This lord hire axeth overmo[625] How sche believeth, and sche seith, ‘I lieve and triste in Cristes feith, 1160 Which deide upon the Rode tree.’ ‘What is thi name?’ tho quod he. ‘Mi name is Couste,’ sche him seide: Bot forthermor for noght he preide Of hire astat to knowe plein, Sche wolde him nothing elles sein Bot of hir name, which sche feigneth; Alle othre thinges sche restreigneth, That a word more sche ne tolde.[626] This lord thanne axeth if sche wolde 1170 [Sidenote: =P. i. 199=] With him abide in compaignie, And seide he cam fro Barbarie To Romeward, and hom he wente. Tho sche supposeth what it mente, And seith sche wolde with him wende And duelle unto hire lyves ende, Be so it be to his plesance. And thus upon here aqueintance[627] He tolde hire pleinly as it stod, Of Rome how that the gentil blod 1180 In Barbarie was betraied, And therupon he hath assaied Be werre, and taken such vengance, That non of al thilke alliance,[628] Be whom the tresoun was compassed, Is from the swerd alyve passed; Bot of Constance hou it was, That cowthe he knowe be no cas, Wher sche becam, so as he seide.[629] Hire Ere unto his word sche leide, 1190 Bot forther made sche no chiere.[630] And natheles in this matiere It happeth thilke time so:[631] This Lord, with whom sche scholde go, Of Rome was the Senatour, And of hir fader themperour His brother doughter hath to wyve, Which hath hir fader ek alyve, And was Salustes cleped tho; This wif Heleine hihte also,[632] 1200 [Sidenote: =P. i. 200=] To whom Constance was Cousine. Thus to the sike a medicine Hath god ordeined of his grace, That forthwith in the same place