Lep on thin hors and let ous ryde: So mai we knowe bothe tuo Unwarli what oure wyves do, And that schal be a trewe assay.’ This Arrons seith noght ones nay: On horse bak anon thei lepte In such manere, and nothing slepte, Ridende forth til that thei come Al prively withinne Rome; 4790 In strange place and doun thei lihte, And take a chambre, and out of sihte [Sidenote: =P. iii. 253=] Thei be desguised for a throwe, So that no lif hem scholde knowe. And to the paleis ferst thei soghte,[1394] To se what thing this ladi wroghte[1395] Of which Arrons made his avant: And thei hire sihe of glad semblant, Al full of merthes and of bordes; Bot among alle hire othre wordes 4800 Sche spak noght of hire housebonde. And whan thei hadde al understonde (5000*) Of thilke place what hem liste,[1396] Thei gon hem forth, that non it wiste, Beside thilke gate of bras, Collacea which cleped was, Wher Collatin hath his duellinge. Ther founden thei at hom sittinge Lucrece his wif, al environed With wommen, whiche are abandoned[1397] 4810 To werche, and sche wroghte ek withal, And bad hem haste, and seith, ‘It schal[1398] Be for mi housebondes were, Which with his swerd and with his spere[1399] Lith at the Siege in gret desese. And if it scholde him noght displese, Nou wolde god I hadde him hiere; For certes til that I mai hiere Som good tidinge of his astat, Min herte is evere upon debat. 4820 For so as alle men witnesse, He is of such an hardiesse, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 254=] That he can noght himselve spare, And that is al my moste care, Whan thei the walles schulle assaile.[1400] Bot if mi wisshes myhte availe, I wolde it were a groundles pet, Be so the Siege were unknet, And I myn housebonde sihe.’ With that the water in hire yhe 4830 Aros, that sche ne myhte it stoppe, And as men sen the dew bedroppe[1401] The leves and the floures eke, Riht so upon hire whyte cheke The wofull salte teres felle. Whan Collatin hath herd hire telle The menynge of hire trewe herte, Anon with that to hire he sterte, And seide, ‘Lo, mi goode diere, Nou is he come to you hiere, 4840 That ye most loven, as ye sein.’ And sche with goodly chiere ayein Beclipte him in hire armes smale, And the colour, which erst was pale, To Beaute thanne was restored, So that it myhte noght be mored. The kinges Sone, which was nyh, And of this lady herde and syh The thinges as thei ben befalle, The resoun of hise wittes alle 4850 Hath lost; for love upon his part