Of wordes he was eloquent; And whanne he sih the king present, He preith he moste his dowhter have. The king ayein began to crave, And tolde him the condicion, Hou ferst unto his question He mote ansuere and faile noght, Or with his heved it schal be boght: 400 And he him axeth what it was. [Sidenote: Questio Regis Antiochi.] The king declareth him the cas [Sidenote: =P. iii. 289=] With sturne lok and sturdi chiere,[1492] To him and seide in this manere: [Sidenote: Scelere vehor, materna carne vescor, quero patrem meum, matris mee virum, vxoris mee filium.] ‘With felonie I am upbore, I ete and have it noght forbore Mi modres fleissh, whos housebonde Mi fader forto seche I fonde, Which is the Sone ek of my wif. Hierof I am inquisitif; 410 And who that can mi tale save, Al quyt he schal my doghter have; Of his ansuere and if he faile, He schal be ded withoute faile. Forthi my Sone,’ quod the king, ‘Be wel avised of this thing,[1493] Which hath thi lif in jeupartie.’ [Sidenote: Responsio Appollini.] Appolinus for his partie, Whan he this question hath herd,[1494] Unto the king he hath ansuerd 420 And hath rehersed on and on The pointz, and seide therupon: ‘The question which thou hast spoke, If thou wolt that it be unloke, It toucheth al the privete Betwen thin oghne child and thee, And stant al hol upon you tuo.’ [Sidenote: Indignacio Antiochi super responsione Appolini.[1495]] The king was wonder sory tho, And thoghte, if that he seide it oute, Than were he schamed al aboute. 430 With slihe wordes and with felle He seith, ‘Mi Sone, I schal thee telle, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 290=] Though that thou be of litel wit, It is no gret merveile as yit, Thin age mai it noght suffise: Bot loke wel thou noght despise Thin oghne lif, for of my grace Of thretty daies fulle a space I grante thee, to ben avised.’ [Sidenote: De recessu Appollini ab Antiochia.] And thus with leve and time assised 440 This yonge Prince forth he wente, And understod wel what it mente, Withinne his herte as he was lered,[1496] That forto maken him afered The king his time hath so deslaied. Wherof he dradde and was esmaied,[1497] Of treson that he deie scholde, For he the king his sothe tolde; And sodeinly the nyhtes tyde, That more wolde he noght abide, 450 Al prively his barge he hente And hom ayein to Tyr he wente: And in his oghne wit he seide For drede, if he the king bewreide, He knew so wel the kinges herte, That deth ne scholde he noght asterte,