Whan Yno was the kinges make, Sche caste hou that sche mihte make[232] These children to here fader lothe, And schope a wyle ayein hem bothe,[233] Which to the king was al unknowe. A yeer or tuo sche let do sowe 4280 The lond with sode whete aboute, Wherof no corn mai springen oute; And thus be sleyhte and be covine Aros the derthe and the famine Thurghout the lond in such a wise, So that the king a sacrifise Upon the point of this destresse To Ceres, which is the goddesse Of corn, hath schape him forto yive, To loke if it mai be foryive, 4290 [Sidenote: =P. ii. 271=] The meschief which was in his lond. Bot sche, which knew tofor the hond The circumstance of al this thing, Ayein the cominge of the king Into the temple, hath schape so, Of hire acord that alle tho Whiche of the temple prestes were Have seid and full declared there Unto the king, bot if so be That he delivere the contre 4300 Of Frixus and of Hellen bothe, With whom the goddes ben so wrothe, That whil tho children ben therinne, Such tilthe schal noman beginne, Wherof to gete him eny corn. Thus was it seid, thus was it sworn Of all the Prestes that ther are;[234] And sche which causeth al this fare Seid ek therto what that sche wolde,[235] And every man thanne after tolde 4310 So as the queene hem hadde preid.[236] The king, which hath his Ere leid, And lieveth al that evere he herde, Unto here tale thus ansuerde, And seith that levere him is to chese Hise children bothe forto lese, Than him and al the remenant Of hem whiche are aportenant Unto the lond which he schal kepe: And bad his wif to take kepe 4320 [Sidenote: =P. ii. 272=] In what manere is best to done,[237] That thei delivered weren sone Out of this world. And sche anon Tuo men ordeigneth forto gon; Bot ferst sche made hem forto swere That thei the children scholden bere Unto the See, that non it knowe, And hem therinne bothe throwe. The children to the See ben lad, Wher in the wise as Yno bad[238] 4330 These men be redy forto do. Bot the goddesse which Juno Is hote, appiereth in the stede, And hath unto the men forbede[239] That thei the children noght ne sle; Bot bad hem loke into the See And taken hiede of that thei sihen. Ther swam a Schep tofore here yhen, Whos flees of burned gold was al; And this goddesse forth withal 4340 Comandeth that withoute lette Thei scholde anon these children sette Above upon this Schepes bak;[240] And al was do, riht as sche spak, Wherof the men gon hom ayein. And fell so, as the bokes sein, Hellen the yonge Mayden tho,