[Sidenote: His name was Athelwold.] ¶ Þe ki{n}g was hoten aþelwold, Of word, of wepne he was bold; In engeland was neure knicth, 108 Þat bet{er}e hel þe lond to ricth. [Sidenote: He had but a young daughter to succeed him.] Of his bodi ne hauede he eyr Bute a mayden swiþe fayr, Þat was so yung þat sho ne couþe 112 Gon on fote, ne speke wit mouþe. Þan him tok an iuel strong, Þat he we[l] wiste, and under-fong, [Sidenote: He feels he is dying, and says, “I am in trouble about her.] Þat his deth was come{n} him on: 116 And seyde, “c{ri}st, wat shal y don! Louerd, wat shal me to rede! I woth ful wel ich haue mi mede. W shal nou mi douhter fare? 120 Of hire haue ich michel kare; Sho is mikel in mi þouth, Of me self is me rith nowt. No selcouth is, þou me be wo; 124 Sho ne ka{n} speke, ne sho kan go. [Sidenote: Were she but of age, I would not care for myself.”] Yif scho couþe on horse ride, And a thousa{n}de me{n} bi hire syde; And sho were com{en} intil helde, 128 And engelond sho couþe welde; And don hem of þar hire were q{ue}me, An hire bodi couþe yeme; No wolde me neu{er}e iuele like 132 Me þou ich were i{n} heuene-riche!” [Headnote: HE SUMMONS HIS LORDS TO WINCHESTER.] +Qua{n}ne he hauede þis plei{n}te maked, Þer-after stro{n}glike [he] quaked. He sende writes sone on-on 136 [Sidenote: [Fol. 204b, col. 2.]] After his erles eu{er}e-ich on; [Sidenote: He summons his lords, from Roxburgh to Dover.] And after hise baru{n}s, riche and poure, Fro rokesburw al i{n}to douere, That he shulde{n} comen swiþe 140 Til him, that was ful vnbliþe; To þat stede þe[r] he lay, In harde bondes, nicth and day. He was so faste wit yuel fest, 144 Þat he ne mouthe haue{n} no rest; [Sidenote: He can no longer eat.] He ne mouthe no mete hete, Ne he ne mouchte no lyþe gete; Ne non of his iuel þat couþe red; 148 Of him ne was nouth bute{n} ded. [Sidenote: All sadly obey his summons.] +Alle þat the writes herden, Sorful an sori til him ferde{n}; He wru{n}gen ho{n}des, and wepe{n} sore, 152 And yerne preyde{n} cristes hore, Þat he [wolde] t{ur}nen him Vt of þat yuel þat was so grim! Þa{n}ne he weren comen alle 156 [Sidenote: They come to Winchester.] Bifor þe king i{n}to the halle, At wi{n}chestre þer he lay: “Welcome,” he seyde, “be ye ay! Ful michel þank[e] kan [y] yow 160 That ye aren come{n} to me now!”