[Headnote: BIRKABEYN SELECTS EARL GODARD / TO BE GUARDIAN OF HIS THREE CHILDREN.] +Hwa{n} he was hosled and shriue{n}, 364 His q{ui}ste maked, and for him gyue{n}, His knictes dede he alle site, For þorw hem he wolde wite, [Sidenote: He asks who will guard his children?] Hwo micte yeme hise childre{n} yunge, 368 Til þat he kouþen speke{n} wit tu{n}ge; Speke{n} and gangen, on horse riden, Knictes an sweynes bi here side{n}. He spoken þer-offe, and chosen sone 372 A riche man was under mone, [Sidenote: He chooses Godard.] Was þe trewest þat he wende, Godard, þe kinges oune frende; And seyden, he Moucthe he{m} best loke, 376 Yif þat he hem vndertoke, Til hise sone Mouthe bere Helm on heued, and lede{n} vt here, In his hand a sp{e}re stark, 380 And king ben maked of denemark. He wel trowede þat he seyde, And on Godard handes leyde; [Sidenote: He commends the children to Godard.] And seyde, “Here bi-teche i þe 384 Mine childre{n} alle þre, Al denemark, and al mi fe, Til þat mi sone of helde be; [Sidenote: He makes him swear to take care of them, and to give up the kingdom to the boy.] But þat ich wille, þat þo[u] suere 388 On auter, and on messe-gere, On þe belles þat men ri{n}ges, On messe-bok þe prest on singes, Þat þou mine children shalt we[l] yeme, 392 Þat hire kin be ful wel queme, Til mi sone mowe ben knicth, Þanne biteche him þo his Ricth, Denemark, and þat þertil lo{n}ges, 396 Casteles and tunes, wodes and wo{n}ges.” [Sidenote: Godard swears to do so.] +Godard stirt up, an swor al þat Þe king him bad, and siþen sat Bi the knictes, þat þer ware, 400 Þat wepen alle swiþe sare For þe king þat deide sone: Ih{es}u c{ri}st, that makede mone On þe mirke nith to shine, 404 Wite his soule fro helle pine; And leue þat it mote wone [Sidenote: [Fol. 206, col. 2.]] In heuene-riche with godes sone! [Headnote: GODARD IMPRISONS THE THREE CHILDREN.]