“Now,” seith Dares, “þ{ o}u art a Folt,”-- And For a Foole þe Childe he halt,-- “Now y woot how it gooth, Þ{ o}u desirest þyn~ own~ death. 548 Þe Amyral haþ to his Iustinges Oþ{ er} half~ hundred of ryche kinges; And þe Alder-rychest king~ Durst not begynne suche a þing~. 552
Daris þa{ n}ne floriz bihalt, { And} for more þane fol him halt. “Floriz,” he sede, “iseo hu hit geþ; Þu ert abute þinoȝe deþ. 200 Þe Admiral haueþ to his gestninge Oþ{ er} half hu{ n}dred of riche kinges. Ne þ{ er} nis no{ n} so riche king Þ{ a}t dorste ent{ er}met{ en} of eni such þing, 204 Þilke maide to awinne, Noþ{ er} wiþ strengþe ne wiþ ginne,
Nou doyres þ{ a}t chil[d] by halt, { and} for a fol he hine halt. “Child, nou ich wot al hou hit geþ; Iwis þou welnest þin owene deþ. Þe amirel haueþ to his iustninge Oþ{ er} half hondert of riche kinge, Þe alre richeste kinge Ne dorste bi ginne swch a þing.
Ȝif~ Amyral myȝt it vnderstond{ e}, He shulde be drawe in his owne londe, A-bout Babyloyne, y wene, Six longe myle and tene; 556 At eu{ er}y myle is a walle þ{ er}ate, Seuen sithes twenty ȝate; And .xx. toures þ{ er} ben ynne, Þ{ a}t eu{ er}y day chepyng is ynne; 560
And þe Admiral hit miȝte iwite, Þ{ a}t he n{ er}e of his lif aquite. 208 And Babilloine, ihc vnderstonde, Dureþ abute furte{ n}niȝt gonde. Abute þe walle þ{ er} buþ ate, Seuesiþe tuenti ȝates. 212 And ine þe bureȝ amidde riȝt Beoþ twe tures ipiȝt.
And mihste þe amirayl hit vnder ȝete, Sone of his liue he were quite. Aboute babiloyne beþ to ȝonge wiþoute wene, Sixti longe Mile { and} tene, { and} ate walle þer beþ ate, Seuesiþe tuenti ȝate. And tueye toures þer beþ inne, Þ{ a}t þe chepinge is eche day inne.
Eu{ er}y day and nyȝt þrouȝ-out þe ȝere Þe Chepyng~ is y-lyche plenere; [Sidenote: [105 _a_]] And þauȝ al þe men þ{ a}t ben bore, Had on hur lyf~ swore 564 To wynne þat maide feire and free, Al shul þey die, so moot y the.
Eche day in al þe ȝere Þe feire is þ{ er} iliche plenere. 216 Seue hu{ n}dred tures { and} two Beoþ in þe burȝ, biþute mo.
Nis þer day þoruh out þan ȝer, Þat þe chepinge is iliche plener. Seue hundred tures, wit oute{ n} þan tuo, Þ[er] beþ in þan boruh { and} somdel mo. Þe alre febleste tour Nolde nouht duti þe amp{ er}ur.
[Headnote: _Description of the maidens’ ‘tower.’_]