Now Flores resteþ him þ{ er}e al nyȝt, Tyl on þe morrow þe day was lyȝt; He roos on þe morownyng~, He gaf~ his Ost an hundryd shelyng~, 492 To his ost and to his Ostesse, And toke his leue, and feire dide kysse;
[Floriz go]þ to his rest; [On Blaunch]eflur he þoȝte mest. 120 Ac reste ne miȝte he habbe none; Fort þe dide slep him nome. Amoreȝe so sone so hit was day, He nem his liue, { and} we{ n}de his way. 124
[Sidenote: Floris gives the host a hundred shillings, and asks his assistance.]
And ȝerne his ost he besouȝt, Þat he him help, ȝif he myȝt ouȝt, 496 Ȝif~ he myȝt~, w{ i}t{ h} any gynne, Þat feire may to him wynne.
And for his niȝtes gestinge He ȝaf his oste an hundred schillinge. [_No gap in MS._] And ȝerne he haþ his oste bisoȝt Þ{ a}t he him helpe wiþ al his þoȝt, 128 In Babilloine, oþ{ er} wher a beo, Þ{ a}t he miȝte hire iseo, Hu he miȝte mid sume ginne, His le{ m}man blau{ n}cheflur awinne. 132 Þa{ n}ne sede þe burgeis, Þ{ a}t was hende { and} curtais,
[Sidenote: [_leaf 7_]] . . . . . . . by souht . . . . . mid al his mauht . . frend in babiloyne hadde . . wisede { and} wel radde . . . he mihte mid eni ginne . . . blancheflour iwinne
[Headnote: _The innkeeper gives Floris instructions._]
“Childe,” he seide, “to a brygge þ{ o}u shalt com{ e}, The Senpere fynde at hoom{ e}: 500 He woneth at þe brygges ende; Curtays man he is, and hende; We arn~ bretheren, and trouthes plyȝt: He can þe wyssh and rede a-ryȝt; 504
At babilloine atte frume, To one brigge þu schalt cume. 136 Whane þu comest to þe ȝate, Þe port{ er} þu schalt find þarate. Wel hende man { and} fair he is; He is icluped sire daris. 140 Mi felaȝe he is þureȝ truþe ipliȝt, And he kan rede þe ariȝt.
. . one longe brugge þou schalt come . . . ngere finde þer ate frome. . . . c is ate brugge ende . . . mon he is { and} hende . . . breþeren { and} treweþe ipliht . . . wisi { and} reden wel riht.
[Sidenote: The innkeeper sends him with a ring of introduction to the bridge porter at Babylon.]
Þ{ o}u shalt bere him a rynge Fro my-self~ to tokenynge, Þat he help þe in boure and halle As it were my self~ befalle.” 508 [_No gap in MS._] Florys takeþ þe ryng~, and nemeþ leue, For long~ wold~ he nouȝt beleue.
Haue { and} ber him þis ring, On mine halue to tokning, 144 Þ{ a}t he þe helpe in alle halue, Ase he wolde me selue.” Floriz herof was wel bliþe, And þonkede his oste wel suiþe. 148 Feire of him he nimeþ leue; No lengur nolde he bileue.