Now eu{ er}y word{ e} she haþ him tolde, How þ{ a}t þey þ{ a}t mayden solde. 320 [Sidenote: [102 _a_]] “Is þis soth, my moder dere?” “For soth,” she seide, “she is not here.” Þe rowȝ stoon{ e} adoun{ e} þey leyde, And sawe þ{ a}t was not þe mayde. 324
. . . word { and} ende him . Hou hei habbeþ þat mayde, 136 “{ and} is þis soþ, mi moder dere?” “Ȝe, for soþe,” heo nis not . Þane stond hii panne . . . . He isay þ{ a}t þere nas . . . . 140
[Sidenote: Floris declares his resolve to find Blauncheflur.]
“Now, moder, y þink þ{ a}t y leue may. Ne shal y rest nyȝt ne day, Nyȝt ne day ne no stound{ e}, Tyl y haue my le{ m}mon found{ e}. 328
Nu me þencheþ . . . . . . . . ne schal ihc . . . . Niȝt ne da . . . . . . . . . ich . . . . . . 144
[_Some folios lost here. Continued at bottom of page 84._]
Hur to seken y wołł wend{ e}, Þauȝ it were to þe worldes ende.” To þe king~ he goþ to take his leue, And his Fader bade him byleue. 332 “Sir, y wyl let for no wynne; Me to bydden it it were grete synne.” Þan seid þe king~, “seth it is soo, Seþ þ{ o}u wylt noon{ e} other doo, 336 Al þat þe nedeþ we shul þe fynde; Ih{ es}u þe of~ care vnbynde.”
[Headnote: _Floris equips a company with which to search for Blauncheflur._]
[Sidenote: He describes to the king the retinue that he would like.]
“Leue Fader,” he seide, “y telle þe Al þ{ a}t þ{ o}u shalt fynde me. 340 Þ{ o}u mast me fynde, at my deuyse, Seuen horses al of~ prys, And twoo y-charged vppon~ þe molde Boþ w{ i}t{ h} seluer and wyþ golde, 344 And two ycharged w{ i}t{ h} monay For to spenden by þe way, And þree w{ i}t{ h} clothes ryche, Þe best of~ al þe kyngryche, 348 Seuen horses and seuyn~ men, And þre knaues w{ i}t{ h}out hem, And þyn{ e} own{ e} Chamburlayn{ e}, Þat is a wel nobel swayn{ e}. 352 He can vs wyssħ and reede, As marchaundes we shułł vs lede.” His Fader was an hynde king~,
[Sidenote: The king gives him also the marvellous cup, and an elegantly caparisoned ‘palfray.’]
Þe Coupe of golde he dide him bryng~, 356 Þat ilke self~ Coupe of golde Þat was Blauncheflo{ ur} for ȝolde. “Haue þis, soon{ e},” seide þe king~, “Herew{ i}t{ h} þ{ o}u may þ{ a}t swete þing~, 360 [Sidenote: [102 _b_]] “Wynne so may betyde, Blauncheflo{ ur} w{ i}t{ h} þe white syde, Blauncheflo{ ur}, þ{ a}t faire may.” Þe king let sadel a Palfray, 364 Þe oon{ e} half so white so mylke, And þat other reed so sylk~. I ne can telle nouȝt How rychely þat sadel was wrouȝt. 368 Þe Arson~ was of gold{ e} fyn{ e}, Stones of v{ er}tu stode þ{ er}yne, Bygon{ e} aboute wit orfreys.