[Sidenote: The mother at length tells Floris that Blauncheflur is dead.]
“Sir,” shee seide, “deed{ e}.” “deed!” seide he. “Sir,” sche seide, “for sothe, ȝee.” 240 “Allas, when died þ{ a}t swete wyȝt?” [Sidenote: [101 _a_]] “Sir, w{ i}t{ h}ynne þis Fourtenyȝt Þe erth was leide hur aboute, And deed she was for thy loue.” 244
“Sire,” heo seyde, “ded.” “ded!” quad he. “Sire,” heo seyde, “for soþe ȝe, Alas, wenne deide my suete wyȝt?” “Sire,” heo seyde, “wiþ inne þis seueniȝt 44 Þat vrþe hire was leyd aboue, And ded heo is for þine loue.
Flores, þat was so feire and gent, Sownyd þ{ er}e verament. Þe cristen woman began to crye To ih{ es}u crist and seynt Marye. 248 Þe king~ and þe queene herde þ{ a}t crye; In to þe Chamber þey ronne on hye. And þe Queene herde her byforn{ e} On sowne þe Childe þat she had born{ e}. 252
Floyres þat was so fayr { and} ge{ n}t, He fel iswoue vp on þe paueme{ n}t. 48 And þe cristene wi{ m}mon go{ n} to crie To crist { and} to sey{ n}temarie. Þe king & þe quene iherdde þ{ a}t cri; In to þe bure þo vrne hy. 52 And þe quene ate frome By wepeþ hire dere sone.
Þe kinges hert was al in care, Þat sawe his son{ e} for loue so fare. When he a-wooke and speke moȝt, Sore he wept and sore he syȝt, 256 And seide to his moder ywys, “Lede me þ{ er}e þat mayde is.”
{ And} þe kinges herte is ful of care Þat he sikþ is sone vor loue so fare. 56 Anon he of swoninge awok { and} speke miste. Sore he wep { and} sore he syȝte, And on his moder he by siþt. “Dame,” he sayde, “led me þar þ{ a}t mayde lyþ.” 60
[Sidenote: His mother comes to him, and conducts him to the supposititious tomb.]
Þeder þey him brouȝt on hyȝe; For care and sorow he wold{ e} dyȝe. 260 As sone as he to þe graue com, Sone þ{ er}e behelde he þen,
Þider heo hine broute wel suþe, Vor care a[n]d sorwe of hire deþe. Ano{ n} þ{ a}t he to þe burles com, Wel ȝerne he bi-hul þer-on, 64
[Headnote: _Floris reads the inscription on the monument, and swoons._]
[Sidenote: Floris reads the inscription, and then swoons three times.]
And þe letters began to rede, Þat þus speke and þus seide: 264 “Here lytħ swete Blauncheflo{ ur}, Þat Florys louyd p{ ar}amoure.” Þre sithes Florys sownydde nouth; Ne speke he myȝt not w{ i}t{ h} mouth. 268 As sone as he awoke and speke myȝt, Sore he wept and sore he syȝt~.