742[Qualiter Appolinus in cena recumbens nihil comedit, sed, doloroso vultu, submisso capite, maxime ingemiscebat; qui tandem a filia regis confortatus citheram plectens cunctis audientibus citherando vltra modum complacuit.]

743 The king behield his hevynesse,

744And of his grete gentillesse

745His doghter, which was fair and good

746And ate bord before him stod,

747As it was thilke time usage,

748He bad to gon on his message

749And fonde forto make him glad.

750And sche dede as hire fader bad,

751And goth to him the softe pas

752And axeth whenne and what he was,

753And preith he scholde his thoghtes leva.

754He seith, "Ma Dame, be your leve

755Mi name is hote Appolinus,

756And of mi richesse it is thus,

757Upon the See I have it lore.

758The contre wher as I was bore,

759Wher that my lond is and mi rente,

760I lefte at Tyr, whan that I wente:

761The worschipe of this worldes aghte,

762Unto the god ther I betaghte."

763And thus togedre as thei tuo speeke,

764The teres runne be his cheeke.

765The king, which therof tok good kepe,

766Hath gret Pite to sen him wepe,

767And for his doghter sende ayein,

768And preide hir faire and gan to sein

769That sche no lengere wolde drecche,

770Bot that sche wolde anon forth fecche;

771Hire harpe and don al that sche can

772To glade with that sory man.

773And sche to don hir fader heste

774Hir harpe fette, and in the feste

775Upon a Chaier which thei fette

776Hirself next to this man sche sette:

777With harpe bothe and ek with mouthe

778To him sche dede al that sche couthe

779To make him chiere, and evere he siketh,

780And sche him axeth hou him liketh.

781"Ma dame, certes wel," he seide,

782"Bot if ye the mesure pleide

783Which, if you list, I schal you liere,

784It were a glad thing forto hiere."

785"Ha, lieve sire," tho quod sche,

786"Now tak the harpe and let me se

787Of what mesure that ye mene."

788Tho preith the king, tho preith the queene,

789Forth with the lordes alle arewe,

790That he som merthe wolde schewe;

791He takth the Harpe and in his wise

792He tempreth, and of such assise

793Singende he harpeth forth withal,

794That as a vois celestial

795Hem thoghte it souneth in here Ere,

796As thogh that he an Angel were.

797Thei gladen of his melodie,

798Bot most of all the compainie

799The kinges doghter, which it herde,

800And thoghte ek hou that he ansuerde,

801Whan that he was of hire opposed,

802Withinne hir herte hath wel supposed

803That he is of gret gentilesse.

804Hise dedes ben therof witnesse

805Forth with the wisdom of his lore;

806It nedeth noght to seche more,

807He myhte noght have such manere,

808Of gentil blod bot if he were.

809Whanne he hath harped al his fille,

810The kinges heste to fulfille,

811Awey goth dissh, awey goth cuppe,

812Doun goth the bord, the cloth was uppe,

813Thei risen and gon out of halle.