0.2How this Leyre proved his daughters, which of them loved him most and best. How Maglane, Duke of Albany, and Ewayn, Duke of Cornwall, did homage to King Leyre for Cornwail and Albany, and afterward they wed his daughters and put him out of the realm by unkindness.

11After him [Baldud] then reigned Leyre his son,

2Who that did make a city upon Soar,

3Caerleyre, in which he did most dwell and wone,

4Leicester is now called, but wherefore

5I wot not why, but Leirecestre afore

6I trow it hight. We leave out "R," this letter,

7For lighter speech to make the language sweeter.

28This Leyre had to his heirs but daughters three,

9So after time that he had reignèd long

10In all honor and high prosperity,

11And fall'n in age, he set him them among.

12To the eldest with voice he spake and ronge,

13Imagining how that they might be proved,

14Which of them three that best and most him loved.

315He askèd so the eldest Goneryle,

16How well she did him love he prayed her say.

17She answered him again then with a wile,

18Well better than her own life in good fay;

19Of which he was so pleased to his pay

20That he her granted fully forto advance

21With sufficient part of his inheritance.

422The second then, that callèd was Ragawe,

23He askèd so, to whom she said anon,

24"Father, I love you right, so as I owe,

25More than all this whole earthly world alone."

26"Daughter," he said, "as true as any stone,

27The third part of my realm so shalt thou have;

28Thou say'st so well I may no more thee crave."

529To Cordele then, the youngest of them three,

30He askèd then right on that same avise,

31Who answered him with all benignity,

32Right in this form and as she could devise

33"You as my father I love without quaintise

34And as much as ye be worth of richesse

35So much I love you father and shall doubtless."

636To her he said, "Why, lovest me no more?

37Now truly thou shalt never have good of me,

38But help thyself from this day forth therefore."

39With that the Duke of Albany, wit ye,

40Wed Goneryle his wife for to be.

41Sir Maglayne then hight withouten fail.

42And Ragawe had Ewayne, Duke of Cornwall.

743After all this, the King of France, Aganippe,

44For good love wed without any richesse

45Cordeyle, to whom her father no quantity

46Of goods gave that I can aught express,

47But all his lands departed by process

48Betwixt Maglayne and Ewayne so in fere

49With his daughters two that to him were full dear.

850And in his age the princes two toke governance

51Of all his land, and let him have no might

52For which they grant him than by ordinance,

53To find him so with forty knights right

54Whilst he might live, so laid they down his height;

55For which he went to his daughter Gonerile

56Of whom certain she irked in short while.

957Than went he forth unto his daughter Ragawe.

58She did right as her sister with him had done.

59Within a year she would have made him low,

60His knights voided and holden but a whone.

61So went he thence; he wist not what to do.

62For sorrow he would have liggen on his bier,

63Such thought he had and made right heavy cheer.

1064Then took he full to counsel and to rede

65By friends he had, to Cordeyle for to gone

66To fele her help thither they did him lead.

67He sent to her his messenger anon,

68For whom she was annoyed and made great moan.

69Both gold and goods she sent him, and array

70Right sufficient and rich unto his pay.

1171They brought him so to her with great honor,

72Where he had cheer full fair and all disport;

73And welcome was, and hight him whole succor

74To win again his land with great comfort.

75The King of France, his host, assembled and resorted

76To pass with him to win his land again;

77Did send his wife to help him in his pain.

1278So won he then his land with might again;

79In which he stood the sovereign king three year,

80And then he died, and buried is, to lain

81At his city of Caerleyre as did affeir,

82With all worship within a temple clear

83Of Janus god; and then Aganippe

84Her lord at home did pass away and die.

1385So stood she forth, widow, reigning five year

86Without issue, and held the monarchy

87Of all Britain after her father dear.

88The queen she was, and held the regency

89Till on a day her sisters' sons forthy

90That they were come, and also generate

91Of her elder sisters and procreate.

92Margan that was then Duke of Albany,

93Condage that was so Duke of Cornwall,

94With hosts great, through right of ancestry

95For to be kings and have the governal,

96Then fought with her and gave her strong battle.

97So, at the last, overcome she was and take.

98Imprisoned sore, her own death sought to make.

99She slew herself for woe she lost the realm,

100And buried was beside her father right

101Within a tomb under the water stream

102Of Soar, that she had wrought for him and dight

103Within Caerleyre that now Leicester hight.

104Her soul so went to Janus whom she served

105And to Minerva whose love she had deserved.