her daughter should be a stranger in her own hall.  She spoke to her son-in-law, counselling him to send Frene from his house, and to find her an honest man for her husband.  Thus there would be quittance between them.  Very splendid was the feast.  Whilst all was mirth and jollity, the damsel visited the chambers, to see that each was ordered to her lord’s pleasure.  She hid the torment in her heart, and seemed neither troubled nor downcast.  She compassed the bride with every fair observance, and waited upon her right daintily.

[Footnote 1:  This is a play on words; Frene in the French, meaning ash, and Coudre meaning hazel.]

Her courage was marvellous to that company of lords and ladies, who observed her curiously.  The mother of the bride regarded her also, and praised her privily.  She said aloud that had she known the sweetness of this lady, she would not have taken her lover from her, nor spoiled her life for the sake of the bride.  The night being come the damsel entered in the bridal chamber to deck the bed against her lord.  She put off her mantle, and calling the chamberlains, showed them how their master loved to lie.  His bed being softly arrayed, a coverlet was spread upon the linen sheets.  Frene looked upon the coverlet:  in her eyes it showed too mean a garnishing for so fair a lord.  She turned it over in her mind, and going to her coffret she took therefrom that rich stuff of sanguine silk, and set it on the couch.  This she did not only in honour of her friend, but that the Archbishop might not despise the house, when he blessed the marriage bed, according to the rite.  When all was ready the mother carried the bride to that chamber where she should lie, to disarray her for the night.  Looking upon the bed she marked the silken coverlet, for she had never seen so rich a cloth, save only that in which she wrapped her child.  When she remembered of this thing, her heart turned to water.  She summoned a chamberlain.

“Tell me,” she said, “tell me in good faith where this garniture was found.”

“Lady,” he made reply, “that you shall know.  Our damsel spread it on the bed, because this dossal is richer than the coverlet that was there before.”

The lady called for the damsel.  Frene came before her in haste, being yet without her mantle.  All the mother moved within her, as she plied her with questions.

“Fair friend, hide it not a whit from me.  Tell me truly where this fair samite was found; whence came it; who gave it to you?  Answer swiftly, and tell me who bestowed on you this cloth?”

The damsel made answer to her: 

“Lady, my aunt, the Abbess, gave me this silken stuff, and charged me to keep it carefully.  At the same time she gave me a ring, which those who put me forth, had bound upon me.”

“Fair friend, may I see this ring?”

“Certes, lady, I shall be pleased to show it.”

The lady looked closely on the ring, when it was brought.  She knew again her own, and the crimson samite flung upon the bed.  No doubt was in her mind.  She knew and was persuaded that Frene was her very child.  All words were spoken, and there was nothing more to hide.