EGWINA.

                           Alas! ytte ys toe true. 
    Yee seynctes, hee dies awaie wythe myckle woe! 1150
    AElla! what?  AElla! oh! hee lyves agen.

AELLA.

Cal mee notte AElla; I am hymme ne moe. 
Where ys shee gon awaie? ah! speake! how? when?

EGWINA.

I will.

AELLA.

            Caparyson a score of stedes; flie, flie. 
    Where ys shee? swythynne speeke, or instante thou shalte die. 1155

EGWINA.

Stylle thie loud rage, & here thou whatte I knowe.

AELLA.

Oh! speek.

  EGWINA.

Lyche prymrose, droopynge wythe the heavie rayne,
Laste nyghte I lefte her, droopynge wythe her wiere,
Her love the gare, thatte gave her harte syke peyne—­

AELLA.

Her love! to whomme?

EGWINA.

             To thee, her spouse alleyne[122]. 1160
    As ys mie hentylle everyche morne to goe,
    I wente, and oped her chamber doore ynn twayne,
    Botte found her notte, as I was wont to doe;
    Thanne alle arounde the pallace I dyd seere[123],
  Botte culde (to mie hartes woe) ne fynde her anie wheere. 1165

AELLA.

Thou lyest, foul hagge! thou lyest; thou art her ayde
To chere her louste;—­botte noe; ytte cannotte bee.

  EGWINA.

    Gyff trouthe appear notte inne whatte I have sayde,
    Drawe forthe thie anlace swythyn, thanne mee flea.

  AELLA.

    Botte yette ytte muste, ytte muste bee foe; I see, 1170
    Shee wythe somme loustie paramoure ys gone;
    Itte moste bee foe—­oh! how ytte wracketh mee! 
    Mie race of love, mie race of lyfe ys ronne;
    Nowe rage, & brondeous storm, & tempeste comme;
  Nete lyvynge upon erthe can now enswote mie domme. 1175

  AELLA, EGWINA, SERVYTOURE.

  SERVYTOURE.

    Loverde!  I am aboute the trouthe to saie. 
    Laste nyghte, fulle late I dydde retourne to reste. 
    As to mie chamber I dydde bende mie waie,
    To Birtha onne hys name & place addreste;
    Downe to hym camme shee; butte thereof the reste 1180
    I ken ne matter; so, mie hommage made—­

  AELLA.

    O! speake ne moe; mie harte flames yn yttes heste;
    I once was AElla; nowe bee notte yttes shade. 
    Hanne alle the fuirie of mysfortunes wylle
  Fallen onne mie benned[124] headde I hanne been AElla stylle. 1185

Thys alleyn was unburled[125] of alle mie spryte;
Mie honnoure, honnoure, frownd on the dolce[126] wynde,
Thatte steeked on ytte; nowe wyth rage Im pyghte;
A brondeous unweere ys mie engyned mynde. 
Mie hommeur yette somme drybblet joie maie fynde, 1190
To the Danes woundes I wylle another yeve;
Whanne thos mie rennome[127] & mie peace ys rynde,
Itte were a recrandize to thyncke toe lyve;
Mie huscarles, untoe everie asker telle,
Gyffe noblie AElla lyved, as noblie AElla felle. 1195
[Stabbeth hys breste.