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And all were of the same age, save one; who was advanced in years, though no less gay in demeanour than the rest. While he stood admiring the richness and beauty of the place, and the fairness of the ladies, which had the notable gift of enduring unimpaired till death, the poet was accosted by the old lady, to whom he had to yield himself prisoner; because the ordinance of the isle was, that no man should dwell there; and the ladies’ fear of breaking the law was enhanced by the temporary absence of their queen from the realm. Just at this moment the cry was raised that the queen came; all the ladies hastened to meet her; and soon the poet saw her approach — but in her company his mistress, wearing the same garb, and a seemly knight. All the ladies wondered greatly at this; and the queen explained:

 

 "My sisters, how it hath befall,* *befallen
 

 I trow ye know it one and all,
 

 That of long time here have I been
 

 Within this isle biding as queen,
 

 Living at ease, that never wight
 

 More perfect joye have not might;
 

 And to you been of governance
 

 Such as you found in whole pleasance, <2>
 

 In every thing as ye know,
 

 After our custom and our law;
 

 Which how they firste founded were,
 

 I trow ye wot all the mannere.
 

 And who the queen is of this isle, --
 

 As I have been this longe while, --
 

 Each seven years must, of usage,
 

 Visit the heav'nly hermitage,
 

 Which on a rock so highe stands,
 

 In a strange sea, out from all lands,
 

 That for to make the pilgrimage
 

 Is call'd a perilous voyage;
 

 For if the wind be not good friend,
 

 The journey dureth to the end
 

 Of him which that it undertakes;
 

 Of twenty thousand not one scapes.
 

 Upon which rock groweth a tree,
 

 That certain years bears apples three;
 

 Which three apples whoso may have,
 

 Is *from all displeasance y-save* *safe from all pain*
 

 That in the seven years may fall;
 

 This wot you well, both one and all.
 

 For the first apple and the hext,* *highest <3>
 

 Which groweth unto you the next,
 

 Hath three virtues notable,
 

 And keepeth youth ay durable,
 

 Beauty, and looks, ever-in-one,* *continually
 

 And is the best of ev'ry one.
 

 The second apple, red and green,
 

 Only with lookes of your eyne,
 

 You nourishes in great pleasance,
 

 Better than partridge or fesaunce,* *pheasant
 

 And feedeth ev'ry living wight
 

 Pleasantly, only with the sight.
 

 And the third apple of the three,
 

 Which groweth lowest on the tree,
 

 Whoso it beareth may not fail* *miss, fail to obtain
 

 That* to his pleasance may avail. *that which
 

 So your pleasure and beauty rich,
 

  Your during youth ever y-lich,* *alike
 

 Your truth, your cunning,* and your weal, *knowledge
 

 Hath flower'd ay, and your good heal,
 

 Without sickness or displeasance,
 

 Or thing that to you was noyance.* *offence, injury
 

 So that you have as goddesses
 

 Lived above all princesses.
 

 Now is befall'n, as ye may see;
 

 To gather these said apples three,
 

 I have not fail'd, against the day,
 

 Thitherward to take the way,
 

 *Weening to speed* as I had oft. *expecting to succeed*
 

 But when I came, I found aloft
 

 My sister, which that hero stands,
 

 Having those apples in her hands,
 

 Advising* them, and nothing said, *regarding, gazing on
 

 But look'd as she were *well apaid:* *satisfied*
 

 And as I stood her to behold,
 

 Thinking how my joys were cold,
 

 Since I these apples *have not might,* *might not have*
 

 Even with that so came this knight,
 

 And in his arms, of me unware,
 

 Me took, and to his ship me bare,
 

 And said, though him I ne'er had seen,
 

 Yet had I long his lady been;
 

 Wherefore I shoulde with him wend,
 

 And he would, to his life's end,
 

 My servant be; and gan to sing,
 

 As one that had won a rich thing.
 

 Then were my spirits from me gone,
 

 So suddenly every one,
 

 That in me appear'd but death,
 

 For I felt neither life nor breath,
 

 Nor good nor harme none I knew,
 

 The sudden pain me was so new,
 

 That *had not the hasty grace be* *had it not been for the
 

 Of this lady, that from the tree prompt kindness*
 

 Of her gentleness so bled,* *hastened
 

 Me to comforten, I had died;
 

 And of her three apples she one
 

 Into mine hand there put anon,
 

 Which brought again my mind and breath,
 

 And me recover'd from the death.
 

 Wherefore to her so am I hold,* *beholden, obliged
 

 That for her all things do I wo'ld,
 

 For she was leach* of all my smart, *physician
 

 And from great pain so quit* my heart. *delivered
 

 And as God wot, right as ye hear,
 

 Me to comfort with friendly cheer,
 

 She did her prowess and her might.
 

 And truly eke so did this knight,
 

 In that he could; and often said,
 

 That of my woe he was *ill paid,* *distressed, ill-pleased*
 

 And curs'd the ship that him there brought,
 

 The mast, the master that it wrought.
 

 And, as each thing must have an end,
 

 My sister here, our bother friend, <4>
 

 Gan with her words so womanly
 

 This knight entreat, and cunningly,
 

 For mine honour and hers also,
 

 And said that with her we should go
 

 Both in her ship, where she was brought,
 

 Which was so wonderfully wrought,
 

 So clean, so rich, and so array'd,
 

 That we were both content and paid;* *satisfied
 

 And me to comfort and to please,
 

 And my heart for to put at ease,
 

 She took great pain in little while,
 

 And thus hath brought us to this isle
 

 As ye may see; wherefore each one
 

 I pray you thank her one and one,
 

 As heartily as ye can devise,
 

 Or imagine in any wise."