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The morrow come, the *cry was kept* *proclamation was obeyed*
But few were there that night that slept,
But *truss’d and purvey’d* for the morrow; *packed up and provided*
For fault* of ships was all their sorrow; *lack, shortage
For, save the barge, and other two,
Of shippes there I saw no mo’.
Thus in their doubtes as they stood,
Waxing the sea, coming the flood,
Was cried “To ship go ev’ry wight!”
Then was but *hie that hie him might,* *whoever could hasten, did*
And to the barge, me thought, each one
They went, without was left not one,
Horse, nor male*, truss, nor baggage, *trunk, wallet
Salad*, spear, gardebrace,** nor page, *helmet<7> **arm-shield<8>
But was lodged and room enough;
At which shipping me thought I lough,* *laughed
And gan to marvel in my thought,
How ever such a ship was wrought.* *constructed
For *what people that can increase,* *however the numbers increased*
Nor ne’er so thick might be the prease,* *press, crowd
But alle hadde room at will;
There was not one was lodged ill.
For, as I trow, myself the last
Was one, and lodged by the mast;
And where I look’d I saw such room
As all were lodged in a town.
Forth went the ship, said was the creed;<9>
And on their knees, *for their good speed,* *to pray for success*
Down kneeled ev’ry wight a while,
And prayed fast that to the isle
They mighte come in safety,
The prince and all the company.
With worship and withoute blame,
Or disclander* of his name, *reproach, slander
Of the promise he should return
Within the time he did sojourn
In his lande biding* his host; *waiting for
This was their prayer least and most:
To keep the day it might not be’n,
That he appointed with the queen.

Wherefore the prince slept neither day nor night, till he and his people landed on the glass-walled isle, “weening to be in heav’n that night.” But ere they had gone a little way, they met a lady all in black, with piteous countenance, who reproached the prince for his untruth, and informed him that, unable to bear the reproach to their name, caused by the lightness of their trust in strangers, the queen and all the ladies of the isle had vowed neither to eat, nor drink, nor sleep, nor speak, nor cease weeping till all were dead. The queen had died the first; and half of the other ladies had already “under the earth ta’en lodging new.” The woeful recorder of all these woes invites the prince to behold the queen’s hearse:

 

 "Come within, come see her hearse
 

 Where ye shall see the piteous sight
 

 That ever yet was shown to knight;
 

 For ye shall see ladies stand,
 

 Each with a greate rod in hand,
 

 Clad in black, with visage white,
 

 Ready each other for to smite,
 

 If any be that will not weep;
 

 Or who makes countenance to sleep.
 

 They be so beat, that all so blue
 

 They be as cloth that dy'd is new."
 

Scarcely has the lady ceased to speak, when the prince plucks forth a dagger, plunges it into his heart, and, drawing but one breath, expires.

 

 For whiche cause the lusty host,
 

 Which [stood] in battle on the coast,
 

 At once for sorrow such a cry
 

 Gan rear, thorough* the company, *throughout
 

 That to the heav'n heard was the soun',
 

 And under th'earth as far adown,
 

 And wilde beastes for the fear
 

 So suddenly affrayed* were, *afraid
 

 That for the doubt, while they might dure,* *have a chance of safety
 

 They ran as of their lives unsure,
 

 From the woodes into the plain,
 

 And from valleys the high mountain
 

 They sought, and ran as beastes blind,
 

 That clean forgotten had their kind.* *nature