“Nay，myfriend，thouhastnoneedtolooksotroubled；
　　forthouseestthatIwasnotburned。Thisistheselfsamebodythatwastiedtothestakeinthemarketplaceoftheking’scitymanyayearago。
　　“Forthefriendsofmylord，youngmenforthemostpart，andmanywhohadbeenfaintobemyfriendsalso，putontheirarmour，andtookmylordoutofthecourteousprisonwhereinhewas，andcametotheGreatSquarewhenasIstoodnakedinmysmockboundamidthefaggots；andIsawthesheriffs’mengiveback，andgreatnoiseandrumourriseuparoundme：andthenallaboutmewasaclearspaceforamomentandIheardthetrampofthemanyhorse-hoofs，andthespacewasfullofweaponedmenshouting，andcryingout，’LifeforourLord’sLady！’Thenaminute，andIwaslooseandinmylord’sarms，andtheybroughtmeahorseandImounted，lesttheworstshouldcomeandwemighthavetoflee。
　　SoIcouldseemuchofwhatwenton；andIsawthatalltheunarmedfolkandlookers-onweregone，butatourbackswasagreatcrowdoffolkwithstavesandbowswhocriedout，’LifefortheLady！’
　　Butbeforeuswasnaughtbutthesheriffs’sergeantsandacompanyofknightsandmen-at-arms，aboutasmanyaswewere，andthekinginfrontofthem，fullyarmed，hisfacehiddenbyhishelm，andaroyalsurcoatoverhishauberkbeatenwithhisbearing，towit，asilvertoweronablueskybestarredwithgold。
　　“AndnowIcouldseethatdespitethebillsandbowsbehindusthekingwasgoingtofallonwithhisfolk；andtosaysoothIfearedbutlittleandmyheartrosehighwithinme，andIwishedIhadaswordinmyhandtostrikeonceforlifeandlove。Butlo！justasthekingwasraisinghissword，andhistrumpetwasliftingthebrasstohislips，cameasoundofsinging，andtherewascometheBishopandtheAbbotofSt。Peter’sandhismonkswithhim，andcrossbearersandreadersandothersofthereligious：
　　andtheBishopboreinhishandtheBlessedHostasnowIknowitwas
　　underagoldencanopy，andhestoodbetweenthetwocompaniesandfacedtheking，whilehisfolksangloudandsweetabouthim。
　　“Thenthespearswentupandfromtherest，andswordsweresheathed，andtherewentforththreeancientknightsfromoutoftheking’shostandcameuptohimandspakewithhim。
　　ThenhegathimawayuntohisHighHouse；andthethreeoldknightscametoourfolk，andspakewiththechiefs；
　　butnotwithmylord，andIheardnotwhattheysaid。
　　Butmylordcametomeinallloving-kindnessandbroughtmeintothehouseofoneoftheLineage，andintoafairchamberthere，andkissedme，andmademuchofme；
　　andbroughtmefairraimentanddiditonmewithhisownhands，evenashiswontwastobeformytire-maiden。
　　“Theninalittlewhilecamethosechiefsofoursandsaidthattrucehadbeenhanselledthemforthistime，butontheseterms，thatmylordandIandallthosewhohadbeeninarms，andwhosoeverwould，thatfearedtheking’swrath，shouldhaveleavetodepartfromhiscitysothattheywentandabodenonearerthanfiftymilesthereoftilltheyshouldknowhisfurtherpleasure。
　　Albeitthatwhosoeverwouldgohomepeaceablymightabideinthecitystillandneednotfeartheking’swrathifhestirrednofurther：
　　butthatinanycasetheSorceressshouldgethergonefromthosewalls。
　　“Sowerodeoutofthegatesthatverydaybeforesunset；foritwasnowmidsummeragain，anditwasthreehoursbeforenoonthatIwastohavebeenburned；andwewereagallantcompanyofmen-at-armsandknights；
　　yetdidIbe-thinkmeofthosewhowereslainonthatotherdaywhenweweretaken，andfainhadIbeenthattheywereridingwithus；butatleastthatfairyoungmanwasinourcompany，thoughstillweakwithhishurts：
　　fortheprisonandtheprocesshadwornawaywellnightwomonths。
　　TrueitisthatIrejoicedtoseehim，forIhaddeemedhimdead。
　　“Dearfriend，IpraythypardonifIwearytheewithmakingsolongataleofmyfriendsofthepastdays；butneedsmustI
　　telltheesomewhatofthem，lestthoulovethatwhichisnot。
　　SincetrulyitismyselfthatIwouldhavetheetolove，andnoneother。
　　“Manyfolkgatheredtousaswerodeourwaystoatownwhichwasmylord’sown，andwhereallmenwerehisfriends，sothatwecametherewithagreathostandsatdownthereinnofearofwhatthekingmightdoagainstus。
　　TherewasIdulyweddedtomylordbyaBishopofHolyChurch，andmadehisLadyandQueen；forevensohewouldhaveit。
　　“Andnowbeganthesoretroublesofthatland，whichhadbeenoncesopeacefulandhappy；thetalewhereofImayonedaytellthee；
　　orrathermanytalesofwhatbefellmetherein；butnotnow；
　　forthedayweareth；andIstillhavecertainthingsthatImustneedstellthee。
　　“Wewagedwaragainsteachother，mylordandtheking，andwhilesone，andwhilestheotherovercame。Eithersidebelikedeemedthatonebattleortwowouldendthestrife；
　　butsoitwasnot，butitenduredyearafteryear，tillfightingbecamethechiefbusinessofallintheland。
　　“Asforme，Ihadmanytribulations。ThriceIfledfromthestrickenfieldwithmylordtohideinsomestrongholdofthemountains。
　　OncewasItakenofthefoemeninthetownwhereIabodewhenmylordwasawayfromme，andahugeslaughterofinnocentfolkwasmade，andIwascastintoprisonandchains，afterIhadseenmysonthatIhadbornetomylordslainbeforemineeyes。
　　AtlastweweredrivencleanoutoftheKingdomoftheTower，andabodealongwhile，sometwoyears，inthewilderness，livinglikeoutlawsandwolves’heads，andliftingthespoilforourlivelihood。ForsoothofalltheyearsthatI
　　abodeabouttheLandofTowerthosewerethehappiest。
　　Forwerobbednopoorfolkandneedy，butrewardedthemrather，anddravethespoilfromrichmenandlords，andhard-heartedchapmen-folk：weravishednomaidofthetillers，weburnednocot，andtaxednohusbandman’scroftoracre，butdefendedthemfromtheirtyrants。Neverthelesswegatanillnamewideaboutthroughthekingdomsandcities；andweredevilsandwitchestothebootofthievesandrobbersinthemouthsofthesemen；
　　forwhentherichmanishurthiswailgoethheavenshigh，andnonemaysayhehearethnot。
　　“NowitwasatthistimethatIfirstfellinwiththeChampionsoftheDryTree；fortheybecameourfellowsandbrothersinarmsinthewildwood：
　　fortheyhadnotasyetbuildedtheirstrongholdoftheScaur，whereasthouandIshallbeintwodaystime。Manyawilddeeddidourfolkintheircompany，andmanythathadbeenbetterundone。
　　Whilesindeedtheywentonjourneyswhereinwewerenotpartakers，aswhentheywenttotheNorthandharriedthelandsoftheAbbotofHigham，androdeasfarevenasovertheDownstoBearCastleandfoughtabattletherewiththeCaptainofHigham：
　　whereaswewentneveroutoftheWoodPeriloustothenorthward；
　　andliftedlittlesaveinthelandsofourownproperfoemen，thefriendsoftheking。
　　“NowIsaynotofthemenoftheDryTreethattheyweregoodandpeaceablemen，norwouldmercyholdtheirhandseverywhilethattheywerehardbesteadandthrustintoacorner。
　　YetIsaynowandonceforallthattheirfiercenesswasandisbutkindnessandpitywhensetagainstthecrueltyoftheBurgoftheFourFriths；menwhohavenofriendtolove，nobrokenfoetoforgive，andcanscarcebekindeventothemselves：
　　thoughforsooththeybewisemenandcautelousandwelllivingbeforetheworld，andwealthyandholy。”
　　Shestayedherspeechawhile，andhereyesglitteredinherflushedfaceandshesetherteeth；andshewasasonebesideherselftillRalphkissedherfeet，andcaressedher，andshewentonagain。
　　“Dearfriend，whenthouknowestwhatthesemenareandhavebeenthouwiltblessthyfriendRogerforleadingtheeforthfromtheBurgbynightandcloud，whateverelsemayhappentothee。
　　“Well，weabodeinthewildwood，friendsandgoodfellowsfromthefirst；
　　andthatyoungman，thoughhelovedmeever，wassomewhathealedofthefeveroflove，andwasmyfaithfulfriend，insuchwisethatneitherInormylordhadaughttofindfaultwithinhim。
　　Meanwhilewebegantogrowstrong，formanyjoinedusthereinwhohadfledfromtheirtyrantsofthegoodtownsandthemanorsofthebaronage，andatlastinthethirdyearnaughtwouldpleasemylordbutwemustenterintotheKingdomoftheTower，andraisehisbannerinthewealthyland，andthefaircities。
　　“Moreover，hisfather，theKingoftheTower，diedinhisbedinthesedays，andnowordofloveorpeacehadpassedbetweenthemsincethatmorningwhenI
　　wasledouttobeburnedintheGreatSquare。
　　“Sowecameforthfromtheforest，we，andtheChampionsoftheDryTree；andmadethetaleashortone。
　　Fortheking，themightywarriorandwiseman，wasdead：
　　andhiscaptainsofwar，someofthemweredead，andsomewearyofstrife；andthosewhohadbeeneagerindebatewerefallingtoaskthemselveswhereforetheyhadfoughtandwhatwastodothattheyshouldstillbefighting；
　　andlo！whenitcametobelookedinto，itwasallamatterofthelifeanddeathofonewoman，towitmemyself，andwhyshouldshenotlive，whyshouldshenotsituponthethronewiththemanwholovedher？
　　“ThereforewhenatlastwecameoutfromthetwilightofthewoodsintothesunnyfieldsoftheLandoftheTower，therewasnomantonaysayus；nay，thegatesofthestrongplacesflewopenbeforethewindofourbanners，andtheglitteringofourspearsdrewthefolktogethertowardtheplacesofrejoicing。
　　WeenteredthemasterCityintriumph，withthehouseshungwithgreenboughsandthemaidenscastingflowersbeforeourfeet，andIsatacrownedQueenuponthethronehighraisedontheveryplacewhereerstIstoodawaitingthecomingofthetorchtothefaggotswhichweretoconsumeme。
　　“TherethenbeganthereignoftheWomanoftheWaste；forsoitwas，thatmylordlefttomyhandstherealrulingofthekingdom，thoughheworethecrownandsetthesealtoparchments。
　　AstothemoftheDryTree，thoughsomefewofthemabodeinthekingdom，andbecamegreatthere，themorepartofthemwentbacktothewildwoodandlivedtheoldlifeoftheWood，aswehadfoundthemlivingitaforetime。Butorevertheywent，theleadersofthemcamebeforeme，andkissedmyfeet，andwithtearsandprayersbesoughtme，andbademethatifaughtfellamisstomethere，IshouldcomebacktothemandbetheirLadyandQueen；andwhereasthesewildmenlovedmewell，andIdeemedthatIowedmuchtotheirloveandtheirhelping，IpromisedthemandsworetothembytheWateroftheWellattheWorld’sEndthatIwoulddonolessthantheyprayedme：
　　albeitIsetnotermoryearforthedaythatIwouldcometothem。
　　“AndnowmylordandI，wesetourselvestohealthewoundswhichwarhadmadeintheland：andhardwasthework，andlatetheharvest；
　　sousedhadmenbecometoturmoilandtrouble。Moreover，thereweremany，andchieflythewomenwhohadlosthusband，lover，sonorbrother，wholaidalltheirgriefsonmyback；thoughforsoothhowwasIguiltyoftheoldking’swrathagainstme，whichwasthecauseofall？
　　AboutthistimemylordhadtheCastleofAbundancebuiltupveryfairlyformeandhimtodwellinatwhiles；andindeedwehadbeforethatdweltatalittlemanorhousethatwasthere，whenwedurstwithdrawalittlefromthestrife；butnowhehaditdoneasfairasyesawit，andhadthosearrasclothsmadewiththestoryofmysojourninthewilderness，evenasyesawthem。Butthedaysandtheyearswore，andwealthcamebacktothemightyoftheland，andfieldsflourishedandtheacresboreincrease，andfairhouseswerebuildedinthetowns；
　　andthelandwascalledhappyagain。
　　“ButformeIwasnotsohappy：andllookedbackfondlytothedaysofthegreenwoodandthefellowshipoftheDryTree，andthedaysbeforethat，ofmyflightwithmylord。
　　Andmoreoverwiththewearingoftheyearsthosemurmursagainstmeandtheblindcauselesshatredbegantogrowagain，andchieflymethinksbecauseIwastheking，andmylordtheking’scloak：
　　buttherewithtalesconcerningmebegantospringup，howthatIwasnotonlyasorceress，butevenoneforedoomedfromofoldandsentbythelordsofhelltowreckthatfairLandoftheTowerandmakeitunhappyanddesolate。
　　Andthetalegrewandgatheredform，tillnow，whenthebloomofmybeautywasgone，IheardhardandfiercewordscriedaftermeinthestreetswhenIfaredabroad，andthatstillchieflybythewomen：foryetmostmenlookedonmewithpleasure。
　　AlsomycounsellorsandlordswarnedmeoftenthatImustbewaryandofgreatforbearanceiftroubleweretobekeptback。
　　“NowamidstthesethingsasIwaswalkingpensivelyinmygardenonesummerday，itwastoldmethatawomandesiredtoseeme，soIbadethembringher。AndwhenshecameIlookedonher，anddeemedthatIhadseenheraforetime：shewasnotold，butofmiddleage，ofdarkredhair，andbrowneyessomewhatsmall：