| | That of cruel herte he ful wickidly | |
| | For he a poure woman weddid hadde | |
| 725 | Hath murdrid bothe his childryn priuely | |
| | Suche murmur was among hem comynly | |
| | No wonder is for to the peplis ere | |
| | Ther cam no word but that they murdrid were | |
| | For whiche there as the pepil ther before | |
| 730 | Hadde louid him wel the skandre of his defame | |
| | Made hem that hym they hatid therfore | |
| | To be a murdrer is an hateful name | |
| | But natheles for ernest or for game | |
| | He of his cruel purpos wolde not stynte | |
| 735 | To tempte his wyf was al his entent | |
| | When that his doughter . xij . yeer was of age | |
| | He in to the court of Rome in subtil wyse | |
| | Enfourmed of his wil sente his message | |
| | Comaundinge hem suche bullis to deuyse | |
| 740 | As to his cruel purpos may suffise | |
| | How that the Pope bad as for his peplis rest | |
| | That he sholde wedde anothir wyf yf he list | |
| | I say he bad he sholde countirfete | |
| | The Popis bullis makyng mencion | |
| 745 | That he hath leue his firste wyf forto lete | |
| | As by the Popis owen dispensacion | |
| | To stynte the rancour of discension | |
| | Betwene his pepil and hym this said the bulle | |
| | The whiche they haue publisshed atte fulle | |
| 750 | The rude pepil as no wonder ne is | |
| | Wende ful weel that it hadde be right so | |
