Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 1.djvu/143

Rh be so. Then sent he a messenger unto the empress praying her that she would vouchsafe to come to the prison door, that he might speak a word or two with her.

"The empress came to him, and enquired of him what he would have. He answered and said, O lady, have mercy upon me, for if the emperor my brother find me in prison, then shall I die without any remedy.

"Then said the empress, If I might know that thou wouldst be a good man and leave thy folly, thou shouldst find grace. Then did he promise her assuredly to be true, and to amend all his trespass. When he had thus promised, the empress deliver'd him anon, and made him to be bathed and shaven, and apparelled him worthily, according to his state, and then she said thus to him: Now good brother take thy steed, and come with me, that we may meet my lord. He answered and said, lady, I am ready to fulfil your will and commandment in all things; and then the empress took him with her, and many other knights, and so rode forth to meet the emperor: and as they rode together by the way, they saw a great hart run before them, wherefore every man, with such hounds as they had, chased him on horseback; so that with the empress was left no creature,