The Tale of King Florus and the Fair Jehane by William Morris

HERE telleth the tale of a king who had to name King Florus of Ausay. A / full good knight was he and a gentleman of high lineage. The said King / Florus of Ausay took to wife the daughter of the Prince of Brabant, who / was a woman very gentle, and of great line: and a right fair maid was she / when he wedded her and dainty of body and fashion; and saith the tale / that she was but of fifteen years when the King Florus took her, and he / but of seventeen. A full good life they lived, as for young folk who / loved together dearly: but King Florus might have no child of her, / whereof he was sore grieving, and she also was exceeding heavy-hearted / thereat. Much fair was this lady, and much she loved God and Holy / Church, and therewith was so good almsgiver and so charitable that she / fed and clad poor people and kissed their feet. And to mesel folk both / carles and queans was she so kind and careful, that the Holy Ghost dwelt / in her. Her Lord King Florus went often to tournays in Alemain and / France, and in many other lands whereas he wotted of them, when he was / without war: much good he expended thereon and much honour he gained / thereby.

But now leaveth the tale to tell of him and taketh up the word of a / knight who dwelt in the marches of Flanders and Hainault. This said / knight was full valiant and hardy, and right trusty, and had to wife a / full fair dame of whom he had a much fair daughter, who had to name / Jehane and was then of the age of twelve years. Much word there was of / this fair maiden; for in all the land was none so fair. Her mother spake / often to her lord that he should give her in marriage; but he was so / given up to the following of tournays, that he was nowise hot on the / wedding of his daughter, and his wife ever admonished him thereof when he / came home from his tournays.