ssive and supple agent. She had a maid-servant, educated in
the family, to whom she imparted her difficulties; and this confidential
counsellor at once proposed a contrivance for removing them: "Give me
the child," said she, "and be assured that, without destroying, I will
so remove it, that it shall never give you any further trouble. There
are many religious houses in the neighbourhood, whose inhabitants cannot
be better employed than in nursing and educating orphan children. I will
take care your infant shall be discovered by some of these good people,
under whose care, by the blessing of Providence, it will thrive and
prosper; and in the mean time I will take such means that its health
shall not suffer. Dismiss your sorrow, therefore, and trust in my
discretion." The lady was overjoyed, and accepted the offer with
assurances of eternal gratitude.

As it was her wish that those who should find the child might know it
was born of noble parents,

She took a rich _baudekine_,[40]
That her lord brought from _Constantine_,[41]
And lopped the little maiden therein;
And took a ring of fine gold,
And on her arm it knit,
With a lace of silk in _plit._[42]

The maid took the child her _mid_,[43]
And stole away in an even tide,
And passed over a wild heath;
Thorough field and thorough wood she _geth_,[44]
All the winter-long night.
The weather was clear, the moon was light,
So that she com by a forest side;
She wox all weary, and gan abide.
Soon after she gan heark,
Cockes crow, and dogs bark;
She arose, and thither wold;
Near and nearer, she gan behold,
Walls and houses fell the seigh,
A church, with steeple fair and high;
Then was there nother street no town,
But an house of religion;
An order of nuns, well y-dight,
To servy God both day and night.
The maiden abode no _lengore_;[45]
But yede her to the church door,
And on her knees she sate her down,
And said, weepand, her orisones.
"O Lord," she said, "Jesus Christ,
That sinful mannes _bedes_,[46]
_Underfong_[47] this present,
And help this seli innocent!
That it mote y-christen'd be,
For Marie love, thy mother free!"
She looked up, and by her seigh
An asche, by her, fair and high,
Well y-boughed, of mickle price;
The body was hollow, as many one is.
Therin she laid the child for cold,
In the