20
But sithe the kyng wolde not herknen in no kynde, he assayde an other requeste, for to graunte him seven dayes space, and than sende him forth, whan he hadde don a thing thereof he hadde most nede. And whan he obteyned this bone lightely, he wente to his owne house and caste himself adoun and pleyned right so: ‘Allas wrecche, what have I to don with this feythe, what have I to don with this viage, whereof I seighe now the ende? I am yong, and schal folwen a fayre womman. This schalle be gret meschief to me, but if I putte awey al cause of evylle; therfore most I perfourme a gret dede that schal hele me of alle fere.”
20
Thus he seyde, and thanne he marrede him self; and whan he hadde kutte offe his genitours he put hem into a lityl pot, and bawme with alle, and hony and othere thinges of swete smelle. Thanne he selede it with a signet that he bar, and helede his wounde. And after, whan him wel semede for to don iorneye, goynge to the kyng, beforn manye men that ther weren he toke (gave) him the pot, seyinge thus: “O sire, this grete tresor I was wont for to kepe prevely, and I lovede it wel; but now, for als moche as I schal gon a fer weye, I wole betaken it to you. Kepeth it sikkerly; for this to me is bettre than gold, this to me is als dereworth as my lyf. Whan I retorne, I schal bere it home ayen saf and sound.” So the kyng resceyved it and seelede it with an other signet and bad his stywardes for to kepen it curyously.
21
Than Combabe mad his weye safly; and whan thei were comen to the Holy Cytee thei gan bylde the temple besily, and thei spenten three yeres in the werk, and in tho yeres that Combabe dredde befel. For in companyinge with him a gret whyl Stratonice began for to love him, and thanne sche wex right wode over him. Men of the Holy Cytee seyn that Iuno was voluntarie cause thereof, to the entente that Combabes godeness scholde not lye hidde and Stratonice scholde ben punissched be cause that sche ne behight not the temple buxomly (readily).
