Thah told beon tales untoun in toun, such tiding mei tide y nul nout teme, Of brudes bryht with browes broune,

or blisse heo beyen this briddes breme; In rude were roo with hem roune,

that he mihte henten ase him were heme; Nys kyng, cayser, ne clerk with croune, this semly serven that me ne may seme. Semen him may on sonde,

this semly serven so,

Bothe with fet ant honde,

for on that us warp from wo.

Nou wo in world ys went a-way,

ant weole is come ase we wolde,

Thourh a mihti methful mai,

that ous hath cast from cares colde.

Ever wymmen ich herie ay,

ant ever in hyrd with hem ich holde;

Ant ever at neode y nycke nay,

that y ner nemnede that heo nolde.

Y nolde ant nullyt noht,

for nothyng nou a nede;

Soth is that y of hem ha wroht,

as Richard erst con rede.

Richard, rote of resoun ryht, rykening of rym ant ron,

Of maidnes meke thou hast myht, on molde

y holde the murgest mon,

Cunde comely ase a knyht,

clerk y-cud that craftes con, In uch an hyrd thyn athel ys hyht,

ant uch an athel thin hap is on. Hap that hathel hath hent,

with hende let in halle,

Selthe be hem sent

in londe of levedis alle.

IX.

[Fol. 66, vo.]

MOSTI ryden by Rybbesdale,
Wilde wymmen forte wale,

ant welde wuch ich wolde;

Founde were the feyrest on
That ever wes mad of blod ant bon

in boure best with bolde.

Ase sonne-bem hire bleo ys briht, In uche londe heo leometh liht, thourh tale as mon me tolde.

The lylie lossum is ant long, With riche rose ant rode among, a fyld or fax to folde.

D

Hire hed when ich biholde apon,

The sonne-beem aboute noon

me thohte that y seze;

Hyre eyzen aren grete ant gray y-noh, Th[at] lussum when heo on me loh, y-bend wax eyther breze.

The mone with hire muchele maht, Ne leveth non such lyht a naht, that is in heovene heze,

Ase hire forhed doth in day;

For wham thus muchel y mourne may, for duel to deth y dreyze.

Heo hath browes bend an heh,
Whyt bytuene, ant nout to neh,
lussum lyf heo ledes;

Hire neose ys set as hit wel semeth;
Y deze for deth that me demeth,

hire speche as spices spredeth.

Hire lockes lefly aren ant longe,
For sone he mihte hire murthes monge

with blisse when hit bredes.

Hire chyn ys chosen, ant eyther cheke

Whit y-noh ant rode on eke

ase rosen when hit redes.

Heo hath a mury mouht to mele,

With lefly rede lippes lele,

Romaunz forte rede.

Hire teht aren white ase bon of whal,

Evene set ant atled al,

ase hende mowe taken hede.

Swannes swyre swythe wel y-sette, A sponne lengore then y-mette, that freoly ys to fede.

Me were levere kepe hire come,

Then beon pope ant ryde in Rome

stythes upon stede.

When y byholde upon hire hond,
The lylie-white lef in lond

best heo myhte beo;
Eyther arm an elne long,
Baloynge mengeth al by-mong,
ase baum ys hire bleo.
Fyngres heo hath feir to folde;
Myhte ich hire have ant holde,
in world wel were me.
Hyre tyttes aren an under bis
As apples tuo of parays,

ou self ze mowen seo.

Hire gurdel of bete gold is al,
Umben hire middel smal,

that triketh to the to;

Al whith rubies on a rowe,

With-inne corven craft to knowe,

ant emeraudes mo.

The bocle is al of whalles bon,

Ther with-inne stont a ston,

that warneth men from wo;

The water that it wetes yn,
Y-wis hit wortheth al to wyn,
that sezen seyden so.

Heo hath a mete myddel smal,
Body ant brest wel mad al,
ase feynes with-oute fere;
Eyther side soft ase sylk,
Whittore then the moren mylk,
with leofly lit on lere.
Al that ich ou nempne noht,
Hit is wonder wele y-wroht,

ant elles wonder were.

He myhte sayen that Crist hym seze,
That myhte nyhtes neh hyre leze,

hevene he hevede here.

X.

[Fol. 66, vo.]

In a fryht as y con fare fremede, y founde a wel feyr fenge to fere; Heo glystnede ase gold when hit glemede,→ nes ner gome so gladly on gere.

Y wolde wyte in world who hire kenede, this burde bryht, zef hire wil were; Heo me bed go my gates, lest hire gremede, ne kepte heo non henyng here.