"Y-here thou me nou, hendest in helde, navy the none harmes to hethe; Casten y wol the from cares ant kelde, comeliche y wol the nou clethe."

"Clothes y have forte caste,

such as y may weore with wynne; Betere is were thunne boute laste, then syde robes ant synke into synne. Have ze or wyl, 3e waxeth unwraste, afterward or thonke be thynne;

Betre is make forewardes faste,

then afterward to mene ant mynne."

"Of munnyng ne munt thou namore,

of menske thou were wurthe by my myht; Y take an hond to holde that y hore,

of al that y the have byhyht.

Why ys the loth to leven on my lore,
lengore then my love were on the lyht;
Another myhte zern the so zore,
that nolde the noht rede so ryht."

"Such reed me myhte spaclyche reowe, when al my ro were me at-raht; Sone tho waldest vachen an newe,

ant take an other with-inne nyze naht. Thenne mihti hengren on heowe,

in uch an hyrd ben hated ant for-haht; Ant ben y-cayred from alle that y kneowe, ant bede clenyen ther y hade claht."

"Betere is taken a comeliche y-clothe, in armes to cusse ant to cluppe, Then a wrecche y-wedded so wrothe, thah he me slowe, ne myhti him asluppe. The beste red that y con to us bothe,

that thou me take ant y the toward huppe; Thah y swore by treuthe ant othe,

that God hath shaped me y-nou at luppe."

"Mid shupping ne mey hit me ashunche, nes y never wycche ne wyle;

Ych am a maide, that me of thunche, luef me were gome boute gyle."

XI.

[Fol. 67, ro.]

A WAYLE Whyt as whalles bon,
A grein in golde that godly shon,
A tortle that min herte is on,

in tounes trewe;

Hire gladshipe nes never gon,

whil y may glewe.

When heo is glad,

Of al this world namore y bad

Then beo with hire myn one bistad.

with-oute strif;

The care that icham yn y-brad, y wyte a wyf.

A wyf nis non so worly wroht,

When heo ys blythe to bedde y-broht, Wel were him that wiste hire thoht, that thryven ant thro,

Wel y wot heo nul me noht, myn herte is wo.

Hou shal that lefly syng,

That thus is marred in mournyng?

Heo me wol to dethe bryng,

longe er my day.

Gret hire wel, that swete thyng, with ezenen gray.

Hyre heze haveth wounded me y wisse; Hire bende browen that bringeth blisse. Hire comely mouth that mihte cusse, in muche murthe he were; Y wolde chaunge myn for his, that is here fere.

Wolde hyre fere beo so freo,

Ant wurthes were that so myhte beo,
Al for on y wolde zeve threo,

with-oute chep,

From helle to hevene ant sonne to see

nys non so zeep,

ne half so freo,

Whose wole of love be trewe, do lystne me.

Herkneth me, y ou telle,

In such wondryng for wo y welle,
Nys no fur so hot in helle,

al to mon,

That loveth derne ant darnout telle whet him ys on.

Ich unne hire wel ant heo me wo;
Ycham hire frend ant heo my fo;

Me thuncheth min herte wol breke a two, for sorewe ant syke!

In Godes greting mote heo go, that wayle whyte.

Ich wold ich were a threstelcok.
A bountyng other a lavercok,

swete bryd!

Bituene hire curtel ant hire smok

y wolde ben hyd.

XII.

[Fol. 70, vo.]

Or a mon Matheu thohte,
Tho he the wynzord whrohte,
ant wrot hit on ys boc;
In marewe men he sobte,

At under mo he brohte,

ant nom and non forsoc.

At mydday ant at non
He sende hem thider fol son,
to helpen hem with hoc;
Huere foreward wes to fon,
So the furmest hevede y-don,
ase the erst undertoc.

At evesong even neh,
Ydel men zet he seh,

lomen habbe an honde; To hem he sayde an heh, That suythe he wes undreh,

so ydel forte stonde.

So hit wes bistad,

That nomon hem ne bad,

huere lomes to fonde;

Anon he was by-rad,

To werk that he hem lad,

for nyht nolde he nout wonde.