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.

"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 пузе 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,