Cotton (Caligula); Text drawn from J. W. H. Atkins 1922 edition, NY: Russell and Russell. Also included in Atkins' edition is the MS. Jes. Coll. (J), offered as OwlJ. Pagination refers to folio, recto/verso, and column. 1190-1210 OwlC233r.1. ICH was in one sumere dale, in one su&t;e di&y;ele hale, iherde ich holde grete tale an hule and one ni&y;tingale. &T;at plait was stif & starc & strong, sum wile softe & lud among; an ai&t;er a&y;en o&t;er sval, & let &t;at [vue]le mod ut al. & ei&t;er seide of o&t;eres custe &t;at alre-worste &t;at hi wuste: & hure & hure of o&t;ere[s] songe hi holde plaiding su&t;e stronge. &T;e ni&y;tingale bigon &t;e speche, in one hurne of one breche, & sat up one vaire bo&y;e, - &t;ar were abute blosme ino&y;e,- in ore waste &t;icke hegge imeind mid spire & grene segge. Ho was &t;e gladur uor &t;e rise, & song auele cunne wise: [b]et &t;u&y;te &t;e dreim &t;at he were of harpe & pipe &t;an he nere: bet &t;u&y;te &t;at he were ishote of harpe & pipe &t;an of &t;rote. [&T;]o stod on old stoc &t;ar biside, &t;ar &t;o vle song hire tide, & was mid iui al bigrowe; hit was &t;are hule earding-stowe. [&T;]e ni&y;tingale hi ise&y;, & hi bihold & ouerse&y;, & &t;u&y;te wel [vu]l of &t;are hule, for me hi halt lodlich & fule. "Vnwi&y;t," ho sede, "awei &t;u flo! me is &t;e w[u]rs &t;at ich &t;e so. OwlC233v.2. Iwis for &t;ine [vu]le lete, wel [oft ich] mine song forlete; min horte atfli&t; & falt mi tonge, wonne &t;u art [to me] i&t;runge. Me luste bet speten &t;ane singe of &t;ine fule &y;o&y;elinge." &T;os hule abod fort hit was eve, ho ne mi&y;te no leng bileue, vor hire horte was so gret &t;at wel ne&y; hire fnast atschet, & warp a word &t;ar-after longe; "Hu &t;inc&t;e nu bi mine songe? We[n]st &t;u &t;at ich ne cunne singe, &t;e&y; ich ne cunne of writelinge? Ilome &t;u dest me grame, & seist me [bo&t;e tone] & schame. &Y;if ich &t;e holde on mine uote, (so hit bitide &t;at ich mote!) & &t;u were vt of &t;ine rise, &t;u sholdest singe an o&t;er w[i]se." &T;e ni&y;tingale &y;af answare: "&Y;if ich me loki wit &t;e bare, & me schilde wit &t;e blete, ne reche ich no&y;t of &t;ine &t;rete; &y;if ich me holde in mine hegge, ne recche ich neuer what &t;u segge. Ich wot &t;at &t;u art unmilde wi&t; hom &t;at ne mu&y;e from [&t;]e schilde; & &t;u tukest wro&t;e & vuele, whar &t;u mi&y;t, over smale fu&y;ele. Vor&t;i &t;u art lo&t; al fuel-kunne, & alle ho &t;e driue&t; honne, & &t;e bischriche&t; & bigredet, & wel narewe &t;e biledet; OwlC233v.1. & ek for&t;e &t;e sulue mose, hire &t;onkes, wolde &t;e totose. &t;u art lodlich to biholde, & &t;u art lo&t; in monie volde; &t;i bodi is short, &t;i swore is smal, grettere is &t;in heued &t;an &t;u al; &t;in e&y;ene bo&t; col-blake & brode, ri&y;t swo ho weren ipeint mid wode; &t;u starest so &t;u wille abiten al &t;at &t;u mi[&y;]t mid cliure smiten: &t;i bile is stif & scharp & hoked, ri&y;t so an owel &t;at is croked; &t;ar-mid &t;u clackes[t] oft & longe, & &t;at is on of &t;ine songe. Ac &t;u &t;retest to mine fleshe, mid &t;ine cliures woldest me meshe. &t;e were icundur to one frogge * * * * * snailes, mus, & fule wi&y;te, bo&t; &t;ine cunde & &t;ine ri&y;te. &T;u sittest adai & fli&y;[s]t ani&y;t, &t;u cu&t;est &t;at &t;u art on vnwi&y;t. &T;u art lodlich & unclene, bi &t;ine neste ich hit mene, & ek bi &t;ine fule brode, &t;u fedest on hom a wel ful fode. Vel wostu &t;at hi do&t; &t;arinne, hi fule&t; hit up to &t;e chinne: ho sitte&t; &t;ar so hi bo bisne. &T;arbi men segget a uorbisne: "Dahet habbe &t;at ilke best &t;at fule&t; his owe nest." &T;at o&t;er &y;er a faukun bredde; his nest no&y;t wel he ne bihedde: &t;arto &t;u stele in o dai, OwlC233v.2. & leidest &t;aron &t;i fole ey. &T;o hit bicom &t;at he ha&y;te, & of his eyre briddes wra&y;te; ho bro&y;te his briddes mete, bihold his nest, ise&y; hi ete: he ise&y; bi one halue his nest ifuled uthalue. &T;e faucun was wro&t; wit his bridde, & lude &y;al & sterne chidde: "Segget me, wo hauet &t;is ido? Ov nas neuer icunde &t;arto: hit was idon ov a lo&t;[e] [cu]ste. Segge[&t;] me &y;if &y;e hit wiste." &T;o qua&t; &t;at on & quad &t;at o&t;er: "Iwis it was ure o&y;er bro&t;er, &t;e &y;ond &t;at haue[&t;] &t;at grete heued: wai &t;at hi[t] nis &t;arof bireued! Worp hit ut mid &t;e alre-[vu]rste &t;at his necke him to-berste!" &T;e faucun ilefde his bridde, & nom &t;at fule brid amidde, & warp hit of &t;an wilde bowe, &t;ar pie & crowe hit todrowe. Herbi men segget a bispel, &t;e&y; hit ne bo fuliche spel; al so hit is bi &t;an ungode &t;at is icumen of fule brode, & is meind wit fro monne, euer he cu&t; &t;at he com &t;onne, &t;at he com of &t;an adel-eye, &t;e&y; he a fro nest[e] leie. &t;e&y; appel trendli fro[m] &t;on trowe, &t;ar he & o&t;er mid growe, &t;e&y; he bo &t;ar-from bicume, OwlC234r.1. he cu&t; wel whonene he is icume." &T;os word a&y;af &t;e ni&y;tingale, & after &t;are longe tale he song so lude & so scharpe, ri&y;t so me grulde schille harpe. &T;os hule luste &t;iderward, & hold hire e&y;e no&t;erwa[r]d, & sat tosvolle & ibolwe, also ho hadde one frogge isuol&y;e: for ho wel wiste & was iwar &t;at ho song hire a-bisemar. & no&t;eles ho &y;a[f] andsuare, "Whi neltu flon into &t;e bare, & sewi [w]are unker bo of bri&y;ter howe, of uairur blo?" "No, &t;u hauest wel scharpe clawe, ne kepich no&y;t &t;at &t;u me clawe. &t;u hauest cliuers su&t;e stronge, &t;u tuengst &t;ar-mid so do&t; a tonge. &T;u &t;o&y;test, so do&t; &t;ine ilike, mid faire worde me biswike. Ich nolde don &t;at &t;u me raddest, ich wiste wel &t;at &t;u me misraddest. Schamie &t;e for &t;in unrede! Vnwro&y;en is &t;i svikelhede! Schild &t;ine svikeldom vram &t;e li&y;te, & hud &t;at wo&y;e amon[g] &t;e ri&y;te. &T;ane &t;u wilt &t;in unri&y;t spene, loke &t;at hit ne bo isene: vor svikedom haue[&t;] schome & hete, &y;if hit is ope & under&y;ete. Ne speddestu no&y;t mid &t;ine unwrenche, for ich am war & can wel blenche. Ne help&t; no&y;t &t;at &t;u bo to [&t;]riste: OwlC234r.2. ich wolde vi&y;te bet mid liste &t;an &t;u mid al &t;ine streng&t;e. Ich habbe, on brede & eck on leng&t;e, castel god on mine rise: "Wel fi&y;t &t;at wel fli&y;t," sei&t; &t;e wise. Ac lete we awei &t;os cheste, vor suiche wordes bo&t; unw[re]ste; & fo we on mid ri&y;te dome, mid faire worde & mid ysome. &T;e&y; we ne bo at one acorde, we m[a]&y;e bet mid fayre worde, witute cheste, & bute fi&y;te, plaidi mid fo&y;e & mid ri&y;te: & mai hure ei&t;er wat h[e] wile mid ri&y;te segge & mid sckile." &T;o qua&t; &t;e hule "[W]u schal us seme, &t;at kunne & wille ri&y;t us deme?" "Ich wot wel" qua&t; &t;e ni&y;tingale, "Ne &t;aref &t;arof bo no tale. Maister Nichole of Guldeforde, he is wis an war of worde: he is of dome su&t;e gleu, & him is lo&t; eurich un&t;eu. He wot insi&y;t in eche songe, wo singet wel, wo singet wronge: & he can schede vrom &t;e ri&y;te &t;at wo&y;e, &t;at &t;uster from &t;e li&y;te." &T;o hule one wile hi bi&t;o&y;te, & after &t;an &t;is word upbro&y;te: "Ich granti wel &t;at he us deme, vor &t;e&y; he were wile breme, & lof him were ni&y;tingale, & o&t;er wi&y;te gente & smale, ich wot he is nu su&t;e acoled. OwlC234v.1. Nis he vor &t;e no&y;t afoled, &t;at he, for &t;ine olde luue, me adun legge & &t;e buue: ne schaltu neure so him queme, &t;at he for &t;e fals dom deme. He is him ripe & fast-rede, ne lust him nu to none unrede: nu him ne lust na more pleie, he wile gon a ri&y;te weie." &T;e ni&y;tingale was al &y;are, ho hadde ilorned wel aiware: "Hule," ho sede, "seie me so&t;, wi dostu &t;at unwi&y;tis do&t;? &t;u singist ani&y;t & no&y;t adai, & al &t;i song is wailawai. &T;u mi&y;t mid &t;ine songe afere alle &t;at ihere&t; &t;ine ibere: &t;u sch[ri]chest & &y;ollest to &t;ine fere, &t;at hit is grislich to ihere: hit &t;inche[&t;] bo&t;e wise & snepe no&y;t &t;at &t;u singe, ac &t;at &t;u wepe. &T;u fli&y;st ani&y;t & no&y;t adai: &t;arof ich w[u]ndri & wel mai. vor eurich &t;ing &t;at schuniet ri&y;t, hit luue&t; &t;uster & hatiet li&y;t: & eurich &t;ing &t;at is lof misdede, hit luue&t; &t;uster to his dede. A wis word, &t;e&y; hit bo unclene, is fele manne a-mu&t;e imene, for Alured King hit seide & wrot: "He schunet &t;at hine [vu]l wot." Ich wene &t;at &t;u dost also, vor &t;u fli&y;st ni&y;tes euer mo. An o&t;er &t;ing me is a-wene, OwlC234v.2. &t;u hauest ani&y;t wel bri&y;te sene; bi daie &t;u art stare-blind, &t;at &t;u ne sichst ne bov ne strind. Adai &t;u art blind o&t;er bisne, &t;arbi men segget a uorbisne: "Ri&y;t so hit far&t; bi &t;an ungode &t;at no&y;t ne su&t; to none gode, & is so ful of vuele wrenche &t;at him ne mai no man atprenche, & can wel &t;ane &t;u[str]e wai, & &t;ane bri&y;te lat awai." So do&t; &t;at bo&t; of &t;ine cunde, of li&y;te nabbe&t; hi none imunde." &T;os hule luste su&t;e longe, & was oftoned su&t;e stronge: ho qua&t; "&T;u [h]attest ni&y;tingale, &t;u mi&y;test bet hoten galegale, vor &t;u hauest to monie tale. Lat &t;ine tunge habbe spale! &T;u wenest &t;at &t;es dai bo &t;in o&y;e: lat me nu habbe mine &t;ro&y;e: bo nu stille & lat me speke, ich wille bon of &t;e awreke. & lust hu ich con me bitelle, mid ri&y;te so&t;e, witute spelle. &T;u seist &t;at ich me hude adai, &t;arto ne segge ich nich ne nai: & lust ich telle &t;e wareuore, al wi hit is & wareuore. Ich habbe bile stif & stronge, & gode cliuers scharp & longe, so hit bicume&t; to hauekes cunne; hit is min hi&y;te, hit is mi w[u]nne, &t;at ich me dra&y;e to mine cunde, OwlC235r.1. ne mai [me] no man &t;areuore schende : on me hit is wel isene, vor ri&y;te cunde ich am so kene. Vor&t;i ich am lo&t; smale fo&y;le &t;at flo&t; bi grunde an bi &t;uuele: hi me bichermet & bigrede&t;, & hore flockes to [m]e lede&t;. Me is lof to habbe reste & sitte stille in mine neste: vor nere ich neuer no &t;e betere, [&y;]if ich mid chauling & mid chatere hom schende & mid fule worde, so herdes do&t; o&t;er mid schit-worde. Ne lust me wit &t;e screwen chide; for&t;i ich wende from hom wide. Hit is a wise monne dome, & hi hit segget wel ilome, &t;at me ne chide wit &t;e gidie, ne wit &t;an ofne me ne &y;onie. At sume si&t;e herde [I] telle hu Alured sede on his spelle: "Loke &t;at &t;u ne bo &t;are &t;ar chauling bo&t; & cheste &y;are: lat sottes chide & uor&t; &t;u go." & ich am wis & do also. & &y;et Alured seide an o&t;er side a word &t;at is isprunge wide: "&T;at wit &t;e fule haue&t; imene, ne cume&t; he neuer from him cleine." Wenestu &t;at haueck bo &t;e worse &t;o&y; crowe bigrede him bi &t;e mershe, & go&t; to him mid hore chirme ri&y;t so hi wille wit him schirme? &T;e hauec fol&y;e&t; gode rede, OwlC235r.2. & fli&y;t his wei & lat him grede." "&Y;et &t;u me seist of o&t;er &t;inge, & telst &t;at ich ne can no&y;t singe, ac al mi rorde is woning, & to ihire grislich &t;ing. &T;at nis no&y;t so&t;, ich singe efne, mid fulle dreme & lude stefne. &T;u wenist &t;at ech song bo grislich, &t;at &t;ine pipinge nis ilich. Mi stefne is [bold] & no&y;t unorne, ho is ilich one grete horne, & &t;in is ilich one pipe, of one smale wode unripe. Ich singe bet &t;an &t;u dest: &t;u chaterest so do&t; on Irish prost. Ich singe an eue a ri&y;te time, & so&t;&t;e won hit is bed-time, &t;e &t;ridde si&t;e a[t] middel-ni&y;te: & so ich mine song adi&y;te wone ich iso arise vorre o&t;er dai-rim o&t;er dai-sterre. Ich do god mid mine &t;rote, & warni men to hore note. Ac &t;u singest alle longe ni&y;t, from eue fort hit is dai-li&y;t, & eure seist &t;in o song so longe so &t;e ni&y;t is long: 335 & eure crowe&t; &t;i wrecche crei, &t;at he ne swike&t; ni&y;t ne dai. Mid &t;ine pipinge &t;u adunest &t;as monnes earen &t;ar &t;u wunest, & makest &t;ine song so unw[u]r&t; &t;a[t] me ne tel&t; of &t;ar no&y;[t] w[u]r&t;. Eurich mur&y;&t;e mai so longe ileste OwlC235v.1, &t;at ho shal liki wel unwreste: vor harpe, & pipe, & fu&y;eles [song] mislike&t;, &y;if hit is to long. Ne bo &t;e song neuer so murie, &t;at he ne shal &t;inche wel unmurie &y;ef he ileste&t; ouer unwille: so &t;u mi&y;t &t;ine song aspille. Vor hit is so&t;, Alured hit seide, & me hit mai ine boke rede: "Eurich &t;ing mai losen his godhede mid unme&t;e & mid ouerdede." Mid este &t;u &t;e mi&y;t ouerquatie, & ouerfulle make&t; wlatie: an eurich mure&y;&t;e mai agon &y;if me hit halt eure for&t; in on, bute one, &t;at is Godes riche, &t;at eure is svete & eure iliche: &t;e&y; &t;u nime eure o[f] &t;an lepe, hit is eure ful bi hepe. Wunder hit is of Godes riche, &t;at eure spen&t; & euer is iliche. &y;ut &t;u me seist an o&t;er shome, &t;at ich a[m] on mine e&y;en lome, an seist, for &t;at ich flo bi ni&y;te, &t;at ich ne mai iso bi li&y;te. &T;u liest! on me hit is isene &t;at ich habbe gode sene: vor nis non so dim &t;usternesse &t;at ich euer iso &t;e lasse. &T;u wenest &t;at ich ne mi&y;te iso, vor ich bi daie no&y;t ne flo. &T;e hare lute&t; al dai, ac no&t;eles iso he mai. &Y;if hundes urne&t; to him-ward, OwlC235v.2, [h]e geng&t; wel sui&t;e awai-ward, & hoke&t; pa&t;es svi&t;e narewe, & haue&t; mid him his blenches &y;arewe, & hup&t; & star[t] su&t;e coue, an seche&t; pa&t;es to &t;e groue: ne sholde he uor bo&t;e his e&y;e so don, &y;if he &t;e bet nise&y;e. Ich mai ison so wel so on hare, &t;e&y; ich bi daie sitte an dare. &T;ar a&y;te men [bo&t;] in worre, an fare&t; bo&t;e ner an forre, an oueruare&t; fele [&t;]ode, an do&t; bi ni&y;te gode node, ich fol&y;i &t;an a&y;te manne, an flo bi ni&y;te in hore banne." &T;e ni&y;tingale in hire &t;o&y;te athold al &t;is, & longe &t;o&y;te wat ho &t;arafter mi&y;te segge: vor ho ne mi&y;te no&y;t alegge &t;at &t;e hule hadde hire ised, vor he spac bo&t;e ri&y;t an red. An hire of&t;u&y;te &t;at ho hadde &t;e speche so for uor&t; iladde, an was oferd &t;at hire answare ne w[u]r&t;e no&y;t ari&y;t ifare. Ac no&t;eles he spac boldeliche, vor he is wis &t;at hardeliche wi&t; is uo ber&t; grete ilete, &t;at he uor are&y;&t;e hit ne forlete: vor suich wor&t; bold &y;if &t;u [fli&y;st], &t;at w[u]le flo &y;if &t;u [n]isvicst; &y;if he isi&t; &t;at &t;u nart are&y;, he wile of [bore] w[u]rchen bare&y;. & for&t;i, &t;e&y; &t;e ni&y;tingale OwlC236r.1. were aferd, ho spac bolde tale. "[H]ule" ho seide " wi dostu so? &t;u singest a-winter wolawo! &t;u singest so do&t; hen a-snowe, al &t;at ho singe&t; hit is for wowe. A-wintere &t;u singest wro&t;e & &y;omere, an eure &t;u art dumb a-sumere. Hit is for &t;ine fule ni&t;e &t;at &t;u ne mi&y;t mid us bo bli&t;e, vor &t;u forbernest wel ne&y; for onde wane ure blisse cume&t; to londe. &t;u farest so do&t; &t;e ille, evrich blisse him is unwille: grucching & luring him bo&t; rade, &y;if he iso&t; &t;at men bo&t; glade. He wolde &t;at he ise&y;e teres in evrich monnes e&y;e: ne ro&y;te he &t;e&y; flockes were imeind bi toppes & bi here. Al so &t;u dost on &t;ire side: vor wanne snov li&t; &t;icke & wide, an alle wi&y;tes habbe&t; sor&y;e, &t;u singest from eue fort a-mor&y;e. Ac ich alle blisse mid me bringe: ech wi&y;t is glad for mine &t;inge, & blisse&t; hit wanne ich cume, & hi&y;te&t; a&y;en mine kume. &T;e blostme ginne&t; springe & sprede, bo&t;e ine tro & ek on mede. &T;e lilie mid hire faire wlite wolcume&t; me, &t;at &t;u hit w[i]te, bit me mid hire faire blo &t;at ich shulle to hire flo. &T;e rose also mid hire rude, OwlC236r.2. &t;at cume&t; ut of &t;e &t;orne wode, bit me &t;at ich shulle singe vor hire luue one skentinge: & ich so do &t;ur&y; ni&y;t & dai, &t;e more ich singe &t;e more I mai, an skente hi mid mine songe, ac no&t;eles no&y;t ouerlonge; wane ich iso &t;at men bo&t; glade, ich nelle &t;at hi bon to sade: &t;an is ido vor wan ich com, ich fare a&y;en & do wisdom. Wane mon ho&y;e&t; of his sheue, an falewi cume&t; on grene leue, ich fare hom & nime leue: ne recche ich no&y;t of winteres reue. wan ich iso &t;at cume&t; &t;at harde, ich fare hom to min erde, an habbe bo&t;e luue & &t;onc &t;at ich her com & hider swonk. &T;an min erende is ido, sholde ich bileue? nai, [w]arto? vor he nis no&t;er &y;ep ne wis, &t;at longe abid &t;ar him nod nis." &T;os hule luste, & leide an hord al &t;is mot, word after word, an after &t;o&y;te hu he mi&y;te ansvere uinde best mid ri&y;te: vor he mot hine ful wel bi&t;enche, &t;at is aferd of plaites wrenche. "&T;v aishest me," &t;e hule sede, "wi ich a-winter singe & grede. Hit is gode monne iwone, an was from &t;e worlde frome, &t;at ech god man his frond icnowe, OwlC236v.1. an blisse mid hom sume &t;rowe in his huse at his borde, mid faire speche & faire worde. & hure & hure to Cristesmasse, &t;ane riche & poure, more & lasse, singe&t; cundut ni&y;t & dai, ich hom helpe what ich mai. & ek ich &t;enche of o&t;er &t;inge &t;ane to pleien o&t;er to singe. Ich habbe herto gode ansuare anon iredi & al &y;are: vor sumeres-tide is al to [w]lonc, an do&t; misreken monnes &t;onk: vor he ne rec&t; no&y;t of clennesse, al his &t;o&y;t is of golnesse: vor none dor no leng nabide&t;, ac eurich upon o&t;er ride&t;: &t;e sulue stottes ine &t;e stode bo&t; bo&t;e wilde & mere-wode. & &t;u sulf art &t;ar-among, for of golnesse is al &t;i song, an a&y;en &t;et &t;u w[i]lt teme, &t;u art wel modi & wel breme. Sone so &t;u hau[e]st itrede, ne mi&y;tu leng a word ique&t;e, ac pipest al so do&t; a mose, mid chokeringe, mid steune hose. &y;et &t;u singst worse &t;on &t;e heisugge, [&t;]at fli&Y;&t; bi grunde among &t;e stubbe: wane &t;i lust is ago, &t;onne is &t;i song ago also. A-sumere chorles awede&t; & uorcrempe&t; & uorbrede&t;: hit nis for luue no&t;eles, ac is &t;e chorles wode res; OwlC236v.2. vor wane he haue&t; ido his dede, ifallen is al his boldhede, habbe he istunge under gore, ne last his luue no leng more. Al so hit is on &t;ine mode: so sone so &t;u sittest a-brode, &t;u forlost al &t;ine wise. Al so &t;u farest on &t;ine rise: wane &t;u hauest ido &t;i gome, &t;i steune go&t; anon to shome. Ac [w]ane ni&y;tes cume&t; longe, & b[r]inge&t; forstes starke an stronge, &t;anne erest hit is isene war is &t;e snelle, [w]ar is &t;e kene. At &t;an harde me mai auinde [w]o ge&t; for&t;, wo li&t; bihinde. Me mai ison at &t;are node, [w]an me shal harde wike bode; &t;anne ich am snel & pleie & singe, & hi&y;te me mid mi skentinge: of none wintere ich ne recche, vor ich nam non asv[u]nde wrecche. & ek ich frouri uele wi&y;te &t;at mid hom nabbe[&t;] none mi&y;tte: hi bo&t; ho&y;fule & uel arme, an seche&t; &y;orne to &t;e warme; oft ich singe uor hom &t;e more for lutli sum of hore sore. Hu &t;inc&t; &t;e? artu &y;ut inume? Artu mid ri&y;te ouercume?" "Nay, nay!" sede &t;e ni&y;tingale, " &t;u shalt ihere ano&t;er tale: &y;et nis &t;os speche ibro&y;t to dome. OwlC237r.1. Ac bo wel stille, & lust nu to me ich shal mid one bare worde do &t;at &t;i speche [wur&t;] forwor&t;e." "&T;at nere noht ri&y;t" &t;e hule sede, "&t;u hauest bicloped al so &t;u bede, an ich &t;e habbe i&y;iue ansuare. Ac ar we to unker dome fare, ich wille speke toward &t;e al so &t;u speke toward me; an &t;u me ansuare &y;if &t;u mi&y;t. Seie me nu, &t;u wrecche wi&y;t, is in &t;e eni o&t;er note bute &t;u hauest schille &t;rote? &T;u nart no&y;t to non o&t;er &t;inge, bute &t;u canst of chateringe: vor &t;u art lutel an unstrong, an nis &t;i regel no&t;ing long. Wat dostu godes among monne? Na mo &t;e de&t; a w[re]cche wranne. Of &t;e ne cume&t; non o&t;er god, bute &t;u gredest suich &t;u bo wod: an bo &t;i piping ouergo, ne bo&t; on &t;e craftes namo. Alured sede, &t;at was wis: (he mi&y;te wel, for so&t; hit is,) "Nis no man for is bare songe lof ne w[u]r&t; no&y;t su&t;e longe: vor &t;at is a forwor&t;e man &t;at bute singe no&y;t ne can." &T;u nart bute on forwor&t;e &t;ing: on &t;e nis bute chatering. &T;u art dim an of fule howe, an &t;inchest a lutel soti clowe. &T;u nart fair, no &t;u nart strong, OwlC237r.2. ne &t;u nart &t;icke, ne &t;u nart long: &t;u hauest imist al of fairhede, an lutel is al &t;i godede. An o&t;er &t;ing of &t;e ich mene, &t;u nart vair ne &t;u nart clene. Wane &t;u comest to manne ha&y;e, &t;ar &t;ornes bo&t; & ris idra&y;e, bi hegge & bi &t;icke wode, &t;ar men go&t; oft to hore node, &t;arto &t;u dra&y;st, &t;arto &t;u w[u]nest, an o&t;er clene stede &t;u schunest. &T;an ich flo ni&y;tes after muse, I mai &t;e uinde ate rum-huse; among &t;e wode, among &t;e netle, &t;u sittest & singst bihinde &t;e setle: &t;ar me mai &t;e ilomest finde, &t;ar men worpe&t; hore bihinde. &Y;et &t;u atuitest me mine mete, an seist &t;at ich fule wi&y;tes ete. Ac wat etestu, &t;at &t;u ne li&y;e, bute attercoppe & fule ulige, an wormes, &y;if &t;u mi&y;te finde among &t;e uolde of harde rinde? &Y;et ich can do wel gode wike, vor ich can loki manne wike: an mine wike bo&t; wel gode, vor ich helpe to manne uode. Ich can nimen mus at berne, an ek at chirche ine &t;e derne: vor me is lof to Cristes huse, to clansi hit wi&t; fule muse, ne schal &t;ar neure come to ful wi&y;t, &y;if ich hit mai iuo. An &y;if me lust one mi skentinge OwlC237v.1. to wernen o&t;er w[u]nienge, ich habbe at wude tron wel grete, mit &t;icke bo&y;e no&t;ing blete, mid iui grene al bigrowe, &t;at eure stont iliche iblowe, an his hou neuer ne uorlost, wan hit sniuw ne wan hit frost. &T;arin ich habbe god ihold, a-winter warm, a -sumere cold. Wane min hus stont bri&y;t & grene, of &t;ine nis no&t;ing isene. &Y;et &t;u me telst of o&t;er &t;inge, of mine briddes seist gabbinge, &t;at hore nest nis no&y;t clene. Hit is fale o&t;er wi&y;te imene: vor hors a-stable & oxe a-stalle [d]o&t; al &t;at hom wule &t;ar falle. An lutle children in &t;e cradele, bo&t;e chorles an ek a&t;ele, [d]o&t; al &t;at in hore &y;oe&t;e &t;at hi uorlete&t; in hore du&y;e&t;e. Wat! can &t;at &y;ongling hit bihede? &Y;if hit misde&t;, hit mo[t] nede: a uorbisne is of olde i[vu]rne, [&t;]at node make&t; old wif urne. An &y;et ich habbe an o&t;er andsware: wiltu to mine neste uare an loki hu hit is idi&y;t? &Y;if &t;u art wis lorni &t;u [mi&y;t]: mi nest is hol&y; & rum amidde, so hit is softest mine bridde. Hit is broiden al abute, vrom &t;e neste uor wi&t;ute: &t;arto hi go[&t;] to hore node, OwlC237v.2. ac &t;at &t;u menest ich hom forbode. We nime&t; &y;eme of manne bure, an after &t;an we make&t; ure: men habbet, among o&t;er i[h]ende, a rum-hus at hore bures ende, vor &t;at hi nelle&t; to uor go, an mine briddes do&t; al so. Site nu stille, chaterestre! nere &t;u neuer ibunde uastre: herto ne uindestu neuer andsware. Hong up &t;in ax! nu &t;u mi&y;t fare!" &T;e ni&y;tingale at &t;isse worde &T;e ni&y;tingale at &t;isse worde was wel ne&y; ut of rede iwor&t;e, an &t;o&y;te &y;orne on hire mode &y;if ho o&y;t elles understode, &y;if ho ku&t;e o&y;t bute singe, &t;at mi&y;te helpe to o&t;er &t;inge. Herto ho moste andswere uinde, o&t;er mid alle bon bihinde: an hit is su&t;e strong to fi&y;te a&y;en so&t; & a&y;en ri&y;te. He mot gon to al mid ginne, &t;an &t;e horte bo&t; on [w]inne: an &t;e man mot on o&t;er segge, he mot bihemmen & bilegge, &y;if mu&t; wi&t;ute mai biwro &t;at me &t;e horte no&y;t niso: an sone mai a word misreke &t;ar mu&t; shal a&y;en horte speke; an sone mai a word misstorte &t;ar mu&t; shal speken a&y;en horte. Ac no&t;eles &y;ut upe &t;on, her is to red wo hine kon: vor neuer nis wit so kene OwlC238r.1. so &t;ane red him is a-wene. &t;anne erest kume[&t;] his &y;ephede wone hit is alre-mest on drede: for Aluered seide of olde quide, an &y;ut hit nis of horte islide: "Wone &t;e bale is alre-hecst, &t;onne is &t;e bote alre-necst"; vor wit west among his sore, an for his sore hit is &t;e more. Vor&t;i nis neuere mon redles ar his horte bo witles: ac &y;if &t;at he forlost his wit, &t;onne is his red-purs al to-slit; &y;if he ne kon his wit atholde, ne uint he red in one uolde. Vor Alur[e]d seide, &t;at wel ku&t;e, eure he spac mid so&t;e mu&t;e: "Wone &t;e bale is alre-hecst, &t;anne is &t;e bote alre-nest." &T;e ni&y;tingale al hire ho&y;e mid rede hadde wel bito&y;e; among &t;e harde, among &t;e to&y;te, ful wel mid rede hire bi&t;o&y;te, an hadde andsuere gode ifunde among al hire harde stunde. "[H]ule, &t;u axest me," ho seide, "&y;if ich kon eni o&t;er dede bute singen in sume tide, an bringe blisse for & wide. Wi axestu of craftes mine? Betere is min on &t;an alle &t;ine, betere is o song of mine mu&t;e &t;an al &t;at eure &t;i kun ku&t;e: an lust, ich telle &t;e wareuore. OwlC238r.2, Wostu to wan man was ibore? To &t;are blisse of houene-riche, &t;ar euer is song & mur&y;&t;e iliche: &t;ider funde&t; eurich man &t;at eni &t;ing of gode kan. Vor&t;i me sing&t; in holi-chirche, an clerkes ginne&t; songes wirche, &t;at man i&t;enche bi &t;e songe wider he shal, & &t;ar bon longe: &t;at he &t;e mur&y;&t;e ne uor&y;ete, ac &t;arof &t;enche & bi&y;ete, an nime &y;eme of chirche steuene, hu murie is &t;e blisse of houene. Clerkes, munekes, & kanunes, &t;ar bo&t; &t;os gode wicke-tunes, arise&t; up to midel-ni&y;te, an singe&t; of &t;e houene-li&y;te: an prostes upe londe singe&t;, wane &t;e li&y;t of daie springe&t;. An ich hom helpe wat I mai, ich singe mid hom ni&y;t & dai, an ho bo&t; alle for me &t;e gladdere, an to &t;e songe bo&t; &t;e raddere. Ich warni men to hore gode, &t;at hi bon bli&t;e on hore mode, an bidde &t;at hi moten iseche &t;an ilke song &t;at euer is eche. Nu &t;u mi&y;t, hule, sitte & clinge: her-among nis no chateringe: ich graunti &t;at [w]e go to dome tofore &t;e [sulfe Pope] of Rome. Ac abid &y;ete, no&t;eles, &t;u shalt ihere an o&t;er [h]es; ne shaltu, for Engelonde, OwlC238v.1. at &t;isse worde me atstonde. Wi atuitestu me mine unstreng&t;e, an mine ungrete & mine unleng&t;e, an seist &t;at ich nam no&y;t strong, vor ich nam no&t;er gret ne long? Ac &t;u nost neuer wat &t;u menst, bute lese wordes &t;u me lenst: for ich kan craft & ich kan liste, an [&t;]areuore ich am &t;us &t;riste. Ich kan wit & song man[t]eine, ne triste ich to non o&t;er maine: vor so&t; hit is &t;at seide Alured: "Ne mai no streng&t;e a&y;en red." Oft spet wel a lute liste, &t;ar muche streng&t;e sholde miste; mid lutle streng&t;e, &t;ur&y; ginne, castel & bur&y; me mai iwinne. Mid liste me mai walle[s] felle, an worpe of horsse kni&y;tes snelle. Vuel streng&t;e is lutel wur&t;, * * * * * * * * * * ac wisdom naue&t; non euening. An hors is strengur &t;an a mon; ac for hit non iwit ne kon, hit ber&t; on rugge grete semes, an dra&y;&t; biuore grete temes, an &t;ole&t; bo&t;e &y;erd & spure, an stont iteid at mulne dure. An hit de&t; &t;at mon hit hot: an for &t;an &t;at hit no wit not, ne mai his stren&t;e hit ishilde &t;at hit nabu&y;&t; &t;e lutle childe. Mon de&t;, mid streng&t;e & mid witte, &t;at o&t;er &t;ing nis non his fitte. &T;e&y; alle streng&t;e at one were, OwlC238v.2. monnes wit &y;et more were; vor &t;e mon mid his crafte, ouerkume&t; al or&t;liche shafte. Al so ich do mid mine one songe bet &t;an &t;u al &t;e &y;er longe: vor mine crafte men me luuie&t;, vor &t;ine streng&t;e men &t;e shunie&t;. Telstu bi me &t;e wurs for &t;an &t;at ich bute anne craft ne kan? &Y;if tueie men go&t; to wraslinge, an ei&t;er o&t;er faste &t;ringe, an &t;e on can swenges su&t;e fele, an kan his wrenches wel forhele, an &t;e o&t;er ne can sweng but anne, an &t;e is god wi&t; eche manne, an mid &t;on one lei&t; to grunde anne after o&t;er a lutle stunde, [w]at &t;arf he recche of a mo swenge, &t;one &t;e on him is swo genge? &T;[u] seist &t;at &t;u canst fele wike, ac euer ich am &t;in unilike. Do &t;ine craftes alle togadere, &y;et is min on horte betere. Oft &t;an hundes foxes driue&t;, &t;e kat ful wel him sulue liue&t;, &t;e&y; he ne kunne wrench bute anne. &T;e fo[x] so godne ne can nanne, &t;e[&y;] he kunne so uele wrenche, &t;at he wen&t; eche hunde atprenche. Vor he can pa&t;es ri&y;te & wo&y;e, an he kan hongi bi &t;e bo&y;e, an so forlost &t;e hund his fore, an turn&t; a&y;en eft to &t;an more. &T;e uox kan crope bi &t;e heie, OwlC239r.1. an turne ut from his forme weie, an eft sone kume &t;arto: &t;onne is &t;e hundes smel fordo: he not, &t;ur[&y;] &t;e imeinde smak, we&t;er he shal auor&t; &t;e abak. &Y;if &t;e uox mist of al &t;is dwole, at &t;an ende he crop&t; to hole: ac na&t;eles mid alle his wrenche, ne kan he hine so bi&t;enche, &t;e&y; he bo &y;ep an su&t;e snel, &t;at he ne lost his rede uel. &T;e cat ne kan wrench bute anne no&t;er bi dune ne bi uenne: bute he kan climbe su&t;e wel, &t;armid he were&t; his greie uel. Al so ich segge bi mi solue, betere is min on &t;an &t;ine twelue." "Abid! abid!" &t;e ule seide, "&t;u gest al to mid swikelede: alle &t;ine wordes &t;u bileist &t;at hit &t;inc&t; so&t; al &t;at &t;u seist; alle &t;ine wordes bo&t; isliked, an so bisemed an biliked, &t;at alle &t;o &t;at hi auo&t;, hi wene&t; &t;at &t;u segge so&t;. Abid! abid! me shal &t;e &y;ene. [N]u hit shal w[u]r&t;e wel isene &t;at &t;u hauest muchel ilo&y;e, wone &t;i lesing bo&t; unwro&y;e. &T;u seist &t;at &t;u singist mankunne, & techest hom &t;at hi fundie&t; honne vp to &t;e songe &t;at eure ilest: ac hit is alre w[u]nder mest, &t;at &t;u darst li&y;e so opeliche. OwlC239r.2. Wenest &t;u hi bringe so li&y;tliche to Godes riche al singin[d]e? Nai! nai! hi shulle wel auinde &t;at hi mid longe wope mote of hore sunnen bidde bote, ar hi mote euer kume &t;are. Ich rede &t;i &t;at men bo &y;are, an more wepe &t;ane singe, &t;at funde&t; to &t;an houen-kinge: vor nis no man witute sunne. Vor&t;i he mot, ar he wende honne, mid teres an mid wope bete, &t;at him bo sur &t;at er was swete. &T;arto ich helpe, God hit wot! Ne singe i[c]h hom no foliot: for al m[i] song is of longinge, an imend sumdel mid woninge, &t;at mon bi me hine bi&t;enche &t;at he gro[ni] for his unwrenche: mid mine songe ich hine pulte, &t;at he groni for his gulte. &Y;if &t;u gest herof to disputinge, ich wepe bet &t;ane &t;u singe: &y;if ri&y;t go&t; for&t;, & abak wrong, betere is mi wop &t;ane &t;i song. &T;e&y; sume men bo &t;ur&y;ut gode, an &t;ur&y;ut clene on hore mode, ho[m] longe&t; honne no&t;eles. &T;at bo&t; her, [w]o is hom &t;es: vor &t;e&y; hi bon hom solue ibor&y;e, hi ne so&t; her nowi&y;t bote sorwe. Vor o&t;er men hi wepe&t; sore, an for hom bidde&t; Cristes ore. Ich helpe monne on ei&t;er halue, OwlC239v.1. mi mu&t; haue&t; tweire kunne salue : &t;an gode ich fulste to longinge, vor &t;an hi[m] longe&t;, ich him singe: an &t;an sunfulle ich helpe alswo, vor ich him teche &t;are is wo. &Y;et ich &t;e &y;ene in o&t;er wise: vor &t;ane &t;u sittest on &t;ine rise, &t;u dra&y;st men to fleses luste, &t;at w[u]lle&t; &t;ine songes luste. Al &t;u forlost &t;e mur&y;&t;e of houene, for &t;arto neuestu none steuene : al &t;at &t;u singst is of golnesse, for nis on &t;e non holinesse, ne wene[&] na man for &t;i pipinge &t;at eni preost in chir[ch]e singe. &Y;et I &t;e wulle an o[&]er segge, &y;if &t;u hit const ariht bilegge: [w]i nultu singe an o[&]er &t;eode, &t;ar hit is muchele more neode? &T;u neauer ne singst in Irlonde, ne &t;u ne cumest no&y;t in Scotlonde. Hwi nultu fare to Noreweie, an singin men of Galeweie? &T;ar beo& men &t;at lutel kunne of songe &t;at is bineo&e &t;e sunne. Wi nultu &t;are preoste singe, an teche of &t;ire writelinge, an wisi hom mid &t;ire steuene hu engeles singe& ine heouene? &T;u farest so do& an ydel wel &t;at springe&t; bi burue &t;a[t] is snel, an let fordrue &t;e dune, & flo[&t;] on idel &t;ar adune. Ac ich fare bo&t;e nor&t; & s[u]&t;: OwlC239v.2. in eauereuch londe ich am cuu&t;: east & west, feor & neor, I do wel faire mi meoster, an warni men mid mine bere, &t;at &t;i dweole-song heo ne forlere. Ich wisse men mid min[e] songe, &t;at hi ne sunegi nowiht longe : I bidde hom &t;at heo iswike, &t;at [heo] heom seolue ne biswike: for betere is &t;at heo wepen here, &t;an elles hwar [beon] deoulene fere." &T;e ni&y;tingale was igr[amed] an ek heo was sum del of[s]chamed, for &t;e hule hire atwiten hadde in hwucche stude he sat an gradde, bihinde &t;e bure, among &t;e wede, &t;ar men go& to here neode: an sat sum-del, & heo bi&t;ohte, an wiste wel on hire &t;ohte &t;e wra&t;&t;e binime&t; monnes red. For hit seide &t;e king Alfred: "Sel[d]e ende& wel &t;e lo&t;e, an selde plaide& wel &t;e wro&t;e." For wra&t;&t;e mein&t; &t;e horte blod &t;at hit flowe&t; so wilde flod, an al &t;e heorte ouerge&t;, &t;at heo naue&t; no &t;ing bute bre&t;, an so forleost al hire liht, &t;at heo ni si&t; so&t; ne riht. &T;e ni&y;tingale hi understod, an ouergan lette hire mod: he mihte bet speken a-sele &t;an mid wra&t;&t;e wordes deale. "[H]ule," heo seide "lust nu hider: OwlC240r.1. &t;u schalt falle, &t;e wei is slider. &T;u seist ich fleo bihinde bure: hit is riht, &t;e bur is ure: &t;ar lauerd ligge&t; & lauedi, ich schal heom singe & sitte bi. Wenstu &t;at uise men forlete, for fule venne, &t;e ri&y;tte strete ? ne sunne &t;e later shine, &t;e&y; hit bo ful ine nest[e] &t;ine? Sholde ich, for one hole brede, forlete mine ri&y;te stede, &t;at ich ne singe bi &t;e bedde, &t;ar louerd haue&t; his loue ibedde? Hit is mi ri&y;t, hit is mi la&y;e, &t;a[t] to &t;e he[x]st ich me dra&y;e. Ac &y;et &t;u &y;elpst of &t;ine songe, &t;at &t;u canst &y;olle wro&t;e & stronge, an seist &t;u uisest mankunne, &t;at hi biwepen hore sunne. Solde euch mon wonie & grede ri&y;t suich hi weren unlede, solde hi &y;ollen al so &t;u dest, hi mi&y;te oferen here brost. Man schal bo stille & no&y;t grede; he mot biwepe his misdede: ac &t;ar is Cristes heriinge, &t;ar me shal grede & lude singe. Nis no&t;er to lud ne to long, at ri&y;te time, chirche-song. &T;u &y;olst & wones[t], & ich singe: &t;i steuene is wop, & min skentinge. Euer mote &t;u &y;olle & wepen &t;at &t;u &t;i lif mote forleten! an &y;ollen mote &t;u so he&y;e OwlC240r.2. &t;at ut berste bo &t;in e&y;e! We&t;er is betere of twe[n]e twom, &t;at mon bo bli&t;e o&t;er grom ? So bo hit euer in unker si&t;e, &t;at &t;u bo sori & ich bli&t;e. &Y;ut &t;u aisheist wi ich ne fare into o&t;er londe & singe &t;are? No! wat sholde ich among hom do, &t;ar neuer blisse ne com to? &T;at lond nis god, ne hit nis este, ac wildernisse hit is & weste: knarres & cludes houen[e]-tinge, snou & ha&y;el hom is genge. &T;at lond is grislich & unuele, &t;e men bo&t; wilde & unisele, hi nabbe&t; no&t;er gri&t; ne sibbe: hi ne recche&t; hu hi libbe. Hi ete&t; fihs an flehs unsode, suich wulues hit hadde tobrode: hi drinke&t; milc & wei &t;arto, hi nute elles &t;at hi do: hi nabbe&t; no&t;[er] win ne bor, ac libbe&t; al so wilde dor: hi go&t; biti&y;t mid ru&y;e uelle, ri&y;t suich hi comen ut of helle. &T;e&y; eni god man to hom come, so wile dude sum from Rome, for hom to lere gode &t;ewes, an for to leten hore un&t;ewes, he mi&y;te bet sitte stille, vor al his wile he sholde spille: he mi&y;te bet teche ane bore to we&y;e bo&t;e sheld & spere, &t;an me &t;at wilde folc ibringe OwlC240v.1. &t;at hi [me] wolde ihere singe. Wat sol[d]ich &t;ar mid mine songe? ne sunge ich hom neuer so longe, mi song were ispild ech del: for hom ne mai halter ne bridel bringe vrom hore w[o]de wise, ne mon mid stele ne mid i[s]e. Ac war lon[d] is bo&t;e este & god, an &t;ar men habbe&t; milde mod, ich noti mid hom mine &t;rote, vor ich mai do &t;ar gode note: an bringe hom loue ti&t;inge, vor ich of chirche-songe singe. Hit was iseid in olde la&y;e, an &y;et ilast &t;ilke so&t;-sa&y;e, &t;at man shal erien an sowe, &t;ar he wen&t; after sum god mowe: for he is wod &t;at sowe&t; his sed &t;ar neuer gras ne sprin&t; ne bled." &T;e hule was wro&t;, to cheste rad, mid &t;isse worde hire e&y;en abrad: "&T;u seist &t;u witest manne bures, &t;ar leues bo&t; & faire flores, &t;ar two iloue in one bedde ligge&t; biclop[t] & wel bihedde. Enes &t;u sunge, ic wo[t] wel ware, bi one bure, & woldest lere &t;e lefdi to an uuel luue, an sunge bo&t;e lo&y;e & buue, an lerdest hi to don shome an vnri&y;t of hire licome. &T;e louerd &t;at sone under&y;at, liim & grine [&] wel eiwat, sette & le[i]de &t;e for to lacche. &T;u come sone to &t;an hacche, &t;u were inume in one grine, al hit abo&y;te &t;ine shine: &t;u naddest non o&t;er dom ne la&y;e, bute mid wilde horse were todra&y;e. Vonde &y;if &t;u mi&y;t eft misrede, wa&t;er &t;u wult, wif &t;e maide: &t;i song mai bo so longe genge &t;at &t;u shalt wippen on a sprenge." &T;e ni&y;tingale at &t;isse worde, mid sworde an mid speres orde, &y;if ho mon were, wolde fi&y;te: ac &t;o ho bet do ne mi&y;te, ho ua&y;t mid hire wise tunge. "Wel fi&y;t &t;at wel spec&t;," sei&t; in &t;e songe. Of hire tunge ho nom red: "Wel fi&y;t &t;at wel spec&t;" seide Alured. "Wat! seistu &t;is for mine shome? &t;e louerd hadde herof grame. He was so gelus of his wiue, &t;at he ne mi&y;te for his liue iso &t;at man wi&t; hire speke, &t;at his horte nolde breke. He hire bileck in one bure, &t;at hire was bo&t;e stronge & sure: ich hadde of hire milse an ore, an sori was for hire sore, an skente hi mid mine songe al &t;at ich mi&y;te, ra&t;e an longe. Vor&t;an &t;e kni&y;t was wi&t; me wro&t;, vor ri&y;te ni&t;e ich was him lo&t;: he dude me his o&y;ene shome, ac al him turnde it to grome. &T;at underyat &t;e king Henri: OwlC241r.1. Jesus his soule do merci! He let forbonne &t;ene kni&y;t, &t;at hadde idon so muchel unri&y;t ine so gode kinges londe; vor ri&y;te ni&t;e & for fule onde let &t;ane lutle fu&y;el nime an him fordeme lif an lime. Hit was w[u]r&t;sipe al mine kunne; for&t;on &t;e kni&y;t forles his wunne, an &y;af for me an hundred punde: an mine briddes seten isunde, an hadde so&t;&t;e blisse & hi&y;te, an were bli&t;e, & wel mi&y;te. Vor&t;on ich was so wel awreke, euer eft ich dar[r] &t;e bet speke: vor hit bitidde ene swo, ich am &t;e bli&t;ur euer mo. Nu ich mai singe war ich wulle, ne dar me neuer eft mon agrulle. Ac &t;u, eremi[n]g! &t;u wrecche gost! &t;u ne canst finde, ne &t;u nost, an hol&y; stok &t;ar &t;u &t;e mi&y;t hude, &t;at me ne twenge&t; &t;ine hude. Vor children, gromes, heme & hine, hi &t;enche&t; alle of &t;ire pine: &y;if hi mu&y;e iso &t;e sitte, stones hi do&t; in hore slitte, an &t;e totorue[&] & tohene&t;, an &t;ine fule bon toshene&t;. &Y;if &t;u art iworpe o&t;er ishote, &t;anne &t;u mi&y;t erest to note. Vor me &t;e ho&t; in one rodde, an &t;u, mid &t;ine fule codde, an mid &t;ine ateliche s[w]ore, OwlC241r.2. biwerest manne corn urom dore. Nis no&t;er no&y;t, &t;i lif ne &t;i blod: ac &t;u art sh[e]ueles su&t;e god. &T;ar nowe sedes bo&t;e isowe, pinnuc, golfinc, rok, ne crowe ne dar &t;ar neuer cumen ihende, &y;if &t;i buc honge&t; at &t;an ende. &T;ar tron shulle a&y;ere blowe, an &y;unge sedes springe & growe, ne dar no fu&y;el &t;arto uonge, &y;if &t;u art &t;arouer ihonge. &T;i lif is eure lu&t;er & qued, &t;u nar[t] no&y;t bute ded. Nu &t;u mi&y;t wite sikerliche &t;at &t;ine leches bo&t; grisliche &t;e wile &t;u art on lifda&y;e: vor wane &t;u hongest isla&y;e, &y;ut hi bo&t; of &t;e ofdradde, &t;e fu&y;eles &t;at &t;e er bigradde. Mid ri&y;te men bo&t; wi&t; &t;e wro&t;e, for &t;u singist euer of hore lo&t;e: al &t;at &t;u singst, ra&t;e o&t;er late, hit is euer of manne unwate: wane &t;u hauest ani&y;t igrad, men bo&t; of &t;e wel sore ofdrad. &T;u singst &t;ar sum man shal be ded: euer &t;u bodest sumne qued. &T;u singst a&y;en ei&y;te lure, o&t;er of summe frondes rure : o&t;er &t;u bodes[t] huses brune, o&t;er ferde of manne, o&t;er &t;oues rune; o&t;er &t;u bodest cualm of oreue, o&t;er &t;at londfolc wur&t; idorue, o&t;er &t;at wif lost hire make; OwlC241v.1. o&t;er &t;u bodest cheste an sake. Euer &t;u singist of manne hareme, &t;ur&y; &t;e hi bo&t; sori & areme. &t;u ne singst neuer one si&t;e, &t;at hit nis for sum unsi&t;e. Heruore hit is &t;at me &t;e shune&t;, an &t;e totorue&t; & tobune&t; mid staue, & stoone, & turf, & clute, &t;at &t;u ne mi&y;t nowar atrute. Dahet euer suich budel in tune &t;at euer bode&t; unwreste rune, an euer bringe&t; vuele ti&t;inge, an &t;at euer spec&t; of vuele &t;inge! God Almi&y;ti w[u]r&t;e him wro&t;, an al &t;at werie&t; linnene clo&t;!" &T;e hule ne abo[d] no&y;t swi&t;[e] longe, ah &y;ef ondsware starke & stronge: " Wat," qua&t; ho, " hartu ihoded ? o&t;er &t;u kursest al unihoded ? For prestes wike ich wat &t;u dest. Ich not &y;ef &t;u were &y;aure prest: ich not &y;ef &t;u canst masse singe: inoh &t;u canst of mansinge. Ah hit is for &t;ine alde ni&t;e, &t;at &t;u me akursedest o&er si&e: ah &t;arto is lihtlich ondsware; "Drah to &t;e!" cwa&t; &t;e cartare. Wi attwitestu me mine insihte, an min iwit & mine mi&y;te? For ich am witi ful iwis, an wo[t] al &t;at to kumen is: ich wot of hunger, of hergonge: ich wot &y;ef men schule libbe longe: ich wat &y;ef wif lus[t] hire make: OwlC241v.2. ich wat &t;ar schal beo ni&t; & wrake; ich wot hwo schal beon [an]honge, o&t;er elles fulne de&t; afonge. &Y;ef men habbe&t; bataile inume, ich wat hwa&t;er schal beon ouerkume : ich wat &y;if cwalm scal comen on orfe, an &y;if dor schul ligge [a]storue; ich wot &y;ef treon schule blowe: ich wat &y;ef cornes schule growe : ich wot &y;ef huses schule berne: ich wot &y;ef men schule eorne o&t;er erne: ich wot &y;ef sea schal schipes drenche: ich wot &y;ef snuw[e] schal uuele clenche. An &y;et ich con muchel more: ich con inoh in bokes lore, an eke ich can of &t;e Goddspelle more &t;an ich nule &t;e telle: for ich at chirche come ilome, an muche leorni of wisdome : ich wat al of &t;e tacninge, an of o&t;er feole &t;inge. &Y;ef eni mon schal rem abide, al ich hit wot ear hit itide. Ofte, for mine muchele iwitte, wel sori-mod & w[ro]&t; ich sitte : wan ich iseo &t;at sum wrechede is manne neh, innoh ich grede: ich bidde &t;at men beon iwar[r]e, an habbe gode reades &y;ar[r]e. For Alfred seide a wis word, euch mon hit schulde legge on hord: "&Y;ef &t;u isihst [er] he beo icume, his str[e]nc&t;e is him wel neh binume." An grete duntes beo&t; &t;e lasse, OwlC242r.1. &y;ef me ikep&t; mid iwarnesse, an [flo] schal toward mis&y;enge, &y;ef &t;u isihst hu fleo of strenge; for &t;u mi&y;t blenche wel & fleo, &y;if &t;u isihst heo to &t;e teo. &T;at eni man beo falle in [e]dwite, wi schal he me his sor atwite? &T;ah ich iseo his harm biuore, ne come&t; hit no&y;t of me &t;aru[o]re. &T;ah &t;u iseo &t;at sum blind mon, &t;at nanne rihtne wei ne con, to &t;are diche his dweole fulie[&], an falle&t;, and &t;arone sulie[&], wenest &t;u, &t;ah ich al iseo, &t;at hit for me &t;e ra&t;ere beo? Al swo hit fare&t; bi mine witte: hwanne ich on mine bowe sitte, ich wot & iseo swi&t;e brihte an summe men kume[&] harm &t;arrihte. Schal he, &t;at &t;erof no&t;ing not, hit wite me for ich hit wot? Schal he his mishap wite me, for ich am wisure &t;ane he? Hwanne ich iseo &t;at sum wrechede is manne neh, inoh ich grede, an bidde inoh &t;at hi heom schilde, for toward heom is [harm unmilde]. Ah &t;ah ich grede lude an stille, al hit itid &t;ur[h] Godes wille. Hwi wulle&t; men of me hi mene, &t;ah ich mid so&t;e heo awene? &T;ah ich hi warni al &t;at &y;er, nis heom &t;erfore harem no &t;e ner: OwlC242r.2. ah ich heom singe for ich wolde &t;at hi wel understonde schulde &t;at sum unsel&t;e heom is ihende, hwan ich min huing to heom sende. Naue&t; no man none sikerhede &t;at he ne mai wene & adrede &t;at sum unhwate ne[h] him beo, &t;ah he ne conne hit iseo. For&t;i seide Alfred swi&t;e wel, and his worde was Goddspel, &t;at "euereuch man, &t;e bet him beo, eauer &t;e bet he hine beseo:" "ne truste no mon to his weole to swi&t;e, &t;ah he habbe ueole." "Nis [nout] so hot &t;at hit nacole&t;, ne no&y;t so hwit &t;at hit ne sole&t;, ne no&y;t so leof &t;at hit ne alo&t;e&t;, ne no&y;t so glad &t;at hit ne awro&t;e&t;: ac eauereeu[c]h &t;ing &t;at eche nis, agon schal, & al &t;is worldes blis." Nu &t;u mi&y;t wite readliche, &t;at eauere &t;u spekest gideliche: for al &t;at &t;u me seist for schame, euer &t;e seolue hit turne&t; to grome. Go so hit go, at eche fenge &t;u fallest mid &t;ine ahene swenge; al &t;at &t;u seist for me to schende, hit is mi wurschipe at &t;an ende. Bute &t;u wille bet aginne, ne shaltu bute schame iwinne." &T;e ni&y;tingale sat & si&y;te, & hohful was, & ful wel mi&y;te, for &t;e hule swo ispeke hadde, OwlC242v.1. an hire speche swo iladde. Heo was ho[h]ful, & erede hwat heo &t;arafter hire sede: ah neo&t;eles heo hire understod. " Wat!" heo seide, "hule, artu wod? &t;u &y;eolpest of seolliche wisdome, &t;u nustest wanene he &t;e come, bute hit of wicchecrefte were. &T;arof &t;u, wrecche, mos[t] &t;e skere &y;if &t;u wult among manne b[eo]: o&t;er &t;u most of londe fleo. For alle &t;eo &t;at [&t;]erof cu&t;e, heo uere ifurn of prestes mu&t;e amanset: swuch &t;u art &y;ette, &t;u wiecche-crafte neauer ne lete. Ich &t;e seide nu lutel ere, an &t;u askedest &y;ef ich were a-bisemere to preost ihoded. Ah &t;e mansing is so ibroded, &t;ah no preost a-londe nere, a wrecche neo&t;eles &t;u were: for eauereuch chil[d] &t;e cleope&t; fule, an euereuch man a wrecche hule. Ich habbe iherd, & so&t; hit is, &t;e mon mot beo wel storre-wis, [&t;at] wite inno[h] of wucche &t;inge kume, so &t;u seist &t;[e] is iwune. Hwat canstu, wrecche &t;ing, of storre, bute &t;at &t;u biha[u]est hi feorre? Alswo de&t; mani dor & man, &t;eo of [swucche] nawiht ne con. On ape mai a boc bih[o]lde, an leues wenden & eft folde: ac he ne con &t;e bet &t;aruore OwlC242v.2. of clerkes lore top ne more. &T;ah &t;u iseo &t;e steorre alsw[o], nartu &t;e wisure neauer &t;e mo. Ah &y;et &t;u, fule &t;ing, me chist, an wel grimliche me atwist &t;at ich singe bi manne huse, an teache wif breke spuse. &T;u liest iwis, &t;u fule &t;ing! &t;[urh] me nas neauer ischend spusing. Ah so&t; hit is ich singe & grede &t;ar lauedies beo&t; & faire maide; & so&t; hit is of luue ich singe: for god wif mai i[n] spusing bet luuien hire o&y;ene were, &t;ane awe[r] hire copenere; an maide mai luue cheose &t;at hire wur&t;schipe ne forleose, an luuie mid rihte luue &t;ane &t;e schal beon hire buue. Swiche luue ich itache & lere, &t;erof beo&t; al mine ibere. &T;ah sum wif beo of nesche mode, for wumm[e]n beo&t; of softe blode, &t;at heo, &t;urh sume sottes lore &t;e &y;eorne bit & sike&t; sore, mis[r]empe & misdo sumne stunde, schal ich &t;aruore beon ibunde ? &Y;if wimmen luuie&t; unrede, [w]itestu me hore misdede? &Y;ef wimmon &t;enche&t; luuie derne, [ne] mai ich mine songes werne. Wummon mai pleie under clo&t;e, we&t;er heo wile, wel &t;e wro&t;e: & heo mai do bi mine songe, OwlC243r.1. hwa&t;er heo wule, wel &t;e wronge. For nis a-worlde &t;ing so god, &t;at ne mai do sum ungod, &y;if me hit wule turne amis. For gold & seoluer, god hit is: an no&t;eles &t;armid &t;u mi&y;t spusbruche buggen & unri&y;t. Wepne beo&t; gode gri&t; to halde: ah neo&t;eles &t;armide beo&t; men acwalde a&y;eines riht [an] fale londe, &t;ar &t;eoues hi bere& an honde. Alswa hit is bi mine songe, &t;ah heo beo god, me hine mai misfonge, an drahe hine to sothede, an to o&t;re uuele dede. Ah [schaltu] wrecch, luue tele ? Bo wuch ho bo, vich luue is fele bitweone wepmon & wimmane: ah &y;ef heo is atbroide, &t;enne he is unfele & forbrode. Wro&t; wur&t;e heom &t;e holi rode &t;e rihte ikunde swo forbreide&t;! W[u]nder hit is &t;at heo nawede&t;. An swo heo do&t;, for heo beo&t; wode &t;e bute nest go&t; to brode. Wummon is of nesche flesche, an flesches [lust] is strong to cwesse: nis wunder nan &t;ah he abide. For flesches lustes hi make&t; slide, ne beo&t; heo nowt alle forlore, &t;at stumpe&t; at &t;e flesches more: for moni wummon haue&t; misdo &t;at aris[t] op of &t;e slo. Ne beo&t; nowt ones alle sunne, OwlC243r.2. for&t;an hi beo&t; tweire kunne: su[m] arist of &t;e flesches luste, an sum of &t;e gostes custe. &T;ar flesch drahe&t; men to drunnesse, an to [wrouehede] & to golnesse, &t;e gost misde&t; &t;urch ni&t;e an onde, & seo&t;&t;e mid murh&t;e of [monne shonde,] an &y;eone&t; after more & more, an lutel reh&t; of milce & ore ; an sti&y;&t; on he[h] &t;ur[h] modinesse, an ouerhohe& &t;anne lasse. Sei [me soo&t;], &y;ef &t;u hit wost, hwe&t;er de&t; wurse, flesch &t;e gost? &T;u mi&y;t segge, &y;ef &t;u wult, &t;at lasse is &t;e flesches gult: moni man is of his flesche clene, &t;at is mid mode deouel-imene. Ne schal non mon wimman bigrede, an flesches lustes hire upbreide: swuch he may te[l]en of golnesse, &t;at sunege&t; wurse i[n] modinesse. [&Y;]et &y;if ich schulde a-luue bringe wif o&t;er maide, hwanne ich singe, ich wolde wi&t; &t;e maide holde, &y;if &t;u hit const ariht atholde: Lust nu, ich segge &t;e hwaruore, vp to &t;e toppe from &t;e more. &Y;ef maide luue&t; dernliche, heo stumpe&t; & fal&t; icundeliche: for &t;ah heo sum hwile pleie, heo nis nout feor ut of &t;e weie; heo mai hire guld atwende a rihte weie &t;ur[h] chirche-bende, an mai eft habbe to make OwlC243v.1. hire leofmon wi&t;ute sake, an go to him bi daies lihte, &t;at er stal to bi &t;eostre nihte. An &y;unling not hwat swuch &t;ing is: his &y;unge blod hit dra&y;e&t; amis, an sum sot mon hit tih&t; &t;arto mid alle &t;an &t;at he mai do. He come&t; & fare&t; & beod & bi[t] an heo bistant & ouersi[t], an biseh&t; ilome & longe. Hwat mai &t;at chil[d] &t;ah hit misfonge? Hit nuste neauer hwat hit was, for&t;i hit &t;ohte fondi [&t;]as, an wite iwis hwuch beo &t;e gome &t;at of so wilde make&t; tome. Ne mai ich for reo[w]e lete, wanne ich iseo &t;e tohte ilete &t;e luue bring[e] on &t;e &y;unglinge, &t;at ich of mur&y;&t;e him ne singe. Ich [t]eache heom bi mine songe &t;at swucch luue ne lest no&y;t longe: for mi song lutle hwile ilest, an luue ne de&t; no&y;t bute rest on swuch childre, & sone age&t;, an fal&t; adun &t;e hote bre&t;. Ich singe mid heom one &t;ro&y;e, biginne on heh & endi la&y;e, an lete [mine] songes falle an lutle wile adun mid alle. &T;at maide wot, hwanne ich swike, &t;at luue is mine songes ili[k]e, for hit nis bute a lutel bre&t;, &t;at sone kume&t;, & sone ge&t;. &T;at child bi me hit understond, OwlC243v.2. an his unred to red[e] wend, an ise&y;&t; wel, bi mine songe, &t;at dusi luue ne last no&y;t longe. Ah wel ich wule &t;at &t;u hit wite, lo&t; me beo&t; wiues utschute: ah [w]if mai [of] me nime &y;eme, ich ne singe nawt hwan ich teme. An wif ah lete so[t]tes lore, &t;ah spusing-bendes &t;unche&t; sore. Wundere me &t;ung&t; wel starc & stor, hu eni mon so eauar for, &t;at [h]e his heorte mi&y;te driue [to] do hit to o&t;ers mannes wiue: for o&t;er hit is of twam &t;inge, ne mai &t;at &t;ridde no man bringe; o[&t;]ar &t;e lauerd is wel aht, o&t;er aswunde, & nis naht. &Y;ef he is wur&t;ful & aht man, nele no man, &t;at wisdo[m] can, hure of is wiue do him schame: for he mai him adrede grame, an &t;at he forleose &t;at &t;er honge&t;, &t;at him eft &t;arto no&y;t ne longe&t;. An &t;ah he &t;at no&y;t ne adrede, hit is unri&y;t & gret sothede [to] misdon one gode manne, an his ibedde from him spanne. &Y;ef hire lauerd is forwurde an unorne at bedde & at borde, hu mi&y;te &t;ar beo eni luue wanne [a] cheorles buc hire ley buue? Hu mai &t;ar eni luue beo, war swuch man grope&t; hire &t;eo? Herbi &t;u mi&y;t wel understonde OwlC244r.1. &t;at on [is a reu], &t;at o&t;er schonde, to stele to o&t;res mannes bedde. For &y;if aht man is hire bedde, &t;u mi&y;t wene &t;at &t;e mistide, wanne &t;u list bi hire side. An &y;ef &t;e lauerd is a w[re]cche, hwuch este mi&y;tistu &t;ar uecche? &Y;if &t;u bi&t;enchest hwo hire ofligge, &t;u mi&y;t mid wlate &t;e este bugge. Ich not hu mai eni freo-man for hire sechen after &t;an. &Y;ef he bi&t;enc&t; bi hwan he lai, al mai &t;e luue gan awai." &T;e hule was glad of swuche tale: heo &t;o&y;te &t;at te nihtegale, &t;ah heo wel speke atte frume, hadde at &t;en ende misnume : an seide: "Nu ich habbe ifunde &t;at maidenes beo&t; of &t;ine imunde: mid heom &t;u holdest, & heom biwerest, an ouerswi&t;e &t;u hi herest. &T;e lauedies beo&t; to me iwend, to me heo hire mo[n]e send. For hit itit ofte & ilome, &t;at wif & were beo&t; unisome: & &t;erfore &t;e were gulte, &t;at leof is over wummon to pulte, an spene&t; on &t;are al &t;at he haue&t;, an siue&t; &t;are &t;at no riht naue&t;, an haue&t; attom his ri&y;te spuse, wowes weste, & lere huse, wel &t;unne isch[r]ud & iued wro&t;e, an let heo bute mete & clo&t;e. Wan he come&t; ham eft to his wiue, OwlC244r.2. ne dar heo no&y;t a word ischire: he chid & gred swuch he beo wod, an ne bring&t; [hom] non o&t;er god. Al &t;at heo de&t; him is unwille, al &t;at heo speke&t; hit is him ille: an oft hwan heo no&y;t ne misde&t;, heo haue&t; &t;e fust in hire te&t;. &T;[er] is nan mon &t;at ne mai ibringe his wif amis mid swucche &t;inge: me hire mai so ofte misbeode, &t;at heo do wule hire ahene neode. La, Godd hit wot! heo nah iweld, &t;a[h] heo hine makie kukeweld. For hit itit lome & ofte, &t;at his wif is wel nesche & softe, of faire bleo & wel idiht: [For]&t;i hit is &t;e more unriht &t;at he his luue spene on &t;are, &t;at nis wur&t; one of hire heare. An swucche men beo&t; wel manifolde, &t;at wif ne kunne no&y;t ari&y;t holde. Ne mot non mon wi&t; hire speke: he uene& heo wule anon tobreke hire spusing, &y;ef heo loke&t; o&t;er wi&t; manne faire speke&t;. He hire bilu[k]&t; mid keie & loke: &t;ar-&t;urh is spusing ofte tobroke. For &y;ef heo is &t;arto ibroht, he de&t; &t;at heo nadde ear i&t;oht. Dahet &t;at to swu&t;e hit bispeke, &t;ah swucche wiues [heom] awreke ! Herof &t;e lauedies to me mene&t;, an wel sore me ahwene&t;: wel neh min heorte wule tochine, OwlC244v.1. hwon ich biholde hire pine. Mid heom ich wepe swi[&t;]e sore, an for heom bidde Cristis ore, &t;at &t;e lauedi sone aredde an hire sende betere ibedde. An o&t;er &t;ing ich mai &t;e telle, &t;at &t;u ne schal[t], for &t;ine felle, ondswere none &t;arto finde: al &t;i sputing schal aswinde. Moni chapmon & moni cniht luue&t; & [hald] his wif ariht, an swa de&t; moni bondeman: &t;at gode wif de&t; after &t;an, an serue&t; him to bedde & to borde mid faire dede & faire worde, an &y;eorne fonde&t; hu heo muhe do &t;ing &t;at him beo idu&y;e. &T;e lauerd into &t;are [&t;]eode fare&t; ut on &t;are beire nede, an is &t;at gode wif unbli&t;e for hire lauerdes hou[h]si&t;e, an sit & sih& wel sore oflonged, an hire sore an horte ongred: al for hire louerdes sake haue&t; daies kare & ni&y;tes wake: an swu&t;e longe hire is &t;e hwile, an [ech] steape hire &t;un&t; a mile. Hwanne o&t;re slepe&t; hire abute, ich one lust &t;ar wi&&t;ute, an wot of hire sore mode, an singe ani&y;t for hire gode: an mine gode song, for hire &t;inge, ich turne su[m]del to murni[n]ge. Of hure seorhe ich bere sume, OwlC244v.2. for&t;an ich am hire wel welcume: ich hire helpe hwat [I] mai, for [ho ge&t;] &t;ane rehte wai. Ah &t;u me hauest sore igramed, &t;at min heorte is wel neh alamed, &t;at ich mai unnea&t;e speke: ah &y;et ich wule for&t;ure reke. &T;u seist &t;at ich am manne [lo&], an euereuch man is wi& me wro&, an me mid stone & lugge &t;rete&t;, an me tobu[r]ste&t; & tobete&t;, an hwanne heo hab[b]e&t; me ofslahe, heo honge&t; me on heore hahe, &t;ar ich aschewele pie an crowe fro[m] &t;an &t;e &t;ar is isowe. &T;ah hit beo so&t;, ich do heom god, an for heom ich [s]chadde mi blod: ich do heom god mid mine dea&t;e, waruore &t;e is wel unnea&t;e. For &t;ah &t;u ligge dead & clinge, &t;i de&t; nis nawt to none &t;inge: ich not neauer to hwan &t;u mi&y;t, for &t;u nart bute a wrecche wi&y;t. Ah &t;ah mi lif me beo atschote, &t;e &y;et ich mai do gode note: me mai up one smale sticke me sette a-wude ine &t;e &t;icke, an swa mai mon tolli him to lutle briddes & iuo, an swa me mai mid me bi&y;ete wel gode brede to his mete. Ah &t;u neure mon to gode liues ne dea&t;es stal ne stode: ich not to hwan &t;u bre[d]ist &t;i brod, OwlC245r.1. liues ne dea&t;es ne de&t; hit god." &T;e nihtegale ih[e]rde &t;is, an hupte uppon on blowe ris, an herre sat &t;an heo dude ear: "Hule," he seide, "beo nu wear, nulle ich wi&t; &t;e plaidi namore, for her &t;e mist &t;i rihte lore: &t;u &y;eilpest &t;at &t;u art manne lo&t;, an euereuch wiht is wi& &t;e w[ro]&t;; an mid &y;ulinge & mid igrede &t;u wanst wel &t;at &t;u art unlede. &T;u seist &t;at gromes &t;e ifo&, an heie on rodde &t;e anho&, an &t;e totwichet & toschake&, an summe of &t;e schawles make&. Me &t;unc[&t;] &t;at &t;u forleost &t;at game, &t;u &y;ulpest of &t;ire o&y;e schame: me &t;unc[&t;] &t;at &t;u me gest an honde, &t;u &y;ulpest of &t;ire o&y;ene scho[nd]e." &T;o heo hadde &t;eos word icwede, heo sat in ore faire stude, an &t;arafter hire steuene dihte, an song so schille & so brihte, &t;at feor & ner me hit iherde. &T;aruore anan to hire cherde &t;rusche & &t;rostle & wudewale, an fuheles bo&t;e grete & smale: for&t;an heom &t;uhte &t;at heo hadde &t;e houle ouercome, uor&t;an heo gradde an sungen alswa uale wise, an blisse was among &t;e rise. Ri&y;t swa me gred &t;e manne a schame, &t;at tauele&t; & forleost &t;at gome. &T;eos hule, &t;o heo &t;is iherde, OwlC245r.2. "Hauestu," heo seide, "ibanned ferde ? an wultu, wreche, wi& me fi&y;te? Nai! nai! nauestu none mi&y;te! Hwat grede&t; &t;eo &t;at hider come? Me &t;unc&t; &t;u ledest ferde to me. &Y;e schule wite, ar &y;e fleo heonne, hwuch is &t;e stren&t;e of mine kunne: for &t;eo &t;e haue&t; bile ihoked, an cliures [s]charpe & wel icroked, alle heo beo&t; of mine kunrede, an walde come &y;if ich bede. &T;e seolfe coc, &t;at wel can fi&y;te, he mot mid me holde mid ri&y;te, for [bo&t;e] we habbe&t; steuene bri&y;te, an sitte&t; under weolcne bi ni&y;te. Schille ich an utest uppen ow grede, ich shal swo stronge ferde lede, &t;at ower pr[u]de schal aualle: a tort ne &y;iue ich for ow alle! ne schal, ar hit beo fulliche eue, a wreche fe&t;er on ow bileaue. Ah hit was unker uoreward, &t;o we come hiderward, &t;at we &t;arto holde scholde, &t;ar riht dom us &y;iue wolde. Wultu nu breke foreward? Ich wene dom &t;e &t;ing[&t;] to hard: for &t;u ne darst domes abide, &t;u wult nu, wreche, fi&y;te & chide. &Y;[u]t ich ow alle wolde rede, ar [ich] utheste uppon ow grede, &t;at ower fihtlac lete&t; beo, an ginne&t; ra&t;e awei fleo. For, bi &t;e cliures &t;at ich bere, OwlC245v.1. &y;ef &y;e abide&t; mine here, &y;e schule on o&t;er wise singe, an acursi alle fi&y;tinge : vor nis of ow non so kene, &t;at durre abide mine onsene." &T;eos hule spac wel baldeliche, for &t;ah heo nadde swo hwatliche ifare after hire here, heo walde neo&t;eles &y;efe answere &t;e ni&y;tegale mid swucche worde. For moni man mid speres orde haue&t; lutle strenc&t;e, & mid his [s]chelde, ah neo&t;eles in one felde, &t;urh belde worde an mid ilete, de&t; his iuo for areh&t;e swete. &T;e wranne, for heo cu&t;e singe, &t;ar com in &t;are more&y;en[i]nge to helpe &t;are ni&y;tegale: for &t;ah heo hadde steuene smale, heo hadde gode &t;[ro]te & schille, an fale manne song a wille. &T;e wranne was wel wis iholde, vor &t;e&y; heo nere ibred a-wolde, ho was ito&y;en among man[k]enne, an hire wisdom brohte &t;enne: heo mi&y;te speke hwar heo walde, touore &t;e king &t;ah heo scholde. "Luste&t;," heo cwa&t;, "late&t; me speke. Hwat! wulle &y;e &t;is pes tobreke, an do &t;anne [kinge] swuch schame? &Y;e[t] nis he nou&t;er ded ne lame. Hunke schal itide harm & schonde, &y;ef &y;e do&t; gri&t;bruche on his londe. Late&t; beo, & beo&t; isome, OwlC245v.2. an fare&t; riht to o[w]er dome, an late&t; dom &t;is plaid tobreke, al swo hit was erur bispeke." "Ich an wel," cwa& &t;e ni&y;tegale, "ah, wranne, nawt for &t;ire tale, ah do for mire lahfulnesse. Ich nolde &t;at unrihtfulnesse me at &t;en ende ouerkome: ich nam ofdrad of none dome. Bihote ich habbe, so&t; hit is, &t;at Maister Nichole, &t;at is wis, bituxen vs deme schul[l]e, an &y;e[t] ich wene &t;at he wule. Ah, [w]ar mihte we hine finde?" &T;e wranne sat in ore linde; "Hwat! nu[s]te &y;e," cwa&t; heo, "his hom? He wune&t; at Porteshom, at one tune ine Dorsete, bi &t;are see in ore utlete: &t;ar he deme&t; manie ri&y;te dom, an diht & writ mani wisdom, an &t;urh his mu&t;e & &t;urh his honde hit is &t;e betere into Scotlonde, To seche hine is lihtlich &t;ing; he naue&t; bute one woning. &T;at [is] bischopen muchel schame, an alle [&t;]an &t;at of his nome habbe&t; ihert, & of his dede. Hwi nulle&t; hi nimen heom to rede, &t;at he were mid heom ilome for teche heom of his wisdome, an &y;iue him rente auale stude, &t;at he mi&y;te heom ilome be mide?" "Certes," cwa&t; &t;e hule, "&t;at is so&: OwlC246r.1. &t;eos riche men wel muche misdo&, &t;at lete&t; &t;ane gode mon, &t;at of so feole &t;inge con, an &y;iue&t; rente wel misliche, an of him lete&t; wel lihtliche. Wi& heore cunne heo beo&t; mildre, au &y;eue&t; rente litle childre: swo heore wit hi dem&t; adwole, &t;ut euer abid Maistre Nichole. Ah ute we &t;ah to him fare, for &t;ar is unker dom al &y;are." "Do we" &t;e ni&y;tegale seide: "ah [w]a schal unker speche rede, an telle touore unker deme ?" "&T;arof ich schal &t;e wel icweme," cwa&t; &t;e houle; "for al, ende of orde, telle ich con, word after worde: an &y;ef &t;e &t;inc&t; &t;at ich misrempe, &t;u stond a&y;ein & do me crempe." Mid &t;isse worde for&t; hi ferden, al bute here & bute uerde, to Portesham &t;at heo bicome. Ah hu heo spedde of heore dome, ne [c]an ich eu namore telle: