[Sidenote: Daris tells of the ‘towers,’ the spring, the wonderful carbuncle,]
In þ{ a}t bo{ ur}, in mydward pyȝt, Stondeþ a toure, y the plyȝt, 568 An hundryd fathum~ it is hye,-- Who-soo beholdeþ hit, fer or nere, An hundred fathum it is y-fere;-- It is made w{ i}t{ h}-out[en] pere, 572
And ine þe burȝ amidde riȝt, Beoþ twe t{ ur}es ipiȝt, 220
Vor to come þer wiþ inne, No þ{ er} wid stregþe ne wid ginne. [Sidenote: [_leaf 7, back_]] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . aȝen woo . schal to iwinne þat Mayd al so sone . . . . . þe so{ n}ne { and} mone. . . . þe bor . . mid rift . . . . . . . . aplyft . . hondred teyse þe to{ ur} is heie . . . . by halt fur { and} nei. { and} an hundret teyse hit is wid, { and} imaked wiþ muchel pruid.
Of lyme and of Marbulston{ e}; In al þis world~ is suche noon{ e}. Now is þe morter made so wele, Ne may it breke, iren ne steele. 576 Þe Pomel þat aboue is leide, It is made w{ i}t{ h} muche p{ r}ide;
Of lym { and} of marbelston; In þe world nis swich t{ ur} non. In þe tur þ{ er} is a welle, Suþe cler hit is wiþ alle. 224 He vrneþ in o pipe of bras, Whider so hit ned was. Fra{ m} flore in to flore Þe strimes vrneþ store, 228 Fram bure in to halle Þe st{ ri}mes of þis welle. In þe tur is o kernel Of seluer { and} of crestel. 232 On þe tur anouenon Is a charbugleston Þ{ a}t ȝiueþ leme day { and} niȝt, Ne bi hit neure so derk niȝt. 236
Of lym { and} of marbel ston; In cristiante nis swich non. Þ{ a}t morter is i maked se wel, Ne May hit breke ire ne stel. And þe pomel about þe lede Is i wrouht mit so . . . . .
Þ{ a}t man ne þar in þe Tour bern{ e} Nouther torcher[FB-4] ne lantern{ e}; 580 Suche a pomel was þ{ er} bygo{ n}e, Hit shyned a nyȝt so doþ þe soone.
In þe bureȝ ne darf me berne Lampe ne torche ne lant{ er}ne, Þ{ a}t he ne ȝiueþ liȝt { and} leme As doþ a day þe su{ n}ne beme. 240
Ne þarf me aniht . . . . . Nouþer torche . . . . . . . . . . . a pomel . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[Headnote: _How the maidens are guarded._]
Þ{ e} port{ er} is prud wiþalle; Eche day he goþ on þe walle. And ef þ{ er} comeþ eniman Biþi{ n}ne þilke barbecan, 244 Bute he him ȝeue leue, He wule him boþe bete { and} reue. Þe port{ er} is culuart { and} felun; He wule him sette areisun. 248
[Sidenote: and the forty-four maidens kept in the ‘high tower.’]