[Sidenote A: After mass, a morsel he take with his men.] [Sidenote B: Then were all on their horses before the hall-gates.] [Sidenote C: It was a clear frosty morning.] [Sidenote D: The hunters, dispersed by a wood's side,] [Sidenote E: come upon the track of a fox,] [Sidenote F: which is followed up by the hounds.] [Sidenote G: They soon get sight of the game,] [Sidenote H: and pursue him through many a rough grove.] [Sidenote I: The fox at last leaps over a spinny,] [Sidenote J: and by a rugged path seeks to get clear from the hounds.] [Sidenote K: He comes upon one of the hunting stations, where he is attacked by the dogs.] [Sidenote L: However, he slips them,] [Sidenote M: and makes again for the wood.] [Footnote 1: MS. nnorsel.] [Footnote 2: bi-forere, in MS.] [Footnote 3: caste3 (?).] [Footnote 4: trayveres (?).] [Footnote 5: to to, in MS.]
[A] Thenne wat3 hit lif vpon list to lyþen þe hounde3, 1720 When alle þe mute hade hym met, menged to-geder, Suche a sor3e at þat sy3t þay sette on his hede, As alle þe clamberande clyffes hade clatered on hepes; [B] Here he wat3 halawed, when haþele3 hym metten, 1724 Loude he wat3 3ayned, with 3arande speche; [C] Þer he wat3 þreted, & ofte þef called, & ay þe titleres at his tayl, þat tary he ne my3t; Ofte he wat3 runnen at, when he out rayked, 1728 [D] & ofte reled in a3ayn, so reniarde wat3 wylé. [E] & 3e he lad hem bi lag, mon, þe lorde & his meyny; On þis maner bi þe mountes, quyle myd, ouer, vnder, [F] Whyle þe hende kny3t at home holsumly slepe3, 1732 With-inne þe comly cortynes, on þe colde morne. Bot þe lady for luf let not to slepe, Ne þe purpose to payre, þat py3t in hir hert, Bot ros hir vp radly, rayked hir þeder, 1736 [G] In a mery mantyle, mete to þe erþe, Þat wat3 furred ful fyne with felle3, wel pured, No hwe3 goud on hir hede, bot þe ha3er stones Trased aboute hir tressour, be twenty in clusteres; 1740 [H] Hir þryuen face & hir þrote þrowen al naked, Hir brest bare bifore, & bihinde eke. [I] Ho come3 with-inne þe chambre dore, & closes hit hir after, [J] Wayne3[1] vp a wyndow, & on þe wy3e calle3, 1744 & radly þus re-hayted hym, with hir riche worde3, with[2] chere; [K] "A! mon, how may þou slepe, [L] Þis morning is so clere?" [Fol. 114b.] 1748 He wat3 in drowping depe, Bot þenne he con hir here.