II.
Roused by the clamour the deer rush to the heights,
At þe fyrst quethe of þe quest quaked þe wylde;
Der drof in þe dale, doted for drede,
Hiȝed to þe hyȝe, bot heterly þay were
Restayed with þe stablye, þat stoutly ascryed;
Þay let þe hertteȝ haf þe gate, with þe hyȝe hedes,
Þe breme bukkeȝ also, with hor brode paumeȝ;
For þe fre lorde hade de-fende in fermysoun tyme,
Þat þer schulde no mon mene1 to þe male dere.
Þe hindeȝ were halden in, with hay & war,
Þe does dryuen with gret dyn to þe depe sladeȝ;
Þer myȝt mon se, as þay slypte, slentyng of arwes,
At vche [þat] wende vnder wande wapped a flone,
Þat bigly bote on þe broun, with ful brode hedeȝ,
What! þay brayen, & bleden, bi bonkkeȝ þay deȝen.
& ay rachches in a res radly hem folȝes,
Huntereȝ wyth hyȝe horne hasted hem after,
Wyth such a crakkande kry, as klyffes haden brusten;
What wylde so at-waped wyȝes þat schotten,
Watȝ al to-raced & rent, at þe resayt.
Bi þay were tened at þe hyȝe, & taysed to þe wattreȝ,
Þe ledeȝ were so lerned at þe loȝe trysteres,
& þe gre-houndeȝ so grete, þat geten hem bylyue,
& hem to fylched, as fast as frekeȝ myȝt loke,
þer ryȝt.
Þe lorde for blys abloy
Ful oft con launce & lyȝt,
& drof þat day wyth Ioy
Thus to þe derk nyȝt.
1 meue (?).