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,
Hi3ed to þe hy3e, bot heterly þay were
Restayed with þe stablye, þat stoutly ascryed;
Þay let þe hertte3 haf þe gate, with þe hy3e hedes,
Þe breme bukke3 also, with hor brode paume3;
For þe fre lorde hade de-fende in fermysoun tyme,
Þat þer schulde no mon mene1 to þe male dere.
Þe hinde3 were halden in, with hay & war,
Þe does dryuen with gret dyn to þe depe slade3;
Þer my3t 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 hede3,
What! þay brayen, & bleden, bi bonkke3 þay de3en.
& ay rachches in a res radly hem fol3es,
Huntere3 wyth hy3e horne hasted hem after,
Wyth such a crakkande kry, as klyffes haden brusten;
What wylde so at-waped wy3es þat schotten,
Wat3 al to-raced & rent, at þe resayt.
Bi þay were tened at þe hy3e, & taysed to þe wattre3,
Þe lede3 were so lerned at þe lo3e trysteres,
& þe gre-hounde3 so grete, þat geten hem bylyue,
& hem to fylched, as fast as freke3 my3t loke,
þer ry3t.
Þe lorde for blys abloy
Ful oft con launce & ly3t,
& drof þat day wyth Ioy
Thus to þe derk ny3t.
1 meue (?).