XVIII.

After dinner the company go to the chapel, 928

Bi þat þe diner watȝ done, & þe dere vp,

Hit watȝ neȝ at þe niyȝt neȝed þe tyme;

Chaplayneȝ¹ to þe chapeles chosen þe gate,

Rungen ful rychely, ryȝt as þay schulden,

To þe hersum euensong of þe hyȝe tyde.

Þe lorde loutes þerto, & þe lady als,

In-to a comly closet coyntly ho entreȝ;

Gawan glydeȝ ful gay, & gos þeder sone;

Þe lorde laches hym by þe lappe, & ledeȝ hym to sytte,

& couþly hym knoweȝ, & calleȝ hym his nome,

& sayde he watȝ þe welcomest wyȝe of þe worlde;

& he hym þonkked þroly, & ayþer halched oþer.

& seten soberly samen þe seruise-quyle;

Þenne lyst þe lady to loke on þe knyȝt.

Þenne com ho of hir closet, with mony cler burdeȝ,

Ho watȝ þe fayrest in felle, of flesche & of lyre,

& of compas, & colour, & costes of alle oþer,

& wener þen Wenore, as þe wyȝe þoȝt.

He ches þurȝ þe chaunsel, to cheryche þat hende;

An oþer lady hir lad bi þe lyft honde,

Þat watȝ alder þen ho, an auncian hit semed,

& heȝly honowred with haþeleȝ aboute.

Bot yn-lyke on to loke þo ladyes were,

For if þe ȝonge watȝ ȝep, ȝolȝe watȝ þat oþer;

Riche red on þat on rayled ay quere,

Rugh ronkled chekeȝ þat oþer on rolled;

Kerchofes of þat on wyth mony cler perleȝ

Hir brest & hir bryȝt þrote bare displayed,

Schon schyrer þen snawe, þat scheder² on hilleȝ;

Þat oþer wyth a gorger watȝ gered ouer þe swyre,

Chymbled ouer hir blake chyn with mylk-quyte vayles,

Hir frount folden in sylk, enfoubled ay quere,

Toret & treieted with tryfleȝ aboute,

Þat noȝt watȝ bare of þat burde bot þe blake broȝes.

Þe tweyne yȝen, & þe nase, þe naked lyppeȝ,

& þose were soure to se, & sellyly blered;

A mensk lady on molde mon may hir calle,

for gode;

Hir body watȝ schort & þik.

Hir buttokeȝ bay & brode,

More lykker-wys on to lyk,

Watȝ þat scho hade on lode.

¹ MS. [claplayneȝ.] ² schedes (?).