XVIII.

After dinner the company go to the chapel, 928

Bi þat þe diner wat3 done, & þe dere vp,

Hit wat3 ne3 at þe niy3t ne3ed þe tyme;

Chaplayne3¹ to þe chapeles chosen þe gate,

Rungen ful rychely, ry3t as þay schulden,

To þe hersum euensong of þe hy3e tyde.

Þe lorde loutes þerto, & þe lady als,

In-to a comly closet coyntly ho entre3;

Gawan glyde3 ful gay, & gos þeder sone;

Þe lorde laches hym by þe lappe, & lede3 hym to sytte,

& couþly hym knowe3, & calle3 hym his nome,

& sayde he wat3 þe welcomest wy3e of þe worlde;

& he hym þonkked þroly, & ayþer halched oþer.

& seten soberly samen þe seruise-quyle;

Þenne lyst þe lady to loke on þe kny3t.

Þenne com ho of hir closet, with mony cler burde3,

Ho wat3 þe fayrest in felle, of flesche & of lyre,

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

& wener þen Wenore, as þe wy3e þo3t.

He ches þur3 þe chaunsel, to cheryche þat hende;

An oþer lady hir lad bi þe lyft honde,

Þat wat3 alder þen ho, an auncian hit semed,

& he3ly honowred with haþele3 aboute.

Bot yn-lyke on to loke þo ladyes were,

For if þe 3onge wat3 3ep, 3ol3e wat3 þat oþer;

Riche red on þat on rayled ay quere,

Rugh ronkled cheke3 þat oþer on rolled;

Kerchofes of þat on wyth mony cler perle3

Hir brest & hir bry3t þrote bare displayed,

Schon schyrer þen snawe, þat scheder² on hille3;

Þat oþer wyth a gorger wat3 gered ouer þe swyre,

Chymbled ouer hir blake chyn with mylk-quyte vayles,

Hir frount folden in sylk, enfoubled ay quere,

Toret & treieted with tryfle3 aboute,

Þat no3t wat3 bare of þat burde bot þe blake bro3es.

Þe tweyne y3en, & þe nase, þe naked lyppe3,

& þose were soure to se, & sellyly blered;

A mensk lady on molde mon may hir calle,

for gode;

Hir body wat3 schort & þik.

Hir buttoke3 bay & brode,

More lykker-wys on to lyk,

Wat3 þat scho hade on lode.

¹ MS. [claplayne3.] ² schedes (?).