XXIII.

After mass, a morsel he take with his men.

After messe a morsel¹ he & his men token,

Miry watȝ þe mornyng, his mounture he askes;

Alle þe haþeles þat on horse schulde helden hym after,

Were boun busked on hor blonkkeȝ, bi-fore² þe halle ȝateȝ;

Ferly fayre watȝ þe folde, for þe forst clenged,

In rede rudede vpon rak rises þe sunne,

& ful clere costeȝ³ þe clowdes of þe welkyn.

Hunteres vnhardeled bi a holt syde,

Rocheres roungen bi rys, for rurde of her hornes;

Summe fel in þe fute, þer þe fox bade,

Trayleȝ ofte a trayteres⁴, bi traunt of her wyles;

A kenet kryes þerof, þe hunt on hym calles,

His felaȝes fallen hym to, þat fnasted ful þike,

Runnen forth in a rabel, in his ryȝt fare;

& he fyskeȝ hem by-fore, þay founden hym sone,

& quen þay seghe hym with syȝt, þay sued hym fast,

Wreȝande h[ym] ful [w]eterly with a wroth noyse;

& he trantes & tornayeeȝ þurȝ mony tene greue;

Hamlouneȝ, & herkeneȝ, bi heggeȝ ful ofte;

At þe last bi a littel dich he lepeȝ ouer a spenné,

Steleȝ out ful stilly bi a strothe rande,

Went haf wylt of þe wode, with wyleȝ fro þe houndes,

Þenne watȝ he went, er he wyst, to⁵ a wale tryster,

Þer þre þro at a þrich þrat hym at ones,

al graye;

He blenched aȝayn bilyue,

& stifly start onstray,

With alle þe wo on lyue,

To þe wod he went away.

¹ MS. nnorsel. ² bi-forere, in MS. ³ casteȝ (?). ⁴ trayveres (?). ⁵ to to, in MS.