XXIII.

After mass, a morsel he take with his men.

After messe a morsel¹ he & his men token,

Miry wat3 þe mornyng, his mounture he askes;

Alle þe haþeles þat on horse schulde helden hym after,

Were boun busked on hor blonkke3, bi-fore² þe halle 3ate3;

Ferly fayre wat3 þe folde, for þe forst clenged,

In rede rudede vpon rak rises þe sunne,

& ful clere coste3³ 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,

Trayle3 ofte a trayteres⁴, bi traunt of her wyles;

A kenet kryes þerof, þe hunt on hym calles,

His fela3es fallen hym to, þat fnasted ful þike,

Runnen forth in a rabel, in his ry3t fare;

& he fyske3 hem by-fore, þay founden hym sone,

& quen þay seghe hym with sy3t, þay sued hym fast,

Wre3ande h[ym] ful [w]eterly with a wroth noyse;

& he trantes & tornayee3 þur3 mony tene greue;

Hamloune3, & herkene3, bi hegge3 ful ofte;

At þe last bi a littel dich he lepe3 ouer a spenné,

Stele3 out ful stilly bi a strothe rande,

Went haf wylt of þe wode, with wyle3 fro þe houndes,

Þenne wat3 he went, er he wyst, to⁵ a wale tryster,

Þer þre þro at a þrich þrat hym at ones,

al graye;

He blenched a3ayn 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 caste3 (?). ⁴ trayveres (?). ⁵ to to, in MS.