9 And oft him threatened death for his outrageous wrong.
threatened > [threatened with]
305.14
Nathlesse the villen sped himselfe so well,
2 Whether through swiftnesse of his speedy +beast;+
Or knowledge of those woods, where he did dwell,
4 That shortly he from daunger was releast,
And out of sight escaped at the least;
6 Yet not escaped from the dew reward
Of his bad deeds, which dayly he increast,
8 Ne ceased not, till him oppressed hard
The heauy plague, that for such leachours is prepard.
2 beast; > beast, 1609
1 Natheless the villein sped himself so well
Natheless > Nevertheless villein > villain; serf (if the legalistic meaning of "swain" is not intended at 304.49:2)
2 (Whether through swiftness of his speedy beast 3 Or knowledge of those woods where he did dwell) 4 That shortly he from danger was released, 5 And out of sight escaped at the least;
at the least > at any rate, at all events; some editors gloss this as at the last, at last_: cf. 305.37:9, 305.43:8_
6 Yet not escaped from the due reward 7 Of his bad deeds, which daily he increased, 8 Nor ceased not, till him oppressed hard