And that ther is no bare sticke,
Bot al is hid with leves grene,
To wode comth this Philomene[443]
And makth hir ferste yeres flyht;
Wher as sche singeth day and nyht,
And in hir song al openly[444]
Sche makth hir pleignte and seith, ‘O why,
O why ne were I yit a maide?’[445]
For so these olde wise saide, 5980
Which understoden what sche mente,[446]