Saie to mee nete; I kenne thie woe in myne;
O! I've a tale that Sabalus[11] mote[12] telle.
Swote[13] flouretts, mantled meedows, forestes dygne[14];
Gravots[15] far-kend[16] arounde the Errmiets[17] cell;
The swote ribible[18] dynning[19] yn the dell; 25
The joyous daunceynge ynn the hoastrie[20] courte;
Eke[21] the highe songe and everych joie farewell,
Farewell the verie shade of fayre dysporte[22]:
Impestering[23] trobble onn mie heade doe comme,
Ne on kynde Seyncte to warde[24] the aye[25] encreasynge dome. 30
ROBERTE.
Oh! I coulde waile mie kynge-coppe-decked mees[26],
Mie spreedynge flockes of shepe of lillie white,
Mie tendre applynges[27], and embodyde[28] trees,
Mie Parker's Grange[29], far spreedynge to the syghte,
Mie cuyen[30] kyne [31], mie bullockes stringe[32] yn syghte, 35
Mie gorne[33] emblaunched[34] with the comfreie[35] plante,
Mie floure[36] Seyncte Marie shotteyng wythe the lyghte,
Mie store of all the blessynges Heaven can grant.
I amm duressed[37] unto sorrowes blowe,
Ihanten'd[38] to the peyne, will lette ne salte teare flowe. 40
RAUFE.
Here I wille obaie[39] untylle Dethe doe 'pere,
Here lyche a foule empoysoned leathel[40] tree,
Whyche sleaeth[41] everichone that commeth nere,
Soe wille I fyxed unto thys place gre[42].
I to bement[43] haveth moe cause than thee; 45
Sleene in the warre mie boolie[44] fadre lies;
Oh! joieous I hys mortherer would slea,
And bie hys syde for aie enclose myne eies.
Calked[45] from everych joie, heere wylle I blede;
Fell ys the Cullys-yatte[46] of mie hartes castle stede. 50
ROBERTE.
Oure woes alyche, alyche our dome[47] shal bee.
Mie sonne, mie sonne alleyn[48], ystorven[49] ys;
Here wylle I staie, and end mie lyff with thee;
A lyff lyche myn a borden ys ywis.
Now from een logges[50] fledden is selyness[51], 55
Mynsterres[52] alleyn[53] can boaste the hallie[54] Seyncte,
Now doeth Englonde weare a bloudie dresse
And wyth her champyonnes gore her face depeyncte;
Peace fledde, disorder sheweth her dark rode[55],
And thorow ayre doth flie, yn garments steyned with bloude. 60
[Footnote 1: Smething, smoking; in some copies bletheynge, but in the original as above.]
[Footnote 2: deadly.]
[Footnote 3: pluck or pull.]