That no trew man be vexed, causëlesse,
As this man was, which is of rémembraunce;
And al that doon their faythful observaunce,
855
And in their trouth purpose hem to endure,
I pray god sende hem better aventure.
Explicit.
From Th. (Thynne, ed. 1532); collated with F. (Fairfax 16); and H. (Harl. 372). Also in Ff. (Camb. Univ. Lib. Ff. 1. 6). Bad spellings of Th. are corrected by the MSS. Title. Th. H. La ... mercy; F. Balade de la Bele Dame sanz mercy. H. adds—Translatid ... Ros. 1. Th. F. Halfe; H. Half. 2. F. H. Ff. wrapt. 3. All rose. 4. Th. Ff. -selfe; H. F. self. 5. F. matere; H. matier. Th. leuynge. 6. Th. must; F. sholde; H. shold. 7. H. to whom; F. the which; Th. whiche. Th. F. dysobey; H. sey nay. 9. Th. thynge. Ff. part; rest parte. 10. Th. F. boke; H. book. Th. La bel; F. la bele; H. om. La. H. F. sanz; Th. sauns. 11. Th. Whiche. 12. Th. secratairie; F. secretare; H. secretarie. 13. H. ther-; Th. F. her-. Th. F. stode; H. stood. 14. Th. greatly ymagenynge. 15. Th. shulde; F. H. sholde; Ff. shuld. Th. the; F. H. this. 16. Ff. avysement; rest adv. 17. F. H. Ff. Myn; Th. My. F. H. Ff. symplesse.
18. Th. -warde; strayte. 19. Th. myne. 20. Th. downe. 21. Th. conclusyon. 24. H. in-to. H. green; Th. F. grene. 25. Th. se; great. 26. F. H. Ff. bolded; Th. boldly. F. benyng; Th. benygne; H. benyngne. 27. F. H. Ff. That; Th. Whiche. Th. F. boke; H. booke. H. F. the; Th. Ff. this. Th. om. seid. 28. F. H. begynne. Th. please. (From this point I silently correct the spelling of Th.) 33. Th. Ff. by; F. H. with. 35. Ff. soleyne (for sole thus); perhaps better. 41. F. H. Ff. is; Th. doth. 42. F. felde. Th. maner of ease. 43. F. H. I; Th. as I. 44. F. H. Ff. nor doth noon other. 46. F. H. Ff. Were constreyned. 47. H. Myn eyen; F. Myn eyn; Th. My penne; Ff. My pen. Ff. neuer haue knolege; H. haue knowlege (!); Th. neuer knowe; F. haue no knowlych.
49. F. H. Ff. And; Th. Tho. Th. om. if. 53. F. H. Ff. seke; Th. sicke. 54. Th. Ff. theyr; H. F. her (often). 55. F. H. balade or. 60. F. H. Ff. lyth with hir vndir hir tumbe in graue (Ff. I-graue). 65. Th. Ff. by; F. H. with. F. hath the forser vnschete. 66. Th. sperde; Ff. spred; F. sprad; H. spradde (!). 73. Th. H. om. good. 74. Th. om. Al. H. made than. 75. F. Ff. set; H. sette; Th. shette. F. H. Ff. boundes; Th. bondes. 77. F. H. thoughtes. Th. om. my. 79. F. I (for it). 80. H. I purposid me to bide.