[As y rose owt of my bed, in a mery sesoun of may],
to sporte me in a forest / where sightes were fresche & gay,
y met with þe forster / y prayed hym to say me not nay,
þat y mygh[t] walke in to his lawnde[3] where þe deere lay.
as y wandered weldsomly[4] / in-to þe lawnd þat was so grene,
þer lay iij. herdis of deere / a semely syght for to sene;
y behild oñ my right hand / þe soñ þat shoñ so shene;
y saw where walked / a semely yonge mañ, þat sklendur was & leene;
his bowe he toke in hand toward þe deere to stalke;
y prayed hym his shote to leue / & softely with me to walke.