1
Als I me wente þis endres daye,
Ffull faste in mynd makand my mone,
In a mery mornynge of Maye,
By Huntle bankkes my selfe allone,
2
I herde þe jaye and þe throstelle,
The mawys menyde of hir songe,
þe wodewale beryde als a belle,
That alle þe wode a-bowte me ronge.
3
Allonne in longynge thus als I laye,
Vndyre-nethe a semely tre,
[Saw] I whare a lady gaye
[Came ridand] ouer a longe lee.
4
If I solde sytt to domesdaye,
With my tonge to wrobbe and wrye,
Certanely þat lady gaye
Neuer bese scho askryede for mee.
5
Hir palfraye was a dappill graye,
Swylke one ne saghe I neuer none;
Als dose þe sonne on someres daye,
þat faire lady hir selfe scho schone.
6
Hir selle it was of roelle bone,
Ffull semely was þat syghte to see;
Stefly sett with precyous stones,
And compaste all with crapotee;
7
Stones of oryente, grete plente.
Hir hare abowte hir hede it hange;
Scho rade ouer þat lange lee;
A whylle scho blewe, a-noþer scho sange.
8
Hir garthes of nobyll sylke þay were,
The bukylls were of berelle stone,
Hir steraps were of crystalle clere,
And all with perelle ouer-by-gone.
9
Hir payetrelle was of irale fyne,
Hir cropoure was of orpharë,
And als clere golde hir brydill it schone;
One aythir syde hange bellys three.
10
[Scho led three grehoundis in a leesshe,]
And seuene raches by hir þay rone;
Scho bare an horne abowte hir halse,
And vndir hir belte full many a flone.