21
Downe þane lyghte þat lady bryghte,
Vndir-nethe þat grenewode spraye;
And, als the storye tellis full ryghte,
Seuene sythis by hir he laye.
22
Scho sayd, Mane, the lykes thy playe:
Whate byrde in boure maye delle with the?
Thou merrys me all þis longe daye;
I pray the, Thomas, late me bee.
23
Thomas stode vpe in þat stede,
And he by-helde þat lady gaye;
Hir hare it hange all ouer hir hede,
Hir eghne semede owte, þat are were graye.
24
And alle þe riche clothynge was a-waye,
Þat he by-fore sawe in þat stede;
Hir a schanke blake, hir oþer graye,
And all hir body lyke the lede.
25
Thomas laye, and sawe þat syghte,
Vndir-nethe þat grenewod tree.
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
26
Þan said Thomas, Allas! allas!
In faythe þis es a dullfull syghte;
How arte þou fadyde þus in þe face,
Þat schane by-fore als þe sonne so bryght[e]!
27
Scho sayd, Thomas, take leue at sone and mon[e],
And als at lefe þat grewes on tree;
This twelmoneth sall þou with me gone,
And medill-erthe sall þou none see.'
28
He knelyd downe appone his knee,
Vndir-nethe þat grenewod spraye,
And sayd, Lufly lady, rewe on mee,
Mylde qwene of heuene, als þou beste maye!
29
'Allas!' he sayd, 'and wa es mee!
I trowe my dedis wyll wirke me care;
My saulle, Jhesu, by-teche I the,
Whedir-some þat euer my banes sall fare.'
30
Scho ledde hym in at Eldone hill,
Vndir-nethe a derne lee,
Whare it was dirke as mydnyght myrke,
And euer þe water till his knee.