31
The montenans of dayes three,
He herd bot swoghynge of þe flode;
At þe laste he sayde, Full wa es mee!
Almaste I dye, for fawte of f[ode.]
32
Scho lede hym in-till a faire herbere,
Whare frwte was g[ro]wan[d gret plentee];
Pere and appill, bothe ryppe þay were,
The date, and als the damasee.
33
Þe fygge, and alsso þe wyneberye,
The nyghtgales byggande on þair neste;
Þe papeioyes faste abowte gane flye,
And throstylls sange, wolde hafe no reste.
34
He pressede to pulle frowte with his hande,
Als mane for fude þat was nere faynt;
Scho sayd, Thomas, þou late þame stande,
Or ells þe fende the will atteynt.
35
If þou it plokk, sothely to saye,
Thi saule gose to þe fyre of helle;
It commes neuer owte or domesdaye,
Bot þer in payne ay for to duelle.
36
Thomas, sothely I the hyghte,
Come lygge thyne hede downe on my knee,
And [þou] sall se þe fayreste syghte
Þat euer sawe mane of thi contree.
37
He did in hye als scho hym badde;
Appone hir knee his hede he layde,
Ffor hir to paye he was full glade;
And þane þat lady to hym sayde:
38
Seese þou nowe ȝone faire waye,
Þat lygges ouer ȝone heghe mountayne?
ȝone es þe waye to heuene for aye,
Whene synfull sawles are passed þer payne.
39
Seese þou nowe ȝone oþer waye,
Þat lygges lawe by-nethe ȝone rysse?
ȝone es þe waye, þe sothe to saye,
Vn-to þe joye of paradyse.
40
Seese þou ȝitt ȝone thirde waye,
Þat ligges vndir ȝone grene playne?
ȝone es þe waye, with tene and traye,
Whare synfull saulis suffirris þaire payne.