51
Raches laye lapande in þe blode,
Cokes come with dryssynge knyfe;
Thay brittened þame als þay were wode;
Reuelle amanges þame was full ryfe.
52
Knyghtis dawnesede by three and three,
There was revelle, gamene and playe;
Lufly ladyes, faire and free,
That satte and sange one riche araye.
53
Thomas duellide in that solace
More þane I ȝowe saye, parde,
Till one a daye, so hafe I grace,
My lufly lady sayde to mee:
54
Do buske the, Thomas, þe buse agayne,
Ffor þou may here no lengare be;
Hye the faste, with myghte and mayne,
I sall the brynge till Eldone tree.
55
Thomas sayde þane, with heuy chere,
Lufly lady, nowe late me bee;
Ffor certis, lady, I hafe bene here
Noghte bot þe space of dayes three.
56
'Ffor sothe, Thomas, als I þe telle,
Þou hase bene here thre ȝere and more;
Bot langere here þou may noghte duelle;
The skylle I sall þe telle whare-fore.
57
'To morne of helle þe foulle fende
Amange this folke will feche his fee;
And þou arte mekill mane and hende;
I trowe full wele he wolde chese the.
58
'Ffor alle þe gold þat euer may bee,
Ffro hethyne vn-to þe worldis ende,
Þou bese neuer be-trayede for mee;
Þerefore with me I rede thou wende.'
59
Scho broghte hym agayne to Eldone tree,
Vndir-nethe þat grenewode spraye;
In Huntlee bannkes es mery to bee,
Whare fowles synges bothe nyght and daye.
60
'Fferre owtt in ȝone mountane graye,
Thomas, my fawkone bygges a neste;
A fawconne es an erlis praye;
Ffor-thi in na place may he reste.