 | Songs and carols from a manuscript in the British Museum of the fifteenth century |  |
LXI. Prenegard, prenegard,
Thus bere I myn baselard.
Lestenit, lordynges, I ȝou beseke;
Ther is non man worȝt a leke,
Be he sturdy, be he meke,
But he bere a baselard.
Ther is non man worȝt a leke,
Be he sturdy, be he meke,
But he bere a baselard.
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Myn baselard haȝt a schede of red,
And a clene loket of led;
Me thinkit I may bere up myn hed,
For I bere myn baselard.
And a clene loket of led;
Me thinkit I may bere up myn hed,
For I bere myn baselard.
My baselard haȝt a wrethin hafte;
Quan I am ful of ale cawte,
It is gret dred of man-slawtte,
For then I bere, etc.
Quan I am ful of ale cawte,
It is gret dred of man-slawtte,
For then I bere, etc.
My baselard haȝt a sylver schape;
Therfore I may bothe gaspe and gape;
Me thinkit I go lyk non knape,
For I bere a baselard.
Therfore I may bothe gaspe and gape;
Me thinkit I go lyk non knape,
For I bere a baselard.
My baselard haȝt a trencher kene,
Fayr as rasour scharp and schene;
Evere me thinkit I may be kene,
For I bere, etc.
Fayr as rasour scharp and schene;
Evere me thinkit I may be kene,
For I bere, etc.
As I ȝede up in the strete,
With a cartere I gan mete,
“Felawe,” he seyde, “so mot I the,
Thou xalt forego thi baselard.”
With a cartere I gan mete,
“Felawe,” he seyde, “so mot I the,
Thou xalt forego thi baselard.”
The cartere his qwyppe began to take;
And al myn fleych began to qwake,
And I was lef for to ascape,
And there I left myn baselard.
And al myn fleych began to qwake,
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And there I left myn baselard.
Quan I cam forȝt onto myn damme,
Myn hed was brokyn to the panne;
Che seyde I was a praty manne,
And wel cowde bere myn baselard.
Myn hed was brokyn to the panne;
Che seyde I was a praty manne,
And wel cowde bere myn baselard.
| Songs and carols from a manuscript in the British Museum of the fifteenth century | |