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| II. |
 | The South English Legendary |  |
Wo so haþ of fur mest he ssel be[o] smal and red
Oþer blac wiþ crips her lene & somdel qued
Hinder and bostar inou hardy and wel lye
Sweriare of many word and fol of lecherie
Prout and wemed & drinkare in wraþþe almest wod
Hardi liȝt and stalworþe and wakiare wel god
And ech of þis foure elemens entempreþ oþer iwis
So þat vnneþe enyman eny pur maister is
As ȝif þou nymest riȝt hot water and dest pur cold þerto
Þou miȝt it makie euene wlak and entempri so
Oþer blac wiþ crips her lene & somdel qued
Hinder and bostar inou hardy and wel lye
Sweriare of many word and fol of lecherie
Prout and wemed & drinkare in wraþþe almest wod
425
And ech of þis foure elemens entempreþ oþer iwis
So þat vnneþe enyman eny pur maister is
As ȝif þou nymest riȝt hot water and dest pur cold þerto
Þou miȝt it makie euene wlak and entempri so
Þo oure Louerd made uerst mon he made him iwis
Of al þis foure elemens as man ȝute is
Þo made he cunde in echman as ȝe mowe alle iwite
Bitwene men & womman of wam we beoþ biȝute
Of al þis foure elemens as man ȝute is
Þo made he cunde in echman as ȝe mowe alle iwite
Bitwene men & womman of wam we beoþ biȝute
Vil a þing him is þe sed of wan man is isprengd
Boþe of man & of womman togadere it is imengd
Of wyȝt colour it bileueþ as it is iwrite
Forte aboute twelfþe day þat it is biȝite
Boþe of man & of womman togadere it is imengd
Of wyȝt colour it bileueþ as it is iwrite
Forte aboute twelfþe day þat it is biȝite
Þer kenneþ uerst þer of smale bollen þre[o]
Ac ech on oþer faste hongeþ wo so miȝte ise[o]
Of þe hexte comeþ þe brain þe heorte of þulke amidde
Þe liuere þat is neþermost kenneþ of þe þridde
Ac ech on oþer faste hongeþ wo so miȝte ise[o]
Of þe hexte comeþ þe brain þe heorte of þulke amidde
Þe liuere þat is neþermost kenneþ of þe þridde
Þis beoþ þe þre[o] hexte limes þat ferst ikenned beoþ
And in ham is al mannes lif as ȝe nou iseoþ
Þere nis non of þulke þre[o] þat hadde eny wonde
Þat euer eft miȝte iheled be[o] ac deide in a stonde
And in ham is al mannes lif as ȝe nou iseoþ
Þere nis non of þulke þre[o] þat hadde eny wonde
Þat euer eft miȝte iheled be[o] ac deide in a stonde
After þe twelf dawes ferst þat þe sed haþ wiȝt be[o]
Hit bicomþ to a þicke blod and changeþ is ble[o]
Nie dawes it þickeþ so forte þe on and twentiþe day
Þanne turneþ it ferst to flesse as þe kunde may
After eiȝte & twenti dawes forme it ginþ to nyme
So þat wiþinne forti dawes it haþ euerich lyme
And in lasse ȝif it is a knaue for he is of more hete
Wanne þe limes beoþ ferst ymad hi ne beoþ noȝt wel grete
Hit bicomþ to a þicke blod and changeþ is ble[o]
Nie dawes it þickeþ so forte þe on and twentiþe day
Þanne turneþ it ferst to flesse as þe kunde may
After eiȝte & twenti dawes forme it ginþ to nyme
So þat wiþinne forti dawes it haþ euerich lyme
And in lasse ȝif it is a knaue for he is of more hete
Wanne þe limes beoþ ferst ymad hi ne beoþ noȝt wel grete
A smal web biclippeþ it al aboute to holde it togadere uaste
Fram þat it is ferst ikend forte it be[o] ibore attelaste
Al round it liþ in þe wombe and ibud as an hare
Wanne he in forme liþ for is in is somdel nare
And ibud þe legges beoþ it nolde noȝt elles veie
Þe helen atte bottocs þe knen in eiþer eiȝe
Þat heued ibuyd adonward þe armes ek wiþinne
Þe elbowes toward þe ssere þe vestes to þe chinne
Fram þat it is ferst ikend forte it be[o] ibore attelaste
Al round it liþ in þe wombe and ibud as an hare
426
And ibud þe legges beoþ it nolde noȝt elles veie
Þe helen atte bottocs þe knen in eiþer eiȝe
Þat heued ibuyd adonward þe armes ek wiþinne
Þe elbowes toward þe ssere þe vestes to þe chinne
Al i[b]ud him is þe rug so þat nei rount it is
Man ware of comþ al þi prute for þer nis non iwis
Þou makest þe so hei her and to man nelt abowe
Loke hou croked þou were þere & to wan þou miȝt þe powe
Þou nemiȝtest noȝt holde up þin heued ne enes vndo þin eiȝe
Wannene com it suþþe to bere þin heued so heie
Man ware of comþ al þi prute for þer nis non iwis
Þou makest þe so hei her and to man nelt abowe
Loke hou croked þou were þere & to wan þou miȝt þe powe
Þou nemiȝtest noȝt holde up þin heued ne enes vndo þin eiȝe
Wannene com it suþþe to bere þin heued so heie
| The South English Legendary | |