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| II. |
 | [Poems from the Vernon MS] |  |
Poul þis asked feire and wel.
And þenne onswered þe Aungel:
“Þeos serued not chastite
Til tyme of heor weddynge schulde be,
But lyuede in heore lecherie,
And heled heore children and dude hem dye
And ȝaf hem to swyn or to houndes
Or drouned hem In flodes groundes,
And schewed hem to þe worldus degre
As þei maydens hedden i-be;
And in þis lyf þei lyueden ȝore
And duden no penaunce þerfore.”
And þenne onswered þe Aungel:
“Þeos serued not chastite
Til tyme of heor weddynge schulde be,
But lyuede in heore lecherie,
And heled heore children and dude hem dye
And ȝaf hem to swyn or to houndes
Or drouned hem In flodes groundes,
And schewed hem to þe worldus degre
As þei maydens hedden i-be;
And in þis lyf þei lyueden ȝore
And duden no penaunce þerfore.”
Aftur þis he sayȝ at ene
Men and wymmen moni and lene,
Lene þei weore, wiþ-outen flesche;
Þei soffred harde and noþing nessche:
Muche lay bi-foren hem of Mete
Þat hem deynet not of to ete.
Þo weore þeose þat weore not trewe
And nolde not faste þat hem was duwe,
And hedden of mony metes dedeyn,
But hit weore likerous, be certeyn.
Men and wymmen moni and lene,
Lene þei weore, wiþ-outen flesche;
Þei soffred harde and noþing nessche:
Muche lay bi-foren hem of Mete
Þat hem deynet not of to ete.
Þo weore þeose þat weore not trewe
And nolde not faste þat hem was duwe,
And hedden of mony metes dedeyn,
But hit weore likerous, be certeyn.
| [Poems from the Vernon MS] | |