University of Virginia Library

“Nay, loueli lef,” seide william “leue al þat sorwe,
forsoþe it is but fanteme þat ȝe fore-telle;
we mowe reste vs redili riȝt sauf here at wille.”
ac soþli, as che had seide riȝt wiþ þat ilke,
þei herd an huge route of horse þat hel al a-boute,
& herd þat quarrere vmbe-cast & al þe cuntre wide.
william ful wiȝtly wayted out at an hole,
& seie breme burnes busi in ful briȝt armes,
brandissende wiþ gret bost & of þe beres speke,
In what wise þei wold wirche wiȝtly hem to take.
þe prouost wiþ al þe puple presed forþ formast,
& many miȝti man manliche medled þat time,
& soþliche for to seie swiche grace god lente,
þat þe prouost sone a semli ȝong barne,
was brout þider wiþ burnes þe beres to bi-holde,
for þe selcouþe siȝt to se how þei schuld be take.
whan william was war þei were so neiȝh nome,
to meliors wiþ mornyng mekliche he sayde,
“allas! my loueliche lemman þat euer y lif hadde,
to be for al our bale brouȝt to swiche an hende!
allas! lemman, þat our loue þus luþerly schal departe,
þat we now dulfulli schul deye ac do now, god, þi grace,
& late me haue al þe harm heiȝeliche i beseche;
for i haue wrouȝt al þis wo & worþi am þer-tille.
for meliors, my dere hert be marie in heuene,
holly al þis harde þow hast al for my gelt;
þer-fore, ȝif godes wille were i wold haue al þe payne,
to mede ȝe were fro þis quarrere quitly a-schaped.
& dere hert, deliuerli do as ich þe rede,
dof bliue þis bere-skyn & be stille in þi cloþes,
& as sone as þou art seie þou schalt sone be knowe,
þan worþ þi liif lengeyd for loue of þi fader;
so miȝtow be saued for soþe, neuer elles;
& þouhȝ þei murþer me þanne i no make no strengþe.
but god for his grete grace gof i hadde now here
horse & alle harneys þat be-houes to werre,
I wold wend hem tille wiþ-oute ani stint,
& do what i do miȝt or ich þe deth soffred;
summe þat bere hem now brag schuld blede or euen.
ac botles is now þis bale but be hit a goddes wille,
& buske þe of þis bere fel bi-liue, i þe rede,
& wende listly hennes & late me worþ after;
swiþe saue þi-self for so is þe best.”
Meliors wepande wonder sore to william þan seide,
“what? leuestow, leue lemman þat i þe leue wold
for deþ or for duresse þat men do me miȝt?
nay, bi him þat wiþ his blod bouȝt vs on þe rode,
þe beres fel schal neuer fro my bac siker be þer-fore.
al þis world to winne i no wold be aliue,
soþli after i seie ȝou suffere þe deþe;
wiþ god wille take we þe grace þat god wol us sende.”