University of Virginia Library

Lete we sire Beues þanne
& speke of Iosiane,
Þat in Coloine was wiþ Beues em,
Til þat he aȝen þeder kem.
In þat londe þat ilche while
Þar wonede an erl, þat hiȝte Mile;
To Iosian he hadde his loue cast
& gan hire to wowen fast,
Faire a spak to terne hire þouȝt,
& ȝhe seide, a was aboute nouȝt.
Þat erl was wroþ in is manere,
For Iosian him nolde here,
& spak to hire wiþ loude gret:
‘For wham,’ a seide, ‘scholde ich it lete,
Boute ich mai haue of þe me wille?
Ich wile,’ a seide, ‘who þat nille!’
Ȝhe seide: ‘While ichaue Ascopard,
Of þe nam ich noþing afard,
For þe wreþþe ne for þin ost,
Ne for þe ne for þine bost!’
And þo þouȝte þat erl Mile
To do Iosian a gile:
A leter he let for to write,
In þis maner he dede it adite,
Þat Ascopard come scholde
To Beues, þar þe letter him tolde,
In to a castel in an yle,
Þe brede of þe water þre mile;
To Ascopard þai come snel;
Þai seide, Beues him grette wel
& be-souȝte, for is loue
In haste a scholde to him come.

Forþ wente Ascopard ase hot
Ouer þe water in a bot;
Whan he was ouer þe water come,
Hii vn-lek þe ȝate at þe frome;
& whan he was comen wiþ inne,
Þai sperede him faste wiþ ginne.
Aȝen to Iosiane Miles gan terne:
‘For wham,’ a seide, ‘schel ich it werne?’
Ȝhe þouȝte for to kepe hire, apliȝt,
Ȝhe sente a masager to Wiȝt,
To Beues, be letter & tolde fore
Al to gedre lasse & more.

Miles wolde haue is wille
And ȝhe bed him holde stille:
‘Nouȝt, þeȝ i scholde lese me lif,
Boute ich were þe weddede wif;
Ȝif eni man me scholde wedde,
Þanne mot ich go wiþ him to bedde:
I trowe, he is nouȝt now here,
Þat schel be me wedde-fere!’
‘Y schel þe wedde aȝenes þe wille,
To morwe y schel hit ful-fille!’
And kiste hire anon riȝt
And sente after baroun & kniȝt
And bed hem come leste & meste,
To anoure þat meri feste.