University of Virginia Library

Of þis hert & þis hinde hende now listenes.
so long þei caired ouer cuntres as þat crist wold,
ouer dales & downes & disgesye weyes,
as þe werwolf hem wissed þat was here hole frend,
þan þei samen souȝt to þe riche cite of rise,
þat set is ful semli vpon þe see bonke.
a gret number of naueye to þat hauen longet,
& þere þe buxum bestes bi-houed ouer passe.
& so brod was þe see þat sayle hem bihoued
holliche al a niȝt & vp happe, wel more.
al day þe bestes darked in here den stille
In a ragged roche riȝt be þe hauen side,
til it was wiþ-inne niȝt & alle wiȝes slepten.
þan hiȝed þei hem to þe hauen hastily & sone,
as þe werwolf hem wissed þat was al here gye,
& stalkeden ful stilly þer stoden fele schippes.
þe werwolf waited wiȝtly which schip was ȝarest,
to fare forþ at þat flod & fond on sone,
þat was gayly greyt to go to þe seile,
& feiþliche frauȝt ful of fine wines.
þe werwolf went þer-to to wite ho were þere;
þe segges were a-slepe þan þat it schuld ȝeme,
al but þe mest maister to munge þe soþe.
þei were turned to towne to pleie þer whiles,
In murþe til þe mone arise arst miȝt þei nouȝt passe.
& whan þe werwolf wist þat alle slept fast,
to þe hert & þe hinde he turned him a-ȝeine,
& bi certeyn signes sone he hem tauȝt,
& þei folwed him fayre fayn for þat grace,
& he ful listli hem ledes to þat loueli schippe,
& tauȝt bi-hinde tunnes hem to hude þere.
þe maistres, whan þe mone a-ros manli in come,
& faire at þe fulle flod þei ferden to sayle,
& hadde wind at wille to wende whan hem liked.
þe werewolf wist wel þei were neiȝ ouer,
& bi-þout how were best þe bestes to help,
þat þei miȝt scaþeles schape of þat schip.
whan þe ludes where neiȝ lond he leped ouer borde,
sadli in al here siȝt for þei him sew schold—
whil þe hert & þe hinde scaped— to hunte him a-boute.
sone as þe schipmen seie him out lepen,
hastili hent eche man a spret or an ore,
& launced luþerly after him his lif to haue reued.
on so hetterli him hitte as he lep in þe water,
þat he for dul of þe dent diued to þe grounde,
& hade neiȝ lost is lif but, as our lord wold,
for al þat sterne strok stifli he vp-keuerede,
& swam swiftili awei þat þei seȝen alle,
& lauȝt liȝtli þe lond a litel hem bi-side.
& þei, as folk þat were fayn to forfare þat best,
saileden swiþe to londe & sewed him after.
þe werwolf was wily & went so soft,
þe schipmen wend wel at wille him take,
& him alle seweden þat to þe schip longede,
but a barlegged bold boie þat to þe barge ȝemed.
whan þe schipmen wiþ þe wolf were wel passed,
þe hert & þe hinde þan hoped wel to schape,
& busked hem bo þe sone a-boue þe hacches.
but whan þe boie of þe barge þe bestes of-seie,
he was neiȝ wod of his witt witow, for fere,
& be-þouȝt him þere þe bestes for to quelle.
& happili to þe hinde he hit þanne formest,
& set hire a sad strok so sore in þe necke,
þat sche top ouer tail tombled ouer þe hacches.
but þe hert ful hastili hent hire vp in armes,
& bare hire forþ ouer-bord on a brod planke,
& nas bold wiþ þe boye no debate make,
but fayn was a-way to fle for fere of mo gestes,
fer away fro þe see or he stynt wold.
& whan he wist þat he was wel out of siȝt,
he be-hilde ȝif þe hinde euel hurt were,
& fond sche nas but a-friȝt for fere of þat dint.
þan saide þe hert to þe hinde hendly & faire,
“a! worþili wiȝt wonder ar þine happes,
þatow hentest al þe harm þat i haue deserued!
wold god for his grace & his grete miȝt,
þat i hade here þat to werre falles,
þe boye þat þe barge ȝemes a-beye schold sore;
for þe dint he þe dalt his deþ were marked.”
“nay, my worþi make” seide meliors þanne,
“Greue þe nouȝt, for goddes loue þat gart þe be fourmed,
þat we so scaþli ar a-schaped god mowe [we] þonk,
& oure worþi werwolf þat wel him by-tyde!
dere god, for deth he dreiȝh for vs alle,
late no seg miȝt haue to sle our gode best!
nere his wit & his werk we were schent boþe.”
“sertes, sweting, þat is soþ” seide william þanne,
“Go we on oure gate for goddes loue, bliue,
to recuuer sum resset þere we vs rest miȝt.”
ful mekli seide meliors wiþ-oute any fare,
“Go we now on goddes halue;” þan went þei god spede,
cleppende comely eiþer oþer to karpe þe soþe.