University of Virginia Library

Now wende we oȝain to our spelle,
Þat ȝe me herd er þan telle
Of Gij and Tirri, þerls sone,
Hou þai ben to þe hawe-þorn come.
When hij þider y-comen were,
No fond hij nouȝt þe maiden þere.
Gij bileft þer sir Tirri,
& souȝt þat maiden bi & bi:
Op and doun he ȝede hir secheinde,
& sorwefulliche hir bimeninde.
He wende sche were stole wiþ outlawe,
Oþer wiþ wilde bestes y-drawe.
For hir in hert him was ful wo,
Þat he no wist what to do:
No wist he what do he miȝt,
To þe cite he went anon riȝt;
When he hir finde no may,
Homward he most take þe way.
Þan toke he þat kniȝt:
On his stede nek he sett him riȝt.
Y-comen he is to þe cite:
His men al sori findeþ he,
&, when hij her lord seye come,
Bliþe þai were alle & some.
‘Lordinges,’ he seyd, ‘nimeþ þis bodi,
& to þe grounde it lay wel softli.’
Þe bodi þai toke of þat kniȝt,
Opon a pal leyd it anon riȝt.
Gij haþ of-sent leches þere,
Þe wisest þat in þat cite were.
‘Lordinges,’ he seyd, ‘vnderstond to me.
Ȝif ȝe þis kniȝt þat ȝe here se,
May on him his woundes hele,
It worþ ȝou ȝolden eueridele.
Ȝif he dede or liues be,
Ich bi-hot ȝou, min frende fre,
Him to hele ȝour miȝt ȝe do:
An hundred besaunce y ȝif þer-to.’
Þai groped his veynes & his wounde,
Þai feld hem boþe hole & sounde:
Wele hii seþ he nis nouȝt dede.
Þe leches taken hem to rede,
In forward hele him þai wille,
In non maner lete þai nille.

Þerwhiles of-herd sir Gij
Noise, & wepe, & wel gret crie.
His chaumberleyn he cleped him to,
& alle in wretþe he oxed him þo
Who it was þat noise made.
‘Bid hem alle be bliþe & glade.’