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The Thrush and the Nightingale
L .... .... wiþ loue .... ....
Wiþ blosme & wiþ briddes roun; {f.279va}
 Þe notes of þe hasel springeþ,
Þe dewes derken in þe dale,
5000 Þe notes of þe niŠtingale;
Þis foules miri singeþ.
¶ Ich herd a striif bitvixen to,
Þat on of wele, þat oþer of wo,
Bitven hem to yfere;
1000 Þat on herieþ wimen þat ben hende,
Þat oþer he wald fawe schende;
Þis strif Še mow yhere.
¶ Þe niŠtingale haþ ynome
To speke for wimen atte frome,
1500 Of schame he wald hem were;
Þe þrustel cok he spekeþ ay,
He seyt bi niŠtes & bi day
Þat þai ben fendes fere;
¶ For þai bitraien eueri man
2000 Þat mest bileueþ hem on.
Þei þai be milde of chere
Þai ben fals & fikel to fond
& wircheþ wo in eueri lond;
It were better þat hye nere.
Þe NiŠtingale
2500 ‘Schame it is to blame leuedi, For þai ben hende of curtaisi;
Y rede þat þou lete.
Nas neuer breche non so strong,
No wiþ riŠt, no wiþ wrong
3000 Þat wimen no miŠt bete;
¶ YsauŠten hem þat ben wroþe
& makeþ leue þat is loþe -
Wiþ game men schuld hem grete.
Þis warld were nouŠt Šif wimen nere, {f.279vb}
3500 Ymaked þai ben to mannes fere;
Nis noþing half so swete.’
{[The Thrush]}
‘I may wimen heri nouŠt
For þai ben fals & fikel of þouŠt,
So me is don to vnderstond,
4000 & take witnes of mani & fele
Þat riche were of worldes wele
& fre to senden hem sond.
¶ Þei þai ben fair & briŠt in hewe,
Þai ben fals fikel vntrewe
4500 & worcheþ wo in ich lond.
King Alisaunder meneþ him of hem;
In þe world nis non so crafti men
No non so riche of lond.’
Þe NiŠtingale
‘Þrustelkok þou art wode
5000 Or þou canst to litel gode
Wimen for to schende.
It is þe best drurie
& mest þai cun of curteisie,
Nis noþing also hende.
5500 ¶ Her loue is swetter, ywis, Þan þe braunche of licoris;
Lofsum þai ben & hende.
Wele swetter is her breþ
Þan ani milke oþer meþ,
6000 & louelich in armes to wende.’
Þe Þrostel cok
‘NiŠtingale þou hast wrong,
As ich finde in mi song,
For ich hold wiþ þe riŠt.
Y take witnisse of Wawain
6500 Þat Crist Šaf miŠt & main
& trewest was of kniŠt.
¶ So wide so he hadde riden & gon
Fals fond he neuer non,
Bi day no bi niŠt.
7000 Foule, for þi fals mouþe,
Þine sawes schal be wide couþe,
AliŠt whare þou aliŠt.’
Þe NiŠtingale
‘Ichaue leue to aliŠt here
In orchard & in erbere ...
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