so y bate."
y do ou to wyte,
here heued wes of smyte
byfore þe tour gate.
þis wes on oure leuedy euen, for sothe ych understonde,
Line 145
þe iustices seten for þe knyhtes of scotlonde;
Sire Thomas of Multone, an hendy knyht ant wys,
ant sire Rauf of sondwyche, þat muchel is told in pris,
Ant sire Johan Abel.
Mo y mihte telle by tale,
Line 150
boþe of grete ant of smale,
ȝe knowen suyþe wel. [ȝe knowen ist Konjunktivform, "ihr möget wissen".]
þenne saide þe iustice, þat gentil is ant fre:
"Sire Simond ffrysel, þe kynges traytour hast þou be
In water ant in londe, þat monie myhten se:
Line 155
what sayst þou þare to? hou wolt þou quite þe?
do say!"
so foul he him wiste,
nede waron truste
forto segge "nay". [159, 160. "Er hatte nicht, worauf er sich stützen konnte, um "nein" zu sagen"; nede = ne hede he.]
Line 160
þer he wes ydemed so hit wes londes lawe;
for þat he wes lordswyke, furst he wes to drawe,
vpon a reþeres hude forþ he wes ytuht:
Sum while in ys time he wes a modi knyht
In huerte.
Line 165
wickednesse & sunne,
hit is lutel wunne,
þat makeþ þe body smerte.
ffor al is grete poer, ȝet he wes ylaht:
ffalsnesse & swykedom, al hit geþ to naht!
Line 170
þo he wes in scotlond, lutel wes ys þoht
of þe harde iugement þat him wes bysoht
