þat brid so breme in boure,
wiþ lossom eye, grete ant gode,
wiþ browen blysfol vnder hode;
he þat reste him on þe rode,
Line 20
þat leflich lyf honoure!
Blou, &c.
Hire lure lumes liht,
ase a launterne a nyht,
hire bleo blykyeþ so bryht;
Line 25
so feyr heo is ant fyn!
a suetly suyre heo haþ to holde, [to holde, inf. abs. mit konditionaler Bedeutung.]
wiþ armes, shuldre, ase mon wolde,
ant fyngres feyre forte folde;
god wolde hue were myn!
Line 30
middel heo haþ menskful smal;
hire loueliche chere as cristal;
þeȝes, legges, fet, ant al
ywraht wes of þe beste.
a lussum ledy lasteles
Line 35
þat sweting is & euer wes;
a betere burde neuer nes
yheryed wiþ þe heste.
heo is dereworþe in day,
graciouse, stout, & gay,
Line 40
gentil, iolyf, so þe jay,
worhliche when heo wakeþ.
maiden murgest of mouþ;
bi est, bi west, by norþ & souþ,
þer nis fiþele ne crouþ [fiþele, ms. fiele, wofür Ritson "ficle".]
Line 45
þat such murþes makeþ. [þat, ms. sat. Vgl. die Bemerkung zu H. 72.]
Heo is coral of godnesse,
heo is rubie of ryhtfulnesse,
