for hue nul me yse;
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ycham heuy so led;
betere me were ded,
þen þus alyue to be."
"ase ich rod þourh rome,
Richest alre home,
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wiþ murþes as ycholde:
Ledys whyt so swon, [whyt, ms. wyht.]
maidnes shene so bon,
me come to biholde;
& seyden on after on:
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"ȝent ryd maximion [maximion, ms. maxinion.]
wiþ is burnes bolde!"
Nou nis non of þe,
þat wolleþ me yse
In mine cloþes olde."
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"þis world is wok & les;
Ynam noht as ych wes,
Ych wot by myne chere;
for gent ich wes & chys,
& mon of muche pris,
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& leof to ben yfere." [leof to ben yfere, inf. mit konditionaler Bedeutung: "angenehm, wenn ich Gesellschafter war", als Gesellschafter.]
"þer nes clerc ne knyht,
ne mon of more myht,
þat leuere wes in londe.
Ystund is al my syht;
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þis day me þuncheþ nyht,
such is þe world to fonde!" [to fonde, vgl. W. L. X, 8.]
"fair ich wes of hewe,
ant of loue trewe;
þat lasteþ lutel stounde!
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