[6-text p 193]
¶ The briddes synge / it is no nay
The sparhauk and the papeiay
That ioye it was to heere
Line 1958
The thrustelcok / made eek hir lay
The wodedowue / vp on a spray
She sang ful loude and cleere
Line 1961
¶ Sire Thopas fil in loue longynge
Al whan he herde / the thrustel synge
And pryked / as he were wood
Line 1964
His faire steede in his prikynge
So swatte / þat men myghte him wrynge
His sydes / were al blood
Line 1967
¶ Sire Thopas eek / so wery was
ffor prikyng on the softe gras
So fiers was his corage
Line 1970
That doun he leyde him in that plas
To make his steede som solas
And yaf hym good forage
Line 1973
¶ O seinte Marie benedicite
What eyleth / this loue at me
To bynde me so soore
Line 1976
Me dremed / al this nyght pardee
An elf queene / shal my lemman be
And slepe vnder my goore
Line 1979
¶ An Elf queene / wol I loue ywis
ffor in this world / no womman is
Worthy to be my make?
Line 1982
In towne
¶ Alle othere wommen I forsake
And to an Elf queene I me take
By dale and eek by downe
Line 1986
