Grete [gret O, gret ferly it was D.] wndyr was hyt to see;
Þey asked alle what hyt myȝt [myghte O, askedyn qwat it myȝt D.] be,
Line 1824
And why hyt was, and wherë [qwy it was & qwen D.] -fore, [wharfore O.]
Þat þe dragun lay so þore;
And what [& in qwat D.] manere she synned so, [folio 13a]
Þat here body was cloue yn [clouyn a D.] two.
Line 1828
he shewede þan vnto [tolde þere to D.] hem alle,
For what synne þat sorow gan [qwat . . was D.] falle.
"Þys womman," he seyd, [womannys body D.] "þat here lys,
And ys departyd yn two [on to D.] partys,
Line 1832
She was weddyd, and here wedlak [wedlake O, & in hir wedlak D.]
Ful falsly an on-truly brak, [and vntrewly brake O, hir wedlok sche brak D.]
whan she was o [qwan . . in D.] flessh and blode
with hym þat here to-keyn loue gode; [þat sche vnderstood D.]
Line 1836
þurgh matrymony, þe sacrament, [of sacrament ywis D.]
were two o flessh made be assent, [to bodyes mad in o flesch D.]
holy togedyr [to gedere O.] for to leue [leue O, lyuyn D.]
Line 1839
And noun fro ouþer hys flesh may ȝyue. [neyþer may here flesche fro oþer ȝeuyn D.]
But þys womman þat þus ys shent,
She brak [brake O, brak þat D.] þe holy sacrament;
here flesh she ȝaf, o [a D.] party
yn hordam and yn [to hordom & to D.] lechery,
Line 1844
A-noþer party to here [& anoþer part to hir D.] husbonde,
Þat for shame ne myȝt [myghte O, myȝt not (om. she) D.] she wonde.
And, for þat yche [Harl. and D om. yche.] vyleyns [vyleyn D.] synne,
Ys here body partyd [so partyd D.] a-twynne;
Line 1848
And betwyx [be twyxe O, be twen þo to D.] þe twey partys,
For veniaunce, þe dragun lys.
Alas þe tyme þat she was bore!
with-outyn endë she ys lore." [forlore O, born . . lorn D.]
Line 1852
