Page [unnumbered]
XVI. LA BELLE DAME SANS MERCY. [From Th. (Thynne, ed. 1532); collated with F. (Fairfax 16); and H. (Harl. 372). Also in Ff. (Camb. Univ. Lib. Ff. 1. 6). Bad spellings of Th. are cor∣rected by the MSS. TITLE. Th. H. La . . mercy; F. Balade de la Bele Dame sanz mercy. H. adds—Translatid . . Ros.]
HALF in a dreme, not fully wel awaked, [1. Th. F. Halfe; H. Half.]
The golden sleep me wrapped under his wing; [2. F. H. Ff. wrapt.]
Yet nat for-thy I roos, and wel nigh naked, [3. All rose.]
Al sodaynly my-selve rémembring [4. Th. Ef. -selfe; H. F. self.]
Of a matér, leving al other thing [ 5] [5. F. matere; H. matier. Th. leuynge.]
Which I shold do, with-outen more delay, [6. Th. must; F. sholde; H. shold.]
For hem to whom I durst nat disobey. [7. H. to whom; F. the which; Th. whiche. Th. F. dysobey; H. sey nay.]
My charge was this, to translate by and by,
(Al thing forgive), as part of my penaunce, [9. Th. thynge. Ef. part; rest parte.]
A book called Belle Dame sans Mercy [ 10] [10. Th. F. boke; H. book. Th. La bel; F. la bele; H. om. La. H. F. sanz; Th. sauns.]
Which mayster Aleyn made of rémembraunce, [11. Th. Whiche.]
Cheef secretarie with the king of Fraunce. [12. Th. secratairie; F. secretare; H. secretarie.]
And ther-upon a whyle I stood musing, [13. H. ther-; Th. F. her-. Th. F. stode; H. stood.]
And in my-self gretly imagening [14. Th. greatly ymagenynge.]
What wyse I shuld performe the sayd processe, [ 15] [15. Th. shulde; F. H. sholde; Ff. shuld. Th. the; F. H. this.]
Considering by good avysement [16. Ff. avyse∣ment; rest adv.]
Myn unconning and my gret simplenesse, [17. F. H. Ff. Myn; Th. My. F. H. Ff. symplesse.]