The owl and the nightingale (MS Cotton)

Lines 1 through 100

[folio 233r.1] ICH was in one sumere dale, in one suþe diȝele hale, iherde ich holde grete tale an hule and one niȝtingale. Þat plait was stif & starc & strong, Line 5 sum wile softe & lud among; an aiþer aȝen oþer sval, & let þat [vue]le mod ut al. & eiþer seide of oþeres custe þat alre-worste þat hi wuste: Line 10 & hure & hure of oþere[s] songe hi holde plaiding suþe stronge. Þe niȝtingale bigon þe speche, in one hurne of one breche,

& sat up one vaire boȝe, Line 15 - þar were abute blosme inoȝe,- in ore waste þicke hegge imeind mid spire & grene segge. Ho was þe gladur uor þe rise, & song auele cunne wise: Line 20 [b]et þuȝte þe dreim þat he were of harpe & pipe þan he nere: bet þuȝte þat he were ishote of harpe & pipe þan of þrote. [Þ]o stod on old stoc þar biside, Line 25 þar þo vle song hire tide, & was mid iui al bigrowe; hit was þare hule earding-stowe. [Þ]e niȝtingale hi iseȝ, & hi bihold & ouerseȝ, Line 30 & þuȝte wel [vu]l of þare hule, for me hi halt lodlich & fule. "Vnwiȝt," ho sede, "awei þu flo! me is þe w[u]rs þat ich þe so. [folio 233r.2] Iwis for þine [vu]le lete, Line 35 wel [oft ich] mine song forlete;

min horte atfliþ & falt mi tonge, wonne þu art [to me] iþrunge. Me luste bet speten þane singe of þine fule ȝoȝelinge." Line 40 Þos hule abod fort hit was eve, ho ne miȝte no leng bileue, vor hire horte was so gret þat wel neȝ hire fnast atschet, & warp a word þar-after longe; Line 45 "Hu þincþe nu bi mine songe? We[n]st þu þat ich ne cunne singe, þeȝ ich ne cunne of writelinge? Ilome þu dest me grame, & seist me [boþe tone] & schame. Line 50 Ȝif ich þe holde on mine uote, (so hit bitide þat ich mote!) & þu were vt of þine rise, þu sholdest singe an oþer w[i]se." Þe niȝtingale ȝaf answare: Line 55 "Ȝif ich me loki wit þe bare, & me schilde wit þe blete, ne reche ich noȝt of þine þrete;

ȝif ich me holde in mine hegge, ne recche ich neuer what þu segge. Line 60 Ich wot þat þu art unmilde wiþ hom þat ne muȝe from [þ]e schilde; & þu tukest wroþe & vuele, whar þu miȝt, over smale fuȝele. Vorþi þu art loþ al fuel-kunne, Line 65 & alle ho þe driueþ honne, & þe bischricheþ & bigredet, & wel narewe þe biledet; [folio 233v.1] & ek forþe þe sulue mose, hire þonkes, wolde þe totose. Line 70 þu art lodlich to biholde, & þu art loþ in monie volde; þi bodi is short, þi swore is smal, grettere is þin heued þan þu al; þin eȝene boþ col-blake & brode, Line 75 riȝt swo ho weren ipeint mid wode; þu starest so þu wille abiten al þat þu mi[ȝ]t mid cliure smiten: þi bile is stif & scharp & hoked, riȝt so an owel þat is croked; Line 80 þar-mid þu clackes[t] oft & longe, & þat is on of þine songe. Ac þu þretest to mine fleshe, mid þine cliures woldest me meshe. þe were icundur to one frogge Line 85 * * * * *

snailes, mus, & fule wiȝte, boþ þine cunde & þine riȝte. Þu sittest adai & fliȝ[s]t aniȝt, þu cuþest þat þu art on vnwiȝt. Line 90 Þu art lodlich & unclene, bi þine neste ich hit mene, & ek bi þine fule brode, þu fedest on hom a wel ful fode. Vel wostu þat hi doþ þarinne, Line 95 hi fuleþ hit up to þe chinne: ho sitteþ þar so hi bo bisne. Þarbi men segget a uorbisne: "Dahet habbe þat ilke best þat fuleþ his owe nest." Line 100