The owl and the nightingale (MS Jes. Col. 29)

Lines 1501 through 1600

Þu myht wene þat þe mystide, Hwanne þu lyst bi hire side. & if þe louerd is a wrecche, Hwych este myhtestu þar vecche?

If þu biþenchest hwo hire ofligge, Line 1505 Þu myht myd wlate þe este bugge. Ich not hw may eny freomon Vor hire sechen after þan. If he biþenkþ bi hwam he lay, Al may þe luue gon away." Line 1510 Þe vle wes glad of suche tale: Heo þouhte þat þe nyhtegale, Þah heo wel speke at þe frume, Hadde at þan ende mysnume: & seyde "Nv ich habbe ifunde Line 1515 Þat maydenes beoþ of þin imunde: Mid heom þu holdest, & heom biwerest & ouerswiþe þu hi herest. Þe lauedies beoþ to me iwend, To me hire mone heo send. Line 1520 For hit ityd ofte and ilome, Þat wif & were beoþ vnisome: & þerfore þat were gulte, Þat leof is oþer wymmon to pulte, & speneþ on þare al þat he haueþ, Line 1525 & syweþ þare þat noht naueþ,

& haueþ atom his riche spuse, Wowes west, and lere huse, Wel þunne isrud & ived wroþe, & let heo bute mete & cloþe. Line 1530 Hwenne he cumeþ hom eft to his wyue, Ne dar he noht a word ischire: [folio 240r.1] He chid & gred such he beo wod, & ne bringþ hom non oþer god. Al þat heo doþ him is vnwille, Line 1535 Al þat heo spekeþ hit is him ille: & ofte hwenne heo noht ne mysdeþ, Heo haueþ þe fust in þe theþ. Nis nomon þat ne may ibrynge His wif amys myd suche þinge: Line 1540 Me hire may so ofte mysbeode, Þat heo do wile hire owe neode. La, God hit wot! heo nah iwelde, Þah heo hine make cukeweld. For hit ityt ilome and ofte, Line 1545 Þat his wif is neysse & softe, Of fayre bleo & wel idiht: [For]þi hit is þe more vnryht Þat he is [luue] spene on þare, Þat nis wurþ on of hire heare. Line 1550 & suche men beoþ wel manyfolde, Þat wif ne cunne ariht holde. Ne mot no mon wiþ hire speke: He weneþ heo wile anon tobreke Hire spusyng, if heo lokeþ Line 1555 Oþer wiþ manne veyre spekeþ.

He hire bilukþ myd keye & loke: Þar-þurh is spusing ofte ibroke. Vor if heo is þarto ibrouht, He deþ þat heo nedde ear iþouht. Line 1560 Dehaet þat to swiþe hit bispeke, Þah suche wiues heom awreke! Herof to me þe leuedies heom meneþ, And wel sore me ahweneþ: Wel neyh myn heorte wile tochine, Line 1565 Hwenne ic biholde heore [pine]. Mid heom ic wepe swiþe sore, & for heom bidde Cristes ore, Þat þe leuedi sone aredde [folio 240r.2] & hire sende betere ibedde. Line 1570 An oþer þing ic may þe telle, & þu ne schalt, for þine felle, Onswere non þarto fynde: Al þis sputing schal aswinde. Mony chapmon & mony knyht Line 1575 Luueþ & halt his wif ariht, & so doþ mony bondeman: Þat gode wif doþ after þan, & sarueþ him to bedde & to borde Mid fayre dede & fayre worde, Line 1580 & yorne vondeþ hw heo mowe Do þing þat him beo iduwe. Þe louerd into þare þeode Vareþ vt on þare beyre neode, & is þat gode wif vnbliþe Line 1585 Vor hire louerdes hou[h]syþe,

& sit & sykþ wel sore oflonged, & hire sore an heorte ongreþ: Al vor hire louerdes sake Haueþ dayes kare & nihtes wake: Line 1590 & swiþe longe hire is þe hwile, & vych stape hire þinkþ a [m]ile. Hwenne oþre slepeþ hire abute, Ich one lust þar wyþþute, & wot of hire sore mode, Line 1595 & singe anyht for hire gode: & myn gode song, for hire þinge, Ic turne sumdel to [m]urnynge. Of hure seorwe ic bere sume, Vorþan ic am hire wel welcume: Line 1600