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

Lines 201 through 300

"Ich graunti wel þat he vs deme, For þeyh he were hwile breme, & leof hym w[e]re Nihtingale, And oþer wyhte gent & smale, Ich wot he is nu [su]þe acoled. Line 205 Nis he vor þe nouht afoled, Þat he, vor þine olde luue, Me adun legge & þe abuue: N[e] schaltu neuer so him queme, Þat he for þe fals dom deme. Line 210 He is nv ripe & fastrede, Ne luste hym nv to non vnrede: Nv him ne lust namore pleye, He wile gon a rihte weye." Þe Nihtegale wes al ware, Line 215 Heo hedde ileorned wel ihware : "Vle," heo seyde "seye me soþ, Hwi dostu þat vnwihtes doþ ? Þu singest anyht & nouht aday, And al þi song is waylaway. Line 220

Line 220 Þu miht mid þine songe afere Alle þat hereþ þine ibere: Þ[u] scrichest & yollest to þine fere, Þat hit is gryslich to ihere: Hit þincheþ boþe wise & snepe Line 225 Nouht þat þu singe [ac þat] þu wepe. Þu flyhst anyht and noht aday: Þarof ich wundri & wel may. For vych þing þat schonyeþ riht, hit luuyeþ þuster & hateþ lyht; Line 230 & euych þing þat luueþ misdede, Hit luueþ þuster to his dede. A wis word, þeyh hit beo vnclene, Is fele monne a-muþe imene, [folio 230v.2] For Alured King hit seyde & wrot: Line 235 "He schuneþ þat hine ful wot." Ich wene þat þu dost al so, For þu flyhst nyhtes euer mo. [An] oþer þing me is a-wene, Þu hauest anyht wel bryhte sene: Line 240 Bi daye þu art stare-blynd, Þat þu ne syst bouh of lynd.

Aday þu art blynd oþer bisne, Þarby men seggeþ a vorbisne: "Riht so hit farþ bi þan vngode Line 245 Þat nouht ne isyhþ to none gode, & is so ful of vuele wrenche Þat him ne may no mon aprenche, & con wel þene þustre way, & þane bryhte lat away." Line 250 So doþ þat beoþ of þine cunde, Of lihte nabbeþ hi none imunde." Þeos vle luste swiþe longe, & wes ofteoned swiþe stronge: Heo quaþ "Þu hattest Nihtegale, Line 255 Þu [m]ihtest bet hote galegale,

Vor þu hauest to monye tale. Let þine tunge habbe spale! Þu wenest þat þes day beo þin owe: Let me nv habbe myne þrowe: Line 260 Beo nv stille & let me speke, Ich wile beo of þe awreke. & lust hw ich con me bitelle, Mid rihte soþe wiþvte spelle. Þu seyst þat ich me hude aday, Line 265 Þarto ne segge ich nyk no nay: & lust ich telle hwervore, Al hwi hit is & hwarevore. [folio 231r.1] Ich habbe bile stif & stronge, & gode cleures scharp & longe, Line 270 So hit bycumeþ to hauekes cunne Hit is myn hyhte & my [wu]nne Þat ich me drawe to mine cunde, Ne may me no mon þarfor sende; On me hit is wel isene, Line 275 For rihte cunde ich am so kene. Vorþi ich am loþ smale vowele Þat fleoþ bi grunde & bi þuuele:

Hi me bichirmeþ & bigredeþ, & heore flockes to me ledeþ. Line 280 Me is leof to habbe reste And sitte stille in myne neste: Vor nere ich neuer þe betere, Þeyh ich mid changling and myd chatere Heom schende & myd fule worde, Line 285 So herdes doþ oþer [m]id sit-worde. Ne lust me wiþ þe screwen chide; Forþi ich wende from heom wide, Hit is a wise monne dome, & hi hit seggeþ wel ilome, Line 290 Þat me ne chide wiþ þe gidie, Ne wiþ þan ofne me ne yonie. At sum syþe herde I telle Hw Alured seyde on his spelle: "Loke þat þu ne beo þare Line 295 Þar changling beoþ & cheste vare; Let sottes chide & forþ þu go." & ich am wis, & do al so. & yet Alured seyde an oþer syde A word þat is isprunge wide, Line 300