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

Lines 401 through 500

Ac noþeles heo spak boldeliche, Vor heo is wis þat hardeliche Wiþ his fo berþ grete ilete, [Þ]at he for arehþe hit ne forlete:

Vor suych worþ bold if þu flyhst, Line 405 Þat wile fleo if þu [ne] swykst; [folio 232r.1] If he isihþ þat þu [n]art areh, He wile of bore wurche bareh. & forþi, þey [þe] nyhtegale Were aferd, heo spak bolde tale. Line 410 "[H]vle" heo seyde "hwi dostu so? Þu singest a-wynter wolawo ! Þu singest so doþ hen a-snowe, Al þat heo singeþ hit is for wowe. A-wintre þu singest wroþe & yomere, Line 415 & euer þu art dumb a-sumere. Hit is for þine fule nyþe Þat þu ne myht myd vs be bliþe, Vor þu forbernest neyh for onde Hwenne vre blisse cumeþ to londe. Line 420 Þu farest so doþ þe ille, Euerich blisse him is vnwille: Grucching & luring him beoþ rade, If he iseoþ þat men beoþ glade.

He wolde þat he iseye Line 425 Teres in eueriche monnes eye: Ne rouhte [h]e þeyh flockes were Imeynd bi toppes & bi here. Al so þu dost on þire syde: For hwanne snouh liþ þikke & wide, Line 430 & alle wihtes habbeþ sorewe, Þu singest from eue to a-morewe. Ac ich mid me alle blisse bringe: Ech wiht is glad for myne þinge, & blesseþ hit hwenne ich cume, Line 435 & hihteþ ayeyn myne cume. Þe blostme gynneþ springe & sprede, Boþe in treo & ek in mede. Þe lilie myd hire fayre wlite Welcomeþ me, þeyh þu hit wite, Line 440 Bid me myd hire fayre bleo [folio 232r.2] Þat ich schulle to hire fleo.

Þe rose also myd hire rude, Þat cumeþ of þe þorne wode, Bit me þat ich schulle singe Line 445 For hire luue one skentynge: & ich so do þureh nyht & day, Þe more ich singe þe more ich may, & skente hi myd myne songe, Ac noþeles nouht ouerlonge: Line 450 Hwenne ich iseo þat men beoþ glade, Ich nelle þat hi beon to sade: Hwenne is ido for hwan ich com, Ich vare ayeyn & do wisdom. Hwanne mon howieþ of his sheue, Line 455 & falewi cumeþ of grene leue, Ich fare hom & nyme leue: Ne recche ich nouht of wyntres teone. Hwanne ich iseo þat cumeþ [þat] harde, Ich fare hom to myn erde, Line 460 & habbe boþe luue & þonk Þat ich her com & hider swonk. Hwanne myn erende is ido, Scholde ich bileue ? nay, hwarto ? Vor he nys noþer yep ne wis, Line 465 Þat longe abid þar him no neod is." Þeos vle luste, & leyde an hord Al þis mot, word after word, And after þouhte hw heo myhte Onswere vynde best myd rihte: Line 470 Vor he mot ful wel him biþenche, Þat is aferd of playtes wrenche. "Þv ayssest me," þe vle seyde, "Hwi ich a-winter singe & grede.

Hit is gode monne ywune, Line 475 & was from þe worlde frume, [folio 232v.1] Þat ech god mon his frend iknowe, & blissi myd heom sume þrowe In his huse at his borde, Mid fayre speche & fayre worde. Line 480 & hure & hure to Cristesmasse, Hwenne riche & poure, more & lasse, Singeþ cundut nyht & day, Ich heom helpe hwat ich may. & ek ich þenche of oþer þinge Line 485 Þane to pleye oþer to singe. Ich habbe herto god onsware Anon iredi and al ware : Vor sumeres-tyde is al wlonk, & doþ mysreken monnes þonk: Line 490 Vor he ne rekþ noht of clennesse, Al his þouht is of golnesse: Vor none dor no leng nabideþ, Ac euerich vp oþer rideþ: Þe sulue stottes yne þe stode, Line 495 Beþ boþe wilde and mare-wode. & þu sulf art þar-among, Vor of golnysse is al þi song, & ayeyn [þet þu wilt teme], Þu art wel modi & wel breme. Line 500