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

Lines 801 through 900

& myd þan one leyþ to grunde Anne after oþe[r] a lutle stunde, Hwat þarf he recche of a mo swenge, Hwenne þe on him is so genge?

Þ[u] seyst þat þu canst fele wike, Line 805 Ac euer ich am þin vnyliche. Do þine craftes alle togadere, Yet is myn on heorte betere. Ofte hwan hundes foxes driueþ, Þe kat ful wel him sulue liueþ, Line 810 Þeh he ne cunne wreynch bute anne. Þe fo[x] so godne ne can nanne, Þey he cunne so vele wrenche, Þat he weneþ eche hunde atprenche. Vor he can paþes rihte and wowe, Line 815 & he can hongi bi þe bowe, & so vorlest þe hund his fore, & turnþ eft ayeyn to þe more. Þe fox can crepe by þe heye, & turne vt from his forme weye, Line 820 & eft sone cume þarto: [folio 235r.1] Þenne is þes hundes smel fordo: He not, þurh þe [m]eynde smak, Hweþer he schal vorþ þe abak. If þe uox miste of al þis dwele, Line 825 At þan ende he [creopþ] to hole:

Ac naþeles myd al his wrenche, Ne can he hine so biþenche, Þey he beo yep & swiþe snel, Þat he ne leost his rede vel. Line 830 Þe kat ne can wrench bute anne, Noþer bi dune ne bi venne: Bute he can clymbe swiþe wel, Þarmyd he wereþ his greye vel. Al so ich segge bi my seolue, Line 835 Beter is myn on þan þine twelue." "Abid! abid!" þe vle seyde, "Þu gest al to mid swikelhede: Alle þine wordes þu bileyst Þat hit þinkþ soþ þat þu seyst: Line 840 Alle þine wordes beoþ isliked, & so biseme[d] and bilike[d], Þat alle heo þat hi auoþ, Hi weneþ þat þu segge soþ. Abid! abid! me schal þe yene! Line 845 Nu hit schal w[u]rþe wel isene Þat þu hauest muchel ilowe, Hwenne þi lesing beoþ vnwrowe. Þu seist þat þu singest moncunne, & techest heom þat hi fundeþ heonne Line 850 Vp to þe songe þat euer ilast: Ac hit is alre w[u]ndre mest, Þat [þu] darst lye so opeliche. Wenestu hi bringe so lyhtliche To Godes riche al singinde? [folio 235r.2] Line 855 Nay! Nay! hi schule wel avynde

Þat hi myd longe wope mote Of heore sunnen bidde bote, Ar hi mote euer cume þare. Ich rede þi þat men beo ware, Line 860 & more wepe þane singe, Þat fundeþ to þan heuene-kynge: For nys no mon wiþvten sunne. Forþi he mot ar he wende heonne, Mid teres & myd wope bete, Line 865 Þat him beo sur þat er was swete. Þarto ich helpe, God hit wot! Ne singe ich heom no foliot: Vor al my song is of longinge, And ymeynd sumdel myd woninge, Line 870 Þat mon bi me hine biþenche Þat he grony for his vnwrenche; Mid myne songe ich hine [pulte], Þat he grony for his gulte. If þu gest herof to disputinge, Line 875 Ich wepe bet þan þu singe: If riht goþ forþ, & abak wrong, Betere is my wop þan þi song. Þeyh summe men beon þurhut gode, & þurhut clene on heore mode, Line 880 Heom longeþ heonne noþeles. Þat beoþ her, wo is hom þes: Vor þeyh hi beo heom selue iborewe, Hi ne seoþ her nowiht bute serewe. Vor oþer men hi wepeþ sore, Line 885 & for heom biddeþ Cristes ore.

Ich helpe monne on eyþer halue, Mi [m]uþ haueþ tweire kunne salue: Þan gode ich fulste to longinge, [folio 235v.1] Vor hwenne him longeþ ic him singe: Line 890 & þan sunfulle ic helpe also, Vor ic him teche hwar is wo. Yet ic þe yene on oþer wise: Vor hwenne þu sittest on þine rise, Þu drahst men to fleyses luste, Line 895 Þat wil[l]eþ þine songes luste. Al þu vorleost þe [m]urehþe of heuene, For þarto nauestu none steuene: Al þat þu singest is of golnesse, For nys on þe non holynesse, Line 900