And þou, remued fro monnes sunes, on mor most abide,
And in wasturne walk, and wyth þe wylde dowelle, [M.1 expands wasterne; M.2 wasturne, latter probably cor|rect.]
As best, byte on þe bent of braken and erbes,
Wyth wroþe wolfes to won and wyth wylde asses."
Line 1676
Inmydde þe poynt of his pryde departed he þere
Fro þe soly of his solempnete; his solace he leves,
And carfully is outkast to contre unknawen,
Fer into a fyr fryth þere frekes never comen.
Line 1680
His hert heldet unhole, he hoped non oþer
Bot a best þat he be, a bol oþer an oxe.
He fares forth on alle faure, fogge watz his mete,
And ete ay as a horce when erbes were fallen;
Line 1684
Þus he countes hym a kow þat watz a kyng ryche,
Quyle seven syþez were overseyed someres, I trawe.
'By þat, mony þik thyȝe þryȝt umbe his lyre,
Þat alle watz dubbed and dyȝt in þe dew of heven;
Line 1688
Faxe fyltered, and felt flosed hym umbe,
Þat schad fro his schulderes to his sch[e]re-wykes, [MS., M. schyre wykes.]
And twentyfolde twynande hit to his tos raȝt;
Þer mony clyvy, as clyde hit clyȝt togeder.
Line 1692
His berde ibrad alle his brest to þe bare urþe,
His browes bresed as breres aboute his brode chekes; [folio 84b]
Holȝe were his yȝen and under campe hores,
And al watz gray as þe glede, wyth ful grymme clawres [MS., M. clawres; Fi. clawes.]
Line 1696
Þat were croked and kene as þe kyte paune; [MS. paune or panne; M. paune; M. note panne(?); Fi. pawe; B. paume; G. reads MS. paune.]
Erne-hwed he watz, and al overbrawden;
Til he wyst ful wel who wroȝt alle myȝtes,
And cowþe uche kyndam tokerve and kever when hym lyked.
Line 1700
