Þey myghte nought be in o stede,
. ffor folk vnryde, & mykel crede. [krede (crowd). A.-S. cread, a company, troop. Lye, in Bosworth.]
Line 11,244
ffoure ladies wente þe same assise
As þe kynges dide Arþures seruise,
ffour white douues byforn hure bare;—
Þe ladies, kynges wyues ware;—
Line 11,248
& after þem come oþer leuedys
Richely cled in pourpre & bys,
In cloþes of golde þat schon so schene,
. & oþere in scarlet & in grene, [ll.11,251-11,252. The Petyt MS. leaves out these lines. Wace has others, ii. 105, in|stead of them.]
Line 11,252
Alle were þey richely y-dight;
Þer was neuere seyen swyche a [& gay to behold in.] sight!
6. I trowe þer were many doude [
Common dowdy girl or woman. See the Towneley Mysteries, p. 312.
If she be never so fowlle a dowde, with hir kelles and hir pynnesThe shrew hir self can shrowde, both hir chekys and hir chyn|nes;She can make it fulle prowde with japes and with gynnes,Hir hede as hy as a clowde.] . Þat proudly spak for noble schroude; Line 11,256 Ilkon [MS. Iilkon.] oþer faste byheld, And of þe faire, mykel was of teld.6 [
6-6 For these four lines the Petyt MS. has,—
Grete presse was at þe procession.Ilkon proudere þan þe lion.]
De Cantu ad Missam. [Lambeth folio 49a:1]
When þe Procession was gon,
Þe Messe bygan sone anon:
Line 11,260
Þer myghte men se fair samninge
Of þo clerkes þat best couþe synge,
Wyþ treble, mene, & burdoun,
Of mani on was ful swete soun;
Line 11,264
Of þo þat songe heye & lowe,
& þo þat couþe org[a]nes blowe,
