Vp-on my wey, off wych I tolde;
Al be that I was long yholde,
Or I myhte makë my passage
To gynnen vp-on my pylgrymage.
Line 648
Nyne monethes I was kept cloos, ['nyne monethes in his mothars wombe.'—John Stowe.]
Tyl at the last I vp Aroos,
Off entent forth to procede.
But than at erst I gan take hede
Line 652
That, to myn entencioun,
I myghte ffynden a bordoun
And a sherpe, [[Scrippe St.]] wych of vsage
ffolk han that gon on pylgrymage,
Line 656
Nedful to me & necessarye.
ffor wych cause I dyde tarye
Or I myghte gynne my Iournee,
To holde my wey to that cyte;
Line 660
ffor wych I went complaynyng, [prose cap vii]
Out off my sylff [[sylff St., fylff C.]] tryst & wepyng,
Cerchyng toforn & ek behynde,
Sherpe [[Scrippe St.]] & bordoun for to fynde.
Line 664
And whil I dyde my besynesse,
A lady of ful gret ffayrnesse
And gret noblesse, (soth to say,)
I dyde mete vp-on the way.
Line 668
ffor God wold, (I yow be-hete,) [Voluntas dei fuit ut cito mihi occurreret quod volebum. Genesis 27. [v. 20]]
Sone that I sholde hyr mete,
Off gracë for myn ownë prowh,
Wher-off I haddë Ioye ynowh,
Line 672
And in hertë [[herte St., hert C.]] gret gladnesse.
ffor she, as by lyklynesse,
Was douhter of som Emperour,
Somme myghty kyng, or gouernour; [folio 12b]
Line 676
Or off that lord that guyeth al,
Wych ys of power most royal.
And thys lady gracyous,
Most debonayre, & vertuous,
Line 680
Was yclad, by gret delyt,
In a surcote al off whyt,
With a Tyssu gyrt off grene.
And Endlong, ful bryht & shene,
Line 684
