ffor to kome to the cyte
Whyder to gon, tho I me caste.
And forth I wentë wonder faste,
Line 11068
Wyth my bordoun in myn hond;
And in the weye a-noon I fond
A damysele off queynte array,
Wych me mette vp-on the way.
Line 11072
And lyke a dowue (as thoughtë me) [[St. Om. C., but has the next line twice.]]
She was ffetheryd for to fle;
And on her leggys bothë two, [Stowe folio 195b]
Lyk a dowve she was also,
Line 11076
And endownyd soffte & ffayr,
Smothe as [[as a St.]] gossomer in the hayr.
And trewly (as I koude espye)
Me sempte thys mayden off ffolye,
Line 11080
Now her, now ther, ageyn a wal
That she pleyede at the bal,
Rennynge alway vp & doun.
And thanne I hadde affeccïoun
Line 11084
To wyten pleynly & enquere
Hyr name, and what she dydë there. [[Blank in MS. and in St. for an Illumination.]]
The pylgrym:
"Damysele," a-noon quod I,
"I merveyllë ful gretly [[gretely St.]]
Line 11088
Off your ffethres ffressh & shene,
What they tokne or what they mene;
And that ye ben endowned so
Vp-on your leggys bothë two; [folio 171a]
Line 11092
ffor, syth tyme that I was born,
I sawhë neuere her-to-fforn
Noon yffetheryd, sauffly [[sauff St.]] only ye:
ffor, by lyknesse, ye may fle
Line 11096
Whan that ye lyst, hih & lowe;
And ffayn ther-fore, I woldë knowe,
(Yiff ye lyst to specefye)
What your ffetherys sygnefye;
Line 11100
And your endownyng, vp & doun, [Stowe folio 196a]
I wolde ther-off ha som resoun;
And or ye any ferther go,
