Vnder hyr hood, so couertly
That no man ne [[ne St., om. C.]] myghte espy [[7 lines blank in MS. for an Illumination.]]
The maner off hyr gouernaunce
Outward by hyr contenaunce,
Line 13104
ffor hyr ffacë was nat bare;
And, to me-ward as she gan ffare,
With a sharp dart wych she bar
She smette me, or I was war,
Line 13108
(Longë or I koude aduerte,)
Thorgh the Eye vn-to the herte.
Myn Elm was lefft behynde, allas!
My ffacë bare (thys was the cas); [folio 200a]
Line 13112
Ageyn Venus vyolence,
I hadde as tho no bet dyffence.
The pylgrym:
"O, thow Olde! what hastow do,
Vnwarly me to smytë so?"
Line 13116
Olde venus:
'Reporte off me, and sey ryht thus, [Stowe folio 230b]
That I am callyd Dame venus.
My dwellyng and my mancïoun
(To me Ordeynèd off Resoun)
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Ys in the Reynys most certeyn,—
Ther wyl no clerk ageyns thys seyn;—
I chace a-way al chastyte,
And, werray [[werreye St.]] vyrgynyte:
Line 13124
Vyrgynyte, whylom off ryht,
To the Aungellys cler and bryht
Was suster, and ther nexte allye;
But now (yiff I shal nat lye
Line 13128
Touchyng parfyt vyrgynyte,)
Wher that euere she may me se,
She halt hyr nose, and wol [[wolde St.]] be go,
Vp-on hyre I stynkë so;
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To hyre I am so gret Enmy,
That, but [[That but St. But that C.]] she haddë ffynally
ffled ffor hyr savacyoun
Whylom in-to Religïoun,—
Line 13136
She hadde (with-outë mor refut,) [Grauem inimicum sortita est castitas, cui non solum resistendum, sed dimisso freno longius fugiendum. Experto, crede, Episcopus, loquor coram deo, non men|cior: Cedros libani duces [[duges C. 'qualibet' and a word now lost, follow 'libani.'] gregum, sub hac peste ceci|disse reperi, de quorum casu non magis suspicabar quod Ambrosij vel Ieronimi impudica turpitudine.— hic Augustinus. St., om. C.]
