That they wolde with hym abyde
ffor lyff or deth, on euery syde;
But fynally, whan al ys do,
I ha wyst lordys deceyved so
Line 13640
In dyvers contres, mo than on,
Whan ther ffrenshepys wer agon.
Lat no man trusten on ffortune,
Wych selde, in on, lyst to contune.
Line 13644
And thus thys man, brouht to the poynt,
Stood allone in swych dysioynt,
And in gret mescheff, as dyde I; [Stowe folio 240b]
ffor, Venus and Glotony
Line 13648
In swych mescheff hadde hym brouht,
That off hys lyff he rouhtë nouht,
ffor hys grete aduersyte.
But than I gan remembre me
Line 13652
As I lay bounden in the place,
I wolde assayen ffor to pace
The hegh, that was so thykke and strong,
Off wych I tolde, nat go fful long;
Line 13656
And for mor ese and sofftënesse,
I thouhte I wolde my syluen dresse
To the path on the tother syde;
ffor, wher as tho I dyde abyde,
Line 13660
Me sempte the placë peryllous,
Bothë dredful [[Lothe dredefulle St.]] and dotous.
I gan a-noon to neyhen ner
To-ward the hegh, and her and ther
Line 13664
I gan consydren in my mynde, [folio 208a]
Yiff I myghte an hoolë ffynde
To pacë by, that wer nat thykke
fful off thornys me to prykke.
Line 13668
Al thys I gan consydre and se,
Swych routhe I haddë, and pyte,
A-mong the sharpë busshys alle,
That my body sholdë falle
Line 13672
In any daunger or damáge,
Yiff I passedë [[passede St., possede C.]] that passáge;
Praydë god, for hys pyte,
ffrom swych harm to saven me;
Line 13676
