And afftir me gan ffaste hym hye,
As he hádde ben in a rage.
And so straunge was his langage,
Line 18484
That I ne vnderstood hym nought;
ffor I conceyued in my thought, [Stowe folio 316b]
How he that affter me gan gon:
ffrenche [[ffrenchs Tib., Frenche St.]] nor Latyn he spak noon.
And in his hand (I was wel war,)
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A nakyd swerde how that he bar,
fful scharpë growndë ffor to byte,
And redy as he woldë smyte,
Line 18492
And bade, I schulde me ffastë dresse,
Kome to speke with his Maystresse.
Amydde [[and myd St.]] the way, vpon a lond,
With-in a cercle I hym ffond, [[Illustration.]]
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WIth-in whiche (so god me save,) [Tib folio 42b]
I sawgh fful many a ffygure grave,
fful meruelous, as in workynge;
And he bare armys off A kynge,
Line 18500
A Boxë, lyche a Messangere.
And trewely, as I neyghed nere,
By sygnës that I dydë se,
I wendë so that he hadde be,
Line 18504
Hopynge the bette, at lyberte,
ffrom al daunger to skapë ffre:
¶ To whom I spake fful boldëly,
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And seyde, "I merveyl [[mervayll St., merveyled Tib.]] ryght greetly
That thow byddeste me ffaste dresse
ffor to kome to thi maystresse;
And by no tokene that I kan se,
I wote not what sche schuldë be;
Line 18512
ffor whiche, I preye the not to spare,
Off hir the maner to declare."
¶ And he to me in wordës ffewe,
With his ffynger gan me schewe
Line 18516
fful ffastë by, a mansyoun,
Ryght vp, lyche a pávyloun;
And on the pomel (who lyste knowe)
Wonder hygh ther sate a krowe,
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