[[Illustration.]]
WHiche, by my craffte [[be craft St.]] (in substaunce)
Kan ffolke encresse, and wel avaunce,
Line 18904
That ben in my subieccyoun
And lyste to leernë my lessoun.
2This ilkë book that thou [[that thou om. Tib.]] wolte se, [Tib folio 49b]
Is I-callyd Mors Anime,
Line 18908
Whiche is in englysche (ffor to seyn,)
'Dethe off the sowlë,' in certeyn.
And this nakyd swerd whiche I hoolde,
(As thow mayste thi silffe byholde,)
Line 18912
There-with (ffor schorte conclusyoun,)
Whanne thow haste herdë my lessoun,2 [2_2 om. St. The good old tailor's eye caught the second 'lesson,' l. 18914, in his MS. instead of the first, l. 18906.]
There-with thow schalt yslaynë [[yslayn St., slayne Tib.]] be.
And thus sche gan manassë me,
Line 18916
Where-off I stood in fful greet drede;
But off grace, (as I toke hede)
A whitë dowuë I dyde se
ffleen sodeynely towardës me;
Line 18920
But with me, where as I stood,
Sche ne made no lenger [[longe St.]] abood.
And I ne made no greet delay,
But wentë fforthe vp-on my way;
Line 18924
And I mette (or I was war)
An oolde oon, whiche that [[a St.]] ffagot bar
Vpon hir bak, and eke therto,
In hir hand sche heelde also
Line 18928
A peyrë cysours scharpe I-grownde.
And, to me-ward as sche was bounde,
Sche bad (ffor schorte conclusyoun)
ffor to leye my skryppe adoun;
Line 18932
And gan vp-on me ffor to ffrowne,
Lowdë cryed, hir lyste not rowne:
¶ Heresye:
'FOr but thow leyë here adoun,
I schal, to thi conffusyoun,
Line 18936
Schape thi skryppe off newe array,
ffor it is not to my pay;
