Bad [[bad St., And Tib.]] his doughter Heresye,
The passage so to [[so to St., to Tib.]] kepe and guye,
That I scholde not, in no syde, [Tib folio 51b]
ffrom ther damage my sylffe provyde.
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And trewëly (as I haue sayd)
The nettys were so narewe layd,
On [[on St., In Tib.]] lond, on water, and in the hayr,
That I myght haue no repayr
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To passë ffreely that passáge.
It was so fful off mortal rage,
Off daunger and adversite,
That, but yiff [[yiff that Tib., yf St.]] I amydde the see
Durstë swymme, ther was no way
Line 19025
ffor me to passë, nyght nor day.
And there he dyde also malygne
To leyne out nettys, and assigne,
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There to stoppen my passáge;
So that I ffonde noon ávauntage,
ffrom his dawngere to declyne;
ffor many an hook and many a lyne
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Were caste in-to [[in St.]] that peryllous se,
Off entente to letten me; [[Illustration.]]
THat, mawgre alle my fforce and myght,
But ȝeue I kowdë swymme aryght
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Amonge the wawys ffeerse and ffelle, [Tib folio 52a]
I muste vndir his dawnger dwelle.
But ffirste, while he his trappys leyde, [[C. & Tib.]]
Vnto [[St., Tib. blurd]] the huntë thus I sayde:
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The Pylgryme:
"Hvntë," quod I, "telle me now,
What maner officere arthow, [[art tou St.]]
Whiche [thus] lyggeste on the way,
Vnlaweffully [[vnlawfully St., vnlawefull Tib.]] to cacchë pray,
Thus to makë thyne arestis,
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Namely on the kyngës beestis? [Stowe folio 322a]
I trowe thow haueste no lycence
ffor to don so greet offence;
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I dar afferme (eerly and late),
Swyche hunters, the kyng doth hate;
