ffor the ffloodes, in ther fflowynge,
Hadde with his wawës euerydel
Ouere-fflowyd so that whel,
Line 19440
That I toke no heede there-at,
Tyl sodeynely there-on I sat.
And wyldëly the wawys smette
Vp-on this whel, ay as they mette;
Line 19444
ANd euere round, (as thoughtë me,)
This whel wente aboute the tre,
Where-off, I astonyed was,
Whanne I sawe this sodeyne caas.
Line 19448
Vp on whichë tre anoon,
I sawgh nestys fful many oon;
And bryddës (that I koudë knowe,)
Sommë hyh, and sommë [[som Tib., some St.]] lowe,
Line 19452
Ther nestis made (I toke good hede)
Grete and smale (it is no drede).
¶ And I demëd, [[it semyd St.]] in certeyne, [Tib folio 59a]
That this tre haddë hoolys tweyne;
Line 19456
And on the hygher hoole aloffte, [[St. & Tib.]]
I sawe an hand putte out fful offte. [[St. & Tib.]]
And this hand (as to my look) [[St. & Tib.]]
To the nestis put up an hook, [[St. & Tib.]]
Line 19460
And (as to myne inspeccyoun)
Was besy to pulle the nestis doun.
And as I stode a lytel throwe [[St. & Tib.]]
At the hoole that stood moste lowe,
Line 19464
I sawgh heedës lokynge oute
Towarde the braunches rounde aboute,
In purpos (ȝeue it myght haue be)
To clymbe vp hyghë on that [[hygh . . that Tib., highe . . thilke St.]] tre: [Stowe folio 236a]
They wolde haue take it ffayne in honde.
Line 19469
And there I sawe a lady stonde
Amonge the wyldë wawys trowble,
Vp-on a whel dyuerse and dowble.
Line 19472
Departyd was her garnemente,
Halffe hool, and haluendel was rente;
The to party, as snow was white
To loke vp-on, off greet delyte;
Line 19476
The tother party (ás thought me)
