[[Blank in MS. for an Illumination, given in Tib., of a Bird-man flying to the Pilgrim, a curvd fiddle in his left hand, its curvd bow in his right.]]
And thys bestë [[beeste Tib., best C.]] ful savage, [folio 280a]
Lyk a man off hys vysage,
Spak to me fful curteysly; [Tib folio 77b]
And thus he saydë muryely; [[merely Tib.]]
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¶ Gladnesse off the World: [[Tib., in margin C.]]
'Tel on to me (and sey nat nay,)
What maner solace, or what play
Lovest thow best: tel on, lat se,
And I shal pleyn to-forë [[pleyen to fore Tib., pleyn to for C., p. to fore St.]] the;
ffor I kan (lych to thyn entent)
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Pleye on euery instrument;
And, [[And om. Tib.]] for to makë lordys cher,
Bothe at ches and the cheker,
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The drawhtes ther-off, ful wel I kan,
Ye / bet than any other man.
And whan that ylkë play ys do,
ffor shepperdys I kan also,
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At the merellys, best off alle,
Whan so that they lyst me calle,
Pype and taboure in the strete,
Wyth lusty folkys whan I [[they Tib.]] mete.
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'At weddynges, to do plesaunce,
I kan karole wel, and [[and wel Tib.]] daunce;
In euery play I do excelle.
And yt wer to long to telle
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The dysportys and the playes
That I vse on somer dayes:
My Ioye ys al in merthe and game;
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And 'Worrldly [[wordely Tib.]] Play,' that ys my name.
'Men may me calle (off equyte)
A Mermayden off the se, [Stowe folio 346b]
That synge off custom, ay gladdest,
To-forn a storm and [[or St., and Tib.]] a tempest,
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To make ek folk [[folke eke Tib.]] (thys my labour,)
To forgetë ther creatour;
And folk in my subieccïoun,
I brynge hem to destruccïoun.' [folio 280b] [Tib folio 78a]
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