And hadde myn Arm ageyn at large;
And (with-outë [[without Tib., St.]] shyp or barge,)
I gan swymme, with-Inne a whyle,
Ageyn vn-to that samë yle
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ffro the wych that I kam ffro.
Whan the merëmayde was go—
I mene, thys worldys fals solace,
That gan so sore at me to chace;—
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But lyst [[leste Tib., lest St.]] she sholde ha taken me,
I swam ful faste amyd the se;
ffor dred off hyre, I was in were.
But Youthe and she, to-gydre yfere,
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fful gret Ioye they gan to make;
And thus hath Yowthë me forsake;
ffor than I loste hyr in certeyn,
That she to me kam neuer ageyn.
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And doun I sat, ffor werynesse,
And gan compleyne in gret dystresse: [[Blank in MS. for an Illumination, given in Tib., of the Pilgrim sitting on his Island.]]
"Allas," quod I, (myd off my wo,) [Tib folio 80b]
"Allas, allas! what shal I do?
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How shal I, wrechche, eskape a-way
Out off thys ylë? weyllavay!
ffor, by .v. [[C., St., ffor ffyue Tib.]] Enchaunteresses,
I am brouht in gret dystressys,
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And in gret pereyl, doutëles:
ffor Scilla ffyrst, and ek Cyrces,
Han causyd me to gon A-mys;
Syrénes, [[Tib., C. burnt, Sirines St.]] and Karibdis, [folio 282b]
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And Bythalassus, [[Tib., St., C. burnt]] werst of alle,
Ben attonys on me falle; [Stowe folio 348a] [[St. & C.]]
And, mortally me to be-guyle, [[St. & C.]]
They han me brouht in-to thys Ile, [[St. & C.]]
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Long in sorwe to soiourne,
And kan non other wey retourne,
To ffyndë socour in thys cas.
I may wel sorwe and seyn allas!
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Out off my wey, in nouncerteyn, [[nouncerteyn Tib.]]
And kan no mene to kome Ageyn.
