A smot þe gailer wiþ is fest, [A] B. SNCO. þe g.] him þoo SN; hym C. wyth his fyst smote hym O. fest] so faste add. CO.]
Þat is nekke him to-berst. [him] al NC; he al O; boon S. brest S; braste CO.] [1615 f.:
His ffiste he drowe also hoteAnd in the nek he hym smote,He smote hym with his oþure hond,That his nek all towonde;He fell down to the ground,Was he nevure hole ne sound.M.] Line 1616 His felawe aboue gan to crie: [760—1617 are lost in E.] [To his M. His f.] Þe jailer SN. bigan N. ab. gan to] he gan M. That (The O) odur cryed, þat was aboue CO.] 'Hiȝe hider, felawe,' queþ Beues, 'hiȝe!' [hider] the M. qu. B.] hye the M. 'How, ffelaw,' he sayde, 'hyȝe hye E; 'Felowe, y pray þe, þat þou (þe add. N) hye SN; And seide: Felowe, for my loue CO.] 'Ȝif þow most haue help,' a sede, [most h.] hast of SN. a s.] nede ESNM. Haste þou to (of O) me ony nede C.] 'Ich come to þe wiþ a gode spede!' [Hyt ys bettur (best O) y CO; wole add. E. to þe] doun E. wiþ] om. S. a] wel NM; wel add. S. wiþ a] ryȝt E. wiþ—sp.] for drede C. to—sp.] the to rede O.] 'Ȝis!' queþ Beues, al for gile, [ȝif (!) A. queþ] seid SCO. B. seid N. al] as E. for] wiþ ESNM.] Line 1621 And knette þe rop þar while [kn.] kitte SN; hente E. þar] þat ylke E; in þat SN.] [
And this he spake all wyth wyle.Whan that felow come to the pittes ground,There that Beues lay ibound,He smote Beues with his fiste,That to the ground he hym thriste.'Lorde,' said Beues in that stounde,'Woo ys a man, that is bound!'M.
Þat oþer gayler began doun glydeWiþ a scharp swerd be hys syde,add. E.] Ase hiȝ ase a miȝte reche. [And al so EM. a] þe swerd SN.] Þo queþ Beues wiþ reuful speche: [queþ] cryede E; said M. rewely E; myld M. And spak to him in Saryzns (!) (sarsyne N) speche SN.] Line 1624 'For þe loue of sein Mahoun, [Felow, for SN. Sir, for loue M. seynt E; om. SN.] Be þe rop glid bliue adoun [glid bl.] com blyue SN; now glyde E; glide thou M. down M.] And help, þat þis þef wer ded!' [help] me add. EM. þis þef] he EM.] Whan he hadde þus ised, [Whan] Anoon as SN. Þus B. to þe gayleer sede E; And brought oute of that foule stid M.] Line 1628 Þat oþer gailer no leng abod, [A folio 185a:2] [Þat o. g.] Þe jayler aboue SN; He abode M. lenger SNM. ab.] above M.] Boute be þe rop adoun he glod. [be] a add. S; þe] so M; om. (!) A. downe bi the rope N. down dyd he glove M.] [1629 f.:
Beffs þat swerd heeld vp ryȝt,Þat oþer nam þe corde anon ryȝt,In to þe pet ryȝt ffaste he wond;E.] Whan þe rop failede in is hond, [Whan] But E; om. SN. in] of M.] Beues held vp þat gode bronde [And B. SN; benethe add. M. þat g.] his SN; the M. om. E.] Line 1632 And felde to gronde þat sori wiȝt, [And] He M. And f.] So fel SN; He ffyl E. þat s. w.] anon ryȝt E.] Þourȝ out is bodi þat swerd he piȝt. [Þorw þe swerd, þat was so bryȝt E; Thorough a sword, that stode vp right M; And þe swerd þrouȝ him pyȝt SN.]
Now er þai ded, þe geilers tweie, [er þai ded] B. haþ slayn E. gayles twayn M. Þe jailers (now ben ded both (liggen bothe dede N) SN.]
& Beues liþ to þe rakenteie, [to þe] bounde in (with M; om. N) ESN; a add. SM. rakende (!) N; raketeye E; cheyn M.]
His lif him þouȝte al to long, [His—al] Þoo hym þouȝte hys lyff E.]
Line 1637
Þre daies after he ne et ne drong. [after] om. E.] [1638 put before 1637 E.] [1637 f.:
There thre days ete he no mete ne drynke,But meny thoughtes dyd he thinke;Now he thinkyth his liffe to longe,For he lay bounden in sore bond.M; om. SN.]
