But loke þat no lettyng ger þe lenge here,
Ne no tarying the tyde for tene þat may folow;
ffor and þou do þou shalt degh, deme þe non oþer."
Qwen Antenor þis aunter angerly herd,
Line 1940
He turnyt hym tyte with outen tale more,
Hastit hym hertely, highit into bote,
Wound vp full wightly all his wale Ancres,
Caght in Cablis of þe calme water,
Line 1944
Braid vp a brode saile, hade brethe at his wille,
ffore enon to Philon with his feris all:
Aroue þere full radly, rest in a hauyn,
Þere Nestor the noble Duke was negh at his hond,
Line 1948
With a company clene in his close halle.
The man with his message meuys him to,
As legate and lege from his lord comyn.
He mekyt to þat mighty, and with mowthe said
Line 1952
His charge full choise, chefe how he might,
Euyn fairly by fourme, as I firste said.
Nestor anone noyet þere with,
And walt at his wordes into wode yre;
Line 1956
He frothet for folle, and his face chaunget;
His een flammet as þe fyre with a felle loke;
And louret on þe lede with a laithe chere,
Onswaret hym angerly with Awthwert wordis.
Line 1960
THE ONSWARE OF NESTOR TO ANTENOR.
"Thou sot with vnsell, seruand of o þe werst!
How durst þou so dernly þis dede vndertake,
To appere in my presens with so proude wordes,
Þat myn eris shuld negh the noise of þi speche?
Line 1964
But for noy of my nobilte & my nome gret, [folio 33a]
I shuld tere out þi tunge and þi tethe euyn,
And chop þurghe þi chekes for chateryng so high:—
Spede the to spille in spite of þi kynge,—
Line 1968
