The parlament of foules, by Geoffrey Chaucer. Ed., with introduction, notes, and glossary, by T. R. Lounsbury.

o80 TIlE' PARLAMENT OF FOULES.

LXXXVIII.
"Ye, have the glotoun fild inow his paunche, 6xo
Thanne are we wel! " seyde the merlioun,
"Thow mortherere of the heysoge on the braunche
That broughte the forth! thow reufulles glotoun!
Lyue thow soleyn, wermis corupcioun!
For no fors is of lak of thy nature; 615
Go, lewed be thow, whil that the world may dure."
LXXXIX.
"Now pes," quod Nature, " I comaunde here,
For I haue herd al youre opynyoun,
And in effect yit be we neuere the nere;
But fynally, this is my conclusioun, 620
That she hireself shal han the eleccioun
Of whom hire lest, who so be wroth or blythe;
Hym that she cheest, he shal hire han as swithe.
XC.
"For syn it may not here discussid be
Who louyth hire best, as seyth the terselet, 625
Thanne wil I don hire this fauour, that she
Shal han ryght hym on whom hire herte is set:
And he hire that his herte hath on hire knyt:
Thus juge I, Nature, for I may not lye
To non estat, I haue non othir eye. 630
6xi. [the merlioun] thanne a Merlioun. 623. [cheest] chesith.
6x4. rLyue] Leue. 623. [as] a.
614. [wermis] werm. 625. [terselet] terslet.
619. [neure] not. 627. ryght not in this MS.
622. [(wh so be wroth or blythe] & 627. [whom] hon.
who be wroth & blythe.