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The Thrush and the Nightingale
L .... .... wiþ loue .... ....
Wiþ blosme & wiþ briddes roun; {f.279va}
 Þe notes of þe hasel springeþ,
Þe dewes derken in þe dale,
5000 Þe notes of þe niȝtingale;
Þis foules miri singeþ.
¶ Ich herd a striif bitvixen to,
Þat on of wele, þat oþer of wo,
Bitven hem to yfere;
1000 Þat on herieþ wimen þat ben hende,
Þat oþer he wald fawe schende;
Þis strif ȝe mow yhere.
¶ Þe niȝtingale haþ ynome
To speke for wimen atte frome,
1500 Of schame he wald hem were;
Þe þrustel cok he spekeþ ay,
He seyt bi niȝtes & bi day
Þat þai ben fendes fere;
¶ For þai bitraien eueri man
2000 Þat mest bileueþ hem on.
Þei þai be milde of chere
Þai ben fals & fikel to fond
& wircheþ wo in eueri lond;
It were better þat hye nere.
Þe Niȝtingale
2500 ‘Schame it is to blame leuedi, For þai ben hende of curtaisi;
Y rede þat þou lete.
Nas neuer breche non so strong,
No wiþ riȝt, no wiþ wrong
3000 Þat wimen no miȝt bete;
¶ Ysauȝten hem þat ben wroþe
& makeþ leue þat is loþe -
Wiþ game men schuld hem grete.
Þis warld were nouȝt ȝif wimen nere, {f.279vb}
3500 Ymaked þai ben to mannes fere;
Nis noþing half so swete.’
{[The Thrush]}
‘I may wimen heri nouȝt
For þai ben fals & fikel of þouȝt,
So me is don to vnderstond,
4000 & take witnes of mani & fele
Þat riche were of worldes wele
& fre to senden hem sond.
¶ Þei þai ben fair & briȝt in hewe,
Þai ben fals fikel vntrewe
4500 & worcheþ wo in ich lond.
King Alisaunder meneþ him of hem;
In þe world nis non so crafti men
No non so riche of lond.’
Þe Niȝtingale
‘Þrustelkok þou art wode
5000 Or þou canst to litel gode
Wimen for to schende.
It is þe best drurie
& mest þai cun of curteisie,
Nis noþing also hende.
5500 ¶ Her loue is swetter, ywis, Þan þe braunche of licoris;
Lofsum þai ben & hende.
Wele swetter is her breþ
Þan ani milke oþer meþ,
6000 & louelich in armes to wende.’
Þe Þrostel cok
‘Niȝtingale þou hast wrong,
As ich finde in mi song,
For ich hold wiþ þe riȝt.
Y take witnisse of Wawain
6500 Þat Crist ȝaf miȝt & main
& trewest was of kniȝt.
¶ So wide so he hadde riden & gon
Fals fond he neuer non,
Bi day no bi niȝt.
7000 Foule, for þi fals mouþe,
Þine sawes schal be wide couþe,
Aliȝt whare þou aliȝt.’
Þe Niȝtingale
‘Ichaue leue to aliȝt here
In orchard & in erbere ...
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