|
|
Somer is comen with loue to toune,
|
|
|
With blostme and with brides roune,
|
|
|
The note of hasel springeth,
|
|
|
The dewes darkneth al the dale,
|
|
5
|
For longing of the nighttegale
|
|
|
This foweles murie singeth.
|
|
|
Hic herde a strif bitweies two -
|
|
|
That on of wele, that other of wo,
|
|
|
Bitwene two i-fere;
|
|
|
|
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10
|
That on hereth wimmen, that hoe beth hende,
|
|
|
That other hem wole with mighte shende;
|
|
|
That strif ye mowen i-here.
|
|
|
The nightingale is on bi nome,
|
|
|
That wol shilden hem from shome,
|
|
15
|
Of skathe hoe wole hem skere;
|
|
|
The threstelcok hem kepeth ay,
|
|
|
He seith bi nighte and eke bi day,
|
|
|
That hy beth fendes i-fere:
|
|
|
'For hy biswiketh euchan mon, [Thrush]
|
|
20
|
That mest bi-leueth hem ouppon,
|
|
|
They hy ben milde of chere.
|
|
|
Hoe beth fikele and fals to fonde,
|
|
|
Hoe wercheth wo in euchon londe:
|
|
|
Hit were betere, that hy nere.
|
|
|
|
|
25
|
'Hit is shome, to blame leuedy, [Nightingale]
|
|
|
For hy beth hende of corteisy,
|
|
|
Ich rede, that thou lete;
|
|
|
Ne wes neuere bruche so strong
|
|
|
I-broke with righte ne with wrong,
|
|
30
|
That mon ne mighte bete.
|
|
|
Hy gladieth hem, that beth wrowe,
|
|
|
Bothe the heye and the lowe,
|
|
|
Mid gome hy cunne hem grete.
|
|
|
This world nere nout, yif wimen nere,
|
|
35
|
I-maked hoe wes to mones fere,
|
|
|
Nis nothing al so swete.'
|
|
|
|
|
|
'I ne may wimen herien nohut, [Thrush]
|
|
|
For hy beth swikele and false of thohut,
|
|
|
Also ich am ounderstonde;
|
|
40
|
Hy beth feire and bright on hewe,
|
|
|
Here thout is fals and ountrewe,
|
|
|
Ful gare ich haue hem fonde.
|
|
|
Alisaundre the King meneth of hem -
|
|
|
In the world nes non so crafti mon,
|
|
45
|
Ne non so riche of londe.
|
|
|
I take witnesse of monie and fele,
|
|
|
That riche weren of worldes wele:
|
|
|
Muche wes hem the shonde.'
|
|
|
|
|
|
The nightingale, hoe wes wroth: [Nightingale]
|
|
50
|
'Fowel, me thinketh, thou art me loth,
|
|
|
Sweche tales for to showe;
|
|
|
Among a thousent leuedis i-tolde
|
|
|
Ther nis non wickede i-holde,
|
|
|
Ther hy sitteth on rowe.
|
|
55
|
Hy beth of herte meke and milde,
|
|
|
Hem-self hy cunne from shome shilde,
|
|
|
Withinne boures wowe;
|
|
|
And swettoust thing in armes to wre
|
|
|
The mon, that holdeth hem in gle;
|
|
60
|
Fowel, wi ne art thou hit i-cnowe?'
|
|
|
|
|
|
'Gentil fowel, seist thou hit me? [Thrush]
|
|
|
Ich habbe with hem in boure i-be,
|
|
|
I-haued al mine wille;
|
|
|
Hy willeth for a luitel mede
|
|
65
|
Don a sunfoul derne dede,
|
|
|
Here soule for to spille.
|
|
|
Fowel, me thinketh, thou art les;
|
|
|
They you be milde and solfte of pes,
|
|
|
Thou seyst thine wille;
|
|
70
|
I take witnesse of adam,
|
|
|
That wes oure furste man,
|
|
|
That fond hem wyckde and ille.'
|
|
|
|
|
|
'Threstelcok, thou art wod, [Nightingale]
|
|
|
Other thou const to luitel goed,
|
|
75
|
This wimen for to shende;
|
|
|
Hit is the swetteste driwerie,
|
|
|
And mest hoe counnen of curteisie,
|
|
|
Nis nothing also hende.
|
|
|
The mest murthe that mon haueth here,
|
|
80
|
Wenne hoe is maked to his fere,
|
|
|
In armes for to wende.
|
|
|
Hit is shome to blame leuedi;
|
|
|
For hem thou shalt gon sori -
|
|
|
Of londe ich wille the sende.'
|
|
|
|
|
85
|
'Nighttingale, thou hauest wrong! [Thrush]
|
|
|
Wolt thou me senden of this lond,
|
|
|
For ich holde with the rightte?
|
|
|
I take witnesse of sire wawain,
|
|
|
That ihesu crist yaf might and main,
|
|
90
|
And strengthe for to fightte.
|
|
|
So wide so he heuede i-gon,
|
|
|
Trewe ne founde he neuere non,
|
|
|
Bi daye ne bi nightte.'
|
|
|
'Fowel for thi false mouth [Nightingale]
|
|
95
|
Thi sawe shal ben wide couth,
|
|
|
I rede the fle with mightte.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ich habbe leue to ben here,
|
|
|
In orchard and in erbere
|
|
|
Mine songes for to singe;
|
|
100
|
Herdi neuere bi no leuedi
|
|
|
Bote hendinese and curteysi,
|
|
|
And joye hy gunnen me bringe.
|
|
|
Of muchele murthe hy telleth me:
|
|
|
Fere, also I telle the,
|
|
105
|
Hy liuieth in longinge.'
|
|
|
Fowel, thou sitest on hasel-bou,
|
|
|
Thou lastest hem, thou hauest wou -
|
|
|
Thi word shal wide springe!'
|
|
|
|
|
|
'Hit springeth wide, wel ich wot – [Thrush]
|
|
110
|
Thou tel hit him, that hit not!
|
|
|
This sawes ne beth nout newe.'
|
|
|
Fowel, herkne to mi sawe,
|
|
|
Ich wile telle of here lawe,
|
|
|
Thou ne kepest nout hem, i-knowe.
|
|
115
|
Thenk on costantines quene -
|
|
|
Foul wel hire semede fow and grene -
|
|
|
Hou sore hit gon hire rewe!
|
|
|
Hoe fedde a crupel in hire bour
|
|
|
And helede him with covertour:
|
|
120
|
Loke, war wimmen ben trewe!'
|
|
|
|
|
|
'Threstelcock, thou hauest wrong, [Nightingale]
|
|
|
Al so I sugge one mi song,
|
|
|
And that men witeth wide;
|
|
|
Hy beth brighttore ounder shawe
|
|
125
|
Then the day, wenne hit dawe
|
|
|
In longe someres tide.
|
|
|
Come thou heuere in here londe,
|
|
|
Hy shulen don the in prisoun stronge,
|
|
|
And ther thu shalt abide.
|
|
130
|
The lesinges, that thou hauest maked,
|
|
|
Ther thu shalt hem forsake,
|
|
|
And shome the shal bitide.'
|
|
|
|
|
|
'Nighttingale, thou seist thine wille, [Thrush]
|
|
|
Thou seist, that wimmen shulen me spille,
|
|
135
|
Datheit, wo hit wolde!
|
|
|
In holi bok hit is i-founde,
|
|
|
Hy bringeth moni mon to grounde,
|
|
|
That proude weren and bolde.
|
|
|
Thenk oupon saunsum the stronge,
|
|
140
|
Hou muchel is wif him dude to wronge,
|
|
|
Ich wot that hoe him solde.
|
|
|
Hit is that worste hord of pris,
|
|
|
That ihesu makede in parais,
|
|
|
In tresour for to holde.'
|
|
145
|
Tho seide the nighttingale:
|
|
|
|
|
|
'Fowel, wel redi is thi tale, [Nightingale]
|
|
|
Herkne to mi lore!
|
|
|
Hit is flour that lasteth longe,
|
|
|
And mest i-herd in eueri londe,
|
|
150
|
And louelich ounder gore.
|
|
|
In the worlde nis non so goed leche,
|
|
|
So milde of thoute, so feir of speche,
|
|
|
To hele monnes sore.
|
|
|
Fowel, thou rewest al mi thohut,
|
|
155
|
Thou dost euele, ne geineth the nohut;
|
|
|
Ne do thou so nammore!'
|
|
|
|
|
|
'Nightingale, thou art ounwis, [Thrush]
|
|
|
On hem to leggen so muchel pris,
|
|
|
Thi mede shal ben lene;
|
|
160
|
Among on houndret ne beth fiue,
|
|
|
Nouther of maidnes ne of wiue,
|
|
|
That holdeth hem all clene,
|
|
|
That hy ne wercheth wo in londe,,
|
|
|
Other bringeth men to schonde,
|
|
165
|
And that is wel i-seene.
|
|
|
And they we sitten therfore to striuen,
|
|
|
Bothe of madnes and of wiue,
|
|
|
Soth ne seist thou ene?'
|
|
|
|
|
|
'O fowel, thi mouth the haueth i-shend! [Nightingale]
|
|
170
|
Thoru wam wes al this world i-wend?
|
|
|
Of a maide meke and milde;
|
|
|
Of hire sprong that holi bern
|
|
|
That boren wes in Bedlehem,
|
|
|
And temeth al that is wilde.
|
|
175
|
Hoe ne weste of sunne ne of shame;
|
|
|
Marie wes ire righte name,
|
|
|
Crist hire i-shilde!
|
|
|
Fowel, for thi false sawe
|
|
|
Forbeddi the this wode-shawe;
|
|
180
|
Thou fare into the filde!'
|
|
|
|
|
|
'Nighttingale, I wes woed, [Thrush]
|
|
|
Other I couthe to luitel goed,
|
|
|
With the for to striue;
|
|
|
I suge, that ich am overcome
|
|
185
|
Thoru hire, that bar that holi sone,
|
|
|
That soffrede woundes fiue.
|
|
|
Hi swerie bi his holi name,
|
|
|
Ne shal I neuere suggen shame
|
|
|
Bi maidnes ne bi wiue;
|
|
190
|
Hout of this londe willi te,
|
|
|
Ne rech i neuere, weder I fle;
|
|
|
Awai ich wille driue.'
|
