De Clerico et Puella

'My dež y loue my lyf ich hate for a leuedy shene,
Heo is brith so daies liht, žat is on me wel sene;
Al y falewe so dož že lef in somer when hit is grene.
3ef mi žoht helpež me noht, to wham shal y me meine?

Sorewe ant syke ant drery mod byndež me so faste
žat y wene to walke wod 3ef hit me lengore laste;
My serewe my care, al wiž a word he myhte awey caste.
Whet helpež že my suete lemmon, my lyf žus forte gaste?'

'Do wey, žou clerc žou art a fol wiž že bydde y noht chyde;
Shalt žou neuer lyue žat day mi loue žat žou shalt byde.
3ef žou in my boure art take, shame že may bityde;
že is bettere on fote gon žen wycked hors to ryde.

'Weylawei! Whi seist žou so? žou rewe on me žy man!
žou art euer in my žoht in londe wher ich am.
3ef y dee for ži loue, hit is že mykel sham;
žou lete me lyue ant be ži luef ant žou my suete lemman.'

'Be stille, žou fol, y calle že rižt; cost žou neuer blynne ?
žou art wayted day ant nyht wiž fader ant al my kynne.
Be žou in mi bour ytake, lete žey for no synne
Me to holde ant že to slon, že dež so žou maht wynne !'

'Suete ledy, žou wend ži mod, sorewe žou wolt me kyže.
Ich am al so sory mon so ich was whylen blyže.
In a wyndou žer we stod we custe vs fyfty syže;
Feir biheste makež mony mon al is serewes mythe.'

'Weylawey! Whi seist žou so?Mi serewe žou makest newe.
Y louede a clerk al paramours, of loue he wes ful trewe;
He nes nout blyže neuer a day bote he me sone se3e;
Ich louede him betere žen my lyf, whet bote is hit to le3e ?'

Whil y wes a clerc in scole, wel muchel y couže of lore;
Ych haue žoled for žy loue woundes fele sore,
Fer from hom ant eke from men vnder že wode gore.
Sete ledy, žou rewe of me; nou may y no more !'

'žou semest wel to ben a clerc, for žou spekest so stille;
Shalt žou neuer for mi loue woundes žole grylle;
Fader moder ant al my kun ne shal me holde so stille
žat y nam žyn ant žou art myn, to don al ži wille.'
(Vv. 1-36)

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The Owl and the Nightingale

Ich was in one sumere dale;
In one suže di3ele hale
Iherde ich holde grete tale
An Hule and one Ni3tingale.
Žat plait was stif & starc & strong,
Sum wile soft & lud among.
An aižer a3en ožer sval
& let žat vvole mod ut al;
& eižer seide of ožeres custe
Žat alre worste žat hi wuste.
& hure & hure of ožeres songe
Hi holde plaiding suže stronge.
(Vv. 1-12)

Wynnere and Wastoure

I hatt Wynnere, a wy that alle this werlde helpis
For I lordes cane lere thurgh ledyng of witt.
Thoo at spedfully will spare and spende not to grete,
Lyve appon littill-whattes I lufe hym the bettir.
Witt wiendes me with and wysses me faire,
Aye when gadir my gudes than glades myn hert
Bot this felle false thefe at byfore owe standes
Thynkes to strike or he styntt and stroye me for euer
Alle at I wynn thurgh witt he wastes thurgh pryde.
(Vv. 222-229)

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