Vor to come þer wiþ inne, No þ{er} wid stregþe ne wid ginne. [Sidenote: [_leaf 7, back_]] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . aȝen woo . schal to iwinne þat Mayd al so sone . . . . . þe so{n}ne {and} mone. . . . þe bor . . mid rift . . . . . . . . aplyft . . hondred teyse þe to{ur} is heie . . . . by halt fur {and} nei. {and} an hundret teyse hit is wid, {and} imaked wiþ muchel pruid. Of lyme and of Marbulston{e}; In al þis world~ is suche noon{e}. Now is þe morter made so wele, Ne may it breke, iren ne steele. 576 Þe Pomel þat aboue is leide, It is made w{i}t{h} muche p{r}ide; Of lym {and} of marbelston; In þe world nis swich t{ur} non. In þe tur þ{er} is a welle, Suþe cler hit is wiþ alle. 224 He vrneþ in o pipe of bras, Whider so hit ned was. Fra{m} flore in to flore Þe strimes vrneþ store, 228 Fram bure in to halle Þe st{ri}mes of þis welle. In þe tur is o kernel Of seluer {and} of crestel. 232 On þe tur anouenon Is a charbugleston Þ{a}t ȝiueþ leme day {and} niȝt, Ne bi hit neure so derk niȝt. 236 Of lym {and} of marbel ston; In cristiante nis swich non. Þ{a}t morter is i maked se wel, Ne May hit breke ire ne stel. And þe pomel about þe lede Is i wrouht mit so . . . . . Þ{a}t man ne þar in þe Tour bern{e} Nouther torcher[FB-4] ne lantern{e}; 580 Suche a pomel was þ{er} bygo{n}e, Hit shyned a nyȝt so doþ þe soone. [Footnote FB-4: MS. torther] In þe bureȝ ne darf me berne Lampe ne torche ne lant{er}ne, Þ{a}t he ne ȝiueþ liȝt {and} leme As doþ a day þe su{n}ne beme. 240 Ne þarf me aniht . . . . . Nouþer torche . . . . . . . . . . . a pomel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [Headnote: _How the maidens are guarded._] [Sidenote: the porter on guard,] [_No gap in MS._] Þ{e} port{er} is prud wiþalle; Eche day he goþ on þe walle. And ef þ{er} comeþ eniman Biþi{n}ne þilke barbecan, 244 Bute he him ȝeue leue, He wule him boþe bete {and} reue. Þe port{er} is culuart {and} felun; He wule him sette areisun. 248 [Sidenote: and the forty-four maidens kept in the ‘high tower.’] Now arn~ in þat ilk~ Tour Twoo and fourty nobełł boure; 584 Wel were þat ilke man Þ{a}t myȝt woon{e} in þ{a}t oon~! Ne durst him neu{er} more ywys Couete after more blysse. 588 “Þer buþ in þe hiȝe tur Forti Maidenes {and} four. Wel were þ{a}t ilke mon Þ{a}t miȝte winne wiþ þ{a}t on. 252 Ne þorte he neure ful iwis Wilne more of p{ar}adis.