And a wełł spryngeþ þ{er}ynne, Þ{a}t is made w{i}t{h} muche gynne; 612 Þe wel is of~ muche prys, Þe stremes com froo P{ar}adyse; Þe grauel of~ þe ground is p{re}cious stoones, And al of v{er}tu for þe noones. 616 Now is þe wełł of much{e} auȝt; In þe orchard is a welle Þ{a}t is suþe cler wiþ alle. 280 Ihc mai seggen iwis, Þe st{ri}mes comeþ f{ra}m p{ar}adis. For in þe st{ri}mes þe smale stones, Hi beoþ þ{er} funden eurech one, 284 And a welle þ{a}t springeþ . . . Þ{a}t is i mad mid muchel . . . Þis welle is . . Muchel Þ{a}t grauel bi þe . . . . . And of v . eu . . . . Of safir . . {and} of . . . Of omcie {and} of . . . . . Þe welle is al . . . . . . [Headnote: _The marvellous spring and marvellous tree._] [Sidenote: If any maiden, who is not a virgin, approach the spring, the water boils up as if mad.] Ȝif a woman com þ{a}t is for-lauȝt, And she be doo to þe streeme For to wesshe her honndes clene, 620 Þe wat{er} wylle ȝelle as it were wood~, And bycom{e} red as blood~. On what maide þe water fareþ soo, Sone she shal to deþ be doo. 624 Þoo þat ben maidens clene, Þey may wessh{e} þ{er}yn, y wene; Þe water wołł stonde feire and clere; To hem makeþ it no daungere. 628 At þe walles hed stondeþ a tree, Þe feirest þat on erthe may be; It is cleped þe tree of loue: Flowers and blossomes spryngen aboue; 632 [Sidenote: The maiden upon whom first falls a blossom from this tree is chosen queen.] Þen þey þat maydons clene bene, Þei shul be brouȝt vnder þe tren{e}, And whicħ so falleþ þe floure, Shal be queene w{i}t{h} muche hono{ur}. 636 Boþe saphirs {and} sardoines, And suþþe riche cassidoines, And Iacinctes and topaces, And onicle of muchel g{ra}ce, 288 And mani on oþ{er} direwerþe ston Þ{a}t ich nu ne{m}pne ne can. Aboue þe walle stant atreo Þ{a}t faireste þ{a}t miȝte in erþe beo. 292 Hit is ihote þe treo of luue, For lef {and} blosme beoþ þ{er} buue. So sone so þe olde beoþ idon, Þer sp{ri}ngeþ niwe riȝt anon. 296 Alle þilke þ{a}t clene maidenes beo, Schulle sitte arewe vnder þat treo; And which falleþ on þ{a}t furste flur Schal beo q{ue}ne {and} fonge þonur. 300 Ȝef þ{er} is eni maide forleie, Þe wal is of so muchel eie, An heo stepe to þe gru{n}de, For to wassche hire honde, 304 Ha bulmeþ vp so he were wod, {And} chau{n}geþ f{ra}m wat{er} in to blod. On wuche þe welle fareþ so, Also suiþe he wurþ fordo. 308