Selections from Early Middle English, 1130-1250. Part 1: Texts
General
Selections from Early Middle English, 1130-1250. Part 1: Texts
English literature -- Middle English, 1100-1500
And þu tukest wroþe ⁊ vuele
Hwar þu myht ouer smale vowele. |
vor{}þi þu art loþ al fowel cunne. [f. 229v¹ 65
⁊ alle heo þe dryueþ heonne.
⁊ þe bi{}scrycheþ. ⁊ bi{}gredeþ
⁊ wel narewe þe by{}ledeþ.
⁊ ek forþe þe sulue mose
hire þonkes wolde þe to{}tose. 70
⁊ þu tukest wroþe ⁊ vuele.
Whar þu miȝt over smale fuȝele.
Vorþi þu art loþ al fuel{}kunne. 65
⁊ alle ho þe driueþ honne.
⁊ þe bi{}schricheþ ⁊ bi{}gredet.
⁊ wel narewe þe bi{}ledet. |
⁊ ek forþe þe sulue mose. [f. 233v¹
Hire þonkes wolde þe totose. 70
þu art lodlich to bi{}holde.
And þu art loþ i{n} monye volde.
þi bodi is scort. þi swere is smal.
Gretture is þin heued ne þu al.
þin éyen beoþ col{}blake ⁊ brode. 75
Ryht so hi were{n} ipeynt myd wod{e}
þu starest so þu wille abyten
Al þat þu myht myd clyure smyte{n}
þi bile is stif· ⁊ sarp· ⁊ hoked.
Riht as on ewel þat is croked. 80
þar myd þu clechest eu{er} amo{n}g.
And þat is on of þine song.
[Linenote:
75. _en ... brode_ on an erasure.]
Þu art lodlich to biholde.
⁊ þu art loþ in monie volde.
þi bodi is short þi swore is. smal.
Grett{er}e is þin heued þan þu al.
þin eȝene boþ colblake ⁊ brode. 75
Riȝt swo ho were{n} ipei{n}t mid wode.
þu starest so þu wille abiten.
Al þat þu mist mid cliure smiten.
þi bile is stif ⁊ scharp ⁊ hoked.
Riȝt so an owel þat is croked. 80
þar{}mid þu clackes oft`e´ ⁊ longe.
⁊ þat is on of þine songe.
Ac þu þretest to myne vleysse.
Mid þine cleures woldest me meysse.
þe were i{}cundere to one frogge. 85
þat sit at Mulne vnder cogge.
Snayles. Mus. and fule wihte.
Beoþ þine cunde ⁊ þine rihte.
Þu sittest a day and flyhst a niht.
þu cuþest þat þu art on vnwiht. 90
þu art lodlich· and unclene.
Bi þine neste· ich hit mene.
And ek bi þine fule brode.
Þu vedest on heo{m} a wel ful vode.
. . . . . . .
[Linenote:
91. _⁊ and_ MS.]
Ac þu þretest to mine fleshe.
Mid þine cliures woldest me meshe.
þe were icundur to one frogge. 85
[Þat sit at mulne under cogge.]
Snailes, mus ⁊ fule wiȝte.
Boþ þine cunde ⁊ þine riȝte.
þu sittest adai and fliȝ[s]t aniȝt.
þu cuþest þat þu art on unwiȝt. 90
þu art lodlich ⁊ unclene.
Bi þine neste ich hit mene.
⁊ ek bi þine fule brode.
þu fedest on hom a wel ful fode.
. . . . . .
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