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
On me hit is wel isene.
vor riȝte cunde ich am so kene.
vor{}þi ich am loþ smale foȝle.
þat floþ bi grunde an bi þuuele.
Hi me bichermet ⁊ bigredeþ. 215
⁊ hore flockes to `m´e ledeþ.
Me is lof to habbe reste.
⁊ sitte stille in mine neste.
. . . . . .
[Linenote:
216. _me_] _n̤e_ with _i_ added above: _me_ in margin.]
wenestu þat hauek beo þe wrse. [f. 231r²
Þe crowe bi{}grede him bi þe m{er}sche. 220
⁊ goþ to him myd heore chyrme.
Riht so hi wille. wiþ hi{m} schirme.
þe hauek foleweþ gode rede.
He flyhþ his wey ⁊ let hi grede.
wenestu þat haueck bo þe worse.
þoȝ crowe bi{}grede him bi þe m{er}she. 220
⁊ goþ to him mid hore chirme.
Riȝt so hi wille wit him schirme.
þe hauec folȝeþ gode rede. |
⁊ fliȝt his wei ⁊ lat he{m} grede. [f. 235r²
[Linenotes:
223. _f̣ḷ folȝeþ_ MS. || 224. _hem_ corr. out of _hi_ MS.]
++Þet þu me seyst of oþer þinge. 225
⁊ tellest þat ich ne can nouht singe.
Ac al my reorde is wonyng.
And to ihere gryslych þing.
þat nis nouht soþ. ich singe efne.
Mid fulle dreme· ⁊ lude stefne. 230
þu wenest þat eoch song beo g{ri}slich.
þat þine pipinge nis ilich.
++Ȝet þu me seist of oþ{er} þinge. 225
⁊ telst þat ich ne can noȝt singe
Ac al mi rorde is woning
⁊ to `i´hire grislich þing
þat nis noȝt soþ ich singe efne.
Mid fulle dreme ⁊ lude stefne. 230
þu wenist þat ech song bo grislich.
þat þine pipinge nis ilich.
Mi stefne is bold· ⁊ nouht vnorne.
heo is ilich one grete horne.
⁊ þin is iliche one pype. 235
of one smale weode vnripe.
Ich [singe] bet þan þu dest.
Þu chaterest so doþ on yris p{re}st.
Mi stefne is bold ⁊ noȝt un{}orne.
ho is ilich one grete horne.
⁊ þin is ilich one pipe. 235
Of one smale w`e´ode un{}ripe.
Ich singe bet þan þu dest.
Þu chat{er}est so doþ on irish pr`e´ost.
[Linenotes:
233. MS. _blod_ corr. in margin to _bold_. || 236. _woede_
_e_ added by corrector MS.]
Ich singe an efne. a{}ryhte time.
⁊ seþþe hwenne hit is bedtime. 240
þe þridde syþe a middel{}nyhte.
⁊ so ich myne songe a{}dihte.
hwenne ich iseo arise veorre
oþer day{}rewe· oþer day{}steorre.
Ic do god myd myne þrote. 245
And warny men to heore note.
Ac þu singest alle longe nyht.
From eue þat hit is day{}liht.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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