[Printed by Wright and Halliwell, _Reliquiae Antiquae_ (1841), i. 145, from an early fourteenth-century MS., then belonging to the Rev. R. Yerburgh, of Sleaford. On the piece and its sources in the Latin, French, and English _fabliaux_ of _Dame Siriz_, cf. Ten Brink, i. 255; ii. 295; Jusserand, _Lit. Hist._ i. 446. Ten Brink assigns the dramatic text, which is in the South Northumbrian dialect, to the reign of Edward I (1272-1307).] _Hic incipit Interludium de Clerico el Puella._ [Scene 1.] _Clericus._ Damishel, reste wel. _Puella._ Sir, welcum, by Saynt Michel! _Clericus._ Wer esty sire, wer esty dame? _Puella._ By Gode, es noner her at hame. _Clericus._ Wel wor suilc a man to life, That suilc a may mithe have to wyfe! _Puella._ Do way, by Crist and Leonard, No wily lufe, na clerc fayllard, Na kepi herbherg, clerc, in huse no y flore Bot his hers ly wit-uten dore. Go forth thi way, god sire, For her hastu losye al thi wile. _Clericus._ Nu, nu, by Crist and by sant Jhon, In al this land ne wis hi none, Mayden, that hi luf mor than the, Hif me mithe ever the bether be. For the hy sory nicht and day, Y may say, hay wayleuay! Y luf the mar than mi lif, Thu hates me mar than gayt dos chuief. That es noute for mys-gilt, Certhes, for thi luf ham hi spilt. A, suythe mayden, reu ef me That es ty luf, hand ay salbe. For the luf of [the] y mod of efne; Thu mend thi mode, and her my stevene. _Puella._ By Crist of heven and sant Jone! Clerc of scole ne kepi non; For many god wymman haf thai don scam. By Crist, thu michtis haf be at hame. _Clericus._ Synt it nothir gat may be, Jhesu Crist, by-tethy the, And send neulit bot thar inne, That thi be lesit of al my pyne. _Puella._ Go nu, truan, go nu, go, For mikel thu canstu of sory and wo. [Scene 2.] _Clericus._ God te blis, Mome Helwis. _Mome Helwis._ Son, welcum, by san Dinis! _Clericus._ Hic am comin to the, Mome, Thu hel me noth, thu say me sone. Hic am a clerc that hauntes scole, Y hidy my lif wyt mikel dole; Me wor lever to be dedh, Than led the lif that hyc ledh, For ay mayden with and schen, Fayrer ho lond hawy non syen. Tho hat mayden Malkyn, y wene; Nu thu wost quam y mene, Tho wonys at the tounes ende, That suyt lif, so fayr and hende. Bot if tho wil hir mod amende, Neuly Crist my ded me send. Men send me hyder, vyt uten fayle, To haf thi help anty cunsayle. Thar for amy cummen here, That thu salt be my herand-bere, To mac me and that mayden sayct, And hi sal gef the of my nayct, So that hever al thi lyf Saltu be the better wyf. So help me Crist! and hy may spede, Rithe saltu haf thi mede.