When pe kyng of fraunce yherde pis výdynge,

He fmot doun ís heued is honden gon he wrynge,
Pourhout al fraunce pe word bygon to sânge,
Wo wes huem þo.

Muche wes pe forewe ant pe wepínge
pe wes in al fraunce among olde ane zÿnge,
þe mest part of pe londe bygon forze synge
Alas ant weyla wo.

105

110

A wey pou zunge pope, wher shal þe to rede,
Pou haft lore pin cardinals at þí meste nede,
Ne keuereft pou hē neuere for nonefkunnes mede, 115
Forfope y pe telle.

Do be forp zo rome to amende þí mísdede,

Bide gode halewen hue leze pe betere spede,
Bote pou worche wyfloker pou lofeft lond & lede,
pe coroune wel pe felle.

Alas pou feli, fraunce for pe may punche shome,
par
at ane fewe fullarís makep ou fo tome,
Sixti poufent on a day hue maden for lome,

Wip eorl & knyht.

Her of habbep þe flemyffh fuípe god game,
Anz fuerep by feínt omer & eke bi feínt Jame
Zef hy per more comep hit fallep huem to shame
Wip huem forte fýht.

120

125

J zelle ou for fope pe bataille pus bígon

Bizuene fraunce anz flaundres, hou hue weren fon, 130 Vor vrenthe pe eorl of flaundres in pfon heden y don Wip refoun vntrewe.

Ze[f] be pnce of walís his lyf habbe more,

Hız fallep pe kỷng of fraunce bizzrore pen þe fore,
Bore he pe rapere per of welle do bore

Wel fore hit fhal hým rewe.

135

IV.

SONG

-"in praife of the author's mistress, whofe name was

B

Alyfoun."

From the fame MS.

Yzuene merfh & aueríl,

When fpray biginnep zo spnge,

pe luzel foul hap hire wyl

On hyre lud zo sŷnge;

Jch libbe in louelonginge
For femlokeft of alle þynge,

He may me bliffe bringe,

Jcham in hire bandoun.

5

An

An hendy hap ichabbe yhent,
Jchor from heuene it is me fent,
From all wymmen mí loue ís lent,
& lyht on Alyfoun.

On hen híre her ís fayr ynoh,

Híre browe broune, híre eze blake ;

Wip loffum chere he on me loh;

Wip middel smal & wel ymak:

Bore he me wolle to híre zake,
Forze buen híre owen make,
Longe to lyuen ichulle forfake,

And feye fallen adoun.

An hendy hap, &c.

Nihtes when y wende & wake,

For þí myn wonges waxep won,

Leuedi al for þíne sake

Longinge is ýlent me on.

Jn world nís non so wyzer mon

pal híre bounce telle con,

Hire fwyre is whizzore pen pe fwon,

& feyreft may in toune.

An hend", &c.

Jcham for wowing al for wake,

Wery fo water in wore ;

IO

15

20

25

30

Left eny reue me my make,

Ychalbe yzýrned zore.

7

Betere

Betere is políen whyle fore
pen mournen euermore,
Geyneft vndergore,

Herkne to my roun.

An hendi, &c.

35

V.

A LOVE SONG, -"whofe author defcribes his beautiful, but unrelenting mistress."

From the fame MS.

LOW northerne wynd,

Sent pou me my fuezỳng.

Blow northerne wynd, blou, blou, blou.

Jchor a burde in boure brỷht,

Paz fully femly is on sýht,
Menfkful maiden of myht,

Feir ant fre zo fonde.

Jn al pis wurhliche won,

A burde of blod & of bon

Neuer zere ynufte non

Luffomore in londe. Blow, &c.

Wip lokkes lefliche & longe,.

Wip frount & face feír zo fonde,
Wip murpes moníe more heo monge,
þar brid fo breme in boure.

Wip loffom eye, greze ant gode,
Wip browen blyffol vnderhode,

He prefte hi on pe rode

p leflych lyf honoure. Blou, &c.

Hire lure lumes liht,

15

20