242 eye. 243 qwhat. sey. 244 kornin. 248 me.

263 qwher. 266 rennis. 269 oure.

270. 273 qwher.

250 qwhile. gede.

Nuncius,

70. King of lif and lord of londe,
as pou sittist on þi se

276

and floresschist with pi brigt bronde:
to þe i sit on kne.

71. Ich am Mirth, [as] wel pou wost,
280 pi mery messagere;

þat wostou wel, with-oute bost,
þer nas never my pere,

72. dogtelych to done a dede,
284 þat je haveth for to done;
hen to Berewik o-pon Twede,
and com 0-3ein ful sone.

73. Þer is no thing þe i-liche
288 in al þis worlde wide,

of gold and silver and robis riche
and hei hors on to ryde.

74. Ich have ben bope fer and nere
292 in bataile and in strife,

ocke þer was never [non] by pere,
for pou art king of life.

Et tunc, clauso tentorio, dicat regina secrete nuncio:

Regina.

78. Messager, i pray be nowe,

308 for pi curteysye,

277 florresschist. 297 ar. 307 Überschr. dicet.

318 stont.

333 gocyl.

[Bischop.]

83. be world is nou, so wo-lo-wo,
328 in siche bale i-bounde,

þat dred of God is al ago
and treuth is go to grounde.

84. Med is mad a demisman,
332 streynth betith pe law;
jogyl is mad a chepman,
and truyth is don of daw.
85. Wyt is nou al trecherie,
336 opis fals and gret;
play is nou [al] vileinie,
and corteysie is let.

86. Love is nou al lechurie,

340 Childrin beth onlerid;
halliday is glotunie,
þes lawis beth irerid.

319 tarying. 322 qwher. 334 dau. 337 uileni. 340 lerit.

88.

348

Frend may no man finde
of fremid ne of sibbe;
be ded beth out of minde,
gret sorw it is to libbe.

89. þes richemen beth reupeles,
352 pe pore goth to grounde,

and false men beth schameles:
þe soth ich have i-founde.

90. Hit is wrong [to] be riche knyt
356 al, þat þe pore doth:

fer þat is sene, day and nigt,
who so wol sigge soth.

91. Paraventur men halt me a fol
360 to sigge þat sothe tale;

he farith as fischis in a pol:
þe gret eteith þe smale.

92. Riche men spareth for noping

364

to do pe pore wrong;

he pinkith not on her ending,
ne on deth, þat is so strong.

93. Nopir he lovith God, ne dredith,
368 nopir him no his lawis;

toward helle fast him [spedith],
ayeins har ending-dawes.

94. Bot God of his [grete] godnis
372 yif ham grace to amend,
into be delful derknys
he goth wyth-outen end.

95. þer is dred and sorow,
376 and wo wythoutin wel;
no man may opir borow,
be þer nevir so fel.

343 slot. blet. bleynd. 346 i uis. 348 fremit. 349 3e. 350 soru. 351 reupy. 352 3e. 353 schan. 355 ze ric kynyit it is wrong. 356 3e. 357 far. 358 sa. 360 fot. 361 he] yai. 362 3e. 364 3e. worng. 365 he] yai. yingit. hen. 367 he] yai. 368 lauis. 369 touart. spedith] draut. 370 daus. 372 gras. 373 3e. derkyns. 374 þe. hend. 377 borou.