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[^TEXT:  THE THRUSH AND THE NIGHTINGALE.
ENGLISH LYRICS OF THE XIIITH CENTURY.
ED. C. BROWN.
OXFORD: CLARENDON PRESS, 1932. 
PP. 101.1 - 107.192^]

<P 101>
[} [\THE THRUSH AND THE NIGHTINGALE.\] }]
[} (\CI COMENCE LE CUNTENT PARENTRE LE MAUUIS & LA              #
RUSSINOLE\) }]

   Somer is comen wi+t loue to toune,
Wi+t blostme, and wi+t brides roune
+Te note of hasel springe+t,
+Te dewes darkne+t in +te dale.
For longing of +te ni+gttegale,
+Tis foweles murie singe+t.     

Hic herde a strif bitweies two - 
+Tat on of wele, +tat o+ter of wo.
Bitwene two I-fere,
+Tat on here+t wimmen +tat hoe be+t hende,
+Tat o+ter hem wole wi+t mi+gte shende.
+Tat strif +ge mowen I-here.

+Te ni+gtingale is on bi nome
+Tat wol shilden hem from shome,
Of ska+te hoe wole hem skere;
+Te +trestelcok hem kepe+t ay,
He sei+t bi ni+gte and eke bi day,
+Tat hy be+t fendes I-fere.

For hy biswike+t euchan mon
+Tat mest bi-leue+t hem ouppon.
+Tey hy ben milde of chere,
Hoe be+t fikele and fals to fonde,
Hoe werche+t wo in euchan londe;
Hit were betere +tat hy nere.
<P 102>
[\Nightingale\] 'Hit is shome to blame leuedy,   
For hy be+t hende of corteisy;
Ich rede +tat +tou lete.
Ne wes neuere bruche so strong,
I-broke wi+t ri+gte ne wi+t wrong,
+Tat mon ne mi+gte bete.

Hy gladie+t hem +tat be+t wro+te,
Bo+te +te heye and +te lowe,
Mid gome hy cunne hem grete.
+Tis world nere nout +gif wimen nere;
I-maked hoe wes to mones fere,
Nis no +ting al so swete.'

[\Thrush\] 'I ne may wimen herien nohut,
For hy be+t swikele and false of +tohut,
Also ich am ounderstonde.
Hy be+t feire and bri+gt on hewe,
Here +tout is fals, and ountrewe
Ful +gare ich haue hem fonde.

Alisaundre +te king mene+t of hem - 
In +te world nes non so crafti mon,
Ne non so riche of londe.
I take witnesse of monie and fele
+Tat riche weren of worldes wele,
Muche wes hem +te shonde.'

[\Nightingale\] +Te ni+gtingale hoe wes wro+t:  
'Fowel, me +tinke+t +tou art me lo+t
Sweche tales for to showe.
Among a +tousent leuedies I-tolde,
+Ter nis non wickede I holde
+Ter hy sitte+t on rowe.
<P 103>
Hy be+t of herte meke and milde,
Hem-self hy cunne from shome shilde
Wi+tinne boures wowe,
And swettoust +ting in armes to wre
+Te mon +tat holde+t hem in gle.
Fowel, wi ne art +tou hit I-cnowe?'

[\Thrush\] 'Gentil fowel, seist +tou hit me? 
Ich habbe wi+t hem in boure I-be,
I haued al mine wille.
Hy wille+t for a luitel mede
Don a sunfoul derne dede,
Here soule forto spille.

Fowel, me +tinke+t +tou art les;
+Tey +tou be milde and softe of pes,
+Tou seyest +tine wille.
I take witnesse of adam,
+Tat wes oure furste man,
+Tat fonde hem wycke and ille.'

[\Nightingale\] '+Trestelcok, +tou art wod, 
O+ter +tou const to luitel goed,
+Tis wimmen for to shende.
Hit is +te swetteste driwerie,
And mest hoe counnen of curteisie.
Nis no+ting al so hende.

+Te mest mur+te +tat mon haue+t here,
Wenne hoe is maked to his fere
In armes for to wende.
Hit is shome to blame leuedi,
For hem +tou shalt gon sori - 
Of londe ich wille +te sende.'
<P 104>
[\Thrush\] 'Ni+gttingale, +tou hauest wrong!
Wolt +tou me senden of +tis lond
For ich holde wi+t +te ri+gtte?
I take witnesse of sire wawain,
+Tat ihesu crist +gaf mi+gt and main
And streng+te for to fi+gtte,

So wide so he heuede I-gon,
Trewe ne founde he neuere non
Bi daye ne bi ni+gtte.'
[\Nightingale\] 'Fowel, for +ti false mou+t  
+Ti sawe shal ben wide cou+t,
I rede +te fle wi+t mi+gtte.

Ich habbe leue to ben here,
In orchard and in erbere
Mine songes for to singe.
Herdi neuere bi no leuedi
Bote hendinese and curteysi,
And ioye hy gunnen me bringe,

Of muchele mur+te hy telle+t me.
Fere, al so I telle +te,
Hy liuie+t in longinge.
Fowel, +tou sitest on hasel bou,
+Tou lastest hem, +tou hauest wou - 
+Ti word shal wide springe.'

[\Thrush\] 'Hit springe+t wide, wel ich wot - 
+Tou tel hit him +tat hit not!
+Tis sawes ne be+t nout newe.
Fowel, herkne to mi sawe,
Ich wile +te telle of here lawe
+Tou ne kepest nout hem I-knowe.
<P 105>
+Tenk on costantines quene - 
Foul wel hire semede fow and grene - 
Hou sore hit gon hire rewe.
Hoe fedde a crupel in hire bour,
And helede him wi+t couertour.
Loke, war wimmen ben trewe!'

[\Nightingale\] '+Trestelkok, +tou hauest wrong! 
Al so I sugge one mi song,
And +tat men wite+t wide,
Hy be+t bri+gttore ounder shawe
+Ten +te day wenne hit dawe
In longe someres tide.

Come +tou heuere in here londe,
Hy shulen don +te in prisoun stronge
And +ter +tou shalt abide.
+Te lesinges +tat +tou hauest maked,
+Ter +tou shalt hem forsake,
And shome +te shal bitide.'

[\Thrush\] 'Ni+gttingale, +tou seist +tine wille, 
+Tou seist +tat wimmen shulen me spille.
Da+teit, wo hit wolde!
In holi bok hit is I-founde,
Hy bringe+t moni mon to grounde,
+Tat proude weren and bolde.

+Tenk oupon saunsum +te stronge,
Hou muchel is wif him dude to wronge,
Ich wot +tat hoe him solde.
Hit is +tat worste hord of pris
+Tat ihesu makede in parais
In tresour for to holde.'
<P 106>
+To seide +te ni+gttingale:
[\Nightingale\] 'Fowel, wel redi is +ti tale; 
Herkne to mi lore!
Hit is flour +tat  laste+t longe,
And mest I-herd in eueri londe,
And louelich ounder gore.

In +te worlde nis non so goed leche,
So milde of +toute, so feir of  speche,
To hele monnes sore.
Fowel, +tou rewest al mi +tohut,
+Tou dost euele ne geine+t +te nohut,
Ne do +tou so nammore!'

[\Thrush\] 'Ni+gtingale, +tou art ounwis  
On hem to leggen so muchel pris,
+Ti mede shal ben lene.
Among on houndret ne be+t fiue,
Nou+ter of maidnes ne of wive,
+Tat holde+t hem al clene,

+Tat hy ne werche+t wo in londe,
O+ter bringe+t men to shonde,
And +tat is wel I-seene.
And +tey we sitten +terfore to striuen,
Bo+te of maidnes and of wiue,
So+t ne seist +tou ene.'

[\Nightingale\] 'O fowel, +ti mou+t +te haue+t I-shend! 
+Toru wam wes al +tis world I-wend?
Of a maide meke and milde,
Of hire sprong +tat holi bern
+Tat boren wes in bedlehem,
And teme+t al +tat is wilde.
<P 107>
Hoe ne weste of sunne ne of shame,
Marie wes Ire ri+gte name,
Crist hire I-shilde!
Fowel, for +ti false sawe
For-beddi +te +tis wode shawe,
+Tou fare into +te filde!'

[\Thrush\] 'Ni+gttingale, I wes woed, 
O+ter I cou+te to luitel goed,
Wi+t +te for to striue.
I suge +tat icham ouercome
+Toru hire +tat bar +tat holi sone,
+Tat soffrede wundes fiue.

Hi swerie bi his holi name
Ne shal I neuere suggen shame
Bi maidnes ne bi wiue.
Hout of +tis londe willi te,
Ne rechi neuere weder I fle,
A-wai ich wille driue. 



