XXIII.

After mass, a morsel he take with his men. After messe a morsel¹ he & his men token, Miry wat3 þe mornyng, his mounture he askes; Then were all on their horses before the hall-gates. 1692 Alle þe haþeles þat on horse schulde helden hym after, Were boun busked on hor blonkke3, bi-fore² þe halle 3ate3; It was a clear frosty morning. Ferly fayre wat3 þe folde, for þe forst clenged, In rede rudede vpon rak rises þe sunne, The hunters, dispersed by a wood's side, 1696 & ful clere coste3³ þe clowdes of þe welkyn. Hunteres vnhardeled bi a holt syde, Rocheres roungen bi rys, for rurde of her hornes; come upon the track of a fox, Summe fel in þe fute, þer þe fox bade, 1700 Trayle3 ofte a trayteres⁴, bi traunt of her wyles; A kenet kryes þerof, þe hunt on hym calles, His fela3es fallen hym to, þat fnasted ful þike, which is followed up by the hounds. Runnen forth in a rabel, in his ry3t fare; 1704 & he fyske3 hem by-fore, þay founden hym sone, They soon get sight of the game, & quen þay seghe hym with sy3t, þay sued hym fast, Wre3ande h[ym] ful [w]eterly with a wroth noyse; and pursue him through many a rough grove. & he trantes & tornayee3 þur3 mony tene greue; 1708 Hamloune3, & herkene3, bi hegge3 ful ofte; [Fol. 114.] The fox at last leaps over a spinny, At þe last bi a littel dich he lepe3 ouer a spenné, Stele3 out ful stilly bi a strothe rande, and by a rugged path seeks to get clear from the hounds. Went haf wylt of þe wode, with wyle3 fro þe houndes, 1712 Þenne wat3 he went, er he wyst, to⁵ a wale tryster, He comes upon one of the hunting stations, where he is attacked by the dogs. Þer þre þro at a þrich þrat hym at ones, al graye; However, he slips them, He blenched a3ayn bilyue, 1716 & stifly start onstray, With alle þe wo on lyue, and makes again for the wood. To þe wod he went away. ¹ MS. nnorsel. ² bi-forere, in MS. ³ caste3 (?). ⁴ trayveres (?). ⁵ to to, in MS.