XXIII.
Reading edition
After mass, a morsel he take with his men. After messe a morsel1 he & his men token, Miry watȝ 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 blonkkeȝ, bi-fore2 þe halle ȝateȝ; It was a clear frosty morning. Ferly fayre watȝ 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 costeȝ3 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 Trayleȝ ofte a trayteres4, bi traunt of her wyles; A kenet kryes þerof, þe hunt on hym calles, His felaȝes fallen hym to, þat fnasted ful þike, which is followed up by the hounds. Runnen forth in a rabel, in his ryȝt fare; 1704 & he fyskeȝ hem by-fore, þay founden hym sone, They soon get sight of the game, & quen þay seghe hym with syȝt, þay sued hym fast, Wreȝande h[ym] ful [w]eterly with a wroth noyse; and pursue him through many a rough grove. & he trantes & tornayeeȝ þurȝ mony tene greue; 1708 Hamlouneȝ, & herkeneȝ, bi heggeȝ ful ofte; [Fol. 114.] The fox at last leaps over a spinny, At þe last bi a littel dich he lepeȝ ouer a spenné, Steleȝ 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 wyleȝ fro þe houndes, 1712 Þenne watȝ 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 aȝayn 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 casteȝ (?). 4 trayveres (?). 5 to to, in MS.