“ Sen that I go beguild,
“ With one that faith has syld,"
“ That gars? me oft-syis 3 sigh full sare,
6 And walk among the holtis hair, 4
“ Within the woodis wild.

«« This great disease for love I dre,s

“ There is no tongue can tell the woe,
“ I love the love that loves not me;

“ I may not mend, but mourning mos
“ While God send some remede
“ Through destiny or deid.7
“ I am his friend, and he my foe.
“ My sweet, alas ! why does he so ?
“ I wrought him never no feid ! 8

“ Withouten feign, I was his friend,

“In word and work, great God it wait ! 9 " Where he was placed, there list I leynd, 10

“ Doing him service air '1 and late.

* Deceived. Causes. 8 Oft-sithes, i, c. oft-times.

4 Holts are woody hills. Holtis hoar are used in Sir Launfal, Mort Arthur, &c. 6 Endure.

6 I cannot be relieved except by a continuance of mourning. Death. 8 Feud, enmity. 9 Wots, knows.

10 To dwell. Rudd, Gloss, 11 Early VOL. II.

D

“ He keepand" after syne 2
“ Till his honour and mine:
“ But now he goes another gait,3
“ And has no eye to my estate, 4
• Which does me all this pyne. 5

“ It does me pyne that I may prove,

“ That makis me thus mourning mo.“ My love he loves another love,

“ Alas, sweet-heart, why does he so? “ Why should he me forsake ? “ Have mercy on his make. “ Therefore my heart will burst in two: “ And thus, walking with doe and roe “ My life now here I take.”

Then weeped she, lusty in weed,

And on her wayis gan she went,7 In hie, after that hend8 I yede,

And in my armis could her hent,

· Keeping, watching, guarding against. • Sin, impeachment.

And said, “ Fair lady, at this tide,
“ (With leave) ye mon abide,
“ And tell me who you hither sent?
“ Or why ye bear your bow so bent
“ To slay our deer of pride ?

“ In waithman' weed sen I you find,

“ In this wood walking, your alone, “ Your milk-white handis we shall bind

" While that the blood burst from the bone. “ Charging you to prison, “ To the king's deep dungeon, “ They may ken by your feather'd flanea “ Ye have been many beastis' bane, “ Upon these bentis brown.”

That free answer'd with fair afeir 3

And said, “ Sir, mercy! for your might! “ Thus mon I bow and arrows bear,

“ Because I am a banish'd wight;

· Hunter, and frequently an outlaw.
“ They ought not be hold vagabons or waith."

[G. Douglas, p. 159, 27.]
Little John and Robin Hood,
Waithmen were commended good.

[Wintown's Chron. Vol. I. p. 397.] • Arrows. Ruddim. Gloss. • Propriety ? aferir, Fr. is synonymous with convenir.

“ So will I be full lang:
“ For God's sake let me gang;
“ And here to you my truth I plight,
“ That I shall, neither day nor night,
“ No wild beast wait with wrang.

« Though I walk in this forest free,

“ With bow, and eke with feather'd flane, “ It is well more than dayis three

“ And meat or drink yet saw I nane..
“ Though I had ne'er such need
“ Myself to win my bread,
“ Your deer may walk, sir, their alane.'
“ Yet was I ne'er na beastis bane;
“ I may not see them bleed !

“ Sen that I never did you ill,

“ It were no skill ye did me skaith.?
“ Your deer may walk where'er they will,

" I win my meat with no such waith.3
“ I do but little wrang,
« But if I flowers fang, 4

• In the eighth stanza, the author uses your alone instead of you alone. · Mischief.

3 Hunting; wæthan. Sax. 4 Seize. Sax.

“ If that ye trow not in my aith
“ Take here my bow and arrows baith,
“ And let my own self gang.”.

“ I say your bow and arrows bright!

“I bid not have them, by Saint Bride, “ But ye mon rest with me all night,

" All naked, sleeping by my side.” “ I will not do that sin, “ Leif you, this world to win!"“ Ye are so hale of hue and hide,? “ Love has me fanged in this tide, " I may not from you twinn.” 3

Then looked she to me, and lough;4

And said, “ Such love I rede you layn ;s “ Albe ye make it ne'er so tough,

“ To me your labour is in vain. “ Were I out of your sight, “ The space of half a night, “ Suppose ye saw me ne'er again, “ Love has you strain’d with little pain, “ Thereto my truth I plight.”

* Love you! a mode of address. • Skin.

3 Separate. 4 Laughed. • I advise you to dismiss.