XX. The Owl and the Nightingale

“i. Jesus College, Oxford, E 29 (J); see [VI, Alfred]. ii. Cotton Caligula A 9, British Museum (C); see XIV, Laȝamon. They are copies of a common exemplar X, which was probably taken directly from the poet’s original. X was written by two scribes; the work of the first is represented in ll. 1-353 of the present selection; that of the second in ll. 354-437; the former was accustomed to French scribal methods. The writer of C was a mechanical copyist and not at home in English, consequently he reproduces X with tolerable accuracy. The scribe of J was more independent .”

Cotton MS.
Parallel texts

Jesus College MS.

Incipit Altercacio inter filomenam ⁊ Bubonem.

I

ch wes in one sumere dale.

In one swiþe dyele hale.

I herde ich holde grete tale.

An vle and one nẏhtegale.

Þat playd wes· stif· ⁊ starc· ⁊ strong.

Sum hwile softe· ⁊ lud among.

And eyþer a yeyn oþer swal.

And let þat vuele mod vt al.

And eyþer seyde of oþres custe.

þat alre wrste þat hi ywuste.

⁊ hure ⁊ hure of oþres songe.

hi holde playding swiþe stronge.

Þe Nihtegale bi gon þo speke.

In one hurne of one beche.

⁊ sat vp one vayre bowe.

þat were abute blostme ynowe.

In ore vaste thikke hegge.

I meynd myd spire. ⁊ grene segge.

He wes þe gladdre. vor þe ryse.

⁊ song a veole cunne wyse.

Bet þuhte þe drem. þat he were.

of harpe· ⁊ pipe· þan he nere.

Bet þuhte þat heo were i shote.

of harpe· ⁊ pipe· þan of þrote.

Þo stod on old stok. þar bẏ side.

Þar þe vle song hire tyde.

And wes myd ivi al bi growe.

Hit wes þare vle erdingstowe.

Þe Nihtegale hi iseyh.

⁊ hi biholdeþ. and ouer seyh.

⁊ þuhte wel ful of þare vle.

For me hi halt. lodlich ⁊ fule. |

vnwyht heo seide a wey þu fleo.

Me is þe wurs. þat ich þe iseo.

Iwis for þine wle lete.

wel ofte ich my song fur lete

Min heorte atflyhþ· ⁊ falt my tunge.

hwenne þu art to me i þrunge.

Me luste bet speten þane singe.

of þine fule howelynge.

Þeos vle abod for hit wes eve.

heo ne myhte no leng bileue.

vor hire heorte wes so gret.

þat wel neyh hire fnast at set.

⁊ warp a word þar after longe.

hw þynk þe nu bi mine songe.

Wenestu þat ich ne kunne singe.

Þe ich ne cunne of wrytelinge.

Ilome þu dest me grome.

⁊ seist me boþe teone ⁊ schome.

If ich þe heolde on myne vote.

So hit bitide þat ich mote.

⁊ þu were vt of þine ryse.

þu scholdest singe on oþer wise.

Þe Nihtegale ȝaf onsware.

If ich me loki wiþ þe bare.

⁊ me schilde wit þe blete.

Ne recche ich nouht of þine þrete.

If ich me holde in myne hegge

Ne recche ich neuer hwat þu segge.

Ich wot þat þu art vnmilde.

wiþ heom þat ne muwe from þe schilde.

And þu tukest wroþe ⁊ vuele

Hwar þu myht ouer smale vowele. |

vor þi þu art loþ al fowel cunne.

⁊ alle heo þe dryueþ heonne.

⁊ þe bi scrycheþ. ⁊ bi gredeþ

⁊ wel narewe þe by ledeþ.

⁊ ek forþe þe sulue mose

hire þonkes wolde þe to tose.

þu art lodlich to bi holde.

And þu art loþ in monye volde.

þi bodi is scort. þi swere is smal.

Gretture is þin heued ne þu al.

þin éyen beoþ col blake ⁊ brode.

Ryht so hi weren ipeynt myd wode

þu starest so þu wille abyten

Al þat þu myht myd clyure smyten

þi bile is stif· ⁊ sarp· ⁊ hoked.

Riht as on ewel þat is croked.

þar myd þu clechest euer among.

And þat is on of þine song.

Ac þu þretest to myne vleysse.

Mid þine cleures woldest me meysse.

þe were i cundere to one frogge.

þat sit at Mulne vnder cogge.

Snayles. Mus. and fule wihte.

Beoþ þine cunde ⁊ þine rihte.

Þu sittest a day and flyhst a niht.

þu cuþest þat þu art on vnwiht.

þu art lodlich· and unclene.

Bi þine neste· ich hit mene.

And ek bi þine fule brode.

Þu vedest on heom a wel ful vode.

Þ

eos word ayaf þe nihtegale.

And after þare longe tale.

Heo song so lude. ⁊ so scharpe.

Ryht so me grulde. schille harpe.

þeos vle luste þiderward.

⁊ heold hire eyen neþerward.

⁊ sat to swolle ⁊ to bolewe.

so heo hedde one frogge i`s´wolwe.

For heo wel wiste. ⁊ was i war.

þat heo song hire a bysemar.

⁊ naþeles heo yaf ondsware.

hwy nel tu fleon into bare.

And schewi hweþer vnker beo.

of brihter hewe. of fayrur bleo.

No. þu hauest scharpe clawe.

Ne kepe ich noht þat þu me clawe.

þu hauest clyures swiþe stronge.

þu twengest þar mid so doþ a tonge.

þu þoutest so doþ þine ilyche.

Mid fayre worde me biswike.

Ich nolde don þat þu me raddest.

Ich wiste wel þat þu me misraddest.

schomye þe vor þine vnrede.

vn wryen is þi swikehede.

schild þi swikedom from þe lyhte.

And hud þat wowe a mong þe ryhte.

hwanne þu wilt þu vnriht spene.

Loke þat hit ne beo isene. |

vor swikedom haueþ schome and het

If hit is ope. and vnder yete.

Ne spedestu nouht mid þin vn wrenche

For ich am war. and can blenche.

Ne helpeþ noht· þat þu bo· to þriste.

Ich wolde vyhte bet myd liste.

þan þu mid al þine strengþe.

Ich habbe on brede· ⁊ ek on lengþe.

Castel god on myne ryse.

wel fyht þat wel flyhþ. seyþ þe wise.

Ac lete awey þeos cheste.

For suche wordes beoþ vnwreste.

And fo we on· myd rihte dome.

Mid fayre worde. ⁊ myd some.

þeyh we ne beon at on acorde.

we mawe bet myd fayre worde.

wiþ vte cheste· and bute vyhte.

Playde mid soþe. ⁊ mid ryhte.

⁊ may vr eyþer hwat he wile.

Mid rihte segge. ⁊ myd skile.

Þ

o qwaþ þe vle. hwo schal vs seme.

þat cunne ⁊ wille riht vs deme.

Ich wot wel quaþ þe nyhtegale.

Ne þarf þer of beo no tale.

Mayster Nichol· of guldeuorde.

he is wis· and war· of worde.

he is of worde swyþe glev.

And him is loþ eurich vnþeu.

he wot insyht in euche songe.

hwo singeþ wel. hwo singeþ wronge.

And he con schede from þe rihte.

Þat wowe. þat þuster from þe lyhte.

Þ

e vle. one hwile hi bihouhte.

And after þan þis word up brouhte. |

Ich graunti wel þa`t´ he vs deme.

For þeyh he were hwile breme.

⁊ leof him wre Nihtingale.

And oþer wyhte gent ⁊ smale.

Ich wot. he is nu þe acoled.

Nis he vor þe nouht afoled.

þat he vor þine olde luue.

Me a dun legge ⁊ þe a buue.

N[e] schaltu. neuer so him queme.

þat he vor þe fals dom deme.

he is nv ripe. ⁊ fast rede.

Ne luste hym nv to non vnrede.

Nv him ne lust namore pleye

he wile gon a rihte weye.

Þ

e nihtegale· wes al ware.

heo hedde ileorned· wel ihware.

vle heo seyde seye me soþ.

hwi dostu þat vnwihtes doþ.

þu singest a nyht ⁊ nouht a day.

And al þi song is way laway.

þu miht mid þine songe afere.

Alle þat hereþ þine ibere.

Þ[u] scrichest ⁊ yollest to þine fere

þat hit is gryslich to ihere.

hit þincheþ boþe wise ⁊ snepe.

Nouht þat þu singe. at þu wepe.

þu flyhst a nyht and noht a day.

þar of ich wundri ⁊ wel may.

For vych þing þat schonyeþ riht.

hit luuyeþ þuster ⁊ hateþ lyht.

⁊ euych þing. þat luueþ misdede.

hi luueþ þuster to his dede.

Þ

eos vle luste swiþe longe.

⁊ wes of teoned swiþe stronge.

heo quaþ. þu hattest Nihtegale.

þu mihtest bet hote galegale.

vor þu hauest to monye tale.

let þine tunge habbe spale.

þu wenest þat þes day beo þin owe.

let me nv habbe myne þrowe.

Beo nv stille ⁊ let me speke.

Ich wile beo of þe a wreke.

⁊ lust hw ich con me bi telle.

Mid rihte soþe wiþ vte spelle.

þu seyst þat ich me hude a day

þar to ne segge ich nyk no nay

⁊ lust ich telle hwer vore

Al hwi hit is ⁊ hware vore. |

Ich habbe bile stif ⁊ stronge.

⁊ gode cleures scharp ⁊ longe.

So hit bycumeþ to hauekes cunne.

hit is myn hyhte· ⁊ my ynne.

þat ich me drawe to mine cunde.

Ne may me no mon þar for sende.

on me hit is wel i sene.

For rihte cunde ich am so kene.

vor þi ich am loþ smale vowele.

Þat fleoþ bi grunde ⁊ bi þuuele.

hi me bichirmeþ ⁊ bi gredeþ.

⁊ heore flockes to me ledeþ.

Me is leof to habbe reste.

And sitte stille in myne neste.

wenestu þat hauek beo þe wrse.

Þe crowe bi grede him bi þe mersche.

⁊ goþ to him myd heore chyrme.

Riht so hi wille. wiþ him schirme.

þe hauek foleweþ gode rede.

He flyhþ his wey ⁊ let hi grede.

Þ

et þu me seyst of oþer þinge.

⁊ tellest þat ich ne can nouht singe.

Ac al my reorde is wonyng.

And to ihere gryslych þing.

þat nis nouht soþ. ich singe efne.

Mid fulle dreme· ⁊ lude stefne.

þu wenest þat eoch song beo grislich.

þat þine pipinge nis ilich.

Mi stefne is bold· ⁊ nouht vnorne.

heo is ilich one grete horne.

⁊ þin is iliche one pype.

of one smale weode vnripe.

Ich [singe] bet þan þu dest.

Þu chaterest so doþ on yris prest.

Ich singe an efne. a ryhte time.

⁊ seþþe hwenne hit is bedtime.

þe þridde syþe a middel nyhte.

⁊ so ich myne songe a dihte.

hwenne ich iseo arise veorre

oþer day rewe· oþer day steorre.

Ic do god myd myne þrote.

And warny men to heore note.

Ac þu singest alle longe nyht.

From eue þat hit is day liht.

⁊ euer lesteþ þin o song,

so longe so þe nyht is long.

⁊ euer croweþ þi wrecche crey.

Þat he ne swikeþ nyht ne day. |

Mid þine pipinge þu adunest.

þas monnes eren. þar þu wunest.

⁊ makest þi song, so vnwiht.

þat me ne telleþ. of þe nowiht.

Eurych mureþe may so longe leste.

þat heo schal liki wel vnwreste.

for harpe. ⁊ pipe. ⁊ foweles song.

Mislikeþ. if hit is to long.

Ne beo þe song ne so murie.

þat he ne sal þinche vnmurie.

If he i lesteþ ouer vnwille.

So þu myht þi song aspille.

for hit is soþ Alured hit seyde.

⁊ me hit. may in boke rede.

Eurich þing may lesen his godhede.

Mid vnmeþe and ouerdede.

Þ

e nyhtegale in hire þouhte.

At heold al þis. ⁊ longe þouhte.

hwat heo þar after myhte segge,

vor heo ne myhte noht a legge.

þat þe vle hedde hire i seyd.

vor ho spak boþe riht ⁊ red.

⁊ hire of þuhte þat heo hadde.

þe speche so feor uorþ iladde.

⁊ wes aferd þat hire answare

Ne wrþe nouht a riht ivare.

Ac noþeles heo spak boldeliche

vor heo is wis þat hardeliche.

wiþ his fo berþ grete ilete.

þat he for arehþe hit ne for lete.

vor suych worþ bold if þu flyhst.

þa`t´ wile fleo if þu swykst. |

If he isihþ þat þu nart areh.

he wile of bore wurche bareh.

⁊ for þi· þey `þe´ nyhtegale.

Were a ferd· heo spak bolde tale.

H

vle heo seyde· hwi dostu so.

þu singest a wynter wolawo.

þu singest so doþ hen a snowe.

Al þat heo singeþ hit is for wowe.

A winter þu singest wroþe ⁊ yomere.

⁊ euer þu art. dumb a sumere.

hit is for þine fule nyþe

þat þu ne myht. myd vs be bliþe.

vor þu forbernest· neyh for onde.

hwenne vre blisse cumeþ to londe.

þu farest so doþ þe ille.

Euer ich blisse him is vnwille.

Grucching· ⁊· luryng. him beoþ rade.

If he iseoþ. þat men beoþ glade.

he wolde þat he iseye.

Teres in eueriche monnes eye.

Ne roughte þe. þeyh flockes were.

Imeynd bi toppes· ⁊ bi here.

Al so þu dost on þire syde.

For hwanne snouh liþ þikke ⁊ wide.

⁊ alle wihtes habbeþ sorewe.

þu singest from eue to amorewe.

Ac ich mid me alle blisse bringe.

Ech wiht is glad· for myne þinge.

⁊ blesseþ hit· hwenne ich cume.

⁊ hihteþ a yeyn myne cume.

þe blostme. gynneþ springe ⁊ sprede.

Boþe in treo ⁊ ek in mede.

þe lilie myd hire fayre wlite.

welcomeþ me þeyh þu hit wite.

Bid me myd hire fayre bleo. |

þat ich schulle to hire fleo.

þe rose also myd hire rude.

þat cumeþ of þe þorne wode.

Bit me þat ich schulle singe.

For hire luue one skentynge.

[V]le þu axest me heo seyde.

[I]f ich con eny oþer dede.

Bute syngen in sume tyde.

⁊ bringe blisse veor ⁊ wyde.

hwy axestu of craftes myne.

Beter is myn on þan alle þine.

Beter is o song of myne muþe.

þan al þat þi kun kuþe.

⁊ lust. ich telle þe hwar vore.

wostu to hwan· mon wes ibore.

To þare blisse of heueryche. |

þar euer is song. ⁊ Murehþe ilyche.

þider fundeþ euer ich man.

þat eny þing of gode can.

for þi me syngþ in holy chireche.

⁊ clerekes gynneþ songes wrche.

þat mon yþenche. bi þe songe.

hwider he shal. ⁊ þar beon longe.

þat he þe murehþe ne vor yete.

Ac þar of þenche. ⁊ bi gete.

⁊ nyme yeme of chirche stefne.

hw Murie is þe blisse of heuene.

Clerekes· Munekes· ⁊ canúnes.

þar beoþ þos gode wike tunes.

Ariseþ vp to middel nyhte.

⁊ singeþ of þon heuene lyhte.

⁊ preostes vpe londe singeþ.

[Hwenne þe liht of daye springeþ.]

⁊ ich heom helpe hwat ic may.

Þ

e Nihtegale myd sweche worde.

for monymon myd speres orde.

haueþ lutle strengþe. ⁊ mid his schelde.

Ah naþeles in one felde.

þurh belde worde ⁊ myd ilete.

Deþ his iuo· for arehþe swete.

þe wrenne for heo cuþe singe.

þar com in þare moreweninge.

To helpe þare nyhtegale.

vor heo hadde stefne smale.

heo hadde gode þrote ⁊ schille.

⁊ fale monne song a wille.

þe wrenne· wes wel wis iholde.

vor þeih heo nere ibred a wolde.

heo wes itowen. among mankunne

⁊ hire wisdom brouhte þenne.

heo myhte speke hwar heo wolde.

To fore þe kinge· þah heo scholde.

lusteþ· heo queþ· leteþ me speke.

hwat wille ye. þis pays to breke.

⁊ do þan [kinge] such schome.

yet nys heo nouþer ded ne lome.

hunke schal i tyde harm ⁊ schonde.

If we doþ gryþ bruche on his londe.

Leteþ beo and beoþ isome.

⁊ fareþ riht to eure dome.

⁊ leteþ dom þis playd to breke.

Al so hit wes erure bi speke.

Ich vnne wel queþ þe Nihtegale.

Ah wrenne· nouht for þine tale.

Ac do for myre lauhfulnesse.

Ic nolde þat vnrihtfulnesse.

Me at þen ende· me ouercome.

Ic nam of dred. of none dome.

Bi hote ic habbe· soþ hit is.

þat maẏster Nichole. þ̵ is wis.

Bi twihen eu deme schulle.

⁊ yet ic wene þat he wulle. |

Ah war myhte we hine fynde.

þe wrenne sat in hore lynde.

hwat mihte yet quaþ heo his hom.

heo wuneþ at portes hom.

At one tune in dorsete.

Bi þare séé in ore vt lete.

þar he demeþ mony riht dom.

⁊ diht ⁊ wryt mony wisdom.

⁊ þurh his muþe. ⁊ þurh his honde.

hit is þe betere in to scotlonde.

To seche hyne. is lyhtlych þing.

he naueþ buten o wunyng.

þ̵ is biscopen muchel schame.

⁊ alle þan þ̵ of his nome.

habbeþ iherd. ⁊ of his dede.

hwi nulleþ hi nymen heom to rede.

þ̵ he were myd heom ilome.

vor teche heom of his wisdome.

⁊ yeue him rente on vale stude.

þ̵ he myhte ilome heom beo myde.

Certes quaþ þe vle. þat is soþ.

þeos riche men· Muchele mys doþ.

þat leteþ þane gode man.

þat of so fele þinge can.

⁊ yeueþ rente wel mislyche.

⁊ of him leteþ wel lyhtliche.

wiþ heore kunne heo beoþ Mildre.

⁊ yeueþ rente lutle childre.

so heore wit hi demeþ adwole.

þ̵ euer abit Mayster Nichole.

Ah vte we þah· to him fare,

vor þat is vnker dom al yare

Do we þe Nihtegale seyde.

Ah hwo schal vnker speche rede.

⁊ telle to vore vnker dome.

þar of ic schal þe wel iqueme

Queþ þe vle. for al ende of orde. |

Telle ic con. word after worde.

⁊ if þe þinkþ þat ic mis rempe.

þu stond ayeyn and do me crempe.

Mid þisse worde forþ hi ferden.

Al bute here and bute verde.

To portes ham. þer hi bicome.

Ah hw heo spedde of heore dome.

Ne can ic eu namore telle.

her nys namore of þisse spelle.

Explicit.