The Owl and the Nightingale

Cotton MS.

Jesus College MS. (above)
Parallel texts

I

ch was in one sumere dale.

In one suþe diȝele hale.

I herde ich holde grete tale.

An hule and one niȝtingale.

Þat plait was stif ⁊ starc ⁊ strong.

Sum wile softe ⁊ lud among.

An aiþer aȝen oþer sval.

⁊ let þat wole mod ut al.

⁊ eiþer seide of oþeres custe.

þat alre worste þat hi wuste.

⁊ hure and hure of oþere[s] songe

Hi holde plaiding suþe stronge.

Þ

e niȝtingale bigon þe speche.

In one hurne of one breche.

⁊ sat upone vaire boȝe.

þar were abute blosme inoȝe.

In ore waste þicke hegge.

Imeind mid spire ⁊ grene segge.

Ho was þe gladur uor þe rise.

⁊ song auele cunne wise.

Bet þuȝte þe dreim þat he were.

Of harpe ⁊ pipe þan he nere.

Bet þuȝte þat he were ishote.

Of harpe ⁊ pipe þan of þrote.

[Þ]o stod on old stoc þarbiside.

þar þo vle song hire tide.

⁊ was mid iui al bigrowe.

Hit was þare hule eardingstowe.

[Þ]e niȝtingale hi iseȝ.

⁊ hi bihold ⁊ ouerseȝ.

⁊ þuȝte wel wl of þare hule.

For me hi halt lodlich ⁊ fule.

vn wiȝt ho sede a wei þu flo.

Me is þe wrs þat ich þe so. |

I wis for þine wle lete.

wel oft ich mine song forlete.

Min horte atfliþ ⁊ falt mi tonge.

wonne þu art to me iþrunge.

Me luste bet speten þane singe.

Of þine fule ȝoȝelinge.

Þ

os hule abod fort hit was eve.

Ho ne miȝte no leng bileue.

vor hire horte was so gret.

þat welneȝ hire fnast at schet.

⁊ warp a word þar after longe.

Hu þincþe nu bi mine songe.

we[n]st þu þat ich ne cunne singe.

þeȝ ich ne cunne of writelinge.

I lome þu dest me grame

⁊ seist me boþe tone ⁊ schame

Ȝif ich þe holde on mine uote.

So hit bitide þat ich mote.

⁊ þu were vt of þine rise.

þu sholdest singe an oþer w[i]se.

Þ

e niȝtingale ȝaf answare.

ȝif ich me loki wit þe bare.

⁊ me schilde wit þe blete.

Ne reche ich noȝt of þine þrete.

ȝif ich me holde in mine hegge.

Ne recche ich neuer what þu segge.

Ich wot þat þu art un milde.

Wiþ hom þat ne muȝe from þe schilde.

⁊ þu tukest wroþe ⁊ vuele.

Whar þu miȝt over smale fuȝele.

Vorþi þu art loþ al fuel kunne.

⁊ alle ho þe driueþ honne.

⁊ þe bi schricheþ ⁊ bi gredet.

⁊ wel narewe þe bi ledet. |

⁊ ek forþe þe sulue mose.

Hire þonkes wolde þe totose.

Þu art lodlich to biholde.

⁊ þu art loþ in monie volde.

þi bodi is short þi swore is. smal.

Grettere is þin heued þan þu al.

þin eȝene boþ colblake ⁊ brode.

Riȝt swo ho weren ipeint mid wode.

þu starest so þu wille abiten.

Al þat þu mist mid cliure smiten.

þi bile is stif ⁊ scharp ⁊ hoked.

Riȝt so an owel þat is croked.

þar mid þu clackes oft`e´ ⁊ longe.

⁊ þat is on of þine songe.

Ac þu þretest to mine fleshe.

Mid þine cliures woldest me meshe.

þe were icundur to one frogge.

[Þat sit at mulne under cogge.]

Snailes, mus ⁊ fule wiȝte.

Boþ þine cunde ⁊ þine riȝte.

þu sittest adai and fliȝ[s]t aniȝt.

þu cuþest þat þu art on unwiȝt.

þu art lodlich ⁊ unclene.

Bi þine neste ich hit mene.

⁊ ek bi þine fule brode.

þu fedest on hom a wel ful fode.

Þ

os word a ȝaf þe niȝtingale.

⁊ after þare longe tale.

He song so lude ⁊ so scharpe.

Riȝt so me grulde schille harpe.

þos hule luste þiderward.

⁊ hold hire eȝe noþerwa[r]d.

⁊ sat to svolle ⁊ ibolwe.

also ho hadde one frogge isuolȝe.

for ho wel wiste ⁊ was i war.

þat ho song hire a bisemar.

⁊ noþeles ho ȝaf andsuare.

whi nel tu flon in to þe bare.

⁊ sewi þare unker bo.

Of briȝter howe of uairur blo.

No þu hauest wel scharpe clawe.

Ne kepich noȝt þat þu me clawe.

þu hauest cliuers su þe stronge.

þu tuengst þar mid so doþ a tonge.

þu þoȝtest so doþ þin ilike.

Mid faire worde me bi swike.

Ich nolde don þa`t´ þu me raddest.

Ich wiste wel þat þu me mis raddest.

Schamie þe for þin unrede.

vn wroȝen is þi svikelhede.

Schild þine svikeldom vram þe liȝte.

⁊ hud þat woȝe amonȝ þe riȝte.

þane þu wilt þin unriȝt spene.

Loke þat hit ne bo i sene.

vor svikedom haued schome ⁊ hete.

ȝif hit is ope ⁊ under ȝete.

Ne speddestu noȝt mid þine unwrenche.

for icham war ⁊ can wel blenche.

Ne helpþ noȝt þat þu bo to þriste. |

Ich wolde viȝte bet mid liste.

þan þu mid all þine strengþe.

Ich abbe on brede ⁊ eck on lengþe.

Castel god on mine rise.

wel fiȝt þat wel fliȝt seiþ þe wise.

ac lete we a wei þos cheste.

vor suiche wordes boþ unwerste.

⁊ fo we on mid riȝte dome.

Mid faire worde ⁊ mid wsome.

þeȝ we ne bo at one acorde.

we muȝe bet mid fawre worde.

wit ute cheste ⁊ bute fiȝte.

Plaidi mid foȝe ⁊ mid riȝte.

⁊ mai hure eiþer wat he wile.

Mid riȝte segge ⁊ mid sckile.

Þ

o quaþ þe hule wo schal us seme.

þat kunne ⁊ wille riȝt us deme.

Ich wot wel quaþ þe niȝtingale.

Ne þaref þar of bo no tale.

Maister nichole of guldeforde.

He is wis an war of worde.

He is of dome suþe gleu.

⁊ him is loþ eurich unþeu.

He wot in siȝt in eche songe.

wo singet wel wo singet wronge.

⁊ he can schede vrom þe riȝte.

þat woȝe þat þuster from þe liȝte.

Þ

o hule one wile hi bi þoȝte.

⁊ after þan þis word up broȝte.

Ich granti wel þat he us deme.

vor þeȝ he were wile breme.

⁊ lof him were niȝtingale.

⁊ oþer wiȝte gente ⁊ smale.

Ich wot he is nu suþe acoled. |

Nis he vor þe noȝt afoled.

þat he for þine olde lo`u´ue.

Me adun legge ⁊ þe buue.

Ne schaltu neure so him queme.

þat he forþe fals dom deme.

He is him ripe ⁊ fastrede.

Ne lust him nu to none unrede.

Nu him ne lust na more pleie.

He wile gon a riȝte weie.

Þ

e niȝtingale was al ȝare.

Ho hadde ilorned wel aiware.

Hule ho sede seie me soþ.

wi dostu þat un wiȝtis doþ.

þu singist aniȝt ⁊ noȝt adai.

⁊ al þi song is wailawai.

þu miȝt mid þine songe afere.

alle þat ihereþ þine ibere.

þu schirchest ⁊ ȝollest to þine fere.

þat hit is grislich to ihere.

Hit þinchest boþe wise ⁊ snepe.

Noȝt þat þu singe ac þat þu wepe.

þu fliȝst a niȝt ⁊ noȝt adai.

þar of ich wndri ⁊ wel mai.

vor eurich þing þat schuniet riȝt.

Hit luueþ þuster ⁊ hatiet liȝt.

⁊ eurich þing þat is lof misdede.

Hit luueþ þuster to his dede.

Þ

os hule luste suþe longe.

⁊ was of toned suþ`e´ stronge.

quaþ Ho þu `h´attest niȝtingale.

Þu miȝtest bet hoten galegale.

Vor þu hauest to monie tale.

Lat þine tunge habbe spale.

þu wenest þat þes dai bo þinoȝe.

Lat me nu habbe mine þroȝe.

Bo nu stille ⁊ lat me speke.

Ich wille bon of þe awreke.

⁊ lust hu ich con me bitelle.

Mid riȝte soþe wit ute spelle.

þu seist þat ich me hude adai.

þar to ne segge ich nich ne nai.

⁊ lust ich telle þe wareuore.

al wi hit is ⁊ wareuore.

Ich habbe bile stif ⁊ stronge.

⁊ gode cliuers scharp ⁊ longe.

So hit bi cumeþ to hauekes cunne.

Hit is min hiȝte hit is mi wune.

þat ich me draȝe to mine cunde. |

Ne mai noman þareuore schende.

On me hit is wel isene.

vor riȝte cunde ich am so kene.

vor þi ich am loþ smale foȝle.

þat floþ bi grunde an bi þuuele.

Hi me bichermet ⁊ bigredeþ.

⁊ hore flockes to `m´e ledeþ.

Me is lof to habbe reste.

⁊ sitte stille in mine neste.

wenestu þat haueck bo þe worse.

þoȝ crowe bi grede him bi þe mershe.

⁊ goþ to him mid hore chirme.

Riȝt so hi wille wit him schirme.

þe hauec folȝeþ gode rede. |

⁊ fliȝt his wei ⁊ lat hem grede.

Ȝ

et þu me seist of oþer þinge.

⁊ telst þat ich ne can noȝt singe

Ac al mi rorde is woning

⁊ to `i´hire grislich þing

þat nis noȝt soþ ich singe efne.

Mid fulle dreme ⁊ lude stefne.

þu wenist þat ech song bo grislich.

þat þine pipinge nis ilich.

Mi stefne is bold ⁊ noȝt un orne.

ho is ilich one grete horne.

⁊ þin is ilich one pipe.

Of one smale w`e´ode un ripe.

Ich singe bet þan þu dest.

Þu chaterest so doþ on irish pr`e´ost.

Ich singe an eue ariȝte time

⁊ soþþe won hit is bedtime.

þe þridde siþe ad middelniȝte.

⁊ so ich mine song adiȝte.

wone ich i so arise vorre.

Oþer dairim oþer daisterre.

Ich do god mid mine þrote.

⁊ warni men to hore note.

Ac þu singest alle longe niȝt.

From eue fort hit is dailiȝt.

⁊ eure seist þin o song.

So longe so þe niȝt is long.

⁊ eure croweþ þi wrecche crei.

þat he ne swikeþ niȝt ne dai.

Mid þine pipinge þu a dunest.

þas monnes earen þar þu wunest.

⁊ makest þine song so unwrþ.

þa`t´ me ne telþ of þar noȝt wrþ.

Eurich murȝþe mai so longe ileste.

þat ho shal liki wel unwreste.

vor harpe ⁊ pipe ⁊ fuȝeles songe.

Mislikeþ ȝif hit is to long.

Ne bo þe song neuer so murie.

þat he ne shal þinche wel unmurie.

ȝef he ilesteþ ouer unwille.

So þu miȝt þine song aspille.

vor hit is soþ alured hit seide.

⁊ me hit mai ine boke rede.

Eurich þing mai losen his godhede

Mid unmeþe ⁊ mid ouerdede.

Þ

e niȝtingale in hire þoȝte.

Athold al þis ⁊ longe þoȝte.

wat ho þare after miȝte segge.

vor ho ne miȝte noȝt alegge.

þat þe hule hadde hire ised.

vor he spac boþe riȝt an red.

An hire ofþuȝte þat ho hadde.

þe speche so foruorþ iladde.

An was oferd þat hire answare.

Ne wrþe noȝt ariȝt i fare.

Ac noþeles he spac boldeliche.

vor he is wis þat hardeliche.

wiþ is uo berþ grete ilete.

þat he uor areȝþe hit ne forlete.

vor suich worþ bold ȝif þu fliȝste.

þat wle flo ȝif þu svicst.

Ȝif he isiþ þat þu nart areȝ.

He wile of bore wrchen bareȝ.

⁊ forþi þeȝ þe niȝtingale. |

were aferd ho spac bolde tale

H

ule ho seide wi dostu so.

þu singest awinter wolawo.

þu singest so doþ hen asnowe.

Al þat ho singeþ hit is for wowe.

A wintere þu singest wroþe and ȝomere.

An`d´ eure þu art dumb a sumere.

Hit is for þine fule niþe.

þat þu ne miȝt mid us be bliþe.

vor þu forbernest welneȝ for onde,

wane ure blisse cumeþ to londe.

þu farest so doþ þe ille.

Evrich blisse him is un wille.

Grucching ⁊ luring him boþ rade.

Ȝif he isoþ þat men boþ glade.

he wolde þat he iseȝe.

Teres in evrich monnes eȝe.

Ne roȝte he þeȝ flockes were.

Imeind bi toppes ⁊ bi here.

Al so þu dost on þire side.

vor wanne snov liþ þicke ⁊ wide.

an`d´ alle wiȝtes habbeþ sorȝe.

þu singest from eue fort amorȝe.

Ac ich alle blisse mid me bringe.

Ech wiȝt is glad for mine þinge.

⁊ blisseþ hit wanne ich cume.

⁊ hiȝteþ aȝen mine kume.

þe blostme ginneþ springe ⁊ sprede

Boþe ine tro ⁊ ek on mede.

þe lilie mid hire faire wlite.

Wolcumeþ me þat þu hit wte.

Bit me mid hire faire blo.

Þat ich shulle to hire flo.

þe rose al so mid hire rude. |

þat cumeþ ut of þe þorne wode.

Bit me þat ich shulle singe

vor hire luue one skentinge.

H

ule þu axest me ho seide.

ȝif ich kon eni oþer dede.

Bute singen in sume tide.

an bringe blisse for ⁊ wide.

wi axestu of craftes mine.

Betere is min on þan alle þine.

Betere is o song of mine muþe.

þan al þat eure þi kun kuþe.

An lust ich telle þe wareuore. |

wostu to wan man was ibore.

To þare blisse of houene riche.

þar euer is song ⁊ murȝþe iliche.

þider fundeþ eurich man.

þat eniþing of gode kan.

vor þi me singþ in holi chirche.

an clerkes ginneþ songes wirche.

þat man iþenche biþe songe.

wider he shal ⁊ þar bon longe.

þat he þe murȝþe ne uorȝete.

Ac þar of þenche and bi ȝete.

An nime ȝeme of chirche steuene.

Hu murie is þe blisse of houene.

Clerkes munekes ⁊ kanunes.

þar boþ þos gode wicke tunes.

Ariseþ up to midel niȝte.

An singeþ of þe houene liȝte.

An prostes upe londe singeþ.

wane þe liȝt of daie springeþ.

An ich hom helpe wat i mai.

Þ

e niȝtegale mid swucche worde.

for moniman mid speres orde.

haueþ lutle strencþe ⁊ mid his [s]chelde.

Ah neoþeles in one felde.

Þurh belde worde an mid ilete.

Deþ his iuo for arehþe swete.

þe wranne for heo cuþe singe.

þar com in þare moreȝen[i]nge.

To helpe þare niȝtegale.

For þah heo hadde steuene smale.

Heo hadde gode þrote ⁊ schille.

An fale manne song awille.

þe wranne was wel wis iholde.

`Vor þeg heo nere ibred awolde.´

Ho was itoȝen among menne.

An hire wisdom brohte þenne.

Heo miȝte speke hwar heo walde.

To uore þe king þah heo scholde.

Lusteþ heo cwaþ lateþ me speke.

Hwat wulle ȝe þis pes to breke.

An do þan [kinge] swuch schame.

Ȝe[t] nis he nouþer ded ne lame.

Hunke schal i tide harm ⁊ schonde.

Ȝef ȝe doþ griþ bruche on his londe.

Lateþ beo ⁊ beoþ isome. |

An fareþ riht to ower dome.

An lateþ dom þis plaid to breke.

Al swo hit was erur bispeke.

I

ch an wel cwað þe niȝtegale.

Ah wranne nawt for þire tale.

Ah do for mire lahfulnesse.

Ich nolde þ̵ unriht fulnesse.

Me at þen ende ouer kome.

Ich nam of drad of none dome.

Bi hote ich habbe soþ hit is.

þat maister nichole þ̵ is wis.

Bi tuxen vs deme schulde.

An ȝef ich wene þ̵ he wule.

Ah war mihte we hine finde.

þe wranne sat in ore linde.

Hwat nuȝte ȝe cwaþ heo his hom.

He wuneþ at portes hom.

At one tune ine dorsete.

Bi þare see in ore ut lete.

þar he demeþ manie riȝte dom.

An diht ⁊ writ mani wisdom.

An þurh his muþe ⁊ þurh his honde.

Hit is þe betere into scot londe.

To seche hine is lihtlich þing.

He naueþ bute one woning.

þ̵ his bischopen muchel schame.

An alle þan þ̵ of his nome.

Habbeþ ihert. ⁊ of his dede.

Hwi nulleþ hi nimen heom to rede.

þ̵ he were mid heom ilome.

for teche heom of his wis dome.

An ȝiue him rente auale stude.

þ̵ he miȝte heom ilome be mide.

Certes cwaþ þe hule þ̵ is soð. |

þeos riche men wel muche misdoð.

þ̵ leteþ þane godemon.

þ̵ of so feole þinge con.

An ȝiueþ rente wel misliche.

An of him leteþ wel lihtliche.

wið heore cunne heo beoþ mildre.

An ȝeueþ rente litle childre.

swo heore wit hi demþ adwole.

þ̵ euer abid maistre nichole.

Ah ute we þah to him fare.

For þar is unker dom al ȝare.

Do we þe niȝtegale seide.

ah wa schal unker speche rede.

An telle to uore unker deme.

Þ

ar of ich schal þe wel icweme.

Cwaþ þe houle for al ende of orde.

Telle ich con word after worde.

An ȝef þe þincþ þ̵ ich mis rempe.

þu stond aȝein ⁊ do me crempe.

Mid þisse worde forþ hi ferden.

Al bute here and bute uerde.

To portes ham þ̵ heo bi come.

Ah hu heo spedde of heore dome.

Ne can ich eu namore telle.

Her nis na more of þis spelle.