II

At þe fyrst quethe of þe quest quaked þe wylde;

Der drof in þe dale, doted for drede,

Hiȝed to þe hyȝe, bot heterly þay were

Restayed with þe stablye, þat stoutly ascryed;

Þay let þe hertteȝ haf þe gate, with þe hyȝe hedes,

Þe breme bukkeȝ also, with hor brode paumeȝ;

For þe fre lorde hade de-fende in fermysoun tyme,

Þat þer schulde no mon mene to þe male dere.

Þe hindeȝ were halden in, with hay & war,

Þe does dryuen with gret dyn to þe depe sladeȝ;

Þer myȝt mon se, as þay slypte, slentyng of arwes,

At vche [þat] wende vnder wande wapped a flone,

Þat bigly bote on þe broun, with ful brode hedeȝ,

What! þay brayen, & bleden, bi bonkkeȝ þay deȝen.

& ay rachches in a res radly hem folȝes,

Huntereȝ wyth hyȝe horne hasted hem after,

Wyth such a crakkande kry, as klyffes haden brusten;

What wylde so at-waped wyȝes þat schotten,

Watȝ al to-raced & rent, at þe resayt.

Bi þay were tened at þe hyȝe, & taysed to þe wattreȝ,

Þe ledeȝ were so lerned at þe loȝe trysteres,

& þe gre-houndeȝ so grete, þat geten hem bylyue,

& hem to fylched, as fast as frekeȝ myȝt loke,

þer ryȝt.
Þe lorde for blys abloy
Ful oft con launce & lyȝt,
& drof þat day wyth Ioy
Thus to þe derk nyȝt.

meue (?).