THE COMPLEYNTE TO PITE. LONGLEAT MS. 258. 261

(16) (III. 2)

What nedith to shewe parcelles of my payne
Sith euery woo that hert may bethynke
I suffre and yet I darre not to you playne
For wel I wote though I wake or wynke

[leaf 57, back]

109

Ye Rekke not whether I flete or synke
And nethelesse yet my trouthe I shal susteyne

Vnto my

dethe and that shal wel be sayn.

112

(17) (III. 3)

This is to saien I wol be euere
Though ye me slee by cruelte your foo
Algate my spirit shal neuer disseuere
Fro youre seruice for any payne or woo
Sithe ye be yet dede alas that it is soo
wel wepe

Thus for
With hert sore and ful of besy payne

dethe I may
youre

113

116

& playne

119

Here endith thexclamacion

of the dethe of pite

[Follows: "the boke of Assemble De Dames," leaves 58-75.

beg.: "In Septembre at the falling of the leef."

ends: "Rede well my dreme for now my tale is dooñ.

Here endith the boke of
Assemble De Dames."]

8.

The Parlament of Fowles

FROM

PEPYS MS. 2006.

(For a dozen other MSS. of this Poem see the Parallel-Text and Supplementary Parallel-Text editions; and for two other Bits of it, pages 1-21 above.)

[T]

PARLAMENT OF FOULES. PEPYS MS. 2006.

The parlament of fowles.

[Pepys MS. 2006 (paper), p. 127, in hand B,
ab. 1440-50 A.D.]

[667 lines out of 694. g is for g with an upcurl.]

(1) [The Proem.]

He lif so short the craft so long to lurne
The assay so harde so sharpe the conqueryng
The dredeful Ioye alle wey that slitte so yerne
Alle this mene I by love that my feelyng
Astoyneth wyth his wonderful werkyng
So sore I-wis that whan I on hym thynk
Ne wote I well wheper I flete or synke

(2)

For alle be that I know not love in dede
Ne wote how he quyteth folk her hyre
Yet happeth me ful oft on bokes for to rede

265

[page 127]

4

7

Of his myractes and of his cruel Ire
The rede I well he wul be lord and syre

11

I dar not sey his stroken ben so sore

But god save swyche a lorde I say no more

14

(3)

¶ Of vsage what for lust what for loore

On bokes red I oft as I yow

tolde