PART III.]
II. THE PLOWMANS TALE.
189
The hinder part is a lyoun,
A robber and a ravinere,
That robbeth the people in erth a-down,
1320And in erth holdeth non his pere;
So fareth this foul, both fer and nere;
With temporel strength they people chase,
As a lyon proud in erthë here;
God amende hem for hys grace!”
A robber and a ravinere,
That robbeth the people in erth a-down,
1320And in erth holdeth non his pere;
So fareth this foul, both fer and nere;
With temporel strength they people chase,
As a lyon proud in erthë here;
God amende hem for hys grace!”
1325He flew forth with his winges twayn,
All drouping, dased, and dull.
But soone the Griffon cam agayn,
Of his foules the erth was full;
The Pellican he had cast to pull.
1330So greet a nombre never seen ther was;
What maner of foules, tellen I woll,
If god woll give me of his grace.
All drouping, dased, and dull.
But soone the Griffon cam agayn,
Of his foules the erth was full;
The Pellican he had cast to pull.
1330So greet a nombre never seen ther was;
What maner of foules, tellen I woll,
If god woll give me of his grace.
With the Griffon comen foules fele,
Ravins, rokes, crowes, and pye,
1335Gray foules, agadred wele,
Y-gurd, above they woldë hye.
Gledes and bosardes weren hem by;
Whyt molles and puttockes token hir place;
And lapwinges, that wel conneth ly,
1340This felowship han for-gerd hir grace.
Ravins, rokes, crowes, and pye,
1335Gray foules, agadred wele,
Y-gurd, above they woldë hye.
Gledes and bosardes weren hem by;
Whyt molles and puttockes token hir place;
And lapwinges, that wel conneth ly,
1340This felowship han for-gerd hir grace.
Longe the Pellican was out,
But at [the] laste he cometh agayn;
And brought with him the Phenix stout.
The Griffon wolde have flowe full fayn;
1345His foules, that flewen as thycke as rayn,
The Phenix tho began hem chace;
To fly from him it was in vayn,
For he did vengeaunce and no grace.
But at [the] laste he cometh agayn;
And brought with him the Phenix stout.
The Griffon wolde have flowe full fayn;
1345His foules, that flewen as thycke as rayn,
The Phenix tho began hem chace;
To fly from him it was in vayn,
For he did vengeaunce and no grace.
1317. parte. 1319. earth a downe. 1320. none. 1321. foule; ferre. 1322. And wyth (om. And). 1323. proude; earth. 1325. (Pellican is written above this line); flewe; twayne. 1326. droupynge. 1327. came agayne. 1328. earth. 1330. great; sene there. 1336. Igurde. 1338. Whyte; her. 1339. lye. 1340. for gerde her. 1342. Supply the. 1343. stoute. 1344. fayne. 1345. rayne. 1347. flye; vayne.
