Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 1.djvu/462

Not tho' they see the priest at mass—
That will they letten over-pass:
If that they find their lov-e there
They stand, and tellen in her ear;
And ask of God none other grace,
Whil-e they be in that holy place.
But ere they go, some advantáge
There will they have; and some pilláge
Of goodly word, or of behest;
Or else they taken at the least
Out of her hand a ring or glove,
So nigh, the weder^[1] they will hove^[2]—
As who saith, "She shall not forget
Now I this token of her have get."
⁠Thus hallow they the high-e feast,
Such theft-e may no church arrest^[3],
For all is lawful that them liketh,
To whom that els-e it misliketh,
And ekè right in the self kind^[4]
In great cities men may find.
Thus lusty folk, that make them gay,
And wait upon the holy day,
In churches, and in minsters eke,
They go the women for to seek,

1. Madder. Sax. ∇edan, insanire.
2. Heave or go.
3. Stop.
4. Self-same kind.