The Thrush and the Nightingale

(original transcript by F. Vance Neill [June 1998];

revised by Míceál F. Vaughan [September 1998])

f. 279va

[Most of the first line is missing along with the corner of the folio--presumably cut away for its miniature. The discernable letters are given below.]

L????? ?? ????? wiþ loue ?? ????

         Wiþ blosme & wiþ briddes roun·

Þe notes of þe hasel springeþ·

Þe dewes derken in þe dale·

Þe notes of þe niõtingale·

Þis foules miri singeþ·

Ich herd a striif bitvixen to·

Þat on of wele þat oþer of wo·

Bi tven hem to y fere·

Þat on herieþ wimen þat ben hende

Þat oþer he wald fawe schende·

Þis strif õe mow y here·

Þe niõtingale haþ y nome·

To speke for wimen atte frome·

Of schame he wald hem were·

Þe þrustel cok he spekeþ ay·

He seyt bi niõtes &bi day·

Þat þai ben fendes fere·

For þai bi traien eueriman·

Þat mest bileueþ hem on·

Þei þai be made of chere·

Þai ben fals & fikel tofond·

& wircheþ wo in euerilond·

It were better þat hye nere

Þe niõtingale

Schame it is to blame leuedi·

      For þai ben hende of curtaisi·

Y rede þat þou lete·

Was neuer brethe non so strong·

No wiþ riõt no wiþ wrong·

Þat wimen no miõt bete·

Ysauõten hem þat ben wroþe

& makeþ leue þat is loþe·

Wiþ game men schuld hem grete·

f. 279vb

Þis warld were nouõt õif wimen nere

Y maked þai ben to mannes fere·

Nis no þing half so swete·

Þe þrostel cok

I May wimen heri nouõt·

      For þai ben fals & fikel of þouõt·

So me is don to vnder stond·

Y take witnes of mani & fele·

Þat riche were of worldes wele·

& fre to senden hem sond·

Þei þai ben fair & briõt in helle·

Þai ben fals fikel vntrewe·

& worcheþ wo in ich lond·

King alisaunder meneþ him of hem·

IN þe world nis non so crafti men·

No non so riche of lond·

Þe niõtingale

Þrustelkok þou art wode·

       Or þou canst to litel gode·

Wimen for to schende·

It is þe best drurie·

& mest þai can of curteisie·

Nis no þing al so hende·

Her loue is swetter y wis·

Þan þe braunche of licoris·

Lof sum þai ben & hende·

Wele swetter is her breþ·

Þan ani milke oþer meþ·

& louelich in armes to wende·

Þe þrostel cok

Niõtingale þou hast wrong·

         As ich finde in mi song·

For ich hold wiþ þe riõt·

Y take witnisse of wawain·

Þat crist õaf miõt & main·

& trewest was of kniõt·

So wide so he hadde riden & gon·

Fals fond he neuer non bi day no bi niõt ["niõt" inserted above "no bi"]

Foule for þi fals mouþe·

Þine sawes schal be wide couþe·

A liõt whare þou liõt·

Þe niõtingale

Ichaue leue to aliõt here·

    In orchard & in erbere

[ends incomplete: loss of next five leaves]

(version: MFV, 7 September 1998)