The Bowge of Courte

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¶Here begynneth a lytell treatyse named the bowge of courte.

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IN A[u]tumpne whan the sonne in vyrgyne

By radyante hete enryped hath our corne

Whan luna full of mutabylyte

As Emperes the dyademe hath worne

Of our pole artyke smylynge halfe in scorne

At our foly and our vnstedfastnesse

The tyme whan Mars to werre hym dyd dres

I callynge to mynde the great auctoryte

Of poetes olde whyche full craftely

Under as couerte termes as coude be

Can touche a troughte and cloke it subtylly troughte] trouth C, M; it] M omits

Wyth fresshe vtteraunce full sentencyously

Dyuerse in style some spared not vyce to wrythe wrythe] wryte C, M

Some of [moralyte] nobly dyde endyte moralyte] mortalyte A, M; moralyte C

Wherby I rede theyr renome and theyr fame

Maye neuer dye bute euermore endure

I was sore moued to a_force the same

But Ignoraunce full soone dyde me dys[c]ure dyscure] dysture A, C; dyscure M

And shewed that in this arte [I] was not sure I] A, C omit; I M

For to Illumyne she sayde I was to dulle

Auysynge me my penne awaye to pulle

And not to wrythe / for he so wyll atteyne wrythe] wryte C, M

Excedynge ferther than his connynge is

His hede maye be harde but feble is his brayne his] M omits

Yet haue I knowen suche er this

But of reproche surely he maye not mys

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That clymmeth hyer than he may fotynge haue

What and he slyde downe who shall hym saue

ref.ed: 47

Thus vp and down my mynde was drawen and cast

That I ne wyste what to do was beste

Soo sore enwered that I was at the laste

Enforsed to slepe and for to take some reste

And to lye downe as soone as I m[e] dreste me] my A, C, M

At harwyche_porte slumbrynge as I laye

In myne hostes house called powers_keye

Me-thoughte I sawe a shyppe goodly of sayle

Come saylynge forth in-to that hauen brood

Her takelynge ryche and of hye apparayle

She kyste an anker and there she laye at rode kyste] keste C, kast M

Marchauntes her borded to see what she had lode lode] M omits

There-in they founde Royall marchaundyse

Fraghted with plesure of what ye coude deuyse

But than I thoughte I wolde not dwell behynde

Amonge all other I put my-selfe in prece

Than there coude I none aquentaunce fynde

There was moche noyse anone one cryed cese

Sharpely commaundynge eche man holde hys pece

Maysters he sayde the shyp that ye here see

The bowge of courte it hyghte for certeyn[te] certeynte] certeynet A, certayne C, certeynte M

The awnner therof is lady of estate

Whoos name to tell is dame saunce_pere

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[Her] marchaundyse is ryche and fortunate Her] Here A; Her C, M

But who wyll haue it muste paye therfore dere

This Royall chaffre that is shypped here

Is called fauore_to_stonde_in_her_good_grace

Than sholde ye see there pressynge in a_pace

Of one and other that wolde this lady see

Whiche sat behynde a tra[u]es of sylke fyne

Of golde of tessew the fynest that myghte be

In a trone whiche fer clerer dyde shyne clerer] clere M

Than Phebus in his spere celestyne

Whoos beaute honoure goodly porte

I haue to lytyll connynge to reporte

But of eche thynge there as I toke hede

Amonge all other was wrytten in her trone

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In golde letters this worde whiche I dyde rede

Garder le fortune que est mauelz et bone

And as I stode redynge this verse my-selfe allone

Her chyef gentylwoman daunger by her name

Gaue me a taunte and sayde I was to blame

To be so perte to prese so proudly vppe

She sayde she trowed that I [had] eten sause had] A, C omit; had M

She asked yf euer I dranke of saucys cuppe

And I than softly answered to that clause

That so to saye. I had gyuen her no cause

Than asked she me Syr so god the spede

What is thy name and I sayde it was drede

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What mouyd the quod she hydder to come

Forsoth quod I to bye some of youre ware

And with that worde on me she gaue a glome

With browes bente and gan on me to stare

Full daynnously and fro me she dyde fare

Leuynge me stondynge as a mased man

To whome there came an-other gentylwoman

Desyre her name was and so she me tolde

Sayenge to me broder be of good chere

Abasshe you not but hardely be bolde

Auaunce your-selfe to aproche and come nere

What though our chaffer be neuer so dere

Yet I auyse you to speke for ony drede

Who spareth to speke in fayth he spareth to spede

Maystres quod I. I haue none aquentaunce

That wyll for me be medyatoure and mene

And this an-other I haue but smale substaunce And] But M

Pece quod Desyre ye speke not worth a bene

Yf ye haue not in fayth I wyll you lene

A precyous Iewell no rycher in this londe

Bone auenture haue here now in your honde

Shyfte now therwith let see as ye can

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In bowge of courte cheuysaunce to make

For I dare saye that there nys erthly man

But an he can bone auenture take an] and C, M

There can no fauour nor frendshyp hym forsake

ref.ed: 49

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Bone auenture may brynge you in suche case

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That ye shall stonde in fauoure and in grace

But of one thynge I werne you er I goo werne] warne M; er] or C

She that styreth the shyp make her your frende

Maystres quod I. I praye you tell me why soo

And how I maye that waye and meanes fynde

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Forsothe quod she how-euer blowe the wynde

Fortune gydeth and ruleth all oure shyppe

Whome she hateth shall ouer the see-boorde skyp see boorde] shyp borde M

Whome she loueth of all plesyre is ryche

Whyles she laughe[th] and hath luste for to playe laugheth] laughed A; laugheth C, M

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Whome she hate[t]h she casteth in the dyche hateth] hateh A, hateth C, M

For whan she fro[u]neth she thynketh to make a fray

She cherysshe[th] him and hym she casseth a_waye cheryssheth] cherysshed A, C, M; casseth] casteth C, chasseth M

Alas quod I how myghte I haue her sure

In fayth quod she by bone auenture

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Thus in a rowe of martchauntes a grete route

Suwed to fortune that she wold be theyre frynde

They thronge in fast and flocked her aboute

And I with them prayed her to haue in mynde

She promysed to vs all she wolde be kynde

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Of bowge of court she asketh what we wold haue

And we asked fauoure / and fauour she vs gaue

¶Thus endeth the prologue. And begynneth the bowge of Courte breuely compyled.

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¶Drede

THe sayle is vp fortune ruleth our helme

We wante no wynde to passe now ouer-all

Fauoure we haue toughther than ony elme toughther] tougher C, M

That wyll abyde and neuer frome vs fall

But vnder hony ofte-tyme lyeth bytter gall

For as me-thoughte in our shyppe I dyde see

Full subtyll persones in nombre foure and thre

The fyrste was Fauell full of flatery

Wyth fables false that well coude fayne a tale

The seconde was Suspecte whiche that dayly

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Mysdempte eche man with face deedly and pale

And Haruy_ha[f]ter that well coude picke a male Haruy hafter] Haruy haster A, M, Heruy haster C

With other foure of theyr affynyte

Dysdayne. Ryotte. Dyssymuler. Subtylte.

Fortune theyr frende with whome oft she dyde daunce

They coude not faile thei thought they were so sure

And oftentymes I wolde my-selfe a[u]aunce

With them to make solace and pleasure

But my dysporte they coude not well endure

They sayde they hated for to dele with Drede

Than Fauell gan wyth fayre speche me to fede

¶Fauell.

Noo-thynge erthely that I wonder so sore

As of your connynge that is so excellent

Deynte to haue with vs suche one in store

So vertuously that hath his dayes spente

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Fortune to you gyftes of grace hath lente

Loo what it is a man to haue connynge

All erthly tresoure it is surmountynge

Ye be an apte man as ony can be founde

To dwell with vs and serue my ladyes grace

Ye be to her yea worth a thousande pounde

I herde her speke of you within shorte space shorte] a shorte C

Whan there were dyuerse that sore dyde you manace

And though I say it I was my-selfe your frende

For here be dyuerse to you that be vnkynde

But this one thynge ye maye be sure of me

For by that lorde that bought dere all mankynde

I can not flater I muste be playne to the

And ye nede ought man shewe to me your mynde

For ye haue me whome faythfull ye shall fynde

Whyles I haue ought by god thou shalt not lacke

And yf nede be a bolde worde I dare cracke

Nay naye be sure whyles I am on your syde

Ye maye not fall truste me ye maye not fayle

Ye stonde in fauoure and fortune is your gyde

And as she wyll so shall our grete shyppe sayle

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Thyse lewde cok-wattes shall neuermore preuayle cok wattes] cok witts M

Ageynste you hardely therfore be not afrayde

Fare-well tyll soone but no worde that I sayde

¶Drede.

Than thanked I hym for his grete gentylnes

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But as me-thoughte he ware on hym a cloke

That lyned was with doubtfull doublenes

Me-thoughte of wordes that he had full a poke

His stomak stuffed ofte-tymes dyde reboke

Suspycyon me-thoughte mette hym at a brayde

And I drewe nere to herke what they two sayde

In fayth quod suspecte) spake drede no worde of me

Why what than wylte thou lete men to speke

He sayth he can not well accorde with the

Twyst quod suspecte) goo playe hym I ne reke Twyst] Whist C, Twysshe M

By cryste quod fauell drede is soleyne freke

What lete vs holde him vp man for a whyle

Ye soo quod suspecte) he maye vs bothe begyle

And whan he came walkynge soberly

Wyth whom / and /ha / and with a croked loke

Me-thoughte his hede was full of gelousy

His eyen rollynge his hondes faste they quoke

And to me warde the strayte waye he toke

God spede broder to me quod he than

And thus to talke with me he began

¶Suspycyon

Ye remembre the gentylman ryghte nowe

That commaunde with you me-thought a p[ra]ty spa[c]e commaunde] commened C; praty space] party spake A, M, party space C

Beware of him for I make god auowe

He wyll begyle you and speke fayre to your face

Ye neuer dwelte in suche an-other place

For here is none that dare well other truste

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But I wolde telle you a thynge and I durste

Spake he a fayth no worde to you of me

I wote and he dyde ye wolde me telle

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I haue a fauoure to you wherof it be

That I muste shewe you moche of my counselle

But I wonder what the deuyll of helle

He sayde of me whan he with you dyde talke

By myne auyse vse not with him to walke

The soueraynst thynge that ony man maye haue

Is lytyll to saye / and moche to here and see

For but I trusted you so god me saue

I wolde noo-thynge so playne be

To you oonly me-thynke I durste shryue me

For now am I plenarely dysposed

To shewe you thynges that may not be disclosed

¶Drede

Than I assured hym my fydelyte

His counseyle secrete neuer to dys[c]ure dyscure] dysture A, C, dyscure M

Yf he coude fynde in herte to truste me

Els I prayed hym with all my besy cure

To kepe it hymselfe for than he myghte be sure

That noo [man] erthly coude hym bewreye man] wan A, man C, M

Whyles of his mynde it were lockte with the keye

By god quod he this and thus it is

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And of his mynde he shewed me all and some

Fare-well quod he we wyll talke more of this

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Soo he departed there he wolde be come

I dare not speke I promysed to be dome

But as I stode musynge in my mynde

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Haruy_ha[f]ter came lepynge lyghte as lynde Haruy hafter] Haruy haster A, M, Heruy haster C

Upon his breste he bare a versynge-boxe

His throte was clere and lustely coude fayne

M[e]-thoughte his gowne was all furred wyth foxe Me thoughte] My thoughte A, C, Me thought M

And euer he sange / sythe I am no-thynge playne

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To kepe him frome pykynge it was a grete payne

He gased on me with his gotyshe berde

Whan I loked on hym my purse was half aferde

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¶Heruy_ha[f]ter.

Heruy hafter] Heruy haster A, C, Heruy Haster M

Syr god you saue why loke ye so sadde

What thynge is that I maye do for you

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A wonder thynge that ye waxe not madde

For and I studye sholde as ye doo nowe

My wytte wolde waste I make god auowe

Tell me your mynde me-thynke ye make a verse

I coude it s[k]an and ye wolde it reherse skan] stan A, C, skan M; it reherse] reherse M

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But to the poynte shortely to procede

Where hathe your dwellynge ben er ye cam here

For as I trowe I haue sene you in-dede

Er this whan that ye made me Royall chere

Holde vp the helme loke vp and lete god stere

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I wolde be mery what wynde that euer blowe

Heue and how rombelow row the bote norman rowe

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Prynces of youghte can ye synge by rote

Or shall I sayle wyth you a felashyp assaye

For on the booke [I] can not synge a note I] A omits; I C, M

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Wolde to god it wolde please you some daye

A balade-boke before me for to laye

And lerne me to synge (Re my fa sol)

And whan I fayle bobbe me on the noll

Loo what is to you a pleasure grete

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To haue that connynge and wayes that ye haue

By goddis soule I wonder how ye gete

Soo greate pleasyre or who to you it gaue

Syr pardone me I am an homely knaue

To be with you thus perte and thus bolde

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But ye be welcome to our housholde

And I dare saye there is no man here-Inne

But wolde be glad of your company

I wyste neuer man that so soone coude wynne

The fauoure that ye haue with my lady

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I praye to god that it maye neuer dy

It is your fortune for to haue that grace

As I be saued it is a wonder case

For as for me I serued here many a daye

And yet vnneth I can haue my lyuynge

ref.ed: 54

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But I requyre you no worde that I saye

For and I knowe ony erthly thynge

That is agayne you ye shall haue wetynge

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And ye be welcome syr so god me saue

I hope here-after a frende of you to haue

¶Drede.

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Wyth that as he departed soo fro me

Anone ther mette with him as me-thoughte

A man / but wonderly besene was he

He loked hawte he sette eche man at noughte hawte] hawtie M

His gawdy garment with s[c]or[n]nys was all wrought scornnys] storunys A, C, scornes M

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With Indygnacyon lyned was his hode

He frowned as he wolde swere by cockes blode

He bote the lyppe he loked passynge coye the] his C

His face was belymmed as byes had him stounge

It was no tyme with him to Iape nor toye

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Enuye hathe wasted hys lyuer and his lounge

Hatred by the herte so had hym wrounge

That he loked pale as asshes to my syghte

Dysdayne I wene [t]his comerous car[k]es hyghte this] his A, C, M; carkes] carbes A, C, crabes M

To heruy_ha[f]ter than he spake of me heruy hafter] heruy haster A, C, M

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And I drewe nere to harke what they two sayde

Now quod Dysdayne as I shall saued be

I haue grete scorne and am rygh[t]e euyll apayed ryghte] ryghce A

Than quod Heruy why arte thou so dysmayde

By cryste quod he for it is shame to saye

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To see Iohan_dawes that came but yester-daye

How he is now taken in conceyte

This doctour dawcocke Drede I wene he hyghte

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By goddis bones but yf we haue som sleyte

It is lyke he wyll stonde in our lyghte our] your M

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By god quod Heruy and it so happen myghte

Lete vs therfore shortely at a worde

Fynde some mene to caste him ouer the borde

By him that me boughte than quod Dysdayne

I wonder sore he is in such conceyte

ref.ed: 55

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Turde quod Ha[f]ter I wyll the no-thynge [l]ayne Hafter] Haster A, C, M; layne] sayne A, M, layne C

There muste for hym be layde some prety beyte

We tweyne I trowe be not withoute dysceyte

Fyrste pycke a quarell and fall oute with hym then

And soo outface hym with a carde of ten

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Forthwith he made on me a prowde assawte

With scornfull loke meuyd all in moode scornfull] scorfull M

He wente aboute to take me in a fawte

He frounde he stared he stampped where he stoode

I loked on hym I wende he had be woode

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He set the arme proudly vnder the syde

And in this wyse he gan with me to chyde

¶Disdayne.

Remembrest thou what thou sayd yester-nyght

Wylt thou abyde by the wordes agayne

By god I haue of the now grete dyspyte

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I shall the angre ones in euery vayne

It is greate scorne to see suche an hayne

As thou arte one that cam but yesterdaye

With vs olde seruauntes such maysters to playe

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I tell the I am of countenaunce

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What weneste I were. I trowe þu knowe not me

By goddis woundes but for dysplesaunce

Of my querell soone wolde I venged be

But no force I shall ones mete with the

Come whan it wyll oppose the I shall

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What-someuer auenture therof fall

Trowest thou dreuyll I saye thou gawdy kna[u]e

That I haue deynte to see the cherysshed thus

By goddis syde my sworde thy berde shall shaue

Well ones thou shalte be chermed I_wus

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Naye strawe for tales thou shalte not rule vs

We be thy betters and so thou shalte vs take

Or we shall the oute of thy clothes shake

ref.ed: 56

¶Drede.

Wyth that came Ryotte russhynge all at-ones

A rusty gallande to_ragged and to_rente

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And on the borde he whyrled a payre of bones

Quater treye dews he clatered as he wente

Nowe haue at all by saynte Thomas of kente

And euer he threwe and kyst I wote nere what

His here was growen thorowe-oute his hat

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Thenne I behelde how he dysgysed was

His hede was heuy for watchynge ouer-nyghte

His eyen blereed his face shone lyke a glas

His gowne so shorte that it ne couer myghte

His rumpe he wente so all for somer lyghte

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His hose was garded wyth a lyste of grene

Yet at the knee they were broken I wene

His cote was checked with patches rede and blewe checked] checkered M

Of kyrkeby_kendall was his shorte demye

And ay he sange in fayth decon thou crewe

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His elbowe bare he ware his gere so nye

His nose a_droppynge his lyppes were full drye a_droppynge] droppynge M

And by his syde his whynarde and his pouche

The deuyll myghte daunce therin for ony crowche

Counter he coude (O lux) vpon a potte

240

An eestryche-fedder of a capons tayle An] And M

He set vp fresshely vpon his hat a_lofte

What reuell-route quod he and gan to rayle

How ofte he hadde hit Ienet on the tayle hadde] M omits

Of felyce fetewse [a]nd lytell prety cate and] dnd A

245

How ofte he knocked at her klycked-gate

What sholde I tell more of his rebaudrye

I was ashamed so to here hym prate

He had no pleasure but in harlotrye

Ay quod he in the deuylles date

250

What arte thou I sawe the nowe but late

Forsothe quod I in this courte I dwell nowe

Welcome quod Ryote I make god au[o]we auowe] auwe A, auowe C, M

ref.ed: 57

¶Ryote.

And syr in fayth why comste not vs amonge

To make the mery as other felowes done

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255

Thou muste swere and stare man aldaye longe

And wake all nyghte and slepe tyll it be none

Thou mayste not studye or muse on the mone

This worlde is no-thynge but ete drynke and slepe

And thus with vs good company to kepe

260

Plucke vp thyne herte vpon a mery pyne

And lete us laugh a placke or tweyne at nale placke] plucke M

What the deuyll man myrthe was neuer one was neuer one] is here within M

What loo man see here of dyce a bale

A brydelynge-caste for that is in thy male

265

Now haue at all that lyeth vpon the burde

Fye on this dyce they be not worth a turde

Haue at the hasarde or at the dosen browne

Or els I pas a peny to a pounde I] C omits

Now wolde to god thou wolde leye money downe

270

Lorde how that I wolde caste it full rounde

Ay in my pouche a buckell I haue founde

The armes of calyce I haue no coyne nor crosse

I am not happy I renne ay on the losse

400

Now renne muste I to the stewys syde

To wete yf malkyn my lemman haue gete oughte

I lete her to hyre that men maye on her ryde

Her har[n]es easy ferre and nere is soughte harnes] harmes A, C, armes M

By goddis sydes syns I her thyder broughte

405

She hath gote me more money with her tayle

Than hath some shyppe that in-to bordews sayle

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Had I as good an hors as she is a mare

I durste auenture to Iourney thorugh Fraunce

Who rydeth on her he nedeth not to care

410

For she is trussed for to breke a launce

It is a curte[l] that well can wynche and praunce curtel] curtet A, C, curtel M

To her wyll I nowe all my pouerte lege

And tyll I come haue here is myne hat to plege is] M omits

ref.ed: 58

¶Drede

Gone is this knaue this rybaude foule and leude

415

He ran as fast as euer that he myghte

Unthryft[y]nes in hym may well be shewed Unthryftynes] Unthryftnes A, C, Unthryftynes M

For [w]home tyborne groneth both daye and nyghte whome] home A, whome C, M

And as I stode and kyste asyde my syghte kyste] keste C, caste M

Dysdayne I sawe with Dyssymulacyon

420

Standynge in sadde communicacion

But there was poyntynge and noddynge with þe hede

And many wordes sayde in secrete wyse

They wandred ay and stode styll in no stede

Me-thoughte alwaye Dyscymular dyde deuyse

425

Me passynge sore myne herte than gan aryse

I dempte and drede theyr talkynge was not good

Anone dyscymular came where I stode

Than in his hode I sawe there faces tweyne

That one was lene and lyke a pyned goost

430

That other loked as he wolde me haue slayne me haue] haue me C

And to me warde as he gan for to coost

Whan that he was euen at me almoost

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I sawe a knyfe hyd in his one sleue

Wheron was wryten this worde myscheue

435

And in his other sleue me-thought I sawe

A spone of golde full of hony swete

To fede a fole and for to preye a dawe preye] preue C

And on that sleue these wordes were wrete

A false abstracte cometh from a fals concrete

440

His hode was syde his cope was roset graye

Thyse were the wordes he to me dyde saye he] that he M

¶Dyssymulatio[n] /

Dyssymulation] Dyssymulatioy A

How do ye mayster ye loke so soberly

As I be saued at the dredefull daye

It is a perylous vyce this enuy

445

Alas a connynge man ne dwelle maye

In no place well but foles with [hym] fraye hym] A, M omit, hym C

But as for that conny[n]ge hath no foo connynge] connyge A

Saue hym that nought can / scrypture sayth soo.

ref.ed: 59

I knowe your vertu and your lytterkture lytterkture] lytterature C, lytterkture M

450

By that lytel connynge that I haue

Ye be malygned sore I you ensure

But ye haue crafte your-selfe alwaye to saue

It is grete scorne to se a mysproude knaue

With a clerke that connynge is to prate

455

Lete theym go lowse theym in the deuylles date

For all-be-it that this longe not to me

Yet on my backe I bere suche lewde delynge

sig: [B5]

Ryghte now I spake with one I trowe I see

But what a strawe I maye not tell all-thynge

460

By god I saye there is a grete herte-brennynge

Betwene the persone ye wote of [y]ou you] Iou A, M, you C

Alas I coude not dele so with a [I]ew Iew] yew A, C, M

I wolde eche man were as playne as I

It is a worlde I saye [to] here of some to] te A, to C, M

465

I hate this faynynge fye vpon it fye

A man can not wote where to become

I_wys I coude tell but humlery home tell] not tell C

I dare not speke we be so layde awayte

For all our courte is full of dysceyte

470

Now by saynte fraunceys that holy man and frere

I hate this wayes agayne you that they take this] these C

Were I as you I wolde ryde them full nere

And by my trouthe but yf an ende they make

Yet wyll I saye some wordes for your sake

475

That shall them angre I holde there-on a grote

For some shall wene be hanged by the throte

I haue a stoppynge-oyster in my poke

Truste me and yf it come to a nede

But I am lothe for to reyse a smoke

480

Yf ye coude be otherwyse agrede

And so I wolde it were so god me spede

For this maye brede to a confusyon

Withoute god make a good conclusyon

sig: [B5v]

Naye see where yonder stondeth the teder man

485

A flaterynge knaue and false he is god wote

The dreuyll stondeth to herken and he can

ref.ed: 60

It were more thryft he boughte him a newe cote

It wyll not be / his purse is not on_flote

All that he wereth it is borowed ware

490

His wytte is thynne his hode is threde-bare

More coude I saye but what this is ynowe

Adewe tyll soone we shall speke more of this

Ye muste be ruled as I shall tell you howe

Amendis maye be of that is now a_mys

495

And I am your syr so haue I blys

In euery poynte that I can do or saye In] To M

Gyue me your honde fare-well and haue good daye

¶Drede

Sodaynly as he departed me fro

Came pressynge in one in a wonder araye

500

Er I was ware behynde me he sayde bo

Thenne I astonyed of that sodeyne fraye

Sterte all at ones I lyked no-thynge his playe

For yf I had not quyckely fledde the touche

He had plucte oute the nobles of my pouche

505

He was trussed in a garmente strayte

I haue not sene suche an-others page

For he coude well vpon a casket wayte

His hode all pounsed and garded lyke a cage hode] body M

Lyghte lyme-fynger he toke none other wage

sig: [B6]

510

Harken quod he loo here myne honde in thyne

To vs welcome thou arte by saynte Quyntyne

¶Disceyte.

But by that lorde that is one two and thre

I haue an errande to rounde in your ere

He tolde me so by god ye maye truste me

515

Par[d]e remembre whan ye were there Parde] Parte A, C, M

There I wynked on you / wote ye not where

In (A) loco I mene iuxta (B)

Woo is hym that is blynde and maye not see

ref.ed: 61

But to here the subtylte and the crafte

520

As I shall tell you yf ye wyll harke agayne

And whan I sawe the horsons wolde you hafte

To holde myne honde by god I had grete payne

For forth-wyth there I had him slayne

But that I dr[e]de mordre wolde come oute drede] drde A, drede C, M

525

Who deleth with shrewes hath nede to loke aboute

¶Drede.

And as he ro[u]nded thus in myne ere rounded] roynded A, rounded C, M

Of false collusyon confetryd by assente

Me-thoughte I see lewde felawes here and there

Came for to slee me of mortall entente

530

And as they came the shypborde faste I hente

And thoughte to lepe / and euen with that woke

Caughte penne and ynke and wroth this lytyll boke wroth] wrote C, M

I wolde therwith no man were myscontente

Besechynge you that shall it see or rede

sig: [B6v]

535

In euery poynte to be indyfferente

Syth all in substaunce of slumbrynge doth procede

I wyll not saye it is mater in-dede

But yet oftyme suche dremes be founde trewe

Now constrewe ye what is the resydewe

¶Thus endeth the Bowge of courte. Enprynted at westmynster By me Wynkyn_the_worde.