Specimens of English literature from the 'Ploughmans crede' to the ...

Ill, (b) the STORIE of THEBES. ^^Of custom, ay among the Courts neweIn this gardyn of many dyu^rse hweSwich joye hadde forto taken hede 1265On her stalkes forto sen hem sprede,In the Allures walking to & fro.And whan she hadde a litil while ^ goo,Her self alloc'n, casting vp her sight,She byheld wher an armed knyght 1270Lay to rest hym on the herbes colde,And, hym besyde, she gan ek byholdeHis myghty stede walkyng her & therAnd she anon fille in a maner fer,Speceally whan she saugh the blood 1275Sprad al the grene aboute ^ ther she stood.But at the last she kaught[e] hardynesse.And wommanly gan her forto dresseToward this knyght, havyng a manure dredeAnd gret dout, lest that he were dede, 1280And of her wilk sothly this was chief,That she thought[e] forto mak a prief.How that itstood of this man ful ofteAnd forth she gooth and touched hym ful softe,Ther as he lay, with her hondes smale; 1285And with a face dedly, bleyk, & pale,Lich as a man adawed in a swogh,Vp he stert and his suerd^ he drogh,Nat fully out, but put it vp ageynAnoon as he hath the lady seyn, 1290Beseching hir^, only of her grace.To han pite vpon his trespace,1 Trin. MSS. 'while'; Ar. ' whil.'2 So in MS. Trin. R. 4. 20 ; Ar. ' about.'D 2