And on hire handes faste loketh she.
'Allas, shal myn handes blody be?
I am a mayde, and as by my nature,
And be my semblaunt, and by my vesture,
Myn handes ben nat shapen for a knyf,
As for to reve no man fro hys lyf!

2690

What devel have I with the knyfe to doo?
And shal I have my throte korve a twoo?
Thanne shal I blede, allas, and be shende!

2695

And nedes coste thys thing mot have an ende;

Or he or I mote nedes lese oure lyf.

Now certes,' quod she, 'syn I am hys wyf,

And hathe my feythe, yet is hyt bet for me
For to be dede in wyfly honeste,

Thanne be a traytour lyvyng in my shame.
Be as be may, for erneste or for game,
He shal awake and ryse and go hys way
Out at this goter, or that hyt be day.'
And wepte ful tenderly upon his face,
And in hire armes gan hym to embrace,
And hym she jeggeth and awaketh softe,
And at the wyndow lepe he fro the lofte,

2700

2705

Whanne she hath warned hym and doone hym bote.
This Lyno swyft was and lyghte of fote,
And from hire ranne a ful goode pace.

2710

This sely womman ys so wayke, allace,
And helples, so that er she ferre wente,
Her crewel fader did hire for to hente.

2690. semblaunt, appearance ;-reve, to reave, take away.

2695. shende, destroyed.

2699. bet, better.

2707. jeggeth, joggeth.

2708. lepe, pres. tense, third sing. of lepe, leaps.

2709. doone hym bote, rendered him help, or service.

2712. sely, simple ;-wayke, weak.

2714. did hire for to hente, caused her to be, or had her, caught.

Allas, Lyno, why art thou so unkynde?

Why ne hast thou remembred in thy mynde,

And taken hire, and ledde hire forthe with the ?
For whanne she saw that goon away was he,

And that she myghte not so faste go,

2715

Ne folowen hym, she sat hire doune ryghte thoo, 2720 Til she was kaughte and fettred in prisoun.

This tale ys sayde for this conclusioun.

HERE ENDETH THE LEGENDe of goode wOMEN.

OF WORDS EXPLAINED IN THE NOTES.

(The numbers refer to the pages.)