yd towne; damoyselle, followe mee. 1135

AT BRYSTOWE.

AELLA AND SERVITOURES.

AELLA.

'Tys nowe fulle morne; I thoughten, bie laste nyghte
To have been heere; mie stede han notte mie love;
Thys ys mie pallace; lette mie hyndes alyghte,
Whylste I goe oppe, & wake mie slepeynge dove.
Staie here, mie hyndlettes; I shal goe above. 1140
Nowe. Birtha, wyll thie loke enhele mie spryte,
Thie smyles unto mie woundes a baulme wylle prove;
Mie ledanne boddie wylle bee sette aryghte.
Egwina, haste, & ope the portalle doore,
Yatte I on Birtha's breste maie thynke of warre ne more. 1145

AELLA, EGWINA.

EGWINA.

Oh AElla!

AELLA.

Ah! that semmlykeene to mee
Speeketh a legendary tale of woe.

EGWINA.

Birtha is--

AELLA.

Whatt? where? how? saie, whatte of shee?

EGWINA.

Gone--

AELLA.

Gone! ye goddes!

EGWINA.

Alas! ytte ys toe true.
Yee seynctes, hee dies awaie wythe myckle woe! 1150
AElla! what? AElla! oh! hee lyves agen.

AELLA.

Cal mee notte AElla; I am hymme ne moe.
Where ys shee gon awaie? ah! speake! how? when?

EGWINA.

I will.

AELLA.

Caparyson a score of stedes; flie, flie.
Where ys shee? swythynne speeke, or instante thou shalte die. 1155

EGWINA.

Stylle thie loud rage, & here thou whatte I knowe.

AELLA.

Oh! speek.

EGWINA.

Lyche prymrose, droopynge wythe the heavie rayne,
Laste nyghte I lefte her, droopynge wythe her wiere,
Her love the gare, thatte gave her harte syke peyne--

AELLA.

Her love! to whomme?

EGWINA.

To thee, her spouse alleyne[122]. 1160
As ys mie hentylle everyche morne to goe,
I wente, and oped her chamber doore ynn twayne,
Botte found her notte, as I was wont to doe;
Thanne alle arounde the pallace I dyd seere[123],
Botte culde (to mie hartes woe) ne fynde her anie wheere. 1165

AELLA.

Thou lyest, foul hagge! thou lyest; thou art her ayde
To chere her louste;--botte noe; ytte cannotte bee.

EGWINA.

Gyff trouthe appear notte inne whatte I have sayde,
Drawe forthe thie anlace swythyn, thanne mee flea.

AELLA.

Botte yette ytte muste, ytte m