The Freiris of Berwik

As it befell, and happinnit in-to deid,
Vpoun a rever, the quhilk is callit Tweid ;
At Tweidis mowth thair standis a nobill toun,
Quhair mony lordis hes bene of grit renovne,
Quhair mony a lady bene fair of face,
And mony ane fresche lusty galland wass.
In-to this toun, the quhilk is callit Berwik,
Vpoun the sey thair standis nane it lyk,
For it is wallit weill abowt with stane,
And dowbill stankis castin mony ane ;
And syne the castell is so Strang and wicht,
With strait towris and turattis he on hicht ;
The wallis wrocht craftely withall ;
The portcules most subtelly to fall,
Quhen that thame list to draw thame vpoun hicht ;
That it micht be of na maner of micht
To win that houss be craft or subteltie.
Quhairfoir it is maist gud allutirly,
In-to my tyme quhair evir I haif bene,
Moist fair, most gudly, most plesand to be sene ;
The tovne, the wall, the castell and the land,
The he wallis vpoun the vpper hand,
The grit croce kirk, and eik the Masone Dew,
The Jacobene freiris of the quhyt hew,
The Carmeleitis, and the monkis eik ;
The four ordouris wer nocht for to seik,
Thay wer all in this toun dwelling.
So appinnit in a Maij morning,
That twa of the Jacobyne freiris,
As thay wer wont and vsit mony ȝeiris
To pass amang thair brethir vpaland,
Wer send of thame best practisit and cunnand,
Freir Allane, and Freir Robert the vder ;
Thir silly Freiris with wyffis weill cowld gluder ;
Rycht wondir weill plesit thai all wyffis
And tawld thame tailis of haly Sanctis lyffis,
Quhill on a tyme thay purposit to pass hame ;
Bot verry tyrit and wett wes Freir Allane,
For he wes awld, and micht nocht wele travell,
And als he had ane littill spyce of gravell
Freir Robert wes ȝoung, and verry hett of blude,
And be the way he bure both clothis and hude,
And all thair geir, for he wes strong and wicht.
Be that it drew neir towart the nicht,
As thay wer cumand towart the tovne full neir ;
Freir Allane said than, " Gud bruder deir,
It is to lait, I dreid the ȝet be closit,
And we ar tyrit, and verry evill disposit
To Iuge owt of the toun, bot gif that we
In sume gud houss this nycht mot herbryt be."
Swa wynnit thair ane woundir gude hostillar,
Without the toun, in till a fair manar,
And Symon Lawrear wes his name ;
Ane fair blyth wyf he had, of ony ane,
Bot scho wes sumthing dynk and dengerous.
The silly Freiris quhen thay come to the houss,
With fair hailsing and bekking courteslye,
To thame scho anschirit agane in hye ;
Freir Robert sperit eftir the gud man,
And scho agane anschirit thame thane,
" He went fra hame, God wait, on Weddinsday,
In the cuntre for to seik corne and hay,
And vthir thingis quhairof we haif neid."
Freir Robert said, " I pray grit God him speid
Him haill and sound in-to his travell,"
And hir desyrit the stowp to fill of aill,
That we may drink, for I am wondir dry.
With that the wyfe went furth richt schortly,
And fillit the stowp, and brocht in breid and cheiss ;
Thay eit and drank, and satt at thair awin eiss.
Freir Allane said to the gudwyf in hye,
" Cum hiddir, deme, and sett ȝow doun me bye,
And fill the cop agane anis to me ; "
Freir Robert said, " Full weill payit sall ȝe be."
The Freiris wer blyth, and mirry tailis cowld tell,
And even with that thay hard the prayer bell
Off thair awin abbay, and than thay wer agast,
Becauss thay knew the ȝettis wer closit fast,
That thay on na wayiss micht gett entre.
Than the gudwyfe thay prayit for cheritie
To grant thame herbrye that ane nicht ;
Bot scho to thame gaif anschir with grit hicht,
" The gudman is fra hame, as I ȝow tald,
And God it wait, gif I durst be so bald
To herbry Freiris in this houss with me,
Quhat wald Symon say, ha, benedicite,
Bot in his absence I abusit his place ?
Our deir Lady Mary keip fra sic cace,
And keip me owt of perrell and of schame."
Than auld Freir Allane said, " Na, fair dame,
For Godis saik, heir me quhat I sall say,
In gud faith, we will both be deid or day ;
The way is evill, and I am tyrit and wett,
Our ȝettis ar closit that we may nocht in gett,
And to our abbay we can nocht win in ;
To causs ws perreiss but help ȝe haif grit syn ;
Thairfoir of verry neid we mon byd still,
And ws commit alhaill in-to ȝour will."
The gudwyf lukit vnto the Freiris tway,
And, at the last, to thame culd scho say,
" Ȝe byd nocht heir, be Him that ws all coft ;
Bot gif ȝe list to lig vp in ȝone loft,
Quhilk is weill wrocht in-to the hallis end,
Ȝe sall fynd stray, and clathis I sall ȝow send ;
Quhair, and ȝe list, pass on baith in feir,
For on no wayis will I repair haif heir."
Hir madin than scho send hir on befoir,
And hir thay followit baith withowttin moir ;
Thay war full blyth, and did as scho thame kend,
And vp thay went, in-to the hallis end,
In till a loft wes maid for come and hay;
Scho maid thair bed, syne past doun but delay,
Closit the trop and thay remanit still.
In-to the loft thay wantit of thair will ;
Freir Allane lay doun as he best micht ;
Freir Robert said, " I hecht to walk this nicht,
Quha wait perchance sum sport I ma espy? "
Thus in the loft latt I thir Freiris ly,
And of the gudwyf now I will speik mair.
Scho wes richt blyth that thay wer closit thair,
For scho had maid ane tryst that samyn nicht
Freir Johine hir luvis supper for to dicht ;
And scho wald haif none vder cumpany,
Becauss Freir Johine that nicht with hir sowld ly,
Quha dwelland wes in-to that samyne toun,
And ane Blak Freir he wes of grit renown.
He govirnit alhaill the abbacy;
Silwer and gold he had aboundantly;
He had a prevy posterne of his awin,
Quhair he micht ische, quhen that he list, vnknawin.
Now thus in-to the toun I leif him still,
Bydand his tyme ; and turne agane I will
To this fair wyfe, how scho the fyre cowld beit,
And thristit on fatt caponis to the speit ;
And fatt cunyngis to fyre did scho lay,
Syne bad the madin, in all the haist scho may,
To flawme, and turne, and rost thame tenderly.
And to hir chalmer so scho went in hy;
Scho pullit hir cunt, and gaif hit buffettis tway
Vpoun the cheikis, syne till it cowd scho say,
" Ȝe sowld be blyth and glaid at my requeist,
Thir mvllis of puris ar callit to ane feist"
Scho cleithis hir in a kirtill of fyne reid,
Ane fair quhyt curch scho puttis vpoun hir heid ;
Hir kirtill wes of silk, and silwer fyne,
Hir vthir garmentis as the reid gold did schyne;-
On every finger scho weiris ringis two ;
Scho was als prowd as ony papingo.
The burde scho cuverit with clath of costly greyne,
Hir napry aboif wes woundir weill besene.
Than but scho went, to se gif ony come,
Scho thocht full lang to meit hir lufe Freir Johine.
Syne schortly did this Freir knok at the ȝett;
His knok scho kend, and did so him in lett
Scho welcomit him in all hir best maneir ;
He thankit hir, and said, " My awin luve deir,
Haif thair ane pair of bossis, gud and fyne,
Thay hald ane gallone full of Gascone wyne ;
And als ane pair of pertrikis richt new slane,
And eik ane creill full of breid of mane ;
This I haif brocht to ȝow, my awin luve deir,
Thairfoir, I pray ȝow, be blyth, and mak gud cheir;
Sen it is so that Semon is fra hame,
I wilbe hamely now with ȝow, gud dame.
Scho sayis, " Ȝe ar full hertly welcome heir
At ony tyme, quhen that ȝe list appeir.
With that scho smylit woundir lustely;
He thristit hir hand agane richt prevely,
Than in hett luve thay talkit vderis till.
Thus at thair sport now will I leif thame still,
And tell ȝow off thir silly Freiris two
Wer lokit in the loft amang the stro :
Freir Allane in the loft still can ly ;
Freir Robert had ane littill jelosy,
For in his hairt he had ane persaving,
And throw the burdis he maid with his botkin
A littill hoill on sic a wyiss maid he,
All that thay did thair doun he micht weill se,
And every word he herd that thay did say.
Quhen scho wes prowd, richt woundir fresche and gay,
Scho callit him baith hert, lemmane and luve ;
Lord God, gif than his curage wes aboif,
So prelat lyk sat he in to the chyre :
Scho rownis than ane pistill in his eir ;
Thus sportand thame, and makand melody :
And quhen scho saw the supper wes reddy,
Scho gois belyfe and cuveris the burde annon,
And syne the pair of bossis hes scho tone,
And sett thame doun vpoun the burde hir by.
And evin with that thay hard the gudman cry,
And knokand at the ȝett he cryit fast :
Quhen thay him hard then wer thay both agast :
And als Freir Johine wes in a fellone fray,
He stert vp fast, and wald haif bene away,
Bot all for nocht, he micht no way win owt.
The gudwyfe spak than, with a visage stowt,
" Ȝone is Symone that makis all this fray,
That I micht tholit full weill had bene away;
I sall him quyt, and I leif half a ȝeir,
That cummert hes ws thus in sic maneir,
Becauss for him we may nocht byd togidder ;
I soir repent and wo is ȝe come hidder,
For we wer weill gif that ȝe wer away."
"Quhat sall I do, allace?" the Freir can say,
" Into this case, Lord ! how sall I me beir,
For I am schent and Symon fynd me heir,
I dreid me sair, and he cum in this innis,
And fynd me heir, that I los bath my quhynnis."
"Hyd ȝou," scho said, "quhill he be brocht to rest,
In-to ȝone troich, I think it for the best ;
It lyis mekle and huge in all ȝone nwke,
It held a boll of meill quhen that we buke."
Than vndir it scho gart him creip in hy,
And bad him lurk thair verry quyetly;
Scho closit him, and syne went on hir way.
"Quhat sall I do, allace?" the Freir can say.
Syn to hir madin spedyly scho spak,
" Go to the fyre, and the meitis fra it tak ;
Be bissy als, and slokkin out the fyre ;
Ga cloiss ȝone burd, and tak away the chyre,
And lok vp all in to ȝone almery,
Baith meit and drink, with wyne and aill put by ;
The mayne breid als thow hyd it with the wyne ;
That being done, thow sowp the houss clene syne,
That na apperance of feist be heir sene,
Bot sobirly our selffis dois sustene."
And syne, withowttin ony mair delay,
Scho castis of haill hir fresch array ;
Than went scho to hir bed annone,
And tholit him to knok his fill, Symone.
Quhen he for knoking tyrit wes, and cryid,
Abowt he went vnto the vdir syd,
Till ane windo wes at hir beddis heid,
And cryit " Alesoun awalk for Goddis deid ! "
And on Alesone fast cold he cry;
And at the last scho anschirit crabitly,
" Ach, quha be this that knawis sa weill my name ?
Go henss," scho sayis, " for Symon is fra hame,
And I will herbry no gaistis heir perfay;
Thairfoir I pray ȝow to wend on ȝour way,
For at this tyme ȝe may nocht lugit be."
Than Symone said, " Fair dame, ken ȝe nocht me ?
I am your Symone and husband of this place."
" Ar ȝe my spous Symone?" scho sayis, "allace,
Be misknawlege I had almaist misgane,
Quha wenit that ȝe sa lait wald haif cum hame ? "
Scho stertis vp and gettis licht in hy,
And oppinit than the ȝet full haistely;
Scho tuk fra him his geir at all devyiss,
Syne welcomit him on maist hairtly wyiss.
He bad the madin kindill on the " fyre,
Syne graith me meit, and tak ȝe all thy hyre.
The gudwyf said schortly, " Ȝe may trow,
Heir is no meit that ganand is for ȝow."
" How sa, fair deme, ga gait me cheiss and breid,
Ga fill the stowp, hald me no mair in pleid,
For I am verry tyrit, wett and cauld."
Than vp scho raiss, and durst nocht mair be bauld,
Cuverit the burde, thairon sett meit in hy,
Ane sowsit nolt fute, and scheipheid, haistely;
And sum cauld meit scho brocht to him belyve,
And fillit the stowp. The gudman than wes blyth ;
Than satt he doun, and swoir " be All hallow,
I fair richt weill and I had ane gud fallow :
Dame, eit with me, and drink, gif that ȝe may."
Said the gudwyf, " Devill inche cun may I ;
It wer mair meit in to ȝour bed to be,
Than now to sit desyrand cumpany."
The freiris twa, that in the loft can ly
Thay hard him weill desyrand cumpany. "
Freir Robert said, " Allace, gud bruder deir,
I wald the gudman wist that we wer heir,
Quha wait perchance sum bettir wald he fair ;
For sickerly my hairt will ay be sair
Gif ȝone scheipheid with Symon birneist be,
Sa mekill gud cheir being in the almerie :
And with that word he gaif ane hoist anone.
The gudman hard, and speirit, " Quha is ȝone ?
Methink that thair is men into ȝon loft
The gudwyf ansuerit with wourdis soft,
" Ȝon ar ȝour awin Freyris brether tway."
Symone said, " Tell me quhat Freiris be thay."
" Ȝone is Freir Robert and silly Freir Allane,
That all this day hes travellit with grit pane ;
Be thay come heir it wes so verry lait
Curfur wes rung, and closit wes thair ȝait ;
And in ȝone loft I gaif thame harborye."
The gudman said, " Sa God haif pairt of me,
Tha Freiris twa ar hairtly welcome hidder,
Ga call thame doun, that we ma drink togidder."
The gudwyf said, " I reid ȝow latt thame be,
Thay had levir sleip nor sit in cumpanye.
To drink and dot, it ganis nocht for thame,"
" Let be, fair dame, thy wordis ar in vane,
I will thame haif be Goddis dignite ;
Mak no delay, bot bring thame doun to me."
The gudman said vnto the maidin thone,
" Go, pray thame baith to cum till me annone."
And sone the trop the madin oppinit than,
And bad thame baith cum doun to the gudman.
Freir Robert said, " Now be sweit Sanct Jame,
The gudman is verry velcome hame,
And for his weilfair dalie do we pray;
We sall annone cum doun to him, ȝe say."
Than with that word thay start vp baith attone,
And doun the trop delyverly thay come,
Halsit Symone als sone as thay him se ;
And he agane thame welcomit hairtfullie,
And said, " Cum heir, myne awin bredir deir,
And sett ȝow doun sone besyd me heir,
For I am now allone, as ȝe may se ;
Thairfoir sitt doun, and beir me cumpanye,
And tak ȝow pairt of sic gud as we haif."
Freir Allane said, " Schir, I pray God ȝow saif,
For heir is now annwch of Godis gud."
Than Symon anschirit, " Now, be the Rud,
Ȝit wald I gif ane croun of gold for me,
For sum gud meit and drink amangis ws thre."
Freir Robert said, " Quhat drinkis wald ȝe craif,
Or quhat meitis desyre ȝe for to haif?
For I haif mony sindry practikis seir,
Beyond the sey in Pareiss did I leir,
That I wald preve glaidly for ȝour saik,
And for ȝour demys that harbry cowd ws maik.
I tak on hand, and ȝe will counsale keip,
That I sall gar ȝow se, or ever I sleip,
Of the best meit that is in this cuntre ;
Off Gascone wyne, gif ony in it be ;
Or, be thair ony within ane hundreth myle,
It salbe heir within a bony quhyle."
The gudman had grit mervell of this taill,
And said, " My hairt will neir be haill
Bot gif ȝe preve that practik or ȝe pairte,
Be quhat kin science, nigromansy, or art
Freir Robert said, " Of this ȝe haue no dreid,
For I can do fer mair, and thair be neid."
Than Symon said, " Freir Robert, I ȝou pray,
For my saik that science ȝe wald assay,
To mak ane sport." And than the Freir vprais,
He tuk his buk and to the flure he gais ;
He turnis it our, and reidis it a littill space,
And to the eist direct he turnis his face,
And maid ane croce, and than the freyr cuth lout
Syne to the west he turnit him ewin about,
Than in the north he turnit and lowtit down
And tuk his buk and red ane orisoun ;
And ay his eyne wer on the almery,
And on the troch quhair that Freir Johine did ly.
Than sat he doun, and kest abak his hude,
He granit, and he glowrit, as he wer woid ;
And quhylis still he satt in studeing,
And vthir quhylis vpoun his buk reding ;
And quhylis with baith his handis he wald clap,
And vthir quhylis wald he glour and gaip ;
Syne in the sowth he turnit him abowt
Weill thryiss, and mair than lawly cowd he lowt,
Quhen that he come neir the almery.
Thairat our dame had woundir grit invy,
For in her hairt scho had ane persaving
That he had knawin all hir govirning.
Scho saw him gif the almery sic a straik,
Vnto hir self scho said, " Full weill I wait
I am bot schent, he knawis full weill my thocht ;
Quhat sall I do ? Allace, that I wes wrocht ;
Get Symon wit, it wilbe deir doing."
Be that the Freir had left his studeing,
And on his feit he startis vp full sture,
And come agane, and seyit all his cure.
Now is it done, and ȝe sall haif playntie
Of breid and wyne, the best in this cuntre ;
Thairfoir, fair dame, get vp deliverlie,
And ga belyfe vnto ȝone almerie,
And oppin it ; and se ȝe bring ws syne
Ane pair of boissis full of Gascone wyne,
Thay had ane galloun and mair, that wait I weill ;
And bring ws als the mayne breid in a creill ;
Ane pair of cunyngis, fat and het pypand ;
The caponis als ȝe sall ws bring fra hand ;
Twa pair of pertrikis, I wait thair is no ma ;
And eik of pluveris se that ȝe bring ws twa.
The gudwyf wist it wes no variance ;
Scho knew the Freir had sene hir govirnance ;
Scho saw it wes no bute for to deny;
With that scho went vnto the almery,
And oppinnit it, and than scho fand thair
All that the Freir had spokin of befoir.
Scho stert abak, as scho wer in a fray,
And sanyt hir, and smyland cowd scho say,
" Ha, banedicitie, quhat may this bene ?
Quha evir afoir hes sic a fairly sene ?
Sa grit a mervell as now hes apnit heir,
Quhat sall I say ? He is ane haly Freir,
He said full swth of all that he did say."
Scho brocht all furth, and on the burd cowd lay
Baith breid and wyne, and vthir thingis moir,
Cunyngis and caponis, as ȝe haif hard befoir ;
Pertrikis and pluveris befoir thame hes scho brocht.
The Freir knew weill and saw thair wantit nocht,
Bot all wes furth brocht, evin at his devyiss.
And Symone saw it appinnit on this wyiss,
He had grit wondir, and sweris be the mone
That Freir Robert weill his dett had done ;
He may be callit ane man of grit science,
Sa suddanly maid all this purviance
Hes brocht ws heir throw his grit subteltie,
And throw his knawlege in filosophie :
In ane gud tyme it wes quhen he come hidder ;
Now fill the cop that we ma drink togidder,
And mak gud cheir eftir this langsum day,
For I haif riddin ane woundir wilsome way
Now God be lovit, heir is suffisance
Vnto ws all throw ȝour gud govirnance :
And than annone thay drank evin round abowt
Of Gascone wyne ; the Freiris playit cop owt.
Thay sportit thame, and makis mirry cheir
With sangis lowd, baith Symone and the Freir ;
And on this wyiss the lang nicht thay ourdraif ;
No thing thay want that thay desyrd to haif.
Than Symon said to the gudwyf in hy,
" Cum heir, fair dame, and sett ȝow doun me by,
And tak pairte of sic gud as we haif heir,
And hairtly, I ȝow pray, to thank this Freir
Off his bening grit besines and cure,
That he hes done to ws vpoun this flure,
And brocht ws meit and drink haboundantlie,
Quhairfoir of richt we aucht mirry to be."
Bot all thair sport, quhen thay wer maist at eiss,
Vnto our deme it wes bot littill pleiss,
For vther thing thair wes in to hir thocht ;
Scho wes so red, hir hairt wes ay on flocht,
That throw the Freir scho sowld discoverit be,
To him scho lukit oft tymes effeiritlie,
And ay disparit in hart was scho,
That he had witt of all hir purveance to.
Thus satt scho still, and wist no vdir wane;
Quhat evir thay say, scho lute him all alane,
Bot scho drank with thame in-to cumpany
With fenȝeit cheir, and hert full wo and hevy.
Bot thay wer blyth annwche, God watt, and sang,
For ay the wyne was rakand thame amang,
Quhill at the last thay woix richt blyth ilk one.
Than Symone said vnto the Freir annone,
I mervell mikill how that this may be,
In till schort tyme that ȝe sa suddanlye
Hes brocht to ws sa mony denteis deir."
Thairof haif ȝe no mervell," quod the Freir,
" I haif ane pege full prevy of my awin
Quhen evir I list will cum to me vnknawin,
And bring to me sic thing as I will haif;
Quhat evir I list it neidis me nocht to craif
Thairfoir be blyth, and tak in pacience,
And trest ȝe weill I sall do diligence ;
Gif that ȝe list, or thinkis to haif moir,
It salbe had and I sall stand thairfoir,
Incontinent that samyn sall ȝe se ;
Bot I protest that ȝe keip it previe,
Latt no man wit that I can do sic thing."
Than Symone swoir, and said, " Be hevynnis king,
It salbe kepit prevy as for me ;
Bot, bruder deir, ȝour schirwand wald I se,
Gif it ȝow pleiss, that we may drynk togidder,
For I wait nocht gif ȝe ma ay cum hidder,
Quhen that we want our neidis sic as this."
The Freir said, " Nay, so mot I haif hevynis bliss,
Ȝow to haif the sicht of my schirwand
It can nocht be ; ȝe sall weill vndirstand,
That ȝe may se him graithly in his awin kynd,
Bot ȝe annone sowld go owt of your mynd,
He is so fowll and vgly for to se ;
I dar nocht awnter for to tak on me,
To bring him hidder heir in-to our sicht,
And namely now so lait in to the nicht ;
Bot gif it wer on sic a maner wyiss
Him to translait or ellis dissagyiss
Fra his awin kynd in-to ane vder stait."
Than Symone said, "I mak no moir debait,
As pleisis ȝow so lyk is it to me,
As evir ȝe list, bot fane wald I him se."
Freyr Robert said, " Sen that ȝour will is so,
Tell onto me withouttin wourdis mo,
In till quhat kynd sall I him gar appeir ? "
Than Symone said, " In liknes of a Freir,
In quhyt cullour, richt as ȝour self it war,
For quhyt cullour will na body deir,"
And ewill spreitts quhyte colour ay will fle.
Freir Robert said that swa it cowld nocht be,
For sic caussis as he may weill foirse,
That he compeir in to our habeit quhyt,
Vntill I ordour it wer a grit dispyte,
That ony sic vnworthy wicht as he
In till our habeit men sowld behald or se.
Bot sen it pleissis ȝow that ar heir,
Ȝe sall him se in liknes of a Frier ;
In habeit blak it was his kynd to weir,
Into sic wys that he sall no man deir.
Gif ȝe so do, and rewll ȝow at all wyiss
To hald ȝow cloiss and still at my devyiss,
Quhat evir it be ȝe owdir se or heir,
Ȝe speik no word, nor mak no kynd of steir,
Bot hald ȝow cloiss, quhill I haif done my cure.
Than said he, " Semon, ȝe mone be on the flure,
Neirhand besyd with staff in to your hand ;
Haif ȝe no dreid, I sall ȝow ay warrand."
Than Symon said, " I assent that it be swa ; "
And vp he start, and gat a libberla
In-to his hand, and on the flure he stert,
Sumthing effrayit, thocht stalwart was his hart
Than to the Freir said Symone verry sone,
" Now tell me, maister, quhat ȝe will haif done."
" No thing," he said, " bot hald ȝow cloiss and still ;
Quhat evir I do tak ȝe gud tent thairtill,
And neir the dur ȝe hyd ȝow prevely,
And quhen I bid ȝow stryk, strek hardely,
In to the nek se that ȝe hit him richt"
"That sall I warrand," quod he, "with all my micht"
Thuss on the flure I leif him standand still,
Bydand his tyme ; and turne agane I will,
How that the Freir did take his buke in hy,
And turnit our the levis full besely,
Ane full lang space, and quhen he had done swa,
Towart the troch withowttin wordis ma
He gois belyfe, and on this wyiss sayis he,
" Ha, how, Hurlybass, now I coniure the,
That thow vpryss and sone to me appeir,
In habeit blak in liknes of a freir ;
Owt of this troch, quhair that thow dois ly,
Thow rax the sone, and mak no dyn nor cry;"
Thow tumbill our the troch that we may se,
And vnto ws thow schaw the oppinlie ;
And in this place se that thow no man greif,
Bot draw thy handis boith in to thy sleif,
And pull thy cowll doun owttour thy face ;
Thow may thank God that thow gettis sic a grace ;
Thairfoir thow turss the to thyne awin ressett,
Se this be done and mak no moir debait ;
In thy depairting se thow mak no deray
Vnto no wicht, bot frely pass thy way;
And in this place se that thow cum no moir,
Bot I command the, or ellis the charge befoir ;
And our the stair se that thow ga gud speid ;
Gif thow dois nocht on thy awin perrell beid."
With that the Freir, that vnder the troch lay,
Raxit him sone, bot he wes in a fray,
And vp he raiss, and wist na bettir wayn,
Bot of the troch he tumlit our the stane ;
Syne fra the samyn quhairin he thocht him lang,
Vnto the dur he preisit him to gang,
With hevy cheir and drery countenance,
For nevir befoir him hapnit sic a chance.
And quhen Freir Robert saw him gangand by,
Vnto the Gudman full lowdly cowd he cry,
Stryk, stryk herdely, for now is tyme to the.
With that Symone a felloun flap lait fle,
With his burdoun he hit him on the nek ;
He wes sa ferce he fell owttour the sek,
And brak his heid vpoun ane mustard stane.
Be this Freir Johine attour the stair is gane
In sic wyiss, that mist he hes the trap,
And in ane myr he fell, sic wes his hap,
Wes fourty futis of breid vndir the stair ;
Ȝeit gat he vp with clething nothing fair;
Full drerelie vpoun his feit he stude,
And throw the myre full smertly than he ȝude,
And our the wall he clam richt haistely,
Quhilk round abowt wes laid with stanis dry:
Off his eschaping in hairt he wes full fane,
I trow he salbe laith to cum agane.
With that Freir Robert stert abak and saw
Quhair the Gudman lay sa woundir law
Vpoun the flure, and bleidand wes his heid ;
He stert to him, and went he had bene deid,
And clawcht him vp withowttin wordis moir,
And to the dur delyverly him bure ;
And fra the wind wes blawin twyiss in his face,
Than he ourcome within a lytill space ;
And than Freir Robert franyt at him fast,
Quhat ailit him to be so soir agast.
He said, " Freir hes maid me thus gait say."
" Lat be," quod he, "the werst is all away;
Mak mirry, man, and se ȝe mvrne na mair,
Ȝe haif him strikin quyt owttour the stair.
I saw him slip, gif I the suth can tell,
Doun our the stair, in till a myr he fell ;
Bot lat him go, he wes a graceles gaist,
And boun ȝow to ȝour bed, for it is best "
Thus Symonis heid vpoun the stane wes brokin,
And our the stair the Freir in myre hes loppin,
And tap our taill he fyld wes woundir ill ;
And Alesone on na wayiss gat hir will.
This is the story that hapnit of that Freir,
No moir thair is, bot Chryst ws help most deir.

Finis.