Page:Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1900.djvu/36

 Prey we to here with gret honour, Che that bar the blyssid flowr, Che be our helpe and our socour And schyd us fro the fyndes bond.

ROBERT MANNYNG OF BRUNNE

1260-1340

8. Praise of Women

No thyng ys to man so dere As wommanys love in gode manere. A gode womman is mannys blys, There her love right and stedfast ys. There ys no solas under hevene Of alle that a man may nevene That shulde a man so moche glew As a gode womman that loveth true. Ne derer is none in Goddis hurde Than a chaste womman with lovely worde.

8. nevene] name. glew] gladden. hurde] flock. JOHN BARBOUR d. 1395   9. Freedom

A! Fredome is a noble thing! Fredome mays man to haiff liking; Fredome all solace to man giffis, He levys at ese that frely levys! A noble hart may haiff nane ese, Na ellys nocht that may him plese,

9. liking] liberty. na ellys nocht] nor aught else.