Rawlinson Manuscript. D. 328, fol. 174 b, Bodleian
Library, in a hand of about 1450.
| 1 |
Wol ȝe here a wonder thynge
Betwyxt a mayd and þe fovle fende? |
| 2 |
Thys spake þe fend to þe mayd:
'Beleue on me, mayd, to day. |
| 3 |
'Mayd, mote y thi leman be,
Wyssedom y wolle teche the: |
| 4 |
'All þe wyssedom off the world,
Hyf þou. wolt be true and forward holde. |
| 5 |
'What ys hyer þan ys [þe] tre?
What ys dypper þan ys the see? |
| 6 |
'What ys scharpper þan ys þe þorne?
What ys loder þan ys þe horne? |
| 7 |
'What [ys] longger þan ys þe way?
What is rader þan ys þe day? |
| 8 |
'What [ys] bether than is þe bred?
What ys scharpper than ys þe dede? |
| 9 |
'What ys grenner þan ys þe wode?
What ys sweetter þan ys þe note? |
| 10 |
'What ys swifter þan ys the wynd?
What ys recher þan ys þe kynge? |
| 11 |
'What ys ȝeluer þan ys þe wex?
What [ys] softer þan ys þe flex? |
| 12 |
'But þou now answery me,
Thu schalt for soþe my leman be.' |
| 13 |
'Ihesu, for þy myld myȝth,
As thu art kynge and knyȝt, |
| 14 |
'Lene me wisdome to answere here ryȝth,
And schylde me fram the fovle wyȝth! |
| 15 |
'Hewene ys heyer than ys the tre,
Helle ys dypper þan ys the see. |
| 16 |
'Hongyr ys scharpper than [ys] þe thorne,
Þonder ys lodder than ys þe horne. |
| 17 |
'Loukynge ys longer than ys þe way,
Syn ys rader þan ys the day. |
| 18 |
'Godys flesse ys better þan ys the brede,
Payne ys strenger þan ys þe dede. |
| 19 |
'Gras ys grenner þan ys þe wode.
Loue ys swetter þan ys the notte. |
| 20 |
'Þowt ys swifter þan ys the wynde,
Ihesus ys recher þan ys the kynge. |
| 21 |
'Safer is ȝelner than ys the wexs,
Selke ys softer þan ys the flex. |
| 22 |
'Now, thu fende, styl thu be;
Nelle ich speke no more with the!' |
