I.

[A] Ful erly bifore þe day þe folk vp-rysen, Gestes þat go wolde, hor grome3 þay calden, 1128 [B] & þay busken vp bilyue, blonkke3 to sadel, Tyffen he[r] takles, trussen her males, Richen hem þe rychest, to ryde alle arayde, Lepen vp ly3tly, lachen her brydeles, 1132 [C] Vche wy3e on his way, þer hym wel lyked. [D] Þe leue lorde of þe londe wat3 not þe last, A-rayed for þe rydyng, with renkke3 ful mony; [E] Ete a sop hastyly, when he hade herde masse, 1136 With bugle to bent felde he buske3 by-lyue; [F] By þat þat any day-ly3t lemed vpon erþe, He with his haþeles on hy3e horsses weren. [G] Þenne þise cacheres þat couþe, cowpled hor hounde3, 1140 Vnclosed þe kenel dore, & calde hem þer-oute, [H] Blwe bygly in bugle3 þre bare mote; Braches bayed þerfore, & breme noyse maked, [I] & þay chastysed, & charred, on chasyng þat went; 1144 A hundreth of hunteres, as I haf herde telle, of þe best; [J] To trystors vewters 3od, Couples huntes of kest, 1148 Þer ros for blaste3 gode, [Fol. 106b.] [K] Gret rurd in þat forest.

[Sidenote A: Before day-break folks uprise,] [Sidenote B: saddle their horses, and truss their mails.] [Sidenote C: Each goes where it pleases him best.] [Sidenote D: The noble lord of the land arrays himself for riding.] [Sidenote E: He eats a sop hastily and goes to mass.] [Sidenote F: Before day-light he and his men are on their horses.] [Sidenote G: Then the hounds are called out and coupled.] [Sidenote H: Three short notes are blown by the bugles.] [Sidenote I: A hundred hunters join in the chase.] [Sidenote J: To the stations the "fewters" go,] [Sidenote K: and the dogs are cast off.]