II.

[A] At þe fyrst quethe of þe quest quaked þe wylde; Der drof in þe dale, doted for drede, 1152 Hi3ed to þe hy3e, bot heterly þay were [B] Restayed with þe stablye, þat stoutly ascryed; [C] Þay let þe hertte3 haf þe gate, with þe hy3e hedes, Þe breme bukke3 also, with hor brode paume3; 1156 For þe fre lorde hade de-fende in fermysoun tyme, Þat þer schulde no mon mene[1] to þe male dere. [D] Þe hinde3 were halden in, with hay & war, Þe does dryuen with gret dyn to þe depe slade3; 1160 Þer my3t mon se, as þay slypte, slentyng of arwes, [E] At vche [þat] wende vnder wande wapped a flone, Þat bigly bote on þe broun, with ful brode hede3, [F] What! þay brayen, & bleden, bi bonkke3 þay de3en. 1164 & ay rachches in a res radly hem fol3es, Huntere3 wyth hy3e horne hasted hem after, [G] Wyth such a crakkande kry, as klyffes haden brusten; What wylde so at-waped wy3es þat schotten, 1168 Wat3 al to-raced & rent, at þe resayt. Bi þay were tened at þe hy3e, & taysed to þe wattre3, Þe lede3 were so lerned at þe lo3e trysteres, & þe gre-hounde3 so grete, þat geten hem bylyue, 1172 & hem to fylched, as fast as freke3 my3t loke, þer ry3t. [H] Þe lorde for blys abloy Ful oft con launce & ly3t, 1176 [I] & drof þat day wyth Ioy Thus to þe derk ny3t.

[Sidenote A: Roused by the clamour the deer rush to the heights,] [Sidenote B: but are soon driven back.] [Sidenote C: The harts and bucks are allowed to pass,] [Sidenote D: but the hinds and does are driven back to the shades.] [Sidenote E: As they fly they are shot by the bowmen.] [Sidenote F: The hounds and the hunters, with a loud cry, follow in pursuit.] [Sidenote G: Those that escaped the arrows are killed by the hounds.] [Sidenote H: The lord waxes joyful in the chase,] [Sidenote I: which lasted till the approach of night.] [Footnote 1: meue (?).]