More Degare

Here's more from Sir Degare, bringing us up to line 88:

That ryche Kynge every yere wolde A solempne feste make and holde On hys wyvys mynnyng day, That was beryed in an abbay In a foreste there besyde. With grete meyné he wolde ryde, Hire dirige do, and masse bothe, Poure men fede, and naked clothe, Offring brenge, gret plenté, And fede the covent with gret daynté. Toward the abbai als he com ride, And mani knyghtes bi his side, His doughter also bi him rod. Amidde the forest hii abod. Here chaumberleyn she clepede hire to And other dammaiseles two And seide that hii moste alighte To don here nedes and hire righte; Thai alight adoun alle thre, Tweie damaiseles and ssche, And longe while ther abiden, Til al the folk was forht iriden. Thai wolden up and after wolde, And couthen nowt here way holde. The wode was rough and thikke, iwis, And thai token the wai amys. Thai moste souht and riden west Into the thikke of the forest. Into a launde hii ben icome, And habbeth wel undernome That thai were amis igon. Thai light adoun everichon And cleped and criede al ifere, Ac no man aright hem ihere. Thai nist what hem was best to don; The weder was hot bifor the non; Hii leien hem doun upon a grene, Under a chastein tre, ich wene, And fillen aslepe everichone Bote the damaisele alone. She wente aboute and gaderede floures, And herknede song of wilde foules. So fer in the launde she goht, iwis, That she ne wot nevere whare se is. To hire maidenes she wolde anon. Ac hi ne wiste never wat wei to gon. Whenne hi wende best to hem terne, Aweiward than hi goth wel yerne. "Allas!" hi seide, "that I was boren! Nou ich wot ich am forloren! Wilde bestes me willeth togrinde Or ani man me sschulle finde!

Every year the wealthy King Would hold a ritual gathering, To remember his wife's loss Who buried in an abbey was That stood by a forest side. With a great host he would ride, To sing dirges and masses both, Poor men to feed, the naked to clothe, Offerings were brought in great store, And monks were endowed with food and more. Toward the abbey he did ride With many knights by his side, His daughter also with him rode: They made the forest their abode. Then to her ladies the maiden cried And ordered that they there abide. For to answer nature's call, She the journey had to stall. From her horse alighted she, With two damsels for company, She dallied there far too long For forth had ridden all the throng. They would have up and followed so But did not know which way to go. Indeed, the wood was rough and thick And every path seemed to trick They headed south instead of west: And in upon them the trees pressed. Into a land now they crossed Knowing well the way was lost. From their steeds they came down And began to cry on strange ground Wailing together, they shouted out, But their cries brought none about. Since it was hot before midday; Upon the green, down they lay In the shade of a chestnut tree For they knew not what was to be. Both ladies in waiting fell asleep, Leaving their mistress the watch to keep. This lady went gathering flowers Listening to birds sing for hours So far from them wandered she That she got lost eventually. For her maids she did yearn But did not know how to return. A return she hoped to trace and tread But farther off she wandered instead "Alas!" she said, "that I was born! Now I know I am forlorn! Beastly teeth my bones will grind Before any man should me find!"