5
10
15
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La countesse de Donbar demanda a Thomas de Essedoune quant la guere descoce prendreit
fyn e yl la respoundy e dyt:
When man as mad a kyng of a capped man;
When mon is levere othermones thyng then is owen; 1
When Londyon ys forest, ant forest ys felde;
When hares kendles o the herston;
When wyt and wille werres togedere;
When mon makes stables of kyrkes, and steles castles wyth styes; 2
When Rokesbourh nys no burgh ant market is at Forweleye;
When the alde is gan ant the newe is come that don notht;
When Bambourne is donged wyth dede men;
When men ledes men in ropes to buyen and to sellen;
When a quarter of whaty whete is chaunged for a colt of ten markes; 3
When prude prikes and pees is leyd in prisoun;
When a Scot ne may hym hude ase hare in forme that the Englysshe 4
ne shal hym fynde;
When rytht ant wrong ascenteth to-gedere;
When laddes weddeth lovedis;
When Scottes flen so faste that for faute of ship hy drouneth hem-selve: - 5
Whenne shal this be? Nouther in thine tyme ne in myne.
Ah comen and gon with-inne twenty wynter ant on.
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(see note)
a fool has been made a king; (see note)
and; field; (see note)
give birth; hearthstone
war against one another
Roxburgh; city; (see note)
old; gone; nothing; (see note)
Bannockburn; manured; dead; (see note)
pride gallops; peace
(see note)
conspire
churls wed ladies; (see note)
shall; Neither
But [this] shall come to pass
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