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Certes, swich cry ne lamentacioun Was never of ladies maad, whan Ilioun Was wonne, and Pirrus with his streite swerd, Whan he hadde hent king Priam by the berd, And slayn him (as saith us Eneydos), As maden alle the hennes in the clos, Whan they had seyn of Chauntecleer the sighte. But sovereynly dame Pertelote shrighte, Ful louder than dide Hasdrubales wyf, Whan that hir housbond hadde lost his lyf, And that the Romayns hadde brend Cartage; She was so ful of torment and of rage, That wilfully into the fyr she sterte, And brende hir-selven with a stedfast herte. O woful hennes, right so cryden ye, As, whan that Nero brende the citee Of Rome, cryden senatoures wyves, For that hir housbondes losten alle hir lyves; Withouten gilt this Nero hath hem slayn. Now wol I torne to my tale agayn:— Certes, swich cry ne lamentacioun Was never of ladies maad, whan Ilioun Was wonne, and Pirrus with his streite swerd, Whan he hadde hent king Priam by the berd, And slayn him (as saith us Eneydos), As maden alle the hennes in the clos, Whan they had seyn of Chauntecleer the sighte. But sovereynly dame Pertelote shrighte, Ful louder than dide Hasdrubales wyf, Whan that hir housbond hadde lost his lyf, And that the Romayns hadde brend Cartage; She was so ful of torment and of rage, That wilfully into the fyr she sterte, And brende hir-selven with a stedfast herte. O woful hennes, right so cryden ye, As, whan that Nero brende the citee Of Rome, cryden senatoures wyves, For that hir housbondes losten alle hir lyves; Withouten gilt this Nero hath hem slayn. Now wol I torne to my tale agayn:—
This sely widwe, and eek hir doghtres two, Herden thise hennes crye and maken wo, And out at dores sterten they anoon, And syen the fox toward the grove goon, And bar upon his bak the cok away; And cryden, ‘Out! harrow! and weylaway! Ha, ha, the fox!’ and after him they ran, And eek with staves many another man; Ran Colle our dogge, and Talbot, and Gerland, And Malkin, with a distaf in hir hand; Ran cow and calf, and eek the verray hogges So were they fered for berking of the dogges And shouting of the men and wimmen eke, They ronne so, hem thoughte hir herte breke. They yelleden as feendes doon in helle; The dokes cryden as men wolde hem quelle; The gees for fere flowen over the trees; Out of the hyve cam the swarm of bees; So hidous was the noyse, a! benedicite! Certes, he Iakke Straw, and his meynee, Ne made never shoutes half so shrille, Whan that they wolden any Fleming kille, As thilke day was maad upon the fox. Of bras thay broghten bemes, and of box, Of horn, of boon, in whiche they blewe and pouped, And therwithal thay shryked and they houped; It semed as that heven sholde falle. Now, gode men, I pray yow herkneth alle! This sely widwe, and eek hir doghtres two, Herden thise hennes crye and maken wo, And out at dores sterten they anoon, And syen the fox toward the grove goon, And bar upon his bak the cok away; And cryden, ‘Out! harrow! and weylaway! Ha, ha, the fox!’ and after him they ran, And eek with staves many another man; Ran Colle our dogge, and Talbot, and Gerland, And Malkin, with a distaf in hir hand; Ran cow and calf, and eek the verray hogges So were they fered for berking of the dogges And shouting of the men and wimmen eke, They ronne so, hem thoughte hir herte breke. They yelleden as feendes doon in helle; The dokes cryden as men wolde hem quelle; The gees for fere flowen over the trees; Out of the hyve cam the swarm of bees; So hidous was the noyse, a! benedicite! Certes, he Iakke Straw, and his meynee, Ne made never shoutes half so shrille, Whan that they wolden any Fleming kille, As thilke day was maad upon the fox. Of bras thay broghten bemes, and of box, Of horn, of boon, in whiche they blewe and pouped, And therwithal thay shryked and they houped; It semed as that heven sholde falle. Now, gode men, I pray yow herkneth alle!

Original Text

Modern Text

Certes, swich cry ne lamentacioun Was never of ladies maad, whan Ilioun Was wonne, and Pirrus with his streite swerd, Whan he hadde hent king Priam by the berd, And slayn him (as saith us Eneydos), As maden alle the hennes in the clos, Whan they had seyn of Chauntecleer the sighte. But sovereynly dame Pertelote shrighte, Ful louder than dide Hasdrubales wyf, Whan that hir housbond hadde lost his lyf, And that the Romayns hadde brend Cartage; She was so ful of torment and of rage, That wilfully into the fyr she sterte, And brende hir-selven with a stedfast herte. O woful hennes, right so cryden ye, As, whan that Nero brende the citee Of Rome, cryden senatoures wyves, For that hir housbondes losten alle hir lyves; Withouten gilt this Nero hath hem slayn. Now wol I torne to my tale agayn:— Certes, swich cry ne lamentacioun Was never of ladies maad, whan Ilioun Was wonne, and Pirrus with his streite swerd, Whan he hadde hent king Priam by the berd, And slayn him (as saith us Eneydos), As maden alle the hennes in the clos, Whan they had seyn of Chauntecleer the sighte. But sovereynly dame Pertelote shrighte, Ful louder than dide Hasdrubales wyf, Whan that hir housbond hadde lost his lyf, And that the Romayns hadde brend Cartage; She was so ful of torment and of rage, That wilfully into the fyr she sterte, And brende hir-selven with a stedfast herte. O woful hennes, right so cryden ye, As, whan that Nero brende the citee Of Rome, cryden senatoures wyves, For that hir housbondes losten alle hir lyves; Withouten gilt this Nero hath hem slayn. Now wol I torne to my tale agayn:—
This sely widwe, and eek hir doghtres two, Herden thise hennes crye and maken wo, And out at dores sterten they anoon, And syen the fox toward the grove goon, And bar upon his bak the cok away; And cryden, ‘Out! harrow! and weylaway! Ha, ha, the fox!’ and after him they ran, And eek with staves many another man; Ran Colle our dogge, and Talbot, and Gerland, And Malkin, with a distaf in hir hand; Ran cow and calf, and eek the verray hogges So were they fered for berking of the dogges And shouting of the men and wimmen eke, They ronne so, hem thoughte hir herte breke. They yelleden as feendes doon in helle; The dokes cryden as men wolde hem quelle; The gees for fere flowen over the trees; Out of the hyve cam the swarm of bees; So hidous was the noyse, a! benedicite! Certes, he Iakke Straw, and his meynee, Ne made never shoutes half so shrille, Whan that they wolden any Fleming kille, As thilke day was maad upon the fox. Of bras thay broghten bemes, and of box, Of horn, of boon, in whiche they blewe and pouped, And therwithal thay shryked and they houped; It semed as that heven sholde falle. Now, gode men, I pray yow herkneth alle! This sely widwe, and eek hir doghtres two, Herden thise hennes crye and maken wo, And out at dores sterten they anoon, And syen the fox toward the grove goon, And bar upon his bak the cok away; And cryden, ‘Out! harrow! and weylaway! Ha, ha, the fox!’ and after him they ran, And eek with staves many another man; Ran Colle our dogge, and Talbot, and Gerland, And Malkin, with a distaf in hir hand; Ran cow and calf, and eek the verray hogges So were they fered for berking of the dogges And shouting of the men and wimmen eke, They ronne so, hem thoughte hir herte breke. They yelleden as feendes doon in helle; The dokes cryden as men wolde hem quelle; The gees for fere flowen over the trees; Out of the hyve cam the swarm of bees; So hidous was the noyse, a! benedicite! Certes, he Iakke Straw, and his meynee, Ne made never shoutes half so shrille, Whan that they wolden any Fleming kille, As thilke day was maad upon the fox. Of bras thay broghten bemes, and of box, Of horn, of boon, in whiche they blewe and pouped, And therwithal thay shryked and they houped; It semed as that heven sholde falle. Now, gode men, I pray yow herkneth alle!