And here rides thus in thy folly,
  Of love, lady, as thou art wise,
    Thou give me leave to lie thee by!”
  She said “Thou man, that were folly;
    I pray thee, Thomas, thou let me be; 70
  For I say thee full sekerly[20],
    That sin will fordo all my beauty,”
  “Now, lovely lady, rue on me,
    And I will evermore with thee dwell;
  Here my troth I will plight to thee, 75
    Whether thou wilt in heaven or hell.” 
  “Man of mould, thou wilt me mar;
    But yet thou shalt have all thy will;
  And, trow it well, thou ’chievest the ware[21],
    For all my beauty wilt thou spill.” 80
  Down then light that lady bright
    Underneath that greenwood spray. 
  And, as the story tells full right,
    Seven times by her he lay. 
  She said “Man, thee likes thy play; 85
    What byrde[22] in bower may deal with thee? 
  Thou marrest me all this longe day;
    I pray thee, Thomas, let me be!”
  Thomas stood up in that stead[23],
    And he beheld that lady gay; 90
  Her hair it hang all over her head;
    Her eyne were out, that ere were gray;
  And all the rich clothing was away
    That he before saw in that stead;
  Her one shank black, her other gray, 95
    And all her body like the lead. 
  Then said Thomas “Alas, alas! 
    In faith this is a duleful[24] sight;
  How art thou faded thus in the face,
    That shone before as the sun so bright!” 100
  She said, “Thomas, take leave at sun and moon,
    And also at leaf that grows on tree;
  This twelvemonth shalt thou with me gone[25],
    And Middle-earth[26] shalt thou none see.” 
  He kneeled down upon his knee, 105
    Underneath that greenwood spray,
  And said “Lovely lady[27], rue on me,
    Mild queen of heaven, as thou best may! 
  Alas!” he said, “and woe is me! 
    I trow my deeds will work me care; 110
  My soul, Jesu, beteach[28] I thee,
    Whithersoever my bones shall fare.” 
  She led him in at Eildon hill
    Underneath a derne[29] lea,
  Where it was dark as midnight mirk, 115
    And ever the water till his knee. 
  The mountenance[30] of dayes three
    He heard but swoughing of the flood;
  At the last he said “Full woe is me! 
    Almost I die for fault of food.” 120
  She led him intill a fair herbere[31]
    Where fruit was growing great plenty;
  Pear and apple, both ripe they were,
    The date, and also the damasee,
  The fig, and also the wine-berry; 125
    The nightegales bigging[32] on their nest;
  The papejoys[33] fast about gan fly,