Me schul fecche adoun of þe . . Alle þe maydenes of parage. { and} bringe hem in on orcharde Þe fayreste of þe middel[erd]. Þer is fowelene song Ne mihte wel libbe hem a[mong] Abute þan orchard is a wa[l] . Su{ m}me of þe stones be . . . Þ{ er} me may ise uppon a . . . I write muchel of þe w . . .
And a wełł spryngeþ þ{ er}ynne, Þ{ a}t is made w{ i}t{ h} muche gynne; 612 Þe wel is of~ muche prys, Þe stremes com froo P{ ar}adyse; Þe grauel of~ þe ground is p{ re}cious stoones, And al of v{ er}tu for þe noones. 616 Now is þe wełł of much{ e} auȝt;
In þe orchard is a welle Þ{ a}t is suþe cler wiþ alle. 280 Ihc mai seggen iwis, Þe st{ ri}mes comeþ f{ ra}m p{ ar}adis. For in þe st{ ri}mes þe smale stones, Hi beoþ þ{ er} funden eurech one, 284
And a welle þ{ a}t springeþ . . . Þ{ a}t is i mad mid muchel . . . Þis welle is . . Muchel Þ{ a}t grauel bi þe . . . . . And of v . eu . . . . Of safir . . { and} of . . . Of omcie { and} of . . . . . Þe welle is al . . . . . .
[Headnote: _The marvellous spring and marvellous tree._]
[Sidenote: If any maiden, who is not a virgin, approach the spring, the water boils up as if mad.]
Ȝif a woman com þ{ a}t is for-lauȝt, And she be doo to þe streeme For to wesshe her honndes clene, 620 Þe wat{ er} wylle ȝelle as it were wood~, And bycom{ e} red as blood~. On what maide þe water fareþ soo, Sone she shal to deþ be doo. 624 Þoo þat ben maidens clene, Þey may wessh{ e} þ{ er}yn, y wene; Þe water wołł stonde feire and clere; To hem makeþ it no daungere. 628 At þe walles hed stondeþ a tree, Þe feirest þat on erthe may be; It is cleped þe tree of loue: Flowers and blossomes spryngen aboue; 632
[Sidenote: The maiden upon whom first falls a blossom from this tree is chosen queen.]
Þen þey þat maydons clene bene, Þei shul be brouȝt vnder þe tren{ e}, And whicħ so falleþ þe floure, Shal be queene w{ i}t{ h} muche hono{ ur}. 636
Boþe saphirs { and} sardoines, And suþþe riche cassidoines, And Iacinctes and topaces, And onicle of muchel g{ ra}ce, 288 And mani on oþ{ er} direwerþe ston Þ{ a}t ich nu ne{ m}pne ne can. Aboue þe walle stant atreo Þ{ a}t faireste þ{ a}t miȝte in erþe beo. 292 Hit is ihote þe treo of luue, For lef { and} blosme beoþ þ{ er} buue. So sone so þe olde beoþ idon, Þer sp{ ri}ngeþ niwe riȝt anon. 296 Alle þilke þ{ a}t clene maidenes beo, Schulle sitte arewe vnder þat treo; And which falleþ on þ{ a}t furste flur Schal beo q{ ue}ne { and} fonge þonur. 300 Ȝef þ{ er} is eni maide forleie, Þe wal is of so muchel eie, An heo stepe to þe gru{ n}de, For to wassche hire honde, 304 Ha bulmeþ vp so he were wod, { And} chau{ n}geþ f{ ra}m wat{ er} in to blod. On wuche þe welle fareþ so, Also suiþe he wurþ fordo. 308