And letteres bigon to rede. Þus spek { and} þus sede Þat þar lay suete blancheflur. [Þat] floyres louede par amur. 68 Þ . . . . swouneþ nouþe [[empty line]] And asone ase he speke myȝte. Sore he wep { and} sore he syȝte, And gon blancheflur bi mene 72 Wit teres riue ase a sc{ ur} of r[e]ne.
[Sidenote: Floris weeps and sighs, and laments Blauncheflur’s death.]
“Blauncheflo{ ur}!” he seide, “Blauncheflo{ ur}!” So swete a þing was neu{ er} in boure. 272 Of Blauncheflo{ ur} is þat y meene, For she was com{ e} of~ good kyn{ e}.
“Blancheflur,” he seide, “blancheflur, So sute þing nas ner in bur, [Sidenote: [_leaf 6, back_]] Vor þou were ibore of gode cu{ n}ne, 76 Vor in worle nes nere non Þine imake of no wimmon. Inouȝ þou cuþest of clergie And of alle curteysie. 80
Lytel and muche loueden þe For þy goodnesse and þy beaute. 276 Ȝif deþ were dalt aryȝt, We shuld be deed boþ on oo nyȝt. On oo day born{ e} we were; We shul be ded boþ in feere.” 280
& muchel { and} litel hit louede þe Vor þi fayr hede { and} þi bunte. Ȝif þat deþ were ideld ariȝt, We scholden habbe idiȝed boþe in ar niȝt. 84 Vor in one deye ibore we were; Mid riȝte we scholden deie ifere.”
[Sidenote: [101 _b_]] “Deeþ,” he seide, “ful of~ enuye, And of alle trechorye, Refte þ{ o}u hast me my le{ m}man.” “For soth,” he seide, “þ{ o}u art to blame. 284 She wolde haue leuyd, and þu noldest, And fayn{ e} wolde y dye, and þu woldest.
“Deþ,” he seyde, “vol of enuie, { and} vol of alle tricherie, 88 Mid t{ ra}isu{ n} þ{ o}u me hast mi lef binome. To bi-t{ ra}ie þat folk hit is þi wone; Heo wolde libbe { and} þu noldest. Þou nelt me slen { and} ihc wolde; 92
Wiþ þere me wolde þat þou were. Nul tu no wiȝt come þere, { and} þer me wolde þ{ a}t þou . . ne come, Þer þou wolt come Ilome. 96 Þilke þ{ a}t buste best to libbe, Hem þou stikest under þe ribbe. { and} ȝif þer is eni forliued wrecche, Þat of is liue nouȝt ne recche, 100 Þat fawe wolde deie for sorewe & elde, On hem neltou nouȝht bi helde. No lengore ich nelle mi lef bileue, I chulle be mid hyre ere eue. 104
After deeþ clepe nomore y nylle, But slee my self~ now y wille.” 288
Nou after deþ clepie ich þe nulle, Ac mi sulue aslen ich wille.”
[Headnote: _He tries to stab himself, but is prevented by his mother._]