Chapter XII

[A] Sone þay calle of a quest in aker syde,
Þe hunt re-hayted þe hounde3, þat hit fyrst mynged,
[B] Wylde worde3 hym warp wyth a wrast noyce;
1424 Þe hownde3 þat hit herde, hastid þider swyþe,
& fellen as fast to þe fuyt, fourty at ones;
Þenne such a glauerande glam of gedered rachche3
Ros, þat þe rochere3 rungen aboute;
1428 Huntere3 hem hardened with horne & wyth muthe.
[C] Þen al in a semblé sweyed to-geder,
Bitwene a flosche in þat fryth, & a foo cragge;
In a knot, bi a clyffe, at þe kerre syde,
1432 Þer as þe rogh rocher vn-rydely wat3 fallen,
[Þay] ferden to þe fyndyng, & freke3 hem after;
[D] Þay vmbe-kesten þe knarre & þe knot boþe.
Wy3e3, whyl þay wysten wel wyt inne hem hit were,
1436 Þe best þat þer breued wat3 wyth þe blod hounde3.
[E] Þenne þay beten on þe buske3, & bede hym vp ryse,
& he vnsoundyly out so3t segge3 ouer-þwert,
[F] On þe sellokest swyn swenged out þere,
1440 Long sythen for[1] þe sounder þat wi3t for-olde,
For he wat3 b[este &] bor alþer grattest,
[And eue]re quen he gronyed, þenne greued mony,
[G] For [þre a]t þe fyrst þrast he þry3t to þe erþe,
1444 & [sped hym] forth good sped, boute spyt more,
[Ande þay] halowed hyghe ful hy3e & hay! hay! cryed
Haden horne3 to mouþe heterly rechated; [Fol. 110b.]
[H] Mony wat3 þe myry mouthe of men & of hounde3,
1448 Þat buskke3 after þis bor, with bost & wyth noyse,
To quelle;
Ful oft he byde3 þe baye,
& mayme3 þe mute Inn-melle,
1452 [I] He hurte3 of þe hounde3, & þay
Ful 3omerly 3aule & 3elle.

[Sidenote A: The hunters cheer on the hounds,] [Sidenote B: which fall to the scent forty at once.] [Sidenote C: All come together by the side of a cliff.] [Sidenote D: They look about on all sides,] [Sidenote E: and beat on the bushes.] [Sidenote F: Out there rushes a fierce wild boar,] [Sidenote G: At the first thrust he fells three to the ground.] [Sidenote H: Full quickly the hunters pursue him.] [Sidenote I: However, he attacks the hounds, causing them to yowl and yell.] [Footnote 1: fro (?).]