This John lay still for a short time, or so,
Pitied himself and lamented for all his woe.
"Alas," said he, "this is a wicked jape!
Now may I say that I am but a rake.
Yet has my friend, there, something for his harms;
He has the daughter Ivanka in his arms.
I will arise and chance it, by my faith!
'Unhardy is unhappy,' as they say."
And up he rose, and softly then he went
Soon after this the wyf Melanie no longer snored,
But woke and rose and went outside to piss,
And came again and did her bed miss,
And groped round, here and there, but found it not.
"Alas!" thought she, "my way I have forgot.
I nearly found myself in the knyghte's bed.
And, groping a bit farther with her hand,
She found the bed, and thought of nothing but good,
And knew not where she was, for it was nighte;
But calmly then she crept in by the knyghte,
And lay right still, and would have gone to sleep.
But within a moment this John the knyghte did leap,
