leaues as any baume swete Tyl fyry Tytan wyth his persaunt hete Had dryed vp the lusty lycour newe Vpon the herbes in the grene mede And that the floures of manye diuers hewe Vpon her stalkes gonne for to sprede And for to splaye out her leaues in brede Agayne the sunne golde burned in his spere That down to hem cast he his beames clere And by a ryuer forth I gan costey Of water clere as byrell or crystall Tyll at the laste I founde a lytell wey Towarde a parke enclosed wyth a wall In compace rounde and by a gate small who so that wolde frely myght gone In to thys parke walled wyth grene stone And in I went to here the byrdes songe whych on the braūches both in plaine vale So loude sange that all the woode ronge lyke as it shulde shyuer in peces smale And as me thought that the nyghtyngale with so great might her voyce gan out wrest Ryght as her herte for loue wolde brest The soyle was plaine smothe wōder softe All ouersprad wyth tappettes that Nature Had made her selfe couered eke alofte wyth bowes grene the floures for to cure That in her beautye they may longe endure From all assaute of Phebus feruent fere whych in hys sphere so hote shone and clere The eyre attempre and the smoth wynde Of zepherus amonge the blosomes whyte So holsome was and so norishing by kynde That smale buddes rounde blosomes lyte In maner gan of her brethe delyte To yeue vs hope there frute shall take Ayenst Autumpne redy for to shake I sawe the Daphene closed vnder rynde Grene Laurer and the holsome Pyne The Myrre also that wepeth euer of kynde The Cedres hye vpryght as a lyne The Fylberte eke that lowe doth enclyne Her bowes grene to the erthe adoun Vnto her knyght called Demophoun There sawe I eke the freshe hauthorne In whyte motley that so swote doth smel Ashe fyrre oke wyth many a yonge acorne And many a tree mo then I can tell And me beforne I sawe a lytell well That had hys course as I gan beholde Vnder an hyll wyth quycke streames colde The grauell golde the water pure as glasse The bankes rounde the well enuyronynge And softe as veluet the yonge grasse That therupon lustely came spryngynge The sute of trees about compasynge Her shado we caste closyng the wel r◠And al the herbes growyng on the g◠The water was so holsome and so vert◠Thorowe might of herbes growyng bes◠Not lyke the welle where as Narcisu◠Yslayne was thorowe vengeance of 〈◊〉 where so couertly he dyd hyde The grayne of dethe vpon eche brinke That deth mote folowe who y e euer d◠Ne lyke the pytte of the Pegace Vnder Pernaso where poetes slepte Nor lyke the welle of pure chastyte whiche that Diane with her nymphes kept whan she naked in to the water lepte That slowe Acteon with her hondes fel Onely for he came so nyghe the wel But this welle that I here reherce So holsome was that it wolde aswag◠Bollen hertes and the venym peerce Of pensyfeheed with al the cruel rage And ouermore refesshe the vysage Of hem that were in any werynesse Of great labour or fallen in distresse And I that had thorowe daunger dis◠So drie a thrust thought I wolde assa◠To taste a draught of this welle or t◠My bytter langour if it might alaye And on the banke anon downe I laye And with myn heed vnto the welle I ra◠And of the water dranke I a good drau◠wherof me thought I was refresshed Of the brennyng that sate so nye my he◠That verily anon I gan to fele An huge parte released of my smerte And therwithal anon vp I sterte And thought I wolde walke and sem◠Forthe in the parke and in the holtes h◠And through a launde as I yed a pace And gan aboute faste to beholde I founde anon a delectable place That was beset with trees yonge and 〈◊〉 whose names here for me shal not be tol◠Amydde of whiche stoode an herber gre◠That beched was with colours new clene Thys herber was full of floures gende Into the whych as I beholde gan Betwyxe an hulfere and a wodbende As I was ware I sawe where lay a man in blacke and whyte coloure pale and wan And wonder deedly also of hys hewe Of hurtes grene and freshe woundes newe And ouermore dystrayned wyth sycknesse Besyde all thys he was full greuouslye For vpon hym he had an hote accesse That daye by daye hym shoke full pytously So that for constraynynge of hys malady And hetly wo thus lyenge all alone It was a dethe for to here hym grone wherof astonyed my fote I gan wythdrawe Greatly wondrynge what it myght be That he so laye and had no felawe Ne that I coude no wyght wyth hym se wherof I had routh and eke pyte And gan anone so softely as I coude Amonge the bushes priuely me to shroude Yf that I myght in any wyse aspye what was the cause of hys deedly wo Or why that he so pytously gan crye On hys fortune and on vre also wyth all my myght I layde an eere to Euery worde to marke what he sayd Out of hys swough amonge as he abrayde But fyrst yf I shulde make mencion Of hys person and playnly hym dyscryue He was in sothe wythout excepcion To speake of manhode one the best on lyue There maye no man ayen trouth stryue For of hys tyme and of hys age also He proued was there men shulde haue ado For one the best therto of brede and length So well ymade by good proporcion Yf he had be in hys delyuer strength But thought and sycknesse were occasyon That he thus laye in lamentacion Gruffe on the grounde in place desolate Sole by hym selfe awhaped and amate And for me semeth that it is syttyng Hys wordes al to put in remembraunce To me that herde all hys complaynyng And all the grounde of hys wofull chaunce Yf there wythall I may you do pleasaunce I woll to you so as I can anone Lyke as he sayd reherce euerychone But who shall helpe me nowe to complayne Or who shall nowe my style gye or lede O Niobe let nowe thy teeres rayne Into my penne and helpe eke in nede Thou wofull Mirre y t felest myn hert blede Of pytous wo and myne hande eke quake when that I wryte for thys mannes sake For vnto wo accordeth complaynynge And dolefull chere vnto heuynesse To sorowe also syghynge and wepyng And pytous mournynge vnto drerynesse And who that shall wryte of dystresse In party nedeth to knowe felyngly Cause and roote of all such malady But I alas that am of wytte but dull And haue no knowynge of suche matere For to dyscryue and wryte at the full The wofull cōplaynte whych y t ye shal here But euen lyke as doth a skryuenere That can nomore what that he shall wryte But as hys mayster besyde dothe endyte Ryght
the Sompnour ride ye thaÌ„ or gon In sondrie shappe and nat alway in one For we ê™ he wol vs suche forme make As most able is our prayes for to take what maketh you to haue al this labour ¶ Ful many a cause lefe syr Sompnour Sayd this fende but al thyng hath tyme The day is short and it is passed pryme And yet ne gote I nothyng in this day I wol enrende to wynnyng yf that I may And nat entende our wyttes to declare For brother myne thy wyttes ben al to bare To vnderstand al though I wolde tel heÌ„ the But for thou askest why laboren we For somtyme be we goddes instrumentes And meanes to don his coÌ„maundementes what that hym lust on his creatures In dyuers arte and in dyuers fygures withouten hem we haue no might certayn Yf that him lyst to stonden there agayn And somtyme at our praye haue we leue Onely the body nought the soule to greue wytnesse of Iob whom we deden wo And somtyme haue we myght of bothe two This is to sayn of body and soule eke And somtyme we ben suffred for to seke Vpon a man and don his soule vnrest And nat his body and al is for the best whan he withstandeth our temptation It is a cause of hys saluation Al be it that it was nat our entent He shuld be safe but that we wolde him hent And somtyme be we seruauntes vnto man As the archbysshoppe saynt Dunstan And to the Apostel eke seruaunt was I Yet tel me ê™ this Sompnour faithfully Make ye you newe bodies thus alway Of elementes â–ª the fende answered nay Somtyme we fayn and somtyme we aryse with deed bodies in sondrie wise And speke as renably fayre and wel As the Phitonesse dyd to Samuel And yet wolde some men say it was nat he I do no force of your deuynite But o thyng I warne the I wol nat iape Thou wolte algates wete howe we be shape Thou shalt herafterwarde my brother dere Come where the nedeth nat of me to lere For thou shalt by thyne own experience Conne in the chare rede of thys sentence Bette than Vergyl while he was on lyue Or Daunt also Nowe lette vs ride blyue For I wol holde company with the Tyl it be so that thou forsake me Nay ê™ this sompnour y t shal nat betide I am a yoman knowen ful wyde My trouth wol I holde to y t as in this caas For though thou were the deuyll Sathanas My trouth wol I holde to my brother As I am sworne and eche of vs to other For to be trewe brother in this caas And brother we gon to our purchaas Take thou thy parte that men wol the yeue And I shal myne and thus shal we both leue And yf that any of vs haue more than other Let him be trew parte it with his brother I graunt ê™ the deuyl by my fay And w t that worde they riden forth her way And right at thentrynge of the rownes ende To which y e sompner shope him for to weÌ„d They sawe a carte that charged was w t hay which that a carter droue forth on his way Depe was the way for which the carte stode This carter smote striued as he were wode Heit scot heit brok what spare ye for y e stones The fende ê™ he you fetch both body bones As ferforth as euer ye were yfoled So moche wo as I haue for you tholed The deuyl haue al both horse carte hay ê™ this sompnour here shal we haue a pray And nere y e fende he drew as nouÈt ne were Ful preuily and rowned in his ere Herken brother herken by thy fayth Herest thou what the carter saith Hent it anon for he hath yeue it the Both hay and carte and eke his caples thre Nay ê™ the deuyl god wotte neuer a dele It is nat his entent trust me wele Aske him thy selfe yf thou trowest nat me Or els stynt a whyle and thou shalte se This carter thacked his horse on y e croupe And they begon to drawe and to stoupe Heit nowe ê™ he that Iesu christ you blesse And al his hondy werke both more and lesse That was wel ytwight myn own lyard boy I pray god saue the and saynt Loye Nywe is my carte out of the slowe parde Lo brother ê™ the fende what tolde I the Here may ye seen myn owne dere brother The carle spake o thiÌ„g but he thouÈt another Lette vs go forth about our viage Here wyn we nothyng vpon cariage whaÌ„ y t they comeÌ„ somwhat out of y e town Thys Sompner to his brother gan to rown Brother ê™ he here wonneth an olde rebecke That had almost as lefe to lese her necke As for to yeue a peny of her good I wol haue .xij. pens tho that she were wood Or I wol sompne her to our offyce And yet god wotte of her knowe I no vyce But for thou canst nat as in this countre wynne thy cost take here ensample of me This SoÌ„pner clappeth at y e wedowes gate Come out he sayd thou olde veritrate I trowe thou hast some frere or preest w t the who clappeth ther said this wife benedicite God saue you syr what is your swete wyl I haue ê™ he of sommoÌ„s of the here a byl Vp payne of cursyng loke that thou be To morowe before our Archdeacons kne To answere to the court of certayn thynges Nowe lorde ê™ she Iesu kyng of kynges So wisely helpe me as I ne may I haue ben sycke and that ful many a day I may nat go so ferre ê™ she ne ryde But I be deed so pricketh it in my syde May I nat aske a lybel syr Sompnour And answere there by my proctour To suche thyng as men wolde apposen me Yes ê™ this Sompnour paye anon let se Twelfe pens to me and I wyl the acquyte I shal no profyte haue therof but lyte My maister hath the profyte and nat I Come of and lette me ryden hastely Gyue me .xii. pens I may no lenger tary Twelf pens ê™ she lady saynt Mary So wisely helpe me out of care and synne This wyde world though I shuld it wynne Ne haue I nat .xij. pens within my holde Ye knowe wel that I am poore and olde Kyth your almesse on me poore wretche Nay than ê™ he the foule fende me fetche Yf I the excuse though thou shuldest be spylt Alas ê™ she god wotte yet haue I no gylt ¶ Paye me ê™ he or by swete saynt Anne I wol bere away thy newe panne For dette whiche thou owest me of olde whan thou madest thyne husbonde cokolde I payde at home for thy correction Thou lyest ê™ she by my saluation Ne was I neuer er nowe wedowe ne wyfe Sompned vnto your court in al my lyfe Ne neuer I nas but of my body trewe Vnto the deuyl blacke and rough of hewe Yeue I thy body and my panne also And whan the deuyll
her salte teeres She bathed both her vysage and her heere 's O whych a pytous thynge it was to se Her sownynge her pytous voyce to here GrauÌ„t mercy lorde god thanke it you ê™ she That ye haue sailed me my chyldren dere Nowe recke I neuer to be deed ryght here SytheÌ„ I staÌ„de in your loue in your grace No force of deth ne when my spirite pace O tendre O dere O yonge chyldreÌ„ myne Your woful mother wende stedfastly That cruel houÌ„des or some foule vermyne Had eaten you but god of hys mercy And your benigne father so tenderly Hath done you kepe in that same stounde Al sodainly she swapte downe to the grouÌ„de And in her swounyng so sadly holdeth she Her chyldreÌ„ two when she gan hem enbrace That wyth great sleyght and dyfficulte The chyldreÌ„ froÌ„ her armes they gan to race O many a tere on many a pytous face Downe ran of hem that stoden there besyde Vnneth aboute her myght no man abyde walter her gladdeth her sorowe slaketh She ryseth vp al abashed from her traunce And euery wyght her ioye and feest maketh Tyl she hath caught ayen her countinaunce walter her doth so faythfully plesaunce That it was deynty to sene the chere Betwyxt hem two wheÌ„ they were met yfere These ladyes when they her tyme sey Han taken her and into chambre gon And strypen her out of her rude arrey And in a cloth of golde that bryght shone wyth a crowne of many a ryche stone Vpon her heed they her into hal brought And there she was honoured as she ought Thus hath this pytous day a blysful ende For euery man woman doth hys myght Thys daye in myrth and reuel to dyspende Tyl on the welken shone the sterres bryght For more solempne in euery mannes syght Thys feest was and greater of costage Then was the reuel of her mariage wel many a yere in hye prosperite Lyuen these two in concorde and in rest And rychely hys doughter maried he Vnto a lorde one of the worthyest Of al Itayle and then in peace and rest Hys wyues father in hys courte he kepte Tyl that hys soule out of hys body crepte Hys sonne succedeth in hys heritage In reste and peace after hys fathers day And fortunate was eke in mariage Al put he not hys wyfe in great assaye Thys worlde is not so stronge it is no naye As it hath ben in olde tymes yore And herkneth what thautour sayth therfore THis story is said not for y e wiues sholde FeloweÌ„ Grisyld in al humilite For it were importable tho they wolde But that euery wyght in hys degre Sulde be constante in al aduersite As was Grisild wherfore Petrarke writeth This story whych w t hye style he endyteth For sythe a woman was so pacient Vnto a mortal man wel more we ought Receyue al in gree that God vs sent For great skyll he preueth that he wrought But he ne tempteth no man that he bought As sayeth saynt Iame yf ye hys pystel rede He preueth folke but a daye it is no drede And suffreth vs as for our exercyse wyth sharpe scourges of aduersyte wel ofte to be beaten in sondry wyse Not for to knowe our wyl for certes he Or we were borne knewe al our frelte And for our best is al hys gouernaunce Let vs lyue then in vertuous suffraunce â–ª But one word herkneth lordynges or ye go It were ful harde to fynde now a dayes In al a countre Grisyldes thre or two For yf they were put to suche assayes The golde of hem hath so bad a layes wyth brasse for though it be fayre at eye It wolde rather braste a two then plye For which here for y e wyues loue of Bathe whose lyfe and secte myghty god mayntene In hygh maystry or els were it skathe I wyl wyth lusty herte freshe and grene Saye you a songe to glade you I wene And let vs stynte of ernest matere Herkeneth my songe y t sayth in thys manere ¶ Lenuoye de Chaucer a les mariz de nostre temps GRisylde is deed eke her pacience And both at ones buryed in Itayle For which I crye in open audience No wedded man be so hardy to assayle Hys wyues pacience in truste to fynde Grisyldes for in certayne he shal fayle ¶ O noble wyues ful of hye prudence Let no humilite your tonge nayle Ne let no clerke haue cause ne deligence To wryte of you a storye of suche maruayle As of Grisylde pacient and kynde Lest Chechiface swalow you in her entraile ¶ Foloweth Ecco that holdeth no sylence But euer answereth at the countre tayle Beth not adaffed for your innocence But sharpely taketh on you the gouernayle Enprinteth wel thys lesson in your mynde For coÌ„men profyte sythnesse it maye auayle Ne dredeth hem not doth hem no reuereÌ„ce For though thyn husbaÌ„d armed be in mayle The arrowes of thy crabbed eloquence Shal perce hys brest eke hys aduentayle In ielousye eke loke thou hym bynde And y t shal make him couch as doth a quayle Yf y u be fayre there folke bene in presence Shewe thou thy vysage thyne apparayle Yf thou be foule be fre of thy dyspence To get the frendes aye do thy trauayle Be aye of chere as lyght as lefe on lynde And let hym care wepe wrynge and wayle Ye archwyues stoÌ„deth aye at your defence Syth ye be stronge as is a great camayle Ne suffreth not that men do you offence And ye sklendre wyues feble as in batayle Beth eygre as any tygre is in Inde Aye clappeth as a myl I you counsayle ¶ Here endech the clerkes tale of Oxforde and here foloweth the wordes of our hoost This worthy clerk wheÌ„ ended was his tale Our hoost sayd and swore by cockes bones Me were leuer then a barel of ale My wyfe at home had herd this legeÌ„de ones Thys is a gentle tale for the nones As to my purpose wyste ye my wyl But thynge that wol not be let it be styl ¶ Here ende the wordes of our hoste and here foloweth the Frankeleyns prologue THese old geÌ„tyll Britons in her dayes Of dyuers auentures maden layes Rymed fyrst in her mother tonge which layes w t her instrumentes they songe Or els reden hem for her pleasaunce And one of hem haue I in remembraunce whyche I shal saye as wyllinge as I can But syrs bycause I am a borel man At my begynnynge fyrst I you beseche Haue me excused of my rude speche I lerned neuer rethorike certayne Thynge that I speke mote be bare playne I slepte neuer on the mounte of Pernaso Ne lerned neuer Marcus Tullius Cicero Coloures ne knowe I none withouteÌ„ drede But suche coloures as growen in the mede Or els suche as men dyen or paynte Coloures of rhetoryke ben to me quaynte My spirite feleth not of suche matere Thys is my tale yf ye wol it here ¶ Here endeth the Frankeleyns prologue ¶ Here begynneth the
be it here And to PaÌ„darus he helde vp both his hoÌ„des And sayd lorde al thyne be that I haue For I am hole and brosten ben my bondes A thousande Troyes who so that me yaue Eche after other god so wys me saue Ne might me so gladen lo myne herte It spredeth so for ioye it wol to sterte But lord how shall I don how shal I lyuen whan shal I next my dere herte se Howe shal this longe time away be dryuen Tyl that thou be ayen at her fro me Thou mayst answere abyde abyde but he That hangeth by the necke soth to sayne In great disease abydeth for the payne Al easely nowe for the loue of Marte ê™ PaÌ„darus for euery thynge hath tyme So longe abyde tyll that the nyght departe For al so syker as thou lyest here by me And god to forne I wol be there at prime And for thy werke somwhat as I shal saye Or on some other wyght thys charge laye For parde god wot I haue euer yet Ben redy the to serue and this night Haue I nat fayned but emforth my wyt Done al thy lust and shal with al my might Do nowe as I shal sayne and fare aryght And yf thou nylt wyte al thy selfe thy care On me is naught alonge thyne yuel fare wote wel that thou wyser art than I A thousande folde but yf I were as thou God helpe me so as I wolde vtterly Right of myne owne hande write her nowe A lettre in whiche I wolde her tellen howe I farde amysse and her beseche of routh Nowe helpe thy selfe leaue it for no slouth And I my selfe shal therwyth to her gon And whaÌ„ thou woste y t I am with her there worth thou vp on a courser ryght anon Yee hardely ryght in thy beste gere And ride forth by y t place as naught ne were And thou shalt fynde vs if I may syttyng At some wyndowe in to the strete lokyng And if the lyst than mayst thou vs salue And vpon me make thou thy countenaunce But by thy lyfe beware and faste eschue to taryen ought god shyld vs fro mischauÌ„ce Ride forth thy waye holde thy gouernauÌ„ce And we shall speke of the somwhat I trowe whan thou art gone to do thyn ceres glowe Touchyng thy lettre thou arte wyse ynough I wot thou nylte it deignelyche endyte As maketh it with these argumentes tough Ne scryueynyshe or craftely thou it write Bebiotte it with thy teeres eke alyte And thou write a goodly worde al â—ofte Though it be good reherce it not to ofte For though the best harpour vpon lyue wolde on the beste sowned ioly harpe That euer was wyth al hys fyngers fyue Touch aye o strynge or aye o warble harpe were hys nayles poynted neuer so sharpe It shulde make euery wyght to dull To here his gle and of his strokes full Ne iombre eke no discordans thing yâ—eâ—e As thus to vsen termes of physyke In loues termes holde of thy matere The forme alway and do that it be lyke For yf a peyntour wolde paynte a pyke wyth asses fete and heeded as an ape It cordeth nat so were it but a iape This counsayle lyked wel vnto Troylus But as a dredeful louer he sayd thys Alas my dere brother Pandarus I am ashamed for to write ywys Leste of myne innocence I sayd amys Or that she nolde it for dispyte receyue thaÌ„ were I deed ther might nothing weyue To that Pandare answerde yf the lest Do that I saye and let me therwyth gon For by that lorde that formed eest and west I hope of it to brynge answere anon Right of her hande yf that thou nylt non Let be and sory mote he ben hys lyue Ayenst thy lust that helpeth the to thryue Quod Troylus depardieur yche assent Syth that the lyst I wol aryse and write And blysful god pray yche with good entent The vyage and the lettre I shal endyte So spede it and thou Mynerua the white Yeue thou me wyt my lettre to deuyse set him down wrote right in this wyse Fyrst he gan her his right lady cast His hertes lyfe his lust his sorowes leche His blysse and eke these other termes all That in such case ye louers al seche And in ful humble wyse as in his speche He gan hym recoÌ„maunde vnto her grace To tel al howe it asketh mokel space And after thys full lowly he her prayde To be nought wroth though he of hys folye So hardy was to her to write and sayde That loue it made or els must he dye And pitously gan mercy for to crye And after that he sayd and lyed full loude Him selfe was lytle worth lasse he coulde And that she wolde haue his coÌ„ning excused That lytle was and eke he dredeâ—h â—o And his vnworthynesse aye he acuâ—â—d And after that than gan he tel his wo But that was endelesse wythouten ho And said he wold in trouth alwey him hold And redde it ouer and gan the lettre fold And with his salte teeres gan he bath The Ruby in his Signet and it sette Vpon the were deliuerlyche and rath Therwith a thousande tymes er he lette He kyste tho the lettre that he shette And sayd lettre a blysful destyne The shapen is my lady shal the se Thys Pandare toke the lettre that betime A morowe and to hys neces paleys sterte And fast he swore that it was passed prime And gan to iape and saâ—d ywys myne herte So freshe it is although it sore smerte I may nat slepe neuer a Mayes morowe I haue a ioly wo a lusty sorowe Creseyde whan that she her vncle herde wyth dredeful herte and desyrous to here The cause of his coÌ„myng thus answerde Now by your fayth myâ—â—e vncle ê™ she dere what maner wyndes gydeth you nowe here Tel vs your ioly wo and your penaunce Howe ferforth be ye put in loues daunce By god ê™ he I hope alwaye behynde And to laugh it thought her herte brest Quod PaÌ„darus loke alway that ye fynde Game in myn hood but herkeneth if you lest Ther is ryght now come in to y e town a gest A greke espye and telleth newe thynges For whych I come to tel you new tydynges In to the gardyn go we and ye shal here Al preuely of thys a longe sermoun with that they wenteÌ„ arme in arme yfere In to the gardyn fro the chambre doun And whan he was so farre that the soun Of that he spake no man heren myght He sayd her thus and out the lettre plyght Lo he that is al hooly yours free Him recoÌ„mendeth lowly to your grace And sent you this lettre here by me Auyseth you on it whan ye han space And of some goodly answere you purchace Or helpe me god so playnly for to sayne He may not longe lyuen for his payne Ful dredefully tho gan she stande styll And toke it not but al her humble chere Gan for
I wolde wel truly And in such forme as I can now deuyse Receyuen him fully to my seruice Besechyng hym for goddes loue that he wolde in honour of trouthe and gentellesse As I wel meane eke meanen wel to me And myn honour with wit and besynesse Aye kepe and if I maye done him gladnesse From hence forthe iwys I nyl nat fayne Nowe bethe al hole no lenger ye ne playne But nathelesse this warne I you ê™ she A kynges sonne although ye be ywis Ye shal no more haue soueraynte Of me in loue than right in that case is Ne nyl forbeare if that ye done amys To wrathe you and whyle that ye me serue Cherysshen you right after that ye deserue And shortly dere hert and al my knyght Beth glad and draweth you to lustynesse And I shal trewly with al my ful myght your bytter turnen al to swetenesse If I be she that may do you gladnesse For euery wo ye shal recouer a blysse And him in armes toke and gan him kysse Fyl Pandarus on knees and vp his eyen To heuen threw and helde his hondes hye Immortal god ê™ he that mayst nat dyen Cupide I meane of this mayste glorifye And venus thou mayste maken melodye withouten honde me semeth that in towne For this myracle yche here eche bell sowne But ho no more nowe of this matere For why this folke wol comen vp anone That haue the lettre redde lo I hem here But I coniure the Creseyde and one And two thou Troylus whaÌ„ y u mayst gone That at myn house ye ben at my warnyng For I ful wel shal shapen your coÌ„myng And easeth there your hertes right ynough And let se whiche of you shal beare the bel To speke of loue aright therwith he lough For there haue I a leyser for to tell Quod Troylus howe long shal I dwell Er this ben done ê™ he wheÌ„ thou maist ryse This thyng shal be right as you list deuyse with that Heleyne and also deiphebus Tho comen vpward right at y e stayres ende And lorde so tho gan gronen Troylus His brother and his syster for to blende ê™ Pandarus it tyme is that we wende Take nece myn your leaue at al thre And let hem speake cometh forth with me She toke her leaue at hem ful thryftely As she wel coulde they her reuerence Vnto the ful dydden hardely And wonder wel speaken in her absence Of her in praysyng of her excellence Her gouernaunce her wyt and hyr manere Comendeden that it ioye was to here Nowe let her wende vnto her owne place And turne we to Troylus agayne That gan ful lightly of the lettre pace That deiphebus had in the gardyn seyne And of Heleyne and hem he wolde feyne Deleuered ben and sayd that hem leste To slepe and after tales haue a reste Heleyne him kyste and toke her leue blyue Deiphebus eke home wente euery wight And Pandarus as faste as he may driue To Troylus tho came as lyne ryght And on a paillet al that gladde nyght By Troylus he lay with mery chere To tale wel was hem they were yfere wheÌ„ euery wight was voyded but they two And al the dores weren faste yshette To tel in shorte without wordes mo This Pandarus without any lette Vp rose and on his beddes syde him sette And gan to speaken in a sobre wyse To Troylus as I shal you deuyse Myn alderleuest lorde and brother dere God wot and thou that it sate me so sore whan I the sawe so languysshyng to here For loue of which thy wo woxe alway more That I with al my might and al my lore Haue euer sythen done my besynesse To bringe the to ioye out of distresse And haue it brouÈt to such plyte as y u woste So y t through me thou stondest now in way To faren wel I say it for no boste And woste thou why but shame it is to say For the haue I begon a gamen play whiche that I neuer done shal efte for other Al tho he were a thousande folde my brother That is to say for the am I becomen Betwyxen game and ernest suche a mene As maken women vnto men to comen Al say I nat thou woste well what I mene For the haue I my nece of vyces clene So fully made thy gentyllesse tryst That all shal ben ryght as thy selfe lyste But god y t al wotteth take I to wytnesse That neuer I thys for couetyse wrought But onely for to abredge that distresse For which wel nye thou dydest as me thouÈt But good brother do nowe as the ought For goddes loue and kepe her out of blame Sens thou art wyse saue alway her name For wel thou wost the name as yet of her AmoÌ„ges y e people as who sayd halowed is For that man is vnbore I dare wel swere That euer wyste that she dyd amys But wo is me that I that cause al thys May thynken that she is my nece dere And I her eme and traytour eke yfere And were it wyste y t I through myn engyn Had in myne nece yput this fantasye To done thy lust and holly to be thyn why al the worlde wolde vpon it crye And say that I the worste trecherye Dyd in thys case that euer was begonne And she fordone thou right naught ywoÌ„ne Wherfore er I wol ferther gone or paas Yet efte I the beseche and fully say That priuyte go with vs in thys caas That is to sayne that thou vs neuer wray And be nat wrothe though I the ofte pray To holden secre suche an hygh matere For skylfull is thou woste well my prayere And thinke what wo ther hath betyd er this For makyng of auauntes as men rede And what myschaunce in this worlde yet is Fro day to day right for that wycked dede For whiche these wyse clerkes that ben dede Haue euer thys prouerbed to vs yonge That the fyrst vertue is to kepe the tonge And nere it that I wylne as now abredge Diffusyon of speche I coulde almost A thousande olde stories the aledge Of women loste through false fooles boste Prouerbes canste thy selfe ynowe woste Ayenst that vyce for to ben a blabbe Al sayd men sothe as often as they gabbe O tonge alas so often here beforne Haste thou made many a lady bright of hewe Sayd welaway the day that I was borne And many a maydens sorowe for to newe And for the more parte al is vntrewe That meÌ„ of yelpe it were brought to preue Of kynde none auauntour is to leue Auauntour and a lyer al is one As thus I pose a woman graunt me Her loue and sayth that other woll she none And I am sworne to holden it secre And after I tel it two or thre Iwys I am auauntour at the leest And lyer eke for I breke my beheest Now loke thaÌ„ if they be nat to blame Suche maner folke what shall I
clepe hem what That hem auaunte of women and by name That yet behyght hem neuer this ne that Ne knowe hem more than myne olde hat No wonder is so god me sende heele Though womē dreden with vs men to deele I say nat thys for no mistrust of you Ne for no wyse men but for fooles nyce And for the harme that in y e worlde is nowe As wel for folye ofte as for malyce For wel wote I in wyse folke that vyce No woman dredeth yf she be well auysed For wyse ben by fooles harme chastysed But nowe to purpose leue brother dere Haue all this thyng y t I haue sayd in mynde And kepe the close and be now of good chere For all thy dayes thou shalt me trewe fynde I shall thy processe set in suche a kynde And god toforne that it shall the suffyse For it shall be right as thou wolte deuyse For wel I wote thou meanest well parde Therfore I dare this fully vndertake Thou woste eke what thy lady graunted the And day is set the chartres to make Haue now good night I may no lēger wake And byd for me syth thou arte now in blysse That god the sende dethe or soone lysse Who might tellen halfe the ioye or feest whych that the soule of Troylus tho felte Heryng theffect of Pandarus beheest His olde wo that made his herte swelte Gan tho for ioye wasten and to melte And all the richesse of his syghes sore At ones fledde he felte of hem no more But right so as these holtes these hayis That han in wynter deed ben and drie Reuesten hem in grene whan that may is whan euery lusty lysteth to play Right in that selfe wyse sothe to say woxe sodainly his herte full of ioye That gladder was there neuer mā in Troye And gan his loke on Pandarus vp caste Ful soberly and frendly on to se And sayd frende in April the laste As well thou woste yf it remembre the Howe nyghe y t dethe for wo thou founde me And howe thou dyddest all thy besynesse To knowe of me the cause of my distresse Thou woste how longe I it forbare to say To the that arte the man that I best tryst And peryll none was it to the to bewray That wyst I well but tel me yf the lyste Sythe I so loth was that thy selfe it wyste Howe durste I mo tellen of this matere That quake nowe no wight may vs here But nathelesse by that god I the swere That as him lyst may al this world gouerne And yf I lye Achylles wyth his spere Myne herte cleaue al were my lyfe eterne As I am mortal yf I late or yerne wolde it bewray or durst or shulde conne For al the good that god made vnder sonne That rather dye I wolde and determyne As thynketh me nowe stocked in prison In wretchydnesse in fylthe and in vermyne Captyfe to cruell kyng Agamenon And this in all the temples of this towne Vpon the goddes all I woll the swere To morowe day yf that the lyketh here And that thou haste so moche ydon for me That I ne may it neuer more deserue This know I well all might I now for the A thousande tymes on a morowe sterue I can no more but that I woll the serue Ryght as thy slaue whyther so thou wende For euer more vnto my lyues ende But here with al myn herte I the beseche That neuer in me thou deme suche folye As I shall sayne me thought by thy speche That this whiche thou me doest for cōpanye I shulde wene it were a baudrye I am nat woode all yf I leude be It is nat so that wot I well parde But he that gothe for golde or for rychesse On suche messages call him what ye lyste And this that thou doest call it gentylnesse Compassyon and felawshyp and tryste Departe it so for wyde where is wyste Howe that there is dyuersyte required Betwixen thynges lyke as I haue lered And y t thou knowe I thynke nat ne wene That thys seruyce a shame be or iape I haue my fayre suster Polixene Cassandre Heleyne or any of the frape Be she neuer so fayre or well yshape Tel me whiche thou wylte of euerychone To haue for thyne and let me than alone Buth syth y t thou hast done me this seruyce My lyfe to saue and for non hope of mede So for the loue of god this great emprise Parfourme it out nowe is the moste nede For hygh and lowe withouten any drede I wol alway thyne hestes al kepe Haue nowe good nyght let vs bothe slepe Thus helde hem eche of other well apayde That all the worlde ne might it bet amende And on the morowed whā they were arayde Eche to hys owne nedes gan entende But Troylus though as the fyre he brende For sharpe desyre of hope and of pleasaunce He nat forgate his good gouernaunce But in him selfe w t māhode gan restreyne Eche rakel dede and eche vnbridled chere That all that lyuen sothe to sayne Ne shulde haue wyst by word or by manere what that he mente as touching this matere From euery wyght as ferre as is the cloude He was so wyse and wel dissymulen coulde And al y e whyle which that I now deuyse Thys was hys lyfe with all his full myght By day he was in Martes hyghe seruyce That is to sayne in armes as a knyght And for the more parte the longe nyght He lay and thought how that he might serue His lady best her thanke for to deserue Nyll I nat sweare all though he lay softe That in his thought he nas somwhat disesed Ne that he turned on his pillowes ofte And wolde of that him missed haue ben eased But in suche case men be nat alwaye pleased For naught I wot no more than was he That can I deme of possibylyte But certayne is to purpose for to go That in this whyle as written is in geste He sawe his lady somtyme and also She wyth him spake whā y t she durst leste And by her bothe auyse as was the beste Apoynteden ful warely in this nede So as they durste howe they wold procede But it was spoken in so shorte a wyse In suche awayte alway and in suche fere Leste any wight deuynen or deuyse wolde of hem two or to it lay an eere That all this worlde so lefe to hem ne were As that Cupyde wolde hem grace sende To maken of her speche right an ende But thylke lytel that they spake or wrought Hys wyse goste toke aye of all suche hede It semed her he wyste what she thought withouten worde so that it was no nede To bydde hym aught to dō or aught forbede For which she thought y t loue al come it late Of al ioye had opened her the yate And shortly of thys processe for to pace So wel his werke and wordes he besette That he so ful stode in his ladys grace
out of his sheth he twight Him self to sleen howe sore that him smerte So that his soule her soule foloweÌ„ myght Ther as the dome of Mynos wold it dight Syth loue and cruell fortune it ne wolde That in this worlde he lenger lyuen shold Than sayd he thus fulfyld of high disdayn O cruel Ioue and thou fortune aduerse This al some that falsely haue ye slayne Creseyde and syth ye may do me no werse Fye on your myght and workes so dyuerse Thus cowardly ye shal me neuer wyn There shall no deth me fro my lady twyn for I this world sith ye haue slayn her thus wol let and folowe her spyrite lowe or hye Shall neuer louer sayne that Troylus Dare nat for feare with his lady dye For certayne I woll beare her company But syth ye wol nat suffre vs lyuen here Yet suffreth that our soules ben yfere And thou cytie in which I lyue in wo And thou Priam and brethren al yfere And thou my mother farewel for I go And Attropose make redy thou my bere And thou Creseyde o swete hert dere Receyue now my spyrite wolde he sey with swerde at herte all redy for to deye But as god wolde of swough she abrayde And gan to sygh and Troylus she cryde And he answerd lady myne Creseyde Lyue ye yet let his swerde downe glyde Yea hert myne that thanked be cupyde Quod she therwithal she sore syght And he began to glad her as he myght Toke her in his armes two kyst her ofte And her to glad he dyd all his entent For which her goost y t flyckered aye a loft Into her woful hert ayen it went But at the last as that her eye glent Asyde anon she gan his sworde aspye As it laye bare and gan for feare crye And asked hym why he had it out drawe And Troylus anon the cause her tolde And how hiÌ„ self therw t he wold haue slawe For which Creseyd vpon hym gan beholde And gan hym in her armes fast folde And sayde o mercy god lo which a dede Alas how nygh we weren both deed Than yf I nad spoken as grace was Ye wolde haue slayne your self anon ê™ she Yea doutlesse and she answerde alas For by that ylke lorde that made me I nolde a forlonge way on lyue haue be After your deth to haue ben trowned quene Of al y e londe the sunne on shyneth shene But with this selue swerd which y t here is My selfe I wolde haue slayne ê™ she tho But ho for we haue ryght ynough of this And let vs ryse streyght to bed go And there let vs speken of our wo For by that marter which that I se brene Knowe I ful well that day is nat ferre hen whan they were in her bed in armes folde Nought was it lyke tho niÈtes here beforn For pytously eche other gan beholde As they that hadden all her blysse ylorne Bewaylyng aye y e day that they wer borne Til at y e last this sorowful wyght Creseyd To Troylus these ylke wordes seyde Lo hert myne wel wot ye this quod she That yf a wight alway his wo complayne And seketh nat how holpen for to be It nys but folye and encrease of payne And syns y t here assembled be we twayne To fynde bote of wo that we ben in It were tyme all soone to begyn I am a woman as full well ye wot And as I am aduysed sodaynly So woll I tell you whyle it is whote Me thynketh thus that neyther ye nor I Ought halfe this wo to maken skylfully For there is arte ynough for to redresse That yet is mysse sleen this heuynesse Soth is the wo the which we ben in For ought I wot for nothyng els is But for the cause that we shulde twyn Consydred al there nys nomore amys And what is than a remedy vnto this But that we shape vs soone for to mete This all and some my dere hert swete Now that I shal well bryngen it about To come ayen sone after that I go Therof am I no maner thyng in dout For dredelesse within a weke or two I shal ben here and that it mayebe so By all ryght and in wordes fewe I shall you well an heape of wayes shewe For which I wol not make longe sermon For tyme ylost may not recouered be But I wol go to my conclusyon And to the best in ought that I can se And for the loue of god foryeue it me Yf I speke ought ayenst your hertes rest For truly I speke it for the best Makyng alway a protestacion That now these wordes which I shal saye Nys but to shewen you my mocion To fynde vnto our helpe the best waye And taketh it none otherwyse I pray For in effect what so ye me coÌ„maunde That wol I don for that is no demaunde Now herkeneth this ye haue wel vnderstoÌ„d My going graunted is by parlyment So ferforth y t it may not ben withstonde For all this worlde as by my iudgement And syth ther helpeth non aduysement To letten it let it passe out of mynde And let vs shape a better way to fynde The soth is the twynnyng of vs twayne wol vs disease and cruelly anoye But him behoueth somtyme haue a payne That serueth loue yf that he wol haue ioye And syth I shal no ferther out of Troye ThaÌ„ I may ryde ayen on halfe a morowe It ought lasse causen vs for to sorowe So as I shal not so ben hyd in mewe That day by day myne owne hert dere Syns well I wot that it is nowe a trewe Ye shall ful well all myne estate here And er that truce is don I shal ben here Than haue ye both Antenor ywon And me also beth glad now yf ye con And think right thus Creseyd is now agon But what she shal come hastely ayen And whan alas by god so right anon Er dayes ten this dare I safely sayne And than at erst shall we be so fayne So as we shall togythers euer dwell That all this world ne might our blysse tel I se that oft tyme there as we ben nowe That for the best our counsayl for to hyde Ye speake not with me nor I with you In fourtenyght ne se ye go ne ryde May ye nat ten dayes than abyde For myne honour in suche auenture Iwys ye mowe els lyte endure ye knowe eke howe that al my kyn is here But if that only it my father be And eke myne other thynges al yfere And namely my dere herte ye whom that I nolde leauen for to se For al this world as wide as it hath space Or els se I neuer Ioues face why trowe ye my father in this wyse Coueyteth so to se me but for drede Lest in this towne that folkes me dispyse Bycause of him for his vnhappy dede what wote my father what lyfe that I lede For if he wyste in Troye howe wel I fare
which with humble true pitous hert A thousande tymes mercy I you praye So reweth on myne aspre paynes smert And doth somwhat as that I shall you say And let vs steale away betwyxt vs tway And thinke y t foly is whaÌ„ a man maye chese For accident his substaunce for to lese I meane thus that syns we nowe or day well steale awaye and ben togyther so what wyt were it to putten it in assaye In case ye shulden to your father go If that ye myghten come ayen or no Thus meane I that were a great folly To put that sykernesse in ieopardy And vulgarly to speken of substaunce Of treasour may we both with vs lede Ynough to lyue in honour and pleasaunce Tyl vnto tyme that we shal ben deed And thus we may eschewen al this drede For euery other waye ye can recorde Myne hert ywys may therwith nat accorde And hardely ne dredeth no pouertie For I haue kyn and frendes els where That though we comen in our bare sherte Vs shulde neyther lacke golde ne gere But ben honoured whyle we dwelten there And go we anon for as in myne intent This is the best yf that ye woll assent Creseyde with a sygh ryght in this wyse Answerde ywys my dere herte true we maye wel steale away as ye deuyse And fynden suche vnthryftye wayes newe But afterwarde full sore it woll vs rewe And helpe me god so at my moost nede As causelesse ye suffren all this drede For thylke day that I for cherysshyng Or drede of father or for any other wyght Or for estate delyte or for weddyng Be false to you my Troylus my knyght Saturnus doughter Iuno through her migh As wode as AchamaÌ„t do me dwel Eternally with styx in the pyt of hell Ad this on euery god celestiall I sweare it you and eke on eche goddesse On euery nymphe and deitie infernall On Satiry and Fauny more and lesse That halfe goddes ben of wyldernesse And Attrapos my threde of lyfe to brest If I be false now trowe me yf ye lest And thou Synoys that as an arowe clere Thrugh Troy reÌ„nest aye dounward to y e se Be wytnesse of this worde y t sayd is here That ylke daye that I vntrue be To Troylus myne owne hert free That thou returne bakwarde to thy well And I with body and soule synke to hell But that ye speke away thus for to go And leten al your frendes god forbede For any woman that ye shulden so And namly syns Troy hath now such nede Of helpe and eke of o thyng taketh hede Yf this were wist my lyfe laye in balaunce And your honour god shylde vs from myschaunce And yf so be that peace herafter betake As all daye heppeth after angre game why lorde y e sorowe wo ye wolden make That ye ne durst come ayen for shame And er that ye ieoparden so your name Beth nat to hasty in this hote fare For hasty man ne wanteth neuer care what trowe ye the people eke al about wolde of it say it is ful lyght to arede They wolden say and swere it out of dout That loue ne draue you nat to do this dede But lust voluptuous and cowarde drede Thus were all lost iwys myne hert dere Your honour which y t now shyneth clere And also thynketh on myne honestie That floureth yet how foul I shuld it sheÌ„d And with what fylth it spotted shulde be If in this forme I shoulde with you wende Ne though I lyued vnto the worldes ende My name shulde I neuer ayenwarde wyn Thus wer I lost and y t were routh synne And for thy slee with reason al this hete Men sayne the suffraunt ouercoÌ„meth parde Eke who so wol haue lefe he lefe mote lete Thus maketh vertue of necessitie By pacience and thynke that lorde is he Of fortune aye y t nought wol of her retche And she ne dauÌ„teth no wight but a wretche And trusteth this that certes hert swete Or Phebus suster Lucina the shene The Lyon passe out of this Ariete I wol ben here withouten any wene I mene as helpe me Iuno heuens quene The tenth day but if that death me assayle I woll you sene withouten any fayle And now so thus be soth quod Troylus I shall well suffre vnto the tenth daye Syns that I se that nedes it mote be thus But for the loue of god yf it be maye So let vs stelen priuely away For euer in one as for to lyuen in rest Myne hert sayth that it woll be the best O mercy god what lyfe is this ê™ she Alas ye slee me thus for very tene I se well now that ye mystrusten me For by your wordes it is well ysene Now for the loue of Scithia the shene Mistrust me nat thus causelesse for routh Sis to be tru I haue you plight my trouth And thynketh wel that soÌ„tyme it was wyt To spende a tyme a tyme for to wyn Ne parde lorne I nat fro you yet Though that we ben a daye or two a twyn Driue out tho fantasyes you within And trusteth me leaueth eke your sorowe Or here my trouth I wyl nat lyue tyll morowe For if ye wyst how sore it doth me smerte Ye wold not cesse of this for god thou wost The pure spyrit wepeth in myne herte To sene you wepen which y t I loue moost And that I mote gon vnto the grekes host Yea nere it that I wyst a remedye To come ayen ryght here I wolde dye But certes I am not so nyce a wyght That I ne can ymagynen away To come ayen that daye that I haue hyght For who may holden a thyng y t wol awaye My father nought for all his queynt playe And by my thrift my wendyng out of Troy An other daye shall turne vs all to ioye For thy with all myne hert I you beseke Yf that you lyst done ought for my prayer And for y e loue which that I loue you eke That er that I departe fro you here That of so good a comfort and a chere I may you sene that ye may bring at rest Myne herte which is at poynt to brest And ouer all this I praye you ê™ she tho Myne owne hertes sothfast suffysaunce Syth I am thyne all hole withouten mo That whyle that I am absent no plesauÌ„ce Of other do me fro your remembraunce For I am euer agast for why men rede That loue is thyng aye ful of besy drede For in thys worlde there leueth lady none If that I were vntrewe as god defende That so betrayed were or wo begone As I that al trouth in you entende And doutlesse yf that iche other wende I were but deed and er ye cause fynde For goddes loue so beth me naught vnkind To this answered Troylus and seyde Now god to whoÌ„ there nys no cause ywrie Me glade as wys I neuer vnto Creseyde Sith thylke day I saw her fyrst wyth eye was
god my counsayle is quod Pandarus To ryde playe vs wyth king Sarpedoun So longe of this they speken vp and doun Tyl Troylus gan at the laste assent To ryse forth to Sarpedon they went Thys Sarpedon as he that honourable was euer his lyue and ful of hye prowesse wythal that myght yserued bene on table That deyntie was al cost it great rychesse He fed hem day by day that suche noblesse As sayden both the moost and eke the leest was neuer er that daye wyst at any feest Nor in this worlde ther is none instrument Delicious through wynd or touch on corde As ferre as any wyght hath euer ywent That tonge tell or herte maye recorde But at that feest it nas wel herde recorde Ne of ladyes eke so fayre a companye On daūce er tho was neuer ysene with eye But what auayleth thys to Troylus That for his sorowe nothyng of it rought But ruer in one as hert pytous Ful besily Creseyde his lady sought On her was al that euer his hert thought Now thys nowe that so fast ymaginyng That glad ywys can him no festyng These ladyes eke that at thys feest ben Sens that he sawe his lady was a wey It was his sorowe vpon hem for to seen Or for to here on instrumentes pley For she that of hys herte hath the key was absent lo thys was his fantasye That no wyght shulde make melodye Nor there nas houre in al the day or nyght whā he was ther as no mā myght him here That he ne sayd O louesom lady bryght Howe haue ye faren sens that ye were there welcome ywys myne owne lady dere But welaway al this nas but a mase Fortune his houe entended bet to glase The letters eke that she of olde tyme Had hym ysent he wolde alone rede An hundred sythe atwixte noone and prime Refiguryng her shappe her womanhede wythin his hert and euery worde and dede that passed was thus he droue to an ende The fourth day and sayd he wol wende And sayd leue brother Pandarus Intendest thou that we shal here bleue Tyl Sarpedon woll forthe conueyen vs Yet were it fayrer that we toke our leue For goddes loue let vs nowe sone at eue Our leaue take and homwarde let vs turne For trewly I nyl not thus soiourne Pandare answerde be we comen hyther To fetchen fyre and rennen home agayne God helpe me so I can not tellen whyther we myght gone yf I shall sothly sayne There any wyght is of vs more fayne Then Sarpedon and yf we hence hye Thus sodeynly I holde it vylanye when that we sayden we wolde bleue wyth hym a weke and nowe thus sodaynly The fourth daye to take of hym our leue He wolde wondren on it truely Let vs holden forth our purpose fermely And sens that ye behyghten hym to abyde Holde forewarde nowe after let vs ryde Thys Pandarus wyth all pyne and wo Made hym to dwell and at the wekes ende Of Sarpedon they toke her leaue tho And on her way they spedden hem to wende Quod Troylus now lorde me grace sende That I may fynde at myne home cōmynge Creseyde comen and therwyth gan he synge Ye haselwode thought thys Pandare And to hym selfe full softely he seyde God wote refroyden may thys hotte fare Er Calkas sende Troylus Creseyde But natheles he iaped thus and seyde And swore ywys hys hert him wel behyght She wold come as sone as euer she myght when they vnto the palays were ycomen Of Troylus they downe of horse alyght And to y e chābre her way haue they nōmen And vnto tyme that it gan to nyght They speken of Creseyde the lady bryght And after thys when hem both leste They spedde hem fro the supper vnto reste On morowe as sone as daye began to clere Thys Troylus gan of hys slepe to abreyde And to Pandarus hys owne brother dere For loue of god full pytously he seyde As go we sene the paleys of Creseyde For sens we yet may haue no more feest So let vs sene her paleys at the leest And therwythall hys meyne for to blende A cause he fonde in towne for to go And to Creseydes house they gone wende But lorde thys sely Troylus was wo Hym thought his sorowful hert brast in two For when he sawe her dores sperred all wel nyg for sorowe adowne he gan to fall Therwith whē he was ware gan beholde Howe shet was euery wyndowe of the place As frost hym thought hys herte gan to colde For whych wyth chaunged deedly pale face wythouten worde he forth by gan to pace And as god welde he gan so faste ryde That no wyght of hys countenaunce aspyde Then sayd he thus O paleys desolate O house of houses whylom best yhyght O paleys empty and dysconsolate O thou lanterne of whych queynt is y e light O paleys whylom daye y t nowe art nyght well oughtest thou to fall and I to dye Sens she is went that wont was vs to gye O paleys whylom crowne of houses all Enlumyned wyth sunne of blysse O rynge of whych the rubie is out fall O cause of wo that cause haste ben of blysse Yet sens I maye no bet fayne wolde I kysse Thy colde doores durst I for thys route And farwel shryne of which the saynt is out Therwyth he cast on Pandarus hys eye wyth chaunged face and pytous to beholde And when he myght hys tyme aryght aspye Aye as he rode to Pandarus he tolde Hys newe sorowe and eke hys ioyes olde So pytously and wyth so deed an hewe That euerywight might on his sorow rewe Fro thence forth he rydeth vp and downe And euery thynge came him to remēbraunce As he rode forth by the places of the towne In whych he whylom had all hys plesaunce Lo yonder sawe I myne owne lady daunce And in that temple wyth her eyen clere Me kaught fyrst my ryght lady dere And yonder haue I herde full lustely My dere herte laugh and yonder play Sawe I her ownes eke full blysfully And yonder one 's to me gan she saye Nowe good swete loue me well I praye And yonde so goodly gan she me beholde That to the death myne herte is to her holde And at the corner in the yonder house Herde I myne alderleuest lady dere So womanly wyth voyce melodyouse Syngen so well so goodly and so clere That in my soule yet my thynketh I here The blysfull sowne and in that yonder place My lady fyrst me toke vnto her grace Thē thought he thus o blysful lorde Cupide when I the processe haue in memorye Howe thou me haste weryed on euery syde Men myght a boke make of it lyke a storye what nede is the to seke on me vyctorye Sens I am thyne and holy at thy wyll what ioye hast thou thyn owne folke to spyl wel hast thou lord ywroke on me thyn yre Thou myghty god and dredfull for to greue Nowe mercy
harme was al aboute his herte Priam full ofte and eke his mother dere His bretherne his sustren gan him frayne why he so soroufull was in all his chere And what thyng was y e cause of al his payne But al for naught he nolde hys cause playne But sayd he felte a greuous maladye Aboute his herte and fayne he wolde dye So on a day he laye him downe to slepe And so byfell that in slepe him thought That in a forest faste he walked to wepe For loue of her y t him these paynes wrought And vp and downe as he that forest sought He mette he sawe a bore with tuskes greate That slept ayenst the bright sonnes heate And by this bore faste in her armes folde Lay kyssyng aye his lady bright Creseyde For sorow of which whan he it gan beholde And for dispyte out of his slepe he breyde And loude he cryed on Pandarus and seyde O Pandarus nowe knowe I croppe roote I nam but deed there nys non other boote My lady bright Creseyde hath me betrayde In whom I trusted moste of any wight She els where hath nowe her herte apayde The blyfful goddes through her gret might Haue in my dreame yshewed it full right Thus in my dreme Creseyde haue I behold And all this thyng to Pandarus he tolde O my Creseyde alas what subtylte what newe lust what beaute what science what wrathe of iuste cause haue ye to me what gylte of me what fel experience Hath me rafte alas thyne aduertence O trust o faythe o depe assuraunce who hath me rafte Creseyde all my plesauÌ„ce Alas why let I you from hence go For which wel nigh out of my wyt I breyde who shall nowe trowe on any othes mo God wote I wende o lady bright Creseyde That euery worde was gospel that ye seyde But who may bet begyle yf hym lyste Than he on whom men wenen best to tryste What shall I done my Pandarus alas I fele nowe so sharpe a newe payne Sens that there is no remedye in this caas That bet were it I with myn hoÌ„des twayn My seluen slowe than alway thus to playn For throgh y e deth my wo shuld haue an end Ther euery day with lyfe my selfe I shende Pandare answerde sayd alas the whyle That I was borne haue I nat sayd er thys That dreames many a maner man begyle And why for folke expounden hem amys Howe darste thou sayne that false thy lady is For any dreame right for thyn owne drede Let be this thought y u canst no dremes rede ParaueÌ„ture there thou dreamest of this bore It may so be that it may signifye Her father whiche that olde is and eke hore Ayen the sonne lythe on poynte to dye And she for sorowe gynneth wepe and crye And kysseth him there he lythe on y e grounde Thus shuldest y u thy dreme aright expounde Howe might I than done ê™ Troylus To knowe of this yea were it neuer so lyte Now sayest thou wisely ê™ this Pandarus My rede is this sens thou canst wel endyte That hastely a letter thou her write Through which y u shalt well bringen about To knowe a sothe of that thou arte in doute And se nowe why for this I dare wel sayne That yf so is that she vntrewe be I can nat trowen that she wol write agayne And yf she write thou shalt ful sone yse As whether she hath any lyberte To come ayen or els in some clause If she be let she woll assygne a cause Thou hast nat writteÌ„ to her sens y t she went Nor she to the and this I durste lay There may suche cause ben in her entente That hardely thou wolt thy seluen say That her abode the best is for you tway Nowe write her than thou shalt fele sone A sothe of all there is no more to done Acorded ben to this conclusyoun And that anon these ylke lordes two And hastely sate Troylus adoun And rolleth in his herte to and fro Howe he may best discryuen her his wo And to Creseyde his owne lady dere He wrote right thus sayd as ye may here ¶ The copy of the letter RIght freshe floure whose I haue ben and shall WithouteÌ„ parte of els where seruyce Wyth herte body lyfe luste thought and all I wofull wight in euery humble wyse That tonge can tel or herte may deuyse As ofte as mater occupyeth place Me recommaunde vnto your noble grace Lyketh it you to weten swete herte As ye wel knowe howe longe tyme agon That ye me left in aspre paynes smerte whan that ye went of whiche yet bote non Haue I non had â–ª but euer worse bygon Fro day to day am I and so mote dwell whyle it you lyst of we le and wo my well For which to you with dredeful hert trewe I write as he that sorowe driueth to write My wo that euery houre encreaseth newe Complaynyng as I dare or can endyte And that defaced is that may ye wyte The teares which that froÌ„ myne eyen rayne That wolden speke yf y t they durste playne You fyrst beseche I that your eyen clere To toke on this defouled ye nat holde And ouer al this that ye nat lady dere wol vouchsafe this letter to beholde And by the cause eke of my 〈◊〉 colde That sleeth my wyt yf aught amys me sterte Foryeue it me myne owne swete herte If any seruaunt durst or ought of ryght Vpon his lady pitously complayne Than wene I that I ought be that wyght CoÌ„sydred this that ye these monthes twayn Haue taryed there ye sayden sothe to sayn But ten dayes ye nolde in hoste soiourne But in two monthes yet ye nat retourne But for as moche as me mote nedes lyke All that you lyst I dare nat playne more But humbly with soroufull syghes syke You write I myne vnresty sorowes sore Fro day to day desyryng euer more To knowen fully yf your wyll it were Howe ye haue fared don while ye be there Whose welfare and heale eke god encrease In honour suche that vpwarde in degree It growe alway so that it neuer cease Right as your herte aye can my lady free Deuyse I pray to god so mote it be And graunt it that ye soone vpon me rewe As wisely as in all I am to you trewe And yf you lyketh knowen of the fare Of me whose wo ther may no wiÈt discryue I can no more but chest of euery care At writyng of this letter I was on lyue Al redy out my wofull gost to dryue whiche I delay and holde him yet in honde Vpon the syght of mater of your sonde Myne eyen two in vayn with which I se Of soroufull teares salte arn woxen wellis My songe in playnt of myne aduersyte My good in harm myn ease eke woxeÌ„ hell is My ioye in wo I can sey nowe nought ellis But turned is for whiche my lyfe I wary Euery ioye prease in his contrary
Which w t your coÌ„myng home ayeÌ„ to Troy Ye may redresse and more a thousande sythe Than euer I had encressen in me ioy For was there neuer herte yet so blythe To haue his lyfe as I shall ben as swythe As I you se and though no maner routhe Can meuen you yet thinketh on your trouthe And yf so be my gylte hath dethe deserued Or yf you lyst no more vpon me se In guerdon yet of that I haue you serued Beseche I you myn owne lady fre That her vpon ye wolden write me For loue of god my right lode sterre That deth may make an ende of al my werre If other cause aught doth you for to dwel That with your letter ye may me recomforte For though to me your absence is an hell wyth pacience I woll my wo comforte And with your lettre of hope I wol disporte Now writeth swete let me thus nat playn with hope or dethe delyuereth me fro payne Iwys myne owne dere herte trewe I wote that whan ye next vpon me se So loste haue I myn heale eke myn hewe Creseyde shall nat conne knowen me Iwys myne hertes day my lady fre So thursteth aye myne herte to beholde Your beaute that vnneth my lyfe I holde I say no more all haue I for to sey To you wel more than I tell may But whether that ye do me lyue or dey Yet pray I god so yeue you right good day And fareth wel goodly fayre fresh may As ye that lyfe or dethe me may commaunde And to youre trouthe aye I me recoÌ„maunde Wyth heale suche that but ye yeuen me The same heale I shal none heale haue In you lythe whan you lyst that it so be The day in which me clothen shal my graue And in you my lyfe in you might for to saue Me fro disease of all paynes smerte And fare nowe well myne owne swete herte Le vostre T. This lettre forth was sent vnto Creseyde Of whiche her answere in affecte was thys Full pitously she wrote ayen and seyde That also sone as she myght ywis She wold come mende al that was amys And fynally she wrote and sayd then She wolde come ye but she nyste when But in her letter made she suche feestes That woÌ„der was swore she loued him best Of which he founde but botomlesse byhestes But Troylus thou mayst nowe eest west Pype in an Iuy leefe yf that the lest Thus gothe the worlde god shylde vs fro mischaunce And euery wight that meneth trouth auauÌ„ce Encreasen gan the wo fro day to nyght Of Troylus for taryeng of Creseyde And lessen gan his hope and eke his myght For which al down he in his bedde him leyd He ne ete dronke ne slept ne worde seyde Imagynyng aye that she was vnkynde For which wel nigh he wext out of his mind This dreme of which I told haue eke beforn May neuer come out of his remembraunce He thought aye well he had his lady lorne And that Ioues of hys purueyaunce Hym shewed had in slepe the signyfiaunce Of her vntrouth and his disauenture And that the bore was shewed him in fygure For whiche he for Sybille his suster sente That called was Cassandre eke all aboute And all his dreame he tolde her er he stente And her besought assoylen him the doute Of the stronge boore with tuskes stoute And fynally within a lytell stounde Cassandre him gan thus hys dreme expouÌ„de She gan first smyle sayd o brother dere If thou a soth of this desyrest to knowe Thou muste a fewe of olde stories here To purpose howe that fortune ouerthrowe Hath lordes old through which wtin a throw Thou shalt this bore know of what kynde He comen is as men in bookes fynde Diane which that wroth was and in yre For grekes nolde done her sacrifyce Ne encens vpon her aulter sette on fyre She for that grekes gonne her so dispyse wrake her in a wonder cruel wyse For with a bore as great as oxe in stall She made vp frete her corne and vynes all To slee the bore was al y e countrey reysed Amonge whiche there came this bore to se A mayd one of this worlde the best ypraysed And Meleager lorde of that countre He loued so this freshe mayden fre That with his manhode er he wolde stente This bore he slough and her y e heed he sente Of whiche as olde bokes tellen vs There rose a conteke and a great enuye And of this lorde discended Tideus By lygne or els olde bokes lye But howe this Meleager gan to dye Through his mother woll I you nat tell For all to longe it were for to dwell She tolde eke howe Tideus er she stente Vnto the stronge cyte of Thebes To claymen kyngdom of the cyte went For his felawe dan Polimites Of whiche the brother dan Ethiocles Ful wrongfully of Thebes helde y e strentgh This tolde she by processe all by length She tolde eke howe Hemonydes asterte whan Tydeus slough fyfty knightes stoute She tolde eke all the prophesies by herte And howe that seuen kynges with her route Besiegeden the cyte all aboute And of the holy serpent and the well And of the furyes al she gan hym tell Associat profugum Tydeus primo Polimidem Tidea legatum docet insidiasque secundis Tertius Hermodien canit et vates latitantes Mors furie Leuine quinto narrantur et angues Quartus habet reges ineuntes prelia septem Archynon bustum sexto ludique leguntur Dat Graios Thebes vatem septimis vmbris Octauo cecidit Tibeus spes vita pelagis Ipomedon nono moritur cum Parthonepeo Fulmine percusso decimo Canapus superatur Vndecimo lese perimunt per vulnera fratres Argiuam flentem narrant duodenis et ignem Of Archinories buryeng and the playes And how Amphiorax fyll through y e grouÌ„de Howe Tideus was slayne lorde of Argeyes And howe Hypomedon in a lytell stounde was dreynte deed Parthonepe of wounde And also howe Campaneus the proude wyth thoÌ„der dynte was slayne y e cryed loude He gaÌ„ eke tel him how that eyther brother Ethiocles and Polimites also At a scarmyshe eche of hem slough other And of Argynes wepyng and her mo And how y e town was brent she told eke tho And tho discended downe from iestes olde To Diomede and thus she spake and tolde This ylke bore betokeneth Diomede Tideus sonne that downe discended is Fro Meleager that made the bore to blede And thy lady where so she be ywis This Diomede her herte hath and she hys wepe yf thou wolte or leaue for out of doute This Diomede is in and thou arte oute Thou sayest nat soth ê™ he thou sorceresse wyth all thy false goste of prophecie Thou wenest ben a great deuyneresse Nowe seest thou nat this foole of fantasye Paynen her on ladyes for to lye Away ê™ he there Ioues yeue the sorowe Thou shalt be fals paraueÌ„ture yet to morow As wel thou
vnder stone Or euer he shulde his hertes ease restore In her fayled nothynge that I coude gesse One wyse nor other preuy nor perte A garyson she was of al goodlynesse To make a frounter for a louers herte Right yonge fresshe a woman ful couerte Assured wele of porte and eke of chere we le at her ease withouten wo or smerte Al vnderneth the standerde of daungere To se the feest it weryed me ful sore For heuy ioye doth sore the herte trauayle Out of the prese I me withdrawe therfore And set me downe alone behynde a trayle Ful of leues to se a great meruayle with grene wrethes ybounden wonderly The leues were so thycke withouten fayle That throughout no man might me espy To this lady he came ful curtesly whaÌ„ he thought tyme to dauÌ„ce w t her a trace Set in an herber made fule plesauntly They rested hem fro thens but a lytel space Nygh hem were none of a certayne compace But onely they as farre as I coude se Saue the trayle there I had chose my place There was no more bytwene hem two me I harde the louer syghyng wonder sore For aye the more the sorer it him sought His inwarde paine he coude not kepe in store Nor for to speke so hardy was he nought His leche was nere y e gretter was his thouÈt He mused sore to conquere his desyre For no maÌ„ may to more penauÌ„ce be brought That in his heate to bring him to the fyre The herte began to swel within his cheste So sore strayned for anguisshe for payne That al to peces almoste it to brest whan both at ones so sore it dyd constrayne Desyre was bold but shame it gan refrayne That one was large the other was ful close No lytel charge was layde on him certayne To kepe suche werre and haue so many fose Ful ofteÌ„ tymes to speke him selfe he payned But shamfastnesse drede sayd euer nay Yet at the last so sore he was constrayned whan he full longe had put it in delay To his lady ryght thus than gan he say with dredeful voyce wepyng halfe in a rage For me was purueyed an vnhappy day whan I fyrst had a syght of your vysage I suffre payne god wote ful hote brennynge To cause my dethe all for my true seruyse And I se well ye recke therof nothyng Nor take no hede of it in no kynde wyse But whan I speke after my best aduyse Ye set it at nought but make therof a game And thoughe I sewe so great an entrepryse Yet peyreth not your worship nor your fame Alas what shulde it be to you preiudyce If that a man do loue you faythfully To your worshyp eschewynge euery vyce So am I yours and wyll be veryly I chalenge nought of ryght and reason why For I am hole submyt vnto your seruyce Ryght as ye lyst it be ryght so wyll I To bynde my self where I was in frauÌ„chise Lamant Though it be so that I can nat deserue To haue your grace but alway lyue in drede Yet suffre me you for to loue and serue withouten maugre of your most goodlyhede Both faith trouth I gyue your womaÌ„hede And my seruyce wythout any callynge Loue hath me bouÌ„d withoute wage or mede To be your man and leue all other thynge La dame Whan thys lady had herde al this language She gaue answere full softe and demurely wythout chaungynge of colour or courage Nothynge in haste but mesurably Me thinketh syr your thought is great foly Purpose ye nought your labour for to cese For thynketh not whyles ye lyue and I In thys mater to set your herte in pease Lamant There may none make the peace but only ye which are the grounde cause of al this war For wyth your eyen the letters written be By whyche I am defyed and put a far Your plesaunt loke my very lode star was made herande of thilke same defyaunce whiche vtterly behyght me for to barre My fayhtfull trust and all myne affyaunce La dame To lyue in wo he hath great fantasy And of hys herte also slypper holde That onely for beholdynge of an eye Can nat abyde in peace as reason wolde Other or me yf ye lyst ye may beholde our eyeÌ„ are made to loke whi shuld we spare I take no kepe neyther of yonge ne olde who feleth smerte I counsayle hym beware Lamant If it be so one hurte another sore In hys defaute that feleth the greuaunce Of very ryght a man may do no more Yet reason wolde it were in remembraunce And syth fortune onely by her chaunce Hath caused me to suffre all thys payne By your beaute wyth all the cyrcumstaunce why lyste ye haue me in so great dysdayne La dame To your persone ne haue I no dysdayne Nor neuer had trewly ne nought wyll haue Nor ryght great loue nor hatred in certayne Nor your counsayle to know so god me saue Yf suche loue be in your mynde ygraue That lytell thynge may do you dyspleasauÌ„ce You to begyle or make you for to raue I wyll nat cause no suche encomberaunce Lamant What euer it be y t me hath thus purchased wenynge hath nat dysceyued me certayne But feruent loue so sore hath me ychased That I vnware am casten in your chayne And syth so is as fortune lyst ordayne All my welfare is in your haundes fall In eschewynge of more myscheuous payne who sonest dyeth hys care is leest of all La dame This syckenesse is ryght easy to endure But fewe people it causeth for to dye But what they meane I knowe it very sure Of more comforte to drawe the remedy Suche be there nowe playnyng ful pytously That fele god wote nat alther grettest paine And yf so be loue hurte so greuously Lesse harm it were one sorowful thaÌ„ twayn Lamant Alas madame yf that it myght you please Moche better it were by way of gentylnesse Of one sory to make twayne wel at ease Than hym to destroye that lyueth in distresse For my desyre is neyther more nor lesse But my seruyce to do for your pleasaunce In eschewynge all maner doublenesse To make two ioyes in stede of one greuauÌ„ce La dame Of loue I seke neyther pleasaunce nor ease Nor haue therin no great affyaunce Though ye be sick it doth me nothing please Also I take no hede of your pleasaunce Chese who so wyll her hertes to auaunce Fre am I nowe and free wyll I endure To be ruled by mannes gouernaunce For erthely good Nay that I you ensure Lamant Loue which that ioy sorowe doth departe Hath set the ladyes out of all seruage And largely dothe graunt hem for her parte Lordshyp and rule of euery maner of age The poore seruauÌ„t nought hath of auantage But what he may gete onely by purchesse And he that ones to loue doth hys homage Full often tymes dere bought is the rychesse La dame Ladyes be nat so symple thus I mene So dull of wyt
helpe that hath all thyng in cure I can nat thynke that it may longe endure As for my trouthe it hath beproued wele To say the sothe I can say no more Of full longe tyme and suffred euery dele In pacience and kepe it all in store Of her goodnesse besechynge her therfore That I myght haue my thanke in such wyse As my deserte serueth of iustyse Whan these bylles were rad euerychone The ladyes toke a good aduysement And hem to answere by one and one She thought it was to moche in her entent wherfore she yaue hem commaundement In her presence to come bothe one and all To yeue hem her answere in generall What dyd she than suppose ye verely She spake her selfe and sayd in this manere we haue well sene your bylles by and by And some of hem pytous for to here we wol therfore ye knowe all thys infere wythin shorte tyme our courte of parlyment Here shall be holde in our palays present And in all thys wherin ye fynde you greued There shall ye fynde an open remedy In suche wyse as ye shall be releued Of all that ye reherce here throughly As for the date ye shall knowe verely That ye may haue a space in your comyng For dyligence shall it tell you by wrytyng We thanked her in our moste humble wyse Our felaushyp eche one by one assente Submyttyng vs lowly tyll her seruyse For as we thouÈt we had your trauayle speÌ„t In suche wyse as we helde vs contente Than eche of vs toke other by the sleue And forth withal as we shulde take our leue All sodaynly the water sprange anone In my visage and therwythall I woke where am I nowe thought I al this is gone All mased and vp I gan to loke with that anone I went and made this boke Thus symply rehersyng the substaunce Bycause it shulde not be out of remembrauÌ„ce Nowe verily your dreame is passyng good And worthy to be had in remembraunce For though I stande here as long as I stode It shulde to me be none encombraunce I toke therin so inly great pleasaunce But tell me nowe what ye the boke do call For I must wete w t right good wyll ye shall As for thys boke to say you very ryght Of the name to tell you in certaynte Lassemble de dames thus it hyght Howe thynke ye that name is good parde Nowe go farewell for they call after me My felawes all and I muste after sone Rede wel my dreme for now my tale is done FINIS The conclusions of the Astrolabie LItell Lowys my sunne I perceyue well by certayne euydeÌ„ces thyne abilite to lerne sciences touchyng nombres and proporcions and also wel coÌ„sydre I thy besye prayer in especyall to lerne the tretyse of the Astrolabe Than for as moche as a philosopher sayth he wrappeth hym in hys freÌ„de that coÌ„descendeth to the ryghtfull prayers of hys frende Therfore I haue gyuen the a suffycient Astrolaby for our orizonte compowned after the latytude of Oxenford vpon y e whiche by medyacyon of thys lytell treatyse I purpose to teache the a certayne nombre of conclusyons pertayning to this same instrument I saye a certayne of conclusyons for thre causes the fyrst cause is this Truste wel that all the conclusyons that haue be foundeÌ„ or els possyblye myght be founde in so noble an instrument as is the Astrolabye ben vnknowen perfytely to any mortall man in this regyon as I suppose Another cause is thys that sothlye in any cartes of the Astrolabye that I haue ysene there ben some conclusyoÌ„s that woll not in all thynges perfourme her byhestes and some of hem ben to harde to thy tender age of ten yere to conceyue This treatyse deuyded in fyue partes wyll I shewe the wonder lyght rules and naked wordes in englishe for latyn ne canste thou yet but smale my lytell sonne But neuer the lesse suffyseth to the these trewe conclusyons in englysshe as well as suffyseth to thys noble clerkes Grekes these same conclusyons in greke and to arabyens in arabyke and to iewes in Hebrewe to the Latyn folke in Latyn which Latyne folke had hem fyrste out of other dyuers langages and wryte hem in her owne tonge that hys to sayne in Latyne And god wote that in all these languages and in manye mo haue these conclusyons ben suffycyently lerned and taught and yet by dyuers rules ryght as dyuers pathes leadeÌ„ dyuers folke the ryght waye to Rome Nowe woll I praye mekely euery person discrete that redeth or hereth thys lytell treatyse to haue my rude entendyng excused and my superfluyte of wordes for two causes The fyrst cause is for that curyous endytyng and harde sentences is full heuy at ones for suche a chylde to lerne And the seconde cause is thys that sothly me semeth better to wryten vnto a chylde twyse a good sentence than he forgette it ones And Lowis if it so be that I shewe the in my lyth Englysshe as trewe conclusyons touchynge thys mater and not onely as trewe but as many and subtyll conclusyons as ben yshewed in Latyne in anye commune tretyse of the Astrolabye conne me the more thanke and pray God saue the kyng that is lorde of thys language and all that hym faythe beareth and obeyeth eueryche in hys degre the more and the lasse But consydreth well that I ne vsurpe not to haue founden thys werke of my labour or of myne engyne I nam but a leude compylatour of the labour of olde Astrologiens and haue it translated in myne Englysshe onelye for thy doctryne and wyth thys swerde shal I sleue enuye ¶ The fyrste partye THe fyrste partye of this treatyse shall reherce the fygures and the membres of thyne Astrolabye bycause that thou shalte haue the greater knowynge of thyne owne instrument ¶ The seconde partye ¶ The seconde partye shall teche the to werken the very practyke of the foresayde conclusyons as ferforthe and all so narowe as may be shewed in so smale an instrument portatyfe aboute For wel wote euery astrologien that smallest fractions ne wol not be shewed in so smal an instrument as in subtyll tables calcused for a cause ¶ The thyrde partye ¶ The thirde party shal contayne dyuers tables of longytudes and latytudes of sterres fyxe in the Astrolabye And tables of the declinacyons of the sunne and tables of the longytude of cytes and townes And tables as well for the gouernacyon of the clocke as for to fynde the altitude meridyan and many an other notable coÌ„clusyon after the kalenders of the reuerent clerkes frere Iohn Som. and frere N. Lenne ¶ The fourth partye ¶ The fourth partye shall be a theorike to declare the meanynge of the celestyall bodyes wyth the causes the whyche the fourth partye in specyal shall shewe in a table of the verye menynge of the moone frome one to one euerye day and euery sygne after thyne Almanake Vpon the whyche table there foloweth a canone suffycyent to teache as well
hede what shall I saye of yonge Piramus Of trewe Tristram for al hys hye renowne Of Achylles or of Antonius Of Arcite or of hym Palamowne what was the ende of her passyoune But after sorowe deth and then her graue Lo here the guerdon that these louers haue But false Iason wyth hys doublenesse That was vntrewe at Calkos to Medee And Theseus rote of vnkyndnesse And wyth these two eke the false Enâ—e Lo thus the false aye in one degre Had in loue her lust and all her wyll And saue fashode there was none other skyll Of Thebes eke the false Arcyte And Demephoon eke for his slouthe They had her lust al that myght delyte For al her falshode and great vntrouthe Thus euer loue alas and that is routhe His false lieges forthereth what he may And sleeth the trewe vngoodly day by day For trewe Adon was slayne with the bore Amydde the forest in the grene shade For Venus loue he felte al the sore But Vulcanus wiht her no mercy made The foule chorle had many nyghtes glade where Mars her knyght and her man To fynde mercy comforte none he can Also the yonge fresshe vpomedes So lusty fre as of his courage That for to serue with al his herte he ches Athalans so fayre of her vysage But loue alas quitte hym so his wage with cruell daungere playnly at the last That wyth the deth guerdonlesse he past Lo here the fyne of loues seruyse Lo how that loue can hys seruauntes quyte Lo howe he can hys faythfull men dyspyse To slee the trewe men and false to respyte Lo howe he doth the swerde of sorowe byte In hertes such as moost hys lust obey To saue the false and do the trewe dey For fayth nor othe worde ne assuraunce Trewe meanynge awayte or busynesse Styll porte ne faythfull attendaunce Manhode ne myght in armes worthynesse Pursute of worshyp nor hye prowesse In straunge lande rydynge ne trauayle Ful lytell or nought in loue doth auayle Peryll of deth nor in see ne lande Hunger ne thurste sorowe ne syckenesse Ne great empryses for to take on hande Shedynge of bloode ne manfull hardynesse Ne ofte woundynge at sautes by dystresse Nor in partynge of lyfe nor deth also Al is for nought loue taketh no hede therto But lesynges wyth her flaterye Through her falshed with her doublenesse wyth tales newe and many fayned lye By false semblaunt and couÌ„trefete huÌ„blesse Vnder colour depaynte wyth stedfastnesse wyth fraude couered vnder a pytous face Accepte be nowe rathest vnto grace And can hym selfe nowe best magnifye wyth fayned porte and presumpcion They haunte her cause wyth false surquidre Vnder meanynge of double entencion To thynke one in her opinion And saye another to set hym selfe alofte And hynder trouth as it is sene full ofte The which thynge I bye nowe al to dere Thanked be Venus and the God Cupide As it is sene by myne oppressed chere And by hys arowes that stycken in my syde That saue deth I nothynge abyde Fro daye to daye alas the harde whyle when euer his darte that hym lyst to fyle My wofull herte for to ryue a two For taute of mercy and lacke of pyte Of her that causeth all my payne and wo And lyst not ones of grace for to se Vnto my trouth through her cruelte And moste of al I me complayne That she hath ioye to laugh at my payne And wylfully hath my deth sworne All gyltlesse and wote no cause why Saue for the trouth that I had aforne To her alone to serue faythfully O god of loue vnto the I cry And to thy blende double deyte Of thys great wronge I complayne me And vnto thy stormy wylfull variaunce Yment wyth chauÌ„ge and great vnstablenesse Now vp now down so reÌ„nyng is thy chauÌ„ce That the to trust may be no sekernesse I wyte it nothynge but thy doublenesse And who that is an archer and is blynde Marketh nothynge but shoteth by wynde And for that he hath no dyscrecion wythout aduyse he let hys arowe go For lacke of syght and also of reason In hys shotynge it happeth ofte so To hurte hys frende rather then hys fo So doth thys god wyth hys sharpe flone The trewe sleeth and letteth the false gone And of hys woundyng thys y u worst of al when he hurteth doth to so cruell wreche And maketh the sycke for to crye and call Vnto hys foe for to be hys leche And harde it is for a man to seche Vpon the poynte of dethe in ieopardye Vnto hys foe to fynde remedye Thus fareth it nowe euen by me That to my foe y t gaue myne herte a wouÌ„de Mote aske grace mercy and pyte And namely there where none may be fouÌ„de For nowe my sore my leche wyll confounde And god of kynde so hath set myne vre My lyues foe to haue my wounde in cure Alas the whyle now that I was borne Or that I euer sawe the bryght sonne For nowe I se that full longe aforne Or I was borne my desteny was sponne By Parcas systerne to slee me yf they conne For they my dethe shopen or my sherte Onely for trouth I may it not asterte The myghty goddesse also of nature That vnder god hath the gouernaunce Of worldly thynges coÌ„mytted to her cure Dysposed haue throgh her wyse purueiauÌ„ce To gyue my lady so moche suffysaunce Of all vertues and therwythall puruyde To murdre trouth hath take dauÌ„ger to gyde For bounte beaute shappe and semelyhed Prudence wyt passyngly fayrnesse Benygne porte glad chere wyth lowlyhed Of womanhede ryght plenteous largenesse Nature dyd in her fully impresse when she her wrought alther last disdayne To hinder trouth she made her chaÌ„berlayne when mystrust also and false suspection wyth mysbyleue she made for to be Chefe of counsayle to thys conclusyon For to exyle trouth and eke pyte Out of her court to make mercy flee So y t dyspyte nowe holdeth forth her reyne Through hasty byleue of tales y t men feyne And thus I am for my trouth alas Murdred slayne w t wordes sharpe kene Gyltlesse god wote of all trespas And lye and blede vpon this colde grene Nowe mercy swete mercy my lyues quene And to your grace of mercy yet I preye In your seruyce that your man maye deye But yf so be that I shall dye algate And that I shall none other mercy haue Yet of my deth let thys ben the date that by your wyl I was brouÈt to my graue Or hastely yf that you lyst me saue My sharpe woundes that ake so and blede Of mercy charme and also of womanhede For other charme playnly is there none But onely mercy to helpe in thys case For though my woundes blede euer in one My lyfe my deth standeth in your grace And though my gylte be nothynge alas I aske mercy in all my best entente Redy to dye yf that ye assente For there agaynst shall I neuer stryue In worde ne werke
playnly I ne may For leuer I haue then to be alyue To dye sothly and it be to her paye Yea though it be thys same daye Or when that euer her lyst to deuyse Suffyseth me to dye in your seruyse And god y t knowest y e thoght of euery wyght Ryght as it is in euery thynge thou mayst se Yet er I dye wyth all my full myght Lowly I praye to graunt vnto me That ye goodly fayre freshe and fre whych onely slee me for defaute of rothe Or that I dye ye maye knowe my trouth For that in soth suffiseth me And she it knowe in euery circumstaunce And after I am wel payde that she If that her lyst of deth to do vengeaunce Vnto me that am vnder her ligraunce It sytte me not her dome to dysobeye But at her luste wylfully to deye wythout grutchynge or rebellyon In wyll or worde holy I assent Or any maner contradiction Fully to be at her commaundement And yf I dye in my testament My herte I sende and my spirite also what so euer she lyste wyth hem to do And alder laste to her womanhede And to her mercy me I recomaunde That lye nowe here betwyxte hope drede Abydynge playnly what she lyst coÌ„maunde For vtterly thys nys no demaunde welcome to me whyle me lasteth brethe Ryght at her choyse where it be lyfe or dethe In this maâ—er more what might I fayne Syth in her hande and in her wyll is all Bothe lyfe deth my ioye and al my payne And fynally my heste holde I shall Tyl my spirite by desteny fatall when that her lyst fro my body wende Haue here my trouth thus I make an ende And with that worde he gan sygh as sore Lyke as hys herte ryue wolde at wayne And helde hys peace spake no worde more But for to se hys wo and mortall payne The teres gonne fro myne eyen rayne Full pytously for very inwarde râ—the That I him saw so long wishing for trouth And all thys whyle my selfe I kepte close Amonge the bowes and my self gonne hyde Tyll at the last the wofull man arose And to a lodge wente there besyde where all the May hys custome was tabyde Sole to complayne of hys paynes kene From yere to yere vnder the bowes grene And for bycause that it drewe to the nyght And that the sonne his arke diurnall Ypassed was so that his persaunt light Hys bright bemes and hys stremes all were in the waues of the water fall Vnder the bordure of our occyan Hys chare of golde hys course so swyftly ran And whyle the twylyght the rowes rede Of Phebus lyght were deaurat alyte A penne I toke and gan me fast spede The wofull playnte of thys man to wryte worde by worde as he dyd endyte Lyke as I herde and coude hem to reporte I haue here set your hertes to disporte If ought be mysse laye the wyte on me For I am worthy for to beare the blame If any thynge mysse reported be To make this dytte for to seme lame Through myne vncoÌ„ning but for to sayn the same Lyke as this maÌ„ his complaynt dyd expresse I aske mercy and forgyuenesse And as I wrote me thought I sawe a ferre Ferre in the west lustely appere Esperus the goodly bryght sterre So glad so fayre so persaunt eke of chere I meane Venus wyth her bemes clere That heuy hertes onely to releue Is wonte of custome for to shewe at eue And I as fast fell adowne on my kne And euen thus to her gan I to prey O lady Venus so fayre vpon to se Let not this man for hys trouthe deye For that ioy thou haddest whan thou leye w t Mars thy knight whan Vulcanus fonde And with a chayne vnuysyble you bonde Togyder bothe twaye in the same whyle That all the courte aboue celestyall At your shame gan laughe and smyle Ah fayre lady wylly fonde at all Comforte to carefull o goddes immortall Be helpynge nowe and do thy dilygence To let the stremes of thyne influence Descende down in fortheryng of the trouth Namely of hem that lye in sorowe bounde shewe now thy miÈt on her wo haue routh Er false daunger sle hem and confounde And specially let thy myght be founde For to socoure what so that thou maye The trewe man that in the herber lay And all trewe forther for hys sake O glad sterre O lady Venus myne And cause hys lady hym to grace take Her herte of stele to mercy so enclyne Er that thy bemes go vp to declyne And er that thou nowe go fro vs adowne For that loue thou haddest to Adowne And whan she was gone to her rest I rose anone and home to bed wente For wery me thought it for the best Prayenge thus in all my best entente That all trewe that be wyth daunger shente wyth mercy may in release of her payne Recured be er Maye come efte agayne And for that I ne may no lenger wake Farewell ye louers all that be trewe Prayenge to god and thus my leue I take That er the sonne to morowe be rissen newe And er he haue ayen rosen hewe That eche of you may haue suche a grace Hys owne lady in armes to embrace I meane thus in all honeste wythout more ye may togyder speke what so ye lyst at good lyberte That eche may to other her herte breke On ialousyes onely to be wreke That hath so longe of his malyce and enuye werred trouthe with hys tyranny ¶ Lenuoye Pryncesse pleaseth it to your benygnyte Thys lytell dyte to haue in mynde Of womanhode also for to se Your man may your mercy fynde And pyte eke that long hath be behynde Let hym agayne be prouoked to grace For by my trouthe it is agaynst kynde False daunger to occupye hys place Go lytell quayre vnto my lyues quene And my very hertes souerayne And be ryght glad for she shall the sene Suche is thy grace but I alas in payne Am lefte behynde not to whom to playne For mercy ruthe grace and eke pyte Exiled be that I may not attayne Recure to fynde of myne aduersyte ¶ Explicit ¶ A preyse of women ALl tho that lyste of women euyll to speke And fayn of hem worse than they deserue I pray to god that her neckes to breke Or on some euyll dethe mote tho ianglers sterne For euery man were holden hem to serue And do hem worshyp honour and seruyce In euery maner that they best coude deuyse For we ouÈt fyrst to thynke on what manere they briÌ„g vs forth what payn they endure Fyrst in our byrth and syth fro yere to yere Howe busely they done theyr busy cure To kepe vs fro euery mysauenture In our youth whan we haue no myght Our selfe to kepe neyther by daye nor nyght Alas howe may we say on hem but we le Of whom we were fostred and ybore And ben al our succoure euer trew as stele And for our
but wast Boldely begyn go forth to thy processe Feare not syth thou arte of such surenesse Graunt mercy lorde syth it the doth lyke To licence me nowe I wol and dare boldly Assayle my purpose w t scriptures autentike My werke wol I grouÌ„d vnderset fortify Aspire my begynnyng O thou woode fury Allecto wyth thy susters and in espicial To the mother of ielousye Iuno I call ¶ Explicit prologus THis werke who so shall se or rede Of any incongruite do me not impeche Ordinatly behoueth me fyrst to procede In deduction thereof in maner as the leche His pacieÌ„tes syckenes oweth first for to sech The which knoweÌ„ medicyne he shulde aply And shortly as he can than shape a remedy Ryght so by couÌ„sayle wyllyng the to exhort O yong maÌ„ prosperous which doth abouÌ„de In thy floures of lust belongeth on the sorte Me fyrst to coÌ„sider what is roote grounde Of thy mischefe whiche is playnly founde woman farced wyth fraude and disceyte To thy confusyon moost allectyue bayte Flye the miswoman lest she the disceyue thus sayth SalomoÌ„ which tauÈt was fully the falsheed of womeÌ„ in his daies to coÌ„ceyue The lippes of a struÌ„pet ben sweter thaÌ„ hony Her throte he saith suppled w t oyle of flatery Howe be it the ende and effecte of al Byttrer is than any wormwode or gall Flye the miswoman louyng thy lyfe ware the straungers blande eloquence Straunge I cal her that is not thy wyfe Of her beautie haue me no concupiscence Her countenaunce pretendyng beneuolence Beware her signes and eye so amiable Holde it for ferme they bene disceyuable Lo an ensample what women be In theyr signes and countenaunce shortly I wol shewe the howe louers thre Loued one woman ryght entierly Eche of them knewe others malady wherfore was al theyr dayly labour who coude appproche next in her fauour At sondrye seasons as fortune requyreth Seuerally they came to se her welfare But ones it hapened loue them so fyreth To se theyr lady they al wolde not spare Of others comyng none of them were ware Tyl al they mette where as they in place Of her lady sawe the desyred face To supper sette ful smally they ete Full sobre and demure in countenaunce For there taryed none of hem for any mete But on hys lady to gyue attendaunce And in secrete wyse some signifyaunce Of loue to haue whych parceyuyng she Fetely executed thus her properte In due season as she alway espyed Euery thyng to execute conueniently Her owne louer fyrst frendly she eyed The seconde she offred the cuppe curtesly The thyrde she gaue token secretly Vnderneth the borde she trade on hys fote Through his entrayles tikled the herte rote By your leue myght I here aske a question Of you my maystres that fewe louers trace To you lykely belongeth the solucion whych of these thre stode nowe in grace Clerely to answere ye wold aske long space The mater is doutful and opinable To acertayne you I woll my selfe enable Of the foresayd thre my selfe was one No man can answere it better than I Hertely of vs beloued was there none But wattes packe we bare al by and by whych at the last I my selfe gan aspye And time as me thouÈt thaÌ„ I left the dauÌ„ce O thoughtful hert great is thy greuaunce Hence fro me hence that me for to endyte Halpe aye here afore O ye muses nyne whyloÌ„ ye were wont to be mine ayde light My penne to directe my brayne to illumyne No lenger alas may I sewe your doctrine The freshe lusty meters y t I wont to make Haue bene here afore I vtterly forsake Come hyther thou Hermes and ye furies al which fer ben vnder vs nigh the nether pole where Pluto reigneth O kyng infernal Send out thine arpies send anguysh dole Misery and wo leaue ye me not sole Of right be present must paine eke turmeÌ„t The pale deth besemeth not to be absent To me nowe I cal al thys lothsome sorte my paines tencrese my sorowes to augmeÌ„t For worthy I am to be bare of al comforte Thus syth I haue consumed and mispent Not only my daies but my fiuefolde talent y t my lorde coÌ„mitted me I can not recoÌ„pence I may not to derely abye my negligence By the path of penaunce yet wol I reuert To the welle of grace mercy there to fetche Dispisest not god the meke contrite hert Of the cocke crow alas y t I wolde not retch And yet it is not late in the seconde wetche Mercy shal I purchace by incessaunt crieng The mercyes of our lorde euer shal I syng But well mayst thou wayle wicked woman that thou shuldest disceyue thus any innoceÌ„t And in recompence of my synne so as I can To al meÌ„ wol I make leue this monumeÌ„t in shewing part of thy falsheed is myn enteÌ„t For al were to much I can not wel I wote The cause sheweth playnly he y t thus wrote If al the erth were parchement scribable Spedy for the hande and al maner wode were hewed proporcioned to pennes able Al water ynke in damme or in flode Euery man beyng a perfyte scribe good The cursednesse yet and disceyte of women Coude not be shewed by the meane of penne I flye at odyous resemblaunces The dyuels bronde cal women I myght wherby man is encensed to mischaunce Or a stynkyng rose that fayre is in syght Or deedly empoyson lyke the suger whyte whych by hys swetnesse causeth man to tast and sodaynly sleeth briÌ„geth him to his last It is not my maner to vse such langage But thys my doctrine as I may laufully I wol holy grounde wyth auctoritie sage wyllynge both wysdom and vertue edify wyne and women in to apostasy Cause wyse men to fall what is that to say Of wysdome cause them to forget the way wherfore the wyse man dothe the aduyse In whose wordes can be founde no leasyng wyth the straunger to sytte in no wyse which is not thy wyfe fal not in clyppyng wyth her but beware eke of her kyssyng kepe wyth her in wyne no altercacion Lest that thyne hert fal by enclination May a man thynkest hyde and safe lay Fyre in his bosom wythout enpayrement breÌ„nynge of his clothes or wheder he may walke on hotte coles his fete not brent As who sayth nay and wherby is ment Thys foresayd prouerbe and similitude But that thou rydde the playnly to denude From the flatterers forgettynge her gyde The gyde of her youth I meane shaÌ„fastnes which shulde cause her maydenheed to abide Her goddes behest eke she ful rechelesse Not retchyng coÌ„mitteth it to forgetfulnesse Neyther god ne shame in her hauynge place Nedes must such a woman lacke grace And al that neygh her in way of syn To turne of grace shal lacke the influence The pathes of lyfe no more to come in wherfore fyrst frende the wyth sapience Remembring god and after with prudence To thyne owne wele that
of loue vp and downe I woll retourne and speken of my payne The poynt is this of my destructioun My ryght lady my saluacioun Is in a fray and not to whom to playne O hert swete O lady souerayne For your disese I ought wel swoun swelt Though I none other harme ne drede felt To what fyne made the god that syt so hye Beneth hym loue other company And strayneth folke to loue maugre her heed And than her ioye for ought I can espye Ne lasteth not the twynklyng of an eye And some haue neuer ioye tyll they be deed what meaneth this what is this mystihed wherto constrayneth he his folke so fast Thynge to desyre but it shulde last And though he made a louer loue a thyng And maketh it seme stedfast and duryng Yet putteth he in it suche misauenture That rest nys there in his yeuyng And that is wondre that so iust a kynge Doth suche hardnesse to his creature Thus whether loue breke or els dure Algates he that hath with loue to done Hath ofter wo than chaunged is the mone It semeth he hath to louers enmitie And lyke a fyssher as men maye all daye se Bayteth his angle hoke with some plesauÌ„ce Tyl many a fysh is wode to that he be Câ—ased therwith and than at erst hath he Al his desyre and therwith al mischaunce And though ylyne breke he hath penaunce For with that hoke he wounded is so sore That he his wages hath for euermore The broche of Thebes was of suche kynde So full of rubies and of stones of Inde That euery wyght that set on it an eye He wende anon worth out of his mynde So sore the beautie wolde his hert bynde Tyl he it had him thought he must dye And whan that it was his than shulde he dry Such wo for dred ay while y t he it had That welnygh for the feare he shuld mad And whan it was fro his possessyon Than had he double wo and passyon That he so fayre a iewel hath forgo But yet this broche as in conclusyon was not the cause of his confusyon But he that wrought it enfortuned it so That euery wyght y t had it shulde haue wo And therfore in the worcher was the vyce And in the coueyture that was so nyce So fareth it by louers and by me For though my lady haue so great beautie That I was made to I had get her grace She was not cause of myne aduersitye But he that wrought her as mote I the That put suche a beautye in her face That made me coueyten and purchace Myne owne deth hym wyte I that I dye And myne vnwyt y t euer I clambe so hye But to you hardy knyghtes of renowne Syth that ye be of my deuysyoun Al be I nat worthy to so great a name Yet sayne these clerkes I am your patrone Therfore ye ought haue some compassioun Of my disease and take it nat a game The proudest of you may be made full tame wherfore I pray you of youre gentylesse That ye complayne for myne heuynesse And ye my ladyes that ben true and stable By way of kynde ye ought to ben able To haue pytye of folke that ben in payne Now haue ye cause to cloth you in sable Syth that your empres the honorable Is desolate wel ought ye to playne Now shulde your holy teares fal rayne Alas your honour and your emprice Nygh deed for drede ne can her not cheuyce Complayneth eke ye louers al in fere For her that with vnfayned humble chere was euer redy to do you socour CoÌ„playneth her that euer hath be you dere CoÌ„playneth beautye fredome and manere CoÌ„playneth her that endeth your labour CoÌ„playneth thylke ensample of al honour That neuer dyd but gentlenesse Kytheth therfore in her some kyndnesse ¶ The complaynt of Venus THere nys so hygh comfort to my pleasaunce whan that I am in anye heuynesse As for to haue layser of remembraunce Vpon the manhode and the worthynesse Vpon the trouth and on the stedfastnesse Of hym whose I am all whyle I may dure There ought to blame me no creature For euery wight prayseth his gentylesse In hym is bountie wysdome gouernauÌ„ce wel more than any mans wyt can gesse For grace hath wolde so farforth him auauÌ„ce That of knyghthode he is parfyt ryches Honour honoureth hym for his noblesse Therto so wel hath fourmed him nature That I am his for euer I hym ensure For euery wyght prayseth his gentylesse And notwithstandyng all his suffysaunce His gentle hert is of so great humblesse To me in worde in werke in countenauÌ„ce And me to serue is all his besynesse That I am set in very sykernesse Thus ought I blysse wel myne auenture Syth that hym lyst me seruen honoure For euery wyght prayseth his gentylesse Now certes loue it is ryght couenable That men full dere abye thy noble thynges As wake a bed and fasten at the table weping to laugh syng in complayninges And downe to cast visage and lokynges Often to chaunge vysage countenaunce Playe in slepyng dremen at the daunce All the reuers of any glad felynge Ielousye he hanged by a cable She wolde al knowe through her espyinge There doth no wyght nothyng so resonable That all nys harme in her ymaginyng Thus dere abought is loue in yenyng which oft he yeueth without ordinaunce As sorowe ynough and lytle of plesaunce All the reuers of any glad felynge A lytle tyme his yefte is agreable But full accombrouse is the vsyng For subtel ielousye the disceyuable Ful often tyme causeth distourbyng Thus ben we euer in drede and suffryng In no certayne we languyshen in penaunce And haue wel oft many an harde mischauÌ„ce All the reuers of any glad felyng But certes loue I saye not in suche wyse That for to scape out of your lace I ment For I so longe haue ben in your seruyce That for to lete of wyll I neuer assent No force though ielousye me tourment Suffyseth me to se hym whan I may And therfore certes to myne endyng day To loue hym best shal me neuer repent And certes loue whan I me wel auyse Of any estate that men may represent Than haue ye made me through your frauÌ„chyse Chese the best that euer in erth went Now loue wel hert and loke thou neuer steÌ„t And let the ielous put it in assaye That for no payne woll I not say nay To loue hym best shal I neuer repent Herte to the it ought ynough suffyse That loue so hye a grace to you sent To chose the worthyest in all wyse And moost agreable vnto myne entent Seke no ferther neyther way ne went Syth ye haue suffisaunce vnto my paye Thus wol I ende this coÌ„playninge or this laye To loue hym best shal I neuer repent ¶ Lenuoye PRynces receyueth this complaynyng in gree Vnto your excelleÌ„t benignite Dyrecte after my lytle sustysaunce For elde that in my spirit dulleth me