shal not scapen one That Troyan is and for the great feere He durst not that ye dwelte lenger there what woll ye more o louesom lady dere Let Troye and troyans fro your herte pace Dryue out y t bytter hope make good chere And clepe ayen the beaute of your face That ye wyth salte teeres so deface For Troye is brought in suche a ieopardye That it to saue is nowe no remedye And thynketh wel ye shal in grekes fynde A more parfyte loue er it be nyght Then any troyan is and more kynde And bet to seruen you woll done hys myght And yf ye vouchsafe my lady bryght I woll ben he to seruen you my selue Yea leauer then be lorde of Greces twelue And wyth y t worde he gan to waxen reed And in hys speche a lytel whyle he quoke And cast asyde a lytell wyth hys heed And stynte a whyle afterwarde he woke And sobrely on her he threwe hys loke And sayd I am al be it to you no ioye As gentyll a man as any wyght in Troye For yf my father Tydeus he seyde Ilyued had I had ben er thys Of Calcidony and Arge a kynge Creseyde And so hope I that I shal be ywys But he was slayne alas the more harme is Vnhappely at Thebes all to rathe Polymyte and many a man to scathe But herte myne sythe that I am your mā And ben the fyrst of whome I seche grace To serue you as hertely as I can And euer shall whyle I to lyue haue space So that er I departe out of thys place Ye woll me graunt that I maye to morowe At better leyser tell you of my sorowe what shulde I tell hys wordes y t he seyd He spake ynough for o daye at the mest It preueth well he spake so that Creseyde Graunted on the morowe at hys request For to speake wyth hym at the leest So that he nolde speake of suche matere And thus she to hym sayd as ye mowe here As she that had her herte on Troylus So fast that there maye it none arace And straungely she spake and sayd thus O Diomede I loue that ylke place There I was borne Ioues for thy grace Delyuer it soone of all that doth it care God for thy myght so leue it well to fare That grekes wold her wrath on Troy wrek Yf that they myght I knowe it wel ywys But it shall naught befallen as ye speke And god to forne and farther ouer thys I wote my father wyse and redy is And that he me hath bought as ye me tolde So dere I am the more vnto hym holde That Grekes ben of hygh condition I wote eke wel but certayne men shal fynde As worthy folke wythin Troy toun As connyng as parfyte and as kynde As ben betwyxtr Orcades and Inde And that ye coude well your lady serue I trowe eke well her thanke for to deserue But as to speke of loue ywys she seyde I had a lorde to whome I wedded was The whose myne herte was all tyll he deyde And other loue as helpe me nowe Pallas There in myne herte nys ne neuer was And that ye ben of noble and hygh kynrede I haue well herde it tellen out of drede And that doth me to haue so great a wonder That ye woll scorne any woman so Eke god wote loue and I ben fer asonder I am dysposed bet so mote I go Vnto my death playne and make wo what I shall after done I can not say But trewly as yet me lyst not play Myne herte is nowe in tribulatioun And ye in armes besy daye by daye Herafter when ye wonnen haue the toun Perauenture then so it happen may That when I se that I neuer ere say Then woll I werke y t I neuer ere wrought Thys worde to you ynoughe suffysen ought To morow eke wol I spekē wyth you fayne So that ye touchen naught of thys matere And when you lyst ye may come here againe And er ye gone thus moche I saye you here As helpe me Pallas wyth her heere 's clere Yf that I shulde of any greke haue routhe It shulde be your seluen by my trouthe I saye not therfore that I wol you loue Ne say not nay but in conclusioun I meane well by god that syt aboue And therwythall she caste her eyen doun And gā to sigh said Troilus Troy toun Yet bydde I god in quyete and in reste I maye you sene or do myne herte breste But in effecte and shortly for to saye Thys Diomede all freshly newe agayne Gan preasen on and faste her mercy praye And after thys the soth for to sayne Her gloue he toke of which he was ful fayne And fynally when it was woxen eue And all was well he rose and toke hys leue The bryght Venus folowed aye taught The way there brode Phebus downe alight And Cythera her chare horse ouer raught To whyrle out of the lyon yf she myght And Signifer hys candels sheweth bryght when that Creseyde vnto her bedde wente wythin her fathers fayre bryght tente Retournyng in her soule aye vp downe The wordes of thys sodayne Diomede Hys great estate and peryl of the towne And that she was alone and had nede Of frendes helpe and thus be gan to brede The cause why the soth for to tell She toke fully purpose for to dwell The morow came and goostly for to speke This Diomede is come vnto Creseyde And shortly leste that ye my tale breke So wel he for hym selfe spake and seyde That all her syghes sore downe he leyde And fynally the sothe for to sayne He lefte her the great of all her payne And after this the storye telleth vs That she him yaue the fayre baye stede The whiche she ones wan of Troylus And eke a broche and that was lytel nede That Troylus was she yaue this Diomede And eke the bet from sorowe him to releue She made him weare a pencell of her sleue I fynde eke in stories els where whan through the body hurte was Diomede Of Troylus tho wepte she many a teere whā that she sawe his wyde woundes blede And that she toke to kepen him good hede And for to healen him of his smerte Men sayn I not that she yaue him her herte But trewly the storie telleth vs There made neuer woman more wo Than she whan that she falsed Troylus She sayd alas for nowe is clene ago My name in trouthe of loue for euermo For I haue falsed one the gentyllest That euer was and one the worthyest Alas of me vnto the worldes ende Shal neyther ben ywritten nor ysonge No good word for these bokes wol me shēde Irolled shall I ben on many a tonge Throughout y e worlde my bel shal be ronge And women moste woll hate me of all Alas that suche a caas me shulde fall They wol sayne in as moche as in me is I haue hem done dishonour welaway Albe I nat
wisedome maÌ„hed Assemble al the folke of our kynred And make warre so sharpe in thys countre That by some auenture or by some treate Thou mayst haue her to lady and to wyfe For whom I must nedes lese my lyfe For as by waye of possibilite Syth thou arte at thy large of prison fre And arte a lorde great is thyne auauntage More then is myne that sterue here in a cage For I maye wepe and wayle whyles y t I lyue wyth all the wo that prison maye me yeue And eke wyth payne that loue yeueth me also That doubleth al my tourment and my wo Therwyth the fyre of ielousy vp stert wythin hys brest and hent hym by the hert So woodly that he lykely was to beholde The boxe tree or the ashen deed and colde Then sayd he O cruell goddes that gouerne Thys worlde wyth your worde eterne And wrytten in the table of Athamant Your parliament and eterne graunt what is mankynde more vnto you yholde Then is the shepe that rouketh in the folde For slayne is man ryght as another beest And dwelleth eke in prison and in arrest And hath sycknesse and great aduersite And ofte tyme gyltlesse parde What gouernaunce is in thys prescience That gyltlesse turmenteth innocence And encreaseth thus all my penaunce That man is bounden to hys obseruaunce For goddes sake to letten of hys wyll There as a beest maye all hys lustes fulfyll And when a beest is deed he hath no payne But after hys death maÌ„ mote wepe and playne Though in thys worlde he haue care and wo wythout doute it maye standen so The answere of thys lete I to diuines But well I wote in thys worlde great pyne is Alas I se a serpent or a thefe That many a true man hath do myschefe Gone at hys large where hym lyst may turne But I mote bene in prison through Saturne And eke through Iuno ielous and eke wood That hath stroyed well nye all the blood Of Thebes wyth hys wast walles wyde And Venus sleeth me on that other syde For ielousye and feare of hym Arcite Nowe wyll I slynte of Palamon a lyte And let hym in hys pryson styll dwell And of Arcite forth woll I you tell The sommer passeth and the nyghtes longe Encreaseth double wyse the paynes stronge Both of the louer and of the prisoner I not whych hath the wofuller myster For shortly to saye thys Palamon Perpetuall is dampned to prison In â—haynes and feters to the deed And Arcite is exiled on hys heed For euermore as out of that countre Or neuer more shall hys lady se You louers aske I now thys question Who hath the woâ—se Arcite or Palamon That one maye se hys lady daye by daye But in prison mote he dwell alwaye That other where hym lyst maye ryde or go But sene hys lady shall he neuer mo Nowe demeth as ye lyst ye that can For I woll tell forth my tale as I began ¶ When that Arcite to Thebes comen was Full ofte a daye he swelte and sayd alas For sene hys lady shall he neuer mo And shortly to conclude all hys wo So mykell sorowe made neuer creature That is or shal be whyle the worlde maye dure Hys slepe hys meate hys drynke is hym byraft That leane he wareth and drye as a shaft Hys eyen holowe and grysly to beholde Hys hewe pale and falowe as asshen colde And solitary he was and euer alone And waylynge all the nyght makynge mone And yf he herde songe or instrument Then wolde he wepe he myght not stent So feble were hys spirites and so lowe And chauÌ„ged so y t no man coude hym knowe Hys speche ne hys voyce though men it herde As in hys gyre for all the worlde it ferde Nought comly lyke to louers maladye Of Hereos but rather lyke manye Engendred of Humours melancolyke Beforne hys fell fantastyke And shortly was turned all vp so doun Both habyte and dysposicion Of hym thys wofull louer Arcyte what shulde I all daye of hys wo endyte When he endured had a yere or two Thys cruell torment and thys payne and wo At Thebes in hys countre as I sayd Vpon a nyght in slepe as he hym layde Hym thought howe that the wynged Mercury Beforne hym stode and bad hym to be mery Hys slepy yerde in hande he bare vpryght An harte he wered vpon hys heares bryght Arayed was thys god as he toke kepe As he was when Argus toke hys slepe And said him thus to Athenes shalt thou wend There is the shapen of thy wo an end And wyth that worde Arcite awoke and stert Nowe truly howe sore that me smert Quoth he to Athenes ryght nowe wyll I fare Ne for no drede of death shall I spare To se my lady that I loue and serue In her presence recke I not to sterue And with that word he caught a great myrrour And sawe that changed was al hys colour And sawe hys vysage all in another kynde And ryght anone it ran hym in hys mynde That syth hys face was so dysfygured Of maladye the whych he had endured He myght well yf that he bare hym lowe Lyue in Athenes euermore vnknowe And sene hys ladye well nyghe daye by daye And ryght anone he chaunged hys araye And clad hym as a poore labourer And all alone saue only a squyer That knewe hys priuitie and all hys caas whych was dysgysed poorely as he was To Athenes is he gone the nexte waye And to the courte he wente vpon a daye And at the gate he profered hys seruyce To druge and drawe what so men wold deuyse And shortely of thys mater for to sayne He fell in offyce with a chamberlayne The whiche was dwellyng with Emelye For he was wyse and sone couth espye Of euery seruaunt whiche that serued here Well couthe he hewen wodde water bere For he was yong and myghty for the nones And therto he was strong bygge of bones To done that any wyght can him deuyse A yere or two he was in thys seruyse Page of the chambre of Emely the bright And Phylostrate he sayd that he hyght But halfe so well beloued man as he Ne was there none in court of hys degre He was so gentyll of condicyon That through all the court was hys renoun They sayd that it were a charyte That Theseus wolde enhauncen hys degre And put hym in a worshyp full seruyse There as he myght hys vertue exercyse And thus wtin a whyle hys name is spronge Bothe of hys dedes and of hys good tonge That Theseus had taken hym so nere That of hys chambre he made hym squyere And yafe hym golde to maynteyn hys degre And eke men brought hym out of hys coutre Fro yere to yere full priuely hys rent But honestly and slyly he it spent That no man wondred howe he it had And thre yere in thys wyse hys lyfe he ladde And bare hym so in peace and eke in werre Ther was no man
that Theseus hath der And in thys blysse lette I nowe Arâ—yte And speke I woll of Palamon a lyte In derknesse horryble and stronge prison Thys seuen yere hath sytten thys Palamon Forpyned what for wo and distresse who feleth double sore and heuynesse But Palamon that loue distrayneth so That wode out of hys wit he gothe for wo And eke therto he is a prisonere Perpetuall and not onely for a yere Who coude ryme in Englysshe properly Hys martyrdom â–ª forsoth it am nat I Therfore I passe as lyghtly as I may It befell that in the seuenth yere in May The thyrde nyght as olde bokes sayne That all thys story tellen more playne were it by auenture or by destayne As whan a thyng is shapen it shall be That soon after mydnight Palamon By helpyng of a frende brake hys prison And fleethe the cyte as fast as he may go For he had yeue hys gayler drynke so Of a clarrey made of certen wyne Wyth narcotise and opye of Thebes fyne That al y t night thogh meÌ„ wolde hym shake The gayler slept he mught nat awake And thus he fleeth as fast as he may The nyght was short fast by the day That nedes cost he mote hym selfe hyde And to a groue faste there besyde with dredfull foote than stalketh Palamon For shortly thys was hys opinyon That in y t groue he wolde hym hyde al day And in the nyght then wold he take his way To Thebes warde hys â—rendes for to prey On Theseus to helpe hym to warrey And shortly eyther he wolde lese hys lyfe Or wynne Emelye vnto hys wyfe Thys is theffecte and hys entent playne ¶ Nowe woll I torne to Arcite agayne That lytell wyst howe nye was hys care Tyl y t fortune had brought hym in her share The mery larke messanger of day Saleweth in her songe the morowe gray And firy Phebus aryseth vp so bright That all the orisoâ—â— laugheth of the syght And with hys streames drieth in the greues The syluer dropes hangyng in the leues And Arcite that in the courte ryall with Theseus hys squier principall Is rysen and loketh on the mery day And for to don hys obseruaunces to May Remembryng on the poynt of hys desyre He on hys courser startlyng as the fyre Is rydden in to the feldes hym to play Out of the court were it a myle or twey And to the groue of whyche I you tolde By auenture hys way he gan holde To maken hym a garlonde of the greues were it of wodbynde or of hauthorn leues And loude he songe ayenst the sonne shene May wyth all thy floures and thy grene welcom be thou fayre fresshe May I hope that I some grene get may And from hys courser wyth a lusty herte In to the groue full hastely he sterte And in a pathe he romed vp and doun There as by auenture thys Palamon was in a busshe that no man myght hym se For sore aferde of hys dethe was he Nothyng ne knewe he that it was Arcite God wote he wolde haue trowed full lyte But sothe is sayd go sythen many yeres That felde hath eyen and wodde hath ere 's It is full fayre a man to beare hym euyn For al day men mete at vnset steuyn Full lytell wote Arcyte of hys felawe That was so nyghe to herken of hys sawe For in the busshe sytteth he nowe full styll Whan that Arcyte had romed all hys fyll And songen all the roundell lustely In to a study he fell sodenly As don these louers in theyr quyent gyres Now in the croppe now down in y e brires Nowe vp nowe downe as boket in a well Ryght as the friday sothly for to tell Nowe it rayneth nowe it shyneth fast Ryght so gan gery Venus ouer cast The hertes of her folke ryght as her day Is geryfull ryght so chaungeth she aray Selde is the friday all the weke tlyke Whan y e Arcite had songe he gan to syke And set hym downe wythouten any more Alas ê™ he the day that I was bore Howe longe Iuno through thy cruelte Wylt thou warren Thebes the cyte â–ª Alas ybrought is to confusyon The blode ryall of Cadmus and Amphyon Of Cadmus whiche was the fyrst man That Thebes buylt or fyrst the town began And of the cyte fyrst was crowned kyng Of hys lynage am I and of hys ofspring By very lyne as of the stocke ryall And nowe I am so caytise and so thrall That he that is my mortal enemy I serue hym as hys squire poorly And yet dothe me Iuno well more shame For I dare not be knowe myne owne name But there as I was wont to hyght Arcyte Now hyght I Philostrat nat worth a myte Alas thou fell Mars alas thou Iuno Thus hath your yre our lynage all for do Saue only me and wretched Palamon That Theseus martreth in pryson And ouer all thys to sleen me vtterly Loue hath hys firy darte so bremyngly I stycked through my true carefull herte That shapen was my deth erst my sherte Ye sleen me wyth youre eyen Emelye Ye ben the cause wherfore I dye Of all the remenaunt of myne other care Ne set I nat the mountaunce of a tare So y t I coude do ought to your plesaunce And with y t worde he fell down in a traunce A longe tyme and afterwarde he vp stort This Palamon thought y e thrugh his hert He felte a colde sworde sodenly glyde For yre he quoke no lenger wolde he abyde And whan that he had herde Arcites tale As he were wood with face deed and pale He sterte hym vp out of the busshes thycke And sayd Arcyte false traytour wycke Nowe art thou hent that louest my lady so For whom that I haue thâ—â— payne and wo And art my bloode to my counsell sworn As I haue full ofte tolde the here beforn And hast be taped here duke Theseus And falsly hast chaunged thy name thus I wyll be deed or els thou shalt dye Thou shalt nat loue my lady Emelye But I woll loue her onely and no mo For I am Palamon thy mortall for Though y t I haue no weapen in thys place But out of pryson am assert by grace I drede not that eyther thou shalt dye Or thou ne shalt not louen Emelye These which thou wilt or y e shalt not assert This Arcite with full dispytous hert Whan he hym knewe had hys tale herde As sters as a lyon pulled out his swerde And sayd By god that sytteth aboue Ne were it y t thou art syck wood for loue And eke y t thou no wepen hast in thys place Thou shuldest neuer out of this groue pace That thou ne shuldest dyen of myne honde For I defye the sâ—â—etie and the bonde Whiche y t thou sayst y t I haue made to the What very fole thynke wel that loue is fre And I wyl loue her maugre all thy myght But for as moche as thou arte a
vs villany Dame ê™ this Pluto be no lenger wroth I gyue it vp but sythe I swore myn othe That I wolde graunt hym hys syght ayen My worde shal stande y t warn I you certeyn I am a kyng it sytte me nat to lye And I ê™ she a quene of Fayrie Her answere she shal haue I vndertake Lette vs no mo wordes herof make Forsoth I wol no lenger you contrary Nowe lette vs turne agayn to Ianuary That in the garden with this faire May Syngeth merier than the popyngay You loue I best and shal and other non So long about the aleyes is he gon Tyl he was comen ayenst thylke pery where as this Damyan sytteth ful mery On hye among these freshe leues grene This freshe Maye that is so bright shene Gan for to sike and sayd alas my syde Nowe syr ê™ she for ought that may be tyde I must haue of these peeres that I here se Or I more dye so sore longeth me To eten of the smal peeres grene Helpe for her loue that is heuyn quene I tel you wel a woman in my plyte May haue to frute so great an appetyte That she may dyen but she it haue Alas ê™ he that I ne had here a knaue That couth clymbe alas alas ê™ he For I am blynde ye syr no force ê™ she But wolde ye vouchsafe for goddes sake The pety in your armes for to take For wel I wotte that ye mystrust me Than shulde I clymbe wel ynough ê™ she So I may fote myght sette vpon your backe Forsoth sayd he in me shal be no lacke Might I you helpe with myne hert blode He stoupeth doun on hys backe she stode And caught her by a twist and vp she goth Ladyes I praye you be nat wroth I can nat glose I am a rude man And sodaynly anon this Damyan Gan pullen vp the smocke and in he thronge A great tent a thrifty and a longe She sayd it was the meryest fytte That euer in her lyfe she was at yet My lordes tent serueth me nothyng thus It foldeth twifolde by swete Iesus He may nat swyue worth a leke And yet he is ful gentyl and ful meke This is leuer to me than an euynsong And whan that Pluto sawe thys wronge To Ianuary he gaue agayn his syght And made hym se aswel as euer he myght And whan he had caught his syght agayn Ne was there neuer man of thyng so fayn But on his wyfe his thought was euer mo Vp to the tree he cast his eyen two And saw how Damian his wife had dressed In suche manere it may nat be expressed But yf I wolde speke vncurtesly And vp he yaâ— a roryng and a crye As dothe the mother whan the child shal dye Out helpe alas harowe he gan to crye For sorowe almost he gan to dye That his wife was swyued in the pery O stronge lady hore what dost thou ¶ And she answered syr what ayleth you Haue pacience and reason in your mynde I haue you holpen of both your eyen blynde Vp peryl of my soule I shal nat lyen As me was taught to helpe with your eyen was nothyng bette for to make you se Than strogle with a man vpon a tree God wote I dyd it in ful good entent ¶ Strogle ê™ he yea algate in it went Styffe and rounde as any bel It is no wonder though thy bely swel The smocke on hys brest lay so theche And euer me though he poynted on y e breche God gyue you bothe on shames deth to dyen He swyued the I sawe it with myne eyen And els I be honged by the halse Than is ê™ she my medicyn false For certayn yf that ye myght se Ye wolde nat say theke wordes to me Ye haue some glymsyng and no parfite sight I se ê™ he as wel as euer I might Thanked be god with bothe myne eyen two And by my trouth me thought he dyd so Ye mase ye mase good syr ê™ she This thanke haue I for that I made you se Alas ê™ she that euer I was so kynde Now dame ê™ he let al passe out of minde Come down my lefe and if I haue missayde God helpe me so as I am yuel apayde But by my fathers soule I wende haue seyn Howe that this Damyan had by the leyn And that thy smocke had lyen vpon his brest Ye syr ê™ she ye may wene as ye lest But syr a man that waketh out of hys slepe He may nat sodaynly wel taken kepe Vpon a thyng ne se it parfitely Tyl that he be adawed verily Right so a man that longe hath blynde be Ne may nat sodaynly so wel yse First whan the sight is newe comen agayn As he that hath a daye or two ysayn Tyl that your sight istabled be a while There may ful many a sight you begyle Beware I pray you for by heuen kyng Ful many a man weneth to se a thyng And it is al another than it semeth He that mysconceyueth ofte mysdemeth And with that worde she lepe doun fro y e tre This Ianuary who is gladde but he He kysseth her he clyppeth her ful ofte And on her wombe he stroketh her ful softe And to hys paleys home he hath her ladde Nowe good men I pray you beth ye al glad Thus endeth here my tale of Ianuary God blesse vs al and hys mother Mary ¶ Thus endeth the Marchauntes tale and here foloweth the wife of Bathes prologue EXperience though none authorite Were in this worlde is ryght ynowe for me To speake of wo that is in mariage For lordinges sith I twelue yere was of age Thonked be god that is eterne on lyue Husbondes at chirche dore haue I had fyue If I so ofte myght haue wedded be And al were worthy men in her degre But me was tolde not longe ago twys That sythen Christ went neuer but onys To weddyng in the caue of Galilee That by thylke ensample taught he me That I ne shulde wedded be but ones ¶ Lo here which a sharpe word for y e nones Besyde a wel Iesu god and man Spake in repâ—efe of the Samaritan Thou hast had fyue husbandes ê™ he And that ilke man that now hath the Is not thyne husbonde thus sayd he certayn what he ment therby I can not sayn But that I aske why the fyfte man was nâ—â— husbonde to the Samaritan Howe many myght she haue in mariage Yet herde I neuer tellen in myne age Vpon this nombre trewe diffynition Men may deuyne and glosen vp and doun But wel I wotte expresse without lye God badde vs for to wexe and multiply That gentyl text can I wel vnderstonde Eke wel I wotte he said myne husbonde Shuld leaue father mother and take to me But of nombre no mention made he Of bigamye or of octogamye Why shul men speke of it villany Lo he the wyse kyng Salomon I trowe had wyues mo than one As wolde god it leful were to
my conclusyon To clerkes let I al thys dysputacion And wolde God that al these rockes blake were sonken in to hel for hys sake These rockes slee myne herte for feare Thus wolde she say w t many a pytous teare Her frendes sawe it was for her no dysport To romen by the see but dyscomfort And shapen hem to playen somwhere elles They leden her by ryuers and by welles And eke in other places delytables They dauncen and they playen at the tables So on a daye ryght in the morowe tyde Vnto a gardeyne that was there besyde In which that they had made her ordinauÌ„ce Of vytayles and other purueyaunce They gone and playen hem al the longe day And thys was in the syxte morowe of May which May hath paited w t his softe shoures Thys gardayne ful of leues and of floures And crafte of mannes hande so curiously Arayed had thys garden truely That neuer nas there garden of such pryse But yf it were the very paradyse The odour of floures and the freshe syght wolde haue made any herte lyght That euer was borne but yf to gret sicknesse Or to great sorowe helde it in dystresse So was it ful of beautye wyth pleasaunce And after dyner gone they daunce And synge also saue Dorigene alone That yet vnto her selfe made her mone For she ne sey hym on the daunce go That was her husbande and her loue also But nathelasse she muste her tyme abyde And wyth good hope let her sorowe slyde ¶ Vpon thys daunce amonge other men Daunced a squyer before Dorigen That fresher was and iolyer of aray As to my dome then is the moneth of May He syngeth daunseth passynge euery man That is or was sythen the worlde began And therwythal men shulde hym dyscriue One of the best farynge men on lyue Yonge stronge vertuouse ryche and wyse And welbeloued and holden of great pryse And shortly yf I the soth tel shal Vnwetynge of thys Dorigene at al Thys lusty squyer seruaunt to Venus whych yclypped was Aurelius Had loued her beste of any creature Two yere and more as was hys auenture But neuer durst he tel her hys greuaunce wythouten cuppe he dronke al hys penaunce He was dyspayred nothynge durst he say Saue in hys soÌ„ges somwhat wold he wray Hys wo as in general complayninge He said he loued and was beloued nothinge Of whych matter made he many layes Songes complayntes roundels verilayes Howe that he durste not hys sorowe tel But languyshe as doth a fury in hel And dye he muste he sayd as dyd Ecco For Narcissus that durst not tel hys wo ¶ In other maner then ye herde me say Ne durst not he to her hys wo bewray Saue perauenture somtyme at daunces There yonge folke kepen her obseruaunces It maye wel be he loked on her face In suche a wyse as men that asken grace But nothynge wyst she of hys entent Nathelesse it happed er they thence went Bycause that he was her neyghbour And was a man of worshyppe and honour And had knowen hym of tymes yore They fel in speche so forth more more Vnto hys purpose then drowe Aurelius And when he sawe hys tyme he sayd thus ¶ Madame ê™ he by god y t this world made So y t I wyste y t I myght your herte glade I wolde that day that your Aruyragus went ouer the see that I Aurelius Had went ther y t I shuld neuer come agayne For wel I wote my seruyce is in vayne My guerdon nys but bresting of myne herte Madame rueth vpon my paynes smerte For with one worde ye may me slee or saue Here at your foote god wold y t I were graue I ne haue as nowe no leyser more to sey Haue mercy swete or ye wol do me dey ¶ She gan to loke vpon Aurelius Is thys your wyl ê™ she and saye ye thus Neuer erste ê™ she ne wyst I what ye mente But nowe I knowe Aurelius your entente By thylke god that yaue me soule and lyfe Ne shal I neuer be vntrewe wyfe In word ne iÌ„ wâ—rke as ferre as I haue wyt I wol be hys to whom I am knyt Take thys for a fynal answere of me But after thys in play thus sayd she ¶ Aurelius ê™ she by god aboue Yet wol I graunt you to ben your loue Sythen I se you so pytously complayne Loke what daye that endelonge Britayne Ye remeue al the rockes stone by stone That they ne let shyppe ne bote to gone I say wheÌ„ ye haue made these costes so clene Of rockes that there nys no stone ysene Then wol I loue you best of any man Herâ— haue my trouth in al that euer I can Is there none other grace in you ê™ he ¶ No by that lorde ê™ she that maked me For wel I wote that it shal neuer betyde Let suche foly out of your herte glyde what deyntye shulde a man haue in hys lyfe For to go loue another mannes wyfe That hath her body wheÌ„ so that hym lyketh ¶ Aurelius ful ofte sore syketh Wo was Aurely when he thys herde And w t a sorowful chere he thus answerde ¶ Madame ê™ he thys were impossible Then mote I dye on sodayne death horrible And wyth that worde he turned hym anone ¶ Tho come her other frendes euerychone And in the aleyes romeden vp and doun And nothynge wyst of thys conclusioun But sodeynly began to reuel newe Tyl that the bryght sonne loste hys hewe For the orizont hath reâ—te the sonne his light Thys is as much to saye as it was nyght And home they gone in ioye and in solas Saue onely wretched Aurelius alas He to hys house is gone with sorowful harte He sayd he myght not from hys death astarte Hym semed that he felte hys herte colde Vp to heuen hys handes gan he holde And on hys knees bare he set hym adoun And in hys rauynge sayd thys orisoun For very wo out of hys wytte he brayde He ne wyst what he spake but thus he sayde with pitous hert hath his coÌ„playnt begonne Vnto the goddes and fyrst vnto the sonne He sayd God Appollo and gouernour Of euery plante herbe tre and flour That yeuest after thy declinacion To ylke of hem hys tyme and ceson As thyne herberowe chaungeth lowe hye Lorde Phebus caste thy merciable eye On wretched Aurelius whych am but lorne Lo lorde my lady hath my death ysworne wythout gylte but thy benignite Vpon my deadly herte haue some pyte For wel I wote lorde Phebus yf ye leste Ye maye me helpe saue my lady beste Nowe vouche ye saue that I you deuyse Howe that I may be holpen in what wyse ¶ Your blysful suster Lucina the shene That of the see is goddesse and quene Though Neptunus hath deite in the see Yet empresse abouen hym is she Ye knowen wel lorde ryght as her desyre Is to be quyckened and lyghted of your fyre For whych that she foloweth you
be your wyll Lo thys was al the sentence of that byll ¶ Virginius gan vpon the clyent beholde But hastely er he hys tale tolde He wolde haue defeÌ„ded it as shulde a knight And by wytnesse of many a trewe wyght That al was false that sayd hys aduersarye Thys cursed iuge wolde no lenger tarye Ne here a worde more of Virginius But yaue hys iudgement and sayd thus ¶ I deme anone this client his seruauÌ„t haue Thou shalt no leÌ„ger her in thyne house saue Go brynge her forth put her in our warde This clieÌ„t shal haue his thral thus I award ¶ And wheÌ„ thys worthy knyght Virginius Through the assent of the iudge Appius Muste by force hys dere doughter yeuen Vnto the iudge in lechery to lyuen He goeth hym home and set hym in hys hall And let anone hys dere doughter call And wyth face deed as ashen colde Vpon her humble face he gan beholde with fathers pyte stickyng through his hert Al wolde he not from hys purpose conuert ¶ Doughter ê™ he Virginia by thy name There ben two wayes eyther deth or shame That thou muste suffre alas y t I was borne For neuer thou deseruedest wherforne To dyen wyth a sworde or wyth a knyfe Oh dere doughter comforte of my lyfe whych I haue fostred vp wyth such plesauÌ„ce That thou ne were out of my remembrauÌ„ce O doughter whych that arte my last wo And in my lyfe my last ioye also O iemme of chastite in pacience Take thou thy death thys is my sentence For loue and not for hate thou must be deed My pytous hande mote smyte of thyne heed Alas that euer Appius the sey Thus hath he falsly iudged the to dey And tolde her al the case as ye before Han herde it nedeth not to tel it more ¶ O mercy dere father ê™ thys mayde And wyth that worde both her armes layde About hys necke as she was wont to do The teeres braste out of her eyen two And sayd O good father shal I dye Is there no grace is there no remedye ¶ No certes dere doughter myne ê™ he Then yeue me leaue father myne ê™ she My death to complayne a lytel space For parde Iepte yaue hys doughter grace For to complayne er he her slough alas And god it wote nothynge was her trespas But that she ranne her father fyrst to se To welcome hym wyth great solempnyte And with that word she fel a swoune anone And after whon her swounynge was gone She ryseth vp and to her father sayd Blyssed be god that I shal dye a mayde Yeue me my death er that I haue a shame Doth w t your child your wil a goddes name And wyth y e worde she prayeth hym ful ofte That w t his swerd he should smitte her softe And with that word a swoune down she fel Her father wyth sorowfull herte and fell Her heed of smote and by the toppe it hente And to the iudge he it yaue in presente As he sate in dome in consystorye when the iudge it sawe as sayth the storye He bade take hym and hange hym also faste But ryght anone al the people in thrast To saue the knyght for routh and for pytie For knowen was the iudges iniquitie The people anone had suspect in this thing By maner of thys clyentes chalengynge That it was by the assent of Appius They wyste wel that he was lecherous For whych vnto Appius they gone And casten hym in prison ryght anone where as he slowe hym selfe and Claudius That seruaunt was vnto thys Appius was demed for to be hanged vpon a tre But Virginius of hys great pyte So prayed for hym that he was exiled And els certes he had ben begyled The remnaunt were hanged more and lesse That consented were to thys cursydnesse Here may men se how syn hath hys meryte Beware for no maÌ„ wot how god wyl smyte In no degre ne in no maner wyse The worme of conscience wol aryse Of wycked lyfe though it so priuy be That no man wote of it but god and he whether he be leude man or lered He not howe sone he may be affered Therfore I rede you thys counsayle take Forsake synne or synne you forsake ¶ Here endeth the doctour of Phisykes tale and foloweth the wordes of the hoost OVr hoste gan swere as he were woode Harowe ê™ he by nayles and by bloode Thys was a false thefe and a cursed iustyce As shameful death as herte may deuyse Come to the iustyce and her aduâ—cas Algate thys sely mayden is slayne alas Alas to dere bought she her beaute wherfore I saye that al men maye se That yeftes of fortune or of nature Ben cause of death of many a creature Her beaute was her death I dare wel sayne Alas so pytously as she was slayne But here of wol I not procede as nowe Men haue ful ofte more harme then prowe But truely myne owne mayster dere Thys is a pytous tale for to here But nathelesse passe ouer is no force I pray to god to saue thy gentel cors And thy vrinalles and thy iordanes Thyne ypocras and eke thy galyanes And euery boxe ful of letuarye God blesse hem and our lady saynt Marye So mote I the thou arte a propre man And ylyke a prelate by saynt Runian Saue that I can not speake wel in terme But wel I wote y u doest myn herte to yerne That I haue almost ycaught a cardyacle By corpus domini but I haue tryacle Or els a draught of moyste corny ale Or but I here anone an other mery tale My herte is loste for pyte of thys mayde Thou belamy thou Iohan pardoner he said Tel vs some mery tale or iape ryght anone It shal be done ê™ he by saynt Runyon But fyrst ê™ he here at thys ale stake I wol both drynke and eate of a cake But ryght anone these gentyls gan to crye Nay let hym tel vs of no rebaudrye Tel vs some moral thing that we mow lere Some wytte and than wol we gladly here I graunt ê™ he twys but I mote thynke On some honest thyng whyles y t I drynke ¶ Here ende the wordes of the host and here foloweth the prologue of the Pardoner LOrdynges ê™ he in chyrche whan I preche I payne me to haue an hauteyn speche And ring it out as rounde as dothe a bel For I can al be roote that I tel My teme is alwaye and euer was Radix omnium malorum est cupiditas Fyrst I pronounce fro whens I come And than my bylles I shewe al and some Our â—â—ege lorde seale on my patent That shewe I fyrst my body to warent That no man be so bolde preest ne clerke Mâ— to distourbe of Christes holy werke And after that tel I forthe my tales Bulles of Popes and of Cardynales Of Patriarkes and of Byshoppes I shewe And in latyn I speke wordes a fewe To sauer with my predication And for to steere men to deuotion
morowe wol I meten the Whan I haue myne armure And yet I hope par ma faye That thou shalte with this launce gay Abyen it ful sore Through thy mawe Shal I perce yf I maye Or it be fully prime of the daye For here thou shalt be slawe Sir Thopas drowe abacke ful faste This gyaunt at hym stones caste Out of a fel staste slynge But fayre escaped sir Thopace And al was through goddes grace And thorowe hys fayre beryng ¶ Yet lysteneth lordynges to my tale Meryer than the nyghtyngale For nowe I wol ye rowne Howe sir Thopas with sydes smale Prickyng ouer downe and dale Is comen ayen to towne Hys mery man commaunded he To maken hym bothe game and gle For nedes muste he fyght with a gyaunt with heedes thre For paramoures and tolyte Of one that shone ful bright Do come he sayd my mynstrales And iestours for to tellen vs tales Anon in myne armyng Of romaunces that ben royals Of popes and of cardynals And eke of loue longyng They fette hym fyrst the swete wyne And meede eke in a mazelyne And royal spycerye Of gynger breed that was ful fyne Of lycores and eke comyne wyth sugre that is trye He dyd nexte hys whyte lere Of clothe of lake fyne and clere A breche and eke a sherte And next his sherte an haâ—â—ton And ouer that an haberion For percyng of hys herte And ouer that a fyne hauberke was al ywrought of iewes werke Ful stronge it was of plate And ouer that hys core armoure As whyte as is the lylly floure In whiche he wolde debate His shylde was al of golde so reed And therin was a bores heed A carbocle by his syde And there he swore on ale and breed Howe that the gyaunt shulde be deed Betyde what betyde His tambeux were of cure buly His swordes shethe of yuorie His helme of laton bright His sadel was of ruel bone His bridel as the sunne shoue Or as the moone light His spere was of fyne sypres That byddeth warre nothyng pees The heed ful sharpe ygrounde His stede was al dappel gray He gothe an aumble by the way Ful softely and rounde in londe ¶ Lo lordes myne here is a fyt If ye wol any more of it To tellen it wol I fonde NOwe holde your mouthe for chaâ—rite Bothe knight and lady fre And herkeneth to my spel Of batayle and of cheualrye And of ladyes loue diery Anon I wol you tel Men spâ—ken of Romaunces of pris Of Hornechilde and of I potys Of Beuys and of syr Gye Of syr Lybeaur and Blayndamoure But sir Thopas he bereth the floure Of royal cheualrye His good stede he be strode And forthe vpon his way glode As sparke out of the bronde Vpon his creste he bare a toure And therin stycked a lilly floure God shylde his cors fro shonde And for he was a knyght auentrouse He nolde slepen in none house But lygge in his hood His bright helme was hys wangre And by hym fedde hys destper Of herbes fyne and good Hym selfe dronke water of the well As dyd the knight sir Persyuel So worthy vnder wede ¶ Here endeth the ryme of syr Thopas and beginneth the wordes of oure Hoste No more of thys for goddes dignite ê™ our hoost for thou makest me So wery of thy very leudenesse That also wysly god my soule blesse Myne eares aken of thy drafty speche Nowe suche a ryme the dyuell I beteche Thys may wel be cleped ryme dogrel ê™ he why so ê™ I why wolt thou let me More of my tale then any other man Sens that it is the best ryme I can By God ê™ he playnly at o worde Thy drafty rymynge is not worth a torde Thou doest nought els but spendest tyme Syr at one worde thou shalt no leÌ„ger ryme Let se whether thou canst tell ought in geste Or tel in prose somwhat at the leste In which ther may be som myrth or doctrine Gladly ê™ I by goddes swete pyne I woll you tell a lytell thynge in prose That ought lyke you as I suppose Or els ye be certes to daungerous It is a morall tale vertuous Albe it tolde somtyme in sondry wyse Of sondrye folke as I shall you deuyse As thus ye wote that euery euangelyste That telleth vs the payne of Iesu Christe Ne sayth not al thynge as hys felowe doth But nathelesse her sentente is al soth And al accorden in her sentence Al be there in her tellynge dyfference For some of hem sayne more and some lesse when they hys pytouse passion expresse I meane of Marke Mathen Luke Iohn But doutlesse her sentence is al one Therfore lordynges I you beseche Yf that ye thynke I vary in my speche As thus though I tell somwl at more Of prouerbes then ye han herde byfore Comprehended in thys lytel treatyse here To enforcen wyth the effecte of my matere And though I not the same wordes saye As ye han herde yet to all you I praye Blameth me not for in my sentence Sul ye not fynde mochel dyfference Fro the sentence of thys treatyse lyte After the whych thys mery tale I wryte And therfore herkeneth what I shall saye And let me tell my tale I you praye ¶ Here ende the wordes of our host and here begynneth Chaucers tale of Melibeus A Yonge maÌ„ called Melibeus myghtye and ryche begat vpon hys wyfe that called was Prudence a doughter which that called was Sophye ¶ Vpon a daye byfell that he for his dysport is wente into the feldes hym to playe Hys wyfe and eke hys doughter hath he left with in hys house of whyche the dores were faste yshette Foure of hys olde foes han it aspyde and setteÌ„ ladders to the walles of hys house and by the wyndowes ben entred bete his wyfe and wounded hys doughter with fyue mortall woundes in fyue sondrye places That is to saye in her fete in her handes in her eeres in her nose in her mouth leften her for deed and wente her waye When Melibeus retourned was into hys house and se all thys myschefe he lyke a madde maÌ„ rentyng hys clothes gan to wepe and crye Prudence hys wyfe as ferforth as she durste besought hym of hys wepynge for to stynte But not for thy he gan to wepe crye euer lenger the more Thys noble wyfe Prudence remembred her vpon the sentence of Ouyde in hys boke that cleped is the remedye of loue where as he sayeth he is a foole that dystourbeth the mother to wepe in the death of her chylde tyl she haue wept her fyll as for a certayne tyme and then shall a man done diligence wyth amiable wordes to recomforte and praye her of her wepynge for to stynte For whych reason thys noble wyfe Prudence suffred her husbonde to wepe and crye as for a certayne space and when she sawe her tyme she sayd hym in thys wyse Alas my lorde quoth she why make ye your selfe for to be like
moste parte of that company haue scorned thys olde wyse man and begaÌ„ to make noyse and sayde Ryght so as whyles that yron is hote men shulde smyte ryghte so men shulde wreken her wronges whyle that they bene freshe and newe and wyth loude voyce they tryed warre warre Vp rose tho one of y e old wyse wyth hys hande made couÌ„tenaunce that they shulde holdeÌ„ hem styl yeuen hym audience Lordynges ê™ he ther is ful many a man that cryeth warre warre y e wote full lyte what warre amounteth Warre at hys begynnynge hath so great an entryng and so large that euery wyght may entre wheÌ„ hym liketh lightly fynd warre but certes what ende therof shal fal it is not lightly to know When y e warre is ones bygon there is full many a chylde vnborne of hys mother y t shal sterue yoÌ„ge bycause of thilke warre other els lyue in sorowe or dye in wretchednesse And therfore or y t any warre be bygon men muste haue great counsayle good delyberation And when thys olde man wende to enforcen hys tale by reson well nye all at ones bygon for to ryse for to breken hys tale byddeÌ„ him ful ofte hys wordes for to abrege For certes he y t precheth to hem that lyst not to here his wordes his sermoÌ„ hem anoyeth For Iesus Syrake sayth y t weping in musyke is a noyous thynge This is as moch to say as moch auayleth it to speake byforne folke to which his speche anoyeth as it is for to syngen byforne hem that wepe And when thys wyse man sawe y t him waÌ„ted audieÌ„ce al shamfaste he set him adowne ayen For SalomoÌ„ sayth There as thou mayst not haue audience enforce the not to speake I se wel ê™ thys wyse man that the coÌ„men prouerbe is soth y t good counsayle wanteth when it is moste nede Yet had thys Melibeus in hys counsayle many folke that priuely in hys eere counsayled hym certayne thynges and counsayled hym the contrary in general audience when Melibeus had herde that the greatest parte of hys counsayle were accorded that he shuld make warre anone he consented to her couÌ„saylynge and fully affyrmed her sentence Then dame Prudence when that she sawe her husbonde shope hym for to awreke hym on hys enemyes to begyn warre she in ful huÌ„ble wyse when she sawe her tyme sayd to hym these wordes My lord ê™ she I you be seche as hertely as I dare or can ne hast you not to fast and for all guerdons yeue me audieÌ„ce For Peter AlphoÌ„s sayth Who so doth to the good or harme hast the not to quyte it for in thys wyse thy frende woll abyde and thyne enemye shall the lenger lyue in drede The prouerbe sayth he hasteth wel y t wisely can abyde And in wycked hast is no profyte Thys Melibe answered to hys wyfe prudence I purpose not quoth he to werke by thy counsayle for many causes and reasons for certes euery wyght wolde holde me then a foole Thys is to saye yf I for thy counsaylynge wolde chaunge thynges that bene ordayned and affyrmed by so many wyse Secondly I saye that all women bene wycked and none good of hem all For of a thousande men sayeth Salomon I founde one good man but certes of all women fouÌ„de I neuer none And also certes yf I gouerned me by thy counsayle it shulde seme that I had yeue the ouer me the maystrye and God forbyd y t it so were For Iesus Syracke sayeth that yf the wyfe haue maystrye she is contrarious to her husbande And Salomon sayeth Neuer in thy lyfe to thy wyfe ne to thy chylde ne to thy frende ne yeue no power ouer thy selfe for better it were that thy chyldren aske of thy thinges that hem nedeth then thy selfe to be in the handes of thy chyldren And also yf I woll werche by thy couÌ„sayle certes my counsayle must be somtyme secret til it were tyme that it muste be knowen and thys ne maye not be yf I shulde be counsayled by the. When dame Prudence full debonairly and with great pacieÌ„ce had herde al that her husbonde lyked for to saye then asked she of hym lycence for to speake and sayd in thys wyse My lorde quoth she as to youre fyrste reason it maye lyghtly ben answered For I saye that it is no folye to chaunge counsayle when the thynge is chaunged or els when y e thynge semeth otherwyse theÌ„ it semed afore And more ouer I saye thoughe that ye haue sworne and behyght to performe youre empryse by iuste cause ye do it not men shulde not saye therfore ye were a lyer forsworne For the boke sayeth that the wyse man maketh no lesynge when he turneth hys corage for the better And albeit that your empryse be establyshed and ordeyned by great multytude of folke yet dare you not accomplyshe thylke ordynaunce but you lyketh for the trouth of thynges and the profyte ben rather founden in fewe folke that ben wyse and full of reason then by greate multytude of folke there euery man cryeth and clattereth what hym lyketh sothly suche multytude is not honest And as to the seconde reason where as ye saye that all womeÌ„ ben wycked saue your grace Certes ye dyspyse all women in thys wyse and he that all despyseth as sayeth the boke all dyspleaseth And Senecke sayeth that who so woll haue sapience shal no man dysprayse but he shall gladlye teache the science that he can wythout presumption or pryde and suche thynges as he nought ne can he shall not ben ashamed to lerne hem to enquyre of lesse folke then hym selfe And that there hath bene many a good woman maye lyghtly be proued For certes syr our Lorde Iesu Christ nolde neuer haue descended to be borne of a woman yf al womeÌ„ had be wycked And after that for y e great bounte that is in womeÌ„ our lorde Iesu Christ wheÌ„ he was rysen fro death to lyfe apered rather to a womaÌ„ then to his apostles And though that Salomon sayde he founde neuer women good it foloweth not therfore that all women be wycked for thoughe that he ne founde no good woman certes many an other man hathe founde many a woman full good and trewe Or els parauenture the entente of Salomon was thys that in souerayne bountye he founde no woman thys is to saye that there is no wyght that hath parfyte bountye saue God alone as he hym selfe recordeth in hys euangelye For there nys no creature so good that hym ne wanteth somwhat of the perfection of God that is hys maker Youre thyrde reason is thys ye saye that yf that yt gouerne you by my counsayle it shulde seme that ye had yeue me the maystrye and the lordshyppe of youre persone Syr saue youre grace it is not so for yf so were that no man shulde be counsayled but onely of hem that han lordshyppe and maystrye of hys persone men nolde not be counsayled so ofte
honoure haue they in hell shame and confusyon For well ye wote that men call honoure the reuerence that man doth to man but in hell is none honoure ne reuerence For certes no more reuerence shal be do there to a kynge then to a knaue For whyche God sayeth by the prophete Ieremye Those folke that me dyspise shal be in dyspyte Honour is also called great lordshyp there shall no wyght serue other but of harme turment Honoure is also called great dygnite hyghnesse but in hel shal they be al fortroden of dyuels As god sayeth the horrible deuels shall go and come vpon the heedes of dampned folke and thys is for as moche as y e hygher that they were in this present lyfe the more shal they be abated and defoyled in hell Ayenst the rychesse of thys worlde shal they haue mysese of pouerte that shal be in foure thynges In defaute of treasoure Of whyche Dauid sayeth The ryche folke that enbrase and knytte all her herte to treasoure of thys worlde shall slepe in the slepynge of death and nothynge ne shul they fynde in her hondes of all her treasoure And more ouer the mysese of hel shal be in defaute of meate and drynke For God sayeth thus by Moses They shal be wasted wyth honger and the byrdes of hell shal deuoure hem wyth bytter death and the gall of the dragon shall be her drynke and the venym of the dragon her morsels Also her mysease shal be in defaute of clothynge for they shal be naked in bodye as of clothynge saue the fyre in whych they brenne and other fylthes naked shall they be of soule of all maner of vertues whyche that is the clothynge of the soule Where bene then the gaye robes the softe shetes and the smale shertes Lo what sayeth God of hem by the prophete Isaye that vnder hem shall be strewed moughtes and her couertures shall be of wormes of hell Also her mysease shal be in defaut of frendes for he is not poore that hath good frendes but there is no frende for neyther God ne no creature shal be frende to them eche of hem shall hate other wyth deedly hate The sonnes and the doughters shall rebell ayenst father and mother and kynrede ayenst kynred chyde dispyse eche other both daye nyght as god sayeth by the prophete Micheas And the louynge chyldreÌ„ y t whylom loued so fleshlye eche other wolde eche of hem eate other yf they myght For howe shulde they loue togyther in the paynes of hell wheÌ„ they hated eche other iÌ„ y e prosperite of this life for trust wel her fleshly loue was deadly hate As sayeth the prophet Dauid who so y u loueth wyckednesse he hateth his soule who so hateth hys owne soule certes he may loue none other wyght in no maner And therfore in hel is no solace ne no frendshyp but euer y t more kynredes that ben in hel the more cursynges the more chydynges and y e more deedly hate there is amonge them Also they shal haue defaute of all maner delyces for certes helyces ben after the appetites of the fyue wittes as syght hearynge smellynge sauourynge and touchynge But in hell her syght shal be ful of derknesse and of smoke therfore full of teares and her hearynge full of waylynge and gryntynge of tethe As sayeth Iesu Christe Her nostrylles shal be ful of stynkynge And as sayeth Isaye the prophete Her sauourynge shal be full of bytter gall and as touchynge of al her bodyes ycouered wyth fyre that neuer shall quenche and wyth wormes that neuer shall dye As God sayeth by the mouthe of Isaye and for as moche as they shall not wene that they maye dye for payne and by death flye fro payne that maye they vnderstande in the wordes of Iob that sayeth There is the shadowe of deathe Certes a shadowe hath the lykenes of the thynge of whych it is shadowed but shadowe is not y e same thynge of whych it is shadowed ryght so fareth the payne of hel it is lyke death for the horrible anguyshe And why For it payneth hem euer as though they shulde dye anone but certes they shal not dye For as sayeth saynt Gregory to wretched caytyses shall be death wythout death ende wythout end defaute wythout fayling for her death shal alway lyue her ende shall euer more begyn and her defaute shal not fayle And therfore sayeth saynt Iohn the Euangelyst they shal folowe death and they shall not fynde hym and they shall desyre to dye death shall slye fro hem And also Iob sayeth that in hel is no ordre of rule And al be it so that God hath create al thynge in ryghte order and nothynge wythout order but all thynges ben ordred and nombred yet nathelesse they that ben dampned ben nothynge in order ne hold none order for the erth ne shal beare hem no frute For as the prophete Dauid sayeth God shall destroye the frute of the earth as for hem ne water ne shal yeue hem no moysture ne the eyre no refreshynge ne fyre no lyght For as sayeth saynt Basilâ—e The brennynge of the fyre of thys worlde shal God yeue in hell to hem that bene dampned but the lyght and the clerenesse shall he yeue in heauen to hys chyldren ryghte as good men yeue fleshe to her chyldren and bones to her houndes And for they shal haue none hope to escape sayeth saynt Iob at last that there shal errour and grisly dreade dwell without ende Horrour is alway dred that is to come and this drede shal alwaye dwell in the hertes of hem that be damned And therfore haue they lost all her hope for vii causes Fyrst for god y t is her iuge shal be without mercye to hem and they maye not please hym ne none of his saynctes ne they maye not gyue nothyng for her raunsom ne they shall haue no voyce to speke to hym ne they may not stye fro payne ne they haue no goodnesse in hem that they maye shewe to delyuer hem fro payne And therfore sayeth Salomon The wycked man dyeth whaÌ„ he is deed he shal haue no hope to escape fro payne â–ª who so than wolde wel vnderstonde the paynes and bethynke hym well that he hath deserued those paynes for his synnes â—â—â—es he shuld haue more taleÌ„t to sygh and wâ—ye than for to synge and playe For as sayth Salomon whoso that had the scieÌ„ce to knowe the paynes that ben ordeyned for synne he wolde make sorowe That science as sayeth sayncte Austyn maketh a man to weyment in his herte THe fourth poynt that ought to make a man haue contrition is the sorowfull remembraunce of the good that he hath lefte to do here in erthe and also the good that he hath loste Sothlye the good werkes that he hath left eyther they be the good werkes that he wroughte er he fyll in deedly sinne or els the good werkes that he
of synnes sayeth saynt Poule in thys wyse that ryght as by one man syn entred fyrst into this worlde and through syn deth ryght so the deth entreth into all men that synne and this man was Adam by whom synne entred into this world wheÌ„ he brake the commaundement of God And therfore he that fyrst was so mighty that he ne shuld haue dyed becam so that he must nedes dye whether he wolde or no and all his progeny in this worlde that in the sayd man synned Loke that in the state of innocency wheÌ„ Adam and Eue were naked in paradyse shamed not therof how the serpent wylyest of all other beastes that god made sayde to the woman why commaunded god you y t ye shulde not eate of euery tree in paradyse The woman answered Of the frute sayde she of the trees of paradyse we fede vs but of the frute of the mydle tre of paradyse god forbod vs to eat touche lest we shuld dye The serpent sayd to the woman Nay nay ye shall not dye of death forsoth god wotte that what daye that ye eat therof your eyeÌ„ shall open and ye shal be as goddes knowing good and harme The woman thaÌ„ saw that the tree was good to fedyng and fayr to the eyen and delectable to syght she toke of the frute of the tree and ate yaue to her husbonde and he ate and anon the eyen of hem both opened And whaÌ„ that they knew that they wer naked they sowed of fyggeleues in maner of breches to hyde her meÌ„bres There maye ye se that deedly syn hath fyrst suggestion of the fende as sheweth here by the adder and afterwarde the delyte of the flesh as sheweth by Eue and after that consentyng of reason as sheweth here by AdaÌ„ For trust wel though so it were that y e fend tempted Eue that is to say the flesh and the fleshe had delyte in the beautye of the frute defended yet certes tyll that reason that is to say Adam consented to the eatyng of the frute yet stode he in the state of innocencie Of the sayd Adam toke we the sayde original syn of hym fleshly discended be we all engendred of vyle and corrupte mater And whan the soule is put in oure bodyes right anon is contract original syn and that that was erst but onely payne of concupiscencie is afterward both payne and syn and therfore we bene all borne sonnes of wrath and of dampnatioÌ„ perdurable if it nere baptym that we receyue whiche benymmeth vs the coulpe but forsoth the pyne dwelleth wyth vs as to temptation which pyne hyght concupyscence This concupiscence whan it is wrongfully disposed or ordayned in man it maketh hym coueyte by couetysye of flesshe fleshly synne by syght of his eyen as to erthlye thynges and also couetyse of hyghnesse by pryde of herte Now as to speake of the first couetise that is concupiscence after the lawe of our membres that were lawfully made and by rightful iudgement of God I saye for as moche as man is not obeysaunte to God that is his Lorde therfore is the flesh to hym disobeysaunt through concupiscence whiche is called noryshing of synne and occasyon of synne Therfore all the whyle that a man hath within him the pyne of concupyscence it is impossyble but he be teÌ„pted somtyme moued in his fleshe to syn And this thynge may not fayle as long as he lyueth It may wel waxe feble by vertue of baptim and by the grace of god through penitence but fully ne shall it neuer quenche that he ne shall somtyme be moued in him self but if he wer al refrayned by sycknesse or by malyce of sorcery or colde drynkes For lo what sayth s Poule the flesh coueteth ayenst the spyryte and the spyrite ayenst the flesh they bene so contrary so stryuen that a man maye not alway do as he wold The same saynt poul after his greate penaunce in water and in londe in water by night by day in greate peryl and in great pyne In londe famyne thurst colde and clothlesse ones sloned almost to deth Yet sayde he alas I caytyfe man who shall delyuer me fro the prison of my caytyfe body And saynt Ierom wheÌ„ he longe â—yme had dwelled in desert where as he had no companye but of wylde beastes where as he had no meate but herbes water to drink ne bed but the naked erth wherfore his flesshe was blacke as an Ethiopien for hete and nye distroyed for colde Yet sayd â—e that the brennyng of lechery boyled in al his body wherfore I wot well that they be disceyued that saye they be not tempted in â—â— bodyes wytnesse saynt Iames y t sayeth that euerye wyght is tempted in hys owne conscieÌ„ce that is to say that eche of vs hath mater and occasion to be tempted of the norishing of syn that is in his body And therfore sayth saynt Iohn the euangelist yf we say that we ben without synne we disceyue our self and truthe is not in vs. Now shall ye vnderstonde how syn wexeth and encreaeth in man The first thing is the same noryshing of syn of which I spoke before the fleshlye coÌ„cupiscence and after that coÌ„meth suggestyon of the deuil this is to say the deuyls belous with which he bloweth in maÌ„ the fire of coÌ„cupiscence and after that a maÌ„ bethinketh him wheder he wyll do or no y e thing to which he is teÌ„pted And then yf a man withstoÌ„d weyue the first entisyng of his fleshe of the fende thaÌ„ it is no syn yf so be he do not thaÌ„ feleth he anon a flame of deâ—â—te thaÌ„ it is good to beware kepe him well or els he wyll fall anon to coÌ„sentynge of syn than wyll he do it yf he maye haue tyme place And of this mater sayth Moses by the deuyll in this maner y e feÌ„d sayth I wyll chace pursue man by wycked suggestyon I wyll take hym by mouyng and steryng of syn I woll depart my pryse of my praye by delyberation and my lust shal be accoÌ„plyshed in delyte I wyll drawe my sworde in consentynge For certes ryght as a swerde departeth a thynge in two peces ryght so coÌ„sentyng departeth god fro man than wyl I sle hym with my hond in dede of syn thus sayth the fende For certes than is a man all deed in soule thus is syn accoÌ„plyshed with temptation by delyte consentyng than is the syn actual Forsoth syn is in two maners eyther it is venyall or deedly syn Sothlye whan man loueth any creature more then Iesu Chryste our creatour than it is deedly synne venyall synn it is yf man loue Iesu chryst lesse thaÌ„ him ought Forsoth the dede of this venyal syn is ful perylous for it mynissheth the loue that man shuld haue to god more and more And therfore yf a man charge hym selfe with manye suche venyall synnes certes but if so be
synned if it be in his minde how oft he hath fallen For he that oft falleth in syn he dispiceth the mercy of God and encreseth his sinne is vnkynde to Christ he weâ—eth the more feble to withstande syn a synneth the more lyghtly the later ryseth is more slow to shriue him namely to him y t is his coÌ„fessour For whiche that folke whaÌ„ they fal ayen to her olde folyes eyther they leaue theyr olde coÌ„fessour or els they depart her shrift in diuers partes But sothly suche departed shrifte deserueth no mercy of God for her synnes The sixte circumstaunce is why that a man sinneth as by temptation if him selfe procure that temptation or by the excitinge of other folke or if he syn wyth a woman by force or by her assente or yf the woman maugre her heede haue be a forced or none This shall she tell whether it were for couetise or pouertye or yf it were by her procurement or no and such other thinges The seuenth circumstaunce is in what maner he hathe do hys synne or howe that she hathe suffred that folke haue do to her And the same shall the man tell playnly wyth all the circumstaunces and whether he hathe synned wyth coÌ„men bordel woman or none or done hys synne in holye tymes or none in fasting time or none or before hys shrifte or after hys later shryfte and hath parauenture broke therby his penaunce enioyned by whose helpe or whose counsayle by soceâ—â—e or crafte all muste be tolde all these thynges after as they be gret or smale grudge the conscience of man or womaÌ„ And eke the preest that is thy iuge maye the better be auysed of his iugement in yeuyng of penauÌ„ce and that is after thy contrition For vnderstande wel that after tyme that a man hath defoyled hys baptyme by synne yf he woll come to saluation there is none other waye but by penaunce shryfte and satisfaction namely by the two yf there be a confessoure to whom he may shriue him and the thyrde yf he haue lyfe to perfourme it Than shall a man loke and consider that yf he wol make a trewe a profitable confession there must be foure conditions Fyrst it must be in sorowfulnesse of hert as sayth the kynge Ezechiel to God I wol remeÌ„bre me al the yeres of my lyfe in bitternesse of my hert This coÌ„dition of bytternes hath fyue signes The fyrst is that confession muste be shamefaste not for to couer ne hide her sin for he hath offeÌ„ded his lord god defoyled his soule And herof sayth saynte Augustyn The herte traueyleth for shame of his sinne for he hath greate shamefastnes he is worthy to haue gret mercy of god which was the coÌ„fession of the Publicaue that wolde not heaue vp hys eyen to heuen for he had offended god of heuen for which shamfastnesse he had anone y e mercy of god And therof sayeth saynt Augustyn y t suche shameful folke be next foryeuenesse mercy Another signe is humilite in coÌ„fession of which sayth saynt Peter â–ª Humbleth you vnder the might of god y e hande of God is strong in coÌ„fession for therby god foryeueth the thy sinnes for he alone hath the power And this humilite shal be in hert and in outwarde signes For righte as he hath humilitie to God in his herte ryghte so shulde he humble his bodye outwarde to the preest y t sytteth in goddes stede For which in no maner syth that Christe is souerayne and the Preeste meane and mediatoure betwixte Christe and the synner is laste by waye of reason Than shulde nat the synner sytte as hye as his coÌ„fessour but knele before him or at his fete but yf syckenesse cause it For he shal not take hede who sytteth there but in whose place he sytteth A man that hath trespassed to a Lorde cometh to aske mercye and make hys accorde and sytteth hym downe by hym men wolde holde hym outragious and nat worthy so sone for to haue remission of hys trespace The thyrde signe is howe thy shryfte shulde be full of teares yf thou maye and yf thou maye nat wepe wyth thy bodily eyen than wepe in thyne herte whyche was the confession of saynte Peter For after that he had forsake Iesu Christe he wente out and wepte full bitterly The fourth signe is that thou ne lette nat for shame to shewe thy coÌ„fession Such was the confession of Magdaleyn that ne spared for no shame of hem that were at the feest to go to oure Lorde Iesu Christe and beknowe to hym her synnes The fyfth signe is that a man or a woman be obeysaunte to receyue the penaunce that hem is enioyned For certes Iesu Christe for the offences of man was obedient to deth The seconde condition of very confession is that it be hastely done For certes yf a man had a deedly wounde euer the lenger that he taryeth to heale hym selfe the more wolde it corrupte and haste hym to hys deathe and also the wounde wolde be the worse for to heale And ryghte so fare the synne that longe tyme is in a man vnshewed Certes a man ought hastelye shewe hys synnes for manye causes as for drede of deathe that commeth ofte sodaynlye and no certayne what tyme it shall be ne in what place and also the drenchyng of o synne draweth in another and also the lenger that he taryeth the farther he is fro Christe And if he abide to hys last day scarscely may he shriue hym or remembre hym of hys synnes or repente for the greuous maladye of hys death And for as muche as he ne hathe in hys lyfe herkened Iesu Christe whan he hath spoken he shall crye to Iesu Christe at hys last day and scarscely woll he herken hym And vnderstande that thys condition muste haue foure thynges Thy shryfte must be prouided before auysed for wycked hast doth no profyte yf a maÌ„ shriue him of hys synnes be it of pride or enuye and so forthe wyth the speces and circumstaunces of synne And that he haue coÌ„prehended in hys mynde the nombre and greatnesse of hys synnes and howe longe he hathe lyen in syn And also that he hathe be contrite for hys synnes and in stedfaste purpose by the grace of God neuer ayen to fal to synne And also that he drede counterwayte hym selfe that he flye the occasion of synne to whych he is enclined Also thou shalt shryue the of al thy synnes to a man not part to o man and part to another that is to vnderstande in entent to depart thy coÌ„fession for shame or drede for it is but stranglynge of thy soule For certes Iesu Christe is entierly al good in hym nys none imperfection and therfore eyther he foryeueth all perfeitely or els neuer a deale I saye nat y t yf thou be assigned to thy penytencer for certayne synne that thou arte bounde to shewe hym all y e remenant of thy
to chaunge and sayd scripte nor byl For loue of god that toucheth such matere Ne brynge me none and also vncle dere To myne estate haue more regarde I pray Than to his lust what shulde I more say And loketh nowe yf this be reasonable And letteth not for fauour ne for slouth To sayne a soth nowe it is couenable To myne estate by god and by my trouth To take it or to haue of him routh In harmyng of my selfe or in repreue Beare it ayen for him that ye on leue This Pandarus gan on her for to stare And sayd nowe is this the greatest wonder That euer I sawe let be this nyce fare To deth mote I smytten be with thonder If for the citye whych standeth yonder wolde I a lettre vnto you brynge or take To harm of you what lyst you thus it make But thus ye faren wel nyghe al and some That he that moste desyreth you to serue Of him ye retche lest where he become And whether that he leue or els sterue But for al that that euer I may deserue Refuse it nat ê™ he and hente her fast And in her bosom y e letter dwone he tharste And sayd her nowe caste it away anon That folke may tene gaurne on vs twey Quod she I can abyde tyl they be gon And gan to smyle sayd him eme I pray Suche answere as you list your selfe puruey For trewly I wol no lettre write No than wol I quod he so ye endyte Therewith she lough and sayd go we dyne And he gan at him selfe iape faste And sayd nece I haue so great a pyne For loue that eueryche other day I faste And gan his beste iapes forthe to caste And made her so to laugh at his folye That she for laughter wende for to dye And whan that she was comen in to the hall Nowe eme ê™ she we wol go dyne anon And gan some of her women to her call And streyght in to her chambre gan she gone But of her besynesses this was one Amonges other thynges out of drede Ful priuely this lettre for to rede Auysed worde by worde in euery lyne And fouÌ„de no lacke she thought he coude his goode And vp it put went her in to dyne And Pandarus that in a stodye stoode Er he was ware she toke him by the hoode And sayd ye were caught er that ye wyste I vouchesafe quod he do what you lyste Tho wysshen they and set hem downe ete And after noone ful slyghly Pandarus GaÌ„ drawe him to y e wyndowe nye the strete And sayd nece who hath arayed thus The yonder house that stante aforyeue vs which house ê™ she and gan for to beholde And knewe it wel who it was him tolde And fellen forth in speche of thynges smale And saten in the wyndowe both twey whan Pandarus sawe tyme vnto his tale And sawe wel that her folke were al away Nowe nece myne tel on quod he I pray Howe lyke you the letttre that ye wote Can he theron for by my trouth I not Therwyth al rosy hewed tho woxe she And gan to hym and sayd so I trowe Aquyte him wel for goddes loue ê™ he My selfe to medes wol the lettre sowe And helde his handes vp and sate on know Nowe good nece be it neuer so lyte Yeue me the labour it to sowe and plyte Yea for I can so writen ê™ she tho And eke I not what I shulde to hym say Nay nece ê™ Pandare say nat so Yet at the lest thonketh him I pray Of his good wyl O doth hym not to dey Nowe for the loue of me my nece dere Refuseth not at this tyme my prayere Depardieux ê™ she god leue all be wele God helpe me so this is the fyrst lettre That euer I wrote yee al or any dele And in to a closet for to aduyse her bettre She wâ—nt alone and gan her hert vnâ—eâ—tte Out of â—â—daynes prison but a lyte And seâ—â—e downe and gan a lettre write Of which to tell in short is myne entent Theffecte as ferre as I can vnderstonde She thanked him of al that he wel ment Towardes her but holden him in honde She wolde not make her seluen bonde In loue but as his syster him to plese She wold aye same to done his hert an ese She shette it and to Pandare in to gon There as he sate and loked in to strete And downe she sette her by him on a stone Of iaspre vpon a quyshen of golde ybete And sayde as wysely helpe me god the gret I neuer dyd a thyng wyth more payne Than write this to which ye me coÌ„strayne And toke it hym He thanked her and sayd God wote of thyng ful often loth begonne Cometh ende good and nece mine Creseyde That ye to him of harde nowe bene ywonne Ought he be glad by god and yonder sonne For why men sayth impressions lyght Full lyghtly ben aye redy to the flyght But ye han played the tyraunt al to longe And harde was it your herte for to graue Nowe stynt that ye no lenger on it honge Al wolden ye the forme of daunger saue But hasteth you to done hym ioye haue For trusteth wel to longe ydone hardnesse Causeth dispyte ful often for distresse And ryght as they declared thys matere Lo Troylus right at the stretes ende Came rydyng wyth his tenthe soÌ„me yfere Al softely and thyderwarde gan bende Ther as they sat as was his way to wend To paleys ward And Pandare him aspide And sayd nece I se who cometh here ryde O flye nat in he sethe vs I suppose Leste he maye thynken that ye hym eschue Nay nay ê™ she woxe as redde as rose wyth that he gan her humbly salue wyth dredful chere and oft hys hewes mue And vp hys loke debonairly he caste And becked on Pandare forthe by paste God wot yf he sate on his horse aryght Or goodly was besene that ylke daye God wot wher he were lyke a maÌ„ly knyght what shulde I dretche or tell of his aray Creseyde which that all these thynges say To tel in shorte her lyked al yfere Hys person hys aray his loke his chere His goodly maner and his gentyllesse So wel that neuer syth that she was borne Ne had she such routh of his distresse And how so she hath hard ben here beforne to god hope I she hath now caught a thorn She shal not pul it out this next wyke God sende mo such thornes on to pyke Pandare whyche that stode her faste by Felte yron hotte and he beganne to smyte And sayd nece I pray you hertely Tel me that I shal asken you alyte A woman that were of hys deth to whyte withouteÌ„ his gift but for her lacke of routh were it wel done ê™ she nay by my trouth God help me so ê™ he ye say me soth Ye felen wel your selfe that I naught lye Lo yonder he rydeth ê™ she ye so he doth
to my chambre come in al thys reyne Vnwyste of euery maner wyght certeyne Saue of my selfe as wysely haue I ioye And by the fayth Iowe Priam of Troye And he is come in such payne and distresse That but he be al fully woode by thys He sodaynly mote fal in to woodnesse But yf god helpe and cause why is thys He sayth him tolde is of a frende of hys How y t ye shuld loueÌ„ one that hyght Horast for sorow of which this niÈt shal be his last Creseyde which that al thys wonder herde Gâ—ul sodaynly aboute her herte colde And with a syghe she soroufully answerde Alas I wende who so tales tolde My dere herte wolde me nat holde So lyghtly false alas conceytes wronge what harme they done for nowe lyue I to loÌ„ge Horaste alas and falsen Troylus I knowe hym not god helpe me so ê™ she Alas what wycked spyrite tolde hym thus Nowe certes eme to morowe and I him se I shal therof as fully excused me As euer dyd woman yf him lyke And with that worde she gan ful sore syke O god ê™ she so wordley selynesse whych clerkes callen false felicite ymedled is with many a bytternesse Full anguyshous than is god wot ê™ she Condicion of veyne prosperyte For eyther ioyes comen nat yfere Or els no wyght hath hem alway here O brotyl we le of mannes ioye vnstable with what wyght so to be or howe y u play Eyther he wot that ioye arte muable Or wote it not it mote bene one of tway Now yf he wote it nat howe may he say That he hath very ioye and selynesse That is of ignoraunce aye in derkenesse Nowe yf he wote that ioye is transitorye As euery ioy of worldly thyng mote flye Than euery tyme he that hath in memorye The dred of lesyng maketh him that he May in no parfyte sykernesse be And yf to lese his ioye he set a myte ThaÌ„ semeth it that ioye is worth ful lyte wherfore I wolde deffine in thys matere That treuly for aught I can espye There is no very wele in thys worlde here But O thou wycked serpent ielousye Thou misbeleued and enuyous folye why hast thou Troylus made to me vntrist That neuer yet agylte that I wyst Quod PaÌ„darus thus fallen is thys caas why vncle myn ê™ she who tolde hym thys why doth my dere hert thus alas Ye wote ye nece myne ê™ he what is I hope al shal be wel that is amys For ye may quench al thys if that you leste And doth ryght so I holde it for the beste So shal I do to morowe ywys ê™ she And god to forne so that it shal suffyse To morowe alas that were fayre ê™ he Nay nay it may nat stonden in this wyse For nece myne this writen clerkes wyse That peryl is wyth dretchyng in drawe Nay soch abodes be nat worth an hawe Nece al thynge hath tyme I dare auowe For whan a chambre a fyre is or an hal wel more nede is it sodaynly rescowe Than to desputen and asken amonges al Howe the candel in the strawe is fal Ah benedicite for al amonge that fare The harme is done and farwell feldefare And nece myne ne take it nat a grese If that ye suffre hym al nyght in thys wo God helpe me so ye had him neuer lefe That dare I saine now ther is but we two But wel I wote that ye wol nat so do Ye bene to wyse to done so great folye To put hys lyfe al nyght in ieopardye Had I hym neuer lefe â–ª by god I wene Ye had neuer thyng so lefe quod she Nowe by my thryfte ê™ he y t shal be sene For syth ye make thys ensample of me If iche al nyght wolde him in sorowe se For al the treasour in the towne of Troy I bydde god I neuer mote haue ioye Nowe loke than yf ye that bene hys loue Shulde put hys lyfe al nyght in ieopardy For thyng of nought now by y e god aboue Nat onely thys delay cometh of foly But of malice yf that I shulde nat lye what platly and ye suffre hym in distresse ye neyther bounte done ne gentyllesse Quod tho Creseyde wol ye done o thyng And ye therwyth shal stynte al his disease Haue here and bere hym this blewe ryng For there is nothing might him better plese Saue I my selfe ne more his herte apese And saye my dere herte that is sorowe Is causelesse that shal he sene to morowe A rynge ê™ he ye haselwodes shaken ye nece myne y e ryng must haue a stone That myght deed men alyue maken And such a ryng trowe I that ye haue none Discrecion out of your heed is gone That fele I nowe ê™ he and that is routh O time ylost wel maist thou cursen slouth wote ye not wel that noble hye couragâ— Ne soroweth not ne stynteth eke for lyte But yf a fole were in a ielous rage I nolde setten at hys sorowe amyte But fesse hym with a fewe wordes whyte An other day whaÌ„ that I might him fynde But thys thyng stant al in another kynde Thys is so gentyl and so tender of hert that w t his deth he wol hys sorowes wreke For trust wel howe sore that him smert He wol to you no ialous wordes speke And for thy nece er that his herte breke So speke your selfe to hym of this matere For wyth a worde ye may hys hert stere Nowe haue I tolde what peryl he is in And hys comyng vnwyst is to euery wight Ne parde harme may there be none ne syn I wolde my selfe be wyth you al this night Ye knowe eke howe it is your owne knyght And that by ryght ye must vpon hym fâ—yste And I al prest to fetche hym whaÌ„ you lyste This accident so pytous was to here And eke so lyke a soth at prime face And Troylus her knyght to her so dere His priue coÌ„myng and the syker place That though she dyd him as than a grace Consydred al thynges as they stode No wonder is sens he dyd al for goode Creseyde answerde as wyselye god at reste My soule bryng as me is for him wo And eme ywys fayne wolde I done the best If that I a grace had for to do so But whether that ye dwell or for hym go I am tyl god me bettre mynde sende At Dulcarnon ryght at my wyttes ende Quod Pandarus yea nece wol ye here Dulcarnon is called flemyng of wretches it semeth hard for wretches woll nauÈt lere For very slouth or other wylful â—etches this is sayd by hem y t be nat worth two fetches But ye ben wise y t ye han on honde Nys neyther hard ne skylful to withstonde ThaÌ„ eme ê™ she doth here of as you lyst But er he come I wol vp fyrst aryse And for the loue of god sens al my tryst Is on you two and ye bethe bothe wyse So werketh nowe in so discret a wyse That I
brende Of other passyon then they wende So that she felte almoste her herte dye Fo wo and wery of that companye For whych myght she no lenger restrayne Her teryes they gan so vp to well That gaue sygnes of her bytter payne In whych her spirite was and must dwell RemeÌ„brynge her froÌ„ heuen vnto whych hell She fallen was sens she forgo the syght Of Troylus and sorowfully she syght And thylke fooles syttynge her aboute wende that she wepte and syghed sore Bycause that she shulde out of the route Departen and neuer playe wyth hem more And they that had knowen her of yore Se her so wepe thought it was kyndnesse And eche of hem wepte eke for her dystresse And besely they gonnen her to comforten One thiÌ„g god wot on which she lytel thouÈt And wyth her tales wenden her dysporten And to be glad they oft her besought But such an ease therwith they her wrought Ryght as a man is eased for to fele For ache of heed to clawen hym on hys hele But after all thys nyce vanyte They toke her leue and home they wenteÌ„ all Creseyde full of sorowfull pyte Into her chambre vp wente out of the hall And on her bedde she gan for deed to fall In purpose neuer thence for to ryse And thus she wrought as I shal you deuyse Her ownded heer y t sonnyshe was of hewe She rent eke her fyngers longe and smale She wronge ful ofte bad god on her rewe And wyth the death to do bote on her bale Her hewe whylom bright that tho was pale Bare wytnesse of her wo her constraynte And thus she spake sobbyng in her coÌ„playnt ¶ Alas quod she out of thys regioun I wofull wretch and infortuned wyght And borne in cursed constellatioun Mote gone thus departen fro my knyght wo worth alas that ylke dayes lyght On which I sawe him fyrst w t eyen twayne That causeth me and I hym all thys payne Therwyth the teeres from her eyen two Downe fell as shoure in Apryll swythe Her whyte brest she bette and for the wo After the death she cryed a thousande syth Sens he that wonte her wo was for to lyth She mote forgone for whych dysauenture She helde her selfe a forloft creature She sayd howe shall he done and I also Howe shuld I lyue yf y t I from him twynne O dere herte eke that I loue so who shall y e sorowe slene that ye ben inne O Calkas father thyne be all thys synne O mother myne that cleaped were Argyue wo worth y t daye that thou me bare on lyue To what fyne shuld I lyue sorowen thus Howe shuld a fyshe wythouten water dure what is Creseyde worth from Troylus Howe shulde a plante or lyues creature Lyue wythouten hys kynde noriture For whych full ofte a by worde here I sey That rotelesse mote grene sone dey I shal don thus sens neither sword ne darte Dare I none handle for the cruelte That ylke daye that I fro you departe yf sorowe of that nyl not my bane be Then shall no meate ne drynke come in me Tyll I my soule out of my brest vnshethe And thus my seluen woll I done to dethe And Troylus my clothes euerychone Shul blacke ben in tokenynge herte swete That I am as out of thys worlde agone That wonte was you to set in quyete And of myne ordre aye tyll death me mete The obseruaunce euer in your absence Shal sorowe ben complaynt abstynence Myne herte eke the wofull gost therin Byqueth I wyth your spirite to complayne Eternally for they shall neuer twyn For though in erth twynned be we twayne Yet in the felde of Pyte out of payne That hyght Elysos shall we ben yfere As Orpheus and Erudice hys fere Thus herte myne for Antenor alas I sone shal be chaunged as I wene But howe shull ye done in thys sorowful cas Howe shall your tendre herte thys sustene But herte myne foryet thys sorowe and tene And me also for sothly for to sey So ye welfare I retche not to dey Howe myght it euer redde ben or ysonge The playnt that she made in her dystresse I not but as for me my lytell tonge Yf I dyscryuen wolde her heuynesse It shulde make her sorowe seme lesse Then that it was and chyldyshly deface Her hye complaynt and therfore I it pace Pandare whych that sent from Troylus was vnto Creseyde as ye haue herde deuyse That for the best it was acorded thus And he full glad to done hym that seruyse Vnto Creseyde in a full secrete wyse There as she lay in turment and in rage Came her to tell al holy hys massage And fonde that she her seluen gan to trete Full petously for wyth her salte teeres Her brest and face ybathed was full wete Her myghty tresses of her sonnysh heere 's Vnbroyden hangen all aboute her eeres whych yaue hym very sygne of matere Of death whych that her herte gan desyre when she hym sawe she gan for sorowe anon Her tery face atwyxte her armes hyde For whych thys Pandare is so wo bygon That in the house he myght vnneth abyde As he that felte sorowe on euery syde For yf Creseyde had erst complayned sore Tho gan she playne a thousand tymes more And in her aspre playnte thus she seyde Pandare fyrst of ioyes mo then two was causynge vnto me Creseyde That nowe transmued ben in cruell wo whether shall I saye to you welcome or no That alderfyrst me brought vnto seruyse Of loue alas that endeth in suche wyse Endeth then loue in wo ye or men lyeth And all worldly blysse as thynketh me The ende of blysse aye sorowe it occupyeth And who troweth not that it so be Let hym vpon me wofull wretch se That my selfe hate and aye my byrth curse Felynge alwaye fro wycke I go to worse who some seeth he seeth sorowe al atonis Payne turment playnte wo and dystresse Out of my wofull body harme there none is As langour anguyshe cruell bytternesse Annoye smerte drede furye eke sycknesse I trowe ywys from heuen teeres rayne For pyte of my aspre and cruell payne And thou my syster full of dyscomforte Quod PaÌ„darus what thinkest thou to do why ne hast thou to thy seluen some resport why wylt thou thus alas thy selfe fordo Leaue al thys werke and take nowe hede to That I shall sayne herken of good entent This message y t by me Troylus you sente Turned her tho Creseyde a wo makynge So great that it a death was for to se Alas ê™ she what wordes maye ye brynge what woll my dere herte sayne to me whych that I drede neuer more to se woll he haue playnte or teeres er I wende I haue ynough yf he therafter sende She was ryght such to sene in her visage As is that wyght that men on bere bynde Her face lyke of paradys the ymage was all ychaunged in another kynde
The play y e laughter meÌ„ were wont to fynd On her and eke her ioyes euerychone Ben fledde and thus lyeth Creseyde alone Aboute her eyen two a purpre rynge Bytrent in sothfast tokenynge of her payne That to beholde it was a deedly thynge For whych Pandare myght not restrayne The teeres from hys eyen for to rayne But nathelesse as he best myght he seyde From Troylus these wordes to Creseyde Lo nece I trowe ye han herde al howe The kynge wyth other lordes for the beste Hath made eschaunge of Antenor and you That cause is of thys sorowe thys vnrest But howe thys case doth Troylus moleste Thys may none earthly mannes tonge say For very wo hys wytte is all away For whych we haue so sorowed he and I That into lytell it had vs both slawe But through my counsayle thys daye fynaly He somwhat is fro wepynge wythdrawe And semeth me that he desyreth fawe wyth you to ben all nyght for to deuyse Remedye of thys yf there were any wyse This shorte playne theffect of my message As ferforth as my wytte can comprehende For ye that ben of turment in suche rage May to no longe prologe as nowe entende And hervpon ye maye answere hym sende And for the loue of God my nece dere So leaue thys wo or Troylus be here Great is my wo ê™ she and syghed sore As she that feleth deedly sharpe dystresse But yet to me hys sorowe is mokell more That loue hym bet then he hym selfe I gesse Alas for me hath he such heuynesse Can he for me so pytously complayne Iwys thys sorowe doubleth al my payne Greuous to me god wot is for to twynne Quod she but yet it harder is to me To sene that sorowe whych that he is inne For well wote I it wol my bane be And dye I wol in certayne tho quod she But byd hiÌ„ come er deth y t thus me threteth Driue out y t gost whych in myne hert beteth These wordes sayd she on her armes two Fyll gruffe and gan to wepen pytously Quod Pandarus alas why do ye so Sens ye well wote the tyme is fast by That he shall come aryse vp hastely That he you not bewopen thus ne fynde But ye wol haue him wode out of his minde For wyst he that ye farde in thys manere He wolde hym selfe flee and yf I wende To haue thys fare he shulde not come here For all the good that Priam maye dyspende For to what fyne he wolde anone pretende That knowe I well and for thy yet I sey So leaue this sorowe or plainly he wol dey And shapeth you hys sorowe for to abredge And not encrease lefe nece swete Beth rather to hym cause of plat then edge And w t some wysedom ye hys sorowes bete what helpeth it to wepen full a strete Or though ye both in salte teeres dreynte Bet is a tyme of cure aye then of pleynte I meane thus wheÌ„ I hym hether brynge Sens ye be wyse and both of one assent So shapeth howe to distourbe your goynge Or come ayen sone after ye be went women ben wyse in short auysement And let sene howe your wyt shall auayle And what that I may helpe it shal not fayle Go quod Creseyde and vncle truely I shall done all my myght me to restrayne From wepynge in hys syght and besely Hym for to glad I shall done all my payne And in my herte seken euery vayne Yf to thys sore there maye ben founden salue It shall not lacke certayne on myne halue Goth Pandarus and Troylus he sought Tyll in a temple he founde hym al alone As he that of hys lyfe no lenger rought But to the pytouse goddes euerychone Full tendrely he prayed and made hys mone To done hym sone out of thys world to pace for wel he thought ther was non other grace And shortly all the soth for to seye He was so fallen in dyspayre that day That vtterly he shope him for to deye For ryght thus was hys argument alway He sayd he nas but lorne welaway For all that cometh cometh by necessite Thus to be lorne is my destyne For certaynly thys wote I well he sayd That forsyght of diuyne purueyaunce Had sene alwaye me to forgone Creseyde Sens god seeth euery thing out of doutauÌ„ce And hem dysposeth through hys ordynauÌ„ce In hys merytes sothly for to be As they shull comen by predestyne But nathelesse alas whom shall I leue For there ben great clerkes many one That destynie through argumentes preue And some sayne that nedely there is none But that free choyce is yeuen vs euerychone O welawaye so slygh arne clerkes olde That I not whose opinion I maye holde For some men sayne y e god seeth al byforne Ne god maye not dysceyued ben parde ThaÌ„ mote it fallen though meÌ„ had it sworne That purueiaunce hath sene beforne to be wherfore I saye that from eterne yf he Hath wyst beforn our thouÈt eke as our dede we haue no fre choyce as these clerkes rede For other thought nor other dede also Myght neuer ben but suche as purueyaunce whych maye not ben dysceyued neuer mo Hath feled byforne wythouten ignoraunce For yf there myght ben a variaunce To wrythen out fro goddes purueynge There nere no prescience of thynge coÌ„mynge But it were rather an opinion Vncertayne and no stedfast foreseyng And certes that were an abusyon That god shuld haue no parfite clere weting More then we men y t haue doutous wening But such an errour vpon god to gesse were false foule and wycked cursednesse Eke thys is an opinion of some That haue her top ful hygh smoth yshore They sayn right thus y t thing is not to come For that the prescience hath sene before That it shall come but they sayne y t therfore That it shall come therfore the purueyaunce wote it beforne wythouten ignoraunce And in thys maner thys necessyte Returneth in hys parte contrary agayne For nedefully behoueth it not to be That thylke thynges fallen in certayne That beÌ„ purueyed but nedfully as they sayn Behoueth it that thynges whych that fall That they in certayne ben puruayed all I meane as though I laboured me in this To enquyre which thiÌ„ge cause of which thiÌ„g be As whether that the prescieÌ„ce of god is The certayne cause of the necessite Of thynges that to comen be pardy Or of necessite of thynge comynge Because certayne of the purueyeng But now ne enforce I me not in shewyng How y e ordre of y e causes staÌ„t but wel wote I That it behoueth that the befallyng Of thynges wyst before certaynly Be necessary all seme it not therby That prescience put fallynge necessayre To thynge to come all fall it foule or fayre For yf there syt a man yonde on a see That by necessite behoueth it That certes thyne opinion soth be That wenest or coniectest that he syt And further ouer nowe ayenwarde yet Lo ryght
lorde thou woste wel I desyre Thy grace moste of all lustes leue And lyue and dye I woll in thy beleue For whych I ne aske in guerdon but a boone That thou Creseyde ayen me sende soone Dystrayne her herte as fast to returne As thou doest myne to longen her to se Then wote I wel that she nyll not soiourne Nowe blysfull lorde so cruell thou ne be Vnto the bloode of Troye I praye the As Iuno was vnto the bloode Thebane For which y e folk of Thebes caught her bane And after thys he to the yates wente There as Creseyde out rode a ful good paas And vp downe there made he many a weÌ„te And to hym selfe ful ofte he sayd alas Fro hence rode my blysse and my solas As wolde blysfull god nowe for hys ioye I myght her sene ayen come to Troye And to the yonder hyll I gan her gyde Alas and there I toke of her my leue And yonde I sawe her to her father ryde For sorowe of which myne hert shall to cleue And hyther home I come when it was eue And here I dwell out cast from al ioye And shall tyll I maye sene her efte in Troye And of hym selfe ymagined he ofte To ben defeyted pale and woxen lesse Then he was wont that men sayden softe what maye it be who can the soth gesse why Troylus hath all thys heuynesse And all thys nas but hys melancolye That he had of hym selfe suche fantasye Another tyme ymagynen he wolde That euery wyght that went by the wey Had of hym routh that they sayne sholde I am ryght sory Troylus woll dey And thus he droue a day yet forth or tweye As ye haue herde suche lyfe gan he lede As he that stode bytwixen hope and drede For whych hym lyked in hys songes shewe Thencheson of hys wo as he best myght And made a songe of wordes but a fewe Somwhat hys wofull herte for to lyght And when he was from euery maÌ„nes syght wyth softe voyce he of hys lady dere That absent was gan synge as ye may here O sterre of whych I lost haue al the light wyth herte sore well ought I to bewayle That euer derke in turment nyght by nyght Towarde my deth w t wynde I stere sayle For whych the tenth nyght yf that I fayle The gydyng of thy beames bryght an houre My shyp and me Carybdes woll deuoure Thys songe wheÌ„ he thus songeÌ„ had soone He fyll ayen into hys syghes olde And euery nyght as was his wont to doone He stode the bryght moone to beholde And all hys sorowe he to the moone tolde And sayd ywys wheÌ„ thou arte horned newe I shall be glad yf all the worlde be trewe I sawe thyne hornes old eke by the morowe when hence rode my ryght lady dere That cause is of my turment and my sorowe For whych O bryght Lucina the clere For loue of God ren fast aboute thy spere For when thyne hornes new gynneÌ„ sprynge Then shall she come y t may my blysse brynge The daye is more and lenger euery night Then they ben woÌ„te to be hym thought tho And that the sonne went hys course vnryght By lenger waye then it was wonte to go And sayd ywys I drede me euer mo The Sonnes sonne Pheton be on lyue And that hys fathers carte amysse he dryue Vpon the walles fast eke wolde he walke And on the grekes hoste he wolde se And to hym selfe ryght thus he wolde talke Lo yonder is myne owne lady free Or els yonder there the tentes be And thence cometh thys ayre that is so soote That in my soule I fele it dothe me boote And hardly thys wynde that more more Thus stoundemele encreaseth in my face Is of my ladyes depe syghes sore I preue it thus for in none other space Of all thys towne saue only in thys place Fele I no winde that sowneth so lyke payne It sayeth alas why twynned be we twayne Thys loÌ„ge tyme he dryueth forth ryght thus Tyll fully passed was the nynth nyght And aye besyde hym was thys Pandarus That besyly dyd all hys full myght Hym to comforte and make hys herte lyght Yeuynge him hope alway y e tenth morowe That she shal comen stynten al his sorowe Vpon that other syde eke was Creseyde wyth women fewe amonge y e grekes stroÌ„ge For whych full ofte a day alas she seyde That I was borne wel may myn herte loÌ„ge After my death for nowe lyue I to longe Alas and I ne maye it not amende For nowe is worse then euer yet I wende My father nyll for nothynge do my grace To gone ayen for ought I can hym queme And yf so be that I my terme pace My Troylus shall in hys herte deme That I am false so it maye well seme Thus shall I haue vnthanke on euery syde That I was borne so welawaye the tyde And yf that I me put in ieopardye To steale awaye by nyght and it be fall That I be caught I shal be holde a spye Or els lo thys drede I moste of all Yf in the handes of some wretche I fall I nam bust loste all bemyn herte trewe Now mighty god thou on my sorowe rewe Full pale ywoxen was her bryght face Her lymmes leane as she that all the daye Stode when she durst loked on the place There she was borne and dwelt had aye And all the nyght wepynge alas she laye And thus dyspayred out of al cure She ladde her lyfe thys wofull creature Full ofte a day she syghed eke for dystresse And in her selfe she went aye purtrayeng Of Troylus the great worthynesse And all hys goodly wordes recordyng Sens fyrst that day her loue begaÌ„ to spryng And thus she sette her wofull herte a fyre Through remembraunce of y t she gan desyre In all thys world there nys so cruel herte That her had herde coÌ„playnen in her sorowe That nold haue wepteÌ„ for her paynes smert So tenderly she wepte both eue morowe Her neded no teeres for to borowe And thys was yet the worst of all her payne There was no wyÈt to whoÌ„ she durst playne Full rewfully she loked vpon Troye Behelde the toures hygh and eke the hallis Alas ê™ she the pleasaunce and the ioye The whych that nowe al turned into gall is Haue I had ofte wythin yonder wallis O Troylus what doest thou nowe she seyde Lord whether thou yet thinke vpoÌ„ Creseyde Alas that I ne had ytrowed on your lore And went wyth you as ye me redde er thys Then had I nowe not syghed halfe so sore who myght haue sayd y t I had done amys To steale awaye wyth suche one as he is But all to late cometh the lectuary when men the corse vnto the graue carye To late is nowe to speke of that matere Prudence alas one of thyne eyen thre Me lacked alwaye er that I came here For on tyme passed well remembred me And present
mightest lyen on good Alceste That was of creatures but men lye That euer weren kyndest and the beste For whan her husbonde was in ieopardye To dye him selfe but yf she wolde dye She chese for him to dye and gon to hell And starfe anon as vs the bokes tell Cassandre gothe and he wyth cruell herte Foryate his wo for angre of her speche And from his bedde all sodaynly he sterte As though al hole hym had ymade a leche And day by day he gan enquire and seche A sothe of this wyth all hys full cure And thus he dryueth forth his auenture Fortune whiche that permutacion Of thynges hath as it is her commytted Through purueyaunce and disposycion Of hygh Ioue as reygnes shall ben flytted Fro folke iÌ„ folk or whaÌ„ they shal ben smytted Gan pull away the fethers bright of Troye Fro day to day tyl they ben bare of ioye Amonge all this the fyne of the ieoperdy Of Hector gan approchen wonder blyue The fate wolde his soule shulde vnbodye And shapen had a meane it out to driue Ayenst whych fate him helpeth nat to stryue But on a day to fyghten gan he wende At whiche alas he caught his lyues ende For which me thynketh euery maner wyght That haunteth armes ought to bewayle The dethe of him that was so noble a knight For as he drough a kyng by thauentayle Vnware of this Achilles through the mayle And through the body gan hym for to ryue And thus y e worthy knight was refte of lyue For whom as olde bookes tellen vs was made such wo y e tonge it may not tell And namely the sorowe of Troylus That next him was of worthynesse the wel And in this wo gan Thoylus to dwell That what for sorow loue and for vnreste Ful ofte a daye he bade his herte breste But nathlesse though he gan him dispayre And dredde aye that his lady was vntrewe Yet aye on her his herte gan repayre and as these louers don he sought aye new To get ayen Creseyde bryght of hewe And in his hert he went her excusyng That Calcas caused al her taryeng And ofte time he was in purpose greate Hym seluen lyke a pylgrym to disgyse To sene her but he may not countrefeate To ben vnknowen of folke that weren wise Ne fynde excuse aryght that may suffyse If he amonge the grekes knowen were For which he wepte ful ofte many a teere There he wrote yet ofte tyme al newe Ful pytously he lefte it not for slouth Besechyng her sens that he was trewe that she wol come ayen holde her trouth For which Creseyde vpon a day for routh I take it so touchynge al thys matere wrote him ayen and sayd as ye may here Cupides sonne ensample of godlyhede O sworde of knighthode sours of geÌ„tilnesse How myght a wight in turment in drede And healelesse you sende as yet gladnesse I hertlesse I sycke I in distresse Sens ye w t me nor I wyth you may deale You neyther sende I herte may nor heale Your letters ful the paper al yplaynted Conceyued hath myne hertes pyte I haue eke sene wyth teares al depaynted Your letter and howe that ye requyren me To come ayen which yet ne may nat be But why leste that this letter fouÌ„den were No mencion ne make I nowe for feere Greuous to me god wote is your vnrest Your haste and that the goddes ordinaunce It semeth not ye take it for the beste Nor other thyng nys in your remembrauÌ„ce As thynketh me but onely your plesaunce But beth nat wroth and that I you beseche For that I tary is al for wycked speche For I haue herde wel more than I wende touchyng vs two how thinges haue ystoÌ„de whych I shal wyth dissimulyng amende and beth not wroth I haue eke vnderstonde Howe ye ne do but holden me in honde But now no force I can not in you gesse But al trouth and al gentylnesse Come I wol but yet in such disioynte I stoÌ„de as nowe y t what yere or what daye That this shal be that can I not apoynte But in effecte I pray you as I maye of your good worde of your frendship aye For trewely whyle that my lyfe may dure As for a frende ye may in me assure Yet praye I you on yuel ye ne take That it is short whych that I to you write I dare not there I am wel letters make Ne neuer yet ne coulde I wel endyte Eke great effecte men write in place lyte Th entent is al and not the letters space And fareth well god haue you in hys grace La vostre C. This Troylus thouÈt this letter al strauÌ„ge whan he it sawe and soroufully he syght Him thought it lyke a kalendes of eschaung But finally he ful ne trowen myght That she ne wolde him holdeÌ„ that she hight For with ful yuel wyl lyst hym to leue y t loueth well in such case though him greue But nathlesse men sayne that at the laste For any thynge men shal the soth se And suche a case betydde and that as faste That Troylus wel vnderstode that she Nas nat so kynde as that her ought be And finally he wote nowe out of doute That al is lost that he hath ben aboute Stode on a day in hys melancolye Thys Troylus and in suspectioun Of her for whom he wende to dye And so befyl that throughout Troy toun As was the gyse yborne was vp and doun A manere cote armure as sayth the storye Beforne Deiphebe in signe of his victorye The whyche cote as telleth Lollius Diephebe it had rent fro Diomede The same daye and whan thys Troylus It sawe he gan to taken of it hede Auysyng of the length and of the brede And al the werke but as he gan beholde Ful sodaynly hys herte gan to colde As he that on the coler fonde wythin A broche that he Creseyde yaue at morowe That she from Troye must nedes twyn In remembraunce of him and of his sorow And she him layde ayen her fayth to borow To kepe it aye but nowe full wel he wyst Hys lady nas no lenger on to tryst He goth hym home and gan ful sone sende For Pandarus and al thys newe chaunce and of this broch he tolde him worde ende Complaynyng of her hertes variaunce His longe loue hys trouth and his penauÌ„ce And after deth without wordes more Ful faste he cryed his reste him to restore Than spake he thus O lady mine Creseyde wher is your sayth where is your behest where is your loue where is your trouth he seyd of diomede haue ye now al this feest Alas I wolde haue trowed at the leest That sens ye nolde in trouth to me stonde That ye thus nolde haue holden me in hoÌ„de who shal nowe trowen on any othes mo Alas I neuer wolde haue wende er thys That ye Creseide coulde haue chaunched so Ne but I had agylte and done amys
Ful of folke of whych ful many one Is wounded sore and sicke and wo begone And they haue at the seige longe ylayne Behynde him came a wynd and eke a raine that shofe so sore hys sayle myght nat stoÌ„de Him were leuer than al the worlde alonde So hunteth hym the tempest to and fro So derke it was he coulde no where go And wyth a waue brusten was hys stere Hys ship was rente so lowe in such manere That carpenter coulde it not amende The see by nyght as any torche brende For woode and posseth hym vp and downe Tyl Neptune hath of him compassioun And Thetis Chorus Tryton and they al And maden hym vp on londe to fal wherof that Phillis lady was and quene Lycurgus doughter fayrer vnto sene Than is the floure agayne the bright sonne Vnneth is Demophon to londe ywonne weake eke wery and hys folke forpyned Of werynesse and also enfamyned And to the deth he was almost ydryuen His wyse folke counsayle haue him yeuen To seken helpe and socour of the quene And loken what hys grace myght bene And maken in that lande some cheuesaunce And kepen hym fro wo and fro mischaunce For sycke he was and almost at the dethe Vnneth myght he speke or drawe brethe And lythe in Rodopeya him for to rest whaÌ„ he may walke hym thouÈt it was best Vnto the countre to seken for socour Men knewe hym well and dyd him honour For at Athenes duke and lorde was he As Theseus hys father hath ybe That in hys tyme was great of renoun No man so great in al hys regioun And lyke hys father of face and of stature And false of loue it came hym of nature As doth the foxe Renarde the foxes sonne Of kynd he coulde his olde fathers wonne wythout lore as can a drake swymme whan it is caught caryed to the brymme this honorable quene phillis doth him chere Her lyketh wel hys sporte and hys manere But I am agroted here beforne To write of hem y t in loue bene forsworne And eke to hast me in my legende which to performe god me grace sende Therfore I passe shortly in thys wyse Ye haue wel herde of Theseus the gyse In the betrayeng of fayre Adriane That of her pyte kept hym fro hys bane At shorte wordes ryght so Demophon The same way the same pathe hath gone That dyd hys false father Theseus For vnto Phillis hath he sworne thus To wedden her and her hys trouth plyght And pyked of her al the good he myght whaÌ„ he was hole sounde and had his rest And doth wyth Phillis what so y t hym lest As wel I coulde yf that me lyst so Tellen al hys doyng to and fro He sayd to hys countrey mote he sayle For there he wolde her weddyng apparayle As fyl to her honoure and hys also And openly he toke hys leaue tho And to her swore he wolde not soiourne But in a moneth agayne he wolde retourne And in that lande let make hys ordynaunce As very lorde and toke the obeysaunce wel and humbly and hys shyppes dyght And home he goth the next way he myght For vnto Philles yet came he nought And that hath she so hard and sore ybought Alas as the storye doth vs recorde She was her owne deth wyth a corde whan she sawe that Demophon her trayed but fyrst wrote she to him fast him prayed He wolde come and delyuer her of payne As I reherce shal a worde or twayne Me lyst nat vouchsafe on hym to swynke Dispenden on hym a penne ful of ynke For false in loue was he ryght as his syre The dyuel sette her soules both on a fyre But of the letter of Phylles wol I write A word or twayne althouÈ it be but lyte Thyn hostesse ê™ she O Demophon Thy Phillis which that is so wo begon Of Rhodopeye vpon you mote complayne Ouer the terme sette betwyxt vs twayne That ye ne holden forwarde as ye sayde Your ancre whych ye in our hauen layde Hyght vs that ye wolde comen out of dout Or that the moone ones went about But tymes foure y e mone hath hyde her face Sens thylke daye ye wente fro thys place And foure tymes lyght the worlde agayne But for all that yet shall I sothly sayne Yet hath the streme of Scython not brought From Athenes the shyp yet came it nought And yf that ye the terme reken wolde As I or other trewe louers do sholde I playne not god wote beforne my day But all her letter wrytten I ne may By order for it were to me a charge Her letter was ryght longe and therto large But here and there in ryme I haue it layde There as me thought that she hath wel sayd She sayd the sayles cometh not agayne Ne to the worde there nys no fey certayne But I wote why ye come not quod she For I was of my loue to you so fre And of the goddes that ye haue swore That her vengeaunce fall on you therfore Ye be not suffysaunt to beare the payne To moche trusted I well may I sayne Vpon your lynage and your fayre tonge And on your teeres falsly out wronge Howe coude ye wepe so by crafte quod she Maye there suche teeres fayned be Nowe certes yf ye wold haue in memorie It ought be to you but lytell glorie Ta haue a sely mayde thus betrayde To god ê™ she pray I and ofte haue prayde That it be nowe the greatest pryce of all And moste honour that euer you shal befall And when thyne olde aunceters paynted be In whych men may her worthynesse se Then praye I god thou paynted be also That folke may reden forth by as they go Lo thys is he that wyth hys flatterye Betrayed hath and done her villanye That was hys trew loue in thought dede But sothly of o poynt yet maye they rede That ye ben lyke your father as in thys For he begyled Ariadne ywys wyth such an arte and suche subtelte As thou thy seluen haste begyled me As in that poynt all though it be not feyre Thou folowest certayne and arte his heyre But sens thus synfulfy ye me begyle My body mote ye sene wythin a whyle Ryght in the hauen of Athenes fletynge wythouten sepulture and buryenge Though ye ben harder then is any stone And wheÌ„ thys letter was forth sent anone And knewe how brotel how false he was She for dyspayre fordyd her selfe alas Such sorowe hath she for she beset her so Beware ye women of your subtyll foe Sens yet thys daye men maye ensample se And trusteth nowe in loue no man but me Here endeth the legende of Phillis and here foloweth the legende of Hipermester IN Grece whylom weren brethren two Of whych that one was called Danao That many a sonne hath of hys body wonne As such fals louers oft coÌ„ Amonge hys sonnes all there was one That aldermoste he loued of euerychone And wheÌ„ this chyld
thought her herte brast a two For in her syght to her he bare him lowe So that she wende haue al his hert yknow But he was false it nas but fayned chere As nedeth not suche craft men to lere But neuerthelesse ful mykel busynesse Had he er that he myght hys lady wynne And swore he wolde dyen for distresse Or from his witte he sayd he wold twynne Alas the whyle for it was routh and synne That she vpon his sorowes wolde rewe But nothinge thinketh the false as doth the trewe Her fredom founde Arcyte in such manere That al was his that she hath much or lite Ne to no creature made she chere Further than it lyked to Arcyte There was no lacke wyth which he myght her wyte She was so ferforth yeuen hym to please That al that lyked him dyd her ease There nas to her no maner letter sent That touched loue from any maner wyght That she ne shewed hym or it was brent So playn she was and dyd her ful myght That she nyl hyde nothyng from her knight Lest he of any vntrouth her vpbreyde wythout bode his herte she obeyed And eke he made hym ialous ouer her That what any man had to her sayde Anone he wolde prayen her to swere what was y e word or make him yuel apayd Thā wende she out of her wytte haue brayd But al was but sleyght and flaterye wythout loue he fayned ielousy And al this toke she so debonairly That al his wyl her though it skylful thing And euer the lenger she loued him tenderly And dyd him honour as he were a kyng Her herte was to him wedded wyth a ryng For so ferforth vpon trouth is her entent That where he goth her hert with him wēt whā she shall eate on hym is so her thought That wel vnneth of meate toke she kepe And whan she was to her rest brought On him she thought alway tyl that she slepe whan he was absent priuely doth she wepe Thus lyueth fayre Annelyda the quene For false Arcyte that dyd her al this tene This false Arcyte of his newfanglenesse For she to him so lowly was and trewe Toke lesse deynte for her stedfastnesse And sawe another lady proude and newe And ryght anone he clad him in her hewe wote I not whether in white reed or grene And falsed fayre Annelyda the quene But neuerthelesse great wōder was it none Though he were false for it is y e kynd of mā Syth lameth was that is so longe agone To be in loue as false as euer he can He was the fyrst father that began To louen two and was in bigamye And he founde tentes fyrst but yf men lye This false Arcyte somwhat must he fayne whan he was false to coueren his traytorye Ryght as an horse y e can both byte playne For he bare her in honde of trecherye And swore he coude her doublenesse espye And al was falsenesse that she to hym ment Thus swort this thefe forthe his waye he went Alas what hert myght endure it For routh or wo her sorowe for to tell Or what man hath the connyng or the wyt Or what mā might within the chābre dwel If I to him rehersen shal the hell That suffreth fayre Annelyda the quene For false Arcyte that dyd al thys tene She wepeth wayleth swouneth pitously To grounde deed she falleth as a stone Crampysheth her lymmes crokedly She speaketh as her wytte were al agone Other colour than ashen hath she none Ne none other word speketh she moch or lite But mercy cruel hert myne Arcyte And this endureth tyl that she was so mate y t she ne hath foote on which she may sustene But forth languyshyng euer in this estate Of which Arcyte hath neyther roth ne tene His herte was els where newe and grene that on her wo ne deyneth him nat to thinke Him recketh neuer whether she flete or sinke Thys newe lady holdeth hym so narowe Vp by the brydel at the staues ende That euery worde he dred it as an arowe Her daunger made him both bowe bende And as her lust made him turne or wende For she ne graunted him in her lyuyng No grace why that he hath to syng But droue hym forth vnneth lyst her knowe That he was seruaunt vnto her ladyshyp But leste he were proude she helde him low Thus serueth he wythout meate or syp She sent him nowe to lande now to shyp And for she yaue him daunger al his fyl Therfore she had him at her owne wyl Ensample of this ye thrifty women all Take hede of Annelyda and false Arcyte That for her lyst him her dere herte call And was so meke therfore he loued her lyte The kynde of mannes herte is to delyte On thyng that straung is also god me saue for what the may not get y t wold they haue Nowe turne we to Annelyda ayen That pyneth day by day in languyshyng But whan she saw that her ne gate no geyn Vpon a day full soroufully wepyng She cast her for to make a complaynyng And wyth her owne hand she gan it write And sent it to her theban knyght Arcyte ¶ The complaynt of Annelyda to false Arcyte SO thyrled wyth y e poynt of remembraunce The swerde of sorowe whet w t false plesaūce Myne hert bare of blysse and blacke of hewe That turned is to quakyng all my daunce My suretie in a waped countenaunce Syns it auayleth nought to ben trewe For who so true is it shal her rewe That serueth loue doth her obseruaunce Alwaye to one and chaungeth for no newe I wote my selfe as wel as any wyght For I loued one w t al myne hert myght More than my selfe an hundred M. syth And called him my hertes lyfe my knyght And was all his as ferre as it was ryght And whā y t he was glad than was I blyth And his disease was my deth as swythe And he ayen his trouth hath me plyght For euermore his lady to me kythe Nowe is he false alas and causelesse And of my wo he is so routhlesse That w t a worde hym lyst not ones dayne To brynge ayen my sorowful hert in pees For he is caught vp in an other lees Ryght as him lyst he laugheth at my payn And I ne can myne hert not restrayne For to loue hym yet alway neuerthelesse And of al this I not to whom to playne And shulde I playne alas the harde stound Vnto my fo that yaue myne hert a wound And yet desyreth that myne harme be more Now certes ferther wol I neuer be founde None other helpe my sores for to sounde My desteny hath shaped so full yore I woll none other medicine ne lore I woll ben aye there I was ones bounde That I haue sayde be sayde for euermore Alas where is become your gentlenesse Your wordes full of pleasaunce humblesse Your obseruaunce in so lowe manere Your awaytyng and your besynesse On
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