1 Whilom, as olde1 stories tellen us, Notes 1-22
2 Ther was a duc2 that highte Theseus;
3 Of Atthenes he was lord and governour,
4 And in his tyme swich a conquerour,
5 That gretter was ther noon under the sonne.
6 Ful many a riche contree hadde he wonne,
7 What with3 his wysdom and his chivalrie;
8 He conquered al the regne of Femenye4,
9 That whilom was ycleped Scithia,
10 And weddede the queene Ypolita,
11 And broghte hir hoom with hym in his contree,
12 With muchel glorie and greet solempnytee5,
13 And eek hir yonge suster Emelye.
14 And thus with victorie and with melodye
15 Lete I this noble duk to Atthenes ryde6,
16 And al his hoost, in armes hym bisyde.
17 And certes, if it nere to long to heere7,
18 I wolde have toold yow fully the manere
19 How8 wonnen was the regne of Femenye
20 By Theseus, and by his chivalrye9,
21 And of the grete bataille for the nones10
22 Bitwixen Atthenes11 and Amazones,
23 And how asseged was Ypolita
24 The faire hardy queene of Scithia,
25 And of the feste that was at hir weddynge,
26 And of the tempest at hir hoom-comynge;
27 But al the thyng I moot as12 now forbere,
28 I have, God woot, a large feeld to ere,
29 And wayke been the oxen in my plough,13
30 The remenant of the tale is long ynough.
31 I wol nat letten eek noon of this route,14
32 Lat every felawe telle his tale aboute,
33 And lat se now15 who shal the soper wynne16;-
34 And ther I lefte, I wol ayeyn bigynne.
35 This duc of whom I make mencioun, Notes 27-70
36 Whan he was come almoost unto the toun,
37 In al his wele and in his mooste pride,
38 He was war, as he caste his eye aside,
39 Where that17 ther kneled in the hye weye
40 A compaignye of ladyes, tweye and tweye18,
41 Ech after oother, clad in clothes blake;
42 But swich a cry and swich a wo they make,
43 That in this world nys creature lyvynge
44 That herde swich another waymentynge!
45 And of this cry they nolde nevere stenten,
46 Til they the reynes of his brydel henten.
47 'What folk been ye, that at myn hom-comynge
48 Perturben so my feste with criynge?
49 Quod Theseus, hav ye so greet envye
50 Of myn honour, that thus compleyne and crye?
51 Or who hath yow mysboden or offended?
52 And telleth me if it may been amended,
53 And why that ye been clothed thus in blak?
54 The eldeste lady of hem alle spak-
55 Whan she hadde swowned with a deedly cheere,
56 That it was routhe for to seen and heere-
57 And seyde, Lord, to whom Fortune hath yeven
58 Victorie, and as a conqueror to lyven,
59 Nat greveth us youre glorie and youre honour,
60 But we biseken mercy and socour.
61 Have mercy on oure wo and oure distresse,
62 Som drope of pitee thurgh thy gentillesse
63 Upon us wrecched wommen lat thou falle;
64 For certes, lord, ther is noon of us alle
65 That she ne hath been a duchesse or a queene.
66 Now be we caytyves, as it is wel seene-
67 Thanked be Fortune, and hir false wheel,
68 That noon estat assureth to be weel.
69 And certes, lord, to abyden youre presence,
70 Heere in the temple of the goddesse Clemence
71 We han ben waitynge al this fourtenyght;
72 Now help us, lord, sith it is in thy myght!
73 I wrecche, which that wepe and waille thus,
74 Was whilom wyf to kyng Cappaneus, Notes 74-146
75 That starf at Thebes, cursed be that day!
76 And alle we that been in this array
77 And maken al this lamentacioun,
78 We losten alle oure housbondes at that toun,
79 Whil that the seege theraboute lay.
80 And yet now the olde Creon, weylaway!
81 That lord is now of Thebes the Citee,
82 Fulfild of ire and of iniquitee,
83 He, for despit and for his tirannye,
84 To do the dede bodyes vileynye,
85 Of alle oure lordes, whiche that been slawe,
86 He hath alle the bodyes on an heep ydrawe,
87 And wol nat suffren hem, by noon assent,
88 Neither to been yburyed nor ybrent,
89 But maketh houndes ete hem in despit.
90 And with that word, withouten moore respit,
91 They fillen gruf, and criden pitously,
92 Have on us wrecched wommen som mercy
93 And lat oure sorwe synken in thyn herte.
94 This gentil duk doun from his courser sterte
95 With herte pitous, whan he herde hem speke;
96 Hym thoughte that his herte wolde breke,
97 Whan he saugh hem so pitous and so maat,
98 That whilom weren of so greet estaat.
99 And in his armes he hem alle up hente,
100 And hem conforteth in ful good entente,
101 And swoor his ooth, as he was trewe knyght,
102 He wolde doon so ferforthyl his myght
103 Upon the tiraunt Creon hem to wreke,
104 That all the peple of Grece sholde speke
105 How Creon was of Theseus yserved,
106 As he that hadde his deeth ful wel deserved.
107 And right anoon, withouten moore abood,
108 His baner he desplayeth, and forth rood
109 To Thebesward, and al his hoost biside,
110 No neer Atthenes wolde he go ne ride,
111 Ne take his ese fully half a day,
112 But onward on his wey that nyght he lay-
113 And sente anon Ypolita the queene,
114 And Emelye, hir yonge suster sheene,
115 Unto the toun of Atthenes to dwelle-
116 And forth he rit; ther is namoore to telle.
117 The rede statue of Mars, with spere and targe,
118 So shyneth, in his white baner large,
119 That alle the feeldes gliteren up and doun,
120 And by his baner born is his penoun
121 Of gold ful riche, in which ther was ybete
122 The Mynotaur which that he slough in Crete.
123 Thus rit this duc, thus rit this conquerour,
124 And in his hoost of chivalrie the flour,
125 Til that he cam to Thebes, and alighte
126 Faire in a feeld, ther as he thoughte fighte.
127 But shortly for to speken of this thyng,
128 With Creon, which that was of Thebes kyng,
129 He faught, and slough hym manly as a knyght
130 In pleyn bataille, and putte the folk to flyght,
131 And by assaut he wan the citee after,
132 And rente adoun bothe wall, and sparre, and rafter.
133 And to the ladyes he restored agayn
134 The bones of hir housbondes that weren slayn,
135 To doon obsequies as was tho the gyse.
136 But it were al to longe for to devyse
137 The grete clamour and the waymentynge
138 That the ladyes made at the brennynge
139 Of the bodies, and the grete honour
140 That Theseus, the noble conquerour,
141 Dooth to the ladyes, whan they from hym wente;
142 But shortly for to telle is myn entente.
143 Whan that his worthy duc, this Theseus,
144 Hath Creon slayn, and wonne Thebes thus,
145 Stille in that feeld he took al nyght his reste
146 And dide with al the contree as hym leste.
147 To ransake in the taas of bodyes dede,
148 Hem for to strepe of harneys and of wede,
149 The pilours diden bisynesse and cure, Notes 149-216
150 After the bataille and disconfiture;
151 And so bifel, that in the taas they founde
152 Thurgh-girt with many a grevous blody wounde,
153 Two yonge knyghtes liggynge by and by,
154 Bothe in oon armes wroght ful richely,
155 Of whiche two Arcita highte that oon,
156 And that oother knyght highte Palamon.
157 Nat fully quyke, ne fully dede they were,
158 But by here cote-armures, and by hir gere,
159 The heraudes knewe hem best, in special,
160 As they that weren of the blood roial
161 Of Thebes, and of sustren two yborn.
162 Out of the taas the pilours han hem torn,
163 And had hem caried softe unto the tente
164 Of Theseus, and he ful soone hem sente
165 To Atthenes to dwellen in prisoun
166 Perpetuelly, he nolde no raunsoun.
167 And whan this worthy due hath thus ydon,
168 He took his hoost, and hoom he rood anon,
169 With laurer crowned, as a conquerour,
170 And ther he lyveth in joye and in honour
171 Terme of his lyve, what nedeth wordes mo?
172 And in a tour, in angwissh and in wo,
173 Dwellen this Palamon and eek Arcite
174 For evermoore, ther may no gold hem quite.
175 This passeth yeer by yeer, and day by day,
176 Till it fil ones, in a morwe of May,
177 That Emelye, that fairer was to sene
178 Than is the lylie upon his stalke grene,
179 And fressher than the May with floures newe-
180 For with the rose colour stroof hir hewe,
181 I noot which was the fairer of hem two-
182 Er it were day, as was hir wone to do,
183 She was arisen, and al redy dight-
184 For May wole have no slogardrie a-nyght;
185 The sesoun priketh every gentil herte,
186 And maketh hym out of his slepe to sterte,
187 And seith, `arys and do thyn observaunce,'
188 This maked Emelye have remembraunce
189 To doon honour to May, and for to ryse.
190 Yclothed was she fressh, for to devyse:
191 Hir yelow heer was broyded in a tresse,
192 Bihynde hir bak, a yerde long, I gesse,
193 And in the gardyn, at the sonne upriste,
194 She walketh up and doun, and as hir liste
195 She gadereth floures, party white and rede,
196 To make a subtil gerland for hir hede,
197 And as an aungel hevenysshly she soong.
198 The grete tour, that was so thikke and stroong,
199 Which of the castel was the chief dongeoun,
200 Ther as the knyghtes weren in prisoun,
201 Of whiche I tolde yow, and tellen shal,
202 Was evene joynant to the gardyn wal
203 Ther as this Emelye hadde hir pleyynge.
204 Bright was the sonne, and cleer that morwenynge,
205 And Palamoun, this woful prisoner,
206 As was his wone, by leve of his gayler,
207 Was risen, and romed in a chambre on heigh,
208 In which he al the noble citee seigh,
209 And eek the gardyn, ful of braunches grene,
210 Ther as this fresshe Emelye the shene
211 Was in hire walk, and romed up and doun.
212 This sorweful prisoner, this Palamoun,
213 Goth in the chambre romynge to and fro,
214 And to hym-self compleynynge of his wo.
215 That he was born, ful ofte he seyde, `allas!'
216 And so bifel, by aventure or cas,
217 That thurgh a wyndow, thikke of many a barre
218 Of iren greet, and square as any sparre, Notes 217-252
219 He cast his eye upon Emelya,
220 And therwithal he bleynte, and cryede A!
221 As though he stongen were unto the herte.
222 And with that cry Arcite anon upsterte
223 And seyde, Cosyn myn, what eyleth thee,
224 That art so pale and deedly on to see?
225 Why cridestow? who hath thee doon offence?
226 For Goddess love, taak al in pacience
227 Oure prisoun, for it may noon oother be;
228 Fortune hath yeven us this adversitee.
229 Som wikke aspect or disposicioun
230 Of Saturne by sum constellacioun
231 Hath yeven us this, al though we hadde it sworn.
232 So stood the hevene, whan that we were born.
233 We moste endure it, this the short and playn.
234 This Palamon answerde and seyde agayn,
235 Cosyn, for sothe, of this opinioun
236 Thow hast a veyn ymaginacioun.
237 This prison caused me nat for to crye,
238 But I was hurt right now thurgh-out myn eye
239 Into myn herte, that wol my bane be.
240 The fairnesse of that lady, that I see
241 Yond in the gardyn romen to and fro,
242 Is cause of al my criyng and my wo.
243 I noot wher she be womman or goddesse,
244 But Venus is it, soothly as I gesse.
245 And therwithal, on knees doun he fil,
246 And seyde, Venus, if it be thy wil,
247 Yow in this gardyn thus to transfigure
248 Bifore me, sorweful wrecche creature,
249 Out of this prisoun helpe that we may scapen!
250 And if so be my destynee be shapen
251 By eterne word to dyen in prisoun,
252 Of oure lynage have som compassioun,
253 That is so lowe ybroght by tirannye.
254 And with that word Arcite gan espye
255 Wher-as this lady romed to and fro,
256 And with that sighte hir beautee hurte hym so,
257 That if that Palamon was wounded sore,
258 Arcite is hurt as moche as he, or moore.
259 And with a sigh he seyde pitously,
260 The fresshe beautee sleeth me sodeynly
261 Of hir, that rometh in the yonder place!
262 And but I have hir mercy and hir grace
263 That I may seen hir atte leeste weye, Notes 262-306
264 I nam but deed, ther is namoore to seye.
265 This Palamon, whan he tho wordes herde,
266 Dispitously he looked and answerde,
267 Wheither seistow this in ernest or in pley?
268 Nay, quod Arcite, in ernest by my fey,
269 God helpe me so, me list ful yvele pleye.
270 This Palamon gan knytte his browes tweye;
271 It nere, quod he, to thee no greet honour
272 For to be fals, ne for to be traitour
273 To me, that am thy cosyn and thy brother,
274 Ysworn ful depe, and ech of us til oother,
275 That nevere for to dyen in the peyne,
276 Til that the deeth departe shal us tweyne,
277 Neither of us in love to hyndre other,
278 Ne in noon oother cas, my leeve brother,
279 But that thou sholdest trewely forthren me
280 In every cas, as I shal forthren thee--
281 This was thyn ooth, and myn also certeyn,
282 I woot right wel thou darst it nat withseyn.
283 Thus artow of my conseil, out of doute;
284 And now thou woldest falsly been aboute
285 To love my lady, whom I love and serve
286 And evere shal, til that myn herte sterve.
287 Nay, certes, false Arcite, thow shalt nat so!
288 I loved hir first, and tolde thee my wo
289 As to my conseil, and to my brother sworn,
290 To forthre me as I have toold biforn,
291 For which thou art ybounden as a knyght
292 To helpen me, if it lay in thy myght,
293 Or elles artow fals, I dar wel seyn.
294 This Arcite ful proudly spak ageyn,
295 Thow shalt, quod he, be rather fals than I.
296 But thou art fals, I telle thee outrely,
297 For paramour I loved hir first er thow.
298 What, wiltow seyn thou wistest nat yet now
299 Wheither she be a womman or goddesse?
300 Thyn is affeccioun of hoolynesse,
301 And myn is love as to a creature;
302 For which I tolde thee myn aventure
303 As to my cosyn and my brother sworn.
304 I pose, that thow lovedest hir biforn;
305 Wostow nat wel the olde clerkes sawe
306 That `who shal yeve a lovere any lawe?'
307 Love is a gretter lawe, by my pan,
308 Than may be yeve of any erthely man.
309 And therfore positif lawe and swich decree
310 Is broken al day for love in ech degree. Notes 309-368
311 A man moot nedes love, maugree his heed,
312 He may nat fleen it, thogh he sholde be deed,
313 Al be she mayde, or wydwe, or elles wyf.
314 And eek it is nat likly, al thy lyf,
315 To stonden in hir grace, namoore shal I,
316 For wel thou woost thyselven, verraily,
317 That thou and I be dampned to prisoun
318 Perpetuelly, us gayneth no raunsoun.
319 We stryven as dide the houndes for the boon,
320 They foughte al day, and yet hir part was noon.
321 Ther cam a kyte, whil they weren so wrothe,
322 And baar awey the boon bitwixe hem bothe.
323 And therfore at the kynges court, my brother,
324 Ech man for hymself, ther is noon oother.
325 Love if thee list, for I love, and ay shal;
326 And soothly, leeve brother, this is al.
327 Heere in this prisoun moote we endure,
328 And everich of us take his aventure.
329 Greet was the strif and long bitwix hem tweye,
330 If that I hadde leyser for to seye-
331 But to theffect; it happed on a day,
332 To telle it yow as shortly as I may,
333 A worthy duc, that highte Perotheus,
334 That felawe was unto duc Theseus
335 Syn thilke day that they were children lite,
336 Was come to Atthenes his felawe to visite,
337 And for to pleye as he was wont to do-
338 For in this world he loved no man so,
339 And he loved hym als tendrely agayn.
340 So wel they lovede, as olde bookes sayn,
341 That whan that oon was deed, soothly to telle,
342 His felawe wente and soughte hym doun in helle.
343 But of that storie list me nat to write;
344 Duc Perotheus loved wel Arcite,
345 And hadde hym knowe at Thebes yeer by yere,
346 And finally, at requeste and preyere
347 Of Perotheus, withouten any raunsoun
348 Duc Theseus hym leet out of prisoun
349 Frely to goon, wher that hym liste overal,
350 In swich a gyse as I you tellen shal.
351 This was the forward, pleynly for t'endite,
352 Bitwixen Theseus and hym Arcite,
353 That if so were that Arcite were yfounde
354 Evere in his lif, by day or nyght or stounde,
355 In any contree of this Theseus,
356 And he were caught, it was acorded thus,
357 That with a swerd he sholde lese his heed;
358 Ther nas noon oother remedie ne reed,
359 But taketh his leve and homward he him spedde;
360 Lat hym be war, his nekke lith to wedde!
361 How greet a sorwe suffreth now Arcite!
362 The deeth he feeleth thurgh his herte smyte,
363 He wepeth, wayleth, crieth pitously,
364 To sleen hymself he waiteth prively.
365 He seyde, Allas, that day that he was born!
366 Now is my prisoun worse than biforn;
367 Now is me shape eternally to dwelle
368 Nat in purgatorie but in helle.
369 Allas, that evere knew I Perotheus!
370 For elles hadde I dwelled with Theseus,
371 Yfetered in his prisoun evermo;
372 Thanne hadde I been in blisse, and nat in wo.
373 Oonly the sighte of hire whom that I serve,
374 Though that I nevere hir grace may deserve,
375 Wolde han suffised right ynough for me.
376 O deere cosyn Palamon, quod he,
377 Thyn is the victorie of this aventure.
378 Ful blisfully in prison maistow dure.-
379 In prisoun? certes, nay, but in Paradys! Notes 378-455
380 Wel hath Fortune yturned thee the dys,
381 That hast the sighte of hir, and I th'absence;
382 For possible is, syn thou hast hir presence,
383 And art a knyght, a worthy and an able,
384 That by som cas, syn Fortune is chaungeable,
385 Thow maist to thy desir som tyme atteyne.
386 But I, that am exiled and bareyne
387 Of alle grace, and in so greet dispeir
388 That ther nys erthe, water, fir, ne eir,
389 Ne creature, that of hem maked is,
390 That may me heelp, or doon confort in this,
391 Wel oughte I sterve in wanhope and distresse,
392 Farwel, my lif, my lust, and my galdnesse!
393 Allas, why pleynen folk so in commune
394 On purveyaunce of God or of Fortune,
395 That yeveth hem ful ofte in many a gyse
396 Wel bettre than they kan hem-self devyse?
397 Som man desireth for to han richesse,
398 That cause is of his moerdre of greet siknesse.
399 And som man wolde out of his prisoun fayn,
400 That in his hous is of his meynee slayn.
401 Infinite harmes been in this mateere,
402 We witen nat what thing we preyen here.
403 We faren as he that dronke is as a mous;
404 A dronke man woot wel he hath an hous,
405 But he noot which the righte wey is thider,
406 And to a dronke man the wey is slider.
407 And certes, in this world so faren we;
408 We seken faste after felicitee,
409 But we goon wrong ful often trewely.
410 Thus may we seyen alle, and namely I,
411 That wende and hadde a greet opinioun
412 That if I myghte escapen from prisoun,
413 Thanne hadde I been in joye and perfit heele,
414 Ther now I am exiled fro my wele.
415 Syn that I may nat seen you, Emelye,
416 I nam but deed, ther nys no remedye.
417 Upon that oother syde, Palamon,
418 Whan that he wiste Arcite was agon,
419 Swich sorwe he maketh, that the grete tour
420 Resouneth of his youlyng and clamour.
421 The pure fettres on his shynes grete
422 Weren of his bittre salte teeres wete.
423 Allas, quod he, Arcite, cosyn myn!
424 Of al oure strif, God woot, the fruyt is thyn.
425 Thow walkest now in Thebes at thy large,
426 And of my wo thow yevest litel charge.
427 Thou mayst, syn thou hast wysdom and manhede,
428 Assemblen alle the folk of oure kynrede,
429 And make a werre so sharp on this citee,
430 That by som aventure, or som tretee,
431 Thow mayst have hir to lady and to wyf,
432 For whom that I moste nedes lese my lyf.
433 For as by wey of possibilitee,
434 Sith thou art at thy large of prisoun free,
435 And art a lord, greet is thyn avauntage
436 Moore than is myn, that sterve here in a cage.
437 For I moot wepe and wayle, whil I lyve,
438 With al the wo that prison may me yeve,
439 And eek with peyne that love me yeveth also,
440 That doubleth al my torment and my wo.
441 Therwith the fyr of jalousie up-sterte
442 Withinne his brest, and hente him by the herte
443 So woodly, that he lyk was to biholde
444 The boxtree, or the asshen dede and colde.
445 Thanne seyde he, O cruel goddes, that governe
446 This world with byndyng of youre word eterne,
447 And writen in the table of atthamaunt
448 Youre parlement and youre eterne graunt,
449 What is mankynde moore unto you holde
450 Than is the sheep that rouketh in the folde?
451 For slayn is man right as another beeste,
452 And dwelleth eek in prison and arreeste,
453 And hath siknesse, and greet adversitee,
454 And ofte tymes giltelees, pardee!
455 What governance is in this prescience
456 That giltelees tormenteth innocence?
457 And yet encresseth this al my penaunce,
458 That man is bounden to his observaunce,
459 For Goddes sake, to letten of his wille, Notes 457-497
460 Ther as a beest may al his lust fulfille.
461 And whan a beest is deed, he hath no peyne,
462 But man after his deeth moot wepe and pleyne,
463 Though in this world he have care and wo.
464 Withouten doute it may stonden so.
465 The answere of this lete I to dyvynys,
466 But well I woot, that in this world greet pyne ys.
467 Allas, I se a serpent or a theef,
468 That many a trewe man hath doon mescheef,
469 Goon at his large, and where hym list may turne!
470 But I moot been in prisoun thurgh Saturne,
471 And eek thurgh Juno, jalous and eek wood,
472 That hath destroyed wel ny al the blood
473 Of Thebes, with hise waste walles wyde.
474 And Venus sleeth me on that oother syde
475 For jalousie and fere of hym Arcite.
476 Now wol I stynte of Palamon a lite,
477 And lete hym in his prisoun stille dwelle,
478 And of Arcita forth I wol yow telle.
479 The somer passeth, and the nyghtes longe
480 Encressen double wise the peynes stronge
481 Bothe of the lovere and the prisoner;
482 I noot which hath the wofuller mester.
483 For shortly for to seyn, this Palamoun
484 Perpetuelly is dampned to prisoun
485 In cheynes and in fettres to been deed,
486 And Arcite is exiled upon his heed
487 For evere mo as out of that contree,
488 Ne nevere mo he shal his lady see.
489 Yow loveres axe I now this questioun,
490 Who hath the worse, Arcite or Palamoun?
491 That oon may seen his lady day by day,
492 But in prison he moot dwelle alway;
493 That oother wher hym list may ride or go,
494 But seen his lady shal he nevere mo.
495 Now demeth as yow liste ye that kan,
496 For I wol telle forth, as I bigan.
Part II
497 Whan that Arcite to Thebes comen was, Lines
498 Ful ofte a day he swelte and seyde `allas,'
499 For seen his lady shal he nevere mo;
500 And shortly to concluden al his wo, Notes 503-534
501 So muche sorwe hadde nevere creature,
502 That is, or shal whil that the world may dure.
503 His sleep, his mete, his drynke is hym biraft,
504 That lene he wex and drye as is a shaft.
505 Hise eyen holwe and grisly to biholde,
506 His hewe falow and pale as asshen colde;
507 And solitarie he was and evere allone
508 And waillynge al the nyght, makynge his mone.
509 And if he herde song or instrument,
510 Thanne wolde he wepe, he myghte nat be stent.
511 So feble eek were hise spiritz, and so lowe,
512 And chaunged so, that no man koude knowe
513 His speche nor his voys, though men it herde.
514 And in his geere for al the world he ferde
515 Nat oonly lik the loveris maladye
516 Of Hereos, but rather lyk manye
517 Engendred of humour malencolik
518 Biforen in his celle fantastik,
519 And shortly turned was al up-so-doun
520 Bothe habit and eek disposicioun
521 Of hym, this woful lovere daun Arcite.
522 What sholde I al day of his wo endite?
523 Whan he endured hadde a yeer or two
524 This crueel torment, and this peyne and woo,
525 At Thebes in his contree, as I seyde,
526 Upon a nyght in sleep as he hym leyde,
527 Hym thoughte how that the wynged god Mercurie
528 Biforn hym stood, and bad hym to be murie.
529 His slepy yerde in hond he bar uprighte,
530 An hat he werede upon hise heris brighte.
531 Arrayed was this god, as he took keep,
532 As he was whan that Argus took his sleep;
533 And seyde hym thus, To Atthenes shaltou wende,
534 Ther is thee shapen of thy wo an ende. Notes 536-603
535 And with that word Arcite wook and sterte.
536 Now trewely, how soore that me smerte,
537 Quod he, to Atthenes right now wol I fare,
538 Ne for the drede of deeth shal I nat spare
539 To se my lady that I love and serve,
540 In hir presence I recche nat to sterve.
541 And with that word he caughte a greet mirour,
542 And saugh that chaunged was al his colour,
543 And saugh his visage al in another kynde.
544 And right anon it ran hym in his mynde,
545 That sith his face was so disfigured
546 Of maladye, the which he hadde endured,
547 He myghte wel, if that he bar hym lowe,
548 Lyve in Atthenes, everemoore unknowe,
549 And seen his lady wel ny day by day.
550 And right anon he chaunged his array,
551 And cladde hym as a povre laborer,
552 And al allone, save oonly a squier
553 That knew his privetee and al his cas,
554 Which was disgised povrely, as he was,
555 To Atthenes is he goon, the nexte way.
556 And to the court he wente, upon a day,
557 And at the gate he profreth his servyse,
558 To drugge and drawe, what so men wol devyse.
559 And shortly of this matere for to seyn,
560 He fil in office with a chamberleyn,
561 The which that dwellynge was with Emelye,
562 For he was wys and koude soone espye
563 Of every servant which that serveth here.
564 Wel koude he hewen wode, and water bere,
565 For he was yong and myghty for the nones,
566 And therto he was strong and big of bones
567 To doon that any wight kan hym devyse.
568 A yeer or two he was in this servyse
569 Page of the chambre of Emelye the brighte;
570 And Philostrate he seyde that he highte.
571 But half so wel biloved a man as he
572 Ne was ther nevere in court, of his degree;
573 He was so gentil of condicioun
574 That thurghout al the court was his renoun.
575 They seyden, that it were a charitee,
576 That Theseus wolde enhaunsen his degree,
577 And putten hym in worshipful servyse
578 Ther as he myghte his vertu exercise.
579 And thus withinne a while his name is spronge
580 Bothe of hise dedes and his goode tonge,
581 That Theseus hath taken hym so neer
582 That of his chambre he made hym a Squier,
583 And gaf hym gold to mayntene his degree.
584 And eek men broghte hym out of his contree
585 From yeer to yeer, ful pryvely, his rente.
586 But honestly and slyly he it spente,
587 That no man wondred how that he it hadde.
588 And thre yeer in this wise his lif he ladde,
589 And bar hym so in pees, and eek ibn werre,
590 Ther was no man that Theseus hath derre.
591 And in this blisse lete I now Arcite,
592 And speke I wole of Palamon a lite.
593 In derknesse and horrible and strong prisoun
594 Thise seven yeer hath seten Palamoun,
595 Forpyned, what for wo and for distresse.
596 Who feeleth double soor and hevynesse
597 But Palamon, that love destreyneth so,
598 That wood out of his wit he goth for wo?
599 And eek therto he is a prisoner,
600 Perpetuelly, noght oonly for a yer.
601 Who koude ryme in Englyssh proprely
602 His martirdom? Forsothe it am nat I, Notes 604-663
603 Therfore I passe as lightly as I may.
604 It fel that in the seventhe yer, in May,
605 The thridde nyght, as olde bookes seyn,
606 That al this storie tellen moore pleyn,
607 Were it by aventure or destynee-
608 As, whan a thyng is shapen, it shal be-
609 That soone after the mydnyght, Palamoun
610 By helpyng of a freend, brak his prisoun
611 And fleeth the citee faste as he may go;
612 For he hade yeve his gayler drynke so
613 Of a clarree maad of a certeyn wyn,
614 With nercotikes and opie of Thebes fyn,
615 That al that nyght, thogh that men wolde him shake,
616 The gayler sleep, he myghte nat awake.
617 And thus he fleeth as faste as evere he may;
618 The nyght was short and faste by the day,
619 That nedes-cost he moot hymselven hyde;
620 And til a grove, faste ther bisyde,
621 With dredeful foot thanne stalketh Palamoun.
622 For shortly this was his opinioun,
623 That in that grove he wolde hym hyde al day,
624 And in the nyght thanne wolde he take his way
625 To Thebesward, his freendes for to preye
626 On Theseus to helpe hym to werreye;
627 And shortly, outher he wolde lese his lif,
628 Or wynnen Emelye unto his wyf;
629 This is theffect and his entente pleyn.
630 Now wol I turne to Arcite ageyn,
631 That litel wiste how ny that was his care
632 Til that Fortune had broght him in the snare.
633 The bisy larke, messager of day,
634 Salueth in hir song the morwe gray,
635 And firy Phebus riseth up so brighte
636 That al the orient laugheth of the lighte,
637 And with hise stremes dryeth in the greves
638 The silver dropes hangynge on the leves;
639 And Arcita, that is in the court roial
640 With Theseus, his squier principal,
641 Is risen, and looketh on the myrie day.
642 And for to doon his observaunce ot May,
643 Remembrynge on the poynt of his desir
644 He on a courser startlynge as the fir
645 Is riden into the feeldes, hym to pleye,
646 Out of the court, were it a myle or tweye.
647 And to the grove of which that I yow tolde
648 By aventure his wey he gan to holde,
649 To maken hym a gerland of the greves,
650 Were it of wodebynde or hawethorn-leves.
651 And loude he song ayeyn the sonne shene,
652 May, with alle thy floures and thy grene,
653 Welcome be thou, faire fresshe May,
654 In hope that I som grene gete may.
655 And from his courser, with a lusty herte,
656 Into a grove ful hastily he sterte,
657 And in a path he rometh up and doun
658 Ther as by aventure this Palamoun
659 Was in a bussh, that no man myghte hym se;
660 For soore afered of his deeth was he.
661 No thyng ne knew he that it was Arcite,
662 God woot, he wolde have trowed it ful lite!
663 But sooth is seyd, gon sithen many yeres,
664 That feeld hath eyen and the wode hath eres.
665 It is ful fair a man to bere hym evene, Notes 663-688
666 For al day meeteth men at unset stevene.
667 Ful litel woot Arcite of his felawe,
668 That was so ny to herknen al his sawe,
669 For in the bussh he sitteth now ful stille.
670 Whan that Arcite hadde romed al his fille
671 And songen al the roundel lustily,
672 Into a studie he fil al sodeynly,
673 As doon thise loveres in hir queynte geres,
674 Now in the croppe, now doun in the breres,
675 Now up, now doun as boket in a welle.
676 Right as the Friday, soothly for to telle,
677 Now it shyneth, now it reyneth faste,
678 Right so kan geery Venus overcaste
679 The hertes of hir folk; right as hir day
680 Is gereful, right so chaungeth she array.
681 Selde is the Friday al the wowke ylike.
682 Whan that Arcite had songe, he gan to sike,
683 And sette hym doun withouten any moore;
684 Allas, quod he, that day that I was bore!
685 How longe, Juno, thurgh thy crueltee
686 Woltow werreyen Thebes the Citee?
687 Allas, ybroght is to confusioun
688 The blood roial of Cadme and Amphioun!
689 Of Cadmus, which that was the firste man
690 That Thebes bulte, or first the toun bigan,
691 And of the citee first was crouned kyng,
692 Of his lynage am I, and his ofspryng,
693 By verray ligne, as of the stok roial,
694 And now I am so caytyf and so thral
695 That he that is my mortal enemy
696 I serve hym as his squier povrely.
697 And yet dooth Juno me wel moore shame,
698 For I dar noght biknowe myn owene name,
699 But theras I was wont to highte Arcite,
700 Now highte I Philostrate, noght worth a myte.
701 Allas, thou felle Mars! allas, Juno!
702 Thus hath youre ire oure kynrede al fordo,
703 Save oonly me, and wrecched Palamoun
704 That Theseus martireth in prisoun.
705 And over al this, to sleen me outrely,
706 Love hath his firy dart so brennyngly Notes 708-791
707 Ystiked thurgh my trewe careful herte,
708 That shapen was my deeth erst than my sherte.
709 Ye sleen me with youre eyen, Emelye,
710 Ye been the cause wherfore that I dye.
711 Of al the remenant of myn oother care
712 Ne sette I nat the montance of a tare,
713 So that I koude doon aught to youre plesaunce.
714 And with that word he fil doun in a traunce
715 A longe tyme, and after he upsterte.
716 This Palamoun, that thoughte that thurgh his herte
717 He felte a coold swerd sodeynliche glyde,
718 For ire he quook, no lenger wolde he byde.
719 And whan that he had herd Arcites tale,
720 As he were wood, with face deed and pale,
721 He stirte hym up out of the buskes thikke,
722 And seide, Arcite, false traytour wikke!
723 Now artow hent that lovest my lady so,
724 For whom that I have al this peyne and wo,
725 And art my blood, and to my conseil sworn,
726 As I ful ofte have seyd thee heer-biforn,
727 And hast byjaped heere duc Theseus,
728 And falsly chaunged hast thy name thus.
729 I wol be deed, or elles thou shalt dye;
730 Thou shalt nat love my lady Emelye,
731 But I wol love hire oonly, and namo,
732 For I am Palamon, thy mortal foo!
733 And though that I no wepene have in this place,
734 But out of prison am astert by grace,
735 I drede noght that outher thow shalt dye,
736 Or thow ne shalt nat loven Emelye.
737 Chees which thou wolt, for thou shalt nat asterte!
738 This Arcite, with ful despitous herte,
739 Whan he hym knew, and hadde his tale herd,
740 As fiers as leoun pulled out his swerd,
741 And seyde thus: By God that sit above,
742 Nere it that thou art sik and wood for love,
743 And eek that thow no wepne hast in this place,
744 Thou sholdest nevere out of this grove pace,
745 That thou ne sholdest dyen of myn hond.
746 For I defye the seurete and the bond
747 Which that thou seist that I have maad to thee.
748 What, verray fool, thynk wel that love is free!
749 And I wol love hir, maugree al thy myght!
750 But for as muche thou art a worthy knyght,
751 And wilnest to darreyne hire by bataille,
752 Have heer my trouthe; tomorwe I wol nat faille
753 Withoute wityng of any oother wight
754 That heere I wol be founden as a knyght,
755 And bryngen harneys right ynough for thee,
756 And chese the beste, and leve the worste for me.
757 And mete and drynke this nyght wol I brynge
758 Ynough for thee, and clothes for thy beddynge;
759 And if so be that thou my lady wynne,
760 And sle me in this wode ther I am inne,
761 Thow mayst wel have thy lady as for me.
762 This Palamon answerde, I graunte it thee.
763 And thus they been departed til amorwe,
764 Whan ech of hem had leyd his feith to borwe.
765 O Cupide, out of alle charitee!
766 O regne, that wolt no felawe have with thee!
767 Ful sooth is seyd that love ne lordshipe
768 Wol noght, hir thankes, have no felaweshipe.
769 Wel fynden that Arcite and Palamoun:
770 Arcite is riden anon unto the toun,
771 And on the morwe, er it were dayes light,
772 Ful prively two harneys hath he dight,
773 Bothe suffisaunt and mete to darreyne
774 The bataille in the feeld bitwix hem tweyne.
775 And on his hors, allone as he was born,
776 He carieth al this harneys hym biforn,
777 And in the grove, at tyme and place yset,
778 This Arcite and this Palamon ben met.
779 Tho chaungen gan the colour in hir face
780 Right as the hunters in the regne of Trace,
781 That stondeth at the gappe with a spere,
782 Whan hunted is the leoun and the bere,
783 And hereth hym come russhyng in the greves,
784 And breketh bothe bowes and the leves,
785 And thynketh, Heere cometh my mortal enemy,
786 Withoute faille he moot be deed or I,
787 For outher I moot sleen hym at the gappe,
788 Or he moot sleen me, if that me myshappe-
789 So ferden they in chaungyng of hir hewe,
790 As fer as everich of hem oother knewe.
791 Ther nas no good day ne no saluyng, Notes 792-853
792 But streight withouten word or rehersyng
793 Everich of hem heelp for to armen oother,
794 As freendly as he were his owene brother.
795 And after that with sharpe speres stronge
796 They foynen ech at oother wonder longe.
797 Thou myghtest wene that this Palamoun
798 In his fightyng were a wood leoun,
799 And as a crueel tigre was Arcite.
800 As wilde bores gonne they to smyte,
801 That frothen white as foom for ire wood.
802 Up to the ancle foghte they in hir blood;
803 And in this wise I lete hem fightyng dwelle,
804 And forth I wole of Theseus yow telle.
805 The destinee, ministre general,
806 That executeth in the world overal
807 The purveiaunce that God hath seyn biforn,
808 So strong it is, that though the world had sworn
809 The contrarie of a thyng, by ye or nay,
810 Yet somtyme it shal fallen on a day
811 That falleth nat eft withinne a thousand yeere.
812 For certeinly, oure appetites heere,
813 Be it of werre, or pees, or hate, or love,
814 Al is this reuled by the sighte above.
815 This mene I now by myghty Theseus,
816 That for to hunten is so desirus
817 And namely at the grete hert in May,
818 That in his bed ther daweth hym no day
819 That he nys clad, and redy for to ryde
820 With hunte and horn, and houndes hym bisyde.
821 For in his huntyng hath he swich delit
822 That it is al his joye and appetit
823 To been hymself the grete hertes bane-
824 For after Mars he serveth now Dyane.
825 Cleer was the day, as I have toold er this,
826 And Theseus, with alle joye and blis,
827 With his Ypolita, the faire quene,
828 And Emelye, clothed al in grene,
829 On huntyng be they riden roially,
830 And to the grove, that stood ful faste by,
831 In which ther was an hert, as men hym tolde,
832 Duc Theseus the streighte wey hath holde,
833 And to the launde he rideth hym ful right,
834 For thider was the hert wont have his flight,
835 And over a brook, and so forth in his weye.
836 This duc wol han a cours at hym, or tweye,
837 With houndes swiche as that hym list comaunde.
838 And whan this duc was come unto the launde,
839 Under the sonne he looketh, and anon
840 He was war of Arcite and Palamon,
841 That foughten breme, as it were bores two;
842 The brighte swerdes wenten to and fro
843 So hidously, that with the leeste strook
844 It semed as it wolde felle an ook;
845 But what they were, nothyng he ne woot.
846 This duc his courser with his spores smoot,
847 And at a stert he was bitwix hem two,
848 And pulled out a swerd, and cride, Hoo!
849 Namoore, up peyne of lesynge of youre heed!
850 By myghty Mars, he shal anon be deed
851 That smyteth any strook, that I may seen!
852 But telleth me what myster men ye been,
853 That been so hardy for to fighten heere
854 Withouten juge or oother officere,
855 As it were in a lystes roially?
856 This Palamon answerde hastily,
857 And seyde, Sire, what nedeth wordes mo?
858 We have the deeth disserved, bothe two.
859 Two woful wrecches been we, two caytyves,
860 That been encombred of oure owene lyves,
861 And as thou art a fightful lord and juge,
862 Ne yeve us neither mercy ne refuge,
863 But sle me first for seinte charitee;
864 But sle my felawe eek as wel as me- Notes 860-943
865 Or sle hym first, for, though thow knowest it lite,
866 This is thy mortal foo, this is Arcite,
867 That fro thy lond is banysshed on his heed,
868 For which he hath deserved to be deed.
869 For this is he, that cam unto thy gate,
870 And seyde that he highe Philostrate.
871 Thus hath he japed thee ful many a yer,
872 And thou hast maked hym thy chief Squier,
873 And this is he that loveth Emelye.
874 For sith the day is come that I shal dye,
875 I make pleynly my confessioun
876 That I am thilke woful Palamoun,
877 That hath thy prisoun broken wikkedly.
878 I am thy mortal foo, and it am I
879 That loveth so hoote Emelye the brighte,
880 That I wol dye present in hir sighte;
881 Wherfore I axe deeth and my juwise-
882 But sle my felawe in the same wise
883 For bothe han we deserved to be slayn.
884 This worthy duc answered anon agayn,
885 And seyde, This is a short conclusioun,
886 Youre owene mouth, by your confessioun,
887 Hath dampned yow, and I wol it recorde.
888 It nedeth noght to pyne yow with the corde,
889 Ye shal be deed, by myghty Mars the rede!
890 The queene anon, for verray wommanhede,
891 Gan for to wepe, and so dide Emelye,
892 And alle the ladyes in the compaignye.
893 Greet pitee was it, as it thoughte hem alle,
894 That evere swich a chaunce sholde falle.
895 For gentil men they were of greet estaat,
896 And no thyng but for love was this debaat,
897 And saugh hir blody woundes wyde and soore,
898 And alle crieden, both lasse and moore,
899 Have mercy, lord, upon us wommen alle!
900 And on hir bare knees adoun they falle,
901 And wolde have kist his feet ther as he stood;
902 Til at the laste aslaked was his mood,
903 For pitee renneth soone in gentil herte.
904 And though he first for ire quook and sterte,
905 He hath considered shortly in a clause
906 The trespas of hem bothe, and eek the cause,
907 And although that his ire hir gilt accused,
908 Yet in his resoun he hem bothe excused.
909 As thus, he thoghte wel, that every man
910 Wol helpe hym-self in love, if that he kan,
911 And eek delivere hym-self out of prisoun;
912 And eek his herte hadde compassioun
913 Of wommen, for they wepen evere in oon.
914 And in his gentil herte he thoughte anon,
915 And softe unto hym-self he seyde, Fy
916 Upon a lord that wol have no mercy,
917 But been a leoun, bothe in word and dede,
918 To hem that been in repentaunce and drede,
919 As wel as to a proud despitous man,
920 That wol maynteyne that he first bigan!
921 That lord hath litel of discrecioun
922 That in swich cas kan no divisioun,
923 But weyeth pride and humblesse after oon.
924 And shortly, whan his ire is thus agoon,
925 He gan to looken up with eyen lighte,
926 And spak thise same wordes al on highte:
927 The God of love, A! benedicite!
928 How myghty and how greet a lord is he!
929 Ayeyns his myght ther gayneth none obstacles,
930 He may be cleped a god for hise myracles,
931 For he kan maken at his owene gyse
932 Of everich herte as that hym list divyse.
933 Lo heere, this Arcite and this Palamoun
934 That quitly weren out of my prisoun,
935 And myghte han lyved in Thebes roially,
936 And witen I am hir mortal enemy,
937 And that hir deth lith in my myght also;
938 And yet hath love, maugree hir eyen two,
939 Ybroght hem hyder bothe for to dye!
940 Now looketh, is nat that an heigh folye?
941 Who may been a fole, but if he love?
942 Bihoold, for Goddes sake that sit above,
943 Se how they blede? Be they noght wel arrayed?
944 Thus hath hir lord, the God of Love, ypayed
945 Hir wages and hir fees for hir servyse! Notes 946-1005
946 And yet they wenen for to been ful wyse,
947 That serven love, for aught that may bifalle!
948 But this is yet the beste game of alle,
949 That she, for whom they han this jolitee,
950 Kan hem therfore as muche thank, as me!
951 She woot namoore of al this hoote fare,
952 By God, than woot a cokkow or an hare!
953 But all moot ben assayed, hoot and coold;
954 A man moot ben a fool, or yong or oold;
955 I woot it by myself ful yore agon,
956 For in my tyme a servant was I oon.
957 And therfore, syn I knowe of loves peyne,
958 And woot how soore it kan a man distreyne,
959 As he that hath ben caught ofte in his laas,
960 I yow foryeve al hoolly this trespaas,
961 At requeste of the queene that kneleth heere,
962 And eek of Emelye, my suster deere.
963 And ye shul bothe anon unto me swere,
964 That nevere mo ye shal my contree dere,
965 Ne make werre upon me, nyght ne day,
966 But been my freendes in al that ye may,
967 I yow foryeve this trespas, every deel.
968 And they hym sworen his axyng, faire and weel,
969 And hym of lordship and of mercy preyde,
970 And he hem graunteth grace, and thus he seyde:
971 To speke of roial lynage and richesse,
972 Though that she were a queene or a Princessse,
973 Ech of you bothe is worthy doutelees
974 To wedden whan tyme is, but nathelees
975 I speke as for my suster Emelye,
976 For whom ye have this strif and jalousye:
977 Ye woot yourself, she may nat wedden two
978 Atones, though ye fighten everemo!
979 That oon of you, al be hym looth or lief,
980 He moot go pipen in an yvy-leef-
981 This is to seyn, she may nat now han bothe,
982 Al be ye never so jalouse, ne so wrothe.
983 And forthy, I yow putte in this degree;
984 That ech of yow shal have his destynee
985 As hym is shape, and herkneth in what wyse;
986 Lo, heere your ende of that I shal devyse.
987 My wyl is this, for plat conclusioun,
988 Withouten any repplicacioun,
989 If that you liketh, take it for the beste,
990 That everich of you shal goon where hym leste,
991 Frely, withouten raunson, or daunger,
992 And this day fifty wykes fer ne ner,
993 Everich of you shal brynge an hundred knyghtes
994 Armed for lystes up at alle rightes,
995 Al redy to darreyne hire by bataille.
996 And this bihote I yow withouten faille,
997 Upon my trouthe, and as I am a knyght,
998 That wheither of yow bothe that hath myght,
999 This is to seyn, that wheither he, or thow
1000 May with his hundred, as I spak of now,
1001 Sleen his contrarie, or out of lystes dryve,
1002 Thanne shal I yeve Emelya to wyve,
1003 To whom that Fortune yeveth so fair a grace.
1004 Tho lystes shal I maken in this place,
1005 And God so wisly on my soule rewe, 1009-1084
1006 As I shal evene juge been, and trewe.
1007 Ye shul noon oother ende with me maken,
1008 That oon of yow ne shal be deed or taken.
1009 And if yow thynketh this is weel ysayd,
1010 Seyeth youre avys and holdeth you apayd;
1011 This is youre ende and youre conclusioun.
1012 Who looketh lightly now but Palamoun?
1013 Who spryngeth up for joye but Arcite?
1014 Who kouthe tellen, or who kouthe endite
1015 The joye that is maked in the place,
1016 Whan Theseus hath doon so fair a grace?
1017 But doun on knees wente every maner wight,
1018 And thonken hym with al hir herte and myght,
1019 And namely the Thebans, often sithe.
1020 And thus with good hope and with herte blithe
1021 They taken hir leve, and homward gonne they ride
1022 To Thebes with hise olde walles wyde.
Part III
1023 I trowe men wolde deme it necligence,
1024 If I foryete to tellen the dispence
1025 Of Theseus, that gooth so bisily
1026 To maken up the lystes roially;
1027 That swich a noble theatre as it was,
1028 I dar wel seyen, in this world ther nas.
1029 The circuit a myle was aboute,
1030 Walled of stoon, and dyched al withoute.
1031 Round was the shap, in manere of compas,
1032 Ful of degrees the heighte os sixty pas,
1033 That whan a man was set on o degree,
1034 He lette nat his felawe for to see.
1035 Estward ther stood a gate of marbul whit,
1036 Westward, right swich another in the opposit;
1037 And shortly to concluden, swich a place
1038 Was noon in erthe, as in so litel space.
1039 For in the lond ther was no crafty man
1040 That geometrie or ars-metrik kan,
1041 Ne portreitour, ne kervere of ymages,
1042 That Theseus ne yaf him mete and wages
1043 The theatre for to maken and devyse.
1044 And for to doon his ryte and sacrifise
1045 He estward hath upon the gate above,
1046 In worship of Venus, goddesse of love,
1047 Doon make an auter and an oratorie.
1048 And on the gate westward, in memorie
1049 Of Mars, he maked hath right swich another,
1050 That coste largely of gold a fother.
1051 And northward, in a touret on the wal
1052 Of alabastre whit, and reed coral,
1053 An oratorie, riche for to see,
1054 In worship of Dyane, of chastitee,
1055 Hath Theseus doon wroght in noble wyse.
1056 But yet hadde I foryeten to devyse
1057 The noble kervyng and the portreitures,
1058 The shap, the contenaunce, and the figures,
1059 That weren in thise oratories thre.
1060 First in the temple of Venus maystow se
1061 Wroght on the wal, ful pitous to biholde,
1062 The broken slepes and the sikes colde,
1063 The sacred teeris and the waymentynge,
1064 The firy strokes, and the desirynge
1065 That loves servauntz in this lyf enduren;
1066 The othes that her covenantz assuren;
1067 Plesaunce and Hope, Desir, Foolhardynesse,
1068 Beautee and Youthe, Bauderie, Richesse,
1069 Charmes and Force, Lesynges, Flaterye,
1070 Despense, Bisynesse, and Jalousye,
1071 That wered of yelewe gooldes a gerland,
1072 And a cokkow sittynge on hir hand;
1073 Festes, instrumentz, caroles, daunces,
1074 Lust and array, and alle the circumstaunces
1075 Of love, whiche that I rekned, and rekne shal,
1076 By ordre weren peynted on the wal,
1077 And mo than I kan make of mencioun;
1078 For soothly, al the mount of Citheroun,
1079 Ther Venus hath hir principal dwellynge,
1080 Was shewed on the wal in portreyynge,
1081 With al the gardyn and the lustynesse.
1082 Nat was foryeten the Porter Ydelnesse,
1083 Ne Narcisus the faire, of yore agon,
1084 Ne yet the folye of kyng Salamon,
1085 And eek the grete strengthe of Ercules, 1085-1137
1086 Th'enchauntementz of Medea and Circes,
1087 Ne of Turnus, with the hardy fiers corage,
1088 The riche Cresus, kaytyf in servage;
1089 Thus may ye seen, that wysdom ne richesse,
1090 Beautee ne sleighte, strengthe, hardynesse,
1091 Ne may with Venus holde champartie,
1092 For as hir list, the world than may she gye.
1093 Lo, alle thise folk so caught were in hir las,
1094 Til they for wo ful ofte seyde `allas!'
1095 Suffiseth heere ensamples oon or two-
1096 And, though, I koude rekene a thousand mo.
1097 The statue of Venus, glorious for to se,
1098 Was naked, fletynge in the large see,
1099 And fro the navele doun al covered was
1100 With wawes grene, and brighte as any glas.
1101 A citole in hir right hand hadde she,
1102 And on hir heed, ful semely for to se,
1103 A rose gerland, fressh and wel smellynge;
1104 Above hir heed hir dowves flikerynge.
1105 Biforn hir stood hir sone, Cupido,
1106 Upon his shuldres wynges hadde he two,
1107 And blynd he was, as it was often seene.
1108 A bowe he bar, and arwes brighte and kene.
1109 Why sholde I noght as wel eek telle yow al
1110 The portreiture, that was upon the wal
1111 Withinne the temple of myghty Mars the rede?
1112 Al peynted was the wal in lengthe and brede
1113 Lyk to the estres of the grisly place
1114 That highte the grete temple of Mars in Trace,
1115 In thilke colde frosty regioun
1116 Ther as Mars hath his sovereyn mansioun.
1117 First on the wal was peynted a forest
1118 In which ther dwelleth neither man ne best,
1119 With knotty knarry bareyne trees olde,
1120 Of stubbes sharpe and hidouse to biholde,
1121 In which ther ran a rumbel and a swough
1122 As though a storm sholde bresten every bough.
1123 And dounward from an hille, under a bente,
1124 Ther stood the temple of Mars Armypotente,
1125 Wroght al of burned steel, of which the entree
1126 Was long and streit, and gastly for to see,
1127 And therout came a rage and suche a veze,
1128 That it made al the gate for to rese.
1129 The northren lyght in at the dores shoon,
1130 For wyndowe on the wal ne was ther noon,
1131 Thurgh which men myghten any light discerne.
1132 The dore was al of adamant eterne,
1133 Yclenched overthwart and endelong
1134 With iren tough, and for to make it strong
1135 Every pyler, the temple to sustene,
1136 Was tonne-greet of iren bright and shene.
1137 Ther saugh I first the dirke ymaginyng
1138 Of felonye, and al the compassyng,
1139 The crueel ire, reed as any gleede,
1140 The pykepurs, and eek the pale drede,
1141 The smyler with the knyfe under the cloke,
1142 The shepne brennynge with the blake smoke,
1143 The tresoun of the mordrynge in the bedde,
1144 The open werre, with woundes al bibledde,
1145 Contek, with blody knyf and sharp manace,
1146 Al ful of chirkyng was that sory place.
1147 The sleer of hymself yet saugh I ther,
1148 His herte-blood hath bathed al his heer;
1149 The nayl ydryven in the shode a nyght,
1150 The colde deeth, with mouth gapyng upright.
1151 Amyddes of the temple sat Meschaunce,
1152 With Disconfort and Sory Contenaunce.
1153 Yet saugh I Woodnesse laughynge in his rage,
1154 Armed Compleint, Outhees, and fiers Outrage;
1155 The careyne in the busk with throte ycorve,
1156 A thousand slayn, and nat of qualm ystorve,
1157 The tiraunt with the pray by force yraft,
1158 The toun destroyed, ther was nothyng laft.
1159 Yet saugh I brent the shippes hoppesteres,
1160 The hunte strangled with the wilde beres,
1161 The sowe freten the child right in the cradel,
1162 The cook yscalded, for al his longe ladel. 1159-1198
1163 Noght was foryeten by the infortune of Marte,
1164 The cartere over-ryden with his carte,
1165 Under the wheel ful lowe he lay adoun.
1166 Ther were also, of Martes divisioun,
1167 The barbour, and the bocher, and the smyth
1168 That forgeth sharpe swerdes on his styth.
1169 And al above, depeynted in a tour,
1170 Saugh I Conquest sittynge in greet honour,
1171 With the sharpe swerd over his heed
1172 Hangynge by a soutil twyned threed.
1173 Depeynted was the slaughtre of Julius,
1174 Of grete Nero, and of Antonius;
1175 Al be that thilke tyme they were unborn,
1176 Yet was hir deth depeynted therbiforn
1177 By manasynge of Mars, right by figure;
1178 So was it shewed in that portreiture,
1179 As is depeynted in the sterres above
1180 Who shal be slayn or elles deed for love.
1181 Suggiseth oon ensample in stories olde,
1182 I may nat rekene hem alle though I wolde.
1183 The statue of Mars upon a carte stood
1184 Armed, and looked grym as he were wood,
1185 And over his heed ther shynen two figures
1186 Of sterres, that been cleped in scriptures
1187 That oon Puella, that oother Rubeus.
1188 This god of armes was arrayed thus:
1189 A wolf ther stood biforn hym at his feet,
1190 With eyen rede, and of a man he eet.
1191 With soutil pencel was depeynt this storie,
1192 In redoutynge of Mars and of his glorie.
1193 Now to the temple of Dyane the chaste
1194 As shortly as I kan I wol me haste,
1195 To telle yow al the descripsioun.
1196 Depeynted been the walles up and doun
1197 Of huntyng and of shamefast chastitee.
1198 Ther saugh I, how woful Calistopee
1199 Whan that Diane agreved was with here,
1200 Was turned from a womman til a bere,
1201 And after was she maad the loode-sterre;-
1202 Thus was it peynted, I kan sey yow no ferre-
1203 Hir sone is eek a sterre, as men may see.
1204 Ther saugh I Dane, yturned til a tree, 1203-1270
1205 I mene nat the goddesse Diane,
1206 But Penneus doughter which that highte Dane.
1207 Ther saugh I Attheon an hert ymaked,
1208 For vengeaunce that he saugh Diane al naked.
1209 I saugh how that hise houndes have hym caught
1210 And freeten hym, for that they knewe hym naught.
1211 Yet peynted was a litel forthermoor
1212 How Atthalante hunted the wilde boor,
1213 And Meleagree, and many another mo,
1214 For which Dyane wroghte hym care and wo.
1215 Ther saugh I many another wonder storie,
1216 The whiche me list nat drawen to memorie.
1217 This goddesse on an hert ful hye seet,
1218 With smale houndes al aboute hir feet;
1219 And undernethe hir feet she hadde a moone,
1220 Wexynge it was, and sholde wanye soone.
1221 In gaude grene hir statue clothed was,
1222 With bowe in honde, and arwes in a cas.
1223 Hir eyen caste she ful lowe adoun,
1224 Ther Pluto hath his derke regioun.
1225 A womman travaillynge was hir biforn;
1226 But for hir child so longe was unborn
1227 Ful pitously Lucyna gan she calle,
1228 And seyde, Help, for thou mayst best of alle!
1229 Wel koude he peynten lyfly, that it wroghte,
1230 With many a floryn he the hewes boghte.
1231 Now been thise listes maad, and Theseus,
1232 That at his grete cost arrayed thus
1233 The temples, and the theatre every deel,
1234 Whan it was doon, hym lyked wonder weel.-
1235 But stynte I wole of Theseus a lite,
1236 And speke of Palamon and of Arcite.
1237 The day approcheth of hir retournynge,
1238 That everich sholde an hundred knyghtes brynge
1239 The bataille to darreyne, as I yow tolde.
1240 And til Atthenes, hir covenantz for to holde,
1241 Hath everich of hem broght an hundred knyghtes,
1242 Wel armed for the werre at alle rightes.
1243 And sikerly, ther trowed many a man,
1244 That nevere sithen that the world bigan,
1245 As for to speke of knyghthod of hir hond,
1246 As fer as God hath maked see or lond,
1247 Nas of so fewe so noble a compaignye.
1248 For every wight that lovede chivalrye,
1249 And wolde, his thankes, han a passant name,
1250 Hath preyed that he myghte been of that game;
1251 And wel was hym that therto chosen was.
1252 For if ther fille tomorwe swich a cas
1253 Ye knowen wel, that every lusty knyght
1254 That loveth paramours, and hath his myght,
1255 Were it in Engelond or elles where,
1256 They wolde, hir thankes, wilnen to be there,
1257 To fighte for a lady, benedicitee!
1258 It were a lusty sighte for to see.
1259 And right so ferden they with Palamon,
1260 With hym ther wenten knyghtes many on.
1261 Som wol ben armed in an haubergeoun,
1262 In a bristplate, and in a light gypoun,
1263 And somme woln have a paire plates large,
1264 And somme woln have a Pruce sheeld, or a targe,
1265 Somme woln ben armed on hir legges weel,
1266 And have an ax, and somme a mace of steel.
1267 Ther is no newe gyse, that it nas old;
1268 Armed were they, as I have yow told,
1269 Everych after his opinioun.
1270 Ther maistow seen comyng with Palamoun
1271 Lygurge hym-self, the grete kyng of Trace.
1272 Blak was his berd, and manly was his face,
1273 The cercles of hise eyen in his heed,
1274 They gloweden bitwyxen yelow and reed,
1275 And lik a griff on looked he aboute, 1275-1359
1276 With kempe heeris on hise browes stoute,
1277 Hise lymes grete, hise brawnes harde and stronge,
1278 Hise shuldres brode, hise armes rounde and longe;
1279 And as the gyse was in his contree,
1280 Ful hye upon a chaar of gold stood he,
1281 With foure white boles in the trays.
1282 In stede of cote-armure, over his harnays
1283 With nayles yelewe and brighte as any gold
1284 He hadde a beres skyn, colblak, for-old;
1285 His longe heer was kembd bihynde his bak,
1286 As any ravenes fethere it shoon for-blak.
1287 A wrethe of gold arm-greet, of huge wighte,
1288 Upon his heed, set ful of stones brighte,
1289 Of fyne rubyes and of dyamauntz.
1290 Aboute his chaar ther wenten white alauntz,
1291 Twenty and mo, as grete as any steer,
1292 To hunten at the leoun or the deer,
1293 And folwed hym, with mosel faste ybounde,
1294 Colored of gold, and tourettes fyled rounde.
1295 An hundred lordes hadde he in his route,
1296 Armed ful wel, with hertes stierne and stoute.
1297 With Arcita, in stories as men fynde,
1298 The grete Emetreus, the kyng of Inde,
1299 Upon a steede bay, trapped in steel,
1300 Covered in clooth of gold dyapred weel,
1301 Cam ridynge lyk the god of armes, Mars.
1302 His cote-armure was of clooth of Tars,
1303 Couched with perles white and rounde and grete.
1304 His sadel was of brend gold newe ybete;
1305 A mantelet upon his shuldre hangynge
1306 Bret-ful of rubyes rede, as fyr sparklynge.
1307 His crispe heer lyk rynges was yronne,
1308 And that was yelow, and glytered as the sonne.
1309 His nose was heigh, hise eyen bright citryn,
1310 Hise lippes rounde, his colour was sangwyn;
1311 A fewe frakenes in his face yspreynd,
1312 Bitwixen yelow and somdel blak ymeynd,
1313 And as a leoun he his looking caste.
1314 Of fyve and twenty yeer his age I caste;
1315 His berd was wel bigonne for to sprynge,
1316 His voys was as a trompe thonderynge.
1317 Upon his heed he wered of laurer grene
1318 A gerland, fressh and lusty for to sene.
1319 Upon his hand he bar for his deduyt
1320 An egle tame, as any lilye whyt.
1321 An hundred lordes hadde he with hym there,
1322 Al armed, save hir heddes, in al hir gere,
1323 Ful richely in alle maner thynges.
1324 For trusteth wel, that dukes, erles, kynges,
1325 Were gadered in this noble compaignye,
1326 For love, and for encrees of chivalrye.
1327 Aboute this kyng ther ran on every part
1328 Ful many a tame leoun and leopard,
1329 And in this wise thise lordes alle and some
1330 Been on the sonday to the citee come,
1331 Aboute pryme, and in the toun alight.
1332 This Theseus, this duc, this worthy knyght,
1333 Whan he had broght hem into his citee,
1334 And inned hem, everich in his degree,
1335 He festeth hem, and dooth so greet labour
1336 To esen hem and doon hem al honour,
1337 That yet men weneth that no maner wit
1338 Of noon estaat ne koude amenden it.
1339 The mynstralcye, the service at the feeste,
1340 The grete yiftes to the mooste and leeste,
1341 The riche array of Theseus paleys,
1342 Ne who sat first ne last upon the deys,
1343 What ladyes fairest been, or best daunsynge,
1344 Or which of hem kan dauncen best and synge,
1345 Ne who moost felyngly speketh of love,
1346 What haukes sitten on the perche above,
1347 What houndes liggen in the floor adoun-
1348 Of al this make I now no mencioun;
1349 But, al theffect, that thynketh me the beste,
1350 Now cometh the point, and herkneth if yow leste.
1351 The sonday nyght, er day bigan to sprynge,
1352 Whan Palamon the lsrke herde synge,
1353 Al though it nere nat day by houres two,
1354 Yet song the larke, and Palamon also.
1355 With hooly herte and with an heigh corage
1356 He roos, to wenden on his pilgrymage,
1357 Unto the blisful Citherea benigne,
1358 I mene Venus, honurable and digne.
1359 And in hir houre he walketh forth a pas
1360 Unto the lystes, ther hire temple was,
1361 And doun he kneleth, with ful humble cheer,
1362 And herte soor, and seyde in this manere.
1363 Faireste of faire, O lady myn, Venus,
1364 Doughter to Jove, and spouse of Vulcanus,
1365 Thow glader of the Mount of Citheron, 1364-1445
1366 For thilke love thow haddest to Adoon,
1367 Have pitee of my bittre teeris smerte,
1368 And taak myn humble preyere at thyn herte.
1369 Allas, I ne have no langage to telle
1370 Theffectes, ne the tormentz of myn helle!
1371 Myn herte may myne harmes nat biwreye,
1372 I am so confus that I kan noght seye.
1373 But mercy, lady bright! that knowest weele
1374 My thought, and seest what harmes that I feele.
1375 Considere al this, and rewe upon my soore,
1376 As wisly, as I shal for everemoore,
1377 Emforth my myght, thy trewe servant be,
1378 And holden werre alwey with chastitee.
1379 That make I myn avow, so ye me helpe.
1380 I kepe noght of armes for to yelpe,
1381 Ne I ne axe nat tomorwe to have victorie,
1382 Ne renoun in this cas, ne veyne glorie
1383 Of pris of armes blowen up and doun,
1384 But I wolde have fully possessioun
1385 Of Emelye, and dye in thy servyse.
1386 Fynd thow the manere how, and in what wyse-
1387 I recche nat, but it may bettre be
1388 To have victorie of hem, or they of me-
1389 So that I have my lady in myne armes.
1390 For though so be, that Mars is god of armes,
1391 Youre vertu is so greet in hevene above
1392 That if yow list, I shal wel have my love.
1393 Thy temple wol I worshipe everemo,
1394 And on thyn auter, where I ride or go,
1395 I wol doon sacrifice and fires beete.
1396 And if ye wol nat so, my lady sweete,
1397 Thanne preye I thee, tomorwe with a spere
1398 That Arcita me thurgh the herte bere.
1399 Thanne rekke I noght, whan I have lost my lyf,
1400 Though that Arcita wynne hir to his wyf.
1401 This is theffect and ende of my preyere,
1402 Yif me my love, thow blisful lady deere!
1403 Whan the orison was doon of Palamon,
1404 His sacrifice he dide, and that anon,
1405 Ful pitously with alle circumstaunce;
1406 Al telle I noght as now his observaunce.
1407 But atte laste, the statue of Venus shook,
1408 And made a signe wherby that he took
1409 That his preyere accepted was that day.
1410 For thogh the signe shewed a delay,
1411 Yet wiste he wel that graunted was his boone,
1412 And with glad herte he wente hym hoom ful soone.
1413 The thridde houre inequal, that Palamon
1414 Bigan to Venus temple for to gon,
1415 Up roos the sonne, and up roos Emelye,
1416 And to the temple of Dyane gan hye.
1417 Hir maydens that she thider with hir ladde,
1418 Ful redily with hem the fyr they ladde,
1419 Thencens, the clothes, and the remenant al
1420 That to the sacrifice longen shal.
1421 The hornes fulle of meeth, as was the gyse,
1422 Ther lakked noght to doon hir sacrifise,
1423 Smokynge the temple, ful of clothes faire.
1424 This Emelye, with herte debonaire,
1425 Hir body wessh with water of a welle-
1426 But how she dide hir ryte I dar nat telle,
1427 But it be any thing in general;
1428 And yet it were a game to heeren al,
1429 To hym that meneth wel it were no charge,
1430 But it is good a man been at his large.-
1431 Hir brighte heer was kempt untressed al,
1432 A coroune of a grene ook cerial
1433 Upon hir heed was set, ful fair and meete.
1434 Two fyres on the auter gan she beete,
1435 And dide hir thynges as men may biholde
1436 In Stace of Thebes, and thise bookes olde.
1437 Whan kyndled was the fyr, with pitous cheere
1438 Unto Dyane she spak as ye may heere.
1439 O chaste goddesse of the wodes grene,
1440 To whom bothe hevene and erthe and see is sene,
1441 Queene of the regne of Pluto derk and lowe,
1442 Goddesse of maydens, that myn herte hast knowe
1443 Ful many a yeer, and woost what I desire,
1444 As keep me fro thy vengeaunce and thyn ire,
1445 That Attheon aboughte cruelly.
1446 Chaste goddesse, wel wostow that I
1447 Desire to ben a mayden al my lyf,
1448 Ne nevere wol I be no love ne wyf.
1449 I am, thow woost, yet of thy compaignye,
1450 A mayde, and love huntynge and venerye,
1451 And for to walken in the wodes wilde, -
1452 And noght to ben a wyf, and be with childe.
1453 Noght wol I knowe the compaignye of man;
1454 Now helpe me, lady, sith ye may and kan,
1455 For tho thre formes that thou hast in thee.
1456 And Palamon, that hath swich love to me, 1455-1599
1457 And eek Arcite, that loveth me so sore,
1458 This grace I preye thee, withoute moore,
1459 As sende love and pees bitwixe hem two,
1460 And fro me turne awey hir hertes so,
1461 That al hir hoote love and hir desir,
1462 And al hir bisy torment and hir fir,
1463 Be queynt, or turned in another place.
1464 And if so be thou wolt do me no grace,
1465 And if my destynee be shapen so
1466 That I shal nedes have oon of hem two,
1467 As sende me hym that moost desireth me.
1468 Bihoold, goddesse, of clene chastitee,
1469 The bittre teeris that on my chekes falle.
1470 Syn thou art mayde and kepere of us alle,
1471 My maydenhede thou kepe and wel conserve,
1472 And whil I lyve a mayde, I wol thee serve.
1473 The fires brenne upon the auter cleere,
1474 Whil Emelye was thus in hir preyere;
1475 But sodeynly she saugh a sighte queynte,
1476 For right anon oon of the fyres queynt,
1477 And quyked agayn, and after that anon
1478 That oother fyr was queynt and al agon.
1479 And as it queynt, it made a whistelynge
1480 As doon thise wete brondes in hir brennynge;
1481 And at the brondes ende out ran anon
1482 As it were blody dropes many oon;
1483 For which so soore agast was Emelye
1484 That she was wel ny mad, and gan to crye;
1485 For she ne wiste what it signyfied.
1486 But oonly for the feere thus hath she cried,
1487 And weep that it was pitee for to heere;
1488 And therwithal Dyane gan appeere,
1489 With bowe in honde, right as an hunteresse,
1490 And seyde, Doghter, stynt thyn hevynesse.
1491 Among the goddes hye it is affermed,
1492 And by eterne word writen and confermed,
1493 Thou shalt ben wedded unto oon of tho
1494 That han for thee so muchel care and wo.
1495 But unto which of hem I may nat telle,
1496 Farwel, for I ne may no lenger dwelle.
1497 The fires whiche that on myn auter brenne
1498 Shule thee declaren, er that thou go henne,
1499 Thyn aventure of love, as in this cas.
1500 And with that word, the arwes in the caas
1501 Of the goddesse clateren faste and rynge,
1502 And forth she wente, and made a vanysshynge,
1503 For which this Emelye astoned was,
1504 And seyde, What amounteth this, allas!
1505 I putte me in thy proteccioun,
1506 Dyane, and in thy disposicioun!
1507 And hoom she goth anon the nexte weye.
1508 This is theffect, ther is namoore to seye.
1509 The nexte houre of Mars folwynge this
1510 Arcite unto the temple walked is
1511 Of fierse Mars, to doon his sacrifise
1512 With alle the rytes of his payen wyse.
1513 With pitous herte and heigh devocioun
1514 Right thus to Mars he seyde his orisoun.
1515 O stronge god, that in the regnes colde
1516 Of Trace honoured art and lord yholde,
1517 And hast in every regne and every lond
1518 Of armes al the brydel in thyn hond,
1519 And hem fortunest as thee lyst devyse,
1520 Accepte of me my pitous sacrifise.
1521 If so be that my youthe may deserve,
1522 And that my myght be worthy for to serve
1523 Thy godhede, that I may been oon of thyne,
1524 Thanne preye I thee to rewe upon my pyne.
1525 For thilke peyne, and thilke hoote fir,
1526 In which thou whilom brendest for desir
1527 Whan that thow usedest the greet beautee
1528 Of faire yonge fresshe Venus free,
1529 And haddest hir in armes at thy wille-
1530 Al though thee ones on a tyme mysfille
1531 Whan Vulcanus hadde caught thee in his las,
1532 And foond thee liggynge by his wyf, allas!-
1533 For thilke sorwe that was in thyn herte
1534 Have routhe as wel, upon my peynes smerte!
1535 I am yong and unkonnynge as thow woost,
1536 And, as I trowe, with love offended moost
1537 That evere was any lyves creature;
1538 For she that dooth me al this wo endure,
1539 Ne reccheth nevere wher I synke or fleete.
1540 And wel I woot, er she me mercy heete,
1541 I moot with strengthe wynne hir in the place.
1542 And wel I woot, withouten help or grace
1543 Of thee, ne may my strengthe noght availle.
1544 Thanne help me, lord, tomorwe in my bataille
1545 For thilke fyr that whilom brente thee,
1546 As wel as thilke fyr now brenneth me!
1547 And do that I tomorwe have victorie,
1548 Myn be the travaille and thyn be the glorie.
1549 Thy sovereyn temple wol I moost honouren
1550 Of any place, and alwey moost labouren
1551 In thy plesaunce, and in thy craftes stronge,
1552 And in thy temple I wol my baner honge,
1553 And alle the armes of my compaignye;
1554 And evere-mo, unto that day I dye,
1555 Eterne fir I wol biforn thee fynde.
1556 And eek to this avow I wol me bynde;
1557 My beerd, myn heer, that hongeth long adoun,
1558 That nevere yet ne felte offensioun
1559 Of rasour, nor of shere, I wol thee yeve,
1560 And ben thy trewe servant whil I lyve.
1561 Now lord, have routhe upon my sorwes soore;
1562 Yif me the victorie, I aske thee namoore!
1563 The preyere stynt of Arcita the stronge;
1564 The rynges on the temple dore that honge,
1565 And eek the dores clatereden ful faste,
1566 Of which Arcita somwhat hym agaste.
1567 The fyres brenden upon the auter brighte,
1568 That it gan al the temple for to lighte,
1569 And sweete smel the ground anon upyaf,
1570 And Arcita anon his hand uphaf,
1571 And moore encens into the fyr he caste,
1572 With othere rytes mo, and atte laste
1573 The statue of Mars bigan his hauberk rynge,
1574 And with that soun he herde a murmurynge,
1575 Ful lowe and dym, and seyde thus, `Victorie!'
1576 For which he yaf to Mars honour and glorie;
1577 And thus with joye and hope wel to fare,
1578 Arcite anon unto his in is fare,
1579 As fayn as fowel is of the brighte sonne.
1580 And right anon swich strif ther is bigonne
1581 For thilke grauntyng in the hevene above
1582 Bitwixe Venus, the Goddesse of Love,
1583 And Mars the stierne God armypotente,
1584 That Jupiter was bisy it to stente;
1585 Til that the pale Saturnus the colde,
1586 That knew so manye of aventures olde,
1587 Foond in his olde experience an art
1588 That he ful soone hath plesed every part.
1589 As sooth is seyd, elde hath greet avantage;
1590 In elde is bothe wysdom and usage;
1591 Men may the olde atrenne, and noght atrede.
1592 Saturne anon, to stynten strif and drede,
1593 Al be it that it is agayn his kynde,
1594 Of al this strif he gan remedie fynde.
1595 "My deere doghter Venus," quod Saturne,
1596 "My cours, that hath so wyde for to turne,
1597 Hath moore power than woot any man.
1598 Myn is the drenchyng in the see so wan,
1599 Myn is the prison in the derke cote,
1600 Myn is the stranglyng and hangyng by the throte,
1601 The murmure, and the cherles rebellyng,
1602 The groynynge, and the pryvee empoysonyng.
1603 I do vengeance and pleyn correccioun, 1601-1721
1604 Whil I dwelle in the signe of the leoun.
1605 Myn is the ruyne of the hye halles,
1606 The fallynge of the toures and of the walles
1607 Upon the mynour, or the carpenter.
1608 I slow Sampsoun shakynge the piler,
1609 And myne be the maladyes colde,
1610 The derke tresons, and the castes olde;
1611 My lookyng is the fader of pestilence.
1612 Now weep namoore, I shal doon diligence
1613 That Palamon, that is thyn owene knyght,
1614 Shal have his lady, as thou hast him hight.
1615 Though Mars shal helpe his knyght, yet nathelees
1616 Bitwixe yow ther moot be somtyme pees,
1617 Al be ye noght of o compleccioun-
1618 That causeth al day swich divisioun.
1619 I am thyn aiel, redy at thy wille,
1620 Weep now namoore, I wol thy lust fulfille."
1621 Now wol I stynten of the goddes above,
1622 Of Mars and of Venus, goddesse of Love,
1623 And telle yow, as pleynly as I kan,
1624 The grete effect for which that I bygan.
Part IV
1625 Greet was the feeste in Atthenes that day,
1626 And eek the lusty seson of that May
1627 Made every wight to been in such plesaunce
1628 That al that Monday justen they and daunce,
1629 And spenten it in Venus heigh servyse.
1630 And by the cause that they sholde ryse
1631 Eerly for to seen the grete fight,
1632 Unto hir rest wenten they at nyght.
1633 And on the morwe, whan that day gan sprynge,
1634 Of hors and harneys, noyse and claterynge
1635 Ther was in hostelryes al aboute.
1636 And to the paleys rood ther many a route
1637 Of lordes, upon steedes and palfreys.
1638 Ther maystow seen divisynge of harneys
1639 So unkouth and so riche, and wroght so weel,
1640 Of goldsmythrye, of browdynge, and of steel;
1641 The sheeldes brighte, testeres, and trappures;
1642 Gold-hewen helmes, hauberkes, cote-armures;
1643 Lordes in parementz on hir courseres,
1644 Knyghtes of retenue and eek squieres,
1645 Nailynge the speres, and helmes bokelynge,
1646 Giggynge of sheeldes, with layneres lacynge.
1647 There as nede is, they weren nothyng ydel.
1648 The fomy steedes on the golden brydel
1649 Gnawynge, and faste the armurers also
1650 With fyle and hamer prikynge to and fro;
1651 Yemen on foote and communes many oon,
1652 With shorte staves thikke as they may goon,
1653 Pypes, trompes, nakerers, clariounes,
1654 That in the bataille blowen blody sounes;
1655 The paleys ful of peples up and doun,
1656 Heere thre, ther ten, holdynge hir questioun,
1657 Dyvynynge of thise Thebane knyghtes two.
1658 Somme seyden thus, somme seyde it shal be so,
1659 Somme helden with hym with the blake berd,
1660 Somme with the balled, somme with the thikke-herd,
1661 Somme seyde he looked grymme, and he wolde fighte,
1662 He hath a sparth of twenty pound of wighte,
1663 Thus was the halle ful of divynynge
1664 Longe after that the sonne gan to sprynge.
1665 The grete Theseus, that of his sleep awaked
1666 With mynstralcie and noyse that was maked,
1667 Heeld yet the chambre of his paleys riche,
1668 Til that the Thebane knyghtes, bothe yliche
1669 Honured, were into the paleys fet.
1670 Due Theseus was at a wyndow set,
1671 Arrayed, right as he were a god in trone.
1672 The peple preesseth thiderward ful soone,
1673 Hym for to seen and doon heigh reverence.
1674 And eek to herkne his heste and his sentence.
1675 An heraud on a scaffold made an Oo!
1676 Til al the noyse of peple was ydo,
1677 And whan he saugh the peple of noyse al stille,
1678 Tho shewed he the myghty dukes wille.
1679 The lord hath of his heigh discrecioun
1680 Considered, that it were destruccioun
1681 To gentil blood, to fighten in the gyse
1682 Of mortal bataille, now in this emprise;
1683 Wherfore, to shapen that they shal nat dye,
1684 He wolde his firste purpos modifye.
1685 No man therfore, up peyne of los of lyf,
1686 No maner shot, ne polax, ne short knyf
1687 Into the lystes sende, ne thider brynge.
1688 Ne short swerd for to stoke, with poynt bitynge,
1689 No man ne drawe, ne bere by his syde;
1690 Ne no man shal unto his felawe ryde
1691 But o cours, with a sharpe ygrounde spere.
1692 Foyne if hym list on foote, hym-self to were;
1693 And he that is at meschief shal be take,
1694 And noght slayn, but be broght unto the stake
1695 That shal ben ordeyned on either syde,
1696 But thider he shal by force, and there abyde.
1697 And if so be the chevetayn be take
1698 On outher syde, or elles sleen his make,
1699 No lenger shal the turneiynge laste.
1700 God spede you, gooth forth, and ley on faste!
1701 With long swerd and with maces fight youre fille;
1702 Gooth now youre wey, this is the lordes wille.
1703 The voys of peple touchede the hevene,
1704 So loude cride they with murie stevene,
1705 God save swich a lord, that is so good
1706 He wilneth no destruccion of blood.
1707 Up goon the trompes and the melodye,
1708 And to the lystes rit the compaignye,
1709 By ordinance, thurgh-out the citee large
1710 Hanged with clooth of gold, and nat with sarge.
1711 Ful lik a lord this noble duc gan ryde,
1712 Thise two Thebanes upon either syde,
1713 And after rood the queene and Emelye,
1714 And after that another compaignye,
1715 Of oon and oother, after hir degre;
1716 And thus they passen thurgh-out the citee
1717 And to the lystes come they by tyme. 1723-1808
1718 It nas nat of the day yet fully pryme
1719 Whan set was Theseus ful riche and hye,
1720 Ypolita the queene, and Emelye,
1721 And othere ladys in degrees aboute.
1722 Unto the seettes preesseth al the route,
1723 And westward thurgh the gates under Marte,
1724 Arcite, and eek the hondred of his parte,
1725 With baner reed is entred right anon.
1726 And in that selve moment Palamon
1727 Is under Venus estward in the place,
1728 With baner whyt, and hardy chiere and face.
1729 In al the world to seken up and doun
1730 So evene withouten variacioun
1731 Ther nere swiche compaignyes tweye!
1732 For ther was noon so wys, that koude seye
1733 That any hadde of oother avauntage,
1734 Of worthynesse ne of estaat ne age,
1735 So evene were they chosen, for to gesse.
1736 And in two renges faire they hem dresse,
1737 Whan that hir names rad were everichon,
1738 That in hir nombre gyle were ther noon.
1739 Tho were the gates shet and cried was loude,
1740 Do now youre devoir, yonge knyghtes proude!
1741 The heraudes lefte hir prikyng up and doun;
1742 Now ryngen trompes loude and clarioun.
1743 Ther is namoore to seyn, but west and est
1744 In goon the speres ful sadly in arrest,
1745 In gooth the sharpe spore into the syde.
1746 Ther seen men who kan juste, and who kan ryde,
1747 Ther shyveren shaftes upon sheeldes thikke;
1748 He feeleth thurgh the herte-spoon the prikke.
1749 Up spryngen speres twenty foot on highte;
1750 Out gooth the swerdes as the silver brighte.
1751 The helmes they tohewen and toshrede,
1752 Out brest the blood, with stierne stremes rede,
1753 With myghty maces the bones they tobreste.
1754 He thurgh the thikkeste of the throng gan threste;
1755 Ther stomblen steedes stronge, and doun gooth al;
1756 He rolleth under foot as dooth a bal,
1757 He foyneth on his feet with his tronchoun,
1758 And he hym hurtleth with his hors adoun.
1759 He thurgh the body is hurt and sithen ytake,
1760 Maugree his heed, and broght unto the stake,
1761 As forward was, right there he moste abyde;
1762 Another lad is on that oother syde.
1763 And som tyme dooth hem Theseus to reste,
1764 Hem to refresshe, and drynken if hem leste.
1765 Ful ofte a day han thise Thebanes two
1766 Togydre ymet, and wroght his felawe wo.
1767 Unhorsed hath ech oother of hem tweye,
1768 Ther nas no tygre in the vale of Galgopheye
1769 Whan that hir whelp is stole, whan it is lite,
1770 So crueel on the hunte, as is Arcite
1771 For jelous herte upon this Palamoun;
1772 Ne in Belmarye ther nys so fel leoun
1773 That hunted is, or for his hunger wood,
1774 Ne of his praye desireth so the blood,
1775 As Palamoun to sleen his foo Arcite.
1776 The jelous strokes on hir helmes byte,
1777 Out renneth blood on bothe hir sydes rede.
1778 Som tyme an ende ther is of every dede;
1779 For er the sonne unto the reste wente,
1780 The stronge kyng Emetreus gan hente
1781 This Palamon, as he faught with Arcite,
1782 And made his swerd depe in his flessh to byte.
1783 And by the force of twenty is he take
1784 Unyolden, and ydrawe unto the stake.
1785 And in the rescous of this Palamoun
1786 The stronge kyng Lygurge is born adoun,
1787 And kyng Emetreus, for al his strengthe,
1788 Is born out of his sadel a swerdes lengthe,
1789 So hitte him Palamoun er he were take;
1790 But al for noght, he was broght to the stake.
1791 His hardy herte myghte hym helpe naught,
1792 He moste abyde, whan that he was caught,
1793 By force, and eek by composicioun.
1794 Who sorweth now but woful Palamoun,
1795 That moot namoore goon agayn to fighte?
1796 And whan that Theseus hadde seyn this sighte
1797 Unto the folk that foghten thus echon
1798 He cryde, Hoo! namoore, for it is doon.
1799 I wol be trewe juge, and no partie;
1800 Arcite of Thebes shal have Emelie,
1801 That by his fortune hath hir faire ywonne!
1802 Anon ther is a noyse of peple bigonne
1803 For joye of this so loude and heighe withalle
1804 It semed that the lystes sholde falle.
1805 What kan now faire Venus doon above?
1806 What seith she now, what dooth this queene of Love,
1807 But wepeth so, for wantynge of hir wille,
1808 Til that hir teeres in the lystes fille.
1809 She seyde, I am ashamed, doutelees.
1810 Saturnus seyde, Doghter, hoold thy pees,
1811 Mars hath his wille, his knyght hath al his boone,
1812 And, by myn heed, thow shalt been esed soone.
1813 The trompes with the loude mynstralcie,
1814 The heraudes that ful loude yolle and crie,
1815 Been in hir wele for joye of Daun Arcite.
1816 But herkneth me, and stynteth now a lite,
1817 Which a myracle ther bifel anon. 1816-1891
1818 This fierse Arcite hath of his helm ydon,
1819 And on a courser for to shewe his face
1820 He priketh endelong the large place,
1821 Lokynge upward upon this Emelye,
1822 And she agayn hym caste a freendlich eye,
1823 (For wommen, as to speken in commune,
1824 They folwen al the favour of Fortune)
1825 And she was al his chiere, as in his herte.
1826 Out of the ground a furie infernal sterte,
1827 From Pluto sent, at requeste of Saturne,
1828 For which his hors for fere gan to turne,
1829 And leep aside and foundred as he leep.
1830 And er that Arcite may taken keep,
1831 He pighte hym on the pomel of his heed,
1832 That in the place he lay as he were deed,
1833 His brest tobrosten with his sadel-bowe.
1834 As blak he lay as any cole or crowe,
1835 So was the blood yronnen in his face.
1836 Anon he was yborn out of the place,
1837 With herte soor, to Theseus paleys.
1838 Tho was he korven out of his harneys,
1839 And in a bed ybrought ful faire and blyve,
1840 For he was yet in memorie and alyve,
1841 And alwey criynge after Emelye.
1842 Duc Theseus, with al hes compaignye,
1843 Is comen hoom to Atthenes his citee,
1844 With alle blisse and greet solempnitee;
1845 Al be it that this aventure was falle,
1846 He nolde noght disconforten hem alle.
1847 Men seyde eek that Arcite shal nat dye,
1848 He shal been heeled of his maladye.
1849 And of another thyng they weren as fayn,
1850 That of hem alle was ther noon yslayn,
1851 Al were they soore yhurt, and namely oon,
1852 That with a spere was thirled his brest-boon.
1853 To othere woundes, and to broken armes,
1854 Somme hadden salves, and somme hadden charmes,
1855 Fermacies of herbes and eek save
1856 They dronken, for they wolde hir lymes have.
1857 For which this noble duc as he wel kan,
1858 Conforteth and honoureth every man,
1859 And made revel al the longe nyght
1860 Unto the straunge lordes, as was right.
1861 Ne ther was holden no disconfitynge
1862 But as a justes or a tourneiynge,
1863 For soothly ther was no disconfiture-
1864 For fallyng nys nat but an aventure-
1865 Ne to be lad by force unto the stake
1866 Unyolden, and with twenty knyghtes take,
1867 O persone allone, withouten mo,
1868 And haryed forth by arme, foot, and too,
1869 And eke his steede dryven forth with staves,
1870 With footmen, bothe yemen and eek knaves,
1871 It nas aretted hym no vileynye,
1872 Ther may no man clepen it cowardye.
1873 For which anon duc Theseus leet crye,
1874 To stynten alle rancour and envye,
1875 The gree, as wel of o syde as of oother,
1876 And eyther syde ylik as ootheres brother,
1877 And yaf hem yiftes after hir degree,
1878 And fully heeld a feeste dayes three,
1879 And convoyed the kynges worthily
1880 Out of his toun a journee, largely;
1881 And hoom wente every man, the righte way,
1882 Ther was namoore but `fare-wel, have good day.'
1883 Of this bataille I wol namoore endite,
1884 But speke of Palamoun and of Arcite.
1885 Swelleth the brest of Arcite, and the soore
1886 Encreesseth at his herte moore and moore.
1887 The clothered blood for any lechecraft
1888 Corrupteth, and is in his bouk ylaft,
1889 That neither veyne-blood, ne ventusynge,
1890 Ne drynke of herbes may ben his helpynge.
1891 The vertu expulsif, or animal,
1892 Fro thilke vertu cleped natural
1893 Ne may the venym voyden, ne expelle.
1894 The pipes of his longes gonne to swelle,
1895 And every lacerte in his brest adoun
1896 Is shent with venym and corrupcioun.
1897 Hym gayneth neither for to gete his lif
1898 Vomyt upward, ne dounward laxatif;
1899 Al is tobrosten thilke regioun,
1900 Nature hath now no dominacioun.
1901 And certeinly, ther Nature wol nat wirche,
1902 Fare-wel phisik, go ber the man to chirche!
1903 This al and som, that Arcita moot dye; 1901-1955
1904 For which he sendeth after Emelye
1905 And Palamon, that was his cosyn deere.
1906 Thanne seyde he thus, as ye shal after heere:
1907 Naught may the woful spirit in myn herte
1908 Declare o point of alle my sorwes smerte
1909 To yow, my lady, that I love moost.
1910 But I biquethe the servyce of my goost
1911 To yow aboven every creature.
1912 Syn that my lyf may no lenger dure,
1913 Allas, the wo! allas, the peynes stronge
1914 That I for yow have suffred, and so longe!
1915 Allas, the deeth! allas, myn Emelye!
1916 Allas, departynge of our compaignye!
1917 Allas, myn hertes queene! allas, my wyf!
1918 Myn hertes lady, endere of my lyf!
1919 What is this world? what asketh men to have?
1920 Now with his love, now in his colde grave,
1921 Allone, withouten any compaignye.
1922 Fare-wel, my swete foo, myn Emelye,
1923 And softe taak me in youre armes tweye,
1924 For love of God, and herkneth what I seye.
1925 I have heer with my cosyn Palamon
1926 Had strif and rancour many a day agon,
1927 For love of yow, and for my jalousye.
1928 And Juppiter so wys my soule gye
1929 To speken of a servaunt proprely,
1930 With alle circumstances trewely,
1931 That is to seyn, trouthe, honour, and knyghthede,
1932 Wysdom, humblesse, estaat, and heigh kynrede,
1933 Fredom, and al that longeth to that art,
1934 So Juppiter have of my soule part
1935 As in this world right now ne knowe I non
1936 So worthy to ben loved, as Palamon
1937 That serveth yow, and wol doon al his lyf;
1938 And if that evere ye shul ben a wyf,
1939 Foryet nat Palamon, the gentil man.
1940 And with that word his speche faille gan,
1941 And from his herte up to his brest was come
1942 The coold of deeth, that hadde hym overcome.
1943 And yet moreover in hise armes two
1944 The vital strengthe is lost and al ago.
1945 Oonly the intellect, withouten moore,
1946 That dwelled in his herte syk and soore
1947 Gan faillen, when the herte felte deeth.
1948 Dusked hise eyen two, and failled breeth,
1949 But on his lady yet caste he his eye.
1950 His laste word was mercy, Emelye! 1951-1997
1951 His spirit chaunged hous, and wente ther
1952 As I cam nevere, I kan nat tellen wher,
1953 Therfore I stynte; I nam no divinistre,
1954 Of soules fynde I nat in this registre,
1955 Ne me ne list thilke opinions to telle
1956 Of hem, though that they writen wher they dwelle.
1957 Arcite is coold, ther Mars his soule gye:
1958 Now wol I speken forthe of Emelye.
1959 Shrighte Emelye, and howleth Palamon,
1960 And Theseus his suster took anon
1961 Swownynge, and baar hir fro the corps away.
1962 What helpeth it to tarien forth the day
1963 To tellen how she weep bothe eve and morwe?
1964 For in swich cas wommen have swich sorwe
1965 Whan that hir housbond is from hem ago,
1966 That for the moore part they sorwen so,
1967 Or ellis fallen in swich maladye,
1968 That at the laste certeinly they dye.
1969 Infinite been the sorwes and the teeres
1970 Of olde folk, and eek of tendre yeeres
1971 In al the toun, for deeth of this Theban.
1972 For hym ther wepeth bothe child and man;
1973 So greet a wepyng was ther noon, certayn,
1974 Whan Ector was ybroght al fressh yslayn
1975 To Troye, allas, the pitee that was ther!
1976 Cracchynge of chekes, rentynge eek of heer;
1977 Why soldestow be deed, thise wommen crye,
1978 And haddest gold ynough, and Emelye?
1979 No man myghte gladen Theseus,
1980 Savynge his olde fader, Egeus,
1981 That knew this worldes transmutacioun,
1982 As he hadde seyn it chaungen up and doun,
1983 Joye after wo, and wo after gladnesse,
1984 And shewed hem ensamples and liknesse.
1985 Right as ther dyed nevere man, quod he,
1986 That he ne lyvede in erthe in som degree,
1987 Right so ther lyvede never man, he seyde,
1988 In al this world that somtyme he ne deyde.
1989 This world nys but a thurghfare ful of wo,
1990 And we been pilgrymes passynge to and fro.
1991 Deeth is an ende of every worldes soore.
1992 And over al this yet seyde he muchel moore,
1993 To this effect ful wisely to enhorte
1994 The peple, that they sholde hem reconforte.
1995 Duc Theseus, with al his bisy cure,
1996 Caste now, wher that the sepulture
1997 Of goode Arcite may best ymaked be,
1998 And eek moost honurable in his degree.
1999 And at the laste he took conclusioun
2000 That ther as first Arcite and Palamoun
2001 Hadden for love the bataille hem bitwene,
2002 That in that selve grove swoote and grene
2003 Ther as he hadde hise amorouse desires,
2004 His compleynte, and for love hise hoote fires
2005 He wolde make a fyr, in which the office
2006 Funeral he myghte al accomplice; 2003-2129
2007 And leet comande anon to hakke and hewe
2008 The okes olde, and leye hem on a rewe
2009 In colpons, wel arrayed for to brenne.
2010 Hise officers with swifte feet they renne
2011 And ryden anon at his comandement;
2012 And after this Theseus hath ysent
2013 After a beere, and it al over-spradde
2014 With clooth of gold, the richeste that he hadde.
2015 And of the same suyte he cladde Arcite,
2016 Upon his hondes hadde he gloves white,
2017 Eek on his heed a coroune of laurer grene,
2018 And in his hond a swerd ful bright and kene.
2019 He leyde hym bare the visage on the beere,
2020 Ther-with he weep that pitee was to heere.
2021 And for the peple sholde seen hym alle,
2022 Whan it was day, he broghte hym to the halle,
2023 That roreth of the criyng and the soun.
2024 Tho cam this woful Theban, Palamoun,
2025 With flotery berd and rugged asshy heeres,
2026 In clothes blake, ydropped al with teeres,
2027 And passynge othere of wepynge Emelye,
2028 The rewefulleste of al the compaignye.
2029 In as muche as the servyce sholde be
2030 The moore noble and riche in his degree,
2031 Duc Theseus leet forth thre steedes brynge
2032 That trapped were in steel al gliterynge,
2033 And covered with the armes of daun Arcite.
2034 Upon thise steedes that weren grete and white
2035 Ther sitten folk, of whiche oon baar his sheeld,
2036 Another his spere up in his hondes heeld,
2037 The thridde baar with hym his bowe Turkeys,
2038 Of brend gold was the caas, and eek the harneys;
2039 And riden forth a paas, with sorweful cheere,
2040 Toward the grove, as ye shul after heere.
2041 The nobleste of the Grekes that ther were
2042 Upon hir shuldres caryeden the beere,
2043 With slakke paas, and eyen rede and wete,
2044 Thurghout the citee by the maister-strete,
2045 That sprad was al with blak, and wonder hye
2046 Right of the same is the strete ywrye.
2047 Upon the right hond wente olde Egeus,
2048 And on that oother syde duc Theseus,
2049 With vessel in hir hand of gold ful fyn,
2050 Al ful of hony, milk, and blood, and wyn.
2051 Eek Palamon, with ful greet compaignye,
2052 And after that cam woful Emelye,
2053 With fyr in honde, as was that tyme the gyse,
2054 To do the office of funeral servyse.
2055 Heigh labour, and ful greet apparaillynge,
2056 Was at the service and the fyr makynge,
2057 That with his grene top the heven raughte,
2058 And twenty fadme of brede the armes straughte;
2059 This is to seyn, the bowes weren so brode.
2060 Of stree first ther was leyd ful many a lode,
2061 But how the fyr was maked upon highte,
2062 Ne eek the names that the trees highte,
2063 As, ook, firre, birch, aspe, alder, holm, popeler,
2064 Wylugh, elm, plane, assh, box, chasteyn, lynde, laurer,
2065 Mapul, thorn, bech, hasel, ew, whippeltre,
2066 How they weren fild shal nat be toold for me,
2067 Ne how the goddes ronnen up and doun
2068 Disherited of hir habitacioun,
2069 In whiche they woneden in reste and pees,
2070 Nymphes, Fawnes, and Amadrides;
2071 Ne how the beestes and the briddes alle
2072 Fledden for fere, whan the wode was falle;
2073 Ne how the ground agast was of the light,
2074 That was nat wont to seen the sonne bright;
2075 Ne how the fyr was couched first with stree,
2076 And thanne with drye stikkes clovena thre,
2077 And thanne with grene wode and spicerye,
2078 And thanne with clooth of gold and with perrye,
2079 And gerlandes hangynge with ful many a flour,
2080 The mirre, thencens, with al so greet odour;
2081 Ne how Arcite lay among al this,
2082 Ne what richesse aboute his body is,
2083 Ne how that Emelye, as was the gyse,
2084 Putte in the fyr of funeral servyse;
2085 Ne how she swowned whan men made the fyr,
2086 Ne what she spak, ne what was hir desir,
2087 Ne what jeweles men in the fyr caste,
2088 Whan that the fyr was greet and brente faste;
2089 Ne how somme caste hir sheeld, and somme hir spere,
2090 And of hire vestimentz whiche that they were,
2091 And coppes full of wyn, and milk, and blood,
2092 Into the fyr, that brente as it were wood,
2093 Ne how the Grekes, with an huge route,
2094 Thryes riden al the place aboute,
2095 Upon the left hand with a loud shoutynge,
2096 And thries with hir speres claterynge,
2097 And thries how the ladyes gonne crye,
2098 And how that lad was homward Emelye;
2099 Ne how Arcite is brent to asshen colde,
2100 Ne how that lychewake was yholde
2101 Al thilke nyght, ne how the Grekes pleye
2102 The wakepleyes ne kepe I nat to seye,
2103 Who wrastleth best naked, with oille enoynt,
2104 Ne who that baar hym best in no disjoynt;
2105 I wol nat tellen eek, how that they goon
2106 Hoom til Atthenes, whan the pley is doon;
2107 But shortly to the point thanne wol I wende,
2108 And maken of my longe tale an ende.
2109 By processe, and by lengthe of certeyn yeres,
2110 Al stynted is the moornynge and the teres
2111 Of Grekes, by oon general assent.
2112 Thanne semed me ther was a parlement
2113 At Atthenes, upon certein pointz and caas,
2114 Among the whiche pointz yspoken was
2115 To have with certein contrees alliaunce,
2116 And have fully of Thebans obeisaunce,
2117 For which this noble Theseus anon
2118 Leet senden after gentil Palamon,
2119 Unwist of hym what was the cause and why.
2120 But in hise blake clothes sorwefully
2121 He cam at his comandement in hye;
2122 Tho sente Theseus for Emelye.
2123 Whan they were set, and hust was al the place,
2124 And Theseus abiden hadde a space
2125 Er any word cam fram his wise brest,
2126 Hise eyen sette he ther as was his lest,
2127 And with a sad visage he siked stille,
2128 And after that right thus he seyde his wille.
2129 The firste Moevere of the cause above
2130 Whan he first made the faire cheyne of love,
2131 Greet was theffect, and heigh was his entente;
2132 Wel wiste he, why, and what therof he mente,
2133 For with that faire cheyne of love he bond
2134 The fyr, the eyr, the water, and the lond,
2135 In certeyn boundes that they may nat flee.
2136 That same Princes and that same Moevere, quod he,
2137 Hath stablissed in this wrecched world adoun
2138 Certeyne dayes and duracioun
2139 To al that is engendred in this place,
2140 Over the whiche day they may nat pace;
2141 Al mowe they yet tho dayes wel abregge,
2142 Ther nedeth noght noon auctoritee allegge,
2143 For it is preeved by experience- 2142-2168
2144 But that me list declaren my sentence.
2145 Thanne may men by this ordre wel discerne
2146 That thilke Moevere stable is and eterne.
2147 Wel may men knowe, but it be a fool,
2148 That every part deryveth from his hool;
2149 For nature hath nat taken his bigynnyng
2150 Of no partie nor cantel of a thyng,
2151 But of a thyng that parfit is and stable,
2152 Descendynge so til it be corrumpable;
2153 And therfore, of his wise purveiaunce,
2154 He hath so wel biset his ordinaunce,
2155 That speces of thynges and progressiouns
2156 Shullen enduren by successiouns,
2157 And nat eterne, withouten any lye.
2158 This maystow understonde and seen at eye.
2159 Loo the ook, that hath so long a norisshynge
2160 From tyme that it first bigynneth sprynge,
2161 And hath so long a lif, as we may see,
2162 Yet at the laste wasted is the tree.
2163 Considereth eek, how that the harde stoon
2164 Under oure feet, on which we trede and goon,
2165 Yit wasteth it, as it lyth by the weye.
2166 The brode ryver somtyme wexeth dreye,
2167 The grete toures se we wane and wende,
2168 Thanne may ye se that al this thyng hath ende.
2169 Of man and womman seen we wel also, 2169-2242
2170 That nedeth, in oon of thise termes two,
2171 This is to seyn, in youthe or elles age,
2172 He moot be deed, the kyng as shal a page.
2173 Som in his bed, som in the depe see,
2174 Som in the large feeld, as men may se;
2175 Ther helpeth noght, al goth that ilke weye,
2176 Thanne may I seyn that al this thyng moot deye.
2177 What maketh this, but Juppiter the kyng,
2178 That is Princes and cause of alle thyng
2179 Convertyng al unto his propre welle
2180 From which it is deryved, sooth to telle,
2181 And heer agayns no creature on lyve
2182 Of no degree availleth for to stryve.
2183 Thanne is it wysdom, as it thynketh me,
2184 To maken vertu of necessitee,
2185 And take it weel, that we may nat eschue;
2186 And namely, that to us alle is due.
2187 And who so gruccheth ought, he dooth folye,
2188 And rebel is to hym that al may gye.
2189 And certeinly, a man hath moost honour
2190 To dyen in his excellence and flour,
2191 Whan he is siker of his goode name,
2192 Thanne hath he doon his freend ne hym no shame.
2193 And gladder oghte his freend been of his deeth,
2194 Whan with honour upyolden in his breeth,
2195 Than whan his name apalled is for age;
2196 For al forgeten is his vassellage.
2197 Thanne is it best as for a worthy fame,
2198 To dyen whan that he is best of name.
2199 The contrarie of al this is wilfulnesse:
2200 Why grucchen heere his cosyn and his wyf
2201 That goode Arcite, of chivalrie flour,
2202 Departed is with duetee and honour
2203 Out of this foule prisoun of this lyf?
2204 Why grucchen heere his cosyn and his wyf
2205 Of his welfare, that loved hem so weel?
2206 Kan he hem thank? Nay, God woot never a deel!
2207 That bothe his soule and eek hemself offende,
2208 And yet they mowe hir lustes nat amende.
2209 What may I concluden of this longe serye,
2210 But after wo I rede us to be merye,
2211 And thanken Juppiter of al his grace?
2212 And er that we departen from this place
2213 I rede that we make, of sorwes two,
2214 O parfit joye lastyng everemo.
2215 And looketh now, wher moost sorwe is her inne,
2216 Ther wol we first amenden and bigynne.
2217 Suster, quod he, this is my fulle assent,
2218 With all thavys heere of my parlement,
2219 That gentil Palamon thyn owene kynght,
2220 That serveth yow with wille, herte, and myght,
2221 And evere hath doon, syn that ye first hym knewe,
2222 That ye shul of your grace upon hym rewe,
2223 And taken hym for housbonde and for lord.
2224 Lene me youre hond, for this is oure accord.
2225 Lat se now of youre wommanly pitee;
2226 He is a kynges brother sone, pardee,
2227 And though he were a povre bacheler,
2228 Syn he hath served yow so many a yeer,
2229 And had for yow so greet adversitee,
2230 It moste been considered, leeveth me,
2231 For gentil mercy oghte to passen right.
2232 Thanne seyde he thus to Palamon ful right:
2233 I trowe ther nedeth litel sermonyng
2234 To make yow assente to this thyng.
2235 Com neer, and taak youre lady by the hond.
2236 Bitwixen hem was maad anon the bond
2237 That highte matrimoigne, or mariage,
2238 By al the conseil and the baronage.
2239 And thus with alle blisse and melodye
2240 Hath Palamon ywedded Emelye;
2241 And God, that al this wyde world hath wroght,
2242 Sende hym his love that hath it deere aboght!
2243 For now is Palamon in alle wele,
2244 Lyvynge in blisse, in richesse, and in heele,
2245 And Emelye hym loveth so tendrely,
2246 And he hir serveth al so gentilly,
2247 That nevere was ther no word hem bitwene,
2248 Of jalousie, or any oother teene.
2249 Thus endeth Palamon and Emelye,
2250 And God save al this faire compaignye!-Amen-
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