Explicit prima Pars. Sequitur pars secunda.

  • Whan that Arcite to Thebes comen was, Skeat1900: 1355
  • Ful ofte a day he swelte and seyde ‘allas,’
  • For seen his lady shal he never-mo.
  • And shortly to concluden al his wo, Skeat1900: (500)
  • So muche sorwe had never creature
  • That is, or shal, whyl that the world may dure. Skeat1900: 1360
  • His sleep, his mete, his drink is him biraft,
  • That lene he wex , and drye as is a shaft.
  • His eyen holwe, and grisly to biholde;
  • His hewe falwe, and pale as asshen colde,
  • And solitarie he was, and ever allone, Skeat1900: 1365
  • And wailling al the night, making his mone.
  • And if he herde song or instrument,
  • Then wolde he wepe, he mighte nat be stent; Skeat1900: (510)
  • So feble eek were his spirits , and so lowe,
  • And chaunged so, that no man coude knowe Skeat1900: 1370
  • His speche nor his vois, though men it herde.
  • And in his gere, for al the world he ferde
  • Nat oonly lyk the loveres maladye
  • Of Hereos, but rather lyk manye
  • Engendred of humour malencolyk, Skeat1900: 1375
  • Biforen, in his celle fantastyk.
  • And shortly, turned was al up-so-doun
  • Bothe habit and eek disposicioun Skeat1900: (520)
  • Of him, this woful lovere daun Arcite.
  • What sholde I al-day of his wo endyte? Skeat1900: 1380
  • Whan he endured hadde a yeer or two
  • This cruel torment, and this peyne and wo,
  • At Thebes, in his contree, as I seyde,
  • Up-on a night, in sleep as he him leyde,
  • Him thoughte how that the winged god Mercurie Skeat1900: 1385
  • Biforn him stood, and bad him to be murye.
  • His slepy yerde in hond he bar uprighte;
  • An hat he werede up-on his heres brighte. Skeat1900: (530)
  • Arrayed was this god (as he took keep)
  • As he was whan that Argus took his sleep; Skeat1900: 1390
  • And seyde him thus: ‘To Athenes shaltou wende;
  • Ther is thee shapen of thy wo an ende.’
  • And with that word Arcite wook and sterte.
  • ‘Now trewely, how sore that me smerte,’
  • Quod he, ‘to Athenes right now wol I fare; Skeat1900: 1395
  • Ne for the drede of deeth shal I nat spare
  • To see my lady, that I love and serve;
  • In hir presence I recche nat to sterve.’ Skeat1900: (540)
  • And with that word he caughte a greet mirour,
  • And saugh that chaunged was al his colour, Skeat1900: 1400
  • And saugh his visage al in another kinde.
  • And right anoon it ran him in his minde,
  • That, sith his face was so disfigured
  • Of maladye, the which he hadde endured,
  • He mighte wel, if that he bar him lowe, Skeat1900: 1405
  • Live in Athenes ever-more unknowe,
  • And seen his lady wel ny day by day.
  • And right anon he chaunged his array, Skeat1900: (550)
  • And cladde him as a povre laborer,
  • And al allone, save oonly a squyer, Skeat1900: 1410
  • That knew his privetee and al his cas,
  • Which was disgysed povrely, as he was,
  • To Athenes is he goon the nexte way.
  • And to the court he wente up-on a day,
  • And at the gate he profreth his servyse, Skeat1900: 1415
  • To drugge and drawe, what so men wol devyse.
  • And shortly of this matere for to seyn,
  • He fil in office with a chamberleyn, Skeat1900: (560)
  • The which that dwelling was with Emelye.
  • For he was wys, and coude soon aspye Skeat1900: 1420
  • Of every servaunt, which that serveth here.
  • Wel coude he hewen wode, and water bere,
  • For he was yong and mighty for the nones,
  • And ther-to he was strong and big of bones
  • To doon that any wight can him devyse. Skeat1900: 1425
  • A yeer or two he was in this servyse,
  • Page of the chambre of Emelye the brighte;
  • And ‘Philostrate’ he seide that he highte. Skeat1900: (570)
  • But half so wel biloved a man as he
  • Ne was ther never in court, of his degree; Skeat1900: 1430
  • He was so gentil of condicioun,
  • That thurghout al the court was his renoun.
  • They seyden, that it were a charitee
  • That Theseus wolde enhauncen his degree,
  • And putten him in worshipful servyse, Skeat1900: 1435
  • Ther as he mighte his vertu excercyse.
  • And thus, with-inne a whyle, his name is spronge
  • Bothe of his dedes, and his goode tonge, Skeat1900: (580)
  • That Theseus hath taken him so neer
  • That of his chambre he made him a squyer, Skeat1900: 1440
  • And yaf him gold to mayntene his degree;
  • And eek men broghte him out of his contree
  • From yeer to yeer, ful prively, his rente;
  • But honestly and slyly he it spente,
  • That no man wondred how that he it hadde. Skeat1900: 1445
  • And three yeer in this wyse his lyf he ladde,
  • And bar him so in pees and eek in werre,
  • Ther nas no man that Theseus hath derre. Skeat1900: (590)
  • And in this blisse lete I now Arcite,
  • And speke I wol of Palamon a lyte. Skeat1900: 1450
  • In derknesse and horrible and strong prisoun
  • This seven yeer hath seten Palamoun,
  • Forpyned, what for wo and for distresse;
  • Who feleth double soor and hevinesse
  • But Palamon? that love destreyneth so, Skeat1900: 1455
  • That wood out of his wit he gooth for wo;
  • And eek therto he is a prisoner
  • Perpetuelly, noght oonly for a yeer. Skeat1900: (600)
  • Who coude ryme in English proprely
  • His martirdom? for sothe, it am nat I; Skeat1900: 1460
  • Therefore I passe as lightly as I may.
  • It fel that in the seventhe yeer, in May,
  • The thridde night, (as olde bokes seyn,
  • That al this storie tellen more pleyn,)
  • Were it by aventure or destinee, Skeat1900: 1465
  • (As, whan a thing is shapen, it shal be,)
  • That, sone after the midnight, Palamoun,
  • By helping of a freend, brak his prisoun, Skeat1900: (610)
  • And fleeth the citee, faste as he may go;
  • For he had yive his gayler drinke so Skeat1900: 1470
  • Of a clarree, maad of a certeyn wyn,
  • With nercotikes and opie of Thebes fyn,
  • That al that night, thogh that men wolde him shake,
  • The gayler sleep, he mighte nat awake;
  • And thus he fleeth as faste as ever he may. Skeat1900: 1475
  • The night was short, and faste by the day,
  • That nedes-cost he moste him-selven hyde,
  • And til a grove, faste ther besyde, Skeat1900: (620)
  • With dredful foot than stalketh Palamoun.
  • For shortly, this was his opinioun, Skeat1900: 1480
  • That in that grove he wolde him hyde al day,
  • And in the night than wolde he take his way
  • To Thebes-ward, his freendes for to preye
  • On Theseus to helpe him to werreye;
  • And shortly, outher he wolde lese his lyf, Skeat1900: 1485
  • Or winnen Emelye un-to his wyf;
  • This is theffect and his entente pleyn.
  • Now wol I torne un-to Arcite ageyn, Skeat1900: (630)
  • That litel wiste how ny that was his care,
  • Til that fortune had broght him in the snare. Skeat1900: 1490
  • The bisy larke, messager of day,
  • Saluëth in hir song the morwe gray;
  • And fyry Phebus ryseth up so brighte,
  • That al the orient laugheth of the lighte,
  • And with his stremes dryeth in the greves Skeat1900: 1495
  • The silver dropes, hanging on the leves.
  • And Arcite, that is in the court royal
  • With Theseus, his squyer principal, Skeat1900: (640)
  • Is risen, and loketh on the myrie day.
  • And, for to doon his observaunce to May, Skeat1900: 1500
  • Remembering on the poynt of his desyr,
  • He on a courser, sterting as the fyr,
  • Is riden in-to the feeldes, him to pleye,
  • Out of the court, were it a myle or tweye;
  • And to the grove, of which that I yow tolde, Skeat1900: 1505
  • By aventure, his wey he gan to holde,
  • To maken him a gerland of the greves,
  • Were it of wodebinde or hawethorn-leves, Skeat1900: (650)
  • And loude he song ageyn the sonne shene:
  • ‘May, with alle thy floures and thy grene, Skeat1900: 1510
  • Wel-come be thou, faire fresshe May,
  • I hope that I som grene gete may.’
  • And from his courser, with a lusty herte,
  • In-to the grove ful hastily he sterte,
  • And in a path he rometh up and doun, Skeat1900: 1515
  • Ther-as, by aventure, this Palamoun
  • Was in a bush, that no man mighte him see,
  • For sore afered of his deeth was he. Skeat1900: (660)
  • No-thing ne knew he that it was Arcite:
  • God wot he wolde have trowed it ful lyte. Skeat1900: 1520
  • But sooth is seyd, gon sithen many yeres,
  • That ‘feeld hath eyen, and the wode hath eres.’
  • It is ful fair a man to bere him evene,
  • For al-day meteth men at unset stevene.
  • Ful litel woot Arcite of his felawe, Skeat1900: 1525
  • That was so ny to herknen al his sawe,
  • For in the bush he sitteth now ful stille.
  • Whan that Arcite had romed al his fille, Skeat1900: (670)
  • And songen al the roundel lustily,
  • In-to a studie he fil sodeynly, Skeat1900: 1530
  • As doon thise loveres in hir queynte geres,
  • Now in the croppe, now doun in the breres,
  • Now up, now doun, as boket in a welle.
  • Right as the Friday, soothly for to telle,
  • Now it shyneth, now it reyneth faste, Skeat1900: 1535
  • Right so can gery Venus overcaste
  • The hertes of hir folk; right as hir day
  • Is gerful, right so chaungeth she array. Skeat1900: (680)
  • Selde is the Friday al the wyke y-lyke.
  • Whan that Arcite had songe, he gan to syke, Skeat1900: 1540
  • And sette him doun with-outen any more:
  • ‘Alas!’ quod he, ‘that day that I was bore!
  • How longe, Iuno, thurgh thy crueltee,
  • Woltow werreyen Thebes the citee?
  • Allas! y-broght is to confusioun Skeat1900: 1545
  • The blood royal of Cadme and Amphioun;
  • Of Cadmus, which that was the firste man
  • That Thebes bulte, or first the toun bigan, Skeat1900: (690)
  • And of the citee first was crouned king,
  • Of his linage am I, and his of-spring Skeat1900: 1550
  • By verray ligne , as of the stok royal:
  • And now I am so caitif and so thral,
  • That he, that is my mortal enemy,
  • I serve him as his squyer povrely.
  • And yet doth Iuno me wel more shame, Skeat1900: 1555
  • For I dar noght biknowe myn owne name;
  • But ther-as I was wont to highte Arcite,
  • Now highte I Philostrate, noght worth a myte. Skeat1900: (700)
  • Allas! thou felle Mars, allas! Iuno,
  • Thus hath your ire our kinrede al fordo, Skeat1900: 1560
  • Save only me, and wrecched Palamoun,
  • That Theseus martyreth in prisoun.
  • And over al this, to sleen me utterly,
  • Love hath his fyry dart so brenningly
  • Y-stiked thurgh my trewe careful herte, Skeat1900: 1565
  • That shapen was my deeth erst than my sherte.
  • Ye sleen me with your eyen, Emelye;
  • Ye been the cause wherfor that I dye. Skeat1900: (710)
  • Of al the remenant of myn other care
  • Ne sette I nat the mountaunce of a tare, Skeat1900: 1570
  • So that I coude don aught to your plesaunce!’
  • And with that word he fil doun in a traunce
  • A longe tyme; and after he up-sterte.
  • This Palamoun, that thoughte that thurgh his herte
  • He felte a cold swerd sodeynliche glyde, Skeat1900: 1575
  • For ire he quook, no lenger wolde he byde.
  • And whan that he had herd Arcites tale,
  • As he were wood, with face deed and pale, Skeat1900: (720)
  • He sterte him up out of the buskes thikke,
  • And seyde: ‘Arcite, false traitour wikke, Skeat1900: 1580
  • Now artow hent, that lovest my lady so,
  • For whom that I have al this peyne and wo,
  • And art my blood, and to my counseil sworn,
  • As I ful ofte have told thee heer-biforn,
  • And hast by-iaped here duk Theseus, Skeat1900: 1585
  • And falsly chaunged hast thy name thus;
  • I wol be deed, or elles thou shalt dye.
  • Thou shalt nat love my lady Emelye, Skeat1900: (730)
  • But I wol love hir only, and namo;
  • For I am Palamoun, thy mortal fo. Skeat1900: 1590
  • And though that I no wepne have in this place,
  • But out of prison am astert by grace,
  • I drede noght that outher thou shalt dye,
  • Or thou ne shalt nat loven Emelye.
  • Chees which thou wilt, for thou shalt nat asterte.’ Skeat1900: 1595
  • This Arcite, with ful despitous herte,
  • Whan he him knew, and hadde his tale herd,
  • As fiers as leoun, pulled out a swerd, Skeat1900: (740)
  • And seyde thus: ‘by God that sit above,
  • Nere it that thou art sik, and wood for love, Skeat1900: 1600
  • And eek that thou no wepne hast in this place,
  • Thou sholdest never out of this grove pace,
  • That thou ne sholdest dyen of myn hond.
  • For I defye the seurtee and the bond
  • Which that thou seyst that I have maad to thee. Skeat1900: 1605
  • What, verray fool, think wel that love is free,
  • And I wol love hir, maugre al thy might!
  • But, for as muche thou art a worthy knight, Skeat1900: (750)
  • And wilnest to darreyne hir by batayle,
  • Have heer my trouthe, to-morwe I wol nat fayle, Skeat1900: 1610
  • With-outen witing of any other wight,
  • That here I wol be founden as a knight,
  • And bringen harneys right y-nough for thee;
  • And chees the beste, and leve the worste for me.
  • And mete and drinke this night wol I bringe Skeat1900: 1615
  • Y-nough for thee, and clothes for thy beddinge.
  • And, if so be that thou my lady winne,
  • And slee me in this wode ther I am inne, Skeat1900: (760)
  • Thou mayst wel have thy lady, as for me.’
  • This Palamon answerde: ‘I graunte it thee.’ Skeat1900: 1620
  • And thus they been departed til a-morwe,
  • When ech of hem had leyd his feith to borwe.
  • O Cupide, out of alle charitee!
  • O regne, that wolt no felawe have with thee!
  • Ful sooth is seyd, that love ne lordshipe Skeat1900: 1625
  • Wol noght, his thankes, have no felaweshipe;
  • Wel finden that Arcite and Palamoun.
  • Arcite is riden anon un-to the toun, Skeat1900: (770)
  • And on the morwe, er it were dayes light,
  • Ful prively two harneys hath he dight, Skeat1900: 1630
  • Bothe suffisaunt and mete to darreyne
  • The bataille in the feeld bitwix hem tweyne.
  • And on his hors, allone as he was born,
  • He carieth al this harneys him biforn;
  • And in the grove, at tyme and place y-set, Skeat1900: 1635
  • This Arcite and this Palamon ben met.
  • Tho chaungen gan the colour in hir face;
  • Right as the hunter in the regne of Trace, Skeat1900: (780)
  • That stondeth at the gappe with a spere,
  • Whan hunted is the leoun or the bere, Skeat1900: 1640
  • And hereth him come russhing in the greves,
  • And breketh bothe bowes and the leves,
  • And thinketh, ‘heer cometh my mortel enemy,
  • With-oute faile, he moot be deed, or I;
  • For outher I mot sleen him at the gappe, Skeat1900: 1645
  • Or he mot sleen me, if that me mishappe:’
  • So ferden they, in chaunging of hir hewe,
  • As fer as everich of hem other knewe. Skeat1900: (790)
  • Ther nas no good day, ne no saluing;
  • But streight, with-outen word or rehersing, Skeat1900: 1650
  • Everich of hem halp for to armen other,
  • As freendly as he were his owne brother;
  • And after that, with sharpe speres stronge
  • They foynen ech at other wonder longe.
  • Thou mightest wene that this Palamoun Skeat1900: 1655
  • In his fighting were a wood leoun,
  • And as a cruel tygre was Arcite:
  • As wilde bores gonne they to smyte, Skeat1900: (800)
  • That frothen whyte as foom for ire wood.
  • Up to the ancle foghte they in hir blood. Skeat1900: 1660
  • And in this wyse I lete hem fighting dwelle;
  • And forth I wol of Theseus yow telle.
  • The destinee, ministre general,
  • That executeth in the world over-al
  • The purveyaunce, that God hath seyn biforn, Skeat1900: 1665
  • So strong it is, that, though the world had sworn
  • The contrarie of a thing, by ye or nay,
  • Yet somtyme it shal fallen on a day Skeat1900: (810)
  • That falleth nat eft with-inne a thousand yere.
  • For certeinly, our appetytes here, Skeat1900: 1670
  • Be it of werre, or pees, or hate, or love,
  • Al is this reuled by the sighte above.
  • This mene I now by mighty Theseus,
  • That for to honten is so desirous,
  • And namely at the grete hert in May, Skeat1900: 1675
  • That in his bed ther daweth him no day,
  • That he nis clad, and redy for to ryde
  • With hunte and horn, and houndes him bisyde. Skeat1900: (820)
  • For in his hunting hath he swich delyt,
  • That it is al his Ioye and appetyt Skeat1900: 1680
  • To been him-self the grete hertes bane;
  • For after Mars he serveth now Diane.
  • Cleer was the day, as I have told er this,
  • And Theseus, with alle Ioye and blis,
  • With his Ipolita, the fayre quene, Skeat1900: 1685
  • And Emelye, clothed al in grene,
  • On hunting be they riden royally.
  • And to the grove, that stood ful faste by, Skeat1900: (830)
  • In which ther was an hert, as men him tolde,
  • Duk Theseus the streighte wey hath holde. Skeat1900: 1690
  • And to the launde he rydeth him ful right,
  • For thider was the hert wont have his flight,
  • And over a brook, and so forth on his weye.
  • This duk wol han a cours at him, or tweye,
  • With houndes, swiche as that him list comaunde. Skeat1900: 1695
  • And whan this duk was come un-to the launde,
  • Under the sonne he loketh, and anon
  • He was war of Arcite and Palamon, Skeat1900: (840)
  • That foughten breme, as it were bores two;
  • The brighte swerdes wenten to and fro Skeat1900: 1700
  • So hidously, that with the leeste strook
  • It seemed as it wolde felle an ook;
  • But what they were, no-thing he ne woot.
  • This duk his courser with his spores smoot,
  • And at a stert he was bitwix hem two, Skeat1900: 1705
  • And pulled out a swerd and cryed, ‘ho!
  • Namore, up peyne of lesing of your heed.
  • By mighty Mars, he shal anon be deed, Skeat1900: (850)
  • That smyteth any strook, that I may seen!
  • But telleth me what mister men ye been, Skeat1900: 1710
  • That been so hardy for to fighten here
  • With-outen Iuge or other officere,
  • As it were in a listes royally?’
  • This Palamon answerde hastily,
  • And seyde: ‘sire, what nedeth wordes mo? Skeat1900: 1715
  • We have the deeth deserved bothe two.
  • Two woful wrecches been we, two caytyves,
  • That been encombred of our owne lyves; Skeat1900: (860)
  • And as thou art a rightful lord and Iuge,
  • Ne yeve us neither mercy ne refuge, Skeat1900: 1720
  • But slee me first, for seynte charitee;
  • But slee my felawe eek as wel as me.
  • Or slee him first; for, though thou knowe it lyte,
  • This is thy mortal fo, this is Arcite,
  • That fro thy lond is banished on his heed, Skeat1900: 1725
  • For which he hath deserved to be deed.
  • For this is he that cam un-to thy gate,
  • And seyde, that he highte Philostrate. Skeat1900: (870)
  • Thus hath he Iaped thee ful many a yeer,
  • And thou has maked him thy chief squyer; Skeat1900: 1730
  • And this is he that loveth Emelye.
  • For sith the day is come that I shal dye,
  • I make pleynly my confessioun,
  • That I am thilke woful Palamoun,
  • That hath thy prison broken wikkedly. Skeat1900: 1735
  • I am thy mortal fo, and it am I
  • That loveth so hote Emelye the brighte,
  • That I wol dye present in hir sighte. Skeat1900: (880)
  • Therfore I axe deeth and my Iuwyse;
  • But slee my felawe in the same wyse, Skeat1900: 1740
  • For bothe han we deserved to be slayn.’
  • This worthy duk answerde anon agayn,
  • And seyde, ‘This is a short conclusioun:
  • Youre owne mouth, by your confessioun,
  • Hath dampned you, and I wol it recorde, Skeat1900: 1745
  • It nedeth noght to pyne yow with the corde.
  • Ye shul be deed, by mighty Mars the rede!’
  • The quene anon, for verray wommanhede, Skeat1900: (890)
  • Gan for to wepe, and so dide Emelye,
  • And alle the ladies in the companye. Skeat1900: 1750
  • Gret pitee was it, as it thoughte hem alle,
  • That ever swich a chaunce sholde falle;
  • For gentil men they were, of greet estat,
  • And no-thing but for love was this debat;
  • And sawe hir blody woundes wyde and sore; Skeat1900: 1755
  • And alle cryden, bothe lasse and more,
  • ‘Have mercy, lord, up-on us wommen alle!’
  • And on hir bare knees adoun they falle, Skeat1900: (900)
  • And wolde have kist his feet ther-as he stood,
  • Til at the laste aslaked was his mood; Skeat1900: 1760
  • For pitee renneth sone in gentil herte.
  • And though he first for ire quook and sterte,
  • He hath considered shortly, in a clause,
  • The trespas of hem bothe, and eek the cause:
  • And al-though that his ire hir gilt accused, Skeat1900: 1765
  • Yet in his reson he hem bothe excused;
  • As thus: he thoghte wel, that every man
  • Wol helpe him-self in love, if that he can, Skeat1900: (910)
  • And eek delivere him-self out of prisoun;
  • And eek his herte had compassioun Skeat1900: 1770
  • Of wommen, for they wepen ever in oon;
  • And in his gentil herte he thoghte anoon,
  • And softe un-to himself he seyde: ‘fy
  • Up-on a lord that wol have no mercy,
  • But been a leoun, bothe in word and dede, Skeat1900: 1775
  • To hem that been in repentaunce and drede
  • As wel as to a proud despitous man
  • That wol maynteyne that he first bigan! Skeat1900: (920)
  • That lord hath litel of discrecioun,
  • That in swich cas can no divisioun, Skeat1900: 1780
  • But weyeth pryde and humblesse after oon.’
  • And shortly, whan his ire is thus agoon,
  • He gan to loken up with eyen lighte,
  • And spak thise same wordes al on highte:—
  • ‘The god of love, a! benedicite, Skeat1900: 1785
  • How mighty and how greet a lord is he!
  • Ayeins his might ther gayneth none obstacles,
  • He may be cleped a god for his miracles; Skeat1900: (930)
  • For he can maken at his owne gyse
  • Of everich herte, as that him list devyse. Skeat1900: 1790
  • Lo heer, this Arcite and this Palamoun,
  • That quitly weren out of my prisoun,
  • And mighte han lived in Thebes royally,
  • And witen I am hir mortal enemy,
  • And that hir deeth lyth in my might also, Skeat1900: 1795
  • And yet hath love, maugree hir eyen two,
  • Y-broght hem hider bothe for to dye!
  • Now loketh, is nat that an heigh folye? Skeat1900: (940)
  • Who may been a fool, but-if he love?
  • Bihold, for Goddes sake that sit above, Skeat1900: 1800
  • Se how they blede! be they noght wel arrayed?
  • Thus hath hir lord, the god of love, y-payed
  • Hir wages and hir fees for hir servyse!
  • And yet they wenen for to been ful wyse
  • That serven love, for aught that may bifalle! Skeat1900: 1805
  • But this is yet the beste game of alle,
  • That she, for whom they han this Iolitee,
  • Can hem ther-for as muche thank as me; Skeat1900: (950)
  • She woot namore of al this hote fare,
  • By God, than woot a cokkow or an hare! Skeat1900: 1810
  • But al mot been assayed, hoot and cold;
  • A man mot been a fool, or yong or old;
  • I woot it by my-self ful yore agoon:
  • For in my tyme a servant was I oon.
  • And therfore, sin I knowe of loves peyne, Skeat1900: 1815
  • And woot how sore it can a man distreyne,
  • As he that hath ben caught ofte in his las,
  • I yow foryeve al hoolly this trespas, Skeat1900: (960)
  • At requeste of the quene that kneleth here,
  • And eek of Emelye, my suster dere. Skeat1900: 1820
  • And ye shul bothe anon un-to me swere,
  • That never-mo ye shul my contree dere,
  • Ne make werre up-on me night ne day,
  • But been my freendes in al that ye may;
  • I yow foryeve this trespas every del.’ Skeat1900: 1825
  • And they him swore his axing fayre and wel, Skeat1900: 1825
  • And him of lordshipe and of mercy preyde,
  • And he hem graunteth grace, and thus he seyde: Skeat1900: (970)
  • ‘To speke of royal linage and richesse,
  • Though that she were a quene or a princesse, Skeat1900: 1830
  • Ech of yow bothe is worthy, doutelees,
  • To wedden whan tyme is, but nathelees
  • I speke as for my suster Emelye,
  • For whom ye have this stryf and Ielousye;
  • Ye woot your-self, she may not wedden two Skeat1900: 1835
  • At ones, though ye fighten ever-mo:
  • That oon of yow, al be him looth or leef,
  • He moot go pypen in an ivy-leef; Skeat1900: (980)
  • This is to seyn, she may nat now han bothe,
  • Al be ye never so Ielous , ne so wrothe. Skeat1900: 1840
  • And for-thy I yow putte in this degree,
  • That ech of yow shal have his destinee
  • As him is shape; and herkneth in what wyse;
  • Lo, heer your ende of that I shal devyse.
  • My wil is this, for plat conclusioun, Skeat1900: 1845
  • With-outen any replicacioun,
  • If that yow lyketh, tak it for the beste,
  • That everich of yow shal gon wher him leste Skeat1900: (990)
  • Frely, with-outen raunson or daunger;
  • And this day fifty wykes, fer ne ner, Skeat1900: 1850
  • Everich of yow shal bringe an hundred knightes,
  • Armed for listes up at alle rightes,
  • Al redy to darreyne hir by bataille.
  • And this bihote I yow, with-outen faille,
  • Up-on my trouthe, and as I am a knight, Skeat1900: 1855
  • That whether of yow bothe that hath might,
  • This is to seyn, that whether he or thou
  • May with his hundred, as I spak of now, Skeat1900: (1000)
  • Sleen his contrarie, or out of listes dryve,
  • Him shal I yeve Emelya to wyve, Skeat1900: 1860
  • To whom that fortune yeveth so fair a grace.
  • The listes shal I maken in this place,
  • And God so wisly on my soule rewe,
  • As I shal even Iuge been and trewe.
  • Ye shul non other ende with me maken, Skeat1900: 1865
  • That oon of yow ne shal be deed or taken.
  • And if yow thinketh this is wel y-sayd,
  • Seyeth your avys, and holdeth yow apayd. Skeat1900: (1010)
  • This is your ende and your conclusioun.’
  • Who loketh lightly now but Palamoun? Skeat1900: 1870
  • Who springeth up for Ioye but Arcite?
  • Who couthe telle, or who couthe it endyte,
  • The Ioye that is maked in the place
  • Whan Theseus hath doon so fair a grace?
  • But doun on knees wente every maner wight, Skeat1900: 1875
  • And thanked him with al her herte and might,
  • And namely the Thebans ofte sythe.
  • And thus with good hope and with herte blythe Skeat1900: (1020)
  • They take hir leve, and hom-ward gonne they ryde
  • To Thebes, with his olde walles wyde. Skeat1900: 1880

Explicit secunda pars. Sequitur pars tercia.

  • I trowe men wolde deme it necligence,
  • If I foryete to tellen the dispence
  • Of Theseus, that goth so bisily
  • To maken up the listes royally;
  • That swich a noble theatre as it was, Skeat1900: 1885
  • I dar wel seyn that in this world ther nas.
  • The circuit a myle was aboute,
  • Walled of stoon, and diched al with-oute. Skeat1900: (1030)
  • Round was the shap, in maner of compas,
  • Ful of degrees, the heighte of sixty pas, Skeat1900: 1890
  • That, whan a man was set on o degree,
  • He letted nat his felawe for to see.
  • Est-ward ther stood a gate of marbel whyt,
  • West-ward, right swich another in the opposit.
  • And shortly to concluden, swich a place Skeat1900: 1895
  • Was noon in erthe, as in so litel space;
  • For in the lond ther nas no crafty man,
  • That geometrie or ars-metrik can, Skeat1900: (1040)
  • Ne purtreyour, ne kerver of images,
  • That Theseus ne yaf him mete and wages Skeat1900: 1900
  • The theatre for to maken and devyse.
  • And for to doon his ryte and sacrifyse,
  • He est-ward hath, up-on the gate above,
  • In worship of Venus, goddesse of love,
  • Don make an auter and an oratorie; Skeat1900: 1905
  • And west-ward, in the minde and in memorie
  • Of Mars, he maked hath right swich another,
  • That coste largely of gold a fother. Skeat1900: (1050)
  • And north-ward, in a touret on the wal,
  • Of alabastre whyt and reed coral Skeat1900: 1910
  • An oratorie riche for to see,
  • In worship of Dyane of chastitee,
  • Hath Theseus don wroght in noble wyse.
  • But yet hadde I foryeten to devyse
  • The noble kerving, and the portreitures, Skeat1900: 1915
  • The shap, the countenaunce, and the figures,
  • That weren in thise oratories three.
  • First in the temple of Venus maystow see Skeat1900: (1060)
  • Wroght on the wal, ful pitous to biholde,
  • The broken slepes, and the sykes colde; Skeat1900: 1920
  • The sacred teres, and the waymenting;
  • The fyry strokes of the desiring,
  • That loves servaunts in this lyf enduren;
  • The othes, that hir covenants assuren;
  • Plesaunce and hope, desyr, fool-hardinesse, Skeat1900: 1925
  • Beautee and youthe, bauderie, richesse,
  • Charmes and force, lesinges, flaterye,
  • Dispense, bisynesse, and Ielousye, Skeat1900: (1070)
  • That wered of yelwe goldes a gerland,
  • And a cokkow sitting on hir hand; Skeat1900: 1930
  • Festes, instruments, caroles, daunces,
  • Lust and array, and alle the circumstaunces
  • Of love, whiche that I rekne and rekne shal,
  • By ordre weren peynted on the wal,
  • And mo than I can make of mencioun. Skeat1900: 1935
  • For soothly, al the mount of Citheroun,
  • Ther Venus hath hir principal dwelling,
  • Was shewed on the wal in portreying, Skeat1900: (1080)
  • With al the gardin, and the lustinesse.
  • Nat was foryeten the porter Ydelnesse, Skeat1900: 1940
  • Ne Narcisus the faire of yore agon,
  • Ne yet the folye of king Salamon,
  • Ne yet the grete strengthe of Hercules—
  • Thenchauntements of Medea and Circes—
  • Ne of Turnus, with the hardy fiers corage, Skeat1900: 1945
  • The riche Cresus, caytif in servage.
  • Thus may ye seen that wisdom ne richesse,
  • Beautee ne sleighte, strengthe, ne hardinesse, Skeat1900: (1090)
  • Ne may with Venus holde champartye;
  • For as hir list the world than may she gye. Skeat1900: 1950
  • Lo, alle thise folk so caught were in hir las,
  • Til they for wo ful ofte seyde ‘allas!’
  • Suffyceth heer ensamples oon or two,
  • And though I coude rekne a thousand mo.
  • The statue of Venus, glorious for to see, Skeat1900: 1955
  • Was naked fleting in the large see,
  • And fro the navele doun all covered was
  • With wawes grene, and brighte as any glas. Skeat1900: (1100)
  • A citole in hir right hand hadde she,
  • And on hir heed, ful semely for to see, Skeat1900: 1960
  • A rose gerland, fresh and wel smellinge;
  • Above hir heed hir dowves flikeringe.
  • Biforn hir stood hir sone Cupido,
  • Up-on his shuldres winges hadde he two;
  • And blind he was, as it is ofte sene; Skeat1900: 1965
  • A bowe he bar and arwes brighte and kene.
  • Why sholde I noght as wel eek telle yow al
  • The portreiture, that was up-on the wal Skeat1900: (1110)
  • With-inne the temple of mighty Mars the rede?
  • Al peynted was the wal, in lengthe and brede, Skeat1900: 1970
  • Lyk to the estres of the grisly place,
  • That highte the grete temple of Mars in Trace,
  • In thilke colde frosty regioun,
  • Ther-as Mars hath his sovereyn mansioun.
  • First on the wal was peynted a foreste, Skeat1900: 1975
  • In which ther dwelleth neither man ne beste,
  • With knotty knarry bareyn treës olde
  • Of stubbes sharpe and hidous to biholde; Skeat1900: (1120)
  • In which ther ran a rumbel and a swough,
  • As though a storm sholde bresten every bough: Skeat1900: 1980
  • And downward from an hille, under a bente,
  • Ther stood the temple of Mars armipotente,
  • Wroght al of burned steel, of which thentree
  • Was long and streit, and gastly for to see.
  • And ther-out cam a rage and such a vese, Skeat1900: 1985
  • That it made al the gates for to rese.
  • The northren light in at the dores shoon,
  • For windowe on the wal ne was ther noon, Skeat1900: (1130)
  • Thurgh which men mighten any light discerne.
  • The dores were alle of adamant eterne, Skeat1900: 1990
  • Y-clenched overthwart and endelong
  • With iren tough; and, for to make it strong,
  • Every piler, the temple to sustene,
  • Was tonne-greet, of iren bright and shene.
  • Ther saugh I first the derke imagining Skeat1900: 1995
  • Of felonye, and al the compassing;
  • The cruel ire, reed as any glede;
  • The pykepurs, and eek the pale drede; Skeat1900: (1140)
  • The smyler with the knyf under the cloke;
  • The shepne brenning with the blake smoke; Skeat1900: 2000
  • The treson of the mordring in the bedde;
  • The open werre, with woundes al bi-bledde;
  • Contek, with blody knyf and sharp manace;
  • Al ful of chirking was that sory place.
  • The sleere of him-self yet saugh I ther, Skeat1900: 2005
  • His herte-blood hath bathed al his heer;
  • The nayl y-driven in the shode a-night;
  • The colde deeth, with mouth gaping up-right. Skeat1900: (1150)
  • Amiddes of the temple sat meschaunce,
  • With disconfort and sory contenaunce. Skeat1900: 2010
  • Yet saugh I woodnesse laughing in his rage;
  • Armed compleint, out -hees, and fiers outrage.
  • The careyne in the bush, with throte y-corve:
  • A thousand slayn, and nat of qualm y-storve;
  • The tiraunt, with the prey by force y-raft; Skeat1900: 2015
  • The toun destroyed, ther was no-thing laft.
  • Yet saugh I brent the shippes hoppesteres;
  • The hunte strangled with the wilde beres: Skeat1900: (1160)
  • The sowe freten the child right in the cradel;
  • The cook y-scalded, for al his longe ladel. Skeat1900: 2020
  • Noght was foryeten by the infortune of Marte;
  • The carter over-riden with his carte,
  • Under the wheel ful lowe he lay adoun.
  • Ther were also, of Martes divisioun,
  • The barbour, and the bocher, and the smith Skeat1900: 2025
  • That forgeth sharpe swerdes on his stith.
  • And al above, depeynted in a tour,
  • Saw I conquest sittinge in greet honour, Skeat1900: (1170)
  • With the sharpe swerde over his heed
  • Hanginge by a sotil twynes threed. Skeat1900: 2030
  • Depeynted was the slaughtre of Iulius,
  • Of grete Nero, and of Antonius;
  • Al be that thilke tyme they were unborn,
  • Yet was hir deeth depeynted ther-biforn,
  • By manasinge of Mars, right by figure; Skeat1900: 2035
  • So was it shewed in that portreiture
  • As is depeynted in the sterres above,
  • Who shal be slayn or elles deed for love. Skeat1900: (1180)
  • Suffyceth oon ensample in stories olde,
  • I may not rekne hem alle, thogh I wolde. Skeat1900: 2040
  • The statue of Mars up-on a carte stood,
  • Armed, and loked grim as he were wood;
  • And over his heed ther shynen two figures
  • Of sterres, that been cleped in scriptures,
  • That oon Puella, that other Rubeus. Skeat1900: 2045
  • This god of armes was arrayed thus:—
  • A wolf ther stood biforn him at his feet
  • With eyen rede, and of a man he eet; Skeat1900: (1190)
  • With sotil pencel was depeynt this storie,
  • In redoutinge of Mars and of his glorie. Skeat1900: 2050
  • Now to the temple of Diane the chaste
  • As shortly as I can I wol me haste,
  • To telle yow al the descripcioun.
  • Depeynted been the walles up and doun
  • Of hunting and of shamfast chastitee. Skeat1900: 2055
  • Ther saugh I how woful Calistopee,
  • Whan that Diane agreved was with here,
  • Was turned from a womman til a bere, Skeat1900: (1200)
  • And after was she maad the lode-sterre;
  • Thus was it peynt, I can say yow no ferre; Skeat1900: 2060
  • Hir sone is eek a sterre, as men may see.
  • Ther saugh I Dane, y-turned til a tree,
  • I mene nat the goddesse Diane,
  • But Penneus doughter, which that highte Dane.
  • Ther saugh I Attheon an hert y-maked, Skeat1900: 2065
  • For vengeaunce that he saugh Diane al naked;
  • I saugh how that his houndes have him caught,
  • And freten him, for that they knewe him naught. Skeat1900: (1210)
  • Yet peynted was a litel forther-moor,
  • How Atthalante hunted the wilde boor, Skeat1900: 2070
  • And Meleagre , and many another mo,
  • For which Diane wroghte him care and wo.
  • Ther saugh I many another wonder storie,
  • The whiche me list nat drawen to memorie.
  • This goddesse on an hert ful hye seet, Skeat1900: 2075
  • With smale houndes al aboute hir feet;
  • And undernethe hir feet she hadde a mone,
  • Wexing it was, and sholde wanie sone. Skeat1900: (1220)
  • In gaude grene hir statue clothed was,
  • With bowe in honde, and arwes in a cas. Skeat1900: 2080
  • Hir eyen caste she ful lowe adoun,
  • Ther Pluto hath his derke regioun.
  • A womman travailinge was hir biforn,
  • But, for hir child so longe was unborn,
  • Ful pitously Lucyna gan she calle, Skeat1900: 2085
  • And seyde, ‘help, for thou mayst best of alle.’
  • Wel couthe he peynten lyfly that it wroghte,
  • With many a florin he the hewes boghte. Skeat1900: (1230)
  • Now been thise listes maad, and Theseus,
  • That at his grete cost arrayed thus Skeat1900: 2090
  • The temples and the theatre every del,
  • Whan it was doon, him lyked wonder wel.
  • But stinte I wol of Theseus a lyte,
  • And speke of Palamon and of Arcite.
  • The day approcheth of hir retourninge, Skeat1900: 2095
  • That everich sholde an hundred knightes bringe,
  • The bataille to darreyne, as I yow tolde;
  • And til Athenes, hir covenant for to holde, Skeat1900: (1240)
  • Hath everich of hem broght an hundred knightes
  • Wel armed for the werre at alle rightes. Skeat1900: 2100
  • And sikerly, ther trowed many a man
  • That never, sithen that the world bigan,
  • As for to speke of knighthod of hir hond,
  • As fer as God hath maked see or lond,
  • Nas, of so fewe, so noble a companye. Skeat1900: 2105
  • For every wight that lovede chivalrye,
  • And wolde, his thankes, han a passant name,
  • Hath preyed that he mighte ben of that game; Skeat1900: (1250)
  • And wel was him, that ther-to chosen was.
  • For if ther fille to-morwe swich a cas, Skeat1900: 2110
  • Ye knowen wel, that every lusty knight,
  • That loveth paramours, and hath his might,
  • Were it in Engelond, or elles-where,
  • They wolde, hir thankes, wilnen to be there.
  • To fighte for a lady, benedicite! Skeat1900: 2115
  • It were a lusty sighte for to see.
  • And right so ferden they with Palamon.
  • With him ther wenten knightes many oon; Skeat1900: (1260)
  • Som wol ben armed in an habergeoun,
  • In a brest-plat and in a light gipoun; Skeat1900: 2120
  • And somme woln have a peyre plates large;
  • And somme woln have a Pruce sheld, or a targe;
  • Somme woln ben armed on hir legges weel,
  • And have an ax, and somme a mace of steel.
  • Ther nis no newe gyse, that it nas old. Skeat1900: 2125
  • Armed were they, as I have you told,
  • Everich after his opinioun.
  • Ther maistow seen coming with Palamoun Skeat1900: (1270)
  • Ligurge him-self, the grete king of Trace;
  • Blak was his berd, and manly was his face. Skeat1900: 2130
  • The cercles of his eyen in his heed,
  • They gloweden bitwixe yelow and reed;
  • And lyk a griffon loked he aboute,
  • With kempe heres on his browes stoute;
  • His limes grete, his braunes harde and stronge, Skeat1900: 2135
  • His shuldres brode, his armes rounde and longe.
  • And as the gyse was in his contree,
  • Ful hye up-on a char of gold stood he, Skeat1900: (1280)
  • With foure whyte boles in the trays.
  • In-stede of cote-armure over his harnays, Skeat1900: 2140
  • With nayles yelwe and brighte as any gold,
  • He hadde a beres skin, col-blak, for-old.
  • His long heer was kembd bihinde his bak,
  • As any ravenes fether it shoon for-blak:
  • A wrethe of gold arm-greet, of huge wighte, Skeat1900: 2145
  • Upon his heed, set ful of stones brighte,
  • Of fyne rubies and of dyamaunts.
  • Aboute his char ther wenten whyte alaunts, Skeat1900: (1290)
  • Twenty and mo, as grete as any steer,
  • To hunten at the leoun or the deer, Skeat1900: 2150
  • And folwed him, with mosel faste y-bounde,
  • Colers of gold, and torets fyled rounde.
  • An hundred lordes hadde he in his route
  • Armed ful wel, with hertes sterne and stoute.
  • With Arcita, in stories as men finde, Skeat1900: 2155
  • The grete Emetreus, the king of Inde,
  • Up-on a stede bay, trapped in steel,
  • Covered in cloth of gold diapred weel, Skeat1900: (1300)
  • Cam ryding lyk the god of armes, Mars.
  • His cote-armure was of cloth of Tars, Skeat1900: 2160
  • Couched with perles whyte and rounde and grete.
  • His sadel was of brend gold newe y-bete;
  • A mantelet upon his shuldre hanginge
  • Bret-ful of rubies rede, as fyr sparklinge.
  • His crispe heer lyk ringes was y-ronne, Skeat1900: 2165
  • And that was yelow, and glitered as the sonne.
  • His nose was heigh, his eyen bright citryn,
  • His lippes rounde, his colour was sangwyn, Skeat1900: (1310)
  • A fewe fraknes in his face y-spreynd,
  • Betwixen yelow and somdel blak y-meynd, Skeat1900: 2170
  • And as a leoun he his loking caste.
  • Of fyve and twenty yeer his age I caste.
  • His berd was wel bigonne for to springe;
  • His voys was as a trompe thunderinge.
  • Up-on his heed he wered of laurer grene Skeat1900: 2175
  • A gerland fresh and lusty for to sene.
  • Up-on his hand he bar, for his deduyt,
  • An egle tame, as eny lilie whyt. Skeat1900: (1320)
  • An hundred lordes hadde he with him there,
  • Al armed, sauf hir heddes, in al hir gere, Skeat1900: 2180
  • Ful richely in alle maner thinges.
  • For trusteth wel, that dukes, erles, kinges,
  • Were gadered in this noble companye,
  • For love and for encrees of chivalrye.
  • Aboute this king ther ran on every part Skeat1900: 2185
  • Ful many a tame leoun and lepart.
  • And in this wyse thise lordes, alle and some,
  • Ben on the Sonday to the citee come Skeat1900: (1330)
  • Aboute pryme, and in the toun alight.
  • This Theseus, this duk, this worthy knight, Skeat1900: 2190
  • Whan he had broght hem in-to his citee,
  • And inned hem, everich in his degree,
  • He festeth hem, and dooth so greet labour
  • To esen hem, and doon hem al honour,
  • That yet men weneth that no mannes wit Skeat1900: 2195
  • Of noon estat ne coude amenden it.
  • The minstralcye, the service at the feste,
  • The grete yiftes to the moste and leste, Skeat1900: (1340)
  • The riche array of Theseus paleys,
  • Ne who sat first ne last up-on the deys, Skeat1900: 2200
  • What ladies fairest been or best daunsinge,
  • Or which of hem can dauncen best and singe,
  • Ne who most felingly speketh of love:
  • What haukes sitten on the perche above,
  • What houndes liggen on the floor adoun: Skeat1900: 2205
  • Of al this make I now no mencioun;
  • But al theffect, that thinketh me the beste;
  • Now comth the poynt, and herkneth if yow leste. Skeat1900: (1350)
  • The Sonday night, er day bigan to springe,
  • When Palamon the larke herde singe, Skeat1900: 2210
  • Although it nere nat day by houres two,
  • Yet song the larke, and Palamon also.
  • With holy herte, and with an heigh corage
  • He roos, to wenden on his pilgrimage
  • Un-to the blisful Citherea benigne, Skeat1900: 2215
  • I mene Venus, honurable and digne.
  • And in hir houre he walketh forth a pas
  • Un-to the listes, ther hir temple was, Skeat1900: (1360)
  • And doun he kneleth, and with humble chere
  • And herte soor, he seyde as ye shul here. Skeat1900: 2220
  • ‘Faireste of faire, o lady myn, Venus,
  • Doughter to Iove and spouse of Vulcanus,
  • Thou glader of the mount of Citheroun,
  • For thilke love thou haddest to Adoun,
  • Have pitee of my bittre teres smerte, Skeat1900: 2225
  • And tak myn humble preyer at thyn herte.
  • Allas! I ne have no langage to telle
  • Theffectes ne the torments of myn helle; Skeat1900: (1370)
  • Myn herte may myne harmes nat biwreye;
  • I am so confus, that I can noght seye. Skeat1900: 2230
  • But mercy, lady bright, that knowest weel
  • My thought, and seest what harmes that I feel,
  • Considere al this, and rewe up-on my sore,
  • As wisly as I shal for evermore,
  • Emforth my might, thy trewe servant be, Skeat1900: 2235
  • And holden werre alwey with chastitee;
  • That make I myn avow, so ye me helpe.
  • I kepe noght of armes for to yelpe, Skeat1900: (1380)
  • Ne I ne axe nat to-morwe to have victorie,
  • Ne renoun in this cas, ne veyne glorie Skeat1900: 2240
  • Of pris of armes blowen up and doun,
  • But I wolde have fully possessioun
  • Of Emelye, and dye in thy servyse;
  • Find thou the maner how, and in what wyse.
  • I recche nat, but it may bettre be, Skeat1900: 2245
  • To have victorie of hem, or they of me,
  • So that I have my lady in myne armes.
  • For though so be that Mars is god of armes, Skeat1900: (1390)
  • Your vertu is so greet in hevene above,
  • That, if yow list, I shal wel have my love. Skeat1900: 2250
  • Thy temple wol I worshipe evermo,
  • And on thyn auter, wher I ryde or go,
  • I wol don sacrifice, and fyres bete.
  • And if ye wol nat so, my lady swete,
  • Than preye I thee, to-morwe with a spere Skeat1900: 2255
  • That Arcita me thurgh the herte bere.
  • Thanne rekke I noght, whan I have lost my lyf,
  • Though that Arcita winne hir to his wyf. Skeat1900: (1400)
  • This is theffect and ende of my preyere,
  • Yif me my love, thou blisful lady dere.’ Skeat1900: 2260
  • Whan thorisoun was doon of Palamon,
  • His sacrifice he dide, and that anon
  • Ful pitously, with alle circumstaunces,
  • Al telle I noght as now his observaunces.
  • But atte laste the statue of Venus shook, Skeat1900: 2265
  • And made a signe, wher-by that he took
  • That his preyere accepted was that day.
  • For thogh the signe shewed a delay, Skeat1900: (1410)
  • Yet wiste he wel that graunted was his bone;
  • And with glad herte he wente him hoom ful sone. Skeat1900: 2270
  • The thridde houre inequal that Palamon
  • Bigan to Venus temple for to goon,
  • Up roos the sonne, and up roos Emelye,
  • And to the temple of Diane gan hye.
  • Hir maydens, that she thider with hir ladde, Skeat1900: 2275
  • Ful redily with hem the fyr they hadde,
  • Thencens, the clothes, and the remenant al
  • That to the sacrifyce longen shal; Skeat1900: (1420)
  • The hornes fulle of meth, as was the gyse;
  • Ther lakked noght to doon hir sacrifyse. Skeat1900: 2280
  • Smoking the temple, ful of clothes faire,
  • This Emelye, with herte debonaire,
  • Hir body wessh with water of a welle;
  • But how she dide hir ryte I dar nat telle,
  • But it be any thing in general; Skeat1900: 2285
  • And yet it were a game to heren al;
  • To him that meneth wel, it were no charge:
  • But it is good a man ben at his large. Skeat1900: (1430)
  • Hir brighte heer was kempt , untressed al;
  • A coroune of a grene ook cerial Skeat1900: 2290
  • Up-on hir heed was set ful fair and mete.
  • Two fyres on the auter gan she bete,
  • And dide hir thinges, as men may biholde
  • In Stace of Thebes, and thise bokes olde.
  • Whan kindled was the fyr, with pitous chere Skeat1900: 2295
  • Un-to Diane she spak, as ye may here.
  • ‘O chaste goddesse of the wodes grene,
  • To whom bothe hevene and erthe and see is sene, Skeat1900: (1440)
  • Quene of the regne of Pluto derk and lowe,
  • Goddesse of maydens, that myn herte hast knowe Skeat1900: 2300
  • Ful many a yeer, and woost what I desire,
  • As keep me fro thy vengeaunce and thyn ire,
  • That Attheon aboughte cruelly.
  • Chaste goddesse, wel wostow that I
  • Desire to been a mayden al my lyf, Skeat1900: 2305
  • Ne never wol I be no love ne wyf.
  • I am, thou woost, yet of thy companye,
  • A mayde, and love hunting and venerye, Skeat1900: (1450)
  • And for to walken in the wodes wilde,
  • And noght to been a wyf, and be with childe. Skeat1900: 2310
  • Noght wol I knowe companye of man.
  • Now help me, lady, sith ye may and can,
  • For tho thre formes that thou hast in thee.
  • And Palamon, that hath swich love to me,
  • And eek Arcite, that loveth me so sore, Skeat1900: 2315
  • This grace I preye thee with-oute more,
  • As sende love and pees bitwixe hem two;
  • And fro me turne awey hir hertes so, Skeat1900: (1460)
  • That al hir hote love, and hir desyr,
  • And al hir bisy torment, and hir fyr Skeat1900: 2320
  • Be queynt, or turned in another place;
  • And if so be thou wolt not do me grace,
  • Or if my destinee be shapen so,
  • That I shal nedes have oon of hem two,
  • As sende me him that most desireth me. Skeat1900: 2325
  • Bihold, goddesse of clene chastitee,
  • The bittre teres that on my chekes falle.
  • Sin thou are mayde, and keper of us alle, Skeat1900: (1470)
  • My maydenhede thou kepe and wel conserve,
  • And whyl I live a mayde, I wol thee serve.’ Skeat1900: 2330
  • The fyres brenne up-on the auter clere,
  • Whyl Emelye was thus in hir preyere;
  • But sodeinly she saugh a sighte queynte,
  • For right anon oon of the fyres queynte,
  • And quiked agayn, and after that anon Skeat1900: 2335
  • That other fyr was queynt, and al agon;
  • And as it queynte, it made a whistelinge,
  • As doon thise wete brondes in hir brenninge, Skeat1900: (1480)
  • And at the brondes ende out-ran anoon
  • As it were blody dropes many oon; Skeat1900: 2340
  • For which so sore agast was Emelye,
  • That she was wel ny mad, and gan to crye,
  • For she ne wiste what it signifyed;
  • But only for the fere thus hath she cryed,
  • And weep, that it was pitee for to here. Skeat1900: 2345
  • And ther-with-al Diane gan appere,
  • With bowe in hond, right as an hunteresse,
  • And seyde: ‘Doghter, stint thyn hevinesse. Skeat1900: (1490)
  • Among the goddes hye it is affermed,
  • And by eterne word write and confermed, Skeat1900: 2350
  • Thou shalt ben wedded un-to oon of tho
  • That han for thee so muchel care and wo;
  • But un-to which of hem I may nat telle.
  • Farwel, for I ne may no lenger dwelle.
  • The fyres which that on myn auter brenne Skeat1900: 2355
  • Shul thee declaren , er that thou go henne,
  • Thyn aventure of love, as in this cas.’
  • And with that word, the arwes in the cas Skeat1900: (1500)
  • Of the goddesse clateren faste and ringe,
  • And forth she wente, and made a vanisshinge; Skeat1900: 2360
  • For which this Emelye astoned was,
  • And seyde, ‘What amounteth this, allas!
  • I putte me in thy proteccioun,
  • Diane, and in thy disposicioun.’
  • And hoom she gooth anon the nexte weye. Skeat1900: 2365
  • This is theffect, ther is namore to seye.
  • The nexte houre of Mars folwinge this,
  • Arcite un-to the temple walked is Skeat1900: (1510)
  • Of fierse Mars, to doon his sacrifyse,
  • With alle the rytes of his payen wyse. Skeat1900: 2370
  • With pitous herte and heigh devocioun,
  • Right thus to Mars he seyde his orisoun:
  • ‘O stronge god, that in the regnes colde
  • Of Trace honoured art, and lord y-holde,
  • And hast in every regne and every lond Skeat1900: 2375
  • Of armes al the brydel in thyn hond,
  • And hem fortunest as thee list devyse,
  • Accept of me my pitous sacrifyse. Skeat1900: (1520)
  • If so be that my youthe may deserve,
  • And that my might be worthy for to serve Skeat1900: 2380
  • Thy godhede, that I may been oon of thyne,
  • Than preye I thee to rewe up-on my pyne.
  • For thilke peyne, and thilke hote fyr,
  • In which thou whylom brendest for desyr,
  • Whan that thou usedest the grete beautee Skeat1900: 2385
  • Of fayre yonge fresshe Venus free,
  • And haddest hir in armes at thy wille,
  • Al-though thee ones on a tyme misfille Skeat1900: (1530)
  • Whan Vulcanus had caught thee in his las,
  • And fond thee ligging by his wyf, allas! Skeat1900: 2390
  • For thilke sorwe that was in thyn herte,
  • Have routhe as wel up-on my peynes smerte.
  • I am yong and unkonning, as thou wost,
  • And, as I trowe, with love offended most,
  • That ever was any lyves creature; Skeat1900: 2395
  • For she, that dooth me al this wo endure,
  • Ne reccheth never wher I sinke or flete.
  • And wel I woot, er she me mercy hete, Skeat1900: (1540)
  • I moot with strengthe winne hir in the place;
  • And wel I woot, withouten help or grace Skeat1900: 2400
  • Of thee, ne may my strengthe noght availle.
  • Than help me, lord, to-morwe in my bataille,
  • For thilke fyr that whylom brente thee,
  • As wel as thilke fyr now brenneth me;
  • And do that I to-morwe have victorie. Skeat1900: 2405
  • Myn be the travaille, and thyn be the glorie!
  • Thy soverein temple wol I most honouren
  • Of any place, and alwey most labouren Skeat1900: (1550)
  • In thy plesaunce and in thy craftes stronge,
  • And in thy temple I wol my baner honge, Skeat1900: 2410
  • And alle the armes of my companye;
  • And evere-mo, un-to that day I dye,
  • Eterne fyr I wol biforn thee finde.
  • And eek to this avow I wol me binde:
  • My berd, myn heer that hongeth long adoun, Skeat1900: 2415
  • That never yet ne felte offensioun
  • Of rasour nor of shere, I wol thee yive,
  • And ben thy trewe servant whyl I live. Skeat1900: (1560)
  • Now lord, have routhe up-on my sorwes sore,
  • Yif me victorie, I aske thee namore.’ Skeat1900: 2420
  • The preyere stinte of Arcita the stronge,
  • The ringes on the temple-dore that honge,
  • And eek the dores, clatereden ful faste,
  • Of which Arcita som-what him agaste.
  • The fyres brende up-on the auter brighte, Skeat1900: 2425
  • That it gan al the temple for to lighte;
  • And swete smel the ground anon up-yaf,
  • And Arcita anon his hand up-haf, Skeat1900: (1570)
  • And more encens in-to the fyr he caste,
  • With othere rytes mo; and atte laste Skeat1900: 2430
  • The statue of Mars bigan his hauberk ringe.
  • And with that soun he herde a murmuringe
  • Ful lowe and dim, that sayde thus, ‘Victorie:’
  • For which he yaf to Mars honour and glorie.
  • And thus with Ioye, and hope wel to fare, Skeat1900: 2435
  • Arcite anon un-to his inne is fare,
  • As fayn as fowel is of the brighte sonne.
  • And right anon swich stryf ther is bigonne Skeat1900: (1580)
  • For thilke graunting, in the hevene above,
  • Bitwixe Venus, the goddesse of love, Skeat1900: 2440
  • And Mars, the sterne god armipotente,
  • That Iupiter was bisy it to stente;
  • Til that the pale Saturnus the colde,
  • That knew so manye of aventures olde,
  • Fond in his olde experience an art, Skeat1900: 2445
  • That he ful sone hath plesed every part.
  • As sooth is sayd, elde hath greet avantage;
  • In elde is bothe wisdom and usage; Skeat1900: (1590)
  • Men may the olde at-renne, and noght at-rede.
  • Saturne anon, to stinten stryf and drede, Skeat1900: 2450
  • Al be it that it is agayn his kynde,
  • Of al this stryf he gan remedie fynde.
  • ‘My dere doghter Venus,’ quod Saturne,
  • ‘My cours, that hath so wyde for to turne,
  • Hath more power than wot any man. Skeat1900: 2455
  • Myn is the drenching in the see so wan;
  • Myn is the prison in the derke cote;
  • Myn is the strangling and hanging by the throte; Skeat1900: (1600)
  • The murmure, and the cherles rebelling,
  • The groyning, and the pryvee empoysoning: Skeat1900: 2460
  • I do vengeance and pleyn correccioun
  • Whyl I dwelle in the signe of the leoun.
  • Myn is the ruine of the hye halles,
  • The falling of the toures and of the walles
  • Up-on the mynour or the carpenter. Skeat1900: 2465
  • I slow Sampsoun in shaking the piler;
  • And myne be the maladyes colde,
  • The derke tresons , and the castes olde; Skeat1900: (1610)
  • My loking is the fader of pestilence.
  • Now weep namore, I shal doon diligence Skeat1900: 2470
  • That Palamon, that is thyn owne knight,
  • Shal have his lady, as thou hast him hight.
  • Though Mars shal helpe his knight, yet nathelees
  • Bitwixe yow ther moot be som tyme pees,
  • Al be ye noght of o complexioun, Skeat1900: 2475
  • That causeth al day swich divisioun.
  • I am thin ayel, redy at thy wille;
  • Weep thou namore, I wol thy lust fulfille.’ Skeat1900: (1620)
  • Now wol I stinten of the goddes above,
  • Of Mars, and of Venus, goddesse of love, Skeat1900: 2480
  • And telle yow, as pleynly as I can,
  • The grete effect, for which that I bigan.

Explicit tercia pars. Sequitur pars quarta.

  • Greet was the feste in Athenes that day,
  • And eek the lusty seson of that May
  • Made every wight to been in swich plesaunce, Skeat1900: 2485
  • That al that Monday Iusten they and daunce,
  • And spenden it in Venus heigh servyse.
  • But by the cause that they sholde ryse Skeat1900: (1630)
  • Erly, for to seen the grete fight,
  • Unto hir reste wente they at night. Skeat1900: 2490
  • And on the morwe, whan that day gan springe,
  • Of hors and harneys, noyse and clateringe
  • Ther was in hostelryes al aboute;
  • And to the paleys rood ther many a route
  • Of lordes, up-on stedes and palfreys. Skeat1900: 2495
  • Ther maystow seen devysing of herneys
  • So uncouth and so riche, and wroght so weel
  • Of goldsmithrie, of browding, and of steel; Skeat1900: (1640)
  • The sheeldes brighte, testers, and trappures;
  • Gold-hewen helmes, hauberks, cote-armures; Skeat1900: 2500
  • Lordes in paraments on hir courseres,
  • Knightes of retenue, and eek squyeres
  • Nailinge the speres, and helmes bokelinge,
  • Gigginge of sheeldes, with layneres lacinge;
  • Ther as need is, they weren no-thing ydel; Skeat1900: 2505
  • The fomy stedes on the golden brydel
  • Gnawinge, and faste the armurers also
  • With fyle and hamer prikinge to and fro; Skeat1900: (1650)
  • Yemen on fote, and communes many oon
  • With shorte staves, thikke as they may goon; Skeat1900: 2510
  • Pypes, trompes, nakers , clariounes,
  • That in the bataille blowen blody sounes;
  • The paleys ful of peples up and doun,
  • Heer three, ther ten, holding hir questioun,
  • Divyninge of thise Thebane knightes two. Skeat1900: 2515
  • Somme seyden thus, somme seyde it shal be so;
  • Somme helden with him with the blake berd,
  • Somme with the balled, somme with the thikke-herd; Skeat1900: (1660)
  • Somme sayde, he loked grim and he wolde fighte;
  • He hath a sparth of twenty pound of wighte. Skeat1900: 2520
  • Thus was the halle ful of divyninge,
  • Longe after that the sonne gan to springe.
  • The grete Theseus, that of his sleep awaked
  • With minstralcye and noyse that was maked,
  • Held yet the chambre of his paleys riche, Skeat1900: 2525
  • Til that the Thebane knightes, bothe y-liche
  • Honoured, were into the paleys fet.
  • Duk Theseus was at a window set, Skeat1900: (1670)
  • Arrayed right as he were a god in trone.
  • The peple preesseth thider-ward ful sone Skeat1900: 2530
  • Him for to seen, and doon heigh reverence,
  • And eek to herkne his hest and his sentence.
  • An heraud on a scaffold made an ho,
  • Til al the noyse of the peple was y-do;
  • And whan he saugh the peple of noyse al stille, Skeat1900: 2535
  • Tho showed he the mighty dukes wille.
  • ‘The lord hath of his heigh discrecioun
  • Considered, that it were destruccioun Skeat1900: (1680)
  • To gentil blood, to fighten in the gyse
  • Of mortal bataille now in this empryse; Skeat1900: 2540
  • Wherfore, to shapen that they shul not dye,
  • He wol his firste purpos modifye.
  • No man therfor, up peyne of los of lyf,
  • No maner shot, ne pollax, ne short knyf
  • Into the listes sende, or thider bringe; Skeat1900: 2545
  • Ne short swerd for to stoke, with poynt bytinge,
  • No man ne drawe, ne bere it by his syde.
  • Ne no man shal un-to his felawe ryde Skeat1900: (1690)
  • But o cours, with a sharp y-grounde spere;
  • Foyne, if him list, on fote, him-self to were. Skeat1900: 2550
  • And he that is at meschief, shal be take,
  • And noght slayn, but be brought un-to the stake
  • That shal ben ordeyned on either syde;
  • But thider he shal by force, and ther abyde.
  • And if so falle, the chieftayn be take Skeat1900: 2555
  • On either syde, or elles slee his make,
  • No lenger shal the turneyinge laste.
  • God spede yow; goth forth, and ley on faste. Skeat1900: (1700)
  • With long swerd and with maces fight your fille.
  • Goth now your wey; this is the lordes wille.’ Skeat1900: 2560
  • The voys of peple touchede the hevene,
  • So loude cryden they with mery stevene:
  • ‘God save swich a lord, that is so good,
  • He wilneth no destruccioun of blood!’
  • Up goon the trompes and the melodye. Skeat1900: 2565
  • And to the listes rit the companye
  • By ordinaunce, thurgh-out the citee large,
  • Hanged with cloth of gold, and nat with sarge. Skeat1900: (1710)
  • Ful lyk a lord this noble duk gan ryde,
  • Thise two Thebanes up-on either syde; Skeat1900: 2570
  • And after rood the quene, and Emelye,
  • And after that another companye
  • Of oon and other, after hir degree.
  • And thus they passen thurgh-out the citee,
  • And to the listes come they by tyme. Skeat1900: 2575
  • It nas not of the day yet fully pryme,
  • Whan set was Theseus ful riche and hye,
  • Ipolita the quene and Emelye, Skeat1900: (1720)
  • And other ladies in degrees aboute.
  • Un-to the seetes preesseth al the route. Skeat1900: 2580
  • And west-ward, thurgh the gates under Marte,
  • Arcite, and eek the hundred of his parte,
  • With baner reed is entred right anon;
  • And in that selve moment Palamon
  • Is under Venus, est-ward in the place, Skeat1900: 2585
  • With baner whyt, and hardy chere and face.
  • In al the world, to seken up and doun,
  • So even with-outen variacioun, Skeat1900: (1730)
  • Ther nere swiche companyes tweye.
  • For ther nas noon so wys that coude seye, Skeat1900: 2590
  • That any hadde of other avauntage
  • Of worthinesse, ne of estaat, ne age,
  • So even were they chosen, for to gesse.
  • And in two renges faire they hem dresse.
  • Whan that hir names rad were everichoon, Skeat1900: 2595
  • That in hir nombre gyle were ther noon,
  • Tho were the gates shet, and cryed was loude:
  • ‘Do now your devoir, yonge knightes proude!’ Skeat1900: (1740)
  • The heraudes lefte hir priking up and doun;
  • Now ringen trompes loude and clarioun; Skeat1900: 2600
  • Ther is namore to seyn, but west and est
  • In goon the speres ful sadly in arest;
  • In goth the sharpe spore in-to the syde.
  • Ther seen men who can Iuste, and who can ryde;
  • Ther shiveren shaftes up-on sheeldes thikke; Skeat1900: 2605
  • He feleth thurgh the herte-spoon the prikke.
  • Up springen speres twenty foot on highte;
  • Out goon the swerdes as the silver brighte. Skeat1900: (1750)
  • The helmes they to-hewen and to-shrede;
  • Out brest the blood, with sterne stremes rede. Skeat1900: 2610
  • With mighty maces the bones they to-breste.
  • He thurgh the thikkeste of the throng gan threste.
  • Ther stomblen stedes stronge, and doun goth al.
  • He rolleth under foot as dooth a bal.
  • He foyneth on his feet with his tronchoun, Skeat1900: 2615
  • And he him hurtleth with his hors adoun.
  • He thurgh the body is hurt, and sithen y-take,
  • Maugree his heed, and broght un-to the stake, Skeat1900: (1760)
  • As forward was, right ther he moste abyde;
  • Another lad is on that other syde. Skeat1900: 2620
  • And som tyme dooth hem Theseus to reste,
  • Hem to refresshe , and drinken if hem leste.
  • Ful ofte a-day han thise Thebanes two
  • Togidre y-met, and wroght his felawe wo;
  • Unhorsed hath ech other of hem tweye. Skeat1900: 2625
  • Ther nas no tygre in the vale of Galgopheye,
  • Whan that hir whelp is stole, whan it is lyte,
  • So cruel on the hunte, as is Arcite Skeat1900: (1770)
  • For Ielous herte upon this Palamoun:
  • Ne in Belmarye ther nis so fel leoun, Skeat1900: 2630
  • That hunted is, or for his hunger wood,
  • Ne of his praye desireth so the blood,
  • As Palamon to sleen his fo Arcite.
  • The Ielous strokes on hir helmes byte;
  • Out renneth blood on bothe hir sydes rede. Skeat1900: 2635
  • Som tyme an ende ther is of every dede;
  • For er the sonne un-to the reste wente,
  • The stronge king Emetreus gan hente Skeat1900: (1780)
  • This Palamon, as he faught with Arcite,
  • And made his swerd depe in his flesh to byte; Skeat1900: 2640
  • And by the force of twenty is he take
  • Unyolden, and y-drawe unto the stake.
  • And in the rescous of this Palamoun
  • The stronge king Ligurge is born adoun;
  • And king Emetreus, for al his strengthe, Skeat1900: 2645
  • Is born out of his sadel a swerdes lengthe,
  • So hitte him Palamon er he were take;
  • But al for noght, he was broght to the stake. Skeat1900: (1790)
  • His hardy herte mighte him helpe naught;
  • He moste abyde, whan that he was caught Skeat1900: 2650
  • By force, and eek by composicioun.
  • Who sorweth now but woful Palamoun,
  • That moot namore goon agayn to fighte?
  • And whan that Theseus had seyn this sighte,
  • Un-to the folk that foghten thus echoon Skeat1900: 2655
  • He cryde, ‘Ho! namore, for it is doon!
  • I wol be trewe Iuge, and no partye.
  • Arcite of Thebes shal have Emelye, Skeat1900: (1800)
  • That by his fortune hath hir faire y-wonne.’
  • Anon ther is a noyse of peple bigonne Skeat1900: 2660
  • For Ioye of this, so loude and heigh with-alle,
  • It semed that the listes sholde falle.
  • What can now faire Venus doon above?
  • What seith she now? what dooth this quene of love?
  • But wepeth so, for wanting of hir wille, Skeat1900: 2665
  • Til that hir teres in the listes fille;
  • She seyde: ‘I am ashamed, doutelees.’
  • Saturnus seyde: ‘Doghter, hold thy pees. Skeat1900: (1810)
  • Mars hath his wille, his knight hath al his bone,
  • And, by myn heed, thou shalt ben esed sone.’ Skeat1900: 2670
  • The trompes, with the loude minstralcye,
  • The heraudes, that ful loude yolle and crye,
  • Been in hir wele for Ioye of daun Arcite.
  • But herkneth me, and stinteth now a lyte,
  • Which a miracle ther bifel anon. Skeat1900: 2675
  • This fierse Arcite hath of his helm y-don,
  • And on a courser, for to shewe his face,
  • He priketh endelong the large place, Skeat1900: (1820)
  • Loking upward up-on this Emelye;
  • And she agayn him caste a freendlich ye, Skeat1900: 2680
  • (For wommen, as to speken in comune,
  • They folwen al the favour of fortune),
  • And she was al his chere, as in his herte.
  • Out of the ground a furie infernal sterte,
  • From Pluto sent, at requeste of Saturne, Skeat1900: 2685
  • For which his hors for fere gan to turne,
  • And leep asyde, and foundred as he leep;
  • And, er that Arcite may taken keep, Skeat1900: (1830)
  • He pighte him on the pomel of his heed,
  • That in the place he lay as he were deed, Skeat1900: 2690
  • His brest to-brosten with his sadel-bowe.
  • As blak he lay as any cole or crowe,
  • So was the blood y-ronnen in his face.
  • Anon he was y-born out of the place
  • With herte soor, to Theseus paleys. Skeat1900: 2695
  • Tho was he corven out of his harneys,
  • And in a bed y-brought ful faire and blyve,
  • For he was yet in memorie and alyve, Skeat1900: (1840)
  • And alway crying after Emelye.
  • Duk Theseus, with al his companye, Skeat1900: 2700
  • Is comen hoom to Athenes his citee,
  • With alle blisse and greet solempnitee.
  • Al be it that this aventure was falle,
  • He nolde noght disconforten hem alle.
  • Men seyde eek, that Arcite shal nat dye; Skeat1900: 2705
  • He shal ben heled of his maladye.
  • And of another thing they were as fayn,
  • That of hem alle was ther noon y-slayn, Skeat1900: (1850)
  • Al were they sore y-hurt, and namely oon,
  • That with a spere was thirled his brest-boon. Skeat1900: 2710
  • To othere woundes, and to broken armes,
  • Some hadden slaves, and some hadden charmes;
  • Fermacies of herbes, and eek save
  • They dronken, for they wolde hir limes have.
  • For which this noble duk, as he wel can, Skeat1900: 2715
  • Conforteth and honoureth every man,
  • And made revel al the longe night,
  • Un-to the straunge lordes, as was right. Skeat1900: (1860)
  • Ne ther was holden no disconfitinge,
  • But as a Iustes or a tourneyinge; Skeat1900: 2720
  • For soothly ther was no disconfiture,
  • For falling nis nat but an aventure;
  • Ne to be lad with fors un-to the stake
  • Unyolden, and with twenty knightes take,
  • O persone allone, with-outen mo, Skeat1900: 2725
  • And haried forth by arme , foot, and to,
  • And eek his stede driven forth with staves,
  • With footmen, bothe yemen and eek knaves, Skeat1900: (1870)
  • It nas aretted him no vileinye,
  • Ther may no man clepen it cowardye. Skeat1900: 2730
  • For which anon duk Theseus leet crye,
  • To stinten alle rancour and envye,
  • The gree as wel of o syde as of other,
  • And either syde y-lyk, as otheres brother;
  • And yaf hem yiftes after hir degree, Skeat1900: 2735
  • And fully heeld a feste dayes three;
  • And conveyed the kinges worthily
  • Out of his toun a Iournee largely. Skeat1900: (1880)
  • And hoom wente every man the righte way.
  • Ther was namore, but ‘far wel, have good day!’ Skeat1900: 2740
  • Of this bataille I wol namore endyte,
  • But speke of Palamon and of Arcite.
  • Swelleth the brest of Arcite, and the sore
  • Encreesseth at his herte more and more.
  • The clothered blood, for any lechecraft, Skeat1900: 2745
  • Corrupteth , and is in his bouk y-laft,
  • That neither veyne-blood, ne ventusinge,
  • Ne drinke of herbes may ben his helpinge. Skeat1900: (1890)
  • The vertu expulsif, or animal,
  • Fro thilke vertu cleped natural Skeat1900: 2750
  • Ne may the venim voyden, ne expelle.
  • The pypes of his longes gonne to swelle,
  • And every lacerte in his brest adoun
  • Is shent with venim and corrupcioun.
  • Him gayneth neither, for to gete his lyf, Skeat1900: 2755
  • Vomyt upward, ne dounward laxatif;
  • Al is to-brosten thilke regioun,
  • Nature hath now no dominacioun. Skeat1900: (1900)
  • And certeinly, ther nature wol nat wirche,
  • Far-wel, phisyk! go ber the man to chirche! Skeat1900: 2760
  • This al and som, that Arcita mot dye,
  • For which he sendeth after Emelye,
  • And Palamon, that was his cosin dere;
  • Than seyde he thus, as ye shul after here.
  • ‘Naught may the woful spirit in myn herte Skeat1900: 2765
  • Declare o poynt of alle my sorwes smerte
  • To yow, my lady, that I love most;
  • But I biquethe the service of my gost Skeat1900: (1910)
  • To yow aboven every creature,
  • Sin that my lyf may no lenger dure. Skeat1900: 2770
  • Allas, the wo! allas, the peynes stronge,
  • That I for yow have suffred, and so longe!
  • Allas, the deeth! allas, myn Emelye!
  • Allas, departing of our companye!
  • Allas, myn hertes quene! allas, my wyf! Skeat1900: 2775
  • Myn hertes lady, endere of my lyf!
  • What is this world? what asketh men to have?
  • Now with his love, now in his colde grave Skeat1900: (1920)
  • Allone, with-outen any companye.
  • Far-wel, my swete fo! myn Emelye! Skeat1900: 2780
  • And softe tak me in your armes tweye,
  • For love of God, and herkneth what I seye.
  • I have heer with my cosin Palamon
  • Had stryf and rancour, many a day a-gon,
  • For love of yow, and for my Ielousye. Skeat1900: 2785
  • And Iupiter so wis my soule gye,
  • To speken of a servant proprely,
  • With alle circumstaunces trewely, Skeat1900: (1930)
  • That is to seyn, trouthe, honour, and knighthede,
  • Wisdom, humblesse, estaat, and heigh kinrede, Skeat1900: 2790
  • Fredom, and al that longeth to that art,
  • So Iupiter have of my soule part,
  • As in this world right now ne knowe I non
  • So worthy to ben loved as Palamon,
  • That serveth yow, and wol don al his lyf. Skeat1900: 2795
  • And if that ever ye shul been a wyf,
  • Foryet nat Palamon, the gentil man.’
  • And with that word his speche faille gan, Skeat1900: (1940)
  • For from his feet up to his brest was come
  • The cold of deeth, that hadde him overcome. Skeat1900: 2800
  • And yet more-over, in his armes two
  • The vital strengthe is lost, and al ago.
  • Only the intellect, with-outen more,
  • That dwelled in his herte syk and sore,
  • Gan faillen, when the herte felte deeth, Skeat1900: 2805
  • Dusked his eyen two, and failled breeth.
  • But on his lady yet caste he his ye;
  • His laste word was, ‘mercy, Emelye!’ Skeat1900: (1950)
  • His spirit chaunged hous, and wente ther,
  • As I cam never, I can nat tellen wher. Skeat1900: 2810
  • Therfor I stinte, I nam no divinistre;
  • Of soules finde I nat in this registre,
  • Ne me ne list thilke opiniouns to telle
  • Of hem, though that they wryten wher they dwelle.
  • Arcite is cold, ther Mars his soule gye; Skeat1900: 2815
  • Now wol I speken forth of Emelye.
  • Shrighte Emelye, and howleth Palamon,
  • And Theseus his suster took anon Skeat1900: (1960)
  • Swowninge, and bar hir fro the corps away.
  • What helpeth it to tarien forth the day, Skeat1900: 2820
  • To tellen how she weep, bothe eve and morwe?
  • For in swich cas wommen have swich sorwe,
  • Whan that hir housbonds been from hem ago,
  • That for the more part they sorwen so,
  • Or elles fallen in swich maladye, Skeat1900: 2825
  • That at the laste certeinly they dye.
  • Infinite been the sorwes and the teres
  • Of olde folk, and folk of tendre yeres, Skeat1900: (1970)
  • In al the toun, for deeth of this Theban;
  • For him ther wepeth bothe child and man; Skeat1900: 2830
  • So greet a weping was ther noon, certayn,
  • Whan Ector was y-broght, al fresh y-slayn,
  • To Troye; allas! the pitee that was ther,
  • Cracching of chekes, rending eek of heer.
  • ‘Why woldestow be deed,’ thise wommen crye, Skeat1900: 2835
  • ‘And haddest gold y-nough, and Emelye?’
  • No man mighte gladen Theseus,
  • Savinge his olde fader Egeus, Skeat1900: (1980)
  • That knew this worldes transmutacioun,
  • As he had seyn it chaungen up and doun, Skeat1900: 2840
  • Ioye after wo, and wo after gladnesse:
  • And shewed hem ensamples and lyknesse.
  • ‘Right as ther deyed never man,’ quod he,
  • ‘That he ne livede in erthe in som degree,
  • Right so ther livede never man,’ he seyde, Skeat1900: 2845
  • ‘In al this world, that som tyme he ne deyde.
  • This world nis but a thurghfare ful of wo,
  • And we ben pilgrimes, passinge to and fro; Skeat1900: (1990)
  • Deeth is an ende of every worldly sore.’
  • And over al this yet seyde he muchel more Skeat1900: 2850
  • To this effect, ful wysly to enhorte
  • The peple, that they sholde hem reconforte.
  • Duk Theseus, with al his bisy cure,
  • Caste now wher that the sepulture
  • Of good Arcite may best y-maked be, Skeat1900: 2855
  • And eek most honurable in his degree.
  • And at the laste he took conclusioun,
  • That ther as first Arcite and Palamoun Skeat1900: (2000)
  • Hadden for love the bataille hem bitwene,
  • That in that selve grove, swote and grene, Skeat1900: 2860
  • Ther as he hadde his amorous desires,
  • His compleynt, and for love his hote fires,
  • He wolde make a fyr, in which thoffice
  • Funeral he mighte al accomplice;
  • And leet comaunde anon to hakke and hewe Skeat1900: 2865
  • The okes olde, and leye hem on a rewe
  • In colpons wel arrayed for to brenne;
  • His officers with swifte feet they renne Skeat1900: (2010)
  • And ryde anon at his comaundement.
  • And after this, Theseus hath y-sent Skeat1900: 2870
  • After a bere, and it al over-spradde
  • With cloth of gold, the richest that he hadde.
  • And of the same suyte he cladde Arcite;
  • Upon his hondes hadde he gloves whyte;
  • Eek on his heed a croune of laurer grene, Skeat1900: 2875
  • And in his hond a swerd ful bright and kene.
  • He leyde him bare the visage on the bere,
  • Therwith he weep that pitee was to here. Skeat1900: (2020)
  • And for the peple sholde seen him alle,
  • Whan it was day, he broghte him to the halle, Skeat1900: 2880
  • That roreth of the crying and the soun.
  • Tho cam this woful Theban Palamoun,
  • With flotery berd, and ruggy asshy heres,
  • In clothes blake, y-dropped al with teres;
  • And, passing othere of weping, Emelye, Skeat1900: 2885
  • The rewfulleste of al the companye.
  • In as muche as the service sholde be
  • The more noble and riche in his degree, Skeat1900: (2030)
  • Duk Theseus leet forth three stedes bringe,
  • That trapped were in steel al gliteringe, Skeat1900: 2890
  • And covered with the armes of daun Arcite.
  • Up-on thise stedes, that weren grete and whyte,
  • Ther seten folk, of which oon bar his sheeld,
  • Another his spere up in his hondes heeld;
  • The thridde bar with him his bowe Turkeys, Skeat1900: 2895
  • Of brend gold was the cas, and eek the harneys;
  • And riden forth a pas with sorweful chere
  • Toward the grove, as ye shul after here. Skeat1900: (2040)
  • The nobleste of the Grekes that ther were
  • Upon hir shuldres carieden the bere, Skeat1900: 2900
  • With slakke pas, and eyen rede and wete,
  • Thurgh-out the citee, by the maister-strete,
  • That sprad was al with blak, and wonder hye
  • Right of the same is al the strete y-wrye.
  • Up-on the right hond wente old Egeus, Skeat1900: 2905
  • And on that other syde duk Theseus,
  • With vessels in hir hand of gold ful fyn,
  • Al ful of hony, milk, and blood, and wyn; Skeat1900: (2050)
  • Eek Palamon, with ful greet companye;
  • And after that cam woful Emelye, Skeat1900: 2910
  • With fyr in honde, as was that tyme the gyse,
  • To do thoffice of funeral servyse.
  • Heigh labour, and ful greet apparaillinge
  • Was at the service and the fyr-makinge,
  • That with his grene top the heven raughte, Skeat1900: 2915
  • And twenty fadme of brede the armes straughte;
  • This is to seyn, the bowes were so brode.
  • Of stree first ther was leyd ful many a lode. Skeat1900: (2060)
  • But how the fyr was maked up on highte,
  • And eek the names how the trees highte, Skeat1900: 2920
  • As ook, firre, birch, asp, alder, holm, popler,
  • Wilow, elm, plane, ash, box, chasteyn, lind, laurer,
  • Mapul, thorn, beech, hasel, ew, whippeltree,
  • How they weren feld , shal nat be told for me;
  • Ne how the goddes ronnen up and doun, Skeat1900: 2925
  • Disherited of hir habitacioun,
  • In which they woneden in reste and pees,
  • Nymphes , Faunes, and Amadrides; Skeat1900: (2070)
  • Ne how the bestes and the briddes alle
  • Fledden for fere, whan the wode was falle; Skeat1900: 2930
  • Ne how the ground agast was of the light,
  • That was nat wont to seen the sonne bright;
  • Ne how the fyr was couched first with stree,
  • And than with drye stokkes cloven a three,
  • And than with grene wode and spycerye, Skeat1900: 2935
  • And than with cloth of gold and with perrye,
  • And gerlandes hanging with ful many a flour,
  • The mirre, thencens, with al so greet odour; Skeat1900: (2080)
  • Ne how Arcite lay among al this,
  • Ne what richesse aboute his body is; Skeat1900: 2940
  • Ne how that Emelye, as was the gyse,
  • Putte in the fyr of funeral servyse;
  • Ne how she swowned whan men made the fyr,
  • Ne what she spak, ne what was hir desyr;
  • Ne what Ieweles men in the fyr tho caste, Skeat1900: 2945
  • Whan that the fyr was greet and brente faste;
  • Ne how som caste hir sheeld, and som hir spere,
  • And of hir vestiments, whiche that they were, Skeat1900: (2090)
  • And cuppes ful of wyn, and milk, and blood,
  • Into the fyr, that brente as it were wood; Skeat1900: 2950
  • Ne how the Grekes with an huge route
  • Thryes riden al the fyr aboute
  • Up-on the left hand, with a loud shoutinge,
  • And thryes with hir speres clateringe;
  • And thryës how the ladies gonne crye; Skeat1900: 2955
  • Ne how that lad was hom-ward Emelye;
  • Ne how Arcite is brent to asshen colde;
  • Ne how that liche-wake was y-holde Skeat1900: (2100)
  • Al thilke night, ne how the Grekes pleye
  • The wake-pleyes, ne kepe I nat to seye; Skeat1900: 2960
  • Who wrastleth best naked, with oille enoynt,
  • Ne who that bar him best, in no disioynt.
  • I wol nat tellen eek how that they goon
  • Hoom til Athenes, whan the pley is doon;
  • But shortly to the poynt than wol I wende, Skeat1900: 2965
  • And maken of my longe tale an ende.
  • By processe and by lengthe of certeyn yeres
  • Al stinted is the moorning and the teres Skeat1900: (2110)
  • Of Grekes, by oon general assent.
  • Than semed me ther was a parlement Skeat1900: 2970
  • At Athenes, up-on certeyn poynts and cas;
  • Among the whiche poynts y-spoken was
  • To have with certeyn contrees alliaunce,
  • And have fully of Thebans obeisaunce.
  • For which this noble Theseus anon Skeat1900: 2975
  • Leet senden after gentil Palamon,
  • Unwist of him what was the cause and why;
  • But in his blake clothes sorwefully Skeat1900: (2120)
  • He cam at his comaundement in hye.
  • Tho sente Theseus for Emelye. Skeat1900: 2980
  • Whan they were set, and hust was al the place,
  • And Theseus abiden hadde a space
  • Er any word cam from his wyse brest,
  • His eyen sette he ther as was his lest,
  • And with a sad visage he syked stille, Skeat1900: 2985
  • And after that right thus he seyde his wille.
  • ‘The firste moevere of the cause above,
  • Whan he first made the faire cheyne of love, Skeat1900: (2130)
  • Greet was theffect, and heigh was his entente;
  • Wel wiste he why, and what ther-of he mente; Skeat1900: 2990
  • For with that faire cheyne of love he bond
  • The fyr, the eyr, the water, and the lond
  • In certeyn boundes, that they may nat flee;
  • That same prince and that moevere,’ quod he,
  • ‘Hath stablissed , in this wrecched world adoun, Skeat1900: 2995
  • Certeyne dayes and duracioun
  • To al that is engendred in this place,
  • Over the whiche day they may nat pace, Skeat1900: (2140)
  • Al mowe they yet tho dayes wel abregge;
  • Ther needeth non auctoritee allegge, Skeat1900: 3000
  • For it is preved by experience,
  • But that me list declaren my sentence.
  • Than may men by this ordre wel discerne,
  • That thilke moevere stable is and eterne.
  • Wel may men knowe, but it be a fool, Skeat1900: 3005
  • That every part deryveth from his hool.
  • For nature hath nat take his beginning
  • Of no partye ne cantel of a thing, Skeat1900: (2150)
  • But of a thing that parfit is and stable,
  • Descending so, til it be corrumpable. Skeat1900: 3010
  • And therefore, of his wyse purveyaunce,
  • He hath so wel biset his ordinaunce,
  • That speces of thinges and progressiouns
  • Shullen enduren by successiouns,
  • And nat eterne be, with-oute lye: Skeat1900: 3015
  • This maistow understonde and seen at eye.
  • ‘Lo the ook, that hath so long a norisshinge
  • From tyme that it first biginneth springe, Skeat1900: (2160)
  • And hath so long a lyf, as we may see,
  • Yet at the laste wasted is the tree. Skeat1900: 3020
  • ‘Considereth eek, how that the harde stoon
  • Under our feet, on which we trede and goon,
  • Yit wasteth it, as it lyth by the weye.
  • The brode river somtyme wexeth dreye.
  • The grete tounes see we wane and wende. Skeat1900: 3025
  • Than may ye see that al this thing hath ende.
  • ‘Of man and womman seen we wel also,
  • That nedeth, in oon of thise termes two, Skeat1900: (2170)
  • This is to seyn, in youthe or elles age,
  • He moot ben deed, the king as shal a page; Skeat1900: 3030
  • Som in his bed, som in the depe see,
  • Som in the large feeld, as men may se;
  • Ther helpeth noght, al goth that ilke weye.
  • Thanne may I seyn that al this thing moot deye.
  • What maketh this but Iupiter the king? Skeat1900: 3035
  • The which is prince and cause of alle thing,
  • Converting al un-to his propre welle,
  • From which it is deryved, sooth to telle. Skeat1900: (2180)
  • And here-agayns no creature on lyve
  • Of no degree availleth for to stryve. Skeat1900: 3040
  • ‘Thanne is it wisdom, as it thinketh me,
  • To maken vertu of necessitee,
  • And take it wel, that we may nat eschue,
  • And namely that to us alle is due.
  • And who-so gruccheth ought, he dooth folye, Skeat1900: 3045
  • And rebel is to him that al may gye.
  • And certeinly a man hath most honour
  • To dyen in his excellence and flour, Skeat1900: (2190)
  • Whan he is siker of his gode name;
  • Than hath he doon his freend, ne him, no shame. Skeat1900: 3050
  • And gladder oghte his freend ben of his deeth,
  • Whan with honour up-yolden is his breeth,
  • Than whan his name apalled is for age;
  • For al forgeten is his vasselage.
  • Than is it best, as for a worthy fame, Skeat1900: 3055
  • To dyen whan that he is best of name.
  • The contrarie of al this is wilfulnesse.
  • Why grucchen we? why have we hevinesse, Skeat1900: (2200)
  • That good Arcite, of chivalrye flour
  • Departed is, with duetee and honour, Skeat1900: 3060
  • Out of this foule prison of this lyf?
  • Why grucchen heer his cosin and his wyf
  • Of his wel-fare that loved hem so weel?
  • Can he hem thank? nay, God wot, never a deel,
  • That bothe his soule and eek hem-self offende, Skeat1900: 3065
  • And yet they mowe hir lustes nat amende.
  • ‘What may I conclude of this longe serie,
  • But, after wo, I rede us to be merie, Skeat1900: (2210)
  • And thanken Iupiter of al his grace?
  • And, er that we departen from this place, Skeat1900: 3070
  • I rede that we make, of sorwes two,
  • O parfyt Ioye, lasting ever-mo;
  • And loketh now, wher most sorwe is her-inne,
  • Ther wol we first amenden and biginne.
  • ‘Suster,’ quod he, ‘this is my fulle assent, Skeat1900: 3075
  • With al thavys heer of my parlement,
  • That gentil Palamon, your owne knight,
  • That serveth yow with wille, herte, and might, Skeat1900: (2220)
  • And ever hath doon, sin that ye first him knewe,
  • That ye shul, of your grace, up-on him rewe, Skeat1900: 3080
  • And taken him for housbonde and for lord:
  • Leen me your hond, for this is our acord.
  • Lat see now of your wommanly pitee.
  • He is a kinges brother sone, pardee;
  • And, though he were a povre bacheler, Skeat1900: 3085
  • Sin he hath served yow so many a yeer,
  • And had for yow so greet adversitee,
  • It moste been considered, leveth me; Skeat1900: (2230)
  • For gentil mercy oghte to passen right.’
  • Than seyde he thus to Palamon ful right; Skeat1900: 3090
  • ‘I trowe ther nedeth litel sermoning
  • To make yow assente to this thing.
  • Com neer, and tak your lady by the hond.’
  • Bitwixen hem was maad anon the bond,
  • That highte matrimoine or mariage, Skeat1900: 3095
  • By al the counseil and the baronage.
  • And thus with alle blisse and melodye
  • Hath Palamon y-wedded Emelye. Skeat1900: (2240)
  • And God, that al this wyde world hath wroght,
  • Sende him his love, that hath it dere a-boght. Skeat1900: 3100
  • For now is Palamon in alle wele,
  • Living in blisse, in richesse, and in hele;
  • And Emelye him loveth so tendrely,
  • And he hir serveth al-so gentilly,
  • That never was ther no word hem bitwene Skeat1900: 3105
  • Of Ielousye, or any other tene.
  • Thus endeth Palamon and Emelye;
  • And God save al this faire companye!—Amen. Skeat1900: (2250)

Here is ended the Knightes Tale.

THE MILLER’S PROLOGUE.

Here folwen the wordes bitwene the Host and the Millere.

  • WHAN that the Knight had thus his tale y-told,
  • In al the route nas ther yong ne old Skeat1900: 3110
  • That he ne seyde it was a noble storie,
  • And worthy for to drawen to memorie;
  • And namely the gentils everichoon.
  • Our Hoste lough and swoor, ‘so moot I goon,
  • This gooth aright; unbokeled is the male; Skeat1900: 3115
  • Lat see now who shal telle another tale:
  • For trewely, the game is wel bigonne.
  • Now telleth ye, sir Monk, if that ye conne, Skeat1900: (10)
  • Sumwhat, to quyte with the Knightes tale.’
  • The Miller, that for-dronken was al pale, Skeat1900: 3120
  • So that unnethe up-on his hors he sat,
  • He nolde avalen neither hood ne hat,
  • Ne abyde no man for his curteisye,
  • But in Pilates vois he gan to crye,
  • And swoor by armes and by blood and bones, Skeat1900: 3125
  • ‘I can a noble tale for the nones,
  • With which I wol now quyte the Knightes tale.’
  • Our Hoste saugh that he was dronke of ale, Skeat1900: (20)
  • And seyde: ‘abyd, Robin, my leve brother,
  • Som bettre man shal telle us first another: Skeat1900: 3130
  • Abyd, and lat us werken thriftily.’
  • ‘By goddes soul,’ quod he, ‘that wol nat I;
  • For I wol speke, or elles go my wey.’
  • Our Hoste answerde: ‘tel on, a devel wey!
  • Thou art a fool, thy wit is overcome.’ Skeat1900: 3135
  • ‘Now herkneth,’ quod the Miller, ‘alle and some!
  • But first I make a protestacioun
  • That I am dronke, I knowe it by my soun; Skeat1900: (30)
  • And therfore, if that I misspeke or seye,
  • Wyte it the ale of Southwerk, I yow preye; Skeat1900: 3140
  • For I wol telle a legende and a lyf
  • Bothe of a Carpenter, and of his wyf,
  • How that a clerk hath set the wrightes cappe.’
  • The Reve answerde and seyde, ‘stint thy clappe,
  • Lat be thy lewed dronken harlotrye. Skeat1900: 3145
  • It is a sinne and eek a greet folye
  • To apeiren any man, or him diffame,
  • And eek to bringen wyves in swich fame. Skeat1900: (40)
  • Thou mayst y-nogh of othere thinges seyn.’
  • This dronken Miller spak ful sone ageyn, Skeat1900: 3150
  • And seyde, ‘leve brother Osewold,
  • Who hath no wyf, he is no cokewold.
  • But I sey nat therfore that thou art oon;
  • Ther been ful gode wyves many oon, Skeat1900: 3154
  • And ever a thousand gode ayeyns oon badde, [T. om.
  • That knowestow wel thy-self, but-if thou madde. [T. om.
  • Why artow angry with my tale now?
  • I have a wyf, pardee, as well as thou, Skeat1900: (50)
  • Yet nolde I, for the oxen in my plogh,
  • Taken up-on me more than y-nogh, Skeat1900: 3160
  • As demen of my-self that I were oon;
  • I wol beleve wel that I am noon.
  • An housbond shal nat been inquisitif
  • Of goddes privetee, nor of his wyf.
  • So he may finde goddes foyson there, Skeat1900: 3165
  • Of the remenant nedeth nat enquere.’
  • What sholde I more seyn, but this Millere
  • He nolde his wordes for no man forbere, Skeat1900: (60)
  • But tolde his cherles tale in his manere;
  • Me thinketh that I shal reherce it here. Skeat1900: 3170
  • And ther-fore every gentil wight I preye,
  • For goddes love, demeth nat that I seye
  • Of evel entente, but that I moot reherce
  • Hir tales alle, be they bettre or werse,
  • Or elles falsen som of my matere. Skeat1900: 3175
  • And therfore, who-so list it nat y-here,
  • Turne over the leef, and chese another tale;
  • For he shal finde y-nowe, grete and smale, Skeat1900: (70)
  • Of storial thing that toucheth gentillesse,
  • And eek moralitee and holinesse; Skeat1900: 3180
  • Blameth nat me if that ye chese amis.
  • The Miller is a cherl, ye knowe wel this;
  • So was the Reve, and othere many mo,
  • And harlotrye they tolden bothe two.
  • Avyseth yow and putte me out of blame; Skeat1900: 3185
  • And eek men shal nat make ernest of game.

Here endeth the prologe.

THE MILLERES TALE.

Here biginneth the Millere his tale.

  • WHYLOM ther was dwellinge at Oxenford
  • A riche gnof, that gestes heeld to bord,
  • And of his craft he was a Carpenter.
  • With him ther was dwellinge a povre scoler, Skeat1900: 3190
  • Had lerned art, but al his fantasye
  • Was turned for to lerne astrologye,
  • And coude a certeyn of conclusiouns
  • To demen by interrogaciouns,
  • If that men axed him in certein houres, Skeat1900: 3195
  • Whan that men sholde have droghte or elles shoures, Skeat1900: (10)
  • Or if men axed him what sholde bifalle
  • Of every thing, I may nat rekene hem alle.
  • This clerk was cleped hende Nicholas;
  • Of derne love he coude and of solas; Skeat1900: 3200
  • And ther-to he was sleigh and ful privee,
  • And lyk a mayden meke for to see.
  • A chambre hadde he in that hostelrye
  • Allone, with-outen any companye,
  • Ful fetisly y-dight with herbes swote; Skeat1900: 3205
  • And he him-self as swete as is the rote Skeat1900: (20)
  • Of licorys, or any cetewale.
  • His Almageste and bokes grete and smale,
  • His astrelabie, longinge for his art,
  • His augrim-stones layen faire a-part Skeat1900: 3210
  • On shelves couched at his beddes heed:
  • His presse y-covered with a falding reed.
  • And al above ther lay a gay sautrye,
  • On which he made a nightes melodye
  • So swetely, that al the chambre rong; Skeat1900: 3215
  • And Angelus ad virginem he song; Skeat1900: (30)
  • And after that he song the kinges note;
  • Ful often blessed was his mery throte.
  • And thus this swete clerk his tyme spente
  • After his freendes finding and his rente. Skeat1900: 3220
  • This Carpenter had wedded newe a wyf
  • Which that he lovede more than his lyf;
  • Of eightetene yeer she was of age.
  • Ialous he was, and heeld hir narwe in cage,
  • For she was wilde and yong, and he was old Skeat1900: 3225
  • And demed him-self ben lyk a cokewold. Skeat1900: (40)
  • He knew nat Catoun, for his wit was rude,
  • That bad man sholde wedde his similitude.
  • Men sholde wedden after hir estaat,
  • For youthe and elde is often at debaat. Skeat1900: 3230
  • But sith that he was fallen in the snare,
  • He moste endure, as other folk, his care.
  • Fair was this yonge wyf, and ther-with-al
  • As any wesele hir body gent and smal.
  • A ceynt she werede barred al of silk, Skeat1900: 3235
  • A barmclooth eek as whyt as morne milk Skeat1900: (50)
  • Up-on hir lendes, ful of many a gore.
  • Whyt was hir smok, and brouded al bifore
  • And eek bihinde, on hir coler aboute,
  • Of col-blak silk, with-inne and eek with-oute. Skeat1900: 3240
  • The tapes of hir whyte voluper
  • Were of the same suyte of hir coler;
  • Hir filet brood of silk, and set ful hye:
  • And sikerly she hadde a likerous yë.
  • Ful smale y-pulled were hir browes two, Skeat1900: 3245
  • And tho were bent, and blake as any sloo. Skeat1900: (60)
  • She was ful more blisful on to see
  • Than is the newe pere-ionette tree;
  • And softer than the wolle is of a wether.
  • And by hir girdel heeng a purs of lether Skeat1900: 3250
  • Tasseld with silk, and perled with latoun.
  • In al this world, to seken up and doun,
  • There nis no man so wys, that coude thenche
  • So gay a popelote, or swich a wenche.
  • Ful brighter was the shyning of hir hewe Skeat1900: 3255
  • Than in the tour the noble y-forged newe. Skeat1900: (70)
  • But of hir song, it was as loude and yerne
  • As any swalwe sittinge on a berne.
  • Ther-to she coude skippe and make game,
  • As any kide or calf folwinge his dame. Skeat1900: 3260
  • Hir mouth was swete as bragot or the meeth,
  • Or hord of apples leyd in hey or heeth.
  • Winsinge she was, as is a Ioly colt,
  • Long as a mast, and upright as a bolt.
  • A brooch she baar up-on hir lowe coler, Skeat1900: 3265
  • As brood as is the bos of a bocler. Skeat1900: (80)
  • Hir shoes were laced on hir legges hye;
  • She was a prymerole, a pigges-nye
  • For any lord to leggen in his bedde,
  • Or yet for any good yeman to wedde. Skeat1900: 3270
  • Now sire, and eft sire, so bifel the cas,
  • That on a day this hende Nicholas
  • Fil with this yonge wyf to rage and pleye,
  • Whyl that hir housbond was at Oseneye,
  • As clerkes ben ful subtile and ful queynte; Skeat1900: 3275
  • And prively he caughte hir by the queynte, Skeat1900: (90)
  • And seyde, ‘y-wis, but if ich have my wille,
  • For derne love of thee, lemman, I spille.’
  • And heeld hir harde by the haunche-bones,
  • And seyde, ‘lemman, love me al at-ones, Skeat1900: 3280
  • Or I wol dyen, also god me save!’
  • And she sprong as a colt doth in the trave,
  • And with hir heed she wryed faste awey,
  • And seyde, ‘I wol nat kisse thee, by my fey,
  • Why, lat be,’ quod she, ‘lat be, Nicholas, Skeat1900: 3285
  • Or I wol crye out “harrow” and “allas.” Skeat1900: (100)
  • Do wey your handes for your curteisye!’
  • This Nicholas gan mercy for to crye,
  • And spak so faire, and profred hir so faste,
  • That she hir love him graunted atte laste, Skeat1900: 3290
  • And swoor hir ooth, by seint Thomas of Kent,
  • That she wol been at his comandement,
  • Whan that she may hir leyser wel espye.
  • ‘Myn housbond is so ful of Ialousye,
  • That but ye wayte wel and been privee, Skeat1900: 3295
  • I woot right wel I nam but deed,’ quod she. Skeat1900: (110)
  • ‘Ye moste been ful derne, as in this cas.’
  • ‘Nay ther-of care thee noght,’ quod Nicholas,
  • ‘A clerk had litherly biset his whyle,
  • But-if he coude a Carpenter bigyle.’ Skeat1900: 3300
  • And thus they been acorded and y-sworn
  • To wayte a tyme, as I have told biforn.
  • Whan Nicholas had doon thus everydeel,
  • And thakked hir aboute the lendes weel,
  • He kist hir swete, and taketh his sautrye, Skeat1900: 3305
  • And pleyeth faste, and maketh melodye. Skeat1900: (120)
  • Than fil it thus, that to the parish-chirche,
  • Cristes owne werkes for to wirche,
  • This gode wyf wente on an haliday;
  • Hir forheed shoon as bright as any day, Skeat1900: 3310
  • So was it wasshen whan she leet hir werk.
  • Now was ther of that chirche a parish-clerk,
  • The which that was y-cleped Absolon.
  • Crul was his heer, and as the gold it shoon,
  • And strouted as a fanne large and brode; Skeat1900: 3315
  • Ful streight and even lay his Ioly shode. Skeat1900: (130)
  • His rode was reed, his eyen greye as goos;
  • With Powles window corven on his shoos,
  • In hoses rede he wente fetisly.
  • Y-clad he was ful smal and proprely, Skeat1900: 3320
  • Al in a kirtel of a light wachet;
  • Ful faire and thikke been the poyntes set.
  • And ther-up-on he hadde a gay surplys
  • As whyt as is the blosme up-on the rys.
  • A mery child he was, so god me save, Skeat1900: 3325
  • Wel coude he laten blood and clippe and shave, Skeat1900: (140)
  • And make a chartre of lond or acquitaunce.
  • In twenty manere coude he trippe and daunce
  • After the scole of Oxenforde tho,
  • And with his legges casten to and fro, Skeat1900: 3330
  • And pleyen songes on a small rubible;
  • Ther-to he song som-tyme a loud quinible;
  • And as wel coude he pleye on his giterne.
  • In al the toun nas brewhous ne taverne
  • That he ne visited with his solas, Skeat1900: 3335
  • Ther any gaylard tappestere was. Skeat1900: (150)
  • But sooth to seyn, he was somdel squaymous
  • Of farting, and of speche daungerous.
  • This Absolon, that Iolif was and gay,
  • Gooth with a sencer on the haliday, Skeat1900: 3340
  • Sensinge the wyves of the parish faste;
  • And many a lovely look on hem he caste,
  • And namely on this carpenteres wyf.
  • To loke on hir him thoughte a mery lyf,
  • She was so propre and swete and likerous. Skeat1900: 3345
  • I dar wel seyn, if she had been a mous, Skeat1900: (160)
  • And he a cat, he wolde hir hente anon.
  • This parish-clerk, this Ioly Absolon,
  • Hath in his herte swich a love-longinge,
  • That of no wyf ne took he noon offringe; Skeat1900: 3350
  • For curteisye, he seyde, he wolde noon.
  • The mone, whan it was night, ful brighte shoon,
  • And Absolon his giterne hath y-take,
  • For paramours, he thoghte for to wake.
  • And forth he gooth, Iolif and amorous, Skeat1900: 3355
  • Til he cam to the carpenteres hous Skeat1900: (170)
  • A litel after cokkes hadde y-crowe;
  • And dressed him up by a shot-windowe
  • That was up-on the carpenteres wal.
  • He singeth in his vois gentil and smal, Skeat1900: 3360
  • ‘Now, dere lady, if thy wille be,
  • I preye yow that ye wol rewe on me,’
  • Ful wel acordaunt to his giterninge.
  • This carpenter awook, and herde him singe,
  • And spak un-to his wyf, and seyde anon, Skeat1900: 3365
  • ‘What! Alison! herestow nat Absolon Skeat1900: (180)
  • That chaunteth thus under our boures wal?’
  • And she answerde hir housbond ther-with-al,
  • ‘Yis, god wot, Iohn, I here it every-del.’
  • This passeth forth; what wol ye bet than wel? Skeat1900: 3370
  • Fro day to day this Ioly Absolon
  • So woweth hir, that him is wo bigon.
  • He waketh al the night and al the day;
  • He kempte hise lokkes brode, and made him gay;
  • He woweth hir by menes and brocage, Skeat1900: 3375
  • And swoor he wolde been hir owne page; Skeat1900: (190)
  • He singeth, brokkinge as a nightingale;
  • He sente hir piment, meeth, and spyced ale,
  • And wafres, pyping hote out of the glede;
  • And for she was of toune, he profred mede. Skeat1900: 3380
  • For som folk wol ben wonnen for richesse,
  • And som for strokes, and som for gentillesse.
  • Somtyme, to shewe his lightnesse and maistrye,
  • He pleyeth Herodes on a scaffold hye.
  • But what availleth him as in this cas? Skeat1900: 3385
  • She loveth so this hende Nicholas, Skeat1900: (200)
  • That Absolon may blowe the bukkes horn;
  • He ne hadde for his labour but a scorn;
  • And thus she maketh Absolon hir ape,
  • And al his ernest turneth til a Iape. Skeat1900: 3390
  • Ful sooth is this proverbe, it is no lye,
  • Men seyn right thus, ‘alwey the nye slye
  • Maketh the ferre leve to be looth.’
  • For though that Absolon be wood or wrooth,
  • By-cause that he fer was from hir sighte, Skeat1900: 3395
  • This nye Nicholas stood in his lighte. Skeat1900: (210)
  • Now bere thee wel, thou hende Nicholas!
  • For Absolon may waille and singe ‘allas.’
  • And so bifel it on a Saterday,
  • This carpenter was goon til Osenay; Skeat1900: 3400
  • And hende Nicholas and Alisoun
  • Acorded been to this conclusioun,
  • That Nicholas shal shapen him a wyle
  • This sely Ialous housbond to bigyle;
  • And if so be the game wente aright, Skeat1900: 3405
  • She sholde slepen in his arm al night, Skeat1900: (220)
  • For this was his desyr and hir also.
  • And right anon, with-outen wordes mo,
  • This Nicholas no lenger wolde tarie,
  • But doth ful softe un-to his chambre carie Skeat1900: 3410
  • Bothe mete and drinke for a day or tweye,
  • And to hir housbonde bad hir for to seye,
  • If that he axed after Nicholas,
  • She sholde seye she niste where he was,
  • Of al that day she saugh him nat with ye; Skeat1900: 3415
  • She trowed that he was in maladye, Skeat1900: (230)
  • For, for no cry, hir mayde coude him calle;
  • He nolde answere, for no-thing that mighte falle.
  • This passeth forth al thilke Saterday,
  • That Nicholas stille in his chambre lay, Skeat1900: 3420
  • And eet and sleep, or dide what him leste,
  • Til Sonday, that the sonne gooth to reste.
  • This sely carpenter hath greet merveyle
  • Of Nicholas, or what thing mighte him eyle,
  • And seyde, ‘I am adrad, by seint Thomas, Skeat1900: 3425
  • It stondeth nat aright with Nicholas. Skeat1900: (240)
  • God shilde that he deyde sodeynly!
  • This world is now ful tikel, sikerly;
  • I saugh to-day a cors y-born to chirche
  • That now, on Monday last, I saugh him wirche. Skeat1900: 3430
  • Go up,’ quod he un-to his knave anoon,
  • ‘Clepe at his dore, or knokke with a stoon,
  • Loke how it is, and tel me boldely.’
  • This knave gooth him up ful sturdily,
  • And at the chambre-dore, whyl that he stood, Skeat1900: 3435
  • He cryde and knokked as that he were wood:— Skeat1900: (250)
  • ‘What! how! what do ye, maister Nicholay?
  • How may ye slepen al the longe day?’
  • But al for noght, he herde nat a word;
  • An hole he fond, ful lowe up-on a bord, Skeat1900: 3440
  • Ther as the cat was wont in for to crepe;
  • And at that hole he looked in ful depe,
  • And at the laste he hadde of him a sighte.
  • This Nicholas sat gaping ever up-righte,
  • As he had kyked on the newe mone. Skeat1900: 3445
  • Adoun he gooth, and tolde his maister sone Skeat1900: (260)
  • In what array he saugh this ilke man.
  • This carpenter to blessen him bigan,
  • And seyde, ‘help us, seinte Frideswyde!
  • A man woot litel what him shal bityde. Skeat1900: 3450
  • This man is falle, with his astromye,
  • In som woodnesse or in som agonye;
  • I thoghte ay wel how that it sholde be!
  • Men sholde nat knowe of goddes privetee.
  • Ye, blessed be alwey a lewed man, Skeat1900: 3455
  • That noght but oonly his bileve can! Skeat1900: (270)
  • So ferde another clerk with astromye;
  • He walked in the feeldes for to prye
  • Up-on the sterres, what ther sholde bifalle,
  • Til he was in a marle-pit y-falle; Skeat1900: 3460
  • He saugh nat that. But yet, by seint Thomas,
  • Me reweth sore of hende Nicholas.
  • He shal be rated of his studying,
  • If that I may, by Iesus, hevene king!
  • Get me a staf, that I may underspore, Skeat1900: 3465
  • Whyl that thou, Robin, hevest up the dore. Skeat1900: (280)
  • He shal out of his studying, as I gesse’—
  • And to the chambre-dore he gan him dresse.
  • His knave was a strong carl for the nones,
  • And by the haspe he haf it up atones; Skeat1900: 3470
  • In-to the floor the dore fil anon.
  • This Nicholas sat ay as stille as stoon,
  • And ever gaped upward in-to the eir.
  • This carpenter wende he were in despeir,
  • And hente him by the sholdres mightily, Skeat1900: 3475
  • And shook him harde, and cryde spitously, Skeat1900: (290)
  • ‘What! Nicholay! what, how! what! loke adoun!
  • Awake, and thenk on Cristes passioun;
  • I crouche thee from elves and fro wightes!’
  • Ther-with the night-spel seyde he anon-rightes Skeat1900: 3480
  • On foure halves of the hous aboute,
  • And on the threshfold of the dore with-oute:—
  • ‘Iesu Crist, and seynt Benedight,
  • Blesse this hous from every wikked wight,
  • For nightes verye, the white pater-noster! Skeat1900: 3485
  • Where wentestow, seynt Petres soster?’ Skeat1900: (300)
  • And atte laste this hende Nicholas
  • Gan for to syke sore, and seyde, ‘allas!
  • Shal al the world be lost eftsones now?’
  • This carpenter answerde, ‘what seystow? Skeat1900: 3490
  • What! thenk on god, as we don, men that swinke.
  • This Nicholas answerde, ‘fecche me drinke;
  • And after wol I speke in privetee
  • Of certeyn thing that toucheth me and thee;
  • I wol telle it non other man, certeyn.’ Skeat1900: 3495
  • This carpenter goth doun, and comth ageyn, Skeat1900: (310)
  • And broghte of mighty ale a large quart;
  • And whan that ech of hem had dronke his part,
  • This Nicholas his dore faste shette,
  • And doun the carpenter by him he sette. Skeat1900: 3500
  • He seyde, ‘Iohn, myn hoste lief and dere,
  • Thou shalt up-on thy trouthe swere me here,
  • That to no wight thou shalt this conseil wreye;
  • For it is Cristes conseil that I seye,
  • And if thou telle it man, thou are forlore; Skeat1900: 3505
  • For this vengaunce thou shalt han therfore, Skeat1900: (320)
  • That if thou wreye me, thou shalt be wood!’
  • ‘Nay, Crist forbede it, for his holy blood!’
  • Quod tho this sely man, ‘I nam no labbe,
  • Ne, though I seye, I nam nat lief to gabbe. Skeat1900: 3510
  • Sey what thou wolt, I shal it never telle
  • To child ne wyf, by him that harwed helle!’
  • ‘Now John,’ quod Nicholas, ‘I wol nat lye;
  • I have y-founde in myn astrologye,
  • As I have loked in the mone bright, Skeat1900: 3515
  • That now, a Monday next, at quarter-night, Skeat1900: (330)
  • Shal falle a reyn and that so wilde and wood,
  • That half so greet was never Noës flood.
  • This world,’ he seyde, ‘in lasse than in an hour
  • Shal al be dreynt, so hidous is the shour; Skeat1900: 3520
  • Thus shal mankynde drenche and lese hir lyf.’
  • This carpenter answerde, ‘allas, my wyf!
  • And shal she drenche? allas! myn Alisoun!’
  • For sorwe of this he fil almost adoun,
  • And seyde, ‘is ther no remedie in this cas?’ Skeat1900: 3525
  • ‘Why, yis, for gode,’ quod hende Nicholas, Skeat1900: (340)
  • ‘If thou wolt werken after lore and reed;
  • Thou mayst nat werken after thyn owene heed.
  • For thus seith Salomon, that was ful trewe,
  • “Werk al by conseil, and thou shalt nat rewe.” Skeat1900: 3530
  • And if thou werken wolt by good conseil,
  • I undertake, with-outen mast and seyl,
  • Yet shal I saven hir and thee and me
  • Hastow nat herd how saved was Noe,
  • Whan that our lord had warned him biforn Skeat1900: 3535
  • That al the world with water sholde be lorn?’ Skeat1900: (350)
  • ‘Yis,’ quod this carpenter, ‘ful yore ago.’
  • ‘Hastow nat herd,’ quod Nicholas, ‘also
  • The sorwe of Noë with his felawshipe,
  • Er that he mighte gete his wyf to shipe? Skeat1900: 3540
  • Him had be lever, I dar wel undertake,
  • At thilke tyme, than alle hise wetheres blake,
  • That she hadde had a ship hir-self allone.
  • And ther-fore, wostou what is best to done?
  • This asketh haste, and of an hastif thing Skeat1900: 3545
  • Men may nat preche or maken tarying. Skeat1900: (360)
  • Anon go gete us faste in-to this in
  • A kneding-trogh, or elles a kimelin,
  • For ech of us, but loke that they be large,
  • In whiche we mowe swimme as in a barge, Skeat1900: 3550
  • And han ther-inne vitaille suffisant
  • But for a day; fy on the remenant!
  • The water shal aslake and goon away
  • Aboute pryme up-on the nexte day.
  • But Robin may nat wite of this, thy knave, Skeat1900: 3555
  • Ne eek thy mayde Gille I may nat save; Skeat1900: (370)
  • Axe nat why, for though thou aske me,
  • I wol nat tellen goddes privetee.
  • Suffiseth thee, but if thy wittes madde,
  • To han as greet a grace as Noë hadde. Skeat1900: 3560
  • Thy wyf shal I wel saven, out of doute,
  • Go now thy wey, and speed thee heer-aboute.
  • But whan thou hast, for hir and thee and me,
  • Y-geten us thise kneding-tubbes three,
  • Than shaltow hange hem in the roof ful hye, Skeat1900: 3565
  • That no man of our purveyaunce spye. Skeat1900: (380)
  • And whan thou thus hast doon as I have seyd,
  • And hast our vitaille faire in hem y-leyd,
  • And eek an ax, to smyte the corde atwo
  • When that the water comth, that we may go, Skeat1900: 3570
  • And broke an hole an heigh, up-on the gable,
  • Unto the gardin-ward, over the stable,
  • That we may frely passen forth our way
  • Whan that the grete shour is goon away—
  • Than shaltow swimme as myrie, I undertake, Skeat1900: 3575
  • As doth the whyte doke after hir drake. Skeat1900: (390)
  • Than wol I clepe, “how! Alison! how! John!
  • Be myrie, for the flood wol passe anon.”
  • And thou wolt seyn, “hayl, maister Nicholay!
  • Good morwe, I se thee wel, for it is day.” Skeat1900: 3580
  • And than shul we be lordes al our lyf
  • Of al the world, as Noë and his wyf.
  • But of o thyng I warne thee ful right,
  • Be wel avysed, on that like night
  • That we ben entred in-to shippes bord, Skeat1900: 3585
  • That noon of us ne speke nat a word, Skeat1900: (400)
  • Ne clepe, ne crye, but been in his preyere;
  • For it is goddes owne heste dere.
  • Thy wyf and thou mote hange fer a-twinne,
  • For that bitwixe yow shal be no sinne Skeat1900: 3590
  • No more in looking than ther shal in dede;
  • This ordinance is seyd, go, god thee spede!
  • Tomorwe at night, whan men ben alle aslepe,
  • In-to our kneding-tubbes wol we crepe,
  • And sitten ther, abyding goddes grace. Skeat1900: 3595
  • Go now thy wey, I have no lenger space Skeat1900: (410)
  • To make of this no lenger sermoning.
  • Men seyn thus, “send the wyse, and sey no-thing;”
  • Thou art so wys, it nedeth thee nat teche;
  • Go, save our lyf, and that I thee biseche.’ Skeat1900: 3600
  • This sely carpenter goth forth his wey.
  • Ful ofte he seith ‘allas’ and ‘weylawey,’
  • And to his wyf he tolde his privetee;
  • And she was war, and knew it bet than he,
  • What al this queynte cast was for to seye. Skeat1900: 3605
  • But nathelees she ferde as she wolde deye, Skeat1900: (420)
  • And seyde, ‘allas! go forth thy wey anon,
  • Help us to scape, or we ben lost echon;
  • I am thy trewe verray wedded wyf;
  • Go, dere spouse, and help to save our lyf.’ Skeat1900: 3610
  • Lo! which a greet thyng is affeccioun!
  • Men may dye of imaginacioun,
  • So depe may impressioun be take.
  • This sely carpenter biginneth quake;
  • Him thinketh verraily that he may see Skeat1900: 3615
  • Noës flood come walwing as the see Skeat1900: (430)
  • To drenchen Alisoun, his hony dere.
  • He wepeth, weyleth, maketh sory chere,
  • He syketh with ful many a sory swogh.
  • He gooth and geteth him a kneding-trogh, Skeat1900: 3620
  • And after that a tubbe and a kimelin,
  • And prively he sente hem to his in,
  • And heng hem in the roof in privetee.
  • His owne hand he made laddres three,
  • To climben by the ronges and the stalkes Skeat1900: 3625
  • Un-to the tubbes hanginge in the balkes, Skeat1900: (440)
  • And hem vitailled , bothe trogh and tubbe,
  • With breed and chese, and good ale in a Iubbe,
  • Suffysinge right y-nogh as for a day.
  • But er that he had maad al this array, Skeat1900: 3630
  • He sente his knave, and eek his wenche also,
  • Up-on his nede to London for to go.
  • And on the Monday, whan it drow to night,
  • He shette his dore with-oute candel-light,
  • And dressed al thing as it sholde be. Skeat1900: 3635
  • And shortly, up they clomben alle three; Skeat1900: (450)
  • They sitten stille wel a furlong-way.
  • ‘Now, Pater-noster, clom!’ seyde Nicholay,
  • And ‘clom,’ quod John, and ‘clom,’ seyde Alisoun.
  • This carpenter seyde his devocioun, Skeat1900: 3640
  • And stille he sit, and biddeth his preyere,
  • Awaytinge on the reyn, if he it here.
  • The dede sleep, for wery bisinesse,
  • Fil on this carpenter right, as I gesse,
  • Aboute corfew-tyme, or litel more; Skeat1900: 3645
  • For travail of his goost he groneth sore, Skeat1900: (460)
  • And eft he routeth, for his heed mislay.
  • Doun of the laddre stalketh Nicholay,
  • And Alisoun, ful softe adoun she spedde;
  • With-outen wordes mo, they goon to bedde Skeat1900: 3650
  • Ther-as the carpenter is wont to lye.
  • Ther was the revel and the melodye;
  • And thus lyth Alison and Nicholas,
  • In bisinesse of mirthe and of solas,
  • Til that the belle of laudes gan to ringe, Skeat1900: 3655
  • And freres in the chauncel gonne singe. Skeat1900: (470)
  • This parish-clerk, this amorous Absolon,
  • That is for love alwey so wo bigon,
  • Up-on the Monday was at Oseneye
  • With companye , him to disporte and pleye, Skeat1900: 3660
  • And axed up-on cas a cloisterer
  • Ful prively after Iohn the carpenter;
  • And he drough him a-part out of the chirche,
  • And seyde, ‘I noot, I saugh him here nat wirche
  • Sin Saterday; I trow that he be went Skeat1900: 3665
  • For timber, ther our abbot hath him sent; Skeat1900: (480)
  • For he is wont for timber for to go,
  • And dwellen at the grange a day or two;
  • Or elles he is at his hous, certeyn;
  • Wher that he be, I can nat sothly seyn.’ Skeat1900: 3670
  • This Absolon ful Ioly was and light,
  • And thoghte, ‘now is tyme wake al night;
  • For sikirly I saugh him nat stiringe
  • Aboute his dore sin day bigan to springe.
  • So moot I thryve, I shall, at cokkes crowe, Skeat1900: 3675
  • Ful prively knokken at his windowe Skeat1900: (490)
  • That stant ful lowe up-on his boures wal.
  • To Alison now wol I tellen al
  • My love-longing, for yet I shal nat misse
  • That at the leste wey I shal hir kisse. Skeat1900: 3680
  • Som maner confort shal I have, parfay,
  • My mouth hath icched al this longe day;
  • That is a signe of kissing atte leste.
  • Al night me mette eek, I was at a feste.
  • Therfor I wol gon slepe an houre or tweye, Skeat1900: 3685
  • And al the night than wol I wake and pleye.’ Skeat1900: (500)
  • Whan that the firste cok hath crowe, anon
  • Up rist this Ioly lover Absolon,
  • And him arrayeth gay, at point-devys.
  • But first he cheweth greyn and lycorys, Skeat1900: 3690
  • To smellen swete, er he had kembd his heer.
  • Under his tonge a trewe love he beer,
  • For ther-by wende he to ben gracious.
  • He rometh to the carpenteres hous,
  • And stille he stant under the shot-windowe; Skeat1900: 3695
  • Un-to his brest it raughte, it was so lowe; Skeat1900: (510)
  • And softe he cogheth with a semi-soun—
  • ‘What do ye, hony-comb, swete Alisoun?
  • My faire brid, my swete cinamome,
  • Awaketh, lemman myn, and speketh to me! Skeat1900: 3700
  • Wel litel thenken ye up-on my wo,
  • That for your love I swete ther I go.
  • No wonder is thogh that I swelte and swete;
  • I moorne as doth a lamb after the tete.
  • Y-wis, lemman, I have swich love-longinge, Skeat1900: 3705
  • That lyk a turtel trewe is my moorninge; Skeat1900: (520)
  • I may nat ete na more than a mayde.’
  • ‘Go fro the window, Iakke fool,’ she sayde,
  • ‘As help me god, it wol nat be “com ba me,”
  • I love another, and elles I were to blame, Skeat1900: 3710
  • Wel bet than thee, by Iesu, Absolon!
  • Go forth thy wey, or I wol caste a ston,
  • And lat me slepe, a twenty devel wey!’
  • ‘Allas,’ quod Absolon, ‘and weylawey!
  • That trewe love was ever so yvel biset! Skeat1900: 3715
  • Than kisse me, sin it may be no bet, Skeat1900: (530)
  • For Iesus love and for the love of me.’
  • ‘Wiltow than go thy wey ther-with?’ quod she.
  • ‘Ye, certes, lemman,’ quod this Absolon.
  • ‘Thanne make thee redy,’ quod she, ‘I come anon;’ Skeat1900: 3720
  • And un-to Nicholas she seyde stille, [T. om.
  • ‘Now hust, and thou shalt laughen al thy fille.’ [T. om.
  • This Absolon doun sette him on his knees,
  • And seyde, ‘I am a lord at alle degrees;
  • For after this I hope ther cometh more! Skeat1900: 3725
  • Lemman, thy grace, and swete brid, thyn ore!’ Skeat1900: (540)
  • The window she undoth, and that in haste,
  • ‘Have do,’ quod she, ‘com of, and speed thee faste,
  • Lest that our neighebores thee espye.’
  • This Absolon gan wype his mouth ful drye; Skeat1900: 3730
  • Derk was the night as pich, or as the cole,
  • And at the window out she putte hir hole,
  • And Absolon, him fil no bet ne wers,
  • But with his mouth he kiste hir naked ers
  • Ful savourly, er he was war of this. Skeat1900: 3735
  • Abak he sterte, and thoghte it was amis, Skeat1900: (550)
  • For wel he wiste a womman hath no berd;
  • He felte a thing al rough and long y-herd,
  • And seyde, ‘fy! allas! what have I do?’
  • ‘Tehee!’ quod she, and clapte the window to; Skeat1900: 3740
  • And Absolon goth forth a sory pas.
  • ‘A berd, a berd!’ quod hende Nicholas,
  • ‘By goddes corpus, this goth faire and weel!’
  • This sely Absolon herde every deel,
  • And on his lippe he gan for anger byte; Skeat1900: 3745
  • And to him-self he seyde, ‘I shal thee quyte!’ Skeat1900: (560)
  • Who rubbeth now, who froteth now his lippes
  • With dust, with sond, with straw, with clooth, with chippes,
  • But Absolon, that seith ful ofte, ‘allas!
  • My soule bitake I un-to Sathanas, Skeat1900: 3750
  • But me wer lever than al this toun,’ quod he,
  • ‘Of this despyt awroken for to be!
  • Allas!’ quod he, ‘allas! I ne hadde y-bleynt!’
  • His hote love was cold and al y-queynt;
  • For fro that tyme that he had kiste hir ers, Skeat1900: 3755
  • Of paramours he sette nat a kers, Skeat1900: (570)
  • For he was heled of his maladye;
  • Ful ofte paramours he gan deffye,
  • And weep as dooth a child that is y-bete.
  • A softe paas he wente over the strete Skeat1900: 3760
  • Un-til a smith men cleped daun Gerveys,
  • That in his forge smithed plough-harneys;
  • He sharpeth shaar and culter bisily.
  • This Absolon knokketh al esily,
  • And seyde, ‘undo, Gerveys, and that anon.’ Skeat1900: 3765
  • ‘What, who artow?’ ‘It am I, Absolon.’ Skeat1900: (580)
  • ‘What, Absolon! for Cristes swete tree,
  • Why ryse ye so rathe, ey, benedicite!
  • What eyleth yow? som gay gerl, god it woot,
  • Hath broght yow thus up-on the viritoot; Skeat1900: 3770
  • By sëynt Note, ye woot wel what I mene.’
  • This Absolon ne roghte nat a bene
  • Of al his pley, no word agayn he yaf;
  • He hadde more tow on his distaf
  • Than Gerveys knew, and seyde, ‘freend so dere, Skeat1900: 3775
  • That hote culter in the chimenee here, Skeat1900: (590)
  • As lene it me, I have ther-with to done,
  • And I wol bringe it thee agayn ful sone.’
  • Gerveys answerde, ‘certes, were it gold,
  • Or in a poke nobles alle untold, Skeat1900: 3780
  • Thou sholdest have, as I am trewe smith;
  • Ey, Cristes foo! what wol ye do ther-with?’
  • ‘Ther-of,’ quod Absolon, ‘be as be may;
  • I shal wel telle it thee to-morwe day’—
  • And caughte the culter by the colde stele. Skeat1900: 3785
  • Ful softe out at the dore he gan to stele, Skeat1900: (600)
  • And wente un-to the carpenteres wal.
  • He cogheth first, and knokketh ther-with-al
  • Upon the windowe, right as he dide er.
  • This Alison answerde, ‘Who is ther Skeat1900: 3790
  • That knokketh so? I warante it a theef.’
  • ‘Why, nay,’ quod he, ‘god woot, my swete leef,
  • I am thyn Absolon, my dereling!
  • Of gold,’ quod he, ‘I have thee broght a ring;
  • My moder yaf it me, so god me save, Skeat1900: 3795
  • Ful fyn it is, and ther-to wel y-grave; Skeat1900: (610)
  • This wol I yeve thee, if thou me kisse!’
  • This Nicholas was risen for to pisse,
  • And thoghte he wolde amenden al the Iape,
  • He sholde kisse his ers er that he scape. Skeat1900: 3800
  • And up the windowe dide he hastily,
  • And out his ers he putteth prively
  • Over the buttok, to the haunche-bon;
  • And ther-with spak this clerk, this Absolon,
  • ‘Spek, swete brid, I noot nat wher thou art.’ Skeat1900: 3805
  • This Nicholas anon leet flee a fart, Skeat1900: (620)
  • As greet as it had been a thonder-dent,
  • That with the strook he was almost y-blent;
  • And he was redy with his iren hoot,
  • And Nicholas amidde the ers he smoot. Skeat1900: 3810
  • Of gooth the skin an hande-brede aboute,
  • The hote culter brende so his toute,
  • And for the smert he wende for to dye.
  • As he were wood, for wo he gan to crye—
  • ‘Help! water! water! help, for goddes herte!’ Skeat1900: 3815
  • This carpenter out of his slomber sterte, Skeat1900: (630)
  • And herde oon cryen ‘water’ as he were wood,
  • And thoughte, ‘Allas! now comth Nowelis flood!’
  • He sit him up with-outen wordes mo,
  • And with his ax he smoot the corde a-two, Skeat1900: 3820
  • And doun goth al; he fond neither to selle,
  • Ne breed ne ale, til he cam to the selle
  • Up-on the floor; and ther aswowne he lay.
  • Up sterte hir Alison, and Nicholay,
  • And cryden ‘out’ and ‘harrow’ in the strete. Skeat1900: 3825
  • The neighebores, bothe smale and grete, Skeat1900: (640)
  • In ronnen, for to gauren on this man,
  • That yet aswowne he lay, bothe pale and wan;
  • For with the fal he brosten hadde his arm;
  • But stonde he moste un-to his owne harm. Skeat1900: 3830
  • For whan he spak, he was anon bore doun
  • With hende Nicholas and Alisoun.
  • They tolden every man that he was wood,
  • He was agast so of ‘Nowelis flood’
  • Thurgh fantasye, that of his vanitee Skeat1900: 3835
  • He hadde y-boght him kneding-tubbes three, Skeat1900: (650)
  • And hadde hem hanged in the roof above;
  • And that he preyed hem, for goddes love,
  • To sitten in the roof, par companye.
  • The folk gan laughen at his fantasye; Skeat1900: 3840
  • In-to the roof they kyken and they gape,
  • And turned al his harm un-to a Iape.
  • For what so that this carpenter answerde,
  • It was for noght, no man his reson herde;
  • With othes grete he was so sworn adoun, Skeat1900: 3845
  • That he was holden wood in al the toun; Skeat1900: (660)
  • For every clerk anon-right heeld with other.
  • They seyde, ‘the man is wood, my leve brother;’
  • And every wight gan laughen of this stryf.
  • Thus swyved was the carpenteres wyf, Skeat1900: 3850
  • For al his keping and his Ialousye;
  • And Absolon hath kist hir nether yë;
  • And Nicholas is scalded in the toute. Skeat1900: (667)
  • This tale is doon, and god save al the route! Skeat1900: 3854