Explicit quarta pars. Sequitur quinta pars.

    • Among al this, after his wikke usage, Skeat1900: 785
    • This markis, yet his wyf to tempte more Skeat1900: (730)
    • To the uttereste preve of hir corage,
    • Fully to han experience and lore
    • If that she were as stedfast as bifore,
    • He on a day in open audience Skeat1900: 790
    • Ful boistously hath seyd hir this sentence:
    • ‘Certes, Grisilde, I hadde y-nough plesaunce
    • To han yow to my wyf for your goodnesse,
    • As for your trouthe and for your obeisaunce,
    • Nought for your linage ne for your richesse; Skeat1900: 795
    • But now knowe I in verray soothfastnesse Skeat1900: (740)
    • That in gret lordshipe, if I wel avyse,
    • Ther is gret servitute in sondry wyse.
    • I may nat don as every plowman may;
    • My peple me constreyneth for to take Skeat1900: 800
    • Another wyf, and cryen day by day;
    • And eek the pope, rancour for to slake,
    • Consenteth it, that dar I undertake;
    • And treweliche thus muche I wol yow seye,
    • My newe wyf is coming by the weye. Skeat1900: 805
    • Be strong of herte, and voyde anon hir place, Skeat1900: (750)
    • And thilke dower that ye broghten me
    • Tak it agayn, I graunte it of my grace;
    • Retourneth to your fadres hous,’ quod he;
    • ‘No man may alwey han prosperitee; Skeat1900: 810
    • With evene herte I rede yow tendure
    • The strook of fortune or of aventure.’
    • And she answerde agayn in pacience,
    • ‘My lord,’ quod she, ‘I woot, and wiste alway
    • How that bitwixen your magnificence Skeat1900: 815
    • And my poverte no wight can ne may Skeat1900: (760)
    • Maken comparison; it is no nay.
    • I ne heeld me never digne in no manere
    • To be your wyf, no, ne your chamberere.
    • And in this hous, ther ye me lady made— Skeat1900: 820
    • The heighe god take I for my witnesse,
    • And also wisly he my soule glade—
    • I never heeld me lady ne maistresse,
    • But humble servant to your worthinesse,
    • And ever shal, whyl that my lyf may dure, Skeat1900: 825
    • Aboven every worldly creature. Skeat1900: (770)
    • That ye so longe of your benignitee
    • Han holden me in honour and nobleye,
    • Wher-as I was noght worthy for to be,
    • That thonke I god and yow, to whom I preye Skeat1900: 830
    • Foryelde it yow; there is na-more to seye.
    • Un-to my fader gladly wol I wende,
    • And with him dwelle un-to my lyves ende.
    • Ther I was fostred of a child ful smal,
    • Til I be deed, my lyf ther wol I lede Skeat1900: 835
    • A widwe clene, in body, herte, and al. Skeat1900: (780)
    • For sith I yaf to yow my maydenhede,
    • And am your trewe wyf, it is no drede,
    • God shilde swich a lordes wyf to take
    • Another man to housbonde or to make. Skeat1900: 840
    • And of your newe wyf, god of his grace
    • So graunte yow wele and prosperitee:
    • For I wol gladly yelden hir my place,
    • In which that I was blisful wont to be,
    • For sith it lyketh yow, my lord,’ quod she, Skeat1900: 845
    • ‘That whylom weren al myn hertes reste, Skeat1900: (790)
    • That I shal goon, I wol gon whan yow leste.
    • But ther-as ye me profre swich dowaire
    • As I first broghte, it is wel in my minde
    • It were my wrecched clothes, no-thing faire, Skeat1900: 850
    • The which to me were hard now for to finde.
    • O gode god! how gentil and how kinde
    • Ye semed by your speche and your visage
    • The day that maked was our mariage!
    • But sooth is seyd, algate I finde it trewe— Skeat1900: 855
    • For in effect it preved is on me— Skeat1900: (800)
    • Love is noght old as whan that it is newe.
    • But certes, lord, for noon adversitee,
    • To dyen in the cas, it shal nat be
    • That ever in word or werk I shal repente Skeat1900: 860
    • That I yow yaf myn herte in hool entente.
    • My lord, ye woot that, in my fadres place,
    • Ye dede me strepe out of my povre wede,
    • And richely me cladden, of your grace.
    • To yow broghte I noght elles, out of drede, Skeat1900: 865
    • But feyth and nakednesse and maydenhede. Skeat1900: (810)
    • And here agayn my clothing I restore,
    • And eek my wedding-ring, for evermore.
    • The remenant of your Iewels redy be
    • In-with your chambre, dar I saufly sayn; Skeat1900: 870
    • Naked out of my fadres hous,’ quod she,
    • ‘I cam, and naked moot I turne agayn.
    • Al your plesaunce wol I folwen fayn;
    • But yet I hope it be nat your entente
    • That I smoklees out of your paleys wente. Skeat1900: 875
    • Ye coude nat doon so dishoneste a thing, Skeat1900: (820)
    • That thilke wombe in which your children leye
    • Sholde, biforn the peple, in my walking,
    • Be seyn al bare; wherfor I yow preye,
    • Lat me nat lyk a worm go by the weye. Skeat1900: 880
    • Remembre yow, myn owene lord so dere,
    • I was your wyf, thogh I unworthy were.
    • Wherfor, in guerdon of my maydenhede,
    • Which that I broghte, and noght agayn I bere,
    • As voucheth sauf to yeve me, to my mede, Skeat1900: 885
    • But swich a smok as I was wont to were, Skeat1900: (830)
    • That I therwith may wrye the wombe of here
    • That was your wyf; and heer take I my leve
    • Of yow, myn owene lord, lest I yow greve.’
    • ‘The smok,’ quod he, ‘that thou hast on thy bak, Skeat1900: 890
    • Lat it be stille, and ber it forth with thee.’
    • But wel unnethes thilke word he spak,
    • But wente his wey for rewthe and for pitee.
    • Biforn the folk hir-selven strepeth she,
    • And in hir smok, with heed and foot al bare, Skeat1900: 895
    • Toward hir fader hous forth is she fare Skeat1900: (840)
    • The folk hir folwe wepinge in hir weye,
    • And fortune ay they cursen as they goon;
    • But she fro weping kepte hir yën dreye,
    • Ne in this tyme word ne spak she noon. Skeat1900: 900
    • Hir fader, that this tyding herde anoon,
    • Curseth the day and tyme that nature
    • Shoop him to been a lyves creature.
    • For out of doute this olde povre man
    • Was ever in suspect of hir mariage; Skeat1900: 905
    • For ever he demed, sith that it bigan, Skeat1900: (850)
    • That whan the lord fulfild had his corage,
    • Him wolde thinke it were a disparage
    • To his estaat so lowe for talighte,
    • And voyden hir as sone as ever he mighte. Skeat1900: 910
    • Agayns his doghter hastilich goth he,
    • For he by noyse of folk knew hir cominge,
    • And with hir olde cote, as it mighte be,
    • He covered hir, ful sorwefully wepinge;
    • But on hir body mighte he it nat bringe. Skeat1900: 915
    • For rude was the cloth, and more of age Skeat1900: (860)
    • By dayes fele than at hir mariage.
    • Thus with hir fader, for a certeyn space,
    • Dwelleth this flour of wyfly pacience,
    • That neither by hir wordes ne hir face Skeat1900: 920
    • Biforn the folk, ne eek in hir absence,
    • Ne shewed she that hir was doon offence;
    • Ne of hir heigh estaat no remembraunce
    • Ne hadde she, as by hir countenaunce.
    • No wonder is, for in hir grete estaat Skeat1900: 925
    • Hir goost was ever in pleyn humylitee; Skeat1900: (870)
    • No tendre mouth, non herte delicaat,
    • No pompe, no semblant of royaltee,
    • But ful of pacient benignitee,
    • Discreet and prydeles, ay honurable, Skeat1900: 930
    • And to hir housbonde ever meke and stable.
    • Men speke of Iob and most for his humblesse,
    • As clerkes, whan hem list, can wel endyte,
    • Namely of men, but as in soothfastnesse,
    • Thogh clerkes preyse wommen but a lyte, Skeat1900: 935
    • Ther can no man in humblesse him acquyte Skeat1900: (880)
    • As womman can, ne can ben half so trewe
    • As wommen been, but it be falle of-newe.
  • [ Pars Sexta. ]

    • Fro Boloigne is this erl of Panik come,
    • Of which the fame up-sprang to more and lesse, Skeat1900: 940
    • And in the peples eres alle and some
    • Was couth eek, that a newe markisesse
    • He with him broghte, in swich pompe and richesse,
    • That never was ther seyn with mannes ye
    • So noble array in al West Lumbardye. Skeat1900: 945
    • The markis, which that shoop and knew al this, Skeat1900: (890)
    • Er that this erl was come, sente his message
    • For thilke sely povre Grisildis;
    • And she with humble herte and glad visage,
    • Nat with no swollen thoght in hir corage, Skeat1900: 950
    • Cam at his heste, and on hir knees hir sette,
    • And reverently and wysly she him grette.
    • ‘Grisild,’ quod he, ‘my wille is outerly,
    • This mayden, that shal wedded been to me,
    • Receyved be to-morwe as royally Skeat1900: 955
    • As it possible is in myn hous to be. Skeat1900: (900)
    • And eek that every wight in his degree
    • Have his estaat in sitting and servyse
    • And heigh plesaunce, as I can best devyse.
    • I have no wommen suffisaunt certayn Skeat1900: 960
    • The chambres for tarraye in ordinaunce
    • After my lust, and therfor wolde I fayn
    • That thyn were al swich maner governaunce;
    • Thou knowest eek of old al my plesaunce;
    • Though thyn array be badde and yvel biseye, Skeat1900: 965
    • Do thou thy devoir at the leeste weye.’ Skeat1900: (910)
    • ‘Nat only, lord, that I am glad,’ quod she,
    • ‘To doon your lust, but I desyre also
    • Yow for to serve and plese in my degree
    • With-outen feynting, and shal evermo. Skeat1900: 970
    • Ne never, for no wele ne no wo,
    • Ne shal the gost with-in myn herte stente
    • To love yow best with al my trewe entente.’
    • And with that word she gan the hous to dighte,
    • And tables for to sette and beddes make; Skeat1900: 975
    • And peyned hir to doon al that she mighte, Skeat1900: (920)
    • Preying the chambereres, for goddes sake,
    • To hasten hem, and faste swepe and shake;
    • And she, the moste servisable of alle,
    • Hath every chambre arrayed and his halle. Skeat1900: 980
    • Abouten undern gan this erl alighte,
    • That with him broghte thise noble children tweye,
    • For which the peple ran to seen the sighte
    • Of hir array, so richely biseye;
    • And than at erst amonges hem they seye, Skeat1900: 985
    • That Walter was no fool, thogh that him leste Skeat1900: (930)
    • To chaunge his wyf, for it was for the beste.
    • For she is fairer, as they demen alle,
    • Than is Grisild, and more tendre of age,
    • And fairer fruit bitwene hem sholde falle, Skeat1900: 990
    • And more plesant, for hir heigh linage;
    • Hir brother eek so fair was of visage,
    • That hem to seen the peple hath caught plesaunce,
    • Commending now the markis gouernaunce.—
    • Auctor. ‘O stormy peple! unsad and ever untrewe! Skeat1900: 995
    • Ay undiscreet and chaunging as a vane, Skeat1900: (940)
    • Delyting ever in rumbel that is newe,
    • For lyk the mone ay wexe ye and wane;
    • Ay ful of clapping, dere y-nogh a Iane;
    • Your doom is fals, your constance yvel preveth, Skeat1900: 1000
    • A ful greet fool is he that on yow leveth!’
    • Thus seyden sadde folk in that citee,
    • Whan that the peple gazed up and doun,
    • For they were glad, right for the noveltee,
    • To han a newe lady of hir toun. Skeat1900: 1005
    • Na-more of this make I now mencioun; Skeat1900: (950)
    • But to Grisilde agayn wol I me dresse,
    • And telle hir constance and hir bisinesse.—
    • Ful bisy was Grisilde in every thing
    • That to the feste was apertinent; Skeat1900: 1010
    • Right noght was she abayst of hir clothing,
    • Though it were rude and somdel eek to-rent.
    • But with glad chere to the yate is went,
    • With other folk, to grete the markisesse,
    • And after that doth forth hir bisinesse. Skeat1900: 1015
    • With so glad chere his gestes she receyveth, Skeat1900: (960)
    • And conningly, everich in his degree,
    • That no defaute no man aperceyveth;
    • But ay they wondren what she mighte be
    • That in so povre array was for to see, Skeat1900: 1020
    • And coude swich honour and reverence;
    • And worthily they preisen hir prudence.
    • In al this mene whyle she ne stente
    • This mayde and eek hir brother to commende
    • With al hir herte, in ful benigne entente, Skeat1900: 1025
    • So wel, that no man coude hir prys amende. Skeat1900: (970)
    • But atte laste, whan that thise lordes wende
    • To sitten doun to mete, he gan to calle
    • Grisilde, as she was bisy in his halle.
    • ‘Grisilde,’ quod he, as it were in his pley, Skeat1900: 1030
    • ‘How lyketh thee my wyf and hir beautee?’
    • ‘Right wel,’ quod she, ‘my lord; for, in good fey,
    • A fairer say I never noon than she.
    • I prey to god yeve hir prosperitee;
    • And so hope I that he wol to yow sende Skeat1900: 1035
    • Plesance y-nogh un-to your lyves ende. Skeat1900: (980)
    • O thing biseke I yow and warne also,
    • That ye ne prikke with no tormentinge
    • This tendre mayden, as ye han don mo;
    • For she is fostred in hir norishinge Skeat1900: 1040
    • More tendrely, and, to my supposinge,
    • She coude nat adversitee endure
    • As coude a povre fostred creature.’
    • And whan this Walter say hir pacience,
    • Hir glade chere and no malice at al, Skeat1900: 1045
    • And he so ofte had doon to hir offence, Skeat1900: (990)
    • And she ay sad and constant as a wal,
    • Continuing ever hir innocence overal,
    • This sturdy markis gan his herte dresse
    • To rewen up-on hir wyfly stedfastnesse. Skeat1900: 1050
    • ‘This is y-nogh, Grisilde myn,’ quod he,
    • ‘Be now na-more agast ne yvel apayed;
    • I have thy feith and thy benignitee,
    • As wel as ever womman was, assayed,
    • In greet estaat, and povreliche arrayed. Skeat1900: 1055
    • Now knowe I, dere wyf, thy stedfastnesse,’— Skeat1900: (1000)
    • And hir in armes took and gan hir kesse.
    • And she for wonder took of it no keep;
    • She herde nat what thing he to hir seyde;
    • She ferde as she had stert out of a sleep, Skeat1900: 1060
    • Til she out of hir masednesse abreyde.
    • ‘Grisilde,’ quod he, ‘by god that for us deyde,
    • Thou art my wyf, ne noon other I have,
    • Ne never hadde, as god my soule save!
    • This is thy doghter which thou hast supposed Skeat1900: 1065
    • To be my wyf; that other feithfully Skeat1900: (1010)
    • Shal be myn heir, as I have ay purposed;
    • Thou bare him in thy body trewely.
    • At Boloigne have I kept hem prively;
    • Tak hem agayn, for now maystow nat seye Skeat1900: 1070
    • That thou hast lorn non of thy children tweye.
    • And folk that otherweyes han seyd of me,
    • I warne hem wel that I have doon this dede
    • For no malice ne for no crueltee,
    • But for tassaye in thee thy wommanhede, Skeat1900: 1075
    • And nat to sleen my children, god forbede! Skeat1900: (1020)
    • But for to kepe hem prively and stille,
    • Til I thy purpos knewe and al thy wille.’
    • Whan she this herde, aswowne doun she falleth
    • For pitous Ioye, and after hir swowninge Skeat1900: 1080
    • She bothe hir yonge children un-to hir calleth,
    • And in hir armes, pitously wepinge,
    • Embraceth hem, and tendrely kissinge
    • Ful lyk a mooder, with hir salte teres
    • She batheth bothe hir visage and hir heres. Skeat1900: 1085
    • O, which a pitous thing it was to see Skeat1900: (1030)
    • Hir swowning, and hir humble voys to here!
    • ‘Grauntmercy, lord, that thanke I yow,’ quod she,
    • ‘That ye han saved me my children dere!
    • Now rekke I never to ben deed right here; Skeat1900: 1090
    • Sith I stonde in your love and in your grace,
    • No fors of deeth, ne whan my spirit pace!
    • O tendre, o dere, o yonge children myne,
    • Your woful mooder wende stedfastly
    • That cruel houndes or som foul vermyne Skeat1900: 1095
    • Hadde eten yow; but god, of his mercy, Skeat1900: (1040)
    • And your benigne fader tendrely
    • Hath doon yow kept;’ and in that same stounde
    • Al sodeynly she swapte adoun to grounde.
    • And in her swough so sadly holdeth she Skeat1900: 1100
    • Hir children two, whan she gan hem tembrace,
    • That with greet sleighte and greet difficultee
    • The children from hir arm they gonne arace.
    • O many a teer on many a pitous face
    • Doun ran of hem that stoden hir bisyde; Skeat1900: 1105
    • Unnethe abouten hir mighte they abyde. Skeat1900: (1050)
    • Walter hir gladeth, and hir sorwe slaketh;
    • She ryseth up, abaysed, from hir traunce,
    • And every wight hir Ioye and feste maketh,
    • Til she hath caught agayn hir contenaunce. Skeat1900: 1110
    • Walter hir dooth so feithfully plesaunce,
    • That it was deyntee for to seen the chere
    • Bitwixe hem two, now they ben met y-fere.
    • Thise ladyes, whan that they hir tyme say,
    • Han taken hir, and in-to chambre goon, Skeat1900: 1115
    • And strepen hir out of hir rude array, Skeat1900: (1060)
    • And in a cloth of gold that brighte shoon,
    • With a coroune of many a riche stoon
    • Up-on hir heed, they in-to halle hir broghte,
    • And ther she was honoured as hir oghte. Skeat1900: 1120
    • Thus hath this pitous day a blisful ende,
    • For every man and womman dooth his might
    • This day in murthe and revel to dispende
    • Til on the welkne shoon the sterres light.
    • For more solempne in every mannes sight Skeat1900: 1125
    • This feste was, and gretter of costage, Skeat1900: (1070)
    • Than was the revel of hir mariage.
    • Ful many a yeer in heigh prosperitee
    • Liven thise two in concord and in reste,
    • And richely his doghter maried he Skeat1900: 1130
    • Un-to a lord, oon of the worthieste
    • Of al Itaille; and than in pees and reste
    • His wyves fader in his court he kepeth,
    • Til that the soule out of his body crepeth.
    • His sone succedeth in his heritage Skeat1900: 1135
    • In reste and pees, after his fader day; Skeat1900: (1080)
    • And fortunat was eek in mariage,
    • Al putte he nat his wyf in greet assay.
    • This world is nat so strong, it is no nay,
    • As it hath been in olde tymes yore, Skeat1900: 1140
    • And herkneth what this auctour seith therfore.
    • This storie is seyd, nat for that wyves sholde
    • Folwen Grisilde as in humilitee,
    • For it were importable, though they wolde;
    • But for that every wight, in his degree, Skeat1900: 1145
    • Sholde be constant in adversitee Skeat1900: (1090)
    • As was Grisilde; therfor Petrark wryteth
    • This storie, which with heigh style he endyteth.
    • For, sith a womman was so pacient
    • Un-to a mortal man, wel more us oghte Skeat1900: 1150
    • Receyven al in gree that god us sent;
    • For greet skile is, he preve that he wroghte.
    • But he ne tempteth no man that he boghte,
    • As seith seint Iame, if ye his pistel rede;
    • He preveth folk al day, it is no drede, Skeat1900: 1155
    • And suffreth us, as for our excercyse, Skeat1900: (1100)
    • With sharpe scourges of adversitee
    • Ful ofte to be bete in sondry wyse;
    • Nat for to knowe our wil, for certes he,
    • Er we were born, knew al our freletee; Skeat1900: 1160
    • And for our beste is al his governaunce;
    • Lat us than live in vertuous suffraunce. *
    • But o word, lordinges, herkneth er I go:—
    • It were ful hard to finde now a dayes
    • In al a toun Grisildes three or two; Skeat1900: 1165
    • For, if that they were put to swiche assayes, Skeat1900: (1110)
    • The gold of hem hath now so badde alayes
    • With bras, that thogh the coyne be fair at ye,
    • It wolde rather breste a-two than plye.
    • For which heer, for the wyves love of Bathe, Skeat1900: 1170
    • Whos lyf and al hir secte god mayntene
    • In heigh maistrye, and elles were it scathe,
    • I wol with lusty herte fresshe and grene
    • Seyn yow a song to glade yow, I wene,
    • And lat us stinte of ernestful matere:— Skeat1900: 1175
    • Herkneth my song, that seith in this manere. Skeat1900: (1120)
    • Lenvoy de Chaucer.

    • Grisilde is deed, and eek hir pacience,
    • And bothe atones buried in Itaille;
    • For which I crye in open audience,
    • No wedded man so hardy be tassaille Skeat1900: 1180
    • His wyves pacience, in hope to finde
    • Grisildes, for in certein he shall faille!
    • O noble wyves, ful of heigh prudence,
    • Lat noon humilitee your tonge naille,
    • Ne lat no clerk have cause or diligence Skeat1900: 1185
    • To wryte of yow a storie of swich mervaille Skeat1900: (1130)
    • As of Grisildis pacient and kinde;
    • Lest Chichevache yow swelwe in hir entraille!
    • Folweth Ekko, that holdeth no silence,
    • But evere answereth at the countretaille; Skeat1900: 1190
    • Beth nat bidaffed for your innocence,
    • But sharply tak on yow the governaille.
    • Emprinteth wel this lesson in your minde
    • For commune profit, sith it may availle.
    • Ye archewyves, stondeth at defence, Skeat1900: 1195
    • Sin ye be stronge as is a greet camaille; Skeat1900: (1140)
    • Ne suffreth nat that men yow doon offence.
    • And sclendre wyves, feble as in bataille,
    • Beth egre as is a tygre yond in Inde;
    • Ay clappeth as a mille, I yow consaille. Skeat1900: 1200
    • Ne dreed hem nat, do hem no reverence;
    • For though thyn housbonde armed be in maille,
    • The arwes of thy crabbed eloquence
    • Shal perce his brest, and eek his aventaille;
    • In Ialousye I rede eek thou him binde, Skeat1900: 1205
    • And thou shalt make him couche as dooth a quaille.
    • If thou be fair, ther folk ben in presence Skeat1900: (1151)
    • Shew thou thy visage and thyn apparaille;
    • If thou be foul, be free of thy dispence,
    • To gete thee freendes ay do thy travaille; Skeat1900: 1210
    • Be ay of chere as light as leef on linde,
    • And lat him care, and wepe, and wringe, and waille!

Here endeth the Clerk of Oxonford his Tale.

THE MERCHANT’S PROLOGUE. (T. 9089-9120).

The Prologe of the Marchantes Tale.

  • ‘WEPING and wayling, care, and other sorwe
  • I know y-nogh, on even and a-morwe,’
  • Quod the Marchaunt, ‘and so don othere mo Skeat1900: 1215
  • That wedded been, I trowe that it be so.
  • For, wel I woot, it fareth so with me.
  • I have a wyf, the worste that may be;
  • For thogh the feend to hir y-coupled were,
  • She wolde him overmacche, I dar wel swere. Skeat1900: 1220
  • What sholde I yow reherce in special
  • Hir hye malice? she is a shrewe at al. Skeat1900: (10)
  • Ther is a long and large difference
  • Bitwix Grisildis grete pacience
  • And of my wyf the passing crueltee. Skeat1900: 1225
  • Were I unbounden, al-so moot I thee!
  • I wolde never eft comen in the snare.
  • We wedded men live in sorwe and care;
  • Assaye who-so wol, and he shal finde
  • I seye sooth, by seint Thomas of Inde, Skeat1900: 1230
  • As for the more part, I sey nat alle.
  • God shilde that it sholde so bifalle! Skeat1900: (20)
  • A! good sir hoost! I have y-wedded be
  • Thise monthes two, and more nat, pardee;
  • And yet, I trowe, he that all his lyve Skeat1900: 1235
  • Wyflees hath been, though that men wolde him ryve
  • Un-to the herte, ne coude in no manere
  • Tellen so muchel sorwe, as I now here
  • Coude tellen of my wyves cursednesse!’
  • ‘Now,’ quod our hoost, ‘Marchaunt, so god yow blesse, Skeat1900: 1240
  • Sin ye so muchel knowen of that art,
  • Ful hertely I pray yow telle us part.’ Skeat1900: (30)
  • ‘Gladly,’ quod he, ‘but of myn owene sore,
  • For sory herte, I telle may na-more.’

THE MARCHANTES TALE.

Here biginneth the Marchantes Tale.

  • WHYLOM ther was dwellinge in Lumbardye Skeat1900: 1245
  • A worthy knight, that born was of Pavye,
  • In which he lived in greet prosperitee;
  • And sixty yeer a wyflees man was he,
  • And folwed ay his bodily delyt
  • On wommen, ther-as was his appetyt, Skeat1900: 1250
  • As doon thise foles that ben seculeer.
  • And whan that he was passed sixty yeer,
  • Were it for holinesse or for dotage,
  • I can nat seye, but swich a greet corage Skeat1900: (10)
  • Hadde this knight to been a wedded man, Skeat1900: 1255
  • That day and night he dooth al that he can
  • Tespyen where he mighte wedded be;
  • Preyinge our lord to granten him, that he
  • Mighte ones knowe of thilke blisful lyf
  • That is bitwixe an housbond and his wyf; Skeat1900: 1260
  • And for to live under that holy bond
  • With which that first god man and womman bond.
  • ‘Non other lyf,’ seyde he, ‘is worth a bene;
  • For wedlok is so esy and so clene, Skeat1900: (20)
  • That in this world it is a paradys.’ Skeat1900: 1265
  • Thus seyde this olde knight, that was so wys.
  • And certeinly, as sooth as god is king,
  • To take a wyf, it is a glorious thing,
  • And namely whan a man is old and hoor;
  • Thanne is a wyf the fruit of his tresor. Skeat1900: 1270
  • Than sholde he take a yong wyf and a feir,
  • On which he mighte engendren him an heir,
  • And lede his lyf in Ioye and in solas,
  • Wher-as thise bacheleres singe ‘allas,’ Skeat1900: (30)
  • Whan that they finden any adversitee Skeat1900: 1275
  • In love, which nis but childish vanitee.
  • And trewely it sit wel to be so,
  • That bacheleres have often peyne and wo;
  • On brotel ground they builde, and brotelnesse
  • They finde, whan they wene sikernesse. Skeat1900: 1280
  • They live but as a brid or as a beste,
  • In libertee, and under non areste,
  • Ther-as a wedded man in his estaat
  • Liveth a lyf blisful and ordinaat, Skeat1900: (40)
  • Under the yok of mariage y-bounde; Skeat1900: 1285
  • Wel may his herte in Ioye and blisse habounde.
  • For who can be so buxom as a wyf?
  • Who is so trewe, and eek so ententyf
  • To kepe him, syk and hool, as is his make?
  • For wele or wo, she wol him nat forsake. Skeat1900: 1290
  • She nis nat wery him to love and serve,
  • Thogh that he lye bedrede til he sterve.
  • And yet somme clerkes seyn, it nis nat so,
  • Of whiche he, Theofraste, is oon of tho. Skeat1900: (50)
  • What force though Theofraste liste lye? Skeat1900: 1295
  • ‘Ne take no wyf,’ quod he, ‘for housbondrye,
  • As for to spare in houshold thy dispence;
  • A trewe servant dooth more diligence,
  • Thy good to kepe, than thyn owene wyf.
  • For she wol clayme half part al hir lyf; Skeat1900: 1300
  • And if that thou be syk, so god me save,
  • Thy verray frendes or a trewe knave
  • Wol kepe thee bet than she that waiteth ay
  • After thy good, and hath don many a day. Skeat1900: (60)
  • And if thou take a wyf un-to thyn hold, [T. om.
  • Ful lightly maystow been a cokewold.’ [T. om.
  • This sentence, and an hundred thinges worse,
  • Wryteth this man, ther god his bones corse!
  • But take no kepe of al swich vanitee;
  • Deffye Theofraste and herke me. Skeat1900: 1310
  • A wyf is goddes yifte verraily;
  • Alle other maner yiftes hardily,
  • As londes, rentes, pasture, or commune,
  • Or moebles, alle ben yiftes of fortune, Skeat1900: (70)
  • That passen as a shadwe upon a wal. Skeat1900: 1315
  • But dredelees, if pleynly speke I shal,
  • A wyf wol laste, and in thyn hous endure,
  • Wel lenger than thee list, paraventure.
  • Mariage is a ful gret sacrement;
  • He which that hath no wyf, I holde him shent; Skeat1900: 1320
  • He liveth helplees and al desolat,
  • I speke of folk in seculer estaat.
  • And herke why, I sey nat this for noght,
  • That womman is for mannes help y-wroght. Skeat1900: (80)
  • The hye god, whan he hadde Adam maked, Skeat1900: 1325
  • And saugh him al allone, bely-naked,
  • God of his grete goodnesse seyde than,
  • ‘Lat us now make an help un-to this man
  • Lyk to him-self;’ and thanne he made him Eve.
  • Heer may ye se, and heer-by may ye preve, Skeat1900: 1330
  • That wyf is mannes help and his confort,
  • His paradys terrestre and his disport.
  • So buxom and so vertuous is she,
  • They moste nedes live in unitee. Skeat1900: (90)
  • O flesh they been, and o flesh, as I gesse, Skeat1900: 1335
  • Hath but on herte, in wele and in distresse.
  • A wyf! a! Seinte Marie, benedicite!
  • How mighte a man han any adversitee
  • That hath a wyf? certes, I can nat seye.
  • The blisse which that is bitwixe hem tweye Skeat1900: 1340
  • Ther may no tonge telle, or herte thinke.
  • If he be povre, she helpeth him to swinke;
  • She kepeth his good, and wasteth never a deel;
  • Al that hir housbonde lust, hir lyketh weel; Skeat1900: (100)
  • She seith not ones ‘nay,’ whan he seith ‘ye.’ Skeat1900: 1345
  • ‘Do this,’ seith he; ‘al redy, sir,’ seith she.
  • O blisful ordre of wedlok precious,
  • Thou art so mery , and eek so vertuous,
  • And so commended and appreved eek,
  • That every man that halt him worth a leek, Skeat1900: 1350
  • Up-on his bare knees oghte al his lyf
  • Thanken his god that him hath sent a wyf;
  • Or elles preye to god him for to sende
  • A wyf, to laste un-to his lyves ende. Skeat1900: (110)
  • For thanne his lyf is set in sikernesse; Skeat1900: 1355
  • He may nat be deceyved, as I gesse,
  • So that he werke after his wyves reed;
  • Than may he boldly beren up his heed,
  • They been so trewe and ther-with-al so wyse;
  • For which, if thou wolt werken as the wyse, Skeat1900: 1360
  • Do alwey so as wommen wol thee rede.
  • Lo, how that Iacob, as thise clerkes rede,
  • By good conseil of his moder Rebekke,
  • Bond the kides skin aboute his nekke; Skeat1900: (120)
  • Thurgh which his fadres benisoun he wan. Skeat1900: 1365
  • Lo, Iudith, as the storie eek telle can,
  • By wys conseil she goddes peple kepte,
  • And slow him, Olofernus, whyl he slepte.
  • Lo Abigayl, by good conseil how she
  • Saved hir housbond Nabal, whan that he Skeat1900: 1370
  • Sholde han be slayn; and loke, Ester also
  • By good conseil delivered out of wo
  • The peple of god, and made him, Mardochee,
  • Of Assuere enhaunced for to be. Skeat1900: (130)
  • Ther nis no-thing in gree superlatyf, Skeat1900: 1375
  • As seith Senek, above an humble wyf.
  • Suffre thy wyves tonge, as Caton bit;
  • She shal comande, and thou shalt suffren it;
  • And yet she wol obeye of curteisye.
  • A wyf is keper of thyn housbondrye; Skeat1900: 1380
  • Wel may the syke man biwaille and wepe,
  • Ther-as ther nis no wyf the hous to kepe.
  • I warne thee, if wysly thou wolt wirche,
  • Love wel thy wyf, as Crist loveth his chirche. Skeat1900: (140)
  • If thou lovest thy-self, thou lovest thy wyf; Skeat1900: 1385
  • No man hateth his flesh, but in his lyf
  • He fostreth it, and therfore bidde I thee,
  • Cherisse thy wyf, or thou shalt never thee.
  • Housbond and wyf, what so men Iape or pleye,
  • Of worldly folk holden the siker weye; Skeat1900: 1390
  • They been so knit, ther may noon harm bityde;
  • And namely, up-on the wyves syde.
  • For which this Ianuarie, of whom I tolde,
  • Considered hath, inwith his dayes olde, Skeat1900: (150)
  • The lusty lyf, the vertuous quiete, Skeat1900: 1395
  • That is in mariage hony-swete;
  • And for his freendes on a day he sente,
  • To tellen hem theffect of his entente.
  • With face sad, his tale he hath hem told;
  • He seyde, ‘freendes, I am hoor and old, Skeat1900: 1400
  • And almost, god wot, on my pittes brinke;
  • Up-on my soule somwhat moste I thinke.
  • I have my body folily despended;
  • Blessed be god, that it shal been amended! Skeat1900: (160)
  • For I wol be, certeyn, a wedded man, Skeat1900: 1405
  • And that anoon in al the haste I can,
  • Un-to som mayde fair and tendre of age.
  • I prey yow, shapeth for my mariage
  • Al sodeynly, for I wol nat abyde;
  • And I wol fonde tespyen , on my syde, Skeat1900: 1410
  • To whom I may be wedded hastily.
  • But for-as-muche as ye ben mo than I,
  • Ye shullen rather swich a thing espyen
  • Than I, and wher me best were to allyen. Skeat1900: (170)
  • But o thing warne I yow, my freendes dere, Skeat1900: 1415
  • I wol non old wyf han in no manere.
  • She shal nat passe twenty yeer, certayn;
  • Old fish and yong flesh wolde I have ful fayn.
  • Bet is,’ quod he, ‘a pyk than a pikerel;
  • And bet than old boef is the tendre veel. Skeat1900: 1420
  • I wol no womman thritty yeer of age,
  • It is but bene-straw and greet forage.
  • And eek thise olde widwes, god it woot,
  • They conne so muchel craft on Wades boot, Skeat1900: (180)
  • So muchel broken harm, whan that hem leste, Skeat1900: 1425
  • That with hem sholde I never live in reste.
  • For sondry scoles maken sotil clerkis;
  • Womman of manye scoles half a clerk is.
  • But certeynly, a yong thing may men gye,
  • Right as men may warm wex with handes plye. Skeat1900: 1430
  • Wherfore I sey yow pleynly, in a clause,
  • I wol non old wyf han right for this cause.
  • For if so were , I hadde swich mischaunce,
  • That I in hir ne coude han no plesaunce, Skeat1900: (190)
  • Thanne sholde I lede my lyf in avoutrye, Skeat1900: 1435
  • And go streight to the devel, whan I dye.
  • Ne children sholde I none up-on hir geten;
  • Yet were me lever houndes had me eten,
  • Than that myn heritage sholde falle
  • In straunge hand, and this I tell yow alle. Skeat1900: 1440
  • I dote nat, I woot the cause why
  • Men sholde wedde, and forthermore wot I,
  • Ther speketh many a man of mariage,
  • That woot na-more of it than woot my page, Skeat1900: (200)
  • For whiche causes man sholde take a wyf. Skeat1900: 1445
  • If he ne may nat liven chast his lyf,
  • Take him a wyf with greet devocioun,
  • By-cause of leveful procreacioun
  • Of children, to thonour of god above,
  • And nat only for paramour or love; Skeat1900: 1450
  • And for they sholde lecherye eschue,
  • And yelde hir dettes whan that they ben due;
  • Or for that ech of hem sholde helpen other
  • In meschief, as a suster shal the brother; Skeat1900: (210)
  • And live in chastitee ful holily. Skeat1900: 1455
  • But sires , by your leve, that am nat I.
  • For god be thanked, I dar make avaunt,
  • I fele my limes stark and suffisaunt
  • To do al that a man bilongeth to;
  • I woot my-selven best what I may do. Skeat1900: 1460
  • Though I be hoor, I fare as dooth a tree
  • That blosmeth er that fruyt y-woxen be;
  • A blosmy tree nis neither drye ne deed.
  • I fele me nowher hoor but on myn heed; Skeat1900: (220)
  • Myn herte and alle my limes been as grene Skeat1900: 1465
  • As laurer thurgh the yeer is for to sene.
  • And sin that ye han herd al myn entente,
  • I prey yow to my wil ye wole assente.’
  • Diverse men diversely him tolde
  • Of mariage manye ensamples olde. Skeat1900: 1470
  • Somme blamed it, somme preysed it, certeyn;
  • But atte laste, shortly for to seyn,
  • As al day falleth altercacioun
  • Bitwixen freendes in disputisoun, Skeat1900: (230)
  • Ther fil a stryf bitwixe his bretheren two, Skeat1900: 1475
  • Of whiche that oon was cleped Placebo,
  • Iustinus soothly called was that other.
  • Placebo seyde, ‘o Ianuarie, brother,
  • Ful litel nede had ye, my lord so dere,
  • Conseil to axe of any that is here; Skeat1900: 1480
  • But that ye been so ful of sapience,
  • That yow ne lyketh, for your heighe prudence,
  • To weyven fro the word of Salomon.
  • This word seyde he un-to us everichon: Skeat1900: (240)
  • “Wirk alle thing by conseil,” thus seyde he, Skeat1900: 1485
  • “And thanne shaltow nat repente thee.”
  • But though that Salomon spak swich a word,
  • Myn owene dere brother and my lord,
  • So wisly god my soule bringe at reste,
  • I hold your owene conseil is the beste. Skeat1900: 1490
  • For brother myn, of me tak this motyf,
  • I have now been a court-man al my lyf.
  • And god it woot, though I unworthy be,
  • I have stonden in ful greet degree Skeat1900: (250)
  • Abouten lordes of ful heigh estaat; Skeat1900: 1495
  • Yet hadde I never with noon of hem debaat.
  • I never hem contraried, trewely;
  • I woot wel that my lord can more than I.
  • What that he seith, I holde it ferme and stable;
  • I seye the same, or elles thing semblable. Skeat1900: 1500
  • A ful gret fool is any conseillour,
  • That serveth any lord of heigh honour,
  • That dar presume, or elles thenken it,
  • That his conseil sholde passe his lordes wit. Skeat1900: (260)
  • Nay, lordes been no foles, by my fay; Skeat1900: 1505
  • Ye han your-selven shewed heer to-day
  • So heigh sentence, so holily and weel,
  • That I consente and conferme every-deel
  • Your wordes alle, and your opinioun.
  • By god, ther nis no man in al this toun Skeat1900: 1510
  • Nin al Itaille, that coude bet han sayd;
  • Crist halt him of this conseil wel apayd.
  • And trewely, it is an heigh corage
  • Of any man, that stopen is in age, Skeat1900: (270)
  • To take a yong wyf; by my fader kin, Skeat1900: 1515
  • Your herte hangeth on a Ioly pin.
  • Doth now in this matere right as yow leste,
  • For finally I holde it for the beste.’
  • Iustinus, that ay stille sat and herde,
  • Right in this wyse to Placebo answerde: Skeat1900: 1520
  • ‘Now brother myn, be pacient, I preye,
  • Sin ye han seyd, and herkneth what I seye.
  • Senek among his othere wordes wyse
  • Seith, that a man oghte him right wel avyse, Skeat1900: (280)
  • To whom he yeveth his lond or his catel. Skeat1900: 1525
  • And sin I oghte avyse me right wel
  • To whom I yeve my good awey fro me,
  • Wel muchel more I oghte avysed be
  • To whom I yeve my body; for alwey
  • I warne yow wel, it is no childes pley Skeat1900: 1530
  • To take a wyf with-oute avysement.
  • Men moste enquere, this is myn assent,
  • Wher she be wys, or sobre, or dronkelewe,
  • Or proud, or elles other-weys a shrewe; Skeat1900: (290)
  • A chydester, or wastour of thy good, Skeat1900: 1535
  • Or riche, or poore, or elles mannish wood.
  • Al-be-it so that no man finden shal
  • Noon in this world that trotteth hool in al,
  • Ne man ne beest, swich as men coude devyse;
  • But nathelees, it oghte y-nough suffise Skeat1900: 1540
  • With any wyf, if so were that she hadde
  • Mo gode thewes than hir vyces badde;
  • And al this axeth leyser for tenquere.
  • For god it woot, I have wept many a tere Skeat1900: (300)
  • Ful prively, sin I have had a wyf. Skeat1900: 1545
  • Preyse who-so wole a wedded mannes lyf,
  • Certein, I finde in it but cost and care,
  • And observances, of alle blisses bare.
  • And yet, god woot, my neighebores aboute,
  • And namely of wommen many a route, Skeat1900: 1550
  • Seyn that I have the moste stedefast wyf,
  • And eek the mekeste oon that bereth lyf.
  • But I wot best wher wringeth me my sho.
  • Ye mowe, for me, right as yow lyketh do; Skeat1900: (310)
  • Avyseth yow, ye been a man of age, Skeat1900: 1555
  • How that ye entren in-to mariage,
  • And namely with a yong wyf and a fair.
  • By him that made water, erthe, and air,
  • The yongest man that is in al this route
  • Is bisy y-nogh to bringen it aboute Skeat1900: 1560
  • To han his wyf allone, trusteth me.
  • Ye shul nat plese hir fully yeres three,
  • This is to seyn, to doon hir ful plesaunce.
  • A wyf axeth ful many an observaunce. Skeat1900: (320)
  • I prey yow that ye be nat yvel apayd.’ Skeat1900: 1565
  • ‘Wel,’ quod this Ianuarie, ‘and hastow sayd?
  • Straw for thy Senek, and for thy proverbes,
  • I counte nat a panier ful of herbes
  • Of scole-termes; wyser men than thow,
  • As thou hast herd, assenteden right now Skeat1900: 1570
  • To my purpos; Placebo, what sey ye?’
  • ‘I seye, it is a cursed man,’ quod he,
  • ‘That letteth matrimoine, sikerly.’
  • And with that word they rysen sodeynly, Skeat1900: (330)
  • And been assented fully, that he sholde Skeat1900: 1575
  • Be wedded whanne him list and wher he wolde.
  • Heigh fantasye and curious bisinesse
  • Fro day to day gan in the soule impresse
  • Of Ianuarie aboute his mariage.
  • Many fair shap, and many a fair visage Skeat1900: 1580
  • Ther passeth thurgh his herte, night by night.
  • As who-so toke a mirour polished bright,
  • And sette it in a commune market-place,
  • Than sholde he see many a figure pace Skeat1900: (340)
  • By his mirour; and, in the same wyse, Skeat1900: 1585
  • Gan Ianuarie inwith his thoght devyse
  • Of maydens, whiche that dwelten him bisyde.
  • He wiste nat wher that he mighte abyde.
  • For if that oon have beaute in hir face,
  • Another stant so in the peples grace Skeat1900: 1590
  • For hir sadnesse, and hir benignitee,
  • That of the peple grettest voys hath she.
  • And somme were riche, and hadden badde name.
  • But nathelees, bitwixe ernest and game, Skeat1900: (350)
  • He atte laste apoynted him on oon, Skeat1900: 1595
  • And leet alle othere from his herte goon,
  • And chees hir of his owene auctoritee;
  • For love is blind al day, and may nat see.
  • And whan that he was in his bed y-broght,
  • He purtreyed, in his herte and in his thoght, Skeat1900: 1600
  • Hir fresshe beautee and hir age tendre,
  • Hir myddel smal, hir armes longe and sclendre,
  • Hir wyse governaunce, hir gentillesse,
  • Hir wommanly beringe and hir sadnesse. Skeat1900: (360)
  • And whan that he on hir was condescended, Skeat1900: 1605
  • Him thoughte his chois mighte nat ben amended.
  • For whan that he him-self concluded hadde,
  • Him thoughte ech other mannes wit so badde,
  • That inpossible it were to replye
  • Agayn his chois, this was his fantasye. Skeat1900: 1610
  • His freendes sente he to at his instaunce,
  • And preyed hem to doon him that plesaunce,
  • That hastily they wolden to him come;
  • He wolde abregge hir labour, alle and some. Skeat1900: (370)
  • Nedeth na-more for him to go ne ryde, Skeat1900: 1615
  • He was apoynted ther he wolde abyde.
  • Placebo cam, and eek his freendes sone,
  • And alderfirst he bad hem alle a bone,
  • That noon of hem none argumentes make
  • Agayn the purpos which that he hath take; Skeat1900: 1620
  • ‘Which purpos was plesant to god,’ seyde he,
  • ‘And verray ground of his prosperitee.’
  • He seyde, ther was a mayden in the toun,
  • Which that of beautee hadde greet renoun, Skeat1900: (380)
  • Al were it so she were of smal degree; Skeat1900: 1625
  • Suffyseth him hir youthe and hir beautee.
  • Which mayde, he seyde, he wolde han to his wyf,
  • To lede in ese and holinesse his lyf.
  • And thanked god, that he mighte han hire al,
  • That no wight of his blisse parten shal. Skeat1900: 1630
  • And preyde hem to labouren in this nede,
  • And shapen that he faille nat to spede;
  • For thanne, he seyde, his spirit was at ese.
  • ‘Thanne is,’ quod he, ‘no-thing may me displese, Skeat1900: (390)
  • Saue o thing priketh in my conscience, Skeat1900: 1635
  • The which I wol reherce in your presence.
  • I have,’ quod he, ‘herd seyd, ful yore ago,
  • Ther may no man han parfite blisses two,
  • This is to seye, in erthe and eek in hevene.
  • For though he kepe him fro the sinnes sevene, Skeat1900: 1640
  • And eek from every branche of thilke tree,
  • Yet is ther so parfit felicitee,
  • And so greet ese and lust in mariage,
  • That ever I am agast, now in myn age, Skeat1900: (400)
  • That I shal lede now so mery a lyf, Skeat1900: 1645
  • So delicat, with-outen wo and stryf,
  • That I shal have myn hevene in erthe here.
  • For sith that verray hevene is boght so dere,
  • With tribulacioun and greet penaunce,
  • How sholde I thanne, that live in swich plesaunce Skeat1900: 1650
  • As alle wedded men don with hir wyvis,
  • Come to the blisse ther Crist eterne on lyve is?
  • This is my drede, and ye, my bretheren tweye,
  • Assoilleth me this questioun, I preye.’ Skeat1900: (410)
  • Iustinus, which that hated his folye, Skeat1900: 1655
  • Answerde anon, right in his Iaperye;
  • And for he wolde his longe tale abregge,
  • He wolde noon auctoritee allegge,
  • But seyde, ‘sire, so ther be noon obstacle
  • Other than this, god of his hye miracle Skeat1900: 1660
  • And of his mercy may so for yow wirche,
  • That, er ye have your right of holy chirche,
  • Ye may repente of wedded mannes lyf,
  • In which ye seyn ther is no wo ne stryf. Skeat1900: (420)
  • And elles, god forbede but he sente Skeat1900: 1665
  • A wedded man him grace to repente
  • Wel ofte rather than a sengle man!
  • And therfore, sire, the beste reed I can,
  • Dispeire yow noght, but have in your memorie,
  • Paraunter she may be your purgatorie! Skeat1900: 1670
  • She may be goddes mene, and goddes whippe;
  • Than shal your soule up to hevene skippe
  • Swifter than dooth an arwe out of the bowe!
  • I hope to god, her-after shul ye knowe, Skeat1900: (430)
  • That their nis no so greet felicitee Skeat1900: 1675
  • In mariage, ne never-mo shal be,
  • That yow shal lette of your savacioun,
  • So that ye use, as skile is and resoun,
  • The lustes of your wyf attemprely,
  • And that ye plese hir nat to amorously, Skeat1900: 1680
  • And that ye kepe yow eek from other sinne.
  • My tale is doon:—for my wit is thinne.
  • Beth nat agast her-of, my brother dere.’—
  • (But lat us waden out of this matere. Skeat1900: (440)
  • The Wyf of Bathe, if ye han understonde, Skeat1900: 1685
  • Of mariage, which we have on honde,
  • Declared hath ful wel in litel space).—
  • ‘Fareth now wel, god have yow in his grace.’
  • And with this word this Iustin and his brother
  • Han take hir leve, and ech of hem of other. Skeat1900: 1690
  • For whan they sawe it moste nedes be,
  • They wroghten so, by sly and wys tretee,
  • That she, this mayden, which that Maius highte,
  • As hastily as ever that she mighte, Skeat1900: (450)
  • Shal wedded be un-to this Ianuarie. Skeat1900: 1695
  • I trowe it were to longe yow to tarie,
  • If I yow tolde of every scrit and bond,
  • By which that she was feffed in his lond;
  • Or for to herknen of hir riche array.
  • But finally y-comen is the day Skeat1900: 1700
  • That to the chirche bothe be they went
  • For to receyve the holy sacrement.
  • Forth comth the preest, with stole aboute his nekke,
  • And bad hir be lyk Sarra and Rebekke, Skeat1900: (460)
  • In wisdom and in trouthe of mariage; Skeat1900: 1705
  • And seyde his orisons, as is usage,
  • And crouched hem, and bad god sholde hem blesse,
  • And made al siker y-nogh with holinesse.
  • Thus been they wedded with solempnitee,
  • And at the feste sitteth he and she Skeat1900: 1710
  • With other worthy folk up-on the deys.
  • Al ful of Ioye and blisse is the paleys,
  • And ful of instruments and of vitaille,
  • The moste deyntevous of al Itaille. Skeat1900: (470)
  • Biforn hem stoode swiche instruments of soun, Skeat1900: 1715
  • That Orpheus, ne of Thebes Amphioun,
  • Ne maden never swich a melodye.
  • At every cours than cam loud minstraleye,
  • That never tromped Ioab, for to here,
  • Nor he, Theodomas, yet half so clere, Skeat1900: 1720
  • At Thebes, whan the citee was in doute.
  • Bacus the wyn hem skinketh al aboute,
  • And Venus laugheth up-on every wight.
  • For Ianuarie was bicome hir knight, Skeat1900: (480)
  • And wolde bothe assayen his corage Skeat1900: 1725
  • In libertee, and eek in mariage;
  • And with hir fyrbrond in hir hand aboute
  • Daunceth biforn the bryde and al the route.
  • And certeinly, I dar right wel seyn this,
  • Ymeneus, that god of wedding is, Skeat1900: 1730
  • Saugh never his lyf so mery a wedded man.
  • Hold thou thy pees, thou poete Marcian,
  • That wrytest us that ilke wedding murie
  • Of hir, Philologye, and him, Mercurie, Skeat1900: (490)
  • And of the songes that the Muses songe. Skeat1900: 1735
  • To smal is bothe thy penne, and eek thy tonge,
  • For to descryven of this mariage.
  • Whan tendre youthe hath wedded stouping age,
  • Ther is swich mirthe that it may nat be writen;
  • Assayeth it your-self, than may ye witen Skeat1900: 1740
  • If that I lye or noon in this matere.
  • Maius, that sit with so benigne a chere,
  • Hir to biholde it semed fayerye;
  • Quene Ester loked never with swich an ye Skeat1900: (500)
  • On Assuer, so meke a look hath she. Skeat1900: 1745
  • I may yow nat devyse al hir beautee;
  • But thus muche of hir beautee telle I may,
  • That she was lyk the brighte morwe of May,
  • Fulfild of alle beautee and plesaunce.
  • This Ianuarie is ravisshed in a traunce Skeat1900: 1750
  • At every time he loked on hir face;
  • But in his herte he gan hir to manace,
  • That he that night in armes wolde hir streyne
  • Harder than ever Paris dide Eleyne. Skeat1900: (510)
  • But nathelees, yet hadde he greet pitee, Skeat1900: 1755
  • That thilke night offenden hir moste he;
  • And thoughte, ‘allas! o tendre creature!
  • Now wolde god ye mighte wel endure
  • Al my corage, it is so sharp and kene;
  • I am agast ye shul it nat sustene. Skeat1900: 1760
  • But god forbede that I dide al my might!
  • Now wolde god that it were woxen night,
  • And that the night wolde lasten evermo.
  • I wolde that al this peple were ago.’ Skeat1900: (520)
  • And finally, he doth al his labour, Skeat1900: 1765
  • As he best mighte, savinge his honour,
  • To haste hem fro the mete in subtil wyse.
  • The tyme cam that reson was to ryse;
  • And after that, men daunce and drinken faste,
  • And spyces al aboute the hous they caste; Skeat1900: 1770
  • And ful of Ioye and blisse is every man;
  • All but a squyer, highte Damian,
  • Which carf biforn the knight ful many a day.
  • He was so ravisshed on his lady May, Skeat1900: (530)
  • That for the verray peyne he was ny wood; Skeat1900: 1775
  • Almost he swelte and swowned ther he stood.
  • So sore hath Venus hurt him with hir brond,
  • As that she bar it daunsinge in hir hond.
  • And to his bed he wente him hastily;
  • Na-more of him as at this tyme speke I. Skeat1900: 1780
  • But ther I lete him wepe y-nough and pleyne,
  • Til fresshe May wol rewen on his peyne.
  • O perilous fyr, that in the bedstraw bredeth! Auctor.
  • O famulier foo, that his servyce bedeth! Skeat1900: (540)
  • O servant traitour, false hoomly hewe, Skeat1900: 1785
  • Lyk to the naddre in bosom sly untrewe,
  • God shilde us alle from your aqueyntaunce!
  • O Ianuarie, dronken in plesaunce
  • Of mariage, see how thy Damian,
  • Thyn owene squyer and thy borne man, Skeat1900: 1790
  • Entendeth for to do thee vileinye.
  • God graunte thee thyn hoomly fo tespye.
  • For in this world nis worse pestilence
  • Than hoomly foo al day in thy presence. Skeat1900: (550)
  • Parfourned hath the sonne his ark diurne, Skeat1900: 1795
  • No lenger may the body of him soiurne
  • On thorisonte, as in that latitude.
  • Night with his mantel, that is derk and rude,
  • Gan oversprede the hemisperie aboute;
  • For which departed is this lusty route Skeat1900: 1800
  • Fro Ianuarie, with thank on every syde.
  • Hom to hir houses lustily they ryde,
  • Wher-as they doon hir thinges as hem leste,
  • And whan they sye hir tyme, goon to reste. Skeat1900: (560)
  • Sone after that, this hastif Ianuarie Skeat1900: 1805
  • Wolde go to bedde, he wolde no lenger tarie.
  • He drinketh ipocras, clarree, and vernage
  • Of spyces hote, tencresen his corage;
  • And many a letuarie hadde he ful fyn,
  • Swiche as the cursed monk dan Constantyn Skeat1900: 1810
  • Hath writen in his book de Coitu;
  • To eten hem alle, he nas no-thing eschu.
  • And to his privee freendes thus seyde he:
  • ‘For goddes love, as sone as it may be, Skeat1900: (570)
  • Lat voyden al this hous in curteys wyse.’ Skeat1900: 1815
  • And they han doon right as he wol devyse.
  • Men drinken, and the travers drawe anon;
  • The bryde was broght a-bedde as stille as stoon;
  • And whan the bed was with the preest y-blessed,
  • Out of the chambre hath every wight him dressed. Skeat1900: 1820
  • And Ianuarie hath faste in armes take
  • His fresshe May, his paradys, his make.
  • He lulleth hir, he kisseth hir ful ofte
  • With thikke bristles of his berd unsofte, Skeat1900: (580)
  • Lyk to the skin of houndfish, sharp as brere, Skeat1900: 1825
  • For he was shave al newe in his manere.
  • He rubbeth hir aboute hir tendre face,
  • And seyde thus, ‘allas! I moot trespace
  • To yow, my spouse, and yow gretly offende,
  • Er tyme come that I wil doun descende. Skeat1900: 1830
  • But nathelees, considereth this,’ quod he,
  • ‘Ther nis no werkman, what-so-ever he be,
  • That may bothe werke wel and hastily;
  • This wol be doon at leyser parfitly. Skeat1900: (590)
  • It is no fors how longe that we pleye; Skeat1900: 1835
  • In trewe wedlok wedded be we tweye;
  • And blessed be the yok that we been inne,
  • For in our actes we mowe do no sinne.
  • A man may do no sinne with his wyf,
  • Ne hurte him-selven with his owene knyf; Skeat1900: 1840
  • For we han leve to pleye us by the lawe.’
  • Thus laboureth he til that the day gan dawe;
  • And than he taketh a sop in fyn clarree,
  • And upright in his bed than sitteth he, Skeat1900: (600)
  • And after that he sang ful loude and clere, Skeat1900: 1845
  • And kiste his wyf, and made wantoun chere.
  • He was al coltish , ful of ragerye,
  • And ful of Iargon as a flekked pye.
  • The slakke skin aboute his nekke shaketh,
  • Whyl that he sang; so chaunteth he and craketh. Skeat1900: 1850
  • But god wot what that May thoughte in hir herte,
  • Whan she him saugh up sittinge in his sherte,
  • In his night-cappe, and with his nekke lene;
  • She preyseth nat his pleying worth a bene. Skeat1900: (610)
  • Than seide he thus, ‘my reste wol I take; Skeat1900: 1855
  • Now day is come, I may no lenger wake.’
  • And doun he leyde his heed, and sleep til pryme.
  • And afterward, whan that he saugh his tyme,
  • Up ryseth Ianuarie; but fresshe May
  • Holdeth hir chambre un-to the fourthe day, Skeat1900: 1860
  • As usage is of wyves for the beste.
  • For every labour som-tyme moot han reste,
  • Or elles longe may he nat endure;
  • This is to seyn, no lyves creature, Skeat1900: (620)
  • Be it of fish, or brid, or beest, or man. Skeat1900: 1865
  • Now wol I speke of woful Damian,
  • That languissheth for love, as ye shul here;
  • Therfore I speke to him in this manere:
  • I seye, ‘O sely Damian, allas!
  • Answere to my demaunde, as in this cas, Skeat1900: 1870
  • How shaltow to thy lady fresshe May
  • Telle thy wo? She wole alwey seye “nay”;
  • Eek if thou speke, she wol thy wo biwreye;
  • God be thyn help, I can no bettre seye.’ Skeat1900: (630)
  • This syke Damian in Venus fyr Skeat1900: 1875
  • So brenneth, that he dyeth for desyr;
  • For which he putte his lyf in aventure,
  • No lenger mighte he in this wyse endure;
  • But prively a penner gan he borwe,
  • And in a lettre wroot he al his sorwe, Skeat1900: 1880
  • In manere of a compleynt or a lay,
  • Un-to his faire fresshe lady May.
  • And in a purs of silk, heng on his sherte,
  • He hath it put, and leyde it at his herte. Skeat1900: (640)
  • The mone that, at noon, was, thilke day Skeat1900: 1885
  • That Ianuarie hath wedded fresshe May,
  • In two of Taur, was in-to Cancre gliden;
  • So longe hath Maius in hir chambre biden,
  • As custume is un-to thise nobles alle.
  • A bryde shal nat eten in the halle, Skeat1900: 1890
  • Til dayes foure or three dayes atte leste
  • Y-passed been; than lat hir go to feste.
  • The fourthe day compleet fro noon to noon,
  • Whan that the heighe masse was y-doon, Skeat1900: (650)
  • In halle sit this Ianuarie, and May Skeat1900: 1895
  • As fresh as is the brighte someres day.
  • And so bifel, how that this gode man
  • Remembred him upon this Damian,
  • And seyde, ‘Seinte Marie! how may this be,
  • That Damian entendeth nat to me? Skeat1900: 1900
  • Is he ay syk, or how may this bityde?’
  • His squyeres, whiche that stoden ther bisyde,
  • Excused him by-cause of his siknesse,
  • Which letted him to doon his bisinesse; Skeat1900: (660)
  • Noon other cause mighte make him tarie. Skeat1900: 1905
  • ‘That me forthinketh,’ quod this Ianuarie,
  • ‘He is a gentil squyer, by my trouthe!
  • If that he deyde, it were harm and routhe;
  • He is as wys, discreet, and as secree
  • As any man I woot of his degree; Skeat1900: 1910
  • And ther-to manly and eek servisable,
  • And for to been a thrifty man right able
  • But after mete, as sone as ever I may,
  • I wol my-self visyte him and eek May, Skeat1900: (670)
  • To doon him al the confort that I can.’ Skeat1900: 1915
  • And for that word him blessed every man,
  • That, of his bountee and his gentillesse,
  • He wolde so conforten in siknesse
  • His squyer, for it was a gentil dede.
  • ‘Dame,’ quod this Ianuarie, ‘tak good hede, Skeat1900: 1920
  • At-after mete ye, with your wommen alle,
  • Whan ye han been in chambre out of this halle,
  • That alle ye go see this Damian;
  • Doth him disport, he is a gentil man; Skeat1900: (680)
  • And telleth him that I wol him visyte, Skeat1900: 1925
  • Have I no-thing but rested me a lyte;
  • And spede yow faste, for I wole abyde
  • Til that ye slepe faste by my syde.’
  • And with that word he gan to him to calle
  • A squyer, that was marchal of his halle, Skeat1900: 1930
  • And tolde him certeyn thinges, what he wolde.
  • This fresshe May hath streight hir wey y-holde,
  • With alle hir wommen, un-to Damian.
  • Doun by his beddes syde sit she than, Skeat1900: (690)
  • Confortinge him as goodly as she may. Skeat1900: 1935
  • This Damian, whan that his tyme he say,
  • In secree wise his purs, and eek his bille,
  • In which that he y-writen hadde his wille,
  • Hath put in-to hir hand, with-outen more,
  • Save that he syketh wonder depe and sore, Skeat1900: 1940
  • And softely to hir right thus seyde he:
  • ‘Mercy! and that ye nat discovere me;
  • For I am deed, if that this thing be kid.’
  • This purs hath she inwith hir bosom hid, Skeat1900: (700)
  • And wente hir wey; ye gete namore of me. Skeat1900: 1945
  • But un-to Ianuarie y-comen is she,
  • That on his beddes syde sit ful softe.
  • He taketh hir, and kisseth hir ful ofte,
  • And leyde him doun to slepe, and that anon.
  • She feyned hir as that she moste gon Skeat1900: 1950
  • Ther-as ye woot that every wight mot nede.
  • And whan she of this bille hath taken hede,
  • She rente it al to cloutes atte laste,
  • And in the privee softely it caste. Skeat1900: (710)
  • Who studieth now but faire fresshe May? Skeat1900: 1955
  • Adoun by olde Ianuarie she lay,
  • That sleep, til that the coughe hath him awaked;
  • Anon he preyde hir strepen hir al naked;
  • He wolde of hir, he seyde, han som plesaunce,
  • And seyde, hir clothes dide him encombraunce, Skeat1900: 1960
  • And she obeyeth, be hir lief or looth.
  • But lest that precious folk be with me wrooth,
  • How that he wroghte, I dar nat to yow telle;
  • Or whether hir thoughte it paradys or helle; Skeat1900: (720)
  • But here I lete hem werken in hir wyse Skeat1900: 1965
  • Til evensong rong, and that they moste aryse.
  • Were it by destinee or aventure,
  • Were it by influence or by nature,
  • Or constellacion, that in swich estat
  • The hevene stood, that tyme fortunat Skeat1900: 1970
  • Was for to putte a bille of Venus werkes
  • (For alle thing hath tyme, as seyn thise clerkes)
  • To any womman, for to gete hir love,
  • I can nat seye; but grete god above, Skeat1900: (730)
  • That knoweth that non act is causelees, Skeat1900: 1975
  • He deme of al, for I wol holde my pees
  • But sooth is this, how that this fresshe May
  • Hath take swich impression that day,
  • For pitee of this syke Damian,
  • That from hir herte she ne dryve can Skeat1900: 1980
  • The remembraunce for to doon him ese.
  • ‘Certeyn,’ thoghte she, ‘whom that this thing displese,
  • I rekke noght, for here I him assure,
  • To love him best of any creature, Skeat1900: (740)
  • Though he na-more hadde than his sherte.’ Skeat1900: 1985
  • Lo, pitee renneth sone in gentil herte.
  • Heer may ye se how excellent franchyse
  • In wommen is, whan they hem narwe avyse.
  • Som tyrant is, as ther be many oon,
  • That hath an herte as hard as any stoon, Skeat1900: 1990
  • Which wolde han lete him sterven in the place
  • Wel rather than han graunted him hir grace;
  • And hem reioysen in hir cruel pryde,
  • And rekke nat to been an homicyde. Skeat1900: (750)
  • This gentil May, fulfilled of pitee, Skeat1900: 1995
  • Right of hir hande a lettre made she,
  • In which she graunteth him hir verray grace;
  • Ther lakketh noght but only day and place,
  • Wher that she mighte un-to his lust suffyse:
  • For it shal be right as he wol devyse. Skeat1900: 2000
  • And whan she saugh hir time, up-on a day,
  • To visite this Damian goth May,
  • And sotilly this lettre doun she threste
  • Under his pilwe, rede it if him leste. Skeat1900: (760)
  • She taketh him by the hand, and harde him twiste Skeat1900: 2005
  • So secrely, that no wight of it wiste,
  • And bad him been al hool, and forth she wente
  • To Ianuarie, whan that he for hir sente.
  • Up ryseth Damian the nexte morwe,
  • Al passed was his siknesse and his sorwe. Skeat1900: 2010
  • He kembeth him, he proyneth him and pyketh,
  • He dooth al that his lady lust and lyketh;
  • And eek to Ianuarie he gooth as lowe
  • As ever dide a dogge for the bowe. Skeat1900: (770)
  • He is so plesant un-to every man, Skeat1900: 2015
  • (For craft is al, who-so that do it can)
  • That every wight is fayn to speke him good;
  • And fully in his lady grace he stood.
  • Thus lete I Damian aboute his nede,
  • And in my tale forth I wol procede. Skeat1900: 2020
  • Somme clerkes holden that felicitee
  • Stant in delyt, and therefor certeyn he,
  • This noble Ianuarie, with al his might,
  • In honest wyse, as longeth to a knight, Skeat1900: (780)
  • Shoop him to live ful deliciously. Skeat1900: 2025
  • His housinge, his array, as honestly
  • To his degree was maked as a kinges.
  • Amonges othere of his honest thinges,
  • He made a gardin, walled al with stoon;
  • So fair a gardin woot I nowher noon. Skeat1900: 2030
  • For out of doute, I verraily suppose,
  • That he that wroot the Romance of the Rose
  • Ne coude of it the beautee wel devyse;
  • Ne Priapus ne mighte nat suffyse, Skeat1900: (790)
  • Though he be god of gardins, for to telle Skeat1900: 2035
  • The beautee of the gardin and the welle,
  • That stood under a laurer alwey grene.
  • Ful ofte tyme he, Pluto, and his quene,
  • Proserpina, and al hir fayerye
  • Disporten hem and maken melodye Skeat1900: 2040
  • Aboute that welle, and daunced, as men tolde.
  • This noble knight, this Ianuarie the olde,
  • Swich deintee hath in it to walke and pleye,
  • That he wol no wight suffren bere the keye Skeat1900: (800)
  • Save he him-self; for of the smale wiket Skeat1900: 2045
  • He bar alwey of silver a smal cliket,
  • With which, whan that him leste, he it unshette.
  • And whan he wolde paye his wyf hir dette
  • In somer seson, thider wolde he go,
  • And May his wyf, and no wight but they two; Skeat1900: 2050
  • And thinges whiche that were nat doon a-bedde,
  • He in the gardin parfourned hem and spedde.
  • And in this wyse, many a mery day,
  • Lived this Ianuarie and fresshe May. Skeat1900: (810)
  • But worldly Ioye may nat alwey dure Skeat1900: 2055
  • To Ianuarie, ne to no creature.
  • O sodeyn hap, o thou fortune instable, Auctor.
  • Lyk to the scorpion so deceivable,
  • That flaterest with thyn heed when thou wolt stinge;
  • Thy tayl is deeth, thurgh thyn enveniminge. Skeat1900: 2060
  • O brotil Ioye! o swete venim queynte!
  • O monstre, that so subtilly canst peynte
  • Thy yiftes, under hewe of stedfastnesse,
  • That thou deceyvest bothe more and lesse! Skeat1900: (820)
  • Why hastow Ianuarie thus deceyved, Skeat1900: 2065
  • That haddest him for thy ful frend receyved?
  • And now thou hast biraft him bothe hise yen,
  • For sorwe of which desyreth he to dyen.
  • Allas! this noble Ianuarie free,
  • Amidde his lust and his prosperitee, Skeat1900: 2070
  • Is woxen blind, and that al sodeynly.
  • He wepeth and he wayleth pitously;
  • And ther-with-al the fyr of Ialousye,
  • Lest that his wyf sholde falle in som folye, Skeat1900: (830)
  • So brente his herte, that he wolde fayn Skeat1900: 2075
  • That som man bothe him and hir had slayn.
  • For neither after his deeth, nor in his lyf,
  • Ne wolde he that she were love ne wyf,
  • But ever live as widwe in clothes blake,
  • Soul as the turtle that lost hath hir make. Skeat1900: 2080
  • But atte laste, after a monthe or tweye,
  • His sorwe gan aswage, sooth to seye;
  • For whan he wiste it may noon other be,
  • He paciently took his adversitee; Skeat1900: (840)
  • Save, out of doute, he may nat forgoon Skeat1900: 2085
  • That he nas Ialous evermore in oon;
  • Which Ialousye it was so outrageous,
  • That neither in halle, nin noon other hous,
  • Ne in noon other place, never-the-mo,
  • He nolde suffre hir for to ryde or go, Skeat1900: 2090
  • But-if that he had hand on hir alway;
  • For which ful ofte wepeth fresshe May,
  • That loveth Damian so benignely,
  • That she mot outher dyen sodeynly, Skeat1900: (850)
  • Or elles she mot han him as hir leste; Skeat1900: 2095
  • She wayteth whan hir herte wolde breste.
  • Up-on that other syde Damian
  • Bicomen is the sorwefulleste man
  • That ever was; for neither night ne day
  • Ne mighte he speke a word to fresshe May, Skeat1900: 2100
  • As to his purpos, of no swich matere,
  • But-if that Ianuarie moste it here,
  • That hadde an hand up-on hir evermo.
  • But nathelees, by wryting to and fro Skeat1900: (860)
  • And privee signes, wiste he what she mente; Skeat1900: 2105
  • And she knew eek the fyn of his entente.
  • O Ianuarie, what mighte it thee availle, Auctor.
  • Thou mightest see as fer as shippes saille?
  • For also good is blind deceyved be,
  • As be deceyved whan a man may se. Skeat1900: 2110
  • Lo, Argus, which that hadde an hondred yen,
  • For al that ever he coude poure or pryen,
  • Yet was he blent; and, god wot, so ben mo,
  • That wenen wisly that it be nat so. Skeat1900: (870)
  • Passe over is an ese, I sey na-more. Skeat1900: 2115
  • This fresshe May, that I spak of so yore,
  • In warme wex hath emprented the cliket,
  • That Ianuarie bar of the smale wiket,
  • By which in-to his gardin ofte he wente.
  • And Damian, that knew al hir entente, Skeat1900: 2120
  • The cliket countrefeted prively;
  • Ther nis na-more to seye, but hastily
  • Som wonder by this cliket shal bityde,
  • Which ye shul heren, if ye wole abyde. Skeat1900: (880)
  • O noble Ovyde, ful sooth seystou, god woot! Auctor.
  • What sleighte is it, thogh it be long and hoot, Skeat1900: 2126
  • That he nil finde it out in som manere?
  • By Piramus and Tesbee may men lere;
  • Thogh they were kept ful longe streite overal,
  • They been accorded, rouninge thurgh a wal, Skeat1900: 2130
  • Ther no wight coude han founde out swich a sleighte.
  • But now to purpos; er that dayes eighte
  • Were passed, er the monthe of Iuil, bifil
  • That Ianuarie hath caught so greet a wil, Skeat1900: (890)
  • Thurgh egging of his wyf, him for to pleye Skeat1900: 2135
  • In his gardin, and no wight but they tweye,
  • That in a morwe un-to this May seith he:
  • ‘Rys up, my wyf, my love, my lady free;
  • The turtles vois is herd, my douve swete;
  • The winter is goon, with alle his reynes wete; Skeat1900: 2140
  • Com forth now, with thyn eyen columbyn!
  • How fairer been thy brestes than is wyn!
  • The gardin is enclosed al aboute;
  • Com forth, my whyte spouse; out of doute, Skeat1900: (900)
  • Thou hast me wounded in myn herte, o wyf! Skeat1900: 2145
  • No spot of thee ne knew I al my lyf.
  • Com forth, and lat us taken our disport;
  • I chees thee for my wyf and my confort.’
  • Swiche olde lewed wordes used he;
  • On Damian a signe made she, Skeat1900: 2150
  • That he sholde go biforen with his cliket:
  • This Damian thanne hath opened the wiket,
  • And in he stirte, and that in swich manere,
  • That no wight mighte it see neither y-here; Skeat1900: (910)
  • And stille he sit under a bush anoon. Skeat1900: 2155
  • This Ianuarie, as blind as is a stoon,
  • With Maius in his hand, and no wight mo,
  • In-to his fresshe gardin is ago,
  • And clapte to the wiket sodeynly.
  • ‘Now, wyf,’ quod he, ‘heer nis but thou and I, Skeat1900: 2160
  • That art the creature that I best love.
  • For, by that lord that sit in heven above,
  • Lever ich hadde dyen on a knyf,
  • Than thee offende, trewe dere wyf! Skeat1900: (920)
  • For goddes sake, thenk how I thee chees, Skeat1900: 2165
  • Noght for no coveityse, doutelees,
  • But only for the love I had to thee.
  • And though that I be old, and may nat see,
  • Beth to me trewe, and I shal telle yow why.
  • Three thinges, certes, shul ye winne ther-by; Skeat1900: 2170
  • First, love of Crist, and to your-self honour,
  • And al myn heritage, toun and tour;
  • I yeve it yow, maketh chartres as yow leste;
  • This shal be doon to-morwe er sonne reste. Skeat1900: (930)
  • So wisly god my soule bringe in blisse, Skeat1900: 2175
  • I prey yow first, in covenant ye me kisse.
  • And thogh that I be Ialous, wyte me noght.
  • Ye been so depe enprented in my thoght,
  • That, whan that I considere your beautee,
  • And ther-with-al the unlykly elde of me, Skeat1900: 2180
  • I may nat, certes, thogh I sholde dye,
  • Forbere to been out of your companye
  • For verray love; this is with-outen doute.
  • Now kis me, wyf, and lat us rome aboute.’ Skeat1900: (940)
  • This fresshe May, whan she thise wordes herde, Skeat1900: 2185
  • Benignely to Ianuarie answerde,
  • But first and forward she bigan to wepe,
  • ‘I have,’ quod she, ‘a soule for to kepe
  • As wel as ye, and also myn honour,
  • And of my wyfhod thilke tendre flour, Skeat1900: 2190
  • Which that I have assured in your hond,
  • Whan that the preest to yow my body bond;
  • Wherfore I wole answere in this manere
  • By the leve of yow, my lord so dere: Skeat1900: (950)
  • I prey to god, that never dawe the day Skeat1900: 2195
  • That I ne sterve, as foule as womman may,
  • If ever I do un-to my kin that shame,
  • Or elles I empeyre so my name,
  • That I be fals; and if I do that lakke,
  • Do strepe me and put me in a sakke, Skeat1900: 2200
  • And in the nexte river do me drenche.
  • I am a gentil womman and no wenche.
  • Why speke ye thus? but men ben ever untrewe,
  • And wommen have repreve of yow ay newe. Skeat1900: (960)
  • Ye han non other contenance, I leve, Skeat1900: 2205
  • But speke to us of untrust and repreve.’
  • And with that word she saugh wher Damian
  • Sat in the bush, and coughen she bigan,
  • And with hir finger signes made she,
  • That Damian sholde climbe up-on a tree, Skeat1900: 2210
  • That charged was with fruit, and up he wente;
  • For verraily he knew al hir entente,
  • And every signe that she coude make
  • Wel bet than Ianuarie, hir owene make. Skeat1900: (970)
  • For in a lettre she had told him al Skeat1900: 2215
  • Of this matere, how he werchen shal.
  • And thus I lete him sitte up-on the pyrie,
  • And Ianuarie and May rominge myrie.
  • Bright was the day, and blew the firmament,
  • Phebus of gold his stremes doun hath sent, Skeat1900: 2220
  • To gladen every flour with his warmnesse.
  • He was that tyme in Geminis, as I gesse,
  • But litel fro his declinacioun
  • Of Cancer, Iovis exaltacioun. Skeat1900: (980)
  • And so bifel, that brighte morwe-tyde, Skeat1900: 2225
  • That in that gardin, in the ferther syde,
  • Pluto, that is the king of fayerye,
  • And many a lady in his companye,
  • Folwinge his wyf, the quene Proserpyne,
  • Ech after other, right as any lyne— Skeat1900: 2230
  • Whil that she gadered floures in the mede,
  • In Claudian ye may the story rede,
  • How in his grisly carte he hir fette:—
  • This king of fairye thanne adoun him sette Skeat1900: (990)
  • Up-on a bench of turves, fresh and grene, Skeat1900: 2235
  • And right anon thus seyde he to his quene.
  • ‘My wyf,’ quod he, ‘ther may no wight sey nay;
  • Thexperience so preveth every day
  • The treson whiche that wommen doon to man.
  • Ten hondred thousand [stories] telle I can Skeat1900: 2240
  • Notable of your untrouthe and brotilnesse.
  • O Salomon, wys, richest of richesse,
  • Fulfild of sapience and of worldly glorie,
  • Ful worthy been thy wordes to memorie Skeat1900: (1000)
  • To every wight that wit and reson can. Skeat1900: 2245
  • Thus preiseth he yet the bountee of man:
  • “Amonges a thousand men yet fond I oon,
  • But of wommen alle fond I noon.”
  • Thus seith the king that knoweth your wikkednesse;
  • And Iesus filius Syrak, as I gesse, Skeat1900: 2250
  • Ne speketh of yow but selde reverence.
  • A wilde fyr and corrupt pestilence
  • So falle up-on your bodies yet to-night!
  • Ne see ye nat this honourable knight, Skeat1900: (1010)
  • By-cause, allas! that he is blind and old, Skeat1900: 2255
  • His owene man shal make him cokewold;
  • Lo heer he sit, the lechour, in the tree.
  • Now wol I graunten, of my magestee,
  • Un-to this olde blinde worthy knight
  • That he shal have ayeyn his eyen sight, Skeat1900: 2260
  • Whan that his wyf wold doon him vileinye;
  • Than shal he knowen al hir harlotrye
  • Both in repreve of hir and othere mo.’
  • ‘Ye shal,’ quod Proserpyne, ‘wol ye so; Skeat1900: (1020)
  • Now, by my modres sires soule I swere, Skeat1900: 2265
  • That I shal yeven hir suffisant answere,
  • And alle wommen after, for hir sake;
  • That, though they be in any gilt y-take,
  • With face bold they shulle hem-self excuse,
  • And bere hem doun that wolden hem accuse. Skeat1900: 2270
  • For lakke of answer, noon of hem shal dyen.
  • Al hadde man seyn a thing with bothe his yen,
  • Yit shul we wommen visage it hardily,
  • And wepe, and swere, and chyde subtilly, Skeat1900: (1030)
  • So that ye men shul been as lewed as gees. Skeat1900: 2275
  • What rekketh me of your auctoritees?
  • I woot wel that this Iew, this Salomon,
  • Fond of us wommen foles many oon.
  • But though that he ne fond no good womman,
  • Yet hath ther founde many another man Skeat1900: 2280
  • Wommen ful trewe, ful gode, and vertuous.
  • Witnesse on hem that dwelle in Cristes hous,
  • With martirdom they preved hir constance.
  • The Romayn gestes maken remembrance Skeat1900: (1040)
  • Of many a verray trewe wyf also. Skeat1900: 2285
  • But sire, ne be nat wrooth, al-be-it so,
  • Though that he seyde he fond no good womman,
  • I prey yow take the sentence of the man;
  • He mente thus, that in sovereyn bontee
  • Nis noon but god, that sit in Trinitee. Skeat1900: 2290
  • Ey! for verray god, that nis but oon,
  • What make ye so muche of Salomon?
  • What though he made a temple, goddes hous?
  • What though he were riche and glorious? Skeat1900: (1050)
  • So made he eek a temple of false goddis, Skeat1900: 2295
  • How mighte he do a thing that more forbode is?
  • Pardee, as faire as ye his name emplastre,
  • He was a lechour and an ydolastre;
  • And in his elde he verray god forsook.
  • And if that god ne hadde, as seith the book, Skeat1900: 2300
  • Y-spared him for his fadres sake, he sholde
  • Have lost his regne rather than he wolde.
  • I sette noght of al the vileinye,
  • That ye of wommen wryte, a boterflye. Skeat1900: (1060)
  • I am a womman, nedes moot I speke, Skeat1900: 2305
  • Or elles swelle til myn herte breke.
  • For sithen he seyde that we ben Iangleresses,
  • As ever hool I mote brouke my tresses,
  • I shal nat spare, for no curteisye,
  • To speke him harm that wolde us vileinye.’ Skeat1900: 2310
  • ‘Dame,’ quod this Pluto, ‘be no lenger wrooth;
  • I yeve it up; but sith I swoor myn ooth
  • That I wolde graunten him his sighte ageyn,
  • My word shal stonde, I warne yow, certeyn. Skeat1900: (1070)
  • I am a king, it sit me noght to lye.’ Skeat1900: 2315
  • ‘And I,’ quod she, ‘a queene of fayerye.
  • Hir answere shal she have, I undertake;
  • Lat us na-more wordes heer-of make.
  • For sothe, I wol no lenger yow contrarie.’
  • Now lat us turne agayn to Ianuarie, Skeat1900: 2320
  • That in the gardin with his faire May
  • Singeth, ful merier than the papeiay,
  • ‘Yow love I best, and shal, and other noon.’
  • So longe aboute the aleyes is he goon, Skeat1900: (1080)
  • Til he was come agaynes thilke pyrie, Skeat1900: 2325
  • Wher-as this Damian sitteth ful myrie
  • An heigh, among the fresshe leves grene.
  • This fresshe May, that is so bright and shene,
  • Gan for to syke, and seyde, ‘allas, my syde!
  • Now sir,’ quod she, ‘for aught that may bityde, Skeat1900: 2330
  • I moste han of the peres that I see,
  • Or I mot dye, so sore longeth me
  • To eten of the smale peres grene.
  • Help, for hir love that is of hevene quene! Skeat1900: (1090)
  • I telle yow wel, a womman in my plyt Skeat1900: 2335
  • May han to fruit so greet an appetyt,
  • That she may dyen, but she of it have.’
  • ‘Allas!’ quod he, ‘that I ne had heer a knave
  • That coude climbe; allas! allas!’ quod he,
  • ‘That I am blind.’ ‘Ye, sir, no fors,’ quod she: Skeat1900: 2340
  • ‘But wolde ye vouche-sauf, for goddes sake,
  • The pyrie inwith your armes for to take,
  • (For wel I woot that ye mistruste me)
  • Thanne sholde I climbe wel y-nogh,’ quod she, Skeat1900: (1100)
  • ‘So I my foot mighte sette upon your bak.’ Skeat1900: 2345
  • ‘Certes,’ quod he, ‘ther-on shal be no lak,
  • Mighte I yow helpen with myn herte blood.’
  • He stoupeth doun, and on his bak she stood,
  • And caughte hir by a twiste, and up she gooth.
  • Ladies, I prey yow that ye be nat wrooth; Skeat1900: 2350
  • I can nat glose, I am a rude man.
  • And sodeynly anon this Damian
  • Gan pullen up the smok, and in he throng.
  • And whan that Pluto saugh this grete wrong, Skeat1900: (1110)
  • To Ianuarie he gaf agayn his sighte, Skeat1900: 2355
  • And made him see, as wel as ever he mighte.
  • And whan that he hadde caught his sighte agayn,
  • Ne was ther never man of thing so fayn.
  • But on his wyf his thoght was evermo;
  • Up to the tree he caste his eyen two, Skeat1900: 2360
  • And saugh that Damian his wyf had dressed
  • In swich manere, it may nat ben expressed
  • But if I wolde speke uncurteisly:
  • And up he yaf a roring and a cry Skeat1900: (1120)
  • As doth the moder whan the child shal dye: Skeat1900: 2365
  • ‘Out! help! allas! harrow!’ he gan to crye,
  • ‘O stronge lady store, what dostow?’
  • And she answerde, ‘sir, what eyleth yow?
  • Have pacience, and reson in your minde,
  • I have yow holpe on bothe your eyen blinde. Skeat1900: 2370
  • Up peril of my soule, I shal nat lyen,
  • As me was taught, to hele with your yen,
  • Was no-thing bet to make yow to see
  • Than strugle with a man up-on a tree. Skeat1900: (1130)
  • God woot, I dide it in ful good entente.’ Skeat1900: 2375
  • ‘Strugle!’ quod he, ‘ye, algate in it wente!
  • God yeve yow bothe on shames deeth to dyen!
  • He swyved thee, I saugh it with myne yën,
  • And elles be I hanged by the hals!’
  • ‘Thanne is,’ quod she, ‘my medicyne al fals; Skeat1900: 2380
  • For certeinly, if that ye mighte see,
  • Ye wolde nat seyn thise wordes un-to me;
  • Ye han som glimsing and no parfit sighte.’
  • ‘I see,’ quod he, ‘as wel as ever I mighte, Skeat1900: (1140)
  • Thonked be god! with bothe myne eyen two, Skeat1900: 2385
  • And by my trouthe, me thoughte he dide thee so.’
  • ‘Ye maze, maze, gode sire,’ quod she,
  • ‘This thank have I for I have maad yow see;
  • Allas!’ quod she, ‘that ever I was so kinde!’
  • ‘Now, dame,’ quod he, ‘lat al passe out of minde. Skeat1900: 2390
  • Com doun, my lief, and if I have missayd,
  • God help me so, as I am yvel apayd.
  • But, by my fader soule, I wende han seyn,
  • How that this Damian had by thee leyn, Skeat1900: (1150)
  • And that thy smok had leyn up-on his brest.’ Skeat1900: 2395
  • ‘Ye, sire,’ quod she, ‘ye may wene as yow lest;
  • But, sire, a man that waketh out of his sleep,
  • He may nat sodeynly wel taken keep
  • Up-on a thing, ne seen it parfitly,
  • Til that he be adawed verraily; Skeat1900: 2400
  • Right so a man, that longe hath blind y-be,
  • Ne may nat sodeynly so wel y-see,
  • First whan his sighte is newe come ageyn,
  • As he that hath a day or two y-seyn. Skeat1900: (1160)
  • Til that your sighte y-satled be a whyle, Skeat1900: 2405
  • Ther may ful many a sighte yow bigyle.
  • Beth war, I prey yow; for, by hevene king,
  • Ful many a man weneth to seen a thing,
  • And it is al another than it semeth.
  • He that misconceyveth, he misdemeth.’ Skeat1900: 2410
  • And with that word she leep doun fro the tree.
  • This Ianuarie, who is glad but he?
  • He kisseth hir, and clippeth hir ful ofte,
  • And on hir wombe he stroketh hir ful softe, Skeat1900: (1170)
  • And to his palays hoom he hath hir lad. Skeat1900: 2415
  • Now, gode men, I pray yow to be glad.
  • Thus endeth heer my tale of Ianuarie;
  • God bless us and his moder Seinte Marie!

Here is ended the Marchantes Tale of Ianuarie.

EPILOGUE TO THE MARCHANTES TALE.

  • ‘EY! goddes mercy!’ seyde our Hoste tho,
  • ‘Now swich a wyf I pray god kepe me fro! Skeat1900: 2420
  • Lo, whiche sleightes and subtilitees
  • In wommen been! for ay as bisy as bees
  • Ben they, us sely men for to deceyve,
  • And from a sothe ever wol they weyve;
  • By this Marchauntes Tale it preveth weel. Skeat1900: 2425
  • But doutelees, as trewe as any steel
  • I have a wyf, though that she povre be;
  • But of hir tonge a labbing shrewe is she, Skeat1900: (10)
  • And yet she hath an heep of vyces mo;
  • Ther-of no fors, lat alle swiche thinges go. Skeat1900: 2430
  • But, wite ye what? in conseil be it seyd,
  • Me reweth sore I am un-to hir teyd.
  • For, and I sholde rekenen every vyce
  • Which that she hath, y-wis, I were to nyce,
  • And cause why; it sholde reported be Skeat1900: 2435
  • And told to hir of somme of this meynee;
  • Of whom, it nedeth nat for to declare,
  • Sin wommen connen outen swich chaffare; Skeat1900: (20)
  • And eek my wit suffyseth nat ther-to
  • To tellen al; wherfor my tale is do.’ Skeat1900: 2440

GROUP F.

THE SQUIERES TALE. (T. 10315-10334).

  • [ The Squire’s Prologue. ]

  • ‘SQUIER, com neer, if it your wille be,
  • And sey somwhat of love; for, certes, ye
  • Connen ther-on as muche as any man.’
  • ‘Nay, sir,’ quod he, ‘but I wol seye as I can
  • With hertly wille; for I wol nat rebelle Skeat1900: 5
  • Agayn your lust; a tale wol I telle.
  • Have me excused if I speke amis,
  • My wil is good; and lo, my tale is this.

Here biginneth the Squieres Tale.

  • At Sarray, in the land of Tartarye, Skeat1900: (1)
  • Ther dwelte a king, that werreyed Russye, Skeat1900: 10
  • Thurgh which ther deyde many a doughty man.
  • This noble king was cleped Cambinskan,
  • Which in his tyme was of so greet renoun
  • That ther nas no-wher in no regioun
  • So excellent a lord in alle thing; Skeat1900: 15
  • Him lakked noght that longeth to a king.
  • As of the secte of which that he was born
  • He kepte his lay, to which that he was sworn; Skeat1900: (10)
  • And ther-to he was hardy, wys, and riche,
  • Pitous and Iust, and ever-more y-liche Skeat1900: 20
  • Sooth of his word, benigne and honurable,
  • Of his corage as any centre stable;
  • Yong, fresh, and strong , in armes desirous
  • As any bacheler of al his hous.
  • A fair persone he was and fortunat, Skeat1900: 25
  • And kepte alwey so wel royal estat,
  • That ther was nowher swich another man.
  • This noble king, this Tartre Cambinskan Skeat1900: (20)
  • Hadde two sones on Elpheta his wyf,
  • Of whiche the eldeste highte Algarsyf, Skeat1900: 30
  • That other sone was cleped Cambalo.
  • A doghter hadde this worthy king also,
  • That yongest was, and highte Canacee.
  • But for to telle yow al hir beautee,
  • It lyth nat in my tonge, nin my conning; Skeat1900: 35
  • I dar nat undertake so heigh a thing.
  • Myn English eek is insufficient;
  • It moste been a rethor excellent, Skeat1900: (30)
  • That coude his colours longing for that art,
  • If he sholde hir discryven every part. Skeat1900: 40
  • I am non swich, I moot speke as I can.
  • And so bifel that, whan this Cambinskan
  • Hath twenty winter born his diademe,
  • As he was wont fro yeer to yeer, I deme,
  • He leet the feste of his nativitee Skeat1900: 45
  • Don cryen thurghout Sarray his citee,
  • The last Idus of March, after the yeer.
  • Phebus the sonne ful Ioly was and cleer; Skeat1900: (40)
  • For he was neigh his exaltacioun
  • In Martes face, and in his mansioun Skeat1900: 50
  • In Aries, the colerik hote signe.
  • Ful lusty was the weder and benigne,
  • For which the foules , agayn the sonne shene,
  • What for the seson and the yonge grene,
  • Ful loude songen hir affecciouns; Skeat1900: 55
  • Him semed han geten hem protecciouns
  • Agayn the swerd of winter kene and cold.
  • This Cambinskan, of which I have yow told, Skeat1900: (50)
  • In royal vestiment sit on his deys,
  • With diademe, ful heighe in his paleys, Skeat1900: 60
  • And halt his feste, so solempne and so riche
  • That in this world ne was ther noon it liche.
  • Of which if I shal tellen al tharray,
  • Than wolde it occupye a someres day;
  • And eek it nedeth nat for to devyse Skeat1900: 65
  • At every cours the ordre of hir servyse.
  • I wol nat tellen of hir strange sewes,
  • Ne of hir swannes, ne of hir heronsewes. Skeat1900: (60)
  • Eek in that lond, as tellen knightes olde,
  • Ther is som mete that is ful deyntee holde, Skeat1900: 70
  • That in this lond men recche of it but smal;
  • Ther nis no man that may reporten al.
  • I wol nat tarien yow, for it is pryme,
  • And for it is no fruit but los of tyme;
  • Un-to my firste I wol have my recours. Skeat1900: 75
  • And so bifel that, after the thridde cours,
  • Whyl that this king sit thus in his nobleye,
  • Herkninge his minstralles hir thinges pleye Skeat1900: (70)
  • Biforn him at the bord deliciously,
  • In at the halle-dore al sodeynly Skeat1900: 80
  • Ther cam a knight up-on a stede of bras,
  • And in his hand a brood mirour of glas.
  • Upon his thombe he hadde of gold a ring,
  • And by his syde a naked swerd hanging;
  • And up he rydeth to the heighe bord. Skeat1900: 85
  • In al the halle ne was ther spoke a word
  • For merveille of this knight; him to biholde
  • Ful bisily ther wayten yonge and olde. Skeat1900: (80)
  • This strange knight, that cam thus sodeynly,
  • Al armed save his heed ful richely, Skeat1900: 90
  • Saluëth king and queen, and lordes alle,
  • By ordre, as they seten in the halle,
  • With so heigh reverence and obeisaunce
  • As wel in speche as in contenaunce,
  • That Gawain, with his olde curteisye, Skeat1900: 95
  • Though he were come ageyn out of Fairye,
  • Ne coude him nat amende with a word.
  • And after this, biforn the heighe bord, Skeat1900: (90)
  • He with a manly voys seith his message,
  • After the forme used in his langage, Skeat1900: 100
  • With-outen vyce of sillable or of lettre;
  • And, for his tale sholde seme the bettre,
  • Accordant to his wordes was his chere,
  • As techeth art of speche hem that it lere;
  • Al-be-it that I can nat soune his style, Skeat1900: 105
  • Ne can nat climben over so heigh a style,
  • Yet seye I this, as to commune entente,
  • Thus muche amounteth al that ever he mente, Skeat1900: (100)
  • If it so be that I have it in minde.
  • He seyde, ‘the king of Arabie and of Inde, Skeat1900: 110
  • My lige lord, on this solempne day
  • Saluëth yow as he best can and may,
  • And sendeth yow, in honour of your feste,
  • By me, that am al redy at your heste,
  • This stede of bras, that esily and wel Skeat1900: 115
  • Can, in the space of o day naturel,
  • This is to seyn, in foure and twenty houres,
  • Wher-so yow list, in droghte or elles shoures, Skeat1900: (110)
  • Beren your body in-to every place
  • To which your herte wilneth for to pace Skeat1900: 120
  • With-outen wem of yow, thurgh foul or fair;
  • Or, if yow list to fleen as hye in the air
  • As doth an egle, whan him list to sore,
  • This same stede shal bere yow ever-more
  • With-outen harm, til ye be ther yow leste, Skeat1900: 125
  • Though that ye slepen on his bak or reste;
  • And turne ayeyn, with wrything of a pin.
  • He that it wroghte coude ful many a gin; Skeat1900: (120)
  • He wayted many a constellacioun
  • Er he had doon this operacioun; Skeat1900: 130
  • And knew ful many a seel and many a bond.
  • This mirour eek, that I have in myn hond,
  • Hath swich a might, that men may in it see
  • Whan ther shal fallen any adversitee
  • Un-to your regne or to your-self also; Skeat1900: 135
  • And openly who is your freend or foo.
  • And over al this, if any lady bright
  • Hath set hir herte on any maner wight, Skeat1900: (130)
  • If he be fals, she shal his treson see,
  • His newe love and al his subtiltee Skeat1900: 140
  • So openly, that ther shal no-thing hyde.
  • Wherfor, ageyn this lusty someres tyde,
  • This mirour and this ring, that ye may see,
  • He hath sent to my lady Canacee,
  • Your excellente doghter that is here. Skeat1900: 145
  • The vertu of the ring, if ye wol here,
  • Is this; that, if hir lust it for to were
  • Up-on hir thombe, or in hir purs it bere, Skeat1900: (140)
  • Ther is no foul that fleeth under the hevene
  • That she ne shal wel understonde his stevene, Skeat1900: 150
  • And knowe his mening openly and pleyn,
  • And answere him in his langage ageyn.
  • And every gras that groweth up-on rote
  • She shal eek knowe, and whom it wol do bote,
  • Al be his woundes never so depe and wyde. Skeat1900: 155
  • This naked swerd, that hangeth by my syde,
  • Swich vertu hath, that what man so ye smyte,
  • Thurgh-out his armure it wol kerve and byte, Skeat1900: (150)
  • Were it as thikke as is a branched ook;
  • And what man that is wounded with the strook Skeat1900: 160
  • Shal never be hool til that yow list, of grace,
  • To stroke him with the platte in thilke place
  • Ther he is hurt: this is as muche to seyn,
  • Ye mote with the platte swerd ageyn
  • Stroke him in the wounde, and it wol close; Skeat1900: 165
  • This is a verray sooth, with-outen glose,
  • It failleth nat whyl it is in your hold.’
  • And whan this knight hath thus his tale told, Skeat1900: (160)
  • He rydeth out of halle, and doun he lighte.
  • His stede, which that shoon as sonne brighte, Skeat1900: 170
  • Stant in the court, as stille as any stoon.
  • This knight is to his chambre lad anon,
  • And is unarmed and to mete y-set.
  • The presentes ben ful royally y-fet,
  • This is to seyn, the swerd and the mirour, Skeat1900: 175
  • And born anon in-to the heighe tour
  • With certeine officers ordeyned therfore;
  • And un-to Canacee this ring was bore Skeat1900: (170)
  • Solempnely, ther she sit at the table.
  • But sikerly, with-outen any fable, Skeat1900: 180
  • The hors of bras, that may nat be remewed,
  • It stant as it were to the ground y-glewed.
  • Ther may no man out of the place it dryve
  • For noon engyn of windas or polyve;
  • And cause why, for they can nat the craft. Skeat1900: 185
  • And therefore in the place they han it laft
  • Til that the knight hath taught hem the manere
  • To voyden him, as ye shal after here. Skeat1900: (180)
  • Greet was the prees, that swarmeth to and fro,
  • To gauren on this hors that stondeth so; Skeat1900: 190
  • For it so heigh was, and so brood and long,
  • So wel proporcioned for to ben strong,
  • Right as it were a stede of Lumbardye;
  • Ther-with so horsly, and so quik of ye
  • As it a gentil Poileys courser were. Skeat1900: 195
  • For certes, fro his tayl un-to his ere,
  • Nature ne art ne coude him nat amende
  • In no degree, as al the peple wende. Skeat1900: (190)
  • But evermore hir moste wonder was,
  • How that it coude goon , and was of bras; Skeat1900: 200
  • It was of Fairye, as the peple semed.
  • Diverse folk diversely they demed;
  • As many hedes, as many wittes ther been.
  • They murmureden as dooth a swarm of been,
  • And maden skiles after hir fantasyes, Skeat1900: 205
  • Rehersinge of thise olde poetryes,
  • And seyden, it was lyk the Pegasee,
  • The hors that hadde winges for to flee; Skeat1900: (200)
  • Or elles it was the Grekes hors Synon,
  • That broghte Troye to destruccion, Skeat1900: 210
  • As men may in thise olde gestes rede.
  • ‘Myn herte,’ quod oon, ‘is evermore in drede;
  • I trowe som men of armes been ther-inne,
  • That shapen hem this citee for to winne.
  • It were right good that al swich thing were knowe.’ Skeat1900: 215
  • Another rowned to his felawe lowe,
  • And seyde, ‘he lyeth, it is rather lyk
  • An apparence y-maad by som magyk, Skeat1900: (210)
  • As Iogelours pleyen at thise festes grete.’
  • Of sondry doutes thus they Iangle and trete, Skeat1900: 220
  • As lewed peple demeth comunly
  • Of thinges that ben maad more subtilly
  • Than they can in her lewednes comprehende;
  • They demen gladly to the badder ende.
  • And somme of hem wondred on the mirour, Skeat1900: 225
  • That born was up in-to the maister-tour,
  • How men mighte in it swiche thinges see.
  • Another answerde, and seyde it mighte wel be Skeat1900: (220)
  • Naturelly, by composiciouns
  • Of angles and of slye reflexiouns, Skeat1900: 230
  • And seyden, that in Rome was swich oon.
  • They speken of Alocen and Vitulon,
  • And Aristotle, that writen in hir lyves
  • Of queynte mirours and of prospectyves,
  • As knowen they that han hir bokes herd. Skeat1900: 235
  • And othere folk han wondred on the swerd
  • That wolde percen thurgh-out every-thing;
  • And fille in speche of Thelophus the king, Skeat1900: (230)
  • And of Achilles with his queynte spere,
  • For he coude with it bothe hele and dere, Skeat1900: 240
  • Right in swich wyse as men may with the swerd
  • Of which right now ye han your-selven herd.
  • They speken of sondry harding of metal,
  • And speke of medicynes ther-with-al,
  • And how, and whanne, it sholde y-harded be; Skeat1900: 245
  • Which is unknowe algates unto me.
  • Tho speke they of Canaceës ring,
  • And seyden alle, that swich a wonder thing Skeat1900: (240)
  • Of craft of ringes herde they never non,
  • Save that he, Moyses, and king Salomon Skeat1900: 250
  • Hadde a name of konning in swich art.
  • Thus seyn the peple, and drawen hem apart.
  • But nathelees, somme seyden that it was
  • Wonder to maken of fern-asshen glas,
  • And yet nis glas nat lyk asshen of fern; Skeat1900: 255
  • But for they han y-knowen it so fern,
  • Therfore cesseth her Iangling and her wonder.
  • As sore wondren somme on cause of thonder, Skeat1900: (250)
  • On ebbe, on flood, on gossomer, and on mist,
  • And alle thing, til that the cause is wist. Skeat1900: 260
  • Thus Iangle they and demen and devyse,
  • Til that the king gan fro the bord aryse.
  • Phebus hath laft the angle meridional,
  • And yet ascending was the beest royal,
  • The gentil Leon, with his Aldiran, Skeat1900: 265
  • Whan that this Tartre king, this Cambynskan,
  • Roos fro his bord, ther that he sat ful hye.
  • Toforn him gooth the loude minstralcye, Skeat1900: (260)
  • Til he cam to his chambre of parements,
  • Ther as they sownen diverse instruments, Skeat1900: 270
  • That it is lyk an heven for to here.
  • Now dauncen lusty Venus children dere,
  • For in the Fish hir lady sat ful hye,
  • And loketh on hem with a freendly ye.
  • This noble king is set up in his trone. Skeat1900: 275
  • This strange knight is fet to him ful sone,
  • And on the daunce he gooth with Canacee.
  • Heer is the revel and the Iolitee Skeat1900: (270)
  • That is nat able a dul man to devyse.
  • He moste han knowen love and his servyse, Skeat1900: 280
  • And been a festlich man as fresh as May,
  • That sholde yow devysen swich array.
  • Who coude telle yow the forme of daunces,
  • So uncouthe and so fresshe contenaunces,
  • Swich subtil loking and dissimulinges Skeat1900: 285
  • For drede of Ialouse mennes aperceyvinges?
  • No man but Launcelot, and he is deed.
  • Therefor I passe of al this lustiheed; Skeat1900: (280)
  • I seye na-more, but in this Iolynesse
  • I lete hem, til men to the soper dresse. Skeat1900: 290
  • The styward bit the spyces for to hye,
  • And eek the wyn, in al this melodye.
  • The usshers and the squyers ben y-goon;
  • The spyces and the wyn is come anoon.
  • They ete and drinke; and whan this hadde an ende, Skeat1900: 295
  • Un-to the temple, as reson was, they wende.
  • The service doon, they soupen al by day.
  • What nedeth yow rehercen hir array? Skeat1900: (290)
  • Ech man wot wel, that at a kinges feeste
  • Hath plentee, to the moste and to the leeste, Skeat1900: 300
  • And deyntees mo than been in my knowing.
  • At-after soper gooth this noble king
  • To seen this hors of bras, with al the route
  • Of lordes and of ladyes him aboute.
  • Swich wondring was ther on this hors of bras Skeat1900: 305
  • That, sin the grete sege of Troye was,
  • Ther-as men wondreden on an hors also,
  • Ne was ther swich a wondring as was tho. Skeat1900: (300)
  • But fynally the king axeth this knight
  • The vertu of this courser and the might, Skeat1900: 310
  • And preyede him to telle his governaunce.
  • This hors anoon bigan to trippe and daunce,
  • Whan that this knight leyde hand up-on his reyne,
  • And seyde, ‘sir, ther is na-more to seyne,
  • But, whan yow list to ryden any-where, Skeat1900: 315
  • Ye moten trille a pin, stant in his ere,
  • Which I shall telle yow bitwix vs two.
  • Ye mote nempne him to what place also Skeat1900: (310)
  • Or to what contree that yow list to ryde.
  • And whan ye come ther as yow list abyde, Skeat1900: 320
  • Bidde him descende, and trille another pin,
  • For ther-in lyth the effect of al the gin,
  • And he wol doun descende and doon your wille;
  • And in that place he wol abyde stille,
  • Though al the world the contrarie hadde y-swore; Skeat1900: 325
  • He shal nat thennes ben y-drawe ne y-bore.
  • Or, if yow liste bidde him thennes goon,
  • Trille this pin, and he wol vanishe anoon Skeat1900: (320)
  • Out of the sighte of every maner wight,
  • And come agayn, be it by day or night, Skeat1900: 330
  • When that yow list to clepen him ageyn
  • In swich a gyse as I shal to yow seyn
  • Bitwixe yow and me, and that ful sone.
  • Ryde whan yow list, ther is na-more to done.’
  • Enformed whan the king was of that knight, Skeat1900: 335
  • And hath conceyved in his wit aright
  • The maner and the forme of al this thing,
  • Thus glad and blythe, this noble doughty king Skeat1900: (330)
  • Repeireth to his revel as biforn.
  • The brydel is un-to the tour y-born, Skeat1900: 340
  • And kept among his Iewels leve and dere.
  • The hors vanisshed, I noot in what manere,
  • Out of hir sighte; ye gete na-more of me.
  • But thus I lete in lust and Iolitee
  • This Cambynskan his lordes festeyinge, Skeat1900: 345
  • Til wel ny the day bigan to springe.

Explicit prima pars. Sequitur pars secunda.

  • The norice of digestioun, the slepe,
  • Gan on hem winke, and bad hem taken kepe, Skeat1900: (340)
  • That muchel drink and labour wolde han reste;
  • And with a galping mouth hem alle he keste, Skeat1900: 350
  • And seyde, ‘it was tyme to lye adoun,
  • For blood was in his dominacioun;
  • Cherissheth blood, natures freend,’ quod he.
  • They thanken him galpinge, by two, by three,
  • And every wight gan drawe him to his reste, Skeat1900: 355
  • As slepe hem bad; they toke it for the beste.
  • Hir dremes shul nat been y-told for me;
  • Ful were hir hedes of fumositee, Skeat1900: (350)
  • That causeth dreem, of which ther nis no charge.
  • They slepen til that it was pryme large, Skeat1900: 360
  • The moste part, but it were Canacee;
  • She was ful mesurable, as wommen be.
  • For of hir fader hadde she take leve
  • To gon to reste, sone after it was eve;
  • Hir liste nat appalled for to be, Skeat1900: 365
  • Nor on the morwe unfestlich for to see;
  • And slepte hir firste sleep, and thanne awook.
  • For swich a Ioye she in hir herte took Skeat1900: (360)
  • Both of hir queynte ring and hir mirour,
  • That twenty tyme she changed hir colour; Skeat1900: 370
  • And in hir slepe, right for impressioun
  • Of hir mirour, she hadde a visioun.
  • Wherfore, er that the sonne gan up glyde,
  • She cleped on hir maistresse hir bisyde,
  • And seyde, that hir liste for to ryse. Skeat1900: 375
  • Thise olde wommen that been gladly wyse,
  • As is hir maistresse, answerde hir anoon,
  • And seyde, ‘madame, whider wil ye goon Skeat1900: (370)
  • Thus erly? for the folk ben alle on reste.’
  • ‘I wol,’ quod she, ‘aryse, for me leste Skeat1900: 380
  • No lenger for to slepe, and walke aboute.’
  • Hir maistresse clepeth wommen a gret route,
  • And up they rysen, wel a ten or twelve;
  • Up ryseth fresshe Canacee hir-selve,
  • As rody and bright as dooth the yonge sonne, Skeat1900: 385
  • That in the Ram is four degrees up-ronne;
  • Noon hyer was he, whan she redy was;
  • And forth she walketh esily a pas, Skeat1900: (380)
  • Arrayed after the lusty seson sote
  • Lightly, for to pleye and walke on fote; Skeat1900: 390
  • Nat but with fyve or six of hir meynee;
  • And in a trench, forth in the park, goth she.
  • The vapour, which that fro the erthe glood,
  • Made the sonne to seme rody and brood;
  • But nathelees, it was so fair a sighte Skeat1900: 395
  • That it made alle hir hertes for to lighte,
  • What for the seson and the morweninge,
  • And for the foules that she herde singe; Skeat1900: (390)
  • For right anon she wiste what they mente
  • Right by hir song, and knew al hir entente. Skeat1900: 400
  • The knotte, why that every tale is told,
  • If it be taried til that lust be cold
  • Of hem that han it after herkned yore,
  • The savour passeth ever lenger the more,
  • For fulsomnesse of his prolixitee. Skeat1900: 405
  • And by the same reson thinketh me,
  • I sholde to the knotte condescende,
  • And maken of hir walking sone an ende. Skeat1900: (400)
  • Amidde a tree fordrye, as whyt as chalk,
  • As Canacee was pleying in hir walk, Skeat1900: 410
  • Ther sat a faucon over hir heed ful hye,
  • That with a pitous voys so gan to crye
  • That all the wode resouned of hir cry.
  • Y-beten hath she hir-self so pitously
  • With bothe hir winges, til the rede blood Skeat1900: 415
  • Ran endelong the tree ther-as she stood.
  • And ever in oon she cryde alwey and shrighte,
  • And with hir beek hir-selven so she prighte, Skeat1900: (410)
  • That ther nis tygre, ne noon so cruel beste,
  • That dwelleth either in wode or in foreste Skeat1900: 420
  • That nolde han wept, if that he wepe coude,
  • For sorwe of hir, she shrighte alwey so loude.
  • For ther nas never yet no man on lyve—
  • If that I coude a faucon wel discryve—
  • That herde of swich another of fairnesse, Skeat1900: 425
  • As wel of plumage as of gentillesse
  • Of shap, and al that mighte y-rekened be.
  • A faucon peregryn than semed she Skeat1900: (420)
  • Of fremde land; and evermore, as she stood,
  • She swowneth now and now for lakke of blood, Skeat1900: 430
  • Til wel neigh is she fallen fro the tree.
  • This faire kinges doghter, Canacee,
  • That on hir finger bar the queynte ring,
  • Thurgh which she understood wel every thing
  • That any foul may in his ledene seyn, Skeat1900: 435
  • And coude answere him in his ledene ageyn,
  • Hath understonde what this faucon seyde,
  • And wel neigh for the rewthe almost she deyde. Skeat1900: (430)
  • And to the tree she gooth ful hastily,
  • And on this faucon loketh pitously, Skeat1900: 440
  • And heeld hir lappe abrood, for wel she wiste
  • The faucon moste fallen fro the twiste,
  • When that it swowned next, for lakke of blood.
  • A longe while to wayten hir she stood
  • Till atte laste she spak in this manere Skeat1900: 445
  • Un-to the hauk, as ye shul after here.
  • ‘What is the cause, if it be for to telle,
  • That ye be in this furial pyne of helle?’ Skeat1900: (440)
  • Quod Canacee un-to this hauk above.
  • ‘Is this for sorwe of deeth or los of love? Skeat1900: 450
  • For, as I trowe, thise ben causes two
  • That causen moost a gentil herte wo;
  • Of other harm it nedeth nat to speke.
  • For ye your-self upon your-self yow wreke,
  • Which proveth wel, that either love or drede Skeat1900: 455
  • Mot been encheson of your cruel dede,
  • Sin that I see non other wight yow chace.
  • For love of god, as dooth your-selven grace Skeat1900: (450)
  • Or what may ben your help; for west nor eest
  • Ne sey I never er now no brid ne beest Skeat1900: 460
  • That ferde with him-self so pitously.
  • Ye sle me with your sorwe, verraily;
  • I have of yow so gret compassioun.
  • For goddes love, com fro the tree adoun;
  • And, as I am a kinges doghter trewe, Skeat1900: 465
  • If that I verraily the cause knewe
  • Of your disese, if it lay in my might,
  • I wolde amende it, er that it were night, Skeat1900: (460)
  • As wisly helpe me gret god of kinde!
  • And herbes shal I right y-nowe y-finde Skeat1900: 470
  • To hele with your hurtes hastily.’
  • Tho shrighte this faucon more pitously
  • Than ever she dide, and fil to grounde anoon,
  • And lyth aswowne, deed, and lyk a stoon,
  • Til Canacee hath in hir lappe hir take Skeat1900: 475
  • Un-to the tyme she gan of swough awake.
  • And, after that she of hir swough gan breyde,
  • Right in hir haukes ledene thus she seyde:— Skeat1900: (470)
  • ‘That pitee renneth sone in gentil herte,
  • Feling his similitude in peynes smerte, Skeat1900: 480
  • Is preved al-day, as men may it see,
  • As wel by werk as by auctoritee;
  • For gentil herte kytheth gentillesse.
  • I see wel, that ye han of my distresse
  • Compassioun, my faire Canacee, Skeat1900: 485
  • Of verray wommanly benignitee
  • That nature in your principles hath set.
  • But for non hope for to fare the bet, Skeat1900: (480)
  • But for to obeye un-to your herte free,
  • And for to maken other be war by me, Skeat1900: 490
  • As by the whelp chasted is the leoun,
  • Right for that cause and that conclusioun,
  • Whyl that I have a leyser and a space,
  • Myn harm I wol confessen, er I pace.’
  • And ever, whyl that oon hir sorwe tolde, Skeat1900: 495
  • That other weep, as she to water wolde,
  • Til that the faucon bad hir to be stille;
  • And, with a syk, right thus she seyde hir wille. Skeat1900: (490)
  • ‘Ther I was bred (allas! that harde day!)
  • And fostred in a roche of marbul gray Skeat1900: 500
  • So tendrely, that nothing eyled me,
  • I niste nat what was adversitee,
  • Til I coude flee ful hye under the sky.
  • Tho dwelte a tercelet me faste by,
  • That semed welle of alle gentillesse; Skeat1900: 505
  • Al were he ful of treson and falsnesse,
  • It was so wrapped under humble chere,
  • And under hewe of trouthe in swich manere, Skeat1900: (500)
  • Under plesance, and under bisy peyne,
  • That no wight coude han wend he coude feyne, Skeat1900: 510
  • So depe in greyn he dyed his coloures.
  • Right as a serpent hit him under floures
  • Til he may seen his tyme for to byte,
  • Right so this god of love, this ypocryte,
  • Doth so his cerimonies and obeisaunces, Skeat1900: 515
  • And kepeth in semblant alle his observances
  • That sowneth in-to gentillesse of love.
  • As in a toumbe is al the faire above, Skeat1900: (510)
  • And under is the corps, swich as ye woot,
  • Swich was this ypocryte, bothe cold and hoot, Skeat1900: 520
  • And in this wyse he served his entente,
  • That (save the feend) non wiste what he mente.
  • Til he so longe had wopen and compleyned,
  • And many a yeer his service to me feyned,
  • Til that myn herte, to pitous and to nyce, Skeat1900: 525
  • Al innocent of his crouned malice,
  • For-fered of his deeth, as thoughte me,
  • Upon his othes and his seuretee, Skeat1900: (520)
  • Graunted him love, on this condicioun,
  • That evermore myn honour and renoun Skeat1900: 530
  • Were saved, bothe privee and apert;
  • This is to seyn, that, after his desert,
  • I yaf him al myn herte and al my thoght—
  • God woot and he, that otherwyse noght—
  • And took his herte in chaunge for myn for ay. Skeat1900: 535
  • But sooth is seyd, gon sithen many a day,
  • “A trew wight and a theef thenken nat oon.”
  • And, whan he saugh the thing so fer y-goon, Skeat1900: (530)
  • That I had graunted him fully my love,
  • In swich a gyse as I have seyd above, Skeat1900: 540
  • And yeven him my trewe herte, as free
  • As he swoor he his herte yaf to me;
  • Anon this tygre, ful of doublenesse,
  • Fil on his knees with so devout humblesse,
  • With so heigh reverence, and, as by his chere, Skeat1900: 545
  • So lyk a gentil lovere of manere,
  • So ravisshed, as it semed, for the Ioye,
  • That never Iason, ne Parys of Troye, Skeat1900: (540)
  • Iason? certes, ne non other man,
  • Sin Lameth was, that alderfirst bigan Skeat1900: 550
  • To loven two, as writen folk biforn,
  • Ne never, sin the firste man was born,
  • Ne coude man, by twenty thousand part,
  • Countrefete the sophimes of his art;
  • Ne were worthy unbokele his galoche, Skeat1900: 555
  • Ther doublenesse or feyning sholde approche,
  • Ne so coude thanke a wight as he did me!
  • His maner was an heven for to see Skeat1900: (550)
  • Til any womman, were she never so wys;
  • So peynted he and kembde at point-devys Skeat1900: 560
  • As wel his wordes as his contenaunce.
  • And I so lovede him for his obeisaunce,
  • And for the trouthe I demed in his herte,
  • That, if so were that any thing him smerte,
  • Al were it never so lyte, and I it wiste, Skeat1900: 565
  • Me thoughte, I felte deeth myn herte twiste.
  • And shortly, so ferforth this thing is went,
  • That my wil was his willes instrument; Skeat1900: (560)
  • This is to seyn, my wil obeyed his wil
  • In alle thing, as fer as reson fil, Skeat1900: 570
  • Keping the boundes of my worship ever.
  • Ne never hadde I thing so leef, ne lever,
  • As him, god woot! ne never shal na-mo.
  • This lasteth lenger than a yeer or two,
  • That I supposed of him noght but good. Skeat1900: 575
  • But fynally, thus atte laste it stood,
  • That fortune wolde that he moste twinne
  • Out of that place which that I was inne Skeat1900: (570)
  • Wher me was wo, that is no questioun;
  • I can nat make of it discripcioun; Skeat1900: 580
  • For o thing dar I tellen boldely,
  • I knowe what is the peyne of deth ther-by;
  • Swich harm I felte for he ne mighte bileve.
  • So on a day of me he took his leve,
  • So sorwefully eek, that I wende verraily Skeat1900: 585
  • That he had felt as muche harm as I,
  • Whan that I herde him speke, and saugh his hewe.
  • But nathelees, I thoughte he was so trewe, Skeat1900: (580)
  • And eek that he repaire sholde ageyn
  • With-inne a litel whyle, sooth to seyn; Skeat1900: 590
  • And reson wolde eek that he moste go
  • For his honour, as ofte it happeth so,
  • That I made vertu of necessitee,
  • And took it wel, sin that it moste be.
  • As I best mighte, I hidde fro him my sorwe, Skeat1900: 595
  • And took him by the hond, seint Iohn to borwe,
  • And seyde him thus: “lo, I am youres al;
  • Beth swich as I to yow have been, and shal.” Skeat1900: (590)
  • What he answerde, it nedeth noght reherce,
  • Who can sey bet than he, who can do werse? Skeat1900: 600
  • Whan he hath al wel seyd, thanne hath he doon.
  • “Therfor bihoveth him a ful long spoon
  • That shal ete with a feend,” thus herde I seye.
  • So atte laste he moste forth his weye,
  • And forth he fleeth, til he cam ther him leste. Skeat1900: 605
  • Whan it cam him to purpos for to reste,
  • I trowe he hadde thilke text in minde,
  • That “alle thing, repeiring to his kinde, Skeat1900: (600)
  • Gladeth him-self”; thus seyn men, as I gesse;
  • Men loven of propre kinde newfangelnesse, Skeat1900: 610
  • As briddes doon that men in cages fede.
  • For though thou night and day take of hem hede,
  • And strawe hir cage faire and softe as silk,
  • And yeve hem sugre, hony, breed and milk,
  • Yet right anon, as that his dore is uppe, Skeat1900: 615
  • He with his feet wol spurne adoun his cuppe,
  • And to the wode he wol and wormes ete;
  • So newefangel been they of hir mete, Skeat1900: (610)
  • And loven novelryes of propre kinde;
  • No gentillesse of blood [ne] may hem binde. Skeat1900: 620
  • So ferde this tercelet, allas the day!
  • Though he were gentil born, and fresh and gay,
  • And goodly for to seen, and humble and free,
  • He saugh up-on a tyme a kyte flee,
  • And sodeynly he loved this kyte so, Skeat1900: 625
  • That al his love is clene fro me ago,
  • And hath his trouthe falsed in this wyse;
  • Thus hath the kyte my love in hir servyse, Skeat1900: (620)
  • And I am lorn with-outen remedye!’
  • And with that word this faucon gan to crye, Skeat1900: 630
  • And swowned eft in Canaceės barme.
  • Greet was the sorwe, for the haukes harme,
  • That Canacee and alle hir wommen made;
  • They niste how they mighte the faucon glade.
  • But Canacee hom bereth hir in hir lappe, Skeat1900: 635
  • And softely in plastres gan hir wrappe,
  • Ther as she with hir beek had hurt hir-selve.
  • Now can nat Canacee but herbes delve Skeat1900: (630)
  • Out of the grounde, and make salves newe
  • Of herbes precious, and fyne of hewe, Skeat1900: 640
  • To helen with this hauk; fro day to night
  • She dooth hir bisinesse and al hir might.
  • And by hir beddes heed she made a mewe,
  • And covered it with veluėttes blewe,
  • In signe of trouthe that is in wommen sene. Skeat1900: 645
  • And al with-oute, the mewe is peynted grene,
  • In which were peynted alle thise false foules,
  • As beth thise tidifs, tercelets, and oules, Skeat1900: (640)
  • Right for despyt were peynted hem bisyde,
  • And pyes, on hem for to crye and chyde. Skeat1900: 650
  • Thus lete I Canacee hir hauk keping;
  • I wol na-more as now speke of hir ring,
  • Til it come eft to purpos for to seyn
  • How that this faucon gat hir love ageyn
  • Repentant, as the storie telleth us, Skeat1900: 655
  • By mediacioun of Cambalus,
  • The kinges sone, of whiche I yow tolde.
  • But hennes-forth I wol my proces holde Skeat1900: (650)
  • To speke of aventures and of batailles,
  • That never yet was herd so grete mervailles. Skeat1900: 660
  • First wol I telle yow of Cambynskan,
  • That in his tyme many a citee wan;
  • And after wol I speke of Algarsyf,
  • How that he wan Theodora to his wyf,
  • For whom ful ofte in greet peril he was, Skeat1900: 665
  • Ne hadde he ben holpen by the stede of bras;
  • And after wol I speke of Cambalo,
  • That faught in listes with the bretheren two Skeat1900: (660)
  • For Canacee, er that he mighte hir winne.
  • And ther I lefte I wol ageyn biginne. Skeat1900: 670