Tr 2 1 Owt of thise blake wawes for to saylle,
Tr 2 2 O wynd, o wynd, the weder gynneth clere;
Tr 2 3 For in this see the boot hath swych travaylle,
Tr 2 4 Of my connyng, that unneth I it steere.
Tr 2 5 This see clepe I the tempestous matere
Tr 2 6 Of disespeir that Troilus was inne;
Tr 2 7 But now of hope the kalendes bygynne.
Tr 2 8 O lady myn, that called art Cleo,
Tr 2 9 Thow be my speed fro this forth, and my Muse,
Tr 2 10 To ryme wel this book til I have do;
Tr 2 11 Me nedeth here noon other art to use.
Tr 2 12 Forwhi to every lovere I me excuse,
Tr 2 13 That of no sentement I this endite,
Tr 2 14 But out of Latyn in my tonge it write.
Tr 2 15 Wherfore I nyl have neither thank ne blame
Tr 2 16 Of al this werk, but prey yow mekely,
Tr 2 17 Disblameth me if any word be lame,
Tr 2 18 For as myn auctour seyde, so sey I.
Tr 2 19 Ek though I speeke of love unfelyngly,
Tr 2 20 No wondre is, for it nothyng of newe is.
Tr 2 21 A blynd man kan nat juggen wel in hewis.
Tr 2 22 Ye knowe ek that in forme of speche is chaunge
Tr 2 23 Withinne a thousand yeer, and wordes tho
Tr 2 24 That hadden pris, now wonder nyce and straunge
Tr 2 25 Us thinketh hem, and yet thei spake hem so,
Tr 2 26 And spedde as wel in love as men now do;
Tr 2 27 Ek for to wynnen love in sondry ages,
Tr 2 28 In sondry londes, sondry ben usages.
Tr 2 29 And forthi if it happe in any wyse,
Tr 2 30 That here be any lovere in this place
Tr 2 31 That herkneth, as the storie wol devise,
Tr 2 32 How Troilus com to his lady grace,
Tr 2 33 And thenketh, "So nold I nat love purchace,"
Tr 2 34 Or wondreth on his speche or his doynge,
Tr 2 35 I noot; but it is me no wonderynge.
Tr 2 36 For every wight which that to Rome went
Tr 2 37 Halt nat o path, or alwey o manere;
Tr 2 38 Ek in som lond were al the game shent,
Tr 2 39 If that they ferde in love as men don here,
Tr 2 40 As thus, in opyn doyng or in chere,
Tr 2 41 In visityng in forme, or seyde hire sawes;
Tr 2 42 Forthi men seyn, "Ecch contree hath his lawes."
Tr 2 43 Ek scarsly ben ther in this place thre
Tr 2 44 That have in love seid lik, and don, in al;
Tr 2 45 For to thi purpos this may liken the,
Tr 2 46 And the right nought; yet al is seid or schal;
Tr 2 47 Ek som men grave in tree, some in ston wal,
Tr 2 48 As it bitit. But syn I have bigonne,
Tr 2 49 Myn auctour shal I folwen, if I konne.
Tr 2 50 In May, that moder is of monthes glade,
Tr 2 51 That fresshe floures, blew and white and rede,
Tr 2 52 Ben quike agayn, that wynter dede made,
Tr 2 53 And ful of bawme is fletyng every mede,
Tr 2 54 Whan Phebus doth his bryghte bemes sprede
Tr 2 55 Right in the white Bole, it so bitidde,
Tr 2 56 As I shal synge, on Mayes day the thrydde,
Tr 2 57 That Pandarus, for al his wise speche,
Tr 2 58 Felt ek his part of loves shotes keene,
Tr 2 59 That, koude he nevere so wel of lovyng preche,
Tr 2 60 It made his hewe a-day ful ofte greene.
Tr 2 61 So shop it that hym fil that day a teene
Tr 2 62 In love, for which in wo to bedde he wente,
Tr 2 63 And made, er it was day, ful many a wente.
Tr 2 64 The swalowe Proigne, with a sorowful lay,
Tr 2 65 Whan morwen com, gan make hire waymentynge
Tr 2 66 Whi she forshapen was; and evere lay
Tr 2 67 Pandare abedde, half in a slomberynge,
Tr 2 68 Til she so neigh hym made hire cheterynge
Tr 2 69 How Tereus gan forth hire suster take,
Tr 2 70 That with the noyse of hire he gan awake,
Tr 2 71 And gan to calle, and dresse hym up to ryse,
Tr 2 72 Remembryng hym his erand was to doone
Tr 2 73 From Troilus, and ek his grete emprise;
Tr 2 74 And caste and knew in good plit was the moone
Tr 2 75 To doon viage, and took his way ful soone
Tr 2 76 Unto his neces palays ther biside.
Tr 2 77 Now Janus, god of entree, thow hym gyde!
Tr 2 78 Whan he was come unto his neces place,
Tr 2 79 "Wher is my lady?" to hire folk quod he;
Tr 2 80 And they hym tolde, and he forth in gan pace,
Tr 2 81 And fond two othere ladys sete and she,
Tr 2 82 Withinne a paved parlour, and they thre
Tr 2 83 Herden a mayden reden hem the geste
Tr 2 84 Of the siege of Thebes, while hem leste.
Tr 2 85 Quod Pandarus, "Madame, God yow see,
Tr 2 86 With youre book and all the compaignie!"
Tr 2 87 "Ey, uncle myn, welcome iwys," quod she;
Tr 2 88 And up she roos, and by the hond in hye
Tr 2 89 She took hym faste, and seyde, "This nyght thrie,
Tr 2 90 To goode mot it turne, of yow I mette."
Tr 2 91 And with that word she doun on bench hym sette.
Tr 2 92 "Ye, nece, yee shal faren wel the bet,
Tr 2 93 If God wol, al this yeer," quod Pandarus;
Tr 2 94 "But I am sory that I have yow let
Tr 2 95 To herken of youre book ye preysen thus.
Tr 2 96 For Goddes love, what seith it? telle it us!
Tr 2 97 Is it of love? O, som good ye me leere!"
Tr 2 98 "Uncle," quod she, "youre maistresse is nat here."
Tr 2 99 With that thei gonnen laughe, and tho she seyde,
Tr 2 100 "This romaunce is of Thebes that we rede;
Tr 2 101 And we han herd how that kyng Layus deyde
Tr 2 102 Thorugh Edippus his sone, and al that dede;
Tr 2 103 And here we stynten at thise lettres rede --
Tr 2 104 How the bisshop, as the book kan telle,
Tr 2 105 Amphiorax, fil thorugh the ground to helle."
Tr 2 106 Quod Pandarus, "Al this knowe I myselve,
Tr 2 107 And al th' assege of Thebes and the care;
Tr 2 108 For herof ben ther maked bookes twelve.
Tr 2 109 But lat be this, and telle me how ye fare.
Tr 2 110 Do wey youre barbe, and shew youre face bare;
Tr 2 111 Do wey youre book, rys up, and lat us daunce,
Tr 2 112 And lat us don to May som observaunce."
Tr 2 113 "I! God forbede!" quod she. "Be ye mad?
Tr 2 114 Is that a widewes lif, so God yow save?
Tr 2 115 By God, ye maken me ryght soore adrad!
Tr 2 116 Ye ben so wylde, it semeth as ye rave.
Tr 2 117 It satte me wel bet ay in a cave
Tr 2 118 To bidde and rede on holy seyntes lyves;
Tr 2 119 Lat maydens gon to daunce, and yonge wyves."
Tr 2 120 "As evere thrive I," quod this Pandarus,
Tr 2 121 "Yet koude I telle a thyng to doon yow pleye."
Tr 2 122 "Now, uncle deere," quod she, "telle it us
Tr 2 123 For Goddes love; is than th' assege aweye?
Tr 2 124 I am of Grekes so fered that I deye."
Tr 2 125 "Nay, nay," quod he, "as evere mote I thryve,
Tr 2 126 It is a thing wel bet than swyche fyve."
Tr 2 127 "Ye, holy God," quod she, "what thyng is that?
Tr 2 128 What! Bet than swyche fyve? I! Nay, ywys!
Tr 2 129 For al this world ne kan I reden what
Tr 2 130 It sholde ben; some jape I trowe is this;
Tr 2 131 And but youreselven telle us what it is,
Tr 2 132 My wit is for t' arede it al to leene.
Tr 2 133 As help me God, I not nat what ye meene."
Tr 2 134 "And I youre borugh, ne nevere shal, for me,
Tr 2 135 This thyng be told to yow, as mote I thryve!"
Tr 2 136 "And whi so, uncle myn? Whi so?" quod she.
Tr 2 137 "By God," quod he, "that wol I telle as blyve!
Tr 2 138 For proudder womman is ther noon on lyve,
Tr 2 139 And ye it wiste, in al the town of Troye.
Tr 2 140 I jape nought, as evere have I joye!"
Tr 2 141 Tho gan she wondren moore than biforn
Tr 2 142 A thousand fold, and down hire eyghen caste;
Tr 2 143 For nevere, sith the tyme that she was born,
Tr 2 144 To knowe thyng desired she so faste;
Tr 2 145 And with a syk she seyde hym atte laste,
Tr 2 146 "Now, uncle myn, I nyl yow nought displese,
Tr 2 147 Nor axen more that may do yow disese."
Tr 2 148 So after this, with many wordes glade,
Tr 2 149 And frendly tales, and with merie chiere,
Tr 2 150 Of this and that they pleide, and gonnen wade
Tr 2 151 In many an unkouth, glad, and dep matere,
Tr 2 152 As frendes doon whan thei ben mette yfere,
Tr 2 153 Tyl she gan axen hym how Ector ferde,
Tr 2 154 That was the townes wal and Grekes yerde.
Tr 2 155 "Ful wel, I thonk it God," quod Pandarus,
Tr 2 156 "Save in his arm he hath a litel wownde;
Tr 2 157 And ek his fresshe brother Troilus,
Tr 2 158 The wise, worthi Ector the secounde,
Tr 2 159 In whom that alle vertu list habounde,
Tr 2 160 As alle trouthe and alle gentilesse,
Tr 2 161 Wisdom, honour, fredom, and worthinesse."
Tr 2 162 "In good feith, em," quod she, "that liketh me
Tr 2 163 Thei faren wel; God save hem bothe two!
Tr 2 164 For trewelich I holde it gret deynte
Tr 2 165 A kynges sone in armes wel to do,
Tr 2 166 And ben of goode condiciouns therto;
Tr 2 167 For gret power and moral vertu here
Tr 2 168 Is selde yseyn in o persone yfeere."
Tr 2 169 "In good faith, that is soth," quod Pandarus.
Tr 2 170 "But, by my trouthe, the kyng hath sones tweye --
Tr 2 171 That is to mene, Ector and Troilus --
Tr 2 172 That certeynly, though that I sholde deye,
Tr 2 173 Thei ben as voide of vices, dar I seye,
Tr 2 174 As any men that lyven under the sonne:
Tr 2 175 Hire myght is wyde yknowe, and what they konne.
Tr 2 176 "Of Ector nedeth it namore for to telle:
Tr 2 177 In al this world ther nys a bettre knyght
Tr 2 178 Than he, that is of worthynesse welle;
Tr 2 179 And he wel moore vertu hath than myght;
Tr 2 180 This knoweth many a wis and worthi wight.
Tr 2 181 The same pris of Troilus I seye;
Tr 2 182 God help me so, I knowe nat swiche tweye."
Tr 2 183 "By God," quod she, "of Ector that is sooth.
Tr 2 184 Of Troilus the same thyng trowe I;
Tr 2 185 For, dredeles, men tellen that he doth
Tr 2 186 In armes day by day so worthily,
Tr 2 187 And bereth hym here at hom so gentily
Tr 2 188 To everi wight, that alle pris hath he
Tr 2 189 Of hem that me were levest preysed be."
Tr 2 190 "Ye sey right sooth, ywys," quod Pandarus;
Tr 2 191 "For yesterday, whoso had with hym ben,
Tr 2 192 He myghte han wondred upon Troilus;
Tr 2 193 For nevere yet so thikke a swarm of been
Tr 2 194 Ne fleigh, as Grekes for hym gonne fleen,
Tr 2 195 And thorugh the feld, in everi wightes eere,
Tr 2 196 Ther nas no cry but `Troilus is there!'
Tr 2 197 "Now here, now ther, he hunted hem so faste,
Tr 2 198 Ther nas but Grekes blood -- and Troilus.
Tr 2 199 Now hem he hurte, and hem al down he caste;
Tr 2 200 Ay wher he wente, it was arayed thus:
Tr 2 201 He was hire deth, and sheld and lif for us,
Tr 2 202 That, as that day, ther dorste non withstonde
Tr 2 203 Whil that he held his blody swerd in honde.
Tr 2 204 "Therto he is the frendlieste man
Tr 2 205 Of gret estat that evere I saugh my lyve;
Tr 2 206 And wher hym lest, best felawshipe kan
Tr 2 207 To swich as hym thynketh able for to thryve."
Tr 2 208 And with that word tho Pandarus, as blyve,
Tr 2 209 He took his leve, and seyde, "I wol gon henne."
Tr 2 210 "Nay, blame have I, myn uncle," quod she thenne.
Tr 2 211 "What aileth yow to be thus wery soone,
Tr 2 212 And namelich of wommen? Wol ye so?
Tr 2 213 Nay, sitteth down; by God, I have to doone
Tr 2 214 With yow, to speke of wisdom er ye go."
Tr 2 215 And everi wight that was aboute hem tho,
Tr 2 216 That herde that, gan fer awey to stonde,
Tr 2 217 Whil they two hadde al that hem liste in honde.
Tr 2 218 Whan that hire tale al brought was to an ende,
Tr 2 219 Of hire estat and of hire governaunce,
Tr 2 220 Quod Pandarus, "Now tyme is that I wende.
Tr 2 221 But yet, I say, ariseth, lat us daunce,
Tr 2 222 And cast youre widewes habit to mischaunce!
Tr 2 223 What list yow thus youreself to disfigure,
Tr 2 224 Sith yow is tid thus fair an aventure?"
Tr 2 225 "A, wel bithought! For love of God," quod she,
Tr 2 226 "Shal I nat witen what ye meene of this?"
Tr 2 227 "No, this thing axeth leyser," tho quod he,
Tr 2 228 "And eke me wolde muche greve, iwis,
Tr 2 229 If I it tolde and ye it toke amys.
Tr 2 230 Yet were it bet my tonge for to stille
Tr 2 231 Than seye a soth that were ayeyns youre wille.
Tr 2 232 "For, nece, by the goddesse Mynerve,
Tr 2 233 And Jupiter, that maketh the thondre rynge,
Tr 2 234 And by the blisful Venus that I serve,
Tr 2 235 Ye ben the womman in this world lyvynge --
Tr 2 236 Withouten paramours, to my wyttynge --
Tr 2 237 That I best love, and lothest am to greve;
Tr 2 238 And that ye weten wel youreself, I leve."
Tr 2 239 "Iwis, myn uncle," quod she, "grant mercy!
Tr 2 240 Youre frendshipe have I founden evere yit.
Tr 2 241 I am to no man holden, trewely,
Tr 2 242 So muche as yow, and have so litel quyt;
Tr 2 243 And with the grace of God, emforth my wit,
Tr 2 244 As in my gylt I shal yow nevere offende;
Tr 2 245 And if I have er this, I wol amende.
Tr 2 246 "But for the love of God I yow biseche,
Tr 2 247 As ye ben he that I love moost and triste,
Tr 2 248 Lat be to me youre fremde manere speche,
Tr 2 249 And sey to me, youre nece, what yow liste."
Tr 2 250 And with that word hire uncle anoon hire kiste,
Tr 2 251 And seyde, "Gladly, leve nece dere!
Tr 2 252 Tak it for good, that I shal sey yow here."
Tr 2 253 With that she gan hire eighen down to caste,
Tr 2 254 And Pandarus to coghe gan a lite,
Tr 2 255 And seyde, "Nece, alwey -- lo! -- to the laste,
Tr 2 256 How so it be that som men hem delite
Tr 2 257 With subtyl art hire tales for to endite,
Tr 2 258 Yet for al that, in hire entencioun
Tr 2 259 Hire tale is al for som conclusioun.
Tr 2 260 "And sithe th' ende is every tales strengthe,
Tr 2 261 And this matere is so bihovely,
Tr 2 262 What sholde I peynte or drawen it on lengthe
Tr 2 263 To yow, that ben my frend so feythfully?"
Tr 2 264 And with that word he gan right inwardly
Tr 2 265 Byholden hire and loken on hire face,
Tr 2 266 And seyde, "On swich a mirour goode grace!"
Tr 2 267 Than thought he thus: "If I my tale endite
Tr 2 268 Aught harde, or make a proces any whyle,
Tr 2 269 She shal no savour have therin but lite,
Tr 2 270 And trowe I wolde hire in my wil bigyle;
Tr 2 271 For tendre wittes wenen al be wyle
Tr 2 272 Theras thei kan nought pleynly understonde;
Tr 2 273 Forthi hire wit to serven wol I fonde" --
Tr 2 274 And loked on hire in a bysi wyse,
Tr 2 275 And she was war that he byheld hire so,
Tr 2 276 And seyde, "Lord! so faste ye m' avise!
Tr 2 277 Sey ye me nevere er now? What sey ye, no?"
Tr 2 278 "Yis, yys," quod he, "and bet wol er I go!
Tr 2 279 But be my trouthe, I thoughte now if ye
Tr 2 280 Be fortunat, for now men shal it se.
Tr 2 281 "For to every wight som goodly aventure
Tr 2 282 Som tyme is shape, if he it kan receyven;
Tr 2 283 But if he wol take of it no cure,
Tr 2 284 Whan that it commeth, but wilfully it weyven,
Tr 2 285 Lo, neyther cas ne fortune hym deceyven,
Tr 2 286 But ryght his verray slouthe and wrecchednesse;
Tr 2 287 And swich a wight is for to blame, I gesse.
Tr 2 288 "Good aventure, O beele nece, have ye
Tr 2 289 Ful lightly founden, and ye konne it take;
Tr 2 290 And for the love of God, and ek of me,
Tr 2 291 Cache it anon, lest aventure slake!
Tr 2 292 What sholde I lenger proces of it make?
Tr 2 293 Yif me youre hond, for in this world is noon --
Tr 2 294 If that yow list -- a wight so wel bygon.
Tr 2 295 "And sith I speke of good entencioun,
Tr 2 296 As I to yow have told wel herebyforn,
Tr 2 297 And love as wel youre honour and renoun
Tr 2 298 As creature in al this world yborn,
Tr 2 299 By alle the othes that I have yow sworn,
Tr 2 300 And ye be wrooth therfore, or wene I lye,
Tr 2 301 Ne shal I nevere sen yow eft with ye.
Tr 2 302 "Beth naught agast, ne quaketh naught! Wherto?
Tr 2 303 Ne chaungeth naught for fere so youre hewe!
Tr 2 304 For hardely the werst of this is do;
Tr 2 305 And though my tale as now be to yow newe,
Tr 2 306 Yet trist alwey ye shal me fynde trewe;
Tr 2 307 And were it thyng that me thoughte unsittynge,
Tr 2 308 To yow wolde I no swiche tales brynge."
Tr 2 309 "Now, good em, for Goddes love, I preye,"
Tr 2 310 Quod she, "come of, and telle me what it is.
Tr 2 311 For both I am agast what ye wol seye,
Tr 2 312 And ek me longeth it to wite, ywis;
Tr 2 313 For whethir it be wel or be amys,
Tr 2 314 Say on, lat me nat in this feere dwelle."
Tr 2 315 "So wol I doon; now herkeneth! I shall telle:
Tr 2 316 "Now, nece myn, the kynges deere sone,
Tr 2 317 The goode, wise, worthi, fresshe, and free,
Tr 2 318 Which alwey for to don wel is his wone,
Tr 2 319 The noble Troilus, so loveth the,
Tr 2 320 That, but ye helpe, it wol his bane be.
Tr 2 321 Lo, here is al! What sholde I moore seye?
Tr 2 322 Doth what yow lest to make hym lyve or deye.
Tr 2 323 "But if ye late hym deyen, I wol sterve --
Tr 2 324 Have here my trouthe, nece, I nyl nat lyen --
Tr 2 325 Al sholde I with this knyf my throte kerve."
Tr 2 326 With that the teris breste out of his yen,
Tr 2 327 And seide, "If that ye don us bothe dyen
Tr 2 328 Thus gilteles, than have ye fisshed fayre!
Tr 2 329 What mende ye, though that we booth appaire?
Tr 2 330 "Allas, he which that is my lord so deere,
Tr 2 331 That trewe man, that noble gentil knyght,
Tr 2 332 That naught desireth but youre frendly cheere,
Tr 2 333 I se hym dyen, ther he goth upryght,
Tr 2 334 And hasteth hym with al his fulle myght
Tr 2 335 For to ben slayn, if his fortune assente.
Tr 2 336 Allas, that God yow swich a beaute sente!
Tr 2 337 "If it be so that ye so cruel be
Tr 2 338 That of his deth yow liste nought to recche,
Tr 2 339 That is so trewe and worthi, as ye se,
Tr 2 340 Namoore than of a japer or a wrecche --
Tr 2 341 If ye be swich, youre beaute may nat strecche
Tr 2 342 To make amendes of so cruel a dede;
Tr 2 343 Avysement is good byfore the nede.
Tr 2 344 "Wo worth the faire gemme vertulees!
Tr 2 345 Wo worth that herbe also that dooth no boote!
Tr 2 346 Wo worth that beaute that is routheles!
Tr 2 347 Wo worth that wight that tret ech undir foote!
Tr 2 348 And ye, that ben of beaute crop and roote,
Tr 2 349 If therwithal in yow ther be no routhe,
Tr 2 350 Than is it harm ye lyven, by my trouthe!
Tr 2 351 "And also think wel that this is no gaude;
Tr 2 352 For me were levere thow and I and he
Tr 2 353 Were hanged, than I sholde ben his baude,
Tr 2 354 As heigh as men myghte on us alle ysee!
Tr 2 355 I am thyn em; the shame were to me,
Tr 2 356 As wel as the, if that I sholde assente
Tr 2 357 Thorugh myn abet that he thyn honour shente.
Tr 2 358 "Now understond, for I yow nought requere
Tr 2 359 To bynde yow to hym thorugh no byheste,
Tr 2 360 But only that ye make hym bettre chiere
Tr 2 361 Than ye han doon er this, and moore feste,
Tr 2 362 So that his lif be saved atte leeste;
Tr 2 363 This al and som, and pleynly, oure entente.
Tr 2 364 God help me so, I nevere other mente!
Tr 2 365 "Lo, this requeste is naught but skylle, ywys,
Tr 2 366 Ne doute of resoun, pardee, is ther noon.
Tr 2 367 I sette the worste, that ye dreden this:
Tr 2 368 Men wolde wondren sen hym come or goon.
Tr 2 369 Ther-ayeins answere I thus anoon,
Tr 2 370 That every wight, but he be fool of kynde,
Tr 2 371 Wol deme it love of frendshipe in his mynde.
Tr 2 372 "What, who wol demen, though he se a man
Tr 2 373 To temple go, that he th' ymages eteth.
Tr 2 374 Thenk ek how wel and wisely that he kan
Tr 2 375 Governe hymself, that he no thyng foryeteth,
Tr 2 376 That where he cometh he pris and thank hym geteth.
Tr 2 377 And ek therto, he shal come here so selde,
Tr 2 378 What fors were it though al the town byhelde?
Tr 2 379 "Swych love of frendes regneth al this town;
Tr 2 380 And wre yow in that mantel evere moo,
Tr 2 381 And God so wys be my savacioun,
Tr 2 382 As I have seyd, youre beste is to do soo.
Tr 2 383 But alwey, goode nece, to stynte his woo,
Tr 2 384 So lat youre daunger sucred ben a lite,
Tr 2 385 That of his deth ye be naught for to wite."
Tr 2 386 Criseyde, which that herde hym in this wise,
Tr 2 387 Thoughte, "I shal felen what he meneth, ywis."
Tr 2 388 "Now em," quod she, "what wolde ye devise?
Tr 2 389 What is youre reed I sholde don of this?"
Tr 2 390 "That is wel seyd," quod he. "Certein, best is
Tr 2 391 That ye hym love ayeyn for his lovynge,
Tr 2 392 As love for love is skilful guerdonynge.
Tr 2 393 "Thenk ek how elde wasteth every houre
Tr 2 394 In ech of yow a partie of beautee;
Tr 2 395 And therfore er that age the devoure,
Tr 2 396 Go love; for old, ther wol no wight of the.
Tr 2 397 Lat this proverbe a loore unto yow be:
Tr 2 398 To late ywar, quod Beaute, whan it paste;
Tr 2 399 And Elde daunteth Daunger at the laste.
Tr 2 400 "The kynges fool is wont to crien loude,
Tr 2 401 Whan that hym thinketh a womman berth hire hye,
Tr 2 402 `So longe mote ye lyve, and alle proude,
Tr 2 403 Til crowes feet be growe under youre ye,
Tr 2 404 And sende yow than a myrour in to prye,
Tr 2 405 In which that ye may se youre face a morwe!'
Tr 2 406 I bidde wisshe yow namore sorwe."
Tr 2 407 With this he stynte, and caste adown the heed,
Tr 2 408 And she began to breste a-wepe anoon,
Tr 2 409 And seyde, "Allas, for wo! Why nere I deed?
Tr 2 410 For of this world the feyth is al agoon.
Tr 2 411 Allas, what sholden straunge to me doon,
Tr 2 412 Whan he that for my beste frend I wende
Tr 2 413 Ret me to love, and sholde it me defende?
Tr 2 414 "Allas! I wolde han trusted, douteles,
Tr 2 415 That if that I, thorugh my dysaventure,
Tr 2 416 Hadde loved outher hym or Achilles,
Tr 2 417 Ector, or any mannes creature,
Tr 2 418 Ye nolde han had no mercy ne mesure
Tr 2 419 On me, but alwey had me in repreve.
Tr 2 420 This false world -- allas! -- who may it leve?
Tr 2 421 "What, is this al the joye and al the feste?
Tr 2 422 Is this youre reed? Is this my blisful cas?
Tr 2 423 Is this the verray mede of youre byheeste?
Tr 2 424 Is al this paynted proces seyd -- allas! --
Tr 2 425 Right for this fyn? O lady myn, Pallas!
Tr 2 426 Thow in this dredful cas for me purveye,
Tr 2 427 For so astoned am I that I deye."
Tr 2 428 Wyth that she gan ful sorwfully to syke.
Tr 2 429 "A, may it be no bet?" quod Pandarus;
Tr 2 430 "By God, I shal namore come here this wyke,
Tr 2 431 And God toforn, that am mystrusted thus!
Tr 2 432 I se wel that ye sette lite of us,
Tr 2 433 Or of oure deth! Allas, I woful wrecche!
Tr 2 434 Might he yet lyve, of me is nought to recche.
Tr 2 435 "O cruel god, O dispitouse Marte,
Tr 2 436 O Furies thre of helle, on yow I crye!
Tr 2 437 So lat me nevere out of this hous departe,
Tr 2 438 If I mente harm or vilenye!
Tr 2 439 But sith I se my lord mot nedes dye,
Tr 2 440 And I with hym, here I me shryve, and seye
Tr 2 441 That wikkedly ye don us bothe deye.
Tr 2 442 "But sith it liketh yow that I be ded,
Tr 2 443 By Neptunus, that god is of the see,
Tr 2 444 Fro this forth shal I nevere eten bred
Tr 2 445 Til I myn owen herte blood may see;
Tr 2 446 For certeyn I wol deye as soone as he."
Tr 2 447 And up he sterte, and on his wey he raughte,
Tr 2 448 Tyl she agayn hym by the lappe kaughte.
Tr 2 449 Criseyde, which that wel neigh starf for feere,
Tr 2 450 So as she was the ferfulleste wight
Tr 2 451 That myghte be, and herde ek with hire ere
Tr 2 452 And saugh the sorwful ernest of the knyght,
Tr 2 453 And in his preier ek saugh noon unryght,
Tr 2 454 And for the harm that myghte ek fallen moore,
Tr 2 455 She gan to rewe and dredde hire wonder soore,
Tr 2 456 And thoughte thus: "Unhappes fallen thikke
Tr 2 457 Alday for love, and in swych manere cas
Tr 2 458 As men ben cruel in hemself and wikke;
Tr 2 459 And if this man sle here hymself -- allas! --
Tr 2 460 In my presence, it wol be no solas.
Tr 2 461 What men wolde of hit deme I kan nat seye;
Tr 2 462 It nedeth me ful sleighly for to pleie."
Tr 2 463 And with a sorowful sik she sayde thrie,
Tr 2 464 "A, Lord! What me is tid a sory chaunce!
Tr 2 465 For myn estat lith in a jupartie,
Tr 2 466 And ek myn emes lif is in balaunce;
Tr 2 467 But natheles, with Goddes governaunce,
Tr 2 468 I shal so doon, myn honour shal I kepe,
Tr 2 469 And ek his lif" -- and stynte for to wepe.
Tr 2 470 "Of harmes two, the lesse is for to chese;
Tr 2 471 Yet have I levere maken hym good chere
Tr 2 472 In honour, than myn emes lyf to lese.
Tr 2 473 Ye seyn, ye nothyng elles me requere?"
Tr 2 474 "No, wis," quod he, "myn owen nece dere."
Tr 2 475 "Now wel," quod she, "and I wol doon my peyne;
Tr 2 476 I shal myn herte ayeins my lust constreyne.
Tr 2 477 "But that I nyl nat holden hym in honde,
Tr 2 478 Ne love a man ne kan I naught ne may
Tr 2 479 Ayeins my wyl, but elles wol I fonde,
Tr 2 480 Myn honour sauf, plese hym fro day to day.
Tr 2 481 Therto nolde I nat ones han seyd nay,
Tr 2 482 But that I drede, as in my fantasye;
Tr 2 483 But cesse cause, ay cesseth maladie.
Tr 2 484 "And here I make a protestacioun
Tr 2 485 That in this proces if ye depper go,
Tr 2 486 That certeynly, for no salvacioun
Tr 2 487 Of yow, though that ye sterven bothe two,
Tr 2 488 Though al the world on o day be my fo,
Tr 2 489 Ne shal I nevere of hym han other routhe."
Tr 2 490 "I graunte wel," quod Pandare, "by my trowthe.
Tr 2 491 "But may I truste wel to yow," quod he,
Tr 2 492 "That of this thyng that ye han hight me here,
Tr 2 493 Ye wole it holden trewely unto me?"
Tr 2 494 "Ye, doutelees," quod she, "myn uncle deere."
Tr 2 495 "Ne that I shal han cause in this matere,"
Tr 2 496 Quod he, "to pleyne, or ofter yow to preche?"
Tr 2 497 "Why, no, parde; what nedeth moore speche?"
Tr 2 498 Tho fellen they in other tales glade,
Tr 2 499 Tyl at the laste, "O good em," quod she tho,
Tr 2 500 "For his love, that us bothe made,
Tr 2 501 Tel me how first ye wisten of his wo.
Tr 2 502 Woot noon of it but ye?" He seyde, "No."
Tr 2 503 "Kan he wel speke of love?" quod she; "I preye
Tr 2 504 Tel me, for I the bet me shal purveye."
Tr 2 505 Tho Pandarus a litel gan to smyle,
Tr 2 506 And seyde, "By my trouthe, I shal yow telle.
Tr 2 507 This other day, naught gon ful longe while,
Tr 2 508 In-with the paleis gardyn, by a welle,
Tr 2 509 Gan he and I wel half a day to dwelle,
Tr 2 510 Right for to speken of an ordinaunce,
Tr 2 511 How we the Grekes myghten disavaunce.
Tr 2 512 "Soon after that bigonne we to lepe,
Tr 2 513 And casten with oure dartes to and fro,
Tr 2 514 Tyl at the laste he seyde he wolde slepe,
Tr 2 515 And on the gres adoun he leyde hym tho;
Tr 2 516 And I afer gan romen to and fro,
Tr 2 517 Til that I herde, as that I welk alone,
Tr 2 518 How he bigan ful wofully to grone.
Tr 2 519 "Tho gan I stalke hym softely byhynde,
Tr 2 520 And sikirly, the soothe for to seyne,
Tr 2 521 As I kan clepe ayein now to my mynde,
Tr 2 522 Right thus to Love he gan hym for to pleyne:
Tr 2 523 He seyde, `Lord, have routhe upon my peyne,
Tr 2 524 Al have I ben rebell in myn entente;
Tr 2 525 Now, mea culpa, lord, I me repente!
Tr 2 526 "`O god, that at thi disposicioun
Tr 2 527 Ledest the fyn by juste purveiaunce
Tr 2 528 Of every wight, my lowe confessioun
Tr 2 529 Accepte in gree, and sende me swich penaunce
Tr 2 530 As liketh the, but from disesperaunce,
Tr 2 531 That may my goost departe awey fro the,
Tr 2 532 Thow be my sheld, for thi benignite.
Tr 2 533 "`For certes, lord, so soore hath she me wounded,
Tr 2 534 That stood in blak, with lokyng of hire eyen,
Tr 2 535 That to myn hertes botme it is ysounded,
Tr 2 536 Thorugh which I woot that I moot nedes deyen.
Tr 2 537 This is the werste, I dar me nat bywreyen;
Tr 2 538 And wel the hotter ben the gledes rede,
Tr 2 539 That men hem wrien with asshen pale and dede.'
Tr 2 540 "Wyth that he smot his hed adown anon,
Tr 2 541 And gan to motre, I noot what, trewely.
Tr 2 542 And I with that gan stille awey to goon,
Tr 2 543 And leet therof as nothing wist had I,
Tr 2 544 And com ayein anon, and stood hym by,
Tr 2 545 And seyde, `Awake, ye slepen al to longe!
Tr 2 546 It semeth nat that love doth yow longe,
Tr 2 547 "`That slepen so that no man may yow wake.
Tr 2 548 Who sey evere or this so dul a man?'
Tr 2 549 `Ye, frend,' quod he, `do ye youre hedes ake
Tr 2 550 For love, and lat me lyven as I kan.'
Tr 2 551 But though that he for wo was pale and wan,
Tr 2 552 Yet made he tho as fresshe a countenaunce
Tr 2 553 As though he sholde have led the newe daunce.
Tr 2 554 "This passed forth til now, this other day,
Tr 2 555 It fel that I com romyng al allone
Tr 2 556 Into his chaumbre, and fond how that he lay
Tr 2 557 Upon his bed; but man so soore grone
Tr 2 558 Ne herde I nevere, and what that was his mone
Tr 2 559 Ne wist I nought; for, as I was comynge,
Tr 2 560 Al sodeynly he lefte his complaynynge.
Tr 2 561 "Of which I took somwat suspecioun,
Tr 2 562 And ner I com, and fond he wepte soore;
Tr 2 563 And God so wys be my savacioun,
Tr 2 564 As nevere of thyng hadde I no routhe moore;
Tr 2 565 For neither with engyn, ne with no loore,
Tr 2 566 Unnethes myghte I fro the deth hym kepe,
Tr 2 567 That yet fele I myn herte for hym wepe.
Tr 2 568 "And God woot, nevere sith that I was born
Tr 2 569 Was I so besy no man for to preche,
Tr 2 570 Ne nevere was to wight so depe isworn,
Tr 2 571 Or he me told who myghte ben his leche.
Tr 2 572 But now to yow rehercen al his speche,
Tr 2 573 Or alle his woful wordes for to sowne,
Tr 2 574 Ne bid me naught, but ye wol se me swowne.
Tr 2 575 "But for to save his lif, and elles nought,
Tr 2 576 And to noon harm of yow, thus am I dryven;
Tr 2 577 And for the love of God, that us hath wrought,
Tr 2 578 Swich cheer hym dooth that he and I may lyven!
Tr 2 579 Now have I plat to yow myn herte shryven,
Tr 2 580 And sith ye woot that myn entent is cleene,
Tr 2 581 Take heede therof, for I non yvel meene.
Tr 2 582 "And right good thrift, I prey to God, have ye,
Tr 2 583 That han swich oon ykaught withouten net!
Tr 2 584 And be ye wis as ye be fair to see,
Tr 2 585 Wel in the ryng than is the ruby set.
Tr 2 586 Ther were nevere two so wel ymet,
Tr 2 587 Whan ye ben his al hool as he is youre;
Tr 2 588 Ther myghty God graunte us see that houre!"
Tr 2 589 "Nay, therof spak I nought, ha, ha!" quod she;
Tr 2 590 "As helpe me God, ye shenden every deel!"
Tr 2 591 "O, mercy, dere nece," anon quod he,
Tr 2 592 "What so I spak, I mente naught but wel,
Tr 2 593 By Mars, the god that helmed is of steel!
Tr 2 594 Now beth naught wroth, my blood, my nece dere."
Tr 2 595 "Now wel," quod she, "foryeven be it here!"
Tr 2 596 With this he took his leve, and hom he wente;
Tr 2 597 And, Lord, he was glad and wel bygon!
Tr 2 598 Criseyde aros, no lenger she ne stente,
Tr 2 599 But streght into hire closet wente anon,
Tr 2 600 And set hire doun as stylle as any ston,
Tr 2 601 And every word gan up and down to wynde
Tr 2 602 That he had seyd, as it com hire to mynde,
Tr 2 603 And wex somdel astoned in hire thought
Tr 2 604 Right for the newe cas; but whan that she
Tr 2 605 Was ful avysed, tho fond she right nought
Tr 2 606 Of peril why she ought afered be.
Tr 2 607 For man may love, of possibilite,
Tr 2 608 A womman so, his herte may tobreste,
Tr 2 609 And she naught love ayein, but if hire leste.
Tr 2 610 But as she sat allone and thoughte thus,
Tr 2 611 Ascry aros at scarmuch al withoute,
Tr 2 612 And men criden in the strete, "Se, Troilus
Tr 2 613 Hath right now put to flighte the Grekes route!"
Tr 2 614 With that gan al hire meyne for to shoute,
Tr 2 615 "A, go we se! Cast up the yates wyde!
Tr 2 616 For thorwgh this strete he moot to paleys ride;
Tr 2 617 "For other wey is to the yate noon
Tr 2 618 Of Dardanus, there opyn is the cheyne."
Tr 2 619 With that com he and al his folk anoon
Tr 2 620 An esy pas rydyng, in routes tweyne,
Tr 2 621 Right as his happy day was, sooth to seyne,
Tr 2 622 For which, men seyn, may nought destourbed be
Tr 2 623 That shal bityden of necessitee.
Tr 2 624 This Troilus sat on his baye steede
Tr 2 625 Al armed, save his hed, ful richely;
Tr 2 626 And wownded was his hors, and gan to blede,
Tr 2 627 On which he rood a pas ful softely.
Tr 2 628 But swich a knyghtly sighte trewely
Tr 2 629 As was on hym, was nought, withouten faille,
Tr 2 630 To loke on Mars, that god is of bataille.
Tr 2 631 So lik a man of armes and a knyght
Tr 2 632 He was to seen, fulfilled of heigh prowesse,
Tr 2 633 For bothe he hadde a body and a myght
Tr 2 634 To don that thing, as wel as hardynesse;
Tr 2 635 And ek to seen hym in his gere hym dresse,
Tr 2 636 So fressh, so yong, so weldy semed he,
Tr 2 637 It was an heven upon hym for to see.
Tr 2 638 His helm tohewen was in twenty places,
Tr 2 639 That by a tyssew heng his bak byhynde;
Tr 2 640 His sheeld todasshed was with swerdes and maces,
Tr 2 641 In which men myghte many an arwe fynde
Tr 2 642 That thirled hadde horn and nerf and rynde;
Tr 2 643 And ay the peple cryde, "Here cometh oure joye,
Tr 2 644 And, next his brother, holder up of Troye!"
Tr 2 645 For which he wex a litel reed for shame
Tr 2 646 When he the peple upon hym herde cryen,
Tr 2 647 That to byholde it was a noble game
Tr 2 648 How sobrelich he caste down his yen.
Tr 2 649 Criseyda gan al his chere aspien,
Tr 2 650 And leet it so softe in hire herte synke,
Tr 2 651 That to hireself she seyde, "Who yaf me drynke?"
Tr 2 652 For of hire owen thought she wex al reed,
Tr 2 653 Remembryng hire right thus, "Lo, this is he
Tr 2 654 Which that myn uncle swerith he moot be deed,
Tr 2 655 But I on hym have mercy and pitee."
Tr 2 656 And with that thought, for pure ashamed, she
Tr 2 657 Gan in hire hed to pulle, and that as faste,
Tr 2 658 Whil he and alle the peple forby paste,
Tr 2 659 And gan to caste and rollen up and down
Tr 2 660 Withinne hire thought his excellent prowesse,
Tr 2 661 And his estat, and also his renown,
Tr 2 662 His wit, his shap, and ek his gentilesse;
Tr 2 663 But moost hire favour was, for his distresse
Tr 2 664 Was al for hire, and thoughte it was a routhe
Tr 2 665 To sleen swich oon, if that he mente trouthe.
Tr 2 666 Now myghte som envious jangle thus:
Tr 2 667 "This was a sodeyn love; how myght it be
Tr 2 668 That she so lightly loved Troilus
Tr 2 669 Right for the firste syghte, ye, parde?"
Tr 2 670 Now whoso seith so, mote he nevere ythe!
Tr 2 671 For every thing a gynnyng hath it nede
Tr 2 672 Er al be wrought, withowten any drede.
Tr 2 673 For I sey nought that she so sodeynly
Tr 2 674 Yaf hym hire love, but that she gan enclyne
Tr 2 675 To like hym first, and I have told yow whi;
Tr 2 676 And after that, his manhod and his pyne
Tr 2 677 Made love withinne hire for to myne,
Tr 2 678 For which by proces and by good servyse
Tr 2 679 He gat hire love, and in no sodeyn wyse.
Tr 2 680 And also blisful Venus, wel arrayed,
Tr 2 681 Sat in hire seventhe hous of hevene tho,
Tr 2 682 Disposed wel, and with aspectes payed,
Tr 2 683 To helpe sely Troilus of his woo.
Tr 2 684 And soth to seyne, she nas not al a foo
Tr 2 685 To Troilus in his nativitee;
Tr 2 686 God woot that wel the sonner spedde he.
Tr 2 687 Now lat us stynte of Troilus a throwe,
Tr 2 688 That rideth forth, and lat us torne faste
Tr 2 689 Unto Criseyde, that heng hire hed ful lowe
Tr 2 690 Ther as she sat allone, and gan to caste
Tr 2 691 Where on she wolde apoynte hire atte laste,
Tr 2 692 If it so were hire em ne wolde cesse
Tr 2 693 For Troilus upon hire for to presse.
Tr 2 694 And, Lord! So she gan in hire thought argue
Tr 2 695 In this matere of which I have yow told,
Tr 2 696 And what to doone best were, and what eschue,
Tr 2 697 That plited she ful ofte in many fold.
Tr 2 698 Now was hire herte warm, now was it cold;
Tr 2 699 And what she thoughte somwhat shal I write,
Tr 2 700 As to myn auctour listeth for t' endite.
Tr 2 701 She thoughte wel that Troilus persone
Tr 2 702 She knew by syghte, and ek his gentilesse,
Tr 2 703 And thus she seyde, "Al were it nat to doone
Tr 2 704 To graunte hym love, yet for his worthynesse
Tr 2 705 It were honour with pley and with gladnesse
Tr 2 706 In honestee with swich a lord to deele,
Tr 2 707 For myn estat, and also for his heele.
Tr 2 708 "Ek wel woot I my kynges sone is he,
Tr 2 709 And sith he hath to se me swich delit,
Tr 2 710 If I wolde outreliche his sighte flee,
Tr 2 711 Peraunter he myghte have me in dispit,
Tr 2 712 Thorugh whicch I myghte stonde in worse plit.
Tr 2 713 Now were I wis, me hate to purchace,
Tr 2 714 Withouten need, ther I may stonde in grace?
Tr 2 715 "In every thyng, I woot, ther lith mesure;
Tr 2 716 For though a man forbede dronkenesse,
Tr 2 717 He naught forbet that every creature
Tr 2 718 Be drynkeles for alwey, as I gesse.
Tr 2 719 Ek sith I woot for me is his destresse,
Tr 2 720 I ne aughte nat for that thing hym despise,
Tr 2 721 Sith it is so he meneth in good wyse.
Tr 2 722 "And ek I knowe of longe tyme agon
Tr 2 723 His thewes goode, and that he is nat nyce;
Tr 2 724 N' avantour, seith men, certein, he is noon;
Tr 2 725 To wis is he to doon so gret a vice;
Tr 2 726 Ne als I nyl hym nevere so cherice
Tr 2 727 That he may make avaunt, by juste cause,
Tr 2 728 He shal me nevere bynde in swich a clause.
Tr 2 729 "Now sette a caas: the hardest is, ywys,
Tr 2 730 Men myghten demen that he loveth me.
Tr 2 731 What dishonour were it unto me, this?
Tr 2 732 May ich hym lette of that? Why, nay, parde!
Tr 2 733 I knowe also, and alday heere and se,
Tr 2 734 Men loven wommen al biside hire leve,
Tr 2 735 And whan hem leste namore, lat hem byleve!
Tr 2 736 "I thenke ek how he able is for to have
Tr 2 737 Of al this noble town the thriftieste
Tr 2 738 To ben his love, so she hire honour save.
Tr 2 739 For out and out he is the worthieste,
Tr 2 740 Save only Ector, which that is the beste;
Tr 2 741 And yet his lif al lith now in my cure.
Tr 2 742 But swich is love, and ek myn aventure.
Tr 2 743 "Ne me to love, a wonder is it nought;
Tr 2 744 For wel woot I myself, so God me spede --
Tr 2 745 Al wolde I that noon wiste of this thought --
Tr 2 746 I am oon the faireste, out of drede,
Tr 2 747 And goodlieste, who that taketh hede,
Tr 2 748 And so men seyn, in al the town of Troie.
Tr 2 749 What wonder is though he of me have joye?
Tr 2 750 "I am myn owene womman, wel at ese --
Tr 2 751 I thank it God -- as after myn estat,
Tr 2 752 Right yong, and stonde unteyd in lusty leese,
Tr 2 753 Withouten jalousie or swich debat:
Tr 2 754 Shal noon housbonde seyn to me `Chek mat!'
Tr 2 755 For either they ben ful of jalousie,
Tr 2 756 Or maisterfull, or loven novelrie.
Tr 2 757 "What shal I doon? To what fyn lyve I thus?
Tr 2 758 Shal I nat love, in cas if that me leste?
Tr 2 759 What, pardieux! I am naught religious.
Tr 2 760 And though that I myn herte sette at reste
Tr 2 761 Upon this knyght, that is the worthieste,
Tr 2 762 And kepe alwey myn honour and my name,
Tr 2 763 By alle right, it may do me no shame."
Tr 2 764 But right as when the sonne shyneth brighte
Tr 2 765 In March, that chaungeth ofte tyme his face,
Tr 2 766 And that a cloude is put with wynd to flighte,
Tr 2 767 Which oversprat the sonne as for a space,
Tr 2 768 A cloudy thought gan thorugh hire soule pace,
Tr 2 769 That overspradde hire brighte thoughtes alle,
Tr 2 770 So that for feere almost she gan to falle.
Tr 2 771 That thought was this: "Allas! Syn I am free,
Tr 2 772 Sholde I now love, and put in jupartie
Tr 2 773 My sikernesse, and thrallen libertee?
Tr 2 774 Allas, how dorst I thenken that folie?
Tr 2 775 May I naught wel in other folk aspie
Tr 2 776 Hire dredfull joye, hire constreinte, and hire peyne?
Tr 2 777 Ther loveth noon, that she nath why to pleyne.
Tr 2 778 "For love is yet the mooste stormy lyf,
Tr 2 779 Right of hymself, that evere was bigonne;
Tr 2 780 For evere som mystrust or nice strif
Tr 2 781 Ther is in love, som cloude is over that sonne.
Tr 2 782 Therto we wrecched wommen nothing konne,
Tr 2 783 Whan us is wo, but wepe and sitte and thinke;
Tr 2 784 Oure wrecche is this, oure owen wo to drynke.
Tr 2 785 "Also thise wikked tonges ben so prest
Tr 2 786 To speke us harm; ek men ben so untrewe,
Tr 2 787 That right anon as cessed is hire lest,
Tr 2 788 So cesseth love, and forth to love a newe.
Tr 2 789 But harm ydoon is doon, whoso it rewe:
Tr 2 790 For though thise men for love hem first torende,
Tr 2 791 Ful sharp bygynnyng breketh ofte at ende.
Tr 2 792 "How ofte tyme hath it yknowen be
Tr 2 793 The tresoun that to wommen hath ben do!
Tr 2 794 To what fyn is swich love I kan nat see,
Tr 2 795 Or wher bycometh it, whan that it is ago.
Tr 2 796 Ther is no wight that woot, I trowe so,
Tr 2 797 Where it bycometh. Lo, no wight on it sporneth.
Tr 2 798 That erst was nothing, into nought it torneth.
Tr 2 799 "How bisy, if I love, ek most I be
Tr 2 800 To plesen hem that jangle of love, and dremen,
Tr 2 801 And coye hem, that they seye noon harm of me!
Tr 2 802 For though ther be no cause, yet hem semen
Tr 2 803 Al be for harm that folk hire frendes quemen;
Tr 2 804 And who may stoppen every wikked tonge,
Tr 2 805 Or sown of belles whil that thei ben ronge?"
Tr 2 806 And after that, hire thought gan for to clere,
Tr 2 807 And seide, "He which that nothing undertaketh,
Tr 2 808 Nothyng n' acheveth, be hym looth or deere."
Tr 2 809 And with an other thought hire herte quaketh.
Tr 2 810 Than slepeth hope, and after drede awaketh.
Tr 2 811 Now hoot, now cold; but thus, bitwixen tweye,
Tr 2 812 She rist hire up, and went hire for to pleye.
Tr 2 813 Adown the steyre anonright tho she wente
Tr 2 814 Into the gardyn with hire neces thre,
Tr 2 815 And up and down ther made many a wente --
Tr 2 816 Flexippe, she, Tharbe, and Antigone --
Tr 2 817 To pleyen that it joye was to see;
Tr 2 818 And other of hire wommen, a gret route,
Tr 2 819 Hire folowede in the gardyn al aboute.
Tr 2 820 This yerd was large, and rayled alle th' aleyes,
Tr 2 821 And shadewed wel with blosmy bowes grene,
Tr 2 822 And benched newe, and sonded alle the weyes,
Tr 2 823 In which she walketh arm in arm bitwene,
Tr 2 824 Til at the laste Antigone the shene
Tr 2 825 Gan on a Troian song to singen cleere,
Tr 2 826 That it an heven was hire vois to here.
Tr 2 827 She seyde, "O Love, to whom I have and shal
Tr 2 828 Ben humble subgit, trewe in myn entente,
Tr 2 829 As I best kan, to yow, lord, yeve ich al
Tr 2 830 For everemo myn hertes lust to rente;
Tr 2 831 For nevere yet thi grace no wight sente
Tr 2 832 So blisful cause as me, my lif to lede
Tr 2 833 In alle joie and seurte out of drede.
Tr 2 834 "Ye, blisful god, han me so wel byset
Tr 2 835 In love, iwys, that al that bereth lif
Tr 2 836 Ymagynen ne kouth. how to be bet;
Tr 2 837 For, lord, withouten jalousie or strif,
Tr 2 838 I love oon which is moost ententif
Tr 2 839 To serven wel, unweri or unfeyned,
Tr 2 840 That evere was, and leest with harm desteyned.
Tr 2 841 "As he that is the welle of worthynesse,
Tr 2 842 Of trouthe grownd, mirour of goodlihed,
Tr 2 843 Of wit Apollo, stoon of sikernesse,
Tr 2 844 Of vertu roote, of lust fynder and hed,
Tr 2 845 Thorugh which is alle sorwe fro me ded --
Tr 2 846 Iwis, I love hym best, so doth he me;
Tr 2 847 Now good thrift have he, wherso that he be!
Tr 2 848 "Whom shulde I thanken but yow, god of Love,
Tr 2 849 Of al this blisse, in which to bathe I gynne?
Tr 2 850 And thanked be ye, lord, for that I love!
Tr 2 851 This is the righte lif that I am inne,
Tr 2 852 To flemen alle manere vice and synne:
Tr 2 853 This dooth me so to vertu for t' entende,
Tr 2 854 That day by day I in my wille amende.
Tr 2 855 "And whoso seith that for to love is vice,
Tr 2 856 Or thraldom, though he feele in it destresse,
Tr 2 857 He outher is envyous, or right nyce,
Tr 2 858 Or is unmyghty, for his shrewednesse,
Tr 2 859 To loven; for swich manere folk, I gesse,
Tr 2 860 Defamen Love, as nothing of hym knowe.
Tr 2 861 Thei speken, but thei benten nevere his bowe!
Tr 2 862 "What is the sonne wers, of kynde right,
Tr 2 863 Though that a man, for fieblesse of his yen,
Tr 2 864 May nought endure on it to see for bright?
Tr 2 865 Or love the wers, though wrecches on it crien?
Tr 2 866 No wele is worth, that may no sorwe dryen.
Tr 2 867 And forthi, who that hath an hed of verre,
Tr 2 868 Fro cast of stones war hym in the werre!
Tr 2 869 "But I with al myn herte and al my myght,
Tr 2 870 As I have seyd, wol love unto my laste
Tr 2 871 My deere herte and al myn owen knyght,
Tr 2 872 In which myn herte growen is so faste,
Tr 2 873 And his in me, that it shal evere laste.
Tr 2 874 Al dredde I first to love hym to bigynne,
Tr 2 875 Now woot I wel, ther is no peril inne."
Tr 2 876 And of hir song right with that word she stente,
Tr 2 877 And therwithal, "Now nece," quod Cryseyde,
Tr 2 878 "Who made this song now with so good entente?"
Tr 2 879 Antygone answerde anoon and seyde,
Tr 2 880 "Madame, ywys, the goodlieste mayde
Tr 2 881 Of gret estat in al the town of Troye,
Tr 2 882 And let hire lif in moste honour and joye."
Tr 2 883 "Forsothe, so it semeth by hire song,"
Tr 2 884 Quod tho Criseyde, and gan therwith to sike,
Tr 2 885 And seyde, "Lord, is ther swych blisse among
Tr 2 886 Thise loveres, as they konne faire endite?"
Tr 2 887 "Ye, wis," quod fresshe Antigone the white,
Tr 2 888 "For alle the folk that han or ben on lyve
Tr 2 889 Ne konne wel the blisse of love discryve.
Tr 2 890 "But wene ye that every wrecche woot
Tr 2 891 The parfit blisse of love? Why, nay, iwys!
Tr 2 892 They wenen all be love, if oon be hoot.
Tr 2 893 Do wey, do wey, they woot no thyng of this!
Tr 2 894 Men moste axe at seyntes if it is
Tr 2 895 Aught fair in hevene (Why? For they kan telle),
Tr 2 896 And axen fendes is it foul in helle."
Tr 2 897 Criseyde unto that purpos naught answerde,
Tr 2 898 But seyde, "Ywys, it wol be nyght as faste."
Tr 2 899 But every word which that she of hire herde,
Tr 2 900 She gan to prenten in hire herte faste,
Tr 2 901 And ay gan love hire lasse for t' agaste
Tr 2 902 Than it dide erst, and synken in hire herte,
Tr 2 903 That she wex somwhat able to converte.
Tr 2 904 The dayes honour, and the hevenes ye,
Tr 2 905 The nyghtes foo -- al this clepe I the sonne --
Tr 2 906 Gan westren faste, and downward for to wrye,
Tr 2 907 As he that hadde his dayes cours yronne,
Tr 2 908 And white thynges wexen dymme and donne
Tr 2 909 For lak of lyght, and sterres for t' apere,
Tr 2 910 That she and alle hire folk in went yfeere.
Tr 2 911 So whan it liked hire to go to reste,
Tr 2 912 And voided weren thei that voiden oughte,
Tr 2 913 She seyde that to slepen wel hire leste.
Tr 2 914 Hire wommen soone til hire bed hire broughte.
Tr 2 915 Whan al was hust, than lay she stille and thoughte
Tr 2 916 Of al this thing; the manere and the wise
Tr 2 917 Reherce it nedeth nought, for ye ben wise.
Tr 2 918 A nyghtyngale, upon a cedre grene,
Tr 2 919 Under the chambre wal ther as she ley,
Tr 2 920 Ful loude song ayein the moone shene,
Tr 2 921 Peraunter in his briddes wise a lay
Tr 2 922 Of love, that made hire herte fressh and gay.
Tr 2 923 That herkned she so longe in good entente,
Tr 2 924 Til at the laste the dede slep hire hente.
Tr 2 925 And as she slep, anonright tho hire mette
Tr 2 926 How that an egle, fethered whit as bon,
Tr 2 927 Under hire brest his longe clawes sette,
Tr 2 928 And out hire herte he rente, and that anon,
Tr 2 929 And dide his herte into hire brest to gon --
Tr 2 930 Of which she nought agroos, ne nothyng smerte --
Tr 2 931 And forth he fleigh, with herte left for herte.
Tr 2 932 Now lat hire slepe, and we oure tales holde
Tr 2 933 Of Troilus, that is to paleis riden
Tr 2 934 Fro the scarmuch of the which I tolde,
Tr 2 935 And in his chaumbre sit and hath abiden
Tr 2 936 Til two or thre of his messages yeden
Tr 2 937 For Pandarus, and soughten hym ful faste,
Tr 2 938 Til they him founde and broughte him at the laste.
Tr 2 939 This Pandarus com lepyng in atones,
Tr 2 940 And seyde thus: "Who hath ben wel ibete
Tr 2 941 To-day with swerdes and with slynge-stones,
Tr 2 942 But Troilus, that hath caught hym an hete?"
Tr 2 943 And gan to jape, and seyde, "Lord, so ye swete!
Tr 2 944 But ris and lat us soupe and go to reste."
Tr 2 945 And he answerde hym, "Do we as the leste."
Tr 2 946 With al the haste goodly that they myghte
Tr 2 947 They spedde hem fro the soper unto bedde;
Tr 2 948 And every wight out at the dore hym dyghte,
Tr 2 949 And where hym liste upon his wey him spedde.
Tr 2 950 But Troilus, that thoughte his herte bledde
Tr 2 951 For wo, til that he herde som tydynge,
Tr 2 952 He seyde, "Frend, shal I now wepe or synge?"
Tr 2 953 Quod Pandarus, "Ly stylle and lat me slepe,
Tr 2 954 And don thyn hood; thy nedes spedde be!
Tr 2 955 And ches if thow wolt synge or daunce or lepe!
Tr 2 956 At shorte wordes, thow shal trowen me:
Tr 2 957 Sire, my nece wol do wel by the,
Tr 2 958 And love the best, by God and by my trouthe,
Tr 2 959 But lak of pursuyt make it in thi slouthe.
Tr 2 960 "For thus ferforth I have thi werk bigonne
Tr 2 961 Fro day to day, til this day by the morwe
Tr 2 962 Hire love of frendshipe have I to the wonne,
Tr 2 963 And therto hath she leyd hire feyth to borwe.
Tr 2 964 Algate a foot is hameled of thi sorwe!"
Tr 2 965 What sholde I lenger sermoun of it holde?
Tr 2 966 As ye han herd byfore, al he hym tolde.
Tr 2 967 But right as floures, thorugh the cold of nyght
Tr 2 968 Iclosed, stoupen on hire stalke lowe,
Tr 2 969 Redressen hem ayein the sonne bright,
Tr 2 970 And spreden on hire kynde cours by rowe,
Tr 2 971 Right so gan tho his eighen up to throwe
Tr 2 972 This Troilus, and seyde, "O Venus deere,
Tr 2 973 Thi myght, thi grace, yheried be it here!"
Tr 2 974 And to Pandare he held up bothe his hondes,
Tr 2 975 And seyde, "Lord, al thyn be that I have!
Tr 2 976 For I am hool, al brosten ben my bondes.
Tr 2 977 A thousand Troyes whoso that me yave,
Tr 2 978 Ech after other, God so wys me save,
Tr 2 979 Ne myghte me so gladen; lo, myn herte,
Tr 2 980 It spredeth so for joie it wol tosterte!
Tr 2 981 "But, Lord, how shal I doon? How shal I lyven?
Tr 2 982 Whan shal I next my deere herte see?
Tr 2 983 How shal this longe tyme awey be dryven
Tr 2 984 Til that thow be ayein at hire fro me?
Tr 2 985 Thow maist answer, `Abid, abid,' but he
Tr 2 986 That hangeth by the nekke, soth to seyne
Tr 2 987 In gret disese abideth for the peyne."
Tr 2 988 "Al esily, now, for the love of Marte,"
Tr 2 989 Quod Pandarus, "for every thing hath tyme.
Tr 2 990 So longe abid til that the nyght departe,
Tr 2 991 For also siker as thow list here by me,
Tr 2 992 And God toforn, I wol be ther at pryme;
Tr 2 993 And forthi, werk somwhat as I shal seye,
Tr 2 994 Or on som other wight this charge leye.
Tr 2 995 "For, pardee, God woot I have evere yit
Tr 2 996 Ben redy the to serve, and to this nyght
Tr 2 997 Have I naught feyned, but emforth my wit
Tr 2 998 Don al thi lust, and shal with al my myght.
Tr 2 999 Do now as I shal seyn, and far aright;
Tr 2 1000 And if thow nylt, wite al thiself thi care!
Tr 2 1001 On me is nought along thyn yvel fare.
Tr 2 1002 "I woot wel that thow wiser art than I
Tr 2 1003 A thousand fold, but if I were as thow,
Tr 2 1004 God help me so, as I wolde outrely
Tr 2 1005 Of myn owen hond write hire right now
Tr 2 1006 A lettre, in which I wolde hire tellen how
Tr 2 1007 I ferde amys, and hire biseche of routhe.
Tr 2 1008 Now help thiself, and leve it nought for slouthe!
Tr 2 1009 "And I myself wol therwith to hire gon;
Tr 2 1010 And whan thow woost that I am with hire there,
Tr 2 1011 Worth thow upon a courser right anon --
Tr 2 1012 Ye, hardily, right in thi beste gere --
Tr 2 1013 And ryd forth by the place, as nought ne were,
Tr 2 1014 And thow shalt fynde us, if I may, sittynge
Tr 2 1015 At som wyndow, into the strete lokynge.
Tr 2 1016 "And if the list, than maystow us salue;
Tr 2 1017 And upon me make thow thi countenaunce;
Tr 2 1018 But by thi lif, be war and faste eschue
Tr 2 1019 To tarien ought -- God shilde us fro meschaunce!
Tr 2 1020 Rid forth thi wey, and hold thi governaunce;
Tr 2 1021 And we shal speek of the somwhat, I trowe,
Tr 2 1022 Whan thow art gon, to don thyn eris glowe!
Tr 2 1023 "Towchyng thi lettre, thou art wys ynough.
Tr 2 1024 I woot thow nylt it dygneliche endite,
Tr 2 1025 As make it with thise argumentes tough;
Tr 2 1026 Ne scryvenyssh or craftyly thow it write;
Tr 2 1027 Biblotte it with thi teris ek a lite;
Tr 2 1028 And if thow write a goodly word al softe,
Tr 2 1029 Though it be good, reherce it nought to ofte.
Tr 2 1030 "For though the beste harpour upon lyve
Tr 2 1031 Wolde on the beste sowned joly harpe
Tr 2 1032 That evere was, with alle his fyngres fyve
Tr 2 1033 Touche ay o stryng, or ay o werbul harpe,
Tr 2 1034 Were his nayles poynted nevere so sharpe,
Tr 2 1035 It sholde maken every wight to dulle,
Tr 2 1036 To here his glee, and of his strokes fulle.
Tr 2 1037 "Ne jompre ek no discordant thyng yfeere,
Tr 2 1038 As thus, to usen termes of phisik
Tr 2 1039 In loves termes; hold of thi matere
Tr 2 1040 The forme alwey, and do that it be lik;
Tr 2 1041 For if a peyntour wolde peynte a pyk
Tr 2 1042 With asses feet, and hedde it as an ape,
Tr 2 1043 It cordeth naught, so were it but a jape."
Tr 2 1044 This counseil liked wel to Troilus,
Tr 2 1045 But, as a dredful lovere, he seyde this:
Tr 2 1046 "Allas, my deere brother Pandarus,
Tr 2 1047 I am ashamed for to write, ywys,
Tr 2 1048 Lest of myn innocence I seyde amys,
Tr 2 1049 Or that she nolde it for despit receyve;
Tr 2 1050 Than were I ded: ther myght it nothyng weyve."
Tr 2 1051 To that Pandare answered, "If the lest,
Tr 2 1052 Do that I seye, and lat me therwith gon;
Tr 2 1053 For by that Lord that formede est and west,
Tr 2 1054 I hope of it to brynge answere anon
Tr 2 1055 Of hire hond; and if that thow nylt noon,
Tr 2 1056 Lat be, and sory mote he ben his lyve
Tr 2 1057 Ayeins thi lust that helpeth the to thryve."
Tr 2 1058 Quod Troilus, "Depardieux, ich assente!
Tr 2 1059 Sith that the list, I wil arise and write;
Tr 2 1060 And blisful God prey ich with good entente,
Tr 2 1061 The viage, and the lettre I shal endite,
Tr 2 1062 So spede it; and thow, Minerva, the white,
Tr 2 1063 Yif thow me wit my lettre to devyse."
Tr 2 1064 And sette hym down, and wrot right in this wyse:
Tr 2 1065 First he gan hire his righte lady calle,
Tr 2 1066 His hertes lif, his lust, his sorwes leche,
Tr 2 1067 His blisse, and ek thise other termes alle
Tr 2 1068 That in swich cas thise loveres alle seche;
Tr 2 1069 And in ful humble wise, as in his speche,
Tr 2 1070 He gan hym recomaunde unto hire grace;
Tr 2 1071 To telle al how, it axeth muchel space.
Tr 2 1072 And after this ful lowely he hire preyde
Tr 2 1073 To be nought wroth, thogh he, of his folie,
Tr 2 1074 So hardy was to hire to write, and seyde
Tr 2 1075 That love it made, or elles most he die,
Tr 2 1076 And pitousli gan mercy for to crye;
Tr 2 1077 And after that he seyde -- and leigh ful loude --
Tr 2 1078 Hymself was litel worth, and lasse he koude;
Tr 2 1079 And that she sholde han his konnyng excused,
Tr 2 1080 That litel was, and ek he dredde hire soo;
Tr 2 1081 And his unworthynesse he ay acused;
Tr 2 1082 And after that than gan he telle his woo --
Tr 2 1083 But that was endeles, withouten hoo --
Tr 2 1084 And seyde he wolde in trouthe alwey hym holde;
Tr 2 1085 And radde it over, and gan the lettre folde.
Tr 2 1086 And with his salte teris gan he bathe
Tr 2 1087 The ruby in his signet, and it sette
Tr 2 1088 Upon the wex deliverliche and rathe.
Tr 2 1089 Therwith a thousand tymes er he lette
Tr 2 1090 He kiste tho the lettre that he shette,
Tr 2 1091 And seyde, "Lettre, a blisful destine
Tr 2 1092 The shapyn is. my lady shal the see!"
Tr 2 1093 This Pandare tok the lettre, and that bytyme
Tr 2 1094 A-morwe, and to his neces paleis sterte,
Tr 2 1095 And faste he swor that it was passed prime,
Tr 2 1096 And gan to jape, and seyde, "Ywys, myn herte,
Tr 2 1097 So fressh it is, although it sore smerte,
Tr 2 1098 I may naught slepe nevere a Mayes morwe;
Tr 2 1099 I have a joly wo, a lusty sorwe."
Tr 2 1100 Criseyde, whan that she hire uncle herde,
Tr 2 1101 With dredful herte, and desirous to here
Tr 2 1102 The cause of his comynge, thus answerde:
Tr 2 1103 "Now, by youre fey, myn uncle," quod she, "dere,
Tr 2 1104 What manere wyndes gydeth yow now here?
Tr 2 1105 Tel us youre joly wo and youre penaunce.
Tr 2 1106 How ferforth be ye put in loves daunce?"
Tr 2 1107 "By God," quod he, "I hoppe alwey byhynde!"
Tr 2 1108 And she to laughe, it thoughte hire herte brest.
Tr 2 1109 Quod Pandarus, "Loke alwey that ye fynde
Tr 2 1110 Game in myn hood; but herkneth, if yow lest!
Tr 2 1111 Ther is right now come into town a gest,
Tr 2 1112 A Greek espie, and telleth newe thinges,
Tr 2 1113 For which I come to telle yow tydynges.
Tr 2 1114 "Into the gardyn go we, and ye shal here,
Tr 2 1115 Al pryvely, of this a long sermoun."
Tr 2 1116 With that they wenten arm in arm yfeere
Tr 2 1117 Into the gardyn from the chaumbre down;
Tr 2 1118 And whan that he so fer was that the sown
Tr 2 1119 Of that he spak no man heren myghte,
Tr 2 1120 He seyde hire thus, and out the lettre plighte:
Tr 2 1121 "Lo, he that is al holy youres free
Tr 2 1122 Hym recomaundeth lowely to youre grace,
Tr 2 1123 And sente yow this lettre here by me.
Tr 2 1124 Avyseth yow on it, whan ye han space,
Tr 2 1125 And of som goodly answere yow purchace,
Tr 2 1126 Or, helpe me God, so pleynly for to seyne,
Tr 2 1127 He may nat longe lyven for his peyne."
Tr 2 1128 Ful dredfully tho gan she stonden stylle,
Tr 2 1129 And took it naught, but al hire humble chere
Tr 2 1130 Gan for to chaunge, and seyde, "Scrit ne bille,
Tr 2 1131 For love of God, that toucheth swich matere,
Tr 2 1132 Ne bryng me noon; and also, uncle deere,
Tr 2 1133 To myn estat have more reward, I preye,
Tr 2 1134 Than to his lust! What sholde I more seye?
Tr 2 1135 "And loketh now if this be resonable,
Tr 2 1136 And letteth nought, for favour ne for slouthe,
Tr 2 1137 To seyn a sooth; now were it covenable
Tr 2 1138 To myn estat, by God and by youre trouthe,
Tr 2 1139 To taken it, or to han of hym routhe,
Tr 2 1140 In harmyng of myself, or in repreve?
Tr 2 1141 Ber it ayein, for hym that ye on leve!"
Tr 2 1142 This Pandarus gan on hire for to stare,
Tr 2 1143 And seyde, "Now is this the grettest wondre
Tr 2 1144 That evere I seigh! Lat be this nyce fare!
Tr 2 1145 To dethe mot I smyten be with thondre,
Tr 2 1146 If for the citee which that stondeth yondre,
Tr 2 1147 Wolde I a lettre unto yow brynge or take
Tr 2 1148 To harm of yow! What list yow thus it make?
Tr 2 1149 "But thus ye faren, wel neigh alle and some,
Tr 2 1150 That he that most desireth yow to serve,
Tr 2 1151 Of hym ye recche leest wher he bycome,
Tr 2 1152 And whethir that he lyve or elles sterve.
Tr 2 1153 But for al that that ever I may deserve,
Tr 2 1154 Refuse it naught," quod he, and hente hire faste,
Tr 2 1155 And in hire bosom the lettre down he thraste,
Tr 2 1156 And seyde hire, "Now cast it awey anon,
Tr 2 1157 That folk may seen and gauren on us tweye."
Tr 2 1158 Quod she, "I kan abyde til they be gon";
Tr 2 1159 And gan to smyle, and seyde hym, "Em, I preye,
Tr 2 1160 Swich answere as yow list, youreself purveye,
Tr 2 1161 For trewely I nyl no lettre write."
Tr 2 1162 "No? than wol I," quod he, "so ye endite."
Tr 2 1163 Therwith she lough, and seyde, "Go we dyne."
Tr 2 1164 And he gan at hymself to jape faste,
Tr 2 1165 And seyde, "Nece, I have so gret a pyne
Tr 2 1166 For love, that everich other day I faste --"
Tr 2 1167 And gan his beste japes forth to caste,
Tr 2 1168 And made hire so to laughe at his folye,
Tr 2 1169 That she for laughter wende for to dye.
Tr 2 1170 And whan that she was comen into halle,
Tr 2 1171 "Now, em," quod she, "we wol go dyne anon."
Tr 2 1172 And gan some of hire wommen to hire calle,
Tr 2 1173 And streght into hire chambre gan she gon;
Tr 2 1174 But of hire besynesses this was on --
Tr 2 1175 Amonges othere thynges, out of drede --
Tr 2 1176 Ful pryvely this lettre for to rede;
Tr 2 1177 Avysed word by word in every lyne,
Tr 2 1178 And fond no lak, she thoughte he koude good,
Tr 2 1179 And up it putte, and wente hire in to dyne.
Tr 2 1180 But Pandarus, that in a studye stood,
Tr 2 1181 Er he was war, she took hym by the hood,
Tr 2 1182 And seyde, "Ye were caught er that ye wiste."
Tr 2 1183 "I vouche sauf," quod he. "Do what you liste."
Tr 2 1184 Tho wesshen they, and sette hem down, and ete;
Tr 2 1185 And after noon ful sleighly Pandarus
Tr 2 1186 Gan drawe hym to the wyndowe next the strete,
Tr 2 1187 And seyde, "Nece, who hath araied thus
Tr 2 1188 The yonder hous, that stant aforyeyn us?"
Tr 2 1189 "Which hous?" quod she, and gan for to byholde,
Tr 2 1190 And knew it wel, and whos it was hym tolde;
Tr 2 1191 And fillen forth in speche of thynges smale,
Tr 2 1192 And seten in the windowe bothe tweye.
Tr 2 1193 Whan Pandarus saugh tyme unto his tale,
Tr 2 1194 And saugh wel that hire folk were alle aweye,
Tr 2 1195 "Now, nece myn, tel on," quod he; "I seye,
Tr 2 1196 How liketh yow the lettre that ye woot?
Tr 2 1197 Kan he theron? For, by my trouthe, I noot."
Tr 2 1198 Therwith al rosy hewed tho wex she,
Tr 2 1199 And gan to homme, and seyde, "So I trowe."
Tr 2 1200 "Aquite hym wel, for Goddes love," quod he;
Tr 2 1201 "Myself to medes wol the lettre sowe."
Tr 2 1202 And held his hondes up, and sat on knowe;
Tr 2 1203 "Now, goode nece, be it nevere so lite,
Tr 2 1204 Yif me the labour it to sowe and plite."
Tr 2 1205 "Ye, for I kan so writen," quod she tho;
Tr 2 1206 "And ek I noot what I sholde to hym seye."
Tr 2 1207 "Nay, nece," quod Pandare, "sey nat so.
Tr 2 1208 Yet at the leeste thonketh hym, I preye,
Tr 2 1209 Of his good wille, and doth hym nat to deye.
Tr 2 1210 Now, for the love of me, my nece deere,
Tr 2 1211 Refuseth nat at this tid my prayere!"
Tr 2 1212 "Depardieux," quod she, "God leve al be wel!
Tr 2 1213 God help me so, this is the firste lettre
Tr 2 1214 That evere I wroot, ye, al or any del."
Tr 2 1215 And into a closet, for t' avise hire bettre,
Tr 2 1216 She wente allone, and gan hire herte unfettre
Tr 2 1217 Out of desdaynes prisoun but a lite,
Tr 2 1218 And sette hire down, and gan a lettre write,
Tr 2 1219 Of which to telle in short is myn entente
Tr 2 1220 Th' effect, as fer as I kan understonde.
Tr 2 1221 She thanked hym of al that he wel mente
Tr 2 1222 Towardes hire, but holden hym in honde
Tr 2 1223 She nolde nought, ne make hireselven bonde
Tr 2 1224 In love; but as his suster, hym to plese,
Tr 2 1225 She wolde fayn to doon his herte an ese.
Tr 2 1226 She shette it, and to Pandare in gan goon,
Tr 2 1227 Ther as he sat and loked into the strete,
Tr 2 1228 And down she sette hire by hym on a stoon
Tr 2 1229 Of jaspre, upon a quysshyn gold-ybete,
Tr 2 1230 And seyde, "As wisly help me God the grete,
Tr 2 1231 I nevere dide thing with more peyne
Tr 2 1232 Than writen this, to which ye me constreyne,"
Tr 2 1233 And took it hym. He thonked hire and seyde,
Tr 2 1234 "God woot, of thyng ful often looth bygonne
Tr 2 1235 Comth ende good; and nece myn, Criseyde,
Tr 2 1236 That ye to hym of hard now ben ywonne
Tr 2 1237 Oughte he be glad, by God and yonder sonne;
Tr 2 1238 For-whi men seith, `Impressiounes lighte
Tr 2 1239 Ful lightly ben ay redy to the flighte.'
Tr 2 1240 "But ye han played tirant neigh to longe,
Tr 2 1241 And hard was it youre herte for to grave.
Tr 2 1242 Now stynte, that ye no lenger on it honge,
Tr 2 1243 Al wolde ye the forme of daunger save,
Tr 2 1244 But hasteth you to doon hym joye have;
Tr 2 1245 For trusteth wel, to long ydoon hardnesse
Tr 2 1246 Causeth despit ful often for destresse."
Tr 2 1247 And right as they declamed this matere,
Tr 2 1248 Lo, Troilus, right at the stretes ende,
Tr 2 1249 Com rydyng with his tenthe som yfere,
Tr 2 1250 Al softely, and thiderward gan bende
Tr 2 1251 Ther as they sete, as was his way to wende
Tr 2 1252 To paleis-ward; and Pandare hym aspide,
Tr 2 1253 And seyde, "Nece, ysee who comth here ride!
Tr 2 1254 "O fle naught in (he seeth us, I suppose),
Tr 2 1255 Lest he may thynken that ye hym eschuwe."
Tr 2 1256 "Nay, nay," quod she, and wex as red as rose.
Tr 2 1257 With that he gan hire humbly to saluwe
Tr 2 1258 With dredful chere, and oft his hewes muwe;
Tr 2 1259 And up his look debonairly he caste,
Tr 2 1260 And bekked on Pandare, and forth he paste.
Tr 2 1261 God woot if he sat on his hors aright,
Tr 2 1262 Or goodly was biseyn, that ilke day!
Tr 2 1263 God woot wher he was lik a manly knyght!
Tr 2 1264 What sholde I drecche, or telle of his aray?
Tr 2 1265 Criseyde, which that alle thise thynges say,
Tr 2 1266 To telle in short, hire liked al in-fere,
Tr 2 1267 His persoun, his aray, his look, his chere,
Tr 2 1268 His goodly manere, and his gentilesse,
Tr 2 1269 So wel that nevere, sith that she was born,
Tr 2 1270 Ne hadde she swych routh of his destresse;
Tr 2 1271 And how so she hath hard ben here-byforn,
Tr 2 1272 To God hope I, she hath now kaught a thorn,
Tr 2 1273 She shal nat pulle it out this nexte wyke.
Tr 2 1274 God sende mo swich thornes on to pike!
Tr 2 1275 Pandare, which that stood hire faste by,
Tr 2 1276 Felte iren hoot, and he bygan to smyte,
Tr 2 1277 And seyde, "Nece, I pray yow hertely,
Tr 2 1278 Tel me that I shal axen yow a lite:
Tr 2 1279 A womman that were of his deth to wite,
Tr 2 1280 Withouten his gilt, but for hire lakked routhe,
Tr 2 1281 Were it wel doon?" Quod she, "Nay, by my trouthe!"
Tr 2 1282 "God help me so," quod he, "ye sey me soth.
Tr 2 1283 Ye felen wel youreself that I nought lye.
Tr 2 1284 Lo, yond he rit!" Quod she, "Ye, so he doth!"
Tr 2 1285 "Wel," quod Pandare, "as I have told yow thrie,
Tr 2 1286 Lat be youre nyce shame and youre folie,
Tr 2 1287 And spek with hym in esyng of his herte;
Tr 2 1288 Lat nycete nat do yow bothe smerte."
Tr 2 1289 But theron was to heven and to doone.
Tr 2 1290 Considered al thing it may nat be;
Tr 2 1291 And whi? For speche; and it were ek to soone
Tr 2 1292 To graunten hym so gret a libertee.
Tr 2 1293 For pleynly hire entente, as seyde she,
Tr 2 1294 Was for to love hym unwist, if she myghte,
Tr 2 1295 And guerdoun hym with nothing but with sighte.
Tr 2 1296 But Pandarus thought, "It shal nought be so,
Tr 2 1297 Yif that I may; this nyce opynyoun
Tr 2 1298 Shal nought be holden fully yeres two."
Tr 2 1299 What sholde I make of this a long sermoun?
Tr 2 1300 He moste assente on that conclusioun,
Tr 2 1301 As for the tyme; and whan that it was eve,
Tr 2 1302 And al was wel, he roos and tok his leve.
Tr 2 1303 And on his wey ful faste homward he spedde,
Tr 2 1304 And right for joye he felte his herte daunce;
Tr 2 1305 And Troilus he fond allone abedde,
Tr 2 1306 That lay, as do thise lovers, in a traunce
Tr 2 1307 Bitwixen hope and derk disesperaunce.
Tr 2 1308 But Pandarus, right at his in-comynge,
Tr 2 1309 He song, as who seyth, "Somwhat I brynge,"
Tr 2 1310 And seyde, "Who is in his bed so soone
Tr 2 1311 Iburied thus?" "It am I, frend," quod he.
Tr 2 1312 "Who, Troilus? Nay, help me so the moone,"
Tr 2 1313 Quod Pandarus, "thow shalt arise and see
Tr 2 1314 A charme that was sent right now to the,
Tr 2 1315 The which kan helen the of thyn accesse,
Tr 2 1316 If thow do forthwith al thi bisynesse."
Tr 2 1317 "Ye, thorugh the myght of God," quod Troilus,
Tr 2 1318 And Pandarus gan hym the lettre take,
Tr 2 1319 And seyde, "Parde, God hath holpen us!
Tr 2 1320 Have here a light, and loke on al this blake."
Tr 2 1321 But ofte gan the herte glade and quake
Tr 2 1322 Of Troilus, whil that he gan it rede,
Tr 2 1323 So as the wordes yave hym hope or drede.
Tr 2 1324 But finaly, he took al for the beste
Tr 2 1325 That she hym wroot, for somwhat he byheld
Tr 2 1326 On which hym thoughte he myghte his herte reste,
Tr 2 1327 Al covered she tho wordes under sheld.
Tr 2 1328 Thus to the more worthi part he held,
Tr 2 1329 That what for hope and Pandarus byheste,
Tr 2 1330 His grete wo foryede he at the leste.
Tr 2 1331 But as we may alday oureselven see,
Tr 2 1332 Thorugh more wode or col, the more fir,
Tr 2 1333 Right so encreese hope, of what it be,
Tr 2 1334 Therwith ful ofte encresseth ek desir;
Tr 2 1335 Or as an ook comth of a litil spir,
Tr 2 1336 So thorugh this lettre which that she hym sente
Tr 2 1337 Encrescen gan desir, of which he brente.
Tr 2 1338 Wherfore I seye alwey, that day and nyght
Tr 2 1339 This Troilus gan to desiren moore
Tr 2 1340 Thanne he did erst, thorugh hope, and did his myght
Tr 2 1341 To preessen on, as by Pandarus loore,
Tr 2 1342 And writen to hire of his sorwes soore.
Tr 2 1343 Fro day to day he leet it nought refreyde,
Tr 2 1344 That by Pandare he wroot somwhat or seyde;
Tr 2 1345 And dide also his other observaunces
Tr 2 1346 That til a lovere longeth in this cas;
Tr 2 1347 And after that thise dees torned on chaunces,
Tr 2 1348 So was he outher glad or seyde "Allas!"
Tr 2 1349 And held after his gistes ay his pas;
Tr 2 1350 And after swiche answeres as he hadde,
Tr 2 1351 So were his dayes sory outher gladde.
Tr 2 1352 But to Pandare alwey was his recours,
Tr 2 1353 And pitously gan ay tyl hym to pleyne,
Tr 2 1354 And hym bisoughte of reed and som socours.
Tr 2 1355 And Pandarus, that sey his woode peyne,
Tr 2 1356 Wex wel neigh ded for routhe, sooth to seyne,
Tr 2 1357 And bisily with al his herte caste
Tr 2 1358 Som of his wo to slen, and that as faste;
Tr 2 1359 And seyde, "Lord, and frend, and brother dere,
Tr 2 1360 God woot that thi disese doth me wo.
Tr 2 1361 But wiltow stynten al this woful cheere,
Tr 2 1362 And, by my trouthe, er it be dayes two,
Tr 2 1363 And God toforn, yet shal I shape it so,
Tr 2 1364 That thow shalt come into a certeyn place,
Tr 2 1365 There as thow mayst thiself hire preye of grace.
Tr 2 1366 "And certeynly -- I noot if thow it woost,
Tr 2 1367 But tho that ben expert in love it seye --
Tr 2 1368 It is oon of the thynges forthereth most,
Tr 2 1369 A man to han a layser for to preye,
Tr 2 1370 And siker place his wo for to bywreye;
Tr 2 1371 For in good herte it mot som routhe impresse,
Tr 2 1372 To here and see the giltlees in distresse.
Tr 2 1373 "Peraunter thynkestow: though it be so,
Tr 2 1374 That Kynde wolde don hire to bygynne
Tr 2 1375 To have a manere routhe upon my woo,
Tr 2 1376 Seyth Daunger, `Nay, thow shalt me nevere wynne!'
Tr 2 1377 So reulith hire hir hertes gost withinne,
Tr 2 1378 That though she bende, yeet she stant on roote;
Tr 2 1379 What in effect is this unto my boote?
Tr 2 1380 "Thenk here-ayeins: whan that the stordy ook,
Tr 2 1381 On which men hakketh ofte, for the nones,
Tr 2 1382 Receyved hath the happy fallyng strook,
Tr 2 1383 The greete sweigh doth it come al at ones,
Tr 2 1384 As don thise rokkes or thise milnestones;
Tr 2 1385 For swifter cours comth thyng that is of wighte,
Tr 2 1386 Whan it descendeth, than don thynges lighte.
Tr 2 1387 "And reed that boweth down for every blast,
Tr 2 1388 Ful lightly, cesse wynd, it wol aryse;
Tr 2 1389 But so nyl nought an ook, whan it is cast;
Tr 2 1390 It nedeth me nought the longe to forbise.
Tr 2 1391 Men shal rejoissen of a gret empryse
Tr 2 1392 Acheved wel, and stant withouten doute,
Tr 2 1393 Al han men ben the lenger theraboute.
Tr 2 1394 "But, Troilus, yet telle me, if the lest,
Tr 2 1395 A thing now which that I shal axen the:
Tr 2 1396 Which is thi brother that thow lovest best,
Tr 2 1397 As in thi verray hertes privetee?"
Tr 2 1398 "Iwis, my brother Deiphebus," quod he.
Tr 2 1399 "Now," quod Pandare, "er houres twyes twelve,
Tr 2 1400 He shal the ese, unwist of it hymselve.
Tr 2 1401 "Now lat m' alone, and werken as I may,"
Tr 2 1402 Quod he; and to Deiphebus wente he tho,
Tr 2 1403 Which hadde his lord and grete frend ben ay;
Tr 2 1404 Save Troilus, no man he loved so.
Tr 2 1405 To telle in short, withouten wordes mo,
Tr 2 1406 Quod Pandarus, "I pray yow that ye be
Tr 2 1407 Frend to a cause which that toucheth me."
Tr 2 1408 "Yis, parde," quod Deiphebus, "wel thow woost,
Tr 2 1409 In al that evere I may, and God tofore,
Tr 2 1410 Al nere it but for man I love moost,
Tr 2 1411 My brother Troilus; but sey wherfore
Tr 2 1412 It is. for sith that day that I was bore,
Tr 2 1413 I nas, ne nevere mo to ben I thynke,
Tr 2 1414 Ayeins a thing that myghte the forthynke."
Tr 2 1415 Pandare gan hym thanke, and to hym seyde,
Tr 2 1416 "Lo, sire, I have a lady in this town,
Tr 2 1417 That is my nece, and called is Criseyde,
Tr 2 1418 Which some men wolden don oppressioun,
Tr 2 1419 And wrongfully han hire possessioun;
Tr 2 1420 Wherfore I of youre lordship yow biseche
Tr 2 1421 To ben oure frend, withouten more speche."
Tr 2 1422 Deiphebus hym answerde, "O, is nat this,
Tr 2 1423 That thow spekest of to me thus straungely,
Tr 2 1424 Criseda, my frend?" He seyde, "Yis."
Tr 2 1425 "Than nedeth," quod Deiphebus, "hardyly,
Tr 2 1426 Namore to speke, for trusteth wel that I
Tr 2 1427 Wol be hire champioun with spore and yerde;
Tr 2 1428 I roughte nought though alle hire foos it herde.
Tr 2 1429 "But tel me how -- thow woost of this matere --
Tr 2 1430 It myghte best avaylen." "Now lat se,"
Tr 2 1431 Quod Pandarus; "if ye, my lord so dere,
Tr 2 1432 Wolden as now do this honour to me,
Tr 2 1433 To preyen hire to-morwe, lo, that she
Tr 2 1434 Come unto yow, hire pleyntes to devise,
Tr 2 1435 Hire adversaries wolde of it agrise.
Tr 2 1436 "And yif I more dorste preye as now,
Tr 2 1437 And chargen yow to han so gret travaille,
Tr 2 1438 To han some of youre bretheren here with yow,
Tr 2 1439 That myghten to hire cause bet availle,
Tr 2 1440 Than wot I wel she myghte nevere faille
Tr 2 1441 For to ben holpen, what at youre instaunce,
Tr 2 1442 What with hire other frendes governaunce."
Tr 2 1443 Deiphebus, which that comen was of kynde
Tr 2 1444 To alle honour and bounte to consente,
Tr 2 1445 Answerd, "It shal be don; and I kan fynde
Tr 2 1446 Yet grettere help to this in myn entente.
Tr 2 1447 What wiltow seyn if I for Eleyne sente
Tr 2 1448 To speke of this? I trowe it be the beste,
Tr 2 1449 For she may leden Paris as hire leste.
Tr 2 1450 "Of Ector, which that is my lord, my brother,
Tr 2 1451 It nedeth naught to preye hym frend to be;
Tr 2 1452 For I have herd hym, o tyme and ek oother,
Tr 2 1453 Speke of Cryseyde swich honour that he
Tr 2 1454 May seyn no bet, swich hap to hym hath she.
Tr 2 1455 It nedeth naught his helpes for to crave;
Tr 2 1456 He shal be swich, right as we wol hym have.
Tr 2 1457 "Spek thow thiself also to Troilus
Tr 2 1458 On my byhalve, and prey hym with us dyne."
Tr 2 1459 "Syre, al this shal be don," quod Pandarus,
Tr 2 1460 And took his leve, and nevere gan to fyne,
Tr 2 1461 But to his neces hous, as streyght as lyne,
Tr 2 1462 He com; and fond hire fro the mete arise,
Tr 2 1463 And sette hym down, and spak right in this wise:
Tr 2 1464 He seide, "O verray God, so have I ronne!
Tr 2 1465 Lo, nece myn, se ye nought how I swete?
Tr 2 1466 I not wheither ye the more thank me konne.
Tr 2 1467 Be ye naught war how false Poliphete
Tr 2 1468 Is now aboute eftsones for to plete,
Tr 2 1469 And brynge on yow advocacies newe?"
Tr 2 1470 "I, no!" quod she, and chaunged al hire hewe.
Tr 2 1471 "What is he more aboute, me to drecche
Tr 2 1472 And don me wrong? What shal I doon, allas?
Tr 2 1473 Yet of hymself nothing ne wolde I recche,
Tr 2 1474 Nere it for Antenor and Eneas,
Tr 2 1475 That ben his frendes in swich manere cas.
Tr 2 1476 But, for the love of God, myn uncle deere,
Tr 2 1477 No fors of that; lat hym han al yfeere,
Tr 2 1478 "Withouten that I have ynough for us."
Tr 2 1479 "Nay," quod Pandare, "it shal nothing be so.
Tr 2 1480 For I have ben right now at Deiphebus,
Tr 2 1481 At Ector, and myn oother lordes moo,
Tr 2 1482 And shortly maked ech of hem his foo,
Tr 2 1483 That, by my thrift, he shal it nevere wynne,
Tr 2 1484 For aught he kan, whan that so he bygynne."
Tr 2 1485 And as thei casten what was best to doone,
Tr 2 1486 Deiphebus, of his owen curteisie,
Tr 2 1487 Com hire to preye, in his propre persone,
Tr 2 1488 To holde hym on the morwe compaignie
Tr 2 1489 At dyner, which she nolde nought denye,
Tr 2 1490 But goodly gan to his preier obeye.
Tr 2 1491 He thonked hire, and went upon his weye.
Tr 2 1492 Whan this was don, this Pandare up anon,
Tr 2 1493 To telle in short, and forth gan for to wende
Tr 2 1494 To Troilus, as stille as any ston;
Tr 2 1495 And al this thyng he tolde hym, word and ende,
Tr 2 1496 And how that he Deiphebus gan to blende,
Tr 2 1497 And seyde hym, "Now is tyme, if that thow konne,
Tr 2 1498 To bere the wel tomorwe, and al is wonne.
Tr 2 1499 "Now spek, now prey, now pitously compleyne;
Tr 2 1500 Lat nought for nyce shame, or drede, or slouthe!
Tr 2 1501 Somtyme a man mot telle his owen peyne.
Tr 2 1502 Bileve it, and she shal han on the routhe:
Tr 2 1503 Thow shalt be saved by thi feyth, in trouthe.
Tr 2 1504 But wel woot I thow art now in drede,
Tr 2 1505 And what it is, I leye, I kan arede.
Tr 2 1506 "Thow thynkest now, `How sholde I don al this?
Tr 2 1507 For by my cheres mosten folk aspie
Tr 2 1508 That for hire love is that I fare amys;
Tr 2 1509 Yet hadde I levere unwist for sorwe dye.'
Tr 2 1510 Now thynk nat so, for thow dost gret folie;
Tr 2 1511 For I right now have founden o manere
Tr 2 1512 Of sleyghte, for to coveren al thi cheere.
Tr 2 1513 "Thow shalt gon over nyght, and that bylyve,
Tr 2 1514 Unto Deiphebus hous as the to pleye,
Tr 2 1515 Thi maladie awey the bet to dryve --
Tr 2 1516 For-whi thow semest sik, soth for to seye.
Tr 2 1517 Sone after that, down in thi bed the leye,
Tr 2 1518 And sey thow mayst no lenger up endure,
Tr 2 1519 And ly right there, and byd thyn aventure.
Tr 2 1520 "Sey that thi fevre is wont the for to take
Tr 2 1521 The same tyme, and lasten til a-morwe;
Tr 2 1522 And lat se now how wel thow kanst it make,
Tr 2 1523 For, parde, sik is he that is in sorwe.
Tr 2 1524 Go now, farwel! And Venus here to borwe,
Tr 2 1525 I hope, and thow this purpos holde ferme,
Tr 2 1526 Thi grace she shal fully ther conferme."
Tr 2 1527 Quod Troilus, "Iwis, thow nedeles
Tr 2 1528 Conseilest me that siklich I me feyne,
Tr 2 1529 For I am sik in ernest, douteles,
Tr 2 1530 So that wel neigh I sterve for the peyne."
Tr 2 1531 Quod Pandarus, "Thow shalt the bettre pleyne,
Tr 2 1532 And hast the lasse need to countrefete,
Tr 2 1533 For hym men demen hoot that men seen swete.
Tr 2 1534 "Lo, hold the at thi triste cloos, and I
Tr 2 1535 Shal wel the deer unto thi bowe dryve."
Tr 2 1536 Therwith he took his leve al softely,
Tr 2 1537 And Troilus to paleis wente blyve.
Tr 2 1538 So glad ne was he nevere in al his lyve,
Tr 2 1539 And to Pandarus reed gan al assente,
Tr 2 1540 And to Deiphebus hous at nyght he wente.
Tr 2 1541 What nedeth yow to tellen al the cheere
Tr 2 1542 That Deiphebus unto his brother made,
Tr 2 1543 Or his accesse, or his sikliche manere,
Tr 2 1544 How men gan hym with clothes for to lade
Tr 2 1545 Whan he was leyd, and how men wolde hym glade?
Tr 2 1546 But al for nought; he held forth ay the wyse
Tr 2 1547 That ye han herd Pandare er this devyse.
Tr 2 1548 But certayn is, er Troilus hym leyde,
Tr 2 1549 Deiphebus had hym preied over-nyght
Tr 2 1550 To ben a frend and helpyng to Criseyde.
Tr 2 1551 God woot that he it graunted anon-right,
Tr 2 1552 To ben hire fulle frend with al his myght.
Tr 2 1553 But swich a nede was to preye hym thenne,
Tr 2 1554 As for to bidde a wood man for to renne!
Tr 2 1555 The morwen com, and neighen gan the tyme
Tr 2 1556 Of meeltid, that the faire queene Eleyne
Tr 2 1557 Shoop hire to ben, an houre after the prime,
Tr 2 1558 With Deiphebus, to whom she nolde feyne;
Tr 2 1559 But as his suster, homly, soth to seyne,
Tr 2 1560 She com to dyner in hire pleyne entente.
Tr 2 1561 But God and Pandare wist al what this mente.
Tr 2 1562 Com ek Criseyde, al innocent of this,
Tr 2 1563 Antigone, hire suster Tarbe also.
Tr 2 1564 But fle we now prolixitee best is,
Tr 2 1565 For love of God, and lat us faste go
Tr 2 1566 Right to th' effect, withouten tales mo,
Tr 2 1567 Whi al this folk assembled in this place;
Tr 2 1568 And lat us of hire saluynges pace.
Tr 2 1569 Gret honour did hem Deiphebus, certeyn,
Tr 2 1570 And fedde hem wel with al that myghte like;
Tr 2 1571 But evere mo "Allas!" was his refreyn,
Tr 2 1572 "My goode brother Troilus, the syke,
Tr 2 1573 Lith yet" -- and therwithal he gan to sike;
Tr 2 1574 And after that, he peyned hym to glade
Tr 2 1575 Hem as he myghte, and cheere good he made.
Tr 2 1576 Compleyned ek Eleyne of his siknesse
Tr 2 1577 So feythfully that pite was to here,
Tr 2 1578 And every wight gan waxen for accesse
Tr 2 1579 A leche anon, and seyde, "In this manere
Tr 2 1580 Men curen folk." -- "This charme I wol yow leere."
Tr 2 1581 But ther sat oon, al list hire nought to teche,
Tr 2 1582 That thoughte, "Best koud I yet ben his leche."
Tr 2 1583 After compleynte, hym gonnen they to preyse,
Tr 2 1584 As folk don yet whan som wight hath bygonne
Tr 2 1585 To preise a man, and up with pris hym reise
Tr 2 1586 A thousand fold yet heigher than the sonne:
Tr 2 1587 "He is, he kan, that fewe lordes konne."
Tr 2 1588 And Pandarus, of that they wolde afferme,
Tr 2 1589 He naught forgat hire preisynge to conferme.
Tr 2 1590 Herde al this thyng Criseyde wel inough,
Tr 2 1591 And every word gan for to notifie;
Tr 2 1592 For which with sobre cheere hire herte lough.
Tr 2 1593 For who is that ne wolde hire glorifie,
Tr 2 1594 To mowen swich a knyght don lyve or dye?
Tr 2 1595 But al passe I, lest ye to longe dwelle;
Tr 2 1596 For for o fyn is al that evere I telle.
Tr 2 1597 The tyme com fro dyner for to ryse,
Tr 2 1598 And as hem aughte, arisen everichon.
Tr 2 1599 And gonne a while of this and that devise.
Tr 2 1600 But Pandarus brak al that speche anon,
Tr 2 1601 And seide to Deiphebus, "Wol ye gon,
Tr 2 1602 If it youre wille be, as I yow preyde,
Tr 2 1603 To speke here of the nedes of Criseyde?"
Tr 2 1604 Eleyne, which that by the hond hire held,
Tr 2 1605 Took first the tale, and seyde, "Go we blyve";
Tr 2 1606 And goodly on Criseyde she biheld,
Tr 2 1607 And seyde, "Joves lat hym nevere thryve
Tr 2 1608 That doth yow harm, and brynge hym soone of lyve,
Tr 2 1609 And yeve me sorwe, but he shal it rewe,
Tr 2 1610 If that I may, and alle folk be trewe!"
Tr 2 1611 "Tel thow thi neces cas," quod Deiphebus
Tr 2 1612 To Pandarus, "for thow kanst best it telle."
Tr 2 1613 "My lordes and my ladys, it stant thus:
Tr 2 1614 What sholde I lenger," quod he, "do yow dwelle?"
Tr 2 1615 He rong hem out a proces lik a belle
Tr 2 1616 Upon hire foo that highte Poliphete,
Tr 2 1617 So heynous that men myghten on it spete.
Tr 2 1618 Answerde of this ech werse of hem than other,
Tr 2 1619 And Poliphete they gonnen thus to warien:
Tr 2 1620 "Anhonged be swich oon, were he my brother!
Tr 2 1621 And so he shal, for it ne may nought varien!"
Tr 2 1622 What shold I lenger in this tale tarien?
Tr 2 1623 Pleynliche, alle at ones, they hire highten
Tr 2 1624 To ben hire help in al that evere they myghten.
Tr 2 1625 Spak than Eleyne, and seyde, "Pandarus,
Tr 2 1626 Woot ought my lord, my brother, this matere --
Tr 2 1627 I meene Ector -- or woot it Troilus?"
Tr 2 1628 He seyde, "Ye, but wole ye now me here?
Tr 2 1629 Me thynketh this, sith that Troilus is here,
Tr 2 1630 It were good, if that ye wolde assente,
Tr 2 1631 She tolde hireself hym al this er she wente.
Tr 2 1632 "For he wol have the more hir grief at herte,
Tr 2 1633 By cause, lo, that she a lady is.
Tr 2 1634 And, by youre leve, I wol but in right sterte
Tr 2 1635 And do yow wyte, and that anon, iwys,
Tr 2 1636 If that he slepe, or wol ought here of this."
Tr 2 1637 And in he lepte, and seyde hym in his ere,
Tr 2 1638 "God have thi soule, ibrought have I thi beere!"
Tr 2 1639 To smylen of this gan tho Troilus,
Tr 2 1640 And Pandarus, withouten rekenynge,
Tr 2 1641 Out wente anon to Eleyne and Deiphebus,
Tr 2 1642 And seyde hem, "So ther be no taryinge,
Tr 2 1643 Ne moore prees, he wol wel that ye brynge
Tr 2 1644 Criseda, my lady, that is here;
Tr 2 1645 And as he may enduren, he wol here.
Tr 2 1646 "But wel ye woot, the chaumbre is but lite,
Tr 2 1647 And fewe folk may lightly make it warm;
Tr 2 1648 Now loketh ye (for I wol have no wite
Tr 2 1649 To brynge in prees that myghte don hym harm,
Tr 2 1650 Or hym disesen, for my bettre arm)
Tr 2 1651 Wher it be bet she bide til eft-sonys;
Tr 2 1652 Now loketh ye that knowen what to doon is.
Tr 2 1653 "I sey for me, best is, as I kan knowe,
Tr 2 1654 That no wight in ne wente but ye tweye,
Tr 2 1655 But it were I, for I kan in a throwe
Tr 2 1656 Reherce hire cas unlik that she kan seye;
Tr 2 1657 And after this she may hym ones preye
Tr 2 1658 To ben good lord, in short, and take hire leve.
Tr 2 1659 This may nought muchel of his ese hym reve.
Tr 2 1660 "And ek, for she is straunge, he wol forbere
Tr 2 1661 His ese, which that hym thar nought for yow;
Tr 2 1662 Ek oother thing that toucheth nought to here
Tr 2 1663 He wol yow telle -- I woot it wel right now --
Tr 2 1664 That secret is, and for the townes prow."
Tr 2 1665 And they, that nothyng knewe of his entente,
Tr 2 1666 Withouten more, to Troilus in they wente.
Tr 2 1667 Eleyne, in al hire goodly softe wyse,
Tr 2 1668 Gan hym salue, and wommanly to pleye,
Tr 2 1669 And seyde, "Iwys, ye moste alweies arise!
Tr 2 1670 Now faire brother, beth al hool, I preye!"
Tr 2 1671 And gan hire arm right over his shulder leye,
Tr 2 1672 And hym with al hire wit to reconforte;
Tr 2 1673 As she best koude, she gan hym to disporte.
Tr 2 1674 So after this quod she, "We yow biseke,
Tr 2 1675 My deere brother Deiphebus and I,
Tr 2 1676 For love of God -- and so doth Pandare eke --
Tr 2 1677 To ben good lord and frend, right hertely,
Tr 2 1678 Unto Criseyde, which that certeynly
Tr 2 1679 Receyveth wrong, as woot weel here Pandare,
Tr 2 1680 That kan hire cas wel bet than I declare."
Tr 2 1681 This Pandarus gan newe his tong affile,
Tr 2 1682 And al hire cas reherce, and that anon.
Tr 2 1683 Whan it was seyd, soone after in a while,
Tr 2 1684 Quod Troilus, "As sone as I may gon,
Tr 2 1685 I wol right fayn with al my myght ben oon --
Tr 2 1686 Have God my trouthe -- hire cause to sustene."
Tr 2 1687 "Good thrift have ye!" quod Eleyne the queene.
Tr 2 1688 Quod Pandarus, "And it youre wille be
Tr 2 1689 That she may take hire leve, er that she go?"
Tr 2 1690 "O, elles God forbede it," tho quod he,
Tr 2 1691 "If that she vouche sauf for to do so."
Tr 2 1692 And with that word quod Troilus, "Ye two,
Tr 2 1693 Deiphebus and my suster lief and deere,
Tr 2 1694 To yow have I to speke of o matere,
Tr 2 1695 "To ben avysed by youre reed the bettre --"
Tr 2 1696 And fond, as hap was, at his beddes hed
Tr 2 1697 The copie of a tretys and a lettre
Tr 2 1698 That Ector hadde hym sent to axen red
Tr 2 1699 If swych a man was worthi to ben ded,
Tr 2 1700 Woot I nought who; but in a grisly wise
Tr 2 1701 He preyede hem anon on it avyse.
Tr 2 1702 Deiphebus gan this lettre for t' onfolde
Tr 2 1703 In ernest greet; so did Eleyne the queene;
Tr 2 1704 And romyng outward, faste it gonne byholde,
Tr 2 1705 Downward a steire, into an herber greene.
Tr 2 1706 This ilke thing they redden hem bitwene,
Tr 2 1707 And largely, the mountance of an houre,
Tr 2 1708 Thei gonne on it to reden and to poure.
Tr 2 1709 Now lat hem rede, and torne we anon
Tr 2 1710 To Pandarus, that gan ful faste prye
Tr 2 1711 That al was wel, and out he gan to gon
Tr 2 1712 Into the grete chaumbre, and that in hye,
Tr 2 1713 And seyde, "God save al this compaynye!
Tr 2 1714 Com, nece myn; my lady queene Eleyne
Tr 2 1715 Abideth yow, and ek my lordes tweyne.
Tr 2 1716 "Rys, take with yow youre nece Antigone,
Tr 2 1717 Or whom yow list; or no fors; hardyly
Tr 2 1718 The lesse prees, the bet; com forth with me,
Tr 2 1719 And loke that ye thonken humblely
Tr 2 1720 Hem alle thre, and whan ye may goodly
Tr 2 1721 Youre tyme se, taketh of hem youre leeve,
Tr 2 1722 Lest we to longe his restes hym byreeve."
Tr 2 1723 Al innocent of Pandarus entente,
Tr 2 1724 Quod tho Criseyde, "Go we, uncle deere";
Tr 2 1725 And arm in arm inward with hym she wente,
Tr 2 1726 Avysed wel hire wordes and hire cheere;
Tr 2 1727 And Pandarus, in ernestful manere,
Tr 2 1728 Seyde, "Alle folk, for Goddes love, I preye,
Tr 2 1729 Stynteth right here, and softely yow pleye.
Tr 2 1730 "Avyseth yow what folk ben hire withinne,
Tr 2 1731 And in what plit oon is, God hym amende!"
Tr 2 1732 And inward thus, "Ful softely bygynne,
Tr 2 1733 Nece, I conjure and heighly yow defende,
Tr 2 1734 On his half which that soule us alle sende,
Tr 2 1735 And in the vertu of corones tweyne,
Tr 2 1736 Sle naught this man, that hath for yow this peyne!
Tr 2 1737 "Fy on the devel! Thynk which oon he is,
Tr 2 1738 And in what plit he lith. com of anon!
Tr 2 1739 Thynk al swich taried tyde, but lost it nys.
Tr 2 1740 That wol ye bothe seyn, whan ye ben oon.
Tr 2 1741 Secoundely, ther yet devyneth noon
Tr 2 1742 Upon yow two; come of now, if ye konne!
Tr 2 1743 While folk is blent, lo, al the tyme is wonne.
Tr 2 1744 "In titeryng, and pursuyte, and delayes,
Tr 2 1745 The folk devyne at waggyng of a stree;
Tr 2 1746 And though ye wolde han after mirye dayes,
Tr 2 1747 Than dar ye naught. And whi? For she, and she
Tr 2 1748 Spak swych a word; thus loked he, and he!
Tr 2 1749 Las, tyme ilost! I dar nought with yow dele.
Tr 2 1750 Com of, therfore, and bryngeth hym to hele!"
Tr 2 1751 But now to yow, ye loveres that ben here,
Tr 2 1752 Was Troilus nought in a kankedort,
Tr 2 1753 That lay, and myghte whisprynge of hem here,
Tr 2 1754 And thoughte, "O Lord, right now renneth my sort
Tr 2 1755 Fully to deye, or han anon comfort!"
Tr 2 1756 And was the firste tyme he shulde hire preye
Tr 2 1757 Of love; O myghty God, what shal he seye?