GP 1 Whan that Aprill with his shoures soote
GP 2 The droghte of March hath perced to the roote,
GP 3 And bathed every veyne in swich licour
GP 4 Of which vertu engendred is the flour;
GP 5 Whan Zephirus eek with his sweete breeth
GP 6 Inspired hath in every holt and heeth
GP 7 The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne
GP 8 Hath in the Ram his half cours yronne,
GP 9 And smale foweles maken melodye,
GP 10 That slepen al the nyght with open ye
GP 11 (So priketh hem Nature in hir corages),
GP 12 Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages,
GP 13 And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes,
GP 14 To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes;
GP 15 And specially from every shires ende
GP 16 Of Engelond to Caunterbury they wende,
GP 17 The hooly blisful martir for to seke,
GP 18 That hem hath holpen whan that they were seeke.
GP 19 Bifil that in that seson on a day,
GP 20 In Southwerk at the Tabard as I lay
GP 21 Redy to wenden on my pilgrymage
GP 22 To Caunterbury with ful devout corage,
GP 23 At nyght was come into that hostelrye
GP 24 Wel nyne and twenty in a compaignye
GP 25 Of sondry folk, by aventure yfalle
GP 26 In felaweshipe, and pilgrimes were they alle,
GP 27 That toward Caunterbury wolden ryde.
GP 28 The chambres and the stables weren wyde,
GP 29 And wel we weren esed atte beste.
GP 30 And shortly, whan the sonne was to reste,
GP 31 So hadde I spoken with hem everichon
GP 32 That I was of hir felaweshipe anon,
GP 33 And made forward erly for to ryse,
GP 34 To take oure wey ther as I yow devyse.
GP 35 But nathelees, whil I have tyme and space,
GP 36 Er that I ferther in this tale pace,
GP 37 Me thynketh it acordaunt to resoun
GP 38 To telle yow al the condicioun
GP 39 Of ech of hem, so as it semed me,
GP 40 And whiche they weren, and of what degree,
GP 41 And eek in what array that they were inne;
GP 42 And at a knyght than wol I first bigynne.
GP 43 A KNYGHT ther was, and that a worthy man,
GP 44 That fro the tyme that he first bigan
GP 45 To riden out, he loved chivalrie,
GP 46 Trouthe and honour, fredom and curteisie.
GP 47 Ful worthy was he in his lordes werre,
GP 48 And therto hadde he riden, no man ferre,
GP 49 As wel in cristendom as in hethenesse,
GP 50 And evere honoured for his worthynesse;
GP 51 At Alisaundre he was whan it was wonne.
GP 52 Ful ofte tyme he hadde the bord bigonne
GP 53 Aboven alle nacions in Pruce;
GP 54 In Lettow hadde he reysed and in Ruce,
GP 55 No Cristen man so ofte of his degree.
GP 56 In Gernade at the seege eek hadde he be
GP 57 Of Algezir, and riden in Belmarye.
GP 58 At Lyeys was he and at Satalye,
GP 59 Whan they were wonne, and in the Grete See
GP 60 At many a noble armee hadde he be.
GP 61 At mortal batailles hadde he been fiftene,
GP 62 And foughten for oure feith at Tramyssene
GP 63 In lystes thries, and ay slayn his foo.
GP 64 This ilke worthy knyght hadde been also
GP 65 Somtyme with the lord of Palatye
GP 66 Agayn another hethen in Turkye;
GP 67 And everemoore he hadde a sovereyn prys.
GP 68 And though that he were worthy, he was wys,
GP 69 And of his port as meeke as is a mayde.
GP 70 He nevere yet no vileynye ne sayde
GP 71 In al his lyf unto no maner wight.
GP 72 He was a verray, parfit gentil knyght.
GP 73 But for to tellen yow of his array,
GP 74 His hors were goode, but he was nat gay.
GP 75 Of fustian he wered a gypon
GP 76 Al bismotered with his habergeon,
GP 77 For he was late ycome from his viage,
GP 78 And wente for to doon his pilgrymage.
GP 79 With hym ther was his sone, a yong SQUIER,
GP 80 A lovyere and a lusty bacheler,
GP 81 With lokkes crulle as they were leyd in presse.
GP 82 Of twenty yeer of age he was, I gesse.
GP 83 Of his stature he was of evene lengthe,
GP 84 And wonderly delyvere, and of greet strengthe.
GP 85 And he hadde been somtyme in chyvachie
GP 86 In Flaundres, in Artoys, and Pycardie,
GP 87 And born hym weel, as of so litel space,
GP 88 In hope to stonden in his lady grace.
GP 89 Embrouded was he, as it were a meede
GP 90 Al ful of fresshe floures, whyte and reede.
GP 91 Syngynge he was, or floytynge, al the day;
GP 92 He was as fressh as is the month of May.
GP 93 Short was his gowne, with sleves longe and wyde.
GP 94 Wel koude he sitte on hors and faire ryde.
GP 95 He koude songes make and wel endite,
GP 96 Juste and eek daunce, and weel purtreye and write.
GP 97 So hoote he lovede that by nyghtertale
GP 98 He sleep namoore than dooth a nyghtyngale.
GP 99 Curteis he was, lowely, and servysable,
GP 100 And carf biforn his fader at the table.
GP 101 A YEMAN hadde he and servantz namo
GP 102 At that tyme, for hym liste ride so,
GP 103 And he was clad in cote and hood of grene.
GP 104 A sheef of pecok arwes, bright and kene,
GP 105 Under his belt he bar ful thriftily
GP 106 (Wel koude he dresse his takel yemanly;
GP 107 His arwes drouped noght with fetheres lowe),
GP 108 And in his hand he baar a myghty bowe.
GP 109 A not heed hadde he, with a broun visage.
GP 110 Of wodecraft wel koude he al the usage.
GP 111 Upon his arm he baar a gay bracer,
GP 112 And by his syde a swerd and a bokeler,
GP 113 And on that oother syde a gay daggere
GP 114 Harneised wel and sharp as point of spere;
GP 115 A Cristopher on his brest of silver sheene.
GP 116 An horn he bar, the bawdryk was of grene;
GP 117 A forster was he, soothly, as I gesse.
GP 118 Ther was also a Nonne, a PRIORESSE,
GP 119 That of hir smylyng was ful symple and coy;
GP 120 Hire gretteste ooth was but by Seinte Loy;
GP 121 And she was cleped madame Eglentyne.
GP 122 Ful weel she soong the service dyvyne,
GP 123 Entuned in hir nose ful semely;
GP 124 And Frenssh she spak ful faire and fetisly,
GP 125 After the scole of Stratford atte Bowe,
GP 126 For Frenssh of Parys was to hire unknowe.
GP 127 At mete wel ytaught was she with alle;
GP 128 She leet no morsel from hir lippes falle,
GP 129 Ne wette hir fyngres in hir sauce depe;
GP 130 Wel koude she carie a morsel and wel kepe
GP 131 That no drope ne fille upon hire brest.
GP 132 In curteisie was set ful muchel hir lest.
GP 133 Hir over-lippe wyped she so clene
GP 134 That in hir coppe ther was no ferthyng sene
GP 135 Of grece, whan she dronken hadde hir draughte.
GP 136 Ful semely after hir mete she raughte.
GP 137 And sikerly she was of greet desport,
GP 138 And ful plesaunt, and amyable of port,
GP 139 And peyned hire to countrefete cheere
GP 140 Of court, and to been estatlich of manere,
GP 141 And to ben holden digne of reverence.
GP 142 But for to speken of hire conscience,
GP 143 She was so charitable and so pitous
GP 144 She wolde wepe, if that she saugh a mous
GP 145 Kaught in a trappe, if it were deed or bledde.
GP 146 Of smale houndes hadde she that she fedde
GP 147 With rosted flessh, or milk and wastel-breed.
GP 148 But soore wepte she if oon of hem were deed,
GP 149 Or if men smoot it with a yerde smerte;
GP 150 And al was conscience and tendre herte.
GP 151 Ful semyly hir wympul pynched was,
GP 152 Hir nose tretys, hir eyen greye as glas,
GP 153 Hir mouth ful smal, and therto softe and reed.
GP 154 But sikerly she hadde a fair forheed;
GP 155 It was almoost a spanne brood, I trowe;
GP 156 For, hardily, she was nat undergrowe.
GP 157 Ful fetys was hir cloke, as I was war.
GP 158 Of smal coral aboute hire arm she bar
GP 159 A peire of bedes, gauded al with grene,
GP 160 And theron heng a brooch of gold ful sheene,
GP 161 On which ther was first write a crowned A,
GP 162 And after Amor vincit omnia.
GP 163 Another NONNE with hire hadde she,
GP 164 That was hir chapeleyne, and preestes thre.
GP 165 A MONK ther was, a fair for the maistrie,
GP 166 An outridere, that lovede venerie,
GP 167 A manly man, to been an abbot able.
GP 168 Ful many a deyntee hors hadde he in stable,
GP 169 And whan he rood, men myghte his brydel heere
GP 170 Gynglen in a whistlynge wynd als cleere
GP 171 And eek as loude as dooth the chapel belle
GP 172 Ther as this lord was kepere of the celle.
GP 173 The reule of Seint Maure or of Seint Beneit --
GP 174 By cause that it was old and somdel streit
GP 175 This ilke Monk leet olde thynges pace,
GP 176 And heeld after the newe world the space.
GP 177 He yaf nat of that text a pulled hen,
GP 178 That seith that hunters ben nat hooly men,
GP 179 Ne that a monk, whan he is recchelees,
GP 180 Is likned til a fissh that is waterlees --
GP 181 This is to seyn, a monk out of his cloystre.
GP 182 But thilke text heeld he nat worth an oystre;
GP 183 And I seyde his opinion was good.
GP 184 What sholde he studie and make hymselven wood,
GP 185 Upon a book in cloystre alwey to poure,
GP 186 Or swynken with his handes, and laboure,
GP 187 As Austyn bit? How shal the world be served?
GP 188 Lat Austyn have his swynk to hym reserved!
GP 189 Therfore he was a prikasour aright:
GP 190 Grehoundes he hadde as swift as fowel in flight;
GP 191 Of prikyng and of huntyng for the hare
GP 192 Was al his lust, for no cost wolde he spare.
GP 193 I seigh his sleves purfiled at the hond
GP 194 With grys, and that the fyneste of a lond;
GP 195 And for to festne his hood under his chyn,
GP 196 He hadde of gold ywroght a ful curious pyn;
GP 197 A love-knotte in the gretter ende ther was.
GP 198 His heed was balled, that shoon as any glas,
GP 199 And eek his face, as he hadde been enoynt.
GP 200 He was a lord ful fat and in good poynt;
GP 201 His eyen stepe, and rollynge in his heed,
GP 202 That stemed as a forneys of a leed;
GP 203 His bootes souple, his hors in greet estaat.
GP 204 Now certeinly he was a fair prelaat;
GP 205 He was nat pale as a forpyned goost.
GP 206 A fat swan loved he best of any roost.
GP 207 His palfrey was as broun as is a berye.
GP 208 A FRERE ther was, a wantowne and a merye,
GP 209 A lymytour, a ful solempne man.
GP 210 In alle the ordres foure is noon that kan
GP 211 So muchel of daliaunce and fair langage.
GP 212 He hadde maad ful many a mariage
GP 213 Of yonge wommen at his owene cost.
GP 214 Unto his ordre he was a noble post.
GP 215 Ful wel biloved and famulier was he
GP 216 With frankeleyns over al in his contree,
GP 217 And eek with worthy wommen of the toun;
GP 218 For he hadde power of confessioun,
GP 219 As seyde hymself, moore than a curat,
GP 220 For of his ordre he was licenciat.
GP 221 Ful swetely herde he confessioun,
GP 222 And plesaunt was his absolucioun:
GP 223 He was an esy man to yeve penaunce,
GP 224 Ther as he wiste to have a good pitaunce.
GP 225 For unto a povre ordre for to yive
GP 226 Is signe that a man is wel yshryve;
GP 227 For if he yaf, he dorste make avaunt,
GP 228 He wiste that a man was repentaunt;
GP 229 For many a man so hard is of his herte,
GP 230 He may nat wepe, althogh hym soore smerte.
GP 231 Therfore in stede of wepynge and preyeres
GP 232 Men moote yeve silver to the povre freres.
GP 233 His typet was ay farsed ful of knyves
GP 234 And pynnes, for to yeven faire wyves.
GP 235 And certeinly he hadde a murye note:
GP 236 Wel koude he synge and pleyen on a rote;
GP 237 Of yeddynges he baar outrely the pris.
GP 238 His nekke whit was as the flour-de-lys;
GP 239 Therto he strong was as a champioun.
GP 240 He knew the tavernes wel in every toun
GP 241 And everich hostiler and tappestere
GP 242 Bet than a lazar or a beggestere,
GP 243 For unto swich a worthy man as he
GP 244 Acorded nat, as by his facultee,
GP 245 To have with sike lazars aqueyntaunce.
GP 246 It is nat honest; it may nat avaunce,
GP 247 For to deelen with no swich poraille,
GP 248 But al with riche and selleres of vitaille.
GP 249 And over al, ther as profit sholde arise,
GP 250 Curteis he was and lowely of servyse;
GP 251 Ther nas no man nowher so vertuous.
GP 252 He was the beste beggere in his hous;
GP 252a [And yaf a certeyn ferme for the graunt;
GP 252b Noon of his bretheren cam ther in his haunt;]
GP 253 For thogh a wydwe hadde noght a sho,
GP 254 So plesaunt was his " In principio, "
GP 255 Yet wolde he have a ferthyng, er he wente.
GP 256 His purchas was wel bettre than his rente.
GP 257 And rage he koude, as it were right a whelp.
GP 258 In love-dayes ther koude he muchel help,
GP 259 For ther he was nat lyk a cloysterer
GP 260 With a thredbare cope, as is a povre scoler,
GP 261 But he was lyk a maister or a pope.
GP 262 Of double worstede was his semycope,
GP 263 That rounded as a belle out of the presse.
GP 264 Somwhat he lipsed, for his wantownesse,
GP 265 To make his Englissh sweete upon his tonge;
GP 266 And in his harpyng, whan that he hadde songe,
GP 267 His eyen twynkled in his heed aryght
GP 268 As doon the sterres in the frosty nyght.
GP 269 This worthy lymytour was cleped Huberd.
GP 270 A MARCHANT was ther with a forked berd,
GP 271 In mottelee, and hye on horse he sat;
GP 272 Upon his heed a Flaundryssh bever hat,
GP 273 His bootes clasped faire and fetisly.
GP 274 His resons he spak ful solempnely,
GP 275 Sownynge alwey th' encrees of his wynnyng.
GP 276 He wolde the see were kept for any thyng
GP 277 Bitwixe Middelburgh and Orewelle.
GP 278 Wel koude he in eschaunge sheeldes selle.
GP 279 This worthy man ful wel his wit bisette:
GP 280 Ther wiste no wight that he was in dette,
GP 281 So estatly was he of his governaunce
GP 282 With his bargaynes and with his chevyssaunce.
GP 283 For sothe he was a worthy man with alle,
GP 284 But, sooth to seyn, I noot how men hym calle.
GP 285 A CLERK ther was of Oxenford also,
GP 286 That unto logyk hadde longe ygo.
GP 287 As leene was his hors as is a rake,
GP 288 And he nas nat right fat, I undertake,
GP 289 But looked holwe, and therto sobrely.
GP 290 Ful thredbare was his overeste courtepy,
GP 291 For he hadde geten hym yet no benefice,
GP 292 Ne was so worldly for to have office.
GP 293 For hym was levere have at his beddes heed
GP 294 Twenty bookes, clad in blak or reed,
GP 295 Of Aristotle and his philosophie
GP 296 Than robes riche, or fithele, or gay sautrie.
GP 297 But al be that he was a philosophre,
GP 298 Yet hadde he but litel gold in cofre;
GP 299 But al that he myghte of his freendes hente,
GP 300 On bookes and on lernynge he it spente,
GP 301 And bisily gan for the soules preye
GP 302 Of hem that yaf hym wherwith to scoleye.
GP 303 Of studie took he moost cure and moost heede.
GP 304 Noght o word spak he moore than was neede,
GP 305 And that was seyd in forme and reverence,
GP 306 And short and quyk and ful of hy sentence;
GP 307 Sownynge in moral vertu was his speche,
GP 308 And gladly wolde he lerne and gladly teche.
GP 309 A SERGEANT OF THE LAWE, war and wys,
GP 310 That often hadde been at the Parvys,
GP 311 Ther was also, ful riche of excellence.
GP 312 Discreet he was and of greet reverence --
GP 313 He semed swich, his wordes weren so wise.
GP 314 Justice he was ful often in assise,
GP 315 By patente and by pleyn commissioun.
GP 316 For his science and for his heigh renoun,
GP 317 Of fees and robes hadde he many oon.
GP 318 So greet a purchasour was nowher noon:
GP 319 Al was fee symple to hym in effect;
GP 320 His purchasyng myghte nat been infect.
GP 321 Nowher so bisy a man as he ther nas,
GP 322 And yet he semed bisier than he was.
GP 323 In termes hadde he caas and doomes alle
GP 324 That from the tyme of kyng William were falle.
GP 325 Therto he koude endite and make a thyng,
GP 326 Ther koude no wight pynche at his writyng;
GP 327 And every statut koude he pleyn by rote.
GP 328 He rood but hoomly in a medlee cote,
GP 329 Girt with a ceint of silk, with barres smale;
GP 330 Of his array telle I no lenger tale.
GP 331 A FRANKELEYN was in his compaignye.
GP 332 Whit was his berd as is the dayesye;
GP 333 Of his complexioun he was sangwyn.
GP 334 Wel loved he by the morwe a sop in wyn;
GP 335 To lyven in delit was evere his wone,
GP 336 For he was Epicurus owene sone,
GP 337 That heeld opinioun that pleyn delit
GP 338 Was verray felicitee parfit.
GP 339 An housholdere, and that a greet, was he;
GP 340 Seint Julian he was in his contree.
GP 341 His breed, his ale, was alweys after oon;
GP 342 A bettre envyned man was nowher noon.
GP 343 Withoute bake mete was nevere his hous,
GP 344 Of fissh and flessh, and that so plentevous
GP 345 It snewed in his hous of mete and drynke;
GP 346 Of alle deyntees that men koude thynke,
GP 347 After the sondry sesons of the yeer,
GP 348 So chaunged he his mete and his soper.
GP 349 Ful many a fat partrich hadde he in muwe,
GP 350 And many a breem and many a luce in stuwe.
GP 351 Wo was his cook but if his sauce were
GP 352 Poynaunt and sharp, and redy al his geere.
GP 353 His table dormant in his halle alway
GP 354 Stood redy covered al the longe day.
GP 355 At sessiouns ther was he lord and sire;
GP 356 Ful ofte tyme he was knyght of the shire.
GP 357 An anlaas and a gipser al of silk
GP 358 Heeng at his girdel, whit as morne milk.
GP 359 A shirreve hadde he been, and a contour.
GP 360 Was nowher swich a worthy vavasour.
GP 361 AN HABERDASSHERE and a CARPENTER,
GP 362 A WEBBE, a DYERE, and a TAPYCER --
GP 363 And they were clothed alle in o lyveree
GP 364 Of a solempne and a greet fraternitee.
GP 365 Ful fressh and newe hir geere apiked was;
GP 366 Hir knyves were chaped noght with bras
GP 367 But al with silver, wroght ful clene and weel,
GP 368 Hire girdles and hir pouches everydeel.
GP 369 Wel semed ech of hem a fair burgeys
GP 370 To sitten in a yeldehalle on a deys.
GP 371 Everich, for the wisdom that he kan,
GP 372 Was shaply for to been an alderman.
GP 373 For catel hadde they ynogh and rente,
GP 374 And eek hir wyves wolde it wel assente;
GP 375 And elles certeyn were they to blame.
GP 376 It is ful fair to been ycleped " madame, "
GP 377 And goon to vigilies al bifore,
GP 378 And have a mantel roialliche ybore.
GP 379 A COOK they hadde with hem for the nones
GP 380 To boille the chiknes with the marybones,
GP 381 And poudre-marchant tart and galyngale.
GP 382 Wel koude he knowe a draughte of Londoun ale.
GP 383 He koude rooste, and sethe, and broille, and frye,
GP 384 Maken mortreux, and wel bake a pye.
GP 385 But greet harm was it, as it thoughte me,
GP 386 That on his shyne a mormal hadde he.
GP 387 For blankmanger, that made he with the beste.
GP 388 A SHIPMAN was ther, wonynge fer by weste;
GP 389 For aught I woot, he was of Dertemouthe.
GP 390 He rood upon a rouncy, as he kouthe,
GP 391 In a gowne of faldyng to the knee.
GP 392 A daggere hangynge on a laas hadde he
GP 393 Aboute his nekke, under his arm adoun.
GP 394 The hoote somer hadde maad his hewe al broun;
GP 395 And certeinly he was a good felawe.
GP 396 Ful many a draughte of wyn had he ydrawe
GP 397 Fro Burdeux-ward, whil that the chapman sleep.
GP 398 Of nyce conscience took he no keep.
GP 399 If that he faught and hadde the hyer hond,
GP 400 By water he sente hem hoom to every lond.
GP 401 But of his craft to rekene wel his tydes,
GP 402 His stremes, and his daungers hym bisides,
GP 403 His herberwe, and his moone, his lodemenage,
GP 404 Ther nas noon swich from Hulle to Cartage.
GP 405 Hardy he was and wys to undertake;
GP 406 With many a tempest hadde his berd been shake.
GP 407 He knew alle the havenes, as they were,
GP 408 Fro Gootlond to the cape of Fynystere,
GP 409 And every cryke in Britaigne and in Spayne.
GP 410 His barge ycleped was the Maudelayne.
GP 411 With us ther was a DOCTOUR OF PHISIK;
GP 412 In al this world ne was ther noon hym lik,
GP 413 To speke of phisik and of surgerye,
GP 414 For he was grounded in astronomye.
GP 415 He kepte his pacient a ful greet deel
GP 416 In houres by his magyk natureel.
GP 417 Wel koude he fortunen the ascendent
GP 418 Of his ymages for his pacient.
GP 419 He knew the cause of everich maladye,
GP 420 Were it of hoot, or coold, or moyste, or drye,
GP 421 And where they engendred, and of what humour.
GP 422 He was a verray, parfit praktisour:
GP 423 The cause yknowe, and of his harm the roote,
GP 424 Anon he yaf the sike man his boote.
GP 425 Ful redy hadde he his apothecaries
GP 426 To sende hym drogges and his letuaries,
GP 427 For ech of hem made oother for to wynne --
GP 428 Hir frendshipe nas nat newe to bigynne.
GP 429 Wel knew he the olde Esculapius,
GP 430 And Deyscorides, and eek Rufus,
GP 431 Olde Ypocras, Haly, and Galyen,
GP 432 Serapion, Razis, and Avycen,
GP 433 Averrois, Damascien, and Constantyn,
GP 434 Bernard, and Gatesden, and Gilbertyn.
GP 435 Of his diete mesurable was he,
GP 436 For it was of no superfluitee,
GP 437 But of greet norissyng and digestible.
GP 438 His studie was but litel on the Bible.
GP 439 In sangwyn and in pers he clad was al,
GP 440 Lyned with taffata and with sendal.
GP 441 And yet he was but esy of dispence;
GP 442 He kepte that he wan in pestilence.
GP 443 For gold in phisik is a cordial,
GP 444 Therefore he lovede gold in special.
GP 445 A good WIF was ther OF biside BATHE,
GP 446 But she was somdel deef, and that was scathe.
GP 447 Of clooth-makyng she hadde swich an haunt
GP 448 She passed hem of Ypres and of Gaunt.
GP 449 In al the parisshe wif ne was ther noon
GP 450 That to the offrynge bifore hire sholde goon;
GP 451 And if ther dide, certeyn so wrooth was she
GP 452 That she was out of alle charitee.
GP 453 Hir coverchiefs ful fyne weren of ground;
GP 454 I dorste swere they weyeden ten pound
GP 455 That on a Sonday weren upon hir heed.
GP 456 Hir hosen weren of fyn scarlet reed,
GP 457 Ful streite yteyd, and shoes ful moyste and newe.
GP 458 Boold was hir face, and fair, and reed of hewe.
GP 459 She was a worthy womman al hir lyve:
GP 460 Housbondes at chirche dore she hadde fyve,
GP 461 Withouten oother compaignye in youthe --
GP 462 But thereof nedeth nat to speke as nowthe.
GP 463 And thries hadde she been at Jerusalem;
GP 464 She hadde passed many a straunge strem;
GP 465 At Rome she hadde been, and at Boloigne,
GP 466 In Galice at Seint-Jame, and at Coloigne.
GP 467 She koude muchel of wandrynge by the weye.
GP 468 Gat-tothed was she, soothly for to seye.
GP 469 Upon an amblere esily she sat,
GP 470 Ywympled wel, and on hir heed an hat
GP 471 As brood as is a bokeler or a targe;
GP 472 A foot-mantel aboute hir hipes large,
GP 473 And on hir feet a paire of spores sharpe.
GP 474 In felaweshipe wel koude she laughe and carpe.
GP 475 Of remedies of love she knew per chaunce,
GP 476 For she koude of that art the olde daunce.
GP 477 A good man was ther of religioun,
GP 478 And was a povre PERSOUN OF A TOUN,
GP 479 But riche he was of hooly thoght and werk.
GP 480 He was also a lerned man, a clerk,
GP 481 That Cristes gospel trewely wolde preche;
GP 482 His parisshens devoutly wolde he teche.
GP 483 Benygne he was, and wonder diligent,
GP 484 And in adversitee ful pacient,
GP 485 And swich he was ypreved ofte sithes.
GP 486 Ful looth were hym to cursen for his tithes,
GP 487 But rather wolde he yeven, out of doute,
GP 488 Unto his povre parisshens aboute
GP 489 Of his offryng and eek of his substaunce.
GP 490 He koude in litel thyng have suffisaunce.
GP 491 Wyd was his parisshe, and houses fer asonder,
GP 492 But he ne lefte nat, for reyn ne thonder,
GP 493 In siknesse nor in meschief to visite
GP 494 The ferreste in his parisshe, muche and lite,
GP 495 Upon his feet, and in his hand a staf.
GP 496 This noble ensample to his sheep he yaf,
GP 497 That first he wroghte, and afterward he taughte.
GP 498 Out of the gospel he tho wordes caughte,
GP 499 And this figure he added eek therto,
GP 500 That if gold ruste, what shal iren do?
GP 501 For if a preest be foul, on whom we truste,
GP 502 No wonder is a lewed man to ruste;
GP 503 And shame it is, if a prest take keep,
GP 504 A shiten shepherde and a clene sheep.
GP 505 Wel oghte a preest ensample for to yive,
GP 506 By his clennesse, how that his sheep sholde lyve.
GP 507 He sette nat his benefice to hyre
GP 508 And leet his sheep encombred in the myre
GP 509 And ran to Londoun unto Seinte Poules
GP 510 To seken hym a chaunterie for soules,
GP 511 Or with a bretherhed to been withholde;
GP 512 But dwelte at hoom, and kepte wel his folde,
GP 513 So that the wolf ne made it nat myscarie;
GP 514 He was a shepherde and noght a mercenarie.
GP 515 And though he hooly were and vertuous,
GP 516 He was to synful men nat despitous,
GP 517 Ne of his speche daungerous ne digne,
GP 518 But in his techyng discreet and benygne.
GP 519 To drawen folk to hevene by fairnesse,
GP 520 By good ensample, this was his bisynesse.
GP 521 But it were any persone obstinat,
GP 522 What so he were, of heigh or lough estat,
GP 523 Hym wolde he snybben sharply for the nonys.
GP 524 A bettre preest I trowe that nowher noon ys.
GP 525 He waited after no pompe and reverence,
GP 526 Ne maked him a spiced conscience,
GP 527 But Cristes loore and his apostles twelve
GP 528 He taughte; but first he folwed it hymselve.
GP 529 With hym ther was a PLOWMAN, was his brother,
GP 530 That hadde ylad of dong ful many a fother;
GP 531 A trewe swynkere and a good was he,
GP 532 Lyvynge in pees and parfit charitee.
GP 533 God loved he best with al his hoole herte
GP 534 At alle tymes, thogh him gamed or smerte,
GP 535 And thanne his neighebor right as hymselve.
GP 536 He wolde thresshe, and therto dyke and delve,
GP 537 For Cristes sake, for every povre wight,
GP 538 Withouten hire, if it lay in his myght.
GP 539 His tithes payde he ful faire and wel,
GP 540 Bothe of his propre swynk and his catel.
GP 541 In a tabard he rood upon a mere.
GP 542 Ther was also a REVE, and a MILLERE,
GP 543 A SOMNOUR, and a PARDONER also,
GP 544 A MAUNCIPLE, and myself -- ther were namo.
GP 545 The MILLERE was a stout carl for the nones;
GP 546 Ful byg he was of brawn, and eek of bones.
GP 547 That proved wel, for over al ther he cam,
GP 548 At wrastlynge he wolde have alwey the ram.
GP 549 He was short-sholdred, brood, a thikke knarre;
GP 550 Ther was no dore that he nolde heve of harre,
GP 551 Or breke it at a rennyng with his heed.
GP 552 His berd as any sowe or fox was reed,
GP 553 And therto brood, as though it were a spade.
GP 554 Upon the cop right of his nose he hade
GP 555 A werte, and theron stood a toft of herys,
GP 556 Reed as the brustles of a sowes erys;
GP 557 His nosethirles blake were and wyde.
GP 558 A swerd and a bokeler bar he by his syde.
GP 559 His mouth as greet was as a greet forneys.
GP 560 He was a janglere and a goliardeys,
GP 561 And that was moost of synne and harlotries.
GP 562 Wel koude he stelen corn and tollen thries;
GP 563 And yet he hadde a thombe of gold, pardee.
GP 564 A whit cote and a blew hood wered he.
GP 565 A baggepipe wel koude he blowe and sowne,
GP 566 And therwithal he broghte us out of towne.
GP 567 A gentil MAUNCIPLE was ther of a temple,
GP 568 Of which achatours myghte take exemple
GP 569 For to be wise in byynge of vitaille;
GP 570 For wheither that he payde or took by taille,
GP 571 Algate he wayted so in his achaat
GP 572 That he was ay biforn and in good staat.
GP 573 Now is nat that of God a ful fair grace
GP 574 That swich a lewed mannes wit shal pace
GP 575 The wisdom of an heep of lerned men?
GP 576 Of maistres hadde he mo than thries ten,
GP 577 That weren of lawe expert and curious,
GP 578 Of which ther were a duszeyne in that hous
GP 579 Worthy to been stywardes of rente and lond
GP 580 Of any lord that is in Engelond,
GP 581 To make hym lyve by his propre good
GP 582 In honour dettelees (but if he were wood),
GP 583 Or lyve as scarsly as hym list desire;
GP 584 And able for to helpen al a shire
GP 585 In any caas that myghte falle or happe.
GP 586 And yet this Manciple sette hir aller cappe.
GP 587 The REVE was a sclendre colerik man.
GP 588 His berd was shave as ny as ever he kan;
GP 589 His heer was by his erys ful round yshorn;
GP 590 His top was dokked lyk a preest biforn.
GP 591 Ful longe were his legges and ful lene,
GP 592 Ylyk a staf; ther was no calf ysene.
GP 593 Wel koude he kepe a gerner and a bynne;
GP 594 Ther was noon auditour koude on him wynne.
GP 595 Wel wiste he by the droghte and by the reyn
GP 596 The yeldynge of his seed and of his greyn.
GP 597 His lordes sheep, his neet, his dayerye,
GP 598 His swyn, his hors, his stoor, and his pultrye
GP 599 Was hoolly in this Reves governynge,
GP 600 And by his covenant yaf the rekenynge,
GP 601 Syn that his lord was twenty yeer of age.
GP 602 Ther koude no man brynge hym in arrerage.
GP 603 Ther nas baillif, ne hierde, nor oother hyne,
GP 604 That he ne knew his sleighte and his covyne;
GP 605 They were adrad of hym as of the deeth.
GP 606 His wonyng was ful faire upon an heeth;
GP 607 With grene trees yshadwed was his place.
GP 608 He koude bettre than his lord purchace.
GP 609 Ful riche he was astored pryvely.
GP 610 His lord wel koude he plesen subtilly,
GP 611 To yeve and lene hym of his owene good,
GP 612 And have a thank, and yet a cote and hood.
GP 613 In youthe he hadde lerned a good myster:
GP 614 He was a wel good wrighte, a carpenter.
GP 615 This Reve sat upon a ful good stot
GP 616 That was al pomely grey and highte Scot.
GP 617 A long surcote of pers upon he hade,
GP 618 And by his syde he baar a rusty blade.
GP 619 Of Northfolk was this Reve of which I telle,
GP 620 Biside a toun men clepen Baldeswelle.
GP 621 Tukked he was as is a frere aboute,
GP 622 And evere he rood the hyndreste of oure route.
GP 623 A SOMONOUR was ther with us in that place,
GP 624 That hadde a fyr-reed cherubynnes face,
GP 625 For saucefleem he was, with eyen narwe.
GP 626 As hoot he was and lecherous as a sparwe,
GP 627 With scalled browes blake and piled berd.
GP 628 Of his visage children were aferd.
GP 629 Ther nas quyk-silver, lytarge, ne brymstoon,
GP 630 Boras, ceruce, ne oille of tartre noon,
GP 631 Ne oynement that wolde clense and byte,
GP 632 That hym myghte helpen of his whelkes white,
GP 633 Nor of the knobbes sittynge on his chekes.
GP 634 Wel loved he garleek, oynons, and eek lekes,
GP 635 And for to drynken strong wyn, reed as blood;
GP 636 Thanne wolde he speke and crie as he were wood.
GP 637 And whan that he wel dronken hadde the wyn,
GP 638 Thanne wolde he speke no word but Latyn.
GP 639 A fewe termes hadde he, two or thre,
GP 640 That he had lerned out of som decree --
GP 641 No wonder is, he herde it al the day;
GP 642 And eek ye knowen wel how that a jay
GP 643 Kan clepen " Watte " as wel as kan the pope.
GP 644 But whoso koude in oother thyng hym grope,
GP 645 Thanne hadde he spent al his philosophie;
GP 646 Ay " Questio quid iuris " wolde he crie.
GP 647 He was a gentil harlot and a kynde;
GP 648 A bettre felawe sholde men noght fynde.
GP 649 He wolde suffre for a quart of wyn
GP 650 A good felawe to have his concubyn
GP 651 A twelf month, and excuse hym atte fulle;
GP 652 Ful prively a fynch eek koude he pulle.
GP 653 And if he foond owher a good felawe,
GP 654 He wolde techen him to have noon awe
GP 655 In swich caas of the ercedekenes curs,
GP 656 But if a mannes soule were in his purs;
GP 657 For in his purs he sholde ypunysshed be.
GP 658 " Purs is the ercedekenes helle, " seyde he.
GP 659 But wel I woot he lyed right in dede;
GP 660 Of cursyng oghte ech gilty man him drede,
GP 661 For curs wol slee right as assoillyng savith,
GP 662 And also war hym of a Significavit.
GP 663 In daunger hadde he at his owene gise
GP 664 The yonge girles of the diocise,
GP 665 And knew hir conseil, and was al hir reed.
GP 666 A gerland hadde he set upon his heed,
GP 667 As greet as it were for an ale-stake.
GP 668 A bokeleer hadde he maad hym of a cake.
GP 669 With hym ther rood a gentil PARDONER
GP 670 Of Rouncivale, his freend and his compeer,
GP 671 That streight was comen fro the court of Rome.
GP 672 Ful loude he soong " Com hider, love, to me! "
GP 673 This Somonour bar to hym a stif burdoun;
GP 674 Was nevere trompe of half so greet a soun.
GP 675 This Pardoner hadde heer as yelow as wex,
GP 676 But smothe it heeng as dooth a strike of flex;
GP 677 By ounces henge his lokkes that he hadde,
GP 678 And therwith he his shuldres overspradde;
GP 679 But thynne it lay, by colpons oon and oon.
GP 680 But hood, for jolitee, wered he noon,
GP 681 For it was trussed up in his walet.
GP 682 Hym thoughte he rood al of the newe jet;
GP 683 Dischevelee, save his cappe, he rood al bare.
GP 684 Swiche glarynge eyen hadde he as an hare.
GP 685 A vernycle hadde he sowed upon his cappe.
GP 686 His walet, biforn hym in his lappe,
GP 687 Bretful of pardoun comen from Rome al hoot.
GP 688 A voys he hadde as smal as hath a goot.
GP 689 No berd hadde he, ne nevere sholde have;
GP 690 As smothe it was as it were late shave.
GP 691 I trowe he were a geldyng or a mare.
GP 692 But of his craft, fro Berwyk into Ware
GP 693 Ne was ther swich another pardoner.
GP 694 For in his male he hadde a pilwe-beer,
GP 695 Which that he seyde was Oure Lady veyl;
GP 696 He seyde he hadde a gobet of the seyl
GP 697 That Seint Peter hadde, whan that he wente
GP 698 Upon the see, til Jhesu Crist hym hente.
GP 699 He hadde a croys of latoun ful of stones,
GP 700 And in a glas he hadde pigges bones.
GP 701 But with thise relikes, whan that he fond
GP 702 A povre person dwellynge upon lond,
GP 703 Upon a day he gat hym moore moneye
GP 704 Than that the person gat in monthes tweye;
GP 705 And thus, with feyned flaterye and japes,
GP 706 He made the person and the peple his apes.
GP 707 But trewely to tellen atte laste,
GP 708 He was in chirche a noble ecclesiaste.
GP 709 Wel koude he rede a lessoun or a storie,
GP 710 But alderbest he song an offertorie;
GP 711 For wel he wiste, whan that song was songe,
GP 712 He moste preche and wel affile his tonge
GP 713 To wynne silver, as he ful wel koude;
GP 714 Therefore he song the murierly and loude.
GP 715 Now have I toold you soothly, in a clause,
GP 716 Th' estaat, th' array, the nombre, and eek the cause
GP 717 Why that assembled was this compaignye
GP 718 In Southwerk at this gentil hostelrye
GP 719 That highte the Tabard, faste by the Belle.
GP 720 But now is tyme to yow for to telle
GP 721 How that we baren us that ilke nyght,
GP 722 Whan we were in that hostelrie alyght;
GP 723 And after wol I telle of our viage
GP 724 And al the remenaunt of oure pilgrimage.
GP 725 But first I pray yow, of youre curteisye,
GP 726 That ye n' arette it nat my vileynye,
GP 727 Thogh that I pleynly speke in this mateere,
GP 728 To telle yow hir wordes and hir cheere,
GP 729 Ne thogh I speke hir wordes proprely.
GP 730 For this ye knowen al so wel as I:
GP 731 Whoso shal telle a tale after a man,
GP 732 He moot reherce as ny as evere he kan
GP 733 Everich a word, if it be in his charge,
GP 734 Al speke he never so rudeliche and large,
GP 735 Or ellis he moot telle his tale untrewe,
GP 736 Or feyne thyng, or fynde wordes newe.
GP 737 He may nat spare, althogh he were his brother;
GP 738 He moot as wel seye o word as another.
GP 739 Crist spak hymself ful brode in hooly writ,
GP 740 And wel ye woot no vileynye is it.
GP 741 Eek Plato seith, whoso kan hym rede,
GP 742 The wordes moote be cosyn to the dede.
GP 743 Also I prey yow to foryeve it me,
GP 744 Al have I nat set folk in hir degree
GP 745 Heere in this tale, as that they sholde stonde.
GP 746 My wit is short, ye may wel understonde.
GP 747 Greet chiere made oure Hoost us everichon,
GP 748 And to the soper sette he us anon.
GP 749 He served us with vitaille at the beste;
GP 750 Strong was the wyn, and wel to drynke us leste.
GP 751 A semely man OURE HOOSTE was withalle
GP 752 For to been a marchal in an halle.
GP 753 A large man he was with eyen stepe --
GP 754 A fairer burgeys was ther noon in Chepe --
GP 755 Boold of his speche, and wys, and wel ytaught,
GP 756 And of manhod hym lakkede right naught.
GP 757 Eek therto he was right a myrie man;
GP 758 And after soper pleyen he bigan,
GP 759 And spak of myrthe amonges othere thynges,
GP 760 Whan that we hadde maad oure rekenynges,
GP 761 And seyde thus: " Now, lordynges, trewely,
GP 762 Ye been to me right welcome, hertely;
GP 763 For by my trouthe, if that I shal nat lye,
GP 764 I saugh nat this yeer so myrie a compaignye
GP 765 Atones in this herberwe as is now.
GP 766 Fayn wolde I doon yow myrthe, wiste I how.
GP 767 And of a myrthe I am right now bythoght,
GP 768 To doon yow ese, and it shal coste noght.
GP 769 " Ye goon to Caunterbury -- God yow speede,
GP 770 The blisful martir quite yow youre meede!
GP 771 And wel I woot, as ye goon by the weye,
GP 772 Ye shapen yow to talen and to pleye;
GP 773 For trewely, confort ne myrthe is noon
GP 774 To ride by the weye doumb as a stoon;
GP 775 And therfore wol I maken yow disport,
GP 776 As I seyde erst, and doon yow som confort.
GP 777 And if yow liketh alle by oon assent
GP 778 For to stonden at my juggement,
GP 779 And for to werken as I shal yow seye,
GP 780 Tomorwe, whan ye riden by the weye,
GP 781 Now, by my fader soule that is deed,
GP 782 But ye be myrie, I wol yeve yow myn heed!
GP 783 Hoold up youre hondes, withouten moore speche. "
GP 784 Oure conseil was nat longe for to seche.
GP 785 Us thoughte it was noght worth to make it wys,
GP 786 And graunted hym withouten moore avys,
GP 787 And bad him seye his voirdit as hym leste.
GP 788 " Lordynges, " quod he, " now herkneth for the beste;
GP 789 But taak it nought, I prey yow, in desdeyn.
GP 790 This is the poynt, to speken short and pleyn,
GP 791 That ech of yow, to shorte with oure weye,
GP 792 In this viage shal telle tales tweye
GP 793 To Caunterbury-ward, I mene it so,
GP 794 And homward he shal tellen othere two,
GP 795 Of aventures that whilom han bifalle.
GP 796 And which of yow that bereth hym best of alle --
GP 797 That is to seyn, that telleth in this caas
GP 798 Tales of best sentence and moost solaas --
GP 799 Shal have a soper at oure aller cost
GP 800 Heere in this place, sittynge by this post,
GP 801 Whan that we come agayn fro Caunterbury.
GP 802 And for to make yow the moore mury,
GP 803 I wol myselven goodly with yow ryde,
GP 804 Right at myn owene cost, and be youre gyde;
GP 805 And whoso wole my juggement withseye
GP 806 Shal paye al that we spenden by the weye.
GP 807 And if ye vouche sauf that it be so,
GP 808 Tel me anon, withouten wordes mo,
GP 809 And I wol erly shape me therfore. "
GP 810 This thyng was graunted, and oure othes swore
GP 811 With ful glad herte, and preyden hym also
GP 812 That he wolde vouche sauf for to do so,
GP 813 And that he wolde been oure governour,
GP 814 And of oure tales juge and reportour,
GP 815 And sette a soper at a certeyn pris,
GP 816 And we wol reuled been at his devys
GP 817 In heigh and lough; and thus by oon assent
GP 818 We been acorded to his juggement.
GP 819 And therupon the wyn was fet anon;
GP 820 We dronken, and to reste wente echon,
GP 821 Withouten any lenger taryynge.
GP 822 Amorwe, whan that day bigan to sprynge,
GP 823 Up roos oure Hoost, and was oure aller cok,
GP 824 And gadrede us togidre alle in a flok,
GP 825 And forth we riden a litel moore than paas
GP 826 Unto the Wateryng of Seint Thomas;
GP 827 And there oure Hoost bigan his hors areste
GP 828 And seyde, " Lordynges, herkneth, if yow leste.
GP 829 Ye woot youre foreward, and I it yow recorde.
GP 830 If even-song and morwe-song accorde,
GP 831 Lat se now who shal telle the firste tale.
GP 832 As evere mote I drynke wyn or ale,
GP 833 Whoso be rebel to my juggement
GP 834 Shal paye for al that by the wey is spent.
GP 835 Now draweth cut, er that we ferrer twynne;
GP 836 He which that hath the shorteste shal bigynne.
GP 837 Sire Knyght, " quod he, " my mayster and my lord,
GP 838 Now draweth cut, for that is myn accord.
GP 839 Cometh neer, " quod he, " my lady Prioresse.
GP 840 And ye, sire Clerk, lat be youre shamefastnesse,
GP 841 Ne studieth noght; ley hond to, every man! "
GP 842 Anon to drawen every wight bigan,
GP 843 And shortly for to tellen as it was,
GP 844 Were it by aventure, or sort, or cas,
GP 845 The sothe is this: the cut fil to the Knyght,
GP 846 Of which ful blithe and glad was every wyght,
GP 847 And telle he moste his tale, as was resoun,
GP 848 By foreward and by composicioun,
GP 849 As ye han herd; what nedeth wordes mo?
GP 850 And whan this goode man saugh that it was so,
GP 851 As he that wys was and obedient
GP 852 To kepe his foreward by his free assent,
GP 853 He seyde, " Syn I shal bigynne the game,
GP 854 What, welcome be the cut, a Goddes name!
GP 855 Now lat us ryde, and herkneth what I seye. "
GP 856 And with that word we ryden forth oure weye,
GP 857 And he bigan with right a myrie cheere
GP 858 His tale anon, and seyde as ye may heere.
KnT 859 Whilom, as olde stories tellen us,
KnT 860 Ther was a duc that highte Theseus;
KnT 861 Of Atthenes he was lord and governour,
KnT 862 And in his tyme swich a conquerour
KnT 863 That gretter was ther noon under the sonne.
KnT 864 Ful many a riche contree hadde he wonne;
KnT 865 What with his wysdom and his chivalrie,
KnT 866 He conquered al the regne of Femenye,
KnT 867 That whilom was ycleped Scithia,
KnT 868 And weddede the queene Ypolita,
KnT 869 And broghte hire hoom with hym in his contree
KnT 870 With muchel glorie and greet solempnytee,
KnT 871 And eek hir yonge suster Emelye.
KnT 872 And thus with victorie and with melodye
KnT 873 Lete I this noble duc to Atthenes ryde,
KnT 874 And al his hoost in armes hym bisyde.
KnT 875 And certes, if it nere to long to heere,
KnT 876 I wolde have toold yow fully the manere
KnT 877 How wonnen was the regne of Femenye
KnT 878 By Theseus and by his chivalrye;
KnT 879 And of the grete bataille for the nones
KnT 880 Bitwixen Atthenes and Amazones;
KnT 881 And how asseged was Ypolita,
KnT 882 The faire, hardy queene of Scithia;
KnT 883 And of the feste that was at hir weddynge,
KnT 884 And of the tempest at hir hoom-comynge;
KnT 885 But al that thyng I moot as now forbere.
KnT 886 I have, God woot, a large feeld to ere,
KnT 887 And wayke been the oxen in my plough.
KnT 888 The remenant of the tale is long ynough.
KnT 889 I wol nat letten eek noon of this route;
KnT 890 Lat every felawe telle his tale aboute,
KnT 891 And lat se now who shal the soper wynne;
KnT 892 And ther I lefte, I wol ayeyn bigynne.
KnT 893 This duc, of whom I make mencioun,
KnT 894 Whan he was come almoost unto the toun,
KnT 895 In al his wele and in his mooste pride,
KnT 896 He was war, as he caste his eye aside,
KnT 897 Where that ther kneled in the heighe weye
KnT 898 A compaignye of ladyes, tweye and tweye,
KnT 899 Ech after oother clad in clothes blake;
KnT 900 But swich a cry and swich a wo they make
KnT 901 That in this world nys creature lyvynge
KnT 902 That herde swich another waymentynge;
KnT 903 And of this cry they nolde nevere stenten
KnT 904 Til they the reynes of his brydel henten.
KnT 905 " What folk been ye, that at myn hom-comynge
KnT 906 Perturben so my feste with criynge? "
KnT 907 Quod Theseus. " Have ye so greet envye
KnT 908 Of myn honour, that thus compleyne and crye?
KnT 909 Or who hath yow mysboden or offended?
KnT 910 And telleth me if it may been amended,
KnT 911 And why that ye been clothed thus in blak. "
KnT 912 The eldeste lady of hem alle spak,
KnT 913 Whan she hadde swowned with a deedly cheere,
KnT 914 That it was routhe for to seen and heere;
KnT 915 She seyde, " Lord, to whom Fortune hath yiven
KnT 916 Victorie, and as a conqueror to lyven,
KnT 917 Nat greveth us youre glorie and youre honour,
KnT 918 But we biseken mercy and socour.
KnT 919 Have mercy on oure wo and oure distresse!
KnT 920 Som drope of pitee, thurgh thy gentillesse,
KnT 921 Upon us wrecched wommen lat thou falle,
KnT 922 For, certes, lord, ther is noon of us alle
KnT 923 That she ne hath been a duchesse or a queene.
KnT 924 Now be we caytyves, as it is wel seene,
KnT 925 Thanked be Fortune and hire false wheel,
KnT 926 That noon estaat assureth to be weel.
KnT 927 And certes, lord, to abyden youre presence,
KnT 928 Heere in this temple of the goddesse Clemence
KnT 929 We han ben waitynge al this fourtenyght.
KnT 930 Now help us, lord, sith it is in thy myght.
KnT 931 " I, wrecche, which that wepe and wayle thus,
KnT 932 Was whilom wyf to kyng Cappaneus,
KnT 933 That starf at Thebes -- cursed be that day! --
KnT 934 And alle we that been in this array
KnT 935 And maken al this lamentacioun,
KnT 936 We losten alle oure housbondes at that toun,
KnT 937 Whil that the seege theraboute lay.
KnT 938 And yet now the olde Creon -- weylaway! --
KnT 939 That lord is now of Thebes the citee,
KnT 940 Fulfild of ire and of iniquitee,
KnT 941 He, for despit and for his tirannye,
KnT 942 To do the dede bodyes vileynye
KnT 943 Of alle oure lordes whiche that been yslawe,
KnT 944 Hath alle the bodyes on an heep ydrawe,
KnT 945 And wol nat suffren hem, by noon assent,
KnT 946 Neither to been yburyed nor ybrent,
KnT 947 But maketh houndes ete hem in despit. "
KnT 948 And with that word, withouten moore respit,
KnT 949 They fillen gruf and criden pitously,
KnT 950 " Have on us wrecched wommen som mercy,
KnT 951 And lat oure sorwe synken in thyn herte. "
KnT 952 This gentil duc doun from his courser sterte
KnT 953 With herte pitous, whan he herde hem speke.
KnT 954 Hym thoughte that his herte wolde breke,
KnT 955 Whan he saugh hem so pitous and so maat,
KnT 956 That whilom weren of so greet estaat;
KnT 957 And in his armes he hem alle up hente,
KnT 958 And hem conforteth in ful good entente,
KnT 959 And swoor his ooth, as he was trewe knyght,
KnT 960 He wolde doon so ferforthly his myght
KnT 961 Upon the tiraunt Creon hem to wreke
KnT 962 That al the peple of Grece sholde speke
KnT 963 How Creon was of Theseus yserved
KnT 964 As he that hadde his deeth ful wel deserved.
KnT 965 And right anoon, withouten moore abood,
KnT 966 His baner he desplayeth, and forth rood
KnT 967 To Thebes-ward, and al his hoost biside.
KnT 968 No neer Atthenes wolde he go ne ride,
KnT 969 Ne take his ese fully half a day,
KnT 970 But onward on his wey that nyght he lay,
KnT 971 And sente anon Ypolita the queene,
KnT 972 And Emelye, hir yonge suster sheene,
KnT 973 Unto the toun of Atthenes to dwelle,
KnT 974 And forth he rit; ther is namoore to telle.
KnT 975 The rede statue of Mars, with spere and targe,
KnT 976 So shyneth in his white baner large
KnT 977 That alle the feeldes glyteren up and doun;
KnT 978 And by his baner born is his penoun
KnT 979 Of gold ful riche, in which ther was ybete
KnT 980 The Mynotaur, which that he wan in Crete.
KnT 981 Thus rit this duc, thus rit this conquerour,
KnT 982 And in his hoost of chivalrie the flour,
KnT 983 Til that he cam to Thebes and alighte
KnT 984 Faire in a feeld, ther as he thoughte to fighte.
KnT 985 But shortly for to speken of this thyng,
KnT 986 With Creon, which that was of Thebes kyng,
KnT 987 He faught, and slough hym manly as a knyght
KnT 988 In pleyn bataille, and putte the folk to flyght;
KnT 989 And by assaut he wan the citee after,
KnT 990 And rente adoun bothe wall and sparre and rafter;
KnT 991 And to the ladyes he restored agayn
KnT 992 The bones of hir freendes that were slayn,
KnT 993 To doon obsequies, as was tho the gyse.
KnT 994 But it were al to longe for to devyse
KnT 995 The grete clamour and the waymentynge
KnT 996 That the ladyes made at the brennynge
KnT 997 Of the bodies, and the grete honour
KnT 998 That Theseus, the noble conquerour,
KnT 999 Dooth to the ladyes, whan they from hym wente;
KnT 1000 But shortly for to telle is myn entente.
KnT 1001 Whan that this worthy duc, this Theseus,
KnT 1002 Hath Creon slayn and wonne Thebes thus,
KnT 1003 Stille in that feeld he took al nyght his reste,
KnT 1004 And dide with al the contree as hym leste.
KnT 1005 To ransake in the taas of bodyes dede,
KnT 1006 Hem for to strepe of harneys and of wede,
KnT 1007 The pilours diden bisynesse and cure
KnT 1008 After the bataille and disconfiture.
KnT 1009 And so bifel that in the taas they founde,
KnT 1010 Thurgh-girt with many a grevous blody wounde,
KnT 1011 Two yonge knyghtes liggynge by and by,
KnT 1012 Bothe in oon armes, wroght ful richely,
KnT 1013 Of whiche two Arcita highte that oon,
KnT 1014 And that oother knyght highte Palamon.
KnT 1015 Nat fully quyke, ne fully dede they were,
KnT 1016 But by hir cote-armures and by hir gere
KnT 1017 The heraudes knewe hem best in special
KnT 1018 As they that weren of the blood roial
KnT 1019 Of Thebes, and of sustren two yborn.
KnT 1020 Out of the taas the pilours han hem torn,
KnT 1021 And han hem caried softe unto the tente
KnT 1022 Of Theseus; and he ful soone hem sente
KnT 1023 To Atthenes, to dwellen in prisoun
KnT 1024 Perpetuelly -- he nolde no raunsoun.
KnT 1025 And whan this worthy duc hath thus ydon,
KnT 1026 He took his hoost, and hoom he rit anon
KnT 1027 With laurer crowned as a conquerour;
KnT 1028 And ther he lyveth in joye and in honour
KnT 1029 Terme of his lyf; what nedeth wordes mo?
KnT 1030 And in a tour, in angwissh and in wo,
KnT 1031 This Palamon and his felawe Arcite
KnT 1032 For everemoore; ther may no gold hem quite.
KnT 1033 This passeth yeer by yeer and day by day,
KnT 1034 Till it fil ones, in a morwe of May,
KnT 1035 That Emelye, that fairer was to sene
KnT 1036 Than is the lylie upon his stalke grene,
KnT 1037 And fressher than the May with floures newe --
KnT 1038 For with the rose colour stroof hire hewe,
KnT 1039 I noot which was the fyner of hem two --
KnT 1040 Er it were day, as was hir wone to do,
KnT 1041 She was arisen and al redy dight,
KnT 1042 For May wole have no slogardie anyght.
KnT 1043 The sesoun priketh every gentil herte,
KnT 1044 And maketh it out of his slep to sterte,
KnT 1045 And seith " Arys, and do thyn observaunce. "
KnT 1046 This maked Emelye have remembraunce
KnT 1047 To doon honour to May, and for to ryse.
KnT 1048 Yclothed was she fressh, for to devyse:
KnT 1049 Hir yelow heer was broyded in a tresse
KnT 1050 Bihynde hir bak, a yerde long, I gesse.
KnT 1051 And in the gardyn, at the sonne upriste,
KnT 1052 She walketh up and doun, and as hire liste
KnT 1053 She gadereth floures, party white and rede,
KnT 1054 To make a subtil gerland for hire hede;
KnT 1055 And as an aungel hevenysshly she soong.
KnT 1056 The grete tour, that was so thikke and stroong,
KnT 1057 Which of the castel was the chief dongeoun
KnT 1058 (Ther as the knyghtes weren in prisoun
KnT 1059 Of which I tolde yow and tellen shal),
KnT 1060 Was evene joynant to the gardyn wal
KnT 1061 Ther as this Emelye hadde hir pleyynge.
KnT 1062 Bright was the sonne and cleer that morwenynge,
KnT 1063 And Palamoun, this woful prisoner,
KnT 1064 As was his wone, by leve of his gayler,
KnT 1065 Was risen and romed in a chambre an heigh,
KnT 1066 In which he al the noble citee seigh,
KnT 1067 And eek the gardyn, ful of braunches grene,
KnT 1068 Ther as this fresshe Emelye the shene
KnT 1069 Was in hire walk, and romed up and doun.
KnT 1070 This sorweful prisoner, this Palamoun,
KnT 1071 Goth in the chambre romynge to and fro
KnT 1072 And to hymself compleynynge of his wo.
KnT 1073 That he was born, ful ofte he seyde, " allas! "
KnT 1074 And so bifel, by aventure or cas,
KnT 1075 That thurgh a wyndow, thikke of many a barre
KnT 1076 Of iren greet and square as any sparre,
KnT 1077 He cast his eye upon Emelya,
KnT 1078 And therwithal he bleynte and cride, " A! "
KnT 1079 As though he stongen were unto the herte.
KnT 1080 And with that cry Arcite anon up sterte
KnT 1081 And seyde, " Cosyn myn, what eyleth thee,
KnT 1082 That art so pale and deedly on to see?
KnT 1083 Why cridestow? Who hath thee doon offence?
KnT 1084 For Goddes love, taak al in pacience
KnT 1085 Oure prisoun, for it may noon oother be.
KnT 1086 Fortune hath yeven us this adversitee.
KnT 1087 Som wikke aspect or disposicioun
KnT 1088 Of Saturne, by som constellacioun,
KnT 1089 Hath yeven us this, although we hadde it sworn;
KnT 1090 So stood the hevene whan that we were born.
KnT 1091 We moste endure it; this is the short and playn. "
KnT 1092 This Palamon answerde and seyde agayn,
KnT 1093 " Cosyn, for sothe, of this opinioun
KnT 1094 Thow hast a veyn ymaginacioun.
KnT 1095 This prison caused me nat for to crye,
KnT 1096 But I was hurt right now thurghout myn ye
KnT 1097 Into myn herte, that wol my bane be.
KnT 1098 The fairnesse of that lady that I see
KnT 1099 Yond in the gardyn romen to and fro
KnT 1100 Is cause of al my criyng and my wo.
KnT 1101 I noot wher she be womman or goddesse,
KnT 1102 But Venus is it soothly, as I gesse. "
KnT 1103 And therwithal on knees doun he fil,
KnT 1104 And seyde, " Venus, if it be thy wil
KnT 1105 Yow in this gardyn thus to transfigure
KnT 1106 Bifore me, sorweful, wrecched creature,
KnT 1107 Out of this prisoun help that we may scapen.
KnT 1108 And if so be my destynee be shapen
KnT 1109 By eterne word to dyen in prisoun,
KnT 1110 Of oure lynage have som compassioun,
KnT 1111 That is so lowe ybroght by tirannye. "
KnT 1112 And with that word Arcite gan espye
KnT 1113 Wher as this lady romed to and fro,
KnT 1114 And with that sighte hir beautee hurte hym so,
KnT 1115 That, if that Palamon was wounded sore,
KnT 1116 Arcite is hurt as muche as he, or moore.
KnT 1117 And with a sigh he seyde pitously,
KnT 1118 " The fresshe beautee sleeth me sodeynly
KnT 1119 Of hire that rometh in the yonder place;
KnT 1120 And but I have hir mercy and hir grace,
KnT 1121 That I may seen hire atte leeste weye,
KnT 1122 I nam but deed; ther nis namoore to seye. "
KnT 1123 This Palamon, whan he tho wordes herde,
KnT 1124 Dispitously he looked and answerde,
KnT 1125 " Wheither seistow this in ernest or in pley? "
KnT 1126 " Nay, " quod Arcite, " in ernest, by my fey!
KnT 1127 God helpe me so, me list ful yvele pleye. "
KnT 1128 This Palamon gan knytte his browes tweye.
KnT 1129 " It nere, " quod he, " to thee no greet honour
KnT 1130 For to be fals, ne for to be traitour
KnT 1131 To me, that am thy cosyn and thy brother
KnT 1132 Ysworn ful depe, and ech of us til oother,
KnT 1133 That nevere, for to dyen in the peyne,
KnT 1134 Til that the deeth departe shal us tweyne,
KnT 1135 Neither of us in love to hyndre oother,
KnT 1136 Ne in noon oother cas, my leeve brother,
KnT 1137 But that thou sholdest trewely forthren me
KnT 1138 In every cas, as I shal forthren thee --
KnT 1139 This was thyn ooth, and myn also, certeyn;
KnT 1140 I woot right wel, thou darst it nat withseyn.
KnT 1141 Thus artow of my conseil, out of doute,
KnT 1142 And now thow woldest falsly been aboute
KnT 1143 To love my lady, whom I love and serve,
KnT 1144 And evere shal til that myn herte sterve.
KnT 1145 Nay, certes, false Arcite, thow shalt nat so.
KnT 1146 I loved hire first, and tolde thee my wo
KnT 1147 As to my conseil and my brother sworn
KnT 1148 To forthre me, as I have toold biforn.
KnT 1149 For which thou art ybounden as a knyght
KnT 1150 To helpen me, if it lay in thy myght,
KnT 1151 Or elles artow fals, I dar wel seyn. "
KnT 1152 This Arcite ful proudly spak ageyn:
KnT 1153 " Thow shalt, " quod he, " be rather fals than I;
KnT 1154 And thou art fals, I telle thee outrely,
KnT 1155 For paramour I loved hire first er thow.
KnT 1156 What wiltow seyen? Thou woost nat yet now
KnT 1157 Wheither she be a womman or goddesse!
KnT 1158 Thyn is affeccioun of hoolynesse,
KnT 1159 And myn is love as to a creature;
KnT 1160 For which I tolde thee myn aventure
KnT 1161 As to my cosyn and my brother sworn.
KnT 1162 I pose that thow lovedest hire biforn;
KnT 1163 Wostow nat wel the olde clerkes sawe,
KnT 1164 That `who shal yeve a lovere any lawe?'
KnT 1165 Love is a gretter lawe, by my pan,
KnT 1166 Than may be yeve to any erthely man;
KnT 1167 And therfore positif lawe and swich decree
KnT 1168 Is broken al day for love in ech degree.
KnT 1169 A man moot nedes love, maugree his heed;
KnT 1170 He may nat fleen it, thogh he sholde be deed,
KnT 1171 Al be she mayde, or wydwe, or elles wyf.
KnT 1172 And eek it is nat likly al thy lyf
KnT 1173 To stonden in hir grace; namoore shal I;
KnT 1174 For wel thou woost thyselven, verraily,
KnT 1175 That thou and I be dampned to prisoun
KnT 1176 Perpetuelly; us gayneth no raunsoun.
KnT 1177 We stryve as dide the houndes for the boon;
KnT 1178 They foughte al day, and yet hir part was noon.
KnT 1179 Ther cam a kyte, whil that they were so wrothe,
KnT 1180 And baar awey the boon bitwixe hem bothe.
KnT 1181 And therfore, at the kynges court, my brother,
KnT 1182 Ech man for hymself, ther is noon oother.
KnT 1183 Love, if thee list, for I love and ay shal;
KnT 1184 And soothly, leeve brother, this is al.
KnT 1185 Heere in this prisoun moote we endure,
KnT 1186 And everich of us take his aventure. "
KnT 1187 Greet was the strif and long bitwix hem tweye,
KnT 1188 If that I hadde leyser for to seye;
KnT 1189 But to th' effect. It happed on a day,
KnT 1190 To telle it yow as shortly as I may,
KnT 1191 A worthy duc that highte Perotheus,
KnT 1192 That felawe was unto duc Theseus
KnT 1193 Syn thilke day that they were children lite,
KnT 1194 Was come to Atthenes his felawe to visite,
KnT 1195 And for to pleye as he was wont to do;
KnT 1196 For in this world he loved no man so,
KnT 1197 And he loved hym als tendrely agayn.
KnT 1198 So wel they lovede, as olde bookes sayn,
KnT 1199 That whan that oon was deed, soothly to telle,
KnT 1200 His felawe wente and soughte hym doun in helle --
KnT 1201 But of that storie list me nat to write.
KnT 1202 Duc Perotheus loved wel Arcite,
KnT 1203 And hadde hym knowe at Thebes yeer by yere,
KnT 1204 And finally at requeste and preyere
KnT 1205 Of Perotheus, withouten any raunsoun,
KnT 1206 Duc Theseus hym leet out of prisoun
KnT 1207 Frely to goon wher that hym liste over al,
KnT 1208 In swich a gyse as I you tellen shal.
KnT 1209 This was the forward, pleynly for t' endite,
KnT 1210 Bitwixen Theseus and hym Arcite:
KnT 1211 That if so were that Arcite were yfounde
KnT 1212 Evere in his lif, by day or nyght, oo stounde
KnT 1213 In any contree of this Theseus,
KnT 1214 And he were caught, it was acorded thus,
KnT 1215 That with a swerd he sholde lese his heed.
KnT 1216 Ther nas noon oother remedie ne reed;
KnT 1217 But taketh his leve, and homward he him spedde.
KnT 1218 Lat hym be war! His nekke lith to wedde.
KnT 1219 How greet a sorwe suffreth now Arcite!
KnT 1220 The deeth he feeleth thurgh his herte smyte;
KnT 1221 He wepeth, wayleth, crieth pitously;
KnT 1222 To sleen hymself he waiteth prively.
KnT 1223 He seyde, " Allas that day that I was born!
KnT 1224 Now is my prisoun worse than biforn;
KnT 1225 Now is me shape eternally to dwelle
KnT 1226 Noght in purgatorie, but in helle.
KnT 1227 Allas, that evere knew I Perotheus!
KnT 1228 For elles hadde I dwelled with Theseus,
KnT 1229 Yfetered in his prisoun everemo.
KnT 1230 Thanne hadde I been in blisse and nat in wo.
KnT 1231 Oonly the sighte of hire whom that I serve,
KnT 1232 Though that I nevere hir grace may deserve,
KnT 1233 Wolde han suffised right ynough for me.
KnT 1234 O deere cosyn Palamon, " quod he,
KnT 1235 " Thyn is the victorie of this aventure.
KnT 1236 Ful blisfully in prison maistow dure --
KnT 1237 In prison? Certes nay, but in paradys!
KnT 1238 Wel hath Fortune yturned thee the dys,
KnT 1239 That hast the sighte of hire, and I th' absence.
KnT 1240 For possible is, syn thou hast hire presence,
KnT 1241 And art a knyght, a worthy and an able,
KnT 1242 That by som cas, syn Fortune is chaungeable,
KnT 1243 Thow maist to thy desir somtyme atteyne.
KnT 1244 But I, that am exiled and bareyne
KnT 1245 Of alle grace, and in so greet dispeir
KnT 1246 That ther nys erthe, water, fir, ne eir,
KnT 1247 Ne creature that of hem maked is,
KnT 1248 That may me helpe or doon confort in this,
KnT 1249 Wel oughte I sterve in wanhope and distresse.
KnT 1250 Farwel my lif, my lust, and my gladnesse!
KnT 1251 " Allas, why pleynen folk so in commune
KnT 1252 On purveiaunce of God, or of Fortune,
KnT 1253 That yeveth hem ful ofte in many a gyse
KnT 1254 Wel bettre than they kan hemself devyse?
KnT 1255 Som man desireth for to han richesse,
KnT 1256 That cause is of his mordre or greet siknesse;
KnT 1257 And som man wolde out of his prisoun fayn,
KnT 1258 That in his hous is of his meynee slayn.
KnT 1259 Infinite harmes been in this mateere.
KnT 1260 We witen nat what thing we preyen heere;
KnT 1261 We faren as he that dronke is as a mous.
KnT 1262 A dronke man woot wel he hath an hous,
KnT 1263 But he noot which the righte wey is thider,
KnT 1264 And to a dronke man the wey is slider.
KnT 1265 And certes, in this world so faren we;
KnT 1266 We seken faste after felicitee,
KnT 1267 But we goon wrong ful often, trewely.
KnT 1268 Thus may we seyen alle, and namely I,
KnT 1269 That wende and hadde a greet opinioun
KnT 1270 That if I myghte escapen from prisoun,
KnT 1271 Thanne hadde I been in joye and parfit heele,
KnT 1272 Ther now I am exiled fro my wele.
KnT 1273 Syn that I may nat seen you, Emelye,
KnT 1274 I nam but deed; ther nys no remedye. "
KnT 1275 Upon that oother syde Palamon,
KnT 1276 Whan that he wiste Arcite was agon,
KnT 1277 Swich sorwe he maketh that the grete tour
KnT 1278 Resouneth of his youlyng and clamour.
KnT 1279 The pure fettres on his shynes grete
KnT 1280 Weren of his bittre, salte teeres wete.
KnT 1281 " Allas, " quod he, " Arcita, cosyn myn,
KnT 1282 Of al oure strif, God woot, the fruyt is thyn.
KnT 1283 Thow walkest now in Thebes at thy large,
KnT 1284 And of my wo thow yevest litel charge.
KnT 1285 Thou mayst, syn thou hast wisdom and manhede,
KnT 1286 Assemblen alle the folk of oure kynrede,
KnT 1287 And make a werre so sharp on this citee
KnT 1288 That by som aventure or some tretee
KnT 1289 Thow mayst have hire to lady and to wyf
KnT 1290 For whom that I moste nedes lese my lyf.
KnT 1291 For, as by wey of possibilitee,
KnT 1292 Sith thou art at thy large, of prisoun free,
KnT 1293 And art a lord, greet is thyn avauntage
KnT 1294 Moore than is myn, that sterve here in a cage.
KnT 1295 For I moot wepe and wayle, whil I lyve,
KnT 1296 With al the wo that prison may me yive,
KnT 1297 And eek with peyne that love me yeveth also,
KnT 1298 That doubleth al my torment and my wo. "
KnT 1299 Therwith the fyr of jalousie up sterte
KnT 1300 Withinne his brest, and hente him by the herte
KnT 1301 So woodly that he lyk was to biholde
KnT 1302 The boxtree or the asshen dede and colde.
KnT 1303 Thanne seyde he, " O crueel goddes that governe
KnT 1304 This world with byndyng of youre word eterne,
KnT 1305 And writen in the table of atthamaunt
KnT 1306 Youre parlement and youre eterne graunt,
KnT 1307 What is mankynde moore unto you holde
KnT 1308 Than is the sheep that rouketh in the folde?
KnT 1309 For slayn is man right as another beest,
KnT 1310 And dwelleth eek in prison and arreest,
KnT 1311 And hath siknesse and greet adversitee,
KnT 1312 And ofte tymes giltelees, pardee.
KnT 1313 " What governance is in this prescience,
KnT 1314 That giltelees tormenteth innocence?
KnT 1315 And yet encresseth this al my penaunce,
KnT 1316 That man is bounden to his observaunce,
KnT 1317 For Goddes sake, to letten of his wille,
KnT 1318 Ther as a beest may al his lust fulfille.
KnT 1319 And whan a beest is deed he hath no peyne;
KnT 1320 But man after his deeth moot wepe and pleyne,
KnT 1321 Though in this world he have care and wo.
KnT 1322 Withouten doute it may stonden so.
KnT 1323 The answere of this lete I to dyvynys,
KnT 1324 But wel I woot that in this world greet pyne ys.
KnT 1325 Allas, I se a serpent or a theef,
KnT 1326 That many a trewe man hath doon mescheef,
KnT 1327 Goon at his large, and where hym list may turne.
KnT 1328 But I moot been in prisoun thurgh Saturne,
KnT 1329 And eek thurgh Juno, jalous and eek wood,
KnT 1330 That hath destroyed wel ny al the blood
KnT 1331 Of Thebes with his waste walles wyde;
KnT 1332 And Venus sleeth me on that oother syde
KnT 1333 For jalousie and fere of hym Arcite. "
KnT 1334 Now wol I stynte of Palamon a lite,
KnT 1335 And lete hym in his prisoun stille dwelle,
KnT 1336 And of Arcita forth I wol yow telle.
KnT 1337 The somer passeth, and the nyghtes longe
KnT 1338 Encressen double wise the peynes stronge
KnT 1339 Bothe of the lovere and the prisoner.
KnT 1340 I noot which hath the wofuller mester.
KnT 1341 For, shortly for to seyn, this Palamoun
KnT 1342 Perpetuelly is dampned to prisoun,
KnT 1343 In cheynes and in fettres to been deed;
KnT 1344 And Arcite is exiled upon his heed
KnT 1345 For everemo, as out of that contree,
KnT 1346 Ne nevere mo ne shal his lady see.
KnT 1347 Yow loveres axe I now this questioun:
KnT 1348 Who hath the worse, Arcite or Palamoun?
KnT 1349 That oon may seen his lady day by day,
KnT 1350 But in prison he moot dwelle alway;
KnT 1351 That oother wher hym list may ride or go,
KnT 1352 But seen his lady shal he nevere mo.
KnT 1353 Now demeth as yow liste, ye that kan,
KnT 1354 For I wol telle forth as I bigan.
KnT 1355 Whan that Arcite to Thebes comen was,
KnT 1356 Ful ofte a day he swelte and seyde " Allas! "
KnT 1357 For seen his lady shal he nevere mo.
KnT 1358 And shortly to concluden al his wo,
KnT 1359 So muche sorwe hadde nevere creature
KnT 1360 That is, or shal, whil that the world may dure.
KnT 1361 His slep, his mete, his drynke, is hym biraft,
KnT 1362 That lene he wex and drye as is a shaft;
KnT 1363 His eyen holwe and grisly to biholde,
KnT 1364 His hewe falow and pale as asshen colde,
KnT 1365 And solitarie he was and evere allone,
KnT 1366 And waillynge al the nyght, makynge his mone;
KnT 1367 And if he herde song or instrument,
KnT 1368 Thanne wolde he wepe, he myghte nat be stent.
KnT 1369 So feble eek were his spiritz, and so lowe,
KnT 1370 And chaunged so, that no man koude knowe
KnT 1371 His speche nor his voys, though men it herde.
KnT 1372 And in his geere for al the world he ferde
KnT 1373 Nat oonly lik the loveris maladye
KnT 1374 Of Hereos, but rather lyk manye,
KnT 1375 Engendred of humour malencolik
KnT 1376 Biforen, in his celle fantastik.
KnT 1377 And shortly, turned was al up so doun
KnT 1378 Bothe habit and eek disposicioun
KnT 1379 Of hym, this woful lovere daun Arcite.
KnT 1380 What sholde I al day of his wo endite?
KnT 1381 Whan he endured hadde a yeer or two
KnT 1382 This crueel torment and this peyne and wo,
KnT 1383 At Thebes, in his contree, as I seyde,
KnT 1384 Upon a nyght in sleep as he hym leyde,
KnT 1385 Hym thoughte how that the wynged god Mercurie
KnT 1386 Biforn hym stood and bad hym to be murie.
KnT 1387 His slepy yerde in hond he bar uprighte;
KnT 1388 An hat he werede upon his heris brighte.
KnT 1389 Arrayed was this god, as he took keep,
KnT 1390 As he was whan that Argus took his sleep;
KnT 1391 And seyde hym thus: " To Atthenes shaltou wende,
KnT 1392 Ther is thee shapen of thy wo an ende. "
KnT 1393 And with that word Arcite wook and sterte.
KnT 1394 " Now trewely, hou soore that me smerte, "
KnT 1395 Quod he, " to Atthenes right now wol I fare,
KnT 1396 Ne for the drede of deeth shal I nat spare
KnT 1397 To se my lady, that I love and serve.
KnT 1398 In hire presence I recche nat to sterve. "
KnT 1399 And with that word he caughte a greet mirour,
KnT 1400 And saugh that chaunged was al his colour,
KnT 1401 And saugh his visage al in another kynde.
KnT 1402 And right anon it ran hym in his mynde,
KnT 1403 That, sith his face was so disfigured
KnT 1404 Of maladye the which he hadde endured,
KnT 1405 He myghte wel, if that he bar hym lowe,
KnT 1406 Lyve in Atthenes everemoore unknowe,
KnT 1407 And seen his lady wel ny day by day.
KnT 1408 And right anon he chaunged his array,
KnT 1409 And cladde hym as a povre laborer,
KnT 1410 And al allone, save oonly a squier
KnT 1411 That knew his privetee and al his cas,
KnT 1412 Which was disgised povrely as he was,
KnT 1413 To Atthenes is he goon the nexte way.
KnT 1414 And to the court he wente upon a day,
KnT 1415 And at the gate he profreth his servyse
KnT 1416 To drugge and drawe, what so men wol devyse.
KnT 1417 And shortly of this matere for to seyn,
KnT 1418 He fil in office with a chamberleyn
KnT 1419 The which that dwellynge was with Emelye,
KnT 1420 For he was wys and koude soone espye,
KnT 1421 Of every servaunt, which that serveth here.
KnT 1422 Wel koude he hewen wode, and water bere,
KnT 1423 For he was yong and myghty for the nones,
KnT 1424 And therto he was long and big of bones
KnT 1425 To doon that any wight kan hym devyse.
KnT 1426 A yeer or two he was in this servyse,
KnT 1427 Page of the chambre of Emelye the brighte,
KnT 1428 And Philostrate he seyde that he highte.
KnT 1429 But half so wel biloved a man as he
KnT 1430 Ne was ther nevere in court of his degree;
KnT 1431 He was so gentil of condicioun
KnT 1432 That thurghout al the court was his renoun.
KnT 1433 They seyden that it were a charitee
KnT 1434 That Theseus wolde enhauncen his degree,
KnT 1435 And putten hym in worshipful servyse,
KnT 1436 Ther as he myghte his vertu excercise.
KnT 1437 And thus withinne a while his name is spronge,
KnT 1438 Bothe of his dedes and his goode tonge,
KnT 1439 That Theseus hath taken hym so neer
KnT 1440 That of his chambre he made hym a squier,
KnT 1441 And gaf hym gold to mayntene his degree.
KnT 1442 And eek men broghte hym out of his contree,
KnT 1443 From yeer to yeer, ful pryvely his rente;
KnT 1444 But honestly and slyly he it spente,
KnT 1445 That no man wondred how that he it hadde.
KnT 1446 And thre yeer in this wise his lif he ladde,
KnT 1447 And bar hym so, in pees and eek in werre,
KnT 1448 Ther was no man that Theseus hath derre.
KnT 1449 And in this blisse lete I now Arcite,
KnT 1450 And speke I wole of Palamon a lite.
KnT 1451 In derknesse and horrible and strong prisoun
KnT 1452 Thise seven yeer hath seten Palamoun
KnT 1453 Forpyned, what for wo and for distresse.
KnT 1454 Who feeleth double soor and hevynesse
KnT 1455 But Palamon, that love destreyneth so
KnT 1456 That wood out of his wit he goth for wo?
KnT 1457 And eek therto he is a prisoner
KnT 1458 Perpetuelly, noght oonly for a yer.
KnT 1459 Who koude ryme in Englyssh proprely
KnT 1460 His martirdom? For sothe it am nat I;
KnT 1461 Therfore I passe as lightly as I may.
KnT 1462 It fel that in the seventhe yer, of May
KnT 1463 The thridde nyght (as olde bookes seyn,
KnT 1464 That al this storie tellen moore pleyn),
KnT 1465 Were it by aventure or destynee --
KnT 1466 As, whan a thyng is shapen, it shal be --
KnT 1467 That soone after the mydnyght Palamoun,
KnT 1468 By helpyng of a freend, brak his prisoun
KnT 1469 And fleeth the citee faste as he may go.
KnT 1470 For he hadde yeve his gayler drynke so
KnT 1471 Of a clarree maad of a certeyn wyn,
KnT 1472 With nercotikes and opie of Thebes fyn,
KnT 1473 That al that nyght, thogh that men wolde him shake,
KnT 1474 The gayler sleep; he myghte nat awake.
KnT 1475 And thus he fleeth as faste as evere he may.
KnT 1476 The nyght was short and faste by the day
KnT 1477 That nedes cost he moot hymselven hyde,
KnT 1478 And til a grove faste ther bisyde
KnT 1479 With dredeful foot thanne stalketh Palamon.
KnT 1480 For, shortly, this was his opinion:
KnT 1481 That in that grove he wolde hym hyde al day,
KnT 1482 And in the nyght thanne wolde he take his way
KnT 1483 To Thebes-ward, his freendes for to preye
KnT 1484 On Theseus to helpe him to werreye;
KnT 1485 And shortly, outher he wolde lese his lif
KnT 1486 Or wynnen Emelye unto his wyf.
KnT 1487 This is th' effect and his entente pleyn.
KnT 1488 Now wol I turne to Arcite ageyn,
KnT 1489 That litel wiste how ny that was his care,
KnT 1490 Til that Fortune had broght him in the snare.
KnT 1491 The bisy larke, messager of day,
KnT 1492 Salueth in hir song the morwe gray,
KnT 1493 And firy Phebus riseth up so bright
KnT 1494 That al the orient laugheth of the light,
KnT 1495 And with his stremes dryeth in the greves
KnT 1496 The silver dropes hangynge on the leves.
KnT 1497 And Arcita, that in the court roial
KnT 1498 With Theseus is squier principal,
KnT 1499 Is risen and looketh on the myrie day.
KnT 1500 And for to doon his observaunce to May,
KnT 1501 Remembrynge on the poynt of his desir,
KnT 1502 He on a courser, startlynge as the fir,
KnT 1503 Is riden into the feeldes hym to pleye,
KnT 1504 Out of the court, were it a myle or tweye.
KnT 1505 And to the grove of which that I yow tolde
KnT 1506 By aventure his wey he gan to holde
KnT 1507 To maken hym a gerland of the greves,
KnT 1508 Were it of wodebynde or hawethorn leves,
KnT 1509 And loude he song ayeyn the sonne shene:
KnT 1510 " May, with alle thy floures and thy grene,
KnT 1511 Welcome be thou, faire, fresshe May,
KnT 1512 In hope that I som grene gete may. "
KnT 1513 And from his courser, with a lusty herte,
KnT 1514 Into the grove ful hastily he sterte,
KnT 1515 And in a path he rometh up and doun,
KnT 1516 Ther as by aventure this Palamoun
KnT 1517 Was in a bussh, that no man myghte hym se,
KnT 1518 For soore afered of his deeth was he.
KnT 1519 No thyng ne knew he that it was Arcite;
KnT 1520 God woot he wolde have trowed it ful lite.
KnT 1521 But sooth is seyd, go sithen many yeres,
KnT 1522 That " feeld hath eyen and the wode hath eres. "
KnT 1523 It is ful fair a man to bere hym evene,
KnT 1524 For al day meeteth men at unset stevene.
KnT 1525 Ful litel woot Arcite of his felawe,
KnT 1526 That was so ny to herknen al his sawe,
KnT 1527 For in the bussh he sitteth now ful stille.
KnT 1528 Whan that Arcite hadde romed al his fille,
KnT 1529 And songen al the roundel lustily,
KnT 1530 Into a studie he fil sodeynly,
KnT 1531 As doon thise loveres in hir queynte geres,
KnT 1532 Now in the crope, now doun in the breres,
KnT 1533 Now up, now doun, as boket in a welle.
KnT 1534 Right as the Friday, soothly for to telle,
KnT 1535 Now it shyneth, now it reyneth faste,
KnT 1536 Right so kan geery Venus overcaste
KnT 1537 The hertes of hir folk; right as hir day
KnT 1538 Is gereful, right so chaungeth she array.
KnT 1539 Selde is the Friday al the wowke ylike.
KnT 1540 Whan that Arcite had songe, he gan to sike
KnT 1541 And sette hym doun withouten any moore.
KnT 1542 " Allas, " quod he, " that day that I was bore!
KnT 1543 How longe, Juno, thurgh thy crueltee,
KnT 1544 Woltow werreyen Thebes the citee?
KnT 1545 Allas, ybroght is to confusioun
KnT 1546 The blood roial of Cadme and Amphioun --
KnT 1547 Of Cadmus, which that was the firste man
KnT 1548 That Thebes bulte, or first the toun bigan,
KnT 1549 And of the citee first was crouned kyng.
KnT 1550 Of his lynage am I and his ofspryng
KnT 1551 By verray ligne, as of the stok roial,
KnT 1552 And now I am so caytyf and so thral,
KnT 1553 That he that is my mortal enemy,
KnT 1554 I serve hym as his squier povrely.
KnT 1555 And yet dooth Juno me wel moore shame,
KnT 1556 For I dar noght biknowe myn owene name;
KnT 1557 But ther as I was wont to highte Arcite,
KnT 1558 Now highte I Philostrate, noght worth a myte.
KnT 1559 Allas, thou felle Mars! Allas, Juno!
KnT 1560 Thus hath youre ire oure lynage al fordo,
KnT 1561 Save oonly me and wrecched Palamoun,
KnT 1562 That Theseus martireth in prisoun.
KnT 1563 And over al this, to sleen me outrely
KnT 1564 Love hath his firy dart so brennyngly
KnT 1565 Ystiked thurgh my trewe, careful herte
KnT 1566 That shapen was my deeth erst than my sherte.
KnT 1567 Ye sleen me with youre eyen, Emelye!
KnT 1568 Ye been the cause wherfore that I dye.
KnT 1569 Of al the remenant of myn oother care
KnT 1570 Ne sette I nat the montance of a tare,
KnT 1571 So that I koude doon aught to youre plesaunce. "
KnT 1572 And with that word he fil doun in a traunce
KnT 1573 A longe tyme, and after he up sterte.
KnT 1574 This Palamoun, that thoughte that thurgh his herte
KnT 1575 He felte a coold swerd sodeynliche glyde,
KnT 1576 For ire he quook; no lenger wolde he byde.
KnT 1577 And whan that he had herd Arcites tale,
KnT 1578 As he were wood, with face deed and pale,
KnT 1579 He stirte hym up out of the buskes thikke
KnT 1580 And seide: " Arcite, false traytour wikke,
KnT 1581 Now artow hent, that lovest my lady so,
KnT 1582 For whom that I have al this peyne and wo,
KnT 1583 And art my blood, and to my conseil sworn,
KnT 1584 As I ful ofte have told thee heerbiforn,
KnT 1585 And hast byjaped heere duc Theseus,
KnT 1586 And falsly chaunged hast thy name thus!
KnT 1587 I wol be deed, or elles thou shalt dye.
KnT 1588 Thou shalt nat love my lady Emelye,
KnT 1589 But I wol love hire oonly and namo;
KnT 1590 For I am Palamon, thy mortal foo.
KnT 1591 And though that I no wepene have in this place,
KnT 1592 But out of prison am astert by grace,
KnT 1593 I drede noght that outher thow shalt dye,
KnT 1594 Or thow ne shalt nat loven Emelye.
KnT 1595 Chees which thou wolt, or thou shalt nat asterte! "
KnT 1596 This Arcite, with ful despitous herte,
KnT 1597 Whan he hym knew, and hadde his tale herd,
KnT 1598 As fiers as leon pulled out his swerd,
KnT 1599 And seyde thus: " By God that sit above,
KnT 1600 Nere it that thou art sik and wood for love,
KnT 1601 And eek that thow no wepne hast in this place,
KnT 1602 Thou sholdest nevere out of this grove pace,
KnT 1603 That thou ne sholdest dyen of myn hond.
KnT 1604 For I defye the seurete and the bond
KnT 1605 Which that thou seist that I have maad to thee.
KnT 1606 What! Verray fool, thynk wel that love is free,
KnT 1607 And I wol love hire maugree al thy myght!
KnT 1608 But for as muche thou art a worthy knyght
KnT 1609 And wilnest to darreyne hire by bataille,
KnT 1610 Have heer my trouthe; tomorwe I wol nat faille,
KnT 1611 Withoute wityng of any oother wight,
KnT 1612 That heere I wol be founden as a knyght,
KnT 1613 And bryngen harneys right ynough for thee;
KnT 1614 And ches the beste, and leef the worste for me.
KnT 1615 And mete and drynke this nyght wol I brynge
KnT 1616 Ynough for thee, and clothes for thy beddynge.
KnT 1617 And if so be that thou my lady wynne,
KnT 1618 And sle me in this wode ther I am inne,
KnT 1619 Thow mayst wel have thy lady as for me. "
KnT 1620 This Palamon answerde, " I graunte it thee. "
KnT 1621 And thus they been departed til amorwe,
KnT 1622 Whan ech of hem had leyd his feith to borwe.
KnT 1623 O Cupide, out of alle charitee!
KnT 1624 O regne, that wolt no felawe have with thee!
KnT 1625 Ful sooth is seyd that love ne lordshipe
KnT 1626 Wol noght, his thankes, have no felaweshipe.
KnT 1627 Wel fynden that Arcite and Palamoun.
KnT 1628 Arcite is riden anon unto the toun,
KnT 1629 And on the morwe, er it were dayes light,
KnT 1630 Ful prively two harneys hath he dight,
KnT 1631 Bothe suffisaunt and mete to darreyne
KnT 1632 The bataille in the feeld bitwix hem tweyne;
KnT 1633 And on his hors, allone as he was born,
KnT 1634 He carieth al the harneys hym biforn.
KnT 1635 And in the grove, at tyme and place yset,
KnT 1636 This Arcite and this Palamon ben met.
KnT 1637 To chaungen gan the colour in hir face;
KnT 1638 Right as the hunters in the regne of Trace,
KnT 1639 That stondeth at the gappe with a spere,
KnT 1640 Whan hunted is the leon or the bere,
KnT 1641 And hereth hym come russhyng in the greves,
KnT 1642 And breketh bothe bowes and the leves,
KnT 1643 And thynketh, " Heere cometh my mortal enemy!
KnT 1644 Withoute faille, he moot be deed, or I,
KnT 1645 For outher I moot sleen hym at the gappe,
KnT 1646 Or he moot sleen me, if that me myshappe. "
KnT 1647 So ferden they in chaungyng of hir hewe,
KnT 1648 As fer as everich of hem oother knewe.
KnT 1649 Ther nas no good day, ne no saluyng,
KnT 1650 But streight, withouten word or rehersyng,
KnT 1651 Everich of hem heelp for to armen oother
KnT 1652 As freendly as he were his owene brother;
KnT 1653 And after that, with sharpe speres stronge
KnT 1654 They foynen ech at oother wonder longe.
KnT 1655 Thou myghtest wene that this Palamon
KnT 1656 In his fightyng were a wood leon,
KnT 1657 And as a crueel tigre was Arcite;
KnT 1658 As wilde bores gonne they to smyte,
KnT 1659 That frothen whit as foom for ire wood.
KnT 1660 Up to the ancle foghte they in hir blood.
KnT 1661 And in this wise I lete hem fightyng dwelle,
KnT 1662 And forth I wole of Theseus yow telle.
KnT 1663 The destinee, ministre general,
KnT 1664 That executeth in the world over al
KnT 1665 The purveiaunce that God hath seyn biforn,
KnT 1666 So strong it is that, though the world had sworn
KnT 1667 The contrarie of a thyng by ye or nay,
KnT 1668 Yet somtyme it shal fallen on a day
KnT 1669 That falleth nat eft withinne a thousand yeer.
KnT 1670 For certeinly, oure appetites heer,
KnT 1671 Be it of werre, or pees, or hate, or love,
KnT 1672 Al is this reuled by the sighte above.
KnT 1673 This mene I now by myghty Theseus,
KnT 1674 That for to hunten is so desirus,
KnT 1675 And namely at the grete hert in May,
KnT 1676 That in his bed ther daweth hym no day
KnT 1677 That he nys clad, and redy for to ryde
KnT 1678 With hunte and horn and houndes hym bisyde.
KnT 1679 For in his huntyng hath he swich delit
KnT 1680 That it is al his joye and appetit
KnT 1681 To been hymself the grete hertes bane,
KnT 1682 For after Mars he serveth now Dyane.
KnT 1683 Cleer was the day, as I have toold er this,
KnT 1684 And Theseus with alle joye and blis,
KnT 1685 With his Ypolita, the faire queene,
KnT 1686 And Emelye, clothed al in grene,
KnT 1687 On huntyng be they riden roially.
KnT 1688 And to the grove that stood ful faste by,
KnT 1689 In which ther was an hert, as men hym tolde,
KnT 1690 Duc Theseus the streighte wey hath holde.
KnT 1691 And to the launde he rideth hym ful right,
KnT 1692 For thider was the hert wont have his flight,
KnT 1693 And over a brook, and so forth on his weye.
KnT 1694 This duc wol han a cours at hym or tweye
KnT 1695 With houndes swiche as that hym list comaunde.
KnT 1696 And whan this duc was come unto the launde,
KnT 1697 Under the sonne he looketh, and anon
KnT 1698 He was war of Arcite and Palamon,
KnT 1699 That foughten breme as it were bores two.
KnT 1700 The brighte swerdes wenten to and fro
KnT 1701 So hidously that with the leeste strook
KnT 1702 It semed as it wolde felle an ook.
KnT 1703 But what they were, no thyng he ne woot.
KnT 1704 This duc his courser with his spores smoot,
KnT 1705 And at a stert he was bitwix hem two,
KnT 1706 And pulled out a swerd and cride, " Hoo!
KnT 1707 Namoore, up peyne of lesynge of youre heed!
KnT 1708 By myghty Mars, he shal anon be deed
KnT 1709 That smyteth any strook that I may seen.
KnT 1710 But telleth me what myster men ye been,
KnT 1711 That been so hardy for to fighten heere
KnT 1712 Withouten juge or oother officere,
KnT 1713 As it were in a lystes roially. "
KnT 1714 This Palamon answerde hastily
KnT 1715 And seyde, " Sire, what nedeth wordes mo?
KnT 1716 We have the deeth disserved bothe two.
KnT 1717 Two woful wrecches been we, two caytyves,
KnT 1718 That been encombred of oure owene lyves;
KnT 1719 And as thou art a rightful lord and juge,
KnT 1720 Ne yif us neither mercy ne refuge,
KnT 1721 But sle me first, for seinte charitee!
KnT 1722 But sle my felawe eek as wel as me;
KnT 1723 Or sle hym first, for though thow knowest it lite,
KnT 1724 This is thy mortal foo, this is Arcite,
KnT 1725 That fro thy lond is banysshed on his heed,
KnT 1726 For which he hath deserved to be deed.
KnT 1727 For this is he that cam unto thy gate
KnT 1728 And seyde that he highte Philostrate.
KnT 1729 Thus hath he japed thee ful many a yer,
KnT 1730 And thou hast maked hym thy chief squier;
KnT 1731 And this is he that loveth Emelye.
KnT 1732 For sith the day is come that I shal dye,
KnT 1733 I make pleynly my confessioun
KnT 1734 That I am thilke woful Palamoun
KnT 1735 That hath thy prisoun broken wikkedly.
KnT 1736 I am thy mortal foo, and it am I
KnT 1737 That loveth so hoote Emelye the brighte
KnT 1738 That I wol dye present in hir sighte.
KnT 1739 Wherfore I axe deeth and my juwise;
KnT 1740 But sle my felawe in the same wise,
KnT 1741 For bothe han we deserved to be slayn. "
KnT 1742 This worthy duc answerde anon agayn,
KnT 1743 And seyde, " This is a short conclusioun.
KnT 1744 Youre owene mouth, by youre confessioun,
KnT 1745 Hath dampned yow, and I wol it recorde;
KnT 1746 It nedeth noght to pyne yow with the corde.
KnT 1747 Ye shal be deed, by myghty Mars the rede! "
KnT 1748 The queene anon, for verray wommanhede,
KnT 1749 Gan for to wepe, and so dide Emelye,
KnT 1750 And alle the ladyes in the compaignye.
KnT 1751 Greet pitee was it, as it thoughte hem alle,
KnT 1752 That evere swich a chaunce sholde falle,
KnT 1753 For gentil men they were of greet estaat,
KnT 1754 And no thyng but for love was this debaat;
KnT 1755 And saugh hir blody woundes wyde and soore,
KnT 1756 And alle crieden, bothe lasse and moore,
KnT 1757 " Have mercy, Lord, upon us wommen alle! "
KnT 1758 And on hir bare knees adoun they falle
KnT 1759 And wolde have kist his feet ther as he stood;
KnT 1760 Til at the laste aslaked was his mood,
KnT 1761 For pitee renneth soone in gentil herte.
KnT 1762 And though he first for ire quook and sterte,
KnT 1763 He hath considered shortly, in a clause,
KnT 1764 The trespas of hem bothe, and eek the cause,
KnT 1765 And although that his ire hir gilt accused,
KnT 1766 Yet in his resoun he hem bothe excused,
KnT 1767 As thus: he thoghte wel that every man
KnT 1768 Wol helpe hymself in love, if that he kan,
KnT 1769 And eek delivere hymself out of prisoun.
KnT 1770 And eek his herte hadde compassioun
KnT 1771 Of wommen, for they wepen evere in oon,
KnT 1772 And in his gentil herte he thoughte anon,
KnT 1773 And softe unto hymself he seyde, " Fy
KnT 1774 Upon a lord that wol have no mercy,
KnT 1775 But been a leon, bothe in word and dede,
KnT 1776 To hem that been in repentaunce and drede,
KnT 1777 As wel as to a proud despitous man
KnT 1778 That wol mayntene that he first bigan.
KnT 1779 That lord hath litel of discrecioun,
KnT 1780 That in swich cas kan no divisioun
KnT 1781 But weyeth pride and humblesse after oon. "
KnT 1782 And shortly, whan his ire is thus agoon,
KnT 1783 He gan to looken up with eyen lighte
KnT 1784 And spak thise same wordes al on highte:
KnT 1785 " The god of love, a benedicite!
KnT 1786 How myghty and how greet a lord is he!
KnT 1787 Ayeyns his myght ther gayneth none obstacles.
KnT 1788 He may be cleped a god for his myracles,
KnT 1789 For he kan maken, at his owene gyse,
KnT 1790 Of everich herte as that hym list divyse.
KnT 1791 Lo heere this Arcite and this Palamoun,
KnT 1792 That quitly weren out of my prisoun,
KnT 1793 And myghte han lyved in Thebes roially,
KnT 1794 And witen I am hir mortal enemy,
KnT 1795 And that hir deth lith in my myght also,
KnT 1796 And yet hath love, maugree hir eyen two,
KnT 1797 Broght hem hyder bothe for to dye.
KnT 1798 Now looketh, is nat that an heigh folye?
KnT 1799 Who may been a fool but if he love?
KnT 1800 Bihoold, for Goddes sake that sit above,
KnT 1801 Se how they blede! Be they noght wel arrayed?
KnT 1802 Thus hath hir lord, the god of love, ypayed
KnT 1803 Hir wages and hir fees for hir servyse!
KnT 1804 And yet they wenen for to been ful wyse
KnT 1805 That serven love, for aught that may bifalle.
KnT 1806 But this is yet the beste game of alle,
KnT 1807 That she for whom they han this jolitee
KnT 1808 Kan hem therfore as muche thank as me.
KnT 1809 She woot namoore of al this hoote fare,
KnT 1810 By God, than woot a cokkow or an hare!
KnT 1811 But all moot ben assayed, hoot and coold;
KnT 1812 A man moot ben a fool, or yong or oold --
KnT 1813 I woot it by myself ful yore agon,
KnT 1814 For in my tyme a servant was I oon.
KnT 1815 And therfore, syn I knowe of loves peyne
KnT 1816 And woot hou soore it kan a man distreyne,
KnT 1817 As he that hath ben caught ofte in his laas,
KnT 1818 I yow foryeve al hoolly this trespaas,
KnT 1819 At requeste of the queene, that kneleth heere,
KnT 1820 And eek of Emelye, my suster deere.
KnT 1821 And ye shul bothe anon unto me swere
KnT 1822 That nevere mo ye shal my contree dere,
KnT 1823 Ne make werre upon me nyght ne day,
KnT 1824 But been my freendes in all that ye may.
KnT 1825 I yow foryeve this trespas every deel. "
KnT 1826 And they hym sworen his axyng faire and weel,
KnT 1827 And hym of lordshipe and of mercy preyde,
KnT 1828 And he hem graunteth grace, and thus he seyde:
KnT 1829 " To speke of roial lynage and richesse,
KnT 1830 Though that she were a queene or a princesse,
KnT 1831 Ech of you bothe is worthy, doutelees,
KnT 1832 To wedden whan tyme is; but nathelees --
KnT 1833 I speke as for my suster Emelye,
KnT 1834 For whom ye have this strif and jalousye --
KnT 1835 Ye woot yourself she may nat wedden two
KnT 1836 Atones, though ye fighten everemo,
KnT 1837 That oon of you, al be hym looth or lief,
KnT 1838 He moot go pipen in an yvy leef;
KnT 1839 This is to seyn, she may nat now han bothe,
KnT 1840 Al be ye never so jalouse ne so wrothe.
KnT 1841 And forthy I yow putte in this degree,
KnT 1842 That ech of yow shal have his destynee
KnT 1843 As hym is shape, and herkneth in what wyse;
KnT 1844 Lo, heere youre ende of that I shal devyse.
KnT 1845 My wyl is this, for plat conclusioun,
KnT 1846 Withouten any repplicacioun --
KnT 1847 If that you liketh, take it for the beste:
KnT 1848 That everich of you shal goon where hym leste
KnT 1849 Frely, withouten raunson or daunger,
KnT 1850 And this day fifty wykes, fer ne ner,
KnT 1851 Everich of you shal brynge an hundred knyghtes
KnT 1852 Armed for lystes up at alle rightes,
KnT 1853 Al redy to darreyne hire by bataille.
KnT 1854 And this bihote I yow withouten faille,
KnT 1855 Upon my trouthe, and as I am a knyght,
KnT 1856 That wheither of yow bothe that hath myght --
KnT 1857 This is to seyn, that wheither he or thow
KnT 1858 May with his hundred, as I spak of now,
KnT 1859 Sleen his contrarie, or out of lystes dryve,
KnT 1860 Thanne shal I yeve Emelya to wyve
KnT 1861 To whom that Fortune yeveth so fair a grace.
KnT 1862 The lystes shal I maken in this place,
KnT 1863 And God so wisly on my soule rewe
KnT 1864 As I shal evene juge been and trewe.
KnT 1865 Ye shul noon oother ende with me maken,
KnT 1866 That oon of yow ne shal be deed or taken.
KnT 1867 And if yow thynketh this is weel ysayd,
KnT 1868 Seyeth youre avys, and holdeth you apayd.
KnT 1869 This is youre ende and youre conclusioun. "
KnT 1870 Who looketh lightly now but Palamoun?
KnT 1871 Who spryngeth up for joye but Arcite?
KnT 1872 Who kouthe telle, or who kouthe it endite,
KnT 1873 The joye that is maked in the place
KnT 1874 Whan Theseus hath doon so fair a grace?
KnT 1875 But doun on knees wente every maner wight,
KnT 1876 And thonked hym with al hir herte and myght,
KnT 1877 And namely the Thebans often sithe.
KnT 1878 And thus with good hope and with herte blithe
KnT 1879 They taken hir leve, and homward gonne they ride
KnT 1880 To Thebes with his olde walles wyde.
KnT 1881 I trowe men wolde deme it necligence
KnT 1882 If I foryete to tellen the dispence
KnT 1883 Of Theseus, that gooth so bisily
KnT 1884 To maken up the lystes roially,
KnT 1885 That swich a noble theatre as it was
KnT 1886 I dar wel seyen in this world ther nas.
KnT 1887 The circuit a myle was aboute,
KnT 1888 Walled of stoon, and dyched al withoute.
KnT 1889 Round was the shap, in manere of compas,
KnT 1890 Ful of degrees, the heighte of sixty pas,
KnT 1891 That whan a man was set on o degree,
KnT 1892 He letted nat his felawe for to see.
KnT 1893 Estward ther stood a gate of marbul whit,
KnT 1894 Westward right swich another in the opposit.
KnT 1895 And shortly to concluden, swich a place
KnT 1896 Was noon in erthe, as in so litel space;
KnT 1897 For in the lond ther was no crafty man
KnT 1898 That geometrie or ars-metrike kan,
KnT 1899 Ne portreyour, ne kervere of ymages,
KnT 1900 That Theseus ne yaf him mete and wages
KnT 1901 The theatre for to maken and devyse.
KnT 1902 And for to doon his ryte and sacrifise,
KnT 1903 He estward hath, upon the gate above,
KnT 1904 In worshipe of Venus, goddesse of love,
KnT 1905 Doon make an auter and an oratorie;
KnT 1906 And on the gate westward, in memorie
KnT 1907 Of Mars, he maked hath right swich another,
KnT 1908 That coste largely of gold a fother.
KnT 1909 And northward, in a touret on the wal,
KnT 1910 Of alabastre whit and reed coral,
KnT 1911 An oratorie, riche for to see,
KnT 1912 In worshipe of Dyane of chastitee,
KnT 1913 Hath Theseus doon wroght in noble wyse.
KnT 1914 But yet hadde I foryeten to devyse
KnT 1915 The noble kervyng and the portreitures,
KnT 1916 The shap, the contenaunce, and the figures
KnT 1917 That weren in thise oratories thre.
KnT 1918 First in the temple of Venus maystow se
KnT 1919 Wroght on the wal, ful pitous to biholde,
KnT 1920 The broken slepes, and the sikes colde,
KnT 1921 The sacred teeris, and the waymentynge,
KnT 1922 The firy strokes of the desirynge
KnT 1923 That loves servantz in this lyf enduren;
KnT 1924 The othes that hir covenantz assuren;
KnT 1925 Plesaunce and Hope, Desir, Foolhardynesse,
KnT 1926 Beautee and Youthe, Bauderie, Richesse,
KnT 1927 Charmes and Force, Lesynges, Flaterye,
KnT 1928 Despense, Bisynesse, and Jalousye,
KnT 1929 That wered of yelewe gooldes a gerland,
KnT 1930 And a cokkow sittynge on hir hand;
KnT 1931 Festes, instrumentz, caroles, daunces,
KnT 1932 Lust and array, and alle the circumstaunces
KnT 1933 Of love, which that I rekned and rekne shal,
KnT 1934 By ordre weren peynted on the wal,
KnT 1935 And mo than I kan make of mencioun.
KnT 1936 For soothly al the mount of Citheroun,
KnT 1937 Ther Venus hath hir principal dwellynge,
KnT 1938 Was shewed on the wal in portreyynge,
KnT 1939 With al the gardyn and the lustynesse.
KnT 1940 Nat was foryeten the porter, Ydelnesse,
KnT 1941 Ne Narcisus the faire of yore agon,
KnT 1942 Ne yet the folye of kyng Salomon,
KnT 1943 Ne yet the grete strengthe of Ercules --
KnT 1944 Th' enchauntementz of Medea and Circes --
KnT 1945 Ne of Turnus, with the hardy fiers corage,
KnT 1946 The riche Cresus, kaytyf in servage.
KnT 1947 Thus may ye seen that wysdom ne richesse,
KnT 1948 Beautee ne sleighte, strengthe ne hardynesse,
KnT 1949 Ne may with Venus holde champartie,
KnT 1950 For as hir list the world than may she gye.
KnT 1951 Lo, alle thise folk so caught were in hir las,
KnT 1952 Til they for wo ful ofte seyde " allas! "
KnT 1953 Suffiseth heere ensamples oon or two,
KnT 1954 And though I koude rekene a thousand mo.
KnT 1955 The statue of Venus, glorious for to se,
KnT 1956 Was naked, fletynge in the large see,
KnT 1957 And fro the navele doun al covered was
KnT 1958 With wawes grene, and brighte as any glas.
KnT 1959 A citole in hir right hand hadde she,
KnT 1960 And on hir heed, ful semely for to se,
KnT 1961 A rose gerland, fressh and wel smellynge;
KnT 1962 Above hir heed hir dowves flikerynge.
KnT 1963 Biforn hire stood hir sone Cupido;
KnT 1964 Upon his shuldres wynges hadde he two,
KnT 1965 And blynd he was, as it is often seene;
KnT 1966 A bowe he bar and arwes brighte and kene.
KnT 1967 Why sholde I noght as wel eek telle yow al
KnT 1968 The portreiture that was upon the wal
KnT 1969 Withinne the temple of myghty Mars the rede?
KnT 1970 Al peynted was the wal, in lengthe and brede,
KnT 1971 Lyk to the estres of the grisly place
KnT 1972 That highte the grete temple of Mars in Trace,
KnT 1973 In thilke colde, frosty regioun
KnT 1974 Ther as Mars hath his sovereyn mansioun.
KnT 1975 First on the wal was peynted a forest,
KnT 1976 In which ther dwelleth neither man ne best,
KnT 1977 With knotty, knarry, bareyne trees olde,
KnT 1978 Of stubbes sharpe and hidouse to biholde,
KnT 1979 In which ther ran a rumbel in a swough,
KnT 1980 As though a storm sholde bresten every bough.
KnT 1981 And dounward from an hille, under a bente,
KnT 1982 Ther stood the temple of Mars armypotente,
KnT 1983 Wroght al of burned steel, of which the entree
KnT 1984 Was long and streit, and gastly for to see.
KnT 1985 And therout came a rage and swich a veze
KnT 1986 That it made al the gate for to rese.
KnT 1987 The northren lyght in at the dores shoon,
KnT 1988 For wyndowe on the wal ne was ther noon,
KnT 1989 Thurgh which men myghten any light discerne.
KnT 1990 The dore was al of adamant eterne,
KnT 1991 Yclenched overthwart and endelong
KnT 1992 With iren tough; and for to make it strong,
KnT 1993 Every pyler, the temple to sustene,
KnT 1994 Was tonne-greet, of iren bright and shene.
KnT 1995 Ther saugh I first the derke ymaginyng
KnT 1996 Of Felonye, and al the compassyng;
KnT 1997 The crueel Ire, reed as any gleede;
KnT 1998 The pykepurs, and eek the pale Drede;
KnT 1999 The smylere with the knyf under the cloke;
KnT 2000 The shepne brennynge with the blake smoke;
KnT 2001 The tresoun of the mordrynge in the bedde;
KnT 2002 The open werre, with woundes al bibledde;
KnT 2003 Contek, with blody knyf and sharp manace.
KnT 2004 Al ful of chirkyng was that sory place.
KnT 2005 The sleere of hymself yet saugh I ther --
KnT 2006 His herte-blood hath bathed al his heer --
KnT 2007 The nayl ydryven in the shode anyght;
KnT 2008 The colde deeth, with mouth gapyng upright.
KnT 2009 Amyddes of the temple sat Meschaunce,
KnT 2010 With disconfort and sory contenaunce.
KnT 2011 Yet saugh I Woodnesse, laughynge in his rage,
KnT 2012 Armed Compleint, Outhees, and fiers Outrage;
KnT 2013 The careyne in the busk, with throte ycorve;
KnT 2014 A thousand slayn, and nat of qualm ystorve;
KnT 2015 The tiraunt, with the pray by force yraft;
KnT 2016 The toun destroyed, ther was no thyng laft.
KnT 2017 Yet saugh I brent the shippes hoppesteres;
KnT 2018 The hunte strangled with the wilde beres;
KnT 2019 The sowe freten the child right in the cradel;
KnT 2020 The cook yscalded, for al his longe ladel.
KnT 2021 Noght was foryeten by the infortune of Marte.
KnT 2022 The cartere overryden with his carte --
KnT 2023 Under the wheel ful lowe he lay adoun.
KnT 2024 Ther were also, of Martes divisioun,
KnT 2025 The barbour, and the bocher, and the smyth,
KnT 2026 That forgeth sharpe swerdes on his styth.
KnT 2027 And al above, depeynted in a tour,
KnT 2028 Saugh I Conquest, sittynge in greet honour,
KnT 2029 With the sharpe swerd over his heed
KnT 2030 Hangynge by a soutil twynes threed.
KnT 2031 Depeynted was the slaughtre of Julius,