Tr 1 1 The double sorwe of Troilus to tellen,
Tr 1 2 That was the kyng Priamus sone of Troye,
Tr 1 3 In lovynge, how his aventures fellen
Tr 1 4 Fro wo to wele, and after out of joie,
Tr 1 5 My purpos is, er that I parte fro ye.
Tr 1 6 Thesiphone, thow help me for t' endite
Tr 1 7 Thise woful vers, that wepen as I write.
Tr 1 8 To the clepe I, thow goddesse of torment,
Tr 1 9 Thow cruwel Furie, sorwynge evere in peyne,
Tr 1 10 Help me, that am the sorwful instrument,
Tr 1 11 That helpeth loveres, as I kan, to pleyne;
Tr 1 12 For wel sit it, the sothe for to seyne,
Tr 1 13 A woful wight to han a drery feere,
Tr 1 14 And to a sorwful tale, a sory chere.
Tr 1 15 For I, that God of Loves servantz serve,
Tr 1 16 Ne dar to Love, for myn unliklynesse,
Tr 1 17 Preyen for speed, al sholde I therfore sterve,
Tr 1 18 So fer am I from his help in derknesse.
Tr 1 19 But natheles, if this may don gladnesse
Tr 1 20 Unto any lovere, and his cause availle,
Tr 1 21 Have he my thonk, and myn be this travaille!
Tr 1 22 But ye loveres, that bathen in gladnesse,
Tr 1 23 If any drope of pyte in yow be,
Tr 1 24 Remembreth yow on passed hevynesse
Tr 1 25 That ye han felt, and on the adversite
Tr 1 26 Of othere folk, and thynketh how that ye
Tr 1 27 Han felt that Love dorste yow displese,
Tr 1 28 Or ye han wonne hym with to gret an ese.
Tr 1 29 And preieth for hem that ben in the cas
Tr 1 30 Of Troilus, as ye may after here,
Tr 1 31 That Love hem brynge in hevene to solas;
Tr 1 32 And ek for me preieth to God so dere
Tr 1 33 That I have myght to shewe, in som manere,
Tr 1 34 Swich peyne and wo as Loves folk endure,
Tr 1 35 In Troilus unsely aventure.
Tr 1 36 And biddeth ek for hem that ben despeired
Tr 1 37 In love, that nevere nyl recovered be,
Tr 1 38 And ek for hem that falsly ben apeired
Tr 1 39 Thorugh wikked tonges, be it he or she;
Tr 1 40 Thus biddeth God, for his benignite,
Tr 1 41 So graunte hem soone owt of this world to pace,
Tr 1 42 That ben despeired out of Loves grace.
Tr 1 43 And biddeth ek for hem that ben at ese,
Tr 1 44 That God hem graunte ay good perseveraunce,
Tr 1 45 And sende hem myght hire ladies so to plese
Tr 1 46 That it to Love be worship and plesaunce.
Tr 1 47 For so hope I my sowle best avaunce,
Tr 1 48 To prey for hem that Loves servauntz be,
Tr 1 49 And write hire wo, and lyve in charite,
Tr 1 50 And for to have of hem compassioun,
Tr 1 51 As though I were hire owne brother dere.
Tr 1 52 Now herkneth with a good entencioun,
Tr 1 53 For now wil I gon streght to my matere,
Tr 1 54 In which ye may the double sorwes here
Tr 1 55 Of Troilus in lovynge of Criseyde,
Tr 1 56 And how that she forsook hym er she deyde.
Tr 1 57 Yt is wel wist how that the Grekes stronge
Tr 1 58 In armes with a thousand shippes wente
Tr 1 59 To Troiewardes, and the cite longe
Tr 1 60 Assegeden, neigh ten yer er they stente,
Tr 1 61 And in diverse wise and oon entente,
Tr 1 62 The ravysshyng to wreken of Eleyne,
Tr 1 63 By Paris don, they wroughten al hir peyne.
Tr 1 64 Now fel it so that in the town ther was
Tr 1 65 Dwellynge a lord of gret auctorite,
Tr 1 66 A gret devyn, that clepid was Calkas,
Tr 1 67 That in science so expert was that he
Tr 1 68 Knew wel that Troie sholde destroied be,
Tr 1 69 By answere of his god, that highte thus:
Tr 1 70 Daun Phebus or Appollo Delphicus.
Tr 1 71 So whan this Calkas knew by calkulynge,
Tr 1 72 And ek by answer of this Appollo,
Tr 1 73 That Grekes sholden swich a peple brynge,
Tr 1 74 Thorugh which that Troie moste ben fordo,
Tr 1 75 He caste anon out of the town to go;
Tr 1 76 For wel wiste he by sort that Troye sholde
Tr 1 77 Destroyed ben, ye, wolde whoso nolde.
Tr 1 78 For which for to departen softely
Tr 1 79 Took purpos ful this forknowynge wise,
Tr 1 80 And to the Grekes oost ful pryvely
Tr 1 81 He stal anon; and they, in curteys wise,
Tr 1 82 Hym diden bothe worship and servyce,
Tr 1 83 In trust that he hath konnynge hem to rede
Tr 1 84 In every peril which that is to drede.
Tr 1 85 Gret rumour gan, whan it was first aspied
Tr 1 86 Thorugh al the town, and generaly was spoken,
Tr 1 87 That Calkas traitour fled was and allied
Tr 1 88 With hem of Grece, and casten to be wroken
Tr 1 89 On hym that falsly hadde his feith so broken,
Tr 1 90 And seyden he and al his kyn at-ones
Tr 1 91 Ben worthi for to brennen, fel and bones.
Tr 1 92 Now hadde Calkas left in this meschaunce,
Tr 1 93 Al unwist of this false and wikked dede,
Tr 1 94 His doughter, which that was in gret penaunce,
Tr 1 95 For of hire lif she was ful sore in drede,
Tr 1 96 As she that nyste what was best to rede;
Tr 1 97 For bothe a widewe was she and allone
Tr 1 98 Of any frend to whom she dorste hir mone.
Tr 1 99 Criseyde was this lady name al right.
Tr 1 100 As to my doom, in al Troies cite
Tr 1 101 Nas non so fair, forpassynge every wight,
Tr 1 102 So aungelik was hir natif beaute,
Tr 1 103 That lik a thing inmortal semed she,
Tr 1 104 As doth an hevenyssh perfit creature,
Tr 1 105 That down were sent in scornynge of nature.
Tr 1 106 This lady, which that alday herd at ere
Tr 1 107 Hire fadres shame, his falsnesse and tresoun,
Tr 1 108 Wel neigh out of hir wit for sorwe and fere,
Tr 1 109 In widewes habit large of samyt broun,
Tr 1 110 On knees she fil biforn Ector adown
Tr 1 111 With pitous vois, and tendrely wepynge,
Tr 1 112 His mercy bad, hirselven excusynge.
Tr 1 113 Now was this Ector pitous of nature,
Tr 1 114 And saugh that she was sorwfully bigon,
Tr 1 115 And that she was so fair a creature;
Tr 1 116 Of his goodnesse he gladede hire anon,
Tr 1 117 And seyde, " Lat youre fadres treson gon
Tr 1 118 Forth with meschaunce, and ye youreself in joie
Tr 1 119 Dwelleth with us, whil yow good list, in Troie.
Tr 1 120 " And al th' onour that men may don yow have,
Tr 1 121 As ferforth as youre fader dwelled here,
Tr 1 122 Ye shul have, and youre body shal men save,
Tr 1 123 As fer as I may ought enquere or here. "
Tr 1 124 And she hym thonked with ful humble chere,
Tr 1 125 And ofter wolde, and it hadde ben his wille,
Tr 1 126 And took hire leve, and hom, and held hir stille.
Tr 1 127 And in hire hous she abood with swich meyne
Tr 1 128 As til hire honour nede was to holde;
Tr 1 129 And whil she was dwellynge in that cite,
Tr 1 130 Kepte hir estat, and both of yonge and olde
Tr 1 131 Ful wel biloved, and wel men of hir tolde.
Tr 1 132 But wheither that she children hadde or noon,
Tr 1 133 I rede it naught, therfore I late it goon.
Tr 1 134 The thynges fellen, as they don of werre,
Tr 1 135 Bitwixen hem of Troie and Grekes ofte;
Tr 1 136 For som day boughten they of Troie it derre,
Tr 1 137 And eft the Grekes founden nothing softe
Tr 1 138 The folk of Troie; and thus Fortune on lofte
Tr 1 139 And under eft gan hem to whielen bothe
Tr 1 140 Aftir hir course, ay whil that thei were wrothe.
Tr 1 141 But how this town com to destruccion
Tr 1 142 Ne falleth naught to purpos me to telle,
Tr 1 143 For it were a long digression
Tr 1 144 Fro my matere, and yow to long to dwelle.
Tr 1 145 But the Troian gestes, as they felle,
Tr 1 146 In Omer, or in Dares, or in Dite,
Tr 1 147 Whoso that kan may rede hem as they write.
Tr 1 148 But though that Grekes hem of Troie shetten,
Tr 1 149 And hir cite biseged al aboute,
Tr 1 150 Hire olde usage nolde they nat letten,
Tr 1 151 As for to honoure hir goddes ful devoute;
Tr 1 152 But aldirmost in honour, out of doute,
Tr 1 153 Thei hadde a relik, heet Palladion,
Tr 1 154 That was hire trist aboven everichon.
Tr 1 155 And so bifel, whan comen was the tyme
Tr 1 156 Of Aperil, whan clothed is the mede
Tr 1 157 With newe grene, of lusty Veer the pryme,
Tr 1 158 And swote smellen floures white and rede,
Tr 1 159 In sondry wises shewed, as I rede,
Tr 1 160 The folk of Troie hire observaunces olde,
Tr 1 161 Palladiones feste for to holde.
Tr 1 162 And to the temple, in al hir beste wise,
Tr 1 163 In general ther wente many a wight,
Tr 1 164 To herknen of Palladions servyce;
Tr 1 165 And namely, so many a lusty knyght,
Tr 1 166 So many a lady fressh and mayden bright,
Tr 1 167 Ful wel arayed, both meeste, mene, and leste,
Tr 1 168 Ye, bothe for the seson and the feste.
Tr 1 169 Among thise othere folk was Criseyda,
Tr 1 170 In widewes habit blak; but natheles,
Tr 1 171 Right as oure firste lettre is now an A,
Tr 1 172 In beaute first so stood she, makeles.
Tr 1 173 Hire goodly lokyng gladed al the prees.
Tr 1 174 Nas nevere yet seyn thyng to ben preysed derre,
Tr 1 175 Nor under cloude blak so bright a sterre
Tr 1 176 As was Criseyde, as folk seyde everichone
Tr 1 177 That hir behelden in hir blake wede.
Tr 1 178 And yet she stood ful lowe and stille allone,
Tr 1 179 Byhynden other folk, in litel brede,
Tr 1 180 And neigh the dore, ay undre shames drede,
Tr 1 181 Simple of atir and debonaire of chere,
Tr 1 182 With ful assured lokyng and manere.
Tr 1 183 This Troilus, as he was wont to gide
Tr 1 184 His yonge knyghtes, lad hem up and down
Tr 1 185 In thilke large temple on every side,
Tr 1 186 Byholding ay the ladies of the town,
Tr 1 187 Now here, now there; for no devocioun
Tr 1 188 Hadde he to non, to reven hym his reste,
Tr 1 189 But gan to preise and lakken whom hym leste.
Tr 1 190 And in his walk ful faste he gan to wayten
Tr 1 191 If knyght or squyer of his compaignie
Tr 1 192 Gan for to syke, or lete his eighen baiten
Tr 1 193 On any womman that he koude espye.
Tr 1 194 He wolde smyle and holden it folye,
Tr 1 195 And seye hym thus, " God woot, she slepeth softe
Tr 1 196 For love of the, whan thow turnest ful ofte!
Tr 1 197 " I have herd told, pardieux, of youre lyvynge,
Tr 1 198 Ye loveres, and youre lewed observaunces,
Tr 1 199 And which a labour folk han in wynnynge
Tr 1 200 Of love, and in the kepyng which doutaunces;
Tr 1 201 And whan youre prey is lost, woo and penaunces.
Tr 1 202 O veray fooles, nyce and blynde be ye!
Tr 1 203 Ther nys nat oon kan war by other be. "
Tr 1 204 And with that word he gan caste up the browe,
Tr 1 205 Ascaunces, " Loo! is this naught wisely spoken? "
Tr 1 206 At which the God of Love gan loken rowe
Tr 1 207 Right for despit, and shop for to ben wroken.
Tr 1 208 He kidde anon his bowe nas naught broken;
Tr 1 209 For sodeynly he hitte hym atte fulle --
Tr 1 210 And yet as proud a pekok kan he pulle.
Tr 1 211 O blynde world, O blynde entencioun!
Tr 1 212 How often falleth al the effect contraire
Tr 1 213 Of surquidrie and foul presumpcioun;
Tr 1 214 For kaught is proud, and kaught is debonaire.
Tr 1 215 This Troilus is clomben on the staire,
Tr 1 216 And litel weneth that he moot descenden;
Tr 1 217 But alday faileth thing that fooles wenden.
Tr 1 218 As proude Bayard gynneth for to skippe
Tr 1 219 Out of the weye, so pryketh hym his corn,
Tr 1 220 Til he a lasshe have of the longe whippe --
Tr 1 221 Than thynketh he, " Though I praunce al byforn
Tr 1 222 First in the trays, ful fat and newe shorn,
Tr 1 223 Yet am I but an hors, and horses lawe
Tr 1 224 I moot endure, and with my feres drawe " --
Tr 1 225 So ferde it by this fierse and proude knyght:
Tr 1 226 Though he a worthy kynges sone were,
Tr 1 227 And wende nothing hadde had swich myght
Tr 1 228 Ayeyns his wille that shuld his herte stere,
Tr 1 229 Yet with a look his herte wex a-fere,
Tr 1 230 That he that now was moost in pride above,
Tr 1 231 Wax sodeynly moost subgit unto love.
Tr 1 232 Forthy ensample taketh of this man,
Tr 1 233 Ye wise, proude, and worthi folkes alle,
Tr 1 234 To scornen Love, which that so soone kan
Tr 1 235 The fredom of youre hertes to hym thralle;
Tr 1 236 For evere it was, and evere it shal byfalle,
Tr 1 237 That Love is he that alle thing may bynde,
Tr 1 238 For may no man fordon the lawe of kynde.
Tr 1 239 That this be soth, hath preved and doth yit.
Tr 1 240 For this trowe I ye knowen alle or some,
Tr 1 241 Men reden nat that folk han gretter wit
Tr 1 242 Than they that han be most with love ynome;
Tr 1 243 And strengest folk ben therwith overcome,
Tr 1 244 The worthiest and grettest of degree:
Tr 1 245 This was, and is, and yet men shall it see.
Tr 1 246 And trewelich it sit wel to be so,
Tr 1 247 For alderwisest han therwith ben plesed;
Tr 1 248 And they that han ben aldermost in wo,
Tr 1 249 With love han ben comforted moost and esed;
Tr 1 250 And ofte it hath the cruel herte apesed,
Tr 1 251 And worthi folk maad worthier of name,
Tr 1 252 And causeth moost to dreden vice and shame.
Tr 1 253 Now sith it may nat goodly ben withstonde,
Tr 1 254 And is a thing so vertuous in kynde,
Tr 1 255 Refuseth nat to Love for to ben bonde,
Tr 1 256 Syn, as hymselven liste, he may yow bynde;
Tr 1 257 The yerde is bet that bowen wole and wynde
Tr 1 258 Than that that brest, and therfore I yow rede
Tr 1 259 To folowen hym that so wel kan yow lede.
Tr 1 260 But for to tellen forth in special
Tr 1 261 Of this kynges sone of which I tolde,
Tr 1 262 And leten other thing collateral,
Tr 1 263 Of hym thenke I my tale forth to holde,
Tr 1 264 Both of his joie and of his cares colde;
Tr 1 265 And al his werk, as touching this matere,
Tr 1 266 For I it gan, I wol therto refere.
Tr 1 267 Withinne the temple he wente hym forth pleyinge,
Tr 1 268 This Troilus, of every wight aboute,
Tr 1 269 On this lady, and now on that, lokynge,
Tr 1 270 Wher so she were of town or of withoute;
Tr 1 271 And upon cas bifel that thorugh a route
Tr 1 272 His eye percede, and so depe it wente,
Tr 1 273 Til on Criseyde it smot, and ther it stente.
Tr 1 274 And sodeynly he wax therwith astoned,
Tr 1 275 And gan hir bet biholde in thrifty wise.
Tr 1 276 " O mercy, God, " thoughte he, " wher hastow woned,
Tr 1 277 That art so feyr and goodly to devise? "
Tr 1 278 Therwith his herte gan to sprede and rise,
Tr 1 279 And softe sighed, lest men myghte hym here,
Tr 1 280 And caught ayeyn his firste pleyinge chere.
Tr 1 281 She nas nat with the leste of hire stature,
Tr 1 282 But alle hire lymes so wel answerynge
Tr 1 283 Weren to wommanhod, that creature
Tr 1 284 Was nevere lasse mannyssh in semynge;
Tr 1 285 And ek the pure wise of hire mevynge
Tr 1 286 Shewed wel that men myght in hire gesse
Tr 1 287 Honour, estat, and wommanly noblesse.
Tr 1 288 To Troilus right wonder wel with alle
Tr 1 289 Gan for to like hire mevynge and hire chere,
Tr 1 290 Which somdel deignous was, for she let falle
Tr 1 291 Hire look a lite aside in swich manere,
Tr 1 292 Ascaunces, " What, may I nat stonden here? "
Tr 1 293 And after that hir lokynge gan she lighte,
Tr 1 294 That nevere thoughte hym seen so good a syghte.
Tr 1 295 And of hire look in him ther gan to quyken
Tr 1 296 So gret desir and such affeccioun,
Tr 1 297 That in his herte botme gan to stiken
Tr 1 298 Of hir his fixe and depe impressioun.
Tr 1 299 And though he erst hadde poured up and down,
Tr 1 300 He was tho glad his hornes in to shrinke:
Tr 1 301 Unnethes wiste he how to loke or wynke.
Tr 1 302 Lo, he that leet hymselven so konnynge,
Tr 1 303 And scorned hem that Loves peynes dryen,
Tr 1 304 Was ful unwar that Love hadde his dwellynge
Tr 1 305 Withinne the subtile stremes of hire yen;
Tr 1 306 That sodeynly hym thoughte he felte dyen,
Tr 1 307 Right with hire look, the spirit in his herte:
Tr 1 308 Blissed be Love, that kan thus folk converte!
Tr 1 309 She, this in blak, likynge to Troilus
Tr 1 310 Over alle thing, he stood for to biholde;
Tr 1 311 Ne his desir, ne wherfore he stood thus,
Tr 1 312 He neither chere made, ne word tolde;
Tr 1 313 But from afer, his manere for to holde,
Tr 1 314 On other thing his look som tyme he caste,
Tr 1 315 And eft on hire, whil that servyse laste.
Tr 1 316 And after this, nat fullich al awhaped,
Tr 1 317 Out of the temple al esilich he wente,
Tr 1 318 Repentynge hym that he hadde evere ijaped
Tr 1 319 Of Loves folk, lest fully the descente
Tr 1 320 Of scorn fille on hymself; but what he mente,
Tr 1 321 Lest it were wist on any manere syde,
Tr 1 322 His woo he gan dissimilen and hide.
Tr 1 323 Whan he was fro the temple thus departed,
Tr 1 324 He streght anon unto his paleys torneth.
Tr 1 325 Right with hire look thorugh-shoten and thorugh-darted,
Tr 1 326 Al feyneth he in lust that he sojorneth,
Tr 1 327 And al his chere and speche also he borneth,
Tr 1 328 And ay of Loves servantz every while,
Tr 1 329 Hymself to wrye, at hem he gan to smyle,
Tr 1 330 And seyde, " Lord, so ye lyve al in lest,
Tr 1 331 Ye loveres! For the konnyngeste of yow,
Tr 1 332 That serveth most ententiflich and best,
Tr 1 333 Hym tit as often harm therof as prow.
Tr 1 334 Youre hire is quyt ayeyn, ye, God woot how!
Tr 1 335 Nought wel for wel, but scorn for good servyse.
Tr 1 336 In feith, youre ordre is ruled in good wise!
Tr 1 337 " In nouncerteyn ben alle youre observaunces,
Tr 1 338 But it a sely fewe pointes be;
Tr 1 339 Ne no thing asketh so gret attendaunces
Tr 1 340 As doth youre lay, and that knowe alle ye;
Tr 1 341 But that is nat the worste, as mote I the!
Tr 1 342 But, tolde I yow the worste point, I leve,
Tr 1 343 Al seyde I soth, ye wolden at me greve.
Tr 1 344 " But take this: that ye loveres ofte eschuwe,
Tr 1 345 Or elles doon, of good entencioun,
Tr 1 346 Ful ofte thi lady wol it mysconstruwe,
Tr 1 347 And deme it harm in hire oppynyoun;
Tr 1 348 And yet if she, for other enchesoun,
Tr 1 349 Be wroth, than shaltow have a groyn anon.
Tr 1 350 Lord, wel is hym that may ben of yow oon! "
Tr 1 351 But for al this, whan that he say his tyme,
Tr 1 352 He held his pees -- non other boote hym gayned --
Tr 1 353 For love bigan his fetheres so to lyme
Tr 1 354 That wel unnethe until his folk he fayned
Tr 1 355 That other besy nedes hym destrayned;
Tr 1 356 For wo was hym, that what to doon he nyste,
Tr 1 357 But bad his folk to gon wher that hem liste.
Tr 1 358 And whan that he in chambre was allone,
Tr 1 359 He doun upon his beddes feet hym sette,
Tr 1 360 And first he gan to sike, and eft to grone,
Tr 1 361 And thought ay on hire so, withouten lette,
Tr 1 362 That, as he sat and wook, his spirit mette
Tr 1 363 That he hire saugh a-temple, and al the wise
Tr 1 364 Right of hire look, and gan it newe avise.
Tr 1 365 Thus gan he make a mirour of his mynde
Tr 1 366 In which he saugh al holly hire figure,
Tr 1 367 And that he wel koude in his herte fynde.
Tr 1 368 It was to hym a right good aventure
Tr 1 369 To love swich oon, and if he dede his cure
Tr 1 370 To serven hir, yet myghte he falle in grace,
Tr 1 371 Or ellis for oon of hire servantz pace.
Tr 1 372 Imagenynge that travaille nor grame
Tr 1 373 Ne myghte for so goodly oon be lorn
Tr 1 374 As she, ne hym for his desir no shame,
Tr 1 375 Al were it wist, but in pris and up-born
Tr 1 376 Of alle lovers wel more than biforn,
Tr 1 377 Thus argumented he in his gynnynge,
Tr 1 378 Ful unavysed of his woo comynge.
Tr 1 379 Thus took he purpos loves craft to suwe,
Tr 1 380 And thoughte he wolde werken pryvely,
Tr 1 381 First to hiden his desir in muwe
Tr 1 382 From every wight yborn, al outrely,
Tr 1 383 But he myghte ought recovered be therby,
Tr 1 384 Remembryng hym that love to wide yblowe
Tr 1 385 Yelt bittre fruyt, though swete seed be sowe.
Tr 1 386 And over al this, yet muchel more he thoughte
Tr 1 387 What for to speke, and what to holden inne;
Tr 1 388 And what to arten hire to love he soughte,
Tr 1 389 And on a song anon-right to bygynne,
Tr 1 390 And gan loude on his sorwe for to wynne;
Tr 1 391 For with good hope he gan fully assente
Tr 1 392 Criseyde for to love, and nought repente.
Tr 1 393 And of his song naught only the sentence,
Tr 1 394 As writ myn auctour called Lollius,
Tr 1 395 But pleinly, save oure tonges difference,
Tr 1 396 I dar wel seyn, in al, that Troilus
Tr 1 397 Seyde in his song, loo, every word right thus
Tr 1 398 As I shal seyn; and whoso list it here,
Tr 1 399 Loo, next this vers he may it fynden here.
Tr 1 400 " If no love is, O God, what fele I so?
Tr 1 401 And if love is, what thing and which is he?
Tr 1 402 If love be good, from whennes cometh my woo?
Tr 1 403 If it be wikke, a wonder thynketh me,
Tr 1 404 When every torment and adversite
Tr 1 405 That cometh of hym may to me savory thinke,
Tr 1 406 For ay thurst I, the more that ich it drynke.
Tr 1 407 " And if that at myn owen lust I brenne,
Tr 1 408 From whennes cometh my waillynge and my pleynte?
Tr 1 409 If harm agree me, wherto pleyne I thenne?
Tr 1 410 I noot, ne whi unwery that I feynte.
Tr 1 411 O quike deth, O swete harm so queynte,
Tr 1 412 How may of the in me swich quantite,
Tr 1 413 But if that I consente that it be?
Tr 1 414 " And if that I consente, I wrongfully
Tr 1 415 Compleyne, iwis. Thus possed to and fro,
Tr 1 416 Al sterelees withinne a boot am I
Tr 1 417 Amydde the see, bitwixen wyndes two,
Tr 1 418 That in contrarie stonden evere mo.
Tr 1 419 Allas, what is this wondre maladie?
Tr 1 420 For hote of cold, for cold of hote, I dye. "
Tr 1 421 And to the God of Love thus seyde he
Tr 1 422 With pitous vois, " O lord, now youres is
Tr 1 423 My spirit, which that oughte youres be.
Tr 1 424 Yow thanke I, lord, that han me brought to this.
Tr 1 425 But wheither goddesse or womman, iwis,
Tr 1 426 She be, I not, which that ye do me serve;
Tr 1 427 But as hire man I wol ay lyve and sterve.
Tr 1 428 " Ye stonden in hir eighen myghtily,
Tr 1 429 As in a place unto youre vertu digne;
Tr 1 430 Wherfore, lord, if my service or I
Tr 1 431 May liken yow, so beth to me benigne;
Tr 1 432 For myn estat roial I here resigne
Tr 1 433 Into hire hond, and with ful humble chere
Tr 1 434 Bicome hir man, as to my lady dere. "
Tr 1 435 In hym ne deyned spare blood roial
Tr 1 436 The fyr of love -- wherfro God me blesse --
Tr 1 437 Ne him forbar in no degree, for al
Tr 1 438 His vertu or his excellent prowesse,
Tr 1 439 But held hym as his thral lowe in destresse,
Tr 1 440 And brende hym so in soundry wise ay newe,
Tr 1 441 That sexti tyme a day he loste his hewe.
Tr 1 442 So muche, day by day, his owene thought,
Tr 1 443 For lust to hire, gan quiken and encresse,
Tr 1 444 That every other charge he sette at nought.
Tr 1 445 Forthi ful ofte, his hote fir to cesse,
Tr 1 446 To sen hire goodly lok he gan to presse;
Tr 1 447 For therby to ben esed wel he wende,
Tr 1 448 And ay the ner he was, the more he brende.
Tr 1 449 For ay the ner the fir, the hotter is --
Tr 1 450 This, trowe I, knoweth al this compaignye;
Tr 1 451 But were he fer or ner, I dar sey this:
Tr 1 452 By nyght or day, for wisdom or folye,
Tr 1 453 His herte, which that is his brestez ye,
Tr 1 454 Was ay on hire, that fairer was to sene
Tr 1 455 Than evere were Eleyne or Polixene.
Tr 1 456 Ek of the day ther passed nought an houre
Tr 1 457 That to hymself a thousand tyme he seyde,
Tr 1 458 " Good goodly, to whom serve I and laboure
Tr 1 459 As I best kan, now wolde God, Criseyde,
Tr 1 460 Ye wolden on me rewe, er that I deyde!
Tr 1 461 My dere herte, allas, myn hele and hewe
Tr 1 462 And lif is lost, but ye wol on me rewe! "
Tr 1 463 Alle other dredes weren from him fledde,
Tr 1 464 Both of th' assege and his savacioun;
Tr 1 465 N' yn him desir noon other fownes bredde,
Tr 1 466 But argumentes to his conclusioun:
Tr 1 467 That she of him wolde han compassioun,
Tr 1 468 And he to ben hire man while he may dure.
Tr 1 469 Lo, here his lif, and from the deth his cure!
Tr 1 470 The sharpe shoures felle of armes preve
Tr 1 471 That Ector or his othere brethren diden
Tr 1 472 Ne made hym only therfore ones meve;
Tr 1 473 And yet was he, where so men wente or riden,
Tr 1 474 Founde oon the beste, and longest tyme abiden
Tr 1 475 Ther peril was, and dide ek swich travaille
Tr 1 476 In armes, that to thenke it was merveille.
Tr 1 477 But for non hate he to the Grekes hadde,
Tr 1 478 Ne also for the rescous of the town,
Tr 1 479 Ne made hym thus in armes for to madde,
Tr 1 480 But only, lo, for this conclusioun:
Tr 1 481 To liken hire the bet for his renoun.
Tr 1 482 Fro day to day in armes so he spedde
Tr 1 483 That the Grekes as the deth him dredde.
Tr 1 484 And fro this forth tho refte hym love his slep,
Tr 1 485 And made his mete his foo, and ek his sorwe
Tr 1 486 Gan multiplie, that, whoso tok kep,
Tr 1 487 It shewed in his hewe both eve and morwe.
Tr 1 488 Therfor a title he gan him for to borwe
Tr 1 489 Of other siknesse, lest men of hym wende
Tr 1 490 That the hote fir of love hym brende,
Tr 1 491 And seyde he hadde a fevere and ferde amys.
Tr 1 492 But how it was, certeyn, kan I nat seye,
Tr 1 493 If that his lady understood nat this,
Tr 1 494 Or feynede hire she nyste, oon of the tweye;
Tr 1 495 But wel I rede that, by no manere weye,
Tr 1 496 Ne semed it that she of hym roughte,
Tr 1 497 Or of his peyne, or whatsoevere he thoughte.
Tr 1 498 But thanne felte this Troilus swich wo
Tr 1 499 That he was wel neigh wood; for ay his drede
Tr 1 500 Was this, that she som wight hadde loved so,
Tr 1 501 That nevere of hym she wolde han taken hede,
Tr 1 502 For which hym thoughte he felte his herte blede;
Tr 1 503 Ne of his wo ne dorste he nat bygynne
Tr 1 504 To tellen hir, for al this world to wynne.
Tr 1 505 But whan he hadde a space from his care,
Tr 1 506 Thus to hymself ful ofte he gan to pleyne;
Tr 1 507 He seyde, " O fool, now artow in the snare,
Tr 1 508 That whilom japedest at loves peyne.
Tr 1 509 Now artow hent, now gnaw thin owen cheyne!
Tr 1 510 Thow were ay wont ech lovere reprehende
Tr 1 511 Of thing fro which thou kanst the nat defende.
Tr 1 512 " What wol now every lovere seyn of the,
Tr 1 513 If this be wist, but evere in thin absence
Tr 1 514 Laughen in scorn, and seyn, `Loo, ther goth he
Tr 1 515 That is the man of so gret sapience,
Tr 1 516 That held us loveres leest in reverence.
Tr 1 517 Now, thanked God, he may gon in the daunce
Tr 1 518 Of hem that Love list febly for to avaunce.'
Tr 1 519 " But, O thow woful Troilus, God wolde,
Tr 1 520 Sith thow most loven thorugh thi destine,
Tr 1 521 That thow beset were on swich oon that sholde
Tr 1 522 Know al thi wo, al lakked hir pitee!
Tr 1 523 But also cold in love towardes the
Tr 1 524 Thi lady is as frost in wynter moone,
Tr 1 525 And thow fordon as snow in fire is soone.
Tr 1 526 " God wold I were aryved in the port
Tr 1 527 Of deth, to which my sorwe wol me lede!
Tr 1 528 A, Lord, to me it were a gret comfort;
Tr 1 529 Than were I quyt of languisshyng in drede;
Tr 1 530 For, be myn hidde sorwe iblowe on brede,
Tr 1 531 I shal byjaped ben a thousand tyme
Tr 1 532 More than that fol of whos folie men ryme.
Tr 1 533 " But now help, God, and ye, swete, for whom
Tr 1 534 I pleyne, ikaught, ye, nevere wight so faste!
Tr 1 535 O mercy, dere herte, and help me from
Tr 1 536 The deth, for I, whil that my lyf may laste,
Tr 1 537 More than myself wol love yow to my laste;
Tr 1 538 And with som frendly lok gladeth me, swete,
Tr 1 539 Though nevere more thing ye me byheete. "
Tr 1 540 Thise wordes, and ful many an other to,
Tr 1 541 He spak, and called evere in his compleynte
Tr 1 542 Hire name, for to tellen hire his wo,
Tr 1 543 Til neigh that he in salte teres dreynte.
Tr 1 544 Al was for nought: she herde nat his pleynte;
Tr 1 545 And whan that he bythought on that folie,
Tr 1 546 A thousand fold his wo gan multiplie.
Tr 1 547 Bywayling in his chambre thus allone,
Tr 1 548 A frend of his that called was Pandare
Tr 1 549 Com oones in unwar, and herde hym groone,
Tr 1 550 And say his frend in swich destresse and care:
Tr 1 551 " Allas, " quod he, " who causeth al this fare?
Tr 1 552 O mercy, God! What unhap may this meene?
Tr 1 553 Han now thus soone Grekes maad yow leene?
Tr 1 554 " Or hastow som remors of conscience,
Tr 1 555 And art now falle in som devocioun,
Tr 1 556 And wailest for thi synne and thin offence,
Tr 1 557 And hast for ferde caught attricioun?
Tr 1 558 God save hem that biseged han oure town,
Tr 1 559 That so kan leye oure jolite on presse,
Tr 1 560 And bringe oure lusty folk to holynesse! "
Tr 1 561 Thise wordes seyde he for the nones alle,
Tr 1 562 That with swich thing he myght hym angry maken,
Tr 1 563 And with angre don his wo to falle,
Tr 1 564 As for the tyme, and his corage awaken.
Tr 1 565 But wel he wist, as fer as tonges spaken,
Tr 1 566 Ther nas a man of gretter hardinesse
Tr 1 567 Thanne he, ne more desired worthinesse.
Tr 1 568 " What cas, " quod Troilus, " or what aventure
Tr 1 569 Hath gided the to sen me langwisshinge,
Tr 1 570 That am refus of every creature?
Tr 1 571 But for the love of God, at my preyinge,
Tr 1 572 Go hennes awey; for certes my deyinge
Tr 1 573 Wol the disese, and I mot nedes deye;
Tr 1 574 Therfore go wey, ther is na more to seye.
Tr 1 575 " But if thow wene I be thus sik for drede,
Tr 1 576 It is naught so, and therfore scorne nought.
Tr 1 577 Ther is another thing I take of hede
Tr 1 578 Wel more than aught the Grekes han yet wrought,
Tr 1 579 Which cause is of my deth, for sorowe and thought;
Tr 1 580 But though that I now telle it the ne leste,
Tr 1 581 Be thow naught wroth; I hide it for the beste. "
Tr 1 582 This Pandare, that neigh malt for wo and routhe,
Tr 1 583 Ful ofte seyde, " Allas, what may this be?
Tr 1 584 Now frend, " quod he, " if evere love or trouthe
Tr 1 585 Hath ben, or is, bitwixen the and me,
Tr 1 586 Ne do thow nevere swich a crueltee
Tr 1 587 To hiden fro thi frend so gret a care!
Tr 1 588 Wostow naught wel that it am I, Pandare?
Tr 1 589 " I wol parten with the al thi peyne,
Tr 1 590 If it be so I do the no comfort,
Tr 1 591 As it is frendes right, soth for to seyne,
Tr 1 592 To entreparten wo as glad desport.
Tr 1 593 I have, and shal, for trewe or fals report,
Tr 1 594 In wrong and right iloved the al my lyve:
Tr 1 595 Hid nat thi wo fro me, but telle it blyve. "
Tr 1 596 Than gan this sorwful Troylus to syke,
Tr 1 597 And seide hym thus: " God leve it be my beste
Tr 1 598 To telle it the; for sith it may the like,
Tr 1 599 Yet wol I telle it, though myn herte breste.
Tr 1 600 And wel woot I thow mayst do me no reste;
Tr 1 601 But lest thow deme I truste nat to the,
Tr 1 602 Now herke, frend, for thus it stant with me.
Tr 1 603 " Love, ayeins the which whoso defendeth
Tr 1 604 Hymselven most, hym alderlest avaylleth,
Tr 1 605 With disespeyr so sorwfulli me offendeth,
Tr 1 606 That streight unto the deth myn herte sailleth.
Tr 1 607 Therto desir so brennyngly me assailleth,
Tr 1 608 That to ben slayn it were a gretter joie
Tr 1 609 To me than kyng of Grece ben and Troye.
Tr 1 610 " Suffiseth this, my fulle frend Pandare,
Tr 1 611 That I have seyd, for now wostow my wo;
Tr 1 612 And for the love of God, my colde care,
Tr 1 613 So hide it wel -- I tolde it nevere to mo,
Tr 1 614 For harmes myghten folwen mo than two
Tr 1 615 If it were wist -- but be thow in gladnesse,
Tr 1 616 And lat me sterve, unknowe, of my destresse. "
Tr 1 617 " How hastow thus unkyndely and longe
Tr 1 618 Hid this fro me, thow fol? " quod Pandarus.
Tr 1 619 " Paraunter thow myghte after swich oon longe,
Tr 1 620 That myn avys anoon may helpen us. "
Tr 1 621 " This were a wonder thing, " quod Troilus;
Tr 1 622 " Thow koudest nevere in love thiselven wisse.
Tr 1 623 How devel maistow brynge me to blisse? "
Tr 1 624 " Ye, Troilus, now herke, " quod Pandare;
Tr 1 625 " Though I be nyce, it happeth often so,
Tr 1 626 That oon that excesse doth ful yvele fare
Tr 1 627 By good counseil kan kepe his frend therfro.
Tr 1 628 I have myself ek seyn a blynd man goo
Tr 1 629 Ther as he fel that couth. loken wide;
Tr 1 630 A fool may ek a wis-man ofte gide.
Tr 1 631 " A wheston is no kervyng instrument,
Tr 1 632 But yet it maketh sharppe kervyng tolis;
Tr 1 633 And there thow woost that I have aught myswent,
Tr 1 634 Eschuw thow that, for swich thing to the scole is.
Tr 1 635 Thus often wise men ben war by foolys.
Tr 1 636 If thow do so, thi wit is wel bewared;
Tr 1 637 By his contrarie is every thyng declared.
Tr 1 638 " For how myghte evere swetnesse han ben knowe
Tr 1 639 To him that nevere tasted bitternesse?
Tr 1 640 Ne no man may ben inly glad, I trowe,
Tr 1 641 That nevere was in sorwe or som destresse.
Tr 1 642 Eke whit by blak, by shame ek worthinesse,
Tr 1 643 Ech set by other, more for other semeth,
Tr 1 644 As men may se, and so the wyse it demeth.
Tr 1 645 " Sith thus of two contraries is o lore,
Tr 1 646 I, that have in love so ofte assayed
Tr 1 647 Grevances, oughte konne, and wel the more,
Tr 1 648 Counseillen the of that thow art amayed.
Tr 1 649 Ek the ne aughte nat ben yvel appayed,
Tr 1 650 Though I desyre with the for to bere
Tr 1 651 Thyn hevy charge; it shal the lasse dere.
Tr 1 652 " I woot wel that it fareth thus be me
Tr 1 653 As to thi brother, Paris, an herdesse
Tr 1 654 Which that icleped was Oenone
Tr 1 655 Wrot in a compleynte of hir hevynesse.
Tr 1 656 Yee say the lettre that she wrot, I gesse? "
Tr 1 657 " Nay, nevere yet, ywys, " quod Troilus.
Tr 1 658 " Now, " quod Pandare, " herkne, it was thus:
Tr 1 659 " `Phebus, that first fond art of medicyne,'
Tr 1 660 Quod she, `and couth. in every wightes care
Tr 1 661 Remedye and reed, by herbes he knew fyne,
Tr 1 662 Yet to hymself his konnyng was ful bare,
Tr 1 663 For love hadde hym so bounden in a snare,
Tr 1 664 Al for the doughter of the kyng Amete,
Tr 1 665 That al his craft ne koude his sorwes bete.'
Tr 1 666 " Right so fare I, unhappyly for me.
Tr 1 667 I love oon best, and that me smerteth sore;
Tr 1 668 And yet, peraunter, kan I reden the
Tr 1 669 And nat myself; repreve me na more.
Tr 1 670 I have no cause, I woot wel, for to sore
Tr 1 671 As doth an hauk that listeth for to pleye;
Tr 1 672 But to thin help yet somwhat kan I seye.
Tr 1 673 " And of o thing right siker maistow be,
Tr 1 674 That certein, for to dyen in the peyne,
Tr 1 675 That I shal nevere mo discoveren the;
Tr 1 676 Ne, by my trouthe, I kepe nat restreyne
Tr 1 677 The fro thi love, theigh that it were Eleyne
Tr 1 678 That is thi brother wif, if ich it wiste:
Tr 1 679 Be what she be, and love hire as the liste!
Tr 1 680 " Therfore, as frend, fullich in me assure,
Tr 1 681 And tel me plat what is th' enchesoun
Tr 1 682 And final cause of wo that ye endure;
Tr 1 683 For douteth nothyng, myn entencioun
Tr 1 684 Nis nat to yow of reprehencioun,
Tr 1 685 To speke as now, for no wight may byreve
Tr 1 686 A man to love, tyl that hym list to leve.
Tr 1 687 " And witteth wel that bothe two ben vices:
Tr 1 688 Mistrusten alle, or elles alle leve.
Tr 1 689 But wel I woot, the mene of it no vice is,
Tr 1 690 For to trusten som wight is a preve
Tr 1 691 Of trouth; and forthi wolde I fayn remeve
Tr 1 692 Thi wrong conseyte, and do the som wyght triste
Tr 1 693 Thi wo to telle; and tel me, if the liste.
Tr 1 694 " The wise seith, `Wo hym that is allone,
Tr 1 695 For, and he falle, he hath non helpe to ryse';
Tr 1 696 And sith thow hast a felawe, tel thi mone;
Tr 1 697 For this nys naught, certein, the nexte wyse
Tr 1 698 To wynnen love -- as techen us the wyse --
Tr 1 699 To walwe and wepe as Nyobe the queene,
Tr 1 700 Whos teres yet in marble ben yseene.
Tr 1 701 " Lat be thy wepyng and thi drerynesse,
Tr 1 702 And lat us lissen wo with oother speche;
Tr 1 703 So may thy woful tyme seme lesse.
Tr 1 704 Delyte nat in wo thi wo to seche,
Tr 1 705 As don thise foles that hire sorwes eche
Tr 1 706 With sorwe, whan thei han mysaventure,
Tr 1 707 And listen naught to seche hem other cure.
Tr 1 708 " Men seyn, `to wrecche is consolacioun
Tr 1 709 To have another felawe in hys peyne.'
Tr 1 710 That owghte wel ben oure opynyoun,
Tr 1 711 For bothe thow and I of love we pleyne.
Tr 1 712 So ful of sorwe am I, soth for to seyne,
Tr 1 713 That certeinly namore harde grace
Tr 1 714 May sitte on me, for-why ther is no space.
Tr 1 715 " If God wol, thow art nat agast of me,
Tr 1 716 Lest I wolde of thi lady the bygyle!
Tr 1 717 Thow woost thyself whom that I love, parde,
Tr 1 718 As I best kan, gon sithen longe while.
Tr 1 719 And sith thow woost I do it for no wyle,
Tr 1 720 And sith I am he that thow trustest moost,
Tr 1 721 Tel me somwhat, syn al my wo thow woost. "
Tr 1 722 Yet Troilus for al this no word seyde,
Tr 1 723 But longe he ley as stylle as he ded were;
Tr 1 724 And after this with sikynge he abreyde,
Tr 1 725 And to Pandarus vois he lente his ere,
Tr 1 726 And up his eighen caste he, that in feere
Tr 1 727 Was Pandarus, lest that in frenesie
Tr 1 728 He sholde falle, or elles soone dye;
Tr 1 729 And cryde " Awake! " ful wonderlich and sharpe;
Tr 1 730 " What! Slombrestow as in a litargie?
Tr 1 731 Or artow lik an asse to the harpe,
Tr 1 732 That hereth sown whan men the strynges plye,
Tr 1 733 But in his mynde of that no melodie
Tr 1 734 May sinken hym to gladen, for that he
Tr 1 735 So dul ys of his bestialite? "
Tr 1 736 And with that, Pandare of his wordes stente;
Tr 1 737 And Troilus yet hym nothyng answerde,
Tr 1 738 For-why to tellen nas nat his entente
Tr 1 739 To nevere no man, for whom that he so ferde;
Tr 1 740 For it is seyd, " Men maketh ofte a yerde
Tr 1 741 With which the maker is hymself ybeten
Tr 1 742 In sondry manere, " as thise wyse treten,
Tr 1 743 And namelich in his counseil tellynge
Tr 1 744 That toucheth love that oughte ben secree;
Tr 1 745 For of himself it wol ynough out sprynge,
Tr 1 746 But if that it the bet governed be.
Tr 1 747 Ek som tyme it is a craft to seme fle
Tr 1 748 Fro thyng whych in effect men hunte faste;
Tr 1 749 Al this gan Troilus in his herte caste.
Tr 1 750 But natheles, whan he hadde herd hym crye
Tr 1 751 " Awake! " he gan to syken wonder soore,
Tr 1 752 And seyde, " Frend, though that I stylle lye,
Tr 1 753 I am nat deef. Now pees, and crye namore,
Tr 1 754 For I have herd thi wordes and thi lore;
Tr 1 755 But suffre me my meschief to bywaille,
Tr 1 756 For thy proverbes may me naught availle.
Tr 1 757 " Nor other cure kanstow non for me;
Tr 1 758 Ek I nyl nat ben cured; I wol deye.
Tr 1 759 What knowe I of the queene Nyobe?
Tr 1 760 Lat be thyne olde ensaumples, I the preye. "
Tr 1 761 " No, " quod Pandarus, " therfore I seye,
Tr 1 762 Swych is delit of foles to bywepe
Tr 1 763 Hire wo, but seken bote they ne kepe.
Tr 1 764 " Now knowe I that ther reson in the failleth.
Tr 1 765 But tel me, if I wiste what she were
Tr 1 766 For whom that the al this mysaunter ailleth,
Tr 1 767 Dorstestow that I tolde in hire ere
Tr 1 768 Thi wo, sith thow darst naught thiself for feere,
Tr 1 769 And hire bysoughte on the to han som routhe? "
Tr 1 770 " Why, nay, " quod he, " by God and by my trouthe! "
Tr 1 771 " What, nat as bisyly, " quod Pandarus,
Tr 1 772 " As though myn owene lyf lay on this nede? "
Tr 1 773 " No, certes, brother, " quod this Troilus,
Tr 1 774 " And whi? For that thow scholdest nevere spede. "
Tr 1 775 " Wostow that wel? " -- " Ye, that is out of drede, "
Tr 1 776 Quod Troilus; " for al that evere ye konne,
Tr 1 777 She nyl to noon swich wrecche as I ben wonne. "
Tr 1 778 Quod Pandarus, " Allas! What may this be,
Tr 1 779 That thow dispeired art thus causeles?
Tr 1 780 What! lyveth nat thi lady, bendiste?
Tr 1 781 How wostow so that thow art graceles?
Tr 1 782 Swich yvel is nat alwey booteles.
Tr 1 783 Why, put nat impossible thus thi cure,
Tr 1 784 Syn thyng to come is oft in aventure.
Tr 1 785 " I graunte wel that thow endurest wo
Tr 1 786 As sharp as doth he Ticius in helle,
Tr 1 787 Whos stomak foughles tiren evere moo
Tr 1 788 That hightyn volturis, as bokes telle;
Tr 1 789 But I may nat endure that thow dwelle
Tr 1 790 In so unskilful an oppynyoun
Tr 1 791 That of thi wo is no curacioun.
Tr 1 792 " But oones nyltow, for thy coward herte,
Tr 1 793 And for thyn ire and folissh wilfulnesse,
Tr 1 794 For wantrust, tellen of thy sorwes smerte,
Tr 1 795 Ne to thyn owen help don bysynesse
Tr 1 796 As muche as speke a resoun moore or lesse,
Tr 1 797 But list as he that lest of nothyng recche.
Tr 1 798 What womman koude loven swich a wrecche?
Tr 1 799 " What may she demen oother of thy deeth,
Tr 1 800 If thow thus deye, and she not why it is,
Tr 1 801 But that for feere is yolden up thy breth,
Tr 1 802 For Grekes han biseged us, iwys?
Tr 1 803 Lord, which a thonk than shaltow han of this!
Tr 1 804 Thus wol she seyn, and al the town attones,
Tr 1 805 `The wrecche is ded, the devel have his bones!'
Tr 1 806 " Thow mayst allone here wepe and crye and knele --
Tr 1 807 But love a womman that she woot it nought,
Tr 1 808 And she wol quyte it that thow shalt nat fele;
Tr 1 809 Unknowe, unkist, and lost that is unsought.
Tr 1 810 What, many a man hath love ful deere ybought
Tr 1 811 Twenty wynter that his lady wiste,
Tr 1 812 That nevere yet his lady mouth he kiste.
Tr 1 813 " What sholde he therfore fallen in dispayr,
Tr 1 814 Or be recreant for his owne tene,
Tr 1 815 Or slen hymself, al be his lady fair?
Tr 1 816 Nay, nay, but evere in oon be fressh and grene
Tr 1 817 To serve and love his deere hertes queene,
Tr 1 818 And thynk it is a guerdon hire to serve,
Tr 1 819 A thousand fold moore than he kan deserve. "
Tr 1 820 Of that word took hede Troilus,
Tr 1 821 And thoughte anon what folie he was inne,
Tr 1 822 And how that soth hym seyde Pandarus,
Tr 1 823 That for to slen hymself myght he nat wynne,
Tr 1 824 But bothe don unmanhod and a synne,
Tr 1 825 And of his deth his lady naught to wite;
Tr 1 826 For of his wo, God woot, she knew ful lite.
Tr 1 827 And with that thought he gan ful sore syke,
Tr 1 828 And seyde, " Allas! What is me best to do? "
Tr 1 829 To whom Pandare answered, " If the like,
Tr 1 830 The beste is that thow telle me al thi wo;
Tr 1 831 And have my trouthe, but thow it fynde so
Tr 1 832 I be thi boote, er that it be ful longe,
Tr 1 833 To pieces do me drawe and sithen honge! "
Tr 1 834 " Ye, so thow seyst, " quod Troilus tho, " allas!
Tr 1 835 But, God woot, it is naught the rather so.
Tr 1 836 Ful hard were it to helpen in this cas,
Tr 1 837 For wel fynde I that Fortune is my fo;
Tr 1 838 Ne al the men that riden konne or go
Tr 1 839 May of hire cruel whiel the harm withstonde;
Tr 1 840 For as hire list she pleyeth with free and bonde. "
Tr 1 841 Quod Pandarus, " Than blamestow Fortune
Tr 1 842 For thow art wroth; ye, now at erst I see.
Tr 1 843 Woost thow nat wel that Fortune is comune
Tr 1 844 To everi manere wight in som degree?
Tr 1 845 And yet thow hast this comfort, lo, parde,
Tr 1 846 That, as hire joies moten overgon,
Tr 1 847 So mote hire sorwes passen everechon.
Tr 1 848 " For if hire whiel stynte any thyng to torne,
Tr 1 849 Than cessed she Fortune anon to be.
Tr 1 850 Now, sith hire whiel by no way may sojourne,
Tr 1 851 What woostow if hire mutabilite
Tr 1 852 Right as thyselven list wol don by the,
Tr 1 853 Or that she be naught fer fro thyn helpynge?
Tr 1 854 Paraunter thow hast cause for to synge.
Tr 1 855 " And therfore wostow what I the biseche?
Tr 1 856 Lat be thy wo and tornyng to the grounde;
Tr 1 857 For whoso list have helyng of his leche,
Tr 1 858 To hym byhoveth first unwre his wownde.
Tr 1 859 To Cerberus yn helle ay be I bounde,
Tr 1 860 Were it for my suster, al thy sorwe,
Tr 1 861 By my wil she sholde al be thyn to-morwe.
Tr 1 862 " Look up, I seye, and telle me what she is
Tr 1 863 Anon, that I may gon about thy nede.
Tr 1 864 Knowe ich hire aught? For my love, telle me this.
Tr 1 865 Thanne wolde I hopen rather for to spede. "
Tr 1 866 Tho gan the veyne of Troilus to blede,
Tr 1 867 For he was hit, and wax al reed for shame.
Tr 1 868 " A ha! " quod Pandare; " Here bygynneth game. "
Tr 1 869 And with that word he gan hym for to shake,
Tr 1 870 And seyde, " Thef, thow shalt hyre name telle. "
Tr 1 871 But tho gan sely Troilus for to quake
Tr 1 872 As though men sholde han led hym into helle,
Tr 1 873 And seyde, " Allas, of al my wo the welle,
Tr 1 874 Thanne is my swete fo called Criseyde! "
Tr 1 875 And wel neigh with the word for feere he deide.
Tr 1 876 And whan that Pandare herde hire name nevene,
Tr 1 877 Lord, he was glad, and seyde, " Frend so deere,
Tr 1 878 Now far aright, for Joves name in hevene.
Tr 1 879 Love hath byset the wel; be of good cheere!
Tr 1 880 For of good name and wisdom and manere
Tr 1 881 She hath ynough, and ek of gentilesse.
Tr 1 882 If she be fayr, thow woost thyself, I gesse,
Tr 1 883 " Ne nevere saugh a more bountevous
Tr 1 884 Of hire estat, n' a gladder, ne of speche
Tr 1 885 A frendlyer, n' a more gracious
Tr 1 886 For to do wel, ne lasse hadde nede to seche
Tr 1 887 What for to don; and al this bet to eche,
Tr 1 888 In honour, to as fer as she may strecche,
Tr 1 889 A kynges herte semeth by hyrs a wrecche.
Tr 1 890 " And forthi loke of good comfort thow be;
Tr 1 891 For certeinly, the ferste poynt is this
Tr 1 892 Of noble corage and wel ordeyne,
Tr 1 893 A man to have pees with hymself, ywis.
Tr 1 894 So oghtist thow, for noht but good it is
Tr 1 895 To love wel, and in a worthy place;
Tr 1 896 The oghte not to clepe it hap, but grace.
Tr 1 897 " And also thynk, and therwith glade the,
Tr 1 898 That sith thy lady vertuous is al,
Tr 1 899 So foloweth it that there is some pitee
Tr 1 900 Amonges alle thise other in general;
Tr 1 901 And forthi se that thow, in special,
Tr 1 902 Requere naught that is ayeyns hyre name;
Tr 1 903 For vertu streccheth naught hymself to shame.
Tr 1 904 " But wel is me that evere that I was born,
Tr 1 905 That thow biset art in so good a place;
Tr 1 906 For by my trouthe, in love I dorste have sworn
Tr 1 907 The sholde nevere han tid thus fayr a grace.
Tr 1 908 And wostow why? For thow were wont to chace
Tr 1 909 At Love in scorn, and for despit him calle
Tr 1 910 `Seynt Idiot, lord of thise foles alle.'
Tr 1 911 " How often hastow maad thi nyce japes,
Tr 1 912 And seyd that Loves servantz everichone
Tr 1 913 Of nycete ben verray Goddes apes;
Tr 1 914 And some wolde mucche hire mete allone,
Tr 1 915 Liggyng abedde, and make hem for to grone;
Tr 1 916 And som, thow seydest, hadde a blaunche fevere,
Tr 1 917 And preydest God he sholde nevere kevere.
Tr 1 918 " And som of hem took on hym, for the cold,
Tr 1 919 More than ynough, so seydestow ful ofte.
Tr 1 920 And som han feyned ofte tyme, and told
Tr 1 921 How that they waken, whan thei slepen softe;
Tr 1 922 And thus they wolde han brought hemself alofte,
Tr 1 923 And natheles were under at the laste.
Tr 1 924 Thus seydestow, and japedest ful faste.
Tr 1 925 " Yet seydestow that for the moore part
Tr 1 926 Thise loveres wolden speke in general,
Tr 1 927 And thoughten that it was a siker art,
Tr 1 928 For faylyng, for t' assaien overal.
Tr 1 929 Now may I jape of the, if that I shal;
Tr 1 930 But natheles, though that I sholde deye,
Tr 1 931 That thow art non of tho, I dorste saye.
Tr 1 932 " Now bet thi brest, and sey to God of Love,
Tr 1 933 `Thy grace, lord, for now I me repente,
Tr 1 934 If I mysspak, for now myself I love.'
Tr 1 935 Thus sey with al thyn herte in good entente. "
Tr 1 936 Quod Troilus, " A, lord! I me consente,
Tr 1 937 And preye to the my japes thow foryive,
Tr 1 938 And I shal nevere more whyle I live. "
Tr 1 939 " Thow seist wel, " quod Pandare, " and now I hope
Tr 1 940 That thow the goddes wrathe hast al apesed;
Tr 1 941 And sithen thow hast wopen many a drope,
Tr 1 942 And seyd swych thyng wherwith thi god is plesed,
Tr 1 943 Now wolde nevere god but thow were esed!
Tr 1 944 And thynk wel, she of whom rist al thi wo
Tr 1 945 Hereafter may thy comfort be also.
Tr 1 946 " For thilke grownd that bereth the wedes wikke
Tr 1 947 Bereth ek thise holsom herbes, as ful ofte
Tr 1 948 Next the foule netle, rough and thikke,
Tr 1 949 The rose waxeth swoote and smothe and softe;
Tr 1 950 And next the valeye is the hil o-lofte;
Tr 1 951 And next the derke nyght the glade morwe;
Tr 1 952 And also joie is next the fyn of sorwe.
Tr 1 953 " Now loke that atempre be thi bridel,
Tr 1 954 And for the beste ay suffre to the tyde,
Tr 1 955 Or elles al oure labour is on ydel:
Tr 1 956 He hasteth wel that wisely kan abyde.
Tr 1 957 Be diligent and trewe, and ay wel hide;
Tr 1 958 Be lusty, fre; persevere in thy servyse,
Tr 1 959 And al is wel, if thow werke in this wyse.
Tr 1 960 " But he that departed is in everi place
Tr 1 961 Is nowher hol, as writen clerkes wyse.
Tr 1 962 What wonder is, though swich oon have no grace?
Tr 1 963 Ek wostow how it fareth of som servise,
Tr 1 964 As plaunte a tree or herbe, in sondry wyse,
Tr 1 965 And on the morwe pulle it up as blyve!
Tr 1 966 No wonder is, though it may nevere thryve.
Tr 1 967 " And sith that God of Love hath the bistowed
Tr 1 968 In place digne unto thi worthinesse,
Tr 1 969 Stond faste, for to good port hastow rowed;
Tr 1 970 And of thiself, for any hevynesse,
Tr 1 971 Hope alwey wel; for, but if drerinesse
Tr 1 972 Or over-haste oure bothe labour shende,
Tr 1 973 I hope of this to maken a good ende.
Tr 1 974 " And wostow why I am the lasse afered
Tr 1 975 Of this matere with my nece trete?
Tr 1 976 For this have I herd seyd of wyse lered,
Tr 1 977 Was nevere man or womman yet bigete
Tr 1 978 That was unapt to suffren loves hete,
Tr 1 979 Celestial, or elles love of kynde;
Tr 1 980 Forthy som grace I hope in hire to fynde.
Tr 1 981 " And for to speke of hire in specyal,
Tr 1 982 Hire beaute to bithynken and hire youthe,
Tr 1 983 It sit hire naught to ben celestial
Tr 1 984 As yet, though that hire liste bothe and kowthe;
Tr 1 985 But trewely, it sate hire wel right nowthe
Tr 1 986 A worthi knyght to loven and cherice,
Tr 1 987 And but she do, I holde it for a vice.
Tr 1 988 " Wherfore I am, and wol ben, ay redy
Tr 1 989 To peyne me to do yow this servyse;
Tr 1 990 For bothe yow to plese thus hope I
Tr 1 991 Herafterward; for ye ben bothe wyse,
Tr 1 992 And konne it counseil kepe in swych a wyse
Tr 1 993 That no man shal the wiser of it be;
Tr 1 994 And so we may ben gladed alle thre.
Tr 1 995 " And, by my trouthe, I have right now of the
Tr 1 996 A good conceyte in my wit, as I gesse,
Tr 1 997 And what it is, I wol now that thow se.
Tr 1 998 I thenke, sith that Love, of his goodnesse,
Tr 1 999 Hath the converted out of wikkednesse,
Tr 1 1000 That thow shalt ben the beste post, I leve,
Tr 1 1001 Of al his lay, and moost his foos to greve.
Tr 1 1002 " Ensample why, se now thise wise clerkes,
Tr 1 1003 That erren aldermost ayeyn a lawe,
Tr 1 1004 And ben converted from hire wikked werkes
Tr 1 1005 Thorugh grace of God that list hem to hym drawe,
Tr 1 1006 Thanne arn thise folk that han moost God in awe,
Tr 1 1007 And strengest feythed ben, I undirstonde,
Tr 1 1008 And konne an errowr alderbest withstonde. "
Tr 1 1009 Whan Troilus hadde herd Pandare assented
Tr 1 1010 To ben his help in lovyng of Cryseyde,
Tr 1 1011 Weex of his wo, as who seith, untormented,
Tr 1 1012 But hotter weex his love, and thus he seyde,
Tr 1 1013 With sobre chere, although his herte pleyde:
Tr 1 1014 " Now blisful Venus helpe, er that I sterve,
Tr 1 1015 Of the, Pandare, I mowe som thank deserve.
Tr 1 1016 " But, deere frend, how shal my wo be lesse
Tr 1 1017 Til this be doon? And good, ek telle me this:
Tr 1 1018 How wiltow seyn of me and my destresse,
Tr 1 1019 Lest she be wroth -- this drede I moost, ywys --
Tr 1 1020 Or nyl nat here or trowen how it is.
Tr 1 1021 Al this drede I, and ek for the manere
Tr 1 1022 Of the, hire em, she nyl no swich thyng here. "
Tr 1 1023 Quod Pandarus, " Thow hast a ful gret care
Tr 1 1024 Lest that the cherl may falle out of the moone!
Tr 1 1025 Whi, Lord! I hate of the thi nyce fare!
Tr 1 1026 Whi, entremete of that thow hast to doone!
Tr 1 1027 For Goddes love, I bidde the a boone:
Tr 1 1028 So lat m' alone, and it shal be thi beste. "
Tr 1 1029 " Whi, frend, " quod he, " now do right as the leste.
Tr 1 1030 " But herke, Pandare, o word, for I nolde
Tr 1 1031 That thow in me wendest so gret folie,
Tr 1 1032 That to my lady I desiren sholde
Tr 1 1033 That toucheth harm or any vilenye;
Tr 1 1034 For dredeles me were levere dye
Tr 1 1035 Than she of me aught elles understode
Tr 1 1036 But that that myghte sownen into goode. "
Tr 1 1037 Tho lough this Pandare, and anon answerde,
Tr 1 1038 " And I thi borugh? Fy! No wight doth but so.
Tr 1 1039 I roughte naught though that she stood and herde
Tr 1 1040 How that thow seist! but farewel, I wol go.
Tr 1 1041 Adieu! Be glad! God spede us bothe two!
Tr 1 1042 Yef me this labour and this bisynesse,
Tr 1 1043 And of my spede be thyn al that swetnesse. "
Tr 1 1044 Tho Troilus gan doun on knees to falle,
Tr 1 1045 And Pandare in his armes hente faste,
Tr 1 1046 And seyde, " Now, fy on the Grekes alle!
Tr 1 1047 Yet, parde, God shal helpe us atte laste.
Tr 1 1048 And dredelees, if that my lyf may laste,
Tr 1 1049 And God toforn, lo, som of hem shal smerte;
Tr 1 1050 And yet m' athenketh that this avant m' asterte!
Tr 1 1051 " Now, Pandare, I kan na more seye,
Tr 1 1052 But, thow wis, thow woost, thow maist, thow art al!
Tr 1 1053 My lif, my deth, hol in thyn hond I leye.
Tr 1 1054 Help now! " Quod he, " Yis, by mi trowthe, I shal. "
Tr 1 1055 " God yelde the, frend, and this in special, "
Tr 1 1056 Quod Troilus, " that thow me recomande
Tr 1 1057 To hire that to the deth me may comande. "
Tr 1 1058 This Pandarus, tho desirous to serve
Tr 1 1059 His fulle frend, than seyde in this manere:
Tr 1 1060 " Farwell, and thenk I wol thi thank deserve!
Tr 1 1061 Have here my trowthe, and that thow shalt wel here. "
Tr 1 1062 And went his wey, thenkyng on this matere,
Tr 1 1063 And how he best myghte hire biseche of grace,
Tr 1 1064 And fynde a tyme therto, and a place.
Tr 1 1065 For everi wight that hath an hous to founde
Tr 1 1066 Ne renneth naught the werk for to bygynne
Tr 1 1067 With rakel hond, but he wol bide a stounde,
Tr 1 1068 And sende his hertes line out fro withinne
Tr 1 1069 Aldirfirst his purpos for to wynne.
Tr 1 1070 Al this Pandare in his herte thoughte,
Tr 1 1071 And caste his werk ful wisely or he wroughte.
Tr 1 1072 But Troilus lay tho no lenger down,
Tr 1 1073 But up anon upon his stede bay,
Tr 1 1074 And in the feld he pleyde tho leoun;
Tr 1 1075 Wo was that Grek that with hym mette a-day!
Tr 1 1076 And in the town his manere tho forth ay
Tr 1 1077 So goodly was, and gat hym so in grace,
Tr 1 1078 That ecch hym loved that loked on his face.
Tr 1 1079 For he bicom the frendlieste wight,
Tr 1 1080 The gentilest, and ek the mooste fre,
Tr 1 1081 The thriftiest, and oon the beste knyght
Tr 1 1082 That in his tyme was or myghte be;
Tr 1 1083 Dede were his japes and his cruelte,
Tr 1 1084 His heighe port and his manere estraunge,
Tr 1 1085 And ecch of tho gan for a vertu chaunge.
Tr 1 1086 Now lat us stynte of Troilus a stounde,
Tr 1 1087 That fareth lik a man that hurt is soore,
Tr 1 1088 And is somdeel of akyngge of his wownde
Tr 1 1089 Ylissed wel, but heeled no deel moore,
Tr 1 1090 And, as an esy pacyent, the loore
Tr 1 1091 Abit of hym that gooth aboute his cure;
Tr 1 1092 And thus he dryeth forth his aventure.
Tr 2 1 Owt of thise blake wawes for to saylle,
Tr 2 2 O wynd, o wynd, the weder gynneth clere;
Tr 2 3 For in this see the boot hath swych travaylle,
Tr 2 4 Of my connyng, that unneth I it steere.
Tr 2 5 This see clepe I the tempestous matere
Tr 2 6 Of disespeir that Troilus was inne;
Tr 2 7 But now of hope the kalendes bygynne.
Tr 2 8 O lady myn, that called art Cleo,
Tr 2 9 Thow be my speed fro this forth, and my Muse,
Tr 2 10 To ryme wel this book til I have do;
Tr 2 11 Me nedeth here noon other art to use.
Tr 2 12 Forwhi to every lovere I me excuse,
Tr 2 13 That of no sentement I this endite,
Tr 2 14 But out of Latyn in my tonge it write.
Tr 2 15 Wherfore I nyl have neither thank ne blame
Tr 2 16 Of al this werk, but prey yow mekely,
Tr 2 17 Disblameth me if any word be lame,
Tr 2 18 For as myn auctour seyde, so sey I.
Tr 2 19 Ek though I speeke of love unfelyngly,
Tr 2 20 No wondre is, for it nothyng of newe is.
Tr 2 21 A blynd man kan nat juggen wel in hewis.
Tr 2 22 Ye knowe ek that in forme of speche is chaunge
Tr 2 23 Withinne a thousand yeer, and wordes tho
Tr 2 24 That hadden pris, now wonder nyce and straunge
Tr 2 25 Us thinketh hem, and yet thei spake hem so,
Tr 2 26 And spedde as wel in love as men now do;
Tr 2 27 Ek for to wynnen love in sondry ages,
Tr 2 28 In sondry londes, sondry ben usages.
Tr 2 29 And forthi if it happe in any wyse,
Tr 2 30 That here be any lovere in this place
Tr 2 31 That herkneth, as the storie wol devise,
Tr 2 32 How Troilus com to his lady grace,
Tr 2 33 And thenketh, " So nold I nat love purchace, "
Tr 2 34 Or wondreth on his speche or his doynge,
Tr 2 35 I noot; but it is me no wonderynge.
Tr 2 36 For every wight which that to Rome went
Tr 2 37 Halt nat o path, or alwey o manere;
Tr 2 38 Ek in som lond were al the game shent,
Tr 2 39 If that they ferde in love as men don here,
Tr 2 40 As thus, in opyn doyng or in chere,
Tr 2 41 In visityng in forme, or seyde hire sawes;
Tr 2 42 Forthi men seyn, " Ecch contree hath his lawes. "
Tr 2 43 Ek scarsly ben ther in this place thre
Tr 2 44 That have in love seid lik, and don, in al;
Tr 2 45 For to thi purpos this may liken the,
Tr 2 46 And the right nought; yet al is seid or schal;
Tr 2 47 Ek som men grave in tree, some in ston wal,
Tr 2 48 As it bitit. But syn I have bigonne,
Tr 2 49 Myn auctour shal I folwen, if I konne.
Tr 2 50 In May, that moder is of monthes glade,
Tr 2 51 That fresshe floures, blew and white and rede,
Tr 2 52 Ben quike agayn, that wynter dede made,
Tr 2 53 And ful of bawme is fletyng every mede,
Tr 2 54 Whan Phebus doth his bryghte bemes sprede
Tr 2 55 Right in the white Bole, it so bitidde,
Tr 2 56 As I shal synge, on Mayes day the thrydde,
Tr 2 57 That Pandarus, for al his wise speche,
Tr 2 58 Felt ek his part of loves shotes keene,
Tr 2 59 That, koude he nevere so wel of lovyng preche,
Tr 2 60 It made his hewe a-day ful ofte greene.
Tr 2 61 So shop it that hym fil that day a teene
Tr 2 62 In love, for which in wo to bedde he wente,
Tr 2 63 And made, er it was day, ful many a wente.
Tr 2 64 The swalowe Proigne, with a sorowful lay,
Tr 2 65 Whan morwen com, gan make hire waymentynge
Tr 2 66 Whi she forshapen was; and evere lay
Tr 2 67 Pandare abedde, half in a slomberynge,
Tr 2 68 Til she so neigh hym made hire cheterynge
Tr 2 69 How Tereus gan forth hire suster take,
Tr 2 70 That with the noyse of hire he gan awake,
Tr 2 71 And gan to calle, and dresse hym up to ryse,
Tr 2 72 Remembryng hym his erand was to doone
Tr 2 73 From Troilus, and ek his grete emprise;
Tr 2 74 And caste and knew in good plit was the moone
Tr 2 75 To doon viage, and took his way ful soone
Tr 2 76 Unto his neces palays ther biside.
Tr 2 77 Now Janus, god of entree, thow hym gyde!
Tr 2 78 Whan he was come unto his neces place,
Tr 2 79 " Wher is my lady? " to hire folk quod he;
Tr 2 80 And they hym tolde, and he forth in gan pace,
Tr 2 81 And fond two othere ladys sete and she,
Tr 2 82 Withinne a paved parlour, and they thre
Tr 2 83 Herden a mayden reden hem the geste
Tr 2 84 Of the siege of Thebes, while hem leste.
Tr 2 85 Quod Pandarus, " Madame, God yow see,
Tr 2 86 With youre book and all the compaignie! "
Tr 2 87 " Ey, uncle myn, welcome iwys, " quod she;
Tr 2 88 And up she roos, and by the hond in hye
Tr 2 89 She took hym faste, and seyde, " This nyght thrie,
Tr 2 90 To goode mot it turne, of yow I mette. "
Tr 2 91 And with that word she doun on bench hym sette.
Tr 2 92 " Ye, nece, yee shal faren wel the bet,
Tr 2 93 If God wol, al this yeer, " quod Pandarus;
Tr 2 94 " But I am sory that I have yow let
Tr 2 95 To herken of youre book ye preysen thus.
Tr 2 96 For Goddes love, what seith it? telle it us!
Tr 2 97 Is it of love? O, som good ye me leere! "
Tr 2 98 " Uncle, " quod she, " youre maistresse is nat here. "
Tr 2 99 With that thei gonnen laughe, and tho she seyde,
Tr 2 100 " This romaunce is of Thebes that we rede;
Tr 2 101 And we han herd how that kyng Layus deyde
Tr 2 102 Thorugh Edippus his sone, and al that dede;
Tr 2 103 And here we stynten at thise lettres rede --
Tr 2 104 How the bisshop, as the book kan telle,
Tr 2 105 Amphiorax, fil thorugh the ground to helle. "
Tr 2 106 Quod Pandarus, " Al this knowe I myselve,
Tr 2 107 And al th' assege of Thebes and the care;
Tr 2 108 For herof ben ther maked bookes twelve.
Tr 2 109 But lat be this, and telle me how ye fare.
Tr 2 110 Do wey youre barbe, and shew youre face bare;
Tr 2 111 Do wey youre book, rys up, and lat us daunce,
Tr 2 112 And lat us don to May som observaunce. "
Tr 2 113 " I! God forbede! " quod she. " Be ye mad?
Tr 2 114 Is that a widewes lif, so God yow save?
Tr 2 115 By God, ye maken me ryght soore adrad!
Tr 2 116 Ye ben so wylde, it semeth as ye rave.
Tr 2 117 It satte me wel bet ay in a cave
Tr 2 118 To bidde and rede on holy seyntes lyves;
Tr 2 119 Lat maydens gon to daunce, and yonge wyves. "
Tr 2 120 " As evere thrive I, " quod this Pandarus,
Tr 2 121 " Yet koude I telle a thyng to doon yow pleye. "
Tr 2 122 " Now, uncle deere, " quod she, " telle it us
Tr 2 123 For Goddes love; is than th' assege aweye?
Tr 2 124 I am of Grekes so fered that I deye. "
Tr 2 125 " Nay, nay, " quod he, " as evere mote I thryve,
Tr 2 126 It is a thing wel bet than swyche fyve. "
Tr 2 127 " Ye, holy God, " quod she, " what thyng is that?
Tr 2 128 What! Bet than swyche fyve? I! Nay, ywys!
Tr 2 129 For al this world ne kan I reden what
Tr 2 130 It sholde ben; some jape I trowe is this;
Tr 2 131 And but youreselven telle us what it is,
Tr 2 132 My wit is for t' arede it al to leene.
Tr 2 133 As help me God, I not nat what ye meene. "
Tr 2 134 " And I youre borugh, ne nevere shal, for me,
Tr 2 135 This thyng be told to yow, as mote I thryve! "
Tr 2 136 " And whi so, uncle myn? Whi so? " quod she.
Tr 2 137 " By God, " quod he, " that wol I telle as blyve!
Tr 2 138 For proudder womman is ther noon on lyve,
Tr 2 139 And ye it wiste, in al the town of Troye.
Tr 2 140 I jape nought, as evere have I joye! "
Tr 2 141 Tho gan she wondren moore than biforn
Tr 2 142 A thousand fold, and down hire eyghen caste;
Tr 2 143 For nevere, sith the tyme that she was born,
Tr 2 144 To knowe thyng desired she so faste;
Tr 2 145 And with a syk she seyde hym atte laste,
Tr 2 146 " Now, uncle myn, I nyl yow nought displese,
Tr 2 147 Nor axen more that may do yow disese. "
Tr 2 148 So after this, with many wordes glade,
Tr 2 149 And frendly tales, and with merie chiere,
Tr 2 150 Of this and that they pleide, and gonnen wade
Tr 2 151 In many an unkouth, glad, and dep matere,
Tr 2 152 As frendes doon whan thei ben mette yfere,
Tr 2 153 Tyl she gan axen hym how Ector ferde,
Tr 2 154 That was the townes wal and Grekes yerde.
Tr 2 155 " Ful wel, I thonk it God, " quod Pandarus,
Tr 2 156 " Save in his arm he hath a litel wownde;
Tr 2 157 And ek his fresshe brother Troilus,
Tr 2 158 The wise, worthi Ector the secounde,
Tr 2 159 In whom that alle vertu list habounde,
Tr 2 160 As alle trouthe and alle gentilesse,
Tr 2 161 Wisdom, honour, fredom, and worthinesse. "
Tr 2 162 " In good feith, em, " quod she, " that liketh me
Tr 2 163 Thei faren wel; God save hem bothe two!
Tr 2 164 For trewelich I holde it gret deynte
Tr 2 165 A kynges sone in armes wel to do,
Tr 2 166 And ben of goode condiciouns therto;
Tr 2 167 For gret power and moral vertu here
Tr 2 168 Is selde yseyn in o persone yfeere. "
Tr 2 169 " In good faith, that is soth, " quod Pandarus.
Tr 2 170 " But, by my trouthe, the kyng hath sones tweye --
Tr 2 171 That is to mene, Ector and Troilus --
Tr 2 172 That certeynly, though that I sholde deye,
Tr 2 173 Thei ben as voide of vices, dar I seye,
Tr 2 174 As any men that lyven under the sonne:
Tr 2 175 Hire myght is wyde yknowe, and what they konne.
Tr 2 176 " Of Ector nedeth it namore for to telle:
Tr 2 177 In al this world ther nys a bettre knyght
Tr 2 178 Than he, that is of worthynesse welle;
Tr 2 179 And he wel moore vertu hath than myght;
Tr 2 180 This knoweth many a wis and worthi wight.
Tr 2 181 The same pris of Troilus I seye;
Tr 2 182 God help me so, I knowe nat swiche tweye. "
Tr 2 183 " By God, " quod she, " of Ector that is sooth.
Tr 2 184 Of Troilus the same thyng trowe I;
Tr 2 185 For, dredeles, men tellen that he doth
Tr 2 186 In armes day by day so worthily,
Tr 2 187 And bereth hym here at hom so gentily
Tr 2 188 To everi wight, that alle pris hath he
Tr 2 189 Of hem that me were levest preysed be. "
Tr 2 190 " Ye sey right sooth, ywys, " quod Pandarus;
Tr 2 191 " For yesterday, whoso had with hym ben,
Tr 2 192 He myghte han wondred upon Troilus;
Tr 2 193 For nevere yet so thikke a swarm of been
Tr 2 194 Ne fleigh, as Grekes for hym gonne fleen,
Tr 2 195 And thorugh the feld, in everi wightes eere,
Tr 2 196 Ther nas no cry but `Troilus is there!'
Tr 2 197 " Now here, now ther, he hunted hem so faste,
Tr 2 198 Ther nas but Grekes blood -- and Troilus.
Tr 2 199 Now hem he hurte, and hem al down he caste;
Tr 2 200 Ay wher he wente, it was arayed thus:
Tr 2 201 He was hire deth, and sheld and lif for us,
Tr 2 202 That, as that day, ther dorste non withstonde
Tr 2 203 Whil that he held his blody swerd in honde.
Tr 2 204 " Therto he is the frendlieste man
Tr 2 205 Of gret estat that evere I saugh my lyve;
Tr 2 206 And wher hym lest, best felawshipe kan
Tr 2 207 To swich as hym thynketh able for to thryve. "
Tr 2 208 And with that word tho Pandarus, as blyve,
Tr 2 209 He took his leve, and seyde, " I wol gon henne. "
Tr 2 210 " Nay, blame have I, myn uncle, " quod she thenne.
Tr 2 211 " What aileth yow to be thus wery soone,
Tr 2 212 And namelich of wommen? Wol ye so?
Tr 2 213 Nay, sitteth down; by God, I have to doone
Tr 2 214 With yow, to speke of wisdom er ye go. "
Tr 2 215 And everi wight that was aboute hem tho,
Tr 2 216 That herde that, gan fer awey to stonde,
Tr 2 217 Whil they two hadde al that hem liste in honde.
Tr 2 218 Whan that hire tale al brought was to an ende,
Tr 2 219 Of hire estat and of hire governaunce,
Tr 2 220 Quod Pandarus, " Now tyme is that I wende.
Tr 2 221 But yet, I say, ariseth, lat us daunce,
Tr 2 222 And cast youre widewes habit to mischaunce!
Tr 2 223 What list yow thus youreself to disfigure,
Tr 2 224 Sith yow is tid thus fair an aventure? "
Tr 2 225 " A, wel bithought! For love of God, " quod she,
Tr 2 226 " Shal I nat witen what ye meene of this? "
Tr 2 227 " No, this thing axeth leyser, " tho quod he,
Tr 2 228 " And eke me wolde muche greve, iwis,
Tr 2 229 If I it tolde and ye it toke amys.
Tr 2 230 Yet were it bet my tonge for to stille
Tr 2 231 Than seye a soth that were ayeyns youre wille.
Tr 2 232 " For, nece, by the goddesse Mynerve,
Tr 2 233 And Jupiter, that maketh the thondre rynge,
Tr 2 234 And by the blisful Venus that I serve,
Tr 2 235 Ye ben the womman in this world lyvynge --
Tr 2 236 Withouten paramours, to my wyttynge --
Tr 2 237 That I best love, and lothest am to greve;
Tr 2 238 And that ye weten wel youreself, I leve. "
Tr 2 239 " Iwis, myn uncle, " quod she, " grant mercy!
Tr 2 240 Youre frendshipe have I founden evere yit.
Tr 2 241 I am to no man holden, trewely,
Tr 2 242 So muche as yow, and have so litel quyt;
Tr 2 243 And with the grace of God, emforth my wit,
Tr 2 244 As in my gylt I shal yow nevere offende;
Tr 2 245 And if I have er this, I wol amende.
Tr 2 246 " But for the love of God I yow biseche,
Tr 2 247 As ye ben he that I love moost and triste,
Tr 2 248 Lat be to me youre fremde manere speche,
Tr 2 249 And sey to me, youre nece, what yow liste. "
Tr 2 250 And with that word hire uncle anoon hire kiste,
Tr 2 251 And seyde, " Gladly, leve nece dere!
Tr 2 252 Tak it for good, that I shal sey yow here. "
Tr 2 253 With that she gan hire eighen down to caste,
Tr 2 254 And Pandarus to coghe gan a lite,
Tr 2 255 And seyde, " Nece, alwey -- lo! -- to the laste,
Tr 2 256 How so it be that som men hem delite
Tr 2 257 With subtyl art hire tales for to endite,
Tr 2 258 Yet for al that, in hire entencioun
Tr 2 259 Hire tale is al for som conclusioun.
Tr 2 260 " And sithe th' ende is every tales strengthe,
Tr 2 261 And this matere is so bihovely,
Tr 2 262 What sholde I peynte or drawen it on lengthe
Tr 2 263 To yow, that ben my frend so feythfully? "
Tr 2 264 And with that word he gan right inwardly
Tr 2 265 Byholden hire and loken on hire face,
Tr 2 266 And seyde, " On swich a mirour goode grace! "
Tr 2 267 Than thought he thus: " If I my tale endite
Tr 2 268 Aught harde, or make a proces any whyle,
Tr 2 269 She shal no savour have therin but lite,
Tr 2 270 And trowe I wolde hire in my wil bigyle;
Tr 2 271 For tendre wittes wenen al be wyle
Tr 2 272 Theras thei kan nought pleynly understonde;
Tr 2 273 Forthi hire wit to serven wol I fonde " --
Tr 2 274 And loked on hire in a bysi wyse,
Tr 2 275 And she was war that he byheld hire so,
Tr 2 276 And seyde, " Lord! so faste ye m' avise!
Tr 2 277 Sey ye me nevere er now? What sey ye, no? "
Tr 2 278 " Yis, yys, " quod he, " and bet wol er I go!
Tr 2 279 But be my trouthe, I thoughte now if ye
Tr 2 280 Be fortunat, for now men shal it se.
Tr 2 281 " For to every wight som goodly aventure
Tr 2 282 Som tyme is shape, if he it kan receyven;
Tr 2 283 But if he wol take of it no cure,
Tr 2 284 Whan that it commeth, but wilfully it weyven,
Tr 2 285 Lo, neyther cas ne fortune hym deceyven,
Tr 2 286 But ryght his verray slouthe and wrecchednesse;
Tr 2 287 And swich a wight is for to blame, I gesse.
Tr 2 288 " Good aventure, O beele nece, have ye
Tr 2 289 Ful lightly founden, and ye konne it take;
Tr 2 290 And for the love of God, and ek of me,
Tr 2 291 Cache it anon, lest aventure slake!
Tr 2 292 What sholde I lenger proces of it make?
Tr 2 293 Yif me youre hond, for in this world is noon --
Tr 2 294 If that yow list -- a wight so wel bygon.
Tr 2 295 " And sith I speke of good entencioun,
Tr 2 296 As I to yow have told wel herebyforn,
Tr 2 297 And love as wel youre honour and renoun
Tr 2 298 As creature in al this world yborn,
Tr 2 299 By alle the othes that I have yow sworn,
Tr 2 300 And ye be wrooth therfore, or wene I lye,
Tr 2 301 Ne shal I nevere sen yow eft with ye.
Tr 2 302 " Beth naught agast, ne quaketh naught! Wherto?
Tr 2 303 Ne chaungeth naught for fere so youre hewe!
Tr 2 304 For hardely the werst of this is do;
Tr 2 305 And though my tale as now be to yow newe,
Tr 2 306 Yet trist alwey ye shal me fynde trewe;
Tr 2 307 And were it thyng that me thoughte unsittynge,
Tr 2 308 To yow wolde I no swiche tales brynge. "
Tr 2 309 " Now, good em, for Goddes love, I preye, "
Tr 2 310 Quod she, " come of, and telle me what it is.
Tr 2 311 For both I am agast what ye wol seye,
Tr 2 312 And ek me longeth it to wite, ywis;
Tr 2 313 For whethir it be wel or be amys,
Tr 2 314 Say on, lat me nat in this feere dwelle. "
Tr 2 315 " So wol I doon; now herkeneth! I shall telle:
Tr 2 316 " Now, nece myn, the kynges deere sone,
Tr 2 317 The goode, wise, worthi, fresshe, and free,
Tr 2 318 Which alwey for to don wel is his wone,
Tr 2 319 The noble Troilus, so loveth the,
Tr 2 320 That, but ye helpe, it wol his bane be.
Tr 2 321 Lo, here is al! What sholde I moore seye?
Tr 2 322 Doth what yow lest to make hym lyve or deye.
Tr 2 323 " But if ye late hym deyen, I wol sterve --
Tr 2 324 Have here my trouthe, nece, I nyl nat lyen --
Tr 2 325 Al sholde I with this knyf my throte kerve. "
Tr 2 326 With that the teris breste out of his yen,
Tr 2 327 And seide, " If that ye don us bothe dyen
Tr 2 328 Thus gilteles, than have ye fisshed fayre!
Tr 2 329 What mende ye, though that we booth appaire?
Tr 2 330 " Allas, he which that is my lord so deere,
Tr 2 331 That trewe man, that noble gentil knyght,
Tr 2 332 That naught desireth but youre frendly cheere,
Tr 2 333 I se hym dyen, ther he goth upryght,
Tr 2 334 And hasteth hym with al his fulle myght
Tr 2 335 For to ben slayn, if his fortune assente.
Tr 2 336 Allas, that God yow swich a beaute sente!
Tr 2 337 " If it be so that ye so cruel be
Tr 2 338 That of his deth yow liste nought to recche,
Tr 2 339 That is so trewe and worthi, as ye se,
Tr 2 340 Namoore than of a japer or a wrecche --
Tr 2 341 If ye be swich, youre beaute may nat strecche
Tr 2 342 To make amendes of so cruel a dede;
Tr 2 343 Avysement is good byfore the nede.
Tr 2 344 " Wo worth the faire gemme vertulees!
Tr 2 345 Wo worth that herbe also that dooth no boote!
Tr 2 346 Wo worth that beaute that is routheles!
Tr 2 347 Wo worth that wight that tret ech undir foote!
Tr 2 348 And ye, that ben of beaute crop and roote,
Tr 2 349 If therwithal in yow ther be no routhe,
Tr 2 350 Than is it harm ye lyven, by my trouthe!
Tr 2 351 " And also think wel that this is no gaude;
Tr 2 352 For me were levere thow and I and he
Tr 2 353 Were hanged, than I sholde ben his baude,
Tr 2 354 As heigh as men myghte on us alle ysee!
Tr 2 355 I am thyn em; the shame were to me,
Tr 2 356 As wel as the, if that I sholde assente
Tr 2 357 Thorugh myn abet that he thyn honour shente.
Tr 2 358 " Now understond, for I yow nought requere
Tr 2 359 To bynde yow to hym thorugh no byheste,
Tr 2 360 But only that ye make hym bettre chiere
Tr 2 361 Than ye han doon er this, and moore feste,
Tr 2 362 So that his lif be saved atte leeste;
Tr 2 363 This al and som, and pleynly, oure entente.
Tr 2 364 God help me so, I nevere other mente!
Tr 2 365 " Lo, this requeste is naught but skylle, ywys,
Tr 2 366 Ne doute of resoun, pardee, is ther noon.
Tr 2 367 I sette the worste, that ye dreden this:
Tr 2 368 Men wolde wondren sen hym come or goon.
Tr 2 369 Ther-ayeins answere I thus anoon,
Tr 2 370 That every wight, but he be fool of kynde,
Tr 2 371 Wol deme it love of frendshipe in his mynde.
Tr 2 372 " What, who wol demen, though he se a man
Tr 2 373 To temple go, that he th' ymages eteth.
Tr 2 374 Thenk ek how wel and wisely that he kan
Tr 2 375 Governe hymself, that he no thyng foryeteth,
Tr 2 376 That where he cometh he pris and thank hym geteth.
Tr 2 377 And ek therto, he shal come here so selde,
Tr 2 378 What fors were it though al the town byhelde?
Tr 2 379 " Swych love of frendes regneth al this town;
Tr 2 380 And wre yow in that mantel evere moo,
Tr 2 381 And God so wys be my savacioun,
Tr 2 382 As I have seyd, youre beste is to do soo.
Tr 2 383 But alwey, goode nece, to stynte his woo,
Tr 2 384 So lat youre daunger sucred ben a lite,
Tr 2 385 That of his deth ye be naught for to wite. "
Tr 2 386 Criseyde, which that herde hym in this wise,
Tr 2 387 Thoughte, " I shal felen what he meneth, ywis. "
Tr 2 388 " Now em, " quod she, " what wolde ye devise?
Tr 2 389 What is youre reed I sholde don of this? "
Tr 2 390 " That is wel seyd, " quod he. " Certein, best is
Tr 2 391 That ye hym love ayeyn for his lovynge,
Tr 2 392 As love for love is skilful guerdonynge.
Tr 2 393 " Thenk ek how elde wasteth every houre
Tr 2 394 In ech of yow a partie of beautee;
Tr 2 395 And therfore er that age the devoure,
Tr 2 396 Go love; for old, ther wol no wight of the.
Tr 2 397 Lat this proverbe a loore unto yow be:
Tr 2 398 To late ywar, quod Beaute, whan it paste;
Tr 2 399 And Elde daunteth Daunger at the laste.
Tr 2 400 " The kynges fool is wont to crien loude,
Tr 2 401 Whan that hym thinketh a womman berth hire hye,
Tr 2 402 `So longe mote ye lyve, and alle proude,
Tr 2 403 Til crowes feet be growe under youre ye,
Tr 2 404 And sende yow than a myrour in to prye,
Tr 2 405 In which that ye may se youre face a morwe!'
Tr 2 406 I bidde wisshe yow namore sorwe. "
Tr 2 407 With this he stynte, and caste adown the heed,
Tr 2 408 And she began to breste a-wepe anoon,
Tr 2 409 And seyde, " Allas, for wo! Why nere I deed?
Tr 2 410 For of this world the feyth is al agoon.
Tr 2 411 Allas, what sholden straunge to me doon,
Tr 2 412 Whan he that for my beste frend I wende
Tr 2 413 Ret me to love, and sholde it me defende?
Tr 2 414 " Allas! I wolde han trusted, douteles,
Tr 2 415 That if that I, thorugh my dysaventure,
Tr 2 416 Hadde loved outher hym or Achilles,
Tr 2 417 Ector, or any mannes creature,
Tr 2 418 Ye nolde han had no mercy ne mesure
Tr 2 419 On me, but alwey had me in repreve.
Tr 2 420 This false world -- allas! -- who may it leve?
Tr 2 421 " What, is this al the joye and al the feste?
Tr 2 422 Is this youre reed? Is this my blisful cas?
Tr 2 423 Is this the verray mede of youre byheeste?
Tr 2 424 Is al this paynted proces seyd -- allas! --
Tr 2 425 Right for this fyn? O lady myn, Pallas!
Tr 2 426 Thow in this dredful cas for me purveye,
Tr 2 427 For so astoned am I that I deye. "
Tr 2 428 Wyth that she gan ful sorwfully to syke.
Tr 2 429 " A, may it be no bet? " quod Pandarus;
Tr 2 430 " By God, I shal namore come here this wyke,
Tr 2 431 And God toforn, that am mystrusted thus!
Tr 2 432 I se wel that ye sette lite of us,
Tr 2 433 Or of oure deth! Allas, I woful wrecche!
Tr 2 434 Might he yet lyve, of me is nought to recche.
Tr 2 435 " O cruel god, O dispitouse Marte,
Tr 2 436 O Furies thre of helle, on yow I crye!
Tr 2 437 So lat me nevere out of this hous departe,
Tr 2 438 If I mente harm or vilenye!
Tr 2 439 But sith I se my lord mot nedes dye,
Tr 2 440 And I with hym, here I me shryve, and seye
Tr 2 441 That wikkedly ye don us bothe deye.
Tr 2 442 " But sith it liketh yow that I be ded,
Tr 2 443 By Neptunus, that god is of the see,
Tr 2 444 Fro this forth shal I nevere eten bred
Tr 2 445 Til I myn owen herte blood may see;
Tr 2 446 For certeyn I wol deye as soone as he. "
Tr 2 447 And up he sterte, and on his wey he raughte,
Tr 2 448 Tyl she agayn hym by the lappe kaughte.
Tr 2 449 Criseyde, which that wel neigh starf for feere,
Tr 2 450 So as she was the ferfulleste wight
Tr 2 451 That myghte be, and herde ek with hire ere
Tr 2 452 And saugh the sorwful ernest of the knyght,
Tr 2 453 And in his preier ek saugh noon unryght,
Tr 2 454 And for the harm that myghte ek fallen moore,
Tr 2 455 She gan to rewe and dredde hire wonder soore,
Tr 2 456 And thoughte thus: " Unhappes fallen thikke
Tr 2 457 Alday for love, and in swych manere cas
Tr 2 458 As men ben cruel in hemself and wikke;
Tr 2 459 And if this man sle here hymself -- allas! --
Tr 2 460 In my presence, it wol be no solas.
Tr 2 461 What men wolde of hit deme I kan nat seye;
Tr 2 462 It nedeth me ful sleighly for to pleie. "
Tr 2 463 And with a sorowful sik she sayde thrie,
Tr 2 464 " A, Lord! What me is tid a sory chaunce!
Tr 2 465 For myn estat lith in a jupartie,
Tr 2 466 And ek myn emes lif is in balaunce;
Tr 2 467 But natheles, with Goddes governaunce,
Tr 2 468 I shal so doon, myn honour shal I kepe,
Tr 2 469 And ek his lif " -- and stynte for to wepe.
Tr 2 470 " Of harmes two, the lesse is for to chese;
Tr 2 471 Yet have I levere maken hym good chere
Tr 2 472 In honour, than myn emes lyf to lese.
Tr 2 473 Ye seyn, ye nothyng elles me requere? "
Tr 2 474 " No, wis, " quod he, " myn owen nece dere. "
Tr 2 475 " Now wel, " quod she, " and I wol doon my peyne;
Tr 2 476 I shal myn herte ayeins my lust constreyne.
Tr 2 477 " But that I nyl nat holden hym in honde,
Tr 2 478 Ne love a man ne kan I naught ne may
Tr 2 479 Ayeins my wyl, but elles wol I fonde,
Tr 2 480 Myn honour sauf, plese hym fro day to day.
Tr 2 481 Therto nolde I nat ones han seyd nay,
Tr 2 482 But that I drede, as in my fantasye;
Tr 2 483 But cesse cause, ay cesseth maladie.
Tr 2 484 " And here I make a protestacioun
Tr 2 485 That in this proces if ye depper go,
Tr 2 486 That certeynly, for no salvacioun
Tr 2 487 Of yow, though that ye sterven bothe two,
Tr 2 488 Though al the world on o day be my fo,
Tr 2 489 Ne shal I nevere of hym han other routhe. "
Tr 2 490 " I graunte wel, " quod Pandare, " by my trowthe.
Tr 2 491 " But may I truste wel to yow, " quod he,
Tr 2 492 " That of this thyng that ye han hight me here,
Tr 2 493 Ye wole it holden trewely unto me? "
Tr 2 494 " Ye, doutelees, " quod she, " myn uncle deere. "
Tr 2 495 " Ne that I shal han cause in this matere, "
Tr 2 496 Quod he, " to pleyne, or ofter yow to preche? "
Tr 2 497 " Why, no, parde; what nedeth moore speche? "
Tr 2 498 Tho fellen they in other tales glade,
Tr 2 499 Tyl at the laste, " O good em, " quod she tho,
Tr 2 500 " For his love, that us bothe made,
Tr 2 501 Tel me how first ye wisten of his wo.
Tr 2 502 Woot noon of it but ye? " He seyde, " No. "
Tr 2 503 " Kan he wel speke of love? " quod she; " I preye
Tr 2 504 Tel me, for I the bet me shal purveye. "
Tr 2 505 Tho Pandarus a litel gan to smyle,
Tr 2 506 And seyde, " By my trouthe, I shal yow telle.
Tr 2 507 This other day, naught gon ful longe while,
Tr 2 508 In-with the paleis gardyn, by a welle,
Tr 2 509 Gan he and I wel half a day to dwelle,
Tr 2 510 Right for to speken of an ordinaunce,
Tr 2 511 How we the Grekes myghten disavaunce.
Tr 2 512 " Soon after that bigonne we to lepe,
Tr 2 513 And casten with oure dartes to and fro,
Tr 2 514 Tyl at the laste he seyde he wolde slepe,
Tr 2 515 And on the gres adoun he leyde hym tho;
Tr 2 516 And I afer gan romen to and fro,
Tr 2 517 Til that I herde, as that I welk alone,
Tr 2 518 How he bigan ful wofully to grone.
Tr 2 519 " Tho gan I stalke hym softely byhynde,
Tr 2 520 And sikirly, the soothe for to seyne,
Tr 2 521 As I kan clepe ayein now to my mynde,
Tr 2 522 Right thus to Love he gan hym for to pleyne:
Tr 2 523 He seyde, `Lord, have routhe upon my peyne,
Tr 2 524 Al have I ben rebell in myn entente;
Tr 2 525 Now, mea culpa, lord, I me repente!
Tr 2 526 " `O god, that at thi disposicioun
Tr 2 527 Ledest the fyn by juste purveiaunce
Tr 2 528 Of every wight, my lowe confessioun
Tr 2 529 Accepte in gree, and sende me swich penaunce
Tr 2 530 As liketh the, but from disesperaunce,
Tr 2 531 That may my goost departe awey fro the,
Tr 2 532 Thow be my sheld, for thi benignite.
Tr 2 533 " `For certes, lord, so soore hath she me wounded,
Tr 2 534 That stood in blak, with lokyng of hire eyen,
Tr 2 535 That to myn hertes botme it is ysounded,
Tr 2 536 Thorugh which I woot that I moot nedes deyen.
Tr 2 537 This is the werste, I dar me nat bywreyen;
Tr 2 538 And wel the hotter ben the gledes rede,
Tr 2 539 That men hem wrien with asshen pale and dede.'
Tr 2 540 " Wyth that he smot his hed adown anon,
Tr 2 541 And gan to motre, I noot what, trewely.
Tr 2 542 And I with that gan stille awey to goon,
Tr 2 543 And leet therof as nothing wist had I,
Tr 2 544 And com ayein anon, and stood hym by,
Tr 2 545 And seyde, `Awake, ye slepen al to longe!
Tr 2 546 It semeth nat that love doth yow longe,
Tr 2 547 " `That slepen so that no man may yow wake.
Tr 2 548 Who sey evere or this so dul a man?'
Tr 2 549 `Ye, frend,' quod he, `do ye youre hedes ake
Tr 2 550 For love, and lat me lyven as I kan.'
Tr 2 551 But though that he for wo was pale and wan,
Tr 2 552 Yet made he tho as fresshe a countenaunce
Tr 2 553 As though he sholde have led the newe daunce.
Tr 2 554 " This passed forth til now, this other day,
Tr 2 555 It fel that I com romyng al allone
Tr 2 556 Into his chaumbre, and fond how that he lay
Tr 2 557 Upon his bed; but man so soore grone
Tr 2 558 Ne herde I nevere, and what that was his mone
Tr 2 559 Ne wist I nought; for, as I was comynge,
Tr 2 560 Al sodeynly he lefte his complaynynge.
Tr 2 561 " Of which I took somwat suspecioun,
Tr 2 562 And ner I com, and fond he wepte soore;
Tr 2 563 And God so wys be my savacioun,
Tr 2 564 As nevere of thyng hadde I no routhe moore;
Tr 2 565 For neither with engyn, ne with no loore,
Tr 2 566 Unnethes myghte I fro the deth hym kepe,
Tr 2 567 That yet fele I myn herte for hym wepe.
Tr 2 568 " And God woot, nevere sith that I was born
Tr 2 569 Was I so besy no man for to preche,
Tr 2 570 Ne nevere was to wight so depe isworn,
Tr 2 571 Or he me told who myghte ben his leche.
Tr 2 572 But now to yow rehercen al his speche,
Tr 2 573 Or alle his woful wordes for to sowne,
Tr 2 574 Ne bid me naught, but ye wol se me swowne.
Tr 2 575 " But for to save his lif, and elles nought,
Tr 2 576 And to noon harm of yow, thus am I dryven;
Tr 2 577 And for the love of God, that us hath wrought,
Tr 2 578 Swich cheer hym dooth that he and I may lyven!
Tr 2 579 Now have I plat to yow myn herte shryven,
Tr 2 580 And sith ye woot that myn entent is cleene,
Tr 2 581 Take heede therof, for I non yvel meene.
Tr 2 582 " And right good thrift, I prey to God, have ye,
Tr 2 583 That han swich oon ykaught withouten net!
Tr 2 584 And be ye wis as ye be fair to see,
Tr 2 585 Wel in the ryng than is the ruby set.
Tr 2 586 Ther were nevere two so wel ymet,
Tr 2 587 Whan ye ben his al hool as he is youre;
Tr 2 588 Ther myghty God graunte us see that houre! "
Tr 2 589 " Nay, therof spak I nought, ha, ha! " quod she;
Tr 2 590 " As helpe me God, ye shenden every deel! "
Tr 2 591 " O, mercy, dere nece, " anon quod he,
Tr 2 592 " What so I spak, I mente naught but wel,
Tr 2 593 By Mars, the god that helmed is of steel!
Tr 2 594 Now beth naught wroth, my blood, my nece dere. "
Tr 2 595 " Now wel, " quod she, " foryeven be it here! "
Tr 2 596 With this he took his leve, and hom he wente;
Tr 2 597 And, Lord, he was glad and wel bygon!
Tr 2 598 Criseyde aros, no lenger she ne stente,
Tr 2 599 But streght into hire closet wente anon,
Tr 2 600 And set hire doun as stylle as any ston,
Tr 2 601 And every word gan up and down to wynde
Tr 2 602 That he had seyd, as it com hire to mynde,
Tr 2 603 And wex somdel astoned in hire thought
Tr 2 604 Right for the newe cas; but whan that she
Tr 2 605 Was ful avysed, tho fond she right nought
Tr 2 606 Of peril why she ought afered be.
Tr 2 607 For man may love, of possibilite,
Tr 2 608 A womman so, his herte may tobreste,
Tr 2 609 And she naught love ayein, but if hire leste.
Tr 2 610 But as she sat allone and thoughte thus,
Tr 2 611 Ascry aros at scarmuch al withoute,
Tr 2 612 And men criden in the strete, " Se, Troilus
Tr 2 613 Hath right now put to flighte the Grekes route! "
Tr 2 614 With that gan al hire meyne for to shoute,
Tr 2 615 " A, go we se! Cast up the yates wyde!
Tr 2 616 For thorwgh this strete he moot to paleys ride;
Tr 2 617 " For other wey is to the yate noon
Tr 2 618 Of Dardanus, there opyn is the cheyne. "
Tr 2 619 With that com he and al his folk anoon
Tr 2 620 An esy pas rydyng, in routes tweyne,
Tr 2 621 Right as his happy day was, sooth to seyne,
Tr 2 622 For which, men seyn, may nought destourbed be
Tr 2 623 That shal bityden of necessitee.
Tr 2 624 This Troilus sat on his baye steede
Tr 2 625 Al armed, save his hed, ful richely;
Tr 2 626 And wownded was his hors, and gan to blede,
Tr 2 627 On which he rood a pas ful softely.
Tr 2 628 But swich a knyghtly sighte trewely
Tr 2 629 As was on hym, was nought, withouten faille,
Tr 2 630 To loke on Mars, that god is of bataille.
Tr 2 631 So lik a man of armes and a knyght
Tr 2 632 He was to seen, fulfilled of heigh prowesse,
Tr 2 633 For bothe he hadde a body and a myght
Tr 2 634 To don that thing, as wel as hardynesse;
Tr 2 635 And ek to seen hym in his gere hym dresse,
Tr 2 636 So fressh, so yong, so weldy semed he,
Tr 2 637 It was an heven upon hym for to see.
Tr 2 638 His helm tohewen was in twenty places,
Tr 2 639 That by a tyssew heng his bak byhynde;
Tr 2 640 His sheeld todasshed was with swerdes and maces,
Tr 2 641 In which men myghte many an arwe fynde
Tr 2 642 That thirled hadde horn and nerf and rynde;
Tr 2 643 And ay the peple cryde, " Here cometh oure joye,
Tr 2 644 And, next his brother, holder up of Troye! "
Tr 2 645 For which he wex a litel reed for shame
Tr 2 646 When he the peple upon hym herde cryen,
Tr 2 647 That to byholde it was a noble game
Tr 2 648 How sobrelich he caste down his yen.
Tr 2 649 Criseyda gan al his chere aspien,
Tr 2 650 And leet it so softe in hire herte synke,
Tr 2 651 That to hireself she seyde, " Who yaf me drynke? "
Tr 2 652 For of hire owen thought she wex al reed,
Tr 2 653 Remembryng hire right thus, " Lo, this is he
Tr 2 654 Which that myn uncle swerith he moot be deed,
Tr 2 655 But I on hym have mercy and pitee. "
Tr 2 656 And with that thought, for pure ashamed, she
Tr 2 657 Gan in hire hed to pulle, and that as faste,
Tr 2 658 Whil he and alle the peple forby paste,
Tr 2 659 And gan to caste and rollen up and down
Tr 2 660 Withinne hire thought his excellent prowesse,
Tr 2 661 And his estat, and also his renown,
Tr 2 662 His wit, his shap, and ek his gentilesse;
Tr 2 663 But moost hire favour was, for his distresse
Tr 2 664 Was al for hire, and thoughte it was a routhe
Tr 2 665 To sleen swich oon, if that he mente trouthe.
Tr 2 666 Now myghte som envious jangle thus:
Tr 2 667 " This was a sodeyn love; how myght it be
Tr 2 668 That she so lightly loved Troilus
Tr 2 669 Right for the firste syghte, ye, parde? "
Tr 2 670 Now whoso seith so, mote he nevere ythe!
Tr 2 671 For every thing a gynnyng hath it nede
Tr 2 672 Er al be wrought, withowten any drede.
Tr 2 673 For I sey nought that she so sodeynly
Tr 2 674 Yaf hym hire love, but that she gan enclyne
Tr 2 675 To like hym first, and I have told yow whi;
Tr 2 676 And after that, his manhod and his pyne
Tr 2 677 Made love withinne hire for to myne,
Tr 2 678 For which by proces and by good servyse
Tr 2 679 He gat hire love, and in no sodeyn wyse.
Tr 2 680 And also blisful Venus, wel arrayed,
Tr 2 681 Sat in hire seventhe hous of hevene tho,
Tr 2 682 Disposed wel, and with aspectes payed,
Tr 2 683 To helpe sely Troilus of his woo.
Tr 2 684 And soth to seyne, she nas not al a foo
Tr 2 685 To Troilus in his nativitee;
Tr 2 686 God woot that wel the sonner spedde he.
Tr 2 687 Now lat us stynte of Troilus a throwe,
Tr 2 688 That rideth forth, and lat us torne faste
Tr 2 689 Unto Criseyde, that heng hire hed ful lowe
Tr 2 690 Ther as she sat allone, and gan to caste
Tr 2 691 Where on she wolde apoynte hire atte laste,
Tr 2 692 If it so were hire em ne wolde cesse
Tr 2 693 For Troilus upon hire for to presse.
Tr 2 694 And, Lord! So she gan in hire thought argue
Tr 2 695 In this matere of which I have yow told,
Tr 2 696 And what to doone best were, and what eschue,
Tr 2 697 That plited she ful ofte in many fold.
Tr 2 698 Now was hire herte warm, now was it cold;
Tr 2 699 And what she thoughte somwhat shal I write,
Tr 2 700 As to myn auctour listeth for t' endite.
Tr 2 701 She thoughte wel that Troilus persone
Tr 2 702 She knew by syghte, and ek his gentilesse,
Tr 2 703 And thus she seyde, " Al were it nat to doone
Tr 2 704 To graunte hym love, yet for his worthynesse
Tr 2 705 It were honour with pley and with gladnesse
Tr 2 706 In honestee with swich a lord to deele,
Tr 2 707 For myn estat, and also for his heele.
Tr 2 708 " Ek wel woot I my kynges sone is he,
Tr 2 709 And sith he hath to se me swich delit,
Tr 2 710 If I wolde outreliche his sighte flee,
Tr 2 711 Peraunter he myghte have me in dispit,
Tr 2 712 Thorugh whicch I myghte stonde in worse plit.
Tr 2 713 Now were I wis, me hate to purchace,
Tr 2 714 Withouten need, ther I may stonde in grace?
Tr 2 715 " In every thyng, I woot, ther lith mesure;
Tr 2 716 For though a man forbede dronkenesse,
Tr 2 717 He naught forbet that every creature
Tr 2 718 Be drynkeles for alwey, as I gesse.
Tr 2 719 Ek sith I woot for me is his destresse,
Tr 2 720 I ne aughte nat for that thing hym despise,
Tr 2 721 Sith it is so he meneth in good wyse.
Tr 2 722 " And ek I knowe of longe tyme agon
Tr 2 723 His thewes goode, and that he is nat nyce;
Tr 2 724 N' avantour, seith men, certein, he is noon;
Tr 2 725 To wis is he to doon so gret a vice;
Tr 2 726 Ne als I nyl hym nevere so cherice
Tr 2 727 That he may make avaunt, by juste cause,
Tr 2 728 He shal me nevere bynde in swich a clause.
Tr 2 729 " Now sette a caas: the hardest is, ywys,
Tr 2 730 Men myghten demen that he loveth me.
Tr 2 731 What dishonour were it unto me, this?
Tr 2 732 May ich hym lette of that? Why, nay, parde!
Tr 2 733 I knowe also, and alday heere and se,
Tr 2 734 Men loven wommen al biside hire leve,
Tr 2 735 And whan hem leste namore, lat hem byleve!
Tr 2 736 " I thenke ek how he able is for to have
Tr 2 737 Of al this noble town the thriftieste
Tr 2 738 To ben his love, so she hire honour save.
Tr 2 739 For out and out he is the worthieste,
Tr 2 740 Save only Ector, which that is the beste;
Tr 2 741 And yet his lif al lith now in my cure.
Tr 2 742 But swich is love, and ek myn aventure.
Tr 2 743 " Ne me to love, a wonder is it nought;
Tr 2 744 For wel woot I myself, so God me spede --
Tr 2 745 Al wolde I that noon wiste of this thought --
Tr 2 746 I am oon the faireste, out of drede,
Tr 2 747 And goodlieste, who that taketh hede,
Tr 2 748 And so men seyn, in al the town of Troie.
Tr 2 749 What wonder is though he of me have joye?
Tr 2 750 " I am myn owene womman, wel at ese --
Tr 2 751 I thank it God -- as after myn estat,
Tr 2 752 Right yong, and stonde unteyd in lusty leese,
Tr 2 753 Withouten jalousie or swich debat:
Tr 2 754 Shal noon housbonde seyn to me `Chek mat!'
Tr 2 755 For either they ben ful of jalousie,
Tr 2 756 Or maisterfull, or loven novelrie.
Tr 2 757 " What shal I doon? To what fyn lyve I thus?
Tr 2 758 Shal I nat love, in cas if that me leste?
Tr 2 759 What, pardieux! I am naught religious.
Tr 2 760 And though that I myn herte sette at reste
Tr 2 761 Upon this knyght, that is the worthieste,
Tr 2 762 And kepe alwey myn honour and my name,
Tr 2 763 By alle right, it may do me no shame. "
Tr 2 764 But right as when the sonne shyneth brighte
Tr 2 765 In March, that chaungeth ofte tyme his face,
Tr 2 766 And that a cloude is put with wynd to flighte,
Tr 2 767 Which oversprat the sonne as for a space,
Tr 2 768 A cloudy thought gan thorugh hire soule pace,
Tr 2 769 That overspradde hire brighte thoughtes alle,
Tr 2 770 So that for feere almost she gan to falle.
Tr 2 771 That thought was this: " Allas! Syn I am free,
Tr 2 772 Sholde I now love, and put in jupartie
Tr 2 773 My sikernesse, and thrallen libertee?
Tr 2 774 Allas, how dorst I thenken that folie?
Tr 2 775 May I naught wel in other folk aspie
Tr 2 776 Hire dredfull joye, hire constreinte, and hire peyne?
Tr 2 777 Ther loveth noon, that she nath why to pleyne.
Tr 2 778 " For love is yet the mooste stormy lyf,
Tr 2 779 Right of hymself, that evere was bigonne;
Tr 2 780 For evere som mystrust or nice strif
Tr 2 781 Ther is in love, som cloude is over that sonne.
Tr 2 782 Therto we wrecched wommen nothing konne,
Tr 2 783 Whan us is wo, but wepe and sitte and thinke;
Tr 2 784 Oure wrecche is this, oure owen wo to drynke.
Tr 2 785 " Also thise wikked tonges ben so prest
Tr 2 786 To speke us harm; ek men ben so untrewe,
Tr 2 787 That right anon as cessed is hire lest,
Tr 2 788 So cesseth love, and forth to love a newe.
Tr 2 789 But harm ydoon is doon, whoso it rewe:
Tr 2 790 For though thise men for love hem first torende,
Tr 2 791 Ful sharp bygynnyng breketh ofte at ende.
Tr 2 792 " How ofte tyme hath it yknowen be
Tr 2 793 The tresoun that to wommen hath ben do!
Tr 2 794 To what fyn is swich love I kan nat see,
Tr 2 795 Or wher bycometh it, whan that it is ago.
Tr 2 796 Ther is no wight that woot, I trowe so,
Tr 2 797 Where it bycometh. Lo, no wight on it sporneth.
Tr 2 798 That erst was nothing, into nought it torneth.
Tr 2 799 " How bisy, if I love, ek most I be
Tr 2 800 To plesen hem that jangle of love, and dremen,
Tr 2 801 And coye hem, that they seye noon harm of me!
Tr 2 802 For though ther be no cause, yet hem semen
Tr 2 803 Al be for harm that folk hire frendes quemen;
Tr 2 804 And who may stoppen every wikked tonge,
Tr 2 805 Or sown of belles whil that thei ben ronge? "
Tr 2 806 And after that, hire thought gan for to clere,
Tr 2 807 And seide, " He which that nothing undertaketh,
Tr 2 808 Nothyng n' acheveth, be hym looth or deere. "
Tr 2 809 And with an other thought hire herte quaketh.
Tr 2 810 Than slepeth hope, and after drede awaketh.
Tr 2 811 Now hoot, now cold; but thus, bitwixen tweye,
Tr 2 812 She rist hire up, and went hire for to pleye.
Tr 2 813 Adown the steyre anonright tho she wente
Tr 2 814 Into the gardyn with hire neces thre,
Tr 2 815 And up and down ther made many a wente --
Tr 2 816 Flexippe, she, Tharbe, and Antigone --
Tr 2 817 To pleyen that it joye was to see;
Tr 2 818 And other of hire wommen, a gret route,
Tr 2 819 Hire folowede in the gardyn al aboute.
Tr 2 820 This yerd was large, and rayled alle th' aleyes,
Tr 2 821 And shadewed wel with blosmy bowes grene,
Tr 2 822 And benched newe, and sonded alle the weyes,
Tr 2 823 In which she walketh arm in arm bitwene,
Tr 2 824 Til at the laste Antigone the shene
Tr 2 825 Gan on a Troian song to singen cleere,
Tr 2 826 That it an heven was hire vois to here.
Tr 2 827 She seyde, " O Love, to whom I have and shal
Tr 2 828 Ben humble subgit, trewe in myn entente,
Tr 2 829 As I best kan, to yow, lord, yeve ich al
Tr 2 830 For everemo myn hertes lust to rente;
Tr 2 831 For nevere yet thi grace no wight sente
Tr 2 832 So blisful cause as me, my lif to lede
Tr 2 833 In alle joie and seurte out of drede.
Tr 2 834 " Ye, blisful god, han me so wel byset
Tr 2 835 In love, iwys, that al that bereth lif
Tr 2 836 Ymagynen ne kouth. how to be bet;
Tr 2 837 For, lord, withouten jalousie or strif,
Tr 2 838 I love oon which is moost ententif
Tr 2 839 To serven wel, unweri or unfeyned,
Tr 2 840 That evere was, and leest with harm desteyned.
Tr 2 841 " As he that is the welle of worthynesse,
Tr 2 842 Of trouthe grownd, mirour of goodlihed,
Tr 2 843 Of wit Apollo, stoon of sikernesse,
Tr 2 844 Of vertu roote, of lust fynder and hed,
Tr 2 845 Thorugh which is alle sorwe fro me ded --
Tr 2 846 Iwis, I love hym best, so doth he me;
Tr 2 847 Now good thrift have he, wherso that he be!
Tr 2 848 " Whom shulde I thanken but yow, god of Love,
Tr 2 849 Of al this blisse, in which to bathe I gynne?
Tr 2 850 And thanked be ye, lord, for that I love!
Tr 2 851 This is the righte lif that I am inne,
Tr 2 852 To flemen alle manere vice and synne:
Tr 2 853 This dooth me so to vertu for t' entende,
Tr 2 854 That day by day I in my wille amende.
Tr 2 855 " And whoso seith that for to love is vice,
Tr 2 856 Or thraldom, though he feele in it destresse,
Tr 2 857 He outher is envyous, or right nyce,
Tr 2 858 Or is unmyghty, for his shrewednesse,
Tr 2 859 To loven; for swich manere folk, I gesse,
Tr 2 860 Defamen Love, as nothing of hym knowe.
Tr 2 861 Thei speken, but thei benten nevere his bowe!
Tr 2 862 " What is the sonne wers, of kynde right,
Tr 2 863 Though that a man, for fieblesse of his yen,
Tr 2 864 May nought endure on it