Tr 4 1 But al to litel, weylaway the whyle,
Tr 4 2 Lasteth swich joie, ythonked be Fortune,
Tr 4 3 That semeth trewest whan she wol bygyle
Tr 4 4 And kan to fooles so hire song entune
Tr 4 5 That she hem hent and blent, traitour comune!
Tr 4 6 And whan a wight is from hire whiel ythrowe,
Tr 4 7 Than laugheth she, and maketh hym the mowe.
Tr 4 8 From Troilus she gan hire brighte face
Tr 4 9 Awey to writhe, and tok of hym non heede,
Tr 4 10 But caste hym clene out of his lady grace,
Tr 4 11 And on hire whiel she sette up Diomede;
Tr 4 12 For which myn herte right now gynneth blede,
Tr 4 13 And now my penne, allas, with which I write,
Tr 4 14 Quaketh for drede of that I moste endite.
Tr 4 15 For how Criseyde Troilus forsook --
Tr 4 16 Or at the leeste, how that she was unkynde --
Tr 4 17 Moot hennesforth ben matere of my book,
Tr 4 18 As writen folk thorugh which it is in mynde.
Tr 4 19 Allas, that they sholde evere cause fynde
Tr 4 20 To speke hire harm! And if they on hire lye,
Tr 4 21 Iwis, hemself sholde han the vilanye.
Tr 4 22 O ye Herynes, Nyghtes doughtren thre,
Tr 4 23 That endeles compleignen evere in pyne,
Tr 4 24 Megera, Alete, and ek Thesiphone,
Tr 4 25 Thow cruel Mars ek, fader to Quyryne,
Tr 4 26 This ilke ferthe book me helpeth fyne,
Tr 4 27 So that the losse of lyf and love yfeere
Tr 4 28 Of Troilus be fully shewed heere.
Tr 4 29 Liggyng in oost, as I have seyd er this,
Tr 4 30 The Grekys stronge aboute Troie town,
Tr 4 31 Byfel that, whan that Phebus shynyng is
Tr 4 32 Upon the brest of Hercules lyoun,
Tr 4 33 That Ector, with ful many a bold baroun,
Tr 4 34 Caste on a day with Grekis for to fighte,
Tr 4 35 As he was wont, to greve hem what he myghte.
Tr 4 36 Not I how longe or short it was bitwene
Tr 4 37 This purpos and that day they issen mente,
Tr 4 38 But on a day, wel armed, brighte, and shene,
Tr 4 39 Ector and many a worthi wight out wente,
Tr 4 40 With spere in honde and bigge bowes bente;
Tr 4 41 And in the berd, withouten lenger lette,
Tr 4 42 Hire fomen in the feld hem faste mette.
Tr 4 43 The longe day, with speres sharpe igrounde,
Tr 4 44 With arwes, dartes, swerdes, maces felle,
Tr 4 45 They fighte and bringen hors and man to grounde,
Tr 4 46 And with hire axes out the braynes quelle.
Tr 4 47 But in the laste shour, soth for to telle,
Tr 4 48 The folk of Troie hemselven so mysledden
Tr 4 49 That with the worse at nyght homward they fledden.
Tr 4 50 At which day was taken Antenore,
Tr 4 51 Maugre Polydamas or Monesteo,
Tr 4 52 Santippe, Sarpedoun, Polynestore,
Tr 4 53 Polite, or ek the Trojan daun Rupheo,
Tr 4 54 And other lasse folk as Phebuseo;
Tr 4 55 So that, for harm, that day the folk of Troie
Tr 4 56 Dredden to lese a gret part of hire joie.
Tr 4 57 Of Priamus was yeve, at Grek requeste,
Tr 4 58 A tyme of trewe, and tho they gonnen trete
Tr 4 59 Hire prisoners to chaungen, meste and leste,
Tr 4 60 And for the surplus yeven sommes grete.
Tr 4 61 This thing anon was couth in every strete,
Tr 4 62 Bothe in th' assege, in town, and everywhere,
Tr 4 63 And with the firste it com to Calkas ere.
Tr 4 64 Whan Calkas knew this tretis sholde holde,
Tr 4 65 In consistorie among the Grekes soone
Tr 4 66 He gan in thringe forth with lordes olde,
Tr 4 67 And sette hym there as he was wont to doone;
Tr 4 68 And with a chaunged face hem bad a boone,
Tr 4 69 For love of God, to don that reverence,
Tr 4 70 To stynte noyse and yeve hym audience.
Tr 4 71 Than seyde he thus: "Lo, lordes myn, ich was
Tr 4 72 Troian, as it is knowen out of drede;
Tr 4 73 And, if that yow remembre, I am Calkas,
Tr 4 74 That alderfirst yaf comfort to youre nede,
Tr 4 75 And tolde wel how that ye shulden spede.
Tr 4 76 For dredeles, thorugh yow shal in a stownde
Tr 4 77 Ben Troie ybrend and beten down to grownde.
Tr 4 78 "And in what forme, or in what manere wise,
Tr 4 79 This town to shende, and al youre lust t' acheve,
Tr 4 80 Ye han er this wel herd me yow devyse;
Tr 4 81 This knowe ye, my lordes, as I leve.
Tr 4 82 And for the Grekis weren me so leeve,
Tr 4 83 I com myself, in my propre persone,
Tr 4 84 To teche in this how yow was best to doone.
Tr 4 85 "Havyng unto my tresor ne my rente
Tr 4 86 Right no resport, to respect of youre ese,
Tr 4 87 Thus al my good I lefte and to yow wente,
Tr 4 88 Wenyng in this yow lordes for to plese.
Tr 4 89 But al that los ne doth me no disese.
Tr 4 90 I vouchesauf, as wisly have I joie,
Tr 4 91 For yow to lese al that I have in Troie,
Tr 4 92 "Save of a doughter that I lefte, allas,
Tr 4 93 Slepyng at hom, whanne out of Troie I sterte.
Tr 4 94 O sterne, O cruel fader that I was!
Tr 4 95 How myghte I have in that so hard an herte?
Tr 4 96 Allas, I ne hadde ibrought hire in hire sherte!
Tr 4 97 For sorwe of which I wol nought lyve to-morwe,
Tr 4 98 But if ye lordes rewe upon my sorwe.
Tr 4 99 "For by that cause I say no tyme er now
Tr 4 100 Hire to delivere, ich holden have my pees;
Tr 4 101 But now or nevere, if that it like yow,
Tr 4 102 I may hire have right soone, douteles.
Tr 4 103 O help and grace amonges al this prees!
Tr 4 104 Rewe on this olde caytyf in destresse,
Tr 4 105 Syn I thorugh yow have al this hevynesse.
Tr 4 106 "Ye have now kaught and fetered in prisoun
Tr 4 107 Troians ynowe, and if youre willes be,
Tr 4 108 My child with oon may han redempcioun;
Tr 4 109 Now for the love of God and of bounte,
Tr 4 110 Oon of so fele, allas, so yive hym me!
Tr 4 111 What nede were it this preiere for to werne,
Tr 4 112 Syn ye shul bothe han folk and town as yerne?
Tr 4 113 "On peril of my lif, I shal nat lye;
Tr 4 114 Appollo hath me told it feithfully;
Tr 4 115 I have ek founde it be astronomye,
Tr 4 116 By sort, and by augurye ek, trewely,
Tr 4 117 And dar wel say, the tyme is faste by
Tr 4 118 That fire and flaumbe on al the town shal sprede,
Tr 4 119 And thus shal Troie torne to asshen dede.
Tr 4 120 "For certein, Phebus and Neptunus bothe,
Tr 4 121 That makeden the walles of the town,
Tr 4 122 Ben with the folk of Troie alwey so wrothe
Tr 4 123 That they wol brynge it to confusioun,
Tr 4 124 Right in despit of kyng Lameadoun;
Tr 4 125 Bycause he nolde payen hem here hire,
Tr 4 126 The town of Troie shal ben set on-fire."
Tr 4 127 Tellyng his tale alwey, this olde greye,
Tr 4 128 Humble in his speche and in his lokyng eke,
Tr 4 129 The salte teris from his eyen tweye
Tr 4 130 Ful faste ronnen down by either cheke.
Tr 4 131 So longe he gan of socour hem biseke
Tr 4 132 That, for to hele hym of his sorwes soore,
Tr 4 133 They yave hym Antenor, withouten moore.
Tr 4 134 But who was glad ynough but Calkas tho?
Tr 4 135 And of this thyng ful soone his nedes leyde
Tr 4 136 On hem that sholden for the tretis go,
Tr 4 137 And hem for Antenor ful ofte preyde
Tr 4 138 To bryngen hom kyng Toas and Criseyde.
Tr 4 139 And whan Priam his save-garde sente,
Tr 4 140 Th' embassadours to Troie streight they wente.
Tr 4 141 The cause itold of hire comyng, the olde
Tr 4 142 Priam, the kyng, ful soone in general
Tr 4 143 Let her-upon his parlement to holde,
Tr 4 144 Of which th' effect rehercen yow I shal.
Tr 4 145 Th' embassadours ben answerd for fynal;
Tr 4 146 Th' eschaunge of prisoners and al this nede
Tr 4 147 Hem liketh wel, and forth in they procede.
Tr 4 148 This Troilus was present in the place
Tr 4 149 Whan axed was for Antenor Criseyde,
Tr 4 150 For which ful soone chaungen gan his face,
Tr 4 151 As he that with tho wordes wel neigh deyde.
Tr 4 152 But natheles he no word to it seyde,
Tr 4 153 Lest men sholde his affeccioun espye;
Tr 4 154 With mannes herte he gan his sorwes drye,
Tr 4 155 And ful of angwissh and of grisly drede
Tr 4 156 Abod what lordes wolde unto it seye;
Tr 4 157 And if they wolde graunte -- as God forbede --
Tr 4 158 Th' eschaunge of hire, than thoughte he thynges tweye:
Tr 4 159 First, how to save hire honour, and what weye
Tr 4 160 He myghte best th' eschaunge of hire withstonde.
Tr 4 161 Ful faste he caste how al this myghte stonde.
Tr 4 162 Love hym made al prest to don hire byde,
Tr 4 163 And rather dyen than she sholde go;
Tr 4 164 But Resoun seyde hym, on that other syde,
Tr 4 165 "Withouten assent of hire ne do nat so,
Tr 4 166 Lest for thi werk she wolde be thy fo,
Tr 4 167 And seyn that thorugh thy medlynge is iblowe
Tr 4 168 Youre bother love, ther it was erst unknowe."
Tr 4 169 For which he gan deliberen, for the beste,
Tr 4 170 That though the lordes wolde that she wente,
Tr 4 171 He wolde lat hem graunte what hem leste,
Tr 4 172 And telle his lady first what that they mente;
Tr 4 173 And whan that she hadde seyd hym hire entente,
Tr 4 174 Therafter wolde he werken also blyve,
Tr 4 175 Theigh al the world ayeyn it wolde stryve.
Tr 4 176 Ector, which that wel the Grekis herde,
Tr 4 177 For Antenor how they wolde han Criseyde,
Tr 4 178 Gan it withstonde, and sobrely answerde:
Tr 4 179 "Syres, she nys no prisonere," he seyde;
Tr 4 180 "I not on yow who that this charge leyde,
Tr 4 181 But, on my part, ye may eftsone hem telle,
Tr 4 182 We usen here no wommen for to selle."
Tr 4 183 The noyse of peple up stirte thanne at ones,
Tr 4 184 As breme as blase of straw iset on-fire;
Tr 4 185 For infortune it wolde, for the nones,
Tr 4 186 They sholden hire confusioun desire.
Tr 4 187 "Ector," quod they, "what goost may yow enspyre
Tr 4 188 This womman thus to shilde and don us leese
Tr 4 189 Daun Antenor -- a wrong wey now ye chese --
Tr 4 190 "That is so wys and ek so bold baroun?
Tr 4 191 And we han nede to folk, as men may se.
Tr 4 192 He is ek oon the grettest of this town.
Tr 4 193 O Ector, lat tho fantasies be!
Tr 4 194 O kyng Priam," quod they, "thus sygge we,
Tr 4 195 That al oure vois is to forgon Criseyde."
Tr 4 196 And to deliveren Antenor they preyde.
Tr 4 197 O Juvenal, lord, trewe is thy sentence,
Tr 4 198 That litel wyten folk what is to yerne,
Tr 4 199 That they ne fynde in hire desir offence;
Tr 4 200 For cloude of errour let hem to discerne
Tr 4 201 What best is. And lo, here ensample as yerne:
Tr 4 202 This folk desiren now deliveraunce
Tr 4 203 Of Antenor, that brought hem to meschaunce,
Tr 4 204 For he was after traitour to the town
Tr 4 205 Of Troye. Allas, they quytte hym out to rathe!
Tr 4 206 O nyce world, lo, thy discrecioun!
Tr 4 207 Criseyde, which that nevere dide hem scathe,
Tr 4 208 Shal now no lenger in hire blisse bathe;
Tr 4 209 But Antenor, he shal com hom to towne,
Tr 4 210 And she shal out; thus seyden here and howne.
Tr 4 211 For which delibered was by parlement
Tr 4 212 For Antenor to yelden out Criseyde,
Tr 4 213 And it pronounced by the president,
Tr 4 214 Altheigh that Ector "nay" ful ofte preyde.
Tr 4 215 And fynaly, what wight that it withseyde,
Tr 4 216 It was for nought; it moste ben and sholde,
Tr 4 217 For substaunce of the parlement it wolde.
Tr 4 218 Departed out of parlement echone,
Tr 4 219 This Troilus, withouten wordes mo,
Tr 4 220 Unto his chambre spedde hym faste allone,
Tr 4 221 But if it were a man of his or two
Tr 4 222 The which he bad out faste for to go
Tr 4 223 Bycause he wolde slepen, as he seyde,
Tr 4 224 And hastily upon his bed hym leyde.
Tr 4 225 And as in wynter leves ben biraft,
Tr 4 226 Ech after other, til the tree be bare,
Tr 4 227 So that ther nys but bark and braunche ilaft,
Tr 4 228 Lith Troilus, byraft of ech welfare,
Tr 4 229 Ibounden in the blake bark of care,
Tr 4 230 Disposed wood out of his wit to breyde,
Tr 4 231 So sore hym sat the chaungynge of Criseyde.
Tr 4 232 He rist hym up, and every dore he shette,
Tr 4 233 And wyndow ek, and tho this sorwful man
Tr 4 234 Upon his beddes syde adown hym sette,
Tr 4 235 Ful lik a ded ymage, pale and wan;
Tr 4 236 And in his brest the heped wo bygan
Tr 4 237 Out breste, and he to werken in this wise
Tr 4 238 In his woodnesse, as I shal yow devyse.
Tr 4 239 Right as the wylde bole bygynneth sprynge,
Tr 4 240 Now her, now ther, idarted to the herte,
Tr 4 241 And of his deth roreth in compleynynge,
Tr 4 242 Right so gan he aboute the chaumbre sterte,
Tr 4 243 Smytyng his brest ay with his fistes smerte;
Tr 4 244 His hed to the wal, his body to the grounde
Tr 4 245 Ful ofte he swapte, hymselven to confounde.
Tr 4 246 His eyen two, for piete of herte,
Tr 4 247 Out stremeden as swifte welles tweye;
Tr 4 248 The heighe sobbes of his sorwes smerte
Tr 4 249 His speche hym refte; unnethes myghte he seye,
Tr 4 250 "O deth, allas, why nyltow do me deye?
Tr 4 251 Acorsed be that day which that Nature
Tr 4 252 Shop me to ben a lyves creature!"
Tr 4 253 But after, whan the furie and al the rage,
Tr 4 254 Which that his herte twiste and faste threste,
Tr 4 255 By lengthe of tyme somwhat gan aswage,
Tr 4 256 Upon his bed he leyde hym down to reste.
Tr 4 257 But tho bygonne his teeris more out breste,
Tr 4 258 That wonder is the body may suffise
Tr 4 259 To half this wo which that I yow devyse.
Tr 4 260 Than seyde he thus: "Fortune, allas the while!
Tr 4 261 What have I don? What have I thus agylt?
Tr 4 262 How myghtestow for rowthe me bygile?
Tr 4 263 Is ther no grace, and shal I thus be spilt?
Tr 4 264 Shal thus Creiseyde awey, for that thow wilt?
Tr 4 265 Allas, how maistow in thyn herte fynde
Tr 4 266 To ben to me thus cruwel and unkynde?
Tr 4 267 "Have I the nought honoured al my lyve,
Tr 4 268 As thow wel woost, above the goddes alle?
Tr 4 269 Whi wiltow me fro joie thus deprive?
Tr 4 270 O Troilus, what may men now the calle
Tr 4 271 But wrecche of wrecches, out of honour falle
Tr 4 272 Into miserie, in which I wol bewaille
Tr 4 273 Criseyde -- allas! -- til that the breth me faille?
Tr 4 274 "Allas, Fortune, if that my lif in joie
Tr 4 275 Displesed hadde unto thi foule envye,
Tr 4 276 Why ne haddestow my fader, kyng of Troye,
Tr 4 277 Byraft the lif, or don my bretheren dye,
Tr 4 278 Or slayn myself, that thus compleyne and crye --
Tr 4 279 I, combre-world, that may of nothyng serve,
Tr 4 280 But evere dye and nevere fulli sterve.
Tr 4 281 "If that Criseyde allone were me laft,
Tr 4 282 Nought roughte I whiderward thow woldest me steere;
Tr 4 283 And hire, allas, than hastow me biraft.
Tr 4 284 But everemore, lo, this is thi manere,
Tr 4 285 To reve a wight that most is to hym deere,
Tr 4 286 To preve in that thi gerful violence.
Tr 4 287 Thus am I lost; ther helpeth no diffence.
Tr 4 288 "O verrey lord, O Love! O god, allas!
Tr 4 289 That knowest best myn herte and al my thought,
Tr 4 290 What shal my sorwful lif don in this cas,
Tr 4 291 If I forgo that I so deere have bought?
Tr 4 292 Syn ye Criseyde and me han fully brought
Tr 4 293 Into youre grace, and bothe oure hertes seled,
Tr 4 294 How may ye suffre, allas, it be repeled?
Tr 4 295 "What shal I don? I shal, while I may dure
Tr 4 296 On lyve in torment and in cruwel peyne
Tr 4 297 This infortune or this disaventure,
Tr 4 298 Allone as I was born, iwys, compleyne;
Tr 4 299 Ne nevere wol I seen it shyne or reyne,
Tr 4 300 But ende I wol, as Edippe, in derknesse
Tr 4 301 My sorwful lif, and dyen in distresse.
Tr 4 302 "O wery goost, that errest to and fro,
Tr 4 303 Why nyltow fleen out of the wofulleste
Tr 4 304 Body that evere myghte on grounde go?
Tr 4 305 O soule, lurkynge in this wo, unneste,
Tr 4 306 Fle forth out of myn herte, and lat it breste,
Tr 4 307 And folowe alwey Criseyde, thi lady dere.
Tr 4 308 Thi righte place is now no lenger here.
Tr 4 309 "O woful eyen two, syn youre disport
Tr 4 310 Was al to sen Criseydes eyen brighte,
Tr 4 311 What shal ye don but, for my discomfort,
Tr 4 312 Stonden for naught, and wepen out youre sighte,
Tr 4 313 Syn she is queynt that wont was yow to lighte?
Tr 4 314 In vayn fro this forth have ich eyen tweye
Tr 4 315 Ifourmed, syn youre vertu is aweye.
Tr 4 316 "O my Criseyde, O lady sovereigne
Tr 4 317 Of thilke woful soule that thus crieth,
Tr 4 318 Who shal now yeven comfort to my peyne?
Tr 4 319 Allas, no wight. But whan myn herte dieth,
Tr 4 320 My spirit, which that so unto yow hieth,
Tr 4 321 Receyve in gree, for that shal ay yow serve;
Tr 4 322 Forthi no fors is, though the body sterve.
Tr 4 323 "O ye loveris, that heigh upon the whiel
Tr 4 324 Ben set of Fortune, in good aventure,
Tr 4 325 God leve that ye fynde ay love of stiel,
Tr 4 326 And longe mote youre lif in joie endure!
Tr 4 327 But whan ye comen by my sepulture,
Tr 4 328 Remembreth that youre felawe resteth there;
Tr 4 329 For I loved ek, though ich unworthi were.
Tr 4 330 "O oold, unholsom, and myslyved man --
Tr 4 331 Calkas I mene -- allas, what eiled the
Tr 4 332 To ben a Grek, syn thow art born Troian?
Tr 4 333 O Calkas, which that wolt my bane be,
Tr 4 334 In corsed tyme was thow born for me!
Tr 4 335 As wolde blisful Jove, for his joie,
Tr 4 336 That I the hadde wher I wolde, in Troie!"
Tr 4 337 A thousand sikes, hotter than the gleede,
Tr 4 338 Out of his brest ech after other wente,
Tr 4 339 Medled with pleyntes new, his wo to feede,
Tr 4 340 For which his woful teris nevere stente;
Tr 4 341 And shortly, so his peynes hym torente,
Tr 4 342 And wex so mat, that joie nor penaunce
Tr 4 343 He feleth non, but lith forth in a traunce.
Tr 4 344 Pandare, which that in the parlement
Tr 4 345 Hadde herd what every lord and burgeys seyde,
Tr 4 346 And how ful graunted was by oon assent
Tr 4 347 For Antenor to yelden so Criseyde,
Tr 4 348 Gan wel neigh wood out of his wit to breyde,
Tr 4 349 So that for wo he nyste what he mente,
Tr 4 350 But in a rees to Troilus he wente.
Tr 4 351 A certeyn knyght that for the tyme kepte
Tr 4 352 The chambre door undide it hym anon;
Tr 4 353 And Pandare, that ful tendreliche wepte,
Tr 4 354 Into the derke chambre, as stille as ston,
Tr 4 355 Toward the bed gan softely to gon,
Tr 4 356 So confus that he nyste what to seye;
Tr 4 357 For verray wo his wit was neigh aweye.
Tr 4 358 And with his chiere and lokyng al totorn
Tr 4 359 For sorwe of this, and with his armes folden,
Tr 4 360 He stood this woful Troilus byforn,
Tr 4 361 And on his pitous face he gan byholden.
Tr 4 362 But Lord, so ofte gan his herte colden,
Tr 4 363 Seyng his frend in wo, whos hevynesse
Tr 4 364 His herte slough, as thoughte hym, for destresse.
Tr 4 365 This woful wight, this Troilus, that felte
Tr 4 366 His frend Pandare ycomen hym to se,
Tr 4 367 Gan as the snow ayeyn the sonne melte;
Tr 4 368 For which this sorwful Pandare, of pitee,
Tr 4 369 Gan for to wepe as tendreliche as he;
Tr 4 370 And specheles thus ben thise ilke tweye,
Tr 4 371 That neither myghte o word for sorwe seye.
Tr 4 372 But at the laste this woful Troilus,
Tr 4 373 Neigh ded for smert, gan bresten out to rore,
Tr 4 374 And with a sorwful noise he seyde thus,
Tr 4 375 Among hise sobbes and his sikes sore:
Tr 4 376 "Lo, Pandare, I am ded, withouten more.
Tr 4 377 Hastow nat herd at parlement," he seyde,
Tr 4 378 "For Antenor how lost is my Criseyde?"
Tr 4 379 This Pandarus, ful ded and pale of hewe,
Tr 4 380 Ful pitously answerde and seyde, "Yis!
Tr 4 381 As wisly were it fals as it is trewe,
Tr 4 382 That I have herd, and woot al how it is.
Tr 4 383 O mercy, God, who wolde have trowed this?
Tr 4 384 Who wolde have wend that in so litel a throwe
Tr 4 385 Fortune oure joie wold han overthrowe?
Tr 4 386 "For in this world ther is no creature,
Tr 4 387 As to my dom, that ever saugh ruyne
Tr 4 388 Straunger than this, thorugh cas or aventure.
Tr 4 389 But who may al eschue, or al devyne?
Tr 4 390 Swich is this world! Forthi I thus diffyne:
Tr 4 391 Ne trust no wight to fynden in Fortune
Tr 4 392 Ay propretee; hire yiftes ben comune.
Tr 4 393 "But telle me this: whi thow art now so mad
Tr 4 394 To sorwen thus? Whi listow in this wise,
Tr 4 395 Syn thi desir al holly hastow had,
Tr 4 396 So that, by right, it oughte ynough suffise?
Tr 4 397 But I, that nevere felte in my servyse
Tr 4 398 A frendly cheere or lokyng of an eye,
Tr 4 399 Lat me thus wepe and wailen til I deye.
Tr 4 400 "And over al this, as thow wel woost thiselve,
Tr 4 401 This town is ful of ladys al aboute;
Tr 4 402 And, to my doom, fairer than swiche twelve
Tr 4 403 As evere she was, shal I fynde in som route --
Tr 4 404 Yee, on or two, withouten any doute.
Tr 4 405 Forthi be glad, myn owen deere brother!
Tr 4 406 If she be lost, we shal recovere an other.
Tr 4 407 "What! God forbede alwey that ech plesaunce
Tr 4 408 In o thyng were and in non other wight!
Tr 4 409 If oon kan synge, an other kan wel daunce;
Tr 4 410 If this be goodly, she is glad and light;
Tr 4 411 And this is fair, and that kan good aright.
Tr 4 412 Ech for his vertu holden is for deere,
Tr 4 413 Both heroner and faucoun for ryvere.
Tr 4 414 "And ek, as writ Zanzis, that was ful wys,
Tr 4 415 `The newe love out chaceth ofte the olde';
Tr 4 416 And upon newe cas lith newe avys.
Tr 4 417 Thenk ek, thi lif to saven artow holde.
Tr 4 418 Swich fir, by proces, shal of kynde colde,
Tr 4 419 For syn it is but casuel plesaunce,
Tr 4 420 Som cas shal putte it out of remembraunce;
Tr 4 421 "For also seur as day comth after nyght,
Tr 4 422 The newe love, labour, or oother wo,
Tr 4 423 Or elles selde seynge of a wight,
Tr 4 424 Don olde affecciouns alle over-go.
Tr 4 425 And, for thi part, thow shalt have oon of tho
Tr 4 426 T' abregge with thi bittre peynes smerte;
Tr 4 427 Absence of hire shal dryve hire out of herte."
Tr 4 428 Thise wordes seyde he for the nones alle,
Tr 4 429 To help his frend, lest he for sorwe deyde;
Tr 4 430 For douteles, to don his wo to falle,
Tr 4 431 He roughte nought what unthrift that he seyde.
Tr 4 432 But Troilus, that neigh for sorwe deyde,
Tr 4 433 Took litel heede of al that evere he mente --
Tr 4 434 Oon ere it herde, at tother out it wente --
Tr 4 435 But at the laste answerde, and seyde, "Frend,
Tr 4 436 This lechecraft, or heeled thus to be,
Tr 4 437 Were wel sittyng, if that I were a fend --
Tr 4 438 To traysen a wight that trewe is unto me!
Tr 4 439 I pray God lat this conseil nevere ythe;
Tr 4 440 But do me rather sterve anon-right here,
Tr 4 441 Er I thus do as thow me woldest leere!
Tr 4 442 "She that I serve, iwis, what so thow seye,
Tr 4 443 To whom myn herte enhabit is by right,
Tr 4 444 Shal han me holly hires til that I deye.
Tr 4 445 For Pandarus, syn I have trouthe hire hight,
Tr 4 446 I wol nat ben untrewe for no wight,
Tr 4 447 But as hire man I wol ay lyve and sterve,
Tr 4 448 And nevere other creature serve.
Tr 4 449 "And ther thow seist thow shalt as faire fynde
Tr 4 450 As she, lat be; make no comparisoun
Tr 4 451 To creature yformed here by kynde!
Tr 4 452 O leve Pandare, in conclusioun,
Tr 4 453 I wol nat ben of thyn opynyoun
Tr 4 454 Touchyng al this. For which I the biseche,
Tr 4 455 So hold thi pees; thow sleest me with thi speche!
Tr 4 456 "Thow biddest me I shulde love another
Tr 4 457 Al fresshly newe, and lat Criseyde go!
Tr 4 458 It lith nat in my power, leeve brother;
Tr 4 459 And though I myght, I wolde nat do so.
Tr 4 460 But kanstow playen raket, to and fro,
Tr 4 461 Nettle in, dok out, now this, now that, Pandare?
Tr 4 462 Now foule falle hire for thi wo that care!
Tr 4 463 "Thow farest ek by me, thow Pandarus,
Tr 4 464 As he that, whan a wight is wo bygon,
Tr 4 465 He cometh to hym a paas and seith right thus:
Tr 4 466 `Thynk nat on smert, and thow shalt fele non.'
Tr 4 467 Thow moost me first transmewen in a ston,
Tr 4 468 And reve me my passiones alle,
Tr 4 469 Er thow so lightly do my wo to falle.
Tr 4 470 "The deth may wel out of my brest departe
Tr 4 471 The lif, so longe may this sorwe myne,
Tr 4 472 But fro my soule shal Criseydes darte
Tr 4 473 Out nevere mo; but down with Proserpyne,
Tr 4 474 Whan I am ded, I wol go wone in pyne,
Tr 4 475 And ther I wol eternaly compleyne
Tr 4 476 My wo, and how that twynned be we tweyne.
Tr 4 477 "Thow hast here made an argument for fyn,
Tr 4 478 How that it sholde a lasse peyne be
Tr 4 479 Criseyde to forgon, for she was myn
Tr 4 480 And lyved in ese and in felicite.
Tr 4 481 Whi gabbestow, that seydest unto me
Tr 4 482 That `hym is wors that is fro wele ythrowe,
Tr 4 483 Than he hadde erst noon of that wele yknowe'?
Tr 4 484 "But tel me now, syn that the thynketh so light
Tr 4 485 To changen so in love ay to and fro,
Tr 4 486 Whi hastow nat don bisily thi myght
Tr 4 487 To chaungen hire that doth the al thi wo?
Tr 4 488 Why nyltow lete hire fro thyn herte go?
Tr 4 489 Whi nyltow love an other lady swete,
Tr 4 490 That may thyn herte setten in quiete?
Tr 4 491 "If thou hast had in love ay yet myschaunce
Tr 4 492 And kanst it not out of thyn herte dryve,
Tr 4 493 I, that levede yn lust and in plesaunce
Tr 4 494 With here, as muche as creature on lyve,
Tr 4 495 How sholde I that foryete, and that so blyve?
Tr 4 496 O, where hastow ben hid so longe in muwe,
Tr 4 497 That kanst so wel and formely arguwe?
Tr 4 498 "Nay, God wot, nought worth is al thi red,
Tr 4 499 For which, for what that evere may byfalle,
Tr 4 500 Withouten wordes mo, I wol be ded.
Tr 4 501 O deth, that endere art of sorwes alle,
Tr 4 502 Com now, syn I so ofte after the calle;
Tr 4 503 For sely is that deth, soth for to seyne,
Tr 4 504 That, ofte ycleped, cometh and endeth peyne.
Tr 4 505 "Wel wot I, whil my lyf was in quyete,
Tr 4 506 Er thow me slowe, I wolde have yeven hire;
Tr 4 507 But now thi comynge is to me so swete
Tr 4 508 That in this world I nothing so desire.
Tr 4 509 O deth, syn with this sorwe I am a-fyre,
Tr 4 510 Thou other do me anoon yn teris drenche,
Tr 4 511 Or with thi colde strok myn hete quenche.
Tr 4 512 "Syn that thou sleest so fele in sondry wyse
Tr 4 513 Ayens hire wil, unpreyed, day and nyght,
Tr 4 514 Do me at my requeste this service:
Tr 4 515 Delyvere now the world -- so dostow right --
Tr 4 516 Of me, that am the wofulleste wyght
Tr 4 517 That evere was; for tyme is that I sterve,
Tr 4 518 Syn in this world of right nought may I serve."
Tr 4 519 This Troylus in teris gan distille,
Tr 4 520 As licour out of a lambyc ful faste;
Tr 4 521 And Pandarus gan holde his tunge stille,
Tr 4 522 And to the ground his eyen doun he caste.
Tr 4 523 But natheles, thus thought he at the laste:
Tr 4 524 "What! Parde, rather than my felawe deye,
Tr 4 525 Yet shal I somwhat more unto hym seye."
Tr 4 526 And seyde, "Frend, syn thow hast swych distresse,
Tr 4 527 And syn the list myn argumentz to blame,
Tr 4 528 Why nylt thiselven helpen don redresse
Tr 4 529 And with thy manhod letten al this grame?
Tr 4 530 Go ravysshe here! Ne kanstow nat, for shame?
Tr 4 531 And other lat here out of towne fare,
Tr 4 532 Or hold here stille, and leve thi nyce fare.
Tr 4 533 "Artow in Troie, and hast non hardyment
Tr 4 534 To take a womman which that loveth the
Tr 4 535 And wolde hireselven ben of thyn assent?
Tr 4 536 Now is nat this a nyce vanitee?
Tr 4 537 Ris up anon, and lat this wepyng be,
Tr 4 538 And kith thow art a man; for in this houre
Tr 4 539 I wol ben ded, or she shal bleven oure."
Tr 4 540 To this answerde hym Troilus ful softe,
Tr 4 541 And seyde, "Parde, leve brother deere,
Tr 4 542 Al this have I myself yet thought ful ofte,
Tr 4 543 And more thyng than thow devysest here.
Tr 4 544 But whi this thyng is laft, thow shalt wel here;
Tr 4 545 And whan thow me hast yeve an audience,
Tr 4 546 Therafter maystow telle al thi sentence.
Tr 4 547 "First, syn thow woost this town hath al this werre
Tr 4 548 For ravysshyng of wommen so by myght,
Tr 4 549 It sholde nought be suffred me to erre,
Tr 4 550 As it stant now, ne don so gret unright.
Tr 4 551 I sholde han also blame of every wight,
Tr 4 552 My fadres graunt if that I so withstoode,
Tr 4 553 Syn she is chaunged for the townes goode.
Tr 4 554 "I have ek thought, so it were hire assent,
Tr 4 555 To axe hire at my fader, of his grace;
Tr 4 556 Than thynke I this were hire accusement,
Tr 4 557 Syn wel I woot I may hire nought purchace;
Tr 4 558 For syn my fader, in so heigh a place
Tr 4 559 As parlement hath hire eschaunge enseled,
Tr 4 560 He nyl for me his lettre be repeled.
Tr 4 561 "Yet drede I moost hire herte to perturbe
Tr 4 562 With violence, if I do swich a game;
Tr 4 563 For if I wolde it openly desturbe,
Tr 4 564 It mooste be disclaundre to hire name.
Tr 4 565 And me were levere ded than hire diffame --
Tr 4 566 As nolde God but if I sholde have
Tr 4 567 Hire honour levere than my lif to save!
Tr 4 568 "Thus am I lost, for aught that I kan see.
Tr 4 569 For certeyn is, syn that I am hire knyght,
Tr 4 570 I moste hire honour levere han than me
Tr 4 571 In every cas, as lovere ought of right.
Tr 4 572 Thus am I with desir and reson twight:
Tr 4 573 Desir for to destourben hire me redeth,
Tr 4 574 And reson nyl nat; so myn herte dredeth."
Tr 4 575 Thus wepyng that he koude nevere cesse,
Tr 4 576 He seyde, "Allas, how shal I, wrecche, fare?
Tr 4 577 For wel fele I alwey my love encresse,
Tr 4 578 And hope is lasse and lasse alway, Pandare.
Tr 4 579 Encressen ek the causes of my care.
Tr 4 580 So weilaway, whi nyl myn herte breste?
Tr 4 581 For, as in love, ther is but litel reste."
Tr 4 582 Pandare answerde, "Frend, thow maist, for me,
Tr 4 583 Don as the list; but hadde ich it so hoote,
Tr 4 584 And thyn estat, she sholde go with me,
Tr 4 585 Though al this town cride on this thyng by note.
Tr 4 586 I nolde sette at al that noys a grote!
Tr 4 587 For whan men han wel cryd, than wol they rowne;
Tr 4 588 Ek wonder last but nyne nyght nevere in towne.
Tr 4 589 "Devyne not in resoun ay so depe
Tr 4 590 Ne preciously, but help thiself anon.
Tr 4 591 Bet is that othere than thiselven wepe,
Tr 4 592 And namely, syn ye two ben al on,
Tr 4 593 Ris up, for by myn hed, she shal not goon!
Tr 4 594 And rather be in blame a lite ifounde
Tr 4 595 Than sterve here as a gnat, withouten wounde.
Tr 4 596 "It is no rape, in my dom, ne no vice,
Tr 4 597 Hire to witholden that ye love moost;
Tr 4 598 Peraunter she myghte holde the for nyce
Tr 4 599 To late hire go thus unto the Grekis oost.
Tr 4 600 Thenk ek Fortune, as wel thiselven woost,
Tr 4 601 Helpeth hardy man unto his enprise,
Tr 4 602 And weyveth wrecches for hire cowardise.
Tr 4 603 "And though thy lady wolde a lite hire greve,
Tr 4 604 Thow shalt thiself thi pees hereafter make;
Tr 4 605 But as for me, certeyn, I kan nat leve
Tr 4 606 That she wolde it as now for yvel take.
Tr 4 607 Whi sholde thanne of ferd thyn herte quake?
Tr 4 608 Thenk ek how Paris hath, that is thi brother,
Tr 4 609 A love; and whi shaltow nat have another?
Tr 4 610 "And Troilus, o thyng I dar the swere:
Tr 4 611 That if Criseyde, which that is thi lief,
Tr 4 612 Now loveth the as wel as thow dost here,
Tr 4 613 God help me so, she nyl nat take a-grief,
Tr 4 614 Theigh thow do boote anon in this meschief;
Tr 4 615 And if she wilneth fro the for to passe,
Tr 4 616 Thanne is she fals; so love hire wel the lasse.
Tr 4 617 "Forthi tak herte, and thynk right as a knyght:
Tr 4 618 Thorugh love is broken al day every lawe.
Tr 4 619 Kith now somwhat thi corage and thi myght;
Tr 4 620 Have mercy on thiself for any awe.
Tr 4 621 Lat nat this wrecched wo thyn herte gnawe,
Tr 4 622 But manly sette the world on six and sevene;
Tr 4 623 And if thow deye a martyr, go to hevene!
Tr 4 624 "I wol myself ben with the at this dede,
Tr 4 625 Theigh ich and al my kyn upon a stownde
Tr 4 626 Shulle in a strete as dogges liggen dede,
Tr 4 627 Thorugh-girt with many a wid and blody wownde;
Tr 4 628 In every cas I wol a frend be founde.
Tr 4 629 And if the list here sterven as a wrecche,
Tr 4 630 Adieu, the devel spede hym that it recche!"
Tr 4 631 This Troilus gan with tho wordes quyken,
Tr 4 632 And seyde, "Frend, graunt mercy, ich assente.
Tr 4 633 But certeynly thow maist nat so me priken,
Tr 4 634 Ne peyne non ne may me so tormente,
Tr 4 635 That, for no cas, it is nat myn entente,
Tr 4 636 At shorte wordes, though I deyen sholde,
Tr 4 637 To ravysshe hire, but if hireself it wolde."
Tr 4 638 "Whi, so mene I," quod Pandare, "al this day.
Tr 4 639 But telle me thanne, hastow hire wil assayed,
Tr 4 640 That sorwest thus?" And he answerde hym, "Nay."
Tr 4 641 "Wherof artow," quod Pandare, "thanne amayed,
Tr 4 642 That nost nat that she wol ben yvele appayed
Tr 4 643 To ravysshe hire, syn thow hast nought ben there,
Tr 4 644 But if that Jove told it in thyn ere?
Tr 4 645 "Forthi ris up, as nought ne were, anon,
Tr 4 646 And wassh thi face, and to the kyng thow wende,
Tr 4 647 Or he may wondren whider thow art goon.
Tr 4 648 Thow most with wisdom hym and othere blende,
Tr 4 649 Or, upon cas, he may after the sende
Tr 4 650 Er thow be war; and shortly, brother deere,
Tr 4 651 Be glad, and lat me werke in this matere,
Tr 4 652 "For I shal shape it so, that sikerly
Tr 4 653 Thow shalt this nyght som tyme, in som manere,
Tr 4 654 Come speken with thi lady pryvely,
Tr 4 655 And by hire wordes ek, and by hire cheere,
Tr 4 656 Thow shalt ful sone aperceyve and wel here
Tr 4 657 Al hire entente, and in this cas the beste.
Tr 4 658 And far now wel, for in this point I reste."
Tr 4 659 The swifte Fame, which that false thynges
Tr 4 660 Egal reporteth lik the thynges trewe,
Tr 4 661 Was thorughout Troie yfled with preste wynges
Tr 4 662 Fro man to man, and made this tale al newe,
Tr 4 663 How Calkas doughter, with hire brighte hewe,
Tr 4 664 At parlement, withouten wordes more,
Tr 4 665 Ygraunted was in chaunge of Antenore.
Tr 4 666 The whiche tale anon-right as Criseyde
Tr 4 667 Hadde herd, she, which that of hire fader roughte,
Tr 4 668 As in this cas, right nought, ne whan he deyde,
Tr 4 669 Ful bisily to Jupiter bisoughte
Tr 4 670 Yeve hem meschaunce that this tretis broughte;
Tr 4 671 But shortly, lest thise tales sothe were,
Tr 4 672 She dorst at no wight asken it, for fere.
Tr 4 673 As she that hadde hire herte and al hire mynde
Tr 4 674 On Troilus iset so wonder faste
Tr 4 675 That al this world ne myghte hire love unbynde,
Tr 4 676 Ne Troilus out of hire herte caste,
Tr 4 677 She wol ben his, while that hire lif may laste.
Tr 4 678 And thus she brenneth both in love and drede,
Tr 4 679 So that she nyste what was best to reede.
Tr 4 680 But as men seen in towne and al aboute
Tr 4 681 That wommen usen frendes to visite,
Tr 4 682 So to Criseyde of wommen com a route,
Tr 4 683 For pitous joie, and wenden hire delite;
Tr 4 684 And with hire tales, deere ynough a myte,
Tr 4 685 Thise wommen, which that in the cite dwelle,
Tr 4 686 They sette hem down and seyde as I shall telle.
Tr 4 687 Quod first that oon, "I am glad, trewely,
Tr 4 688 Bycause of yow, that shal youre fader see."
Tr 4 689 Another seyde, "Ywis, so nam nat I,
Tr 4 690 For al to litel hath she with us be."
Tr 4 691 Quod tho the thridde, "I hope, ywis, that she
Tr 4 692 Shal bryngen us the pees on every syde,
Tr 4 693 That, whan she goth, almyghty God hire gide!"
Tr 4 694 Tho wordes and tho wommanysshe thynges,
Tr 4 695 She herde hem right as though she thennes were;
Tr 4 696 For God it woot, hire herte on othir thyng is.
Tr 4 697 Although the body sat among hem there,
Tr 4 698 Hire advertence is alwey elleswhere,
Tr 4 699 For Troilus ful faste hire soule soughte;
Tr 4 700 Withouten word, on hym alwey she thoughte.
Tr 4 701 Thise wommen, that thus wenden hire to plese,
Tr 4 702 Aboute naught gonne alle hire tales spende.
Tr 4 703 Swich vanyte ne kan don hire non ese,
Tr 4 704 As she that al this mene while brende
Tr 4 705 Of other passioun than that they wende,
Tr 4 706 So that she felte almost hire herte dye
Tr 4 707 For wo and wery of that compaignie.
Tr 4 708 For which no lenger myghte she restreyne
Tr 4 709 Hir teeris, so they gonnen up to welle,
Tr 4 710 That yaven signes of the bittre peyne
Tr 4 711 In which hir spirit was, and moste dwelle,
Tr 4 712 Remembryng hir, fro heven into which helle
Tr 4 713 She fallen was, syn she forgoth the syghte
Tr 4 714 Of Troilus, and sorwfully she sighte.
Tr 4 715 And thilke fooles sittynge hire aboute
Tr 4 716 Wenden that she wepte and siked sore
Tr 4 717 Bycause that she sholde out of that route
Tr 4 718 Departe, and nevere pleye with hem more.
Tr 4 719 And they that hadde yknowen hire of yore
Tr 4 720 Seigh hire so wepe and thoughte it kyndenesse,
Tr 4 721 And ech of hem wepte ek for hire destresse.
Tr 4 722 And bisyly they gonnen hire comforten
Tr 4 723 Of thyng, God woot, on which she litel thoughte;
Tr 4 724 And with hire tales wenden hire disporten,
Tr 4 725 And to be glad they often hire bysoughte;
Tr 4 726 But swich an ese therwith they hire wroughte,
Tr 4 727 Right as a man is esed for to feele
Tr 4 728 For ache of hed to clawen hym on his heele!
Tr 4 729 But after al this nyce vanyte
Tr 4 730 They toke hire leve, and hom they wenten alle.
Tr 4 731 Criseyde, ful of sorwful piete,
Tr 4 732 Into hire chambre up went out of the halle,
Tr 4 733 And on hire bed she gan for ded to falle,
Tr 4 734 In purpos nevere thennes for to rise;
Tr 4 735 And thus she wroughte, as I shal yow devyse.
Tr 4 736 Hire ownded heer, that sonnyssh was of hewe,
Tr 4 737 She rente, and ek hire fyngeres longe and smale
Tr 4 738 She wrong ful ofte, and bad God on hire rewe,
Tr 4 739 And with the deth to doon boote on hire bale.
Tr 4 740 Hire hewe, whilom bright, that tho was pale,
Tr 4 741 Bar witnesse of hire wo and hire constreynte;
Tr 4 742 And thus she spak, sobbyng in hire compleynte:
Tr 4 743 "Allas," quod she, "out of this regioun
Tr 4 744 I, woful wrecche and infortuned wight,
Tr 4 745 And born in corsed constellacioun,
Tr 4 746 Moot goon and thus departen fro my knyght!
Tr 4 747 Wo worth, allas, that ilke dayes light
Tr 4 748 On which I saugh hym first with eyen tweyne,
Tr 4 749 That causeth me, and ich hym, al this peyne!"
Tr 4 750 Therwith the teris from hire eyen two
Tr 4 751 Down fille, as shour in Aperil ful swithe;
Tr 4 752 Hire white brest she bet, and for the wo
Tr 4 753 After the deth she cryed a thousand sithe,
Tr 4 754 Syn he that wont hire wo was for to lithe
Tr 4 755 She moot forgon; for which disaventure
Tr 4 756 She held hireself a forlost creature.
Tr 4 757 She seyde, "How shal he don, and ich also?
Tr 4 758 How sholde I lyve if that I from hym twynne?
Tr 4 759 O deere herte eke, that I love so,
Tr 4 760 Who shal that sorwe slen that ye ben inne?
Tr 4 761 O Calkas, fader, thyn be al this synne!
Tr 4 762 O moder myn, that cleped were Argyve,
Tr 4 763 Wo worth that day that thow me bere on lyve!
Tr 4 764 "To what fyn sholde I lyve and sorwen thus?
Tr 4 765 How sholde a fissh withouten water dure?
Tr 4 766 What is Criseyde worth, from Troilus?
Tr 4 767 How sholde a plaunte or lyves creature
Tr 4 768 Lyve withouten his kynde noriture?
Tr 4 769 For which ful ofte a by-word here I seye,
Tr 4 770 That `rooteles moot grene soone deye.'
Tr 4 771 "I shal doon thus -- syn neither swerd ne darte
Tr 4 772 Dar I noon handle, for the crueltee --
Tr 4 773 That ilke day that I from yow departe,
Tr 4 774 If sorwe of that nyl nat my bane be:
Tr 4 775 Thanne shal no mete or drynke come in me
Tr 4 776 Til I my soule out of my breste unshethe,
Tr 4 777 And thus myselven wol I don to dethe.
Tr 4 778 "And, Troilus, my clothes everychon
Tr 4 779 Shul blake ben in tokenyng, herte swete,
Tr 4 780 That I am as out of this world agon,
Tr 4 781 That wont was yow to setten in quiete;
Tr 4 782 And of myn ordre, ay til deth me mete,
Tr 4 783 The observance evere, in youre absence,
Tr 4 784 Shal sorwe ben, compleynt, and abstinence.
Tr 4 785 "Myn herte and ek the woful goost therinne
Tr 4 786 Byqueth. I with youre spirit to compleyne
Tr 4 787 Eternaly, for they shal nevere twynne;
Tr 4 788 For though in erthe ytwynned be we tweyne,
Tr 4 789 Yet in the feld of pite, out of peyne,
Tr 4 790 That highte Elisos, shal we ben yfeere,
Tr 4 791 As Orpheus and Erudice, his fere.
Tr 4 792 "Thus, herte myn, for Antenor, allas,
Tr 4 793 I soone shal be chaunged, as I wene.
Tr 4 794 But how shul ye don in this sorwful cas?
Tr 4 795 How shal youre tendre herte this sustene?
Tr 4 796 But, herte myn, foryete this sorwe and tene,
Tr 4 797 And me also; for sothly for to seye,
Tr 4 798 So ye wel fare, I recche naught to deye."
Tr 4 799 How myghte it evere yred ben or ysonge,
Tr 4 800 The pleynte that she made in hire destresse?
Tr 4 801 I not; but, as for me, my litel tonge,
Tr 4 802 If I discryven wolde hire hevynesse,
Tr 4 803 It sholde make hire sorwe seme lesse
Tr 4 804 Than that it was, and childisshly deface
Tr 4 805 Hire heigh compleynte, and therfore ich it pace.
Tr 4 806 Pandare, which that sent from Troilus
Tr 4 807 Was to Criseyde -- as ye han herd devyse
Tr 4 808 That for the beste it was acorded thus,
Tr 4 809 And he ful glad to doon hym that servyse --
Tr 4 810 Unto Criseyde, in a ful secree wise,
Tr 4 811 Ther as she lay in torment and in rage,
Tr 4 812 Com hire to telle al hoolly his message,
Tr 4 813 And fond that she hireselven gan to trete
Tr 4 814 Ful pitously, for with hire salte teris
Tr 4 815 Hire brest, hire face, ybathed was ful wete;
Tr 4 816 The myghty tresses of hire sonnysshe heeris
Tr 4 817 Unbroiden hangen al aboute hire eeris,
Tr 4 818 Which yaf hym verray signal of martire
Tr 4 819 Of deth, which that hire herte gan desire.
Tr 4 820 Whan she hym saugh, she gan for shame anon
Tr 4 821 Hire tery face atwixe hire armes hide;
Tr 4 822 For which this Pandare is so wo-bygon
Tr 4 823 That in the hous he myghte unnethe abyde,
Tr 4 824 As he that pite felt on every syde;
Tr 4 825 For if Criseyde hadde erst compleyned soore,
Tr 4 826 Tho gan she pleyne a thousand tymes more.
Tr 4 827 And in hire aspre pleynte thus she seyde:
Tr 4 828 "Pandare first of joies mo than two
Tr 4 829 Was cause causyng unto me, Criseyde,
Tr 4 830 That now transmewed ben in cruel wo.
Tr 4 831 Wher shal I seye to yow welcom or no,
Tr 4 832 That alderfirst me broughte unto servyse
Tr 4 833 Of love -- allas! -- that endeth in swich wise?
Tr 4 834 "Endeth than love in wo? Ye, or men lieth,
Tr 4 835 And alle worldly blisse, as thynketh me.
Tr 4 836 The ende of blisse ay sorwe it occupieth.
Tr 4 837 And whoso troweth nat that it so be,
Tr 4 838 Lat hym upon me, woful wrecche, ysee,
Tr 4 839 That myself hate and ay my burthe acorse,
Tr 4 840 Felyng alwey fro wikke I go to worse.
Tr 4 841 "Whoso me seeth, he seeth sorwe al atonys --
Tr 4 842 Peyne, torment, pleynte, wo, distresse!
Tr 4 843 Out of my woful body harm ther noon is,
Tr 4 844 As angwissh, langour, cruel bitternesse,
Tr 4 845 Anoy, smert, drede, fury, and ek siknesse.
Tr 4 846 I trowe, ywys, from hevene teeris reyne
Tr 4 847 For pite of myn aspre and cruel peyne."
Tr 4 848 "And thow, my suster, ful of discomfort,"
Tr 4 849 Quod Pandarus, "what thynkestow to do?
Tr 4 850 Whi ne hastow to thyselven som resport?
Tr 4 851 Whi wiltow thus thiself, allas, fordo?
Tr 4 852 Leef al this werk, and tak now heede to
Tr 4 853 That I shal seyn; and herkne of good entente
Tr 4 854 This which by me thi Troilus the sente."
Tr 4 855 Tornede hire tho Criseyde, a wo makynge
Tr 4 856 So gret that it a deth was for to see.
Tr 4 857 "Allas," quod she, "what wordes may ye brynge?
Tr 4 858 What wol my deere herte seyn to me,
Tr 4 859 Which that I drede nevere mo to see?
Tr 4 860 Wol he han pleynte or teris er I wende?
Tr 4 861 I have ynough, if he therafter sende!"
Tr 4 862 She was right swich to seen in hire visage
Tr 4 863 As is that wight that men on beere bynde;
Tr 4 864 Hire face, lik of Paradys the ymage,
Tr 4 865 Was al ychaunged in another kynde.
Tr 4 866 The pleye, the laughter, men was wont to fynde
Tr 4 867 On hire, and ek hire joies everichone,
Tr 4 868 Ben fled; and thus lith now Criseyde allone.
Tr 4 869 Aboute hire eyen two a purpre ryng
Tr 4 870 Bytrent, in sothfast tokenyng of hire peyne,
Tr 4 871 That to biholde it was a dedly thyng;
Tr 4 872 For which Pandare myghte nat restreyne
Tr 4 873 The teeris from his eighen for to reyne;
Tr 4 874 But natheles, as he best myghte, he seyde
Tr 4 875 From Troilus thise wordes to Criseyde:
Tr 4 876 "Lo, nece, I trowe ye han herd al how
Tr 4 877 The kyng with othere lordes, for the beste,
Tr 4 878 Hath mad eschaunge of Antenor and yow,
Tr 4 879 That cause is of this sorwe and this unreste.
Tr 4 880 But how this cas dooth Troilus moleste,
Tr 4 881 That may non erthly mannes tonge seye --
Tr 4 882 As he that shortly shapith hym to deye.
Tr 4 883 "For which we han so sorwed, he and I,
Tr 4 884 That into litel bothe it hadde us slawe;
Tr 4 885 But thorugh my conseyl this day finaly
Tr 4 886 He somwhat is fro wepynge now withdrawe,
Tr 4 887 And semeth me that he desireth fawe
Tr 4 888 With yow to ben al nyght, for to devyse
Tr 4 889 Remedie in this, if ther were any wyse.
Tr 4 890 "This, short and pleyn, th' effect of my message,
Tr 4 891 As ferforth as my wit kan comprehende,
Tr 4 892 For ye that ben of torment in swich rage
Tr 4 893 May to no long prologe as now entende.
Tr 4 894 And hereupon ye may answere hym sende;
Tr 4 895 And for the love of God, my nece deere,
Tr 4 896 So lef this wo er Troilus be here!"
Tr 4 897 "Gret is my wo," quod she, and sighte soore
Tr 4 898 As she that feleth dedly sharp distresse;
Tr 4 899 "But yit to me his sorwe is muchel more,
Tr 4 900 That love hym bet than he hymself, I gesse.
Tr 4 901 Allas, for me hath he swich hevynesse?
Tr 4 902 Kan he for me so pitously compleyne?
Tr 4 903 Iwis, his sorwe doubleth al my peyne.
Tr 4 904 "Grevous to me, God woot, is for to twynne,"
Tr 4 905 Quod she, "but yet it harder is to me
Tr 4 906 To sen that sorwe which that he is inne;
Tr 4 907 For wel I woot it wol my bane be,
Tr 4 908 And deye I wol in certeyn," tho quod she;
Tr 4 909 "But bid hym come, er deth, that thus me threteth,
Tr 4 910 Dryve out that goost which in myn herte beteth."
Tr 4 911 Thise wordes seyd, she on hire armes two
Tr 4 912 Fil gruf, and gan to wepen pitously.
Tr 4 913 Quod Pandarus, "Allas, whi do ye so,
Tr 4 914 Syn wel ye woot the tyme is faste by
Tr 4 915 That he shal come? Aris up hastily,
Tr 4 916 That he yow nat bywopen thus ne fynde,
Tr 4 917 But ye wole have hym wood out of his mynde.
Tr 4 918 "For wiste he that ye ferde in this manere,
Tr 4 919 He wolde hymselven sle; and if I wende
Tr 4 920 To han this fare, he sholde nat come here
Tr 4 921 For al the good that Priam may dispende.
Tr 4 922 For to what fyn he wolde anon pretende,
Tr 4 923 That knowe ich wel; and forthi yet I seye:
Tr 4 924 So lef this sorwe, or platly he wol deye.
Tr 4 925 "And shapeth yow his sorwe for t' abregge,
Tr 4 926 And nought encresse, leeve nece swete!
Tr 4 927 Beth rather to hym cause of flat than egge,
Tr 4 928 And with som wisdom ye his sorwe bete.
Tr 4 929 What helpeth it to wepen ful a strete,
Tr 4 930 Or though ye bothe in salte teeris dreynte?
Tr 4 931 Bet is a tyme of cure ay than of pleynte.
Tr 4 932 "I mene thus: whan ich hym hider brynge,
Tr 4 933 Syn ye be wise and bothe of oon assent,
Tr 4 934 So shapeth how destourbe youre goynge,
Tr 4 935 Or come ayeyn soon after ye be went.
Tr 4 936 Women ben wise in short avysement;
Tr 4 937 And lat sen how youre wit shal now availle,
Tr 4 938 And that that I may helpe, it shal nat faille."
Tr 4 939 "Go," quod Criseyde, "and uncle, trewely,
Tr 4 940 I shal don al my myght me to restreyne
Tr 4 941 From wepyng in his sighte, and bisily
Tr 4 942 Hym for to glade I shal don al my peyne,
Tr 4 943 And in myn herte seken every veyne.
Tr 4 944 If to his sore ther may be fonden salve,
Tr 4 945 It shal nat lakke, certeyn, on my halve."
Tr 4 946 Goth Pandarus, and Troilus he soughte
Tr 4 947 Til in a temple he fond hym al allone,
Tr 4 948 As he that of his lif no lenger roughte;
Tr 4 949 But to the pitouse goddes everichone
Tr 4 950 Ful tendrely he preyde and made his mone,
Tr 4 951 To doon hym sone out of this world to pace,
Tr 4 952 For wel he thoughte ther was non other grace.
Tr 4 953 And shortly, al the sothe for to seye,
Tr 4 954 He was so fallen in despeir that day,
Tr 4 955 That outrely he shop hym for to deye.
Tr 4 956 For right thus was his argument alway:
Tr 4 957 He seyde he nas but lorn, weylaway!
Tr 4 958 "For al that comth, comth by necessitee:
Tr 4 959 Thus to ben lorn, it is my destinee.
Tr 4 960 "For certeynly, this wot I wel," he seyde,
Tr 4 961 "That forsight of divine purveyaunce
Tr 4 962 Hath seyn alwey me to forgon Criseyde,
Tr 4 963 Syn God seeth every thyng, out of doutaunce,
Tr 4 964 And hem disponyth, thorugh his ordinaunce,
Tr 4 965 In hire merites sothly for to be,
Tr 4 966 As they shul comen by predestyne.
Tr 4 967 "But natheles, allas, whom shal I leeve?
Tr 4 968 For ther ben grete clerkes many oon
Tr 4 969 That destyne thorugh argumentes preve;
Tr 4 970 And som men seyn that nedely ther is noon,
Tr 4 971 But that fre chois is yeven us everychon.
Tr 4 972 O, welaway! So sleighe arn clerkes olde
Tr 4 973 That I not whos opynyoun I may holde.
Tr 4 974 "For som men seyn, if God seth al biforn --
Tr 4 975 Ne God may nat deceyved ben, parde --
Tr 4 976 Than moot it fallen, theigh men hadde it sworn,
Tr 4 977 That purveiance hath seyn before to be.
Tr 4 978 Wherfore I sey, that from eterne if he
Tr 4 979 Hath wist byforn oure thought ek as oure dede,
Tr 4 980 We han no fre chois, as thise clerkes rede.
Tr 4 981 "For other thought, nor other dede also,
Tr 4 982 Myghte nevere ben, but swich as purveyaunce,
Tr 4 983 Which may nat ben deceyved nevere mo,
Tr 4 984 Hath feled byforn, withouten ignoraunce.
Tr 4 985 For yf ther myghte ben a variaunce
Tr 4 986 To writhen out fro Goddis purveyinge,
Tr 4 987 Ther nere no prescience of thyng comynge,
Tr 4 988 "But it were rather an opynyoun
Tr 4 989 Uncerteyn, and no stedfast forseynge;
Tr 4 990 And certes, that were an abusioun,
Tr 4 991 That God sholde han no parfit cler wytynge
Tr 4 992 More than we men that han doutous wenynge.
Tr 4 993 But swich an errour upon God to gesse
Tr 4 994 Were fals and foul, and wikked corsednesse.
Tr 4 995 "Ek this is an opynyoun of some
Tr 4 996 That han hire top ful heighe and smothe yshore:
Tr 4 997 They seyn right thus, that thyng is nat to come
Tr 4 998 For that the prescience hath seyn byfore
Tr 4 999 That it shal come; but they seyn that therfore
Tr 4 1000 That it shal come, therfore the purveyaunce
Tr 4 1001 Woot it byforn, withouten ignoraunce;
Tr 4 1002 "And in this manere this necessite
Tr 4 1003 Retorneth in his part contrarie agayn.
Tr 4 1004 For nedfully byhoveth it nat to bee
Tr 4 1005 That thilke thynges fallen in certayn
Tr 4 1006 That ben purveyed; but nedly, as they sayn,
Tr 4 1007 Byhoveth it that thynges whiche that falle,
Tr 4 1008 That they in certayn ben purveyed alle.
Tr 4 1009 "I mene as though I laboured me in this
Tr 4 1010 To enqueren which thyng cause of which thyng be:
Tr 4 1011 As wheither that the prescience of God is
Tr 4 1012 The certeyn cause of the necessite
Tr 4 1013 Of thynges that to comen ben, parde,
Tr 4 1014 Or if necessite of thyng comynge
Tr 4 1015 Be cause certeyn of the purveyinge.
Tr 4 1016 "But now n' enforce I me nat in shewynge
Tr 4 1017 How the ordre of causes stant; but wel woot I
Tr 4 1018 That it byhoveth that the byfallynge
Tr 4 1019 Of thynges wist byfore certeynly
Tr 4 1020 Be necessarie, al seme it nat therby
Tr 4 1021 That prescience put fallynge necessaire
Tr 4 1022 To thyng to come, al falle it foule or faire.
Tr 4 1023 "For if ther sitte a man yond on a see,
Tr 4 1024 Than by necessite bihoveth it
Tr 4 1025 That, certes, thyn opynyoun sooth be
Tr 4 1026 That wenest or conjectest that he sit.
Tr 4 1027 And further over now ayeynward yit,
Tr 4 1028 Lo, right so is it of the part contrarie,
Tr 4 1029 As thus -- now herkne, for I wol nat tarie:
Tr 4 1030 "I sey that if the opynyoun of the
Tr 4 1031 Be soth, for that he sitte, than sey I this:
Tr 4 1032 That he mot sitten by necessite;
Tr 4 1033 And thus necessite in eyther is.
Tr 4 1034 For in hym, nede of sittynge is, ywys,
Tr 4 1035 And in the, nede of soth; and thus, forsothe,
Tr 4 1036 There mot necessite ben in yow bothe.
Tr 4 1037 "But thow mayst seyn, the man sit nat therfore
Tr 4 1038 That thyn opynyoun of his sittynge soth is,
Tr 4 1039 But rather, for the man sit ther byfore,
Tr 4 1040 Therfore is thyn opynyoun soth, ywis.
Tr 4 1041 And I seye, though the cause of soth of this
Tr 4 1042 Comth of his sittyng, yet necessite
Tr 4 1043 Is entrechaunged, both in hym and the.
Tr 4 1044 "Thus in this same wise, out of doutaunce,
Tr 4 1045 I may wel maken, as it semeth me,
Tr 4 1046 My resonyng of Goddes purveyaunce
Tr 4 1047 And of the thynges that to comen be;
Tr 4 1048 By which resoun men may wel yse
Tr 4 1049 That thilke thynges that in erthe falle,
Tr 4 1050 That by necessite they comen alle.
Tr 4 1051 "For although that for thyng shal come, ywys,
Tr 4 1052 Therfore is it purveyed, certeynly --
Tr 4 1053 Nat that it comth for it purveyed is --
Tr 4 1054 Yet natheles, bihoveth it nedfully
Tr 4 1055 That thing to come be purveyd, trewely,
Tr 4 1056 Or elles, thynges that purveyed be,
Tr 4 1057 That they bitiden by necessite.
Tr 4 1058 "And this suffiseth right ynough, certeyn,
Tr 4 1059 For to destruye oure fre chois every del.
Tr 4 1060 But now is this abusioun, to seyn
Tr 4 1061 That fallyng of the thynges temporel
Tr 4 1062 Is cause of Goddes prescience eternel.
Tr 4 1063 Now trewely, that is a fals sentence,
Tr 4 1064 That thyng to come sholde cause his prescience.
Tr 4 1065 "What myght I wene, and I hadde swich a thought,
Tr 4 1066 But that God purveyeth thyng that is to come
Tr 4 1067 For that it is to come, and ellis nought?
Tr 4 1068 So myghte I wene that thynges alle and some
Tr 4 1069 That whilom ben byfalle and overcome
Tr 4 1070 Ben cause of thilke sovereyne purveyaunce
Tr 4 1071 That forwoot al withouten ignoraunce.
Tr 4 1072 "And over al this, yet sey I more herto:
Tr 4 1073 That right as whan I wot ther is a thyng,
Tr 4 1074 Iwys, that thyng moot nedfully be so;
Tr 4 1075 Ek right so, whan I woot a thyng comyng,
Tr 4 1076 So mot it come; and thus the bifallyng
Tr 4 1077 Of thynges that ben wist bifore the tyde,
Tr 4 1078 They mowe nat ben eschued on no syde."
Tr 4 1079 Thanne seyde he thus: "Almyghty Jove in trone,
Tr 4 1080 That woost of al thys thyng the sothfastnesse,
Tr 4 1081 Rewe on my sorwe: or do me deyen sone,
Tr 4 1082 Or bryng Criseyde and me fro this destresse!"
Tr 4 1083 And whil he was in al this hevynesse,
Tr 4 1084 Disputyng with hymself in this matere,
Tr 4 1085 Com Pandare in, and seyde as ye may here:
Tr 4 1086 "O myghty God," quod Pandarus, "in trone,
Tr 4 1087 I! Who say evere a wis man faren so?
Tr 4 1088 Whi, Troilus, what thinkestow to doone?
Tr 4 1089 Hastow swich lust to ben thyn owen fo?
Tr 4 1090 What, parde, yet is nat Criseyde ago!
Tr 4 1091 Whi list the so thiself fordoon for drede
Tr 4 1092 That in thyn hed thyne eyen semen dede?
Tr 4 1093 "Hastow nat lyved many a yer byforn
Tr 4 1094 Withouten hire, and ferd ful wel at ese?
Tr 4 1095 Artow for hire and for noon other born?
Tr 4 1096 Hath Kynde the wrought al only hire to plese?
Tr 4 1097 Lat be, and thynk right thus in thi disese:
Tr 4 1098 That, in the dees right as ther fallen chaunces,
Tr 4 1099 Right so in love ther come and gon plesaunces.
Tr 4 1100 "And yet this is a wonder most of alle,
Tr 4 1101 Whi thow thus sorwest, syn thow nost nat yit,
Tr 4 1102 Touchyng hire goyng, how that it shal falle,
Tr 4 1103 Ne yif she kan hireself destourben it.
Tr 4 1104 Thow hast nat yet assayed al hire wit.
Tr 4 1105 A man may al bytyme his nekke beede
Tr 4 1106 Whan it shal of, and sorwen at the nede.
Tr 4 1107 "Forthi tak hede of that that I shal seye:
Tr 4 1108 I have with hire yspoke and longe ybe,
Tr 4 1109 So as acorded was bitwixe us tweye;
Tr 4 1110 And evere mor me thynketh thus, that she
Tr 4 1111 Hath somwhat in hire hertes privete
Tr 4 1112 Wherwith she kan, if I shal right arede,
Tr 4 1113 Destourbe al this of which thow art in drede.
Tr 4 1114 "For which my counseil is, whan it is nyght
Tr 4 1115 Thow to hire go and make of this an ende;
Tr 4 1116 And blisful Juno thorugh hire grete myght
Tr 4 1117 Shal, as I hope, hire grace unto us sende.
Tr 4 1118 Myn herte seyth, `Certeyn, she shal nat wende.'
Tr 4 1119 And forthi put thyn herte a while in reste,
Tr 4 1120 And hold this purpos, for it is the beste."
Tr 4 1121 This Troilus answerd, and sighte soore:
Tr 4 1122 "Thow seist right wel, and I wol don right so."
Tr 4 1123 And what hym liste, he seyde unto it more.
Tr 4 1124 And whan that it was tyme for to go,
Tr 4 1125 Ful pryvely hymself, withouten mo,
Tr 4 1126 Unto hire com, as he was wont to doone;
Tr 4 1127 And how they wroughte, I shal yow tellen soone.
Tr 4 1128 Soth is, that whan they gonnen first to mete,
Tr 4 1129 So gan the peyne hire hertes for to twiste
Tr 4 1130 That neyther of hem other myghte grete,
Tr 4 1131 But hem in armes toke, and after kiste.
Tr 4 1132 The lasse woful of hem bothe nyste
Tr 4 1133 Wher that he was, ne myghte o word out brynge,
Tr 4 1134 As I seyde erst, for wo and for sobbynge.
Tr 4 1135 The woful teeris that they leten falle
Tr 4 1136 As bittre weren, out of teris kynde,
Tr 4 1137 For peyne, as is ligne aloes or galle --
Tr 4 1138 So bittre teeris weep nought, as I fynde,
Tr 4 1139 The woful Mirra thorugh the bark and rynde --
Tr 4 1140 That in this world ther nys so hard an herte
Tr 4 1141 That nolde han rewed on hire peynes smerte.
Tr 4 1142 But whan hire woful weri goostes tweyne
Tr 4 1143 Retourned ben ther as hem oughte dwelle,
Tr 4 1144 And that somwhat to wayken gan the peyne
Tr 4 1145 By lengthe of pleynte, and ebben gan the welle
Tr 4 1146 Of hire teeris, and the herte unswelle,
Tr 4 1147 With broken vois, al hoors forshright, Criseyde
Tr 4 1148 To Troilus thise ilke wordes seyde:
Tr 4 1149 "O Jove, I deye, and mercy I beseche!
Tr 4 1150 Help, Troilus!" And therwithal hire face
Tr 4 1151 Upon his brest she leyde and loste speche --
Tr 4 1152 Hire woful spirit from his propre place,
Tr 4 1153 Right with the word, alwey o poynt to pace.
Tr 4 1154 And thus she lith with hewes pale and grene,
Tr 4 1155 That whilom fressh and fairest was to sene.
Tr 4 1156 This Troilus, that on hire gan biholde,
Tr 4 1157 Clepyng hire name -- and she lay as for ded --
Tr 4 1158 Without answere, and felte hire lymes colde,
Tr 4 1159 Hire eyen throwen upward to hire hed,
Tr 4 1160 This sorwful man kan now noon other red,
Tr 4 1161 But ofte tyme hire colde mowth he kiste.
Tr 4 1162 Wher hym was wo, God and hymself it wiste!
Tr 4 1163 He rist hym up, and long streght he hire leyde;
Tr 4 1164 For signe of lif, for aught he kan or may,
Tr 4 1165 Kan he non fynde in nothyng on Criseyde,
Tr 4 1166 For which his song ful ofte is "weylaway!"
Tr 4 1167 But whan he saugh that specheles she lay,
Tr 4 1168 With sorweful vois and herte of blisse al bare,
Tr 4 1169 He seyde how she was fro this world yfare.
Tr 4 1170 So after that he longe hadde hire compleyned,
Tr 4 1171 His hondes wrong, and seyd that was to seye,
Tr 4 1172 And with his teeris salt hire brest byreyned,
Tr 4 1173 He gan tho teeris wypen of ful dreye,
Tr 4 1174 And pitously gan for the soule preye,
Tr 4 1175 And seyde, "O Lord, that set art in thi trone,
Tr 4 1176 Rewe ek on me, for I shal folwe hire sone!"
Tr 4 1177 She cold was, and withouten sentement
Tr 4 1178 For aught he woot, for breth ne felte he non,
Tr 4 1179 And this was hym a pregnant argument
Tr 4 1180 That she was forth out of this world agon.
Tr 4 1181 And whan he say ther was non other woon,
Tr 4 1182 He gan hire lymes dresse in swich manere
Tr 4 1183 As men don hem that shal ben layd on beere.
Tr 4 1184 And after this, with sterne and cruel herte,
Tr 4 1185 His swerd anon out of his shethe he twighte
Tr 4 1186 Hymself to slen, how sore that hym smerte,
Tr 4 1187 So that his soule hire soule folwen myghte
Tr 4 1188 Ther as the doom of Mynos wolde it dighte,
Tr 4 1189 Syn Love and cruel Fortune it ne wolde
Tr 4 1190 That in this world he lenger lyven sholde.
Tr 4 1191 Than seyde he thus, fulfild of heigh desdayn:
Tr 4 1192 "O cruel Jove, and thow, Fortune adverse,
Tr 4 1193 This al and som: that falsly have ye slayn
Tr 4 1194 Criseyde, and syn ye may do me no werse,
Tr 4 1195 Fy on youre myght and werkes so dyverse!
Tr 4 1196 Thus cowardly ye shul me nevere wynne;
Tr 4 1197 Ther shal no deth me fro my lady twynne.
Tr 4 1198 "For I this world, syn ye have slayn hire thus,
Tr 4 1199 Wol lete and folwe hire spirit low or hye.
Tr 4 1200 Shal nevere lovere seyn that Troilus
Tr 4 1201 Dar nat for fere with his lady dye;
Tr 4 1202 For certeyn I wol beere hire compaignie.
Tr 4 1203 But syn ye wol nat suffre us lyven here,
Tr 4 1204 Yet suffreth that oure soules ben yfere.
Tr 4 1205 "And thow, cite, which that I leve in wo,
Tr 4 1206 And thow, Priam, and bretheren alle yfeere,
Tr 4 1207 And thow, my moder, farwel, for I go;
Tr 4 1208 And Atropos, make redy thow my beere;
Tr 4 1209 And thow, Criseyde, o swete herte deere,
Tr 4 1210 Receyve now my spirit!" wolde he seye,
Tr 4 1211 With swerd at herte, al redy for to deye.
Tr 4 1212 But as God wolde, of swough therwith sh' abreyde,
Tr 4 1213 And gan to sike, and "Troilus" she cride;
Tr 4 1214 And he answerde, "Lady myn, Criseyde,
Tr 4 1215 Lyve ye yet?" and leet his swerd down glide.
Tr 4 1216 "Ye, herte myn, that thonked be Cipride!"
Tr 4 1217 Quod she; and therwithal she soore syghte,
Tr 4 1218 And he bigan conforte hire as he myghte,
Tr 4 1219 Took hire in armes two, and kiste hire ofte,
Tr 4 1220 And hire to glade he did al his entente;
Tr 4 1221 For which hire goost, that flikered ay o-lofte,
Tr 4 1222 Into hire woful herte ayeyn it wente.
Tr 4 1223 But at the laste, as that hire eye glente
Tr 4 1224 Asyde, anon she gan his swerd espie,
Tr 4 1225 As it lay bare, and gan for fere crye,
Tr 4 1226 And asked hym, whi he it hadde out drawe.
Tr 4 1227 And Troilus anon the cause hire tolde,
Tr 4 1228 And how hymself therwith he wolde han slawe;
Tr 4 1229 For which Criseyde upon hym gan biholde,
Tr 4 1230 And gan hym in hire armes faste folde,
Tr 4 1231 And seyde, "O mercy, God! Lo, which a dede!
Tr 4 1232 Allas, how neigh we weren bothe dede!
Tr 4 1233 "Than if I nadde spoken, as grace was,
Tr 4 1234 Ye wolde han slayn youreself anon?" quod she.
Tr 4 1235 "Yee, douteles"; and she answerde, "Allas,
Tr 4 1236 For by that ilke Lord that made me,
Tr 4 1237 I nolde a forlong wey on lyve have be
Tr 4 1238 After youre deth, to han ben crowned queene
Tr 4 1239 Of al that lond the sonne on shyneth sheene.
Tr 4 1240 "But with this selve swerd, which that here is,
Tr 4 1241 Myselve I wolde han slawe," quod she tho.
Tr 4 1242 "But hoo, for we han right ynough of this,
Tr 4 1243 And lat us rise, and streght to bedde go,
Tr 4 1244 And there lat us speken of oure wo;
Tr 4 1245 For, by the morter which that I se brenne,
Tr 4 1246 Knowe I ful wel that day is nat far henne."
Tr 4 1247 Whan they were in hire bed, in armes folde,
Tr 4 1248 Naught was it lik tho nyghtes here-byforn.
Tr 4 1249 For pitously ech other gan byholde,
Tr 4 1250 As they that hadden al hire blisse ylorn,
Tr 4 1251 Bywaylinge ay the day that they were born;
Tr 4 1252 Til at the laste this sorwful wight, Criseyde,
Tr 4 1253 To Troilus thise ilke wordes seyde:
Tr 4 1254 "Lo, herte myn, wel woot ye this," quod she,
Tr 4 1255 "That if a wight alwey his wo compleyne
Tr 4 1256 And seketh nought how holpen for to be,
Tr 4 1257 It nys but folie and encrees of peyne;
Tr 4 1258 And syn that here assembled be we tweyne
Tr 4 1259 To fynde boote of wo that we ben inne,
Tr 4 1260 It were al tyme soone to bygynne.
Tr 4 1261 "I am a womman, as ful wel ye woot,
Tr 4 1262 And as I am avysed sodeynly,
Tr 4 1263 So wol I telle yow, whil it is hoot.
Tr 4 1264 Me thynketh thus: that nouther ye nor I
Tr 4 1265 Ought half this wo to maken, skilfully;
Tr 4 1266 For ther is art ynough for to redresse
Tr 4 1267 That yet is mys, and slen this hevynesse.
Tr 4 1268 "Soth is, the wo, the which that we ben inne,
Tr 4 1269 For aught I woot, for nothyng ellis is
Tr 4 1270 But for the cause that we sholden twynne.
Tr 4 1271 Considered al, ther nys namore amys.
Tr 4 1272 But what is thanne a remede unto this,
Tr 4 1273 But that we shape us soone for to meete?
Tr 4 1274 This al and som, my deere herte sweete.
Tr 4 1275 "Now, that I shal wel bryngen it aboute
Tr 4 1276 To come ayeyn, soone after that I go,
Tr 4 1277 Therof am I no manere thyng in doute;
Tr 4 1278 For, dredeles, withinne a wowke or two
Tr 4 1279 I shal ben here; and that it may be so
Tr 4 1280 By alle right and in a wordes fewe,
Tr 4 1281 I shal yow wel an heep of weyes shewe.
Tr 4 1282 "For which I wol nat make long sermoun --
Tr 4 1283 For tyme ylost may nought recovered be --
Tr 4 1284 But I wol gon to my conclusioun,
Tr 4 1285 And to the beste, in aught that I kan see.
Tr 4 1286 And for the love of God, foryeve it me
Tr 4 1287 If I speke aught ayeyns youre hertes reste;
Tr 4 1288 For trewely, I speke it for the beste,
Tr 4 1289 "Makyng alwey a protestacioun
Tr 4 1290 That now thise wordes which that I shal seye
Tr 4 1291 Nis but to shewen yow my mocioun
Tr 4 1292 To fynde unto oure help the beste weye;
Tr 4 1293 And taketh it non other wise, I preye,
Tr 4 1294 For in effect, what so ye me comaunde,
Tr 4 1295 That wol I don, for that is no demaunde.
Tr 4 1296 "Now herkneth this: ye han wel understonde
Tr 4 1297 My goyng graunted is by parlement
Tr 4 1298 So ferforth that it may nat be withstonde
Tr 4 1299 For al this world, as by my jugement.
Tr 4 1300 And syn ther helpeth non avisement
Tr 4 1301 To letten it, lat it passe out of mynde,
Tr 4 1302 And lat us shape a bettre wey to fynde.
Tr 4 1303 "The soth is this: the twynnyng of us tweyne
Tr 4 1304 Wol us disese and cruelich anoye,
Tr 4 1305 But hym byhoveth somtyme han a peyne
Tr 4 1306 That serveth Love, if that he wol have joye.
Tr 4 1307 And syn I shal no ferther out of Troie
Tr 4 1308 Than I may ride ayeyn on half a morwe,
Tr 4 1309 It oughte lesse causen us to sorwe;
Tr 4 1310 "So as I shal not so ben hid in muwe,
Tr 4 1311 That day by day, myn owne herte deere --
Tr 4 1312 Syn wel ye woot that it is now a trewe --
Tr 4 1313 Ye shal ful wel al myn estat yheere.
Tr 4 1314 And er that trewe is doon, I shal ben heere;
Tr 4 1315 And thanne have ye both Antenore ywonne
Tr 4 1316 And me also. Beth glad now, if ye konne,
Tr 4 1317 "And thenk right thus: `Criseyde is now agon.
Tr 4 1318 But what, she shal come hastiliche ayeyn!'
Tr 4 1319 And whanne, allas? By God, lo, right anon,
Tr 4 1320 Er dayes ten, this dar I saufly seyn.
Tr 4 1321 And than at erste shal we be so feyn,
Tr 4 1322 So as we shal togideres evere dwelle,
Tr 4 1323 That al this world ne myghte oure blisse telle.
Tr 4 1324 "I se that oft-tyme, there as we ben now,
Tr 4 1325 That for the beste, oure counseyl for to hide,
Tr 4 1326 Ye speke nat with me, nor I with yow
Tr 4 1327 In fourtenyght, ne se yow go ne ride.
Tr 4 1328 May ye naught ten dayes thanne abide,
Tr 4 1329 For myn honour, in swich an aventure?
Tr 4 1330 Iwys, ye mowen ellis lite endure!
Tr 4 1331 "Ye knowe ek how that al my kyn is heere,
Tr 4 1332 But if that onliche it my fader be,
Tr 4 1333 And ek myn othere thynges alle yfeere,
Tr 4 1334 And nameliche, my deere herte, ye,
Tr 4 1335 Whom that I nolde leven for to se
Tr 4 1336 For al this world, as wyd as it hath space,
Tr 4 1337 Or ellis se ich nevere Joves face!
Tr 4 1338 "Whi trowe ye my fader in this wise
Tr 4 1339 Coveyteth so to se me, but for drede
Tr 4 1340 Lest in this town that folkes me despise
Tr 4 1341 Because of hym, for his unhappy dede?
Tr 4 1342 What woot my fader what lif that I lede?
Tr 4 1343 For if he wiste in Troie how wel I fare,
Tr 4 1344 Us neded for my wendyng nought to care.
Tr 4 1345 "Ye sen that every day ek, more and more,
Tr 4 1346 Men trete of pees, and it supposid is
Tr 4 1347 That men the queene Eleyne shal restore,
Tr 4 1348 And Grekis us restoren that is mys;
Tr 4 1349 So, though ther nere comfort non but this,
Tr 4 1350 That men purposen pees on every syde,
Tr 4 1351 Ye may the bettre at ese of herte abyde.
Tr 4 1352 "For if that it be pees, myn herte deere,
Tr 4 1353 The nature of the pees moot nedes dryve
Tr 4 1354 That men moost entrecomunen yfeere,
Tr 4 1355 And to and fro ek ride and gon as blyve
Tr 4 1356 Alday as thikke as been fleen from an hyve,
Tr 4 1357 And every wight han liberte to bleve
Tr 4 1358 Whereas hym liste the bet, withouten leve.
Tr 4 1359 "And though so be that pees ther may be non,
Tr 4 1360 Yet hider, though ther nevere pees ne were,
Tr 4 1361 I moste come; for whider sholde I gon,
Tr 4 1362 Or how, meschaunce, sholde I dwelle there
Tr 4 1363 Among tho men of armes evere in feere?
Tr 4 1364 For which, as wisly God my soule rede,
Tr 4 1365 I kan nat sen wherof ye sholden drede.
Tr 4 1366 "Have here another wey, if it so be
Tr 4 1367 That al this thyng ne may yow nat suffise:
Tr 4 1368 My fader, as ye knowen wel, parde,
Tr 4 1369 Is old, and elde is ful of coveytise,
Tr 4 1370 And I right now have founden al the gise,
Tr 4 1371 Withouten net, wherwith I shal hym hente.
Tr 4 1372 And herkeneth how, if that ye wol assente:
Tr 4 1373 "Lo, Troilus, men seyn that hard it is
Tr 4 1374 The wolf ful and the wether hool to have;
Tr 4 1375 This is to seyn, that men ful ofte, iwys,
Tr 4 1376 Mote spenden part the remenant for to save;
Tr 4 1377 For ay with gold men may the herte grave
Tr 4 1378 Of hym that set is upon coveytise;
Tr 4 1379 And how I mene, I shal it yow devyse:
Tr 4 1380 "The moeble which that I have in this town
Tr 4 1381 Unto my fader shal I take, and seye
Tr 4 1382 That right for trust and for savacioun
Tr 4 1383 It sent is from a frend of his or tweye,
Tr 4 1384 The whiche frendes ferventliche hym preye
Tr 4 1385 To senden after more, and that in hie,
Tr 4 1386 Whil that this town stant thus in jupartie.
Tr 4 1387 "And that shal ben an huge quantite --
Tr 4 1388 Thus shal I seyn -- but lest it folk espide,
Tr 4 1389 This may be sent by no wyght but by me.
Tr 4 1390 I shal ek shewen hym, yf pees bytyde,
Tr 4 1391 What frendes that ich have on every syde
Tr 4 1392 Toward the court, to don the wrathe pace
Tr 4 1393 Of Priamus and don hym stonde in grace.
Tr 4 1394 "So what for o thyng and for other, swete,
Tr 4 1395 I shal hym so enchaunten with my sawes
Tr 4 1396 That right in hevene his sowle is, shal he mete;
Tr 4 1397 For al Appollo, or his clerkes lawes,
Tr 4 1398 Or calkullynge, avayleth nought thre hawes;
Tr 4 1399 Desir of gold shal so his soule blende
Tr 4 1400 That, as me lyst, I shal wel make an ende.
Tr 4 1401 "And yf he wolde ought by hys sort it preve
Tr 4 1402 If that I lye, in certayn I shal fonde
Tr 4 1403 Distorben hym and plukke hym by the sleve,
Tr 4 1404 Makynge his sort, and beren hym on honde
Tr 4 1405 He hath not wel the goddes understonde;
Tr 4 1406 For goddes speken in amphibologies,
Tr 4 1407 And for o soth they tellen twenty lyes.
Tr 4 1408 "Ek, `Drede fond first goddes, I suppose' --
Tr 4 1409 Thus shal I seyn -- and that his coward herte
Tr 4 1410 Made hym amys the goddes text to glose,
Tr 4 1411 Whan he for fered out of Delphos sterte.
Tr 4 1412 And but I make hym soone to converte
Tr 4 1413 And don my red withinne a day or tweye,
Tr 4 1414 I wol to yow oblige me to deye."
Tr 4 1415 And treweliche, as writen wel I fynde
Tr 4 1416 That al this thyng was seyd of good entente,
Tr 4 1417 And that hire herte trewe was and kynde
Tr 4 1418 Towardes hym, and spak right as she mente,
Tr 4 1419 And that she starf for wo neigh whan she wente,
Tr 4 1420 And was in purpos evere to be trewe:
Tr 4 1421 Thus writen they that of hire werkes knewe.
Tr 4 1422 This Troilus, with herte and erys spradde,
Tr 4 1423 Herde al this thyng devysen to and fro,
Tr 4 1424 And verrayliche him semed that he hadde
Tr 4 1425 The selve wit; but yet to late hire go
Tr 4 1426 His herte mysforyaf hym evere mo;
Tr 4 1427 But fynaly, he gan his herte wreste
Tr 4 1428 To trusten hire, and took it for the beste.
Tr 4 1429 For which the grete furie of his penaunce
Tr 4 1430 Was queynt with hope, and therwith hem bitwene
Tr 4 1431 Bigan for joie th' amorouse daunce;
Tr 4 1432 And as the briddes, whanne the sonne is shene,
Tr 4 1433 Deliten in hire song in leves grene,
Tr 4 1434 Right so the wordes that they spake yfeere
Tr 4 1435 Delited hem, and made hire hertes clere.
Tr 4 1436 But natheles, the wendyng of Criseyde,
Tr 4 1437 For al this world, may nat out of his mynde,
Tr 4 1438 For which ful ofte he pitously hire preyde
Tr 4 1439 That of hire heste he myghte hire trewe fynde,
Tr 4 1440 And seyde hire, "Certes, if ye be unkynde,
Tr 4 1441 And but ye come at day set into Troye,
Tr 4 1442 Ne shal I nevere have hele, honour, ne joye.
Tr 4 1443 "For also soth as sonne uprist o-morwe --
Tr 4 1444 And God so wisly thow me, woful wrecche,
Tr 4 1445 To reste brynge out of this cruel sorwe! --
Tr 4 1446 I wol myselven sle if that ye drecche.
Tr 4 1447 But of my deeth though litel be to recche,
Tr 4 1448 Yet, er that ye me causen so to smerte,
Tr 4 1449 Dwelle rather here, myn owen swete herte.
Tr 4 1450 "For trewely, myn owne lady deere,
Tr 4 1451 Tho sleghtes yet that I have herd yow stere
Tr 4 1452 Ful shaply ben to faylen alle yfeere.
Tr 4 1453 For thus men seyth `That on thenketh the beere,
Tr 4 1454 But al another thenketh his ledere.'
Tr 4 1455 Youre syre is wys; and seyd is, out of drede,
Tr 4 1456 `Men may the wise atrenne, and naught atrede.'
Tr 4 1457 "It is ful hard to halten unespied
Tr 4 1458 Byfore a crepel, for he kan the craft;
Tr 4 1459 Youre fader is in sleght as Argus eyed;
Tr 4 1460 For al be that his moeble is hym biraft,
Tr 4 1461 His olde sleighte is yet so with hym laft
Tr 4 1462 Ye shal nat blende hym for youre wommanhede,
Tr 4 1463 Ne feyne aright; and that is al my drede.
Tr 4 1464 "I not if pees shal evere mo bitide;
Tr 4 1465 But pees or no, for ernest ne for game,
Tr 4 1466 I woot, syn Calkas on the Grekis syde
Tr 4 1467 Hath ones ben and lost so foule his name,
Tr 4 1468 He dar nomore come here ayeyn for shame;
Tr 4 1469 For which that wey, for aught I kan espie,
Tr 4 1470 To trusten on nys but a fantasie.
Tr 4 1471 "Ye shal ek sen, youre fader shal yow glose
Tr 4 1472 To ben a wif; and as he kan wel preche,
Tr 4 1473 He shal som Grek so preyse and wel alose
Tr 4 1474 That ravysshen he shal yow with his speche,
Tr 4 1475 Or do yow don by force as he shal teche;
Tr 4 1476 And Troilus, of whom ye nyl han routhe,
Tr 4 1477 Shal causeles so sterven in his trouthe!
Tr 4 1478 "And over al this, youre fader shal despise
Tr 4 1479 Us alle, and seyn this cite nys but lorn,
Tr 4 1480 And that th' assege nevere shal aryse,
Tr 4 1481 For-whi the Grekis han it alle sworn,
Tr 4 1482 Til we be slayn and down oure walles torn.
Tr 4 1483 And thus he shal yow with his wordes fere,
Tr 4 1484 That ay drede I that ye wol bleven there.
Tr 4 1485 "Ye shal ek seen so many a lusty knyght
Tr 4 1486 Among the Grekis, ful of worthynesse,
Tr 4 1487 And ech of hem with herte, wit, and myght
Tr 4 1488 To plesen yow don al his bisynesse,
Tr 4 1489 That ye shul dullen of the rudenesse
Tr 4 1490 Of us sely Troians, but if routhe
Tr 4 1491 Remorde yow, or vertu of youre trouthe.
Tr 4 1492 "And this to me so grevous is to thynke
Tr 4 1493 That fro my brest it wol my soule rende;
Tr 4 1494 Ne dredeles, in me ther may nat synke
Tr 4 1495 A good opynyoun, if that ye wende,
Tr 4 1496 For whi youre fadres sleghte wol us shende.
Tr 4 1497 And if ye gon, as I have told yow yore,
Tr 4 1498 So thenk I n' am but ded, withoute more.
Tr 4 1499 "For which, with humble, trewe, and pitous herte,
Tr 4 1500 A thousand tymes mercy I yow preye;
Tr 4 1501 So rueth on myn aspre peynes smerte,
Tr 4 1502 And doth somwhat as that I shal yow seye,
Tr 4 1503 And lat us stele awey bitwixe us tweye;
Tr 4 1504 And thynk that folie is, whan man may chese,
Tr 4 1505 For accident his substaunce ay to lese.
Tr 4 1506 "I mene thus: that syn we mowe er day
Tr 4 1507 Wel stele awey and ben togidere so,
Tr 4 1508 What wit were it to putten in assay,
Tr 4 1509 In cas ye sholden to youre fader go,
Tr 4 1510 If that ye myghten come ayeyn or no?
Tr 4 1511 Thus mene I: that it were a gret folie
Tr 4 1512 To putte that sikernesse in jupertie.
Tr 4 1513 "And vulgarly to speken of substaunce
Tr 4 1514 Of tresour, may we bothe with us lede
Tr 4 1515 Inough to lyve in honour and plesaunce
Tr 4 1516 Til into tyme that we shal ben dede;
Tr 4 1517 And thus we may eschuen al this drede.
Tr 4 1518 For everich other wey ye kan recorde,
Tr 4 1519 Myn herte, ywys, may therwith naught acorde.
Tr 4 1520 "And hardily, ne dredeth no poverte,
Tr 4 1521 For I have kyn and frendes elleswhere
Tr 4 1522 That, though we comen in oure bare sherte,
Tr 4 1523 Us sholde neyther lakken gold ne gere,
Tr 4 1524 But ben honured while we dwelten there.
Tr 4 1525 And go we anon; for as in myn entente,
Tr 4 1526 This is the beste, if that ye wole assente."
Tr 4 1527 Criseyde, with a sik, right in this wise
Tr 4 1528 Answerde, "Ywys, my deere herte trewe,
Tr 4 1529 We may wel stele awey, as ye devyse,
Tr 4 1530 And fynden swich unthrifty weyes newe,
Tr 4 1531 But afterward ful soore it wol us rewe.
Tr 4 1532 And helpe me God so at my mooste nede,
Tr 4 1533 As causeles ye suffren al this drede!
Tr 4 1534 "For thilke day that I for cherisynge
Tr 4 1535 Or drede of fader, or for other wight,
Tr 4 1536 Or for estat, delit, or for weddynge,
Tr 4 1537 Be fals to yow, my Troilus, my knyght,
Tr 4 1538 Saturnes doughter, Juno, thorugh hire myght,
Tr 4 1539 As wood as Athamante do me dwelle
Tr 4 1540 Eternalich in Stix, the put of helle!
Tr 4 1541 "And this on every god celestial
Tr 4 1542 I swere it yow, and ek on ech goddesse,
Tr 4 1543 On every nymphe and deite infernal,
Tr 4 1544 On satiry and fawny more and lesse,
Tr 4 1545 That halve goddes ben of wildernesse;
Tr 4 1546 And Attropos my thred of lif tobreste
Tr 4 1547 If I be fals! Now trowe me if yow leste!
Tr 4 1548 "And thow, Symois, that as an arwe clere
Tr 4 1549 Thorugh Troie rennest downward to the se,
Tr 4 1550 Ber witnesse of this word that seyd is here:
Tr 4 1551 That thilke day that ich untrewe be
Tr 4 1552 To Troilus, myn owene herte fre,
Tr 4 1553 That thow retourne bakward to thi welle,
Tr 4 1554 And I with body and soule synke in helle!
Tr 4 1555 "But that ye speke, awey thus for to go
Tr 4 1556 And leten alle youre frendes, God forbede
Tr 4 1557 For any womman that ye sholden so,
Tr 4 1558 And namely syn Troie hath now swich nede
Tr 4 1559 Of help. And ek of o thyng taketh hede:
Tr 4 1560 If this were wist, my lif lay in balaunce,
Tr 4 1561 And youre honour; God shilde us fro meschaunce!
Tr 4 1562 "And if so be that pees heere-after take,
Tr 4 1563 As alday happeth after anger game,
Tr 4 1564 Whi, Lord, the sorwe and wo ye wolden make,
Tr 4 1565 That ye ne dorste come ayeyn for shame!
Tr 4 1566 And er that ye juparten so youre name,
Tr 4 1567 Beth naught to hastif in this hoote fare,
Tr 4 1568 For hastif man ne wanteth nevere care.
Tr 4 1569 "What trowe ye the peple ek al aboute
Tr 4 1570 Wolde of it seye? It is ful light t' arede.
Tr 4 1571 They wolden seye, and swere it out of doute,
Tr 4 1572 That love ne drof yow naught to don this dede,
Tr 4 1573 But lust voluptuous and coward drede.
Tr 4 1574 Thus were al lost, ywys, myn herte deere,
Tr 4 1575 Youre honour, which that now shyneth so clere.
Tr 4 1576 "And also thynketh on myn honeste,
Tr 4 1577 That floureth yet, how foule I sholde it shende,
Tr 4 1578 And with what filthe it spotted sholde be,
Tr 4 1579 If in this forme I sholde with yow wende.
Tr 4 1580 Ne though I lyved unto the werldes ende,
Tr 4 1581 My name sholde I nevere ayeynward wynne;
Tr 4 1582 Thus were I lost, and that were routhe and synne.
Tr 4 1583 "And forthi sle with resoun al this hete!
Tr 4 1584 Men seyn, `The suffrant overcomith,' parde;
Tr 4 1585 Ek `Whoso wol han lief, he lief moot lete.'
Tr 4 1586 Thus maketh vertu of necessite
Tr 4 1587 By pacience, and thynk that lord is he
Tr 4 1588 Of Fortune ay that naught wole of hire recche,
Tr 4 1589 And she ne daunteth no wight but a wrecche.
Tr 4 1590 "And trusteth this: that certes, herte swete,
Tr 4 1591 Er Phebus suster, Lucina the sheene,
Tr 4 1592 The Leoun passe out of this Ariete,
Tr 4 1593 I wol ben here, withouten any wene.
Tr 4 1594 I mene, as helpe me Juno, hevenes quene,
Tr 4 1595 The tenthe day, but if that deth m' assaile,
Tr 4 1596 I wol yow sen withouten any faille."
Tr 4 1597 "And now, so this be soth," quod Troilus,
Tr 4 1598 "I shal wel suffre unto the tenthe day,
Tr 4 1599 Syn that I se that nede it mot be thus.
Tr 4 1600 But for the love of God, if it be may,
Tr 4 1601 So late us stelen priveliche away;
Tr 4 1602 For evere in oon, as for to lyve in reste,
Tr 4 1603 Myn herte seyth that it wol be the beste."
Tr 4 1604 "O mercy, God, what lif is this?" quod she.
Tr 4 1605 "Allas, ye sle me thus for verray tene!
Tr 4 1606 I se wel now that ye mystrusten me,
Tr 4 1607 For by youre wordes it is wel yseene.
Tr 4 1608 Now for the love of Cinthia the sheene,
Tr 4 1609 Mistrust me nought thus causeles, for routhe,
Tr 4 1610 Syn to be trewe I have yow plight my trouthe.
Tr 4 1611 "And thynketh wel that somtyme it is wit
Tr 4 1612 To spende a tyme, a tyme for to wynne;
Tr 4 1613 Ne, parde, lorn am I naught fro yow yit,
Tr 4 1614 Though that we ben a day or two atwynne.
Tr 4 1615 Drif out the fantasies yow withinne,
Tr 4 1616 And trusteth me, and leveth ek youre sorwe,
Tr 4 1617 Or here my trouthe: I wol naught lyve tyl morwe.
Tr 4 1618 "For if ye wiste how soore it doth me smerte,
Tr 4 1619 Ye wolde cesse of this; for, God, thow wost,
Tr 4 1620 The pure spirit wepeth in myn herte
Tr 4 1621 To se yow wepen that I love most,
Tr 4 1622 And that I mot gon to the Grekis oost.
Tr 4 1623 Ye, nere it that I wiste remedie
Tr 4 1624 To come ayeyn, right here I wolde dye!
Tr 4 1625 "But certes, I am naught so nyce a wight
Tr 4 1626 That I ne kan ymaginen a wey
Tr 4 1627 To come ayeyn that day that I have hight.
Tr 4 1628 For who may holde a thing that wol awey?
Tr 4 1629 My fader naught, for al his queynte pley!
Tr 4 1630 And by my thrift, my wendyng out of Troie
Tr 4 1631 Another day shal torne us alle to joie.
Tr 4 1632 "Forthi with al myn herte I yow biseke,
Tr 4 1633 If that yow list don ought for my preyere,
Tr 4 1634 And for that love which that I love yow eke,
Tr 4 1635 That er that I departe fro yow here,
Tr 4 1636 That of so good a confort and a cheere
Tr 4 1637 I may yow sen that ye may brynge at reste
Tr 4 1638 Myn herte, which that is o poynt to breste.
Tr 4 1639 "And over al this I prey yow," quod she tho,
Tr 4 1640 "Myn owene hertes sothfast suffisaunce,
Tr 4 1641 Syn I am thyn al hol, withouten mo,
Tr 4 1642 That whil that I am absent, no plesaunce
Tr 4 1643 Of oother do me fro youre remembraunce;
Tr 4 1644 For I am evere agast, forwhy men rede
Tr 4 1645 That love is thyng ay ful of bisy drede.
Tr 4 1646 "For in this world ther lyveth lady non,
Tr 4 1647 If that ye were untrewe -- as God defende! --
Tr 4 1648 That so bitraised were or wo-bigon
Tr 4 1649 As I, that alle trouthe in yow entende.
Tr 4 1650 And douteles, if that ich other wende,
Tr 4 1651 I ner but ded; and er ye cause fynde,
Tr 4 1652 For Goddes love, so beth me naught unkynde!"
Tr 4 1653 To this answerde Troilus and seyde,
Tr 4 1654 "Now God, to whom ther nys no cause ywrye,
Tr 4 1655 Me glade, as wys I nevere unto Criseyde,
Tr 4 1656 Syn thilke day I saugh hire first with ye,
Tr 4 1657 Was fals, ne nevere shal til that I dye.
Tr 4 1658 At shorte wordes, wel ye may me leve.
Tr 4 1659 I kan na more; it shal be founde at preve."
Tr 4 1660 "Grant mercy, goode myn, iwys!" quod she,
Tr 4 1661 "And blisful Venus lat me nevere sterve
Tr 4 1662 Er I may stonde of plesaunce in degree
Tr 4 1663 To quyte hym wel that so wel kan deserve;
Tr 4 1664 And while that God my wit wol me conserve,
Tr 4 1665 I shal so don, so trewe I have yow founde,
Tr 4 1666 That ay honour to me-ward shal rebounde.
Tr 4 1667 "For trusteth wel that youre estat roial,
Tr 4 1668 Ne veyn delit, nor only worthinesse
Tr 4 1669 Of yow in werre or torney marcial,
Tr 4 1670 Ne pompe, array, nobleye, or ek richesse
Tr 4 1671 Ne made me to rewe on youre destresse,
Tr 4 1672 But moral vertu, grounded upon trouthe --
Tr 4 1673 That was the cause I first hadde on yow routhe!
Tr 4 1674 "Eke gentil herte and manhod that ye hadde,
Tr 4 1675 And that ye hadde, as me thoughte, in despit
Tr 4 1676 Every thyng that souned into badde,
Tr 4 1677 As rudenesse and poeplissh appetit,
Tr 4 1678 And that youre resoun bridlede youre delit,
Tr 4 1679 This made, aboven every creature,
Tr 4 1680 That I was youre, and shal while I may dure.
Tr 4 1681 "And this may lengthe of yeres naught fordo,
Tr 4 1682 Ne remuable Fortune deface.
Tr 4 1683 But Juppiter, that of his myght may do
Tr 4 1684 The sorwful to be glad, so yeve us grace
Tr 4 1685 Or nyghtes ten to meten in this place,
Tr 4 1686 So that it may youre herte and myn suffise!
Tr 4 1687 And fareth now wel, for tyme is that ye rise."
Tr 4 1688 And after that they longe ypleyned hadde,
Tr 4 1689 And ofte ykist, and streite in armes folde,
Tr 4 1690 The day gan rise, and Troilus hym cladde,
Tr 4 1691 And rewfullich his lady gan byholde,
Tr 4 1692 As he that felte dethes cares colde,
Tr 4 1693 And to hire grace he gan hym recomaunde.
Tr 4 1694 Wher hym was wo, this holde I no demaunde.
Tr 4 1695 For mannes hed ymagynen ne kan,
Tr 4 1696 N' entendement considere, ne tonge telle
Tr 4 1697 The cruele peynes of this sorwful man,
Tr 4 1698 That passen every torment down in helle.
Tr 4 1699 For whan he saugh that she ne myghte dwelle,
Tr 4 1700 Which that his soule out of his herte rente,
Tr 4 1701 Withouten more out of the chaumbre he wente.