The Ellesmere ms of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.
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Title
The Ellesmere ms of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.
Author
Chaucer, Geoffrey, d. 1400.
Publication
London :: Published for the Chaucer Society by N. Trübner,
1868-1879.
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"The Ellesmere ms of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall." In the digital collection Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/AGZ8232.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 18, 2024.
Pages
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[6-text p 478]
GROUP F. FRAGMENT VII.
§ 1. THE SQUIRE'S HEAD-LINK.
ELLESMERE MS.
¶ Squier come neer / if it youre wille beAnd sey somwhat of loue / for certes ye?Konnen ther on / as muche as any man¶ Nay sire quod he / but I wol seye as I kanLine 4 With hertly wyl / for I wol nat rebelleAgayn youre lust? a tale wol I telleHaue me excused / if I speke amys [folio 119b] My wyl is good / and lo my tale is this
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[6-text p 479]
¶ Heere bigynneth / the Squieres tale .
AT Sarray / in the land of TartaryeTher dwelte a kyng that werreyed RussyeThurgh which ther dyde / many a doughty manThis noble kyng was cleped CambynskanWhich in his tyme / was of so greet renounThat ther was / no wher in no RegiounSo excellent a lord / in alle thyngHym lakked noght that longeth to a kyngLine 16 And of the secte / of which þat he was bornHe kepte his lay / to which þat he was swornAnd ther to / he was hardy / wys and richeAnd pitous and Iust alwey ylicheLine 20 Sooth of his word / benigne and honurableOf his corage / as any Centre stableYong fressh / strong and in Armes desirousAs any Bacheler / of al his housLine 24 A fair persone he was / and fortunatAnd kepte alwey / so wel roial estatThat ther was nowher / swich another man¶ This noble kyng this Tartre CambynskanLine 28 Hadde two sones / on Elpheta his wyfOf whiche / the eldeste highte AlgarsyfThat oother sone / was cleped CambaloA doghter hadde / this worthy kyng alsoLine 32 That yongest was / and highte CanaceeBut for to telle yow / al hir beauteeIt lyth nat in my tonge / nyn my konnyngI dar nat vndertake / so heigh a thyng
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[6-text p 480] Line 36 Myn englissh eek is insufficientI moste been / a Rethor excellentThat koude hise colours / longynge for that ArtIf he / sholde hire discryuen euery partLine 40 I am noon swich / I moot speke as I kan¶ And so bifel / that whan this CambynskanHath twenty wynter / born his diademeAs he was wont fro yeer to yeer I demeLine 44 He leet the feeste / of his NatiuiteeDoon cryen / thurgh Sarray his CiteeThe last Idus of March / after the yeerPhebus the sonne / ful ioly was and cleerLine 48 ffor he was / neigh his exaltacionIn Martes face / and in his mansionIn Aries / the colerik/ hoote signe [folio 120a] fful lusty was / the weder and benigneLine 52 ffor which the foweles / agayn the sonne sheeneWhat for the seson / and the yonge grenefful loude / songen hire affeccionsHem semed / han geten hem proteccionsLine 56 Agayn the swerd of wynter/ keene and coold¶ This Cambynskan / of which I haue yow tooldIn roial vestiment sit on his deysWith diademe / ful heighe in his paleysLine 60 And halt his feeste so solempne / and so rycheThat in this world / was ther noon it lycheOf which / if I shal tellen al tharrayThanne wolde it occupie a someres dayLine 64 And eek/ it nedeth nat for to deuyseAt euery cours / the ordre of hire seruyseI wol nat tellen / of hir strange sewesNe of hir swannes / nor of hire heronsewesLine 68 Eek/ in that lond / as tellen knyghtes oldeTher is som mete / þat is ful deynte holdeThat in this lond / men recche of it but smalTher nys no man / that may reporten al
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[6-text p 481] Line 72 ¶ I wol nat taryen yow / for it is prymeAnd for it is no fruyt but los of tymeVn to my firste / I wole haue my recours¶ And so bifel / that after the thridde coursLine 76 Whil þat this kyng sit thus in his nobleyeHerknynge hise Mynstrals / hir thynges pleyeBiforn hym at the bord / deliciouslyIn at the halle dore / al sodeynlyLine 80 Ther cam a knyght vp on a steede of brasAnd in his hand / a brood Mirour of glasVpon his thombe / he hadde of gold a ryng /And by his syde / a naked swerd hangyngLine 84 And vp he rideth / to the heighe bordIn al the halle / ne was ther spoken a wordffor merueille of this knyght hym to biholdefful bisily / ther wayten yonge and oldeLine 88 ¶ This strange knyght that cam thus sodeynlyAl armed / saue his heed / ful richelySaleweth kyng and queene / and lordes alleBy ordre / as they seten in the halleLine 92 With so heigh reuerence / and obeisanceAs wel in speche / as in contenanceThat Gawayn / with his olde curteisyeThough he were / comen ayeyn out of ffairyeLine 96 Ne koude hym nat amende with a wordAnd after this / biforn the heighe bordHe with a manly voys / seith his message [folio 120b] After the forme / vsed in his langageLine 100 With outen vice / of silable / or of lettreAnd for his tale / sholde seme the bettreAccordant to hise wordes / was his cheereAs techeth art of speche / hem þat it leereLine 104 Al be / that I kan nat sowne his stileNe kan nat clymben / ouer so heigh a styleYet seye I this / as to commune ententeThus muche amounteth / al þat euere he mente
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[6-text p 482] Line 108 If it so be / þat I haue it in mynde¶ He seyde / the kyng of Arabe and of IndeMy lige lord / on this solempne daySaleweth yow / as he best kan and mayLine 112 And sendeth yow / in honour of youre feesteBy me / that am al redy at youre heesteThis steede of bras / that esily and weelKan in the space / of o day natureelLine 116 This is to seyn / in foure and twenty houresWher so yow lyst in droghte or elles shouresBeren youre body / in to euery placeTo which youre herte / wiIneth for to paceLine 120 With outen wem of yow / thurgh foul or fairOr if yow lyst to fleen / as hye in the AirAs dooth an Egle / whan þat hym list to sooreThis same steede / shal bere yow euere mooreLine 124 With outen harm / til ye be ther yow lesteThough that ye slepen / on his bak or resteAnd turne ayeyn / with writhyng of a pynHe þat it wroghte / koude ful many a gynLine 128 He wayted / many a constellacionEr he / had doon / this operacionAnd knew ful many a seel / and many a bond¶ This mirrour eek / þat I haue in myn hondHath swich a myght/ þat men may in it seeWhan ther shal fallen / any AduersiteeVn to youre regne / or to youre self alsoAnd openly / who is youre freend or fooLine 136 ¶ And ouer al this / if any lady brightHath set hire herte / in any maner wightIf he be fals / she shal his treson seeHis newe loue / and al his subtilteeLine 140 So openly / þat ther shal no thyng hydeWherfore / ageyn this lusty someres tydeThis Mirour/ and this ryng þat ye may seeHe hath sent vn to my lady Canacee
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[6-text p 483] Line 144 Youre excellente doghter/ that is heere¶ The vertu of the ryng if ye wol heereIs this / that if hire lust it for to were [folio 121a] Vp on hir thombe / or in hir purs it bereLine 148 Ther is no fowel / þat fleeth vnder the heueneThat she / ne shal / wel vnderstonde his steueneAnd knowe his menyng openly and pleynAnd answere hym / in his langage ageynLine 152 And euery gras / that groweth vp on rooteShe shal eek knowe / and whom it wol do booteAl be hise woundes / neuer so depe and wyde¶ This naked swerd / þat hangeth by my sydeSwich vertu hath / þat what man so ye smyteThurgh out his Armure / it wole hym kerue and byteWere it as thikke / as is a branched ookAnd what man / that is wounded with a strookLine 160 Shal neuer be hool / til þat yow list of graceTo stroke hym with the plat in that placeTher he is hurt / this is as muche to seynYe moote / with the plat swerd ageynLine 164 Strike hym in the wounde / and it wol closeThis is a verray sooth / with outen gloseIt failleth nat whils it is in youre hoold¶ And whan this knyght hath thus his tale tooldLine 168 He rideth out of halle / and doun he lighteHis steede / which þat shoon / as sonne brighteStant in the court stille as any stoonThis knyght is to his chambre lad anoonLine 172 And is vnarmed / and vn to mete yset¶ The presentes / been / ful roially yfetThis is to seyn / the swerd and the MirourAnd born anon / in to the heighe TourLine 176 With certeine officers / ordeyned therforeAnd vn to Canacee / this ryng was boreSolempnely / ther she sit/ at the tableBut sikerly / with outen any fable
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[6-text p 484] Line 180 The hors of bras / þat may nat be remewedIt stant as it were / to the ground yglewedTher may no man / out of the place it dryueffor noon engyn / of wyndas ne polyueLine 184 And cause why?/ for they kan nat the craftAnd therfore / in the place / they han it laftTil þat the knyght hath taught hem the manereTo voyden hym / as ye shal after heereLine 188
Greet was the prees / þat swarmeth to and froTo gauren on this hors / that stondeth soffor it so heigh was / and so brood and longSo wel proporcioned / for to been strongLine 192 Right as it were / a steede of LumbardyeTher-with so horsly / and so quyk of eyeAs it a gentil Poilleys Courser were [folio 121b] ffor certes / fro his tayl / vn to his ereLine 196 Nature ne Art ne koude hym nat amendeIn no degree / as al the peple wendeBut eueremoore / hir mooste wonder wasHow þat it koude go / and was of brasLine 200 It was a ffairye / as al the peple semedDiuerse folk / diuersely they demedAs many heddes / as manye wittes ther beenThey murmureden / as dooth a swarm of BeenLine 204 And maden skiles / after hir fantasiesRehersynge / of thise olde poetriesAnd seyde / that it was lyk the PegaseeThe hors / þat hadde wynges for to fleeLine 208 Or elles / it was the Grekes hors SynonThat broghte Troie to destruccionAs men / in thise olde geestes rede¶ Myn herte quod oon / is eueremoore in dredeLine 212 I trowe / som men of Armes been ther InneThat shapen hem / this Citee for to wynneIt were right good / þat al swich thyng were knowe¶ Another rowned / to his felawe lowe
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[6-text p 485] Line 216 And seyde he lyeth / it is rather lykAn apparence / ymaad by som MagykAs Iogelours pleyen / at thise feestes greteOf sondry doutes / thus they Iangle and treteLine 220 As lewed peple / demeth comunlyOf thynges / þat been maad / moore subtillyThan they kan / in hir lewednesse comprehendeThey demen gladly / to the badder endeLine 224 ¶ And somme of hem / wondred on the MirourThat born was vp / in to the hye tourHou men myghte in it / swiche thynges se¶ Another answerde / and seyde it myghte wel beLine 228 Naturelly / by composicionsOf Anglis / and of slye reflexionsAnd seyden / þat in Rome was swich oonThey speken / of Alocen and VitulonLine 232 And Aristotle / that writen in hir lyuesOf queynte Mirours / and of prospectiuesAs knowen they / that han hir bookes herd¶ And oother folk han wondred on the swerdLine 236 That wolde percen / thurgh out euery thyngAnd fille in speche / of Thelophus the kyngAnd of Achilles / with his queynte spereffor he koude with it bothe heele and dereLine 240 Right in swich wise / as men may with the swerdOf which right now / ye han youre seluen herdThey speken / of sondry hardyng of metal [folio 122a] And speke of medicynes / ther with alLine 244 And how and whanne / it sholde yharded beWhich is vnknowe / algates vnto me¶ Tho speeke they / of Canacees ryngAnd seyden alle / þat swich a wonder thyngLine 248 Of craft of rynges / herde they neuere noonSaue þat he Moyses / and kyng SalomonHadde a name of konnyng in swich ArtThus seyn the peple / and drawen hem apart
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[6-text p 486] Line 252 ¶ But nathelees / somme seiden þat it wasWonder/ to maken / of fern Asshen glasAnd yet nys glas / nat lyk Asshen of fernBut for they han / knowen it so fernLine 256 Therfore / cesseth / hir Ianglyng and hir wonder¶ As soore wondren somme / on cause of thonderOn ebbe / on flood / on gossomer / and on mystAnd on alle thyng til þat the cause is wystLine 260 Thus Iangle they / and demen and deuyseTil þat the kyng gan fro the bord aryse
Phebus / hath laft the Angle meridionalAnd yet ascendynge / was the beest roialLine 264 The gentil leon / with his AldrianWhan þat this Tartre kyng CambynskanRoos fro his bord / ther that he sat ful hyeToforn hym gooth / the loude MynstralcyeLine 268 Til he cam / to his chambre of parementzTher as they sownen / diuerse InstrumentzThat it is / lyk an heuene for to heereNow dauncen / lusty Venus children deereLine 272 ffor in the fyssh / hir lady sat ful hyeAnd looketh on hem / with a freendly eye¶ This noble kyng is set vp in his TroneThis strange knyght is fet to hym ful sooneLine 276 And on the daunce / he gooth with canacceHeere is the reuel / and the IoliteeThat is nat able / a dul man to deuyseHe moste han knowen / loue and his seruyseLine 280 And been a feestlych man / as fressh as MayThat sholde yow / deuysen swich array¶ Who koude telle yow / the forme of dauncesSo vnkouthe / and so fresshe contenauncesLine 284 Swich subtil lookyng and dissymulyngesffor drede / of Ialouse mennes aperceyuynges?No man but launcelet and he is deedTherfore I passe / of al this lustiheed
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[6-text p 487] Line 288 I sey namoore / but in this IolynesseI lete hem / til men to the soper dresse¶ The Styward bit Spices for to hye [folio 122b] And eek the wyn / in al this melodyeLine 292 The vsshers / and the squiers been ygoonThe spices and the wyn is come anoonThey ete and drynke / and whan this hadde an endeVn to the temple / as reson was they wendeLine 296 ¶ The seruice doon / they soupen al by dayWhat nedeth me / rehercen hire arrayEch man woot wel / þat a kynges feesteHath plentee / to the mooste and to the leesteLine 300 And deyntees / mo / than been in my knowyngAt after soper/ gooth this noble kyngTo seen this hors of bras / with al the routeOf lordes / and of ladyes hym abouteLine 304 ¶ Swich wondryng was ther on this hors of brasThat syn the grete sege / of Troie wasTher as men wondreden / on an hors alsoNe was ther swich a wondryng as was thoLine 308 But fynally / the kyng axeth this knyghtThe vertu of this Courser / and the myghtAnd preyde hym / to telle his gouernaunce¶ This hors anoon / bigan to trippe and daunceLine 312 Whan that this knyght leyde hand vp on his reyneAnd seyde sire / ther is namoore to seyneBut whan yow list to ryden any whereYe mooten trille a pyn / stant in his ereLine 316 Which I shal yow telle / bitwix vs twoYe moote nempne hym / to what place alsoOr to what contree / þat yow list to rydeAnd whan ye come / ther as yow list abydeLine 320 Bidde hym descende / and trille another pynffor ther lith / theffect of al the gynAnd he wol doun descende / and doon youre willeAnd in that place / he wol stonde stille
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[6-text p 488] Line 324 Though al the world / the contrarie hadde ysworeHe shal nat thennes / been ydrawe nor yboreOr if yow list bidde hym thennes goonTrille this pyn / and he wol vanysshe anoonLine 328 Out of the sighte / of euery maner wightAnd come agayn / be it day or nyghtWhan þat yow list to clepen hym ageynIn swich a gyse / as I shal to yow seynLine 332 Bitwixe yow and me / and that ful sooneRide whan yow list ther is namoore to doone¶ Enformed / whan the kyng was/ of that knyghtAnd hath conceyued / in his wit arightLine 336 The manere / and the forme / of al this thyngThus glad and blithe / this noble kyngRepeireth to his reuel / as biforn [folio 123a] ¶ The brydel / is / vn to the tour ybornLine 340 And kept among hise Iueles / leeue and deereThe hors vanysshed I noot/ in what manereOut of hir sighte / ye gete namoore of meBut thus I lete / in lust and IoliteeLine 344 This Cambynskan / hise lordes festeiyngeTil wel ny / the day bigan to sprynge
¶ Explicit prima pars .
¶ Sequitur pars secunda .
The Norice of digestioun / the sleepeGan on hem wynke / and bad hem taken keepeThat muchel drynke / and labour wolde han resteAnd with a galpyng mouth / hem alle he kesteAnd seyde / it was tyme to lye adounffor blood / was in his domynaciounLine 352 Cherisseth blood / natures freend quod heThey thanken hym galpynge / by two / by threAnd euery wight / gan drawe hym to his resteAs sleepe hem bad / they tooke it for the beste
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[6-text p 489] Line 356 ¶ Hire dremes / shul nat been ytoold for mefful were hire heddes / of fumositeeThat causeth dreem / of which ther nys no chargeThey slepen / til that it was pryme largeLine 360 The mooste part but it were CanaceeShe was ful mesurable / as wommen beffor of hir fader / hadde she take leueTo goon to reste / soone after it was eueLine 364 Hir liste nat appalled for to beNe on the morwe / vnfeestlich for to seAnd slepte hire firste sleepe / and thanne awook/ffor swich a ioye / she in hir herte tookLine 368 Bothe of hir queynte ryng and hire MirourThat twenty tyme / she changed hir colourAnd in hire sleepe / right for impressionOf hire Mirour/ she hadde AvisionLine 372 Wherfore / er þat the sonne gan vp glydeShe cleped / on hir Maistresse / hire bisydeAnd seyde / that hire liste for to ryse¶ Thise olde wommen / þat been gladly wyseLine 376 As hire Maistresse / answerde hire anonAnd seyde madame / whider wil ye goonThus erly / for the folk/ been alle on reste¶ I wol quod she arise / for me lesteLine 380 No lenger for to slepe / and walke aboute [folio 123b] ¶ Hire Maistresse / clepeth wommen / a greet routeAnd vp they rysen / wel an ten / or twelueVp riseth / fresshe Canacee / hir selueLine 384 As rody and bright / as dooth the yonge sonneThat in the Ram / is foure degrees vp ronneNoon hyer was he / whan she redy wasAnd forth she walketh / esily a pasLine 388 Arrayed / after the lusty seson sooteLightly for to pleye / and walke on footeNat but with fyue or sixe / of hir meyneeAnd in a trench / forth in the park gooth she
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[6-text p 490] Line 392 ¶ The vapour / which þat fro the erthe gloodMade the sonne / to seme rody and broodBut nathelees / it was so fair a sighteThat it made / alle hire hertes for to lighteLine 396 What for the seson / and the morwenyngeAnd for the foweles / that she herde syngeffor right anon / she wiste what they menteRight by hir song and knew al hire ententeLine 400 ¶ The knotte / why þat euery tale is tooldIf it be taried / til that lust be cooldOf hem þat han / it after herkned yooreThe sauour passeth / euer lenger the mooreLine 404 ffor fulsomnesse / of his prolixiteeAnd by the same reson / thynketh meI sholde / to the knotte / condescendeAnd maken of hir walkyng soone an endeLine 408
Amydde a tree / fordryed / as whit as chalkAs Canacee / was pleyyng in hir walkTher sat a ffaucon / ouer hire heed ful hyeThat with a pitous voys / so gan to cryeLine 412 That all the wode / resouned of hire cryYbeten hath she hir self / so pitouslyWith bothe hir wynges / til the rede bloodRan endelong the tree / ther she stoodLine 416 And euere in oon / she cryde alwey and shrighteAnd with hir beek / hir seluen so she prighteThat ther nys Tygre / ne noon so crueel beestThat dwelleth / outher in wode or in fforestLine 420 That nolde han wept if þat she wepe koudeffor sorwe of hire / she shrighte alwey so loudeffor ther nas neuere man / yet on lyueIf þat I koude / a ffaucon wel discryueLine 424 That herde of swich another of fairnesseAs wel of plumage / as of gentillesseOf shape / and al that myghte yrekened beA ffaucon peregryn / thanne semed she
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[6-text p 491] Line 428 Of fremde Land / and eueremoore as she stood [folio 124a] She swowneth now and now / for lakke of bloodTil wel neigh / is she fallen fro the tree¶ This faire kynges doghter CanaceeLine 432 That on hir fynger/ baar the queynte ryngThurgh which / she vnderstood wel euery thyngThat any fowel / may in his leden seynAnd koude answeren hym / in his ledene ageynLine 436 Hath vnderstonde / what this ffaucon seydeAnd wel neigh / for the routhe / almoost she deydeAnd to the tree / she gooth ful hastilyAnd on this ffaukon / looketh pitouslyLine 440 And heeld hir lappe abrood / for wel she wisteThe ffaukon / moste fallen fro the twisteWhan þat it swowned next for lakke of bloodA longe while / to wayten hire she stoodLine 444 Til atte laste / she spak in this manereVn to the hauk as ye shal after heere¶ What is the cause / if it be for to telleThat ye be / in this furial pyne of helleLine 448 Quod Canacee / vn to the hauk/ aboueIs this for sorwe of deeth / or los of loueffor as I trowe / thise been causes twoThat causeth moost a gentil herte woLine 452 Of oother harm / it nedeth nat to spekeffor ye youre self / vpon your self yow wrekeWhich proueth wel / that outher loue or dredeMoot been encheson / of youre cruel dedeLine 456 Syn þat I see / noon oother wight yow chaceffor loue of god / as dooth youre seluen graceOr what may been youre helpe / for West nor EstNe saugh I neuere er now / no bryd ne beestLine 460 That ferde with hym self / so pitouslyYe sle me with youre sorwe verrailyI haue of yow / so greet passiounffor goddes loue / com fro the tree adoun
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[6-text p 492] Line 464 And as I am / a kynges doghter treweIf þat I verraily / the cause kneweOf youre disese / if it lay in my myghtI wolde amenden it er þat it were nyghtLine 468 As wisly helpe me / the grete god of kyndeAnd herbes / shal I right ynowe yfyndeTo heele with / youre hurtes hastily¶ Tho shrighte this ffaucon / moore yet pitouslyLine 472 Than euer she dide / and fil to grounde anonAnd lith aswowne deed / and lyk a stoonTil Canacee / hath in hire lappe hire takeVn to the tyme / she gan of swough awakeLine 476 ¶ And after that she of hir swough gan breyde [folio 124b] Right in hir haukes ledene / thus she seydeThat pitee / renneth soone in gentil herteffeelynge his similitude / in peynes smerteLine 480 Is preued al day / as men may seeAs wel by werk as by Auctoriteeffor gentil herte / kitheth gentillesseI se wel / ye han of my distresseLine 484 Compassion / my faire CanaceeOf verray wommanly benignyteeThat nature / in youre principles hath ysetBut for noon hope / for to fare the betLine 488 But for obeye / vn to youre herte freeAnd for to maken othere / be war by meAs by the whelpe / chasted is the leonRight for that cause / and for that conclusionLine 492 Whil þat I haue / a leyser and a spaceMyn harm / I wol confessen er I pace¶ And euere / whil þat oon hir sorwe toldeThat oother weepe / as she to water woldeLine 496 Til that the ffaucon / bad hire to be stilleAnd with a syk / right thus she seyde hir wille¶ That I was bred / allas that harde dayAnd fostred in a Roche / of Marbul gray
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[6-text p 493] Line 500 So tendrely / that no thyng eyled meI nyste nat what was AduersiteeTil I koude flee ful hye / vnder the skyTho dwelte / a Tercelet me faste byLine 504 That semed welle / of alle gentillesseAl were he ful of treson / and falsnesseIt was so wrapped / vnder humble cheereAnd vnder hewe of trouthe / in swich manereLine 508 Vnder plesance / and vnder bisy peyneThat I ne koude han wend / he koude feyneSo depe in greyn / he dyed his coloursRight as a serpent hit hym vnder flouresLine 512 Til he may seen / his tyme / for to byteRight so this god of loue / this ypocryteDooth so hise cerymonyes and obeisancesAnd kepeth in semblant alle hise obseruancesLine 516 That sowneth / in to gentillesse of loueAs in a toumbe / is al the faire aboueAnd vnder is the corps / swich as ye wootSwich was the ypocrite / bothe coold and hootLine 520 And in this wise / he serued his ententeThat saue the feend / noon wiste what he menteTil he so longe / hadde wopen and compleynedAnd many a yeer / his seruice to me feynedLine 524 Til that myn herte / to pitous and to nyce [folio 125a] Al Innocent of his corouned maliceffor-ferd of his deeth / as thoughte meVpon hise othes / and his seureteeLine 528 Graunted hym loue / vp on this condiciounThat eueremoore / myn honour and renounWere saued / bothe priuee and apertThis is to seyn / that after his desertLine 532 I yaf hym al myn herte / and my thoghtGod woot and he / þat ootherwise noghtAnd took his herte / in chaunge for myn for ayBut sooth is seyd / goon sithen many a day
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[6-text p 494] Line 536 A trewe wight and a theef thenken nat oonAnd whan he saugh / the thyng so fer ygoonThat I hadde graunted hym / fully my loueIn swich a gyse / as I haue seyd aboueLine 540 And yeuen hym / my trewe herte as freeAs he swoor / he yaf his herte to meAnon this Tigre / ful of doublenesseffil on hise knees / with so deuout humblesseLine 544 With so heigh reuerence / and as by his cheereSo lyk a gentil louere / of manereSo rauysshed / as it semed for the IoyeThat neuere Troilus / ne Parys of TroyeLine 548 Iason certes / ne noon oother manSyn Lameth was / þat alderfirst biganTo louen two / as writen folk bifornNe neuere / syn the firste man was bornLine 552 Ne koude man / by twenty thousand partCountrefete / the Sophymes of his ArtNe were worthy / vnbokelen his galocheTher doublenesse / or feynyng sholde approcheLine 556 Ne so koude thanke a wight / as he dide meHis manere / was an heuene for to seeTil any womman / were she neuer so wysSo peynted he / and kembde at point deuysLine 560 As wel hise wordes / as his contenanceAnd I loued hym / for his obeisanceAnd for the trouthe / I demed in his herteThat if so were / that any thyng hym smerteLine 564 Al were it neuer so lite / and I it wisteMe thoughte / I felte deeth myn herte twisteAnd shortly / so ferforth / this thyng is wentThat my wyl / was his willes InstrumentLine 568 This is to seyn / my wyl obeyed his wylIn alle thyng as fer as reson filKepynge the boundes / of my worshipe euereNe neuere hadde I thyng so lief ne leuere
Line 572
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[6-text p 495] Line 572 As hym god woot ne neuere shal namo [folio 125b] This lasteth lenger/ than a yeer or twoThat I supposed of hym / noght but goodBut finally / thus atte laste it stoodLine 576 That ffortune wolde / þat he moste twynneOut of that place / which þat I was InneWher me was wo / that is no questionI kan nat make of it discripsionLine 580 ffor o thyng dare I tellen boldelyI knowe / what is the peyne of deeth ther bySwich harme I felte / for I ne myghte bileueSo on a day / of me he took his leueLine 584 So sorwefully eek that I wende verrailyThat he had felt as muche harm as IWhan þat I herde hym speke / and saugh his heweBut nathelees / I thoughte / he was so treweLine 588 And eek þat he / repaire sholde ageynWith Inne a litel while / sooth to seynAnd reson wolde eek that he moste goffor his honour / as ofte it happeth soLine 592 That I made vertu / of necessiteeAnd took it wel / syn þat it moste beAs I best myghte / I hidde fro hym my sorweAnd took hym by the hond / seint Iohn to borweLine 596 And seyde hym thus / lo I am youres alBeth swich / as I to yow / haue been and shalWhat he answerde / it nedeth noght reherceWho kan sey bet than he / who kan do werseLine 600 Whan he hath al seyd / thanne hath he doonTherfore bihoueth hire / a ful long spoonThat shal ete with a feend / thus herde I seyeSo atte laste / he moste forth his weyeLine 604 And forth he fleeth / til he cam ther hym lesteWhan it cam / hym to purpos / for to resteI trowe / he hadde / thilke text in myndeThat alle thyng repeirynge to his kynde
Line 608
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[6-text p 496] Line 608 Gladeth hym self thus seyn men as I gesseMen louen of propre kynde newefangelnesseAs briddes doon / that men in cages fedeffor though thou nyght and day / take of hem hedeLine 612 And strawe hir Cage / faire and softe as silkAnd yeue hem sugre / hony / breed and MilkYet right anon / as that his dore is vppeHe with his feet wol spurne adoun his cuppeLine 616 And to the wode he wole and wormes eteSo newefangel / been they of hire meteAnd louen nouelrie / of propre kyndeNo gentillesse of blood / may hem byndeLine 620 ¶ So ferde this Tercelet allas the day [folio 126a] Though he were gentil born / fressh and gayAnd goodlich for to seen / humble and freeHe saugh vp on a tyme a kyte fleeLine 624 And sodeynly / he loued this kyte soThat al his loue / is clene fro me agoAnd hath his trouthe / falsed in this wyseThus hath the kyte / my loue in hire seruyseLine 628 And I am lorn / with outen remedieAnd with that word / this ffaucon gan to crieAnd swowned eft/ in Canacees barm¶ Greet was the sorwe / for the haukes harmLine 632 That Canacee / and alle hir wommen madeThey nyste / hou they myghte the ffaucon gladeBut Canacee / hom bereth hire in hir lappeAnd softely / in plastres gan hire wrappeLine 636 Ther as she / with hire beek hadde hurt hir selueNow kan nat Canacee / but herbes delueOut of the ground / and make saues neweOf herbes preciouse / and fyne of heweLine 640 To heelen with this [hauk] / fro day to nyghtShe dooth hire bisynesse / and hire fulle myghtAnd by hire beddes heed / she made a MeweAnd couered it with veluettes blewe
Line 644
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[6-text p 497] Line 644 In signe of trouthe / that is in wommen seneAnd al with oute the Mewe / is peynted greneIn which ther were ypeynted / alle thise false fowlesAs beth thise tidyues / tercelettes and OwlesLine 648 Right for despit were peynted hem bisydeAnd pyes on hem / for to crie and chyde¶ Thus lete I Canacee / hir hauk kepyngI wol namoore as now / speke of hir ryngLine 652 Til it come eft to purpos for to seynHow that this ffaucon / gat hire loue ageynRepentant as the storie telleth vsBy mediacion of CambalusLine 656 The kynges sone / of which I yow toldeBut hennes forth / I wol my proces holdeTo speken of auentures / and of bataillesThat neuere yet was herd / so grete meruaillesLine 660 ¶ ffirst wol I telle yow / of CambynskanThat in his tyme / many a Citee wanAnd after wol I speke of AlgarsifHow that he wan Theodera to his wifLine 664 ffor whom ful ofte / in greet peril he wasNe hadde he be holpen / by the steede of brasAnd after / wol I speke of CambaloThat faught in lystes / with the bretheren twoLine 668 For Canacee / er that he myghte hire wynne [folio 126b] An ther I lefte / I wol ayeyn bigynne
¶ Explicit secunda pars .
¶ Incipit pars tercia .
Appollo whirleth vp / his Chaar so hyeTil that the god / Mercurius hous the slyeLine 672
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[6-text p 498]
¶ Heere folwen the wordes of the ffrankelyn [folio 127a] to the Squier. and the wordes of the hoost to the ffrankelyn .
IN feith Squier / thow hast thee wel yquitAnd gentilly / I preise wel thy witQuod the ffrankeleyn / considerynge thy yowtheSo feelyngly thou spekest sire I allowetheLine 676 As to my doom / ther is noon that is heereOf eloquence / that shal be thy peereIf that thou lyue / god yeue thee good chaunceAnd in vertu / sende thee continuaunceLine 680 ffor of thy speche / I haue greet deynteeI haue a sone / and by the TriniteeI hadde leuere / than twenty pound worth londThough it right now / were fallen in myn hondLine 684 He were a man / of swich discrecionAs that ye been / fy on possessionBut if a man / be vertuous with alI haue my sone snybbed / and yet shalLine 688 ffor he to vertu / listneth nat entendeBut for to pleye at dees / and to despendeAnd lese al that he hath / is his vsageAnd he hath leuere / talken with a pageLine 692 Than to comune / with any gentil wightThere he myghte lerne gentillesse aright/¶ Straw for youre gentillesse / quod our hoostWhat ffrankeleyn / pardee sire wel thou woostLine 696 That ech of yow / moot tellen atte lesteA tale or two / or breken his biheste¶ That knowe I wel sire / quod the ffrankeleynI prey yow / haueth me nat in desdeyn
Line 700
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[6-text p 499] Line 700 Though to this man I speke 1a word1 or two¶ Telle on thy tale / with outen wordes mo¶ Gladly sire hoost quod he / I wole obeyeVn to your wyl / now herkneth what I seyeLine 704 I wol yow nat contrarien in no wyseAs fer / as that my wittes / wol suffyseI prey to god / that it may plesen yowThanne woot I wel / that it is good ynowLine 708
¶ Explicit .
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[6-text p 500]
[THE PROEM.] ¶ The Prologe / of the ffrankeleyns tale . [folio 127b]
THise olde gentil Britons / in hir dayesOf diuerse auentures / maden layesRymeyed / in hir firste Briton tongeWhiche layes / with hir Instrumentz they songeLine 712 Or elles redden hem / for hir plesanceAnd oon of hem / haue I in remembranceWhich I shal seyn / with good wyl as I kan¶ But sires / by cause I am a burel manLine 716 At my bigynnyng first I yow bisecheHaue me excused / of my rude specheI lerned neuere Rethorik certeynThyng þat I speke / it moot be bare and pleynLine 720 I sleepe neuere / on the Mount of PernasoNe lerned / Marcus Tullius ScitheroColours ne knowe I none with outen dredeBut swiche colours / as growen in the MedeLine 724 Or elles swiche / as men dye or peynteColours of Rethoryk/ been to queynteMy spirit feeleth noght of swich mateereBut if yow list my tale shul ye heereLine 728
¶ Heere bigynneth / the ffrankeleyns tale /
IN Armorik/ that called is BritayneTher was a knyght / þat loued and dide his payneTo serue a lady / in his beste wiseAnd many a labour / many a greet emprise
Line 732
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[6-text p 501] Line 732 He for his lady wroghte / er she were wonneffor she was / oon the faireste vnder sonneAnd eek therto / comen of so heigh kynredeThat wel vnnethes / dorste this knyght for dredeLine 736 Telle hire his wo / his peyne / and his distresseBut atte laste / she for his worthynesseAnd namely / for his meke obeysanceHath swich a pitee caught of his penanceLine 740 That pryuely / she fil of his accordTo take hym / for hir housbonde and hir lordOf swich lordshipe / as men han ouer hir wyuesAnd for to lede / the moore in blisse hir lyuesLine 744 Of his free wyl / he swoor hire as a knyghtThat neuere in al his lyf he day ne nyghtNe sholde vp on hym / take no maistrieAgayn hir wyl / ne kithe hire IalousieLine 748 But hire obeye / and folwe hir wyl in al [folio 128a] As any louere / to his lady shalSaue / that the name of souerayneteeThat wolde he haue / for shame of his degreeLine 752 ¶ She thanked hym / and with ful greet humblesseShe seyde sire / sith of youre gentillesseYe profre me / to haue so large a reyneNe wolde neuere god / bitwixe vs tweyneLine 756 As in my gilt were outher werre or stryf/Sire / I wol be / youre humble trewe wyfHaue heer my trouthe / til þat myn herte bresteThus been they / bothe in quiete and in resteLine 760 ¶ ffor o thyng sires / saufly dar I seyeThat freendes / euerych oother moot obeyeIf they wol longe / holden compaignyeLoue / wol nat been constreyned by maistryeLine 764 Whan maistrie comth / the god of loue anonBeteth hise wynges / and farewel he is gonLoue is a thyng as any Spirit freeWommen of kynde / desiren libertee
Line 768
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[6-text p 502] Line 768 And nat/ to been constreyned as a thralAnd so doon men / if I sooth seyen shalLooke / who þat is moost pacient in loueHe is / at his auantate al aboueLine 772 Pacience / is an heigh vertu certeynffor it venquysseth / as thise clerkes seynThynges / þat rigour / sholde neuere atteyneffor euery word / men may nat/ chide or pleyneLine 776 Lerneth to suffre / or elles so moot I goonYe shul it lerne / wher so ye wole or noonffor in this world certein / ther no wight isThat he ne dooth or seith / som tyme amysLine 780 Ire / siknesse / or constellacionWyn / wo / or chaungynge of complexionCauseth ful ofte / to doon amys or spekenOn euery wrong a man may nat be wrekenLine 784 After the tyme / moste be temperanceTo euery wight þat kan on gouernanceAnd therfore / hath this wise worthy knyghtTo lyue in ese / suffrance hire bihightLine 788 And she to hym / ful wisly gan to swereThat neuere / sholde ther be defaute in here¶ Heere may men seen / an humble wys accordThus hath she take / hir seruant and hir lordLine 792 Seruant in love / and lord in mariageThanne was he / bothe in lordshipe and seruageSeruage? nay / but in lordshipe aboueSith he hath / bothe his lady and his loueLine 796 His lady certes / and his wyf also [folio 128b] The which / þat lawe of loue acordeth toAnd whan he was / in this prosperiteeHoom with his wyf / he gooth to his contreeLine 800 Nat fer fro Pedmark/ ther his dwellyng wasWhere as he lyueth / in blisse and in solas¶ Who koude telle / but he hadde wedded beThe ioye / the ese / and the prosperitee
Line 804
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[6-text p 503] Line 804 That is / bitwixe an housbonde / and his wyfA yeer and moore / lasted this blisful lyfTil þat the knyght of which I speke of thusThat of kayrrud / was cleped ArueragusLine 808 Shoope hym to goon / and dwelle a yeer or tweyneIn Engelond / that cleped was eek BriteyneTo seke in Armes / worshipe and honourffor al his lust he sette in swich labourLine 812 And dwelled there two yeer / the book seith thus¶ Now wol I stynten / of this ArueragusAnd speken I wole / of Dorigene his wyfThat loueth hire housbonde / as hire hertes lyfLine 816 ffor his Absence / wepeth she and sikethAs doon thise noble wyues / whan hem likethShe moorneth / waketh / wayleth / fasteth / pleynethDesir of his presence / hire so distreynethLine 820 That al this wyde world / she sette at noghtHire freendes / whiche þat knewe hir heuy thoghtConforten hire / in al þat euer they mayThey prechen hire / they telle hire nyght and dayLine 824 That causelees / she sleeth hir self allasAnd euery confort possible in this casThey doon to hire / with all hire bisynesseAl / for to make hire / leue hire heuynesseLine 828 ¶ By proces / as ye knowen euerichoonMen may so longe / grauen in a stoonTil som figure / ther Inne emprented beSo longe han they conforted hire / til sheLine 832 Receyued hath / by hope and by resonThe emprentyng of hire consolacionThurgh which / hir grete sorwe gan aswageShe may nat alwey / duren in swich rageLine 836 ¶ And eek Arueragus / in al this careHath sent hire lettres hoom / of his welfareAnd þat he wol come hastily agaynOr elles hadde this sorwe / hir herte slayn
Line 840
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[6-text p 504] Line 840 ¶ Hire freendes sawe / hir sorwe gan to slakeAnd preyde hire on knees / for goddes sakeTo come / and romen hire in compaignyeAwey to dryue / hire derke fantasyeLine 844 And finally / she graunted that requeste [folio 129a] ffor wel she saugh / that it was for the beste¶ Now stood hire Castel / faste by the SeeAnd often / with hire freendes walketh sheeLine 848 Hire to disporte / vp on the bank an heighWhere / as she / many a shipe and barge seighSeillynge hir cours / where as hem liste goBut thanne was that a parcel of hire woLine 852 ffor to hir self ful ofte allas seith sheIs ther no shipe / of so manye as I seWol bryngen hom my lord / thanne were myn herteAl warisshed / of hise bittre peynes smerteLine 856 ¶ Another tyme / ther wolde she sitte and thynkeAnd caste hir eyen / dounward fro the brynkeBut whan she saugh / the grisly Rokkes blakeffor verray feere / so wolde hir herte quakeLine 860 That on hire feet she myghte hire noght susteneThanne wolde she / sitte adoun vpon the greneAnd pitously / in to the see biholdeAnd seyn right thus / with sorweful sikes coldeLine 864 ¶ Eterne god / that thurgh thy purueiaunceLedest the world / by certein gouernaunceIn ydel as men seyn / ye no thyng makeBut lord / thise grisly / feendly Rokkes blakeLine 868 That semen rather / a foul confusionOf werk than any fair creacionOf swich a parfit wys god and a stableWhy han ye wroght this werk vnresonableLine 872 ffor by this werk / South / North / ne West ne EestTher nys yfostred / man / ne bryd ne beestIt dooth no good to my wit but anoyethSe ye nat lord / how mankynde it destroyeth
Line 876
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[6-text p 505] Line 876 An hundred thousand bodyes of mankyndeHan Rokkes slayn / al be they nat in myndeWhich mankynde / is so fair part of thy werkThat thou it madest lyk to thyn owene merkLine 880 ¶ Thanne semed it ye hadde a greet chierteeToward mankynde / but how thanne may it beeThat ye swiche meenes make / it to destroyenWhiche meenes do no good / but euere anoyenLine 884 I woot wel / clerkes wol seyn as hem lesteBy Argumentz / that al is for the besteThough I kan / the causes nat yknoweBut thilke god / that made wynd to bloweLine 888 As kepe my lord / this my conclusionTo clerkes lete I / al this disputisonBut wolde god / that alle thise Rokkes blakeWere sonken in to helle for his sakeLine 892 Thise Rokkes / sleen myn herte for the feere [folio 129b] Thus wolde she seyn / with many a pitous teere¶ Hire freendes sawe / that it was no disportTo romen by the see / but disconfortLine 896 And shopen for to pleyen / somwher ellesThey leden hire / by Ryueres and by wellesAnd eek/ in othere places delitablesThey dauncen / and they pleyen / at ches and tablesLine 900 ¶ So on a day / right in the morwe tydeVn to a gardyn / that was ther bisydeIn which / that they hadde maad hir ordinanceOf vitaille / and of oother purueianceLine 904 They goon and pleye hem / al the longe dayAnd this was / in the sixte morwe of MayWhich May hadde peynted / with his softe shouresThis gardyn / ful of leues and of flouresLine 908 And craft of mannes hand so curiouslyArrayed hadde / this gardyn trewelyThat neuere / was ther gardyn of swich prysBut if it were / the verray Paradys
Line 912
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[6-text p 506] Line 912 The odour of floures / and the fresshe sighteWolde han maked / any herte lighteThat euere was born / but if to greet siknesseOr to greet sorwe / helde it in distresseLine 916 So ful it was / of beautee with plesanceAt after dyner / gonne they to daunceAnd synge also / saue Dorigen alloneWhich made alwey / hir compleint and hir mooneLine 920 ffor she ne saugh hym / on the daunce goThat was hir housbonde / and hir loue alsoBut nathelees / she moste a tyme abydeAnd with good hope / lete hir sorwe slydeLine 924 ¶ Vp on this daunce / amonges othere menDaunced a squier / biforn DorigenThat fressher was / and Iolyer of arrayAs to my doom / than is the Monthe of MayLine 928 He syngeth / daunceth / passynge any manThat is // or was / sith þat the world biganTher-with he was / if men sholde hym discryueOon / of the beste farynge man on lyueLine 932 Yong/ strong right vertuous / and riche and wysAnd wel biloued / and holden in greet prysAnd shortly / if the sothe I tellen shalVnwityng of this Dorigen at alLine 936 This lusty Squier / seruant to VenusWhich that ycleped was AureliusHadde loued hire / best of any creatureTwo yeer and moore / as was his auentureLine 940 But neuere / dorste he tellen hire his greuance [folio 130a] With outen coppe / he drank al his penanceHe was despeyred / no thyng dorste he seyeSaue in his songes / somwhat wolde he wreyeLine 944 His wo / as in a general compleynyngHe seyde he louede / and was biloued no thyngOf swich matere / made he manye layesSonges / compleintes / roundels / virelayes
Line 948
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[6-text p 507] Line 948 How that/ he dorste nat/ his sorwe telleBut langwissheth / as a furye dooth in helleAnd dye he moste he seyde / as dide Ekkoffor Narcisus / that dorste nat telle hir woLine 952 In oother manere / than ye heere me seyeNe dorste he nat. to hire his wo biwreyeSaue that parauenture / som tyme at dauncesTher yong folk/ kepen hir obseruauncesLine 956 It may wel be / he looked on hir faceIn swich a wise / as man þat asketh graceBut no thyng wiste she / of his ententeNathelees / it happed er they thennes wenteLine 960 By cause / that he was hire NeighebourAnd was a man / of worshipe and honourAnd hadde yknowen hym / of tyme yooreThey fille in speche / and forthe moore and mooreLine 964 Vn to this purpos / drough AureliusAnd whan he saugh his tyme / he seyde thus¶ Madame quod he / by god þat this world madeSo that I wiste / it myghte youre herte gladeLine 968 I wolde that day / that youre ArueragusWente ouer the see / that I AureliusHadde went ther neuere I sholde haue come agaynffor wel I woot my seruyce is in vaynLine 972 My gerdon is / but brestyng of myn herteMadame / reweth vpon my peynes smerteffor with a word / ye may me sleen or saueHeere at youre feet/ god wolde þat I were graueLine 976 I ne haue as now / no leyser moore to seyeHaue mercy sweete / or ye wol do me deye¶ She gan to looke / vp on AureliusIs this youre wyl quod she / and sey ye thus?Line 980 Neuere erst quod she / ne wiste I what ye menteBut now Aurelie / I knowe youre ententeBy thilke god / that yaf me soule and lyfNe shal I neuere / been vntrewe wyf
Line 984
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[6-text p 508] Line 984 In word ne werk/ as fer as I haue wit/I wol been his / to whom þat I am knytTaak this for fynal answere / as of meBut after that in pley thus seyde sheLine 988 ¶ Aurelie quod she / by heighe god aboue [folio 130b] Yet wolde I graunte yow / to been youre loueSyn I yow se / so pitously complayneLooke what day / that endelong BritayneLine 992 Ye remoeue alle the Rokkes / stoon by stoonThat they ne lette / shipe ne boot to goonI seye / whan ye han maad / the coost so cleneOf Rokkes / that ther nys no stoon yseneLine 996 Thanne wol I / loue yow best of any manHaue heer my trouthe / in al þat euere I kan¶ Is ther noon oother grace / in yow quod he.¶ No / by that lord quod she that maked meLine 1000 ffor wel I woot þat it shal neuer bitydeLat swiche folies / out of youre herte slydeWhat deyntee sholde a man / han in his lyfffor to go loue / another mannes wyfLine 1004 That hath hir body / whan so þat hym liketh¶ Aurelius / ful ofte soore sikethWo was Aurelie / whan þat he this herdeAnd with a sorweful herte / he thus answerdeLine 1008 ¶ Madame quod he / this were an inpossibleThanne moot I dye / of sodeyn deth horribleAnd with that word / he turned hym anonTho coome / hir othere freendes many oonLine 1012 And in the Aleyes / romeden vp and dounAnd no thyng wiste / of this conclusiounBut sodeynly / bigonne reuel neweTil that the brighte sonne / loste his heweLine 1016 ffor Thorisonte / hath reft the sonne his lyghtThis is as muche to seye / as it was nyghtAnd hoom they goon / in ioye and in solasSaue oonly / wrecche Aurelius allas
Line 1020
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[6-text p 509] Line 1020 He to his hous is goon / with sorweful herteHe seeth / he may nat fro his deeth asterteHym semed / that he felte his herte coldeVp to the heuene / hise handes he gan holdeLine 1024 And on hise knowes bare / he sette hym dounAnd in his rauyng seyde his orisounffor verray wo / out of his wit he breydeHe nyste what he spak but thus he seydeLine 1028 With pitous herte / his pleynt hath he bigonneVn to the goddes / and first vn to the sonne¶ He seyde Appollo / god and gouernourOf euery plaunte / herbe / tree and flourThat yeuest after thy declinacionTo ech of hem / his tyme and his sesonAs thyn herberwe / chaungeth lowe or heigheLord Phebus / cast thy merciable eighe [folio 131a] Line 1036 On wrecche Aurelie / which am but lornLo lord / my lady hath my deeth y-swornWith oute gilt but thy benignyteeVpon my dedly herte / haue som piteeLine 1040 ffor wel I woot / lord Phebus / if yow lestYe may me helpen / saue my lady bestNow voucheth sauf / þat I may yow deuyseHow þat I may been holpen / and in what wyseLine 1044 ¶ Youre blisful suster / Lucina the sheeneThat of the see / is chief goddesse and queeneThough Neptunus / haue deitee in the SeeYet Emperisse / abouen hym is sheLine 1048 Ye knowen wel lord / that right as hir desirIs to be quyked / and lightned of youre firffor which / she folweth yow / ful bisilyRight/ so / the see desireth naturellyLine 1052 To folwen hire / as she that is goddesseBothe in the see / and Ryueres moore and lesseWherfore lord Phebus / this is my requesteDo this miracle / or do myn herte breste
Line 1056
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[6-text p 510] Line 1056 That now next at this opposicionWhich in the signe / shal be of the leonAs preieth hire / so greet a flood to bryngeThat fyue fadme at the leeste it ouerspryngeLine 1060 The hyeste Rokke / in Armorik / BriteyneAnd lat this flood / endure yeres tweyneThanne certes / to my lady may I seyeHoldeth youre heste / the Rokkes been aweyeLine 1064 ¶ Lord Phebus / dooth this miracle for mePreye hire / she go no faster cours than yeI seye / preyeth your suster / that she goNo faster cours than ye / thise yeres twoLine 1068 Thanne shal she been / euene atte fulle alwayAnd spryng flood / laste bothe nyght and dayAnd but she vouche sauf / in swich manereTo graunte me / my souereyn lady deereLine 1072 Prey hire / to synken euery Rok adounIn to / hir owene dirke RegiounVnder the ground / ther Pluto dwelleth InneOr neuere mo / shal I my lady wynneLine 1076 Thy Temple in Delphos / wol I barefoot sekeLord Phebus / se the teeris on my chekeAnd of my peyne / haue som compassiounAnd with that word / in swowne he fil adounLine 1080 And longe tyme / he lay forth in a traunce¶ His brother/ which þat knew of his penaunceVp caughte hym / and to bedde he hath hym broghtDispeyred / in this torment and this thoghtLine 1084 Lete I / this woful creature lye [folio 131b] Chese he for me / wheither he wol lyue or dye
Arueragus / with heele and greet honourAs he / þat was / of chiualrie the flourLine 1088 Is comen hoom / and othere worthy menO blisful / artow now / thou DorigenThat hast thy lusty housbonde in thyne ArmesThe fresshe knyght the worthy man of Armes
Line 1092
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[6-text p 511] Line 1092 That loueth thee / as his owene hertes lyfNo thyng list hym / to been ymaginatyfIf any wight had spoke / whil he was outeTo hire of loue / he hadde of it no douteLine 1096 He noght entendeth / to no swich mateereBut daunceth / Iusteth / maketh hire good cheereAnd thus / in ioye and blisse / I lete hem dwelleAnd of the sike Aurelius / I wol yow telleLine 1100
IN langour/ and in torment furyusTwo yeer and moore / lay wrecche AurelyusEr any foot . he myghte on erthe gonNe confort in this tyme / hadde he noonLine 1104 Saue of his brother / which þat was a clerkHe knew of al this wo / and al this werkffor to noon oother creature certeynOf this matere / he dorste no word seynLine 1108 Vnder his brest he baar it moore secreeThan euere dide Pamphilus for GalatheeHis brest was hool / with oute for to seneBut in his herte / ay was the Arwe keneLine 1112 And wel ye knowe / that of a SursanureIn Surgerye / is perilous the cureBut men myghte touche the Arwe / or come therbyHis brother / weepe / and wayled pryuelyLine 1116 Til atte laste / hym fil in remembranceThat whiles he was / at Orliens in ffranceAs yonge clerkes / that been lykerousTo reden Artes / that been curiousLine 1120 Seken / in euery halke / and euery herneParticuler sciences / for to lerneHe hym remembred / that vpon a dayAt Orliens in studie / a book he sayLine 1124 Of Magyk/ natureel / which his felaweThat was that tyme / a Bacheler of laweAl were he ther / to lerne another craftHadde priuely / vpon his desk ylaft
Line 1128
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[6-text p 512] Line 1128 Which book spak muchel / of the operacionsTouchynge / the eighte and twenty mansionsThat longen to the moone / and swich folyeAs in oure dayes / is nat worth a flyeLine 1132 ffor hooly chirches feith / in oure bileue [folio 132a] Ne suffreth noon illusion vs to greueAnd whan this book / was in his remembraunceAnon for ioye / his herte gan to daunceLine 1136 And to hym self he seyde pryuelyMy brother/ shal be warisshed hastilyffor I am siker / þat ther be sciencesBy wh[i]c[h]e / men make diuerse apparencesLine 1140 Swiche / as thise subtile tregetours pleyeffor ofte at feestes / haue I wel herd seyeThat tregetours / with Inne an halle largeHaue maad come In / a water and a bargeLine 1144 And in the halle / rowen vp and dounSomtyme / hath semed come a grym leounAnd somtyme floures sprynge / as in a MedeSomtyme a Vyne / and grapes white and redeLine 1148 Somtyme a Castel / al of lym and stoonAnd whan hym lyked / voyded it anoonThus semed it to euery mannes sighte¶ Now thanne conclude I thus / þat if I myghteLine 1152 At Orliens / som oold felawe yfyndeThat hadde / this moones mansions in myndeOr oother Magyk natureel aboueHe sholde wel make / my brother han his loueLine 1156 ffor with an apparence / a clerk may makeTo mannes sighte / þat alle the Rokkes blakeOf Britaigne / weren yvoyded euerichonAnd shippes / by the brynke comen and gonLine 1160 And in swich forme / enduren a wowke or twoThanne were my brother // warisshed of his woThanne moste she nedes / holden hire bihesteOr elles / he shal shame hire atte leeste
Line 1164
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[6-text p 513] Line 1164 ¶ What sholde I make / a lenger tale of thisVn to his brotheres bed / he comen isAnd swich confort he yaf hym for to gonTo Orliens / that he vp stirte anonLine 1168 And on his wey / forthward thanne is he fareIn hope / for to been lissed of his care¶ Whan they were come / almoost to that CiteeBut if it were / a two furlong or threLine 1172 A yong clerk romynge by hym self they metteWhich þat in latyn / thriftily hem gretteAnd after that he seyde a wonder thyngI knowe quod he / the cause of youre comyngLine 1176 And er they ferther / any foote wenteHe tolde hem / al that was in hire entente¶ This Briton clerk hym asked of felawesThe whiche þat he had knowe / in olde dawesLine 1180 And he answerde hym / that they dede were [folio 132b] ffor which / he weep ful ofte many a teere¶ Doun of his hors / Aurelius lighte anonAnd with this Magicien / forth is he gonLine 1184 Hoom to his hous / and maden hem wel at eseHem lakked no vitaille / þat myghte hem pleseSo wel arrayed hous / as ther was oonAurelius in his lyf / saugh neuere noonLine 1188 ¶ He shewed hym / er he wente to Sopeerfforestes / Parkes / ful of wilde deerTher saugh he hertes / with hir hornes hyeThe gretteste / that euere were seyn with eyeLine 1192 He saugh of hem / an hondred slayn with houndesAnd somme with Arwes blede / of bittre woundes¶ He saugh / whan voyded were thise wilde deerThise ffauconers / vpon a fair RyuerLine 1196 That with hir haukes / han the heron slayn¶ Tho saugh he knyghtes / iustyng in a playnAnd after this / he dide hym swich plesaunceThat he hym shewed / his lady on a daunce
Line 1200
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[6-text p 514] Line 1200 On which hym self / he daunced / as hym thoughteAnd whan this Maister / þat this Magyk wroughteSaugh it was tyme / he clapte hise handes twoAnd farewel / al oure reuel was agoLine 1204 And yet remoeued they neuere / out of the housWhil they saugh / al this sighte merueillousBut in his studie / ther as hise bookes beThey seten stille / and no wight but they threLine 1208 ¶ To hym / this Maister called his SquierAnd seyde hym thus / is redy oure soperAlmoost an houre it is I vndertakeSith I yow bad / oure soper for to makeLine 1212 Whan that thise worthy men / wenten with meIn to my studie / ther as my bookes be¶ Sire quod this Squier / whan it liketh yowIt is al redy / though ye wol right nowLine 1216 Go we thanne soupe quod he / as for the besteThis amorous folk / som tyme moote han hir reste¶ At after soper / fille they in treteeWhat somme / sholde this Maistres gerdon beLine 1220 To remoeuen / alle the Rokkes of BritayneAnd eek from Gerounde / to the mouth of Sayne¶ He made it straunge / and swoor / so god hym saueLasse than a thousand pound / he wolde nat haueLine 1224 Ne gladly / for that somme he wolde nat goon¶ Aurelius / with blisful herte anoonAnswerde thus / fy on a thousand poundThis wyde world / which that men seye is roundLine 1228 ¶ I wolde it yeue / if I were lord of it [folio 133a] This bargayn is ful dryue / for we been knytYe shal be payed / trewely by my troutheBut looketh now / for no necligence or sloutheLine 1232 Ye tarie vs heere / no lenger than to morwe¶ Nay quod this clerk haue heer my feith to borwe¶ To bedde is goon Aurelius / whan hym lesteAnd wel ny / al that nyght he hadde his reste
Line 1236
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[6-text p 515] Line 1236 What for his labour / and his hope of blisseHis woful herte / of penaunce hadde a lisse¶ Vpon the morwe / whan þat it was dayTo Britaigne / tooke they the righte wayLine 1240 Aurelius / and this Magicien bisydeAnd been descended / ther they wolde abydeAnd this was / as thise bookes me remembreThe colde / frosty seson of DecembreLine 1244
Phebus wax old / and hewed lyk latonThat in his hoote declynacionShoon as the burned gold / with stremes brighteBut now in Capricorn / adoun he lighteLine 1248 Where as he shoon ful pale / I dar wel seynThe bittre frostes / with the sleet and reynDestroyed hath the grene / in euery yerdIanus sit by the fyr / with double berdAnd drynketh / of his bugle horn the wynBiforn hym / stant brawen / of the tusked swynAnd Nowel / crieth euery lusty man¶ Aurelius / in al that euere he kanLine 1256 Dooth to his Maister / chiere and reuerenceAnd preyeth hym / to doon his diligenceTo bryngen hym / out of his peynes smerteOr with a swerd / þat he wolde slitte his herteLine 1260 ¶ This subtil clerk swich routhe had of this manThat nyght and day / he spedde hym þat he kanTo wayten a tyme / of his conclusionThis is to seye / to maken illusionLine 1264 By swich a apparence or IogelryeI ne kan no termes / of AstrologyeThat she and euery wight sholde wene and seyeThat of Britaigne / the Rokkes were aweyeLine 1268 Or ellis / they were sonken vnder groundeSo atte laste / he hath his tyme yfoundeTo maken hise Iapes / and his wrecchednesseOf swich / a supersticious cursednesse
Line 1272
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[6-text p 516] Line 1272 Hise tables tolletanes / forth he broughtfful wel corrected / ne ther lakked noughtNeither his collect ne hise expans yeerisNe hise rootes / ne hise othere geerisLine 1276 As been his centris / and hise Argumentz [folio 133b] And hise proporcioneles conuenientzffor hise equacions / in euery thyngAnd by his .8. speere in his wirkyngLine 1280 He knew ful wel / how fer Alnath was shoueffro the heed / of thilke fixe Aries aboueThat in the .9. speere considered isfful subtilly / he hadde kalkuled al thisLine 1284 ¶ Whan he hadde founde / his firste mansionHe knew the remenant by proporcionAnd knew the arisyng of his moone weelAnd in whos face / and terme and euerydeelLine 1288 And knew ful weel / the moones mansionAcordaunt to his operacionAnd knew also / hise othere obseruancesffor swiche illusions / and swiche meschancesLine 1292 As hethen folk / vseden in thilke dayesffor which / no lenger maked he delayesBut thurgh his magik / for a wyke or tweyeIt semed / that alle the Rokkes were aweyeLine 1296 ¶ Aurelius / which þat yet despeired isWher he shal han his loue / or fare amysAwaiteth nyght and day / on this myracleAnd whan he knew / þat ther was noon obstacleLine 1300 That voyded were / thise Rokkes euerychonDoun / to hise Maistres feet he fil anonAnd seyde / I woful wrecche AureliusThanke yow lord / and lady myn VenusLine 1304 That me han holpen / fro my cares coldeAnd to the temple / his wey forth hath he holdeWhere as he knew / he sholde his lady seeAnd whan he saugh his tyme / anon right hee
Line 1308
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[6-text p 517] Line 1308 With dredful herte / and with ful humble cheereSalewed hath / his souereyn lady deere
My righte lady / quod this woful manWhom I moost drede and loue as I best kanLine 1312 And lothest were / of al this world displeseNere it þat I for yow / haue swich diseseThat I moste dyen heere / at youre foot anonNoght wolde I telle / how me is wo bigonLine 1316 But certes / outher moste I dye or pleyneYe sle me giltlees / for verray peyneBut of my deeth / thogh þat ye haue no routheAuyseth yow / er þat ye breke youre troutheLine 1320 Repenteth yow / for thilke god aboueEr ye me sleen / by cause þat I yow loueffor madame / wel ye woot what ye han hightNat þat I chalange / any thyng of rightLine 1324 Of yow my souereyn lady / but youre grace [folio 134a] But in a gardyn yond / at swich a placeYe woot right wel / what ye bihighten meAnd in myn hand / youre trouthe plighten yeLine 1328 To loue me best god woot ye seyde soAl be / þat I vnworthy be thertoMadame I speke it / for the honour of yowMoore than to saue / myn hertes lyf right nowLine 1332 I haue do so / as ye comanded meAnd if ye vouche sauf / ye may go seeDooth as yow list haue youre biheste in myndeffor quyk or deed / right there ye shal me fyndeLine 1336 In yow lith al / to do me lyue or deyeBut wel I woot the Rokkes been aweye¶ He taketh his leue / and she astonied stoodIn al hir face / nas a drope of bloodLine 1340 She wende neuere / han come in swich a trappeAllas quod she / þat euere this sholde happeffor wende I neuere / by possibiliteeThat swich a Monstre / or merueille myghte be
Line 1344
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[6-text p 518] Line 1344 It is / agayns the proces of natureAnd hoom she goth / a sorweful creatureffor verray feere / vnnethe may she goShe wepeth / wailleth / al a day or twoLine 1348 And swowneth / that it routhe was to seeBut why it was / to no wight tolde sheeffor out of towne / was goon ArueragusBut to hir self/ she spak and seyde thusLine 1352 With face pale / and with ful sorweful cheereIn hire compleynt as ye shal after heere¶ Allas quod she / on thee ffortune I pleyneThat vnwar / wrapped hast me in thy cheyneLine 1356 ffor which tescape / woot I no scourSaue oonly / deeth or dishonourOon of thise two / bihoueth me to cheseBut nathelees / yet haue I leuere to leseLine 1360 My lif/ than of my body haue a shameOr knowe my seluen fals / or lese my nameAnd with my deth / I may be quyt ywisHath ther nat/ many a noble wyf er thisAnd many a mayde / yslayn hir self allasRather / than with hir body doon trespas¶ Yis certes / lo thise stories beren witnesseWhan .xxx. tirauntz / ful of cursednesseLine 1368 Hadde slayn Phidon / in Atthenes at festeThey comanded / hise doghtres for taresteAnd bryngen hem / biforn hem in despitAl naked / to fulfille hir foul delitLine 1372 And in hir fadres blood / they made hem daunce [folio 134b] Vpon the pauement god yeue hem myschaunceffor which / thise woful maydens ful of dredeRather / than they wolde lese hir maydenhedeLine 1376 They priuely / been stirt/ in to a welleAnd dreynte hem seluen / as the bookes telle
They of Mecene / leete enquere and sekeOf Lacedomye / fifty maydens eke
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[6-text p 519] On whiche / they wolden doon hir lecheryeBut was ther noon of al that compaignyeThat she nas slayn / and with a good ententeChees / rather for to dye than assenteLine 1384 To been oppressed / of hir maydenhedeWhy sholde I thanne / to dye been in drede
Lo eek / the tiraunt AristoclidesThat loued a mayden / heet StymphalidesLine 1388 Whan that hir fader / slayn was on a nyghtVn to Dianes temple / goth she rightAnd hente the ymage / in hir handes twoffro which ymage / wolde she neuere goLine 1392 No wight / ne myghte hir handes of it araceTil she was slayn / right in the selue place¶ Now sith þat maydens / hadden swich despitTo been defouled / with mannes foul delitLine 1396 Wel oghte a wyf / rather hir seluen sleeThan be defouled / as it thynketh me
What shal I seyn / of Hasdrubales wyfThat at Cartage / birafte hir self hir lyfLine 1400 ffor whan she saugh / that Romayns wan the tounShe took hir children alle / and skipte adounIn to the fyr / and chees rather to dyeThan any Romayn / dide hire vileynyeLine 1404
Hath nat Lucresse / yslayn hir self allasAt Rome / whan she oppressed wasOf Tarquyn / for hire thoughte it was a shameTo lyuen / whan she had lost hir nameLine 1408
The seuene maydens / of Melesie alsoHan slayn hem self / for drede and woRather than folk of Gawle / hem sholde oppresseMo than a thousand stories / as I gesseLine 1412 Koude I now telle / as touchynge this mateere
Whan habradate was slayn / his wyf so deereHirseluen slow / and leet hir blood to glydeIn habradates woundes depe and wyde
Line 1416
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[6-text p 520] Line 1416 And seyde my body / at the leeste wayTher shal no wight / defoulen if I may¶ What sholde I / mo ensamples heer of saynSith that so manye / han hem seluen slaynLine 1420 Wel rather / than they wolde defouled be [folio 135a] I wol conclude / that it is bet for meTo sleen my self / than been defouled thusI wol be trewe / vn to ArueragusLine 1424 Or rather/ sleen my self in som manereAs dide / Demociones doghter deereBy cause / þat she wolde nat defouled beOCedasus / it is ful greet piteeTo reden / how thy doghtren deyde allasThat slowe hem self / for swich manere casAs greet a pitee was it/ or wel mooreThe Theban mayden / that for NichanoreLine 1432 Hir seluen slow / right for swich manere woAnother Theban mayden / dide right soffor oon of Macidonye / hadde hire oppressedShe with hire deeth / hir maydenhede redressedLine 1436 What shal I seye of Nicerates wyfThat for swich cas / birafte hir self hir lyf /How trewe eek was / to AlcebiadesHis loue / rather for to dyen cheesLine 1440 Than for to suffre / his body vnburyed beLo which a wyf / was Alceste quod sheWhat seith Omer / of goode PenalopeeAl Grece / knoweth of hire chastiteeLine 1444 Pardee / of Lacedomya / is writen thusThat whan at Troie / was slayn ProtheselausNo lenger/ wolde she lyue / after his dayThe same / of noble Porcia telle I mayWith oute Brutus / koude she nat lyueTo whom she hadde / al hool hir herte yeueThe parfit wyfhod of ArthemesieHonured is / thurgh al the Barbarie
Line 1452
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[6-text p 521] Line 1452 O Teuta queene / thy wyfly chastiteeTo alle wyues / may a Mirour beeThe same thyng / I seye of BilyeaOf Rodogone / and eek ValeriaLine 1456 ¶ Thus pleyne Dorigene / a day or tweyePurposynge euere / that she wolde deye¶ But nathelees / vpon the thridde nyghtHoom cam Arueragus / this worthy knyghtLine 1460 And asked hire / why that she weepe so sooreAnd she gan wepen / euer lenger the moore¶ Allas quod she / that euere I was bornThus haue I seyd quod she / thus haue I swornLine 1464 And toold hym al / as ye han herd biforeIt nedeth nat reherce it yow namoore¶ This housbonde / with glad chiere in freendly wyseAnswerde and seyde / as I shal yow deuyseLine 1468 Is ther oght elles Dorigen / but this? [folio 135b] ¶ Nay nay quod she / god helpe me so as wysThis is to muche / and it were goddes wille¶ Ye wyf quod he / lat slepen that is stilleLine 1472 It may be wel / parauenture yet to dayYe shul youre trouthe / holden by my fayffor god so wisly / haue mercy vp on meI hadde wel leuere / ystiked for to beLine 1476 ffor verray loue / which that I to yow haueBut if ye sholde / youre trouthe kepe and saueTrouthe / is the hyeste thyng þat man may kepeBut with that word / he brast anon to wepeLine 1480 And seyde / I yow forbede / vp peyne deethThat neuere / whil thee lasteth / lyf ne breethTo no wight telle thou of this auentureAs I may best I wol my wo endureLine 1484 Ne make / no contenance of heuynesseThat folk/ of yow / may demen harm or gesse¶ And forth / he cleped / a squier and a maydeGooth forth anon / with Dorigen he sayde
Line 1488
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[6-text p 522] Line 1488 And bryngeth hire / to swich a place anonThey take hir leue / and on hir wey they gonBut they ne wiste / why she thider wenteHe nolde / no wight tellen his ententeLine 1492 ¶ Parauenture / an heepe of yow ywisWol holden hym / a lewed man in thisThat he wol putte / his wyf in IupartieHerkneth the tale / er ye vp on hire crieLine 1496 She may haue bettre ffortune / than yow semethAnd whan þat ye han herd the tale / demeth
This squier / which þat highte AureliusOn Dorigen / that was so amorusLine 1500 Of auenture / happed hire to meeteAmydde the toun / right in the quykkest streteAs she was bown / to goon the wey forth rightToward the gardyn / ther as she had hightLine 1504 And he was / to the gardynward alsoffor wel he spyed / whan she wolde goOut of hir hous / to any maner placeBut thus they mette / of auenture or graceLine 1508 And he saleweth hire / with glad ententeAnd asked of hire / whiderward she wente¶ And she answerde / half as she were madVn to the gardyn / as myn housbonde badLine 1512 My trouthe for to holde / allas / allas¶ Aurelius / gan wondren on this casAnd in his herte / hadde greet compassionOf hire / and of hire lamentacionLine 1516 ¶ And of Arueragus the worthy knyght [folio 136a] That bad hire holden / al þat she had hightSo looth hym was / his wyf sholde breke hir troutheAnd in his herte / he caughte of this greet routheLine 1520 Considerynge / the beste on euery sydeThat fro his lust yet were hym leuere abydeThan doon / so heigh a cherlyssh wrecchednesseAgayns franchise / and alle gentillesse
Line 1524
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[6-text p 523] Line 1524 ffor which / in fewe wordes seyde he thus¶ Madame / seyeth to youre lord ArueragusThat sith I se his grete gentillesseTo yow / and eek I se wel youre distresseLine 1528 That him were leuere han shame / and þat were routheThan ye to me / sholde breke thus youre troutheI haue wel leuere / euere to suffre woThan I departe / the loue bitwix yow twoLine 1532 I yow relesse madame / in to youre hondQuyt euerysurement and euery bondThat ye han maad to me / as heer bifornSith thilke tyme / which þat ye were bornLine 1536 My trouthe I plighte / I shal yow neuer repreueOf no biheste / and heere I take my leueAs of the treweste / and the beste wyf/That euere yet I knew in al my lyf/Line 1540 But euery wyf/ be war of hire biheesteOn Dorigene / remembreth / atte leesteThus kan a Squier/ doon a gentil dedeAs wel as kan a knyght with outen dredeLine 1544 ¶ She thonketh hym / vp on hir knees al bareAnd hoom / vn to hir housbonde is she fareAnd tolde hym al / as ye han herd me saydAnd be ye siker / he was so weel apaydLine 1548 That it were inpossible / me to wryteWhat sholde I lenger / of this cas endyte¶ Arueragus / and Dorigene his wyfIn souereyn blisse / leden forth hir lyfLine 1552 Neuere eft ne was ther Angre hem bitweneHe cherisseth hire / as though she were a queeneAnd she was to hym / trewe for eueremooreOf thise folk / ye gete of me namooreLine 1556
Aurelius / that his cost hath al forlornCurseth the tyme / þat euere he was bornAllas quod he / allas that I bihighteOf pured gold / a thousand pound of wighte
Line 1560
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[6-text p 524] Line 1560 Vn to this Philosophre / how shal I doI se namoore / but that I am fordoMyn heritage / moot I nedes selleAnd been a beggere / heere may I nat dwelleLine 1564 And shamen / al my kynrede in this place [folio 136b] But I of hym / may gete bettre graceBut nathelees / I wole of hym assayeAt certeyn dayes / yeer by yeer to payeLine 1568 And thanke hym / of his grete curteisyeMy trouthe wol I kepe / I wol nat lye¶ With herte soor / he gooth vn to his cofreAnd broghte gold / vn to this PhilosophreLine 1572 The value / of fyue hundred pound I gesseAnd hym bisecheth of his gentillesseTo graunte hym dayes of the remenauntAnd seyde maister / I dar wel make auauntLine 1576 I failled neuere / of my trouthe as yitffor sikerly / my dette shal be quytTowardes yow / how euere that I fareTo goon a begged / in my kirtle bareLine 1580 But wolde ye vouche sauf/ vp on seureteeTwo yeer or thre / for to respiten meThanne were I wel / for elles moot I selleMyn heritage / ther is namoore to telleLine 1584
This Philosophre / sobrely answerdeAnd seyde thus / whan he thise wordes herdeHaue I nat holden couenant vn to thee?¶ Yes certes / wel and trewely quod heLine 1588 ¶ Hastow nat had /thy lady / as thee liketh?¶ No no quod he / and sorwefully he siketh¶ What was the cause / tel me if thou kan?¶ Aurelius / his tale anon biganLine 1592 And tolde hym al / as ye han herd bifooreIt nedeth nat/ to yow reherce it moore¶ He seide / Arueragus of gentillesseHadde leuere dye / in sorwe / and in distresse
Line 1596
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[6-text p 525] Line 1596 Than þat his wyf / were of hir trouthe falsThe sorwe of Dorigen / he tolde hym alsHow looth hire was / to been a wikked wyfAnd þat she leuere had lost that day hir lyfLine 1600 And þat hir trouthe / she swoor thurgh InnocenceShe neuere erst hadde herd speke of ApparenceThat made me han of hire so greet piteeAnd right as frely / as he sente hire meLine 1604 As frely / sente I hire to hym ageynThis al and som / ther is namoore to seyn¶ This Philosophre answerde / leeue brotherEuerich of yow / dide gentilly til ootherLine 1608 Thou art a Squier / and he is a knyghtBut god forbede / for his blisful myghtBut if a clerk / koude doon a gentil dedeAs wel as any of yow / it is no dredeLine 1612 ¶ Sire / I releesse thee / thy thousand pound [folio 137a] As thou right now / were cropen out of the groundNe neuere er now / ne haddest knowen meffor sire / I wol nat taken a peny of theeLine 1616 ffor al my craft ne noght for my trauailleThou hast ypayed wel / for my vitailleIt is ynogh / and farewel haue good dayAnd took his hors / and forth he goth his wayLine 1620
Lordynges / this question thanne wolde I aske nowWhich was the mooste fre as thynketh yowNow telleth me / er that ye ferther wendeI kan namoore / my tale is at an endeLine 1624
¶ 30a. Atheniensium tiranni cum Phidonem necassent/ in con|uiuio filias eius virgines ad se venire iusserunt & scortorum more nudari / ac super pauimenta patris sanguine cruentatas inpudicis gestibus ludere ‖ que paulisper dissimulato dolore cum timulentos conuiuas cernerent quasi ad requisita nature egredientes inuicem se complexē precipitauerunt in puteum vt virginitatem morte ser|uarent/