The Corpus ms (Corpus Christi coll., Oxford) of Chaucer's Canterbury tales. Ed. by Frederick J. Furnivall.

GROUP A. FRAGMENT I.

§ 1. GENERAL PROLOGUE. CORPUS MS. (Oxford). [[N.B. The first 72 lines, and other gaps, are supplied from MS. Arch. Seld. B. 14, Bodleian Library.]]

Here bigynneth the prolog of this book the which is namede the talis of Caunturbury in the whiche prolog thautour openly declarith the names of alle the pilgremes there condiciouns and there array.

WHan that Apprille / with his shouris soote the drought of Marche / hath pershid to the roote and bathed euery veyne in swich licoure of which vertue / engendrid is the floure Line 4 whan zepherus eke / with his swete brethe inspirid hath / in euery holt and hethe the tendre croppis / and the yonge sonne hath in the Ram / his halff cours I-ronne Line 8 and smale fowlis make melodie that slepen al nyght / with open eyghe so priketh hem nature / in here coragis that longen folk to gon / on pilgrimagis Line 12 and Palmeris for to seke strange strondes to serue halowes couthe / in sondre londes and specially / from euery shiris ende of Ingelond to Caunturbery thei wende Line 16 the holy blisfull marter / for to seke that hem hath holpen / whan thei were seke bifill that on that seson on a day in Suthwork atte Tabard as I lay Line 20 redy to wende / on my pilgrimage to Caunterbury / with ful deuout corage at night was come / in-to that hosterie wel .xxix.^ti in a companye Line 24 of sondry folk / bi auenture I-falle in feloshipe / and pilgremes were thei alle that toward Caunterbury wolde ryde

the chambres and stablis weren wyde Line 28 and wel weren eased at the beste and shortly whan the sonne was to reste so hadde I spokyn / with hem euerychon that I was of here feloshipe anon Line 32 and made forward erly for to ryse [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 1b] to take oure wey / there as I yow devise but nertheles while I haue tyme and space or that I ferther in this tale pace Line 36 me thynketh it accordant to reson to telle yow al the condicion of ech of hem so as it semed me and which they were and of what degre Line 40 and eke in what array that thei were inne and at a knyght than woll I first bigynne

A knyght ther was and that a worthi man [¶ A knyght.] that fro the tyme / that he first bigan Line 44 to riden owt / he loued chyualrie trouth and honour / fredom and curtesie ful worthi was he / in his lordis werre and ther-to had he riden / no man ferre Line 48 as wel in cristendom / as in hethenesse and euere honoured / for his worthynesse At Alisandre he was whan it was wonne ful ofte tyme he hadde the bord bigonne Line 52 aboven alle nacions in Pruce in Lectow hadde he reysed and in Ruce no cristenman / so ofte of his degre in Garnade at the sege eke hadde he be Line 56 of Algezire and riden in Belmarye at Lyeis was he and at Satalye whan thei were wonne and in the grete see at many a noble arme hadde he be Line 60 at mortal batailles had he ben ffiftene and foughten for our feith at Tramessene in listes thries and ay slayn his foo

this ilke worthi knyght hadde ben also Line 64 somtyme with the lord of Palatye ayeyne another hethen in Turkye and euere-more he had a souerayne prys and though that he was worthy he was wys Line 68 and of his port as meke as is a mayde [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 2a] he neuere yit no vilonye ne saide in al his liff / vn no manere wight he was a verry perfit gentill knight Line 72 ffor to telle ȝow of his array [[The Corpus MS. begins here]] His hors were goode but he was not gay Of fustion he wered a gepon Al bismotered with his haburgon Line 76 ffor he was late y-come from his viage And wente for to don his pilgrimage Wiþ him þer was his sone a ȝong squier A louyere and a lusty bacheler Line 80 Wiþ lockes crulle as þei were leyd in presse Of .xx. ȝeer of age he was I gesse Of his statuture (sic) he was of euene lengþe And wonderly deliuere and gret of strengþe Line 84 And he hadde be somtyme in Chiuachie In fflaundres in artoys and Pykardie and born him wel as of so litel space In hope to stonden in his lady grace Line 88 Embroyded was he as it were a mede All ful of freissche floures white and reede Synging he was or floytynge al þe day He was als freissch as is þe monþ of may Line 92 Schort was his gowne wiþ sleeues longe and wyde Wel couþe he sitte on an hors and faire ride He couþe songes make and wel endite Iuste and eek daunce and wel purteray and write Line 96 So hote he loued þat by nighter tale He sleep nomore þan doþ a nightyngale Courteys he was lowly and seruisable

and karf biforn his fader atte table Line 100 A ȝeman hadde he and seruantes namo At þat time for him liste ride so And he was clad in coote and hood of greene A scheef of pocok arwes bright and keene Line 104 Vnder his belt he bar ful þriftily Wel couþe he dresse his takel ȝimanly His arwes drouped nought wiþ fetheres lowe And in his hond he bar a mighty bowe Line 108 A not-hed hadde he wiþ a broun visage [folio 2b] Of woode-craft wel couþe he al þe vsage Vpon his arm he bar a gay bracer And by his syde a swerd and a bocler Line 112 And on þat oþer side a gay daggere Harnaysed wel and scharp as point of spere A Christophre on his brest of seluer schene An horn he bar þe bawdrik was of grene Line 116 A foster was he soþly as I gesse Ther was also a Nonne a Prioresse That of hir smyling was ful symple a[nd] coy Hir grettest oþ was but by seint loy Line 120 And sche was cleped ma dame Englentyne ffol wel sche song þe seruise diuine Entuned in hir nose ful semely And frenssch sche spak ful faire and fetisly Line 124 After þe scole of stratford atte Bowe ffor ffrenssh of Parys was to hire vnknowe At mete wel I-taught was sche wiþ-all Sche leet no morsell from hire lippes falle Line 128 Ne wete hire fyngres in hir sauce deepe Wel couþe sche carie a morsel and wel keepe / That no drope ne fell vpon hir breste In Curtesye was sette ful moche hire leste Line 132 Hir ouer lippe wyped sche so cleene That in hir cuppe þer was no ferthing seene Of grete whan sche dronken hadde hir draughte

fful semely after hir mete sche raughte Line 136 And sikerly sche was of gret disporte And ful plesant and amyable of porte And peyned hire to counterfete cheere Of court and to ben estatlich of maneere Line 140 And to ben holden digne of reuerence But for to speken of hir conscience Sche was so charitable and so pytous Sche wolde weepe if þat sche sawe a mous Line 144 Kaught in a trappe if it were deed or bledde [folio 3a] Of smale houndes hadde sche þat sche fedde With rosted fleissh or mylk or wastel brede But sore wepte sche if oon of hem were dede Line 148 Or if men smot it with a ȝerde smerte/ And al was conscience and tendre herte/ fful semelich hir wympil pynched was Hir nose was streight hire yghen grey as glas Line 152 Hir mouth ful smal and þerto softe and rede But sikerly sche hadde a fair forhede It was almost a spanne brood I trowe ffor hardely sche was nought vndergrowe Line 156 fful fetys was hir cloke as I was war Of smal coral aboute hir arm sche bar A payre of bedes gauded al with greene And þer-on heng a broche of gold ful scheene Line 160 On which þer was first writen with a crowned A. And after. Amor vincit omnia. Anoþer Nonne with hir hadde sche / That was hir Chapelleyne and prestes þre Line 164 A Monk þer was a fair for þe maistrie And out Ridere þat loued venerie A manly man to ben an abbot able / fful many a deinte hors hadde he in stable / Line 168 And whan he rood men might his brydel heere Gynglyng in a whistlyng wynd as cleere And eek as lowde as doþ þe chapel belle

Ther as þis lord was keper of þe selle Line 172 The Reule of sent Maure or of seint Beneit By-cause þat it was old and somdel streit This ilke monk leet olde þinges pace And held after þe newe world þe space Line 176 He ȝaf nought of þe text a pulled hen That seith þat hunters be nought holy men Ne þat a monk whan he is recheles Is likned til a fyssh þat is waterles Line 180 This is to seie a monk out of his cloystre [folio 3b] But þilke text / held he not worth an oystre / And I seide his opinion was good What schulde he studie and make himseluen wood Line 184 Vpon a book alwey in cloyste to poure Or swynke with his hondes and laboure As austyn bit how schal þe world be serued Lat austyn haue his swynk to him reserued Line 188 Ther-fore he was a prikasour aright Grehoundes he hadde swift as foule in flight Of prikynge and of huntyng for þe hare Was alle his luste for no cost wolde he spare Line 192 I seigh his sleues I-purfiled at þe hond Wiþ grys and þat þe fynest of a lond And for to festne his hood vnder þe chynne He hadde of gold wrought a ful curious pynne/ Line 196 A loue knotte in þe gretter ende þer was/ His hed was balled þat schon as eny glas And eek his face as he hadde ben anoynt He was a lord ful fatt and in good poynt Line 200 His eyghen stepe and rollyng in his hede That stemed as a forneys of a lede His bootes souple his hors in gret estate Now certeinly he was a fair prelate Line 204 He nas nat pale as a forpyned goost A fat swan loued he best of any rost His palfray was as broun as is a berie

A ffrere þer was a wanton and a merye Line 208 A lymitour a ful solempne man In all þe ordres foure is non þat can So mochil of daliance and fair langage He hadde made ful many a mariage Line 212 Of ȝonge wommen at his owne cost Vnto his ordre he was a noble post fful wel biloued and famulier was he Wiþ frankeleyns ouer al in his contre Line 216 And wiþ worþi wommen of þe toun [folio 4a] ffor he hadde power of confessioun As seyde himself more þan a curat ffor of his ordre he was licenciat Line 220 fful swetly herde he confession And plesant was his absolucion He was an esy man to ȝiue penaunce Ther as he wiste to haue a good pitaunce Line 224 ffor vnto a pouer ordre for to ȝiue Is signe þat a man is wel I-schriue ffor if he ȝaf he dorste make auant He wiste þat / a man was repentant Line 228 ffor many a man so hard is of his herte He may nought wepe al-þough him sore smerte Ther-fore in stede of weepyng and preyeres Men mote ȝeue siluer to þe pouere freeres Line 232 His typet was ay farsed ful of knyfes And pynnes for to ȝiue faire wyues And certeynly he hadde a mery note / Wel couþe he synge and playen on a rote Line 236 Of ȝeddynges he bar witterly þe pris His nekke whit / was as þe flour-delys Ther-to he was strong as a Champioun He knew þe tauernes wel in euery toun Line 240 And euerich hostiller and tapstere Bet þan a lazar or a Beggere ffor vnto such a worþi man as he

Acorded nought as by his faculte Line 244 To haue with such sek lazer aqueintance It is nought honest it may nought auaunce ffor to delen with such poraile But all with Riche and sellere of vitaille Line 248 And ouer al þer as profyt scholde arise Curtays he was and lowly of seruise Ther nas no man nowher so vertuous He was þe beste begger in his hous Line 252 . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] ffor þough a widewe hadde nought a scho [folio 4b] So plesant was his In principio Ȝet wolde he haue a ferþing or he wente His purchas was wel bettre þan his rente Line 256 And rage he couþe right as it were a whelpe / In louedayes þer couþe he moche helpe / ffor þer he was not lich a cloysterer With a thred-bare cope as a pore scoler Line 260 But he was lik a maister or a pope Of double worstede was his semy-cope / That rounded as a belle on the presse Somwhat he lipsed for his wantounesse Line 264 To make his englissh sweete vpon his tonge And in his harpyng whan þat he hadde songe / His yghen twyncled in his heed aright As don þe sterres in þe frosty night Line 268 This worþi lymitour was cleped huberd A marchant was þer with a forked berd In mottle and heigh on horse he satte Vp-on his heued a fflaundrissh beuer hatte Line 272 His bootes clapsed faire and fetysly His resons he spak ful solempnely Schewyng alwey þe encres of his wynnynge He wolde þe see were kept for eny þinge Line 276 By-twixe Middelburgh and Orewelle

Wel couþe he in eschaunge scheldes selle / This worþy man ful wel his witte bisette Ther wiste no wight that he was in dette Line 280 So statly was he of his gouernance With his bargaynes and his cheuissance ffor soþe he was a worþi man with-all But soþly to sein I not how men him call Line 284 A Clerk þer was of Oxenford also That vnto logyk hadde long I-go As lene was his hors as is a rake And he nas not right fat I vndertake Line 288 But loked holwe and þer-to soburly [folio 5a] fful þredbare was his ouereste courtepy ffor he had geten him no benifice Ne was so worldly for to haue office Line 292 ffor him was leuer to haue at his bed hede Twenty bookes clad in blak and rede Of Aristotle and his philosophie Than robes riche or fithel or gay Sautrie / Line 296 But al by þat he was a philosophre Ȝit had he but a litel gold in cofre But al þat he might of his frendes hente / On bokes and on lernyng he it / spente Line 300 And besily gan for þe soules preye Of hem þat ȝaf him wher-with to scoleye Of studie took he most cure and most heede Nought o word spak he more þan was neede Line 304 And þat was seyd in forme and reuerence And schort and quyk and ful of heigh sentence Sownyng in moral vertu was his speche And gladly wolde he lerne and gladly teche Line 308 A Sergeant of þe lawe war and wys That often hadde ben at þe Parvys That was also / ful riche of excellence Discret he was and of gret reuerence Line 312 He semed swich his wordes were so wise

Iustice he was ful often in assise By patent and by plein commission ffor his science and for his heigh renoun Line 316 Of fees and robes had he many oon So gret a purchaceour was nowher non Al was fee simple to him in effecte His purchasynge might not ben infecte Line 320 No wher so besy a man as he þer nas And ȝit he semed bisiere þan he was In termes hadde he caas and doomes alle That from þe tyme of king William were falle Line 324 Ther-to he couþe endite and make a þink [folio 5b] Ther couþe no wight pynche at his writynk And euery statut couþe he plein by Rote He rood but homly in a medly coote Line 328 Gert with a seint of silk . wiþ barres smale / Of his array telle I no lenger tale A ffrankeleyn was in his compaignie Whit was his berd as is the dayessye Line 332 Of his complexion he was sanguyne Wel loued he by þe morwe a sop in wyne To lyuen in delit euer was his wone / ffor he was Opiournes owne sone Line 336 That held opinion þat plein delite Was verrey felicite parfite An houshalder and þat a gret was he Seint Iulian he was in his contre Line 340 His breed his ale was alweys after oon A better envyned man was neuer noon Wiþoute bake mete was neuer his hous Of fissh and fleissh and þat so plenteuous Line 344 It snewed in his hous of mete and drink Of alle deyntes þat men coude þink After þe sondry sesons of þe ȝere So changed he his mete and his sopeere Line 348 fful many a fat partrich hadde he in Mewe

And many a brem and many a luce in stuwe Wo was his cooke but his sauce were Poynant and scharp and redy all his gere Line 352 His table dormant . in his halle alway Stod redy couered all the longe day At Sessions þer was he lord and sire fful ofte tyme he was knight of þe schire Line 356 An anelas and a gisper al of silke Heng at his girdel whit as morne mylke A scherref had he ben and a comptour Was nowher such a worþi vauasour Line 360 An haburdaissher and a Carpenter [folio 6a] A Webbe a Dyer and a Tapecer And þei were cloþed alle in oo liuere Of a solempne and a gret ffraternite Line 364 fful freissch and newe here gere a-piked was Here knyfes nere chaped nought wiþ bras But all wiþ siluer wrought ful clene and wel Here gerdles and here pouches eueridel Line 368 Wel semed ech of hem a fair burgeys To sitten in a yeldehalle on a deys Euerich for þe wisdom þat he can Was schaply for to ben an Alderman Line 372 ffor Catell hadde þei ynough and rente And eek here wyues wolde it wel assente And elles certein þei were to blame It is ful fair to be cleped ma dame Line 376 And gon to vigilies al bifore And haue a mantel rialliche / bore A Cook þei hadde wiþ hem for þe nones To boyle þe chikenes with þe maryebones Line 380 And poudre marchānt tart and gallyngale Wel kowde he know a draught of london ale / He couþe rost and seþe and broile and frie Maken mortreux and wel bake a pye Line 384 But gret harm was it as it þoughte me

That on his schyne a mormal hadde he ffor blank-manger þat made he wiþ þe beste / A schipman was þer wonyng fer by weste Line 388 ffor ought I wot he was of Dertemouthe He rood vpon a rouncy as he couþe In a gowne of faldyng to þe knee / A dagger hangyng in a lace hadde he / Line 392 Aboute his nekke vnder his arm a-doun The hoote somer had mad his hiew al broun And certeinly he was a good felawe fful many a draught of wyn he hadde drawe Line 396 ffrom Burdeaux warde whil þe chapmen sleepe [folio 6b] Of nyce conscience took he no keepe If þat he faught and had þe heigher honde By water he sent hem hom to euery londe Line 400 But of his craft to riken wel his tydes His stremes and his daunger him besydes His herberwe and his moone and his ledmannage Ther was non such from hulle to kartage Line 404 Hardy he was and wys to vndurtake With many a tempest had his berd be schake He knew alle þe hauenes as they were ffro Gotlond to þe Cape de fynystere Line 408 And euery Cryke in Bretaigne and in Spaigne His barge y-cleped was þe Mawdeleyne With vs þer was a Doctour of Phisike In al þis world ne was þer non him like Line 412 To speke of Phisik and of Surgerie ffor he was grounded in astronomie He kept his pacient a ful gret del In houres by his magique naturel Line 416 Wel couþe he fortune the ascendent Of his ymages for his pacient He knewe þe cause of euery maladie / Were it of hoot of cold or moist or drie / Line 420 And wher engendred and of what humour

He was a verray parfit practisour The cause I-knowe and of his harm þe rote / Anon he ȝaf þe sike man his bote Line 424 fful redy had he his appotecaries To sende hem drugges and his letuaries ffor ech of hem made oþer for to wynne Here frendschip nas nat / newe for to gynne / Line 428 Wel knew he þe olde Escalapius And discorides and eke Rusus Olde ypocras haly and Galien Serapion Razie and auyzen Line 432 Auerois damascien and Constantine [folio 7a] Bernard and Gatisdene and Gilbertine Of his diete mesurable was he ffor it was of no superfluite Line 436 But of gret norisshing and digestible His studie was but litel on the bible In sangweyn and in pers he clad was al Lyned wiþ Taffata and with Sendal Line 440 And yet he was but esy of dispense He kepte þat he wan in Pestilence ffor gold in phisique is accordial Ther-fore he loued gold in special Line 444 A good wif þer was of by-syde bathe But sche was somdel def and þat was skaþe Of cloþ-makyng sche hadde such an haunte Sche passed hem of ypres and of Gaunte Line 448 In al þe parissche wif ne was þer noon Þat to þe offryng toforn hire schulde gon And if þer dede certein wroþ was sche That sche was oute of alle charite / Line 452 Hire couerchiefs ful fyne were of grounde I dorste swere þei weyeden ten pounde / That on a soneday weren vpon hir hede Hire hosen weren of fyn scarlet reede Line 456 fful streyt yteyed and schoos ful moyste and newe

Bolde was hir face and fair and reed of hewe Sche was a worþi womman al hir lyue Housbondes atte chirche dore sche hadde fyue Line 460 Wiþouten oþer companye in ȝouþe But þer-of needeþ nought to speke as nouþe And þries hadde sche ben at Ierusalem Sche hadde passed many a strange strem Line 464 At Rome sche hadde ben and at Boloigne In Galice at saint Iame and at Coloigne Sche couþe moche of wandring by þe weye Gat toþed was sche soþly for to seye Line 468 Vpon an ambler esely sche satte [folio 7b] I-wympled wel and on hir heed an hatte As brood as is a bokeler or a targe A fote-mantell abouten hir hipes large / Line 472 And on hire feet a paire of spores scharpe In felaschipe wel couþe sche laughe and carpe Of remedies of loue sche knew par chaunce / ffor sche couþe of þat art þe colde daunce Line 476 A good man was þer of religioun And was a poure person of a toun But riche he was of holy þought and werk He was also a lerned man and a clerk Line 480 That cristes gospell trewly wolde preche His parisshiens deuoutly wolde he teche Benigne he was and wonder diligent And in aduersite ful pacient Line 484 and swich he was preued ofte siþes fful loþ were him to cursen for his tyþes / But raþer wolde he yeuen out of doute Vnto his poure parisshens aboute Line 488 Of his offryng and of his substance He couþe in litel þing haue suffisance Wyd was his parisshe and houses fer a-sondre But he ne lefte nought for rayn ne þondre Line 492 In seknesse nor in meschief to visite

The ferreste in his parisshe moche and lite Vpon his feet and in his hond a staf This noble ensample to his scheep he yaf Line 496 That ferst he wrought and aftirward he taughte Out of þe gospel he þo wordes caughte And þis fugure he addede eek / þer-to That if gold ruste what schal Iren do Line 500 ffor if a prest be foul on whom we truste No wonder is a lewed man to Ruste And schame it is if a prest take kepe A schiten schepperde and a clene schepe Line 504 Wel ought a prest ensample for to ȝyue [folio 8a] By his clennes how þat his scheep schulde lyue He sette nought his benefice to hire And leet his scheep acombred in þe myre Line 508 And ran to london vnto Seinte Poules To seeke him a Chaunterie for soules Or with a breþerede for to be with-holde / But duelte at hom and kepte wel his folde Line 512 So þat þe wolf ne made it not miscarie He was a schepperde and not a mercenarie And þough he holy were and vertuous He was nought to synful men dispitous Line 516 Ne of his speche daungerous ne digne But in his teching discret and benigne To drawe folk to heuen by fairnesse By good ensample þis was his bisynesse / Line 520 But it were ony persone obstinat What so he were of heigh or low estat Him wolde he snebbe scharply for þe nones A bettre prest I trowe þat nowher non es Line 524 He waited after no pompe and reuerence Ne maked him a spiced conscience But cristes lore and his apostles twelue He taught but ferst he folwed in himselue / Line 528 With him þer was a plowman was his broþer

That hadde I-ladde of dong ful many a foþer A trewe swynker and a good was he Lyuyng in pees and parfit charite Line 532 God loued he best wiþ alle his herte At alle tymes þough him gamed or smerte And þan his Neighebore right as him selue He wolde þressche and þerto dike and delue Line 536 ffor cristes sake for euery pouere wight Wiþouten hire if it lay in his might His tiþes payed he ful fair and well Boþe of his propre swynk and his catell Line 540 In a Tabbard he rood vpon a mere [folio 8b] Ther was also a Reeue and a Mellere / A Sompnour and a Pardoner also A Maunciple and my self þer nare no mo / Line 544 The meller was a stout carl for þe nones fful big he was of brawn and eek of bones That proued wel for ouer al þar he cam Atte wrastlyng he wold haue awey þe ram Line 548 He was schort schuldred a þikke knarre The was no dore þat he nolde heue of harre Or breke it at a rennyng with his heede His berd as eny sowe or eny fox was reede Line 552 And þerto brod as þough it were a spade / Vpon þe cop right of his nose he hade A wert and þer-on stood a tuft of heeres Reed as the berstles of a sowes Eres / Line 556 Hise nose-þrilles blake weren and wide A swerd and bokeler bar he by his syde His mouþ as gret was as a gret fourneys He was a Iangler and a goliardeys Line 560 And þat was most of synne and harlotries Wel couþe he stele corn and tolle þries And ȝit he hadde a þombe of gold parde A whit cote and a blew hood wered he Line 564 A Baggepipe wel couþe he blowe and soun

And þer-with-al he brought vs out of toun A gentil maunciple was þer of a temple / Of which achatours mighte take exsemple / Line 568 ffor to ben wyse in byeng of vitaile ffor wheþer þat he paied or took by taile Algate he wayted so in his achate That he was ay biforn and in good estate / Line 572 Now is not þat of god a ful fair grace That such a lewed mannes witt schal pace The wisdom of an heep of lernede men Of maistres hadde mo þan þries ten Line 576 That were of lawe expert and curious [folio 9a] Of which þer was a dosein in that hous Worþi to ben Stywardes of Rente and londe Of any lord þat is in Ingelonde Line 580 To make him lyue by his propre good In honour detteles but if þat he were wood Or lyue as skarsly as him list desire And able for to helpen al a schire Line 584 In any cas þat mighte falle or happe And ȝit þis manciple sette here alþer cappe The Reeue was a sclender colerik man His berd was schaue as nygh as euer he can Line 588 His her was by his eeres ful round y-schorn His toppe was dokked lik a prest biforn fful longe were his legges and ful lene I-lik a staf þer was no calf y-sene Line 592 Wel couþe he kepe a garner or a bynne Ther was non auditour couþe on him wynne Wel wist he by þe drought and by þe reyne The yeldyng of his seed and of his greyne Line 596 His lordes scheep his neet his dayerie His swyn his hors his stoor and his pulletrie Was holly in þis Reeues gouernynge / And by his couenant ȝaf þe rikenynge Line 600 Syn þat his lord was twenty ȝeer of age

Ther couþe no man brynge him in arrerage Ther nas baillif ne herde nor oþer hyne That he ne knew his sleight and his covyne Line 604 They were adrad of him as of þe deþ His wonyng was ful fair vpon an heþ Wiþ greene trees schadewed was his place He couþe bettre þan his lord purchace Line 608 fful Riche he was astored priuely His lord he couþe plese wel subtily To yiue and lene him of his oughne good And haue a þank and yet a cote and hood Line 612 In ȝouþe he hadde lerned a good mester [folio 9b] He was a wel good wrighte a Carpenter This reeue satte vpon a ful good stot That was al pomely grey and highte scot Line 616 A long Surcote of pers vpon he hadde And by his syde he bar a rusty bladde Of Northfolk was þis Reue of which I telle Bysyden a toun men clepen it Baldeswelle Line 620 Tukked he was as is a frere aboute And euer he rood þe hyndrest of oure route A Somynour was þer with vs in þat place That hadde a fyri cherubynnes face Line 624 ffor Sauseflem he was with eyghen narwe / Als hoot he was and leccherous as a sparwe Wiþ scalled browes blak and piled berde / Of his visage children weren afferde Line 628 Ther nas quyk siluer litarge or bremston Boras orsure ne oyle of Tarte noon Ne oynement þat wolde clense and byte To him might helpe of his whelkes white Line 632 Nor of þe knobbes sittyng in his cheekes Wel loued he garlik oynons and eek leekes And for to drinke strong wyn reed as blood Than wolde he speke and crye as he were wood Line 636 And whan þat he wel dronken hadde þe wyn

Than wold he speke no word but latyne A fewe termes hadde he tuo or þre That he had lerned out of som decre Line 640 No wonder is he herd it al þe day And eek ȝe knowen it wel how þat a Iay Can clepe watte as wel as can þe pope But who so couþe in oþer þing him grope Line 644 Than hadde he spent al his philosophie Ay questio quid Iuris wolde he crye He was a gentil harlot and a kynde A bettre felaw schulde men not fynde Line 648 He wolde suffre for a quart of wyn [folio 10a] A good felawe to haue his concubyn A twelf moneth and excuse him atte fulle / fful priuely eek a fynch couþe he pulle / Line 652 And if he fond owher a good felawe He wolde techen him to han non awe In such caas of þe Erchedeknes curs But if mannes soule were in his purs Line 656 ffor in his purs he scholde punyssched be Purs is þe Erchedeknes helle seide he But wel I wot he lyhede right in dede Of cursyng ought eche gilty man him drede Line 660 ffor curs wil sle right as assoylyng sauith And also war him of a Significauith In daunger hadde he at his owne gyse The yonge gerles of þe diocise Line 664 And knew here counseil and what was al here rede A garland hadde he sette vpon his heede As gret as it were for an ale stake A bokeler hadde he made him of a cake / Line 668 With him þer rood a gentill pardoner Of Rouncyuall his frend and his comper That streight was comen fro þe court of Rome fful lowe he song come hider loue tome Line 672 This Somnour bar to him a stif burdoun

Was neuer trompe of half so gret a soun This pardoner hadde her as yelow as wax But smothe it heng as doth a strik of flax. Line 676 By ounces heng his lokkes þat he hadde / And þer with he his schuldres ouer spradde But þinne it lay by culpons on and oon But hood for Iolite werede he noon Line 680 ffor it was trussed vp in his walet Him þoughte he rood al of the newe get Discheuele saf his cappe he rood al bare Swich glaryng yghen hadde he as an hare Line 684 A vernicle hadde he sewid on his cappe [folio 10b] His walet [lay] biforn him in his lappe / Bret ful of pardon comen fro Rome al hoot A voys he hadde as smal as a goot Line 688 No berd ne hadde he ne neuer schulde haue As smothe it was as it ware late schaue I trowe he were a geldyng or a mare But of his craft fro Berwik in to ware Line 692 Ne was þer such anoþer pardoner ffor in his male he hadde a pilewber Which þat he sayde was oure lady veyle He seide he hadde a gobet of þe seyle Line 696 That seint petir hadde whan þat he wente Vpon the see til ihesu crist him hente He hadde a Croys of laton ful of stones And in a glas he hadde pigges boones Line 700 But with þese reliqes whan þat he fonde A poure person dwellyng vpon londe / Vpon a day he gat him more moneye Than þat þe person gat in monþes tweye Line 704 And þus with feyned flatering and Iapes He made þe person and þe poeple his apes But trewely to tellen atte þe laste He was in chirche a noble ecclesiaste Line 708 Wel couþe he rede a lessonn or a story

But alþer best he song an offertory ffor wel he wiste whan þat song was songe He moste preche and wel affile his tonge Line 712 To wynne seluer as he [right] wel cowde Ther fore he song so meriely and lowde / Now haue I told ȝow soþly in a clause The estat . the array þe nombre and eeke þe cause Line 716 Whi þat assembled was þis companie In Suthwerk at þis gentil hostelrie / That highte þe Tabbard faste by þe belle But now is tyme to yow for to telle / Line 720 How þat we beeren vs þat ilke night [folio 11a] Whan we were in þat Osterie alight And after wol I telle of oure viage And all the remenant of our pilgrimage Line 724 But ferst I pray ȝow of your curtesie The ȝe ne rette it nought my vilenye Though þat I pleinly speke in þis matere To telle ȝow here wordes and here cheere Line 728 Ne þough I speke here wordes propurly ffor þis ȝe knowen as wel as I Who so schal telle a tale after a man He mot reherse as neyh as euer he can Line 732 Euerich a word if it be in his charge Al speke he neuer so rudely and large Or elles he moot telle his tale vntrewe Or feyne þinges or fynde wordes newe Line 736 He may nought spare al þough he were his broþer He moot als wel seie o word as anoþer Crist spak himself ful brode in holy writte And wel ȝe wot no vilenye is itte Line 740 Ek Plato seith who so can him rede The wordes mot be cosyn to þe dede Also I preyȝe ȝow forȝiue it me Al haue I not set folk in here degre Line 744 Heer in þis tale as þat þei scholden stonde

My witt is schort ȝe may wel vnderstonde Gret cheere maad oure ost vs euerychon And to þe souper sette he vs anon Line 748 He serued vs with vitailles atte beste Strong was þe wyn and wel drynken vs leste A semly man our hoste he was with alle ffor to ben a marchall in an halle Line 752 A large man he was with eyȝen stepe A fairer burgeys is þer non in Chepe Bold of his speche and wys and wel y-taught And of manhode him lakkede right naught Line 756 Ek þer to he was right a merie man [folio 11b] And after soper pleyen he bigan And spak of merþe amonges oþer þinges Whan þat he hadde maad our rikenynges Line 760 And seide þus Now lordynges trewely Ȝe ben to me welcome right hertely ffor by my trouthe if þat I schal not lye I seyh not þis yer so mery a companye Line 764 At oones in þis herberw as is now ffayn wold I don ȝou merthe wist I how And of a merþe I am right now biþought To don you eese and it schal coste nought Line 768 ye gon to Caunturbury god yow speede The blisful martir quyte ȝou ȝour meede And wel I woot as ȝe gon by þe weye ye schapen ȝou to talen and to pleye Line 772 ffor trewely confort ne merþe is non To riden by þe wey domb as a ston And þer for wol I make you disport As I seide erst and do you som confort Line 776 And if ȝou likeþ all by on assent ffor to stonden at my Iuggement And for to werken as I schal ȝou seie To morwe whan ȝe riden by þe weie / Line 780 Now by my fader soule þat is deed

But ȝe be merye I wil ȝeue ȝow myn heed Hold vp ȝour hond wiþoute more speche / Our counseil was not longe for to seche / Line 784 vs þought it was not worþ to make it wys And graunted him wiþoute more avys And bad him seye his verdit as him leste Lordynges quod he / now herkneþ for þe beste Line 788 But take it nought I prey ȝow in disdeigne This is þe poynt to speke schort and pleigne That ech of ȝou to schorte with ȝour weye In þis viage schal telle tales tweie Line 792 To Caunturbury-ward I mene it so [folio 12a] And homward he schal tellen oþer tuo Of auentures þat whilom haue bifall And which of yow þat beriþ him best of all Line 796 That is to sein that telleþ in þis cas Tales of best sentence and most solas ./ Schal haue a souper at our alþer cost Her in þis place sittynge by þis post Line 800 Whan þat we comen aȝein fro Canturbury And for to make ȝou þe more mury I wil my seluen goodly with ȝou ryde Right at myn owne cost and be ȝour gyde Line 804 And who so wol my Iuggement wiþ seye Schal paye al þat we spende by þe weye And if ȝe vouche saf þat it be so Tel me anon wiþouten wordes moo Line 808 And I wol erly schape me þer fore This þing was graunted and our oþes swore With ful glad herte and preyȝen him also That he wolde vouche saf for to do so Line 812 And þat he wolde ben our gouernour And of oure tales Iugge and reportour And sette a souper at a certein pris And we wiln rewled ben at his deuys / Line 816 In heighe and lowe and þus by oon assent

We ben accorded to þe Iuggement And þer vpon þe wyn was fet anon We dronken and to reste went echon Line 820 Wiþouten eny lenger taryyng A morwe whan þe day bigan to spryng vp ros oure oost and was our alþer cok And gadered vs to gider all in a flok Line 824 And forþ we riden a litel more þan paas vnto þe wateryng of seint Thomas And þer our oost gan his hors areste And seide lordes herkneþ if you leste / Line 828 Ȝe wot ȝour forward and I it ȝou recorde [folio 12b] If euynsong and morwesong acorde lat see now who schal telle þe firste tale As euer mote I drynke wyn of ale Line 832 Who so be rebel to my Iuggement / Schal paie for all that by þe weie is spent Now draweþ Cut or þat we ferþer twynne he which þat haþ þe schortest schal bigynne Line 836 ¶ Sir knight quod he my maister and my lord Now draweþ Cut for þat is myn acord Comeþ nerre quod he my lady prioresse And ȝe sir clerk let be ȝour schamfastnesse Line 840 Ne studieþ nought lay hond to euery man Anon to drawe euery wight bygan And schortly for to tellen as it was / Were it by auenture or sort or cas Line 844 The soþ is þis the Cut fel to þe knight Of which ful bliþe and glad was euery wight And telle he moste his tale as it was resoun By forward and by composicioun Line 848 As ȝe han herd what nedeþ wordes mo And whan þis good man saugh þat it was so As he þat wys was and obedient To keepe his forward by his free assent Line 852 He seide siþþe I schal begynne þe game

What welcome be þe Cutte a goddes name Now lat vs ride and herkneþ what I seye And with þat word we riden forþ oure weye Line 856 And he bigan with right a merye cheere His tale anon and seyde as ȝe may heere

Iam que domos patrias scitice post aspera gentis Prelia laurigero etc.

Whilom was as olde stories tellen vs Ther was a Duk that highte Theseus / Line 860 Of Athenes he was / lord and gouernour And in his tyme such a Conquerour That grettere was non vnder þe sonne [folio 13a] fful many a riche Contre hadde he wonne Line 864 What with his wisdam and his chiuallerie He conquered all þe regne of ffeminie That whilom was I-cleped Scithia And weddede þe queen ypolita Line 868 And brought hir hom wiþ him in his contre With muche glorie and gret solempnite And eek hir ȝonge suster Emelye And þus with victorie and with melodie [[line erased here, apparently the previous one repeated.]] Line 872 Late I þis noble duk to Athenes ride And all his host in armes him bisyde And certes if it nere to long to heere I wolde haue tolde fully þe manere Line 876 how wonnen was þe regne of ffeminie By Theseus and by his Chiualrie And of the grete bataille for þe noones Bitwixen athenes and Amazones Line 880 And how asseged was Ipolita The faire hardy quene of Scithia And of þe fest þat was at hir weddyng And of þe tempest at hir hom comyng Line 884 But al þat þing I moot as now forbere / I haue god wot a large feeld to ere And weyke ben þe oxen in my plough The remnant of þe tale is long ynough Line 888 I wol not letten eek noon of þis route

Lat euery felawe telle his tale aboute And lat se now who schal þe souper wynne And þer I lafte I wil aȝein bigynne Line 892 This Duk of whom I make mencioun Whan he was comen almost to þe toun In all his wele and his moste pryde He was war as he cast his eyhe asyde Line 896 Wher þat þer kneled in þe heighe weye A company of ladies tweye and tweye [folio 13b] Eche after oþer cladde in cloþes blake But such a cry and such a woo þei make Line 900 That in þis world is creature lyuynge That herde such anoþer weymentynge And of þis cry þey nolde neuer stente Til þei þe Reynes of his bridel hente Line 904 What folk ben ȝe þat at myn hom comynge Pertourbe so my feste wiþ cryinge Quod Theseus haue ȝe so gret enuye Of myn honour that þus compleigne and crie Line 908 Or who haþ ȝou mysboden or offended And telleþ me if it may ben amended And whi þat ȝe ben cloþed thus in blak The eldest lady of hem alle spak Line 912 Whan sche had swouned with a dedly cheere That it was routhe for to seen and heere ¶ Sche seide lord to whom fortune haþ yiuen Victorie and as a conquerour to lyuen Line 916 Not greueþ ous ȝoure gloire and your honour But we beseke mercy and socour Haue mercy on our woo and our distresse Som drope of pite þurgh þi gentilesse / Line 920 vpon vs wrecched wommen let ȝe fall ffor certes lord þer is non of vs all That sche nath ben a duchesse or a queene Now be we Caytifs as it is wel seene Line 924 Thanked be fortune and hir false whiel

That non estat ensureth for to ben wel Now certes lord to abyde ȝoure presence / Here in þis temple of the goddesse Clemence Line 928 We haue be waytinge al þis fourte night Helpe vs lord siþ it is in þy might ¶ I wrecche which þat weepe and weile þus Was whilom wyf of king Cappaneus Line 932 That starf at Thebes cursed be þat day And alle we þat ben in þis array [folio 14a] And maken al þis lamentacioun We losten all our housbondes at þat toun Line 936 Whil þat þassege þer aboute lay And yet now þe olde Creon weiloway That lord is now of Thebes þe Cite ffulfild of Ire and of Iniquite Line 940 He for despite and for his Tyrannie To don þe deede bodies vilenye Of all oure lordes whiche þat ben slawe Haþ all þe bodies on an heep y-drawe Line 944 And wol nought suffre hem by non assent Neither to ben y-buried noþer y-brent But makeþ houndes ete hem in despyt And with þat word wiþoute more respit Line 948 Thei fellen gruf and cryden pitously Haue on vs wrecchede wommen som mercy And lat our sorwe synken in þin herte This gentil duk doun from his courser sterte Line 952 With herte pitous whan he herde hem speke Him þoughte þat his herte wolde breke Whan he saugh hem so pite and so mate That whilom were of so gret astate Line 956 And in his armes he hem all vp hente And hem conforteþ in ful good entente And swor his oth as he was trewe knight He wolde don so ferforþly his might Line 960 Vpon þe tyrant hem to wreke

That all þe poeple of grece scholde speke How Creon was of Theseus y-serued As he þat hadde his deþ ful wel deserued Line 964 And right anon wiþouten more abod His baner he displaied and forth rood To Thebes-ward and al his host biside No nerre Athenes wolde he go ne ride Line 968 Ne take his ease fully half a day But onward on his way þat night he lay [folio 14b] And sente anon ypolita þe queene And Emelye hir ȝonge suster scheene Line 972 Vnto þe toun of Athenes to dwelle And forþ he ritte þer nys namore to telle The rede Statue of Mars with spere and targe So schineþ in his white baner large Line 976 That alle þe feelde gliteren vp and doun And by his baner born is his pynoun Of gold ful riche in which þer was y-bete The Mynataur which þat he wan in Grece Line 980 Thus rit þis duk þus rit þis conquerour And in his host of Chiuallerie þe flour Til þat he come to Thebes and alight ffaire in þe feeld þer as he þought to fight Line 984 But schortly for to speken of þis þing With Creon which þat was of Thebes king He faught and slough him manly as a knight In pleyn bataile and putte þe folk to flight Line 988 And by asseut he wan þe Cite after And rente adoun boþe wall and sparre and rafter And to þe ladies he restored ageyn The bones of here frendes þat were slayn Line 992 To don obsequies as was þo þe gyse But it were all to longe to deuyse The grete clamour and þe waymentyng That the ladys made atte brennyng Line 996 Of þe bodies and þe gret honour

That Theseus þe noble conquerour Doþ to þe bodies whan þei from him wente But schortly for to telle is myn entente Line 1000 Whan þat þis worþi duk þis theseus Haþ Creon slayn and wonne Thebes þus Stille in þat feeld he took al night his reste And dide with all þe contre as him leste Line 1004 To ransake in þe caas of þe bodies deede Hem for to streepe of harneys and of wede [folio 15a] The pilours diden bysynesse and cure After þe bataile and disconfiture Line 1008 And so bifelle þat in the caas þei founde Thurgh girt with many a greuous blody wounde Tuo ȝonge knightes liggynge by and by Boþe in armes same wrought ful richely Line 1012 Of which tuo Arcita hight þat oon And þat oþer knight highte Palamon Nat fully quyk ne fully deed þei were But by her cote armours and by here gere Line 1016 The heraudes knewe hem self in special As þei þat weren of þe blood real Of Thebes and of sustren tuo y-born Out of þe caas þe pilours han hem torn Line 1020 And han hem caried softe vnto þe tente Of Theseus and he ful sone hem sente / To Athenes to dwellen in prisoun perpetuelly hem nolde he not Raunson Line 1024 And whan þis worþi duk haþ þus y-don He took his oost and home he rit anon With laurer corouned as a conquerour And þere he lyueþ in ioye and in honour Line 1028 Terme of his lif what needeþ wordes mo And in a tour in angwissh and in woo. Dwellen þis Palamon and eek Arcite ffor euere more þer may no gold hem quite Line 1032 This passeþ ȝeer by yer and day by day

Til it fel oones in a morwe of May That Emely þat fairer was to seene Than is þe lilye vpon his stalke grene Line 1036 And freisscher þan þe may wiþ floures newe ffor wiþ þe rose colour strof hir hewe / I not which was þe fairer of hem tuo Er it were day as was hire wone to do Line 1040 Sche was arisen and al redy dight ffor May wil haue no sluggardie on night [folio 15b] The seson prikeþ euery gentil herte / And makeþ it out of his sleep to sterte Line 1044 And siþen arise and don may obseruance This makeþ Emelye to haue remembrance To don honour to May and for to rise I-cloþed was sche freissh for to deuyse Line 1048 Hir yelow her was broyded in a tresse By-hinde hir bak a yerde long I gesse And in þe gardyn atte sonne vpriste Sche walkeþ vp and doun and as hir liste Line 1052 Sche gadreth floures party whit / and reede / To make a sotyl garland for hir heede And as an angel heuenysshely sche song The grete tour þat was so þikke and strong Line 1056 Which of þe Castell was þe chief dongeon Ther as þe knightes weren in prison Of which I tolde ȝou and telle schal Was euen ioynant to þe gardein wal Line 1060 Ther as þis Emely had hir pleying Bright was þe sonne and cler in þat mornyng And Palamon þis woful prisoner As was his wone by leue of his gailler Line 1064 Was risen and romed in a chambre on heigh In which he al þe noble cite seigh And ek þe gardyn ful of branches grene Ther as þe freisshe Emely þe schene Line 1068 Was in hir walk and romed vp and doun

This sorwful prisoner this Palamoun Goþ in þe chambre Romynge to and fro And to himself compleignyng of his wo Line 1072 That he was born ful ofte seide allas And so byfell by auenture or caas That þorugh a wyndow þikke of many a barre Of yren gret and square as any sparre Line 1076 He cast his eyghen vpon Emelya And þer with al he bleynt and cryed a [folio 16a] As þough he stongen were vnto þe herte And with þat crye Arcite anon vp sterte / Line 1080 And seide Cosyn myn what eyleþ þe That art so pale and dedly on to se Why crydestow who haþ þe don offence ffor goddes loue tak al in pacience Line 1084 Oure prisoun for it may non oþer be ffortune haþ yiue vs þis aduersite Som wicke aspect or disposicion Of Saturne by som constollacion Line 1088 Haþ ȝiuen vs þis al þough we had it sworn So stood þe heuen whan þat we ware born We mote endure it þis is schort and playn This Palamon answerd and seide again / Line 1092 Cosyn for soþe of þis opynion Þou hast a vain Imaginacion This prison causede me nought to crie But I was hurt right now þorugh out myn yhe Line 1096 In to myn hert þat wol my bane be The fayrnesse of þat lady þat I see Ȝonde in the gardyn rome to and fro Is cause of al my crying and my wo Line 1100 I not wher sche be womman or goddesse But Venus is it soþly as I gesse And þer with al on knees a doun he fille And seyde Venus if it be þy wille Line 1104 yow in þis gardeyn þus to transfigure

Byfore me sorwful wrecched creature Out of þis prison help þat we mowe scape And if so be oure destenye be schape/ Line 1108 By eterne world to deyen in prison. Of oure lynage haue som compassion That is so lowe y-brought by tyrannie And with þat word Arcite gan aspye Line 1112 Wher as þis lady romed to and fro And with þat sight hir beaute hurt him so [folio 16b] That if þat Palamon was wounded sore Arcite is hurt as muche as he or more / Line 1116 And with a syke he seyde pitously The freissche beaute sleþ me sodeinly Of hire þat rometh in þe yonder place And but I haue hir mercy and hir grace Line 1120 That I may seen hir atte leste wey I nam but ded þer nys no more to sey This Palamon whan he þis wordes herde Dispitously he loked and answerde Line 1124 Wheþer seistow þis in ernest or in pleye Nay quod Arcite in ernest by my feye God helpe me so me lust ful yuel playe This Palamon gar kne his browes twaye Line 1128 It were to þe quod he no gret honour ffor to be fals ne for to be traytour To me þat am þi cosyn and þi broþer y-sworn ful deepe and ech of vs til oþer Line 1132 That neuer for to deyen in þe payn Til þat þe deþ departe schal vs twayn Neither in loue for to hinder oþer Ne in non oþer cas my lieue broþer Line 1136 But þat þou scholdest trewly forþer more In euery caas and I schal forþre þe þore This was þin oþ and myn also certeine I wot right wel þou darst it not wiþ-seyne Line 1140 Thus art þou of my counseil out of doute

And now þou woldest falsly ben aboute To loue my lady whom I loue and serue And euer schal til þat myn herte sterue Line 1144 Now certes fals Arcite þou schalt not so I loued hir ferst and tolde þe my wo As to my counseil and my broþer sworn To forthre me as I haue told biforn Line 1148 ffor which þou art y-bounden as a knight To helpe me if it lay in thy might [folio 17a] Or elles art þou fals I dar wel sayn This Arcite ful proudly spak agayn Line 1152 Thou schalt quod he be raþer fals þan I But þou art fals I telle þe witterly ¶ ffor paramour I loued hir first er þou What wilt þou seyn þou wist it nought yit now Line 1156 Wheþur sche be a womman or goddesse Thin is affeccion of holynesse And myn is loue as to a creature ffor which I tolde þe myn auenture Line 1160 As to my cosyn and to my broþer sworn I pose þat þou louedest hire biforn Wostow nought wel þe olde clerkes sawe Line 1163 That who schal ȝiue a louer eny lawe [¶ Quis legem dat amantibus.] loue is a gretter lawe by my pan Than may be yeue to eny erthly man And þerfore positif lawe and such decree Is broke alday for loue in eche degree Line 1168 A man moot needes loue maugre his hede He may not fleen hit þough he scholde be dede Al be sche mayde or wydow or elles wif And eek it is not likly al þi lif Line 1172 To stonden in hir grace namore schal I ffor wel þou wost þi selue verreily That þou and I ben dampned to prison Perpetuelly vs gaigneth no Ramson Line 1176 We stryuen now as houndes for þe bon

They fought alday and ȝet here part was non Ther com a kyte whil þat þei were so wroþe That bar a way þe bon bytwixe hem boþe Line 1180 Ak þerfore atte kinges court my broþer Ech man for him self þer is non oþer Loue if þou list for I loue and ay schal A soothly leue broþer þis is al Line 1184 Her in þis prison mote we endure And euerich of vs take his auenture [folio 17b] Gret was þe strif and long bitwix hem tweye If þat I hadde leyser for to seie / Line 1188 But to þis effect it happed on a day To telle it ȝou as schortly as I may A worþi duk þat highte Perotheus That felawe was vnto duk Theseus Line 1192 Syn þilke day þat þai were children lite Was come to Athenes his felawe to visite and for to pleye as he was wont to do ffor in þis world he loued noman so Line 1196 And he loued him als tendurly agayn So wel þei loued as olde bokes sayn That whan þat oon was ded soþly to telle / his felaw went and sought him doun in helle Line 1200 But of þat story list me nought to write Duk Perotheus louede wel arcite And had him knowe at Thebes þer be yere And finally at request and preyere Line 1204 Of Perotheus wiþoute ony Raunson Duk Theseus him leet out of prison ffrely to gon wher þat him list ouer al In such a gise as I ȝou telle schal Line 1208 This was þe forward pleinly for tendite / Bitwixe Theseus and him Arcite That if so were þat arcite were founde / Euer in his lif by day or night or stounde Line 1212 In eny contre of þis Theseus

And he were caught it was accorded þus That with a swerd he scholde leese his heed Ther was noon oþer remedie ne reed Line 1216 But takeþ his leeue and homward he him spedde Lat him be war his nekke liþ to wedde How gret a sorwe suffreþ now arcite The deth he feeleþ þurgh his herte smyte Line 1220 He wepeþ. weyleth. crieþ pitously To sleen himself he wayteþ priuely [folio 18a] He seide allas þat day þat I was born Now is my prison worse þan biforn Line 1224 Now is me schape eternaly to dwelle Nought in Purgatori but in helle Allas þat euer I knew Perotheus ffor elles hadde I haue dwelled with Theseus Line 1228 I-fetered in his prison eueremo Thanne hadde I ben in blisse and not in woo Only þe sight of hire whom þat I serue þough þat I neuer hire grace may deserue Line 1232 Wolde haue y-suffised right ynough for me ¶ Oo deere Cosyn Palamon quod he Thin is þe victorie of þis auenture fful blissefully in prison might þou dure Line 1236 In prisoun certes nay but paradys Wel haþ fortune torned þe þe dys That hast þe sight of hire and I þabsence / ffor possible is syn þou hast hir presence Line 1240 And art a knight a worþi and an able That by som caas syn fortune is changeable Thou maist somtyme to þi desir atteyne But I þat am exiled and bareyne Line 1244 Of alle grace and in so gret despeire That þer nys erþe water fyr ne eyre Ne creature þat of hem maked is / That may me helpe or don confort in þis Line 1248 Wel ought I sterue in wanhope and distresse

ffare wel my lif my lust and my gladnesse Allas why pleynen men so in comune Of purueance of god or of fortune Line 1252 That ȝiueth hem ful ofte in many a gyse Wel bet þan þey can hemself deuyse Som man desireþ for to haue richesse That cause is of his mordre or gret seknesse / Line 1256 And som wolde out of his prison fain That in his hous is of his meyne slain / [folio 18b] Infinite harmes ben in þis matiere We wot not what þing þat we preyen heere / Line 1260 We faren as he þat dronken is as Mous A dronke man wot wel he haþ an hous But he not which þe righte weie is þider And to a dronke man þe weye is slider Line 1264 And certes in þis world so faren we We seeken fast after felicite But we gon wrong ful ofte trewely Thus may we seyn all and namlich I Line 1268 That wende and hadde a gret opynion That if I mighte skapen fro prison Than hadde I ben in ioye and parfyt hele Ther now I am exiled fro my wele Line 1272 Syn þat I may not seen ȝou Emelye I am but ded þer nys no remedye vpon þat oþer syde Palamon Whan þat he wiste þat arcite was gon Line 1276 Swich sorwe he makeþ þat þe grete tour Resouneþ of his yollyng and clamour The pure fettres of his schynes grete Were of his bittre salte teeres wete Line 1280 Allas quod he arcita cosyn myn Of all our strif god wot þe fruyt is þin Thou walkest now in Thebes at þi large And of my woo þou yernest litel charge Line 1284 Thou maist syn þou hast wisdom and manhede

Assemble all þe folk of oure kinrede And make a werre so scharp on þis Cite That by som auenture or som tretee Line 1288 Thou maist haue hir to lady and to wif / ffor whom þat I most needes leese my lif ffor as by weie of possibilite Sitthe þou art at þi large of prison fre Line 1292 And art a lord gret is þin auantage. More þan is myn þat sterue her in a kage [folio 19a] ffor I mot weepe and wayle whil þat I lyue With all þe woo þat prison may me ȝiue Line 1296 And eek with peyne þat loue me yiueþ also That doubleþ al my torment and my wo Ther with þe fyr of gelousie vpsterte With Inne his brest and hente him by þe herte Line 1300 So woodly þat he lik was to byholde The boxtre or þe asshen deed and colde Than seide he o cruel goddes þat gouerne This world with bynding of your word eterne Line 1304 And writen in þe table of athamaunt youre parlement and ȝour eterne graunt What is mankynde more vnto ȝou holde Than is þe scheep þat roukeþ in þe folde Line 1308 ffor slain is man right as anoþer beeste And dwelleþ eek in prison and in arreste And haþ siknesse and gret aduersite And ofte tymes gilteles parde Line 1312 ¶ What gouernance is in þis prescience That gilteles tormenteþ Innocence And encreseth þis is al my penaunce That man is bounden to his obseruaunce Line 1316 ffor goddes sake to letten of his wille Ther as a beeste may all his lust fulfille And whan a beeste is ded he haþ no peyne But after his deth þe man mot weepe and pleyne Line 1320 Though in þis world he haue care and wo

Wiþouten doute it may stonden so The answere of þis lete I to diuines But wel I wot þat in þis world gret pyne is Line 1324 Allas I see a serpent or a þeef That many a trewe man haþ do meschief Gon at his large and wher him list may turne But I moot ben in prison þurgh Saturne Line 1328 And eek þurgh Iuno Ialous and eek wood That haþ destroyed wel neyh al þe blood [folio 19b] Of Thebes with his waste walles wide And venus sleeþ me on þat oþer syde Line 1332 ffor Ialousye and fere of him Arcite ¶ Now wil I stynte of Palamon alite And lat him in his prison stille dwelle And of Arcite forþ I wil ȝou telle Line 1336 The somer passeþ and þe nightes longe Encresceth double wise þe peynes stronge Boþe of þe louer and of þe prisoner I not which haþ þe wofuller myster Line 1340 ffor schortly for to sein of Palamon Perpetuelly is dampned to prison In cheynes and in fettres to þe ded And arcite is exiled vp his hed Line 1344 ffor euermore as out of þat contre Ne neuer he ne schal his lady se ¶ yow louers aske I now þis question Who haþ þe wors arcite or Palamōn Line 1348 That oon may seen his lady day by day But in prison moot he duellen ay That oþer wher him list may ride or go But seen his lady schal he neuer mo Line 1352 Now diuineth as ȝou list þat ȝe can ffor I wol telle forth as I bigan [[No gap in the MS.]]

[PART II. No gap in the MS.]

Whan þat arcite to Thebes comen was fful ofte a day he swelte and saide allas Line 1356 ffor seen his lady schal he neuere mo And schortly to concluden al his wo So mochel sorwe hadde neuer creature That is or schal whil þat þe world may dure Line 1360 His sleep . his mete . his drink is him by-raft That lene he wex and drye as is a schaft His yghen holwe grisly to biholde His hewe falwe and pale as ayssche colde Line 1364 And solitarie he was and euer allone And waylyng al þe night makyng his mone [folio 20a] And if he herde song or instrument Than wolde he weepe he mighte nought be stent Line 1368 So feble were his spiritz and he lowe And chaunged so þat no man couþe knowe His speche noþer his voys þough men it herde And in his gere for al þe world he ferde / Line 1372 Not comly lyk to louers maladye Of heres but raþer lik manye Engendred of humour malencolik Biforn his celle fantastik Line 1376 And schortly torned was al vp and doun Boþe habite and disposicioun Of him þis woful louere daun arcite What scholde I alday of his woo endite Line 1380 Whan he endured hadde a ȝeer or tuo This cruel torment and þis peyne and woo At Thebes in his contre as I seyde Vpon a night in sleep as he him leyde Line 1384 Him þoughte þat þe wengede god mercurie Biforn him stood and bad him to be merie His sleepy ȝerde in honde he bar vpright An hatte he wered vppon his heeres bright Line 1388

Line 1388 Arrayed was þis god as he took keepe As he was whan þat argus took his sleepe And seyde him þus to Athenes schalt þou wende Ther is þe schapen of þi wo an ende Line 1392 And with þat word arcite wook and sterte Now trewely how sore þat me smerte Quod he to Athenes right now wol I fare Ne for þe drede of deþ schal I nought spare Line 1396 To see my lady þat I loue and serue / In hire presence I ne recche nouȝt to sterue / And with þat word he caughte a gret mirour And saugh þat chaunged was al his colour Line 1400 And saugh his visage al in anoþer kinde And right anon it ran him in his mynde [folio 20b] Than siþen his face was so disfigured Of maladie þe which he hadde endured Line 1404 He mighte wel if þat he bar him lowe Lyue in Athenes eueremore vnknowe / And seen his lady wel neigh day by day And right anon he changed his array Line 1408 And cladde him as a poure laborer And al allone saf oonly a squier That knew his priuete and al þe caas Which was desgised pouerly as he was Line 1412 To Athenes is he gon þe nexte way And to þe courte he wente vpon a day And atte gate he profred his seruise To drugge and drawe what so men wol deuise Line 1416 And schortly of þis matier for to sein He fille in office with a chamburlein / The which þat was dwellyng with Emelye ffor he was wys and sone couþe aspye Line 1420 Of euery seruant which þat serueþ here Wel couþe he hewen woode and water bere ffor he was yong and mighty for þe nones And þerto he was strong and bigge of bones Line 1424

Line 1424 To doon þat eny wight him can deuyse A yeer or tuo he was in þis seruise Page of þe Chambre of Emelye þe brighte And Philostrat he seyde þat he highte Line 1428 ¶ But half so wel byloued aman as he Ne was þer neuer in court of his degre He was so gentil of condicioun That þurgh out al the court was his renoun Line 1432 Thei seide þat it were a charite That Theseus wolde enhaunce his degre And putten him in worschipful seruise Ther þat he might his vertu excercise Line 1436 And þus withinne a while his name is spronge Boþe of his deedes and of his goode tonge [folio 21a] That Theseus haþ taken him so neere That of his Chambre he made him a squiere Line 1440 And gaf him golde to mayntene his degre And eek men brought him out of his contre ffro ȝeer to ȝeer ful priuily his rente But honestly and sleighly he it spente Line 1444 That no man wondred how þat he it hadde And þre ȝeer in þis wise his lif he ladde And bar him so in pees and eek in werre Ther was no man þat Theseus haþ derre Line 1448 And in þis blisse lete I now arcite And speke I wol of Palamon alite ¶ In derknesse and horrible and strong prison This seuene ȝeer haþ seten Palamon Line 1452 fforpyned what for woo and for distresse Who feleth double sore and heuynesse But Palamon þat loue drencheþ so / That wood out of his wit he goþ for wo Line 1456 And eek þer to he is a prisoner Perpetuelly not oonly for a ȝeer Who couþe ryme in englissh propurly His martirdom for soþe it am not I Line 1460

Line 1460 Ther fore I passe als lightly as I may ¶ It felle þat in þe seuenþe ȝer of may The þridde night as olde bokes sein / That als þis storie telleþ more plein Line 1464 Were it by auenture or destinee As whan a þing is schape it schal be That sone after þe mydnyght Palamon By helpyng of a frende brak prison Line 1468 And fleþ þe cite faste as he may goo ffor hadde yeue his gailler drunke soo Of a clarre maad of a certeyn wyn With nercotiks and opie of Thebes fyn Line 1472 That al þat night þough þat men wolde him schake Tbe gailler sleep he mighte not awake [folio 21b] And þus he fleeth as fast as euer he may The night was schort and faste by þe day Line 1476 That needes cost he most himseluen hyde And til a groue faste þer bisyde With dredful foot þan stalkeþ Palamon ffor schortly þis was his opinion Line 1480 That in þat groue he wolde him hide alday And in þe night þan wolde he take his way To Thebes-ward his frendes for to pray On Theseus to helpe him to werray Line 1484 And schortly ouþer he wolde leese his lif Or wynnen Emely to his louely wif / This is þeffecte and his entente playn ¶ Now wol I torne vnto arcite agayn Line 1488 That litel wiste how neih þat was his care Til þat fortune hadde kaught him in his snare The besy larke messanger of day Salueth in hir song þe morwe gray Line 1492 And fyry phebus riseþ vp so bright That al þe orient laugheth of þe light And with his streemes drieth in þe greues The seluir dropes hangyng in þe leeues Line 1496

Line 1496 And Arcita in þe court roial Wiþ Theseus his squier principal Is rysen and lokeþ on þe mery day And for to doon his obseruance to may Line 1500 Remembryng on þe poynt of his desir He on his courser stertyng as þe fir Is riden in to þe feeldes him to pleye Out of þe court were it a myle or tweye Line 1504 And to þe groue of which þat I ȝou tolde By auenture his weye he gan to holde / To maken him a garland of þe greues Were it of woodebynde or hawethorne leeues Line 1508 And loude he song aȝein þe sonne scheene / May with all þi floures whit and grene [folio 22a] Welcome be þou faire freisshe may I hope þat I som grene gete may Line 1512 And from his courser with a lusty herte In to þe groue ful hastily he sterte And in a path he rometh vp and doun Ther as by auenture of þis Palamon Line 1516 Was in a busshe þat no man might him see fful sore aferd of his deth was he No þing ne knewe he þat it was arcite God wot he wolde haue trowed it ful lite Line 1520 But soþ is seide go siþþen many ȝeeres That feeld haþ yhen and þe woode haþ eeres It is ful fair a man to bere him euene / ffor alday meeteþ men at vnsett steuene Line 1524 fful litel woot arcite of his felawe That was so neigh to herken of his sawe ffor in þe busshe he sitteþ now ful stille Whan þat arcite hadde Romed all his fille Line 1528 And songen al þe Roundel lustily In to a studie he fel sodeinly As doon þese louers in here queynte geeres Now in þe croppe and now doun in þe breeres Line 1532

Line 1532 Now vp now doun as boket in a welle Right as þe friday soþly for to telle Now it schineþ and now it reyneþ faste Right so gan gery venus ouer caste Line 1536 The hertes of hir folk right as hire day Is geerful right so chaungeþ sche array Seelde is þe fryday al þe wike y-like ¶ Whan þat arcite hadde songe he gan to syke Line 1540 And sette him doun wiþouten eny more Allas quod he þat day þat I was bore How longe Iuno þurgh þi cruelte Wiltow werreien Thebes þe Cite Line 1544 Allas y-brought is to confusion The blood Roial of Cadme and Amphion [folio 22b] Of Cadmus which þat was þe ferste man That Thebes bult or ferst þe toun bigan Line 1548 And of þe cite first was crouned king Of his lynage am I and his ofspring By verray ligne as of þe stok roiall And now I am so caytif and so þrall Line 1552 That he þat is my mortel enemy I serue him as his squier pouerly And ȝit doþ me Iuno wel more schame ffor I dar nought biknowe myn owne name Line 1556 But þer as I was wont to hight arcite Now highte I Philostrate nought worþ a myte Allas þou felle mars allas þou Iuno Thus haþ your ire oure lignage al fordo Line 1560 Saf only me and wrecched Palamon That Theseus martireþ in prison And ouer al þis to slen me vtterly loue haþ his faire dart so brennyngly. Line 1564 y-stiked þurgh my trewe carful herte That schapen was my deþ arst þan my scherte ye sleen me with ȝour eyȝen emelye Ȝe ben þe cause wher fore þat I dye Line 1568

Line 1568 Of all þe remanant / of myn oþer care Ne sette I nought þe montance of a tare So þat I coude don aught to ȝoure plesance And with þat word he fel doun in a traunce Line 1572 A long tyme and aftirward he vpsterte This Palamon þat þought þat þorugh his herte he felte a cold swerd sodeinliche glyde ffor yre he quok no lenger wolde he byde Line 1576 And whan þat he had herd Arcites tale As he were wood with face deed and pale he sterte him vp out of þe buskes þikke And seide arcite false traytour wikke Line 1580 Now art þou hent þat louest my lady so ffor whom þat I haue al þis peyne and wo [folio 23a] And art my blood and to my counseil sworn As I ful ofte haue told þe heer biforn Line 1584 And hast be-iaped here duk Theseus / And falsly chaunged hast þi name þus I wol be ded or elles þou schalt dye Thou schalt not loue my lady Emelye Line 1588 But I wol loue hire oonly and nomo ffor I am Palamon þi mortel foo And þough þat I no wepene haue in þis place But out of prisoun am astert by grace Line 1592 I drede nought þat ouþer þou schalt die Or þou ne schalt not louen Emelye Chees which þou wilt or þou schalt not asterte This arcite with ful despitous herte Line 1596 When he him knew and hadde his tale herde As fers as a leon pulled out a swerde And seide þus by god þa[t] sitteþ aboue Nere it were þat þou art sike and wood for loue Line 1600 And eek þat þou no wepne hast in þis place / Thou schuldest neuer out of þis groue pace That þou ne schuldest deyen of myn honde ffor I diffie þe sewrte and þe bonde Line 1604

Line 1604 Which þat þou seist I haue maad to þe / What verray fool þink weel þat loue is fre And I wol loue hir maugre al þy might But for as moche þou art a worþy knight Line 1608 And willest to derreyne hir by batayle Haue her my trouþe to morwe I wol nought fayle Wiþouten wityng of eny oþer wight That heer I wol be founden as a knight Line 1612 And bringen herneys right ynough for þe And chese þe beste and lef þe worste for me And mete and drynk þis night wol y bringe ynough for þe and cloþes for þi beddynge Line 1616 And if so be þat þou my lady wynne And sle me in þis woode þer I am Inne [folio 23b] Thou mayst wel haue þy lady as for me This Palamon answerd I graunt it þe Line 1620 And þus þei ben departed til a morwe Whan ech of hem hadde leyd his feiþ to borwe Occupied out of alle charite O regne þat wolde no felawe haue with þe Line 1624 fful soþ is seid þat loue ne lorschipe Wol not his þankes haue no felaschipe We fynde þat of arcite and of Palamon Arcite is riden anon in to þe toun Line 1628 And on the morwe er it were dayes light fful priuely tuo herneys haþ he dight Boþe sufficant and meete to darreyne The batail in þe feld bitwix hem tweyne Line 1632 And on his hors allone as he was borne He carieth al his harneys him biforne And in þe groue at tyme and place y-set This arcite and þis Palamon ben mette Line 1636 To changen gan þe colour in hire face Right as þe hunters in þe Reigne of trace That stondeþ atte gappe with a spere Whan hunted is þe leoun or þe bere Line 1640

Line 1640 And heereþ him come russhyng in þe greeues And bereþ boþe bowes and þe leeues / And þinkeþ here comeþ my mortel enemy Wiþoute faile he moot be deed or I Line 1644 ffor eiþer I mot sleen him atte gappe Or he mot slee me if þat me mys happe So ferden þei in chaungyng of here hewe As fer as euerich of hem oþer knewe / Line 1648 Ther nas no good day ne no saluynge / But streit wiþouten word or rehersynge / Euerich of hem hilp for to arme oþer As freendly as he were his owne broþer Line 1652 And after þat wiþ scharpe speres stronge / They foynen ech at oþer wonder longe [folio 24a] Thou mightest wene þat þis Palamon In his fightinge were a wood leon Line 1656 And as a cruel tigre was arcite As wilde bores gonne þei to smyte / That frothen whit as foom for ire wood Vp to þe ancle foughte þey in here blood Line 1660 And in þis wise I lete hem fightyng dwelle And forþ I wole of Theseus you telle The destenye Ministre general That executeþ in þe world ouer al Line 1664 The purueance þat god haþ seie bifore So strong it is þat þei þe world hadde it swore The contraire of a þing by ȝe or nay Ȝet som tyme it schal falle on a day Line 1668 Þat falleþ nought eft wiþinne a þousend ȝere ffor certeinly oure appetites heere Be it of werre or pees or hate or loue Al is þis reuled by þe sight aboue Line 1672 This mene I now by mighty Theseus That for to hunte is so desirous And namly atte grete hert in may That in his bedde þer daweþ him no day Line 1676

Line 1676 That he nys cladde and redy for to ride Wiþ hunte and horn and houndes him besyde ffor in his huntyng haþ he such delit That it is all his ioye and appetyt Line 1680 To ben himself þe grete hertes bane ffor after mars he serueth now Diane Cler was þe day as I haue told er þis And Theseus with alle ioye and blys Line 1684 With his ypolita þe faire queene And Emelye cloþed al in greene On huntyng ben þei riden really And to þe groue þat stood ful faste by Line 1688 In which þer was an hert as men him tolde Duk Theseus þe streighte wey haþ holde / [folio 24b] And to þe lannde he rideþ him ful righte ffor þider was þe hert wont to haue his flighte Line 1692 And ouer a brook and so forþ on his wey This Duk wol haue a cours at him or twey Wiþ houndes swich as þat him list to comaunde / And whan þis Duk was come vnto þe launde Line 1696 vnder þe sonne he loked and anon He was war of arcite and Palamon That foughten breeme as it were boles tuo The brighte swerdes wenten to and fro Line 1700 So hidously þat with þe leste strook It semeþ þat it wolde felle an ook But what þei were noþing he ne woot This duk his courser with his spores smot Line 1704 And at a stert he was betwixe hem tuo And pulled out a swerd and cried ho No more vp peyne of lesyng of ȝour hed By mighty mars he schal anon be ded Line 1708 That smyteth eny strok þat I may seen But telleþ me what myster men ȝe ben That ben so hardy for to fighten heere Wiþoute Iuge or oþer officere Line 1712

Line 1712 As it were in a litell liste really ¶ This Palamon answerde hastily And seide sire what needeþ wordes mo We haue þe deþ deserued boþe tuo Line 1716 Tuo woful wrecches be we tuo caytyues That ben encombred of oure owne lyues And as þou art a rightful lord and Iuge Ne ȝiue us neyþer mercy ne refuge Line 1720 But slee me first for seinte charite But slee my felawe eek as wel as me Or slee him [first] for þough þou knowest it lite This is þi mortel fo þis is arcite Line 1724 That fro þi lond is banyssched on his heede ffor which he haþ deserued to be ded [folio 25a] ffor þis is he þat com vnto þi gate And seyde þat he highte Philostrate Line 1728 Thus haþ he Iaped þe ful many a ȝeere / And þou hast maked him þi cheef squiere And þis is he þat loueþ Emelye ffor siþ þat day is come þat I schal dye Line 1732 I make pleynly my confession That I am þilke woful Palamon That haþ þi prison broke wikkedely I am þi mortel foo and it am I Line 1736 That loueþ so hote Emelya þe bright[e] That I wol dye present in hir sighte Wher fore I axe deþ and my Iuwise But sle my felawe in þe same wise Line 1740 ffor boþe haue we deserued to be slayn ¶ This worþi duk answerde anon agayn And seide þis is a schort conclusioun your owne mouþ be ȝoure confessioun Line 1744 Haþ dampned ȝou and I wol it recorde It needeþ nought to pyne ȝou with þe corde ye schal be ded by mighty mars þe reede The queen anon for verrey wommanhede Line 1748

Line 1748 Com for to wepe and so dide Emelye And all þe ladies of þe compaignye Gret pite was it as it þought hem alle That euer such a chaunce schulde falle Line 1752 ffor gentil men þei were of gret estat And noþing but for loue was þis debat And saugh hire bloody woundes wide and sore And alle cryeden boþe lasse and more Line 1756 Haue mercy lord vpon vs wommen alle And on here bare knees doun þei falle And wolde haue kist his feet þer as he stood Til atte last aslaked was his mood Line 1760 ffor pite renneþ sone in gentil herte / And þough he ferst for Ire quook and sterte [folio 25b] he haþ considered schortly in a clause The trespas of hem bothe and eek þe cause Line 1764 And al þough þat his Ire hire gilt accused Ȝit in his reson he hem boþe excused As þus he þoughte wel þat euery man Wil helpe himself in loue if þat he can Line 1768 And eek deliuere himself out of prison And eek his herte hadde compassion Of wommen for þey wepen euer in oon And in his gentil herte he þought anon Line 1772 And softe vnto himself he seide fy vpon a lord þat wol haue no mercy But be a leon boþe in word and dede / To hem þat ben in repentance and drede Line 1776 As wel as to a proud dispitous man That wol maintene þat he first bigan That lord haþ litel of discrecion That in such cas can no diuision Line 1780 But weyeth pride and humblesse after oon And schortly whan his Ire is þus goon he gan to loken vp with eyghen light And spak þis same wordes al on hight Line 1784

Line 1784 ¶ The god of loue a benedicite How mighty and how gret a lord is he Aȝeins his might þer gayneþ non obstacles He may be cleped a god of his miracles Line 1788 ffor he can maken at his owne gise Of euerich herte as þat him list deuise lo her þis arcite and þis Palamon That quytly were out of my prisoun Line 1792 And might haue lyued in Thebes rially And witen I am here mortel enemy And þat here deþ lith in my might also / And ȝit haþ loue maugre here yghen tuo Line 1796 Brought hem hider boþe for to deye Now lokeþ is not þat an heih folye [folio 26a] ¶ Who may ben a fool but if he loue Byhold for goddes sake þat sitteþ aboue Line 1800 See how þai bleede be þai not wel arrayed Thus haþ hire lord þe god of loue y-paiȝed Hire wages and hire fees for hire seruise And ȝit þei wenen for to ben ful wise Line 1804 That seruen loue for aught þat may bifall But þis is ȝet þe beste game of all That sche for wham þei haue þis iolyte Can hem þerfore as moche thank as me Line 1808 Sche woot na more of all þis hoote fare By god þan woot a Cockow of an hare But al moot ben assayed hoot and colde A man moot ben a fool or ȝong or olde Line 1812 I wot it by my self ful yore agon ffor in my tyme a seruant was I on And þerfore syn I knowe of loues peyne And woot how sore it can a man distreyne Line 1816 As he þat hath ben caught often in his laas I you forȝiue al holly þis trespas At þe requeste of þe queen þat kneeleþ heere And eek of Emelye my soster deere Line 1820

Line 1820 And ȝe schal boþe anon vnto me swere That neuere ȝe schal my coroune dere Ne make werre vpon me night ne day But ben my frendes in alle þat ȝe may Line 1824 I ȝou forȝiue þis trespas euery del And þey him sworen his axing fair and wel And him of lordschipe and of mercy preide And he hem graunteþ grace and þus he seide Line 1828 To speke of riall lynage and richesse þough þat sche were a queen or a princesse Ech of ȝou boþe is worþy douteles To wedde whan tyme is but naþeles Line 1832 I speke as for my suster Emelye / ffor whom ȝe haue þis strif and Ialousie [folio 26b] Ȝe wite ȝoure self sche may not wedde tuo At oones þough ȝe fighten eueremo Line 1836 That oon of ȝou al be him loþ or leef He moot go pypen in an yuy leef This is to sey sche may not haue boþe Al be ȝe neuer so Ialouse ne so wroþe Line 1840 And for-þi I ȝou putte in þis degre That ech of ȝou schal haue his destine As him is schape and kerkneþ in what wise Lo heer ȝour ende of þat I schal deuyse / Line 1844 ¶ My wil is þis for plat conclusion Wiþouten eny replicacion If þat ȝow likeþ takeþ it for þe beste / That euerych of ȝou schal gon wher him leste Line 1848 ffrely wiþouten Raunceon or daunger And þis day fifty wykes fer ne neer Euerich of ȝou schal bringe an hundred knightes Armed for þe lystes vp al rightes Line 1852 Al redy to darreyne hir by bataile And þis biheete I ȝou wiþoute faile vpon my trouþe and as I am a knight That wheþer of ȝou boþe þat haþ might Line 1856

Line 1856 This is to sein þat wheþer he or þou May with his hundred as I spak of now Sle his contrarie or out of lystes dryue That schal I ȝiue Emelya to wyue Line 1860 To whom þat fortune ȝeueþ so fair a grace The lystes schal I maken in þis place And god so wisly on my soule rewe As I schal euen Iugge ben and trewe Line 1864 ȝe schal non oþer eende wiþ me maken þat on of ȝou schal ben deed or taken And if ȝou þinkeþ þis is wel y-sayed Sey ȝour avys and holdeþ ȝou appaied Line 1868 This is ȝour ende and ȝour conclusion Who lokeþ lighty now but Palamon [folio 27a] Who springeþ vp for ioye but arcite Who couþe telle or who couþe it endite Line 1872 The ioye þat is maked in þe place Whan Theseus haþ don so fair a grace But doun on knees went euery maner wight And þonked him wiþ all here hert and might Line 1876 And namely þe Thebanes ofte siþe And þus wiþ good hope and wiþ herte bliþe They take þeir leue and homward gon þei ride To Thebes with olde walles wyde Line 1880

[PART III. No gap in the MS.]

I trowe men wold it deme necligence yf I forȝete te tellen þe dispense Of Theseus þat goþ so busily To maken vp þe lystes ryally Line 1884 That such a noble theatre as it was I dar wel seyn in þe world þer nas The circuite a Mile was aboute Walled of stoon and diched al wiþoute Line 1888 Round was þe schap in maner of compas

fful of degrees þe heighte of sixty paas Than whan a man was sette on oo degre He lettede nought his felawe for to see Line 1892 Estward þer stood a gate of marbel white Westward right south anoþer in opposite And schortly to conclude such a place Was non in erþe as in so litel a space Line 1896 ffor in þe lond þer nas no crafty man That Geometrie or ars metrike can Ne purtreiour ne keruer of ymages That Theseus ne gain him mete and wages Line 1900 The Teatre for to make and deuyse And for to don his rite and sacrifise he estward hath vpon þe gate aboue In worschip of Venus þe goddesse of loue Line 1904 Don make an auter and an oratorie And of þe westward in memorie [folio 27b] Of Mars he maked hath right such anoþer That coste largely of gold a foþer Line 1908 And northward in a toret on þe walle Of alabaustre whit and reed coralle An oratori riche for to see In worschip of Diane of chastite Line 1912 hath Theseus don wrought in noble wise But ȝit hadde I forgetyn to deuyse þe noble peyntyng and þe purtraitures The schap þe contienance and þe figures Line 1916 That weren in þise oratories þre fferst in þe temple of venus maist þou se Wrought in þe walle ful pitous to biholde The broken sleepes and þe sikes colde Line 1920 þe sacrede teeres and þe waymentyng The fyre strokes of þe desyring That loues seruantz in þis lijf enduren The othes þat here couenantz ensuren Line 1924 Plesant and hope desir fol-hardynesse

Beaute and youþe bauderie Richesse Charmes and force lesynges flaterie Dispense bysynesse and Ialousie Line 1928 That werede of yalow of gooldes a garlond And a cukkow sittyng on his hond ffestes instrumentz karoles daunces lust and array and all þe circumstances Line 1932 Of loue which þat rekned and rekene schal By ordre were peynted on þe wal And mo þan I can make of mencion ffor sothly al þe mont of Citheron Line 1936 Ther venus haþ hir principal dwellyng Was schewed on þe wal in portreying Wiþ al þe gardyn and þe lustynesse Nat was forȝeten þe porter ydelnesse Line 1940 Ne Narcisus þe faire of yore agon Ne yet þe folie of king Salomon [folio 28a] Ne ȝit þe grete strengþe of Hercules Thenchauntementz of Medea and Circes Line 1944 Ne of Turnus wiþ þe hardy fiers corrage The riche Crysus kaytif in seruage / Thus may ȝe seen þat wisdom ne richesse Beaute ne sleighte strengþe ne hardynesse / Line 1948 Ne may wiþ venus holde champartye ffor as hire list þe world þanne may sche gye lo all þise folk so kaught were in here lace Til þei for woo ful ofte seyde allase Line 1952 Suffiseth here ensamples oon or tuo And þough I couþe rekne a þousand mo The statue of venus glorious for to see Was inaked fleetyng in þe large see Line 1956 And fro þe nauel doun al couered was Wiþ wawes greene and bright as eny glas O citole in hir right hond hadde sche / And on hire heed ful semely for to see Line 1960 A rose garlond freissch and wel smellynge

Aboue hir heed her doufes flykerynge Biforn hire stoode hir sone Cupido vpon his schuldernes wenges hadde he tuo Line 1964 And blynd he was as it is ofte seene / A bowe he bar and arwes bright and keene Whi schulde I nought as wel eek telle þe halle The purtraiture þat was vpon þe walle / Line 1968 Wiþinne þe temple of mighty mars þe reede Al peynted was þe wal in lengþe and brede / lik to þe eestres of þe grisly place That highte þe grete temple of Mars in trace Line 1972 In þilke colde frosty regioun Ther as Mars haþ his soueraigne mansioun ffirst on þe wal was peynted a foreste In which þer dwelled neyþer man ne beste Line 1976 Wiþ knotty knarry bareyne trees olde Of Stubbes scharpe and hidous to biholde/ [folio 28b] In which þer ran a Rombel in a swough And þought a storm schulde bresten euery bough Line 1980 And dounward from an hull vnder a bente Ther stood þe temple of mars armypotente Wrought all of burned steel of which þentre Was long and streyt and gastly for to see Line 1984 And þer out cam a rage and such a vese That it made all þe gates for to rese The northerne light in atte dores schone ffor wyndowe on þe wall ne was þer none Line 1988 Thorugh which men mighte eny light discerne The dores waren all of Atthemant eterne ychenchede ouertwart and endlong Wiþ Iren towgh and for to make it strong Line 1992 Euery piler þe temple to sustene Was tonne gret of Iren bright and scheene Ther say I ferst þe derk ymagynynge Of felonye and al þe compassynge Line 1996 The cruel Ire reed as eny glede

The pykpurs and eek þe pale drede The smyler wiþ þe knyf vnder þe cloke The schepene brennyng wiþ þe blake smoke Line 2000 The tresoun of þe morthering in þe bedde The open werre wiþ woundes all bibledde Contek wiþ bloody knyf and scharp manace Al ful of schrikyng was þat sory place Line 2004 The sleer of himself yet saugh I þere His herte hath baþed al his here The nayl y-dryuen in þe schood on night The colde deth wiþ mouþ gapende vpright Line 2008 Amyddes of þe temple sat meschance With disconfort and sory contenance yet saugh I woodnesse laughyng in his rage Armed compleint / out hees and feers outrage Line 2012 The karoigne in þe busk wiþ þrote y-korue A þousand y-slayn and nought of qualme y-storue [folio 29a] The Tiraunt with his preye his force thraste / The toun destroied þer was noþing lafte Line 2016 yet saugh I brent þe schippes hoppestereres The hunte strangled wiþ þe wilde breeres / The sowe freten þe child right in þe cradel The Cook I-scalded for al his longe ladel Line 2020 Nought was forgeten by þe infortune of marte / The carter ouer-Riden wiþ his carte vnder þe wheel ful lowe he lay a doun Ther were also of martis diuisioun Line 2024 The barbour and þe bocher and þe smith That forge scharpe swerdes on his stith And all aboue depeynted in a toure Saugh I conqueste in gret honoure Line 2028 With þe scharpe swerd ouer his heed Hangynge by a subtyl twyned þreed Depeynted was þe slaughtre of Iulius Of grete Nero and of Anthonius Line 2032 Al be þat ilke time þei were vnborn

Ȝet was hire deth depeynted þer biforn By manasyng of mars right by figure So was it schewed right in þat purtreiture Line 2036 As is depeynted in þe sertres aboue Who schal be slain or elles deed for loue Sufficeþ oon ensample in stories olde I may not rekne hem alle þough I wolde Line 2040 The statue of mars vpon a carte stood Armed and loked grym as he were wood And ouer his heed þer schineþ tuo figures Of sterres þat ben closed in scriptures Line 2044 That oon Puella þat oþer Rubeus This god of armes was arrayed þus A wolf þer stood biforn him at his feete Wiþ eighen reede and of a man he eete Line 2048 Wiþ subtill pensell was depeynted þis storie / In redoutyng of mars and of his glorie [folio 29b] Now to þe temple of Diane þe chaste / As schortly as I can I wol me haste Line 2052 To telle ȝou all þe discripcioun Depeynted ben þe walles vp and doun Of huntyng and of schamefast chastite Ther saugh I how woful Calistope Line 2056 Whan þat Diane agreued was with here Was torned fro a womman til a bere / [¶ Vrsa maior] And after was sche maad þe loode-sterre Þus was sche peynted I can ȝou seye no ferre Line 2060 Hire sone is eek a sterre as men may se Ther saugh I dane torned til a tree I mene nat þe goddesse Diane But Penneus doughter which þat highte Dane Line 2064 ¶ Ther saugh I accheon an herte y-maked ffor vengance þat he saugh Diane al naked I saugh how þat his houndes haue him caught/ and freten him for þat þei knewe him naught Line 2068 yet ypeynted was a litel forþere more /

how atthalance hounted þe wilde bore And Meliagre and many anoþer mo ffor which Diane wrought him care and wo Line 2072 Ther saugh I many anoþer storie / The which me list nat drawe to memorie / ¶ This goddesse on an hert ful wel hiegh seet Wiþ smale honndes all aboute hir feet Line 2076 And vnder neþe hire feet sche hadde a moone Wexynge it was and schulde wanye soone In gaude greene hir statue cloþed was Wiþ bowe in honde and arwes in a caas Line 2080 Hir eyhen caste sche ful lowe a doun Ther Pluto haþ his derke regioun A womman trauaillynge was hire biforn But for hire childe so longe was vnborn Line 2084 fful pitou[s]ly lucyna gan sche calle And seyde helpe for þou mayst best of alle [folio 30a] Wel couþe he peynte lifly þat it wrought Wiþ many a floreyne he þe hewes bought Line 2088 Now ben þise listes maad an Theseus That at his grete cost arraied thus The temples and þe Theatres euerydel Whan it was don him liked wonder wel Line 2092 ¶ But stynte I wol of Theseus alite And speke of Palamon and of arcite The day approcheþ and hir retornynge That eueriche scholde an hundred knightes bringe Line 2096 The bataille to darrayne as I ȝou tolde And til athenes hire couenant for to holde Haþ euerych of hem brought an .C. knightes Wel armed for þe werre at alle rightes Line 2100 And sikerly þer trowed many a man That neuer siþþen þat þe world bigan That for to speke of knighthode of here hond As ferre as god haþ maked see or lond Line 2104 Nas of so fewe so noble a companye

ffor euery wight þat loued chiualrie And wolde his þankes haue a passant name Haþ preyed þat he mighte ben of þat game Line 2108 A wel was him þat þer to chosen was / ffor if þer fille to morwe such a caas Ȝe knowe wel þat euery lusty knight That loueþ paramours and haþ his might Line 2112 Were it in Ingelond or elles where Thei wolde here þankes wilnen to be þere To fighte for a lady benedicite It were a lusty sighte for to see Line 2116 And right so ferden þey with Palamon With him þer wente knightes many on Som wol ben armed in an habergeon And in a brest plate and in a light Iepon Line 2120 And some wol haue a paire plates large And som wil haue a pruce scheld or a targe [folio 30b] Som wol ben armed on his legges wel and haue an axe and som a mace of steel Line 2124 Ther nys no newe gyse þat it nas olde Armed were þei as I haue ȝou tolde Euerich after his opynioun Ther maystow see comyng wiþ Palamon Line 2128 ligurge himself þe grete king of trace Blak was his berd and manly was his face The cercles of his yhen in his heede Thei gloweden bitwixe yelow and rede Line 2132 And lik a griffon loked he aboute With kempe heres on his browes stoute his lymes grete his braunes harde and strong his schuldernes brode his armes round and long Line 2136 And as þe gyse was in his cuntre fful heighe vpon a chaar of gold stood he Wiþ foure white boles in þe trays In stede of cote armour ouer his harnays Line 2140 Wiþ nayles yelowe and bright as eny golde

he hadde a berskynne coleblak for olde his longe her was kembed byhynde his bak As eny rauenes feþer it schon for blak Line 2144 A wreþe of gold arme gret of huge weighte vpon his heed sette ful of stones brighte Of fyne Rubies and of Diamantz Aboute his chaar þer wente wit Alantz Line 2148 Twenty and mo as gret as eny steere To hunten atte leon or þe deere And folwed him with mosel fast y-bounde Coleres of gold and torettes filed rounde Line 2152 An C. lordes hadde he in his route Armed ful wel wiþ hertes sterne and stoute ¶ With arcita in stories as men fynde The grete Emetreus þe king of Inde Line 2156 vpon a steede bay trapped in steel Couered in cloth of gold diapred weel [folio 31a] Com ridyng lyk þe god of armes mars His cote armure was of cloþ of Tars Line 2160 Couched with perles whit and round and grete / His sadel was of brent gold newe I bete A mantelet vpon his schuldern hangynge Bret ful of Rubyes reede as fyr sparclynge Line 2164 His crispe her lik rynges was I-ronne And þat was yelow and glitering as þe sonne His nose was highe his eyen bright Cytryn His lippes rounde his colour was sanguyn Line 2168 A fewe frakenes in his face y-spreynd Betwixe yelow and somdel blak y-meynd And as a leon he his lokyng caste Of fyue and twenty ȝeer his age I caste Line 2172 His berd was wel begonne for to springe His voys was as a trompe thunderinge vpon his heed he wered a laurer grene A garland freissche and lusty for to seene Line 2176 vpon his hand he bar for his deduyt

An Egle tame as eny lilie whit An C. lordes hadde he with him þere All armed saue her heedes in al here gere Line 2180 fful richely in alle maner þinges ffor trusteþ wel þat Dukes Erles kynges. Were gadred in þis noble companye ffor loue and for encrees of chiualrie Line 2184 aboute þis king þer ran on euery part fful many a tame leon and lepart And in þis wise þise lordes all and some Ben on þe soneday to þe Cite come Line 2188 Aboute prime and in þe toun alighte This Theseus þis Duk þis worþi knighte Whan he hadde brought hem in to his Cite And Inned hem euerich at his degre / Line 2192 He festeþ hem and doþ so gret labour To eesen hem and don hem all honour [folio 31b] That yet men weneþ þat no mannes wit Of non estat ne couþe amenden it / Line 2196 The menstralcye þe seruise atte feste The grete ȝiftes to þe meste and leste The riche array of Theseus Paleys Ne who sat ferst ne last vpon þe deys Line 2200 What ladies fairest ben or best daunsynge Or which of hem can best daunsen or synge / Ne who most felynglik spekeþ of loue What haukes sitten on þe perche aboue / Line 2204 What houndes liggen on þe flor adoun Of all þis make I now no mencioun But alle þeffecte þat þinkeþ me þe beste Now comeþ þe poynt and herkneþ if ȝou lest Line 2208 ¶ The sonday night ar day bigan to springe Whan Palamon þe larke herde synge Al þough it / nere nought day by houres tuo Ȝet song þe larke and Palamon right þo Line 2212 Wiþ holy herte and with an heigh corage

He ros to wenden on his pilgrimage vnto þe blisful Citharea benigne I mene Venus honorable and digne Line 2216 And in here houre he walkeþ forþ a paas vnto þe lystes þer hire temple was And doun he kneleþ and wiþ humble chere And herte sore he seyde as ȝe schal heere Line 2220 ¶ ffairest of faire O lady myn Venus Doughter to Ioue and spouse to Vulcanus Thou glader of þe mount of Citheron ffor þilke loue þou haddest to adon Line 2224 Haue pite of my bittre teeres smerte / and tak myn humble preier at þin herte Allas I ne haue no langage to telle / Theffectes ne þe torment of myn helle Line 2228 Myn herte may myn harmes nought bewreye I am so confuse þat I can not seye [folio 32a] But mercy lady bright þat knowest wele My þought and seest what harmes þat I feele Line 2232 Considere al þis and rewe vpon my soore As wisly as I schal for euermore Emforth my myght þi trewe seruant be And holden werre alwey wiþ chastite Line 2236 That I make myn avow so ȝe me helpe I keepe nought of armes for to yelpe Ne I ne axe nought to morwe to haue victorie Ne renoun in þis caas ne veine glorie Line 2240 Of pris of armes blowen vp and doun But I wolde haue fully possessioun Of emelye and dye in þi seruise ffynde yow þe maner how and in what wise Line 2244 I recche nat but it may bettre be To haue victorie of hem or þei of me So þat I may haue my lady in myn armes ffor þough so be þat mars is god of armes Line 2248 youre vertue is so gret in heuen aboue

That if yow list I schal wel haue my loue Thy temple wil I worschipe euermo An on þin auter wher I ride or go Line 2252 I wil don sacrifice and feeres beete And if ȝe wol not so my lady sweete Than pray I þe to morwe with a spere þat arcite me þurgh þe herte bere Line 2256 Than rekke I nat whan I haue lost my lyf þough þat arcite wynne hir to his wyf This is þeffect and ende of my preyere yif me my loue þou blisful lady deere Line 2260 Whan þe orison was don of Palamon his sacrifise he dide and þat anon fful pitously wiþ alle circumstances Al telle I not as now his obseruances Line 2264 But atte laste þe Statue of Venus schook And made a signe wherby þat he took [folio 32b] That his prayer accepted was þat day ffor þough þe signe schewed a delay Line 2268 Ȝit wist he weel þat graunted was his boone And with glad herte he went him home ful soone The þridde hour inequal þat Palamon Bigan to venus temple for to gon Line 2272 vp roos þe sonne and vp roos Emelye And to þe temple of Diane gan hye Hir maydenes þat þider with hir ladde fful redily with hem þe fyr þey hadde Line 2276 Thencens þe cloþes and þe remenant all That to þe sacrifice longen schall The hornes full of methe as was þe gise Ther lacked nat to do hir sacrifise Line 2280 Smokyng þe temple ful of cloþes faire This Emelye with herte debonaire Hire body [wessh] with þe water of a welle But how sche dide hire rite I dar not telle Line 2284 But it be eny þing in general

And ȝit it were a game to here it al To him that meneþ wel it nere no charge But it is good a man be at his large Line 2288 hire brighte heer was kempt vntressed al A Corone of a grene oke Serial vpon hire heed set ful faire and mete Tuo fyres on þe auter gan sche beete Line 2292 And dede hire þinges as men may biholde In Stace of Thebes and þise bookes olde Whan kyndled was þe fyr wiþ pitous cheere vnto Diane sche spak as ȝe may heere Line 2296 O chaste goddesse of þe woodes greene To whom boþe heuen and erþe and see is seene Queen of þe regne of Pluto dirk and lowe Goddesse of maydenes þat myn herte hast knowe Line 2300 fful many a yeer and wost what I desire As keepe me fro þi vengance and þin Ire [folio 33a] That attheon aboughte cruelly Chaste goddesse wel wost þou þat I Line 2304 Desyre to ben a mayde all my lif Ne neuer wol I be no loue ne wijf I am þou wost ȝit of þy compaignie A maiden and loue huntyng and venerie Line 2308 And for to walken in the woodes wilde And nought to ben a wijf and be wiþ childe Nought wol I knowe compaignie of man Now helpe me lady siþþe ȝe may and can Line 2312 ffor þe þre formes þat þou hast in the And Palamon þat haþ swich loue to me And eek arcite þat loueþ me so sore This grace I preye ȝow wiþoute more Line 2316 And sende loue and pees bitwixe hem tuo And fro me torne awey here hertes so That all here hoote loue and here desire And all here besy torment and here fire Line 2320 Be queynt or torned in anoþer place

And if so be þou wolt not do me grace Or if my destyne be schape so That I schal needes haue oon of hem tuo Line 2324 As sende me him that most desireth me Biholde goddesse of clene chastite The bittre teeres þat on my cheekes falle Syn þou art maiden and kepere of vs alle Line 2328 My maydenhode þou kepe and wel conserue And whil I lyue a maide I wol ȝou serue ¶ The fires brennen vpo þe auter cleer Whil Emelye was þus in hire preyer Line 2332 But sodeinly sche saugh a sighte queynte ffor right anon on of þe fyres queynte And quiked agayn and after þat anon That oþer fyr was queint and al a-gon Line 2336 And as it queinte it made a whistlinge As don þese wete brondes in here brennynge / [folio 33b] And at þe brondes ende out ran anon As it were bloody dropes many on Line 2340 ffor which so sore a-gast was Emelye That sche was ful ny mad and gan to crie ffor sche ne wiste what it signefied But oonly for þe feer þus haþ sche cried Line 2344 And weepe þat it was pite for to heere And þer with al Diane gan appeere With bowe in hand right as an hunteresse And seyde doughter stynt þin heuynesse Line 2348 Among þe goddes heigh it is affermed And by eterne word writen and confermed Thou schalt be wedded vnto oon of þo þat han for þe So mochel care and wo Line 2352 And vnto which of hem I may not telle ffar-wel for I ne may no lenger dwelle The fyres which þat on myn auter brenne Schul þe declare ar þat ȝe gon henne / Line 2356 Thin auenture of loue as in þis caas

And wiþ þat word þe arwes in þe caas Of þe goddesse clateren faste and rynge And forþ sche wente and made a vanysschynge Line 2360 ffor which þis Emelye astoned was And seide what amonteþ þis allas I putte me in þi proteccion Diane and in þi disposicion Line 2364 And home sche goþ anon þe nexte weye This is þeffecte þer nys namore to seye The nexte hour of mars folwynge þis Arcite vnto þe temple walked is Line 2368 Of fiers mars to don his sacrifise Wiþ all þe rites of his payen wise Wiþ pitous hert and heigh deuocion Right þus to mars he seide his orison Line 2372 O stronge god þat in þe regnes colde / Of trace honoured art and lord y-holde [folio 34a] And hast in euery regne and euery londe Of armes al þe bridel in þin honde, Line 2376 And hem fortunest as þe lest deuyse Accepte of me my pitous sacrifise / If so be þat my youthe may deserue And þat I mighte be worthy for to serue Line 2380 Thy godhede þat I may ben oon of þine Than pray I þe to rewe vpon my pyne ffor þilke pyne and þilke hoote fyre In which þou whilom brendest for desire Line 2384 Whan þat þou vsedest þi beaute Of faire ȝonge freissche Venus free / And haddest hire in armes at þi wille Al þough þe oones on a tyme mysfille / Line 2388 Whan Walcanus hadde caught þe in his laas And fond þe ligging by his wijf allas ffor þilke sorwe þat was in þin herte Haue rouþe as wel vpon my peynes smerte Line 2392 I am yong and vnconnyng as þou wost

And as I trowe with loue offended moost That euer was ony lyues creature ffor sche þat doth me all þis woo endure Line 2396 Ne reccheþ neuer wher I synke or fleete And wel I woot ar sche me mercy heete I moot wiþ strengþe wynne hire in þe place And wel I woot wiþoute helpe or grace Line 2400 Of þe ne may my strengþe nought auaile Than helpe me lord to morwe in my bataille ffor þilke fyr þat whilom brente þe As wel as þilke fir now brenneþ me Line 2404 And do þat I to morwe haue victorie Myn be þe trauaile and þin be þi glorie / Thy souerein temple wil I most honouren Of eny place and alwey most labouren Line 2408 In þi plesance and in þi craftes stronge And in þi temple I wil my baner honge, [folio 34b] And all þe armes of my companye And eueremo vnto til þat day I dye Line 2412 Eterne fire I wol byfore þe fynde And eek to þis avow I wil me bynde My berd myn here þat longeþ longe a doun That neuer ȝet ne felte offensioun Line 2416 Of rasour nor of schere I wil þe yiue And ben þi trewe seruant whil I liue Now lord haue rouþe vpon my sorwes sore If me þe victorie I axe þe namore Line 2420 ¶ The preyer stynte of Arcita þe stronge The rynges on the temple dore þat honge And eek þe dores clateren ful faste, Of which arcita somwhat him agaste Line 2424 Þe fyres brenden vp þe auter bright That it gan al þe temple for to light And sweete smel the ground anon vp yaf And arcita anon his hand vp haf Line 2428 And more encense in to þe fir he caste

With oþre rites moo and atte laste The statut of mars bigan his hauberk rynge And with þe soun he herd a mormoringe Line 2432 fful lowe and dym þat seyde þis victorie ffor which he ȝaf to mars honour and glorie And þus with ioye and hope wel to fare Arcite anon vnto his Inne is fare Line 2436 As fayn as foul is of þe brighte sonne And right anon such strif is bygonne ffor þilke grauntyng in þe heuen aboue Bitwixe venus þe goddesse of loue Line 2440 And Mars þe sterne god armipotent That Iubiter was besy it to stent/ Til þat þe pale Saturnus þe colde That knewe so many of auentures olde Line 2444 ffond in his olde experience an arte That he ful sone haþ plesed euery parte / [folio 35a] A soþ is seyde elde haþ gret auantage In eelde is boþe wisdom and vsage / Line 2448 Men may þe olde at renne and nought a-trede Saturne anoon to stynte strif and drede Al be it þat it is agayn his kinde Of all þis strif he gan remedye fynde Line 2452 My deere doughter Venus quod Saturne My cours þat haþ so wide for to turne Haþ more power þan wot any man Myn is þe drynclyng in þe see so wan Line 2456 Myn is þe prison in þe derke cote Myn is þe strangle and hangyng by þe þrote The murmure and þe cherles rebellinge The gronyng and þe priue emprisonynge Line 2460 I do vengeance and plein correccion Wil I dwelle in þe signe of þe leon Myn is þe ruine of þe hihe halles The fallyng of þe toures and of þe walles Line 2464 vpon þe mynour and þe Carpenter

I slough Sampson schakynge þe piler And myne ben þe maladies colde þe derke tresons, and þe castes olde Line 2468 my lokyng is þe fader of pestilence Now weep namore I schal don diligence That Palamon þat is þin owne knight Schal haue his lady as þou him bihight Line 2472 Though mars schal helpe his knight ȝet naþeles Betwixe ȝow þer moot be som tyme pees All be ȝe nought boþe of oo complexion That causeþ alday swich diuision Line 2476 I am þin ayell redy at þi wille Weepe now namore I wil þi lust fulfille ¶ Now wol I stente of þe goddes aboue Of mars and of venus goddesses of loue Line 2480 And telle yow as pleinly as I can The grete effect for which þat I bygan [folio 35b]

[PART IV. No gap in the MS.]

Gret was þe feste in Athenes þat day And eek þat lusty sesoun of þat may Line 2484 Made euery knight to ben in such plesance That al þat monday ioustne þei and daunce And spend in heigh venus seruise But by þe cause þat þai scholde rise Line 2488 Erly for to seen þe grete fight vnto here reste wente þei at night And on the morwe whan þat day gan springe, Of hors and harneys noyse and clateringe Line 2492 Ther was in hostelleries al aboute And to þe paleys rood þer many a route Of lordes vpon steedes and palfreys Ther maystow seen diuisyng of harneys Line 2496 So vncouth and so riche wrought so wel Of goldsmythrie of broudyng and of steel

Þe scheelde bright testeres and trappures Gold hewen helmes hauberkes cote armures Line 2500 lordes in paramentz on here courseres Knightes of Retenu and eek squieres Nayling þe speres and helmes boclyng Gydyng of scheldes wiþ layners lasyng Line 2504 There as neede is þei were noþing ydel The fomy steedes on þe goldene bridel Gnawen and faste þe armureres also / Wiþ file and hamer priking to and fro / Line 2508 yomen on foote and comunes many oon Wiþ schorte staues þikke as þey may gon Pypes trompes nakers Clariouns That in þe bataille blowe bloody sownes Line 2512 The paleys ful of poeples vp and doun Here þre þere ten holdyng here questioun Dyuynyng of þise Thebane knightes tuo Som seide þus som seide it schal be so Line 2516 Som holden with him with þe blake berde Som wiþ þe balled som with þe þikke herde [folio 36a] Som seide he loked grym and he wold fighte He haþ a Sparth of xx. pound of highte Line 2520 Thus was þe halle ful of diuinyng longe after þat þe sonne gan to spring The grete Theseus þat of his sleep awaked Wiþ menstralcye and noyse þat was maked Line 2524 Heeld ȝet þe chambres of his paleys riche Til þat þe Thebane knightes boþen I-liche Honorably weren in to þe paleys fette Duc Theseus is at þe wyndow sette Line 2528 Arraied right as he were god in trone The poepel presed þiderward fulsone / Him for to seen and don heigh reuerence / And eek to herkne his heste and his sentence Line 2532 An herald on a scaffold made an hoo Til al þe noise of þe poepul was I-doo

And whan he say þe pepul of noyse al stille Thus schewed he þe mighty dukes wille Line 2536 The lord hath of his heigh discrecion Considered þat it were destruccion To gentil blood to fighten in þis gise Of mortel bataille now in þis emprise Line 2540 Wher fore to schapen þat þei schal not deye He wol his ferste purpos modifye No man þerfore vpon peyne of his lyf No maner schot ne pollax ne schort knyf Line 2544 In to þe lystes sende or þider brynge Ne schort swerd for to stoke with poynt bytynge No man ne drawe ne bere it by his syde No man schal to his felawe ride Line 2548 But oo cours with a scharp y-grounde spere ffoyne if him list on foote himself to were / And he þat is at meschief schal be take And nought slain but be brought vnto þe stake Line 2552 That schal ben ordeyned on eyþer syde / But þider he schal be force and þer abyde / [folio 36b] And if so falle þe cheuentein be take / On eyther syde or elles sleen his make Line 2556 No lenger ne schal þe torneyenge laste God speede ȝou go forth and lay on faste / Wiþ longe swerdes and ȝour maces fighteþ ȝour fille Go now your wey þis is þe lordes wille Line 2560 The voys of þe poeple touchede heuene So lowde criede þei with merie steuene God saf swich a lord þat is so good He wilneþ no distruction of blood Line 2564 Vp goþ þe trompes and þe melodye And to þe listes ritte the compaignye By ordinance þorugh out þe cite large Hanged wiþ cloþ of gold and nought with Sarge / Line 2568 fful lik a lord this noble duk gan ryde These tuo Thebanes vpon eyþer syde

And after roode þe queene and Emelye / And after þat another compaignye / Line 2572 Of on and oþer after here degre And þus þey passen þurgh out þe Citee And to þe lystes come þey be tyme It nas nat of þe day ȝet fullich prime Line 2576 Whan sette was Theseus ful riche and hye ypolita þe queen and Emelye And oþer ladyes in degree aboute vnto þe seetes preseþ al þe route Line 2580 And westward þurgh þe gates vnder marte Arcite and eek þe hundred of his parte Wiþ baner reed is entred right anon And in þat selue moment Palamon Line 2584 Is vnder venus Estward in þe place Wiþ baner whit and hardy chere and face In al þe world to seken vp and doun So euene wiþoute variacioun Line 2588 Ther nere swiche companyes tweye ffor þer was non so wys þat couþe seie [folio 37a] That eny hadde of oþer auantage Of worþinesse ne of astaat ne age Line 2592 So euene were þei chose for to gesse And in to Rynges faire þei hem dresse Whan þat here names rad were euerychon That in here nombre gyle were þer non Line 2596 Tho were þe gates schette and cryed was lowde Do now ȝour deuoir yonge knightes proude ¶ The heraudes lefte here prikyng vp and doun Now ryngeþ trompes lowde and clarioun Line 2600 Ther is namore to sein West and Est In goþ þe speres ful sadly in arest In goþ the scharpe spore in to þe syde þer seen men who can Iustne and who can ryde Line 2604 Ther schyueren schaftes vpon scheeldes þikke He feeleþ þorugh þe herte spoon þe prikke

vp springeþ speres twenty foot on heighte Out gon þe sweerdes as þe seluer brighte Line 2608 The helmes þer to hewen and to schrede Out brest þe blood with sterne streemes reede With mighty maces þe bones þei tobreste he þurgh þe þikkest on þe þrong gan þreste Line 2612 Ther stomblen steedes stronge and doun gon alle he rolleþ vnder foot as doþ a balle he foyneþ on his foot with his tronchoun And he him hurteþ with his hors a doun Line 2616 he þurgh þe body is hurt and siþþen take Maugre his heed and brought vnto þe stake As forward was right þer he moste abyde Anoþer is ladde on þat oþer syde Line 2620 And som tyme doþ hem Theseus to reste hem to refreissche and drynken if hem leste fful ofte a-day han þise Thebanes two Togydre ymett and wrought his felawe wo Line 2624 vnhorsed haþ ech oþer of hem tweye Ther nas no Tygre in vale of Galgopheie [folio 37b] Whan þat hire whelp is stole whan it is lite So cruel on þe hunte as is Arcite Line 2628 ffor Ialouse herte vpon þis Palamon Ne in belmaryn þer nys so fel leon That hunted is or for his hunger wood Ne of his prey desireþ so þe blood Line 2632 Of Palamon to sle his foo arcite The Ialous strokes on here helmes byte Out renneth blood on boþe here sydes reed Som tyme an ende þer is of euery deed Line 2636 ffor or þe sonne vnto þe reste wente The stronge king Emetreus gan hente This Palamon as he faught with arcite And made his sweerd deepe in fleissh byte Line 2640 And by þe force of twenty is he take vn-yolden and drawen to þe stake

And in þe rescous of þis Palamoun The stronge knight ligurge is born a doun Line 2644 And king Emetreus for all his strengþe Is born out of his sadell a swerdes lengthe So hitte him Palamon or he were take But al for nought he was brought to þe stake Line 2648 his hardy herte might him helpe naught he moste abide whan þat he was caught By force and eek by composicion Who sorweþ now but woful Palamon Line 2652 Þat moot nomore gon aȝen to fighte And whan þat Theseus hadde seen þis sighte he cried ho namore for it is don Ne non schal lenger to his felaw gon Line 2656 I wil be trewe Iugge and not partie / Arcite of Thebes schal haue Emelye That by his fortune haþ hir faire y-wonne Anon þer is a noyse of poepel bygonne Line 2660 ffor ioye of þis so loude and heigh wiþ alle / It semed þat þe lystes scholde falle [folio 38a] ¶ What can now faire venus don aboue What seiþ sche now what doþ þis queen of loue Line 2664 But weepeþ so for wantyng of hir wille Til þat hire teeres in þe lystes fille / Sche seyde I am aschamed douteles Saturnus seyde doughter hold þi pees Line 2668 Mars haþ his wille his knight hath all his boone And by myn heed þou schalt ben eesed soone The trompoures wiþ þe lowde menstralcye The heraudes þat ful lowde yelle and crye/ Line 2672 Ben in here wele for ioye of daun Arcite But herkneþ me and stynteþ noyse alite/ Which a miracle þer bifel anon This fiers Arcite haþ of his helm y-doon Line 2676 And on a courser for to schewe his face He prikeþ endelong þe large place

lokyng vpward vpon þis Emelye And sche again him caste a frendlich yhe Line 2680 ffor wommen as to speken in comune Thei folwen all þe fauour of fortune/ And was al his chier as in his herde/ Out of þe ground a fir Infernal sterte/ Line 2684 ffrom pluto sent atte request of Saturne/ ffor which his hors for feere gan to turne/ And leep a syde and foundred as he leep And ar þat arcite may taken keep Line 2688 he plight him on þe pomel of his heede That in þe place he lay as he were deede His brest to-brosten with his sadel bowe As blak he lay as any cole or crowe Line 2692 So was þe blood y-ronne in his face Anon he was born out of þe place Wiþ herte soor to Theseus paleys Tho was he coruen out of his harneys Line 2696 And in a bed I-brought ful fair and blyue ffor he was yet in memorie and a lyue / [folio 38b] And alwey cryeng after Emelye Duc Theseus with all his companye/ Line 2700 Is comen hom to Athenes his Citee With alle blisse and gret solempnete Al be it þat þis auenture was falle he nolde not disconforten hem alle Line 2704 Men seyde eek þat arcite schal not dye he schal ben heled of his maladye And of anoþer þing þei were as fayn That of hem alle was þer non y-slayn Line 2708 Alle were þei sore hurt and namely oon That with a spere was þerled his brest boon To oþer woundes and to broken armes Some hadden salue and some hadden charmes Line 2712 ffermacies of herbes and eek saue Thei dronke for þei wolde here lyues haue

ffor which þis noble Duc as he wel can Conforteþ and honoureþ euery man Line 2716 And makeþ reuel al þe lange night vnto þe straunge lordes as it was right Ne þer was holden no disconfytyng But as a Iustnes or a torneying Line 2720 ffor soþly þer was no disconfiture ffor fallyng nys but an auenture Ne to be ladde by force to þe stake vnyolden and with twenty knightes take Line 2724 A persone alone wiþouten mo And haried forþ by arme foot and too And eek his steede driuen forþ wiþ staues Wiþ foot men boþe yomen and knaues Line 2728 It was arretted him no vilanye Ther may no man clepe it Cowardie ffor which anon Duk Theseus leet crie To stynte alle rancour and enuye Line 2732 The gree as wel of oo syde as of oþer And eiþer side ylik as oþer broþer [folio 39a] And yaf hem ȝiftes after here degre and fully heeld he feste dayes þre Line 2736 And conueyed þe kynges worþily Out of his toun a iorney largely And hom went euery man þe righte way Ther was namore but far wel and haue good day Line 2740 Of þis bataille I wol no more endite But speke of Palamon and [of] arcite ¶ Swelleþ þe brest of Arcite and þe sore Encreceþ at his herte more and more Line 2744 The cloþ-red blood for eny lechecraft Corupteþ and is in his bouk I-laft Thaf neyþer veyne blood ne ventusynge Ne drynk of herbes may ben his helpynge Line 2748 The vertue expulsif or animal ffro þilke vertu cleped natural

Ne may þe venym voide ne expelle/ The pipes of his longes gan to swelle Line 2752 And euery lacerte in his brest adoun Is schent with venym and corrupcioun Him gayneþ neyþer for to gete his lijf vomyt vpward ne dounward laxatif Line 2756 Al is to-brusten þilke region Nature haþ no dominacion And certeynly þer nature wil not werche ffare wel phisik go bere þe man to cherche / Line 2760 This al and som þat arcita mot dye ffor which he sendeth after Emelye And Palamon þat was his cousyn deere Than seyde he þus as ȝe schal after heere Line 2764 ¶ Nat may þe woful spirit in myn herte Declare a poynt of alle my sorwes smerte To you my lady þat I loue moost But I biqueþe þe seruice of my gost Line 2768 To yow abouen euery creature / Syn þat my lijf may no lenger dure [folio 39b] Allas þe woo allas þe peynes stronge / That I for ȝou haue suffred and so longe / Line 2772 Allas þe deth allas myn Emelye Allas departyng of oure companye Allas myn hertes queene allas my lyf Myn hertes lady endere of my lif Line 2776 What is þis world what axed men to haue Now with with his loue now in his colde graue Allone wiþouten eny companye ffar-wel my sweete foo myn Emelye Line 2780 And softe take me in ȝoure armes tweye ffor loue of god and herkneþ what I seye ¶ I haue here with my cosyn Palamon Hadde strif and rancour many a day agon Line 2784 ffor loue of yow and for my Ialousye And Iuppiter so wis my soule gye

To speken of a seruant propurly With circumstances alle trewely Line 2788 That is to sein trouþe honour and knighthede Wisdom humblesse estat and heigh kynrede ffredom and al þat longeþ to þat art So Iuppiter haue of my soule parte Line 2792 As in þis worlde right now knowe I non So worþi to be loued as Palamon That serueþ yow and wil don all his lijf And if þat euere ȝe schal be a wijf Line 2796 fforyete nat Palamon the gentilman And with þat word his speche faile gan ffor from his feet vnto his brest was come The colde of deþ þat hadde him ouercome / Line 2800 And yet more ouer for in his armes tuo The vital strengþe is lost and all ago Oonly þe intellecte wiþoute more That dwelled in his herte sik and sore / Line 2804 Gan faillen whan þe herte felte deþ Busked his yhen tuo and failed breþ [folio 40a] But on his lady ȝet cast he his yhe His laste word was mercy Emelye Line 2808 his spirit changed hous and wente þere As I cam neuer I can nought telle where Therfore I stynte I am no dyuinistre Of soules fynde I nat in þat registre Line 2812 Ne me ne list þilke opinions to telle Of hem þough þat þey writen wher þei duelle Arcite is cold þat mars his soule gye Now wol I speke forth of Emelye Line 2816 Schrighte Emelye and houleþ Palamon And Theseus his suster took anoon Swounyng and bar hire fro þe cors away What helpeþ it to tarien forþ þe day Line 2820 To tellen how sche weepe boþe eue and morwe ffor in such caas wommen haue such sorwe

Whan þat here housbondes ben fro hem a-go That for þe more part þei sorwen so Line 2824 Or elles fallen in swich a maladye That atte laste certeinly þey dye Infinite ben þe sorwes and þe teeres Of olde folk And folk of tendre ȝeeres Line 2828 In all þe toun for deþ of þis Teban ffor him þer weepeþ boþe child and man So gret weepynge was þer non certayn Whan Ector was brought al fressh y-slayn Line 2832 To Troye allas the pite þat was þere Cracching of cheekes rendyng eek of here Whi woldestow ben deed þis wommen crye And haddest gold ynough and Emelye Line 2836 No man mighte gladen Theseus Sauyng his olde fader Egeus That knew þis worldes transmutacioun As he hadde seyn it vp and doun Line 2840 Ioye after woo. and woo after gladnesse And scheweth hem ensample and liknesse [folio 40b] Right as þer dede neuer man quod he That he ne lyued in erþe in som degree / Line 2844 Right so þer lyuede neuere man he seyde In al þis world þat som tyme he ne deyde This world is not but a þurghfare ful of wo And we ben pilgrimes passyng to and fro Line 2848 Deþ is an ende of euery worldly sore And ouer al þis ȝet seide he mochel more To þis effect ful wisly to enhorte The poeple. þat þei schulde him reconforte Line 2852 Duc Theseus with all his busy cure Cast now wher þat þe Sepulture Of good arcite may best y-maked be And eek most honorable in his degre Line 2856 And at þe last he took conclusion That þer as ferst arcite and Palamon

hadde for loue þe bataille hem bitweene That in þe selue groue swete and greene Line 2860 Ther as he hadde his amorous desires his compleynt and for loue his hoote fyres he wolde make a fyr in which þe office ffuneral he mighte hem all complice Line 2864 he leet anon comande to hakke and hewe The ookes olde and leyen hem on a rewe In culpons wel arrayed for to brenne his officers with swifte foot þey renne Line 2868 And Ride anon at his comandement And after þis Theseus haþ y-sent After a beere and it al ouerspradde Wiþ cloþ of gold þe richest þat he hadde Line 2872 And of þe same suyte he cladde arcite vpon his hondes his gloues white Ek on his heed a croune of laurer greene And in his hond a swerd [ful] bright and keene Line 2876 he leyde him bare þe visage on þe beere Ther with he weep that pite was to heere [folio 41a] And for þe pepul scholde seen him alle Whan it was day he brought him in to þe halle Line 2880 That roreþ of þe crye and þe soun ¶ Tho com þis woful Theban Palamon With flotery berd and ruggy asschy heeres In cloþes blak y-dropped al with teeres Line 2884 And passyng oþer of weepyng Emelye The reufullest of all þis companye In as moche as þe seruice scholde bee The more noble and riche in his degree Line 2888 Duc Theseus leet for[þ] þre steedes bringe That trapped were in steel al gliterynge And couered with þe armes of daun arcite vpon þese steedes greete and white Line 2892 Ther seten folk of which on bar his scheeld Anoþer his spere vpon his hondes heelde

The þridde bar with him his bowe turkeys Of brent gold was þe caas and eek þe harneys Line 2896 And ryden forþ a paas with sorwful cheere Toward þe groue as ȝe schul after heere The noblest of þe Greekes þat þer were vpon here schuldres carieden þe beere Line 2900 With slake paas and eighen reede and wete Þurghout þe Cite by þe maistre streete / That sprad was al with blak and wonder highe Right of þe same is þe same is þe street y-wrye Line 2904 vpon þe right hond went olde Egeus And on þat other syde duk Theseus With vessels in here hand of gold ful fyne As ful of hony melk and blood and wyne Line 2908 Ek Palaman with ful gret companye And after þat com woful Emelye With fire in honde as was þat tyme þe gyse To do þoffice of funeral seruise Line 2912 Heigh labour and ful gret apparaillyng Was atte seruise and þe fir makyng [folio 41b] That wiþ his greene top þe heuene raughte And twenty fadme of brede þe armes straughte / Line 2916 This is to sein þe bowes were so brode Of stree first þer was leyd many a loode But how þe fir was maked vp on heighte Ne eek þe names how þe trees highte Line 2920 As Ok. fir. birch. asp. Alder. holm. popeler Willow. Elm. plane. Assh. box. chesteyn lynde laurer. Mapel. þorn. beech. hasill. ew. whipiltre how þey were felde schal not be told for me Line 2924 Ne how þe goddes ronnen vp and doun Disherited of here habitacioun In which þei woneden in reste and pees Nymphes ffawnes and amadries / Line 2928 Ne how þe beestes and þe briddes alle ffledden for feered whan þe woode was falle /

Ne how þe ground agast was of þe light That was not wont to see þe sonne bright Line 2932 Ne how þe fyr was couched first with stree / And þanne with drye stockes clouen a þre And þanne with greene woode and spicerie And þanne with cloth of gold and wiþ Perrye Line 2936 And garlandes hangyng with ful many a flour The mirre þencens with al so sweete odour Ne how arcite lay among al þis Ne what richesse aboute his body is Line 2940 Ne how þat Emelye as was þe gyse Putte in þe fyre of funeral seruise / Ne how sche swounede whan maad was þe fire Ne what sche spak ne what was hire desire Line 2944 Ne what Iuwels men in þe fyre cast Whan þat þe fyr was greet and brende fast Ne how som cast hir scheeld and som hire spere And of here vestimentz whiche þat þey were Line 2948 And coppes full of melk and wyn and blood Into þe fyr þat brente as it were wood [folio 42a] Ne how þe Grekes with an huge route Thries ryden al þe fir aboute Line 2952 vpon þe left hond with a bowe schotynge And þries with here speres claterynge And þries how þe ladyes gon to crye Ne how þat lad was homward Emelye Line 2956 Ne how arcite is brent to aisshes colde Ne how þat liche-wake was y-holde Al þilke nyght ne how þe greekes play The wake-pleyes ne kepe I nought to say Line 2960 Who wrasteleþ best naked with oyle anoynt Ne who þat bar him best in no disioynt I wol not tellen alle how þey goon hom til athenes whan þe play was don Line 2964 But schortly to þe poynt þan wol I wende And maken of my longe tale an ende

¶ By proces and of lengthe of certeyn ȝeeres Al stynt is þe mournyng and þe teeres Line 2968 Of grekes by on general assent Than semede þer was a parlement At atthenes vpon a certein point and caas Among þe whiche poyntes y-spoken was Line 2972 To haue with certain contrees alliance And haue fully of Thebane obeissance ffor which þis noble Theseus anon leet seende after gentil Palamon Line 2976 vnwist of him what was þe cause and why But in his blake cloþes sorwfully he com at his comandement in hye Tho sente Theseus for Emelye Line 2980 Whan þey were sette and huyst was in þe place / An Theseus abyden haþ a space Or eny word com fro his wise breste his eyȝen sette he þer as was his leste / Line 2984 And with a sad visage he siked stille / And after þat right þus he seyde his wille [folio 42b] The ferste maner of þe cause aboue Whan he ferst maade þe faire cheine of loue Line 2988 Gret was þeffect and heigh was his entente Wel wist he why and what þer of he mente ffor with þat faire cheyne of loue he bonde The fyr. þe aier. the water and þe londe Line 2992 In certeyn boundes þat þei may not flee / That same prince and þat same mouer quod he haþ stablissed in þis wrecchede world a-doun Certeine daies and dominacioun Line 2996 To all þat beþ engendred in þis place Ouer þe whiche day þay may not pace Alle mowe þey yet þo dayes abregge Ther needeþ nought non auctorite to legge Line 3000 ffor it is proeued by experience But þat me list to declaren my sentence /

Than may men wel by þis ordre discerne That þilke mouere stable is and eterne Line 3004 Wel may men knowe but it be a foole That euery partie darreyned from his hoole ffor nature haþ nat taken his bygynnyng Of no partye nor of cantel of a þing Line 3008 But of a þing þat parfyt is and stable Descendyng so til it be corumpable And þerfore for his wise purueance he haþ so wel byset his ordinance Line 3012 That specie of þinges and progressions Schullen endure by successions And nought eterne wiþouten any lye This maystow vnderstonden and seen at yhe Line 3016 Loo þe Ok þat haþ so long a norshing ffro þe tyme þat it first bygynneþ to spring And hath so long a lijf as ȝe may see Yet atte laste wasted is þe tree / Line 3020 Considereþ eek how þat þe harde ston vnder oure foot on which we trede and goon [folio 43a] Yet wasteþ it as it liþ by þe weye The brode ryuer som tyme wexeþ dreye Line 3024 The grete townes see we wane and wende Þan ȝe see þat all þis þing haþ ende Of man and woman se we wel also That needeth in oon of þe termes tuo Line 3028 That is to sein in ȝouþe or elles age He moot be deed þe king as schal þe page Sum in his bedd. som in þe deepe see Som in the large feeld as ȝe may see / Line 3032 Ther helpeþ nought al goþ þat ilke weye Than may I sein that al þis þing moot deye What maketh þis but Iuppiter þe king That is Prince and cause of alle þing Line 3036 Conuertyng alle vnto his propre wille ffrom which it is darreyned soþ to tille

And heer agayns no creature on lyue Of no degree auailleþ for to stryue Line 3040 Thanne is it wisdom as it þenkeþ me To make vertue of necessite / And take it wel þat we may not eschewe And nameliche þat to vs alle is dewe Line 3044 . . . . . [[No gap: line left out.]] And rebell is to him þat all may gye And certeinly a man haþ most honour To deyen in his excellence and flour Line 3048 Whan he is siker of his goode name Than haþ he doon his freendes ne him no schame And gladder oughte his frendes ben of his deþ Whan wiþ honour y-yolden is vp þe breþ Line 3052 Than whan his name apalled is for age ffor al forgeten is his vessellage Than is the beste as for a worþy fame To deyen whan he is best of name Line 3056 The contrarie of alle þis is wilfulnesse Why grucchen we why haue we heuynesse That goode Arcite of Chiuallerie þe flour [folio 43b] Departed is wiþ duete and with honour Line 3060 Out of þis foule prison of þis lyf Why gruccheþ heere his cosyn and his wyf Of his welfare þat loueþ him so wel Kan he hem þank nay god woot neuer a deel Line 3064 That boþen his soule and eek him offende / And yet þei mowe her lustes nought amende What may conclude of þis longe serie But after wo I rede vs to be merye Line 3068 And þanken Iupiter of all his grace And er we departen from þis place I rede we make of oure sorwes tuo O parfyt ioye lastyng euer mo Line 3072 And lokeþ now where most sorwe is Inne Ther wol I ferst amenden and bygynne

Suster quod he þis is my ful assent Wiþ all þauys heere of my parlement / Line 3076 That gentil Palamon ȝoure oughne knight That serueth ȝou with wille and herte and might / And euer haþ don siþen ye ferst him knewe That ȝe schull of ȝour grace vpon him rewe Line 3080 And taken him for housbond and for lord Lene me your hond for þis is oure acord Lat see now of your wommanly pite he is a kinges broþer sone parde Line 3084 And þough he were a pore Bachiller Syn he haþ serued you so many a yeer And had for ȝou so gret aduersite / It moste ben considered leeueþ me Line 3088 ffor gentil mercy oughte to passen right Than seide he þus to Palamon þe knight I trowe þer needeþ litel sermonyng To make you assented to þis þing Line 3092 Come nere and take ȝoure lady by þe hond Bitwixen hem was maad anon þe bond That highte matrimoigne or mariage [folio 44a] By all þe counsail and þe baronage Line 3096 And þus wiþ alle blisse and melodye Haþ Palamon y-wedded Emelye And god þat al þis world haþ wrought Sende him his loue þat haþ it deere bought Line 3100 ffor now is Palamon in alle wele Lyuyng in blisse in richesse and in hele And Emely him loueth so tendrely And he hir serueþ so gentilly Line 3104 That was þer no word hem betweene / Of Ialousie or ony oþer teene Thus endeth Palamon and Emelye / And god saue all þis faire companye Line 3108

¶ The Millewardes tale/ [[no gap in the MS.]]

Whan þat þe knight had þus his tale y-told In all þe companye nas þer ȝong ne old That he ne seyde it / was a noble storye And worþi for to drawen in memorie Line 3112 And nameliche þe gentils euerych oon Oure Oost lough and swor so mot I gon This goþ aright vnbokeled is þe male/ lat se now who schal telle anoþer tale Line 3116 ffor trewely þe game is wel bygonne Now telleþ ȝe sire monk if ȝe kunne Somwhat to quyte with þe knightes tale The meller þat for-drunken was al pale Line 3120 So þat vnneþe vpon his hors he sat he nolde aualen neyþer hood ne hat Ne abide noman for his curtesie/ But in Pilates vois he gan to crye Line 3124 And swor by armes and by blood and bones I can a noble tale for þe nones Wiþ which I wol now quite þe knightes tale Oure oost saugh þat he was drunken of ale Line 3128 And seyde abyde Robyn leeue broþer Som bettre man schal telle vs ferst anoþer [folio 44b] Abyd and lat vs werken þriftily By goddes soule quod he þat wol nat I Line 3132 ffor I wol speken or elles go my weye Oure oost answerde /telle on a deuelleweye Thou art a fool þi witte is ouercome Now herkneþ quoþ þe meller alle and some Line 3136 But first I make a protestacioun That I am dronke I knowe it by my soun And þerfore if I speke or mys say Wite ȝe it þe ale of Suthwerk I ȝou pray Line 3140

Line 3140 ffor I wol telle a legende and a lyf Boþe of a Carpenter and of his wijf / how þat a clerk haþ sett þe wrightes cappe The Reeue answerde and seyde stynt þy clappe Line 3144 lat be þi lewed dronken harlotrie It is a synne and eeke gret folye To apeiren eny man or diffame And eek to bringe wyfes in such fame Line 3148 Thou maist ynough of oþer þinges sain This dronken meller spak ful soone agayn And seyde leeue broþer Osewold / Who has no wyf he is no Cokewold Line 3152 But I seye nought þerfore þat þou art oon Ther been ful goode wyfes many on . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] Line 3156 Why art þou angry wiþ my tale now I haue a wif parde as wel as þou Yet nolde I not for þe Oxen in my plough Take vpon me more þan ynough Line 3160 As demen on my self þat I were oon I wil bileeue þat I am noon And housbonde schal not ben Inquysitif Of goddes priuetees ne of his wijf Line 3164 So he may fynde goddes foyson þere/ Of þe remenant needeþ nought to enquere What scholde I more sayn but þis Mellere he nolde his wordes for no man forbere [folio 45a] But tolde his cherles tale in his manere Me aþinkeþ þat I schal reherce hem heere And þerfore euery gentil wight I preye Demeþ nought for goddes loue þat I seye Line 3172 Of yuel entent but for þat I moot reherse Here tales alle be þei bettre or worse Or elles falsen som of my matiere And þer-fore who so list it nought to heere Line 3176

Line 3176 Torne ouer þe leef and chees anoþer tale ffor ȝe schulle fynde ynowe grete and smale Of storial þing þat toucheþ gentilesse And eek moralite and holynesse Line 3180 Blameþ not me if þat ȝe cheese amys The meller is a cherl ȝe knowe wel þis So was þe Reeue eek and oþer mo And harlotrie þey tolden boþe tuo Line 3184 Auiseþ ȝou and putteþ me out of blame And eek men schal not make ernest of game [[No gap in the MS.]]

Whilom þer was dwellyng at Oxenfoord A Riche gnoffe þat gestes heeld to boorde Line 3188 And of his crafte he was a Carpunter Wiþ him þer was dwellyng a pouer scoler hadde lerned art but all his fantasye Was torned for to lerne astrologie/ Line 3192 And couþe a certein of conclusions To demen by interrogacions If þat men axed him in certeyn houres Whan men schuld haue drought or elles schoures Line 3196 Or if men axed him what schal bifalle Of euery þing I may nought reknen alle This clerk was cleped heende Nicholas Of derne loue he couþe and of Solas Line 3200 And þer-to he was sleigh and ful priue And like a mayde meeke for to see A chambre hadde he in þat hostellerie Allone wiþouten eny companye [folio 45b] fful fetisly dight wiþ herbes soote And he himself as sweete as is þe roote Of licoris or any Settewale his almagist and bokes grete and smale Line 3208 his astrelabre longyng for his art his augrym stones' layen faire a part On schelfes couched at his beddes heede His presse y-couered with a faldyng reed Line 3212 And al aboute þer lay a gay sautrie On which he made a night melodye So swetly þat alle þe chambre ronge And angelus ad virginem he songe Line 3216 And after þat he song þe kinges note fful ofte blessed was his merie þrote

And þus þe sweete clerk his tyme spente After his freendes fyndyng and his rente Line 3220 This Carpunter hadde wedded a newe wyf Which þat he louede more þan his lyf Of xviij. ȝeer sche was of age Ialous he was and heeld hir narwe in cage Line 3224 ffor sche was wylde and ȝong and he was old And demed him self ben lik a Cokewold he knew not Caton for his witte was rude That bad men wedde his similitude Line 3228 Men scholde wedde after here astat ffor youþe and eelde is often in debat But siþen þat he was fallen in the snare He most endure as oþer folk his care Line 3232 ffair was þis ȝonge wijf and þer wiþ al As eny wesele hire body gent and smal A ceynt sche wered barred al of self A barmcloþ as whit as morne melk Line 3236 Vpon hire lendes ful of many a goore Whit was hir smok and brouded al bifore And eek byhynde on hire coler aboute Of kolblak silk wiþinne and eek wiþoute [folio 46a] The tapes of hir white voluper Were of þe same suyte of hire coler hire filet brood of silk and sitt ful hye and sikerly sche hadde a likerous yhe Line 3244 fful smal y-pulled were hire browes tuo And þo were bent and blak as any slo Sche was ful more blisful for to see/ Than is þe newe perionette tree Line 3248 And softer þan þe wolle is of a weþer And by hir gerdul hinge a purs of leþer Tassed wiþ selk and perled wiþ latoun In al þis world to seeken vp and doun Line 3252 Ther is no man so wys þat couþe þenche So gay a popelote or swich a wenche/

fful brighter was þe schynyng of hir hewe Than in þe tour þe noble y-forged newe Line 3256 But of hir song it was so lowd and ȝerne As any swalwe chitering on a berne/ Ther-to sche couþe skippe and make a game As ony kyde or calf folwyng his dame Line 3260 hir mouþ was sweete as braket or þe meth Or hoord of appeles layd in hay or heth Wynsyng sche was as is a Ioly colt long as a mast and vpright as a bolt Line 3264 A broche sche bar on hir loue coler As brood as is þe boos of a bocler hire schos were laced on hire legges hye Sche was a primerole a pygges nye Line 3268 ffor eny lord to liggen in his bedde/ Or ȝet for eny good yeman to wedde ¶ Now sire and eft sire so bifel þe caas That on a day þis heende Nicholas Line 3272 ffil wiþ þis ȝonge wijf to rage and playe Whil þat hir housbonde was at Osenaye As clerkes ben ful subtil and ful queinte And priuely he caught hir by þe queynte [folio 46b] And seyde I wis but if ich haue my wille ffor derne loue of þe lemman I spille/ And held hir harde by þe haunche bones And seyde lemman loue me wel al at ones Line 3280 Or I wol deyen al so god me saue And sche sprong as a cold doþ in þe traue And with hir hed sche wried faste awey Sche seide I wil nat kisse þe by my fey Line 3284 Whi labbe quod ich labbe Nicholas Or I wol crie out harrow and allas Do wey ȝoure hondes for ȝoure curtesye This Nicholas gan mercy for to crie Line 3288 And spak so faire and profred him so fast That sche hir loue graunted him atte last

And swor hir oþ by sent Thomas of kent That sche wolde ben at his comaundement Line 3292 Whan þat sche may hir leysir wel aspye Myn housbonde is so ful of Ialousye That but I wayte wel and be priue I woot right wel I nam but deed quoþ sche Line 3296 Ye moote ben ful derne as in þis caas Nay þer-of kare ȝe nought quod Nicholas A clerk hadde litherly biset his while But if he couþe a carpunter begile Line 3300 And þus þey ben acorded and y-sworn To wayte a tyme as I haue told biforn Whan Nicholas hadde þis euerydel And thakked hire aboute þe lendes wel Line 3304 he kist hir sweete and takþ his Sauterie And playeþ faste and makeþ melodye Than fil it þus þat to þe parissche cherche/ Cristes owne werkes for to werche Line 3308 This goode wijf wente on an haly day hir forhed schon as bright as any day So was it waissche whan sche leet hir werk Now was þer of þat chirche a parissche clerk [folio 47a] The which þat was y-cleped absolon Crul was his heer and as þe gold it schon And strouted as a fanne large and brode fful streyte and euene lay his Ioly schode Line 3316 his rode was reed his eyhen gray as goos Wiþ poules wyndow coruen in his schoos In hoses rede he wente fetisly I-clad he was ful smal and propurly Line 3320 Al in a kertell al of light waget fful faire an þikke ben þe poyntz y-sett And þer vpon he hadde a gay surplys As whit as is þe blosme on þe Rys Line 3324 A merie child he was so god me saue Wel couþe he laten blood or clippe or schaue

And make a charter of lond or an aquitance In twenty maner couþe he trippe and daunce Line 3328 After þe scole of Oxenforde þo And wiþ his legges casten to and fro And playen songes on a smal rubible Ther-to he song som tyme a lowde quynyble/ Line 3332 And as wel couþe he pleye on a giterne In all þe toun nas brewhous ne tauerne That he ne visited wiþ his solas Ther any gaillard tappestere was Line 3336 But soth to sein he was somdel squaymous Of fartyng and of speche daungerous ¶ This absolon þat Ioly was and gay Goþ with a censer on þe haly day Line 3340 Sensyng þe wyfes of þe parische fast And many a louely look on hem he cast And namely on þis carpunteres wyf To loke on hire him þought a mery lijf Line 3344 Sche was so proper and swete and swete and licorous I dar wel sein if sche hadde ben a mous And he a catte he wolde hire hente anoon This parissche clerk þis ioly absolon [folio 47b] haþ in his herte such a loue longynge That of no wijf took he non offrynge ffor curtesie he seide he wolde non The moone whan it was night ful brighte schon Line 3352 And Absolon his giterne haþ I-take ffor paramoure he þoughte for to wake And forþ he goþ iolyf and amorous Til he com to þe carpunteres hous Line 3356 A litel after cokkes had y-crowe And dressed him vp by a schot wyndowe Thas was vpon þe carpenteres walle he syngeþ in his voys gentil and smalle Line 3360 Now dere lady if þi willes be I prey yow þat ȝe wil Rewe on me

ffol wel acordant to his giternyng This Carpenter awok and herde him syng Line 3364 And spak vnto his wijf and seyde anoon What Alison heris þou not absolon That chaunteþ þus vnder oure boures walle And sche answerde hir housbonde þer wiþ alle Line 3368 Yis god woot Iohan I here it euery del This passeþ forþ what wile ȝe bet þan wel ffro day to day þis ioly Absolon So woweþ hire þat him is woo bigon Line 3372 he wakeþ al þe night and al þe day he kembede his lokkes brode and made hem gay he woweþ hire by menes and brocage/ And swore he wolde ben hir oughne page/ Line 3376 he syngeþ brokking as a nightyngale he sente hire pyment meth and spiced ale/ And wafres pypyng hoot out of þe gleede And for sche was of town he profred meede Line 3380 ffor somme folk wol be wonnen for richesse And somme for strokes and somme for gentilnesse Som tyme to schewe his lightnesse and maystrie he pleieth heraudes vpon a scaffold hye [folio 48a] But what auayleþ him as in þis caas Sche loueþ so þis heende Nicholas That Absolon may blowe þe buckes horn he ne haþ for his labour but a skorn Line 3388 And þus sche makeþ absolon here ape And all his Ernest turneþ till a Iape ffor soþ is þis prouerbe it is no lye Men sein right þus alwey þey neighe slye Line 3392 makeþ þe ferre leef to be loth ffor þough þat absolon be wood or wroþ By cause þat he fer was from hire sight þis neigh Nicholas stood in his light Line 3396 ¶ Now bere ye wel heende Nicholas ffor absolon may waille and synge allas

And so bifell it on a Saturday This Carpunter was gon to Osenay Line 3400 And heende Nicholas and alison Acorded be to þis Conclusion That Nicholas schal schapen hem a wile This seely Ialous housbonde to by-gyle Line 3404 And if so be þe game wente aright Sche scholde slepen in his arm al nyght ffor þis was his desyr and hire also And right anon wiþouten wordes mo Line 3408 This Nicholas no lenger wolde tarie But doþ ful softe vnto his chambre carie Boþe mete and drynke for a day or tweye And to hire housbonde bad hir for to seye Line 3412 If þat he axed after Nicholas Sche scholde say sche nyste wher he was Of al þat day sche seigh him nought wiþ eye Sche trowed þat he was in maladye Line 3416 ffor for no cry hir mayde couþe him calle he nolde answere for noþing þat mighte falle This passeþ forþ al þilke Saturday That Nicholas stille in his Chambre lay [folio 48b] And eet or sleep or dede what him liste Til Sonday þat þe sonne goþ to reste This sely carpunter haþ gret meruayle Of Nicholas or what þing might him ayle Line 3424 And sayde I am adrad by seint Thomas It stondeth nat aright with Nicholas God schilde þat he deide sodeinly This world is now ful tykell sikerly Line 3428 I seigh to day a cors y-born to cherche That now a monday last I saugh him werche Go vp quod he vnto his knaue anon Clepe at his dore or knocke with a stoon Line 3432 loke how it is and telle me boldely This knaue goþ him vp ful sturdily

And at þe chambre dore whil þat he stood he criede and knokkede as þat he were wood Line 3436 What how what do ȝe mayster Nicholay how may ȝe sleepen al þe longe day But al for nought he herde nought a word An hole he fond ful lough vpon a bord Line 3440 Ther as þe catte was wont in for to creepe And at þat hole he loked in ful deepe/ And atte last he hadde of him a sight This nicholas sat euer capyng vpright Line 3444 As he hadde keked on þe newe moone And doun he goþ and tolde his mayster soone In what array he saugh þis ilke man This Carpunter to blessen him bigan Line 3448 And seyde help vs seinte ffredeswide A man woot litel what him schal betyde/ This man is falle with his astronomie In som woodnesse or in som agonye Line 3452 I þought ay wel how þat it scholde be Men scholde not knowe of goddes priuite Ȝe blessed be alwey a lewed man That nought but oonly his bileeue can [folio 49a] So ferd anoþer clerk with astronomie he walked in þe feeldes for to prie vppon þe sterres what þer schulde bifalle Til he was in a Marle pit y-falle Line 3460 he saugh nought þat but ȝit by seint Thomas Me reweth sore of heende Nicholas he schal be rated of his studyyng If þat I may by Ihesu [[MS. Ihe]] heuene king Gete me a staf þat I may vnderspore Whil þat þou Robyn heuest vp þe dore he schal out of his studying as I gesse And to þe chambre dore he gan him dresse Line 3468 his knaue was a strong carl for þe nones And by þe hasp he heef it / of at oones

In to þe floor þe dore fill anon This Nicholas sat ay as stille as stoon Line 3472 And euere capede vpward in to the ayre This Carpunter wende he were in despaire And hent him by þe schuldres mightyly And schook him harde and cryed spitously Line 3476 What Nicholas what how looke a doun Awake and þenk on cristes passioun I crouche þe from Elues and fro wightes Ther-wiþ þe night spell seyde he anon rightes Line 3480 Of foure halues of þe hous aboute And on þe þresschefold on þe dore wiþoute Ihesu crist and seynt Benedight Blesse þis hous from euery wikkede wight Line 3484 ffor þe nightes verye þe white Pate noster Where wentestow þou seinte peteris suster And atte laste þis heende Nicholas Gan for to sike sore and seyde allas Line 3488 Schal al þe werld be lost eft sones now This Carpenter answerde what seist þou What þink on god as we doon men þat swynke This nicholas answerde feche me drynke [folio 49b] And after wol I speke in priuitee Of certein þing þat toucheþ þe and me I wil telle it non oþer man certeyn This Carpenter goþ doun and comeþ agein Line 3496 And brought of mighty ale a large quart And whan þat ech of hem hadde dronken his part This Nicholas his dore faste schette And doun þe Carpunter by him he sette Line 3500 And seyde Iohn myn hooste leef and deere Thou schalt vpon my trouþe swere me heere That to no wight þou schalt þis counseil wreye ffor it is cristes counseill þat I seie/ Line 3504 And if þou telle it man þou art forlore/ ffor þis vengance þou schalt haue þerfore

That if þou wreie me þou schalt be wood ¶ Nay crist forbede it for his holy blood Line 3508 Quod þo þis sely man I nam no labbe Ne þough I seie I nam not leef to gabbe Sey what þou wolt I schal it neuer telle To child ne wijf by him þat hariede helle/ Line 3512 Now Iohan quod Nicholas I wil nouȝt lye I haue I-founde in myn astrologie/ As I haue loked in þe moone bright That now a monday next at quarter night Line 3516 Schal falle a Rayn and þat so wilde and wood That half so gret was neuer Nowels flood This world he seide in lasse þan in an hour Schal al be dreynt so hidous is þe schour Line 3520 Thus schal mankynde drenche and leese here lif This Carpunter answerde allas my wijf And schal sche drenche allas myn alisoun ffor sorwe of þis he fell almost a doun Line 3524 And seyde is þer no remedye in þis caas Whi ȝis for gode quod heende Nicholas If þou wolt worchen after lore and red Thou mayst noȝt werken after þin oughne heed [folio 50a] ffor þus seiþ Salamon þat was ful trewe Work all by counseill and þou schalt nought rewe And if þou worken wolt by good counseille I vndertake wiþoute mast or seile Line 3532 Yet schal I saue hire and þe and me/ hast þou nought herde how saued was Noe Whan þat owre lord haþ warned him biforn That all þe world with water schulde be lorn Line 3536 Ȝis quod þis Carponter ful ȝore ago hastow not herd quod Nicholas also The sorwe of Noe wiþ his felaschipe Or þat he mighte gete his wif to schipe Line 3540 him hadde leuer I dar wel vndertake At þilke tyme þan all his weþeres blake

That sche hadde a schip hir self allon And þer-fore wost þou what is best to doon Line 3544 This axeþ haste and of an hastyf þing Men may nought preche or make tarying Anon go gete vs faste in to þis Inne A knedyng trough or elles a kemelynne Line 3548 ffor ech of vs but look þat þey ben large In which men mowe swymme as in a barge And han þer vitailles suffisaunt But for a day fy on þe remenaunt Line 3552 The water schal aslake and gon a way Aboute prime vpon þe nexte day But Robyn may not wite of þis þi knaue/ Ne eek þy mayde gylle I may nought saue/ Line 3556 Axe nought why for þough þou axe me I wol nought tellen goddes priuite Sufficeþ þe but if þi wittes madde To haue as gret a grace as noe hadde Line 3560 Thi wif schal I wel sauen out of doute Go now þi wey and speed þe heer aboute/ But when þou hast for hire and þe and me Y-geten vs þese knedyng tubbes þre [folio 50b] Than schalt þou hang hem in þe rof ful hye That noman of oure purueance espye And whan þou þus hast don as I haue seyd And hast oure vitailes faire in hem y-leyde Line 3568 And eek an ax to smyte þe corde a tuo Whan þat þe water comeþ þat we may go And broke an hole an heigh vpon þe gable vnto þe gardeynward ouer þe stable Line 3572 That we may freely passen forþ oure wey Whan þat þe grete schour is gon a wey Thanne schalt þou swymme as mery I vndertake As doþ þe white doke after his drake Line 3576 Than wol I clepe how alison how Ioon Be merie for þe flood wol passe anon

And þou wolt sein haill maister Nicholay Goode morwen I see þe wel for it is day Line 3580 And þanne schal we be lordes all oure lif Of alle þe world as Noe and his wijf But þat of oo þing I warne þe ful right Be wel auysed on þat ilke night Line 3584 That we ben entred in to þe schippes boord That noon of vs ne speke nought a word Ne clepe ne crye but been in his preyere ffor it is goddes oughne heeste deere Line 3588 Thy wijf and þou mot hange fer atwynne ffor þat betwixe ȝou schal be no synne No more in lokyng þan þer schal in dede This ordinance is seid go god þe speede Line 3592 To morwe at night whan men ben all on sleepe In to our knedyn tubbes wil we creepe And sitten þer abidyng goddes grace Go now þy wey I haue no lenger space Line 3596 To make of þis no lenger sermonyng Men sein þus sende þe wise and sey no þing þou art so wys it needeþ þe nought to teche Go saue oure lijf and þat I þe beseche [folio 51a] ¶ This seely Carpunter goþ forþ his wey fful ofte he seyde allas and weylawey And to his wijf he tolde his priuitee And sche was warr and knew it bet þan he Line 3604 What al þis queynte cast was for to seye But naþeles sche ferde as sche wolde deye And seyde allas go forþ þi weie anon help vs to scape or we ben deede echon Line 3608 I am þi trewe verray wedded wijf Go deere spouse and help to saue oure lijf ¶ lo which a gret þing is affection Men may dye of ymaginacion Line 3612 So deepe may impressions be take This seely Carponter bygynneþ quake

him þenketh verraily þat he may se Noe flood come walkyng as þe see Line 3616 To drenchen alison his hony deere he weepeþ wailleþ maketh sory cheere/ he sykeþ wiþ ful many a sory swogh And goþ and geteþ him a knedyng trough Line 3620 And after a tubbe and a kemelyn And priuily he sent hem to his In And hyng hem in þe roof in priuite his oughne hond he made eek leddres þre Line 3624 To clymben by þe ronges and þe stalkes vnto þe tubbes hangyng in þe balkes And hem vitailled boþe trough and tubbe Wiþ bred and cheese and good ale in a Iubbe/ Line 3628 Suffisyng right ynough as for a day But ar þat he hadde maad al þis array he sent his knaue and eek his wenche also vpon his neede to london for to go Line 3632 And on þe monday whan it drough to night he schette his dore wiþoute candel light And dressed all þing as it scholde be/ And schortly clomben vp all þre/ [folio 51b] Thei setten stille wel a forlong way Now pater noster clum seide Nicholay And Clum quod Iohn and Clum seide alison This Carpunter seide his deuocion Line 3640 And stille he sitte and biddeþ his prayere Awaityng on the rayn if he it heere The deth sleepe for wery bysynesse ffil on þis Carpunter right as I gesse Line 3644 Aboute corfew tyme or litel more ffor trauaille of his gost he groneþ sore And eft he routeþ for his heed myslay Doun of þe laddre stalkeþ Nicholay Line 3648 And alison ful softe a doun sche spedde Wiþouten wordes mo þey gon to bedde

Ther as þe carpunter is wont to lye Ther was þe reuel and þe melodye/ Line 3652 And þus lith alison and Nicholas In busynesse of merþe and of solas Til þat þe belle of laudes gan to rynge And the freres in þe chauncell gonne synge/ Line 3656 This parische clerk þis amorous absolon That is for loue alwey so wo bigon vpon þe monday was at Osenay With compaignie him to desport and play Line 3660 And axed vpon caas a cloisterer fful priuily after Iohn þe Carpunter And he drough him a part out of þe chirche And seyde I not I saugh him heere nought werche Line 3664 Siþþe Saturday I trowe þat he be went ffor tymber þere oure abbot haþ him sent ffor he is wont for tymber for to go And dwelle atte graunge a day or tuo Line 3668 Or elles he is at his hous certeyn Wher þat he be I can nought soþly sein This absolon ful ioly was and light And þoughte now is tyme to wake al nyght [folio 52a] ffor sikerly I saugh him nought styryng Aboute his dore syn day bigan to spring So mote I þriue I schal at cokkes crowe fful priuily knokken as his wyndowe Line 3676 That stant ful lowe vpon his boures walle To alison now wol I tellen alle My loue longyng for ȝit I schal not misse That atte laste wey I schal hir kisse Line 3680 Som maner comfort schal I haue par fay My mouþ haþ icched al þis longe day That is a signe of kissyng atte leste Al night me mette eek I was at a feeste Line 3684 Therfore I wol go sleepe an our or tweye And al þe night þan wol I wol I wake and pleye

Whan þat þe ferste cok haþ crowe anon vp rist þis Ioly louer absolon Line 3688 And him arrayeþ gay and poynt/ deuyse But ferst he cheweþ grayn and likorise To smellen swoote or he hadde kempt his here vnder his tonge a trewe loue he beere/ Line 3692 ffor þer-by wende he to be gracious he rowmeth to þe carpenteres hous And stille he stant vnder þe schot wyndowe vnto his brest it raught it was so lowe/ Line 3696 And softe he coughed wiþ a semy soun What do ȝe hony combe swete alisoun My faire brid my sweete synamome/ Awaketh lemman myn and spekeþ to me Line 3700 We[l] litel þenken ȝe vpon my woo That for ȝoure loue I swete as I go No wonder is þough þat I swelte and swete I morne as doþ þe lambe after þe teete Line 3704 I-wys lemman I haue such loue longyng That lik a turtel trewe is my moornyng I may not ete namore þan a mayde/ Go fro þe wyndow Iakke fool sche sayde [folio 52b] As help me god it wil not be com pame/ I loue anoþer and elles I were to blame/ Wel bette þan þe by Ihesu absolon Go forþ þi wey or I wil caste a stoon Line 3712 And lete me slepe a twenty deuel way Allas quod absolon and weyloway That trewe loue was euer so yuel besette/ Than kisse me syn it may be no bette/ Line 3716 ffor ihesus loue and for þe loue of me Wolt þou þan go þi way þer-with quod sche Ye certes lemman quod þis absolon Than make þe redy quod sche I come anon Line 3720 . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] This absolon doun sette him on his knees

And saide I am a lord at alle degrees Line 3724 ffor after þis I hope þer comeþ more lemman þi grace and sweete brid þin ore The wyndow sche vndoþ and þat in hast/ haue do quod sche com of and speed þe faste Line 3728 lest þat our neighebore þe espie This absolon gan wipe his mouþ ful drye Derk was þe night as piche or as þe cole And at the wyndow out sche putte hire hole Line 3732 And absolon him fil no bet ne wers But wiþ his mouþ he kiste hire naked ers/ fful sauorly er he were war of þis/ A bak he stert and þought it was amys/ Line 3736 ffor wel he wiste a womman haþ no berd he felt a þing al rough and longe y-hered And sayde fy allas what haue I do Tehe quod sche and clapt þe wyndow to Line 3740 And absolon goþ forþ a sory pas A berde a berd seide heende Nicholas By goddes corpus þis goth faire and wel This sely absolon herde it euery del Line 3744 And on his lippe he gan for anger byte And to himself he seyde I schal þe quyte [folio 53a] Who rubbeþ now who froteþ now his lippes With dust with sond wiþ straw with cloþ wiþ chippes But absolon þat seith ful ofte allas/ My soule bitake I to Saternas/ But me were leuere þan al þis toun quod he/ Of þis despite awroken for to be Line 3752 Allas quoþ he allas I ne hadde y-bleynt his hote loue is cold and al yqueynt ffor fro þat tyme þat he hadde kest hire ers Of paramours he sette not a kers/ Line 3756 ffor he was heled of his maladie/ fful ofte paramoures he gan diffie And weepe as doþ a child þat is y-bete/ A softe paas he wente ouer þe strete/ Line 3760

Line 3760 vntil a Smyth men clepen daun Geruays That in his forge smythieþ plough harnays he scharpeþ scharre and Culter bisyly. This absolon knokkeþ al Esely Line 3764 And sayde vnto Geruays and þat anon What who art þou it am I absolon What absolon for cristes swete tree Why ryse so raþe benedicite Line 3768 What eyleþ ȝou som gay gerl god it woot haþ brought ȝou þus vpon þe viritoot By seinte note ȝe wot wel what I me[ne] This absolon ne roughte nat a bene Line 3772 Of all his pley no word a-gayn he gaf he hadde more tow on his distaf Than Geruays knew and sayde frend so deere The hoote Culter in þe Chemenye heere Line 3776 As lene it me I haue þer-wiþ to done/ I wol bringe it agayn ful soone Geruais answerde certes were it gold Or in a poke nobles all vntold Line 3780 Thou scholdest haue as I am trewe smith Ey cristes foo what wol ȝe don þer-with [folio 53b] Ther-of quod absolon be as be may I schal wel telle it þe to morwe day Line 3784 And caughte þe culter by þe colde stele fful softe out aþ þe dore he gan to stele And went vnto þe Carpenteres wal he koughede ferst and knokkede þer wiþ al Line 3788 vpon þe wyndow right as he dede ere/ This alison answerde who is þere That knokkeþ as I warant it a þeef Why nay quod he god woot my sweete leef Line 3792 I am þin absolon þi dereling Of gold quod he I haue þe brought a ryng My moder yaf it me so god me saue/ fful fyn it is and þer-to wel y-graue Line 3796

Line 3796 This wol I yiuen þe if þou me kisse This Nicholas was risen for to pisse/ And þought he wolde amenden al þe Iape/ he schulde kisse his ers or þat he scape Line 3800 And vp þe wyndow dide he hastily And out his ers he putte priuily Ouer þe buttok to þe haunche bon And þer-wiþ spak þis clerk þis absolon Line 3804 Spek swete brid I not wher þou art This Nicholas anon leet flee a fart As gret as it hadde ben a þonder dent That wiþ þe strook he was almost y-blent Line 3808 And he was redy wiþ his Iren hoot And Nicholas in þe ers he smoot Of goþ þe skyn an hande brood aboute/ The hoote culter brenned so his toute/ Line 3812 And for þe smerte he wende for to dye As he were wood for woo he gan to crye/ help water water help for goddes herte This Carpunter out of his slomber sterte Line 3816 And herde on cryen watir as he were wood And þought allas now comeþ Noweles flood [folio 54a] And sette him vppe wiþoute wordes mo And wiþ an ax he smot þe corde a tuo Line 3820 And doun goþ al he fond neyþer to selle/ No breed nor ale til he com to þe selle/ vpon þe floor and þer a swowen he lay vp sterte hire alison and Nicholay Line 3824 and cried out and harrow in þe strete The neigheboures boþe smale and grete In ronnen for to gauren on þis man That a swowen lay boþe pale and wan Line 3828 ffor with þat falle he brosten haþ his arm But stonde he moste vnto his oughne harm ffor whan he spak he was anon bore doun With heende Nicholas and alisoun Line 3832

Line 3832 They tolden euery man þat he was wood he was a-gast so of þe Nowels flood Thurgh fantasie þat of his vanite he hadde y-bought him knedyng tubbes þre Line 3836 And hadde hem hanged in þe roof aboue And þat he preyed him for goddes loue To sitten in þe roof par companye The folk gan laughen at his fantasie Line 3840 And to þe roof þay loken and þei cape And torned all his harm vnto a Iape ffor what so þis Carpenter answerde It was for nought no men his reson herde Line 3844 With oþes grete he was so sworn a doun That he was holden wood in all þat toun ffor euery clerk anon right heeld with oþer They seyde þe man is wood my leeue broþer Line 3848 And euery wight gan laughen at his strif Thus swyued was þe Carpunteres wijf ffor all his keepyng and his Ialousye/ And absolon haþ kist hir neþer yhe Line 3852 And Nicholas is scalded in his toute// This tale is don and god saue al þe route [folio 54b]

¶ Explicit fabula Molendinarij [[No gap in the MS.]]

¶ Here bygynneþ þe Reeues tale

Whan folk han laughen at þis nyce cas Of absolon and heende Nicholas [¶ C^o. iij^o.] Diuerse folk diuersely þey seyde But for þe more part þei lough and pleyde Ne at þis tale I saugh noman him greeue But it were oonly Osewold þe Reeue Line 3860 By cause he was of Carpenteres craft A litel Ire is in his herte laft he gan to grucche and blamen it a lite So þe ik quod he ful wel couþe I þe quyte Line 3864 With bleryng of a proud melleres ye If þat me liste to speke of Ribaudie But yk am old me list not pley for age Gras tyme is don my fodder is forage/ Line 3868 This white top writeþ myn olde ȝeres myn herte is also mouled as myn heeres But if I fare as doþ an open ers That ilke fruyt is euer lengere þe wers Line 3872 Til it be roten in mullok or in stree/ We olde men I drede so fare we Til we be roten can we nought be ripe We hoppen alwey whil þe world wil pipe Line 3876 ffor in oure wille þer stikeþ euer a naile To haue an hoor heer and a greene taile As haþ a leek for þough oure might be gon Oure wille desireþ folie euer in oon Line 3880 ffor whan we may nought doon þan wole we speke yet in oure asschen olde is fyr y-reke ffoure gleedes han we whiche I schal deuyse/ Auauntyng lyuyng anger couetyse Line 3884 This foure sparkes longeþ vnto eelde Oure olde lymes now wel ben vnwelde

But wil ne schal nat failen þat is soþ And yet haue I alway a Coltes toþ [folio 55a] As many a ȝeer as it is passen henne Syn þat my tappe of lif bygan to renne ffor sikerly whan I was born anoon Deþ drough þe tappe of lijf and leet it goon Line 3892 And euer siþen haþ so þe tappe y-ronne Til þat almost al empty is þe tonne The streem of lijf now droppeþ on þe chimbe. The sely tonge may wel rynge and chymbe. Line 3896 Of wrecchedenesse þat passed is ful yore With old folk saue dotage is nomore/ Whan þat oure oost hadde herde þis sermonyng he gan to speken as loodly as a king Line 3900 he seyde what amounteþ all þis witte What schal we speke alday of holy writte The deuel maade a reeue for to preche Or of a Soutere schipman or a leche Line 3904 Sey forþ þi tale and tarie nought þe tyme lo deppeford and it is halfwey prime lo Grenewich þat many a schrewe is Inne It were al tyme þi tale for to begynne Line 3908 Now sires quod þis Osewold þe Reeue I pray you alle þat ye nought ȝou greeue Thou I answere and somdel sette his houve ffor leueful it is with force force of schouve Line 3912 This dronken mellere haþ y-told vs heere how þat bygyled was a Carpuntere/ Perauenture in scorn for I am oon And by youre leeue I schal him quyte anoon Line 3916 Right in his cherles termes wil I speke/ I preye to god his nekke mote tobreke he can wel in myn ȝe sen a stalke But in his owne he can nought seen a balke/ [¶ ffabula] [[No gap in the MS.]]

AT Trumpyngton nought fer fro Cantabregge Ther goþ a brook and ouer þat a bregge vppon þe whiche brook þer stant a Melle Line 3923 And þis is verray soþ þat I ȝou telle [folio 55b] A meller was þer duellyng many a day As any pecok he was proud and gay Pype he couþe and fissche and nettes beete And torne coppes and wel wrastle and scheete/ Line 3928 Ay by his belt he bar a long Panade And of a swerd ful trenchant was þe blade/ A Ioly popper bar he in his pouche Ther was noman for peril durste him touche/ Line 3932 A scheffeld thwitel bar he in his hose Round was his face and Camuse was his nose/ As pyled as an ape was his sculle he was a market betere atte fulle Line 3936 Ther was no wight þat dorst hand on him legge But if he swor he scholde anon abegge A þeef he was forsoþe of corn and mele And þat a sleigh and vsaunt for to stele Line 3940 his name was hoote deynous Symkyn A wijf he hadde come of noble kyn The parsoun of þe toun hir fader was/ With hire he yaf ful many a panne of bras Line 3944 ffor þat Symkyn scholde in his blood allye Sche was y-fostred in a Nonnerie/ ffor symkyn wolde no wyf as he sayde But sche were wel ynorissched and a mayde/ Line 3948 To sauen his estate of yomanrie/ And sche was proud and pert as is a pye A ful fair sight was it vppon hem tuo On halidayes biforn hire wolde he go Line 3952

Line 3952 Wiþ his typet wounden aboute his heede/ And sche cam after in a gyte of reede/ And Symkyn hadde hosen of þe same Ther dorste no wight clepen hire but dame Line 3956 Was non so hardy þat wente by þe way That wiþ hire dorste or ones rage or play But if he wolde be slain of Symkyn With panade or with knyf or boydekyn [folio 56a] ffor Ielous folk ben perilous eueremo Algate þei wolde here wyues wenden so And eek for sche was somdel smoterlich Sche was as digne as water in a dich Line 3964 As ful of hoker and of bisemare hire þoughte þat a lady schulde hir spare What for hire kynrede and hire nortelrie That sche hadde lerned in þe nonnerie Line 3968 A doughter hadde þe betwixe hem tuo Of twenty ȝer wiþouten eny moo Sauyng a childe þat was of half ȝeer age In cradel it lay it was a proper page/ Line 3972 This wenche þikke and wel ygrowen was Wiþ Camoys nose and eyen grey as glas Wiþ buttokes brode and brestes rounde and hye But right fair was hire heer I wol nought lye Line 3976 ¶ The parson of þe toun for sche was fair In purpos was to maken hire his hair Boþe of his catel and his mesuage And strange he made it/ of hire mariage Line 3980 his purpos was for to bistowe hire hye In to som worþi blood of auncetrie/ ffor holy chirches good moot ben dispended On holy cherche blood þat is descended Line 3984 Therfore he wolde his holy blood honoure/ þough þat þe holy chirche scholde deuoure Gret soken haþ þis meller out of doute Wiþ whete and malt of all þe land aboute/ Line 3988

Line 3988 And nameliche þer was a gret collegge Men clepeþ þe Soler halle of Cantabregge Þere was here whete and eek here malt y-grounde And on a day it happeþ in a stounde Line 3992 Syk lay þe manciple on a maladie/ Men wenden wisly þat he schulde dye ffor which þis mellere stal boþe mele and corn An hundred tyme more þanne biforn [folio 56b] ffor þer biforn he stal but curteysly But now he was a theef outrageously ffor which þe wardein chidde and made fare/ But þer-of sette þe meller nought a tare/ Line 4000 he crakede bost and swor it was nought so/ Thanne were þere ȝonge scoleres tuo That dwelten in þe halle of which I seye Testyf þey were and lusty for to pleye Line 4004 And oonly for here mirthe and reuerye vpon þe wardein bisily þei crye To ȝif hem leue but a litel stounde To go to melle and seen here corn y-grounde Line 4008 And hardily þei dorste leye here nekke The mellere schulde nat stele hem half a pekke/ Of corn ne by sleight ne by force hem Reue And atte laste þe wardeyn yaf hem leue Line 4012 Iohn hight þat oon and alayn hight þat oþer Of oo toun were þei born þat highte strother ffer in the North I can not telle where This alayn makeþ redy all his gere Line 4016 And on an hors þe sak he cast anon fforþ goþ alayn þe clerk and also Iohn Wiþ good swerd and wiþ bokeler by his syde Iohn knew þe wey him needede no guyde/ Line 4020 And atte melle þe sak a doun he layth Alain spak first . alhail Symon in faiþ how fares þi faire doughter and þi wyf Alayn welcome quod Symkyn by my lyf Line 4024

Line 4024 And Iohn also how now what do ȝe heere By god quod Iohn Symond neede haþ no peere him bihoues serue himself þat has na swayn Or elles he is a folt as clerkes sayn Line 4028 Oure manciple I hope he wil be deed Swa werkes him ay þe wanges in his heed And þerfore is I come and eek alayn To grynde oure corn and carie it ham agayn [folio 57a] I pray you speedes vs heithen þat ȝe may It schal be don quod Symkyn by my fay What wil ȝe doon whil þat it is in hande By god right by þe hoper wil I stande Line 4036 Quoþ Iohan and se how gates þe corn gas Inne Ȝit saugh I neuer by my fader kynne how þat þe hoper wagged til and fra Alayn answerde Iohn and wiltow swa Line 4040 Than wil I be byneþe by my croune And se how gates þe mele falles a doune In-til þe trough þat sal be my disporte Quod Iohn in faath I may ben of ȝour sorte Line 4044 I is as ille a melle as ere ȝe This mellere smylede at here nycete And þought al þis nys don but for a wile They wene þat no man hem may begyle Line 4048 But by my þrift yit schal I blere here ye ffor al þe sleight in here philosophie The more queinte crekes þat þay make/ The more wol I stele whan I take Line 4052 In stede of flour ȝit wol I yeue hem brenne/ The grettest clerkes ben nought þe wisest menne As whilom to þe wolf þus spak þe mare Of all here arte counte I nouȝt a tare/ Line 4056 ¶ Out of þe dore he goþ ful priuely Whan þat he saugh his time softely he lokeþ vp and doun til he haþ founde The clerkes hors þer as it stood ybounde Line 4060

Line 4060 Behynde þe mille vnder a leuesel And to þe hors he goþ him faire and wel he strepeþ of þe bridel right anoon And whan þe hors was laus he gynneþ goon Line 4064 Toward þe fen þare wilde mares renne/ And forth with wehe þorugh þikke and þorugh þenne This meller goþ agayn no word he sayde But doþ his note and wiþ hise clerkes pleyde [folio 57b] Til þat hire corn was faire and wel y-grounde And whan þe mele is sakked and y-bounde This Iohn goþ out and fynt his hors away And gan to crye harrow and weylaway Line 4072 Oure hors is lost Alayn for goddes banes Steppe on þi feet com of man al at anes Allas oure wardein has his palfray lorn This aleyn al forgat boþe mele and corn Line 4076 Al was out of his mynde his housbondrye What whilk wey is he gon he gan to crye The wyf cam leepyng inward at a ren Sche seyde allas ȝour hors goth in þe fen Line 4080 With wilde mares as faste as he may goo Vnthank come on his hand þat bond him so And he þat bettre scholde haue knyt þe reyne Allas quod Iohn Alayn for cristes peyne Line 4084 lay doun þi swerd and I wol myn alswa I is ful swift god wat as is a Ra By goddes harte he sal nouȝt scape vs baþe Why ne had þou put þe caple in þe lathe Line 4088 Ilhaille by godde alayn þou is a fonne Thise sely clerkes han fulfaste y-ronne Toward þe fen boþe alayn and eek Iohn And whan þe Mellere seigh þat þei were gon Line 4092 he half a buisschel of here corn haþ take And bad his wijf go knede it in a cake And seide I trowe þe clerkes weren aferd Yet kan a mellere make a clerkes berd Line 4096

Line 4096 ffor all his art yet lat hem gon here weye Lo where he goþ ye lat þe children pleye They gete him nought so lightly by my croun Thise seely clerkes rennen vp and doun Line 4100 With keep. keep. stand. stand. iossa. warderere / Ga whistel þou and I schal keepe him heere But schortly til it was verray night They couþe nought þough þei dede all here might [folio 58a] here capel cacche he ran alwey so faste Til in a diche þei caught him atte laste Wery and wet as beest is in þe rayn Comeþ seely Iohn and with him comþ alayn Line 4108 ¶ Allas quod Iohn þe day þat I was born Now ere we dryuen til hething and til scorn Oure corn is stole men wil vs fooles calle Boþe þe wardein and oure felawes alle Line 4112 And namely þe meller weylawey Thus pleyneþ Iohan as he goþ by þe wey Toward þe melle and bayard in his hond The meller sittyng by þe fyr he fond Line 4116 ffor it was nyght and ferþer might he nought But for þe loue of god þei him bisought Of herberwe and of eese as for here peny The mellere seyde agayn if þer be eny Line 4120 Such as if is ȝit schal ȝe haue ȝoure part Myn hous is streit but ȝe han lerned art Ȝe can by argumentes make a place A myle brood of twenty foote of space Line 4124 lat se now if þis place mow suffise Or make it rowmere with speche as is ȝoure gyse Now Symond seyde þis Iohn by seint Cuthberd As is þou mery and þat is faire answerd Line 4128 I haue herd say men sal take of tua þinges Swilk as he fyndes or take swilk as he brynges/ But specially I pray þe ooste deere Gete vs som mete and drynk and mak vs cheere Line 4132

Line 4132 And we wol payen trewly atte fulle With empty handes men may naan haukes tulle Lo heer oure siluer reedy for til spende This meller to þe toun his doughter sende Line 4136 ffor ale and breed and rosted hem a goos And boond here hors it scholde namore go loos And in his owne chambre he made a bedde With scheetes and wiþ chalons faire y-spredde [folio 58b] Nought from his oughne bed ten foote or twelue/ his doughter hadde a bed al by hir selue/ Right in þe same chambre by and by It mighte be no bette and cause why Line 4144 Ther was no romer herberwe in þe place þey soupen and þey speken hem of solace And drynken euere strong ale atte beste A-boute mydnyght wente þei to reste Line 4148 Wel haþ þe mellere vernysshed his heed fful pale he was for-drunken and nouȝt reed he yexeth and he spekeþ þurgh þe nose/ As he were on þe quakke or on þe pose/ Line 4152 To bedde he goþ and with him goþ his wijf As eny Iay he light was and Iolif So was hire Ioly whistel wel y-wette The cradell at hire beddes feet is sette/ Line 4156 To rokken and yeue þe childe to souke And whan þat dronken was al in þe crouke To bedde wente þe doughter right anoon To bedde goþ Alayn and also Iohn Line 4160 Ther was nomore þem needede no dwale This meller haþ so wisely bibbed ale That as an hors he snorteþ in his slepe Ne of his tayl behynde he took no keepe Line 4164 his wijf bar him a burdon a ful strong Men mighten heere here routyng a furlong The wenche routeþ eek par compaignie Alayn þe clerk þat herde þis melodye Line 4168

Line 4168 he pokede Iohn and seyde sleepist þou herdestow euer slik a sang ar now lo swilk a couplyng is bitwixe hem alle A wilde fyr on þair bodies falle Line 4172 ho herkned euer slik a ferly þing Ye þai sall haue þe flour of yll endyng This lange night þer tydes me na reste/ But ȝit na force al schal be for þe beste [folio 59a] ffor Iohn seide als euer mote I þriue If þat I may yon wenche wol I swyue Som esement haþ lawe schapen vs ffor Iohn þer is a lawe þat seith þus Line 4180 That if a man in a poynt be agreeued That in anoþer he schal be releeued Oure corn is stolen soþly it is no nay And we han had an ylle fitte to day Line 4184 And syn I schal haue noon amendement Agayn my losse I wol haue esement By goddes sale it sal nan oþir be This Iohn answerde Alayn so mot I þe Line 4188 The meller is a perilous man he sayde And if þat he out of his slape abrayde he mighte don vs boþe a vilanye Alayn answerde I counte him nought a flye Line 4192 And vp he rist and by þe wenche he crepte This wenche lay vpright and faste slepte Til he so neigh was or sche mighte spye That it hadde been to late for to crye Line 4196 And schortly for to seyn þey were at oon Now play alayn for I wol speke of Ioon This Iohn liþ stille a forlong wey or tuo And to himself he makeþ rouþe and wo Line 4200 Allas quod he þis is a wikke Iape Now may I sayn þat I is but an ape Ȝet haþ my felaw somwhat for his harm he has þe myllers doughter in his arm Line 4204

Line 4204 he auntred him and haþ his needes spedde And I lye as a draf sak in my bedde And whan þis Iape is told anoþer day I schal be holde a daffe a Cokenay Line 4208 I wol arise and aunter it by my faith vnhardy is vnseely as men saith And vp he ros and softely he went vnto þe cradill and in his hand it hent [folio 59b] Line 4212 And bar it softe vnto his beddes feet Sone after . þe wif hire routyng leet And gan to wake and went hire out to pisse And com agayn and gan hir cradel mysse Line 4216 And groped heer and þer but sche fond noon Allas quod sche I hadde almost mys goon I hadde almost goon to þe clerkes bedde Ey benedicite þan hadde I foule y-spedde Line 4220 And forþ sche goþ til sche þe cradil fond Sche gropeþ alwey forþer with hire hond And fond þe bed and þoughte nought but good By cause þat þe cradel by it stood Line 4224 And nyste wher sche was for it was derk But faire and wel sche crepe in to þe clerk And lith ful stille and wolde haue caught a slepe With-Inne a while þis Iohn þe clerk vp lepe Line 4228 And on þis goode wijf he leiþ on sore So mery a fitte ne hadde sche not ful yore he prikeþ harde and deepe as he were madde This Ioly lyf han þise tuo clerkes ladde Line 4232 Til þat þe þridde cok bygan to synge Aleyn wax wery in þe dawenynge ffor he hadde swonken all þe longe nyght And sayde far wel Malyn sweete wight Line 4236 The day is come I may no lenger byde But euermoo wher so I go or ryde I am þin oughne clerk so haue I hele Now deere lemman quod sche go far wele Line 4240

Line 4240 But or þou go oo þing I wol þe telle Whan þat þou wendest homward by þe melle Right at þe entre of þe dore behynde Thou schalt a cake of half a busshel fynde Line 4244 That was y-maked of þin oughne mele Which þat I hilpe my sire for to stele And goode lemman god þe saue and keepe/ And with þat word almost sche gan to weepe [folio 60a] Line 4248 Alayn vprist and þought or þat it dawe/ I wol go creepen in by my felawe/ And fond þe cradel wiþ his hond anon By god þought he al wrang I haue mysgon Line 4252 Myn heed is toty of my swynk/ to nyght That makeþ me þat I go nought aright I wot wel by þe cradel I haue mysgo here lith þe meller and his wijf also Line 4256 And forth he goþ on twenty deuelway vnto þe bed þer as þe meller lay he wende haue cropen by his felawe Iohn And by þe mellere in he creep anoon Line 4260 And caught him by þe necke and softe he spak he seyde þou Iohn þou swyneshed awak ffor cristes sawle and heer a noble game/ ffor by þat lord þat called is saint Iame Line 4264 As I haue þries in þis schorte night Swyued þe mellers doughter bolt vprigh[t] Whil þou hast as a coward ben agast þe false harlot quod þe meller hast Line 4268 A fals traitour false clerk quod he þou schalt be ded by goddes dignite Who durste be so bolde to disparage My doughter þat is comen of such lynage Line 4272 And by þe þrote bolle he caught alayn And he hent him dispitously agayn And on þe nose he smot him with his fiste/ Doun ran þe bloody streen vpon his briste Line 4276

Line 4276 And in þe floor with nose and mouth to-broke þei walwe as doþ tuo pigges in a poke And vp þai gon and doun a-gayn anoon Til þat þe meller spurned at a stoon Line 4280 And doun he fel bakward vpon his wijf That wiste noþing of þis nyce strijf ffor sche was falle a sleepe a litel wight With Iohn þe clerk þat waked hadde al þe night [folio 60b] And with þe falle out of hir sleep sche brayde help holy cros of bromeholm sche sayde/ In manus tuas lord to þe I calle Awake Symond þe feend is on me falle Line 4288 Myn herte is broken help I nam but ded Ther liþ on vp my wombe and vp myn heed help Symkyn for þe false clerkes fighte This Iohn starte vp as fast as euer he mighte Line 4292 And grasped by þe walles to and fro To fynde a staf and sche stert vp also And knew þe estris bet þan did þat Iohn And by þe wal a staf sche fond anon Line 4296 And saugh a litel schymeryng of a light/ ffor at an hole in schoon þe moone bright And by þat light sche saugh hem boþe tuo But sikerly sche nyste who was who Line 4300 But as sche saugh a whit þing in hir eye And whan sche gan þis white þing aspye Sche wende þe clerk had wered a voluper And wiþ þe staf sche drough ay ner and ner Line 4304 And wende han hitte þis alayn atte fulle And smot þe meller on þe pilede skulle That doun he goth and cryed harrow I dye This clerkes beet him weel and leet him lye Line 4308 And greyþen hem and tooke here hors anon And eek here mele and on here wey þey goon And atte Mille yet þai toke here cake/ Of half a busschel flour ful wel y-bake Line 4312

Line 4312 Thus is þe proude Meller wel y-bete And haþ y-lost þe gryndyng of þe whete And payed for þe soper euery dele/ Of Alayn and of Iohn þat bette him weel Line 4316 his wyf is swyued and his doughter als/ lo swich it is a mellere to be fals And þerfore þis prouerbe is seyd ful soth him þar nat weene wel þat yuel doþ [folio 61a] Line 4320 A gilour schal himself begyled be/ And god þat sitteþ highe in mageste/ Saue all þis companye grete and smale Thus haue I quytte þe meller in my tale [[No gap in the MS.]] Line 4324

The Cook of london whil þe Reue spak ffor ioye he þoughte he clawed him on þe bak ha ha quod he for cristes passioun This meller haþ a scharp conclusioun Line 4328 vpon his argument of herbergage We[l] seide Salamon in his langage/ Ne bryng nat euery man in to þin hous ffor herberwyng be night is perilous Line 4332 Wel oughte a man auysed for to be Whom þat he broughte in to his priuite I praie to god so yeue me sorwe and care If euere sithen I highte hogge of of ware Line 4336 herde I mellere bettre y-set a werke he hadde a Iape of malice in þe derke/ And þerfore if ȝe vouche sauf to heere/ But god forbede þat we stynte heere Line 4340 A tale of me þat am a pouere man I wol yow telle as wel as euer I can A litel Iape þat fil in oure Citee Oure oost answerde and seide I graunte it þe Line 4344 Now telle on Roger loke þat it be good ffor many a paste hast þou latyn blood And many a Iakke of Douer hast þou sold That haþ ben twyes hoot and twyes cold Line 4348 Of many pilgrym hastow cristes curs ffor of þy persely ȝit þey fare þe wors þat þei haue eten wiþ þe stubbul goos ffor in þy schoppe is many a flye loos Line 4352 Now tel on gentil Roger by þi name But yet I preye þe be not wroþ for game A man may say ful soth in game and play Thou seist ful soþ quod Roger by my fay [folio 61b] Line 4356

Line 4356 But soþ play quad play as þe flemyng seith And þerfore herry baillyf by þi feith Be þou nouȝt wroth or we departen heere Though þat my tale be of an Ostelleere Line 4360 But naþeles I wol not tellen it ȝit But or we parte I-wys þou schalt be quyt And þer wiþ al he lough and made cheere/ And saide his tale as ȝe schal after heere [[No gap in the MS.]] Line 4364

Incipit fabula [C^m. iiij^m.]

A Prentys whilom dwelled in oure Citee And of a craft of vitaillers was he Gaillard he was as goldfynch in þe schawe Broun as a berye a propur schort felawe/ Line 4368 Wiþ lokkes blake y-kempt ful fetysly Daunce he couthe so wel and Iolyly That he was cleped Perkyn Reuolour he was as ful of loue paramour Line 4372 As is þe hyue ful of hony sweete Wel was þe wenche with him mighte meete At euery brydale wolde he synge and hoppe he louede bet þe tauerne þan þe schoppe Line 4376 ffor whan þer any rydyng was in chepe Out of þe schoppe þider wolde he leepe Til þat he hadde al þe sight y-seyn And daunced wel wolde he not come ageyn Line 4380 And gadered him a meyne of his sorte To hoppe and synge and maken such desporte And þere þei setten steuene for to mete To pleyen atte dys in such a streete Line 4384 ffor in þe toun nas þer no prentys That fairere couþe caste a paire of dys: Than Perkyn couþe and þer-to he was fre Of his dispense in place of priuite/ Line 4388 That fond his maister wel in his chaffare/ ffor ofte tyme he fond his box ful bare ffor sikerly a prentys Reuelour [folio 62a] That haunteþ dys ryot or paramour Line 4392 his maister schal it in his schoppe abeye Al haue he not part of þe menstralcye ffor theft and riot þei ben conuertible Al conne he play on gyterne or Rubible Line 4396

Line 4396 Reuel and trouthe as in a lough degre þey been ful wroþe alday as men may se This Iolif prentys with his maister bood Til he were neigh out of his prentyshood Line 4400 Al were he snybbed boþe erly and late And som tyme lad with Reuel to Newgate But atte last his mayster him biþoughte vpon a day whan he his paper soughte Line 4404 Of a prouerbe þat seiþ þis same word Wel bette is roten appul out of hord þan þat it rotye al þe remenant So fareþ it by þe riotous seruant Line 4408 It is ful lasse harm to late it pace þanne he schende all þe seruantȝ in þe place Therfore his mayster ȝaf him a quitance And bad him go with sorwe and with meschance Line 4412 And þus þis Ioly prentys hadde his leue Now lat him riote al þe night or leue And for þer nys no þeef wiþouten a lowke That helpeþ him to wasten and to sowke/ Line 4416 Of þat he brybe can or borwe may Anon he sente his bedde and his array vnto a Coupere of his owne sorte That louede dys and Reuel and disporte Line 4420 And hadde a wyf þat heeld for contynance/ A schoppe / and swyued for hire sustynance. [[No break in the MS.]]

APPENDIX TO GROUP A.

[THE SPURIOUS TALE OF GAMELYN.]

Incipit ffabula/

LIthen & lesteneþ and herkeneþ aright And ȝe schulle heeren of a doughty knight Sire Iohn of Boundys was his name he couþe of norture and mochil of game. Line 4 Thre sones þe knight hadde and with his body he hem wan [folio 62a] The eldest was a moche schrewe and sone he bigan his breþeren loued wel here fader and of him were agast The eldest deserueþ his faderes curs & hadde it atte last Line 8 The goode knight his fader lyued so yore That deþ was comen him to and handlid him ful sore/ The goode knight cared sore sik þer he lay how hise children schulde lyuen after his day Line 12 he hadde ben wyde wher but non housbond he was Alle þe lond þat he hadde it was verrey purchas ffayn he wolde it were dressed among hem alle That eche of hem hadde his part as it mighte falle Line 16 Tho sente he in to contre after wise knightes To helpen delen his londes and dressen hem to rightes he sent hem word by lettres þey scholden hyȝe blyue If þey wolde speke wiþ him whil he was on lyue Line 20

Line 20 Tho þe knightes herden seek þat he lay hadde þei no reste neiþer night ne day Til þei comen to him þer he lay stille On his deþ bedde to abyde goddes wille Line 24 Thanne seyd þe goode knight syk þer he lay lordes I ȝou warne for soþe wiþouten nay I may no lengere lyuen heer in þis stounde ffor þorugh goddes wille deth draweþ me to grounde/ Line 28 Ther nas noon of hem all þat herde him aright That þay hadden reuþe of þat ilke knight And seyde sire for goddes loue dismaye ȝou nought God may don boote of bale þat is now y-wrought Line 32 Than spak þe goode knight sike þer he lay Boote of bale god may sende I wot it is no nay But I beseke ȝou knightes for þe loue of me Goþ and dresseth my lond among my sones þre Line 36 And for þe loue of god deleþ hem nat amys And forȝeteþ nought Gamelyn my ȝonge sone þat is Takeþ heede to þat oon as wel as to þat oþer Seelde ȝe see ony heir helpen his broþer Line 40 Tho leeten þey þe knight lyen þat was not in hele [folio 63a] And wenten in to counseill his londes for to dele/ ffor to delen hem all to oon was here þought And for gamelyn was yongest he scholde haue nought Line 44 Alle þe lond þat þer was þai dalten it it tuo And leeten Gamelyn þe ȝonge wiþoute lond go And ech of hem seyde to oþer ful loude his breþeren mowe ȝiue him lond whan he good coude Line 48 Whan þei hadde deled þe lond at here wille Thei camen to þe knight þere he lay ful stille And tolden him anon how þei hadden wrought And þe knight þer he lay liked it right nought Line 52 Than seide þe knight by seint Martyn ffor al þat ȝe haue don ȝit is þe lond myn ffor goddes loue neighebours stondeþ alle stille And I wol dele my lond right after my wille/ Line 56

Line 56 Iohn myn eldeste sone schal haue plowes fyue That was my fadres heritage whil he was on lyue And my myddelest sone fyue plowes of londe That I halp for to geten with my right honde Line 60 And all myn oþer purchas of londes and leedes That I bequeþe Gamelyn and all my goode steedes And I beseke ȝou goode men þat lawe conne of londe ffor Gamelynes loue þat my bequeste stonde Line 64 Thus dalte þe knight his lond by his day Right on his deþ bedde sik þer he lay And sone afterward he lay stoon stille And deyde whan tyme com as it was cristes wille Line 68 Anon as he was deed and vnder gras graue Sone þe oldere broþer gylede þe yonge knaue he took in to his hond his lond and his leede And Gamelyn himselue to cloþen and to feede Line 72 he cloþed him and fedde him yuel and eek wroþe And leet his londes and his houses boþe his parkes and his woodes and dede no þing wel And sethen he it aboughte on his faire fel Line 76 So longe was Gamelyn in his broþeres halle [folio 63b] ffor þe strengeste of good þei douteden him alle Ther was non þer-Inne nowþer ȝong ne olde That wolde wraþþe Gamelyn were he neuer so bolde Line 80 Gamelyn stood on a day in his broþeres ȝerde/ And bygan with his hond to handlen his berde he þought on his londes þat layen vnsawe And his faire Okes þat doun were drawe Line 84 his parkes were broken and his deere reued Of all his goode steedes non was him bileued hise houses were vnhiled and ful yuel dight Tho þoughte Gamelyn it wente nought aright Line 88 Afterward cam his broþer walkynge þare And seyde to Gamely is oure mete yare Tho wraþþed him Gamelyn and swor by goddes book þou schat go bake þi self I wol not be þi cook Line 92

Line 92 how broþer Gamelyn / how answerest þou now Thou spake neuer such a word as þou dost now By my faiþ sayde Gamelyn now me þinkeþ neede Of all þe harmes þat I haue I took neuer are heede Line 96 My parkes ben y-broken and my deer bireued Of myn armure and my steedes nought is me bileued Alle þat my fader me biquaþ al goþ to schame And þer fore haue þou goddes curs broþer by þy name Line 100 Thanne bispak his broþer þat rape was of rees Stond stille gadelyng and hold right þi pees/ Thou schalt be fayn for to haue þi mete and þi wede What spekest þou Gamelyn of lond oþer of leede Line 104 Than seyde Gamelyn þe child þat was ying Cristes curs mote he haue þat clepeþ me gadelyng I am no worse gadelyng ne no worse wight But born of a lady and geten of a knight Line 108 Ne durste he not to Gamelyn neer a foote go But clepede to him his men and seyde to hem þo Goþ and beteþ þis body and reueþ him his wit/ And lat him lere anoþer tyme to answere me bet Line 112 Than seyde þe child yonge Gamelyn [folio 64aa] Cristes curs mot þou haue broþer art/ þou myn And if I schal algate be beten anon Cristes curs mote þou haue but þou be þat oon Line 116 And anon his broþer in þe grete hete Made his men to fette staues Gamelyn to beete Whan þat euerych of hem hadde a staf I-nomen Gamelyn was war þo he seigh hem comen Line 120 Tho Gamelyn seigh hem comen he loked ouer all And was war of a pestel stood vnder a wall Gamelyn was light and þider gan he lepe And drof alle his broþeres men right soone on an heepe he loked as a leon a layde on good won Line 125 Tho his broþer seigh þat he bigan to gon he fleigh vp in til a loft and schette þe dore fast Thus Gamelyn wiþ his pestelle made hem agast Line 128

Line 128 Somme for gamelynes loue and some for his eye All þei drowen by halues þo he bigan to pleye What now seyde Gamelyn yuel mot þou þee Wil ye bigynne contek and so soone flee Line 132 Gamelyn sought his broþer whider he was flowe And saugh wher he loked out at a wyndowe Broþer saide Gamelyn come a litel neer And I wil teche þe a play atte Bokeleer Line 136 his broþer him answerde and sayde be seint Richere Whil þe pestel is in þin hond I wol come no neer Broþer I wel make þy pees I swere by cristes oore/ Cast a-way þe pestel and wraþþe þe nomore Line 140 I moot neede sayde Gamelyn wraþþe me at oones ffor þou wolde make þi men to breke my boones Ne hadde I had mayn and might in myn armes To haue hem driuen fro me þei wolde haue do me harmes Gamelyn sayd his broþer be þou nought wroþ Line 145 ffor to see þe haue harm were me right loþ I dide it nought broþer but for a fondyng ffor for to loken or þou were strong and art so ȝing Line 148 Com a doun þan to me and graunte me my boone [folio 64ab] Of þing I wol þe asken and we schul saughte soone Doun þan cam his broþer þat fikel was and felle And was swithe sore agast of þe pestelle Line 152 he seyde broþer Gamelyn aske me þy boone And loke þou me blame but I it graunte soone Thanne seyde Gamelyn broþer y-wys And we schulle ben at on þou most me graunte þis Line 156 Al þat my fader me biquath whil he was on lyue Thou most do me it haue if we schulle nouȝt stryue That schalt þou haue Gamelyn I swere by cristes oore Al þat þi fader þe byquath þough þou woldest haue more Thi lond þat lieth laye wel it schal be sowe Line 161 And þine houses reised vp þat ben y-leyd so lowe Thus sayde þe knight to Gamelyn by mouþe And þoughte of falsnesse as he wel couþe Line 164

Line 164 The knight þought on treson and Gamelyn on noon And went and kissed his broþer and when þey weren at oon Allas yonge Gamelyn noþing he ne wist Wiþ such fals tresoun his broþer him kist/ Line 168 liþeneth and lesteneþ and holdeþ youre tonge And ȝe schul heere talkyng of gamelyn þe ȝonge Ther was þer besyden cried a wrastelyng And þer fore þer was vp y-set a Ram and a ryng Line 172 And Gamelyn was in wille to wende þerto ffor to preuen his might what he couþe doo Broþer seyde Gamelyn by seint Richer Thou most lene me to night a litel courser Line 176 That is freissch to þe spores on for to ryde I moste on an Erande a litel here besyde/ By god seyde his broþer of steedes in my stalle Go and chese þe þe beste spare non of alle Line 180 Of steedes or of coursers þat stonden him bysyde And telle me goode broþer whider þou wolt ryde here besyde broþer is cryed a wrastlyng And þerfore schal be sette a Ram and a Ryng Line 184 Moche worschipe it were broþer to vs alle [folio 64b] Might I þe Ram and þe ryng bryngen hom to þis halle A steede þer was sadeled smartly and skeet Gamelyn dide a paire spores fast on his feet Line 188 he sette his foot in þe styrop þe steede he bistrood And toward þe wrastelyng þe ȝonche child rood Tho Gamelyn þe ȝonge was ryden out atte gate The false knight his broþer loked it after þate Line 192 And bisoughte ihesu crist þat is heuen king he mighte breke his necke in þat wrastlyng As sone as gamelyn com ther þe place was he lighte doun of his steede and stood on þe gras Line 196 And þere he herde a ffrankelyn wayloway syng And bigan bitterly his hondes for to wryng Goode man seide Gamelyn whi makest þou þis fare Is þer noman þat may ȝou helpen out of þis care Line 200

Line 200 Allas seide þis ffrankleyn þat euer was I bore ffor tweye stalworþe sones I wene þat I haue lore A champion is in þe place þat haþ y-wrought me sorwe ffor he haþ slayn my tuo sones but if god hem borwe Line 204 I wolde ȝiue ten pound by ihesu crist and more Wiþ þe nones I fand a man to handelen him sore Goode man seide Gamelyn wilt þou wel done hold myn hors whil my man draweþ of my schone Line 208 And help my man to kepe my cloþes and my steede And I wil in to þe place gon to loke if I may speede By god seide þe ffrankeleyn it schal be doon I wol my self be þy man to drawen of þi schoon Line 212 And wende þou in to þe place ihesu crist þe speede And drede not of þi cloþes nor of þi goode steede Barfot and vngert Gamelyn in came Alle þat were in þe place heede of him þei name Line 216 how he dorste auntre him of him to don his might That was so doughty a champioun in wrastelyng and in fight vp sterte þe Champioun rapely anon Toward ȝonge Gamelyn he bigan to goon Line 220 And seide who is þi fader and who is þi sire/ [folio 64bb] ffor soþe þou art a gret fool þat þou come hire/ Gamelyn answerde þe Champioun þo/ Thou knewe wel my fader whil he couþe goo Line 224 Whiles he was on lyue by seint Martyn Sire Iohn of Boundes was his name and I Gamelyn ffelawe seide þe Champioun so mote I þriue I knew wel þi fader whil he was on lyue Line 228 And þi self Gamelyn I wol þat þou it heere Whil þou were a ȝong boy a moche schrewe þou were/ Than seide Gamelyn and swor by cristes oore Now I am oldere woxe þou schalt fynde me a more Line 232 By god sayde þe champiōn welcome mote þou be/ Come þou ones in myn hond schalt þou neuer þe It was wel wiþinne þe night and þe moone schon Whan Gamelyn and þe Champiōn togidere gonne gon Line 236

Line 236 The champioun caste tornes to Gamelyn þat was preste And Gamelyn stood stille and bad him don his beste Thanne seyde Gamelyn to þe champioun Thou art faste aboute to bringe me doun Line 240 Now I haue proued many tornes of þine Thou most he seyde prouen on or tuo of myne Gamelyn to þe champiōn yede smertly anoon Of alle þe turnes þat he couþe he schewed him but oon And kast him on þe left syde þat þe ribbes to-brak Line 245 And þarto his oon arm þat yaf a gret crak þan seyde Gamelyn smertly anoon Schal it be holde for a cast or elles for noon Line 248 By god seyde þe champioun wheþer þat it be he comeþ oones in þin hond schal he neuer þe Than seyde þe ffrankelein þat hadde his sone þere/ Blessed be þou Gamelyn þat euer þou bore were Line 252 The ffrankeleyn seide to þe champiōn of him stod him non eye This is ȝonge Gamelyn þat taughte þe þis pleye Aȝein answerde þe Champioun þat liked noþing welle he is oure alþer maister and his pley is right felle/ Line 256 Siþen I wrastlede ferst it is y-go ful yore [folio 65a] But I was neuere my lyf handled so sore Gamelyn stood in þe place alone wiþoute sirk And sayde if þer be moo lat hem come to werke Line 260 The champion þat payned him to werke so sore It semeth by his continance þat he wol no more Gamelyn in þe place stood stille as a stoon . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] Line 264 Ther was non with Gamelyn wolde wrastle more ffor he handled þe Champiōn so wonderliche sore/ Tuo gentil men yemede þe place Come to Gamelyn god ȝiue him goode grace Line 268 And sayden to him do on þin hosen and þi schoon ffor soþe at þis tyme þis faire is y-done And þanne sayde Gamelyn so moot I wel fare I haue nought ȝit haluendel sold my ware/ Line 272

Line 272 Tho sayde þe Champiōn so brouke I my sweere He is a fool þat þer-of byeþ þou sellest it so deere Tho saide þe ffrankeleyn that was in moche care/ ffelawe he sayde whi lakkest þou his ware/ Line 276 By seint Iame in Galeys þat many man haþ sought yit it is to good chepe þat þou hast y-bought Tho þat wardeynes were of þat wrastlyng Come and broughte Gamelyn þe Ram & þe ryng Line 280 And sayde haue gamelyn þe Ring and þe Ram ffor þe beste wrastelere þat euer heere cam ¶ Thus wan Gamely þe Ram and þe Ryng And wente with moche Ioye hom in þe mornyng Line 284 his broþer seigh wher he cam wiþ þe grete route And bad schitte þe gate and holde him wiþoute þe porter of his lord was sore agast And stert anon to þe gate and lokked it fast Line 288 Now liþeþ and lesteneþ boþe ȝong and olde/ And ȝe schul heere game of Gamelyn þe bolde/ Gamelyn com þer for to haue come In Than was it schett faste wiþ a pyn Line 292 Thanne seyde Gamelyn porter vndo þe gate/ ffor many a good mannes sone stondeþ þerate [folio 65b] Than answerd þe porter and swor by goddes berde Thou ne schalt Gamelyn come in to þis ȝerde Line 296 Thou lixt sayde Gamelyn so brouke I my chyn he smot þe wiket with his foot and brak away þe pyn The porter seih þo it mighte no bettre be he sette foot on erþe he bigan to flee Line 300 By my faiþ sayde Gamelyn þat trauaile is lore ffor I am of foote as light as þou þough þou haddest swore Gamelyn ouertok þe porter and his teene wrak And gert him in þe necke þat þe boon tobrak Line 304 And took him by þat oon arm and þrew him in a welle/ vij. fadmen it was deep as I haue herd telle/ Whan Gamelyn þe yonge þus hadde playd his play Alle þat in yerde weren drewen hem a-way Line 308

Line 308 þei dredden him ful sore for wreke þat he wrought And for þe faire companye þat he þider brought Gamelyn ȝede to þe gate and leet [it] vp wyde he leet hem in alle þat gone wolde or ryde Line 312 And seyde ȝe be welcome wiþouten eny greeue ffor we wiln ben maisteres heere and aske no man leeue yesterday I lefte seyde ȝonge Gamelyn In my broþer seler .v. tonne of wyn Line 316 I wol not þis companye parten a twynne And ye wol doon after me whil ony sope is þrinne And if my broþer grucche or make foul cheere Oþer for spense of mete and drink þat we spenden heere/ I am oure catour and bere oure alþer purce he schal haue for his grucching seint maries curse My broþer is a negon I swere by cristes oore And we wol spende largely þat he haþ spared yore Line 324 And who þat makeþ grucching þat we heere dwelle/ he schal to þe porter in to þe drawe welle/ vij. dayes and seue night Gamelyn heeld his feeste/ With mochel solace was þere and no cheste/ Line 328 In a litel toret his broþer lay steke And seigh hem wasten his good but durst he not speke [folio 66a] Erly on a mornyng on þe viij^e. day The gestes come to Gamelyn and wolde gon here way Line 332 lordes sayde Gamelyn wil ye so hye All þe wyn is not yet drunken so brouk I myn ye Gamelyn in his herte was wel woo Whanne his gestes toke hire leue from him for to goo Line 336 he wolde þei hadde dwelled lenger and þai saide nay But bitaughten Gamelyn god and good day Thus maade Gamelyn his feeste and brought it wel to eende And after his gestes tok leue to wende Line 340 litheþ and lesteneþ and holdeþ ȝoure tonge And ȝe schul heere gamen of Gamelyn þe ȝonge herkeneth lordynges and listeneth aright Whan all gestes were goon how Gamelyn was dight Line 344

Line 344 All þe whil þat Gamelyn held his mangerie his broþer þought on him be wreke with his treccherie Tho Gamelynes gestes were riden and y-gon Gamelyn stood anoon allone frend had he noon Line 348 Tho after ful soone wiþinne a litel stounde Gamelyn was taken and ful harde bounde fforþ com þe false knight out of þe sellere To Gamelyn his broþer he ȝede ful neere Line 352 And seyde to Gamelyn who made þe so bold ffor to stroyen my stoore of myn houshold Broþer sayde Gamelyn wraþþe þe right nouȝt ffor it is many day go siþþen it was bought Line 356 ffor broþer þou hast had by seint Richer Of fiftene plowes of lond þis xvj. ȝer And of alle þe beestes þou hast forþ bred That my fader me byquath on his deth bed Line 360 Of alle þis .xvj. ȝeer I yiue þe þe prow/ ffor þe mete and þe drink þat we haue spended now Thanne seyde þe false knight yuel mote he þee herkne broþer Gamelyn what I wol yiue þee/ Line 364 ffor of my body broþer geten heer haue I noon I wil make þe myn heir I swere by sein Iohn [folio 66b] Par ma fay seyde Gamelyn and it so bee And þou þenke as seist god ȝelde it þe Line 368 No þing wiste Gamelyn of his broþeres gile Ther-fore he him begiled in a litel while/ Gamelyn seyde he o þing I þe telle Tho þou þrewe my porter in to þe drawe welle Line 372 I swoor in þat wraþþe and in þat grete moot þat þou scholdest be bounde boþe hand and foot Therfore I þe beseche broþer Gamelyn Lat me nought be forsworne broþer artow myn Line 376 Lat me bynde þe boþe hand and foote ffor to halde myn avow as I þe bihoote Broþer seyde Gamelyn as so mote I þee Thou schalt nought be forsworne for þe loue of me Line 380

Line 380 Tho maden þei gamelyn to sitte might he not stonde Til þei hadden him bounde/ boþe foot and honde The false knight his broþer of Gamelyn was agast And sente after feteres to feteren him atte last Line 384 his broþer made lesynges on him þer he stood And tolde hem þat comen In that Gamelyn was wood Gamelyn stood to a post bounden in þe halle/ Tho that comen in lokeden on him alle Line 388 Euer stood Gamelyn euen vpright But mete and drink hadde he noon noþer day ne night Thanne sayde Gamelyn broþer by myn hals Now I haue aspied þou art a party fals Line 392 hadde I wist þat treson þat þou haddest y-founde I wolde haue youe strokes or I hadde be bounde Gamelyn stood bounden stille as eny stoon Tuo daies and tuo nightes mete hadde he noon Line 396 Thanne sayde Gamelyn þat stood y-bounde stronge Adam spenser me þink I faste to longe Adam þe spenser now I beseche þe ffor þe moche loue my fader loued þe Line 400 If þou may come to þe kayes leese me out of bonde And I schal parte wiþ þe of my free londe [folio 67a] Thanne sayde adam þat was þe spenser I haue serued þi broþer þis .xvj. ȝer Line 404 If I lete þe gon out of his boure he wolde say afterward I were a traitour Adam seyde Gamelyn so brouke I myn hals þou schalt fynde my broþer atte laste right fals/ Line 408 Ther-fore broþer adam loose me out of bondes And I wil parte with þe of my free londes vp swich a forward seide adam y-wys/ I wol do þerto al þat in me is Line 412 Adam seyde Gamelyn also mote I þee I wil holde þe couenant and þou wil lose me Anon as adames lord to bedde was y-goon Adam tok þe kayes and leet Gamelyn out a-non Line 416

Line 416 He vnlokked Gamelyn boþe handes and feet In hope of auancement þat he him biheet Thanne seide Gamelyn þanked be goddes sonde Now I am loosed boþe foot and honde Line 420 hadde I now eten and drunken aright Ther is non in þis hous schulde bynde me þis night Adam took Gamelyn stille as stille as eny stoon And ladde him in to spense rapely and anoon Line 424 And sette him to soper right in a priue stede he bad him do gladly and Gamelyn so dede Anon as Gamelyn hadde eten wel and fyn And þerto y-dronke wel of þe reede wyn Line 428 Adam seyde Gamelyn what is now þy rede ffor I go to my broþer and gyrde of his hede Gamelyn seyde adam it schal nouȝt be so I can teche þe a reede þat is worth þe tuo Line 432 I wot wel for soþe þat þis is no nay We schulle haue a mangery right on sonday Abbotes and Priours many heer schal be And oþer men of holy chirche as I telle þe Line 436 þou schalt stonde vp by þe poste as þou were hond fast And I schal leue þam vnloke þat away þou may hem caste [folio 67b] Whan þat þei haue eten and wasshen here hondes Thou schalt biseke hem alle to bringe þe out of bondes Line 440 And if þei wil borwe þe þat were good game Thanne were þou out of prison and I out of blame And if ech of hem sey to vs nay I schal don anoþer I swere by þis day Line 444 Thou schalt haue a good staff/ and I wol haue anoþer And cristes curs haue þat oon þat failleþ þat oþer Ya for gode seyde Gamelyn I say it for me If I faile on my syde yuele mote I þe Line 448 If we schulle algate assoile hem of here synne Warne me broþer adam whan we schul begynne Gamelyn seyde adam by seinte charite/ I wil warne þe biforn whan þat it schal be Line 452

Line 452 Whan I twynk on þe loke for to gone And cast awey þe fetteres and come to me anoon Adam seyde Gamelyn blessed be þy boones That is a good counsail yeuyng for þe nones Line 456 If þey werne me to bringe me out of beendes I wol sette goode strokes right on here lendes Tho þe sonday was y-come and folk to þe feeste ffaire þei were welcomed boþe leste and meeste Line 460 And euere as þey atte hall dore comen In Thay caste þair yhe on ȝonge Gamelyn The false knight his broþer and ful of trecchery Alle þe gestes þat þer were atte mangery Line 464 Of Gamelyn his broþer he tolde hem with mouþe/ All þe harme and þe schame þat he telle couþe Tho þei were serued of messes tuo or þre Thanne seyde Gamelyn how serue ȝe me/ Line 468 It is not wel serued by god þat al made That I sitte fastyng and oþer men make hem glade The fals knight his broþer þere þat he stood Tolde all his gestes þat Gamelyn was wood Line 472 And Gamelyn stood stille and answerde nought But adames wordes he heeld in his þought [folio 68a] Tho Gamelyn gan speke dolfully wiþ alle To þe grete lordes þat saten in þe halle Line 476 lordes he seyde for cristes passion help to brynge Gamelyn out of prison Thanne seyde an abbot sorwe on his cheeke he schal haue cristes curs and seinte maries eeke Line 480 That þe out of prisoun beggeth or borweth But euere worþe hem wel þat doþ þe moche sorwe After þat abbot þan spak anoþer I wolde þin hed were offe þey þou were my broþer Line 484 Alle þat þe borwe foule moot þam falle Thus þei seide alle þat weren in þe halle Than seyde a priour yuel mote he þriue It is moche sorwe & and skaþe boy þat þou art on lyue Line 488

Line 488 Ow seyde Gamelyn so brouke I my bon Now I haue aspied þat freendes haue I noon Cursed mot he worthe boþe fleisshe and blood That euere do priour or abbot eny good Line 492 Adam þe spenser took vp þe cloþe And loked on Gamelyn and seih þat he was wrooth Adam on þe Pantrie litul he þought But tuo goode staues to halle dore he brought Line 496 Adam looked on Gamelyn and he was war anon And cast awey þe feteres and he bygan to goon Tho he cam to adam he took þat oo staf And bigan to worche and goode strokes yaf Line 500 Gamleyn cam in to þe halle and þe spencer bothe And loked hem aboute as þei hadde be wroþe Gamelyn sprengeþ holy water with an ook spire That somme þat stoode vpright felle in the fire Line 504 Ther was no lewed man þat in þe halle stood That wolde do Gamelyn any þing but good But stooden besyden and lete hem boþe werche ffor þei hadde no reuþe of men of men of holy cherche Line 508 Abbot or priour monk or chanon That Gamelyn ouertok anon þei ȝeden doun [folio 68b] Ther was non of hem alle þat wiþ his staf mette That he made hem ouerþrowe and quitte hem his dette Line 512 Gamelyn sayde adam for sainte charite/ Pay good lyueray for þe loue of me And I wol kepe þe dore so euer heere I masse/ Er þei ben assoiled þer schal non passe Line 516 Dout þe nouȝt seide Gamelyn whil we ben in feere/ Kepe þou wel þe dore and I wol werche heere Stere good adam and late þer none flee And we schulle telle largely how many þer be Line 520 Gamelyn seyde adam do hem but good Thay ben men of holy che[rche] draw of hem no blood Saue wel þe croune and do hem non harmes But breke boþe here legges and siþþen here armes Line 524

Line 524 Thus Gamelyn and adam wroughte right faste/ And pleyden with þe monkes and made hem agaste/ Thider þey come rydyng Iolyly wiþ swaynes And hom aȝein þei were ledde in Cartes and in waynes Line 528 Tho þei hadden alle y-don þan seyde a gray frere Allas sire abbot what dide we now heere Tho þat we comen hider it was a cold rede vs hadde ben better at home wiþ water and wiþ breed Line 532 Whil Gamelyn made ordres of monkes and freere/ Euer stood his broþer and made foul cheere Gamelyn vp wiþ his staf þat he wel knew And gerte him in þe nekke þat he ouerþrew Line 536 A litel aboue þe girdel þe riggebon tobarst And sette him in þe feteres þer he sat arst Sitte þere broþer seyde Gamelyn ffor to coole þi blood as I dide myn Line 540 As swiþe as þei hadde wroken hem on here foon They askede water and wisshen anoon What somme for here loue and somme for awe Alle þe seruantz serued hem of þe beste lawe Line 544 The scherreue was þenne but fyue myle/ And al was told him in a litel while/ [folio 69a] how Gamelyn and adam hadde don a sory res Bounden and wounded men aȝein þe kinges pees Line 548 Tho bigan sone strif for to wake And þe scherref aboute Gamelyn for to take Now litheþ and lesteneþ so god ȝiue ȝou good fyn And ȝe schul heere good game of ȝonge Gamelyn Line 552 ffour and twenty ȝonge men þat helden ful bolde Come to þe scherref and seyde þat þai wolde Gamelyn and adam fette be way The scherref yaf hem leue soþ as I ȝou say Line 556 þei hieden faste wolde þay nought belynne Til þei comen to þe gate þer gamelyn was Inne They knokken on þe gate þe porter was ney And loked out at an hole as man þat was sleigh Line 560

Line 560 The porter hadde beholde þam a litel while he louede Gamelyn and was adrad of gile/ And leet þe wiket stonde ful stille And asked hem wiþoute what was here wille Line 564 ffor all þe grete company þanne spak but oon Vndo þe gate porter and lat vs In goon Than seyde þe porter so brouke I my chynne Ȝe schul sey ȝour erand er ȝe comen Inne Line 568 Sey to Gamelyn and adam if þeir wille be We wol speke to hem two wordes or þre ffelaw sayde þe porter stond þere stille And I wol wende to Gamelyn to witen his wille Line 572 In wente þe porter to Gamelyn anon And saide sire I warne ȝou here ben come ȝoure foon The scherreues men ben atte gate ffor to take ȝou boþe schulle ȝe not scape Line 576 Porter seyde Gamelyn so mote I wel þe I wol allowe þe þi wordes whan I my tyme see Go aȝein to þe gate and dwelle wiþ hem a while/ And þou schalt see right soone porter a gyle Line 580 Adam seyde Gamelyn loke þe to goone We haue foomen atte gate and freendes neuer oone [folio 69b] It ben þe scherreues men þat hider ben y-come/ Thei ben swore to-gidere þat we schul be nome Line 584 Gamelyn saide adam hye þe right blyue And if I faile þe þis day yuel mote I þriue And we schulle so welcome þe Scherreues men That somme of hem schulle make here beddes in þe fen Line 588 Atte posterne gate Gamelyn out wente And a good cart staf in his hond he hente Adam hente soone anoþer gret staf ffor to helpe Gamelyn and goode strokes he ȝaf Line 592 Adam felde tweyne and Gamelyn felde þre That oþer sette feet on erþe and bigan to flee What seide adam so euere heere I masse/ I haue right good wyn / drynke or ȝe passe Line 596

Line 596 Nay by god sayde þai þi drink is not good It wolde make a mannes brayn to lyen in his hood Gamelyn stood stille and loked him aboute And saide þe scherref comeþ with a gret route Line 600 Adam seide Gamelyn what be now þy redes here comeþ þe scherreue and wil haue oure heedes Adam sayde to Gamelyn my reed is now þis Abyde we no longere if we fare amys Line 604 I rede þat we to woode goon ar þat we be founde Bettre is it þer louse þan in toune y-bounde Adam tok by þe hond ȝonge Gamelyn And euery of hem drank a draught of wyn Line 608 And after token here cours and wenten here way Tho fond þe scherreue nest and noon ay The scherref lighte doun and went in to þe halle And fond þe lord fetered faste wiþ alle Line 612 þe scherreue vnfetered him right soone anon And sente after a leche to hele his regge bon lete we now þis false knight lye in his care And talke we of Gamelyn and loke how he fare Line 616 Gamelyn in to þe woode stalkede stille And adam þe spenser likede right ylle [folio 70a] Adam swore to Gamelyn by seint richeer Now I see it is mery to ben a spenser Line 620 That leuere me were keyes to bere Than walken in þis wilde woode my cloþes to tere Adam sayde Gamelyn dismaye þe right nought Many good mannes childe in care is brought Line 624 As þei tooke talking boþe in feere Adam herde talking of men and neigh him þought þei were Tho Gamelyn vnder woode loked aright vij. score of ȝonge men he say wel adight Line 628 Alle satte atte mete compas aboute Adam sayde Gamelyn now haue ȝe no doute After bale comes boote þorugh goddes might Me þinkeþ of mete and drynk þat I haue a sight Line 632

Line 632 Adam lokede þo vnder woode bowgh And þo he say mete he was glad ynough ffor he hopede to god for to haue his deele And he was sore alonged after a good meele Line 636 As he saide þat word þe mayster outlawe Saugh Gamelyn and adam vnder woode schawe/ ȝonge men seyde þe maister by þe god roode I am war of gestes god sende vs goode Line 640 ȝond been tuo yonge men right wel adight And perauenture þer ben mo who so loked aright Ariseþ vp yonge men and sette hem to me It is good þat we witen what men it be Line 644 vp þei sterten .vij. fro þe dyner And metten with Gamelyn and adam spenser Whan þei were neih hem þan seyde þat oon yeldeþ vp yonge men ȝour bowes & your floon Line 648 Thanne seide Gamelyn þat yong was of elde Moche sorwe mote he haue þat to yow hem ȝeelde I corse non oþer but right my selue þey ȝe fette to yow fyue þanne ye be twelue Line 652 þo þei herde by his word þat might was in his arm There was non of hem þat wolde don him harm [folio 70b] But seide to gamelyn myldely and stille/ Com afore oure maister and say to him þi wille Line 656 yonge men seyde Gamelyn by your leute/ What man is ȝour maister þat ye with be Alle þei answerde wiþoute lesyng Oure mayster is crouned of outlawes king Line 660 Adam sayde Gamelyn go we in cristes name/ he may neyþer mete ne drynk werne vs for schame/ If þat he be kynde and come of gentil [blood] he wol yeue vs mete & drynk and don vs som good Line 664 By saint Iame saide adam what harm þat I gete/ I wol auenture me to þe dore þat I hadde mete/ Gamelyn and adam wente forþ in feere And þei grette þe maister þat þey founde þere Line 668

Line 668 Than seyde þe mayster king of outlawes What seeke ȝe yonge men vnder þe woode schawes/ Gamelyn answerde þe king wiþ his croune he moste needes walke in woode þat may not walke in towne Sire we walke not heere non harm to do Line 673 But if we meete a deer to schete þer to As men þat ben hungry and mowe no mete fynde And ben harde bestad vnder woode lynde Line 676 Of Gamelynes wordes þe mayster hadde rewþe And seyde ye schal haue ynough haue god my treuþe he bad hem sitte doun for to take reste And bad hem ete and drynke and þat of þe beste Line 680 As þei eeten and dronke wel and fyn Than saide þat oon to þat oþer þis is Gamelyn Tho was þe maister out-lawe in to counseil nome And tolde how it / was Gamelyn þat þider was y-come Line 684 Anon as he herde how it was byfalle he made him maister vnder him ouer hem alle Wiþinne þe þridde weke him come tydynges To þe mayster outlawe þat was here kynges Line 688 þat he schulde come home his pees was maad And of þat goode tydyng he was ful glaad [folio 71a] Tho sayde he to his ȝonge men soþ for to telle Me ben comen tydynges I may no lenger dwelle Line 692 Tho was Gamelyn anon wiþoute taryyng Maad mayster outlawe and crouned here king Tho was Gamelyn crouned king of out-lawes And walked a while vnder woode schawes Line 696 The false knight his broþer was scherreue and sire And leet his broþer endite for hate and for Ire Tho were his bonde men sory and noþing gladde Whan Gamelyn here lord wolfes heed was cried and maad And sente out of his men wher þey might him fynde Line 701 ffor to seeke Gamelyn vnder þe woode lynde To tellen him tydynges the wynd was went And all his good reued and his men schent Line 704

Line 704 Whan þei had him founden on knees þey hem setten And a-doun with here hood and here lord gretten Sire wraþþe you nought for þe goode roode ffor we haue brought ȝou tydynges but þei ben not goode Now is þy broþer scherreue and haþ þe baillie Line 709 And haþ endited þe and wolfes heed doþ þe crye Allas sayde Gamelyn þat euer I was so slak That I ne hadde broke his necke þo I his rigge brak Line 712 Goþ greeteþ wel myn housbondes and wijf I wil ben atte nexte schire haue god my lijf Gamelyn cam wel redy to þe nexte schire And þere was his broþer boþe lord and sire Line 716 Gamelyn com boldely in to þe moot halle And putte adoun his hood among þe lordes alle God saue yow lordynges þat now heere be But broke bak Scherreue yuel mote þou þee Line 720 Why hast þou do me þat schame and vilenye ffor to late endite me and wolues heed do me crye Tho þoughte þe false knight for to ben awreke And leet take Gamelyn most he nomore speke Line 724 Might þer be no more grace but Gamelyn atte laste/ Was cast in to prison and fetered faste/ [folio 71b] ¶ Gamelyn haþ a broþer þat highte sire Oote As good a knight and heende as mighte gon on foote Line 728 Anon ȝeede a messager to þat goode knight And told him altogider how Gamelyn was dight Anon as sire Oote herde how Gamelyn was dight he was right sory was he noþing light Line 732 And leet sadle a steede and þe way he nam And to his tweyne breþeren right soone he cam Sire sayde sire Ote to þe Scherreue þo We ben but þre breþeren schulle we neuer be mo Line 736 And þou hast prisoned þe beste of vs alle Swich anoþer broþer yuel him mote bifalle Sire Ote seyde þe fals knight lat be þi curs By god for þi wordes he schal fare þe wurs Line 740

Line 740 To þe kinges prisone he is y-nome And þer he schal abyde to þe Iustice come Parde saide sire Ote bettre it schal be I bidde him to maympris þat þou graunte to me Line 744 Til þe nexte sittyng of deliuerance And late þanne Gamelyn stande to his chaunce Broþer in swich a forward I take him to þe And by þi fader soule þat þe bigat and me Line 748 But he be redy whan þe Iustice sitte Thou schalt bere his Iuggement for all þi grete witte I graunte wel seide sire Ote þat it so be let deliuere him anon and tak him to me Line 752 Tho was Gamelyn deliuered to sire Ote his broþer And þat night dwelleden þat oon wiþ þat oþer On þe morwe seyde Gamelya to sire Ote þe heende Broþer he seyde I moot for soþe fro þe weende Line 756 To loke how my yonge men leden here lyf Wheþer þey lyuen in Ioye or elles in strif By god seyde sire Ote þat is a cold rede Now I se þat all þe cark schal falle on myn hede Line 760 ffor whan þe Iustice sitte and þou be nought y-founde I schal anon be take and in þy stede y-bounde [folio 72a] Broþer sayde Gamelyn dismaie þe nought ffor by saint Iame in Gales that many man haþ sought Line 764 If þat god almighty holde me my lyf and witte I wil be þere redy whan þe Iustice sitte Thanne seide sire Ote to Gamelyn god schilde þe fro schame Com whan þou seest tyme and bryng vs out of blame Line 768 ¶ litheth and lesteneth and holdeþ ȝou stille And ȝe schulle heere how Gamelyn hadde his wille Gamelyn wente vnder þe woode Rys And fond þere pleying yonge men of pris Line 772 Tho was yonge Gamelyn right glad ynough Whan he fond his men vnder þe woode bough Gamelyn and his men talked in feere And þey hadde good game here maister to heere/ Line 776

Line 776 his men tolden him of auentures þat þei hadde y-founde And Gamelyn him tolde aȝein how he was faste bounde Whil Gamelyn was outlawe hadde he no curs Ther was no man þat for him ferde þe wors Line 780 But abbotes and priours monk and Chanōn On of hem lefte he nought whan he might hem nom Whil Gamelyn and his men made merþes Ryue The false knight his broþer yuel mote he þriue Line 784 ffor he was faste aboute boþe o day and oþer ffor to hire þe queste to hangen his broþer Gamelyn stood on a day and he biheeld The woodes and þe schawes in þe wilde feeld Line 788 he þought on his broþer how he him beheet Þat he wolde be redy whan þe Iustice seet he þoughte wel þat he wolde wiþoute delay Come afore þe Iustice to keepen his day Line 792 And seide to his yonge men dighte yow ȝare ffor whan þe Iustice sitte we mote be þare ffor I am vnder borwe til þat I come/ And my broþer for me to prison schal be nome Line 796 By seint Iame seide his ȝonge men and þou rede þertoo Ordeigne how it schal be and it schal be do [folio 72b] Whil Gamelyn was comyng þer þe Iustice satte The false knight his broþer for-yatte he not þatte Line 800 To hire þe men on his quest to hangen his broþer Though þey hadde nought þat oon he wolde haue þat oþer Tho cam Gamelyn fro vnder woode Rys And broughte with him ȝonge men of prys Line 804 I se wel seyde Gamelyn the Iustice is sette Go aforn adam and loke how it spette Adam wente in to þe halle and loked all aboute he seih þere stonde lordes boþe grete and stoute Line 808 And sire Ote his broþer fetered wel fast Tho went adam out of halle as he were agast Adam seide to Gamelyn and to his felawes alle Sire Ote stant fetered in þe moot halle Line 812

Line 812 yonge men sayde Gamelyn þis þey heeren alle Sire Ote stant fetered in þe moot halle If god yif vs grace wel for to do he schal it abegge þat it broughte þerto Line 816 Thanne seyde Gamelyn þat lokkes hadde hore Cristes curs most he haue þat him [[four strokes to the m.]] bond so sore And þou wolt Gamelyn don after my reed Ther is non in þe halle schal bere awey his heed Line 820 Adam seyde Gamelyn we wille nought doon so We wol sle þe gultyf and late þe oþer go I wil in to þe halle and wiþ þe Iustice speke On hem þat ben gultyf I wol ben a-wreke Line 824 late non scape at þe dore yonge men take yeme ffor I wol be Iustice þis day doomes to deeme God speede me þis day at my newe werk Adam com with me for þou schalt be my clerk Line 828 his men answerde him and bad him don his best And if þou to vs haue neede þou schalt fynde vs preste We wiln stande with þe whil þat we may dure And but we werken manly pay vs non hure Line 832 Yonge men sayde Gamelyn so mot I wel þee/ As trusty a maister ye schal fynde of me [folio 73a] Right þer þe Iustice sat in þe halle In wente Gamelyn amonges hem alle Line 836 Gamelyn leet vnfettere his broþer out of bende Thanne seide sire Otes his broþer þat was heende Thou haddest almost Gamelyn dwelled to longe ffor þe queste is out on me þat I scholde honge Line 840 Broþer seide Gamelyn so god yif me good rest This day þey schul ben hanged þat ben vpon þe quest And þe Iustice boþe þat is þe Iugge man And þe schirriue boþe þorugh him it bigan Line 844 Thanne seyde Gamelyn to þe Iustise Now is þy power don þou most nedes arise Thou hast yiuen doomes þat ben yuel dight I wil sitten in þi sete and dressen hem aright Line 848

Line 848 The Iustice sat stille and roos nought anoon And Gamelyn cleuede his cheke boon Gamelyn tok him in his armes and nomore spak But þrewe him ouer þe barre and his arme tobrak Line 852 Durste non to Gamelyn seye but good ffor fered of þe companye þat wiþoute stood Gamelyn sette him doun in þe Iustices sete And sire Otes his broþer by him and adam at his feet Line 856 Whan Gamelyn was sette in þe Iustices sete/ herkne of a bourde þat Gamelyn dede he leet fetere þe Iustice and his false brother And leet hem come to þe barre þat oon wiþ þat oþer Line 860 Tho Gamelyn hadde þus y-don hadde he no rest Til he hadde enquered who was on þe quest ffor to deemen his broþer sire Otes for to honge Er he wiste which þei were he þoughte ful longe Line 864 But as sone as Gamelyn wiste wher þey were he dede hem euerichon feteren in fere And bringen hem to þe barre and sette hem in Rewe By my faith seide þe Iustice þe Scherreue is a schrewe/ Line 868 Thanne sayde Gamelyn to þe Iustice Thou hast youe doomes of þe wors assise [folio 73b] And þe .xij. Sisours that weren of þe queste They schulle ben hanged þis day so haue I good reste Line 872 Thanne seyde þe Scherreue to yonge Gamelyn lord I crye þe mercy broþer art þou myn Ther-fore saide Gamelyn haue þou cristes curs ffor and þou were maister yet I schulde haue wors Line 876 ffor to make schort tale and nought to long he ordeigned him a queste of his men so strong The Iustice and þe Scherreue beþ honged hye To weiuen with þe Ropes and with þe wynd drye Line 880 And þe .xij Sisours sorwe haue þat rekke Alle þey were hanged faste by þe nekke Thus endeth þe false knight with his treccherie That euer hadde lad his lyf in falsnes and folye Line 884

Line 884 he was hanged by þe necke and nought by þe purs That was þe meede þat he hadde for his fadres curs Sire Otes was eldest and Gamelyn was ying Wenten with here frendes and passed with þe king Line 888 They made pees with þe king of þe best assise The king loued wel sire Ote and made him Iustice And after þe king made Gamelyn boþe in est and west Cheef Iustice of his fre fforest Line 892 Alle his wighte yonge men þe king for-yaf here gilt And siþþen in good office þe king haþ alle hem pilt ¶ Thus wan Gamelyn his lond and his leede And wrak him of his enemys and quitte hem here meede Line 896 And sire Ote his broþer made him his heir And siþþen wedded Gamelyn a wyf a good and a fair They lyueden togidere whil þat crist wolde And siþþen was gamelyn grauen vnder molde Line 900 And so schal we alle may þer noman flee God bring vs to þe Ioye þat euer schal be AmeN pour charite [[No gap in the MS.]]