The Cambridge ms (University library, Gg. 4.27) of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.

GROUP A. FRAGMENT I.

§ 1. GENERAL PROLOGUE. [Prologus. Libri. [Harl. 1758, leaf 1]

CAMBRIDGE UNIV. MS. Gg. 4. 27. (Its gaps are filled in from Harl. 1758 and Sloane 1685.)

Whan that Aprille . with his schoures swote. The drought of Marche . hath perced to þe rote. And bathed euery veyne . in suche licoure. Of whiche vertue . engendrid ys the floure. Line 4 And ȝephirus eke . with his swete breth. Enspired hath . in euerie holt and heth. The tendre croppes . and the yong sonne. In to the Ram . his half cours ronne. Line 8 And smale fowles . maken melodye. That slepen all the nyght . with open eye. So priketh hem nature . in here corages. Than longen folk . to gon in pilgrymages. Line 12 And palmers for to seke . straunge strondes To ferne halwes . couthe in sondry londes. And specialy . from euerie schires ende. Of Englond to Caunterburye thei wende. Line 16 The holy blisfull martyr . for to seke. That hem hath holpen . whan þat þei were seke. Byfell that . in that sesoun on a daye. In suthwerk . at the Thabard as I laye. Line 20 Redy to wenden . on my pilgrymage. To Caunterbury . with full deuoute corage. At nyght was come . in to þat hostelrye. Well nyne and twenty . in a companye. Line 24 Of sondry folk . by auenture falle. In felschip . and pilgrymes were þei alle. That towarde Cauntirbury . wolde ryde.

[The chambres . and the stables weren wyde. [[Harl. 1758]] Line 28 And well were esid . at the beste. And schortly . whan the sonne was to reste. So had I spoken . with hem euerychon. That I was . of here felaschip anon. Line 32 And made forward . erly for to ryse. To take oure way . there as I you deuyse. But natheles . while I haue tyme and space. Or that I ferþer . in this tale pace.] Line 36 Me thynketh it a-cordaunt to resoun [[The Cambridge MS., leaf 132, begins here.]] To telle ȝow / al the conchusyoun Of eche of hem as it semyth me And whiche þey were & of what degre Line 40 And ek in what aray þat they were inne And at a knyȝt þanne wele I ferst begynne ¶ A knyght þere was & that a worthy man [Miles [on the left. On the right, in a later hand, like all the subsequent names,] Knyth] That from the tyme that he ferst began To rydyn out he louede Chyualrye Trouthe honour fredom & curteysie Line 46 fful worthi was he in hese lordis werre And therto hadde he / redyn noman ferre Line 48 As wel in cristyndom as in hethnesse And euere honoured for hese worthynesse ¶ At Alisandir he was whan it was wonne And ofte tyme / he hadde þe bord begunne Line 52 A-bouyn alle nacyounnys in Pruce In lectowe hadde he reysed & in reuce Non cristene man so ofte / of his degre In gernage at þe sege ek hadde he be Line 56 Of Algazer & redyn in balmarye At leyeys was he & at satalye Whan they were wonne & in þe grete see At manye a nobil aryue hadde he be Line 60 At mortal bataylis hadde he be fiftene And [foughten] for oure feith at tramessene In lystis thryis / & ay slayen his fo

This ilke worthi knyth hadde ben also Line 64 Sumtyme with þe lord of Palatye Ageyn anothir hethen / in Turkye And eueremor he hadde a souereyn prys And thow that he were worthy he was wys Line 68 And of hese port as meke as is a mayde He neuere ȝit non velany ne sayde In al his lyȝf vn to no maner wight He was a weray perfit gentil knyȝt Line 72 But for to telle ȝow of his aray [folio 132b] Hese hors were goode / but he was not gay Of fustien he werede a iopoun Al besloteryd with hese habirioun Line 76 for he was late come from hese vyage And wente for to don here pilgrymage ¶ With hym þere was / hese sone a ȝong squyer [Squyer] A louere / & a lusty bacheleer Line 80 With lokkis crulle as þey were leyd in presse Of twenty ȝer / of age he was I gesse Of hese stature / he was of euene lenthe And wonderly delyuere / & of gret strenthe Line 84 And he hadde ben sumtyme In chyuachie In fflaunderis in artoys / & in pikardye And boryn wel as of so litil spase In hope to stondyn / in hese lady grace Line 88 Enbroudit was he / as it were a mede Al ful of frossche flourys white & rede Syngynge he was or floutynge al the day He was as frosch as is the monyth of may Line 92 Schort was his gounne / with sleuys longe & wide Wel coude he sitte on hors / & fayre ryde He coude songis make / & fayre endite Iuste & ek daunse / & wel portreye & wryte Line 96 So hote he louede þat be nyghter tale He slepte no more than doth a nyghtyngale Curteis he was loueli & seruysable

And karf be-forn hese fadir at the table Line 100 ¶ A ȝeman hadde he & seruauntys no moo [ȝeman] At that tyme / for he leste ryde soo And he was clad in cote & hod of grene A schef of pekok / arwys bryȝte & schene Line 104 Vndir his belte he bar ful thryftyly Wel coude he dresse hese takil ȝemanly Hese arwis droupede nought with federys lowe And in his hand he bare a myghty bowe Line 108 A not hed hadde he / with a broun vesage [folio 133a] Of wode craft wel coude he al þe usage Vp on his arm he bar a gay braser And by his side / a swerd & a bokeler Line 112 And on that oþer side a gay daggere Harneysed wel / & schrap as poynt of spere A Cristofere / on his brest of siluyr schene An horn he bar þe baudryk was of grene Line 116 A foster was he sothli as I gesse Ther was also a nunne a prieresse [Prieresse] ¶ That of here smylyng was ful simple & coy Here gretteste oth was but be seynt loy Line 120 And sche was clepid Madame Eglentyne fful wel sche song / þe seruyse of deuyne Entuned in here nose so semely And french sche spak ful fayre & fetysely Line 124 As aftyr þe schole of stratforthe at the bowe ffor french of parys was to here onknowe ¶ At mete wel I-tauȝt / was sche with alle Sche let no morsel / from here lyppis falle Line 128 Ne wette here fyngyr / in here sause depe Wel couthe sche carye a morsel / & wel kepe That no drope ne fel vp on here brest In curteysie was set ful meche here lyst Line 132 Hire ouere lippe wipede sche so klene That in hire coppe þer was / no ferthyng sene Of gres / whan sche dronkyn / hadde her draught

fful semely aftyr here mete sche raught Line 136 And sekyrly sche was of gret disport And ful plesynge & amyable of port And peynede here to contyrfete chere Of court & to been / estatly of manere Line 140 And to ben holde dygne of reuerence But for to spekyn of here concience Sche was so charytable & so pitous Sche wolde wepe ȝif that sche seye a mous Line 144 Kauȝt in a trappe ȝif it were ded or bledde [folio 133b] Of smale houndis hadde sche þat sche fedde With rostid flesch or mylk or wastelbred But sore wepte sche ȝif on of hem were ded Line 148 Or ȝif men smot it with a ȝerde smerte And al was concience & tendere herte ¶ fful semely here wimpil pynched was Here nose tretis here eyen greye as glas Line 152 Here mouth ful smal & þerto softe & red But sekyrly / sche hadde a fayr forhed It was almost a spanne brod I trowe ffor hardily sche was not vndir-growe Line 156 fful fetys was here cloke as I was war Of smale corl aboute here arm sche bar A peyre of bedis I-gaudeit al with grene And þeron heng a broche of gold so kene Line 160 On wich þere was wretyn a cround A And aftyr Amor vincit omnia ¶ A nothir nonne with here hadde sche [cnapeleyn] ¶ That was here chapelen & prestis thre [Nonne prest] ¶ A monk þere was a fayr for the maystrye [Monk] An out ridere þat louede uenerye A manly man to ben an abbot able fful manye a deynte hors hadde he in stable Line 168 And whan he rod men myȝte his brydil here Gyngelyn in a whistelyng wynd als clere And ek as loude as doth the chapel belle

There as this lord was kepere of the selle Line 172 The reule of seynt Maur / & of seynt benyght Be cause that it was old & sumdel streyt This ilke monk let olde thynge pace And held aftyr the newe world the space Line 176 He ȝaf not of that tixt a pulled henne That seith þat hunterys ben not holye menne Ne that a monk whan he is rekeles Is lykened to a fysch that is watyrles Line 180 This is to seyne a monk out of hese cloystre [folio 134a] But tilke tixt held he not worth an oystere And I seyde his opynyoun was good What schulde he stodie & make hymseluyn wood Line 184 Vp on a bok in cloystere alwey to poure Of swynkyn with hese hondis & laboure As Austyn bit how schal þ^e world be servid Let Austyn han his swynk to hym reservid Line 188 Therfore he was a prekasour aryȝt Grehou[n]dis he hadde as swift as foul in flyȝt Of prekyng & huntynge for the hare Was al hese lust for no cost wolde he spare Line 192 I sey hese sleuys / purfilid at the hand With grys / & that the feyneste of a land And for to festene his hod vndir his schyn He hadde of gold I-wrouȝt a ful coryous pyn Line 196 A loue knot in the grettere ende þere was His hed was ballyd that schon as ony glas And ek hese face as he hadde ben enoynt He was a lord ful fat & in good poynt Line 200 Hese eyen stepe & rollynge in hese hed That stemyd as a furneys of a led Hese botis souple / his hors in gret estat Now serteynly he was a fayr prelat Line 204 He nas not pale as a forpynnede gost A fat swan louede he best of ony rost His palfray was as broun as is a berye

A frere þere was a wantoun & a merye Line 208 ¶ A lymytour a ful solempne man [ffrere] In alle the orderys foure is non that can So mekil of daliauns & fayr langage He hadde mad ful manye a maryage Line 212 Of ȝonge wemen at hese owene cost On to his ordere he was a noble post fful wel he louyd / & famyliar was he With frankeleynys / oueral in his cuntre Line 216 And with worthi wemen of the toun [folio 134b] ffor he hadde power of confessioun As seide hym self more than a curat ffor of hese ordere he was licencyat Line 220 fful swetli herde he confessioun And plesaunt was hese absolucyoun He was an esi man to ȝeue penaunce There as he wiste to han a good petauns Line 224 Vnto pore orderis for to ȝeue Is [[s by a later hand]] ygne that a man Is [[s by a later hand]] wel I-schreue ffor ȝif he ȝaf he durste make auaunt He wiste that a man was repentaunt Line 228 ffor manye a man so hard is of hese herte He may not wepe though hym sore smerte Therfore in stede of wepyng & preyeres Men mote ȝeue siluer to the pore freres Line 232 ¶ Hise tipet was ay farsed ful of knyuys And pynnys for to ȝeuyn fayre wywes And serteynli he hadde a merye throte Wel couthe he synge & pleyen on a rote Line 236 Of ȝeddyngis he bar vttyrli the prys His nekke whit was as the flour de lis Therto he strong was as a chaumpioun He knew the tauernys wel in euery toun Line 240 And eueryche osteler & tapstere Bet than a laser or a bakystere ffor vn to swich a worthi man as he

Acordith not as by his faculte Line 244 To haue with swiche sike men a-queyntaunce It is not honest it may not auau[n]ce ffor to dele with non swich parayle But al with riche & selleris of vitayle Line 248 And oueral there profit schulde aryse Curteys he was & louly of seruyse Ther was no man now so vertywous He was the beste begere in hese hous Line 252 . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] ffor thow a wedewe hadde not a scho [folio 135a] So plesaunt was his in principio Ȝit wolde he haue a ferthyng er he wente His purchas was wel betyr than hese rente Line 256 And rage he couthe as it were ryȝt a whelp In louedayis there couthe he mekil help ffor there he was not lik a cloysterer With a thredbare kope as is a scholer Line 260 But he was lik a mystir or a pope Of double worstede was hese semeli kope Tha[t] rounded as a belle / out of the presse Sumwhat he lipsede for hese wantounnesse Line 264 To make hese engelisch swete vp on his tunge And in hese harpynge whan that he hadde sunge Hese eyȝyyn twynkeledyn in hese hed aryȝt As don the sterrys / in the frosty nyght Line 268 This worthi limytour / was cleped hobert A marchaunt was there with a forkede berd [Marchaunt] In motle an heigh on horse he sat Vp on his hed a flaunderich bemysch hat Line 272 Hese botis clospede ful fetusely Hese resoun he spak ful plesauntly [[in a late hand]] Sounynge alwey the cres of hese wynnyng He wolde the se / were kept for ony thyng Line 276 Be-twixe myddil-bourgh & orewelle

Wel couthe en eschaung schildis selle This worthi man ful wel his wit be-sette There wiste no man that he was in dette Line 280 So estatli was he of hese gouernaunce With hese bargaynys & hese cheuysance fforsothe he was a worthy man withal But sothe to seyn I not how men hym cal Line 284 A clerk there was of oxsenforthe also [Clek of Oxenforthe] That vnto logyk hadde longe I-go As lene was hese hors as is a rake And he nas not / ¹rygh fat / I vndyrtake¹ [[1-1 later hand]] Line 288 fful thredbare was hese ouereste courtepy [folio 135b] . . . . . [a line blank] ffor he hadde getyn hym ȝit no benefys Ne was so wordely for to hauyn offys Line 292 ffor hym was lefere to haue at hese bedis hed Twenty bokis I-clad in blak or red Of Aristotle & his philoso-phie þan robis ryche or fedele or gay sautrie Line 296 But al be þat he was a philisofre þat hadde but lityl gold in cofre But al þat he myȝte of hese frendis hente On bokis & on lernynge he it spente Line 300 And besily gan for þe soulys preye Of hem þat ȝaf hym wherwith to schole heye Of stodie tok he most kep & most hede Not a word spak he more þan was nede Line 304 And þat was seyd in forme & reuerence And schort & quik & ful of hey sentence Sounynge in moral uertu was hese speche And gladly wolde he lerne & gladli te-che Line 308 A seriaunt of the lawe bothe war & wys [Seregeaun] That oftyn hadde ben at þ^e paruys He was also ryche of excellence Discret he was & of gret reuerence Line 312 He semede swich hese wordis were so wyse

Iustyse he was ful oftyn in asyse Be patent & be pleyn commyssioun ffor hese sience & for hese heye renoun Line 316 Of feis & robis hadde he manyon So gret a purchasour was neuere nor Al was fesymple to hym in effect His purchase myȝte not ben enfect Line 320 Neuere so besy a man as he þere nas And þat he semede besiere þan he was In termys hadde he cas & domys alle þat from the tyme of kyng welyam were falle Line 324 Therto he coude endite & make a thyng [folio 136a] Ther coude no man pynche at hese writyng And euery statut coude he pleyn be rote He rod but homely in a medely cote Line 328 Gyrt with a seynt of silk with barrys smale Of hese aray telle I no lengere tale A frankeleyn was in hese cumpanye [ffrankeleyn] Whit was hese berd as is þe daysie Line 332 Of complexioun he was sanguyn Wel louede be þ^e morwe a soppe in wyn To leuyn in delit was euere hese wone ffor he was epicurus owene sone Line 336 Tha^t [[t in later hand]] held opynyoun þat pleyn delyt Was uery felicite parfyt An housholdere & þat a gret was he Seynt Ielion he was in that cuntre Line 340 Hese bred hese ale was alwey aftyr on A betere enuynede man was nower non With-oute bake mete was neuere his hous Of fysch & flesch & þat so plentyuous Line 344 It snowede in his mouth of mete [[te in late hand]] & drynk Of alle deynteis that [[t altered to at by a later hand]] men coude þynk Aftyr þ^e sundery sesenys of the ȝer So chaungede he hese mete & hese soper Line 348 fful manye a fat perterych hadde he in mewe

And many a brem / & manye a luce in stewe Wo was hese cook / but ȝif hese sauce were Poynaunt & redy al hese geere Line 352 His table dormaunt in hese halle alwey Stod redy keuered / al the longe day At sessiounnys þere was he lord & syre fful ofte tyme he was kn[i]ght of the schyre Line 356 An Anlas & a gipser al of sylk Heng at hese gyrdil whit as morwyn mylk A schirreue hadde he ben & countour Was [[as in a later hand]] nower swich a vanasour Line 360 An habirdaschere & a carpenter [folio 136b] A webber a dyere & a taphiser And þey were clothid alle in on lyuere Of a ful solempne & a gret fraternyte Line 364 ffrorsch & newe here ger apikede was Here knyues were chapid not with bras But al with sylvir wrouȝt ful clene & wel Here grerdelys & here pouchis euerydel Line 368 Wel semede eche of hem a fayr burgeys To sittyn In a ȝilde halle on a deys Euerych for the wisdam that he can Was schaply for to ben an aldirman Line 372 ffor catel hade þey I-now & rente And ek here wyuys wolde it wel assente And ellis serteyn weryn þey to blame It is ful fayr to be clepid madame Line 376 And gon to vigilis al be-fore And han a mental ryalliche I-bore A cok hadde þey with hem for þe nonys [A Cook] To boile the chekenys & the marye bonys Line 380 And poudir Marchaunt tard & galyngale Wel coude he knowe a drauȝt of londen ale He couth roste & sethe & boyle & frye Makyn mortereus & wel bake a pye Line 384 But gret harm was it as it semede me

That on hese schene a mormal hadde he ffor blankmanger þat made he at the beste A schipman was þere wonynge fer be weste [a Shipman] ffor ouȝt I wot he was of dertemouthe Line 389 He rod up on a rouncy as he couthe In a gounne of faldynge to the kne A daggere hangynge on a lace hadde he Line 392 Aboute his nekke vndir his arm adoun The hote somyr hadde mad his hew al broun And serteynli he was a good felawe fful manye a drauȝt of weyn hadde he I-drawe Line 396 ffrom burdeux ward whil that the chapman slep [folio 137a] Of nyce consience tok he none kep Ȝif that he fauȝt & hadde the heyere hand Be watyr he sente hem hom by euery land Line 400 But of hese craft to rekene wel hese tydis Hese stremys & hese daungerys hym besyde His herberwe & hese mone his [[s in a later hand]] lodmyngage There nas non swich from hul to cartage Line 404 Hardy he was & wys to vndirtake With manye a tempest hadde his berd ben schake He knew alle þe hauenys as þey were ffro gotlond to the kape of fenystere Line 408 And euery Cryk in bretayne & in spayne His barge clepid was de maudelayne With vs þere was a doctour of phisik [Doctor de physik] In al þis world was ther non hym lik Line 412 To speke of phisik & of surgerye ffor he was groundit in astronomye Hepte hese pacient a ful gret del In houres by his Magik naturel Line 416 Wel couthe he fortwnen the ascendent Of hese ymagis / for hese pacient He knew the cause of euery maladye Were it hot or cold or moyst or dreye Line 420 And where þey engendere & of what humour

He was a veray parfyt praktysour The cause I-knowe & of hese harm the rote Anon he ȝaf the seke man hese bote Line 424 fful redy hadde he sese apotecaryis To syndyn hym hese droggis & hese letewaryis ffor eche of hem made oþere for to wynne Here frenschepe was not newe to begynne Line 428 Wel knew he the olde exculapijs And diascorides & ek Rufijs Olde ypocras lylye & galien Serapion Raȝis & Auycen Line 432 Auerois damascyen & constantyn [folio 137b] Bernard & Gadefleun & gilbertyn Of hese diete mesurable was he ffor it was of non superfluyte Line 436 But of gret nuryschynge & digestible His stody was wol lytyl in the bible In sanguyn & in pers he clad was al lynede with taffata & sendal Line 440 And ȝit he was but esy of dispence He kepte that he wan in pestelence ffor gold in phisik is a cardial Therfore he louede gold in special Line 444 A good wif was there of beside bathe [A wyf of bathe] But sche was sumdel def & þat was skathe Of cloth makyng sche hade swich an hand Sche passed hem of ypres & of gaunt Line 448 In al the parich wif was there non That to the offerynge to fore her schulde gon And ȝif þere dede serteyn so wroth was sche That sche was out of alle charite Line 452 Here couercheis ful fyne were of ground I durste swere þey weyedyn a pound That on a sunday weryn vp on here hed Here hosyn weryn of fyn skarlet red Line 456 fful streyte I-teyede & schois ful moyste & newe

Bold was here face & fayr & red of hewe Sche was a worthi woman al here lyue Husbondis at cherche dore sche hadde fyue Line 460 With-outyn oþere compayne in ȝouthe But þerof nedith not to speke as nouthe And thryes hadde sche ben at Ierusalem Sche hadde passed manye a strong strem Line 464 At rome she hadde ben & at boloyne In galis at seynt Iame & at coloyne Sche couthe meche of wonderyng be þ^e weye Gat-toþed was sche sothly for to seye Line 468 Vp-on an aumbelere ful esily sche sat [folio 138a] I-wympeled wel & on here hed an hat As brod as is a bokeler or a targe A fot-mental a-boute here hepis large Line 472 And on here fet a peyre of sporys scharpe In felauschepe wel coude sche lawe & carpe Of remedijs of loue / sche knew per schaunce ffor sche coude of that art / the olde daunse Line 476 A good man was there of religioun [a Persoun] And was a pore persoun of a toun But riche he was of holy thouȝt & werk He was also a lerned man a clerk Line 480 That cristis gospel trewely wolde teche Hese parischiens deuoutly wolde he teche Benyngne he was & wondyr delygent And in aduersite ful pacient Line 484 And swich he was preuyd ofte sythis fful loth were hym to cursyn for hese tythis But rathere wolde he ȝeuyn out of doute Vnto hese pore parschens aboute Line 488 Of hese offeryng & hese substau[n]ce He couthe in lityl thyng han suffisiaunce Wyd was hese parysch & housys fer asundir But he ne lyfte not for reyn ne thondir Line 492 In seknesse nor in myschif to visite

The fertheste in hese parich meche & lite Vp on hese fet & in hese hond a staf This noble ensaumple to hese schep he ȝaf Line 496 That fyrst he wrouȝte & aftyrward he tauȝte Out of the gospel he to wordis cauȝte And this figure he addede þerto That ȝif gold rustede what schal yryn do Line 500 That ȝif a pryst be foul on whom we truste No wondyr ist [[MS. altered]] lewede men to ruste And schame it is ȝif a pryst take kep A schetyn schepperde & a clene schep Line 504 Wel outhe a prest ensaumple for to ȝeue [folio 138b] By hese clennesse how hese schep schulde leue He sette not hese benefys to hyre An let hese schep [[p in a later hand]] acumbrit in the myre And ran to lundene vn to seynt poulys Line 509 To seke hym a chauntriye for soulys Or with a broþerhed to be with holde But dwelte at hom & kepte wel hese folde Line 512 So that þe wolf ne made it not myscarie He was a schepherde & not a mersenarye And þow he holy were & vertyuous He was not to synful men dispitous Line 516 Ne of hese speche daungerous ne digne But in hese techynge ³discreet & benygne³ [[^3_3 in a later hand]] To drawyn folk to heuyn be clennesse Be good ensaumple this was hese besynesse Line 520 But ȝif it were ony persone obstynat What [[t in a later hand]] so he were of hey or low estat Hym wolde he snybbyn scharpli for the nonys A bettyr pryst I trowe neuere non is Line 524 He waytid aftyr no pompe ne reuerence Ne makid [him [[in a later hand]] ] a spisede concience But cristis lore & hese apostill twelue He taughte but fyrst he folwede it hym selue Line 528 With hym þere was a plowman that was hese broþer [[A Plouman]

That hadde led of donge manye a fodir A trewe swynkere & a good was he leuynge in pes & parfit charite Line 532 God louede he best with al hese hole herte At alle tymys thow hym gamenede or smerte And thanne his nyȝhe-bour riȝt as hym selue He wolde throsche & þerto dyke & delue Line 536 ffor cristis sake for / eue[r [[r in a later hand]] ]y pore wyght With-outyn hyre / ȝif it leye in his myȝt Hese tythis payede he ful fayre & wel Bothe of [his] propre swynk & his catel Line 540 In a tabbard he rod vp on a mere [folio 139a] There was also a reue & a mellere [¶ a Reve. a. Mellere. a Sunour. a Pardonnere.] A somnour & a pardounner also [¶ a Maunciple Chaucer] A maunsiple & myn self there were no mo The meller was a strong carl for the nonys Line 545 ful big he was of braun & ek of bonys That preuyd he wel for ouyr al þere he cam At wrastelynge he wolde haue alwey the ram Line 548 He was schort schulderid brod & thikke knarre Ther nas no dore that he wolde heue of harre Oor breke it at a rennyng with hese hed His berd as ony sowe or fox was red Line 552 And þerto brod as þow it were a spade Vp on the cop ryȝt of hese nose he hade A wrete & theron stod a tust of herys Red as the brostelis of a sowys erys Line 556 Hese nosetherlis blake were & wide A swerd & a bokeler bar he bi hese syde His mouth as a [[a in a later hand]] gret furneys He was a ganglere & a galiardeys Line 560 And that was most of synne & harlotrye Wel coude he stele corn & tolle twye And that he hadde a tabbard² of good parte² [[^2_2 in a later hand]] A whit cote & a blew hod werede he Line 564 A bagge pipe wel couthe he blowe & sounne

And þerwithal he brouȝte / vs out of tounne A gentyl maunciple was þere of a temple [A Maunciple] Of whiche acatouris myȝte take exsaumple Line 568 ffor to ben wys in beyinge of uytayle ffor where that he payede or tok be tayle Algate he waytide so in hese acate That he was ay be-forin & in good state Line 572 Now is not that of god / a ful fayr grace That swich a lewede manys wit schal pace The wisdam of an hep / of lernede men Of maystrys [[s, hr: later]] hadde he mo þan thryis [[s, hr: later]] ten Line 576 That were of lawe expert & corious [folio 139b] Of whiche þere were a doseyn in that hous Worthi to ben styward of ²rente & lond² [[^2_2 later]] Of ony lord that is in yngelond Line 580 To make hym lyue / by his owene good In honour detteles but he werere wod Or leue as skarsely as hym liste desire And able for to helpyn al a schyre Line 584 In ony cas that myȝte falle or happe And ȝit this maunsiple / sette here allerys cappe The reue was a sclendere colerik man [A Reve] Hese berd was schaue as nygh as euere he can Line 588 His her was by hese erys ful rou[n]de I-schorn His top was dokkyd as a pryst be-forn fful longe were hese leggis & ful lene y-lik a staf ther was no calf I-sene Line 592 Wel couthe he kepe a gerner & a bynne There [was] non auditour couthe on hym wynne Wel wiste he be þe droute & be the reyn The ȝildynge of hese sed & of hese greyn Line 596 His lordis schep hese net hese deyerye Hese swyn hese hors hese stoor & his pultrie Was holly in þis revis gouernynge And be þe couenaunt ȝaf the rekenynge Line 600 Syn þat his lord was twenty ȝer of age

The[r] coude no man bryngyn hym in a-rerage Ther nas bayle herde ne oþer hyne That he knew his sleythe & conynge Line 604 The were adred of hym as of the deþ Hese wonyng was ful fayre / vp on an heth With grene treis I-schadewid was hese place He couthe betere þan hese lord purchase Line 608 fful riche he was a-storid preuyly Hese lord. wel couthe he plese subtily To ȝeue & lene hym of hese owene good And haue a thank & ȝit a cote and¹ hood¹ [[^1_1 nd, hood: later]] . In ȝouthe he hadde lernyd a good mystir [folio 140a] Line 613 He was a wol good wryȝte a carpenter This reue sat vp on a ful good stot That was a pomeli grey & hyȝte skot Line 616 A long surcote of pers vp on he hadde And bi hese syde he bar a rusty blade Of norfolke was þis reue of whiche I telle Be syde a toun men clepe baldiswelle Line 620 Tukkede he was as is a frere aboute And euere he rod þ^e hemereste of oure route A somnour was þere with vs in that plase [A Somenour] That hadde a fer red cherubynys face Line 624 ffor sausefleme he was with eyen narwe As hot he was & lecherous as a sparwe With skalede browys blake & pilid berd Of hese vesage chylderyn weryn a-ferid Line 628 Ther nas quyk siluyr litarge ne bronston Boras seruse ne oyle of tartre non Ne oynement þat wolde clense & byte That hym myȝte helpyn of hese whelkys white Line 632 Ne of the knobbis sittynge on hese schekes Wel louede he garlek onyounnys & ek lekys And for to drynkyn strong wyn red as blod Thanne wolde he speke & crye as he were wod Line 636 And whan he wel dronkyn hadde þe wyn

Thanne wolde he speke no word but latyn A fewe termys hadde he to or thre That he hadde lernyd out of sum decre Line 640 No wondir he herde it al the day And ek ȝe knowe wel that a Iay Kan clepe watte as wel as can the pope But who so couthe in oþere þyngis hym grope Line 644 Thanne hadde he spent al hese philosophie Ay questio quod Iurys wolde he crye He was a gentil harlot & a kynde A betere felawe schulde men not fynnde Line 648 He wolde suffere for a quart of wyn [folio 140b] A good felawe to haue hese concubyn A twelmonyth & excusyn hym at the fulle fful pryuyly a fync ek couthe he pulle Line 652 And ȝif he fond ower a good felawe He wolde techyn hym to haue non awe In swich cas of the erchedekenys curs But ȝif a manys soule were in hese pors Line 656 ffor in hese purs he schulde ponyschid be Purs is the erchedekynys helle seyde he But wel I wot he lyeþ ryȝt in dede Of cursyng owyth eche gilty man drede Line 660 ffor curs wele sle ryȝt as asoylyng sauyth And also war hym of a sygnyficauyth In daunger hadde he at hese owene gyse The ȝonge gerlys of the diosyse Line 664 And knew here conseyl & was al here red A garlond hade he set vp on hese hed As gret as it were for an ale stake A bokeler hadde he mad hym of a cake Line 668 With hym there rod a Ioly pardounner [A Pardounner] Of rouncyuale his frend & his cumper That streyt was comyn from the court of rome fful loude he song loue come hedir come Line 672 This somnour bar to hym a stif bordoun

Was neuere triompe half of so gret a soun This pardounner hade her as ȝelw as ony wax But smothe it heng as doþ a strik of flex Line 676 Be ouncis heng hese lokkys þat he hadde And þerwith he hese schulderys ouerspradde But thenne it lay be culpounnys on & on And hod for Iolite werede he non Line 680 ffor it was trussed vp in hese walet Hym thouȝte he rod al of the newe iet Discheuele saf his cappe he rod al bare Sweche glarynge. eyen. hadde. he as an hare Line 684 A vernykele hadde he sowyd vp on hese cappe [folio 141a] Hese walet be-foryn hym in hese lappe Bret ful of pardoun come from rome hot A uoys he hath as smal as haþ a got Line 688 No berd hadde he ne neuere schulde haue As smothe it was / as it were late schaue I trowe he were a geldyns or a mare But of hese craft from berewik in to ware Line 692 Ne was swich a noþer pardounnere ffor in his male he hadde a pilwe bere Wich þat he seyde was oure lady ueyl He seyde he hadde a gobet of þe seyl Line 696 That seynt petyr hadde whan þat he wente Vp on þe se tyl that god [[that god: later]] hym hente He hadde a cros / of latoun . ful of stonys And in a glas he hadde piggis bonys Line 700 But with þese relikys whan þat he fond [[d: later]] . A pouere persoun vp on lond Vp on a day he gat hym more moneye Than þe persoun gat in moneþis tweye Line 704 And þus with feynede flaterye & Iapis He made the persoun & the puple hese apys But trewely to tellyn at the laste He was in cherche a noble ecclesiaste Line 708 Wel couthe he rede a lessoun or a story

But aldirbest he song an offratory ffor wel he wiste whan that song was sunge He muste preche & wel affile hyse tunge Line 712 To wynne syluer as he wel couthe Therfore he song the meryerely & loude Now haue I told ȝow sothly in a clause The estat tharay the noumbre & ek the cause Line 716 Whi assemblid was this cumpayny In southwerk at this ientil ostelry That hyȝte the tabbard faste by þ^e belle But now is tyme to ȝow for to telle Line 720 How that we beryn vs that ilke nyȝt [folio 141b] Whan that we were in that ostelrye alyȝt And aftyr wole I telle of oure viage And al the remenaunt of oure [[u: later]] pilgrymage Line 724 But fyrst I prey ȝow of ȝoure curteysye That ȝe narette not myn velanye Thow that I pleynly speke in þis matere To telle ȝow here wordys & here cher Line 728 Ne thow I speke here wordis properly ffor this ȝe knowyn als so wel as i [[i: later]] Who so schal telle a tale aftyr a man He mote reherse as nyh as euere he can Line 732 Eueryche a word ȝif it be in his charge Al speke he neuere so rewedely & large Or elle he mote telle his tale ontrewe Or feyne þyng or fyndyn wordis newe Line 736 He may not spare al-they he wer his broþer He mote as wel seyn on word as a noþer Crist spak hym self ful brode in holy wryt And wel ȝe wote no velany is it Line 740 Ek plato seyth ho so can hym rede The wordys [s: later]] mote be chose to the dede Also I preye ȝow to forȝeue it me Al haue I not set folk in here degre Line 744 Here in this tale al as þey schulde stonde

Myn wit is schort ȝe may wel vndyrstonde Gret chere mad oure ost vs euerychon And to the soper sette he vs a-non Line 748 He seruede vs with vitayle at the beste Strong was the wyn & wel to drynke vs liste A semely man oure ost was with al ffor to ben a marchal of an hal Line 752 A large man he was with eyne stepe A fayrere burgeys is þere non in chepe. Bold of hese speche & wis & wel I-tauȝt And of manhod hym lakkede ryȝt noȝt [[noȝt: later]] [[Cambridge stops till l. 965]] Eke therto he was right a mery man [Sloane MS. 1685 folio 2b] And aftir soper pleyn he bygan. And spak of mirthe among and othere thingis Whanne that he hadde mad oure rykenynges Line 760 And seide thus now lordyngis trewly Ye ben to me welcome ryght hertily ffor certis yf that I shal not lye I sawe nought this yere so mery a companye Line 764 At ones in this herborowe as it now ffayn wolde I don you myrthe wiste I how And of a myrthe I am right now bithought To don yow ese and it shal coste nought. Line 768 Ye gon to Caunterbery god yow spede The blisfull martir quyte you youre mede And wel I wote as ye gon by the weye Ye schapen yow to talen and to pleye Line 772 ffor truly comfort ne mirthe is noon To riden by the weye doumbe as a stoon And therfore wole y maken you disport As I seide arst and don yow som comfort /. Line 776 And if yow liketh alle by oon assent fforto stonden att my Iuggement And forto werken as I shal yow seye To morowe whanne ye riden by the weye Line 780 Now so god saue me at my most nede

But ye be merie I wole yeue yow myn heede [[Sloane MS. 1685]] Holde up youre hondis withoute more speche Oure councel was not long forto seche Line 784 Vs thought it was not worth to make to wys And grauntide hym withouten more avys. And bade hym seie his verdoit as hym liste Lordlyngis quod he herkeneth now for the beste Line 788 But take it nought / I praie ȝow in disdeigne This is the poynt to speke short and pleigne That eche of yow to short with oure weye In this viage shal telle tales tweye Line 792 To caunterbury ward I mene it so And homward he shal tellen other two Of auentoures that haue bifalle And which of yow that berith him best of alle Line 796 That is to seyn that tellith in this cas Tales of best sentence and moost solas Shal haue a souper/ at oure aldercost Here in this place sittynge bi this post Line 800 Whanne that we comen ageyn fro Cauntirbury And forto make yow the more myry I wole my siluen goodly with ȝou ride Right at myn owne caste and be youre gyde Line 804 And who so wole my iugement withseye Shal paye al that we spende by the weye And if ye vouche saaf that it be so Telle me anoon without ony word moo Line 808 And I wole erly shape me therfore This thing was graunted and oure othes swore With ful glad herte and preien him also That he wolde vouche saaf forto do soo Line 812 And that he wolde be oure gouernour And of oure tales Iugge and reportour/ And sette a soper / at a certeyn prys And we wolen reuled ben at youre deuys Line 816 In high and logh and thus by oon assent

We ben acordid to the Iuggement [[Sloane MS. 1685]] And theruppon the wyn was fet anoon We dronken and to rest wente echon Line 820 Withouten ony lenger / tariyng A morow whanne the day gan to springe Vp roos oure oost and was oure alde cok And gaderede us to gidre in a flok Line 824 And forth we riden a litil more than pas Onto the watering of seynt Thomas And there oure oost gan his hors areste And seide lordis herkeneth if yow leste Line 828 Ye wote youre forward and I it yow recorde [Sloane MS. 1685 folio 3b] If euensong and morowe song accorde Let se now who shal telle the firste tale As euere mote I drynke wyn or ale Line 832 Who so rebelle to my Iuggement Shal paye for all that by the weye is spent Now drawith Cutt er that ye ferther/ twynne Which that hath the shortest shal bigynne Line 836 Sir knyght quod he my maister/ and my lord Now drawith Cutt for that is accord Cometh nere quod he my lady prioresse And ye Sir clerk lat be youre shamfastnesse Line 840 Ne studieth noght leye hond to euery man Anoon to drawe euery wight bigan And shortly forto tellen as it was Were it by auenture or by sort or cas Line 844 The sothe is the Cutt fel to the knyght Of which ful blythe and glad was euery wight And tellen he most his tale as it was resoun By forward and by composicioun Line 848 As ye han herd what nedith wordes moo And whanne this gode man sawe that it was soo As he that wys was and obedient To kepen his forward by his fre assent Line 852 He seide sithen I shal bigynne the game

What welcome be the Cut a goddis name. [[Sloane MS. 1685]] Now lat us ride and herkneth what I seie And with that word we riden forth oure weye Line 856 And he bigan with riȝt a mery chere His tale anoon and seide as ye may heere [Iamque domos patrias scithie post prelia gentis. Prelia laurigero & cetera. ¶]

Heere endith the prolog of this book;

and heere bigynneth the first tale which is the knyghte tale

¶ ffabula militis. [Sloane MS. 1685 folio 4a]

WHylom as olde stories tellen vs [¶ ffabula militis. Capitulum. Im.] Ther was a Duk that hight Thesius [Boccaccio calls Teseo 'duca di Atene' (I. 13), and says that his father Egeo was 're d'Atene' (I. 6).] Of Athenes he was lord and gouernour And in his tyme sich a conquerour That gretter was noon vndir the sonne fful many a riche Contre hadde he wonne Line 864 What with his wisdom and his Chiualrie [Books I-II.] He conqueride al the regne of femyny The whylom was clepid sithia And weddide the queene ypolita Line 868 And brought hir hom with hym in his Contre With mich glorie and gret solempnyte And eke hir yonge sister Emelye And thus with victory and with melodie Line 872 Lat I this noble Duk to Athenes ride And al his oost in armes hym biside And certis if it ne were to longe to heere I wolde haue told fully the manere Line 876 How wymmen was the regne of femynye By Theseus and by his chyualrie And of the gret batayle for the nones Bitwixen athenes and Amaȝones Line 880 And how assegid was ypolita The fair / hardi queene of scithia And of the feeste that was at hir wedding And of the . . . . [[Rubbed]] at hir / home comyng Line 884 But al that [t]hing I moot as now forbere I haue god woot a large feld to ere And weyk ben the oxen in [[Rubbed]] my plough The remenaunt of the tale is long ynough Line 888 I wole not letten eke noon of this Route

Lat euery felowe telle his tale a-boute [[Sloane MS. 1685]] And lat se now who shal the soper wynne And ther as I left I wole bygynne Line 892 ¶ This Duk of whom I make mecioun [¶ Incipit narracio.] [II. 2-5.] Whanne he was comen almost to the town In al his wele and his moost pride [Sloane MS. 1685 folio 4b] He was ware as he caste eyȝe aside Line 896 Where that ther knelide in the high weye A company of ladies tweye and tweye Ech aftir/ other/ cladde in [[So in MS.]] chothes blake But sich a crie and sich a woo they make Line 900 That in this world is creature lyuynge That herde sich another/ weymentyng And of this crie thei nolde neuere stente [II. 25. (before the car.)] Tyl they the reynes of his bridel hente Line 904 What folk be ye that at myn hom comynge [II. 26.] Disturblen so my feeste with criynge Quod Theseus haue ȝe so gret enuye Of myn honour that thus compleyne and crie Line 908 Or who hath yow mysboden or offendid And telleth me if it may be amendid And whi that ye ben clothed thus in blak The eldest lady of hem alle spak Line 912 Whanne she hadde swouned with a deedly chere That it was reuthe forto seen and here She seide. lord to whom fortune hath ȝyuen Victorie and as a conquerour/ to lyuen Line 916 Not greueth vs youre glorie and youre honour/ [II. 27.] But we biseke mercy and socour Haue mercy on oure wo and oure distresse Sum drope of pite thorough thi gentilnesse Line 920 Vppon vs wrecchid wymmen lat yow falle ffor certis lord ther is noon of vs alle [II. 28.] That she nath ben a duchesse or a quene Now be we caytifs as it is wel sene Line 924 Thanked be fortune and hir/ fals wheel

That noon estat ensureth forto ben wel [[Sloane MS. 1685]] Now certis lord to abide youre presence Heere in this temple of the goddess clemence [(mentioned in II. 17.)] Line 928 We haue be waytyng al this fourte-nyght Helpe vs lord sith it is in thy myght. ¶ I wrecche which that wepe and weyle thus [Sloane MS. 1685 folio 5a] Was whylom wif of kyng cappaneus [II. 28.] Line 932 That starf at thebes cursid be that day And all we that ben in this array And maken all this lementacioun We losten all oure hosbondis at that toun Line 936 While þat the assege there abowte lay And yet now the olde Creon weiloway [II. 31.] That lord is now of thebes citee [II. 30.] ffulfillid with ire and of iniquitee [II. 31.] Line 940 He for despite and for his tyrannye To don the dede bodies velonye Of alle oure lordes which that ben slawe Hath all the bodies on a hepe I-drawe Line 944 And wole not suffre hem by non assent [II. 31.] Neither/ to ben I-buried neither I-brent But makith houndis ete hem in dispite And with that word with outen more respite [II. 33.] Line 948 Thei fyllen gruf and crieden pitously Haue on vs wrecchid wymmen sum mercy And lat oure sorowe synken in thyne herte ¶ This gentil duke from his Coursour/ he sterte Line 952 With herte pitous whanne he herde hem speke Hym thoughte that his hert wold breke Whanne he sawe hem so pitee and so mate [II. 36-9.] That whilom were of so grete astate Line 956 And in his armes he hem vp hente And hem counfortith in ful good entente And swoor his oothe as he was trewe knyght / He wole don so ferforthly his myght Line 960 Vppon the treaunt Creon hem to wreke

That alle the puple of grece shold speke How creon was of thebeus y-serued Line 963 As he that hath his deth ful wel disserued [[Sloane extract ends.]] And ryȝt a-non with-oute more abod [Cambr. MS. Gg. 4. 27] [folio 145a] [II. 50.] Hese baner he displayeþ & forth rod To thebes-ward & al hese ost by hese side No ner athenys wolde he go ne ryde [II. 49.] Line 968 Ne take hese ese fully half a day But onward on hese way þat nyȝt he lay And sente anon Ipolita the quene [II. 40-2.] And emelie here ȝynge systyr schene Line 972 Vn to the toun of Athenys to dwelle And forth he rit ther is no more to telle The rede statue of mars with spere & targe So schynyth in hese white baner large Line 976 That alle the feldis glederyn vp & doun And bi hese baner is born hese penoun Of gold ful ryche in whiche þere was I-bete The mynatour whiche þat he slow in Crete Line 980 Thus ryȝt þis deuk þus ryȝt þis conquerour And in his cost of cheualrie the flour Til that he come to thebes & a-ligthe ffayre in a feld there he thoute to fyghte [II. 53-76.] Line 984 But schortli for to spekyn of this thyng Witht Creon which that was of thebes kyng He faught & slow hym manly as a knyght In pleyn batayle & putte the folk to fleyȝ Line 988 And by assent he wan the sete aftyr And rent a-doun bothe wal & spere [[late a over e]] & raftyr And to þe ladyis he restorede ageyn The bonys of here frendis þat were slayn Line 992 To don obsequies as was þo the gyse But it were al to longe for to deuyse [II. 80-1.] The grete clamour & the waymentyng That þe ladyis made at the brennyng Line 996 Of the bodyis & the grete honour

That theseus the noble conquerour Doth to þe ladijs whan þey from hym weynte But schortely for to telle is myn entente Line 1000 Whan that this worthi duk this thesius [folio 145b] [II. 74.] Hath Creon slayn & wonne thebes thus Stille in that feld he tok al nyȝt hese reste And dede with al the cuntre as hym leste Line 1004 To ransake in the taas of bedijs dede [II. 85.] Hem for to strepe of harneys & of wede The pilouris dydyn besynesse & cure Aftyr the batayle & discumfiture Line 1008 And so bi-fel that in the taas was founde [II. 85.] Thorgh girt with manye a blody wounde Two ȝonge knyȝtys liggynge by & by Bothe in on armys wrouȝt ful richely Line 1012 Of whiche too Arcita hyȝte þat on [Arcita.] And that oþer knyȝt hyȝte palomoun [Palamon.] Not fully queke ne fully dede þey were But by here cote armoure & by here gere [II. 86.] Line 1016 Theroudis knew hem best in special As þey þat were of the blod ryal Of Thebes & of systeryn to I-born Out of the taas the pilouris han hem torn Line 1020 And han hem caryed softe on to the tente [II. 87.] Of thesyus & ful sone hem sente [II. 89.] To Athenes to dwellyn in presoun Perpetually he nolde no raunsom Line 1024 And whan this worthi deuk haþ þus I-don [II. 90-95.] He tok hese Ost & hom he rit a-non With laurer crouned as a conquerour And there he lyuyth in ioye & in honour Line 1028 Terme of lyf what nediþ wordis mo And in a tour in angwisch & in wo [III. 3.] This Palamoun & hese felawe Arcite ffor eueremor ther may mo gold hem quyte Line 1032 This passeth ȝer be ȝer & day be day

Til it fel onys in a monyth of may That emale that fayrere was to sene Than is the lylie vp on hese stalke grene [[See XII. 58.]] Line 1036 And frosscher than þe may with flourys newe [folio 146a] ffor with the rose colour frosch here hewe I not whiche was fynere of hem too Er it were day as was here wone to do [III. 10.] Line 1040 Sche was a-resin & al redy dyȝt ffor may wele haue no slogardye on nyȝt The sesyn prekyth euery gentyl herte And makyth it out of hese slep to sterte Line 1044 And seyth a-rys & do þyn obseruaunce This makith emalie to haue remembraunce To don honure to may & for to ryse I-cloþed was sche fresch for to deuyse ['—in giubba iscalza' (en deshabille). III. 8.] [III. 8.] Line 1048 Here ȝelwe her was broyded in a tresse ['Co' biondi crini avvolti alla sua testa.' III. 10.] [III. 10.] Be hynde here bak a ȝerde long I gesse And in the gardyn at the sunne vp-riste [III. 8-10.] Sche walkyth vp & doun & as here lyst Line 1052 Sche gaderith flouris party white & rede To make a suptyl garlond for here hede [III. 10.] And as an aungel heueneliche sche song The grete tour that was so thikke & strong [III. 11.] Line 1056 Whiche of the castel was the chef donioun There as the knyȝtis weryn In presoun Of whiche I tolde ȝow & telle schal As euene ioynande to the castel wal Line 1060 There as this emale hadde here pleying [Emelye.] Bryȝt was the sunne & cler in that morwenyng And palamoun þis woful presoner [[' Arcita si levo' III. 11.]] As was hese wone be leue of hese gayler Line 1064 Was resyn & romede in a chau[m]bre an hey In whiche he al the cete sey And ek the gardyn ful of braunchis grene There as this frosche Emelye the schene Line 1068 Was in here walk & romede vp & doun

This sorweful louere this palamoun Goth in the chambre romynge to & fro And to hymselue compleynynge of hese wo Line 1072 That I was born ful ofte he seyde allas [folio 146b] And so be-fel be auenture & cas That þorow a wyndowe thikke of manye a barre [III. 11.] Of yryn gret & squere as ony sparre Line 1076 He caste his eye vp on emelyea And þerwithal he blenthe & cryede A [. . . tutto stordito, Gridò, Ome! III. 17.] As thow he stongyn were to þ^e herte And with þat cry a-non arcite vp styrte Line 1080 And seyde cosyn myn what eylith þe That art so pale & dedly on to se Whi cryestow who hath the don offense ffor goddys loue tak al in pacience Line 1084 Oure prysoun for it may non oþer be ffortune haþ [[o altered]] ȝouyn vs þis aduersite Sum wekede aspect or disposicioun Of saturne by sum constolacioun Line 1088 Hath ȝouyn vs þis al-þow we hadde it sworn So stod the heuene whan that we were born We muste endure it þis is the schorte & pleyn This Palamoun onswerde & seyde a-geyn Line 1092 Cosyn for sothe of this opynyoun þow hast a vayn ymagynacyoun This prisoun causede me not for to crye But I was hort ryȝt now thorgh-out myn ye [III. 16.] Line 1096 In-to myn herte that wele myn bane be [III. 20.] The fayrenesse of myn lady þat I se Ȝond in the gardyn romyn to & fro Is cause of al myn cryinge & myn wo Line 1100 I ne wot wheþer sche be woman or godesse But venus it is sothly as I gesse [III. 14.] And þerwithal on kneis doun he fel And seyde Venus ȝif it be þyn wil Line 1104 Ȝow in this gardyn thus to transfigure

Be-for me sorweful wreche cryature Out of this prysoun help þat we may skape And ȝif so be myn destene be schape Line 1108 By eterne world to deyen in presoun [folio 147a] Of oure kynrede haue sum compassioun That is so lowe brouȝt be tyranye And with that word Arcite gan asspie Line 1112 Where as this lady romede to & fro And with that syȝt here beute hurte hym so That ȝif þat Palamoun was woundede sore [III. 16-17. (reversing the or|der of the names.)] Arcite is hurt as wel as he or more Line 1116 And with a sik he seyde pitously The frossche beute sloth me sodeynly Of here that romyth in the ȝondir plase And but I haue here mersy & here grase Line 1120 That I may sen here at the leste weye I nam but ded þere nys no more to seye This Palamoun whan he þo wordis herde Dispitousli he lokede & answerde Line 1124 Wheþer seyst þou this in ernest or in pley Nay quod arcyte in ernest be myn fey God help me so me lyst but euel pleye This palamoun gan knytte hese browis tweye Line 1128 It were to the quod he no gret honour [The whole debate in prison is an imitation of the longer debate (in the Teseide) when they meet in the grove.] [V. 43.] ffor to be fals ne for to be traytour To me that am thyn cosyn & thyn brothir I-sworn ful depe & eche of vs to oþer Line 1132 That neuere for to deyin in peyne Til that the deth departe schal vs tweyne Neyþer of vs in loue to hynderyn oþer Ne in non oþer cas myn leue broþer Line 1136 But þat þou schuldist trewely forþere me In euery cas & I schal forthere the This was þyn oth & myn also serteyn I wote it wel þou darist it not with-seyn Line 1140 Thus art þou of myn conseyl out of doute

And now þou woldist falsely ben aboute To loue myn lady whom I loue & serue And euere schal tyl that myn herte sterue Line 1144 Now certis false arcite þou schat not so [folio 147b] I louede here fyrst & tolde þ^e myn wo As to myn conseyl & to myn br[o]þer sworn To forthere me as I haue told be-forn Line 1148 ffor which þou art boundyn as a knyȝt To helpyn me ȝif it leye in þy myȝt Or elle art þou fals I dare wel seyn This arcite ful proudely spak a-geyn Line 1152 Þou schat quod he be raþere fals than I But þou art fals I telle þ^e vttyrly ffor paramour I louede here ferst er þou What wit þou seyn þou wyst no ȝit now Line 1156 Wheþer sche be a woman or goddesse Thyn is affeccioun of holynesse And myn is loue as to creature ffor whiche I telle þe myn auenture Line 1160 As to myn cosyn & myn broþer sworn I pose that þou louedist here be-forn Wist þou not wel the olde clerkys sawe That ho schal ȝeue a louere ony lawe Line 1164 Loue is a grettere lawe be myn pan Than may ben ȝouyn to ony erthely man And þerfore posityf lawe & swich decree Is brokyn alday for loue in eche degree Line 1168 A man mote nedis loue maugre in hese hed [[See V. 51.]] He may not flen þat þogh he schulde be ded Al be sche mayde or wedew or elle wif And it is not likly al thyn lyf [[See V. 45, 49.]] Line 1172 To stondyn in here grace no more schal I ffarewel þou wist þyn seluyn verayly That þou & I ben dampned to presoun Perpetuelly vs geynyth no raunsun Line 1176 We stryue as dede the houndis for the bon

They fouȝte al day & ȝit here part was non Ther cam a kete whil that þey were wrothe That bar awoy the bon be-twixe hem bothe Line 1180 And þerfore at the kyngis court myn broþer [folio 148a] Eche man for hym self ther is non oþer Loue ȝif the lyst for I loue & ay schal And sothli leue broþer this is al Line 1184 Here in this presoun mote we endure And euerych of vs take his auenture Gret was the stryf & long be-twixe hem tweye Ȝif that I hadde leyser for to seye Line 1188 But to þe effect it happede on a day To telle it ȝow as schortly as I may A worthi deuk that hyȝte perotheus [III. 47.] That felawe was vn to deuk Theseu Line 1192 Syn thilke day þat þey were childeryn lite Was come to athenes hese falawe to visite And for to pleye as he was wone to do ffor in this world he louede no man so Line 1196 And he louede hym as tendirly ageyn So wel þey louedyn as olde bokys seyn That whan that on was ded sothly to telle His felawe wente & souȝte hym doun in helle Line 1200 But of that story liste me not to wryte Deuk Perotheus louede wel arcite [III. 51-4.] And hadde hym knowyn at thebes þer be ȝere And fynelli at requist & at preyere Line 1204 Of perotheus with-outyn ony raunsoun Deuk Theseus hym let out of presoun ffreli to gon whil that hym leste ouyral In swich agyse as I ȝow telle shal [[altered from caul]] Line 1208 This was the forward pleynly for tendit Be-twixe Thesius & hym Arcite That it were that Arcite were founde Euere in his lyf be day or nyȝt or stounde Line 1212 In ony cuntre of this thesyus

And hee were cauth it was acordit þus That with a swerd he wolde lese his hed [III. 54.] Ther nas non oþer remedie ne red Line 1216 But takyth his leue & homward he hym spedde [folio 148b] let hym be war his nekke lith to wedde How gret a sorwe sufferith now arcyte The deth he felyth thorgh his herte smyte Line 1220 He wepith weyleth cryeþ pitously To slen hym self he waytyth priuyly He seyde allas that day that I was bore [[Gen. resembl. See III. 75, &c.]] Now is myn prisoun werse þan be-fore Line 1224 Now is me schapyn eternally to dwelle Not in purgatory but in helle Allas that euere knew I perotheus ffor elle hadde I dwellid with thesyus Line 1228 I-fetered in his prisoun euere mo Thanne hadde I ben in blysse & not in wo Only the syȝthe of her whom that I serue Though I neuere here grace may disserue Line 1232 Wolde han suffysed ryȝt I-now for me O dere cosyn palamoun quod he This is the victorie of this auenture fful blysful in prisoun mayst þow endure Line 1236 In prysoun nay parde but in paradys Wel hath fortune I-turnede the deys That hast the syȝt of here & I the absens ffor possible is syn þow hast here presens Line 1240 And art a knyȝt a worthi & able That by sum cas syn fortune is chaungable Thow mayȝt to þyn desyr sumtyme atteyne But I that am exiled & barayne Line 1244 Of alle grace & in so gret dispeyr That þere nys erthe watyr fyre ne eyr Ne criatur that of hem makyd is That may me helpyn or don comfort in this Line 1248 Wel ouȝte I sterue in wanhope & distresse

ffarwel myn lyf myn lust & myn gladnesse Allas whi pleyne men so in comune On puruyaunce of god or of fortune Line 1252 That ȝeuyth hem ful ofte in manye a gyse [folio 149a] Wel betyr þan þey can hem self deuyse Sum man desiryth for to haue richesse That is cause of hese mordere or gret seknesse Line 1256 And some wolde out of hese presoun fayn That in hese hous is of hese meyne slayn Infynyte harmys ben in this matere We wote not what þyng þat we preyen here Line 1260 We farn as he þat dronke is as a mous A dronke man wot wel that he hath an hous But he not whiche the ryȝte weye is þedyr And to a dronke man the weye is sledyr Line 1264 And sertys in þis world so faryn we We sekyn faste aftyr felycite But we gon wrong oftyn trewely Thus may we seyn alle & namely I Line 1268 That wende & hadde a gret opynyoun That I myȝte skapyn from prysoun Thanne hadde I be in ioye & parfyt hele There now I am exilyd from myn wele Line 1272 Syn that I may not sen ȝow emalye [III. 75.] I nam but ded þere nys non oþer weye Vp on that oþer syde palamon Whan that he woste Arcyte was a-gon Line 1276 Swich sorwe he makyth that þ^e grete tour Resounnyth of hese ȝoulyng & clamour The pure feterys of hese schenys grete Weryn of hese bittere salte terys wete Line 1280 Allas quod he arcita cosyn myn Of al oure stryf god wot the freut is þyn Thow walkyst now in thebes at þyn large And of myn wo þou ȝeuyst lityl charge Line 1284 Thu mayst sen þou hast wisdom & manhede

Assemblyn alle the folk of oure kynrede And make a werre so scharp on this cyte That by sum auenture or sum trete Line 1288 Thw mayst haue here to lady & to wyf [folio 149b] ffor whom that I muste nedys lese myn lyf ffor as be weye of possibilite Sithe þou art at thyn large of prisun fre Line 1292 And art a lord gret is thyn auauntage More than is myn that sterue here in a cage ffor I mot wepe & waile whil I leue With al the wo that prisoun may me ȝeue Line 1296 And ek with peyne that loue me ȝeuyth also That dubelyth al myn turment & myn wo Therwith the fyr of ielusye vp sterte With-inne hese brest & hente hym by the herte Line 1300 So wodly that he lyk was to bi-holde The boxtere or the asschyn dede and colde Thanne seyde he O crewel goddis þat gouerne This word woth byndyng of ȝoure word eterne Line 1304 And wretyn in the table of athamaunte Thorw parlemen & ȝoure eterne graunte What is mankynde more on to ȝow holde Thus is the schep that rokiþ in the folde Line 1308 ffor slayn is man ryght as a nothir beste And dwellith ek in prisoun & areste And hath seknesse & gret aduersite And ofte tyme gilteles parde Line 1312 What gouernynge is in this prescience That gilteles turmentyth innocence And encreseth þis al myn penaunce That man is boundyn to hese obseruaunce Line 1316 ffor goddis sake to lettyn of hese wille Ther as a beste may al hese lust fulfylle And whan a beste is ded he hath no peyne But man aftyr his ded hym muste wepe & pleyne Line 1320 Though in þis world he haue care & wo

With-outyn doute it may stondyn so The answere of þis lete I to deuynys But wel I wot that in þis world gret peyne is Line 1324 Allas I se a serpent or a thef [folio 150a] That manye a trewe man hath don myschef Gon at hese large & wher hym liste may turne But I mot ben in prisoun þour saturne Line 1328 And ek thorgh Iuno ielous & ek wood That hath distroyed wol ny al the blood Of thebes with hese waste wallys wyde And venus sleth me on þat oþer syde Line 1332 ffor Ielousie & fer of hym Arcyte ["paurosa gelosia" V. 2.] Now wele I stynte of palamoun a lite And late hym in hese prysoun stylle dwelle And of Arcyta forth I wele ȝow telle [Arcita] The somyr passeþ & the nyȝtys longe Encresyn double wise the peynys stronge Bothe of the louere & the prisounner I not ho hath the wofulere [[lere: later.]] myster Line 1340 ffor schorth for to seyn this palamoun Perpetuelly is dampned to prisoun In cheynys & in feterys to ben ded And Arcyte is exiled vp hese hed Line 1344 ffor eueremo as out of that cuntre Ne neuere mo schal hese lady se Ȝow louerys axe I now þis questioun Ho hath the werse arcyte or Palamoun Line 1348 The ton may sen his lady day be day But in prisoun ho mot dwelle alway That othir where hym leste may ride or go But sen hese lady schal he neuere mo Line 1352 Now demyth as ȝow lyste ȝe þat can ffor I wele telle forth as I be-gan [[No gap in the MS.]]

[PART II. No gap in the MS.]

Whan that Arcyte to thebes comyn was fful ofte a day he swelte & seyde allas Line 1356 ffor sen hese lady schal he neuere mo And schortly to concludyn al hese wo So meche sorwe hadde neuere creature That is or schal whil that þe world may dure Line 1360 Hese slep hese mete // hese drynk is hym beraft [folio 150b] [IV. 26, 27.] That lene he wex / & dreye as is a schaft Hese eyne holwe / & gresely to beholde [IV. 28.] Hese hewe falwe / & pale as [[as: later]] asschen colde [IV. 27.] Line 1364 And solitarie he was / & euere alone And waylynge al the nyȝt makynge hese mone And ȝif he herde song or instrument Thanne myȝte he wepe he myȝte not be stent Line 1368 So feble ek weryn hese spiritis & so lowe [IV. 29.] And chaungit so þat no man coude hym knowe Hese speche nor hese voys þow men it herde And in hese ger for al the world he ferde Line 1372 Not only lik the louere maladye Of hereos but rathere lyk manye Engenderid of humourys malencolik Be-forn hese owene selle fantastik Line 1376 And schortly turned was al vp so doun Bothe abit & ek [[ek: later]] disposicioun Of his this woful louere daun Arcite What schulde i of hese wo alday endyt Line 1380 Whan he endured hadde a ȝer or to This crewel turment & this peyne & wo At thebes in his court as I seyde Vp on a nyȝt in slep as he hym leyde Line 1384 Hym thouȝte that the vengede god mercurye Be-forn hym stod & bad hym to be murye Hese slepi ȝerde in hond he bar vp ryȝt An hat he werede vp on hese herys bryȝt Line 1388

Line 1388 Arayed was þis god as he tok kep As he was whan that Argus tok hese slep And seyde hym thus to Athenys schat þou wynde There is the schapyn of thi wo an ende Line 1392 And with that word Arcyte wok & styrte Now trewely how sore that me smerte Quod he tathenys / rygh now wele I fare Ne for the dred of deth schal I not spare Line 1396 To se myn lady that I loue & serue [folio 151a] In here presence I rekke not to sterue And with that word he cauȝte a gret myrour And saw that schaunged was al hese colour Line 1400 And say hese vesage al in anoþer kynde And ryȝt a-non It ran hym in hese mynde [IV. 38.] That sithe hese face was so disfyguryd Of maledye whiche he hadde endured Line 1404 He myȝte wel ȝif that he bar hym lowe Leuyn in athenys euere more onknowe And sen hese lady wel ney day be day And ryȝt a-non he chaungede hese aray Line 1408 And cladde hym as a pore labourer [pover valletto, IV. 22.] And al alone saue only a squyer [umil garzone, IV. 22.] That knew hese preuyteis & al hese cas [povero valletto, IV. 40.] Whiche was disgised porely as he was Line 1412 Tatthenys is he gon þe nexte way And to the court he wente vp-on a day And at the gate he proferyth hese seruyse To drogge & drawe what so men wolde deuyse Line 1416 And schortly of this mater for to seyn He fil in offys with a chaumbyrleyn The whiche that dwellynge was with emalye ffor he was wys & coude sone aspie Line 1420 Of euery seruaunt whiche that seruyth here Wel coude he hewyn wode & watyr bere ffor he was ȝong & myȝty for the nonys And þerto he was long & big of bonys Line 1424

Line 1424 To don that ony with can hym deuyse A ȝer or too he was in þis seruyse Page of the chaumbere of emale þ^e bryȝt And philostrate he seyde þat he hyȝt [[Penteo IV. 3, &c.]] Line 1428 But half so wel be-louyd a man as he Ne was there neuer in court of hese degre He was so Ientyl of condicioun That þour-out al the court was hese renoun Line 1432 They seydyn that it were a charite [folio 151b] That Thesyus wolde enhaunsyn hese degre And puttyn hym in worschepful seruyse There that he myȝte hese vertue excercise Line 1436 And þus with-inne a while his name is spronge [IV. 59.] Bothe of hese dedis & hese goode tunge That Thesius hath takyn hym so ner That of hese chaumbere he made hym a squyer Line 1440 And ȝaf hym gold to meyntene his degre And ek men brouȝtyn hym out of hese cuntre ffrom ȝer to ȝer ful priuyly hese rente But onestly & slyly he it spente Line 1444 That no man wonderede how þat he it hadde And thre ȝer in this wise his lyf he ladde And bar hym so in pes & ek in werre Ther was no man that thesyus hath derre [IV. 59.] Line 1448 And in this blisse lete I now arcite And speke I wele of palamoun a lite In derknesse & horrible & strong prisoun [V. 1.] This seuene ȝer hath setyn palamoun Line 1452 ffor-pynyd what for wo & for distresse Who feleth doubble sorwe & heuynesse [V. 3.] But palamoun þat loue distreynyth so That wod of hese wit he goth for wo Line 1456 And ek þerto he is a presounner Perpetuelly not only for a ȝer Who coude ryme in englys properly His marterdam for sothe it am [[? MS.]] not I Line 1460

Line 1460 Therfore I passe as lyȝtely as I may It fel that in the seuynte ȝer In may The thredde nyȝt as olde bokys seyn That al this story tellyn more & pleyn Line 1464 Were it by auenture or destene As whan a þyng is schapyn it schal be That sone aftyr the mydnyȝt palamoun [V. 25-7.] Be helpyng of a frend brak hese presoun Line 1468 And fleth the cete faste as he may go [folio 152a] ffor he hadde ȝouyn hese gayler dronkyn so [V. 24.] Of a clarre mad of certeyn wyn With nertotikes & opie of Thebes fyn Line 1472 That al that nyȝt though þat men wolde hym schake The gayler slep he myȝte not wake And þus he fleth as faste as euere he may The nyȝt was schort & faste by the day Line 1476 That nedis cost / he muste hym seluyn hide And tyl a groue faste þere besyde [V. 33.] With dredful fot þanne stalkyth palamoun ffor schortely þis was hese opynnyoun Line 1480 That in þat groue he muste hym hide alday And in the nyȝt þanne wolde he take his way To thebes-ward hese frendis for to preye On Thesyus to helpe hym for to werye Line 1484 And schortly oþer he wolde lese [[? MS. lefe]] hese lyf Or wynnyn emelye vn-to hese wyf This is theffect & hese entente pleyn Now wele I turne vn-to Arcite ageyn Line 1488 That lityl wiste how nygh that was hese care Tyl þat fortune hadde brought hym in þat snare The besye larke messenger of the day Salueth in here song the morwe gray Line 1492 And fery phebus ryseth vp so bryght That al the oryent laugheeth of þ^e lyght And with hese stremys dreyeth in þ^e greuys The syluere dropis hangynge in the leuys Line 1496

Line 1496 And arcita that is in þ^e court royal With Theseus is squyer pryncypal Is resyn & lokyth on the merye day And for to don hese obseruance to may Line 1500 Remembrynge on the poynt of hese desyr He on a courser stertelynge as the fyr Is redyn in to þ^e feldis hym to pleye Out of the court were it a myle or tweye Line 1504 And to þ^e grene of wheche þat I ȝow tolde [folio 152b] By auenture his weye he gan to holde To make hym a garlond of the greuys [IV. 62.] Were it of wode-bynde or hawethorn leuys Line 1508 And loude he song a-ȝen the sunne schene May with alle thynne flourys & thynne grene Welcome be þou fayre frosche may In hope þat I sum grene getyn may Line 1512 And from hese courser with a lusty herte In-to the greue [[MS. altered]] ful hastyleche he sterte And in a path he romede vp & doun There as be auenture this palamoun Line 1516 Was In a bosch that no man myȝte hym se ffor sore ofered of hese death was he Ne þyng ne knewe he that it was arcit God wot he wolde a trowed it ful lite Line 1520 But soth is seyd gon sithe manye ȝerys That þe feld hath eyen & þe wode hath erys It is ful fayr a man to bere hym euene ffor al day metiþ men at vnset [[nset: later]] stevene Line 1524 fful lityl wot arcyte of hese felawe That was so nygh to heryn of hese tale ffor in the bosch he sittyth now ful stylle Whan þat Arcite hadde romede al hese fylle Line 1528 And sungyn al the roundele lustyly In-to a stodye he fel sodeynly As don þese louerys in here queynte geres Now in the crop now doun in the brerys Line 1532

Line 1532 Now vp now doun as boket in a welle Ryȝt as the fryday sothly for to telle Now it schynyth now it reynyth faste Ryȝt so can gery venus ouercaste Line 1536 The hertys of here folk ryȝt as here ȝe [[ȝe ma: later]] may Is gerful ryȝt so chaungith sche aray Selde is the fryday al the wouke lyk Whanne that Arcyte hadde sunge he gan to sik Line 1540 And sette hym doun with-outyn ony more [folio 153a] Allas quod he that day þat I was bore How longe Iuno thorw þyn crewelte Wiltow werreyen Thebes the sete Line 1544 Allas I-brouȝt is to confusioun [See IV. 13, 14.] The blod royal of Cadme & amphioun Of Cadme wich þat was þ^e ferste man [.i. edificare] That Thebes beelte [[ee: later]] / or fyrst þ^e toun began Line 1548 And of the Sete fyrst was crounnede kyng Of hese lynage was I / and hese of-spryng By verray lyne / as of the stok royal [See IV. 31.] And now I am so kaytif & so thral Line 1552 That he that is myn mortal enemy [See IV. 85.] I serue hym as hese squyer purely And ȝit doth Iuno me more schame ffor I dare not beknowe myn owene name Line 1556 There as I was wone to hyȝte arcyte [See IV. 84.] Now highte I philostrate not worth a myȝte [[Penteo, IV. 84.]] Allas þou felle Mars allas Iuno [See IV. 17.] Thus hath ȝoure yre oure lynege fordo Line 1560 Saue only me wrechede Palamoun That Thesyus marteryth in presoun And oueral þis to slen me vttyrly [IV. 82.] Loue hath hese fery darte so brennyngely Line 1564 I-stekid þour myn trewe carful herte That schapyn was myn deþ er þan myn scherte Ȝe slen me with ȝoure eyen emelye Ȝe ben the cause wherfore that I deye Line 1568

Line 1568 Of al the remenaunt of myn oþer care Ne sette I not the mountenauns of a tare So þat I coude don ouȝt to ȝoure plesaunse And with þat word he fyl down in a traunce Line 1572 A long tyme & aftyrward he vp styrte This palamoun þat thoute þat thorw hese herte He felte a cold swerd sodeynliche glyde ffor yre he quok / no lengere wolde he byde Line 1576 And whan þat he hadde herd Arcytis tale [folio 153b] As hewere wod with face ded and pale He styrte hym vp out of the boschis þikke And seyde arcite false traytour wikke Line 1580 Now art þou hent þat louyst myn lady so for whom þat I haue al þis peyne and wo And art myn blod & to myn conseyl sworn As I ful oftyn haue seyd þe here be-forn Line 1584 And hast beiapid here deuk Thesyus And falsely chaunged þyn name thus I wele ben ded or ellys þou schat deye þou schat not loue myn lady Emalye Line 1588 But I wele loue here only & no mo ffor I am palamoun þyn mortal fo And þow þat I no wepene haue in þis place But out of prisoun am styrt by grace Line 1592 I drede not þat outher þou schat deye [See V. 54.] Or þou ne schat not louyn emalye Ches which þou wit or þou schat not asterte This Arcyte with ful dispitous herte Line 1596 Whan he hym knew & hadde hese tale herd As fers as lyoun pullede out a swerd And seyde þus bi god that set a-boue Nere it þat þou art sek & wod for loue Line 1600 And ek for þou no wepen hast in þis place Thow schuldist neuere out of þis grene pase That þou ne schuldist deyen of myn hond ffor I defie the surete & the bond ['Love cannot be given up as thou deemest: and he loves but little, who ceases loving in order to keep a promise.' V. 51.] [V. 51.] Line 1604

Line 1604 Wiche þat þou seyst þat I haue mad to þe What veray fol þink wel that loue is fre [V. 51.] And I wele loue here maugre al þyn myȝt But for as meche þou art a worthy knyȝt Line 1608 And wilnyst to darrayne here be batayle Haue here myn trouthe to-morwe I nyl not fayle With-oute wetynge of ony oþer whight That here I wele be foundyn as a knyght Line 1612 And bryngyn harneys ryȝt I-now for the [folio 154a] And ches the best & lef the werste to me And mete and drynk þis nyȝt wele I brynge I-nough for þ^e & clothis for þyn beddynge Line 1616 And ȝif so be þat þou myn lady wynne And sle me in þis wode þere I am inne þou mayst wel han þyn lady as for me This palamoun answerde I graunte it the Line 1620 And þus þey be toparted til a morwe Whan eche of hem hadde leyd hese feyth to borwe O cupide out of alle charite O regne that wolde no felawe han with the Line 1624 fful soth is it seyd that loue and lordschep [V. 13.] Wolde not hese þankys han no felauschep Wel fyndy þat arcite and palamoun Arcite is rydyn anon in to þe toun Line 1628 And on þ^e morwyn er it were day lyȝt fful fynly to harneys haþ he dyȝt Bothe sufficiaunt & mete to darreeyne The batayle in the feld be-tweixe hem tweyne Line 1632 And on hese horse alone as he was born He caryeth al þis harneys hym be-forn And in the groue at tyme & place I-set This arcite & þis palamo[n] ben met Line 1636 To chaunge gan the colour in here face Rygh as the hunterys in the regn^e of trace [VII. 106.] That stondiþ at the gap with a spere Whan huntede is the lyoun or the bere Line 1640

Line 1640 An herith hym come russchynge in the greuys And brekith boþe the bowis & the leuys [VII. 119] And þynkyth here comyth myn mortal enemy With-oute fayle he mote be ded or I Line 1644 ffor eyþer I mote slen hym at the gap Or he slen me ȝif that me mys hap So ferdyn þey in chaungyng of here hewe As fer as eueryche of hem oþer knewe Line 1648 Ther nas no good day ne no saluynge [folio 154b] But streyt with-oute word or rehersynge Eueryche of hem halp for to arme oþer As frendly as he were hese owene brothyr Line 1652 And aftyr þat with scharpe sperys stronge They foynedyn eche at oþer wondyr longe Thow myȝtist wene þat þis palamoun In hese fyȝt were a wood lyoun Line 1656 And as a cruel tygre was arcite As wilde borys gunne þey to smyte That frothyn white as fom for yre wod Vp to the anches foute þey in here blod Line 1660 And in this wyse lete I hem fyghtynge dwelle And forth I wele of thesyus ȝow telle The destenye mynystere general [VI. 1.] That executyth in the world oueral Line 1664 The puruyauns þat god hath seyn be-forn [

Comp. Troilus and Cressida, IV. st. 136:

— For some men sain, that God seeth all beforne,. . . . .Than mote it fallen, though men had it sworne,That purveiaunce hath seene beforne to be—

] So strong it is þat thow þ^e world hadde sworn The contrarye of a thyng be ȝa or nay Ȝit sumtyme it schal fallyn on a day [V. 77.] Line 1668 That fallyth not eft with inne a thousent ȝere ffor certeynly oure aspectis here Be it of werre or pes or hate or loue Al is þis reuled be the siȝte a-boue Line 1672 This mene I now be myȝty thesyus [V. 77.] That for to huntyn is so desirous And namely at the grete hert in may That in hese bed þere dawede hym no day Line 1676

Line 1676 That he nys clad & redy for to ryde With hunte & horn & houndis hym besyde [V. 77.] ffor in hese huntynge hath he swych delyȝt [V. 78.] That it is al hese Ioye & apetyt Line 1680 To ben hym self the grete hertys bane ffor ofte mars he seruyth now dyane Cler was þe day as I haue told or this And Thesyus with alle Ioye & blys [folio 155a] With hese ypolita the fayre quene And Emale clothed al in grene [[See XII. 65.]] On huntyng be þey redyn really And to the groue stod ful faste by Line 1688 In whech there was an hert as men him tolde Deuk thesyus þ^e ryȝte weye hath holde And to the launde he rydith hym ful ryȝt ffor there was the hert wone to have his flyȝt Line 1692 And ouer a brok & so forth on hese weye This deuk wele han a cours with hym or tweye With houndis which as hym lyste comaunde And whan This deuk was comyn vn-to þ^e launde Line 1696 Vndir the sunne he lokyth & þat a-non He was war of Arcite & Palamon That foutyn breme as it were boris too The bryȝte swerdis wentyn to & fro Line 1700 So hidously that with the leste strok It semede as it wolde felle an ok But what þey were no þyng he ne wot This deuk hese courser with the sporys smot [V. 82.] Line 1704 And at a stert he was be-twixe hem too And pulle out a swerd & cryede hoo No more vp peyne of lesynge of ȝoure hed Be myghti mars he schal a-non be ded Line 1708 That smyth ony strok that I may sen But telle me what myster men ȝe ben [V. 83.] That ben so hardy for to fytyn here With-outyn Iuge or oþer offiser Line 1712

Line 1712 As it were in a listis ryaly This Palamon answerde hastyly And seyde sere what nedith wordis mo We haue the deth deseruyd bothe two Line 1716 Two woful wrechis ben we two caytyuys That ben encomberit of oure owene lyuys And as þou art a ryȝtful lord & Iuge Ne ȝif vs neythir mercy ne refuge Line 1720 But sle me ferst for seynte charite [folio 155b] But sle myn felawe ek as wel as me Or sle hym ferst for þow þou knowist it lyte He is þyn dedly enemy arcyte Line 1724 That fro þyn lond is banysschid on his hed [See V. 91.] ffor which he hath [de]seruyd to ben ded ffor this is he that come on to þyn ȝate And seyde that he hyte philostrate Line 1728 Thus hath he Iapid þ^e ful manye a ȝer And þow hast makid hym þyn squyer And this is he that louyth Emelye ffor sithe the day is come that I schal deye Line 1732 I make pleyn myn confessioun That I am thilke woful Palamoun That hath thyn presoun broke wekedel [See V. 91.] I am thi mortal fo / & it am I Line 1736 That louyth so hote Emalia the bryȝte That I wele deye present in here syȝte Wherfore I aske deth & myn Iu-wise [V. 90.] But sle myn felawe in the same wise Line 1740 ffor bothe haue we disseruyd to ben slayn This worthi deuk answerde anon agayn And seyde þis is a schort conclusyoun Ȝoure owene mouth be ȝoure confessioun Line 1744 Hath dampned ȝow & I wele it recorde It nedith not to pyne ȝow with the corde Ȝe schul be ded be myȝty mars the rede The quene a-non for veray woman-hede Line 1748

Line 1748 Gan for to wepe & so dede emelye And alle the ladyis in the cumpanye Gret pete was it as it thoughte hem alle That euere swich a chaunse schulde falle Line 1752 ffor gentil men þey were of gret estat And noþyng but for loue was this debat And saw here blody woundis wide & sore And alle criedyn both lasse & more Line 1756 Haue mersi lord [[v: later]] vpon vs wemen alle [folio 156a] And on here bare kneis adoun þey falle And wilde a kissede hese fet þere as he stod Til at the laste a-slakede was hese mod Line 1760 ffor pete rennyt sone in gentil herte And though he ferst for yre quok & sterte he hath consideryd schortely in a clause The trespase of hem bothe & ek the cause [[chauce: altered]] And al-thow that hese yre hese gilt acused Line 1765 Ȝit in hese resoun he hem bothe excused As thus he thouthe wel that euery man Wele helpe hym selve in loue ȝif that he can Line 1768 And delyuere hym self ȝif that he moun [[moun: later]] And ek hese herte hade compassioun Of wemen for þey wepyn euere in on And in hese gentil herte he thouȝte a-non Line 1772 And softe to hym self he seyde fy Vpon a lord that wele haue no mercy But byn a lyoun bothe in word & dede To hem that ben in repentaunt & drede Line 1776 As wel as to a proud dispitous man That wele meyntene that he ferst began That lord hath lityl discrecioun That in swich cas hath no dyuysioun Line 1780 But weyeth pride & humblesse aftyr on And schortly whan hese yre is þus agon He gan to lokyn vp with eyȝyn lyȝte And spak these same wordis alle on hyȝte Line 1784

Line 1784 The god of loue a benedicite How myghti & how gret a lord is he A-ȝens hese myȝt þere geynyth none obstakell He may be clepid a god for hese myrakell Line 1788 ffor he can makyn at hese owene gyse Of eueryche herte as he leste deuyse Lo here þis arcite & þis Palamoun That quytely weryn out of presoun Line 1792 And myȝtyn a leuyd in thebes really [folio 156b] And wetyn I am here mortal enemy And that here deth lyth in myn myȝt also And ȝit hath loue maugry here eyȝyn two Line 1796 Brought hem hedyr bothe for to deye Now lokith is not this an hey folye Who may ben a fol but ȝif he loue Behold for godis sake that sit a-boue Line 1800 Se how þey blede be þey not wel arayed Thus hath here lord the god of loue hem payed Here wagis & here feis for here seruyse And ȝit þey wene for to ben ful wyse Line 1804 That seyn^th loue for ouȝt that may be-falle But þis is ȝit the beste gise of alle That sen for whom they han this iolyte Kan hem therfore as meche thank as me Line 1808 Sche wot no more of al this hote fare By god than wot a kokkow or an hare But al mote ben asayed hot or cold A man mot nede ben a fol or ȝong or old [V. 92.] Line 1812 I wote it be myn self ful ȝore agon ffor in myn tyme a seruaunt was I on And þerfore syn I knowe of loue peyne And wot how sore it can a man distreyne Line 1816 As he that hath ofte be cauȝt in his las I ȝow for-ȝeue al holy this trespas [V. 92-3.] At request of the quen that knelith here And ek of emalye myn systir dere Line 1820

Line 1820 And ȝe schul bothe a-non vn-to me swere That neuere mo ȝe schul myn cuntre dere Ne mak werre vp-on me nyȝt ne day But ben mynne frendys in al that ȝe may Line 1824 I ȝow for-ȝeue þis trespas euerydel And þey hym sworyn hise axinge fayre & wel [V. 93.] And hym of lordschepe & of mercy preyede And he hem grauntede grace & þus he seyde Line 1828 To speke of ryal lynage & of rychesse [folio 157a] [V. 96.] Thow that sche were a quen or a princesse Eche of ȝow bothe is worthi douteles To weddyn whan tyme is / but neuer the les Line 1832 I speke as for myn sustyr Emalye ffor whom ȝe han þis stryf of Ielousye Ȝe wote ȝoure self sche may not wedde two [V. 95.] At onys þey ȝe fyȝte euere mo Line 1836 To on of ȝow / al be hym loth or lef He mote go pipe in an yuy lef This is to seyn sche may not now han bothe Al be ȝe neuere so Ielous ne so wrothe Line 1840 And for-thi I ȝow putte in þis degre That eche of yow schal han hese destene As hym is schapyn & herkenyth in what wyse Lo here ȝoure ende of that I schal ȝow deuyse Line 1844 Myn wil is this for plat conclusioun With-outyn ony replicacyoun Ȝif that ȝow likyth tak it for the beste That eueryche of ȝow schal gon ryȝt were hym leste Line 1848 ffrely with-oute raunsum or daunger And þis day fifty woukis fer & ner ['un anno intero,' V. 98.] Eueryche of ȝow schal brynge an hunderit knyghtis [V. 97.] Armyd for lystis vp at alle ryghtis ['nel teatro nostro.'] Line 1852 Al redy to darrayne here by batayle And this be-hote I ȝow with-outyn fayle Vp on myn trouthe & as I am a knyȝt That whethir of ȝow bothe that hath myght Line 1856

Line 1856 This is to seyne that wheþer he or þou May with hese hunderede as I spak of now [V. 98.] Sle hese contrarye or out of lystis dryue [[no slaying men|tioned.]] Than schal I ȝeue Emalye to wyue Line 1860 To whom that fortune ȝeuyth so fayr a grace The lystis schal I make ryȝt here in þis plase And god so wisely on myn soule rewe That I schal euene Iuge ben & trewe Line 1864 Ȝe schul non oþer ende with me make [folio 157b] That on of ȝow schal be ded or take And ȝif ȝow þynkith þis is wel I-sayd Seyth ȝoure auys and holdith ȝow apayed Line 1868 This is ȝoure ende & ȝoure conclusyoun Who lokyth lyȝtely now but palamoun Who spryngyth vp for Ioye but arcite Who couthe telle or who couthe endite Line 1872 The Ioye that is now schewid in the place Whan Thesius hath / don so fayr a grace [['tanta grazia,' V. 100.]] But doun on kneis wente euery man[er] wiȝt And þankede hym with al here herte & myȝt Line 1876 And nameliche the thebens ofte sythe And þus with god hope & with herte blythe They take here leue & homward þey gunne ryde To Thebes with olde wallys wyde Line 1880

[PART III. No gap in the MS.]

I trowe men wolde it deme necligence [the lystis] Ȝif I for-ȝete to telle þ^e dispence Of Thesius that goth so besily To makyn vp the listis ryally Line 1884 That swich a noble theatre as it was I dar wel seyn in this world þere nas The Cyrcuyt a myle was aboute [VII. 108.] Wallyd of ston & dychid al with-oute [[no ditch.]] Line 1888 Round was the schap in maner of cumpas

fful of degreis the heyȝte of sexty pas That whan a man was set on a degre [VII. 110.] He lettyth not his felawe for to se Line 1892 Estward þere stod a gate of marbil whit [Porta Marmoris] [VII. 109.] [.i. ėx oposito] Westward swich a noþer in the opposit And schortly for to conclude swich a place Was non in erthe of so lytil space Line 1896 ffor in the lond þere nas no crafty man That iemetrye or arsmetrik can Ne portretour ne keruere of ymagis That Thesyus hym ȝaf mete & wagis Line 1900 The theatre for to makyn & deuyse [folio 158a] And for to don his ryte & sacryfise He est-ward hath vp on the gate a-boue In worschepe of venus goddesse of loue [Venus] Don make an auter & an oratorye Line 1905 And on the westward in memorye Of mars he makyd hat ryȝt swich a noþer [Mars] That coste of gold largely a fother Line 1908 And norward in a toret of the wal Of alabastre whit & red coral An oratorye ryche for to se In worschepe of Diane of chastite [Dyane] Hath Thesius don wrouȝt in noble wise Line 1913 But ȝit hadde I forȝetyn to deuyse The noble keruyng & the portreyture The schap the contenaunce & the fygure Line 1916 That weryn in these oratoryis thre ffyrst in the temple of venus mayst þou se Wrouȝt on the wal ful pitous to be-hold The brokene slepis & the sikys colde Line 1920 The secret terys & þe waymentyng The fery strokys of the desyryng [VII. 59.] That louys seruauntys of this lyf enduren The Cothis that here couenauntys assuryn Line 1924 Plesaunce hope desyr folhardynesse [See VII. 55-6, &c.]

Beute & ȝouthe baudrie richesse Charmys & force lesynge & flaterye [See VII. 56, & 64.] [See VII. 55-6, 59.] Dispence besynesse & Ielousye Line 1928 That werede of ȝelwe flourys a garlond And a cokkow sittynge on hese hand ffestis instrumentis karolys daunsis [See VII. 53, &] lust & aray & alle þe circumstancis Line 1932 Of loue whiche that I reken & rekne schal Be ordere were peyntid on the wal And mo þan I can make of mencyoun ffor sothly al the mount of Cytheroun [VII. 50.] Line 1936 There venus hath hese pryncipal dwellyng [folio 158b] Was schewid in the wal in portreying [

Videvi storie per tutto dipinte. . . . .E'l grand Ercole vide tra costor.o. VII. 62.

] With al the gardyn & the besynesse Not was forȝetyn the portyr ydilnesse ['Richezza' is Porter in the Teseide, VII. 64: the Roman de la Rose is followed here.] Line 1940 Ne narcyus the fayre of ȝore a-gon And ȝit the folye of kyng salamon And ek the grete strenthe of ercules [

Videvi storie per tutto dipinte. . . . .E'l grand Ercole vide tra costor.o. VII. 62.

] Thenchauntementz of Media / & Circes Line 1944 Ne of Turnes / with the hardy ferce corage The ryche Cresus caytyf in seruage Thus may ȝe sen that wisdam ne rychesse Beute ne sleythe strenthe ne hardynesse Line 1948 Ne may with wenus holde champardye ffor as here lust the world þanne may sche gye Lo alle these folk so cauȝt were in here lase Til they for wo ful ofte seyde allas Line 1952 Suffyseth here ensaumplys on or to And þow I couthe rekene a thousent mo The statue of Venus gloryous for to se [See H. of Fame, 198; and Albricus Philosophus in Staveren's Auctores Mythographi, 1702, vol. ii. p. 903.] [Venus] Was makyd fletynge in the large se Line 1956 And from the nauelle doun al couered was Which was grene & bryȝt as ony glas A Cythole in here ryȝt hand hadde sche And on here hed so semely for to se Line 1960 A rose garlond frosch & wel smellynge

A-boue here hed here dounnys flekerynge By-forn here stod here sone cupido [[a second o added; later]] Vp-on hese schulderys wyngis hadde he to [[a second o added; later]] Line 1964 And blynd he was as it is ofte sene A bowe he bar & arwys bryȝte & kene Whi schulde I not as wel telle ȝow al The portreyture that was vp-on þ^e wal Line 1968 With-inne the wal of myȝty mars the rede [[Mars]] Al peyntid was the wal in lenthe & brede [VII. 36.] Lyk to the Estrys of the gresely place [VII. 29, 30.] That hyȝte the grete temple of Mars in Trace Line 1972 In tylke colde frosty regyoun [folio 159a] Ther as Mars hath hese souereyne mancyoun ffyrst on the wal was peynted a forest [VII. 31.] In whiche þere dwellith neyþer man ne beste [[but a real forest there, not a painted one.]] Line 1976 With knotty knarry bareyne treis olde Of stubbis scharpe and hidous to beholde In whiche þerein ran a rumbil in a swogh As þow a storm schulde brestyn euery bowgh Line 1980 And doun from an hyl vndyr a bente There stod the temple of Mars armypotente [VII. 32.] Wrouȝt al of bornede stel of wheche thentre Was long & stryt and gastely for to se Line 1984 And ther-out come a rage in swich a wese [VII. 33.] That it made al the gate for to rese The northren light In at the dorys shon [ Boccaccio makes the temple lighted by altar-fires, kindled from the flames of plundered cities. VII. 35.] ffor wyndow on the wal was there non Line 1988 Thorw whiche men myghte ony lyth discerne The doris were ale of athamanutȝ eterne [VII. 32.] I-clenchede ouerthwert & endelong With yryn tough & for to make it strong Line 1992 Euery peler the temple to susteyne [VII. 33.] Was tunne gret of yryn bryȝt & schene There saugh I fyrst the derke ymagynyng Of felonye and the compassyng Line 1996 The crewel yre red as ony glede

The pike-purs & the pale drede The smylere with the knyf vndyr the cloke [VII. 33. [not the pickpurse.]] [VII. 34.] The shepne brennynge with the blake smoke Line 2000 The tresoun & the morderyng in the bed The opene werre with woundis al be-bled Contek with blody knyf & scharp manace [VII. 34.] Al ful of chyrkyng was that sory place Line 2004 The sloere of hym self ȝit saw I þere Hese herte blod hath bathed al hese here The nayl I-dreue in the schod a nyȝt The colde deth with mouth gapynge vp ryght Line 2008 In myddis of the temple there sat myschaunce [folio 159b] ['Amyddes of the' place sat 'la virtù tristissima.' VII. 34.] With disconfort & sory cuntenauns Ȝit saw I wodnesse laughynge in hese rage [VII. 35.] Armyd compleynt / outes & fers corage ['La Morte armata vide e lo stupore.' VII. 35.] Line 2012 The careyn in the bosch with throte I-korwe A thousent slayn & not of qualm I-storve The tyraunt with the pray by forse I-raft The toun distroyed there was no þyng laft [VII. 36.] Line 2016 Ȝit saw I brent the schepis hospesterys ['Le navi bellatrici.' VII. 37. Neither Boccaccio, nor yet his prototype Statius, speaks of any ships as burnt, but merely as trophies.] The hunte strangeled with the wilde berys The sowe fretyn the child ryȝt in þ^e cradil The cook I-skaldit for al hese longe ladil Line 2020 Nouȝt was for-ȝetyn by the infortune of marthe The cartere ouyr redyn with hese carte [VII. 37] Vndir the whil ful lowe lay he a-doun There were also of martyrs dyvysioun Line 2024 The labourer the bocher & the smyth That forgith scharpe swerdis on the steyth And al a-boute depeyntid in a tour Saw I conquest sittynge in gret honour Line 2028 With the scharpe swerd ouyr his hed Hangyng by a sotyl twynede thred Depeyntid was the slautre of Iulyus Of grete nero & of antonyus Line 2032 Al be that ilke tyme they were onborn

Ȝit was here deth depeyntid þere be-forn By manasynge of mars ryȝt by fygure So was it schewid in that portreture Line 2036 As is depeyntid in the sertres above Who schal be slayn or elle ded for loue Suffiseth on ensaumple in storyis olde I may not rekene hem thow I wolde Line 2040 The statue of mars vp-on a carte stod Armyd & lokede grym as he were wod And ouer hese hed þere schynyn two figurys Of storyis þat ben clepid in scripturys Line 2044 That on puella that othir Rubeus [folio 160a] This god of armys was arayed thus A wolf there stod be-forn hym at hese fet With eyȝyn rede & of a man he et Line 2048 With sotyl pensel was depeyntid þis story In redoutynge of mars & of hese glory Now to the temple of dyane the chaste [Dyane] As schortly as I can I wele me haste Line 2052 To telle ȝow al the discripcioun Depeyntid ben the walle vp & doun Of huntyng & of schamfast schastite Ther saw I how woful Calistope Line 2056 Whan that dyane agreuyd was with here Was turnyd from a woman til a bere And aftyr was sche mad the lode sterre That shynyth in the hevyn / from yow so ferre [[whole line later]] Here sone is ek a sterre as men may se There saw I dane I-turnede til a tre I mene not the goddesse dyane But Pennyus douȝtyr whiche that hyȝte dane Line 2064 There saw I. Attheon / an hert I-makid ffor vengaunce that he saw dyane al nakyd I saw how that hese houndis han hym caut And fretyn hym for that þey knewe hym not Line 2068 Ȝit peyntid was a lityl ferþere more

How atthalaunte huntid þe wilde bore And Melyagre & manye a-noþer mo ffor whiche diane wrouȝte hym care & wo Line 2072 There saw I manye a-noþer wondir story The wheche me lyste not drawe to memory This goddesse on an hart [[art nearly erased]] / wol hye set With smale hundys / al aboute here fet Line 2076 And vndirnethe here fet / sche hadde a mone Waxinge it was & schulde wanye sone In gaude grene here statue clothede was With bowe in hond & arwis in a cas Line 2080 Here eyȝyn caste sche / ful lowe adoun [folio 160b] Ther pluto hath / here derke regioun A woman trauaylynge / hadde sche be-forn But for here child / so longe was on-born Line 2084 fful pitusly lucyane gan sche calle And seyde help for þou mayst best of alle Wel coude he peynte lyfly that it wrouȝte With manye a floreyn / heye it was bouȝte Line 2088 Now ben these lystis / made & thesyus That at hese grete cost arayed þus The temple & the theatre euerydel Whan it was don / it likede hym wondyr wel Line 2092 But stynte I wele of Thesyus a lyte And speke of Palamoun & [of] Arcite The day a-prochith of here returnynge That eueryche schulde an hunderit knyȝtis brynge Line 2096 The batayle to darrayn as I ȝou tolde And to atenys here couenaunt for to holde Hath eueryche of hem brouȝt an hunderit knyȝtis Wel armede for to werre at alle ryȝtis Line 2100 And sekyrly þere trowede manye a man That neuere sithe that the world be-gan [VI. 71.] As for to spe[ke] of knyght-hod of here hond As fer as god hath makyd se & sond Line 2104 Nas of so fewe so noble a cumpany [VI. 71.]

ffor euery wyȝt that louede chyualry And wolde hese þank han a passaunt name Hath preyed that he myȝte ben of that game ['giuoco,' VII. 4.] Line 2108 And wel was hym that þerto schosyn was ffor ȝif there fel to-morwe swich a cas Ȝe knowe wel that euery lusty knyȝt Th[a]t louyth paramouris & hath hese myȝt Line 2112 Were it in yngelond or ellys where They wolden here thankys willyn to be there To fyghtyn for a lady benedicite It were a lusty syȝte for to se Line 2116 And ryȝt so ferdyn þey with Palamoun [folio 161a] With hym þere wentyn knyghtys manye on Some wele ben armede in an habirioun And in a brest plate & in a lyȝt Iopoun Line 2120 And some wele haue a peyre platys large And some wele haue a pruce schild or a targe Some wele ben armyd on hese leggys wel And han an ax & some a mace of stel Line 2124 There is non newe gyse that it nas old Armede were þey as I haue ȝow told Eueryche aftyr hese opynyoun Ther mayst þou sen / comynge with palamoun [[on Arcita's side, Tes.]] Line 2128 Ligurge hym selue / the grete kyng of trace [VI. 14.] Blak was hese berd / & manlyche was hese face [VI. 21. The points marked VI. 21, 22, are taken from the description of 'Aga|memnone.'] The Cerkelys of hese eyen / in hese hed They glowedyn / by-twethyn ȝelw & red Line 2132 And lyk a grefoun lokede he a-boute With kempe herys on hese browys stoute His lemys grete / hese brawnys grete & stronge [VI. 21.] Hese schuderys brode hese armys rounde & longe Line 2136 And as the gyse was in his cuntre fful heye vp on a char of gold stod he [VI. 21.] With foure white bolys in the trays In stede of hese cote armour ouer hese harneys [VI. 22.] Line 2140 With naylys ȝelwe & bryghte as ony gold

He hadde a berys skyn / cole blak for old Hese longe her was kemb be-hynde his bak [VI. 22.] As ony rauenys fedyr it schon for blak Line 2144 A wrethe of gold / arm gret of heuge weighte Vp-on hese hed set ful of stonys bryghte Of fynne rubeis & of dyamauntys A-boute hese char there wente whyȝte Alauntis Line 2148 Twenty & mo as grete as ony ster To huntyn at the lyoun or the der And folwede hym with mosel faste I-bounde Colerid of gold / & torettys fylede rounde Line 2152 An hunderit lordis hadde he in hese route [folio 161b] Armede ful wel with hertis sterne & stoute With arcyta in storyis as men fynde The grete emetreus the kyng of Inde Line 2156 Vp-on a stede bay trappit in stel Couered in cloth of gold diaperyd wel [VI. 29. The points here are from the descriptions of 'Ippodamo' (VI. 29), of 'Peleo' (VI. 17, 16), and of 'Peritoo' (VI. 41).] Come rydynge liik the god of armys mars Hese cote armeure was of cloth of taris Line 2160 Couchede with perlys white & rounde & grete Hese sadil was of brend gold newe bete [VI. 17.] A mantyl vp-on hese schuldyr hangynge [VI. 16.] Bret ful of Rubyis rede &^as fer sparkelynge Line 2164 Hese crispe her lyk ryngis was I-roune And þat was ȝelw / & glederit as the sonne Hese nose was hey hese eyȝyn bryght sitryne Hese lyppis rounde hese colour was sanguyn Line 2168 A fewe frakenys in hese face I-sprend Be-twixe ȝelw / & sumdel blak I-meynd And as a lyoun he hese lokynge caste Of fyue & twenty ȝer / hese age I caste Line 2172 Hese berd was wel begunne for to sprynge Hese voys was as a trumpe thonderynge Vp-on hese hed he werede a laurer grene [VI. 41.] A garlond frosch & lusti for to seene Line 2176 Vp-on hese hond he bar for hes deduyt

An egle tame as ony lylye whit An hunderid lordys hadde he with hym there Alle armede sone / here hedis in al here gere Line 2180 fful rychely in alle maner thyngis ffor trustyth wel that dukis erlys kyngis [VI. 65.] Were gaderid in this noble cumpanye ffor loue & for encres of chiwalrye Line 2184 A-bouthe this kyng / there ran on euery part fful manye a tame / lyoun & lebard And in this wise / these lordis alle & some Ben on the soneday / to the sete come Line 2188 Aboute prime & in the toun a-light [folio 162a] This thesyus this deuk this worthi knyght [VI. 65.] Whanne he hadde brouȝt hem in-to hese cete And innede hem / euerych at hese degre Line 2192 He festith hem / & doth so gret labour To esyn hem / & don hem alle honour That ȝit men wenyn / that no mannys wit Of non estat / ne coude amendyn it Line 2196 The menstralcye / the seruyse at the feste [VI. 69-70.] The grete ȝiftys to the meste & leste The ryche aray of thesyus palays Ne ho sat ferst or last vp-on the deys Line 2200 What ladyis fayrest ben or best daunsynge Or whiche of hem can daunsyn best or synge [VI. 70.] Ne who most felyngely / spekyth of loue What haukys syttyn on the perche a-boue [VI. 8.] Line 2204 What houndys liggyn in the flor adoun Of al this make I now no mencyoun But al theffect that þynkyth me the beste Now comyth the poynt / & herkenyth ȝif ȝow lyste Line 2208 The soneday nyȝt er day be-gan to spynge Whan palamoun The larke herde synge Al-þey it were nought / day be ourys to [palamun to venus] Ȝit song the larke / & palamoun also With holy herte & with an hey corage Line 2213

Line 2213 He ros to wendyn / on hese pilgrymage Vn-to the temple blysful Cythera benygne I mene venus honurable & dygne Line 2216 And in here hour he walkith forth a pas Vn-to the lystis there here temple was And doun he knelith & with vmble chere And herte sor / he seyde as ȝe shal here Line 2220 ffayreste of fayre / O lady myn venus Doughtyr to Ioue / & spouse of Vlcanus [VII. 43.] Thow gladere of / the mount of Cytheroun ffor thilke loue / þou haddyst to Adoun Line 2224 Haue pete of myne bittere teris smerte [folio 162b] And tak myn humble preyere at þyn herte Allas I ne haue no langage to telle [VII. 45.] Theffectis ne the turmentis of myn helle Line 2228 Myn herte may myn harm [[arm: later]] not bewreyen I am so confus þat I can not seyen [VII. 45.] But mercy lady brygh that knowyst wel Myn thought & fest what harmys that I fel Line 2232 Considere al this & rew vp-on myn sor As wisely as I schal ȝit eueremor Enforte myn myȝt thi trewe seruaunt be And holdyn werre alwey with chastite Line 2236 That make I myn owene so ȝe me helpe I kepe not of armys for to ȝelpe [VII. 46.] Ne I ne axe not / to morwe to haue victorye Ne renoun in this cas / ne ven glorye Line 2240 Of prys of armys blowyn vp & doun But I wolde haue fully possessioun Of Emelye & deye / in þyn seruyse ffynd þou the maner how & in what wyse [VII. 47.] Line 2244 I reche not but I may betere be To haue victorye of hem & þey of me So that I haue myn lady in myne armys ffor thow so be / that Mars I god of armys Line 2248 Ȝoure vertu is so gret in heuene a-boue

That ȝif þou lyst I schal wel haue myn loue Thyn temple wele I worschepe euere mo [VII. 48.] And on thyn auter where I ryde or go Line 2252 I wele don sacrifyse & ferys bete And ȝif ȝe wele not so myn lady swete [VII. 49.] Thanne prey I the to-morwe with a spere That Arcitha / me þour the herte bere Line 2256 Than rekke I not whan I haue last myn lyf Thow Arcithe / wynne here to hese wyf This is theffect / & ende of myn preyere Ȝyf me myn loue þou blysful lady dere Line 2260 Whan þ^e orysoun was don of palamoun [folio 163a] [VII. 68.] Hese sacrifyse he dede & þat a-non fful pitously with al circumstaunce [Compare also stanza 42, 'con vittime piatose.'] Al telle I not as now hese obseruaunce Line 2264 But at the laste the statwe of Venus schok [Venus] And made a sygne wherby that he tok That hese preyere acceptid was that day ffor though the sygne schewede a delay Line 2268 Þo wiste he wel þat grauntid was hese bone And with glad herte he wente hym hom ful sone The threde hour inequal that Palamoun Be-gan to Venus temple for to gon Line 2272 Vp ros the sunne & vp ros Emalye [Emale] And to the temple of dyane gan hye [Diane] Here maydenys þat sche thidir with her ladde [VII. 71.] fful redyly þ^e fuyr with hem þey hadde Line 2276 Thensens the clothis & the remenaunt al That to the sacrifise longyn schal The hornys ful of mete / as was the gyse [VII. 71.] Ther lakkede not to don here sacryfise Line 2280 Smokynge þ^e temple ful of clothis fayre [VII. 72.] This Emelye with herte debonayre [[a altered from o]] Here body wesch with watyr of a welle [VII. 73.] But how sche dede here ryte / I dar not telle Line 2284 But ȝif it be ony þyng / in general

And ȝit it were a game to here it al To hym that menyth wel / it were no charge But it is good a man be at hese large Line 2288 Here bryghte her was kempt vntrussed al A coroun of a grene ok cerial [VII. 74.] Vp-on her hede was / set / ful fayre & mete Too fyrys on the auter / gan sche bete Line 2292 And dede here thyngis as men may beholde In stace of Thebes & these bokys olde Whan kyndelit was this fuyr with pitous chere [VII. 76.] Vn-to dyane sche spak / as ȝe may here Line 2296 O chaste goddesse of the wodys grene [folio 163b] [VII. 79.] To whom boþe heuene & erthe & se is sene [VII. 77.] Quen of the regne / of pluto dirk and lowe Goddesse of maydenys / þat myn herte hast knowe Line 2300 fful manye a ȝer and wost what I desire So kep me from þyn veniance & þyn yre [VII. 79.] That attheon Aboughte crewelly Chaste godesse wel wost þou that I Line 2304 Desire to ben a maydyn al myn lyf Ne neuere wele I be no loue ne wyf I am þou wost ȝit / of thyn compaygnye [VII. 81.] A mayde & loue huntyng & venery Line 2308 And for to walkyn in the wodys wilde And not to ben a wyf & ben with chylde Not wele I knowe compaynye of man [VII. 81.] Now help lady sithe ȝe may [& [[erasure]] ] can Line 2312 ffor to thre formeste that þou hast in þe And palamoun that hath swich loue to me And ek arcite that louyth me so sore This grace I preie the with-oute more [VII. 84.] Line 2316 And send loue & pes be-twixe hem to And from me turne a-wey here hertis so That alle here hote loue & al here desyr And al here besy turment and here fyr Line 2320 Be queynt & turne in a noþer place

And ȝif so be þou wilt not do me grace Or ȝif myn destene be schapen so [VII. 85.] That I schal nedys han on of hem to Line 2324 As send me hym that most desyryth me Be-hold goddesse of clene chastite The bittere terys that on myne che-kys falle [VII. 78.] Syn þou art maydyn & kepere of vs alle Line 2328 My maydynhed þou kepe & wel conserue And whil I leue / a mayde I wele þ^e serue The fyrys brenne vp on the auter clere [VII. 88.] Whyl Emalye was þus in here preyere Line 2332 But sodeynly sche sey a seyghte queynte [folio 164a] ffor ryght a-non [on] of the ferys queynte [VII. 91.] And quekede a-geyn & aftyr that anon That othyr fer was queynt & al a-gon Line 2336 And as it queynte it made a whistelyng As don the wete brondis in here brennyng [VII. 92.] Ant at the brondis ende out ran a-non As it were blodi dropis many on Line 2340 ffor which so sore agast was emalye That sche was wol nygh mad & gan to crye ffor sche nyste what it sygnefyed [VII. 92.] But only for the fer þus hath sche cryed Line 2344 And wep þat it was pete for to here And þerwithal diane gan apere [VII. 88.] With bowe in hond rygh as an hunteresse And seyde doughtir stynt þyn heuynesse Line 2348 Among the goddys hye it is afermyd [VII. 89.] And by eterne world wretyn and confermyd [['con eterna pa|rola,' VII. 85.]] Thow schalt ben weddit vn-to on of two [VII. 89.] That han for the so meche care & wo Line 2352 But vn-to whiche of hem I can not telle [VII. 89.] ffarwel for I ne may no lengere dwelle The furys whiche þat on myn auter brenne [VII. 89.] Schul the declaryn or that þou go henne Line 2356 Thyn auenture / of loue as in this cas

And with þat word / þe arwis in the cas Of the goddesse clateryn faste & rynge [VII. 90.] And forthe sche wente & made auanysschynge Line 2360 ffor wich / this emaly / a-stonyd was And seyde what amountyth this allas I putte me in thyn proteccioun Dyane & in thyn dispocycyoun Line 2364 And hom sche goth anon the nexte weye [VII. 93.] This is theffect þere is no more to seye The nexte hour of Mars folwynge this [Arcite . Mars] Arcite vn-to the temple walked is Line 2368 Of ferse Mars / to don his sacrifyse [folio 164b] With al his rygh / of hese poyn devise With pitous herte & hey deuocyoun [VII. 23.] Rygh þus to Mars he seyde hese orysoun Line 2372 O stronge god / that in the regnys colde [VII. 24.] Of trace honoured art & lord I-holde And hast in euery regne and euery lond Of armys al the bridil in þyn hond Line 2376 And hem fortunyst as the lyste deuyse Accepte of me myn pitous sacrifyse Ȝif it so be that myn ȝouthe may disserue [VII. 25.] And that myn myght be worthi for to serve Line 2380 Thyn godhed that I may ben on of thyne Thanne preye I the / to rewe vp-on myn pyne ffor thylke pyne & thylke hote fuyr In whiche whilhom þou brentist for desyr Line 2384 Whan that þou vsedest the beute [VII. 25.] Of fayre ȝouthe frossche venus fre And haddist here in armys at þyn wille Al-though the onys on a tyme mysfylle Line 2388 Whan vlcanus hadde caught þ^e in hese las [VII. 25.] And fond the lyggynge by his wife allas ffor thilkee sorwe / that was in thyn herte Haue routhe as wel vp-on myne peynys smerte Line 2392 I am ȝong / and oncunnynge as þou wyst [VII. 26.]

And as I trowe with loue offendit most That euere was ony / lyuys cryature [VII. 26.] ffor sche that doth me al this wo endure Line 2396 Ne rechith neuere whedyr I synke or fleete And wel I wot er sche me mercy hete I mot with strenthe wynne here in the place And wel I wot / with-oute helpe or grace [VII. 26.] Line 2400 Of the; ne may myn strenthe not a-vayle Than help me lord to morwe in myn batayle [VII. 27.] ffor thilke fuyr that whilhom brente the As wel as thilke fer / now brennyth me Line 2404 And do þat I to morwe haue victorie [folio 165a] Myn be þ^e trauayle & thyn the glorye ['Io il diletto, e tu n' abbia l' onore.' VII. 27.] Thyn souereyn templ wel I muste honoure Of ony place & alwey most laboure Line 2408 In thyn pleasaunce & in thi craftys stronge And in thi temple I mowe myn baner honge [VII. 28.] And alle the armys of myn cumpanye And euere mo vn-to þat day I deye Line 2412 Eterne fuyr I wele be-fore the fynde [VII. 28.] And ek to this a-wow I wele me bynde Myn berd myn her that hangith long adoun [VII. 28.] That neuere ȝit me felte offencyoun Line 2416 Of rasour ne of schere I wele the ȝeue And ben thyn trewe seruaunt whil I leue Now lord haue routhe vp on mynne sorwis sore Ȝif me the victorie I aske the no more Line 2420 The preyer stynte of arcita the stronge The ryngis on the temple dore that henge And ek the doris clateredyn ful faste [VII. 39.] Of which arcita sum-what hym gaste Line 2424 The fuyres brende vp on the autyr bryȝt [VII. 40.] That it gan al the temple for to lyȝt A swete smel a-non the ground vp ȝaf And arcita anon hese hond vp haf [See VII. 40.] Line 2428 And more ensens in to the fuyr he [[c altered from st]] caste

With othere ryȝtys mo and at the laste The statue of mars be-gan hese hauberk rynge [VII. 40.] And with that soun he herde a murmurynge Line 2432 fful lowe & dym þat seyde þus victorye ffor which he ȝaf / to Mars¹. the glorye¹ [[^1-1 over victorye erased]] And þus with Ioye & and hope wel to fare [VII. 41.] Arcita anon vn-to his in is fare Line 2436 As fayn as foul is of the bryȝte sunne And ryȝt anon þere is swich stryf be-gunne [Murmur] [VII. 67.] ffor thilke grauntynge in the heuene aboue Be-twixe venus the goddesse of loue Line 2440 And mars the sterne god Armypotent [folio 165b] That Iupiter was besi it to stynte Til that þe pale saturne the colde That knowith so manye of auentouris olde Line 2444 ffond in hese old experience an art That he ful sone hath plesid euery part As soth is seyd elde hat gret auauntage In elde is bothe wisdam & vsage Line 2448 Men may the elde at-renne & not at-rede Saturne a-non to stynte stryf & drede Al be it þat it is ageyn hese kynde Of al this stryf he gan remedie fynde Line 2452 Myn dere douȝtyr venus quod saturne Myn course þat hath so wyde for to turne Hath more power than wit ony man Myn is the drenchyng in the se so wan Line 2456 Myn is the prisoun in the derke cote Myn is the strangelyng & hangynge bi the throte The murmur & the cherle rebellynge The groynynge & the priue enpoysounynge Line 2460 I do veniaunce and pleyn coreccioun Whyl I dwelle in the sygne of the lyoun Myn is the ruyne of the heye hallys The fallynge of the tourys & of the wallys Line 2464 Vp-on the mynour or the carpenter

I slow Samson schakynge þ^e piller And myne ben the maladijs colde The darke tresounnys & the castis olde Line 2468 Myn lokynge is þe fadir of pestelence Now wep no more I schal don diligence That Palamoun that is þyn owene knyȝt Schal han hese lady as þou hast hym hyȝt Line 2472 Though Mars schal helpe hese knyȝt ȝit neuertheles Be-twixen ȝow there may ben sumtyme pes Alle be ȝe not of on complexioun That causeth al day swich dyuysioun Line 2476 I am thyn aiel redi at thyn wille [folio 166a] Wep now no more I wil þyn lust fulfylle Now wil I stynte of the goddis aboue Mars & venus goddesse of loue Line 2480 And tellyn ȝow as goodly as I can The grete effect for whiche þat I began

[PART IV. [No gap in the MS.] ]

Gret was the feste in Athenys þat day And ek the lusti sesen of þat may Line 2484 Made euery whitht to ben in swich plesaunce That al that moneday Iustene they & daunce And spendyn it in venus hey seruyse And by the cause that þey schulde ryse Line 2488 Erly for to sen the grete fyȝt Vnto here reste wente þey þat nygh[t] And on the morwe whan þat day gan sprynge [[General imita|tion of VII. 95-99.] Of hors & harneys noyse & claterynge Line 2492 There was in ostelleryis al aboute And to the paleys rod þere manye a route Of lordys vp-on stedis & palfreyis There mayst þou sen / deuysyng of harneys Line 2496 So vncouth & so ryche & wrough so wel Of gold smetheris / of broudynge & of stel

The scheldys bryghte testers & trappurys Gold hew helmys hauberkis cote armurys Line 2500 lordis in paramentis on here courserys Knyghtis of retenew & ek squyerys Naylynge the sperys & helmys bokelynge Giggynge of schyldys with lanyerys la-synge Line 2504 Ther as nede is þey were no þyng ydyl The fomy stedis on the goldene brydyl [VII. 97.] Gnawynge faste .the. armurys also With fyle & hamyr prikynge to & fro Line 2508 Thanne on fote comounnys [[MS altered]] manye on With schorte stauys / as thikke as þey may gon Pypis trumpis nakerys claryounnys That in the batayle blowyn blody sounys Line 2512 The paleys ful of peplys vp & doun [folio 166b] [VII. 99.] Here thre þere ten / holdynge here questyoun [VII. 98.] Deuynynge of these / thebene knyghtis too Some seyde thus / some seydyn it schulde be so Line 2516 Some heldyn with hym with the blake berd Some with the ballede some with the thykke herid Some seyde he lokede grymme & he wolde fyghte He hath a sparth of twenty pound of weighte Line 2520 Thus was the halle ful of dynynynge Longe aftyr that the sunne be-gan to sprynge The grete thesyus that of hese slep a-wakyd [VII. 96.] With mynstrelsye & noyse that was makyd Line 2524 Held ȝit the chambre of hese paleys ryche Tyl that the theben knyghtis bothe I-liche Honoure weryn / in-to the paleys fet Deuk thesyus is at a wyndowe set Line 2528 Arayed wel as he were a god in trone The puple presede dedyrward ful sone Hym for to sen & don hey reuerence And ek to herkene his hest & his sentence Line 2532 An heraud on a skaffald made an hoo Til al the noyse of the puple was I-do

And whan he say / the noyse of puple al stylle Tho schewede he the myghty dukis wille Line 2536 The lord hath of hese hey discrecyoun [See VII. 7-13.] Consyderit þat it were distructyoun To gentyl blod to fygtyn in the gyse Of mortel batayle now in this empryse [VII. 7.] Line 2540 Wherfore to schapyn þat þey schul not dye He wele hese ferste purpos modyfye No man þerfore vp peyne of los of lyf [VII. 12 [no lances allowed in Boccaccio].] No maner schort polax / no schort knyf Line 2544 In to the lystys sende ne dedyr brynge Ne schort swerd for to steke with poynt bytynge No man it drawe ne bere it by hese syde Ne no man schal vn to hese felawe ryde Line 2548 But on cours with a scharp I-grounde spere [folio 167a] ffayn ȝif hym lyst / on fote hym self to were And he that is at myschef schal be take [VII. 131-132.] And not slayn / but ben brought vn-to the stake Line 2552 That schal ben ordeynyd on eyþer syde But dedir he schal be forse & þere abyde And ȝif so falle the cheuynteyn be take On eythyr syde or ellys slen hese make Line 2556 No lengere schal the turnyinge leste God spede ȝow. goth forth / & leyth on faste With long swerd & with macys fytyth ȝoure fylle [VII. 12 [and with 'bipenne'].] Goth now ȝoure wey / this is the lordys wille Line 2560 The voys of peple touchede the heuene [VII. 14.] So longe cryedyn þey with merye steuene God sawe swich a lord þat is so good He wylnyth non distructioun of blod Line 2564 Vp goth the trumpys & the melodye And to the lystis rit the cumpaynye By ordenaunce Throuout The sete large Hangit with cloth of gold & not with sarge Line 2568 fful lyk a lord þis noble deuk gan ryde [See VII. 100-102.] These too thebenys vp on eyþer syde

And aftyr rod the quen & emelye And aftyr þat a noþer cumpanye [VII. 113-4.] Line 2572 Of on & oþer aftyr here degre And thus þey passyn thour out the cite And to the lystis come þey betyme It nas not of the day fully pryme Line 2576 Whan set was Thesyus ful ryche & hye Ypolita the quen & Emely And oþere ladyis in degreis aboute Vnto the setis / presith al the route Line 2580 And westwardis thorugh þ^e gatys vndyr marthe [Arcita (in Boccaccio) comes from the quarter of 'Euro' (VII. 114): Pale|mone comes 'Dall' altra parte' (VII. 118). No mention is made by Boccaccio of their banners being red and white.] [VII. 114.] Arcite & ek the hunderit of hese parte With baner red is enteryd rygh a-non And in that selue moment Palamon [VII. 118.] Line 2584 Is vndyr venus Estward in the place [folio 167b] With baner whit & hardy cher & fac In al the world to sekyn vp & doun [VII. 19.] So euene with-oute variacyoun Line 2588 There ne were sweche cumpanyis tweye ffor þere ne was non that coude seye That ony hadde of oþer auauntage Of worthynesse ne of estat ne age Line 2592 So euene were þey [[l altered from h]] chosen for to gesse And too ryngis fayre þey hem dresse Whan that here namys rad were euerychon That in here noumbre gile was þere non Line 2596 Tho were the gatys schette & cryed was loude Do now ȝoure deuer ȝynge knyghtis proude The heroudys lefte here prykynge vp & doun Now ryngyn trompys loude & claryoun [VIII. 5.] Line 2600 There is no more to seyne but west & est In gon the sperys ful gladly in at rest In goth the scharpe spere in to þ^e syde [VIII. 7.] Ther sen men ho can Iuste & ho can ryde Line 2604 There sleueryn sperys vp-on schildys þikke He felyth thorw the herte spon the prykke

Vp spryngyn sperys twenty fote on heyghte Out gon þ^e swerdis as the syluyr bryght Line 2608 The helmys they hewyn & to-schrede Out brest the blod with sterne stremys rede With myghty macys the bonys they to-breste [See VIII. 14, 29, 33, 40, 69, 81, &c.] He thour the thikkeste of the thrang gan threste Line 2612 There semblyn stedys stronge & doun goth al He rollith vndyr fote as doth a bal He foynyth on hese feet with hese trunchoun And he hym hurtelith with hese hors adoun Line 2616 He thour the body is hurt & sithe take Magry his hed & brough vn-to the stake As forward was / ryȝt þere he wolde abyde Anoþer lad is on that oþer syde Line 2620 And sumtyme doth hem Thesius to reste [folio 168a] Hem to frossche & drynkyn ȝif hem leste fful ofte a day han these Thebens two [VIII. 12.] To-gedere I-met & wrought hese felawys wo Line 2624 Vn-horsede hath eche oþer of hem tweye Ther nas no Tigre in the vale of Galgopheye Whan that here whelp is stole whil it is lyte [VIII. 26.] So crewel on the hunte as is arcyte Line 2628 ffor Ielous herte vp-on this Palamoun Ne in Belmarye þere ne is non so fel lyoun That huntid is or for hese hungyr wod Ne of hese prey desyreth so the blod Line 2632 As Palamoun to slen hese fo Arcyte The Ieluse strokys on here helmys byte Out rennyth blod on boþe here sydis rede Sumtyme an ende þere is of eyþer dede Line 2636 ffor er the sunne vn-to þ^e reste wente The strong kyng / emetryus gan hente This Palamoun as he faught with Arcyte And made his swerd depe in hese flesch to bite Line 2640 And be the forse of twenty is he take Vn-ȝoldyn & Idrawyn to the stake

And in the rescous of this palamoun The stronge kyng lygurge is born adoun Line 2644 And kyng Emetrius [al] for hese strenthe Is born out of hese sadil a swerdis lenthe So hitte hym palamoun or he were take But al for nought he was brought to the stake Line 2648 Hese hardy herte myghte hym helpe nought He muste abyde whan that he was caught By forse & ek by compocycioun Who sorwith now but woful palamoun [VIII. 123] Line 2652 That may [[altered from mo]] no more gon ageyn to fyghte And whan that Thesius hadde seyn that syghte Vn-to the folk that foughtyn thus echon He cryede ho / no more for it is don Line 2656 I wele be trewe iuge & no partye [folio 168b] Arcite of Thebes schal haue Emelye That bi hese fortune hath here fayre wonne A-non þere is a noyse of puple begunne Line 2660 ffor ioye of this so loude & heye with al It semede þat the lystis schulde fal What can now fayre venus don aboue What seyth sche now / what doth this quen of loue Line 2664 But wepith so / for wantynge of here wille Tyl þat here terys in the lystis fylle Sche seyde I am a-schamyd duteles Saturne seyde douȝtyr hold þyn pes Line 2668 Mars hath his wille his knyght al hese bone And be myn hed þou schat ben esed sone The trumpis with the loude mestrelcye The heroudis þat ful loude ȝelle & crye Line 2672 Ben in here wele for ioye of daun Arcyte But herkenyth me & styntyth now a lite Which a merakele þere be-fel a-non This ferse arcyte hath of hese helm I-don [VIII. 131.] Line 2676 An[d] on a courser for to schewe hese face He prikyth endelong the same plase

Lokynge vpward vp on þis Emelye And sche ageyn hym caste a frendely ye [VIII. 131.] [VIII. 124-6.] Line 2680 . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] And was al hese cher as in hese herte Out of the ground a furye infernal sterte [[a Fury, raised by Venus, IX. 4.]] Line 2684 ffrom pluto sent at request of saturne ffor which hese hors for fer gan to turne [IX. 7.] And lep a syde & founderede as he lep And er þat arcite may takyn kep Line 2688 He pyghte hym on the pomel of hese hed That in þ^e place he lay as he were ded [IX. 8.] His brest to-brostyn withe sadil bowe As blak he lay as ony cole or crowe Line 2692 So was the blod ronnyn in hese face A-non he was I-born out of the place [IX. 47.] With herte sor to theseus paleys [folio 169a] Tho was he korvyn out of hese harneys [IX. 13.] Line 2696 And in a bed I-brout ful fayre & blythe [IX. 48.] ffor he was ȝit in memory & alyue And alwey cryinge aftyr Emelye Duk Thesius with al hese cumpanye [IX. 38.] Line 2700 Is comyn hom to athenus hese cete With al blys & gret solempnete Al be it þat this / auenture was falle He nylde not disconfortyn hem alle Line 2704 Men seyde ek that Arcita schal not deye [IX. 26.] He schal ben helyd of hese maladye And of a noþer þyng þey wern as fayn That of hem alle was þere non I-slayn [Bocc. makes many of them slain: 'Artifilio,' 'Cornisso' (VIII. 15), 'Rifeo,' 'Arione' (36), 'Narizio' (39), and others, and describes their funerals (X. 4-8).] Line 2708 Alle were þey sore I-hurt & namely on That with a spere was therlyd hese brest bon To othere woundis & to brokene armys Some haddyn saluys & some haddyn charmys [Boccaccio makes only a general mention of the care and comfort bestowed on the wounded (X. 10).] ffermacies of erbis & ek saue Line 2713 Þey dronken / for þey woldyn here lemys haue

ffor which this noble deuk as he wel can Confortyth & honoureþ euery man Line 2716 And made reuel al the longe nyght [IX. 61.] Vn to þo straunge [[altered from stronge]] lordis as was ryght Ne þere was holdyn non disconfitinge But as a iustis or a turneynynge Line 2720 ffor sothely þere was non disconfiture ffor fallynge nys not but an auenture Ne to be lad be forse on to the stake Vnȝoldyn &. with twenty knyghtis I-take Line 2724 On persone a-lone with-oute mo And haried by arm fote & to And ek hese stede dreuyn forth with stauys With footmen bothe ȝemen & ek knavys Line 2728 It nas arettyd hym no velanye There may no man clepe it cowardye ffor which a-non deuk Theseus let crye [folio 169b] To styntyn alle rancure & enuye Line 2732 The gre as wel on o syde as of othir [IX. 54.] And eythyr syde liche [[MS. altered]] lyk a oþeris brothir And ȝeue hem ȝiftys aftyr here degre [XII. 80.] And fully held a feste dayis thre [Fifteen days.] Line 2736 And conueyed þ^e kyng worthily Out of hese town a iurne largely And hom wente euery man the ryghe way [XII. 83.] Þere was no more but farwel & heue good day Line 2740 Of this batayle I wele no more endyte But speke we of palamoun & arcite Swellyth the brest of Arcite & the sor ['But [of the wounded] Arcita alone could not be cured: so much was he shattered in wardly by his fall' (X. 11).] [See X. 11.] Encreseth at hese herte more & mor Line 2744 The cloterede blod for ony leche-craft Corupteth & is in hese bouk I-laft That neyþer veyne blod ne ventusynge Ne drynk of erbis may ben hese helpynge [Point from Boccaccio, differently turned (X. 13).] The vertu expulsyf of anymal Line 2749 ffor thilke vertu clepe I natural

Ne may the vertu voyde ne expelle The pypis of hese lungys gunne to swelle [Points from Boccaccio, differently turned (X. 13, 12).] Line 2752 And euery lacerte in hese brest adoun Is schent with vertu & corupcyoun Hym gaynyth neyþer for to gete his lyf Vomyt vpwar ne dounward laxatyf Line 2756 Al is to-brostyn / thilke regioun Nature hath no domynacyoun [Points from Boccaccio, differently turned (X. 13, 12).] And serteynly þere nature wele not werch ffarwel fysyk go bere the man to scherche Line 2760 This al and sum that arcite mot deye [X. 12.] ffor which he sendyth Aftyr Emalye [X. 37, 51.] And palamoun that was hese cosyn dere Thanne seyde he þus as ȝe schul aftyr here Line 2764 Nowt may the woful spyrt in myn herte [X. 54-5.] Declare on poynt of alle mynne sorwis smerte Do ȝow myn lady that I loue most [folio 170a] But I be-quethe the spyrit of myne gost [X. 64.] Line 2768 To ȝow a-bouyn euery cryature Syn that myn lyf may no lengere dure Allas the wo allas the peynys stronge [X. 102.] That I for ȝow haue suffered & so longe Line 2772 Allas the deth allas myn Emelye [X. 103.] Allas the partynge of oure cumpaynye Allas myn hertis quene allas myn wif Myn hertis lady endere of myn lyf Line 2776 What is this world what askyn men to haue Now with hese loue now in hese colde graue A-lone withoutyn ony cumpanye ffarewel myn swete fo myn emelye Line 2780 And softe tak me in ȝoure armys tweye ['I await the last kisses from thee, oh dear spouse' (X. 65).] ffor loue of god & herkene what I schal seye I haue here with myn cosyn palamoun [X. 60-2.] Had strif & rancur manye a day agon Line 2784 ffor loue of ȝow & for myn Ielusye And Iupiter so wisely myn soule gye

To spekyn of a seruaunt proprely With alle circumstauncys trewely [X. 62.] Line 2788 That is to seyne / strenth. honour. knyghede. Wisdam. vmblesse. estat. & hey kynrede. ffredom. & al that longith to that art So Iupiter haue of myn soule part Line 2792 As in þis world now ne knowe I non [X. 63.] So worthi to be louyd as palamon That seruyth ȝow & wele don al hese lyf And ȝif that euere ȝe schul be a wif Line 2796 ffor-ȝet not palamoun the gentyl man [. . . 'egli è gentile' (X. 62).] And with that word hese speche fayle gan ffor from hese herte vp to hese brest was come [X. 111, 112.] The colde of deth þat hadde hym ouercome Line 2800 And ȝit more ouyr for in hese armys two The vital strenthe is lost & al a-go Only the intellect with-outyn more [folio 170b] That dwellede in hese herte syk & sore Line 2804 Gan fayle whan the herte felte deth Dusked hese eyne þ^o & faylede breth But on hese lady ȝit caste he hese eye Hese laste word was mercy Emelye Line 2808 Hese spyrit schaungede hous & wente þere [See XI. 1-3, and the end of Troilus & Cressida.] As I cam neuere I can not telle where There-fore I stynte I neam no dyuynystere Of soulys fynde I not in þis registre Line 2812 Ne me ne leste thilke opynyounnys to telle Of hem though they write / where þat þey dwelle Arcyte is cold there Mars hese soule gye Now wele I speke forth of Emelye Line 2816 Schrikte Emelye & houlith palamoun [XI. 6.] And thesyus hese sistyr tok a-non Swounnynge & bar here from the cors away Wha helpith it to tarie forth the day Line 2820 To telle how sche wep bothe eue & morwe ffor in swich cas wemen haue swich sorwe

Whan that here hosbondys ben from hem a-go That for the more part þey sorwe so Line 2824 Or ellys fallyn in swich maledye That at the laste serteynly þey deye Infynyte ben / the sorwis & þe terys [XI. 8.] Of olde folk & folk of tendere ȝerys Line 2828 In al the toun for deth of this Theban ffor hym there wepith boþ^e child & man So gret a wepynge was there non sertayn [XI. 7.] Whan Ettor [[tt, t: modern]] was brought [[tt, t: modern]] al frosch I-slayn To troye allas the pete þat was there Line 2833 Crachynge of chekys / rentynge of [[h: later]] here Whi woldist þou ben ded þese wemen crye And haddyst gold I-now & emelye Line 2836 No man myghte glade Thesyus ['Niun potea racconsolar Teseo,' says Boccaccio (XI. 9), not excepting 'Egeo;' but he immediately goes on to speak of the old man's attempt to con|sole 'Palemone,' and the rest,—without the slightest success (XI. 11).—(See also XI. 33.)] [XI. 9.] Sauynge hese olde fadyr egyus That knew this worldis transmutacyoun [folio 171a] [XI. 10, 11.] As he hadde seyn it vp & doun Line 2840 Ioye aftyr wo & wo aftyr gladnesse And schewede hem ensaumplys & lyknesse Ryght [[t: later]] as þere deyede neuere man quod he [XII. 6.] That he ne leuede in erthe in sum degre Line 2844 Ryght so þere leuede neuere man he seyde In al this world that sumtyme he ne deyede This world is not but a thourfare ful of wo And we ben pilgrymys passynge to & fro Line 2848 Deth is an ende of euery wordely sore And oueral þis ȝit seyde he mechil more To this effect ful wisely to enhorte The pule that þey schulde hem reconforte Line 2852 Deuk Thesyus with al hese besi cure [XI. 13.] Cast now wher [[r: later]] þat þ^e sepulture Of goode Arcyt may best I-makyd be And ek most honurable in hese degre Line 2856 And at the laste he tok conclusioun That þere as fyrst arcite & palamoun

Haddyn for loue the batayle hem be-twene That þ^e selue groue sote & grene [XI. 13.] Line 2860 Ther as he hadde hese amerouse desyres Hese compleynt & for loue hese hote fyres He wolde make a fyr in whiche thoffys funeral. he myghte al a-complice Line 2864 And let comaunde anon to hakke & hewe [XI. 14.] The okys olde & leyn hem on a rewe In culpounnys wel arayed for to brenne Hese offyserys with swifte feet þey renne Line 2868 And ryde a-non at hese comaundement And aftyr þis thesius hath sche sent [XI. 15.] Aftyr a bere & it al ouer-spradde With cloth of gold the rycheste that he hadde Line 2872 And of the same sute he cladde arcite Vp-on hese hondis hese glouys whyte Ek on hese hed a coroune of laurer grene [folio 171b] And in hese hand a swerd ful brygh & kene Line 2876 He leyde hym bare þ^e vesage on the bere Therwith he wept þat pete was to here And for the puple schulde sen hym alle [XI. 16.] Whan it was day he broughte hym to þ^e halle Line 2880 That roryth of þ^e cryinge & þ^e soun [XI. 30.] Tho cam þis woful Theban Palamun With flotery & rogi flateri herys In cloþys blake I-droppid al with terys Line 2884 And passynge oþere of wepynge Emelye [

'Non men dolente, Emilia pur piangea,. . . . .I circostanti più pianger facea' (XI. 31).

] [XI. 31.] The reufuleste of al the cumpaynye In as meche as the seruyse schulde be The more noble & ryche in hese degre Line 2888 Duk Thesyus let forth thre stedis brynge [XI. 35.] That trappede were al in stel al glederynge And keuered the armys of daun arcyte Vp-on þese stedis grete & white Line 2892 There setyn folk of which on bar hese schyld Anothir hese spere vp on hese hondys held

The thredde bar with hem hese bowe turkeys Of brend gold was the cas & ek the harneys [XI. 35.] Line 2896 And redyn forth a pas with sorweful chere Toward the groue as ȝe schul aftyr here The nobileste of the grekys þat þere were [XI. 38.] Vp on here schulderyn caryedyn the bere Line 2900 With slak pas & eighen . reede & wete Thorugh-out the Cete / by the maystyr strete That sprad was al with blak & wondyr hye Ryght of the same is the strete I-wrye Line 2904 Vp-on the ryght hand wente old egeus [Right and left of Palemone (XI. 40).] [XI. 40.] And on that oþer syde deuk Thesyus With vessellys in here hondys of gold ful fyn [In the hands of the noblest of the Greeks (XI. 37).]] [XI. 37.] Al ful of. hony. mylk. blod & wyn. [XI. 40.] Line 2908 Ek Palamoun with ful gret cumpaynye And aftyr that cam woful emelye With fuyre in hond as was þat tyme þ^e gyse [folio 172a] To don the offyse of feneral seruyse Line 2912 Hey labour & ful gret aparaylynge [XI. 18.] Was at the seruyse & the fer makynge That with hese gret top the heuene raughte [XI. 26.] And twenty fademe of brede þ^e armys straughte Line 2916 This is to seyne þ^e bowys were so brode Of treis fyrst þere were leyd manye a lode [XI. 27.] But how þ^e fuyr was makyd vp on heighte [XI. 22-25.] Ne ek the namys what þ^e treis hyghte Line 2920 As. ook. fyrre. Birch. asp. Aldyr. Holm. Popeler Wylw. Elm. Plane. Assh. Box. chesteyn. lynde. laurer Mapil. thorn. Bech. hasil. Ew. Whippil. trre How þey were feld schal not be told for me Line 2924 Ne how the goddys rennyn vp & doun Dysheritid of here abitacyoun In wheche þey wendyn in reste & pes Nymphus ffaunes & amadries Line 2928 Ne how the bestis & þ^e bryddys alle [XI. 21.] ffleddyn for fer whan the wode was falle

Ne how the ground agast was of the lyght That was not wont to sen the sunne brygh[t] [XI. 21.] Line 2932 Ne how the fer was couche fyrst with stre [XI. 27.] And þanne with dreye stikkis clouyn a thre And þanne with grene wode & spicerye An þanne with cloth of gold & with perrye [XI. 29.] Line 2936 And garlondis hangynge with mani [[ani: later]] a flour [XI. 27.] The mirre [[irre: later]] þ^e ensens with al so gret odour [XI. 28.] Ne how arcite lay a-mong al [[l: later]] þis [XI. 39.] Ne what richesse a-boute hese body Is Line 2940 Ne how þat Emelye as was te gyse [XI. 40.] Putte in the fuyr of funeral seruyse Ne how sche swounnede whan men made þ^e fuyr [XI. 41-46.] Ne what sche spak ne what was here desyr Line 2944 Ne what Iewell men in the fuyr caste [XI. 48, 50.] Whan þat the fuyr was gret & brente faste Ne how some caste here schyld & some here spere [folio 172b] [XI. 56.] And of here vestementis which þat they were [XI. 50.] Line 2948 And cuppis ful of wyn & mylk & blod [XI. 50, 51.] In-to the fuyr þat brente as it were wod Ne how the grekys with an heuge route [XI. 52.] Thryes redyn al the fuyre a-boute [XI. 53.] Line 2952 Vp-on the left half with a loud schoutynge And thryes with here sperys claterynge [[line repeated and crossed out]] And thryes how the ladyis gunne crye [XI. 54.] Ne how that lad was hom-ward Emalye Line 2956 Ne how Arcyte was brent to asschyn colde [XI. 57, 58.] Ne how that lyche / wake was I-holde [XI. 59-67.] Al thilke nyght ne how the grekys pleye The wake-pleyis ne kepe I not to seye Line 2960 Who wrestelyth best nakyd with oille enoynt Ne who þat bar hym best in no disioynt I wele not tellyn ek how þat þey gon Hom to athenys whan the pley is don Line 2964 But schortly to the poynt þanne wele I wende And makyn of myn longe tale an ende

Be proces & be lenthe a certeyn ȝerys Al styntyd is the mournyng & the terys [XII. 3, 'giorni,' instead of years.] Line 2968 Of grekys be on general assent Than semede me þere was a parlement At athenes vp on certeyn poyntys and cas A-mong the poyntys spokyn was Line 2972 To haue with certeyn poyntys alyance And haue fully of thebans obeissaunce ffor which this nobil theseus anon Let sendyn aftyr gentil palamon [XII. 4.] Line 2976 Vnwist of hym what was the cause & why But in hese blake cloþis sorwefully He come at hese owene comaundement in hye To sente Theseus / for emelye Line 2980 Whan þey were set & hust was al the place [folio 173a] [XII. 5.] And thesyus abedyn hadde a space Er ony word cam from hese wyse brest Hese eynyn sette he þere as was hese lest Line 2984 And with a sad visage he sikede stille And aftyr þat ryght þus he seyde hese wille The ferste mournere [[? MS.]] of the cause aboue [IX. 51.] Whan he ferst made þ^e cheyne of loue [mondo, for 'cheine of loue.'] Line 2988 Gret was theffect & hy was hese entent Wel wiste he why & what þerof he ment [IX. 51.] ffor with that fayre cheyne of loue he bond The fuyr the eyre the watyr & the lond Line 2992 In certeyn boundys þat þey may not fle That same prince & þat same Moeuere quod he [[See IX. 51, 52, and XII. 6.]] Hath stablyschid in this wrechede world a doun Certeyn dayis & duracioun Line 2996 To alle þat is engenderid in þis place Ouer the whiche day þey may not pace Alle mowe þey ȝit þe dayis wel a-bregge Þere nedyth non autorite to legge Line 3000 ffor it is preuyd be experyence But þat me lyste to clare myn sentence

Thanne may men by þis ordere wel diserne That tylke moeuere stylle & sterne Line 3004 Wel may men knowe but it be a fol That euery part dryuyth from hese hol ffor nature hath takyn hese begynnyng Of no party or of a cantel of a þyng Line 3008 But of a þyng þat parfyt is & stable Dessendynge so til it be corumpable And þerfore for hese wise puruyaunce He hath so wel be-set hese ordenaunce Line 3012 That specyfie of þyngis & progressiounnys Shul endure be succesciounnys And not eterne with-outyn ony lye This mayst þou vndyrstondyn & sen at eye Line 3016 lo þ^e ok that hath so long a norichynge [folio 173b] [XII. 7.] ffrom the tyme þat it ferst begynnyth to sprynge And hat so long a lyf as we may se Ȝit at the laste wastyd is the tre Line 3020 Considerith ek how that the harde ston Vndir oure fet on whiche we trede & gon Ȝit wastith it as it lyth be the weye The brode reuyr sumtyme waxeth dreye Line 3024 The grete tounnys se we wane & wende Than may I say þat al þis thyng hath ende Of man & woman se we we wel alsoo [XII. 8.] That nedyth in on of þese termys too Line 3028 This is to seyne in ȝouthe or ellys age He mote be ded the kyng as schal a page Some in his bed some in the depe se [XII. 10.] Some in the large feld as men may se Line 3032 There helpith not al goth that ilke weye Thanne may I seyn al þis þyng mote nedis deye What makyth þis but Iupiter þ^e kyng That is prynce & cause of alle thyng Line 3036 Conuertynge al vn-to hese propere welle ffrom wiche it is deryvit soth to telle

And here ageyn no cryatour on. lyue Of no degre a-uaylith for to stryue [XII. 6.] Line 3040 Thanne is it wisdom as it þynkyt me [XII. 11.] To makyn vertu of necessite And take it wel that we may not eschewe And nameli that to vs alle is dewe Line 3044 And ho so grochit out he doth folye [XII. 13.] And rebel is to hym þat al may gye And serteynly a man hath most honour [XII. 9, 12.] To deyen in hese excellence & flour Line 3048 Whan he is sekyr of hese goode name Thanne hath he don hese frend ne hym no schame And gladdere owith hese frend to ben of deth Whan with honour is ȝoldyn vp hese breth Line 3052 Than whan his name apeyred is for age [folio 174a] ffor al forgetyn is his wasseyllage Thanne is it best as for a worthi fame A man to deye whan he is best of name Line 3056 The contrarie of al this is wilfulnes [XII. 13.] Why groche we why haue we heuynes [XII. 14-17.] That goode arcite of chyualrye flour Departid is with deynte & honour Line 3060 Out of þis foule prysoun of þis lyf Why grochyn here his cosyn & his wif Of [his welfare that loueth hem so wel] [[Sloane MS. 1685]] Can he hem thank nay god wot neuere adel Line 3064 That boþe hese soule & ek hym self offende And ȝit þey mowe here lustis not amende What may I conclude of þis longe serye But aftyr wo I rede vs to be merye [XII. 19.] Line 3068 And thankyn Iupiter of al hese grace And er þat we departe from þis place I rede we make of sorwys too On parfyt Ioye lastynge eueremo Line 3072 And lokyth now where most sorwe is her inne There [wil I first bigynne [[Sloane MS. 1685]]

[Suster quod he this is my ful assent [[Sloane MS. 1685]] With alle thaues heere of my parlement Line 3076 That gentyl palamon ȝoure owne knyght That seruyth ȝou with wil herte and myght As euer hath don sithen ȝe first hym knewe That ȝe shul of ȝoure [grace] vpon him rewe Line 3080 And taken for husbond and for lord Lene me ȝoure hond for this is oure acorde Lete see now if youre wommanly pitee He is a kingis brother sone parde Line 3084 A[nd thouȝ he be a pore bachelere S[ithen he hath serued ȝou so many a ȝere A[nd had for ȝou so gret aduersite It [most be considered leuyth me] [[Sloane extr. ends]] Line 3088 ffor gentyl mercy owith to passyn ryght [Cambridge Gg. iv. 27] [folio 174b] Than seyde he þus to palamoun ful rygh[t] I trowe þere nedyth lytil sarmonynge To make ȝow assente to the thynge Line 3092 Come ner & tak ȝoure lady bi the hond By-tweþyn hem was mad anon the bond [XII. 69.] That hyghte matrymonye or mariage By al the cuntre & the barounnage Line 3096 And þus with al blys & melody [XII. 72.] Hath Palamoun I-wedded emely And god þat al þis wyde word hath wrought Synde hym his loue þat hath it dere abought Line 3100 ffor now is Palamoun in alle wele [XII. 83.] leuynge in blysse in richesse & in hele And Emelye hym louyth so tenderely And he here seruyth so gentylly Line 3104 That neuere was þere no word hem be-twen Of Ielousye or ony oþer teene [[teene: later]] Thus endyth Palamoun & Emelye And god saue al this ffayre cumpaynye. [[rest of leaf nearly all cut out.]] Line 3108

SO whan þ^e knyght hath þus hese tale told [folio 175a] In al þ^e route nas þere ȝyng ne old That he ne seyde it nas a noble story And worthy for to drawe to memory Line 3112 And nameli þ^e gentilis euerychon Our ost lough and swor so mote I gon Thys goth aryght onbokeled is the male Let sen now who schal telle a noþer tale Line 3116 ffor trewely the game is wel begunne Now tellyth ȝe sere monk ȝyf þat ȝe cunne Sumwhat to quite with þ^e knyghtis tale The mellere that dronke was al pale Line 3120 So that a-nethe vp on his hors he sat He nulde a-vale neythyr hod ne hat Ne abyde no man for hese curteysye But in pilat voys he gan to crye Line 3124 And swor by armys & by blod & bonys I can a noble tale for thenonys With whiche he wele now quyte þe knyȝtis tale Oure ost saw þat he was dronke of ale Line 3128 And seyde a-byd Robyn myn leue brothyr Sum betere man schal telle vs fyrst a nothyr Onbyd & lat vs werke thryftyly By goddys soule / quod he þat wele nat I Line 3132 ffor I wele speke or ellys gon myn wey Oure ost answerde telle on a delewey Thow art a fol thy wit is ouercome Now herkenygh quod the mellere alle & some Line 3136 But fyrst I make a protestacyoun That I am dronke I knowe it be myn soun And þerfore ȝif I mys speke or seye Wite it the ale of Southwerk I preye Line 3140

Line 3140 ffor I wele telle a legende & a lyf Bothe of a carpenter & hese wyf How that a clerk hath set the wryghtis cappe The reue answerde & seyde stynt þyn clappe Line 3144 let be þyn lewede dronke harlotrye [folio 175b] It is a synne & ek a gret folye To apeyre ony man or hym diffame And ek to bryngyn whyuys in swych fame Line 3148 þou mayst I-now of oþere thyngis sayn This dronkyn mellere spak ful sone ageyn And seyde leue brothyr Osewold Ho hath no wif he is no coukewold Line 3152 But I seye not þerfore þat þou art on There ben ful goode wivis manyon And euer a thousent goode a-ȝens on badde That knowyst þou wel þyn self / but ȝif þou madde Line 3156 Why art þou angry with myn tale now I haue a wif also as wel as þou Ȝit nolde I not for the oxsyn in myn plow Takyn vp on me more þan I-now Line 3160 As demyn in myn self þat þou were on I wele be-leue wel þat I ne am non An husbonde schal not ben inquysityf Of goddis priuyte nor of hese wyf Line 3164 So he may fyndyn godis foysounn there Of the remenaunt nedyth not tenquyre What schalde I seyn But this mellere He wolde hese wordys for no man forbere Line 3168 But tolde hese cherlych tale in hese manere Me thynkyth I schal reherse it here And þerfore euery gentyl wygh I preye ffor goddys loue demyth not þat I seye Line 3172 Of euyl entent but for I mot reherse Here talys al be þey betere or werse Or ellys fallyn sum of myn matere And þerfore who so leste it not here Line 3176

Line 3176 Turne ouer the lef & ches a noþer tale for he schal fynde I-nowe grete & smale Of storyal thyng þat touchith gentillesse An ek Morallite and holynesse Line 3180 Blamyth not me ȝif ȝe chesyn amys [folio 176a] The mellere is a cherl ȝe knowe wel this So was the reue & oþere manye mo And harlotrye þey tolde bothe to Line 3184 Avyseth ȝow put me out of blame And ek men schal not makyn ernest of game

here endith the prologe/ [[No gap in the MS.]]

& here begynnyth the tale.

WHilhom þere was dwellinge in Oxenforde A ryche gnoff þat gestis helde to borde Line 3188 And of his craft a carpenter With hym þere was dwellynge a pore scoler Hadde lernede art but of hese fantasye Was turned for to lernyn astronomye Line 3192 And coude a certyn of conclusiounys To demyn by interrogacyounnys Ȝif that men axsed hym in certeyn hourys Whan men schulde haue droughte or elle schourys Line 3196 Or ȝif men axsede hym what schulde be-falle Of euery thyng I may not rekene hem alle This clerk was clepid hende nycholas Of derne loue he coude & of solas Line 3200 And þerto he was sly & ful preue And lyk a mayde meke for to se A chambre hadde he in that ostelrye Alone with-outyn ony compaygnye Line 3204 fful fetously I-dygh with erbis sote And he hym self as swete as is the rote Of licorys or ony Cetewale Hese almageste & bokys grete & smale Line 3208 Hese augrym stonys lynge fayre apart Hese astellabre longynge for hese art On scheluys couchede at hese bedys hed Hese presse I-couered with a faldynge red Line 3212 And al aboue þere lay a gay sautrye On whiche he made on nyghtis melodye So swetely þat al the chambere rong [folio 176b] And Angelus ad uirginem he song Line 3216 And aftyr þat he song the kyngis note fful oftyn blyssede was hese mery throte

And þus this swete clerk hese tyme he spente Aftyr hese frendys fyndynge & hese rente Line 3220 This carpenter hadde weddid newe a wyf Whiche þat he louede more þan hese lyf Of eightene ȝer sche was of age Ielous he was & held here narwe in cage Line 3224 ffor sche was wilde & ȝyng & he was old And demede hym self / ben lyk a coukewold He knew not catoun for hese wit was rude That bad men schulde wedde here symylitude Line 3228 Men schulde wedde aftyr here estat ffor ȝoughte & elde ben oftyn at debat But sythyn þat he was fallyn in the snare He muste endure as oþere folk hese care Line 3232 ffayr was þis ȝonge wif & þerwith al As ony wesele here body gent & smal A seynt sche werede þ^e seynt al of sylk A barme cloth as whit as ony mylk Line 3236 Vp on here lendis ful of manye a gore Whit was here smok I-brouded al be-fore And ek be-hyndyn on here coller aboute Of col blak silk with-inne & ek with-oute Line 3240 The tapes of here white voluper Were of the same sute of here coller Hyre filet brod of silk I-set ful hye And sekyrly sche hadde a lycorous eye Line 3244 fful smale I-pullede were hese browis to And þ^o were bent & blake as is a slo Sche was more blysful on to se Than is the newe pere Ionete tre Line 3248 And softere than is the wolle of a wedyr And by here gerdil heng a purs of ledyr Tassellid with sylk & perlit with latoun [folio 177a] In al this world to sekyn vp & doun Line 3252 There is no man so wys that coude thynche So gay a popelote or swych a wenche

fful bryght was the schynynge of here hewe Than in þ^e tour/ the noble forgit newe Line 3256 But of here song it was as loude & ȝerne As ony swalwe syttynge on a berne And þerto sche coude skippe & make game As ony kede or kalf folwende hese dame Line 3260 Here mouth was swete as braket or the methe Or hord of appillis leyd in hay or hethe Wynsynge sche was as is a ioly colt Long as a mast & vp ryght as a bolt Line 3264 A broche she bar vp on here lowe coler As brod as is the bos of a bokeler Here schois were lasyd on here leggis hye Sche was a prymrole & a piggis nye Line 3268 ffor ony lord to liggyn in hese bedde Or ek for ony good ȝeman to wedde Now sere & eft sere so be-fel the cas That on a day this hendyn Nicholas Line 3272 ffil with þis ȝynge wif rage & pleye Whil þat here husbonde was at Hoseneye As clerkys ben ful sotyl & ful queynte And priuyly he caughte here bi þ^e queynte Line 3276 And seyde I-wis but I mowe haue myn wille ffor derne loue of the lemman I spille And held here harde be the haunche bonys And seyde lemman loue me al at onys Line 3280 Or I wele deyin al so god me saue And sche sprong as a colt doth in the traue And with here hed sche wrythed faste a-wey Sche seyde I wel not kysse þ^e be my fey Line 3284 Whi let be quod sche let be nycholas Or I wele crye out harrow allas Do wey ȝoure hondis for ȝoure curteysy [folio 177b] This nycholas gan mercy for to cry Line 3288 And spak so fayre & proferede hym so faste That sche here loue hym grauntede at þ^e laste

And swor here oth be seynt Thomays of kent That he wolde ben at hese comaundement Line 3292 Whan þat sche may here layser wel asspye Myn husbonde is so ful of Ielousye That but ȝe waite wel & ben priue I wot ryght wel I am but ded quod sche Line 3296 Ȝe muste ben ful derne as in þis cas Nay þerof care ȝe not quod Nicholas A clerk hadde lethyrly be-set hese while But ȝif he coude a carpenter be-gyle Line 3300 And þus they ben acordit & I-sworn To wayte a tyme as I haue told be-forn Whan Nicholas hadde don þis euery del An thakkede here a-boute the lendis wel Line 3304 He kyssith here swete & takyth hese sautrye And pleyeth faste & makyth melodye Thanne fel it thus þat to þ^e parich cherche Crystys owene werkys for to werche Line 3308 This goode wyf wente on an haly day Here forehed schon as bryght as ony day So was it wasschyn whan sche let here werk Now was þere of that cherche a parysch clerk Line 3312 The wheche þat was clepid absolon Crol was hese her & as þ^e gol it schon And strut as a fan large & brod fful streyt & euene lay hese Ioly schod Line 3316 His rode was red hese eyȝyn greye as gos With poulys wyndow I-korwyn on hese schois In hosyn rede he wente fetusly I-clad he was ful smal & properly Line 3320 Al in a kyrtel of a lyght vachet fful fayre & thikke . ben the poyntis set And þerupon he hadde a gay surplys [folio 178a] As whit as is the blome on the rys Line 3324 A merye chyld he was so god me saue Wel coude he letyn blod & wel schaue

And make a chartere of lond & aquitaunce In twenty manerys coude he trippe & daunce Line 3328 Aftyr the skole of Oxenforthe þo And with hese leggis castyn to & fro And pleyen songys on a smal rubybe Therto he song sumtyme a loud quynyble Line 3332 And as wel coude he pleye on a geterne In al the toun nas brew hous ne tauerne That he ne visityd with hese solas There ony galiard tapstere was Line 3336 But soth to seyn he was sumdel coymous Of fartynge & of speche daungerous This absalon that Ioly was & gay Goth with a senser on the halyday Line 3340 Sensynge þ^e wyuys of the parych faste And manye a louely lok on hem he caste And namely on þis Carpenterys wyf To loke on here he thouȝte a merye lyf Line 3344 Sche was so propere & swete & lycurous I dar wel seyn ȝif sche hadde ben a mous And he a cat he wolde here hente a-non This parych clerk þis Ioly Absalon Line 3348 Hath in hese herte swich a louelongynge That of no wif tok he non offerynge ffor curteysye he seyde he wolde non The mone whan it was nyght ful bryghte it schon Line 3352 And absalon hadde hese geterne take ffor paramourys he thoughte for to wake And forth he goth Iolyf & amerous Tyl he come to þ^e carpenterys hous Line 3356 A lytil aftyr þ^e cokkys hadde crowe And dressede hym vp be a schot wyndowe That was vp on the carpenterys wal [folio 178b] He syngyth in hese wois [[corrected]] gentil & smal Line 3360 Now dere lady ȝif thyn wille be I preye ȝow that ȝe wele rewe on me

fful wel acordaunt to hese geternynge This carpentire a-wok & herde hym synge Line 3364 And spak vn to hese wyf & seyde a-non What alysoun heryst not þou absalon That schauntyth þus vndyr oure bouris wal And sche answerde here husbonde þerwithal Line 3368 Ȝis god wot Ihun I here it euerydel This passeth forth what wele ȝe bet þan wel ffrom day to day this Ioly Absolon So wowith here þat hym is wo begon Line 3372 He wakyth al the nyght & al the day He kempte hese lokys brode & made hym gay He wowith here be menys & procage And swor he wolde ben here owene page Line 3376 He syngyth brokkynge as a nyghtyngale He sente here pyment mede & spicede ale And waferys pipinge hote out of the glede ffor sche was of tounne he proferede mede Line 3380 ffor sum folk wele be wonne for richesse And some for strokys & some for gentillesse Sumtyme to schewe hese lyghtnesse & maystrie He pleyeth heroudis vp on a skafald hye Line 3384 But what auaylyth hym in þis cas Sche louyth so þis hende Nicolas That Absalon may blowe the bukkys horn He ne hadde for al hese labour but a skorn Line 3388 And sche makyth Absalon here ape And al hese ernest is turnyd tyl a Iape fful soth is this prouerbe it is no lye Men seyth ryght þus the nyght slye Line 3392 Makyth the chartere lef to be looth ffor thow that absalon be wod or wroth Be cause þat he fer was from here syght [folio 179a] This nyght Nicholas stod in hese lyght Line 3396 Now bere the wel þou hende nycholas ffor absalon may wepe & synge allas

And so befel it on a satyrday This carpenter was gon to Osenay Line 3400 And hende nycholas & Alysoun Acordede ben to this conclusioun That Nicholas schal schapyn hym a wile This sely Ielous husbonde to begyle Line 3404 And ȝif so be this game wente aryght Sche schulde slepe in hese armys al nyght ffor this was here desyr & hese also And rygh a-non with-outyn wordys mo Line 3408 This nicholas no lengere wolde tarye But doth ful softe vnto hese chambere carye Bothe mete & drynk for a day or tweye And to here husbonde bad here for to seye Line 3412 Ȝif that he axede aftyr Nicholas Sche schulde seye he nyste neuer wher he was Of al þe day sche say hym not with ye Sche trowyth þat he was in malady Line 3416 ffor no cry here mayde coude calle He nulde answere for no thyng that myghte falle This passeth forth al þat satyrday That Nicholas stille in hese chambere lay Line 3420 And et & slep & dede what hym lyste Thil soneday þat the sunne goth to reste This sely carpenter hath so gret merueyle Of Nicholas or what thyng myghte hym eyle Line 3424 And seyde I am adred be seynt thomays It stondyth not a-rygh with nycholas God schylde þat he deyede sodeynly This world is now ful tekyl sekyrly Line 3428 I saw to day a cors boryn to scherche That now on moneday last I saugh hym werche Go vp quod he vn to hese knaue a-non [folio 179b] Clepe at hese dore or knokke with a ston Line 3432 Loke how it is & telle me boldely This knaue goth hym vp ful sturdyly

And at the chambere dore whil that he stod He cryede & knokkede as þey he were wod Line 3436 What how what do ȝe Maystyr Nicholay How may ȝe slepen al the longe day But al for nought he herde not a word An hole he fond ful lowe vp on a bord Line 3440 There as the cat was wont in for to crepe And at the hole he lokede in ful depe And at the laste he hadde of hym a sygh This Nicholas sat alwey gapynge vp rygh Line 3444 As he hadde kykyd on the newe mone Adoun he goth & tolde hese maystyr sone In what aray he saw this ilke man This carpenter to blyssyn hym be-gan Line 3448 And seyde helpe vs seynte frydiswyde A man wot lytyl what hym schal betyde This man is falle with hese astronemye In sum wodnesse or in sum agonye Line 3452 I thoughte ay wel how þat it schulde be Men schulde not knowe of goddis priuyte Ȝe blyssede be alwey a lewede man That nought but only his bileue can Line 3456 So ferde a nothyr clerk with astronomye [[r: later]] He walkede in the feldis for to prie Vp on the sterrys what þere schulde befalle Til he was in a marbil pyt I-falle Line 3460 He say not that but ȝit be seynt Thomays Me rewyth sore of hende Nycholas He schal be ratyd of hese stodying Ȝif that I may be Ihesu heuene kyng Line 3464 Get me a staf that I may vndyr spore Whil that þou robyn hevyst vp the dore He schal out of hese stodyinge as I gesse [folio 180a] And to the chambere dore he gann hym dresse Line 3468 Hese knave was a strong carl for the nonys And by the haspe he haf it of at onys

And in the flor the dore lay a-non This nycholas sat ay as stylle as ston Line 3472 And euere gapede vpward in to the eyre This Carpenter wende he hadde ¹ben in dispeyre¹ [[^1_1 corrected]] And hente hym by the schulderis myghtyly And shok hym harde & cryede dispitously Line 3476 What Nicholas what how loke adoun Awake & thynk on crystis pascioun I crouche the from elvys & from whitys [[corr. to whichys]] Therwith the nyght spel [[corr. to ffeel]] a-non ryghtis Line 3480 On foure haluys of the hous aboute And on the throsschewald of the dore with-oute Ihesu cryst & seynt benedyt Blysse this hous from euery wede wygh Line 3484 ffor the nyghtis verie / the white pater noster Where wonyst þou now seynte peterys systyr And at the laste þis hende Nicholas Gan for to syke sore & seyde allas Line 3488 Schal al the world ben lost eftsonys now This carpente answerde what seynst þou What thynk on god as men don whan þey swinke This Nicholas answerde fet me drynke Line 3492 And aftyr wele I speke in priuyte Of serteyn thyng that touchith me & the I wele telle it non oþer man certeyn This carpentyr goth doun & comyth ageyn Line 3496 And broughte of myghti ale a large quart And whanne that eche of hem hade dronke his part This Nicholas hese dore faste schette And doun the Carpenter by hym he sette Line 3500 And seyde Ihun myn ost lef & dere Thow schat vp on thi trouthe swere me here That to no wyght þou schat þis conseyl wreye [folio 180b] ffor it is crystis conseyl that I seye Line 3504 And ȝif þou telle it man þou art forlore ffor this veniaunce þou schat han þerfore

That ȝif þou wreye me þou schat ben wod Nay cryst forbede for hese holy blood Line 3508 Quod þ^o this selye man I nam no labbe Ne þow I seye I ne am not lef to gabbe Sey what þou wylt I schal it neuere telle To chyld ne wyf by hym that harwede helle Line 3512 Now Iohn quod Nicholas I nyl not lye I haue I-foundyn in myn astronemye As I haue lokyd in the mone bryght That now a moneday nest at quarter nyght Line 3516 Schal falle a reyn & that so wilde & wod That half so gret was neuere Noyes flod This world he seyde in more thn an oure Schal be drenk so hydous is the schour Line 3520 Thus schal mankynde drenche & lese here lyf This carpenter answerede allas myn wif And schal sche drenche allas myn alysoun ffor sorwe of this he fel almost a doun Line 3524 And seyde is there no remedye in this cas Whi ȝis for gode / quod hende Nichola Ȝif þou wilt werkyn aftyr lore & red Thow mayst not werkyn aftyr þyn owene red Line 3528 ffor thus seyth salamon that was for trewe Werk al be conseyl & þou schalt not rew And ȝif þou werke wylt be good conseyl I vndyrtake withoute mast or sayl Line 3532 Ȝit schal I schaue here & the & me Hast þou not herd how sauyd was noe Whan þat oure lord hadde warnede hym beforn Tha al the word with wayr schulde be lorn Line 3536 Ȝis quod this carpenter ful ȝore ago Hast þou not herd quod Nicholas also The sorwe of Noe with hese felauschepe [folio 181a] E[r] þan he myghte gete hese wyf to schepe Line 3540 Hym hadde ben lefere I dar wel vndyrtake Al thilke tyme than hese wederis blake

That sche hadde had a schep here self a lone And þerto wost þou what is best to done Line 3544 This askyth haste & of an hasty thyng Men may not preche ne make taying Anon go gete vs faste in to þys in A knedyng trow or ellys a kemelyng Line 3548 ffor eche of vs but loke that þey be large I wheche we mowe sweme as in a barge And han þerinne vitayle suffyciaunt But for a day fy on the remenaunt Line 3552 The watyr schal aslake & gon away Aboute pryme on the nexte day But robyn may not wetyn of this thyn knave Ne ek thym maydyn gille I may not sve Line 3556 Axe not whi for thow þou axe me I wele not telle godis priuyte Suffyseth þe but ȝif thy wit madde To han as gret a grace as Noe hadde Line 3560 Thyn wif schal I wel saue out of doute Go now thyn wey / & sped the here aboute But whan þou hast for here & þ^e & me I-getyn vs these knedyng tubbys thre Line 3564 Thanne schat þou hangyn hem in the rof ful hye That no man of oure puruyaunce aspye And whan þou hast þus don as I haue seyd And hast oure vitayle fayre in hem leyd Line 3568 And ek an ax to smyte the corde a two Whan that the watyr comyth þat we may goo And breke an hole an hey vp on the gable Into the gardynward ouer the stabele Line 3572 That we mowe frely passe forth ore way Whan that the grete schour is gon a-way Than schat þou sweme as merye I vndyrtake [folio 181b] As doth the white doke aftyr the drake Line 3576 Thanne wele I clepe how alisoun how Ion Be merye for the flod wele passe a-non

And þou wit seyn heyl maystyr Nicholay Good morwe for I se þ^e wel for it is day Line 3580 And thanne schul we be lordys al oure lyue Of al the world as Noe was & hese wyue But of a [[a later]] thyng I warne the ful ryght Be wel auysed on þat ilke nyght Line 3584 That we ben enteryd in to schepys bord That non of vs ne speke not a word Ne clepe ne crye but ben in hese preyere ffor it is goddys owene heste dere Line 3588 Thyn wyf & þou motyn hangyn fer a twen ffor that be-twixe ȝow schal ben no syn No more in lokynge þan þere schal in dede This ordenaunce is seyd go god þ^e spede Line 3592 To morwe at nyght whan we ben alle aslepe In to oure knedynge tulbis we schul crepe And sittynge þere abydynge goddys grace Go now þyn way I ne haue no lengere space Line 3596 To make of thys no lengere sarmounnyng Men seyth þus / synd þ^e wyse & sey no þyng Thow art so wys it nedyth þ^e not teche Go saue oure lyf & that I þ^e beseche Line 3600 This sely carpenter goth forth hese way fful ofte he seyde allas & welle away And to hese wif he tolde hese priuyte And sche was war & knew it bet þan he Line 3604 What al this queynte cast was for to say But neuertheles sche ferde as sche wolde day And seyde allas go forth þyn waye a-non Help vs to skape / er we ben dede eche on Line 3608 I am thyn verray trewe weddede wyf Go dere spouse & help to saue oure lyf Lo which a gret thyng is affeccyoun [folio 182a] Men may deye thour Imagynacyoun Line 3612 So depe may impressioun be take This sely Carpenter begynnyth to quake

Hym thynkyth verayly þat he may se Noyous flod come walwynge as the se Line 3616 To drenchyn alysoun hese hony dere He wepyth waylyth makyth sory chere He sykyth with manye a sory swough And goth & getyth hym a knedyng trough Line 3620 And aftyr a tubbe & a kemelyn And pryuyly he sente hem to hese in And hyng hem in the rof in priuyte With his owene hand he made ladderys thre Line 3624 To klymbyn bi þ^e roungis & the stalkys On to the tubbe hangynge in the balkis And hem vitaylede bothe trow & tubbe With bred & chese with good alle in a tubbe Line 3628 Suffysynge rygh I-now as for a day But er he hadde mad al thys aray He sente hese knaue & ek hese wenche also Vp on hese nedis to lundene for to go Line 3632 And on the moneday whan it drow to nyght He schette hese dore with-outyn candele lygh And dressede alle thynge as it schulde be And schortly vp they clumbe alle thre Line 3636 They setyn stylle wel a furlong wey Now pater noster clum seyde Nicholay And clum quod Ion & clum quod Alysoun This carpentyr seyde hese deuocyoun Line 3640 And stylle he sit & biddyth hese preyere Awaytynge on the reyn ȝif he it here The dede slep for verray besynesse ffel on this Carpentyr rygh as I gesse Line 3644 A-boute corfeu tyme or lyte more ffor trauayl [[l: later]] of hese gost he groynede sore And efft he routyth for hese hed mys lay [folio 182b] Doun on the laddere stalkyth Nicholay Line 3648 And Alysoun ful softe a doun sche spedde With-outyn wordys mo þey gon to bedde

There as the carpentyr is wone to lye There was the reuel & the melodye Line 3652 And þus lyth alysoun & Nycholas In besynesse of merthe & of solas Tyl þat the belle of laudis gan to rynge And frerys in the schaunsel gunne synge Line 3656 Thys parich clerk this Amerouse Absalon That is for loue alwey so wo begon Vp on the moneday was at oseneye With cumpanye hym to disporte & pleye Line 3660 And axede vp on cas a cloysterer fful priuyly aftyr Ion the carpenter And he drow hym a part out of the cherche And seyde I saw here not werche Line 3664 Syn satyrday I trowe that he be went ffor tymbyr þere oure abbot hath hym sent ffor he is wont for tymbyr for to go And dwellyn at the graunge a day or too Line 3668 Or ell he is at hese hous serteyn Where that he be I can not sothly seyn This absalon ful Ioly was & lyght And thoughte now is tyme to wakyn al nygh Line 3672 ffor sekyrly I say hym not sterynge A-boutyn hese dore tyl day be-gan to sprynge So mot I the I schal at cokkys crowe fful priuyly knocke at hese wyndowe Line 3676 That stant ful lowe vndyr hese bourys wal To alysoun now wele I tellyn al Myn loue longynge for ȝit I schal not mysse That at the leste weye I schal here kysse Line 3680 Sum maner confort schal I haue parfay Myn mouth hath ȝechid al þis longe day That is a sygne of kyssynge at the leste [folio 183a] Al nyght me mette I was at a feste Line 3684 Therfore I wele go slepe an oure or tweye And al the nyght þanne wele I wake & pleye

Whan that the ferste Cok hath crowe a-non Vp rist this Ioly louere this absalon Line 3688 And hym arayeþ gay at poyn deuyse But fyrst he schewith greyn & licorys To smelle sote er he hadde kemb his her Vndyr hese tunge a trewe loue he ber Line 3692 ffor therby wende he to be gracious He romyth to the carpenterys hous And stille he stant vndyr the schot wyndowe Vn to hese brest it raught it was so lowe Line 3696 And softe he coude with a semy soun What do ȝe hony komb ȝe swete alysoun Myn fayre bryd myn swete synamome Awakyth leman myn & spekyth to me Line 3700 Wol lytil thynkyn ȝe vp on myn wo That for ȝoure loue I swete þere I go No wondyr ist þow I swalte & swete I morne as doth a lamb aftyr þ^e tete Line 3704 I-wis leman I haue so meche loue longyng That lik a turtele I trowe is myn mornyng I may not ete no more þan a mayde Go from the wyndowe Iakke fol sche sayde Line 3708 As helpe me god it wele not be cumpame I loue a-nothir & ell I were to blame Wel bet þan þ^e be Ihesu Absalon Go forth þyn way or I wele caste a ston Line 3712 And let me slepe a twenty dele wey Allas quod absalon & welleawey That trewe loue was euere so euele be-set Than kys me syn it may be no bet Line 3716 ffor Ihesus [[MS Ihc]] loue & for the loue of me Wilt þou þanne go thyn wey therewith quod sche Ȝa certis lemman quod þis absalon [folio 183b] Thanne mak þ^e redi quod sche I come anon Line 3720 . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] This Absalon sette hym doun on hese kneis

And seyde I am a lord at alle degreis Line 3724 ffor aftyr this I hope þere comyth more leman thyn grace & swete bryd þyn ore The wyndowe sche ondoth & that in haste Haue don quod sche come of & sped þ^e faste Line 3728 Lest that thyn neyhebouris þ^e aspye This absalon gan wype his mouth ful drye Derk was the nyght as pouche or as the cole And out at the wyndowe sche putte here ars hole Line 3732 And absalon fel neyþer bet noþer wers But with hese mouth he kyste here nakede ars fful sauourly er he were war of this A bakke he styrte & thouthe it was a mys Line 3736 ffor wel he wiste a woman hadde no berd He felte a thyng al row & long I-heryd And seyde fy allas what haue I do Te he quod sche & claptte here wyndowe to Line 3740 And absalon goth forth a sory pas A berd a berd quod hynde Nicholas Bi goddis corpus this goth fayre & wel This sely absalon herde euerydel Line 3744 And on his lippe he gan for angyr bite And to hym self he seyde I schal þ^e quyte Who rubbyth now ho frotyth now hese lippis With dust with sond with straw with cloth with schippis But absolon þat seyth ful ofte allas Myn soule be-take I onto saternas But me were betere þan al this toun quod he Of þis dispyt a-wrokyn for to be Line 3752 Allas quod he allas why ne hadde I bleynt Hese hote loue was cold & al I-queynt ffor from that tyme that he hadde kyst his ers Of paramour he sette not a kres Line 3756 ffor he was heled of hese maladye [folio 184a] fful ofte paramouris he gan defye And wepte as doth a chyld þat is I-bete A softe pas he wente ouer the strete Line 3760

Line 3760 Vn tyl a smyth men clepedyn daun Ieruys That in hese forge he smethede plow harneys He scharpith schar & cultyr besyly This absalon knokyth al besyly Line 3764 And seyde ondo Geruays & þat a-non What ho art þou it am I Absalon What Absalon what crystis swete tre Whi ryse ȝe so rathe ey benedicyte Line 3768 What eylyth ȝow sum gay gerl god it wot Hath brouȝt ȝow þus vp on the merytot This Absolon ne roughte not a bene Be seynte note ȝe wete wel what I mene Line 3772 Of al this pley no word he ne spak He hadde more tow on hese rak Whan geruays knew & seyde fren so dere That hote cultyr in the chemene here Line 3776 As lene it me I haue þerwith to done I wele bryngyn it þ^e a-geyn ful sone Gerueys answerede sertis were it gold Or in a poke nobellys al ontold Line 3780 Thu schuldyst haue as I am trewe smyth Ey cristis foo what wele ȝe do þerwith Ther-of quod Alsalon be as be may I schal wel telle it þ^e to morwe day Line 3784 And caughte þ^e cultyr by the colde stele fful softe out at þ^e dore hym gan stele And wente vnto þ^e carpenterys wal He knokyth fyrst & kallyth [[corr.]] þerwithal Line 3788 Vp on þ^e wyndowe rygh as he dede er This alysoun answerde ho is ther That knokyst so I warent the a thef Why nay quod he god wot myn swete lef Line 3792 I am thyn absalon myn derelyng [folio 184b] Of gold quod he I haue þ^e brought a ryng Myn modyr ȝaf it me so god me saue fful fyn it is & þerto wel I-graue Line 3796

Line 3796 This wele I ȝeuen þ^e ȝif I þ^e kysse This Nicholas was resyn for to pysse And thoute he wolde a-mendyn al þ^e Iape He schulde kysse hese ars er þan he spake Line 3800 And vp the wyndowe dede he hastyly And out hese ars he puttyth pryuyly Ouer the buttok / to þ^e haunche bon And þerwith spak this absolon Line 3804 Spek swete brid I not where þou art This Nicholas a-non let flye a fart As gret as it hadde ben a thondyr dent And with þ^e strok he was almost I-blent Line 3808 And he was redy with hese yryn hot And Nicholas a mydde þ^e ars he smot Off goth the skyn [[corrected]] / an hande brede aboute The hote cultyr / brende so hese toute Line 3812 And for the smert he wende for to deye As he were wod / for wo he gan to crye Help watyr watyr / help for godys herte This carpenter / out of hese slombir sterte Line 3816 And herde on cryen / watyr as he were wod And thoughte allas now comyth Newel flod [[²? Nowel]] He sit hym vp with/oute wordys mo And with hese ax / he smette the corde on to Line 3820 A doun he [[corrected]] fel. [[corrected]] he fond no [[corrected]] thyng [[corrected]] to selle Neyþer bred ne ale / Ne no thyng elle Vp on the flor / & þere aswounne he lay Vp styrte here Alysoun & nycholay Line 3824 And cryedyn out / harrow in the strete The neygheborys boþ^e smale & grete In ronne for to gauryn on þis man. That ȝit a swounne he lay boþ^e pale & wan. [[Cambridge stops till l. 3891.]] ffor with that fal he brusten hath his arme [Sloane MS. 1685 folio 43a] But stonden he must vnto his owne harme ffor whanne he spak he was anoon bore doun With hynde Nicholas and Alisoun Line 3832

Line 3832 Thei tolde euery man that he was wood He was a-gast so of the Nowels flood Thurgh fantasie that of his vanyte He hadde bought hym kneding tubbes three Line 3836 And hadde hem hanged in the roof aboue And that he praiede hem for goddis loue To sitten in the roof par companye The folk gan laughwen at his fantasie Line 3840 And to the roof thei kiken and thei gape And turned al his harm vnto a Iape ffor what this carpentere answerde It was for nought no man his resoun herde Line 3844 With othes gret he was sworne adoun That he was holden wood in al that toun ffor euery clerk anoon right helde with other Thei seide the man is wood my leue brother Line 3848 And euery wight gan laughwen at his stryf Thus swyued was the carpenters wyf ffor al his kepyng and his Ialousie [Sloane MS. 1685 folio 43b] And Absolon hath kist hir nethir ye Line 3852 And Nicholas is scaldid in his toute This tale is don and god saue al the route

Explicit fabula molendinarij. [[No break in the MS.]] [[Of leaf 85, the Cambridge MS has only cas l. 3855, pleye, l. 3858, and greue l. 3859.]]

¶ Heere bigynneth the prolog of the Reues Tale. [[Sloane MS 1685]]

WHanne folk han laughwen at this nyce cas Of Absolon and hynde Nicholas Line 3856 Dyuerse folk dyuersely they seide But for the more part thei lough and pleyde Ne at this tale I saw no man him greue But it were oonly Oswold the Reue Line 3860 By cause he was of Carpenteres craft A litel ire is in his herte laft He gan to grucche and blamede it a lite So the yk quod he ful wel kouthe I ȝou quite Line 3864 With blering of a proude mellers ye If that me list to speke of rybaudye But yk am old me list not pleye for age Gras tyme is don my foddere is forage Line 3868 This white top writeth myn olde ȝeres Myn herte is al so mouled as myn heres But if I fare as doth an openers That ilk fruyt is euere lenger the 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 alweye while the world wil pipe Line 3876 ffor in oure wille ther stiketh euere a naile To haue an hoor her / and a grene taile As hath a leek . for though oure might be gon Oure wille desireth folye euere in oon Line 3880 ffor whanne we may nought don than wil we speke Ȝit in oure asshen old is fire reke ffoure gledes haue we whiche I shal diuise Auauntyng . liyng . Angre . Coueitise Line 3884 These foure sparkles longith vnto elde [Sloane MS. 1685 folio 40a] Oure olde lymes mowe wel be vnwelde

But wille ne shal not failen that is soth [[Sloane MS 1685]] And ȝit haue I alwey a coltes toth Line 3888 As many a ȝere as it is passed henne Sith that my tappe of lyf bigan to renne [[Sloane extract ends.]] ffor sekyrly whan I was boryn anon [Cambr. MS. Gg 4. 27] [folio 186a] Deth drow þ^e tappe of lyf & let it gon Line 3892 And euere sithe hath so þ^e tappe Ironne Til þat almost al emty is þ^e tunne The strem of lyf now droppith on þ^e chymbe The sely tunge may wel rynge & chymbe Line 3896 Of wrechedenesse þat passede is ful ȝore With olde folk saue dotage is no more Whan þat þ^e ost hadde herd this sarmounnyng He gan to spek as lordly as a kyng Line 3900 He seyde what amountyth al þis wit What schul we speke al day of holy writ The deuyl made a reue for to preche And of a soutere schipman or a leche Line 3904 Sey forth thyn tale & tarye not þ^e tyme Lo Depeforthe & it is half weye pryme Lo Grenewych þere manye a schrewe is inne It were hey tyme þyn tale to begynne Line 3908 Now serys quod this Osowold the reue I preye ȝow alle þat ȝe nat ȝow greue Thow I answere & sumdel sette hese howe ffor lefful it is þat forse / forse of schowe Line 3912 This dronkene mellere hath I-told vs here How þat begiled was a carpentere Parauenture in scorn for I am on And by ȝoure leue I schal ȝow quyte a-non Line 3916 Ryght in hese cherlis termys wele I speke I preye to god his nelke mote breke He can wel in myn eye sen a stalke But in hese owene he can not sen a balke Line 3920

Here begynnyth the [[head of painting of the Reeve]] Reue his tale

AT Trompyngtoun not fer fram cantabregge [folio 186b] Þere goth a brok & ouer þat a bregge Vp on þ^e which brok þer stant a melle And this is veray soth þat I ȝou telle Line 3924 A mellere was þer dwellynge many a day As ony pekok he was proud & gay Pype he coude and fyssche and netys beete And turne cuppis & wel wrestele & schete Line 3928 Ay by hese belte he bar a long panade And of a swerd ful trenchaunt was the blade A Ioly poppere bar he in hese pouche Ther was no man for peryl durste hym touche Line 3932 A sheffeld Thwytel bar he in hese hose Round was hese face & kammede was hese nose As pelyd as an ape was hese skolle He was a markat betere at þ^e fulle Line 3936 There durste no wygh hand vp on hym leye [[ye corrected]] That he ne swor þat he schulde anon a-beye [[ye corrected]] A thef he was for sothe of corn & mele And þat a sly & vsaunt for to stele Line 3940 And his name was hotyn deynous symkyn A wif he hadde comyn of noble kyn The persoun of the toun here fadyr was With here he ȝaf ful many a peny of bras Line 3944 ffor þat Symkyn schulde in hese blod alye Sche was fostered in a nunnerye ffor Symkyn wolde no wyf as he seyde But sche were wel Inoryschid & a mayde Line 3948 To sauyn hese estat of ȝemanrye And sche was proud & pert as is a pye A ful fayr syghte was it on hem to On holye dayis be-forn here wolde he ge Line 3952

Line 3952 With hese typet boundyn a-boutyn hese hed And sche come aftyr in a gite of red And symkyn hadde hosyn of the same Ther durste no wygh clepyn here but dame Line 3956 Was non hardy þat wente be þ^e weye [folio 187a] That durste with here rage or onys pleye But ȝif he wolde be slayn of symkyn With panade or knyf or boytekyn Line 3960 ffor Ielous folk ben perelous euere mo Algate þey wolde here wyuys wenden so And ek for sche was sumwhat smotyrlych Sche was as dygne as watyr In a dich Line 3964 And ful of hokyr & of bismerye Sche thoughte þat a lady schulde here spareye What for here kynrede & here Norterye That sche hadde lerned in þ^e nunnerye Line 3968 A doughtyr hadde þey be-twixe hem too Of twenty ȝer with-outyn ony moo Sauynge a chyld þat was of sene ȝer age In cradil it lay & was a propere page Line 3972 This wenche thikke & wel I-growyn was With cammuse nose & eyen greye as glas Buttokkys brode & brestis rounde & hye But rygh fayr was here her I wele not lye Line 3976 This persoun of the toun for sche was so fayr In purpos was to makyn here hese eyr But of hese catel & hese mesewage And straunge he made it of here maryge Line 3980 Hese purpos was for to be-stowe here hye In to sum worthi blod of aunceterye ffor holicherche good / mote ben dispendit On holy cherchis blod / þat is dessendit Line 3984 Þerfore he wolde / hese holy blod honoure Thow þat he holy cherche / schulde devoure Gret sokene hath / this mellere out of doute With whete & malt / of al the lond a-boute Line 3988

Line 3988 And namely þere was a gret college Men clepyth þ^e soler halle at cantebrege There was heyre whete & here malt I-grounde And on a day it happede in a stounde Line 3992 Sek lay þ^e mauncypele on a malady [folio 187b] Men wendyn wisely þat he schulde dey ffor which this mellere stal bothe mele & corn An hundere tyme more þan be-forn Line 3996 ffor þere be-forn he stal but curteysly But now he was a thef outragyously ffor whych þe wardeyn schod & made fare But therof sette this mellere not a tare Line 4000 He crakyth bost & swor it was not so Þanne were there pore clerkys too That dwelledyn in þis halle of whiche I seyde Testyf þey were & lusty for to pleye Line 4004 And only for here myrthe & reuerye Vp on þ^e wardeyn besily þey crye To ȝeue hem leue but a lite stounde To gon to melle / to sen here corn I-grounde Line 4008 And hardely þey durste leyn here nekke The mellere schulde not stele hem half a pekke Of corn be sleyghte ne be forse hem reue And at þ^e laste þ^e wardeyn ȝaf hem leue Line 4012 Ion highte þat on & aleyn hyghte þat oþer Of on toun were þey born þat hyghte strother ffer in the north I can not tellyn where This aleyn makyth redy al hese gere Line 4016 And on an hors he caste þ^e sak a-non Forth goth aleyn þ^e clerk & also Ion With good swerd & bokeler bi here syde Ion knew þe weye hem nedyth no gyde Line 4020 And at þ^e melle þ^e sak a-doun he leyth Aleyn spak fyrst alheyl symound in feyth How farys þyn fayre douȝtyr & thyn wif Aleyn wolcome quod symkyn be myn lyf Line 4024

Line 4024 And Iohn also how now what do ȝe here Symond quod Iohn bi god nede has no pere He muste serue hym self þat has no sweyn Or ellis he is a fol as clerkis seyn Line 4028 Oure maunciple I hope he wele be ded [folio 188a] Swa werkis ay / þ^e wangis in hese hed And þerfore is I come & ek aleyn To grynde oure corn & carie it hom a-geyn Line 4032 I prey ȝow spede vs hene as ȝe may It schal be don quod symkyn be myn fay What wel ȝe don whil þat it is in hande By god ryȝt by þ^e hopyr wele I stande Line 4036 Quod Ion & sen how þ^e corn goth in Ȝit saw I neuere be myn fadir kyn How þat þe hopir wagis to & fra Aleyn answerede & seyde wist þou swa Line 4040 Thanne wele I be beneth bi myn croun And sen how þat þ^e mele fallyth don In to þe trow þat schal ben myn dysport ffor Iohn yfayth I may ben of ȝore sort Line 4044 I is as ille a mellere as is ȝe This mellere smylede of here nysetee And thouȝte al þis it nys don but for a wyle They wene þat no man may hem be-gyle Line 4048 But be myn thryft / ȝit wele I blere here ye ffor al þe sleyȝte in here philosofye The more queynte crokede þat þey make The more wele I stele whan I take Line 4052 In stede of flour / ȝit wele I ȝeue hēm bren The gretteste clerkys ben not wyseste men As whilom to þe wolf þus spak þe mare Of al here art I counte not a tare Line 4056 Out at þe dore he goth ful pryuyly Whan þat he saw hese tyme softely He lokyth vp & doun tyl he haue founde The clerkys hors þere as it stod I-bounde Line 4060

Line 4060 Be-hynde þe melle vndyr a leuesel And to þe hors he goth fayre & wel He strepith of þe brydil ryght a-non And whan þe hors was los he gynnyth gon Line 4064 Toward þe fen þere wilde marys renne [folio 188b] And forth with wehe þour theke & thorw thenne This mellere gooth a-ȝen / no word he seyde But doth his note & with þe clerkis pleyede Line 4068 Til þat here corn was wel & fayre grounde And whan þe mele is salkyd & I-bounde This Iohn goth out & fynt his hors away And gan to crye harow & weyleaway Line 4072 Oure hors is lorn aleyn for godys bonys Step on thyn foot Aleyn come of atonys Allas oure wardeyn has hese palfrey lorn This aleyn for-gat bothe mele & corn Line 4076 Al was out of hese mynde hese hosebondrye What whedir is he gon he gan to crye The wyf cam lepynge inward with a ren Sche seyde alas ȝoure hors goth to þe fen Line 4080 Wyth wylde marys as faste as sche may go Vn-thank come on hese hand þat bond hym so And he þat betere schulde a knyt þe reyne Allas quod aleyn for crystis peyne Line 4084 Ley doun þyn swerd / & I wele myn al swa I is ful wyȝt god woot as is a raa By goddis herte / he schal nat skape vs baþe Whi ne haddist þou pit þe capyl in þe lathe Line 4088 Ille hayl aleyn be god þou is a fonne These sely clerkis han ful faste I-ronne Toward þe fen / bothe aleyn & ek Iohn And whan þe mellere saw þat þey were gon Line 4092 He half a buschel of here flour hath take And bad hese wif gon knede it in a kake He seyde I trowe þe clerkys were a-feryd Ȝit can a mellere make a clerkys berd Line 4096

Line 4096 ffor al here art now lat hem gon here woye Lo where he goth þat lat þe childeryn pleye They gete hym not so lyȝtely / be myn croun These sely clerkys rennen vp & doun Line 4100 Wyth kep kep / stand stand stand Iossa ware þe rere [folio 189a] Ga whystele thow & I schal kepe hymm here But schortly til þat it was veray nyght They coude not Thow they don al here myȝt Line 4104 Here capil cache he ran al wey so faste Tyl in a dych þey caughte hym at þe laste Wery & wet as beste is in þe reyn Comyth sely ion & with hym comyth aleyn Line 4108 Allas quod Iohn þe day þat I was born Now are we dreuyn tyl hethng & to scorn Oure corn is stole men wele vs folys calle Boþe þe wardayn & oure felas alle Line 4112 And namely þe mellere weyleawey Thus pleynyth Iohn as he goth be þe wey Toward þe melle / & bayard in hese hond The mellere sittynge by þe fyr he fond Line 4116 ffor it was nyȝt & ferþere myȝte þey nought But for þe loue of god þey hym be-sought Of herberwe & of ese for here peny The mellere seyde a-geyn ȝif þere be eny Line 4120 Swich as it is ȝit schal ȝe haue ȝoure part Myn hous is streyt but ȝe han lernede art Ȝe cunne with argumentis make a place A myle brod of twenty fote of space Line 4124 Let se now ȝif þis space may suffyse Or make it roum with speche as is ȝoure gyse Now symond seyde Iohn be seynt Cutbert Ay art þou merye & þis is fayre answeryd Line 4128 I haue herd seyd men schal tan of too thyngis Swich as he fynd or take swich as he bryngis But specially I preye þe hoot & deere Gete vs sum mete & drynk & make vs chere Line 4132

Line 4132 And we wele paye trewely at þe folle With emty hand men may none haukys tolle Lo here oure syluyr / redy for to spende This mellere in to þe tounne hese doughtyr sende Line 4136 ffor ale & bred & rostede hem a goos [folio 189b] And bond here hors it schulde not gon loos And in hese owene chaumbir made a bed With schetis & with chalounnys fayre I-spred Line 4140 Not from his owene bed ten fote or twelve Hese douȝtyr hadde a bed al by here selue Rygh in þe same schaumbyr by & by It myȝte ben no bet & cause why Line 4144 There was non roumere herberw in þe plase The soupe & þey speke hem to solase And dronkyn ay strong ale at þe beste Aboute medenyȝt wente þey to reste Line 4148 Wel hath this mellere vernychid hese hed fful pale he was for-drunke & not red He ȝyksneth & spekyth þourw þe nose As he were on þe quakke or on þe pose Line 4152 To bedde he goþ & with hym goth his wif As ony iay sche lyȝt was & iolyf So was here ioly whistele wel I-wet The cradil at here beddys feet is set Line 4156 To rokke & to ȝeue þe child to souke And whan þat dronkyn al was in þ^e crouke To bedde wente þe douȝtyr ryȝt a-non To bedde goth aleyn & ek Iohn Line 4160 Ther nas no mor hem neded no dwale This mellere hath so wysely bibbit alle That as an hors he snortyth in hese slep Ne of hese tayl ne takyth he no kep Line 4164 Hese wif bar hym a burdoun a ful strong Men myȝtyn here hyre route too furlong The wenche routyth ek par cumpaynye Aleyn þe clerk þat herde þis melodye Line 4168

Line 4168 He pokede ion & seyde slepist þou Herdist þou euere swich a song er now Lo swich a copil is a-mong hem alle A wylde fyr mote on here bodyis falle Line 4172 Ho herkenyth euere swich a ferly thyng [folio 190a] Ȝa þey schal haue þe flour of ille endyng This longe nyȝt þere tydis me no reste But ȝit no fors al schal ben for the beste Line 4176 ffor Iohn seyde he as euere mote I thryue Ȝif þat I may þe wenche wele I schryue Sum esement has lawe I-schapyn vs ffor Iohn þere is a lawe þat says þus Line 4180 That ȝif a man in a poynt be a-greuyd That in a noþer he schal ben releuyd Oure corn is stolin schortly it is non nay And we han had an ille fit al þis day Line 4184 And syn I schal han non a-mendement A-geyn my los I wele haue eysement By godys sale it schal non oþer be This Iohn answerde Aley a-vise þe Line 4188 The mellere is a perlyous man he seyde And ȝif þat he out of hese slep a-breyde He myȝte vs don bothe a velanye Alyn answerde I counte hym not a flye Line 4192 And vp he sterte & by þe wenche he crepte This wenche lay vp ryght & faste slepte Tyl he so nygh was er sche myghte aspye That it hadde be to late for to crye Line 4196 And schortely for to seyn þey were at on Now pley aleyn for I wele speke of ion This Iohn lyth stylle a furlong wey or too And to hym self he makyth reuthe & woo Line 4200 Allas quod he þis is a wekede iape Now may I seyn þat I is but an ape Ȝit hath myn felawe sumwhat for hese harm He has þe melleris douȝtyr in hese arm Line 4204

Line 4204 He auntered hym & has hese nedis sped And I lye as a draf sek in myn bed And whan þis iape is told a noþer day I schal ben told a daffe a cokenay Line 4208 I wele ryse & antere it be myn fay [folio 190b] Vn-hardi is vn-sely þus men say And vp he ros & softely he wente Vn to þe cradil & in hese hond it hente Line 4212 And bar it softe vn to hese bedis feet Sone aftyr þis þe wyf here routyng let And gan to wake & lefte for to pysse And cam a-geyn & gan here cradil mysse Line 4216 And gropede here & þere / but sche fond non Allas quod sche I hadde almost mys gon I hadde al most gon to þe clerkys bed Ey benedyste þanne hadde I foule I-sped Line 4220 And forth sche goth tyl sche þe cradel fond Sche gropede alwey ferþere with here hond And fond þe bed & thouȝte not but good Be cause þat þe cradyl by it stod Line 4224 And nyste where sche was for it was derk And fayre & wel sche crep in bi þe clerk And lyth ful stylle & wolde a cauȝt a slep With-inne a while þis Iohn vp lep Line 4228 And on þis goode wif he leyth on sore So merye a fit ne hadde sche ful ȝore He prikyth harde & sore as he were mad This ioly lyf han þese too klerkis lad Line 4232 Tyl þat þe fyrste kok be-gan to synge Aleyn wex wery in þ^e dawenynge ffor he hadde swonkyn al þe longe nyȝt And seyde farwel malyn swete wyȝt Line 4236 The day is come I may no lengere byde But euere more where so I go or ryde I is þyn owene clerk so haue I sel Now dere leman quod sche go fare weel Line 4240

Line 4240 But er þou go on thyng I wele þe telle Whan þat þou wendyst homward be þe melle Ryȝt at þe entre of þe dore be-hynde [folio 191a] Þou schat a cake of half a buschel fynde Line 4244 Þat was I-makyd ryȝt of þyn owene mele Which þat I halp myn fadyr for to stele And goode leman god þe saue & kepe And with þat word sche gan almost to wepe Line 4248 Aleyn vp ryst & thoughte er þan it dawe I wele gon crepe in by myn felawe And fond þe cradyl with hese hand a-non By god þouȝte he al wrong I haue mys gon Line 4252 Myn hed is toty of myn swynk to nyȝt Þat makyth me þat I go not aryȝt I wot wel by þe cradyl I haue mys go Here lyth þe mellere & hese wyf also Line 4256 And forth he goth a twenty deleway Vn to þe bed þere þat þe mellere lay He wende a crepid bi hese felawe Ion An by þe mellere in he crepede a-non Line 4260 And cauȝte hym by þe nekke softe he spak He seyde þou Iohn þou sweuenyst a-wak ffor cristis soule & here a nobele game ffor by þat lord þat called is seynt Iame Line 4264 As I haue thryes in þe schorte nyȝt Swyuyd þe melleris douȝtyr bolt vp ryȝt Whil þou hast as a coward been a-gast Ȝa false harlot quod þe mellere hast Line 4268 A false traytour false clerk quod he Thow schat ben ded be godis dynete Ho durste ben so bold to disparage Myn douȝtyr þat is comyn of swych lenage Line 4272 And by the throte bolle he caughte aleyn And he hente hym dyspitously a-geyn And on þe nose he smot hym with hese fest Doun ran þe blod strem vp on hese brest Line 4276

Line 4276 And in þe floor with nose & mouth to-broke They walwe as don too piggis in a poke And vp þey gon & don a-geyn a-non [folio 191b] Tyl þat þ^e mellere spurnede aȝen a ston Line 4280 And doun he fyl bakward vp on hese wif That wiste no þyng of þis nyse stryf ffor sche was falle a slepe a lyte wyght With Iohn þe clerk þat wakede al nyȝt Line 4284 And with þe fal out of here slep sche bryde Help holy croys of bromeholm sche seyde In manus tuas lord to þe I calle A-wake symond þe fend is on vs falle Line 4288 Myn herte is brokyn allas I ne am but ded There lyth on vp on myn wombe & on myn hed Help symkyn for þe false klerkys fyȝte This Iohn styrte vp as faste as euere he myȝte Line 4292 And graspith by the walle to & fra To fynde a staf & sche styrte vp alswa And knew þe estis betere þan dede þis Iohn And bi þe wal a staf sche fond a-non Line 4296 And saw a lytyl schemeryng of a lyȝt ffor at an hole in schon þe mone bryt [[corrected]] And by þat lyȝt sche say hem boþe too But sekyrly sche nyste ho was who Line 4300 But as sche say a whit thyng in here eye And whan sche gan þe whyte þyng espye Sche wende þe clerk hadde wered a wolyper And with the staf sche drow ay ner & ner Line 4304 And wende an hit þes aleyn at þe fulle And smot þe mellere on þe pylede sculle And doun he goth harow I deye These clerkys bete hym wel & lete hym lye Line 4308 And hastede hem & toke here leue a-non And ek here mele & on here woye þey gon And at þe melle ȝit þey toke here kake Of half a buschel flour wol wel I-bake Line 4312

Line 4312 Thus is þe proude mellere wel I-bete And hath I-lost the gryndyng of þe wete And payed for þe souper euery del [folio 192a] Of aleyn & of Iohn þat bete hym wel Line 4316 Hese wyf is swyuyd & hese doughtyr als Lo swich It is a mellere [[re: later]] to ben fals And þerfore this prouerbe is seyd ful soth [[soth: later]] Hym thar not wene wel þat euele doth Line 4320 A gylour schal [[l: later]] hym self begylede be And god þat settyth hye in [[in: later]] mageste Save all þese cumpanyis grate [[? corrected to grete]] & smale Thus haue I quit þe mellere in myn tale [[Break of 3 lines in the MS.]] Line 4324

THe cook of lundene whil þe reue spak ffor ioye hym thouȝte he clawede hym on þ^e bak Ha ha ha for cristys passyoun This mellere hadde a scharp conclusyoun Line 4328 Vp on his argument of herbergage Wel seyde salamon / on his langage Ne brynge not euery with in to þyn hous ffor herberwynge be nyȝte is perlyous Line 4332 Wel auȝte a man avysede for to be Whom þat he brouȝte in to hese priuyte I preye to god so ȝeue me sorwe & care Syn euere I highte hoge of ware Line 4336 Herde I euere a mellere betere I-set a werke He hadde a Iape of maleys in þe derke But god for-bede þat we stentyn here And þerfore ȝif ȝe wouche saf to here Line 4340 A tale of me þat am a pore man I wele ȝow telle as wel as euere I can A lytyl Iape what fel in oure cete Oure ost answerde & seyde I graunte it þe Line 4344 Now telle on roger & loke þat it be good ffor manye a paste hast þou letyn blod And manye a rakke of douere hast þou sold/ That hath ben twyes hot & twyes cold [folio 192b] Line 4348 Of manye a pilgrym hast þou cristis curs ffor of thyn persele ȝit thy fare þe wers That þey han etyn with thyn stobil goos ffor in thyn schoppe is manye a flye los Line 4352 Now telle on gentyl roger be þyn name But ȝit I preye þe be not wroth for game A man may sey ful soth in game & play Thow seyst ful soth quod roger be myn fay Line 4356

Line 4356 But sooth pley quaad pley as þ^e flemyng seyth And þerfore herry bayly be þyn feyth Be þou not wroth er we partyn here Thow þat myn tale be of an ostelere Line 4360 But natheles I wele nat telle it ȝet But er we parte I-wis þou schat be quit And þerwithal he low & made chere And seyde hese tale as ȝe schal aftyr here [[No break in the MS.]] Line 4364

Here begynnyst the kok of lundene hi tale [[painting of the Cook]]

[Nearly all leaf 193 of Camb. MS is cut out. Only He l. 4372, As 4373, We 4374, At 4375, H 4376, ff 4377, and bits of O and T, 4378-9, are left, and se of plase, l. 4410, and aunce 4412.]

A Prentis whilom dwellid in oure citee [Sloane MS. 1685 folio 50b] And of a craft of vitalers was he Gaillard he was as gol-fynche in þe schawe Broun as bery. a proper short felawe Line 4368 With lokkes blake I-kempt ful fetisly Daunce he kouþe so wel and Iolyly That he clepid perkyn reueilloure He was as ful of loue and paramour Line 4372 As is þe hive ful of hony swete Wel was þe wenche with him myght mete At euery bridale wold he synge and hoppe He louede bette þe tauerne þan þe shoppe Line 4376 ffor whan þer any ridynge was in chepe [Sloane MS. 1685 folio 51a] Out of þe Shoppe þeder wold he lepe Til þat he had al þe sight I-seyn And daunced wel wold he not come a-gayne Line 4380 And gedrid hym mony of his sort To hoppe and synge and make suche disport And þere þey setten steuene for to mete To pleyn at þe dys in suche a strete Line 4384 ffor in þe toun nas ner no prentis That fairer couþe cast a peyre of dys Then perkyn couth and þerto he was free Of his dispence in place of pryuyte Line 4388 That fonde his maister wel in his chaffare ffor ofte tyme he fonde his box ful bare ffor sikirly a prentis reuelour . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] Line 4392 His maystir shuld it in his shep abye Al haue not part of þe mynstralcie ffor theft and riot þei ben conuertible Al can he pleye on geterne or rubible Line 4396

Line 4396 Reuel and trouth as in lowe degree [[Sloane MS 1685]] They ben ful wroth al day as men may see This Iolye prentis with his mayster boode Til he were nyghe oute of his prentis-hoode Line 4400 Al were he snybbit erly and late And somtyme lad with Reuel to Newgate But at last his maystir him by-þoght Vpon a day whan he his paper sought Line 4404 Of a prouerbe þat saith þis same word Wel bet is roten appel oute of hoorde Than þat it rotet alle þe remenant So farith it by a ryocous seruant Line 4408 It is ful lasse harme to late hym passe Than he shend alle þe seruauntz in þe place Therfore his maystir ȝaf him a quytaunce And bade him go with sorow and myschaunce Line 4412 And þus this Ioly prentis had his leuee [Sloane MS. 1685 folio 51b] Now let hym Riot al þe nyght or leue And for ther is no theof with-oute a loke That helpith hym to wasten and to sowke Line 4416 Of þat he bribe can or borow may Anoon he sent his bede and his array Vn to a couper of his owne soort That loued dys Reuel and disport Line 4420 And had a wif þat held for contynaunce A shope and swyfed for hir sustynaunce [[Sloane extract ends.]]