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

[PART III. No gap in the MS.]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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