The Lansdowne ms of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.

Whilome was as holde stories tellen vs Line 859 There was a Duke [Boccaccio calls Teseo 'duca di Atene' (I. 13), and says that his father Egeo was 're d'Atene' (I. 6).] Of Athenes he was lorde and gouernoure And in his time suche a conqueroure That gretter was none vndere þe sonne fful Mony a riche Contre had he wonne. Line 864 What wiþ wisdome and his Chiualrie [Books I-II.] He conquered al þe Regne of ffemynye. That whilom cleped was Scithia And wedded þe qwene ypolita Line 868 An browht hire home wiþe him in to his contre Wiþ muche glorie and grete solempnite And eke hire ȝonge sustere Emelye And þus wiþ victori and melodie Line 872 Latt .I. þis nobul Duc to Athenes ride And all his hoste in aremes be his side And certes if it nere to longe to here .I. wold haue told fully þe manere Line 876 How wonnen was þe Reigne of ffemynye By Theus and be his Chiualrrye And of þe grete Bataile for þe nones Be-twixen Athenes and Amaȝones Line 880 And how asseged was ypolyta [folio 12b] The faire hardie quene of Scithia And of þe fest þat was att hir weddeynge And of þe tempest at hire home comynge. Line 884 Bot al þat þinge .I. mot at nowe for-bere .I. haue gode wote a large felde to ere And weike bene þe Oxen in my plouhe The remenant of þe tale is longe y-nouhe Line 888 I. wil not letten eke none of þis route

Latt euery felawe tel his tale aboute And latt see nowe who schal þe soper winne And þere .I. laft .I. wil aȝeine beginne Line 892 ¶ This Duc of whome .I. make mensioune [II. 2-5.] Whan he was comen al-most to þe toune In all his wele and his most pride He was ware as he kast his yhe a side Line 896 Where þat þere kneled in þe hihe waie A company of ladyes twey. and twaie Iche after oþer cladde in cloþes blake Bot suche a crye and suche a woo þei make Line 900 That in þis werlde is creature lyueynge þat herd suche a noþer weymentynge And of þis crie þei nolde neuer stenten [II. 25. (before the car.)] Till þei þe reynes of his bridel henten Line 904 What folke bene ȝe þat att myne home comynge [II. 26.] Perturbe so my fest with cryinge Quod Theus haue ȝe so grete envie. Of myne honour þat þus compleigne and crie Line 908 Or who haþ ȝow mysboden or offended And telleþ me if it maie bene amended And whi þat ȝe bene cloþed þus in blake The eldest lady of hem al spake Line 912 Whan sche had swowned wiþ a dedely chere That it was rewþe for to seen and here ¶ Sche seide lorde to whome ffortune haþ ȝiuen Victorie and as a conqueroure to lyuen Line 916 Nat greueþ vs ȝowre honoure and ȝowre glorie [II. 27.] Bot we beseke ȝowe of socoure and of mercye And haue merci on owre woo and owre distrisse Some drope of Pyte þurgh þi gentillisse Line 920 Vpon vs wricchede wemmen latt ȝe fall ffor certes lorde þare is none of vs all [II. 28.] That sche ne haþe b[e]ne a doches or a quene Nowe bene we Cayteues as it is wele sene Line 924 Thonked be fortune and hire false whele [folio 13a]

Thate none astate ensureþ for to bene wele Now certes lorde to abide ȝowre presence Here in þis temple of goddes clemence [(mentioned in II. 17.)] Line 928 We haue b[e]ne waiteinge al þis fourtenyhte Helpe vs lorde seþ it is in þi myhte .I. wriche whiche þat wepeþ and weyleþ þus Was whilom wif of Kinge Cappaneus [II. 28.] Line 932 That starfe att Thebes cursed be þat dai And alle we þat bene in þis array And Maken all þis lamentacioune We losten al oure hosbondes att þat towne. Line 936 While þat a sege þare abowte laie And ȝit nowe þe olde Creon weilowaie [II. 31.] þat lord is nowe of Thebes Citee [II. 30.] ffulfilled of ire and iniquite [II. 31.] Line 940 He for dispite and for his Tirannye To done the dede bodies velanye Of all oure lordes whiche þat han be slawe Haþe al þe bodies on an hepe ydrawe Line 944 And wil not suffre hem be none assent [II. 31.] Neyþere to be beride neiþer be to brent Bot makeþ houndes ete hem in despite And wiþ þat word with-oute more respite [II. 33.] Line 948 þei ffellen groffe and criden pytouslye Haue on vs wrecched wemmen sum Mercie And latt owre sorwe sinken in þin herte ¶ This gentil Duc downe fro his courser sterte Line 952 With hert pitous whan he herd hem speke Him þouhte þat his herte wolde breke Whan he sawhe hem so pitee and so mate [II. 36-9.] That whilome weren of so grete astate Line 956 And in his armes he hem al vp hent And hem comforteþ in ful goode entent And swore his hoþe as he was trewe knyht He wolde done so ferforþelie his miht Line 960 Vppon þe Tirant Creon hem al wreke

That al þe peple of grece scholde speke How creon was of Theseus seruede As he þat had his deþe ful wele deseruede Line 964 And riht anone wiþ-owten more abode [II. 50.] His Baner he displeide and forþe rode. To þebes-warde and al his hoste be-side [folio 13b] No nerre Athenes wolde he go ne ride [II. 49.] Line 968 Ne take his ese fulli halfe a daie Bot onward on his waie þat niht he laie And sent a-none ypolita þe queene [II. 40-2.] And Emely hir ȝonge suster schene. Line 972 Vn to þe toune of Athenes to dwelle And forþ he rideþ þer is no more to telle ¶ The reede Statue of Marce with spere and targe So schineþ in his whigte baner large Line 976 That al þe felde gleteren vp on a doune And by his baner borne is his pynoune Of gold ful riche whiche was ybete The Mynataure whiche þat he wanne in Crete Line 980 Thus riht þis Duc þus ride þide þis conqueroure And in his host of cheuallerie þe floure Til þat he cam to Thebes and a-liht flaire in a felde þer as he þouht to fiht [II. 53-76.] Line 984 Bot schortely for to speken of þis þinge Wiþ Creon whiche þat was of Thebes kinge He fawht and slowhe him manly as a knyht In pleine Bateile and put þe folke to flyht Line 988 And be asseut he wan þe Cite after And rent adowne boþe wall and sparre and rafter And to þe ladies he restored a-ȝeine The bones of þeire frendes þat were sleyne Line 992 To done þe obsequies as was þo þe gise Bot it were al to longe for to do-vise [II. 80-1.] The grete clamor and þe weymentynge þat þe ladies maade att þe berneynge Line 996 Of þe bodies and þe grete honoure

That Theus þe nobul conqueroure Doþe to þe bodies whan þei from him went Bot schortely to tellen is myne entente Line 1000 Whan þat þis worþi Duc þis Theseus [II. 74.] Haþe Creon sleine and wonne Thebes þus Stil in þat felde he toke al nyhte his rest And dide wiþ al þe Countre riht as him lest Line 1004 To ransake in þe caas of þe bodies dede [II. 85.] Hem for to strepe of herneis and of wede The piloures deden þe besines and Cure After þe bataile and þe discomfetoure Line 1008 And so be-fel þat in þe caas þei founde [folio 14a] [II. 85.] Thorghe girt mony a greuous blody wounde Two ȝonge knyhtes liggeynge .by and by. Boþen in armes samen wrouht ful richely Line 1012 Of whiche two Arcita hiht þe tone And þat oþer knyhte hihte Palamone Not fully whikke ne fulli dede þei were Bot be her cote armures and by hire gere [II. 86.] Line 1016 The heraudes knew hem selfe in special As þei þat weren of þe blode roial Of Thebes and of sustren two yborne Owte of þe caas peloures haþe hem torne Line 1020 And haue hem caried softe vnto þe tente [II. 87.] Of Theus and he ful sone hem sente [II. 89.] Tho Athenes to dwellen in prisone Perpetuely hem nold nouht raunson Line 1024 ¶ And whan þis worþi Duc had þus ydone [II. 90-95.] He toke his hoste and home he rideþ anone Wiþ Laurer Coroned as a conqueroure And þere he leueþ in joy and in honoure Line 1028 Terme of his lif what nedeþ wordes moo And in a toure in Angwysse and in woo [III. 3.] Dwellen þis Palomon and eke Arcite ffor euer more þer maie no golde hem qwyte Line 1032 This passeþ ȝere be ȝere and daie be daie

Til it fel ones in a Morneinge of maie Þat Emelye þat fairer was to sene Than is þe lylye vpo his stalke grene [[See XII. 58.]] Line 1036 And fresscher þan þe maie wiþ floures newe ffor wiþ þe rose coloure strofe hir hewe .I. note whiche was feireste of hem two Er it were daie as was hire wonne to do [III. 10.] Line 1040 Sche was aresen and al redi diht ffor Maij wil haue no sloggardye on nyght The seson Prikkeþ euery gentil hert And makeþ it owte of his slepe to sterte. Line 1044 And siþen arise an done may obseruaunce This Makeþ Emelye to haue remembrance To done honoure to maie and for to rise Icloþed was sche ffresche for to devise ['— in giubba iscalza' (en deshabille). III. 8.] [III. 8.] Line 1048 ¶ Here ȝelowe here was browded in a tresse ['Co' biondi crini avvolti alla sua testa.' III. 10.] [III. 10.] Be-hinde hire bake a ȝerde longe .I. gesse And in þe Gardine att þe sonne vpriste [folio 14b] [III. 8-10.] Sche walked vpe and downe and as hir liste Line 1052 Sche gedereþ flowres partie white and rede To make a sotil garland for hire heuede [III. 10.] And as an Angel heuenyssly sche songe ¶ The grete toure þat was þo þike and stronge [III. 11.] Line 1056 Whiche of þe Castel was þe chef dongeone There as þe knyhtes weren in prison Of whiche .I. tolde ȝowe and telle schall Was euen Ioynant to þe Gardeine wall Line 1060 There as þis Emely had hire pleyinge Brihte was þat sonne and clere in þat Morneynge And Palamon þis woful prisonere [['Arcita si levo III. 11.]] As was his wonne be leue of his gaylere Line 1064 Was resen and romed in a chambre an hihe In whiche he all þe nobel Cite sihe An eke þe Gardeine ful of braunches grene Ther as þe frissche Emely þe schene Line 1068 Was in hir walke and romede vpe and doune

This sorweful prisonere þis Palamon Goþe in his chambre romeynge to and froo And to him selfe compleinynge of his woo Line 1072 þat he was borne ful oft seide alas And so be-fel be aventure or cas That þorghe a window þikke of mony a barre [III. 11.] Of yren grete and sware as any sparre Line 1076 He kest his Eyen vpon Emelya And þere wiþ al he bleynte and criede A [. . . tutto stordito, Gridò, Omè!] As þouhe he stongen were vn to þe herte [III. 17.] And wiþ þat crie Arcite anone vp sterte Line 1080 And seide Cosine myne what eyleþ þe þat ert so pale and dedely on to see Whi cridest þou who haþ þe done offence ffor goddes loue tak al in pacience Line 1084 Owre prisonynge for it maie none oþere be ffortune haþe ȝeue vs þis aduersite Som wikked aspect or disposicione Of Saturne be sum constillacione Line 1088 Haþe ȝeuen vs þis al-þowhe we had it sworne So stode þe heuen whan þat we were borne We most endure it þis is þe schorte and pleine ¶ This Palamon Ansewarde and seide a-gayne. Line 1092 Cosine for soþe of þis Opinione [folio 15a] Thou hast a veine ymaginacione This prisonment caused not me to crie Bot .I. was hurte riht nowe þoruhe-oute myn eye [III. 16.] Line 1096 In to myne hert þat wil my bane be [III. 20.] The fairnesse of þat ladi þat .I. se Ȝonde in þe Gardeine Romeynge to and froo Is cause of al my cryinge and woo Line 1100 .I. note where sche be womman or goddes Bot venus is it soþeli as .I. ges [III. 14.] And þerewiþal on knes downe he fylle And seide venus if it be þi wille Line 1104 Þou in þis Gardine þus to transfigure

Be-for me sorweful wriched creature Owte of þis prison helpe þat we maie scape And if so be my destanye be schape Line 1108 Bi eterne werlde to dyȝen in prisōne Of owre linage haue some compassiōne þat is so lowe y-brouht be tirannye ¶ And wiþ þat worde Arcite gan aspie Line 1112 Where þat þis ladi romede to and fro And wiþ þat siht hire beaute hurte him so That if palamon was wounded sore [III. 16-17. (reversing the or|der of the names.)] Arcite is hurte as muche as he or more Line 1116 And wiþ a sike he seide Pitously The frische bewte sleþe me sodeynly Of hir þat romeþ in þat ȝonder place And bot .I. haue hir merci and hir grace Line 1120 That .I. maie seen hire att þe lest weie .I. ne am bot dede þer nys no more to seie This Palamon whan he þes wordes herde Dispitusli he loked and and Answerde Line 1124 Wheþer seistowe þou þis in ernest or in pleye Naie quod Arcite in ernest be my feye God helpe me so me list fu yuel pleie This Palamon gan knyte his browes tweie Line 1128 Itt weere to þe quod he no grete 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 false or for to be traitour To me þat am þi cosin and þi broþere .I.-sworne ful depe and iche of vs to oþere Line 1132 þat neuer for to diȝen in þe peyne Til deþe haþe departe vs tweyne Neyþer in loue to hinder oþer [folio 15b] Ne in none oþere case my leue broþer Line 1136 Bot þat þou scholdest trewly forþer more In euery case and .I. schal forþer þe þore This was þine oþe and myne certeine .I. wote riht wele þou darste it nouht wiþ-seine Line 1140 Thus art þou of my counsel owte of dowte

And Nowe þou woldest falsely bene abowte To loue my ladi whome .I. loue and serue And euer schal til þat myne hert sterue Line 1144 Nowe certes false Arcite þou schalte not so I loued hir first and tolde þe my woo As to my Cosin and my broþer sworne To ferþer me as .I. haue tolde to forne Line 1148 ffor whiche þou art bownden as a knyht To helpe if it laie in þi myht Or elles ert þou fals .I. dare wele seine ¶ This Arcite ful prowdeli spake aȝeine Line 1152 Thowe schalt quod he [be] raþer false þan .I. Bot þowe ert false .I. tel þe witerly. ffor paramoure .I. loued here first ar þoue What wiltow seine þow wist it not ȝit nowe Line 1156 Wheþer sche be a womman or a goddesse Thine es affecione of holynesse And myne is loue as to a creatur ffor whiche .I. tolde þe myn aventur Line 1160 As to my cosine and to my broþere sworne ¶ .I. pose þat þou louest had . hir to forne Wost þowe nouht wele þe olde clerkes sawe Line 1163 That who schal ȝeue a louer any lawe. [Quis legem dat amantibus] Loue is a gretter lawe be my panne Than maie be ȝeue to ani erþeli manne And þere positif lawe and swyche decree Is broke al daie for loue in yche degree Line 1168 A man most nedes loue maugrif his hede [[See V. 51.]] He maie not fliȝen it þouhe he scholde be dede Al be sche maide or wydow or elles wif And eke it is nouht likely al þi lif [[See V. 45, 49.]] Line 1172 To stonde in hir grace na more schal .I. ffor wele þou wost þi self verrely That þou and .I. bene dampne to prison Perpetuely . vs geyneþ no Raunson Line 1176 We striuen as houndes for þe bone [folio 16a]

They fouhten al daie and ȝit þeire parte was none There come a kite whil þat þei were so wroþe That bare awaie þe bone be-twex hem boþe Line 1180 Ac þere-fore att þe kinges courte my broþer Eche mon for him self þere is none oþer Loue if þou list for .I. loue and ay schall And soþeli leue broþer þis is all Line 1184 Here in þis prison most we endure And eueryche of vs tak his aventure ¶ Grete was þe strif and longe be-twex hem tweie If þat .I. had leiser for to seie Line 1188 Bot to þis effecte it happened on a daye To tellen it ȝow as schortly as .I. maye A worthi Duc þat hiht. Perotheus [III. 47.] That felowe was vn-to Duc Theseus Line 1192 Sen þilke daie þat þei weren childern lite Was commen to Athenes his felawe to visite And for to pleie as he was wont to do ffor in þis werlde he louede no man so Line 1196 And he loue him also as tendrely a-ȝeine So wele þey loued as olde bokes seine That whanne þat one was dede sothely to tell His felaw went and sowht him downe in hell Line 1200 Bot of þat stori leste me nouht to write Duc Perotheus louede wel Arcite [III. 51-4] And him knowe att Thebes ȝere be ȝere And ffinally . att request . and prayere Line 1204 Of Perotheus wiþ-owten any Raunson. Duc Theseus him lete owte of prison ffrely to gone where þat him list ouer all In suche a gise as .I. ȝowe telle schall Line 1208 This was þe forward pleinly to endite Be-twex Theseus and him Arcite That if so were þat Arcite was fownde Euere in his lif be daie or nyht or stownde Line 1212 In any Contre of þis Theseus

And war cauht it was accorded þus That wiþe a swerde he scholde lese his hede [III. 54.] Ther nas none oþere remedye ne rede Line 1216 Bot takeþe his leue and homwarde he him spedde Lat him be war his nek liþe to wedde How grete a sorwe suffurþe nowe arcite [folio 16b] The deþe he feleþ þoruhe his hert smite Line 1220 He wepeþe he weyleþ and crieþ pitously To slene him self he waiteþ priuely He seide alas þat .I. was borne [[Gen. resembl. See III. 75, &c.]] Nowe is my prison werse þan be-forne Line 1224 Nowe is me schape eternalie to dwelle Nouht in purgatorie Bot in helle Alas þat euer .I. knewe Perotheus ffor elles had .I. dwelled wiþ Theseus Line 1228 Ifetterd in his prison euer mo Than had .I. bene in blisse and nowht in woo Onely þe siht of hire whome þat .I. serue Thouhe þat .I. neuere hir grace miht deserue Line 1232 Wholde haue ysuffised riht .I.-nowhe for me ¶ O dere Cosine Palamon quod he Thine is þe victorie of þis auenture fful blisfully in prisōn mayght þou dure Line 1236 In prison sertes naye bot Paradise Wele haþ fortune turned þe dise That haþe þe siht of hire and .I. þe absence ffor possible is seþþe þou hast hir presence Line 1240 And art a kny[ght] a worþi and an able That be som caas fortune is chaungeable Thou maiste to þi desire somtime ateigne Bot .I. þat am exiled and bareigne Line 1244 Of al grace and in so grete dispeire That þer nys erþe water fire ne ayre Ne creature þat of hem Maked is That may me helpe ne do me comford in þis Line 1248 Wele owht .I. sterue In wanhope and distris

. . . . . [line out: no gap in the MS.] Alas why pleine men so in Comune On purueance of god or of fortune Line 1252 þat ȝeueþe hem ful of in many a gise Wele bet þan þei can hem self deuise Som man desireþ for to haue richesse þat cause is of his mordre or grete sekenesse Line 1256 And som man wolde owte of his prison fayne That in his house is of his meine sleyne. Infinite harmes bene in þis matiere We wote nowht what þinge we praien hiere Line 1260 We faren as he þat dronken is as a mouse A dronken man wote wele he haþe an house Bot he note whiche þe riht waie is þedere [folio 17a] And to a dronken man þe waie is scleþere Line 1264 And certes in þis werlde so faren we We seken fast after felicite. Bot we gone wronge oft ful trewli Thus maie we seine all and namelyche .I. Line 1268 That wende and had a grete opinione That if .I. myht scippe fro prisone Than had .I. b[e]ne in Ioye and parfit hele There nowe .I. am exiled fro my wele Line 1272 Sen þat .I. may not sene ȝowe Emelye [III. 75.] .I. am bot dede þer nyse no remedie ¶ Vpon þat oþere side Palamon Whan þat he wiste þat Arcite was agone Line 1276 Suche sorwe he makeþ þat þe grete toure Resouneþ of his ȝellinge and clamour The pore fettres on his schinnes grete Were of his bitter salte teres wete Line 1280 Alas quod he Arcita Cosyn myne Of al oure strif god wote þe fruyt is þine Thow walkes now in Thebes att þi large And of my woo þou ȝeuest litel charge Line 1284 Thou maiste sinne þou hast wisdome and manhede

Assemble al þe folke of ȝoure kinrede And Maake a werre so scharpe on þis Cite That be som auenture or sum trete Line 1288 Thou maiste haue to lady and to wife ffor whome þat .I. most nedes lese my life ffor as be weie of Possibilite Sethe þou art att þi large of prison fre Line 1292 An art a lorde grete is þine avantage More þan is myne þat sterueþe here in a cage ¶ ffor .I. mote wepe and waile wil þat .I. leue With al þe wo þat prison maie me ȝeue Line 1296 Ande eke wiþe peine þat loue me ȝeueth also That dowbleþ al my turment and my wo Thare-wiþe þe fire of Ielousie vp sterte With-inne his breste and hente him be þe herte Line 1300 So woodly þat he like was to be-holde The box tree or þe asshen dede or colde. ¶ Than seide he O cruel goddes þat gouern This werlde wiþ byndeinge of ȝowre worde eterne Line 1304 And wreten in þe table of Atthamaunt [folio 17b] Ȝowre parlement and ȝowre eterne graunt What is Mankinde More vn-to ȝo holde Than is þe schepe þat rowkeþ in þe folde Line 1308 ffor sleine is man riht as anoþere beste And duelleþe eke in prison and in areste And haþe sekenesse and grete aduersite And ofte time giltles parde Line 1312 ¶ What gouernance is in þis prescience That giltles tormenteþ Innocence And encreseþ þus al my penaunce That man is bounde to his obseruaunce Line 1316 ffor goddes saake to letten of his will þere as a beste maie al his lust fulfill And whan a beste is dede it haþe no peine Bot after his deþe man moste wepe and pleyne. Line 1320 Thouhe in þis werlde he haue care and woo

Wiþ-owten doute it maie stonden soo The ansewere of þis lette .I. to dyuines Bot wele .I. wote þat in þis werlde grete peine es Line 1324 Alas .I. see a serpent or a þef That mony a trewman haþ done meschief Gone att his large and where him list maie turne Bot .I. most be in prison þoruhe Saturne Line 1328 An eke þoruhe Iuno Ialous and eke wode That haþe destruyde nyhe al þe blode Of Thebes wiþ his waste walles wide And venus flieþ me on þat oþere side Line 1332 ffor Ialousie and fere of him Arcite ["paurosa gelosia" V. 2] ¶ Nowe wil .I. stinte of Palamon a lite And lat him in his prisone stille dwelle And of Arcite forþe .I. will ȝowe telle Line 1336 The somer passeþ and þe nihtes longe Encreseth dowble wise þe peynes stronge Boþe of þe louere and þe prisonere .I. note wiche haþe þe wofuller myster Line 1340 ffor schortelye for to seine þis Palamon Perpetuely is dampned to prison In chynes and fettres to þe dede And Arcit is ercilede vpon his hede Line 1344 ffor euere more as oute of þat Cuntre Ne neuere ne schal his lady see. ¶ Ȝowe louiers .I. aske þis questiōne [folio 18a] Who haþ þe wers Arcite or Palamōne Line 1348 The one maie se his lady . daie be daie Bot in prison he most dwel alweie The toþere where him liste Maie ride or goo Bote sene his lady schal he neuer moo Line 1352 Nowe demeþ as ȝowe liste þat ȝe canne ffor .I. wil tel forþe as .I. be-ganne [[No gap in the MS.]]