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

GROUP A. FRAGMENT I.

§ 1. GENERAL PROLOGUE. LANSDOWNE MS. 851. Incipit prologus fabularum Cantuariensium.

[Note: after very many final c, e, f, g, k, r, s, t, there is a stroke or a tag. The number is so great, sometimes 6 or 7 in 1 line, that I am obliged to disregard all.]

[folio 2a]

WHan þat Aprille wyþe his schoures soote. þe drought of Marche haþe perced to þe roote. And baþes euery veyne in suche lycoure. Of whiche vertue engender is þe floure. Line 4 Whan ȝephirus eke with his swete breþe. Inspired haþe in euery holte and hethe. The tendre croppes and þe ȝonge sonne. Haþe in þe Ramme his half cours ronne. Line 8 And Smal foules maken melodye. þat slepen al nyht wiþ open. yhe. So prikkeþ hem nature in her corages. Than longen folke to gone one pilgrimages. Line 12 And palmeres for to seeke straungere strondes. To ferne halowes cowþe in sundre londes. And specialy from euery schyres ende. Of Ingelonde to Canterburi þei wende Line 16 The holy blisful Martir for to seke That hem haþ holpen whan þei were seke It be-fel þan in þat sesone vpon a daie In Suthewerke att þe tabard as .I. laie Line 20 Redi to wende on my pilgremage. To Canterburie wiþ ful deuoute Corage. At nyhte was come in-to þat hostelleric Wel Nyne and twente on a companye Line 24 Of sondre folke be auenture yfalle In felauschipe and Pilgrimes were þei alle To-warde Canterburi þat wolde ride

The Chambres and stables weren wyde Line 28 And wele weren esede at þe beste An schortly whan þe son was to reste So had .I. spoken with hem euerychone þat .I. was of her felawschep anone Line 32 And maade forwarde erly for to rise To take owre waie þare as .I. ȝowe deuise Bot naþeles while .I. haue time and space Er þat .I. forþer in þis tale pace. Line 36 Me þenkeþ it accordant to resone To tell ȝowe alle þe condicione Of iche of hem so as it semed me And whiche þei were and of whate degre Line 40 And eke in whatte araie þat þei were inne And att a knyhte þan wold .I. furst be-ginne. A Knyght þere was and þat a worþi manne [folio 2b] That fro þe time þat he first be-ganne Line 44 To ryden owte he loued cheualrie Treuþe and honoure fredome and curtesie fful worþi was he in his lordes werre And þar-to had he riden no man so ferre Line 48 As wele in Cristendom as in heyþennesse And euere honoured for his worþinesse. Att Alisander he was whān it was wonne fful oft time he had þe borde be-gonne Line 52 Aboue al nacions in Pruce In Lettowe had he reysed and in Ruce No Cristeneman so oft of his degre In Gernade att þe sege eke had he be Line 56 Of Algezire and riden had in Belmarye Att Leyes was he and att Satilye Whan þei were wonne. and in þe grete see Att mony a noble Arme had he bee Line 60 Att Mortel Batailles had he be fiftene And fowhten for owre feiþe att Tramessene. In listes þries and ay sleyne his foo

This ilke worþi knyhte hade bene also Line 64 Some tim wiþe þe lorde of Palatye Aȝeine anoþer heiþen in Turkye And euer more he had a souereine prise And þoughe þat he was worþi he was wise Line 68 And of his porte as meke as is a maide He neuer ȝit no velany seide In al his life til no maner wyght He was a verrey perfite gentil knyht Line 72 ffor to tel ȝowe of his araye His hors was goode bot he was nouhte gaye Off ffustion he werede a Gepon All be-smoterde wiþ his haburgen. Line 76 ffor he was late come fro his viage And went for to done his Pilgrimage Wiþ hime þare was his sonne a ȝonge swiere A louyer and a lusti bachellere Line 80 Wiþ lokkes crulle as þei were leide in presse Of .xx. ȝeres of age he was .I. gesse. Of his stature he was of euen lengeþe And wonderly deliuer. and grete of strenkeþe Line 84 And he had be sume time in cheualrie [folio 3a] In fflandres in Artoys and in Pykardie And borne him wele as of so litel space In hope to stonden in his lady grace Line 88 Embrowded was he as it were a mede Al ful of frissche flowres white and rede Singeinge he was or flowteinge al þe daie He was al so fresche as is þe moneþ of maie. Line 92 Schort was his goune with sleues longe and wide Wele couþe he sitte on an horse and faire ride He couþe songes make and wele endite Iuste and eke daunce and wele purtreie and write Line 96 So hote he loued þat be nyghter tale He slepete no more þan doþe þe nyhtegale Corteis he was lowly and seruisable

And karf to-for his fader att þe table Line 100 A ȝoman had he and seruantes no moo Att þat time for him liste ride soo And he was cladde in cote and hoode of grene A scheef of pokoke arwes briht and kene Line 104 Vnder his belte he bare ful þreftelie Wele couþe he drese his takel ȝemonlie His arwes drouped nouht wiþ feþeres lowe And in his honde he bare a myhti bowe Line 108 A notte hede had he wiþ a broune visage Of wodecraft wele couþe he al þe vsage Vpon his arme he bare a gaie brasere And be his side a swerde and a bokelere Line 112 And on þat oþere side a gaie daggere. Herneyste wele and scharpe as þe pointe of a spere. A christofur on his breste of siluer schene. An horne he bare þe bawdrik was of grene Line 116 A forster was he soþelye as .I. gesse. ¶ Thare was also a Nonne a Prioresse That of hir smyleynge was ful simple and coye Her grettest oþe was bot be seint Loye. Line 120 And sche was cleped Madame Englentyne fful wele sche songe þe seruise deuine Entuned in hir nose ful semely. And franche sche spake ful faire and fetisly Line 124 After þe scole att Stretford att Bowe ffor frenche of Paris was to hire vnknowe Att mete wele ytauhte was sche with-all [folio 3b] Sche lete no morsel fro hir lippes fall Line 128 Ne wete hir fingeres in hir sauce depe Wele couþe sche cary a morsel and wel kepe þat no drope ne fel vpon hir breste In curtesie was sette ful muchel her leste Line 132 Hir ouere-lippe sche wyped so clene That in hir coppe þer was no fat þinge sene Of grece whan sche had dronken hir drawhte

fful semelye after hir mete sche rawhte. Line 136 And sekerly sche was of grete disporte. And ful plesant and ful amyable of porte And peyned hir to counterfet chere Of Courte and to be stalyche of Manere Line 140 And to be holden digne of reuerence Bot for to speke of hire Conscience Sche was so charitable and so pytous. Sche wolde wepe ȝif þat sche sawe a mouse Line 144 Kauht in a trape if it ware dede or bledde Of smale houndes had sche þat sche fedde Wiþ rostede flesche or melke or wastel brede Bot sore wepped sche if one of hem were dede Line 148 Or if men smote it wiþ a ȝerde smart And al was conscience and tendur herte fful semely hir wympul pinched was Hire nose was streihte her yhen was grei as glas Line 152 Hire mouþe ful smal. and þere-to soft and rede Bot sekurly sche had a faire forhede It was al-moste a spanne brode .I. trowe ffor hardely sche was nouhte vnder growe Line 156 fful fetis was hir cloke as .I. was war Of smale coral aboute hir harme sche bar A peire of Bedes gauded al wiþ grene And þere-one honge a broche of golde ful schene Line 160 On whiche þare was firste wreten wiþ a crowned .A. And After Amor vincit omnia. ¶ A noþer nonne wyþ hir had sche þat was hir Chapeleyne and prestes þre Line 164 A monke þere was a faire for þe maistre An owte-rider þat loued venere A manly man to bene an Abbot Able fful mony a daynte hors hade he in stable Line 168 And whanne he rode men myht his bridele here [folio 4a] Gyngelinge in a whistelinge wynde al so clere And eke as lowde as doþe þe chapel belle

There as þis lorde was keper of þe selle Line 172 The rewle of seint Maure or of seint Beneyte Be cause þat it was olde and somdele streyte This ilke monke lete olde þinges pace And helde after þe newe werde þe pace Line 176 He ȝaf nouht of þe text a pulled henne þat seiþe þat hunteres beþe nouht holy menne Ne that a monke whan he is recheles Is likkened til a fische þat is waterles. Line 180 That is to seie A monke oute of his cloistre Bot þilke text held he nouht worþe an hoistre And .I. seide his opinione was goode Whatt scholde he stodie and make him selfe wode Line 184 Vpon a boke in cloister al-weie to powre Or swynke wiþ his hondes and laboure As Austine bite howe schal þe werld be serued Latte Austine haue his swynke to him rese[r]ued Line 188 Thare-for he was a prikasoure a right Grehoundes he had as swift as foules in flyht Of Prikinge and of huntynge for þe hare. Was al his lust for no cost wolde he spare. Line 192 .I. seighe his sleues purfiled att þe honde Wiþ Gryse and þat þe fynest of a londe And for to festen þe hode vnder his chynne He had of golde wrought a ful coriouse pinne Line 196 A loue knotte on þe gretter hende þere was His hede was balled þat schone as any glas And eke his face as he had be anoynte He was a lorde ful fatte and in goode pointe. Line 200 His yhen stepe and rollinge in his hede That stemed as a furneis of a lede His botes souple his hors in grete astate Nowe certeynely he was a faire prelate. Line 204 He nas nouht pale as a forpyned goste A fatte swanne loued he best of any roste His Palfrei was as broune as is a burye

¶ A frere þare was a wanton and murye. Line 208 A lymitur a ful solempne manne In all þe orderes foure is none þat canne. So muche of daliance and faire langage [folio 4b] He had maade ful mony a mariage. Line 212 Of ȝonge wemmen att his owen cost Vn-to his order he was a nobel post fful wele be-loued and famulier was he. With frankeleyns ouer al in his contre. Line 216 And wiþ worþe wemmen of þe toune ffor he had power of confessione As seide him selfe more þan a curate ffor [of] his order he was licenciate Line 220 fful swetely herde he confessiōn And plesant was his absoluciōn. He was an hesy man to ȝef penānce Ther as he wiste to haue a goode petānce Line 224 ffor vn-to a poure order for to ȝeue Is singne þat a man is wel yschriue ffor if he ȝaf he dorst make avaunt He wist þat a man was repentaunt Line 228 ffor mony a man so harde is of his herte He maie nouht wepe al þouhe he sore smerte There-for in stede of wepeynge and preyeres Men mote ȝiue siluer to þe poure freres Line 232 His tepet was ay farset ful of knyues And pinnes for to ȝeue faire wyues And certeinli he had a mery note Wele couþe he singen and pleine on a rote Line 236 Of ȝeddinges he bare witterli þe pris His neke white was as þe floure delis Ther-to he was also stronge as a champioune He knewe þe tauernes wele in euery towne. Line 240 And eueryche hosteler or a tapestere Better þan a laȝar or a Begger ffor vn-to suche a worþi man as he

Accorded nouht as be his faculte Line 244 To haue wiþ suche seke lazerz acquayntance It is nouht honest it maie nouht avaunce ffor to dele wiþ suche poraile Bot al wiþ riche and seller of vitaile Line 248 And ouere al þare as profet schold arise Curteise he was and lowly of seruyse þer nas no man noghwere so vertuous He was þe best begger in his hous Line 252 . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] ffor þouhe a widowe had nouht a scho [folio 5a] So plesande was his in principio. Ȝit wolde he haue a ferþinge ar he wente His purchas was wel better þan his rent Line 256 And rage he couþe riht as it were a whelpe In louedaies þare couþe he muchel helpe ffor þere he was not liche a cloistrere Wiþ a þrede-bare cope as a pouer scolere Line 260 Bot he was lyke a Maistre or a Pope Of dowble worstede was his semy-cope Þat rounde as a bell out þe presse Somwhat he lisped for his wantonesse Line 264 To make his yngelische swete vpon his tonge And in his harpeinge whan he had songe His yhen twynkeled in his heued ariht As doþe þe sterres in þe froste nyht Line 268 This worþe Limetour was cleped Huberd ¶ A marchant was þere with a forked berde In motteley. and hye on hors he satte Vpon his heued a fflaundrisshe beuere hatte Line 272 His botes clasped faire and fetislye His resons he spake ful solemplye Scheweynge alwey þencres of his wynynge He wolde þe se were keppede for any þinge Line 276 Be-twyx Middelburgh. and Orewelle

Wele couþe he in eschaunge scheldes selle This worþi man ful wel his wit be-sette Thare wist no white þat he was in dette Line 280 So estately was he of his Gouernance Wiþ his Bargeynes and wiþ his cheuisance ffor soþe he was a worþi man wiþ all Bot sothely to seine .I. note howe men him call Line 284 ¶ A clerke þere was of Oxenforde also Þat vnto Logique had longe ygo As lene was his hors as was a rake And he was nouht riht fat .I. vndertake Line 288 Bot loked holwhe and þer-to soburly fful þredebare was his ouer courteby ffor he had geten him no benefice Ne was so werdly to haue office Line 292 ffor him was leuer haue att his bed hede Twenty bokes cladde in blak and rede. Of Aristotle and his philo[so]phi [folio 5b] Þan Robes Riche or Pheþel or gay Sautry Line 296 Bot al by þat he was a Philosophre Ȝit had he bot litel golde in Cophre Bot al þat he myht on his frendes hente On bokes and on lerenynge he it spente Line 300 And besily gan for þo sowles preye Of hem þat ȝaf him where-wiþ for to scoleye Of studye toke he most cure and moste hede Not a worde more spak he þan was nede Line 304 And þat was seide in forme and reuerence And schorte and whike and ful of hihe sentence Sownynge in morall vertue was his speche And gladely wolde he leren. and gladly teche Line 308 A Seriant of þe lawe war and wyse Þat often had bene att þe paruise Þat was also ful riche of excellence Discrete he was and of grete reuerence Line 312 Him semed swyche his wordes weren so wyse

Iustice he was ful often in assise Be Patent and be pleine commissioun ffor his science and his hihe renoun Line 316 Of fees and robes had he manyone So grete a purchasour was nowhere none Al was fe symple to him in effecte His purchasinge miht nouht be enfecte Line 320 No-wher so besy a man as he þare nas And ȝitte he semed bisier þan he was In termes had he cas and domes all þat fro þe time of Kynge William were fall Line 324 Thare-to he couþe endite and make a þinge There couþe no whight pinche att his writeinge And euery statut couþe he pleine be rote He rode Rode bot homely in Medle cote Line 328 Gerde wiþ a seint of silke withe with barres smale Of his aray tel .I. no longer tale ¶ A frankelein was in his companye White was his berde as is þe dayse Line 332 Of his complexion he was sangwyne Wele loued he be þe morwe a soppe in wyne To leuen in delit euer was his wonne ffor he was Opiournes owne sonne Line 336 That helde opinione þat pleine delite [folio 6a] Was verrey felicite perfite An howse-halder and þat a grete was he Seint Iulian he was in his countre Line 340 His brede his ale was alwey after one A better envined man was neuer none Wiþ owte bakemete was neuer his howse Of ffissche of flessche and þat so plentiuouse Line 344 It snewide in his house of mete and drinke Of al Deynteþes þat men couþe þenke After þe sondri sesons of þe ȝere So chaunged he his mete and his soper Line 348 fful many a fat partriche had he in Mewe

And mony a breme and mony a luce in stewe Woo was his coke bot his sauce were Punyant and scharpe and redy al his gere Line 352 His table dormant in his hall alweie Stode redy couered al þe longe deie. Att Sessions þere was he lorde and sire fful oft time he was knight of þe schire Line 356 An Anelas and a gisper al of silke Honge att his gerdel white as morne melke A Schirrif had he bene and a comptoure Was nowher suche a worþi vavisoure. Line 360 An Haberdassher and a Carpentere A webbe a dyere. and a tapecere And þei were cloþed all in o liuere Of a solempne and a grete ffraternite Line 364 fful frische and newe hire gere a-pyked was Here knyues ware chaped nouht wiþ bras Bot al wiþ siluer wrowht ful clene and wele Here girdeles and her pouches euerydele Line 368 Wele semed iche of hem a faire burgeise To sitten in a ȝelde hall on þe hihe dese Eueryche for þe wisdom þat he kanne Was schapely for to bene an Alderman Line 372 ffor catel had þei ynowhe and rente And eke here wyves it wolde wele assente And elles certein þei were to blame It is ful faire to be cleped ma dame Line 376 And gone to vigiles al to-fore And haue a mantil ryaliche ybore ¶ A Cooke þei had wiþ hem for þe nones [folio 6b] To Boile þe Chikenes wiþ þe mery bones Line 380 And pouder Marchant tarte and Galingale Wele couþe he knowe a drawht of londen ale He couþe roste and sethe and broile and frye Maken Mortreux and wele bake a pye Line 384 Bot grete harme was it as it þouht me

Þat on his schinne a mormal had he ffor blankemangere þat maade he wiþ þe beste ¶ A Schipman was þere wonnynge fer be weste Line 388 ffor owht .I. wote he was of dertemouþe He rode vpon a rounse as he couþe In a goune of foldeynge to þe kne A dagger hongeynge on a lace had he Line 392 Abowte his neke vnder his Arme downe Þe Hote somere had made his hiew al browne An certeinly he was a goode felawe. fful mony a drauht of wyne had he draw Line 396 ffrome Burdeux-warde whan þe chapman slepe Of nice conscience toke he no kepe If þat he fauhte and had þe hiher honde Be water he sent him home be euery londe Line 400 Bot of his crafte to rekken wele his tides His stremes and his dawnger him be-sides His herberwe. and his mone . and his lodemannage Thare was none swyche fro Hulle to Cartage Line 404 Hardy he was and wyse to vndertake Wiþ mony a tempest had his berde be schake He knewe al þe hauenes as þei were ffro Gotelonde to þe cape Defynystre Line 408 And euery Cryke in Breteine and in Spayne His barge y-cleped was þe Maudeleyne ¶ Wiþ vs þere was a doctur of Phesike In al þis werlde ne was þere none him like Line 412 To speke of Phisike and of Surgerie ffor he was grounded in Astronomye He kepet his pacient a ful grete dele In houres be his Magike naturele Line 416 Wele couþe he fortune þe Ascendent Of his ymages for his pacient He knewe þe cause of euer-yche maledie Were it of colde of hote or moiste or drie Line 420 And where-of engenderde it. and of what humere [folio 7a]

He was a verrey perfite practisere The cause .I.-knewe and of his harme þe rote A-none he ȝaue seke man his bote Line 424 fful redy had he his Apotecaries To sende him drugges and his letuaries ffor iche of hem made oþer for to winne Here ffrindeschipe nas not newe to begynne Line 428 Wele knewe he þe olde Escalapius And discorides and eke Rusus Olde ypocras Haly and Galiene Serapion . Razie and Auizene Line 432 Auerois Damascien and Constantine Bernard and Gatisdene . and Gilbertine Of his Dyete Mesurable was he ffor it was of no superfluite Line 436 Bot of grete norsschinge and digestible His study was bot litel on þe bible In sangwyne and in pers he clad was all Lyned wiþ Tafeta and wiþ sendall Line 440 And ȝit he was bot esy of dispense He keped þat he wanne in þe pestilense ffor gold in phesik is accordial There-fore he loued golde in speciale Line 444 ¶ A goode wif þer was of be-side baþe Bot sche was sumdele defe and þat was skaþe Of cloþe makeynge sche had swyche an haunte Sche passed hem of . Ipres and of Gaunte Line 448 In all þe parische wif ne was þere none That to þe offringe to-forne hir scholde gone And if þere dide certeyne wroþe was sche Þat sche was owte of al charite Line 452 Hire couerchiefs ful fine were of grounde .I. dorste swere þei weiden ten pounde Þat on a sonday weren on hire hede Here hosen weren of fine scarlet rede Line 456 fful streite tyed . and schoes ful moiste and newe

Bolde was hir face and faire and rede of hewe Sche was a worþe womman al hir lyue Hosbondes att þe cherche dore sche had five . Line 460 Wiþ owten oþer company in hir ȝouþe Bot þere-of nedeþ nouht to speke as nouþe An þries had sche be att Ierusalem [folio 7b] Sche had passed many a strange streme Line 464 Att Rome sche had bene att Boloyne In Galis att seinte Iame and att Coloyngne Sche couþe muche on wandrynge be þe weie Gate toþede was sche sothely for to seye Line 468 Vpon an Amblere ful esely sche satte . Y-wymplede wele and one hir heued an hatte As brode as is a bokelere or elles a targe A fotmantil a-boute hir hippes large Line 472 And on hir feet a paire of spores scharpe In felauschepe wele couþe sche lawghe and carpe Of remedies of loue sche couþe parchaunce ffor sche couthe of þat arte þe colde daunce Line 476 ¶ A goode man was þere of religione And was a poure persone of a toune Bot riche he was of holy þouht and werke He was also a lernede man and a clerke Line 480 Þat crist gospell trewly wolde preche His parisshins deuowtely wolde he teche Benygne he was and wonder diligente And in aduersite ful paciente Line 484 And suche he was preuede oft sithes fful loþe were him to cursen for his tiþes Bot raþer wolde he ȝeuen owte of doute Vnto his pouer perisshens aboute Line 488 Of his Offringe and of his substance He couþe in litel þinge haue suffisance Wyde was his parisshe and houses fer in sondere Bot he ne left nowtht for reyne ne for þondere Line 492 In sekenes nor in Meschef to visite

The fferrest in his parische moste and lite Vpon his fete and in his honde a staf This noble ensample to his schepe he ȝaf Line 496 Þat ferst he wrouhte and afterwarde he tawht Owte of þe gospel he þo wordes kauht And þis figure eke he hadded þer-to Þat if gold rust what schold yren do Line 500 ffor if a preste be foule of whome we truste No wonder is a lewde man to ruste And schame it is if a preste take kepe A schiten schiperd to se and a cleyne schepe Line 504 Wel owhte a preste ensample for to ȝiue [folio 8a] Be his clennes how his schepe scholde liue He sett nouht his benefice to hire And lete his schepe acumbrede in þe mire Line 508 And Ran to Londen vn-to seint poules To seke him a chauntery to singe for sowles Or wiþ a breþerhede to be wiþ-holde Bot dwelte att home and keped wel his folde Line 512 So þat þe wolfe ne maade it nouhte myscarie He was a scheparde and nouȝt a mercenarie And þouhe he holy were and vertuous He was nouht to sinful men dispitous Line 516 Ne of his speche daungerouse ne digne Bot in his techinge discrete and benigne To drawen folke to heuen be feirenesse Be goode ensample þis was his besinesse Line 520 Bot it were any persone obstinate What so he were of hihe or lowe a-state Him wolde he snybbe sharpely for þe nones A better preste .I trowe þat nowhere none es Line 524 He waited after no pompe and reuerence. Ne maked him a spised conscience Bot cristes lore and his aposteles twelue He tauht bot first he folowed in him selue Line 528 ¶ Wiþ him þare was a plouheman was his broþer

þat had lad of donge ful mony a foþere And a trew swinker and a goode was he Lyueinge in pes and in perfit charite Line 532 God loued he best wiþ al his herte Att al times þouhe he gamed or smerte And þan his neighebore riht as him selue He wolde þresshe and þer-to dike and delue Line 536 ffor cristes sake for euery pouer white With owte hire if it leie in his miht His tyþes paide he ful faire and wele Bothe of his proper swynke and of his catel Line 540 In a tabarde he rode vpon a mere ¶ Ther was al so a reue and a Mellere A sompnour and pardonere al so A manciple and my selfe þere nare no mo Line 544 The Meller was a stowte carle for þe nones fful big he was of braune and eke of bones . That proued wele for ouer al þer he cam [folio 8b] Att wrastelinge he wolde haue awaie þe ramme Line 548 He was schort-scholdred a þike gnarre There was no dore þat he ne wolde heue of harre Or breke it wiþ a renynge with his hede His berd as any sowe or fox was rede Line 552 And þer-to brode as þouhe it were a spade Vpon þe cop riht of his nose he had A werte and þere on stode a tofte of heres Rede as þe bresteles of a sowes Eres Line 556 His nos-þrelles blake were and wide A swerde and a bokeler bar he be his side His mouþe as grete was as grete furneys He was a Iangeler and a goliardeys Line 560 And þat was most of sinne and of Harlotries Wele couþe he stele corne and tolle þries And ȝitte he had a thombe of golde parde A white cote and a blewe hode wered he Line 564 A Baggepipe wele couþe he blawe and sowne

And þere wiþ all he browht vs owte of towne A gentill Maunciple was þere of a temple Of whiche acatours miht take goode ensample Line 568 ffor to be wise in byynge of vitaile ffor weþer þat he paiede or toke be taile Algate he waited so in his achate Þat he was al be-forne and in goode astate Line 572 Now es nouht þat of god a ful faire grace. Þat suche a lewde mannes witt schal pace Þe wisdom of an hepe of lerned men Of Maistres had he mo þan þries ten Line 576 Þat weren of lawe expert and curious Of wiche þer was a doseine in þat hous Worþe to be stewardes of rent and londe Of any lordes þat is in yngelonde Line 580 To make him leue be his propre goode In honoure detteles bot if he were wode Or lyue as scarsely as him lust desire And able for to helpen al a schire Line 584 In any cas þat myht fal or happe And ȝit þis manciple sette here alþere cappe ¶ The reue was a sclender Colerik man His berde was schaue as nyhe as euere he can. Line 588 His here was be his eres rounde y-schorne [folio 9a] His tope was dokked like a preste to forne fful longe was [his] legges and ful lene .I.-like a staf þar was no calfe y-sene Line 592 Wele couþe he kepe a gernar or a bynne Ther was non auditoure couþe on him wynne Wele wiste he be drowhte and be þe reyne The ȝeldeynge of his sede and of his greyne Line 596 His lordes schepe his nete his dayre His swyne his hors his store and his pultre Was holy in þis reues gouernynge And be his couenant ȝaf þe rekenynge Line 600 Sen þat his lord was twenty ȝere of age

Þare couþe no man bringe him in arerage Thare nas Baillif ne herde ne oþere hyne That he ne knewe his sleyht and his Couyne Line 604 Thei were adrad of him as of þe deþe His wonynge was ful faire vpon an heþe Wiþ grene trees schadowed was his place He couþe better þan his lorde purchace Line 608 fful riche he was astored priuely His lord he couþe wele plese subtily To ȝiue and lenne him of his owen goode And haue a þonke and ȝit a cote and an hoode Line 612 In ȝowþe he had lerned a good mistere He was a wel goode wriht a carpentere This satt vpon a fol goode stot That was a pomely greye and hihte Scot Line 616 A longe surcote of peers vpon he hadde And be his side he bare a rusti blade Of Norþefolk was þis reue whiche .I. tell Be-siden a towne men clepen it baldeswell Line 620 Tukked he was as is a frere abowte And euere he rode hinderest of owre Rowte ¶ A Somynour was þer wiþ vs in þat place Þat had a firy Cherubynnes face Line 624 ffor sausefleme he was with yhen narowe Als hote he was and licherous as a sparowe Wiþ scalled browes blake and a pilled berde Of his vesage childerne were aferde Line 628 Ther nas whike-siluer litarge or bremstone Boras orsure ne oyle of tartre none Ne oyment þat wolde clense and bite [folio 9b] That him myht helpe of his whelkes white Line 632 Nere of þe knobbes sittinge in his chekes Wele loued he garlike onyons and ȝite lekes And for to drinke stronge wyne rede as blode Than wold he speke and crie as he ware wode Line 636 And whan þat he wele drongen had þe wyne

þan wold he speke no worde bot latyne A fewe terems had he two or thre That he had lerned owte of sum decre Line 640 No wonder is he herd it al þe daie And eke ȝe knowen it wele howe þat a Iaie Kan clepe watt as wele as kan þe pope Bot who so couþe in oþer þinge him grope Line 644 Þan had he spent al his philosophie Ay Questio quid Iuris wold he crie He was a gentil harlot and a kynde A better felawe scholde men nouht finde Line 648 He wolde suffer for a whart of wyne A good felaw to haue his concubyne A twelmouþe and excuse him att fulle And priuely eke a finche couþe he pulle Line 652 And. if he fonde owhere a goode felawe He wolde techen him to haue none awe In suche cas of þe Archedekenes Curse Bot if [a] mannes soule were in his purse Line 656 ffor in his purs he scholde punyschede be The purse es þe Archedekenes hell seide he Bot wele .I. wote he lyede riht in dede Of curssinge owht yche gilty man him drede Line 660 ffor curs wil sle riht as a-soyleynge sauyþe And also war him of a significauit In dawngere had he att his owen gise The ȝonge girles of þe diocise Line 664 And knewe her consel and what was al here rede A garland had he sett vpon his hede As grete as it were for an Alestake A bokelere had he made him of a kake Line 668 ¶ Wiþe him þere rode a gentil pardonere Of Rouncyual his frende and his comper þat streyhte was comme fro þe courte of Rome fful loude he songe come hider loue to me. Line 672 This Somenoure bare to him a stif burdoune [folio 10a]

Was neuer trompe of halfe so grete a soune This pardonere had here as ȝalowe as wax. Bot smothe it henge as doþ a strike of flax. Line 676 Bi ounces henge his lokkes þat he hadde And þer wiþ he his scholdres ouer spradde But þinne it leie be culpones one and one But hode for Iolyte wered he none Line 680 ffor it was trussed vp in his walet Him þouht he rode al of þe newe get Discheuele saue his cape he rode al bare Suche glayringe yhen had he as it were an hare Line 684 A vernicle had he sewe vpon his cape His walet [lay] to forne him in his lappe Bret ful of pardon comen from Rome al hote A voyce he had also smale as it were a gote Line 688 No berde had he ne neuer schuld haue As smoþe it was as it were late schaue .I. trowe he were a geldinge or a mare Bot of his craft fro Berwike in to ware Line 692 Ne was þere suche anoþer pardonere ffor in his male he hadde a pylowbere Whiche that he seide was owre lady veyle He seide he had a gobet of þe seile Line 696 That seint Peter had whan þat he wente Vpon þe see till ihesu crist him hente He had a croyce of Laton ful of stones And in a glasse he hadde Pygges bones Line 700 Bot wiþe þes relikes whan þat he fonde A pouer person dwellynge vpon londe Vppon a daie he gat him more moneye Than þat þe person gatte in þe Monethes tweye Line 704 And þus wiþ feyned flaterynge and Iapes He Maade þe persone and þe peple his Apes Bot trewly to tellen att þe laste He was in þe cherche a noble ecclesiaste Line 708 Wele couþe he rede a lesson or a story

Bot alþer best he songe a offertory fful wele he wist whan þat songe was songe He moste preche and wele affile his tonge Line 712 To wynne siluer as he wele cowde Þere-fore he songe so merely and loude ¶ Nowe haue .I. tolde ȝowe soþely in a clause [folio 10b] The estate. þe arraye. þe Nombre and eke þe cause Line 716 Whi þat assembled was þis companye In Suthewerke att þis gentil Hosterie þat hiht þe taberd fast be þe belle Bot nowe is time to ȝowe for to telle Line 720 Howe þat we beren vs þat ilke nyhte Whan we were in þat Osterye alyhte And after wil .I. tell of owre viage And al þe remenant of owre pilgrenage Line 724 Bot first .I. preye ȝowe of ȝoure curtesie That ȝe ne ret it nowht my velenye Thoughe þat .I. pleinly speke in þis matier To telle ȝowe her wordes and eke her chere Line 728 Ne þouhe .I. speke here wordes propurly ffor þis ȝe knowen as wele as .I. Who so sal tellen a tale after a mān He mote reherce as nyhe as euer he cān Line 732 Eueryche a worde if it be in his charge Al speke he neuer so rudeli and so large. Or elles he most tel his tale vntrewe Or feyne þinges. or fynde wordes Newe Line 736 He may nouht spare al-þouhe he ware his broþer He mot also wele seie o worde as a-nother Criste spak him self ful brode in holy writte And wele ȝe wote no velany is itte Line 740 Eke plato seiþe who so kan him rede The wordes most be Cosin to þe dede ¶ Also .I. preie ȝowe for-ȝif it me Al haue .I. not sett folke in her degre Line 744 Here in þis tale as þat þei scholde stonde

My witte is schorte ȝe maie wele vnderstonde Grete chere maade owre oste vs euerychone And to þe soper sett he vs anone Line 748 He serued vs wiþe vitailles att þe beste Stronge was þe wyne and wele drinke vs leste A semely man owre ost was wiþ all ffor to bene a marschal in a lordes hall Line 752 A large man he was wiþ eyȝen stepe A fairer burgeis is none none in chepe Bolde of his speche and wyse and wele y-tawht And of manhode him lakked riht nouht Line 756 Eke þere-to he was riht a mery man [folio 11a] And after soper pleyȝen he be-gan And spak of Mirþe amonge oþere þinges Whan þat we had maade owre rekenynges Line 760 And seide þus Now lordeynges trewly Ȝe bene to me welcome riht hertly ffor be my trouþe if þat .I. schal notte lye .I. sawe nouht þis ȝere so mery a companye Line 764 Att ones in þis herburhe as is nowe ffayne wolde .I. done ȝowe merþe wist .I. howe And of a merþe .I. am riht nowe be-þouhte To done ȝowe ese and it schal cost nowhte Line 768 ¶ Ȝe gone to Canterbury god ȝowe spede The blisful Martir white ȝow ȝowre mede And wele .I. wote as ȝe gone be þe weye Sche schapen ȝowe to talen and to pleye Line 772 ffor trewly comforþe and merþe is none To riden be þe waie dom as any stone And þer-for wil .I. maken ȝowe disporte As .I. seide arst and do ȝow som comforte Line 776 And if ȝowe likeþ all be on assente ffor to stonden at My Iuggemente And for to werken as .I. schal ȝowe seie To morwen whan we riden be þe weie Line 780 Nowe be Mi fader sow[l]e þat is dede

But ȝe bue Merie .I. ȝeue ȝowe Mine hede Holde vpe ȝowre hondes wiþ-owte more speche ¶ Owre consell was not longe for to seche Line 784 Vs þouhte it was not worþe to make it wise And graunted him wiþ-oute more avise And bad him seie his verdite as him liste

Lordynges quod he now herkeneþ for þe beste Line 788 Bot tak it nowhte .I. pray ȝowe in disdeyne This is þe pointe to speke schort and pleine That iche of ȝowe to schort wiþ owre weie In þis viage schal tel tales tweye Line 792 To Kanterbury warde .I. mene it so And homward he schal tellen oþere two Of aventures whilome þat hane be-fall And whiche of ȝowe þat bereþ him best of all Line 796 That is to seyne þat telleþ in þis cas Tales of best sentence. and most solas Schall haue a soper at owre aller cost [folio 11b] Here in þis place sittinge be þe post Line 800 Whan þat we comen a-geine fro Canturbury And for to make ȝow þe more mery .I. wil my seluen goodely wiþ ȝow ride Riht att myne oune coste and be ȝowre gide Line 804 And who so wil my Iuggement wiþ-seie Schal paie al þat we spende be þe weie And if ȝe vouche saue þat it be so Tel me anone wiþ-owten wordes mo Line 808 And .I. wil erly schape me þere-fore ¶ This þinge was graunted and owre oþes swore With ful glad hert and praieyng him also þat he wolde vouche saue for to do so Line 812 And þat he wolde be owre gouernowre And of owre tales Iugge and reporture And sett a soper att a serteine pris And we wil rewled bene att his deuis Line 816 In hihe and in lowhe and þus be one assent

We bene accorded to þe Iuggement And þer-vpon þe wyne was fett anone We dronken and to rest went ichone Line 820 Wiþ-owten any longer taryinge An morwe whan þe daie gan to springe Vp roos owre ost and was owre alder cok And gederd vs to-geder in a floke Line 824 And forþe we reden a litel mor þan pas Vnto [þe] wateringe of seint Thomas And þere owre oste gan his hors areste And seide lordes herkeneþ if ȝowe leste Line 828 Ȝe wote ȝowre forward. and .I. it ȝowe recorde If þat Euynsonge. and Morwsonge accorde Lat se nowe who schal tel þe first tale As euer mot .I. drinke wine or ale Line 832 Who so be rebel to my Iuggement Schal paie for al þat be þe waie is spent Now draweþ cut or þat we ferþer wynne Whiche þat haþe þe schortest schal be-ginne Line 836 ¶ Sir knyht quod he my maister and my lorde Now draweþ Cut for þat is Myne accorde Commeþ nere quod he Mi ladi prioresse And ȝe sire clerke lat be ȝowre schamefastnesse Line 840 Ne studiethe nowht leie honde to euery man [folio 12a] Anone to drawe euery wight began And schortly for to tellen riht as it was Were it be aventure or sort or cas Line 844 The soþe is þis þe Cut fel on þe knyht Of whiche ful bliþe and glad was euery whit And tellen he most his tale as it was resōn Bi forward and be composiciōn. Line 848 As ȝe haue herde what nedeþ wordes moo And whan þis good man sawhe þat it was so As he þat wise was and obedient To kepen his forward be his fre assent Line 852 He seide seþþe þat .I. schal beginne þe game

What welcome be þe cut one goddes name Now lat vs ride and herkeneþ what .I. seie And wiþ þat worde we riden forþe owre weie Line 856 And he be-gan wiþ riht a mery chere His tale anone and seide as ȝe mai here [No gap in the MS.]

Iam que domos patrias scitice post aspera gentis Prelia Laurigero, &c.

Incipit fabula Militis

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.]]

[PART II. No gap in the MS.]

¶ Whan þat Arcite to Thebes commen was fful often adaie he swelte and seide alas Line 1356 ffor seen his ladi schal he neuer moo And schortly to concluden al his woo So muche sorwe had neuer creature That is or schall whil þat þe werde mai dure Line 1360 His slepe his mete his drinke is be-raft [IV. 26, 27.] þat lene he wex and drie as is a schaft His yhe hollowe and grisely to be-holde [IV. 28.] His hiew falowe and pale as asshe colde [IV. 27.] Line 1364 And solitarie he was. and euer a lone And weyleynge al þe nyht makinge his mone. And if he herde songe or instrument Than wolde he wepe he myht nouht be stent Line 1368 So feble eke were his spretes and he lowe [IV. 29.] And Chaungede so þat noman couþe knowe His speche nor his voice þouhe men hit herde And in his gere for al þe werlde he ferde Line 1372 Not comly lyke to louers maledye Of heres bot raþer like manye Engenderd of humor malancolike Be-forne his celle ffantastike Line 1376 And scortly torned was al vp and downe Boþe Abite and disposicioune Of him þis woful louer dame Arcite ¶ Wat schold .I. al daie of his wo endite Line 1380 Whan he endured had a ȝere or two This cruel torment and þis peine and woo As Thebes in his Contre as .I. seide Vpon a nyhte on slepe as he him leide. Line 1384 Him þouht howe þat venged god Mercurie Be-forne him stode and bad him to be merie His slepi ȝerde in honde he bar vp riht An hatte he werede vpon his heres briht Line 1388

Line 1388 Arraide was þis god as as he toke kepe As he was whan þat Argus toke his slepe And seide him þus to Athenes þow schalt wende [folio 18b] Where is þe schapen of þi woo an ende Line 1392 ¶ And wiþ þat worde Arcite woke and sterte Now trewli how sore þat me smerte Quod he to Athenes riht nowe wil .I. fare Ne for þe drede of deþe schal .I. nouht spare Line 1396 To se my lady þat .I. loue and serue In hire presence .I. reche not to sterue And wiþ þat worde he cauht a grete Mirroure And sauhe þat chaunged was al his coloure Line 1400 And sauhe his vesage al in anoþer kinde And riht anone it ran him in his mynde [IV. 38.] That seþ his face was so disfigurede Of þe Maledy whiche he had endurede Line 1404 He myht wele if þat he bare him lowe Leue in Athenes euer more vnknowe An seen his lady wel ny day be daye And riht anone he chaunged his Araye Line 1408 And clad him as poure laborere [pover valletto, IV. 22.] An al alone saue onely o swiere [umil garzone, IV. 22.] That knewe his priuete and al his case [povero valletto IV. 40.] Whiche was disgised pouerly as he was Line 1412 To Athenes is gone þe next waye And to þe courte he went vpon a daye And att þe gate he proferd his seruyse To drugge and drawe what so men wil deuise Line 1416 And schortly of þis mater for to seine He fel in office wiþ a chamburleine The whiche þat was dwellinge wiþ Emelye ffor he was wise and sone couþe aspye Line 1420 ffor euery seruant whiche þat serueþ here Wele couþe he hewen wode and water bere ffor he was ȝonge and myhti for þe nones And þer-to he was stronge and briht of bones Line 1424

Line 1424 To done þat any whit him can devise A ȝere or two he was in þis seruise Page of þe chambere of Emely þe briht And Philostrat he seide þat he hiht [[Penteo IV. 3, &c.]] Line 1428 Bot halfe so wele be-loued a man as he Ne was þere neuer in Courte of his degre He was so gentil of condicioune That þoruhe-owte al þe courte was his renoune Line 1432 Thei seide þat it were a charite [folio 19a] That Theseus wolde en-haunse his degre And putten him in worschip-ful seruise There as he myht his vertue exercise Line 1436 And þus wiþ-inne a while his name is spronge [IV. 59.] Boþe of his dede and his good tonge That Theseus haþe taken him so nere That of his chambre he maade him a swiere Line 1440 And ȝaue him gold to mainteigne his degre And eke men brouht him oute of his contre ffro ȝere to ȝere so priuely his rente But onestly and sleyhtly . he it spente Line 1444 þat noman wondred howe þat he it hadde And þrei ȝere in þis wise his lif he ladde And bare him so in pees and eke in werre There was no man þat Theseus hathe derre [IV. 59.] Line 1448 And in þis blisse let .I. nowe Arcite And speke .I. will of Palamon a lite ¶ In derkenes and horrible and stronge prisone [V. 1.] Þis seuen ȝere haþe siten Palamone Line 1452 ffor-pined whate for wo and for destresse Who feleþ double sore and heuinesse [V. 3.] Bot Palamon þat loue destreyneþ so That woode owte of his witte he goþ for wo Line 1456 And eke þere-to he is a prisoner Perpetuelly not onely for a ȝere Who couþe rime in Englisshe propurly His martirdome for soþe it am not .I. Line 1460

Line 1460 There-fore .I. passe al so lihtly as .I. maye ¶ It fel þat in þe seuent ȝere of maie The þridde nyhte as holde bokes seine That all þis story telleþ more pleine Line 1464 Were it be aventure or destanye As whan a þinge is schape it schal bye Þat sone after þe mydenyht Palamon [V. 25-7.] Be helpinge of a frende brake prison Line 1468 And fleeth þe Cite fast as he mai goo ffor he had gif his Gailer drinke soo [V. 24.] Of a clarre maade of a certein wyne Wiþ nercotiks and opie of Thebes fyne Line 1472 That al þat nyht þouhe þat men wold him schake The Gaillere slepe he myht nouht awake. And þus he flieþ as fast as euere he maie [folio 19b] The nyht was schort and fast be þe daie Line 1476 That nedes coste he most him self hiden And til a groue faste fast þere be-siden [V. 33.] Wiþ dredful fote þan stalkeþ Palamon ffor schort þis was his opinion Line 1480 That in þat groue he wolde him hide aldaie And in þe nyht þan wolde he take his waie To Thebes-warde his frendes for to praye On Theseus to helpe him to werreie Line 1484 Or schortly he wolde lese his lif Ore wynnen Emely to his louely wif This is þefecte and his entente pleine ¶ Now whiles turne we to Arcite aȝeine Line 1488 That litel wiste how nihe þat was his care Til þat fortone hadde cauht him in his snare The besi larke messagiere of daie Salueþ in hir songe þe morwe greie Line 1492 And firy phebus riseþ vp so bright Þat al þe orient lawheþ of þe sight And wiþ his streme drieþ in þe greues The siluer dropes hangeinge on þe leues Line 1496

Line 1496 And Arcita þat in þe courte roial Wiþ Theseus his swier principal Is resen and lokeþ on þe mery daie And for to done his obseruance to maie Line 1500 Remembringe on þe pointe of his desire He on his coursere stertynge as fire Is reden to þe feldes him to pleie Owte of þe Court were it a meyle or tweye Line 1504 And to þe groue of whiche as [I] ȝow tolde Be aventur his weie he gan to holde To Maken him a garlonde of þe greues [IV. 62.] Were it of wodebinde or of heiþorne leues Line 1508 And loude he songe a-ȝein þe sonne schene Maie wiþ al þi floures and þi grene Welcom be þou feire fresche Maie I. hop þat .I. sume grene get maie Line 1512 And from his coursur wiþ a lusti herte In to þe groue ful hastely he sterte And in a paþe he romeþ vp and doune Thar as be aventur of þis Palamon Line 1516 Was in a busshe þat no man miht him see [folio 20a] ffor sore aferde of his deþe was he No þinge knewe he þat it was Arcite God wote he wolde haue trowed it ful lite Line 1520 Bot soþe is seide gon siþe many ȝeres That felde haþe yȝen. and wode haþe eres It [is] ful faire a man to bere him euen ffor aldaie meteþ men att vn-sette steuen Line 1524 fful litel wote arcite of his felawe Þat was so nyhe to herken of his sawe ffor in þe busche he sitteþ now ful still Whan þat Arcite had romede al his fill Line 1528 And songen al þe roundel lustely In to a stody he fel sodanly As done þes louers in hir queynte geres Nowe in þe crope nowe downe in þe breres Line 1532

Line 1532 Nowe vp nowe downe as a boket in a welle Riht as þe fridaie soþeli for to telle Nowe it schineþe nowe it reineþ fast Riht so gan geri venus ouer cast Line 1536 The hertes of hir folke riht as hir daie Is gerful riht so chaungeþ sche arraie Seld is þe fridaie al þe weke ylike ¶ Whan þat Arcite had songe he gan to sike Line 1540 And set him doune wiþ-owten any more Alas quod he þat daie þat .I. was bore Howe longe Iuno þoruhe þi crueltee Wiltow werien Thebes þe Citee Line 1544 Alas brouht it is to confusione [See IV. 13, 14.] The blode Roial of Cadine and Amphione Of Cadinus whiche þat was þe first man That Thebes bulet or first þe toune be-gan Line 1548 And of þe Cite first was Crouned kinge Of his linage am .I. and of his ospringe Be verrei. ligne as of þe stok Roialle. [See IV. 31.] And Now .I. am so caitif and so þralle. Line 1552 That he þat is my mortal ennemye [See IV. 85.] .I. serue him as his swier pouerelye And ȝit doþe me Iuno wel more schame ffor .I. dar .I. not be-knowe myne owne name Line 1556 Bot þere as .I. was wonte hiht Arcite [See IV. 84.] Now .hiht. Philostrate not worþe a myte [[Penteo, IV. 84.]] Allas þou fel mars Allas þou Iuno. [See IV. 17.] Thus haþe ȝower ire owre lignage al for-do. Line 1560 Saue only me and wreched palamon [folio 20b] That Theseus Martireþ in prison And ouer al þis to slene me vtterly [IV. 82.] Loue haþ faire his darte so brinyngly Line 1564 Istiked þoruhe my trewe careful herte That schapen was my deþ arst þan my scherte Ȝe slene me wiþe ȝowere yhen Emelye The be þe cause were-for þat .I. die Line 1568

Line 1568 Of al þe remenan of myne oþere care Ne sette .I. nouht þe mountance of a tare So þat .I. couþe do ouhte to ȝowre plesance And wiþ þat worde he fel doune in a trance Line 1572 A longe tim and he afterwarde vpstert ¶ This Palamon þat þouht þat þoruhe his herte He felde a colde swerde sodeinly glide ffore ire he whoke no lenger wolde he bide Line 1576 And whan þat he had herde Arcites tale As he were wode wiþe face dede and pale He stert him vpe oute of þe boskes þikke And seide Arcite. false treitoure wikke Line 1580 Nowe art þow hent þat louest mi ladie so ffor whome þat .I. haue al þis peine and woo And art my blode and to my consel sworne As .I. ful oft haue tolde þe here be-forne Line 1584 And hast be-japed here Duc Theseus And falsely haste þou chaunged. þi name þus .I. wil be dede or elles þou schalt diȝe Thou schalt nouht loue my ladie Emelye Line 1588 Bot .I. will louere onely. and no mo ffor .I. am Palamon þi mortal fo And þoughe þat .I. no wepen haue in þis place. Bot owte of prisoun am asterte be grace Line 1592 .I. drede nouht þat ouþer þu schal diȝe [See V. 54.] Or þou ne schat not louen Emelye Ches whiche þou wilte or þou schalt nouht asterte ¶ This Arcite wiþ ful dispitouse herte Line 1596 Whan he him knewe and had his tale herde As fers a[s] lion he pulled owte a swerde And seid þus be god þat sitteþ aboue Nere it were þat þou art seke and woode for loue Line 1600 And eke þat þou no wepen hast in þis place Thou scholdest neuer oute of þis groue pace. That þou ne scholdest deiȝen of myne honde [folio 21a] ffor .I. defie þe suyrte and þe bonde ['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 Whiche þat þou seist .I. haue maade to þe Whatt verreie foole þinke wele þat loue is fre [V. 51.] And .I. wil loue hir Maugre al þi myht Bot for al so muche as þou ert a worþi knyht Line 1608 And wilneste to darreine hir be Bataile Haue here my trowþe to morne wil .I. nouht faile Wiþouten weteinge of any oþere wight That here .I. wil be founden as a knyht Line 1612 And bringen herneys riht. ynowhe for þe And chese þe beste and leue þe werst for me And mete and drinke þis nyht wil .I. bringe .Y.-nowghe for þe and cloþes for þi bedynge Line 1616 And. if so be þat þou my lady wynne And sle me in þis wode þare .I. am inne Þou maiste wele haue my lady as for me This Palamon ansewerd .I. graunt it þe Line 1620 And þus þei bene departid til on morwe Whan iche of hem had leide his feiþe to borwe Occupiede owte of al charite ¶ O regne þat wolde no felawe haue wiþ þe Line 1624 fful soþe is seide þat loue ne lordeschipe [V. 13.] Wil not his þonkes haue no felauschipe We finde þat of arcite and of Palamone Arcite is Reden anone in to þe toune Line 1628 And on þe morwe ar it were daies liht fful priuely tuo herneys haþe he diht Boþe suffisant and mete to darreine The Bataile in þe felde be-tuex hem tweyne Line 1632 And on his hors alone as he was borne He carieþ al his herneyce him be-forne And in þe groue att þe time and place y-sette Þis Arcite and Palamon ben mette Line 1636 To chaungen gan þe coloure in her face Riht as þe hunters in þe Reigne of Trace [VII. 106.] Þat stondeþ att a gappe wiþ a spere Whan huntide is þe lyon or þe bere Line 1640

Line 1640 And hereþ him come rossheinge in þe greues And brekeþe boþe bowes and þe leues [VII. 119.] And þinkeþ here comeþ my mortale enmye Wiþþe-owte faile he most be dede or .I. Line 1644 ffor eiþer .i. mote slene him att þe gappe [folio 21b] Or [he] most sle me. if þat me mys happe So ferden [þey] in chaungeinge of hire hewe As fer as iche of hem oþer knewe Line 1648 Thar nas no good daye ne no salueynge Bot streite wiþouten worde or reherseinge Eueryche of hem helpe to arme oþere As frendely as he were his owen broþere Line 1652 And after þat wiþ scharpe speres stronge Thei foynen eche att oþere wonder longe Thou mihtest wene þat this palamon In his feihtinge were a wode lyon · Line 1656 And as a cruel tigre was Arcite As wilde bores gunne þei to smyte Þat froþen white as fome. for ire wode Vp to þe Ancle fouht þei in þeire blode Line 1660 And in þis wise .I. lete hem feihtinge dwelle And forþ .I. wil of Theseus ȝowe telle The destanye Ministre general [VI. 1.] That executeþ in þe werld oueral Line 1664 The Purueance þat. god haþ seie be-fore [

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 stronge it is þat þeihe þe werlde had it swore The contrarie of a þinge be ȝe or naye Ȝit some time it schal fal on a daye. [V. 77.] Line 1668 Þat falleþ nouht eft wiþ-inne a þousande ȝere ffor certeinly oure appetites here Be it of werre of pese. or hate or loue All is þis rewled be þe siht aboue Line 1672 This Mene .I. nowe be myhty Theseus [V. 77.] That for to hunt is so desirus And namely att þe grete hert in maie That in his bed þere daweþ him no daie Line 1676

Line 1676 Þat he na es clad and redi for to ride Wiþ hunte and horne and hundes him biside [V. 77.] ffor in his huntynge haþe he swyche delite [V. 78.] That it is al is hope. Ioy and appetite Line 1680 To bene him self þe grete hertes bane ffor after mars. he serueþ now Diane Clere was þe daie as .I. haue told ar þis And Theseus wiþ al Ioy and blisse Line 1684 Wiþ his ypolita þe faire quene And Emely cloþed al in Grene [[See XII. 65.]] On huntyn bene þe reden Roially [folio 22a] And to þe Groue þat stod ful fast by Line 1688 In whiche þer was an herte as men him tolde ¶ Duc Theseus þe streiht waie haþ holde And to þe launde he rideþ him ful riht ffor þeder was þe hert wonte to haue his fliht Line 1692 And ouer a broke and so forþe on his weie This Duc wil haue a cours att him or tweie Wiþ houndes suche as him lust commaunde And whan þis Duc wa[s] come vn to þe launde Line 1696 Vnder þe sonne he loked And a-none He was war of Arcite and Palamone. þat fowhten breme as it wer boly two The briht swerdes wenten to and foo. [[? MS. fro]] Line 1700 So hydously þat wiþ þe lest stroke It semeþ þat it wald fel an oke Bot whate þei were noþinge he wote This Duc his Coursur wiþ his spores smote [V. 82.] Line 1704 And att a sterte he was be-twix hem two And pulled owte a swerde And cride ho No more vpon peine of leseynge of ȝoure hede Be myhti Mars he schal a-none be dede Line 1708 That smyteþ any stroke. þat .I. maie seen Bot telle me what mester men ȝe been [V. 83.] That bene so hardy to feihten here Wiþ-owten Iugge or oþer officere Line 1712

Line 1712 As it were in a litel list roiallie ¶ This Palamon ansewerd hastelye And seide sire what nedeþ wordes mo We haue þe deþ deserued boþe tuo Line 1716 Two wofull wreches be we tuo Caytyues That bene encumberde of owre owen liues And as þou art a riht-ful lorde and Iuge Ne ȝif vs neyþer mercy ne refuge Line 1720 Bot sle me first for seinte Charite And sle my felaw eke as wele as me Or sle him for þouhe thou knowest it lite Þis is þi mortal fo þis is Arcite Line 1724 That fro þi londe is banysshed on his hed [See V. 91.] ffor whiche he haþe deserued to be dede ffor þis is he whiche come vn to þi gate And seide þat he hiht Philostrate. Line 1728 Thus haþe he Iaped þe ful mony a ȝere [folio 22b] And þou hast maade him þi chef swyere And þis is he þat loueþ Emelye ffor seþ þat daie is come þat .I. schal diȝe Line 1732 .I. make pleinely my confessione Þat .I. am þilke woful palamone Þat haþe þi prisone broken wikkedly. [See V. 91.] .I. am þi mortale foo and it am .I. Line 1736 Þat loueþe so hote Emelye þe brihte That wil diȝe present in hire sihte Where-fore .I. ax deþe and my Iuyse [V. 90.] Bot sle my felawe in þe same wise Line 1740 ffor boþe we haue deserued to be sleine ¶ This worþi Duc ansewerd anone aȝeine And seide this is a schort conclusione Ȝowre owren mouþe be ȝowre confessione Line 1744 Haþe dampne ȝow and it wil recorde It nedeþ nouht to pyne ȝowe wiþ corde Ȝe schal be ded be myhti Mars þe rede The qweene anone for verrei wommanhede Line 1748

Line 1748 Gan for to wepe and so dide Emelie And al þe ladies in þe companye Grete pite was as hem þouht alle That euer suche a chaunce shold falle Line 1752 ffor gentilmen þei were of grete astate And noþinge bot for loue was þis debate And sauhe hire blody woundes wide and sore And al criden boþe lasse and more Line 1756 Haue merci lorde vpon vs wemmen alle And on her bare knees downe þei falle And wolde haue kist his fote þere as he stode Til att laste a-slaked was his moode Line 1760 ffor pite renneþ sone in gentil herte And þouhe he firste fore Ire quoke and sterte He considered schortly in a clause The trespas of hem boþe and eke þe cause Line 1764 And al-þouhe þat his Ire hir gilte accusede Ȝit in his reson he hem boþ excusede And þus he þouht wele þat euery man Wil helpe him selfe in loue if þat he can Line 1768 And eke deliuere him self owte of prisone And eke his herte had compassione Of wemmen for þei wepen euer in one [folio 23a] And in his gentill hert. he þouht anone Line 1772 And soft vn to him self he seide fie Vpon a lorde þat wille haue no mercye Bot he be lyone boþe in worde and in dede To hem þat bene in repentance and drede Line 1776 Al so wele as to a proude dispitous man That wil Maiten þat he first be-gan That lorde haþ litel of discrecion That in suche cas can no deuision Line 1780 And weieþe pride and humblenesse after one And whan his Ire is þus a-gone He gan to Loken vpe wiþ yhe liht And spake þis same wordes al on hiht Line 1784

Line 1784 ¶ The god of loue A Benedicite Howe myhti and howe grete a lorde is he Aȝeines his myhtes þere gayneþ none obstacles He maie be cleped a god for his miracles Line 1788 ffor he can maken att his owen gise Of eueryche hert as þat him list deuise Loo here þis Arcite and Palamon That quytly weere owte my prison Line 1792 And myht haue leued in Thebes roialye And weten .I. am here mortale enemye And þat hire deþe liþe in my myht also And haþe loue Maugre here eyen two Line 1796 Brouht hem hider boþ for to die Nowe lokeþ is nouht þat an hihe folye Who maye be a foole bot if he loue Be-holde for goddes sake þat sitteþ aboue Line 1800 Se howe þei blede be þei nouht wele araide Thus haþe hire lorde þe god of loue ypaide Hire wages and her fees for hire seruise And ȝut þei wenen for to be ful wise Line 1804 That seruen loue for ouht þat maie be-falle Bot þis is ȝete þe beste game of alle That sche for wham þei haue þis Iolite Kan hem þerfore as muche þonke as me Line 1808 Sche woote no more of all þis hote fare Bi god þan wote a cokkowe or an hare Bot al mot bene assaide hote and colde A man most be a foole or ȝonge or olde [V. 92.] Line 1812 .I. wote it be my selfe ful ȝore a-gone [folio 23b] ffor in my time a seruant was .I. one And þare-fore seþ .I. knowe of loues peine .I. woote howe sore it kan a man distreine Line 1816 As he þat haþe bue cauht oft in his lace .I. ȝowe for-ȝef al holely þis trespace [V. 92-3.] At þe request of þe quene þat kneleþ here And Eke of Emely my suster dere Line 1820

Line 1820 And ȝe schall Boþe anone vn to me swere þat neuer ȝe schal my coroune dere Ne make werre vpon me nyht ne daie Bot bene my frendes in al þat ȝe maie Line 1824 .I. ȝowe for-ȝeue þis trispaas euery dele And þei him sworne his axen faire and wele [V. 93.] And him of lordeschipe and of Mercie preide And hem graunteþe grace and þus he seide Line 1828 ¶ To speke of Roial lignage and richesse [V. 96.] Thouhe þat sche weere a queene or a Princesse Eche of ȝowe boþe is worþi doutelesse To wedden whan time is bot naþelesse Line 1832 .I. speke as for [my] suster Emelye ffor whom .I. haue. þis strif and Ialowsie Ȝe wit ȝoure selfe sche maie nouht wedden twoo [V. 95.] Att ones þouhe ȝe feihten euer moo Line 1836 Bot one of ȝowe al be him loþe or leue He mote go pipen in an yuy leue This to sei sche maye nouht haue boþe Al be ȝe neuer so Ielouse ne so wroþe Line 1840 And for-þi .I. ȝowe pute in þis degre That iche of ȝow schal haue his destanye As him is schape and herkeneþe in whatt wise Lo here ȝowre ende of þat .I. schal deuise Line 1844 ¶ Mi will is [this [[MS. rubbed]] ] for plate conclusione Wiþ-owten any replicacione If þat ȝowe likeþ takeþ it for þe beste That eueryche of ȝowe schal gone where him leste Line 1848 ffrely wiþ-owten Raunson or daungere And . þis daie fifty wekes fer ne nere ['un anno intero,' V. 98.] Eueryche of ȝowe schal bringe an .C. knyhtes [V. 97.] Armed for lystes vp al Rihtes ['nel teatro nostro.'] Line 1852 Al redi to darreine hir by Bataile And þis behet .I. ȝow wiþ-owte faile. Vpon my trouþe and as .I. am knyht [folio 24a] That wheþer of ȝowe boþe þat haþe miht Line 1856

Line 1856 This is to seine wheþer he or þou Maie wiþ his hundreþ as .I. spak of nowe [V. 98.] Sle his contrarie or owte of listes driue [[no slaying men tioned.]] That schal .I. ȝeue Emelia to wif Line 1860 To whome þat fortone ȝeueþ so faire a grace The listes schal .I. maken in þis place And god so wisly on my soule rewe As .I. schal Euen Iuge be and trewe Line 1864 Ȝe schol none oþer ende wiþ me makene Þat one of ȝowe ne schall be dede or takene And ȝif ȝowe þinkeþ þis is wele .I.-seide Seiþe ȝowre avise and holde ȝowe wele apaide Line 1868 This es ȝoure ende and ȝoure conclusione Who lokeþ lihtly nowe bot palamone Who springeþ vp for ioie bot arcite Who couþe telle or who couþe it endite Line 1872 The ioye þat is maked in þe place Whan Theseus haþe done so faire a grace [['tanta grazia,' V. 100.]] But downe one knees went. euery manere wiht And þonked him wiþ al here hert and myht Line 1876 And namely þe Thebanes oft siþe And þus wiþ good hope and wiþþe herte bliþe Thei taken here leue and homward gan þei ride To Thebes wiþ olde walles wide Line 1880

[PART III. No gap in the MS.]

.I. trowe men wolde it deme Necligence Ȝif .I. for-ȝate to tellen þe dispence Of Theseus þat goþe so besily To Maken vp þe listes roially Line 1884 Þat suche a noble theatre as it was .I. dare wele saie in þe werlde þere nas The circuite a Mile was aboute [VII. 108.] Walled of stone and diche all wiþ-oute [[no ditch.]] Line 1888 Rounde was þe schappe maner of compas

fful of degrees þe heighte of sexti pas That whan a man was sette on o degree [VII. 110.] He let-it nouhte his felow for to see Line 1892 Estwarde þere stoode a gate of marble white [VII. 109.] Westward riht stoode a-noþer in þe opposite. And schortly to conclude suche a place Was none in erþe and in so litel a space. Line 1896 ffor in þe londe þere nas no crafti man [folio 24b] That Geomatrie or arce metrik can Ne Purtreoure ne keruer of ymages Thas Theseus ne ȝafe mete and wages Line 1900 The Theatre to make and to deuise And for to done his riht and sacrifice He Estwarde haþ vpon þe gate aboue In worschipe of venus goddes of loue Line 1904 Done maken an Auter and an Oratorie And in þe westwarde in Memorie Of Marce he Maked haþe riht suche anoþer Þat cost largeli of gold a foþer Line 1908 And Northwarde in a toret on· þe walle Of Alabastre white and rede Coralle An oratorie riche for to se In worschipe of Dyane of chastite Line 1912 Haþe Theseus don wrouht in noble wise Bot ȝite had .I. forgeten to deuise Þe noble painteynge and þe purtres The schappe þe countenance and þe figures Line 1916 That weren in þese oratories þre fferst in þe temple of venus maist þou see Wrouhte in þe walle fu[l] pitouse to be-holde The broken slepes. and þe sikes colde Line 1920 The sacrede teres and þe weymenynge The firy strokes of desireinge [VII. 59.] That loues seruantȝ in þis life enduren The oþes þat here couenantz ensuren Line 1924 Plesant and hope desire foolhardinesse [See VII. 55-6, &c.]

Beaute and ȝouþe. bauderie Richesse [See VII. 56, & 64.] Charmes and force leseinges flaterie [See VII. 55-6, 59.] Dispense Besinesse and Ielowsie Line 1928 That wered of ȝalowe gowldes a garlonde And a kokkowe sittinge on his honde ffestes Instrumentes karoles daunces [See VII. 53, & 57.] Luste and arraie and al þe Circumstaunces Line 1932 Of loue whiche þat rekened and reken schall Be order were peinted on þe wall And mo þan .I. can make of Mencione ffor soþeli al þe mounte of Githerone [VII. 50.] Line 1936 There venus haþ hir principal dwellinge Was schewede on þe wall in purtreinge [

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

] Wiþ al the Gardyne and þe lustinesse [folio 25a] Nat was for-ȝete þe porter ydelnesse ['Richezza' is Porter in the Teseide, VII. 64: the Roman de la Rose is followed here.] Line 1940 Ne Narcisus þe faire of ȝore agone Ne þe foly of kinge salamon Ne ȝitte þe grete strenke of hercules [

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

] Thenchauntementez of Medea and Circes Line 1944 Ne of Turnus wiþ þe hardy fiers corage The Riche Crisus Caitif in seruage Thus maie ȝe seen þat wisdome ne richesse Beute ne strengeþe ne sleiht ne hardinesse Line 1948 Ne maie wiþ venus halde Champartie ffor as sche liste þe werlde þan maie sche gye. Lo al þis folke so kauht were in hire lace Til þei ful woo ful oft seide Alace Line 1952 Suffiseþe here ensamples one or two And þouhe .I. couþe rekken a þousand mo The Statue of venus glorious for to see [See H. of Fame, 198; and Albricus Philosophus in Staveren's Auctores Mythographi, 1702, vol. ii. p. 903.] Was made fleteynge in þe large see Line 1956 And fro þe nauel doune al couerd was Wiþ wawes grene and briht as any glas A Citole in hire Rihte honde had sche And on hir hede ful semely for to see Line 1960 A rose garland frische and wele smellinge

A-boue hire hede here doufes flikeringe Be-forne hir stode hir sonne Cupido Vpon his scholderes wenges had he tuo Line 1964 And blinde he was as it is oft sene A bowe he bare and arwes briht and kene ¶ Whi schold .I. nouht also wele eke tel þe hall The purtratoure þat was vpon þe wall Line 1968 Wiþ-inne þe temple of myhti mars þe rede Al peinted was þe wal in lengethe and brede [VII. 36.] Like to þe estres of þe grisely place [VII. 29, 30.] That hihte þe grete temple of mars in trace Line 1972 In þilke colde frosti Region Ther as Marce haþe his souereine Mansion ffirste on þe wal was peinted a forest [VII. 31.] In whiche þere dwelled neyþer man ne beste [[but a real forest there, not a painted one.]] Line 1976 With knotty knarry baran tres olde Of stubbes scharpe and hidouse to be-holde In whiche þer ran a rombel in a swouhe. As þouhe a storme scholde berste euery bouhe. Line 1980 And dounewarde from an hill vnder a bent [folio 25b] Ther stode þe temple of Mars armipotent [VII. 32.] Wrowht al of Burnede stele of wyche þentre Was longe and streite and gastly for to see Line 1984 And þere owte come a rage and suche a veze [VII. 33.] That maade al þe gates for to rese The Northern liht in att þat dore schone [Boccaccio makes the temple lighted by altar-fires, kindled from the flames of plundered cities. VII. 35.] ffor windowe on þe [walle] was þere none. Line 1988 Thoruhe whiche men myht any liht discerne The dores waren all of Attemant ete[r]ne [VII. 32.] Ychenchede ouereþwart and enlonge Wiþ yren toughe and for to make it stronge Line 1992 Euery peler þe temple to susteine [VII. 33.] Was tune grete of yren briht and schene There sawe .I. first þe derke ymaginynge Of felony an al þe compassinge Line 1996 The Cruele Ire as rede as any glede

The Pike-purs and eke þe pale drede [VII. 33. [not the pickpurse.]] The smyler wiþe þe knyf vnder þe cloke [VII. 34.] The Shepen birneinge with þe blake smoke Line 2000 The Treson of þe Morþeringe in þe bedde The Open werre wiþ wondes all be-bledde Contek wiþ blody knyfe and scharpe manace [VII. 34.] All fful of schrikeinge was þat sor place Line 2004 The sleere of himself ȝit sawe .I. þere His herte haþ baþed al his here The naile y-dryue in þe schode on nyht The colde deþe wiþ mouþe gapeand vpriht Line 2008 A mides of þe temple satte Mischaunce ['Amyddes of the' place sat 'la virtù tristissima.' VII. 34.] With discomford and sori countenaunce Ȝit sauhe .I. wodenes lawheynge in his rage [VII. 35.] Armed compleinte outehees and fires outrage ['La Morte armata vide e lo stupore.' VII. 35.] The karoigne in þe buske wiþ þrote. ycorue A. þousand ysleine and not of qualme ystorue The terant wiþe preie be for þrafte The towne destroiede. þer was no þinge laft [VII. 36.] Line 2016 Ȝete sawe .I. bernte þe schippes hoppesters ['Le navi bellatrici.' VII. 37. Neither Boccaccio, nor yet his prototype Statius, speaks of any ships as burnt, but merely as trophies.] The hunte strangeld wiþ þe wilde beres The sowe freteynge þe childe riht in þe Cradell The Coke. Iscalded for al his longe ladell Line 2020 Nouht was forȝeten be þenfortune of Marte The Carte ouerriden wiþ his Carte [VII. 37.] Vnder þe whele ful lowe he laie a doune [folio 26a] There were also of Martis diuisioune Line 2024 The barboure and þe bocher and þe smithe That forgeþ scharpe swerdes on his stiþe And al aboue depeinted in a toure Sauhe .I. conqueste sit in grete honoure Line 2028 Wiþ þe scharpe swerde ouere his hede Hangeinge be a subtile twine þrede Depeinted was þe slawhter of Iulius Of grete Nero and of Anthonius Line 2032 Al be þat ilke time þei weren vnborne

Ȝite was þeire deþe depainted þere be-forne Be Manassinge of Mars riht be figure So was it schewde in þat purtrature. Line 2036 As is depeinted in þe sertres a-boue Who schal be sleine or elles dede for loue Suffiseth oone ensample in stories oolde .I. maie nouht reken hem al þouhe þat .I. wolde Line 2040 ¶ The statue of Mars vppon a Carte stode Armed and loked grime as he war wode And ouere his heuede þere schines two figures Of sterre þat bene closed in scriptures Line 2044 Þat on puella þat oþer Rubeus This god of armes was arraide þus A wolfe þere stode be-for him att his fete Wiþ yȝen reede and of a man he ete Line 2048 Wiþþe sotel pensel was depeinted þis storie In redouteinge of Mars and of his glorie. ¶ Nowe to þe temple of Diane þe chast As schortli as .I. can .I. wil me haste Line 2052 To telle ȝowe al þe descripcioune Depeinted bene þe walles vp and doune Of huntynge and of schamfast chastite There sauhe .I. howe woful Caliste Line 2056 Whan þat Diane was agreued wiþe here Was turne fro a womman to a bere [Vrsa Maior] And after was sche maade þe lode-sterre Thus was sche peinted .I. can sei ȝowe no ferre. Line 2060 Hir sone is eke a sterre as men Maie see Thar sawhe [I] Dane turned til a tree .I. mene nouht þe goddes Diane Bot Penneus douhter whiche þat hiht Dane. Line 2064 ¶ Ther sawhe .I. Accheon an herte ymaked [folio 26b] ffor veniaunce þat he sawhe Diane al nakede .I. sawhe howe þat his hondes haþ him cauht And freten him for þat þei knewe him nauht Line 2068 Ȝite y-peinted was a litel forþermore

Howe Athalance hunted þe wilde bore And Meliagre and mony an oþer moo ffor whiche Diane wrouht care and woo Line 2072 There sawhe .I. many a noþer wondere storie The whiche me luste nouht drawe to memorie ¶ This Goddes on an hert ful hihe sche seete Wiþ smalle houndes al aboute her feete. Line 2076 And vnder-neþe hire feete sche had a mone Waxinge it was and scholde wany sone In gaude grene hire statue cloþed was Wiþ bowe in honde and arwes in a kas Line 2080 Hir yhen kest sche ful lowe adoune Thare pluto haþ his derke Regione A womman trauaillinge was hire beforne Bot for hire childe was so longe vnborne Line 2084 fful pitously Lucina gan sche calle And seide helpe for þou maiste best of alle Wele couþe he peinte lifly þat it wrouht Wiþ many a floren he þe hewes bouht Line 2088 Nowe bene þes listes maade and Theseus That att his grete cost arraide þus The temples and þe Teatre euery dele Whan it was done it liked him wondere wele Line 2092 Bot stinte .I. will of Theseus a lite And speke of Palamon and of Arcite The daie approcheþ of hire retournynge That eueryche schold an .C. knyhtes bringe. Line 2096 The Bataile to darraine as .I. ȝowe tolde And til Athenes here couenant for to holde Haþe eueryche of hem brouht an .C. knyhtes Wele armed for þe werre att al rihtes Line 2100 An sekurly þere trowed mony a man That neuer siþþe þat þe werlde be-gan [VI. 71.] As for to speke of knyhthode of hire honde As fer as god haþ maked see and londe Line 2104 Was of so fewe so noble a compaignye [VI. 71.]

ffor euery whiht þat loued cheualrie. And wold his þonkes and haue a passant name [folio 27a] Haþe preide þat he myhte be of þat game. ['giuoco,' VII. 4.] Line 2108 And wel was him þat þere-to chosen was ffor if þere fell to morwe suche a cas Ȝe knewe wele þat euery lusty knyht Þat loueþ paramoures . And haþ his myht Line 2112 Were it in Ingelonde or elles where Thei wolde here þonkes willen to be þere To fighte for a lady benedicite It were a lusti siht for to see Line 2116 And riht so ferden þei wiþ Palamon Wiþe him þere went knyhtes manyon Some wol ben armed in an haburgeon And in a breste plate . And in a liht Iepon Line 2120 And some wil haue a paire plates large And some wil haue a pruce schelde or a targe Some wel bene armed on his legges wele And haue an ax and some a mace of stele Line 2124 Thar is no new gise þat it nas holde Armed were þei as .I. haue ȝowe tolde Eueryche after his opinione Thare maistowe see comynge wiþ palamon [[on Arcita's side Tes.]] Line 2128 Ligurge him selfe þe grete kinge of trace [VI. 14.] Blake was his berde and manly was his face [VI. 21. The points marked VI. 21, 22, are taken from the description of 'Aga|memnone.'] The cercles of his yhen in his hede Thei glowde be-twix ȝalowe and rede Line 2132 And like a griffon loked he a-boute With kempe heres on his browes stoute His limes grete . his braune harde and stronge [VI. 21.] His scholdres brod . his armes rounde and longe Line 2136 And as þe gise was in his contre fful hihe vpon a chare of gold stode he [VI. 21.] Wiþþe foure white boles in þe trays In stede of cote armoure ouer his hernays [VI. 22.] Line 2140 Wiþ naille ȝelow and briht as any golde

He had a berskinne cole-blake for olde His longe here was kembed be-hinde his bak [VI. 22.] As any Rauenes feþer it schane for blak Line 2144 A wreþe of golde arme grete of huge wighte Vpon his hede sette ful of stones briht Of fine Rubies and of diamantz A-boute his chare þer went white alantz Line 2148 Twenty and moo as grete as any stere [folio 27b] To hunten att þe lyon or þe dere And folowed him wiþ mosel fast bounde Colers of golde and turettes filed rounde Line 2152 An .C. lordes had he in his Route Armed ful wele wiþ hertes sterene and stoute ¶ Wiþ Arcita in Stories as men finde The grete Emetrius þe kinge of Inde Line 2156 Vpon a stede baie trapped in stele Couerd wiþ cloþe of gold diapred wele [VI. 29. The points here are from the descriptions of 'Ippodamo' (VI. 29), of 'Peleo' (VI. 17, 16), and of 'Peritoo' (VI. 41).] Cam rideinge like þe god of Armes mars His cote armur was of cloþe of tars Line 2160 Couched wiþ perles white and rounde and grete His sade[l] was of brent gold new ybette [VI. 17.] A mantelet vpon his scholdere hongeynge [VI. 16.] Breteful of Rubies rede as fire sparklinge Line 2164 His crispe here like ringes was yronne And þat was ȝalowe and gleteringe as þe sone His nose was hihe his yȝen briht Citrine His lippes rounde . his colour was sanguyne Line 2168 A fewe fraknes in his face y-sprined Be-twix ȝalowe and somdel blak ymeyned And as lion he his lokeynge cast Of five and twenti ȝere his age .I. cast Line 2172 His berd was wele be-gunne for to springe His vois was as a trompe thundringe Vpon his hede he wered of laurer grene [VI. 41.] A garland fresche and lusti for to seene Line 2176 Vpon his honde he bare for his deduyte

An Egle tame as any lely white An .C. lordes had he wiþ him þere Al armed saue hire hedes in al her gere Line 2180 fful richely in al maner þinges ffor trusteþ wele þat Dukes Erles and kinges [VI. 65.] Weren gaderd in þis noble compaignie ffor loue and for encres of chiualrie Line 2184 A-boute þis kinge þar ranne on euery parte fful mony a tame lion and lepart ¶ And in þis wise þes lordes al and some Bene on þe sondaie to þe Cite come Line 2188 Aboute prime and in þe towne a-lihte This theseus þis duc þis worþi knyht [VI. 65.] Whan he had brouht hem in to his Citee [folio 28a] And Inned hem eueriche att his degree Line 2192 He festeþ hem and doþe so grete la-boure To esen hem and done hem al honoure That ȝit men weneþ þat nomannes witte Of none astate ne couþe amende it Line 2196 The minstralcie þe seruice att þe feste [VI. 69-70.] The grete ȝeftes to þe most and leste The Riche arraie of Theseus Paleis Ne who satt first ne last vppon þe deis Line 2200 What ladies fairest bene or best daunceinge Or whiche of hem can best daunsen or singe [VI. 70.] Ne who moste feleingelike spekeþ of loue What haukes sitten in þe perche aboue [VI. 8.] Line 2204 What houndes liggen on þe flore adoune Of all þis make .I. nowe no mencioune Bot al þeffect þat þenkeþ me beste Now comeþ þe pointe and herken if ȝow leste Line 2208 ¶ The sondaye att nyht ar day be-gan to springe Whan Palamon þe larke herde singe Al þouhe it nar nouht daie be houres tuo Ȝete songe þe larke An Palamon riht þo Line 2212 Wiþ holy herte and wiþ an hihe corage

He rose to wende on his pilgrenage Vnto þe blisful Citharea benigne .I. mene venus honurable and digne Line 2216 And in hire houre he walkeþ forþe apace Vnto þe listes þer hir temple wace An doune he kneled and wiþ humble chere And hert sore he seide as ȝe schal here Line 2220 ¶ ffairest of faire O ladi myne Venus Douhter to Ioue and spouse to vulcanus [VII. 43.] Thou glader of þe mounte of Citherōn ffor þilke loue þou haddest to Adon Line 2224 Haue pite of my bitter teres smarte. And take myne humble preier att þine herte Allas .I. ne haue no langage to telle [VII. 45.] The effectes ne þe torment on myn helle Line 2228 Mine herte maie myne harmes nouht bi-wreie .I. am so confuse þat .I. can nouht seie [VII. 45.] Bot Merci ladi briht þat knowest wele Mi þouhte and seest what harmes þat .I. fele. Line 2232 Considere al þis and rewe vpon my sore As wisly as .I. schal for euer More Enforþe my myht þi trewe seruant be And halden were alwaie wiþ chastite Line 2236 That .I. make myne avowe so ȝe me helpe .I. kepe nouht of armes for to ȝelpe [VII. 46.] Ne .I. ne axe not to morne to haue victorie Ne renoune in þis caas ne veine glorie Line 2240 Of pris of armes blowen vp and doune Bot .I. wolde haue fully possessione Of Emelye and die in his seruise ffinde ȝowe þe manere howe and in whatt wise [VII. 47.] Line 2244 .I. reche nouȝt bot it better maie bue To haue victorie of hem or þei of me So þat .I. maie my lady in myne armes ffor þouhe so be þat mars is god of Armes Line 2248 Ȝoure vertue is so grete in heuene aboue

þat. if þou liste .I. schal wel haue my loue ¶ Thi temple wil .I. worschipe euere mo [VII. 48.] And on þine autere where .I. ride or go Line 2252 .I. wil dōn sacrifise and fires bete And if ȝe wil nouȝt so my lady swete [VII. 49.] þan praie .I. þe to-morne wiþ a spere Þat Arcite [me] þourhe þe herte bere Line 2256 Than reke .I. nouht whan .I. haue lost my lif Thouht þat Arcite winne hire to his wif This is þeffect and ende of my prayere Ȝef me my loue þou blisseful ladi dere Line 2260 ¶ Whan þe orison was done of Palamon [VII. 68.] His sacrifice he dide and þat a-none fful pitously wiþ al circumstances [Compare also stanza 42, 'con vittime piatose.'] All tel .I. not as nowe his obseruances Line 2264 Bot att þe laste þe Statue of venus schooke And Maade a signe where-bi þat he toke That his praier was accept þat daie ffor þoughe þe signe schewed a delaie Line 2268 Ȝit wist he wele þat graunted was his bone And wiþ glad herte he went him hom ful sone The þrede houre inequale þat Palamon Be-gan to venus temple for to gone Line 2272 Vp rose þe sonne and vpe roos Emelye And to þe temple of Diane gan hye The Maidens þat þedere wiþ hire ladde [folio 29a] [VII. 71.] fful redely wiþ hem þe fire þei hadde Line 2276 The encens þe cloþes and þe remenant all That to þe sacrifice longen schall The hornes ful of Meþe as was þe gise [VII. 71.] There lakked nouht to done hir sacrifise Line 2280 Smokeinge þe temple ful of cloþes faire [VII. 72.] This Emely wiþ hert debonaire Hir body [wessh] wiþe water of a well [VII. 72.] Bot how sche did hir riht .I. dar not tell Line 2284 Bot it be any þinge in generall

And ȝit it were a game to here it all Til him þat meneþe wele it ner no charge Bot it is goode a man be att his large Line 2288 Her brihte here vn-kembed vntrussed al A coron of a grene oke serial [VII. 74.] Vpon hire hed sett ful feire and mete Two fires on þe auter gan sche bete Line 2292 And dide hir þinges as men mai be-holde In Stace of Thebes as þes bokes olde Whan kindeled was þe fire wiþ pitous chere [VII. 76.] Vn to Diane sche spak as ȝe maye here Line 2296 ¶ O chaste goddes of þe wodes grene [VII. 79.] To whom boþe heuen and erþe and see is sene [VII. 77.] Queene of þe regne of Pluto derke and lawe Goddes of maydenes þat myn hert haste knowe Line 2300 fful mony a ȝere and woste what .I. desire As kepe me fro þi veniance and þine ire [VII. 79.] Þat Attheon abouht cruely Chaste goddes wel woste þou þat .I. Line 2304 Desire to be a maiden al my lif Ne neuer wil .I. be no loue ne wi .I. am þou woste ȝit of þi compaignie [VII. 81.] A mayden and loue huntynge and venerye Line 2308 And for to walken in þe wodes wilde And nouht to bene a wif and be wiþ childe Note wil .I. knowe company of man [VII. 81.] Now he[re] me ladi seþþe ȝe maie and can Line 2312 ffor þree formes þat þu haste in þe And palamon þat haþ suche a loue to me And eke Arcite þat loueþ me so sore Þis grace .I. pray. ȝowe wiþ-owten more [VII. 84.] Line 2316 And sende loue and pees be-twene hem two And fro me torne awaie her hertes soo That al her hote loue and desire [folio 29b] And al her bysy torment and hire fire Line 2320 Be qveynte or tornede in a noþeþer place

And if so be þou wilt nouht do me grace Or if my destany be schapede so [VII. 85.] That .I. schal nedes haue one of þem tuo Line 2324 As sende me him þat most desireþ me Be-holde goddes of clene chastite The bitter teres þat on my cheke falle [VII. 78.] Sen þou art Maiden and keper of vs alle Line 2328 My maidenhede þou kepe and wele conserue And wile .I. leue a maide .I. wil ȝowe serue The fires berne vpon þe auter clere [VII. 88.] While emely was þus in hir preiere Line 2332 Bot sodanly sche sawe a siht queynte ffor rihte a-none on of þe fires queynte [VII. 91.] An quyked aȝeine and after þat anone That oþer fire was queynte and al agone Line 2336 And as it queynte it maad a whistelynge As done þes wete brondes in her brenynge [VII. 92.] And att þe brondes ende oute ran anone As it were blodi dropes many one Line 2340 ffor whiche so sore agaste was Emelye That sche was nyhe mad and gan to crie ffor sche ne wist what it signified [VII. 92.] Bot onely for þe fere þus haþ sche cried Line 2344 And wepe þat Pite was to here And þere wiþ all Diane gan a-pere [VII. 88.] Wiþ bowe in honde riht as an hunteresse And seide douhter stinte þine heuinesse Line 2348 Amonge þe goddes on hihe it is affermede [VII. 89.] And be eterne worde wreten and confermede [['con eterna pa|rola,' VII. 85.]] Thou schalt be wedded vn to one of þoo [VII. 89.] That haue for þe so muche care and woo Line 2352 Bot vnto whiche of hem .I. maie nouht telle [VII. 89.] ffare wele for .I. ne maie no longer dwelle The fires whiche þat on myn auter berne [VII. 89.] Schole ȝe declaren arr þat ȝe gon henne Line 2356 ¶ Thyne auentur of loue as in þis caas

And wiþ þat worde þe Arwes in þe caas Of þe goddes claterne fast and ringe [VII. 90.] And forþe sche wente and made a vanyssinge Line 2360 ffor whiche þi[ng] emely astoned was [folio 30a] And seide what a-mounteþ þis alas .I. pute me in þi protectione Diane and in þine dispocicion Line 2364 And home sche goþe a-none þe next weye [VII. 93.] Þis is þeffecte þere is nomore to seie ¶ The next houre of Mars folwynge þis Arcite vnto þe temple walke is Line 2368 Of fires Mars to don his sacrifice Wiþ all þe rihtes of his payen wise Wiþe pitous hert and hihe deuocione [VII. 23.] Riht þus to mars he sent his orison Line 2372 ¶ O stronge good þat in þe regne colde [VII. 24.] Of Trace honoured erte and lorde .I.-holde And hast in euery regne and in euery londe Of armes al þe bridel in þin honde Line 2376 And hem fortunest as þe liste deuyse Accepte of me my pitous sacrifise If so be þat my ȝouþe mai deserue [VII. 25.] And þat .I. myht be worþi for to serue Line 2380 Thi godhede þat .I. maie bene one of þine Þat praie .I. to þe to rewe vpon my pine ffor þilke pine and þilke hote fire In whiche þou whilome berneste for desire Line 2384 Whan þat þou vsedest þi beaute [VII. 25.] Of faire ȝonge fressche venus fre And haddest hir in armes att þi will Al-þouhe ȝe ones on a time mysfell Line 2388 Whane vulcanus hadde cauht þe in his laas [VII. 25.] And fonde þe liggynge be his wif alaas ffor þilke sorwe þat was in þin herte Haue reuþe as wele vpon my peines smerte Line 2392 .I. am ȝonge and vnkunynge as þou woste [VII. 26.]

And as .I. trowe wiþ loue offendude moste Þat euer was any liues creature [VII. 26.] ffor sche þat doþe me al þis woo endure Line 2396 Ne reccheþ neuer wheþer .I. sinke or flete And wele .I. wote ar sche me merci hete .I. moste wiþ strenkeþ winne hir in þe place And wele .I. wote wiþ-owten helpe or grace [VII. 26.] Line 2400 Of þe; ne maie my strenkeþ nouht aveile Than helpe me lorde to-morne in my bataile. [VII 27.] ffor þilke fire þat whilom brente þe [folio 30b] As wele as þilke fire nowe brenneþ me Line 2404 An do þat .I. to-morne haue þe victorie Myne be þe trauayle and þine be þe glorie ['Io il diletto, e tu n' abbia l' onore.' VII. 27.] Thi souereyne temple wele most .I honouren Of any place and al-wey moste labouren. Line 2408 In þi pesauntez and in þi craftes stronge And in þi temple .I. will Mi baner honge [VII. 28.] And al þe armes of my compaignye And euer more vntil þat .I. dye Line 2412 Eterne fire .I. will be-for þe finde [VII. 28.] And eke to þis a-vowe .I. wil me binde Mine Mine here þat hongeþ longe a doune [VII. 28.] That neuer ȝite ne felte offensione Line 2416 Of Rasoure ne of schere .I. wil þe ȝeue And bene þi treu seruant while .I. leue. Now lorde haue reuþe vpon my sorous sore Ȝif me þe victorie .I. ax þe no more Line 2420 ¶ The preier stinte of Arcita þe stronge The ringe on þe temple dore þat honge. And eke þe dores claterden ful fast [VII. 39.] Of whiche arcita sumwhat him a-gaste Line 2424 The fires brenten vpon þe auteres brihte [VI. 40.] That it gan al þe temple for to lihte And swete smelle þe gronde anone vp ȝafe And Arcita a-none his hand vp hafe [See VII. 40.] Line 2428 And More encence in to þe fire he caste

Wiþ oþere rihtes moo and at þe laste The Statue of Marcȝ began his hauberk ringe [VII. 40.] And wiþ þe sounde he herde a memorynge Line 2432 fful lowe and dimme þat seide þus victorie ffor whiche he ȝafe to mars honour and glorie And þus wiþ Ioy and hope wele to fare [VII. 41.] Arcite a-none vn to his Inne he is fare Line 2436 As feine as fowle is of þe briht sonne And riht anone ffrissche strife is be-gunne [VII. 67.] ffor þilke grauntynge in þe heuen a-boue Be-twix venus þe goddes of loue Line 2440 And marce þe steren god Armipotentent That Iubiter was besie it to stent Til þat þe pale Saturnus þe colde þat knewe so mony of aventures olde Line 2444 ffond in his olde experiens an arte [folio 31a] That ful sone haþe pleside euery parte A soþe is seide Elde haþ grete auantage In Elde is boþe wisdome and vsage Line 2448 Men Maie þe olde att-renne and nouht atrede Saturne a-none to stint strif and drede Al be it þat it is aȝeines his kinde Of Al þis st[r]if he gan remedi finde Line 2452 Mi dere Douhter venus quod Saturne Mi course þat haþe so wide for to turne Haþ more powere þan haþ any manne Mine is þe drynchinge in þe see so wanne Line 2456 Mine is þe prisone in þe derke cote Mine is þe strangle and hongeinge by þe þrote The murmure and þe cheles rebellinge The groneynge and þe priue enprisoneinge Line 2460 .I. do vengeance and pleine correctione Wil .I. dwelle in þe signe of þe leone Myne is þe ruyne of þe hihe halles The fallynge of þe toures and of þe walles Line 2464 Vpon þe minor and þe Carpenter

I slowhe Sampson schakinge þe piler And myne bene þe Maladies colde The derke tresoures and þe Costes olde Line 2468 My lokeynge is þe fader of pestelence Nowe wepe nomore .I. schal do diligence Þat palamon þat is þine owen knyht Schal haue his lady as þou him hihte Line 2472 Mars schal helpe his knyht naþeles Be-twix ȝowe þere mot be sum time pes Al be nouht boþe of on complexione Þat causeþ al daie suche diuisione Line 2476 .I. am þin ayell rede att þi will Wepe nowe no more þi lust .I. wil fulfill Nowe will .I. stente of þe goddes aboue Of Mars and of venus goddes of loue Line 2480 And tell þowe also pleinely as .I. can Þe gret effecte of whiche that .I. be-gan

[PART IV. No gap in the MS.]

¶ Grete was þe feste in Athenes þat daie And eke þat lusti seson of þat maye Line 2484 Maade euery knyht to bene in suche plesaunce That al þat monday Iousten þei and daunce. And spende it in hihe venus seruise [folio 31b] Bot be þe cause þat þei scholde rise Line 2488 Erly for to seen þe grete fighte Vnto her reste went þei att nihte And on þe morwe whan þe dai gan springe [[General imita|tion of VII. 95-99.] Of hors and herneys noyse and clateringe Line 2492 There was in hostries al a-boute And to þe Paleys rode þer mony a route Of lordes vpon stedes and palfreis There maist þou seen diuiseinge of harneys Line 2496 So vnkouþe and so riche and wrouhte so wele Of gold smyþerie of brondeinge and of stele

The Scheldes briht testeres and trappures Gold hewen helmes hawberkes cote armures Line 2500 Lordes in paramentes on hir courseres Knyhtes of Retenu and eke swieres Naillinge þe speres and helmes bokelynge Gideinge of scheldes wiþ layners lasinge Line 2504 There as nede is þei were no þinge ydel The fomy stedes on þe golden bridel [VII. 97.] Gnawen and faste þe armureres also Wiþ file and hamur prikinge to and fro Line 2508 Ȝomen on fote and comune mony one Wiþ schort staues riht as þei mai gone Pipes trompes nakers clarions þat in þe retaile blewe blodi sownes Line 2512 The Paleis ful of peple vp and doune [VII. 99.] Here þre þer ten holdeinge her questioune [VII. 98.] Deuyneinge of þis thebane knyhtes tuo Som seide þus sum seide it schal be so Line 2516 Some holden wiþ him wiþ þe blake berde Some wiþ þe balle some wiþ þe þikke herede Some seide he loked grimme and he wolde fihte He haþ a sparþe of .xx. pounde of wihte Line 2520 Thus was þe hal ful of diuineinge Longe after þat þe sonne gan to springe The grete Theseus þat of his slepe awaked [VII. 96.] Wiþ mynstralcye and noys þat was maked Line 2524 Held ȝite þe Chambres of his palays riche Til þat þe Thebanes knyhtes boþen yliche Honorable weren in to þe Palays ffette Duc Theseus is att þe window sette Line 2528 Arraide riht as he were a god in Throne [folio 32a] The peple presed þederwarde ful sone Him for to seyn and done hihe reuerence And eke to herken his heste and his sentence Line 2532 An heraude on a scafold maad an hoo Til all þe noys of þe peple was . y-doo

And whan he sawe þe peple of noyse al still Thus schewed he þe myhty dukes will Line 2536 ¶ The lorde haþ of his hihe discrecione [See VII. 7-13.] Considered þat it were destructione To gentil blode to fihten in þis gise Of Mortaile bataile nowe in þis emprise [VII. 7.] Line 2540 Whare-for to schapen þat þei schal not deye He will his first purpos modefye No man þar-fore vpon peine on his lif [VII. 12. [no lances allowed in Boccaccio]] No manere schotte ne polax ne schorte knyfe Line 2544 In to þe listes sende ne þeder bringe Ne schort swerde for to stoke wiþ pointe biteinge. No man ne drauhe ne bere it be his side Noman schal vn to his felawe ride Line 2548 Bot oo cours wiþ a scharpe ygrounde spere ffoyne if him list on fote him self to were And [he] þat is att Meschef schal be take [VII. 131-132.] And nouht sleine bot be brouht vnto þe stake Line 2552 That schal bene ordeined on eyþer side But þider he schal be force and þare abide And if so fal þe Cheftaigne be take On eyþer side or elles sleine his make Line 2556 No longer schal þe tornynge last God sped ȝow go forþe and laie on fast Wiþ longe swerdes and wiþ maces fihten ȝoure fill [VII. 12 [and with 'bipenne'].] Go nowe ȝoure weie þis is þe lordes will Line 2560 The voice of þe peple touched heuen [VII. 14.] So loude cried þei wiþ mery steuene God saue suche a lorde þat is so goode He wilneþ no destruction of mannes blode Line 2564 Vp goþe þe trompes and þe melodie And to þe listes rydeþ þe compaignie Be ordinance þoruhe oute þe Cite large Honged wiþ cloþe of golde and nouht wiþ sarge Line 2568 fful like a lorde þis noble Duc gan ride [See VII. 100-102.] The tuo Thebanes vpon eyþer side.

And aftere rode þe queene and Emely [folio 32b] And after þat an oþer compaignie [VII. 113-4.] Line 2572 Of one and oþer after here degre And þus þei passen þurgh oute þe Citee And to þe listes come þei be time It was nouht of þe daie ȝit fulliche prime Line 2576 ¶ Whan sette was Theseus ful riche and hihe Ipolita þe queene and Emelye And oþer ladyes in degres a-boute Vn-to þe setes preseþ all þe route. Line 2580 And westwa þoruhe þe gates vnder Marte [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 and eke þe hundreþ of his parte Wiþ baner rede is entred riht anone And in þat selfe moment Palamon. [VII. 118.] Line 2584 Is vnder venus est-warde in þe place Wiþ banere white and hardy chere and face In al þe werlde to seken vpe and doune [VII. 19.] So euen wiþ-oute variacioune Line 2588 þer ner suche companyes tweye ffor þere was none so wise þat couþe seye Þat any had of oþere auantage Of worþinesse ne of state of age; Line 2592 So euen were þei Chosen for to gesse And in to Rynges faire þei hem dresse ¶ Whan þat here names were rad euerychone That in hir nombre gile were þere none Line 2596 Tho was þe gates schette and cried was lowde Do nowe ȝowre deuere ȝonge knyhtes prowde The herawdes left he prikinge vpe and downe Nowe ringen trompes loude and clarioune [VIII. 5.] Line 2600 The[r] is no more to seine west or est In goþe þe speres ful sadly in a rest In goþe þe scharpe spere in to þe side [VIII. 7.] Ther seen men who kan Iusten and who can ride Line 2604 Ther schyueren schaftes vp on scheldes þikke He fileþ þoruhe þe hert spone þe prike

Vp springeþ speres. twenty fote on hiht Oute gone þe swerdes as þe siluer briht Line 2608 The helme þei to-hewen and to-schrede Oute bresteþ þe blode. wiþ steren stremes rede Wiþ myhty Maces þe bones þei to-breste [See VIII. 14, 29, 33, 40, 69, 81, &c.] He þoruhe þe þikkest on þe þronge gan þreste Line 2612 Ther stumbles stedes stronge and downe gone al He rolleþ vnder fote as doþe a bal He foyneþ on his fote wiþ his tronchon [folio 33a] And he him hurteþ wiþ his hors adoune Line 2616 He þoruhe þe body is hurte and sithen take Maugre his hede and brouhte vnto þe stake As forward was riht þere he must abide An oþer is lad on þat oþer side Line 2620 And som time doþe hem Theseus to reste Hem to refresche and dringen if hem lest ¶ fful oft a day haue þese Thebanes two [VIII. 12.] To-gedere ymet and wrowht his felaw woo Line 2624 Vnhorsede haþe yche oþere of hem tweie þere nas no tigre in þe vale of golgopheie Whan þat hir whelpe is stole whanne it is lite [VIII. 26.] So cruel on þe hunt as is Arcite Line 2628 ffor Ialouse herte vpon þis Palamon Ne in Belmary ne is so fel lyon That huntid is or for his hunger wode Ne of his preie desireþ so þe blode Line 2632 As Palamon is to sle is fo Arcite The Ielous strokes on hire helmes bite Oute renneþ þe blode on boþe hir sides rede Some time an ende þere is of euery dede Line 2636 ffor or þe sonne vnto þe rest wente The stronge kinge Emetrius gan hente This palamon as he fauht wiþ Arcite And made his swerde depe in his flesche bite Line 2640 And be þe for[ce] of twenty is he take Vn-ȝolden and drawen to þe stake

And in þe rescous of þis Palamon The stronge kinge Ligurge is borne a doune Line 2644 And kenge Emetrius for al his strenkeþ Is borne owte of his sadel a swerdes lengeþ So it him Palamon ar he were take Bote al for nouht brouht he was to þe stake Line 2648 His hardy herde myht him helpe nouht He moste abide whan þat he was cauht Be force and eke be composicione Who sorewþe nowe Bot woful palamone [VIII. 123.] Line 2652 That moote no more gone aȝeine to fiht And whan þat Theseus had seen þis siht He criede ho no more for it is done Ne none schal longer to his felowe gone. Line 2656 .I. will be trewe Iugge and not partie [folio 33b] ArCite Of Thebes Schal haue Emelye That be his fortune haþe hire faire ywonne Anone þer is a noise of peple be-gunne Line 2660 ffor Ioy of þis so lowde and lihte wiþ al It semed þat þe listes scholde fal ¶ Whan kan nowe faire venus done aboue What seiþe sche nowe what doþe þis queene of loue Line 2664 Bot wepeþ so for wantynge of hire wille Til þat hire teres in þe listes fille Sche seide .I. am aschamede dowteles Saturnus seide douhter holde þi pes Line 2668 Mars haþ his wil his knyht haþe al his bone And be my hede þou schalte bene esed sone ¶ The trompoures wiþ þe loude menstralcie The heraudes þat ful loude ȝelle and crie Line 2672 Ben in here wele for ioye of dann Arcite Bot herkeneþ me and stinte noy a lite Whiche a miracle þere be-fel anone This fers Arcite haþe of his helme. y-done [VIII. 131.] Line 2676 And on a koursour for to schewe his face He Prikkeþe endlonge þe large place

Lokeynge vpward vpon þis Emely And sche a-ȝeine him kest a frendeliche eye [VIII. 131.] [VIII. 124-6.] Line 2680 ffor wemmen as to speken in comune The folowen al þe fauoure of fortune And was al his chere as in his herte Owte of þe grounde a fire infernale sterte [[a Fury, raised by Venus, IX. 4.]] Line 2684 ffrom Pluto sent att þe request of saturne ffor whiche his hors for fere gan to torne [IX. 7.] And leped on side and foundrede as he leppe And ar þat Arcite mai taken kepe Line 2688 He Piht him on þe Pomel of his hede That in þe place he leie as he were dede [IX. 8.] His breste to-brusten wiþ his sadel bowe As blake he laye as any cole or crowe Line 2692 So was þe blode ronne in his face Anone he was borne owte of þe place [IX. 47.] Wiþe hert sore to Theseus paleys Tho was he coruen oute of his herneys [IX. 13.] Line 2696 And in a bede ybrouht ful faire and blyue [IX. 48.] ffor he was ȝit in memorie and a lyue And alweie cryeinge After Emelye [folio 34a] Duc Theseus whiþe all his companye [IX. 38.] Line 2700 Is comen to Athenes his Citee Wiþ alle blisse and grete solempnite Al be it þat þis a-ventur was fall He nolde nouht discomford hem all Line 2704 Men seinden eke þat Arcite schal not deye [IX. 26.] He schal bene heled of his maladie And of anoþere [þing] þei were as feine That of hem alle was þere none sleine [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 Al were þei sore hurte and namely one þat wiþe a spere was þrelled his breste bone To oþere woundes. and to broken armes Some hadden salue and somme hadden charmes [Boccaccio makes only a general mention of the care and comfort bestowed on the wounded (X. 10).] ffermacies of herbes and eke saue Line 2713 Thei dronke for þei wolden hir liues haue

ffor whiche þis noble duc as he wele canne Comforteþe and honoureþe euery man. Line 2716 And makeþ reuel al þe hole nyht [IX. 61.] Vnto þe straunge lordes as it was riht Ne þer was holden no descomfytinge Bot as a Iustenes or a torneyinge Line 2720 ffor Sothely þere was none disconfiture ffor fallinge nys bot aventure Ne to [be] ladde be force to þe stake Vn-ȝolden and wiþ twenty knyhtes take Line 2724 A persone al a-lone wiþ-owten mo And haried forþ by arme fote and to And eke his stede dreuen forþe wiþ staue Wiþ foote men boþe ȝemen and knaves Line 2728 It was aritted him no velanie Ther maie no man clepe it cowardie ffor whiche a-none Duc Theseus lete crie To stinte al rancor and envie Line 2732 The gree as wele of þe o side as of þe oþere [IX. 54.] And eyþer side ylike as oþere broþere And ȝaf hem ȝeftes after here degree [XII. 80.] And fully helde he feste daies þree [Fifteen days.] Line 2736 And Conveiede þe kynges worþelye Oute of his toune a Iourney largely And home went euery man þe riht weye [XII. 83.] There was no more bot fare wele and haue good daie Line 2740 Of þis bataile .I. wil no more endite [folio 34b] Bot speke of Palamon and of Arcite ¶ Swelleþe þe breste of Arcite and þe sore ['But [of the wounded] Arcita alone could not be cured; so much was he shattered inwardly by his fall' (X. 11).] [See X. 11.] Encreseþ att his hert more and more Line 2744 The clotred blode for any leche-crafte Corrupteþ and is in his bouke. ylefte Þat neyþer veinblode ne ventusinge Ne drinke of herbes maie be his helpinge [Point from Boccaccio, differently turned (X. 13).] The vertue expulsif or anymal Line 2749 ffro þilke vertue cleped natural

Ne maie þe venime voide ne expelle The pipes of his longes gan to swelle [Points from Boccaccio, differently turned (X. 13, 12).] Line 2752 And euery lacert in his breste adowne Is schent wiþ venim and corrupcione Him gayneþ neyþer for [to] gete his life vomet vpwarde ne donewarde laxatif Line 2756 All is to-bruston þilke Region Nature haþe no dominacion. [Points from Boccaccio, differently turned (X. 13, 12).] And certeinly. þer nature wil nouȝt wirche ffare wele Phisike go bere þe man to chirche Line 2760 This all and some þat Arcita most deye [X. 12.] ffor whiche he sendeþ after Emelye [X. 37, 51.] And Palamon þat was his cosine dere ¶ Than seide he þus as ȝe schal after here Line 2764 Nouht may þe woful speret in myne herte [X. 54-5.] Declare a pointe of al my sorwes smarte To ȝow my lady þat .I. loue moste Bot .I. be-queþe þe seruise of my goste [X. 64.] Line 2768 To ȝowe a-boue euery creature Sen þat my life may no longer dure Alas þe woo alas þe peynes stronge [X. 102.] That .I. for ȝowe haue suffred. and so longe Line 2772 Alas þe deþ alas myne Emelye [X. 103] Alas departyinge of owre compaignie Alas myn hertes queene Alas my lif Mine hert-is lady endere of my lif Line 2776 What is þis werlde what axed men to haue Nowe wiþ his loue nowe in his colde graue Alon wiþ-owten any compaignie ffare wele my swete foo myne Emylye Line 2780 And soft take me in ȝoure armes tweye ['I await the last kisses from thee, oh dear spouse' (X. 65).] ffor þe loue of god and herken what .I. seye .I. haue here my Cosin Palamon [folio 35a] [X. 60-2.] Had strif and rancoure mony a day agone Line 2784 ffor loue of ȝowe and for my Ielousye And Iubiter so wisse my sowle gye

To speken of a seruant propurlye Wiþ circumstance al trewlye [X. 62.] Line 2788 That is to seine treuþe honour knyhthede Wisdome humblesse estat and hihe kinrede ffredom and al þat longeþ to þat arte So Iupiter haue of my soule parte Line 2792 As in þis werlde riht nowe knowe .I. none [X. 63.] So worþi to be loued as Palamone That serueþ ȝou and wele done al his lyue And ȝef þat euer ȝe schall be a wiue Line 2796 ffor-ȝete not Palamon þe gentilman [. . . 'egli è gentile' (X. 62).] And wiþ þat worde his speche faile gan ffor frome his fete vn to his breste was come [X. 111, 112.] The colde of deþe þat had him ouercome Line 2800 And ȝite more ouer for in his armes tuo The vital strengeþ is loste and al a-go Onely þe intellecte wiþthe-owten more That dwelled in his hert sik and sore Line 2804 Gan faylen whan þe hert felte þe deþe Busked his yen two and failed breþe But on his lady ȝit kaste he his eye His laste worde was mercy Emelye Line 2808 His sprete chaungede house and wente þere [See XI. 1-3, and the end of Troilus & Cressida.] As .I. cam neuer .I. can nouht tel where There-fore .I. stinte .I. am no diuinistre Of soules fynde .I. nouht in þis registre Line 2812 Ne me ne liste þilke opinions to telle Of hem. þouhe þat þei wreten where þei dwelle Arcite is colde lat mars his soule guye ¶ Nowe wil .I. speken forþe of Emelye Line 2816 Shrighte. Emelye and houleþ Palamone [XI. 6.] And Theseus his suster he toke anone Swonynge and bare hire fro þe cors awaie What helpeþ it to tarien forþe þe daie Line 2820 To telle howe sche wepe boþe eue and morwe ffor in suche caas wemmen han suche sorwe

Whan þat her husbondes bene fro hem a-go That for þe more part þei sorwen so Line 2824 Or elles fallen in suche a maladie [folio 35b] Þat att last certeinly þei deye Infinite bene þe so[r]wes and þe teres [XI. 8.] Of olde folke. and folke of tendur ȝeres Line 2828 In all þe toune for deþe of þis Thebanne ffor him þere wepeþ boþe childe and manne So grete wepeynge was þere none certeine [XI. 7.] Whan Ector was brouhte and frissche y-sleine Line 2832 To troye Alas þe pite þat was þere Craccheinge of chekes rendinge eke of here Whi woldest þou be dede þis wemmen crye And haddest golde y-nouhe and faire Emelye Line 2836 No man myht glad Theseus ['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.] Saueynge his olde fader Egeus That knewe þis werlde transmutacione [XI. 10, 11.] As he had seine it vp and doune Line 2840 Ioy after woo and woo after gladnesse And scheweþ hem ensample and likkenesse Riht as þere dide neuer man quod he [XII. 6.] That he ne leuede in Erthe in sum degre Line 2844 Riht so þere leued neuer man he seide In Al þis werlde þat sum time he ne deide This werlde is nouht bot a þoruhe-faire ful of woo And we bene Pelgremes passinge to and fro Line 2848 Deþe is an ende of euery werldly sore And ouer al þis ȝitte seide he muche more To þis effect ful wisly to enhorte The peple þat þei scholde him recomforte Line 2852 ¶ Duc Theseus wiþ al his besi cure [XI. 13.] Cast nowe where þat þe sepulture Of goode Arcite y best ymakede be And eke moste honurable in his degre Line 2856 And att þe laste he toke conclusione That þere as first Arcite and Palamone

Had for loue þe bataile hem be-twene That in þe selfe groue swete and grene [XI. 13.] Line 2860 Thare as he had his amorous desires His compleinte and for loue his hote fires He wolde make a fire in whiche þe office ffuneral he myht hem al complice Line 2864 He lete anone command to hakke and hewe [XI. 14.] The okes olde and leine hem on a rewe In culpons wele arraide for to berne [folio 36a] His officers wiþ swift foote þei renne Line 2868 And ride a-none att his commaundement And aftere þis Theseus haþ .I.-sent [XI. 15.] After a bere a bere and it al ouere spradde Wiþ cloþe of golde þe richest þat he hadde Line 2872 And of þe same suyte he cladde Arcite Vpon his hondes his gloues white Eke on his hede a coroune of Laurel grene And in his honde a swerde brihte and kene Line 2876 He laide him bare / þe visage on þe bere There-wiþe he weppe þat pite was to here And for þe peple schold seen him all [XI. 16.] Whan it was daie he brouhte hem in to þe hall Line 2880 That roreþ of þe crie and þe soune [XI. 30.] ¶ Tho come þis woful Palamone Wiþ flotery berde and ruggy asshi heres In cloþes blakke dropped al wiþ teres Line 2884 And passinge oþere of wepeinge Emelye [

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

] [XI. 31.] The reufulleste of al þis compaignie In as mulche þat þe seruise schold be The more noble and riche in his degre Line 2888 Duc Theseus lete forþe þrei stedes bringe [XI. 35.] Þat trappede were in stele al gleteringe And couerde wiþ þe armes of Dan Arcite Vpon þese stedes grete and white Line 2892 There sitten folke of whiche on bar his schelde Anoþere his spere vppon his hondes helde

The þrede bare him wiþ his bowe turkeys Of brente golde was þe caas and eke þe herneys [XI. 35.] Line 2896 And riden forþe a pas wiþ sorweful chere To-warde þe groue as ȝe schol after here The noblest of þe grekes þat þere were [XI. 38.] Vpon her scholdres Cariden þe bere Line 2900 Wiþ slake paas and yȝen rede and wete Þoruhe-oute þe Cite be þe maistre strete Þat sprad was al wiþ blake and wonder hihe Riht of þe same is þe strete y-wrye Line 2904 Vpon þe rihte honde went olde Egeus [Right and left of Palemone (XI. 40).] [XI. 40.] And on þat oþer side Duc Theseus Wiþ vesseles in hir honde of gold ful fine [In the hands of the noblest of the Greeks (XI. 37).] [XI. 37.] Al ful of hony melke and blode and wyne. [XI. 40.] Line 2908 Eke Palamon wiþ full grete compaignye [folio 36b] And efter þat cam woofull Emelye With fire in honde as was þat time þe gise ffor to done þe Office of funerale seruise Line 2912 Hihe Laboure and full apparaillinge [XI. 18.] Whas att þe seruise and att þe fire makeinge That whiþe his grene top þe heuen rauhte [XI. 26.] And twenty faþome on brede þe armes strauhte Line 2916 This to seine þe bowes were so brode Of stre first þer was leide mony a lode [XI. 27.] Bot howe þe fire was maked vp on hihte [XI. 22-25.] Ne eke þe names howe þe trees hihte Line 2920 As oke. fir. beche. aspe. alder holme popelere Wylowe. elme. plane. asshe. Box. chasteine Binde Laurere Mapul. þorne. berche. hasul. ewe. whipiltre Howe þei were felde schal nouht be tolde for me Line 2924 Ne howe þe goddes ronnen vp and doune. Disherited of here habitacioune In whiche þe wonden in rest and pes Nimphes faunes and amadries Line 2928 Ne howe þe bestes and þe birdes all [XI. 21.] ffledden for ferde whan þe [wood] was fall

Ne howe þe grounde agast was for þe liht That was nouht wonte to se þe sonne briht [XI. 21.] Line 2932 Ne howe þe fire was cowched first wiþ stree [XI. 27.] And þan wiþ drye stikkes clouen a three And þan wiþ grene wode . and spicerie And þan wiþ cloþe of golde and of Perrye [XI. 29.] Line 2936 And garlondes hongeinge wiþ ful mony a floure [XI. 27.] The mirre Thensens wiþ also swete odoure [XI. 28.] Ne howe Arcite lay amonge al þis [XI. 30.] Ne what riches abowte his body is Line 2940 Ne howe þat Emelye as was þe gyse [XI. 40.] Putte in þe fire of funeral seruise Ne howe sche swownede whan maade was þe fire [XI. 41-46.] Ne what sche spak ne what was hir desire Line 2944 Ne what Iuels men in þe fire cast [XI. 48, 50.] Whan þat þe fire was grete and brende fast Ne howe som kast hir schelde and som hir spere [XI. 56.] And of her vestementes which þat þei were [XI. 50.] Line 2948 And coppes ful of melke wyne and blode [XI. 50, 51.] In to þe fire þat brente as it were wode Ne howe þe Grekes wiþ an huge route [folio 37a] [XI. 52.] Thries riden al þe fire aboute [XI. 53.] Line 2952 Vppon þe lefte hand . wiþ a bowe scheteinge And þries wiþ here speres Clateringe And þrie howe þe ladies gan crye [XI. 54.] Ne howe þat ladde was homward Emelye Line 2956 Ne howe Arcite is bernte to asshe colde [XI. 57, 58.] Ne howe þat liche wake was yholde [XI. 59-67.] Al þilke nyht . ne howe þe grekes pleie The wake playes ne kepe .I. nouht to seie Line 2960 Who wersteleþ beste nakede wiþ oile anoynte Ne who þat bar him best in no disioynte .I. wil nouht tellen al howe þei gone Home til Athenes whan þe pleie was done Line 2964 Bot schortly to þe point þan wil .I. wende And maken of myne longe tale an ende

¶ Be proces and be lengthe of certein ȝeres Al stinte is þe morneynge and þe teres [XII. 3, 'giorni,' instead of years.] Line 2968 Of Greges be one general assent Than semede þare was A parlement Att Athenes vppon a certeine pointe and caas A-monge þe whiche poyntes spoken was Line 2972 To haue wiþ certein crontres alliaunce And haue fully of Thebane obeisaunce ffor whiche þis noble Theseus a-none Lete sende after gentil Palamone [XII. 4.] Line 2976 Vnwiste of him whatt was þe cause and whie Bot in his blake cloþes sorwfully He came att his commandement in hye. Tho sente Theseus for faire Emelye Line 2980 Whan þei were sett and huyst was in þe place [XII. 5.] And Theseus abiden haþ a space Or any worde cam fro his wise breste His eyȝen sett he þere as was his leste Line 2984 And wiþ a sadde visage he siked stille And af[t]erward riht þus his wille ¶ The firste mouere of þe cause aboue [IX. 51.] Whan he first maade þe faire cheine of loue [mondo, for cheine of loue.'] Line 2988 Grete was þeffect . and hihe was his entente Wele wiste he whi . and what þere-of he mente [IX. 51.] ffor wiþ þat faire cheine of loue he bonde The fire þe Aire . þe watere and þe londe. Line 2992 In certeine boundes þat þei maie nouht fle [folio 37b] That same prince and þat meuer quod he [[See IX. 51, 52, and XII. 6.]] Haþ stabled in þis wrechede werlde a-doun Certeine daies and d[omi]nacioun Line 2996 To al þat ben engrendred in þis place Ouere þe whiche daie þei maie nouht pace All mowe þei ȝute þo daies a-brugge There nedeþ none auctorite to lugge. Line 3000 ffor it is proued be experience Bot þat me lust declaren my sentence

Than maie men wele by þis order discerne That þilke mouere stable is and eterne Line 3004 Wele maie men knowe bot it be foole That euery partie darrained fromme his hoole ffor nature haþe nouȝt take his begynnynge Of no partie nor of cantel of a thinge Line 3008 Bot of a thinge þat parfite is and stable Descendeinge so to it be corrumpable And þere-for for . his wise purueance He haþ so wele be-sette his ordenance Line 3012 That specie of þinges and progressions Schullen endure be successions And nouht eterne wiþ-oute any lye Þis maystowe vnderstonden and seen att eye Line 3016 Lo þe oke þat haþe so longe a norissheynge [XII. 7.] ffro þe time þat it first biginneþ to springe And haþ so longe a lif as ȝe maye see Ȝut att þe laste wasted is þe tree Line 3020 Considereþ eke howe þat þe harde stone Vnde[r] owre fote on whiche we trede and gone Ȝit wasteþ it as it liþe be þe weie The brode riuer som time waxeþ dreie Line 3024 The grete townes see we wane and wende Than ȝe see þat al þis þinge haþ ende Of man and womman see we wele also [XII. 8.] Þat nedeþ in oone of þe teremes tuo Line 3028 Þis is to seine in ȝouþe or elles age He mote be dede þe kinge as schal a page Som in his bede some in þe depe see. [XII. 10.] Some in þe large felde as ȝe maie see. Line 3032 There helpeþ nouht al goþe þat ilke weie Þan may .I. seie þat al þis þinge mote deie What makeþ þis bot Iubiter þe kinge [folio 38a] That is prince . and cause of al þinge Line 3036 Conuertynge all vn-to his propre wille ffro whiche it is darreyned soþe to tylle

And here a-geynes non creature on lyue Of no degre aveileþ for to striue [XII. 6.] Line 3040 Than is it wisdome as þenkes me [XII. 11.] To make vertue of necessitee And take it wele þat we maye nouht eschewe And name þat to vs al is dewe Line 3044 And who gruccheþ ouȝt he doþe folye [XII. 13.] And rebel is to him þat al maie guye And serteinly a man haþ most honoure [XII. 9, 12.] To deyen in his excellence and floure Line 3048 Whan he is seker of his good name Than haþe he done his frendes ne him no schame And gladder ouhte his frendes bene of his deþe Whan wiþe honoure is ȝolden vp þe breþe Line 3052 Than whanne his name apalled is for age ffor al forȝeten is his vessellage Than is þe best as for a worþi fame To deyȝen whan he is best of name Line 3056 The contrarie of al þis is wilfulnes [XII. 13.] Whi grucchen we whi haue we heuynes [XII. 14-17.] That good Arcite of chiualrye þe floure Departed is wiþ dewte and wiþ honoure Line 3060 Owte of þis foule Prisone of þis life Whi gruccheþ here his cosine and his wife Of his welfare þat loueþ him so wele Kanneþ he hem þonke nay . god wote neuer a dele Line 3064 That boþen his soule and eke him offende And ȝit þei mowe her lustes nouȝt amende What . may .I. conclude of þis longe serie Bot after woo .I. rede vs to be merie [XII. 19.] Line 3068 And þanke Iubiter al his grace And er we departen frome þis place .I. rede we make of sorwes two O parfite Ioye lasteinge euermo Line 3072 And lokeþe nowe whe[r] moste sorwe is inne Ther wil .I. firste amenden and be-gynne.

¶ Suster quod he þis is my ful assente Wiþ al þau-ys here of my parlemente. Line 3076 That gentill Palamon ȝoure owen knyht [folio 38b] That serueþ ȝowe wiþ will and herte and myht And euer haþe do seþ firste ȝe him knewe That ȝe schall of ȝowere grace vpon him rewe Line 3080 And taken him for husbonde and for lorde Lene me ȝowre honde for þis is oure accorde Lat see nowe of ȝowre wommanly pyte He is a kinges broþer sonne parde Line 3084 And þouhe he weere a pouer bachellere Sen he haþe serued ȝowe so mony a ȝere And had for ȝowe so grete aduersite It moste be considered leueþ me Line 3088 ffor gentil mercye oute to passen riht Þan seide he þus to Palamon þe knyht .I. trowe þere nedeþe litul sermonynge To make ȝowe assente to þis þinge Line 3092 Comeþ nere and takeþ ȝowre lady be þe honde Be-twexen hem anone was maade þe bonde [XII. 69.] Þat hiht Matrimoigne or mariage Be al þe counsel and þe Baronage Line 3096 And wiþ al blis and melodye [XII. 72.] Haþe Palamon ywedded Emelye An god þat haþe al þis werlde wrouht Sende him his loue þat haþ it dere bouht Line 3100 ffor nowe is Palamon in al his wele [XII. 83.] Leueinge in blis richesse and hele And Emely him loueþ so tenterly And he hir se[r]uith so gentilly Line 3104 That þere no worde was hem be-twene Of Iolousy or any oþer tene Thus Endeþ Palamon and Emelye And god saue al þis faire compaignye Line 3108

Explicit fabula mylitis.

Incipit prologus Melendenarij

Whan þat þe knyht had þus . his tale y-tolde In al þe company nas þere ȝonge ne holde That he ne seide it was noble storye And worþi for to drawen in memorie Line 3112 And nameliche þe gentils euerychone Owre oste louhe and swore so mot .I. gone This goþe ariht vnboklede is þe male Lat see nowe who schal tel anoþer tale Line 3116 ffor trewly þe game is wele be-gunne [folio 39a] Now telleþ ȝe sire monke if ȝe kunne Somewhat to white wiþ þe knyhtes tale ¶ The Mellere þat for-dronken was al pale Line 3120 So þat vnneþ vpon his hors he sat He nolde a-valen neyþe hode ne hat Ne abide noman for his curtasie Bot in Pilates voice he gan to crie Line 3124 And swore be armes and be blode and bones .I. can a noble tale for þe nones Wiþ whiche .I. wil nowe qvite þe knyhtes tale Owre oste sauhe þat he was dronken of ale Line 3128 And seide abide Robin leue broþere Som better man schal tel us firste a-noþer Abide and late vs werken þreftely Be goddes sowle quod he þat wil nouht .I. Line 3132 ffor .I. wil speken or elles go my weye Oure Oste ansewerd . tell on þan a deuelweye Thowe ert a fole þi witte is ouer come Nowe herken quod þe Mellere al and some Line 3136 Bot first .I. make a protestacioun Þat .I. am dronken .I. knowe it be my sowne And þere if .I. speke or mys saie Wiyte it þe ale of Souþewerk I. ȝowe praie Line 3140

Line 3140 ffor .I. will tell a legende and a lif Boþen of a carpenter and his wif Howe þat a clerke haþe sette þe wrihtes cappe The reue ansewerde stinte þi clappe Line 3144 Latt bue þi lewed dronken harlotrie It is a sinne and eke grete folye To appeiren any man or him defame And eke to bringe wiues in suche fame Line 3148 Þou maist ynouhe of oþere þinges saine This dronken Meller spak ful sone aȝeine And seid leue broþer oswolde Who haþe no wif he is no cokewolde Line 3152 But .I. seie nouȝt þere-fore þat þou art oon Ther bene ful gode wives Many on . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] Line 3156 Whi ert þou angri wiþ my tale nowe I. haue a wife perde as wele as þowe ȝete nolde .I. note for þe oxen in my plouhe Tak vpon me more þan .I. nowhe Line 3160 As demen of my self þat .I. were oone [folio 39b] .I. will beleue þat .I. am none An husbonde schal nouht be inquisitif Of goddes priuetees ne of his wif Line 3164 So he may finde goddes foyson þere Of þe remenant nedeþ nouht to enquere What schold .I. more seie; Bot þis Mellere He nolde his wordes for noman forbere Line 3168 Bot [sayde] his cherles tale in his manere Me aþenkeþ þat .I. schal reherce hem here And þer-for euery . gentil whight .I. preie Demeþ nouht for goddes loue þat .I. seie Line 3172 Of yuel enten bot þat .I. mot reherce Her tales al be þei better or werse Or elles falsen somme of my matiere And þere-fore who so list nouht to here Line 3176

Line 3176 Torne ouere þe leue and chese a-noþer tale ffor ȝe schal finde . y-nowe grete and smale Of storial þinge þat toucheþ gentillesse And eke moralite and holynesse Line 3180 Blameþ nouȝt me if þat ȝe chesen a-mys The meller is a cherle ȝe knowe wele þis So was þe reue eke and oþer mo And harlotrye þei tolden boþ tuo Line 3184 Auiseþ ȝowe and putte me owte of blame And eke men schal nouȝte make ernest of game [[No gap in the MS.]]

Explicit prologus.

Incipit fabula

WHilom þere was dwellyng att Oxenford A riche gnof þat gestis helde to bord Line 3188 And of his craft he was a Carpentier With him þere was dwellinge a pouer scolier Hadde lerne arte bot al his fantasie Was torned for to leren astrologie Line 3192 And couþe a certeine of conclusions To demen be interrogaciones If þat men axed him in certeine houres Whan men schold haue drouht or elles schoures Line 3196 Or if men axed him what schal be-falle Of euery þinge .I. may nouht reken alle This clerke was cleped hende Nicholas Of derne loue he couþe and of solas Line 3200 And þere-to he was sleight and wele priue And like a maide meke for to see A chambre had he in þat hostellerie [folio 40a] Alone wiþ-oute any compaignie Line 3204 fful fetisly diht wiþ herbes swote And he him selfe as swete as is þe rote Of lycoris or of any settewale His almagiste and bokes grete and smale Line 3208 His Astrelabre longeinge to his arte His augrim stones leyen faire a parte On schelues chowched as his beddes hede His prisse . ycouerid wiþ a foldeynge rede Line 3212 And al aboue þere leie a gaie sawtrie On whiche he made a nyht melodie So swetely þat al þe chambre ronge And Angelus ad virginem he songe Line 3216 And after he songe þe kinges note fful oft blissed was his mery þrote

And þus þe swete clerke his time spente Affeter his frendes findeynge and his rente Line 3220 This Carpenter had wedded newe a wif Whiche þat he loued more þan his lif Of .xviij. ȝere sche was of age Ielous he was and helde hire narwe in cage Line 3224 ffor sche was wilde and ȝonge and he was holde And demed him self bene like a cokewolde He knewe nouȝt Caton for his witte was rude That bad men wedde his similitude Line 3228 Men scholde wedde after hire astate ffor ȝouþe and elde is often att debate Bot seþen þat he was fallen in þe snare He moste endure as oþere folke his kare Line 3232 ffaire was þis ȝonge wif and þerto wiþ al As any wesel [[l: later]] hir bodi gente and smal A seinte sche wered barred al of silke A barmecloþe as white as any morwes mylke Line 3236 Vppon hire lendes fol of mony a gore White was hire smoke and broude al be-fore And eke be-hinde on hire colere aboute Of cole blak silke within and eke with-oute. Line 3240 The tapes of hir white volupere Were of þe same sute of hire colere Hire felet broode of silke and sitt ful [[l: later]] hihe And sekurly sche had a lykuruse eye Line 3244 fful small y-pulled was hire browes two. And þo were bente. and blake as any. slo. Sche was ful more blisfull for to see [folio 40b] Thane is þe newe perionet tree Line 3248 And softer þan wolle is of a weþer And be hir gyrdel [[gyrdel: later]] hinge a purs of leþere Tassilde wiþ selke a[n]d perlid wiþ laton In al þis werlde to seken vpe and downe Line 3252 Þere is noman so wise þat couþe þenche So Gaye a popelote or swiche a wenche

fful brihter was þe schineinge of hir hewe Than in þe toure þe noble forgode newe Line 3256 Bott of hir songe it was so lowde and ȝerne As any swalowe Chiterynge on a berne There-to sche couþe skippe and make a game As any kide or calfe foloweynge his dame Line 3260 Hir mouþe was swete as braket or þe meþe Or horde of appeles layde in haye or heþe Wynsinge sche was as a Ioli colte Longe as a maste and vpriht as a bolte Line 3264 A broche sche bare on hire loue colere As brode as is þe boos of a bokelere Hir schoes were laced on hir legges hihe Sche was a primerol a pigges nye Line 3268 ffor any lorde to liggen in his bedde Or ȝit for any good ȝoman to wedde ¶ Nowe sire and eft sire so be-fell þe cas That on .a. daie þis hende Nicholas Line 3272 ffil wiþ þis ȝonge wif to rage and to pleie While þat hire husbond was att Osenaye As clerkes ben ful sotel and ful wheinte And priuelye he cauht hire be þe queynte Line 3276 And seide. ywis bot if .I. haue my. will. ffor derne loue of þe lemman .I. spill And held hire harde be þe haunche bones And seide lemman loue me wele att ones Line 3280 Or .I. wille deyen also god me saue And sche spronge as a colte doþ in þe traue And wiþ hire hede sche wried fast a-waie Sche seide .I. wil nouht kisse þe be my. faie Line 3284 Whi labbe quod iche lat be nycholas Or .I will crie out harrowe and alas Do weie ȝoure hondes for ȝowre curtesie This Nicholas gan mercie for to crie. Line 3288 And spake so faire and proferd him so fast [folio 41a] That sche hire loue grauntide him att last

And swore an he-oþe be seinte Thomas of Kent That sche wolde be att is commandement Line 3292 Whan þat sche maie hir leisere wele aspie Mine husbonde is so ful of Ielousye That bot .I. weite wele and be priue .I. whote riht wele .I. name but dede quod sche Line 3296 Ȝe motte be ful derne as in þis cas Nay þere-of care þe nouht quod Nicholas A clerke hadde liþerli be-sette his while Bot if he couþe a carpenter begile Line 3300 And þus þei attorden and. y-sworne To wayte a tyme as .I. haue tolde be-forne Whan Nicholas hadde þis euery dele And þakked hire aboute þe lendes wele Line 3304 He kiste hire swete and takeþ his sautrie And plaieþ fast and makeþ melodie ¶ Than fel it þus þat to þe Parissche cherche Cristes owen werke for to werche Line 3308 This good wife went on an haly daie Hire forhed schone as briht as any daie So was it whassche whan sche lete hir werke Nowe was þere of þat chirche a parische clerke Line 3312 The whiche þat was ycleped Absolon Crull was his here and as þe gold it schone And strouted as a ffan large and brode fful streighte and euen lay his Ioly schode Line 3316 His rud was rede his yen grei as goos Wiþ poules wyndowe coruen on his schoos In hoses rede he went fetisly Y-cladde he was ful smal and propurly Line 3320 Al in a kertell of a liht wachett fful faire and ful þike be þe pointes sett And þere vpon he hadd a gaie surplise As white as is þe blossome on þe Rise Line 3324 A mery childe he was as god me saue And wele couþe he laten blode or clippe or schaue

And make a charter of londe or on quitance In twenti manere quod he trip and daunce Line 3328 After þe scole of Oxenforde þo And wiþ his legges casten to and fro And pleyen songes in a small rebibe [folio 41b] Ther-to he songe some time a loude quynyble Line 3332 And also wele couþe he pleie on a geterne In all þe toune nas brewes ne tauerne That he ne viset it wiþ his solas There any gailerd tapstere was Line 3336 Bot soþe to seine he was sumdele squaymous Of fartinge and of speche daungerous ¶ This absolon þat Ioly was and gaie Goþe wiþ a censer on þe haly daie Line 3340 Sensynge þe wyues of þe parische faste And many a louely loke on hem caste And nameli on þis Carpenteres wif To loken on hire him þouhte a mery lyf Line 3344 Sche was so propre and swete and licorous I dar wele seie if sche hade bue a mous And he a cat he wolde her hinte anone This Pariche clerce. þis Ioly Absolone Line 3348 Haþe in his herte suche a loue longeinge That of no wif toke he none offringe For curtesye he seide he wolde none The mone whan it was nyht ful briht schone Line 3352 And absolon his geterne haþe ytake ffor paramoures he þouhte for to wake And for he goþ Iolif and amorous Til he came to þe Carpenters hous Line 3356 A litel after cokkes had. ycrowe And drissed him vp be a schot windowe That was vp on þe carpenteres wall He singes in his voice gentill and small Line 3360 Nowe dere lady if þi willes be .I. preie ȝowe þat ȝe wil rewe on me

fful wele accordant to his geterneynge This Carpenter awoke and herd him singe Line 3364 And spake vnto his wif and seide anone What Alison heres þou not Absolone That chaunteþ þus vnder oure boures wal And sche ansewerde hir husbonde þer-wiþ-al Line 3368 Ȝis god wote Iohen .I. wote it euery. dele Þis passeþ forþe what wil ȝe bet þan wele ffro daie to daie þis Ioli Absolon So woweþ hire þat him is woo be-goon Line 3372 He wakeþ all þe nyght and al þe daie [folio 42a] He kembed his lokkes brode and maade hem gaie He woweþ hire be menes and brocage And swore he wolde bene hir owen page Line 3376 He singeþ brokkinge as a nyhtingale He sente hir Meþe and Piment and spyced ale And weifres pipeinge hote vnder þe glede Line 3379 And for sche was of towne he proferd mede [Vn Ouidius Ictibus agrestes] For some folke wil be wonne with richesse And sum for strokes and somme for gentilnesse Somtime to schewe his lyhtnesse and Maistre He plaieþ Heraude vpon a scafolde hihe Line 3384 Bot what aveileþ him as in þis caas Sche loueþ soo þis hende Nicholas That absolon maie blowe þe bokkes horne He ne haþe for his laboure bot a scorene Line 3388 And þus sche Makeþ Absolon hire Ape And al his erneste torneþ till a Iape For soþe is þis prouerbe it is no lye Men sein right þus Alweie þe neighe Sleyȝe Line 3392 Makeþ þe fer leue to be loþe For þouhe þat Absolon be woode or wroþe Be cause þat he fer was from hir siht This nyhe Nicholas stode in his liht Line 3396 ¶ Nowe bere ȝowe wele hende Nicholas ffor Absolon may waile and singe Alas

And so be-fell it on a seturdaie This Carpentier was gone to Oseneye Line 3400 And hende Nicholas and Alison Accorded bue to þis conclusione That Nicholas schapen hem a wile Þese sely Ielouse husbonde to be-guyle Line 3404 And if so be þe game went ariht Sche scholde slepen in his arme al nyht ffor þis was his desire and hire also And riht anone wiþ-oute wordes moo Line 3408 This Nicholas no langere wolde tarye Bot doþe soft vn to his chambre Carye Boþe mete and drinke for a daie or tweye And to hir husbonde bad hire for to seie Line 3412 If þat he axede after Nicholas Sche scholde seie sche nyst where he was Of al þat daie sche seihe him nouȝt with Eye [folio 42b] Sche trowed þat he was in sum Maledye Line 3416 ffor for no crye hire maide couþe him calle He wolde ansewere for noþinge þat myht falle This passeþ forþe al þilke Saturdaie Þat Nicholas stil in his chambur leye Line 3420 And ete or slepede or dide what him liste Til þe sonday þat þe sonday goþ to riste This sely Carpentier haþe grete Merveile Of Nicholas or what þinge miht him aile Line 3424 And seide .I. am adrede be seint Thomas It stondeþ nouht a-riht wiþ Nicholas God schelde þat he deyede sodanly This werlde is nowe ful tekel sikurly Line 3428 .I. sihe to daie a corps borne to cherche That nowe on Monondaie last .I. sawhe him werche Go vp quod he vn to [his] knaue anone Clepe att his dore or knoke wiþ a stone Line 3432 Looke howe it is and tel me boldely. This knaue goþ him vp ful studely

And att þe chambre dore while þat he stode He criede and knokked as þat he were wode Line 3436 What howe what do ȝe Maister Nicholay Howe maie ȝe slepen al þe longe daie Bot al for nouht he herde nouht a worde An hole he fonde ful longe vpon a borde Line 3440 There as þe catte was wonte inne for to crepe And att þat hole he loke in ful depe And att þe last he had of him a siht This Nicholas satt euer gapinge vpriht Line 3444 As he had keked on þe newe mone And doune he goþe and tolde his meister sone In what araie he sauhe þis ilke man This Carpenter to blissen him be-gan Line 3448 And seide helpe vs seint ffritheswide A man whote litel what him schal be-tide This man is fall wiþ his Arstromye In some wodenes or somme Agonye Line 3452 .I. thouht ay wele howe it scholde be Men scholde nouht knowe of goddes priuete Ȝe blissed be alwey a lewed man. Þat nouht bot onely his beleue can. Line 3456 So ferd anoþer clerke wiþ Astronomye [folio 43a] He walked in to þe feldes for to prye vppon þe sterres what þere scholde befalle Til he was in a marle pitte y-falle Line 3460 He sawhe nouht þat Bot ȝit be seint Thomas Me rewþe sore of hende Nicholas He schal be rated of his stodiynge If þat .I. maie be Iesus heuen kinge Line 3464 Gete me a staf þat .I. maie vnder spore While þat þou Robin heueste vpe þe dore He schal oute of his stodiinge as .I. gesse And to þe Chambre dore he gan him dresse Line 3468 His knaue was a stronge karle for þe nones And be þe hespe he heue it vp att ones

In to þe flore þe dore fel a-none This Nicholas satt ay as still as any stone Line 3472 And euer gaped vp in to þe aire This Carpenter wende he were in despeire And hent him be þe scholdres myhtely And schoke him harde and cried spitously Line 3476 What Nicholas what howe loke a downe Awake and þenke on cristes passion .I. crouche þe from elues and from whihtes There-wiþe þe nyhtes spel seide he anone rihtes. Line 3480 Of foure halues. þe hous aboute And on þe þresshewolde on þe dore wiþ-oute Ihesu criste and seint bendight Blisse þe house frome euery wikke whight Line 3484 ffor þe nyghte very þe white Pater noster Where wentestowe þou seinte petur. soster And att þe last þis hende Nicholas Gan for to sike and seide Alas Line 3488 Schall all þe werlde be loste ef sones nowe This Carpenter ansewerd what seistow What þinke on god as we done men þat swynke This Nicholas ansewerd ffeche me drynke Line 3492 And after will .I. speke in priuete Of certeine þinge þat toucheþ þe and me .I. will tel it it none oþer man serteine This Carpentier goþe doune and comeþ aȝeine Line 3496 And brouht of myhty ale a large quarte And whan þat iche of hem had dronken here parte This Nicholas his dore fast schette [folio 43b] And doune þe Carpentier be him he sette Line 3500 And seide Iohn myne Ostee leue and dere Thowe schalt vpon þi trouþe swere me here That to whight þou schal þis consel wriee ffor it is cristees counsell þat .I. seiee Line 3504 And if þou tell it man þou art for-lore ffor þis venieance þou schalt haue þere fore

That if þou wreye me þou schalt be woode ¶ Nay crist for-beede it for his holy blode Line 3508 Quod þoo þis sely man .I. nam no labbe And þouhe .I. seie .I. ne am not leue to gabbe Saie whatt þou wolte .I. schal it neuer telle To childe ne wife be him þat haried helle Line 3512 Nowe Iohn quod Nicholas .I. wil nouȝt lye .I. haue .I.-founde in myne astrologie As .I. haue loked in þe mone brihte Þat nowe a mononday next a quarter nyhte Line 3516 Schal fal a rayne and þat so wilde and wode Þat halfe so grete was neuer noes flode This werlde he seide in lesse þan in an houre Schal be al dreinte so hydous is þe schoure Line 3520 Thus schal mankinde drenche and lese hir lyf This carpentier ansewerd alas my wif And schal sche drenche alas myn Alisoune ffor sorwe of þis he fel almoste a-doune Line 3524 And seide is no remedie in þis caas Whi ȝis for god quod hende Nicholas If þou wolte worchen after lore and rede Thou maiste nouȝt werchen after þine owen hede Line 3528 ffor þus seiþe Salomon þat was ful trewe Werke al be counsel an þu schalt nouht rewe And if þow worchen wilte be goode counseile .I vnder-take wiþ-oute mast or seile Line 3532 Ȝit schal .I. saue hire and þe and me Haste þow nouht herde how sauede was Noe Whan þat owre lorde haþe warned him be-forne That all þe werld wiþ water scholde be for-lorne Line 3536 Ȝis quod þis Carpentier ful ȝore a-go Hast þou nouht herde quod Nicholas also The sorwe of Noe wiþ his felauschep Or þat he myht get his wif to schip Line 3540 Him had leuer .I. dar wele vnder-take [folio 44a] Att þilke time þan all his weþeres blake

That sche had a schippe al his selfe alone And þere-fore wost þow whatt is best to done Line 3544 This axeth haste and of an hastif þinge Men maie nouht preche ne maake tariynge Anone go gete vs fast in to þis inne A knedeynge trowhe or elles a kemelyne Line 3548 ffor iche of vs bote looke þat þei bene large In which men mow swymme as in a barge And hane their vitaile sufficeant Bot for a day fy on þe remenant Line 3552 The water schal aslake and gone his waie About prime vpon þe next daye Bot Robyne maie nouht witte of þis þi knaue Ne eke þe maide gill .I. maie nouht saue Line 3556 Ax nouht whi for þouhe þou axe me .I. wil nouȝt tellen goddes priuete Suffiseþe þe bot if þi wittes Madde To haue as grete a grace as noe Hadde Line 3560 Thi wif schal .I. wele saue oute of doute. Go nowe þi weie and spede þe here abowte Bot whan þou hast for hire and þe [and] me Y-geten vs þis knedeinge tubbes þre Line 3564 þan schalt þou honge hem in rofe fol hihe þat no man of owre pureance aspie And whan þou þus haste done as .I. haue seide And hast oure vitaile faire in hem y-leide Line 3568 Ande eke an ax to smyte þe corde a two Whan þat þe water comeþ þat we maie go An breke an hole on hihe vpon þe gable Vnto þe gardeine ward ouer þe stable Line 3572 That we mai freli passen forþe owre weye Whan þat þe grete schowre is gone awaie Th[en sch]alt þou swymme as mery .I. vnder-take As doþe þe white duke after his drake Line 3576 Than wil .I. clepe howe .Alison. howe Iohn Be mery for þe flode wil passe a-none

And þou wilt seine haile Maister Nicholay Gode morne .I. see þe wele for it is daye Line 3580 And þan schal we be lordes al oure lif. Of al þe werlde as Noe and his wif. Bot þat of o þinge .I. warne þe ful riht [folio 44b] Bene wele avised vpon þat ilke nyht Line 3584 þat we bene entrede in to schippes borde þat none of vs ne speke nouht a worde Ne clepe ne crye bot bene in his praiere ffor it is goddes owen heste dere Line 3588 Thi wif and þou moste honge fer a twynne ffor þat betwox ȝow schal be no sinne Ne more in lokeinge þan þer schall in dede This ordenance is seide go god þe spede Line 3592 To morwe att nyht whan men bene al aslepe Into owre knedeinge tubbes wil we crepe And sitten þere a-bideinge goddes grace Go nowe þi weie .I. haue no longer space Line 3596 To make of þis no longer sermoneinge Men seine þus . Sende þe wise and sei no þinge Thow ert so wise it nedeþ þe nouht teche Go saue owre lif and þat .I. þe beseche. Line 3600 ¶ This sely Carpentier goþ forþ his weie fful of of he seide . alas and waleweie And to his wif he tolde his priuete And sche was warre and knewe it bet þan he Line 3604 What all þis queynte cast was for to seie Bot Natheles sche ferd as sche wold deie And seide alas go forþe þi weie anone Helpe vs to scape or we bene dede iche oon Line 3608 .I. am þi trewe verrei wedded wif Go dere spouse and helpe to saue oure lif ¶ Loo whiche a grete þinge is affection Men may deie of ymaginacione Line 3612 So depe maye impressione be take This seli Carpentier beginneþ qwake

Him þenkeþe verraily þat he maie see Noe flode come walkinge as þe see Line 3616 To drenche Alison his owen dere He wepeþ he weileþ he makeþ sori chere He sikkeþ wiþ ful mony a sory swoghe And goþe and geteþ him a knedeinge troughe Line 3620 And after a tubbe and a kimlyne And priuely he sent hem to his inne And henge in þe rofe in priuete His owene honde: he made eke leddres þree Line 3624 To climme by þe ronges and þe stakes [folio 45a] Vn-to þe tobbes hongeinge in þe balkes And hem vitailled boþe trouhe and tubbe Wiþe brede and chese and good ale in a Iubbe Line 3628 Suffisinge . riht ynouhe as for a daie Bot ar he had maade al þis araie He sente his knaue and eke his wenche also Vpon his nede to londen for to goo Line 3632 And on mononday whanne it drouhe to nyhte He schette his dore wiþ-outen candellyhte And dressed al þinge as it schold be And schortely clomben vpe al þre Line 3636 Thei setten stille wele a forlonge weie Nowe pater noster Clum seide Nicholaie And clum . seide Iohn . and Clum seide Alison This Carpentier seide his deuocion Line 3640 And stille he sitteþ and biddeþe his preier Awaiteinge on þe reine if he it here The deþe slepe for wery bisinesse ffel on þis Carpentier riht as .I. gesse Line 3644 Aboute Corfew time or litel more ffor traueile of his goste he groneþ sore And eft he routeþe for his hede misleie Doune of þe ladder stalkeþ Nicholeie Line 3648 And Alison ful soft a-doune sche spedde Wiþ-outen wordes mo þei gone to bedde

Ther as þe Carpentier is wonte to lye There was þe reuel and þe melodie Line 3652 And þus liþe Alison and Nicholas In besines or merþe and of solas Til þat þe bell of lawdes be-ganne to ringe And freres in þe chauncell gonne singe Line 3656 ¶ This Parissche clerke þis amorous absolon þat is for loue alwei so wo begone vpon þe Monondaie was att Osneye Wiþ company him to desporte and pleye Line 3660 And axed vpon caas a cloistrere fful priuely after Iohn þe Carpentiere And he droughe him a-parte out of þe cherche And seide .I. note .I. seihe him here nouht wirche Line 3664 Seþ Saturdaie .I. troue þa he be wente ffor timbre þere oure Abbote haþ him sent ffor he is wonte for timebre for to go [folio 45b] And dwellen att þe grange a daie or tuo Line 3668 Or elles he is at his hous certeine Wher þat he be .I. kann nouȝt sothely seine This Absolon ful Ioly was and liht And þouht. Now is time to wake al nyht Line 3672 For sekurly .I. sawhe him nouhte steringe Abouten his dore sen dai be-gan to springe So mote .I. Thriue .I. schal att þe Cokkes crowe fful priuely knokken att his wyndowe Line 3676 That stant ful lowe vpon his bowres wall To Alison Nowe will .I. tellen all My loue longeinge for ȝit .I. schall nouht mys That att þe leste waye .I. schal hire kis Line 3680 ¶ Som manere comforþe schal .I. haue parfaie My mouþe haþe yched all þis longe daie That [is] a signe of kissinge att þe leste All nyght me mete eke þat .I. was att a feste Line 3684 There-fore I. wil go slepe an houre or tueye And all the nyht þan will .I. wake and pleye

Whan þat þe first cokko hath crowe anone Vp riseþ þis Ioly louer Absolon Line 3688 And him arrayeþ gaye and pointe deuise Bot first he cheweþ greine and licorise To smellen swote or he had kemped his here Vnder his tonge a trewe loue he bere Line 3692 ffor þerby wende he to be gracious He romeþe to þe carpenteres house And still he stant vnder þe schotte wyndowe Vnto his breste it rauht. it was so lowe Line 3696 An soft he couched wiþ a seme sowne Watt do ȝe hony combe swete Alisone Mi faire birde mi swete Sinamome And wakeþ lemman myne and spekeþ wiþe me Line 3700 Wel litel þinken ȝe vpon my woo That for ȝoure loue .I. swete ar .I. go No wonder is þouhe þat .I. swelt and swete .I morne as doþe lome after þe tete Line 3704 .I.-wis lemman .I. haue suche loue longeinge That ilke a turtul trewe. is my Morneinge .I. maye note eten no more þan a maide Go fro þe window Iak fole sche seide Line 3708 ¶ As helpe me god .I. will nouht be compaine [folio 46a] .I. loue a-noþer ande elles .I. war to blame Wele bette þan þe be ihesu Absolone Go for þi waie or .I. wil cast a stone Line 3712 And lat me slepe a twenti deuel weie Alas quod Absolon and walawaie That trewe loue was euer so yuel be-sette Than kisse me sen it maie be no bette Line 3716 ffor ihesu [[MS ihūe]] loue. and for þe loue of me Wilt þou þan go þi weie þere-wiþ quod sche ȝe certes lemman quod þis Absolon Than make þe redy quod sche .I. come anone Line 3720 . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] This Absolon downe sett him on his knes

And seide .I. am a lorde att all degres Line 3724 And after þis .I. hope þere comeþ more Lemman þi grace and swete birde þine ore The wyndow scho vndoþe and þat in haste Haue do quod sche come of and spede þe faste Line 3728 Leste þat owre neybores þe Asspie This Absolone gan wipe his mouþe ful drie Derke was þe nyhte as pyche or as þe cole And att þe wyndowe owte sche put hire hole Line 3732 And Absolo[n] him fel no bette ne wers Bott wiþ his mouþe he kissed hir naked ers fful sauorly or he was warre of þis A-bakke he sterte and þouht it was a-mys Line 3736 ffor wele he wiste a womman haþe no berde He felte a þinge al roughe and longe yherede And seide fie Alas what haue .I. doo Tehe quod sche and clapped þe window to Line 3740 And Absolon goþe forþe a sory paas A berde a berde seide hende Nicholas Be goddes corps þis goþe faire and wele This sely Absolon herde it euery dele Line 3744 And on his lippe he gan for angur bite And to him selfe he seide .I. scal þe qwite Who rubbeth nowe who froteþ nowe his lippes Wiþ duste wiþ sonde. wiþ strawe wiþ cloþe wiþe chippes Bot Absolon þat seiþe ful ofte Alas My soule be-take .I. to sathenas Bot me were leuere þan al þis toune quod he Of þis dispite awroken for to be. Line 3752 Alas quod he alas .I. ne hadde yblente [folio 46b] His hote loue is colde and al yquente ffor fro þat time þat he had kissed here ers Of paramours he sett nouht a cres Line 3756 ffor he was helede of his maladye ffull oft paramours he gan defie And weppe as doþe a childe þat is ybete A soft pas he went ouere þe strete Line 3760

Line 3760 Vnto a smyþe Men clepen Daun geruays þat in his forge smyþeieþ . plouhe hernays He scharpeþ schare and culter bisilie This Absolon knokkeþ al eselye Line 3764 And seide vn to geruais and þat anone What who art þou . It am .I. Absolone What Absolone . What cristes swete tree Whi rise ȝe so raþe . ey benedicite Line 3768 Whate eyleþ ȝowe some gaie gerle god it wote Haþe brouht ȝowe þus on þe veritote Be seint note ȝe wote wele whatt .I. mene This Absolon ne rouht nouht a bene Line 3772 Of al his pleie no worde aȝeine he ȝaffe He had more towe on his distaffe Than geruays knewe and seide frende so dere The hote Culter in þe chymene here Line 3776 As lene it me .I. haue þer-wiþþe to done .I wil bringe it aȝein ful sone Gerueys ansewerde Certes were it golde Or in a poke nobles al vntolde Line 3780 Thowe scholdest haue as .I. am trewe smyþþe Ey Cristes foo what will ȝe do þer-wiþþe There-of quod Absolon be as be maye I. schal wele telne it þe to morwe daie Line 3784 And cauhte þe Culter be þe colde stele fful soft owte att þe dore he gan stele And wente vnto þe Carpentiers wal He koughed first and knokked þer wiþ al Line 3788 vpon þe wyndowe riht as he dide ere This Alison ansewarde who his þere þat knokkeþ so .I. warant . it a þefe Whi naye quod he god wote my swete lefe Line 3792 .I. am þin Absolon þin derleinge Of golde quod he .I. haue þe browht a ringe Mi modere ȝafe it me so god me saue [folio 47a] fful fyne it is and þarto wel y-graue Line 3796

Line 3796 þis wil .I ȝeuen þe . if þou me kisse þis Nicholas was resen for to pisse And þouhte he wolde amenden al þe Iape He scholde kisse his ers er þat he scape Line 3800 And vpe þe windowe dede he hastely. And oute his ers he put priuelye Ouer þe buttok to þe haunche bone And þer-wiþ spak þis clerke þis absolone Line 3804 Speke swete birde .I. note where þu ert This Nicholas anone lete flie a fart As grete as it had be a þonder dinte That wiþ þat stroke he was almost yblint Line 3808 And he was rede wiþ his yren hote And Nicholas in þe ers he smote Of goþe þe scynne an handebrode aboute The hote culter so brent his toute Line 3812 ¶ And for þe smerte he wende for to deie As he were woode for woo he ganne to creie Helpe water water helpe for goddes herte This Carpentier owte of his slomere sterte Line 3816 And herde one Crie water as he was wode And þouht alas Nowe commeþ Noes flode And sett him vp with wordes moo And wiþe an ax he spote þe corde a twoo Line 3820 And doune goþe al He fonde Neiþer to selle No brede Nor ale til he cam to þe selle Vpon þe flore and þer aswowen he laye Vp sterte Hire Alison and Nicholaye Line 3824 And criede oute and harrowe in þe strete The neyhebores boþe smal and grete. In ronnen for to gauren vpon þis man That on swoune laie boþe pale and wan Line 3828 For wiþ þat fal he broken haþ his arme Bot stonde he moste vn-to his owen harme For when he spake he was a-none borne doune Wiþe hende Nicholas and Alisoune Line 3832

Line 3832 Thei tolden euery man þat he was wode He was a-gast so of þe Nowels flode Thurghe fantasie þat of his vanite He had him bouhte knedeyng tubbes þre Line 3836 And had hem hongede in þe roofe aboue [folio 47b] And þat he preide him for goddes loue To sitten in þe roof par compaignye The folke gan lawhen att his fantasie Line 3840 An to þe roofe þei keken and þei gape And torned al his harme vnto a Iape. ffor what so þis Carpentier ansewerde It was for nouht no man his resone herde Line 3844 Wiþe oþes grete he was so sworne y-doune That he was holden woode in all þe toune ffor euery clerke anone riht ichone helde wiþ oþere Thei seide þe man is wode my leue broþere Line 3848 And euery white gan lauhen att his strif Thus swyued was þe Carpentiers wif ffor al his kepeinge and his Ielouseie And Absolon haþe keste hire hir neþer eye Line 3852 And Nicholas is scalded in his toute This tale is done and god saue al þe route. [[No gap in the MS.]]

Explicit fabula Molendenarii

Incipit prologus.

WHan folke han lawhen att þis nyce caas Of Absolon and hende Nicholas Line 3856 Diuers folke diuersely þei seide Bot for þe more parte þei lowhe and pleide Ne att þis tale I. sauhe no man him greue Bot it were onely Oswolde þe Reue Line 3860 Be cause he was of Carpenteres craft A litel ire is in his hert laft He gan to gruche and blame it a lite So þeyke quod he ful wele couþ .I. ȝow quyte Line 3864 Wiþ blerynge of a proude mellers eye If þat me liste to speke of ribaudie Bot ik am olde me list nouht pleie for age Gras time is done my foder is forage Line 3868 This white toppe writes myne olde ȝeres Myne herte is also moulde . as myne heres Bot if .I. fare as doþe an openers þat ilke fruyte is euer longe þe werse Line 3872 Til it be roten in molloke and in stree We olde men .I. drede so fare we Til we be roten can we nouht be ripe We hopen al-weie while þe werld wil pipe Line 3876 For in owre wille þere stikeþ euer a naile [folio 48a] To haue an hore here and a grene taile As haþe a leke for þouhe oure myht be gone Owre wille desireþ foly euery in one Line 3880 ffor whan we maie nouhte done þan wil we speke Ȝit in owre hasschen olde is fire y-reke ffoure gledes han we whiche .I. schal deuise Auauntynge . lyeinge . Anger . and Couetise Line 3884 This foure sperlkes longeþ vnto elde Owre olde limmes Mowe wele bene vnwelde

Bot wil [[h and e have been scratched out to re|duce this word.]] ne schal nouht failen þat is soþe And ȝit haue .I. alwei a coltes toþe As mony a ȝere as it is passed henne Sen þat my tap of lif beganne to renne ffor sekerly whan .I. was borne a-none Deþe drowhe þe tape of lif and lete it gone Line 3892 And euery siþþe haþþe so þe tap .I.-ronne Till þat al-moste al empti is the tonne The streme of lif nowe droppeþ on þe chimbe The seli tonge maie wele ringe and climbe Line 3896 Of wrechedenesse þat passed is ful ȝore Wiþ olde folke saue dotage is no more ¶ Whan þat oure oste had herd þis sermonynge He gan to speke as lordly as a kinge Line 3900 He seide what a-mounteþ al þis witte What schal we speke al day of holy writte The deuel maade a reue for to preche Or of souter schipman or a leche Line 3904 Say forþe þi tale and tary nouht þe time Loo depford and it is halfe weie prime Loo grenewiche þat mony a schrewe is inne. It were al time þi tale for to gynne Line 3908 ¶ Nowe sires quod Oswalde þe reue .I preie ȝowe al þat ȝe nouht ȝowe greue Thowhe .I. ansewere and sumdel sett his howue For leueful it is wiþ force force to schowue Line 3912 This dronken melle haþe .I.-tolde us here Howe þat be-giled was a carpentier Parauentur in scoren for .I. am one And be ȝoure leue .I. schal him quyte anone. Line 3916 Riht in his cherles termes wil .I. speke I preie to god his neke mot he breke He can wele in myne eye seen a stalke Bot in his owen he can nouht sene a balke Line 3920

þe revese tale / begynneþ here [folio 48b]

At Trumpyngton nouht fer fro Cambrugge There goþe a broke . and ouere þat a brugge Vppon þe whiche broke þere stant a Melle And þis is verrey soþ þat .I. telle Line 3924 A meller was þere duellinge mony a daie As any pekok he was proude and gaie Pipe he couþe and fisshen and nettes bete And torne coppes and wele wrastel and schete. Line 3928 Ay be his belte he bare a longe Panade And of a swerde ful trenchant was þe blade A Ioly popper bare he in his puche Ther was no man for perile dorst him touche Line 3932 A scheffeld þwitel bare he in his hose Rounde was his face and kamuse was his nose As pilled as an hape was his Sculle He was a Market beter att þe fulle Line 3936 Ther was no whihte þat dorst honde on him ligge Bot if he swore he schole anone abegge A þefe he was for soþe of corne and mele And þat a sleigh . and vsand for to stele Line 3940 His name was hoten deynous symkyne A wife he had commen of Noble kinne The parson of þe toune hir fadere was Wiþe hire he ȝafe mony a panne of bras Line 3944 For þat Simkin schold in his blode allye Sche was yfostrede in a Nonnerye ffor Simkin wold no wif as he seide Bot sche were wele ynorissched and a maide Line 3948 To saue his astate of ȝomanrye And sche was proude and pert as a pye A ful faire siht was it vppon hem tuo On Halidaies be-forne hire wolde he go Line 3952

Line 3952 With his tepet wonden aboute his hede And sche cam after in a gide of rede And simkyn hadd hosen of þe same Thare dorste no whiht clepen hire bot dame Line 3956 Was none so hardy þat wente be þe weie That dorste with hire ones rage or pleie Bot if he wolde be sleine of Simkynne Wiþ panade or wiþ knyf or wiþ Boydekynne Line 3960 ffor Ielous folke bene perlous euer mo Al-gates þei wolde here wives wenden so And eke for sche was somdele smoterliche [folio 49a] Sche was as deyne as water in a diche Line 3964 As ful of Hokere and of bismare Hir þouht þat a lady schold spare What for hire kinred and hire Nortelrie That sche had lerned in the Nonnerye Line 3968 A douhter had þei be-twexe hem two Of twenty ȝere wiþ-outen any moo Saueinge a childe þat was of halfe ȝere age In cradel it ley. and was a propur page Line 3972 þis wenche þikke and wele y-groue was wiþ Camois nose and eyen . grei as glasse wiþ buttokes brode . and brestes rounde and hihe Bot rihte faire was hire here .I. wil nouht lye Line 3976 The parson of þe toune for sche was so faire In purpos was to make hire his hayre Boþe of his Catel and his Mesuage And strange he maade it for hire Mariage Line 3980 His purpos was to be-stowe hire hye In to somme worþi blode of Auncestrie ffor holy cherche goode mot be despended On holy cherche blode þat is descended Line 3984 Ther-fore he wolde his holy blode honoure þouhe þat holy cherche scholde deuoure Grete soken haþe þis meller oute of doute Wiþ wete and malte of al þe lande aboute Line 3988

Line 3988 And namely þer was a grete College Men clepen þe solier halle att Cantabregge There was hir whete and eke his malte ygrounde And on a daye it happide on a stounde Line 3992 Seeke laie þe Maunciple on a Maledye Men wenden wisly þat he scholde deye ffor whiche þis meller stale boþe mele and corne An hundreþ time more þan be-forne Line 3996 ffor þere be-forne he stale bot curteysly Bot nowe he was a þef outrageou[s]ly ffor whiche þe wardeine chidde and made fare Bot þere-of sette þe Meller nouht a tare Line 4000 He crakke bost and swore it was nouht soo Than were þere ȝonge scolers tuo That dwelten in þe hal of whiche .I. seye Testif þei were and lusti for to pleie Line 4004 And oonely for her mirþe and reuelrie [folio 49b] Vppon þe wardeine besely þei crie To ȝeue hem leue bot a litel stounde To goone to melle and seen her corne . y-grounde Line 4008 And hardely þei dorst leine her neke þe Meller schold nouht stele hem half a pekke Of corne ne be sleihte ne be force heme reue And att þe laste þe wardeine ȝaf hem leue Line 4012 Iohn hight þat one . and Aleyne hiht þat oþere Of one towne were þei borne þat hiht stroþere ffer in þe Norþe .I. can nouht tel where This Aleine Makeþ redi all his gere Line 4016 And one an hors þis sak he cast anone fforþe goþe Aleyne þe clerke and also Ione Wiþ good swerde and wiþ bokeler be his side Iohn knewe þe weie him nedeþ no gide Line 4020 And att þe melne þe sakke adoune he laythe Alayn spak first . al haile Simonde in fayþe Howe fareþ þi faire douhter and þi wife Alayne welcome quod Simkin be my life Line 4024

Line 4024 And Iohn also howe nowe what do ȝe here Be god quod Iohn . Simond . nede haþe no pere Him be-houeþ serue him self þat haþe no sweyne Or elles he is a foole as clerkes seine Line 4028 Oure Maunciple .I. hope he wil be dede Swa werkes him þe wanges in his hede And þere-fore es .I. come and alswa Aleine To grinde oure corne and carie it ham aȝeine Line 4032 .I. prei ȝowe spede vs heþen þat ȝe maye It schal be done quod Simkin be my faye ¶ What will ȝe done while þat it is in hande Bed god . riht be þe hoper will .I. stande Line 4036 Quod Iohn and see howe þe corne goþe Inne Ȝit sawe .I. neuer be my fader kinne Howe þat þe hoper wagges till and fra Aleyne Ansewerd Iohn wil-tow swa Line 4040 Than wil .I. be by-neþe be my croune And see howe gates þe mele falles adowne In-till þe troughe þat schall be my disporte Quod Iohn in faaþe .I. es al of ȝowre sorte Line 4044 .I. es as il a Melnere as es ȝe This Mellere smyled of here Nicite. And þouht al þis nys done bot for a wyle [folio 50a] þei weene þat no man may þem be-gile Line 4048 Bot be my þreft ȝit schal .I. blere here eye ffor al þe sleight in hire philosophie þe moo qweinte crekes þat þei make þe more wil .I. stele whan .I. take Line 4052 In stede of flowre ȝit will .I. ȝeue hem branne The grettest clerke ne is nouȝt þe wiseste manne As whilome to þe wolfe þus spak þe mare Of al hire arte counte .I. nouhte a tare Line 4056 Oute att þe dore he goþe ful priuelye Whan þat he sawhe his time softly He lokeþe vp and doune til he haue founde The clerkes hors þere as it stode bounde Line 4060

Line 4060 Be-hinde þe Mille vnder a leuesel And to þe hors he goþ him feire and wel He strepeþ of þe bridel riht a-none Whan þe hor[s] was laus he ginneþ to gone Line 4064 Toward þe fenne þere wilde mares renne And forþe wiþe wehe þoruhe þikke and þoruh þenne This mellere goþe aȝein no worde he seide Bot doþ his note and wiþ his clerkes pleide Line 4068 Til þat her corne was faire and wele ygrounde And whan þe mele is sakked and ybounde This Iohn goþe owte and findeþ his hors aweie And gan to crie harrowe and walaweie Line 4072 Oure hors is loste Aleine for goddes banes Steppe on þi fete man come of al att anes Alas oure wardeine has his palfraie lorne This Aleine al for-ȝat boþe mele and corne Line 4076 Al was owte of his mynde his hosbandrie What whilke waye es he gane he gan to crye The wife cam lepeinge inwarde att a renne Sche seide Alas ȝoure hors goþe to þe fenne Line 4080 Wiþ wilde mares as faste as he may go Vnþanke com on his hand þan bonde him so And he þat better scholde haue knet þe Reyne Allas quod Iohn Aleine for cristes peine Line 4084 Lay doune þi swerde . and I wil myne alswa .I. es ful swift god wate as is a ra Be goddes hert he sal not scape vs baþe Whi ne hadde þou putte þe capel in þe laþe Line 4088 Il a hayle be god aleyne þou es a grete fonne [folio 50b] Thes sely Clerkes han ful fast ronne To-warde þe fenn bothen Aleyne and eke Iohn And whan þe Meller sihe þat þei were gone Line 4092 He half a busschel of her flour haþe take And bad his wife go knede it in a kake And seide .I. trowe þe clerkes weren aferd ȝit can a meller Make a clerkes berde Line 4096

Line 4096 ffor al his arte ȝit late hem gone hire weie Lo where he goþe ȝe latt þe children pleie Thei get him nouht so lihtly be my crowne þeis seli clerkes rennen vp and doune Line 4100 wiþ kepe kepe stande stande .Iossa warderere Ga whistil þou and .I. schal kepe him here Bot schortly til it was verrei nyht þei couþe nouhte þouhe þei dide al her myht Line 4104 Hir caple cache he ran alwei so faste Til in a diche þei cauht him att þe laste wery and wete as best is in þe reine Comeþ sely Iohn . and with him commeþ Aleine Line 4108 ¶ Alas quod Iohn þe daie þat .I. was borne Nowe er we dreuen til heþinge and til scoren Owre corne is stolle Men wil vs foles calle Boþe þe wardeine and owre felawes alle Line 4112 And Namely þe Meller walewaye Thus pleyneþ Iohn as he gaþ be þe weie Towarde þe Melle and bayard in his honde The meller sittinge be þe fire he fonde Line 4116 ffor it was nyht and ferþer myht he nouht Bot for þe loue of god þei him be-souht Off herboruhe and of ese as for her penye The Mellere seid ageine . if þere be anye Line 4120 Swyche as it is ȝute schal ȝe haue ȝoure part Myne hous is streite bot ȝe haue lerned arte Ȝe can be argument Make a place A Mile brode of twenti foote of space Line 4124 Latt se nowe if þis place Maie suffise Or make it Romer wiþ speche as is ȝoure gise Now Simond seid þis Iohn be seint Cutberde Ay es þou Mery and þat is faire ansewerde Line 4128 .I. haue herde saye Men sall taken of tua þinges Swilke as he fint or swilke as he bringes Bot specialy .I. praie þe ooste dere [folio 51a] Gete vs sum mete and drinke and make vs chere Line 4132

Line 4132 And we wil payen trewly att fulle Wiþ empti handes men maye nouhte haukes tulle Lo here owre siluere redy for to spende This Meller to þe toune his douhter sende Line 4136 ffor al and brede and rosted hem a goos And bonde her hors it schold no more go loos And in his owen chambre he maade hem a bede Wiþ schetes and wiþ chalons faire y-sprade Line 4140 Nouht fro his owen bedde ten fote or tuelue His douhter had a bedde al be hire selue Riht in þe same chambre by. and bye It myht be no bet and cause whie Line 4144 Ther was no romer herboruhe in þe place Thei soupen and þei speken hem to solace And drenken euer stronge ale att þe beste Aboute mydnyhte wente þei to reste Line 4148 Wele haþe þis Mellere vernysshed his hede fful pale he was for-dronken and nouht rede He ȝexeþ and he spekeþ þoruhe þe nose As he war on þe quakke or one þe pose Line 4152 To bede he goþe and wiþ him goþe his wif As any Iay he lyht was and Iolif So was hir Ioly whistel wele y-wette The crade att þe bedes feete is sette Line 4156 To rokken and to ȝeue þe childe to souke And whan þat dronken was al in þe crouke To bedde wente þe douhter riht anone To bedde goþe Aleine and also Iohn Line 4160 There nas no more þem neded no dwale This Meller haþe so wisly bibbed ale That as an hors he snowrteþ in his slepe Ne of his taile behinde he toke no kepe Line 4164 His wif bare him a burdon a ful stronge Men myhten here routeynge halfe a forlonge The wenche routeþe eke par comopaignye Aleyne þe clerke þat herde þis melodye Line 4168

Line 4168 He poukede Iohōn and seide slepest þou Herdest þou euer slyke a sange or nowe Lo swilke a compline es be-tuene hem alle. A wilde fire on þeire bodies falle Line 4172 Wha herde euere slyke a ferly þinge [folio 51b] Ȝe þei schal haue þe floure of il endynge ¶ This lange myhte þer sal .I. haue na reste Bot ȝit na force al sal be for þe beste Line 4176 ffor Iohn seide he as euere mote .I. þriue If þat .I. maye þe wenche wil .I. swyue Some esement haþ þe lawe schapen vs ffor Iohn þere is a lawe þat seiþe þus Line 4180 þat if a man in o pointe be agreuede þat in a-noþer he sal be releuede Oure corne is stollen soþely it is no naye And we haue hade an yuel fitte to daye Line 4184 And seen .I. schal haue none amendement Ageyn my losse .I. wil haue esement Be goddes saule it sal nane oþere be This Iohn Ansewerde Aleine avise þe Line 4188 The Meller is a parlous man he seide And if þat he oute of his slepe a-breide He myhte done vs baþe a velanye Aleyne ansewarde .I. count him nat a flye Line 4192 And vpe he reste and be þe wenche he crepte þis wenche lay vpriht and fast sche slepte Tyl he so nyhe was or sche myht spye That it hadde bene to late for to crie Line 4196 And schortly for to seye þei were att one Now plaie Aleine for .I. wil speke of Iohne This Iohn liþe still a furlonge waie or two And to him selfe he makeþ reuþe and woo Line 4200 Alas quod he þis is a wikked Iape Now may .I. saie þat .I. es bot an ape ȝit haþe my felawe sum what for his harme He haþe þe Mellers douhter in his arme Line 4204

Line 4204 He Auntre him and haþ his nedes spedde And .I. ly as a draf sakke in my bedde And whan þis Iape is tolde anoþer daie .I. sall be holden a daff a Cokeneye Line 4208 .I. wil arise and auntre it it be my faithe Vnhardy is vnsely þus men seyþe And vppe he ros and softly he went Vn to þe cradel and in his honde it hente Line 4212 And bare it soft vn to his beddes fete Sone after þe wife hire routeynge lete An gan to wake and went hir oute to pisse [folio 52a] And cam a-gaine and gan hir cradel Misse Line 4216 An groped here and þere bot sche fonde none Allas quod sche .I. had almost mys gone I hadde al-moste gone to þe clerkes bedde Ey benedicite þan had .I. foule .I.-spedde Line 4220 And forþe sche goþe til sche þe cradel fonde Sche gropeþ alwey forþer wiþ hire honde And fonde þe bedde and þouht nouht bot goode Be cause þat þe cradel by it stode Line 4224 And neste where sche was for it was derke Bot faire and wele sche crepe in to þe clerke And liþe ful still. and wolde haue cauht a slepe Wiþ-in a while þis Iohn þe clerke vp lepe Line 4228 And on þis goode wife he leiþe on sore So mery a fitte ne had sche not full ȝore He prikeþ harde and depe as he were madde þis Ioly lif haue þese tuo clerkes ladde Line 4232 Til þat þe þredde koke be-gan to singe Aleyne wex wery in þe dawneinge ffor he had swonken all þe longe nyht And seide faire wele Malyn swete whight Line 4236 The daie is come .I. maie no longer bide Bot euere-mo where-so .I. go or ride .I. am þine owen clerke so haue .I. sele Nowe dere lemman quod sche go fare wele. Line 4240

Line 4240 Bot or þou go oo þinge .I. will þe telle Whan þat þou wendest homwarde be þe melle Riht att þe entre of þe dore be-hinde Thou schalt a cake of halfe a buschell finde Line 4244 That was ymaked of þin owen mele Whiche þat .I. helpe my sire for to stele And goode lemman and god þe saue and kepe And wiþ þat worde almost he gan to wepe Line 4248 Aleine vprist and þouht or þat.It dawe .I. wil go crepen inne be my felawe And fonde þe cradel wiþ his honde anone Be god þouht [he] al wrange .I. haue mys gone Line 4252 Myne hede is toty of my swynke to nyhte þat makeþ me þat .I. go nouht arihte .I. wote wele be þe cradel .I. haue mys go Here liþe þe mellere and his wif al so Line 4256 And forþe he goþe a twenty deuel weye [folio 52b] Vnto þe bedde þere as þe Meller leye He wende haue cropen be his felawe Iohōn And by þe Meller ine he crape a-none Line 4260 And kauht him be þe nekke and soft he spakke He seide þou Iohn þou swineshede awake ffor cristes soule and here a noble game ffor [by] þat lorde þat called is seinte Iame Line 4264 As .I. haue þries in þis schorte nyhte Swyuede þe meller douhter bolt vpriht While þou hast as a cowarde bene agaste Ȝe false harlot quod Meller haste Line 4268 A false traytur false traitur quod he Thou schal be dede be goddes dignite Who dorste be so bolde to disparage My douhter þat is comen of suche lignage Line 4272 ¶ And be þrote bolle he cauht Aleyne And he hinte him dispitously a-ȝeine And one þe nose he smote him wiþ his fiste Doune run þe blode streme vpon his briste Line 4276

Line 4276 And in þe flore wiþ nose and mouþe to-broke Þei walowe as tuo pigges in a poke And vpe þei gone and doune a-ȝeine anone Til þat þe meller sporned att a stone Line 4280 And doune he fel bakwarde vpon his wif That wist no þinge of þis nice strif ffor sche was fal a slepe a litel wyht Wiþ Iohōn þe clerke þat waked had al þe nyhte Line 4284 And wiþ þe fal oute of here slepe sche braide Helpe holy cros of bromeholme sche saide In manus tuas lorde to þe .I. call Awake Simonde þe fende is on me fall Line 4288 Myne herte is broken helpe .y. ne am bot dede There one vp my wombe and vp myne hede Helpe Simkyn for þe false clerkes fihte Þis Iohn stert vp al so fast as euer he myhte Line 4292 And grasped be þe walles to and fro To finde a staf and sche sterte vp al so And knewe þat estres beter þan dide þat Iohn And by þe wal a staf sche fande a-none Line 4296 And sawhe a litel schimeringe of a lyght ffor att an hole in schone þe mone briht And be þat liht sche seihe hem boþe two [folio 53a] Bot sekerly sche nyst who wa[s] who Line 4300 Bot as sche sauhe a white þinge in hire eye And whan sche gan þis white aspie Sche wende þe clerke had wered a volupere And wiþe þe staf sche drowhe ay nere and nere Line 4304 And wende haue hit þis Aleine att full And smote þe Mellere on þe pilled scoll That downe he goþe and cried harrowe .I. deye This Clerkes bet him wele and lete him lye Line 4308 And greyþen þeym and toke her hors a-none And eke here mele and on þeire weie þei gone And att Melle ȝit þei toke her cake Of halfe a busschel flowre ful wel y-bake Line 4312

Line 4312 ¶ Thus is þe proude Mellere wele ybete And haþe yloste þe grindeinge ofe þe whete And paiede for þe sopere euery dele Of Aleyne and of Iohn þat bet him wele Line 4316 His wif is swyue and his douhte als Lo swyche it is a mellere to be fals And þer-to þis prouerbe is seide ful soþe Him þar note wene wele þat yuel doþe Line 4320 A gylour schal him self be-giled be. And god þat sitteþ hihe in Maiestee Saue al þis compainye grete and smale Thus haue .I. quyte þe Meller in my tale [[No gap in the MS.]] Line 4324

Explicit fabula

Incipit Prologus Coce.

THe coke of london while þe reue spakke For Ioy him þouht he clowde him on þe bakke Ha ha quod he for cristes passione Line 4327 This Mellere haþe a scharpe conclusione [þe koce.] Vpon his argument of herbegage Wele seide Salamon in his langage Ne bringe nouhte euery man in to þine hous For herberwynge be nyhte is perilous Line 4332 Wele ouhte a man avisede for to be Whome þat he brouhte in to his priuete .I. prei to god so ȝeue me sorwe and care If euer siþen .I. hight Hogge of ware Line 4336 Herd .I. mellere better sett a werke He had a Iape of Males in þe derke An þere-fore if ȝe wowche saue to here [folio 53b] Bot god for-bede þat we stente here Line 4340 A tale of me þat am a por man .I. wil ȝowe tel as wele as euer y can A litel Iape þat felle in owre Citee ¶ Owre Oste ansewerde and seide .I. graunt it þe Line 4344 Now tell on Roger. loke þat it be goode For mony a paste haste þou laten blode And mony a Iak of douere hast þou solde That haþ bene twis hote and twis colde Line 4348 Of Mony a pilgrim hast þou cristes curse For of þi percelly ȝit þei fare þe wrse Þat þei haue eten wiþ þe stoble goose For in þi schope is mony a flie lose Line 4352 Nowe tell on gentil roger be þi name Bot ȝit .I. prey þe be nouhte wrothe for game A man maie seie ful loþe in game and plaie Thou seist ful soþe quod Roger be my faie Line 4356

Line 4356 Bot soþe pleie. quade pleie as the flemynge seiþe And þer-fore herry baillif be þi feiþe Be þou nouht wroþe er we departen here þouhe þat myne tale be of an Ostelere Line 4360 Bot naþeles .I. wil nouȝt tel it ȝit Bot or we departe .I.-wis þou schalt be quyt And ther wiþ al he lowhe and made chere And seide his tale as ȝe schal after here [[No gap in the MS.]] Line 4364

Explicit prologus.

Incipit fabula

APrentis whilom duelled in oure Cite And of a craft of vitaillers was he Gaillard he was as goldefinche in þe schawe Broune as a bery. a propur schort felawe Line 4368 Wiþ lokkes blake y-kempt ful fetisly Daunce he couþe so wele. and Iolyly þat he was clepede Perkinne reueloure He was as ful of loue and paramour Line 4372 As is þe hyve ful of hony swete Wele was þe wenche wiþ him myht mete Att euery bridel wolde he singe and hoppe He loued bett þe tauerne þan his maistier schoppe Line 4376 For whan þer any rydeinge was in chepe Owte of þe schoppe þeder wolde he lepe Til þat he hadde al þe siht yseyne And daunced wele wolde he nouȝt come aȝeine Line 4380 And gaderd him a Meyne of his sorte [folio 54a] To hoppe and singe and maken swiche disporte And þere þei setten steuen for to mete To pleine att þe dys in suche a strete Line 4384 For in þe toune was þere no prentis Þat fairer couþe cast a paire of dis Than perkyn couþe and þere-to he was fre Of his dispense in place of priuete Line 4388 ¶ That fonde his Maister wele in his chaffare For oft time he fonde his box ful bare For sekurly a prentis reueloure þat haunteþ dis. riot or paramoure Line 4392 His Maister schal it in his schoppe a-bye Al haue he not part of þe menstralcye For þeft and ryot þei bene conuertible Al conne he plaie on geterne or ribible Line 4396

Line 4396 Reuele and treuþe as in a louhe degre Thei bene ful wroþe aldaie as men maie see This Ioly prentis with his maister bode Til he weer nyhe oute of his prentishode Line 4400 Al were he snybbed boþe erly and late And sum tyme ladde wiþ reuel to newgate Bot att þe last his maister him be-þought Vpon a daie whan he his paper souht Line 4404 Of a prouerbe þat seiþe þis same worde Wele better is roten appel oute of horde Than þat it rote al þe remenant So fareþ it be a riotous seruant Line 4408 It is full lasse harme to latt it passe Þan he schende al þe seruantes in þe place Thare-for his maister ȝaf him aquitance And bad him go wiþ sorwe and wiþ meschaunce Line 4412 And þus þis Iolif prentise had his leue Nowe lat him riote al þe nyhte or leue And for þere is no þef wiþ-owten a lowke Þat helpeþ him to wasten and to sowke Line 4416 Of þat he bribe can or borwe maye Anone he sent his bedde and his araie Vnto a Conper of his owen sorte Þat loued dis and reuel and disporte Line 4420 And had a wife þat helde for countinance A schoppe and swyued for his sustenance. [[No gap in the MS.]]

APPENDIX TO GROUP A. [THE SPURIOUS TALE OF GAMELYN.] [Spurious Link.]

Fye þer-one it is so foule .I. will nowe tell no forþere [folio 54b] For schame of þe harlotrie þat seweþ after A velany it were þare-of more to spell Bot of a knyhte and his sonnes My tale .I. wil forþe tell Line 4

[THE SPURIOUS TALE OF GAMELYN.] [Tale.]

And þere-fore listeneþ. and herkeneþ þis tale ariht. Line 1 And ȝe schullen here of a douhte knyht Sir Iohn of Boundys was his name He couþe of nortur and muchel of game þre sonnes þe knyht had and wiþ his body he hem wanne The eldest was a muche schrewe and sone he beganne His breþerne loued wele here fader and of him were agast The eldest deserued his fader curs and had it att þe last Line 8 The good knyht his fadere leuede so ȝore That deþe was commen him to and handeled him sore The goode knyht cared sore seke þer he leye How his children schold leuen after his deye Line 12 He had bue wide where bot no husbonde he was All þe londe þat he [[he later]] had was verrey purchas Fayne he wolde it were y-dressed a-monge hem al That iche of hem miht have his parte as it wald fal Line 16 Tho sente he in-to Contre after wise knyhtes To helpen delen his londes and drisse hem to rihtes He sent hem worde by lettres þei scholden hihe belyue If þei wolde speke wiþ him if þei were on lyue Line 20

Line 20 Tho þe knyhtes herden seek þat he laye Had þei no reste neyþer nyht nor daye Til þei cam to hime þere he lay stille On his deþ bede to abide goddes wille Line 24 Than seide þe good knyhte seke þere he lay Lordes .I. ȝowe warne soþe wiþ-owten nay .I. may no longer leue here on þis stonde ffor þorwhe goddes will deþ draueþ me to grounde. Line 28 Ther nas none of hem all þat herde him a-riht That þei hadden rewþe of þat ilke knyht And seid sir for goddes loue ne dismay ȝowe nouht God maye done bote of bale þat is nowe ywrouht Line 32 Than spake þe good knyht seeke þere he [[he later]] laie Bote of bale god may sende .I. wote it is no naye Bot .I. be seke ȝow knyhtes for þe loue of me Goþ and dresseþ my londes amonge myne sonnes þre Line 36 And for þe loue of God deleþ hem nouht a-mys And for-ȝete nouht Gamelyn my yonge son þat i Takeþ hede to þat one as wele as to þe toþer [folio 55a] Selde ȝe see any heire helpen his broþer Line 40 Tho lete þei þe knyht lyen þat was nouht in hele And wenten in to counseil his londes for to dele ffor to delen hem al to one þat was here þouhte And for gamelin was ȝongest he schold haue nouht Line 44 All þe londe þat þere was þei dalten it in tuo And leten Gamelyn þe ȝonge wiþ-owten lande go And iche of hem seide to oþere ful loude His breþerne mow ȝeuen him londe whan he goode coude Whan þei hadde deled þe lond att þeire will Line 49 They comen to þe knyht þere he laie ful still And tolde him a-none howe þei had wrouht And þe knyht þere he laie liked it riht nouht Line 52 ¶ Than seide þe knyht be seinte Martine ffor al þat ȝe haue done ȝit is þe londe myne ffor goddes loue neyboures stondeþ al still And .I. will delen my londe riht after my will Line 56

Line 56 Iohn myne eldest son schal haue ploues fiue þat was my faders heritage while he was on lyue And my Meddelest son fiue plowhes of londe That .I. helpe for to geten wiþ my riht honde Line 60 And al myn oþere purchas of londes and of ledes That .I. be-quethe Gamelyne and al my goode stedes And .I. be-seeke ȝowe good men þat lawe conne of londe ffor Gamelyn loue þat my quest stonde Line 64 ¶ Thus dalte þe knyht his londe be his daye Riht on his deþe bed seke þere he laye And sone afterward he laye stone still And deide whan time came as it was cristes will Line 68 Anone as he was dede and vnder gars graue Sone þe alder broþer giled þe ȝonge knaue And toke in-to his honde his londe and his lede And Gamelin him selfe to cle and to fede Line 72 He cloþed him and fedde yuel. and eke wroþe And lete his for fare and his houseȝ bothe His Parkes and his wodes and dide no þinge wel And seþþen he it abouhte on his faire fel Line 76 So longe was Gamelin in his broþers hall ffor þe strongest of good will þei douten him all Ne was þere none þer-inne ȝonge ne olde That wold wreþþe ware he neuer so bolde Line 80 ¶ Gamelyn stode vp on a daie in his broþere ȝerde [folio 55b] And be-gan wiþ his honde to handel his berde He þouhte on his londes þat layen vnsawe And his faire Okes þat doune were drawe Line 84 His parkes were broken and his dere reuede Of all his goode stedes was none him be-leuede His howses weren vnhelde and ful yuel y-diht Tho þouht Gamelyn it wente nouht a-riht Line 88 Afterwarde cam his broþer walkinge þere And seide to Gamelin is oure mete ȝere þo him wreþþed Gamelyn and suore be goddes boke Thou schalt go bake þi selfe .I. wil nouȝt be þi koke Line 92

Line 92 Howe broþer Gamelyn howe answeres þou nowe Thou spak neuer suche a worde as þou dost nowe Be my faiþe seide Gamelin now me þenkeþ nede Of al þe harmes that .I. haue .I. toke neuer are hede Line 96 My parkes bene broken and myn dere be reuede Of myne armoure and my stedes nouht is me be-leued Al þat my ffader me be-quathe al goþe to schame And þer-for haue þou goddes curse broþer be þi name Line 100 ¶ Than be-spakke his broþer þat rape was of rees Stond still gedelinge and hold riht þi pes Thou schalt be faine for to haue þi mete and þi wede What spekest þou gamelin of londe or of lede Line 104 Than seide Gameline þe childe þat was ȝinge Cristes curs mot he haue þat clepeþ m[e] gedelinge .I. am no wers gadelyn ne no wers whyght Bot borne of lady and geten of a knyht Line 108 Ne dorste he nouht to Gamelyin neere a fote go Bot cleped to him his men and seide to hem þo Goþe and bete þis boye and reueþ him his witte And lat him leren a-noþer time to answere me bitte Line 112 Than seide þe childe ȝonge Gamelyn Cristes curs most þou haue broþer art þou myne. And if schal algate be beten a-none Cristes curs must þou haue bot þou be þat one Line 116 And anon his broþer in þat grete hete Made his men to fet staues Gamelin for to bete Whan euery of hem had a staf ynome Gamely was war þoo he sey hem comen Line 120 Tho Gamelyn seye hem com he loked ouere all And was ware of a pestel stondeinge vnder a wall Gamelyn was liht and þeder gan he lepe [folio 56a] And droue al his breþes men riht on an hepe Line 124 He loked as wilde lyon and leide on good wone Tho his broþer sawhe þat þei be-gan to gone He fleyhe vpe in-til a lofte and schotte þe dore fast Thus Gamelyn with his pestel made hem al a-gast Line 128

Line 128 Som for for Gamelines loue and somme for his eye Al þei drouhe be halues whan he be-gan to pleye What nowe seide Gamelin yeuel mot ȝe þe Wil ȝe beginne contik and so sone flye Line 132 Gamelin souht his broþere whider he was flowe And sawh where þat he loked oute at a windowe Broþer seide Gamelyn come a litel nere And .I. wil teche a pleie att þe bokelere Line 136 His broþer him ansewarde and swore be seint Richere While þe pestel is in þi honde .y. come þe no nere Broþer .I. wil make þi pees .I. swere be goddes ore Cast awaie þi Pestel and wraþþe þe nomore Line 140 .I. mot nede seide Gamelyne wraþþe me att ones ffor þou wolde make þi men breke my bones Ne had .I. had maine and miht in boþe myn armes To fende hem from me þei wolde haue done me armes Line 144 Gamelin seide his broþere be þou nouht wroþe ffor to seen þe haue harme me were riht loþe .I. ne dide it nouht broþer but for a fondeinge ffor to loken if þoue were stronge and art so ȝynge Line 148 Come a-doune þan to me and graunt me my bone Of þinge .I. will þe axen and we schal sauhte sone ¶ Doune þan cam his broþer þat fikel was and fel And was riht sore agast of þe pestel Line 152 He seide broþer Gameline ax me þi bone And loke þou me blame bot .I. it graunt þe sone Than seide Gamelyin broþe ywis And we schol bene att one þou most me graunt þis Line 156 All þat my fader me bequaþe while he was on lyue Þou most do me it haue if we scholl nouht striue That schalt þou haue Gamelyn .I. swere be goddes ore Al þat þi fader þe be-quaþe þouhe þou woldest haue more Line 160 Thi londe þat lieþ ley wele it schal be sowe And þin house reised vpe þat ben leide so lowe Thus seide þe knyht to Gameline be mowþe And þouht of falsenes as he wele couþe Line 164

Line 164 The knyht þouht on treson and Gamelin þouht none [folio 56b] And went and kissed his broþer And whan þei weren att one Alas ȝonge Gamelyne no þinge he ne wiste With suche false treson his broþer him kyst Line 168 Lysten and lythes and holdeþ ȝoure tonge. And ȝe schal here talkeinge of Gamelin þe ȝonge Ther was þere be-side cride a wrastlinge And þer for þere was sette a rame and a ringe Line 172 And Gamelyn was in wil to wende þer to ffor to prouen his myht what he couþe do Broþere seide Gameline be seint Richere Thou moste lene me to nyht a litel coursere Line 176 þat is frische to þe spores on for to ride .I. moste on an herande a litel here be-side Be god seide his br[o]þer of stedes in my stal Go and chese þe þe best and spare none of al Line 180 Of stedes or of couurseres þat stoden hem be-side And tel me good broþer wheder þou wilt ride Here be-side broþer is cried a warstelinge And þer for schal be sett a ram and a rynge Line 184 Meche worschipe it were broþe to us alle Might .I. þe ramme and þe ringe bringe home to þis halle A stede þere was sadeled smerly and skete Gamelin dide a paire of spores faire on his fete Line 188 He sete fote in þe sterep þe stede he be-strode And to-warde þe wrastelinge þe ȝin childe rode Tho Gamelin þe ȝonge was reden oute att þe gate The false knyht his broþer lokked it after þate Line 192 And be-souht Ihesu crist þat is heuen kinge He myht breke his neke in þat wrestlinge As sone as Gamelin cam þer þis place was He liht doune of his stede and stode on þe gras Line 196 And þere herde a frankelein walawaie singe And be-gan bitterly his hondes to wringe Gode man seide Gamelin. whi makes þou þis fare Is þer no man þat maie ȝow helpen oute of þis care Line 200

Line 200 Alas seide þis frankelein þat euer was .I. bore ffor twey stalworþ sonnes .I. wene þat .I. haue lore A champion is in þe place þat me haþ wrowht sorwe ffor he haþ sleine my twey sonnes bot if god hem borwe Line 204 .I. wil ȝeue ten pounde be ihesu crist and more Wiþe þe nones .I. fand a man to halden him sore Gode man seide Gamelin wilt þou wele done [folio 57a] Hold myn hors while my man draweþ of my schone Line 208 And help my man to kepe my cloþes and m[y] stede And .I. wil in-to þe place gone to loke if .I. mai spede Be god seide þe frankelein it schal be wele done .I. wil my self be þi man to drawen of þi schone Line 212 And wende þou in-to þe place ihesu crist þe spede And drede nouȝt of þi cloþes ne of þi goode stede Barfor and vngert Gamelin inne cam All þat were in þe place hede of him þei name Line 216 Howe he dorste auntre him on him to done his myht That was so dowhti a champion in wrastelinge and in fiht Vp stert þe Champion rapely anone To-ward ȝonge Gamelin he be-gan to gone Line 220 And seide who his fader and who is þi sire For soþe þou arte a grete fole þat þou com hire Gamelione ansewarde þe champion þoo Thow knewe wele my fader while he couþe goo Line 224 Whiles he was on live be seint Martine Sir Iohōn of Boundes was his name and .I. Gamelyne ffelaw seide þe champion so mot .I. þriue .I. knewe wele þi fader while he was on lyue Line 228 And þi selfe gamelyne .I. wil þat þou it here While þoue were a ȝonge boye a muche schrewe þu were Than seide Gamelyn and swore be cristes ore Now .I. am alder wax þou schalt finde me a more Line 232 Be god seide þe champion welcom mot þou be Come þou ones in myne honde schalt þou neuer þe It was wele wiþ-inne þe nyht and þe mone schone Whan Gameline and þe champion to-geder gonne gone Line 236

Line 236 The Champion kast tornes to Gamelin þat was prest And Gamelin stode stil and bad him done his best Than seide Gamelin to þe Champeoun Thou ert fast a-boute to bringe me doune Line 240 Nowe haue I prouede many tornes of þine Þou mot he seide fele on or tuo of myne Gamelyn to þe champeon ȝed smartly anone Of al þe turne þat he couþe he schewde him bot one Line 244 And kest on þe left side þat þre ribbes to-brake And þere-to his one harme þat ȝaf a grete crake Than seide Gamely smertly a-none Schal it be hold for cast or elles for none. Line 248 Be god saide þe champion weþer þat it be [folio 57b] He þat comes ones in þine hande schal he neuer þe Than seide þe frankelein þat had his son þere Blissed be þu Gamelin þat euer þou borne were Line 252 The frankeleine seide to þe champion on him stode him none eye This is ȝonge Gamelyn þat tauht þe þis. pleie Aȝeine anseward þe champion þat liked no þinge well He is alþer maister and his pleie is riht fell Line 256 Seþþe .I. wrasteled first it is go ȝore Bot was neuer my lif handeled so sore Gamelin stode in þe place alone wiþ-outen serk And seide if þere be mo let hem come to werk Line 260 The Champioun þat payned him to wirche so sore It semeþ be his countenance þat he wil no more . . . . . . . . . . Line 264 . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] ffor he handeled þe champion so wonderly sore Two gentil men ȝemed þe place Cam to gamelin god ȝeue him gode grace Line 268 And seide to him do on þin hosen and þin schone ffor soþe att þis time þe faire is done And þan seid Gamelin so mot .I. wele fare .I. haue nouȝt ȝit haluendel solde my ware Line 272

Line 272 Tho seide þe Champion so brouke .I. my swere He is a foole þat þer-of byeþ þou selles it so dere Tho seide þe frankelen þat was in muche care ffelawe he saide whi lakkes þou his ware Line 276 Be seinte Iame in Galeys þat mony man haþ souht Ȝit it is to goode chepe þat þou hast bought Tho þat wardeins were of þe warstelinge Come and brouht Gamelin þe Ram and þe ringe Line 280 And seide haue Gamelin þe ringe and þe Ram ffor þe best warstelier þat euer here cam Thus whanne Gamelin þe ramme and þe Ringe And went wiþ muche Ioy home in þe Morneinge Line 284 ¶ His Broþer seyhe where he came wiþ þe grete route And bad schette þe gate and holde him wiþ-oute Te porter of his lorde was sore agast And stert a-none to þe gate and lokked it fast Line 288 Now liþeþ and listeneþ boþ ȝonge and olde And ȝe schal her gamen of Gameline þe bolde Gamelin cam to þe gate for to haue commen in And þan was it schot fast wiþ a pin Line 292 Than seide Gamelin. Portier vndo þe gate ffor mony goode mannes son stonden þer-ate Than anseward þe portier and swore be goddes berd [folio 58a] Þou ne schalt Gamelin com in to þis ȝerde Line 296 Thou lixt said Gamelin so brouke I my chinne He smote þe wiket wiþe his fote and brak awaie þe pinne The portier sauhe þo it myht no beter bee He sette foote on erþe and gan for to flee Line 300 Be my faiþe seid Gamelin þat trauel is lorene ffor .I. am as liht on fote as þou if þat þou haddest it sworne Gamely ouer toke þe portere and his teen wrake And girt him in þe neke þat he began to brake Line 304 And toke him be þat on arme and þrewe him in a welle .Vij. faþem it was depe as .I. haue herd telle Whan Gamelin the ȝonge þus had plaide his plaie All þat in þe ȝerde were drowen hem awaie Line 308

Line 308 They dreden him ful sore for þe werke þat he wrouht An þe faire compaignie þat he þeder brouht Gameline ȝede to þe ȝate and lete it vp wide He lete in al þat gone wolde or ride Line 312 And seide ȝe be welcom withe-outen any greue ffor we will bue Maistres here and aske noman leue Ȝisterdaic I. left seide ȝonge gamelyne In my broþer seler. five tun of wyne Line 316 .I. wil nouȝt þis company parten a twynne And ȝe wil done after me whan any sope is þere-inne And if my broþer gruche or make foul chiere Line 319 Othere for spence of mete and drink þat we spende here .I. am oure Catur and bereþ oure aller purse He schal haue for his grucheinge seint Maries curse Mi broþer is a negon .I. swere be cristes ore And we wil spende largely þat we haue spent ȝore Line 324 And who þat makeþ grucchinge þat we here duelle He schal vnto þe drawe welle .Vij. daies and seuen nyht Gamelin helde his fest Wiþþe muche solas was þer and none chest Line 328 In a litul ture turet his broþer steke And sawehe him waste his goode bot dorst he nouȝt spek Erly on a morneynge on þe .viij. daie The gestes cam to Gamelin and wolde gone here waie Line 332 Lorde seide Gamelin wil ȝe soo hihe All þe wyne is nouht ȝit dronken so brouke .I. myn eye Gamelin in his hert was ful woo Whan his gestes toke here leue fro him for to goo. Line 336 He wolde þei had duelled longer and þei seide naye [folio 58b] Bot be-tauht Gamelyn god and goode daye Thus made Gamelin his fest and brouht wele to ende And after his gestes had take leue to wende Line 340 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] Line 344

Line 344 ¶ And all þe while þat Gamelyne helde his mangeri His broþere þouht on him be wreke wiþ his trecheri Whan Gamelin gestes were reden and gone Gamelyne stode þan alone frende had he none Line 348 Tho after-warde ful sone wiþ-inne a litel stonde Gamelin was taken and ful harde ybounde fforþe cam þe false knyht oute of selere To gamelin his broþer he ȝode ful nere Line 352 And seide to Gamelin who maade þe so bolde ffor streye my store of myn housolde Broþer seide Gamelin wraþþe þe riht nouht ffor it is mony day gone seþþe it was bouht Line 356 ffor broþer þou hast had be seint Richere Of .xv. plowhes of londe þis .xvj. ȝere And of al þe bestes þou hast forþe bredde Þat my fader me quaþe on his dede bedde Line 360 Of al þis .xvj. ȝere .I. ȝeue þe prowe ffor þe mete and þe drinke þat we han spende nowe Than seide þe false knyhte þere yuel mot he þe Herken broþer Gamelin what .I. wil ȝeue þe Line 364 ffor of my body broþer geten here haue .I. none .I. will make þe my eire .I. swere be seint Iohn Par ma faye seide Gamelin and it so be And þou þinke as þou seiste god ȝelde it þe Line 368 No thinge wist Gamelin of his broþers gile There-for he was be-gilede in a litel while Gamelyn seide he o þinge .I. þe tell Tho þou þrewe my porter in to þe drawe well Line 372 .I. swore in þat wraþþe and in þat grete mote That scholdest be bounden boþe honde and fote Ther-fore .I. þe be-seche broþe Gameline Lat me nouȝt be for-sworne broþer art þou myne Line 376 Lat me binde þe boþ honde and foote ffor to holden myne avowe as .I. þe be-hote Brother seide Gamelin so mot .I. þe Þou schalt not be for-sworne for þe loue of me Line 380

Line 380 Tho maad þei Game to sitte myht he nouht stonde Til þei hadde him bowden boþe fote and honde The false knyht his broþer of Gamelin was a-gast [folio 59a] And sent affeter fetters to fetterne him fast Line 384 His broþer maade lesinges on him þer he stode And tolden hem þat comen inne þat Gamelin was woode Gamelin sto' a post bounden in þe hall Þo þat comen In . loked on him all Line 388 Euer stode Gamelin euen vp-riht Bot mete and drinke hadde ne none neyþer daye ne nyht Than seide Gameline broþer be my halse Nowe .I. haue aspyede þou ert a party false Line 392 Had .I. wist þat treson þat þou hast founde .I. wolde haue ȝeue strokes ar .I. hadde be bounde Gamelin stoode bounden still as any stone Two daies and two nyhtes mete hade he none Line 396 Þan seide Gamelin þat stode y-bounde stronge Adam spenser me þinke .I. fast to longe Adam spenser now .I. be-seche þe ffor þe muche loue my fader loued þe Line 400 If þou maie come to cayes lesse me oute of bonde And .I. wil parte wiþe þe of my fre londe Than seide Adam þat was þe spensere .I. haue serued þi broþer [[? booþer]] þis .xvj. ȝere Line 404 If .I. lete gone oute of his boure He wolde sei af[te]rward .I. were a traitoure Adam seide Gamelin so brouke .I. myn hals Thou schalt finde my broþe att last riht fals Line 408 There-fore Adam broþer lese oute of bondes And .I. will part wiþ þe of my fre londes Vp suche forwarde Adam .I.-wisse .I. wil do þer-to al þat me is Line 412 Adam seide Gamelin as mot .I. þe .I. wil halde þe couenant and þou wil me Anone as Adam lorde to bed was gone Adam toke þe kaye and lete Gamelin oute anone Line 416

Line 416 He vn-lokked Gamelin boþe hondes and fete In hope of avauncement þat he him be-hete Than seide Gamelin þonkede be goddes sonde Now .I. am louse boþe fote and honde Line 420 Had .I. nowe eten and dronken a-riht Þere is none in þis hous schold binde me þis nyht Adam toke Gamelin stil as any stone And ladde him into þe spence rapeli a-none Line 424 And set him to soper riht in a priue stede [folio 59b] And badd him do gladly . and Gamelin so dede Anone as Gameline had ete wel and fine Therto he dronke wele of þe rede wine Line 428 Adam seide Gamelin what is nowe þi rede Where .I. go to my broþer and gerde of his hede Gamelyn seide Adam it schal nouhte be so .I. kan teche þe a rede þat is worþe tuo Line 432 .I. wote wele for soþe þat þis is no naie We schal haue a maungeri riht on sonondaye Abbotes and priours mony her schal be And oþer men of holy cherche as .I. tell þe Line 436 Þou schalt stonde vp be þe post as þu were bounde fast And .I. schal leue þeim vnloke þat awaye þou maie hem cast Whan þat þei haue eten and wasschen her hondes Line 439 Thou schalt be-seke hem al to bringe þe oute of bondes And if þei will borwe þe þat were good gamme Þan were oute of prison . and .I. owte of blame And if iche of hem seie to vs naie .I. schal do anoþer .I. swer be þis daie Line 444 Thou schalt haue a goode staf and .I. wil haue a-noþer And cristes curs þat on haue þat faileþ þe tother Ȝe for god seid Gamelin .I. saie it for me If .I. faile on my side yuel mot .I. þe Line 448 .If. we schol algate assoile hem of her sinne Warne me broþe Adam whan we schal be-ginne Gamelin seide Adam be seinte charité .I. wil warne þe be-forne whan it schal be Line 452

Line 452 Whan .I. twynke on þe loke for to gone And cast awaie þi fetters and com to me anone Adam seide Gamelin blissed be þi bones That is a good counsel ȝiuen for þe nones Line 456 If þei werne me to bringe me oute of bendes .I. wil sett good strokes riht on here lendes Tho þe sondaie was comen and folk to þe feste ffaire þei were welcome boþe lest and meste Line 460 And euer as þei att þe hall dore cam inne Thei keste þeire eye on ȝonge Gameline The false knyht his broþer and ful of trecherie Al þe gestes þat þer were att þe Mangerie Line 464 Of Gamelyn his broþer he tolde hem be mouþe Al þe harme and þe schame þat he telle couþe Whan þei were serued of mete iche mese after oþe [folio 60a] Than seid Gamelin howe serue ȝe me þat am ȝoure broþe It is nouht wele serued be god þat al maade Þat .I. schal sitt fastinge and oþer men maak glade Þe false knyht his broþer þer þat he stode Told al his gestes þat Gamelyne was woode Line 472 And Gamelin stode still and anseward nouht Bot Adames wordes he held in his þouht Tho Gamelin gan spek dolfoly wiþ all To þe grete lordes þat saten in þe hall Line 476 Lordes he seide for cristes passione Helpe to bringe Gamelin oute of prisone ¶ Than seide Abbote sorwe on his cheke He schall haue cristes curse and seint Maries eke Line 480 That þe oute of prison beggeþ oþer borwe Bot euer worþe him wele þat doþ þe muche sorwe Affter þat Abbot þan spak a-noþer .I. wolde þin hede wer of þouh þou were my broþer Line 484 Al þat þe borwe foul mote þaym fall Thus þei seiden al þat weren in þe all Than seide A prioure yuel mote he þriue It is muche sorwe and scaþe boþe þat þou art a liue Line 488

Line 488 ¶ Nowe seide Gamelin so brouke .I. my bone Nowe .I. haue aspied þat frendes haue .I. none Cursed mot he worþe boþe flesche and blode Þat euere doþe Priour or Abbot any goode Line 492 Adam þe spencer toke vp þe cloþe And loked vpon Gamelin . and sawhe þat he was wroþe Adam on þe Pantri litel he þouht Bot tuo goode staues to hall dore he brouht Line 496 Adam loked on gamelin . and he was war anone And keste awaye þe fetteres and be-gan to gone Tho he cam to Adam he toke þe toke þe to staf And be-gan to wirche and goode strokes ȝaf Line 500 Gameline cam into þe hall and þe spenser boþe And loked hem aboute as þei had be riht wroþe Gamelin sprengeþ holy water with an oken spire Than sum þat stod vp right ffellen in þe fire Line 504 Ther was no lewe man þat in þe hall stode That wolde do Gamelin any þinge bot gode Bot stoden be side and lete boþe worche ffor þei had no rewþe of men of holy cherche. Line 508 Abbot or priour Monke or Chanoune [folio 60b] That Gamelin ouere toke a-none þei ȝeden downe Thar was none of hem al þat wiþ his staf mette Line 511 Þat he ne maade hem ouer þrowe . and qwite hem his dette Gamelin seide Adam for seint Charité Pay good liuere for þe loue of me And .I. kepe þe dore so euer her .y. masse Er þei bene assoiled schal þer non passe Line 516 Dowte þe nouht seide Gamelin while we ben in fere Kepe þou wel þe dore and .I. wirche here Stere goode Adam and latt þere none fle And we schol tel largely hou mony þer be Line 520 Gamelin seide Adam do hem bot goode Thei bue men of holy cherche drawe of hem no blode Saue wele þe croune . and done hem none harmes Bot breke boþe here legges and sithen here armes Line 524

Line 524 Thus Gamelin and Adam wrouht riht fast And pleiden wiþe þe monkes and made hem agast Theder þei cam rideinge Ioly with swaynes Line 527 And home a-ȝeine þei weren ledde in cartes and in waynes Tho þei hadden al y-do þo saide a graie frere Alas sir Abbot what did we nowe here Tho þat we comen hider it was a colde rede Vs had be better att home wiþ water and brede Line 532 While Gamelin gaf ordres to monk and to frere Euer stod his broþer and mad foul chere Gamelin vp wiþþe his staf þat he wel knewe And gerd him in þe nekke þat he ouer þrewe Line 536 A litel aboue þe gardel þe rigge bot to-brast And in þe fetters sette him þer he satt arst Sitt þer broþer broþer seide Gameline ffor to coly þi bodi as .I. dide myne Line 540 As swyþe as þei had wroken hem on her fone The asked water and wissen anone What som for her loue and sum for awe Al þe seruantȝ serued ham of þe best lawe Line 544 The schirreue was þen bot .v. mile And al þis was tolde him in a litel while Howe Gamelin and Adam had done a sori res Bounden and wounden men aȝein þe kinges pes Line 548 Tho be-gan son striff for to wake And þe scherref aboute gameline for to take ¶ Nowe lyþes and listeneþ so god gif ȝow good fine [folio 61a] And ȝe schall here good game of ȝonge Gameline Line 552 ffoure and twenty ȝongemen þat helde hem full bolde Cam to þe scherreue and seide þat he wold Gameline and Adam for to fette a-waye The scherref ȝaue hem leue soþe as .I. ȝowe saye Line 556 Thei hiden fast wolde þei nouht linne To þei cam to þe gate þer Gamelin was inne Thei knokken on þe gate þe porter was nyhe And loked out att an hole as a man þat was slyhe: Line 560

Line 560 The porter had be-holde hem a litel while He loued wele Gamelin an was drad of gile: An lete þe wyket stonde ful still And asked hem þer-out what was here will Line 564 ffor al þe grete Compaigny þan spak bot one Vndo þe gate Portier and latt vs inn goone Then seide þe porter so brouke .I. my chinne Ȝe schal sei ȝoure erant er þat ȝe comme inne Line 568 Sei to Gamelin and to Adam . if þeire will be We wolde speke withe hem tuo wordes or þre ffelaw saide þe portier stonde þer still An .I. wil wende to Gamelin to weten his will Line 572 In wente þe portier to Gamelin a-none And seide sire .I. warne ȝowe here be commen ȝoure fone The scherrefs men ben att gate ffor to take ȝoue boþe schal ȝe nouht skape Line 576 Portier seide Gamelin . So mot .I. wel þe .I. will allowe þe þi wordes whan .I. mi time see Go aȝein to gate and dwel wiþ hem a while And þou schal see riht sone porter a gile Line 580 Adam seide Gamelin loke þe to gone We haue fomen att gate and frendes neuer one It buen þe schirreues men þa hider bue come Þei be sworre to-geder þat we schal be nomme Line 584 Gameline seide Adam hie þe riht be liue And if .I. faile þe þis daie yuel mot .I. þriue And we schol so wel-come þe scherreues men That som of hem shal make here beddes in þe fen Line 588 A good Cart staf in his honde he hent Gamelin and att postern gate oute he wente Adam hent sone a-noþer good staf ffor to helpen gamelin and goode strokes ȝaf Line 592 Adam felde tweine and Gameline felled þre Þe toþer sett fete on erþe and gan to fle What saide Adam so euer here .I. masse [folio 61b] .I. haue riht goode wyne drinke ar ȝe passe Line 596

Line 596 Naie be god seide þei þi drinke is not goode It wold make mannes brayne to lye in his hode Gamelin stoode still and loked him aboute And sawhe þe scherreue come wiþ a grete route Line 600 Adam seide Gameline whate be nowe þi redes Here comeþ þe scherreue and wil haue oure hedes Adam seide to Gamelin my rede is nowe þis Abide we no longer lest we fare a mys Line 604 .I rede þat we to woode gone ar þat we be founde Better is þer louse þan in toune bounde Adam toke be þe honde ȝonge gamelin And eyþer of hem dranke a drauht of wyne Line 608 And after token her cours and wenten her waie Tho fonde þe scherref nest bot no naie Þe scherref lyht doune And went in to þe hall And fonde þe lorde fetterd fast wiþ all Line 612 The scherreve vnfetterd him riht sone anone And sent after a leche to helen his rigge bone Late we nowe þe false knyht lyhe in his care And talke we of Gamelin and loke howe he fare Line 616 Gamelin in to þe wode stalkeþ still And Adam spencer loked riht ill Adam swore to Gamelin be seinte Richere Nowe .I. se it is mery to be a spensere Line 620 That me were leuer kaye to bere Than walken in þis wilde wode my cloþe to tere Adam seide Gameline dismaie ȝe riht nouht Many good mannes childe in care is brouht Line 624 As þei stode talkinge boþe in fere Adam herde talkinge of men and nyhe hem þouht he were Tho Gamelin vnder wode loked ariht .Vij. score of ȝonge men he sawe wele a-diht Line 628 All satt att mete compas aboute Adam seide Gamelin nowe haue ȝe no doute After bale comes bote þoruht goddes myht Me þe þinkeþ þat of mete and drinke .I. haue a siht Line 632

Line 632 Adam loked þo vnder wode bouhe And þo he sauhe mete he was glade y-nowhe ffor he hope to god for to haue his dele And he was sore alonged after a goode mele Line 636 As he had seide þat word þe Maister outelawe [folio 62a] Sawe Gamelin and Adam vnder wode schawe Ȝonge men seide þe maister be þe goode rode .I. am war of gestes god send vs goode Line 640 Ȝonde bene two ȝon[g]e men riht wele adiht And parauentur þer bene mo who so loked ariht Ariseþ vp ȝonge men and fette hem to me It is good þat we weten what men þei be Line 644 Vpe þer sterten .vij. fro þe denere And Metten wiþ Gamelin . and Adam spensere Whan þei were nyhe hem þan seide þat one Ȝeldeþ vp ȝonge men ȝoure bowes and ȝoure flone Line 648 Than seid Gamelin þat ȝonge was of elde Muche sorwe mot he haue þat to ȝowe hem ȝelde .I. curs none oþer bot riht my selue Þough ȝe fette to ȝow .v. þat be ȝe tuelue Line 652 Tho þei herde be his worde þat myht was in his arme Ther was none of hem þat wolde do him harme Bot seide to Gamelin Mildely and still Com a-for oure maister and seie to him þi will Line 656 Ȝonge men seide Gamelin be ȝoure leute What man is ȝoure Maister þat ȝe wiþ be Al þei ansewerd wiþ-oute lesinge Oure maister his crouned of owtelawes þe kenge Line 660 Adam seide Gamelin go we in cristes name He maye neyþer mete ne drinke warne vs for schame If þat he be hende and come of gentil blode He will ȝeue vs mete and drinke and do vs sum goode Line 664 Be seinte Iame seid Adam what harme þat .I. gete .I. wil auentur me to þe dore þat .I. hade mete Gamelin and Adam wenten forþe in fere And þei grete þe maister þat þei fonde þere Line 668

Line 668 Than seide þe maister kinge of owtelauwes What seke ȝe ȝongmen vnder wodee schawes Gamelin ansewarde þe kinge wiþ his croune He moste nedes walke in wode þat maye nouht walke in toune Sire we walke nouht here men harme to do Line 673 Bot if wee mete a dere to schete þer to As men þat bene hungri and maie no mete finde And bene harde bestade vnder wode linde Line 676 Of Gamelyne wordes þe maister had reuþe He seide sche schal haue .I.-nouhe haue god my treuþe He bad hem sette doune for to take rest [folio 62b] And bad ete and dringe and þat of þe best Line 680 As þei eten and dronken wele and fine Than seide þe tone to þe toþer þis is Gameline Tho was þe Maister owtelawe into counseile nome And tolde howe it was Gamelin was þeder come Line 684 Anone as he herde howe it was be-fal He maade him maister vnder him ouere hem al Wiþ-inne þe þred weke him cam tidynge Tho þe maister owtlawe þat was here kinge Line 688 Þat he scholde come home his pes was made And of þe goode tiþinge he was ful glade Tho seide he to his ȝonge men soþe to tell Me be commen tiþinges .I. maie no longer duel. Line 692 Tho was Gameline anone wiþ-oute taryinge Maade Maister owteley . and crouned here kinge Tho was Gamelin crounede kinge of outelawes And walked a while vnder wode schawes Line 696 The false knyht his broþer was scherreue of þe schire And lete his broþer endite for hate and for ire Tho were his bondemen sori and nouht gladde Whan Gamelin her lorde was cried wolueshed and maade And sent oute of his men wher þei myht him finde Line 701 ffor to seke Gamelin vnder wode linde To tel him tiþinge þe winde was went And al his goode reued and his men schent Line 704

Line 704 Whan þe hadden him founde on knees þei hem setten And a-doune wiþ here hode and here lorde gretten. Sir wraþþe ȝou nouht for þe goode rode ffor we haue brouhte ȝowe tiþinges bot þei be nouȝt goode Nowe is þi broþe scherreue and haþe þe baille Line 709 And haþe enditede þe and wolues-hed doþe þe crie Allas seide Gamelin þat euer .I. was so slakke Þat .I. ne hadde broke his nekke . þo .I. his rigge brakke Go greteþ wele myne husbondes and wif Line 713 .I. wil bene att þe next schire haue god my lif Gamelyn cam wel redy to þe next schire And þer was his broþer boþe lorde and sire Line 716 Gamelin cam boldely in to þe mote hall And put adoune his hode a-monge þe lordes all God saue ȝowe lordeinges þat nowe here be Bot brokebakke scherreue yuel most þou þe Line 720 Whi haste þou do me þat schame and velanye [folio 63a] ffor to late endite me and wolues-hede do me crye Tho þouht þe fals knyht for to be awreke And lete take Gameline most he nomore speke Line 724 Miht þere be no grace bot Gamelin att þe last Was cast in to prison and fetterd fast Gameline haþe a broþer þat hiht sir Ote A goode knyht and hende as miht gone on fote Line 728 Anone ȝede a messagier to þat good knyht And tolde hem al togeder howe Gameline was diht . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] He was riht sorie was he noþinge liht Line 732 . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] And to his tweine breþer ful sone he came Sir seide sir Ote to þe Scherref þoo We bene bot þree breþern schal we neuer be mo Line 736 And þou hast prisoned þe best of all Suche a-noþer Iuel mot him befall Sire Ote, seide þe false knyht lat be þi curs Be god for þi wordes he schal fare þe wurs Line 740

Line 740 To þe kinges prison he his ynomme And þere he schal abide vnto þe iustice come Pardie seide sire Ote Better it schall be .I. bidde him to mainprise þat þou graunt to me Line 744 Til þe next siteinge of deliuerance And lat þat Gamelin stonde to his chaunce Broþe in suche a forward .I. take him to þe And be þi faderes soule þat be-ȝate þe and me Line 748 Bot he be redi whan þe Iustice sitte Þou schalt bere þe Iuggement for all þi grete witte .I. graunt wele quod sire ote þat it so be Lat do liuer him a-none and tak him to me Line 752 Tho was Gameline deliuerde to sir Ote his broþer And þat nyht dwelden þe tone wiþ þe toþere On þe morwe seide Gamelin to sir Ote þe hende Broþe he seide .I. mot for soþe fro þe wende Line 756 To loke how my ȝonge men leden here lif Wheþer þei leuen in ioye or elles in strif Be gode seide sir hote þat is a colde rede Now .I. see þat al þe carke schal fal on myne hede Line 760 ffor whan þe Iustice sitte and þou be nouht yfounde .I. schal anone be taken and in þi stede ybounde Broþer seide Gamelin dismaie þe nouht ffor be seint Iame in Galeis þat mony men haþ souht Line 764 If þat god almyhty holde me my lif and witte [folio 63b] .I. wil be þere redy whan þe Iustice sitte Than seide sir Ote til gamelin god schelde þe fro schame Com whan þou seest time and bringe vs oute of blame Line 768 . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] ¶ Gamelin went þo vnder wode rise And fonde þere playinge men of prise Line 772 Tho was ȝonge Gamelin riht glad ynouhe Whanne he fonde his men vnder woode bouhe Gamelin and his men talken in fere And þei had good Game here maister to here Line 776

Line 776 His men tolden him of aventures þat þei had founde And Gamelin hem tolde aȝein howe he was fast bounde Whan Gamelin was outelawe he hadde no cors Ther was no man þat for him ferde þe wors Line 780 Bot Abbotes and priours and monke and chanone On hem left he nouht whan he myht hem nome While Gamelin and his men made merþes rive The fals knyht his broþer yuel most he þriue Line 784 ffor he was fast aboute boþe daie and oþer ffor to hire þe queste for to honge his broþer ¶ Gamelin stode vpon a daie and he be-helde Þe wode and þe schawes in þe wilde felde Line 788 He þouht on his broþer howe him be-hette Þat he wolde be redy whan þe Iustice sette He þouht wele þat he wolde wiþ-oute delaie Com afor þe Iustice to kepen his daye Line 792 And seide to his ȝonge men diht ȝowe ȝare ffor whan þe Iustice sitte we mot be þare ffor .I. am vnder borwe til þat .I. come And my broþer for me to prison schal be nomme Line 796 Be seint Iame seide his ȝonge men and þou reede þerto Ordeigne howe it schal be and it schal be do While Gameline was cominge þer þe Iustice satt The false knyht his broþe for-ȝate he nouȝt þatt Line 800 To hire men on his queste to hangen his broþer Þouhe þei had nouht þe tone he wolde haue þat oþere Tho cam Gamelin fro vnder wode rise And brouht wiþe hem ȝonge men of prise Line 804 I se wele saide Gamelin þe Iustice is sette Go a-forne Adam and loke how it spette Adam went in to þe hall and loke al aboute He sawhe þere stand lordes grete and stoute Line 808 And sir Ote his broþere fetterd ful faste [folio 64a] Tho went Adam oute as he were agaste Adam seide to Gamelin and to his felawes all Sire Ote stant fetterd in þe mote hall Line 812

Line 812 Ȝonge men seide Gamelin þis here ȝe alle Howe sir Ote stant fetterd in þe mote halle If god ȝife vs grace wele for to do He schal it a-bigge þat brouht it þer-to Line 816 Than seide Adam þot lokkes had hore Cristes curs mot he haue þat him bonde so sore And þou wilte Gamelin do after my rede Þare is none in þe hall schal bere awaie his hede Line 820 Adam seide Gamelin we wil nouht do soo We wil sle þe Giltif and late þe oþere goo .I. wil into þe hall and wiþ þe Iustice speke On hem þat ben Giltif .I. wil bene awreke Line 824 Lat none scape att þe dore takeþ ȝonge men ȝeme ffor .I. wil be Iustice þis daie domes to deme God spede me þis daye att my newe werke Adam Com þou wiþ me for þou schal be my clerke Line 828 His men Anseward him and bad him done his best And if þou to vs haue ne le þou schal finde vs preste We wil stand wiþ þe while þat we maie dure And bot we wirken manly paie vs non hire Line 832 Ȝonge men seide Gameline so mote .I. wel þe As trusti a maister schal ȝe finde on me Riht þere þe Iustice satte in þe hall In went Gamelin a-monge hem all Line 836 Gamelin lete vn-fetter his broþer oute of bende Than seide sir Oke his broþer þat was hende Thou haddest al-most gamelin dwelled to longe ffor þe quest is oute for me þat .I. scholde be honge Line 840 Broþer seide Gamelin so god gif me gode rest Þis daie þei schal be hongede þat bene on þi queste And þe Iustice boþe þat is þe Iugge man And þe scherreue boþe þoruh him it be-ganne Line 844 Than seide Gamelin to þe Iustice Nowe is þi power done þou most nedes a-rise Thou hast ȝeue domes þat bene yuel diht .I. wil sitten in þi sette and dressen hem a-riht Line 848

Line 848 The Iustice satt still and rose nouht anone And Gamelin cleue his cheke bone. Gamelin toke him in his armes and no more spak [folio 64b] Bot þroue him ouer þe barre and his arme to-brak Line 852 Dorst none to Gameline seie bot gode ffor ferde of þe compaignie þat wiþ-oute stode Gamelin set him doune in þe Iustice sete And sir Ote his broþer by him and Adam att his fete Line 856 Herke of bourde þat Gamelin dede He þouht for to make hem riht sore adrede ¶ He lete fetter þe Iustice and his false broþer And lete hem come to þe barre þe tone wiþ þe toþer Line 860 Tho Gamelin had þus done he no rest To he had enquered who was on þe quost ffor to demen his broþer sir Ote for to honge Or he wiste whiche þei were he þouht ful longe Line 864 Bot as son as Gamelin wist where þei were He dide hem euery-chon fetter in fere And bringe hem to þe barre and sett hem on rewe Be my faiþe seide Iustice þe scherreue is a schrewe Line 868 Than seide Gamelin to þe Iustice Thou hast ȝeue domes of þe werst assise And þe .xij. sisours þat weren on þe queste Thei schal ben an-hanged þis daie so haue .I. goode reste Than seide þe scherreue to ȝonge Gameline Line 873 Lorde .I. crie þe Mercye broþe art þou myne Ther-fore seide Gamelin haue þou goddes curs ffor and þou were Meister ȝit .I. scholde haue wors Line 876 ffor to make schort tale and nouht to longe He ordeyned him a queste of his men so stronge The Iustice and þe scherreve boþ hongede hihe To veyven wiþe þe ropes . and wiþ þe wynde drye Line 880 And þe .xij. sisours sorwe haue þei þat rekke All þei were hanged fast be þe nekke Thus endeþ þe false knyht wiþ his trecherie That euer hade ladde his lif in falsnes and in folye Line 884

Line 884 He was hongede be þe nekke. and nouht be þe purce Þat was þe mede þat he had for his fader curs Sire Ote was eldest and Gamelin was ȝinge Wente wiþ here frendes and pesed wiþ þe kinge Line 888 Thei made pes wiþ þe kinge of þe best sise The kinge louede wele sir Ote and maade him Iustice And after þe kinge maade Gamelin boþe in est and weste Chief Iustice of his fre forest. Line 892 All his whight ȝonge men þe kinke for-ȝaue here gelte [folio 65a] And siþen in good Office he haþe hem al pelte Thus wan Gamelin his londe and his lede And wrake him of his enemys and quyte hem here mede And sir Ote his Broþer maade him hi[s] heire Line 897 And seþþe wede Gameline a wif a goode and a feire Thei leueden to-geder while þat crist wolde An syþen was Gamelin Grauen vnder molde Line 900 And so schal we al maie þere none fle God bringe vs to þat Ioye þa euer schal be AmeN. [[No gap in the MS.]]

Explicit fabula Coci.