The Petworth ms. of Chaucer's Canterbury tales. Ed. by Frederick J. Furnivall.

GROUP A. FRAGMENT I.

§ 1. GENERAL PROLOGUE.

PETWORTH MS.

WHan that Aprille with his shoures soote [folio 1a] The drought of marche hath perced to þe roote And bathes euery veyne in swich licoure Of which vertue engendrid is þe floure Line 4 Whan zephirus ek with his swete breth Inspired hath in euery holt and heth The tendre croppis and þe yonge sonne Hath in the ram his halfe cours yronne Line 8 And smale foules make melodye That slepen al nyght with open eyghe So prikeþ hem nature in here corages Than longen folk to gon on pilgrymages Line 12 And palmers for to seke straunge strondes To ferne halowes couthe in sondry londes And specially fram euery shires ende Of engelond to Caunterbury they wende Line 16 The holy blisseful martir for to seke That hem hath holpen when that þey were seke Byfille þat in that seson on aday In southwerk atte Tabbard as I lay Line 20 Redy to wende on my pilgrymage To Cantirbury with ful devout corage At nyht was come in to þat hostellerye Wel nyne and twenty on a companye Line 24 Of sondry folk by auenture yfalle In felaschipe and pilgrymes were þey alle That toward Cantirbery wolde ryde

The Chambres and stables weren wyde Line 28 And wel weren esed atte beste And schortly whan the sonne was to reste So hadde I spoken with hem euerychon That I was of here felaschipe anon Line 32 And made forward erly for to ryse To take oure wey there as I you deuyse But natheles whil I haue tyme and space Or þat I ferther in this tale pace Line 36 Me thynkeþ it accordant to reson To telle yow al the Condicion Of ech of hem so as it semed me [folio 1b] And whiche they were. and of what degre Line 40 And eke in what array þat they were Inne And at a knyght þan I wol first bigynne

Aknyght þer was and þat a worthy man That fro þe tyme þat he ferst bigan Line 44 To riden out. he louede Chyualrye Trouthe and honour fredom and curtesye fful worthy was he in his lordis werre And therto hadde he ryden no man ferre Line 48 As wel in Cristendom as in hethenesse And euere honoured for his worthynesse ¶ At Alisaundre he was whan it [was] wonne fful ofte tyme he hadde the bord bigonne Line 52 Aboven alle naciouns in Pruce In lettowe had he reysed and in Ruce No cristene man so ofte of his degre In Gernade at the sege ek hadde he be Line 56 Of Algezire and riden in belmarye At Lyeis was he and at Satalye When they were wonne and in the grete see At many a noble armeye had he be Line 60 At mortel batailles had he ben fyftene And fouhten for oure faith at tramessene In lystes thryes. and ay slayne his foo

This ilke worthy knyght had ben also Line 64 Somtyme with the lord of Palatye Ayeyn an othir hethen in Turkye And euere more he hadde a souereyne pry And though þat he was worthy he was wys Line 68 And of his port as meke as is a mayde He neuer yet no velonye ne sayde In al his lyf vnto no manere wight He was a verrey parfit gentil knyght Line 72 ffor to tellen yow of his array His hors weren gode. but he was not gay Of fustyon he werede a gepon Al bismotered with his habirgeon Line 76 ffor he was late ycome from his viage [folio 2a] And wente for to don his pilgrymage

With hym þer was his sone a yong squyere A louyere and a lusty bachelere Line 80 With lockes crulle as they were leyd in presse Of twenty yere of age he was I gesse Of his stature he was of euene lengtne And wondirly delyuere and gret of strengthe Line 84 And he hadde be somtyme in chyuachye In fflaundres in Artoys and in Pikardye And born him wel as of so litil space In hope to stonde in his lady grace Line 88 Embroyded was he as it were a mede All ful of fresshe floures white and rede Syngynge he was. or floytynge al the day He was also fressh as ys þe moneth of may Line 92 Short was his gowne with sleves longe and wyde Wel koude he sitte on an hors and faire ryde He koude songes make. and wel endite Iuste and eke daunce and wel portrey and write. Line 96 So hote he louede. that by nygter tale He slepte namore than doth a nyghtyngale Corteys he was lowely and servisable

And karf biforn his fadir at the table Line 100 ANothir yeman hadde he and seruantes na mo At that tyme. for hym lyst ryde so And he was clad in coote and hood of grene A sheef of pocok arewes bryght and kene Line 104 Vndir his belt he bar full thriftily Wel couthe he dresse his takel yemanly Hise arewes drouped noght with feþeres lowe And in his hond he bar a myghty bowe Line 108 A not hed hadde he with a broun visage Of wode craft wel couthe he al the vsage Vppon his arme he bar a gay bracer And by his side a swerd and a bokeler Line 112 And on that oþir syde a gay daggere Harneysed wel and sharp as poynt of spere A Cristoffre on his brest of seluer shene [folio 2b] An horn he bar the bawdrik was of grene Line 116 A foster was he sotly as I gesse

Ther was a nonne also a prioresse That of hir smylynge was ful symple and coy Hire grettest ooth was but by sey[n]te loy Line 120 And she was clepid ma dame Englentyne fful wel she song the seruyse divyne Entuned in hire nose ful semyly And frenshe she spak ful faire and fetysly Line 124 Aftir the skole of Stratford atte bowe ffor frensch of Parys was to hire vnknowe At mete wel I-taught was sche with alle She leet no morsel from hir lippes falle Line 128 Ne wete hire fyngres in hire sause depe Wel couthe she carye a morsel and wel kepe That no drope ne fille vppon hire breste In curtesye was set ful mochel hire leste Line 132 Hire ouer lippe wiped she so clene That in hir cuppe ther was no ferthing sene Of grece whan she dronken hadde hire draughte

fful semyly aftir hir mete she raughte Line 136 And sikerly sche was of gret disporte And ful plesaunt and amable of porte And peynede hire to counterfete chere Of court. and to ben estatliche of manere Line 140 And to be holden digne of reuerence But for to speken of hir Conciense She was so charitable and so pitous She wolde wepe yif that she sauh a mous Line 144 Kaugh[t] in a trappe yif it were ded or bledde Of smale houndes had she that she fedde With rostid flessh or mylk or wastelbrede But sore wepte she yf oon of hem were dede Line 148 Or yf men smoot yt with a yerde smerte And al was conscience and tendre herte fful semeliche hire wympil pynchid was Hir nose was streight. hire eighen grey as glas Line 152 Hire mouth ful smal and therto softe and rede [folio 3a] But sekerly she hadde a fair forhede It was almost a spanne brood I trowe ffor hardely she was nouht vndirgrowe Line 156 fful fetys was hir cloke as I was waar Of smal coral aboute hir arme she baar A paire of bedys gaudid al with grene And ther on hyng a broche of gold ful shene Line 160 On which þer was first writen a crowned A And aftir amor vincit omnia An othir Nonne with hire hadde she That was hire chapeleyn. and prestes thre Line 164

Amonk þer was a fair for the maistrye An out ridere that loued venerye A manly man to ben an Abbot able fful many a deynte hors hadde he in stable Line 168 And whanne he rood . men myhte his brydill here Gynglynge in a whistelynge wynd as clere And eke as loude as dooth þe chapel belle

Ther as this lord was keper of the selle Line 172 The reule of seynt Maure or of seint Benet Bi cause þat yt was olde and somdel streit This ylke monke leet olde þynges pace And heeld aftir the newe world the space Line 176 He yaf nouht of the text a pulled hen That seith that hunters be nouht holy men Ne that a monke whan he is recheles Is likened tille a fisshe þat is watirles Line 180 This is to seye a monke out of his cloistre But thilke text held he nouht worth an oystre And I seyde his opynion was good What shulde he studie. and make hymself wood Line 184 Vpon a book alwey in cloistre to poure Or swynke with his hondis and laboure As Austyn bit. hou shal the world be serued Lat Austyn haue his swynk to him reserued Line 188 Therfore he was a pricasour aright Grehoundes he hadde / as swift as foule in flight Of prikynge and of huntynge for the hare [folio 3b] Was al his lust for no cost wole he spare Line 192 I seigh hise sleves I-purfiled at the hond With grys and that the fynest of a lond And for to festne his hood vndir the Chynne He hadde of gold wrought a ful curious pynne Line 196 A loue knotte in the gretter ende þer was His hed was ballyd that shon as ony glas And eke his face. as he hadde ben anoynt He was a lord ful fat and in good poynt Line 200 Hise eighen stepe and rollynge in his hede That stemede as a fourneys of a lede Hise botes souple his hors in grete estate Now certeynly he was a fair prelate Line 204 He nas nat pale as a forpyned goost A fat swan louede he best of any roost His palfray was [as] broun as ys a berye

A ffrere ther was a wa[n]toune and [a] merye Line 208 A lymytour a ful solempne man In alle the ordres foure is noon that can So mochel of daliance and fair langage He hadde made ful many a Mariage Line 212 Of yonge wommen at his owne cost Vn to his ordre he was a noble post fful wel biloued and famulier was he With frankeleynes oueral in his contre Line 216 And with worthy wommen of the toun ffor he hadde power of confessioun As seide hym self more than a Curat ffor [of] his ordre he was lycenciat Line 220 fful swetely herede he confession And plesaunt was his absolucion He was an esy man to yeue penance Ther as he wiste to han a good pitance Line 224 ffor wnto a pore ordre for to yeue Is signe that a man ys wel yshreve ffor yf he yaf he dorste make avaunt He wiste þat a man was repentaunt Line 228 ffor many a man is so hard of his herte [folio 4a] He may noght wepe al þouh him sore smerte Ther fore in stede of wepynge and preieres Men mote yeue seluer / to the pore freres Line 232 His tipet was ay fassed ful of knyfes And pynnes for to yeue faire wyfes And certeynly he hadde a mery note Wel coude he syngen and playen on a roote Line 236 Of yeddynges he bar vttirly the pryce His necke white was as the flour delyce Therto he was strong as a champioun He knew the tauernes wel in every toun Line 240 And eueriche Osteller and tapestere Bet than a lazer or a beggere ffor vnto swich a worthy man as he

Acordith nouht as by his faculte Line 244 To haue with swich seke lazers aqueyntance It is nouht honest / it may nouht avance ffor to delen with swich poraille But al with riche and sillers of vitaille Line 248 And oueral ther as profite sholde aryse Curtays he was and lowely of seruyse Ther nas no man nowher so vertuous He was the beste beggere in his hous Line 252 . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] ffor þouh a widewe hadde nouht a sho So plesaunt was his Inprincipio Yet wolde he haue a ferthyng or he wente His purchace was wel bettere þan his rente Line 256 And rage he couthe as it were riht a whelpe In louedaies ther coude he mochil helpe ffor ther he was not liche a cloistrere With a thredbare cope as a pore scolere Line 260 But he was lyke a maistir or a pope Of double worstede was his semy cope That rounded as a belle out of the presse Somwhat he lipsede for his wantonesse Line 264 To make his englyssh swete vppon his tonge And in his harpynge whan þat he had songe Hise eyghen twynclede in his hede aright [folio 4b] As doon the sterres in a frosty nyht Line 268 This worthy lymytour was clepid hubert

A Marchant was ther with a longe berd In motle and heyh on horse he satte Vppon his heued a flaundrisshe beuer hatte Line 272 Hise botis clapsid faire and fetisly His resouns he spak ful solempnely Shewynge alwey the encres of his wynnynge He wolde the see were kept for any thynge Line 276 Bitwixe Middelburgh and Orewelle

Wel coude he in eschange sheldes selle This worthy man ful wel his witte bisette Ther wiste no wight that he was in dette Line 280 So estatly was he of his gouernance With his bargaynes and with his cheuyssance fforsothe he was a worthy man with alle But sothely to seyne I not how men hym calle Line 284

A Clerk þer was of Oxenforde also That vnto logyk hadde longe I-go As lene was his hors as ys a rake And he was not right fat I wndirtake Line 288 But lokede holewh and þerto soburly fful thredbare was his ouerest Courtepy ffor he hadde yit geten him no benefice Ne was so wordly [for] to haue office Line 292 ffor hym was leuere haue at his bed hede Twenty bokes clad in blak or rede Of Aristotle and his philosophie Then robes riche or fithel or gay sautrye Line 296 But al be that he was a philosofre Yet hadde he but litel gold in cofre But al that he myhte of his frendes hente On bokes and on lernynge he it spente Line 300 And besily gan for tho soules preye Of hem that yaf hym wharwith to skole-aye Of studie took he moost cure and most hede Naught a word spak he / more than was nede / Line 304 And that was seid in forme and reuerence [folio 5a] And short and quyk and ful [of] hey sentence Sownynge in moral vertue was his speche And gladly wolde he lerne and gladly teche Line 308

A sergant of the lawe / war and wys That often hadde ben atte parvys That was also ful riche of excellence Discret he was and of gret reuerence Line 312 He semed swich hise wordis wern so wise

Iustice he was ful often in assise By patent and by pleyn commyssioun ffor his science. and for his high renoun Line 316 Of fees and robes hadde he many on So gret a purchassour was nowher non Al was fee symple to him in effecte His purchassynge myht nouht ben infecte Line 320 Nowher so besy a man as he ther nas And yet he semed bisiere than he was In termes hadde he caas and domes alle That from the tyme of kyng william were falle Line 324 Therto he cowde endite and make a thyng Ther couthe no wight pynche at his writyng And euery statute couthe he pleyne by roote He rood but homely in a medle coote Line 328 Gert with a sent of selk wiþ barres smale Of his array telle I no lenger tale

Affrankeleyn was in his compaignye Whit was his berd as is the daieseye Line 332 Of his complexioun he was sangwyne Wel louede he by the morewe a soppe in wyne To lyuen in delite euere was his wone ffor he was Epiournes owne sone Line 336 That helde opynyon þat pleyn delite Was verrey felicite parfite An houshaldere and that a greet was he Seint Iulyan he was in his contre Line 340 His bred his ale was alleweys aftir oon A bettir envyned man / was nowher noon / With oute bakemete was neuere his hous [folio 5b] Of fissche and fleisshe and þat so plentevous Line 344 It snewede in his hous of mete and drynke Of alle deyntethes that men couthe thinke Aftir the sondry sesons of the yere So changed he his mete and his sopere Line 348 fful many a fat partrich hadde he in Mewe

And many a breme and many a luce in stewe Wo was his cook but [if] his sauce were Poynant and sharpe and redy al his gere Line 352 His table dormant in his halle al way Stood redy couered al the longe day At sessions ther was he lord and sire fful often tyme he was knyght of the shire Line 356 An anelas and a gypsere al of silke Heng at his girdel white as morne mylke A sherreff had he ben / and a comptour Was nowher swich a worthy vauasour Line 360

AN habirdasshere and a Carpenter A Webbe. a Diere and a Tapecere And they were clothid alle in oo lyuere Of a solempne and a greet fraternyte Line 364 fful fressh and newe here gere apiked was Here knyfes nere chap[ed] nouht with bras But al with syluer wrought ful clene and wel Here gerdelles and her pouches euery del Line 368 Wel semed ech of hem a fair burgeys To sitten in a yeldhalle on a deys Eueriche for the wisdom that he can Was shaply for to bene an Aldirman Line 372 For catell hadde they I-nouh and Rente And eke her wifes wolde it wel assente And elles certeyn[ly] they were to blame It is ful fair to be clepid Madame Line 376 And gon to vigilies al be fore And haue a mantel rialliche I-bore

A Cook they hadde / with hem for the nones To boille the chikenes with þe maribones Line 380 And poudre Marchant tart of Gallyngale [folio 6a] Wel kowde he knowe a drauht of london ale He Couthe roste and sethe and broyle and ffrye Maken Mortrews and wel bake a pye Line 384 But gret ha[r]m was it / as it thouhte me

That on his shene a mormal hadde he For blank manger that made he with the beste

A Shipman was ther / wonyng fer bi weste Line 388 For ouht I woot he was of Dertemouthe He rood vppon a Rouncy as he couthe In a gowne of ffaldyng to the kne A daggar hangynge in a lace hadde he Line 392 Aboute his necke vndir his arme doun The hote somer hadde made his hiew al broun And Certeynly he was a good felawe fful many a drauht of wyn hadde he drawe Line 396 ffrom burdeux ward while the chapmen slepe Of nyce conscience took he no kepe Yif that he fauht / and hadde the heihere hond By watir he sente hem home to euery lond Line 400 But of his craft / to rikene wel his tydes His stremes and his daunger him bisydes His herberuh. his moone and his lodmanage Ther nos noon such from hulle to Cartage Line 404 Hardy he was / and wys to vndirtake With many a tempest had his berd be shake He knew alle the hauenes as they were ffro gutlond to the cape de fynystere Line 408 And euery cryke in bretaygne and in Spayne His barge y-clepid was the maudeleyne

With us ther was a doctour of ffisik In al this world ne was ther none hym lik Line 412 To speke of fisike and of surgerye ffor he was grounded in astronomye He kepte his pacient a ful greet del In houres by his magik naturel Line 416 Wel couthe he fortune the assendent Of his ymages for his pacient He knew the cause of euery maladye [folio 6b] Were it of hoot or cold or moyst or drye Line 420 And wher engendred and [of] what humour

He was a verrey parfit practisour The cause I-knowe and of his harm the roote Anoon he yaf the sike man his boote Line 424 fful redy hadde he hise apotecaries To sende hem drugges / and his letuaries ffor ech of hem made othir for to wynne Her frendshipe nas nat newe to bigynne Line 428 Wel knew he the olde Escalapius And diascoride and ek Rufus Old ypocras Hayly and Galien Serapion Rasis and Auysen Line 432 Aueroys Damascien and constantyne Bernard and Gatisden and Gilbertyne Of his diete mesurable was he ffor it was of no superfluyte Line 436 Bot of gret norshinge and digestable His studie was but litel on the bible In sangweyn and in perce he clad was al Lyned with Taffata and with sendal Line 440 And yet he was but esy of dispense He kepte that he wan in pestilence ffor gold in Phisik is a cordeal Therfore he louede gold in special Line 444

A Good wiff ther was of besides bathe But she was somdel def and þat was scathe Of cloth makynge sche hadde such an haunt She passid hem of ypres and of Gaunt Line 448 In alle the parisch wif ne was ther noon That to the offrynge toforn hir shulde goon And yf ther dide / certeyn wroth was she That she was out of al[le] charite Line 452 Hir couerchefes ful fyne were of ground I durste swere they weyeden ten pound That on a Sonday weren vpon hire hede Hir hosen weren of fyne scarlet rede Line 456 fful streight I-teied / and shoes ful moist and newe [folio 7a]

Bold was hir face and faire / and red of hiewe She was a worthi womman al hir lyue Housbondes atte chirche dore she hadde fyue Line 460 With outen othir companie in youthe But ther of nedith nouht to speke as nouthe And thries hadde she bene at Ierusalem She had[de] passed many a strange strem Line 464 At Rome sche had ben / and at boloyne In Galice at saint Iame and at Coloigne She koude moche on wandrynge bi the weye Gat tothid was she sothely for to seie Line 468 Vp on an Amblere esily she satte I-wympled wel and on hir heed an hatte As brood as is a bokellere or a targe A fot mantel abouten hire hipes large Line 472 And on hire feet a paire of spores sharpe In felaschipe wel couthe sche lawhe and carpe Of remedies of loue she kneuh parchaunce ffor she couthe of that art the daunce Line 476

A Good man was there of religioun And was a pore persoun of a toun But riche he was of holy thouht and werk He was also a lerned man and a clerk Line 480 That Cristes gospel treuly wolde preche His parisschens deuoutly wolde he teche Benyngne he was and wondir diligent And in aduersite / ful pacient Line 484 And swich he was [i]preued ofte sithes fful looth were him to cursen for his tythes But rather wolde he yeuen out of doute Vnto his poure parisshens aboute Line 488 Of his offrynge and of his substance He couthe in litil thing han suffisance Wide was hise parisshe and houses fer asondir But he ne lafte nouthir for rayne ne for thundir Line 492 In sikenesse nor in meschief to visite

The ferrest in his parisch myche and lite Vp on his fete / and in his hond a staff [folio 7b] This noble ensample to his shepe he yaf Line 496 That ferst he wroughte. and aftirward þat he tauhte Out of the gospel he þo wordes cauhte And this figure he addede ek therto That yf gold ruste / what shal Iren do Line 500 For if a prest be foul on whom we triste No wondir is a lewed man to ruste And shame it is yf a prest take kepe A shiten sheperde and a clene shepe Line 504 Wel ouhte a preest ensample for to yeue By his clennesse hou that his sheepe shulde lyue He set nauht his benefice to hire And leet his sheep acombred in the myre Line 508 And ran to london vn to seint Poules To seke hym a chanterye for soules Or with a bretherhede to bene with holde But duelte at home / and kepte wel his folde Line 512 So that the wolf ne made it not myscarye He was a shepperde and not a mercenarie And thouh he holy were and vertuous He was nouht to synful men dispitous Line 516 Ne on his speche daungerous ne digne But in his techynge discret and benygne To drawen folk to heuene by fairnesse By good ensample / this was his bisynesse Line 520 But it were eny person obstynate What so he were of heigh or lowh estate Hym wolde he snebbe sharply for the nones A bettre prest I trowe þat nowher noon es Line 524 He waitede aftir no pompe and reuerence Ne maked hym a spiced conscience But cristes lore / and hise apostles tuelue He tauhte / but ferst he folewed in hymselue Line 528 With hym ther was a plouhman / was his broþir

That hadde I-lad of dong ful many a fothir And a trewe swynkere and a good was he Lyvynge in pees / and parfit charite Line 532 God loued he best with al his hole herte [folio 8a] At alle tymes thouh he gamed or smerte And than his neighbure riht as hymselue He wolde thresshe and therto dike and delue Line 536 For cristes sake / for euery pouere wight With oute hire / yif hit lay in his myght Hise tythis payed he ful faire and wel Bothen of his propre swynke and his catel Line 540 In a tabbard he rood vp on a mere Ther was also a Reve and a Mellere A somenour and a Pardoner also A Maunciple and my self ther nar na mo Line 544

The mellere was a strong carle for the nones fful bigge he was / of brawne and ek of bones That proued wel / for oueral thare he cam Atte wrastelynge / he wolde haue a-wey the ram Line 548 He was short shuldred a thicke knarre Ther was no dore that he ne wolde heue of barre Or breke it at a rennynge with his heed His berd as any sowe or fox was reed Line 552 And therto brood as þouh it were a spade Vp on the cop right of his nose he hade A werte and þeron stood a tuft of heres Rede as the brysteles of a sowes eres Line 556 His nose þrilles blake were and wyde A swerd and a bokelere bar he be his side His mouthe as greet was as a greet fourneys He was a iangelere and a goliardeys Line 560 And that was moost of synne and of harlotryes Wel couthe he stele corn / and tolle thryes And yit he hadde a thombe of gold parde A white cote and a blewe hood wered he Line 564 A bagge-pipe wel couthe he blowe and sowne

And þerwith al he brouht us out of towne

A Gentil manciple was þer o[f] a temple Of which a catour myghte take ensample Line 568 ffor to ben wise in biynge of vitaille ffor wheþir þat he payed / or toke by taille Algate he waitede so in his achate [folio 8b] That he was ay beforn and in good estate Line 572 Now is not þat of god a ful fair grace That such a lewed mannes wit shal pace The wysdom of an hepe of lerned men Of maystres hadde he mo þan thries ten Line 576 That were of lawe expert an Curious Of wich ther was a doseyn in that hous Worthy to bene stywardes of Rente and lond Of any lord that is in Ingelond Line 580 To make hym lyue by his propre good In honour detteles but if that he were wood Or lyue als skarsly as hym lyst desire And able for to helpen al a shire Line 584 In any cas that myhte falle or happe And yit this Maunciple sette ther althir cappe

The Reue was a sclendre colerik man His berd was shaue / as nyhe as euer he can Line 588 His heer was by hise eres ful rounde yshorne His toppe was docked like a prest byforne fful longe were his legges and ful lene I-like a staf / ther was no calf ysene Line 592 Wel couthe he kepe a Garner or a bynne Ther was none auditour couthe on hym wynne Wel wiste he / by the drought and by the reyne The yeldynge of his seed / and of his greyne Line 596 Hise lordes sheepe / hise neete / hise dayerie His swyne / his hors / his stoor / and his pultrye Was hoolly in this reues gouernynge And by his covenant / yaf the rekenynge Line 600 Syn that his lord was twenty yeer of age

Ther couthe no man brynge hym in a-rerage Ther nas baylyf ne herde nor othir hyne That he ne knew his sleighte and his covyne Line 604 They were a-drad of hym / as of the deth His wonynge was ful faire vpon an heth With grene trees / shadewed was his place He couthe bettre than his lord purchace Line 608 fful riche he was astored pryuely [folio 9a] His lorde he couþe wel plese and sub[t]ily To ȝeue and lene him of his owne goode To haue a þonke and yit a cote and hode Line 612 In ȝouþe he had lered a good mistere He was a wel good wriȝt a Carpentere This Reue satte vpon a wel good stot That was al pomel grey and highte scot Line 616 A longe Surcote of Peers vppon he hadde And by his side he bare a rusty blade Of Northfolk was þis Reue of which I telle Besides a toune men clepen it Baldewelle Line 620 Tukked he was as is a frere aboute And euere he rode þe hynderest of our route

A Somnour was ther wiþ vs in that place That had a fury cherubynes face Line 624 ffor Sauseflewme he was wiþ eyen narowe Als hote he was and leccherous as a sparowe With scalled browes. blak and pilled beerde Of his visage children weren a-ferde Line 628 Ther nas quyk siluer litarge or bremston Boras orsure no oyle of tartre nōōn Ne oynement þat wold[e] clense and byte That him myght helpe of his whelkes white Line 632 Ne of [the] knobbes sitting in his chekes Wel loued he garlike. oynyons and eke lekes And for to drink strong wyne rede as blode Than wolde he speke and cry as he were wode Line 636 And whan [that] he wel dronken had þe wyne

Than wolde he speke no worde but latyne A fewe teermes had he two or thre That he had lerned out of som decree Line 640 No wonder is he herd to al þe day And eke ȝe knowen it wel how þat a Iay Can clepe watt as wel as can þe pope But who so couþe in oþer þing hym grope Line 644 Than had he spent al his Philosophie [folio 9b] Ay questio quid iuris wold he crye He was a gentile harlot and a kinde A better felawe shul[de] men not fynde Line 648 He wolde suffre for a quarte of wyne A good felawe to haue his concubyne A twelue month and excuse him ate fulle fful priuely eke a ffynche couþe he pulle Line 652 And if he fonde owhere a good felawe He wolde techen hym to han noon awe In such caas of þe archedekens curs But if [a] mannys soule were in his purs Line 656 ffor in his purs he shuld[e] punshed be Purs is þe erchedekenes Helle seide he But wel I wote he lyed riȝt in dede Of cursing ouȝt eche gilty man to drede Line 660 ffor curs wil slee riȝt as assoyling saueth And also war hym of a significauith In daunger had he at his owne gyse The yonge Geerles of þe diocise Line 664 And knewe her counsaile and what was al her rede A Gallonde had he sette vpon his hede As grete as it were for an ale stake A Bokelere had he made hym of a Cake Line 668

With hym þer rode a gentile Pardoner Of rouncyuale his frende and his comper That streght was commen from þe courte of Rome fful lowde songe he come hider loue come Line 672 This somnour bare to hym a stif burdon

Was neuere trumpe of half so gret a soun This Pardoner had heer as ȝelowe as wexe But smoth it henge. as doþ a strike of flexe Line 676 By ounces henge his lockes þat he had And þerwiþ he his shulders ouersprad But thyn it lay by culpons oon and on But hode for Iolite wered he noon Line 680 ffor it was trussed vp in his walette [folio 10a] Hym þouȝt he rode al of þe newe gette Discheuele sauf his cap he rode al bare Suche glaryng eyen had he as an hare Line 684 A vernycle had he sewed vpon his cappe His walet [lay] biforn him in his lappe Bret ful of pardon commen from Rome al hote A voyce he had as smal as a[ny] goote Line 688 No beerde ne had he. ne neuere shuld haue As smoth it was as it were late shaue I trowe he were a gelding or a mare But of his craft from Barwik into ware Line 692 Ne was þer suche a noþer pardonere ffor in his male he had a pilowbere Which þat he seide was oure lady vaile He seide he had a gobet of þe saile Line 696 That seynt Peter had whan þat he went Vpon þe see to Ihesu crist hym hent He had a croys of laton ful of stones And in a glas he had[de] pigges bones Line 700 But wiþ þise relikes whan þat he fonde A poor[e] person dwellyng vpon londe Vpon a day he gate hym more moneye Þan þe the persone gate in Monþes tweye Line 704 And þus wiþ feyned flateryng and Iapes He made þe Person and þe puple his apes But trew[e]ly to tellen at þe laste He was in chirche a noble ecclesiaste Line 708 Wel couþe he rede a lesson or a storye

But alþerbest he song an offertorie ffor wel he wist whan þat songe was songe He moste preche and wel afile his tonge Line 712 To wynne siluer as he [right] wel cowde Therfore he songe so merily and lowde

Now have I tolld ȝou soþly in a clause The astaat. þe aray. þe nombre and eke þe cause Line 716 Why þat assembled was þis companye [folio 10b] In Suthwerk at þis gentil hostrye That hight þe Tabard faste by þe belle But nowe is tyme to ȝou forto telle Line 720 Howe þat we beren vs þat ilke nyght Whan [we] were in þat Hostrie a-light And after wil I tellen of our viage And al þe remenaunt of our Pilgrymage Line 724 But furst I prey ȝou of ȝoure curtesie That ȝe ne rette it not my vilanye þoo þat I pleynly speke in þis matere To telle ȝou her wordes and her chere Line 728 Ne þouȝe he speke her wordes proprely ffor þis ȝe knowen as wel as I Who so shal telle a tale after a man He mote reherce as nyghe as euer he can Line 732 Eueriche word if it be in his charge Al speke he neuere so rudely and large Or ellis he mote telle his tale vntrewe Or feyne þinggis or fynde wordes newe Line 736 He may not spare al þough he were his broþer He mot also wel say. oo word as another Crist spak him self ful brode in holy writte And wel ȝe wote no vilanye is itte Line 740 Eke Plato seiþ who so can hym rede The wordes mote be cosyn to þe dede Also I prey ȝou [to] forȝeue it me Al haue I not sette folk in her degre Line 744 Here in þis tale as þat thei shulde stonde

My witte is short ȝe may wel vnderstonde

Grete chere made oure hooste vs euerechon And to þe soper sette he vs anon Line 748 He serued vs with vitailles at þe best Stronge was þe wyne and wel [to] drink vs lest A semely man our hooste was wiþ all ffor to [han] bene a marshal in an hall Line 752 A large man he was with yen stepe [folio 11a] A fairer Burges is [ther] none in chepe Bold of his speche. and wise and wel ytauȝt And of manhode hym lacked[e] right naught Line 756 Eke þerto he was right a mery man And after sopere pleyen he bygan And spak of myrth amonge oþer þinges Whan that we had[de] made our rekenyngges Line 760 And seide þus. now lordingges trewly Ȝe bene to me welcome riȝt hertely ffor be my trouþe if þat I shal not lye I seegh not þis ȝere so mery a companye Line 764 At ones in þis harborowe as is nowe ffayne wold I do ȝou merthe wist I howe And of a merþe I am right now by-þought To don ȝou ease and it shal coste nouȝt Line 768

Ȝe gone to canterbery god ȝou spede þe blisful martir. quite ȝou ȝour mede And wel I wote. as ȝe goon by þe way Ȝe shapen ȝou to talen and to pley Line 772 ffor trewly conforte ne myrthe is nōn To riden by þe wey dombe as a stone And þerfor wil I. make ȝou disporte As I seide erste and don ȝou som conforte Line 776 And if ȝou likeþ alle by oon assente [Now] fforto stonden at my Iuggemente And forto worchen as I shal ȝou seie To morowe whan ȝe riden by þe weie Line 780 Now be my faders soule þat is dede

But ȝe be mery. I wil ȝeue ȝou my hede Holde vp ȝoure hondes wiþ out more speche Our counsaile was not longe for to seche Line 784 Vs þouȝt it was not / worþe to make to wis And graunted hym wiþ oute more avis And bad him seie his veredit as him lest Lordingges quod he nowe herkeneþ for þe best Line 788 But take it not I prei ȝou in disdeyne [folio 11b] This is þe point to speke short and pleyne That eche of ȝou to shorte wiþ our waye In þis viage shal telle tailles twaye Line 792 To Caunterbery ward I mene it so And homwardes he shal telle oþere twoo Of auentures þat han whilom bifalle And which of ȝou þat bereþ hym best of alle Line 796 þat is to sey þat telleþ in þis cas Tales of best sentence and most solas shal haue a sopere at our alder cost Her in þis place sitting by þis post Line 800 Whan þat we commen ageyn from Canterburye And forto make ȝou þe more merye I wil my seluen goodly wiþ ȝou ride Right at myne owne cost and be ȝour gide Line 804 And who so wil my Iugement wiþseye Shal pay al þat we spenden by þe weye And if ȝe vouche sauf þat it be so Telle me anoon wiþ outen wordes moo Line 808 And I will erly shape me þerfore þis þinge was graunted and our oþes swore Wiþ ful glad hert and preien hym also þat he wolde vouchesauf so to do Line 812 And þat he wolde be our gouernour And of our tales Iugge and roportour And sette a sopere at a certeyn price And we wold rewled bene at his deuice Line 816 In heghe and lough and þus by on assent

We bene accorded to þe Iuggement And þer vpon þe wyne was fette anon We dronken and to reste wente echon Line 820 Wiþ oute eny lenger tariynge On morowe whan þe day [bi]gan to sprynge Vp roos oure hooste and was oure alder Cok And gadered vs to gidere in a flok. Line 824 And forþ we riden a litel more þan paas [folio 12a] Vnto þe watering of Seynt Thomas And þer our hooste gan his hors areste And seide lordes harkeneþ if yow leste Line 828 Ȝe wote ȝoure forward and I it ȝou record If euensonge and morowsonge accord Lat see nowe who. shal telle þe first tale As euer mote I drinke wyne or ale Line 832 Who so be rebell to my Iuggement Shal paye for al þat by þe way is spent Now draweþ Cut er þat we ferþer twynne Which þat haþ þe shortest shal bygynne Line 836 ¶ Sir knyght quod he my maister and my lorde Now droweþ Cutte for þat is myn accorde Commeth nere quod he my lady prioresse And ȝe sir Clerk lat be ȝoure shamfastnesse Line 840 Ne stodieth nouȝt lay honde to euery man Anon to drawe every wight bygan And shortely forto tellen as it was Were it be auenture or sort or cas Line 844 The soþe is þis þe Cut fille to þe knyȝt Of which full glad and bliþe was euery wiȝt And tellen he most his tale as it was reson By forward and by compo[si]cion Line 848 As ȝe han herde what needet wordes moo And whan þis good man seegh þat it was soo As he þat wise was and obedient To kepen his forward by his fre assent Line 852 He seide siþen I shal bygynne þe game

What welcome be þe Cutte a goddis name Now lat vs ride and harkeneþ what I saye And wiþ þat word we riden forþ our waye Line 856 And [he] byganne wiþ riȝt a mery chere His tale anon and seide as ȝe may here

¶ Iam que domos patrias scithice post aspera gentis: Prelia laurigero &c. Thus endeþ þe Prologe of þis Boke.

¶ ffabula militis. Here bygynneþ the knyghtes tale.

Whilom was / as olde stories tellen vs [folio 12b] A worþi duk hight theseus Line 860 Of Athenes he was lord and gouernour And in his tyme suche a Conquerour That gretter was [ther] noon vnder þe sunne fful many a riche contre had he wonne Line 864 What wiþ his wisdom and his chyualrye He conquered al þe regne of femynye That whilom was ycleped Sithia And wedded[e] þe quene ypolita Line 868 And brouȝt her home wiþ hym to his cuntre Whith moch glorie and gret solempnite And eke her ȝenge suster Emelie And þus with victorie and with melodye Line 872 Lat I þis noble Duke to Athenes ride And al his hooste in armes hym beside And certes if it nere to longe to here I wold haue tolde fully þe manere Line 876 Howe wonnen was þe Reaume of ffemyny By Theseus and by his Chiualrye And of þe grete bataille for þe nones Bytwyxen Athenes and amazones Line 880 Ánd howe asseged was ypolita The faire ladye qune of Scithia And of þe feest þat was at her weddinge And of þe tempest at her home commynge Line 884 But al þat þing I mot as nowe forbere I haue god wote a large feelde to ere And weike bene þe oxen in my plough The remenaunte of þe tale is long ynogh Line 888 I wil not letten eke noon of þis route

Lat euery felawe telle his tale aboute And lat se nowe who shal þe soper wynne And þer I lafte: I wil aȝein bygynne [[A break in the MS. with] Incipit narracio plena Militis.]

This Duk of whom I make mencioun [folio 13a] Whan he was commen almost to þe toun In al his wele and his most Pride He was war as he cast his eyen atside Line 896 Where þat þer kneled in þe highe waye A companye of ladys twey and tweye Eche after oþer clad in cloþes blake But suche a crye and such a woo þei make Line 900 That in þis worlde [n]is creature lyuynge That herde suche a-noþer wamentinge And of þis crie þei nolde neuere stynte Til þei þe Reynes of his bridel hente Line 904 What folk bene ȝe þat at myn home commynge Pertourben so my feest[e] wiþ criynge Quod Theseus haue ȝe so grete envie Of myn honour þat þus compleyn and crye Line 908 Or who haþ ȝou mysdone or offended Telleþ me if it may be amendet And whi þat ȝe bene cloped þus in blak The eldest lady of hem al[le] spak Line 912 Whan she had swowned wiþ a dedly chere þat it was rauthe forto sene and here She seide lord to whom fortune haþ ȝeuen Victorie and as a conquerour to lyuen Line 916 Nat greueþ vs ȝoure glory and ȝour honour But we biseke mercy and socour Haue mercy on our woo and our distresse Some drope of Pite þorgh þi gentelnesse Line 920 Vpon vs wrecched wommen lat nowe falle ffor certes lord þer is noon of vs alle That she ne haþ bene a doches or a quene Nowe bene we Catyues as it is wel sene Line 924 Thonked be fortune and her fals[e] qwhele

þat noon estate ensureþ forto bene wele Now certes lord to abide ȝour presence Here in þis temple of þe goddes clemence Line 928 We han be wayting al þis fourt[e]nyȝt [folio 13b] Helpe[þ] vs lord siþ it is in þi myght I wrecche which þat wepe and weile þus Whilom was wif to king Cappaneus Line 932 That starfe at Thebes cursed be þat day And alle we þat bene in þis araye And maken al þis lamentacioun We losten alle our husbondes at þat toun Line 936 While þat þe assege þer aboute lay And ȝit nowe þe olde Creon weillaway That lord is nowe of Thebes Cite ffulfilled of yre and of iniquite Line 940 He for despite and for his tyrannye To doon þe dede bodys vilenye Of al our lordes which þat bene sclawe Haþ al þe bodies on an hepe ydrawe Line 944 And wol not suffre hem by non assent Neiþere to bene yburied neiþer brent But makeþ houndes ete hem in despit And wiþ þat word withouten more respit Line 948 þei fillen a Gruf and criden pitously Haue on vs wrecched women som mercy And lat oure sorowe synken in þi hert ¶ This gentel duke doune from his courser stert Line 952 Wiþ herte pitous whan he herde hem speke Him þouȝte þat his hert wold alto-breke Whan he seegh hem so pitous and so mate þat whilom were[n] of so grete astate Line 956 And in his armes he hem alle vp hente And hem conforteþ in ful good entente And swore his oþe as he was trewe knyȝt He wolde done so ferforþly his myȝt Line 960 Vppon the Tirant Creon hem to wreke

þat alle þe puple of Grece shuld speke How Creon was of Theseus yserued As he þat had his deþ ful wel deserued Line 964 And right anon withouten more abode [folio 14a] His baner he displeied and forþ rode To Thebes ward and al his hooste beside No ner Athenes wold he goo ne ride Line 968 Ne take his case fulli half a day But onward on his way þat nyȝt he lay And sent anoon ypolita the quene And Emelye hir yonge sustre Shene Line 972 Vnto þe toune of Athenes to dwelle And forþe he ritte þer is no more to telle The rede statue of Mars wiþ spere and targe So shyneþ in his white baner large Line 976 þat alle the feeldes glyteren vp and doun And by his baner born is hys pynyoun Of gold ful riche in which þer was ybete þe Mynataur which þat he wan in Crete Line 980 Thus riȝt þis duk. thus riȝt þis conquerour And in his ooste of Chyualrye þe flour Til þat he come to Thebes and alight ffaire in a felde þer as he þouȝt to fiȝt Line 984 But shortely forto speken of þis þing With Creon whiche þat was of Thebes king He faught and sclowgh him manly as a knyght In pleyn bataille and put þe folk to flight Line 988 And by asseut he wan the Cite after And rent adoun boþ walle spare and rafter And to þe ladies he restored ageyn þe bones of her frendes þat were scleyn Line 992 To done obsequies as was þe gyse But it were al to longe forto devise The grete clamour and þe wamentynge þat þe ladies made at þe brennynge Line 996 Of þe bodies and þe grete honour

That theseus þe noble conquerour Doþ to þe bodies whan þei ffrom hym went But shortely to telle is myn entent Line 1000 Whan þat þis worþi Duke þis theseus [folio 14b] Haþ Creon sclayn and wonne Thebes þus Stille in þat felde he toke al nyȝt his rest And did wiþ al þe contre as hym lest Line 1004 To Ransake in þe caas of þe bodies dede Hem for to stripe of harneyes and of wede The pilours dyden bysynesse and Cure Aftere þe bataille and þe discomfiture Line 1008 And so bifelle þat in þe caas þei founde þorgh girt wiþ many a greuous blody wounde Two yonge knyghtes ligging by and by Bothen in armes same wrouȝt ful richelie Line 1012 Of whiche two Arcita hight that oon And þat oþere knyȝt hight Palamon Not fully quyk ne fully dede þei were But by her cote armours and by her gere Line 1016 The herowdes knewe hem self in special As þei þat were[n] of þe blood Riall Of Thebes. and of sustren two yborn Out of þe caas þe Pilours han hem torn Line 1020 And han hem caried soft vnto þe tent Of Theseus and he ful sone hem sent To Athenes to dwellen in Prison Perpetuelly hem nolde he not raunson Line 1024 And whan this worþi Duke haþ þus ydon He toke his ooste and home he ritte anon Wiþ laurere corowned as a conquerour And þer he lyueþ in Ioie and in honour Line 1028 Teerme of his lif. what nedeþ wordes moo And in a toure in anguissh and in woo Dwellen þis Palamon and eke arcite ffor euermore þer may no gold hem quyte Line 1032 This passeþ yere by yere and day by day

Till it fille onys in a morowe of May That Emely þat fairer was to sene Than is þe lyle vpon his stalke grene Line 1036 And fressher þan þe may wiþ floures newe [folio 15a] ffor wiþ þe roos colour strof hir hwe I not which was þe fairer of hem twoo Er it were day as was her wone to doo Line 1040 She was a-risen and al a redy dight ffor May wil haue no scloggardy on nyȝt The seson pricketh euery gentile hert And makeþ hit out of his slepe to stert Line 1044 And sithen arise and doo May obseruaunce This makeþ Emely to haue remembraunce To don honour to May and forto rise Ycloþed was she fressh forto devise Line 1048 ¶ Her ȝelowe heer was breided in a tresse Behynde her bak. a ȝeerde longe y gesse And in þe gardyne at sonne vprist She walkeþ vp and doun and as her list Line 1052 She gadereþ floures partie white and rede To make a subtile garlonde for her hede And as an aungel heuenly she songe The grete toure þat was so þikke and stronge Line 1056 Which of þe castel was þe chief dongeon There as þe knyghtes weren in prison Of which I tolke ȝowe and telle shall Was euene Ioynant to þe gardyn wall Line 1060 Ther as þis Emely had her pleying Briȝt was þe sonne and cleer in þat mornyng And palamon þis woful prisonere As was his wonne by lieue of his Gaillere Line 1064 Was rysen and romed in a chamber on high In which he al þe noble Cite segh And eke þe gardyne ful of braunches grene Ther as þe fressh emelye þe shene Line 1068 Was in her walk and romed vp and doun

This soriful prisoner þis Palamoun Goþ in þe Chambre romyng to and froo And to him self compleynyng of his woo Line 1072 That he was born ful ofte seide allas [folio 15b] And so byfelle by auenture or caas That þorowe a wyndowe þikke of mony a barre Of yren grete and square as eny sparre Line 1076 He cast his eyen vpon Emelia A[nd] þerwiþ al he bleynte and cried A As þouȝe he stongen were vnto þe hert And wiþ þat crie Arcyte anon vp stert Line 1080 And seide Cosyn myne what eileþ þe That art so pale and dedly on to see Whi cridest þowe who haþ þe don offence ffor goddis loue. take al in pacience Line 1084 Our prison for it may noon othere be ffortune hath ȝeue vs þis aduersite Som wikke aspecte or disposicion Of Saturne by som constellacion Line 1088 Haþ ȝeuen by þis al þouȝe he had hit sworn So stode þe heuene whan þat we were born We mote endure it þis is short and playn This Palamon answerd and seide agayn Line 1092 Cosyn forsoþ of þis opynyon Thow hast a veyn ymagynacion This prison caused me not [for] to crie But I was hirt riȝt nowe þorgh out myn ye Line 1096 Into myn hert þat wil my bane be The fairnesse of þat lady þat I see Ȝonde in þe gardyne romyng to and fro Is cause of al my criyng and my woo / Line 1100 I not where she be womman or goddesse But Venus is it soþly as I gesse And þerwiþal on knees doun he fille And seide Venus if it be þi wille Line 1104 Ȝowe in þis gardyne þus to transfigure

Bifore me soriful wrecched creature Out of þis Prison helpe þat we mowe scape And if so be my destany be shape Line 1108 By eterne worde to dyen in prison [folio 16a] Of oure lynage haue som compassion That is so lowe ybrouȝt by tyrannye And wiþ þat word arcite gan aspie Line 1112 Where as þis lady romed to and froo And wiþ þat siȝt her bewte hurte hym soo þat if þat Palamon was wounded sore Arcite is hurte as moche as he or more Line 1116 And wiþ a sighe he seide pitously þe fresshe bewte sleeþ me sodeynly Of hur þat romeþ in ȝonder place And but if I haue her mercy and her grace Line 1120 þat I may seen hir atte leeste way I ne am but dede þer nys no more to say This Palamon whan he þise wordes herde Dispitously he loked and answerde Line 1124 Wheder seist þou þis in ernest or in pleye Nay quod Arcite in ernest be my feye God helpe me so me lest ful euel play This Palamon gan knytte his browes tway Line 1128 It were to the quod he no gret honour ffor to be fals ne for to be traitour To me þat am þi Cosyn and þi broþer Isworne ful depe and eche of vs to oþer Line 1132 That neuere for to dyen in þe peyn Til þat þe deþe departe shal vs tweyn Neiþer in loue to hynder oþer Ne in noon oþer caas my lief broþer Line 1136 But þat þou shuldest trewly ferþermore In euery caas and I shal forther þe þore þis was þine othe and myn also certeyn I wote riȝt wele þow darst it not wiþseyn Line 1140 Thus art þow of my counsel out of doute

And nowe þou woldest falsly ben aboute To loue my lady whom I loue and serue And euer shal to þat myn herte sterue Line 1144 Now certes fals Arcite þow shalt not so [folio 16b] I loued her first and tolde þe my woo As to my counsaile and my broþer sworn To forþere me as I haue tolde biforn Line 1148 ffor which þow art ybounden as a knyght To helpe me if it lay in þi myght Or ellis art þou fals I dar wel sayn This arcite ful prudently spak agayn Line 1152 Thow shalt quod he be raþer fals þan I But þou art fals I telle þe witterly ffor paramour I loued her first þan þou What wilt þow seyn . þou wist it not ȝit nowe Line 1156 Whedere she be a womman or goddes Thyne is affeccion of holynes And myne is loue as to a creature ffor which I tolde þe myn auenture Line 1160 As to my cosyn and to my broþere sworn I pose þat þou louedest hur biforn Woost þow not wel þe olde clerkes sawe Þat who shal ȝeue a louer eny lawe [¶ Quis legem dat amantibus] Loue is a gretter lawe by my pan þan may be ȝeue to eny erþely man And þerfor positif lawe and swich decree Is broke al day for loue in eche degre Line 1168 A man mote nedes loue mawgre his hede He may not fleen it; þouȝe he shuld be dede Al be she mayde or widowe or ellis wif And eke it is not likly al þi liff Line 1172 To stonden in her grace no more shal I ffor wel þou woost þi self[e] verrely þat þou and I bene dampned to prison Perpetuelly vs geyneth no raunson Line 1176 We stryuen as [did] houndes for þe boon

þei foughten alday and ȝit her parte was non þere come a kite while þat þei were so wroth þat bare away þe boon bitwene hem both Line 1180 Ak þerfore at þe kingges courte my brother [folio 17a] Eche man for him self þer is noon oþer Loue if þe list. for I loue and ay shal And soþly leue broþer þis is all Line 1184 Here in þis prison mote we endure And euerich of vs take his auenture Grete was þe strif and longe bytwix hem tweye If þat I had leisere for to seye Line 1188 But to þis effect I[t] hapned on a day To tellen yowe as soþly as I may A worþi duc þat hight Perotheus þat ffelawe was vnto duc Theseus Line 1192 Siþ þilk day þat þei weren children lite Was commen to Athenes his felawe to visite And forto pley as he was wont to doo ffor in þis worlde he loued no man soo Line 1196 And he loued him also tenderly ageyn So wel þei loued as olde bokes seyn / That whan þat oon was dede soþly to telle His felowe went and souȝt him doun in helle Line 1200 But of þat storie list me not to write Duc Perotheus loued wel arcite And had him knowe at Thebes yere by yere And fynaly at þe request and preiere Line 1204 Of Perotheus wiþ out ony raunson Duc theseus him lete out of Prison ffrely to goon wher þat him list oueral In suche a gise as I you telle shall Line 1208 This was þe forward pleynly for to endite Bitwene Theseus and hym iercite That if so were þat arcite were founde Euer in his lif be day or nyȝt or stounde Line 1212 In eny cuntre of this theseus

And he were kaught it was acorded þus That wiþ a swerde he shuld lese his hede Þer nas non oþer remedye ne rede Line 1216 But takeþ his leue and homward he hym spedde [folio 17b] Lat hym be war his nek lith to wedde How grete a sorowe suffreþ nowe arcite The deth he feleþ þorgh his herte smyte Line 1220 He wepeþ and weileþ and crieþ pitously To sleen hym self he waiteth priuely He saide Allas þat day þat I was born Now is my prison wors than [was] beforn Line 1224 Nowe is me shape eternaly to dwelle Nouȝt in purgotorye. but in helle Allas þat euere I knewe Perotheus ffor ellis had I ydwelled with theseus Line 1228 Yfetered in his prison euermoo Than had I bene in blisse and not in woo Only þe sight of her whom þat I serue Thoow þat I neuere hir grace may deserue Line 1232 Wold haue ysuffised right ynowe for me Oo dere Cosyn Palamon quod he Thine is þe victorie of þis auenture fful blisfully in prison myȝt þou dure Line 1236 In prison certes nay but paradis Wel hath fortune turned þe the dys þat hast þe sight of hur and I þe absence ffor possible is siþ þou hast her presence Line 1240 And art a knyght an worþi and an able That by som caas siþ fortune is chaungeable Thowe maiste to þi desire somtyme atteyn But I þat am exiled and bareyn Line 1244 Of al[le] grace and in so gret despeir That þer nys erþe water fuyr ne eire Ne creature þat of hem maked is Þat may me helpe or done comfort in þis Line 1248 Wel ouȝte I sterue in wanhope and distresse

ffare wele my lif my lust and my gladnesse Allas whi pleynen men so in comune Of purueaunce of god and of fortune Line 1252 That ȝeueþ hem ful oft in mony a gyse [folio 18a] Wel bet[ter] þan þei can hem self devise Som man desireþ forto haue ricchesse That cause is of his mordere and gret siknesse Line 1256 And som man wolde out of his prison fayn That in his hous is of his mayne sclayn Infinite harmes bene in þis matiere We wote not what þinge þat we preien here Line 1260 We faren as he þat dronken is as mous A dronken man wote wele he haþ an hous But he ne woote which þe riȝt way is þidere And to a dronken man þe way is sclydere Line 1264 And certes in þis world so faren wee We sechen fast aftere felicite But we goon wronge ful oft trewly Thus may we seie alle and namelich I Line 1268 That wende and had a grete opynyon That if I myȝte skapen from prison þan had I be in Ioie and parfite hele þer nowe I am exiled fro my wele Line 1272 Siþ þat I may not seen ȝou Emelye I am but dede þer nys no remedye Vppon þat oþer side Palamon Whan þat he wist þat arcite was agon Line 1276 Swich sorowe he makeþ þat þe grete tour Resouneþ of his ȝellinge and clamour The pure fettres of his shynes grete Were of his bitter salte teeres wete Line 1280 Allas quod he Arcita cosyn myne Of al our strif god wote þe fruyte is þine Thow walkest now in Thebes at þi large And of my woo. þou ȝeuest litel charge Line 1284 Thow maist siþ þou hast wisdom and manhede

Assemble alle þe folk of our kinrede And make a werre so sharpe on þis Cite þat by som auenture or som trete Line 1288 Thow maist haue hir to lady and to wiff [folio 18b] ffor whom þat I most nedes lese my liff ffor as by way of possibilite Siþ þou art at þi large of prison free Line 1292 And art a lorde grete is þine auauntage More þan is myne þat sterue here in a kage ffor I mote wepe and weile while þat I lyue Wiþ al þe woo þat prison may me ȝeue Line 1296 And eke wiþ peyn þat loue me ȝeueþ alsoo þat doubleþ al my torment and my woo þer wiþ þe fire of gelesie vpsterte Wiþ in his brest and hente hym by þe herte Line 1300 So woodly þat he like was to biholde The box-tre or þe asshen dede and colde That seide he .o. cruel goddes þat gouerne This world wiþ byndinge of ȝoure worde eterne Line 1304 And writen in þe table of Athamaunt Ȝoure parlement and ȝoure eterne graunt What is mankinde more vnto ȝou holde Þan is the shepe þat roukeþ in þe folde Line 1308 ffor sclayn is man riȝt as an oþer beest And dwelleþ eke in prison and in arest And haþ siknesse and grete aduersite And oft tymes giltlees parde Line 1312 What gouernaunce is in þis prescience That giltlees tormenteþ Innocence And encreseþ þis al my penaunce þat man is bounden to his obseruaunce Line 1316 ffor goddes sake to letten of his wille Ther as a beest may al his list fulfille And whan a beest is dede he hath no peyn But aftere his deth man mote wepe and pleyn Line 1320 Thogh in þis world he haue care and woo

Wiþ outen doute it may stonden soo The answere of þis lete I to dyuynes But wel I wote þat in þis world gret pyne es Line 1324 ¶ Allas I se a serpent or a theef [folio 19a] þat mony an trewe man haþ done meschief Goon at his large and where hym list may turne But I mote bene in prison þorgh Saturne Line 1328 And eke þorghe Iuno Ialous and eke wode þat haþ destroied wel nygh al þe blode Of Thebes wiþ his waaste walles wide And Venus sleeþ me on þat oþer side Line 1332 ffor Ialousy and fere of him Arcite Now wil I stinte of Palamon a lite And lat hym in his prison stille dwelle And of Arcite forþ I wil ȝowe telle Line 1336 The somer passeþ and þe nyȝtes longe Encresceþ double wise. þe peynes stronge Boþen of þe louer and of þe prisoner I not whiche haþ þe woofuller myster Line 1340 ffor shortely for to seyn of þis Palamōn Perpetuelly is dampned to prison In cheynes and [in] fettres to þe dede And Arcite is exiled vp[on] is hede Line 1344 ffor euermore as out of þat cuntre Ne neuere ne shal his lady see ¶ Ȝow louyers aske I now þis questiōn Who haþ þe wors Arcite or Palamōn Line 1348 That oon may se his lady day by day But in Prison mot he dwelle alway That oþer wher hym list may ride and goo But seen his lady shal he neuer moo Line 1352 Now devyneþ as ȝou list þat ȝe can ffor I wil telle forþ as I byganne

¶ Whan þat Arcite to Thebes commen was fful often a daie he swelt and seide alas Line 1356 ffor seen his lady shal he neuere moo And shortely to concluden all his woo So mykel sorowe had neuere creature þat is or shal while þat þe world may dure Line 1360 ¶ His slepe his mete. his drink is hym byraft [folio 19b] þat lene he wexeþ and drye as is a shaft His eyen holowe and grisly to biholde His hwe falowe and pale as asshen colde Line 1364 And solitarye he was and euer allone And waillinge al þe nyȝt making his mone And if he herde songe or instrument Than wolde he wepe he myȝt not stent Line 1368 So feble eke were his spirites / and he lowe And chaunged so þat no man can knowe His speche neiþer his voys þouȝe men it herde And in his gere for al þe worlde he ferde Line 1372 Not comly liche to louers maladye Of heres but rather like manye Engendred of humour malancolike Byforn his celle fantastike Line 1376 And shortely turned was al vp and doun Both habite and disposicioun Of him þis wooful louer Daine [[or Dame]] Arcite What shuld I alday of his woo endite Line 1380 Whan he endured had a ȝere or two This cruel torment and þis peyn and woo At Thebes in his courte as I seide Vpon a nyght in slepe as he hym leide Line 1384 Hym þouȝt howe þat the wenged god Mercurye Biforn him stode and bad hym to be merye His slepy yeerde in honde he bare vpriȝt An hatte he wered vpon his heres briȝt Line 1388

Line 1388 Araied was þis god as he toke kepe As he was whan þat Argus toke his slepe And seide him þus to Athenes shalt þou wende Ther is þe shapen of þi woo an ende Line 1392 And wiþ þat worde Arcite woke and stert Nowe trewly howe sore þat euer me smert Quod he to Athenes nowe wil I fare Ne for þe drede of deþe shal I not spare Line 1396 To see my lady þat I loue and serue [folio 20a] In her presence I ne recche þough I sterue And wiþ þat word he kaught a grete myrour And seegh þat chaunged was al his colour Line 1400 And seegh his visage al in anoþer kinde And right anon it ranne him in his mynde That siþen his face was so disfigured Of malady þe which he had endured Line 1404 He myghte wel if þat he bare hym lowe Lyue in Athenes euermore vnknowe And seen his lady wel nye day be day And right anon he chaunged his aray Line 1408 And clad him as a poor labore[er] And [al] alon sauf oonly a sqwiere That knewe his priuete and al his caas Whiche was disgised poorly as he waas Line 1412 To Athenes is he gon þe nexte way And to þe courte he went vpon a day And at þe gate he profered his seruyse To drugge and drawe what so men wil deuise Line 1416 And shortely of þis mater forto seyn He felle in office wiþ a chamberleyn The whiche þat was dwelling wiþ Emelye ffor he was wise and sone couþe aspye Line 1420 Of euery seruaunte which þat serueþ here Wel couþe he hewen wode and water bere ffor he was yonge and myghty for þe nonys And þerto he was stronge and bigge of bonys Line 1424

Line 1424 To done þat eny wiȝt him can deuise A ȝeer or two he was in þis seruyse Page in þe Chambre of Emely þe briȝt And Philostrate he seide þat he hiȝt Line 1428 But half so wel biloued a man as he Ne was þer neuer in courte of his degre He was [so] gentil of Condicioun þat þorowe out al þe court was his renoun Line 1432 Thei seide þat it was a charite [folio 20b] That theseus wolde enhaunce his degre And putten hym in worshipful seruyse þer as he myght his vertue exercise Line 1436 And þus wiþ in a while his name is spronge Bothen of his dedes and of his good tonge That Theseus haþ taken hym so nere þat of his chambere he made hym a squyere Line 1440 And ȝaue him gold to meyntene his degre And eke men brouȝt hym out of his cuntre ffro ȝere to ȝere ful priuely his rente But honestly and sleiȝly he it spente Line 1444 That no man wondred. how þat he it hadde And thre ȝere in þis wise his lif he ladde And bare hym so in pees and eke in werre þer is no man þat Theseus hath derre Line 1448 And in þis blisse lete I nowe Arcite And speke I wil of Palamon a lite ¶ In derknesse in horrible and strong prison This vij. ȝere hath sitten Palamon Line 1452 ffor-pyned what for woo and for distresse Who feleth double soor and hevynesse But Palamon þat loue destreyneþ so That wode out of his wit he goþ for woo Line 1456 And eke þerto he is a prisonere Perpetuelly not oonly for a ȝere Who cowde ryme in englissh proprely His martierdome for soþ it am not I Line 1460

Line 1460 Therfor I passe as liȝtly as I may ¶ It felle þat in þe vij. ȝere of May The .iij. nyght as olde bokes seyn þat al þis story telleþ more pleyn Line 1464 Were it by auenture or be destynye As whan a þing is shape it shal be That sone aftere the mydnyȝt Palamon By helpinge of a frende brak prison Line 1468 And fleeþ þe Cite fast as he may goo / [folio 21a] ffor he had ȝeue his gaylere drink so Of a Clerrey made of a certeyn wyne Wiþ vercotiks and opy of Thebes fyne Line 1472 þat al þat nyȝt þough þat men wold hym shake þe Gailler sclepte and myȝte not awake ¶ And þus he fleeþ as fast as euer he may þe nyȝt was short and fast[e] by þe day Line 1476 þat nedes cost he most him self hiden And til a groue faste ther besiden Wiþ dredful foote þan stalkeþ Palamon ffor shortely þis was his opynyon Line 1480 That in þat groue he wolde hym hide alday And in þe nyght þan wolde he take his way To Thebes ward his frendes forto prey On theseus to helpe hym to werrey Line 1484 A[nd] shortely eiþer he wold lese his liff Or wynnen Emely to his louely wiff This is þeffeste and his entente pleyn ¶ Nowe wil I turne vnto Arcite ageyn Line 1488 That litel wist howe negh þat was his care Til þat fortune had kauȝt hym in his snare The bysy larke massagere of day Salueþ in her songe þe morowe gray Line 1492 And ffiry Phebus riseþ vp so briȝt þat al þe Orient laugheth of his siȝt And wiþ his stremes drieþ in þe greues / The siluer dropes honging in þe leues Line 1496

Line 1496 ¶ And Arcita þat in þe courte Royall With Theseus his squyer pryncipall Is risen and lokeþ on þe mery day And forto don his obseruaunce to Maij Line 1500 Remembring þe point of his desire He on his coursere sterting as þe fire Is riden into þe feeldes him to pley Out of þe courte were it a myle or twey Line 1504 And to þe Groue of which þat I ȝou tolde [folio 21b] By auenture his way by-gon to holde And maken hym a garlond of þe greues Were it of wodbynde or hawthorn leues Line 1508 And loude he songe aȝeinst þe sonne shene May wiþ all þi floures and þi grene Welcome be þowe faire fresshe May I hope þat I somme grene gete may Line 1512 And from his courser wiþ a lusty herte Into þe Groue ful hastely he sterte And in a path he romeþ vp and doun þer as by auenture of þis Palamoun Line 1516 Was in a busshe þat no man myȝt hym see ffor soor afferd of his deþ was he ¶ No þinge ne knewe he þat it was Arcyte God wote he wold haue trowed it ful lite Line 1520 But soþ is seide goon sithen mony ȝeres That feelde hath yen and þe wode haþ eeres It is ful faire a man to bere hym euene ffor alday meten men at vnsef steuene Line 1524 fful litel wote Arcite of his felawe þat was so nygh to harken of his sawe ffor in þe busshe he sitteþ now ful stille Whan þat Arcite had romed al his fille Line 1528 And songen at the roundel lustely Into a stody he felle sodeynly As don þise louers in her queynt[e] geres Now in þe croppe now doun in þe breres Line 1532

Line 1532 Now vp nowe doune as Boket in a welle Riȝt as þe friday soþly forto telle Now it shyneþ nowe it reyneþ faste Riȝt so gan gery Venus euer caste Line 1536 The hertes of her folk riȝt as hir day Is Gerful. riȝt so chaungeþ she aray Selde is þe friday al þe weke ylike ¶ Whan þat Arcite had ysonge he gan to sike Line 1540 And sette hym doune with oute[n] eny more [folio 22a] Allas quod he þat day þat I was bore Howe longe Iuno þorgh þi cruelte Wiltow werryen Thebes þe Citee Line 1544 Allas ybrought is to confusion The blood Roial of Cadme and Amphion Of Cadmus whiche þat was þe first man That Thebes bilt. or first þe toune bygan Line 1548 And of þe Cite first was corowned kinge Of his lynage am I and of his of-springe By verrey lyne as of þe stok Roiall And nowe I am so Catif and so thral Line 1552 That he þat is my mortal enemye I serue him as his sqwier poorlye And ȝit doþ me Iuno wel more shame ffor I dar not be-knowe myn owne name Line 1556 But þer [as] I was wonte to hiȝt Arcite Now hight I Philostrate not worþe a myte ¶ Allas þou felle Mars allas þou Iuno Thus haþ ȝoure Ire our lynage alfordo Line 1560 Sauf oonly me and wrecched Palamon That Theseus martereþ in prison And ouer al þis to sleen me vtterly Loue haþ faire his darte so brennyngly Line 1564 Istiked þorgh my trewe careful herte That shapen was my deþ arst þan my sherte Ȝe sleen me wiþ ȝoure yen Emelye Ȝe ben þe cause wherfore þat I dye Line 1568

Line 1568 Of al the remenant of myn oþer care Ne sette I nouȝt the mountance of a tare So þat I cowde do ouȝt to ȝour plesaunce And wiþ þat word he felle doun in a traunce Line 1572 A longe tyme and afterward he vp stert þis Palamon þat þouȝt þat þorgh [his] herte He felte a colde swerde sodeinly glide ffor Ire he qwoke no lenger wold he bide [[ [folio 22b] MS. re|peats 'He felt a swerde sodeynly Glide']] ¶ And whan þat he had herde Arcites tale As he were wode wiþ face dede and pale He stert hym vp out of the buskes thikke And seide Arcite fals traitour quykke Line 1580 Now art þou hent þat louest my lady soo ffor whom þat I haue al þis peyn and woo And art my blood and to my counsel sworne As I ful oft have tolde þe here to forn Line 1584 And hast by-iaped here Duke Theseus And falsly chaunged hast þi name þus I wil be dede or ellis þou shalt dye Thowe shalt not loue my lady Emely Line 1588 But I wil loue hir oonly and no moo ffor I am Palamon þi mortel ffoo And þouȝe þat I no wepen haue in þis place But out of prison am I-stert by grace Line 1592 I drede nouȝt but eiþer þou shalt dye Or þou ne shalt not loue Emelye Chese which þou wilt or þou shalt not asterte ¶ This Arcite wiþ ful dispitous herte Line 1596 Whan he hym knewe and had his tale herd As feers as a lyon pulled out a swerd And seide þus by god þat sitteþ aboue Ne it were þat þou art seke and wode for loue Line 1600 And eke þat þou no wepen hast in þis place Thow shuldest neuere out of þis groue pace þat þou ne shuldest dyen of myn honde ffor I defie þe swerte and þe bonde Line 1604

Line 1604 Which þat þou seist I haue made to þe What verrey fool þenk wel þat loue is free And I wil loue hir mawgre al þi myȝt But for as moche as þou art a worþi knyȝt Line 1608 And willest to darreyn hir by bataille Haue here my trouþe to morwe I nyl not faille Wiþ outen witting of eny oþere wight [folio 23a] That here I wil be founden as a knyght Line 1612 And bringen harneis riȝt ynough for þe And chese þe best and leue þe worst for me And mete and drink þis nyghte wil I bringe Ynough for þe and cloþes for þi beddynge Line 1616 And if so be þat þou my lady wynne And sclee me in þis wode þer I am Inne Thow maist wel haue þi lady as for me This Palamon answerd I graunte it þe Line 1620 And þus þei bene departed til a morowe Whan eche of hem had leide his feiþ to borowe ¶ O cupide out of al charite O regne þat wold no felawe haue wiþ þe Line 1624 fful soþ is seide þat loue ne lordship Wil not his þonkes haue no felawship We fynde þat of Arcite and Palamoun Arcite is riden anon into the toun Line 1628 And on þe morowe er it were day liȝt fful priuely two harneys haþ he diȝt Both suffisaunt and mete to darreyn The bataille in þe feelde bytwix hem tweyn Line 1632 And on his hors allone as he was born He carieþ al his harneys hym biforn And in þe Groue at tyme and place ysette This Arcite and þis Palamon ben mette Line 1636 To chaungen gan þe colour in her face Right as þe hunters in [the] reyne of trace That stondeþ atte gap[pe] wiþ a spere Whan hunted is þe lyon or þe bere Line 1640

Line 1640 And hereþ him come russhing in þe Greues And brekeþ both [the] bowes and þe leues And þenkeþ here commeth my mortal enemye Wiþ oute faile he mote be dede or I Line 1644 ffor eiþer I moot scleen him atte gappe Or he moot sclee me if þat me myshappe So feerden [thei] in chaungyng of here hwe [folio 23b] As fer as euerich of hem oþer knewe Line 1648 Ther nas no good day ne no saluynge But streiȝt wiþ oute worde or rehersinge Euerich of hem helpeþ forto arme oþer As frendly as he were his owne broþer Line 1652 And after þat with sharpe speres stronge They foynen eche at oþer wonder longe Thow myȝtest wene þat þis Palamon In his fightinge were a wood lyon Line 1656 And as [a] cruel tigre was Arcite As wilde boores gon þei to-gider smyte That frothen white as fome for yre woode Vp to þe Ancle fought þei in her bloode Line 1660 And in þis wise I lete hem fighting dwelle And forþ I wil of Theseus ȝou telle ¶ The destanye minister generall That executeþ in þe world ouer all Line 1664 The purueaunce þat god haþ say bifore So stronge it is þat þei þe world had it swore Þe contrarie of a þinge be ye or nay Ȝit som tyme it shal falle on a day Line 1668 That falleþ nouȝt eft wiþ in a þousand yere ffor certeynly our appetites here Be it of werre or pees. or hate or loue Al is þis rewled by þe sight aboue Line 1672 This mene I nowe by myghty Theseus That forto hunte is so desirous And namely atte grete hert in Maij That in his bed þer daweþ hym no day Line 1676

Line 1676 That he nys cladde and redy forto ride Wiþ hunte and horn and houndes hym biside ffor in his hunting haþ he swich delite That it is al his ioye and appetite Line 1680 To bene hym self þe grete hertes bane ffor after Mars he serueþ nowe Dyane Cleer was þe day as I haue told er þis / [folio 24a] And Theseus wiþ al[le] Ioie and blis Line 1684 Wiþ his ypolita þe faire quene And Emely[e] cloþed al in grene On huntinge bene þei riden rially And to þe Groue þat stode ful fast by Line 1688 In which þer was an herte as men hym tolde But Theseus þe streighte way haþ holde And to þe launde he rideþ hym ful riȝt ffor þider was þe hert wonte to haue his fliȝt Line 1692 And ouer a broke and so forþ on his way This duke wil haue a cours at hym or tway Wiþ houndes swich as þat him list comaunde And whan þis duke was come vnto þe launde Line 1696 Vnder þe sonne he loked anon He was ware of Arcite and Palamon That fouȝten breme as it were boles two The briȝte swerdes wenten to and fro Line 1700 So hidously þat wiþ þe leest[e] stroke It semeþ þat it wold fellen an oke But what þei were no þing he ne wote This duke his courser wiþ his spores smoote Line 1704 And at a stert he was atwixe hem twoo A pulled out a swerde and cried hoo No more vp peyn of lesing of ȝour hede By myghty mars he shal anon be dede Line 1708 That smyteþ eny stroke þat I may sene But telleþ me what myster men ȝe bene That ben so hardy forto fiȝten here Wiþ oute Iugge. or oþer officere Line 1712

Line 1712 ¶ As it were in litel liste ryally This Palamon answerde hastily And seide Sir what nedeþ wordes moo We han þe deþe deserued boþ twoo Line 1716 Two woful wrecched be we two catyfes Þat bene encombred of oure owne lifes And as þow art a riȝtful lorde and Iuge [folio 24b] Ne ȝeue vs neiþer mercy ne refuge Line 1720 But scle me furst for seinte Iarite But slee my felowe eke as wel as me Or slee hym [first] for þough þo[u] knowest lite This is þi mortal ffoo þis is arcite Line 1724 That from þi londe is banshed on his hede ffor whiche he haþ deserued to be dede ffor þis is he þat come vnto þi gate And saide þat he hight Philostrate Line 1728 Thus haþ he Iaped þe ful mony a ȝere And þou hast made him þi chief squyere And þis is he þat loueþ Emelye ffor siþ þat day is commen þat I shal dye Line 1732 I make pleynly my confession That I am þilk[e] wooful Palamon That haþ þi prison broken wikkedly I am þi mortal foo and it am I Line 1736 That loueþ so hote Emely þe briȝt That I wil dye present in her siȝt Wherfore I axe deþ and my Iwes But scle my felawe in þe same wise Line 1740 ffor boþe we han deserued forto be sclayn This worþi duke answerd anon agayn And saide þis is a short conclusion Ȝoure owne mouþe be ȝoure confession Line 1744 Haþ dampned þer ȝou and I wil it recorde Hit nedeþ not to pyne ȝou wiþ acorde He shul be dede by myȝty mars þe rede The quene anoon for verrey wommanhede Line 1748

Line 1748 Gan [for] to wepe and so seide Emelye And al þe ladis in þe companye Grete pite was it as it þouȝt hem alle That euere such a chaunce shuld byfalle Line 1752 ffor gentil men þei were of grete astate And no þinge but for loue was þis debate And seegh her blody woundes wide and sore [folio 25a] And alle criden boþ[e] lasse and more Line 1756 Haue mercy vpon vs wommen alle And on her bare knees doun þei falle And wold han kissed his fete þer he stoode Til at þe last a-sclaked was his moode Line 1760 ffor pite renneþ sone in gentile herte And þoughe he first for ire quoke and sterte He haþ considered shortly in a clause The trespase of hem both[e] and þe cause Line 1764 And al þouȝe his Ire her gilt accused Ȝit in his reson he hem both excused And þus he þouȝte wel þat euery man Wol helpe him self in loue if þat he can Line 1768 And eke delyuere him self out of prison And eke him self had compassion Of wommen for þei wepen euere in oon And in his gentile hert he þouȝt anōn Line 1772 And soft vnto him self he seide fye Vpon a lord þat wil haue no mercy But be a lyon boþe in word and dede To hem þat bene in repentaunce and drede Line 1776 As wel as to a prowde dispitous man That wil mey[n]tene þat he first bygan That lord haþ litel in discreccion That in such caas can no diuision Line 1780 But weieþ pride and humblenesse after oon And shortely whan his Ire was þus agon He gan to loken vp wiþ eyen light And spake þise same wordes al on hight Line 1784

Line 1784 The god of love. o Benedicite How myghty and howe grete a lord is he Aȝeinst his myght þer ȝeyneþ non obstacles He may be cleped a god for his myracles Line 1788 ffor he can maken at is owne gyse Of euerich hert as þat hym list devise Lo here þis arcite and þis Palamon [folio 25b] That quietely were out of prison gon Line 1792 And myght haue lyued in thebes Rially And weten I am her mortal enemye And þat her deþ is in [my] myght also / And ȝit haþ loue mawgre her eyen two Line 1796 [I-]Brouȝt him hidere boþ[e] forto dye Now lokeþ is not þis a grete folye Who may be a fool but if he loue Biholde for goddes loue þat sitteþ aboue Line 1800 See howe þei blede bene þei not wel araied Thus haþ her lorde þe god of loue hem paied Her wages and her fees for her seruise And ȝit þei wenene for to bene ful wise Line 1804 That seruen loue for ouȝt þat may bifalle But ȝit is þis þe beste game of alle That she for whom þei haue þis Iolite Can hem as moche thonke as me Line 1808 Shee wote no more of al þis hote fare By god þan wote an Cuckowe or an hare But al most be assaied hote and cold A man mote be a fool or ȝonge or old Line 1812 I wote it by my self for yore agone ffor in my tyme a seruaunte was I oone And þerfor sith I knowe of loues peyne And wote howe sore it can a man distreyne Line 1816 As he þat haþ oft bene cauȝt in his laas I ȝou forȝiue al holy þis trespaas / Atte request of þe quene þat kneleþ here And eke of Emelye my suster dere Line 1820

Line 1820 And ȝe shul boþe vnto me swere That neuermore ȝe shul my cuntre dere Ne make werre vpon me nyȝt ne day But bene my frendes in al þat ȝe may Line 1824 I nowe forȝeue þis trespase euery dell And þei hym swore his axing fair and well And him of lordship and of mercye preide [folio 26a] And so hem graunteþ grace and þus he seide Line 1828 To speke of Rial lynage and ricches Thoo þat she were a quene or a princesse Eche of ȝou boþe is worþi doutelees To wedden whan tyme is but naþelees Line 1832 I speke as for my suster Emelye ffor whoom ȝe haue þis strif and Ielosie Ȝe wote ȝoure self ze may not wedden two At ones þouȝe ȝe fiȝten euermoo Line 1836 þat oon of ȝou be he loþ or liefe He mot go pipen in an yve liefe This is to say she may not nowe haue both Ne be ȝe neuere so Ielous and so wroth Line 1840 And for-þi þer nowe put in þis degre That eche of ȝou shal haue his destane As him is shape and harkeneþ in what wise Lo here ȝoure ende and þat I shal devise Line 1844 ¶ My wille is þis for plat conclusion Wiþ oute[n] eny replicacion Ȝif þat ȝou likeþ take it for þe best That euery of ȝou shal go wher hym lest Line 1848 ffrely wiþ outen raunson [or] daungere At þis day fifty wekes fer ne nere Euerich of ȝou shal bryng an .C. knyȝtes Armed for listes vp al rightes Line 1852 Al redy to darreyn hir by batayle And þis bihote I ȝou wiþ outen faile Vpon my trouþe and as I am a knyȝt þat wheder of ȝou boþ[e] þat haþ myȝt Line 1856

Line 1856 This is to seyn þat whedere he or þowe May wiþ his hundred as I haue spoke of nowe Slee his contrary or out of lystes drive Than shal I ȝeue hym Emely to wyve Line 1860 To whom þat fortune haþ ȝeue so faire a grace The listes shal I do maken in þis place And god so wisly on my soule rwe [folio 26b] As I shal cuene Iuge be and trwe Line 1864 Ȝe shal non oþere ende wiþ me make þat oon of ȝou shal be dede or take And if yow þenke þis is wel yseide Sey ȝoure avice and holde ȝou wel apaide Line 1868 This is ȝoure ende and ȝour conclusion Who lokeþ lightly now but Palamon Swo springeth vp for Ioie but Arcite Who coude telle or who coude it endite Line 1872 The Ioie þat is made in þat place Whan Theseus haþ don so faire a grace But doune on knees went euery manere wiȝt And thonked hym wiþ al her hert and myȝt Line 1876 And namely þise Thybeanes mony sith And þus wiþ hope and herte blith Thei take her leue and homward gan þei ride Tho Thebes-ward wiþ olde walles wide Line 1880 . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] ¶ I trowe men wolde deme it necligence If I forȝete to telle þe dispence Of Theseus þat goþ so bisily To maken vp þe listes rially Line 1884 That suche a noble theatre as it was I dar wel seyn in þis world ther nas The circuyte a myle was aboute Walled wiþ stone and dicched al wiþ oute Line 1888 Rounde was þe shappe in mancre of a compas /

fful of degrees þe heght of sixty paas That whan a man was sette on oon degre He letted not his felawe forto see Line 1892 Estward þer stode a gate of Marbel white Westward right such a noþer in þe opposite And shortely to conclude such a place Was non in erþe as in so litel space Line 1896 ffor in þe londe þer nas no crafty man That Geometrye or arsmetrike can Ne purtraiour ne keruer of ymages [folio 27a] That Theseus ne ȝaue him mete and wages Line 1900 The theater to make and to devise And forto doon his riȝt and his sacrifise He Estward haþ [up]on þe gate aboue In worship of wenus goddes of loue Line 1904 Done maken an awtere and an oratorie And on þe westward side in memorie Of Mars he haþ maked riȝt such anoþere þat cost largely of gold a ffoþere Line 1908 And norþward in a tourett on þe wall Of Alabaster white and rede Corall An oratorie riche forto see In worship of Diane of chaastite Line 1912 Haþ Theseus done wrouȝt in noble wise But ȝit had I forgete forto devise That noble kervingges and þe pourtratures þe shappe þe countenaunce and þe figures Line 1916 þat weren in þe oratories thre ffirst in þe temple of Venus maist þou see Wrouȝt on þe walle ful pitous to biholde þe broken slepes and þe sighes colde Line 1920 þe sacred teeres and þe waymentynge þe firy strokes of þe desiringe þat loues seruauntes in þis lif enduren þe Oþes þat her conauntes assuren Line 1924 Plesaunce and hope. desire fool-hardynesse

Beaute and þouȝt. bawdry richesse Charmes and force. lesingges and flaterye Dispence bysynesse and Ielowsie Line 1928 þat wered of ȝolowe goldes a garlonde And a Cukkowe sitting on her honde ffeestes instrumentes Carolles daunces Iuste and array and al þe circumstaunces Line 1932 Of loue whiche I rekened and reken shall By ordere were peynted on þe wall And mo þan I con [make] of menciōn [folio 27b] ffor soþly al þe mōnt of Citharōn Line 1936 Ther Venus haþ her principal dwellinge Was shewed in þe walle in purtraiynge Wiþ al þe Gardeyne and þe lustynesse Not was forȝeten þe porter ydelnesse Line 1940 Ne narcisus þe faire of yore agone Ne ȝit þe foly of king salamon Ne ȝit þe grete strengthe of hercules þe enchauntementz of Medea and certes Line 1944 Ne of Turnus wiþ þe hardy fires corage þe riche Cresus catif in seruage Thus may ȝe sene þat wisdom ne ricchesse Bewte ne scleighte. strengthe hardynesse Line 1948 Ne may with Venus holde chaumpartie ffor as her list þe world þan may she gie ¶ Loo alle þise folk so caught were in her las To þei for woo ful often seide alas Line 1952 Suffiseþ here oon ensample or two And þoughe þer coude rekne a thousand moo The statue of Venus glorious to see Was naked fletinge in þe large see Line 1956 And from þe nauel doun al keuered was Wiþ wawes grene and briȝt as eny glas A Citole in hire riȝte hond had she And on her hede ful semely to see Line 1960 A Rose garlonde fresshe an wel smellinge

Aboue her hede her dowues flateringe Byfore hir stode hir sone Cupido Vpon his shulders wenges had he two Line 1964 And blynde he was as it is ofte sene A bowe he bare and arowes briȝt and kene ¶ Whi shuld I not eke as wel telle ȝou alle The pourtrature þat was vpon þe walle Line 1968 Wiþ in þe temple of myȝty mars þe rede Al peynted was þe walle in lengthe and brede Like to þe Estres of þe grisly place [folio 28a] þe hight þe gr[e]te temple of Mars in trace Line 1972 In þilk[e] colde frosty Regyōn Ther as Mars haþ his souereyn manciōn ¶ ffirst on þe walle was peynted a foreste In which þer wonneþ neiþer man ne beste Line 1976 Wiþ knotty knarry bareyn trees olde Of stubbes sharpe and hidous to biholde In which þer was a rombled and a swoghe As þough a storme shuld breke euery bouȝe Line 1980 And dounward / from an hille vnder a bent There stode þe temple of Mars Armypotent Wrought of al of burnyd steel of which þe entent Was longe and streit and goostly forto sent Line 1984 And þer out came a rage in such a wise Þat it made al þe gates forto rise Til norþeron liȝt in at þe doores shoōn ffor wyndowe on þe wall þan was þer nōn Line 1988 þorowe whiche men myȝt eny light discerne þe door was al of Athamant eterne Yclenched ouertwert and endelonge Wiþ Iren towe forto make it stronge Line 1992 Euery piler þe temple to sustene Was tonne grete of yren briȝt and shene Ther seghe I furst þe [derk] ymagynyng Of felowny and al þe compassing Line 1996 The cruel Ire rede as eny gleede

þe Pikpurs and eke þe pale drede þe smyler wiþ þe knyf vnder þe cloke þe shippen brennyng wiþ þe blak[e] smoke Line 2000 þe treson of þe morþering in þe bedde þe open werre wiþ woundes al by-bledde Conteckte wiþ blody knyff and sharpe manace Al ful of chirkinge was þat sory place Line 2004 Þe scleer of him self ȝit segh I þere His herte-bloode haþ baþed al his here The nayle ydryuen in þe shode a nyȝt [folio 28b] Wiþ colde deþe wiþ mouþe gaping vp riȝt Line 2008 Amyddes of þe temple satte a meschaunce Wiþ discomfort and sori countenaunce Ȝit saughe I woodnesse laughing in his rage Armed compleint outhees and fires corage Line 2012 Þe Careyn in þe bussh wiþ þrote ycorve A thousand sclayne and not of qualme ystorue This tyraunt wiþ þe pray by force yrafte þe toune destroied þer nas no þing ylafte Line 2016 Ȝit seghe I brent þe shippes Hoppesteres The hunte strāngled wiþ þe wilde beres The sowe fretinge þe childe riȝt in þe cradell The Coke yscalded for al his longe ladell Line 2020 Nouȝt was forgeten by þe infortune of Marte The Carter ouer-riden wiþ þe Carte Vndere þe whele ful lowe he lay adoun þere were also of Martes dyuysioun Line 2024 þe Barboure þe bochere and þe Smyth þat forgeþ sharpe swerdes on þe stith And al aboue depeynted in a toure Saughe I conquest sittinge in grete honoure Line 2028 Wiþ þe sharpe swerde ouer his hede Hanginge by a sotile twyned þrede Depeinted was þe the sclauughter of Iuliu Of grete Nero and of Anthoneus Line 2032 Al be þat þilke tyme þei were vnborn

Ȝit was her deþ depeinted þer biforn By manasing of Mars riȝt by figure so was it shewed in þe purtrature Line 2036 As is depeinted in þe certres aboue Who shal be ded or slayne for loue Suffiseþ oon ensample in stories olde I may not rekne hem al[le] þouȝe I wolde Line 2040 þe statue of mars vpon a carte stode Armed and loked grymme as he were wode And ouer his hode þer shyneþ two figures [folio 29a] Of sterres þat bene cleped in figures Line 2044 That oon Puella that oþer rubeus This god of armes was araied þus A wolf þer stode to forn him at his fete Wiþ eyen rede and of a man he ete Line 2048 Wiþ sotel pensel was depeynted þis storie In recordinge of Mars and [of] his glorie ¶ Nowe to þe temple of Dyane þe chaste As shortely as I can I wil me haste Line 2052 To telle ȝou al the descripcioun Depeynted was þe walle vp and doun Of huntinge and of shamfast chastite þer saughe I how wooful calistope Line 2056 Whan þat Dyane agreued was [with] here Was turned from a womman to a bere And after was she made þe lode-sterre Thus was she peynted I can say ȝou no ferre Line 2060 Her sone is eke a sterre as ȝe may see þer saughe I dane turned to a tree I mene not þe goddes Dyane But Penneus doughter which þat hiȝte dane Line 2064 þer saugh I Attheon an hert ymaked ffor vengeaunce þat he segh diane al naked I saugh þat how his houndes haue hym caughte And freten him for þei knewe hym nauȝte Line 2068 Ȝit ypeynted was a litel ferþermore

Howe Atthelaunt hunted þe wilde bore And maleagre and mony oþer moo/ ffor whiche diane wrouȝt hym care and woo Line 2072 Ther seghe I many anoþer worþi story Whiche men list not to drowe to memory This goddes vpon an hert ful wel she sette Wiþ smale houndes al about her fete Line 2076 And vnderneþe her fete she had a mone Wexing it was and shal wany sone In gaudy grene her statue cloþes was [folio 29b] Wiþ bowe in honde and arowes in a cas Line 2080 Her eyen keste she ful lowe a doune Ther Pluto haþ his derke regioun A woman travailing was hir biforn But for her child was so longe vnborn Line 2084 fful pitously lucyna can she calle And seide helpe for þou maist best of alle Wel coude he peynte lyvely þat it wrouȝt Wiþ mony a floreyne he þe coloures bouȝt Line 2088 ¶ Now bene þise listes made and theseus That at his grete cost araied þus þe temple and þe theatre euery dele Whan it was done him liked wonder wele Line 2092 But stint I wil of Theseus a lite And speke of Palamon and [of] arcite The [day] approcheþ of her retournynge þat eueriche shuld an C. knyghtes bringe Line 2096 The bataille to darrey as I you tolde And to Athenes her couenaunte forto holde Haþ euery of hem brouȝt an .C. knyghtes Wel armed for þe werre at al[le] rightes Line 2100 And sikerly þer trowed many a man That neuere siþ þat þe world bygan That forto speke of knyghthode of her honde As fer as god haþ maked see or londe Line 2104 Nas of so fewe so noble a companye

ffor euery wight þat loued chivalrye And wold his þonkes haue a passaunte name Haþ preide þat he myght be of þat game Line 2108 And wel was him þat þerto chosen was ffor if þer felle to morow such a caas Ȝe knowen wel þat euery lusty knyȝt þat loueþ paramours and haþ [his] myȝt Line 2112 Were it in engelonde or ellis where þei wolden fayne wilnen to be þere To fight for a lady O benedicite [folio 30a] It were a lusty sighte forto se Line 2116 And right so feerden þei wiþ Palamon Wiþ hym þei wenten knyghtes mony on Som wol be armed in an haberiōn And a brest plate and a litel gippōn Line 2120 And some wil haue a peire plates large And some wil haue a Spruse plate sheeld or targe Somme wil [be] armed on his legges welle And haue an axe and some a mace of stele Line 2124 þer nas no newe gyse þat it nas olde Armed were þei as I haue ȝou tolde Euerich after his opynyōn Ther maist þou see commyng with Palamon Line 2128 Ligurge hym self þe grete king of trace Blak was his visage and manly was his face þe Cercles of þe eyen in his hede þei glowden bitwix ȝelowe and rede Line 2132 And liche a lyon loked he aboute With kempte heeres on his browes stoute His lymes grete his brawnes stronge His sholdres brode his armes rounde and longe Line 2136 And as þe Gyse was in his cuntre fful heghe vpon a chare of gold stode he Wiþ .iiij. white boles in þe trais In stede of cote armure and his harnais Line 2140 Wiþ nailles ȝelowe and briȝt as eny gold

He had a berres skyn coleblake for olde His longe heer was kempte behinde his bak As eny rauens feþere it shoon for blak Line 2144 A wreþe of gold. arme briȝt of huge wiȝt Vpon his hede sette ful of stonys briȝt Of fyne Rubies and of dyamauntz About his chare þer went white alauntz Line 2148 xx.^ti and moo as grete as ony ster To hunten at þe lyon or þe deer And folowed hym wiþ mosel fast ybounde [folio 30b] Colers of golde and torrettes philed rounde Line 2152 An C. lordes had he in his route Armed ful wel wiþ hertes steerne and stoute ¶ With Arcite in stories as men fynde The grete Emetreus þe king of ynde Line 2156 Vpon a stede bay trapped in stele Couered wiþ a cloþe of gold diapred wele Come riding liche þe god of armed Mars His cote armure was a cloþe of tars Line 2160 Couched wiþ peerles. white. rounde and grete His sadel was of brent gold newe ybete A mantel vpon his shulder hongynge Bretful of rubies rede as fire spar[c]linge Line 2164 His Crispe here liche rynges was yronne And þat was ȝelowe and glitering as þe sonne His nose was heghe his eyen briȝt citryn His lippes rounde his colour was Sangwyn Line 2168 A fewe frakens in his face spreynt Bitwix ȝelowe and somdele blak ymeynt And as a lyon he is eyen caste Of xxv.^ti ȝere his age y caste Line 2172 His beerd was wel bygonne forto springe His vois was as a trompet þondringe Vpon his hede he wered a laurer grene A garlond fresshe and lusty forto sene Line 2176 Vpon his honde he bare for his delite

An Egle tame as eny lylye white An .C. lordes had he wiþ hym þere Al armed sauf her hedes in al her gere Line 2180 fful richely in al[le] maner þingges ffor trusteþ wel þat dukes Erles kyngges Were gadered in þis noble companye ffor loue and for encrees of chyualrye Line 2184 About þis knyȝt þer ranne on euery part fful mony a tame lyon and leopart And in þis wise þise lordes al and some [folio 31a] Bene on þe sonday to þe Cite come Line 2188 Aboute prime and in þe toun alight This Theseus þis duke þis worþi knyȝt Whan he had brouȝt hem into his Cite And Inned hem [ech] after her degre Line 2192 He feesteth hem and doþ so gret laboure To esen hem and done hem al honoure That ȝit men wenen þat no mannys witte Of noon astate ne cowde amenden it Line 2196 The mynstralsy þe servise at þe feest The grete ȝiftes to þe most and leest The riche aray of Theseus palays Ne who sat first and laste vpon þe dees Line 2200 What ladies fairest bene or best daunsinge Or whiche of hem can beste daunce or singe Ne who most felingly spekeþ of loue What hawkes sitten or perche aboue Line 2204 What houndes liggen on þe floor a-doun Of al this nowe I make no mencyoun But al þe effecte þat þenkeþ me þe best Nowe commeþ þe poynt herkneþ if ȝou lest Line 2208 ¶ The sonday nyght er day gan to springe Whan Palamon þe larke herd singe Al þouȝe it ner not day by howres two Ȝit songe þe larke and Palamon riȝt þoo Line 2212 Wiþ holy hert and wiþ an highe corage

He roos vp to we[n]den on his pilgrymage Vnto þe blisful Cithera benygne I mene Venus honurable and digne Line 2216 And in her houre he walkeþ forþ apaas Vnto þe listes þer þe tempel was And doune he kneleþ and wiþ humble chere And herte sore he seide as ȝe shal here Line 2220 ¶ ffairest. o faire. o. lady myne Venus Douȝtere to Ioue and spouse to Vlcanus Thow glader of þe mounte of Citheroun [folio 31b] ffor þilk[e] loue þou haddest to a-doun Line 2224 Haue pite on my bitter teeres smerte And take myn humble preier at þine herte Alas I ne haue no langage to telle Þe effecte ne þe tourment of myn helle Line 2228 Myne herte may myn armes not be-wreye I am so confused þat I can not seye But mercy lady briȝt þat woost wele My þouȝt and seest what harmes I fele Line 2232 Considere al þis and rwe vpon my sore As wisly as I shal for euermore Hensforþ my myȝt þi trewe seruaunte be And hole werre alwaie wiþ chaastite Line 2236 That make I myne avowe so as ȝe may helpe I kepe not of armes for to ȝelpe Ne I ne axe not to morowe to haue victorie Ne renoun in þis caas ne veynglorie Line 2240 Of price of armes blowen vp and doun But I wold haue fully possessioun Of Emelye and dye in her seruise ffynde þou þe manere howe and in what wise Line 2244 I recche not but it may better be To haue victorie of hem or þei of me So that I haue my lemman in myn armes ffor þouȝe so be þat mars is god of armes Line 2248 Ȝoure vertue is so grete in heuene aboue

þat if þe lest I shal wel haue my loue Thy tempel shal I worship euermoo And on þine awtere wher I ride or goo Line 2252 I wil doon sacrifise and fires bete And ȝif ȝe wil not so my lady swete þan prey I ȝou to morowe wiþ a spere þat Arcita me þorghe þe herte bere Line 2256 Then rekke I not whan I haue lost my lif þouȝe Arcita wynne her to his wiff This is þe effecte and eende of my priere [folio 32a] Ȝeue me my lady þou blisful lady dere Line 2260 ¶ Whan þe orison was dōn of Palamōn His sacrifise he did and þat a-nōn fful pitously wiþ al[le] circumstaunces Al telle I not as nowe his obseruaunces Line 2264 But atte laste þe statue of Venus shoke And made a signe wherby þat he toke Þat his preier accepted was þat day ffor þouȝe þe signe shewed a delay Line 2268 Ȝit wist he wele þat graunted was his bone And wiþ glad hert he went awaie ful sone ¶ þe iij. houre in-equal þat Palamon Byganne to venus temple forto gon Line 2272 Vp roos þe sonne and vp roos Emelye And to þe temple of Dyane gan she hie Hir maidens þat she þider wiþ hir ladde fful redily wiþ hem þe fire þei hadde Line 2276 þe encense þe cloþes and þe remenaunte all þat to þe sacrifise longen shall þe hornes ful of meth as was þe gise þer lacked nouȝt to don her sacrifise Line 2280 Smoking þe temple ful of cloþes faire This Emelie wiþ herte debonaire Hir lady wasshe wiþ water of a welle But howe she did hir riȝt I dar not telle Line 2284 But it be eny þing in generall

And ȝit it were a game to here it all To him þat meneþ wel it were no charge But it is good a man be at his large Line 2288 Hir briȝt heres were kempte vntressed all A corone of a grene oke seriall Vpon her hede was sette ful faire and mete Two fires on þe awter gan she bete Line 2292 And did her þingges as men may biholde In stace of Thebes and þise bokes olde Whan kindeled was þe fire wiþ pitous chere [folio 32b] Vnto Diane she spake as ȝe may here Line 2296 ¶ O chaaste goddes of þe wodes grene To whoom boþ heuene and erþe and see is sene Quene of [the] regne of Polute derk and lowe Goddes of maydenes þat myn hert hast knowe Line 2300 fful mony a ȝere and woost what I desire As kepe me from þi vengeance and þine Ire That attheon abouȝte cruelly Chaast goddes wel woost þou that I Line 2304 Desire to be a maiden al my liff Ne neuere wil I be [no] loue ne wiff I am þou woost ȝit of þi companye A maide and loue huntyng and venerye Line 2308 And for to walke in þe wodes wilde And not to be a wiff and be wiþ childe Nat wil I knowe company of man Now helpe me lady siþ ȝe may and can Line 2312 ffor þoo þre formes þat þou hast in þe And Palamon þat haþ such loue to me And eke Arcite þat loueþ me so sore This grace I prei þe wiþ out more Line 2316 And sende loue and pees ytwyx hem twoo And fro me turne away her hertes so That al her hote loue and her desire And al her bysy torment and her fire Line 2320 Be queynt or turned in an oþere place

And if so be þou wilt do me no grace Or if it be my destany be shaped soo That I shal nedes haue oon of hem two Line 2324 As sende me him þat most desireþ me Biholde goddesse of clene chaastite The bitter teeres þat on my chekes falle Siþ þou art maide and keper of vs alle Line 2328 My maydenhode þou kepe and wel conserue And while I lif a maiden I wil þe serue þe fires brenne vpon þe Auter clere [folio 33a] While Emely was þus in his preiere Line 2332 But sodeynly she seghe a þinge queynt ffor right anoon oon of þe fires queynt And quicked ageyn and after þat anōn That oþer fire was queynt and al agōn Line 2336 And as it queint it made a qwistelinge As done þise wete brondes in her brennynge ¶ And at þe brondes eende out ranne anōn As it were blody dropes mony ōn Line 2340 ffor which so sore a-gaste was Emelie þat she was wel nyghe madde and gan to crye ffor she ne wiste what it signified But only for þe fire þus she criede Line 2344 And wepte þat it was pite for to here And þer wiþ al Diane gan to apere Wiþ bowe on hond right as an hunteresse And seide douȝtere stint of þine heuynesse Line 2348 And monge the goddes high it is affermed And by eterne worde writt and confermed þow shalt be wedded vnto oon of þoo þat han for þe so moche care and woo Line 2352 But vnto which of hem I may not telle ffare wele I may no lenger dwelle þe fire whiche þat on myn awter brenne Shal þe declaren er þat þou go henne Line 2356 Thine aventure of loue as in þis caas

And with þat worde þe Arowes in þe caas Of þe goddes clateren fast and ringe And forþ she went and made a vanysshinge Line 2360 ffor whiche þis Emely a-stonyed was And seide what mounteth þis alas I put me in þi protectiōn Diane and in þi disposiciōn Line 2364 And home she goþ þe neste way This is þe effecte þer is no more to say Þe nexte houre of Mars folowing þis [folio 33b] Arcite vnto þe temple ywalked is Line 2368 Of feers mars to done his sacrifise Wiþ al þe myghtes of his peynymes wise Wiþ pitous hert and heghe deuociōn Riȝt þus to Mars he seide his Orison Line 2372 ¶ O stronge god þat in the regnes colde Of taars honoured art and lord yholde And hast in euery regne and euery londe Of armes al þe bridel in þine honde Line 2376 And hem fortunest as þe list devise Accepte of me my pitous sacrifise If so be my þouȝte may deserue And þat my myght be worþi forto serue Line 2380 Thi godhede þat I may be oon of þine Þan preie I þe to rwe vpon my pyne ffor þilk peyn and þat hoote fire In which þou brentest whilom for desyre Line 2384 Whan þou vsedist the beaute Of faire yonge fresshe venus free And haddest hure in armes at þi wille All þoughe þe onys on a tyme mysfelle Line 2388 Whan vlcanus had kauȝt þe in his laas And foonde þe ligging be his wif alaas ffor thilk[e] sorowe þat was in þine herte Haue rauthe as wel vpon my peynes smerte Line 2392 I am ȝonge and vnkonyng as þou wooste

And as I trowe wiþ loue offended moste þat euere was eny lyues creature ffor she þat doþ me al this woo endure Line 2396 Ne recheþ neuere wher I sinke of flete [[MS. "flete" of sinke]] And wel I wote ere she me mercy hete I mote wiþ strengthe wynne her in þis place And wel I wote wiþ outen helpe or grace Line 2400 Of þe ne may my strengthe not availe Than helpe me lord to morowe in my bataile ffor þilk[e] fire þat whilom brente þe [folio 34a] As wel as þat fire now brenneþ me Line 2404 And do þat I to morowe haue victorie Myne be þe travaile and þine be þe glorie Þi souereyn temple wil I most honouren Of eny place and alway most labouren Line 2408 In þi plesaunce and in þi craftes stronge And in þi temple I wil my baner honge And all þe armes in my companye And euermore vnto þe day I dye Line 2412 Eterne fire I wil byfore þe fynde And eke to þis awowe I wil me bynde My lorde my here þat hongeþ lowe a dow[n]e þat neuere ȝit ne felt offencioun Line 2416 Of rasoure ne of shere I wil þe ȝeue And bene þi trewe seruaunte while I lyue Now lord haue rouþe vpon my sorowes sore Ȝif me þe victorie I axe þe no more Line 2420 The preier stint of Arcita þe stronge The Ryngges on þe tempel door ȝit honge And eke the door[e]s clateren ful fast Of whiche Arcita somwhat hym a-gast Line 2424 The fires brennen vpon þe auter briȝt That it gan al the temple for to light And swete smelle anoon þe grounde vp ȝaf And Arcita anon his honde vp haf Line 2428 And more ensense vnto þe fire he cast

Wiþ oþer riȝtes moo and atte last The statue of Mars bygan his hauberk rynge And wiþ þat soune he herde a murmurynge Line 2432 fful lowe and dym þat seide þus victorie ffor which he ȝaue to mars honour and glorie An þus wiþ Ioie and hope wel to fare Arcita is [y]brouȝt of Moche care Line 2436 As fayn as foule is of þe briȝte sonne And riȝt anon such strif is bygonne ffor þilk[e] grauntyng in þe heuene aboue [folio 34b] By-twix venus þe goddes of loue Line 2440 And Mars þe steerne god armypotent Þat Iubiter was bysy it to stent Til at þe [last] Pale Saturnus þe colde Þat knewe so mony of auentures olde Line 2444 ffonde in his bolde experience and & [[so]] art Þat he ful sone haþ plesed every part And sooþ is seide elde haþ grete auauntage And elde is boþ[e] wisdome and vsage Line 2448 Men may þe olde attenne but not atrede Saturne anōn to stinten strif and drede Al be it þat it is aȝeinst his kinde Of al his strif he can remedye fynde Line 2452 My dere doughter Venus quod saturne My cours þat haþ so wide forto turne Haþ more powere þan wote eny man Myne is þe drenchinge in þe see so wan Line 2456 Myne is þe prison in þe derke cote Myn is þe stranglinge and þe hanging by þe þrote þe murmur and þe chirles rebellinge þe Gonynge and the privey enpoysenynge Line 2460 I do vengeaunce and pleyn correctiōn While I dwelle in þe signe of the lyōn Myne is þe Ruyne of [t]he heghe halles Þe fallinge of þe toures and of þe walles Line 2464 Vpon þe mynour or vpon þe carpentere

I slowgh Sampson shaking þe pilere And myn[e] be þe maladies colde The derk tresounes and þe castes olde Line 2468 My lokinge is þe fader of Pestilence Nowe wepe no more I shal do my diligence That Palamon þat is þine owne knyȝt Shal haue his lady as þou hast [him] hiȝt Line 2472 Thouȝe Mars shal helpe his knyȝt ȝit naþelees Bytwix ȝou tweyne þer mot be somtyme pees Al be ȝe not of oon complexiōn [folio 35a] That causeþ al day such dyuysion Line 2476 I am þine eile redy at þi wille Wepe no more I wil þi lust fulfille Now wil I stinten of þise goddes aboue Of Mars and of venus goddes of loue Line 2480 And pleynly I wil telle ȝou as I can Þe grete effecte for which þat I biganne . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] Grete was þe feest in Athenes þat day And eke þat lusty seson in [that] may Line 2484 Made euery wight to be in suche plesaunce And al þat day Iusten þei and daunce And spenden it in Venus high seruyse But by þe cause þat þei shulden rise Line 2488 Erly forto seen þe grete fight Vnto her reste went þei atte nyght And on þe morowe whan day gan to springe Of hors and harnays noyse and clateringe Line 2492 Þer was in hostelrye aboute And to þe palaies rode þer mony a route Of lordes vpon stedes and palfreis þer maist þou see dyvising of harneis Line 2496 So vncouþe and so riche and wrouȝt so well Of Goldsmythrie of browding and of steell

The sheeldes briȝte teesteers and trappures Gold-hewen helmes hauberkes and cote armures Line 2500 Lordys in parementis on her coursers Knyghtes of retenue and eke swiers Nailinge þe speres and helmes bokelinge Sigyng of sheeldes wiþ layvers lasinge Line 2504 Ther as nede is þei were no þing ydell þe ffomynge steedes on þe golden bridell Snavyng and fast þe armurers also Wiþ file and hamure riding to and froo Line 2508 Ȝemen on foote and comons many on Wiþ shorte staues þikke as þei may gon Pipes trompettes nakerns and clariouns [folio 35b] Þat in þe bataille blewen blody sownes Line 2512 Þe paleis ful of puple vp and doun Here þre þer ten holdinge her questioun Dyuynyng of þise thibeanes knyȝtes twoo Some seide þus. some seide it shal be so Line 2516 Somme helde wiþ him wiþ þe blake berde Somme wiþ þe balled some with þe þikke hered Some seide he loked grymme and he wold fight He haþ a sparþe of xx^ti pounde wight Line 2520 þus was þe halle ful of dyuynynge Longe aftere þe sonne gan to springe þe grete Theseus of his slepe gan wake Wiþ mynstralcie and nois þat þei make Line 2524 Heelde ȝit þe chambre of his palais riche Til þat þe thebeane knyghtes boþ yliche Honoured weren into þe place fette Duke Theseus is at þe wyndowe sette Line 2528 Araide riȝt as he were a god in trone The puple presed þidere-ward ful sone Him forto seen and done him high reuerence And eke to harken his heest and his sentence Line 2532 An herowde on a scaffold made an oo / Til al þe noise of þe puple was doo

And whan he see þe puple of noise al stille Thus shewed he þe myȝty dukes wille Line 2536 Þe lord haþ of his heghe discreciōn Considered þat it were destrucciōn To gentel blood to feghten in þis gise Of mortall bataile now in þis emprise Line 2540 Wherfore to shapen þat þei shal not die He wille his firste purpoos modefie No man þerfor vp peyne of losse of liff No maner shotte. ne pollax ne short knyff Line 2544 Into þe listes sende or þidere bringe Ne shorter swerd forto stoke wiþ poynt bitinge No man ne drawe ne bere it be his side [folio 36a] Ne no man shal vnto his felawe ride Line 2548 But oon cours wiþ a sharpe grounden spere ffoyn if hym list on foote hym self to were And he þat is at meschief shal be take And not sclayn but be brouȝt to a stake Line 2552 þat shal be ordeyned on eiþer side But þidere he shal be foorce and þer abide And if so falle þe Chevetayn be take On eiþer side or ellis sclayn his make Line 2556 No lenger shal þe tornamente laste God spede ȝou goo and leye on faste Wiþ swerdes and longe maces fiȝteþ ȝour fille Go nowe ȝoure way þis is þe lordes wille Line 2560 The vois of puple touched heuene So loude cried þei wiþ mery steuene God saue suche a lord þat is so good He wilneþ no distruction of blood Line 2564 Vp goþ þe trompes and þe melody And to þe listes ritt þe company By ordinaunce þorghe out þe cite large Honged wiþ cloþes of gold and not wiþ sarge Line 2568 fful like a lorde þis noble duc gan ride Thise two Thebeanes on eiþer syde

And aftere rode þe quene and Emelye And after þat a nother companye Line 2572 Of oon and oþer after her degre And þus þei passen þorgh out þe Cite And to the listes come þei be tyme It nas not of þe day ȝit fully pryme Line 2576 Whan sette was Theseus ful riche and hie Ypolita þe quene and Emely And oþer ladies in degrees aboute Vnto þe setes preesen al þe route Line 2580 And westward þorgh þe gates vnder mart / Arcite and eke þe hundred of his part With banere rede is entred riȝt anōn [folio 36b] And in þat self[e] moment Palamōn Line 2584 Is vnder venus estward in þat place With baner white and hardy chere and face And in al þe world to seken vp and doun So euene wiþ out variacioun Line 2588 Þer nere suche company[e]s tweye ffor þer nas noon so wise þat coude seie That eny had of oþer auauntage Of worthynesse ne of estate ne age Line 2592 So euen were þei chosen forto gesse And in to ringges faire þei hem dresse Whan þat her names redde were euerechon þat in her nombre gile were þer nōn Line 2596 Tho were þe gates shette and cried was loude Do now ȝoure devoire yonge knyȝtes proude The herawdes left her prikking vp and doun Now ryngen trompes loude and claryoun Line 2600 Þer is no more to seyn [but] est and west In goon þe sharpe speres ful sadly into þarest In goþ þe sharpe spere into þe side Þere seen men who can iuste and who can ride Line 2604 Þere shyueren shaftes vppon sheeldes þikke He fileth þorgh þe herte spone þe prikke

Vp springen speres xx^ti fote on hight Out goon þe swerdes as þe siluer white Line 2608 þe helmes þei to-hewen and to-shrede Out bresteþ þe blode with sterne stremes rede Wiþ myȝty maces þe bones þei to-brest And þorgh þe thikkest of þe throng gan threst Line 2612 Þere stomblen stedes stronge and doun gon alle He rolleþ vnder fote as doþ a balle He foyneþ on his foote wiþ his tronchoun And he hym hurteþ wiþ his hors a-doun Line 2616 He þorgh þe body is born and siþ is take Maugre his hede and brouȝt vnto þe stake As forward was [riȝt] þer he most abide [folio 37a] Anoþer lad is on þat oþere side Line 2620 And somtyme doþ hem theseus forto rest Hem to refresshe and drink[e] ȝif hem lest fful of[te] a day han þise thybeanes two To-gidere mette and wrouȝt eche oþer woo Line 2624 Vnhorsed haþ eche oþere of hem twey Þer was no tigre in vale of Galgopleye Whan hir whelpe is stole whan it is lite So cruel on þe hunte as is Arcite Line 2628 ffor Ielous hert vpon þis Palamon Ne in Belmerie þer is so felle a lion Þat hunted is or for his hunger wode Ne of his pray desireþ so þe bloode Line 2632 As Palamon to sclee his foo Arcite þe Ielous strokes on her helmes bite Out renneþ blood of boþ her sides rede Somtyme an ende þer is on euery dede Line 2636 ffor or þe sonne vnto þe reste went Þe Stronge king Emetrius gan hent This Palamon as he fauȝt wiþ Arcite And made his swerde depe in his flesshe bite Line 2640 And by [the] force of xx^ti is he take Vnȝolden and drowen to þe stake

And in þe Rescowe of þis Palamon The stronge king ligurge is born doun Line 2644 And kinge Emetrius for al his grete strength Is born out of his sadel his swerdes length So hit hym Palamon er he were take But al for nouȝt he was brouȝt to þe stake Line 2648 His hardy herte may hym helpe nouȝt He mote abide whan þat he is ykauȝt By force and eke by composiciōn Who soroweþ now but woful Palamon Line 2652 They mote no more go ageyn to fiȝt And whan þat he had sene þat siȝt He cried Hoo no more for it is don [folio 37b] Ne noon shal lenger to his felawe gon Line 2656 I wil be trewe Iuge and not partie Arcite of Thebes shal haue Emelye That by his fortune haþ hir faire wonnen Anon þer is a vois of puple by-gonne Line 2660 ffor Ioie of þis so loude and high wiþ-alle It semed þat þe listes shulden falle What can nowe faire Venus do aboue What seiþ she now what doþ þis quene of loue Line 2664 But wepeþ so for wanting of her wille Til þat her teeres in þe listes fille She seide I am ashamed doutelees Saturnus seide doughter hold þi pees Line 2668 Mars haþ his wil his knyght haþ al his bone And by myne hede þou shalt be esed sone The trompours wiþ þe loude mynstralsie The harawdes þat ful loude ȝelle and crye Line 2672 Bene in her wele for Ioie of daun arcyte But harkeneþ me and stinte vois a lite Swiche a myracle þer bifelle anōn This ferce Arcite haþ of his helme ydon Line 2676 And on a courcere forto shew his face He prikkeþ endelonge þe large place

Loking vpward vnto Emelye And she aȝein him cast a frendly ye Line 2680 ffor wommen as to speken in comune Thei folowen al þe fauour of fortune And was al his [in] chere as in his herte Out of þe grounde a fyre Infernal sterte Line 2684 ffrom Pluto sent . at þe request of Saturne ffor which his hors for fere gan to turne And lepe a-side and foundred as he lepe And or þat Arcyte may taken kepe Line 2688 He pight him on þe pomel of his heued þat in þe place he laie as he were dede His brest to-broste wiþ his sadel bowe [folio 38a] As blak he lay as eny cole or crowe Line 2692 So was þe blood yronne in his face Anon he was [y]brouȝt out of þe place Wiþ herte sore vnto Theseus palays Þo was he coruen out of his harnays Line 2696 And in a bedde ybrouȝt ful faire and blyue ffor he was ȝit in memorie and on lyue And alway crying after emelie Duke Theseus wiþ al his companye Line 2700 Is commen home to Athenes Cite With alle blisse and grete solempnite Al be it þat þis auenture is falle He wolde not discomforte[n] hem alle Line 2704 Men seide eke þat Arcide shuld not dye He shal be heled of his maladye And of anoþer þinge þei were as fayne þat of hem alle þer nas no man slayne Line 2708 Al were þei sore ybete and namely on þat wiþ a spere was þrelled þe brest bon Two oþer woundes and two broken armes Somme had salue and some had charmes Line 2712 ffermacies of erbes and eke saue þei dronken for þei wold her lyues haue

ffor which þis noble duke as he wel can Conforteþ and honoureþ euery man Line 2716 And made Reuel al þe longe nyȝt Vnto þe straunge lordes as it was riȝt Ne þere was holde no discomforture . . . . . Line 2720 . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] ffor fallinge is by an awenture Ne to be lad by force vnto a stake Vnȝolden and wiþ xx^ti. knyȝtes take Line 2724 A persone alon wiþ oute moo And haried forþ by arme fote and too And eke his stede dryven forþ with staues With fote men boþ ȝemen and [eke] knaues Line 2728 It was aretted him no vilanye [folio 38b] Þer may no man clepe[n] it cowardye ffor whiche a-non duke Theseus lete crye To stynten al rancour and [al] envie Line 2732 Gree þei as wel of on side as of oþer [[MS. Þei "Gree."]] And eiþer side ylike as oþeres broþer And ȝaf hem ȝiftes after her degre And fulli heelde a feeste daies þree Line 2736 And conueyed þe kingges worþely Out of his toune a Iourne largely And home went euery man þe riȝt[e] way Þer was no more but fare wel & haue good day Line 2740 ¶ Of þis bataille I wil no more endite But speke of Palamon and of Arcyte Swelleþ þe brest of Arcyte and þe sore Encreseþ at his herte more and more Line 2744 The clotered blood for eny leche craft Corrumpeþ and is in his body laft Þat neiþer veyn[e] blood ne ventowsinge Ne drinke of herbes may be [him] helpinge Line 2748 By vertue expulsif or anymall ffro þilk[e] vertu cleped naturall

Ne may þe venyme voide ne expelle The pipes of his longges gan to swell Line 2752 And euery lacert in his hert adoun Is shent wiþ venyme and corrupcioun Hym Geyneþ neiþer forto gete his lif Vomyte vpward ne dounward laxatif Line 2756 Al is to-brosten thilk[e] regiōn Nature haþ no dominaciōn And certeinly þer nature wil not wirche ffarewel Phisik go bere þe man to chirche Line 2760 This is all and some þat Arcita most die ffor which he sendeþ after Emelie And Palamon his cosyne dere þan seide he þus as ȝe shal after here Line 2764 Not may my woful spirite in myn hert [folio 39a] Declare a poynt of my sorowes smert To ȝou my lady þat I loue moste But I biqueth þe seruise of my gooste Line 2768 To ȝou abouen euery creature Siþ þat my lif[e] may no lenger dure Allas þe woo allas þe peynes stronge þat I for ȝou haue suffred and so longe Line 2772 Alas þe deþe alas myn Emelie Alas departinge of our companye Alas my hertes quene alas my lief wif Myn hertes lady endere of my lif Line 2776 What is þe world what axen men to haue Now wiþ his loue nowe in his cold[e] graue Allone wiþ oute[n] eny companye ffare wel my foo fare wel myn Emely Line 2780 And softe take me in ȝoure [armes] twey ffor loue of god herkeneþ what I seie I haue here wiþ my Cosyn Palamon Had strif and rancoure mony day agon Line 2784 ffor loue of ȝou and for my Ielousie And Iubiter so wis my soule gye

To speken of a seruaunt proprely Wiþ circumstaunces al trewly Line 2788 Þat is to seyn trouth. honure and knyȝthede Wisdom humblesse estat and high kynrede ffredom and al þat longeþ to þat art So Iubiter haue on my soule part Line 2792 As in þis worlde riȝt now know I none So worþi to be biloued as Palamon Þat serueþ ȝou and wil do. al his liff And if þat ȝe shal euer bene a wif Line 2796 fforȝete not Palamon þe gentile man And wiþ þat worde his speche faile bygan ffor from his fete vnto þe hert was come þe colde of deþ þat had him ouercome Line 2800 And ȝit more ouer for in his armes twoo [folio 39b] þe v[i]tal strength is lost and al ago Only þe intellecte wiþ oute more þat dwelled in his herte sik and sore Line 2804 Gan failen whan þe herte felte deth Dusken his eyen two and faileþ breþe But on his lady ȝit cast he his ye His laste word was mercy Emelye Line 2808 His spirit chaunged hens and went[e] þere As I cam neuere I can not telle where Therfor I stint I am no dyvynystre Of soules fynde I not in þis registere Line 2812 Ne me ne list þilk opynyons to telle Of hem þouȝe þat þei writen wher þei dwelle Arcite is colde þat mars his soule gye Now wil I speken forþ of emely Line 2816 Shrite Emely an halowen Palamon And Theseus his suster toke anōn Swownyng and bar hir fro his cours away What helpeþ it vs to tarien forþ þe day Line 2820 To tellen howe she wepte boþ euen and morowe ffor in suche caas wommen han suche sorowe

Whan þat her husbondes bene fro hem a-goo [That] ffor þe more parte þei sorowen soo Line 2824 Or ellis fallen in such Maladie þat at þe laste certeynly þei die Infinite harmes bene and eke þe teeres Of olde folk and folk of tendere ȝeres Line 2828 In all þe toun for deth of þis Thebean ffor him þer wepen boþ[e] child and man So grete weping was þer [non] certayn Whan Ector was [y]brouȝt and fressh ysclayn Line 2832 To Troy allas þe pite þat was þere Cracching of chekes renting eke of here Whi woldest þou be dede þise wommen crie And haddest gold ynoghe and emelye Line 2836 No man myght glade Theseus [folio 40a] Sauyng his olde fadere Egeus That knewe þis worldes transmutacioun As he had sene it vp and doūn Line 2840 Ioie after woo and woo aftere gladnesse And sheweþ hem ensample and liknesse Riȝt as þer dyed neuer man quod he þat he ne lyued in erþe in som degre Line 2844 Riȝt so ther lyued neuere man he seide In al þis world þat somtyme he ne deyed þis world is nouȝt but a þorght fare ful of woo And we bene pilgrymes passing to and froo Line 2848 Deþ is an ende of euery worldly sore And ouer al þis ȝit seide he mychel more To þis effecte ful wisely to enhorte þe puple þat þei. hem shul recomsorte Line 2852 Duke Theseus wiþ al his bisy Cure Tasteþ nowe where þat þe sepulture Of good Arcite may best ymaked be And eke most honurable of degre Line 2856 And atte last he toke conclusion That þer as first Arcite and Palamon

Had for loue þe bataile hem bitwene þat in þe self groue swete and grene Line 2860 þer as he had his Amerous desires His compleynt and for loue his hote fires He wold[e] make a fire in which þe office ffuneral he myȝt hem all complice Line 2864 He lete anon comaunde to hakke and hewe þe okes olde and leye hem on a rewe In colpons wel araied forto brenne His Officers with swift[e] fote thei renne Line 2868 And riȝt anon at his comaundement And aftere Theseus haþ ysent Aftere a beer and it al ouer spradde Wiþ cloþ of gold the ricchest þat he hadde Line 2872 And of þe same sute he cloþer Arcite [folio 40b] Vpon his hondes [were] his gloues white Eke on his hede a croune of laurere grene And in his hand a swerde ful briȝt and kene Line 2876 He laide him bare þe visage vnto þe bere Ther wiþ he wepte þat pite was to here And for þe puple shulde sene hym all Whan it was daie he brouȝt hym to þe hall Line 2880 þat roreþ of þe crie and of þe sorowe sone þoo gan þis woful Thebean Palamon Wiþ flotery berd and ruggy asshy heres In cloþes blake dropped al wiþ teeres Line 2884 And passing oþer of weping Emelie She rewfullest of al þe companye In as moche as þe seruyse shuld be þe more noble and riche in his degre Line 2888 Duke Theseus lete forþ þe stedes bringe That trapped were in steel al gliteringe And keuered wiþ þe armes of Dame Arcite [[or Daine]] Vppon þise stedes grete and white Line 2892 Ther stoden folk of which oon bare his sheelde Anoþer his spere vpon his hondes helde

The iij. bare wiþ him bowe turkeys Of brent gold was þe caas and eke þe harneys Line 2896 And riden forþ a paas wiþ sory chere Towardes þe groue as ȝe shul after here The noblest of þe Grekes þat þer were Vpon her shulders cariden þe berc Line 2900 Wiþ sclak[e] paas and yen rede and wete þorgh out þe Cite by þe maister strete þat sprad was al wiþ blak and wonder hye Riȝt of þe same is þe strete ywrie Line 2904 Vpon þe Riȝt honde went olde Egeus And on þat oþer side Duke Theseus Wiþ vesselles in her hondes of gold ful fyne Al ful of hony. mylk. [and] blood. and wyne Line 2908 Eke Palamon with ful grete companye [folio 41a] And aftere þat come wooful Emelie Wiþ fire in hand as was þat time þe Gyse To do þe office of funeral seruise Line 2912 High labour / and ful grete apparaillinge Was at þe seruyse and at þe fire makinge That wiþ his grene top þe heuene raught And xx^ti fadmes in brede þe armes raught Line 2916 This is to seine þe bowes were so brode Of strawe first þer was leide mony a lode But howe þe fire was maked vp[on] hiȝt Ne eke þe names howe þe trees hiȝt Line 2920 As Oke. fir. birch. asp. alder. Elme. popelere. Wilowe. holme. playn. assh. box. Chesteyn. bynd. laure. Mapel. þorne. becche. ewe. hasell. wypultre. How þei were felled shal not be tolde for me Line 2924 Ne howe þe goddes ronnen vp and doun Disherites of her habitacioun In whiche þei wonden in rest and pees Nymphes. ffawnes and amadries Line 2928 Ne howe þe beestes ne þe briddes alle ffledden for fere whan þei were falle

Ne howe þe grounde agast was of þe liȝt That was not wonte to se þe sonne briȝt Line 2932 Ne how þe fire was couched first wiþ stre And þan wiþ drie stikkes clouen a þree And þan wiþ grene wode and spicerie And þan wiþ cloþe of gold and [wiþ] perrie Line 2936 And Garlondes honging wiþ mony a floure The myrr þensence with swete odoure Ne how arcite lay among al þis Ne what richesse aboute his body is Line 2940 Ne howe Emely as was þe Gise Put in þe fire of funeral seruise Ne howe she swowned whan made was þe fire Ne what she spak ne what was her desire Line 2944 Ne what Ielous men in þe fire cast [folio 41b] Whan þat þe fire was grete and brente fast Nowe howe some cast her sheelde and some her spere And of her vestementes which þei were Line 2948 And Coppes ful of mylke and wyne and blood Into þe fire þat brent as it were wode Ne howe þe greges wiþ an huge route Thrise riden al þe fire aboute Line 2952 Vpon þe lift honde wiþ a loude shoutinge And thries wiþ her speres clateringe And thries how þe ladise gan crie Ne howe þat lad was homward Emely Line 2956 Ne how arcyte is brent in asshen colde Ne how þe liche-wake was [y]holde Al þat nyght ne howe þe Grekes pleye The wake-plaies kepe I not to seie Line 2960 Who wrasteleþ best naked with oile anoynt Ne who [that] bare him best in no dysioynt I wil not tellen all howe þei [ben] gone Home til Athenes whan þe play is done Line 2964 But shortely to þe point þan wil I wende And make[n] of my longe tale an ende

By processe and by length of ȝeres Al stinte is þe mournyng and þe teeres Line 2968 Of Greges by oon general assent Than semed me þer was a parlement At Athenes vpon a certeyn point and caas And amonge pointes [ther] yspoken waas Line 2972 To haue wiþ certeyn contrees alliance And haue of Thebeanes fully obeisance ffor which this noble theseus anōn Lete sende[n] after gentile Palamon Line 2976 Vnwist of him what was þe cause and whi But in his blake cloþes sorowfully He come at his comaundement in hie Tho sente Theseus for Emelye Line 2980 Whan þat þei were sette and huyst was al þe place [folio 42a] And Theseus abiden haþ þe space Or eny worde come fro his wise brest His yen sette he þer hym lest Line 2984 And such a sad visage he sighed stille And after þat riȝt þus he seide his wille The firste mouer of þe cause aboue Whan he first made þe faire cheyn of loue Line 2988 Gret was þe effecte and high was his entent Wel wist he why and what þerof he ment ffor wiþ þat faire cheyne of loue he bonde The fuyre. þe. Eire þe water and þe londe Line 2992 In certeyn boondes þat þei may not flee That same prince and þat same mouer quod he Haþ stablesshed in þis wrecched world adoun Certeyn days and Dominacioun Line 2996 To al þat is engendred in þis place Ouer þe whiche day þei may not pace Al mowe þei ȝit þe daies abregge Ther nys noon autorite to legge Line 3000 ffor it is proued by experience But that me lust declare my sentence

Than may men by þis order discerne That þilk mouer stable is and eterne Line 3004 Wel may men knowe but it be a fool That euery part darrayueth fro his hool ffor nature haþ not taken his bygynnyng Of no partie or of catel of no þing Line 3008 But oon þinge þat parfit is and stable Descendinge so til it be corruptable And þerfore of his wise purueaunce He haþ so wel bysette his ordynaunce Line 3012 Þat specifie of þingges and progressiones Shullen endure by successiones And not eterne wiþ oute eny lye This maist þou vnderstond and see atte ye Line 3016 Lo the Oke þat hath so longe a norshinge [folio 42b] ffro þe tyme þat it bygynneþ furst to springe And haþ so longe a lif as ȝe may se Ȝit at þe laste waasted is þe tree Line 3020 Considereþ eke howe þat þe herde stone Vnder our fete on which we treden and gone Ȝit .ȝ. wasteþ it as it lith in þe way þe Brode Ryuer somtyme wexeþ dray Line 3024 þe grete townes so wide wane and wende Than þe see þat al þis þing haþ ende And man and womman so we wil also That nedeþ in oon of þe teermes twoo Line 3028 þat is to sayn in youþe or ellis in age He mote be dede þe kinge as wel as page Some in his bed some in þe depe see Some in þe large felde as ȝe may see Line 3032 Ther helpeþ nouȝt al goþ þat ilk waye þan may I seie þat al þis þing wil deye What makeþ þis but Iubiter þe king þat is prince and cause of al þing Line 3036 Couerting al vnto his propre wille ffrom which it is darreyude soþ to telle

Aud here agayne no creature on lyue Of no degre availleþ forto stryue Line 3040 Than is it wisdome as þenkeþ me To make vertue of necessite And take it wel þat we may not eschew And namely þat . þat to vs all is dwe Line 3044 And who so gruccheþ ouȝt he doþ foly And rebell is to him þat al may gye And certeynly a man haþ most honour To dyen in his excellence and flour Line 3048 Whan he is siker of his good name þan haþ he done his frende ne hym no shame And gladder auȝt / his frende . ben of his deth Whan wiþ honour yȝolden is vp þe breeth Line 3052 Than whan his name appalled is for age [folio 43a] ffor al forȝeten is his vassalage Than is þe best as for a worþi fame To dyen whan he is best of name Line 3056 The Contrarie of al þis is wilfulnesse Why grucche we whi haue we heuynesse That goode Arcite of Chyualre þe flour Departed is wiþ dwete and wiþ honour Line 3060 Out of þe foule prison of þis liff Whi grucchen here his cosyn and his wiff Of his welfare þat loueþ hem so wel Can he hem þonk. nay god wote neuer a dell Line 3064 That boþ his soule and eke hem [self] offende And ȝit þei mowe not hir lustes amende What may conclude of þis longe serie But after woo I rede vs be merie Line 3068 And þanken Iubiter of al his grace And or we departen from þis place I rede we made of sorowes twoo Oo parfite Ioie lasting euermoo Line 3072 And loke nowe wher most sorowe is her Inne þer at wil I furst bygynne

Suster quod he þis is my ful assent Wiþ all thaues here of my parlement Line 3076 That Gentile Palamon ȝour owne knygȝt þat serueþ ȝou wiþ wille herte and myȝt And euer haþ do siþen ȝe first hym knewe þat ȝe shal of ȝoure grace vpon hym rewe Line 3080 And taken [hym] for husbonde and for lord Lene me ȝoure honde for þis is our accord Lete se nowe of ȝoure womanly pite He is a kingges broþer sone parde Line 3084 And þouȝe he be a poor bachiler Siþ he haþ serued ȝou so mony a ȝere And had for ȝou so grete aduersite It most be considered leueþ me Line 3088 ffor gentel Mercy ouȝt to passen riȝt [folio 43b] Than seide he þus to Palamon þe knyȝt I trowe þere nede litel sermonynge To make ȝou assente to þis þinge Line 3092 Commeþ nere and takeþ ȝoure lady by þe honde Bytwix hem two was made anon þe bonde þat hiȝte Matrimoyne or mariage By all þe counsaile and [the] baronage Line 3096 And þus wiþ al[le] blisse and melodye Haþ Palamon ywedded Emelye And god þat al þis world haþ wrouȝt Send hym his loue þat haþ it dere bouȝt Line 3100 ffor nowe is Palamon in al[le] wele Lyuynge in al blisse in ricches and in hele And Emely him loueþ so tenderly And he hir serueþ so gentely Line 3104 Was neuer no worde hem bitwene Of Ielousie or eny oþer tene Thus endeþ þe tale of Palamon and Emelye And god saue al þis faire companye Line 3108

¶ Here endeþ þe knyghtes tale

& here bygnneþ þe Prologe of þe Milleres tale ¶ The Prologe

Whan þat þe knyght had þus his tale told In al the companye nas þer ȝonge ne olde Þat he ne seide it was a noble storie And worþi to be drawe in memorie Line 3112 And namely the gentels euerechon Our hooste loughe and swore so mot I gon This goþ a riȝt vnbokeled is þe male Lat se nowe who shal telle anoþere tale Line 3116 ffor trewly þe game is wel bygonne Now telleþ ȝe sir monke ȝif ȝe conne Somwhat to quyte wiþ þe knyghtes tale The Miller þat for-dronke was al pale Line 3120 So þat vnneþes vppon his hors he satte He wold availe neiþe hode ne hatte Ne abide no man for his curtesie [folio 44a] But in Pilates vois he bygan to crie Line 3124 And swore by armes blode and bones I can a noble tale for þe nones Wiþ þe which I wil now quyte þe knyȝtes tale Our [hooste] seghe þat he was dronke of ale Line 3128 And seide abide Robyn leue brother Somme better man shal telle vs first anoþer Abide and [let] us wirche thriftely By goddes soule quod he þat wil not I Line 3132 ffor I wil speke or ellis go my way Our hooste answerd seye on a deuel way Thou arte a fool þi witt is ouercommen Now harkeneþ quod þe myllere al and som Line 3136 ¶ But first I make a protestacioun þat I am dronke I knowe it by my soun And þerfore ȝif I mysspeke or say Wite it þe Ale of suthwerk I ȝou pray Line 3140

Line 3140 ffor I will telle a legend and a liff Boþ of a Carpenter and [of] his wiff How þat a clerke reft the wriȝtes cappe The reue answerd and seide stint of þi clappe Line 3144 Lat be þi lewde dronken harlotrie It is a synne and eke a grete folye To appeyren eny man or hym diffame And eke to bringe wives in such name Line 3148 Þow maist ynowe of oþer þingges seine Þis dronken Millere spake ful sone ageyn And seide leue broþer oswalde Who haþ no wif. is no kukwold Line 3152 But I seie not þerfor þat þou art oon Ther ben ful good[e] wyues mony on . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] Line 3156 Whi art þou angry wiþ my tale nowe I haue a wiff parde as wel as þou/ Ȝit nolde I for þe oxen in my plogh Take vpon me more þan ynogh Line 3160 As demen of my seluen þat I were oone [folio 44b] I wil bylieue þat þat I am none An husbond shuld not be inquesitif Of goddes priuete ne of his wif Line 3164 So he may finde goddes foyson þere Of þe remenant nedeþ nat to enquere What shuld I more seie but þe Millere He nyl his wordes for no man for-bere Line 3168 But tolde his Chirles tale in his manere Me forþenkeþ þat I shal reherce it here And þerfore euery gentil wiȝt I preie Demeþ not for goddes loue þat I seie Line 3172 Of euel entent but for I mote reherce Her tales alle be þei better or wors/ Or ellis fals somen of my matere And þerfore who list it not here Line 3176

Line 3176 Torne ouer þe lief and chese anoþer tale ffor ȝe shul fynde ynow grete and smale Of historial þinge þat toucheþ gentilnesse And eke moralite and holynesse Line 3180 Blame not me ȝif þat ye chese amys The Millere is a cheerle ȝe knowe wel þis So was the Reue eke and other moo And harlotrie þei told boþ twoo Line 3184 Avise ȝou and put me out of blame And eke men shal not make ernest of game

Thus endeþ þe prologe. [[No break in the MS.]]

And here by|gynneþ þe Millers Tale. ¶ Narracio

Whilom þer was dwelling in Oxenford A riche gnof þat gestes helde to bord Line 3188 And of his craft he was a Carpenter Wiþ him þer was dwelling a pore scolere Had lerned arte but al his fantasie Was turned forto lere Astrologie Line 3192 And cowde a certeyn of conclusions To demen by interrogacions. Ȝif þat men axed him incerteyn houres [folio 45a] Whan þat men shuld haue drouȝte of shoures Line 3196 Or ȝif men axed him what shuld byfalle Of euery þing I may not rekne alle This tale was cleped hende Nicholas Of derne loue and priue solas Line 3200 And þerto he was sclegh and ful priue And liche to a maiden meke to see A chambre had he in þat ostelrie Allone wiþ-out eny companye Line 3204 fful fetist dight wiþ herbes swote And he hym. self as swete as is þe rote Of licorace or ony sytuale His almagist and bokes grete and smale Line 3208 His aster-laboure longinge for his arte His awgryme stones layen ful faire aparte On shelues couched at his beddes heuede His presse ykeuered wiþ a falding rede Line 3212 And al aboue þer lay a gay sautrie On which he made on nyghtes melodye So swetely þat al þe chambre ronge And angelus ad virginem he songe Line 3216 And after þat he songe þe kingges note fful ofte blessed was his mery þrote

And þus þe swete Clerk his tyme spente Aftere his frendes fynding and his rente Line 3220 This Carpentere had wedded newe a wiff Which þat he loued more þan his liff Of xviij. ȝere she was of age Ielous he was and kept hir streit in cage Line 3224 ffor she was wily and yonge and he was olde And demed hym self to be like a Cukwolde He knewe not Caton for his wit is rude Þat bad man shuld wedde his similitude Line 3228 Men shul wedde aftere her estate ffor ȝouþe and elde is oft at debate But sith he was fallen in þe snare [folio 45b] He most enduren as oþer folk his care Line 3232 ffair was þis yonge wif and þer wiþ all As eny wesell her body gent and small A seynt she wered barred al of silk A barmecloþe as white as morn[e] mylk Line 3236 Vpon her lendes ful of mony a gore White was hir smok and enbrauded al byfore And eke be-hinde on her coler aboute Of Cole-blak silk with-Inne and eke wiþ-oute Line 3240 The tapes of hir white volipere Were of þe same sute of hir colere Hir Philett brode of silk and sette ful hie And sikerly she had a lykerous ye Line 3244 fful smal ypulled were her browes twoo/ And þoo were bent and blake as eny sloo/ She was more blisful on to se þan is þe newe Perient tree Line 3248 And softer þan þe woll is of eiþer And by hir girdel henge a purs of leder Tasshed wiþ silk and perled with latoun In al þis worlde to seke vp and doun Line 3252 Ther nys no man so wise þat couþe þenche So gay a popelot or [such] a wenche

fful briȝt was the shynyng of her hwe Than in þe toure þe noble forged newe Line 3256 But of her songe it was as loude and ȝerne As eny swalowe sittinge on a beerne Þerto she couþe skippe and make a game As eny kid or calf folowing his dame Line 3260 Her mouþe was swete as braket or meth Or horde of apples leide in hay or heth Wynsinge she was as is a Ioly colt Longe as a mast and vpward as a bolt Line 3264 A broche she bare on her loue coler As brode as is þe boos of a bokelere Her shoes were laised on her legges hie [folio 46a] She was a Primeroll a Pigges nye Line 3268 ffor eny lorde to liggen in his bedde Or ȝit for eny [good] ȝeman to wedde Now sir and eft sir. and so bifelle þe caas That on a day þis heende Nicholas / Line 3272 ffelle wiþ þis yonge wif forto rage and play While þat her husbonde was at osenay As clerkes bene ful subtile and ful queynte And prively he kauȝt hur by þe queynte Line 3276 And seide ywis but I haue my wille ffor deerne loue of þe lemman I spille And helde hure fast by þe haunche bonys And seide lemman my will at onys Line 3280 Or I wil die as god me saue And she spronge as a colt in traue And wiþ her hede sche wried fast away She saide I wil not kisse þe by my fay Line 3284 Wy labbe quod she latt be Nicholas Or I wil crie out harowe and alas Do way ȝoure hondes for ȝour curtesie This Nicholas gan mercy forto crie Line 3288 And spake so faire and profred him ful fast þat she her loue graunted hym atte last

And swoor hir ooþe by seint Thamas of kent That she wolde bene at his comaundement Line 3292 Whan þat she may hir laizere wel aspie Myn husbonde is so ful of Ielousie Þat but ȝe waite wele and by prive I woote riȝt wel I ne am but dede quod she Line 3296 Ȝe mote be ful deerne as in þis caas Nay þerof care ȝou not quod Nicholaas A Clerk has liþerly bysette his while But ȝif he couþe a carpenter begile Line 3300 And þus þei acorded and sworne To awaite a tyme as I haue seide biforn Whan Nicholas had don þus euery dele [folio 46b] And twakked her aboute þe lendes welle Line 3304 He kisseþ her swete and takeþ his sautrie And pleieþ fast and makeþ melodye þan fille it þus þat to þe parissh chirche Cristes werkes for to wirche Line 3308 This good wif went vpon an halyday Hir forhede shoon as briȝt as eny day So was it wasshe whan she left her werk Now was þere of þe chirch a parissh clerk Line 3312 Þe which was cleped absalon Crulle was his heer and as þe golde shone And strouted as [a] fanne large and brode fful streite and euene laie his Ioly shode Line 3316 His rudde was rede his eyen grey as goos Wiþ Powles wyndowes corven in his shoos In hosen rede he wente fetisly I-clad he was ful smal and proprely Line 3320 Al in a kirtel of light wagett fful faire and þikke ben þe poyntes sette And þer-vpon he had [a] gay surplise As white as is þe blossom on [the] rise Line 3324 A mery child he was so god me saue Wel coude he late blood [and] clippe and shaue

And make a chartere of londe or a quytaunce In xx^ti maners coude he trippe and daunce Line 3328 After the scole of Oxenforde þoo And wiþ his legges casten to and froo And pleyen songes on a small rybibe Some he songe a loude quynybe Line 3332 As as wel coude he pley on a gytern In al þe towne nas brewhous ne taucrn Þat he ne viset wiþ his solas þer eny gailerd tapster was Line 3336 But soth to sayn he was somdele squeymous Of fartinge and of speche daungerous This Absolon þat was Ioly and gay [folio 47a] Goþ wiþ a sensure on þe sonday Line 3340 Sensinge þe wyues of þe parissh fast And mony a louely loke on hem he cast And namely on þe Carpenters wiff To loke on hyr him þouȝt a mery liff Line 3344 She was so propre. swete. and likerous I dar wel say and she had be a mous And he a Catt he wold hire hent anōn This parissh clerk þis Ioly absolon Line 3348 Haþ in his herte such a loue longynge That of no wiff toke he non offringe For curtesie he seide he wolde none The mone whan it was nyȝt briȝt shone Line 3352 And absolon his gitern haþ [i]take For paramours he þouȝte forto wake And forþe he goþ Ielous and amerous Til he come to þe Carpenter[e]s hous Line 3356 A litel aftere þe Cok had ycrowe And dressed hym vnder a shette wyndowe That was vpon þe Carpenter[e]s walle He singeþ in his vois gentile and smalle Line 3360 Now dere lady ȝif þi wil be I prei ȝou þat ȝe wil rewe on me

Ful wel according to his giternynge This Carpentere a-woke and herd hym singe Line 3364 And spake vnto his wif and seide anon What alison herest þou not Absolon Þat chaunteþ þus vndere our boures wall And she answerd her husbond þer wiþ all Line 3368 Ȝis god wote Iohn I here it euery dele þis passeþ forþ what wil ȝe than but wele ffro day to day þis Ioly absolon So woweþ hire þat hym was woo-bygon Line 3372 He wakeþ al þe nyȝt and al þe day He kembeþ his lockes brode and made hem gay He woweþ hir by menes and brocage [folio 47b] And swoor he wolde bene her wne page Line 3376 He Syngeþ brokking as a nyghtyngale He sent her pyment Methe and spised ale And wafres pyping hote out of þe glede And to hir often he profered mede Line 3380 ffor some wil be wonnen for ricches And some for strokes and some for gentilnesse Somtyme to shewe his lightnesse and maisstrie He pleieth herawdes vpon a scaffold hie Line 3384 But what availleþ him as in þis caas So loueth she þis hende Nicholaas That Absolon may blawe þe buke horn He ne had for his labour but a scorn Line 3388 And þus she makeþ absolon her Ape Al his eernest turneþ but to a Iape ffor soþe þis prouerbe it is no lye Men seien þus alway þe nyȝte sclie Line 3392 Makeþ þe feer loue to be loth ffor þouȝe þat absolon be wode or wroth By cause þat he fer was from her siȝt This Niȝte Nicholas stode in his liȝt Line 3396 Nowe bere ȝou wel thou hende Nicholas/ ffor absolon may waille and singe allas

And so by-felle it on a Saterday This Carpentere was gone to Osnay Line 3400 And hende Nicholas and Alison Accorded were to þis conclusion Þat Nicholas shal shapen hym a wile This sely Ielous husbonde to begile Line 3404 And if so be þe game went a riȝt She shulde sclepe in his arme al þat nyȝt For þis [was] his desire and hers also And riȝt anon wiþ-oute wordes moo/ Line 3408 This Nicholas no lenger wold tarie But doþ ful softe into his chamber carie Both mete and drinke for a daye or tweye [folio 48a] And to hir husbonde bad hir for to seie Line 3412 If þat he asked after Nicholas She shulde seie she nyst not wher he was Of al þat day she see hym not wiþ ye She trowed þat he was in maladye Line 3416 ffor no crie her maide can calle He nolde answere for nouȝt that may bifalle This passeþ forþ al þe Saterday That Nicholas stille in his bed lay Line 3420 And ete and slepte and [dede] what hym lest Til sonday þat þe sonne goþ to rest This sely Carpenter haþ grete mervaile Of Nicholas or what þing myȝt hym aile Line 3424 And saide I am a-drad by seynt Thomas It stondeth not a-riȝt wiþ Nicholas God shilde þat he deyed sodenily This world is nowe ful tikil sikerly Line 3428 I seghe to-day a coors born to chirche That now on monday I segh fast wirche Go vp quod he to his knaue anon Clepe at his door or knokke wiþ a ston Line 3432 Loke howe it is and telle me boldely þis knaue went him vp ful sturdely

And at the Chamber door while þat he stode He cried an knokked as he were wode Line 3436 What howe what do ȝe maister Nicholay Howe may ȝe sclopen al þis longe day But al for nouȝt he herd neuer a word An hoole he foonde ful lowe vnder a bord Line 3440 Ther as þe Catt was wonte forto crepe And at þe hole he loked in ful depe And atte last he had of him a siȝt þis Nicholas satte euere gaping vp riȝt Line 3444 As he had kiked on þe newe moone And doune he goþ and told his maister sone In what araie he segh þat ilke man [folio 48b] This carpentere to blissen hym by-gan Line 3448 And seide helpe vs seint ffredeswyde A man wote litel what shal hym betide This man is fallen wiþ his astronomye In some woodnesse or in some Agonye Line 3452 I þouȝt wel howe it shuld be Men shuld not knowe of goddis privete Ȝe blessed be alway þe lewde man þat nouȝt but only his bileeue can Line 3456 So ferde anoþer clerk with astronomye He walked into þe feeldes for to prie Vpon þe sterres to wit what shal by-falle Til he was in a Marle pitte yfalle Line 3460 He seighe noȝt but yit by seint Thomas Me rueþ soor hende Nicholas He schal be rated of his stodying If þat I may by Ihesu [[MS Ihc]] heuene knyge Line 3464 Gete me a staf þat I may vnderspore While þat þou Robyn heuest vp þe dore He shal out of his stodying as I gesse And to þe Chamber dore he gan hym dresse Line 3468 His knaue was a stronge Carle for þe nones And by þe haspe he haue it vp at ones

Into þe floor þe door fille anon This Nicholas sat ay stille as ston Line 3472 And euere gaped vpward into þe eire þis carpenter wende he were in despeir And hent hym by þe shuldres myȝtely And shoke him hard and cried spitously Line 3476 What Nicholay what loke adoun A-wake and þenk on cristes passioun I crouche þe from eveles and fro wiȝtes þer-with þe nyȝt spelle he seide anon riȝtes Line 3480 On four halues of the hous aboute And on þe thresshhold on þe dore withoute Ihesu crist and seynt Benedight [folio 49a] Blesse þis hous from euery wicked wight Line 3484 ffor þe nyghtes verye þe white pater noster Where wentestowe . seynt Peters suster And atte last þis hende Nicholas Gan for to sighe sore and seide allas Line 3488 Shal al þe world be loste eftsones nowe This Carpentere answerde what seist þowe What þenk on god as we don þat swynk This Nicholas answerde focche me drink Line 3492 And aftere I wil speke in privete Of certeyn þing þat towcheþ þe and me I wille telle it noon oþer man cereteyne This carpenter goþ doun and commeþ ageyne Line 3496 And brouȝt of myghty ale a large quarte And whan þat eche of hem had dronke his parte þis Nicholas his door fast shette And doun þe Carpenter by hym he sette Line 3500 And seide Iohn myn hooste lief and dere Þow shalt vpon þi trouþ swere me heere That to no wight þou shalt þis counsell wrey ffor it is cristes counsaile þat I sey Line 3504 And if þu telle it man þou art forlore ffor þis vengeannce þou shalt haue þerfore

þat if þow wrey me þou shalt be wode ¶ Nay crist forbede it for his holy blood Line 3508 Quod þoo þis sely man I ne am no labbe Ne þough I seie it I ne am not lief to gabbe Sey what þowe wolt I shal it neuer telle To Childe ne wif by hym þat harowed helle Line 3512 Nowe Iohn quod Nicholas I wil not lie I haue yfounden in myn astrologie As I haue loked in þe mone briȝt þat nowe on monday next a quarter nyȝt Line 3516 Shal falle a rayn and þat so wild and wode þat half so grete was never noes flode This world he saide in lasse þan in an houre [folio 49b] Shal al be dreint so hidous is þe showre Line 3520 Thus shal mankinde drenche and lese her liff This Carpentere answerd allas my wiff And shal she drenche allas myn alisoun ffor sorowe of þis he fille al-most adoun Line 3524 And seide is no remedye in þis caas Wy ȝis for god quod heende Nicholas If þow wolte worchen aftere lore and rede Þowe maist not worchen after þine owne hede Line 3528 ffor þus seith salomon þat was ful trewe Worche al by counsaile and þou shalt not rewe And if þou worchen wolt by good counsaille I vndertake wiþ-outen mast or saille Line 3532 Ȝit shal I saue hir and þe and mee Hast þou not herd how saued was Noe Whan þat our lorde haþ warned hym byforn Þat al the world wiþ water shuld be lorn Line 3536 Ȝis quod þis Carpenter ful ȝore a-goo Hastowe not herde quod Nicholas also þe sorowe of Noe wiþ his felawship Or he myȝt gete his wif to ship Line 3540 Hym had leuere I dar wel vndertake At þilke tyme þan all his weþeres blake

þat she had a ship hure self allōn And þerfor woostowe what is best to don Line 3544 Thix axeth hast and of an hastif þinge Men may not preche or make taryinge Anoon go gete vs fast into þis Inne A knedinge trough or ellis a kemelyne Line 3548 ffor eche of vs but loke þat þei bene large In whiche men mowe swymme as in a barge And han her vitailles suffisaunt But for a day fye on þe remenaunt Line 3552 þe water shal a-slake and gon a-way Aboute pryme vpon þe nexte day But Robyne may not wit of þis þi knaue [folio 50a] Ne eke þi maide Gill I may not saue Line 3556 Axe not why for þouȝe þou axe me I wil not tellen goddes priuete It suffiseþ þe but if þi wittes madde To haue as grete a grace as Noe hadde Line 3560 þi wif shal I wel saue out of doute Go nowe þi way and spede þe here aboute But whan þou hast for hir and þe and me ygeten vs þise kneding treies þre Line 3564 Þan shalt þou honge hem in þe roof ful hie Þat no man of oure purueaunce espie And whan þou þus hast don as I haue seide And hast oure vitaile faire in hem y-leide Line 3568 And eke an axe to smyte þe cord a two Whan þat þe water commeþ þat we may goo And broke and hole on high vpon the gable Vnto þe gardyne ward ouer þe stable Line 3572 þat we may frely passen forþ our waye Whan þat þe grete shoure is passed awaye Than shalt þou swymme as mery I vndertake As doþ þe wight duk aftere þe drake Line 3576 þan wol I clepe how alison. howe Iohn Be mery for þe flood wil passe anōn

And þowe wilt seyn heil Maister Nicholay Good morowe I see þe wele for it is day Line 3580 And þan shal we be lordes al oure lif Of alle þe world as Noe and his wif But þat of oo þing I warne þe ful riȝt Be wel avised on þat ilk[e] nyȝt Line 3584 Þat we bene entred into þe shippes boord Þat noon of vs ne speke not a word Ne Clepe ne crie but bene in his preire ffor it is goddis owe heeste dere Line 3588 Thi wif and þou mote honge fer atwynne ffor þat bitwix ȝou shal be no synne No more in loking þan þer shal in dede [folio 50b] Þis ordinaunce is seide so god þe spede Line 3592 To morowe at nyght whan men bene all a-slepe Into our kneding trowes wil we crepe And sitten þer abidinge goddis grace Go nowe þi way I haue no lenger space Line 3596 To make of þis no lenger sermonyng Men seyn þus sende þe wise and say no þinge þou art so wise it nededeþ þe not teche Go saue our lif and þat I þe biseche Line 3600 ¶ This sely Carpentere goþ forþ his way fful oft he seide alas and wayleway And to his wif he tolde his priuete And she was war and knewe it bet þan he Line 3604 What al þis queinte cast was for to saye But nathelees she feerde as she wold deye And saide alas go foorþ þi way anon Helpe vs to scape or we bene dede echon Line 3608 I am þi trewe verry wedded wiff Go dere spouse and helpe to saue our lif Lo swich a grete þing is affectiōn Men may dye for ymaginaciōn Line 3612 So depe may impression be take This sely Carpenter bygynneþ quake

Hym þenkeþ verrely þat he may se Noe flood come walking as þe See Line 3616 To drenchen alison his hony dere He wepeth weilleth and maketh sori chere He sigheþ wiþ mony a sory swough And gooþ and geteþ hym a knedinge trough Line 3620 And aftere a Tubbe and a kemelyne And prively he sent hem to his Inne And henge hem in þe roof in privete His owne honde he made eke ledders þre Line 3624 To clymben by þe ronges and þe stalkes Vnto þe tubbes hongyng in þe balkes/ And hem vitailled boþ[e] trouȝe and tubbe [folio 51a] Wiþ brede. wiþ chese wiþh good ale in a Iubbe Line 3628 Suffisinge riȝt ynowe as for a day But er he had made al þis aray He sent his knaue and eke his wenche alsoo Vpon his nede to London for to goo Line 3632 ¶ And on þe Monday whan it drouȝe to nyȝt He shette his door wiþ-outen candel liȝt And dressed al þing as it shuld be And shortely clumben vp al þre Line 3636 Þei seiten stille wel a forlonge way Now Pater noster Clum seide Nicholay And Clum quod Iohn. and clum seide Alison This Carpentere seide his devociōn Line 3640 And stille he sitte and biddeþ his preier Awaitinge on þe reyne if he it here The deþe sleep for wery bisynesse ffille on þis Carpenter riȝt as I gesse Line 3644 Aboute Curfewe tyme or litel more ffor travaile of his goost he groneþ sore But ofte he routed for his hede myslay Doun of þe ledder stalkeþ Nicholay Line 3648 And Alison ful softe adoune she spedde Wiþ-outen wordes moo þei gon to bedde

Þer as þe Carpenter is wonte to lye Þer was þe reuel and þe melodye Line 3652 And þus lith alison and Nicholas In busynes of myrth and of solas Til þat þe belle of laudes gan to rynge And freres in þe chaunsel gan to singe Line 3656 ¶ This Parissh clerk þis amorous absolon Þat is for loue alway so woo bygon Vpon þe Monday was at Oseney Wiþ Company him to disport and pley Line 3660 And axed vpon a caas a Cloystrere fful prively after Iohn þe Carpentere And he drowe hym apart out of þe chirch [folio 51b] And seide I note I seghe hym here not wirch Line 3664 Siþ saterday I trowe þat he be went ffor tymbre þer oure abbot haþ hym sent ffor he is wonte for tymbre forto goo And dwellen at þe graunge a day or twoo Line 3668 Or ellis he is at his hous certeyn Wher þat he be I can not soþly seyn This absolon ful Ioly was and liȝt And þought now is tyme to wake al nyght Line 3672 ffor sikerly I segh hym not stirenge Abouten his door siþ day bygan to springe So mote I thrive I shal atte Cockes crowe fful priuely knokken at his wyndowe Line 3676 Þat stant ful lowe vpon his bowres walle To Alison now wil I tellen alle My loue longyng for þat I shal not mysse þat at þe leeste wey I shal hir kisse Line 3680 Som manere comfort shal I haue parfay My mouþe haþ icched al þis longe day þat is a signe of kissing atte leest Al nyght me met eek I was at a fest Line 3684 þer-for I wil goo sclepe an hour or twey And al þe nyght þan wil I wake and pley

Whan þat þe firste cok haþ crowe anon Vp stert þis Ioly louer absolon Line 3688 And hym araied gay and poynt devise But first he sheweþ greyn and licorise To smellen swote er he had kempt his here Vndere his tunge a trewe loue he bere Line 3692 ffor þerby wende he to be gracious He roomeþ to the Carpenters hous And stille he stant vndere þe shot wyndowe Vnto his brest it raught it was so lowe Line 3696 And soft he kougheþ wiþ a semy soune What do ȝe hony combe swete alisoun My faire brid my swete Synamome [folio 52a] A-waikeþ lemman myne and spekeþ to me Line 3700 fful litel þenken ȝe vpon my woo þat for ȝoure loue I swete as I goo No wonder is þouȝe that I swelt or swete I mourne as doþ þe lombe after þe tete Line 3704 I-wis leuman I haue such loue-longyng Þat like a turtel trewe is my mournynge I may not eten no more þan a maide Go fro þe wyndowe Iak fool she seide Line 3708 So god me spede it wil not be compame I loue anoþer and ellis I were to blame Wel bet þan þe by Ihesu absolon Go forþ þi waie or I wil cast a ston Line 3712 And lat me slepe a twenty deuelway Alas quod absolon and weyloway That trewe loue was euere so euel bysette Than kisse me siþ it may be no bette Line 3716 ffor Ihesus [[MS Ihc̄]] loue and for þe loue of me Wilt þou þan go þi waie þer-with quod she Ȝe Certes lemman quod þis absolon þan make þe redy quod she I come anon Line 3720 . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] This absolon doune sette hym on his knees

And seid I am a lord at alle degrees Line 3724 ffor aftere þis I hope þer commeth more Lemman þi grace and swete brid þine ore The wyndowe she vndoþ and þat in haste Haue doo quod she come of and spede þe faste Line 3728 Lest þat our neigheboures þe espie þis absolon gan wipe his mouþ ful drie Derk was þe nyght as picch or as þe cole And at þe wyndowe out she putt her hole Line 3732 And absolon him felle no bette ne wers But wiþ his mouþe he kissed her naked ers fful sauourly er he was ware of þis Abak he sterte and þought it was amys Line 3736 ffor wel he wist a womman haþ no berde [folio 52b] He felt a þing al roughe and longe yherede And seide fye alas what haue I doo Ti he quod she and clapt þe wyndowe to/ Line 3740 And absolon goþ forþ a forþer paas A beerd a beerd seide hende Nicholaas By goddes corpus þis goþ faire and well This sely absolon herde it euery dell Line 3744 And on his lippe he gan for anger bite And to him self he seide I shal þe quyte Who rubbeth nowe who freteth nowe his lippes Wiþ dust wiþ sonde wiþ strawe wiþ cloþ with chippes/ But absolon that seiþ ful oft allas Line 3749 My soule bitake I to Sathanas But me were leuere þan al þis toune quod he Of þis despite a-wroken forto be Line 3752 Allas quod he allas I ne had ybleynt His hote love is cold and al yqueynt ffor fro þat tyme þat he had kist her ers Of paramours he sette not a kers Line 3756 ffor he was heled of his malady fful oft paramours he gan defie And wepeþ as doþ a child þat is ybete A softe paas he went ouer þe strete Line 3760

Line 3760 Vnto a smyth men clepen dann Gervase That in his forge smyteþ plowh harnase He sharpeth share and culter bisily This absolon knokkeþ al Esily Line 3764 And seide vnto Gervays and þat anon What who art þou it am I absolon What Absolon. what cristes swete tre Why rise ȝe so rathe .o benedicite Line 3768 What eileþ ȝou som gay gerle god it wote Haþ brouȝt ȝou þus [up]on þe Vyritote By seynt Noet ȝe whote wele what I mene Þis Absolon ne rouȝte not a bene ./ Line 3772 Of al þis pley no word aȝein he gaf [folio 53a] He had more towe on his dystaf Þan Gervais knewe and seide frende so dere Þe hote Cultere in þe Chymeney here Line 3776 As lene it me I haue þerwiþ to don I wil bringe it a-geyn ful sone Gervais answerd certes were it gold Or in a poke nobles al vntold Line 3780 Thou shuldest haue as I am trewe smyth A cristes foo what wil ȝe do þerwith Therof quod absolon be as be may I shal tellen it þe to morowe day Line 3784 And caught þe Culter by þe colde stele fful soft out atte door he gan stele And went vnto þe Carpentere walle He koughed first and knokked þer wiþ all Line 3788 Vppon þe wyndowe right as he did eere Þis Alison answerde who is þere Þat knokkeþ so I waraunt it a þeef We nay quod he god wote my swete leef Line 3792 I am þine absolon þine derlinge Of gold quod he I haue þe brouȝt a rynge My modere ȝaue it me so god me saue fful fyn it is and þerto wel ygraue Line 3796

Line 3796 This wil I ȝeuen þe if þowe me kisse þis Nicholas was risen forto pisse And þouȝt he wold amenden al þe Iape He shulde kisse his ers er þat he scape Line 3800 And vp þe wyndowe did he hastely And out his ers he putteþ priuely Ouer þe buttok to þe haunche bon And þerwiþ spake þis clerk þis absolone Line 3804 Speke swete bridde I not wher þou art Þis Nicholas anon lete fleigh a fart As grete as it had bene a þonder dent Þat wiþ þe stroke he was almost yblent Line 3808 And he was redy wiþ his yren hote [folio 53b] And Nicholas in þe ers he smote Of goþ þe skyn an honde brede aboute Þe hote culter brenned so his toute Line 3812 And for þe smerte he wende forto deye As he were wood for woo he gan to crye Help water water helpe for goddys hert This Carpenter out of his slomber stert Line 3816 And herde oon crien water as he were wode And þouȝt allas now commeth noes flode He sette hym vp wiþout[e] wordes moo And wiþ an axe he smote þe cord a two Line 3820 And doun goþ alle he fonde neiþer to selle Brede nor Ale til he com to þe selle Vpon þe floor and ther a swoun he lay Vp stert hir Alison and Nicholay Line 3824 And criden out and horowe in þe strete Þe neighbours boþ smale and grete Ronnen forto gawren on þis man Þat a swonn lay boþ pale and wan Line 3828 ffor wiþ þat falle he brusten haþ his arme But stonden he most vnto his owne harme ffor whan he spak he was anon born doun Wiþ hende Nicholas and alisoun Line 3832

Line 3832 Thei tolde euery man þat he was wode He was agast so of þe Noes flode Þorgh fantasie þat of his vanyte He had ybouȝt hym kneding tubbes þre Line 3836 And had hem honged in þe roof aboue And þat he preied hym for goddys loue To sitten in þe roof par companye þe folk gan laughen at his fantasie Line 3840 And to the Roof þei kepen and þei gape And turned al his harme vnto a Iape ffor what so þis Carpenter answerd It was for nouȝt no man his reson herd Line 3844 Wiþ oþes grete he was so sworn a doun [folio 54a] That he was holden woode in al þat toun ffor euere clerk anoon riȝt helde wiþ oþer þei seide þe man is wood my leue broþer Line 3848 And euere wight gan laughen at his strif Thus swyued was þe Carpenter[e]s wiff ffor al his keping and his Ielousie And Absalon haþ kissed her nethere ye Line 3852 And Nicholas is scalded in his toute This tale is don and god saue al þe route.

¶ Here endeþ þe mylers tale. [[No break in the MS.]]

¶ And þus bygynneþ þe Prologe of þe Reues tale [¶ Cap. 3^m.]

Whan folk han laughen at þis nyce cas Of absolon and hende Nicholas Line 3856 Dyuers folk dyuersly þei seide But for þe more parte þei louȝe and pleide Ne at þis tale I seghe no man hym greue But it were only Oswold þe Reue Line 3860 Bycause he was of Carpenter[e]s craft A litel Ire in his herte laft He gan to grucche and blamed it a lite So thick quod he ful wele quouþ I þe quyte Line 3864 Wiþ blering of a proude Millers ye If þat me list to speke of Ribawdye But ik am olde me list not pley for age Gras tyme is done my foder is forage Line 3868 This white top writeþ myn olde ȝeeres Myn hert is al so mowled as myn heeres But if I fare as doþ an open-ers þat ilke fruyte is euer lenger þe wers Line 3872 Til it be roten in Mullok or in stre We olde men I drede so fare we Til we be roten can we not be ripe We hopen alway while þe hert wil pipe Line 3876 ffor in our wille þer stikketh euer a naile To haue an hoor heer and a grene taile As haþ a leke for þough our myȝt be gon [folio 54b] Our wille desireþ foly euer in oon Line 3880 ffor whan we may not don þan wil we speke Ȝit in oure asshed olde is fire yreke ffour gledes han we which I shal deuyse Auauntinge lying. angre. and coueitise Line 3884 Thise four sparkles longeþ vnto elde Our olde lymes may wel bene vnwelde

But wil ne shal not faille þat is soth And ȝit haue I alwaye a coltes toth Line 3888 As mony ȝere as it is passed henne Siþ þat my tap of lif byganne to renne ffor sikerly whan I was born anōn Deþ drough þe tappe of lif and lete it gon Line 3892 And euere siþen haþ so þe tap yronne Til at almost al empty is þe tonne The strem of lif now droppeþ on þe chymbe þe sely tunge may wel rynge and chymbe Line 3896 Of wrecchednesse þat passed is ful yore Wiþ olde folk saue dotage is no more ¶ Whan þat our ooste had herde þis sermonynge He gan to speke as lordly as a kinge Line 3900 He seide what amounteþ al þis witte What shal we speke alday of holy writte The deuel made a Reue forto preche Or of a Souter shipman or a lecche Line 3904 Say forþ þi take and tary not þe tyme Loo Depford and it is almost prime Lo Grenwich þat mony a shrewe is Inne It were hie tyme þi tale forto bygynne Line 3908 ¶ Now Sirs quod þis Oswold þe Reue I prei ȝou al þat ȝe ȝou not greue Þouȝe I answere and somdele sette hys houwe ffor leeful it is wiþ force. force of shouwe Line 3912 This dronken Miller haþ ytolde vs here Hou þat bigiled was a Carpentere Perauenture in scorn for I am oon [folio 55a] And by ȝoure leue I shal hym quyte anon Line 3916 Riȝt in his Cheerles teermes wil I speke I prei to god his nekke mot alto-breke He can wel in myn ye seen a stalk But in his owne he can not seen a balk Line 3920

¶ Thus endeþ þe Prologe of þe Reue

And here bygynneþ þe Reeues tale

At Trumpington not fer fro Caunterbruge Ther goþ a broke and over þat a bruge Vpon þe whiche broke þer stonte a melle And þis is verrey soþ þat I ȝou telle Line 3924 A Millere was þere dwelling mony a day As ony Pecok he was proude and gay Pipen he couþe an sisshen and nettes bete And turne Coppes and wel wrastel and shete Line 3928 Ny by his belt he bare a longe panade And of a swerd ful trenchant was þe blade A Ioly popper bere he in his pouche Ther nas no man for perile durst hym touche Line 3932 A Sheffeld thwytel bere he in his hose Rounde was his face and camoyse was his nose As pilled as an ape was his sculle He was a market beter atte fulle Line 3936 þer nas no wight þat durst hond on hym legge But if he swore he shuld anon abegge A theef he was forsoþ of corn and mele And þat a sleegh and vsaunt forto stele Line 3940 His name was hoten deyneȝouse Symkyn A wif he hadde commen of nobel kyn The person of þe toune her fader was Wiþ hir he ȝaue ful mony a panne of bras Line 3944 ffor þat Symkyn shuld in his blood allie She was yfostred in a nonrie ffor Symkyn wold[e] no wif as he seide But she were wel ynorshed and a mayde Line 3948 To Sauen his Astate of ȝemanrie [folio 55b] And she was proude and peert as is a pie A ful feire sight was it vpon hem twoo/ On holy daies byforn hir wold he goo/ Line 3952

Line 3952 Wiþ his typet bounden aboute his hede And she come aftere in a gite of rede And Symkyn had[de] hosen of þe same þer durst no wiȝt clepe hur but dame Line 3956 Was noon so hardy þat went by þe way Þat wiþ hir dorst ones rage or play Bat if he wold be sclayn of Symkyn Wiþ panade and wiþ knyf or boydekyn Line 3960 ffor Ielous folk ben perylous euermoo Algates þei wolde her wyues wenden soo And eke for she was somdell smoterlich She was as digne as water in a dich Line 3964 As ful of hoker and of bismare Hire þouȝte þat a lady shuld hir spare What for her kynrede and her nortelrie Þat she had lerned in þe Nonerie Line 3968 A douȝtere had[de] þei bitwene hem twoo Of xx^ti ȝere wiþ-outen ony moo/ Sauyng a childe þat was of half ȝere age In cradel it lay and was a propre page Line 3972 This wenche thik and wel ygrowe was Wiþ Camoys nose and eyen as grey as glas Wiþ buttokes brode and brestes round and hie But riȝt faire was hur heor I wil not lye Line 3976 ¶ The person of þe toune for she was so faire In purpoos was to make hir his aire Boþ of his Catell and of his messuage And straunge he made it of hur mariage Line 3980 His purpoos was to bystowe hir hie Into som worþi blood of Auncetrie ffor holy churches good most be despended/ On holy chirche blood þat is descended/ Line 3984 Therfore he wold his holy blood honoure [folio 56a] þoo þat he holy churche shuld devoure Grete soken haþ þis mellere out of doute With whete and malt of al þe londe aboute Line 3988

Line 3988 And namely þer was a grete colege Men clepen þe solere halle atte Cauntebrigge Ther was her whete and eke her malt ygrounde And on a day it happed in a stounde Line 3992 Sik lay þe manciple on a maladie Mon wenden wishly þat he shuld[e] dye ffor whiche þe Millere stale boþ mele and corn An hundred tyme more þan byforn Line 3996 ffor þer byforne he stale but curteisly But nowe he was a þeef outrageously ffor which þe wardeyne chidde and made fare But þerof sette þe Millere not a tare Line 4000 He craked booste and swore it was not soo/ þan were þere yonge scolers two That dwelten in þe halle of which I seie Teestif þei were and lusty forto pleye Line 4004 And only for her merth and reverye Vpon þe wardeyn bisily þei crie To ȝeue hem leue but a litel stounde To goo to melle and se her corn y-grounde Line 4008 And hardely þei dorst lay her nekke þe Millere shuld not stele hem half a pekke Of corn ne by sleight ne by force hem reue And at þe last þe wardeyn ȝaf hem leue Line 4012 Iohn hight þat oon an Aleyn hiȝt þat oþer Of oon toune were þei born þat hight[e] strother fferre in þe norþe I can not telle where This Aleyn makeþ redy al his gere Line 4016 And on an hors þe sak he cast anōn fforþ goþ Aleyn þe Clerc and also Iohn Wiþ good swerde and bokeler by her side Iohn knewe þe way hym neded no gyde Line 4020 And atte Mille þe Sak a doune he laith [folio 56b] Alayn spake first alhaille Symonde in faiþ How fareþ þi fare douȝtere and þi wiff Aleyn welcome quod Symkyn be my liff Line 4024

Line 4024 And Iohn also how nowe what do ȝe here By god quod Iohn Symond nede haþ no pere Hym byhoueþ serue hym self þat haþ no swayn Or ellis he is a fool as clerkes sayne Line 4028 Our manciple I hope he wil be dede Swa worchen hym ay þe wanges in his hede And þerfore is I commen and eke Aleyn To Grynde our corn and carie hit hom ageyn Line 4032 We prey ȝou spede vs hepen þat ȝe may It shal be done quod Symkyn be my fay What wil ȝe done while þat it is in hande By God riȝt by the hoper wil I stande Line 4036 Quod Iohn and see how gates þe corn goþ Inne Ȝit sagh I neuere be my fadere kynne How þat þe hoper waggeþ til and fraye Aleyn Answerd Iohan wiltowe swaye Line 4040 þan wil I be byneþe by my croune And se howe gate the mele falles adoun Into þe trough þat shal be my disport Quod Iohn in faath I may bene of ȝour sorte Line 4044 I is as il a Miller as is ȝe This Millere smyled of her nycete And þouȝt al þis is don but for a wile þei wene þat no man may hem bygyle Line 4048 But by my þrift ȝit shal I blere her ye ffor al þe sleiȝt in her philosophie The more queynte Clerkes þat þei make þe more wil I stele whan I take Line 4052 In stede of floure ȝit wil I ȝeue hem brenne The grettest clerkes ben not þe wisest men As whilom to þe wolf þus spake þe mare Of alle her arte counte I nouȝt a tare Line 4056 Out at þe Dore he goþ ful priuely [folio 57a] Whan þat he seghe his tyme softely He lokeþ vp and doune til he haþ founde The Clerkes hors þer as he stode ybounde Line 4060

Line 4060 Behinde þe mylle vndere a leueselle And to þe hors he goþ hym faire and welle He strepeþ of þe bridel riȝt anōn And whan þe hors is louse he gynneþ to gon Line 4064 Toward þe fenne where wilde Mares renne And forþe-wiþ þorgh þikke and þorgh þenne This Mellere goþ ageyn no word he seide But doþ his note and wiþ þise clerkes pleide Line 4068 Til þat her corn was faire and welle ygrounde And whan þe mele is sakked and ybounde This Iohn goþ oute and fonde her hors away And gan to crie harowe and walowway Line 4072 Our hors is lost aleyn for goddis banes/ Steppe on þi fete come of man / al at anes Allas our wardeyn haþ our palfray lorn This Aleyn forgate boþ mele and corn Line 4076 Al was out of his mynde his husbondrie What whilk way is he gon he gan to crie Þe wif come lepinge inward at a renne She seide alas ȝoure hors goþ to þe fenne Line 4080 With wilde mares as fast as he may goo Vnþonke come on his honde þat bonde hym soo/ And he þat better shuld haue knette þe reyn Allas quod Iohn Aleyn for cristes peyn Line 4084 Lay doune þi swerde and I wil myn alswaa I is ful swift god wate as is a Raa By goddes hert he shal not scape vs bathe Whi ne had þou putte þe Capel in þe lathe Line 4088 Ilhaile by god Aleyn þou is a fonne Thise sely clerkes han ful fast yronne Touard þe fenne boþen aleyn an eke Iohn And whan þe Miller segh þat þei were gon Line 4092 He half a busshel of her floure haþ take [folio 57b] And bad his wif go knede it in a cake And seide I trowe þe clerkes weren a-ferde Ȝit kan a Miller make a clerkes beerde Line 4096

Line 4096 ffor al her arte ȝit lat hem gon her way Lo wher þei gon ȝe lat þe children play They gete him not so lightly by my croun Thise sely clerkes rennen vp and doun Line 4100 With kepe. kepe. stonde. stonde. Iossa warderere Ga qwistel ȝou I shal kepe hym here But shortely til it was verrey nyȝt þei couþe not þoughe þei did al her myȝt Line 4104 þeire Capel cauche he ranne alway so fast Til in a dicche þei caught him at þe last Wery and wete as beestis in þe reyne Commeþ sely Iohn and wiþ hym commeþ aleyn Line 4108 Allas quod Iohn þe day þat I was born Nowe are we dryuen til heþing and to scorn Our corn is stolle men wil vs foles calle Boþ þe wardeyn and our felawes alle Line 4112 And namely þe Meller weylawaye þus pleyneþ Iohn as he goþ by þe waye Toward the Melle and baiard in his honde The Millere sitting by þe fire he fonde Line 4116 ffor it was nyght and ferþer myght he nouȝt But for þe loue of god þei hym bisouȝt Of harborowe and of ease as for her penye þe Millere seide aȝein if þer be enye Line 4120 Such as it is ȝete shal ȝe haue ȝoure parte Myn hous is streite but ȝe han lerned arte Ȝe can by argumente make a place A myle brode of xx^ti fete of space Line 4124 Lat se nowe if þis place may suffise Or make it rowmer wiþ speche as is ȝour gise Now Symond seide þis Iohn be seynt Cutberd Ay is þou mery . and þat is faire answerde Line 4128 I haue herde seye men shal taken of two þingges [folio 58a] Such as he fint or take such as he bringes But specialy I prey þee hooste dere Gete vs some mete and drink and make vs chere Line 4132

Line 4132 And we wil paien trewly atte fulle Wiþ empty hondes men may not haukes tulle Lo here our siluer redy forto spende This Mellere to þe toune his douȝter sende Line 4136 ffor Ale and brede and rosted hem a goos And bonde her hors for he shuld no more go loos And in his owne chambre he made a bedde Wiþ shetes and wiþ chalons faire yspredde Line 4140 Nouȝt from his owne bedde .x. fete or xij. His doughter had a bed al by hir selue Riȝt in þe same chambre by and by It myghte be no bette and cause why Line 4144 þer was no rommer herborowe in þe place þei soupen and þei speken hem to solace And drynken euere stronge ale atte beste About mydnyȝt went þei to reste Line 4148 Wel haþ þis Mellere vernyssed his hede fful pale he was for-dronken and not rede He ȝeskeþ and he spekeþ þorgh þe nose As he ware in þe quakke or on þe pose Line 4152 To bedde he gooþ and wiþ hym goþ his wif As eny Iaye he light was and Iolif So was her Ioly whistel wel ywette Þe Cradel at her beddis fete is ysette Line 4156 To Rokken and to ȝeue þe child to souke And whan þat dronken was al in þe crouke To bedde went þe doughter riȝt anōn To bedde goþ Aleyn and also Iohn Line 4160 þer nas no more hem neded no dwale This Mellere haþ so wisly bebbed ale þat as an hors he snorteþ in his slepe Ne of his tale behynde he toke no kepe Line 4164 His wif bare him a Burdon a ful stronge [folio 58b] Men myght here þe routing þens a forlonge The wenche routeþ eek par companye Aleyn þe Clerk þat herd þis melodye Line 4168

Line 4168 He pouked on Iohn and seide slepestowe Herde þou euere sclike a sang or nowe Lo sclike a conplinge is ytwix hem alle A wilde fire on her bodies falle Line 4172 Who herkened euere sclike a ferly þinge Ȝe þei shal haue þe floure of euel endinge This lange nyȝt þer tydes men no reste But ȝit na fors al shal be for þe beste Line 4176 ffor Iohn seide he as euere mote I þrive If þat I may ȝon wenche þan wil I swyve Some esement haþ lawe shapen vs ffor Iohn þer is a lawe þat seiþ þus Line 4180 That if a man in oon point be agreued That in anoþer he shal be releued Our corn is stollen soþly it is no nay And we han had an euel fit to day Line 4184 And syn I shal haue no amendement Ageyn my losse I wil haue esement By goddes saule it sal na noþer be þis Iohn answerde Aleyn avise þe Line 4188 The Mellere is a perilous man he seide And if þat he out of his sclepe abreide He myghte don vs boþ a vylenye Aleyn answerd I counte hym not a flye Line 4192 And vp he rist and by þe wenche he crepte This wenche lay vpriȝt and faste sclepte Til he so nygh was er she myȝte spie þat it had bene to late forto crie Line 4196 And shortely for to seie þei were at on Nowe pleye Alayn for I wil speke of Iohn This Iohn lith stille a forlonge way or two And to hym self he makeþ wamenting and woo Line 4200 Allas quod he þis is a wikke Iape [folio 59a] Now may I seie þat I is but an ape Ȝit haþ my felawe somwhat for his harme He haþ þe mellers douȝter in his arme Line 4204

Line 4204 He Auntreþ hym and haþ his nedes spedde And I ly as a draf sak in my bedde And whan þis Iape is tolde anoþer day I shal be holde a daff a cokenay Line 4208 I wil arise and aunter be my fath Vnhardy is vnsely þus men sath And vp he roos and softely he went Vnto þe Cradel and in his arme hit hent Line 4212 And bare it soft vntil his beddes fete Sone aftere þe wif her rowting lete And gan to wake and went her out to pisse And come agein and gan her cradel mysse Line 4216 And groped here and þere but she foond noon/ Allas quod she I had almost mysgon I had almost go to þe clerkes bedde Ey benedicite þan had I foule yspedde Line 4220 And forþ she goþ til she þe cradel fonde She gropeþ alway forþer wiþ her honde And fond þe bed and þouȝt nouȝt but of good By cause þat þe cradel by it stode Line 4224 And nyste wher she was for it was derk But faire and wel she crepte in to þe clerk And lith ful stille and wolde haue kauȝt a slepe Wiþ-In a while þis Iohn þe clerk vp lepe Line 4228 And on þis good[e] wif hee leiþ ful sore So mery a fitte ne had she not ful ȝore And prikeþ harde and depe as he ware [[? MS]] madde Þis Ioly lif han þise two clerkes ladde Line 4232 To þat þe iij. coke bygan to singe Aleyn wexe wery. in þe daw[e]nynge ffor he had swonken al þe longe nyȝt And seide fare wel malyn sweete wiȝt Line 4236 The day is come I may no lenger byde [folio 59b] But euermo where so I go or ride I am þine owne clerk so haue I sele Now dere lemman quod she go fare wele Line 4240

Line 4240 But er þou goo. on þinge I wil þe telle Whhan þat þow wendest homward by þ^e melle Right at þe entre of þe door be-hinde Thow shalt a Cake of half a busshel fynde Line 4244 That was ymaked of þine owne mele Which þat I helpe my Sire forto stele And good lemman god þe saue and kepe And wiþ þat word almost she gan to wepe Line 4248 Aleyn vprist and þouȝt er þat it dawe I wol go crepen in by my felawe And fonde þe cradel wiþ his honde anon By god þought he alwrong / I haue mysgon Line 4252 Myn hede is toty of my swynk to nyght Þat makeþ me þat I go not aright I wote wele by þe cradel I haue mysgo Here lith þe meller and his wif also Line 4256 And forþ he goþ on twenty delway Vnto þe bedde þer as þe meller lay He wende haue cropen by his felawe Iohn And by þe Meller in he crept anon Line 4260 And kaught him by þe nek and soft he spake And seide þou Iohn þou swyneshede awake Of Cristes saule and here a noble game ffor by þat lord þat called is seint Iame Line 4264 As I haue þries in þis shorte nyȝt Swyved þe Mellers douȝter bolt vpriȝt Whilst þow hast as a Coward ben agast Ye fals harlot quod þe Mellere hast Line 4268 A fals traitour. fals clerk quod he Þow shalt be dede by goddes dignyte Who durste be so bolde to disparage My douȝter þat is come of swich lynage Line 4272 And by þe þrote bolle he kauȝt aleyn [folio 60a] And he him hent dispitously ageyn And on þe nose he smote hym with his fist Doune ranne þe blody streme vpon his brist Line 4276

Line 4276 And in þe floor wiþ nose and mouþ to-broke þei walowen as don two pigges in a poke And vp þei goon and doune anon Till þat þe Mellere spurned at a ston Line 4280 And downe he felle bakward vpon his wiff þat wist no þinge of þis nyce striff ffor she was falle a slepe a litel wiȝt Wiþ Iohn þe clerk þat waked had al nyȝt Line 4284 And wiþ þe falle out of her slepe she braide Help holy crosse of bromholm she saide In manus tuas lorde to þe I calle Awake Symond þe feend is on me falle Line 4288 Myn hert is broken help I ne am but dede þere lith vpon my wombe and on myn hede Helpe Symkyn for þise fals clerkes fiȝt This Iohn stert vp as fast as euere he myȝt Line 4292 And grasped by þe walles to and fro To fynden a staf and she stert vp also And knewe þe Eisters bet þan did Iohn And by þe walle she fonde a staf anōn Line 4296 And segh a litel shymering of a liȝt ffor at an hole in shone þe mone briȝt And by þat liȝt she segh hem boþ[e] two But sikerly she nyste who was who Line 4300 But as she seegh a white þinge in her eye And whan she gan þis white þing aspie She wende þe Clerk had wered a volipere And wiþ þe staf she drough ay ner and nere Line 4304 And wende han hitte þis Aleyn atte fulle And smote þe Mylere on þe pyled skulle Þat doun he goth and cried harowe I dye Thise Clerkes bette hym wel and lete hym lye Line 4308 And Greieþ hem and toke her hors anon [folio 60b] And eke her/ mele and on her way þei gōn And at the Melle ȝit þei toke her Cake Of half a busshel floure ful wel ybake Line 4312

Line 4312 Thus is þe proude Mellere wel ybete And hath ylost þe grynding of þe whete And paide for þe soper euery dell Of aleyn and of Iohn þat bette hym well Line 4316 His wiff is swyued and his douȝtere als Lo such it is a Miller to be fals And þerfor þis prouerbe is seide ful soth Hym ther not wene wele þat euel doth Line 4320 A Gilour shal hym self begiled be And god þat sitteþ hegh in mageste Saue al þe company grete and smale Thus haue I quytte þe Meller in my tale Line 4324

¶ Thus Endeth þe Reues Tale [[No break in the MS.]]

And here bygynneþ þe Cokes tale

The Coke of london while þe Reue spak [¶ The Prologe] ffor Ioye him þouȝt he clawed hym on þe bak Ha. ha. quod he for cristes passion This Millere haþ a sharpe conclusion Line 4328 Vpon his argument of harbigage Wel seide Salomon in his langage Ne bringe not euery man into þine hous ffor herbowringe by nyght is perilous Line 4332 Wel ouȝt a man avised forto be Whoom þat he brouȝt into his pryvete I prey to god so ȝeue me sorowe and care If euer siþen I hight hogge of ware Line 4336 Herd I Meller better ysette a werke He had a Iape of malice in þe derke And þerfor if ȝe vouche sauf to here Line 4340 But god forbede þat we stynt heere Line 4339 A tale of me þat am a poor man I wil ȝou telle as wel as euer I can A litel Iape þat felle in our Cite [folio 61a] Our hooste answerd and seide I graunte it þe Line 4344 Now telle on Rogger and loke þat it be good ffor mony a paast hast þou laten blood And mony a Iak of Douer last þou sold þat haþ be twies hoote and twies cold Line 4348 Of mony a pilgryme hast þou cristes curs ffor of þi Persely ȝit fare þei þe wors þat þei han eten wiþ þi stobel goos ffor in þi shoppe is mony a flee loos Line 4352 Now telle on gentil Rogger by þi name But ȝit I prei þe be not wroþ for game A man may say ful soþ in game and play Þow seist ful soþ quod Rogger be my fay Line 4356

Line 4356 But soþ play quade play as þe flemmyng saiþ And þerfore henry balyf by þi feiþ Be þow not wroþ er we departen here þoughe þat my tale be of an ostylere Line 4360 But naþelees I wil not tellen it ȝit But er we part I-wis þou shalt be quyt And þerwiþ al [he] lough and made chere And saide his tale as ȝe shal after here Line 4364

þus endeþ þe prologe of þe cokes tale [[No break in the MS.]]

And here bygynneþ þe Cokes tale [¶ The Cokes Tale.]

APrentis whilom dwelled in our Cite And of a craft of vitalers was he Gailard he was as gold-fynch in þe shawe Broun as þe bery. a propre short felawe Line 4368 Wiþ lockes blake ykempt ful fetisly Daunce he couþe so wel and Iolily Þat he was cleped Perkyn reveilour He was as ful of loue and paramour Line 4372 As is þe hyve ful of hony swete Wel was þe wenche wiþ him myȝt mete And euery Bridale wold he sing and hoppe He loued bette þe Tauern þan þe shoppe Line 4376 ffor whan þer eny ridynge was in chepe [folio 61b] Out of þe Shoppe þidere wold he lepe Til þat he had al þe siȝt yseyn And daunsed wel wold he not come ageyn Line 4380 And gader hym a mayne of his sort To hoppe and synge and make such disport And þer þei setten steuen forto mete To pleyn at þe dis in such a strete Line 4384 ffor in þe toune nas þer no prentys þat fairrer couþe cast a peire of dys þan perkyn couþe and þerto he was free Of his dispence in place of pryvete Line 4388 That fonde his maister wel in his chaffare ffor oft tymes he fonde his boxe ful bare ffor sikerly a prentise Reveilour Þat haunteþ dis ryot and paramour Line 4392 His maister shulde in his shop abye Al haue he not part of þe mynstralcie ffor þeft and riot þei ben conuertible Al conne he pley on gitern or rubible Line 4396

Line 4396 Reuel and trouþe as in a lough degre þei ben ful wroþ alday as men may see Þis Ioly Prentis wiþ his maister bode Til he were nygh out of his prentisehode Line 4400 Al were he snybbed erly or late And somtyme ladde wiþ revel to Newgate But atte last his maister hym byþouȝte Vpon a day whan he his paper souȝte Line 4404 Of a prouerd þat seiþ þis same word Wel bette is roten appel out of horde þan þat it rote al þe remenaunte So fareþ it by a ryotous seruaunte Line 4408 It is moche lasse harme to lat hym passe þan he sheed alle þe seruauntes in þe place Therfor his maister ȝaue hym a quytaunce And bad hym goo wiþ sorowe and meschaunce Line 4412 And þus þis prentise had his leue. [folio 62a] Now lat him riot al þe nyȝt or leue And for þer is no þeef wiþ-out a louke þat helpeþ hym to waasten or to souke Line 4416 Of þat he bribe can or borowe may Anon he sent his bedde and his aray Vnto a conper of his owne sort þat loued dys [and] reuel and disport Line 4420 And had a wif þat helde for countenaunce A Shop and swyued for her sustenaunce [[No break in the MS.]]

APPENDIX TO GROUP A.

[THE SPURIOUS TALE OF GAMELYN.]

[Spurious Link.]

But here-of I wil pas as nowe And of yonge Gamelyn I wil telle ȝou. Line 2

[Tale.]

Liþes and listneþ and harkneþ a-riȝt [¶ þe tale of yonge Gamelyne] And ȝe shul here of a doughty knyȝt Sir Iohn of boundes was his name He coude of Norture and of mochel game Line 4 Thre sones þe knyght had and wiþ his body he wan The eldest was a moche schrewe and sone bygan His breþer loued wel her fader and of him were agast Þe eldest deserued his faders curs and had it atte last Line 8 Þe good knyght his fadere lyued so yore Þat deþ was commen to hym . and handled hym ful sore Þe Good knyght cared sore . sik þer he lay How his children shuld lyuen after his day Line 12 He had ben wide where . but non husbonde he was Al þe londe þat he had it was purchas/ ffayn he wold it were dressed among hem alle That eche of hem had his parte as it myȝt falle Line 16 þoo sente he in to contrey after wise knyȝtes To helpen delen his londes; and dressen hem to riȝtes He sent hem word by letters; þei shul hie blyve Yf þei wolk speke wiþ hym; whilst he was a lyve Line 20

Line 20 Whan þe knyȝtes harden sik þat he lay Had þei no rest neiþer: nyȝt ne day Til þei come to hym; þer he lay stille On his deþes bedde/ to abide goddys wille Line 24 Than seide þe good knyght seke þer he lay [folio 62b] Lordes I ȝou warne for soþ wiþ-out nay I may no lenger lyuen here in þis stounde fsor þorgh goddis wille; deþ droueþ me to grounde Line 28 þer nas noon of hem alle; þat herd hym ariȝt þat þei ne had routh; of þat ilke knyȝt And seide sir for goddes loue; dismay ȝou nouȝt God may don boote of bale; þat is now ywrouȝt Line 32 þan speke þe good knyȝt; sik þer he lay Boote of bale god may sende; I wote it is no nay But I bisecche ȝo^u knyȝtes for þe loue of me Goþ and dresseþ my londes; among my sones þre Line 36 And for þe loue of god deleþ not amys And forgeteþ not Gamelyne; my ȝong sonne þat is/ Takeþ hede to þat oon as wel as to þat oþere Seelde ȝe seen eny hier . helpen his broþere Line 40 þoo lete þei þe knyght lyen; þat was not in hele And wenten into counsell his londes forto dele Forto delen hem alle to on; þat was her þouȝt And for Gamelyn was ȝongest he shuld haue nouȝt Line 44 All þe londe þat þer was; þei dalten it in two And lete Gamelyne þe ȝonge; without londe goo And eche of hem seide to other ful loude His breþeren myȝt ȝeue him londe whan he good cowde Line 48 And whan þei had deled þe londe at her wille þei commen to þe knyght . þer he lay stille And tolde him anoon; how þei had wrouȝt And þe knyght þere he laye liked it riȝt nouȝt Line 52 ¶ Than seide þe knyȝt; be seint Martyne For al þat ȝe han done; ȝit is the londe myne fsor goddis loue neighbours . stondeþ alle stille And I wil delen my londe; after myn owne wille Line 56

Line 56 Iohn myne eldest sone; shal haue plowes fyve þat was my faders heritage; whan he was alyve And my myddelest sone .v. plowes of londe þat I halpe forto gete with my riȝt honde Line 60 And al myn oþere purchace of londes and ledes [folio 63a] þat I biqueþe Gamelyn . and al my good stedes And I biseche ȝou good men þat lawe conne of londe For Gamelynes loue; þat my quest stonde Line 64 Thus dalt þe knyȝt . his londe by his day Riȝt on his deþ bed sik þer he lay And sone afterward he lay stoon stille And deide whan tyme come; as it was cristes wille Line 68 Anoon as he was dede and vnder gras graue Sone þ^e elder broþer; giled þe ȝonge knaue He toke into his honde his londe and his lede And Gamelyne him seluen to cloþe and to fede Line 72 He cloþed him and fedde him/ euell and eke wrothe And lete his londes forfare; and his houses boþe His Parkes and his wodes; and did no þing welle And siþen he it abouȝt on his owne felle Line 76 So longe was Gamelyne in his broþers halle ffor þe strengest of good will þei douted hym alle Þer was noon þer-Inne neiþer ȝonge ne olde Þat wold wrethe Gamelyn. were he neuer so bolde Line 80 Gamelyne stood on a day; in his broþeres ȝerde And byganne wiþ his hond/ to handel his berde He þouȝt on his landes þat lay vnsowe And his fare okes þat doune were ydrawe Line 84 His Parkes were broken/ and his deer reued Of alle his good stedes/ noon was hym byleued His hous were vnhilled/ and ful euell diȝt Tho þouȝt Gamelyne/ it went not ariȝt Line 88 ¶ Afterward come his broþer walking þare And seide to Gamelyn. is our mete ȝare Tho wrathed him Gamelyn/ and swore by goddys boke Þow shalt go bake þi self/ I wil not be þi coke Line 92

Line 92 What broþer Gamelyne howe answerst þou nowe þou spekest neuere such a word as þou dost nowe By feiþe seide Gamelyn; now me þenkeþ nede Of al þe harmes þat I haue; I toke neuere ȝit hede. Line 96 My parkes bene broken; and my dere reued [folio 63b] Of myn armes ne my stedes; nouȝt is byleued All þat my fader me byquaþe; al goþ to shame And þerfor haue þou goddes curs; broþere be þi name Line 100 þan spake his broþer þat rape was and rees Stond stille Gadlynge and holde þi pees Thou shalt be fayn to haue; þi mete and þi wede What spekest þow gadeling . of londe or of lede Line 104 Than seide Gamelyn; þe child so ȝing Cristes curs mote he haue; þat me clepeth Gadelinge I am no wors Gadeling; ne no wors wiȝt But born of a lady and gete of a knyȝt Line 108 Ne dorst he not to Gamelyn neuere a foot goo But cleped to hym his men; and seide to hem þoo/ Goþ and beteþ þis boye and reueþ hym his witte And lat him lerne anoþer tyme; to answer me bette Line 112 Than seide þe Child ȝonge Gamelyn Cristes curs mote þou haue; broþer art þou myn And if I shal algates be beten anōn Cristes curs mote þou haue; but þou be þat on Line 116 And anon his broþer in þat grete hete Made his men to fette staues Gamelyn to bete Whan euery of hem had a staf ynommen Gamelyn was werre . whan he segh hem commen Line 120 Whan Gamelyne segh hem commen. he loked ouer all And was ware of a pestel; stode vnder þe wall Gamelyn was liȝt and þider gan he lepe And droof alle his broþeres men riȝt sone on an hepe Line 124 And loked as a wilde lyon. and leide on good wone And whan his broþer segh þat; he byganne to gon He fley vp into a loft; and shette þe door fast þus Gamelyn wiþ his pestel. made hem al a-gast Line 128

Line 128 Some for Gamelyns loue. and some for eye Alle þei droughen hem to halues whan he gan to pleye ¶ What nowe seide Gamelyn; euel mote ȝe the Wil ȝe bygynne contecte; and so sone flee Line 132 Gamelyn souȝt his broþer; whider he was flowe [folio 64a] And seghe where he loked out a wyndowe Broþere seide Gamelyn. come a litel nere And I wil teche þe a play at þe bokelere Line 136 His broþere him ansuerde. and seide by seint Richere þe while þat pestel is in þine honde. I wil come no nere Broþer I wil make þi pees; I swer by cristes oore Cast away þe pestel. and wreþe þe no more Line 140 I most nede seide Gamelyn wreþ me at onys ffor þou wold make þi men. to breke my bonys Ne had I hadde mayn and myȝt in myn armes To han hem fro me . þei wold haue don me harmes Line 144 Gamelyn seide his broþer be þou not wroth Forto sene þe han harme. me were riȝt loth I ne did it not broþer but for a fondinge ffor to loken wher þou art stronge and art so ȝenge Line 148 Come a doune þan to me and graunt me my bone Of oon þing I wil þe axe and we shal sauȝt sone Doune þan come his broþer þat fikel was and felle And was swiþ sore a-feerd of þe pestelle Line 152 He seide broþer Gamelyn axe me þi bone And loke þou me blame but I it graunte sone Þan seide Gamelyn broþer I-wys And we shul be at on. þou most graunte me this Line 156 All þat my fader me by-quaþ. whilst he was alyue Þow most do me it haue. if we shul not strive Þat shalt þou haue Gamelyn I swere bi cristes oore. Al þat þi fadere þe by-quaþe. þough þou wold haue more Thy londe þat lith ley. wel it shal be sawe Line 161 And þine houses reised vp þat bene leide ful lawe Thus seide þe knyght . to gamelyn wiþ mouþe And þouȝt on falsnes as he wel couþe Line 164

Line 164 þe knyȝt þouȝt on treson. and gamelyn anon And wente and kissed his broþer and whan þei were at on Alas yonge Gamelyn no þing he ne wist Wiþ such fals treson . his broþer him kist Line 168 Lyþeneth and listeneþ and holdeþ ȝour tonge [folio 64b] And ȝe shul here talking of Gamelyn þe ȝonge ¶ Ther was þere bisiden cride a wrastelinge And þerfore þer was sette a ramme and a ringe Line 172 And Gamelyn was in wille to wende þerto/ fforto preuen his myȝt what he coude doo Broþere seide Gamelyn by seint Richere þow most lene me to nyȝt a litel coursere Line 176 That is fresshe fro þe spore on for to ride I most on an erand a litel here beside By god seide his broþer/ of stedes in my stalle Goo and chese þe the best spare non of hem alle Line 180 Of stedes and of coursers þat stoden hem byside And telle me good broþer whider þou wilt ride Here beside broþer is cried a wrastelinge And þerfore shal be sette a ram and a ringe Line 184 Moche worchip it were broþere to vs alle Might I þe ram and þe ring bring home to þis halle A stede ther was sadeled smertly an skete Gamelyn did a peire spores fast on his fete Line 188 He sette his foote in þe stirop þe stede he bistrode And towardes þe wrasteling þe yong childe rode ¶ Whan Gemelyn þe ȝonge was riden out atte gate þe fals knyȝt his broþer loked it after þate Line 192 And bysouȝt Ihesu crist þat is heuene kinge He myght breke his necke in þe wrestelinge As sone as Gamelyn come þer þe place was He light doune of his stede and stood on þe gras Line 196 And þer he herde a frankeleyn weiloway singe And by-gonne bitterly his hondes for to wringe Good man seide Gamelyn; whi mast þou þis fare Is þer no man þat may. ȝou helpen out of care Line 200

Line 200 Allas seide þis frankeleyn þat euere was I bore ffor twey stalworþ sones; I wene þat I haue lore A champion is in þe place. þat haþ wrouȝt me sorowe ffor he haþ sclayn my two sones. but ȝif god hem borowe I wil ȝeue x. li. by Ihesu crist and more [folio 65a] Wiþ þe nones I fonde a man wold handel hym sore Good man seide Gamelyn wilt þou wele don Holde my hors þe whiles my man; drowe of my shon Line 208 And helpe my man to kepe/ my cloþes and my stede And I wil to place gon . to loke if I may spede By god seide þe ffrankeleyn it shal be don I wil my self be þi man to drowe of þi shon Line 212 And wende þou into place Ihesu crist þe spede And drede not of þi cloþes. ne of þi good stede Bare-foot and vngirt. Gamelyn Inne came Alle þat were in þe place . hede of him name Line 216 Howe he durst auenture him to don his myȝt þat was so doghty a champiōn in wrasteling and in fiȝt Vp stert þe Champion rapely anōn And toward yong Gamelyn byganne to gōn Line 220 And seide who is þi fadere and who is þi sire ffor sothe þou art a grete fool þat thou come hire Gamelyn answerd þe Champion þo Thowe knewe wel my fadere while he myȝt goo Line 224 þe whiles he was alyue by seynt Martyn Sir Iohn of Boundes was his name and I am Gamelyn ¶ ffelawe seide þe Champiōn so mote I þrive I knewe wel þi fadere þe whiles he was alyue Line 228 And þi silf Gamelyn I wil þat þou it here While þou were a ȝong boy. a moch shrewe þou were Than seide Gamelyn and swore by cristes ore Now I am older wexe þou shalt finde me a more Line 232 By god seide þe Champion welcome mote þou be Come þow onys in my honde . þou shalt neuere the It was wel wiþ-in þe nyȝt and þe mone shone Whan Gamelyn and þe Champion to-gider gon gone Line 236

Line 236 The Champion cast turnes to Gamelyn þat was prest And Gamelyn stode and bad hym done his best Than seide Gamelyn to þe Champioun Þowe art fast aboute to bringe me adoun Line 240 Now I haue proued mony turnes of þine [folio 65b] Thow most he seide oon or ij. of myne Gamelyn to þe Champion ȝede smertely anōn Of alle þe turnes þat he couþe he shewed hym but on And cast him on þe lift side. þat þre ribbes to-brake Line 245 And þerto his owne arme þat ȝaf a grete crake Than seide Gamelyn smertly anōn Shal it bihold for a cast or ellis for nōn Line 248 By god seide þe Champion whedere it bee He þat commeþ ones in þi honde shal he neuere the ¶ Than seide þe frankeley þat had þe sones þere Blessed be þou Gamelyn þat euere þou bore were Line 252 The ffrankleyn seide to þe Champion on hym stode hym non eye This is ȝonge Gamelyn þat tauȝt/ þe þis pleye Aȝein answerd þe Chamþion. þat likeþ no þing wel He is alþer maister and his pley is riȝt fell Line 256 Siþen y wrasteled first it is goon ȝore But I was neuer in my lif handeled so sore Gamelyn stode in þe place anon wiþ-out serk And seide ȝif þer be moo lat hem come to werk Line 260 The Champion þat pyned hym to worch sore It semeþ by his countenaunce þat he wil no more Gamelyin in þe place stood stille as stone ffor to abide wrastelinge but þer come nonē Line 264 Þer was noon wiþ gamelyn þat wold wrastel more ffor he handeled the Champion so wonderly sore Two gentile men þat ȝemed þe place Come to Gamelyin god ȝeue hym good grace Line 268 And seide to hym do on · þi hosen and þi shoone ffor soþ at þis tyme þis fare is done And þan seide Gamelyn so mot I wel fare I haue not ȝete haluendele sold my ware Line 272

Line 272 þoo seide þe Champion; so broke I my swere He is a fool þat þerof bieþ þou selleþ it so dere Tho saide þe ffrankeleyn þat was in moch care ffelawe he saide whi lackest þou þis ware Line 276 By sante Iame of Gales þat mony man haþ souȝt [folio 66a] Ȝit is it to good chepe þat þow hast bouȝt Thoo þat wardeynes were of þat wrasteling Come and brouȝt Gamelyn þe Ramme and þe rynge Line 280 . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] And Gamelyn biþouȝt him it was a faire þinge And went wiþ moche Ioye home in þe mornynge Line 284 ¶ His broþer see wher he came; wiþ þe grete route And bad shitt þe gate and hold hym wiþ oute The Porter of his lord was soor a gaast And stert anoon to þe gate and lokked it fast Line 288 ¶ Now lithenes and listneþ boþ ȝonge and olde And ȝe shul here gamen of Gamelyn þe bolde Gamelyn come to þe gate for to haue come Inne And it was shett fast wiþ a strong pynne Line 292 Þan seide Gamelyn Porter vndo þe ȝate ffor good mennys sones stonden þer-ate þan answerd þe porter and swore by goddys berde Þow ne shalt Gamelyn come into þis ȝerde Line 296 Thow lixt seide Gamelyn/ so broke I my chyne He smote þe wikett wiþ his foote and breke awaie þ^e pynne The Porter seie þoo/ it myȝt no better be He sette foote on erth and bygan to flee Line 300 By my feye seide Gamelyn þat travaile is ylore ffor I am of fote as light as þou. if þou haddest it swore Gamelyn ouertoke þe porter. and his tene wrake And girt him in þe nek þat þe boon to-brake Line 304 And toke hym by þat oon arme/ and threwe hym in a welle vij^c. fadme it was depe/ as I haue herd telle ¶ Whan Gamelyn þe yonge þus had plaied his playe Alle þat in þe yerde were. drowen hem awaye Line 308

Line 308 Þei dredden him ful sore for werk þat he wrouȝt And for þe faire company þat he þider brouȝt Gamelyn ȝede to þe gate/ and lete it vp wide He lete Inne all. þat gon wold or ride Line 312 And seide ȝe be welcome wiþ out eny greue ffor we wil be maisters here and axe no man leue Ȝusterday I left/ seide ȝonge Gamelyn [folio 66b] In my broþers seler/ v. tonne of wyn Line 316 I wil not þis company partyn a-twynne And ȝe wil done after me/ while sope is þer-Inne And if my broþer gruche or make foule chere Eiþer for spence of mete and drink/ þat we spende here I am oure Catour and bere our alþer purs Line 321 He shal haue for his grucching seint Maries curs My broþer is a Nigon; I swere be cristes oore And we wil spende largely/ þat he haþ spared yore Line 324 And who þat make grucchinge þat we here dwelle He shal to þe porter in to þe drowe-welle .Vij. dayes and vij. nyȝtes Gamelyn helde his feest Wiþ moche solace/ was þer noon cheest Line 328 In a litel torret his broþer lay steke And see hem waast his good and dorst no word speke Erly on a mornynge on þe viij. day The Gestes come to Gamelyn and wolde gon her way Line 332 Lordes seide Gamelyn wil ȝe so hie Al þe wyne is not ȝit dronke; so brouke I myn ye Gamelyn in his hert/ was ful woo Whan his gestes toke her leue. fro hym forto go Line 336 He wolde þei had dwelled lenger. and þei seide nay But bytaught Gamelyn. god and good day Thus made Gamelyn his feest. and brouȝt wel to ende And aftere his gestes. toke leue to wende Line 340 ¶ Lythen and listen and holde ȝour tunge And ȝe shal here Game of Gamelyn þe ȝonge Harkeneth lordingges and listeneþ ariȝt Whan alle gestis were goon how gamelyn was diȝt Line 344

Line 344 Alle þe while þat Gamelyn heeld his Mangerye His broþere þouȝt on hym be wroke/ with his trecherye Whan Gamylyns gestes were riden and gon Gamelyn stood anon allone/ frend had he non Line 348 Tho aftere felle sone/ with-in a litel stounde Gamelyn was taken/ and ful hard ybounde fforþ Come þe fals knynght; out of þe Solere [folio 67a] To Gamelyn his broþer/ he ȝede ful nere Line 352 And saide to Gamelyn/ who made þe so bold For to stroien þe stoor of myn household Broþer seide Gamelyn wreþ þe riȝt nought ffor it is many day gon siþ it was bouȝt Line 356 ffor broþer þou hast had by seint Richere Of xv. plowes of londe. þis xvj. ȝere And of alle þe beestes þou hast forþ bredde That my fader me byquath on his deþes bedde Line 360 Of al þis xvj. ȝere I ȝeue þe þe prowe ffor þe mete and þe drink þat we han spended nowe Than seide þe fals knyȝt. euel mote he þee Herken broþere Gamelyn what I wil ȝeue þe Line 364 ffor of my body broþer; here geten haue I none I wil make þe myn heire I s ere by seint Iohn Parfay seide Gamelyn; and if it so be And þou thenk as þou seist; god ȝeeld it þe Line 368 No þinge wist Gamelyn of his broþer gile Therfore he hym bygiled in a litel while Gamelyn seide. oon þing I þe telle þoo þou þrewe my porter in þe drowe-welle Line 372 I swore in þat wreþe and in þat grete moote þat þou shuldest be bounde boþe honde and fote . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] Line 376 This most be fulfilled; my men to dote ffor to holden myn avowe as I þe bihote ¶ Broþer seide Gamelyn as mote I þee Þou shalt not be forswore for þe loue of me Line 380

Line 380 Tho maden þei Gamelyn to sitte and not stonde To þei had hym bounde boþ fote and honde þe fals knyght his broþer. of Gamelyn was a-gast And sent efter fetters to fetter hym fast Line 384 His broþer made lesingges on him þer he stode And tolde hem þat commen Inne þat Gamelyn was wode Gamelyn stode to a post. bounden in þe hall Þoo þat commen Inne. loked on hym all Line 388 Euer stode Gamelyn euen vp-riȝt [folio 67b] But mete and drink had ne noun. neiþer day ne nyȝt Than seide Gamelyn/ brother be myn hals Nowe haue I aspied þou art a party fals Line 392 Had I wist þe Treson þat hast yfounde I wold haue ȝeue strokes or I had be bounde Gamelyn stode bounde stille as eny stone Tho daies and two nyȝtes mete had he none Line 396 Than seide Gamelyn; þat stood ybound stronge Adam Spencer me þenkeþ I fast to longe Adam Spencere now I biseche þe ffor þe moche loue my fadere loued þe Line 400 If þou may come to þe keys/ lese me out of bonde And I wil part wiþ þe of my free londe Than seide Adam þat was þe spencere I haue serued þi broþer þis xvj ȝere Line 404 Ȝif I lete þe gone out of his boure He wold saye afterwardes I were a tratour Adam seide Gamelyn so brouke I myn hals Thow shalt finde þi broþer at þe last fals Line 408 Therfore broþer Adam lose me out of bondes And I will parte wiþ þe of my free londes Vp such forward seide Adam ywis I wil do þerto al þat in me is Line 412 Adam seide Gamelyn as mote I þe I wil holde þe Conaunte and þou wil me [fre] Anoon as Adams lord to bed was gon Adam toke þe kayes and lete Gamelyn out anon Line 416

Line 416 He vnlocked Gamelyn boþ hondes and fete In hope of auauncement þat he hym byhete Than seide Gamelyn þonked be goddis sonde Nowe I am lose boþ fote and honde Line 420 Had I nowe eten and dronken ariȝt Þer is noon in þis hous shuld bynde me þis nyȝt Adam toke Gamelyn as stille as eny stone And ladde him into þe spence raply anone Line 424 And sette him to sopere riȝt in a privey styde [folio 68a] He bad hym do gladly and so he dide Anoon as Gamelyn had eten wel and fyne And þerto y-dronken wel of þe rede wyne Line 428 Adam seide Gamelyn what is nowe þi rede Or I go to my broþer and Gerd of his his hede Gamelyn seide Adam it shal not be so I can teche þe a rede þat is worþ þe twoo/ Line 432 I wote wel forsoþ þat þis is no nay/ We shul haue a Mangerye riȝt on sonday Abbotes and Priours mony here shul be And oþer men of holy chirch as I telle þe Line 436 Þou shal stonde vp by þe post as þou were bounde fast And I shal leue hem vnloke þat away þou may hem cast Whan þat þei han eten and wasshen her handes þow shalt biseche hem alle to bringe þe out of bondes Line 440 And if þei willen borowe þe þat were good game þan were þou out of prison and [I] out of blame And if ecche of hem saye to vs nay I shal do anoþer I swere by þis day Line 444 Þow shalt haue a good staf and I wil haue anoþere And cristes curs haf þat on þat failleþ þat oþere Ȝe for god seide Gamelyn I say it for me If I faille on my side evel mot I þee Line 448 If we shul algate assoille hem of her synne Warne me brother/ Adam whan we shul bygynne Gamelyn seid Adam by seint charite I wil warne þe biforn whan it shal be Line 452

Line 452 Whan I winke on þe. loke forto gone And caste away þi fetters and come to me anon Adam seide Gamelyn blessed be þi bonys Þat is a good counseile ȝeuen for þe nonys Line 456 Ȝif þei warne me þe to bring out of bondes I wil sette good strokes riȝt on here lendes Whan þe Sonday was commen and folk to þe feest ffaire þei were welcomed. boþ leest and mest Line 460 And euer as þei at þe haldore come Inne [folio 68b] They casten her yen/ on ȝonge Gamelyn The fals knyȝt his broþer ful of trecherye Al þe gettes þat þer were at þe mangerye Line 464 Of Gamelyn his broþer he tolde hem wiþ mouþe Al þe harme and þe shame þat he telle couþe Whan þei were yserued of messes ij. or thre Þan seide Gamelyn howe serue ȝe me Line 468 It is not wel serued by god þat all made Þat I sitte fastinge and oþer men make glade The fals knyȝt his broþer þer as he stode Told to all þe gestes þat Gamelyn was wode Line 472 And Gamelyn stode stille and answerd nouȝt But Adames wordes he helde in his þouȝt Thoo Gamelyn gan speke doolfully wiþ-all To þe grete lordes þat seten in þe hall Line 476 ¶ Lordes he seide for cristes passion Helpe to bringe Gamelyn out of prison Þan seide an Abbot sorowe on his cheke He shal haue cristes curs and seint Maries eke Line 480 That þe out of prison beggeþ or borowe And euer worþ him wel þat doþ þe moche sorowe After þat Abbot þan speke anoþere I wold þine hede were of þough þou were my broþere Line 484 All þat þe borowe foule mot hem falle Thus þei seiden alle þat were in þe halle ¶ Than seide a Priour/ euel mote he preue It is grete sorowe and care boy þat þou art alyue Line 488

Line 488 Ow seide Gamelyn so brouke I my bone Now haue I spied þat frendes haue I non Cursed mote he worþ. boþ flessh and blood Þat euer doþ Priour or Abbot eny good Line 492 Adam þe Spencere toke vp þe cloth And loked on Gamelyn and segh þat he was wroþe Adam on the Pantry litel he þouȝt And two good staues to þe halle door he brouȝt Line 496 Adam loked on Gamelyn and he was warre anon [folio 69a] And cast away þe fetters and bygan to gon Whan he come to Adam he toke þat on staf And bygan to worch and good strokes ȝaf Line 500 Gamelyn come into þe halle and þe Spencer boþe And loked hem aboute as þei hadden be wroþe Gamelyn spreyneþ holy watere wiþ an oken spire That some þat stode vpriȝt felle in þe fire Line 504 þer was no lewe man þat in þe halle stode þat wolde do Gamelyn eny þing but good But stoden bisides and lete hem boþ wirch ffor þei had no rewþe of men of holy chirch Line 508 Abbot or Priour monk or chanoun That Gamelyn ouertoke. anon þei ȝeden doun Ther was noon of alle þat with his staf mette Þat he ne made hem ouer-þrowe to quyte hem his dette Gamelyn seide Adam for seint charite Line 513 Pay good lyuere for þe loue of me And I wil kepe þe door so euere here I masse Er þei bene assoilled þer shal non passe Line 516 Doute þe not seide Gamelyn whil we ben in fere Kepe þowe wel þe door and I wil wirche here Bystere þe good adam and lete non fle And we shul telle largely how mony þat þer be Line 520 Gamelyn seide Adam do hem but goode Þei bene men of holy church drowe of hem no blode Saue wel þe crownes. and do hem no harmes But breke boþ her Iogges/ and siþen her armes Line 524

Line 524 Thus Gamelyn and Adam wrouȝt ryȝt fast And pleide wiþ þe monkes and made hem agast Þidere þei come ridinge Ioly wiþ swaynes And home aȝein þei were ladde in cartes and waynes Line 528 Tho þei hadden al ydo. þan seide a grey frere Allas Sir abbot what did we nowe here Whan þat we commen hidere it was a cold rede Vs had be bet haue be at home. with water and brede Line 532 While Gamelyn made orders of monke and frere [folio 69b] Euere stood his broþer and made foule chere Gamelyn vp wiþ his staf þat he wel knewe And girt hym in þe nek þat he ouer thrwe Line 536 A litel aboue þe Girdel þe Rigge-boon he brast And sette him in þe fetters þer he sat arst Sitte þer broþer seide Gamelyn fforto colen þi body/ as I did myn Line 540 As swith as þei had wroken hem on her foon Þei asked water and wasshen anon What some for her loue and some for her Awe All þe seruauntes serued hem on þe best lawe Line 544 þe Sherreue was þennes but .v. myle And all was tolde him in a lytel while Howe Gamelyn and Adam had ydo a sorye rees Bounden and wounded men aȝeinst þe kingges pees/ Line 548 Tho bygan sone strif for to wake And þe shereff about Gamelyn forto take ¶ Now liþen and listen so god ȝeue ȝou good fyne And ye shul here good game of yonge Gamelyne Line 552 xxiijj^ti ȝonge men þat helde hem ful bold Come to þe shiref and seide þat þei wold Gamelyn and Adam fette by her fay The Sheref ȝaue hem leue soþ for to say Line 556 Thei hiden fast wold þei not lynne To þei come to þe gate þere Gamelyn was Inne Thei knocked on þe gate þe porter was nyȝe And loked out att an hool as man þat was scleȝe Line 560

Line 560 þe Porter had bihold hem a litel while He loued wel Gamelyn and was dradde of gyle And lete þe wikett stonde ful stille And asked hem wiþ out what was her wille Line 564 ffor all þe grete company/ speke but oōn Vndo þe gate porter and lat vs in gon Þan seide þe Porter so brouke I my chyn Ȝe shul saie ȝoure erand er ȝe come Inne Line 568 Sey to Gamelyn and Adam/ if þeire wil be [folio 70a] We wil speke wiþ hem two wordes or þre ffelawe seide þe Porter stonde þer stille And I wil wende to Gamelyn to wete his wille Line 572 Inne went þe porter to Gamelyn anōn And saide sir I warne ȝou here ben commen ȝour foon The Shireues men bene at þe gate fforto take ȝou boþ ȝe shul not scape Line 576 Porter seide Gamelyn so mote I þe I wil alowe þi wordes whan I my tyme se Go ageyn to þe gate and dwelle wiþ hem a while And þou shalt se riȝt sone porter a gile Line 580 Adam seide gamelyn hast þe to gon We han foo-men mony and frendes neuere on It bene þe shireues men þat hider bene commen þei ben swore to-gidere þat we shal be nomen Line 584 Gamelyn seide Adam hye þe riȝt blyve And if I faile þe þis day euel mot I þrive And we shul so welcome þe shyreues men þat some of hem shal make her beddes in þe fenne Line 588 At a postern gate Gamelyn out went And a good Cartstaf in his hondes hent Adam hent sone anoþer grete staff ffor to helpen Gamelyne and good strokes ȝaf Line 592 Adam felled tweyn and Gamelyn þre þe oþer sette fete on erþe and bygan to flee What seide Adam so euere here I masse I haue riȝt good wyne drynk er ȝe passe Line 596

Line 596 Nay by god seide þei þi drink is not goode It wolde make a mannys brayn to lyen on his hode Gamelyn stode stille and loked hym aboute And seide þe Shyref commeþ wiþ a grete route Line 600 Adam seide Gamelyn what bene nowe þi redes Here commeþ þe sheref and wil haue our hedes Adam seide to Gamelyn my rede is now þis Abide we no lenger lest we fare amys Line 604 I rede we to wode gon/ er we be founde [folio 70b] Better is þer louse þan in þe toune bounde Adam toke by þe honde yonge Gamelyn And euery of hem dronke a drauȝt of wyn Line 608 And after token he cours and wenten her way T[h]o fonde þe Shyrreue nyst but non aye ¶ The Shirreue liȝt/ doune and went into halle And fonde þe lord fetred fast wiþ alle Line 612 The Schirreue vnfetred hym riȝt sone anon And sent aftere a leche to hele his rigge-bon Lat we nowe þe fals knyȝt lye in his care And talke we of Gamelyn. and of his fare Line 616 Gamelyn into þe wode stalked stille And Adam Spensere liked riȝt ille Adam swore to Gamelyn by seint Richere Nowe I see it is mery to be a spencere Line 620 Ȝit leuer me were kayes to bere Þan walken in þis wilde wode my cloþes to tere Adam seide Gamelyn dismay þe riȝt nouȝt Mony good mannys child in care is brouȝt Line 624 As þei stode talkinge boþen in fere Adam herd talking of men. and riȝt nygh hem þei were Tho Gamelyn vnder wode loked ariȝt vij^xx. of ȝonge men he seye wel ydiȝt Line 628 Alle satte at þe mete compas about Adam seide Gamelyn now haue I no dout Aftere bale commeþ bote þorgh goddis myȝt Me þink of mete and drynk I haue a siȝt Line 632

Line 632 Adam loked þoo vnder wode bough And whan he segh mete was glad ynogh ffor he hoped to god to haue his dele And he was sore alonged after a mele Line 636 As he seide þat worde þe mayster outlawe Saugh Adam and gamelyn vnder þe wode shawe Ȝonge men seide þe maistere by þe good rode I am ware of gestes. god sende vs goode Line 640 Ȝone ben twoo ȝonge men wel ydight [folio 71a] And paraventure þer ben mo who so loked riȝt A-riseþ vp ȝonge men and fette hem to me It is good þat we weten what men þei be Line 644 Vp þer sterten .vij. from þe dynere And metten wiþ Gamelyn and Adam Spencer Whan þei were nyghe hem þan seide þat oon Ȝeeldeþ vp ȝonge men ȝour bowes and ȝour floon Line 648 Þan seide Gamelyn þat ȝong was/ of// elde Moche sorowe mote þei haue þat to ȝou hem ȝelde I Curs noon oþere but right my silue þoo ȝe fette to ȝou .v. þan be ȝe twelue Line 652 Whan þei hard by his word þat myȝt was in his arme Ther was noon of hem þat wold do hym harme But seide to Gamelyn myldely and stille Comeþ a-fore our Maister and seiþ to hym ȝour wille Line 656 Ȝonge men seide Gamelyn be ȝour lewte What man is ȝour maister þat ȝe wiþ be Alle þei answerd wiþ out lesing Our maister is crowned of outlawe king Line 660 Adam seide Gamelyn go we in cristes name He may neiþer mete ne drink warne vs for shame If þat he be hende and come of gentil blood He wil ȝeue vs mete and drink and do us som gode Line 664 By seint Iame seide Adam what harme þat I gete I wil auenture me þat I had mete Gamelyn and Adam went forth in fere And þei grette þe Maister þat þei fond þere Line 668

Line 668 Than seide þe Maister king of outlawes What seche ȝe ȝonge men vnder þe wode shawes Gamelyn answerd þe king with his croun He most nedes walk in feeld þat may not in toun Line 672 Sire we walk not here no harme to doo But ȝif we mete a dere to shete þerto As men þat bene hungry and mow no mete fynde And ben hard bystad vnder wode lynde Line 676 Of Gamelyns wordes / þ^e maister had reuþe [folio 71b] And seide ȝe shul haue ynow haue god my treuth He bad hem sitte doun forto take rest And bad hem ete and drink and þat of þe best Line 680 As þei eten and dronken wel and fyne þan seide on to anoþer. þis is Gamelyn þo was þe Maistere outlawe into counseile nome And tolde howe it was Gamelyn þat þider was come Line 684 Anon as he herd how it was byfalle He made him maister vnder hym ouer hem alle WithInne þe iij. weke hym come tydinge To þe Maistere outlawe þat was her kinge Line 688 Þat he shuld come home his pees was made And of þat good tydinge he was ful glade þoo seide he to his ȝonge men soþ forto telle Me bene commen tydinges; I may no lenger dwelle Line 692 Tho was Gamelyn anoon wiþ out taryinge Made maister outlawe and crowned her kinge Whan Gamelyn was crowned king of outlawes And walked had a while vnder þe wode shawes/ Line 696 þe fals knyȝt bis broþer was sherif and sire And lete his broþere endite for hate and for ire þoo were his boond-men sory; and no þing glade Whan Gamelyn her lord / wolfes hede was cried and made And sent out of his men wher þei myȝt hym fynde ffor to go seke Gamelyn vnder þe wode lynde To telle hym tyding þe wynde was wente And al his good reued and al his men shent Line 704

Line 704 Whan þei had hym founden on knees þei hem setten And adoune with her hodes and her lord gretten Sir wreth ȝou not for þe good rode ffor we han brouȝt ȝou tydyngges but þei be not gode Line 708 Nowe is þi broþer Sherreue and haþ þe bayly And haþ endited þe / and wolfes hede doþ þe crye Allas seide Gamelyn þat euere I was so sclak þat I ne had broke his nek whan I his rigge brak Line 712 Goþ greteþ wel myn husbondes and wif [folio 72a] I wil be at þe next shyre haue god my lif Gamelyn come redy to þe next shire And þer was his broþer boþ lord and sire Line 716 Gamelyn boldely come into þe mote halle And putt a doun his hode / amonge þo lordes alle God saue ȝou lordinggs þat here be But broke-bak sherreue euel mote þou þee Line 720 Whi hast þou don me þat shame and vilonye fforto lat endite me / and wolfeshede do me crye þoo þouȝt þe fals knyȝt forto bene awreke And lette Gamelyn most he no þing speke Line 724 Might þer be no grace. but Gamelyn atte last Was cast/ in prison and fettred fast ¶ Gamelyn haþ a broþere þat hiȝt sir Ote Als good an knyght and hende as myȝt gon on fote Line 728 Anoon ȝede a massager to þat good knyȝt And tolde him al to-gidere how gamelyn was diȝt Anoon whan sir ote herd howe Gamelyn was diȝt He was riȝt sory and no þing liȝt Line 732 And lete sadel a stede and þe way namme And to his tweyne breþeren riȝt sone he camme Sir seide Sir Ote to þe sherreue þoo We bene but þre breþeren shul we neuere be mo Line 736 And þou hast prisoned þe best of vs alle Such anoþere broþer euel mote hym byfalle Sir Ote seide þe false knyght lat be þi cors By god for þi wordes he shal fare þe wors Line 740

Line 740 To þe kingges prison he is ynome And þer he shal abide to þe Iustise come Parde Seide Sir Ote better it shal be I bid hym to maynprise þat þou graunte me Line 744 To þe next sitting of delyueraunce And lat þan Gamelyn stonde to his chaunce Broþere in such a forward I take hym to þe And by þ^e fader soule þat þe bigate and me Line 748 But he be redy whan þe Iustice sitte [folio 72b] þou shalt bere þe Iuggement for al þi grete witte I graunte wel seide Sir Ote þat it so be Lat delyuere hym anoon and take hym to me Line 752 Tho was gamelyn delyuered to Sir ote his broþer And þat nyght dwelled þe oon wiþ þe oþer On the morowe seide Gamelyn to Sir Ote þe hende Broþer he seide I mote forsoþ from ȝo^u wende Line 756 To loke howe my ȝonge men leden her liff Whedere þei lyuen in Ioie or ellis in striff By god seide Sir ote þat is a colde rede Nowe I se þat alle þe Carke shal fal on my hede Line 760 ffor whan þe Iustise sitte and þou be not yfound I shal anoon be take and in þi stede I-bound Broþer seide Gamelyn dismay ȝou nouȝt ffor by seint Iame in Gales þat mony men haþ souȝt Line 764 Ȝif that god almyȝty holde my lif and witte I wil be redy whan þe Iustice sitte Than seide sire Ote to gamelyn god shilde þ^e from shame Come whan þou seest tyme and bring vs out of blame Line 768 ¶ Liþeneþ and listeneþ and holde ȝou stille And ȝe shul here howe Gamelyn had al his wille Gamelyn went vnder þe wode Ris And fonde þer pleying ȝeng men of pris Line 772 þo was ȝong gamelyn riȝt glad ynouȝe Whan he fonde his men vnder wode bouȝe Gamelyn and his men talkeden in fere And þei had good game her maister to here Line 776

Line 776 His men tolde him of auentures þat þei had found And Gamelyn tolde hem aȝein howe he was fast bounde While Gamelyn was outlawe had he no cors þer was no man þat for him ferde þe wors Line 780 But Abbottes and Priours monk and chanone On hem left he nouȝt whan he myȝt hem nome While Gamelyn and his men made merþes ryve þe fals knyght his broþer euel mot he thryve Line 784 ffor he was fast about boþ day and oþer [folio 73a] ffor to hiren þe quest to hongen his broþer Gamelyn stode on a day and byheeld Þe wodes and þe Shawes and þe wild feelde Line 788 He þouȝt on his broþere how he hym byhette Þat he wold be redy whan þe Iustice sette He þouȝt wel he wold wiþ-out delay Come to-fore þe Iustice to kepen his day Line 792 And saide to his ȝonge men dighteþ ȝou ȝare ffor whan þe Iustice sitte we most be þare ffor I am vnder borowe til þat I come And my broþer for me to prison shal be nome Line 796 Be seint Iame seide his ȝonge men and þou rede þerto Ordeyn how it shal be and it shal be do While Gamelyn was commyng þer þe Iustice satte þ^e fals knyȝt his broþer forȝate he not þat Line 800 To hire þe men of þe quest to hangen his broþer þouȝe þei had not þat oon þei wold haue þat oþer Tho come Gamelyn from vnder þe wode Ris And brouȝt with hym ȝonge men of pris Line 804 I see wel seide Gamelyn þe Iustise is sette Go a-forn adam and loke how it spette Adam went into þe halle and loked al aboute He segh þer stonde lordes grete and stoute Line 808 And Sire Ote his broþer fetred ful fast Þoo went Adam out of halle as he were a-gast Adam seide to Gamelyn and to his felawes all Sire Ote stout fetered in þe mote hall Line 812

Line 812 . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] If gode ȝeue vs grace wel forto doo He shal it abigge þat it brouȝt þerto / Line 816 Þan seide Adam þat lockes had hore Cristes curs mote he haue þat hym bonde so sore And þou wilt Gamelyn do after my rede Þer is noon in þe halle shal bere away his hede Line 820 Adam seide Gamelyn we wil not do soo We wil slee þe giltif and lat þe oþere goo/ I wil into þe halle and with þe Iustice speke [folio 73b] Of hem þat bene giltif I wil ben awreke Line 824 Late no skape at þe door take ȝonge men ȝeme ffor I wil be Iustise þis day domes to deme God spede me þis day at my newe werk Adam come with me for þou shalt be my clerk Line 828 His men answerde hym. and bad done his best And if þou to vs haue nede þou shalt finde vs prest We wil stonde wiþ þe while þat we may dure And but we worchen manly pay vs none hure Line 832 Ȝonge men said Gamelyn so mote I wel þe A trusty maister ȝe shul fynde me Riȝt þere þe Iustise satte in þe halle Inne went Gamelyn amonges hem alle Line 836 Gamelyn lete vnfetter his broþer out of bende þan seide Sir Ote his broþer þat was hende þow haddest almost Gamelyn dwelled to longe ffor þe quest is out on me þat I shuld honge Line 840 Broþer seide Gamelyn so god ȝeue me good rest þis day shul þei be honged / þat ben on þe quest And þe Iustise boþ þat is þe Iuge man And þe Sherreue also. þorgh hym it bigan Line 844 Than seide Gamelyn to þe Iustice Now is þi power done. þe most nedes rise Þow hast ȝeuen domes þat bene euel diȝt I wil sitten in þi sete and dressen/ hem ariȝt Line 848

Line 848 The Iustise satte stille and roos not anone And Gamelyn cleued his cheke bone Gamelyn toke him in his armes and no more spake But threwe hym ouer þe barre and his arme brake Line 852 Dorst noon to Gamelyn seie but good ffor feerd of þe company þat with-out stoode Gamelyn sette hym doun in þe Iustise sete And Sire Ote his broþere by hym. and Adam at his fete Whan gamelyn was sette in þe Iustise sede Herken of a bourde þat Gamelyn dede He lete fetter þe Iustise and his fals broþere [folio 74a] And did hem come to þe barre þat on with þat oþere Line 860 Whan gamelyn had þus ydone had he no rest Til he had enquered who was on his quest fforto demen his broþer sire Ote forto honge Er he wist what þei were hym þouȝt ful longe Line 864 But as sone as Gamelyn wist where þei were He did hem euerechone fetter in fere And bringgen hem to þe barre & setten in rewe By my feiþ seide þe Iustise þe sherrue is a shrewe Line 868 þan seide Gamelyn to þe Iustise þou hast ȝoue domes of þe worst assise And þe xij. Sesoures þat weren on þe quest þei shul be honged þis day so haue I good rest Line 872 Than seide þe sheref to ȝonge Gamelyn Lord I crie þe mercie broþer art þou myn þerfor seide Gamelyn haue þou cristes curs ffor and þow were maister. I shuld haue wors Line 876 fforto make short tale and not to longe He ordeyned hym a quest of his men stronge Þe Iustise and þe Sirreue boþ honged hie To weyuen wiþ þe ropes and þe winde drye Line 880 And þe xij. Sisours sorowe haue þat rekke All þei were honged fast by þe nekke þus endeþ þe fals knyȝt wiþ his trecherye þat euere had lad his lif in falsnesse and folye Line 884

Line 884 He was honged by þe nek and not by þe purs þat was þe mede þat he had for his faders curs Sire Otes was eldest and Gamelyn was ȝenge Wenten to her frendes / and passed to þe kinge Line 888 Þei maden pees wiþ þe king of þe best sise Þe king loued wel sir Ote & made hym iustise And after þe king made Gamelyn in est and in west Þe cheef Iustice of his free forest Line 892 All his wiȝt ȝonge men þe king forgaf her gilt And siþen in good office þ^e king haþ hem pilt Thus wanne Gamelyn his land and his lede And wreke him on his enemyes . and quytte hem her mede And Sire Ote his broþer made him his heire And Siþen wedded gamelyn a wif good and faire They lyued to-gidere þe while þat crist wold And siþen was Gamelyn grauen vnder mold Line 900 And so shul we all; may þer no man fle God bring vs to þat Ioye þat euer shal be

here endeþ þe tale of þe Coke.) [[The Prologue and Tale of the Shipman follow, without any break in the MS.]]

¶ And Thus gynneþ þe prologe of þe shipman [on leaf 74, back]

Nowe frendes seide our hoost so dere [¶ The Prologe.] How likeþ ȝou by Iohn þe pardonere ffor he haþ vnbokeled wel þe male He haþ vs tolde riȝt a thrifty tale Line 4 As touching of mysgouernaunce I prey to god ȝeue hym good chaunche As ȝe han herd of þise retoures þre Now gentil Marynere hertely I preye þe Line 8 Telle vs a good tale and þat riȝt anon It shal be done by god & by seint Iohn Seide þis marinere as wel as euer I can And riȝt anoon his tale he bygan. Line 12

¶ Thus endeþ þe prologe of þe shipman. [[No gap in the MS.]]