The tale of Beryn : with a prologue of the merry adventure of the pardoner with a tapster at Canterbury / Re-edited from the Duke of Northumberland's unique ms. by F. J. Furnivall & W. G. Stone. With an English abstract of the French original and Asiatic versions of the tale, by W. A. Clouston; plans of Canterbury in 1588, and the road thither from London in 1675, &c.

THE TALE OF BERYN.

¹ The Prologue, Or, the mery adventure of the Pardonere and Tapstere at the Inn at Canterbury. [Urry's title. There is none in the MS.]

[Duke of Northumberland's MS 55, leaf 180, sign. AA 8. After the Canon's Yeoman's Tale.]

WHen ałł this ffressh[e] feleship were com to Caun∣tirbury, [When the Pilgrims reach Canterbury,] As ye have herd to-fore, with talys glad & merry, (Som of sotiłł centence, of vertu & of lore, [after telling Tales wise and loose,] And som of othir myrthis, for hem þat hold no store [ 4] Of wisdom, ne of holynes, ne of Chiualry, Nethir of vertuouse matere, [MS butto.] but [holich] to foly Leyd wit & lustis ałł, to such[e nyce] Iapis As Hurlewaynes meyne in every hegg that capes [ 8] Thurgh vnstabiłł mynde,—ryght as þe levis grene Stondein a-geyn the wedir, ryȝt so by hem I mene;— Butt no more here-of nowe, [as] at þis ilche tyme, In saving of my centence, my prolog, & my ryme.) [ 12] They toke hir In, & loggit hem at mydmorowe, I trowe, [they put-up at the 'Cheker-of-the-Hope' inn.] Atte "Cheker of the hope," þat many a man doith knowe. Hir/ [This 'r/' is for 'r' with a downward tag to it.] Hoost of Southwork þat with hem went, as ye have herde to-fore,

That was rewler/ of hem al, of las & eke of more, [ 16] Ordeyned hir/ dyner wisely, or they to chirch[e] went, Such vitaillis as he fond in town̄, & for noon oþir sent. The Pardonere be-held the besynes, howe statis wer I-servid, [The Pardoner] Diskennyng hym al pryuely, & a syde swervid, [ 20] (The Hostelere was so halowid from o plase to a-nothir;) He toke his staff to the Tapstere: "welcom myne owne broþere," [is welcomed by the Tapster,] Quod she, with a ffrendly look, al redy for to kys; And he, as a man I-lernyd of such kynd[e]nes, [ 24] Bracyd hir/ by the myddiłł, & made hir/ gladly chere As þouȝe he had I-knowe hir al the rathir yeer. She halid hym in-to the tapstry, þere hir bed was makid: [who shows him her empty bed,] "Lo, Here I ligg" (quod she) "my selff al nyȝt al nakid Without[en] mannys company, syn my love was dede: [ 29] Ienkyn Harpour/ yf ye hym know; from fete to þe hede Was nat a lustier persone to daunce ne to lepe, Then he was, þouȝe I it sey": And þere-with she to wepe [and weeps for her lost husband.] She made, &, with hir napron̄ feir/ & white I-wassh, [ 33] She wypid sofft hir eyen, for teris þat she out lassh; As grete as eny mylstone, vpward gon they stert. ffor love of hir swetyng þat sat so nyȝe hir hert, [ 36] She wept & waylid, & wrong hir/ hondis, & made much to done; [leaf 180, back] ffor they that loven so passyngly, such trowes þey have echone. She snyffith, sighith, and shooke hire hede, and made rouful chere. "Benedicite," quod the Pardonere, & toke hir by the swere; [The Pardoner comforts, her,] [ 40] "Yee make sorowe I-nowȝ," quod he, "yeur/ lyff þouȝe ye shuld lese." "It is no wondir," quod she than, And þere-with she gan to fnese. "Aha! al hole!" quod the Pardoner, "yeur/ penannce is som what passid."

"God forbede it els!" quod she, "but it were som-what lassid, [ 44] I myȝte nat lyve els, þowe wotist, & it shuld longe endure." "Now blessid be God of mendement, of hele & eke of cure!" Quod the Pardoner tho a-noon, & toke hir by the Chynne, [chucks her chin,] And seyd to hir þese wordis tho: "Allas! þat love ys syn! So kynde a lover as yee be oon, & [eke] so trew of hert, (ffor, be my trewe conscience, ȝit for ȝewe I smert, [ 50] And shal this month hereaftir, for yeur soden disese:) Now wele wer hym ye lovid, so [þat] he coude ȝewe plese! [and wishes he could please her.] I durst[e] swere oppon a book, þat trewe he shuld ȝewe fynd; [ 53] ffor he þat is so ȝore dede, is green [ȝit] in yeur/ mynde. Ye made me a sory man; I dred yee wold have stervid." "Graunt mercy, gentil Sir!" quod she, "þat [for 'but.'] yee [been] vnaservid; Yee be a nobiłł man! I-blessid mut yee be! [ 57] Sit[tith] down̄, [and] ye shul drynk!" "nay .I.-wis" (quod he,) [She offers him drink,] "I am fastyng ȝit, myne owne hertis rote!" "ffasting ȝit! allas!" quod she, "þerof I can good bote." She stert in-to the town̄, & fet a py al hote, [ 61] [then buys him a pie,] And set to-fore the Pardoner; "Ienken, I ween? I note: Is that yeur/ name, I ȝow prey?" "ȝe, I-wis myne owne sustir; [asks him his name,] So was I enformyd of hem þat did me foster. [ 64] And what is yeurs?" "Kitt, I-wis; so cleped me my dame." [and tells him hers is Kit.] "And Goddis blessing have þow, Kitt! now broke wel thy name!" And pryuelich vnlasid his both[en] eyen liddes, And lokid hir in the visage paramour a-myddis; [ 68] [The Pardoner makes eyes at her,] And siȝhid þere-with a litil tyme, þat she it here myȝte, And gan to trown & feyn this song, "now, loue, þou do me riȝte!"

"Ete & be merry," quod she, "why breke yee nowt [MS nowe.] yeur/ fast? To waite more feleshipp, it were but work in wast. [ 72] Why make yee so dułł chere? for yeur/ love at home?" [leaf 181] "Nay forsoth, myne own̄ hert! it is for ȝewe a-loon!" [and says he's in love with her.] "ffor me? allas! what sey yee? that wer a sympiłł prey." "Trewlich ȝit," quod the pardoner, "It is as I ȝewe sey." "Ȝe etith & beith mery, we wołł speke þere-of [ful] sone; [Kit doubts;] 'Brennyd Cat dredith feir/'; it is mery to be aloon: [ 78] [a burnt cat dreads the fire:] ffor, by our/ lady mary, þat bare Ihesu on hir arm̄, I coud nevir love ȝit, but it did me harm̄; [loving has done her harm.] ffor evir my maner hath be to love[n] ovir much." [ 81] "Now Cristis blessing," quod the pardoner, "go with al[le] such! Lo! howe the clowdis worchyn, eche man to mete his macħ! ffor trewly, gentil Cristian, I vse þe same tach, [ 84] And have I-do [ful] many a ȝer; I may it nat for-ber; ffor 'kynde wołł have his cours,' þouȝ men þe contrary swer." And þerwith he stert vp smertly, & cast [a]down̄ a grote, [The Pardoner gives her a groat.] "What shal this do, gentiłł Sir? Nay, sir! for my cote I nold yee payde a peny her, & [tho] so sone pas!" [ 89] [She refuses it at first,] The Pardonere swore his gretter othe, he wold[e] pay no las. "I-wis, sir, it is ovir-do! but sith it is yeur/ wiłł, [then takes it,] I wołł put it in my purs, lest yee it take in iłł [ 92] To refuse your/ curtesy:" And þere-with she gan to bowe. "Now trewly," quod the Pardoner, "yeur/ maners been to alowe; ffor had ye countid streytly, & no thing lefft be-hynde, I myȝte have wele I-demed þat yee be vnkynde, [ 96] And eke vntrewe of hert, & sonner me forȝete, But ye list be my tresorer; for we shułł offter mete." "Now certen," quod the tapster, "yee have a red ful even, [and asks him to explain a Dream she has had,] As wold to God yee couth as wele vndo my sweven [ 100] That I my selff did mete this nyȝt þat is I-passid:

How I was in a chirch, when it was al I-massid; And was in my devocioune tyl service was al doon, [ 103] Tyłł the Preest & the clerk [ful] boystly bad me goon, [that she was turned out of church.] And put me out of the chirch with [right] an egir mode." "Now, seynt Danyel," quod þe pardonere, "yeur/ swevyn turne to good! And I wołł halsow it to the best, have it in yeur/ mynd; [The Pardoner says her Dream] ffor comynly of these swevenys þe contrary men shul fynde: 'Yee have be a lover glad, & litil Ioy I-had; [ 109] Pluk vp a lusty hert, & be mery & glad; [leaf 181, back] ¹ffor yee shul have an husbond, þat shal ȝewe wed to wyve, [means that she'll have a husband,] That shal love ȝewe as hert[e]ly, as his owne lyve. [ 112] The preest þat put ȝewe out of Chirch, shal lede ȝew in ageyn̄, [and the priest will lead her into church again.] And help[en] to yeur/ mariage, with al his myȝte & mayn̄:' This is the sweven al & som; Kit, how likith the?" "Be my trowith, wondir wele; blessid mut þowe be!" Then toke he leve at þat tyme, tyłł he com efft sone, [ 117] And went [un]to [MS wentto.] his feleshippe, as it was [for] to doon. (Thouȝe it be no grete holynes to prech þis ilk matere, [(It's not a par∣ticularly holy story, this;] And þat som list [not] to her it; ȝit, sirs, [MS ȝit sir ȝit sirs] ner þe latter Endurith for a while, & suffrith hem þat wołł, [ 121] And yee shułł here howe þe Tapster made þe Pardoner pułł [but you'll soon see how the Tapster sold the Pardoner.)] Garlik al the longe nyȝte, til it was nere end [near hand, nearly.] day; ffor þe more cher she made of love, þe falsher was hir lay; But litil charge gaff she ther-of, þouȝe she aquyt his while, ffor ethir-is þouȝt & tent was, othir to begile, As yee shułł here her-aftir, when tyme comyth & spase To meve such mater. but nowe a litiłł spase [ 128] I wołł retourne me ageyn̄ [un]to the company.) The knyȝt & al the feleshipp, & no þing for to ly, [All the Pilgrims] When they wer ałł I-loggit, as skiłł wold, & reson, Everich aftir his degre, to Chirch þen was seson [ 132] [go to Canterbury Cathedral, to make their offerings.] To pas[sen] & to wend, to make[n] hir offringis, Riȝte as hir devocioune was, of sylvir broch & ryngis.

Then atte Chirch[e] dorr the curtesy gan to ryse, Tyl þe knyȝt, of gentilnes, þat knewe riȝte wele þe guyse, Put forth þe Prelatis, þe Person, & his fere. [ 137] [The Knight settles who's to go-in first.] A monk, þat toke þe spryngiłł with a manly chere, [A monk sprinkles them with holy water,] And did [right] as the maner is, moillid al hir/ patis, Everich aftir othir, riȝte as þey wer of states. [ 140] The ffrere feynyd fetously the spryngil for to hold, [and won't let the Friar take the sprinkler,] To spryng oppon the remnaunt,—þat for his cope he nold Have lafft that occupacioune in þat holy plase,— So longid his holy conscience to se þe Nonnys fase. [ 144] [as he so wants to see the Nun's face.] The knyȝte went with his compers toward þe holy shryne, To do þat they were com fore, & aftir for to dyne; [leaf 182] [The Knight goes to the Shrine.] The Pardoner & þe Miller, & oþir lewde sotes, [The Pardoner, Miller, &c.,] Souȝt hem selff[en] in the Chirch, riȝt as lewd[e] gotes; Pyrid fast, & pourid, hiȝe oppon the glase, [ 149] Countirfeting gentilmen, þe armys for to blase, Diskyueryng fast the peyntour, & for þe story mourned, [make funny guesses as to what the stained∣glass window means.] And a red [it] also right as [wolde] Rammys hornyd: [ 152] "He berith a balstaff," quod the toon, "& els a rakis ende." "Thow faillist," quod the Miller, "þowe hast nat wel þy mynde; It is a spere, yf þowe canst se, [right] with a prik to-fore, To bussħ adown̄ his enmy, & þurh the Sholdir bore." [ 156] "Pese!" quod the hoost of Southwork, "let stond þe wyn∣dow glasid! [The Host scolds them, and sends them to the Shrine.] Goith vp, & doith yeur/ offerynge! yee semeth half amasid! Sith yee be in company of honest men & good, Worchith somwhat aftir, & let þe kynd of brode [ 160] Pas for a tyme! I hold it for the best; ffor who doith after company, may lyve the bet in rest." Then passid they forth boystly, goglyng with hir hedis, Knelid a down̄ to-fore the shryne, & hert[i]lich hir bedis [There they kneel and pray;] They preyd to Seynt Thomas, in such wise as þey couth; And sith, the holy relikis, ech man with his mowith [ 166] Kissid, as a goodly monke þe names told & tauȝt. [kiss the relics,] And sith to othir placis of holynes þey rauȝte, [ 168]

And were in hir devocioun tyl service wer al doon; [and hear all the service.] And sith þey drowȝ to dynerward, as it drew to noon. Then, as manere & custom is, signes þere þey bouȝte,— [Then they buy Pilgrims' Tokens.] ffor men of contre shuld[e] know whom þey had[de] ouȝte,— [ 172] Ech man set his sylvir in such thing as þey likid: And in þe meen[e] while, the Miller had I-pikid [The Miller steals a lot of Canter∣bury brooches.] His bosom ful of signys of Cauntirbury brochis: Huch þe Pardoner, & he, pryuely in hir pouchis [ 176] Þey put hem aftirward, þat noon of hem it wist, Save þe Sompnour seid somwhat, & seyd[e] to ham "list! [The Summoner cries 'halves!'] Halff part!" quod he, pryuely rownyng on hir ere: "Hussht! pees!" quod þe Miller, "seist þowe nat the frere, [The Miller says, 'Hush! look at the Friar!] [ 180] Howe he lowrith vndir his hood with a doggissh ey? [He's looking.] Hit shuld be a pryuy thing that he coude nat a-spy: [leaf 182, back] Of euery crafft he can somwhat, our lady gyve hym sorowe!" [Curse him!'] "Amen!" tho quod the Sompnour, "on eve & eke on morowe! ['Amen! Devil take him!] [ 184] So cursid a tale he told of me, the devil of hełł hym spede! And me, but yf I pay hym wele, & quyte wele his mede, [I'll pay him out, the next tale I tell!'] Yf it hap[pene] homward þat ech man tełł his tale, As wee did hidirward, þouȝe wee shuld set at sale, [ 188] Al the shrewdnes that I can, I wol hym no thing spare, That I nol touch his taberd, somwhat of [?to.] his care!" They set hir signes oppon hir hedis, & som oppon hir cappe, [They stick their Tokens in their caps,] [ 191] And sith[then] to the dynerward, they gan[nè] for to stappe. Euery man in his degre, wissh, & toke his sete [wash, and sit down to dinner.] As they were wont to doon at soper & at mete, And wer in scilence for a tyme, tiłł girdiłł [Urry reads 'good ale'; but 'girdill' makes good sense: 'till their bellies swelled.'] gon a-rise; [Silence is kept at first;] But then, as nature axith, (as these old wise [ 196] Knowen wele,) when veynys been som-what replete, [but full bellies make men merry] The spiritis wol stere, & also metis swete

Causen offt[e] myrthis for to be I-mevid, And eke it was no tyme tho for to be I-grevid: [ 200] Euery man in his wise made hertly chere, [and soon all are talking and joking.] Talyng [to] his felowe of sportis & of chere, And of othir myrthis þat fyllyn by the wey, As custom is of pilgryms, & hath been many a day. [ 204] The hoost leyd to his ere, of Southwork as ye knowe, [The Host thanks the Pilgrims] And thenkid al the company, both[en] hiȝe & lowe, 'So wele kepeing the covenaunt, in Southwork þat was made, That euery man shuld, by the wey, with a tale glade [ 208] [for having told Tales on the way down;] Al the hole company in shorting of þe wey;' "And al is wele perfourmed. but þan nowe þus I sey, That wee must so homward, eche man tel a-noþir; [and says each man must tell another Tale on the way back,] Thus we were accordit, And I shuld be a rothir [ 212] To set[ten] ȝewe in governaunce by riȝtful Iugement." "Trewly, hoost," quod the ffrer, "þat was al our/ assent, With a litiłł more þat I shal sey ther-to. Yee grauntid of yeur/ curtesy, þat wee shuld also, [ 216] Al the hole company, sope with ȝewe at nyȝte: Thus I trow[e] þat it was: what sey yee, sir knyȝte?" "It shal nat nede," quod the hoost, "to axe no witnes; [leaf 183] Yeur record is good I-nowe; & of yeur gentilnes [ 220] [and he'll give them all a supper at Southwark, as he promist.] Ȝit I prey ȝewe efft ageyn: for, by seynt Thomas shryne, And yee wołł hold [yeur] covenaunt, I wol hold[en] myne." "Now trewly, hoost," quod the knyȝt, "yee have riȝt wel I-sayd; And, as towching my persone, I hold me [wel a]payde; [All the Pilgrims agree.] And so I trowe þat al doith. sirs, what sey[e] yee?" [ 225] The Monke, & eke the Marchaunte, & al seid, "ȝe!" "Then al this aftir-mete I hold it for the best [The Host says, 'Now go and amuse your∣selves.'] To sport & pley vs," quod the hoost, "eche man as hym lest, [ 228] And go by tyme to soper, & [thanne] to bed also; So mowe wee erly rysen, our iourney for to do." The knyȝt arose ther-with-al, & cast on a fressher gown̄

And his sone a-nothir, to walk[en] in the town̄; [ 232] [The Knight and his Son change their clothes,] And so did al the remnaunt þat were of þat aray, That had hir chaungis with hem; they made hem fressh & gay, Sortid hem to-gidir, riȝte as hir lustis lay, As þey were [the] more vsid, traveling by the wey. [ 236] The knyȝt [tho] with his meyne went to [MS wentto.] se the wałł, [and go to see the wall and defences of the town.] And þe wardes of the town̄, as to a knyȝt be-fałł; Devising ententiflich þe strengthis al a-bout, And a-poyntid to his sone þe perełł & þe dout, [ 240] ffor shot of Arblast & of bowe, & eke for shot of gonne, [The Knight shows how it can be won, and defended.] Vn-to þe wardis of the town̄, & howe it myȝt be wone; And al defence ther a-geyn, aftir his entent He declarid compendiously. & al that evir he ment, [ 244] His [MS He.] sone perseyvid every poynt, as he was ful abiłł [The Squire understands it all,] To Armes, & to travaiłł, and persone covenabiłł; He was of al factur, aftir fourm̄ of kynde; And for to deme his governaunce, it semed þat his mynde [but is thinking of his lady-love.] Was [set] much in his lady þat he lovid best, [ 249] That made hym offt to wake, when he shuld have his rest. The Clerk þat was of Oxinforth, on-to þe Sompnore seyd, "Me semeth of grete clerge þat þow art a mayde; [ 252] [The Clerk tells the Summoner that the Friar is justified in knowing of evil things, as he can then avoid them;] ffor þow puttist on the ffrer, in maner of repreff, That he knowith falshede, vice, & eke a theff; And I it hold vertuouse and right commendabiłł [leaf 183, bk] To have verry knowlech of thingis reprouabiłł. [ 256] ffor who so [doth,] may eschew it, and let it pas[sen] by, And els he myȝte fałł ther-on, vnware & sodenly. And thouȝe the ffrere told a tale of a [false] Sompnour, Thowe ouȝtist for to take[n] it for no dishonour; [ 260] [and so the Sum∣moner oughtn't to be angry with the Friar for his tale.] ffor, of alle crafftis, and of eche degre, They be nat al perfite; but som [ful] nyce be." "Lo! what is worthy," seyd the knyȝte, "for to be a clerk! To sommon a-mong vs hem [? To some men among us here.] , þis mocioune was ful derk; I comend his wittis, & eke his [grete] clerge, [ 265]

ffor of ethir parte he savith honeste." The monke toke the person þen, & þe grey[e] ffrer, [The Monk asks the Parson and Friar to visit an acquaintance with him.] And preyd[e] hem ful [MS for.] curteysly for to go in fere: [ 268] "I have ther a queyntaunce, þat al this yeris thre Hath preyd me [MS hym.] by his lettris þat I hym wold[e] se: And yee [be] my brothir in habit & in possessioune. And now [þat] I am her, me thinkith it is to doon, [ 272] To preve[n] it in dede, what cher he wold me make, And to ȝewe, my frende, also for my sake." They went forth to-gidir, talking of holy matere: [ 275] [The Monk, Par∣son, and Friar, drink wine together.] But woot ye wele, in certeyn, they had no mynd on water To drynk[en] at that tyme, when they wer met in fere; ffor of the best þat myȝt be found, & þer-with mery cher They had, it is no doute; for spycys & eke wyne Went round aboute, þe gascoyn, & eke the ruyne. ['wyne de Ryne', Babees Book, p. 202.] [ 280] The wyff of bath was so wery, she had no wiłł to walk; [The Wife of Bath takes the Prioress] She toke the Priores by the hond: "madam! wol ye stalk Pryuely in-to þe garden, to se the herbis growe? And aftir, with our hostis wyff, in hir parlour rowe, [ 284] I wołł gyve ȝewe the wyne, & yee shułł me also; ffor tyłł wee go to soper wee have nauȝt ellis to do." The Priores, as vomman tauȝt of gentil blood, & hend, Assentid to hir counsełł; and forth [tho] gon they wend, [to see the inn∣garden at Can∣terbury, full of pot-herbs, &c.,] Passyng forth [ful] sofftly in-to the herbery: [ 289] ffor many a herbe grewe, for sew [soup, cooking: potherbs.] & surgery; And al the Aleyis feir I-parid, I-raylid, & I-makid; The sauge, & the Isope, I-frethid & I-stakid; [ 292] [leaf 184] And othir beddis by & by [ful] fressh I-dight: ffor comers to the hoost, riȝte a sportful sight. [a pretty sight.] The Marchaunt, & þe mancipiłł, þe Miller, & þe Reve, [The Merchant, &c., go into the town.] And the Clerk of Oxinforth, to town̄ward gon they meve, And al the othir meyne; & lafft noon at home, [ 297] Save the Pardoner, þat pryvelich, when al they wer goon, [But the Pardoner stalks into the taproom after his Kit,] Stalkid in-to the tapstry: for no thing wold he leve,

To make his covenaunte in certen, þat same eve [ 300] [to secure her for the eve.] He wold be loggid with hir; þat was his hole entencioun̄. (But hap, & eke ffortune, & al the constellacioune, Was clenè hym ageyns, as yee shułł aftir here; ffor hym had better be I-loggit al nyȝt in a myere, [ 304] Then he was þe same nyȝte, or the sonne was vp: ffor such was his fortune, he drank with-out þe cupp; [(But he gets sold.)] But þereof wist[e] he no dele; ne no man of vs alle May have þat hiȝe connyng, to know what shal be-falle.) He stappid in-to the tapstry wondir pryuely, [ 309] And fond hir liggyng lirylong; with half[e] sclepy eye [The Pardoner finds Kit half-asleep,] Pourid fellich vndir hir hood, & sawe al his comyng, And lay ay stiłł, as nauȝt she knewe, but feynyd hir sclep∣ing. [ 312] He put his hond to hir brest: "a-wake!" quod he, "a∣wake!" [puts his hand on her,] "A! benedicite, sir, who wist ȝewe here? out! þus I myȝt be take Prisoner," quod the tapstere, "being al aloon;" And þerwith breyd vp in a friȝte, & be-gan to groon. [ 316] "Nowe, sith yee be my prisoner, ȝeld ȝewe now!" quod he, [and says 'Yield.'] "I must[e] nedis," quod she, "I may no thing fle; [She says she must;] And eke I have no strengith, & am but yong of Age, And also it is no mastry to cach a mouse in a cage, [ 320] That may no where stert out, but closid wondir fast; And eke, Sir, I tełł ȝewe, þouȝ I had grete hast, Yee shuld have couȝid when ye com. wher lern ye curtesy? [but he was rude, & ought to have cought before he came in.] Now trewlich I must chide, for of riȝte pryuyte [ 324] Vommen been som tyme of day, when they be aloon. Wher coud I ([I] ȝewe prey) when yee com efft-sone?" "Nowe mercy, dere sweting! I wol do so no more: [The Pardoner begs her pardon,] I thank[e] ȝew an hundrit sithis! & also by yeur/ lore [leaf 184, back] I wołł do here-aftir, in what place þat I com. [ 329] But lovers, Kitt, ben eviłł avisid ful offt & to lom; Wherfor I prey ȝew hertlich, hold[ith] me excusid, And I be-hote ȝew trewly, it shal no more be vsid. [ 332]

But nowe to our purpose: how have yee [i]fare [and asks how she's been getting on.] Sith I was with ȝew last? þat is my most[e] care. ffor yf yee eylid eny thing othir-wise þen good, Trewly it wold chaunge my chere & [eke] my blood." [ 336] [He's very fond of her.] "I have I-farid the wers for ȝewe," quod Kitt, "do ye no drede God þat is a-bove? & eke yee had no nede [Kit says she's sure the Pardoner's conjured her,] ffor to congir me, god woot, with yeur/ hygromancy, That have no more to vaunce me, but oonly my body; [ 340] And yf it were disteynyd, þen wer I on-do. I-wis I trowe, Ienkyn, ye be nat to trust to! ffor evir-more yee clerkis con so much in book, [and made her in love with him.] Yee wołł wyn a vomman, atte first[e] look." [ 344] Thouȝt the Pardoner, 'this goith wele'; & made hir better chere, And axid of hir sofft[e]ly: "lord, who shałł ligge[n] here [He asks if he may lie with her that night.] This nyȝte þat is to comyng? I prey ȝewe telle me!" "Iwis it is grete nede to telle ȝew," quod she: [ 348] "Make it nat ovir queynt, þouȝe yee be a clerk! Ye know wele I-nouȝ I-wis, by loke, by word, by work!" "Shal I com þen, Cristian, & fese a-wey þe Cat?" "Shul yee com, sir? benedicite! what question is that? [She says, 'Yes,] Where-for I prey ȝew hertly, do be my counsaille; [ 353] Comyth somwhat late, & for no thing faille; [but come late, and open the door quietly.'] The dorr shałł stond char vp; put it from ȝew sofft: But, be wel avisid, ye wake nat them on lofft." [ 356] "Care ye nat," quod Ienken, "I can there-on atte best; Shałł no man for my stering be wakid of his rest." Anoon they dronk the beuerage, & wer of oon accord [They drink to seal the bargain,] As it semed by hir chere, & also by hir/ word: [ 360] And al a-scaunce she lovid hym wele, she toke hym by the swere, As þouȝe she had lernyd cury fauel, of som old[e] ffrere. The pardonere plukkid out of his purs, I trow, þe dow[e]ry, [and the Pardoner gives her money for a late supper,] And toke it Kit, in hir hond, & bad hir pryuely [leaf 185] 'To orden a rere soper for hem both[e] to,— [ 365]

A cawdełł I-made with swete wyne, & with sugir also;— [and a cawdle of wine and sugar.] ffor trewly I have no talent to ete in yeur absence; [ 367] So longith my hert toward ȝewe, to be in yeur/ presence.' He toke his leve, & went his wey as þouȝe no þing were, And met with al the fel[e]shippe; but in what plase ne where [Then the Par∣doner goes back to his mates,] He spak no word ther-of, but held hym close & stiłł As he þat hopid sikirlich to have had al his wiłł; [ 372] And þouȝt [ful] many a mery þouȝt by hym self a-loon: "I am I-loggit," þouȝt he, "best, howe-so-evir it gone! [and thinks he'll have the best bed,] And þouȝe it have costid me, ȝit wol I do my peyn̄ ffor to pike hir purs to nyȝte, & wyn my cost ageyn̄." [ 376] [and pick Kit's pocket too.] Now leve I the Pardonere tiłł þat it be eve, And wołł retourne me ageyn riȝt ther as I did leve. Whan al wer com to-gidir, in[to] hir herbegage, The hoost of Southwork, as ye knowe, þat had no spice of rage, [The Host] [ 380] But al thing wrouȝt prudenciałł, as sobir man & wise; "Nowe wołł wee to the souper, sir knyȝt, seith yeur/ avyse," [proposes Supper.] Quod the hoost ful curteysly; & in þe same wise The knyȝt answerd hym ageyn, "sir, as yee devise [ 384] [The Knight says he'll act] I must obey, yee woot wele; but yf I faille witt, Then takith þese prelatis to ȝewe, & wasshith, & go sit; ffor I wołł be yeur/ Marchałł, & serve[n] ȝewe echone; [as Marshall.] And þen þe officers & I, to soper shułł wee goon." [ 388] They wissh, & sett riȝte as he bad, ech man with his fere, [They sit down in order, and chat of their after∣noon's walk.] And begonne to talk, of sportis & of chere Þat they had þe aftir-mete, whils [þat] þey were out; ffor othir occupacioun, til they were servid aboute, [ 392] Þey had nat at þat tyme, but eny man kitt a loff; But þe Pardonere kept hym close, & told[e] no þing of [(The Pardoner keeps quiet;] The myrth & hope þat he had, but kept it for hym-selff; And þouȝe he did, it is no fors; for he had nede to solue [but he has to 'sol-fa' for it afterwards.)] Long or it wer mydnyȝt, as yee shul here sone; [ 397] ffor he met with his love, in crokeing of þe moon. They were I-seruyd honestly, & ech man held hym payde:

ffor of o maner or service hir soper was araide, [ 400] [At Supper, all fare equally, as all pay alike;] As skiłł wold, & reson, sith the lest of ałł [leaf 185, back] Payid I-lich[e] much, for growing of þe gałł. But ȝit, as curtesy axith, þouȝ it were som dele streyte, The statis þat wer a-bove had of þe feyrest endreyte. [ 404] [but the 'quality' get the pick, and therefore stand wine for the others.] Wherfor they did hir gentilnes ageyn to al þe rout; They dronken wyne at hire cost, onys round a-boute. Nowe pass y [MS passy.] liȝtly ovir: when they soupid had, Tho that were of governaunce, as wise men & sad [ 408] [After Supper, the steady men go to bed.] Went to hir rest, & made no more to doon; Butte [But the.] Miller & þe Coke, dronken by the moon [The Miller and Cook sit up drinking.] Twyes to ech othir in the repenyng. And when the Pardoner hem aspied, a-noon he gan to syng, [The Pardoner sings (that Kit may hear him)] "Doubil me this bourdon," chokelyng in his throte, [ 413] ffor the tapster shuld[e] here of his mery note. He clepid to hym the Sompnoure þat was his own̄ discipiłł, [with the Sum∣moner, Reeve, &c.] The yeman, & the Reve, & [eke] þe Mauncipiłł; [ 416] And stoden so holowing; for no thing wold they leve, Tyl the tyme þat it was wel within [the] eve. The hoost of Southwork herd hem wele, & þe Marchaunt both, [This angers the Host and Merchant,] As they were at a-countis, & wexen som-what wroth. [ 420] But ȝit they preyd hem curteysly to reste for to wend; [who get them all off to bed,] And so they did, al they route, þey dronk & made an ende; And eche man drouȝe to cusky, to sclepe & take his rest, Save þe Pardonere, þat drewe apart, & weytid hym a trest [Urry prints 'by a chaste.'] [except the Par∣doner, who hides.] ffor to hyde hym selff, tiłł the candiłł were out. [ 425] And in the meen[e] while, have ye no doute, The tapster & hir/ Paramour, & the Hosteler of the House [Kit, her Para∣mour, and the Hostler, have a good supper off the goose and cawdle that the Pardoner's paid for.] Sit to-gidir [MS Sitto gidir.] pryuelich, & of þe best[e] gouse [ 428] Þat was I-found in town̄, & I-set at sale, They had ther-of sufficiaunt, & dronk but litiłł ale; And sit & ete þe cawdełł, for þe Pardonere þat was made With sugir & with swete wyne, riȝt as hym-selff[e] bade:

So he þat payd for ałł in feer, [ne] had[de] nat a twynt; ffor offt is more better I-merkid then [there is] I-mynt: And so [it] farid þere ful riȝte, as yee have I-herd. (But who is, þat a womman coud nat make his berd, [ 436] [(Whom can't a woman make a fool of, if she sets her mind on it?] And she were there-about, & set hir/ wit ther-to? Yee woot wele I ly nat; &, wher I do or no, [leaf 186] I wołł nat here termyn it,—lest ladies stond in plase, [But I mustn't offend the Ladies.] Or els gentil vommen,—for lesing of my grace, [ 440] Of daliaunce & of sportis, & of goodly chere; Therfor, anenst hir estatis, I wołł in no manere Deme ne determyn; but of lewd[e] kittis, [I'll only scold Kits and Tapsters who blear men's eyes.)] As tapsters, & oþer such, þat hath wyly wittis [ 444] To pik mennys pursis, & eke to bler hir eye; So wele they makè semè soth, when þey falssest ly.) Now of Kitt Tapster, & of hir Paramour, [After their carouse,] And the hosteler of þe House, þat sit in kittis bour: [ 448] When they had ete & dronk riȝt in the same plase, Kit be-gan to rendir out al thing as it was,— [Kit tells her Paramour and the Hostler all the Pardoner's moves to lie with her;] The wowing of þe Pardonere, & his cost also, And howe he hopid for to lygg al nyȝt with hir also; [ 452] "But þerof he shałł be sikir as of goddis cope;"— And sodenly kissid hir Paramour; & seyd, "we shul sclope [but says she'll sleep with her Paramour, and he shall thrash the Pardoner.] Togidir hul by hul, as we have many a nyȝte. And yf he com & make noyse, I prey ȝew dub hym knyȝt." "Ȝis, dame," quod hir Paramour, "be þow nat a-gast! [ 457] This is his owne staff, þou seyist; þereof he shal a-tast!" "Now trewly," quod the hosteler, "& he com by my lot, [The Hostler de∣clares that if the Pardoner comes by him, he'll pay him out.] He shałł drynk for kittis love with-out[e] cup or pot; [ 460] And he be so hardy to wake[n] eny gist, I make a-vowe to þe Pecok, þere shal wake a foul myst;" And arose vp ther-with-al, & toke his leve a-noon:— It was a shrewid company; they had servid so many oon. With such maner of feleshipp ne kepe I nevir to dele, [ 465] Ne no man þat lovith his worshipp & his hele.— Quod Kitt to hir Paramour, "ye must wake a while, [Kit tells her Paramour to watch, and take] ffor trewlich I am sikir, þat within this myle [ 468]

The Pardonere wol be comyng, his hete to a-swage; But loke ye pay hym redelich, to kele[n] his corage; [care to cool the Pardoner's heat.] And þerfor, love, dischauce yewe nat til þis chek be do." "No! for God! kit! þat wołł I no!" [ 472] Then Kit went to bed, & blewe out al the liȝte, [She goes to bed.] And by that tyme it was, nere hond quarter nyȝt. [This line is repeated on the back of leaf 186, sign. BB6:

'And by that tyme it was nere quarter nyȝte.'

] Whan al was stiłł, the Pardonere gan to walk, [leaf 186, bk] [The Pardoner goes to Kit's door,] As glad as eny goldfynch, þat he herd no man talk: [ 476] And drowȝe to Kittis dorward, to herken & to list, And went to [MS wentto (thought to).] have fond þe dor vp by þe hasp; & eke þe twist [expecting to find it unlockt,] Held hym out a whils, & þe lok also; [but it's lockt.] Ȝit trowid he no gyle, but went[e] nere to, [ 480] And scrapid the dorr welplich, & wynyd with his mowith, [He scratches and whines like a dog.] Aftir a doggis lyden [Latin, language.] , as nere as he couth. "Away, dogg, with evil deth!" quod he, þat was within, [Kit's Paramour shouts at him.] And made hym al redy, the dorr [for] to vnpyn. [ 484] "A!" thouȝt þe Pardoner tho, "I trow my berd be made! [The Pardoner sees that he's sold,] The tapster hath a paramour, & Hath made hem glade With þe Cawdełł þat I ordeyned for me, as I ges: Now the deviłł hir spede, such oon as she is! [ 488] [swears at Kit,] She seid I had I-congerid hir: our lady gyve hir sorow! Now wold to God she were in stokkis til I shuld hir borowe! [and wishes she were in the stocks.] ffor she is the falssest þat evir ȝit I knewe, To pik þe mony out of my purs! lord! she made hir trew!" [ 492] And þer-with he cauȝt a cardiakiłł & a cold sot; [A cool end to all his warm love-longings!] ffor who hath love longing, & is of corage Hote, He hath ful many a myry þouȝt to-fore his delyte; And riȝt so had the Pardoner, and was in evil pliȝte; [ 496] ffor fayling of his purpose he was no thing in ese; Wherfor he fiłł sodenlich in-to a [ful] wood rese,

Entryng wondir fast in-to a fren[e]sy, [He gets in a furious mad rage.] ffor pure verry angir, & for gelousy; [ 500] ffor when he herd a man within, he was almost wood; And be-cause þe cost was his, no marvel þouȝ his [MS he.] mood Were turned in-to vengaunce, yf it myȝt[e] be: [and vows vengeance.] But this was the myscheff, al so strong as he [ 504] Was he þat was within, & liȝter man also; As previd wel þe batełł be-twene hem both[e] to. The Pardonere scrapid efft a-geyn̄; for no þing wold he blyn, [The Pardoner scratches again.] So feyn he wold have her[e]d more of hym þat was with-in. "What dogg is þat?" quod the Paramour; "Kit! wost þou ere?" [Kit tells her Paramour] [ 509] "Have God my trowith," quod she, "it is þe Pardonere." "The Pardoner with myscheff! god gyve hym evil preff!" [it's that thief of a Pardoner.] "Sir," she seid[e], "be my trowith he is þe same theff." [leaf 187] "Ther-of þow liest," quod the Pardonere, & myȝt nat long forbere, [The Pardoner] [ 513] "A, thy fals body!" quod he, "þe deviłł of hełł þe tere! [abuses Kit,] ffor be my trowith a falssher sawe I nevir noon:" And nempnid hir namys many mo þen oon, [ 516] [calls her many bad names,] Huch [which.] , to rech[en] hire, were noon honeste Amonge[s] men of good, of worship & degre. But shortly to conclude; when he had chid I-nowe, [ 519] He axid his staff spitouslich with wordis sharp & rowe. [and asks for his staff.] "Go to bed," quod he within, "no more noyse þow make! Thy staff shałł be redy to morow, I vndirtake." [The Paramour hits him with it] "In soth," quod he, "I wołł nat fro þe dorr[e] vend Tyłł I have my staff, þow bribour!" "þen have þe todir end!" [ 524] Quod he þat was with-in; & leyd it on his bak, [on his back] Riȝte in the same plase, as Chapmen berith hir pak; And so he did too mo, as he coud a-rede, Graspyng aftir with the staff in lengith & eke in brede, And fond hym othir while red[i]lich I-nowȝe [ 529]

With the staffys end hiȝe oppon his browe. [and brow.] The hosteler lay oppon his bedd, & herd of this affray, [The Hostler] And stert hym vp liȝtlich, & þouȝt he wold a-say: [ 532] He toke A staff in his hond, & hiȝed wondir blyve [takes a staff, and joins his mates.] Tyłł he were with the felisshipp þat shuld nevir thryve: "What be yee?" quod the hosteler, & knew hem both[e] wele. "Hyust! pese!" quod the paramour; "Iak, þow must be-fele. [The Paramour tells Jack there's a thief in the house.] [ 536] Ther is a theff, I tełł the, with-in this halle dorr." "A theff!" quod Iak! "this is a nobiłł chere That þow hym hast I-found; yf wee hym myȝte cache." "Ȝis, ȝis, care the nauȝt; with hym wee shul mache [ 540] Wel Inowȝe, or he be go, yf so we had[de] liȝte; [If they can get a light, they'll catch him.] ffor wee too be stronge Inowȝ with o man for to fiȝte." "The Deviłł of hełł," quod Iak, "breke this thevis bonys! The key of the kychen, as it were for þe nonys, [ 544] Is above with oure dame, & she hath such vsage, [But they can't wake the Mistress, as it'd make her in such a rage.] And she be wake[n] of hir/ sclepe, she fallith in such a rage, That al the wook aftir ther may no man hir plese, So she sterith aboute this house in a [ful] wood rese. [ 548] But now I am a-visid bet how we shułł have lyȝte; [lf 187, bk] I have too gistis a-ryn [? herein, within. See l. 569.] , that this same nyȝte Sopid in the hałł, & had a litiłł feire. Go vp," quod Iak, "& loke, & in the asshis pire [peer.] ; [ 552] [Jack tells the Paramour to go up and look in the ashes,] And I wołł kepe the dorr; he shal nat stert out." "Nay, for God! þat wol I nat, lest I cach a cloute," Seid the todir to Iak; "for þow knowest better þen I Al the estris of this house: go vp thy selff, & spy!" [ 556] "Nay for soth!" quod Iak, "that were grete vnryȝte, To aventur oppon a man þat with hym did nat fiȝte. Sithens þow hast hym bete, & with þy staff I-pilt, Me þinkith it were no reson þat I shuld bere þe gilt: [ 560] ffor, by the blysyng of the cole, he myȝt se myne hede, And liȝtly leue [or lene.] me such a stroke, ny hond to be dede.

[The Paramour may begin here; but he'd hardly know that the water-cans were in the place.] Þen wołł wee do by comon assent, sech hym al aboute; [or go with him to search for the thief;] Who þat metith hym first, pay hym on the snoute; [ 564] ffor me þouȝt I herd hym here last among the pannys. Kepe þow the todir syde, but ware þe watir cannys! [but mind the water-cans!] And yf he be here in, right sone wee shul hym fynd; And wee to be strong Inowȝe, o theff for to bynd." [ 568] "A! ha ha!" þouȝt þe Pardonere, "beth þere pannys a-ryn?" [The Pardoner] And drouȝe oppon þat side, & þouȝt oppon a gynne: So atte last he fond oon, & set it on his hede; [finds a pan,] ffor, as the case was fałł, there-to he had grete nede. [ 572] But ȝit he graspid ferthermore to have somwhat in honde, [gets hold of a ladle,] And fond a grete ladiłł, riȝt as he was gonde, And þouȝt[e] for to stert[en] out be-twen hem both[e] to; And waytid wele the paramour þat had[de] doon hym wo; [hits the Paramour on the nose with it, and makes his nose run for a week.] And set hym with þe ladiłł on the grustiłł on þe nose, [ 577] That al the wook [þer-]aftir he had such a pose, That both his eyen waterid erlich by the morowe. But she þat cause was of al, had þerof no sorowe. [ 580] But nowe to þe Pardoner: as he wold stert awey, [Hostler Jack chevies the Pardoner, who drops his pan,] The hosteler met with hym, but no thing to his pay: The Pardoner ran so swith, þe pan[ne] fil hym fro, And Iak [the] hosteler aftir hym, as blyve as he myȝt go; And stappid oppon a bronde, al [at] vn-[a-]ware, [ 585] That hym had been better to have goon more a-sware: ffor þe egge of þe panne met with his shyn, [and its edge cuts a vein and sinew in Jack's shin.] And karff a too a veyn̄, & þe next[e] syn. [ 588] But whils þat it was grene, he þouȝt [ful] litil on, [leaf 188] But when þe oeptas [Urry prints 'greneness.' "Typica Febris. Glossae antiquae MSS. Typica febris est, quam quidem periodicam vocant. PAPIAE, vel Triteus, vel Tetreus, vel Tphemerius, vel penteus, vel epteus, vel hebdom." JOAN. DE JANUA, febris periodica.] was a-past, þe greff sat nere þe boon. Ȝet Iak leyd to his hond to grope wher it sete; And when he fond he was I-hurt, þe Pardonere he gan to thrett, [Jack swears he'll thrash the Pardoner if he can catch him.] [ 592]

And swore by seynt Amyas, 'þat he shuld [hit] abigg With strokis hard & sore, even oppon the rigg; Yff he hym myȝte fynde, he no thing wold hym spare.' That herd þe Pardonere wele, & held hym bettir a square, And þouȝt[e] þat he had[de] strokis ryȝte I-nowȝe; [ 597] Witnes on his armys, his bak, & [eke] his browe. "Iak," then quod the paramour, "wher is this theff ago?" [But where is he?] "I note," quod tho Iak; "riȝt now he lept me fro, [ 600] That Cristis curs go with hym! for I have harm̄ & spite, Be my trowith!" "& I also; & he goith nat al quyte! But & wee myȝt hym fynd, we wold aray hym so [ 603] That he [ne] shuld have legg ne foot, to-morow on to go. But howe shułł we hym fynd? þe moon is [now] a-down̄." As grace was for þe Pardonere, & eke when þey did roun̄, [The Pardoner overhears them, and draws back to avoid their blows.] He herd hem evir wel I-nowȝe, & went the more a-side, And drouȝe hym evir bakward, & lete the strokis glyde. "Iak," quod the Paramour, "I hold it for the best, [ 609] Sith [that] the moon is down̄, [now] for to go to rest, And make the gatis fast; he may nat then a-stert, [They agree to fasten the gates, and catch the Pardoner next day.] And eke of his own̄ staff he berith a redy mark, [ 612] Wher-by þow maist hym know a-monge[s] al the route, And þowe bere a redy ey, & weyt[e] wele aboute, To morowe when they shułł wend: this is þe best rede. Iak, what seyst þowe there-to? is þis wel I-seyd?" [ 616] "Thy wit is cler," quod Iak, "thy wit mut nedis stonde." He made the gatis fast; ther is no more to doon. The Pardoner stood a-syde, his chekis ron on blood, [? MS altered to 'on bleed.' See l. 671-2.] [The Pardoner's cheeks bleed,] And was riȝt evil at ese, al nyȝt in his hede: [ 620] He must of force lige lyke [MS lyle.] a colyn [Cologne. See in the Percy Folio Ballads, i. 68, l. 167-9, the 'Collen brand,' 'Millaine knife' and 'Danish axe'; also i. 69, l. 171, 179-81.] swerd: Ȝit it grevid hym wondir sore, for makeing of his berd; [and he's very savage at Kit's selling him so.] He paid atte ful ther-fore, þurh a vomman art, ffor wyne, & eke for cavdiłł, & had þerof no part; [ 624]

[leaf 188, back.] He þer-for preyd Seynt Iuliane, [The patron-saint of Innholders. See Awdeley's Vacabondes & Harman's Caveat, notes.] as yee mowe vndirstonde, That the deviłł hir shuld spede, on watir, & on londe, [He curses her] So to disseyve a traveling man of his herbegage; And coude nat els, save curs, his angir to a-swage; [ 628] [to ease his rage,] And was distract [eke] of his wit, & in grete dispeyr; ffor aftir his hete he cauȝte a cold, þurh þe nyȝtis eyr, [but catches cold;] That he was ner a-foundit, & coude noon othir help. But as he souȝt his logging, he appid [happened, came.] oppon a whelp [ 632] [and as he's going to his bed, a great Welsh dog] That lay vndir a steyir, a grete Walssh dogg, That bare a-boute his nek a grete huge clogg, Be-cause þat he was spetouse, & wold[e] sone bite: The clogg was hongit a-bout his nek, for men shuld nat wite [blame.] [ 636] No thing the doggis master, yf he did eny harm̄; So, for to excuse hem both, it was a wyly charm̄. The Pardoner wold have loggit hym þere, & lay som∣what ny; The warrok was a-wakid, & cauȝt hym by the thy, [ 640] [bites him in the thigh.] And bote hym wondir spetously, defendyng wele his couch, That the Pardonere myȝt nat ne[re] hym, neþere touch, [The Pardoner daren't move, and] But held hym [right] a square, by þat othir syde, As holsom was at that tyme, for tereing of his hyde: [ 644] He coude noon othir help, but leyd a-down̄ his hede [is forced to lie down in the dog's litter,] In the doggis littir, & wisshid aftir brede Many a tyme & offt, the dogge for to plese, To have I-ley more nere, [right] for his own̄ ese. [ 648] But, wissh[en] what he wold, his fortune seyd[e] nay; So trewly for the Pardonere it was a dismol day. The dogg lay evir grownyng, redy for to snache; Wherfor the Pardoner durst nat with hym mache; [ 652] But lay as styłł as ony stone, remembryng his foly, [and think what a fool he's been to trust a Tapster.] That he wold trust a tapster of a comon hostry: ffor comynly for þe most part they been wyly echon̄.

But nowe to ałł the company: a morow, when þey shuld goon, [Next morning,] [ 656] Was noon of al the feleshippe half so sone I-diȝte [no one's ready so soon as the Pardoner.] As was the gentil Pardoner; for al tyme of þe nyȝte He was a-redy in his aray, & had no thing to doon, Saff shake a lite his eris, & trus, & [tho] be goon. [ 660] Yet, or he cam in company, he wissh a-wey the blood, [lf 189] [He washes the blood off his cheeks, binds up his head, and pretends to be merry.] And bond the sorys to his hede with the typet of his hood, And made liȝtsom cher, for men shuld nat spy No thing of his turment, ne of his luxury. [luxuria, lust.] [ 664] And the hosteler of the house, for no thyng he coude pry, [The Hostler can't identify the Pardoner,] He coude nat knowe the pardoner a-mong the company A morowe, when they shuld wend, for auȝt þat þey coude pour, So wisely went the Pardoner out of þe doggis bour; [ 668] And blynchid from the hosteler, & turned offt a-boute, [who shirks him, and keeps in the middle of the company.] And evirmore he held hym a-mydward [of] the route, And was evir synging, to make[n] al thing good; But ȝit his notis wer som-what lowe, for akyng of his hede. [?ryme 'good, hede.' See l. 619, 620.] So at that [ilche] tyme he had[de] no more grame, [ 673] But held hym to his harmys [Urry prints 'hapynes.'] [for] to scape shame. The knyȝt & al the felisship, forward gon þey wende, [The Pilgrims leave Canterbury early.] Passing forth [right] merely [un]to þe townys ende; [ 676] And by þat tyme þey were there, þe day be-gan to rype, And the sonne merely, vpward gan she pike, Pleying [right] vndir the egge of þe firmament. "Now," quod þe hoost of Southwork [MS Southword.] , & to þe feleshipp bent, [The Host joys in the fine weather,] [ 680] "Who sawe evir so feir, or [evir] so glad a day? And how sote this seson is, entring in to may, [When Chauceres daysyes sprynge. Herke eek the fowles syngyng,] [the birds' song,] The thrustelis & the thrusshis, in þis glad mornyng, [ 684] The ruddok & the Goldfynch; but þe Nyȝtyngale,

His amerous notis, lo, how he twynyth smale! Lo! how the trees grenyth, þat nakid wer, & nothing bare [MS Barre, in l. 688.] [the trees' greenery,] þis month afore; but now hir somer clothing [wear]! [ 688] Lo! how nature makith for hem everichone! And, as many as ther been, he forȝetith noon! Lo! howe the seson of þe yer, & auerełł shouris, Doith the busshis burgyn out blosom[i]s, & flouris! [ 692] [the blossoms on the bushes, the primroses and flowers.] Lo! þe pryme-rosis, how fressh þey been to seen! And many othir flouris a-mong the grasis grene, Lo! howe they spryng, & sprede, & of diuers hewe! Be-holdith & seith both rede, [and eke] white, & blewe, That lusty been, & confortabiłł for mannys siȝte! [ 697] ffor I sey, for my selff, It makith my hert to liȝte. [lf 189, bk] ["It makes my heart light.] Now, sith almyȝty sovereyn̄ hath sent so feir/ a day, Let se nowe, as covenaunt is, in shorting of þe way, [ 700] [But who'll tell us the first Tale?] Who shałł be the first that shałł vnlace his male, In comfort of vs ałł, & gyn som mery tale? ffor, & wee shuld now be-gyn [for] to draw[en] lott, [If we draw lots, perhaps it'll fall on some sleepy or half-bousy fellow.] Perauentur/ it myȝt[e] fałł ther it ouȝt[e] not, [ 704] On som vnlusty persone, þat wer nat wele a-wakid, Or semybousy ouyr eve, & had I-song & crakid Somwhat ovir much; howe shuld he þan do? ffor who shuld tełł a tale, he must have good wiłł þerto; And eke, som men fasting beth no thing iocounde, [Urry transposes the endings of lines 708, 709, and leaves out l. 710-11.] [ 709] [Some men, too, can't tell a Tale before breakfast.] And som, hir/ tungis, fasting, beth glewid & I-bound To þe Palet of the mowith, as offt[en] as they mete; So yf the lott fełł on such, no thonk shuld they gete; [ 712] And som in the mornyng, hir mouþis beth a-doun̄: Tiłł þat they be charmyd, hir/ wordis wołł nat soun̄. So þis is my conclusyioun, & my last[e] knot, [Who'll tell a Tale without drawing lots?"] It werè gretè gentilnes to tełł without[en] lott." [ 716] "By þe rood of Bromholm̄," quod the marchaunte tho, [The Merchant says that as he's never seen such a good Manager as the Host,] "As fer as I have saylid, riden, & I-go, Sawe I nevir man ȝit, to-fore þis ilch[e] day,

So wełł coude rewle a company, as [can] our hoost, in fay. His wordis been so comfortabiłł, & comyth so in seson, [he will tell a Tale,] That my wit is ovir-com, to make[n] eny reson Contrary to his counsaiłł, at myne ymaginacioune; Wher/ for I wołł tełł a tale to yeur consolacioune; [ 724] In ensaumpiłł to ȝewe; that when þat I have do, Anothir be ałł redy þen[ne] for to tełł; riȝt so To fulfiłł our hoostis wiłł, & his ordinaunce. Ther shałł no fawte be found in me; good wiłł shal be my chaunce, [though he can't ornament it properly.] [ 728] With þis I be excusid, of my rudines, Ałł þouȝe I can nat peynt my tale, but tełł [it] as it is; Lepyng ovir no centence, as ferforth as I may, But telle ȝewe þe ȝolke, & put þe white a-way. [ 732]

[Here be]gynnyth the [March]ant his tale

[in the low left margin of leaf 189, back]

[The Tale of Beryn.]

WHilom ȝeris passid, in the old[e] dawis, [leaf 190] [Once upon a time, the City of Rome] When riȝtfullich be reson governyd ware þe lawis, And principally in the Cete of Room þat was so ricħ, And worthiest in his dayis, & noon to hym I-licħ [ 736] [was the most honoured in the world.] Of worshipp ne of wele, ne of governaunce; ffor alle londis Cristened, þerof had dotaunce, And alle othir naciouns, of what feith they were. Whils þe Emperour was hole, & in his paleyse þere [ 740] I-may[n]tenyd in honour, & in popis se, Room was then obeyid of alle Cristiente. (But it farith ther-by, as it doith by othir thingis: [But it, like all other cities, has gone down,] ffor Burħ, [Urry prints 'though.'] nethir Cete, regioune ne kyngis, [ 744] Beth nat nowe so worthy, as were by old[e] tyme; As wee fynde in Romauncis, in gestis & in Ryme. ffor alle thing doith wast, & ekë mannys lyffe [for all things get worse, and man's life grows short.] Ys more shorter þen it was; & our/ wittis fyve [ 748] Mow nat comprehende, nowe in our dietes, As som tymè myȝte, these olde wise poetes. But sith þat terrene thingis been nat perdurabiłł, No mervełł is, þouȝe Rome be som what variabiłł [ 752] [So Rome has lost its honour,] ffro honour & fro wele, sith his ffrendis passid; As many a-nothir town̄ is payrid, & I-lassid Within these fewe ȝeris, as wee mowe se at eye, [ 755] [just as we've seen Winchelsea and Rye worsen.] Lo, Sirs, here fast by Wynchelse & [eke riht so by] Ry.) But ȝit þe name is evir oon of Room, as it was groundit Aftir Romus & Romulus, þat first þat Cete foundit, [ 758] That brithern̄ weren both[e] to, as old[e] bookis writen; But of hir lyff & governaunce I wol nat nowe enditen; But of othir mater, þat fallith to my mynde. Wherfor, gentiłł sirs, yee þat beth be-hynde, [ 762] [But, Sirs, close-in,]

Drawith somwhat nere, thikker to a route, [that you may hear me.] That my wordis mowe soune, to ech man a-boute. [ 764] Afftir these too bretheryn, Romulus & Romus, [After Romulus, Julius Caesar ruled Rome,] Iulius Cezar was Emperour, þat riȝtfułł was of domus: This Cete he governed nobilich[e] wele, And conquerd many a Regioune, as Cronicul doith vs tełł. ffor, shortly to conclude, al tho were aduersarijs [ 769] [and subdued all lands, including] To Rome in his dayis, he made hem tributorijs: So had he in subieccioune both[e] ffrende & foon; Of wich, I tełł ȝew trewly, Eng[e]lond was oon. [lf 190, bk] [England.] Ȝet aftir Iulius Cezare, & sith that Criste was bore, [ 773] [After him,] Room was governed as wele as it was to-fore, And namelich in þat tyme, & in tho same ȝeris, Whén it was govérned by the Doseperis: [ 776] [the Douzepairs held sway.] As semeth wele by reson, who so can entende, That o mannys witt, ne wiłł, may nat comprehende The boncheff & the myscheff, as mowe many hedis: Therfor hire operaciouns, hire domes, & hire deedis, [ 780] Were so egallich I-doon; for in al Cristen londis, Was noon that they sparid for/ to mend[en] wrongis. Then Constantyne þe þird, aftir þese dosiperis, [Then came Constantine;] Was Emperour of Room, & regnyd many ȝeris. [ 784] So, shortly to pas ovir, aftir Constantyns dayis, Philippus Augustinus, as songen is in layis, [then his son Augustinus,] That Constantynys sone, & of plener age, Was Emperour I-chose, as fil by heritage; [ 788] In whose tyme sikirlich, þe .vii. sagis were [in whose time lived the Seven Sages:] In Rome dwelling dessantly; And yf yee lust to lere, Howe they were I-clepid, or I ferther goon, I wołł tełł ȝewe the names of hem euerychoon; [ 792] And declare ȝewe the cause why þey hir namys bere. ¶ The first was I-clepid Sother legifeer; [1. Sother Legifeer.] This is thus much for to sey, as 'man bereing þe lawe;' And so he did trewly; for levir he had be sclawe, [ 796] Then do or sey eny thing þat sownyd out of reson, So cleen was his conscience I-set in trowith & reson.

¶ Marcus Stoycus þe second, so pepiłł hym hiȝte; [2. Marcus Stoycus.] That is to mene in our consceit, 'a keper of þe riȝte:' [ 800] And so he did ful trewe; for þe record & þe plees, He wrote hem evir trewly; & took noon othir fees But such as was ordeyned to take by þe ȝere. [ 803] Now, lord God! in Cristendon I wold it were so clere! ¶ The þird, Crassus Asulus, among men clepid was; [3. Crassus Asulus.] 'An hous of rest, & ese, & counsełł in every case;' ffor to vndirstond þat was his name ful riȝte, [ 807] ffor evir-more the counsallis he helpid with ałł his myȝte. Antonyus Iudeus, the ferth was I-clepid, [4. Antonyus Judeus.] [leaf 191.] That was as much to meen, as wele me myȝt have clepid, As eny thing purposid of al the longe ȝeer/, [ 811] That myȝth have made hym sory, or chongit onys chere, But evir-more reyoysing, what þat evir be-tid; ffor his hert was evir mery, ryȝt as þe somer bridd. ¶ Svmvs Philopater was the ffifft-is name: [ 815] [5. Summus Philopater.] That þouȝe men wold sclee hym, or do hym al the shame, Angir, or disese, as eviłł as men couthe, Ȝit wold he love hem nevir þe wers, in hert[e], ne in mowith. His wiłł was cleen vndir his foot, & no thing hym above; Therfor he was clepid, 'fadir of perfite love.' [ 820] ¶ The sixt & [eke] þe sevenyth of these .vij sagis, [6. Stypio (Scipio).] Was Stypio, & Sithero; As þes word 'Astrolages' [7. Sithero (Cicero).] Was surname to hem both, aftir hir sciencis; ffor of Astronomy, Sikerlich þe cours & al the fences [ 824] Both they knowe hit wele Inowȝe, & wer riȝte sotil of art. But nowe to othir purpose; for her I wołł departe As liȝtly as I can, & drawe to my matere. In that same tyme, þat these sages were [ 828] [At this time dwelt in the suburbs of Rome] Dwellyng þus in Room, a litiłł without the wałłes, In the Subbarbis of þe town̄, of Chambris & of hallis, And al othir howsing, þat to [þatto, MS.] a lord belongid, [ 831] Was noon with-in the Cete, ne noon so wele be-hongit With docers [dorsers.] of hiȝe pryse, ne wallid so A-boute,

As was a Cenatour[i]s hous, within & eke without: [a Senator,] ¶ ffavnus was his name, a worthy man, & riche; [ 835] [Faunus, rich,] And for to sey[e] shortlych, in Room was noon hym lych. His sportis & his estris were ful evenaunte Of tresour/, & of lordshippe; also the most vaillant [valiant, and high-born.] He was, & eke I-com of hiȝe lynage. And atte last he toke a wyff, like to his parge; [ 840] [He wedded a wife for her knowledge and beauty.] ffor, noriture & connyng, bewte & parentyne, Were tho countid more with [worth.—Urry. (accounted of, thought of.)] , þen gold or sylvir fyne. But nowe it is al othir in many mannys þouȝt; [(Now men marry muck, and not for virtue.)] ffor muk is nowe I-maried, & vertu set at nouȝt. [ 844] ffawnus & his worthy wyff were to-gidir a-loon [But they have no child] xv. vyntir fullich, & issu had they noon. Wherfor hir Ioyis were nat halff perfite; ffor vttirlich to have a child was al hir delite, [ 848] Þat myȝte enyoy hir/ heritage, & weld[en] hir/ honoure; And eke, when they were febiłł, to [be] hir trew socoure. [leaf 191, back] Hir fasting & hir/ preyer, and al þat evir þey wrouȝte, [for a long time, though they pray and long for one.] As pilgremage & Almes-ded, euer þey besouȝte [ 852] That God wold of his goodnes som fruyte betwene hem send; ffor gynnyng of hir spousaiłł, þe myddil & þe ende, This was hir most[e] besynes; & al othir delites, And eke this worldis riches, þey [MS þat.] set at litil pris. [ 856] So atte last, as God wold, it fiłł oppon a day, [At last, the wife feels herself with child,] As this lady fro chirch[e]ward went [right] in the way, A child gan sterè in hir vombe, as goddis wille was; Wherof she gan to merviłł, & made shorter pas, [ 860] With colour pale, & eke wanne, & fyłł in hevynes; [and turns ill.] ffor she had nevir, to-fore þat day, such manere seknes. The vymmen, þat with hir were, gon to be-hold [But her women] The lady & hir chere; but no thing þey told; [ 864] But feir/ & sofft with ese, homward they hir led: [lead her home.] ffor hir soden sekenes ful sore þey were a-dred, ffor she was inlich gentil, kynde, & amyabiłł, [(She is a very loveable woman,]

And eke trewe of hert, & nothing variabiłł. [ 868] She lovid God a-bove al thing, & dred[de] syn & shame; And Agea sikirly was hir riȝtful name. [and her name is Agea.)] So aftir in breff tyme, when it was perseyvid That she had done a vommans dede, & had a child con∣seyvid, [ 872] [When she finds she is really with child, she] The Ioy[e] that she made, ther may no tunge tełł: And also much, or more, yf I ne ly shełł, ffavnus made in his behalf, for þis glad tyding, [and Faunus make great joy.] That I trow, I leve þe Emperour/ ne þe kyng [ 876] Made no bettir cher to wyff, ne no more myrth, Then ffavnus to Agea. & when the tyme of birth Nyȝhid nere & nere, after cours of kynde, Wetith wele in certen, þat al the wit & mynde [ 880] Of ffavnus was continuełł of feir delyveraunce, Be-twene Agea & his child; & made grete ordenaunce Ageyn the tyme it shuld be bore, as it was for to doon. [In due time Agea bears a son, to Faunus's great delight,] So as God wold, when tyme cam, Agea had a Son. [ 884] Butte Ioy þat ffawnes made, was dobil tho to-fore, When þat he knewe in certen she had a sone I-bore; And sent a-noon for nurssis four, & [right] no les, [leaf 192] To reule this child. aftirward, as yeris did pas, [ 888] The child was kept so tendirly, þat it throff wel the bett; ffor what þe norisshis axid, a-noon it was I-fett. In his Chambir it norisshid was; to town it mut nat go; [and he spoils the child sadly.] ffavnus lovid it so cherely, hit myȝt nat part hym fro. [ 892] It was so feir/ a creature, as myȝt be on lyve, Of lymys & of fetour/, & growe wondir blyve. This Child, that I of tełł,—Berinus was his name,— [The boy's name is Berinus,] Was ovir mych chersshid, wich turned hym in-to grame, As yee shułł here[n] aftir, when tyme comyth & spase: ffor 'aftir swete, þe soure comyth, ful offt, in many a plase.' ffor, as sone as he coude go, and also speke, [and whatever he cries for, he has.] Ałł þat he set his eye on, or aftir list to keke, [ 900] Anoon he shuld it have; for no man hym wernyd. But it had be wel bettir, he had be wele I-lernyd

Noriture & gentilnes; & had I-had som hey. ffor it fiłł so aftir, with what child he did pley, [ 904] [Afterwards, he hits or stabs any child he doesn't like,] Yf þe pley ne likid hym, he wold breke his hede; Or with a knyff hym hurt, ryȝt nyȝe hond to be dede. ffor ther nas knyȝt, ne Squyer, in his ffadirs house, [and his father's knights and squires too.] That þouȝt his owne persone most cora[g]iouse, [ 908] That did or seyd [right] eny thing, Berinus to displese, That he nold spetously a-noon oppon hym rese; Wherof his ffadir had[de] Ioy, & his modir also; Ȝit it semeth to many a man, it was nat wisely do. [ 912] When Beryn passid was .vij. yeer, & grewe in more age, [When he's over 7, he's always doing wrong, and injuring poor men.] He wrouȝt ful many an eviłł chek; for such was his corage, [heart, disposition.] That ther he wist, or myȝte do eny eviłł dede, He wold nevir sese, for auȝt þat men hym seyde; [ 916] Wherfor many a poreman ful offt was agrevid; But ffawnus And Agea ful lite þeron belevid; And þouȝe men wold pleyne, ful short it shuld a-vaiłł; ffor ffawnus was so myȝty, & cheff of ałł counsaiłł [ 920] With Augustyn the Emperour, þat al[le] men hym dradd, And lete pas ovir [mischefe] & harmys þat þey had. Berinus, ferþermore, lovid wele the dise, [Berinus also plays at dice,] And for to pley at haȝard, And held þerof grete pryse, [ 924] And al othir gamys þat losery was in; [and gambles.] And evir-more he lost, & nevir myȝte wyn. [He always loses;] Berynus atte haȝard many a nyȝte he wakid; [leaf 192, back] And offt[e] tyme it fiłł so, þat he cam home al nakid; [ 928] [and often comes home naked.] And that was al his Ioy: for ryȝt wele he knewe, That Agea his modir wold[e] cloth hym newe. Thus Berynus lyvid, as I have told to-fore, Tyłł he was of þe age of xviij yeer or more. [ 932] But othir whils a-mongis, for pleyntis þat wer grete, [Faunus settles the worst com∣plaints against him.] ffawnus made a-mendis, & put hem in quyete; So was the ffadir cause the sone was so wild;— And so have many mo such, of his owne child [ 936] [(Now, too, many a man undoes his child.)] Be cause of his vndoyng, as wee mowe se al day;—

ffor thing I-take in [youthe, is] hard to put away; As hors þat evir trottid, trewlich I ȝew tełł, [(Teach a horse trotting, and it's hard to make him amble.)] It were hard to make hym, aftir to ambiłł wełł; [ 940] Riȝt so by Beryn, that [MS when he.] had his lust & wiłł when he was lite, It shuld be hevy aftirward, to reve his old delite, Save the whele of ffortune, þat no man may withstonde; [But Fortune turns against Beryn.] ffor every man on lyve, ther-on he is gond: [ 944] O spoke she turnyd Bakward, riȝt atte hiȝe noon, Ałł a-geyn̄ Berinus, as yee shułł here sone. Agea, his Modir, fil in grete sekenes, [Agea falls ill, and sends for Faunus.] And sent aftir [hir] husbond, with wordis hir to lis, [ 948] And, for she wold[e] telle hym hir hole hertis wiłł, Er she out of þe world partid, as it was riȝte & skiłł. When ffawnus was I-come, and sawe so rodylese [rudless, pale.] [He comes, sees her wan face,] His wyff þat was so dere, þat for love he chese, [ 952] No mervełł þouȝe his hert[e] wer in grete mournyng! ffor he perseyvid fullich, she drewe to hir ending: [knows she must die;] Ȝit made he othir chere, þen in his hert was, To put awey discomforte, dissimilyng with his fase [ 956] [and though he tries to look cheery,] The hevynes of his hert; with chere he did it close: ffor such a maner crafft þere is with hem can glose, Save þat tournyth al to cautele: but ffawnus did nat so, ffor, wetith wele, in certeyn̄ his hert was ful of woo [ 960] ffor his wyff Agea; & ȝit, for crafft he couthe, The Teris fro his eyen ran downe by his mowth. [his tears flow, and his heart nearly bursts.] When he sawe the Pangus of deth comyng so fast [ 963] Oppon his wyff Agea, almost his hert to-brast. [leaf 193] Agea lyfft vp hir eyen, & beheld the chere [Agea begs Faunus] Of hir husbond fawnus, þat was so trewe a fere; And seyd, "Sir, why do yee thus? þis is an elyng fare, In comfort of vs both, yf yee myȝte spare, [ 968] And put a-wey this hevenys, whils þat yee & I [to be quiet and hear her.] Miȝte speke of othir thingis; for deth me nyȝhith nyȝe ffor [ne] to body, ne to soule, þis vaylith nat a karse."

"Now tellith on," quod ffawnus, "& wol lete it pase [ 972] ffor the tyme of talkyng, as wele as I may: But out of my remembraunce, on-to my endyng day, Yeur deth wol nevir, ¹I woot it wele [read 'out, I woot.'] , but evir be in mynde." "Then, good sir," quod Agea, "beth to my soule kynde [Agea prays] When my body is out of siȝte, for þerto have I nede: ffor truer make þen yee be, in word[e] ne in dede, Had nevir vomman [lyvand], ne morè kynd[e]nes [ 979] Hath shewed on-to his make, I knowe riȝt wele I-wis: Now wold yee so her-aftir, in hert[e] be as trewe, [Faunus not to wed again,] To lyve with-out[e] make; & on yeur/ sone rewe, That litiłł hath I-lerned, sithens he was bore, [ 983] Let hym have no Stepmodir; for Children have to-fore, [and give Beryn a Stepmother.] Come[n]lich they lovith nat. [For stepmothers commonly love not children had before.] wherfor, with hert I prey, Have cher on-to yeur/ sone, aftir my endyng day: ffor, so God me help! & I lafft ȝew be-hynde, Shuld nevir man on lyve bryng it in my mynde [ 988] To be no more I-weddit, but lyve soule a-loon. Nowe yee knowe[n] al my wiłł, good sir, þink ther-on." "Certis," [tho] quod ffawnus, "whils I have wittis fyve, [Faunus says he doesn't mean to have another wife.] I thynk[e] nevir, aftir ȝewe, to have a-nothir wyff." [ 992] The preest was com[en] þerwithal, for to do hir riȝtis; ffawnus toke his leve, & ałł the othir knyȝtis, Hir kyn & ałł hir ffrendis, kissid hir echone: It is no nede to axe, wher there was dole, or noon. [ 996] Agea cast hir eye[n] vp, & lokid al a-boute, [Agea looks for Beryn, but he's away gambling.] And wold have kissid [Beryn]; but then was he withoute Pleying to the haȝard, as he was wont to doon; ffor, as sone as he had ete, he wold ren out anoon. [ 1000] [leaf 193, back] And when she sawe he was nat ther, þat she þouȝt most on, Hire sekenes & hir/ mournyng berst hir hert a-noon. [This bursts her heart, and she dies.] A damesełł, to-fore þat, was ronne into the town̄ ffor to seche Beryn, þat pleyd[e] for his gown̄, [ 1004] And had almost I-lost it, riȝt as þe damesel cam,

And swore, & starid, as he was wood, as longit to the game. The damesełł seyd to Beryn, "Sir, yee must com home! [The damsel tells Beryn to haste home before his mother dies.] ffor, but yee hiȝe blyvè [hie quickly.] , þat yee were I-come, [ 1008] Yeur/ modir wołł be dede. she is ȝit on lyve; Yf yee wołł speke with hir, yee must hiȝe blyve." "Who bad so, lewd kitt?" "yeur ffadir, sir/," quod she; "Go home, lewde visenage, þat evil mut þowe the!" [ 1012] [Beryn curses] Quod Beryne to the damesełł, & gan hir fray & ffeer; And bad the Deviłł of hełł hir shuld to-tere. "Hast þowe outȝ [ouȝt.] els to do but let me of my game? Now, be God in heven, by Petir, & by Iame!"— [ 1016] Quod Beryn in grete angir, & swore be book & bełł, Rehersing many namys, mo þen me list to tełł,— [and abuses her:] "Ner þow my ffadirs messenger [MS adds 'were'.] , þow shuldist nevir ete brede! I had levir my modir, & also þowe, were dede, [ 1020] [he'd rather she and his mother were dead than he should lose his game.] Then I shuld lese the game, þat I am nowȝ in!" And smote þe Damesełł vndir þe ere: þe weet gon vpward spyn. The deth of Agea he set at litil prise; [He cares not for his mother's death.] So, in that wrath[e], frelich Beryn þrewe þe dise, [ 1024] And lost with þat same cast al [all that.] was leyde a-down̄; And stert vp in a wood rage, & ballid on his croun̄, And so he did the remnaunte, as many as wold abide; But, for drede of ffawnus, his felawis gan to hide, [ 1028] And nevir had[de] wiłł ne lust, with Beryn for to fiȝte, But evir redy to pley, & wyn[ne] what they myȝte. The Deth of Agea sprang a-bout þe town̄; [Rome bemoans Agea's death; but Beryn heeds it not.] And euery man þat herd the belle for hir/ sown̄, [ 1032] Be-menyd hir/ ful sore; saff Beryn toke noon hede, And souȝt a-noþir feleshippe, & quyklich to hem ȝede, To such[e] maner company, as shuld[e] nevir thryve, ffor such he lovid bettir, þen his modirs lyve; [ 1036] And evir-more, it shuld be nyȝte or he wold home drawe; [leaf 194] ffor of his ffadir, in certen, he had no maner awe,

ffor evir in his ȝowith he had al his wiłł, And was I-passid chastising, but men wold hym kiłł. [ 1040] ffawnus for Agea, as it was wele sitting, [Faunus buries his wife] Made [ful] grete ordenaunce for hir burying, Of Prelatis, & of prestis, & of al othir thing, As þouȝe she had[de] be a wyff of a worþy kyng: [ 1044] [in royal state,] It myȝt nat have be mendit, such was his gentilnes, ffor at hir enteryng was many a worthy messe. ffor foure wookis fułł, or he did hir entere, [but though she lies in a leaden coffin 4 weeks, Beryn never comes near the corpse, but gambles still.] She lay in lede within his house. but Beryn cam nat þere, Namelich in-to the place there his modir lay, [ 1049] Ne onys wold he a Pater noster for hir/ soule say. His þouȝt was al in vnthryfft, lechery, & dyse, And drawing al to foly; for ȝowith is recheles, [ 1052] But ther it is refreyned, & hath som maner eye; And þerfor me thinkith, þat I may wele sey, A man I-passid ȝowith, & is with-out[en] lore, [A man past youth, and un∣taught, is like a tree without root.] May be wele I-likened, to a tre without[en] more, [root.] [ 1056] That may nat bowe, ne bere fruyte, but root, & euer wast; Riȝt so by ȝouthe farith, þat no man list to chast. This mowe wee know[e] verely, by experience, That ȝerd[e] makith vertu & beneuolence [ 1060] [The rod makes virtue grow in children.] In Childhode for to growe, as previth Imaginacioun̄: A plant, whils it is grene, or it have dominacioun̄, [They, like plants, will only bend when young.] A man may with his fyngirs ply it wher hym list, And make ther-of a shakiłł, a with[ey], or a twist; [ 1064] But let the plant[e] stond, & ȝeris ovir grove, [growe.] Men shałł nat, with both his hondis, vnnethis make it bowe [MS growe.] : No more myȝt ffawnus make his sone Beryn, When he growe in age, [un]to his lore enclyne; [ 1068] ffor euery day when Beryn rose, vnwassh he wold dyne, [Beryn grows up a brute.] And drawe hym to his ffeleshipp as even as a lyne; And þen com home, & ete, & soop, & sclepe at nyȝte: This was al his besynes, but yf þat he did fiȝte. [ 1072] Wherfor his ffadirs hert, ffawnus, gan for to blede, [lf 194, bk]

That of his modir, þat lay at home, he took no more hede; And so did ałł the pepiłł that dwellid in the town̄, Of Beryns wildnes gon [they] speke, & eke [to] roune. ffawnus, oppon a day, when Beryn cam at eve, [ 1077] [Fawnus tries to win Beryn from his bad ways, but in vain.] Was set oppon a purpose to make his sone leue Ałł his shrewd[e] tacchis, with goodnes yf he myȝte, And tauȝte hym feir & sofft; but Beryn toke it liȝt, [ 1080] And countid at[te] litiłł price al his ffadirs tale. ffawnus saw it wold nat: with colour wan & pale He partid from his sone, & with a sorowful hert. [ 1083] I [ne] can write halffyndele [MS halsfyndele.] , howe sore he did[e] smert The disobeying of his sone, & his wyffis deth; [Fawnus sorrows, and wishes he was dead.] That, as the book tellith, he wisshid þat his breth Had I-been a-bove the serkiłł celestyne; So ffervent was his sorowe, his angir, & his pyne. [ 1088] So, shortly to conclude, Agea was enterid, A[nd] ffawnus lyvid wyfles, [tyłł] .iij yeer wer werid; Wherof ther was grete spech[e], for his hiȝe honour. Tyłł, atte last, word cam on-to þe Emperour, [ 1092] [The Emperor] That ffawnus was with-out[en] wyff, & seld[e] was iocounde, But mournyng for Agea, þat he was to I-bounde, And lyvid as an hermyte, soule & destitute, With-out[e] consolacioune, pensyff offt, & mut. [ 1096] Wherfor Augustinus, of Rome þe Emperour, [Augustinus] Was inwardlich[e] sory, & in grete dolour; [And] With the .vij. sagis, & Senatouris ałł, [consults with the Seven Sages how to console Fawnus.] Were assemblit, to discryve what shuld þerof fałł. [ 1100] The wich seyd shortly, 'for a molestacioune Ther was noon othir remedy, but a consolacioune; ffor who so were in eny thing displesid or a-grevid, Must by a like thing egałł be remevid.' [ 1104] And when þe Emperour knewe al hir determinacioune, [and resolves] Quiklich in his mynde he had Imaginacioun̄, That ffawnus for agea was in hiȝe distres, And must be I-curid with passing gentilnes [ 1108] [that he must be]

Of som [fair] lusty lady, þat of pulcritude [leaf 195] [cured by a fresh wife.] Were excellent [overtopping, exceeding.] al othir. so, shortly to conclude, The Emperour had a love—tofore he had a wyff— [The Emperor accordingly weds an old love of his own, excelling in beauty,] That he lovid as hertlich as his owne lyff, [ 1112] As was as feir/ a creature, as sone myȝte be-shyne, [shine on.] So excellent of bewte, þat she myȝt be shryne To ałł othir vymmen, þat wer tho lyvand. But for þe Emperour/ had a wyff, yee shul wele vndirstond, He cam nat in hir company, to have[n] his delite;— [ 1117] ffor Cristendom & conscience was tho more perfite Then it is nowe a dayis, yf I durst tełł; But I wołł leve at þis tyme.—þan ffawnus also snełł [quickly. MS swelle.] [ 1120] Was aftir sent in hast, of sekenes to be curyd. So, what for drede & ellis, they were both ensuryd [to Fawnus.] In presence of the Emperour/; so ffawnus myȝt nat flee: It was þe Emperours wiłł, it myȝt noon oþir be. [ 1124] So with-in a tyme Agea was for-ȝete; [Fawnus soon forgets his first wife Agea] ffor ffawnus þouȝt [ful] litiłł on þat he hir be-hiȝte; ffor, as the .vij sages had a-fore declarid, It cam al to purpos; ffor fawnus litiłł carid [ 1128] ffor eny thing at ałł, save his wyff to plese, [for his 2nd wife, Rame,] That 'Rame' was I-clepid; for rest[e], nethir ese, ffawnus nevir had, out of hir presence: So was his hert on hir/ I-set, þat he coude no defence, [on whom he dotes foolishly.] Save evir-more be with hir, & stare on hir visage, [ 1133] That the most[e] parte of Room held it for dotage, And had[de] muche mervełł of his variaunce. (But what is þat ffortune can nat put in chaunce?) [ 1136] ffor þere was [read 'nas.'] man on lyve on vomman more be-dotid, Then ffawnus was in Rame, ne halff so much I-sotyd. With þat Ram had knowlech þat ffawnus was I-smyt [When Rame has caught Fawnus,] With þe dart of love, yee mowe riȝt wele it wyt, [ 1140] That ałł þat evir she coude cast[en] or bythynch, Was al a-geyn Berinus; for many a sotiłł wrench [she schemes against Beryn.]

She þouȝt & wrouȝt, day be day, as meny vommen doon, Tyłł they have of hir desire the fułł conclusyoune. [ 1144] ffor, the more that ffawnus of Rame did[e] make ['make' is crost thro', and 'made' written after it.] , [lf 195, bk] The more daungerous was Rame, & of Chere sade; [Rame's design] And kept[e] wełł hir/ purpose vndir coverture: She was the las to blame, It grew [so] of nature. [ 1148] But þouȝe þat Rame wrouȝt so, God for-bede þat alle Were of þat condic[i]oune! (yet 'touch no man the galle,' It is my pleyn counsełł; but 'doith as othir doith;' 'Take yeur/ part as it comyth, of rouȝe & eke of smoth.') Ȝit noritur, wit & gentilnes, reson & perfite mynde, [ 1153] Doth al these worthy vommen to worch ageyn[e]s kynde; That þouȝe they be agrevid, þey suffir/ & endure, And passith ovir, for the best, & folowith no-þing nature. But nowe to Rames purpose, & what was hir desire: [is to breed strife between Fawnus and Beryn.] Shortly to conclude, to make debate & Ire Be-twene the ffadir & the sone, as it was likly tho; What for his condicioune, & what for love also [ 1160] That ffawnus owt to his wyff, þe rathir he must hir leve, And graunt[e] for to mend, yf ouȝt hir/ did[e] greve. Berynus evir wrouȝt, ryght as he did to-fore, [Beryn goes on badly, and Rame gives him money and fair words,] And Rame made hym cher of love,—þere myȝt no vomman more,— [ 1164] And gaff hym gold & clothing, evir as he did lese, Of þe best[e] þat he couthe, ouȝwher [anywhere.] in towne chese; And spak [MS spal.] ful feir with hym, to make[n] al thing dede; Ȝit wold she have I-ete his hert, with-out[e] salt or brede. [tho' she'd like to have eaten his heart.] She hid so hir felony, & spak so in covert, [ 1169] That Beryn myȝt nat spy it, but lite of Ramys hert. So, shortly to pas ovir, It fiłł oppon a nyȝte, When ffawnus & his ffressh[e] wyff were to bedd I-diȝte, [One night Fawnus asks Rame] He toke hir in his armys, & made hir hertly chere,— Ther myȝt[e] no man bettir make [on lyve] to his fere,— And seyd, "myne ertly Ioy, myne hertis ful plesaunce,

My wele, my woo, my paradise, my lyvis sustenaunce! Why ne be yee mery? why be yee so dułł, [ 1177] [why she is sad.] Sith yee knowe I am yeur own̄, riȝt as yeur/ hert wołł? Now tełł on, love, myne hown̄ hert! yf yee eylith ouȝt; ffor & it be in my power, a-noon it shal be wrouȝte." [ 1180] Rame with þat gan siȝhe, & with a wepeing chere [leaf 196] [Rame says,] Vndid þe bagg of trechery, & seid in þis manere; "No mervełł þouȝe myne hert be sore & fułł of dele, ['No wonder I'm sad since I wedded you.] ffor when þat I to ȝew weddit was, wrong[e] went my whele: But who may be, a-geyn[e]s hap & aventure? [ 1185] Ther for, as wele as I may, myne I mut endure." With many sharp[e] wordis she set his hert on feir, To purchase with hir practik, þat she did desire. [ 1188] But hoolich al hir wordis I can nat wele reherce, Ne writè, ne enditè, howe she did[e] perce Thurh ffawnys hert, & [eke] his scułł also: ffor more petouse compleynt, of sorow & of woo, [ 1192] Made nevir vomman, ne more petously, Then Rame made to ffawnys: she smote ful bittirly In-to þe veyn, & þurh his hert[e] blood; She bloderid so, & wept, & was so hiȝe & mode, [ 1196] That vnneth she myȝte speke, but, oþer while a-mong, Wordis of discomfort, & hir hondis wrong; ffor "alas & woo þe tyme, þat she weddit was!" [Alas! if I have a child by you,] Was evir more þe refreit, when she myȝt have spase; [ 1200] "I am I-weddit! ȝe, God woot beste, in what maner & howe! ffor if it wer so fałł, I had a child be ȝewe; Lord! how shuld he lyve? howe shuld he com a-way?— Sith Beryn is yeur/ first sone, & heir aftir yeur/ day,— But yf þat he had grace to scole for to goo, [ 1205] To have som maner connyng, þat he myȝte trust[en] to; ffor, as it now stondith, it were þe beste rede; ffor, so God me help! I had levir he were dede, [ 1208] [he'd better die than be like Beryn!] Than were of such condicioune, or of such[e] lore As Beryn yeur/ sone is! it wer better he were vnbore. ffor he doith nat ellis, save atte haȝard pley,

And comyth home al nakid, e[veri]ch othir day. [ 1212] ffor within this month, þat I have with ȝew be, [ful] ffifftene sithis, for verry grete pete, [15 times in this month have I re-clad Beryn!] I have I-clothid hym al newe when he was to-tore; ffor evir more he seyde, 'þe old[e] were I-lore.' [ 1216] Now, & he were my sone, I had levir he were I-sod! [leaf 196, back] ffor, & he pley so long, [the] halff [of] our lyvlode [He'll waste half our property.] Wold scarsly suffise hym selff [al]oon. And, nere yee wold be grevid, I swere be seynt Iohn̄ He shuld aftir þis day be clothid no more for me, [ 1221] [I'd give him no more clothes.'] But he wold kepe hem bettir, & drawe fro nycete." [folly.] "Nowe, gentiłł wyff, gromercy of yeur/ wise tale! [Fawnus declares he won't.] I thynk[e] wel þe more, þat I sey no fale: [ 1224] ffor towching my grevaunce, þat Beryn goith al nakid, Treulich þat grevaunce is [now] somwhat a-sclakid. Let hym a-loon, I prey ȝew, & I wol con [acknowledge, give.] ȝew thanke; ffor in such losery he hath lost many a ffrank. [ 1228] The deviłł hym spech [spitch.] , þat reche yf he be to-tore [See l. 1388.] , And he vse it her-afftir, as he hath doon to-fore!" Beryn arose a-morowe, & cried wondir fast, [Next morning Beryn calls for new clothes.] And axid aftir clothis; but it was al in wast; [ 1232] Ther was no man tendant for hym in al the house: The whele was I-chaungit in-to a-nothir cours. ffawnus herd his sone wele, how he be-gan to cry, [His father Fawnus] And rose vp [tho] a-noon, & to hym did[e] hiȝe; [ 1236] And had for-ȝete no thing, þat Rame had I-seyde; ffor he boillid so his hert, he was nat wel apayde. He went in-to the Chambir, ther his sone lay, And set hym doun in a chair, & þus he gan to sey. [ 1240] "My gentil sone Beryn! now feir I wołł þe tech: [begs him] Rew oppon thy selff, & be þyn owne leche! Manhode is I-com nowe, myne own dere sone; It is tyme þow be aweynyd of þyne old[e] wone; [ 1244] [to give up his bad ways, as he is 20,] And þow art xx wynter, & nauȝt hast of doctryne; Ȝit, woldist þowe drawe to profite, þe worshipp wold be thyne,

To noritur & goodshipp, & [eke] al honest thing, Ther myȝt com to myne hert[e] no more glad tyding. [ 1248] Leve now al thy foly, and thy rebawdy, As Tablis, & merellis, and þe hazardry, And draw the to þe company of honest men & good, [and mix with good men, or else he must] Els—leve þowe me as wele as Criste died on the rode, [leaf 197] And for al men-kynde his gost pas lete!— [ 1253] Thow shalt, for me, here-aftir stond on thyn owne fete; [stand on his own feet. Fawnus will] ffor I [ne] wołł no lengir suffir this aray, To clothè the al new, e[ueri]ch othir day. [ 1256] Yff þow wolt drawe the to wit, & rebawdry withdrawe, Of such good as God have sent, þy part shalt þow have. And yf þow wolt nat, my sone, do as I the tełł, Of me shalt þow nauȝt have, truste me riȝt wełł! [ 1260] [give him nothing.] Wenyst þow with thy dise-pleying hold[en] myne honoure Aftir my deth-day?" then Beryn gan to loure, [Beryn lours,] And seid, "is this a sermon or a prechement? Yee were nat wont her-to. how is this I-went? [ 1264] Sendith for som clothing, þat I were a-go; [asks for clothes,] My felawis lokith aftir me, I woot wele þey do so. I wołł nat leve my feleshippe, ne my rekelagis, [refuses to give up gambling,] Ne [yit] my dise-pleying, for ałł yeur heretages! [Urry. MS hostagis.] [ 1268] Doith yeur best with hem by yeur lyff day; ffor when they fałł to me, I wol do as I may. Benedicite, ffadir! who hath enfourmyd ȝewe, [says 'Rame has set his father against him—] And set ȝewe in-to Ire, to make me chere rowe [rough cheer, countenance.] ? [ 1272] But I know wełł I-nowȝ whens [that] this counsaiłł cam; Trewlich of yeur owne wyfe, þat [ful] evil dame: [Curse] Com oppon hir body, þat fals putaigne! [curse her!—] ffor trewlich, ffadir, yee dote on hir; & so al men seyn. Allas! þat evir a man shuld, þat is of hiȝe counsaiłł, [ 1277] Set[ten] al his wisdom, on his wyvis tayłł! Yee lovith hir/ so much, she hath be-nome yeur/ witt; [she's taken his wits away.] And I may curs the tyme, that evir yee were I-knyt; ffor now, I am in certen, I have a Stepmodir: [ 1281]

They been shrewis som,—ther been but few othir,— [Stepmothers are shrews!] Vel fikil flaptaiłł, such oon as she ys. ffor al my pleying atte dise, ȝit do yee more a-mys; [ 1284] Yee have I-lost yeur/ name, yeur worshipp & yeur feith; [Fawnus has lost his honour by doting on Rame.'] So dote[n] yee on hir/, & levith al she sayith." ffawnus, with the same word, gaff þe chayir a but, [Fawnus swears Beryn shall repent his words] And lepe out of the Chambir, as who seyd "cut!" [ 1288] And swore, in verry woodnes, be God omnipotent, That Beryn of his wordis shuld[e] sore repent! Beryn set nouȝt þerof; [but] with a proude hert [Beryn can get no clothes,] Answer[i]d his ffadir, & axid a new shert. [leaf 197, back] He gropid al a-boute, to have found[en] oon, [ 1293] As he was wont to-fore, but þere was noon. Then toke he such[e] willokis as he fond ther, [has to put on rags;] And beheld hym-selff what [maner] man he were. [ 1296] ffor when he was arayde, then gan he first be wrothe; ffor [tho] his vombe lokid out, & his rigg both. [belly and back are bare.] He stert aftir his ffadir, & [loud] be-gan to cry, ffor "seth myne aray! for thy vilany [ 1300] [He appeals to Fawnus,] Ys as wele ȝeurs, as it is myne!" ffawnus lete hym clatir, & cry[en] wel & fyne, [but in vain.] And passid forth [ful] stiłł, & spak nat [tho] a word. Then Beryn gan to þink, it was nat al bord [ 1304] [Then he thinks it's no joke, and says he knows indeed that his mother is dead.] That his ffadir seyde, when he with hym was; And gan to think[en] al about; & þerwith seyd, "Allas! Now know I wele for soth, þat my modir is dede:" ffor tho gan he to glow[e] first a sory mannys hede. [ 1308] (Now kepe thy Cut, Beryn; for þow shalt have a fit [(Yes, Mr Beryn, you're to have a turn now.] Somwhat of the world, to lern[e] better witt; ffor & þow wiste sikirly what is for to com, Thow woldist wissh aftir thy deth ful offt & I-lome; [ 1312] [You'll often wish you were dead!)] ffor þere nys beting half so sore, with staff nethir [with] swerd, As man to be [I-]bete[n] with his owne ȝerd. The pyry is I-blowe,—hop, Beryn, hop!— That ripe wol heraftir, & on thyn hede dropp. [ 1316] Thow tokist noon hede whils it shoon hoot;

Therfor wyntir þe nyȝhith: asay[e] by thy Cote!) Beryn, for shame, to town durst he nat go; [Beryn goes towards the church,] He toke his way to chirchward, his frend was made his foo. ffor Angir, sorow, & shame, & hevynes þat he had, [ 1321] Vnneth he myȝte speke, but stode halff as mad. "O Allas!" quod Beryn, "what [maner] wit had I? [laments that his mother Agea is dead,] That coude nat, to-fore this day, knowe sikirly [ 1324] That my modir dede was; but nowe I knowe to sore; And drede more, þat eche day her-aftir, more & more I shałł knowe & fele, that my modir is dede. Allas! I smote þe messangere, & toke of hir noon hede. Allas! I am right pore! Allas! þat I am nakid. [ 1329] [leaf 198.] Allas! I sclept to fast, tiłł sorowe nowe hath me wakid. Allas! I hungir sore! allas! for dole & peyn̄! ffor eche man me seeth, hath me in disdeyn̄." [ 1332] [and that all men scorn him.] This was al his myrth, [un]to the chirch[e]-ward, That of his modir Agea he toke so litiłł reward. When Beryn was within the chirch, þen gan he wers fray: As sone he sawe þe tombe where his modir lay, [ 1336] [At his mother's tomb] His coloure gan to chaunge in-to a dedely hewe. "Allas! gentiłł modir! so kynd þow were, & trewe, It is no mervełł, for þy deth þouȝe I sore smert." Ant þere-with-ałł þe sorowe so fervent smote in his hert, That sodenly he fil [a] down̄, stan dede in swowe: [ 1341] [he swoons;] That he had part of sorowe, me thinkith þat [read 'I,' or 'men.'] myȝt a-vowe. Beryn lay so longe, or he myȝte a-wake, ffor al his fyve wittis had clene hym forsake. [ 1344] [his 5 wits go.] Wel myȝte he by hym selff, when reson I-com were, Vndirstond that ffortune had a sharp[e] spere, [Then he under∣stands that Fortune sets-up some men, and overthrows others.] And ekè grete power, a-mong[es] hiȝe & lowe, Som [men] to avaunce, & som to ovir-throwe. [ 1348] So atte last, when Beryn a litiłł wakid were, He trampelid fast with his feet, & al to-tare his ere [hair. Tearing your hair with tears that run from your eyes, is a manoeuvre that 'd puzzle a modern Englishman. But, as the writer so often says, we're a degenerate race.]

And his visage both, ryȝt as a woodman, With many a bittir tere, þat from his eyen ran; [ 1352] [Beryn weeps, sighs, and curses his unkindness to his mother.] And sighid many a sore sigh, & had much hevynes; And evir-more he cursid his grete vnkyndnes To foreȝit his modir, whils she was a-lyve; And lenyd to hir tombe opon his tore sclyu[e] [scleve, sleeve.] ; [ 1356] And wisshid a þowsand sithis, he had I-be hir by: And beheld hir tombe with a petouse eye. "Now, glorious God," quod Beryn, "þat al thing madist of nouȝt, [He asks God] Heven & erth, [&] man & best! sith I am mys-wrouȝt, [ 1360] Of ȝewe I axe mercy, socour & help, & grace, [pardon for his misdeeds.] ffor my mys-dede & foly, vnthryfft & trespase. Set my sorowe & peyn, somwhat in mesure ffro dispeir & myscheff, as I may endure! [ 1364] Lord of ałł lordis! þouȝe ffortune be my foo, [leaf 198, back] Ȝit is thy myȝte a-bove, to turn hym to & fro. ffirst, my modirs lyff, ffortune hath me berevid, [Fortune has taken his mother, and his father's love, and only leaves him his life, that he may suffer.] And sith my ffadirs love, & nakid also me levid. [ 1368] What may he do more? ȝis, take a-wey my lyff. But, for that were myne ese, & end of al [my] stryff; Therfor he doith me lyve; for my wers, I sey, That I shuld evir-more lyve, & nevir for to dey." [ 1372] [There are no breaks or insets in the MS.] Now leve I Beryn with his modir, tyl I com a-ȝe, And wol retourne me to Rame, þat of hir sotilte [Rame, to prevent being blamed,] Be-þouȝt hir al aboute, when Beryn was agoon, That it shuld be wittid hir: wherfor she a-noon [ 1376] In this wise seyd to ffawnus; "Sir! what have yee do? [tells Fawnus she was in fun,] Al-þouȝe I speke a mery word, to suffir yeur/ sone go Nakid in-to þe town̄, it was nat my counsaiłł. What wol be seyd þerof? sikir, with-out[en] faiłł, [ 1380] ffor I am his stepmodir, þat I am cause of ałł! The violence, the wrath, þe angir & þe gałł, That is be-twene ȝewe both, it wol be wit[tid] me;

Wherfor I prey ȝew hertly, doith hym com home a-ye." [and begs him] "Nay by my trowith," quod ffawnus, "for me comyth he nat ȝit; [ 1385] Sith he, of my wordis, so litil prise set, As litiłł shałł I charge[n] his estate also. Sorowe have, þat recchith [he who recks, cares.] þouȝe he nakid go! [ 1388] ffor euery man [wel] knowithe þat he is nat wise; Wherfor may be supposid, his pleying atte dise Is cause of his aray, & no thing yee, my wyff." "Ȝis I-wis," quod Rame, "the tale wol be ryff [ 1392] Of me, & of noon othir; I knowe riȝte wel a fyne: Wherfor I prey ȝewe, gentil Sir, & [eke] for love myne, [to fetch Beryn home at once.] That he were I-fet home, & þat in grete hast; And let asay efft ageyn̄ with ffeirnes hym to chast; [ 1396] And send[e] Beryn clothis, & a newe shert;" And made al wele in eche side, & kept[e] close hir hert. "Now sith it is yeur wiłł," quod ffawnus tho a-noon, [Fawnus, to please her, agrees,] "That Beryn shałł home come; for yeur sake aloon [ 1400] I wełł be the message, to put yeur hert in ese; And els, so God me help, wer it nat ȝewe to plese, The gras shuld growe on pament, or I hym home bryng!" Ȝit nethirles, forth he went, with too or thre, ryding [leaf 199] [seeks in vain for] ffrom o strete to a-nothir, enqueryng to & fro [ 1405] Aftir Beryn, in every plase wher he was wont to go; [Beryn in all his old haunts,] Sheching eviry halk [corner.] , howris to or thre, With hazardours, & othir such, þere as he was wont to be; And fond hym nat there; but to [MS butto.] chirch went echone, [but at last finds him lamenting in church.] And atte dorr they stode a while, & herd Beryn made his moon: They herd ałł his compleynt, þat petouse was to here. ffawnus, in-to the Chirch, pryuelych gan pire; [ 1412] [Fawnus too weeps at Agea's tomb.] But also sone as he beheld wher Agea lay, His teris ran down be his chekis, & þus he gan to say; "A! Agea, myne old love, & [eke] my newe also! Allas! þat evir our hertis shuld depart a too! [ 1416]

ffor in yeur graciouse dayis, of hertis trobilnes [Fawnus remem∣bers Agea's graciousness.] I had nevir knowlech, but of al gladnes." Remembryng in his hert, & evir gan renewe The goodnes be-twene hem both, & hir hert[e] trewe; And drewe hym nere to Beryn, with an hevy mode. [ 1421] But, as sone a[s] Beryn knew & vndirstode [Beryn avoids him.] That it was his ffadir, he wold no le[n]gir a-bide; But a-noon he voidit by þe todir syde: [ 1424] And ffawnus hym encountrid, & seyd: "wee have þe souȝte [Fawnus meets Beryn, says, 'Don't take my scolding too much to heart!] Þurh[out] the town̄, my gentiłł sone, & þerfor void þe nouȝte! Thouȝe I seyd a word or to, as me þouȝt for þe best, ffor thyne erudicioune, to drawe þe to lyff honest; [ 1428] Thow shuldist nat so feruently have take it to þyn hert. But sith I knowe my wordis doith the so sore smert, [I] Shałł no more her aftir; & ech day our diete [We'll be friends again.] Shałł be mery & solase, & this shal be for-ȝete. [ 1432] ffor wel I woot, þat for þy modir [MS. for þy modir þat.] þow art to-tore; Also þow hast grete sorow; but onys nedith, & no more; And þerfor, sone, on my blessing, to put sorow a-wey, [You take to good ways.] Drawe þe nowe her-aftir to honest myrth & pley. [ 1436] Lo, ther is clothing for ȝewe, & yeur/ hors I-diȝte [Here are clothes and a horse for you.] With harneyse al fressh[e] newe! And yf ye list be knyght. I shałł ȝit, or eve [come], that Bergeyn vndirtake, [leaf 199, back] [I'll get the Emperor to knight you.'] That the Emperour, for my love, a knyȝt [he] shałł ȝew make: And what that evir yee nede, a-noon it shałł be bouȝt; ffor whils þat I have eny thing, ye shałł lak[ke] nauȝte." "Graunte mercy!" quod Beryn, with an hevy chere, [ 1443] [Beryn declines] "Of yeur worshipful profir þat yee have proferid me here; But ordir of knyȝthode to take, [it] is nat my likeing; [the knighting, but asks, that as Rame will want Fawnus's lands for her children,] And sith yeur wiłł is for to do[en] somwhat my plesing, Yee have a wyff ye love wele, & [eke] so tendirlich, That, & she have children, I knowe right sikirlich [ 1448] Al that she can devise, both be nyȝte & day, Shałł be to make hir Childryn heirs, yf þat she may; And ekè sowè sedis of infelicite,

Wherof wold growe devisioun be-twene ȝewe & me. [ 1452] ffor yf ye spend on me yeur/ good, & [do] þus riallich, [and will not let him give Beryn much money,] Levith wełł in certen, yeur wyff wołł sikirliche Eche day for angir hir tuskis [sharpe] whet, [ 1455] And to smyte with hir tunge, yeur/ hert in wrath to set Toward[es] me from day to day. but [yf] ye wold aply Somwhat to hir purpose, & aftir hir/ ȝewe guy, She wold wexe so ovirtwart, & of so lither tach, And evir loure vndir hir/ hood, a redy for to snache; [ 1460] She wold be shortyng of yeur/ lyf; & þat desire I nauȝt. Wherfor, to plese[n] al aboute, my purpose & my þouȝt [Fawnus shall let him be a Mer∣chant, and shall buy his heirship for 5 ships well freighted.] Is for to be a marchaunte, & leve myne heritage, And relese it for evir, for Shippis fyve of stage [ 1464] fful of marchandise, the best of al this londe. And yff yee wol so, ffadir, quyk let make þe bonde." ffawnus was ryȝte wele a-payde that ilk[e] word out-stert; But ȝit he seid to Beryn: "I mervełł in myne hert [ 1468] [Fawnus agrees,] Where haddist þow þis counsełł, to leve þyne honoure, And lyve in grete aventur, & in grete laboure;" And rid so forth talking, a sofft [and] esy pase, [rides home,] Homward to his plase, þer þat Rame was. [ 1472] And as sone as ffawnus was I-liȝte a-down̄, And hiȝed fast[e] to his wyff, & with hir/ gan to rown̄, [and tells his wife Rame what Beryn says.] And told hir al the purpose, & made ffawnus chere: [ 1475] She did hym nat halff so much, þe tyme she was his fere; She [? the MS u.] hullid hym, & mollid hym, & toke hym aboute þe nekk, [She is delighted, cuddles him, coaxes him,] [leaf 200] And went lowe for the kite [? crouched humbly, as a dove from the kite.] , & made many a bekk, And seyd: "sir/, by yeur/ spech[e] nowe riȝt wel I here, [and begs him thus to secure his inheritance.] That yf ye list, yee mowe do thing þat I most desire; [ 1480] And þat is this yeur heritage, þere ȝewe best[e] likid, Þat yee myȝt gyve;" &evir a-mong, þe brussh a-wey she pikid ffrom hir clothis here & þer, & sighid þer-with-ałł. ffawnus, of his gentilnes, by hir/ myddil smałł [ 1484] [Fawnus promises to do it.] Hert[e]lich hir bracyd, & seyd: "I wol nat leve,

I suyr ȝew my trowith, þat onys or it be eve That I shałł do my devoir, without [eny] fentyse, ffor to plese yeur/ hert[e] fullich in al wise." [ 1488] "Graunt mercy, myne own̄ soverene!" quod Rame þo, mekely; [Rame declares she'll be gentle to Fawnus, and serve him all her life.] And made protestacioune, þat she wold sikirly, Ałł the dayis of hir/ lyff, be to hym as ende As evir voman was to man, as ferforth as hir/ mynde [ 1492] And wit hir/ wold[e] serve, & made grete othe. ffawnus bood no lenger, but forth þer-with he goith. (A! precius God in heven, kyng of mageste! So plentivouse this world is of iniquite! [ 1496] Why is it I-suffrid, þat trowith is brouȝt a-down̄ With trechery & falshede, in feld, & eke in town̄?) But now to ffawnus, & his entent. when he his sone met, [Fawnus pretends to persuade Beryn to give up being a mer∣chant.] He toke hym sofft[e] by þe hond; his tung he gan to whet, Sotilly to engyne hym. first he gan to preche: [ 1501] "Leve thy foly, my dere sone, & do as I þe teche: Sith þow hast wit & reson, & art of mannys age, What nedith the be marchant? & shal have heritage ffor, & þy good were I-lost, þe sorow wold be myne, [ 1505] (To telle the soth,) riȝt nyȝe paregałł to þyne. And yf þat I were dede, whil[e]s þow were oute, Lond, & rent, & ałł my good, (have þow no doute,) [ 1508] [he might lose his lands by it.] It wold be plukkid from the; thy parte wold be lest. And also ferþermore, I make [now] oon beheest, That I trowe my moblis wol nat [well] suffice To charge fyve Shippis ful of marchandise, [ 1512] But yf I leyde in morgage my lond, & eke my rent; [lf 200, bk] And þat I leve be nat thy wiłł, ne þyne entent. Ȝit nethirles, yf [that] thy hert[e] be so inly set [But if he is set on it, then Fawnus will help him.] ffor to be a marchant, for no thing wołł I let [ 1516] That I nyl do thy plesaunce, as ferforth as I may, To go ryȝte nyȝe myne own̄ estate; but levir I had nay." Hir wordis, ne hir/ dedis, ne maters hem be-twene, I wol nat tary now þereon, my parchemen to spene: [ 1520]

But fynallich[e], to the ende of hir acordement, ffawnus had so goon a-bout, I-turned & I-went, That he had brouȝt his sone to-fore þe Emperour, [Beryn agrees to release his heirship and honours to Fawnus for 5 ships laden with merchandise.] To relese his heritage, & [eke] al his honour [ 1524] That he shuld have aftir his day, for shippis fyue, & fułł I-led of Marchaundise, of lynnyn, & of wołł, And of othir thingis, þat were I-vsid tho. Engrosid was the covenaunte be-twen hem [bothe] to, In presence of þe Emperour,—in opyn, & no roun̄,— [ 1529] To-fore the grettest Cenatours, & eldest of þe town̄. So when the relese selid was, with a syde bonde, [The deed of Release, and Bond, are executed, and deposited as an escrow with a third person. Fawnus and] They were I-leyde both [right] in a meen[e] honde, [ 1532] In-to the tyme þat Beryn̄ fullich [i]sesid were In the fyve Shippis, þat I ȝew tolde ere. But who was glad but ffawnus? & to his wyff [he] went, And seyd[e]: "nowe, my hertis swete, al þyn hole entent Is vttirlich perfourmyd! vs lakkith nowe no more, [ 1537] But marchandise & Shippis, as I told to-fore." "That shałł nat faiłł," quod Rame, & began to daunce; [Rame rejoice at the bargain.] And aftirward they speken of þe purveaunce. [ 1540] (Allas! this fals[e] world! so ful of trechery! In whom shuld the sone have trust & feith sikirly, If his ffadir faylid hym? wheþir myȝt he go ffor to fynde a sikir ffrend, þat he myȝt trist[en] to?) [ 1544] So when these .v. shippis were rayid & [i-]diȝte, [Fawnus gets the ships ready,] ffawnus & his sone to þe Emperour/ ful riȝte They went, & many a grete man for þe same case, To see both in possessioune, as hir covenaunte wase. [ 1548] Beryn first was sesid in the Shippis fyve; [gives Beryn seisin (that is, possession) of them, and gets the Release.] And ffawnus had the relese, & bare it to his wyff; [leaf 201] And Eche held hem payde, & Rame best of ałł; ffor she had conquerd thing, þat causid most hir gałł. [ 1552] Now leve I ffawnys & his wyff: & of þe governaunce [Of Beryn's adventures.] Of Beryn I wołł speke, & also of his chaunce. When lodismen, & maryneris, in al þing redy was,

This Beryn in-to Alisaundir (yf God wold send hym grace, [Beryn sets sail with his 5 ships.] That wynde hym wold[e] serve,) he wold. so on a day The wynde was good; & [tho] they seylid on hir/ wey Too dayis fullich, & a nyght ther-with-ałł, And had wedir at wiłł; tiłł atte last gan fałł [ 1560] Such a myst a-mong hem, þat no man myȝt se othir; That wele was hym þat had[de] þere þe blessing of his modir. ffor thre dayis dessantly [Urry prints 'incessantly.'] þe derknes a-mong hem was, [For 3 days thick darkness is on them, and they fear greatly.] That no shipp myȝte se othir; wherfor, ful offt "alas!" The[y] seyd; & to þe hiȝe God þey made hir preyere, [ 1565] That he wold, of his grace, hem govern̄ & stere, So þat hire lyvis myȝte I-savid be; ffor þey were cleen in dispeyr/, be-cause þey myȝt nat se The loder, wherby these Shipmen her cours toke echon̄. So atte last, þe ferth day, makeing þus hir moon, [ 1570] [On the 4th day a fierce wind blows,] The day gan clere; & þen such wynde a-rose, That blew hir Shippis els-wher þen was hir/ first purpose. The tempest was so huge, & [was] so strong also, [ 1573] That wel was hym þat coude bynd[en] or ondo Any rope with-in the Shipp, þat longit to þe crafft: Euery man shewid his connyng, to-fore þe Shipp, & bafft. The wynd a-wook; the see to-brast; it blew so gresly sore, [the sea bursts, every one prepares for death,] That Beryn & ałł his company, of synnys las & more, [ 1578] Eche man round a-boute, shroff hym-selff to othir; And put in goddis gowernaunce, lyff, [&] Shipp, & strothir [? rothir.] ffor þere nas [MS was.] Shippis meyne, for auȝt [þat] þey coude hale, That myȝte a-bate[n] of the Shipp þe þiknes of a skale; The wedir was so fervent of wynd & eke of thundir, [ 1583] That euery shipp from othir was blowe of siȝte a-sondir/; [and all the ships are driven apart.] And durid so al day & nyȝte; tyl on the morowe, [lf 201, bk] I trow It was no questioune wheþer þey had Ioy or sorowe. So aftirward, as god wold, the wynd was somwhat sofft: [Then it grows calmer.] Beryne clepid a Maryner/, & bad hym "sty on lofft, [ 1588] And weyte aftir our four Shippis, [þ^t] aftir vs doith dryve; ffor it is butte [but the.] grace of God, yf þey be [now] alyve."

A marynere anoon with that, ryȝt as Beryn bad, Styed in-to the topcastełł, & brouȝt hym tydingis glad: "Sir," he seith, "beth mery! yeur Shippis comyth echone [All Beryn's five ships are safe,] Saff & sound[e] sayling, as yee shul se a-noon; [ 1594] And eke sir ferþermore, lond also I sigħ: [and land is near.] Let draw our/ corse estward; þis tyde wol bryng vs ny." "Blessid be God!" quod Beryn, "þen, wer our Shippis com, [. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .] [ 1598] Wee have no nede to dout[e] werr, ne molestacioun; ffor þere nys within our shippis no þing of spoliacioun̄, But ałł trewe marchaundise. wherfor, sir [Urry prints 'for'.] lodisman, [Beryn orders the lodesman to steer to land.] Stere onys in-to þe Costis, as wel as [evir] þowe can. [ 1602] When our/ Shippis been I-com, þat we mow pas in fere, Lace on a bonet [a small sail.] or tweyn, þat wee mowe saille nere." And when they were the Costis nyȝe, was noon of hem ałł That wist what lond it was. Þen Beryn gan to całł [Beryn takes counsel with his men;] Out of euery Shipp a-noon a marynere or tweyne, ffor to take counsełł; & þus he gan to seyne: [ 1608] "The ffrountis of þis ilch[e] toun̄ been wondir feir withałł: [and they agree to his landing alone,] Me þinkith it is þe best[e] rede, what þat evir be-fałł, That I, my selff aloon, walk in-to the toun̄, And here, & se, both here & þere, vpward & doun̄, [ 1612] [to see what kind of town they are at.] And [eke] enquere fullich of hir governaunce. What sey yee, sirs? wol yee sent [? assent.] [vn]to þis ordenaunce?" Ałł they accordit wel þerto, & held it for þe best; "ffor þus, yf it be profitabiłł, we mowe a-bide & rest, [ 1616] And yf [that] it be othir-wise, þe rathir shałł we go; ffor aftir þat ye spede, wee wol[len] worch & do." But nowe mowe yee here, riȝt a wondir þing: [Now in this town dwell the falsest and most deceitful people in the world.] In al the world[e] wyde, so fals of hir lyving [ 1620] Was no pepiłł vndir sonne, ne noon so desseyvabiłł, As was the pepiłł of this town̄, ne more vnstabiłł; [leaf 202] And had a cursid vsage of sotiłł ymaginacioune, [ 1623] That yff so were the Shippis of any straunge nacioun [When shipmen come, the towns∣men hide,] Were come in-to the porte, a-noon þey wold hem hyde

With-in hir own[e] howsis, & no man go, ne ryde, [ 1626] In no strete of al the town̄; ascaunce þat þey were lewde, [as if they knew nothing of merchandise.] And coude no skiłł of marchandise: a skiłł it was, a shrewde, As yee shułł here aftir, of hir/ wrong & falshede: But ȝit it fiłł, as worthy was, oppon hir/ owne hede. [ 1630] Beryn arayd hym fresshly, as to A marchand longith, [Beryn rides into Falsetown,] And set hym on a palfrey wel be-sey & hongit, And a page rennyng by his hors[e] feet: He rode endlong þe town, but no man coud he mete; [but sees no one;] The dorrys were I-closid in both too sidis; [all doors are shut.] Wherof he had mervełł. ȝit ferþermor he ridis; [ 1636] And waytid on his ryȝthond a mancipilis plase, [At a Manciple's house] Ałł ffressh & newe, & þidir gan he pase; The gatis were wyde vp, & þidir gan he go; ffor þurh-out þe longe town̄ [ne] he fond so no mo. [ 1640] Ther-in dwellid a Burgeyse, þe most[e] scliper man Of al the town̄ þurh-out; & what so [that] he wan With trechery & gile,—as doith [now] som ffreris,— Right so must he part[en it] with his [false] comperis. [ 1644] Beryn liȝt down on [of, off.] his hors, & inward gan he dres, [he alights, finds the man playing at chess,] And fond the good man of þe house pleying atte ches [MS 'dise'. Urry prints 'chess': see 3 lines on.] With his neyȝbour/, as trewe as he, þat dwellid hym fast by. But as sone as this Burgeyse on Beryn cast his eye, [ 1648] Sodenly he stert vp, & put the ches hym fro, And toke Beryn by the hond, & seyd these wordis tho: "Benedicite! what manere wynd hath I-brouȝt ȝewe here? [and is welcomed warmly.] Now wold to God I had wherof I [MS 'or'.] coude make ȝew cher! But yee shałł lowe my good wiłł, & take such as þere is, And of yeur/ gentiłł paciens suffir þat is a-mys." [ 1654] ffor wełł he wist by his aray, & by his contenaunce, [(The man sees Beryn is well off.)] That of the Shippis þat were I-com, he had som gouern∣aunce; Wherfor he made hym chere, semeyng Amyabiłł, [lf 202, bk] I-colerid ałł with cawtelis, & wondir desseyvabiłł. [ 1658]

He bracyd hym by the Middil, & preyd hym sit a-down̄, [The Burgess of Falsetown is delighted to see Beryn,] And lowly, with much worshipp, dressid his cosshon̄. "Lord God!" seyd this Burgeyse, "I þank þis ilk[e] day, That I shuld see ȝewe hole & sounde here in my contray; And yff yee list to telle the cause of yeur/ comyng, [and offers him anything he wants;] And yff yee have nede to eny maner thing, [ 1664] And it be in my power/, & þouȝe I shuld it seche, It shuld go riȝt wondir streyte, I sey ȝew sikirlich, But yee it had in hast, þere-with ȝewe to plese; ffor nowe I se ȝewe in my house, my hert is in grete ese." The todir burgeyse rose hym vp, for to make Rouse [flattery, politeness.] , And axid of his felawe, þat lord was of the house, [ 1670] "Whens is this worshipful man?" with wordis end & lowe, "ffor it semeth by the manere, þat ye hym shuld[e] knowe, And have sey hym to-fore þis tyme." "I have seen hym!" quod þe todir, [declares he has seen Beryn 100 times,] "Ȝe, I-wis an .C. sithis! & riȝt as to my brothir [ 1674] I wold do hym plesaunce, in al that evir I can; ffor trewlich in his contray he is a worshipful man."— "ffor soth, Sir/, & for yeur love, A Mł in this town̄ Wold do hym worshipp, & be riȝte feyne & bown̄ [ 1678] To plese hym, & a-vaiłł, to have þonk of ȝewe, I woot wele; God hem ȝeld! so have þey offt or nowe."— And arose vp ther-with-ałł, & with his felaw spak Of such maner mater, þat faylid nevir of lakk. [ 1682] So when hir/ counsełł was I-do, this burgeyse preyd his fere [asks his mate to amuse Beryn, while he sees to Beryn's horse,] To sit a-down̄ be Beryn, & do hym sporte & chere: "And in the [mene] while, I wołł se to his hors; ffor every gentiłł hert, a-fore his owne cors, [ 1686] Desirith that his ryding best be servid & I-diȝte Rathir then hym-selff. wherfor with al my myȝte I wołł have an ey þerto; & sith[ens] perce [Urry prints 'sich parte'.] wyyn, [and then he'll broach his best pipe of wine.] Wich tonne or pipe is best, & [eke] most fyne." [ 1690] Beryn was al a-basshid of his soden chere; But nethirles the Burgeyse sat hym som-what nere,

And preyd hym, of his gentilnes, his name for to telle, [leaf 203] His contrey, & his lynage. & he answerd snelle; "Berinus I am I-named, & in Rome I-bore, [Beryn talks with the second Burgess of Falsetown.] And have fyve shippis of myne owne, las & more [smaller & greater.] , [ 1696] fful of marchaundise, ligging to-fore þe town̄: But much mervaiłł have I, þe good man is so boune To serve me, & plese, and [not] how it myȝt be." [ 1699] "Sir," [tho] seyd the Burgeyse, "no mervełł it is to me: ffor many a tyme & offt, (I can nat sey how lome,) He hath be in yeur/ marchis; &, as I trowe, in Room Also he was I-bore, yf I ne ly[en] shałł." "Yf it be so," quod Beryn, "no mervełł it is at ałł, [ 1704] Thouȝe he me have I-sey; & eke his gentiłł chere Previth it al opynly: but, be hym þat bouȝt me dere, I have þerof no knowlech, as I am nowe avisid." With that cam in the goodman, with contenaunce disgisid, [Meantime the first Burgess has pumpt Beryn's man,] And had enquerid of þe Child, þat with Beryn cam, [ 1709] ffro gynnyng to þe ending, & told his mastris name, And of Agea his modir, & al thing as it was; Wher-þurh he was ful perfite, to answere to euery cas. [ 1712] So entryng in-to the hałł, þe Burgeys spak a-noon: [and comes back with "Ah! Beryn and so your mother's dead. The best friend I had!] "A, my gentiłł Beryn! allas! þat vndir stone Myne Owne hert Agea, thy modir leff & dere! Now God assoyłł hir/ soule! for nevir bettir chere [ 1716] Had I of frend vomman, ne nevir halff so good. Benedicite! a marchaunt comyng ovir flood! [And you're turned merchant!] Who brouȝt ȝewe in this purpose? & beth yeur ffadirs heir. Now, be my trewe conscience, ryȝt nyȝe in dispeyr [ 1720] I waxe for yeur/ sake; for now [ful] frendlese Yee mowe wel sey[e] þat ye been. but ȝit, sir [Urry prints 'for'.] , nethirles [Well; take your hap!] Yee mut endure ffortune, & hevynes put a-wey; Ther is noon othir wisdom. also, yeur shippis gay [ 1724] That been I-com in savete, ouȝt to a-mend yeur mode, The wich, when wee have dyned, I swer, sir [Urry prints 'for'.] , by the rood, [I'll go and look at your ships."] Wee wołł se hem trewly, with-in & eke with-oute,

And havè wynè with vs, & drynk[en] al a-boute." [ 1728] They set, & wissh, & fedd hem, & had wherof plente: [leaf 203, back] The Burgeys was a stuffid man, þere lakkid noon deynte. [They have a good dinner,] So when they had I-dyned, the cloth was vp I-take; A Chese þere was I-brouȝt forth: but tho gan sorow to wake. [and some beautiful chessmen are brought out.] The Ches was al of yvery, the meyne fressh & newe [ 1733] I-pulsshid, & I-pikid, of white, asure, & blewe. Beryn be-held the Chekkir; it semed passing feire: 'Sir/," quod the Burgeys, "yee shułł fynd here a peyre, [ 1736] [The Burgess of Falsetown asks Beryn to play,] That wołł mate ȝew trewly, in las þen half a myle;" And was I-sayd of sotilte, Beryn to begile. "Now in soth," quod Beryn, "it myȝte wel hap, [or] nay; And nere I must my Shippis se, els I wold assay." [ 1740] [and says his] "What nedith þat?" quod the Burgeyse; "trewlich I wol nat glose; They been nat ȝit I-setelid, ne fixid in þe wose [ships are not settled in the ooze.] ffor I have sent[e] thries, sith [that] yee hidir cam, To waite oppon hir governaunce: wherfor lete set o game, And I shałł be the first[e], þat shałł ȝewe a-tast." [ 1745] The meyne were I-set vp; they [MS &] gon to pley[e] fast: [So Beryn plays the Burgess, who lets him win 4 games.] Beryn wan the first, þe second, & þe þird; And atte fourth[e] game, [right] in the ches a-myd, [ 1748] Þe Burgeyse was I-matid: but þat lust hym [ful] wele; And al was doon to bryng hym in, As yee shul here snel. "Sir/," then seyd Beryn, "yee woot wele howe it is; [Beryn then stops,] Me list no more to pley; for yee [wel] know[e] this; [ 1752] Wher is noon comparisoun, of what þing so it be, Lust & likeing fallith þere, as it semeth me; Ne myrth is nat commendabiłł, þat ay is by o syde, [ 1755] [as one-sided play is no fun.] But it rebound[e] to the todir; wherfor tyme is to ryde. And as many thonkis, as I can or may, Of my sport & chere, & also of yeur play." "Nay I-wis, gentiłł Beryn, I woot yee wol nat go; [But the Burgess wants another game,] ffor noritur[e] wol it nat, for to part[e] so; [ 1760] And eke my condicioune, but I ley som thing,

Is no more to pley, þen who so shoke a rynge, Ther no man is within, þe rynging to answere; To shete a fethirles bolt, al-most as good me were. [ 1764] But & yee wold this next[e] game som maner wager legg; [leaf 204] And let the trowith, on both sidis, be morgage & I-plegg, [for a wager;] That who-so be I-matid, graunt & [eke] assent [the mated man is to do the victor's bidding,] To do the todirs bidding; & who-so do repent, [ 1768] Drynk[en] al the watir, þat salt is of the see." [or drink all the salt water in the sea.] Beryn belevid þat he coude pley bettir þen he, And sodenly assentid, with hond in hond assurid; [Beryn agrees,] Men þat stode be sidis, I-cappid & I-hurid, [ 1772] Wist[e] wele that Beryn shuld have þe wers[e] mes; ffor the Burgeys was the best pleyer atte ches Of ałł the wyde marchis, or many a myle aboute; But þat ne wiste beryn of, ne cast þerof no doute. [ 1776] He set the meyne efft ageyn, & toke better hede [plays very carefully,] Then he did tofore, & so he had[de] nede. The Burgeyse toke a-visement long on euery drauȝte; So with[in] an houre or to, Beryn he had I-cauȝte [ 1780] [and soon gets the worst of it;] Somwhat oppon the hipp, þat Beryn had þe wers. And al be it his mynde & wiłł was for to curs, [but he must stand his chance.] Ȝit must he dure his ffortune, when he was so fer I-go. (ffor who is that þat ffortune may [nat] alwey vndo? [ 1784] And namelich [he that] stont even in eche side Of pro & contra; but God help, downe wol he glide. But nowe a word of philosophy, þat fallith to my mynde, 'Who take hede of þe begynnyng, what fal shal of þe ende, [(He who at first looks to the end, stops Fortune's attack.)] He leyith a bussh to-fore the gap, þer fortune wold in ryde;' But comynlich yowith forȝetith þat, þurh-out the world. Riȝt so be Beryn I may wele sey, þat consaillis in rakid [Beryn is likely to lose all.] Likly to lese his marchandise, & go hym-selff al nakid.) Beryn studied in the ches, al-þouȝe it nauȝt a-vailid: The Burgeyse in þe mene while, with othir men counsaillid [The Burgess sends for the Serjeants.] To fech the Sergauntis in the town̄, for þing he had a-do. So when they com[en] were, they walkid to & fro, Vp & down in the hałł, as skaunce þey knewe nauȝte; [ 1797]

And ȝit of ałł the purpose, wit, & mynde, & þouȝt [The Serjeants lie in wait to arrest Beryn.] Of this vntrew[e] Burgeys, by his messengeris They were ful enfourmyd. wherfor with ey & eris [ 1800] They lay a waite ful doggidly, Beryn to a-rest; ffor þerfor þey were afftir sent, & was hir charge & hest. (Lord! howe shuld o sely lombe, a-mong wolvis weld, [leaf 204, back] And scape[n] vn-I-harmyd? it hath be seyn [ful] seld. [ 1804] Kepe thy Cut nowe, Beryn! for þow art in the case.) The hałł was ful of pepiłł, þe seriauntis shewid hir/ mase: Beryn kast vp his hede, & was ful sore amayid; [ 1807] ffor then he was in certen the burgeys had hym betrayde. "Draw on," seyd the Burgeyse; "Beryn! ye have þe wers!" [The Burgess calls on Beryn to play,] And euery man to othir þe covenaunt gan rehers. The Burgeyse, whils þat Beryn was in hevy þouȝt, The next drauȝt aftir, he toke a roke for nauȝte. [ 1812] [and takes a rook.] Beryn swat for angir, & was in hevy plyȝte, And dred ful sore in hert; for wele he wist al quyte [Beryn is in great distress,] He shuld nat escape, & was in hiȝe distres; And pryuylich in his hert, þat evir he saw the ches [ 1816] He cursid þe day & tyme: but what a-vaylid þat? ffor wele he wist[e] þen, þat he shuld be mate: He gan to chaunge his coloure, both[e] pale & wan. [turns pale,] The Burgeyse seid: "comyth nere! ye shul se þis man, How he shałł be matid, with what man me list!" [ 1821] He drouȝe, & seyd "chek mate!" þe Sergauntis were ful prest, [and is check∣mated.] And sesid Beryn by the scleve. "sirs [MS '& seid sirs'.] , what þynk ye for to do?" Quod Beryn to þe Seriauntis, "þat yee me handith so? Or what have I offendit? or what have I seyde?" [ 1825] "Trewlich," quod the seriauntis, "it vaylith nat to breyde; [The Serjeants tell Beryn he must go before the Steward.] With vs yee must a while, wher [that] ye wołł or no, To-fore the Steward of this town̄. a-rise, & trus, & go! And þere it shałł be openyd, howe wisely þow hast wrouȝte: [ 1829]

This is þe ende of our/ tale, make it nevir so touȝte." "Sirs, farith feir! yee have no nede to hale." [Beryn says, 'Don't pull me!] "Pas forth!" quod the seriauntes, "wee wołł nat here þy tale." [ 1832] "Ȝis, sirs, of yeur/ curtesy, I prey ȝewe of o word. Al-thouȝe my gentil hoost hath pleyd with me in borde, [You've nothing to do with the wager between my host and me.'] And [hath] I-wonne a wager, yee have nauȝt to doon; That is betwene hym & me; yee have no thing to doon." The hoost made an hidouse cry, in gesolreut [? gesolrent.] þe haut, [ 1837] And set his hond in kenebowe; he lakkid nevir a faute: "Wenyst þowe," seid he to Beryn, "for to scorn[e] me? [leaf 205] What evir þow speke, or stroute, certis it wol nat be; [ 1840] [But the Burgess insists on his going before the Steward,] Of me shalt þow have no wrong; pas forth a better pase; In presence of our/ Steward I wol tełł my case." "Why, hoost, sey yee this in ernest, or in game? Yee know my contray & my modir, my lynage & my name; [ 1844] And þus ye have I-seyd me .x. sith on þis day." "Ȝe, what þouȝe I seyd so? I know wele it is nay: [and says he only pretended to be his friend, in order] Ther lijth no more ther-to, but anothir tyme Leve me so much the les, when þow comyst by me; [ 1848] ffor al that evir I seyd, was to bryng the in care; [to get him into trouble.] And now I have my purpose, I wol no thing the spare." Thus Iangelyng to ech othir, endenting euery pase, They entrid both in-to the hałł, þere þe Steward was: [ 1852] Evandir was his name, þat sotiłł was, & fełł, [Evandir is Steward,] He must be wel avisid, to-fore hym shuld[e] tełł. Anothir Burgeyse with hym was, Prouost of þe Cete, Þat hanybald was I-clepid; but of sotilte [ 1856] [and Hanybald is Provost.] He passid many a-nothir, as yee shul here sone. Beryns hoost gan to tełł al þing as it was doon, [The Burgess states his case against Beryn.] ffro gynnyng to þe ending, þe wordis with the dede; And howe þey made hir covenaunte, & wager howe þey leyde. [ 1860] "Now, Beryn," quod the Steward, "þow hast I-herd þis tale;

How & in what maner þow art I-brouȝt in bale. [Evandir says Beryn must do his host's bid∣ding, or drink all the salt water in the sea.] Thow must do his bidding; þow maist in no wise flee; Or drynke[n] al the watir, þat salt is in the see: [ 1864] Of these too thingis, þow must chese the toon: Now be wel avisid, & sey thy wiłł a-noon. To do yee both[e] lawe, I may no bettir sey, ffor þow shalt have no wrong, as ferforth as I may. [ 1868] Chese thy selff riȝte as the list, & wit þow no þing me, [Which will he do?] Thouȝe thowe chese the wers, & let þe better be." Beryn stood a-stonyd, & no mervaiłł was, [Beryn asks for a day's delay.] And preyd the Steward, of a day, to answere to þe case: "ffor I myȝt[e] liȝtlich in som word be I-cauȝte; [ 1873] And eke it is riȝte hard to chese, of to þat beth riȝte nauȝt. [leaf 205, back] But & it were yeur/ likyng to graunt me day til to-morow, I wold answere, þurh Goddis help." "þen must þow fynde a borow," [But he must find a surety.] [ 1876] Seyd the Steward to Beryn, "& ȝit it is of grace." "Now herith me," quod hanybald, "I prey, a litil space: [Hanybald pro∣poses to take his 5 ships as the surety.] He hath fyve Shippis vndir þe town̄, liggyng on þe strond, The wich[e] been sufficiant, I-sesid in our honde, [ 1880] By me, þat am yeur/ prouost, to execute þe lawe." "He must assent," quod Evander, "let vs onys here his saw." "I graunt[e] wele," quod Beryn̄, "sith it may be noon othir." [Beryn agrees.] Then hanybald arose hym vp, to sese both Shipp & strodir, [They leave the court,] And toke Beryn with hym. so talking on þe wey, [ 1885] "Beryn," quod hanybald, "I suyr þe be my fey, [and Hanybald] That þow art much I-bound to me þis ilk[e] day; So is thy ple amendit by me; & eke of such a way [ 1888] I am a-visid in thy cause, yf þow wolt do by rede, That lite or nauȝt, by my counsaiłł, ouȝt[e] þe to drede. [suggests to Beryn,] Yee knowe wele, to-morowe þe day of plee is [MS 'it.'] set, That ye mut nedis answere; or els with-out[en] lett [ 1892] I must yeld hem yeur Shippis; I may in no wise blyn; [that tho' his ships must be seized.] So have I vndirtake. but the marchandise within,

Is nat in my charge,—ye know as wele as I,— [his cargoes needn't be;] To make þerof no lyuery: wherfor now wisely [ 1896] Worch, & do aftir [my] rede; let al yeur marchandise Be voidit of yeur Shippis; & atte hiest prise [these he'd better sell to Hanybald,] I wol have it everydele in covenant, yf ye list. To se myne house here onys tofore, I hold it for þe best; Wher/ yee shul se of diuers londis, housis to or thre [ 1901] fful of marchandise, þat þurh this grete Cete Is no such in preve, I may riȝt wel a-vowe. [. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .] [ 1904] So when ye have ałł seyn, & I have yeur/ also; [or exchange with him.] Let som Bargen be I-made be-twen vs both[e] to." "Graunt mercy, sir," quod Beryn, "yeur/ profir is feir & good: ffeyn wold I do þeraftir, yf [that] I vndirstood [ 1908] I myȝt, without[en] blame of breking of a-rest." "Ȝis," quod hanybald, "at my perełł me trest." So to hanybaldis house to-gidir both þey rode; [Beryn goes to see Hanybald's goods.] And fonde, as hanybald had I-seyd, an houge house, long [leaf 206] & brode, [ 1912] fful of marchandise, as riche as it may be, Passing al the marchantis þat dwellid in þat Cete. Thus when al was shewid, þey dronk, & toke hir leve; To see [ałł] Beryns shippis, in hast þey gon to meve. [ 1916] [Hanybald then goes to Beryn's ship] And when þat hanybald was avisid what charge þe Shippis bere, He gan to speke[n] in his voise, ascaunce he rouȝt[e] nere Wheþer he bargeynyd or no, & seyd þus: "Beryn, ffrend, [and offers] Yeur/ marchandise is feir & good; now let vs make an ende; If yee list, I can no more, yee knowith how it is. [ 1921] Com, of short, let tuk le meyn; me þinkith I sey nat mys; [to swap with him: 5 ship loads of the goods he can find in Hany∣bald's house, for Beryn's 5 cargoes.] And þen yeur meyne, & yee & I, to my house shałł wee go, And of þe marchandise yee [MS I.] saw,—I wol nat part þerfro,— Chese of þe best of þat yee fynd[en] there; [ 1925] Thurh-out þe long[e] house, þer shal no man yew dere;

And þerwith shałł yeur Shippis be fillid al[le] fyve: I can sey no bettir; yf yee list to dryve [ 1928] This bargeyn to þe ende, counsellith with yeur men; I may nat longe tary, I must nedis hen." Beryn clepid his meyne, counsełł for to take; [Beryn consults his men,] But his first[e] mocioun was, of þe woo & wrake, [ 1932] And al the tribulacioune, for pleying atte ches, That he had: euery dele, his shame, & his dures, ffro poynt to poynt, & how it stode, he told[e] how it was; And then he axid counsełł, what best was in the cas; [ 1936] To chaunge with the Burgeys, or el[le]s for to leve. Ech man seyd his a-vise; but al þat þey did meve, [and they agree] It were to long a tale for to tell it [MS 'tellit.'] here; But fynally atte end, þey cordit al in fere, [ 1940] That þe chaunge shuld stond; for as þe case was fałł, [to the exchange with Hanybald.] They held it clerly for þe best; & went[e] forth with-ałł The next wey þat þey couth, to Hanybaldis plase. But nowe shułł yee here þe most sotil fallace [ 1944] [But now for this rascal Hanybald's trick!] That evir man wrouȝt tiłł othir, & hiȝest trechery, Wich haynybald had wrouȝt hym selff [un]to þis company: "Go in," quod hanybald, "& chese, as thy covenaunt is." [leaf 206, back] In goon these Romeyns e[veri]ch oon, & fond a-mys; [ 1948] [He has had all his goods removed from his house,] ffor þere was no thing, þat eny man myȝte se, Saff þe wałł, & tyle-stonys, & tymbir made of tre. ffor hanybald had do void it, of al thing þat was there; Whils he was atte Shippis, his men a-wey it bere. [ 1952] When Beryn saw the house lere, þat ful was þere-to-fore [so that Beryn finds it empty.] Of riche marchandise; "alas!" þouȝt he, "I am [i]lore, I am [lore] in this world." & witith wel, his hert Was nat al in likeing; & outward gan he stert, [ 1956] [Beryn is half mad,] Like half a wood[e]man, & bote both his lippis, And gan to haste fast toward his owne Shippis, [and starts to stop his cargoes being moved from his ship.] To kepe his good within, with al þat evir he myȝte, That it were nat dischargit, as hym þouȝt verry ryȝte. [ 1960] But al for nauȝt was his hast; for three hundred [MS ēēē for ccc.] men, [But he's too late.]

As fast as [evir] they myȝte, thé bere þe good [is] then, Thurh ordenaunce of Hanybald, þat priuelich to-fore [ 1963] Had purposid, & [had] I-cast, [they] shuld be out I-bore. Beryn made a swyff pase; þere myȝt no man hym let; [Hanybald tells Beryn that his ships are seized, and his cargoes are Hanybald's.] But hanybald was ware Inowȝ, & with Beryn met: "Al for nouȝt, Beryn! þow knowist wel & fyne, Thy Shippis been a-restid, & þe good is myne. [ 1968] What woldist þow do þere? þow hast þere nauȝt to do; I wol hold thy covenaunte, & þow shalt myne also. ffor ȝit sawe I nevir man, þat was of þy manere; [ 1971] Somtyme þowe wolt auaunte, & som tyme [wolt] arere; Now þow wolt, & now þow nolt; where shułł men þe fynde? Now sey oon, & sith a-nothir; so variant of mynde! Saw I nevir, to-fore þis day, man so variabiłł. [ 1675] Sith I the fynde in suche plyte, our bargen for to stabiłł, [Hanybald offers to refer it to the Steward.] Wee wołł tofore þe Steward, þere we both shułł have riȝte." "Nay for-soth!" quod Beryn. "Ȝis trulich, the tite," [Beryn refuses this,] Quod hanybald, "wher/ þowe wolt or no; & so I the charge, [ 1979] As Prouost. knowe þat, yff me list, my warant is so large, And þowe make eny diffence, to by-nym thy lyff. Take þyn hors! it gaynyth nat for to make stryffe." [ 1982] So, with sorowfułł hert, Beryn toke his hors, [gives-in] [leaf 207] ; And sofftly seyd[e] to his men: "of me," quod he, "no fors; But wend[ith] to yeur shippis; I wol com when I may. [and sends his men back to the ships.] Yee seth wele euerichone, I may no bet a-wey." (Now here by this same tale, both[e] fre & bonde [ 1987] Mow fele[n] in hir/ wittis, & eke [mow] vndirstonde, That litil vailith wisdom, or el[le]s governaunce, [(Poor Beryn! But no wisdom, friend, or money, is of any good against Fortune.)] Ther fortune evir werrith, & eke hap & chaunce. Or what a-vailith bounte, beute, or riches, ffrendship, or [eke] sotilte, or els hardines, [ 1992] Gold, good, or catełł, wit, or hy lynage, Lond, or lordis service, or els hiȝe parage? What may al this a-vaiłł, þer fortune is a foo?

I-wis, riȝte litiłł, or nevir a dele: ful offt it fallith so.) So, shortly to pas ovir; þey fiłł to such an end, [ 1997] That Beryn shuld have day a-geyn, a morow. & so to wend [Beryn's mishaps are known all over the town,] He set hym in ful purpose to his Shippis ward: But ȝit or he cam ther, he fond þe passage hard. [ 2000] ffor how he was begilid, þurh-out al the town̄ Þer & þer a coupiłł gon to speke, & [eke] to roune; And euery man his purpose was to have parte, [ 2003] [and every man wants to plunder him.] With falsnes & with soteltees; þey coud noon oþer art. Beryn rode forth in his wey,—his page ran hym by,— fful sore a-dred in hert, & cast a-bout his eye Vp & down̄, euen long the strete, & [right] for angir swet. And er he had riden a stones cast, a blynd man with hym met, [ 2008] [A blind man seizes him,] And spak no word, but sesid hym fast by the lap, And cried out, "& harowe!" & nere hym gan to stap. "Al for nouȝt!" quod this blynde, "what? wenyst þow for to skape?" [ 2011] Beryn had þouȝt to prik[ke] forth, & þouȝt it had be Iape. The blynd man cast a-wey his staff, & set on both his hondis; "Nay, þow shalt nat void," quod he, "for al þy rich[e] londis, [and declares he'll have the law of him,] Tyłł I of the have reson, lawe, & eke riȝte; [ 2015] ffor trewlich, I may wit it þe, þat I have lost my siȝte." So, for auȝt þat Beryn coude othir speke or prey, [for Beryn blinded him.] He myȝt in no wise pas. ful sore he gan to may, [leaf 207, back] And namelich, for the pepiłł throng hym so a-boute, [ 2019] And ech man gan hym hond; & seyd, "without[en] doute Ye must nedis stond, & rest, & bide the lawe, Be yee nevir so grete a man." "so wold I, wondir fawe," Quod Beryn, "yf yee had cause; but I know noon." [ 2023] "No? þow shalt knowe or þow go! þow hast nat al I-doon," The blynd man seyd to Beryn. "tel on þen," quod he. "Here is no place to plete," þe blynd man seid a-ȝe; "Also wee have no Iuge here of Autorite; [The Steward shall judge his case.] But evandir, the Steward, shałł deme both the & me, [ 2028]

When I my tale have told, & þow hast made answere, By þat tyme men shal know, how þow canst þe clere. Nowe, soveren God! I thank the, of þis ilk[e] day! [ 2031] [The blind man thanks God that he can now prove Beryn his de∣faulting partner.] Then I may preve þe be my lyve, of word, & eke of fay, ffals, & eke vntrew of covenaunt þowe hast I-makid. But litiłł is thy charge now, þouȝ þat I go nakid, That som tyme were [my] partinere, & rekenydist nevir [ȝit;] But þow shalt here, or we depart, þerof a litiłł witt; [ 2036] ffor, aftir comyn seying, 'evir atte ende The trowith wołł be previd, how so men evir trend.'" Thus they talkid to ech othir, tiłł they com in-to þe plase, And were I-entrid in the hałł, þere the Steward was. [ 2040] [They reach the court, and the blind man] The blynd man first gan to speke: "sir Steward! for goddis sake Herith me a litiłł while! for here I have I-take He þat hath do me wrong, most of man of mold: Be my help, as law wołł, for hym þat Iudas sold! [ 2044] Yee know wele þat offt tyme I have to ȝew I-pleynyd, How I was be-trayed, & how I was I-peynyd, [says that he lent Beryn his eyes,] And how a man, som tyme, & I, our yen did chaunge: This is the same persone, þouȝ þat he make it straunge. I toke hem hym but for a tyme, & leuyd trew[e]ly [ 2049] Myne to have I-had ageyn̄; & so both he & I [and Beryn has kept them because they were better than his.] Were ensurid vttirlich, & was our/ both[e] wiłł; But, for myne þe bettir were, wrongfullich & iłł [ 2052] He hath hem kept hidirto, with much sorow & pyne To me, as yee wele knowith. be-cause I have nat myne, I may nat se with his; wherfor me is ful woo; And evir-more ye seyde 'þat ye myȝt no þing do [ 2056] Without presence of the man þat wrouȝt me this vnquert:' [leaf 208] Nowe, sith he is to-fore ȝew now, let hym nat a-stert. ffor, many tyme & offt, yee [here] be-hete me, And he myȝt be take, he shuld do me gre. [ 2060] Sith yee of hym be sesid, howe evir so yee taue, ["Make Beryn give me back my eyes!"] Let hym nevir pas, til I myne eyen have." "Beryn," quod Edwandir, "herist þow nat thy selve

How sotilly he pletith, & ware by eche halue?" [ 2064] Beryn stood al muet, & no word he spak. [Beryn] And þat was tho his grace; ful sone he had be take, And he had myssey[e]d onys, or els I-sey[e]d nay; [won't deny it, as that would lose him his case.] ffor þen he had been negatyff, & vndo for ay.— [ 2068] (ffor they were grete Seviliouns, & vsid probate law; Wher, evir-more, affirmatyff shuld preve his owne sawe. Wherfor they were so querelouse, of al myȝt com in mynde, Thouȝe it were nevir in dede I-do; such mater þey wold fynde To be-nym a man his good, þurh som maner gile. [ 2073] ffor þe blynd man wist riȝt wele, he shuld have lost his while, [(The blind man] To make his pleynt on Beryn, & suyd oppon his good, ffor Shippis, & eke marchandise, in a balaunce stode; [ 2076] Therfor he made his chalenge, his eyen for to have; Or els he shuld[e] for hem fyne, yf [that] he wold hem have, [wants to get money out of him.)] And ligg for hem in hostage, til þe fynaunce cam: This was al the sotilte of þe blynd[e] man.) [ 2080] Beryn stood al mewet, & no word he spak. "Beryn," quod Evander, "lest þow be I-take In defaute of answere, þow myȝtist be condempnyd; Be riȝt wele avisid, sith þow art examened." [ 2084] ¶ "Sir," seyd Beryn, "it wold litiłł a-vaiłł [So Beryn asks] To answere þus aloon, without[en] good consaiłł: And also fe[r]þirmore, ful litiłł I shuld be levid, What-evir I answerd, þus stonyd & reprevid; [ 2088] And eke my wit doith faille; & no wondir is: Wherfor I wold prey ȝew, of yeur gentilnes, [for a day's delay to prepare his answer.] To graunte me day til to morow, [that] I myȝt be avisid To answere forth, with othir þat on me been surmysid." "Depardeux," quod the Steward, "I graunt wel it be so." [It is granted.] [ 2093] Beryn toke his leve, & hopid to pas & go; [Beryn goes,] But as sone as Beryn was on his hors rydyng, [leaf 208, back] He met a vomman, & a child, wiþ sad cher comyng, [ 2096] [but is at once seized by a woman,] That toke hym by þe reyn, & held hym wondir fast,

And seyd, "sir, voidith nat! ȝit vaillith nat to hast; [who declares] Yee mow in no wise sccape; ye must nedis abide! [ 2099] ffor þouȝe ye list to knowe me nat, ȝit lien by yeur side [he is her husband,] I have ful many a tyme; I can nat telle ȝewe [howe] lome. Come to-fore the Steward! þere shułł ye here yeur/ dome Of þing that I shal put on ȝew, & no word for to ly: [and has, rascal like, deserted her.] To leve me thus aloon, it is yeur/ vylany! [ 2104] Alas! the day & tyme þat evir I was yeur/ make! Much have I endurid, this too yeer, for yeur sake; But now it shałł be know[en] who is in the wronge." Beryn was al abasshid, the pepil so thik thronge [ 2108] [Beryn is taken back to the Steward,] Aboute hym in eche syde. for ouȝt þat he couth peyn̄, He must[e] to þe Steward, of fyne force ageyn̄. Now shułł yee here how sotillich þis vomman gan hir/ tale In presence of the Steward; with colour wan & pale, Petously she gan to tełł, & seyd[e]: "sir/, to ȝewe [ 2113] [and the woman says that her husband has deserted her, and left her] fful offt I have compleynyd, in what manere & howe My childis ffadir lefft me, by my selff aloon, Without[en] help, or comforte, as grete as I myȝt goon With my sone here, & his, þat shame it is to tełł [ 2117] [in penury, to bring up his son.] The penury þat I have I-had, þat a force sełł I must[e] nedis myne aray, wher me list or lothe, Or els I must have beggit, for to fynd vs both. [ 2120] ffor ther was nevir voman I-leve, as I [kan] ges, ffor lak of hede of lyvlode, þat lyvid in more distres [She has lackt meat and drink.] Then I my selff, for offt tyme, for lak of mete & drynk: And ȝit I trow no creatur was feyner for to swynke [ 2124] My lyff [for] to sustene. but, as I mut nede, Above al othir thingis, to his child take hede, That wondir is, & mervaiłł, þat I am a-lyve; [It's a wonder she's alive.] ffor þe sokeyng of his [child], ryȝt as it were a knyve [ 2128] It ran in-to my hert, so lowe I was of mode, That wel I woot in certen, with [MS without.] parcełł of my blood His child I have I-norisshid, & þat is by me seen; [She's turned from red to green.] ffor [al] my rede colour/ is turnyd in-to grene. [ 2132] [leaf 209]

And he þat cause is of ałł, here he stondith by me: ['This Beryn is the culprit! Make him pay for it!'] To pay[en] for þe fosteryng me þinkith it is tyme. And sith he is my husbond, & hath on me no rowith, Let hym make a-mendis, in saving of his trowith. [ 2136] And, yf he to any word onys can sey nay, Lo! here my gage al redy, to preve al þat I say." The Steward [MS 'Stwarge.'] toke the gage, & spak in sofft[e] wise: [The Steward Evander] "Of this petouse compleynt a mannys hert may grise; ffor I know in parcełł, hir/ tale is nat al lese; [ 2141] ffor many a tyme & offt, þis vomman þat here is, Hath I-be to-fore me, & pleynyd of hir greffe; But, without a party, hir/ cause myȝt nat preff. [ 2144] Now þow art here present, þat she pleynyth on, Make thy defence now, Beryn, As wele as þow can." [calls on Beryn for his defence.] Beryn stood al mwet, & no word he spak. "Beryn," quod the Steward, "doist þow sclepe, or wake? Sey onys oon or othir: ys it soth or nay, [ 2149] As she hath declarid [MS declarith.] ? tełł on saunce delay." "Lord God!" quod Beryn, "what shuld it me a-vaile, [Beryn again] Among so many wise, with-out riȝt good counsaiłł, [ 2152] To telle[n] eny tale? ful litiłł, as I ges. Wherfor, I wold prey ȝew, of yeur/ gentilnes, Graunt me day tiłł to-morow to answer forth with othir." [asks for a day's delay to answer. Evander grants it.] "I graunt wele," quod the Steward, "but, for fadir & modir, [ 2156] Thow getist no lenger term, pleynly I the tełł." Beryn toke his leve; his hert[e] gan to swełł [Beryn is very sad;] ffor pure verry anguyssh; & no mervel was. And who is þat þat nold, & he were in such case; [ 2160] ffor al his trist & hope in eny wordlich thing [his trust in the world is gone.] Was cleen from hym passid, save sorow & mys-likyng; ffor body, good & Catełł, & lyff, he set at nouȝte, So was his hert I-woundit, for angir & for þouȝt. [ 2164] Beryn passid sofftly, & to his hors gan go; And when he was without þe gatis, he lokid to & fro,

And coude noon othir contenaunce; but to [MS 'butto.'] his page he seyd, "Preciouse God in heven! howe falsly am I betrayde! [leaf 209, back] I trowe no man a-lyve stont in wors[e] pliȝte! [ 2169] [Beryn confesses that all his mishaps have come for his unkindness to his mother.] And ałł is for my synne, & for my yong delite; And pryncipally, a-bove al thing, for grete vnkynd[e]nes That I did to my modir; for litiłł hede I-wis [ 2172] I toke of hir,—þis know I wele,—whils she was alyve; Therfor al this turment is sent to [MS 'sentto.'] me so ryve. ffor þere was nevir vomman kynder to hir child Then she was; & þere ageyns, nevir þing so wild [ 2176] Ne so eviłł-thewid, as I was my selff; Therfor sorow & happous environ me by eche helve, That I note whidir ryde, nethir vp ne [MS 'þe.'] down̄, Ther been so many devillis dwelling in þis town̄, [ 2180] [These treacherous devils of False∣town will undo him.] And [been] so ful of gile, & trechery also, That wele I woot in certeyn, the[y] wolle me on-do. Now, wold to God in heven! what is my best rede?" He toke his hors [tho] to his page, & thus to hym he seyde: "Lede my hors to shipward, & take it to som man; [ 2185] [He sends his horse to the ship,] And I wołł go on foot, as pryuyly as I can, And assay, yf I may, in eny maner wise, Ascape[n] vnarestid more in such[e] maner wise." [ 2188] The Child toke his mastris hors, & lafft hym þere alone, Walking forth on foot, makeing offt his moon: [and walks forth on foot,] And in his moste musing, I can nat sey how lome He wosshid, nakid as he was bore, he had[de] be in Room. [sorrowing over his sad state.] And no mervaiłł was it, as the case stode, [ 2193] ffor he drad more to lese his eyen, þan he did his shippis or his good. (Now yee þat listith to dwełł, & here of aventure, How petously dame ffortune, Beryn to a-mvre, ['inure'—Urry.] [ 2196] [(But Fortune 'll give him a worse fall yet.)] Turnyth hir whele a-bout[en], in the wers[e] syde; With hap of sorow & anguyssh, she gynnyth for to ride.) Beryn passid toward þe stronde, þere his shippis were;

But yee mow vndirstond, his hert was ful of fere; [ 2200] Ȝit neþirles he sat hym down̄ sofftly on a stałł, Semyvif for sorow; & lenyd to the wałł, ffor turment þat he had; so wery he was, & feynt; And to God a-bove, thus he made his pleynt: [ 2204] "Glorious God in heven! þat al thing madist of nouȝt! [Beryn appeals to God against his accusers.] Why sufferist þow þese cursid men to stroy[e] me for nouȝt? And knowest wel myne Innocent, þat I have no gilt [leaf 210] Of al that the[y] pursu me, or [þat] on me is pilt." [ 2208] ¶ And in the meen[e] whils þat Beryn þus gan pleyn̄, A Cachepołł stode be sidis, (his name was macaign̄,) [A catchpoll overhears him,] And herd [tho] ałł the wordis; & knew also to-fore How Beryn was turmentid, both with las & more,— [ 2212] It was I-spronge þurh the toun̄;—so was he ful ensensid [resolves to take him in again,] How he hym wold engyne, as he had purpensid; And had araid hym sotillich, as man of contemplacioun, In a mantełł with the lyste, with fals dissimulacioune, And a staff in his hond, as þouȝ he febiłł were; [ 2217] And drow hym toward Beryn, & seid in this manere: [and so begins to sympathize with him:] "The hiȝe God of heven, þat al thing made of nouȝt, Bles ȝew, gentil sir/ ! for many an hevy þouȝt [ 2220] Me þinkith that yee have; & no wondir is: But, good sir, dismay yew nat, but levith yeur/ hevynes, ['Tell me your distress, and I'll help you in it.'] And, yff ye list to telle me som what of yeur/ distres, I hope to God almyȝty, in party it redres [ 2224] Thurh my pore counsaiłł,—& so I have many oon;— ffor I have pete on ȝew, be God & by seynt Ion! And eke pryuy hevynes doith eke man appeir/ Sodenly, or he be ware, & falle[n] in dispeir; [ 2228] And who be in that plage, þat man is incurabiłł; ffor consequent comyth aftir sekenes abominabiłł: And þerfor, sir, diskeuerith ȝewe, & be no þing a-drad." "Graunt mercy, Sir/," quod beryn, "ye seme trewe & sad; [Beryn says he knows not whom to trust.] But o þing lijth in my hert; I note to whom to trust; [ 2233] ffor þo þat dyned me to-day, ordeyned me to a-rest." "A! sir, be ye þat man? of ȝew I have I-herd.

Gentil sir/ doutith nat, ne be no þing a-ferd [ 2236] [The Catchpoll Macaigne ad∣vises Beryn] Of me; for I shałł counsełł ȝewe as wel as I can; ffor trulich in the Cete dwellith many a fals[e] man, And vsyn litiłł els but falshode, wrong & while, [ 2239] And how þey myȝt[e] straungours with trechery be-gile: But yee shułł do ryȝt wisely somwhat be my counsayłł; Speke with the Steward; þat may ȝewe most a-vaiłł; [ 2242] [to speak to the Steward.] ffor þere is a comyn byword, yf ye it herd havith; [leaf 210, back] 'Wele settith he his peny, þat þe pound [therby] savith.' The Steward is a couetouse man, þat longe hath desirid ['He has long wanted a knife of mine.] A knyff I have in kepeing, wher/ with his hert I wirid: [It] Shałł be ȝewe to help, in covenaunte þat yee [I'll sell it you for 5 marks;] Shałł gyve me fyv mark, yeur/ trew[e] ffrend to be. [ 2248] The knyff is feir, I tełł ȝew; ȝit nevir to-fore þis Day Myȝt the Steward have it, for auȝt [þat] he coud prey; [you give it the Steward, and he'll help you.] The wich ye shulle gyve hym, þe bettir for to spede, And behote hym xx łi to help ȝewe in yeur/ nede. [ 2252] And yf he grauntith, trustith wele yestond[en] in good pliȝte; [Better lose a little than lose all;] ffor better is, then lese ałł, þe las þe more quyt: And I wołł go with ȝewe, streyte to his plase, [ 2255] And knele doun̄, & speke first, [for] to amend yeur/ case; [and I'll speak for you too.'] And sey yee be my cosyn; þe bettir shułł yee spede: And when þat I have ałł I-told, þe knyff to hym yee bede." Beryn þankid hym hertlich, & on hym gan [to] trust, [Beryn agrees,] With hond in hond ensurid, & al [þouȝt] for the best; Beryn þouȝt noon othir, al [? al be = although.] þat it oþir was. [ 2261] Macaign hym comfortid, talking of hir/ case, And passid forth [ful] stylly toward þe Steward blyve, [takes the knife, and they go to the Steward.] Beryn & Macaigne; but Beryn bare þe knyff, [ 2264] And trust much in his felaw to have [of him] som help. But, or they departid were, þey had no cause to yelp Of no maner comfort, as ye shułł her a-noon; ffor as sone as macaigne to-fore þe Steward come, [ 2268] [But then Macaigne] He fiłł plat to þe erth; a grevous pleynt & an huge He made, & seyd, "sir Steward! nowe be a trew Iuge

Ageyns this fals treytour/, þat stondith me be-syde; [accuses Beryn of having murdered his (Macaigne's) father Melan,] Let take of hym good hede, els he wol nat abyde. [ 2272] Now mercy, Go[o]d Steward! for yee hav herd me ȝore, ffor my fadir melan, pleyn to ȝew ful sore, That with .vij dromodarijs,—as I have told ȝewe lome,— With marchandise chargit, went toward[e] Rome; [ 2276] [who went to Rome 7 years ago.] And it is vij yeer a-go, and a litil more, Of hym, or of his goodis, þat I herd les or more. And ȝit I have enquerid, as bysely as I couthe, [leaf 211] And met nevir man ȝit, þat me coude tełł with mouth And tyding of hym, onto þis same day: [ 2281] But now I know to much; allas! I may wel say." When Beryn herd these wordis, he kist [a]doun his hede; [Beryn tries to bolt,] "Allas!" he þouȝt in hert, "Allas! what is my rede?" And wold feyn have voidit, & outward gan to stapp: [ 2285] But Macaigne arose, & sesid [him] by the lapp; [but Macaigne stops him,] "Nay, þow shalt nat void!" he seid; "my tale is nat I-do: ffor, be trowith of my body, yf þow scapidist so, [ 2288] I shuld nevir have mer[c]y whils I were on lyve;" And set hond fast on Beryns othir scleve, And seyd, "good sir Steward, my tale to þe ende [ 2291] I prey [þat] yee wold here; for, wend how men [wołł] wend, Ther may no man hele murdir, þat it wołł out atte last. [says 'Murder will out!' and that Beryn has on him Melan's knife.] The same knyff my ffadir bere, when he of contre past, Let serch[en] wele this felon, & here yee shułł hym fynde; I know þe knyff wel I-nowȝ, it is nat out of my mynde: The Cotelere dwellith in this town, þat made þe same knyff; And for to preve þe trowith, he shałł be here as blyve." Beryn swat for angir; his hert was ful of fere; [ 2299] [Beryn at once gives-up the knife,] He toke the knyff to þe Steward, or he serchid wher. The Steward [seyd] on-to Beryn, "my frend, lo!" quod he, "And þow þink the wel about, þis is a foule plee! [and is ordered to answer the accusation to∣morrow.] I can know noon othir, but þow must, or þow go, Ȝeld the body of melan, & his good also. [ 2304] Now, be wel avisid ageyn to morow day!

Then shalt þow have þy Iugement; þere is no more to say." When Beryn fro þe Steward þus departid was, [Beryn afresh curses Falsetown bitterly,] And was with-out þe gate, he lokid oppon the plase, [ 2308] And cursid it wondir bittirly, in a feruent Ire, And wisshid many tymes it had been a feir: "ffor I trow þat man of lyve was nevir wors be-trayid Then I am; & þere-with-ałł my hert is cleen dismayid; ffor her I have no frendship, but am al counselles; [ 2313] And they been falsher þen Iudas, & eke mercylese. [leaf 211, back] A! lord God in hevyn! þat my hert is woo! And ȝit suyrly I mervełł nat þouȝ þat it be so; [ 2316] [but confesses that his own bad life has brought these punishments on him.] ffor ȝit in al my lyve, sith I ouȝt vndirstode, Had I nevir wiłł, for to lern[e] good: ffoly, I hauntid it evir, þere myȝt no man me let; And now he hath I-paid me, he is cleen out of my dett. ffor whil[e]s I had tyme, wisdom I myȝt have lernyd; [ 2321] But I drowȝ me to foly, & wold nat be governed, But had al myne owne wiłł & of no man a-ferd, ffor I was nevir chastisid: but nowe myne owne ȝerd [His own rod beats him sore.] Betith me to sore; þe strokis been to hard; [ 2325] ffor these devillis of this town̄ takith but litiłł reward To sclee my body to have my good; þe day is set to morowe. Now, wold to God I were in grave! for it were end of sorow. ['Would God I were in the Grave!] I was I-wis to much a fole! for hate I had to Rame [ 2329] I wold forsake myne heritage; therfor sorow & shame [For my own faults, has shame fallen on me!'] Is oppon me fałł, & riȝt wele [is] deservid; ffor I tooke noon maner hede, when my modir stervid; And disobeyid my ffadir, & set hym at nauȝt also: [ 2333] What wondir is it than, þouȝ þat I have woo? ffortune & eke wisdom have werrid with me evir, And I with hem in al my lyff, for ffortune was me levir Then eny wit or governaunce; for hem too I did hate; And þouȝe I wold be [now] a-toon, now it is to late. [ 2338] O myȝtfułł God in heven! wher was evir man That wrouȝt [MS my] hym-selff more foly þen I my selff did þan?

A-cursid be the tyme þat I out of Rome went, ['Cursed be the time I sold my heritage!] That was my ffadirs riȝte heir, of lyvlode & of rent, And al the riałł lordshipp þat he hath in þe town̄! Had I had wit & grace, & hold me lowe & boune, [ 2344] [Had I behaved well, I should have been sport∣ing, and flirting with fair girls now.] It were my kynd [right] now, a-mong my baronage To hauke[n] & to hunt, & eke to pley & rage With feir[e] fresh[e] ladies, & daunce when me lyst! But nowe it is to late to speke of had-I-wist! [ 2348] But I fare like the man, þat, for to swele his vlyes [But I'm like the man who, to drive the flies off,] He stert in-to the bern, & aftir stre he hies, And goith a-bout þe wallis with a brennyng wase, Tyłł it was atte last, þat the leem & blase [ 2352] [leaf 212] Entryd in-to the Chynys, wher þe whete was, [set fire to his barn.] And kissid so þe evese, þat brent was al the plase; But first in the begynnyng, til feer smote in the raftris, [Read 'raftir.'] He toke no maner kepe, & þouȝt of no þing aftir, [ 2356] What perełł ther myȝte fałł: ne more did I iwis, [I gave up my in∣heritance because of Rame's un∣kindness.] That wold forsake myne honour/, for þe vnkynd[e]nes Of Rame þat was my stepmodir; for, yf I shal nat ly, They [stepmothirs] beth [MS seure.] soure: wherfor the more wisely I shuld have wrouȝt, had I had wit, & suffrid for a tyme, And aftir com to purpose wel I-nowȝe of myne. But evil avengit he [h]is deol, þat, for a litiłł mode [More fool I!] And angir to his neyȝbour, sellith a-wey his good, [ 2364] And goith hym-selff a begging aftir in breff tyme; He mut be countid a lewd man, in al[le] maner ryme: So have I wrouȝt, & wers; for I dout of my lyve, [And perhaps I shall now lose my life for this knife that was found on me!'] How þat it shałł stond, for plukking of my scleve, [ 2368] The knyffe þat was me take, as yee have herd to-fore: And ȝit it grevith myne hert also much more Of myne own̄ pepiłł, þat no disese a-servid: ['deserved.'] I wote wele, aftir pleding, riȝt nouȝt wol be reservid [ 2372] To sustene hir lyvis;—I trow ryȝt nouȝt or lyte;— And paraventur liȝtly stond in wors[e] plyȝte: Of me it is no force, þouȝe I be þus arayed,

But it is dole & pete, þat they shul be be-trayid [ 2376] That hath nouȝt a-servid, but for my gilt aloon." And when þat Beryn in this wise had I-made his mone, [After Beryn' long groan, he sees a Cripple coming to him,] ¶ A Crepiłł he saw comyng with grete spede & hast, Oppon a stilt vndir his kne [i]bound[en] wondir fast, [ 2380] And a crouch vndir his armys; with hondis al for-skramyd. "Allas!" quod this Beryn, "shałł I be more examenyd?" And gan to turn a-side, on-to þe see stronde, [so he turns, and runs] And the cripiłł aftir, & wan oppon hym londe. [ 2384] Tho be-gan Beryn to drede inwardlich[e] sore, And þouȝt thus in his hert: "shal I be comberid more? And It were goddis wiłł, my sorowe for to cese! Me þinkith I have I-nowe!" the cripiłł be-gan to preche, And had I-rauȝt nere hond Beryn by the scleve. [ 2389] [leaf 212, back] Beryn turnyd, as an hare, & gan to ren[ne] blyve; But the cripiłł knew bettir the pathis smale & grete, [But the Cripple catches him up,] Then Beryn; so to-fore hym he was, & gan hym mete. When Beryn saw it vaylid nouȝt to renne, ne to lepe; What for dole & anguyssh, o word [ne] myȝt he speke, But stode stiłł a-masid, & starid fast a-boute. The cripiłł be-gan to speke: "sir, to drede or to dout [and says Beryn wouldn't be afraid if he knew] Of me, wold ye riȝte liȝt, & ye knewe myne hert: [ 2397] So, where yee like evil [Urry reads 'well.'] or il, fro me shułł ye nat parte Tyłł I have tretid with ȝew, & yee with me also, Of ałł yeur soden happis, yeur myscheff, & yeur/ woo; ffor by the tyme þat I have knowlech of yeur/ case, [ 2401] Yeur/ rennyng & yeur/ trotting, in-to an esy pase [how the Cripple will help him,] I shałł turn or þat wee twyn, so yee aftir my scole [schooling, teaching. 'stole,' Urry.] Wol do, & as I rede ȝew; for yee were a fole [ 2404] When yee cam first a londe. [wolde] yee had met with me, ffor I wold have ensensid ȝewe al the iniquite [and could have told him before∣hand of the wickedness of the Falsetown mer∣chants.] Of these fals[e] marchandis, þat dwellin in þis town̄, And outid ałł yeur/ chaffare without[en] gruch or groun: ffor, had ye dwellid within yeur/ shippis, & nat go hem a-mong, [ 2409]

Then had yee been vndaungerid, & quyt of al hir wrong On ȝewe þat been surmysid, þurh fals suggestioune." Beryn gan to sigh; vnneth he myȝt[e] soune, [ 2412] [Beryn asks the Cripple] Saff o word or tweyn; & "mercy" was the first, Preying with ałł his hert, þat he myȝt have his rest, And be no more enpledit, but pas[sen] fro hym quyte. "Good sir/," quod Beryn, "doith me no more dispite; [only to stop bothering him,] And suffir me to pas, & have on me [som] routhe; [ 2417] And I suyr/ ȝew feithfully, have [ȝe] here my trowith, To morowe when I have pledit, & any þing be lafft [and he'll reward him to-morrow, if he has any∣thing left.] Of Shipp or marchandise, a-fore the Ship, or bafft, [ 2420] I wołł shewe ȝew al I-fere, & opyn euery chest, And put it in yeur/ grace, to do what[so] yee lest." And in the meen[e] while þat Beryn gan to clapp, The Crypiłł nyȝhid hym nere & nere, & hent hym by þe lap. [ 2424] And, as sone as Beryn knew þat he was in honde, [Beryn lets go his mantle, to get rid of the Cripple,] He vnlacyd his mantełł, for drede of som comand, And pryueliche ovir his shuldris lete hym downe glyde, [leaf 213] And had levir lese his mantełł, then a-byde. [ 2428] The Cripiłł ałł perceyvid, and hent hym by the scleve Of his nethir surcote. "alas! nowe mut y stryve," Thouȝte Beryn by hym-selff; "nowe I am I-hent, Ther helpith nauȝte save strengith:" þere-with the scleve to-rent; [then tears him∣self lose,] [ 2432] Beryn gan to stappe, he sparid for no cost. [and bolts.] "Alas!" þouȝt this cripiłł, "þis man wołł be [i]lost, And be vndo for evir, but he counsełł have. I-wis, þouȝe he be lewde, my contremen to save, [ 2436] ȝit wiłł I my besynes do, And peyn[e] þat I may, Sith he is of Room, for þat is my contray." This cripiłł was an hundrit ȝere ful of age, [On this, though the Cripple, Geffrey, is 100 years old,] With a longe thik[ke] berd; and a trewe visage [ 2440] He had, & a manly, And Iuly was he; And Geffery was his name, I-knowe in þat contre. "Allas!" þouȝt this Gefferey, "this man hath grete drede

Of me, þat by my power wold help hym in his nede. [ 2444] I-wis, þouȝe he be nyce, vntauȝt, & vnwise, I wołł nat, for his foly, leue myne enpryse;" And lept [þo] aftir Beryn, And þat in riȝt good spede. [he rushes after Beryn,] Beryn was so sore agast, he toke no maner hede [ 2448] To look onys bakward, tiłł he to þe watir cam; Then lokid he be-hynd, & saw sir Clekam Comannd wondir fast, with staff & with his stilt. [follows him close,] "Alas!" þouȝt Beryn, "I nowe am I-spilt; [ 2452] ffor I may no ferther, without I wold me droune: I note wich were the bettir,—or go ageyn to toune." Geffery was so ny [i]com, þat Beryn myȝt nat fle: [and comes up with him. Geffrey then quiets Beryn,] "Good sir/," quod this Gefferey, "why do yee void[e] me? ffor, by heven Quene, þat bare Criste in hir/ barme, [ 2457] But riȝte as to my selff, I wołł ȝewe no more harm. Sittith down̄ here by me [right] oppon this see stronde, And yff yee drede[n] any thing, clepe[th] yeur/ men to londe, And let hem be here with vs ałł our/ speche-tyme; [ 2461] [leaf 213, back] ffor I wołł nat feyn oon woord, as makers doon to ryme, [and promises to help him.] But counsełł ȝewe as prudently as God wołł send me grace: Take comforte to ȝewe, & herk a litiłł spase!" [ 2464] And when that Beryn had I-herd his tale to þe ende, [Beryn is partly re-assured,] And how goodly as Geffrey spak, as he were his frende; Non-obstant his drede, yet part of sapience Stremyd in-to his hert, for his eloquence, [ 2468] And seyd; "God me counsayłł, for his hiȝe mercy! [and says] ffor I have herd this same day men as sotilly Speke, & of yeur/ semblant, And in such manere, And by-hete me ffrendshippe outward by hir/ chere,— But inward it was contrary hir intelleccioune, [ 2473] Wherfor the blame is les, þouȝe I suspecioune Have of yeur/ wordis, lest othir be yeur/ entent; ffor I note I[n] whom to trust, by God omnipotent: [ 2476] Ȝit nethirles, yf yeur/ wiłł is to come in-to þe Shipp with me, [he'll trust Geffrey if he'll come into the ship.] I wołł som-what do by yeur/ rede, how so it evir be." "Then," quod Geffrey, "yf it be so þat I in yeur/ powere, [Geffrey asks]

Entir in-to yeur Shippis, & ȝewe help in yeur/ mystere, [what Beryn will give him if he turns the tables on his accusers.] That yee ageyn yeur aduersaries shułł have þe bettir syde, And gyve ȝewe such counsełł to bate down̄ hir pride, [ 2482] And þat yee wyn in every pleynt, also much or more As they purpose to have of ȝewe; yf þey be doun̄ I-bore, And [yf] yee have amendis for hir iniquite, And I ȝewe brynge to þis end; what shałł my guerdon be?" ¶ "In verry soth," quod Beryn; "yf I ȝewe may trust, [I'll reward you truly.'] I wolle quyte ȝewe trewly; I make ȝewe be-hest." [ 2488] "In feith then," quod Geffray, "I wolle with ȝewe wende." ['Then I'll go with you,' says Geffrey.] "What is yeur/ name," seid Beryn tho, "my ffrend?" "Gefferey," he seyd; "but in this marchis I was nat bore; But I have dwellid in this Cete, yeeris here-to-fore [ 2492] ['I've been here many years, and tormented worse than you.] fful many, & [been] turmentid wors[e] þen were yee, And [have] endurid for my trowith much aduersite: ffor I wold in no wise suffir hir/ falshedes; ffor in ałł the world, so corrupt of hir dedis [ 2496] Been noon men a-lyve, I may ryȝte wele a-vowe; [leaf 214] ffor they set ałł hir/ wittis in wrong, al þat þey mowe; [The rascals here] Wherfor ful many a tyme, the grettest of hem & I Have stonden in altercacioune, for hir/ trechery. [ 2500] ffor I had in valowe, in trewe marchandise, [have robbed me of £1000;] A Mł. pound: al have they take in such [a] maner wise: So ferforth to save my blood no lengir myȝt I dure; [and I've been obliged to dis∣guise myself as a cripple, to save my life.'] ffor drede of wors, þus þouȝt I, my selff to disfigure; [ 2504] And have a-monge hem xij yeer go riȝt in þis pliȝte, And evir have had in memory howe I myȝt hem quyte; And so I hope nowȝe, as sotiłł as they be, With my wit engyne hem, and help[en] ȝewe & me. My lymes been both hole & sound; me nedith stilt ne croucħ." [ 2509] He cast a-syde hem both, and lepe oppon an huche, [Geffrey throws away his crutches.] And a-down̄ a-geynes, & walkid too and fro, Vp & down̄, with-in the Shippe, & shewid his hondis tho, Strecching forth his fyngirs, in siȝt ouer al aboute, [ 2513] Without[en] knot or knor, or eny signe of goute;

And clyȝte hem efft ageyns, riȝt disfetirly, Som to ride eche othir, & som a-weyward wry. [ 2516] Geffrey was riȝt myȝty, & wele his age did bere, [Geffrey, at 100, is very strong. (Not like us poor beggars now!)] ffor natur was more substancial, when tho dayis were, Then [is] nowe in our tyme; for al thing doith wast, Saffe vile & cursid lyving; þat growith al to wast. [Urry reads 'faste.'] [ 2520] What shuld I telle more? but Geffrey sat hym down̄, And Beryn hym besydis. the Romeyns gan to rown̄, And mervellid much in Geffrey, of his disgisenes; And Beryn had a-nothir þouȝt, & spak of his distres. [ 2524] "Now, Geffrey," seid this Beryn, "& I durst trust in ȝewe, [Beryn says 'if any one 'll help me now,] That, & yee knewe eny man þat is a-lyve a nowe, That had of discrecioune so much influence, To make my party good to-morowe in my defence, [ 2528] And delyvir me of sorowe, As yee be-hote have, I wold be-com his legeman, as god my soule save!" [I'll become his liegeman.'] "That were to much," quod Geffrey; "þat wołł I ȝew re∣lese; [leaf 214, back] But I desire of othir thing to have yeur promes; [ 2532] [Geffrey says 'I'll help you,] That, & I bryng yeur/ enmyes into such a traunce, To make for yeur/ wrongis to ȝew riȝte hiȝe fenaunce, And so declare for ȝewe, þat with ȝew pas such dome, [if you'll take me back to Rome.'] That yee, oppon yeur feith, brynge me at Room, [ 2536] Yf God wołł send ȝew wedir & grace to repase." Quod Beryn, "but I graunt ȝewe, I wer lewder þen an asse. But, or I fullich trust ȝewe,—holdith me excusid,— I wołł go counsełł with my men, lest þey it refusid." [ 2540] Beryn drewe a-syde, & spak with his meyne; [Beryn consults his men about it.] And expressid every word, in what pliȝt & degre That he stood, from poynt to poynt, & of his fals arestis. His meyne were a-stonyd, & starid forth as bestis. [ 2544] "Spekith som word," quod Beryn, "sith I am betrayd; Yee have I-herd what Geffrey to me hath [i-]sayd." These Romeyns stood ałł stiłł; o word ne cowd þey meve; And eke it passid hir/ wittis. þen Beryn gan releve,

And to Geffrey efft ageyn; & mercy hym be-souȝt. [ 2549] "Help me, sir," quod Beryn, "for his love þat vs bouȝt, [Beryn prays Geffrey to help him, for the love of God.] Dying on the rood!" (& wept ful tendirly;) "ffor but yee help," quod Beryn, "ther/ is no remedy; ffor comfort nethir counsaiłł, of my men have I noon. [ 2553] Help me, as God ȝew help, & els I am vndoon!" When Geffrey sawe this Beryn so distract, & wept, Pite in-to eche veyn of his [goode] hert[e] crept: [ 2556] "Alas!" quod Geffrey, "I myȝt nat do a more synfułł dede, [Geffrey swears he will.] I leve by my trowith, þen fayłł ȝew in this nede! ffaiłł me God in heven, yf þat I ȝewe faiłł, That I shałł do my besines, my peyn & my travaiłł, [ 2560] To help ȝew be my power! I may no ferther goo!" "Ȝis, yee be-hete me more," seyd Beryn tho, "That yee wold help[e] me at ałł, þat I shuld stond[e] cler:" Beryn gan to wepe, & make wers[e] chere. [ 2564] "Stillith ȝewe," quod Geffrey; "for howe so evir yee tire, More þen my power yee ouȝt[e] nat desire. [leaf 215] ffor, þurh þe grace of God, yee shułł be holp[en] wele; I have ther-of no doute. but trewlich I ȝewe telle, [ 2568] That yee wołł hold me covenaunte, & I wołł ȝew also, [if Beryn will take him back to Rome.] To brynge me at Room, when it is al I-do. In signe of trowith of both sidis of our/ acordement, [They make the agreement, and kiss, to confirm it.] Ech of vs kis othir, of our/ comyn assent." [ 2572] And ałł was do: & aftirward Beryn comaundit wyne. They dronk, & þen Geffrey seyd, "sir/ Beryne, [Geffrey then urges Beryn to tell him his whole story.] Yee mut declare yeur/ maters to myne intelligence, That I may the bet perseyve al inconvenience, [ 2576] Dout, pro, contra, and anbiguite, Thurh yeur/ declaracioune, & enfourmyd be: And with the help of our soveren lord celestiałł, They shułł be behynd, & wee shul have þe bałł. [ 2580] ffor nowe the tyme approchith, for hir/ cursidnes To be somwhat rewardit; & cause of yeur/ distres Hath my hert I-seclid ['ysetlid,' Urry.] , & fixid hem a nye,

As trowith wołł, & reson, for hir trechery. [ 2584] ffor many a man, to-fore this day, þey have do out of daw, Distro[y]id, & turmentid, þurh hir fals[e] lawe. ffor þey þink litiłł ellis, & ałł hir wittis fyve, ['The men of Falsetown think only how to plunder strangers.] Save to have a mannys good, & to be-nym his lyve; [ 2588] And hath a cursid custom, al ageyns reson, That what man they enpeche, þey have noon encheson, Þouȝe it be as fals a thing, as God hym-selff is trewe, [However false a charge against one is,] And it touch a straunger, þat is [i]com of newe, [ 2592] Atte first[e] mocioune þat he begynnyth to meve, Ther stondith vp an hundrit, hym [tho] to repreve. [100 will swear it's true. Their laws re∣quire only affirm∣ative proof: they have no inquests (juries) to sift a cause.] The lawes of þe Cete stont in probacy; They vsen noon enquestis, þe wrongis for to try. [ 2596] And yf þow haddist eny wrong, & woldist pleyn[e] the, And were as trewe a cause as eny myȝte be, Thow shuldist nat fynd o man, to bere thè witnes, Thouȝ euery man [then] in the town knew it, more or les, So burrith they to-gid[er] & holdith with ech othir/; [ 2601] That, as to countirplede hem, þey yee were my broþere, [leaf 215, back] I wold gyve ȝeve ȝewe no counsełł, ne hir/ enpechement [So it's no good to counterplead a charge,] In no word to deny; for þat were combirment; [ 2604] ffor þen were þey in the affirmatyff, & wold preve a-noon; And to ȝew þat were negatyff, þe lawe wold graunte a-noon: [as then you're in the negative.] So for to plede ageyn hem It wołł litiłł a-vaile; And ȝit to euery mannys wit it ouȝt be grete mervaiłł; [(And yet it's odd,] ffor hir/ lawis been so streyt, & peynous ordinaunce [ 2609] Is stallid for hir falshede; for þis is hir/ fynaunce, [as Isope, their lord, punishes lying with death.] To lese hir/ lyff for lesing, & Isope it may knowe, That lord is riałł of the town̄, & holdith hem so lowe: Wherfor they have a custom, a shrewid for þe nonys, [ 2613] Yf eny of hem sey a thing, they cry[en] ałł attonys, [So when one lies, all swear it's true, to keep out of Isope's claws.)] And ferm it for a soth, & it bere any charge; Thus of the daunser [? daunger.] of Isope They kepe hem euer at large. And therfor wisdom weer, who-so myȝt eschewe, [ 2617] Nevir to dele with hem; for, were it wrong, or trewe,

It shuld litiłł a-vaiłł a-geyn[se] hir/ falshedes; ffor they been accursid, & so been [eke] hir/ dedis. [ 2620] [So we must answer in some way that they can't reply to. (Tell bigger lies than they've told, in fact.)] Wherfor wee must, with al our wit sensibiłł, Such answers vs purvey, þat þey been insolibil To morow at our/ apparaunce, & shułł be responsaiłł ffor of wele [?]: & ellis It is thy day fynałł." [ 2624] "Nowe, soveren lord celestiałł!" with many sorowful sighis Seyd Beryn to Geffrey, "ymmemorat of lyes, Graunt me grace to morowe! so þat God be plesid, Make so myne answere; & I somwhat I-esid [ 2628] By þe þat art my counsaiłł; for oþir help is noon!" "Reherce me then," quod Geffrey, "þe causis of þy ffoon, [Now tell me all your opponents' cases, to inform me.'] ffro poynt to poynt, al in fere, [þat] on þe is surmysid; Wherþurh I myȝt, to morowe, þe bettir be a-visid." [ 2632] "Now in soth," quod Beryn, "þouȝe I shuld[e] dy, [Beryn says he can't help him at all.] I can nat tełł the tenyth part of hir/ [fals] trechery (What for sorow & angir) þat þey to me have wrouȝt; So stond I clene desperat, but ye con help[en] ouȝt." [ 2636] "Deupardeux," seid Geffrey, "& I the wol nat faiłł, ['Well then,' says Geffrey,] Sith I have ensurid the to be of þy counsaiłł; And [eke] so much the more, þat þow art nat wisc, And canst nat me enfourm of no maner a-vise. [ 2640] Here therfor a while, and tend wel to my lore: ['listen to me.] The lord þat dwellith in þis town̄, whose name I told to-fore, [The Lord of this town, Isope, is the wisest man alive.] Isope efft rehersid, is so inly wise, That no man alyve can pas[sen] his devise; [ 2644] And is so grow in ȝeris, þa[t] lx yeer ago [Tho' he's been blind 60 years,] He saw[e] nat for age; & ȝit it stondith so, Þat þurh his witt & wisdom, & his governaunce, Who makith a fray, or stryvith auȝt, or mel to much, or praunce, [he puts down every one in the City] [ 2648] With-in the same Cyte, þat he nys take a-noon, And hath his penaunce forth-with; for pardon vsith he noon. ffor þere nys pore ne riche, ne what [e]state he be, That he nys vndirfote for his iniquite; [ 2652] [against whom any ill is proved.] And it be previd on hym, þere shal no gold hym quyte,

Riȝt as the forfete axith, [ethir] moch or lite: ffor geyn[e]s his comaundement is noon so hardy quek, So hard[e] settith he his fote in euery mannys nek; [ 2656] ffor, vndir sky & sterris, þis day is noon a-lyve [No one alive is so clever as Isope:] That coude a-mend hym in o poynt, al thing to discryve. The .vij. sages of Rome, þouȝ al ageyn hym were, [not the Seven Sages even.] Thé shuld be insufficient to make[n] his answere; [ 2660] ffor he can al langagis, Grew, Ebrewe, & latyne, [He knows Latin, Lombard, &c.,] Caldey, ffrenssh, & lombard, yee knowe[n] [? he knoweth.] wel fyne; And alle maner [doctrine] þat men in bokis write; In poyse, and philosophe, also he can endite. [ 2664] [writes poetry, knows law, philosophy,] Sevile [law], & Canoun, & [eke] al maner lawis; Seneca, & Sydrak, & Salamonys sawis; And the .vij. sciencis, & eke lawe of Armys, Experimentis, & pompery, & al maner charmys, [ 2668] [pumping?, charms, &c.] As yee shułł here[n] aftir, er þat I depart, Of his Imaginaciouns, & of his sotiłł art. ffor he is of age ccc [three hundred. MS ēēē.] yeer/ & more; [leaf 216, back] Wherfor of alle sciencis he hath þe more lore. [ 2672] In denmark he was goten, & I-bore also, [He was born in Denmark, brought-up in Greece,] And in grece I-norisshid, til he coud speke & go; Ther was he putto scole, & lernyd wondir fast; ffor such was [tho] his grace, þat al othir he past. [ 2676] But first, in his begynnyng, litil good he had, But lernyd evir passyngly, & was wise & sad. Of stature & of feture, þer was noon hym like Þurh the londe of grece, þouȝ men wold hym seke. [ 2680] "A kyng þere was in tho ȝeris, þat had noon heire male, [and the king of Greece] Saff a douȝter, þat he lovid [right] as his owne saal. Isope was his seruaunt, & did hym such plesaunce, That he made hym his heir, & did hym so avaunce, [ 2684] To wedd his douȝter, and aftir hym to bere crown̄, [wedded his daughter to him.] Thurh prowes; & [of] his port so low he was, & boun̄. So as fortun wold, þat was Isopis frend, This worthy kyng þat same yere made his carnel ende [ 2688]

Tha[t] vij xx [7 score. Urry prints '27.'] yeer is passid þat Isope þus hath regned, ['140 years has Isope reigned,] And ȝit [ne] was þer nevir, for wrong on hym compleyned, ffor no Iugement þat he gaff; ȝit som ageyn hym wyled A grete part of his pepiłł, & wold have hym exiled; [ 2692] But his grete wisdom, & his manfulnes, [and his wisdom has maintained him till now.] His governaunce, with his bounte, & his riȝtfulnes, Hath evir ȝit meyntenyd [Urry prints 'preserved.'] hym vnto [t]his ilch[e] day; And wołł, whils þat he lyvith, for auȝt þat men can say. ffor who hath eny quarełł, or cause for to wonde, [ 2697] [Any one who has a hard cause tries to get Isope to decide it.] Within this same Cete, quiklich wołł he fonde— And it be sotiłł mater,—to Isope for to fare, ffro gynnyng to þe end, his quarel to declare. [ 2700] And eve a-fore, as custom is, þe ple [Urry prints 'peple' for 'þe ple.'] shal be on þe morowe; But [MS 'Both.'] who-so ly, he scapith nat without[e] shame or sorow. "Beryn, þow must go thidir, wher thyn enpechement [Now, Beryn, you must go to Isope,] Shułł be I-mevid; & þerfor pas nat thens, [ 2704] Tyłł þow have herd hem ałł; & [tho] report hem wele To me, þat am thy counsełł; & repeir [here] snele. [leaf 217] [and then return to me.] "But so riałł mancioune as Isope dwellith In, Ther is noon in the world, ne [noon] so queynt of gyn: [ 2708] [I'll describe Isope's house to you, and tell you how to get to it.] Wherfor be wel avisid, how I enfourm[e] the Of þe wondir weyis, & of the pryuyte, That been within his paleyse, þat þow must pas[sen] by: And when þow approchist, & art þe castełł nyȝ, [ 2712] [Don't go in at the broad gate of the castle,] Blench[e] fro þe brode gate, & entir þow nat there; ffor þere been men to kepe it: ȝit have þow no fere; Pas doun on the riȝt hond by þe castełł wałł, [but by a window on the right.] Tyłł þow fynd a wyndowe; & what-so the by-fałł, [ 2716] Entir ther, yf þow may, & be no thing agast; But walk forth in þat entre: þen shalt þow see in hast [Go in (you'll see a portcullis) to a beautiful hall,] A port-Colyse the to-fore. pas in boldly Tyłł þow com to an hałł, þe feyrest vndir sky: [ 2720] The wallis been of marbiłł, I-ioyned & I-closid; And the pilours cristałł, grete & wele purposid;

The keueryng of-bove, is of selondyn; [ceiled with selondyne, paved with gold,] And the pament be-neth, of gold & asure fyne. [ 2724] But who-so passith þurh þis hałł, hath nede to ren[ne] blyve, Or els he myȝt[e] be disware of his owne lyve; ffor þerewithin lijth a stoon, þat is so hote of kynde, [containing one stone, that burns∣up whatever comes near it, and another stone, 'Dyonyse,' of equal coldness.] That what thing com forby, a-noon it wołł a-tend, [light, set fire to.] [ 2728] As bryȝt as any candel leem, & consume a-noon: And so wold the hałł also, ner coldnes of a stoon That is I-clepid 'dyonyse,' þat set is hym ageyn So, & þow lepe liȝtly, þow shalt have no peyn̄; [ 2732] ffor ethir stone, in kynde proporcioned they be; Of hete, & eke of coldnes, of oon equalite. "Þow must pas þurh þe hałł; but tary nat, I rede; [Pass thro' the hall to a door; go in at it, and you'll see 2 leopards.] ffor þou shalt fynd a dur, vp riȝt a-fore þyn hede. [ 2736] When þow art entrid ther, & þe dor a-past; Whatso þow se ligg or stond, be þow nat agast; And yf þow drede any thing, do no more save blowe: [If you're afraid of either, blow on it,] But ȝit I rede the, be ware þat it be somwhat lowe: [ 2740] Ther been to libardis, loos and [eke] vntyed; If that thy blowing of þat othir in eny thing be spyed, [leaf 217, back] Anoon he rakith on the, to sese the by thy pate; ffor there nys thing in erth þat he so much doith hate, As breth of mannys mowith: wherfor refreyn[e] the, [ 2745] [but very gently indeed.] And blowe but fair & sofft, & when that nede be. When thow art passid this hałł, anoon þen shalt þowe com [Then you'll come to the loveliest garden in the world, like Paradise,] In-to the fayrest gardyn þat is in cristendom̄: [ 2748] The wich, þurh his clergy, is made of such devise That a man shałł ween he is in paradise, At his first comyng in, for melody & song, And othir glorious thingis, & delectabiłł a-mong; [ 2752] The wich Tholomeus, þat som-tyme paynym was, [made by Tholomeus,] That of Astronomy knew euery poynt & case, Did it so devise, þurh his hiȝe connyng, That there nys best in erth, ne bird þat doith syng, [ 2756] [with birds of gold that move as if alive.] That he nys ther in figur/, in gold & sylvir fyne,

And mowe as they were quyk, knawe þe sotiłł engyne. In mydward of this gardyn stant a feire tre, [In this garden is the fairest tree under the sky.] Of alle maner levis þat vndir sky [there] be, [ 2760] I-forgit & I-fourmyd, eche in his degre, Of sylvir, & of gold[e] fyne, þat lusty been to see. This gardeyn is evir green, & ful of may[e] flouris, Of rede, white, & blewe, & othir fressh colouris, [ 2764] The wich[e] been so redolent, & sentyn so a-boute, ¶ That he must be ryȝte lewd, [þat] þerin shuld[e] route. "These monstrefulle thingis, I devise to the, Be-cause þow shuldist nat of hem a-basshid be [ 2768] When that þowe comyst ther. so þow be strong in þouȝt, And do be my counsełł, drede the riȝt nouȝt; ffor ther beth viij tregetours þat þis gardyn kepith; [Eight Necroman∣cers guard this garden,] ffour of hem doith waak, whils the foure sclepith; [ 2772] The wich[e] been so perfite of Nygramance, And of þe arte of apparene, and of tregetrie, That they make semen (as to a mannys sight) Abominabiłł wormys, þat sore ouȝt be a-friȝte [ 2776] [and they look like loathly worms, enough to frighten the bravest men.] The hertiest man on erth, but he warnyd were Of the grisly siȝtis þat he shuld see there. Among al othir, ther/ is a lyon white, [leaf 218] [Also, there's a White Lion, who's eaten 500 men.] That, & he se a straungir, he raumpith for to bite; [ 2780] And hath, to-fore this tyme, .v.C men & mo Devourid & I-ete, þat therforth have I-goo. Ȝit shalt þowe pas suyrly, so þow do as I tełł. The tre I told to-fore, þat round as any bełł [ 2784] [But if you touch a branch of the fair Tree, you'll be quite safe.] Berith bowe & braunce, traylyng to þe ground, And þow touch oon of hem, þow art saff & sound; The tre hath such vertu, ther shałł no þing þe dere: Loke þat be þe first, when þow comyst there. [ 2788] "Then shalt þowe se an entre, by the ferther syde; [On the further side is a passage] Thouȝe it be streyt to-fore, Inner large & wyde It growith more & more, & as a dentour wriythe; Ȝit wołł that wey the bryng þere þat Isope lijth, [ 2792] [that 'll bring you to Isope's room.] Into the feyrest Chambir þat evir man sawe with eye.

When thow art ther-with-in, govern̄ þe wisely; ffor, ther shalt thow here[n] al thyn enpechement [There you shall hear your im∣peachment stated.] Opynly declarid, in Isopis present. [ 2796] Report hem wele, & kepe hem in thy mynde; And aftir thy relacioune, wee shałł so turn̄ & wend, [Then tell it me, and we'll settle our defence.'] Thurh help of God a-bove, such help for to make, [ 2799] That they shułł be a-combrit, & we ryȝt wel to scape." "Now in soth," quod Beryn, "a mannys hertis may grise [Beryn declines to go to Isope.] Of such wondir weyis! for al my marchandise I had levir lese, then oppon me take Such a wey to pas." "then, sir/, for yeur/ sake [ 2804] [So Geffrey says he'll go,] I wołł my selff," quod Geffrey: "sith I am ensuryd To help the with my power, þowe shalt be a-myrid As ferforth as I may; þat I wołł do my peyn To bryng ȝewe plesaunt tyding, & retourn ageyn, [ 2808] [and be back by cockcrow.] Ȝit or þe Cok crowe; & therfor let me se, Whils I am out, how mery yee can be." Geffrey tok his leve: but who was sory tho, [Geffrey starts; and Beryn and his men begin to mope and groan:] But Beryn, & his company? for, when he was go, [ 2812] Thé had no maner ioy; but dout, & hevynes; ffor of his repeyryng they had no sikirnes. [leaf 218, back] So every man to othir made his compleynt, And wisshid þat of felony they had been atteynt; [ 2816] And so hem þouȝt [it] bettir, to end[en] hevynes, Then every day to lak[ke] brede atte first[e] mes: "ffor when our/ good is go, what shałł fal of vs? [The men 'll take our goods and then make slaves of us.] Evir to be hir/ thrallis, & paraventure wers, [ 2820] To lese our/ lyff[es] aftir, yf wee displese hem ouȝt:" Aftir Geffrey went, this was al hir/ þouȝt Thurhout þe nyȝte, tiłł Cokkis gan to syng. But then encresid anguyssh; hir/ hondis gan to wryng; And cursid wind [MS 'wyne.'] & watir þat hem brouȝt[e] ther; [ 2825] [Curse the wind and water that brought us here!] And wisshid many tymes that [t]he[y] [AS. hi = they.] had been in bere, And were a-passid, & entrid in-to [grete] dispeyr. In as much as Geffrey did nat [sone] repeir, [ 2828]

Eche man seyd to othir, 'it myȝt nat be I-nayid, But Geffrey had vttirlich falsly hem betrayed:' Thurh-out ałł the long nyȝte [this was hir compleynt,] They wisshid þat of felony they had been atteynt. [ 2832] Tho went they to consełł, a litiłł tofore þe day, And were ałł accordit for to sayłł a-way; [We'll sail off home.'] And so hem þouȝt[e] bettir, & leve hir good[is] ther, Then a-byde ther-oppon, & have more fere. [ 2836] They made hir/ takelyng redy, & wend þe saiłł a-cros, [They get ready to start, and turn their sails across the masts.] ffor to save hir/ lyvis, & set nat of hir/ los, So sore they were a-drad to be in servitute, And hopid God above wold send hem som refute [ 2840] By som othir costis, ther wynd hem wold[e] bryng. And ther-withałł cam Geffrey, on his stilt lepeing, [Just then comes Geffrey to the shore.] And cried wondir fast by the watir syde. When Beryn herd Geffrey, he bad his men a-byde, [ 2844] [Beryn sends out a boat for him.] And to launch out a bote, & brynge Geffrey in; "ffor he may more a-vaiłł me now þen al my kyn, And he be trewe & trusty, as myne hope is." But ȝit ther-of had Beryn̄ no ful sikirnes. [ 2848] These Romeyns fet in Geffrey with an hevy cher; [The Romans fetch him in, tho' they believe he'll betray 'em.] ffor they had levir saille forth, þen put[ten] hem in were, Both lyve & goodis; & eviłł suspecioune They had of þis Geffrey: wherfor þey gon roune, [ 2852] Talking to eche othir, "þis man wołł vs be-tray." [leaf 219] Geffrey wist wel I-nowȝe he was nat to hir pay; [Geffrey is wroth, throws his crutches away,] And for verry angir he threw in-to þe see Both stilt & eke his cruch, þat made were of tre, [ 2856] And gan hem to comfort, & seid in this manere: "Benedicite, Beryn! why make yee such chere? [and reproaches Beryn for being so low-spirited for nothing.] ffor, & yee wexe hevy, what shułł yeur men do But take ensaumpiłł of ȝewe? & have no cause to; [ 2860] ffor ȝit, or it be eve, yeur aduersarijs alle I shałł make hem spurn, & have a sore falle; ['I'll upset your opponents, and get damages out of 'em too.] And yee go quyte, & al yeur/ good, & have[n] of hirs too; And þey to be ryȝt feyn, for to scape so, [ 2864]

Without[en] more daunger, & yeur/ wille be. ffor of the lawis her, such is the equyte, [For if a plaintiff loses, he must pay the defendant the same money that he brought his action for.] That who pursu[ith] othir, & his pleynt be wrong, He shałł make a-mendis, be he nevir so strong: [ 2868] Riȝt as shuld þe todir, yf he condempnyd were, Riȝt so shałł þe pleyntyff, riȝt as I ȝew lere; And þat shałł [I sone] preve by hem, have yee no doute, Ȝit or it be eve, riȝt low to ȝew to loute, [ 2872] And submit hem to ȝew, & put hem in yeur/ grace, [I'll bring your opponents on to their knees. Let's have some dinner.'] By þat tyme I have I-made al my wanlase. And in hope to spede wele, let shape vs for to dyne." Geffrey axid watir, & sith[then] brede & wyne; [ 2876] And seit, "it is holsom to breke our fast be-tyme; ffor þe Steward wol to þe court atte hour/ of pryme." [They dine before prime (9 A.M.).] The sonne gan to shyne, & shope a feir[e] day; But, for auȝt þat Geffrey coud[e] do or say, [ 2880] These Romeyns spekyn fast, al the dyner while, [Beryn's shipmen distrust Geffrey,] 'That Geffrey with his sotiłł wordis wold hem [al] begile.' So when they had I-dyned, þey rysen vp echoon, [ 2883] And drew hem [þo] to counsełł, what was best to doon. Som seyd, "the best[e] rede þat wee do may, [and some propose to throw him overboard.] To throwe Geffrey ovir þe bord, & seylle forth our way." But, for drede of Beryn, som [ne] wold nat so; Ȝit the more party assentid wele ther-to. [ 2888] Geffrey, & Beryn, & worthy Romeyns tweyn̄, [leaf 219, back] Stood a-part with-in the shipp, to Geffrey gan to seyn̄; "Beryn, beth avisid! yeur/ men beth in distaunce; Sith yee been her soveren, put hem in governaunce; [ 2892] ffor me thinkith they holdith, contrary opynyoun̄; And grace faylith comynlych, wher is dyvisioun̄." In the meen[e] while þat they gan thus to stryve, [Meantime, Hany∣bald sees that Beryn's ships have their sails across, ready to start.] Hanybald was vp, & I-com as blyve [ 2896] To the brigg of þe town̄, ther the Shippis rood, And herd [hem make] much noyse; but litil while he bood, ffor when he sawe the saylis stond[en] al a-cros, "Alas!" quod this hanybald, "her growith a smert los

To me, þat am prouost; & have in charge & hest [ 2901] Ałł these fyve Shippis vndir myne arest;" And ran in-to the toun̄, & made an hidouse cry, [So he calls the citizens (1000 of 'em) to arms] And chargit al the Cetezins to armys for to hy, [ 2904] ffrom o strete tiłł a-nothir, & rerid vp al þe town̄; And made the trompis blowe vp, & [made] þe bellis soun̄; And seyd[e] 'þat þe Romeyns were in poynt to pas;' [to stop Beryn going.] Til ther were a þowsand—rathir mo þen les— [ 2908] Men I-armyd cleen, walking to þe Strond. When Beryn hem a-spied: "now, Geffrey! in thy honde [Beryn sees 'em, and puts himself altogether in Geffrey's hands.] Stont lyff & goodis! doth with vs what the list; ffor ałł our hope is on the, comfort, help, & trist. [ 2912] ffor we must bide aventur, such as God wołł shape ffor nowe I am in certen we mow no wise scape." "Have no dout," quod Geffrey, "beth mery; let me a-loon: [Geffrey bids the men clip off his beard and hair.] Getith a peir sisours, sherith my berd a-noon; [ 2916] And aftirward lete top my hede; hast[i]lych & blyve!" Som went to with sesours, som [to] with a knyfe; So what for sorowe & hast, & for lewd[e] tole, [They do, and make him look like a regular Fool.] Ther was no man a-lyve, bet like to a fole, [ 2920] Then Geffrey was. by þat tyme þey had al I-do, Hanybald clepid out Beryn, to motehałł for to go; And stood oppon the brigg, with an huge route. Geffrey was the first, to hanybald gan to loute, [ 2924] [Geffrey begins to joke:] And lokid out a fore Shipp: "God bles ȝew, sir!" quod he. "Wher art þow now, Beryn? com nere! be-hold & se! ['Look at these Falsetown fellows in arms.] Her is an huge pepiłł I-rayd & in-dight; [leaf 220] Ałł these been my children, þat been in armys bryȝte; Ȝistirday I gate hem: [is it] nat mervaiłł [ 2929] That þey been hidir I-com, to be of our counsaiłł, And to stond[en] by vs, & help vs in our ple. [They're going to help us! Bless ye, my children!'] A! myne owne childryn, blessid mut ye be!" [ 2932] Quod Geffrey, with an hiȝe voise, & had a nyce visage, And gan to daunce for Ioy, in the fore stage. [Geffrey dances.] Hanybald lokid on Geffrey, as he were a-masid, And be-held his contenaunce, & howe he was I-rasid;

But evir more he þouȝt[e], þat he was a fole [ 2937] [Hanybald takes Geffrey for a real Fool,] Naturełł of kynde, & had noon othir tool, As semed by his wordis & his visage both; And þouȝt it had been foly to wex[e] with hym wroth; And gan to bord ageyn, & axid hym in game, [ 2941] "Sith þow art our ffadir, who is then our dame? [and asks him who got all his children.] And howe, & in what plase, were wee be-gete?" "Ȝistirday," quod geffrey, "pleying in the strete [ 2944] ['Yesterday,] Atta gentiłł game þat clepid is the 'quek,' A longe peny halter was cast about my nekk, [as I was going to be hung,] And I-knet [ful] fast with a ryding knot, And cast ovir a perche & hale a-long my throte." [ 2948] "Was þat a game," quod hanybald, "for to hang þy selve?" "So þey seyd a-bout me, a Mł ech by hym selff." "How scapiddist þow," quod hanybald, "þat þow wer nat dede?" "Ther-to can I answere, without[en] eny rede: [ 2952] I bare thre disë, in myne owne purs,— [I threw my 3 dice;] ffor I go nevir without, fare I bettir or wors,— I kist hem forth al thre, & too fil amys ase. [2 fell double aces;] But here now what fiłł aftir! riȝt a mervolouse case! [ 2956] Ther cam a mows lepe forth, & ete þe þird[e] boon, [a mouse eat-up the third, which puft her up, and out of her and me came all yon 1000 children!'] That puffid out hir skyn, as grete as she myȝt goon; And in this maner wise, of þe mouse & me Ałł yee be I-com, my children fair & fre. [ 2960] And ȝit, or it be eve, fałł wol such a chaunce, To stond[en] in my power/ ȝew alle to Avaunce; [leaf 220, back] ffor, & wee plede wele to day, we shułł be riche I-nowȝe." Hanybald [þo] of his wordis hert[i]lich[e] louȝe; [ 2964] [The Falsetowners laugh heartily.] And so did al þat herd hym, as þey myȝte wele, And had[de] grete Ioy, with hym for to telle; ffor þey knewe[n] hym noon othir but a fole of kynde; And al was his discrecioune; & þat previd þe ende. [ 2968] Thus whils Geffrey Iapid, to make hir hertis liȝte, Beryn & his company wer rayid & I-diȝte, [Beryn and his men land.] And londit hem in botis, ferefułł howe to spede;

ffor ałł hir/ þouȝtis in balance stode, be-twene hope & drede; But ȝit they did hir/ peyn to make liȝtsom chere, [ 2973] As Geffrey hem had enfourmed, of port & al manere Of hir governaunce, al the longe day, Tyłł hir/ plee wer endit. so went they forth hir wey, [They go towards the Court.] To the court with hanybald. then Beryn gan to sey, [ 2977] "What nedith this, sir hanybald, to make such aray? ['Why all these armed men?' says Beryn.] Sith wee been pese-marchantis, & vse no spoliacioune." "ffor soth[e] sir," quod hanybald, "to me was made relacioun̄ ['Because you were going to bolt.] Yee were in poynt to void; & yef ye had do so, [ 2981] Yee had[de] lost yeur lyvis, with-out[e] wordis mo." [And if you'd done it, you'd have lost your lives.'] Beryn held hym stiłł. Geffrey spak a-noon; "No les wed þen lyvis! whi so, good sir Iohn̄? [ 2984] That were som-what to much, as it semeith me; But ye be ovir-wise, þat dwełł in this Cete; ffor yee have be-gonne a thing makith ȝewe riȝte bold; And ȝit, or it be eve, as folis shul ye be hold. [ 2988] ['Bolt! Pooh!' says Geffrey.] And eke yee devyne [nat] for-in [MS 'in,' blotted out (? divine not foreign shipmen's craft)] Shipmannys crafft, ['You know nothing about ships!'] And wotith litiłł what longith to, a-fore þe Shipp, & bafft, And namelich in the dawnyng, when shipmen first arise." "My good ffrend," quod hanybald, in a scornyng wise, ['Don't I?' says Hanybald.] "Ye must onys enfourm̄ me, þurh yeur/ discrecioun̄; [ 2993] But first ye must answer to a questioun̄: 'Why make men cros-saiłł in myddis of þe mast'?" ['Why did you set your sails across the mast?' 'To tallow the ship.'] [Gef.] "ffor to talowe þe shipp, & fech[e] more last." [ 2996] [Han.] "Why goon the ȝemen to bote, Ankirs to hale?" [leaf 221] [Gef.] "ffor to make hem redy to walk to þe Ale." [Han.] "Why hale they vp stonys by the crane lyne?" [Gef.] "To make the tempest sese, & the sonne shyne." [Han.] "Why close they the port with the see bord?" ['Why did you close your port∣holes?'] [Gef.] "ffor the mastir shuld a-wake atte first[e] word." ['To wake the master.'] [Han.] "Thow art a redy reve," quod hanybald, "in fay." [Gef.] "Yee sir/ trewly, for sothe is þat yee sey." [ 3004] Geffrey evir clappid, as doith a watir myłł, [So Geffrey chaffs Hanybald.] And made hanybald to lauȝe al his hert[e] fełł.

"Beryn," quod this Geffrey, "retourn thy men ageyn̄; [Geffrey chaffs Beryn too,] What shułł they do with the at court? no man on hem pleyn̄. [ 3008] Plede thy case thy selve, riȝt as þow hast I-wrouȝt; To bide with the Shippis my purpos is, & þouȝt." "Nay for-soth," quod hanybald, "þow shalt a-byde on lond; Wee have no folis but the," & toke hym by þe hond, [ 3012] "ffor thow art wise in lawe to plede[n] al the case." "That can I bettir," quod Geffrey, "þen eny man in this plase! [and then Hany∣bald.] What seyst þow therto, Beryn? shałł I tełł thy tale?" Hanybald likid his wordis wele, & forward gan hym hale. Beryn made hym angry, & siȝhid wondir sore, [ 3017] [Beryn gets angry,] ffor Geffrey hym had enfourmyd of euery poynt to-fore, How he hym shuld govern ałł the longe day. Geffrey chasid hym ageyn̄: "sey me ȝe or nay! [ 3020] Maystowe nat I-here speke som maner word?" "Leve thy blab, lewd fole! me likith nat thy bord! [and calls Geffrey a stupid fool.] I have a-nothir þouȝt," quod Beryn̄, "wherof þowe carist lite." "Clepeist þow me a fole?" quod Geffrey; "al þat I may þe wite! ['Fool, indeed!] [ 3024] But first, when wee out of Rome saillid both in fere, Tho I was thy felawe & thy partynere; [I used to be your partner; tho' you've now bag'd all the goods.'] ffor tho the marchandise was more þen halff[e] myne; And sith þat þowe com hidir, þowe takeist al for thyne. But ȝit or it be eve, I wołł make oon be-hest; [ 3029] But þowe have my help, thy part shal be [the] lest." "Thyn help!" quod Beryn; "lewde fole, þow art more þen masid! ['Fool! get back to the ship!' says Beryn.] Dres the to þe Shippis ward, with thy crown̄ I-rasid; ffor I myȝt nevir spare the bet! trus! & be a-goo!" [ 3033] "I wol go with the," quod Geffrey, "wher þow wolt or no; [leaf 221, back] And lern to plede lawe, to wyn both house & londe." ['No, I won't,' says Geffrey; 'I'll plead and win for you.'] "So þow shalt," quod hanybald, & led hym by the honde, And leyd his hond oppon his nek: but, & he had I-knowe

Whom he had led, in sikirnes he had wel levir in snowe [Hanybald is glad.] Have walkid xl myle, & rathir then faiłł more; [But he's sorry ere eve.] ffor he wisshid that Geffrey had I-be vnbore [ 3040] fful offt-tyme in that day, or the ple were do; And so did al þat wrouȝt[e] Beryn shame & woo. ¶ Now, yee þat list a-bide, & here of sotilte, Mow knowe how þat Beryn sped [there] in his ple, [ 3044] And [eke] in what aray, [un]to the court he went; And howe hanybald led Geffrey, disware of his entent. [Hanybald asks Geffrey his name.] But ȝit he axid of Geffrey, "what is þy name, I prey?" "Gylhochet," quod Geffrey, "men clepid me ȝistirday." ['Gylhochet.'] "And wher weer þow I-bore?" "I note, I make a-vowe," ['Where were you born?'] Seyd Geffrey to this hanybald, "I axe þat of ȝewe; ['I don't know.'] ffor I can tełł no more, but her I stond [as] nowe." Hanybald of his wordis hert[i]lich[e] lowȝe, [ 3052] And held hym for a passing fole to serve[n] eny lord. [So they chaff on.] Thus þey romyd Ianglyng in-to þe court ward; But, or they com ther, the Steward was I-set, [They find the Steward in court, and the plaintiffs striving as to who's to have Beryn's goods.] And the grettest of þe town̄, a company I-met, [ 3056] And gon to stryve fast, who shuld have þe good That com[en] was with Beryn ovir þe salt flood. Som seyd oon, & som seyde a-nothir; Som wold have the Shippis, þe parełł, & þe rothir; [ 3060] Som his eyen, som his lyff wold have, & no les; Or els he shuld[e] for hem fyne, or [that] he did pas. And in the mene whils they wer in this afray, Beryn & these romeyns were com in good aray [ 3064] [Beryn and his men, in dyed woollen robes, sit down.] As myȝt be made of wołł, and of colour greynyd: They toke a syde bench þat for hem was ordeyned. ¶ When ałł was husst & stiłł, Beryn rose a-noon, And stode in the myddis of þe hal to-fore hem everychon̄; [He says he has come to answer the charges against him.] And seyd, "sir/ Steward, in me shałł be no let: [ 3069] I am I-com to answer, as my day is set; [leaf 222] Do me ryȝte & reson! I axe ȝewe no more." "So shałł [I]," quod the Steward, "for þerto I am swore."

¶ "He shałł have ryȝt," quod Geffrey, "wher þow wolt or no. [Geffrey chaffs the judge Evander.] ffor, & þow mys onys thy Iugement on-do, I wołł [un]to þe Emperour of Rome, my cosyn̄; ffor of o cup he & I ful offt have dronk þe wyne, [ 3076] And ȝit wee shułł her-aftir, as offt[en] as wee mete, ffor he is long the gladder, when I send hym to grete." Thus Geffrey stode oppon a fourm̄, for he wold be sey Above ałł othir, the shuldris, & [therto have] the cry; And starid al a-boute, with his lewd[e] berd, [ 3081] And was I-hold a verry fole of ech man [þat] hym herd. The Steward, & þe officers, & þe burgeyssis alle, Lauȝhid at hym hert[i]lich; the criour gan to calle [ 3084] [The Crier calls the first plaintiff, the Burgess Syrophane.] The Burgeys þat had pleyd with Beryn atte ches; And he aros [ful] quiklich, & gan hym for to dres A-fore the Steward atte barr, as þe maner is. He gan to tełł his tale with grete redynes; [ 3088] "Here me, sir Steward! þis day is me set, To have ryght & reson—I ax[e] ȝewe no bet,— Of Beryn, þat here stondith; þat with me ȝistirday [and he states that Beryn agreed, if he were mated at chess, to do as his victor bade him, or drink all the salt water in the sea.] Made a certen covenaunt, & atte ches we did pley; [ 3092] 'That who-so were I-matid of vs both[e] too, Shuld do the todirs byddyng; & yf he wold nat so, He must drynke al the watir þat salt wer in the se'; Thus I to hym [en]surid, and he also to me. [ 3096] To preve my tale trewe, I am nat al aloon." Vp rose .x. Burgeysis [ful] quyklich a-noon, [10 Burgesses swear it's true.] And affermyd evir[y] word of his tale soth; And made[n] hem al redy for to do hir othe. [ 3100] Evandir the Steward, "Beryn, now," quod he, [Evander calls on Beryn to answer.] "Thow must answere nede; it wol noon othir be; Take thy counsełł to the: spede on! have I doon." [After this comes in the MS a repetition of the last line: "Thow must answere nede it may noon othir be."] Beryn held hym stiłł: Geffrey spak a-noon: [ 3104] ¶ "Now be my trowith," quod Geffrey, "I mervełł much of ȝewe [leaf 222, back]

To bid vs go to counsełł! & knowith me wise I-nowȝ, [Geffrey says, 'I'm quite ready to answer,] And evir ful avisid, In twynkelyng of an eye To make a short answer, but yf my mowith be dry. [ 3108] Shuld wee go to counsełł for o word or tweyn̄? Be my trowith we nyl! let se mo that pleyn̄! [but I want to hear all the plaintiffs first.] And but he be I-answerd, & þat riȝt a-noon, I ȝeve ȝewe leve to rise, & walk out every-choon, [ 3112] And a-spy[en] redely yf ye fynd me ther. In the meen[e] whils, I wol a-bide here. Nay, I telle trewly, I am wiser þen yee ween; [I'm wiser than you think.'] ffor þere nys noon of ȝewe woot redely what I meen." Every man gan lawȝe al his hert[e] fiłł, [ 3117] [They laugh at Geffrey;] Of Geffrey & his wordis; but Beryn held hym stiłł, And was cleen astonyd,—but ȝit, ner þe lattir, He held it nat al foly þat Geffrey did[e] clatir, [ 3120] But wisely hym governyd, as Geffrey hym tauȝte, ffor parcełł of his wisdom, to-fore he had[de] smaught. "Sir Steward," quod Beryn, "I vndirstond [right] wele [but Beryn too asks for another plaintiff to come on.] The tale of þis Burgeyse; now let a-nothir tel, [ 3124] That I may take counsełł, & answer al attonys." "I graunt[e]," quod the Steward, thyn axing for þe nonys, "Sith þow wolt be rewlid by þy folis rede, ffor he is ryȝte a wise man to help the in thy nede." [ 3128] Vp a-rose the accusours queynt[e]lich a-noon; Hanybald was the first of hem evirichon̄, [So, 2. Hanybald states his case:] And gan to tełł his tale with a proud[e] chere: "Ȝistirday, [my] soverens, when [þat] I was here, [ 3132] Beryn & thes Burgeyse gon to plede fast ffor pleying atte ches; so ferforth atte last, Thurh vertu of myne office, þat I had in charge ['Beryn's 5 ships were put into my charge,] Beryns fyve Shippis, for to go at large, [ 3136] And to be in answere here þis same day: So, walkyng to the Strondward, wee bargeynyd by the [leaf 223] wey That I shuld have the marchaundise þat Beryn with hym brouȝte, [and we agreed that I should have his cargoes,]

(Wherof I am sesid, as ful sold and bouȝte,) [ 3140] [and he have 5 loads of such of my goods as he'd seen in my stores.] In covenaunt that I shuld his shippis fiłł ageyn̄ Of my marchaundise, such as he to-fore had seyn̄ In myne owne plase, howsis to or thre, fful of marchandise as they myȝt[e] be. [ 3144] And I am evir redy! when-so-evir he wołł Let hym go, or sende, & charge his Shippis fułł [Let him then take what he can find.'] Of such[e] marchandise as he fyndith there: ffor, in such[e] wordis, wee accordit were." [ 3148] Vp rose .x. burgeysis,—not tho þat rose to-fore, [Ten Burgesses swear it's all true.] But oþir,—& made hem redy to have swore That every word of hanybald, from þe begynnyng to þe ende, Was soth & eke trewe; & with ałł hir/ mende [ 3152] fful prest they were to preve; & seyd þey were present Atte covenaunte makeing, by God omnipotent. ¶ "It shałł [nat] nede," quod Geffrey, "whils þat I here stonde; [Geffrey chaffs.] [ 3155] ffor I wołł preve[n] it my self with my [own] riȝt honde. ffor I have been in foure batellis herto-fore, And this shałł be the ffifft; & therfor I am swore; Be-holdith, & seith!" & turnyd hym aboute. The Steward & þe Burgeyse gamyd al aboute, [ 3160] The Romens held hem stiłł, & lawuȝid but a lite. With that cam the blynd man, his tale to endite, [3. Comes the Blind Man,] That God hym graunte wynnyng, riȝte as he hath a-servid. Beryn & his company stood[en] al a-stryvid [ 3164] Be-twene hope & drede, riȝte in hiȝe distres; ffor of wele or of woo þey had no sikirnes. "Beryn," quod this blynd, "þouȝe I may nat se, [and says, 'Beryn, you're keeping my two eyes that I lent you only for a time.] Stond nere ȝit the barr, my comyng is for the, [ 3168] That wrongfullich[e] þowe witholdist my both to eyen, The wich I toke the for a tyme. & quyklich to me hyen, And take hem me ageyn, as our covenant was. Beryn! I take no reward of othir mennys case, [ 3172] But oonlich of myne own̄, that stont me most an hond. [leaf 223, back] Nowe blessid be God in heven, þat brouȝt þe to this lond!

ffor sith our/ laste parting, many bittir teris Have I lete for thy love, þat som tyme partineris [ 3176] [You were once my partner,] Of wynnyng & of lesing were, ȝeris fele; And evir I fond the trewe; til at the last þow didist stele [and a true one till you stole my eyes that I lent you to see the jugglers' tricks.] A-wey with my too eyen, that I toke to the, To se the tregitour[i]s pley, & [al] hir/ sotilte; [ 3180] As ȝistirday, here in this same plase, To-fore ȝewe, sir/ Steward, rehersid as it was. fful trewe is that byword, 'a man to seruesabiłł, Ledith offt[e] beyard from his owne stabiłł.' [ 3184] Beryn! by the, I meen, þouȝe þowe make it straunge; ffor þow knowist trewly þat I made no chaunge [I didn't change eyes with you.'] Of my good eyen, for thyne þat badder were." Ther-with stood vp burgeys four/, witnes to bere. [ 3188] [Four Burgesses swear it's all true.] Beryn held hym stiłł, & Geffrey spak a-noon: "Nowe of þy lewde compleynt, & thy masid moon, [Geffrey chaffs the blind man:] By my trowith," quod Geffrey, "I have grete mervaiłł. ffor þouȝe þow haddist eyen-sight, [y]it shuld it litil avaiłł; ['Lucky for you that you haven't your eyes; for you keep honest now.] Thow shuldist nevir fare þe bet, but þe wors in fay; [ 3193] ffor al thing may be stil [i]nowe for the in house & way; And yf thow haddist þyn eyen, þowe woldist no counsełł hele; [If you had your eyes, you'd be always thieving.'] I knowe wele by thy fisnamy, thy kynd [it] were to stele; And eke it is thy profite, and thyne ese also, [ 3197] To be blynd as þowe art. for nowe, wher-so þow go, Thow hast thy lyvlode, whils þow art alyve; And yf þowe myȝtist see, þow shuldist nevir thryve." [ 3200] Al the house þurh-out, save Beryn & his feris, Lawȝid [þo] of Geffrey, þat watir on hir leris [The people laugh.] Ran downe from hir/ eyen, for his masid wit. [ 3203] ¶ With that cam þe vomman,—hir/ tunge was nat sclytt,— [4. Comes the Deserted Wife, with her child.] With xv burgeysis, & vommen also fele, Hir querełł for to preve, & Beryn to A-pele, With a feire knave child I-loke within hir armys; And gan to tełł hir/ tale of wrongis & of Armys, [ 3208] [leaf 224] [MS al.]

And eke of [grete] vnkyndnes, vntrowith & falshede, That Beryn had I-wrouȝt to hir; þat queyntlich from hir ȝede [The Deserted Wife swears that Beryn is her hus∣band, and that he deserted her directly he'd got her with child.] Anoon oppon hir wedding, when he his wiłł had doon, And brouȝt [had] hir/ with child, & lete her sit aloon [ 3212] Without[en] help & comfort from þat day; "& noweȝ He proferid me nat to kis[sen] onys with his mowith;— As ȝistirday, sir Steward, afore ȝewe eche word Was [fułł] rehersid here; my pleynt is of record;— [ 3216] And this day is me set, for to have reson: Let hym make a-mendis, or els tełł encheson̄ Why hym ouȝt nat fynd[e] me, as man ouȝt his wyffe." These fifftene Burgeysis, quyklich also blyve, [ 3220] [Fifteen Burgesses swear it's true.] And as fele vymmen as stode by hir ther, Seyd that they were present when they weddit were; And that every word þat þe vomman [[MS vommen]] seyde Was trewe, & eke [þat] Beryn had hir so be-trayd. [ 3224] "Benedicite!" quod Geffrey, "Beryn! hast þowe a wyff ? [Geffrey chaffs Beryn about his wife and heir,] Now have God my trowith, the dayis of my lyff I shałł trust the þe las! þow toldist me nat to-fore As wele of thy wedding, & of thy sone I-bore. [ 3228] Go to, & kis hem both, thy wyff & eke thyn heir! [tells him to kiss 'em,] Be þow nat a-shamyd, for þey both be feyr! This wedding was riȝt pryvy; but I shal make it couthe: Be-hold thy sone! it semeth crope out of þy mowith; [ 3232] And eke of thy condicioune both sofft & some. Now am I glad þyne heir shałł [wend] with vs to Rome; [take his boy to Rome, and Geffrey 'll teach him to be a tanner,] And I shałł tech hym, as I can, whils þat he is ȝong Every day by the strete to gadir houndis doung; [ 3236] Tyłł it be abiłł of prentyse to crafft of tan[e]ry [Tannery. Urry prints 'Taverner [underlined in the MS for omission] taury.'] ; And aftir I shałł teche hym for to cache a fly, And to mend[e] mytens, when they been to-tore, [glover,] And aftir to cloute shoon, when he is elder more: [ 3240] [cobbler,] Ȝit, for his parentyne, to pipe, as doith a mowse,

I wołł hym tech, & for to pike a snayłł out of his house; [leaf 224, back] And to berk, as doith an hound, & sey 'baw bawe!' [ 3243] [and to bark,] And turne round a-boute, as a Cat doith with a strawe; And to blete as doith a shepe, & ney as doith an hors, [bleat, neigh, low, &c.] And to lowe as doith a Cowe; & as myne owne corps I wołł cherissh hym every day, for his modirs sake;" And gan to stapp[e] nere, the child to have I-take, [ 3248] [Geffrey tries to get hold of the child; but the mother won't let him.] As semyd by his contenaunce, al-þouȝe he þouȝt nat [MS nat nat] so. Butte modir was evir ware, & blenchid to & fro, And leyd hir hond be-twene, & lokid som-what wroth; And Geffrey in pure wrath beshrewid hem al bothe; [ 3252] "ffor by my trowith," quod Geffrey, "wel masid is thy pan! [Geffrey tells her she's mad.] ffor I wołł teche thy sone the craftis þat I can, That he in tyme to com myȝt wyn[nen] his lyvlood. To wex[en] therfor angry, þow art verry wood! [ 3256] Of husbond, wyff, & sone, by the Trynyte I note wich is the wisest of hem al[le] thre!" "No, sothly," quod the Steward, "it lijth al in þy nołł, [The Steward chaffs him.] Both[e] wit & wisdom̄, & previth by þy połł." [ 3260] ffor al be [it] that Geffrey wordit sotilly, The Steward & þe burgeysis held it for foly, Al that evir he seyd, & toke it for good game, And had ful litiłł knowlech he was Geffrey þe lame. [ 3264] Beryn & his company stode stiłł as Stone, [Beryn and his men fear] Be-twene hope & drede, disware how it shuld goon; Saff Beryn trist in party þat Geffrey wold hym help; But ȝit in-to þat hour he had no cause to ȝelpe, [ 3268] Wherfor þey made much sorow, þat dole was, & pete. [and sorrow.] Geffrey herd hym siȝe sore; "what deviłł is ȝewe?" quod he; [Geffrey says, 'What the devil's the matter?] "What nede ȝew be sory, whil[e]s I stonde here? Have I nat enfourmyd ȝewe, how & in what manere [ 3272] [Haven't I told you how I'll help you?'] That I ȝew wold[e] help, & bryng hem in the snare? Yf yee coude plede as wele as I, ful litiłł wold yee care.

Pluke vp thy hert!" quod Geffrey; "Beryn! I speke to the!" ['Pluck up your heart, Beryn!'] "Leve þy blab[ir] leude!" quod Beryn to hym a-ye, [ 3276] "It doith no thing a-vaiłł! þat sorowe com on thy hede! [leaf 225] It is nat worth a fly, al þat þowe hast seyde! Have wee nat els nowe for to thynk oppon, Saff her to Iangiłł?" machyn rose a-noon, [ 3280] [5. Macaigne] And wentto the barr, & gan to tełł his tale: He was as fals as Iudas, þat set[te] Criste at sale. "Sir/ Steward," quod this machyn, "& þe burgeysis ałł, Knowith wele howe melan, with purpiłł & with pałł, [ 3284] [charges Beryn with having murdered his (Macaigne's) father Melan.] And othir marchandise, seven ȝere ago Went toward[is] Rome; & howe þat I also Have enquerid sith, as reson wołł, & kynde, Syth he was my ffadir, to knowe[n] of his ende. [ 3288] ffor ȝit sith his departyng, til it was ȝistirday, Met I nevir creature þat me coude wissh or say Reedynes of my ffadir, dede othir a-lyve. But, blessid be God in heven! in this thevis sclyve [ 3292] The knyff I gaff my ffadir was ȝistir-day I-found! ['The knife I gave my father was found in Beryn's sleeve. Here is the Cutler who made the knife.'] Sith I hym a-pele, let hym be fast I-bound! The knyff I knowe wel I-nowe; also þe man stont her, And dwellith in this town̄, & is a Cotelere, [ 3296] That made þe same knyff with his too hondis, That wele I woot þere is noon like, to sech al cristen londis; ffor .iij preciouse stonys been within the hafft Perfitlych I-couchid, & sotillich by crafft [ 3300] Endendit in the hafft, & þat riȝt coriously, A Saphir, & a salidone, & a rich ruby." The Coteler cam lepeing forth with a bold[e] chere, [The Cutler swears that Macaigne speaks truth.] And seyd[e] to the Steward: "þat [What, that which.] machyn told now here, Every word is trew; so beth the stonys sett; [ 3305] I made þe knyff my selff;—who myȝt know it bet?— And toke the knyff to Machyn, & he me pay[i]d wele,

So is this felon gilty; ther is no more to tełł." [ 3308] Vp arose burgeysis, by to, by iij., by .iiij, [Many burgesses swear they saw Macaigne] And seyd[e] 'þey were present, þe same tyme and hour, When Machone wept sore, & brouȝt his ffadirs gownd, [leaf 225, back] And gaff hym þe same knyff oppon the see stronde.' [ 3312] [give his father that knife. 'Any more plaints?' says Geffrey.] "Bethe ther eny mo pleyntis of record?" Quod Geffrey to the Steward. & he ageynward: "How semeth the, Gylhoget? beth þer nat Inowȝe? Make thyne answer, Beryn, case þat nat þow mowe; [ 3316] ffor oon or othir þow must sey, al-þouȝe it nat a-vaiłł; And but þowe lese or þowe go, me þinkith grete mervaiłł." Beryn goith to counsełł, & his company; [Beryn goes out for a consulta∣tion.] And Geffrey bode be-hynde, to here more, & se, [ 3320] And to shewe the Burgeyse som what of his hert, [Geffrey stays in court, and says he'll make the plaintiffs smart.] And seyd, "but I make the pleyntyfs for to smert, And al þat hem meyntenyth, for auȝt þat is I-seyd, I wołł graunte ȝewe to kut þe eris fro my hede. [ 3324] My mastir is at counsełł, but counsełł hath he noon; ffor, but I hym help, he is cleen vndoon. But I wołł help hym al þat I can, & meynten hym also By my power & connyng, so I am bound ther to. [ 3328] ffor I durst wage batełł with ȝewe, þouȝe yee be stronge, That my mastir is in the trowith, & yee be in the wrong: [They're in the wrong,] ffor, & wee have lawe, I ne hold ȝew but distroyed In yeur owne falshede, so be ye now a-spied. [ 3332] Wherfor ȝit or eve I shałł abate yeur pride; [and he'll make 'em glad to slink away.] That som of ȝew shałł be riȝt feyn̄ to sclynk a-wey & hyde." The Burgeysis gon to lawȝe, & scornyd hym ther-to. "Gylochet," quod Evander, "& þow cowdist so [ 3336] [They chaff Geffrey.] Bryng it þus about, it were a redy way." "He is a good fool," quod hanybald, "in fay, To put hym-selff a-loon in strengith, & eke in witt, Ageyn[e]s al the Burgeysis þat on þis bench[e] sit." [ 3340] ¶ "What clatir is this," quod machyn, "al day with a fole? [Macaigne says 'Stop fooling.] Tyme is nowe to worch[en] with som othir tole. ffor I am certeyn of hir/ answer þat they wolle faiłł;

And lyf for lyf of my ffadir, what may þat a-vaiłł? [ 3344] [I don't want Beryn's life.] Wherfor beth avisid, for I am in no doute, The goodis been sufficient to part[en] al aboute; [Let's share his goods!'] So may euery party pleyntyff have his part." [ 3347] [leaf 226] "That is reson," quod the blynd, "a trew[e] man þow art; ['Agreed,' says the Blind man.] And eke it were vntrowith, & eke grete syn, But ech of vs þat pleynyth myȝt[e] som-what wyn." Hanybald bote his lyppis, & herd hem both[e] wele; ['Steady,' says Hanybald;] "Towching the marchandise, o tale I shałł ȝew tełł, [ 3352] And eke make a-vowe, & hold[en] my behest, That of the marchandise yeur/ part shałł be [the] lest; ['Beryn's goods are all mine.'] ffor I have made a bargeyn, þat may nat be vndo; I wołł hold his covenaunt, & he shałł myne also." [ 3356] Vp roos quyklich the Burgeyse Syrophanes: "Hanybald," quod he, "the lawe goith by no lanys, [In the MS line 3352 is repeated here by mistake: "Towching the marchandise o tale I shalle ȝewe telle."] ['No such thing,' says Syrophanes,] But hold[ith] forth the streyt wey, even as doith a lyne; ffor ȝistirday when Beryn with me did dyne, [ 3360] I was the first persone þat put hym in a-rest; ['I first put him in arrest; you had his goods in charge for me.'] And, for he wold go large, þow haddist in charge & hest To sese both Shipp & goodis, til I were answerid; [ 3363] Then must I first be servid: þis knowith al men I-lerid." The vomman stode besidis, & cried wondir fast; [The Deserted Wife says, it's 'To pot with the last comer! eh?] "fful soth is þat byword, 'to pot, who comyth last!' He worst is servid; & so it farith by me: Ȝit nethirles, sir Steward, I trust to yeur/ leute, [ 3368] That knowith best my cause, & my trew entent; I ax[e] ȝewe no more but riȝtfułł Iugement. [But yet, as Beryn's my husband, I must share in the plunder.'] Let me have part with othir, sith he my husbond is: Good sirs, beth avisid! I axe ȝew nat a-mys." [ 3372] Thus they gon to stryve, & wer of hiȝe mode, ffor to depart a-mong hem othir mennys good, Wher they to-fore had nevir properte, Ne nevir shuld þere-aftir, by doom of equyte, [ 3376] But they had othir cause þen þey had tho.

Beryn was at counsełł; his hert[e] was ful woo, [Beryn and his men think Geffrey has betrayed 'em.] And his meyny sory, distrakt, & al a-mayide; [ 3379] ffor tho they levid noon othir, but Geffrey had hem trayde: Be-cause he was so long, they coude no maner rede; But everich[on] by hym-selff wisshid he had be dede: [leaf 226, back] "O myȝtfułł God!" þey seyd, "I trow, to-fore this day Was nevir gretter treson̄, fere, ne affray, [ 3384] I-wrouȝt on-to mankynde, þen now is to vs here; And namelich by this Geffrey with his sotil cher! So feithfulle he made it he wold vs help echone; ['We're in the mire, and he let's us lie there!'] And nowe we be I-myryd, he letith vs sit aloon!" [ 3388] "Of Geffrey," quod Beryn, "be as it be may: Wee mut answere nede; ther is noon oþir way; And therfor let me know yeur/ wit, & yeur/ counsaille." They wept, & wrong hir hondis, & gan to waiłłe [ 3392] [They weep and wail.] The tyme þat they wer bore; & shortly, of þe lyve The[y] wisshid þat þey were. with þat cam Geffrey blyve, [In comes Geffrey smiling,] Passing hem towardis, & be-gan to smyle. Beryn axid Geffrey, 'wher he had be al the while?' [ 3396] "Have mercy oppon vs! & help vs as þowe hiȝte!" "I wołł help ȝew riȝt wele, þurh grace of goddis myȝte; [promises help: 'they're quarrel∣ling how to share your goods,] And I can tełł ȝew tyding of hir/ governaunce: [ 3399] They stond in altircacioune & stryff in poynt to praunce To depart yeur goodis, & levith verryly That it were impossibiłł ȝewe to remedy. But hir hiȝe pryde & hir/ presumpcioune [but I'll floor their pride,] Shal be, ȝit or eve, hir/ confusioune; [ 3404] And to make a-mendis, ech man for his pleynt. [and make 'em pay for it.'] Let se therfor yeur/ good a-vise, howe þey myȝt be ateynt." The Romeyns stode stiłł, as who had shor hir hed. [The Romans say they'll trust to Beryn wholly,] "In feith," quod Beryn, "wee con no maner rede; [ 3408] But in God, & ȝewe, we submit vs ałł, Body, lyffe, & goodis, to stond[en] or to fałł; And nevir for to travers o word þat þow seyst: [and not deny a word he says.] Help vs, good Geffrey, as wele as þow maist!" [ 3412] "Depardeux," quod Geffrey, "& I wol do me peyn

To help ȝewe, as my connyng wol strech & a-teyn̄." ¶ The Romeyns wentto barr, & Geffrey al to-fore [Geffrey comes back into court, playing like a Fool.] With a nyce contenaunce, barefote, & to-tore, [ 3416] Pleyng with a ȝerd, he bare in his honde; And was evir wistlyng att euery pase comyng. [Read 'hande—comande,' for the rymes.] [leaf 227] The Steward & the Burgeysis had[de] game I-nowȝe [The Falsetown men laugh at him, chaff him, and think him a fool.] Of Geffreyis nyce comyng, & hert[i]lich[e] lowȝe; [ 3420] And eche man seyd, "Gylhochet, com nere! Thowe art ryȝt welcom, for þowe makist vs cher." "The same welcom," quod Geffrey, "þat yee wol vs, ffałł oppon yeur/ hedis, I prey to God, & wers!" [ 3424] They held hym for a verry fole, but he held hem [MS hym.] wel more: [But he soon makes fools of them.] And so he made hem in breff tyme, al-þouȝ þey wer nat shore. ¶ "Styntith nowe," quod Geffrey, "& let make pese! ['Now stop your jokes,' says Geffrey.] Of myrthis & of Iapis tyme is now to cese, [ 3428] And speke of othir mater þat wee have to doon: ffor & wee hewe a-mys eny maner spone, We knowe wele in certeyn what pardon wee shułł have: The more is [then] our/ nede vs to defend & save. [ 3432] My mastir hath bee at counsełł, & ful avisid is ['I'm going to answer for Beryn,] That I shałł have the wordis,—speke I wele or mys. Wherfor, [now] sir Steward, & yee burgeysis ałł, Sittith vp-ryȝt, & wrijth nat, for auntris þat may fałł. [ 3436] ffor, & yee deme vntrewly, or do vs eny wrong, [and if you don't judge fairly, Isope will be down on you.] Yee shułł be refourmyd, be ye nevir so strong, Of euery poynt and Iniury, & þat in grete hast, ffor he is nat vnknowe to vs, þat may ȝewe chast. [ 3440] Hold[ith] forthe the riȝt wey, & [go] by no side lanys! "And as towching the first pleyntyfe Syrophanes, [First, then, as to Syrophanes.] That pleyde with my mastir ȝistir-day atte ches, And made a certen covenaunte, 'who þat had þe wers In the last game, (al þouȝe I wer nat ther,) [ 3445] Shuld do the todirs bidding, what-so-evir it were, [The loser's to drink all the water that's salt in the sea.] Or drynk[en] al the watir þat salt were in the see;'

Thus, I trowe, sir Steward, ye wołł record þe ple: [ 3448] [Isn't that the plea?'] And yf I have Imyssid, in lettir, or in word, The lawe, wol I be rewlid aftir yeur record; ffor we be ful avisid in this wise to answere." Evander þe Steward, & al men þat were there, [ 3452] [(Evander and his fellows] Had merviłł much of Geffrey, þat spak so redely, Whose wordis ther[to]for semyd al foly, And were a-stonyed cleen, & gan [tho] for to drede: And euery man til othir lenyd with his hede, [ 3456] [leaf 227, back] And seyd, "he reportid the tale riȝt formally; He was no fool in certen, but wise, ware, & scly; [begin to think Geffrey is no fool.)] ffor he hath but I-Iapid vs, & scornyd her-to-fore; [ 3459] And wee have hold[en] hym a fole, but wee be wel more." Thus they stodied on Geffrey, & lauȝid þo riȝt nauȝt. When Geffrey had a-spied they were in such[e] þouȝt, And hir hertis trobelid, pensyff, & a-noyed, [ 3463] Hym list to dryv in bet þe nayłł, til they wer fully cloyid: "Soveren sirs!" he seyd, "sith þat it so is, ['Yes, your silence admits it.] That in reportyng of our ple yee fynd nothing a-mys, As previth wele yeur/ scilence; eke yee withseyith not O word of our/ tale, but [fynde it] clene without[en] spot; Then to our/ answer I prey ȝewe take hede; [ 3469] ffor wee wol sey[en] al the trowith, riȝt as it is in dede. ffor this is soth & certeyn̄, it may nat be withseyd, That Beryn, þat here stondith, was þus ovir-pleid [ 3472] [Well, it is true that Beryn lost the wager.] In the last game, when wagir was opon: But þat was his sufferaunce, as ye shul here a-noon. [But on purpose; for no one here can play chess so well as he.] ffor in al this Cete ther nys no maner man Can pley[en] bettir atte ches þen my mastir can; [ 3476] Ne bet þen I, þouȝe I it sey, can nat half so much. Ne how he lost it be his wiłł, the cause I wol teche: ffor ye wend, & ween, þat ye had hym engyned; But yee shul fele in every veyn þat ye be vndirmyned, And I-brouȝt at ground, & eke ovir-musid. [ 3481] "And a-ȝenst the first þat Beryn is acusid, Herith nowe entyntyflich: when wee wer on the see, [But, when we were at sea,]

Such a tempest on vs fiłł, þat noon myȝt othir se, [ 3484] [a terrible tempest over∣took us,] Of þundir, wynd, & liȝtenyng, & stormys ther a-mong; XV dayis duryng the tempest was so strong, That ech[e] man til othir began hym for to shryve, And made hir a-vowis, yf þey myȝte have þe lyve, [ 3488] Som to se the [MS the the.] sepulkir, & som to oþir plase, To sech[en] holy seyntis, for help & [eke] for grace; Som to fast, & do penaunce, & som do almys-dede; [ 3491] Tyl atte last, as God wold, a voise to vs seyde, [leaf 228] [and at last a voice said,] In our/ most turment, & desperate of mynde, 'That yf we wold be savid, my mastir must hym bynde, ["If you want to be saved, your Master must vow to drink all the salt water in the sea, without any fresh in it."] Be feith & eke by vowe, when he cam to londe, To drynke al the salt watir within the se stronde; [ 3496] Without drynkyng any sope of þe fressh watir;' And tauȝt hym al the sotilte, how & in what manere [And the voice told Beryn how to do this.] That he shuld wirch[en] by engyne, & by a sotiłł charm̄, To drynk[en] al the salt watir, & have hym-selff no harm̄; But stop the ffressh[e] Ryvers by euery cost[is] side, [ 3501] That they entir nat in the se þurh þe world[e] wyde. The voyse we herd, but nauȝt wee sawe; so wer our/ wit∣tis ravid: ffor this was [the] end fynally, yf we lust be savid. [ 3504] Wherfor my mastir Beryn, when he cam to this port, [So Beryn came here to perform his vow,] To his avowe & promys he made his first resort, Er that he wold[e] Bergeyn̄ any marchandise. And riȝt so doith these marchandis in the same wise, [ 3508] That maken hir/ a-vowis in saving of hir lyvis; They completyn hir pilgremagis or þey se hir wyvis. So mowe ye vndirstond, þat my mastir Beryn [and let Syro∣phanes check∣mate him,] Of fre wiłł was I-matid, as he þat was a pilgrym, [ 3512] And myȝt[e] nat perfourm̄ by many þowsand part His avowe & his hest, without riȝt sotil art, [because he hadn't money enough to pay for separating the salt water from the fresh. Let Syrophanes do this,] Without[en] help & strengith of many mennys myȝte. Sir Steward, & sir Burgeyse, yf we shul have riȝte, [ 3516] Sirophanes must do [the] cost & aventur,

To stopp al the ffressh Ryvers in-to þe see þat entir. [and Beryn will drink the salt water.] ffor Beryn is [ful] redy in al thing hym to quyte; So ho be in defaute, must pay[en] for the wite. [ 3520] Sith yee been wise [men] ałł, what nede is much clatir? [He never agreed to drink any fresh.'] Ther was no covenaunte hem be-twen to drynk fressh water." ¶ When Sirophanes had I-herd al Geffreyis tale, [At this, Syrophanes turns pale.] He stode al abasshid, with colour wan & pale, [ 3524] And lokid oppon the Steward with a rewful cher And on othir frendshipp & Neyȝbours he had ther; And preyd[e] hem of counsełł, the answere to reply. [ 3527] [leaf 228, back] "These Romeyns," quod the Steward, "been wondir scly, [Evander warns] And eke riȝt ynmagytyff, [So in MS.] & of [such] sotiłł art, That I am in grete dowte howe yee shułł depart With-out harm in oon side. our/ lawis, wel þowe wost, [him that he'll have to pay damages and costs.] Is to pay damagis, and eke also the cost [ 3532] Of euery party plentyff þat fallith in his pleynt. Let hym go quyte, I counsełł, yf it may so be queynt." "I merveiłł," quod Syrophanes, "of hir/ sotilte; [So Syrophanes offers to let Beryn go free.] But sith þat it so stondith, & may noon othir be, [ 3536] I do wołł be counsełł;" & grauntid Beryn quyte. But Geffrey þouȝt anothir, & without respite, [But Geffrey won't have it, and calls for judgment.] "Sirs," he seyd, "wee wetith wele þat yee wol do vs riȝte, And so ye must[e] nedis, & so yee have vs hiȝte; [ 3540] And ther-for, sir Steward, ye occupy our/ plase; And yee knowe wele, what law wołł in this case: My mastir is [al] redy to perfourm̄ his avowe." "Geffrey," [Urry prints "But natheles."] quod the Steward, "I can nat wete howe [ 3544] ['But how can you stop all the fresh water?'] To stop ałł the ffressh watir wer possibilite." "Ȝis, in soth," quod Geffrey, "who had of gold plente ['Easily enough if you've money enough,' says Geffrey.] As man coude wissh, & it myȝt wel be do. But, þat is nat our/ defaute, he hath no tresour/ to. [ 3548] ['But let Syro∣phanes pay us heavy damages,] Let hym go to in hast, or fynd vs suerte To make a-mendis to Beryn̄ for his iniquite, Wrong, & harm, & trespas, & vndewe wexacioun̄, Loss [MS Lost.] of sale of marchandise, disese & tribulacioun̄, [ 3552]

That wee have sustenyd þurh his iniquite. What vaylith it to tary vs? for þouȝt [ye] sotil pry, Wee shułł have reson, wher yee wołł or no. So wol wee þat ye knowe what þat wee wol do: [ 3556] [or we'll appeal to Isope,] In certen, [we be] ful avisid to Isope for to pase, And declare[n] euery poynt, þe more & eke the lase, That of yeur/ opyn errours hath pleyn correccioune, And ageyns his Iugement is noon proteccioune: [ 3560] [and he'll settle it.'] He is yeur/ lord riałł, & soveren Iugg, & lele; That, & ye work in eny poynt, to hym lijth our a-pele." So when the Steward had I-herd, & þe Burgeysis ałł, Howe Geffrey had I-steryd, þat went so nyȝe the gałł; [leaf 229] What for shame, & drede of more harm̄ & repreff, [ 3565] They made Syrophanes, weer hym looth or leffe, [So they make Syrophanes find pledges to pay damages.] To take Beryn gage, and plegg[e] fynd also, To byde þe ward & Iugement of þat he had mys-do. [ 3568]

¶ "Nowe ferthermore," quod Geffrey, "sith þat it so is, That of the first pleyntyff wee have sikirnes; Nowe to the Marchant wee must nedis answere, [2. 'As to Hanybald.] That Bargayned with Beryn, 'al þat his Shippis bere, [ 3572] In covenaunte þat he shuld his Shippis fiłł ageyn̄ Of othir marchandise, þat he to-fore had seyn̄ In hanybaldis plase, howsis too or thre, fful of marchandise, as they myȝt[e] be.' [ 3576] Let vs pas[sen] thidir, yf eny thing be ther [Let us go and look at the goods in his house.'] At our/ lust & likeing, as they accordit were." "I graunt[e] wele," quod hanybald, "þow axist but riȝte." Vp arose these Burgeysis,—"þowe axist but riȝte:"— [ 3580] The Steward & his comperis entrid first þe house, [The Steward, &c., go, and see nothing there but the bare roof and walls.] And sawe no thing within, Strawe, ne leffe, ne mowse, Save tymbir, & þe tyle-stonys, & þe wallis white. "I trowe," quod the Steward, "the wynnyng wołł be but lite [ 3584] That Beryn wol nowe gete in hanybaldis pleynte; ffor I can se noon othir but they wol be atteynt · "

And clepid hem in, echone, & went out hym selve. [Beryn and his men can find nothing either.] As soon as they were entrid, they sawe no maner selve, ffor soris of hir/ hert; but, as to-fore is seyd, [ 3589] The house was cleen I-swept. þen Geffrey feir þey preyde To help [hem] yf he coude. "let me a-loon!" quod he, "Ȝit shułł they have the wors, as sotiłł as þey bee." [ 3592] Evander the Steward, in the mene while, [Evander thinks Hanybald must win.] Spak to the Burgeyse, & be-gan to smyle: "Thouȝe Syrophanes by I-hold these romeyns for to curs, Ȝit I trow þat hanybald wołł put hym to þe wers; [ 3596] ffor I am suyr & certeyn, within they shul nat fynde." ¶ "What sey yee be my pleynt, sirs?" quod the blynde, [The Blind man swears he'll make Beryn pay.] "ffor I make a-vowe I wol nevir cese Tyl Sirophanes have of Beryn a pleyn relese, [ 3600] [leaf 229, back] And to make hym quyte of his submyssioune; Els wołł I have no pete of his contricioune; But folow hym also fersly as I can or may, Tyl I have his eyen both[e] to away." [ 3604] "Now in feith," quod machyn, "& I wol have his lyffe! [Macaigne says so too.] ffor þouȝe he scape ȝewe ałł, with me wol he nat stryffe; But be riȝt feyn in hert, al his good for-sake, ffor to scape with his lyff, & to me it take." [ 3608] Beryn & his feleshipp wer within the house, And speken of hir/ answer, & made but litiłł rouse; But evir preyd[e] Geffrey, to help yf he coude ouȝt. [ 3611] "I wołł nat faiłł," quod Geffrey, & was to-fore be-þouȝt [But Geffrey has brought 2 white butterflies;] Of too botirflijs, as white as eny snowe: He lete hem flee within the house, þat aftir on the wowe [he lets 'em fly, and they stick to the wall.] They clevid wondir fast, as hir kynde wołł, Aftir they had flowe, to rest a-nothir pułł. [ 3616] When Geffrey sawe the botirflijs cleving on þe wałł, [Then he calls in the Falsetown folk,] The Steward & þe Burgeys In he gan [to] całł: "Lo! Sirs," he seyde, "who-so evir repent, Wee have chose marchandise most to our talent, [ 3620] That wee fynd here-In. be-hold, sir hanybałł, [and says he'll trouble Hanybald] The ȝondir bottirflyis þat clevith on þe wałł:

Of such[e], yee must fille oure Shippis al[le] fyve. ['for 5 ship-loads of white butter∣flies.] Pluk vp thy hert, Beryn, for þow must nedis thryve! [ 3624] ffor when wee out of Rome, In marchantfare went, To purchase buttirflyes was our/ most entent. [They're just what we want to buy, for a Roman doctor to make a cure-all out of.'] Ȝit wołł I tełł the cause especial & why: Ther is a leche in Room, þat hath I-made a cry [ 3628] To make an oyntement to cure al tho been blynde, And ałł maner infirmytees, þat growith in man-kynde. The day is short, the work is long: sir hanybałł, ye mut hy!" When hanybald herd this tale, he seyd pryuely [ 3632] In counsełł to the Steward: "in soth I have þe wors: [Hanybald sees he's done-for,] ffor I am sikir by þis pleynt þat I shal litil purs." "So me semeth," quod the Steward, "for in þe world[e] rounde So many botirflyis wold[e] nat be founde, [ 3636] I trowe, o Shipp to charge. wherfor me þinkith best, [and, by Evander's advice,] Lete hym have his good a-geyn, & be in pese & rest. And ȝit [it] is an auntir and þowe scape so, Thy covenaunt to relese with-out[en] more a-do." [ 3640] The Burgeysis everichon, þat were of þat Cete, Were anoyid sore, when they herd of þis plee. Geffrey with his wisdom held hem hard & streyte, That they were accombrit in hir own̄ disceyte. [ 3644] When hanybald with his ffrendis had spoke of þis mater, They drowe hem toward Beryn, & seid in þis maner: [offers to give Beryn back] "Oonly for botirflyes ye com fro yeur/ contrey; And wee ȝewe tełł in sikirnes, & opon our fey, [ 3648] That so many botirflyes wee shul nevir gete: Wherfor we be avisid, othir wise to trete; That hanybald shałł relese his covenaunt þat is makid, And delyvir the good a-geyn, þat from ȝewe was ransakid; [his cargoes, and let him go.] And wexe ȝewe no more, but let ȝew go in pese." [ 3653] "Nay, for-soth," quod Geffrey, "vs nedith no relese! ['No, no,' says Geffrey, 'you keep your agreement, we've kept ours.] Yee shułł hold our covenaunt, & wee shul yeurs also; ffor wee shułł have reson, wher ye wol or no, [ 3656]

Whils Isope is a-lyve, I am no thing a-ferd; [Isope 'll do us justice.'] ffor I can wipe[n] al this ple cleen[e] from yeur/ berd, And ye blench[en] onys out of the hy wey." Thé proferid hym plegg & gage, without more deley. [ 3660] [Hanybald at once gives sureties for payment.]

¶ "Now ferthirmore," quod Geffrey, "vs ouȝt to procede: ffor to the blynd mannys poynt we must answer nede, [3. 'As to the Blind man,] That, for to tel[le] trowith, he lyvith al to long; ffor his owne fawte, & his owne wrong, [ 3664] On beryn he hath surmysid, as previth by his ple; And þat yee shulle[n] opynlich knowe wele & se. ffor, as I vndirstod hym, he seyd þat 'fele ȝeris, Beryn, þat here stondith, & he, wer pertyneris [ 3668] Of wynnyng & of lesyng, as men it vse & doith; And that þey chaungit eyen'; & ȝit þis is sothe: [it's true that he and Beryn changed eyes. But why?] But the cause of chaunging ȝit is to ȝewe on-know; Wherfor I wol declare it, both to hiȝe & lowe: [ 3672] In that same tyme þat þis Burgeys blynde, [leaf 230, back] And my mastir Beryn, as fast as feith myȝt bynde, [The two were merchants.] Were marchaundis in comyn of al þat þey myȝt wyn, Saff of lyffe & lym̄, & of dedely synne, [ 3676] Ther fiłł in tho marchis, of al thing such a derth, [Came a dearth their land, all joy was gone.] That Ioy, comfort & solas, & [eke] al maner myrth Was exilid cleen; saff oonly molestacioune, That abood contenuełł, and also dispiracioune. [ 3680] So when þat the pepiłł were in most myscheff, God þat is a-bove, þat al thing doith releve, [Then God sent them plenty,] Sent hem such plente of mony, fruyte, & corn̄, Wich turned al to Ioy hir mournyng al to-forn̄. [ 3684] Then gaff they hem to myrth, [to] revel, pley, & song; [and they rejoiced.] And þankid God above, evir more a-mong, Of hir relevacioun̄ from woo in-to gladnes: ffor 'aftir sour, when swete is com, it is a plesant mes.' So in the meen[e] while of this prosperite, [ 3689] Ther cam [tho] such a pleyer in-to þe same contre, [Also a wondrous player came there,] That nevir ther-to-fore was seyn such a-nothir;

That wele was the creatur þat born was of his modir, [ 3692] That myȝt[e] se the mirthis of this Iogelour; [a juggler or conjuror,] ffor of the world[e] wyde tho dayis he bare þe floure. ffor ther nas man ne vomman in þat Regioune, [whom all folk went to see.] That set of hym selff the store of a boton, [ 3696] Yf he had nat sey his myrthis & his game. "So oppon a tyme, this pleyer/ did proclame 'That alle maner of pepiłł [þat] his pleyis wold se, Shuld com oppon a certen day to þe grete Cete.' [ 3700] Then, a-mong othir, my mastir her, Beryn, [Beryn and the Blind man set∣out to see him too,] And this same blynd þat pledith now with hym, Made a certen covenaunt, þat þey wold[e] see The mervellis of this pleyer, & his sotilte: [ 3704] So, what for hete of Somyr, age, & febilnes, [but on the way the Blind man fell ill.] And eke also þe long way, this blynde for werynes ffil flat adown̄ to the erth; o foot ne myȝt he go. Wherfor my mastir Beryn in hert[e] was ful woo, [ 3708] And seyd, 'my ffrend, how nowe? mowe ye no ferþer [leaf 231] pas?' 'No,' he seyd, 'by hym þat first made mas! [He refused to go home,] And ȝit I had[de] levir, as God my soule save, Se these wondir pleyis, þen al the good I have.' [ 3712] 'I can nat els,' quod Beryn, 'but yf it may nat be, But þat yee & I mut retourn a-ȝe, Afftir yee be refresshid of yeur/ werynes; ffor, to leve ȝewe in this plyte, it were no gentilnes.' [ 3716] ¶ Then seyd this blynd, 'I am a-visid bet: [but askt Beryn to take his eyes to see the player, while he had Beryn's.] Beryn, yee shułł wend[en] thidir with-out[en] eny let; And have myne eyen with ȝewe, þat they þe pley mowe se, And I wołł have yeurs tyłł ye com a-ȝe.' [ 3720] Thus was hir/ covenaunt made, as I to ȝewe report, ffor ese of this blynd, & most for his comfort. But wotith wele the hole science of al surgery Was vnyd, or the chaunge was made of both [hir] eye, [So they changed eyes, and Beryn saw] With many sotiłł enchauntours, & eke nygramancers, [ 3725] That sent were for the nonys, mastris & scoleris;

So when al was complete, my mastir went his way [the player with the Blind man's eyes, and then came back to him.] With this mannys eyen, & sawe al the pley; [ 3728] And hast[i]ly retourned into that plase a-ye; And fond this blynd seching, on hondis & on kne [But the Blind man had lost Beryn's eyes, and has never given 'em back to him.] Grasping al aboute to fynd þat he had lore,— Beryn his both eyen, þat he had to-fore.— [ 3732] But as sone as Beryn had[de] pleyn̄ knowleche That his eyen were I-lost, vnneth he myȝt areche O word, for pure anguyssh þat he toke sodenly, And from þat day tiłł nowȝe ne myȝt he nevir spy [ 3736] This man in no plase, ther lawe was I-mevid; But nowe in his presence the soth is ful I-previd, That he shałł make a-mendis or he hen[ny]s pas; Riȝte as the lawe wol deme, ethir more or les. [ 3740] ffor my mastris eyen were bettir & more clere [Beryn's eyes were the better ones; let the Blind man give 'em back to him,] Then these þat he hath nowe, to se both fer & nere; So wold he have his own̄, þat propir were of kynde, ffor he is evir redy, to take to the blynde [ 3744] [leaf 231, back] The eyen þat he had of hym, As covenaunt was, So he wołł do the same. nowe, soverens! in this cas [and he'll return the Blind man's.'] Ye mut take hede for to deme riȝte; ffor it were no reson̄ my mastir shuld lese his siȝte, [ 3748] ffor his trew hert & his [grete] gentilnes." "Beryn," quod the blynd tho, "I wołł the relese, [The Blind man offers to withdraw his suit.] My quarełł, & my cause, & fal[len] fro my pleynt." [ 3751] "Thow mut nede," quod Geffrey, "for þow art atteynt! [But Geffrey says he must find sureties for damages;] So mut þow profir gage, & borowis fynd also, ffor to make a-mendis, as othir have I-do. Sir Steward! do vs lawe! sith wee desir but riȝte: As wee been pese marchandis, vs longith nat to fiȝte; [ 3756] But pleyn vs to the lawe, yf so wee be agrevid." Anoon oppon that Geffrey þese wordis had I-mevid, [and the Blind man does so.] The blynd man fond borowis for al his maletalent, And were I-entrid in the court to byde þe Iugement; [ 3760] ffor þouȝe þat he blynd were, ȝit had he good plente, And more wold have wonne, þurh his iniquite.

"Nowe herith, sirs," quod Geffrey, "the pleyntyfs been assurid: [4. 'As to the Deserted-Wife:] And as a-nenst þe ferth, this vomman hath arerid, [ 3764] That pleynyth her on Beryn, & seyith she is his wyff, And þat she hath many a day led a peynous lyff, And much sorowe endurid, his child [for]to sustene. [what she says is true.] And al is soth & trewe. nowe riȝtfullich to deme, [ 3768] 'Whethir of hem both shal othir obey, [But, sir Steward, isn't the wife to obey her husband?] And folow wil & lustis,' sir Steward, ye mut sey." And þerewith Geffrey lokid · A seyd [Urry prints 'aside.' 'He saw', or 'and saw', is no doubt the meaning.] on this vomman, Howe she chaungit colours, pale, & eke wan: [ 3772] "Al for nouȝt," quod Geffrey, "for yee mut with vs go, [Yes. Then, woman, come along with us.'] And endur with yeur/ husbond both[e] wele & woo;" And wold have take hir by þe hond; but she a-wey did breyde, And with a grete sighing, þese wordis she seyd: [ 3776] "That ageyns Beryn she wold plede no more:" [The sham Wife says No, she'll give-up, and find sureties to pay.] But gagid with too borowis, as othir had do to-fore.

The Steward sat as stiłł, as who had shor his hede; And specially the pleyntifs were in much[e] drede. [ 3780] Geffrey set his wordis in such manere wise, [leaf 232] That wele they wist þé myȝt[e] nat scape[n] in no wise With-out[en] los of goodis, for damage & for cost; ffor such[e] were hir/ lawis, wher pleyntis wer I-lost. [ 3784] Geffrey had ful perseyte of hir encombirment; And eke he was in certen þat the Iugement Shuld pas with his mastir; wherfor he a-noon, "Soveren sirs!" he seyd, "ȝit must wee ferþer goon, [ 3788] [5. 'As to Macaigne,' says Geffrey, 'his knife was found on Beryn;] And answere to this Machyn, þat seith þe knyff is his That found was on Beryn: ther-of he seith nat a-mys. And for more pryvy [Urry prints 'prefe.' See 'pryue', l. 3797.] he seith in this manere, 'That here stondith present the same Cotelere [ 3792] That þe knyffe made, & þe precious stonys thre

Within the hafft been couchid, þat in cristyanite, Thouȝe men wold of purpose, make serch, & siche, [ 3795] Men shuld nat fynd in al thing a knyff þat were it licħ:' And more opyn pryue þan [MS 'þat.' Urry prints 'than.'] mannys owne knowlech, Men of lawe ne clerkis con nat tełł ne teche. Now sith wee be in this manere thus ferforth ago, [ 3799] Then were spedful for to knowe howe Beryn cam first to [But how did Beryn get the knife?] To have possessioune of the knyff þat machyn seith is his: To ȝewe vnknowe, I shałł enfourm̄ þe trowith as it is. [I'll tell you.] "Nowe .vij. yeer & passid, oppon a tuysday [Seven years ago, on Tuesday, in Passion-Week,] In the passion-woke, when men leven pley, [ 3804] And vse more devosioune, fastyng & preyer, Then in othir tyme, or seson of þe ȝeer, This Beryns ffadir erlich wold a-rise, [Beryn's father meant to go to church,] And barefote go to chirch, to [don] goddis service, [ 3808] And lay hym-selff aloon, from his owne wyff, [and therefore lay alone, apart from his wife.] In reverence of þe tyme, & mending of his lyff. So on the same tuysday, þat I to-fore nempt, This Beryn rose, & rayd hym, & to þe chirch[e] went, [ 3812] And mervelid in his hert his ffadir was nat ther: And homward went ageyn, with drede & eke fere. [But Beryn found him dead on the straw,] In-to his ffadirs Chambir, sodenlich he rakid, [ 3815] And fond hym ligg, standede, [stone-dead.] oppon the strawe al nakid, [leaf 232, back] And the clothis halyd from the bed a-way. 'Out alas!' quod Beryn, 'that evir I sawe this day! The meyne herd the noyse, how Beryn cried Allas! And cam in-to the Chambir, al þat ther/ in was. [ 3820] But the dole & the sorowe, & anguyssh þat was there, It vaylith nat at this tyme to declare it here; But Beryn̄ had[de] most of ałł, have ye no doute. And a-noon they serchid the body al aboute, [ 3824] And fond this same knyff, þe poynt riȝt at his hert [with this knife of Macaigne's in his heart. Beryn drew it out.] Of Beryns ffadir, whose teris gan out-stert When he drowȝ out the knyff of his ffadirs wound: Then, standede [stone-dead.] I sawe hym fal doun to þe ground, [ 3828] [I saw him,]

In siȝte of the most part þat beth with hym nowe here." [and so did our men here.] (And they affermyd it for sothe, as Geffrey did hem lere:) "And ȝit had I nevir suspecioun, from þat day [un]til noweth, [But we never knew who did the murder, till Macaigne owned the knife.'] Who did þat cursid dede; tiłł machyn with his mowith Afore ȝewe hath knowlechid þat the knyff is his: [ 3833] So mut he nedis answer for his deth I-wis." ¶ When Machyn had I-herd al Geffreyis tale, He rose of bench[e] sodynly, with colour wan & pale, [ 3836] [Macaigne at once offers to give-up his plaint.] And seyd [tho] on-to Beryn: "sir/, ageyn[es] the I wolle plete no more; for it were gret pete To combir ȝewe with accions, þat beth of nobiłł kynde." "Graunte mercy, sir!" quod Geffrey, "but ȝit yee shulle fynde ['Very well; find sureties for damages, then,' says Geffrey.] Borowis, or yee pas, amendis for to make [ 3841] ffor our/ vndewe vexacioun̄; & gage also vs take In signe of submissioun for yeur/ Iniury, As lawe wołł & reson̄; for wee wołł vttirly [ 3844] Procede tyłł wee have Iugement finałł. And therfor [now], sir Steward, what þat evir fałł, ['Sir Steward! give judgment,] Delay[ith] vs no lenger, but gyve us Iugement! ffor tristith ye noon othir, but we be fullich bent [ 3848] To Isope for to wend, & in his hiȝe presence [or we'll go to Isope.'] Reherce[n] ałł our plees, & have[n] his sentence; Then shul yee make ffynys, & hiȝlich be agrevid." [ 3851] And as sone as the Steward herd these wordis mevid, [The Steward] "Reson, ryȝte, & lawe," seyd the Steward tho, [leaf 233] "Yee mut nedis have, wher I wołł or no. And to preve my fułł wiłł, or wee ferþer goon," Quiklich he comaundit, & sparid nevir oon, [ 3856] [calls out 24 burgesses, learned in the law,] xxiiij Burgeysis in lawe best I-lerid, Rehersyng hem the plees, & how Geffrey answerid; 'And on lyffe & lym, & forfetur/ of good, [sums-up the cases, and charges them to give a true verdict.] And as they wold nat lese the bałł within hir hood, [their heads, lives.] [ 3860] To drawe a-part to-gidir, & by hir al assent Spare no man on lyve, to gyve trewe Iugement.' And when these xxiiij burgeysis had I-herd

The charge of the Steward; riȝt sore þey wer aferd [ 3864] [The Jurors] To lese hir owne lyvis, but they demyd trowith; And eke of hir neyȝbours þey had grete rowith; ffor they perseyvid clerelich, in þe plee þurh-oute, [ 3867] Hir ffrendis had þe wors[e] side; þerof [MS þerof therof.] þey had no doute: "And yff wee deme trewly, þey wol be sore anoyid; Ȝit it is bettir, then wee be shamyd & distroyed." And a-noon þey were accordit, & seyd[en] with Beryn, [find for Beryn: plaintiffs to pay a large fine.] And demed euery pleyntyff to make a grete fyne [ 3872] With Beryn, & hym submyt hoolich to his grace, Body, good, & catełł, for wrong & hir trespase, So ferforth, tiłł atte last It was so boute I-bore, [So Beryn doubles his property, and goes to his ship rejoicing.] That Beryn had the dobiłł good, þat he had to-fore; [ 3876] And with Ioy & myrth, with al his company, He drouȝe hym to his Shippis ward, with song & melody. The Steward & þe Burgeyse from þe court[e] bent, In-to hir/ owne placis; & evir as they went, [ 3880] They talkid of þe Romeyns, howe sotil [þat] the[y] were, To aray hym like a fole, þat for hem shuld answere. "What vaylith it," quod hanybald, "to angir or to curs? [Hanybald says the plaintiffs 'll feel their losses all their lives.] And ȝit I am in certen, I shałł fare the wers [ 3884] Ałł the dayis of my lyff for þis dayis pleding; And so shałł al the remnaunt, & hir hondis wryng, Both Serophanus, & þe blynde, þe vomman, & machayn̄, And be bet a-visid er they efft-sonys pleyn̄; [ 3888] And ałł othir personys with-in this [ilk] Cete, [leaf 233, back] Mełł the les with Romeyns, whil[e]s þey here be. [They won't meddle with Romans again.] ffor such a-nothir fole was nevir ȝit I-born̄! ffor he did nauȝt ellis, but evir with vs scorn̄ [ 3892] Tyl he had vs cauȝt, even by the shyn, With his sotiłł wittis, in our/ owne gren." Nowe wołł I retourne to Beryn ageyn̄, [Beryn and his men chuckle over their gains.] That of his grete lukir, in hert[e] was riȝte feyn̄; [ 3896] And so was ałł his meyne, as hem ouȝte wele,

That they were so delyverid from turment like to hełł, And graciusly relevid out of hir grete myscheff, And [were] I-set above in comforte & boncheff. [ 3900] "Now, in soth," quod Beryn, "It may nat be denyed; [Beryn declares] Nad Geffrey & his wit [i]be, wee had be distroyed! I-thankid be almyȝty God omnipotent, That, for our consolacioune, Geffrey to vs sent! [ 3904] And in protest opynly, here a-mong ȝewe ałł, [he'll give Geffrey half his goods, and never leave him.] Halff my good, whils þat I lyve, what-euer me be-fałł, I graunt it here to Geffrey, to gyve[n] or to sełł, And nevir to part from me, yf it were his wiłł; [ 3908] And fare as wole as I, amorowe & eke on eve, And nevir, for man on lyve, his company for to leve." "Grauntmercy, sir!" quod Geffrey, "yeur/ profir is feir & grete; [Geffrey says he only wants to be taken to Rome.] But I desir no more, but as yee me behete, [ 3912] To brynge me at Room, for þis is covenaunte." "It shałł be do," [quod] Beryn, "and al the rem[e]naunte. Depardeux," quod Geffrey, "therof wee shułł wele do:" He rayid hym [tho] othir-wise; & without wordis mo, They went[en] to [MS wentto.] þe dyner, the hole company, [ 3917] [They all go to dinner.] With pipis & with trompis, & othir melody. And in the myddis of hir mete, gentil vommen fyve, [Five maidens come with 5 presents to Beryn from Duke Isope:] Maydyns fressh atirid, as myȝt[e] be on lyve, [ 3920] Com from þe duke Isope, lord of þat Regioune, Everich with a present, & þat of grete renown̄: The first, [she] bare a cup of gold, & of asure fyne, [1. A cup of gold.] So corouse & so nobiłł, þat I can nat devyne. [ 3924] The second brouȝt a swerd I-shethid, with seynture [leaf 234] [2. A fine sword.] I-fretid ałł with perelis orient & pure. [3. A purple mantle.] The þird[e] had a mantełł of lusty fressh coloure; The vttir part of purpiłł, I-furrid with peloure. [ 3928] The ferth, a cloth of gold, a worthy & a riche, [4. A cloth of gold.] That nevir man to-fore sawe cloith it liche. The ffifft bare a palme, þat stode to-fore the deyse, [5. A palm.] I[n] tokyn & in [MS 'of.'] signe of trowith & [of] pese: [ 3932]

ffor þat was þe custom, þurh al the contray. The message was the levir, & more plesant to pay; The Cup was vncoverid, þe swerd was out I-brayid, The mantełł was vnfold, þe cloth a-long a-leyid; [ 3936] They knelid a-down̄ echeon, riȝt to-fore Beryn; [Isope's maidens kneel,] The first did the message, þat tauȝt was wel a fyne: "Isope," she seyd, "sir Beryn, þat is our/ lord riałł, [present his gifts to Beryn,] And gretith ȝewe, & sendith ȝewe these presentis ałł; [ 3940] And Ioy hath of yeur/ wisdom̄, & of yeur/ governaunce, [and his invitation to visit him (Isope) next day.] And preyith [MS preyd.] ȝewe to com, & have with hym plesaunce To morowe, & se his palyse, & to sport ȝewe ther, [ 3943] Yee & ałł yeur company." Beryn made noon answer, But sat stiłł, and beheld þe vommen, & þe sondys; And aftirward avisely the swerd[e] first he hondis, [Beryn first takes∣up the sword, and then feasts the maidens.] And comaundit ther-with-ałł þe vymmen wassh & sitt, And pryvelich chargit officers, þat with al hir witt [ 3948] To serve hem of the best, & make hem hertly cher; Resseyving al the presentis in worshipfułł manere. I can nat wele expres the Ioy[e] þat þey had— [ 3951] [All the Romans rejoice at their escape.] But I suppose, to-fore þat day, þat þey were nat so glad,— That they were so a-scapid fortune & myscheff; And þonkid God above, þat al thing doith releff; ffor 'aftir mysty cloudis þere comyth a cler sonne;' So 'aftir bale comyth bote,' who-so bydë conne. [ 3956] The Ioy & nobley þat they had, whils they were at mete, It vaylith nat at this tyme, ther-of long to trete. But Geffrey sat wit B[eryn], as he had servid wele; [Geffrey tells] Hir/ hedis they leyd to-gidir, & begon to tełł [ 3960] [leaf 234, back] In what maner the vymmen shuld be answerid. [Beryn what answer to send to Isope.] Geffrey evir avisid Beryn: ther-of he leryd, And of othir thingis, howe he hym shuld govern; Beryn saverid wele ther-on, & fast he gan to lern̄. [ 3964] When ałł were vp, the vymmen cam to take hir leve: [Beryn sends] Beryn, as sat hym wele of blode, hem toward gan releve, And preyd hem hertly hym to recomende

Vnto þe worthy lordshipp of Isope; (þat ȝewe sende [ 3968] [thanks to Isope for his gifts,] To me that am vnworthy, save of his grete nobley;) And thank hym of his gyfftis, as ye can best, & sey, [and says, 'I'll visit Isope to∣morrow if he'll give me a "safe-conduct"; for that's the custom in my country.'] "To-morow I wołł be redy, his hest to fulfiłł, With this I have save condit, I may com hym tiłł [ 3972] ffor me, & al my feleshippe, saff to com & go; Trustyng in his discrecioune, þat þouȝe I ax[e] so, He wol nat be displesid: for in my contray It hath evir be the custom̄, & is in-to this day, [ 3976] That yf a lord riałł desirith for to see Eny maner persone, þat is of las degre; Ere he approche his presence, he wołł have in his honde A saff condit enselid, or els som othir bonde, [ 3980] That he may com & pas without[en] disturbaunce: Thurh-oute ałł our/ marchis it is the observaunce." This wymmen toke hir leve without[en] wordis mo, [Isope's maidens give him Beryn's answer.] Repeyryng on-to Isope; & al at [? for 'as', or 'at' = that. 'al at' are written over an erasure.] it was do [ 3984] They rehersid redely (& faylid nevir a word,) To Isope with his baronage, þere he sat at his borde, Talkyng fast of Romayns, & of hir hiȝe prudence, That in so many daungers made so wise defence. [ 3988] But as sone as Isope had pleynlich I-herd [Isope is pleased with Beryn's taking his sword first.] Of Beryns governaunce, þat first sesid þe swerd, Afore ałł othir presentis, he demed in his minde, That Beryn was I-com[en] of som nobiłł kynde. [ 3992] The nyȝt was past, þe morowe cam; Isope had nat for∣ȝete: [He sends 12 Barons for Beryn to bring him safe.] He chargit Barons twelff, with Beryn for to mete, To cond his [? him.] saff, & his meyne; & al perfourmyd was. [leaf 235] Thre dayis there they sportid hym [for 'hem'.] in myrth & [in] solas; [Beryn stays 3 days with Isope,] That þurh the wise instruccioune of Geffrey, nyȝt & day, Beryn plesid Isope with wordis al to pay; And had hym so in port, & [eke] in governaunce, Of alle honest myrthis, & witty daliaunce, [ 4000]

That Isope cast his chere to Beryn so groundly, [and gets such friends with him] That atte last there was no man with Isope so pryvy: Resorting to his Shippis, comyng to & fro, Thurh þe wit of Geffrey, þat ech day it fil so, [MS 'ech day did hym lere it fil so:' caught from l. 4006.] [ 4004] That Isope coude no chere when Beryn was absent; [that Isope can't be happy without him.] So [þat] Beryn must nedis ech day be aftir sent: And chefe he was of counsełł, with-in the first[e] ȝere; Thurh þe wit of Geffrey, þat ech day did hym lere. [ 4008] This Isope had a douȝtir, be-twen hym & his wyffe, [Isope weds his fair daughter] That was as feir/ a creature as myȝt[e] bere lyff; Wise, & eke bountevouse, & benyng with-ałł, [ 4011] That heir/ shuld be, aftir his day, of his lordshippis ałł. So, shortly to conclude, the mariage was made Be-twene hir & Beryn; many a man to glade, [to Beryn,] Saff the Burgeysis of the town̄, of falshede þat were rote: But they were evir hold so lowë vndirfoot, [ 4016] That they [ne] myȝte nat regne, but atte last [were] fawe To leve[n] hir/ condicioune, & hir/ fals[e] lawe Beryn & [eke] Geffrey made[n] hem so tame, [and he and Geffrey tame the bad Falsetown folk.] That they amendit ech[e] day, & gate a bettir name. [ 4020] Thus Geffrey made Beryn his enmyes to ovir-com, [So Geffrey made Beryn triumph.] And brouȝt hym [un]to worshipp þurh his [grete] wisdom̄. Now God vs graunt[e] grace to fynde such a frende, [May all of us find a like friend in need!] When wee have nede! And thus I make an ende. [ 4024] Nomen Autoris presentis Cronica Rome [A Canterbury monk wrote this Tale.] Et translatoris / Filius ecclesie Thome.

[In the MS, on the back of leaf 235, follows the continu∣ation of the Sompnour's Tale, which was left-off at the foot of the front page of leaf 115:—

"Here endith the tale of the Sompnoure within þe boke writen̄ ¶ And fet his felawe ther/ as he leyd his store" &c.]