John Gower's Confessio amantis
Lines 701 through 800
So as the king himself acompteth
8.701
That he alle othre men surmonteth,
8.702
And bar the pris above hem alle.
8.703
The king bad that into his halle
8.704
At Souper time he schal be broght;
8.705
And he cam thanne and lefte it noght,
8.706
Withoute compaignie al one:
8.707
Was non so semlich of persone,
8.708
Of visage and of limes bothe,
8.709
If that he hadde what to clothe.
8.710
At Soupertime natheles
8.711
The king amiddes al the pres
8.712
Let clepe him up among hem alle,
8.713
And bad his Mareschall of halle
8.714
To setten him in such degre
8.715
That he upon him myhte se.
8.716
The king was sone set and served,
8.717
And he, which hath his pris deserved
8.718
After the kinges oghne word,
8.719
Was mad beginne a Middel bord,
8.720
That bothe king and queene him sihe.
8.721
He sat and caste aboute his yhe
8.722
And sih the lordes in astat,
8.723
And with himself wax in debat
8.724
And such a sorwe he tok therfore,
8.726
That he sat evere stille and thoghte,
8.727
As he which of no mete roghte.
8.728
The king behield his hevynesse,
8.729
And of his grete gentillesse
8.730
His doghter, which was fair and good
8.731
And ate bord before him stod,
8.732
As it was thilke time usage,
8.733
He bad to gon on his message
8.734
And fonde forto make him glad.
8.735
And sche dede as hire fader bad,
8.736
And goth to him the softe pas
8.737
And axeth whenne and what he was,
8.738
And preith he scholde his thoghtes leve.
8.739
He seith, "Ma Dame, be your leve
8.740
Mi name is hote Appolinus,
8.741
And of mi richesse it is thus,
8.742
Upon the See I have it lore.
8.743
The contre wher as I was bore,
8.744
Wher that my lond is and mi rente,
8.745
I lefte at Tyr, whan that I wente:
8.746
The worschipe of this worldes aghte,
8.747
Unto the god ther I betaghte."
8.748
And thus togedre as thei tuo speeke,
8.749
The teres runne be his cheeke.
8.750
The king, which therof tok good kepe,
8.751
Hath gret Pite to sen him wepe,
8.752
And for his doghter sende ayein,
8.753
And preide hir faire and gan to sein
8.754
That sche no lengere wolde drecche,
8.755
Bot that sche wolde anon forth fecche
8.756
Hire harpe and don al that sche can
8.757
To glade with that sory man.
8.758
And sche to don hir fader heste
8.759
Hir harpe fette, and in the feste
8.760
Upon a Chaier which thei fette
8.761
With harpe bothe and ek with mouthe
8.763
To him sche dede al that sche couthe
8.764
To make him chiere, and evere he siketh,
8.765
And sche him axeth hou him liketh.
8.766
"Ma dame, certes wel," he seide,
8.767
"Bot if ye the mesure pleide
8.768
Which, if you list, I schal you liere,
8.769
It were a glad thing forto hiere."
8.770
"Ha, lieve sire," tho quod sche,
8.771
"Now tak the harpe and let me se
8.772
Of what mesure that ye mene."
8.773
Tho preith the king, tho preith the queene,
8.774
Forth with the lordes alle arewe,
8.775
That he som merthe wolde schewe;
8.776
He takth the Harpe and in his wise
8.777
He tempreth, and of such assise
8.778
Singende he harpeth forth withal,
8.779
That as a vois celestial
8.780
Hem thoghte it souneth in here Ere,
8.781
As thogh that he an Angel were.
8.782
Thei gladen of his melodie,
8.783
Bot most of alle the compainie
8.784
The kinges doghter, which it herde,
8.785
And thoghte ek hou that he ansuerde,
8.786
Whan that he was of hire opposed,
8.787
Withinne hir herte hath wel supposed
8.788
That he is of gret gentilesse.
8.789
Hise dedes ben therof witnesse
8.790
Forth with the wisdom of his lore;
8.791
It nedeth noght to seche more,
8.792
He myhte noght have such manere,
8.793
Of gentil blod bot if he were.
8.794
Whanne he hath harped al his fille,
8.795
The kinges heste to fulfille,
8.796
Awey goth dissh, awey goth cuppe,
8.797
Doun goth the bord, the cloth was uppe,
8.798
The king his chamberlein let calle,
8.800
