Robert Henryson's The testament of Cresseid

Lines 99 through 196

Quhen he hir saw, the caus he can inquyre Line 99 Of hir cumming, scho said siching full soir Line 100 Fra diomeid had gottin his desyre Line 101 He wox werie, and wald of me no moir. Line 102 Quod calchas, douchter weip thow not thairfoir Line 103 Perauenture all cummis for the best, Line 104 Welcum to me, thow art full deir ane gest. Line 105

This auld calchas, efter the law was tho Line 106 Wes keiper of the tempill as ane preist Line 107 In quhilk venus and hir sone cupido Line 108 War honourit, and his chalmer was thame neist, Line 109 To quhilk cresseid with baill aneuch in breist Line 110 Vsit to pas, hir prayeris for to say Line 111 Quhill at the last, vpon ane solempne day, Line 112

As custome was, the pepill far and neir Line 113 Befoir the none, vnto the tempill went, Line 114 With sacrifice deuoit in thair maneir, Line 115 Bot still cresseid, heuie in hir intent Line 116 Into the kirk wald not hir self present Line 117 For giuing of the pepill ony deming, Line 118 Of hir expuls fra diomeid the king. Line 119

Bot past into ane secreit orature Line 120 Quhair scho micht weip hir wofull desteny, Line 121 Behind hir bak scho cloisit fast the dure Line 122 And on hir kneis bair fell doun in hy Line 123 Vpon venus and cupide angerly Line 124 Scho cryit out, and said on this same wyse, Line 125 Allace that euer i maid zow sacrifice, Line 126

Ze gaue me anis ane deuine responsaill, Line 127 That i suld be the flour of luif in troy, Line 128 Now am i maid ane vnworthie outwaill Line 129 And all in cair translatit is my ioy, Line 130 Quha sall me gyde? quha sall me now conuoy Line 131 Sen i fra diomeid and nobill troylus Line 132 Am clene excludit, as abiect odious. Line 133

O fals cupide is nane to wyte bot thow, Line 134 And thy mother, of lufe the blind goddes, Line 135 Ze causit me alwayis vnderstand and trow Line 136 The seid of lufe was sawin in my face, Line 137 And ay grew grene throw zour supplie and grace Line 138 Bot now allace that seid with froist is slane Line 139 And i fra luifferis left and all forlane. Line 140

Quhen this was said doun in ane extasie Line 141 Rauischit in spreit intill ane dreame scho fell Line 142 And be apperance hard quhair scho did ly Line 143 Cupide the king ringand ane siluer bell, Line 144 Quhilk men micht heir fra heuin vnto hell. Line 145 At quhais sound befoir cupide appeiris Line 146 The seuin planetis discending fra thair spheiris. Line 147

Quhilk hes power of all thing generabill Line 148 To reull and steir be thair greit influence, Line 149 Wedder and wind, and coursis variabill, Line 150 And first of all saturne gaue his sentence Line 151 Quhilk gaue to cupide litill reuerence, Line 152 Bot as ane busteous churle on his maneir Line 153 Come crabitlie with auster luik and cheir. Line 154

His face frosnit, his lyre was lyke the leid, Line 155 His teith chatterit, and cheuerit with the chin, Line 156 His ene drowpit, how sonkin in his heid Line 157 Out of his nois the meldrop fast can rin, Line 158 With lippis bla and cheikis leine and thin Line 159 The ice schoklis that fra his hair doun hang Line 160 Was wonder greit, and as ane speir als lang Line 161

Atouir his belt his lyart lokkis lay Line 162 Felterit vnfair, ouirfret with froistis hoir, Line 163 His garmound and his gyis full gay of gray Line 164 His widderit weid fra him the wind out woir, Line 165 Ane busteous bow within his hand he boir Line 166 Vnder his girdill ane flasche of felloun flanis Line 167 Fedderit with ice, and heidit with hailstanis. Line 168

Than iuppiter richt fair and amiabill, Line 169 God of the starnis in the firmament, Line 170 And nureis to all thing generabill Line 171 Fra his father saturne far different, Line 172 With burelie face, and browis bricht and brent Line 173 Vpon his heid ane garland wonder gay Line 174 Of flouris fair as it had bene in may. Line 175

His voice was cleir, as cristall wer his ene Line 176 As goldin wyre sa glitterand was his hair, Line 177 His garmound and his gyis full of grene Line 178 With goldin listis gilt on euerie gair, Line 179 Ane burelie brand about his middill bair Line 180 In his richt hand he had ane groundin speir, Line 181 Of his father the wraith fra vs to weir. Line 182

Nixt efter him come mars the god of ire, Line 183 Of strife, debait, and all dissensioun, Line 184 To chide and fecht, als feirs as ony fyre Line 185 In hard harnes, hewmound and habirgeoun, Line 186 And on his hanche ane roustie fell fachioun, Line 187 And in his hand he had ane roustie sword Line 188 Wrything his face with mony angrie word. Line 189

Schaikand his sword, befoir cupide he come Line 190 With reid visage, and grislie glowrand ene, Line 191 And at his mouth ane bullar stude of fome Line 192 Lyke to ane bair quhetting his tuskis kene, Line 193 Richt tuilzeour lyke. but temperance in tene Line 194 Ane horne he blew, with mony bosteous brag Line 195 Quhilk all this warld with weir hes maid to wag Line 196