Works of John Metham : (Amoryus and Cleopes, &c.) / edited by Hardin Craig

Second Boke

(106)

Now leue I this introducyng matere in specyal, Line 724 To declare the substauns off the story Line 725 Off Amoryus and Cleopes, beyng at thise mysteryis alle Line 726 In that tempyl, fulle lytyl knowyng qwat fortune was them ny Line 727 Off louys chauns; for thow thei were born fast by, Line 728 Nowdyr off odyr had very knowlech: for as I before told, Line 729 Amoryus was fostyrryd in the emperourys houshold. Line 730

(107)

Thys Amoryus in the tempyl yed vp and downe, Line 731 Conueyd with thise fresch yonge knytys, Line 732 Carpyng off auenturys; for lytyl deuocion Line 733 They had in the seruyse, but alle ther delytys Line 734 Was to se the gentylwomen, kastyng to and fro ther sytys; Line 735 For one thei spake, fyllyng the champ yche to odyr; Line 736 But with ther mowth thei musyd one .j., and with ther hert anodyr. Line 737

(108)

And as syre Amoryus talkyd, he kyst hys ye couertly [With the meeting of Amoryus and Cleopes, compare the first acquaintance of Paris and Helen (Lydgate's Troy Book, E.E.T.S. ed., ii, 3632-45). Paris walks back and forth, observes Helen at her prayers, and draws near her; they love at first sight, but dissemble their love; they part after arranging to meet again. p. 32, ll 849 ff. The tournament. There is a tournament in the fourth book of Lydgate's Troy Book, to which this bears some resemblance. ] Line 738 To beheld thise ladyis, notyng thayre demenauns Line 739 And eke ther beute; hys eye be-gan sodenly Line 740 To be set on one .j. abaschyd in maner off that soden chauns, Line 741 Meruelyng gretly that sche with so goodely countenauns Line 742 Kyste here eye a-syde, qwan he her beheld stedffastly, Line 743 Reuoluyd in hys mende that bothe sche was beuteus and womanly. Line 744

(109)

[leaf 30 b.] But alwey he fyllyd the tale amonge them alle, Line 745 That no creature coude aspye that he was bysy Line 746 About sqwyche materys; but anone he gan calle Line 747 A seruaunt, byddyng hym hys prayur rolle to fecche in hye, Line 748 And a-yen turnyd to the knytys. "Ye ax cause," quoth he, "that I Line 749 Am behynde off my deuocionys." "Deuocionys!" quoth thei, Line 750 "Qwat! pray qwan ye ar elde, and talke now stylle be yowre fey." Line 751

(110)

But at the last this seruant come with this rolle, Line 752 Delyuerryd yt to Amoryus and he wold no lenger lett. Line 753 "Adweȝ;" quoth he to the knytys, "I must grete daune Appolle Line 754 With thise deuocionnys," and on hys kneys doune hym sette; Line 755 And that thei schuld here, loude thus Venus he gret: Line 756 "In thi preysyng, O god Appollo! my vowe recuyue gracyusly Line 757 To my comfort and encrese off thi glory." Line 758

(111)

And vp he rose, for done was hys gret deuocion; Line 759 But with hys rolle a-brod he welk fro the este to the weste; Line 760 And wyse and ware he was that, be no maner off suspycion, Line 761 The starerrys a-boute schul perseyue, but deme for the best Line 762 That he so yede; and nere as he durst euer he yede forby the closet Line 763 Qwer Cleopes sat: but euer fere off tungys hym let, Line 764

(112)

But at the last nere he gan take hys trace, Line 765 And as godely as he coude, he couertly kyst hys ye Line 766 Vp-on this lady; and efft forth gan kepe hys pace, Line 767 As he had done be-ffore; and sche anone gan yt aspye, Line 768 But qwy he so her beheld, sche knwe noght ueryly, Line 769 Saue for because off hys godely chere Line 770 Sche dempt that he her louyd in frendly maner. [Last line nonsense words to fill out page, "Smsmastm mas m m spm may grem." A line is perhaps omitted in stanza 111.] Line 771

(113)

[leaf 31 a.] And with that sche gan remembyr hys manhed and fame Line 772 That in ryffe was, and eke hys amyabyl stature. Line 773 "O!" quoth sche, "this ys Amoryus for certen, this ys the same Line 774 That so manfful ys in bateyl and so louely to yche creature. Line 775 O Venus!" quoth sche, "deme I noght aryte that this wurthy weryour Line 776 Schuld cast a loue to me, that fostryd hath be among most beuteus Line 777 Off alle Rome; for certeyn yt ys noght thus. Line 778

(114)

"But for sum odyr cause he dothe me behold." Line 779 And as sche this gan reuolue in her mende to and fro, Line 780 He come forby at her bak and forth hys cours gan hold; Line 781 And sche anone gan consydyr hys stature as he gan goo, Line 782 Comendyng hys semlynes; and sone the delectabyl woo Line 783 Off louys fyre had percyd here hert, that her ful cure Line 784 Was hym to loue be-ffore yche erthely creature. Line 785

(115)

And efft with hys rolle he come, as he dyd beffore, Line 786 In hope that comffortyd schuld be, yff he myght her behold; Line 787 And stedffastly he gan her behold, but euer lenger the more Line 788 He went to a-be holpyn, the more hys hert gan fold. Line 789 And as he yede, sofftely he syghyd; and so sche supposyd qwat he wold. Line 790 But ho was than joyfful but sche, qwan sche herd that syghyng; Line 791 For more plesauns yt was to here than ony erthly thyng! Line 792

(116)

There was no wytt than to seke, in sotheffastnes, Line 793 To conclude vndyr qwat form thei myght aqweyntyd be. Line 794 A thowsand weys thei kyst thayre loue to expresse; Line 795 But redy womannys wytt ys yn soden casys off necessyte; Line 796 And so Cleopes there schewyd, to make in loue an entry, Line 797

To saue her worchyp, and that Amoryus schuld haue knowyng, Line 798 Be a fygure the entent off her inward menyng. Line 799

(117)

[leaf 31 b.] There was, as seyth the story, a portrature meruulus Line 800 In a boke that Cleopes had to sey on her deuocionys, Line 801 Portrayd with gold and verd; the qwyche conseyt representyd thus: Line 802 There was an hynde lying as yt had bene on stonys Line 803 Holdyng an hert. The portraiture bordyryd was with trw louys, Line 804 Be-fforn qwyche depeyntyd was a knyght knelyng, Line 805 Holdyng in one hand an hart, in the odyr a ryng. Line 806

(118)

But qwy yt was portrayd ne fallyth me to telle; Line 807 But for the conseyt womannys wytt to expres, Line 808 Thys lady had caught an ymagynacion off that meruel, Line 809 That in lyke thingys the dome lyke schuld be, sche gan ges. Line 810 "And yff he wyse be, my menyng he schal perseyue in more and les." Line 811 And as he yede forby, sche held alofft her boke, and bysyly Line 812 Her ymagys beheld, and prince Amoryus yt gan aspye. Line 813

(119)

But that he meruelyd that sche with so sad chere Line 814 Be-held her boke, and with-in hys hert purposyd fully Line 815 To wytt qwat yt schuld be be sum maner, Line 816 That sche with stedffast chere beheld so bysyly. Line 817 And as fortune wold, Venus was born foreby, Line 818 To hos reuerens iche man and woman on knys them set, Line 819 And prince Amoryus doune knelyd by Cleopes closet. Line 820

(120)

Fyrst, he dyd be norture obeychauns that straungely, Line 821 And sche hym rewardyd ayen with wordys sofft; Line 822 But qwat he seyd or sche, my boke makyth no memory, Line 823

Saue qwan that Venus was born alofte Line 824 Hys eye on Cleopes boke, he kyst ful offte, Line 825 And sche a-purpose made with made with her fynger demonstracion Line 826 Askauns. Constrwe now, for off my menyng this ys the entencion. Line 827

(121)

[leaf 32 a.] And he sone yt perseyuid and gan reuolue to and fro Line 828 In hys hert, but lenger than he dyd abyde; Line 829 But vp he rose, and forth in hys walk he gan go, Line 830 Reuoluying in hys mende to and fro. Line 831 The portrature that he had sene on euery syde, Line 832 Noght the imagys only, but off the beholdyng Line 833 That sche with chere and fynger made ther-to tokenyng. Line 834

(122)

But the seruyse endyd, thise knyghtys come in fere Line 835 To Amoryus. "Qwat!" quoth thei, "benedicyte! ye arn wunder holy to-day! Line 836 Ye haue sayd for alle this weke yowr preyyer." Line 837 "Yee, yee!" quoth Amoryus, "sumtyme to sporte, and sumtyme to pray; Line 838 Yt ys expedyent; I-wus yit I haue thingys to say, Line 839 But now for schortnes off tyme, Line 840 Off the resydu I schal abyde tyl tomorgh prime." Line 841

(123)

Nedys he must depart, but lothe was he, Line 842 Fro hys lady; and sche with sqwemfful chere Line 843 Gan hym behold; but qwan sche say yt wold none odyr be, Line 844 But nede thei must depart. "Farewele," quoth sche, "my knyght entere." Line 845 And he, "Farewele, my hole plesauns and lady dere." Line 846 In her hertys thus thei ment, at hos partyng was a priuy peyn; Line 847 But at thayr metyng come myrth ayeyn. Line 848

(124)

Hom iche creature yede afftyr this forsayd solempnyte Line 849 To her reffeccion, and yche man gan hym hye Line 850 To the tornamentys, and most in specyal for to se Line 851 The iustys that proclamyd were, most especyally Line 852 At the reqwest off the emperourys knytys; the qwyche bysyly Line 853 Than gan them harnes, hying hem to the feld Line 854 Qwere the knytys off the cuntre abydyn with spere and scheld. Line 855

(125)

[leaf 32 b.] And Amoryus nas noght be-hynde; but yit or he toke hys stede, Line 856 A portrayer he clepyd, byddyng hym in alle the hast he may, Line 857 Steyn with colourys in a kerchyff off a qwarter brede Line 858 The same conseyt that in Cleopes boke he sey. Line 859 And this portrayer with-owte delay Line 860 Steynyd yt sone; and for he knw Amoryus myght noght abyde, Line 861 For hast ayeyns a fyre he dryid the wrong syde. Line 862

(126)

And Amoryus fast this kerchyf gan wynde Line 863 Aboute hys ryght arme, that men myght yt see; Line 864 And on hys steede he lepe. "Qwer ys my fadyr? ys he behynd?" Line 865 To hys men he sayd. "He abydyth yow," quoth thei, "in the entre." Line 866 "And the knytys eke abyde thei me? Line 867 Wele," quoth he, "here goth ther-fore." And fast he prekyd to the place, Line 868 Ther the seruaunts telde hym hys fadyr was. Line 869

(127)

And as he come, hys fadyr gan yt asspye Line 870 Fro ferre. "Qwat," quoth he, "hath he yondyr? Yt ys sum nysete." Line 871 As he come nere,—"Qwat haue ye ther? qwat maner jape or foly?" Line 872 "Fadyr," quoth he, "this nyght, for a specyal tokyn off vyctory, Line 873 Venus apperyd, schewyng this fygure to me, Line 874

Byddyng me the symylytude to forme; with the qwyche with-owte fayl Line 875 I schuld haue vyctory in euery tornyament and bateyl." Line 876

(128)

"God yeue grace," quoth he, "yt be so." And forth thei gan ryde Line 877 To this place, qwere the knytys abydyn armyd bryght, Line 878 Houyng on horsbak, perand aboute on euery syde, Line 879 Qwan Amoryus schuld come; and anone ryght Line 880 The pepyl gan crye, that come to be-hold that syght: Line 881 "Make rome fast; for he comyth, owre lord Palamedon; Line 882 Hys sone eke, and the emperourys knytys euery-chon." Line 883

(129)

[leaf 33 a.] Sone as the statys had takyn her stagys, Line 884 Eke the ladyis off the toune her setys had take, Line 885 In-to the place come rydyng the emperourys knytys, makyng chalengys Line 886 Ayens alle that wold come party in iustys to make Line 887 That day in the feld, for here soueren ladyis sake; Line 888 And Amoryus this mowthyd to plese Cleopes, Line 889 For sone he had her aspyid among alle the pres. Line 890

(130)

None erthly creature than gladder was than sche, Line 891 Qwan sche sey this conseyt aboute hys armour; Line 892 Kastyng alle doughtys asyde, full joyfful sche gan be, Line 893 Blyssyng fortune off that owre Line 894 Abydyn; but more glad, qwan that he Line 895 Qwyt hym as a champyon that day in the feld. Line 896 "Mars," quoth sche, "fro alle aduersyteys Amoryus scheld!" Line 897

(131)

And as myn autour dothe wryte, thise iustys contunyed Line 898 Heght .viij. days; qwere to conclude, thise knytys imperyal Line 899 In tho iustys offtyn were onhorsyd Line 900 Off knytys off the cuntre; for many a falle Line 901 They had and eke yowyn; but be lykenes the vyctory specyal Line 902

They off the regyon schuld an-had at the conclusyon, Line 903 Had noght Amoryus hym qwyt as a fers lyon. Line 904

(132)

But off alle thise .viij. dayis, knyght for knyght, non so manly Line 905 Hym qwyt as Amoryus; for noght onys he was reysyd Line 906 Owte off hys sadyl, and yit yche day he had the vyctory Line 907 Off alle that ayens hym rydyn: for off the cuntre the knygtys nomberyd Line 908 Seuyn .vij. skore, that notabyl werryourys offtyn had be preuyd; Line 909 And off the emperourys knytys, with alle odyr off the toune, Line 910 But to and fourty, be ful computacion. Line 911

(133)

[leaf 33 b.] Erly on the eght .viij. day qwan endyd was the solempnyte Line 912 Off Venus and the tempyl, Amoryus lete cry among the pepyl alle, Line 913 Ayens as many as wold come, he redy schuld be Line 914 For hys lady sake to iuste, ayens yche knyght in general, Line 915 In hys owne persone; and qwat he were myght yeue hym a falle, Line 916 Schuld ryghtly hys coursere and trappere possede, Line 917 And hys harnes haue for hys mede. Line 918

(134)

Thys was the cry off Amoryus in opyn audyens, Line 919 The qwyche ful sore to her hertys yede that enuyus were, Line 920 But nowght ther grucchyng myght help; for or he yede thens, Line 921 In justys a nwe skole he gan hem lere. Line 922 For nas ther non so strong, but he dyd hym bere Line 923 Owte off hys sadyl, or hors and man yede both to ground; Line 924 That hys manhod hys aduersaryis abaschyd and confound. Line 925

(135)

And casually yt happyd, there come rydyng for-by Line 926 A knyght auenterus, ["A knyght auenterus." Alexander's combat with Porus in the Alexander romance has some features in common with the combat of Amoryus with the knight adventurous. With the knight's determination to fight (l. 963), compare that of Polyneices in Lydgate's Siege of Thebes, 1323-52.] that for hys lady souereyn Line 927 Had foughtyn in kyngys londys sundry. Line 928 He off thise iustys had gret dysdeyn, Line 929

Qwan he beheld one .i. ouercome so many. Line 930 Sone off the pepil he enqwiryd, that stod hym by, Line 931 "Qwat ys he yon," quoth he, "that thus fersly iustyth to-day; Line 932 That no knyght hym onhors may?" Line 933

(136)

"Syr," quoth thei, "yt ys Amoryus, the lordys sunne off this cyte. Line 934 A more manful man off hys age we trowe, liuyth noght." Line 935 "A!" quoth this knyght, "ys this Amoryus? Ys yt he? Line 936 Wele," quoth he, "hys pride this day ful sore schal be bowght." Line 937 And with-owte wordys moo he rode in-to the place, Line 938 And to Amorys thise wordys spake with sterne face: Line 939

(137)

[leaf 34 a.] "I chaleng the," quoth the knyght, "qwat-sum-euer thow be, Line 940 To fyght with-in the lyst for thi lady sake, Line 941 At alle poyntys off armys, and yff yow dar mete with me, Line 942 Geue an ansqwer, for I none odyr day wul take." Line 943 And Amoryus ful norturely sayd, "I," quoth he, "for my lady sake Line 944 Redy am; but as ye may be resun consydyr, Line 945 To fyght on fote,—I am noght now arayd ther-affter. Line 946

(138)

But fyrst with scharp sperys one .j. cours let vs asay Line 947 And affter I schal chonge myne harnes to yowre entent." Line 948 "I graunt in feyth," quoth this knyght, "I schal neuer say nay; Line 949 But ho ys lord," quoth he, "off this tornament?" Line 950 "My lord, my fader," quoth Amoryus; "he syttys here present." Line 951 "With hym wold I speke," seyd the knyght. And with-owte more Line 952 He browt hym syre Palamedon be-fore. Line 953

(139)

To home, as knyghthod askyth, he yaf informacion Line 954 Qwat he was, and qwy he come, and off the chalenge Line 955 Made to Amoryus; and qwan he herd hys conclusyon, Line 956 Sumqwat asstoynyd; for hym thowt straunge and alenge Line 957 Off hys aray, for the colourys and qweynt facion; Line 958 But at the last he welcummyd hym goodely, Line 959 Grauntyng the effecte off hys dysyre fully; Line 960

(140)

Comaundyd eke to be led to hys palyce, Line 961 And with alle humanyte to be reffreschyd beffore hys labour; Line 962 But the knyght noght wold, for crwel hert and malyce, Line 963 Seyng, "I dysyre no reward off toune nere towre." Line 964 "Wele," quoth Palamedon, "begynne yowr fyght this same owre; Line 965 I held me payd." But trwe that prouerbe than preuyd so, Line 966 That ouer-hasty man wantyd neuer woo. Line 967

(141)

But qwy I rehersyd be-ffore that Palamedon gan wondyr Line 968 [leaf 34 b.] Off this knytys aray, this was cause in specyal, Line 969 For a tokyn yt dyd schew; that men schuld knowe asundyr Line 970 The feld off tho kyngys armys alle Line 971 In hos kyngdams he had foutyn, bothe gret and smal: Line 972 For off yche regyon he bare the cheff coloure in hys harnes, Line 973 To notyffye the manhod off hys scharp iurneys. Line 974

(142)

For the kyngdam off Ethyop, hos kyng beryth a lyon rampand Line 975 Off goulys in a feld off sabyl, this forsayd knyght Line 976 Blak sabatouns weryd; and for Arge, hos kyng a lebard passaund Line 977 Off syluer in uerd bare, he vsyd greuys that with grene were dyght; Line 978 And for the regyon off Ynde, that in the este hat the syght, Line 979 That asure and gold gerundy bare, hys one cuschew blwe, Line 980 Hys odyr alle depeyntyd with yelwe; Line 981

(143)

And for the kyngdam off Arabe, hos gouernour Line 982 A gryffyn off golde in goulys dyd bere, Line 983 Thys knyghtys vambracys in coloure Line 984 Alle depeyntyd with red were; Line 985 And for the kyngdam off Lyby the qwyche a toure Line 986 Off syluer in asure bare, hys rerebracys Line 987 Were depeyntyd with blwe, hangyng ful of lacys. Line 988

(144)

And alle hys odyr harnes off bryght stele Line 989 With-owte depeyntyng; as hys rerebracys and hys gorget, Line 990 Hys basenet and hys gauntelettys; for he purposyd that cele Line 991 To a colouryd hys odyr harnes euery dele Line 992 With the armys off Perse; and so yt was qwan Amoryus with hym met. Line 993 He clad hym alle in goulys as I ges Line 994 Qwan ouerron with blod was alle hys harnes. Line 995

(145)

[leaf 35 a.] But schortly to conclude, Amoryus and this knyght Line 996 Her cours begunne, on courserys huge and mayn; Line 997 And at the fyrst metyng Amoryus this odyr gan smyght Line 998 Vp-on hys vmbrere; that the spere-hed lefft in hys brayn, Line 999 And so schet hym ouer hys hors on the pleynne Line 1000 Dede,—as he must nedys, hos seruaunts thus pride doth reward, Line 1001 That for hynes off hert at none odyr hath regard. Line 1002

(146)

Thus endyd were the iustys and eke the solempnyte Line 1003 Off the dedycacion and the laure off marcyan vyctory Line 1004 Youyn was to Amoryus; and eke my boke tellyth, that qwan he Line 1005 Had slayne this knyght, he rode for-by Line 1006 Qwere Cleopes sate and odyr ladyis, salutyng them godely, Line 1007 Seyng, "This iuberte haue I abydyn for my lady souereyn, Line 1008 And yit nowdyr off vs knowyth odyr, I dar sauely seyn." Line 1009

(147)

And thei alle rysyn, thankyng hym norturely Line 1010 That he hym so manly dyd qwyght; Line 1011 And most in specyal Cleopes gan hym preyse, that he so honourly Line 1012 Had hym born, besechyng Venus hym to deyfy in heuyn bryght,— Line 1013 "For gret pyte yt were, that owght but goode schul on yow lyght." Line 1014 And Amoryus hys hed gan enclyne, seyng with goodely chere, Line 1015 "God do yow mede, madame, for yowre goode prayere." Line 1016

(148)

And sone this tornament brake vp, and yche man yed ther wey Line 1017 Thydyr fro thens he come; and the nest morw be pryme Line 1018 The emperourys knyghtys homeward fast schop ther jurney, Line 1019 Thankyng Palemedon off hys gret chere offtyn tyme, Line 1020 And eke off the ryche yifftys with the qwych he hem dyd lyme, Line 1021 That to the emperour come sone with tydyng off Perse; Line 1022 Qwere I them leue, floryschyng in prosperyte. Line 1023 [typographic . . . . . . . . . .] [leaf 35 b.]