"And whoso seith that forto loue is vice,
Line 855
Or thraldom, though he feele in it destresse,
Line 856
He outher is enuyous or right nyce,
Line 857
Or is vnmyghty for his shrewednesse
Line 858
To louen; for swich manere folk, I gesse,
Line 859
Defamen loue as nothing of it knowe:
Line 860
They speken, but thei benten neuere his bowe.
Line 861
"What is the sonne wers, of kynde right,
Line 862
Though that a man for fieblesse of his eyen
Line 863
May nought endure on it to see for bright?
Line 864
Or loue the wers, though wrecches on it crien?
Line 865
No wele is worth that may no sorwe dryen;
Line 866
And forthi, who that hath an hed of verre,
Line 867
ffro caste of stones war hym in the werre.
Line 868
"But I with al myn herte and al my myghte,
Line 869
As I haue seyd, wol loue vn-to my laste
Line 870
My deere herte and al myn owen knyghte,
Line 871
In which myn herte growen is so faste,
Line 872
And his in me, that it shal euere laste:
Line 873
Al dredde I first to loue hym to bigynne,
Line 874
Now woot I wel ther is no peril inne."
Line 875
And of hir song right with that word she stente,
Line 876
And ther-with-al, "now Nece," quod Cryseyde,
Line 877
"Who made this song now with so good entente?"
Line 878
Antygone answerde anoon and seyde,
Line 879
"Madame, y-wys, the goodlieste mayde
Line 880
Of gret estat in al the town of Troye,
Line 881
And let hire lif in moste honour and ioye."
Line 882
"ffor-sothe, so it semeth by hire songe,"
Line 883
Quod tho Criseyde, and gan therwith to sike,
Line 884
And seyde, "lord, is ther swych blisse amonge
Line 885
Thise loueres, as they konne faire endite?"
Line 886
"Ȝe, wis," quod fresshe Antigone the white,
Line 887
"ffor al the folk that han or ben on lyue
Line 888
Ne konne wel the blisse of loue discryue.
Line 889
"But wene ȝe that euery wrecche woot
Line 890
The parfit blisse of loue? why nay, i-wys;
Line 891
They wenen all be loue if oon be hoot;
Line 892
Do wey, do wey, they woot nothyng of this.
Line 893
Men mosten axe at seyntes if it is
Line 894
Aught faire in heuene -- why? for they kan telle --
Line 895
And axen fendes is it foule in helle."
Line 896