Geoffrey Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde

Stanzas 21 through 30

"ffor though ȝe Troians with vs Grekes wrothe Line 141 Han many a day ben, alwey ȝet, parde, Line 142 O god of loue in soth we seruen bothe. Line 143 And for the loue of god, my lady fre, Line 144 Whom so ȝe hate, as beth nat wroth with me; Line 145 ffor trewely ther kan no wyght ȝow serue, Line 146 That half so loth ȝoure wratthe wold disserue. Line 147

"And nere it that we ben so neigh the tente Line 148 Of Calcas which that sen vs bothe may, Line 149 I wolde of this ȝow telle al myn entente; Line 150 But this enseled til anothir day. Line 151 Ȝeue me ȝoure honde; I am and shal ben ay, Line 152 God helpe me so, while that my lyf may dure, Line 153 Ȝoure owene abouen euery creature. Line 154

"Thus seyde I neuere er now to womman born; Line 155 ffor god myn herte as wisly glade so, Line 156 I loued neuere womman here-biforn Line 157 As paramours, ne neuere shal no mo. Line 158 And for the loue of god beth nat my fo, Line 159 Al kan I naught to ȝow, my lady deere, Line 160 Compleyne aright, for I am ȝet to leere. Line 161

"And wondreth nought, myn owen lady bright, Line 162 Though that I speke of loue to ȝow thus blyue; Line 163 ffor I haue herd er this of many a wight Line 164 Hath loued thyng he neuere saigh his lyue: Line 165 Ek I am nat of power forto stryue Line 166 Aȝeyns the god of loue, but hym obeye Line 167 I wole alwey, and mercye l ȝow preye. Line 168

"Ther ben so worthi knyghtes in this place, Line 169 And ȝe so fayre, that euerich of hem alle Line 170 Wol peynen hym to stonden in ȝoure grace. Line 171 But myghte me so faire a grace falle, Line 172 That ȝe me for ȝoure seruant wolde calle, Line 173 So lowely ne so trewely ȝow serue Line 174 Nil non of hem, as I shal, til I sterue." Line 175

Criseyde vn-to that purpos lite answerde, Line 176 As she that was with sorwe oppressed so Line 177 That in effect she naught hise tales herde Line 178 But here and ther, now here a word or two. Line 179 Hire thoughte hire sorwful herte brast atwo, Line 180 ffor whan she gan hire fader fer espie, Line 181 Wel neigh down of hire hors she gan to sye. Line 182

But natheles she thonketh Diomede Line 183 Of alle his trauaile and his goode cheere, Line 184 And that hym list his frendshipe hire to bede; Line 185 And she accepteth it in good manere, Line 186 And wol do fayn that is hym lief and dere, Line 187 And tristen hym she wolde, and wel she myghte, Line 188 As seyde she, and from hire hors shalighte. Line 189

Hire fader hath hire in hise armes nome, Line 190 And twenty tyme he kiste his doughter sweete, Line 191 And seyde, "O deere doughter myn, welcome." Line 192 She seyde ek she was fayn with hym to mete, Line 193 And stood forth muwet, milde and mansuete. Line 194 But here I leue hire with hire fader dwelle, Line 195 And forth I wol of Troilus ȝow telle. Line 196

To Troie is come this woful Troilus, Line 197 In sorwe abouen alle sorwes smerte, Line 198 With feloun look and face dispitous. Line 199 Tho sodeynly doun from his hors he sterte, Line 200 And thorugh his paleis with a swollen herte Line 201 To chaumbre he wente; of no wight took he hede, Line 202 Ne non to hym dar speke a word for drede. Line 203

And ther his sorwes that he spared hadde Line 204 He ȝaf an issue large and "deth" he criede; Line 205 And in his throwes frenetik and madde Line 206 He corseth Ioue, Appollo and ek Cupide, Line 207 He corseth Ceres, Bacus and Cipride, Line 208 His burthe, hym self, his fate and ek nature, Line 209 And, saue his lady, euery creature. Line 210