82
"Othea meneth well to sey on thys wyse,
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But all to entrete Neptunus, I hope, shall nat nede.
Me semeth I alone durst take that entyrpryse
Er I am begylyd, or elles I shall spede.
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How say ye, Neptunus, shall I do thys dede?
Wyll ye your rancour sese at my request?"
"Madame," quod he, "reule me as ye lyketh best."
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83
"Gramercy," seyd she, "of your good wyll
Line 575
That hit pleseth yow to shew me that fauour,
Wherefore the goddes hygh plesure to fulfyll,
Performe my desyre & leeue all olde rancour,
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For our aldyrs wele & sauyng of our honour,
Ageyn thys Eolus that ye long haue had."
"Hyt ys doon," quoth he, "forsoth then am I glad."
84
Seyde he, "Now then, Eolus, be thow to vs trew,
Line 582
Kepe well the eyr, and owre gret rebell
May we then soone euer to vs subdew."
"Yes and that," quod Eolus, "shall ye here tell
Line 585
No where in the eyre shall he reste nor dwell.
Yef he do therof, put me in defaute,
With my bytter blastys so shall I hym asaute."
Line 588
85
"What," seyde the god Pluto, "what ys hys name
Line 589
That thus presumeth ageyn vs to rebell?"
"Vertew," quod Attropos, "that haue he mykyll shame,
He ys neuer confoundyd, thus of hym here I tell."
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"A," seyde thys Pluto, "in dede I know hym well,
He hathe be euer myn vtter enemy.
Wherfore thys mater ageyn hym take wyll I.
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86
"For all the baytys that ye for hym haue leyde,
Line 596
Without myn helpe, be nat worth a peere.
For though ye all the contrary had seyde,
Yet wolde he breede ryght nygh your althrys eere.
Line 599
No maner of thyng can hym hurt nor dere
Saue oonly oon, a son of myn bastard,
Whos name ys Vyce—he kepeth my vaward.
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