The Canterbury tales and Faerie queene &c., &c., &c., ed. for popular perusal with current illustrations and explanatory notes, by D. Laing Purves.

TROIL US AND CRESSIDA. 273
"Comen I will, but yet in such disjoint 1 But most for women that betrayed be
I standi now, that what year or what day Through falsi folk (God give them sorrow,
That this shall be, that can I not appoint; Amen!)
But in effect I pray you, as I may, That with their greate wit and subtilty
For your good word and for your friendship ay; Betray~ you; and this commoveth me
For truely, while that my life may dure, To speak; and in effect you all I pray,
As for a friend, ye may in me assure.2 Beware of men, and hearken what I say.
" Yet pray I you, on evil ye not take 4 Go, little book, go, little tragedy!
That it is short, which that I to you write; There God my maker, yet ere that I die,
I dare not, where I am, well letters make; So send me might to Mhake some comedy!
Nor never yet ne could I well endite; But, little book, no making thou envy,l0
Eke great effect men write in place lite; 5 But subject be unto all poesy;
Th' intent 6 is all, and not the letter's space; And kiss the steps, where as thou seest space,
And fare now well, God have you in his grace! Of Virgil, Ovid, Homer, Lucan, Stace.
"La Vostre C."
"La V e. And, for there is so great diversity
Though he found this letter "all strange," In English, and in writing of our tongue,
and thought it like "a kalendes of change," 7 So pray I God, that none miswrite thee,
Troilus could not believe his lady so cruel as Nor thee mismetre, for default of tongue!
to forsake him; but he was put out of all doubt, And read whereso thou be, or elles sung,
one day that, as he stood in suspicion and melan- That thou be understanden, God I'seech! l1
choly, he saw a "coat-armour " borne along the But yet to purpose of my rather speech.12
street, in token of victory, before Deiphobus his
brother. Deiphobus had won it from Diomede The wrath, as I began you for to say,
in battle that day; and Troilus, examining it Of Troilus the Greekes bought8 dear;
~out of curiosity, found within the collar a brooch For thousandis his handes made dey,l
which he had given to Cressida on the morning As he that was withouten any peer,
she left Troy, and which she had pledged her Save in his time Hector, as I can hear;
faith to keep for ever in remembrance of his But, well-away! save only Godde's will,
sorrow and of him. At this fatal discovery of Dispiteously him slew the fierce Achill'.
his lady's untruth, And when that he was slain in this mannere,
Great was the sorrow and plaint of Troilus; His lighte ghost 14 full blissfully is went 15
But forth her course FortAne ay gan to hold; Up to the hollowness of the seventh sphere,
Cressida lov'd the son of Tydeus, In converse 16 leaving ev'ry element;
And Troilus must weep in cares cold. And there he saw, with full advisement,l7
Such is the world, whoso it can behold! Th' erratic starres heark'ning harmony,
In each estate is little heart6's rest; With soundes full of heav'nly melody.
God lend8 us each to take it for the best! And down from thennes fast he gan advise 18
In many a cruel battle Troilus wrought havoc This little spot of earth, that with the sea
among the Greeks, and often he exchanged blows Embraced is; and fully gan despise
and bitter words with Diomede, whom he always This wretched world, and held all vanity,
specially sought; but it was not their lot that To respect of the plein felicity 19
either should fall by the other's hand. The That is in heav'n above; and, at the last,
poet's purpose, however, he tells us, is to relate, Where he was slain his looking down he cast.
not the warlike deeds of Troilus, which Dares And in himself he laugh'd right at the woe
has fully told, but his love-fortunes: Of them that wepte for his death so fast;
Beseeching ev'ry lady bright of hue, And damned 20 all our works, that follow so
And ev'ry gentle woman, what she be,9 The blinde lust, the which that may not last,
Albeit that Cressida was untrue, And shoulden 21 all our heart on heaven cast;
That for that guilt ye be not wroth with me; And forth he wente, shortly for to tell,
Ye may her guilt in other bookes see; Where as Mercury sorted 22 him to dwell.
And gladder I would writen, if you lest, Such fie 23 hath, lo! this Troilus for love!
Of Penelop6's truth, and good Alceste. Such fine hath all his great8 worthiness!
Nor say I not this only all for men, Such fine hath his estate royal above! 24
1 Jeopardy, critical position. 12 My earlier, former subject; "rather" is the com2 Depend on me.. parative of the old adjective " rath," early.
3 Moreover. 4 Do not take it ill. 13 Made to die. 14 Spirit. 15 Gone.
5 Men write great matter in little space. 16 Passing up through the hollowness or concavity of
6 Meaning. the spheres, which all revolve round each other and are
7 The Roman kalends were the first day of the all contained by God (see note 11, page 217), the soul
month, when a change of weather was usually ex- of Troilus, looking downward, beholds the converse or
pected. 8 Grant. 9 Whatsoever she be. convex side of the spheres which it has traversed.
10 Be envious of no poetry (of others). Maker, and 17 Clear observation or understanding.
making, words used in the Middle Ages to signify the 18 Consider, look upon.
composer and the composition of poetry, correspond 19 In comparison with the full felicity.
exactly with the Greek 7rOlTrS1 and lrol/ca, from 20 Condemned. 21 While we should.
IroLew, I make. 22 Allotted; from Latin, "sors," lot, fortune.
11 Beseech. 23 End. 24 His exalted royal rank.'
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