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diff --git a/old/troic10.txt b/old/troic10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..79cdd94 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/troic10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9740 @@ +*The Project Gutenberg Etext of Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde* + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*These Etexts Prepared By Hundreds of Volunteers and Donations* + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below. We need your donations. + + +Troilus and Criseyde +by Geoffrey Chaucer + + +May, 1995 [Etext #257] + + +*The Project Gutenberg Etext of Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde* +*****This file should be named troic10.txt or troic10.zip***** + +Corrected EDITIONS of our etexts get a new NUMBER, troic11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, troic10a.txt + + +This electronic edition was edited, proofed, and prepared by +Douglas B. Killings (DeTroyes@AOL.COM), March 1995. + +Additional assistance provided by Diane M. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + + + +BOOK I + + The double sorwe of Troilus to tellen, 1 +That was the king Priamus sone of Troye, +In lovinge, how his aventures fellen +Fro wo to wele, and after out of Ioye, +My purpos is, er that I parte fro ye. 5 +Thesiphone, thou help me for tendyte +Thise woful vers, that wepen as I wryte! + +To thee clepe I, thou goddesse of torment, +Thou cruel Furie, sorwing ever in peyne; +Help me, that am the sorwful instrument 10 +That helpeth lovers, as I can, to pleyne! +For wel sit it, the sothe for to seyne, +A woful wight to han a drery fere, +And, to a sorwful tale, a sory chere. + +For I, that god of Loves servaunts serve, 15 +Ne dar to Love, for myn unlyklinesse, +Preyen for speed, al sholde I therfor sterve, +So fer am I fro his help in derknesse; +But nathelees, if this may doon gladnesse +To any lover, and his cause avayle, 20 +Have he my thank, and myn be this travayle! + +But ye loveres, that bathen in gladnesse, +If any drope of pitee in yow be, +Remembreth yow on passed hevinesse +That ye han felt, and on the adversitee 25 +Of othere folk, and thenketh how that ye +Han felt that Love dorste yow displese; +Or ye han wonne hym with to greet an ese. + +And preyeth for hem that ben in the cas +Of Troilus, as ye may after here, 30 +That love hem bringe in hevene to solas, +And eek for me preyeth to god so dere, +That I have might to shewe, in som manere, +Swich peyne and wo as Loves folk endure, +In Troilus unsely aventure. 35 + +And biddeth eek for hem that been despeyred +In love, that never nil recovered be, +And eek for hem that falsly been apeyred +Thorugh wikked tonges, be it he or she; +Thus biddeth god, for his benignitee, 40 +So graunte hem sone out of this world to pace, +That been despeyred out of Loves grace. + +And biddeth eek for hem that been at ese, +That god hem graunte ay good perseveraunce, +And sende hem might hir ladies so to plese, 45 +That it to Love be worship and plesaunce. +For so hope I my soule best avaunce, +To preye for hem that Loves servaunts be, +And wryte hir wo, and live in charitee. + +And for to have of hem compassioun 50 +As though I were hir owene brother dere. +Now herkeneth with a gode entencioun, +For now wol I gon streight to my matere, +In whiche ye may the double sorwes here +Of Troilus, in loving of Criseyde, 55 +And how that she forsook him er she deyde. + + It is wel wist, how that the Grekes stronge +In armes with a thousand shippes wente +To Troyewardes, and the citee longe +Assegeden neigh ten yeer er they stente, 60 +And, in diverse wyse and oon entente, +The ravisshing to wreken of Eleyne, +By Paris doon, they wroughten al hir peyne. + +Now fil it so, that in the toun ther was +Dwellinge a lord of greet auctoritee, 65 +A gret devyn that cleped was Calkas, +That in science so expert was, that he +Knew wel that Troye sholde destroyed be, +By answere of his god, that highte thus, +Daun Phebus or Apollo Delphicus. 70 + +So whan this Calkas knew by calculinge, +And eek by answere of this Appollo, +That Grekes sholden swich a peple bringe, +Thorugh which that Troye moste been for-do, +He caste anoon out of the toun to go; 75 +For wel wiste he, by sort, that Troye sholde +Destroyed ben, ye, wolde who-so nolde. + +For which, for to departen softely +Took purpos ful this forknowinge wyse, +And to the Grekes ost ful prively 80 +He stal anoon; and they, in curteys wyse, +Hym deden bothe worship and servyse, +In trust that he hath conning hem to rede +In every peril which that is to drede. + +The noyse up roos, whan it was first aspyed, 85 +Thorugh al the toun, and generally was spoken, +That Calkas traytor fled was, and allyed +With hem of Grece; and casten to ben wroken +On him that falsly hadde his feith so broken; +And seyden, he and al his kin at ones 90 +Ben worthy for to brennen, fel and bones. + +Now hadde Calkas left, in this meschaunce, +Al unwist of this false and wikked dede, +His doughter, which that was in gret penaunce, +For of hir lyf she was ful sore in drede, 95 +As she that niste what was best to rede; +For bothe a widowe was she, and allone +Of any freend to whom she dorste hir mone. + +Criseyde was this lady name a-right; +As to my dome, in al Troyes citee 100 +Nas noon so fair, for passing every wight +So aungellyk was hir natyf beautee, +That lyk a thing immortal semed she, +As doth an hevenish parfit creature, +That doun were sent in scorning of nature. 105 + +This lady, which that al-day herde at ere +Hir fadres shame, his falsnesse and tresoun, +Wel nigh out of hir wit for sorwe and fere, +In widewes habit large of samit broun, +On knees she fil biforn Ector a-doun; 110 +With pitous voys, and tendrely wepinge, +His mercy bad, hir-selven excusinge. + +Now was this Ector pitous of nature, +And saw that she was sorwfully bigoon, +And that she was so fair a creature; 115 +Of his goodnesse he gladed hir anoon, +And seyde, `Lat your fadres treson goon +Forth with mischaunce, and ye your-self, in Ioye, +Dwelleth with us, whyl you good list, in Troye. + +`And al thonour that men may doon yow have, 120 +As ferforth as your fader dwelled here, +Ye shul han, and your body shal men save, +As fer as I may ought enquere or here.' +And she him thonked with ful humble chere, +And ofter wolde, and it hadde ben his wille, 125 +And took hir leve, and hoom, and held hir stille. + +And in hir hous she abood with swich meynee +As to hir honour nede was to holde; +And whyl she was dwellinge in that citee, +Kepte hir estat, and bothe of yonge and olde 130 +Ful wel beloved, and wel men of hir tolde. +But whether that she children hadde or noon, +I rede it naught; therfore I late it goon. + +The thinges fellen, as they doon of werre, +Bitwixen hem of Troye and Grekes ofte; 135 +For som day boughten they of Troye it derre, +And eft the Grekes founden no thing softe +The folk of Troye; and thus fortune on-lofte, +And under eft, gan hem to wheelen bothe +After hir cours, ay whyl they were wrothe. 140 + +But how this toun com to destruccioun +Ne falleth nought to purpos me to telle; +For it were a long digressioun +Fro my matere, and yow to longe dwelle. +But the Troyane gestes, as they felle, 145 +In Omer, or in Dares, or in Dyte, +Who-so that can, may rede hem as they wryte. + +But though that Grekes hem of Troye shetten, +And hir citee bisegede al a-boute, +Hir olde usage wolde they not letten, 150 +As for to honoure hir goddes ful devoute; +But aldermost in honour, out of doute, +They hadde a relik hight Palladion, +That was hir trist a-boven everichon. + +And so bifel, whan comen was the tyme 155 +Of Aperil, whan clothed is the mede +With newe grene, of lusty Ver the pryme, +And swote smellen floures whyte and rede, +In sondry wyses shewed, as I rede, +The folk of Troye hir observaunces olde, 160 +Palladiones feste for to holde. + +And to the temple, in al hir beste wyse, +In general, ther wente many a wight, +To herknen of Palladion servyse; +And namely, so many a lusty knight, 165 +So many a lady fresh and mayden bright, +Ful wel arayed, bothe moste and leste, +Ye, bothe for the seson and the feste. + +Among thise othere folk was Criseyda, +In widewes habite blak; but nathelees, 170 +Right as our firste lettre is now an A, +In beautee first so stood she, makelees; +Hir godly looking gladede al the prees. +Nas never seyn thing to ben preysed derre, +Nor under cloude blak so bright a sterre 175 + +As was Criseyde, as folk seyde everichoon +That hir behelden in hir blake wede; +And yet she stood ful lowe and stille alloon, +Bihinden othere folk, in litel brede, +And neigh the dore, ay under shames drede, 180 +Simple of a-tyr, and debonaire of chere, +With ful assured loking and manere. + +This Troilus, as he was wont to gyde +His yonge knightes, ladde hem up and doun +In thilke large temple on every syde, 185 +Biholding ay the ladyes of the toun, +Now here, now there, for no devocioun +Hadde he to noon, to reven him his reste, +But gan to preyse and lakken whom him leste. + +And in his walk ful fast he gan to wayten 190 +If knight or squyer of his companye +Gan for to syke, or lete his eyen bayten +On any woman that he coude aspye; +He wolde smyle, and holden it folye, +And seye him thus, `god wot, she slepeth softe 195 +For love of thee, whan thou tornest ful ofte! + +`I have herd told, pardieux, of your livinge, +Ye lovers, and your lewede observaunces, +And which a labour folk han in winninge +Of love, and, in the keping, which doutaunces; 200 +And whan your preye is lost, wo and penaunces; +O verrey foles! nyce and blinde be ye; +Ther nis not oon can war by other be.' + +And with that word he gan cast up the browe, +Ascaunces, `Lo! is this nought wysly spoken?' 205 +At which the god of love gan loken rowe +Right for despyt, and shoop for to ben wroken; +He kidde anoon his bowe nas not broken; +For sodeynly he hit him at the fulle; +And yet as proud a pekok can he pulle. 210 + +O blinde world, O blinde entencioun! +How ofte falleth al theffect contraire +Of surquidrye and foul presumpcioun; +For caught is proud, and caught is debonaire. +This Troilus is clomben on the staire, 215 +And litel weneth that he moot descenden. +But al-day falleth thing that foles ne wenden. + +As proude Bayard ginneth for to skippe +Out of the wey, so priketh him his corn, +Til he a lash have of the longe whippe, 220 +Than thenketh he, `Though I praunce al biforn +First in the trays, ful fat and newe shorn, +Yet am I but an hors, and horses lawe +I moot endure, and with my feres drawe.' + +So ferde it by this fers and proude knight; 225 +Though he a worthy kinges sone were, +And wende nothing hadde had swiche might +Ayens his wil that sholde his herte stere, +Yet with a look his herte wex a-fere, +That he, that now was most in pryde above, 230 +Wex sodeynly most subget un-to love. + +For-thy ensample taketh of this man, +Ye wyse, proude, and worthy folkes alle, +To scornen Love, which that so sone can +The freedom of your hertes to him thralle; 235 +For ever it was, and ever it shal bifalle, +That Love is he that alle thing may binde; +For may no man for-do the lawe of kinde. + +That this be sooth, hath preved and doth yet; +For this trowe I ye knowen, alle or some, 240 +Men reden not that folk han gretter wit +Than they that han be most with love y-nome; +And strengest folk ben therwith overcome, +The worthiest and grettest of degree: +This was, and is, and yet men shal it see. 245 + +And trewelich it sit wel to be so; +For alderwysest han ther-with ben plesed; +And they that han ben aldermost in wo, +With love han ben conforted most and esed; +And ofte it hath the cruel herte apesed, 250 +And worthy folk maad worthier of name, +And causeth most to dreden vyce and shame. + +Now sith it may not goodly be withstonde, +And is a thing so vertuous in kinde, +Refuseth not to Love for to be bonde, 255 +Sin, as him-selven list, he may yow binde. +The yerde is bet that bowen wole and winde +Than that that brest; and therfor I yow rede +To folwen him that so wel can yow lede. + +But for to tellen forth in special 260 +As of this kinges sone of which I tolde, +And leten other thing collateral, +Of him thenke I my tale for to holde, +Both of his Ioye, and of his cares colde; +And al his werk, as touching this matere, 265 +For I it gan, I wol ther-to refere. + +With-inne the temple he wente him forth pleyinge, +This Troilus, of every wight aboute, +On this lady and now on that lokinge, +Wher-so she were of toune, or of with-oute: 270 +And up-on cas bifel, that thorugh a route +His eye perced, and so depe it wente, +Til on Criseyde it smoot, and ther it stente. + +And sodeynly he wax ther-with astoned, +And gan hire bet biholde in thrifty wyse: 275 +`O mercy, god!' thoughte he, `wher hastow woned, +That art so fair and goodly to devyse?' +Ther-with his herte gan to sprede and ryse, +And softe sighed, lest men mighte him here, +And caughte a-yein his firste pleyinge chere. 280 + +She nas nat with the leste of hir stature, +But alle hir limes so wel answeringe +Weren to womanhode, that creature +Was neuer lasse mannish in seminge. +And eek the pure wyse of here meninge 285 +Shewede wel, that men might in hir gesse +Honour, estat, and wommanly noblesse. + +To Troilus right wonder wel with-alle +Gan for to lyke hir meninge and hir chere, +Which somdel deynous was, for she leet falle 290 +Hir look a lite a-side, in swich manere, +Ascaunces, `What! May I not stonden here?' +And after that hir loking gan she lighte, +That never thoughte him seen so good a sighte. + +And of hir look in him ther gan to quiken 295 +So greet desir, and swich affeccioun, +That in his herte botme gan to stiken +Of hir his fixe and depe impressioun: +And though he erst hadde poured up and doun, +He was tho glad his hornes in to shrinke; 300 +Unnethes wiste he how to loke or winke. + +Lo, he that leet him-selven so konninge, +And scorned hem that loves peynes dryen, +Was ful unwar that love hadde his dwellinge +With-inne the subtile stremes of hir yen; 305 +That sodeynly him thoughte he felte dyen, +Right with hir look, the spirit in his herte; +Blissed be love, that thus can folk converte! + +She, this in blak, likinge to Troylus, +Over alle thyng, he stood for to biholde; 310 +Ne his desir, ne wherfor he stood thus, +He neither chere made, ne worde tolde; +But from a-fer, his maner for to holde, +On other thing his look som-tyme he caste, +And eft on hir, whyl that servyse laste. 315 + +And after this, not fulliche al awhaped, +Out of the temple al esiliche he wente, +Repentinge him that he hadde ever y-iaped +Of loves folk, lest fully the descente +Of scorn fille on him-self; but, what he mente, 320 +Lest it were wist on any maner syde, +His wo he gan dissimulen and hyde. + +Whan he was fro the temple thus departed, +He streyght anoon un-to his paleys torneth, +Right with hir look thurgh-shoten and thurgh-darted, 325 +Al feyneth he in lust that he soiorneth; +And al his chere and speche also he borneth; +And ay, of loves servants every whyle, +Him-self to wrye, at hem he gan to smyle. + +And seyde, `Lord, so ye live al in lest, 330 +Ye loveres! For the conningest of yow, +That serveth most ententiflich and best, +Him tit as often harm ther-of as prow; +Your hyre is quit ayein, ye, god wot how! +Nought wel for wel, but scorn for good servyse; 335 +In feith, your ordre is ruled in good wyse! + +`In noun-certeyn ben alle your observaunces, +But it a sely fewe poyntes be; +Ne no-thing asketh so grete attendaunces +As doth youre lay, and that knowe alle ye; 340 +But that is not the worste, as mote I thee; +But, tolde I yow the worste poynt, I leve, +Al seyde I sooth, ye wolden at me greve! + +`But tak this, that ye loveres ofte eschuwe, +Or elles doon of good entencioun, 345 +Ful ofte thy lady wole it misconstrue, +And deme it harm in hir opinioun; +And yet if she, for other enchesoun, +Be wrooth, than shalt thou han a groyn anoon: +Lord! wel is him that may be of yow oon!' 350 + +But for al this, whan that he say his tyme, +He held his pees, non other bote him gayned; +For love bigan his fetheres so to lyme, +That wel unnethe un-to his folk he fayned +That othere besye nedes him destrayned; 355 +For wo was him, that what to doon he niste, +But bad his folk to goon wher that hem liste. + +And whan that he in chaumbre was allone, +He doun up-on his beddes feet him sette, +And first be gan to syke, and eft to grone, 360 +And thoughte ay on hir so, with-outen lette, +That, as he sat and wook, his spirit mette +That he hir saw a temple, and al the wyse +Right of hir loke, and gan it newe avyse. + +Thus gan he make a mirour of his minde, 365 +In which he saugh al hoolly hir figure; +And that he wel coude in his herte finde, +It was to him a right good aventure +To love swich oon, and if he dide his cure +To serven hir, yet mighte he falle in grace, 370 +Or elles, for oon of hir servaunts pace. + +Imagininge that travaille nor grame +Ne mighte, for so goodly oon, be lorn +As she, ne him for his desir ne shame, +Al were it wist, but in prys and up-born 375 +Of alle lovers wel more than biforn; +Thus argumented he in his ginninge, +Ful unavysed of his wo cominge. + +Thus took he purpos loves craft to suwe, +And thoughte he wolde werken prively, 380 +First, to hyden his desir in muwe +From every wight y-born, al-outrely, +But he mighte ought recovered be therby; +Remembring him, that love to wyde y-blowe +Yelt bittre fruyt, though swete seed be sowe. 385 + +And over al this, yet muchel more he thoughte +What for to speke, and what to holden inne, +And what to arten hir to love he soughte, +And on a song anoon-right to biginne, +And gan loude on his sorwe for to winne; 390 +For with good hope he gan fully assente +Criseyde for to love, and nought repente. + +And of his song nought only the sentence, +As writ myn autour called Lollius, +But pleynly, save our tonges difference, 395 +I dar wel sayn, in al that Troilus +Seyde in his song, lo! every word right thus +As I shal seyn; and who-so list it here, +Lo! next this vers, he may it finden here. + + Cantus Troili. + +`If no love is, O god, what fele I so? 400 +And if love is, what thing and whiche is he! +If love be good, from whennes comth my wo? +If it be wikke, a wonder thinketh me, +Whenne every torment and adversitee +That cometh of him, may to me savory thinke; 405 +For ay thurst I, the more that I it drinke. + +`And if that at myn owene lust I brenne, +Fro whennes cometh my wailing and my pleynte? +If harme agree me, wher-to pleyne I thenne? +I noot, ne why unwery that I feynte. 410 +O quike deeth, O swete harm so queynte, +How may of thee in me swich quantitee, +But-if that I consente that it be? + +`And if that I consente, I wrongfully +Compleyne, y-wis; thus possed to and fro, 415 +Al sterelees with inne a boot am I +A-mid the see, by-twixen windes two, +That in contrarie stonden ever-mo. +Allas! what is this wonder maladye? +For hete of cold, for cold of hete, I deye.' 420 + +And to the god of love thus seyde he +With pitous voys, `O lord, now youres is +My spirit, which that oughte youres be. +Yow thanke I, lord, that han me brought to this; +But whether goddesse or womman, y-wis, 425 +She be, I noot, which that ye do me serve; +But as hir man I wole ay live and sterve. + +`Ye stonden in hire eyen mightily, +As in a place un-to youre vertu digne; +Wherfore, lord, if my servyse or I 430 +May lyke yow, so beth to me benigne; +For myn estat royal here I resigne +In-to hir hond, and with ful humble chere +Bicome hir man, as to my lady dere.' + +In him ne deyned sparen blood royal 435 +The fyr of love, wher-fro god me blesse, +Ne him forbar in no degree, for al +His vertu or his excellent prowesse; +But held him as his thral lowe in distresse, +And brende him so in sondry wyse ay newe, 440 +That sixty tyme a day he loste his hewe. + +So muche, day by day, his owene thought, +For lust to hir, gan quiken and encrese, +That every other charge he sette at nought; +For-thy ful ofte, his hote fyr to cese, 445 +To seen hir goodly look he gan to prese; +For ther-by to ben esed wel he wende, +And ay the ner he was, the more he brende. + +For ay the ner the fyr, the hotter is, +This, trowe I, knoweth al this companye. 450 +But were he fer or neer, I dar seye this, +By night or day, for wisdom or folye, +His herte, which that is his brestes ye, +Was ay on hir, that fairer was to sene +Than ever were Eleyne or Polixene. 455 + +Eek of the day ther passed nought an houre +That to him-self a thousand tyme he seyde, +`Good goodly, to whom serve I and laboure, +As I best can, now wolde god, Criseyde, +Ye wolden on me rewe er that I deyde! 460 +My dere herte, allas! myn hele and hewe +And lyf is lost, but ye wole on me rewe.' + +Alle othere dredes weren from him fledde, +Both of the assege and his savacioun; +Ne in him desyr noon othere fownes bredde 465 +But argumentes to his conclusioun, +That she on him wolde han compassioun, +And he to be hir man, whyl he may dure; +Lo, here his lyf, and from the deeth his cure! +The sharpe shoures felle of armes preve, 470 +That Ector or his othere bretheren diden, +Ne made him only ther-fore ones meve; +And yet was he, wher-so men wente or riden, +Founde oon the beste, and lengest tyme abiden +Ther peril was, and dide eek such travayle 475 +In armes, that to thenke it was mervayle. + +But for non hate he to the Grekes hadde, +Ne also for the rescous of the toun, +Ne made him thus in armes for to madde, +But only, lo, for this conclusioun, 480 +To lyken hir the bet for his renoun; +Fro day to day in armes so he spedde, +That alle the Grekes as the deeth him dredde. + +And fro this forth tho refte him love his sleep, +And made his mete his foo; and eek his sorwe 485 +Gan multiplye, that, who-so toke keep, +It shewed in his hewe, bothe eve and morwe; +Therfor a title he gan him for to borwe +Of other syknesse, lest of him men wende +That the hote fyr of love him brende, 490 + +And seyde, he hadde a fever and ferde amis; +But how it was, certayn, can I not seye, +If that his lady understood not this, +Or feyned hir she niste, oon of the tweye; +But wel I rede that, by no maner weye, 495 +Ne semed it as that she of him roughte, +Nor of his peyne, or what-so-ever he thoughte. + +But than fel to this Troylus such wo, +That he was wel neigh wood; for ay his drede +Was this, that she som wight had loved so, 500 +That never of him she wolde have taken hede; +For whiche him thoughte he felte his herte blede. +Ne of his wo ne dorste he not biginne +To tellen it, for al this world to winne. + +But whanne he hadde a space fro his care, 505 +Thus to him-self ful ofte he gan to pleyne; +He sayde, `O fool, now art thou in the snare, +That whilom Iapedest at loves peyne; +Now artow hent, now gnaw thyn owene cheyne; +Thou were ay wont eche lovere reprehende 510 +Of thing fro which thou canst thee nat defende. + +`What wol now every lover seyn of thee, +If this be wist, but ever in thyn absence +Laughen in scorn, and seyn, `Lo, ther gooth he, +That is the man of so gret sapience, 515 +That held us lovers leest in reverence! +Now, thonked be god, he may goon in the daunce +Of hem that Love list febly for to avaunce!' +`But, O thou woful Troilus, god wolde, +Sin thou most loven thurgh thi destinee, 520 +That thow beset were on swich oon that sholde +Knowe al thy wo, al lakkede hir pitee: +But al so cold in love, towardes thee, +Thy lady is, as frost in winter mone, +And thou fordoon, as snow in fyr is sone.' 525 + +`God wolde I were aryved in the port +Of deth, to which my sorwe wil me lede! +A, lord, to me it were a gret comfort; +Than were I quit of languisshing in drede. +For by myn hidde sorwe y-blowe on brede 530 +I shal bi-Iaped been a thousand tyme +More than that fool of whos folye men ryme. + +`But now help god, and ye, swete, for whom +I pleyne, y-caught, ye, never wight so faste! +O mercy, dere herte, and help me from 535 +The deeth, for I, whyl that my lyf may laste, +More than my-self wol love yow to my laste. +And with som freendly look gladeth me, swete, +Though never more thing ye me bi-hete!' + +This wordes and ful manye an-other to 540 +He spak, and called ever in his compleynte +Hir name, for to tellen hir his wo, +Til neigh that he in salte teres dreynte. +Al was for nought, she herde nought his pleynte; +And whan that he bithoughte on that folye, 545 +A thousand fold his wo gan multiplye. + +Bi-wayling in his chambre thus allone, +A freend of his, that called was Pandare, +Com ones in unwar, and herde him grone, +And say his freend in swich distresse and care: +`Allas!' quod he, `who causeth al this fare? 551 +O mercy, god! What unhap may this mene? +Han now thus sone Grekes maad yow lene? + +`Or hastow som remors of conscience, +And art now falle in som devocioun, 555 +And waylest for thy sinne and thyn offence, +And hast for ferde caught attricioun? +God save hem that bi-seged han our toun, +And so can leye our Iolyte on presse, +And bring our lusty folk to holinesse!' 560 + +These wordes seyde he for the nones alle, +That with swich thing he mighte him angry maken, +And with an angre don his sorwe falle, +As for the tyme, and his corage awaken; +But wel he wist, as fer as tonges spaken, 565 +Ther nas a man of gretter hardinesse +Than he, ne more desired worthinesse. +`What cas,' quod Troilus, `or what aventure +Hath gyded thee to see my languisshinge, +That am refus of euery creature? 570 +But for the love of god, at my preyinge, +Go henne a-way, for certes, my deyinge +Wol thee disese, and I mot nedes deye; +Ther-for go wey, ther is no more to seye. + +`But if thou wene I be thus sik for drede, 575 +It is not so, and ther-for scorne nought; +Ther is a-nother thing I take of hede +Wel more than ought the Grekes han y-wrought, +Which cause is of my deeth, for sorwe and thought. +But though that I now telle thee it ne leste, 580 +Be thou nought wrooth; I hyde it for the beste.' + +This Pandare, that neigh malt for wo and routhe, +Ful often seyde, `Allas! what may this be? +Now freend,' quod he, `if ever love or trouthe +Hath been, or is, bi-twixen thee and me, 585 +Ne do thou never swiche a crueltee +To hyde fro thy freend so greet a care; +Wostow nought wel that it am I, Pandare? + +`I wole parten with thee al thy peyne, +If it be so I do thee no comfort, 590 +As it is freendes right, sooth for to seyne, +To entreparten wo, as glad desport. +I have, and shal, for trewe or fals report, +In wrong and right y-loved thee al my lyve; +Hyd not thy wo fro me, but telle it blyve.' 595 + +Than gan this sorwful Troilus to syke, +And seyde him thus, "God leve it be my beste +To telle it thee; for sith it may thee lyke, +Yet wole I telle it, though myn herte breste; +And wel wot I thou mayst do me no reste. 600 +But lest thow deme I truste not to thee, +Now herkne, freend, for thus it stant with me. + +`Love, a-yeins the which who-so defendeth +Him-selven most, him alder-lest avayleth, +With disespeir so sorwfully me offendeth, 605 +That streyght un-to the deeth myn herte sayleth. +Ther-to desyr so brenningly me assaylleth, +That to ben slayn it were a gretter Ioye +To me than king of Grece been and Troye! + +`Suffiseth this, my fulle freend Pandare, 610 +That I have seyd, for now wostow my wo; +And for the love of god, my colde care +So hyd it wel, I telle it never to mo; +For harmes mighte folwen, mo than two, +If it were wist; but be thou in gladnesse, 615 +And lat me sterve, unknowe, of my distresse.' +`How hastow thus unkindely and longe +Hid this fro me, thou fool?' quod Pandarus; +`Paraunter thou might after swich oon longe, +That myn avys anoon may helpen us.' 620 +`This were a wonder thing,' quod Troylus, +`Thou coudest never in love thy-selven wisse; +How devel maystow bringen me to blisse?' + +`Ye, Troilus, now herke,' quod Pandare, +`Though I be nyce; it happeth ofte so, 625 +That oon that exces doth ful yvele fare, +By good counseyl can kepe his freend ther-fro. +I have my-self eek seyn a blind man go +Ther-as he fel that coude loke wyde; +A fool may eek a wys man ofte gyde. 630 + +`A whetston is no kerving instrument, +And yet it maketh sharpe kerving-tolis. +And ther thou woost that I have ought miswent, +Eschewe thou that, for swich thing to thee scole is; +Thus ofte wyse men ben war by folis. 635 +If thou do so, thy wit is wel biwared; +By his contrarie is every thing declared. + +`For how might ever sweetnesse have be knowe +To him that never tasted bitternesse? +Ne no man may be inly glad, I trowe, 640 +That never was in sorwe or som distresse; +Eek whyt by blak, by shame eek worthinesse, +Ech set by other, more for other semeth; +As men may see; and so the wyse it demeth. + +`Sith thus of two contraries is a lore, 645 +I, that have in love so ofte assayed +Grevaunces, oughte conne, and wel the more +Counsayllen thee of that thou art amayed. +Eek thee ne oughte nat ben yvel apayed, +Though I desyre with thee for to bere 650 +Thyn hevy charge; it shal the lasse dere. + +`I woot wel that it fareth thus by me +As to thy brother Parys an herdesse, +Which that y-cleped was Oenone, +Wrot in a compleynte of hir hevinesse: 655 +Ye say the lettre that she wroot, y gesse?' +`Nay, never yet, y-wis,' quod Troilus. +`Now,' quod Pandare, `herkneth, it was thus. -- + +"Phebus, that first fond art of medicyne,' +Quod she, `and coude in every wightes care 660 +Remede and reed, by herbes he knew fyne, +Yet to him-self his conning was ful bare; +For love hadde him so bounden in a snare, +Al for the doughter of the kinge Admete, +That al his craft ne coude his sorwe bete." -- 665 + +`Right so fare I, unhappily for me; +I love oon best, and that me smerteth sore; +And yet, paraunter, can I rede thee, +And not my-self; repreve me no more. +I have no cause, I woot wel, for to sore 670 +As doth an hauk that listeth for to pleye, +But to thyn help yet somwhat can I seye. + +`And of o thing right siker maystow be, +That certayn, for to deyen in the peyne, +That I shal never-mo discoveren thee; 675 +Ne, by my trouthe, I kepe nat restreyne +Thee fro thy love, thogh that it were Eleyne, +That is thy brotheres wif, if ich it wiste; +Be what she be, and love hir as thee liste. + +`Therfore, as freend fullich in me assure, 680 +And tel me plat what is thyn enchesoun, +And final cause of wo that ye endure; +For douteth no-thing, myn entencioun +Nis nought to yow of reprehencioun, +To speke as now, for no wight may bireve 685 +A man to love, til that him list to leve. + +`And witeth wel, that bothe two ben vyces, +Mistrusten alle, or elles alle leve; +But wel I woot, the mene of it no vyce is, +For to trusten sum wight is a preve 690 +Of trouthe, and for-thy wolde I fayn remeve +Thy wrong conseyte, and do thee som wight triste, +Thy wo to telle; and tel me, if thee liste. + +`The wyse seyth, "Wo him that is allone, +For, and he falle, he hath noon help to ryse;" 695 +And sith thou hast a felawe, tel thy mone; +For this nis not, certeyn, the nexte wyse +To winnen love, as techen us the wyse, +To walwe and wepe as Niobe the quene, +Whos teres yet in marbel been y-sene. 700 + +`Lat be thy weping and thi drerinesse, +And lat us lissen wo with other speche; +So may thy woful tyme seme lesse. +Delyte not in wo thy wo to seche, +As doon thise foles that hir sorwes eche 705 +With sorwe, whan they han misaventure, +And listen nought to seche hem other cure. + +`Men seyn, "To wrecche is consolacioun +To have an-other felawe in his peyne;" +That oughte wel ben our opinioun, 710 +For, bothe thou and I, of love we pleyne; +So ful of sorwe am I, soth for to seyne, +That certeynly no more harde grace +May sitte on me, for-why ther is no space. +`If god wole thou art not agast of me, 715 +Lest I wolde of thy lady thee bigyle, +Thow wost thy-self whom that I love, pardee, +As I best can, gon sithen longe whyle. +And sith thou wost I do it for no wyle, +And sith I am he that thou tristest most, 720 +Tel me sumwhat, sin al my wo thou wost.' + +Yet Troilus, for al this, no word seyde, +But longe he ley as stille as he ded were; +And after this with sykinge he abreyde, +And to Pandarus voys he lente his ere, 725 +And up his eyen caste he, that in fere +Was Pandarus, lest that in frenesye +He sholde falle, or elles sone dye; + +And cryde `A-wake' ful wonderly and sharpe; +`What? Slombrestow as in a lytargye? 730 +Or artow lyk an asse to the harpe, +That hereth soun, whan men the strenges plye, +But in his minde of that no melodye +May sinken, him to glade, for that he +So dul is of his bestialitee?' 735 + +And with that, Pandare of his wordes stente; +And Troilus yet him no word answerde, +For-why to telle nas not his entente +To never no man, for whom that he so ferde. +For it is seyd, `Man maketh ofte a yerde 740 +With which the maker is him-self y-beten +In sondry maner,' as thise wyse treten, + +And namely, in his counseyl tellinge +That toucheth love that oughte be secree; +For of him-self it wolde y-nough out-springe, 745 +But-if that it the bet governed be. +Eek som-tyme it is craft to seme flee +Fro thing which in effect men hunte faste; +Al this gan Troilus in his herte caste. + +But nathelees, whan he had herd him crye 750 +`Awake!' he gan to syke wonder sore, +And seyde, `Freend, though that I stille lye, +I am not deef; now pees, and cry no more; +For I have herd thy wordes and thy lore; +But suffre me my mischef to biwayle, 755 +For thy proverbes may me nought avayle. + +`Nor other cure canstow noon for me. +Eek I nil not be cured, I wol deye; +What knowe I of the quene Niobe? +Lat be thyne olde ensaumples, I thee preye.' 760 +`No,' quod tho Pandarus, `therfore I seye, +Swich is delyt of foles to biwepe +Hir wo, but seken bote they ne kepe. +`Now knowe I that ther reson in the fayleth. +But tel me, if I wiste what she were 765 +For whom that thee al this misaunter ayleth? +Dorstestow that I tolde hir in hir ere +Thy wo, sith thou darst not thy-self for fere, +And hir bisoughte on thee to han som routhe?' +`Why, nay,' quod he, `by god and by my trouthe!' 770 + +`What, Not as bisily,' quod Pandarus, +`As though myn owene lyf lay on this nede?' +`No, certes, brother,' quod this Troilus, +`And why?' -- `For that thou sholdest never spede.' +`Wostow that wel?' -- `Ye, that is out of drede,' 775 +Quod Troilus, `for al that ever ye conne, +She nil to noon swich wrecche as I be wonne.' + +Quod Pandarus, `Allas! What may this be, +That thou dispeyred art thus causelees? +What? Liveth not thy lady? Benedicite! 780 +How wostow so that thou art gracelees? +Swich yvel is nat alwey botelees. +Why, put not impossible thus thy cure, +Sin thing to come is ofte in aventure. + +`I graunte wel that thou endurest wo 785 +As sharp as doth he, Ticius, in helle, +Whos stomak foules tyren ever-mo +That highte volturis, as bokes telle. +But I may not endure that thou dwelle +In so unskilful an opinioun 790 +That of thy wo is no curacioun. + +`But ones niltow, for thy coward herte, +And for thyn ire and folish wilfulnesse, +For wantrust, tellen of thy sorwes smerte, +Ne to thyn owene help do bisinesse 795 +As muche as speke a resoun more or lesse, +But lyest as he that list of no-thing recche. +What womman coude love swich a wrecche? + +`What may she demen other of thy deeth, +If thou thus deye, and she not why it is, 800 +But that for fere is yolden up thy breeth, +For Grekes han biseged us, y-wis? +Lord, which a thank than shaltow han of this! +Thus wol she seyn, and al the toun at ones, +"The wrecche is deed, the devel have his bones!" 805 + +`Thou mayst allone here wepe and crye and knele; +But, love a woman that she woot it nought, +And she wol quyte that thou shalt not fele; +Unknowe, unkist, and lost that is un-sought. +What! Many a man hath love ful dere y-bought 810 +Twenty winter that his lady wiste, +That never yet his lady mouth he kiste. +`What? Shulde be therfor fallen in despeyr, +Or be recreaunt for his owene tene, +Or sleen him-self, al be his lady fayr? 815 +Nay, nay, but ever in oon be fresh and grene +To serve and love his dere hertes quene, +And thenke it is a guerdoun hir to serve +A thousand-fold more than he can deserve.' + +Of that word took hede Troilus, 820 +And thoughte anoon what folye he was inne, +And how that sooth him seyde Pandarus, +That for to sleen him-self mighte he not winne, +But bothe doon unmanhod and a sinne, +And of his deeth his lady nought to wyte; 825 +For of his wo, god woot, she knew ful lyte. + +And with that thought he gan ful sore syke, +And seyde, `Allas! What is me best to do?' +To whom Pandare answered, `If thee lyke, +The best is that thou telle me thy wo; 830 +And have my trouthe, but thou it finde so, +I be thy bote, or that it be ful longe, +To peces do me drawe, and sithen honge!' + +`Ye, so thou seyst,' quod Troilus tho, `allas! +But, god wot, it is not the rather so; 835 +Ful hard were it to helpen in this cas, +For wel finde I that Fortune is my fo, +Ne alle the men that ryden conne or go +May of hir cruel wheel the harm withstonde; +For, as hir list, she pleyeth with free and bonde.' 840 + +Quod Pandarus, `Than blamestow Fortune +For thou art wrooth, ye, now at erst I see; +Wostow nat wel that Fortune is commune +To every maner wight in som degree? +And yet thou hast this comfort, lo, pardee! 845 +That, as hir Ioyes moten over-goon, +So mote hir sorwes passen everichoon. + +`For if hir wheel stinte any-thing to torne, +Than cessed she Fortune anoon to be: +Now, sith hir wheel by no wey may soiorne, 850 +What wostow if hir mutabilitee +Right as thy-selven list, wol doon by thee, +Or that she be not fer fro thyn helpinge? +Paraunter, thou hast cause for to singe! + +`And therfor wostow what I thee beseche? 855 +Lat be thy wo and turning to the grounde; +For who-so list have helping of his leche, +To him bihoveth first unwrye his wounde. +To Cerberus in helle ay be I bounde, +Were it for my suster, al thy sorwe, 860 +By my wil, she sholde al be thyn to-morwe. +`Loke up, I seye, and tel me what she is +Anoon, that I may goon aboute thy nede; +Knowe ich hir ought? For my love, tel me this; +Than wolde I hopen rather for to spede.' 865 +Tho gan the veyne of Troilus to blede, +For he was hit, and wex al reed for shame; +`A ha!' quod Pandare, `Here biginneth game!' +And with that word he gan him for to shake, +And seyde, `Theef, thou shalt hir name telle.' 870 +But tho gan sely Troilus for to quake +As though men sholde han led him in-to helle, +And seyde, `Allas! Of al my wo the welle, +Than is my swete fo called Criseyde!' +And wel nigh with the word for fere he deyde. 875 + +And whan that Pandare herde hir name nevene, +Lord, he was glad, and seyde, `Freend so dere, +Now fare a-right, for Ioves name in hevene, +Love hath biset the wel, be of good chere; +For of good name and wysdom and manere 880 +She hath y-nough, and eek of gentilesse; +If she be fayr, thou wost thy-self, I gesse, + +`Ne I never saw a more bountevous +Of hir estat, ne a gladder, ne of speche +A freendlier, ne a more gracious 885 +For to do wel, ne lasse hadde nede to seche +What for to doon; and al this bet to eche, +In honour, to as fer as she may strecche, +A kinges herte semeth by hirs a wrecche. + +`And for-thy loke of good comfort thou be; 890 +For certeinly, the firste poynt is this +Of noble corage and wel ordeyne, +A man to have pees with him-self, y-wis; +So oughtest thou, for nought but good it is +To loven wel, and in a worthy place; 895 +Thee oghte not to clepe it hap, but grace. + +`And also thenk, and ther-with glade thee, +That sith thy lady vertuous is al, +So folweth it that ther is som pitee +Amonges alle thise othere in general; 900 +And for-thy see that thou, in special, +Requere nought that is ayein hir name; +For vertue streccheth not him-self to shame. + +`But wel is me that ever that I was born, +That thou biset art in so good a place; 905 +For by my trouthe, in love I dorste have sworn, +Thee sholde never han tid thus fayr a grace; +And wostow why? For thou were wont to chace +At Love in scorn, and for despyt him calle +"Seynt Idiot, lord of thise foles alle." 910 + +`How often hastow maad thy nyce Iapes, +And seyd, that loves servants everichone +Of nycetee been verray goddes apes; +And some wolde monche hir mete alone, +Ligging a-bedde, and make hem for to grone; 915 +And som, thou seydest, hadde a blaunche fevere, +And preydest god he sholde never kevere. +`And som of hem tok on hem, for the colde, +More than y-nough, so seydestow ful ofte; +And som han feyned ofte tyme, and tolde 920 +How that they wake, whan they slepen softe; +And thus they wolde han brought hem-self a-lofte, +And nathelees were under at the laste; +Thus seydestow, and Iapedest ful faste. + +`Yet seydestow, that, for the more part, 925 +These loveres wolden speke in general, +And thoughten that it was a siker art, +For fayling, for to assayen over-al. +Now may I iape of thee, if that I shal! +But nathelees, though that I sholde deye, 930 +That thou art noon of tho, that dorste I seye. + +`Now beet thy brest, and sey to god of love, +"Thy grace, lord! For now I me repente +If I mis spak, for now my-self I love:" +Thus sey with al thyn herte in good entente.' 935 +Quod Troilus, `A! Lord! I me consente, +And prey to thee my Iapes thou foryive, +And I shal never-more whyl I live.' + +`Thou seyst wel,' quod Pandare, `and now I hope +That thou the goddes wraththe hast al apesed; 940 +And sithen thou hast wepen many a drope, +And seyd swich thing wher-with thy god is plesed, +Now wolde never god but thou were esed; +And think wel, she of whom rist al thy wo +Here-after may thy comfort been al-so. 945 + +`For thilke ground, that bereth the wedes wikke, +Bereth eek thise holsom herbes, as ful ofte +Next the foule netle, rough and thikke, +The rose waxeth swote and smothe and softe; +And next the valey is the hil a-lofte; 950 +And next the derke night the glade morwe; +And also Ioye is next the fyn of sorwe. + +`Now loke that atempre be thy brydel, +And, for the beste, ay suffre to the tyde, +Or elles al our labour is on ydel; 955 +He hasteth wel that wysly can abyde; +Be diligent, and trewe, and ay wel hyde. +Be lusty, free, persevere in thy servyse, +And al is wel, if thou werke in this wyse. +`But he that parted is in every place 960 +Is no-wher hool, as writen clerkes wyse; +What wonder is, though swich oon have no grace? +Eek wostow how it fareth of som servyse? +As plaunte a tre or herbe, in sondry wyse, +And on the morwe pulle it up as blyve, 965 +No wonder is, though it may never thryve. + +`And sith that god of love hath thee bistowed +In place digne un-to thy worthinesse, +Stond faste, for to good port hastow rowed; +And of thy-self, for any hevinesse, 970 +Hope alwey wel; for, but-if drerinesse +Or over-haste our bothe labour shende, +I hope of this to maken a good ende. + +`And wostow why I am the lasse a-fered +Of this matere with my nece trete? 975 +For this have I herd seyd of wyse y-lered, +"Was never man ne woman yet bigete +That was unapt to suffren loves hete, +Celestial, or elles love of kinde;" +For-thy som grace I hope in hir to finde. 980 + +`And for to speke of hir in special, +Hir beautee to bithinken and hir youthe, +It sit hir nought to be celestial +As yet, though that hir liste bothe and couthe; +But trewely, it sete hir wel right nouthe 985 +A worthy knight to loven and cheryce, +And but she do, I holde it for a vyce. + +`Wherfore I am, and wol be, ay redy +To peyne me to do yow this servyse; +For bothe yow to plese thus hope I 990 +Her-afterward; for ye beth bothe wyse, +And conne it counseyl kepe in swich a wyse +That no man shal the wyser of it be; +And so we may be gladed alle three. + +`And, by my trouthe, I have right now of thee 995 +A good conceyt in my wit, as I gesse, +And what it is, I wol now that thou see. +I thenke, sith that love, of his goodnesse, +Hath thee converted out of wikkednesse, +That thou shalt be the beste post, I leve, 1000 +Of al his lay, and most his foos to-greve. + +`Ensample why, see now these wyse clerkes, +That erren aldermost a-yein a lawe, +And ben converted from hir wikked werkes +Thorugh grace of god, that list hem to him drawe, 1005 +Than arn they folk that han most god in awe, +And strengest-feythed been, I understonde, +And conne an errour alder-best withstonde.' +Whan Troilus had herd Pandare assented +To been his help in loving of Criseyde, 1010 +Wex of his wo, as who seyth, untormented, +But hotter wex his love, and thus he seyde, +With sobre chere, al-though his herte pleyde, +`Now blisful Venus helpe, er that I sterve, +Of thee, Pandare, I may som thank deserve. 1015 + +`But, dere frend, how shal myn wo ben lesse +Til this be doon? And goode, eek tel me this, +How wiltow seyn of me and my destresse? +Lest she be wrooth, this drede I most, y-wys, +Or nil not here or trowen how it is. 1020 +Al this drede I, and eek for the manere +Of thee, hir eem, she nil no swich thing here.' + +Quod Pandarus, `Thou hast a ful gret care +Lest that the cherl may falle out of the mone! +Why, lord! I hate of the thy nyce fare! 1025 +Why, entremete of that thou hast to done! +For goddes love, I bidde thee a bone, +So lat me alone, and it shal be thy beste.' -- +`Why, freend,' quod he, `now do right as the leste. + +`But herke, Pandare, o word, for I nolde 1030 +That thou in me wendest so greet folye, +That to my lady I desiren sholde +That toucheth harm or any vilenye; +For dredelees, me were lever dye +Than she of me ought elles understode 1035 +But that, that mighte sounen in-to gode.' + +Tho lough this Pandare, and anoon answerde, +`And I thy borw? Fy! No wight dooth but so; +I roughte nought though that she stode and herde +How that thou seyst; but fare-wel, I wol go. 1040 +A-dieu! Be glad! God spede us bothe two! +Yif me this labour and this besinesse, +And of my speed be thyn al that swetnesse.' + +Tho Troilus gan doun on knees to falle, +And Pandare in his armes hente faste, 1045 +And seyde, `Now, fy on the Grekes alle! +Yet, pardee, god shal helpe us at the laste; +And dredelees, if that my lyf may laste, +And god to-forn, lo, som of hem shal smerte; +And yet me athinketh that this avaunt me asterte! 1050 + +`Now, Pandare, I can no more seye, +But thou wys, thou wost, thou mayst, thou art al! +My lyf, my deeth, hool in thyn bonde I leye; +Help now,' Quod he, `Yis, by my trouthe, I shal.' +`God yelde thee, freend, and this in special,' 1055 +Quod Troilus, `that thou me recomaunde +To hir that to the deeth me may comaunde.' +This Pandarus tho, desirous to serve +His fulle freend, than seyde in this manere, 1059 +`Far-wel, and thenk I wol thy thank deserve; +Have here my trouthe, and that thou shalt wel here.' -- +And wente his wey, thenking on this matere, +And how he best mighte hir beseche of grace, +And finde a tyme ther-to, and a place. + +For every wight that hath an hous to founde 1065 +Ne renneth nought the werk for to biginne +With rakel hond, but he wol byde a stounde, +And sende his hertes lyne out fro with-inne +Alderfirst his purpos for to winne. +Al this Pandare in his herte thoughte, 1070 +And caste his werk ful wysly, or he wroughte. + +But Troilus lay tho no lenger doun, +But up anoon up-on his stede bay, +And in the feld he pleyde tho leoun; +Wo was that Greek that with him mette that day. 1075 +And in the toun his maner tho forth ay +So goodly was, and gat him so in grace, +That ech him lovede that loked on his face. + +For he bicom the frendlyeste wight, +The gentileste, and eek the moste free, 1080 +The thriftieste and oon the beste knight, +That in his tyme was, or mighte be. +Dede were his Iapes and his crueltee, +His heighe port and his manere estraunge, +And ech of tho gan for a vertu chaunge. 1085 + +Now lat us stinte of Troilus a stounde, +That fareth lyk a man that hurt is sore, +And is somdel of akinge of his wounde +Y-lissed wel, but heled no del more: +And, as an esy pacient, the lore 1090 +Abit of him that gooth aboute his cure; +And thus he dryveth forth his aventure. + +Explicit Liber Primus + + + +Book II + +Incipit Prohemium Secundi Libri. + + Out of these blake wawes for to sayle, +O wind, O wind, the weder ginneth clere; +For in this see the boot hath swich travayle, +Of my conning, that unnethe I it stere: +This see clepe I the tempestous matere 5 +Of desespeyr that Troilus was inne: +But now of hope the calendes biginne. +O lady myn, that called art Cleo, +Thou be my speed fro this forth, and my muse, +To ryme wel this book, til I have do; 10 +Me nedeth here noon other art to use. +For-why to every lovere I me excuse, +That of no sentement I this endyte, +But out of Latin in my tonge it wryte. + +Wherfore I nil have neither thank ne blame 15 +Of al this werk, but prey yow mekely, +Disblameth me if any word be lame, +For as myn auctor seyde, so seye I. +Eek though I speke of love unfelingly, +No wondre is, for it no-thing of newe is; 20 +A blind man can nat Iuggen wel in hewis. + +Ye knowe eek, that in forme of speche is chaunge +With-inne a thousand yeer, and wordes tho +That hadden prys, now wonder nyce and straunge +Us thinketh hem; and yet they spake hem so, 25 +And spedde as wel in love as men now do; +Eek for to winne love in sondry ages, +In sondry londes, sondry ben usages. + +And for-thy if it happe in any wyse, +That here be any lovere in this place 30 +That herkneth, as the storie wol devyse, +How Troilus com to his lady grace, +And thenketh, so nolde I nat love purchace, +Or wondreth on his speche or his doinge, +I noot; but it is me no wonderinge; 35 + +For every wight which that to Rome went, +Halt nat o path, or alwey o manere; +Eek in som lond were al the gamen shent, +If that they ferde in love as men don here, +As thus, in open doing or in chere, 40 +In visitinge, in forme, or seyde hire sawes; +For-thy men seyn, ech contree hath his lawes. + +Eek scarsly been ther in this place three +That han in love seid lyk and doon in al; +For to thy purpos this may lyken thee, 45 +And thee right nought, yet al is seyd or shal; +Eek som men grave in tree, som in stoon wal, +As it bitit; but sin I have begonne, +Myn auctor shal I folwen, if I conne. + +Exclipit prohemium Secundi Libri. + + +Incipit Liber Secundus. + +In May, that moder is of monthes glade, 50 +That fresshe floures, blewe, and whyte, and rede, +Ben quike agayn, that winter dede made, +And ful of bawme is fleting every mede; +Whan Phebus doth his brighte bemes sprede +Right in the whyte Bole, it so bitidde 55 +As I shal singe, on Mayes day the thridde, + +That Pandarus, for al his wyse speche, +Felt eek his part of loves shottes kene, +That, coude he never so wel of loving preche, +It made his hewe a-day ful ofte grene; 60 +So shoop it, that hym fil that day a tene +In love, for which in wo to bedde he wente, +And made, er it was day, ful many a wente. + +The swalwe Proigne, with a sorwful lay, +Whan morwe com, gan make hir waymentinge, 65 +Why she forshapen was; and ever lay +Pandare a-bedde, half in a slomeringe, +Til she so neigh him made hir chiteringe +How Tereus gan forth hir suster take, +That with the noyse of hir he gan a-wake; 70 + +And gan to calle, and dresse him up to ryse, +Remembringe him his erand was to done +From Troilus, and eek his greet empryse; +And caste and knew in good plyt was the mone +To doon viage, and took his wey ful sone 75 +Un-to his neces paleys ther bi-syde; +Now Ianus, god of entree, thou him gyde! + +Whan he was come un-to his neces place, +`Wher is my lady?' to hir folk seyde he; +And they him tolde; and he forth in gan pace, 80 +And fond, two othere ladyes sete and she, +With-inne a paved parlour; and they three +Herden a mayden reden hem the geste +Of the Sege of Thebes, whyl hem leste. + +Quod Pandarus, `Ma dame, god yow see, 85 +With al your book and al the companye!' +`Ey, uncle myn, welcome y-wis,' quod she, +And up she roos, and by the hond in hye +She took him faste, and seyde, `This night thrye, +To goode mote it turne, of yow I mette!' 90 +And with that word she doun on bench him sette. + +`Ye, nece, ye shal fare wel the bet, +If god wole, al this yeer,' quod Pandarus; +`But I am sory that I have yow let +To herknen of your book ye preysen thus; 95 +For goddes love, what seith it? tel it us. +Is it of love? O, som good ye me lere!' +`Uncle,' quod she, `your maistresse is not here!' + +With that they gonnen laughe, and tho she seyde, +`This romaunce is of Thebes, that we rede; 100 +And we han herd how that king Laius deyde +Thurgh Edippus his sone, and al that dede; +And here we stenten at these lettres rede, +How the bisshop, as the book can telle, +Amphiorax, fil thurgh the ground to helle.' 105 + +Quod Pandarus, `Al this knowe I my-selve, +And al the assege of Thebes and the care; +For her-of been ther maked bokes twelve: -- +But lat be this, and tel me how ye fare; +Do wey your barbe, and shew your face bare; 110 +Do wey your book, rys up, and lat us daunce, +And lat us don to May som observaunce.' + +`A! God forbede!' quod she. `Be ye mad? +Is that a widewes lyf, so god you save? +By god, ye maken me right sore a-drad, 115 +Ye ben so wilde, it semeth as ye rave! +It sete me wel bet ay in a cave +To bidde, and rede on holy seyntes lyves; +Lat maydens gon to daunce, and yonge wyves.' + +`As ever thryve I,' quod this Pandarus, 120 +`Yet coude I telle a thing to doon you pleye.' +`Now, uncle dere,' quod she, `tel it us +For goddes love; is than the assege aweye? +I am of Grekes so ferd that I deye.' +`Nay, nay,' quod he, `as ever mote I thryve! 125 +It is a thing wel bet than swiche fyve.' + +`Ye, holy god,' quod she, `what thing is that? +What! Bet than swiche fyve? Ey, nay, y-wis! +For al this world ne can I reden what +It sholde been; som Iape, I trowe, is this; 130 +And but your-selven telle us what it is, +My wit is for to arede it al to lene; +As help me god, I noot nat what ye meene.' + +`And I your borow, ne never shal, for me, +This thing be told to yow, as mote I thryve!' 135 +`And why so, uncle myn? Why so?' quod she. +`By god,' quod he, `that wole I telle as blyve; +For prouder womman were ther noon on-lyve, +And ye it wiste, in al the toun of Troye; +I iape nought, as ever have I Ioye!' 140 + +Tho gan she wondren more than biforn +A thousand fold, and doun hir eyen caste; +For never, sith the tyme that she was born, +To knowe thing desired she so faste; +And with a syk she seyde him at the laste, 145 +`Now, uncle myn, I nil yow nought displese, +Nor axen more, that may do yow disese.' + +So after this, with many wordes glade, +And freendly tales, and with mery chere, +Of this and that they pleyde, and gunnen wade 150 +In many an unkouth glad and deep matere, +As freendes doon, whan they ben met y-fere; +Til she gan axen him how Ector ferde, +That was the tounes wal and Grekes yerde. + +`Ful wel, I thanke it god,' quod Pandarus, 155 +`Save in his arm he hath a litel wounde; +And eek his fresshe brother Troilus, +The wyse worthy Ector the secounde, +In whom that ever vertu list abounde, +As alle trouthe and alle gentillesse, 160 +Wysdom, honour, fredom, and worthinesse.' + +`In good feith, eem,' quod she, `that lyketh me; +They faren wel, god save hem bothe two! +For trewely I holde it greet deyntee +A kinges sone in armes wel to do, 165 +And been of good condiciouns ther-to; +For greet power and moral vertu here +Is selde y-seye in o persone y-fere.' + +`In good feith, that is sooth,' quod Pandarus; +`But, by my trouthe, the king hath sones tweye, 170 +That is to mene, Ector and Troilus, +That certainly, though that I sholde deye, +They been as voyde of vyces, dar I seye, +As any men that liveth under the sonne, +Hir might is wyde y-knowe, and what they conne. 175 + +`Of Ector nedeth it nought for to telle: +In al this world ther nis a bettre knight +Than he, that is of worthinesse welle; +And he wel more vertu hath than might. +This knoweth many a wys and worthy wight. 180 +The same prys of Troilus I seye, +God help me so, I knowe not swiche tweye.' + +`By god,' quod she, `of Ector that is sooth; +Of Troilus the same thing trowe I; +For, dredelees, men tellen that he dooth 185 +In armes day by day so worthily, +And bereth him here at hoom so gentilly +To every wight, that al the prys hath he +Of hem that me were levest preysed be.' + +`Ye sey right sooth, y-wis,' quod Pandarus; 190 +`For yesterday, who-so hadde with him been, +He might have wondred up-on Troilus; +For never yet so thikke a swarm of been +Ne fleigh, as Grekes fro him gonne fleen; +And thorugh the feld, in everi wightes ere, 195 +Ther nas no cry but "Troilus is there!" + +`Now here, now there, he hunted hem so faste, +Ther nas but Grekes blood; and Troilus, +Now hem he hurte, and hem alle doun he caste; +Ay where he wente, it was arayed thus: 200 +He was hir deeth, and sheld and lyf for us; +That as that day ther dorste noon with-stonde, +Whyl that he held his blody swerd in honde. + +`Therto he is the freendlieste man +Of grete estat, that ever I saw my lyve; 205 +And wher him list, best felawshipe can +To suche as him thinketh able for to thryve.' +And with that word tho Pandarus, as blyve, +He took his leve, and seyde, `I wol go henne.' +`Nay, blame have I, myn uncle,' quod she thenne. 210 + +`What eyleth yow to be thus wery sone, +And namelich of wommen? Wol ye so? +Nay, sitteth down; by god, I have to done +With yow, to speke of wisdom er ye go.' +And every wight that was a-boute hem tho, 215 +That herde that, gan fer a-wey to stonde, +Whyl they two hadde al that hem liste in honde. + +Whan that hir tale al brought was to an ende, +Of hire estat and of hir governaunce, +Quod Pandarus, `Now is it tyme I wende; 220 +But yet, I seye, aryseth, lat us daunce, +And cast your widwes habit to mischaunce: +What list yow thus your-self to disfigure, +Sith yow is tid thus fair an aventure?' + +`A! Wel bithought! For love of god,' quod she, 225 +`Shal I not witen what ye mene of this?' +`No, this thing axeth layser,' tho quod he, +`And eek me wolde muche greve, y-wis, +If I it tolde, and ye it toke amis. +Yet were it bet my tonge for to stille 230 +Than seye a sooth that were ayeins your wille. + +`For, nece, by the goddesse Minerve, +And Iuppiter, that maketh the thonder ringe, +And by the blisful Venus that I serve, +Ye been the womman in this world livinge, 235 +With-oute paramours, to my wittinge, +That I best love, and lothest am to greve, +And that ye witen wel your-self, I leve.' + +`Y-wis, myn uncle,' quod she, `grant mercy; +Your freendship have I founden ever yit; 240 +I am to no man holden trewely, +So muche as yow, and have so litel quit; +And, with the grace of god, emforth my wit, +As in my gilt I shal you never offende; +And if I have er this, I wol amende. 245 + +`But, for the love of god, I yow beseche, +As ye ben he that I love most and triste, +Lat be to me your fremde manere speche, +And sey to me, your nece, what yow liste:' +And with that word hir uncle anoon hir kiste, 250 +And seyde, `Gladly, leve nece dere, +Tak it for good that I shal seye yow here.' + +With that she gan hir eiyen doun to caste, +And Pandarus to coghe gan a lyte, +And seyde, `Nece, alwey, lo! To the laste, 255 +How-so it be that som men hem delyte +With subtil art hir tales for to endyte, +Yet for al that, in hir entencioun +Hir tale is al for som conclusioun. + +`And sithen thende is every tales strengthe, 260 +And this matere is so bihovely, +What sholde I peynte or drawen it on lengthe +To yow, that been my freend so feithfully?' +And with that word he gan right inwardly +Biholden hir, and loken on hir face, 265 +And seyde, `On suche a mirour goode grace!' + +Than thoughte he thus: `If I my tale endyte +Ought hard, or make a proces any whyle, +She shal no savour han ther-in but lyte, +And trowe I wolde hir in my wil bigyle. 270 +For tendre wittes wenen al be wyle +Ther-as they can nat pleynly understonde; +For-thy hir wit to serven wol I fonde --' + +And loked on hir in a besy wyse, +And she was war that he byheld hir so, 275 +And seyde, `Lord! So faste ye me avyse! +Sey ye me never er now? What sey ye, no?' +`Yes, yes,' quod he, `and bet wole er I go; +But, by my trouthe, I thoughte now if ye +Be fortunat, for now men shal it see. 280 + +`For to every wight som goodly aventure +Som tyme is shape, if he it can receyven; +And if that he wol take of it no cure, +Whan that it commeth, but wilfully it weyven, +Lo, neither cas nor fortune him deceyven, 285 +But right his verray slouthe and wrecchednesse; +And swich a wight is for to blame, I gesse. + +`Good aventure, O bele nece, have ye +Ful lightly founden, and ye conne it take; +And, for the love of god, and eek of me, 290 +Cacche it anoon, lest aventure slake. +What sholde I lenger proces of it make? +Yif me your hond, for in this world is noon, +If that yow list, a wight so wel begoon. + +`And sith I speke of good entencioun, 295 +As I to yow have told wel here-biforn, +And love as wel your honour and renoun +As creature in al this world y-born; +By alle the othes that I have yow sworn, +And ye be wrooth therfore, or wene I lye, 300 +Ne shal I never seen yow eft with ye. + +`Beth nought agast, ne quaketh nat; wher-to? +Ne chaungeth nat for fere so your hewe; +For hardely the werste of this is do; +And though my tale as now be to yow newe, 305 +Yet trist alwey, ye shal me finde trewe; +And were it thing that me thoughte unsittinge, +To yow nolde I no swiche tales bringe.' + +`Now, my good eem, for goddes love, I preye,' +Quod she, `com of, and tel me what it is; 310 +For bothe I am agast what ye wol seye, +And eek me longeth it to wite, y-wis. +For whether it be wel or be amis, +Say on, lat me not in this fere dwelle:' +`So wol I doon; now herkneth, I shal telle: 315 + +`Now, nece myn, the kinges dere sone, +The goode, wyse, worthy, fresshe, and free, +Which alwey for to do wel is his wone, +The noble Troilus, so loveth thee, +That, bot ye helpe, it wol his bane be. 320 +Lo, here is al, what sholde I more seye? +Doth what yow list, to make him live or deye. + +`But if ye lete him deye, I wol sterve; +Have her my trouthe, nece, I nil not lyen; +Al sholde I with this knyf my throte kerve --' 325 +With that the teres braste out of his yen, +And seyde, `If that ye doon us bothe dyen, +Thus giltelees, than have ye fisshed faire; +What mende ye, though that we bothe apeyre? + +`Allas! He which that is my lord so dere, 330 +That trewe man, that noble gentil knight, +That nought desireth but your freendly chere, +I see him deye, ther he goth up-right, +And hasteth him, with al his fulle might, +For to be slayn, if fortune wol assente; 335 +Allas! That god yow swich a beautee sente! + +`If it be so that ye so cruel be, +That of his deeth yow liste nought to recche, +That is so trewe and worthy, as ye see, +No more than of a Iapere or a wrecche, 340 +If ye be swich, your beautee may not strecche +To make amendes of so cruel a dede; +Avysement is good bifore the nede. + +`Wo worth the faire gemme vertulees! +Wo worth that herbe also that dooth no bote! 345 +Wo worth that beautee that is routhelees! +Wo worth that wight that tret ech under fote! +And ye, that been of beautee crop and rote, +If therwith-al in you ther be no routhe, +Than is it harm ye liven, by my trouthe! 350 + +`And also thenk wel that this is no gaude; +For me were lever, thou and I and he +Were hanged, than I sholde been his baude, +As heyghe, as men mighte on us alle y-see: +I am thyn eem, the shame were to me, 355 +As wel as thee, if that I sholde assente, +Thorugh myn abet, that he thyn honour shente. + +`Now understond, for I yow nought requere, +To binde yow to him thorugh no beheste, +But only that ye make him bettre chere 360 +Than ye han doon er this, and more feste, +So that his lyf be saved, at the leste; +This al and som, and playnly our entente; +God help me so, I never other mente. + +`Lo, this request is not but skile, y-wis, 365 +Ne doute of reson, pardee, is ther noon. +I sette the worste that ye dredden this, +Men wolden wondren seen him come or goon: +Ther-ayeins answere I thus a-noon, +That every wight, but he be fool of kinde, 370 +Wol deme it love of freendship in his minde. + +`What? Who wol deme, though he see a man +To temple go, that he the images eteth? +Thenk eek how wel and wysly that he can +Governe him-self, that he no-thing foryeteth, 375 +That, wher he cometh, he prys and thank him geteth; +And eek ther-to, he shal come here so selde, +What fors were it though al the toun behelde? + +`Swich love of freendes regneth al this toun; +And wrye yow in that mantel ever-mo; 380 +And god so wis be my savacioun, +As I have seyd, your beste is to do so. +But alwey, goode nece, to stinte his wo, +So lat your daunger sucred ben a lyte, +That of his deeth ye be nought for to wyte.' 385 + +Criseyde, which that herde him in this wyse, +Thoughte, `I shal fele what he meneth, y-wis.' +`Now, eem,' quod she, `what wolde ye devyse? +What is your reed I sholde doon of this?' +`That is wel seyd,' quod be. `certayn, best is 390 +That ye him love ayein for his lovinge, +As love for love is skilful guerdoninge. + +`Thenk eek, how elde wasteth every houre +In eche of yow a party of beautee; +And therfore, er that age thee devoure, 395 +Go love, for, olde, ther wol no wight of thee. +Lat this proverbe a lore un-to yow be; +"To late y-war, quod Beautee, whan it paste;" +And elde daunteth daunger at the laste. + +`The kinges fool is woned to cryen loude, 400 +Whan that him thinketh a womman bereth hir hye, +"So longe mote ye live, and alle proude, +Til crowes feet be growe under your ye, +And sende yow thanne a mirour in to prye +In whiche that ye may see your face a-morwe!" 405 +Nece, I bidde wisshe yow no more sorwe.' + +With this he stente, and caste adoun the heed, +And she bigan to breste a-wepe anoon, +And seyde, `Allas, for wo! Why nere I deed? +For of this world the feith is al agoon! 410 +Allas! What sholden straunge to me doon, +Whan he, that for my beste freend I wende, +Ret me to love, and sholde it me defende? + +`Allas! I wolde han trusted, doutelees, +That if that I, thurgh my disaventure, 415 +Had loved other him or Achilles, +Ector, or any mannes creature, +Ye nolde han had no mercy ne mesure +On me, but alwey had me in repreve; +This false world, allas! Who may it leve? 420 + +`What? Is this al the Ioye and al the feste? +Is this your reed, is this my blisful cas? +Is this the verray mede of your beheste? +Is al this peynted proces seyd, allas! +Right for this fyn? O lady myn, Pallas! 425 +Thou in this dredful cas for me purveye; +For so astonied am I that I deye!' + +With that she gan ful sorwfully to syke; +`A! May it be no bet?' quod Pandarus; +`By god, I shal no-more come here this wyke, 430 +And god to-forn, that am mistrusted thus; +I see ful wel that ye sette lyte of us, +Or of our deeth! Allas! I woful wrecche! +Mighte he yet live, of me is nought to recche. + +`O cruel god, O dispitouse Marte, 435 +O Furies three of helle, on yow I crye! +So lat me never out of this hous departe, +If that I mente harm or vilanye! +But sith I see my lord mot nedes dye, +And I with him, here I me shryve, and seye 440 +That wikkedly ye doon us bothe deye. + +`But sith it lyketh yow that I be deed, +By Neptunus, that god is of the see, +Fro this forth shal I never eten breed +Til I myn owene herte blood may see; 445 +For certayn, I wole deye as sone as he --' +And up he sterte, and on his wey he raughte, +Til she agayn him by the lappe caughte. + +Criseyde, which that wel neigh starf for fere, +So as she was the ferfulleste wight 450 +That mighte be, and herde eek with hir ere, +And saw the sorwful ernest of the knight, +And in his preyere eek saw noon unright, +And for the harm that mighte eek fallen more, +She gan to rewe and dredde hir wonder sore; 455 + +And thoughte thus, `Unhappes fallen thikke +Alday for love, and in swich maner cas, +As men ben cruel in hem-self and wikke; +And if this man slee here him-self, allas! +In my presence, it wol be no solas. 460 +What men wolde of hit deme I can nat seye; +It nedeth me ful sleyly for to pleye.' + +And with a sorwful syk she seyde thrye, +`A! Lord! What me is tid a sory chaunce! +For myn estat lyth in Iupartye, 465 +And eek myn emes lyf lyth in balaunce; +But nathelees, with goddes governaunce, +I shal so doon, myn honour shal I kepe, +And eek his lyf;' and stinte for to wepe. + +`Of harmes two, the lesse is for to chese; 470 +Yet have I lever maken him good chere +In honour, than myn emes lyf to lese; +Ye seyn, ye no-thing elles me requere?' +`No, wis,' quod he, `myn owene nece dere.' +`Now wel,' quod she, `and I wol doon my peyne; 475 +I shal myn herte ayeins my lust constreyne. + +`But that I nil not holden him in honde, +Ne love a man, ne can I not, ne may +Ayeins my wil; but elles wol I fonde, +Myn honour sauf, plese him fro day to day; 480 +Ther-to nolde I nought ones have seyd nay, +But that I dredde, as in my fantasye; +But cesse cause, ay cesseth maladye. + +`And here I make a protestacioun, +That in this proces if ye depper go, 485 +That certaynly, for no savacioun +Of yow, though that ye sterve bothe two, +Though al the world on o day be my fo, +Ne shal I never on him han other routhe. --' +`I graunte wel,' quod Pandare, `by my trouthe. 490 + +`But may I truste wel ther-to,' quod he, +`That of this thing that ye han hight me here, +Ye wol it holden trewly un-to me?' +`Ye, doutelees,' quod she, `myn uncle dere.' +`Ne that I shal han cause in this matere,' 495 +Quod he, `to pleyne, or after yow to preche?' +`Why, no, parde; what nedeth more speche?' + +Tho fillen they in othere tales glade, +Til at the laste, `O good eem,' quod she tho, +`For love of god, which that us bothe made, 500 +Tel me how first ye wisten of his wo: +Wot noon of hit but ye?' He seyde, `No.' +`Can he wel speke of love?' quod she, `I preye, +Tel me, for I the bet me shal purveye.' + +Tho Pandarus a litel gan to smyle, 505 +And seyde, `By my trouthe, I shal yow telle. +This other day, nought gon ful longe whyle, +In-with the paleys-gardyn, by a welle, +Gan he and I wel half a day to dwelle, +Right for to speken of an ordenaunce, 510 +How we the Grekes myghte disavaunce. + +`Sone after that bigonne we to lepe, +And casten with our dartes to and fro, +Til at the laste he seyde he wolde slepe, +And on the gres a-doun he leyde him tho; 515 +And I after gan rome to and fro +Til that I herde, as that I welk allone, +How he bigan ful wofully to grone. + +`Tho gan I stalke him softely bihinde, +And sikerly, the sothe for to seyne, 520 +As I can clepe ayein now to my minde, +Right thus to Love he gan him for to pleyne; +He seyde, "Lord! Have routhe up-on my peyne, +Al have I been rebel in myn entente; +Now, MEA CULPA, lord! I me repente. 525 + +`"O god, that at thy disposicioun +Ledest the fyn by Iuste purveyaunce, +Of every wight, my lowe confessioun +Accepte in gree, and send me swich penaunce +As lyketh thee, but from desesperaunce, 530 +That may my goost departe awey fro thee, +Thou be my sheld, for thy benignitee. + +`"For certes, lord, so soore hath she me wounded, +That stod in blak, with loking of hir yen, +That to myn hertes botme it is y-sounded, 535 +Thorugh which I woot that I mot nedes dyen; +This is the worste, I dar me not bi-wryen; +And wel the hotter been the gledes rede, +That men hem wryen with asshen pale and dede." + +`With that he smoot his heed adoun anoon, 540 +And gan to motre, I noot what, trewely. +And I with that gan stille awey to goon, +And leet ther-of as no-thing wist hadde I, +And come ayein anoon and stood him by, +And seyde, "A-wake, ye slepen al to longe; 545 +It semeth nat that love dooth yow longe, + +`"That slepen so that no man may yow wake. +Who sey ever or this so dul a man?" +"Ye, freend," quod he, "do ye your hedes ake +For love, and lat me liven as I can." 550 +But though that he for wo was pale and wan, +Yet made he tho as freshe a countenaunce +As though he shulde have led the newe daunce. + +`This passed forth, til now, this other day, +It fel that I com roming al allone 555 +Into his chaumbre, and fond how that he lay +Up-on his bed; but man so sore grone +Ne herde I never, and what that was his mone, +Ne wist I nought; for, as I was cominge, +Al sodeynly he lefte his compleyninge. 560 + +`Of which I took somwat suspecioun, +And neer I com, and fond he wepte sore; +And god so wis be my savacioun, +As never of thing hadde I no routhe more. +For neither with engyn, ne with no lore, 565 +Unethes mighte I fro the deeth him kepe; +That yet fele I myn herte for him wepe. + +`And god wot, never, sith that I was born, +Was I so bisy no man for to preche, +Ne never was to wight so depe y-sworn, 570 +Or he me tolde who mighte been his leche. +But now to yow rehersen al his speche, +Or alle his woful wordes for to soune, +Ne bid me not, but ye wol see me swowne. + +`But for to save his lyf, and elles nought, 575 +And to non harm of yow, thus am I driven; +And for the love of god that us hath wrought, +Swich chere him dooth, that he and I may liven. +Now have I plat to yow myn herte shriven; +And sin ye woot that myn entente is clene, 580 +Tak hede ther-of, for I non yvel mene. + +`And right good thrift, I prey to god, have ye, +That han swich oon y-caught with-oute net; +And be ye wys, as ye ben fair to see, +Wel in the ring than is the ruby set. 585 +Ther were never two so wel y-met, +Whan ye ben his al hool, as he is youre: +Ther mighty god yet graunte us see that houre!' + +`Nay, therof spak I not, a, ha!' quod she, +`As helpe me god, ye shenden every deel!' 590 +`O mercy, dere nece,' anoon quod he, +`What-so I spak, I mente nought but weel, +By Mars the god, that helmed is of steel; +Now beth nought wrooth, my blood, my nece dere.' +`Now wel,' quod she, `foryeven be it here!' 595 + +With this he took his leve, and hoom he wente; +And lord, he was glad and wel bigoon! +Criseyde aroos, no lenger she ne stente, +But straught in-to hir closet wente anoon, +And sette here doun as stille as any stoon, 600 +And every word gan up and doun to winde, +That he hadde seyd, as it com hir to minde; + +And wex somdel astonied in hir thought, +Right for the newe cas; but whan that she +Was ful avysed, tho fond she right nought 605 +Of peril, why she oughte afered be. +For man may love, of possibilitee, +A womman so, his herte may to-breste, +And she nought love ayein, but-if hir leste. + +But as she sat allone and thoughte thus, 610 +Thascry aroos at skarmish al with-oute, +And men cryde in the strete, `See, Troilus +Hath right now put to flight the Grekes route!' +With that gan al hir meynee for to shoute, +`A! Go we see, caste up the latis wyde; 615 +For thurgh this strete he moot to palays ryde; + +`For other wey is fro the yate noon +Of Dardanus, ther open is the cheyne.' +With that com he and al his folk anoon +An esy pas rydinge, in routes tweyne, 620 +Right as his happy day was, sooth to seyne, +For which, men say, may nought disturbed be +That shal bityden of necessitee. + +This Troilus sat on his baye stede, +Al armed, save his heed, ful richely, 625 +And wounded was his hors, and gan to blede, +On whiche he rood a pas, ful softely; +But swych a knightly sighte, trewely, +As was on him, was nought, with-outen faile, +To loke on Mars, that god is of batayle. 630 + +So lyk a man of armes and a knight +He was to seen, fulfild of heigh prowesse; +For bothe he hadde a body and a might +To doon that thing, as wel as hardinesse; +And eek to seen him in his gere him dresse, 635 +So fresh, so yong, so weldy semed he, +It was an heven up-on him for to see. + +His helm to-hewen was in twenty places, +That by a tissew heng, his bak bihinde, +His sheld to-dasshed was with swerdes and maces, 640 +In which men mighte many an arwe finde +That thirled hadde horn and nerf and rinde; +And ay the peple cryde, `Here cometh our Ioye, +And, next his brother, holdere up of Troye!' + +For which he wex a litel reed for shame, 645 +Whan he the peple up-on him herde cryen, +That to biholde it was a noble game, +How sobreliche he caste doun his yen. +Cryseyda gan al his chere aspyen, +And leet so softe it in hir herte sinke, 650 +That to hir-self she seyde, `Who yaf me drinke?' + +For of hir owene thought she wex al reed, +Remembringe hir right thus, `Lo, this is he +Which that myn uncle swereth he moot be deed, +But I on him have mercy and pitee;' 655 +And with that thought, for pure a-shamed, she +Gan in hir heed to pulle, and that as faste, +Whyl he and al the peple for-by paste, + +And gan to caste and rollen up and doun +With-inne hir thought his excellent prowesse, 660 +And his estat, and also his renoun, +His wit, his shap, and eek his gentillesse; +But most hir favour was, for his distresse +Was al for hir, and thoughte it was a routhe +To sleen swich oon, if that he mente trouthe. 665 + +Now mighte som envyous Iangle thus, +`This was a sodeyn love; how mighte it be +That she so lightly lovede Troilus +Right for the firste sighte; ye, pardee?' +Now who-so seyth so, mote he never thee! 670 +For every thing, a ginning hath it nede +Er al be wrought, with-outen any drede. + +For I sey nought that she so sodeynly +Yaf him hir love, but that she gan enclyne +To lyke him first, and I have told yow why; 675 +And after that, his manhod and his pyne +Made love with-inne hir for to myne, +For which, by proces and by good servyse, +He gat hir love, and in no sodeyn wyse. + +And also blisful Venus, wel arayed, 680 +Sat in hir seventhe hous of hevene tho, +Disposed wel, and with aspectes payed, +To helpen sely Troilus of his wo. +And, sooth to seyn, she nas not al a fo +To Troilus in his nativitee; 685 +God woot that wel the soner spedde he. + +Now lat us stinte of Troilus a throwe, +That rydeth forth, and lat us tourne faste +Un-to Criseyde, that heng hir heed ful lowe, +Ther-as she sat allone, and gan to caste 690 +Wher-on she wolde apoynte hir at the laste, +If it so were hir eem ne wolde cesse, +For Troilus, up-on hir for to presse. + +And, lord! So she gan in hir thought argue +In this matere of which I have yow told, 695 +And what to doon best were, and what eschue, +That plyted she ful ofte in many fold. +Now was hir herte warm, now was it cold, +And what she thoughte somwhat shal I wryte, +As to myn auctor listeth for to endyte. 700 + +She thoughte wel that Troilus persone +She knew by sighte and eek his gentillesse, +And thus she seyde, `Al were it nought to done, +To graunte him love, yet, for his worthinesse, +It were honour, with pley and with gladnesse, 705 +In honestee, with swich a lord to dele, +For myn estat, and also for his hele. + +`Eek, wel wot I my kinges sone is he; +And sith he hath to see me swich delyt, +If I wolde utterly his sighte flee, 710 +Peraunter he mighte have me in dispyt, +Thurgh which I mighte stonde in worse plyt; +Now were I wys, me hate to purchace, +With-outen nede, ther I may stonde in grace? + +`In every thing, I woot, ther lyth mesure. 715 +For though a man forbede dronkenesse, +He nought for-bet that every creature +Be drinkelees for alwey, as I gesse; +Eek sith I woot for me is his distresse, +I ne oughte not for that thing him despyse, 720 +Sith it is so, he meneth in good wyse. + +`And eek I knowe, of longe tyme agoon, +His thewes goode, and that he is not nyce. +Ne avauntour, seyth men, certein, he is noon; +To wys is he to do so gret a vyce; 725 +Ne als I nel him never so cheryce, +That he may make avaunt, by Iuste cause; +He shal me never binde in swiche a clause. + +`Now set a cas, the hardest is, y-wis, +Men mighten deme that he loveth me; 730 +What dishonour were it un-to me, this? +May I him lette of that? Why nay, pardee! +I knowe also, and alday here and see, +Men loven wommen al this toun aboute; +Be they the wers? Why, nay, with-outen doute. 735 + +`I thenk eek how he able is for to have +Of al this noble toun the thriftieste, +To been his love, so she hir honour save; +For out and out he is the worthieste, +Save only Ector, which that is the beste. 740 +And yet his lyf al lyth now in my cure, +But swich is love, and eek myn aventure. + +`Ne me to love, a wonder is it nought; +For wel wot I my-self, so god me spede, +Al wolde I that noon wiste of this thought, 745 +I am oon the fayreste, out of drede, +And goodlieste, who-so taketh hede; +And so men seyn in al the toun of Troye. +What wonder is it though he of me have Ioye? + +`I am myn owene woman, wel at ese, 750 +I thank it god, as after myn estat; +Right yong, and stonde unteyd in lusty lese, +With-outen Ialousye or swich debat; +Shal noon housbonde seyn to me "Chekmat!" +For either they ben ful of Ialousye, 755 +Or maisterful, or loven novelrye. + +`What shal I doon? To what fyn live I thus? +Shal I nat loven, in cas if that me leste? +What, par dieux! I am nought religious! +And though that I myn herte sette at reste 760 +Upon this knight, that is the worthieste, +And kepe alwey myn honour and my name, +By alle right, it may do me no shame.' + +But right as whan the sonne shyneth brighte, +In March, that chaungeth ofte tyme his face, 765 +And that a cloud is put with wind to flighte +Which over-sprat the sonne as for a space, +A cloudy thought gan thorugh hir soule pace, +That over-spradde hir brighte thoughtes alle, +So that for fere almost she gan to falle. 770 + +That thought was this: `Allas! Sin I am free, +Sholde I now love, and putte in Iupartye +My sikernesse, and thrallen libertee? +Allas! How dorste I thenken that folye? +May I nought wel in other folk aspye 775 +Hir dredful Ioye, hir constreynt, and hir peyne? +Ther loveth noon, that she nath why to pleyne. + +`For love is yet the moste stormy lyf, +Right of him-self, that ever was bigonne; +For ever som mistrust, or nyce stryf, 780 +Ther is in love, som cloud is over that sonne: +Ther-to we wrecched wommen no-thing conne, +Whan us is wo, but wepe and sitte and thinke; +Our wreche is this, our owene wo to drinke. + +`Also these wikked tonges been so prest 785 +To speke us harm, eek men be so untrewe, +That, right anoon as cessed is hir lest, +So cesseth love, and forth to love a newe: +But harm y-doon, is doon, who-so it rewe. +For though these men for love hem first to-rende, 790 +Ful sharp biginning breketh ofte at ende. + +`How ofte tyme hath it y-knowen be, +The treson, that to womman hath be do? +To what fyn is swich love, I can nat see, +Or wher bicometh it, whan it is ago; 795 +Ther is no wight that woot, I trowe so, +Wher it bycomth; lo, no wight on it sporneth; +That erst was no-thing, in-to nought it torneth. + +`How bisy, if I love, eek moste I be +To plesen hem that Iangle of love, and demen, 800 +And coye hem, that they sey non harm of me? +For though ther be no cause, yet hem semen +Al be for harm that folk hir freendes quemen; +And who may stoppen every wikked tonge, +Or soun of belles whyl that they be ronge?' 805 + +And after that, hir thought bigan to clere, +And seyde, `He which that no-thing under-taketh, +No thing ne acheveth, be him looth or dere.' +And with an other thought hir herte quaketh; +Than slepeth hope, and after dreed awaketh; 810 +Now hoot, now cold; but thus, bi-twixen tweye, +She rist hir up, and went hir for to pleye. + +Adoun the steyre anoon-right tho she wente +In-to the gardin, with hir neces three, +And up and doun ther made many a wente, 815 +Flexippe, she, Tharbe, and Antigone, +To pleyen, that it Ioye was to see; +And othere of hir wommen, a gret route, +hir folwede in the gardin al aboute. + +This yerd was large, and rayled alle the aleyes, 820 +And shadwed wel with blosmy bowes grene, +And benched newe, and sonded alle the weyes, +In which she walketh arm in arm bi-twene; +Til at the laste Antigone the shene +Gan on a Troian song to singe clere, 825 +That it an heven was hir voys to here. -- + +She seyde, `O love, to whom I have and shal +Ben humble subgit, trewe in myn entente, +As I best can, to yow, lord, yeve ich al +For ever-more, myn hertes lust to rente. 830 +For never yet thy grace no wight sente +So blisful cause as me, my lyf to lede +In alle Ioye and seurtee, out of drede. + +`Ye, blisful god, han me so wel beset +In love, y-wis, that al that bereth lyf 835 +Imaginen ne cowde how to ben bet; +For, lord, with-outen Ialousye or stryf, +I love oon which that is most ententyf +To serven wel, unwery or unfeyned, +That ever was, and leest with harm distreyned. 840 + +`As he that is the welle of worthinesse, +Of trouthe ground, mirour of goodliheed, +Of wit Appollo, stoon of sikernesse, +Of vertu rote, of lust findere and heed, +Thurgh which is alle sorwe fro me deed, 845 +Y-wis, I love him best, so doth he me; +Now good thrift have he, wher-so that he be! + +`Whom sholde I thanke but yow, god of love, +Of al this blisse, in which to bathe I ginne? +And thanked be ye, lord, for that I love! 850 +This is the righte lyf that I am inne, +To flemen alle manere vyce and sinne: +This doth me so to vertu for to entende, +That day by day I in my wil amende. + +`And who-so seyth that for to love is vyce, 855 +Or thraldom, though he fele in it distresse, +He outher is envyous, or right nyce, +Or is unmighty, for his shrewednesse, +To loven; for swich maner folk, I gesse, +Defamen love, as no-thing of him knowe; 860 +Thei speken, but they bente never his bowe. + +`What is the sonne wers, of kinde righte, +Though that a man, for feblesse of his yen, +May nought endure on it to see for brighte? +Or love the wers, though wrecches on it cryen? 865 +No wele is worth, that may no sorwe dryen. +And for-thy, who that hath an heed of verre, +Fro cast of stones war him in the werre! + +`But I with al myn herte and al my might, +As I have seyd, wol love, un-to my laste, 870 +My dere herte, and al myn owene knight, +In which myn herte growen is so faste, +And his in me, that it shal ever laste. +Al dredde I first to love him to biginne, +Now woot I wel, ther is no peril inne.' 875 + +And of hir song right with that word she stente, +And therwith-al, `Now, nece,' quod Criseyde, +`Who made this song with so good entente?' +Antigone answerde anoon, and seyde, +`Ma dame, y-wis, the goodlieste mayde 880 +Of greet estat in al the toun of Troye; +And let hir lyf in most honour and Ioye.' + +`Forsothe, so it semeth by hir song,' +Quod tho Criseyde, and gan ther-with to syke, +And seyde, `Lord, is there swich blisse among 885 +These lovers, as they conne faire endyte?' +`Ye, wis,' quod freshe Antigone the whyte, +`For alle the folk that han or been on lyve +Ne conne wel the blisse of love discryve. + +`But wene ye that every wrecche woot 890 +The parfit blisse of love? Why, nay, y-wis; +They wenen al be love, if oon be hoot; +Do wey, do wey, they woot no-thing of this! +Men mosten axe at seyntes if it is +Aught fair in hevene; Why? For they conne telle; 895 +And axen fendes, is it foul in helle.' + +Criseyde un-to that purpos nought answerde, +But seyde, `Y-wis, it wol be night as faste.' +But every word which that she of hir herde, +She gan to prenten in hir herte faste; 900 +And ay gan love hir lasse for to agaste +Than it dide erst, and sinken in hir herte, +That she wex somwhat able to converte. + +The dayes honour, and the hevenes ye, +The nightes fo, al this clepe I the sonne, 905 +Gan westren faste, and dounward for to wrye, +As he that hadde his dayes cours y-ronne; +And whyte thinges wexen dimme and donne +For lak of light, and sterres for to appere, +That she and al hir folk in wente y-fere. 910 + +So whan it lyked hir to goon to reste, +And voyded weren they that voyden oughte, +She seyde, that to slepe wel hir leste. +Hir wommen sone til hir bed hir broughte. +Whan al was hust, than lay she stille, and thoughte 915 +Of al this thing the manere and the wyse. +Reherce it nedeth nought, for ye ben wyse. + +A nightingale, upon a cedre grene, +Under the chambre-wal ther as she lay, +Ful loude sang ayein the mone shene, 920 +Paraunter, in his briddes wyse, a lay +Of love, that made hir herte fresh and gay. +That herkned she so longe in good entente, +Til at the laste the dede sleep hir hente. + +And as she sleep, anoon-right tho hir mette, 925 +How that an egle, fethered whyt as boon, +Under hir brest his longe clawes sette, +And out hir herte he rente, and that a-noon, +And dide his herte in-to hir brest to goon, +Of which she nought agroos, ne no-thing smerte, 930 +And forth he fleigh, with herte left for herte. + +Now lat hir slepe, and we our tales holde +Of Troilus, that is to paleys riden, +Fro the scarmuch, of the whiche I tolde, +And in his chaumbre sit, and hath abiden 935 +Til two or three of his messages yeden +For Pandarus, and soughten him ful faste, +Til they him founde and broughte him at the laste. + +This Pandarus com leping in at ones, +And seiyde thus: `Who hath ben wel y-bete 940 +To-day with swerdes, and with slinge-stones, +But Troilus, that hath caught him an hete?' +And gan to Iape, and seyde, `Lord, so ye swete! +But rys, and lat us soupe and go to reste;' 944 +And he answerde him, `Do we as thee leste.' + +With al the haste goodly that they mighte, +They spedde hem fro the souper un-to bedde; +And every wight out at the dore him dighte, +And wher him liste upon his wey him spedde; +But Troilus, that thoughte his herte bledde 950 +For wo, til that he herde som tydinge, +He seyde, `Freend, shal I now wepe or singe?' + +Quod Pandarus, `Ly stille and lat me slepe, +And don thyn hood, thy nedes spedde be; +And chese, if thou wolt singe or daunce or lepe; 955 +At shorte wordes, thow shal trowe me. -- +Sire, my nece wol do wel by thee, +And love thee best, by god and by my trouthe, +But lak of pursuit make it in thy slouthe. + +`For thus ferforth I have thy work bigonne, 960 +Fro day to day, til this day, by the morwe, +Hir love of freendship have I to thee wonne, +And also hath she leyd hir feyth to borwe. +Algate a foot is hameled of thy sorwe.' +What sholde I lenger sermon of it holde? 965 +As ye han herd bifore, al he him tolde. + +But right as floures, thorugh the colde of night +Y-closed, stoupen on hir stalke lowe, +Redressen hem a-yein the sonne bright, +And spreden on hir kinde cours by rowe, 970 +Right so gan tho his eyen up to throwe +This Troilus, and seyde, `O Venus dere, +Thy might, thy grace, y-heried be it here!' + +And to Pandare he held up bothe his hondes, +And seyde, `Lord, al thyn be that I have; 975 +For I am hool, al brosten been my bondes; +A thousand Troians who so that me yave, +Eche after other, god so wis me save, +Ne mighte me so gladen; lo, myn herte, +It spredeth so for Ioye, it wol to-sterte! 980 + +`But Lord, how shal I doon, how shal I liven? +Whan shal I next my dere herte see? +How shal this longe tyme a-wey be driven, +Til that thou be ayein at hir fro me? +Thou mayst answere, "A-byd, a-byd," but he 985 +That hangeth by the nekke, sooth to seyne, +In grete disese abydeth for the peyne.' + +`Al esily, now, for the love of Marte,' +Quod Pandarus, `for every thing hath tyme; +So longe abyd til that the night departe; 990 +For al so siker as thow lyst here by me, +And god toforn, I wol be there at pryme, +And for thy werk somwhat as I shal seye, +Or on som other wight this charge leye. + +`For pardee, god wot, I have ever yit 995 +Ben redy thee to serve, and to this night +Have I nought fayned, but emforth my wit +Don al thy lust, and shal with al my might. +Do now as I shal seye, and fare a-right; +And if thou nilt, wyte al thy-self thy care, 1000 +On me is nought along thyn yvel fare. + +`I woot wel that thow wyser art than I +A thousand fold, but if I were as thou, +God help me so, as I wolde outrely, +Right of myn owene hond, wryte hir right now 1005 +A lettre, in which I wolde hir tellen how +I ferde amis, and hir beseche of routhe; +Now help thy-self, and leve it not for slouthe. + +`And I my-self shal ther-with to hir goon; +And whan thou wost that I am with hir there, 1010 +Worth thou up-on a courser right anoon, +Ye, hardily, right in thy beste gere, +And ryd forth by the place, as nought ne were, +And thou shalt finde us, if I may, sittinge +At som windowe, in-to the strete lokinge. 1015 + +`And if thee list, than maystow us saluwe, +And up-on me make thy contenaunce; +But, by thy lyf, be war and faste eschuwe +To tarien ought, god shilde us fro mischaunce! +Ryd forth thy wey, and hold thy governaunce; 1020 +And we shal speke of thee som-what, I trowe, +Whan Thou art goon, to do thyne eres glowe! + +`Touching thy lettre, thou art wys y-nough, +I woot thow nilt it digneliche endyte; +As make it with thise argumentes tough; 1025 +Ne scrivenish or craftily thou it wryte; +Beblotte it with thy teres eek a lyte; +And if thou wryte a goodly word al softe, +Though it be good, reherce it not to ofte. + +`For though the beste harpour upon lyve 1030 +Wolde on the beste souned Ioly harpe +That ever was, with alle his fingres fyve, +Touche ay o streng, or ay o werbul harpe, +Were his nayles poynted never so sharpe, +It shulde maken every wight to dulle, 1035 +To here his glee, and of his strokes fulle. + +`Ne Iompre eek no discordaunt thing y-fere, +As thus, to usen termes of phisyk; +In loves termes, hold of thy matere +The forme alwey, and do that it be lyk; 1040 +For if a peyntour wolde peynte a pyk +With asses feet, and hede it as an ape, +It cordeth nought; so nere it but a Iape.' + +This counseyl lyked wel to Troilus; +But, as a dreedful lover, he seyde this: -- 1045 +`Allas, my dere brother Pandarus, +I am ashamed for to wryte, y-wis, +Lest of myn innocence I seyde a-mis, +Or that she nolde it for despyt receyve; +Thanne were I deed, ther mighte it no-thing weyve.' 1050 + +To that Pandare answerde, `If thee lest, +Do that I seye, and lat me therwith goon; +For by that lord that formed est and west, +I hope of it to bringe answere anoon +Right of hir hond, and if that thou nilt noon, 1055 +Lat be; and sory mote he been his lyve, +Ayeins thy lust that helpeth thee to thryve.' + +Quod Troilus, `Depardieux, I assente; +Sin that thee list, I will aryse and wryte; +And blisful god preye ich, with good entente, 1060 +The vyage, and the lettre I shal endyte, +So spede it; and thou, Minerva, the whyte, +Yif thou me wit my lettre to devyse:' +And sette him doun, and wroot right in this wyse. -- + +First he gan hir his righte lady calle, 1065 +His hertes lyf, his lust, his sorwes leche, +His blisse, and eek these othere termes alle, +That in swich cas these loveres alle seche; +And in ful humble wyse, as in his speche, +He gan him recomaunde un-to hir grace; 1070 +To telle al how, it axeth muchel space. + +And after this, ful lowly he hir prayde +To be nought wrooth, though he, of his folye, +So hardy was to hir to wryte, and seyde, +That love it made, or elles moste he dye, 1075 +And pitously gan mercy for to crye; +And after that he seyde, and ley ful loude, +Him-self was litel worth, and lesse he coude; + +And that she sholde han his conning excused, +That litel was, and eek he dredde hir so, 1080 +And his unworthinesse he ay acused; +And after that, than gan he telle his woo; +But that was endeles, with-outen ho; +And seyde, he wolde in trouthe alwey him holde; -- +And radde it over, and gan the lettre folde. 1085 + +And with his salte teres gan he bathe +The ruby in his signet, and it sette +Upon the wex deliverliche and rathe; +Ther-with a thousand tymes, er he lette, +He kiste tho the lettre that he shette, 1090 +And seyde, `Lettre, a blisful destenee +Thee shapen is, my lady shal thee see.' + +This Pandare took the lettre, and that by tyme +A-morwe, and to his neces paleys sterte, +And faste he swoor, that it was passed pryme, 1095 +And gan to Iape, and seyde, `Y-wis, myn herte, +So fresh it is, al-though it sore smerte, +I may not slepe never a Mayes morwe; +I have a Ioly wo, a lusty sorwe.' + +Criseyde, whan that she hir uncle herde, 1100 +With dreedful herte, and desirous to here +The cause of his cominge, thus answerde: +`Now by your feyth, myn uncle,' quod she, `dere, +What maner windes gydeth yow now here? +Tel us your Ioly wo and your penaunce, 1105 +How ferforth be ye put in loves daunce.' + +`By god,' quod he, `I hoppe alwey bihinde!' +And she to-laugh, it thoughte hir herte breste. +Quod Pandarus, `Loke alwey that ye finde +Game in myn hood, but herkneth, if yow leste; 1110 +Ther is right now come in-to toune a geste, +A Greek espye, and telleth newe thinges, +For which I come to telle yow tydinges. + +`Into the gardin go we, and we shal here, +Al prevely, of this a long sermoun.' 1115 +With that they wenten arm in arm y-fere +In-to the gardin from the chaumbre doun. +And whan that he so fer was that the soun +Of that he speke, no man here mighte, +He seyde hir thus, and out the lettre plighte, 1120 + +`Lo, he that is al hoolly youres free +Him recomaundeth lowly to your grace, +And sent to you this lettre here by me; +Avyseth you on it, whan ye han space, +And of som goodly answere yow purchace; 1125 +Or, helpe me god, so pleynly for to seyne, +He may not longe liven for his peyne.' + +Ful dredfully tho gan she stonde stille, +And took it nought, but al hir humble chere +Gan for to chaunge, and seyde, `Scrit ne bille, 1130 +For love of god, that toucheth swich matere, +Ne bring me noon; and also, uncle dere, +To myn estat have more reward, I preye, +Than to his lust; what sholde I more seye? + +`And loketh now if this be resonable, 1135 +And letteth nought, for favour ne for slouthe, +To seyn a sooth; now were it covenable +To myn estat, by god, and by your trouthe, +To taken it, or to han of him routhe, +In harming of my-self or in repreve? 1140 +Ber it a-yein, for him that ye on leve!' + +This Pandarus gan on hir for to stare, +And seyde, `Now is this the grettest wonder +That ever I sey! Lat be this nyce fare! +To deethe mote I smiten be with thonder, 1145 +If, for the citee which that stondeth yonder, +Wolde I a lettre un-to yow bringe or take +To harm of yow; what list yow thus it make? + +`But thus ye faren, wel neigh alle and some, +That he that most desireth yow to serve, 1150 +Of him ye recche leest wher he bicome, +And whether that he live or elles sterve. +But for al that that ever I may deserve, +Refuse it nought,' quod he, and hente hir faste, +And in hir bosom the lettre doun he thraste, 1155 + +And seyde hire, `Now cast it awey anoon, +That folk may seen and gauren on us tweye.' +Quod she, `I can abyde til they be goon,' +And gan to smyle, and seyde hym, `Eem, I preye, +Swich answere as yow list, your-self purveye, 1160 +For trewely I nil no lettre wryte.' +`No? than wol I,' quod he, `so ye endyte.' + +Therwith she lough, and seyde, `Go we dyne.' +And he gan at him-self to iape faste, +And seyde, `Nece, I have so greet a pyne 1165 +For love, that every other day I faste' -- +And gan his beste Iapes forth to caste; +And made hir so to laughe at his folye, +That she for laughter wende for to dye. + +And whan that she was comen in-to halle, 1170 +`Now, eem,' quod she, `we wol go dine anoon;' +And gan some of hir women to hir calle, +And streyght in-to hir chaumbre gan she goon; +But of hir besinesses, this was oon +A-monges othere thinges, out of drede, 1175 +Ful prively this lettre for to rede; + +Avysed word by word in every lyne, +And fond no lak, she thoughte he coude good; +And up it putte, and went hir in to dyne. +But Pandarus, that in a study stood, 1180 +Er he was war, she took him by the hood, +And seyde, `Ye were caught er that ye wiste;' +`I vouche sauf,' quod he. `do what yow liste.' + +Tho wesshen they, and sette hem doun and ete; +And after noon ful sleyly Pandarus 1185 +Gan drawe him to the window next the strete, +And seyde, `Nece, who hath arayed thus +The yonder hous, that stant afor-yeyn us?' +`Which hous?' quod she, and gan for to biholde, +And knew it wel, and whos it was him tolde, 1190 + +And fillen forth in speche of thinges smale, +And seten in the window bothe tweye. +Whan Pandarus saw tyme un-to his tale, +And saw wel that hir folk were alle aweye, +`Now, nece myn, tel on,' quod he; `I seye, 1195 +How liketh yow the lettre that ye woot? +Can he ther-on? For, by my trouthe, I noot.' + +Therwith al rosy hewed tho wex she, +And gan to humme, and seyde, `So I trowe.' +`Aquyte him wel, for goddes love,' quod he; 1200 +`My-self to medes wol the lettre sowe.' +And held his hondes up, and sat on knowe, +`Now, goode nece, be it never so lyte, +Yif me the labour, it to sowe and plyte.' + +`Ye, for I can so wryte,' quod she tho; 1205 +`And eek I noot what I sholde to him seye.' +`Nay, nece,' quod Pandare, `sey nat so; +Yet at the leste thanketh him, I preye, +Of his good wil, and doth him not to deye. +Now for the love of me, my nece dere, 1210 +Refuseth not at this tyme my preyere.' + +`Depar-dieux,' quod she, `God leve al be wel! +God help me so, this is the firste lettre +That ever I wroot, ye, al or any del.' +And in-to a closet, for to avyse hir bettre, 1215 +She wente allone, and gan hir herte unfettre +Out of disdaynes prison but a lyte; +And sette hir doun, and gan a lettre wryte, + +Of which to telle in short is myn entente +Theffect, as fer as I can understonde: -- 1220 +She thonked him of al that he wel mente +Towardes hir, but holden him in honde +She nolde nought, ne make hir-selven bonde +In love, but as his suster, him to plese, +She wolde fayn to doon his herte an ese. 1225 + +She shette it, and to Pandarus in gan goon, +There as he sat and loked in-to the strete, +And doun she sette hir by him on a stoon +Of Iaspre, up-on a quisshin gold y-bete, +And seyde, `As wisly helpe me god the grete, 1230 +I never dide a thing with more peyne +Than wryte this, to which ye me constreyne;' + +And took it him: He thonked hir and seyde, +`God woot, of thing ful ofte looth bigonne +Cometh ende good; and nece myn, Criseyde, 1235 +That ye to him of hard now ben y-wonne +Oughte he be glad, by god and yonder sonne! +For-why men seyth, "Impressiounes lighte +Ful lightly been ay redy to the flighte.' + +`But ye han pleyed tyraunt neigh to longe, 1240 +And hard was it your herte for to grave; +Now stint, that ye no longer on it honge, +Al wolde ye the forme of daunger save. +But hasteth yow to doon him Ioye have; +For trusteth wel, to longe y-doon hardnesse 1245 +Causeth despyt ful often, for destresse.' + +And right as they declamed this matere, +Lo, Troilus, right at the stretes ende, +Com ryding with his tenthe some y-fere, +Al softely, and thiderward gan bende 1250 +Ther-as they sete, as was his way to wende +To paleys-ward; and Pandare him aspyde, +And seyde, `Nece, y-see who cometh here ryde! + +`O flee not in, he seeth us, I suppose; +Lest he may thinke that ye him eschuwe.' 1255 +`Nay, nay,' quod she, and wex as reed as rose. +With that he gan hir humbly to saluwe +With dreedful chere, and oft his hewes muwe; +And up his look debonairly he caste, +And bekked on Pandare, and forth he paste. 1260 + +God woot if he sat on his hors a-right, +Or goodly was beseyn, that ilke day! +God woot wher he was lyk a manly knight! +What sholde I drecche, or telle of his aray? +Criseyde, which that alle these thinges say, 1265 +To telle in short, hir lyked al y-fere, +His persone, his aray, his look, his chere, + +His goodly manere, and his gentillesse, +So wel, that never, sith that she was born, +Ne hadde she swich routhe of his distresse; 1270 +And how-so she hath hard ben her-biforn, +To god hope I, she hath now caught a thorn, +She shal not pulle it out this nexte wyke; +God sende mo swich thornes on to pyke! + +Pandare, which that stood hir faste by, 1275 +Felte iren hoot, and he bigan to smyte, +And seyde, `Nece, I pray yow hertely, +Tel me that I shal axen yow a lyte: +A womman, that were of his deeth to wyte, +With-outen his gilt, but for hir lakked routhe, 1280 +Were it wel doon?' Quod she, `Nay, by my trouthe!' + +`God help me so,' quod he, `ye sey me sooth. +Ye felen wel your-self that I not lye; +Lo, yond he rit!' Quod she, `Ye, so he dooth!' +`Wel,' quod Pandare, `as I have told yow thrye, 1285 +Lat be youre nyce shame and youre folye, +And spek with him in esing of his herte; +Lat nycetee not do yow bothe smerte.' + +But ther-on was to heven and to done; +Considered al thing, it may not be; 1290 +And why, for shame; and it were eek to sone +To graunten him so greet a libertee. +`For playnly hir entente,' as seyde she, +`Was for to love him unwist, if she mighte, +And guerdon him with no-thing but with sighte.' 1295 + +But Pandarus thoughte, `It shal not be so, +If that I may; this nyce opinioun +Shal not be holden fully yeres two.' +What sholde I make of this a long sermoun? +He moste assente on that conclusioun, 1300 +As for the tyme; and whan that it was eve, +And al was wel, he roos and took his leve. + +And on his wey ful faste homward he spedde, +And right for Ioye he felte his herte daunce; +And Troilus he fond alone a-bedde, 1305 +That lay as dooth these loveres, in a traunce, +Bitwixen hope and derk desesperaunce. +But Pandarus, right at his in-cominge, +He song, as who seyth, `Lo! Sumwhat I bringe,' + +And seyde, `Who is in his bed so sone 1310 +Y-buried thus?' `It am I, freend,' quod he. +`Who, Troilus? Nay, helpe me so the mone,' +Quod Pandarus, `Thou shalt aryse and see +A charme that was sent right now to thee, +The which can helen thee of thyn accesse, 1315 +If thou do forth-with al thy besinesse.' + +`Ye, through the might of god!' quod Troilus. +And Pandarus gan him the lettre take, +And seyde, `Pardee, god hath holpen us; +Have here a light, and loke on al this blake.' 1320 +But ofte gan the herte glade and quake +Of Troilus, whyl that he gan it rede, +So as the wordes yave him hope or drede. + +But fynally, he took al for the beste +That she him wroot, for somwhat he biheld 1325 +On which, him thoughte, he mighte his herte reste, +Al covered she the wordes under sheld. +Thus to the more worthy part he held, +That, what for hope and Pandarus biheste, +His grete wo for-yede he at the leste. 1330 + +But as we may alday our-selven see, +Through more wode or col, the more fyr; +Right so encrees hope, of what it be, +Therwith ful ofte encreseth eek desyr; +Or, as an ook cometh of a litel spyr, 1335 +So through this lettre, which that she him sente, +Encresen gan desyr, of which he brente. + +Wherfore I seye alwey, that day and night +This Troilus gan to desiren more +Than he dide erst, thurgh hope, and dide his might 1340 +To pressen on, as by Pandarus lore, +And wryten to hir of his sorwes sore +Fro day to day; he leet it not refreyde, +That by Pandare he wroot somwhat or seyde; + +And dide also his othere observaunces 1345 +That to a lovere longeth in this cas; +And, after that these dees turnede on chaunces, +So was he outher glad or seyde `Allas!' +And held after his gestes ay his pas; +And aftir swiche answeres as he hadde, 1350 +So were his dayes sory outher gladde. + +But to Pandare alwey was his recours, +And pitously gan ay til him to pleyne, +And him bisoughte of rede and som socours; +And Pandarus, that sey his wode peyne, 1355 +Wex wel neigh deed for routhe, sooth to seyne, +And bisily with al his herte caste +Som of his wo to sleen, and that as faste; + +And seyde, `Lord, and freend, and brother dere, +God woot that thy disese dooth me wo. 1360 +But woltow stinten al this woful chere, +And, by my trouthe, or it be dayes two, +And god to-forn, yet shal I shape it so, +That thou shalt come in-to a certayn place, +Ther-as thou mayst thy-self hir preye of grace. 1365 + +`And certainly, I noot if thou it wost, +But tho that been expert in love it seye, +It is oon of the thinges that furthereth most, +A man to have a leyser for to preye, +And siker place his wo for to biwreye; 1370 +For in good herte it moot som routhe impresse, +To here and see the giltles in distresse. + +`Paraunter thenkestow: though it be so +That kinde wolde doon hir to biginne +To han a maner routhe up-on my wo, 1375 +Seyth Daunger, "Nay, thou shalt me never winne; +So reuleth hir hir hertes goost with-inne, +That, though she bende, yet she stant on rote; +What in effect is this un-to my bote?" + +`Thenk here-ayeins, whan that the sturdy ook, 1380 +On which men hakketh ofte, for the nones, +Receyved hath the happy falling strook, +The grete sweigh doth it come al at ones, +As doon these rokkes or these milne-stones. +For swifter cours cometh thing that is of wighte, 1385 +Whan it descendeth, than don thinges lighte. + +`And reed that boweth doun for every blast, +Ful lightly, cesse wind, it wol aryse; +But so nil not an ook whan it is cast; +It nedeth me nought thee longe to forbyse. 1390 +Men shal reioysen of a greet empryse +Acheved wel, and stant with-outen doute, +Al han men been the lenger ther-aboute. + +`But, Troilus, yet tel me, if thee lest, +A thing now which that I shal axen thee; 1395 +Which is thy brother that thou lovest best +As in thy verray hertes privetee?' +`Y-wis, my brother Deiphebus,' quod he. +`Now,' quod Pandare, `er houres twyes twelve, +He shal thee ese, unwist of it him-selve. 1400 + +`Now lat me allone, and werken as I may,' +Quod he; and to Deiphebus wente he tho +Which hadde his lord and grete freend ben ay; +Save Troilus, no man he lovede so. +To telle in short, with-outen wordes mo, 1405 +Quod Pandarus, `I pray yow that ye be +Freend to a cause which that toucheth me.' + +`Yis, pardee,' quod Deiphebus, `wel thow wost, +In al that ever I may, and god to-fore, +Al nere it but for man I love most, 1410 +My brother Troilus; but sey wherfore +It is; for sith that day that I was bore, +I nas, ne never-mo to been I thinke, +Ayeins a thing that mighte thee for-thinke.' + +Pandare gan him thonke, and to him seyde, 1415 +`Lo, sire, I have a lady in this toun, +That is my nece, and called is Criseyde, +Which some men wolden doon oppressioun, +And wrongfully have hir possessioun: +Wherfor I of your lordship yow biseche 1420 +To been our freend, with-oute more speche.' + +Deiphebus him answerde, `O, is not this, +That thow spekest of to me thus straungely, +Criseyda, my freend?' He seyde, `Yis.' +`Than nedeth,' quod Deiphebus, `hardely, 1425 +Na-more to speke, for trusteth wel, that I +Wol be hir champioun with spore and yerde; +I roughte nought though alle hir foos it herde. + +`But tel me how, thou that woost al this matere, +How I might best avaylen? Now lat see.' 1430 +Quod Pandarus; `If ye, my lord so dere, +Wolden as now don this honour to me, +To preyen hir to-morwe, lo, that she +Come un-to yow hir pleyntes to devyse, +Hir adversaries wolde of it agryse. 1435 + +`And if I more dorste preye as now, +And chargen yow to have so greet travayle, +To han som of your bretheren here with yow, +That mighten to hir cause bet avayle, +Than, woot I wel, she mighte never fayle 1440 +For to be holpen, what at your instaunce, +What with hir othere freendes governaunce.' + +Deiphebus, which that comen was, of kinde, +To al honour and bountee to consente, +Answerde, `It shal be doon; and I can finde 1445 +Yet gretter help to this in myn entente. +What wolt thow seyn, if I for Eleyne sente +To speke of this? I trowe it be the beste; +For she may leden Paris as hir leste. + +`Of Ector, which that is my lord, my brother, 1450 +It nedeth nought to preye him freend to be; +For I have herd him, o tyme and eek other, +Speke of Criseyde swich honour, that he +May seyn no bet, swich hap to him hath she. +It nedeth nought his helpes for to crave; 1455 +He shal be swich, right as we wole him have. + +`Spek thou thy-self also to Troilus +On my bihalve, and pray him with us dyne.' +`Sire, al this shal be doon,' quod Pandarus; +And took his leve, and never gan to fyne, 1460 +But to his neces hous, as streyt as lyne, +He com; and fond hir fro the mete aryse; +And sette him doun, and spak right in this wyse. + +He seyde, `O veray god, so have I ronne! +Lo, nece myn, see ye nought how I swete? 1465 +I noot whether ye the more thank me conne. +Be ye nought war how that fals Poliphete +Is now aboute eft-sones for to plete, +And bringe on yow advocacyes newe?' +`I? No,' quod she, and chaunged al hir hewe. 1470 + +`What is he more aboute, me to drecche +And doon me wrong? What shal I do, allas? +Yet of him-self no-thing ne wolde I recche, +Nere it for Antenor and Eneas, +That been his freendes in swich maner cas; 1475 +But, for the love of god, myn uncle dere, +No fors of that; lat him have al y-fere; + +`With-outen that I have ynough for us.' +`Nay,' quod Pandare, `it shal no-thing be so. +For I have been right now at Deiphebus, 1480 +And Ector, and myne othere lordes mo, +And shortly maked eche of hem his fo; +That, by my thrift, he shal it never winne +For ought he can, whan that so he biginne.' + +And as they casten what was best to done, 1485 +Deiphebus, of his owene curtasye, +Com hir to preye, in his propre persone, +To holde him on the morwe companye +At diner, which she nolde not denye, +But goodly gan to his preyere obeye. 1490 +He thonked hir, and wente up-on his weye. + +Whanne this was doon, this Pandare up a-noon, +To telle in short, and forth gan for to wende +To Troilus, as stille as any stoon; +And al this thing he tolde him, word and ende; 1495 +And how that he Deiphebus gan to blende; +And seyde him, `Now is tyme, if that thou conne, +To bere thee wel to-morwe, and al is wonne. + +`Now spek, now prey, now pitously compleyne; +Lat not for nyce shame, or drede, or slouthe; 1500 +Som-tyme a man mot telle his owene peyne; +Bileve it, and she shal han on thee routhe; +Thou shalt be saved by thy feyth, in trouthe. +But wel wot I, thou art now in a drede; +And what it is, I leye, I can arede. 1505 + +`Thow thinkest now, "How sholde I doon al this? +For by my cheres mosten folk aspye, +That for hir love is that I fare a-mis; +Yet hadde I lever unwist for sorwe dye." +Now thenk not so, for thou dost greet folye. 1510 +For I right now have founden o manere +Of sleighte, for to coveren al thy chere. + +`Thow shalt gon over night, and that as blyve, +Un-to Deiphebus hous, as thee to pleye, +Thy maladye a-wey the bet to dryve, 1515 +For-why thou semest syk, soth for to seye. +Sone after that, doun in thy bed thee leye, +And sey, thow mayst no lenger up endure, +And ly right there, and byde thyn aventure. + +`Sey that thy fever is wont thee for to take 1520 +The same tyme, and lasten til a-morwe; +And lat see now how wel thou canst it make, +For, par-dee, syk is he that is in sorwe. +Go now, farwel! And, Venus here to borwe, +I hope, and thou this purpos holde ferme, 1525 +Thy grace she shal fully ther conferme.' + +Quod Troilus, `Y-wis, thou nedelees +Conseylest me, that sykliche I me feyne, +For I am syk in ernest, doutelees, +So that wel neigh I sterve for the peyne.' 1530 +Quod Pandarus, `Thou shalt the bettre pleyne, +And hast the lasse need to countrefete; +For him men demen hoot that men seen swete. + +`Lo, holde thee at thy triste cloos, and I +Shal wel the deer un-to thy bowe dryve.' 1535 +Therwith he took his leve al softely, +And Troilus to paleys wente blyve. +So glad ne was he never in al his lyve; +And to Pandarus reed gan al assente, +And to Deiphebus hous at night he wente. 1540 + +What nedeth yow to tellen al the chere +That Deiphebus un-to his brother made, +Or his accesse, or his siklych manere, +How men gan him with clothes for to lade, +Whan he was leyd, and how men wolde him glade? 1545 +But al for nought; he held forth ay the wyse +That ye han herd Pandare er this devyse. + +But certeyn is, er Troilus him leyde, +Deiphebus had him prayed, over night, +To been a freend and helping to Criseyde. 1550 +God woot, that he it grauntede anon-right, +To been hir fulle freend with al his might. +But swich a nede was to preye him thenne, +As for to bidde a wood man for to renne. + +The morwen com, and neighen gan the tyme 1555 +Of meel-tyd, that the faire quene Eleyne +Shoop hir to been, an houre after the pryme, +With Deiphebus, to whom she nolde feyne; +But as his suster, hoomly, sooth to seyne, +She com to diner in hir playn entente. 1560 +But god and Pandare wiste al what this mente. + +Com eek Criseyde, al innocent of this, +Antigone, hir sister Tarbe also; +But flee we now prolixitee best is, +For love of god, and lat us faste go 1565 +Right to the effect, with-oute tales mo, +Why al this folk assembled in this place; +And lat us of hir saluinges pace. + +Gret honour dide hem Deiphebus, certeyn, +And fedde hem wel with al that mighte lyke. 1570 +But ever-more, `Allas!' was his refreyn, +`My goode brother Troilus, the syke, +Lyth yet"--and therwith-al he gan to syke; +And after that, he peyned him to glade +Hem as he mighte, and chere good he made. 1575 + +Compleyned eek Eleyne of his syknesse +So feithfully, that pitee was to here, +And every wight gan waxen for accesse +A leche anoon, and seyde, `In this manere +Men curen folk; this charme I wol yow lere.' 1580 +But ther sat oon, al list hir nought to teche, +That thoughte, best coude I yet been his leche. + +After compleynt, him gonnen they to preyse, +As folk don yet, whan som wight hath bigonne +To preyse a man, and up with prys him reyse 1585 +A thousand fold yet hyer than the sonne: -- +`He is, he can, that fewe lordes conne.' +And Pandarus, of that they wolde afferme, +He not for-gat hir preysing to conferme. + +Herde al this thing Criseyde wel y-nough, 1590 +And every word gan for to notifye; +For which with sobre chere hir herte lough; +For who is that ne wolde hir glorifye, +To mowen swich a knight don live or dye? +But al passe I, lest ye to longe dwelle; 1595 +For for o fyn is al that ever I telle. + +The tyme com, fro diner for to ryse, +And, as hem oughte, arisen everychoon, +And gonne a while of this and that devyse. +But Pandarus brak al this speche anoon, 1600 +And seyde to Deiphebus, `Wole ye goon, +If youre wille be, as I yow preyde, +To speke here of the nedes of Criseyde?' + +Eleyne, which that by the hond hir held, +Took first the tale, and seyde, `Go we blyve;' 1605 +And goodly on Criseyde she biheld, +And seyde, `Ioves lat him never thryve, +That dooth yow harm, and bringe him sone of lyve! +And yeve me sorwe, but he shal it rewe, +If that I may, and alle folk be trewe.' 1610 + +`Tel thou thy neces cas,' quod Deiphebus +To Pandarus, `for thou canst best it telle.' -- +`My lordes and my ladyes, it stant thus; +What sholde I lenger,' quod he, `do yow dwelle?' +He rong hem out a proces lyk a belle, 1615 +Up-on hir fo, that highte Poliphete, +So heynous, that men mighte on it spete. + +Answerde of this ech worse of hem than other, +And Poliphete they gonnen thus to warien, +`An-honged be swich oon, were he my brother; 1620 +And so he shal, for it ne may not varien.' +What sholde I lenger in this tale tarien? +Pleynly, alle at ones, they hir highten +To been hir helpe in al that ever they mighten. + +Spak than Eleyne, and seyde, `Pandarus, 1625 +Woot ought my lord, my brother, this matere, +I mene, Ector? Or woot it Troilus?' +He seyde, `Ye, but wole ye now me here? +Me thinketh this, sith Troilus is here, +It were good, if that ye wolde assente, 1630 +She tolde hir-self him al this, er she wente. + +`For he wole have the more hir grief at herte, +By cause, lo, that she a lady is; +And, by your leve, I wol but right in sterte, +And do yow wite, and that anoon, y-wis, 1635 +If that he slepe, or wole ought here of this.' +And in he lepte, and seyde him in his ere, +`God have thy soule, y-brought have I thy bere!' + +To smylen of this gan tho Troilus, +And Pandarus, with-oute rekeninge, 1640 +Out wente anoon to Eleyne and Deiphebus, +And seyde hem, `So there be no taryinge, +Ne more pres, he wol wel that ye bringe +Criseyda, my lady, that is here; +And as he may enduren, he wole here. 1645 + +`But wel ye woot, the chaumbre is but lyte, +And fewe folk may lightly make it warm; +Now loketh ye, (for I wol have no wyte, +To bringe in prees that mighte doon him harm +Or him disesen, for my bettre arm), 1650 +Wher it be bet she byde til eft-sones; +Now loketh ye, that knowen what to doon is. + +`I sey for me, best is, as I can knowe, +That no wight in ne wente but ye tweye, +But it were I, for I can, in a throwe, 1655 +Reherce hir cas unlyk that she can seye; +And after this, she may him ones preye +To ben good lord, in short, and take hir leve; +This may not muchel of his ese him reve. + +`And eek, for she is straunge, he wol forbere 1660 +His ese, which that him thar nought for yow; +Eek other thing that toucheth not to here, +He wol me telle, I woot it wel right now, +That secret is, and for the tounes prow.' +And they, that no-thing knewe of his entente, 1665 +With-oute more, to Troilus in they wente. + +Eleyne, in al hir goodly softe wyse, +Gan him saluwe, and womanly to pleye, +And seyde, `Ywis, ye moste alweyes aryse! +Now fayre brother, beth al hool, I preye!' 1670 +And gan hir arm right over his sholder leye, +And him with al hir wit to recomforte; +As she best coude, she gan him to disporte. + +So after this quod she, `We yow biseke, +My dere brother, Deiphebus and I, 1675 +For love of god, and so doth Pandare eke, +To been good lord and freend, right hertely, +Un-to Criseyde, which that certeinly +Receyveth wrong, as woot wel here Pandare, +That can hir cas wel bet than I declare.' 1680 + +This Pandarus gan newe his tunge affyle, +And al hir cas reherce, and that anoon; +Whan it was seyd, sone after, in a whyle, +Quod Troilus, `As sone as I may goon, +I wol right fayn with al my might ben oon, 1685 +Have god my trouthe, hir cause to sustene.' +`Good thrift have ye,' quod Eleyne the quene. + +Quod Pandarus, `And it your wille be +That she may take hir leve, er that she go?' +`O, elles god for-bede,' tho quod he, 1690 +`If that she vouche sauf for to do so.' +And with that word quod Troilus, `Ye two, +Deiphebus, and my suster leef and dere, +To yow have I to speke of o matere, + +`To been avysed by your reed the bettre': -- 1695 +And fond, as hap was, at his beddes heed, +The copie of a tretis and a lettre, +That Ector hadde him sent to axen reed, +If swich a man was worthy to ben deed, +Woot I nought who; but in a grisly wyse 1700 +He preyede hem anoon on it avyse. + +Deiphebus gan this lettre to unfolde +In ernest greet; so did Eleyne the quene; +And rominge outward, fast it gan biholde, +Downward a steyre, in-to an herber grene. 1705 +This ilke thing they redden hem bi-twene; +And largely, the mountaunce of an houre, +Thei gonne on it to reden and to poure. + +Now lat hem rede, and turne we anoon +To Pandarus, that gan ful faste prye 1710 +That al was wel, and out he gan to goon +In-to the grete chambre, and that in hye, +And seyde, `God save al this companye! +Com, nece myn; my lady quene Eleyne +Abydeth yow, and eek my lordes tweyne. 1715 + +`Rys, take with yow your nece Antigone, +Or whom yow list, or no fors, hardily; +The lesse prees, the bet; com forth with me, +And loke that ye thonke humblely +Hem alle three, and, whan ye may goodly 1720 +Your tyme y-see, taketh of hem your leve, +Lest we to longe his restes him bireve.' + +Al innocent of Pandarus entente, +Quod tho Criseyde, `Go we, uncle dere'; +And arm in arm inward with him she wente, 1725 +Avysed wel hir wordes and hir chere; +And Pandarus, in ernestful manere, +Seyde, `Alle folk, for goddes love, I preye, +Stinteth right here, and softely yow pleye. + +`Aviseth yow what folk ben here with-inne, 1730 +And in what plyt oon is, god him amende! +And inward thus ful softely biginne; +Nece, I conjure and heighly yow defende, +On his half, which that sowle us alle sende, +And in the vertue of corounes tweyne, 1735 +Slee nought this man, that hath for yow this peyne! + +`Fy on the devel! Thenk which oon he is, +And in what plyt he lyth; com of anoon; +Thenk al swich taried tyd, but lost it nis! +That wol ye bothe seyn, whan ye ben oon. 1740 +Secoundelich, ther yet devyneth noon +Up-on yow two; come of now, if ye conne; +Whyl folk is blent, lo, al the tyme is wonne! + +`In titering, and pursuite, and delayes, +The folk devyne at wagginge of a stree; 1745 +And though ye wolde han after merye dayes, +Than dar ye nought, and why? For she, and she +Spak swich a word; thus loked he, and he; +Lest tyme I loste, I dar not with yow dele; +Com of therfore, and bringeth him to hele.' 1750 + +But now to yow, ye lovers that ben here, +Was Troilus nought in a cankedort, +That lay, and mighte whispringe of hem here, +And thoughte, `O lord, right now renneth my sort +Fully to dye, or han anoon comfort'; 1755 +And was the firste tyme he shulde hir preye +Of love; O mighty god, what shal he seye? + +Explicit Secundus Liber. + + + +BOOK III + +Incipit prohemium tercii libri. + +O blisful light of whiche the bemes clere 1 +Adorneth al the thridde hevene faire! +O sonnes lief, O Ioves doughter dere, +Plesaunce of love, O goodly debonaire, +In gentil hertes ay redy to repaire! 5 +O verray cause of hele and of gladnesse, +Y-heried be thy might and thy goodnesse! + +In hevene and helle, in erthe and salte see +Is felt thy might, if that I wel descerne; +As man, brid, best, fish, herbe and grene tree 10 +Thee fele in tymes with vapour eterne. +God loveth, and to love wol nought werne; +And in this world no lyves creature, +With-outen love, is worth, or may endure. + +Ye Ioves first to thilke effectes glade, 15 +Thorugh which that thinges liven alle and be, +Comeveden, and amorous him made +On mortal thing, and as yow list, ay ye +Yeve him in love ese or adversitee; +And in a thousand formes doun him sente 20 +For love in erthe, and whom yow liste, he hente. + +Ye fierse Mars apeysen of his ire, +And, as yow list, ye maken hertes digne; +Algates, hem that ye wol sette a-fyre, +They dreden shame, and vices they resigne; 25 +Ye do hem corteys be, fresshe and benigne, +And hye or lowe, after a wight entendeth; +The Ioyes that he hath, your might him sendeth. + +Ye holden regne and hous in unitee; +Ye soothfast cause of frendship been also; 30 +Ye knowe al thilke covered qualitee +Of thinges which that folk on wondren so, +Whan they can not construe how it may io, +She loveth him, or why he loveth here; +As why this fish, and nought that, comth to were. 35 + +Ye folk a lawe han set in universe, +And this knowe I by hem that loveres be, +That who-so stryveth with yow hath the werse: +Now, lady bright, for thy benignitee, +At reverence of hem that serven thee, 40 +Whos clerk I am, so techeth me devyse +Som Ioye of that is felt in thy servyse. + +Ye in my naked herte sentement +Inhelde, and do me shewe of thy swetnesse. -- +Caliope, thy vois be now present, 45 +For now is nede; sestow not my destresse, +How I mot telle anon-right the gladnesse +Of Troilus, to Venus heryinge? +To which gladnes, who nede hath, god him bringe! + +Explicit prohemium Tercii Libri. + +Incipit Liber Tercius. + + + Lay al this mene whyle Troilus, 50 +Recordinge his lessoun in this manere, +`Ma fey!' thought he, `Thus wole I seye and thus; +Thus wole I pleyne unto my lady dere; +That word is good, and this shal be my chere; +This nil I not foryeten in no wyse.' 55 +God leve him werken as he can devyse! + +And, lord, so that his herte gan to quappe, +Heringe hir come, and shorte for to syke! +And Pandarus, that ledde hir by the lappe, +Com ner, and gan in at the curtin pyke, 60 +And seyde, `God do bote on alle syke! +See, who is here yow comen to visyte; +Lo, here is she that is your deeth to wyte.' + +Ther-with it semed as he wepte almost; +`A ha,' quod Troilus so rewfully, 65 +`Wher me be wo, O mighty god, thow wost! +Who is al there? I se nought trewely.' +`Sire,' quod Criseyde, `it is Pandare and I.' +`Ye, swete herte? Allas, I may nought ryse +To knele, and do yow honour in som wyse.' 70 + +And dressede him upward, and she right tho +Gan bothe here hondes softe upon him leye, +`O, for the love of god, do ye not so +To me,' quod she, `Ey! What is this to seye? +Sire, come am I to yow for causes tweye; 75 +First, yow to thonke, and of your lordshipe eke +Continuance I wolde yow biseke.' + +This Troilus, that herde his lady preye +Of lordship him, wex neither quik ne deed, +Ne mighte a word for shame to it seye, 80 +Al-though men sholde smyten of his heed. +But lord, so he wex sodeinliche reed, +And sire, his lesson, that he wende conne, +To preyen hir, is thurgh his wit y-ronne. + +Cryseyde al this aspyede wel y-nough, 85 +For she was wys, and lovede him never-the-lasse, +Al nere he malapert, or made it tough, +Or was to bold, to singe a fool a masse. +But whan his shame gan somwhat to passe, +His resons, as I may my rymes holde, 90 +I yow wole telle, as techen bokes olde. + +In chaunged vois, right for his verray drede, +Which vois eek quook, and ther-to his manere +Goodly abayst, and now his hewes rede, +Now pale, un-to Criseyde, his lady dere, 95 +With look doun cast and humble yolden chere, +Lo, the alderfirste word that him asterte +Was, twyes, `Mercy, mercy, swete herte!' + +And stinte a whyl, and whan he mighte out-bringe, +The nexte word was, `God wot, for I have, 100 +As feyfully as I have had konninge, +Ben youres, also god so my sowle save; +And shal til that I, woful wight, be grave. +And though I dar ne can un-to yow pleyne, +Y-wis, I suffre nought the lasse peyne. 105 + +`Thus muche as now, O wommanliche wyf, +I may out-bringe, and if this yow displese, +That shal I wreke upon myn owne lyf +Right sone, I trowe, and doon your herte an ese, +If with my deeth your herte I may apese. 110 +But sin that ye han herd me som-what seye, +Now recche I never how sone that I deye.' + +Ther-with his manly sorwe to biholde, +It mighte han maad an herte of stoon to rewe; +And Pandare weep as he to watre wolde, 115 +And poked ever his nece newe and newe, +And seyde, `Wo bigon ben hertes trewe! +For love of god, make of this thing an ende, +Or slee us bothe at ones, er that ye wende.' + +`I? What?' quod she, `By god and by my trouthe, 120 +I noot nought what ye wilne that I seye.' +`I? What?' quod he, `That ye han on him routhe, +For goddes love, and doth him nought to deye.' +`Now thanne thus,' quod she, `I wolde him preye +To telle me the fyn of his entente; 125 +Yet wist I never wel what that he mente.' + +`What that I mene, O swete herte dere?' +Quod Troilus, `O goodly, fresshe free! +That, with the stremes of your eyen clere, +Ye wolde som-tyme freendly on me see, 130 +And thanne agreen that I may ben he, +With-oute braunche of vyce on any wyse, +In trouthe alwey to doon yow my servyse, + +`As to my lady right and chief resort, +With al my wit and al my diligence, 135 +And I to han, right as yow list, comfort, +Under your yerde, egal to myn offence, +As deeth, if that I breke your defence; +And that ye deigne me so muche honoure, +Me to comaunden ought in any houre. 140 + +`And I to ben your verray humble trewe, +Secret, and in my paynes pacient, +And ever-mo desire freshly newe, +To serven, and been y-lyke ay diligent, +And, with good herte, al holly your talent 145 +Receyven wel, how sore that me smerte, +Lo, this mene I, myn owene swete herte.' + +Quod Pandarus, `Lo, here an hard request, +And resonable, a lady for to werne! +Now, nece myn, by natal Ioves fest, 150 +Were I a god, ye sholde sterve as yerne, +That heren wel, this man wol no-thing yerne +But your honour, and seen him almost sterve, +And been so looth to suffren him yow serve.' + +With that she gan hir eyen on him caste 155 +Ful esily, and ful debonairly, +Avysing hir, and hyed not to faste +With never a word, but seyde him softely, +`Myn honour sauf, I wol wel trewely, +And in swich forme as he can now devyse, 160 +Receyven him fully to my servyse, + +`Biseching him, for goddes love, that he +Wolde, in honour of trouthe and gentilesse, +As I wel mene, eek mene wel to me, +And myn honour, with wit and besinesse 165 +Ay kepe; and if I may don him gladnesse, +From hennes-forth, y-wis, I nil not feyne: +Now beeth al hool; no lenger ye ne pleyne. + +`But nathelees, this warne I yow,' quod she, +`A kinges sone al-though ye be, y-wis, 170 +Ye shal na-more have soverainetee +Of me in love, than right in that cas is; +Ne I nil forbere, if that ye doon a-mis, +To wrathen yow; and whyl that ye me serve, +Cherycen yow right after ye deserve. 175 + +`And shortly, dere herte and al my knight, +Beth glad, and draweth yow to lustinesse, +And I shal trewely, with al my might, +Your bittre tornen al in-to swetenesse. +If I be she that may yow do gladnesse, 180 +For every wo ye shal recovere a blisse'; +And him in armes took, and gan him kisse. + +Fil Pandarus on knees, and up his eyen +To hevene threw, and held his hondes hye, +`Immortal god!' quod he, `That mayst nought dyen, 185 +Cupide I mene, of this mayst glorifye; +And Venus, thou mayst maken melodye; +With-outen hond, me semeth that in the towne, +For this merveyle, I here ech belle sowne. + +`But ho! No more as now of this matere, 190 +For-why this folk wol comen up anoon, +That han the lettre red; lo, I hem here. +But I coniure thee, Criseyde, and oon, +And two, thou Troilus, whan thow mayst goon, +That at myn hous ye been at my warninge, 195 +For I ful wel shal shape youre cominge; + +`And eseth ther your hertes right y-nough; +And lat see which of yow shal bere the belle +To speke of love a-right!' ther-with he lough, +`For ther have ye a layser for to telle.' 200 +Quod Troilus, `How longe shal I dwelle +Er this be doon?' Quod he, `Whan thou mayst ryse, +This thing shal be right as I yow devyse.' + +With that Eleyne and also Deiphebus +Tho comen upward, right at the steyres ende; 205 +And Lord, so than gan grone Troilus, +His brother and his suster for to blende. +Quod Pandarus, `It tyme is that we wende; +Tak, nece myn, your leve at alle three, +And lat hem speke, and cometh forth with me.' 210 + +She took hir leve at hem ful thriftily, +As she wel coude, and they hir reverence +Un-to the fulle diden hardely, +And speken wonder wel, in hir absence, +Of hir, in preysing of hir excellence, 215 +Hir governaunce, hir wit; and hir manere +Commendeden, it Ioye was to here. + +Now lat hir wende un-to hir owne place, +And torne we to Troilus a-yein, +That gan ful lightly of the lettre passe 220 +That Deiphebus hadde in the gardin seyn. +And of Eleyne and him he wolde fayn +Delivered been, and seyde that him leste +To slepe, and after tales have reste. + +Eleyne him kiste, and took hir leve blyve, 225 +Deiphebus eek, and hoom wente every wight; +And Pandarus, as faste as he may dryve, +To Troilus tho com, as lyne right; +And on a paillet, al that glade night, +By Troilus he lay, with mery chere, 230 +To tale; and wel was hem they were y-fere. + +Whan every wight was voided but they two, +And alle the dores were faste y-shette, +To telle in short, with-oute wordes mo, +This Pandarus, with-outen any lette, 235 +Up roos, and on his beddes syde him sette, +And gan to speken in a sobre wyse +To Troilus, as I shal yow devyse: + +`Myn alderlevest lord, and brother dere, +God woot, and thou, that it sat me so sore, 240 +When I thee saw so languisshing to-yere, +For love, of which thy wo wex alwey more; +That I, with al my might and al my lore, +Have ever sithen doon my bisinesse +To bringe thee to Ioye out of distresse, 245 + +`And have it brought to swich plyt as thou wost, +So that, thorugh me, thow stondest now in weye +To fare wel, I seye it for no bost, +And wostow which? For shame it is to seye, +For thee have I bigonne a gamen pleye 250 +Which that I never doon shal eft for other, +Al-though he were a thousand fold my brother. + +`That is to seye, for thee am I bicomen, +Bitwixen game and ernest, swich a mene +As maken wommen un-to men to comen; 255 +Al sey I nought, thou wost wel what I mene. +For thee have I my nece, of vyces clene, +So fully maad thy gentilesse triste, +That al shal been right as thy-selve liste. + +`But god, that al wot, take I to witnesse, 260 +That never I this for coveityse wroughte, +But only for to abregge that distresse, +For which wel nygh thou deydest, as me thoughte. +But, gode brother, do now as thee oughte, +For goddes love, and kep hir out of blame, 265 +Sin thou art wys, and save alwey hir name. + +`For wel thou wost, the name as yet of here +Among the peple, as who seyth, halwed is; +For that man is unbore, I dar wel swere, +That ever wiste that she dide amis. 270 +But wo is me, that I, that cause al this, +May thenken that she is my nece dere, +And I hir eem, and trattor eek y-fere! + +`And were it wist that I, through myn engyn, +Hadde in my nece y-put this fantasye, 275 +To do thy lust, and hoolly to be thyn, +Why, al the world up-on it wolde crye, +And seye, that I the worste trecherye +Dide in this cas, that ever was bigonne, +And she for-lost, and thou right nought y-wonne. 280 + +`Wher-fore, er I wol ferther goon a pas, +Yet eft I thee biseche and fully seye, +That privetee go with us in this cas; +That is to seye, that thou us never wreye; +And be nought wrooth, though I thee ofte preye 285 +To holden secree swich an heigh matere; +For skilful is, thow wost wel, my preyere. + +`And thenk what wo ther hath bitid er this, +For makinge of avantes, as men rede; +And what mischaunce in this world yet ther is, 290 +Fro day to day, right for that wikked dede; +For which these wyse clerkes that ben dede +Han ever yet proverbed to us yonge, +That "Firste vertu is to kepe tonge." + +`And, nere it that I wilne as now tabregge 295 +Diffusioun of speche, I coude almost +A thousand olde stories thee alegge +Of wommen lost, thorugh fals and foles bost; +Proverbes canst thy-self y-nowe, and wost, +Ayeins that vyce, for to been a labbe, 300 +Al seyde men sooth as often as they gabbe. + +`O tonge, allas! So often here-biforn +Hastow made many a lady bright of hewe +Seyd, "Welawey! The day that I was born!" +And many a maydes sorwes for to newe; 305 +And, for the more part, al is untrewe +That men of yelpe, and it were brought to preve; +Of kinde non avauntour is to leve. + +`Avauntour and a lyere, al is on; +As thus: I pose, a womman graunte me 310 +Hir love, and seyth that other wol she non, +And I am sworn to holden it secree, +And after I go telle it two or three; +Y-wis, I am avauntour at the leste, +And lyere, for I breke my biheste. 315 + +`Now loke thanne, if they be nought to blame, +Swich maner folk; what shal I clepe hem, what, +That hem avaunte of wommen, and by name, +That never yet bihighte hem this ne that, +Ne knewe hem more than myn olde hat? 320 +No wonder is, so god me sende hele, +Though wommen drede with us men to dele. + +`I sey not this for no mistrust of yow, +Ne for no wys man, but for foles nyce, +And for the harm that in the world is now, 325 +As wel for foly ofte as for malyce; +For wel wot I, in wyse folk, that vyce +No womman drat, if she be wel avysed; +For wyse ben by foles harm chastysed. + +`But now to purpos; leve brother dere, 330 +Have al this thing that I have seyd in minde, +And keep thee clos, and be now of good chere, +For at thy day thou shalt me trewe finde. +I shal thy proces sette in swich a kinde, +And god to-forn, that it shall thee suffyse, 335 +For it shal been right as thou wolt devyse. + +`For wel I woot, thou menest wel, parde; +Therfore I dar this fully undertake. +Thou wost eek what thy lady graunted thee, +And day is set, the chartres up to make. 340 +Have now good night, I may no lenger wake; +And bid for me, sin thou art now in blisse, +That god me sende deeth or sone lisse.' + +Who mighte telle half the Ioye or feste +Which that the sowle of Troilus tho felte, 345 +Heringe theffect of Pandarus biheste? +His olde wo, that made his herte swelte, +Gan tho for Ioye wasten and to-melte, +And al the richesse of his sykes sore +At ones fledde, he felte of hem no more. 350 + +But right so as these holtes and these hayes, +That han in winter dede been and dreye, +Revesten hem in grene, whan that May is, +Whan every lusty lyketh best to pleye; +Right in that selve wyse, sooth to seye, 355 +Wax sodeynliche his herte ful of Ioye, +That gladder was ther never man in Troye. + +And gan his look on Pandarus up caste +Ful sobrely, and frendly for to see, +And seyde, `Freend, in Aprille the laste, 360 +As wel thou wost, if it remembre thee, +How neigh the deeth for wo thou founde me; +And how thou didest al thy bisinesse +To knowe of me the cause of my distresse. + +`Thou wost how longe I it for-bar to seye 365 +To thee, that art the man that I best triste; +And peril was it noon to thee by-wreye, +That wiste I wel; but tel me, if thee liste, +Sith I so looth was that thy-self it wiste, +How dorst I mo tellen of this matere, 370 +That quake now, and no wight may us here? + +`But natheles, by that god I thee swere, +That, as him list, may al this world governe, +And, if I lye, Achilles with his spere +Myn herte cleve, al were my lyf eterne, 375 +As I am mortal, if I late or yerne +Wolde it biwreye, or dorste, or sholde conne, +For al the good that god made under sonne; + +`That rather deye I wolde, and determyne, +As thinketh me, now stokked in presoun, 380 +In wrecchednesse, in filthe, and in vermyne, +Caytif to cruel king Agamenoun; +And this, in alle the temples of this toun +Upon the goddes alle, I wol thee swere, +To-morwe day, if that thee lyketh here. 385 + +`And that thou hast so muche y-doon for me, +That I ne may it never-more deserve, +This knowe I wel, al mighte I now for thee +A thousand tymes on a morwen sterve. +I can no more, but that I wol thee serve 390 +Right as thy sclave, whider-so thou wende, +For ever-more, un-to my lyves ende! + +`But here, with al myn herte, I thee biseche, +That never in me thou deme swich folye +As I shal seyn; me thoughte, by thy speche, 395 +That this, which thou me dost for companye, +I sholde wene it were a bauderye; +I am nought wood, al-if I lewed be; +It is not so, that woot I wel, pardee. + +`But he that goth, for gold or for richesse, 400 +On swich message, calle him what thee list; +And this that thou dost, calle it gentilesse, +Compassioun, and felawship, and trist; +Departe it so, for wyde-where is wist +How that there is dyversitee requered 405 +Bitwixen thinges lyke, as I have lered. + +`And, that thou knowe I thenke nought ne wene +That this servyse a shame be or Iape, +I have my faire suster Polixene, +Cassandre, Eleyne, or any of the frape; 410 +Be she never so faire or wel y-shape, +Tel me, which thou wilt of everichone, +To han for thyn, and lat me thanne allone. + +`But, sith that thou hast don me this servyse +My lyf to save, and for noon hope of mede, 415 +So, for the love of god, this grete empryse +Performe it out; for now is moste nede. +For high and low, with-outen any drede, +I wol alwey thyne hestes alle kepe; +Have now good night, and lat us bothe slepe.' 420 + +Thus held him ech of other wel apayed, +That al the world ne mighte it bet amende; +And, on the morwe, whan they were arayed, +Ech to his owene nedes gan entende. +But Troilus, though as the fyr he brende 425 +For sharp desyr of hope and of plesaunce, +He not for-gat his gode governaunce. + +But in him-self with manhod gan restreyne +Ech rakel dede and ech unbrydled chere, +That alle tho that liven, sooth to seyne, 430 +Ne sholde han wist, by word or by manere, +What that he mente, as touching this matere. +From every wight as fer as is the cloude +He was, so wel dissimulen he coude. + +And al the whyl which that I yow devyse, 435 +This was his lyf; with al his fulle might, +By day he was in Martes high servyse, +This is to seyn, in armes as a knight; +And for the more part, the longe night +He lay, and thoughte how that he mighte serve 440 +His lady best, hir thank for to deserve. + +Nil I nought swere, al-though he lay softe, +That in his thought he nas sumwhat disesed, +Ne that he tornede on his pilwes ofte, +And wolde of that him missed han ben sesed; 445 +But in swich cas men is nought alwey plesed, +For ought I wot, no more than was he; +That can I deme of possibilitee. + +But certeyn is, to purpos for to go, +That in this whyle, as writen is in geste, 450 +He say his lady som-tyme; and also +She with him spak, whan that she dorste or leste, +And by hir bothe avys, as was the beste, +Apoynteden ful warly in this nede, +So as they dorste, how they wolde procede. 455 + +But it was spoken in so short a wyse, +In swich awayt alwey, and in swich fere, +Lest any wyght devynen or devyse +Wolde of hem two, or to it leye an ere, +That al this world so leef to hem ne were 460 +As that Cupido wolde hem grace sende +To maken of hir speche aright an ende. + +But thilke litel that they spake or wroughte, +His wyse goost took ay of al swich hede, +It semed hir, he wiste what she thoughte 465 +With-outen word, so that it was no nede +To bidde him ought to done, or ought for-bede; +For which she thought that love, al come it late, +Of alle Ioye hadde opned hir the yate. + +And shortly of this proces for to pace, 470 +So wel his werk and wordes he bisette, +That he so ful stood in his lady grace, +That twenty thousand tymes, or she lette, +She thonked god she ever with him mette; +So coude he him governe in swich servyse, 475 +That al the world ne might it bet devyse. + +For-why she fond him so discreet in al, +So secret, and of swich obeisaunce, +That wel she felte he was to hir a wal +Of steel, and sheld from every displesaunce; 480 +That, to ben in his gode governaunce, +So wys he was, she was no more afered, +I mene, as fer as oughte ben requered. + +And Pandarus, to quike alwey the fyr, +Was evere y-lyke prest and diligent; 485 +To ese his frend was set al his desyr. +He shof ay on, he to and fro was sent; +He lettres bar whan Troilus was absent. +That never man, as in his freendes nede, +Ne bar him bet than he, with-outen drede. 490 + +But now, paraunter, som man wayten wolde +That every word, or sonde, or look, or chere +Of Troilus that I rehersen sholde, +In al this whyle un-to his lady dere; +I trowe it were a long thing for to here; 495 +Or of what wight that stant in swich disioynte, +His wordes alle, or every look, to poynte. + +For sothe, I have not herd it doon er this, +In storye noon, ne no man here, I wene; +And though I wolde I coude not, y-wis; 500 +For ther was som epistel hem bitwene, +That wolde, as seyth myn auctor, wel contene +Neigh half this book, of which him list not wryte; +How sholde I thanne a lyne of it endyte? + +But to the grete effect: than sey I thus, 505 +That stonding in concord and in quiete, +Thise ilke two, Criseyde and Troilus, +As I have told, and in this tyme swete, +Save only often mighte they not mete, +Ne layser have hir speches to fulfelle, 510 +That it befel right as I shal yow telle. + +That Pandarus, that ever dide his might +Right for the fyn that I shal speke of here, +As for to bringe to his hous som night +His faire nece, and Troilus y-fere, 515 +Wher-as at leyser al this heigh matere, +Touching hir love, were at the fulle up-bounde, +Hadde out of doute a tyme to it founde. + +For he with greet deliberacioun +Hadde every thing that her-to mighte avayle 520 +Forn-cast, and put in execucioun. +And neither laft, for cost ne for travayle; +Come if hem list, hem sholde no-thing fayle; +And for to been in ought espyed there, +That, wiste he wel, an inpossible were. 525 + +Dredelees, it cleer was in the wind +Of every pye and every lette-game; +Now al is wel, for al the world is blind +In this matere, bothe fremed and tame. +This timbur is al redy up to frame; 530 +Us lakketh nought but that we witen wolde +A certein houre, in which she comen sholde. + +And Troilus, that al this purveyaunce +Knew at the fulle, and waytede on it ay, +Hadde here-up-on eek made gret ordenaunce, 535 +And founde his cause, and ther-to his aray, +If that he were missed, night or day, +Ther-whyle he was aboute this servyse, +That he was goon to doon his sacrifyse, + +And moste at swich a temple alone wake, 540 +Answered of Appollo for to be; +And first to seen the holy laurer quake, +Er that Apollo spak out of the tree, +To telle him next whan Grekes sholden flee, +And forthy lette him no man, god forbede, 545 +But preye Apollo helpen in this nede. + +Now is ther litel more for to doone, +But Pandare up, and shortly for to seyne, +Right sone upon the chaunging of the mone, +Whan lightles is the world a night or tweyne, 550 +And that the welken shoop him for to reyne, +He streight a-morwe un-to his nece wente; +Ye han wel herd the fyn of his entente. + +Whan he was come, he gan anoon to pleye +As he was wont, and of him-self to Iape; 555 +And fynally, he swor and gan hir seye, +By this and that, she sholde him not escape, +Ne lengere doon him after hir to gape; +But certeynly she moste, by hir leve, +Come soupen in his hous with him at eve. 560 + +At whiche she lough, and gan hir faste excuse, +And seyde, `It rayneth; lo, how sholde I goon?' +`Lat be,' quod he, `ne stond not thus to muse; +This moot be doon, ye shal be ther anoon.' +So at the laste her-of they felle at oon, 565 +Or elles, softe he swor hir in hir ere, +He nolde never come ther she were. + +Sone after this, to him she gan to rowne, +And asked him if Troilus were there? +He swor hir, `Nay, for he was out of towne,' 570 +And seyde, `Nece, I pose that he were, +Yow thurfte never have the more fere. +For rather than men mighte him ther aspye, +Me were lever a thousand-fold to dye.' + +Nought list myn auctor fully to declare 575 +What that she thoughte whan he seyde so, +That Troilus was out of town y-fare, +As if he seyde ther-of sooth or no; +But that, with-outen awayt, with him to go, +She graunted him, sith he hir that bisoughte 580 +And, as his nece, obeyed as hir oughte. + +But nathelees, yet gan she him biseche, +Al-though with him to goon it was no fere, +For to be war of goosish peples speche, +That dremen thinges whiche that never were, 585 +And wel avyse him whom he broughte there; +And seyde him, `Eem, sin I mot on yow triste, +Loke al be wel, and do now as yow liste.' + +He swor hire, `Yis, by stokkes and by stones, +And by the goddes that in hevene dwelle, 590 +Or elles were him levere, soule and bones, +With Pluto king as depe been in helle +As Tantalus!' What sholde I more telle? +Whan al was wel, he roos and took his leve, +And she to souper com, whan it was eve, 595 + +With a certayn of hir owene men, +And with hir faire nece Antigone, +And othere of hir wommen nyne or ten; +But who was glad now, who, as trowe ye, +But Troilus, that stood and mighte it see 600 +Thurgh-out a litel windowe in a stewe, +Ther he bishet, sin midnight, was in mewe, + +Unwist of every wight but of Pandare? +But to the poynt; now whan that she was y-come +With alle Ioye, and alle frendes fare, 605 +Hir em anoon in armes hath hir nome, +And after to the souper, alle and some, +Whan tyme was, ful softe they hem sette; +God wot, ther was no deyntee for to fette. + +And after souper gonnen they to ryse, 610 +At ese wel, with hertes fresshe and glade, +And wel was him that coude best devyse +To lyken hir, or that hir laughen made. +He song; she pleyde; he tolde tale of Wade. +But at the laste, as every thing hath ende, 615 +She took hir leve, and nedes wolde wende. + +But O, Fortune, executrice of wierdes, +O influences of thise hevenes hye! +Soth is, that, under god, ye ben our hierdes, +Though to us bestes been the causes wrye. 620 +This mene I now, for she gan hoomward hye, +But execut was al bisyde hir leve, +At the goddes wil, for which she moste bleve. + +The bente mone with hir hornes pale, +Saturne, and Iove, in Cancro ioyned were, 625 +That swich a rayn from hevene gan avale +That every maner womman that was there +Hadde of that smoky reyn a verray fere; +At which Pandare tho lough, and seyde thenne, +`Now were it tyme a lady to go henne! 630 + +`But goode nece, if I mighte ever plese +Yow any-thing, than prey I yow,' quod he, +`To doon myn herte as now so greet an ese +As for to dwelle here al this night with me, +For-why this is your owene hous, pardee. 635 +For, by my trouthe, I sey it nought a-game, +To wende as now, it were to me a shame.' + +Criseyde, which that coude as muche good +As half a world, tok hede of his preyere; +And sin it ron, and al was on a flood, 640 +She thoughte, as good chep may I dwellen here, +And graunte it gladly with a freendes chere, +And have a thank, as grucche and thanne abyde; +For hoom to goon, it may nought wel bityde.' + +`I wol,' quod she, `myn uncle leef and dere, 645 +Sin that yow list, it skile is to be so; +I am right glad with yow to dwellen here; +I seyde but a-game, I wolde go.' +`Y-wis, graunt mercy, nece!' quod he tho; +`Were it a game or no, soth for to telle, 650 +Now am I glad, sin that yow list to dwelle.' + +Thus al is wel; but tho bigan aright +The newe Ioye, and al the feste agayn; +But Pandarus, if goodly hadde he might, +He wolde han hyed hir to bedde fayn, 655 +And seyde, `Lord, this is an huge rayn! +This were a weder for to slepen inne; +And that I rede us sonE to biginne. + +`And nece, woot ye wher I wol yow leye, +For that we shul not liggen fer asonder, 660 +And for ye neither shullen, dar I seye, +Heren noise of reynes nor of thondre? +By god, right in my lyte closet yonder. +And I wol in that outer hous allone +Be wardeyn of your wommen everichone. 665 + +`And in this middel chaumbre that ye see +Shal youre wommen slepen wel and softe; +And ther I seyde shal your-selve be; +And if ye liggen wel to-night, com ofte, +And careth not what weder is on-lofte. 670 +The wyn anon, and whan so that yow leste, +So go we slepe, I trowe it be the beste.' + +Ther nis no more, but here-after sone, +The voyde dronke, and travers drawe anon, +Gan every wight, that hadde nought to done 675 +More in the place, out of the chaumber gon. +And ever-mo so sternelich it ron, +And blew ther-with so wonderliche loude, +That wel neigh no man heren other coude. + +Tho Pandarus, hir eem, right as him oughte, 680 +With women swiche as were hir most aboute, +Ful glad un-to hir beddes syde hir broughte, +And toke his leve, and gan ful lowe loute, +And seyde, `Here at this closet-dore with-oute, +Right over-thwart, your wommen liggen alle, 685 +That, whom yow list of hem, ye may here calle.' + +So whan that she was in the closet leyd, +And alle hir wommen forth by ordenaunce +A-bedde weren, ther as I have seyd, +There was no more to skippen nor to traunce, 690 +But boden go to bedde, with mischaunce, +If any wight was steringe any-where, +And late hem slepe that a-bedde were. + +But Pandarus, that wel coude eche a del +The olde daunce, and every poynt ther-inne, 695 +Whan that he sey that alle thing was wel, +He thoughte he wolde up-on his werk biginne, +And gan the stewe-dore al softe un-pinne; +And stille as stoon, with-outen lenger lette, +By Troilus a-doun right he him sette. 700 + +And, shortly to the poynt right for to gon, +Of al this werk he tolde him word and ende, +And seyde, `Make thee redy right anon, +For thou shalt in-to hevene blisse wende.' +`Now blisful Venus, thou me grace sende,' 705 +Quod Troilus, `for never yet no nede +Hadde I er now, ne halvendel the drede.' + +Quod Pandarus, `Ne drede thee never a del, +For it shal been right as thou wilt desyre; +So thryve I, this night shal I make it wel, 710 +Or casten al the gruwel in the fyre.' +`Yit blisful Venus, this night thou me enspyre,' +Quod Troilus, `as wis as I thee serve, +And ever bet and bet shal, til I sterve. + +`And if I hadde, O Venus ful of murthe, 715 +Aspectes badde of Mars or of Saturne, +Or thou combust or let were in my birthe, +Thy fader prey al thilke harm disturne +Of grace, and that I glad ayein may turne, +For love of him thou lovedest in the shawe, 720 +I mene Adoon, that with the boor was slawe. + +`O Iove eek, for the love of faire Europe, +The whiche in forme of bole awey thou fette; +Now help, O Mars, thou with thy blody cope, +For love of Cipris, thou me nought ne lette; 725 +O Phebus, thenk whan Dane hir-selven shette +Under the bark, and laurer wex for drede, +Yet for hir love, O help now at this nede! + +`Mercurie, for the love of Hierse eke, +For which Pallas was with Aglauros wrooth, 730 +Now help, and eek Diane, I thee biseke +That this viage be not to thee looth. +O fatal sustren, which, er any clooth +Me shapen was, my destene me sponne, +So helpeth to this werk that is bi-gonne!' 735 + +Quod Pandarus, `Thou wrecched mouses herte, +Art thou agast so that she wol thee byte? +Why, don this furred cloke up-on thy sherte, +And folowe me, for I wol have the wyte; +But byd, and lat me go bifore a lyte.' 740 +And with that word he gan un-do a trappe, +And Troilus he broughte in by the lappe. + +The sterne wind so loude gan to route +That no wight other noyse mighte here; +And they that layen at the dore with-oute, 745 +Ful sykerly they slepten alle y-fere; +And Pandarus, with a ful sobre chere, +Goth to the dore anon with-outen lette, +Ther-as they laye, and softely it shette. + +And as he com ayeinward prively, 750 +His nece awook, and asked, `Who goth there?' +`My dere nece,' quod he, `it am I; +Ne wondreth not, ne have of it no fere;' +And ner he com, and seyde hir in hir ere, +`No word, for love of god I yow biseche; 755 +Lat no wight ryse and heren of oure speche.' + +`What! Which wey be ye comen, benedicite?' +Quod she; `And how thus unwist of hem alle?' +`Here at this secre trappe-dore,' quod he. +Quod tho Criseyde, `Lat me som wight calle.' 760 +`Ey! God forbede that it sholde falle,' +Quod Pandarus, `that ye swich foly wroughte! +They mighte deme thing they never er thoughte! + +`It is nought good a sleping hound to wake, +Ne yeve a wight a cause to devyne; 765 +Your wommen slepen alle, I under-take, +So that, for hem, the hous men mighte myne; +And slepen wolen til the sonne shyne. +And whan my tale al brought is to an ende, +Unwist, right as I com, so wol I wende. 770 + +`Now, nece myn, ye shul wel understonde,' +Quod he, `so as ye wommen demen alle, +That for to holde in love a man in honde, +And him hir "leef" and "dere herte" calle, +And maken him an howve above a calle, 775 +I mene, as love an other in this whyle, +She doth hir-self a shame, and him a gyle. + +`Now wherby that I telle yow al this? +Ye woot your-self, as wel as any wight, +How that your love al fully graunted is 780 +To Troilus, the worthieste knight, +Oon of this world, and ther-to trouthe plyght, +That, but it were on him along, ye nolde +Him never falsen, whyle ye liven sholde. + +`Now stant it thus, that sith I fro yow wente, 785 +This Troilus, right platly for to seyn, +Is thurgh a goter, by a prive wente, +In-to my chaumbre come in al this reyn, +Unwist of every maner wight, certeyn, +Save of my-self, as wisly have I Ioye, 790 +And by that feith I shal Pryam of Troye! + +`And he is come in swich peyne and distresse +That, but he be al fully wood by this, +He sodeynly mot falle in-to wodnesse, +But-if god helpe; and cause why this is, 795 +He seyth him told is, of a freend of his, +How that ye sholde love oon that hatte Horaste, +For sorwe of which this night shalt been his laste.' + +Criseyde, which that al this wonder herde, +Gan sodeynly aboute hir herte colde, 800 +And with a syk she sorwfully answerde, +`Allas! I wende, who-so tales tolde, +My dere herte wolde me not holde +So lightly fals! Allas! Conceytes wronge, +What harm they doon, for now live I to longe! 805 + +`Horaste! Allas! And falsen Troilus? +I knowe him not, god helpe me so,' quod she; +`Allas! What wikked spirit tolde him thus? +Now certes, eem, to-morwe, and I him see, +I shal ther-of as ful excusen me 810 +As ever dide womman, if him lyke'; +And with that word she gan ful sore syke. + +`O god!' quod she, `So worldly selinesse, +Which clerkes callen fals felicitee, +Y-medled is with many a bitternesse! 815 +Ful anguisshous than is, god woot,' quod she, +`Condicioun of veyn prosperitee; +For either Ioyes comen nought y-fere, +Or elles no wight hath hem alwey here. + +`O brotel wele of mannes Ioye unstable! 820 +With what wight so thou be, or how thou pleye, +Either he woot that thou, Ioye, art muable, +Or woot it not, it moot ben oon of tweye; +Now if he woot it not, how may he seye +That he hath verray Ioye and selinesse, 825 +That is of ignoraunce ay in derknesse? + +`Now if he woot that Ioye is transitorie, +As every Ioye of worldly thing mot flee, +Than every tyme he that hath in memorie, +The drede of lesing maketh him that he 830 +May in no perfit selinesse be. +And if to lese his Ioye he set a myte, +Than semeth it that Ioye is worth ful lyte. + +`Wherfore I wol deffyne in this matere, +That trewely, for ought I can espye, 835 +Ther is no verray wele in this world here. +But O, thou wikked serpent, Ialousye, +Thou misbeleved and envious folye, +Why hastow Troilus me mad untriste, +That never yet agilte him, that I wiste?' 840 + +Quod Pandarus, `Thus fallen is this cas.' +`Why, uncle myn,' quod she, `who tolde him this? +Why doth my dere herte thus, allas?' +`Ye woot, ye nece myn,' quod he, `what is; +I hope al shal be wel that is amis, 845 +For ye may quenche al this, if that yow leste, +And doth right so, for I holde it the beste.' + +`So shal I do to-morwe, y-wis,' quod she, +`And god to-forn, so that it shal suffyse.' +`To-morwe? Allas, that were a fair!' quod he, 850 +`Nay, nay, it may not stonden in this wyse; +For, nece myn, thus wryten clerkes wyse, +That peril is with drecching in y-drawe; +Nay, swich abodes been nought worth an hawe. + +`Nece, al thing hath tyme, I dar avowe; 855 +For whan a chaumber a-fyr is, or an halle, +Wel more nede is, it sodeynly rescowe +Than to dispute, and axe amonges alle +How is this candele in the straw y-falle? +A! Benedicite! For al among that fare 860 +The harm is doon, and fare-wel feldefare! + +`And, nece myn, ne take it not a-greef, +If that ye suffre him al night in this wo, +God help me so, ye hadde him never leef, +That dar I seyn, now there is but we two; 865 +But wel I woot, that ye wol not do so; +Ye been to wys to do so gret folye, +To putte his lyf al night in Iupertye. + +`Hadde I him never leef? By god, I wene +Ye hadde never thing so leef,' quod she. 870 +`Now by my thrift,' quod he, `that shal be sene; +For, sin ye make this ensample of me, +If I al night wolde him in sorwe see +For al the tresour in the toun of Troye, +I bidde god, I never mote have Ioye! 875 + +`Now loke thanne, if ye, that been his love, +Shul putte al night his lyf in Iupartye +For thing of nought! Now, by that god above, +Nought only this delay comth of folye, +But of malyce, if that I shal nought lye. 880 +What, platly, and ye suffre him in distresse, +Ye neither bountee doon ne gentilesse!' + +Quod tho Criseyde, `Wole ye doon o thing, +And ye therwith shal stinte al his disese? +Have here, and bereth him this blewe ringe, 885 +For ther is no-thing mighte him bettre plese, +Save I my-self, ne more his herte apese; +And sey my dere herte, that his sorwe +Is causeles, that shal be seen to-morwe.' + +`A ring?' quod he, `Ye, hasel-wodes shaken! 890 +Ye nece myn, that ring moste han a stoon +That mighte dede men alyve maken; +And swich a ring trowe I that ye have noon. +Discrecioun out of your heed is goon; +That fele I now,' quod he, `and that is routhe; 895 +O tyme y-lost, wel maystow cursen slouthe! + +`Wot ye not wel that noble and heigh corage +Ne sorweth not, ne stinteth eek for lyte? +But if a fool were in a Ialous rage, +I nolde setten at his sorwe a myte, 900 +But feffe him with a fewe wordes whyte +Another day, whan that I mighte him finde; +But this thing stant al in another kinde. + +`This is so gentil and so tendre of herte, +That with his deeth he wol his sorwes wreke; 905 +For trusteth wel, how sore that him smerte, +He wol to yow no Ialouse wordes speke. +And for-thy, nece, er that his herte breke, +So spek your-self to him of this matere; +For with o word ye may his herte stere. 910 + +`Now have I told what peril he is inne, +And his coming unwist is to every wight; +Ne, pardee, harm may ther be noon, ne sinne; +I wol my-self be with yow al this night. +Ye knowe eek how it is your owne knight, 915 +And that, by right, ye moste upon him triste, +And I al prest to fecche him whan yow liste.' + +This accident so pitous was to here, +And eek so lyk a sooth, at pryme face, +And Troilus hir knight to hir so dere, 920 +His prive coming, and the siker place, +That, though that she dide him as thanne a grace, +Considered alle thinges as they stode, +No wonder is, sin she dide al for gode. + +Cryseyde answerde, `As wisly god at reste 925 +My sowle bringe, as me is for him wo! +And eem, y-wis, fayn wolde I doon the beste, +If that I hadde grace to do so. +But whether that ye dwelle or for him go, +I am, til god me bettre minde sende, 930 +At dulcarnon, right at my wittes ende.' + +Quod Pandarus, `Ye, nece, wol ye here? +Dulcarnon called is "fleminge of wrecches"; +It semeth hard, for wrecches wol not lere +For verray slouthe or othere wilful tecches; 935 +This seyd by hem that be not worth two fecches. +But ye ben wys, and that we han on honde +Nis neither hard, ne skilful to withstonde.' + +`Thanne, eem,' quod she, `doth her-of as yow list; +But er he come, I wil up first aryse; 940 +And, for the love of god, sin al my trist +Is on yow two, and ye ben bothe wyse, +So wircheth now in so discreet a wyse, +That I honour may have, and he plesaunce; +For I am here al in your governaunce.' 945 + +`That is wel seyd,' quod he, `my nece dere' +Ther good thrift on that wyse gentil herte! +But liggeth stille, and taketh him right here, +It nedeth not no ferther for him sterte; +And ech of yow ese otheres sorwes smerte, 950 +For love of god; and, Venus, I the herie; +For sone hope I we shulle ben alle merie.' + +This Troilus ful sone on knees him sette +Ful sobrely, right be hir beddes heed, +And in his beste wyse his lady grette; 955 +But lord, so she wex sodeynliche reed! +Ne, though men sholden smyten of hir heed, +She coude nought a word a-right out-bringe +So sodeynly, for his sodeyn cominge. + +But Pandarus, that so wel coude fele 960 +In every thing, to pleye anoon bigan, +And seyde, `Nece, see how this lord can knele! +Now, for your trouthe, seeth this gentil man!' +And with that word he for a quisshen ran, +And seyde, `Kneleth now, whyl that yow leste, 965 +Ther god your hertes bringe sone at reste!' + +Can I not seyn, for she bad him not ryse, +If sorwe it putte out of hir remembraunce, +Or elles that she toke it in the wyse +Of duetee, as for his observaunce; 970 +But wel finde I she dide him this plesaunce, +That she him kiste, al-though she syked sore; +And bad him sitte a-doun with-outen more. + +Quod Pandarus, `Now wol ye wel biginne; +Now doth him sitte, gode nece dere, 975 +Upon your beddes syde al there with-inne, +That ech of yow the bet may other here.' +And with that word he drow him to the fere, +And took a light, and fond his contenaunce, +As for to loke up-on an old romaunce. 980 + +Criseyde, that was Troilus lady right, +And cleer stood on a ground of sikernesse, +Al thoughte she, hir servaunt and hir knight +Ne sholde of right non untrouthe in hir gesse, +Yet nathelees, considered his distresse, 985 +And that love is in cause of swich folye, +Thus to him spak she of his Ialousye: + +`Lo, herte myn, as wolde the excellence +Of love, ayeins the which that no man may, +Ne oughte eek goodly maken resistence 990 +And eek bycause I felte wel and say +Youre grete trouthe, and servyse every day; +And that your herte al myn was, sooth to seyne, +This droof me for to rewe up-on your peyne. + +`And your goodnesse have I founde alwey yit, 995 +Of whiche, my dere herte and al my knight, +I thonke it yow, as fer as I have wit, +Al can I nought as muche as it were right; +And I, emforth my conninge and my might, +Have and ay shal, how sore that me smerte, 1000 +Ben to yow trewe and hool, with a myn herte; + +`And dredelees, that shal be founde at preve. -- +But, herte myn, what al this is to seyne +Shal wel be told, so that ye noght yow greve, +Though I to yow right on your-self compleyne. 1005 +For ther-with mene I fynally the peyne, +That halt your herte and myn in hevinesse, +Fully to sleen, and every wrong redresse. + +`My goode, myn, not I for-why ne how +That Ialousye, allas! That wikked wivere, 1010 +Thus causelees is cropen in-to yow; +The harm of which I wolde fayn delivere! +Allas! That he, al hool, or of him slivere, +Shuld have his refut in so digne a place, +Ther Iove him sone out of your herte arace! 1015 + +`But O, thou Iove, O auctor of nature, +Is this an honour to thy deitee, +That folk ungiltif suffren here iniure, +And who that giltif is, al quit goth he? +O were it leful for to pleyne on thee, 1020 +That undeserved suffrest Ialousye, +Of that I wolde up-on thee pleyne and crye! + +`Eek al my wo is this, that folk now usen +To seyn right thus, "Ye, Ialousye is love!" +And wolde a busshel venim al excusen, 1025 +For that o greyn of love is on it shove! +But that wot heighe god that sit above, +If it be lyker love, or hate, or grame; +And after that, it oughte bere his name. + +`But certeyn is, som maner Ialousye 1030 +Is excusable more than som, y-wis. +As whan cause is, and som swich fantasye +With pietee so wel repressed is, +That it unnethe dooth or seyth amis, +But goodly drinketh up al his distresse; 1035 +And that excuse I, for the gentilesse. + +`And som so ful of furie is and despyt +That it sourmounteth his repressioun; +But herte myn, ye be not in that plyt, +That thanke I god, for whiche your passioun 1040 +I wol not calle it but illusioun, +Of habundaunce of love and bisy cure, +That dooth your herte this disese endure. + +`Of which I am right sory but not wrooth; +But, for my devoir and your hertes reste, 1045 +Wher-so yow list, by ordal or by ooth, +By sort, or in what wyse so yow leste, +For love of god, lat preve it for the beste! +And if that I be giltif, do me deye, +Allas! What mighte I more doon or seye?' 1050 + +With that a fewe brighte teres newe +Owt of hir eyen fille, and thus she seyde, +`Now god, thou wost, in thought ne dede untrewe +To Troilus was never yet Criseyde.' +With that hir heed doun in the bed she leyde, 1055 +And with the shete it wreigh, and syghed sore, +And held hir pees; not o word spak she more. + +But now help god to quenchen al this sorwe, +So hope I that he shal, for he best may; +For I have seyn, of a ful misty morwe 1060 +Folwen ful ofte a mery someres day; +And after winter folweth grene May. +Men seen alday, and reden eek in stories, +That after sharpe shoures been victories. + +This Troilus, whan he hir wordes herde, 1065 +Have ye no care, him liste not to slepe; +For it thoughte him no strokes of a yerde +To here or seen Criseyde, his lady wepe; +But wel he felte aboute his herte crepe, +For every teer which that Criseyde asterte, 1070 +The crampe of deeth, to streyne him by the herte. + +And in his minde he gan the tyme acurse +That he cam there, and that that he was born; +For now is wikke y-turned in-to worse, +And al that labour he hath doon biforn, 1075 +He wende it lost, he thoughte he nas but lorn. +`O Pandarus,' thoughte he, `allas! Thy wyle +Serveth of nought, so weylaway the whyle!' + +And therwithal he heng a-doun the heed, +And fil on knees, and sorwfully he sighte; 1080 +What mighte he seyn? He felte he nas but deed, +For wrooth was she that shulde his sorwes lighte. +But nathelees, whan that he speken mighte, +Than seyde he thus, `God woot, that of this game, +Whan al is wist, than am I not to blame!' 1085 + +Ther-with the sorwe so his herte shette, +That from his eyen fil there not a tere, +And every spirit his vigour in-knette, +So they astoned or oppressed were. +The feling of his sorwe, or of his fere, 1090 +Or of ought elles, fled was out of towne; +And doun he fel al sodeynly a-swowne. + +This was no litel sorwe for to see; +But al was hust, and Pandare up as faste, +`O nece, pees, or we be lost,' quod he, 1095 +`Beth nought agast;' But certeyn, at the laste, +For this or that, he in-to bedde him caste, +And seyde, `O theef, is this a mannes herte?' +And of he rente al to his bare sherte; + +And seyde, `Nece, but ye helpe us now, 1100 +Allas, your owne Troilus is lorn!' +`Y-wis, so wolde I, and I wiste how, +Ful fayn,' quod she; `Allas! That I was born!' +`Ye, nece, wole ye pullen out the thorn +That stiketh in his herte?' quod Pandare; 1105 +`Sey "Al foryeve," and stint is al this fare!' + +`Ye, that to me,' quod she, `ful lever were +Than al the good the sonne aboute gooth'; +And therwith-al she swoor him in his ere, +`Y-wis, my dere herte, I am nought wrooth, 1110 +Have here my trouthe and many another ooth; +Now speek to me, for it am I, Cryseyde!' +But al for nought; yet mighte he not a-breyde. + +Therwith his pous and pawmes of his hondes +They gan to frote, and wete his temples tweyne, 1115 +And, to deliveren him from bittre bondes, +She ofte him kiste; and, shortly for to seyne, +Him to revoken she dide al hir peyne. +And at the laste, he gan his breeth to drawe, +And of his swough sone after that adawe, 1120 + +And gan bet minde and reson to him take, +But wonder sore he was abayst, y-wis. +And with a syk, whan he gan bet a-wake, +He seyde, `O mercy, god, what thing is this?' +`Why do ye with your-selven thus amis?' 1125 +Quod tho Criseyde, `Is this a mannes game? +What, Troilus! Wol ye do thus, for shame?' + +And therwith-al hir arm over him she leyde, +And al foryaf, and ofte tyme him keste. +He thonked hir, and to hir spak, and seyde 1130 +As fil to purpos for his herte reste. +And she to that answerde him as hir leste; +And with hir goodly wordes him disporte +She gan, and ofte his sorwes to comforte. + +Quod Pandarus, `For ought I can espyen, 1135 +This light, nor I ne serven here of nought; +Light is not good for syke folkes yen. +But for the love of god, sin ye be brought +In thus good plyt, lat now non hevy thought +Ben hanginge in the hertes of yow tweye:' 1140 +And bar the candele to the chimeneye. + +Sone after this, though it no nede were, +Whan she swich othes as hir list devyse +Hadde of him take, hir thoughte tho no fere, +Ne cause eek non, to bidde him thennes ryse. 1145 +Yet lesse thing than othes may suffyse +In many a cas; for every wight, I gesse, +That loveth wel meneth but gentilesse. + +But in effect she wolde wite anoon +Of what man, and eek where, and also why 1150 +He Ielous was, sin ther was cause noon; +And eek the signe, that he took it by, +She bad him that to telle hir bisily, +Or elles, certeyn, she bar him on honde, +That this was doon of malis, hir to fonde. 1155 + +With-outen more, shortly for to seyne, +He moste obeye un-to his lady heste; +And for the lasse harm, he moste feyne. +He seyde hir, whan she was at swiche a feste, +She mighte on him han loked at the leste; 1160 +Not I not what, al dere y-nough a risshe, +As he that nedes moste a cause fisshe. + +And she answerde, `Swete, al were it so, +What harm was that, sin I non yvel mene? +For, by that god that boughte us bothe two, 1165 +In alle thinge is myn entente clene. +Swich arguments ne been not worth a bene; +Wol ye the childish Ialous contrefete? +Now were it worthy that ye were y-bete.' + +Tho Troilus gan sorwfully to syke, 1170 +Lest she be wrooth, him thoughte his herte deyde; +And seyde, `Allas! Up-on my sorwes syke +Have mercy, swete herte myn, Cryseyde! +And if that, in tho wordes that I seyde, +Be any wrong, I wol no more trespace; 1175 +Do what yow list, I am al in your grace.' + +And she answerde, `Of gilt misericorde! +That is to seyn, that I foryeve al this; +And ever-more on this night yow recorde, +And beth wel war ye do no more amis.' 1180 +`Nay, dere herte myn,' quod he, `y-wis.' +`And now,' quod she, `that I have do yow smerte, +Foryeve it me, myn owene swete herte.' + +This Troilus, with blisse of that supprysed, +Put al in goddes hond, as he that mente 1185 +No-thing but wel; and, sodeynly avysed, +He hir in armes faste to him hente. +And Pandarus, with a ful good entente, +Leyde him to slepe, and seyde, `If ye ben wyse, +Swowneth not now, lest more folk aryse.' 1190 + +What mighte or may the sely larke seye, +Whan that the sperhauk hath it in his foot? +I can no more, but of thise ilke tweye, +To whom this tale sucre be or soot, +Though that I tarie a yeer, som-tyme I moot, 1195 +After myn auctor, tellen hir gladnesse, +As wel as I have told hir hevinesse. + +Criseyde, which that felte hir thus y-take, +As writen clerkes in hir bokes olde, +Right as an aspes leef she gan to quake, 1200 +Whan she him felte hir in his armes folde. +But Troilus, al hool of cares colde, +Gan thanken tho the blisful goddes sevene; +Thus sondry peynes bringen folk in hevene. + +This Troilus in armes gan hir streyne, 1205 +And seyde, `O swete, as ever mote I goon, +Now be ye caught, now is ther but we tweyne; +Now yeldeth yow, for other boot is noon.' +To that Criseyde answerde thus anoon, +`Ne hadde I er now, my swete herte dere, 1210 +Ben yolde, y-wis, I were now not here!' + +O! Sooth is seyd, that heled for to be +As of a fevre or othere greet syknesse, +Men moste drinke, as men may often see, +Ful bittre drink; and for to han gladnesse, 1215 +Men drinken often peyne and greet distresse; +I mene it here, as for this aventure, +That thourgh a peyne hath founden al his cure. + +And now swetnesse semeth more sweet, +That bitternesse assayed was biforn; 1220 +For out of wo in blisse now they flete; +Non swich they felten, sith they were born; +Now is this bet, than bothe two be lorn! +For love of god, take every womman hede +To werken thus, if it comth to the nede. 1225 + +Criseyde, al quit from every drede and tene, +As she that iuste cause hadde him to triste, +Made him swich feste, it Ioye was to sene, +Whan she his trouthe and clene entente wiste. +And as aboute a tree, with many a twiste, 1230 +Bitrent and wryth the sote wode-binde, +Gan eche of hem in armes other winde. + +And as the newe abaysshed nightingale, +That stinteth first whan she biginneth to singe, +Whan that she hereth any herde tale, 1235 +Or in the hegges any wight steringe, +And after siker dooth hir voys out-ringe; +Right so Criseyde, whan hir drede stente, +Opned hir herte and tolde him hir entente. + +And right as he that seeth his deeth y-shapen, 1240 +And deye moot, in ought that he may gesse, +And sodeynly rescous doth him escapen, +And from his deeth is brought in sikernesse, +For al this world, in swich present gladnesse +Was Troilus, and hath his lady swete; 1245 +With worse hap god lat us never mete! + +Hir armes smale, hir streyghte bak and softe, +Hir sydes longe, fleshly, smothe, and whyte +He gan to stroke, and good thrift bad ful ofte +Hir snowish throte, hir brestes rounde and lyte; 1250 +Thus in this hevene he gan him to delyte, +And ther-with-al a thousand tyme hir kiste; +That, what to done, for Ioye unnethe he wiste. + +Than seyde he thus, `O, Love, O, Charitee, +Thy moder eek, Citherea the swete, 1255 +After thy-self next heried be she, +Venus mene I, the wel-willy planete; +And next that, Imeneus, I thee grete; +For never man was to yow goddes holde +As I, which ye han brought fro cares colde. 1260 + +`Benigne Love, thou holy bond of thinges, +Who-so wol grace, and list thee nought honouren, +Lo, his desyr wol flee with-outen winges. +For, noldestow of bountee hem socouren +That serven best and most alwey labouren, 1265 +Yet were al lost, that dar I wel seyn, certes, +But-if thy grace passed our desertes. + +`And for thou me, that coude leest deserve +Of hem that nombred been un-to thy grace, +Hast holpen, ther I lykly was to sterve, 1270 +And me bistowed in so heygh a place +That thilke boundes may no blisse pace, +I can no more, but laude and reverence +Be to thy bounte and thyn excellence!' + +And therwith-al Criseyde anoon he kiste, 1275 +Of which, certeyn, she felte no disese, +And thus seyde he, `Now wolde god I wiste, +Myn herte swete, how I yow mighte plese! +What man,' quod he, `was ever thus at ese +As I, on whiche the faireste and the beste 1280 +That ever I say, deyneth hir herte reste. + +`Here may men seen that mercy passeth right; +The experience of that is felt in me, +That am unworthy to so swete a wight. +But herte myn, of your benignitee, 1285 +So thenketh, though that I unworthy be, +Yet mot I nede amenden in som wyse, +Right thourgh the vertu of your heyghe servyse. + +`And for the love of god, my lady dere, +Sin god hath wrought me for I shal yow serve, 1290 +As thus I mene, that ye wol be my stere, +To do me live, if that yow liste, or sterve, +So techeth me how that I may deserve +Your thank, so that I, thurgh myn ignoraunce, +Ne do no-thing that yow be displesaunce. 1295 + +`For certes, fresshe wommanliche wyf, +This dar I seye, that trouthe and diligence, +That shal ye finden in me al my lyf, +Ne wol not, certeyn, breken your defence; +And if I do, present or in absence, 1300 +For love of god, lat slee me with the dede, +If that it lyke un-to your womanhede.' + +`Y-wis,' quod she, `myn owne hertes list, +My ground of ese, and al myn herte dere, +Graunt mercy, for on that is al my trist; 1305 +But late us falle awey fro this matere; +For it suffyseth, this that seyd is here. +And at o word, with-outen repentaunce, +Wel-come, my knight, my pees, my suffisaunce!' + +Of hir delyt, or Ioyes oon the leste 1310 +Were impossible to my wit to seye; +But iuggeth, ye that han ben at the feste, +Of swich gladnesse, if that hem liste pleye! +I can no more, but thus thise ilke tweye +That night, be-twixen dreed and sikernesse, 1315 +Felten in love the grete worthinesse. + +O blisful night, of hem so longe y-sought, +How blithe un-to hem bothe two thou were! +Why ne hadde I swich on with my soule y-bought, +Ye, or the leeste Ioye that was there? 1320 +A-wey, thou foule daunger and thou fere, +And lat hem in this hevene blisse dwelle, +That is so heygh, that al ne can I telle! + +But sooth is, though I can not tellen al, +As can myn auctor, of his excellence, 1325 +Yet have I seyd, and, god to-forn, I shal +In every thing al hoolly his sentence. +And if that I, at loves reverence, +Have any word in eched for the beste, +Doth therwith-al right as your-selven leste. 1330 + +For myne wordes, here and every part, +I speke hem alle under correccioun +Of yow, that feling han in loves art, +And putte it al in your discrecioun +To encrese or maken diminucioun 1335 +Of my langage, and that I yow bi-seche; +But now to purpos of my rather speche. + +Thise ilke two, that ben in armes laft, +So looth to hem a-sonder goon it were, +That ech from other wende been biraft, 1340 +Or elles, lo, this was hir moste fere, +That al this thing but nyce dremes were; +For which ful ofte ech of hem seyde, `O swete, +Clippe ich yow thus, or elles I it mete?' + +And, lord! So he gan goodly on hir see, 1345 +That never his look ne bleynte from hir face, +And seyde, `O dere herte, may it be +That it be sooth, that ye ben in this place?' +`Ye, herte myn, god thank I of his grace!' +Quod tho Criseyde, and therwith-al him kiste, 1350 +That where his spirit was, for Ioye he niste. + +This Troilus ful ofte hir eyen two +Gan for to kisse, and seyde, `O eyen clere, +It were ye that wroughte me swich wo, +Ye humble nettes of my lady dere! 1355 +Though ther be mercy writen in your chere, +God wot, the text ful hard is, sooth, to finde, +How coude ye with-outen bond me binde?' + +Therwith he gan hir faste in armes take, +And wel an hundred tymes gan he syke, 1360 +Nought swiche sorwfull sykes as men make +For wo, or elles whan that folk ben syke, +But esy sykes, swiche as been to lyke, +That shewed his affeccioun with-inne; +Of swiche sykes coude he nought bilinne. 1365 + +Sone after this they speke of sondry thinges, +As fil to purpos of this aventure, +And pleyinge entrechaungeden hir ringes, +Of which I can nought tellen no scripture; +But wel I woot, a broche, gold and asure, 1370 +In whiche a ruby set was lyk an herte, +Criseyde him yaf, and stak it on his sherte. + +Lord! trowe ye, a coveitous, a wreccbe, +That blameth love and holt of it despyt, +That, of tho pens that he can mokre and kecche, 1375 +Was ever yet y-yeve him swich delyt, +As is in love, in oo poynt, in som plyt? +Nay, doutelees, for also god me save, +So parfit Ioye may no nigard have! + +They wol sey `Yis,' but lord! So that they lye, 1380 +Tho bisy wrecches, ful of wo and drede! +They callen love a woodnesse or folye, +But it shal falle hem as I shal yow rede; +They shul forgo the whyte and eke the rede, +And live in wo, ther god yeve hem mischaunce, 1385 +And every lover in his trouthe avaunce! + +As wolde god, tho wrecches, that dispyse +Servyse of love, hadde eres al-so longe +As hadde Myda, ful of coveityse, +And ther-to dronken hadde as hoot and stronge 1390 +As Crassus dide for his affectis wronge, +To techen hem that they ben in the vyce, +And loveres nought, al-though they holde hem nyce! + +Thise ilke two, of whom that I yow seye, +Whan that hir hertes wel assured were, 1395 +Tho gonne they to speken and to pleye, +And eek rehercen how, and whanne, and where, +They knewe hem first, and every wo and fere +That passed was; but al swich hevinesse, +I thanke it god, was tourned to gladnesse. 1400 + +And ever-mo, whan that hem fel to speke +Of any thing of swich a tyme agoon, +With kissing al that tale sholde breke, +And fallen in a newe Ioye anoon, +And diden al hir might, sin they were oon, 1405 +For to recoveren blisse and been at ese, +And passed wo with Ioye countrepeyse. + +Reson wil not that I speke of sleep, +For it accordeth nought to my matere; +God woot, they toke of that ful litel keep, 1410 +But lest this night, that was to hem so dere, +Ne sholde in veyn escape in no manere, +It was biset in Ioye and bisinesse +Of al that souneth in-to gentilnesse. + +But whan the cok, comune astrologer, 1415 +Gan on his brest to bete, and after crowe, +And Lucifer, the dayes messager, +Gan for to ryse, and out hir bemes throwe; +And estward roos, to him that coude it knowe, +Fortuna maior, than anoon Criseyde, 1420 +With herte sore, to Troilus thus seyde: -- + +`Myn hertes lyf, my trist and my plesaunce, +That I was born, allas! What me is wo, +That day of us mot make desseveraunce! +For tyme it is to ryse, and hennes go, 1425 +Or elles I am lost for evermo! +O night, allas! Why niltow over us hove, +As longe as whanne Almena lay by Iove? + +`O blake night, as folk in bokes rede, +That shapen art by god this world to hyde 1430 +At certeyn tymes with thy derke wede, +That under that men mighte in reste abyde, +Wel oughte bestes pleyne, and folk thee chyde, +That there-as day with labour wolde us breste, +That thou thus fleest, and deynest us nought reste! 1435 + +`Thou dost, allas! To shortly thyn offyce, +Thou rakel night, ther god, makere of kinde, +Thee, for thyn hast and thyn unkinde vyce, +So faste ay to our hemi-spere binde. +That never-more under the ground thou winde! 1440 +For now, for thou so hyest out of Troye, +Have I forgon thus hastily my Ioye!' + +This Troilus, that with tho wordes felte, +As thoughte him tho, for pietous distresse, +The blody teres from his herte melte, 1445 +As he that never yet swich hevinesse +Assayed hadde, out of so greet gladnesse, +Gan therwith-al Criseyde his lady dere +In armes streyne, and seyde in this manere: -- + +`O cruel day, accusour of the Ioye 1450 +That night and love han stole and faste y-wryen, +A-cursed be thy coming in-to Troye, +For every bore hath oon of thy bright yen! +Envyous day, what list thee so to spyen? +What hastow lost, why sekestow this place, 1455 +Ther god thy lyght so quenche, for his grace? + +`Allas! What han thise loveres thee agilt, +Dispitous day? Thyn be the pyne of helle! +For many a lovere hastow shent, and wilt; +Thy pouring in wol no-wher lete hem dwelle. 1460 +What proferestow thy light here for to selle? +Go selle it hem that smale seles graven, +We wol thee nought, us nedeth no day haven.' + +And eek the sonne Tytan gan he chyde, +And seyde, `O fool, wel may men thee dispyse, 1465 +That hast the Dawing al night by thy syde, +And suffrest hir so sone up fro thee ryse, +For to disesen loveres in this wyse. +What! Holde your bed ther, thou, and eek thy Morwe! +I bidde god, so yeve yow bothe sorwe!' 1470 + +Therwith ful sore he sighte, and thus he seyde, +`My lady right, and of my wele or wo +The welle and rote, O goodly myn, Criseyde, +And shal I ryse, allas! And shal I go? +Now fele I that myn herte moot a-two! 1475 +For how sholde I my lyf an houre save, +Sin that with yow is al the lyf I have? + +`What shal I doon, for certes, I not how, +Ne whanne, allas! I shal the tyme see, +That in this plyt I may be eft with yow; 1480 +And of my lyf, god woot, how that shal be, +Sin that desyr right now so byteth me, +That I am deed anoon, but I retourne. +How sholde I longe, allas! Fro yow soiourne? + +`But nathelees, myn owene lady bright, 1485 +Yit were it so that I wiste outrely, +That I, your humble servaunt and your knight, +Were in your herte set so fermely +As ye in myn, the which thing, trewely, +Me lever were than thise worldes tweyne, 1490 +Yet sholde I bet enduren al my peyne.' + +To that Cryseyde answerde right anoon, +And with a syk she seyde, `O herte dere, +The game, y-wis, so ferforth now is goon, +That first shal Phebus falle fro his spere, 1495 +And every egle been the dowves fere, +And every roche out of his place sterte, +Er Troilus out of Criseydes herte! + +`Ye he so depe in-with myn herte grave, +That, though I wolde it turne out of my thought, 1500 +As wisly verray god my soule save, +To dyen in the peyne, I coude nought! +And, for the love of god that us bath wrought, +Lat in your brayn non other fantasye +So crepe, that it cause me to dye! 1505 + +`And that ye me wolde han as faste in minde +As I have yow, that wolde I yow bi-seche; +And, if I wiste soothly that to finde, +God mighte not a poynt my Ioyes eche! +But, herte myn, with-oute more speche, 1510 +Beth to me trewe, or elles were it routhe; +For I am thyn, by god and by my trouthe! + +`Beth glad for-thy, and live in sikernesse; +Thus seyde I never er this, ne shal to mo; +And if to yow it were a gret gladnesse 1515 +To turne ayein, soone after that ye go, +As fayn wolde I as ye, it were so, +As wisly god myn herte bringe at reste!' +And him in armes took, and ofte keste. + +Agayns his wil, sin it mot nedes be, 1520 +This Troilus up roos, and faste him cledde, +And in his armes took his lady free +An hundred tyme, and on his wey him spedde, +And with swich wordes as his herte bledde, +He seyde, `Farewel, mr dere herte swete, 1525 +Ther god us graunte sounde and sone to mete!' + +To which no word for sorwe she answerde, +So sore gan his parting hir destreyne; +And Troilus un-to his palays ferde, +As woo bigon as she was, sooth to seyne; 1530 +So hard him wrong of sharp desyr the peyne +For to ben eft there he was in plesaunce, +That it may never out of his remembraunce. + +Retorned to his real palais, sone +He softe in-to his bed gan for to slinke, 1535 +To slepe longe, as he was wont to done, +But al for nought; he may wel ligge and winke, +But sleep ne may ther in his herte sinke; +Thenkinge how she, for whom desyr him brende, +A thousand-fold was worth more than he wende. 1540 + +And in his thought gan up and doun to winde +Hir wordes alle, and every countenaunce, +And fermely impressen in his minde +The leste poynt that to him was plesaunce; +And verrayliche, of thilke remembraunce, 1545 +Desyr al newe him brende, and lust to brede +Gan more than erst, and yet took he non hede. + +Criseyde also, right in the same wyse, +Of Troilus gan in hir herte shette +His worthinesse, his lust, his dedes wyse, 1550 +His gentilesse, and how she with him mette, +Thonkinge love he so wel hir bisette; +Desyring eft to have hir herte dere +In swich a plyt, she dorste make him chere. + +Pandare, a-morwe which that comen was 1555 +Un-to his nece, and gan hir fayre grete, +Seyde, `Al this night so reyned it, allas! +That al my drede is that ye, nece swete, +Han litel layser had to slepe and mete; +Al night,' quod he, `hath reyn so do me wake, 1560 +That som of us, I trowe, hir hedes ake.' + +And ner he com, and seyde, `How stont it now +This mery morwe, nece, how can ye fare?' +Criseyde answerde, `Never the bet for yow, +Fox that ye been, god yeve youre herte care! 1565 +God help me so, ye caused al this fare, +Trow I,' quod she, `for alle your wordes whyte; +O! Who-so seeth yow knoweth yow ful lyte!' + +With that she gan hir face for to wrye +With the shete, and wex for shame al reed; 1570 +And Pandarus gan under for to prye, +And seyde, `Nece, if that I shal be deed, +Have here a swerd, and smyteth of myn heed.' +With that his arm al sodeynly he thriste +Under hir nekke, and at the laste hir kiste. 1575 + +I passe al that which chargeth nought to seye, +What! God foryaf his deeth, and she al-so +Foryaf, and with hir uncle gan to pleye, +For other cause was ther noon than so. +But of this thing right to the effect to go, 1580 +Whan tyme was, hom til hir hous she wente, +And Pandarus hath fully his entente. + +Now torne we ayein to Troilus, +That resteles ful longe a-bedde lay, +And prevely sente after Pandarus, 1585 +To him to come in al the haste he may. +He com anoon, nought ones seyde he `nay,' +And Troilus ful sobrely he grette, +And doun upon his beddes syde him sette. + +This Troilus, with al the affeccioun 1590 +Of frendes love that herte may devyse, +To Pandarus on knees fil adoun, +And er that he wolde of the place aryse, +He gan him thonken in his beste wyse; +An hondred sythe he gan the tyme blesse, 1595 +That he was born, to bringe him fro distresse. + +He seyde, `O frend of frendes the alderbeste +That ever was, the sothe for to telle, +Thou hast in hevene y-brought my soule at reste +Fro Flegitoun, the fery flood of helle; 1600 +That, though I mighte a thousand tymes selle, +Upon a day, my lyf in thy servyse, +It mighte nought a mote in that suffyse. + +`The sonne, which that al the world may see, +Saw never yet, my lyf, that dar I leye, 1605 +So inly fayr and goodly as is she, +Whos I am al, and shal, til that I deye; +And, that I thus am hires, dar I seye, +That thanked be the heighe worthinesse +Of love, and eek thy kinde bisinesse. 1610 + +`Thus hastow me no litel thing y-yive, +Fo which to thee obliged be for ay +My lyf, and why? For thorugh thyn help I live; +For elles deed hadde I be many a day.' +And with that word doun in his bed he lay, 1615 +And Pandarus ful sobrely him herde +Til al was seyd, and than he thus answerde: + +`My dere frend, if I have doon for thee +In any cas, god wot, it is me leef; +And am as glad as man may of it be, 1620 +God help me so; but tak now a-greef +That I shal seyn, be war of this myscheef, +That, there-as thou now brought art in-to blisse, +That thou thy-self ne cause it nought to misse. + +`For of fortunes sharpe adversitee 1625 +The worst kinde of infortune is this, +A man to have ben in prosperitee, +And it remembren, whan it passed is. +Thou art wys y-nough, for-thy do nought amis; +Be not to rakel, though thou sitte warme, +For if thou be, certeyn, it wol thee harme. 1631 + +`Thou art at ese, and holde the wel ther-inne. +For also seur as reed is every fyr, +As greet a craft is kepe wel as winne; +Brydle alwey wel thy speche and thy desyr, 1635 +For worldly Ioye halt not but by a wyr; +That preveth wel, it brest alday so ofte; +For-thy nede is to werke with it softe.' + +Quod Troilus, `I hope, and god to-forn, +My dere frend, that I shal so me bere, 1640 +That in my gilt ther shal no thing be lorn, +Ne I nil not rakle as for to greven here; +It nedeth not this matere ofte tere; +For wistestow myn herte wel, Pandare, +God woot, of this thou woldest litel care.' 1645 + +Tho gan he telle him of his glade night, +And wher-of first his herte dredde, and how, +And seyde, `Freend, as I am trewe knight, +And by that feyth I shal to god and yow, +I hadde it never half so hote as now; 1650 +And ay the more that desyr me byteth +To love hir best, the more it me delyteth. + +`I noot my-self not wisly what it is; +But now I fele a newe qualitee, +Ye, al another than I dide er this.' 1655 +Pandare answerde, and seyde thus, that he +That ones may in hevene blisse be, +He feleth other weyes, dar I leye, +Than thilke tyme he first herde of it seye. + +This is o word for al: this Troilus 1660 +Was never ful to speke of this matere, +And for to preysen un-to Pandarus +The bountee of his righte lady dere, +And Pandarus to thanke and maken chere. +This tale ay was span-newe to biginne, 1665 +Til that the night departed hem a-twinne. + +Sone after this, for that fortune it wolde, +I-comen was the blisful tyme swete, +That Troilus was warned that he sholde, +Ther he was erst, Criseyde his lady mete; 1670 +For which he felte his herte in Ioye flete; +And feythfully gan alle the goddes herie; +And lat see now if that he can be merie. + +And holden was the forme and al the wyse, +Of hir cominge, and eek of his also, 1675 +As it was erst, which nedeth nought devyse. +But playnly to the effect right for to go, +In Ioye and suerte Pandarus hem two +A-bedde broughte, whan that hem bothe leste, +And thus they ben in quiete and in reste. 1680 + +Nought nedeth it to yow, sin they ben met, +To aske at me if that they blythe were; +For if it erst was wel, tho was it bet +A thousand-fold, this nedeth not enquere. +A-gon was every sorwe and every fere; 1685 +And bothe, y-wis, they hadde, and so they wende, +As muche Ioye as herte may comprende. + +This is no litel thing of for to seye, +This passeth every wit for to devyse; +For eche of hem gan otheres lust obeye; 1690 +Felicitee, which that thise clerkes wyse +Commenden so, ne may not here suffyse. +This Ioye may not writen been with inke, +This passeth al that herte may bithinke. + +But cruel day, so wel-awey the stounde! 1695 +Gan for to aproche, as they by signes knewe, +For whiche hem thoughte felen dethes wounde; +So wo was hem, that changen gan hir hewe, +And day they goonnen to dispyse al newe, +Calling it traytour, envyous, and worse, 1700 +And bitterly the dayes light they curse. + +Quod Troilus, `Allas! Now am I war +That Pirous and tho swifte stedes three, +Whiche that drawen forth the sonnes char, +Han goon som by-path in despyt of me; 1705 +That maketh it so sone day to be; +And, for the sonne him hasteth thus to ryse, +Ne shal I never doon him sacrifyse!' + +But nedes day departe moste hem sone, +And whanne hir speche doon was and hir chere, 1710 +They twinne anoon as they were wont to done, +And setten tyme of meting eft y-fere; +And many a night they wroughte in this manere. +And thus Fortune a tyme ladde in Ioye +Criseyde, and eek this kinges sone of Troye. 1715 + +In suffisaunce, in blisse, and in singinges, +This Troilus gan al his lyf to lede; +He spendeth, Iusteth, maketh festeynges; +He yeveth frely ofte, and chaungeth wede, +And held aboute him alwey, out of drede, 1720 +A world of folk, as cam him wel of kinde, +The fressheste and the beste he coude fynde; + +That swich a voys was of hym and a stevene +Thorugh-out the world, of honour and largesse, +That it up rong un-to the yate of hevene. 1725 +And, as in love, he was in swich gladnesse, +That in his herte he demede, as I gesse, +That there nis lovere in this world at ese +So wel as he, and thus gan love him plese. + +The godlihede or beautee which that kinde 1730 +In any other lady hadde y-set +Can not the mountaunce of a knot unbinde, +A-boute his herte, of al Criseydes net. +He was so narwe y-masked and y-knet, +That it undon on any manere syde, 1735 +That nil not been, for ought that may betyde. + +And by the hond ful ofte he wolde take +This Pandarus, and in-to gardin lede, +And swich a feste and swich a proces make +Him of Criseyde, and of hir womanhede, 1740 +And of hir beautee, that, with-outen drede, +It was an hevene his wordes for to here; +And thanne he wolde singe in this manere. + +`Love, that of erthe and see hath governaunce, +Love, that his hestes hath in hevene hye, 1745 +Love, that with an holsom alliaunce +Halt peples ioyned, as him list hem gye, +Love, that knetteth lawe of companye, +And couples doth in vertu for to dwelle, +Bind this acord, that I have told and telle; 1750 + +`That that the world with feyth, which that is stable, +Dyverseth so his stoundes concordinge, +That elements that been so discordable +Holden a bond perpetuely duringe, +That Phebus mote his rosy day forth bringe, 1755 +And that the mone hath lordship over the nightes, +Al this doth Love; ay heried be his mightes! + +`That, that the see, that gredy is to flowen, +Constreyneth to a certeyn ende so +His flodes, that so fersly they ne growen 1760 +To drenchen erthe and al for ever-mo; +And if that Love ought lete his brydel go, +Al that now loveth a-sonder sholde lepe, +And lost were al, that Love halt now to-hepe. + +`So wolde god, that auctor is of kinde, 1765 +That, with his bond, Love of his vertu liste +To cerclen hertes alle, and faste binde, +That from his bond no wight the wey out wiste. +And hertes colde, hem wolde I that he twiste +To make hem love, and that hem leste ay rewe 1770 +On hertes sore, and kepe hem that ben trewe.' + +In alle nedes, for the tounes werre, +He was, and ay the firste in armes dight; +And certeynly, but-if that bokes erre, +Save Ector, most y-drad of any wight; 1775 +And this encrees of hardinesse and might +Cam him of love, his ladies thank to winne, +That altered his spirit so with-inne. + +In tyme of trewe, on haukinge wolde he ryde, +Or elles hunten boor, bere, or lyoun; 1780 +The smale bestes leet he gon bi-syde. +And whan that he com rydinge in-to toun, +Ful ofte his lady, from hir window doun, +As fresh as faucon comen out of muwe, +Ful redy was, him goodly to saluwe. 1785 + +And most of love and vertu was his speche, +And in despyt hadde alle wrecchednesse; +And doutelees, no nede was him biseche +To honouren hem that hadde worthinesse, +And esen hem that weren in distresse. 1790 +And glad was he if any wight wel ferde, +That lover was, whan he it wiste or herde. + +For sooth to seyn, he lost held every wight +But-if he were in loves heigh servyse, +I mene folk that oughte it been of right. 1795 +And over al this, so wel coude he devyse +Of sentement, and in so unkouth wyse +Al his array, that every lover thoughte, +That al was wel, what-so he seyde or wroughte. + +And though that he be come of blood royal, 1800 +Him liste of pryde at no wight for to chase; +Benigne he was to ech in general, +For which he gat him thank in every place. +Thus wolde love, y-heried be his grace, +That Pryde, Envye, Ire, and Avaryce 1805 +He gan to flee, and every other vyce. + +Thou lady bright, the doughter to Dione, +Thy blinde and winged sone eek, daun Cupyde; +Ye sustren nyne eek, that by Elicone +In hil Parnaso listen for to abyde, 1810 +That ye thus fer han deyned me to gyde, +I can no more, but sin that ye wol wende, +Ye heried been for ay, with-outen ende! + +Thourgh yow have I seyd fully in my song +Theffect and Ioye of Troilus servyse, 1815 +Al be that ther was som disese among, +As to myn auctor listeth to devyse. +My thridde book now ende ich in this wyse; +And Troilus in luste and in quiete +Is with Criseyde, his owne herte swete. 1820 + +Explicit Liber Tercius. + + + +BOOK IV + +Prohemium. + + But al to litel, weylaway the whyle, +Lasteth swich Ioye, y-thonked be Fortune! +That semeth trewest, whan she wol bygyle, +And can to foles so hir song entune, +That she hem hent and blent, traytour comune; 5 +And whan a wight is from hir wheel y-throwe, +Than laugheth she, and maketh him the mowe. + +From Troilus she gan hir brighte face +Awey to wrythe, and took of him non hede, +But caste him clene out of his lady grace, 10 +And on hir wheel she sette up Diomede; +For which right now myn herte ginneth blede, +And now my penne, allas! With which I wryte, +Quaketh for drede of that I moot endyte. + +For how Criseyde Troilus forsook, 15 +Or at the leste, how that she was unkinde, +Mot hennes-forth ben matere of my book, +As wryten folk through which it is in minde. +Allas! That they sholde ever cause finde +To speke hir harm; and if they on hir lye, 20 +Y-wis, hem-self sholde han the vilanye. + +O ye Herines, Nightes doughtren three, +That endelees compleynen ever in pyne, +Megera, Alete, and eek Thesiphone; +Thou cruel Mars eek, fader to Quiryne, 25 +This ilke ferthe book me helpeth fyne, +So that the los of lyf and love y-fere +Of Troilus be fully shewed here. + +Explicit prohemium. + +Incipit Quartus Liber. + +Ligginge in ost, as I have seyd er this, +The Grekes stronge, aboute Troye toun, 30 +Bifel that, whan that Phebus shyning is +Up-on the brest of Hercules Lyoun, +That Ector, with ful many a bold baroun, +Caste on a day with Grekes for to fighte, +As he was wont to greve hem what he mighte. 35 + +Not I how longe or short it was bitwene +This purpos and that day they fighte mente; +But on a day wel armed, bright and shene, +Ector, and many a worthy wight out wente, +With spere in hond and bigge bowes bente; 40 +And in the herd, with-oute lenger lette, +Hir fomen in the feld anoon hem mette. + +The longe day, with speres sharpe y-grounde, +With arwes, dartes, swerdes, maces felle, +They fighte and bringen hors and man to grounde, 45 +And with hir axes out the braynes quelle. +But in the laste shour, sooth for to telle, +The folk of Troye hem-selven so misledden, +That with the worse at night homward they fledden. + +At whiche day was taken Antenor, 50 +Maugre Polydamas or Monesteo, +Santippe, Sarpedon, Polynestor, +Polyte, or eek the Troian daun Ripheo, +And othere lasse folk, as Phebuseo. +So that, for harm, that day the folk of Troye 55 +Dredden to lese a greet part of hir Ioye. + +Of Pryamus was yeve, at Greek requeste, +A tyme of trewe, and tho they gonnen trete, +Hir prisoneres to chaungen, moste and leste, +And for the surplus yeven sommes grete. 60 +This thing anoon was couth in every strete, +Bothe in thassege, in toune, and every-where, +And with the firste it cam to Calkas ere. + +Whan Calkas knew this tretis sholde holde, +In consistorie, among the Grekes, sone 65 +He gan in thringe forth, with lordes olde, +And sette him there-as he was wont to done; +And with a chaunged face hem bad a bone, +For love of god, to don that reverence, +To stinte noyse, and yeve him audience. 70 + +Thanne seyde he thus, `Lo! Lordes myne, I was +Troian, as it is knowen out of drede; +And, if that yow remembre, I am Calkas, +That alderfirst yaf comfort to your nede, +And tolde wel how that ye sholden spede. 75 +For dredelees, thorugh yow, shal, in a stounde, +Ben Troye y-brend, and beten doun to grounde. + +`And in what forme, or in what maner wyse +This town to shende, and al your lust to acheve, +Ye han er this wel herd it me devyse; 80 +This knowe ye, my lordes, as I leve. +And for the Grekes weren me so leve, +I com my-self in my propre persone, +To teche in this how yow was best to done; + +`Havinge un-to my tresour ne my rente 85 +Right no resport, to respect of your ese. +Thus al my good I loste and to yow wente, +Wening in this you, lordes, for to plese. +But al that los ne doth me no disese. +I vouche-sauf, as wisly have I Ioye, 90 +For you to lese al that I have in Troye, + +`Save of a doughter, that I lafte, allas! +Slepinge at hoom, whanne out of Troye I sterte. +O sterne, O cruel fader that I was! +How mighte I have in that so hard an herte? 95 +Allas! I ne hadde y-brought hir in hir sherte! +For sorwe of which I wol not live to morwe, +But-if ye lordes rewe up-on my sorwe. + +`For, by that cause I say no tyme er now +Hir to delivere, I holden have my pees; 100 +But now or never, if that it lyke yow, +I may hir have right sone, doutelees. +O help and grace! Amonges al this prees, +Rewe on this olde caitif in destresse, +Sin I through yow have al this hevinesse! 105 + +`Ye have now caught and fetered in prisoun +Troians y-nowe; and if your willes be, +My child with oon may have redempcioun. +Now for the love of god and of bountee, +Oon of so fele, allas! So yeve him me. 110 +What nede were it this preyere for to werne, +Sin ye shul bothe han folk and toun as yerne? + +`On peril of my lyf, I shal nat lye, +Appollo hath me told it feithfully; +I have eek founde it be astronomye, 115 +By sort, and by augurie eek trewely, +And dar wel seye, the tyme is faste by, +That fyr and flaumbe on al the toun shal sprede; +And thus shal Troye turne to asshen dede. + +`For certeyn, Phebus and Neptunus bothe, 120 +That makeden the walles of the toun, +Ben with the folk of Troye alwey so wrothe, +That thei wol bringe it to confusioun, +Right in despyt of king Lameadoun. +By-cause he nolde payen hem hir hyre, 125 +The toun of Troye shal ben set on-fyre.' + +Telling his tale alwey, this olde greye, +Humble in speche, and in his lokinge eke, +The salte teres from his eyen tweye +Ful faste ronnen doun by eyther cheke. 130 +So longe he gan of socour hem by-seke +That, for to hele him of his sorwes sore, +They yave him Antenor, with-oute more. + +But who was glad y-nough but Calkas tho? +And of this thing ful sone his nedes leyde 135 +On hem that sholden for the tretis go, +And hem for Antenor ful ofte preyde +To bringen hoom king Toas and Criseyde; +And whan Pryam his save-garde sente, +Thembassadours to Troye streyght they wente. 140 + +The cause y-told of hir cominge, the olde +Pryam the king ful sone in general +Let here-upon his parlement to holde, +Of which the effect rehersen yow I shal. +Thembassadours ben answered for fynal, 145 +Theschaunge of prisoners and al this nede +Hem lyketh wel, and forth in they procede. + +This Troilus was present in the place, +Whan axed was for Antenor Criseyde, +For which ful sone chaungen gan his face, 150 +As he that with tho wordes wel neigh deyde. +But nathelees, he no word to it seyde, +Lest men sholde his affeccioun espye; +With mannes herte he gan his sorwes drye. + +And ful of anguissh and of grisly drede 155 +Abood what lordes wolde un-to it seye; +And if they wolde graunte, as god forbede, +Theschaunge of hir, than thoughte he thinges tweye, +First, how to save hir honour, and what weye +He mighte best theschaunge of hir withstonde; 160 +Ful faste he caste how al this mighte stonde. + +Love him made al prest to doon hir byde, +And rather dye than she sholde go; +But resoun seyde him, on that other syde, +`With-oute assent of hir ne do not so, 165 +Lest for thy werk she wolde be thy fo, +And seyn, that thorugh thy medling is y-blowe +Your bother love, there it was erst unknowe.' + +For which he gan deliberen, for the beste, +That though the lordes wolde that she wente, 170 +He wolde lat hem graunte what hem leste, +And telle his lady first what that they mente. +And whan that she had seyd him hir entente, +Ther-after wolde he werken also blyve, +Though al the world ayein it wolde stryve. 175 + +Ector, which that wel the Grekes herde, +For Antenor how they wolde han Criseyde, +Gan it withstonde, and sobrely answerde: -- +`Sires, she nis no prisoner,' he seyde; +`I noot on yow who that this charge leyde, 180 +But, on my part, ye may eft-sone hem telle, +We usen here no wommen for to selle.' + +The noyse of peple up-stirte thanne at ones, +As breme as blase of straw y-set on fyre; +For infortune it wolde, for the nones, 185 +They sholden hir confusioun desyre. +`Ector,' quod they, `what goost may yow enspyre +This womman thus to shilde and doon us lese +Daun Antenor? -- a wrong wey now ye chese -- + +`That is so wys, and eek so bold baroun, 190 +And we han nede to folk, as men may see; +He is eek oon, the grettest of this toun; +O Ector, lat tho fantasyes be! +O king Priam,' quod they, `thus seggen we, +That al our voys is to for-gon Criseyde;' 195 +And to deliveren Antenor they preyde. + +O Iuvenal, lord! Trewe is thy sentence, +That litel witen folk what is to yerne +That they ne finde in hir desyr offence; +For cloud of errour let hem not descerne 200 +What best is; and lo, here ensample as yerne. +This folk desiren now deliveraunce +Of Antenor, that broughte hem to mischaunce! + +For he was after traytour to the toun +Of Troye; allas! They quitte him out to rathe; 205 +O nyce world, lo, thy discrecioun! +Criseyde, which that never dide hem skathe, +Shal now no lenger in hir blisse bathe; +But Antenor, he shal com hoom to toune, +And she shal out; thus seyden here and howne. 210 + +For which delibered was by parlement +For Antenor to yelden out Criseyde, +And it pronounced by the president, +Al-theigh that Ector `nay' ful ofte preyde. +And fynaly, what wight that it with-seyde, 215 +It was for nought, it moste been, and sholde; +For substaunce of the parlement it wolde. + +Departed out of parlement echone, +This Troilus, with-oute wordes mo, +Un-to his chaumbre spedde him faste allone, 220 +But-if it were a man of his or two, +The whiche he bad out faste for to go, +By-cause he wolde slepen, as he seyde, +And hastely up-on his bed him leyde. + +And as in winter leves been biraft, 225 +Eche after other, til the tree be bare, +So that ther nis but bark and braunche y-laft, +Lyth Troilus, biraft of ech wel-fare, +Y-bounden in the blake bark of care, +Disposed wood out of his wit to breyde, 230 +So sore him sat the chaunginge of Criseyde. + +He rist him up, and every dore he shette +And windowe eek, and tho this sorweful man +Up-on his beddes syde a-doun him sette, +Ful lyk a deed image pale and wan; 235 +And in his brest the heped wo bigan +Out-breste, and he to werken in this wyse +In his woodnesse, as I shal yow devyse. + +Right as the wilde bole biginneth springe +Now here, now there, y-darted to the herte, 240 +And of his deeth roreth in compleyninge, +Right so gan he aboute the chaumbre sterte, +Smyting his brest ay with his festes smerte; +His heed to the wal, his body to the grounde +Ful ofte he swapte, him-selven to confounde. 245 + +His eyen two, for pitee of his herte, +Out stremeden as swifte welles tweye; +The heighe sobbes of his sorwes smerte +His speche him refte, unnethes mighte he seye, +`O deeth, allas! Why niltow do me deye? 250 +A-cursed be the day which that nature +Shoop me to ben a lyves creature!' + +But after, whan the furie and the rage +Which that his herte twiste and faste threste, +By lengthe of tyme somwhat gan asswage, 255 +Up-on his bed he leyde him doun to reste; +But tho bigonne his teres more out-breste, +That wonder is, the body may suffyse +To half this wo, which that I yow devyse. + +Than seyde he thus, `Fortune! Allas the whyle! 260 +What have I doon, what have I thus a-gilt? +How mightestow for reuthe me bigyle? +Is ther no grace, and shal I thus be spilt? +Shal thus Criseyde awey, for that thou wilt? +Allas! How maystow in thyn herte finde 265 +To been to me thus cruel and unkinde? + +`Have I thee nought honoured al my lyve, +As thou wel wost, above the goddes alle? +Why wiltow me fro Ioye thus depryve? +O Troilus, what may men now thee calle 270 +But wrecche of wrecches, out of honour falle +In-to miserie, in which I wol biwayle +Criseyde, allas! Til that the breeth me fayle? + +`Allas, Fortune! If that my lyf in Ioye +Displesed hadde un-to thy foule envye, 275 +Why ne haddestow my fader, king of Troye, +By-raft the lyf, or doon my bretheren dye, +Or slayn my-self, that thus compleyne and crye, +I, combre-world, that may of no-thing serve, +But ever dye, and never fully sterve? 280 + +`If that Criseyde allone were me laft, +Nought roughte I whider thou woldest me stere; +And hir, allas! Than hastow me biraft. +But ever-more, lo! This is thy manere, +To reve a wight that most is to him dere, 285 +To preve in that thy gerful violence. +Thus am I lost, ther helpeth no defence! + +`O verray lord of love, O god, allas! +That knowest best myn herte and al my thought, +What shal my sorwful lyf don in this cas 290 +If I for-go that I so dere have bought? +Sin ye Cryseyde and me han fully brought +In-to your grace, and bothe our hertes seled, +How may ye suffre, allas! It be repeled? + +`What I may doon, I shal, whyl I may dure 295 +On lyve in torment and in cruel peyne, +This infortune or this disaventure, +Allone as I was born, y-wis, compleyne; +Ne never wil I seen it shyne or reyne; +But ende I wil, as Edippe, in derknesse 300 +My sorwful lyf, and dyen in distresse. + +`O wery goost, that errest to and fro, +Why niltow fleen out of the wofulleste +Body, that ever mighte on grounde go? +O soule, lurkinge in this wo, unneste, 305 +Flee forth out of myn herte, and lat it breste, +And folwe alwey Criseyde, thy lady dere; +Thy righte place is now no lenger here! + +`O wofulle eyen two, sin your disport +Was al to seen Criseydes eyen brighte, 310 +What shal ye doon but, for my discomfort, +Stonden for nought, and wepen out your sighte? +Sin she is queynt, that wont was yow to lighte, +In veyn fro-this-forth have I eyen tweye +Y-formed, sin your vertue is a-weye. 315 + +`O my Criseyde, O lady sovereyne +Of thilke woful soule that thus cryeth, +Who shal now yeven comfort to the peyne? +Allas, no wight; but when myn herte dyeth, +My spirit, which that so un-to yow hyeth, 320 +Receyve in gree, for that shal ay yow serve; +For-thy no fors is, though the body sterve. + +`O ye loveres, that heighe upon the wheel +Ben set of Fortune, in good aventure, +God leve that ye finde ay love of steel, 325 +And longe mot your lyf in Ioye endure! +But whan ye comen by my sepulture, +Remembreth that your felawe resteth there; +For I lovede eek, though I unworthy were. + +`O olde, unholsom, and mislyved man, 330 +Calkas I mene, allas! What eyleth thee +To been a Greek, sin thou art born Troian? +O Calkas, which that wilt my bane be, +In cursed tyme was thou born for me! +As wolde blisful Iove, for his Ioye, 335 +That I thee hadde, where I wolde, in Troye!' + +A thousand sykes, hottere than the glede, +Out of his brest ech after other wente, +Medled with pleyntes newe, his wo to fede, +For which his woful teres never stente; 340 +And shortly, so his peynes him to-rente, +And wex so mat, that Ioye nor penaunce +He feleth noon, but lyth forth in a traunce. + +Pandare, which that in the parlement +Hadde herd what every lord and burgeys seyde, 345 +And how ful graunted was, by oon assent, +For Antenor to yelden so Criseyde, +Gan wel neigh wood out of his wit to breyde, +So that, for wo, he niste what he mente; +But in a rees to Troilus he wente. 350 + +A certeyn knight, that for the tyme kepte +The chaumbre-dore, un-dide it him anoon; +And Pandare, that ful tendreliche wepte, +In-to the derke chaumbre, as stille as stoon, +Toward the bed gan softely to goon, 355 +So confus, that he niste what to seye; +For verray wo his wit was neigh aweye. + +And with his chere and loking al to-torn, +For sorwe of this, and with his armes folden, +He stood this woful Troilus biforn, 360 +And on his pitous face he gan biholden; +But lord, so often gan his herte colden, +Seing his freend in wo, whos hevinesse +His herte slow, as thoughte him, for distresse. + +This woful wight, this Troilus, that felte 365 +His freend Pandare y-comen him to see, +Gan as the snow ayein the sonne melte, +For which this sorwful Pandare, of pitee, +Gan for to wepe as tendreliche as he; +And specheles thus been thise ilke tweye, 370 +That neyther mighte o word for sorwe seye. + +But at the laste this woful Troilus, +Ney deed for smert, gan bresten out to rore, +And with a sorwful noyse he seyde thus, +Among his sobbes and his sykes sore, 375 +`Lo! Pandare, I am deed, with-outen more. +Hastow nought herd at parlement,' he seyde, +`For Antenor how lost is my Criseyde?' + +This Pandarus, ful deed and pale of hewe, +Ful pitously answerde and seyde, `Yis! 380 +As wisly were it fals as it is trewe, +That I have herd, and wot al how it is. +O mercy, god, who wolde have trowed this? +Who wolde have wend that, in so litel a throwe, +Fortune our Ioye wolde han over-throwe? 385 + +`For in this world ther is no creature, +As to my doom, that ever saw ruyne +Straungere than this, thorugh cas or aventure. +But who may al eschewe, or al devyne? +Swich is this world; for-thy I thus defyne, 390 +Ne trust no wight to finden in Fortune +Ay propretee; hir yeftes been comune. + +`But tel me this, why thou art now so mad +To sorwen thus? Why lystow in this wyse, +Sin thy desyr al holly hastow had, 395 +So that, by right, it oughte y-now suffyse? +But I, that never felte in my servyse +A frendly chere or loking of an ye, +Lat me thus wepe and wayle, til I dye. + +`And over al this, as thou wel wost thy-selve, 400 +This town is ful of ladies al aboute; +And, to my doom, fairer than swiche twelve +As ever she was, shal I finde, in som route, +Ye, oon or two, with-outen any doute. +For-thy be glad, myn owene dere brother, 405 +If she be lost, we shal recovere another. + +`What, god for-bede alwey that ech plesaunce +In o thing were, and in non other wight! +If oon can singe, another can wel daunce; +If this be goodly, she is glad and light; 410 +And this is fayr, and that can good a-right. +Ech for his vertu holden is for dere, +Bothe heroner and faucon for rivere. + +`And eek, as writ Zanzis, that was ful wys, +"The newe love out chaceth ofte the olde;" 415 +And up-on newe cas lyth newe avys. +Thenk eek, thy-self to saven artow holde; +Swich fyr, by proces, shal of kinde colde. +For sin it is but casuel plesaunce, +Som cas shal putte it out of remembraunce. 420 + +`For al-so seur as day cometh after night, +The newe love, labour or other wo, +Or elles selde seinge of a wight, +Don olde affecciouns alle over-go. +And, for thy part, thou shalt have oon of tho 425 +To abrigge with thy bittre peynes smerte; +Absence of hir shal dryve hir out of herte.' + +Thise wordes seyde he for the nones alle, +To helpe his freend, lest he for sorwe deyde. +For douteles, to doon his wo to falle, 430 +He roughte not what unthrift that he seyde. +But Troilus, that neigh for sorwe deyde, +Tok litel hede of al that ever he mente; +Oon ere it herde, at the other out it wente: + +But at the laste answerde and seyde, `Freend, 435 +This lechecraft, or heled thus to be, +Were wel sitting, if that I were a feend, +To traysen hir that trewe is unto me! +I pray god, lat this consayl never y-thee; +But do me rather sterve anon-right here 440 +Er I thus do as thou me woldest lere. + +`She that I serve, y-wis, what so thou seye, +To whom myn herte enhabit is by right, +Shal han me holly hires til that I deye. +For, Pandarus, sin I have trouthe hir hight, 445 +I wol not been untrewe for no wight; +But as hir man I wol ay live and sterve, +And never other creature serve. + +`And ther thou seyst, thou shalt as faire finde +As she, lat be, make no comparisoun 450 +To creature y-formed here by kinde. +O leve Pandare, in conclusioun, +I wol not be of thyn opinioun, +Touching al this; for whiche I thee biseche, +So hold thy pees; thou sleest me with thy speche. 455 + +`Thow biddest me I sholde love an-other +Al freshly newe, and lat Criseyde go! +It lyth not in my power, leve brother. +And though I mighte, I wolde not do so. +But canstow pleyen raket, to and fro, 460 +Netle in, dokke out, now this, now that, Pandare? +Now foule falle hir, for thy wo that care! + +`Thow farest eek by me, thou Pandarus, +As he, that whan a wight is wo bi-goon, +He cometh to him a pas, and seyth right thus, 465 +"Thenk not on smert, and thou shalt fele noon." +Thou most me first transmuwen in a stoon, +And reve me my passiounes alle, +Er thou so lightly do my wo to falle. + +`The deeth may wel out of my brest departe 470 +The lyf, so longe may this sorwe myne; +But fro my soule shal Criseydes darte +Out never-mo; but doun with Proserpyne, +Whan I am deed, I wol go wone in pyne; +And ther I wol eternaly compleyne 475 +My wo, and how that twinned be we tweyne. + +`Thow hast here maad an argument, for fyn, +How that it sholde a lasse peyne be +Criseyde to for-goon, for she was myn, +And live in ese and in felicitee. 480 +Why gabbestow, that seydest thus to me +That "him is wors that is fro wele y-throwe, +Than he hadde erst non of that wele y-knowe?" + +`But tel me now, sin that thee thinketh so light +To chaungen so in love, ay to and fro, 485 +Why hastow not don bisily thy might +To chaungen hir that doth thee al thy wo? +Why niltow lete hir fro thyn herte go? +Why niltow love an-other lady swete, +That may thyn herte setten in quiete? 490 + +`If thou hast had in love ay yet mischaunce, +And canst it not out of thyn herte dryve, +I, that livede in lust and in plesaunce +With hir as muche as creature on-lyve, +How sholde I that foryete, and that so blyve? 495 +O where hastow ben hid so longe in muwe, +That canst so wel and formely arguwe? + +`Nay, nay, god wot, nought worth is al thy reed, +For which, for what that ever may bifalle, +With-outen wordes mo, I wol be deed. 500 +O deeth, that endere art of sorwes alle, +Com now, sin I so ofte after thee calle, +For sely is that deeth, soth for to seyne, +That, ofte y-cleped, cometh and endeth peyne. + +`Wel wot I, whyl my lyf was in quiete, 505 +Er thou me slowe, I wolde have yeven hyre; +But now thy cominge is to me so swete, +That in this world I no-thing so desyre. +O deeth, sin with this sorwe I am a-fyre, +Thou outher do me anoon yn teres drenche, 510 +Or with thy colde strook myn hete quenche! + +`Sin that thou sleest so fele in sondry wyse +Ayens hir wil, unpreyed, day and night, +Do me, at my requeste, this servyse, +Delivere now the world, so dostow right, 515 +Of me, that am the wofulleste wight +That ever was; for tyme is that I sterve, +Sin in this world of right nought may I serve.' + +This Troilus in teres gan distille, +As licour out of alambyk ful faste; 520 +And Pandarus gan holde his tunge stille, +And to the ground his eyen doun he caste. +But nathelees, thus thoughte he at the laste, +`What, parde, rather than my felawe deye, +Yet shal I som-what more un-to him seye:' 525 + +And seyde, `Freend, sin thou hast swich distresse, +And sin thee list myn arguments to blame, +Why nilt thy-selven helpen doon redresse, +And with thy manhod letten al this grame? +Go ravisshe hir ne canstow not for shame! 530 +And outher lat hir out of toune fare, +Or hold hir stille, and leve thy nyce fare. + +`Artow in Troye, and hast non hardiment +To take a womman which that loveth thee, +And wolde hir-selven been of thyn assent? 535 +Now is not this a nyce vanitee? +Rys up anoon, and lat this weping be, +And kyth thou art a man, for in this houre +I wil be deed, or she shal bleven oure.' + +To this answerde him Troilus ful softe, 540 +And seyde, `Parde, leve brother dere, +Al this have I my-self yet thought ful ofte, +And more thing than thou devysest here. +But why this thing is laft, thou shalt wel here; +And whan thou me hast yeve an audience, 545 +Ther-after mayst thou telle al thy sentence. + +`First, sin thou wost this toun hath al this werre +For ravisshing of wommen so by might, +It sholde not be suffred me to erre, +As it stant now, ne doon so gret unright. 550 +I sholde han also blame of every wight, +My fadres graunt if that I so withstode, +Sin she is chaunged for the tounes goode. + +`I have eek thought, so it were hir assent, +To aske hir at my fader, of his grace; 555 +Than thenke I, this were hir accusement, +Sin wel I woot I may hir not purchace. +For sin my fader, in so heigh a place +As parlement, hath hir eschaunge enseled, +He nil for me his lettre be repeled. 560 + +`Yet drede I most hir herte to pertourbe +With violence, if I do swich a game; +For if I wolde it openly distourbe, +It moste been disclaundre to hir name. +And me were lever deed than hir defame, 565 +As nolde god but-if I sholde have +Hir honour lever than my lyf to save! + +`Thus am I lost, for ought that I can see; +For certeyn is, sin that I am hir knight, +I moste hir honour levere han than me 570 +In every cas, as lovere oughte of right. +Thus am I with desyr and reson twight; +Desyr for to destourben hir me redeth, +And reson nil not, so myn herte dredeth.' + +Thus wepinge that he coude never cesse, 575 +He seyde, `Allas! How shal I, wrecche, fare? +For wel fele I alwey my love encresse, +And hope is lasse and lasse alwey, Pandare! +Encressen eek the causes of my care; +So wel-a-wey, why nil myn herte breste? 580 +For, as in love, ther is but litel reste.' + +Pandare answerde, `Freend, thou mayst, for me, +Don as thee list; but hadde ich it so hote, +And thyn estat, she sholde go with me; +Though al this toun cryede on this thing by note, 585 +I nolde sette at al that noyse a grote. +For when men han wel cryed, than wol they roune; +A wonder last but nyne night never in toune. + +`Devyne not in reson ay so depe +Ne curteysly, but help thy-self anoon; 590 +Bet is that othere than thy-selven wepe, +And namely, sin ye two been al oon. +Rys up, for by myn heed, she shal not goon; +And rather be in blame a lyte y-founde +Than sterve here as a gnat, with-oute wounde. 595 + +`It is no shame un-to yow, ne no vyce +Hir to with-holden, that ye loveth most. +Paraunter, she mighte holden thee for nyce +To lete hir go thus to the Grekes ost. +Thenk eek Fortune, as wel thy-selven wost, 600 +Helpeth hardy man to his enpryse, +And weyveth wrecches, for hir cowardyse. + +`And though thy lady wolde a litel hir greve, +Thou shalt thy pees ful wel here-after make, +But as for me, certayn, I can not leve 605 +That she wolde it as now for yvel take. +Why sholde than for ferd thyn herte quake? +Thenk eek how Paris hath, that is thy brother, +A love; and why shaltow not have another? + +`And Troilus, o thing I dar thee swere, 610 +That if Criseyde, whiche that is thy leef, +Now loveth thee as wel as thou dost here, +God helpe me so, she nil nat take a-greef, +Though thou do bote a-noon in this mischeef. +And if she wilneth fro thee for to passe, 615 +Thanne is she fals; so love hir wel the lasse. + +`For-thy tak herte, and thenk, right as a knight, +Thourgh love is broken alday every lawe. +Kyth now sumwhat thy corage and thy might, +Have mercy on thy-self, for any awe. 620 +Lat not this wrecched wo thin herte gnawe, +But manly set the world on sixe and sevene; +And, if thou deye a martir, go to hevene. + +`I wol my-self be with thee at this dede, +Though ich and al my kin, up-on a stounde, 625 +Shulle in a strete as dogges liggen dede, +Thourgh-girt with many a wyd and blody wounde. +In every cas I wol a freend be founde. +And if thee list here sterven as a wrecche, +A-dieu, the devel spede him that it recche!' 630 + +This Troilus gan with tho wordes quiken, +And seyde, `Freend, graunt mercy, ich assente; +But certaynly thou mayst not me so priken, +Ne peyne noon ne may me so tormente, +That, for no cas, it is not myn entente, 635 +At shorte wordes, though I dyen sholde, +To ravisshe hir, but-if hir-self it wolde.' + +`Why, so mene I,' quod Pandarus, `al this day. +But tel me than, hastow hir wil assayed, +That sorwest thus?' And he answerde, `Nay.' +`Wher-of artow,' quod Pandare, `than a-mayed, 640 +That nost not that she wol ben y-vel apayed +To ravisshe hir, sin thou hast not ben there, +But-if that Iove tolde it in thyn ere? + +`For-thy rys up, as nought ne were, anoon, 645 +And wash thy face, and to the king thou wende, +Or he may wondren whider thou art goon. +Thou most with wisdom him and othere blende; +Or, up-on cas, he may after thee sende +Er thou be war; and shortly, brother dere, 650 +Be glad, and lat me werke in this matere. + +`For I shal shape it so, that sikerly +Thou shalt this night som tyme, in som manere, +Com speke with thy lady prevely, +And by hir wordes eek, and by hir chere, 655 +Thou shalt ful sone aperceyve and wel here +Al hir entente, and in this cas the beste; +And fare now wel, for in this point I reste.' + +The swifte Fame, whiche that false thinges +Egal reporteth lyk the thinges trewe, 660 +Was thorugh-out Troye y-fled with preste winges +Fro man to man, and made this tale al newe, +How Calkas doughter, with hir brighte hewe, +At parlement, with-oute wordes more, +I-graunted was in chaunge of Antenore. 665 + +The whiche tale anoon-right as Criseyde +Had herd, she, which that of hir fader roughte, +As in this cas, right nought, ne whanne he deyde, +Ful bisily to Iuppiter bisoughte +Yeve hem mischaunce that this tretis broughte. 670 +But shortly, lest thise tales sothe were, +She dorste at no wight asken it, for fere. + +As she that hadde hir herte and al hir minde +On Troilus y-set so wonder faste, +That al this world ne mighte hir love unbinde, 675 +Ne Troilus out of hir herte caste; +She wol ben his, whyl that hir lyf may laste. +And thus she brenneth bothe in love and drede, +So that she niste what was best to rede. + +But as men seen in toune, and al aboute, 680 +That wommen usen frendes to visyte, +So to Criseyde of wommen com a route +For pitous Ioye, and wenden hir delyte; +And with hir tales, dere y-nough a myte, +These wommen, whiche that in the cite dwelle, 685 +They sette hem doun, and seyde as I shal telle. + +Quod first that oon, `I am glad, trewely, +By-cause of yow, that shal your fader see.' +A-nother seyde, `Y-wis, so nam not I, +For al to litel hath she with us be.' 690 +Quod tho the thridde, `I hope, y-wis, that she +Shal bringen us the pees on every syde, +That, whan she gooth, almighty god hir gyde!' + +Tho wordes and tho wommanisshe thinges, +She herde hem right as though she thennes were; 695 +For, god it wot, hir herte on other thing is, +Although the body sat among hem there. +Hir advertence is alwey elles-where; +For Troilus ful faste hir soule soughte; +With-outen word, alwey on him she thoughte. 700 + +Thise wommen, that thus wenden hir to plese, +Aboute nought gonne alle hir tales spende; +Swich vanitee ne can don hir non ese, +As she that, al this mene whyle. brende +Of other passioun than that they wende, 705 +So that she felte almost hir herte deye +For wo, and wery of that companye. + +For which no lenger mighte she restreyne +Hir teres, so they gonnen up to welle, +That yaven signes of the bitter peyne 710 +In whiche hir spirit was, and moste dwelle; +Remembring hir, fro heven unto which helle +She fallen was, sith she forgoth the sighte +Of Troilus, and sorowfully she sighte. + +And thilke foles sittinge hir aboute 715 +Wenden, that she wepte and syked sore +By-cause that she sholde out of that route +Departe, and never pleye with hem more. +And they that hadde y-knowen hir of yore +Seye hir so wepe, and thoughte it kindenesse, 720 +And eche of hem wepte eek for hir destresse; + +And bisily they gonnen hir conforten +Of thing, god wot, on which she litel thoughte; +And with hir tales wenden hir disporten, +And to be glad they often hir bisoughte. 725 +But swich an ese ther-with they hir wroughte +Right as a man is esed for to fele, +For ache of heed, to clawen him on his hele! + +But after al this nyce vanitee +They took hir leve, and hoom they wenten alle. 730 +Criseyde, ful of sorweful pitee, +In-to hir chaumbre up wente out of the halle, +And on hir bed she gan for deed to falle, +In purpos never thennes for to ryse; +And thus she wroughte, as I shal yow devyse. 735 + +Hir ounded heer, that sonnish was of hewe, +She rente, and eek hir fingres longe and smale +She wrong ful ofte, and bad god on hir rewe, +And with the deeth to doon bote on hir bale. +Hir hewe, whylom bright, that tho was pale, 740 +Bar witnes of hir wo and hir constreynte; +And thus she spak, sobbinge, in hir compleynte: + +`Alas!' quod she, `out of this regioun +I, woful wrecche and infortuned wight, +And born in corsed constellacioun, 745 +Mot goon, and thus departen fro my knight; +Wo worth, allas! That ilke dayes light +On which I saw him first with eyen tweyne, +That causeth me, and I him, al this peyne!' + +Therwith the teres from hir eyen two 750 +Doun fille, as shour in Aperill ful swythe; +Hir whyte brest she bet, and for the wo +After the deeth she cryed a thousand sythe, +Sin he that wont hir wo was for to lythe, +She mot for-goon; for which disaventure 755 +She held hir-self a forlost creature. + +She seyde, `How shal he doon, and I also? +How sholde I live, if that I from him twinne? +O dere herte eek, that I love so, +Who shal that sorwe sleen that ye ben inne? 760 +O Calkas, fader, thyn be al this sinne! +O moder myn, that cleped were Argyve, +Wo worth that day that thou me bere on lyve! + +`To what fyn sholde I live and sorwen thus? +How sholde a fish with-oute water dure? 765 +What is Criseyde worth, from Troilus? +How sholde a plaunte or lyves creature +Live, with-oute his kinde noriture? +For which ful oft a by-word here I seye, +That "rotelees, mot grene sone deye." 770 + +`I shal don thus, sin neither swerd ne darte +Dar I non handle, for the crueltee, +That ilke day that I from yow departe, +If sorwe of that nil not my bane be, +Than shal no mete or drinke come in me 775 +Til I my soule out of my breste unshethe; +And thus my-selven wol I do to dethe. + +`And, Troilus, my clothes everichoon +Shul blake been, in tokeninge, herte swete, +That I am as out of this world agoon, 780 +That wont was yow to setten in quiete; +And of myn ordre, ay til deeth me mete, +The observaunce ever, in your absence, +Shal sorwe been, compleynte, and abstinence. + +`Myn herte and eek the woful goost ther-inne 785 +Biquethe I, with your spirit to compleyne +Eternally, for they shal never twinne. +For though in erthe y-twinned be we tweyne, +Yet in the feld of pitee, out of peyne, +That hight Elysos, shul we been y-fere, 790 +As Orpheus and Erudice, his fere. + +`Thus, herte myn, for Antenor, allas! +I sone shal be chaunged, as I wene. +But how shul ye don in this sorwful cas, +How shal youre tendre herte this sustene? 795 +But herte myn, for-yet this sorwe and tene, +And me also; for, soothly for to seye, +So ye wel fare, I recche not to deye.' + +How mighte it ever y-red ben or y-songe, +The pleynte that she made in hir distresse? 800 +I noot; but, as for me, my litel tonge, +If I discreven wolde hir hevinesse, +It sholde make hir sorwe seme lesse +Than that it was, and childishly deface +Hir heigh compleynte, and therfore I it pace. 805 + +Pandare, which that sent from Troilus +Was to Criseyde, as ye han herd devyse, +That for the beste it was accorded thus, +And he ful glad to doon him that servyse, +Un-to Criseyde, in a ful secree wyse, 810 +Ther-as she lay in torment and in rage, +Com hir to telle al hoolly his message, + +And fond that she hir-selven gan to trete +Ful pitously; for with hir salte teres +Hir brest, hir face, y-bathed was ful wete; 815 +The mighty tresses of hir sonnish heres, +Unbroyden, hangen al aboute hir eres; +Which yaf him verray signal of martyre +Of deeth, which that hir herte gan desyre. + +Whan she him saw, she gan for sorwe anoon 820 +Hir tery face a-twixe hir armes hide, +For which this Pandare is so wo bi-goon, +That in the hous he mighte unnethe abyde, +As he that pitee felte on every syde. +For if Criseyde hadde erst compleyned sore, 825 +Tho gan she pleyne a thousand tymes more. + +And in hir aspre pleynte than she seyde, +`Pandare first of Ioyes mo than two +Was cause causinge un-to me, Criseyde, +That now transmuwed been in cruel wo. 830 +Wher shal I seye to yow "wel come" or no, +That alderfirst me broughte in-to servyse +Of love, allas! That endeth in swich wyse? + +`Endeth than love in wo? Ye, or men lyeth! +And alle worldly blisse, as thinketh me. 835 +The ende of blisse ay sorwe it occupyeth; +And who-so troweth not that it so be, +Lat him upon me, woful wrecche, y-see, +That my-self hate, and ay my birthe acorse, +Felinge alwey, fro wikke I go to worse. 840 + +`Who-so me seeth, he seeth sorwe al at ones, +Peyne, torment, pleynte, wo, distresse. +Out of my woful body harm ther noon is, +As anguish, langour, cruel bitternesse, +A-noy, smert, drede, fury, and eek siknesse. 845 +I trowe, y-wis, from hevene teres reyne, +For pitee of myn aspre and cruel peyne! ' + +`And thou, my suster, ful of discomfort,' +Quod Pandarus, `what thenkestow to do? +Why ne hastow to thy-selven som resport, 850 +Why woltow thus thy-selve, allas, for-do? +Leef al this werk and tak now hede to +That I shal seyn, and herkne, of good entente, +This, which by me thy Troilus thee sente.' + +Torned hir tho Criseyde, a wo makinge 855 +So greet that it a deeth was for to see: -- +`Allas!' quod she, `what wordes may ye bringe? +What wol my dere herte seyn to me, +Which that I drede never-mo to see? +Wol he have pleynte or teres, er I wende? 860 +I have y-nowe, if he ther-after sende!' + +She was right swich to seen in hir visage +As is that wight that men on bere binde; +Hir face, lyk of Paradys the image, +Was al y-chaunged in another kinde. 865 +The pleye, the laughtre men was wont to finde +On hir, and eek hir Ioyes everychone, +Ben fled, and thus lyth now Criseyde allone. + +Aboute hir eyen two a purpre ring +Bi-trent, in sothfast tokninge of hir peyne, 870 +That to biholde it was a dedly thing, +For which Pandare mighte not restreyne +The teres from his eyen for to reyne. +But nathelees, as he best mighte, he seyde +From Troilus thise wordes to Criseyde. 875 + +`Lo, nece, I trowe ye han herd al how +The king, with othere lordes, for the beste, +Hath mad eschaunge of Antenor and yow, +That cause is of this sorwe and this unreste. +But how this cas doth Troilus moleste, 880 +That may non erthely mannes tonge seye; +For verray wo his wit is al aweye. + +`For which we han so sorwed, he and I, +That in-to litel bothe it hadde us slawe; +But thurgh my conseil this day, fynally, 885 +He somwhat is fro weping now with-drawe. +And semeth me that he desyreth fawe +With yow to been al night, for to devyse +Remede in this, if ther were any wyse. + +`This, short and pleyne, theffect of my message, 890 +As ferforth as my wit can comprehende. +For ye, that been of torment in swich rage, +May to no long prologe as now entende; +And her-upon ye may answere him sende. +And, for the love of god, my nece dere, 895 +So leef this wo er Troilus be here.' + +`Gret is my wo,' quod she, and sighte sore, +As she that feleth dedly sharp distresse; +`But yet to me his sorwe is muchel more, +That love him bet than he him-self, I gesse. 900 +Allas! For me hath he swich hevinesse? +Can he for me so pitously compleyne? +Y-wis, his sorwe doubleth al my peyne. + +`Grevous to me, god wot, is for to twinne,' +Quod she, `but yet it hardere is to me 905 +To seen that sorwe which that he is inne; +For wel wot I, it wol my bane be; +And deye I wol in certayn,' tho quod she; +`But bidde him come, er deeth, that thus me threteth, +Dryve out that goost which in myn herte beteth.' 910 + +Thise wordes seyd, she on hir armes two +Fil gruf, and gan to wepe pitously. +Quod Pandarus, `Allas! Why do ye so, +Syn wel ye woot the tyme is faste by, +That he shal come? Arys up hastely, 915 +That he yow nat biwopen thus ne finde, +But ye wol have him wood out of his minde! + +`For wiste he that ye ferde in this manere, +He wolde him-selve slee; and if I wende +To han this fare, he sholde not come here 920 +For al the good that Pryam may despende. +For to what fyn he wolde anoon pretende, +That knowe I wel; and for-thy yet I seye, +So leef this sorwe, or platly he wol deye. + +`And shapeth yow his sorwe for to abregge, 925 +And nought encresse, leve nece swete; +Beth rather to him cause of flat than egge, +And with som wysdom ye his sorwes bete. +What helpeth it to wepen ful a strete, +Or though ye bothe in salte teres dreynte? 930 +Bet is a tyme of cure ay than of pleynte. + +`I mene thus; whan I him hider bringe, +Sin ye ben wyse, and bothe of oon assent, +So shapeth how distourbe your goinge, +Or come ayen, sone after ye be went. 935 +Wommen ben wyse in short avysement; +And lat sen how your wit shal now avayle; +And what that I may helpe, it shal not fayle.' + +`Go,' quod Criseyde, `and uncle, trewely, +I shal don al my might, me to restreyne 940 +From weping in his sighte, and bisily, +Him for to glade, I shal don al my peyne, +And in myn herte seken every veyne; +If to this soor ther may be founden salve, +It shal not lakken, certain, on myn halve.' 945 + +Goth Pandarus, and Troilus he soughte, +Til in a temple he fond him allone, +As he that of his lyf no lenger roughte; +But to the pitouse goddes everichone +Ful tendrely he preyde, and made his mone, 950 +To doon him sone out of this world to pace; +For wel he thoughte ther was non other grace. + +And shortly, al the sothe for to seye, +He was so fallen in despeyr that day, +That outrely he shoop him for to deye. 955 +For right thus was his argument alwey: +He seyde, he nas but loren, waylawey! +`For al that comth, comth by necessitee; +Thus to be lorn, it is my destinee. + +`For certaynly, this wot I wel,' he seyde, 960 +`That for-sight of divyne purveyaunce +Hath seyn alwey me to for-gon Criseyde, +Sin god seeth every thing, out of doutaunce, +And hem disponeth, thourgh his ordenaunce, +In hir merytes sothly for to be, 965 +As they shul comen by predestinee. + +`But nathelees, allas! Whom shal I leve? +For ther ben grete clerkes many oon, +That destinee thorugh argumentes preve; +And som men seyn that nedely ther is noon; 970 +But that free chois is yeven us everichoon. +O, welaway! So sleye arn clerkes olde, +That I not whos opinion I may holde. + +`For som men seyn, if god seth al biforn, +Ne god may not deceyved ben, pardee, 975 +Than moot it fallen, though men hadde it sworn, +That purveyaunce hath seyn bifore to be. +Wherfor I seye, that from eterne if he +Hath wist biforn our thought eek as our dede, +We have no free chois, as these clerkes rede. 980 + +`For other thought nor other dede also +Might never be, but swich as purveyaunce, +Which may not ben deceyved never-mo, +Hath feled biforn, with-outen ignoraunce. +For if ther mighte been a variaunce 985 +To wrythen out fro goddes purveyinge, +Ther nere no prescience of thing cominge; + +`But it were rather an opinioun +Uncerteyn, and no stedfast forseinge; +And certes, that were an abusioun, 990 +That god shuld han no parfit cleer witinge +More than we men that han doutous weninge. +But swich an errour up-on god to gesse +Were fals and foul, and wikked corsednesse. + +`Eek this is an opinioun of somme 995 +That han hir top ful heighe and smothe y-shore; +They seyn right thus, that thing is not to come +For that the prescience hath seyn bifore +That it shal come; but they seyn that therfore +That it shal come, therfore the purveyaunce 1000 +Wot it biforn with-outen ignoraunce; + +`And in this manere this necessitee +Retorneth in his part contrarie agayn. +For needfully bihoveth it not to be +That thilke thinges fallen in certayn 1005 +That ben purveyed; but nedely, as they seyn, +Bihoveth it that thinges, whiche that falle, +That they in certayn ben purveyed alle. + +`I mene as though I laboured me in this, +To enqueren which thing cause of which thing be; 1010 +As whether that the prescience of god is +The certayn cause of the necessitee +Of thinges that to comen been, pardee; +Or if necessitee of thing cominge +Be cause certeyn of the purveyinge. 1015 + +`But now ne enforce I me nat in shewinge +How the ordre of causes stant; but wel wot I, +That it bihoveth that the bifallinge +Of thinges wist biforen certeynly +Be necessarie, al seme it not ther-by 1020 +That prescience put falling necessaire +To thing to come, al falle it foule or faire. + +`For if ther sit a man yond on a see, +Than by necessitee bihoveth it +That, certes, thyn opinioun soth be, 1025 +That wenest or coniectest that he sit; +And ferther-over now ayenward yit, +Lo, right so it is of the part contrarie, +As thus; (now herkne, for I wol not tarie): + +`I seye, that if the opinioun of thee 1030 +Be sooth, for that he sit, than seye I this, +That he mot sitten by necessitee; +And thus necessitee in either is. +For in him nede of sittinge is, y-wis, +And in thee nede of sooth; and thus, forsothe, 1035 +Ther moot necessitee ben in yow bothe. + +`But thou mayst seyn, the man sit not therfore, +That thyn opinioun of sitting soth is; +But rather, for the man sit ther bifore, +Therfore is thyn opinioun sooth, y-wis. 1040 +And I seye, though the cause of sooth of this +Comth of his sitting, yet necessitee +Is entrechaunged, bothe in him and thee. + +`Thus on this same wyse, out of doutaunce, +I may wel maken, as it semeth me, 1045 +My resoninge of goddes purveyaunce, +And of the thinges that to comen be; +By whiche reson men may wel y-see, +That thilke thinges that in erthe falle, +That by necessitee they comen alle. 1050 + +`For al-though that, for thing shal come, y-wis, +Therfore is it purveyed, certaynly, +Nat that it comth for it purveyed is: +Yet nathelees, bihoveth it nedfully, +That thing to come be purveyed, trewely; 1055 +Or elles, thinges that purveyed be, +That they bityden by necessitee. + +`And this suffyseth right y-now, certeyn, +For to destroye our free chois every del. -- +But now is this abusion, to seyn, 1060 +That fallinge of the thinges temporel +Is cause of goddes prescience eternel. +Now trewely, that is a fals sentence, +That thing to come sholde cause his prescience. + +`What mighte I wene, and I hadde swich a thought, 1065 +But that god purveyth thing that is to come +For that it is to come, and elles nought? +So mighte I wene that thinges alle and some, +That whylom been bifalle and over-come, +Ben cause of thilke sovereyn purveyaunce, 1070 +That for-wot al with-outen ignoraunce. + +`And over al this, yet seye I more herto, +That right as whan I woot ther is a thing, +Y-wis, that thing mot nedefully be so; +Eek right so, whan I woot a thing coming, 1075 +So mot it come; and thus the bifalling +Of thinges that ben wist bifore the tyde, +They mowe not been eschewed on no syde.' + +Than seyde he thus, `Almighty Iove in trone, +That wost of al this thing the soothfastnesse, 1080 +Rewe on my sorwe, or do me deye sone, +Or bring Criseyde and me fro this distresse.' +And whyl he was in al this hevinesse, +Disputinge with him-self in this matere, +Com Pandare in, and seyde as ye may here. 1085 + +`O mighty god,' quod Pandarus, `in trone, +Ey! Who seigh ever a wys man faren so? +Why, Troilus, what thenkestow to done? +Hastow swich lust to been thyn owene fo? +What, parde, yet is not Criseyde a-go! 1090 +Why list thee so thy-self for-doon for drede, +That in thyn heed thyn eyen semen dede? + +`Hastow not lived many a yeer biforn +With-outen hir, and ferd ful wel at ese? +Artow for hir and for non other born? 1095 +Hath kinde thee wroughte al-only hir to plese? +Lat be, and thenk right thus in thy disese. +That, in the dees right as ther fallen chaunces, +Right so in love, ther come and goon plesaunces. + +`And yet this is a wonder most of alle, 1100 +Why thou thus sorwest, sin thou nost not yit, +Touching hir goinge, how that it shal falle, +Ne if she can hir-self distorben it. +Thou hast not yet assayed al hir wit. +A man may al by tyme his nekke bede 1105 +Whan it shal of, and sorwen at the nede. + +`For-thy take hede of that that I shal seye; +I have with hir y-spoke and longe y-be, +So as accorded was bitwixe us tweye. +And ever-mor me thinketh thus, that she 1110 +Hath som-what in hir hertes prevetee, +Wher-with she can, if I shal right arede, +Distorbe al this, of which thou art in drede. + +`For which my counseil is, whan it is night, +Thou to hir go, and make of this an ende; 1115 +And blisful Iuno, thourgh hir grete mighte, +Shal, as I hope, hir grace un-to us sende. +Myn herte seyth, "Certeyn, she shal not wende;" +And for-thy put thyn herte a whyle in reste; +And hold this purpos, for it is the beste.' 1120 + +This Troilus answerde, and sighte sore, +`Thou seyst right wel, and I wil do right so;' +And what him liste, he seyde un-to it more. +And whan that it was tyme for to go, +Ful prevely him-self, with-outen mo, 1125 +Un-to hir com, as he was wont to done; +And how they wroughte, I shal yow telle sone. + +Soth is, that whan they gonne first to mete, +So gan the peyne hir hertes for to twiste, +That neither of hem other mighte grete, 1130 +But hem in armes toke and after kiste. +The lasse wofulle of hem bothe niste +Wher that he was, ne mighte o word out-bringe, +As I seyde erst, for wo and for sobbinge. + +Tho woful teres that they leten falle 1135 +As bittre weren, out of teres kinde, +For peyne, as is ligne aloes or galle. +So bittre teres weep nought, as I finde, +The woful Myrra through the bark and rinde. +That in this world ther nis so hard an herte, 1140 +That nolde han rewed on hir peynes smerte. + +But whan hir woful wery gostes tweyne +Retorned been ther-as hem oughte dwelle, +And that som-what to wayken gan the peyne +By lengthe of pleynte, and ebben gan the welle 1145 +Of hire teres, and the herte unswelle, +With broken voys, al hoors for-shright, Criseyde +To Troilus thise ilke wordes seyde: + +`O Iove, I deye, and mercy I beseche! +Help, Troilus!' And ther-with-al hir face 1150 +Upon his brest she leyde, and loste speche; +Hir woful spirit from his propre place, +Right with the word, alwey up poynt to pace. +And thus she lyth with hewes pale and grene, +That whylom fresh and fairest was to sene. 1155 + +This Troilus, that on hir gan biholde, +Clepinge hir name, (and she lay as for deed, +With-oute answere, and felte hir limes colde, +Hir eyen throwen upward to hir heed), +This sorwful man can now noon other reed, 1160 +But ofte tyme hir colde mouth he kiste; +Wher him was wo, god and him-self it wiste! + +He rist him up, and long streight he hir leyde; +For signe of lyf, for ought he can or may, +Can he noon finde in no-thing on Criseyde, 1165 +For which his song ful ofte is `weylaway!' +But whan he saugh that specheles she lay, +With sorwful voys and herte of blisse al bare, +He seyde how she was fro this world y-fare! + +So after that he longe hadde hir compleyned, 1170 +His hondes wrong, and seyde that was to seye, +And with his teres salte hir brest bireyned, +He gan tho teris wypen of ful dreye, +And pitously gan for the soule preye, +And seyde, `O lord, that set art in thy trone, 1175 +Rewe eek on me, for I shal folwe hir sone!' + +She cold was and with-outen sentement, +For aught he woot, for breeth ne felte he noon; +And this was him a preignant argument +That she was forth out of this world agoon; 1180 +And whan he seigh ther was non other woon, +He gan hir limes dresse in swich manere +As men don hem that shul be leyd on bere. + +And after this, with sterne and cruel herte, +His swerd a-noon out of his shethe he twighte, 1185 +Him-self to sleen, how sore that him smerte, +So that his sowle hir sowle folwen mighte, +Ther-as the doom of Mynos wolde it dighte; +Sin love and cruel Fortune it ne wolde, +That in this world he lenger liven sholde. 1190 + +Thanne seyde he thus, fulfild of heigh desdayn, +`O cruel Iove, and thou, Fortune adverse, +This al and som, that falsly have ye slayn +Criseyde, and sin ye may do me no werse, +Fy on your might and werkes so diverse! 1195 +Thus cowardly ye shul me never winne; +Ther shal no deeth me fro my lady twinne. + +`For I this world, sin ye han slayn hir thus, +Wol lete, and folowe hir spirit lowe or hye; +Shal never lover seyn that Troilus 1200 +Dar not, for fere, with his lady dye; +For certeyn, I wol bere hir companye. +But sin ye wol not suffre us liven here, +Yet suffreth that our soules ben y-fere. + +`And thou, citee, whiche that I leve in wo, 1205 +And thou, Pryam, and bretheren al y-fere, +And thou, my moder, farwel! For I go; +And Attropos, make redy thou my bere! +And thou, Criseyde, o swete herte dere, +Receyve now my spirit!' wolde he seye, 1210 +With swerd at herte, al redy for to deye + +But as god wolde, of swough ther-with she abreyde, +And gan to syke, and `Troilus' she cryde; +And he answerde, `Lady myn Criseyde, +Live ye yet?' and leet his swerd doun glyde. 1215 +`Ye, herte myn, that thanked be Cupyde!' +Quod she, and ther-with-al she sore sighte; +And he bigan to glade hir as he mighte; + +Took hir in armes two, and kiste hir ofte, +And hir to glade he dide al his entente; 1220 +For which hir goost, that flikered ay on-lofte, +In-to hir woful herte ayein it wente. +But at the laste, as that hir eyen glente +A-syde, anoon she gan his swerd aspye, +As it lay bare, and gan for fere crye, 1225 + +And asked him, why he it hadde out-drawe? +And Troilus anoon the cause hir tolde, +And how himself ther-with he wolde have slawe. +For which Criseyde up-on him gan biholde, +And gan him in hir armes faste folde, 1230 +And seyde, `O mercy, god, lo, which a dede! +Allas! How neigh we were bothe dede! + +`Thanne if I ne hadde spoken, as grace was, +Ye wolde han slayn your-self anoon?' quod she. +`Ye, douteless;' and she answerde, `Allas! 1235 +For, by that ilke lord that made me, +I nolde a forlong wey on-lyve han be, +After your deeth, to han been crouned quene +Of al the lond the sonne on shyneth shene. + +`But with this selve swerd, which that here is, 1240 +My-selve I wolde han slayn!' -- quod she tho; +`But ho, for we han right y-now of this, +And late us ryse and streight to bedde go +And there lat ys speken of oure wo. +For, by the morter which that I see brenne, 1245 +Knowe I ful wel that day is not fer henne.' + +Whan they were in hir bedde, in armes folde, +Nought was it lyk tho nightes here-biforn; +For pitously ech other gan biholde, +As they that hadden al hir blisse y-lorn, 1250 +Biwaylinge ay the day that they were born. +Til at the last this sorwful wight Criseyde +To Troilus these ilke wordes seyde: -- + +`Lo, herte myn, wel wot ye this,' quod she, +`That if a wight alwey his wo compleyne, 1255 +And seketh nought how holpen for to be, +It nis but folye and encrees of peyne; +And sin that here assembled be we tweyne +To finde bote of wo that we ben inne, +It were al tyme sone to biginne. 1260 + +`I am a womman, as ful wel ye woot, +And as I am avysed sodeynly, +So wol I telle yow, whyl it is hoot. +Me thinketh thus, that nouther ye nor I +Oughte half this wo to make skilfully. 1265 +For there is art y-now for to redresse +That yet is mis, and sleen this hevinesse. + +`Sooth is, the wo, the whiche that we ben inne, +For ought I woot, for no-thing elles is +But for the cause that we sholden twinne. 1270 +Considered al, ther nis no-more amis. +But what is thanne a remede un-to this, +But that we shape us sone for to mete? +This al and som, my dere herte swete. + +`Now that I shal wel bringen it aboute 1275 +To come ayein, sone after that I go, +Ther-of am I no maner thing in doute. +For dredeles, with-inne a wouke or two, +I shal ben here; and, that it may be so +By alle right, and in a wordes fewe, 1280 +I shal yow wel an heep of weyes shewe. + +`For which I wol not make long sermoun, +For tyme y-lost may not recovered be; +But I wol gon to my conclusioun, +And to the beste, in ought that I can see. 1285 +And, for the love of god, for-yeve it me +If I speke ought ayein your hertes reste; +For trewely, I speke it for the beste; + +`Makinge alwey a protestacioun, +That now these wordes, whiche that I shal seye, 1290 +Nis but to shewe yow my mocioun, +To finde un-to our helpe the beste weye; +And taketh it non other wyse, I preye. +For in effect what-so ye me comaunde, +That wol I doon, for that is no demaunde. 1295 + +`Now herkneth this, ye han wel understonde, +My goinge graunted is by parlement +So ferforth, that it may not be with-stonde +For al this world, as by my Iugement. +And sin ther helpeth noon avysement 1300 +To letten it, lat it passe out of minde; +And lat us shape a bettre wey to finde. + +`The sothe is, that the twinninge of us tweyne +Wol us disese and cruelliche anoye. +But him bihoveth som-tyme han a peyne, 1305 +That serveth love, if that he wol have Ioye. +And sin I shal no ferthere out of Troye +Than I may ryde ayein on half a morwe, +It oughte lesse causen us to sorwe. + +`So as I shal not so ben hid in muwe, 1310 +That day by day, myn owene herte dere, +Sin wel ye woot that it is now a trewe, +Ye shal ful wel al myn estat y-here. +And er that truwe is doon, I shal ben here, +And thanne have ye bothe Antenor y-wonne 1315 +And me also; beth glad now, if ye conne; + +`And thenk right thus, "Criseyde is now agoon, +But what! She shal come hastely ayeyn;" +And whanne, allas? By god, lo, right anoon, +Er dayes ten, this dar I saufly seyn. 1320 +And thanne at erste shul we been so fayn, +So as we shulle to-gederes ever dwelle, +That al this world ne mighte our blisse telle. + +`I see that ofte, ther-as we ben now, +That for the beste, our counseil for to hyde, 1325 +Ye speke not with me, nor I with yow +In fourtenight; ne see yow go ne ryde. +May ye not ten dayes thanne abyde, +For myn honour, in swich an aventure? +Y-wis, ye mowen elles lite endure! 1330 + +`Ye knowe eek how that al my kin is here, +But-if that onliche it my fader be; +And eek myn othere thinges alle y-fere, +And nameliche, my dere herte, ye, +Whom that I nolde leven for to see 1335 +For al this world, as wyd as it hath space; +Or elles, see ich never Ioves face! + +`Why trowe ye my fader in this wyse +Coveiteth so to see me, but for drede +Lest in this toun that folkes me dispyse 1340 +By-cause of him, for his unhappy dede? +What woot my fader what lyf that I lede? +For if he wiste in Troye how wel I fare, +Us neded for my wending nought to care. + +`Ye seen that every day eek, more and more, 1345 +Men trete of pees; and it supposed is, +That men the quene Eleyne shal restore, +And Grekes us restore that is mis. +So though ther nere comfort noon but this, +That men purposen pees on every syde, 1350 +Ye may the bettre at ese of herte abyde. + +`For if that it be pees, myn herte dere, +The nature of the pees mot nedes dryve +That men moste entrecomunen y-fere, +And to and fro eek ryde and gon as blyve 1355 +Alday as thikke as been flen from an hyve; +And every wight han libertee to bleve +Where-as him list the bet, with-outen leve. + +`And though so be that pees ther may be noon, +Yet hider, though ther never pees ne were, 1360 +I moste come; for whider sholde I goon, +Or how mischaunce sholde I dwelle there +Among tho men of armes ever in fere? +For which, as wisly god my soule rede, +I can not seen wher-of ye sholden drede. 1365 + +`Have here another wey, if it so be +That al this thing ne may yow not suffyse. +My fader, as ye knowen wel, pardee, +Is old, and elde is ful of coveityse, +And I right now have founden al the gyse, 1370 +With-oute net, wher-with I shal him hente; +And herkeneth how, if that ye wole assente. + +`Lo, Troilus, men seyn that hard it is +The wolf ful, and the wether hool to have; +This is to seyn, that men ful ofte, y-wis, 1375 +Mot spenden part, the remenant for to save. +For ay with gold men may the herte grave +Of him that set is up-on coveityse; +And how I mene, I shal it yow devyse. + +`The moeble which that I have in this toun 1380 +Un-to my fader shal I take, and seye, +That right for trust and for savacioun +It sent is from a freend of his or tweye, +The whiche freendes ferventliche him preye +To senden after more, and that in hye, 1385 +Whyl that this toun stant thus in Iupartye. + +`And that shal been an huge quantitee, +Thus shal I seyn, but, lest it folk aspyde, +This may be sent by no wight but by me; +I shal eek shewen him, if pees bityde, 1390 +What frendes that ich have on every syde +Toward the court, to doon the wrathe pace +Of Priamus, and doon him stonde in grace. + +`So what for o thing and for other, swete, +I shal him so enchaunten with my sawes, 1395 +That right in hevene his sowle is, shal he mete! +For al Appollo, or his clerkes lawes, +Or calculinge avayleth nought three hawes; +Desyr of gold shal so his sowle blende, +That, as me lyst, I shal wel make an ende. 1400 + +`And if he wolde ought by his sort it preve +If that I lye, in certayn I shal fonde +Distorben him, and plukke him by the sleve, +Makinge his sort, and beren him on honde, +He hath not wel the goddes understonde. 1405 +For goddes speken in amphibologyes, +And, for o sooth they tellen twenty lyes. + +`Eek drede fond first goddes, I suppose, +Thus shal I seyn, and that his cowarde herte +Made him amis the goddes text to glose, 1410 +Whan he for ferde out of his Delphos sterte. +And but I make him sone to converte, +And doon my reed with-inne a day or tweye, +I wol to yow oblige me to deye.' + +And treweliche, as writen wel I finde, 1415 +That al this thing was seyd of good entente; +And that hir herte trewe was and kinde +Towardes him, and spak right as she mente, +And that she starf for wo neigh, whan she wente, +And was in purpos ever to be trewe; 1420 +Thus writen they that of hir werkes knewe. + +This Troilus, with herte and eres spradde, +Herde al this thing devysen to and fro; +And verraylich him semed that he hadde +The selve wit; but yet to lete hir go 1425 +His herte misforyaf him ever-mo. +But fynally, he gan his herte wreste +To trusten hir, and took it for the beste. + +For which the grete furie of his penaunce +Was queynt with hope, and ther-with hem bitwene 1430 +Bigan for Ioye the amorouse daunce. +And as the briddes, whan the sonne is shene, +Delyten in hir song in leves grene, +Right so the wordes that they spake y-fere +Delyted hem, and made hir hertes clere. 1435 + +But natheles, the wending of Criseyde, +For al this world, may nought out of his minde; +For which ful ofte he pitously hir preyde, +That of hir heste he might hir trewe finde, +And seyde hire, `Certes, if ye be unkinde, 1440 +And but ye come at day set in-to Troye, +Ne shal I never have hele, honour, ne Ioye. + +`For al-so sooth as sonne up-rist on morwe, +And, god! So wisly thou me, woful wrecche, +To reste bringe out of this cruel sorwe, 1445 +I wol my-selven slee if that ye drecche. +But of my deeth though litel be to recche, +Yet, er that ye me cause so to smerte, +Dwel rather here, myn owene swete herte! + +`For trewely, myn owene lady dere, 1450 +Tho sleightes yet that I have herd yow stere +Ful shaply been to failen alle y-fere. +For thus men seyn, "That oon thenketh the bere, +But al another thenketh his ledere." +Your sire is wys, and seyd is, out of drede, 1455 +"Men may the wyse at-renne, and not at-rede." + +`It is ful hard to halten unespyed +Bifore a crepul, for he can the craft; +Your fader is in sleighte as Argus yed; +For al be that his moeble is him biraft, 1460 +His olde sleighte is yet so with him laft, +Ye shal not blende him for your womanhede, +Ne feyne a-right, and that is al my drede. + +`I noot if pees shal ever-mo bityde; +But, pees or no, for ernest ne for game, 1465 +I woot, sin Calkas on the Grekis syde +Hath ones been, and lost so foule his name, +He dar no more come here ayein for shame; +For which that weye, for ought I can espye, +To trusten on, nis but a fantasye. 1470 + +`Ye shal eek seen, your fader shal yow glose +To been a wyf, and as he can wel preche, +He shal som Grek so preyse and wel alose, +That ravisshen he shal yow with his speche, +Or do yow doon by force as he shal teche. 1475 +And Troilus, of whom ye nil han routhe, +Shal causeles so sterven in his trouthe! + +`And over al this, your fader shal despyse +Us alle, and seyn this citee nis but lorn; +And that thassege never shal aryse, 1480 +For-why the Grekes han it alle sworn +Til we be slayn, and doun our walles torn. +And thus he shal yow with his wordes fere, +That ay drede I, that ye wol bleve there. + +`Ye shul eek seen so many a lusty knight 1485 +A-mong the Grekes, ful of worthinesse, +And eche of hem with herte, wit, and might +To plesen yow don al his besinesse, +That ye shul dullen of the rudenesse +Of us sely Troianes, but-if routhe 1490 +Remorde yow, or vertue of your trouthe. + +`And this to me so grevous is to thinke, +That fro my brest it wol my soule rende; +Ne dredeles, in me ther may not sinke +A good opinioun, if that ye wende; 1495 +For-why your faderes sleighte wol us shende. +And if ye goon, as I have told yow yore, +So thenk I nam but deed, with-oute more. + +`For which, with humble, trewe, and pitous herte, +A thousand tymes mercy I yow preye; 1500 +So reweth on myn aspre peynes smerte, +And doth somwhat, as that I shal yow seye, +And lat us stele away bitwixe us tweye; +And thenk that folye is, whan man may chese, +For accident his substaunce ay to lese. 1505 + +`I mene this, that sin we mowe er day +Wel stele away, and been to-gider so, +What wit were it to putten in assay, +In cas ye sholden to your fader go, +If that ye mighte come ayein or no? 1510 +Thus mene I, that it were a gret folye +To putte that sikernesse in Iupertye. + +`And vulgarly to speken of substaunce +Of tresour, may we bothe with us lede +Y-nough to live in honour and plesaunce, 1515 +Til in-to tyme that we shal ben dede; +And thus we may eschewen al this drede. +For everich other wey ye can recorde, +Myn herte, y-wis, may not ther-with acorde. + +`And hardily, ne dredeth no poverte, 1520 +For I have kin and freendes elles-where +That, though we comen in oure bare sherte, +Us sholde neither lakke gold ne gere, +But been honured whyl we dwelten there. +And go we anoon, for, as in myn entente, 1525 +This is the beste, if that ye wole assente.' + +Criseyde, with a syk, right in this wyse +Answerde, `Y-wis, my dere herte trewe, +We may wel stele away, as ye devyse, +And finde swich unthrifty weyes newe; 1530 +But afterward, ful sore it wol us rewe. +And help me god so at my moste nede +As causeles ye suffren al this drede! + +`For thilke day that I for cherisshinge +Or drede of fader, or of other wight, 1535 +Or for estat, delyt, or for weddinge, +Be fals to yow, my Troilus, my knight, +Saturnes doughter, Iuno, thorugh hir might, +As wood as Athamante do me dwelle +Eternaly in Stix, the put of helle! 1540 + +`And this on every god celestial +I swere it yow; and eek on eche goddesse, +On every Nymphe and deite infernal, +On Satiry and Fauny more and lesse, +That halve goddes been of wildernesse; 1545 +And Attropos my threed of lyf to-breste +If I be fals; now trowe me if thow leste! + +`And thou, Simoys, that as an arwe clere +Thorugh Troye rennest ay downward to the see, +Ber witnesse of this word that seyd is here, 1550 +That thilke day that ich untrewe be +To Troilus, myn owene herte free, +That thou retorne bakwarde to thy welle, +And I with body and soule sinke in helle! + +`But that ye speke, awey thus for to go 1555 +And leten alle your freendes, god for-bede, +For any womman, that ye sholden so, +And namely, sin Troye hath now swich nede +Of help; and eek of o thing taketh hede, +If this were wist, my lif laye in balaunce, 1560 +And your honour; god shilde us fro mischaunce! + +`And if so be that pees her-after take, +As alday happeth, after anger, game, +Why, lord! The sorwe and wo ye wolden make, +That ye ne dorste come ayein for shame! 1565 +And er that ye Iuparten so your name, +Beth nought to hasty in this hote fare; +For hasty man ne wanteth never care. + +`What trowe ye the peple eek al aboute +Wolde of it seye? It is ful light to arede. 1570 +They wolden seye, and swere it, out of doute, +That love ne droof yow nought to doon this dede, +But lust voluptuous and coward drede. +Thus were al lost, y-wis, myn herte dere, +Your honour, which that now shyneth so clere. 1575 + +`And also thenketh on myn honestee, +That floureth yet, how foule I sholde it shende, +And with what filthe it spotted sholde be, +If in this forme I sholde with yow wende. +Ne though I livede un-to the worldes ende, 1580 +My name sholde I never ayeinward winne; +Thus were I lost, and that were routhe and sinne. + +`And for-thy slee with reson al this hete; +Men seyn, "The suffraunt overcometh," pardee; +Eek "Who-so wol han leef, he lief mot lete;" 1585 +Thus maketh vertue of necessitee +By pacience, and thenk that lord is he +Of fortune ay, that nought wol of hir recche; +And she ne daunteth no wight but a wrecche. + +`And trusteth this, that certes, herte swete, 1590 +Er Phebus suster, Lucina the shene, +The Leoun passe out of this Ariete, +I wol ben here, with-outen any wene. +I mene, as helpe me Iuno, hevenes quene, +The tenthe day, but-if that deeth me assayle, 1595 +I wol yow seen with-outen any fayle.' + +`And now, so this be sooth,' quod Troilus, +`I shal wel suffre un-to the tenthe day, +Sin that I see that nede it moot be thus. +But, for the love of god, if it be may, 1600 +So lat us stele prively away; +For ever in oon, as for to live in reste, +Myn herte seyth that it wol been the beste.' + +`O mercy, god, what lyf is this?' quod she; +`Allas, ye slee me thus for verray tene! 1605 +I see wel now that ye mistrusten me; +For by your wordes it is wel y-sene. +Now, for the love of Cynthia the shene, +Mistrust me not thus causeles, for routhe; +Sin to be trewe I have yow plight my trouthe. 1610 + +`And thenketh wel, that som tyme it is wit +To spende a tyme, a tyme for to winne; +Ne, pardee, lorn am I nought fro yow yit, +Though that we been a day or two a-twinne. +Dryf out the fantasyes yow with-inne; 1615 +And trusteth me, and leveth eek your sorwe, +Or here my trouthe, I wol not live til morwe. + +`For if ye wiste how sore it doth me smerte, +Ye wolde cesse of this; for god, thou wost, +The pure spirit wepeth in myn herte, 1620 +To see yow wepen that I love most, +And that I moot gon to the Grekes ost. +Ye, nere it that I wiste remedye +To come ayein, right here I wolde dye! + +`But certes, I am not so nyce a wight 1625 +That I ne can imaginen a wey +To come ayein that day that I have hight. +For who may holde thing that wol a-way? +My fader nought, for al his queynte pley. +And by my thrift, my wending out of Troye 1630 +Another day shal torne us alle to Ioye. + +`For-thy, with al myn herte I yow beseke, +If that yow list don ought for my preyere, +And for the love which that I love yow eke, +That er that I departe fro yow here, 1635 +That of so good a comfort and a chere +I may you seen, that ye may bringe at reste +Myn herte, which that is at point to breste. + +`And over al this I pray yow,' quod she tho, +`Myn owene hertes soothfast suffisaunce, 1640 +Sin I am thyn al hool, with-outen mo, +That whyl that I am absent, no plesaunce +Of othere do me fro your remembraunce. +For I am ever a-gast, for-why men rede, +That "love is thing ay ful of bisy drede." 1645 + +`For in this world ther liveth lady noon, +If that ye were untrewe, as god defende! +That so bitraysed were or wo bigoon +As I, that alle trouthe in yow entende. +And douteles, if that ich other wende, 1650 +I nere but deed; and er ye cause finde, +For goddes love, so beth me not unkinde.' + +To this answerde Troilus and seyde, +`Now god, to whom ther nis no cause y-wrye, +Me glade, as wis I never un-to Criseyde, 1655 +Sin thilke day I saw hir first with ye, +Was fals, ne never shal til that I dye. +At shorte wordes, wel ye may me leve; +I can no more, it shal be founde at preve.' + +`Graunt mercy, goode myn, y-wis,' quod she, 1660 +`And blisful Venus lat me never sterve +Er I may stonde of plesaunce in degree +To quyte him wel, that so wel can deserve; +And whyl that god my wit wol me conserve, +I shal so doon, so trewe I have yow founde, 1665 +That ay honour to me-ward shal rebounde. + +`For trusteth wel, that your estat royal +Ne veyn delyt, nor only worthinesse +Of yow in werre, or torney marcial, +Ne pompe, array, nobley, or eek richesse, 1670 +Ne made me to rewe on your distresse; +But moral vertue, grounded upon trouthe, +That was the cause I first hadde on yow routhe! + +`Eek gentil herte and manhod that ye hadde, +And that ye hadde, as me thoughte, in despyt 1675 +Every thing that souned in-to badde, +As rudenesse and poeplish appetyt; +And that your reson brydled your delyt, +This made, aboven every creature, +That I was your, and shal, whyl I may dure. 1680 + +`And this may lengthe of yeres not for-do, +Ne remuable fortune deface; +But Iuppiter, that of his might may do +The sorwful to be glad, so yeve us grace, +Er nightes ten, to meten in this place, 1685 +So that it may your herte and myn suffyse; +And fareth now wel, for tyme is that ye ryse.' + +And after that they longe y-pleyned hadde, +And ofte y-kist, and streite in armes folde, +The day gan ryse, and Troilus him cladde, 1690 +And rewfulliche his lady gan biholde, +As he that felte dethes cares colde, +And to hir grace he gan him recomaunde; +Wher him was wo, this holde I no demaunde. + +For mannes heed imaginen ne can, 1695 +Ne entendement considere, ne tonge telle +The cruel peynes of this sorwful man, +That passen every torment doun in helle. +For whan he saugh that she ne mighte dwelle, +Which that his soule out of his herte rente, 1700 +With-outen more, out of the chaumbre he wente. + +Explicit Liber Quartus. + + + +BOOK V + +Incipit Liber Quintus. + +Aprochen gan the fatal destinee +That Ioves hath in disposicioun, +And to yow, angry Parcas, sustren three, +Committeth, to don execucioun; +For which Criseyde moste out of the toun, 5 +And Troilus shal dwelle forth in pyne +Til Lachesis his threed no lenger twyne. -- + +The golden-tressed Phebus heighe on-lofte +Thryes hadde alle with his bemes shene +The snowes molte, and Zephirus as ofte 10 +Y-brought ayein the tendre leves grene, +Sin that the sone of Ecuba the quene +Bigan to love hir first, for whom his sorwe +Was al, that she departe sholde a-morwe. + +Ful redy was at pryme Dyomede, 15 +Criseyde un-to the Grekes ost to lede, +For sorwe of which she felt hir herte blede, +As she that niste what was best to rede. +And trewely, as men in bokes rede, +Men wiste never womman han the care, 20 +Ne was so looth out of a toun to fare. + +This Troilus, with-outen reed or lore, +As man that hath his Ioyes eek forlore, +Was waytinge on his lady ever-more +As she that was the soothfast crop and more 25 +Of al his lust, or Ioyes here-tofore. +But Troilus, now farewel al thy Ioye, +For shaltow never seen hir eft in Troye! + +Soth is, that whyl he bood in this manere, +He gan his wo ful manly for to hyde. 30 +That wel unnethe it seen was in his chere; +But at the yate ther she sholde oute ryde +With certeyn folk, he hoved hir tabyde, +So wo bigoon, al wolde he nought him pleyne, +That on his hors unnethe he sat for peyne. 35 + +For ire he quook, so gan his herte gnawe, +Whan Diomede on horse gan him dresse, +And seyde un-to him-self this ilke sawe, +`Allas,' quod he, `thus foul a wrecchednesse +Why suffre ich it, why nil ich it redresse? 40 +Were it not bet at ones for to dye +Than ever-more in langour thus to drye? + +`Why nil I make at ones riche and pore +To have y-nough to done, er that she go? +Why nil I bringe al Troye upon a rore? 45 +Why nil I sleen this Diomede also? +Why nil I rather with a man or two +Stele hir a-way? Why wol I this endure? +Why nil I helpen to myn owene cure?' + +But why he nolde doon so fel a dede, 50 +That shal I seyn, and why him liste it spare; +He hadde in herte alweyes a maner drede, +Lest that Criseyde, in rumour of this fare, +Sholde han ben slayn; lo, this was al his care. +And ellis, certeyn, as I seyde yore, 55 +He hadde it doon, with-outen wordes more. + +Criseyde, whan she redy was to ryde, +Ful sorwfully she sighte, and seyde `Allas!' +But forth she moot, for ought that may bityde, +And forth she rit ful sorwfully a pas. 60 +Ther nis non other remedie in this cas. +What wonder is though that hir sore smerte, +Whan she forgoth hir owene swete herte? + +This Troilus, in wyse of curteisye, +With hauke on hond, and with an huge route 65 +Of knightes, rood and dide hir companye, +Passinge al the valey fer with-oute, +And ferther wolde han riden, out of doute, +Ful fayn, and wo was him to goon so sone; +But torne he moste, and it was eek to done. 70 + +And right with that was Antenor y-come +Out of the Grekes ost, and every wight +Was of it glad, and seyde he was wel-come. +And Troilus, al nere his herte light, +He peyned him with al his fulle might 75 +Him to with-holde of wepinge at the leste, +And Antenor he kiste, and made feste. + +And ther-with-al he moste his leve take, +And caste his eye upon hir pitously, +And neer he rood, his cause for to make, 80 +To take hir by the honde al sobrely. +And lord! So she gan wepen tendrely! +And he ful softe and sleighly gan hir seye, +`Now hold your day, and dooth me not to deye.' + +With that his courser torned he a-boute 85 +With face pale, and un-to Diomede +No word he spak, ne noon of al his route; +Of which the sone of Tydeus took hede, +As he that coude more than the crede +In swich a craft, and by the reyne hir hente; 90 +And Troilus to Troye homwarde he wente. + +This Diomede, that ladde hir by the brydel, +Whan that he saw the folk of Troye aweye, +Thoughte, `Al my labour shal not been on ydel, +If that I may, for somwhat shal I seye, 95 +For at the worste it may yet shorte our weye. +I have herd seyd, eek tymes twyes twelve, +"He is a fool that wol for-yete him-selve."' + +But natheles this thoughte he wel ynough, +`That certaynly I am aboute nought, 100 +If that I speke of love, or make it tough; +For douteles, if she have in hir thought +Him that I gesse, he may not been y-brought +So sone awey; but I shal finde a mene, +That she not wite as yet shal what I mene.' 105 + +This Diomede, as he that coude his good, +Whan this was doon, gan fallen forth in speche +Of this and that, and asked why she stood +In swich disese, and gan hir eek biseche, +That if that he encrese mighte or eche 110 +With any thing hir ese, that she sholde +Comaunde it him, and seyde he doon it wolde. + +For trewely he swoor hir, as a knight, +That ther nas thing with whiche he mighte hir plese, +That he nolde doon his peyne and al his might 115 +To doon it, for to doon hir herte an ese. +And preyede hir, she wolde hir sorwe apese, +And seyde, `Y-wis, we Grekes con have Ioye +To honouren yow, as wel as folk of Troye.' + +He seyde eek thus, `I woot, yow thinketh straunge, 120 +No wonder is, for it is to yow newe, +Thaqueintaunce of these Troianis to chaunge, +For folk of Grece, that ye never knewe. +But wolde never god but-if as trewe +A Greek ye shulde among us alle finde 125 +As any Troian is, and eek as kinde. + +`And by the cause I swoor yow right, lo, now, +To been your freend, and helply, to my might, +And for that more aqueintaunce eek of yow +Have ich had than another straunger wight, 130 +So fro this forth, I pray yow, day and night, +Comaundeth me, how sore that me smerte, +To doon al that may lyke un-to your herte; + +`And that ye me wolde as your brother trete, +And taketh not my frendship in despyt; 135 +And though your sorwes be for thinges grete, +Noot I not why, but out of more respyt, +Myn herte hath for to amende it greet delyt. +And if I may your harmes not redresse, +I am right sory for your hevinesse, 140 + +`And though ye Troians with us Grekes wrothe +Han many a day be, alwey yet, pardee, +O god of love in sooth we serven bothe. +And, for the love of god, my lady free, +Whom so ye hate, as beth not wroth with me. 145 +For trewely, ther can no wight yow serve, +That half so looth your wraththe wolde deserve. + +`And nere it that we been so neigh the tente +Of Calkas, which that seen us bothe may, +I wolde of this yow telle al myn entente; 150 +But this enseled til another day. +Yeve me your hond, I am, and shal ben ay, +God help me so, whyl that my lyf may dure, +Your owene aboven every creature. + +`Thus seyde I never er now to womman born; 155 +For god myn herte as wisly glade so, +I lovede never womman here-biforn +As paramours, ne never shal no mo. +And, for the love of god, beth not my fo; +Al can I not to yow, my lady dere, 160 +Compleyne aright, for I am yet to lere. + +`And wondreth not, myn owene lady bright, +Though that I speke of love to you thus blyve; +For I have herd or this of many a wight, +Hath loved thing he never saugh his lyve. 165 +Eek I am not of power for to stryve +Ayens the god of love, but him obeye +I wol alwey, and mercy I yow preye. + +`Ther been so worthy knightes in this place, +And ye so fair, that everich of hem alle 170 +Wol peynen him to stonden in your grace. +But mighte me so fair a grace falle, +That ye me for your servaunt wolde calle, +So lowly ne so trewely you serve +Nil noon of hem, as I shal, til I sterve.' 175 + +Criseide un-to that purpos lyte answerde, +As she that was with sorwe oppressed so +That, in effect, she nought his tales herde, +But here and there, now here a word or two. +Hir thoughte hir sorwful herte brast a-two. 180 +For whan she gan hir fader fer aspye, +Wel neigh doun of hir hors she gan to sye. + +But natheles she thonked Diomede +Of al his travaile, and his goode chere, +And that him liste his friendship hir to bede; 185 +And she accepteth it in good manere, +And wolde do fayn that is him leef and dere; +And trusten him she wolde, and wel she mighte, +As seyde she, and from hir hors she alighte. + +Hir fader hath hir in his armes nome, 190 +And tweynty tyme he kiste his doughter swete, +And seyde, `O dere doughter myn, wel-come!' +She seyde eek, she was fayn with him to mete, +And stood forth mewet, milde, and mansuete. +But here I leve hir with hir fader dwelle, 195 +And forth I wol of Troilus yow telle. + +To Troye is come this woful Troilus, +In sorwe aboven alle sorwes smerte, +With felon look, and face dispitous. +Tho sodeinly doun from his hors he sterte, 200 +And thorugh his paleys, with a swollen herte, +To chambre he wente; of no-thing took he hede, +Ne noon to him dar speke a word for drede. + +And there his sorwes that he spared hadde +He yaf an issue large, and `Deeth!' he cryde; 205 +And in his throwes frenetyk and madde +He cursed Iove, Appollo, and eek Cupyde, +He cursed Ceres, Bacus, and Cipryde, +His burthe, him-self, his fate, and eek nature, +And, save his lady, every creature. 210 + +To bedde he goth, and weyleth there and torneth +In furie, as dooth he, Ixion in helle; +And in this wyse he neigh til day soiorneth. +But tho bigan his herte a lyte unswelle +Thorugh teres which that gonnen up to welle; 215 +And pitously he cryde up-on Criseyde, +And to him-self right thus he spak, and seyde: -- + +`Wher is myn owene lady lief and dere, +Wher is hir whyte brest, wher is it, where? +Wher ben hir armes and hir eyen clere, 220 +That yesternight this tyme with me were? +Now may I wepe allone many a tere, +And graspe aboute I may, but in this place, +Save a pilowe, I finde nought tenbrace. + +`How shal I do? Whan shal she com ayeyn? 225 +I noot, allas! Why leet ich hir to go? +As wolde god, ich hadde as tho be sleyn! +O herte myn, Criseyde, O swete fo! +O lady myn, that I love and no mo! +To whom for ever-mo myn herte I dowe; 230 +See how I deye, ye nil me not rescowe! + +`Who seeth yow now, my righte lode-sterre? +Who sit right now or stant in your presence? +Who can conforten now your hertes werre? +Now I am gon, whom yeve ye audience? 235 +Who speketh for me right now in myn absence? +Allas, no wight; and that is al my care; +For wel wot I, as yvel as I ye fare. + +`How sholde I thus ten dayes ful endure, +Whan I the firste night have al this tene? 240 +How shal she doon eek, sorwful creature? +For tendernesse, how shal she this sustene, +Swich wo for me? O pitous, pale, and grene +Shal been your fresshe wommanliche face +For langour, er ye torne un-to this place.' 245 + +And whan he fil in any slomeringes, +Anoon biginne he sholde for to grone, +And dremen of the dredfulleste thinges +That mighte been; as, mete he were allone +In place horrible, makinge ay his mone, 250 +Or meten that he was amonges alle +His enemys, and in hir hondes falle. + +And ther-with-al his body sholde sterte, +And with the stert al sodeinliche awake, +And swich a tremour fele aboute his herte, 255 +That of the feer his body sholde quake; +And there-with-al he sholde a noyse make, +And seme as though he sholde falle depe +From heighe a-lofte; and than he wolde wepe, + +And rewen on him-self so pitously, 260 +That wonder was to here his fantasye. +Another tyme he sholde mightily +Conforte him-self, and seyn it was folye, +So causeles swich drede for to drye, +And eft biginne his aspre sorwes newe, 265 +That every man mighte on his sorwes rewe. + +Who coude telle aright or ful discryve +His wo, his pleynt, his langour, and his pyne? +Nought al the men that han or been on-lyve. +Thou, redere, mayst thy-self ful wel devyne 270 +That swich a wo my wit can not defyne. +On ydel for to wryte it sholde I swinke, +Whan that my wit is wery it to thinke. + +On hevene yet the sterres were sene, +Al-though ful pale y-waxen was the mone; 275 +And whyten gan the orisonte shene +Al estward, as it woned is for to done. +And Phebus with his rosy carte sone +Gan after that to dresse him up to fare, +Whan Troilus hath sent after Pandare. 280 + +This Pandare, that of al the day biforn +Ne mighte han comen Troilus to see, +Al-though he on his heed it hadde y-sworn, +For with the king Pryam alday was he, +So that it lay not in his libertee 285 +No-wher to gon, but on the morwe he wente +To Troilus, whan that he for him sente. + +For in his herte he coude wel devyne, +That Troilus al night for sorwe wook; +And that he wolde telle him of his pyne, 290 +This knew he wel y-nough, with-oute book. +For which to chaumbre streight the wey he took, +And Troilus tho sobreliche he grette, +And on the bed ful sone he gan him sette. + +`My Pandarus,' quod Troilus, `the sorwe 295 +Which that I drye, I may not longe endure. +I trowe I shal not liven til to-morwe; +For whiche I wolde alwey, on aventure, +To thee devysen of my sepulture +The forme, and of my moeble thou dispone 300 +Right as thee semeth best is for to done. + +`But of the fyr and flaumbe funeral +In whiche my body brenne shal to glede, +And of the feste and pleyes palestral +At my vigile, I prey thee tak good hede 305 +That be wel; and offre Mars my stede, +My swerd, myn helm, and, leve brother dere, +My sheld to Pallas yef, that shyneth clere. + +`The poudre in which myn herte y-brend shal torne, +That preye I thee thou take and it conserve 310 +In a vessel, that men clepeth an urne, +Of gold, and to my lady that I serve, +For love of whom thus pitously I sterve, +So yeve it hir, and do me this plesaunce, +To preye hir kepe it for a remembraunce. 315 + +`For wel I fele, by my maladye, +And by my dremes now and yore ago, +Al certeinly, that I mot nedes dye. +The owle eek, which that hight Ascaphilo, +Hath after me shright alle thise nightes two. 320 +And, god Mercurie! Of me now, woful wrecche, +The soule gyde, and, whan thee list, it fecche!' + +Pandare answerde, and seyde, `Troilus, +My dere freend, as I have told thee yore, +That it is folye for to sorwen thus, 325 +And causeles, for whiche I can no-more. +But who-so wol not trowen reed ne lore, +I can not seen in him no remedye, +But lete him worthen with his fantasye. + +`But Troilus, I pray thee tel me now, 330 +If that thou trowe, er this, that any wight +Hath loved paramours as wel as thou? +Ye, god wot, and fro many a worthy knight +Hath his lady goon a fourtenight, +And he not yet made halvendel the fare. 335 +What nede is thee to maken al this care? + +`Sin day by day thou mayst thy-selven see +That from his love, or elles from his wyf, +A man mot twinnen of necessitee, +Ye, though he love hir as his owene lyf; 340 +Yet nil he with him-self thus maken stryf. +For wel thow wost, my leve brother dere, +That alwey freendes may nought been y-fere. + +`How doon this folk that seen hir loves wedded +By freendes might, as it bi-tit ful ofte, 345 +And seen hem in hir spouses bed y-bedded? +God woot, they take it wysly, faire and softe. +For-why good hope halt up hir herte on-lofte, +And for they can a tyme of sorwe endure; +As tyme hem hurt, a tyme doth hem cure. 350 + +`So sholdestow endure, and late slyde +The tyme, and fonde to ben glad and light. +Ten dayes nis so longe not tabyde. +And sin she thee to comen hath bihight, +She nil hir hestes breken for no wight. 355 +For dred thee not that she nil finden weye +To come ayein, my lyf that dorste I leye. + +`Thy swevenes eek and al swich fantasye +Dryf out, and lat hem faren to mischaunce; +For they procede of thy malencolye, 360 +That doth thee fele in sleep al this penaunce. +A straw for alle swevenes signifiaunce! +God helpe me so, I counte hem not a bene, +Ther woot no man aright what dremes mene. + +`For prestes of the temple tellen this, 365 +That dremes been the revelaciouns +Of goddes, and as wel they telle, y-wis, +That they ben infernals illusiouns; +And leches seyn, that of complexiouns +Proceden they, or fast, or glotonye. 370 +Who woot in sooth thus what they signifye? + +`Eek othere seyn that thorugh impressiouns, +As if a wight hath faste a thing in minde, +That ther-of cometh swiche avisiouns; +And othere seyn, as they in bokes finde, 375 +That, after tymes of the yeer by kinde, +Men dreme, and that theffect goth by the mone; +But leve no dreem, for it is nought to done. + +`Wel worth of dremes ay thise olde wyves, +And treweliche eek augurie of thise foules; 380 +For fere of which men wenen lese her lyves, +As ravenes qualm, or shryking of thise oules. +To trowen on it bothe fals and foul is. +Allas, allas, so noble a creature +As is a man, shal drede swich ordure! 385 + +`For which with al myn herte I thee beseche, +Un-to thy-self that al this thou foryive; +And rys up now with-oute more speche, +And lat us caste how forth may best be drive +This tyme, and eek how freshly we may live 390 +Whan that she cometh, the which shal be right sone; +God help me so, the beste is thus to done. + +`Rys, lat us speke of lusty lyf in Troye +That we han lad, and forth the tyme dryve; +And eek of tyme cominge us reioye, 395 +That bringen shal our blisse now so blyve; +And langour of these twyes dayes fyve +We shal ther-with so foryete or oppresse, +That wel unnethe it doon shal us duresse. + +`This toun is ful of lordes al aboute, 400 +And trewes lasten al this mene whyle. +Go we pleye us in som lusty route +To Sarpedon, not hennes but a myle. +And thus thou shalt the tyme wel bigyle, +And dryve it forth un-to that blisful morwe, 405 +That thou hir see, that cause is of thy sorwe. + +`Now rys, my dere brother Troilus; +For certes, it noon honour is to thee +To wepe, and in thy bedde to iouken thus. +For trewely, of o thing trust to me, 410 +If thou thus ligge a day, or two, or three, +The folk wol wene that thou, for cowardyse, +Thee feynest syk, and that thou darst not ryse.' + +This Troilus answerde, `O brother dere, +This knowen folk that han y-suffred peyne, 415 +That though he wepe and make sorwful chere, +That feleth harm and smert in every veyne, +No wonder is; and though I ever pleyne, +Or alwey wepe, I am no-thing to blame, +Sin I have lost the cause of al my game. 420 + +`But sin of fyne force I moot aryse, +I shal aryse as sone as ever I may; +And god, to whom myn herte I sacrifyse, +So sende us hastely the tenthe day! +For was ther never fowl so fayn of May, 425 +As I shal been, whan that she cometh in Troye, +That cause is of my torment and my Ioye. + +`But whider is thy reed,' quod Troilus, +`That we may pleye us best in al this toun?' +`Bi god, my conseil is,' quod Pandarus, 430 +`To ryde and pleye us with king Sarpedoun.' +So longe of this they speken up and doun, +Til Troilus gan at the laste assente +To ryse, and forth to Sarpedoun they wente. + +This Sarpedoun, as he that honourable 435 +Was ever his lyve, and ful of heigh prowesse, +With al that mighte y-served been on table, +That deyntee was, al coste it greet richesse, +He fedde hem day by day, that swich noblesse, +As seyden bothe the moste and eek the leste, 440 +Was never er that day wist at any feste. + +Nor in this world ther is non instrument +Delicious, through wind, or touche, of corde, +As fer as any wight hath ever y-went, +That tonge telle or herte may recorde, 445 +That at that feste it nas wel herd acorde; +Ne of ladies eek so fayr a companye +On daunce, er tho, was never y-seyn with ye. + +But what avayleth this to Troilus, +That for his sorwe no-thing of it roughte? 450 +For ever in oon his herte pietous +Ful bisily Criseyde his lady soughte. +On hir was ever al that his herte thoughte, +Now this, now that, so faste imagininge, +That glade, y-wis, can him no festeyinge. 455 + +These ladies eek that at this feste been, +Sin that he saw his lady was a-weye, +It was his sorwe upon hem for to seen, +Or for to here on instrumentz so pleye. +For she, that of his herte berth the keye, 460 +Was absent, lo, this was his fantasye, +That no wight sholde make melodye. + +Nor ther nas houre in al the day or night, +Whan he was ther-as no wight mighte him here, +That he ne seyde, `O lufsom lady bright, 465 +How have ye faren, sin that ye were here? +Wel-come, y-wis, myn owene lady dere.' +But welaway, al this nas but a mase; +Fortune his howve entended bet to glase. + +The lettres eek, that she of olde tyme 470 +Hadde him y-sent, he wolde allone rede, +An hundred sythe, a-twixen noon and pryme; +Refiguringe hir shap, hir womanhede, +With-inne his herte, and every word and dede +That passed was, and thus he droof to an ende 475 +The ferthe day, and seyde, he wolde wende. + +And seyde, `Leve brother Pandarus, +Intendestow that we shal here bleve +Til Sarpedoun wol forth congeyen us? +Yet were it fairer that we toke our leve. 480 +For goddes love, lat us now sone at eve +Our leve take, and homward lat us torne; +For trewely, I nil not thus soiourne.' + +Pandare answerde, `Be we comen hider +To fecchen fyr, and rennen hoom ayeyn? 485 +God helpe me so, I can not tellen whider +We mighten goon, if I shal soothly seyn, +Ther any wight is of us more fayn +Than Sarpedoun; and if we hennes hye +Thus sodeinly, I holde it vilanye. 490 + +`Sin that we seyden that we wolde bleve +With him a wouke; and now, thus sodeinly, +The ferthe day to take of him oure leve, +He wolde wondren on it, trewely! +Lat us holde forth our purpos fermely; 495 +And sin that ye bihighten him to byde, +Hold forward now, and after lat us ryde.' + +Thus Pandarus, with alle peyne and wo, +Made him to dwelle; and at the woukes ende, +Of Sarpedoun they toke hir leve tho, 500 +And on hir wey they spedden hem to wende. +Quod Troilus, `Now god me grace sende, +That I may finden, at myn hom-cominge, +Criseyde comen!' And ther-with gan he singe. + +`Ye, hasel-wode!' thoughte this Pandare, 505 +And to him-self ful softely he seyde, +`God woot, refreyden may this hote fare, +Er Calkas sende Troilus Criseyde!' +But natheles, he Iaped thus, and seyde, +And swor, y-wis, his herte him wel bihighte, 510 +She wolde come as sone as ever she mighte. + +Whan they un-to the paleys were y-comen +Of Troilus, they doun of hors alighte, +And to the chambre hir wey than han they nomen. +And in-to tyme that it gan to nighte, 515 +They spaken of Crysede the brighte. +And after this, whan that hem bothe leste, +They spedde hem fro the soper un-to reste. + +On morwe, as sone as day bigan to clere, +This Troilus gan of his sleep tabrayde, 520 +And to Pandare, his owene brother dere, +`For love of god,' ful pitously he seyde, +`As go we seen the paleys of Criseyde; +For sin we yet may have namore feste, +So lat us seen hir paleys at the leste.' 525 + +And ther-with-al, his meyne for to blende, +A cause he fond in toune for to go, +And to Criseydes hous they gonnen wende. +But lord! This sely Troilus was wo! +Him thoughte his sorweful herte braste a-two. 530 +For whan he saugh hir dores sperred alle, +Wel neigh for sorwe a-doun he gan to falle. + +Therwith, whan he was war and gan biholde +How shet was every windowe of the place, +As frost, him thoughte, his herte gan to colde; 535 +For which with chaunged deedlich pale face, +With-outen word, he forth bigan to pace; +And, as god wolde, he gan so faste ryde, +That no wight of his contenance aspyde. + +Than seyde he thus; `O paleys desolat, 540 +O hous, of houses whylom best y-hight, +O paleys empty and disconsolat, +O thou lanterne, of which queynt is the light, +O paleys, whylom day, that now art night, +Wel oughtestow to falle, and I to dye, 545 +Sin she is went that wont was us to gye! + +`O paleys, whylom croune of houses alle, +Enlumined with sonne of alle blisse! +O ring, fro which the ruby is out-falle, +O cause of wo, that cause hast been of lisse! 550 +Yet, sin I may no bet, fayn wolde I kisse +Thy colde dores, dorste I for this route; +And fare-wel shryne, of which the seynt is oute!' + +Ther-with he caste on Pandarus his ye +With chaunged face, and pitous to biholde; 555 +And whan he mighte his tyme aright aspye, +Ay as he rood, to Pandarus he tolde +His newe sorwe, and eek his Ioyes olde, +So pitously and with so dede an hewe, +That every wight mighte on his sorwe rewe. 560 + +Fro thennesforth he rydeth up and doun, +And every thing com him to remembraunce +As he rood forbi places of the toun +In whiche he whylom hadde al his plesaunce. +`Lo, yond saugh I myn owene lady daunce; 565 +And in that temple, with hir eyen clere, +Me coughte first my righte lady dere. + +`And yonder have I herd ful lustily +My dere herte laugh, and yonder pleye +Saugh I hir ones eek ful blisfully. 570 +And yonder ones to me gan she seye, +"Now goode swete, love me wel, I preye." +And yond so goodly gan she me biholde, +That to the deeth myn herte is to hir holde. + +`And at that corner, in the yonder hous, 575 +Herde I myn alderlevest lady dere +So wommanly, with voys melodious, +Singen so wel, so goodly, and so clere, +That in my soule yet me thinketh I here +The blisful soun; and, in that yonder place, 580 +My lady first me took un-to hir grace.' + +Thanne thoughte he thus, `O blisful lord Cupyde, +Whanne I the proces have in my memorie, +How thou me hast wereyed on every syde, +Men might a book make of it, lyk a storie. 585 +What nede is thee to seke on me victorie, +Sin I am thyn, and hoolly at thy wille? +What Ioye hastow thyn owene folk to spille? + +`Wel hastow, lord, y-wroke on me thyn ire, +Thou mighty god, and dredful for to greve! 590 +Now mercy, lord, thou wost wel I desire +Thy grace most, of alle lustes leve, +And live and deye I wol in thy bileve, +For which I naxe in guerdon but a bone, +That thou Criseyde ayein me sende sone. 595 + +`Distreyne hir herte as faste to retorne +As thou dost myn to longen hir to see; +Than woot I wel, that she nil nought soiorne. +Now, blisful lord, so cruel thou ne be +Un-to the blood of Troye, I preye thee, 600 +As Iuno was un-to the blood Thebane, +For which the folk of Thebes caughte hir bane.' + +And after this he to the yates wente +Ther-as Criseyde out-rood a ful good paas, +And up and doun ther made he many a wente, 605 +And to him-self ful ofte he seyde `Allas! +From hennes rood my blisse and my solas! +As wolde blisful god now, for his Ioye, +I mighte hir seen ayein come in-to Troye! + +`And to the yonder hille I gan hir gyde, 610 +Allas! And there I took of hir my leve! +And yond I saugh hir to hir fader ryde, +For sorwe of which myn herte shal to-cleve. +And hider hoom I com whan it was eve; +And here I dwelle out-cast from alle Ioye, 615 +And shal, til I may seen hir eft in Troye.' + +And of him-self imagened he ofte +To ben defet, and pale, and waxen lesse +Than he was wont, and that men seyden softe, +`What may it be? Who can the sothe gesse 620 +Why Troilus hath al this hevinesse?' +And al this nas but his malencolye, +That he hadde of him-self swich fantasye. + +Another tyme imaginen he wolde +That every wight that wente by the weye 625 +Had of him routhe, and that they seyen sholde, +`I am right sory Troilus wole deye.' +And thus he droof a day yet forth or tweye. +As ye have herd, swich lyf right gan he lede, +As he that stood bitwixen hope and drede. 630 + +For which him lyked in his songes shewe +Thencheson of his wo, as he best mighte, +And made a song of wordes but a fewe, +Somwhat his woful herte for to lighte. +And whan he was from every mannes sighte, 635 +With softe voys he, of his lady dere, +That was absent, gan singe as ye may here. + +`O sterre, of which I lost have al the light, +With herte soor wel oughte I to bewayle, +That ever derk in torment, night by night, 640 +Toward my deeth with wind in stere I sayle; +For which the tenthe night if that I fayle +The gyding of thy bemes brighte an houre, +My ship and me Caribdis wole devoure.' + +This song whan he thus songen hadde, sone 645 +He fil ayein in-to his sykes olde; +And every night, as was his wone to done, +He stood the brighte mone to beholde, +And al his sorwe he to the mone tolde; +And seyde, `Y-wis, whan thou art horned newe, 650 +I shal be glad, if al the world be trewe! + +`I saugh thyn hornes olde eek by the morwe, +Whan hennes rood my righte lady dere, +That cause is of my torment and my sorwe; +For whiche, O brighte Lucina the clere, 655 +For love of god, ren faste aboute thy spere! +For whan thyn hornes newe ginne springe, +Than shal she come, that may my blisse bringe!' + +The day is more, and lenger every night, +Than they be wont to be, him thoughte tho; 660 +And that the sonne wente his course unright +By lenger wey than it was wont to go; +And seyde, `Y-wis, me dredeth ever-mo, +The sonnes sone, Pheton, be on-lyve, +And that his fadres cart amis he dryve.' 665 + +Upon the walles faste eek wolde he walke, +And on the Grekes ost he wolde see, +And to him-self right thus he wolde talke, +`Lo, yonder is myn owene lady free, +Or elles yonder, ther tho tentes be! 670 +And thennes comth this eyr, that is so sote, +That in my soule I fele it doth me bote. + +`And hardely this wind, that more and more +Thus stoundemele encreseth in my face, +Is of my ladyes depe sykes sore. 675 +I preve it thus, for in non othere place +Of al this toun, save onliche in this space, +Fele I no wind that souneth so lyk peyne; +It seyth, "Allas! Why twinned be we tweyne?"' + +This longe tyme he dryveth forth right thus, 680 +Til fully passed was the nynthe night; +And ay bi-syde him was this Pandarus, +That bisily dide alle his fulle might +Him to comforte, and make his herte light; +Yevinge him hope alwey, the tenthe morwe 685 +That she shal come, and stinten al his sorwe. + +Up-on that other syde eek was Criseyde, +With wommen fewe, among the Grekes stronge; +For which ful ofte a day `Allas,' she seyde, +`That I was born! Wel may myn herte longe 690 +After my deeth; for now live I to longe! +Allas! And I ne may it not amende; +For now is wors than ever yet I wende. + +`My fader nil for no-thing do me grace +To goon ayein, for nought I can him queme; 695 +And if so be that I my terme passe, +My Troilus shal in his herte deme +That I am fals, and so it may wel seme. +Thus shal I have unthank on every syde; +That I was born, so weylaway the tyde! 700 + +`And if that I me putte in Iupartye, +To stele awey by nighte, and it bifalle +That I be caught, I shal be holde a spye; +Or elles, lo, this drede I most of alle, +If in the hondes of som wrecche I falle, 705 +I am but lost, al be myn herte trewe; +Now mighty god, thou on my sorwe rewe!' + +Ful pale y-waxen was hir brighte face, +Hir limes lene, as she that al the day +Stood whan she dorste, and loked on the place 710 +Ther she was born, and ther she dwelt hadde ay. +And al the night wepinge, allas! she lay. +And thus despeired, out of alle cure, +She ladde hir lyf, this woful creature. + +Ful ofte a day she sighte eek for destresse, 715 +And in hir-self she wente ay portrayinge +Of Troilus the grete worthinesse, +And alle his goodly wordes recordinge +Sin first that day hir love bigan to springe. +And thus she sette hir woful herte a-fyre 720 +Through remembraunce of that she gan desyre. + +In al this world ther nis so cruel herte +That hir hadde herd compleynen in hir sorwe, +That nolde han wopen for hir peynes smerte, +So tendrely she weep, bothe eve and morwe. 725 +Hir nedede no teres for to borwe. +And this was yet the worste of al hir peyne, +Ther was no wight to whom she dorste hir pleyne. + +Ful rewfully she loked up-on Troye, +Biheld the toures heighe and eek the halles; 730 +`Allas!' quod she, `The plesaunce and the Ioye +The whiche that now al torned in-to galle is, +Have I had ofte with-inne yonder walles! +O Troilus, what dostow now,' she seyde; +`Lord! Whether yet thou thenke up-on Criseyde? 735 + +`Allas! I ne hadde trowed on your lore, +And went with yow, as ye me radde er this! +Thanne hadde I now not syked half so sore. +Who mighte han seyd, that I had doon a-mis +To stele awey with swich on as he is? 740 +But al to late cometh the letuarie, +Whan men the cors un-to the grave carie. + +`To late is now to speke of this matere; +Prudence, allas! Oon of thyn eyen three +Me lakked alwey, er that I come here; 745 +On tyme y-passed, wel remembred me; +And present tyme eek coude I wel y-see. +But futur tyme, er I was in the snare, +Coude I not seen; that causeth now my care. + +`But natheles, bityde what bityde, 750 +I shal to-morwe at night, by est or weste, +Out of this ost stele on som maner syde, +And go with Troilus wher-as him leste. +This purpos wol I holde, and this is beste. +No fors of wikked tonges Ianglerye, 755 +For ever on love han wrecches had envye. + +`For who-so wole of every word take hede, +Or rewlen him by every wightes wit, +Ne shal he never thryven, out of drede. +For that that som men blamen ever yit, 760 +Lo, other maner folk commenden it. +And as for me, for al swich variaunce, +Felicitee clepe I my suffisaunce. + +`For which, with-outen any wordes mo, +To Troye I wol, as for conclusioun.' 765 +But god it wot, er fully monthes two, +She was ful fer fro that entencioun. +For bothe Troilus and Troye toun +Shal knotteles through-out hir herte slyde; +For she wol take a purpos for tabyde. 770 + +This Diomede, of whom yow telle I gan, +Goth now, with-inne him-self ay arguinge +With al the sleighte and al that ever he can, +How he may best, with shortest taryinge, +In-to his net Criseydes herte bringe. 775 +To this entente he coude never fyne; +To fisshen hir, he leyde out hook and lyne. + +But natheles, wel in his herte he thoughte, +That she nas nat with-oute a love in Troye, +For never, sithen he hir thennes broughte, 780 +Ne coude he seen her laughe or make Ioye. +He nist how best hir herte for tacoye. +`But for to assaye,' he seyde, `it nought ne greveth; +For he that nought nassayeth, nought nacheveth.' + +Yet seide he to him-self upon a night, 785 +`Now am I not a fool, that woot wel how +Hir wo for love is of another wight, +And here-up-on to goon assaye hir now? +I may wel wite, it nil not been my prow. +For wyse folk in bokes it expresse, 790 +"Men shal not wowe a wight in hevinesse." + +`But who-so mighte winnen swich a flour +From him, for whom she morneth night and day, +He mighte seyn, he were a conquerour.' +And right anoon, as he that bold was ay, 795 +Thoughte in his herte, `Happe how happe may, +Al sholde I deye, I wole hir herte seche; +I shal no more lesen but my speche.' + +This Diomede, as bokes us declare, +Was in his nedes prest and corageous; 800 +With sterne voys and mighty limes square, +Hardy, testif, strong, and chevalrous +Of dedes, lyk his fader Tideus. +And som men seyn, he was of tunge large; +And heir he was of Calidoine and Arge. 805 + +Criseyde mene was of hir stature, +Ther-to of shap, of face, and eek of chere, +Ther mighte been no fairer creature. +And ofte tyme this was hir manere, +To gon y-tressed with hir heres clere 810 +Doun by hir coler at hir bak bihinde, +Which with a threde of gold she wolde binde. + +And, save hir browes ioyneden y-fere, +Ther nas no lak, in ought I can espyen; +But for to speken of hir eyen clere, 815 +Lo, trewely, they writen that hir syen, +That Paradys stood formed in hir yen. +And with hir riche beautee ever-more +Strof love in hir, ay which of hem was more. + +She sobre was, eek simple, and wys with-al, 820 +The beste y-norisshed eek that mighte be, +And goodly of hir speche in general, +Charitable, estatliche, lusty, and free; +Ne never-mo ne lakkede hir pitee; +Tendre-herted, slydinge of corage; 825 +But trewely, I can not telle hir age. + +And Troilus wel waxen was in highte, +And complet formed by proporcioun +So wel, that kinde it not amenden mighte; +Yong, fresshe, strong, and hardy as lyoun; 830 +Trewe as steel in ech condicioun; +On of the beste enteched creature, +That is, or shal, whyl that the world may dure. + +And certainly in storie it is y-founde, +That Troilus was never un-to no wight, 835 +As in his tyme, in no degree secounde +In durring don that longeth to a knight. +Al mighte a geaunt passen him of might, +His herte ay with the firste and with the beste +Stood paregal, to durre don that him leste. 840 + +But for to tellen forth of Diomede: -- +It fil that after, on the tenthe day, +Sin that Criseyde out of the citee yede, +This Diomede, as fresshe as braunche in May, +Com to the tente ther-as Calkas lay, 845 +And feyned him with Calkas han to done; +But what he mente, I shal yow telle sone. + +Criseyde, at shorte wordes for to telle, +Welcomed him, and doun by hir him sette; +And he was ethe y-nough to maken dwelle. 850 +And after this, with-outen longe lette, +The spyces and the wyn men forth hem fette; +And forth they speke of this and that y-fere, +As freendes doon, of which som shal ye here. + +He gan first fallen of the werre in speche 855 +Bitwixe hem and the folk of Troye toun; +And of thassege he gan hir eek byseche, +To telle him what was hir opinioun. +Fro that demaunde he so descendeth doun +To asken hir, if that hir straunge thoughte 860 +The Grekes gyse, and werkes that they wroughte? + +And why hir fader tarieth so longe +To wedden hir un-to som worthy wight? +Criseyde, that was in hir peynes stronge +For love of Troilus, hir owene knight, 865 +As fer-forth as she conning hadde or might, +Answerde him tho; but, as of his entente, +It semed not she wiste what he mente. + +But natheles, this ilke Diomede +Gan in him-self assure, and thus he seyde, 870 +`If ich aright have taken of yow hede, +Me thinketh thus, O lady myn, Criseyde, +That sin I first hond on your brydel leyde, +Whan ye out come of Troye by the morwe, +Ne coude I never seen yow but in sorwe. 875 + +`Can I not seyn what may the cause be +But-if for love of som Troyan it were, +The which right sore wolde athinken me +That ye, for any wight that dwelleth there, +Sholden spille a quarter of a tere, 880 +Or pitously your-selven so bigyle; +For dredelees, it is nought worth the whyle. + +`The folk of Troye, as who seyth, alle and some +In preson been, as ye your-selven see; +Nor thennes shal not oon on-lyve come 885 +For al the gold bitwixen sonne and see. +Trusteth wel, and understondeth me. +Ther shal not oon to mercy goon on-lyve, +Al were he lord of worldes twyes fyve! + +`Swich wreche on hem, for fecching of Eleyne, 890 +Ther shal be take, er that we hennes wende, +That Manes, which that goddes ben of peyne, +Shal been agast that Grekes wol hem shende. +And men shul drede, un-to the worldes ende, +From hennes-forth to ravisshe any quene, 895 +So cruel shal our wreche on hem be sene. + +`And but-if Calkas lede us with ambages, +That is to seyn, with double wordes slye, +Swich as men clepe a "word with two visages," +Ye shal wel knowen that I nought ne lye, 900 +And al this thing right seen it with your ye, +And that anoon; ye nil not trowe how sone; +Now taketh heed, for it is for to done. + +`What wene ye your wyse fader wolde +Han yeven Antenor for yow anoon, 905 +If he ne wiste that the citee sholde +Destroyed been? Why, nay, so mote I goon! +He knew ful wel ther shal not scapen oon +That Troyan is; and for the grete fere, +He dorste not, ye dwelte lenger there. 910 + +`What wole ye more, lufsom lady dere? +Lat Troye and Troyan fro your herte pace! +Dryf out that bittre hope, and make good chere, +And clepe ayein the beautee of your face, +That ye with salte teres so deface. 915 +For Troye is brought in swich a Iupartye, +That, it to save, is now no remedye. + +`And thenketh wel, ye shal in Grekes finde, +A more parfit love, er it be night, +Than any Troian is, and more kinde, 920 +And bet to serven yow wol doon his might. +And if ye vouche sauf, my lady bright, +I wol ben he to serven yow my-selve, +Yee, lever than he lord of Greces twelve!' + +And with that word he gan to waxen reed, 925 +And in his speche a litel wight he quook, +And caste a-syde a litel wight his heed, +And stinte a whyle; and afterward awook, +And sobreliche on hir he threw his look, +And seyde, `I am, al be it yow no Ioye, 930 +As gentil man as any wight in Troye. + +`For if my fader Tydeus,' he seyde, +`Y-lived hadde, I hadde been, er this, +Of Calidoine and Arge a king, Criseyde! +And so hope I that I shal yet, y-wis. 935 +But he was slayn, allas! The more harm is, +Unhappily at Thebes al to rathe, +Polymites and many a man to scathe. + +`But herte myn, sin that I am your man, +And been the ferste of whom I seche grace, 940 +To serven you as hertely as I can, +And ever shal, whyl I to live have space, +So, er that I departe out of this place, +Ye wol me graunte, that I may to-morwe, +At bettre leyser, telle yow my sorwe.' 945 + +What shold I telle his wordes that he seyde? +He spak y-now, for o day at the meste; +It preveth wel, he spak so that Criseyde +Graunted, on the morwe, at his requeste, +For to speken with him at the leste, 950 +So that he nolde speke of swich matere; +And thus to him she seyde, as ye may here: + +As she that hadde hir herte on Troilus +So faste, that ther may it noon arace; +And straungely she spak, and seyde thus; 955 +`O Diomede, I love that ilke place +Ther I was born; and Ioves, for his grace, +Delivere it sone of al that doth it care! +God, for thy might, so leve it wel to fare! + +`That Grekes wolde hir wraththe on Troye wreke, 960 +If that they mighte, I knowe it wel, y-wis. +But it shal not bifallen as ye speke; +And god to-forn, and ferther over this, +I wot my fader wys and redy is; +And that he me hath bought, as ye me tolde, 965 +So dere, I am the more un-to him holde. + +`That Grekes been of heigh condicioun, +I woot eek wel; but certein, men shal finde +As worthy folk with-inne Troye toun, +As conning, and as parfit and as kinde, 970 +As been bitwixen Orcades and Inde. +And that ye coude wel your lady serve, +I trowe eek wel, hir thank for to deserve. + +`But as to speke of love, y-wis,' she seyde, +`I hadde a lord, to whom I wedded was, 975 +The whos myn herte al was, til that he deyde; +And other love, as helpe me now Pallas, +Ther in myn herte nis, ne nevere was. +And that ye been of noble and heigh kinrede, +I have wel herd it tellen, out of drede. 980 + +`And that doth me to han so gret a wonder, +That ye wol scornen any womman so. +Eek, god wot, love and I be fer a-sonder! +I am disposed bet, so mote I go, +Un-to my deeth, to pleyne and maken wo. 985 +What I shal after doon, I can not seye; +But trewely, as yet me list not pleye. + +`Myn herte is now in tribulacioun, +And ye in armes bisy, day by day. +Here-after, whan ye wonnen han the toun, 990 +Paraunter, thanne so it happen may, +That whan I see that I never er say, +Than wole I werke that I never wroughte! +This word to yow y-nough suffysen oughte. + +`To-morwe eek wol I speken with yow fayn, 995 +So that ye touchen nought of this matere. +And whan yow list, ye may come here ayeyn; +And, er ye gon, thus muche I seye yow here; +As help me Pallas with hir heres clere, +If that I sholde of any Greek han routhe, 1000 +It sholde be your-selven, by my trouthe! + +`I sey not therfore that I wol yow love, +Ne I sey not nay, but in conclusioun, +I mene wel, by god that sit above:' -- +And ther-with-al she caste hir eyen doun, 1005 +And gan to syke, and seyde, `O Troye toun, +Yet bidde I god, in quiete and in reste +I may yow seen, or do myn herte breste.' + +But in effect, and shortly for to seye, +This Diomede al freshly newe ayeyn 1010 +Gan pressen on, and faste hir mercy preye; +And after this, the sothe for to seyn, +Hir glove he took, of which he was ful fayn. +And fynally, whan it was waxen eve, +And al was wel, he roos and took his leve. 1015 + +The brighte Venus folwede and ay taughte +The wey, ther brode Phebus doun alighte; +And Cynthea hir char-hors over-raughte +To whirle out of the Lyon, if she mighte; +And Signifer his candelse shewed brighte, 1020 +Whan that Criseyde un-to hir bedde wente +In-with hir fadres faire brighte tente. + +Retorning in hir soule ay up and doun +The wordes of this sodein Diomede, +His greet estat, and peril of the toun, 1025 +And that she was allone and hadde nede +Of freendes help; and thus bigan to brede +The cause why, the sothe for to telle, +That she tok fully purpos for to dwelle. + +The morwe com, and goostly for to speke, 1030 +This Diomede is come un-to Criseyde, +And shortly, lest that ye my tale breke, +So wel he for him-selve spak and seyde, +That alle hir sykes sore adoun he leyde. +And fynally, the sothe for to seyne, 1035 +He refte hir of the grete of al hir peyne. + +And after this the story telleth us, +That she him yaf the faire baye stede, +The which he ones wan of Troilus; +And eek a broche (and that was litel nede) 1040 +That Troilus was, she yaf this Diomede. +And eek, the bet from sorwe him to releve, +She made him were a pencel of hir sleve. + +I finde eek in stories elles-where, +Whan through the body hurt was Diomede 1045 +Of Troilus, tho weep she many a tere, +Whan that she saugh his wyde woundes blede; +And that she took to kepen him good hede, +And for to hele him of his sorwes smerte. +Men seyn, I not, that she yaf him hir herte. 1050 + +But trewely, the story telleth us, +Ther made never womman more wo +Than she, whan that she falsed Troilus. +She seyde, `Allas! For now is clene a-go +My name of trouthe in love, for ever-mo! 1055 +For I have falsed oon, the gentileste +That ever was, and oon the worthieste! + +`Allas, of me, un-to the worldes ende, +Shal neither been y-writen nor y-songe +No good word, for thise bokes wol me shende. 1060 +O, rolled shal I been on many a tonge; +Through-out the world my belle shal be ronge; +And wommen most wol hate me of alle. +Allas, that swich a cas me sholde falle! + +`They wol seyn, in as muche as in me is, 1065 +I have hem don dishonour, weylawey! +Al be I not the first that dide amis, +What helpeth that to do my blame awey? +But sin I see there is no bettre way, +And that to late is now for me to rewe, 1070 +To Diomede algate I wol be trewe. + +`But Troilus, sin I no better may, +And sin that thus departen ye and I, +Yet preye I god, so yeve yow right good day +As for the gentileste, trewely, 1075 +That ever I say, to serven feithfully, +And best can ay his lady honour kepe:' -- +And with that word she brast anon to wepe. + +`And certes yow ne haten shal I never, +And freendes love, that shal ye han of me, 1080 +And my good word, al mighte I liven ever. +And, trewely, I wolde sory be +For to seen yow in adversitee. +And giltelees, I woot wel, I yow leve; +But al shal passe; and thus take I my leve.' 1085 + +But trewely, how longe it was bitwene, +That she for-sook him for this Diomede, +Ther is non auctor telleth it, I wene. +Take every man now to his bokes hede; +He shal no terme finden, out of drede. 1090 +For though that he bigan to wowe hir sone, +Er he hir wan, yet was ther more to done. + +Ne me ne list this sely womman chyde +Ferther than the story wol devyse. +Hir name, allas! Is publisshed so wyde, 1095 +That for hir gilt it oughte y-noe suffyse. +And if I mighte excuse hir any wyse, +For she so sory was for hir untrouthe, +Y-wis, I wolde excuse hir yet for routhe. + +This Troilus, as I biforn have told, 1100 +Thus dryveth forth, as wel as he hath might. +But often was his herte hoot and cold, +And namely, that ilke nynthe night, +Which on the morwe she hadde him byhight +To come ayein: god wot, ful litel reste 1105 +Hadde he that night; no-thing to slepe him leste. + +The laurer-crouned Phebus, with his hete, +Gan, in his course ay upward as he wente, +To warmen of the est see the wawes wete, +And Nisus doughter song with fresh entente, 1110 +Whan Troilus his Pandare after sente; +And on the walles of the toun they pleyde, +To loke if they can seen ought of Criseyde. + +Til it was noon, they stoden for to see +Who that ther come; and every maner wight, 1115 +That cam fro fer, they seyden it was she, +Til that they coude knowen him a-right. +Now was his herte dul, now was it light; +And thus by-iaped stonden for to stare +Aboute nought, this Troilus and Pandare. 1120 + +To Pandarus this Troilus tho seyde, +`For ought I wot, bi-for noon, sikerly, +In-to this toun ne comth nought here Criseyde. +She hath y-now to done, hardily, +To winnen from hir fader, so trowe I; 1125 +Hir olde fader wol yet make hir dyne +Er that she go; god yeve his herte pyne!' + +Pandare answerde, `It may wel be, certeyn; +And for-thy lat us dyne, I thee biseche; +And after noon than maystw thou come ayeyn.' 1130 +And hoom they go, with-oute more speche; +And comen ayein, but longe may they seche +Er that they finde that they after cape; +Fortune hem bothe thenketh for to Iape. + +Quod Troilus, `I see wel now, that she 1135 +Is taried with hir olde fader so, +That er she come, it wole neigh even be. +Com forth, I wol un-to the yate go. +Thise portours been unkonninge ever-mo; +And I wol doon hem holden up the yate 1140 +As nought ne were, al-though she come late.' + +The day goth faste, and after that comth eve, +And yet com nought to Troilus Criseyde. +He loketh forth by hegge, by tree, by greve, +And fer his heed over the wal he leyde. 1145 +And at the laste he torned him, and seyde. +`By god, I woot hir mening now, Pandare! +Al-most, y-wis, al newe was my care. + +`Now douteles, this lady can hir good; +I woot, she meneth ryden prively. 1150 +I comende hir wysdom, by myn hood! +She wol not maken peple nycely +Gaure on hir, whan she comth; but softely +By nighte in-to the toun she thenketh ryde. +And, dere brother, thenk not longe to abyde. 1155 + +`We han nought elles for to don, y-wis. +And Pandarus, now woltow trowen me? +Have here my trouthe, I see hir! Yond she is. +Heve up thyn eyen, man! Maystow not see?' +Pandare answerde, `Nay, so mote I thee! 1160 +Al wrong, by god; what seystow, man, wher art? +That I see yond nis but a fare-cart.' + +`Allas, thou seist right sooth,' quod Troilus; +`But, hardely, it is not al for nought +That in myn herte I now reioyse thus. 1165 +It is ayein som good I have a thought. +Noot I not how, but sin that I was wrought, +Ne felte I swich a confort, dar I seye; +She comth to-night, my lyf, that dorste I leye!' + +Pandare answerde, `It may be wel, y-nough'; 1170 +And held with him of al that ever he seyde; +But in his herte he thoughte, and softe lough, +And to him-self ful sobrely he seyde: +`From hasel-wode, ther Ioly Robin pleyde, +Shal come al that thou abydest here; 1175 +Ye, fare-wel al the snow of ferne yere!' + +The wardein of the yates gan to calle +The folk which that with-oute the yates were, +And bad hem dryven in hir bestes alle, +Or al the night they moste bleven there. 1180 +And fer with-in the night, with many a tere, +This Troilus gan hoomward for to ryde; +For wel he seeth it helpeth nought tabyde. + +But natheles, he gladded him in this; +He thoughte he misacounted hadde his day, 1185 +And seyde, `I understonde have al a-mis. +For thilke night I last Criseyde say, +She seyde, "I shal ben here, if that I may, +Er that the mone, O dere herte swete! +The Lyon passe, out of this Ariete." 1190 + +`For which she may yet holde al hir biheste.' +And on the morwe un-to the yate he wente, +And up and down, by west and eek by este, +Up-on the walles made he many a wente. +But al for nought; his hope alwey him blente; 1195 +For which at night, in sorwe and sykes sore, +He wente him hoom, with-outen any more. + +This hope al clene out of his herte fledde, +He nath wher-on now lenger for to honge; +But for the peyne him thoughte his herte bledde, 1200 +So were his throwes sharpe and wonder stronge. +For when he saugh that she abood so longe, +He niste what he iuggen of it mighte, +Sin she hath broken that she him bihighte. + +The thridde, ferthe, fifte, sixte day 1205 +After tho dayes ten, of which I tolde, +Bitwixen hope and drede his herte lay, +Yet som-what trustinge on hir hestes olde. +But whan he saugh she nolde hir terme holde, +He can now seen non other remedye, 1210 +But for to shape him sone for to dye. + +Ther-with the wikked spirit, god us blesse, +Which that men clepeth wode Ialousye, +Gan in him crepe, in al this hevinesse; +For which, by-cause he wolde sone dye, 1215 +He ne eet ne dronk, for his malencolye, +And eek from every companye he fledde; +This was the lyf that al the tyme he ledde. + +He so defet was, that no maner man +Unneth mighte him knowe ther he wente; 1220 +So was he lene, and ther-to pale and wan, +And feble, that he walketh by potente; +And with his ire he thus himselven shente. +But who-so axed him wher-of him smerte, +He seyde, his harm was al aboute his herte. 1225 + +Pryam ful ofte, and eek his moder dere, +His bretheren and his sustren gonne him freyne +Why he so sorwful was in al his chere, +And what thing was the cause of al his peyne? +But al for nought; he nolde his cause pleyne, 1230 +But seyde, he felte a grevous maladye +A-boute his herte, and fayn he wolde dye. + +So on a day he leyde him doun to slepe, +And so bifel that in his sleep him thoughte, +That in a forest faste he welk to wepe 1235 +For love of hir that him these peynes wroughte; +And up and doun as he the forest soughte, +He mette he saugh a boor with tuskes grete, +That sleep ayein the brighte sonnes hete. + +And by this boor, faste in his armes folde, 1240 +Lay kissing ay his lady bright Criseyde: +For sorwe of which, whan he it gan biholde, +And for despyt, out of his slepe he breyde, +And loude he cryde on Pandarus, and seyde, +`O Pandarus, now knowe I crop and rote! 1245 +I nam but deed; ther nis non other bote! + +`My lady bright Criseyde hath me bitrayed, +In whom I trusted most of any wight, +She elles-where hath now hir herte apayed; +The blisful goddes, through hir grete might, 1250 +Han in my dreem y-shewed it ful right. +Thus in my dreem Criseyde I have biholde' -- +And al this thing to Pandarus he tolde. + +`O my Criseyde, allas! What subtiltee. +What newe lust, what beautee, what science, 1255 +What wratthe of iuste cause have ye to me? +What gilt of me, what fel experience +Hath fro me raft, allas! Thyn advertence? +O trust, O feyth, O depe aseuraunce, +Who hath me reft Criseyde, al my plesaunce? 1260 + +`Allas! Why leet I you from hennes go, +For which wel neigh out of my wit I breyde? +Who shal now trowe on any othes mo? +God wot I wende, O lady bright, Criseyde, +That every word was gospel that ye seyde! 1265 +But who may bet bigylen, yf him liste, +Than he on whom men weneth best to triste? + +`What shal I doon, my Pandarus, allas! +I fele now so sharpe a newe peyne, +Sin that ther is no remedie in this cas, 1270 +That bet were it I with myn hondes tweyne +My-selven slow, than alwey thus to pleyne. +For through my deeth my wo sholde han an ende, +Ther every day with lyf my-self I shende.' + +Pandare answerde and seyde, `Allas the whyle 1275 +That I was born; have I not seyd er this, +That dremes many a maner man bigyle? +And why? For folk expounden hem a-mis. +How darstow seyn that fals thy lady is, +For any dreem, right for thyn owene drede? 1280 +Lat be this thought, thou canst no dremes rede. + +`Paraunter, ther thou dremest of this boor, +It may so be that it may signifye +Hir fader, which that old is and eek hoor, +Ayein the sonne lyth, on poynt to dye, 1285 +And she for sorwe ginneth wepe and crye, +And kisseth him, ther he lyth on the grounde; +Thus shuldestow thy dreem a-right expounde.' + +`How mighte I thanne do?' quod Troilus, +`To knowe of this, ye, were it never so lyte?' 1290 +`Now seystow wysly,' quod this Pandarus, +`My reed is this, sin thou canst wel endyte, +That hastely a lettre thou hir wryte, +Thorugh which thou shalt wel bringen it aboute, +To knowe a sooth of that thou art in doute. 1295 + +`And see now why; for this I dar wel seyn, +That if so is that she untrewe be, +I can not trowe that she wol wryte ayeyn. +And if she wryte, thou shalt ful sone see, +As whether she hath any libertee 1300 +To come ayein, or ellis in som clause, +If she be let, she wol assigne a cause. + +`Thou hast not writen hir sin that she wente, +Nor she to thee, and this I dorste leye, +Ther may swich cause been in hir entente, 1305 +That hardely thou wolt thy-selven seye, +That hir a-bood the beste is for yow tweye. +Now wryte hir thanne, and thou shalt fele sone +A sothe of al; ther is no more to done.' + +Acorded been to this conclusioun, 1310 +And that anoon, these ilke lordes two; +And hastely sit Troilus adoun, +And rolleth in his herte to and fro, +How he may best discryven hir his wo. +And to Criseyde, his owene lady dere, 1315 +He wroot right thus, and seyde as ye may here. + +`Right fresshe flour, whos I have been and shal, +With-outen part of elles-where servyse, +With herte, body, lyf, lust, thought, and al; +I, woful wight, in every humble wyse 1320 +That tonge telle or herte may devyse, +As ofte as matere occupyeth place, +Me recomaunde un-to your noble grace. + +`Lyketh it yow to witen, swete herte, +As ye wel knowe how longe tyme agoon 1325 +That ye me lefte in aspre peynes smerte, +Whan that ye wente, of which yet bote noon +Have I non had, but ever wers bigoon +Fro day to day am I, and so mot dwelle, +While it yow list, of wele and wo my welle. 1330 + +`For which to yow, with dredful herte trewe, +I wryte, as he that sorwe dryfth to wryte, +My wo, that every houre encreseth newe, +Compleyninge as I dar or can endyte. +And that defaced is, that may ye wyte 1335 +The teres, which that fro myn eyen reyne, +That wolde speke, if that they coude, and pleyne. + +`Yow first biseche I, that your eyen clere +To look on this defouled ye not holde; +And over al this, that ye, my lady dere, 1340 +Wol vouche-sauf this lettre to biholde. +And by the cause eek of my cares colde, +That sleeth my wit, if ought amis me asterte, +For-yeve it me, myn owene swete herte. + +`If any servant dorste or oughte of right 1345 +Up-on his lady pitously compleyne, +Than wene I, that ich oughte be that wight, +Considered this, that ye these monthes tweyne +Han taried, ther ye seyden, sooth to seyne, +But dayes ten ye nolde in ost soiourne, 1350 +But in two monthes yet ye not retourne. + +`But for-as-muche as me mot nedes lyke +Al that yow list, I dar not pleyne more, +But humbely with sorwful sykes syke; +Yow wryte ich myn unresty sorwes sore, 1355 +Fro day to day desyring ever-more +To knowen fully, if your wil it were, +How ye han ferd and doon, whyl ye be there. + +`The whos wel-fare and hele eek god encresse +In honour swich, that upward in degree 1360 +It growe alwey, so that it never cesse; +Right as your herte ay can, my lady free, +Devyse, I prey to god so mote it be. +And graunte it that ye sone up-on me rewe +As wisly as in al I am yow trewe. 1365 + +`And if yow lyketh knowen of the fare +Of me, whos wo ther may no wight discryve, +I can no more but, cheste of every care, +At wrytinge of this lettre I was on-lyve, +Al redy out my woful gost to dryve; 1370 +Which I delaye, and holde him yet in honde, +Upon the sight of matere of your sonde. + +`Myn eyen two, in veyn with which I see, +Of sorweful teres salte arn waxen welles; +My song, in pleynte of myn adversitee; 1375 +My good, in harm; myn ese eek waxen helle is. +My Ioye, in wo; I can sey yow nought elles, +But turned is, for which my lyf I warie, +Everich Ioye or ese in his contrarie. + +`Which with your cominge hoom ayein to Troye 1380 +Ye may redresse, and, more a thousand sythe +Than ever ich hadde, encressen in me Ioye. +For was ther never herte yet so blythe +To han his lyf, as I shal been as swythe +As I yow see; and, though no maner routhe 1385 +Commeve yow, yet thinketh on your trouthe. + +`And if so be my gilt hath deeth deserved, +Or if yow list no more up-on me see, +In guerdon yet of that I have you served, +Biseche I yow, myn hertes lady free, 1390 +That here-upon ye wolden wryte me, +For love of god, my righte lode-sterre, +Ther deeth may make an ende of al my werre. + +`If other cause aught doth yow for to dwelle, +That with your lettre ye me recomforte; 1395 +For though to me your absence is an helle, +With pacience I wol my wo comporte, +And with your lettre of hope I wol desporte. +Now wryteth, swete, and lat me thus not pleyne; +With hope, or deeth, delivereth me fro peyne. 1400 + +`Y-wis, myn owene dere herte trewe, +I woot that, whan ye next up-on me see, +So lost have I myn hele and eek myn hewe, +Criseyde shal nought conne knowe me! +Y-wis, myn hertes day, my lady free, 1405 +So thursteth ay myn herte to biholde +Your beautee, that my lyf unnethe I holde. + +`I sey no more, al have I for to seye +To you wel more than I telle may; +But whether that ye do me live or deye, 1410 +Yet pray I god, so yeve yow right good day. +And fareth wel, goodly fayre fresshe may, +As ye that lyf or deeth me may comaunde; +And to your trouthe ay I me recomaunde + +`With hele swich that, but ye yeven me 1415 +The same hele, I shal noon hele have. +In you lyth, whan yow liste that it so be, +The day in which me clothen shal my grave. +In yow my lyf, in yow might for to save +Me from disese of alle peynes smerte; 1420 +And fare now wel, myn owene swete herte! + Le vostre T.' + +This lettre forth was sent un-to Criseyde, +Of which hir answere in effect was this; +Ful pitously she wroot ayein, and seyde, +That also sone as that she might, y-wis, 1425 +She wolde come, and mende al that was mis. +And fynally she wroot and seyde him thanne, +She wolde come, ye, but she niste whenne. + +But in hir lettre made she swich festes, +That wonder was, and swereth she loveth him best, 1430 +Of which he fond but botmelees bihestes. +But Troilus, thou mayst now, est or west, +Pype in an ivy leef, if that thee lest; +Thus gooth the world; god shilde us fro mischaunce, +And every wight that meneth trouthe avaunce! 1435 + +Encresen gan the wo fro day to night +Of Troilus, for taryinge of Criseyde; +And lessen gan his hope and eek his might, +For which al doun he in his bed him leyde; +He ne eet, ne dronk, ne sleep, ne word he seyde, 1440 +Imagininge ay that she was unkinde; +For which wel neigh he wex out of his minde. + +This dreem, of which I told have eek biforn, +May never come out of his remembraunce; +He thoughte ay wel he hadde his lady lorn, 1445 +And that Ioves, of his purveyaunce, +Him shewed hadde in sleep the signifiaunce +Of hir untrouthe and his disaventure, +And that the boor was shewed him in figure. + +For which he for Sibille his suster sente, 1450 +That called was Cassandre eek al aboute; +And al his dreem he tolde hir er he stente, +And hir bisoughte assoilen him the doute +Of the stronge boor, with tuskes stoute; +And fynally, with-inne a litel stounde, 1455 +Cassandre him gan right thus his dreem expounde. + +She gan first smyle, and seyde, `O brother dere, +If thou a sooth of this desyrest knowe, +Thou most a fewe of olde stories here, +To purpos, how that fortune over-throwe 1460 +Hath lordes olde; through which, with-inne a throwe, +Thou wel this boor shalt knowe, and of what kinde +He comen is, as men in bokes finde. + +`Diane, which that wrooth was and in ire +For Grekes nolde doon hir sacrifyse, 1465 +Ne encens up-on hir auter sette a-fyre, +She, for that Grekes gonne hir so dispyse, +Wrak hir in a wonder cruel wyse. +For with a boor as greet as oxe in stalle +She made up frete hir corn and vynes alle. 1470 + +`To slee this boor was al the contree reysed, +A-monges which ther com, this boor to see, +A mayde, oon of this world the best y-preysed; +And Meleagre, lord of that contree, +He lovede so this fresshe mayden free 1475 +That with his manhod, er he wolde stente, +This boor he slow, and hir the heed he sente; + +`Of which, as olde bokes tellen us, +Ther roos a contek and a greet envye; +And of this lord descended Tydeus 1480 +By ligne, or elles olde bokes lye; +But how this Meleagre gan to dye +Thorugh his moder, wol I yow not telle, +For al to long it were for to dwelle.' + + [Argument of the 12 Books of Statius' "Thebais"] + + Associat profugum Tideo primus Polimitem; + Tidea legatum docet insidiasque secundus; + Tercius Hemoniden canit et vates latitantes; + Quartus habet reges ineuntes prelia septem; + Mox furie Lenne quinto narratur et anguis; + Archimori bustum sexto ludique leguntur; + Dat Graios Thebes et vatem septimus vmbria; + Octauo cecidit Tideus, spes, vita Pelasgia; + Ypomedon nono moritur cum Parthonopeo; + Fulmine percussus, decimo Capaneus superatur; + Vndecimo sese perimunt per vulnera fratres; + Argiuam flentem narrat duodenus et igneum. + +She tolde eek how Tydeus, er she stente, 1485 +Un-to the stronge citee of Thebes, +To cleyme kingdom of the citee, wente, +For his felawe, daun Polymites, +Of which the brother, daun Ethyocles, +Ful wrongfully of Thebes held the strengthe; 1490 +This tolde she by proces, al by lengthe. + +She tolde eek how Hemonides asterte, +Whan Tydeus slough fifty knightes stoute. +She tolde eek al the prophesyes by herte, +And how that sevene kinges, with hir route, 1495 +Bisegeden the citee al aboute; +And of the holy serpent, and the welle, +And of the furies, al she gan him telle. + +Of Archimoris buryinge and the pleyes, +And how Amphiorax fil through the grounde, 1500 +How Tydeus was slayn, lord of Argeyes, +And how Ypomedoun in litel stounde +Was dreynt, and deed Parthonope of wounde; +And also how Cappaneus the proude +With thonder-dint was slayn, that cryde loude. 1505 + +She gan eek telle him how that either brother, +Ethyocles and Polimyte also, +At a scarmyche, eche of hem slough other, +And of Argyves wepinge and hir wo; +And how the town was brent she tolde eek tho. 1510 +And so descendeth doun from gestes olde +To Diomede, and thus she spak and tolde. + +`This ilke boor bitokneth Diomede, +Tydeus sone, that doun descended is +Fro Meleagre, that made the boor to blede. 1515 +And thy lady, wher-so she be, y-wis, +This Diomede hir herte hath, and she his. +Weep if thou wolt, or leef; for, out of doute, +This Diomede is inne, and thou art oute.' + +`Thou seyst nat sooth,' quod he, `thou sorceresse, 1520 +With al thy false goost of prophesye! +Thou wenest been a greet devyneresse; +Now seestow not this fool of fantasye +Peyneth hir on ladyes for to lye? +Awey!' quod he. `Ther Ioves yeve thee sorwe! 1525 +Thou shalt be fals, paraunter, yet to-morwe! + +`As wel thou mightest lyen on Alceste, +That was of creatures, but men lye, +That ever weren, kindest and the beste. +For whanne hir housbonde was in Iupartye 1530 +To dye him-self, but-if she wolde dye, +She chees for him to dye and go to helle, +And starf anoon, as us the bokes telle.' + +Cassandre goth, and he with cruel herte +For-yat his wo, for angre of hir speche; 1535 +And from his bed al sodeinly he sterte, +As though al hool him hadde y-mad a leche. +And day by day he gan enquere and seche +A sooth of this, with al his fulle cure; +And thus he dryeth forth his aventure. 1540 + +Fortune, whiche that permutacioun +Of thinges hath, as it is hir committed +Through purveyaunce and disposicioun +Of heighe Iove, as regnes shal ben flitted +Fro folk in folk, or whan they shal ben smitted, 1545 +Gan pulle awey the fetheres brighte of Troye +Fro day to day, til they ben bare of Ioye. + +Among al this, the fyn of the parodie +Of Ector gan approchen wonder blyve; +The fate wolde his soule sholde unbodie, 1550 +And shapen hadde a mene it out to dryve; +Ayeins which fate him helpeth not to stryve; +But on a day to fighten gan he wende, +At which, allas! He coughte his lyves ende. + +For which me thinketh every maner wight 1555 +That haunteth armes oughte to biwayle +The deeth of him that was so noble a knight; +For as he drough a king by thaventayle, +Unwar of this, Achilles through the mayle +And through the body gan him for to ryve; 1560 +And thus this worthy knight was brought of lyve. + +For whom, as olde bokes tellen us, +Was mad swich wo, that tonge it may not telle; +And namely, the sorwe of Troilus, +That next him was of worthinesse welle. 1565 +And in this wo gan Troilus to dwelle, +That, what for sorwe, and love, and for unreste, +Ful ofte a day he bad his herte breste. + +But natheles, though he gan him dispeyre, +And dradde ay that his lady was untrewe, 1570 +Yet ay on hir his herte gan repeyre. +And as these loveres doon, he soughte ay newe +To gete ayein Criseyde, bright of hewe. +And in his herte he wente hir excusinge, +That Calkas causede al hir taryinge. 1575 + +And ofte tyme he was in purpos grete +Him-selven lyk a pilgrim to disgyse, +To seen hir; but he may not contrefete +To been unknowen of folk that weren wyse, +Ne finde excuse aright that may suffyse, 1580 +If he among the Grekes knowen were; +For which he weep ful ofte many a tere. + +To hir he wroot yet ofte tyme al newe +Ful pitously, he lefte it nought for slouthe, +Biseching hir that, sin that he was trewe, 1585 +She wolde come ayein and holde hir trouthe. +For which Criseyde up-on a day, for routhe, +I take it so, touchinge al this matere, +Wrot him ayein, and seyde as ye may here. + +`Cupydes sone, ensample of goodlihede, 1590 +O swerd of knighthod, sours of gentilesse! +How might a wight in torment and in drede +And helelees, yow sende as yet gladnesse? +I hertelees, I syke, I in distresse; +Sin ye with me, nor I with yow may dele, 1595 +Yow neither sende ich herte may nor hele. + +`Your lettres ful, the papir al y-pleynted, +Conceyved hath myn hertes pietee; +I have eek seyn with teres al depeynted +Your lettre, and how that ye requeren me 1600 +To come ayein, which yet ne may not be. +But why, lest that this lettre founden were, +No mencioun ne make I now, for fere. + +`Grevous to me, god woot, is your unreste, +Your haste, and that, the goddes ordenaunce, 1605 +It semeth not ye take it for the beste. +Nor other thing nis in your remembraunce, +As thinketh me, but only your plesaunce. +But beth not wrooth, and that I yow biseche; +For that I tarie, is al for wikked speche. 1610 + +`For I have herd wel more than I wende, +Touchinge us two, how thinges han y-stonde; +Which I shal with dissimulinge amende. +And beth nought wrooth, I have eek understonde, +How ye ne doon but holden me in honde. 1615 +But now no fors, I can not in yow gesse +But alle trouthe and alle gentilesse. + +`Comen I wol, but yet in swich disioynte +I stonde as now, that what yeer or what day +That this shal be, that can I not apoynte. 1620 +But in effect, I prey yow, as I may, +Of your good word and of your frendship ay. +For trewely, whyl that my lyf may dure, +As for a freend, ye may in me assure. + +`Yet preye I yow on yvel ye ne take, 1625 +That it is short which that I to yow wryte; +I dar not, ther I am, wel lettres make, +Ne never yet ne coude I wel endyte. +Eek greet effect men wryte in place lite. +Thentente is al, and nought the lettres space; 1630 +And fareth now wel, god have you in his grace! + La vostre C.' + +This Troilus this lettre thoughte al straunge, +Whan he it saugh, and sorwefully he sighte; +Him thoughte it lyk a kalendes of chaunge; +But fynally, he ful ne trowen mighte 1635 +That she ne wolde him holden that she highte; +For with ful yvel wil list him to leve +That loveth wel, in swich cas, though him greve. + +But natheles, men seyn that, at the laste, +For any thing, men shal the sothe see; 1640 +And swich a cas bitidde, and that as faste, +That Troilus wel understood that she +Nas not so kinde as that hir oughte be. +And fynally, he woot now, out of doute, +That al is lost that he hath been aboute. 1645 + +Stood on a day in his malencolye +This Troilus, and in suspecioun +Of hir for whom he wende for to dye. +And so bifel, that through-out Troye toun, +As was the gyse, y-bore was up and doun 1650 +A maner cote-armure, as seyth the storie, +Biforn Deiphebe, in signe of his victorie, + +The whiche cote, as telleth Lollius, +Deiphebe it hadde y-rent from Diomede +The same day; and whan this Troilus 1655 +It saugh, he gan to taken of it hede, +Avysing of the lengthe and of the brede, +And al the werk; but as he gan biholde, +Ful sodeinly his herte gan to colde, + +As he that on the coler fond with-inne 1660 +A broche, that he Criseyde yaf that morwe +That she from Troye moste nedes twinne, +In remembraunce of him and of his sorwe; +And she him leyde ayein hir feyth to borwe +To kepe it ay; but now, ful wel he wiste, 1665 +His lady nas no lenger on to triste. + +He gooth him hoom, and gan ful sone sende +For Pandarus; and al this newe chaunce, +And of this broche, he tolde him word and ende, +Compleyninge of hir hertes variaunce, 1670 +His longe love, his trouthe, and his penaunce; +And after deeth, with-outen wordes more, +Ful faste he cryde, his reste him to restore. + +Than spak he thus, `O lady myn Criseyde, +Wher is your feyth, and wher is your biheste? 1675 +Wher is your love, wher is your trouthe,' he seyde; +`Of Diomede have ye now al this feste! +Allas, I wolde have trowed at the leste. +That, sin ye nolde in trouthe to me stonde, +That ye thus nolde han holden me in honde! 1680 + +`Who shal now trowe on any othes mo? +Allas, I never wolde han wend, er this, +That ye, Criseyde, coude han chaunged so; +Ne, but I hadde a-gilt and doon amis, +So cruel wende I not your herte, y-wis, 1685 +To slee me thus; allas, your name of trouthe +Is now for-doon, and that is al my routhe. + +`Was ther non other broche yow liste lete +To feffe with your newe love,' quod he, +`But thilke broche that I, with teres wete, 1690 +Yow yaf, as for a remembraunce of me? +Non other cause, allas, ne hadde ye +But for despyt, and eek for that ye mente +Al-outrely to shewen your entente! + +`Through which I see that clene out of your minde 1695 +Ye han me cast, and I ne can nor may, +For al this world, with-in myn herte finde +To unloven yow a quarter of a day! +In cursed tyme I born was, weylaway! +That ye, that doon me al this wo endure, 1700 +Yet love I best of any creature. + +`Now god,' quod he, `me sende yet the grace +That I may meten with this Diomede! +And trewely, if I have might and space, +Yet shal I make, I hope, his sydes blede. 1705 +O god,' quod he, `that oughtest taken hede +To fortheren trouthe, and wronges to punyce, +Why niltow doon a vengeaunce of this vyce? + +`O Pandare, that in dremes for to triste +Me blamed hast, and wont art oft up-breyde, 1710 +Now maystow see thy-selve, if that thee liste, +How trewe is now thy nece, bright Criseyde! +In sondry formes, god it woot,' he seyde, +`The goddes shewen bothe Ioye and tene +In slepe, and by my dreme it is now sene. 1715 + +`And certaynly, with-oute more speche, +From hennes-forth, as ferforth as I may, +Myn owene deeth in armes wol I seche; +I recche not how sone be the day! +But trewely, Criseyde, swete may, 1720 +Whom I have ay with al my might y-served, +That ye thus doon, I have it nought deserved.' + +This Pandarus, that alle these thinges herde, +And wiste wel he seyde a sooth of this, +He nought a word ayein to him answerde; 1725 +For sory of his frendes sorwe he is, +And shamed, for his nece hath doon a-mis; +And stant, astoned of these causes tweye, +As stille as stoon; a word ne coude he seye. + +But at the laste thus he spak, and seyde, 1730 +`My brother dere, I may thee do no-more. +What shulde I seyn? I hate, y-wis, Criseyde! +And, god wot, I wol hate hir evermore! +And that thou me bisoughtest doon of yore, +Havinge un-to myn honour ne my reste 1735 +Right no reward, I dide al that thee leste. + +`If I dide ought that mighte lyken thee, +It is me leef; and of this treson now, +God woot, that it a sorwe is un-to me! +And dredelees, for hertes ese of yow, 1740 +Right fayn wolde I amende it, wiste I how. +And fro this world, almighty god I preye, +Delivere hir sone; I can no-more seye.' + +Gret was the sorwe and pleynt of Troilus; +But forth hir cours fortune ay gan to holde. 1745 +Criseyde loveth the sone of Tydeus, +And Troilus mot wepe in cares colde. +Swich is this world; who-so it can biholde, +In eche estat is litel hertes reste; +God leve us for to take it for the beste! 1750 + +In many cruel batayle, out of drede, +Of Troilus, this ilke noble knight, +As men may in these olde bokes rede, +Was sene his knighthod and his grete might. +And dredelees, his ire, day and night, 1755 +Ful cruelly the Grekes ay aboughte; +And alwey most this Diomede he soughte. + +And ofte tyme, I finde that they mette +With blody strokes and with wordes grete, +Assayinge how hir speres weren whette; 1760 +And god it woot, with many a cruel hete +Gan Troilus upon his helm to bete. +But natheles, fortune it nought ne wolde, +Of others hond that either deyen sholde. -- + +And if I hadde y-taken for to wryte 1765 +The armes of this ilke worthy man, +Than wolde I of his batailles endyte. +But for that I to wryte first bigan +Of his love, I have seyd as that I can. +His worthy dedes, who-so list hem here, 1770 +Reed Dares, he can telle hem alle y-fere. + +Bisechinge every lady bright of hewe, +And every gentil womman, what she be, +That al be that Criseyde was untrewe, +That for that gilt she be not wrooth with me. 1775 +Ye may hir gilt in othere bokes see; +And gladlier I wole wryten, if yow leste, +Penolopees trouthe and good Alceste. + +Ne I sey not this al-only for these men, +But most for wommen that bitraysed be 1780 +Through false folk; god yeve hem sorwe, amen! +That with hir grete wit and subtiltee +Bitrayse yow! And this commeveth me +To speke, and in effect yow alle I preye, +Beth war of men, and herkeneth what I seye! -- 1785 + +Go, litel book, go litel myn tragedie, +Ther god thy maker yet, er that he dye, +So sende might to make in som comedie! +But litel book, no making thou nenvye, +But subgit be to alle poesye; 1790 +And kis the steppes, wher-as thou seest pace +Virgile, Ovyde, Omer, Lucan, and Stace. + +And for ther is so greet diversitee +In English and in wryting of our tonge, +So preye I god that noon miswryte thee, 1795 +Ne thee mismetre for defaute of tonge. +And red wher-so thou be, or elles songe, +That thou be understonde I god beseche! +But yet to purpos of my rather speche. -- + +The wraththe, as I began yow for to seye, 1800 +Of Troilus, the Grekes boughten dere; +For thousandes his hondes maden deye, +As he that was with-outen any pere, +Save Ector, in his tyme, as I can here. +But weylawey, save only goddes wille, 1805 +Dispitously him slough the fiers Achille. + +And whan that he was slayn in this manere, +His lighte goost ful blisfully is went +Up to the holownesse of the seventh spere, +In convers letinge every element; 1810 +And ther he saugh, with ful avysement, +The erratik sterres, herkeninge armonye +With sownes fulle of hevenish melodye. + +And doun from thennes faste he gan avyse +This litel spot of erthe, that with the see 1815 +Embraced is, and fully gan despyse +This wrecched world, and held al vanitee +To respect of the pleyn felicitee +That is in hevene above; and at the laste, +Ther he was slayn, his loking doun he caste; 1820 + +And in him-self he lough right at the wo +Of hem that wepten for his deeth so faste; +And dampned al our werk that folweth so +The blinde lust, the which that may not laste, +And sholden al our herte on hevene caste. 1825 +And forth he wente, shortly for to telle, +Ther as Mercurie sorted him to dwelle. -- + +Swich fyn hath, lo, this Troilus for love, +Swich fyn hath al his grete worthinesse; +Swich fyn hath his estat real above, 1830 +Swich fyn his lust, swich fyn hath his noblesse; +Swich fyn hath false worldes brotelnesse. +And thus bigan his lovinge of Criseyde, +As I have told, and in this wyse he deyde. + +O yonge fresshe folkes, he or she, 1835 +In which that love up groweth with your age, +Repeyreth hoom from worldly vanitee, +And of your herte up-casteth the visage +To thilke god that after his image +Yow made, and thinketh al nis but a fayre 1840 +This world, that passeth sone as floures fayre. + +And loveth him, the which that right for love +Upon a cros, our soules for to beye, +First starf, and roos, and sit in hevene a-bove; +For he nil falsen no wight, dar I seye, 1845 +That wol his herte al hoolly on him leye. +And sin he best to love is, and most meke, +What nedeth feyned loves for to seke? + +Lo here, of Payens corsed olde rytes, +Lo here, what alle hir goddes may availle; 1850 +Lo here, these wrecched worldes appetytes; +Lo here, the fyn and guerdon for travaille +Of Iove, Appollo, of Mars, of swich rascaille! +Lo here, the forme of olde clerkes speche +In poetrye, if ye hir bokes seche. -- 1855 + +O moral Gower, this book I directe +To thee, and to the philosophical Strode, +To vouchen sauf, ther nede is, to corecte, +Of your benignitees and zeles gode. +And to that sothfast Crist, that starf on rode, 1860 +With al myn herte of mercy ever I preye; +And to the lord right thus I speke and seye: + +Thou oon, and two, and three, eterne on-lyve, +That regnest ay in three and two and oon, +Uncircumscript, and al mayst circumscryve, 1865 +Us from visible and invisible foon +Defende; and to thy mercy, everichoon, +So make us, Iesus, for thy grace digne, +For love of mayde and moder thyn benigne! Amen. + +Explicit Liber Troili et Criseydis. + + +[End of "Troilus and Criseyde"] + + + |