[Troilus and Criseyde] Chaucer, Geoffrey, d. 1400. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A18561 of text S108840 in the English Short Title Catalog (STC 5094). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 428 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 116 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2018 A18561 STC 5094 ESTC S108840 99844494 99844494 9311 2240864598

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Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A18561) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 9311) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; I-1:06) [Troilus and Criseyde] Chaucer, Geoffrey, d. 1400. [120] leaves W. Caxton, [Westminster : 1483] By Geoffrey Chaucer. An edition of: Chaucer, Geoffrey. Troilus and Criseyde. Imprint from STC. Opening line aiir: The double sorow of Troylus to telle. Signatures: a-g h¹⁰ i-o p⁶. Some print faded. Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng eebo [Troilus and Criseyde] Chaucer, Geoffrey, 1483 232 67132 740 0 0 0 10 0 125.13 F The rate of 125.13 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the F category of texts with 100 or more defects per 10,000 words. 2002-02 Assigned for keying and markup 2002-03 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-05 Sampled and proofread 2005-05 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion
The double sorow of Troylus to telle Kyng Pryamus sone of Troye In louyng / how hys auentures felle From woo to we le / and after out of Ioye My purpos is / or that I parte froye Thesipho ne thow help me for to endyte These woful verses / that wepyn as I wryte To the clepe I goddesse of turment / Thou cruel fury / sorowyng euer in payne Help me that am the sorowful instrument That help louers / as I can to playne For wel sitte / the sooth for to sayne A woful wyght / to haue a drery fere And to a sorowful tale / a sory chere For I that god of louys seruauntis serue Ne dar not loue / for myn vnlyklynesse Pray for spede / al shuld I therfore sterue So fer am I / from hys help in derknesse But natheles / yif thys may do gladnesse To ony louer / and hys lady auayle Haue he the thank / and myn be the trauayle But ye loners that bathen in gladnesse Yf ony drope of pyte in yow be Remembre yow in passyd heuynesse That ye han felt / and in the aduersite Of other folk / and thynk how that ye Haue felt how loue durst yow dysplease Or ye haue wonne hem wyth to grete ease And pray for hem that ben in the caas Of Troylus as ye may after here That loue hym bryng / in heuene to solace And eke for me prayeth / to god so dere That I haue myght / to shewe in some manere Such peyne & woo / as louys seruauntis endure As in Troylus vnsely aduenture And byddyth eke for hem that ben dyspayred In loue / that neuer wyl recouered be And eke for theym that falsly ben apeyred Thurgh wykked tunges / be yt he or she Thus prayeth god / for hys benygnyte So graunt hym soone / out of thys world to pace That is dyspeyred out of louys grace And byddyth eke for hem / that ben at ease That god graunt hem ay / good● perseueraunce And send hem myght / their ladyes for to please That is to loue by worshyp and plesaunce For so hope I my self best auaunce To pray for hem that loues seruauntis be And wryte theyr woo / and lyue in charyte And for to haue on theym compassioun As though they were theyr owne brethern dere Now herkenyth wyth good entencioun For now I wil go streyght to my matere Iy whyche ye may the double sorow here Of Troylus in louyng of Criseyde And how she forsooke hym or he deyde ●T is wel wyst / how the Grekis strong In armes with a thousand shippes went To troye ward / and the cit●e long Assyegid wel t●n yere or they stent And in dyuerse wyse / and oon entent The rauysshyng to wreke / of Heleyne By Paris don they wrought alle theyr peyne Now fyl it soo that in the toun ther was Dwellyng a lord of grete auctoryte A grete deuynour / that clepyd was Calcas That in science so expert was he Knewe wel that Troye shuld destroyed be By answere of hys god / that hyght thus Dan Phebus or Appollo Delphycus So whan calcas knewe by calculyng And eke by answer of thys Apollo That grekis shuld suche a peple bryng Thurgh whyche that Troye must be fordo He cast anon out of the toun to go For wele he wys●e by sort that Troye sholde Dystroyed be who so wold or nolde For whyche he thought to departe softly Toke purpos thus in ful vnknowen wyse And to the grekis went ful pryuely He stale anon and they in curteys wyse Hym dyden both worshyp and seruyse In trust that he had connyng hem to rede In euery peryle / whyche that stood in drede Noyse vp roos whan it was fyrst espyed In alle the toun / and openly was spoken That calcas traytour fled / was and alyed To hem of grece / and cast was to be wroken On hym that falsely hath hys fayth so broken And sayd he and alle hys kynne attones Were worthy to be brent bothe fel and bones Now had Calcas left in thys myschaunce Vnwyst of thys fals and wykked dede A doughter whyche that was in grete penaunce And of her lyf she was ful sore in drede And wyst neuer what best was to rede And as a wydewe was she al alone And ●yst to whom / she durst make her mone Criseide was thys ladyes name a ryght As to my dome in al Troyes citee Most fayrest lady for passyng euery wyght So Aungelyk shone hyr natyf beaute That thyng none mortal femyd she And ther wyth was she so perfyte a creature As she had be made in scornyng of nature Thys lady that alday / herd at ere Hyr fader shame / falshed and treason Ful nygh out of hyr wyt / for sorow & fere In wydewes habyte large of samy te broun Byfore Hector on knees she fyl adoun Hys mercy lad / hyr self excusyng Wyth pytous voys / and tenderly wepyng Now was thys Hector pytous of nature And sawe that she was sorowful bygon And that she was so fayr a cr●ature O● hys goodnes / he gladyd her anon And sayd / late your faders treason gon Furth wyth myschaunce & ye your self ●n Ioye 〈◊〉 with vs while your good liste in troye And al the honour that men may do yow haue As ●erforth as though your fader dwe●id here Ye shul haue / and your body shul men saue As fer as I may ought enquyre and here And she hym thanked with ful humble chere And ofter wold / and it ●●d ben hys wyl Toke her leue went home / and held hyr styl And in her hous abode wyth suche meyne As to hyr honour nede was to hold And whyle that she was dwellyng in the 〈◊〉 Kept hyr estate / and both of yong and old Ful wel be●uyd and men of hyr told But whether she child had or non I rede it not / Therfor I lete it gon The thynges fyl as they don of wer●e Betwyx hem of Troye and Grekis ofte For some day bought they of Troye derre And eft the Grekis founde nothyng soft The folk of Troye / and thus fortune aloft And vndyr eft gan hem to repente bothe After theyr cours whan they wer● wroth But how thys town com to distruction Ne fallyth not to purpos me to telle For it were here a long dygressioun Fro my matyer / and yow ful long to dewlle But the Troian gestis as they telle In Omere in Dares / or in Dyte Who so that can may rede hem as they wryte And though the greekis theym of Troie shet●en Had and theyr atre besiegyd al aboute Yet for alle theyr vsage wold they not letten To worship & honour they goddis ful deuoute Wyth most reuerence in honour out of doute They worshypped a reliquyk callid Palladion On whom was alle theyr trust aboue echon And so byfel whan comen was the tyme Of Apryll whan clothyd is the m●de Wyth newe grene of lusty veer the pryme And swete smellyng flowres whyte and rede In sundry wyse shewyd as I rede The folke of Troye theyr obseruaunces old Palladion feste wente for to hold Vnto the temple in alther beste wyse Generally theyr wente many a wyght To berkene of Palladion seruyce And namely many a lusty knyght And many a lady fressh and mayden bryght Ful wel arayed both mest and lest Both for the season and the hye fest Among thise other folk was Criseyda In wydewes habyte black / but natheles Ryght as our first lettir is now an A In beawte fyrst / so stode the makeles Her goodly lookyng / gladdyd alle the pres Nas neuer seen thyng to be preysed derre Nor vnder clowd black so bryght a sterre As was Criseyde / as folke sayd echone That her beheld in her black weede And yet she stood ful lowe and styl alone Behynd other folk in lytel brede And nye the dore vnder shames drede Symple of atyre / and debonayre of chyere Wyth ful assuryd lookyng and manyere Thys Troylus as he was wont to guyde Hys yong knyghtes lad hem vp and doun In thyl●t large temple / on euery syde Beholdyng ay the ladyes of the town Now here now there / for no deuocioun Had he to none to reuen hym hys reste But gan to prayse and last whan hym leste And in hye walk ful fast he gan to wayten Yf knyght or sauyer / of hys ●●mpanye Gan for to sigh / or lete hys ●yen ●●yten On ony womman that be coude espye He wold smyle and hold it a folye And said hem thus god wote she slepith ful s●ft For loue of yow / whan ye torne fut oft I haue herd trl pardieu● of yowre lyuyng Ye louers and eke your lewde obseruaunces And whyche a labour / folk haue in wynnyng Of loue and in the kepyng whyche dout●lias And whan your pray is lost wo & p●naunces O veray foolis / blynde and nyce be 〈◊〉 Ther is not one can ware by other be And with the word he wold cast vp the browe A staunce is thys not wele y spoken At whiche the god of loue gan loken rowe Ryght for despyte / and shoope to be wroken He kyd anon / hys lowe was not broken For sodaynly be hyt hym at the ful And yet as prowd a pecok can he pul O blynd world / O blynd entencioun How oft fallyth alle theffes contrarye Of sur quydrye and foul presumpcioun For caught is prowd & caught is debonayre Thys Troylus is clombyn on the stayre And lytel wenyth that he shall descenden But alday faylith thyng / that foolis wenden As prowd bayard begynnyth for to skyp Out of the way / so prykyth hym hys corn Tyl he a lassh haue of the long-whyp Than thynkyth he though I praunce al byforn Fyrst in the trays / ful fat and newe y shorn Yet am I but an hors / and horses lawe I must endure / and wyth my feeris drawe So fierd it by this fyers and prowd kynyght Though he a worthy kynge sones were And wend nothyng had had suche myght Agenst hys wyl that shuld hys hert stere Yet wyth a looke hys hert way a fuyre That be that now was most in pryde aboue Wax sodaynly most subgect vnto loue For thy ensample take of thys man Ye wyse prowde and worthy folkes alle To scorne loue / whyche that so soone can The fredom of yowre hertis to hym thralle For euer it was and euer be shall That loue is he / that all thyng may bynde For noman may fordo the lawe of kynde That this is sooth is prouyd and doth yit For thys trow I ye knowen alle and some Men reden not that folk haue gretter wyt Than they that han ben most wyth louely nome And strengest folk be therwyth ouercome The worthyest and grettest of degre Thys was and is / and yet men shul it fee And trewly it fallyth wel to be soo For alther wysest han therwyth ben pleasid And they that han ben althermost in woo Wyth loue haue ben conforted most and easid And oft it hath the cruel hert apeasid And worthy folk made worthyer of name And causith most to drede vyce and shame Now sith it may not goodely be wythstonde And is a thyng so vertuous in kynde Refusith not in loue to bounde Sith as hym self lyst he may yow bynde The yerd is better that bowen wyl and wynde Than that that brestith / and therfor I yow rede To folowe loue / that yow so wel can lede But forth to telle / in especyal As of this kynge sone of whyche I told And lete other thynges collateral Of hym thynk I my tale forth to hold Both of hys Ioye and of hys cares cold And all hys werkis towchnyg thys matere For ther as I gan I wyl therto refere Within the temple he wente hym forth pleyeng Thys Troilus of euery wight aboute On thys lady and now on that lokyng Whether so she were of towne or of wythoute And vpon caas byfel that thurgh a Yowte Hys eye perad and so depe it went Al on Criseide it smet and there it stent And sodaynly he wax therwyth astonyed And gan hyr bet behold in thryfty wyse O mercy god thought he / wher hast thou woned That art so fayre and goodly to deuyse Therwyth hys herte began to sprede and ryse And soft sighed / lest men myght hym here And caught agayn hys fyrst pleyeng chere She was nat wyth the leste / of hyr stature But alle her lymmes / so wel answeryng Weren to wommanhode / that creature Nas neuer lasse mannyssh in semyng And eke the pure wyse of her meuyng Shewyd we le that men myght in her gesse Honour estate / and wommanly noblesse Tho Troilns ryght wonderly wel withal Gan for to lyke her meuyng and hyr chyere Whyche sumdel deynous was for she leete fal Hyr looke a lyte asyde in suche manece Askaunce what may I nat stond here And after that her lookyng gan she lyght Hym neuer thought haue seen so good a sight And of hyr looke in hym ther gan quyken So grete desire / and suche affectioun That hys hert bottum it gan styken Of hyr fygure wyth deepe oppressioun And though he eerst had powred vp & doun He was tho glad / hys hornes in to shrynke Vnneth wist he how to looke or wynke Lo he that leete hym self so connyng And scorned theym that louys peynes dryen Was ful vnware / that loue hath his dwellyng Within the subtyl streames / of hyr eyen That sodaynly hym thought he shuld dyen Ryght wyth hyr looke the spyrit in hys hert Blissed he loue / that can thus folk conuert She thus in black / lykyng to Troylus Ouer al thyng / he stode to beholde Ne hys desyre / ne wherfor he stode thus He neuer chyere made / ne word told But from after / hys maner to behold On other thyng somtyme hys looke he caste And eft on hyr whyle the seruyse laste And after thys not fully al awapyd Out of the temple / al easily be went Repentyng hym that he had euer Iapyd Of louie folk / lest fully the descent Of scorn fyl on hym self / but what he ment Lest it were wyst in ony maner syde Hys woo he gan dyssimulen / and to hyde Whan he was fro the temple thus departed He streyght anon / vnto hys palays turnyth Right with hir look thurh shot & thurh dar tid So feyneth he in lust / ther he soiournyth And al his chere & speche / also he bournyth And ay of louys seruauntis / euery whyle Hym self to wicke at hem he gan to smple And sayd lord so ye lyue alle in lese Ye louers for the connyngest of yow That seruyth most ententysly and lest Hym t●● therof as often harme as prow Your huyre is quyt agayn / ye god wote how Nat wele for we le / but scorn for good see nyce In feyth youre ordir is / r●●●d in goodely wyse In no certayne ben al your obseruaun●●s But it a sely feyre peyntes be Ne nothyng askyth so grete attendaunces As doeth your lay / and that knowen al ye But that is not the worst so mo●e I the But told I yow the worst poynt I leue All sayd I soth / ye wold at me greue But take thys that ye louers oft eschyewe Or ellis don of good entrncioun Ful oft your lady / wyl it mys conscriewe And deme it harme / in her oppynyoun And yit yf she for other encheason Be wroth th●ne shalt thou haue a groyne 〈◊〉 Lord wele is hym / that may be of yow 〈◊〉 But for al thys / whan that he sawe hys tyme He held his peas noke other boote hym gayned For loue bygan hys fethyrs for to lyme That wel vnneth vnto hys folk he feyned That other besy nedis / hym dystrayned For wo was hym that what to do he nyst But bad hys folk go wher that hem lyst And whan that he in chambre was alone He doun vpon hys beddis feete hym sette And fyrst he gan do sigh / and eft to grone And thought ay so on hyr / wythouten lette That as he sat and woke / hys spirit mette That he her sawe temple and alle the guyse Ryght of her looke / and gan it newe aduyse Thus gan he make a myrrour of hys mynde In whyche he sawe al hool hyr fygure And that he wel coude / in hys hert fynde It was to hym a ryght good auenture To loue suche one / and yf he dyd hys cure To seruen hyr yit myght he fal in grace Or ellis for one of hyr seruauntis pace Imagynyng that trauayle ne grame Ne myght not for so goodely one be lorn As she ne hym for no desyre ne shame Al wers it wyst / but in pryce vp born Of al louers wel more than byforn Thus argued he in hys begynnyng Ful vnauysed of hys woo comyng Thus toke he purpos / louys craft to syewe And thought he wold werke pryuely Fyrst to hyde hys desire in mewe From euery wyght y born vttirly But he myght ought recouered be therby Remembryng hym that loue to wyde y blowe Yeldith vetter fruyt though swete seede be sowe And ouer al thys moche more he thought What for to speke / and what to hold ynne And to art her to loue he fought And a song / anon ryght to begynne And gan lowd on hys sorow for to wynne For wyth good hope / he gan fully assent Cryseyde for to loue / and not to repente And of hys songe not only the sentence As wryteth myn auctour / callyd ●ollius But pleynly saue oure tonges difference I dare wel say in al that Twylus Seyde in hys song ●o euery word ryght thus As I shal seyn / and who so lyst it ●err Is next thys vers ye may it fynden nere Yf no loue is / O god what ferle I so And yf loue is what thyng and whych is he Yf loue be good from whens comyth my we Yf it be wycke / a wondyr thynkyth me Whan euery ●●ment and aduersice That comyth of hym may to me sau●ry thynk For ay thryse I the more that I it dryust And yf that at myn owne lust I beenne From whens comyth my wayllyng & my pleynt Yf harm angre me / wherto pleyne I thenne I note not why vnwery that I feynt O quyst deth / O s●bete harme so queynt How may of the in me be suche quantyte But yf I consent / that it so be And yf that I consent wrongfully Conpleyne ywys / thus possid to and fro Al styerles / wythin a bote am I Amydde the see betwyn wyndes two That in contrary stondyn euermo Alas what is thys wondyr maladye For hete of cold / for cold of hete I dye And to the god of loue thus sayd he Wyth pytous voys / O lord now yowre is My spirit whyche that ought yowris be Yow thank I lord / that haue me brought to this But whether goddesse or womman ywis She be I note whyche that ye do me serue But as hyr man I wyl ay lyue and sterue Ye stonden in her eyen / myghtyly As in a place / vnto your vertu dygne Therfor lord yf my seruyce or I May lyke yow / so be to me benygne For myn estate Royal / I here resigne In to her hande / and wyth ful humble chere Bycome hyr man as to my lady dere In hym ne deyned to spare blood Royal The fyre of loue wherfrom god me blesse Ne hym forbare in no degre for al hys excellent or vertuous prowesse But held hym as hys thral / in loue dystresse And brent hym so in sondry wyse al newe That sixty tyme a day / he lost hys hewe So moche day from day / hys owne thought For lust to hyr / gan quyken and encreace That euery other charge he sette at nought For thy sul oft / hys hote fyre to ceace To see her goodly chere he gan to preace For therby to be eased wel he wend And ay the nere he was / the more he brend But whan he had a space / from hys care Thus to hym self / ful oft he gan to pleyne He sayd a foole / now art thou in the snare That whylom Iapydest / at loues peyne Now art thou bent / now gnaw thyn owne cheyne Thou were ay wont / eche louer to reprehende Of thynge the which thou canst the not defende What wyl now euery louer / say of the If thys be wyst / but euer in thyn absence Laugh in scorn / and sey lo wher goth he That is the man / of so grete sapyence That held vs louers / lest in reuerence Now thanked be god / he may go in the daunce Of hem that loue lyst / fyebly to auaunce But o thou woful Troylus god wold Syth thou must loue / thurgh thy destyne That thou byset were / on suche one that shold Knowe al thy woo / al lakked her pyte But also cold / in loue towardis the Thy lady is / as frost in wynter moone And thou for done as frost in wynter soone God wold I were aryued in the port Of deth the whyche / my sorow wyl me lede A lord to me it were a grete comfort Than were I quyte of langusshyng in drede For by myn hyd sorow y blowen in brede I shal y iaped be / a thousand tyme More than a foole of whos foly men ryme But now help god / and ye swete for whom I pleyne / y caught ye neuer wyght so fast O mercy dere hert / and help me from The deth / for I whyle my lyf may last More than my self wyl loue yow to my last And with som frendly looke / gladith me swete Though neuer nothyng more ye me byheete These wordis / and ful many another to He spack and callid euer in his compleynt Hyr name for to tellyn hyr / he is woo Tyl nygh that he in salt teris dreynt Al was for nought / she herd not hys pleynt And whan that he bethought / on that folye A thousand fold / hys woo gan multiplye By waylyng in hys chambre / thus alone A frend of hys / that callid was Pandare Come oones in / and herd hym grone And saw hys frend / in suche dystres and care Alas quod he / who causith alle thys fare O mercy god / what vnhap may thys mene Hane now thus soone / greekis made yow lene Or hast thou some remors / of conscience And art now fallen / in some deuocioun And waylest for thy synne & for thyn offence And hast for fere / caught contricioun God saue hem that bysieged haue thys toun That so can leye / our Io●te on presse And bryng oure lusty folk / to holynesse These wordis sayd he / for the nones alle That with such thing he might him angry maken And wyth hys angre / do hys sorow falle As for the tyme / and hys corage awaken And wel wyst he / as fer as tunges spaken Ther nas a man of gretter hardynesse Than he / ne nomore desired worthynesse What caas quod Twilus tho / or what aduenture Hath guyded the / to see me languysshyg That am refuse / of euery creature But for the loue of god / at my prayeng Go hens away / for certis my deyeng Wyl the dysease / and I mote nedis deye Therfor go hens / ther is nomore to seye But yf thou wene / I be thus sike for drede It is not so / and therfor scorn me nought Ther is another thyng I take of heede Wel more than ought the grekis han yit wrought Whyche cause is of my deth / sorow & thought But though I now tel it the ne lest Be thou not wroth I hyde it for the best Thys Pandare that ny malt / for woo & 〈◊〉 Ful oft sayd alas / what may thys be Now frend quod he / yf euer loue or tro●●●● Hath ben or is / bytwene the and 〈◊〉 Ne do thou neuer / suche a cruelte To hyde from me thy frende / suche a 〈◊〉 Wost thou not wel / that I am pandare I wyl part wyth the al the peyne Yf it be so / I do the no confort As it is frendis ryght / sooth for to seyne To entreparte woo / as glad dysport I haue and shal for trew or fals report In wrong and ryght / I loued the al my ly●●● Hyde not thy woo from me / but telle it blyue Than gan thys sorowful Troylus to si●● And sayd hym thus / god lieue it be my 〈◊〉 To tel it the / for sith it may the lyke Yit wyl 〈◊〉 / though myn hert brest And wel wote I / thou mayst do no rest But lest thou deme / I trust not to the Now herk frend / for thuo it standyeth wyth 〈◊〉 Loue ageynst whyche / who so defendyth Hym self most / it al therlist au●ylith Wyth dyspeyre / so sorowfully me offendyth That ser●yght vnto the deth / myn bert say●●●● Therto desire / so brennyngly me assay●●th That to be slayne / it were a gret●er Ioy● To me than to be kyng / of Grece and Troye Suffisith thys my ful frend Pandare That I haue sayd / for now wost thou my 〈◊〉 And for the loue of god / my cold 〈◊〉 Hyde it wel / I told it neuer nomo For harmes myght folowe me than two Yf it were wyst / but be thou in gladnes And lete me sterue / vnknow of my dysires How hast thou thus / vnknydly and long Hyd thys fro me / thou foole quod Pandarus Perauenture thou mayst / after sucheon long That myn aduyse / anon may helpen vs Thys were a wounder thyng / quod Troylus Thou cowdyst neuer in loue / thy self wysse How deuyl mayst thou than / bryng me to blisse Ye ●●ylus herken now / quod Pandare Though I be nyce / it happith often so That oon that excesse doeth / ful euylfare By good counsayl / can kepe hys frend therfro I haue my self seen a blynd man go There as he fyl / that cowde looke wyde A foole may eke / a wyse man often guyde A wheston / is no keruyng instrument But yit it makyth / sharp keruyng coolis And there thou woost / that I haue myswent Eschiew thou that / for suche thyng to scoole is Thus oft wyse men / ben ware by foolis Yf thou do soo / thy wyt is wel bewarid By hys contrary / is euery thyng declarid For how myght euer / swetnesse be knowe To hym that neuer / tastid bytternesse Ne noman may / be inly glad I trowe That neuer was in sorow / or some dystresse Eke white by black / by shame eke worthynesse Eche set by other / more for othyr semyth As men may see / and so the wyse it demyth Syth thus of two contraryes / is oo lore A that haue so oft / in loue assayed Greuaunces ought conne / wel the more Counsayle the / of that thou art dysmayed And eeke the not ought / be euyl apayed Though I desire / wyth the for to bere Thyn heuy charge / it shal the lasse dere A wote wel / it farith thus by me As to thy brother Paris / and a pryncesse Whyche that y clepyd was Oenont Wrote in a compleynt / of hyr heuynesse Thou sawe the lettir / that she wrote I gesse Nay neuer yit ywys / quod Troylus Now quod Pandare / herken it was thus Phebus that fyrst founde / art of medicyne Quod she that cowd / in euery wyghtis 〈◊〉 Remedy and rede / by herbis he knew fyne Yet to hym self / hys connyng was ful lure For loue had hym / bound in a snare Al for the doughter of the kyng Am●●● That alle hys craft / no cowd● hys sorowes bete Ryght so fare I / vnhappily for me A loue one beste / and that me smertyth fore And yit perauenture can I reden the And not my self / repreue me nomore A haue no cause I wote wel for to fore As doeth an hawke / that lysteth for to ●bey But to thyn help / somwhat can I sey And of o thyng / ryght siker mayst thou be That certeyn for to dyen in the pryne That shal I neuer more / dyscou●ren the Ne by my trowth / I ●●epe not restreyne The from thy loue / though that it there Heleynt That to thy brothyrs wyf / yf I it wyst Be what she be / and loue hyr as the lyst Therfore as frendfully / in me assure And tel me plat now / what is thencheson And fynal cause / of woo that ye endure For douthyth nothyng / my en●encion Nys nor to you / of reprehension To speke as now / for no wyght may byreue A man to loue / tyl that hym lyst to leue And wyte wel / that both two ben vices Mystrust al / o● ellis al to leue But wel I wote / the meane of it no vyce is For to trust some wyght / it is a preue Of trowth and for thy / wold I fayne remeue Thy wrong conceyt / and do the somwhat tryst Thy woo to tel / and tel me yf the lyst The wyse seyth / woo hym that is alone For yf he falle / he hath no help to ryse And sith thou hast a felowe / telle thy mone For thys is not certeyne the next wyse To wynnen loue / as rechen vs the wyse To walewe and wepe / as Nyobe the quene Whos teens yit in marbyl stone be seene Late be thy wepyng / and thy drerynesse And lete vs l●ssen woo / wyth oure speche So may thy woful tyme / seeme lesse Delyte not in woo / thy woo to seche As don thyse fooles / that theyr sorowes eche Wyth sorow / whan they haue mysauenture And lyst not to seche hem / othyr cure Men seyn / to wretchis is consolacioun To haue anothyr fel●w in hys peyne That ought wel be / oure oppynyoun For both thou and I / for loue we pleyne So ful of sorow am I soth to seyne That certaynly nomoore hard grace May sitte on me / for why ther is no space Yf god wyl thou art not agast of me Lest I wold of thy lady the begyle Thou wost thy self whom that I loue parde As I best can / goon sith long whyle And sith thou woost / I do it for no wyle And seyst I am he / thou trustist most Tel me somwhat / sith al my wyt thou woost Yet Troylus for al thys / no worde seyd But long he lay stylle / as he deed were And after thys / wyth sighyng he abreyde And to pandarus voyce / he leyd hys eve And vp hys eyen cast he / that in fere Was Pandarus / lest that in frenesye He shuld falle / or ellis soone dye And cryed awake ful wonderly and sharp What slombryst thou / an in a lytargy Or art thou lyke / an Asse vnto the harp That herith sowne / whan men the strynges plye But in hys mynde of that no melodye May synken in / to gladden for that he So dul is of hys bestialyte And wyth that Pandare / of hys wordis stent And Troylus yit hym / nothyng answerd For thy to tellen / was not hys entent Neuer to noman / for whom he so ferd For it is sayd / men make oft a yerd Wyth whyche the maker / is hym self y betyn In sondry maner as these wyse tretyn And namely / in hys counsayl tellyng That touchyth loue / that ought to be secre For of hym self / it wyl ynough out spryng But yf that it / the bet gouerned be Eke somtyme it is craft to seme fle For thyng whyche in effect / men huntyn fast Al thys gan Troylus / in hys herte cast But neuertheles / whan he had herd hym crye Awake he gan / and sighed wonder sore And sayd frende / though that I stylle lye I am not deef / now peas and crye nomore I haue herd thy wordis / and thy lore But suffre me / my myschyef to bewaylen For thy prouerbis / may me not auaylen None other cure canst thou for me Eke I wyl not be curid / I wyl deye What knowe I of the quene Nyobe Eate be thyn old ensamples I the preye No quod pandare therfore I seye Suche is delyte of foolis to bywepe Her wo but seeke boote they ne kepe Now know I that reason in the faylyth But tel me / yf I wyst what she were For whom that the al this mysauenture aylyth Durst thou that I told it in her eere Thy woo sith thou darst not thy self for fere And hyr besought / on the to haue some rowth Why nay quod he / by god and by my trowth What not as busily quod pandarus As though myn owne lyf lay in thys nede No certis brother quod thys Troylus And why / for that thou shuldest neuer spede Woost thou not wel / ye that is out of drede Quod troylus for al that euer ye conne She nyl to no suche wretche as I be wonne Quod pandarus alas what may thys be That thou dyspayrid art thus causeles What lyuyth not thy lady benedicite How woost thou soo / that thou art graceles Suche euyl is not alway booteles Why put not impossible thus thy cure Syth thyng to come is / oft hath aduenture What shold he therfor fal in dyspeyre Or be recreaunt / for hys owne teene Or sle hym self / al be hys lady feyre Nay nay but euer in oon be fressh and grene To serue and loue / hys dere hertis quene And thynk it is a gwerdon for to serue A thousand fold more than he can deserue And of that word toke heede Troylus And thought anon / what folye he was in And how that soth hym sayde Pandarus That for to sle hym self / myght he not wynne But both do vnmanhod / and a synne And of hys d●th / hys lady not to wyde For of his woo god woot she knew but lyte And wyth that thought / he gan ful sor● 〈◊〉 And sayd alas / what is me best to do To whom pandare / answerd yf the lyke The best is / that thou telle me al thy woo And haue my trouth / but thou fynd it so A be shy boote / or that it be ful long And ellis ●o p●as / do me drawe and ●●ng Yeso s●yst thou / quod Troylus tho al●● But god wote / it is not the rather so Ful hard wote it / to helpen in thys ca● For we le fynd I / that fortune is my foo Ne alle the men that ryden conne or goo May of hyr cruel w●●le the harm withstonde For as she lyse , she pleyth wyth for and 〈◊〉 I graunt wel if at thou endurist woo As sharp as doth Tiaue in beste Whoo stomack fowlio tyr●n euermo That hyght vulturre / as bookes 〈◊〉 But I may not endure / that thou dwelle In so an vnskilful oppynyon That of thy woo is no cumaon But oones nyltow / for thy coward lert And for thyn ite / and foolissh wylfulnesse For wantrust tel of thy woundis smert Ne to thyn owne help / do besynesse As moche as speke a reason / more on lesse But lyggese as he that lyst of nothyng ret●●● What womman coude loue suche a wretche What may she deme / othyr of thy deth Yf thou thus dye / and she note why it is But that for drede is yolden vp thy breth For Greekis han bysegyd vs ywys Lord suche a thank shalt thou haue of thys Thus wyl she say / and alle the towne atones The wretche is ded / the deuyl haue hys bones Thou mayst alone here wepe kne●● and crye But loue a womman that she wote it● nought And she shal quyte it / thou shalt it not espye Vnknow vnkyst / and lost that is vnsought What many a man hath loue / ful dere y bought Twenty wynter / that hys lady ne wyst That neuer yit hys lady mouth he kyst Quod pandarus thou blamest fortune For thou art wroth / now at erst I see Wost thou not wel that fortune is comune To euery maner wyght / in some degre And yit thou hast thys comfort ●o parde So as hir Ioyes must ouergon So must h●r sorowes passen euerychon For yf her whele stynt any thyng to torne Than scaceth she anon fortune to be Now sith hyr whele by no way may so●ourne What woost thou / of hyr mutabilite Ryght as thy self lyse / she wyl do by the Or yf she be not seen at thyn helpyng Perauenture thou hast cause for to syng And therfor woost thou what I the beseche Late be thy woo / and turnyng to the ground For who so lyst haue helpyng of hys leche To hym byhouyth fyrst / vnkouer hys wound To cerberus in helle / ay be I bounde Were it for my sustre / al thy sorow By my wyl she shuld be thyn to morow Looke vp I say / and tel me what she is Anon that I may goo aboute thy nede Knowe I hyr not for my loue tel me thys Than wold I hope rather for to spede Tho gan the veynes of troylus to bleede For he was hit and wax alle rede for shame A ha quod Pandare / here begynnyth the game And wyth that word he gan hym to shake And sayd thyef thou shalt hyr name telle But tho gan sely Troylus to quake As thought the men shuld haue led hym to helle And sayd alas / of alle my woo the welle That 〈◊〉 she my swete callid Cr●seyde And wyth that word / for few nygh he deyde And whan pandar● herd hym her name 〈◊〉 Lord he was glad / and sayd frend so 〈◊〉 Now fare a ryght / for Io●●● name in 〈◊〉 Loue hath be set the wel be of good 〈◊〉 For of good name / wysedom and 〈◊〉 She hath ynough / and eke of gentylnesse If she be fayre / thou woost thy self I gesse Neuer saw I none more boun●●uous Of her estate ne gladder of speche A frendlyer / ne more gracious For to do wel ne basse had nede to s●che What to for to done / and al thys bet to eche In honour to as f●r as she may stretche A kynges hert semeth by hyre a wretche And also thynk / and therwyth glad the That syth thy lady vertuous is al So folowyth it / that there is som pyte Among alle thyse other in general And for thy see that in especial Requyre not that is ayenst her name For vertu stretchyth not hym self to shame Now bete thy brest / and seye to god of loue Thy grace lord / for now I me repent Yf I myspack afore now my self I loue Thus seye wyth all thyn hert in good entent Quod Troylus / a lord I me consent And pray to the / my Iapis to foryeue And I shal neuermore whyle I lyue Thou sayst wel quod pandare / now I hope That thou the goddis wrath hast apeased And syth thou hast wept many a drope And said such thing wherwith thy god is pleasid Now wold neuer god / but thou were casid And thynk wel she of whom rist al thy woo Here afore / thy confort may be also For thilk ground / that berith the weedis wycke Beryth este the holsom herbis ful ofte Next the foule nettyl rowgh and thycke The rose wexith swete / smoth and softe And next the valey / is the hyl alofte And next the derk nyght / is the glad morow And also Ioye is next th end of sorow Now booke that attempre be thy brydel And for the best / ay suffre to the tyd Or ellis all our labour / is al ydel He hastyth wel / that wysely can abyde Be dylygent and trewe / and alway hyde Be lusty fre / perseuere in thy seruyse And al is wel / yf thou werk in thy wyse The tyme thou maist blis / that euer thou were born And the goddis thank / that in so good a place Haue the bistowed in loue / I durst haue sworn That thou shuld neuer haue had / so fayce a grace And why for thou were euer wont to chace At loue in scorn / and for dyspyte hem calle Delyuere the world / lord of thys foolis alle Whan Toylus had herd / Pandare assentyd To be hys help in louyng of Criseyde Way of hys woo / as who sayth vnturmentid But hott●● wax hys loue / and than he seyde Wyth sobre chere / as though hys hert had pleyde Now blysful venus / help or that I sterus Of the Pandare / I may some thank deserue But dere frend how shal my woo be lesse Tyl thys be don / and good eke trl me thys How wylt thou sey / of me and my dyscresse Leste she be wroth / thye drede I most ywis Or wyl not here / or trowen how it is All thys drede I / and eke for the manere Of the hyr Eme / she wyl no suche thyng here Quod Pandarus / thou hast ful grete care Lest that the chorle / fal ouer of the moone Why lord I hate of the / thy nyce fare What entre●et● of that / thou hast to doone For goddis loue / I byde the a boone So lete me alone / and it shal be thy feste What frend quod be nowe / do ryght as the leste But herk / Pandare / o word for I nold That thou in me / wendyst so grete folye That to my lady / I desire shold That touchyth harme / or any vylonye For dredeles / me were leuer dye Than she of me / ought ellis vndirstoode But that / that myght sowne in to goode Tho lowgh thys pandare / and anon answerd● And I thy borow / fy no wyght doth but so I tought not / though she stood and herd How that thou seyst / but fare wel I wyl go Adieu be glad / god spede vs with two Yeue me thys labour / and thys besinesse And of my speede / be thyn alle the swetnesse Tho Troilus gan doun / on hys knees fall And Pandare in hys armes / hent fast And sayd now fy on the grekis all Yit parde god shal help vs at the laste And dredeles yf that my lyf may laste And god to forn / yit some of hem shal smert And yit me athynketh thys auaunt me astert Now pandarus / I can no more seye But thou wise / thou wost / thou mayst / thou art al My lyf my deth / hool in thyn hand I leye Help now quod he / yis by my trowth I shal God yeld the frend / and thys in special Quod Troylus / that thou me recomanude To her that may me / to deth comaunde Thys Pandarus / tho desirous to serue Hys ful frend / tho sayd in thys manere Farwel and thynk I wyl / thy thank deserue Haue here my trowth / & that thou shalt wel here And went hys wey / thynkyng on thys matere And how he myght best / byseche her of grace And fynd a tyme herto / and a place For euery wyght / that hath an hous to found Ne rennyth not / the werke for to begynne With rakil hand / but he wyl byde a stound And send hys hertis lyne / out from wythynne Altherfirst hys purpos for to wynne Al thys Pandare / in hys hert thought And cast hys werk ful wysely or he wrought But Troylus tho / lay no lenger doun But vp anon vpon hys steed bay And in the feld he pleyeth the lyoun Wo was the greke / that met with hym that day And in the towne / hys manerr he holdyth ay So goodely he was / and gate hym so in grace That eche hym loued / that lokid in hys face For he become / the frendlyest knyght The gentyllest / and eke the most fre The thryftyest and one the best wyght That in hys tyme / was or myght be Ded were hys Iapis / and hys cruelte Hys hye port / and hys maner straunge And eche of tho / gan for a vertu chaunge Now lete vs stynt of Troylus a stounde That farith lyke a man / that hurt is sore And is somdele of akynge of hys wounde Y lyssed wel / but helid no del more And as an esy pacyent / the lore Abydyth of hym that goth aboute hys cure And thus be dryuyth forth hys aduenture Here endeth the first booke
And begynneth the prologe of the secunde booke OWte of thise black wawes / for to sayle O wynde the wedir / begynneth to clere For in this see / the bote hath such trauayle Of my connyng / that vnneth I it stere Thys see clepe I / the tempestous matere Of dyspeyre / that Troylus was ynne For now of hope the kalendis begynne O lady myn / that callid art Cleo Thou be my spede fro this furth / and my muse To Ryme wel thys booke / tyl I haue do Me nedeth here / none other art to vse For why to euery louer I me excuse That of no sentement / I thys endyte But out of latyn / in to my tunge I wryte Wherfor I wyl haue / neyther thank ne blame Of al thys werk / but prey yow mekely Dysblameth me / yf ony word be lame For as myn auctour sayth / so sey I Eke though I speke / of loue vnfelyngly No wonder is / for it of thyng now new is A blynd man can not wel Iuge in hewis I know eke that in forme of speche / is chaunge Wythyn a thousand yere / of wordis tho That hadden pry●● / ben now nyce and straunge Vs thynketh hem / and yit they spack hem so And sped as wel in loue / as men now do Eke for to wynne loue / in sondry ages An sondry ●ondes / sondry ben vsages And for thy yf it hap / in ony wyse That ther be ony louer / in thys place That herkenyth as the story can deuyse How Troylus come / to hys lady grace And thynkith s● nold I / loue purchase Or wondryth on hys speche / or doyng I not but vnto me / it is no wondryng For euery wyght / whyche that to rome went Holt not oo path / ne alway oo manere Eke in some bond / were al the game y shent Yf they ferd in loue / as men don here As thus in open doyng / and in chere In vysityng in forme / or sayd our sawes For why men seyn / eche contre hath hys lawes Eke scarsly be ther in thys place thre That haue in loue seyd lyke / and don al For to thy purpos thys may lyke the And the ryght nought / yit al is sayd & shal Eke som men graue / in the stone wal As it betyd but sith I haue bygonne Myn auctor shal I folowe yf that I conne Here endeth the prologe
And here begynneth the seconde booke IN may that modir is of monethis glade That fressh flowris / blew whet & trede Ben quykened ageyn / that wīert deed made And ful of baume / is fletyng euery mede Whan phebus doth / hys bryght beames spaede Ryght in the whyte boole / it is betyd As I shal syng / on Mayes day the thryd That pandarus / for al hys wyse speche Felt eke hys part / of loues 〈◊〉 beene That cowde he neuer / so wel of louynge preche It made hys hewe / ful oft a day greene Shoope hym that day / ther fyl hym a trene In loue for whyche / to be ded / he wente And made or it was day ful many a went The swalow Proigne / wyth a sorowful lay Whan morow come / made hyr waymentyng Why she forshape was / and al the lay Pandare a bed halt in a slomb●yng Tyl she so nyh hym / made her chy●●ryng How Ter●us gan forth / hyr sus●●r take That wyth the noyse of hyr he gan awake And gan to calle / and dresse hym to ryse Remembryng hym / hys ●●●nd was to done From Troylus / and eke hys grede empryse And case & knew / in good plice was the mone To do viage / and toke hys wey ful soone Vnto hys neas paleys / ther besyde Now Ianus god of entre / thow hym guyde Whan he was come / vnto hys neas place Where is my lady to her folk quod he And they hym told / and he forth in gan pace And fond two othyr ladyes / sit and she Wythin a paued parlour / and they thre Herd hem a mayden / redyng the gest Of the siege of thebes whyle hem lest Quod Pandarus / madame god yow see Wyth youre booke / and al the company Ey vncle now / welcom ywis quod she And vs she Ros / and by the hond in hy She toke hym fast / and sayd thus nyght thry To good mote it turne / of yow I mette And with that word / she doun on benche hym sette Ye nece ye shul fare / wel the bet Yf god wyl / al thys yere quod Pandarus But I am sory / that I haue yow let To herken on your booke / ye praysen thus For goddys loue what sayth it / tel it vs Is it of loue / or some good thyng ye me lere Vncle quod she your maystres is not here Wyth that they gonne laugh / and tho she sayd Thys romance is of Thebes / that we rede And we han herd / hou that kyng layus deyde Thurgh Edippus hys sone and al that dede And here we stynt / at thyse lettres rede How the bysshop as the booke can telle Amphiorax fyl thurgh the ground to helle Quod pandarus al thys knowe I my selue And al the fleges of thebes / and the care For herof ben therr / bookes made twelue But lete be thys / and tel me how ye fare Do way your wympyl / & shewe your face bare Do way your booke / ryse vp & lete vs daunce And lete vs do to may / some obseruaunce Ey god forbede quod she / be ye mad Is that a wydewes lyf / so god yow saue By god ye maken me / ryght sore adrad Ye be so wyeld / it semeth as ye raue It sit me wel bet / to be in a caue To byd and rede / on holy sayntes lyues Late maydens go daunce / and yong wyues As euer thryue I / quod thy● pandarus Yit couthe I 〈◊〉 a thyng / to do your ●●rt 〈◊〉 Now vncle dere quod she / telle it ve For goddis loue / is than the syege awey I am of the Grrel●is / so ferd that I dey Nay nay quod 〈◊〉 / as euer more I thryue It is a thyng wel bet / than such fyue Ye holy god quod she / what thyng● to that What bet than suche ●yue / nay ywys For al thys world / ne can I rede what It shal be some ●ape / I trowe it is And but your self vs crl / what it is My wyt to arrde it / is al to seene Ao help me god I no●● what ye mene And I your borow / ne neuer shal quod ●e Thys thyng be told to yow / so most I thryue And why so vncle myn / why so quod she By god quod he / that wyl I trl as ●lyue For prowder womman / is there none on lyue And ye it wyst / in al the ●owne of Troye I lye not / so euer haue I Ioye Tho gan she wonder / more than byforn A thousand fold / & doun hyr eyen caste For neuer sith the tyme / she was born To knowe a thyng / desired she so faste And wyth a sigh / she sayd hym at the laste Now vncle myn / I wyl you not dysplease ase Ne axe thyng / that may do you dysease So aftir thys / wyth many wordis glade And frendly talis / and wyth mery chere Of thys and that / they gonne pley and wade In many vncowth glad and deepe matere As frendis don / whan they ben met in feere Tyl she gan aske hym / how that Hector ferde That was the wal of Troye / and greekis yerde Ful wel I thank it god / quod Pandarus Saue in hys arme / he hath a lytel wounde And eke hys fressh brothyr Troylus The wyse worthy / Hector the secunde In whom that euery vertu / lyst habounde As al trowth / and al gentylnesse Wysdom honour / fredom and worthynesse In good feyth Eme quod she / that lykith me They faren wel / god saue hem both two For trewly / I hold it grete deynte A kynges sone / in armes wel to do And be of good condicions therto For grete power / and moral vertu here Is selden seen / in oo persone y feere In good feyth / that is sooth quod Pandarus But by my trouth / the kyng hath sones twey That is to saye / Hector and Troylus That certaynly though that I shuld deye They ben vs voyde / of vyces dar I sey As any men / that lyuen vndir the sonne Theyr myght is wide knowen / & what they konne Of Hector nedyth nothyng for to telle In al thys world / ther nys a bettir knyght Than he that is of worthynesse welle And he wel more vertu hath / than myght Thys knowith many a wyse / & worthy knyght The same pryce of Troylus I sey God help me soo / I know not suche twey By god quod she / of Hector that is sooth Of Troylus the same thyng trowe I For dredeles / men tellith that he doeth In armes daye by daye / and that so worthyly And berith hym here at hom so gentylly To euery wyght that oueral pryce hath he Of hem that were me leuest praysed be Ye sey ryght soth ywis / quod Pandarus For yesterdaye / who hath wyth hym ben Myght haue woundred / vpon Troylus For neuer yit so thyk a swarm of leen As than the Grekis / from hym gan fleen And thurgh the feld in euery wyghtis eue Ther nas no cry / but Troylus is there Now here now there / he hunted hem so faste Ther nas but Grekis bloode / and Troylus Now hym he hurt / and now hym doun he caste Ay where he went it was arayeed thus He was theyr deth / and sheld and lyf for vs That as that day / ther durst none wythstonde Whyle he held / hys blody swerd in hond Therto he is the frendelyest man Of grete estate / that euer I sawe in my fyne And where hym lyst / best felawshyp can To suche as hym thynkyth / able for to thryue And wyth that word / tho Pandarus as blyue Toke of theym leue / & said he wold gon henne Nay blame haue I myn vncle quod she thenne Whot eyleth yow to be thus wery soone And namely of wymmen wil ye so Nay sittyth doun by god I haue to doone Wyth yow to speke / of wysdom or ye go And euery wyght / that was aboute hem tho That herd that / gan for awey to stonde Whyle they two had / al that hem le●t on honde Whan that hyr tale / brought was to an end Of hyr estate and hyr gouernaunce Quod Pandarus / now is tyme I wend But now I sey aryse / and lete vs daunce And caste your wydewes habyte / to myschaunce What lyst yow thus / your self to dyffygure Syth yow is betid / so glad an auenture A wel bythought / for loue of god quod she Shal I not wyte / what ye meane of thys No thys thyng askyth / leyser quod he And eke me wold / moche greue ywys Yf I it told / and ye toke it amys Yit were it bet / my tung for to stylle Than sey a thyng / that were agayn your ●ille For nece by the goddesse Minerue And Iubiter / that makyth the thunder to ryng And by the blysful Venus / that I serue Ye be the womman / in thys world lyuyng Wythout peramours / to my wytyng That I best loue / and bothest am to greue And that ye wyten wel / your self I leeue Ywis myn vncle / quod she grantmercy Your frendshyp haue I founden euer yit I am to noman / holden trewly So moche as you / and haue so lytyl quyt And wyth grace of god / wyth my ful wyt As in my gylt / I shal you neuer offende And yf I haue or thys / I wyl amende B●th not agast / ne quakyth not wherto Ne chaungyth not for fere / so youre hewe For hardily the worst of thys is do And though my tale be now / as to yow newe Yit trust alway / ye shuld fynd me trewe And were it thyng / me thought vnsittyng To yow wold I / no suche talis bryng Now my good Eame / for goddis loue I prey Quod she come of / and telle me what it is For both I am agast / what ye wyl sey And eke me longyth / to wyte ywis For whether it be wel / or be amys Sey and late me not / in thys fere dwelle So wyl I do now herkyn I shal telle Now nece myn / the kynges de●e sone The good wyse worthy / fressh and fre Whyche alway for to do wel / is hys wone The noble Troylus / so loueth the That but ye help / it wyl hys baane be Lo here is al / what shuld I more seye Do what ye lyst / make hym lyue on deye And yf ye lete hym deye / I wyl steruen Haue here my trowth / nyl I not lyen Al shuld I wyth thys ●●●yf / my throte ●eruen Wyth that trene / brost out of hys eyen And sayd / yf that ye do vs both dyen What mene ye though we bothe apayre Thus gylilis / than loue ye fysstred fayre Alas be whyche 〈◊〉 / my lord so dere That crew man / that noble knyght That nought des●●eth / but yowre frendly chere I see hym deye / ther he goeth vpright And baseyth hym / wyth al hys ful myght For to be slayne / yf hys fortune assent Alas that god suche a beaute you sent Yf it be so / ye so cruel be That of hys deth / ye list not to retche That is so trewe / and worthy as we see Nomore than of a Iaper / or of a wretche Yf ye be suche / yowre beawte may not s●retch To make amendes / of so cruel a dede Auysement is good / byfore the neede Wo worth / the fayre Gemme vertules Wo worth that herke / that doeth no bote Wo worth that beaute / that is rowthles Wo worth that wyght / that eche tret vndirfoote And ye that be / of beaute crop and roote Yf that wythal in yow be no rowth Than is it harm / ye lyuen by me trouth And also thynk wel that thys is no gawde For me were leuer / yow and I and he Were banged / than I shuld be hys bawde As hye as any man / myght on vs see I am thyn Eame / the shame were to me As wel as thyn / yf that I shuld assent Thurgh my counsayl / that he thyn honour shent Now vnderstonde / for I not requere To bynd yow to hym / by no byhest But only that ye make hym better chere Than ye haue don or this / & make hym more fest So that hys lyf be saued / at the lest Thys is al & some / and playnly our entent God help me so / I neuer other ment Lo thys request / is not but skyl ywys Ne doute of treason parde is ther none I set the worst / that ye dredden thys Men wold woundre / to see hym come and gone There ageynst / answere I thus anone That euery wyght / but he be foole of kynde Wyl deme it loue / and frendshyp in hys mynde What who wyl deeme / though he see a man To temple go / that he the ymage etyth Thynk eke how wel / and wysely that he can Gouerne hym self / that he nothyng foryetith That wher he comyth / the pryce & thank he getith And eke therto / he shal come here so seld What fo rs were it / yf al the towne beheld Suche loue of frendis / regneth in all this towne And wry you in that mantel / euerine And god so wysly / be my saluacioune As I haue sayd you / best is to do so But good nece alway to stynt hys wo So lete your daunger / sugrid be alyte That of hys deth / ye be not to wyte Criseyde whyche that herd hym / in this wyst Thought I shal fole / what ye meane ywis Now Eame quod she / what wyl ye deuyse What is youre rede / I shuld do of thys That is wel sayd quod he / certeyn best is That ye hym loue agayn for hys louyng As loue for loue / is skylful gwerdonny●g Thynk eke how ●eld / wostith euery houre In eche of yow / a party of beaute And therfor or that age / yow deuoure So loue / for old ther wyl no wyght of the Late this prouer● / a lore vnto yow be To late I ware / quod beaute whan it is past And aage dauntyth / daunger at the last The kynges foole / is wont to cry lowde Whan that him thynkith / a womman beri●h hir hye So long more ye lyue / and al prowde Tyl crowee feete / ben wax vndyr your eye And send yow than / a myrrour in to p●ye In whyche that ye may / see your face a morow I byd than wysshe you / nomo●e sorow Wyth thys he stynt / and cast doun the hede And she began / to brest to wepe anon And sayd alas / for wo why ner I dede For of thys world / the feyth is al gon Alas what shuld / a straunger to me don Whan he that for my best / frend I wend Wyl make me loue / and shuld me defend Alas I wold haue trustid dou●eles That yf I that / thurgh my dysauenture Had louyd hym othyr Achylles Hector or ony mannes creature Ye nold haue had / no mercy ne mesure On me but alwey / had me in repreue Thys fals world alas / how may it leue What is thys al / the Ioye and the feest Is thys your rede / is thys your blysful caas Is thys the vemy mede / of your byhest Is al thys peynted proces / come to thys alas Ryght for thys fyne / O lady myn Pallas Thou in thys drdeful cas / for me purueys For so astonyed am I / that I deye Wyth that she gan sorowfully to syke And may it be not bet / quod Pandaus By god I shal nomore / come here this wyke And god toforn / that am mystrusted thus I see wel that ye sette lytel of vs Or of our deth / Alas I woful wretche Myght he yit lyue / of me is not to retche O cruel god / o dyspytous mart O furyes thre of helle on you I crye So lete me neuer / out of thys hous depart Yf that I ment harme or vylonye But sith I see / my lord mote nedis dye And I wyth hym / here I me shryue and seye That wyckedly / ye do vs both deye But sith it lykyth yow / that I be ded By Neptunus / that god is on the see Fro thys furth / shal I neuer ete brede Tyl I myn owne / hert blood may see For certeyn I wyl dye as soone as hee And vp he stert / and on hys wey he raught Tyl she ageyn hym / by the lap caught Criseyde wyth that / ful ny starf for fere So as she was / the ferdfullest wyght That myght be / and herd eke with hyr ere And saw the sorowful ernest / of the knyght And in hys prayer / eke sawe none vnright And for the harm / that myght eke fal more She gan to rewe / and dred hyr wonder sore And thought thus vnhappis fallen thyk Alday for loue / in suche maner caas As men ben cruel / in hem self and wyk And yf thys man sle hym self alas In my presence / if wyl be no solas What men wyl it deme / I can not sey It nedyth me / ful wysely to pley And with a sorowful syke / she sayd thry A lord what me is tyd / a sory chaunce For myn estate lyeth in Iuparty And eke myn Eames lyf / lyth in balaunce But natheles / wyth goddis gouernaunce I shal so do / myn honour shal I kepe And eke hys lyf / and stynt for to wepe Of harmes two / the lasse is for to chese Yit had I leuer / make hym good chere In honour than myn owne / eames lyf to leese Ye sey ye nothyng / ellis requere Nowis quod he / myn owne nece dere Now wel quod she / and I wyl do my peyne I shal myn hert / ageynst my lust constrayne But that I nyl not / holdyn hym in honde Ne loue a man / ne can I not ne may Ageynst hys wyl / but ellis wyl I fonde Myn honour saue / please hym from day to day Therto nold I not oones / haue sayd nay But that I drede / as in hys fantasy But cease the cause / cesith the malady But here I make a protestacion That in thys proces / or ye further go That certaynly / for no saluacion Of yow though that ye sterue both two And al the world on a day / be my fooo Ne shal I neuer of hym / haue other rowth I graunt wel quod Pandare / by my trowth But may I trust wel to yow / quod he That of thys thyng / that ye haue hyght me here Ye wyl holden trewly / vnto me Ye doute it not quod she my vncle dere Ne that I shal haue cause in thys matrre Quod he to pleyne / or ofter yow to preche Why no parde what nedyth more speche Tho fyllen they / in other talis glade Tyl at the last / o goode Eame quod she tho For hys loue / whyche vs both made Tel me how fyrst / ye wysten of hys woo Wote none of it but ye / he sayd no Can he wel speke of loue / quod she I yow prey Tel me for I the bet / shal me pouruey Tho pandarus / a lytel gan to smyle And sayd by my trouth / I shal yow telle Thys othyr day / not go ful long whyle Wythin the gardyn paleys / by a welle Gan he and I / half a day to dwelle Ryght for to speke / of an ordynaunce How we the Grekis myght dysauaunce Soone after that we gan to lepe And cast wyth our ●●rtis / to and fro Tyl at the last he sayd he wold slepe And on the gras / adoun he leyd hym tho And I after / gan rome to and fro Tyl that I herd / as I walkid alone How he bygan / ful wofully to grone Tho gan I stalk hym / softly behynd And sikyrly / the footh for to sayne As I can clepe agayn to my mynde Ryght thus to loue / gan hym for to pleyne He sayd lord haue rowth / vpon my payne Al haue I be rebel / in myn entent Now mea culpa / lord I me repent O god / that thy dysposicion Ledyst the fyne / by Iust puruyaunce Of euery wyght / my lowe confess on A corpt in gre / and send me such penaunce As lykith the / but from desperaunce Late not my ghoost / departe away from the Thou be my sheld / for thy benygnyte For c●rti● lord so sore hath she me woundyd That stood in black / with lookyng of hyr eyen That to myn her●o bottum / it is foundyd Thurgh whiche I wote / that I must nedis d●yen Thys to the worst / I dar not bewrepe● And wel the hotter / ben the gl●dis rede That men hem wryen with ass●●n pale and deede Wyth that he smote hys ●ed / doun anone And gan to moe●● / I not what trewly And I wyth that / gan styl away to gone And lete the●●f / as nothyng wyst had I And come ageyn anone / and stode hym by And sayd awake / ye slepen alto longe It semeth not that loue doeith yow 〈◊〉 That slepyn so that noman may yow wa●● Who saw euer on thys so dul a man Ye frend quod he / do ye y●ur ●eedis ale For loue and lete me / lyuen as I can But though that ●e for wo / wae pale & wan Yit made he tho / as fresshe a contenaunce As though he shuld haue l●d the daunce Thys passid forth / tyl now thys other day It fel that I come romyng al alone In to hys chambre / and found how that he lay Vpon hys bed but man so sore grone Ne herd I neuer / ne what was hys mone Ne wyst I not for as I was comyng Al sodaynly he left hys compleynyng Of whyche I tooke somwhat suspection And nere I come / and fond he wept sore And god so wys / be my saluacion Neuer yit of thyng / had I rowth more For nother wyth engyne / ne wyth lore Vnne this myght I from the deth hym kepe That yit feele I for hym / myn hert wepe And god wote / neuer sith that I was born Was I so besy / no man to preche Ne neuer was to wyght / so deepe y sworn Or he me told / who myght be hys leche But now to rehersen al hys speche Or al hys woful wordis / for to sowne Ne byd me not but ye wyl see me swowne But for to saue hys lyf and ellis nought And to none harme of yow / thus am I dryuen As for the loue of god / that vs hath wrought Suche chere hym doth / as he and I may louen Now haue I plat to yow / myn hert shryuen And sith ye wote / that myn entent is cleene Take hede therof / for I none euyl meene And ryght good thryst I pray to god haue ye That haue suche one caught wythouten net And be ye wyse / as ye be fayre to see Wel in the ryng / than is the Ruby set Ther were neuer two / so wel y met Whan ye be hys al hool / as he is yowre Al myghty god graunt vs / to see that houre Nay therof spack I not / a ha quod she As h●lp me god / ye shenden euery de●e A mercy dere rece / anon quod he What so I spack / I ment but wele By Mars the god / that helmed is wyth steel Now be not wroth / my blood my nece dere Now wel quod she / foryeuen be it here Wyth thys he toke hys leue / and home he went A lord so he was glad / and wel bygon Criseyde aroos / no lenger she ne stent But streyt into her closet / she wente anon And set her doun as styl as ony ston And euery word / gan vp and doun to wynd As he had sayd / as it come to her mynd And was som̄edel astonyed / in hyr thought Ryght for the new cas / but whan that she Was ful auysed / than fond she ryght nought Of perile / whyche she ought aferd to be For men may loue / of pessibylyte A womman so hys hert may to brest And she not loue ageyn / but yf she lest But as she sat alone / and thought thus Ascry aros at scarmyssh / al wythout And men cried in the srete / see Troylus Hath now put to flight / the greekis route Wyth that gan her meyne / for to showte A go we see / cast vp the gatis wyde For thurgh thys strete / he must to paleys ryde For other wey / is fro the yate none Of dardanus / ther opyn is the cheyne Wyth that come he / and al hys folk anone An esy paas rydyng / in rowtis tweyne Ryght as hys happy day / was sooth to seyne For whyche men seyn / may not dystourbed be That shal betyde must be of necessite Thys Troylus sat / on hys bay steede Al armed saue hys heed / ful rychely And woundyd was hys hors / & gan to bleede In whyche he rode / a paas ful softly But suche a knyghtly sight truly As was on hym / was not wythouten fayle To looke on Mars / that is god of batayle So lyke a man of armes / and a knyght He was to see / fulfylled of hye prowesse For both he hath a body / and a myght To do a thyng / as wel as hardynesse And to seee hym / in hys gere hym dresse So fressh so yong / so worthy semyd he It was an heuen / vpon hym to see Hys helme to hewen / was in twenty places That by a tassel / hyng hys back behynd Hys sheld / to dasshed wyth swerdis & maces In whyche men myght / many an arowe fynde That thrylled had / horn nerf and rynde And ay the people cryed / here comyth our Ioye Next hys brother holder vp of Troye For whyche he wax / alle reede for shame Whan he the people / crye vpon hym herden That to byhold / it was a noble game How sobyrly he cast doun hys eyen Criseyde gan alle hys chere espyen And leete it so soft / in hyr hert synk That to hyr self she sayd / who yaf me drynk For of hyr owne thought / she wax alle rede Remembryng her ryght thus / lo thys is he Whyche that myn vncle swerith / he mote be dede But I on hym haue mercy and pyte And wyth that thought / ashamed wax she Gan in hyr heed to pulle / and that as faste Whyle he and all the people forth by paste And gan to cast / and rolle vp and doun Wythin hyr thought / hys excellent prowesse And hys hye estate / and al hys renoun Hys wyt hys shap / and eke hys gentylnesse But most hyr fauour / was for hys dystresse Was al for hyr / and thought it was a rowth To sle suche one / yf that he ment trowth Now myght some enuyous Iangle thus Thys was a sodeyn loue / how myght 〈◊〉 be That she so hastyly / louyd Troylus Ryght for the fyrst sight / ye parde Now who so seyth / mote be neuer the For euery thyng / agynnyng both 〈◊〉 nede Or al be wrought wythouten any drede For I sey not that she / so sodaynly Yaf hym hyr loue / But that six dyde enclyne To lyke hym fyrs● / & I haue told yow why And after that / hys manhod and hye pyne Made loue / in her herte for to myne For whyche by proces / and by good seruy●● He gate hyr loue / and not in sodaynt wy●e And also blysful venue / we le 〈◊〉 Sat in her seuenth hous / of ●●uene tho Dysposed we le / and wyth aspect●● 〈◊〉 To helpen sely Troylus of hys woo And sooth to sayne / she nas not al hys foo To Troylus in hys natyuyte God wote that wele the sonner / sped he Now lete vs s●ynt / of Troylus a throwe That rydyth forth / and lete vs turne faste Vnto Criseyde / that hyng hyr lred ful lowe Ther as she sat alone / and gan to caste Wher that she wold apoynt hyr / at the laste Yf it so were / hyr Eame nold ceace For Troylus vpon hys / mo●e for to preace And lord so she gan / in her thought argue In thys matere / of whyche I haue you told And what to do best were / and what to eschewe That plyted she ful oft / in many a fold Now was hyr hert warm / now was it cold And what she thought / somwhat shal I wryte As that myn auctor / lyftyth to endyte She thought we le / that Troylus persone She knewe by sight / and eke hys gentylnesse And thus she sayd / al were it not to done To graunt hym loue / yit for hys worthynesse It were honour / wyth pley & wyth gladnesse In honeste / wyth suche a lord to dele For myn estate and hys hele Eke wel wote I / a kynges sone is he And sith he hath to see me / suche delyte Yf I wold vtterly / hys sight flee Perauenture he myght / haue me in dyspyte Wher thurgh I myght stande / in wors plyte Now were I wyse me haate to purchace Wythouten nede / ther I may stonde in grace In euery thyng / I wote ther lyeth mesure For though a man forbede dronkennesse He not forbedyth / that euery creature Be drynkles / for alwey as I gesse Eke sith I wote / for me is hys dystresse I ne aught not / for that thyng hym dyspyse Syth it so is / he meanyth in goodely wyse And eke I knowe / of long tyme agon Hys ●hewys goode / and that he is not nyce Ne a vantour certeyn / men seyn he is none To wyse he is to do suche a vyce And eke I nyl not / so hym cheryce That he may make auaunt / by Iust cause He shal me neuer bynde / in suche a clause Now sette a caas / the hardest ys ywys Men myght deme / that he louyth me What dyshonour / were vnto me thys May I let hym of that / why nay parde I know also and alday here and see Men louen wymmen / al beside hyr leue And whan hym lyst nomore lete hym leue I thynk how / he able is to haue Of al thys noble towne / the thryftyest To be hys loue / so she her honour saue For in and out / he is the worthyest Saue only Hector / whyche that is the best And yit hys lyf now / lyeth al in my cure Lo suche is loue / and eke myn auenture Ne me to loue / a wonder is it nought For wel wote I my self / so god me spede Al wold I that noman wyst / of thys thought I am one the fayrest / wythouten drede And godelyest / who so takith heede And so men seyn / in al the towne of Troye What wonder is / though he of me haue Ioye I am myn owne womman / we le at ease I thank it god / as for myn estate Ryght yong and stond vntyed / in lusty lease Wythouth Ialowsy / or suche debate Shal no husbond / sey to me chekmate For outher they ben ful of Ialousye Or maysterful / or louen nouelrye What shal I do to what fyne lyue I thus Shal I not loue in cas yf that me lest What parde I am / now no religyous And though that I myn herte / sette in rest Vpon thys knyght / that is the worthyest And kepe allbey / myn honour and my name By al ryght / it may do me no shame But ryght as whan / the sonne shyneth bryght In marche that chaungyth / oft tyme hys face And that a clowd put with wynd to flyght Whyche ouersprad the sonne / as for a space A clowdy thought / gan thurgh her hert pace That ouersprad / hyr bryght thoughtis alle So that for fere / almost she gan to falle That thought was thys / alas sith I am fre Shuld I now loue / and put in Ieopartye My sikernesse / and thrallen lyberte Alas how durst I thynk that folye May I not we le / in other folk espye Their dredeful Ioy / their constreynt & their peyne Ther loouyth none / that she ne hath wey to pleyne For loue is yit / the most stormy lyf Ryght of hym self / that euer was bygonne For euer some mystrust / or nyce strif Ther is in loue / some clowd ouer the sonne Wherto we wretchyd wymmen / nothyng conne Whan vs is wo / but fitte wepe and thynk Oure wretche is thys / oure owne woo to drynk Also these wycked tunges / ben so prest To speke vs harme / eke men ben so vntrewe That right anon / as ceasid is theyr lest Deceasith theyr loue / & furth to loue a newe But harm y do is do / who so it rewe For though thyse men / for loue hem self rende Ful sharp begynnyng / brekyth oft at ende How often tymes / hath it knowen ben The treason that to wymmen / hath be done To what fyne is suche loue / I can not seen Or wher becomyth it whan it is gone Ther is no wyght I trowe / that wote sone Where it bycomyth / no wyght ther at spornyth That erst was nothyng / in to nought tornyth How busy yf I loue / must I be To please them / that Iangle of loue & dremyn And coy hem / that they sey no harme of me For though ther be no cause / yit hem semyn Al be for harme / that folk her frendis wenyn Or who may stoppe / euery wykked tunge Or sowne of bellis / whyle they ben runge And aftyr that thought gan to clere She sayd that he / nothyng vndyrtakyth Nothyng acheuyth / be hym looth or dere And wyth another thought her hert quakyth Than slepyth hoope / and after drede awakyth Now hote now cold / but thus betwyx twey She ryst hyr vp / and went her for to pley Adoun the steyre / anone ryght doun she went In to the gardyn / wyth hyr neecis thre And vp & doun they made many a went Flexible and she Tarbe and Antigone To pleyen that Ioye it was to see And othyr of hyr wymmen / a grete route Hyr folowyd in the gardyn / al aboute Thys yerde was large and rayled al the aleyes And shadowed we le / with blosmy bowes grene Y benched newe / and sanded al the weyes An whyche she walkith / arme in arme bytwene Tyl at the last / Antigone the shene Gan on a Troyan song / syngen clere That it an heuene was / for to here She sayd O loue to whom I haue and shal Ben humble subgect / trew in myn entent As I best can / to yow lord yeue I al For euermore myn hertis lust / the rent For neuer yet / thy grace no wyght sent So blisful cause / as me my lyf to lede In al Ioy and seurte / out of drede The blysful god hath me / so wel be set In loue ywis / that all that berith lyf Ymagyne ne cowde / how to be bet For lord wythout / Ielowsy or stryf I loue one whyche is most ententyf To seruen wel / vnwery and vnfeyned That euer was / and leest with harm dysteyned As he that is / the welle of worthynesse Of trowth ground / myrrour of goodelyhed Of wyt Appollo / stone of secretnesse Of vertu roote / of lust fynder and h●ed Thurgh whyche is al my sorow from me deed Ywis I loue hym best / so doth he me Now goode thryft haue he / wherso euer he be Whom shuld I thank / but yow god of loue Of al thys blis / in whyche I bathe now in Al thankid be the lord / for that I loue Thys is the right lyf / that I am in To eschewe al maner / vyce and syn Thys doth me / so to vertu entende That day by day / I in my wyl amende And who that seyth / that for to loue is vyce Or thraldom / though he feele in it dystresse He outhyr is envious / or right nyce Or is vnmyghty / for hys shrewdnesse To loue for suche maner folk / as I gesse Defamyn loue / as nothyng of it knowe They speke / but bent they neuer hys bowe What is the sonne the wors of kynd ryght Though that a man / for feblenes of hys eyen May not endure on it / to looke for bryght Or loue the wors / though wretchys on it cryen No wele is he worth / that may no sorow dryen And for thy who that hath / an heed of verre Fro cast of stones / beware hym in the werre But I wyth al myn hert / and my myght As I haue sayd / wyl loue vnto my lost My dere hert and al myn owne knyght In whyche myn hert / grauen is so fast And hys in myn / that it shal euer last Al dred I first / loue hym to begynne Now wote I wel / ther is no pa●l ynne And of hyr song / right at that word she s●ynt And therwyth al / now nece quod C●seyde Who made thys song / wyth so good entr●t Antigone answerd anon and sayd Madame ywis the goodehest mayde Of grete esiatr / in al the towne of Troye And led her lyf / in most honour and Ioye Forsooth so it semyth / vp hyr song Quod tho Enseyde / and gan therwyth to 〈◊〉 And sayd lord / to ther suche 〈◊〉 among These louers / as they fayde endyte Yewis quod fressh Antigone the whyse For al the folk / that haue or ben aly●● Ne coud not wel the blys of loue desery●● But wene ye that euery wretche wote The parsytr blisse of loue / nay ywys They wene al loue / yf one behote Do wey do wey they wote nothynge of thys Men must aske at seyntis / yf it is Ought f●yre in heuene / for they conne tells And aske fyendis yf it be foule in helle Cnseyde vnto that purpos / nought answerd But sayd ywis / it wyl be nyght as fast But euery word / whyche that she of herd She gan to prynt it / in her hert fast And ay gan loue / it lessyd more to agost Than it dyd erst / and synkyn in her hert That she wax somwhat / able to conuert The dayes honour / and the heuenes eye The nyghtis foo / al thys clepe I the sonne Gan westren fast / and dounward for to wry As he that had hys dayes cours y ronne And whyte thynges / wexed dymme & donne For lak of light / and sterris to appere That she and al hyr folk / home went in feere So whan it lyketh her / to go to reste And voyded were tho / that voyden ought She sayd that to sleepe / wel hyr leste Hyr wymmen soone / in to her bed by r brought Whan all was husht / tho lay she styl & thought Of alle thyse thynges / the maner and the guyse To reherce it nedyth not / for ye ben wyse A nyghtyngale / vpon a Cedre grene Vndyr the chamber wal / ther as she lay Ful lowd song / ageyn the mone sheene Parauenture in hyr bryddis / wyse alay Of loue that made / hyr hert fressh and gay That herkeneth she / so long in goode entent That at the last / the ded sleep● hyr hent And as she sleepe / anon ryght hyr mette How that an Egle / fetherid whyte as bone Vndyr her brest / hys long clees sette And out her hert rent / and that anone And dyd hys hert / in to hyr brest gone Of whyche she nought agros / ne nothyng smert And forth he fly / wyth hert left for hert Now lete her sleepe / and we oure talis hold Of Troylus that is to paleys riden For the searmyssh / of whyche I told And in hys chambre sitte / and hath abyden Tyl two or thre / of hys messagers yeden For Pandarus / and sought hym so faste Tyl they hym fond / & brought hym at the last Thys Pandarus / cam lepyng in attones And sayd thus / who hath ben wel I bete To day wyth swerdis / wyth slynges & stones But Troylus that hath caught hym an hete And gan to Iape / and sayd lord ye swete But ryse and lete vs soupe / and go to reste And he answerd / go we where the leste Wyth al the hast goodely / that they myght They sped hem from the souper and to bedde And euery wyght / out at the dore hym dyght And wher hym lest / vpon hys wey hym spedde But Troylus / that thought hys hert bledde For woo / tyl he herd some tydyng He sayd frend / shal I now wepe or syng Quod Pandarus / be styl and lete me sleepe And do on thyn hoode / thy nedis sped be And cheese yf thou wylt / syng daunce or leepe At short wordis / thou shalt trust in me And my nece wyl do wel by the And loue the best by god and by my trowth But lack of poursute / make it in thy slowth For thus ferforth haue I / thy werke bygonne From day to day / to thys day by the morowe Hyr loue and frendshyp / haue I to the wonne And therto hath the leyde / hyr feyth to borowe Algate one foote / is lissed of thy sorowe What shal I lenger / sermon of it hold As ye haue herd byfore / he al hym told But right as floures / thurgh the cold of nyght Yclosed stoupen on hyr stalkis lowe Redressen ageyn / the sonne bryght And spreden out theyr colours / kyndly by rowe Ryght so gan he tho / hys eyen vp throwe Thys Troylus and sayd / O Venus dere Thy myght thy grace / I heryed be it here And to Pandare / held vp both hys handis And sayd lord al thyn be it that I haue For I am hoole / al brostyn be my bondis A thousand Troyes / who so that me yaue Eche after other / god so me wysse and saue Ne myght me so gladdyn / lo my hert It spredyth so for Ioy / it wold out stert But lord how shal I do / how shal I lyuen Whan shal I next / my dere hert see How shal thys long tyme / away be dryuen Tyl thou be ageyn / at hyr from me Thou mayst answere / abyde abyde but he That hangyth by the neck / sooth to seyne In grete dysease / abydyth for the peyne Al Esily now / for loue and charyte Quod Pandarus for all thyng hath tyme So long abyde tyl that the nyght departed be For siker as thou lyest here byme And god to forn I wyl be there at pryme And for thy werk somwhat shal I seye Or on some other wyght thys charge leye For god woot that I haue euer yit Be redy to serue / in to thys nyght Haue I not feyned / but enforced my myght Do now as I shal sey / and fare a right For I haue do thy lust / wyth al my myght And yf thou nylt / wyte thy self thy care On me is not a long / thyn euyl fare I wote wel that thou wyser art than I A thousand fold / but and I were as thou God help me so I wold vtterly Ryght of myn owne hand / wryte to her now A letter in whyche / I wold telle her how I ferd amys / and her beseche of rowth Now help thy self / and let for no slouth And I my self shal therwyth to hyr gon And whan thow wost that I am there Worth vpon a courser and that anon Ye hardyly / ryght in thy best gere And right forth by that place as nought ne were And thou shalt synd vs / yf I may fittyng At some wyndowe / in to the strete lokynge And yf the lyst / thou mayst vs fal●we And vpon me make thy contrnounce But by thy lyf beware / and fast eschyewe To taryen ought / god sh●ld vs from myschalice Ryde forth thy wey / and hold thy gouernalice And we shuln speke of the somwhat I trowe Whan thou art gon / to make thyn eren glowe Touchyng thy letter / thou art wyse ynow I wote wel thou nylt / it clerkly endytr As make it wyth these / argumentie ●ow Ne seriuanly / ne ●aftyly it wryte Blot●● it eke / wyth thy treris alyte And though thou wryte / a goodely word & soft Though it be good / reherse it not to oft For though the lest harper / vpon lyue Wold on the best sowned / Ioly harpe That euer was / wyth as hys fyngres fyue Touche ay one stryng / or ay one warbyl harpe Wyth hys nayles / poynted neuer so sharpe It shuld make euery wyght to dulle To here hys glee / and of hys strokes fulle Ne Iompre not / no dyscordaunt in feere As vsen these termes of physik In loues termes / hold on thy matere The fourme alwey / and do that it be lyke For yf a peyntour / wold peynt a pyke Wyth asses feete / and heed as an ape It cordyth not / so ner it but a Iape Thys consayl lyked wel Twylus But as a dredeful man he sayd thys Alas my dere brother pandarus I am ashamed / for to wryten ywys Lest of myn Innocence / I sayd amys Or that she nold / for despyte it receyue Than were I ded / ther myght nothyng it weyue To that Pandare answerd / yf the lest Do as I sey / and lete me therwyth gon For by that lord / that formed Est and West I hope of it / to brynge answer anon Ryght of hyr hond / and yf thou wylt none Late be / and sory mote he be hys lyue Ageynst thy lust / that helpyth the to thryue Quod Troylus depardieux yche assent Syth that the lyst I wyl aryse and wryte And blysful god pray I / wyth good entent The vyage and the letter / I shal endyte So spede / and thow minerua the whyte Gyue thow me wyt / my lettir to deuyse And sat hym doun / and wrote in thys wyse Fyrst he gan her / hys ryght lady calle Hys hertis lyf / hys lust / hys sorowes leche Hys blys and eke these other termes alle That in suche ●●as / ye louers alle seeche And in ful humble wyse as in hys speche He gan hym recomaund vnto hyr grace To tel al how / it askyth moche space And after thys / ful lowly he hyr preyde To be not wroth / though he of hys foly So hardy was her to wryte or seyde But loue it made / or ellis must he dye And pytously gan mercy for to crye And after he sayd / and lyed lowde Hym self was lytel worth / & lesse good cowde And prayed her haue exeusid hys vnkonnyng That lytel was / and eke hym self also Was wele ny deed / in hys wrytyng And after that / than gan he tel hys woo But that was endlees / wythouten hoo And sayd he wold / in trowth alwey hym hold And rad it ouer / and gan the letter fold And wyth hys salt treris / gan he bathe The Ruby in hys signet / and it he set Vpon the wexe / delyuerly and rathe Therwyth a thousand tymes / or he let He kyst the lettyr / and after that it shet And sayd lettre / a blysful destyne The shapyn is / my lady shal the see Thys Pandare toke the letter ryght by tyme On morow & to hys necis palays he hym stert And fast he swore / that it was passed pryme And gan to Iape / and sayd ywys myn hert So fressh it is / al though it sore smert I may not sleepe / neuer a mayes morow I haue a Ioly woo / & a lusty sorowe Cryseyde whan she / her vncle herde Wyth dredeful herte / and desirous to here The cause of hys comyng / thus answerd Now by your feyth myn vncle quod she dere What maner wynd / guydyth yow now here Telle vs your Ioly woo / and youre penaunce How ferforth ben ye / put in louys daunce By god quod he / I hoppe alway behynde And she to laugh / hyr thought her hert brest Quod Pandarus / loke alwey that ye fynde Game in my hood / but herkenyth yf ye lest Ther is right now come to towne a gest A greeke aspye / and tellyth new thynges Wherfor I come / to tel yow tydynges In to the gardyn gowe / and ye shul here Al pryuyly of thys / a long sermon Wyth that they went / arme in arme yfere In to the gardyn / from the chamber doun And whan he was so fer / that the sown Of that he spak / noman here myght He sayd her thus / and out the lettir plyght Lo he that is / as holy youres free Hym recomaundyth / lowly to yowre grace And sent yow thys letter / here by me Auyse you on it / whan ye haue space And of some goodely answere / yow purchace Or so help me god / pleynly for to seyne He may not long lyue / in thys peyne Ful dredefully tho / gan the stonde stylle And toke it not / but alle here humble chere Gan for to chaunge / and sayd script ne bylle For loue of god / that touchyth suche matere Ne bryng me none / and also vncle dere To myn estate haue more reward I prey Than to hys lust / what shuld I more sey And lokyth now yf thys be resonable And lettyth not / for fauour ne for slowth To sey a sooth / now were it couenable To myn estate by god / and by yowre trowth To take it / to haue of hym rowth In harmyng of my self / or repreue Bere it ageyn / for hym that ye on leeue Thys Pandarus / gan on hyr for to stare And seyd now / thys is the most wondyr That euer I sawe / late be thys nyce fare To deth mote I smyte be / wyth thondyr Yf for the citee / whyche that stondyth yondyr And I a lettyr to yow / bryng or take To harm of yow / what lust ye thys to make But thus ye fare wele ny / all and some He that moste desirith / yow to serue Of hym ye retche leest / where he become Or whether that he lyue / or ellis sterue But for al that / I may deserue Refuse it not quod he / and bent hyr fast And in hyr bosum / doun the lettre thraft And sayd hyr / cast it fast away anon That folk may / see and gawre on vs ●wey Quod she I can abyde / tyl they be gon And gan to smyle / and sayd Game I prey Such answer an yow lyse / such your self po●uey For trewly / I nyl no lettir wryte No than wyl I / so that ye endyte I herwyth she laugh / and sayd go we dyne And began at hym self / Iape faste And sayd ne●● I / haue so grete a pyne For loue that euery othyr day I faste And gan hys Iaprs / best forth to caste And make her so to laugh / of bye folye That she for laughtir / wend for to dye And whan she was comen / in to the halle Now Eame quod she / we wyl go dyne an one And gan some of hyr wymmen / to calle And streyght vnto hyr chambyr / gan she gone But of hyr besynesse / thys was one Among other thynges / out of drede Ful pryuely / thys letter gan she rede Auysed word by word in euery lyne And fond no lack / she thought he cowde goode And vp it put and went hyr in to dyne But Pandarus / that in studye stoode Or he was ware / she toke hym by the hoode And sayd ye were caught / or that ye wyste I vouchesauf quod he / do what ye lyste Tho wysshen they / and set hem doun to ete And aftyr anon / ful slyly Pandarus Gan drawe hym to the wyndow / next the strete And sayd neece / who hath arayed thus That yondy● hous / that stont / aforyenst vs Whyche hous quod she / and come for to behold And knewe it wele / & whos it was hym told And fyllen forth / in speche of thynges smale And satyn in the wyndow / bothe twey Whan Pandarus sawe tyme / vnto hys tale And sawe wel / hyr folk were a wey Now neece myn tel on / quod he I sey How lykyth yow thys letter / that ye wote Can he ther on / for by my trowth I note Therwyth al rose hewed / tho wax she And gan to homme / ye so I trowe And write to hym wele for goddis sake quod he My self to medes / wyl the lettre sowe And held hys handis vp / and fel on knowe Now goode nece be it neuer so lyte Gyue me the labour / it to sowe and plyte Ye for I can so wryte quod she tho And eke I note / what I shul to hym sey Nay neece quod Pandare / sey not so Yit at the lest / thank hym I yow prey Of hys good wyl / o do hym not to dey Now for the loue of me / my neece dere Refuse not at thys tyme / my prayere God graunt quod she / al thyng be wele God help me so thys is the fyrst lettyr That euer I wrote / ye or ony dele And in to a closet / for to auyse hyr bettyr She went anon / and gan hyr hert vnfettyr Out of dysdeygnous pryson lete a lyte She sette hyr doun / and gan a lettyr wryte Of whyche to tel / in short is myn entent Th effect as fer / as I can vnderstonde She thankid hym of al / that he wele ment Towardis her / but holden hym in honde She wold not / ne make hyr self bonde In loue but as hys suster / hym to please She wold ay fayne / do hys hert ease She shyt it / and to Pandare gan gon There as he sat / and lookid in to the strete And doun she set hyr / by hym on a ston Of Iasper vpon a qwysshon / of gold I bete And sayd as wysly / help me god the grete I neuer dyd a thyng / wyth more peyne Than wryte thys / to whyche ye me constreyne And toke it hym / he thanked here and seyde God wote of thyng / ful oft both bygonne Comyth end goode / and neece myn Criseyde That ye to hym / of hard now be wonne Ought he be glad / by god and by yond sonne For why men seyn / impressions light Ful lyghtly ben al / redy to the flyght But ye haue pleyde / the tyraunt nye to longe And hard was it / yowre hert for to graue Now stynt that ye / not lenger on it honge Al wolde the fourme / of daungyer it saue But hastyth yow / to do hym Ioy to haue For trustyth we le / to long y do hardnesse Causith dyspyte ful oft / for dystresse And right as they declarid thys 〈…〉 ere Lo Troylus ryght / at the stretis end Come rydyng / wyth hys people in feere Al softly / and thyderward gan bend There as they sat / as was hys wey to wend To paleys ward / and Pandare hym aspyed And sayd neece / lo who 〈◊〉 here now ryde O flee not in / he seeth vs as I suppose Lest he may thynk / that we hym eschew Nay nay quod she / and wax as rede as rose Wyth that he gan / hyr humbly salew With dredeful chere / and oft his hew was new And vp hys hede / debonayrly he cast And bekened on Pandare / and forth he past God wote yf he sat / on hys hors a ryght Or goodely was beseyn / that ylk day God wote whether he was like a manly knyght What shuld I dretche / or telle of hys aray Criseyde whyche that / all thyse thyng say To tel in short / hyr lyked alle in fere Hys persone hys aray ● hys looke hys chere Hys goodely maner / and hys gentylesse So wel that neuer / sith she was born Ne had she suche rowth / of hys dystresse And though she had be hard / there toforn To good hope / she hath now caught a thorn She shal not pul it out / thys next wyke God send her mo suche / thornes on to pyke Pandare whyche that stood hyr fast by Felt the yren hote / and bygan to smyte And sayd nece / I pray yow hertyly Tell me that I sh〈…〉 A womman 〈…〉 to wyte Wythout 〈…〉 rowth Were it w 〈…〉 by my trowth God help m 〈…〉 y me sooth Yf ye feele yo 〈…〉 ot lye Lo yond he r 〈…〉 o he doth We le quod P 〈…〉 / as I haue told yow thry Late be yo 〈…〉 ame / and foly And speke 〈…〉 ym hym / in easynge of hys hert Late nycete not d 〈…〉 yow both to smert But theron was / to heue and to done Considered al thyng / it may not so be And why for speche / and eke it were to soone To graunt hym yit / so grete a lyberte For playnly her entent / as sayd she Was for to loue hym / vnwyst yf she myght And gwerdon hym with nothyng / but with sight But pandare thought / it shuld not be so Yf that I may thys nyce oppynyon Shal not be hold / fully yeris ●wo What shuld I make of thys / a long sermon She must assent / on that conclusion As for the tyme / and whan that it was eue And al was we le / he roos and toke hys leue And on hys way homward / ful fast hym sped And ryght for Ioye / he felt hys hert daunce And Troylus he fond / alone a bed That lay as don / thyse louers in a traunce Betwyx hope / and derst desperaunce But Pandare ryght / al hys in comyng He sang as who sayth / somwhat I bryng And sayd who is in hye bedd so soone Y buried thus / it am I frend quod he Who Troylus nay / help me so the moone Quod Pandarus / th 〈…〉 A charme that was 〈…〉 The whyche can he le 〈…〉 So that thow do forthw 〈…〉 Ye thurgh the myght of g 〈…〉 And Pandarus / gan hym 〈…〉 And sayd pardieux / god 〈…〉 Haue here a lyght / & looke ouer a 〈…〉 But oft gan hys hert / glad and a 〈…〉 Of Troylus whyle he gan it rede So as the wordis / yaue hym hoope and drede But fynally / he toke alle for the best That she hym wrote / for somwhat he byheld On whyche he thought / he myght hys hert rest Al couered she the word / vndyr sheld Thus to the more worthyer / part he held That what for hope / and Pandarus byhest Hys grete woo foryeede / at the lest But as we may alday / our seluen see The more woode and cool / the more fyre Ryght soo encreas of hope / what so it be Therwyth ful oft / encreasith hys desyre Or as an Oke / cometh of a lytel spyre So thurgh thys letter / whiche that she hym sent Encreace gan desire / wyth whyche he brent Wherfor I sey alwey / that day and nyght Thys Troylus / gan to desire more Than he dyde erst / thurgh hope & did his myght To preacen on / as by Pandarus lore And wrote vnto hyr / of hys sorowes sore Fro day to day / he lete it not refreyde That by pandare somwhat he wrote or seyde And dyd also hys other obseruaunces That to a louer / longyth in thys caas And after that hys dyce / torned on chaunces So he was outher glad / or sayd alas And held after hys gyftes / ay hys pas As after suche answere as he had So were hys daye● 〈◊〉 other glad But to pandare alwey / was hys recours And pytously gan / vnto hym pleyne And hym besought / of rede or some socours And Pandarus sawe hys woodely peyne Wax wele ny deed / for rowth sooth to seyne And besily wyth al hys hert he cast Some of hys woo to slee / and that as fast And sayd lord / and frend / and brother dere God wote that thy desease / doeth me woo But wylt thou stynt / al thys woful chere And by my trouth / or it be dayes two And god to forn / yit shal I shape it so That thou shalt come / in to a certeyn place Ther as thou mayst thy self / prey hyr of grace And certaynly I note / yf thou it wost But tho that ben expert / in loue I sey It is one of the thynges / that furtherith most A man to haue a leyser / for to prey And siker place hys woo for to bewrey For in good hert / ther must rowth impresse To hyr that seeth / the gyltles in dystresse Perauenture thynkest thou / though it be soo That kynd wold done / for to begynne To haue a maner rowth / vpon my woo Seyth daungyer nay thou shalt me neuer wynne In that maner for no maner gynne Though that she bende yit / she stant on Roote What in effect is thys / vnto my boote Than ther ageynst / whan that the sturdy oke On whyche men hacke / oft for the nones Receyued hath / the happy fallynge stroke The grete sweyght / doth it falle at ones As don thyse rokkes / to the mylstones For swyfter cours / comyth thyng of weyght Whan it descendyth / than don thynges ●●ght But Reede that bowyth doun / wyth euery blast Ful lyghtly wyth the wynd / it wyl aryse But so nyl not an oke / whan it is cast It nedyth me not / the long to deuyse Men shuld reioyse / of grete empryse Acheuyth we le / and stondyth oute of doute Al haue men ben / the lenger ther aboute But Troylus now tel me yf the lest A thyng the whyche / I shal aske the Whyche is the brother / that thou louest best As in thy veray hertis pryuyte Ywys my dere brother / Deyphebe Now quod Pandare / or houris twyes twelue He shal the ease / vnwyst of hym selue Now lete me alone / and werke as I may Quod he / and to deyphebus wente he tho Whyche had hys lord / and grete frend ben ay Saue Troylus noman he loued so To tel in short / wythout wordis mo Quod Pandarus / I pray yow that ye be Frend to a cause / whyche that touchyeth me Yis parde quod Deyphebus / wel thou wost In alle that euer I may / and god to fore Al neere it but for oo man / that I loue most My brother Troylus / but sey me wherfore It is for sith the day / that I was bore I nas nor neuermore / to be I thynk Ageynst a thyng / that myght the forthynk Pandarus gan hym thank / and thus he seyde Lo sire I haue a lady in thys towne That is my neece / and callyd is Criseyde Whyche some men wolde do oppression And wrongfully haue her possession Wherfor yowre lordshyp / I yow beseche To be oure frend wythout more speche Deiphebus answerd / is it thys That thou to me spack of / so straungely Criseyde my frend / he sayd she is Than nedyth quod Deiphebus / hardily Nomore of thys for trusteth wel that I Wyl be hyr champioun / wyth spere and swerd I rought not / though all hyr foes it herd But tel me / for thou wost thys matere I myght hyr best auayle / now late see Quod Pandarus / yf ye my lord so dere Wold as now do / thys honour vnto me To prayen hyr thys / to morow that she Come vnto yow / hyr playntes to deuyse Hyr aduersaryes / wold therof agryse Lord yf that more / I durst yow prey as now And charge yow to haue so grete trauayle To haue some of yowre brethern / here with yow Than myght hyr cause / the better auayle Than wote I wel / she myght neuer fayle For to be holp / what at your instaunce What wyth hyr othyr frendes / sustenaunce Deiphebus whyche that was / come of kynde To al honour / and bounte to consent Answerd it shal be don / and I can fynde Yit gretter help to thys / in myn entent That wylt thou sey / yf for Heleyne I sent To speke of thys / I trow it be best For she may leede Paris / as hyr lest For Hector whyche that is my lord my brother It nedyth not to pray hym frend to be For I haue herd hym / bothe one tyme and other Speke of Criseyde suche honour that he May sey no bet / suche hap to hym hath she So nedyth not hys help / now for to craue He shal be suche / ryght as we wyl hym haue Speke thou thy self also to Troylus On my behalue / and pray hym wyth vs dyne Syr al thys shal be do / quod Pandarus And toke hys leue / and neuer gan to fyne But to hys neecis hous / as streyght as a lyne He come and fond hyr / from the mete aryse And set hym doun / & spack right in thys wyse He sayd / O veray god so haue I ronne Lo neece myn / see ye not how I swete I note whether the more / ye me thank conne Be ye not ware / how fals Poliphete Is now aboute / eftsoones to plete To bryng on yow / aduocatis newe I no quod she / and chaungyd all her hewe What is he more aboute / me to dretche And do me wrong / what shal I do alas Yit of hym self / nothyng wold I retche Ner it for Anthenor and Eneas That ben hys frendes / in suche maner cas But for the loue of god / myn vncle dere No fo rs of it / lete hym haue al yfere Wythout that I haue ynowgh for vs Nay quod Pandare / it shal nothyng be soo For I haue be right now / wyth Deiphebus At Hector / and myn other lordis moo And shortly made eche of theym / hys foo That by my thryft / he shal it neuer wynne For aught he can / whan so that he begynne And as they cast / what was best to done Deiphebus / of hys owne curtesye Came hyr to prey / in hys owne propyr persone To hold hym / on the morow companye At dyner whyche she wold / hym not denye But goodely gan / to hys prayer obeye He thankyth hyr / and went vpon hys weye Whan thys was done thys pandare vp anone To tel in short / forth he gan to wende To Troylus as styl as ony stone Of al thys thyng he told hym word and ende And how he Deiphebus gan to blende And sayd now is tyme / yf that thou conne Bere the wele to morow / and al is wonne Now speke now prey / now pytously compleyne Leue not for nyce shame / or drede or slowth Somtyme a man mote / tel hys owne peyne Byleue it and she wyl haue / on the rowth Thou shalt be sauyd / by thy feyth in trowth But we le wote I thou art in a drede And what it is / lo I can it rede Thou thynkest now / how shal I do al thys For by my chere / must folke espye That for loue is / that I fare amys Yit had I leuer ywys / for sorow dye Now thynk not so / thou doest grete folye For I ryght now / haue found a manere Of sleyght / for to couere al thy chyere Thou shalt goo ouer nyght / and that as blyue Vnto Deiphebus hous / the to pley Thy malady the bet / awey to dryue For why thou semyst syke / the sooth to sey Soone after that / doun in thy bed the ley And sey thou mayst / no lenger vp endure And be right there / and byde thy aueuture Sey that the feuer / is wont the to take The same tyme / and last tyl a morowe And lete see now / how wel thou kanst it make For parde sike is he that is in sorowe Go now fare we le / and venus here to borowe I hope and thou / thy pourpos hold ferme In grace she shal / the fully conferme Quod Troylus ywys / thou nedeles Counseylest me / sikerly to feyne For I am sike / in ernest douteles So wel ny that / I sterue for the peyne Quod Pandarus / thou shalt the bettyr pleyne And hast the lasse nede / to countrefete For hym men deme hote / that men see swete Lo hold the at thy Trist clos / and I Shal wele the dere / vnto thy lowe dryue Therwyth he toke hys leue / al softly And Troylus to paleys went blyue So glad he nas / neuer in all hys lyue And to Pandarus rede / gan al assent And to Deiphebus hous / at nyght he went What nedyth yow / to tellen of the chere That Deiphebus gan hys brothyr make Or hys accesse / or hys sikely manere How men hym gan / wyth clothys lade Whan he was leyde / & how men did hym glade But alle for nought / he held forth hys guyse As ye haue herd / Pandare hym deuyse But certeyne is / or Troylus hym leyde Deiphebus preyd hym / ouer nyght To be a frend and helpyng to Criseyde God wote that he / it graunted anon right To be hyr ful frend / wyth al hys myght But suche a nede it was / to praye hym thenne As for to bydde / a woode man to renne The morowe come / and nyghen gan the tyme Of mele tyde / that the fayre quene heleyne Shoope hyr to be / an hour after the pryme Wyth deiphebus / to whom she wold not feyne But as hys suster / homely soth to seyne She come to dyner / in hyr playn entent But god & Pandare / wyst none what this ment Come eke Criseyde al innocent of thys Antygone hyr suster and Targe also But fle we now prolixite best is For loue of god and lete vs fast goo Ryght to th effect / wythout talis moo Why al thys folk / assembled in that place And lete vs of theyr salowynges pace Grete honour dyd hem Deiphebus certeyne And fed hem wel / with al that myght hem lyke But euermore alas / was hys refreyne My good brother / Troylus the sike Lyeth yet / and therwyth al he gan to sike And after that / he peyned hym to glade Hem as he myght / and good chere hem made Compleyned eke Heleyne / of hys sikenesse So feythfully / that pyte was to here And euery wyght than / was for that accesse A leche anon / and seyde in thys manere Men curen folke / thys charme I wyl yow 〈◊〉 But ther sat one / al lyst her not to 〈◊〉 That thought / yit best cowd I be hys lec●● After compleynt / than gan they hym to preyse As folk don yet / when some han bygonne To preyse a man / and vp wyth hym to reyse A thousand fold / yit hyer than the sonne He is that can / that fewe lordis conne And Pandarus of that / they wold afferme He not forgate / hys praysyng to conferme Herd al thys / Cryseyde wel ynowgh And euery word / gan to notyfye For whyche wyth sobre chere / her hert lowgh For who is that / nold hym gloryfye To mone suche a knyght / to lyue or dye But al passe I / lese ye to long dwelle For al is / for a fyne that I you telle To tyme come / from dyner for to ryse And as theym ought / they rysen eueryc●on And gan a whyle / of thys and that deuyse But Pandarus / brake al that speche anon And sayd to Deiphebus / wyl we gon Yf yowre wyl be / as I yow preyde To speke here of the needis / of Criseyde Heleyne whyche that / by the hand hyr held Toke fyrst the tale / and sayd gowe blyue And goodly on Criseyde she beheld And sayd Iouis late hym neuer thryue That doeth yow harm / & bryng hym self of lyue And yeue me sorowe / but he shal it rewe Yf that I may / and alle folkes be trewe Tel thou thy neecis caas / quod Deiphebus To Pandarus / for thou canst best it telle My lordis and my ladyes it stant thus What shuld I lenger / do yow dwelle He rong hym out a proces lyke a belle Vpon hyr foo / that hyght poliphete So haynous that men / myght on it spete Answerd of this eche of theym / worse than other And poliphete / thus gan they waryen An hanged lo such one / were he my brother And so it shal / for it may not varien What shuld I lenger / in thys processe taryen Playnly al at ones / they hyr behyght To be hyr frend / in all that euer they myght Spack than heleyne / and herd Pandarus Wote ought my lord my brother thys matere I meane Hector / or wote it Troylus He sayd ye / but wyl ye now me here Me thynketh thys / sith Troylus is here It were goode / yf that ye wolde assent She told hym her self / al thys or she went For he wyl haue the more / hyr grief at hert By cause loo / that she a lady is And by yowre leue / I wyl but in stert And do yow wyte / and that anon ywys Yf that he sleepe / or wyl ought here of thys And in he leepe / and sayd hym in hys eere God haue thy soule brought I haue thy bere To smylen gan / of thys Troylus And Pandarus / wythout restonyng Out went anon / to Heleyne and Deiphebus And seyd hem so / ther be no taryeng Ne more I wyl wel / that ye bryng● Criseyde anon / my lady that is here As he may endure / he wyl yow here But wel ye wote / the chambre is but lyte And fewe folk may lyghtly / make it warme Now lokith ye / for I wyl haue no wyte To bryng in pr●●s / that myght do hym h●rme ●r hym dysease / for my bettyr arme Where it be ●●t / she abyde tyl eft sonne is Now looke ye that knowe / what to dene is I say for me best is / as I can knowe That no wyght now wend in but ye ●wey But it were for I can in a throwe Reherce hyr cause / vnlyke that she can sey And after thys / she may hym oones prey To be hyr good lord / in short and take hyr leue Thys may not moche / of hys ease hym true And for that she is straunge / he wyl forbere Hys ease whyche he dare not for yow Eke other thynges / whyche touchyth not to her He wol yow telle / I wote it wel ynow That secret is / and for the townes prow And she that nothyng knew / of thys entent Wythout more / to Troylus in went Heleyne in al hyr goodely soft wyse Gan hym sa●●w / and wommanly pley And sayd ywys / ye mote algate aryse Now fayr brother / be al hole I yow prey And gan hyr arme / vpon hys shulder ley And hym wyth al hyr hert / she gan dysport As she best cowde / of sorow hym to comfort Soone after quod she / we yow byseke My dere brother Deiphebus / and I For loue of god / and so doth Pandare eke To be good lord / and frend right hertyly Vnto Criseyde whyche that certeynly Receyuyth wrong / as wote wel here Pandare That can hyr cas / wel bet than I declare Thys Pandarus / gan now hys tunge affyle And al hyr caas rehersid / and that anon Whan it was seyd / soone after in a whyle Quod Troylus / as soone as I may gon I wyl ryght fayn / wyth al my myght anon Haue god my trowth / hyr cause to sustene Goode thryft haue ye / quod Heleyne the quene Quod Pandadas / and yit yowre wyl be That she may take hyr leue / or that she go Now ellis god forbede it tho quod she Yf that she vouchesauf / for to do so And wyth that word / quod Troylus ye two Deiphebe / and ye my suster dere To yow haue I to speke / of a matere To be aduysed / by yowre aduyse the bettir And had as hap was / at hys beddis hede The copy of a tretice / and a lettyr That Hector had hym sent / to askyn rede Yf suche a man / were worthy to be dede Note I not who / but in a grysely wyse He prayed hem bothe anon / on hyt auyse Deiphebus / gan thys lettyr vnfold In ernest grete / so dyde heleyne the qwene And romyng outward / fast gan it behold Dounward a stayre / and in to an herber grene Thys ylke thyng / they redden hem betwene And largely / the montenaunce of an honre They gonne on it / for to rede and powre Now lete hem rede / and tourne we anon To Pandarus / that gan ful fast pry That as wel in and out / gan he gon Vnto the chambre a loft / and that on hy And sayd god saue al thys company Come now my neede / my lady awene Heleyne Abydyth yow / and eke my lordis ●weyne Ryse take wyth yow / your neere Antigone Or whom ye lyst / or nofors hardyly The lesse preace the bet / come forth wyth me And loke that ye thank humbely Hem al thre / and whan ye may goodely Yowre tyme see / takyth of hem yowre leue Lest we to long / hys rest hym byreue Al innocent / of Pandarus entent O uod tho C●seydes / go we vncle dere And arme in arme / inward with hym she went Auysyng wel hyr wordis / and hyr chere And Pandarus / in erne fullest manere Seyd al folk / for goddis loue I prey Styntyth ryght here / and softely ye pley Auyse ye what folke / ben here wythynne And in what ply●r one is / god hym amende And ynward thus / ful softly begynne Neece I coniure / and hyely defende On hys half / whyche that vs soule hath sende And in the vertu / of the corownes tweyne Sle not this man / that hath for yow this peyne Fy on the deuyl / thynk whyche one be is And in what plyte he lyeth / come of anone Thynk al suche taryed tyde / lost is That wyl ye both sey / whan ye ben one And sikerly ther yit / dyuyneth none Vpon yow two / come of now yf ye conne Whyle folk is blent / lo al the tyme is wonne In tyteryng in pursuyte / and delayes Folk wyl dyuyne / at waggyng of a stre That though ye wold / haue after merye dayes Than dare ye not for why / for he and he Spack suche a word / thus lookid she and she Thus tyme y lost / I dare not wyth yow dele Come of therfor / and bryng hym to hys hele But now to yow / ye louers that ben here Was not trroylus / in a cankerdort That lay & myght / the whyspryng of her here And thought o lord / now rennyth my sort Fully to dye / or haue no comfort And was the fyrst tyme he shuld hyr preye Of loue / o myghty god what shal I seye Here endeth the secunde booke
And here begynneth the prologe of the thyrde booke O Blisful light of which the beames clere Adourneth / al the hye heuenes fayre O sonnys lyf / O Iouys doughter d●re Pbe saunce o loue / o goodely debonayre In gentyl hertis / redy to repayre O veray cause of hele / and of gladnesse Y heryed be thy myght / and thy goodnesse In heuene and helle / erthe and see Is fyrst thy myght / yf that I wel dyscerne As man bryd best / fyssh herbe and grene tree The feld in tymes / wyth vapour eterne God louyth and to loue / he wyl not werne And in thys world / no lyues creature Wythout loue is worth / or may endure In Iouis fyrst / to thylk effectis glade Thurgh whyche that thynges / lyuen al and be Commendyd / and amoureux hem made O mortal thyng / and as thou lyst ay see Yaue hem in loue / ease or aduersite And in a thousand fourmes / doun hem sent To loue in erthe / and whom ye lyst is blent The fyers Mars / to apesyn of hys Ire And as ye lyst me make hertis dygne Algatis hem / that ye wyl sette a fyre That dreden shame / and vyces yit resigne Ye to hem curteys / fressh be and benygne And hem promotith / aftyr a wyght entendyth The Ioye that he hath / your myght hym fendyth Ye holdyn regne and hous / in vnyte The sothfast cause / and frendshyp be also Ye know all thylk / couered qualyte Of thynges whiche that folkes wondren on so That they can not constrewe / how it may geo She louyth hym / or why loueth he not here Or why this fissh / & not that comyth to the were The folke a lawe / han sette in vniuers And thys know I / by theym that louers be That who so striuyth with yow / hath the wers Now lady bryght / for thy benygnyte At reuerence of hem / that seruen the Whos clerk I am / teche me deuyse Some Ioye of that / is felt in thy seruyse Ye in my naked / hertis sentement In elde / and do me shewe of thy wytnesse Caliope / thy dayes ben now present For now is nede / seest thou not my dystresse How I must telle anon / right the gladnesse Of Troylus to venus heryeng To which gladnesse who nede hath god hym bryng Here endeth the prologe
And here begynneth the thyrde booke LAy al thys mene whyle Troylus Recordyng hys lesson / in thys manere Mafey thought he / thus wil I sey & thus Thus wyl I pleyne / vnto my lady dere That word is good / & that shal be my matere Thys wyl I not for geten / in no wyse God lyeue he werke / as he gan deuyse And lord so hys hert / gan tho to whappe Heryng hyr come / and sore for to syke And Pandarus / that lad hyr by the lappe Come nere and gan / in at the curteyn pyke And sayd god do bote / on al sike See who is here / yow comyn to vysite Lo here is she / that is yowre deth to wyte Therwyth it semed / that he wept almost A ha god / quod Troylus so sorowfully Wher me be woo / o myghte god thou wost Who is al there / I see not trewly Syr quod Criseyde / it is Pandare and I Ye swete hert / Alas I may not ryse To knele and do yow honour / in some wyse And dressid hym vpward / and she ryght tho Bygan hyr handis soft / vpon hym leye O for the loue of god / do ye not so To me quod she / what is thys to seye Syr come 〈◊〉 I to yow / for causes tweye Fyrst yow to thank / of yowre good lorshyp eke Contynuaunce therof / I yow byseke Troylus that herd thus / hys lady praye Of lordshyp hym was nother / quyck ne dede Ne myght one word / for shame to hyr seye And though men shuld haue smyte of his hed But lord so he was / sodaynly rede And hys lesson / that he wend had conne To pray hyr / was thurgh hys hert y ronne Criseyde al thys espyed wel ynowgh For she was wyse / & louyd hym neuer the lasse Al though he were not malaꝑt / & made it towgh Or was to bold / to syng a foole a masse But whan his shame / bygan somwhat to passe Hys wordis as I may / my rymes hold I wyl yow tellen / as techen bokes old In chaungyd voyce / right for hys lady drede Whyche voyce eke quoke / & therto hys manere Goodely abasshyd and now hys hyewes rede Now pale vnto Criseyde hys lady dere Wyth looke doun cest / and humble lowly chere Lo altherfyrst word / that hym astert Was twyes mercy mercy swete hert And stynt a while / & whan he myght out bryng The next word was / god wote for I haue As ferforth as I haue had connynge Be yowres all / so god my soule saue And shal tyl that / I woful wyght be graue And though I ne dare / ne can to yow compleyne Y Y wys I suffre not / the lasse peyne Thus moche as now / o wommanly wyf I may out bryng / and yf it yow dysplease That shal I wreke / vpon myn owne lyf Ryght soone I trowe / and do yowre hert and ease If wyth my deth / yowre hert may apease For sith ye haue me herd / somwhat seye Now retche I neuer / how soone that I deye Therwyth hys manly sorow / to byhold It myght hath made an hert / of stone to rewe And Pandare wept / as he to water wold And seyd wo begon / ben hertis trewe And prokid euer hys neece / newe and newe For loue of god / make of thys thyng an ende Or slee vs both at ones / or we hens wende Ey what quod she / by god and by my trowth I wote not what ye wold that I sey I what quod he / that ye haue of hym rowth For goddis loue / and do hym not to dey Now than quod she thus I wold hym prey To telle me the fyne of hys entent Yit wyst I neuer / wel what he ment What that I meane / o swete hert dere Quod Troylus / o goodely fressh fre Wyth the streames / of youre eyen clere Ye wold frendly / somtyme on me see And that ye suffre / that I neuer be he Wythout braunche of vyce / in ony wyse Yow for to serue / lyke as ye wyl deuyse As to my lady ryght / and chyef resort And al my wytte / and al my dylygence And I to haue ryght as yow lyst comfort Vndyr your yerd egal / to myn offence As deth / ye yf I do ony offence And that ye lyst me / somoche honoure Me to coumaunde / ought in ony houre And I to be yowre / veray humble trewe Secret / and in my paynes pacyent And euermore desire / fresshly newe To serue and be / y lyke dylygent And wyth good hert / al holy yowre talent Receyue in gree / how sore tht me smert Lo thus meane I / myn owne swete hert Quod Pandarus lo here / an hard request And resonably / a lady for to werne Now neece myn / by natal Iouis fest Were I a god / ye shuld sterue as yerne That heren wel thys man / nothynge yerne But yowre honour / and see hym almost sterue And be so loth / to suffre hym yow to serue Wyth that she gan hyr eyen / on hym cast Ful esily / and ful debonayrly Auysyng hyr / and hyed her not to fast Wyth neuer a word / but sayd hym sobyrby Myn honour sauf / I wyl wel trewly And in suche fourme / as ye conne deuyse Receyuen hym fully / to my seruyse Besechyng hym / for goddis loue that he Wold in honour trowth / and gentylnesse As I wel● meane / eke meane he wel to me And myn honour / wyth al besynesse Ay kepe yf I may / & do hym gladnesse From hensforth / ywys I wyl not feyne Now beth al hole / no lenger that ye pleyne But natheles / thys warne I yow quod she A kynges sone / though ye be ywys Ye shul nomore / haue souemynte Of me in loue / right but as in that cas is Ne I nyl forbere / yf ye don amys To wrath yow / and whyle ye me serue Cherissh yow right after yow deserue And shortly dere hert and al my knyght Beth glad and drawe yow / to lustynesse And I shal trewly / wyth al my myght Yowre bytter torne / al in to swetnesse Yf I be she / that may do you gladnesse For euery woo / ye shul recouere a blysse And hym in armys toke / and gan hym kysse Fyl Pandare on knees / and vp hys eyen To heuene he threwe / and held hys handis hye Immortal god quod he / that mayst not dyen Cupido I meane / of thys mayst gloryfye And Venus thou mayst / make melodye Wythouten hand / me semyth that in towne For thys myracle / I here eche belle sowne But ho nomore as nowe / of thys matere For why thys folk / wyl come vp anone That haue the letter red / o I hem here But I adiourne the / Criseyde anon And the Troylus / that whan thou mayst gon That at myn hous / ye be at my warnyng For I ful wel / shal shape your comyng And easith there your hertis / right ynowgh And lete see whyche of yow / shal here the belle To speke of loue / a lytel therwyth he lowgh For there haue ye / a lyser for to telle Quod Troylus / how long shal it dwelle Or thys be do quod he / whan thou mayst ryse Thys thyng shal be / right as I deuyse Wyth that Heleyne / and eke Deiphebus Than comen vpward / at the stayre ende And lord so to grone / tho gan Troylus Hys brothyr and hys sustir / for to blende Quod Pandarus tyme is that we wende Take neece myn / yowre leeue at al thre And lete hem speke / and come forth wyth me She toke hyr leue / at hem ful honestly As she wele cowd / and hyr reuerence Vnto the ful / they dyden hardyly And wonder wel spack / in hyr absence Of hyr in praysyng / of hyr excellence Hyr gouernaunce hyr wyt / and hyr manere Commendyng it / that Ioy it was to here Now lete hyr wende / to hyr owne place And torne we / to Troylus ageyn That gan ful lyghtly / of the letter pace That Deiphe●us / had in the gardyn seyn And of Heleyne and hym he wold feyn Delyuered be and sayd that hym lest To slepe and after talis to haue rest Heleyne hym kyst and toke / hyr leue blyue Deiph●bus eke / and home went euery wyght And pandarus / as faste as he may dryue To Troylus come / tho as blyue right And on a paylet / al that glad nyght By Troylus he lay / wyth blysful chere To talke and wel was hem / they were in fere Whan euery wyght was voyded / but they two And alle the doores / were fast y shet To tel in short / wythouten wordis mo Thys Pandarus / wythout ony let Vp ros and vpon hys beddis syde / hym set And gan to speke / in a sobre wyse To Troylus / as I shal yow now deuyse Myn alther best lord / and brother dere God wold and thou / that it sat me so sore Whan I the sawe / so languysshyng to yeere For loue of whyche / the woo wax euermore That I wyth alle my myght / and my lore Haue euer sith / do my besynesse To bryng the to Ioy / out of dystresse And haue it brought / to such plyte as thou wost So that thurgh me / thou stondyst now in wey To fare we le / I sey it for no lost And wost thou why / for shame it is to sey For the haue I begonne / a game to pley Whyche that I neuer do shal / eft for other Al though he were / a thousand fold my brother That is to seye / for the am I becomen Betwyx game and ernest / suche a meane As maken wymmen / vnto men comen Thou wost thy self / what that I wold meane For the haue I / my neece of vyces cleene So fully made thy gentylesse to tryst That al shal be / ryght as thy self lyst But god that al wote / take I to wytnesse That I neuer thys / for couetyse wrought But only to abredge / thy dystresse For which wel nygh / thou deydest as me thought But goode brother / do now as the ought For goodis loue / and kepe here out of blame So as thou art wyse / kepe hyr out of shame For wel thow woste the name is yit of hyr Among the people / as who sey halowyd is For neuer was yit wyght / I dare wel swere That euer wyst / she dyd amys But wo is me / that I that cause alle thys May thynk / that she is my neece dere And I hyr Eame / and traytour both I fere And were it wyst / that I thurgh myn engyne Had in my nece / put thys fantasye To do thy lust / and holy to be thyne Why alle the people / wold vpon it cry And sey that I / the worst trechery Dyde in thys cas / that euer was bygonne And she fordone / & thou right nought y wonne Wherfor er I wyl further go a paas The I pray eft / though thou shuldest dey That pryuyte / go wyth vs in thys caas That is to sey / thou neuer vs bewrey And be not wroth / though I the oft prey To hold secre / suche an hygh matere For skylful is / thou wost wel my prayere Thynk what woo / there hath betyd or thys For makyng of auauntis / as men rede And what myschaunce / yit in thys world is Fro day to day / ryght for that wykked dede For whyche thyse wyse clerkis / that ben dede Haue wryte or thys / as yit men teche vs yonge The fyrst vertu is / to kepe the tong And ner it that / I wold as now abredge Dyffusion of speche / I cowde almost A thousand old storyes the aledge Of wymmen thurgh fals / and foolis bost Prouerbis canst thy self / ynow and wost Ageyn that vyce / for to be a lable Though men soth sey / as often as they gabbe For tong alas / so oft here byforn Hath made ful many a lady / bryght of fewe Sey welawey the day / that she was born And many a mayden / sorowe for to newe And for the more parte / al is vntrewe That men of yelp / & it were brought to preue By reason none auauntour / is to leue A vauntour and a lyer / al is one As thus I suppose / a womman louyth me And sayth certeyn / that other wyl she none And I am sworn / to hold it secre And after I go / and tel it two or thre Y Y wys I am a vauntour / at the lest And a lyer / in brekyng of my behest Suche maner folk / what shal I clepe hem what And looke that I be right nought to blame That hem auaunt of wymmen / & sey she is that That neuer yit / in ernest nor in game Knewe hyr nomore / than the deuyls dame No wonder is / so god me send hele Though wymmen drede / wyth vs men to ●ele I sey not thys / for no mystrust of yow Ne for no wyse man / but for foolis nyce And for the harm / that in the world is now As wele for foly vsed / as for malyce For wele I wote / that wyse folk that vyce No womman dredyth / yf she be wele auysed For wyse folk ben / by foolis harmes chastysed But now to purpos / lyef brother dere Haue al thys thyng / that I haue sayd in mynd And kepe the clos / and be now of good chere For at thy day / thou shalt me trewe fynd I shal thy processe / sette in suche a kynd And god tofore / that it shal the suffyse For it shal be ryght / as thou wyl it deuyse For wel I wote / thou meanest wel parde Therfore I dare thys fully vndyrtake Thou wost eke / what thy lady grauntid the And day is sette / the charters vp to make Haue now good nyght / I may no lenger wake And byd for me / sith thou art nowe in blisse That god the sende deth / or soone lisse Who myght tel / half the Ioye or feest Whyche that the sowle / of Troylus tho felt Heryng th effect / of Pandarus behest Hys old woo / that made hys hert swelt Gan tho for Ioye / to wasten and to melt And al the thoughtis / of hys sighes sore Attones fled / he felt of theym nomore But ryght as thyse holtis / and these hayes That haue ben in wynter / deed and dryen Reuesten hem in grene / whan that may is Whan euery lusty / lysti●h for to pleyen Ryght in that self wyse / soth for to seyen Wax sodaynly hys hert / ful of Ioye That gladder was ther neuer man in Troye And gan hys looke / on Pandarus vp cast Ful soberly / and frendly vnto see And sayd frende in Apryl the last Wel thou wost / yf it remembre the Wel nygh the deth / for woo thou fond me And how thow dydest / all thy besynesse To knowe of me / the cause of my dystresse Thou wost how long / I forbare to seye To the that art the man / that I best tryst And perille none was it / to the bewreye That wyst I wel / but telle me yf the lyst Syth I so both was / that thy felt it wyst How durst I mo telle / of thys matere That qwake now / and noman may vs here But natheles by that god / I the swete That as hym lyse / may al thys world gouerne And yf I lye / A chylles wyth a spete My hert cleue / al were my lyf a terne As I am mortal / yf I late or yerne Wold it bewrey / it shewe or conne For al the good / that god made vndyr the sonne But rather wold I dey / and determyne As thynketh me now / stokked in pryson In wretchydnesse in fylth / and vermyne Captyf to cruel kyng A gamenon And thys in al the templis / of the towne Vpon the goddis al / wyl I the swere To morow day / yf it likyth the to bere And that thou hast / somoche y do for me That I ne may / it neuermore deserue Thys know I wel / al myght I now for the A thousand tymes / in a morow sterue I can nomore / but that I wyl the serue Ryght as thy slaue / whyder so thow wende For euermore vnto my lyues ende But here wyth al myn hert / I the beseche That neuer in me / thou deme suche foly As I shal sey / me thought by thy speche That thys that thou hast / me for company Do / I shuld deme it a bawdry I am not wood / al yf I lewd be It is not bawdry / that wote I wel parde But he that goth / for gold or for rynges On suche message / calle hem what the lest But thys that thou doest / for gentylnesse Compassion felawshyp and trust Departe it so / for wyde where is wyst How that ther is / dyuersite requyred Betwyx thynges / lyke as I haue lerid And that thou knowe / I thynk not ne weene That thys seruyse / a shame be or a Iape I haue my fayr sustyr / Polixene Cassandre Heleyne / or ony of the frape Be she neuer so fayre / ne so wel y shape Tel me whyche thou wylt / of euerichon To haue for thyn / and lete me than alone But sith thou hast do me thys seruyse My lyf to saue / and for no hope of mede So for the loue of god / thys grete empryse Perfourme it ou● / for now is most neede For hye or lowe / wythout ony drede I wyl alwey / thy hestis al kepe Haue now good nyght / and late vs both slepe Thus held hem eche of other / wel apayed That al the world ne myght it amende And on the morow / whan they were arayed Eche to hys owne neede / gan entende But Troylus thought / as the fyre he brende For sharp desire / of hope and of plesaunce He not forgate / hys wyse gouernaunce But in hym self wyth manhod gan restreyne Eche recheles dede / and eche brydeld chere That al tho that lyuen / soth to seyne Ne shuld haue wyst / by word ne manere What that he ment / as touchyng thys matere From euery wyght / as fer as the clowde He was so wyse / and dyssimylen he cowde And al thys whyle / whyche I yow deuyse Thys was hys lyf wyth hys ful myght By day he was / in Martis hygh seruyse That is to say / in armes as a knyght And for the most part / the long nyght He lay and thought / how that he mygt serue Hys lady ●est / hyr thank for to deserue For why she fond hym / so dyseret in al So secrete / and of suche obeysaunce That wel she felt / he was to hyr a wal Of styele a sheld / from euery dysplesaunce That to be / in hys good gouernaunce So wyse he was / she was nomore aferd I meane as fer / as ought to be requyred And Pandarus / to qwykene alwey the fyre Was euer lyke / prest and dylygent To ease hys frend / was set alle hys desire He shof ay on / he to and fro was sent He lettris bere / whan Troylus was absent That neuer wyght wyst / as in hys frendis nede Ne bare hym bet / to do hys frend to spede But nowe perauenture / some men wayte wold That euery word or looke / sond or chere Of Troylus / that I reherse shold In al thys whyle / vnto hys lady dere I trow it were / a long thyng to here Or of ony wyght / that stant in suche dysioynt Hys wordis all / or euery looke to poynt Forsoth I haue not herd / it done or thys In story none / ne noman here I wene And though I wold / I cowd not ywys For ther was some epystyl / sent betwene That wold as seyth my auctour / we le contene An hundryd verse / of which hym lyst not wryte How shuld I than / a lyne of it endyte But to the grete effecte / that I sey thus That stondyng in concord and quyete Thyse ylke two / Criseyde and Troylus As I haue sayd / in thys tyme swete Saue only that / oft tyme they myght not mete Ne leysir had / her spechis to fulfylle It befel ryght / as I shal yow telle That pandarus / which that alway dide his myght Ryght for the fyne that I speke of here As for to bryng to hys hous some nyght Hys fayre neece / and Troylus y feere Ther as at leyser / al thys hye matere Touchyng theyr loue / were at the ful vp bound Had as hym thought / a iyme therto y found For he wyth grete delyberacion Had euery thyng / that therto myght auayle Forn cast / and put in execucion And nothyr left for cost / ne for trauayle That none of hem shuld in nothyng fayle And for to be not espyed there He thought we le / an impossible were And dredles / it clere was in the wynd Of euery pye / and euery let game Thus al is wel / and al thys world is blynd In thys matere bothe wyld and tame Thys tymber is redy for to put in frame Vs lackyth not / but that we wyten wold A certeyn houre / in whyche she comyn shold And Troylus that at hys puruyaunce Knew at the ful / and wayted on it ay Had here vpon eke made / hys ordynaunce And fond hys cause / and eke all the aray That yf that he were myssed / nyght or day The whyle he was aboute thys seruyse That he was go / to do hys sacryfyce And must at suche a temple / all ne wake And worshyp Appolo / ther wold he be And first to see / the holy lau●er quake Or that Appollo / spack out of the tre To tel hym whan / the Grekis shuld fle And for thy let hym noman / god forbede But pray Appollo / that he wold hym spede Now is there lytyl more / for to done But Pondare vp / and shortly to seyne Ryght vpon the chaungyng / of the mone Whan lightles is the world / a nyght or tweyne And that the welkyn / sho●pe hym for to reyne He streyght a morow / vnto hys neece went Ye ha●e wel herd / the fyne of hys entent Whan he was there / he gan anon to pleye As he was wont / and at hym self to Iape And fynally he swore / and gan hyr seye Both thys and that / she shuld hym not escape Ne make hym lenger / aftyr hyr to gape But certaynly / she must by hyr leue Come soupe wyth hym / at hys house at eue At whyche she lough / and gan hyr self excusen And sayd it reyneth / lo how shuld I gon Lat be qd he my frend / ne seond not thus & musen Thys mote be doon / ye shul be there anon So at the last / krof they fyl at on And ellis soft he swore hyr in hyr erre He wold neuer come / there as she were And she ageyn / gan hym for to rowne And asked hym / yf Troylus were there He swore hyr nay / for he was out of towne And sayd neece / I pose that he were there Ye durst neuer haue / the more fere For rather than men / shuld hym espye Me were leuer / a thousand fold to dye Nat lyst myn Auctour / fully to declaryn What that she thought / whan he sayd so That Troylus was / out of towne y faryn As yf he sayd / soth therof or no But that she grauntyd / wyth hym for to go Wythout nayeng / sith he her besought And as hys neece / obeyed as hyr ought But natheles than / gan she hym beseche Al though wyth hym to go / was no fere For to be ware / of gostly peoples speche That dremen thynges / whyche that neuer were And we le auyse hym / whom he brought there And sayd Eame / sith I must yow tryst Looke al be wel / for I do as yow lyst He swore hyr tho / by stokkes and by stones And by the goddis / that in heuene dwelle Or ellis were hym leuer / fell and bones Wyth Pluto kyng / as depe be in helle As Cantalus / what shuld I lenger dwelle Whan al was wel / he roos and toke hys leue And she to sonper come / whan it was eue Wyth a certeyn / of hyr owne men And wyth hyr fayre neece Antigone And other of hyr wymmen / nyne or ten But who was glad / who as trowe ye But Troylus that stood / and myght it see Thurgh a lytel wyndow / in a stewe Ther he shet was / sith mydnyght in a mewe Vnwyst of euery wyght / but of Pandare But now to purpos / whan that she was come Wyth alle Ioye / and al frendis fare Hyr Eame anone / in armes hath hyr nome And after to the sowper / al and some Whan tyme was to sowper they be fette God wote ther was no deynte / for to sette And after sowper / gan they to ryse At ease wel / wyth hertis fressh and glade And wel was hym / that cowd best deuyse To lyken hyr / or to lawghen her made He song she pleyde / he told a tale of wade But at the last / as euery thyng hath ende She toke hyr leue / & nedis wold home wende But o fortune / executiyce of wyerdis O influence / of these heuenes hye Sooth is that vndyr god / ye ben oure hyerdis Though to vs / ben the causes w●ye Thys meane I now / for she gan homward hye But execut●d was al / besyde hyr leue The goddis wyl / for whyche she must bleue The bent moone / wyth her hornes pale Saturne and Iuno in Cancro Ioyned were That suche a rayne / from heuene gan aua●● That euery man and womman that was there Had of the smoky rayne / a very fere And Pandare lough tho / and seyd thenne Now it were tyme / a lady go henne But now good nece / yf I myght euer please Yow ony thyng / than pray I yow quod he To do myn hert / as now so grete an ease As for to dwelle here / thys nyght wyth me For neece thys is yowre owne hous parde Now be myry I sey / it is now no game To wende now home / it were to me a shame Criseyde whyche that cowde / qs moche goode As half a world tooke heede of hys prayer And sawe it rayned / and al was on a floode She thought as good chepe may I dwelle here And graunt it gladly / wyth a frendly chere And haue a thanke / than grutche & than abyde For home to gone / it wyl not wel betyde I wyl quod she myn vncle lyef and dere Syth that yow lyst / it skyl is to be so I am ryght glad / wyth yow to dwellen here I sayd but a game / that I wold go Ywys graunt mercy / neece quod he tho Were it a game / or sooth for to telle I am now glad / syth that ye lyst dwelle Thus al is wel / but tho bygan a ryght The newe Ioye / and al the fest ageyn But Pandarus / yf goodely had he myght He wold haue hyed hyr / to bed ful fayn And sayd lord / thys is a huge rayn Thys were a wedyr / for to slepen ynne And that I rede vs / sone to bygynne And neece woote ye / wher I shal you ley For that we shul not / lygge fer a sonder And for ye shul neyther / dare I seye Here noyse of reyne / ne of thonder By god right in my lytel closet yonder And I wil in that lytel house alone By wardeyn / of your wymmen euerychone And in thys myddyl chambre that ye see Shuln al your wymmen / sleepen fayre & soft And al wythin / shal yowre self be And yf ye lygge wel to nyght / come more oft And carith not for the wedir / though it be aloft The wyne was brought / & whan so that you lest Than is it tyme / for to go to rest Ther was nomore / but therafter soone They voyde drank / and trauers drawe anon Gan euery wyght / that had nought to done More in the place / out of the chambre gone And alway in thys meane whyle it rone And blew therwyth / so wondyrly lowde That wel nye / noman other here cowde Tho Pandarus / ryght as hym ought Wyth wymmen syche / as were hyr nyh aboute Ful glad vnto hyr beddis side hyr brought And toke theyr leue / and gan ful lowe loute And sayde at thys closet doore / wythoute Ryght ouerthwert / your wymmen lyggen alle That whom ye lyst of hem / ye may soone calle So whan she was in the closet leyde And al hyr wymmen forth by ordynaunce A bed were they / as I haue yow seyde Thys was nomore / to skippe ne to traunce But bodyn go to bed / wyth myschaunce Yf ony man was stiryng / ony where And lete theym sleepe / that a bed were But Pandarus / that we le cowde eche a dele The old daunce / and euery poynt therin Whan that he saw / that al thynge was wele He thought he wold / vpon hys werk begynne And gan the styewe doore / alsoft vnpynne And styl as stone / wythout lenger lette By Troylus adoun / he by hym sette And shortly to the poynt now for to gon Of al thys thyng / he told hym word & end And sayd make the redy / ryght anon For thow shalt in to heuene blys wend Now seynt venus / thou me grace send Quod Troylus / for neuer yit no neede Had I or now / ne halfuendel the dreede Quod Pandarus / ne drede the neuer a dele For it shal be ryght / as thou wylt desyre So thryue I thys nyght / I shal make it wele Or cast all the growel / in the fyre That blysful venus / thys nyght me enspyre Quod Troylus as wys / as I the serue And euer bet and bet / shal tyl I sterue And yf I had o Venus ful of myrth Aspectis bad of Mars or of Saturne Or thurgh combust / or let were in my byrth Thy fadyr pray / al thylk harme dystorne Of grace / and that I glad ageyn may torne For loue of hym / thow louedyst in the shawe I meane Adeon / that wyth the bore was slawe O Ioue eke / for the loue of the fayre Europe The whyche in fourme of a boole / awey the fet Now help and Mars wyth thy bloody Cope For loue of Cipac / thou me not ne let O Phebus thynk / whan Diane hyr self shet Vndyr the bark / and ran awey for drede Yit for hyr loue / now help at thys neede Mercurie for the loue / of hyr eeke For which Pallas / was with Aglaurus wroth Now help / Diane and eke I the beseke That thys vyage / be not to the loth O fatal sustren / whyche or ony cloth Me shapen was / my destyne me sponne So help to thys werk that is here bygonne Quod Pandarus / thou wretchyd mouses hert Art thou agast / so that the wyl the byte Why do on thys furryd cloke / vpon thy shert And folowe me for I wyl haue the wyte But byde and late me go / a fore a lyte And wyth that word / he gan vndo the trappe And Troylus he brought in by the lappe The sterne wynde / so lowde gand to rowte That no wyght others noyse / myght here And they that lay / at the dore wythoute Ful sikyrly they slept / al in feere And Pandarus wyth a ful sobre chere Goth to the doore anon / wythout let Ther as they lay / and softly it shet And as he come ageynward / ful pryuely Hys neece a wooke / and asked who is there My dere neece quod he / it am I Ne wondryth not / ne haue of it no fere And nere he come / and sayd hyr in hyr 〈◊〉 No word for the loue of god I yow beseche Late no wyght aryse / and here of oure speche What whyche wey ben ye come bene diate Quod she and how / ●●us vnwys● of hem asse Here at thys lytel trap doore / quod ●e Quod tho Creseyde / late me some wyght calle O god forbede that it shold befalle Quod Pandarus / that ye suche folye wrought They myght deme / that they neuer er thought It is not good a sleepyng hound to wake Ne yeue a wyght / a cause to dyuyne Yowre wymmen sleepe / all I vndyrtake So that for theym / the heus men myght myne And sleepe wol / that tyl the sonne shyne And whan my tale brought is to an ende Vnwyse right as I come / so wyl I wende Now neece myn / ye shul wel vndyrstond Quod he so as ye wymmen / do men alle That for to hold a man / long in hond And hym hyr lyef / and dere hert calle And make hym an ●●e / aboue a calle I meane as loue another / in the meane whyle Se doeth hyr self a shame / and hym a guyle Now wherby that I telle yow / al thys Ye wote your self as wel as ony wyght How that yowre loue / al fully grauntyd is To Troylus the worthyest knyght One of thys world / and therto trowth ye plight That but it were on hym a long / ye nold Hym neuer falsen / whyle ye lyue shold Now stant it thus / sith I fro yow went Thys Troylus platly / for to seyn Is thurgh a gutter by a preuy went In to my chambre come / in al thys reyne Vnwyst of ony maner wyght certeyn Sauf of my self / as wysly haue I Ioye And by the feyth / I owe Priam of Troye And he is come / in suche peyne and dystresse I trowe he be / al fully wood by thys He sodaynly mote falle / in to woodenesse But god help / and why the cause is thys He seyth hym told is / of a frend of hys How that ye shuld loue / one horast For sorow of whiche / this nyght wil be his last Criseyde / whyche that al thys wonder herd Gan therwyth / aboute hyr hert cold And wyth a sygh / she sodaynly answerd Alas I wend / who so talis told My dere hert / wold me not hold So lightly fals / alas conceytis wrong What harm they do / for now I lyue to long Horast alas / and falsen Troylus I know hym not / god me help so quod she Alas what wycked spyryte / told hym thus Now certis Eame / to morow and I hym see I shal of that as fully excusen me As euer dyd womman yf that hym lyke And wyth that word / she gan for to syke O god quod she / so worldly selynesse Whyche clerkis calle / fals felycite Y medlyd is / wyth many a bytternesse Ful anguysshous / that is god wote quod she Condicion / of veyne prosperite For eyther Ioyes / come not ay in feere Or ellis no wyght / hath hem alwey here O brutyl we le / of worldly Ioye vnstable Wyth what wyght / so that thou be or pleye Eyther he wote that / thou art Ioye mutable Or wote it not / it mote be one of tweye Now yf he wote it not / how may he seye That he hath veray Ioye / and selynesse That is of ignoraunce / ay in derknesse Now yf be wote / that Ioye is transiterye As euery Ioye / of worldly thyng mote fle Now eueryc●e / that hath in memorye The drede of lesyng / makyth hym that he May in no porfit / sikernesse be And yf to leese hys Ioye / be sette amyte Than semyth that Ioye / is wo●th but lyte Wherfor I wyl dyffyne / in thys manere That trewly for ought / I can espye Ther is no veray we le / in thys world here But o thou wycked / serpent Ialowsye Thou mysbeleued / enuyous folye Why hast thou made Troylus / me vntryst That neuer yit agylted hym / that I wyst Quod pandarus / thus fallen is thys cas Why vncle myn quod she / ho told hym thys Why doeth myn dere hert / thus alas Ye wote ye neyce myn / quod he what is I hope al shal be we le / that is amys For ye may qwenche al thys / yf ye lest And doth right so / I hold it for the best So shal I do to morowe / ywys quod she And god toforn / so that it shal suffise To morow alas / that were fayre quod he Nay nay it may not stande in thys wyse For neece myn / thus wryten clerkis wyse That peryl is / wyth dretchyng in y drawe Nay suche abodis / ben not worth an hawe Neece al thyng hath tyme / I dare a vowe For whan a chamber a fyre is / or an halle Wel more myster is / it sodaynly rescowe Than to dyspute / and aske among hem alle How thys candel / in the strawe dyde falle A benedicite / for al that long fare The harm is do / and fare wel feld fare And neece myn / ne take it not a gryef Yf that ye suffre hym / al nyght in thys woo God help me soo / ye had hym neuer lyef That dare I sey / now ther is but we two But wel I wote / ye wyl not do so Ye be to wyse / to do so grete folye To put hys lyf / al nyght in Ieopardye Had ye hym neuer lyef / by god I weene I had neuer thyng so lyef / by god quod she Now by my trowth quod he / that shal be seene For sith ye make thys ensample / of me Yf I al nyght / wold hym in sorow see For al the tresour / in the towne of Troye I byd god / neuer more haue I Ioye Now lokyth than / yf that ye be hys loue To put al nyght hys lyf in Ieopardye For thyng of nought / now by that lord aboue Not only thys delay / comyth of folye But of malyce / yf I shal not lye ● What platly / and ye see hym in dystresse Neyther ye wysely don / ne gentylnesse Quod tho Criseyde / wyl ye do o thyng And ye therwyth / shul s●ynt hys dyscase Haue here and bare hym / thys blew ryng For ther is nothyng / may hym bettyr please Saue I my self / ne more hys hert ease And sey my dere hert / that hys sorow Is causeles / and that he shal see to morow A ryng quod he / ye hasilwoode is shaken Ye neece myn that ryng / must haue a stone That myght ded men / alyue maken And such a ryng trowe I / that ye haue none Discrecion out of your heed is gone That fele I now quod he / and that is rowth O tyme y lost wel mayst thou curs slowth Wote ye not we le / that noble and hye corage Ne sorowyth not / ne styntyth not for lyte But yf a foole / were in a Ialous rage I nold sette at his sorow a myte But feffe hym / wyth a fewe wordis whyte Another day whan I myght hym fynde But thys thyng stant al / in another kynde He is so gentyl / and so tendre of hert That wyth hys deth / he wyl hys sorow wreke For trustyth wel / how sore that hym smert He wyl to yow / no Ialous word speke And for thy neece / or that hys hert breke So speke yowre self / to hym of thys matere For wyth oo word / ye may hys hert stere Now haue I told / what peryl he is ynne And hys comyng vnwyst of euery wyght And parde harme may ther be / none ne synne I wyl my self be wyth yow al thys nyght Ye / know wel eke / he is your owne knyght And that by right / ye must vpon hym tryst And I al prest to fetche / hym whan ye lyst Thys accydent / so pytous was to here And eke so lyke a soth / at pryme face And Troylus hyr knyght / to hyr so dere Hys pryuy comyng / and the siker place That though she dyd hym / as than a grace Considred al thynges / as they stoode No wonder is sith / she dyd al for goode Criseyde answerd / as wysly god at rest My soule bryng / as me is for hym wo And Eame ywys fayne wold I do the best If that I had grace / to do so But whethyr that ye dwelle / of for hym go I am tyl god / me bettyr mynd sende At Dulcarnon / at my wyttes ende Quod Pandarus / ye neece wyl ye here Dulcarnon is callid flemyng of wretchis It semyth hard for wretchis wyl not here For veray slowth / and other wylful tetchis Thys seyd he by hem / that be not worth two fetchis But ye be wyse / & haue this matere in hande Nys nother hard / ne skylful to withstonde Than Eame quod she / doeth herof as ye lyst But or he come / I wyl fyrst aryse And for the loue of god / sith al my tryst Is on yow two / and ye both wyse So wyrkyth now / in so dyscrete a wyse That I honour may haue / and he plesaunce For I am here now / in your gouernaunce Thys is wel sayd quod he / my nece dere Good thryft came on that / wyse gentyl hert But liggyth styll / and takith hym ryght here It nedyth not / no further for hym stert And eche of yow / ease other sorowes smert For soone hope I / we shul all be mery For loue of god / and venus I the hery Thys Troylus ful soone / on knees hym sette Ful sobyrly ryght by hyr beddis hede And in hys best wyse / hys lady grette But lord so she was / sodaynly rede Ne though men shuld / smyte of hyr hede She myght not o word / a ryght out bryng So sodaynly for hys soo●e comyng But Pandarus / that so we le cowd fele In euery thyng to pleye / anone bygan And sayd neece / see how thys lord can knele Now for your trowth / see thys gentylman And wyth that word he for a qwysshon ran And sayd now knelyth / whyle that yow lyst That god yowre hertis / bryng soone at rest Can I not seyn / for she had hym not ryse If sorow it put / out of remembraunce Or ellie that she tooke it / ●n thys wyse Of dyew●e / as for hy● obeysaunce But we le I rede / she dyd hym thys plesaunce That she hym kyst ● al though he sighed sore And bud hym 〈◊〉 a d●un/wythout●n mor● Quod Pandarus now wyl ye we le bygynne Now doth hym 〈◊〉 / goode neece 〈◊〉 Vpon yowre beddis s●de / al wythynne That eche of yow the ●et ●ay other here And wyth that word he drewe hym to the fyre And toke a lyght / & feyned hys contenaunce As for to looke ●vpon an old romaunce Criseyde that was / Troylus lady ryght And clere stood / on a grounde of sikernesse Al though she hyr seruaunt / and hyr knyght He shuld of ryght / none vntrowth in hyr gesse Yit natheles / considered hys dystresse And that loue to / in cause of suche folye Thus to hym sp●ck she / of hys Ialousye Lo hert myn / as wold the excellence Of loue / ageynst the whyche ●oman may Ne ought eke goodely / make resistence And eke by cause / I felt wel and saye Yowre grete trowth / and seruyce euery daye And that yowre hert al myn was / sooth to seyne Thys droue me / to rewe vpon your peyne And your goodnesse haue I found alwey yit Of whyche my dere hert / and my knyght I thank it yow / as fer as I haue wyt Al can I not / as moche as it were ryght And I hensforth my connyng / and my myght Haue and ay shal / how sore that me smert Be to yow trewe / and hole wyth al myn hert And dredeles that shal be found at preue But hert myn / what al thys is to sayne Shal wel be told / so that ye yow not greue Though I to yow right / on yowre self compleyne For therwyth mene I / fynally the peyne That holt your hert / and myn in heuynesse Fully to slene / and euery wrong redresse My good hert not I / for why ne how That Ialowsye alas / that wyckid wyuere So causeles is cropen / in to yow The harm of whyche / I wold fayne delyuere Alas that ye al hool / or of hym a shyuere Shuld haue hys refute / in so dygne a place That Ioue out soone / out of your hert hym race But o thou Ioue / auctour of nature Is thys an hononr / vnto thy deyte That folk vngylty / suffre here Iniure And he that gylty is / vnquyt goth he O were it leeful / for to pleyne / on the That vndeserued / suffrist Ialowsye Of that I wold / vpon the pleyne and crye Eke al my woo is thys / that men now vsen To seye ryght thus / that Ialowsye is loue And wold a busshel of venym all excusen For that one greyn of loue / is in shoue But that wote the hye god / that sit aboue Yf it be syker loue / hate or grame And after that / it ought to bere hys name But certeyn is / some maner Ialowsye Is excusable / more than some ywys As whan cause / and some suche fantasye Wyth pyte so wel / repressid is That it vnneth doeth / or sayth amys But goodely drynkyth vp / all hys dystresse And that excuse I / for the gentylnesse And some so ful / of furye and dyspyte That it surmountyth / hys repressioun But hert myn / ye be not in thys plyte That thank I god / for whyche your passioun I wyl not calle it but an Illusioun Of habundaunce of loue / and besy cure That doeth your hert / thys dysease endure Of whyche I am ryght sory / but not wroth But for my desire / and your hertis rest Whether so yow lyst / by ordal or by oth By sort or be what wyse / so that yow lest For loue of god / late preue it for the best And yf that I be gylty do me deye Alas what myght I more / done or seye Wyth that a fewe / bryght teeris newe Out of hyr eyen fyl / and thus she seyde Now god thou wost / in thought ne dede vntrewe To Troylus was neuer yit Criseyde Wyth that hyr hond / doun in the bed she leyde And wyth the shete it wryed / and sighed sore And held hyr pees / not a word spack she more But now help god / to qwenche al thys sorow So hope I that he shal / for he best may For I haue seen / a ful mysty morow Folowe ful oft / a myry somer day And after wynter foloweth grene may Men seen alday / and rede eke in storyes That after sharp showres / ben vyctoryes Thys Troylus / whan he hyr wordis herd Haue ye no care / hym lyst not to slepe For it thought hym / no strokes of a yerd To here or see / Criseyde hys lady wepe But we le he felt / aboute hys hert crepe For euery teere / whyche that Criseyde as●ert The cramp of doth / streyneth hym by the hert And in hys mynd / he gan the tyme acurse That he came there / or that he was bore For now is wycke / tornyd in to worse And al the labour / he hath do byfore He thought it lost / he wend he nas but lore O Pandarus alas thought he / thy wyle Seruyth of nought / so welawey the whyle And ther wythal / he hyng a doun the heed And fyl on knees / and sorowfully he sight What myght he say / he felt he nas but deed For wroth was she / that shuld his sorowes lyght But natheles whan he speke myght Than said he thus / god wote that of this grame Whan al is wyst / than am I not to blame Therwyth the sorow / of hys hert shette That from hys eyen / fyl ther n●t a teere And euery spyryte / hys vygour in knette So they astonyed / and oppressed were The feelyng of hys sorow / and of hys chere Or of ought ellis / fled was oute of towne A doun he fyl all sodaynly / in a swowne Thys was no lytel / sorow for to see For al was huysht / but Pandare vp at the last O neece peas / or we be bost quod he Be not agast / but alwey at the last For thys or that / he hym in to the bed cast And sayd thyef / is thys a mannes hert And of he rent / al to hys bare shert And sayd neece / but ye help vs now Ywys your owne / Troylus is born Alas so wold I / and I wyst how Ful fayne quod she / alas that I was born Ye ne●● wyl ye pul out the thorn That scikyth in hys hert / quod Pandare Sey al foryeue / and stynt all thys care Ye that to me quod she / leuer were Than al the goode / the senne aboute goth And therwythal she swore hym in hys cere Y Y wys my dere hert / I am not wroth Haue here my trowth and many another oth Now speke to me / for it am I Creseyde But al for nought / yit myght he not abreyde Tho Troylus / gan sorowfully to syke Lest she were / wroth hym thought his hert deyde And sayde alas / vpon my sorowes syke Haue mercy on me / swete hert myn Criseyde And yf that in the wordis / that I feyde Be ony wrong I wyl nomore crespace Doth as yow lyst / I put me in youre grace Criseyde answerd of gylt myseryoord That is for to sey / I foryeue al thys And euermore on thys nyght record And beth wel ware / ye do nomore amys Nay dere hert myn / quod he ywys And now quod she / that I haue do yow smert Foryeue it me / myn owne swete hert Tho Troylus wyth bus / of that supprysed Put all in goddis hond / as he that ment Nothyng but wel / and sodaynly auysed He hyr in armes / fast to hym hent And Pandarus / wyth ful goode entent Layde hym to sleepe / and sayd yf ye be wyse Swowne not now / lest mo folke aryse What myght or may / the sely lark sey Whan that the sperhawke / hath it in hys foote I can nomore / but of thys ylke twey To whom thys tale / sugre he or swoote Though that I tarye a yere / somtyme I mote After myn auctour / tel of theyr gladnesse As wele as I haue / told theyr heuynesse Criseyde wyth that / felt hyr thus y take As wryten clerkis / in theyr bookes old Ryght as an aspen leef / she gan to quake Whan she hyr felt / in hys armes fold And Troylus al hool / of hys cares cold Gan thankyn tho / the bryght goddis seuene That sundry peynes / bryngen folk to heuene Thys Troylus in armes gan hyr streyne And sayd o swete / as euer mote I gone Now be ye caught / ther nys but we tweyne Now yeldyth yow / for other boote is none To that Criseyde / answerd thus anone Ne had I er now / my swete hert dere Be yolden ywys / I were not now here O sooth is sayde / that helyd for to be As of a feuer / or another grete sikenesse Men must drynk alday / as men may see Ful bytter drynk / and for to haue gladnesse Men duren of peyne / and grete dystresse I meane it here / as of thys aduenture That thurgh a peyne / hath found now hys cure And now swetnesse / semyth more swete That bytternesse assayed / was byforn For out of woo / in blysse now they fleete None suche they felt / sith that they were born Now is thys bet / than both two be lorn For loue of god / take euery womman heede To worke thus / whan it comyth to neede Criseyde al quyte / from euery drede and teene As she that iust cause had hym to tryst Made hym suche feeste / that Ioye it was to seene Whan she hys trowth / and clene entent wyst And as about a tree / wyth many a twyst By●●ent and wrythe / the soote woodebynde Gan eche of hem / in armes other wynde And as the newe / abasshed nyghtyngale That styntyth fyrst / or she begynne to syng Whan she heryth / ony hyerdis tale Or in the hedgis / ony wyght styring And after sikernesse / hyr voys doth out ryng Ryght so Criseyde / whan that hyr drede stent Opend hyr hert / and told al hyr entent And ryght as he / that sawe hys deth y shapen And dye must / in aught that he gan gesse And sodaynly rescous / doth hym escapen And from hys deth / is brought in sykernesse For al thys world / ryght in suche gladnesse Is Troylus / and hath hys lady swete Wyth wors hay / god lete vs neuer meete Hyr armes smale / hyr streyght back and softe Hyr sides long flesshly smoth and whyte He gan to stroke / and bad goode thryft ful ofte Hyr snowysh throte / hyr brestis rounde & lyte Thus in thys heuene / he gan hym delyte And therwythal / a thowsand tyme hyr kyst That for what to do / for Ioye vnneth he wyst Than seyd he thus / o loue o charyte Thy moder eeke / Citherea the swete After thy self / next heryed be she Venus meane I / the wele wylly planete And next Ymeneus / I the grete For neuer man was / to yow goddis hold As I that ye haue / brought from cares cold Benygne loue / thou holy bonde of thynges Who so wyl grace / and lyst not the honoure Lo hys desire wyl fle / wythout wynges For thou noldyst of bounte / hem socoure That seruen best / and alwey most laboure But yf thy grace / passed our desertis Al were lost / that I dare sey certis And for thow me / that cowd best deserue Of hem that nombred be vnto thy grace Hast holpen there / I lykly was to sterue And me bystowed / in so hygh a place That ilke boundis / may no blis pace I can nomore / but lawde and reuerence Be to thy bounte / and thyn excellence And ther wythal / Criseyde anon he kyst Of whyche certeyn / she felt no dysease And thus sayd he / now wold god I wyst Myn hert swete / how I myght yow please What man quod he / was euer thus at ease As I on whom / the fayrest and the best That euer I say / deyneth hyr hert to rest Here may men see / that mercy passyth right Th experience of thys / is felt in me That am vnworthy / to yow my lady bryght But hert myn / of yowre benygnyte So thynkyth though I vnworthy be Yit mote neede / amende in some wyse Ryght thurgh the vertu / of yowre hye seruyse And for the loue of god my lady dere Sith god hath wrought me / for you euer to serue As thus he wyl / that ye be my stere To do me lyue / yf that ye lyst or sterue So techyth me how that I may deserue Yowre thank / so that I thurgh myn Ignoraunce Ne do nothyng / that do yow dysplesaunce For certis fressh wommanly wyf The day is sith / that trowth and dylygence Ye s●●l in me fynden al my lyf I nyl certeyn / breke yowre defence And yf I do / present or in absence For loue of god / 〈◊〉 slee me wyth the dede Yf that it lyke / vnto yowre wommanshede Y Y wys quod she / myn owne hertis lust My ground of ca●e / and al myn hert dere G●●mercy / for on that to al my trust But lett vs fulle away / from thys matrre For thys suffysitt●● / whyche that is sayd here And a●●o word / wythout repentaunce Wel come my knight / my 〈◊〉 / my suffysaunce Of theyr delyte or Ioyce / one the lest Were in possyble / in my wyt to sey But Iugyth ye / that han ben at the feest Of suche gladnesse yf / 〈◊〉 lys● pley I can nomore / but 〈◊〉 thy● ylke twey That nyght betwyxt / drede and sikernesse They felt in loue / the gre●● worthynesse O blysful nyght / of whom so long I sought How blyth vnto hem both / thow were Why ne had I suche one / with my fowle y bought Ye for the lest Ioye / that was there Awey thou fowle daunger / and thow fere And lete hem / in thys heuen blys dwelle That is so hye that noman can telle These ylk two / that ben in armes last So both to hem / a sundre to gd it were That eche of hem from other / wend byraft Or ellis lo thus / was theyr most fere Lest al thys thyng / but nyce dreames were For whyche ful oft / eche of theym seyde o swete Clyppe I yow thus / or ellis do I meete And lord so he gan / goodely on hyr see That neuer hys looke / blent from hyr face And sayd o dere hert / how may it be That it be sooth / that ye be in thys place Ye hert myne / god thank I of hys grace Quod tho Cryseyde / and ther withal hym kyst That where hys spyryte was / for Ioye he nyst Thys Troylus ful oft / hyr eyen two Gan for to kysse / and sayd o eyen clere It were ye / that wrought me thys woo Ye humble nettis / of my lady dere Though ther be mercy / wryten in yowre chere God wote that 〈◊〉 / ful hard is sooth to fynde How cowde ye / wythout bonde me bynde Therwyth he gan hyr fast in armes take And wel a thousand tyme / gan he syke Not suche sorowful syghes / as men make For sorow or ellis / whan that folk be sike But easy syghes / suche as ben to lyke That shewyd his affection wythin Of suche syghes / cowde he not blyn Soone aftyr thys / they spack of sundry thynges As fyl to purpos / of theyr aduenture And pleyeng / entrechaungeden rynges Of whyche I can telle no scripture But we le I wote / a broche of gold and asure In whyche a Ruby set / was lyke an hert Cnseyde hym yaf / and stak it on hys shert Lord trow ye / that a couetous wretche That blameth loue / and hath of it dyspyte That of the pene / that he can moore and ●etche Was euer yet yeue to hym suche delyte As is in loue / in some maner plyte Nay douteles / for as so god me saue So parfyte Ioye / may no nygard haue They wyl sey yis / but lord so they lye The besy wretchys / ful of woo and drede They clepe loue a woodenes a or furye But it fall hem / as I shal now rede They shut forgo / both the whyte and the rede And lyue in woo / ther god gyue hem myschaunce And euery louer / in hys trowth auaunce As wold god / thyse wretches that dyspyse Seruyce of loue / hadde eris also long As had Mida / ful of couetyse And therto dronken had / as hote and strong As Crassus dyde / for hys affectis wrong To teche hem that couetyse is vyce And loue is vertu / though men hold it nyce These ylke two / of whyche that I yow seye Whan that theyr hertis / fully assurid were Tho gan they to speke / and to pleye And eke rehersen / how and whan & where They knew fyrst / and euery woo and fere That passid was / but al that heuynesse Y thankyd god / was torned in to gladnesse And euermore / whan they fyl to speke Of ony woo / of suche a tyme agone Wyth kyssyng / al that tale shuld breke And fallyn in a newe Ioye anone And dyd all theyr myght / sith they were one For to recouer Elis / and be at ease And peysed woo / wyth Ioye countrepease Reason wyl not / that I now speke of slepe Fo● it accordyth not / to my matere God wote they toke of that / ful lytel kepe But lest thys nyght / that was to hym so dere Ne shuld in vayne / scape in no manere It was byset / in Ioye and besynesse Of al that sowneth / in to gentylnesse But how al though / I can not tel al As can myn auctour / of hys excellence Yit haue I sayde / and god tofore I shal In euery thyng / the grete of hys sentence And yf that I at loues reuerence Haue ony thyng / echyd for the best Do therwythal / ryght as yow self lest For my wordis / here and in euery part I speke hem all / vnder correction Of yow that felyng haue / in louys art And I put hem hole / in your dyscrecion To encrease / and make dymynucion Of my langage / and I yow byseche But now to purpos / of my rather speche Whan that the cok / the comune astrologer Gan on hys brest to bete / and after crowe And Lucifer / the dayes messanger Gan for to ryse / and out hyr streame throwe And Estward was to hym / that cowde it knowe Fortuna maior / that anon Criseyde Wyth hert sore / to Troylus thus she sayde Myn hertis lyf / my trust and my plesaunce That I was born / alas that me is woo Thys day we mote / make dysseueraunce For tyme is to ryse / and hens go Or ellis I am lost / for euermo O nyght alas why nyl thou / ouer vs houe As long as whan / Almena lay by Ioue O blake nyght / as men in bookes reede That shapyn art by god / thys world to hyde At certeyn tymes / wyth thy black wede That vndyr that / men myght in rest abyde We le ought bestis pleyne / and folk the chyde That ther as day / wyth labour wold vs brest That thou vs fleest / and late vs haue no rest Thou doest alas / to shortly thyn offyce Thou rakel nyght / ther god maker of kynde For thou so dounward / hastyst of malyce Thy cours / and to oure Emyspery bynde That neuermore / vndyr our ground the wynde For thurgh the rakel hyeng out of Troye Haue I forgo / thus hastyly my Ioye Thys Troylus that wyth the wordis felt As thought hym tho / for pytous dystresse The blody teeris / from hys hert melt As he that neuer / yit suche heuynesse Assayed had / out of so grete gladnesse Gan hyr wythal / Criseyde hys lady dere In armes streyne / and sayd in thys manere O cruel day / accuser / of the Ioye That loue and nyght / haue stole & fast wryen Accursid be the comyng / in to Troye For euery loore / wyth one of thy bryght eyen Enuyous day / what lyst the to espyen What hast thou lost / what sekest thou in this place Ther god thy syght / so qwenche for hys grace Alas what haue these louers / the agylt Dyspytous day / thyne be the pyt of helle Fin many a louer / hast thou slayn and wylt Thy powryng in / wyl nowher lete hem dwelle What proferest th●u thy lyght / here for to selle Go sel it hem / that smale sealis graue We wyl the not / vs nedyth no day to haue And eke the sonne Titan / wold he chyde And sayd foole / wel may men the dyspyse Thow hast al nyght / the dawnyng by thy syde And soeffryst hyr so soone / from the ryse For to depart●n louers / in thys wyse What hold thy bed / thow and eke thy morow I pray to god / so yeue yow both sorow Therwyth ful sore he sighed / and thus seyde My lady ryght / and of my wele and wo The veray roote / o goodely myn Cryseyde And shal I ryse / alas and shal I so Now feele I that / myn hert mote a two For how shuld I / my lyf an houre saue Syth that wyth yow / is al my lyf I haue What shal I do / for certis I note how Ne whan alas / I may the tyme y see That in thys place I may be eft wyth yow And of my lyf / god wote / how that shal be So that desyre / ryght now so strayneth me That I am ded anon / but I retorne How shuld I long alas / fro yow soiourne But natheles / myn owne lady bryght Yf it were so / that I wyst vttyrly That I your seruaunt / and yowre knyght Were in your hert / shet as fermely As ye in myne / the whyche thyng trewly Me leuer were / than these worldis tweyne Yit shuld I bet endure / al my peyne To that Criseyde / answerd thus anon And wyth a sygh / she sayd hert dere The game ywys / so ferforth now is gon That erst shal Phebus / fal from hys spere And euery Egle be the hawkis feere And euery rocke / out of hys place stert Or Troylus go out / of Criseydes hert Wyth that she gan / hyr face for to wrye Wyth the sheete / and wax for shame al rede And Pandarus / gan vndyr for to prye And seyd nee●e / yf that I shal be deed Haue here my swerd / and smyte of myn heed Wyth that hys arme / al sodaynly he thryst Vndyr hyr neck / and at the last hyr kyst I passe al that / whyche needyth not to seye What god foryaf hys deth / and she also Foryaf / and wyth hyr vncle gan to pleye For other cause was ther none than so But of thys thyng / ryght to th effecte to go Whan tyme was / hom to hyr hous she went And Pandarus / hath holy hys entent Now torne we ageyne / to Troylus That restles / ful long abed lay And pryuely sent after Pandarus To hym to come / in all the hast he may He come anone not ones seyd he nay And Troylus / ful sobyrly hym grette And doun on hys beddis side hym sette Thys Troylus / wyth all the affection Of frendly loue / that hert may deuyse To Pandarus / on knees fyl a doun And or that he wold / of that place aryse He gan hym thank / in the best wyse A thowsand tymes / and gan the day to blesse That he was born / to bryng hym from dystresse And sayd o frende / of frendis altherbest That euer was the sooth for to telle Thou hast in heuene / brought my sowle at rest Fro Cochita / the fyry flood of helle And though I myght / a thousand tymes selle Vpon a day / my lyf in thy seruyse It myght not amounte / ne in that suffyse The sonne whyche that al the world may see Was neuer yit my lyf / dare I sey So inly fayre / so goodely as is she Whos I am and shal / tyl that I deye And that I thus am here / I dare wel seye That thankyd be the hye worthynesse Of loue and eke / thy kynde besynesse Thus hast thou me / not a lytel yeue For whyche oblyged be / to the for ay My lyf for why / for thurgh thy help I lyue Or ellis ded had I be / gon many a day And wyth that word / doun in hys bed he lay And Pandarus / ful sobyrly hym herd Tyl al was seyde / and than he thus answerd My dere frend / yf I haue do for the In ony caas / god wote it is me lyef And am as glad / as man of it may God help me so / but take it not agryef For loue of god / beware of thys meschyef That ther as now / brought art to thy blisse That thou thy self / ne cause it not to mysse For of fortunes sharp aduersyte The worst kynde of infortune is thys A man to haue be in prosperyte And it remembre / whan it passid is Thou art wyse ynow / for why do not amys Be not to rakel / though thou sitte warme For yf thou do / certeyne it wyl the harme Thou art at ease / hold the now therin For al so sure / as redy ys euer fyre As grete a craft is / to kepe wel as wyn Brydle thy speche / and thy desire For worldly Ioye / holt not but by a wyre That preuyth wel / it brest alwey so oft For thy neede is / to worche wyle it is soft Quod Troylus I hope / and god 〈◊〉 My dere that I shal so me bere That in my gylt / ther shal nothynge be 〈◊〉 Ne I nyl do / as for to greuen here It nedyth not thys mater / oft to stere For wyst thou wel myn hert / thou pandare By god of thys / thou woldyst lytel 〈◊〉 Tho gan he tel hym / of hys glad nyght And wh●rof hys hert / dred and how And sayd fr●nd / as I am trew knyght And by the feyth / I owe to god and yow I had it neuer / half so hotr as now And ay the more / that desire me bytith To loue hyr lest / the more me desytith I not my self wysly / what it is But now I fele / a newe qualyte Ye al an other than I dyde or thys Pandare answerd / and sayd thus that 〈◊〉 That ones may / in heuene 〈◊〉 ●e He f●●lish 〈◊〉 wyse / that dare I sey Than thysst tyme / 〈◊〉 herd of 〈◊〉 fyrst sey Thys is o word / for al thys Troylus Was neuer ful / to speke of thys ma●●●● And for to preyse / vnto Pandarus The beaute of hys ryght lady 〈◊〉 And Pandarus / to thynk and make hym 〈◊〉 Thys cale was alwey / span newe to begynne Tyl that the nyght / departyd hem a twynne Soone aftyr thys / for that fortune it wold Y comen was / the blysful tyme swete That Troylus was warned / that he shuld There he was erst / Criseyde hys lady meete For whyche he felt / in Ioye hys hert fleete And feythfully / gan alle the goddis h●rye And late see now / yf that he can be merye And holden was the fourme / and al the wyse Of hyr comyng / and eke of hys also As it was erst whyche nedyth not to deuyse But playnly / to th effect for to go In Ioye and seurte / Pandarus hem two A bed brought / whan hem both best And thus they be / in quyete and in rest Nat nedyth to yow / si●h they ben met To aske of me yf they blyth were For yf it erst was we le / tho was it bet A thowsand fold / thys nedyth not to enquere Agon was euery care / and euery fere And both ywys they had / and so they wend As moche Ioye / as hert may comprehend Thys is no lytel thyng / of for to sey Thys passyth euery / wyght / for to deuyse For eche of hem / gan others lust obey Felicyte whyche that these clerkis wyse Commendyn so / ne may not here suffyse Thys Ioy may not / wryten be wyth ynk It passyth al that / ony hert may thynk But cruel day / so welaway the stounde Gan for to approche / as they be signes knew For whyche hem thought / feelen dethis wound So woo was hem / that chaungen gan theyr hew And they bygan / to dyspyse al new Callynge it traytour enuyous and wors And byttyrly the day lyght they curs Quod Troylus alas / now am I ware That Pierers / and the swyft styedis thre Whyche that drawen forth / the sonnes chare Han gon some bypath / in dyspyte of me That makyth it so soone / day to be And for the sonne / hastyth hym thus to ryse Ne shal I neuer do efte hym sacryfyse But needis day / departe must hem soone And whan theyr speche doon was / & theyr chere They twynne anon / as they be wont to done And setten tyme / of metyng eft in feere And many a nyght they wrouht in this manere And thus fortune / a tyme lad hem in Ioye Criseyde and eke / the kynges sone of Troye In suffysaunce / in blys / and in syngynges Thus Troylus gan al hys lyf to lede He spendyth Iustyth / and makyth festynges He yeuyth frely oft / and chaungyth weede And holt aboute hym / ay wythoute drede A world of folk / as cam hym wel of kynde The fresshest and the best / that he cowde fynde That suche a voys of hym / was and a steuene Thurgh out the world / of honour and largesse That it vp rong / to the yate of heuene And as in loue / he was in suche gladnesse That in hys hert / he demyth as I gesse That ther nys louer / in thys world at ease So wel as he / and thus gan loue hym please The goodely hed & bounte / whyche that kynde In ony other lady / had y set Can not the mountenaunce / of a knot vnbynde About hys hert / of al Criseydes net He was so narow / masked and y knet That it to vndo / on ony maner syde That wyl not be / for aught that may betyde And by the hond / ful oft he wold take Thys pandarus / and in to the gardyn leede And suche a fest / and suche a proces make Hym of Criseyde / and of hyr wommanheede And of hyr beaute / eke wythouten drede It was an heuene / hys wordis for to here And than he wold syng / in thys manere Loue that of erth & see / hath in gouernaunce Loue that hys hestis / hath in heuenes hye Loue that wyth / an holsum alyaunce Holt peoples Ioyned as he lest hem gye Loue that endueth / lawe of companye And cowples doeth / in vertu for to dwelle Bynd thys accord / that I haue told & telle That / that the world / wyth feyth that is stable Dyuersith so hys stoundis / concordyng That Elementis / that ben so dyscordable Holt in a bonde perpetuelly duryng That Phebus must / hys rosy day forth bryng And the moone haue lordship ouer the nyghtis Al thys doth Loue al / heryed be hys myghtis That that the see / gredy is to flowyn Constreyneth / to a certeyn ende so As floodes that so fresshly / they ne growyn To drenche the erthe / and al for euermo And yf that loue ought let / hys brydel go And that now lyuyth / a sundre shold kepe And lost were al / that loue now holt to hepe So wold god that auctours of kynd That wyth hys bond of loue / of hys vertu lyst So serchen hertis al / and fast bynd That from his bond / no wight out the wey wyst And hertis cold hem wold I / that he twyst To make hem loue / and that hem lyst ay rewe On hertis sore / and kepe hem that ben trewe In al needis / for the townes werre He was and ay fyrst / in hys armes dyght And certeynly / but yf that bookes erre Saue Hector most dred / of ony wyght And thys encres / of hardynes and myght Come hym of loue / hys lady for to wynne That alterid hys spyrit so wythynne And most of vertu / and loue was hys speche And in dyspyte / had all wretchydnesse And douteles no neede / was hym beseche To honour hem / that haddyn worthynesse And ●asen hem / that were in dystresse And glad was / yf ony wyght wele ferd That louer was / whan he it wyst and herd Forsooth to seyn / ●e loste● held euery wyght But yf he were / in loues hye seruyse I meane folkes / that ought be by ryght And ouer al thys / so we le cowde he deuyse Of sentement / and in so vncowth wyse Al hys a●●y / that euery louer thought That al was we le / what so he sayd or wrought And al though he come / of blood ●oyal Hym lyse not of pryde / at no wyght to chace Benygne he was / to eche in general For whyc●● he ga●e hym help / in euery place ●●us wold loue / y heryed be hys grace That pryde and Ire / enuye and auaryer He gan to flee / and many another vy●● Thou lady bryght / doughtyr to Dione Thy blynd and wynged soone / dan Cupide Yowre sust●yn eke / that ●y E●oone In hyst Pernaso / lysten for to abyde That ye thus ferre / haue deyned me to guyde I can nomore but sith that ye wyl wende Y heryed be ye for ay / wythouten end In tyme of tryews / on l●wkynge wold be ride Or ellis hunt Bore - Bere or Lyoun The smale bes●is / lete he go beside And whan that he come / rydyng to the town Ful oft hys lady / from the wyndow doun As fressh as faw●●n / comyth out of mewe Ful redy was hym / goodely to salewe Now haue I yow sayde / fully in my song Th effect and Ioye / of Troylus seruyse Al be that ther was / some dysease among As myn auctour / lystyth to deuyse My thryd booke / now ende I in thys wyse And Troylus in lust / and in quyete Is wyth Criseyde / hys owne lady swete Here Endeth the thyrde Booke And foloweth the Fourth Booke Here endeth the thyrd book of Troylus
And here begynneth the prolog of the fourth book bVt al to lytel wel awey the whyle Lastyth suche ioye blyssed he fortune That semeth trewest whan she doth begyle And can to fooles so hyr song entune That she doeth hent & blent as traitour comune And when a wyght is from hir whele I throw Than laughyth she & maketh hym a mowe From Troylus gan she hyr bryght face Awey to wrye & took of hym none hede But cast hym clene al oute of hyr grace And on hyr whele she set vp Dyomede For whiche ryght now myn hert gynneth blede And now my penne alas with whiche I write Qnaketh for drede of that I must endyte For how Creseyde Troylus forsoke Or at the lest how that she was vnkynde Mote be hens forth mater of my book As wryten folk thurgh whiche it is in mynd Alas that euer she shold cause fynde To speke hyr harm / & yf they on hyr lye Ywys hem self shal haue the vylonye O ye Herynes nyghtes doughters thre That endeles compleyne euer in peyne Megera Allecto and eke Thesyphone Thou cruel mars eke fader to Quyryne This ylk fourth book helpe me to fyne Soo that the loos & loue and lyf y fere Of Troylus be fully shewed here Here endeth the prologe
And begynneth the fourth book lYggyng in hoost as I haue told 〈◊〉 this The grekes strong about Troy toun Befel that when phebus gan shyne ywis Vpon the brest of hercules lyoun That Hector with ful many a bold baroun Cast on a day with grekes for to fyght As he was wonte to greue hem yf he myght Note I how long or short it was bytwene This purpoos & that day they fyght ment But on a day wel bryght & sheene With spere in hond & bygge bowes bent Hector & many a worthy knyght oute went And in the berde anone withouten let Her foomen in the feld hem fast met The long day with speres sharp y ground With arrwes / dartes / swerdes / maces felle They fyght & bryng hors & man to ground And with theyr axes oute the braynes quelle But in the last shoure forth for to telle The folk of Troye hem self so mysledde● That with the wors hōward at nyght they fledd●● At whiche day was taken Anthen 〈…〉 Maugre Pollymydas or Mon●sryo Xandype / Sarpedon / Palestyn●●e Polyte or eke the Troyan Ry●●●o And other lasse folk as Phebuseo Soo that for harm that day the folk of Troye Dirdden to leefe a grete part of theyr ioye But netheles a trewes was ther take At grekes request and tho they gan treate Of prysoners a chaunge for to make This thyng anone was couth in euery strete And for the surplus youen sommes grete Bothe in the syege & Towne & euery where And with the fyrst it cam to Calcas ere When Calcas knewe the treatys shold hold In concystory among grekes sone He gan in thryng forth with lordes old And set hym there as he was wonte to done And with theyr chaungyng he had hem a bone For loue of god to do that reuerence To stynt noyse & yeue hym audyence Than sayd he thus loo lordes myn I was Troian as it is knowe oute of drede And yf ye remembre I am Calcas That alther fyrst yaf comfort to youre nede And told wele how ye shold spede For dredeles thurgh yow shalle in a sconde This Troye be brent & drawen doun to grounde And in what fourme / & in what maner wyse This toune to shende / & al youre lust to ach●ue Ye haue or thys me herd wel deuyse This knowen ye my lordes as I leue And for the grekes were me so leue I come my self in my proper persone To teche in this what ye were best to done Hauyng vpon my tresour ne my rent Ryght no respect to respect of youre case Thus al my good I lefte & to yow went Wenyng in this my lordes yow to plese But al this losse doth me no dysese I vouchesauf as wysely haue I ioye For yow to lese al that I haue in Troye Sauf of a doughter that I left alas Slepyng at home when oute of Troye I stert O sterne & cruel fader that I was How myght I haue in that so hard an hert Alas I ne had brought hyr in my shert For sorow of which I wol not leue to morow But yf ye lordes rewe vpon my sorow For by that cause I sawe no tyme or now Hyr to delyuere hold I haue my pees But now or neuer yf it lyke yow I may hyr haue ryght sone douteles O help & grace among al this pres Rewe on me old Caytyf here in dystres Syth I for yow haue al this heuynes Ye haue now caught & fethered in prysoun Troians ynow / & yf your wyl be My child with one may haue redempcyo●● Now for the loue of god & of youre bounte One of so feele alas so yeue hym me What nede were this prayer for to werne Syth ye shal haue both toun & folk as yerne On peryl of my lyf I shal not lye Appollo hath me told it feythfully I haue it found eke by astronomye By sort by angury eke trewely And dare wel say the tyme is fast by That fyre & flame on al the toune shal sprede And thus shal Troy tornen in to a asshen dede For certeyne phebus & neptunus bothe That maden the wallys of the toune Ben with folk of Troye now so wrothe They wyl eft bryng it to confusyon Ryght for despyte of kyng Laomedon By cause he nold paye hem her huyre The toune shal yet be set on a fuyre Tellyng his tale alwey thys old grey Humble in speche / & in his lokyng eke The salt teres from his eyen twey Ful fast ronne doune by eyther cheke So long he gan of socour hem byseke That for to hele hym of his syghes sore They yafe hym Anthenore withouten more But who was glad ynow but Calcas tho And of al thyng ful sone is leyde On hem that shold for the treatyce gone To bryng hem kyng Thoas & Creseyde And hem for Anthenor ful ofte preyde And when Pryamus his sauf gard sent The Ambassatours ful streyghte to Troy went The cause told of theyr comyng / the old Pryamus kyng ful sone in general Do here vpon his parlement to hold Of whiche the effect rehercen yow I shal The Ambassatours ben ansuerd for fynal The chaunge of prysoners & al this dede Hem lyketh wele & so they forth procede This Troylus was present in the place When asked was for Anthenore Creseyde For whiche ful soone chaunged he his face As he that with the wordys ful nyhe deyde But netheles he no word to it seyde With mannes hert he gan his sorowe drye Lest men shold his affectyoun aspye And ful of anguysshe & of besy drede Abode what other lordes wolde sey And yf they wol graunt as god forbede Th eschaunge of hir than thought he thinges twey Fyrst for to saue hyr honour & what wey He myght best th eschaunge of hyr wythstonde Ful fast he cast / how al this thyng myght stonde Loue hym made al prest to make hyr byde Or rather dye than she shold go But reson hym sayde on that other syde Withoute assent of hyr ne do not so Lest thow hyr wrath / & she than be thy foo And say that thurgh thy medlyng is y blowe Your bother loue there it was erst vnknowe For whiche he gan desyberyn to the best That though the lordes wold that she went He wold lete hem graunt what he● fest And telle his lady fyrst what they ment And when that she had sayd hym hyr entent Therafter wold he werk / also blyue Though al the world ageyne it wolde stryue Hector whiche that ryght wel the grekes herd For Anthenore how they wolde haue Creseyde Gan it wythstonde & so breuely ansuerd Syrs she nys no prysoner he seyde I not on yow who this charge leyde But on my partye may eftsone hem telle We vse not here no wymmen for to selle The noyse of the peple vp stert than al at ones As breme as blase of strawe set a fyre For infortune it wold for the nones They shold theyr confusyon desyre Hector quod they what gost may yow enspyre This woman thus to sheld / and do vs lese Daune Anthenore a wrong wey now ye chese That is so wyse & so bold a baroun And we haue nede of folk as men may see He is eke one of the gretest of this towne Saue Hector / lete the fantasyes be Of kyng Pryamus quod they thus seye we That al oure voys is to forgo Creseyde And to delyuere Anthenore they preyde O Iuuenal lord ful soth is thy sentence That lytel wyten folk what is to yerne That they ne fynde in hyr desyre offence For clowd of errour lete hem to dyscerne What lest is / loo here ensample as yerne This folk desyre now delyueraunce Of Anthenore that brought hem to myschaunce For he was after traytour to the toune Of Troy alas they quyte hym oute to rathe O nyce world lo thy dyscrecyoun Creseyde whiche that neuer dyd hem skathe Shal now no lenger in her blysse bathe But Anthenore shal come home to towne And she shal oute / thus al they sayde & sowne For whiche delyuerd was by parlement For Anthenore to yeuen oute Creseyde And it pronounced by the presydent And though that Hector nay ful ofte preyde That fynally what wyght that it wythseyde It was for nought it must be & shold For substaunce of the parlement it wold Departed oute of parlement echone This Troylus withoute wordes moo In to his chambre sped hym fast alone But yf it were a man of his or two The whiche he had oute fast to goo By cause he wold slepe as he seyde And hastely vpon his bed hym leyde And as in wynter leues ben y raft Eche after other tyl the tree be bare Seo that there nys but braunche & bark y laft Ryght to Troylus byraft of eche welfare I bound within with bondys of care Dysposed wood oute of his wyt to breyde So sore hym sat the chaungyng of Creseyde He ryst hym vp / and euery dore he shet And wyndo we eke / & tho this sorowful man Vppon his beddes syde doune hym set Ful lyke a dede ymage pale & wan And in his brest the hepyd wo bygan Oute brest & he wrought in this wyse In his wodenesse as I shal yow deuyse Ryght as the wyld bole begynneth 〈◊〉 Now here now there dartyd to the hert A●d of his deth ro●ith in comp●●ynyng Ryght so gan he aboute his chambre 〈◊〉 Smytyng his brest ay with his fystes 〈◊〉 His hede to wallys his lady to the ground Ful ofte 〈◊〉 swappyd hym self to confound His eyen two for pyte of his hert Out stremedyn as swyft 〈…〉 The hy● sobbys of his sorowful smert His speche hym reft / 〈◊〉 myght he 〈◊〉 O deth alas why nyl thow do me dey A cursyd be that day whiche that 〈◊〉 Shope me to be a lyues creature But after when the fury & al this rage Whiche that his hert twyst & fast threst By length of tyme somwhat gan aswage Vpon his bed he leyd hym doune to rest But tho bygan his ferrs more 〈…〉 That wonder is the body may suffyse To half this wo whiche that I yow deuyse Than seyd ●e thus fortune alas the whyle What haue I doo / what haue I thus agyle How myght thou for rowth me 〈◊〉 Is there no grace / & shal I 〈…〉 Shal thus Creseyde for that thou 〈◊〉 Alas how mayst thou 〈◊〉 thyn hert fynde To be to me thus cruel & vnkynde H●ue I the not honoured al my ly●●● As thou wel woost aboue the goodes a● Why wylt thou thus from ioye me 〈◊〉 O Troylus what may men now ●he 〈◊〉 But wretche of wretchys 〈◊〉 of honour 〈◊〉 In to mysery whiche I wyl bewayle Creseyde alas tyl that the breth me fayle Alas fortune yf that my lyf in ioy● Dysplesyd had vnto thy fow●● 〈◊〉 Why ne ●addest thou my 〈◊〉 kyng of Troye ●y●●ft the lyf or do my bretheren dye Or slayn my self that thus compleyne & crye I combre world that may of no thyng serue But alwey dye and neuer fully sterue If that Creseyde alone were laft Nought rought whyderward thou woldest stere And hyr alas thou hast me beraft But euermore loo this is thy manere To 〈◊〉 a wyght lo that is to hym dere To p●●ue in that thy gyreful vyolence Thus 〈◊〉 I lost there helpeth no defence O veray god / O loue / O god alas That knowest best myn hert & al my thought What shal my sorowful lyf doo in this caas If I forgo that I so dere haue bought Syth ye Creseyde & me fully haue brought In to your grace & both oure hertes sealed How may ye suffre in lesse it be repellyd What shal I do whyle I may dure Ay lyue in turment / & in cruel peyne Thus infortune or thys dys●uenture 〈◊〉 as I was borne I wyl compleyne Ne neuer wil I seene shyne or reyne But euer wyl I as Edyppe is derknesse Lede my sorowful lyf & lyue in dystresse O 〈◊〉 gost that erryst to & fro Why nylt thow flee oute of the wofullest Body that euer myght on ground go O 〈◊〉 ●●●kyng in this woful nest 〈…〉 of myn hert or it brest And folowe alwey & Creseyde thy lady dere Thy ryght place is now no lenger here This pandarus ful dede & pale of hewe F●l pytously ansuerd & sayde this As wysly were it fals as it is trewe That I haue herd & wote how it is O mercy god who wold haue trowed thys Who wold houe wend that in so lytel a throw Fortune our ioye wold haue ouerthrowe For in this world there nys no creature As to my dome that euer sawe ruyne Strenger than this thorugh caas or auenture But who may al eschewe or al deuyne Suche is this / for thy I thus dyffyne That trust no wyght to fynd in fortune Ay propyrte / hyr yeftes ben comune But telle me this why art thou now so mad To sorow thus why lyest thou now in this wise Syth thy desyre al holy thou hast had So that by ryght it ought ynow suffyse But I that neuer felt in my seruyse Or frendely chere or lokyng of an eye Late me thus wepe and wayle tyl I dye And ouer al this as thou wost wel thy self This towne is ful of ladyes al aboute And doo my dome fayrer than suche twelf As euer she was shal I fynde in some route Ye one or two withoute ony doute For thy be glad myn owne broder If she be lost we shal fynde another What god forbede alwey that suche plesaunce In one thyng were & in none other wyght If one can synge / another can wel daunce If this be goodly / she that is glad & lyght And thys is fayre & that can good aryght Eche for his vertu holden is ful dere Both heroune & Faucon for the Ryuere And eke as wryte Zanzys that was ful wise The newe oute chasyth ofte the old And vpon newe caas lyeth newe aduyse Thynk eke thy lyf to saue thou art hold Suche fyre by processe shal be key cold For syth it nys but casuel plesaunce Somme caas shal put oute of remembraunce For why sure is / as day cometh after nyght Ye newe loue labour or other woo Or elles seyng of another wyght Done al affectyons sone ouergo And for thy part / thou shalt haue one of tho To abredge with thy bytter peynes smert Absence of hyr shal dryue it oute of hert These wordes sayd he for the nones alle To helpe his frend lest he for sorow deyde For douteles to doo his wo to falle He rought not what vnthryft he seyde But Troylus that ny for sorow deyde Took lytel hede of al that euer he ment One ere it herd / & at that other it oute went But at the last he ansuerd & sayde frend This leche craft / or heled thus to be Were wel syttyng yf that I were a f●end To tray a wyght that trewe is vnto me I pray god lete this counseyl neuer y the But do me rather now steruen here Or I thus doo as thou woldest me lere She that I serue ywys so what thou sey To whome myn hert enhabyt is by ryght Shal haue me holy hers tyl that I deye For Pandare syth I hyr trouthe behight I wyl not be vntrewe for no wyght But as hyr man I wyl ay lyue & sterue And neuer other creature serue And there thou sayst thou shalt as fayr fynde As she late be make no comparyson To creature y fourmed lyke hyr by kynde O lyef pandare in conclusyon I wyl not be of thyn oppynyoun Touchyng al thys / for why / I the byseche Holt thy pees thou sleest me with thy speche Thow byddest me I shold loue another Al fresshely newe & late Creseyde goo It lyeth not in my power lyef broder And yf I myght yet wol I not do soo But thow canst pleye Raket to & fro Ne●le in dok out now this now that pandare Now fowle falle hyr / for thy wo that care Thow farest eke by me thow pandarus As he that when a wyght is wo bygone He comyth to hym a pas / & sayd ryght thus Thynke not on smert & thou shalt fele none Thenne must I fyrst transmue vnto a stone And reue me my passyone alle Or thow so lyghtely do my wo to falle My deth may wel oute of my brest departe Thy lyf so long may thys sorowe myne But fro my soule shal Creseydes darte Oute neuermore but doune with Proserpyne When I am dede I wol goo wone in pyne And there I wyl eternally compleyne My woo / & than twynned be we tweyne Thou hast here made an argument forfyne How that it shold a lesse peyne be Creseyde to for go / for she was myne And lyue in case & in felycyte Why gabbest thow that saydest thus to me That hym is wors that is from wele I throw Than he that neuer had of wele y know But telle me now / syth ye thynk so lyght To chaungen so in loue to & fro Why ne haddest thou do lesyly thy myght To chaunge hyr that doth the al thy wo Why nyl thou lete hyr from thyn hert goo Why nyl thow loue another lady swete That myght set thyn hert in quyete If thou hast had in loue ay yet myschauuce And canst it not oute of thyn hert dryue I that lyued in lust & in plesaunce With hyr as moche as creature on lyue How shold I that forgete / & that so blyue Loo where hast thou be hyd so long in mewe That canst so we le loue / not a griewe Nay nay god wote nought worth is al thy rede For whiche / for what that euer may byfalle Withoute wordys moo I wyl be dede O deth that ender art of sorowes alle Come now syth I so ofte after the calle For happy is that deth soothly to seyne That oft I cleped cometh & endeth peyne Wel wote I whyle my lyf was in quyete Or thou me slowe / I wold haue yeuen huyre But now thy comyng is to me so swete That in thys world I no thyng so desyre O deth syth with this world I am a fuyre Thow other do me anone in teres drenche Or with thy cold stroke myn hert qu●nche Syth that thou sleest so many in sondry wyse Ageynst theyr wyl vnprayed day & nyght Do● now at my request this seruyse Delyuer now the world so doest thou ryght Of me that am the sorowfullest wyght That euer was for tyme that I sterue Syth in this world of ryght nought may I serue Thus Troylus in terys gan dystylle As lycoure oute of a lembyk ful fast And Pandarus gan hold his tonge stylle And to the ground his eyen doune he cast But netheless thus thought he at the last What parde rather than my felawe dey Yet shal I somwhat more vnto hym sey And sayde frend syth thou hast suche dystresse And syth the lyst myn argumentes to blame Why nylt thy self help to redresse And with thy manhode letten al thys game To rauysshe hyr ne canst thou not for shame And owther lete hyr oute of Towne fare Or hold hyr stylle / & leue thy nyce fare Art thow in Troye & hast none hardyment To take a woman whiche that loueth the And wold hyr self be of thyne assent Now is not thys a nyce vanyte Ryse vp anone & lete thy wepyng be And syth thou art a man / for in this houre I wyl be dede or she shal be stylle oure To this ansuerd hym Troylus ful soft And sayde parde lyeue broder dere Al thys haue I my self thought ful ofte And more thyng than thou deuysest here But why it is laft thou shalt wel here And when thou hast me yeue audyence Therafter mayst thow telle thy sentence First thou wost sith this toun hath al this werre For rauysshyng of a woman by nyght It shold not be suffred me to erre And it stant now / ne do not so grete vnryght I shold also haue blame of euery wyght My faders graunt yf I so wythstood Syth she is chaunged for the tounes good I haue eke thought / syth it were hyr assent To aske hyr of my fader / at his grace Than thynk I thus it were hyr accusement Syth wele I wote I may hyr not purchace For syth my fader in so hye a place As parlement hath hyr eschaunge ens●aled He nyl for me his lettres be repeled Yet drede I moost her hert to perturbe With vyolence yf I doo suche a game For yf I wold it openly dysturbe It must be dysclaunder vnto hyr name And me were leuer dye than hyr defame As nold god but yf I shold haue Hyr honoure as lyef as my lyf to saue Thus am I lost for ought that I can see For certeyn is / syth I am hyr knyght I must hyr honour leuer saue than me In euery caas as louer ought of ryght Thus am I with desyre I reson twyght Desyre hyr to dystourbe / ay me redyth And reson nyl not / so my hert dredyth This wepyng quod he couthe neuer seace He sayd alas how shal I wretche fare For we le fele I alwey my loue encreace And hope is lasse and lasse / alway Pandare Encrecen eke the causes of my care So wel awey why nel myn hert brest For as in loue is ther but lytel rest Pandare ansuerd / Frend thow mayst for me Do as the lyst / but had I it so hote And thyne estate / she shold go with me Though al this toun cryed on this thing by note I nolde not set at al the noyse a grote For when men haue wel cryed than wil they roune Eke wonder lasteth / but nyne dayes in towne Dyuyne not in reason / ay so depe Ne curyously / but help thy self anone Bet is that other / than thy self wepe And namely syth ye two ben al one Ryse vp for by my hede / she shal not gone And rather be in blame a lytel stounde Than sterue here / as gnat withoute wounde It is no shame vnto yow ne vyce Hyr to withold that yow louyth most Parauenture she myght hold yow for nyce To lete hyr go 〈◊〉 to the grekes hoost Thynk eke fo 〈…〉 as wele thy seluen wost Helpyth an 〈…〉 to his empryse And fleyth fro 〈…〉 for theyr cowardyse And though thy lady 〈◊〉 a lytel hyr greue Thow shalt thy self thy pres 〈◊〉 make But as for me certeyn I can not leue That she wyl now as yet for euyl take Why shold than for fere thyn hert quake Thynk how that parye whiche that is thy broder A loue hath wonne why not thow another And Troylus one thyng I dare the s 〈…〉 re That yf Creseyde whiche that is thy lyef Now louyth the as we le / as thou doest here God help me so / she nyl not take a gryef Though thou do bote / anone in thy● meschyef And yf she wyl alweye from the passe Than is she fals / so loue hyr welle the lasse For thy take hert / & thynk ryght as a knyghte Thurgh loue is broke / al day euery lawe Kyth now somwhat thy courage / & thy myght Haue mercy on thy self for ony awe Lete not wretchyd woo / thy hert gnawe Be manly sette the world at syxe & seuene And yf thow dye a martir goo to heuene I wyl my self be with the al this dede Though I & al my kynne vpon a stounde Shold in the strete as dogges lyggen dede Thurgh gyrt with many a wyde & blody wonde In euery caas I wyl a frende be founde And yf the lyste here sterue as a wretche Adyeu the deuyl spede hym that retche This Troylus gan with the wordys quyken And seyde frend / gramercy I assent But certeynly thow mayst not so me pryken Ne payne none / may not me so turment That for no caas / it is not myn entent Att short wordes / though I dye shold● To rauysshe hyr / but yf hyr self wold Ryght so mene I quod Pandarus al this day But telle me than / hast thow hir wele assayed That sorowest thus / and he ansuerd nay Wherof art thow quod Pandarus so dismaide That noste not / yf she wyl be wele apayde To rauysshe hyr syth thou hast not be there But yf that Ioue told it in thyn ere For thy ryse vp / as though ne were anone And wasshe thy face / & to the kyng thou wende Or he may wonder / whyder thow art gone Thow must with wysedom hym & other blend Or vpon caas he may after the sende Or thow be ware & shortely brorer dere Be glad / & lete me w●●ke in this matere For I shal shape it soo that sykerly Thow shalt this nyght somtyme in som manere Come speke with thy lady pryuely And by hyr wordes & eke by hyr chere Thow shalt wel sone perceyue & here Al hyr entent / & of this cas the best And fare now we le for in this poynt I rest The swyft fame whiche that fals thynges Egally reporteth lyke thynges trewe Was thurgh out Troys fled with prest wynges From man to men & made thys tale al newe How Calcas doughter with hyr bryght hewe At parlement without wordes more Y graunted was in chaunge of Anthenore The whiche tale anone as Creseyde Had herd as she that of hyr fader rought As in this cas ryght nought / ne when he deide Ful besyly to Iupyter bysought Yeue hym myschaunce that this treatice wrought But shortely 〈◊〉 this tale soth were She durst of no wyght asken for fere As she that hyr hert & al hyr mynde On Troylus y set was so wonder fast That al this world ne myght hyr loue vnbynde Ne Troylus oute of hyr hert cast She wyl be his whyle hir lyf may last And thus she brennyth bothe in loue & drede Soo that she nyste what was to rede But as men see in Towne al aboute That wymmen vse frendes to vyfyte Soo to Creseyde of wymen come a rowte For pytous ioye / & wende hyr delyte And with theyr tales dere ynow amyte These wymmen whiche that in the cyte dwelle They sette hem doune & seyde as I shal telle Quod fyrst that one I am glad trewely By cause of yow ye shal yowre fader see Another sayd ywys so am not I For al to lytel hath she with vs be Quod tho the thyrd / I hope ywys that she Shal brynge vs pees on euery syde That whan she goth / almyghty god hyr guyde The wordys & the womannysshe thynges She herd ryght as she thens were For god wote hyr hert on other thyng is Al though the body sat among hem there Hyr audyence is alwey elles where For Troylus ful fast hyr sowle sought Withouten word alwey on hym she thought These wymmen that th●s wenden hyr to please Aboute nought gan al these tales spende Suche vanyte ne can hyr do none ease As she that al this mene whyle brende Of other passyoun than they wende So that she felt al moost hyr hert dye For woo & wery of that companye For whiche no lenger myght she restreyne The terys so they gan vp to welle That youen sygnes of the bytter peyne In whiche hyr spyryte was & muste duelle Remembryng hyr from heuene in to helle She fallen was syth she forgoth the syght Of Troylus / & sorowfully she syght And thylk foolys that saten here aboute Wend that she so wept & syghed sore By cause that she shold oute of that route Departe & pleye neuer with hem more And they that had knowen her of yore Sawe hyr so wepe / & thought it kyndenesse And eche of hem wept for hyr dystresse And besyly they gan hyr comfort Of thyng god wote on whiche she lytel thought And with hyr tales wenden hyr dyspoȝt And to be glad they often hyr besought But such an ease they hir therwith wrought Ryght as a man is esed for to fele For ache of hede to clawe hym on the hele But after al thys nyce vanyte They token hyr leue / & home they wenten alle Creseyde ful of sorowful pyte In to the chambre vp oute of the halle And on hyr bygan for deed gan to falle In purpoos thens neuer for to ryse And thus she wrought as I shal yow ●●●yse Her yelowe heer that sonnysshe was of bew She rent / and eke hyr fyngers longe & smale She wrong ful oft / & bad god on hyr rewe And with hyr deth to doo bote on hyr bale Hyr hewe whylome so bryght / tho was pale Bare wytnesse of hyr wo / and hyr cons●●●ynt And thus she spak sobbyng in hyr compleynt Alas quod she oute of this Regyoun I woful wretche & Infortuned wyght And borne in cursyd constellacyoun Mot● goo / and thus departe fro my knyght Wo worth alas that ylke dayes lyght On whiche I sawe fyrst with eyen tweyne That causyth me & hym al this peyne Therwyth the terys from her eyen two Doune fyl as showre in apryl doth swythe Hyr whyte brest she bete / and for the wo After the deth she cryed a thousand sythe Syth he that wont hyr wo was to lythe She mote forgoo / for suche dysauenture She held hyr self a forbost creature She sayde how shal he do & I also How shal I lyue yf I from hym twynne O dere hert eke that I loue so Who shal that sorowe slee that ye ben ynne O Calcas fader thyn be al thys synne O moder myn that cleped art Argyue Woo worth that day thow bare my elyue To what fyne shold I lyue / and sorowe thus How shold a fysshe withoute water dure What is Creseyde worth from Troylus How shold a plant or lyues creature Lyue withoute his kyndely noreture For whiche ful oft a byword here I seye That roteles mote grene sone deye I shal doo thus syth none other swerd ne dart Dare I none handle for the cruelte That ylk day I mote from yow depart If sorow of that wyl not my bane be Than shal no mete ne drynke come in me Tyll my sowle oute of my brest vnshethe And thus my self wol I do to dethe And Troylus my clothes euerychone Shal blak be in tokenyng hert swete That I am as oute of this world agone I wont was yow to sette in quyete And of myn ordre ay tyl deth me mete The obseruaunce euer in your absence Shal sorow be compleynt & abstynence Myn hert & eke the woful ghost theryn Byqueth I with youre spyryte to compleyne Eternally for they shal neuer twyn For though in erth I twynned be we tweyne Yet in the fold of pyte oute of peyne That hyght Elyzos / shal we ben in fere As Orpheus is with Erudyce his fere Thus hert myn / for Anthenore alas I soone shal be chaunged as I wene But how shal ye do now in thys cas How shal youre sorowful hert it sustene But hert myn foryete this sorow & tene And me also / for sothly for to sey So ye fare we le / I recke not to dey How euer myght y redde be or songe The pleynt that she made in hyr dystresse I not but as for me my lytel tonge If I descryue wold hyr heuynesse It shold make hyr sorowe seme lesse Than that was & chyldely deface Hyr hye compleynt / & therfor I lete it pace Pandare whiche that sent was for Troylus Vnto Creseyde as ye haue herd deuyse That for the best it was acorded thus And he ful glad to do hym that seruyse Vnto Creseyde in a ful secre wyse There as she lay in turment & in rage Come hyr to telle al holy his message And fonde that she hyr self gan to trete Ful pytously / for with hyr salt teres Hyr brest / hyr face y bathed was ful wete The myghty tressys of hyr sonnysshe herys Vnbroyded hyng al aboute hyr eres Whiche yafe hym veray sygne of matyere Of deth whiche that hyr hert gan desyre When she hym sawe she gan for sorowe anone Hyr woful face bytweye hyr armes hyde For whiche this pandarus is so wo bygone That in the hows he myght vnnethe abyde As he that pyte felt on euery syde For yf Troylus had erst compleyned sore Than gan she pleyne a thousand tymes more And in hyr asper playnt thus she sayde Pandare fyrst of ioyes mo than two Was cause causyng vnto me Creseyde That now transmuted ben in cruel wo Whether shal I say welcome to yow or no That altherfyrst me brought in to seruyse Of loue alas that endeth in suche wyse Endyth than loue in wo / ye or men lyeth And al worldly blysse / as thynketh me Th end of blysse / ay sorowe it occupyeth And who so troweth that it not so be Lete hym vpon my woful wretche see That my self hate / and my byrth curs Felyng alwey fro wyk I goo to wurs Who soo me seeth / seeth sorowes al at ones Pryue woo / peyne / turment and dystresse Out of my woful body harme ther ynouh is As anguysshe / langour / cruel bytternesse Annoy smert / drede fury and eke sykenesse I trowe ywys from heuene teres reyne For pyte of myn asper cruel peyne And thow my suster / ful of dyscomfort Quod pandarus what thynkest thow to do Why ne hast thow to thy self som resport Why wylt thou thus / alas thy self for doo Leue al this / and take now hede to That I shal say and herkene in good entent This whiche by me thy Troylus the sent Turnyd tho Creseyde a woo makyng So grete that deth it was to see Alas she sayde / what wordes may ye bryng What wyl my dere hert sey to me Whiche that I drede neuermore to see Wyl he haue pleynt or terys or I wende I haue ynowh yf he therafter sende She was ryght suche to see in hyr visage As is that wyght that men on bere bynde Hir face lyche of paradice the ymage Was al y chaunged in to another kynde The pleye the laughter men were wont to fynde On hyr / & eke hyr ioyes euerychone Ben fled / and thus lyeth Creseyde alone Aboute hyr eyen two / a propyr ryng Bytrent in sothfast token of hyr peyne That to byhold it was a dedely thyng For whiche pandare myght not restreyne The terys from his eyen for to reyne But netheles as he best myght he seyde From Troylus these wordes vnto Creseyde Loo nece I trowe ye haue herd al how The kyng with other lordes for the best Hath made a chaunge for Anthenor & yow That cause is of this sorowe & vnrest But how this cas doth / Troylus moleste That may none erthely mannes tonge seye As he that shortely shapyth hym to deye For whiche we haue so sorowed both he & I That in to lytel / both it hath vs slawe But thurgh my counseyl thys day fynally He somwhat is fro wepyng now withdrawe And semyth me that he desyreth fawe With yow to be al nyght for to deuyse Remedy of this yf there be ony wyse This is short & pleyn th effect of my message As ferforth as my wyt can comprehende For that ye be of turment in suche a rage Ye maye to no long prolog as now entende And herupon ye must ansuer hym sende And for the loue of god my nece dere So leue this woo or Troylus come here Grete is my woo quod she / and syghed sore As she that felyth dethes sharp distresse But yet to me his sorow is moche more That loue hym let than he him self I gesse Alas for me hath he suche heuynesse Can he for me so pitously compleyne Ywys hys sorowe doublyth al my peyne Greuous for me god wote / is for to twynne Quod she / but god wote harder is to me To see that sorowe whiche that he is Inne For wel I wote it wol my bane be And dye I wyl in certeyne quod she But byd hym com / or deth that thus me threteth Dryue out that ghost / whiche in myn hert beteth These wordes sayde she on hyr armes two Fulgruf / and gan to wepe pytously Quod pandarus alas why doo ye soo Syth wele ye wote / the tyme is fast by That he shal come aryse vp hastely That he bywopen thus yow now fynde But ye wol haue hym wode out of his mynde For wyst he ye ferd in thys manere He wold hym self slee / yf I wende To haue this fare / he shold not come here For al the good that Priamus may dyspende For to what fyne he wold anone pretende That knowe I wele / & therfor yet I sey Soo lete this sorowe / or platly he wyl dey And shapyth yow his sorow to abredge And not to encrece lyef nece swete Be rather to hym of flat than edge And with som wysedom ye his sorowe bete What helpeth it to wepe ful a sterte Or though ye bothe in salt terye dreynt Bet is a tyme of cure than of compleynt I mene as whan I hyder hym bryng Syth ye ben wyse & of one assent Soo shapyth how to dystourbe youre goyng Or come ageyn sone / after ye be went Wymmen ben wyse in short auysement And late see now youre wyt how shal auayle And that I may help shal not fayle Go quod Creseyde & vncle trewely I shal do al my myght me to restreyne From wepyng in his syght / & besyly Hym for to glade I shal do my peyne And in my hert seke euery veyne Yf to his sore there may be founde salue It shal not lak certeyn in my behalue Goth Pandarus / & Troylus he sought Tyl in a Temple he fond hym al alone As he that of his lyf nomore rought But to the pytous goddes enerychone Ful tenderly he prayd & made his mone To doo hym soone / oute of this world pace For wele he thought ther was none other grace And shortely al the sothe to sey He was so falle in despeyr that day That vtterly he shope for to dey For ryght thus was his argument alway He sayd I am but lorn so we le away For al that cometh / cometh by necessyte Thus to be lorn it is my destyne For certeynly this wote I wel he seyde That forsyght of dyuyne purueaunce Hath seen me alwey to forgoo Creseyde Syth god seeth euery thyng oute of doutaunce And hem dysposyth after his ordynaunce In her merytes sothly for to be As they shal come by predestyne But netheles alas whome shal I leue For there ben clerkes many one That descryue thurgh argumentes preue And som seyn that nedely ther is none But that fre choyse is youe to euerychone O we le awey so sly are clerkes old That I note whoos oppynyon I may holde For som seyn that god seeth al byforn And god may not be desceyued parde Than mote it falle / though men had it sworn That purueaunce hath seen aforn to be Wherfore I saye that from eterne yf he Hath wist byfore or thought eke al oure dedes We haue no free choys as thes● clerkys redys For nother thought ne other dede also Myght neuer be / but suche as pur●eaunce Whiche may not be deceyued neuermo Hath felt byfore withoute ignorance For yf ther myght be a varyounce To worchen oute from goddes purueyeng There were no prescyence of thyng comyng But it were rather an oppynyon Vnstydfast / & not certeyn seeyng And certes that were an abusyon That god shold haue no parfyte clere wytyng More than we men that haue douteous wenyng But suche an errour vppon god to gesse Were fals & fowle & curfyd wykkednesse And this is eke an oppynyon of some That haue theyr top ful hye / & smoth y shore They say ryght thus that thyng is not to come For that prescyence hath seyn it byfore That it shal come / but they that therfore That it shal come / therfor the purueaunce Wot● it byfore withoute ignoraunce And in this manere this necessyte Receyueth in his part contrary ageyn For nedefully behoueth it not be That thylk thynges falle in certeyn That ben purueyed / but nedely as they seyn Behoueth it that thynges whiche that falle That they in certeyn ben purueyed alle I mene as though I laboured me in this To enquyre wich thyng / of wich thing cause be As whether that the prescyence of god is The certeyne cause of the necessyte Of thynges that to come be parde Or yf necessyte of thyng comyng Be cause certeyn of the purueyeng But now enforce I me not in shewyng How the ordre of causes stant / but wel wote I That it byhouyth that the byfallyng Of thynges wyst byfore certeynly Ben necessary / al seme it not ther by That preseyence put fallyng necessayre Of thyng to come / falle they fowle or fayre For yf ther syt a man yond on a see Than by necessyte behoueth it That certes thyn oppynyon sooth be That wenyst & coniectyst that he syt And ferthermore ayeneward yet Loo ryght so it is of the parte contrarye As thus so herken / for I wyl not ta●● I sey yf the oppynyon of the Be soth for that he syt / than say I thus That he mote syt by necessyte And thus necessyte in eyther is For in hym nede of syttyng is And in the nede of soth / & thus forsothe There mo●e necessyte be in yow both But thow mayst seye the man syt not therfore That thyn oppynyon of his sytting sooth is But rather for the man syt there byfore Therfor is thyn oppynyon soth ywys And I sey though the cause of soth of thys Comyth of his syttyng yet necessyte Is entrechaungyd both in hym & the Thus in the same wyse oute of doutaunce I may wel make / as it semeth me My resonynge of goddes purueaunce As of tho thynges / that to comen be By whiche reason men may wel see That thylk thynges that in erthe falle That by necessyte they comen alle For though that thyngis shal come ywys Therfore they ben purueyed certeynly Not that it cometh for it purueyed is Yet netheles behoueth it nedefully That thyng to come / be purueyed trewely Or elles thynges that purueyed be That they betyde by necessyte And this suffyseth ryght ynough certeyn For to destroye oure free choyse euery dele But now is thys abusyon to seyn That fallyng of the thynges temporele Is cause of goddes prescyence eternele Now trewely that is a fals sentence That thyng to come shal cause his prescyence What myght I wene / & I had suche a thought But that god purueyeth thyng that is to come For that it is to come / & elles nought So myght I wene that thynges al & some That whylome ben byfalle & ouercome By cause of thylk souerayne purueaunce That forwote al withoute ignoraunce And ouer al this yet sey I more therto That ryght as when I wote there is a thyng Iwys that thyng mote nedefully be so Eke ryght so when I wote a thyng comyng Soo mote it come / & thus by byfallyng Of thynges that ben wyst byfore the tyde They maye not ben eschewyd on no syde Than sayd he thus almyghty Ioue in Throne That wost of al this thyng the sothfastnes Rewe on my sorow / and doo me deye sone Or bryng Creseyde & me from dystresse And whyle he was in al thys heuynesse Dysputyng with hym self in this matere Come Pandare & sayde as ye shal here O myghty god quod Pandarus in throne Ey who sawe euer a wyse man fare so Why Troilus what thynkest thou to done Hast thow suche lust to be thyne owne foo What parde / yet nys not Creseyde goo Why lyst the so thy self for to drede That in thyne hede thyn eyen semen dede Hast thou not lyued many yere byforn Withoute hyr / & ferd ful wele at ease Arte thou for hyr / and for none other born Hath kynd wrought the only for to please Here lete see / & thynk on thy dysease That on the dyse ryght as there fallen chaunces Ryght so in loue there come & goo plesaunces And yet this is my wonder most of al Why thou thus sorowest / syth that thou wost not yet Towchyng hyr goyng how it shal falle Ne yf she can hyr seluen dystourben it Thou hast not yet assayed al hyr wyt A man may al by tyme his neck bede When it shal of / & sorowen at nede For thy take hede of that I shal the sey I haue with hyr y spoke / and long y be Soo as acordyd was betwyxt vs twey And euermore me thynketh thus that she Hath somwhat in her hertes pryuete Wherwyth she can yf I shal ryght rede Dystourbe al this / of whiche thou art in drede For whiche my counseyl is when it is nyght Thou to hyr goo / and make of this an ende And blysful Iuno thurgh his grete myght Shal as I hope hyr grace to the sende Myn hert seyth certeyne / she shal not wende And for thy put thyne hert a whyle in rest And hold this purpoos / for it is the best This Troylus ansuerd & syghed sore Thow seyst ryght we le / & I wyl do ryght so And what hym lyst / he sayd vnto hym more And when that it was tyme for to goo Ful pryuely hym self withouten moo Vnto hyr come / as he was wonte to done And how they wrought I shal you telle soone Soth is when they gan fyrst mete So ageyne the peyne / theyr hertes for to twyste That neyther of hem other myght grete But hem in armes toke & after kyst The lasse woful of bothe hem nyst What for to done / ne myght one word out bryng As I sayde erst / for wo / & for sobbyng The woful teres that they lete falle As bytter were oute of teres kynd For peyne as is lignum aloes or galle Soo bytter terys wepte not as I fynd The woful Myrra thurgh bark & rynd That in this world ther nys so hard an herte That ne wold haue rewid on their peynes smert But when theyr woful wery ghostys tweyne Returned ben there / as they ought to dwelle And that somwhat to weyken gan theyr peyne By lengthe of pleynt / & ebben gan the welle Of theyr hertes / & the hert vnswelle With broken voys al hoors for wo creseyde To Troylus these ylke wordes seyde O Ioue I dye / and mercy I byseche Help Troylus / and ther with al hyr face Vpon his brest she layde / & bost speche Hyr woful spyryte from his prop●e place Ryght with the word / awey in poynt to pace And thus she lyeth with hewe pale & grene That whylome fresshe and fayrest was to sene This Troylus that on hyr gan byhold Clepyng hyr name / as she lay for dede Withoute ansuer / & felt hyr lymes cold Hyr eyen throwen vpward in hyr hede This sorowful man can none other rede But of ●e hyr cold mouthe he ●yst Where he was woo / god & hym self it wyst He ryse hym vp / ● long s●reyght hyr leyde For sygne of lyf for ought he can or may Couthe he none fynde / for nothynge on Creseyde For whiche his song ful ofte was wele awaye But when he sawe that specheles she lay With sorowful voys & herte of blysse al 〈◊〉 He sayde how she was fro this world y fa●e Soo after that he had hyr long compleyned His handes he wronge / & sayd that was to seye And with his ●●res hyr brest bereyned He gan the terys wypen of ful dreye And pytously gan for the soule preye And sayde O lord / that set art in thy Throne Rewe on me / for I shal folowe hyr soone She cold was withoute sentement For ought he wote breth ne felte be none And this was to hym preygnaunt argument That she was forth oute of this world y gone And when he sawe there was none other wone He gan hyr lymes dresse in suche manere As men done them that shollen be leyde on bere And after this with sterne & cruel herte His swerd oute of his sheeth he twyght Hym self to slee / how sore that hym smert Soo that his sowle / hir sowle folowe myght There as the dome of Mynos wold it dyght Syth loue & cruel fortune it ne wold That in this world he lenger lyue shold Than sayde he thus fulfylled of hye desdayne O cruel Ioue & thow fortune aduerse This al & som that ye falsely han slayne Creseyde / & syth ye may do no wers Fy on youre myght & werkes so dyuerse Thus cowardly shal ye me neuer wynne There shal no dethe / me from my lady twynne For I this world / syth ye haue hyr slayne thus Wol lete & folowe hir spyryte lowe or hye Shal neuer Louer saye that Troylus Dare not for fere with his lady dye For certeyne I wyll bere hyr companye But syth ye wyl not suffre vs lyue here Yet suffre that oure sowles ben y fere And thou cyt●e whiche that I lyue in woo And thou priamus / & bretheren al in fere And thow moder fare we le / for I goo And Antropos make redy thou my bere And thow Creseyde / O swete hert dere Receyue now my spyryte wold he sey With swerd at hert ful redy for to dey But as god wold of swough she abreyde And gan to sygh / & to Troylus she cryde And he ansuerd / lady myn Creseyde Lyue ye yet / & lete his swerd doune glyde Ye hert myne that thanked be Cupyde Quod she / & ther with al she sore syght And he bygan to glade hyr as he myght Toke hyr in armes two / & kyst hyr oft And hyr to glade he dyde al his entent In whiche hyr ghost that flykeryd ay aloft In to hyr woful hert ageyne it went But at the last ryght as hyr eyen glent A syde anone she gan the swerd aspye As it lay bare / & gan for to crye And askyd hym why he it oute had drawe And Troylus the cause anone hyr told And hou hym self therwith he wold haue slaw For whiche Creseyde vpon hym gan behold And gan hym in hyr armes fast hold O mercy god / she sayde / ●o suche a dede Alas how nyhe we were bothe dede Than yf I ne had spoke as grace was Ye wold hane slayn anon youre self quod she Ye douteles / & she ansuerd alas For by that ylke lord that made me I nold a furlong wey alyue haue be After youre deth to haue be crowned quene Of al the lond the sonne on shyneth shene But with the self swerd whiche that here is My self wold haue slayn quod she tho But hoo for we haue ryght ynowe of this And lete vs ryse / & streyght to bed goo And there lete vs speke of oure woo For by the morter whiche I see here brenne Knowe I full wel that daye is not fer henne When they were a bed in armes fold Nought was it lyke the nyghtes there beforne For pytously eche other gan byhold As they that had al blysse y borne Bywailyng ay the day that they were borne Tyl at the last this woful wyght Creseyde To Troylus these ylke wordes seyde Lo hert myn we le wote ye this quod she That yf a wyght alweye his wo compleyne And seeketh not how holpen for to be It nys but foly & encrease of peyne And syth that here assembled be we tweyne To fynde boote of wo that we ben Inne It were al tyme soone to begynne I am but a woman as ful wele ye wote And as I am aduysed sodeynly So wyl I telle it yow whyle it is hote Me thynketh thus that neyther ye nor I Ought half this woo to make skylfully For there is art ynough for to redresse That yet is mys & slee this heuynesse Soo this the wo that we ben Inne For ought I wote / for no thyng elles is But for by cause that we shal twynne Consydered al there is no more ywys But what is than a remedy vnto this But that we shape vs sone for to mete This is al & som / my dere hert swete Now that shal I wele bryngen aboute To come sone ageyne after I am go Not withstandyng the grekes grete route Doutyth not / it must nedes be so By veray resons more than one or twoo By al ryght / & in wordys fewe I shal yow wele an hepe of weyes shewe For whiche I wyl not make long sermon For tyme y lost may not recouered be But I wyl go to my conclusyon And to the best in that that I can see But for the loue of god foryeue it me If I speke ought ageynst your hertes rest For trewely I speke it for the best Makyng alwey a protestacyon That now t●ese wordes whiche that I shal sey Nys but to shewe yow my mocyoun To fynde vnto youre help the ●est wey And takyth it none otherwyse I yow prey For in effect / what so ye me comaunde That wyl I doo / for that is no demaunde Now herkenyth wele that ye haue vnderstonde My goyng graunted is by parlement So ferforth that it may not be wythstond For al this world as by Iugement And syth there helpeth none aduysement To letten it / lete it passen oute of mynde And lete vs shape a better wey to fynd Soth is thys the twynnyng of vs tweyne Wylle vs dysese & gretely annoye But hym behouyth somtyme haue peyne That seruyth loue / yf that he wyl haue ioye And syth I shal noo further oute of Troye Than I may ryde ageyne in half a morowe It ought the lesse causen vs to sorowe Syth as I shal not ben hyd in mewe That day by day myn owne hert dere Syth wele ye wote it is now a trewe Ye shal ful wele al myn estate here And or that trewes is done I shal be here And than haue ye bothe Anthenore wonne And me also / be glad yf that ye conne And thynk ryght thus Creseyde is now agone But whan she shal come hastely ageyne And when alas / by god ryght here anone Or dayes ten / this dare I saufly seyne And than at e●st shal we be so feyn Soo as we shal to gyder euer duelle That al the world ne myght oure blysse telle I see that ofte / there as we be now Is for the best oure counseyl for to hyde Ye speke not with me nor I with yow In fourtenyght ne see yow go ne ryde May ye not ten dayes than abyde For myn honoure in suche an aduenture Iwys ye mow elles lytel endure Ye knowe wel eke how al my kyn is here But yf that only it my fader be And eke myn other thynges al in fere And namely my dere hert ye Whome that I nolde leue for to see For al this world as wyde as it hath space Or elles see I neuer Ioue in the face Why trowe ye my fader in this wyse Coueyteth so to see me / but for drede Lest in this toun the folk me despyse By cause of hym for his vnhappy dede What wote my fader what lyf I lede For & he wyst in Troye how wele that I fare Vs nedyth for my wendyng no thyng to care Ye see eke that euery day more & more Men trete of pees / & it supposed is That men the quene Heleyne shollen restore And grekes vs restore that is amys So & there nere comfort / none but this That men purpose pees on euery syde Ye may the better at ease of hert abyde For yf that it be pees / ●oo myn hert dere The nature of the pees must nedes dryue That men must entrecomune in fere And to & fro eke goo & ryde as blyue Al day as thyck / as ben from the hyue And euery wyght haue lyberte to bleue Where as hym lyst the bet withoute leue And though so be that pees may be none Yet hyder though neuer ne peas were I must come / for whyder shold I gone Or how myschaunce shold I dwelle there Among the men of armes in fere For whiche as wysly god my soule rede I can not seen wherof ye shold drede Haue here another wey yf it so be That al this thyng ne may not yow suffyse My fader as ye knowen wel parde Is old / & eld is ful of couetyse And I ryght now haue found al the gyse Withoute net / wherwith I shal hym hent And herkeneth how yf ye wyl assent Loo Troylus men seyn that hard it is The wether from the wolf hole to saue This is to saye / that men ful oft ywys Mote spende part the remenaunt to saue For ay with gold / men may the hert graue Of hym that sette is vppon couetyse And how I mene I shal yow now deuyse The meoble whiche I haue in this towne Vnto my fader / shal I take and sey That ryght for trust and sauacyon It sente is from a frende of his or twey The whiche frendes feruentely hym prey To sende after more / & that in hye Whyle that this Towne stant thus in Ieopardye And that shal be an huge quantite This shal I sey but lesse than folk espyede This may be sent by no wyght but by me I shal it shewe yf peas betyde What frendys that I haue on eyther syde Toward the courte to do the wrathe pace Of Pryamus & done hym stond in grace Soo that for one thyng / or for other my 〈◊〉 I shal hym so enchaun●en with my sawes That ryght in heuene his sowle shal he mete For al Appollo & his clerkes lawes Or calculyng auayleth not thre hawes Desyre of gold shal soo his hert blend That as me lyst I shal wel make an ende And yf he wold ought by his sort preue If that I lye in certeyn I shal fynde Dystourben hym & plucken hym by the sleue Marryng his sorte & beryng hym on honde He hath not wel the goddes vnderstonde For goddes speken in Amphybylogyes And for one sooth they make twenty lyes Eke drede fond fyrst goddes I suppose Thus shal I sey / and that his coward hert Made hym amys the goddes text to glose When he for fere oute of Delphos gan s●ert And but I makehym sone to conuert And do my rede within a day or twey I wyl to yow oblyge me to dey● And trewely y wryten as I fynd That al this thyng was sayd of good entent And that hyr hert trewe was & kynd Coward hym & spak ryght as she ment And that she starf for woo ny when she went And was in purpoos euer to ben trewe Thus wryten they that of hyr hertes knewe This Troylus with herte & eres sprad Herd al this thyng deuysed to & fro And veryly hym semed that he had The self wyt / but yet to lete hyr goo His hert mysforyaue hym euermo But fynally he gan his hert wrest To trust hyr & took it for the best For whiche the grete fury of his penaunce Was queynt with hope / & therwith hem bitwene Bygan for ioye the amorous daunce And as the byrdes when the sonne is shene Delyten in her song in the leues grene Ryght so the wordes that they spak in fere Dely●●d hem & made theyr hertes clere But netheles the wendyng of Cres●id● For al this world may not oute of his mynde For whiche ful ofte ful pytously he p●yd● That of hyr heest he myght hyr trewe fynde And seyde 〈◊〉 yf ye ben vnkynde And but ye come al that day set in Troye Ne shal I neuer haue h●le honoure ne ioye For also soth a● sonne rys● a ●●●orow● And god so wysly thow me woful w●●tche To r●s● me bryng oute of this cruel sorowe I wyl my self yf that y● dretche But of my d●th though lytel be to retche Yet or that ye causen me so to smert Dwelle here rather myn owne dere h●rt For trewely myn owne lady dere The sleygh●es that I haue herd yow 〈◊〉 Ful shaply be to fallen al in fere For soth is sayd what thynketh the bere Yet al another thynketh his leder● Youre fader is wyse / & sayde is oute of deede Men may the wyse at ●enne / but not at rede It is ful hard / to halten vnaspyed Byfore a Crepul / for he can the craft Youre fader is in sloyghtes / as argus is eyed For al be that his meoble be hym becaft His old sleygh●rs yet ben with hym last Ye shal not blynde hym for youre woman●●de Ne feyne a ryght / & that is al my drede I note yf pees shal euermo ●etyde But pees o● no / for ernest ne for game I wote syth 〈◊〉 on the grekys syde Hath ones ben and 〈◊〉 so foule his name He dare nomore come here ageyne for shame For whiche that ●ey for ought I can espy● To trust vpon nys but a fantasye Ye shal eke see your fader shal yow glose To be a wyf / & as he can wel preche He shal som greke so preyse so hye a lose That rauysshen he shal yow with his speche Or doo yow doo by force / as he shal teche And Troylus of whome he nyl haue routhe So causeles shal sterue in his trouthe And ouer al this youre fader shal despyse ●s all and sey this Cytte nys but born And that the syege neuer shal aryse For why the grekes hane it al y sworn Tyl we ben slayn / & doune oure wallys torn And thus he shal yow with his wordes fere That ay drede I / ye shal byleue there Ye shal eke see soo many a lusty ●nyght Among the grekes ful of worthynesse And eche of theym with hert wyt & myght To plese yow wyl doo al theyr ●esynesse That ye shal dulle of the r●denesse Of vs Cely Tro●aue● but yf that ro●●he Rem̄orde yow of vertu & of youre trouthe And thus to me so greuous is to thynke That fro my brest it wyl my sowle rende Ne dredeles in me there can not synke A good oppynyon yf that ye wende For why youre faders sleygh●es wyl vs shende And yf ye gone as I haue told yow yore So thynk I nam but deede withouten more For whiche with humble trewe & pytous hert A thowsand tymes mercy I yow prey Soo rewyth vppon myn aspye peynes smert And doeth somwhat as I shal yow sey And lete vs stele awey bytwene vs twey And thynk that foly is when a man may chese For accydent his substaunce ay to leese I mene thus that syth ye mowe no day We le stele awey / and be togyder soo What were it to put in assay In caas ye shold vnto yowr fader go If that ye myght come ageyne or no Thus thynketh me it were a grete foly To put that sykernes in to ieopardye And wulgarly to speke of substaunce Of tresoure may we both with vs lede Ynough to lyue in honoure & plesaunce Tyl in to tyme that we shal be deede And thus we may eschewe al this drede For euery other wey ye can recorde Myn herte ywys may therwith not acorde And hardely / ne caryth no pouert For I haue kyn & frendes elles where That though we come in oure bare shert Vs shold neyther last gold ne gere But ben honoured whyle we dwellen there And go we anone / for after myn entent This is the best yf that ye wyl assent Creseyde hym with a syke ryght in this wyse Ansuerd ywys / my dere hert trewe We may wele aweye as ye deuyse Or fynde suche vnthryfty weyes newe But afterward ful soone it wold vs rewe As help me god at my last nede Al causeles ye suffre al this drede For thylk day that I for cherysshyng Or drede of fader or of other wyght Or for estate delyte or for weddyng Be fals to yow my Troylus my knyght Saturnus doughter Iuno thurgh her myght As woode as Adamaunt / doo me dwelle Eternally with styx in the pyt of helle And this on euery god celestyal I swere it yow / and eke on eche goddesse On euery nymphe / & deyte infernal On Satyry and Fauny / more & lesse That half goddes ben of wyldernesse And Antropos my threde of lyf to brest If I be fals now trowe me yf ye lest And thow Synoys that as an arewe clore Thurgh Troye rennest dounward to the see Bere wytnesse of this word that sayde is here That ylke day that I vntrewe be To Troylus myn owne hert fre That thou retorne backward to thy welle And I with body & sowle synke to helle But that ye speke awey thus for to goo And leue al yowre frendes / god forbede For ony woman that ye holden so And namely syth Troye hath now suche nede Of help / & eke of one thyng taketh hede If this were wyst / my lyf lay in balaunce And your honour / god shyeld vs from myschance And yf soo be that pees herafter take As al day happyth / after angyr game What lord the sorowe & woo ye wold make That ye ne durst come ageyne for shame And er that ye ieopart / soo youre name Be not to hasty in this old fare For hasty man wantyth neuer care What trowe ye eke / that peple here aboute Wold of it say / it is ful lyght to rede They wol sey / & swere it oute of doute That loue ne droue yow to do that dede But lust voluptuous & coward drede Thus were al lost / ywys myn hert dere Youre honoure whiche that now shyneth so clere And also thynketh on myn honeste That flowryth yet / how foule shold I it shende And with what fylth it spottyd shold be If in this forme with yow I shold wende Ne though I lyued vnto the worldys ende My name shold I neuer ageynward wynne Thus were I lost / & that were rowthe & synne And for to slee with reason al this hete Men seyn the suff●aunt ouercomyth parde Also who wol haue lyef / lyef more lete Thus maketh v●rtu of necessyre By pacyen●e / & thynk that lord ●o he By fortune / ay that wyl not retche And she ne daunt●th but a wretche And truseyth this that certrs hert swete Or Phebus suf●er Lucyna the sheene The lyon passe oute of this Arye●e I wyl be here withoute ony wene I wene as helpe me Iuno heuenes quene The ●enthe day / but yf that deth ma●ayle I wyl yow seen withoute ony fayle And now so this be trewe / quod Troylus I shal wele suffre vnto the tenthe day Syth that I see / nede it mote be thus But for the loue of god yf it be may Soo lete vs stele pryuely away For euer in one / as for to lyue in rest Myn hert seyth / that it wold be the best O mercy god what lyf is this quod she Alas ye s●e me thus with veray tene I see wele now that ye mystrusten me For by youre wordes it is we le y seen Now for the loue of Sathya the shene Mystrust me not thus causeles for routhe Sith to be trewe I haue plyght yow my trouth And thynketh wele that somtyme it is wyt To spende a tyme ryght for to wynne Ne parde lorn am I not from yow yet Though we be a day or twoo a twynne Dryue oute the fantasyes yow withynne And trus●yth me / & leuyth eke youre sorowe Or here my trouthe I wyl not lyue to morowe For yf ye wyst how sore it dothe me smert Ye wold cease of this for god thou wost The poure spyryte weyyth in my hert To see yow wepe that I loue moost And that I mote goo to the grekes hoost Ye nere that I wyst a remedye To come ageyne / ryght here wold I dye But certes I nam not so nyce a wyght That I ne can wel ymagyne a weye To come ageyne that day that I haue hyght For who may holde a thyng that wol aweye My fader nought for al this queynt pleye And by my thryft my wendyng oute of Troye Another day shall ●orne vs al to ioye For thy with al myn herte I yow byseke If that ye lyst doo ought for my prayere And for that loue / whiche I loue yow eke That or I departe from yow here That of soo good comfort & chyere I may yow see that I may brynge at rest Myn hert whiche that is in peynt to brest And ouer al this I pray yow quod she tho Myn owne hertes / sothfast suffysaunce Syth I am thyne al hole withouten mo The whyle that I am absent that no plesaunce Of other do me from youre remembraunce For why I am euer agast / for why men rede Loue is thyn / & ay ful of besy drede For in this world there lyueth lady none If that ye were vntrewe as god defende That so betrayed were / or woo bygone And I that al trouthe in yow entende And dout●les yf that I other wende I nere but dede / & or ye can so fynde For goddes loue so leth not to me vnkynde To this answerd Troylus & seyde Now god to whome there is no cause y wry Me glad as wys I neuer to Creseyde Syth thylk day I sawe hyr fyrst with eye Was fals / ne neuer shal / tyl that I dye At short wordes wele ye may me leue I can no more / it shal be found at p●●ue Gromercy good hert myn quod she And blysful Venus lete me neuer sterue Or I may stonde in plesaunce of ●gree To quyte hym wele that so wele can deseru● And whyle that god my wyt wyl me conserue I shal so done so trewe I haue yow founde That ay honoure to me ward shal rebounde For truseyth wele that youre estate royal No vayne delyt● / nor only worthynesse Of yow in werre / ne tourney marcyal Nor pomp● array / nobley or eke Rychesse Ne made me to rewe vpon youre dystresse But moral vertu groundyd vpon trouthe That was the cause I had fyrst on yow routhe Eke gentyl hert / and manhoode that ye had And that ye had as me thynketh in despyte Euery thyng / that sowned● in to bad As rudeuesse and peoplyss●e appetyte And that youre reason brydled youre delyte This made me aboue euery creature That I was youre / & shal whyle I may dure And this may lengthe of yeres not for doo Ne remuable fortune deface But Iupyter / that of his myght may doo Ye sorowful to be glad / soo yeue vs grace Or nyghtes ten to meten in this place Soo that it may / myn hert & youre suffyse And fare ye we le / tyme is that ye ryse But after that they loue pleyned had And I liyst / and streyt in armes fold The day gan ryse / and Troylus hym clad And rewfully his lady gan byhold As he that felt / dethes tr●es cold And to hyr grace / he gan hym recomaunde Whether he was woo / thus hold I no demaunde For mannes hede ymagyne ne can Ne nen tendement consydere / ne tonge telle The cruel peynes / of this woful man That passyn euery torment doun in helle For when he sawe / she myght not dwelle Whiche that his sowle / oute of his hert rent Withoute more / he oute of the chambre went Here endyth the Fourth booke
And begynneth the Fyfthe aProchen gan the fatal day of destyne That Iouis hath in his dysposycyon And to you angry parcas sustren thre Commytted to doo anone execucyon For whiche Creseyde must oute of the toune And Troylus shal dwelle / forth in pyne Tyl lachesys his threde no lenger twyne The gold tressyd Phebus hye on loft Shyned had with his beames clere The snowes molt / & Zephyrus as oft Y● brought ageyne the lusty leues grene Syth that the sone of Heccuba the quene Bygan to loue hyr fyrst / for whome his sorow Was al / that she depart shold a morow Ful redy was at pryme Dyomede Creseyde vnto the grekes hoost to lede For sorowe / of whiche she felt hyr hert blede As she that nyst / what was best to rede And trewely as men in bokes rede Men wyst neuer woman haue more care Ne was so loth / oute of a towne to fare This Troylus withoute rede or lore As a man that hath his ioyes eke forlore Was waytyng on his lady euermore As she / that the sothfast crop & more Of al his lust / or ioyes here bifore But Troylus / now fare wele al thy ioys For shalt thou neuer / see hyr eft in Troys Sothe is whyle that he bode in this manere He gan his woo ful manly for to hyde That wele vnnethe / it seen was in his chere But at the yate / there she shold oute ryde With certeyne folk he houyd hyr to byde So woo bygo / al wold he not compleyne That on his hors vnnethe he sat for peyne For Ire he quoke / so gan his hert gnawe When Dyomede / on hors hym gan dresse And sayd to hym self this ylk sawe Alas quod he / thus fowle & wretchydnesse Why suffre I it / why nyl I it redresse Were it not bet at ones for to dye Than euermore in langoure / thus for to drye Why nyl I make at ones ryche & poure To haue ynough to doo / or that she go Why nyl I brynge al Troye in Roure Why nyl I slee this Dyomede also Why nyl I rather with a man or two Stele hyr awey / why wil I thus endure Why nyl I help / to myn owne cure But why he nold doo so fel a deede That shal I sey / & why he lyst to spare He had in herte alwey a maner drede Lest that Creseyde in rumour of this fare Shold haue ben slayn / lo thus was al his care And elles certeyn / as I saide ore He had it done withoute wordes more Creseide when she redy was to ride Ful sorowfully she sighte / & saide alas But forth she mote / for ought that may betide There nys none other remedye in this caas And forth she rode ful sorowfully a paas What wonder is / though hir sore smert When she forgoth / hir owne dere hert This Troilus in wise of curtesye With hawke on hond / & with an huge rowte Of knyghtes rode / & dide hir companye Passyng alle the valeye ferre withoute And ferther wold haue ride / oute of doute Ful fayne / & woo was hym to goo so soone But ryght with that was Anthenore y gone But turne he must / & eke it was to done Oute of the grekes hoost & euery wyght Was of it glad / & sayd he was welcome And Troylus nere al his hert lyght He peyned hym with al his ful myght Hym to withold of wepyng at the leest And Anthenore / he kyst & made feest And here with al / his lady●s leue to take He cast his eye vppon hyr pytously And nere he rode / his cause for to make To take hyr by the hond / al sobyrly And lord she gan wepe t●ndyrly And he ful soft / slyly gan hyr seye Now hold youre day / & do me not to deye With that his courseur / torned he ab●u●● With 〈◊〉 pale / & vnto Dyomede No word he spak / ne none of al his reut● Of whiche the sone of Tydeus took beede As he that couthe more than hie C●●de In suche a craft / & by the myne hyr ●●nt And Troylus to Troye homeward went This Dyomede that led ●yr by the brydel When that he sawe the folke of Troye awey : Thought al my labour / shal not be m●ydel If that I may / for somwhat shal I sey For at the les● yet / it may short ouer wey I haue herd seyde eke / tymes twyre twelue He is a foole that wyl fory●ce hym selue But netheles thus / thought he wele ynough That certeynly / I am aboute nought If that I speke of loue / or make it tough For douteles yf she haue in hyr thought Hym that I gesse / he may not be y brought So soone awey / but I shal fynde a mene That she not yet shal wy●● what I mene This Dyomede as he that couthe his good When tyme was / gan falle forth in speche Of this & that / & asked why she stood In suche dysese / & gan hyr byseche That yf he encrece myght or eche With ony thyng / hyr ease that she wold Comounde it hym / & he doo it wold For trewely he swore hyr as a knyght That ther nas thing with which he myght hir please That he nyl do his hert & al his myght To doo it / for to doo hyr hert an ease And prayd hyr she wold hyr apease And sayde ywys we grekes conne haue ioye To honour yow as wese / as folk of Troye He sayde eke thus / ● wote ye thynke it strange No wonder to / for it is to yow newe T●●queyntaūce of these Troians for to chaunge For folk of grece / that ye neuer knewe But wold neuer god / but that as trewe A greke ye myght among vs alle fynde As ony Troian is & eke as kynde And by cause I swore yow ryght now To be youre frend / & helply to my myght And for the more acqueyntaunce eke of yowe Haue I had than another straunge wyght Soo fro this forth I pray yow day & nyght Comaundyth me how sore that I smert To doo al that may lyke vnto youre hert And that ye me wold as for your broder treate And takyth not my frendshyp in despyte And though your sorowes ben for thynges grete Note I not why / but oute of more respyte Myn hert hath to amende it grete delyte And yf I may youre harmes not redresse I am ryght sory for youre heuynesse For though the Troians be with vs grekes wroth Haue many a day / & ben yet parde O god of loue syth we seruen bothe And for the loue of god my lady free Whome so ye hate / ne be not wroth with me For trewely there can no wyght yow serue That half so loth youre wrath wold deserue And nere it that we ben so nye the tent Of Calcas whiche that see vs bothe may I wold of this now tr●●e al myn eutent But this ensealed shal be tyl another day Yeue me youre hand / I am & shal be ay God help me so whyle that my lyf may dure Youre owne aboue ony creature Thus sayd I neuer or now to women born For god myn hert as wysly glad soo I loued neuer woman here byforn As peramour ne neuer shal no moo And for the loue of god be not my foo Al can I not to yow my lady dere Compleyne a ryght / for I am yet to lere And wondryth not myn owne lady bryght Though that I speke of loue to yow thus blyue For I haue herd or this of many a wyght That louyd thyng / he neuer sawe his lyue For I am not of power for to stryue Ageynst god of loue but hym obeye I wyl alwey / & of mercy yow preye There ben so worthy knyghtes in this place And ye so fayre that eueryche of hem alle Wylle peynen hem to stond in youre grace But myght me so fayre a grace falle That ye me for your seruaunt wold calle So lowely ne so trewely wold serue Nyl none of hem as I shal tyl I sterue Crrseyde vnto that purpoos lytel ansuerd As she that was with sorowe oppressyd soo That in effect she nought his tales herd But here & there / now here a word or two Hyr thought hyr sorowful hert brest a two For whan she gan hyr fader fer aspye We le nyghe doune of hyr hor● she gan to sye But netheles she thanked Dyomede Of al his trauayle & his good chere And that hym lyst his freudshyp hyr to lyde And she acceptynge it in good manere She wold do fayne / that is hym lyef & dere And trustyn hym she wold & wele she myght As seyde she / & from hyr hors she lyght Hyr fader hath hyr in his armes nome And twenty tyme he kyst his doughter swete And seyde dere doughter myn welcome She sayde she was feyn with hym to mete And stode forthe mylde & mansuete And thus I leue hyr with hyr fader dwelle And forth I wyl of Troylus yow telle To Troye is come this woful Troylus In sorowe aboue al sorowes smert With felon loke & face defpytous And sodenly doune from his hors he stert And thurgh his palays with a swollen hert To chambre went / of nothyng tooke he hede For none durst to hym speke a word for drede And there his sorowes that he spared had He yaue an yssue large / and deth he cryed And in his throwes frentyk sore & mad He cursyd Iuno Appollo & eke Cupyde He cursyd Ceres Bachus / and Cypryde His byrthe / hym self & eke nature And saue his lady / euery creature To bed he goth / walwyth there & 〈◊〉 In furye / as doeth he Ixyoun in 〈◊〉 And in this wyse / heuy tyl day sorou●●●● But tho bygan his hert / a lytel vnswelle Thurgh t●rys / whiche gan vp to welle And pytously he cryed vpon C●●sey●● And to hym self ryght thus he spok & sayde Where is myn owne lady ly●f & 〈◊〉 Where is hyr whyte b●●st / where is it 〈◊〉 Where ben hyr armes / and hyr eyen 〈◊〉 That ●●ster nyght this tyme with me were Now may I we●e o●●ne many a 〈◊〉 And graspe aboute I may but in this place Saue a py●●we I fynde none to embrace How shal I doo when shal she come ageyne I not alas why let● I hyr goo As wold god I had as tho be slayn O hert myn Creseyde & swe●e soo O lady myn that I loue & no moo To whome for euermore myn ●ert I lowe See how I dye / ye wyl not me ●●scowe Who seeth yow now my ryght ●ode steree Who syt ryght now or scant in youre pre●ence Who can comfort now youre 〈…〉 Now I am goo / who yeueth yow andy●nce Who speketh for me now in myn absence Alas no wyght / & that is al my care For wele I wo●e as euyl as I ye 〈◊〉 How shal I thue ten dayes ful endure When I the fyrst nyght haue al this trne How shal ye doo sorowful creature For tendyrnes how shal ye eke sustene Suche woo for me / how pytous pale & grene Shal be youre fresshe womanly face For longyng or ye torne in to this place And when he fylle in ony s●●mbrynges A none begynne he shold to grone And dreme of ryght dredeful thynges That nyght / as mete that he were alone In place horryble makyng ay his mone Or metyn that he was amonges alle His enemyes / & in her hondes f●lle And therwith al his body shold stert And with the styrt al sodenly awake And suche a crampe feele aboute his hert That of the fere hys body shold auake And ther with al / he sholde a noyse make And seme as though he shold fulle deepe From hye aloft / and than he wold wepe And rewe on hym self so pytously That wonder was to here his fantasye Another tyme he shold myghtely Comfort hym self / and sey it was foly So causeles suche dredys for to drye And after begynne his aspre sorowes newe That euery man myght on his sorowe rowe Who couthe telle a ryght or ful deseryue His weo his pleynt / his langour & his pyne Not al the men that haue or ben alyue Thow reder mayst ful 〈◊〉 thy self dyuyna That suche a woo my wyt can not defyne On ydel shold I wryte it with ynke When that my wyt is wery it to thynke On heuene the sterres wer● y sene Al though ful pale woxen was the mon● And whyten gan the orysount shene Al Estward as it is wonte to done And Phebus with his rosy cart soone Gan after that to dresse hym vp to fare When Troylus hath sent after pandare This Pandare that of al day byforn Ne myght haue come Troylus to see And though on his hede / he had it sworn For with kyng Priamus al day was he Soo that it lay not in his lyberte Nowhere to goo / but on the morow he went To Troylus when that he for hym sent For in his hert he couthe wel dyuyne That Troylus al nyght for sorowe woke And that he wold telle hym of his pyne This knewe he ryght wele withoute book For whiche to his chambre the ryght wey he toke And Troylus tho soothly he grette And on the bed ful soone he gan hym sette My Pandare quod Troylus the sorowe Whiche that I drye / & may not long endure I trowe I shall not lyue tyl to morowe For whiche I wold alweys in aduenture To the deuyse of my sepulture The fourme & of my meoble thow dyspone Ryght as the semeth lest is for to done But of the fnrye & flawmes funerall In whiche my body brenne shal to gleede And of the feest & playes palestral At my vygyles I pray take good hede That that he we le and offre mars my stede My swerd / myn helme / & lyef broder dere My shelde to pallas yeue that shyneth clere The poudre in which myn hert brent shal torne That pray I the thou take / & it conserue In a vessel that men clepyn an vrne Of gold to my lady that I serue For loue of whome thus pytously I sterue So yeue it hyr & doo me this plesaunce To pray hyr to kepe it for a remembraunce For wele I feele by my maladye And by my dremes / now & yore ago Al certeynly that I mote nedes dye The Owle eke whiche that hyght Escaphylo Hath after me shryght / al these nyghtes twoo And god Mercurye now of me woful wretche The sowle guyde / & when ye lyst it fetche Pandare answerd & sayd O Troylus My dere frend as I haue told the yore That it is foly for to sorowe thus And causeles / for whiche I can no more But who so wyl not trowen rede ne lore I can not see in hym no remedye But lete hym worche with his fantasye But Troylus I praye the telle me now If thow wote or this ony wyght Hath louyd peramour as wele as thow Ye god wote / & from many a worthy knyght Hath his lady ben a fourtenyght And he not yet made haluendele the fare What nede is the to maken al this care Syth day by day thou mayst thy self see That from his loue / or elles from his wyf A man mote twynne of necessyte Ye though he loue hyr / as his owne lyf And though bytwene yow were neuer no strif For wele thou wost my lyef broder dere That alwey frendys may not ben y fere How done these folk that seen her loues wedded By frendys myght / as it betyd ful oft And seen hem in her spouses bed y beddyd God wote they take it wysely fayre & soft Withoute wordes or blowyng oute aloft And for they conne a tyme of sorow endure As tyme hem hurt / tyme wyl hem recure So shalt thou endure & lote slyde The tyme / & found to be glad & lyght Ten dayes is not so long to abyde And syth she to come hath behyght She nyl hyr heest breke for no wyght For drede not but she wyl fynde a wey To come ageyne my lyf that dare I ley Thy sweuenes eke / & al suche fantasye Dryue oute & lete hem goo to mysehauuce For though they procede of thy Melancolye That doeth the fele in slepe al this penaunce Strawe for al thy sweuenes sygnyfyannce God help me so / I compt hem not at a bene There wote noman a ryght what dremes mene For preestys of the temple tellen this That dremes ben the reuelacyons Of goddes / & as wele they telle ywys That they ben infernal illusyons And leches seyn that of complexyons Proceden they of fastyng or glotenye Who wote in soth what they sygnefye Eke other soyn that thurgh Impressyons As yf a wyght hath fast a thyng in mynde That therof come suche vysyons And other seyn as they in bookes fynde That after tymes of the yere by kynde Men dreme & that th effect goth by the mone But leue no dreme syth it is not to done We le worth of dremes al these old wyues And trewely angury of these fowles For fere / wherof men wene to lese theyr lyues As rauenes qualme / & shrikyng of these oules To trowen on it / fals & foule is Alas alas that so noble a creature As is a man shold drede suche ordure For whiche with al myn herte I the byseche Vnto thy self / al this thou foryeue And ryse now vp withoute more speche And lete vs cast / how forth may best bedryue This tyme & eke / how fresshely we may lyue Whan that she comyth that shal be ryght soone God help me soo / this thynk me best to done Ryse lete vs speke / of lusty lyf in Troye That we hane lad / & forth this tyme dryue And eke of tyme comyng / as of ioye That brynge shal oure blysse / now so blyue And langour of these / twyes dayes fyue We shuln therwith / so foryete oure oppresse That wele vnnethe / it shal do vs duresse This towne is ful of lordys al aboute And trewes lasteth / al this mene whyle Goo we pley vs / in som lusty route To Sardepedon / not hens but a myle And thus thow shalt / the tyme wel begyle And dryue it forth / vnto thy blysful morowe That thou hyr see / that is cause of thy sorowe Now ryse / my dere broder Troylus For certeyne none honour / is to the To wepe / & in thy bed to rowken thus For trewely of one thyng / trust thow me If thou thus lygge / a day twoo or thre The folk wyl saye / that thow for cowardyse Thou feynest the seke & darst not aryse This Troylus ansuerd / O broder dere This knowen folk / that han suffred peyne That though he wepe & make sorowful chere That felyth harme / and smert in euery beyne No wonder is though that I euer pleyne Or alwey were I am no thyng to blame Syth I haue lost / the cause of al my game But s●th of fyn force I must arise I shal arise as soone as euer I maye And god to whome myn herte I sacrifise So send vs hastely now the tenthe daye For was there neuer fowle so fayne of maye As I shal be when / she comyth in Troye That cause is of my tormente / & my Ioye But whyder is thy rede quod Troylus That we pley vs may best in this towne My counseyl is by god / quod pandarus To ryde & pleye vs with Sarpedon So long of this they speken vp & doun Tyl Troylus at the last gan assent To ryse / & forth to Sarpedon they went This Sarpedon / as he that honourable Was euer his lyf / & ful of hye largesse With al that myght serued be at table That deynte was / al cost it grete rychesse He fed hem day by day / that suche noblesse As sayden bothe the more & eke the leste Was neuer seen or wyst at ony feste Nor in this world there nys none ins●●●ment Delyte of songe / or touche of corde As fer / as ony wyght hath euer went That tonge telle / or hert may recorde That at the fest / it nas herd acorde Of ladyes eke so fayre a companye On daunces as tho / was none seen with eye But what auayleth this to Troylus That for his sorowe no thyng of it rought For euer in one / his hert pyteuous Ful besyly Creseyde his lady sought On hyr was euer / al that his hert thought Now this now that / so fast ymagynyng That glad ywys can hym no festenyng These ladyes that at the ●●st been Syth that he sawe his lady was aweye It was his sorowe / vppon hem to sene Or for to here / Instrumentes pleye For she that of his hert bare the keye Was absent / loo this was his fantasye That no wyght shold make melodye For there nas houre / in the day nor nyght When he was there / that no man myght hym here That he no sayde / O blysful lady bryght How haue ye fare / syth that ye were here Welcome ywys myn owne lady dere But we le awey / al this nas but a mase Fortune his houe / entendyd bet to glase The letters eke / that she of old tyme Had hym sent / he wold anone rede And ofte betwyxt / none & pryme Refyguryng hyr sha● / & hyr womanhede Within his hert / & euery word & dede That passed was / & thus he droof to an ende The fourth day with Pandare his frende And sayd / lyeue brother Pandarus Entendyst thou / that we shal here byleue Til Sarpedon forth wyl conueye vs Yet were it fayrer that we took our loue For goddes loue / lete vs soone at eue Oure leue take / and home lete vs torne For trewely I nyl not thus soiourne Pandare ansuerd / be we comen hyder To fetche fuyre & torne home ageyne God help me soo / I can not telle whyder We myght gone / yf I shal sothly seyne There ony wyght / is of vs more feyn Than Sarpedon / & yf ye hens hye Thus sodenly / I hold it vylonye Syth that we sayde / we wold bleue With hym a wyke / and now thus sodenly The fourth day take of hym oure leu● He wold wonder / on it trewely Lete vs forth hold / oure purpoos fermely And syth that ye behyghte hym for to abyde Hold forward now / and after ●●te vs ryd● This pandarus with al peyne & woo Made hym to dwelle / & at the wekes ende Of Sarpedon they took hyr l●ue tho And on theyr wey they sped hem to wend Quod Troylus / now lord me gr●●● send That I may fynde / at myn home comyng Creseyde y come / & therwith he gan syng Ye ●●syl woode quod this Pandare And to hym self ful softely he seyde God wot● referyde / may thy 〈◊〉 fare Or Cal●●● send to Troylus Creseyde But netheles he 〈◊〉 thus & 〈◊〉 And swore ywys / his h●rt hym thus 〈◊〉 She wold come as soone as she myght When they vnto the paleys were y comon Of Troylus / they doune of hor● alyght And to the chambre the wey haue they 〈◊〉 And in to tyme / that it gan to nyght They speke al of Creseyde the bryght And after this / when ●●m bothe life They sped hem from sowper vnto rest On morowe as sone / as day bygan to clere This Troylus gan of his slepe to abreyde And to Pandare his owne broder dere For loue of god / ful pytously he seyde As goo we see the paleys of Creseyde For syth we yet may haue no more feste Soo lete vs see hyr pal●ys at the leste And ther with al hys meyne for to blende A cause he fond in Towne for to goo And to Creseyde hous they gan to wende But lord this cely Troylus was woo He thought his sorowful hert barst a twoo For when he sawe hyr dores sperid alle Wel nyghe for sorowe a doune he gan to falle Therwyth when he was ware / and ga● behold How shet was euery wyndowe of the pla●● As frost hym thought his hert gan to cold For whiche hym thought with dedely pale 〈◊〉 Withoute word forth by he gan to pace And as god wold / he gan so fast to ryde That no wyght of his countenaunce espyde Than sayd he thus / O palays desolate Of honour of gladnes whylome best y dyght O palays empty and dysconsolate O thow lanterne / of which quenchyd is the lyght O palays whylome day / that now art nyght We le ought thow to falle doune / & I to dye Syth she is went that was wonte vs to guye O palays whylome crowne of hows alle Enlumyned with sonne of al blysse O ryng from whiche the Ruby is y falle O cause of woo / that cause hast be of lysse Yet syth I may not bet / fayn wold I hysse Thy cold do●● / yf I durst for this rowte And fare wel shryne / of which the corps is out Therwith he cast on Pandarus his eye With chaungyd face / and pytous to byhold And when he myght his tyme ryght espye Ay as he rood to Pandarus he told His newe sorowe & eke his ioyes old Soo pytously / and with so dede an hewe That euery wyght / myght on his sorowe rewe From thensforth / he rydeth vp & doune And euery thyng come hym to remembraunce As he rode by the places in the towne In whiche he had / had his plesaunce Loo yonder sawe I last my lady daunce And in that temple with her eyen clere Me caught fyrst / my ryght lady dere And yonder haue I herd / ful lustely My dere herte laugh & yonder pleye Sawe I hyr ones / eke ful blysfully And to me ones yonder gan she seye Now good swete / loue me wele I preye And yond soo goodly / gan she me behold That to the deth / myn hert is to hyr hold And● at the corner in the yonder hows Herd I myn al ther leuest lady dere Soo womanly with boyce melodyous Syngen so wele / so goodly and so clere That in my soule me thynketh I here That blysful sowne / and in that yonder place My lady fyrst me took vnto hyr grace Than thought he thus / O blysful lord Cupyde When I the processe haue in memorye How thou me hast werreyd on euery syde Men myght a book make of it lyke a storye What nede is the to seke of me vyctorye Syth I am thyn & hooly at thy wylle What ioye hast thou thyne owne folk to spylle We le hast thow lord broke on me thyne Ire Thou myghtful god / & dredeful for to greue Now mercy lord / thou woost wel I desyre This grace moost of al lustes leue And lyue and dye I wyl in that byleus For whiche I ne axe in guerdon but a boone That thow me send Creseyde ageyne soone Dystreyne hyr hert as fast to retourne As thow doest myn / to longe hyr to see Than wote I wele / that she nyl not soiourne Now blysful lord / soo cruel thou ne be Vnto the blood of Troye I pray to the As Ioue was / vnto the blood of Thebane For which the folk of Thebes / caught theyr bane And after this / he to the yates went There as Creseyde / rode oute a ful good paas And vp & doune there made he many a went And to hym self ful ofte he sayd alas From hens rode / my blys & my solas And wold blysful god now for his ioye I myght hyr seen ageyne come to Troye And to the yonder hylle / he gan hyr gyde Alas / & there I took of hyr my leue And yond I sawe hyr / vnto hyr fader ryde For sorowe of whiche / myn hert wyl to cleue And hyder home I come / when it was eue And here I dwelle oute cast / from al ioye And shal tyl I may see hyr efte in Troye And of hym self / ymagyned he ful ofte To be defeted / pale and wexe lesse Than he was wont / & that men sayden softe What may it be / who can the sothe gesse Why Troylus hath al this heuynesse And al this nas but his melancolye That he had of hym self suche fantasye Another tyme ymagyne he wold That euery wyght / that went by the weye Had of hym rowthe / and they seyn shuld I am ryght sory / Troylus wyl deye And thus he droofe forth yet a day or tweye As ye haue herd / suche lyf he gan lede As he that stood betwene hope & drede For whiche hym lyked in his songes shewe Thencheson of his woo / as he best myght And made a song of wordes but a fewe Somwhat his woful herte for to lyght And when he was from euery mans syght With softe voys / he of his lady dere That absent was / gan syngen as ye shal here O sterre of whiche I haue y lost the lyght With hert sore / ought I to bewayle That euer derke in turment / nyght by nyght Toward my deth / with wynd● I 〈◊〉 & sayle For whiche the tenthe nyght / yf that I fayle The Aydemant of thy beames / bryght & oure My shyp and me Carybdye wylle deuoure This song when he had songen soone He syl ageyne in to his syghes old And euery nyght as he was wonte to 〈◊〉 He stood the bryght mone to behold And al his sorowe he to the mone ●old And sayde ywys when thou art horne● 〈◊〉 I shal be glad / yf al the world be trewe I sawe thyn hornes eke / old by the morowe When 〈◊〉 rode my ryght lady 〈◊〉 That cause to of my turment & my sorowe For whiche bryght ●neyna the clere For loue of god ●●nne fast aboute thy 〈◊〉 For when thy hornes newe gynne spryng Than shal she come / that may my blysse 〈◊〉 The day is more / and lenger euery nyght Than they be wont to be / hym thought tho And that the sonne went his cours vnryght By lenger ●●ey / than he is wonte to do And sayde ywys me dredyth euermo The sonnes sone Phyron to be a lyue And that his cart amys he doth dryue Vpon the wallys / fast he wold walke And on the grekes fast he wold see And to hym self ryght thus he wold talke Loo yonder is myn owne lady free Or elles yonder / there the tentes be And thens comyth this ayre / that is so swote Foe in my sowle I fele it doth me bote And hardyly this / wynde more & more Thus stounde mele encreaced in my face Is of my lady deere / syghes sore I preue it thus / for in none other space Of al this Towne / saue only in this place Fele I no wynde / that sownyth so lyke peyne It seyth alas / why twynned be we tweyne This long tyme he dryuyth forth ryght thus Tyl fully passed was the nynthe nyght And ay besyde hym / was this Pandarus That besyly dyde his ful myght Hym to comfort / & make his hert lyght Yeuyng hym hope alwey the tenthe morowe That she shal come / & stynt al this sorowe Vpon that other syde was this Creseyde With wymmen fewe among the grekes strong For whiche ful oft / alas alas she seyde That I was born / wel may myn hert long After my deth / for now lyue I to long Alas / & I may it not amende For now is wers / than euer yet I wende My fader nyl for no thyng do me grace To goo ageyn / for nought I can hym queme And yf so be that I my terme pace My Troylus shal now in his hert deme That I am fals / & soo it may wel seme Thus shal I haue vnthank on euery syde That I was born / so we le awey the tyde And yf I me put in ieopordye To stele awey to nyght / & it byfalle That I be caught I shal be holde aspye Or elles / loo this drede I moost of alle If in the handes of somme wretche I falle I am but lost al be myn hert trewe Now myghty god thou on my sorowe rewe Ful pale was woxe hyr bryght face Hyr lymes leene / as she that al the day S●ood wh●n she durst / and lokyd on the place There she was borne / & there she dwellyd ay And al the nyght wepyng / alas she lay And thus dyspeyred oute of al cure She lad hyr lyf / this woful creature Ful ofte a day / she syghed for dystresse And in hir self / she went ay portrayeng Of Troylus the grete worthynesse And al his goodly wordys recordyng Syth first that day / theyr loue bygan to spryng And thus she sent hyr woful hert a fyre Thurgh remembraunce of that she gan desyre In al this world / there nys so cruel hert That hyr had herd compleyue in that sorowe That nold ha●e wept for peynes smert Soo tendyrly she wepte bothe eue & morowe Hyr nedyd no terys for to borowe And this was yet the worst of al hyr peyne Ther was no wyght / to whom she myght compleyne For rewfully she loked vpon Troye Byheld the toures hye & eke the halles Alas quod she the plesaunce & the ioye The whiche al newe torned in to galle is Haue I had oft within yonder wallys O Troylus what doest thou now she seyde Lord whether thou yet thynke vppon Creseyde Alas I ne had trowed / vpon youre lore And wend with yow / as me red or this Than had ynow not syghed / half so sore Who myght han seyde / that I had done amys To stele awey / with suche one as he is But al to late / comyth the lectuarye When men the corps vnto the graue carye To late is now / to speke of that matere Prudence alas / one of thyn eyen thre Me lakked alwey or that I come here Of tyme passed I wyl remembre me And present tyme / we le couthe I see But future tyme / or I was in the snare Couthe I not see / that causith al my care But netheles betide / what betyde I shal to morowe at nyght / by est or west Oute of this hostel / on som manere side And goo with Troylus where so hym lest This p●rppos wyl I hold / and this is best No fo rs of wykke tonges / Iangel●rye For euer on loue / haue wretches enuye For who so wyl of euery word take heede Or rewle hym self / by euery wyghtes wyt Ne shal he neuer thryue oute of drede For that somme men blamen euer yet Loo other men / yet comendyn it And as for me / al suche varyaunce Felycyte clepe I my suffysaunce For whiche withoute ony wordes mo To Troylus wyl I / as for conclusyon But god it wote / or fully nyghtes twoo She was ful fer from that entencyoun For bothe Troylus and Troye toun Shal knotteles thurgh hyr hert slyde For she wyl another purpoos abyde This Dyomede / of whome I telle yow ? gan Goth now within hym self / ay arguyng With al sleyghte / and al that euer he can How he may best / with shortest taryeng In to his net / Creseydes hert breng To this entent / he couthe ●euer fyne To fysshen hyr / he leyd oute hook & lyne But netheles wel in his hert he thought That she was not withoute a loue in Troye For he neuer syth / he her thens brought Ne couthe hyr see laugh / ne make ioye He nyst how best / hyr hert to acoye But for to assay / he seyde not ne greuyth For he that nought ne assayeth / nought ne cheuyth Yet sayd he hym self vppon a nyght Now am I not a foole / that wote wel how Hyr woo for loue is of another wyght And herupon to goo assaye now I may wel wyte / it wyl not be my prow For wyse folk in bookes it expresse Men shold not wowe a wyght in heuynesse But who so myght wynne suche a floure From hym / for whome she mornyth nyght & day He myght sey / he were a conquerour And ryght anone / as he that told was ay Thought in his hert / hap how I hap may Al shold I dye / I wyl hyr hert seche I shal no more lese / but my speche This Dyomede / as bookes vs declare Was in his nede prest & corageous With sterne voys / & myghty lymes square Hardy ryght strong / and chyualrous Of dedys lyke his fader Tydeus And some men seyn he was of tonge large And heyr he was of Calydoyne & Arge Creseyde medyoc●e / was of stature Therto of shap / of face / & eke of chere There myght be no fayrer creature And of tyme this was hyr manere To goo y tressyd with hyr heres clere Doune by hyr Coler / at hyr bak behynde Whiche with a threde of gold / she wolde bynde And saue hyr browes ioyned in fere There was no lak in ought I can espyen But for to speke of hir eyen clere Trewely they wryten al that hyr syen That paradyse stood formed in her eyen And with hyr ryche beaute euermore Stroofe loue in hyr ay / whiche was more She sobre was symple / & wyse with al The best nortured eke that myght be And goodly of hyr speche in general Charytable estatly / lusty / and free Ne neuermore lakkyd hyr pytee Tendre herted / slydyng of courage But trewely I can not telle hyr age And Troylus wele woxen was in heyght And complete fourmed by proporcyon Soo wele that kynde not amende myght Yong / fresshe / strong / and hardy as lyoun Trewe as styele in eche condycyoun One of the best entedchyd creature That is or shal whyle the world may dure And certeynly in storye / as it is founde That Troylus was neuer vnto no wyght As in his tyme / in no degre secound In daryng doo that longyth to a knyght Al myght a Gyaunt / passen hym of myght His force ay with the fyrst / & with the best Stood peregal / to do what hym lest But for to telle forth of Dyomede It fyl after / that on the tenthe day Syth that Creseyde / oute of the cyte yeede This Dyomede as fresshe / as braunche in may Come to the tent / there as Calcas lay And feyned hym with Calcas haue to done But what he ment / I shal yow telle soone Creseyde at short wordys for to telle Welcomed hym / & dyd hym by hyr set And he was ethe ynowe / to make duelle And after this withoute long let Spyces & wyn men forth hem fet And forth they speke of this & that y fere As frendys doo / of whiche som ye shal here He gan fyrst falle of the werre in speche Betwyxt hem & the folk of Troye Town And of th assyege / he gan hyr byseche To telle hym / what was hyr oppynyoun Fro that demaunde / he so descendyth doun To asken hyr / yf that she straunge thought The grekes gyse / & werkys that they wrought And why hyr fader / taryeth here so long To wedden hyr vnto somme worthy knyght Creseyde that was in hyr peynes strong For loue of Troylus hyr owne dere knyght As ferforth as she connyng had or myght Ansuerd hym tho / but al of his entent It semed not / she wyst what he ment But netheles this ylke Dyomede Gan in hym self assure / and thus he seyde If I a ryght / haue take of yow hede Me thynketh thus / O lady myn Creseyde Syth that I fyrst honde on youre brydel leyde When ye oute come of Troye by the morow Ne couthe I neuer see yow but in sorow Can I not seyn what may the cause be But it for loue of somme Troian it were The whiche ryght sore wold a thynk me That for ony wyght that dwelleth there Sholden spylle a quarter of a tere Or pytously / youre self soo begyle For dredeles it is not worth the whyle The folk of Troye / as who seyth al & some In prysoune be / as youre self see For thens shal none a lyue come For al the gold bytwene sonne & see Trustyth ryght we le / & vnderstonde me There shal not one to mercy / goo alyue Al were he lord of worldes twyes fyue Suche wreche on hem for fetchyng of Heleyne There shal be take or that we hens wende That Maunes whiche goddes ben of peyne Shold ben agast / how grekes sholde hem shende And men shuln drede vnto the worldes ende From hens forth to rauysshe ony quene So cruel shal oure wreche on hem be sene And but yf Calcas lede vs with Ambages That is to sey with double wordes slye S●che as men clepe a word with two vysages Ye shal wel knowe / that I nought ne lye And al this thyng ryght sone with youre eye And that anone ye wyl not trowe how soone Now taketh heede / for it is to done What wene ye youre wyse fader wold Haue youe yew / for Anthenore anone If he ne wyst that the cytee shold Destroyed be / why nay soo mote I gone He knoweth ful wele ther shal escape none That Troian is / & for the grete fere He durst not / that ye duellyd lenger there What wold ye more loue som lady dere● Lete Troy & Troians from youre hert pace Dryue out your bytter hope / & make good chere And clepe ageyne the beaute of youre face That ye with salt teres so deface For Troye is brought in suche ieopardy That it to saue is nowher remedye And thynketh we le / ye shal in grekes fynde A more parfyte loue / or it be nyght Than ony Troian is / and more kynde And bet to serue yow / wyl do his myght And yf ye vouch● souf my lady bryght A wyl be he / to serue yow my selue Ye leuer than be kyng of grekes twelue And with that word / he gan to wexe rede And in his speche a lytel wyght be quo●e And cas● a syde a lytel with his hede And s●ynt a whyle / and afterward be wo●e And sobyrlyche on hyr threwe his looke And sayd I am / al be it to yow no ioye As gentyl a man / as ony wyght in 〈◊〉 For yf my f●der Tydens he seyde Lyued had / I had be long or this Of Calcydony and Arge / a ●yng Creseyde And so I hope I shal be yet ywys But he was sleyn / alas the more harme is Vn●appely at Theles / al to rathe Polemytes / and many a man to scathe But herte myn syth I am youre man And y● the fyrst / of whome I sec●e grace And serue yow / as hertely as I can And euer shal whyle I to lyue haue space Soo or that I departe oute of this place That ye me graunt that I may to morowe At better leyser / telle yow my sorowe What shold I telle his wordes / that he seyde He spak ynough for one day at the meest It preueth wele he spak● soo that Creseyde Graunted hym a morow / at his request To haue a speche with hyr at the lest Soo that he nold speke of suche matere And thus she sayd to hym as ye maye here As she that had hyr hert on Troylus Soo that ther may none it arace And strangely she spak / & seyd thus O Dyomede I loue that ylke place That I was born in / and Ioue for his grace Delyuere it soone / of al that doo it care God for thy myght / soo lene it wel to fare That grekes wold in Troye their wrath wreke If that they myght I knowe it wele ywys But it shal not fallen / as ye speke And god to forn / & further ouer this I wote my fader loyse and redy is And that he hath me bought / as ye me told So dere I am the more to hym hold These grekes ben of hyghe condycyoun I wote it we le / but certeyne men shuln fynde As worthy folk within Troye Town As connynge / as parfyte / & as kynde As bytwene Orcades & y●de And that ye couthe wele youre lady serue I trowe it we le / hyr thank for to deserue But as to speke of loue ywys she seyde I had a lord / to whome I wedded was The whiche myn hert had / tyl that he deyde And other loue / as helpe me now pallas There in myn herte nys ne neuer was And that ye be of noble & hye kynrede I haue it herd wel telle oute of drede And that doeth me / to haue so grete a wonder That ye wyl scorne ony woman soo Eke god wote loue and I ben fer a sonder I am dysposed / bet soo mote I goo Vnto my dethe to playne & make woo What shal I doo after can I not seye But trewely as yet me lyst not to pleye Myn hert is now in trybulacyon And ye in armes lesy day by day Here after when ye wonnen hane the towne Parauenter than so it hap may That when I see / that neuer yet I say Than wyl I werk / that I neuer wrought This word to yow ynough suffysen ought Tomorowe wol I speke with yow fayn So that ye touche not of this matrre And when yow lyst ye may come here agayne And or ye goo / thus moche I sey yow here As help me pallas with hir heres clere If that I shold on ony greke haue routhe It shold be youre self by my trouthe I seye not therfor that I wyl yow loue Ne I say not nay / but in conclusyon I mene we le by god / that sytte aloue And therwyth al she cast hyr eyen doune And gan to syghe / & sayd O Troye Towne Yet byd I god in quyete & in rest I may the see / or doo myn herte brest But in effect as shortely for to saye This Dyomede al fresshe newe ageyne Gan precen in / fast hyr mercy praye And after this the soth for to seyne Hyr gloue he took / of whiche he was ful feyn And fynally when it was woxen eue And al was we le / he roose / & toke his leue The bryght Veuus folowyd / and ay tought The weye there brode Phebus a doune lyght And Cythera the chare hors ouer raught To whyrle oute of the lyoun / yf she myght And Signifer his candel shewed bryght Whan Creseyde vnto hyr rest went In with hyr faders faire bryght tent Retournyng in hyr sowle vp & doune The wordes of this sodeyne Dyomede His grete estate & perylle of the Towne And that she was alone / & had nede Of frendys / & thus bygan to brede The cause why the sooth for to telle That she tooke purpoos fully for to duelle The morowe cam / and goostely for to speke This Dyomede is come to Creseyde And shortely lest that ye my tale breke Soo wele he for hym self spak & seyde That al his syghes sore a doune he leyde And fynally the soothe for to seyne He left of the grete / of al his peyne And after this / the story telleth vs That she hym yafe the fayre bay stede The whiche she ones had of Troylus And eke a broche that was lytel nede That Troylus was / she yaf this Dyomede In dede the bet / from sorowe hym to releue She made hym were / a pensel of hyr sleue I fynd eke in the storye elles where When thurgh the body / hurt was Dyomede Of Troylus tho wept she many a tere Whan that she sawe his wyde woundes blede And that she took to kepe hym good hede And for to hele hym of his sorowes smert Men seyn I note / she yaf hym hyr hert But trewely the storye tellyth vs Ther made neuer woman more woo Than she whan she falshed Troylus She sayd alas / for now is clene a go My name of trouthe in loue for euermo For I haue falshed one the gentyllest That euer was & eke the worthyest Alas of me vnto the worldes ende Shal neyther of me be wryte nor s●nge No good word / for this book wyl me shend● Y rollyd shal it be on many a tonge Thorugh outr the world / my ●elle shal be 〈◊〉 And wymmen wyl me hate moost of alle Alas that suche a caas shold me byfalle They wyl sey in as moche / as in me is I haue hym doo dyshonoure we le aweye Al be I not the fyrst that dyde a●nye What helpyth that to doo my blame aweys But syth I see 〈◊〉 nys no bett●● weys And that to late it is now for to ●●we To Dyomede alga●● I wyl be trewe But Troylus syth I no better may And syth that thus departen ye and I I praye god / yeue yow ryght good day As for the gentyllest knyght tr●wely That euer I sawe to serue feythfully And 〈◊〉 can ay his lady honoure kepe And with that word / she br●se anon● to wept And ●●rtes yow hatyn shal I neuer And frendys loue / that shal ye loue of me And my good word / al myght I lyuen euer And trewely I wold ryght sory be To see yow in ony aduersy●● And gylteles I wo●e we le I yow l●ue But al shal passe / & thus I take my leue But trewely how long it was bytwene That she forsoke hym for this Dyomede There is none other auctor telleth I wene Take euery man now to his bookes hede He shal no terme fynde oute of drede For though that he began to loue hyr soone Or he hyr wan / yet was there more to done Ne me lys● not / this cely woman chyde Forther than the story wyl deuyse Hyr name alas is publysshed so wyde That for hyr gylt / it ought ynowe suffyse And yf I myght excuse hyr in ony wyse For she so sory was for her vntrouthe Ywys I wold excuse hyr yet for routhe This Troylus as I byfore haue told Thus dryueth forthe / as we le as he myght But ofte was his herte hoote & ●ld And namely that ylke nynthe nyght Whiche on the morowe / she had hym behyght To come ageyne / god wote ful lytel reste Had he that nyght / nothynge to slepe hym leste The laurer crowned Phebus with his heete Come in his cours / ay vpward as he went To warmen of the eest the wawes wete And Cyrces doughter sa●ge with good entent When Troylus his Pandare after sent And on the wallys of the Towne they pleyde To looke yf they can ought see of Creseyde Tyl it was none they stood for to see Who that there come / & euery maner wyght That come from fer / they sayde it was she And that wey couthe knowen hem a ryght Now was his herte heuy / now was it lyght And thus beiaped they stonde to stare Aboute nought Troylus & Pandare To Pandarus this Troylus tho seyde For ought I wote / byfore none sykerly In to this toune not cometh here Creseyde She hath ynough a doo there hardyly To wynne from hyr fader / so trowe I Hyr old fader wold yet make hyr dyne Or that she goo / god yeue his herte pyne Pandare answerd / It may wel be certeyn And for thy lete vs dyne I the byseche And after none / than mayst thow come ageyn And home they gone withoute more speche And come ageyne / and long may they seche Or that they fynde / that they after gape Fortune hem bothe / thynketh for to iape Quod Troylus I see wel ynowe that she Is ●aryed with hyr old fader soo That or she come / it wol nyhe euen be Come forth I wylle vnto the yate goo These portyers ben vnconnyng euermo And I wyl doo hem holde open the gate As nought ne were / al though she come late The day goth fast / & after that come eue And yet come not to Troylus Creseyde He lokyth forth by hedge / by tree / by greue And fer his heede on the walle he leyde And at the last he torned hym & seyde By god I wote hyr menyng now pandare Al moost ywys / al newe was my care Now douteles this lady can hyr good I wote she comyth rydyng pryuely I commende hyr wysedom by myn hood She wyl not make people nycely Gawryn on hyr when she comyth / but softely By nyght in to Towne she thynketh ryde And dere broder / thynk not long to abyde We haue not elles to done ywys And Pandarns now shalt thow trowe me Haue here my trouthe / I see yond where she is Heue vp thyne eyen / man mayst thow not see Pandare ansuerd / nay so mote I the Al wrong by god / what feist thou man wher arte That I see yond nys but a fare carte Alas thow seyst ful soth quod Troylus But hardyly it is not al for nought That in myn herte that I reioyse thus It is ageynst som good / I haue a thought Note I not how / but syth that I was wrought Ne felt I suche a comfort sothe to seye She cometh to nyght / my lyf dare I leye Pandare answerd / it may be wel ynough And held with hym of al that euer he seyde But in his herte he thought / & fast lough And to hym self ful sobyrly he seyde From hasylwoode / ther Ioly Robyn pleyde Shal come al that thow doest abyde here Ye fare wele al the snowe of fern yere The wardeyn of the gates gan to calle The folk / whiche withoute the gates were And bad hem dryue in theyr bestes alle Or al that nyght they must abyde there And fer within nyght with many a tere This Troylus gan homeward for to ryde For wele he sawe / it helpyd not abyde But netheles he gladdyd hym in this He thought amys he had compted his day And sayde I vnderstonde haue al amys For thylk nyght / I last Creseyde say She sayd I shal be here / yf that I may Or that the mone / O dere herte swete The syoun passe oute of this Aryete For whiche she may yet hold hyr heste And on the morowe vnto the yate he went And vp & doune / by west / & eke by Eeste Vpoon the wallys made he many a went But al for nought / his hope alwey hym blent For whiche at nyght in sorowe & syghes sore He wente hym home withoute ony more His hope al clene oute of his herte fled He ne hath wheron / no lenger now to honge But for the peyne hym thought his hert bled So were his throwes sharp & wonder stronge For when he sawe she abode soo long He nyst what he ymagyne therof myght Syth that the hath broke / that she hym behyght The thyrd / the fourth / the fyfthe / & the syxth day After the dayes ten / of whiche I told Bytwene h●pe & drede his herte lay 〈◊〉 somwhat trustyng on hyr heestes old But when he sawe / she nold hyr terme hold He can now see none other remedye But for to shape hym soone for to dye Ther wyth the wykked spyryte / god vs blesse Whiche that men clepe woode Ielousye Gan in hym crepe in al this heuynesse For whiche by cause he wold soone dye He ne ete ne dranke for his melancolye And eke from euery companye he fled This was the lyf / that al this tyme he led He soo defeted was that no maner man Hym knowe myght / vnnethe where he went Soo was he lene / & therto pale & wan And feble that he walked by potent And with his Ire thus hym self he shent And who so asked hym / wherof he smerte He seyde his harme was al aboute his herte Priamus ful ofte / & eke his moder dere His bretheren & his sustren gan hym freyne Why he so sorowful was / in al his chere And what thyng was the cause of his peyne But al for nought he nold his cause pleyne But seyde / he felt a greuous maladye Aboute his hert / & fayn wold he dye Soo on a daye / he leyd hym doune to slepe And so byfelle that in his slepe he thought That he walked in a forest to wepe For loue of hyr that his peyne wrought And vp & doune / as he the forest sought Hym thought he saw a bore with Tuskes grete That slepe a geyne the bryght sonnes hete And by this bore / fast in armes fold Lay kyssyng ay / his lady bryght Treseyde For sorowe of whiche / whan he gan byhold Loude he cryed on Pandarus & seyde For sorowe of whiche / almost ther he deyde O Pandarus now knowe I crop & rote I am but dede / there nys none other boote My lady bryght Creseyde hath me bytrayed In whome I trustyd moost of ony wyght She esses where hath now hyr hert apayed The blisful goddes thurgh theyr grete myght Haue in my dreame shewed me ful ryght Thus in my dreame Creseyde haue I behold And al this thyng to pandarus he told O my Creseyde / alas what subtylyte What newe lust / what beaute / what seyence Hath thus withdrawe your hert / & loue from me This is the cause of youre long absence Hath from me raft / alas youre aduertence O trust / O feyth / O depe assuraunce Who hath me raft Creseyde al my plesaunce Alas why lete I yow from hens go For whiche wel nyghe oute of my wyt I breide Who shal now trowe on ony othes moo God wote I wende lady bryght Creseyde That euery word was gospel / that ye seyde But who may bet begyle / yf hym lyst Than he on whome men wene best to tryst What shal I doo / my Pandarus alas I feele now so sharp / & a newe peyne Syth that ther lyeth noo remedye in this caas That bet it were I with myn hondes tweyne My self slee / than thus alwey to pleyne For thurgh the deth my wo shold haue an ende There euery day with lyf my self I shende Pandare ansuerd / & sayd alas the whyle That I was borne / haue I not seyd or this That dremes may many a man begyle And why for folk expownen hem amys How durst thow sey / that fals thy lady is For ony dremes ryght for thyne owne drede Lace be thy thought / thou canst no dremes rede Parauenter there thou dremest of this boore It may so be / that it may sygnefye Hyr ●ader eke / whiche old is & hoore Ageyne the sonne lyeth in poynt to dye And she for sorowe gynneth wepe & crye And there he lyeth kyssyd hym on the ground Thus sholdest thou thy dreames ryght expound How myght I than done quod Troylus To knowe of this / were it neuer so lyte Now seyst thow wysely quod tho pandarus My rede is this / syth thow canst wele endyte That hastely a letter thou to her wryte Thoragh whiche thow shalt bryngen it about To knowe a soothe ther thou art in doute And see now why / for I dare wel seyn That yf so is / she vntrewe be I can not trowe she wyl wryte ageyn And yf she wryte thow shalt soone see As whether she hath / ony lyberte To come ageyne / or elles in som clause If she be let / she wylle assygne a cause Thow hast not wryte to hyr / syth she went Ne she to the / and this I durst leye There may suche cause be in hyr entent That hardyly thow wylt thy self seye That hyr abode / the best is for yow tweye Now wryte hyr than / & thow shalt see soone A soothe of al / ther is no more to done Acordyd ben they to this conclusyon And that anone these ylke lordes two And hastely syt Troylus a doune And rollyth in his hert to & fro How he may best descryuen hyr his woo And to Creseyde his owne lady dere He wrote ryght thus / and sayd as ye shal here Ryght fresshe floure / whos I haue ben & shall Withouten part of elles where seruyse With hert / body / lyf / lust / thought & al I woful wyght in euery humble wyse That tonge can telle or hert may deuyse As oft as matere occupyeth place Me recomaunde I vnto youre noble grace Lyketh yow to wyte swete hert As ye wel knowe / how long tyme agone That ye me left in asper peynes smert When that ye went / of whiche yet boote none Haue I none had / but euer wors bygone From day to day am I / and soo more dwelle Whyle it yow lest lo ye of wele & wo my welle For whiche to yow with dredeful hert trewe I'wryte as he that scrow dryue●h to wryte My woo that euery houre 〈◊〉 newe Compleynyng / ae I da●● / or con 〈◊〉 And that a 〈◊〉 / ye may wele 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 whiche that sro myn 〈◊〉 rey●● They wold speke / yf they ●cuthe compleyne 〈◊〉 Yow fyrst / byseche , I with youre eyen 〈◊〉 To looke on this defowled / & vnfold And ouer al this / ye my lady dere Wil vouchesauf this letter to byhold And by the cause eke of my cares cold That 〈◊〉 my wyt / yf ought amye me stert So y●ue it me myn owne swete hert 〈…〉 curst or ought of ryght 〈…〉 lady pytously compleyne 〈…〉 that I ought be that wyght 〈…〉 this that ye these monthes tweyn Haue taryed their / ye seyde soothe to seyne But 〈…〉 ye nold in hoost sorourne But 〈◊〉 two monethes yet ye not 〈◊〉 But 〈…〉 moche / as I mo●e nedes lyke Al that yow lyketh I dare pleyne no more But 〈◊〉 wyth sorowful syghte syke Yow wry●● I myn vnirsty sorowee sore From day to day desyryng euermore To knowe fully / yf yowre wylle were How ye hane feid / and deo whyle ye be there Whos welfare / and hel● / god eke encrease In honoure suche / as vpward in degre It growe alwey so / that it neuer cease Lyke as youre self 〈◊〉 can my l●dy fre Deuyse I pray 〈◊〉 god so more it be And graunt that 〈◊〉 ●oone vpon me 〈◊〉 As wysly as in al I am youre trewe And yf yow lyke to knowe of the fare Of me whos woo / ther may no wyght deseriue I can no mo●e / but 〈◊〉 of ●●ery care At wrytyng of 〈…〉 I was alyue Al redy cute my woful goos● to dryue Whiche I delay / and hold hym yet in hond Vpon the syght of mat●re of youre sond Myn eyen twoo in veyne / with whiche I see Of woful teres salt / arn woxen welles My songe in playnt of myn aduersyte My good in harme / myn ease woxen helle is My ioye in woo / I can yow seye not elles 〈◊〉 turned is / for whiche my lyf I wary Euery ioye / is torned to me contrary Whiche with your comyng home ageyn to Troye Ye may redresse / and more a thowsand sythe Than euer I had encrecyng in me ioye 〈◊〉 was there neuer herte yet so blythe 〈◊〉 haue his lyf / as I shold be as swythe As I yow see ● though no manere routhe 〈◊〉 mene yet / thynke vpon yowre trouthe And yf so moche my deth I haue deserued Or yf yow lyst no more vpon me see In guerdon yet of al I haue yow serued 〈◊〉 I yow my hertes lady free That heruppn / ye wyl wryte me For loue of god / my ryght loode sterre Or d●the lete make an ende of al my werre ● there cause ought that doth yow for to duelle That with youre letter ye me recomforte For though to me youre absence be an helle With pacyence I wyl my wo supporte And with your letter of hore I wyl dysporte Now wryteth swete / ● le●● me thus not pleyne With hoope or ●●th delyuere me from peyne Ywys myn owne dere herte trewe I wote than / whan ye next vpon me see Soo bost haue I myn helthe / & eke myn hewe Creseyde shal not conne knowe me Iwys myn hertes day / my lady free Soo thurstyth ay myn herte to byhold Youre beaute that my lyf vnnethe I hold I say nomore / al haue I for to seye To yow wel more than I telle may But whether ye done me lyue or deye Yet pray I god / so yeue yow ryght good day And faryth we le / ryght fayre fresshe may As ye thal lyf or deth may me comaunde And to youre trouthe I me recomaunde With helthe suche / that but yf ye yeue me The same helthe / I shal neuer helthe haue In yow lyeth / when yow lyst / it so shal be The day on whiche me clothen shal my graue In yow my lyf / youre myght is it to saue Me from dysese / of al peynes smerte And f●re now wele myn owne swete herte This letter forth was sent vnto Creseyde Of whiche hyr answer in effect was this Ful pytously she wrote ageyne and seyde That as soone / as euer she myght ywys She wold come / and mende that was amys And fynally wrote / & sayd hym than She wold come / but she wyst neuer whan But in her letter / she made suche feestes That wonder was / & swore she louyd hym best Of whiche he fond / but bottumles byhestes But Troylus thow mayst now Est or west Pype in an yuy leef / yf that the lest Thus goth the world / god sheld vs from myschance And euery wyght / that meneth trouthe auance Encreasen gan the woo from day to nyght Of Troylus / for taryeng of Creseyde And lassen gan his hope & eke his myght For whiche al doune vdon his bed hym leyde He ne ete ne drank / ne slepe / ne no word seyde Ymagynyng ay that she was vnkynde For whiche wel nyhe he wax oute of mynde This dreme / of whiche I told haue here byforn May neuer come oute of his remembraunce He thought as we le / he had his lady born And that Iouys , of his purueaunce Hym shewyd had in slope the sygnyfyaunce Of hyr vntrouthe & dysauenture And that this was shewyd hym in fygure For whiche he for Syble his suster sente That callyd was Cassandra eke al aboute And al his dreme / he told hyr or he wente And hyr bysought / assoylen hym the doute Of this strong bore with tuskys stoute And fynally within a lytel stounde Cassandra ryght thus his dreme expound She gan fyrst smyle / & sayd broder dere If thow a sothe of this desyrest to knowe Thow must a fewe of old storyes here To purpoos how that fortune ouerthrowe Hath lordes hye / whiche within a throwe This bore shalt thou know wel / & of what kynd He comyn is / as men in bookes fynd Dyane whiche that wrothe was & in yre For grekes nold doo hyr sacryfyce Ne encens on hyr aulter set a fyre She for that grekes / gan hyr despyse Wroke hyr in a wonder cruel wyse For with a bore / as grete as Oxe in stalle She made hym et● vp hyr corne & vpnes alle To slee this bore was all the countre reysed Amonges whiche there come this bore to see A mayde one of this world best y preysed And Meleager lord of that countre He louyd soo / this fresshe mayde free That with his manhood / or he wold stent This bore he slowe / and hyr the heede he sent Of whiche as old ●okes tellen vs There roos a ●ontek ●a grete enuye And of this lord des●endyd Tydeus By lyne / or esses / old bookes lye But how this Meleager gan for to dye Thorugh his moder wyl I yow not ●●lle For al to long it were for to duelle She told eke / how Tydeus she sent Vnto the strong ●yte of Thebes To clayme kyngdom of the cyte & went For his felowe ●an Possymytrs Of whiche his owne broder Ethyocles Ful wrongfully of 〈◊〉 held the strength This ●old she by processe & by lengthe She told eke / how he monyde● as●erte 〈…〉 knyghtes stou●● 〈…〉 kynged with theyr 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ther the cyte of aboute And of the holy serpent & the welle And of the furyed of gan she hym 〈◊〉 Associat profugum / Tideus prim● Po●●midem Tidea legatum / docet infidias 〈◊〉 secundis Teraus Hermodien 〈…〉 Mor● fur●e ●euine/quin●● narrantur & angues Ouartue ba●et wges / ineuntes 〈◊〉 septem Archynon luse● / seyto lud● 〈◊〉 leguntur Dat Grai●s Thel●s/v●●●em sep●●nis vmb●s Ocrauo c●adit / Tideus spes vit● pelagis Ipomedon nono moritur cum Parthonepeo Fulmine percusso / decimo Canapus superatur Vndecimo sese / perimunt per vutnera fratres Argiuam flentem / narrat duodenis & ignem Of Archenores buryeng / and the playes And how Amphyoray / fyl thurgh the ground How Tydeus was slayn lord of Argeys And how Ipomedon in a lytel stounde Was dreynt & dede / Parthonope of wound And how Canapus the prowde With thonder was slayn that cryed lowde She gan hym eke telle / how that eyther broder Ethyocles and Polemyte also At a scarmuche eche of theym slowe other And of Argyue / hyr wepyng & hyr woo And how the town was brent / she told eke th● And so descendyd doune from gestys old To Dyomede / & thus she spack & told This ylke bore bytokeneth Dyomede Tydeus sonne that doune descended is Fro Meleager / that made the bore to blode And thy lady● where that she be ywys This Dyomede hyr hert hath / & she his Wepe yf thow wylt or leue / for oute of doute This Dyomede is in / & thou art out Thow seyst not soth thou fals sorceres With al thy fals goost of Prophecye Thow wenest to be a grete dyuyneres Now seest thow not this foole of fantasye Peyneth hyr / on ladyes for to lye Awey quod he there Iouys yeue the sorowe Thow shalt be fals paraunter yet to morowe As wele myghtest thow lye vppon Alceste That was of creatures / but men lye That euer was the kyndethe & best For when hyr husbond was in ieopardye To dye hym self / but yf she wold dye She chaas for hym to dye / and goo to helle And starf anone as vs the bokes telle Cassandre goth / & he with cruel herte For that his woo / for anger of her speche And from his bed al sodeynly he stert As though al hole hym had made a leche And day by day / he gan enquere & seche A sooth of this with al his besy cure And thus he dryneth forth his aduenture Fortune whiche hath the permutacyon Of thynges had / as it is here commytted By purueaunce and dysposycyoun Of hym Ioue / as Reygnes shul be flytted From folk in folk / or when they shal be smitted Gan pul awey the fethers bryght of Troye From day to day / tyl they be bare of ioye Among al this the fyn of the parody Of Hector gan approche wonder blyue The faate wold / his soule shold vnbody And shapen had a mene oute to dryue Ageynst whiche faat / hym helpyth not to stryue But on a day to fyght gan be wende At whiche alas he caught his last ende For whiche me thynketh that euery maner wyght That hauntyth armes / ought to bewayle The deth of hym that was so noble a knyght For as he drowe a kyng by the auentayle Vnware of this Achylles thurgh the mayle And thurgh the body gan hym for to ryue And thus that worthy knyght was brought from liue For whome as old bookes tellen vs Was made suche wo that tonge may it not telle And namelyche the sorowe of Troylus That next hym was of worthynes welle And in this woo gan Troylus to duelle That for that sorowe / & loue of his vnrest Ful ofte a day he had his herte brest But netheles though he gan hym dyspeyre He dred ay his lady was vntrewe Yet ay on hyr his herte gan repayre And as louers done / he sought ay newe To gete ageyne Treseyde bryght of hewe And in his herte he wente ay excusyng That Calcas caused al hyr taryeng And oftyme he was in purpoos grete Hym self lyke a pylgrym to desguyse To seen hyr / but he couthe not counterfete To be vnknowe of folk that were wyse Ne fynd excuse a ryght / that myght suffyse If he among the grekes knowen were For whiche he wepte ful ofte many a tere To hyr he wrote yet efte al newe Ful pytously he lete not for slouth Bysechyng hyr / that syth he was trewe That she wold come ageyne / & hold her trouth For whiche Creseyde vppon a day for routhe I take it soo / touchyng al this matere Wrote hym ageyne / & sayd / as ye may here Cupydes sone / ensample of goodlyheed O swerd of knyghthode / sours of gentylnesse How myght a wyght in turment & in drede And helthles send yow / as yet gladnesse I herteles / I syghe in grete dystresse Syth ye with me nor I with yow may dele Yow may I send neyther herte ne hele Youre lettres ful the papyr al be pleynted Conceyued hath myn hertes pyte I haue eke seyn with teres al be peynted Youre letter / & how ye ● quyren me To come ageyne / whiche yet may not be But why lest that this letter found were No mencyoun make I now for fere Greuous to me / god wote your vnreste Youre hast / & if at the goddes ordynaunce It semeth not / ye take it for the best For other thynges nys in youre remembraun●● As thynketh me / but only youre p●saunce But he not wroth / and that I yow byseche For that I tarye / it is for wykked speche For I haue herd wel more than I wende Towchyng v● two how thynges haue y stōde Whiche I shal with dyssymylyng amende And be ye not wrothe I haue eke vnderstonde How ye ne doo / but hold me in honde But now no fore / I can not in yow gesse But al trouthe euer / and al gentylnesse Come I wyl / but yet in suche disioynt I stond as now / but what houre or what daye That this shal b●●an I not apoynt But in effect / I pray yow as I may Of youre good word / & of youre frendship ay For trewely / whyse my lyf may dure As for a frend / ye may in me assurr Yet I pray yow / on euyl ye ne take That it is short / whiche I to yow wryte I dare not there I am wel lettres make ●le neuer yet couthe I wel● endyte Eke grete effect / men wryte in place lyte Thene●ut is al / & not the lettres space And farith now wel god haue you in his grace Troylus this letter thought al straunge When he it sawe / and sorowfully he syght Hym thought it a kalendys of chaunge But fynally he ful ne trowen myght That she ne wold hold hym that she hyght For withful euyl wylle / lyst hym to leue That louith wele in suche caas / though hym greue But netheles men seyn that at the last For ony thyng / men shuln the sooth see And suche a caas betyd / and that as fast That Troylus wele vnderstood that she Nas not so kynde / as hyr ought to be And fynally he wote now oute of doute That al is lost / that he hath ben aboute Stood on a day / in his melancolye This Troylus / and in suspectyoun Of hyr / for whome he wende for to dye And soo byfel that thurgh Troye Towne As was the gyse / bore was vp & doime A maner cote armure / as seyth the story Byfore Deyphebus in sygne of vyctory The whiche Cote / as seyth Lollyus Deyphebe had rent from Dyomede The same day / and whan this Troylus It sawe he gan to take of it hede Auysyng on the lengthe / & of the brede And al the werk / & as he gan byhold Ful sodeynly his herte gan to cold As he that on the coler fond within A broche that he Creseyde yafe at morowe That she from Troy must nedes twynne In remembraunce of hym / & of his sow●●● And she hym leyde her feyth ageyne to borowe To kepe it / but now ful wele he wyst His lady was no l●nger for to tryst He goth hym home / and than ful soone he sende For Pandarus / & al this newe chaunce And of his broche / he told hym word & ende Compleynyng of hyr hertes varyaunce His long loue / his trouthe & his penaunce And after dethe withoute wordes more Ful fast he cryed his rest hym to restore Than ●pak he thus / O lady bryght Creseyde Where is youre feyth / where is youre byhest Where is youre loue where is your trouth he seide O Dyomede / haue ye now al this fest Alas I wold haue trowed at the lest That syth ye nold trewe to me stonde That thus ye nold haue hold me in honde Who shal now trowe ony othes moo Alas I wold neuer haue wende or this That ye Creseyde couthe haue chaunged so Not but I had a gylt / or done amys So cruel wende I not youre herte ywys To slee me thus / alas your name of trouthe Is now fordone / & that is al my reuthe Was there none other froche ye lyst to lete To fese with youre newe leue quod he But thylk broche / that I with teres weete Yow yofe / as for a remembraunce of me None other cause alas ne hadden ye But for despyte / & eke for that ye ment Al vtterly to shewe youre entent Thorugh which I see clene out of your mynde Ye haue me cast / and I ne can ne may For al this world within myn herte fynde To vnloue yow a quarter of a day In cursyd tyme I borne was wel away That ye that doo me al this woo endure Yet loue I best of ony creature Now god quod he / yet send me that grace That I may mete with this Dyomede And trewely yf I haue myght and space Yet shal I make / I hope his sydes blede O god quod he that oughtest taken hede To further trouthe / & wronges to punyce Why nyl thow doo a vengeaunce of this vyce O Pandare that in dremes for to tryst Me blamed hast / & ofte me vp breyde Now mayst thow see thy self / yf that thow list How trewe is now thy nece bryght Creseyde In sondry fourmes / god it wote he seyde The goddes shewe / bothe ioye & tene In slepe / and be my dreme it is sene And certeynly withoute more speche Form hens forth / as ferforth as I may Myn owne dethe in armes wylle I seche I retche not how soone be the daye But trewely Creseyde swete may Whome I haue ay with al my myght y seruyd That ye thus doo / I haue it not deserud This Pandarus that al these thynges herd And wyst we le / he sayd a sooth of this He not a word to hym ageyne answerd For sory of his frendes / sorowe he is And shamed for his nece had done amys And stood astonyed of these causes twey As stille as stone / a word couthe he not not sey But at the last / thus he spak & seyde My broder dere I may doo the no more What shold I sey / I hate ywys Creseyde And god wote I wyl haate hyr euermore And that thou me bysoughtest done of yore Hauyng vnto myn honoure / nor to my rest Ryght no reward / I deed al that ye left If I dyd ought / that myght liken the It is me ●●ef and of this treson now God wote that it / a sorowe is vnto me And dredeles for heates 〈◊〉 of you Right fayn wold I it amende / wise I how And too thys world almyghty god I pray Delyuer hyr sone I can no more say Gre●e was the sorowe & the playnte of tro●lu● But forth his ceurs of fortune gan to holde 〈◊〉 loueth so the sone of tydeus And twylus 〈◊〉 wepe in cares colde Suche is the world who so can beholde In eche estate is 〈◊〉 hertes reste God lete v● take it al for the ●este In many cruel bataylle out of drede Of troylus this ylke noble knyght 〈◊〉 men may in th●se olde bookes red● Was seen his knyghthode & his grete myght And dredele● his yrr day and nyght Ful cruelly the gres●y● ay abought And alwey most this d●●m●de he sought And ofte tyme I fynde that they mette With blody 〈◊〉 & with worde a 〈◊〉 Assay●ng how then speres we●r I w●tt● And god wotr with 〈◊〉 a cruel 〈◊〉 Can troylus vpon 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 But netheles fortune 〈◊〉 not ne wotd Of other hand that eyther dye shold And yf I had taken for to wryte The a●nes of thise ylke worthy man Than wold I of his bataylles endyte But for that I to wryte first began Of his loue I haue sayd as I can His worthy dedes who so list hem here Rede dares he can telle hem al in fere Bysechyng euery lady bryght of hewe And euery gentylwoman what she be That alle that Creseyde was vntrewe That for that gylt ye be not wroth with me Ye may hyr gylt in other bookes see And gladlyer I wold wryte / yf yow lest Penolopes trouthe / and good Alcest Ne I seye not this / as only for this men But moost for wymmen that betrayed be Thorugh fals folk / god yeue hem sorowe amen That with theyr grete wordes & subtylyte Bytrayeth yow / & this now meueth me To speke / & in effect al yow I prey Beeth ware of men / & herken what I sey God lytel book / goo lytel Tregedye That god thy maker / yet or that I dye So sende me myght / to make somme comedye But lytel book / make thow none enuye But subget be thou vnto al Poesye And kysse the steppes / where as thow seest space Of Vyrgyle / Ouyde / Homere / Lucan / & stace And for ther is so grete dyuersyte In Englysshe / & in wrytynge of oure tonge Soo pray to god / that none myswryte the Ne the mysmetre for defaute of tonge And red where so thow be / or elles songe That thow be vnderstonde / god I byseche But yet to purpoos of my rather speche The wrathe / as I bygan yow for to seye Of Troylus how the grekes bought dere For thousandys of his handes dyd he deye As he that was withoute ony pere Saue Hector in his tyme as I can here But we le awey / sauf only goddes wylle Dyspytously hym slowe the fyers Achylle And when that he was slayn in this manere His lyght goost / ful blysfully is went Vnto the holownes of the eyght spere In his place letyng eche element And there he sawe with ful aduysement How he was sloyne / alas al to rathe The folke of Troye to moche harme & skathe And doune from thens fyrst he gan aduyse This lytel spot of erthe / that with the see Enbracyd is / & fully gan despyse This wretchyd world / & helde it vanyte To respect of that playne felycyte That is in heuene aboue / & at the last There he was slayn / his lokyng doune he case And in hym self he l●ugh ryght at the woo On hem that wepen for his deth so fast And dampnen al oure werkes that folowen so The blynde lust / whiche that may not last And shold al oure hertes to heuene cast Now forth he went shortely for to telle There as Mercurye sortyd hym to dwelle Suche fyne hath loo / this Troylus for loue Suche fyne his loue / suche fyne his noblesse Suche fyne hath his estate ryal aboue Suche fyne hath fals worldes trotylnesse Suche fyne hath al his grete worthynesse And thus bygan / his louyng of Creseyde As I haue told / and in this wyse he deyde O yong fresshe folkes / he or she In which that loue vp growyth with your age Repayreth home from worldly vanyte And of youre herte vp casteth the vysage To thylk lord / that after his ymage Yow made / and thynketh al is but a fayre This world that passyth sone / as ●●●ures faire And louyth hym whiche that ryght for loue Vpon a crosse oure soules for to beye Fyrst starf & roose / & syth in heuene aboue For he wyl fals no wyght dare I seye That wyl his herte al holy on hym leye And soothe / he best is to loue / and moost meke What nedeth feyned loue here for to seke Loo here of Paynems cursyd old rytes Loo here what al theyr goddes may auayle Loo here these worldes wretchyd appetytes Loo here the fyne & guerdon for trauayle Of Ioue Appollo / of mars / suche rascayle Loo here the forme of old clerkes speche In poetrye / yf ye theyr bookes seche O moral Gower this book I dyrect To the and to the Phylosophycal Strode To vouchesauf there nede is to correct And of youre benyngnytees / and zelys goode And to that sothfast / Crist that starf on roode With al myn herte of mercy I prey And to the lorde ryght thus I speke & seye Thou one and twoo / and thre eterne a lyu● That regnest ay in thre twoo and one Incircumscript / & al mayst circumscryue Vs from vysyble and Inuysyble foon Defende & to thy mercy euerychone So make vs Ihesu for thy mercy dygne For loue of mayden / & moder thyn benyngne Here endeth Troylus / as touchyng Creseyde Explicit per Caxton