The Knight's Tale
Part I
859: Whilom, as olde stories tellen us, 
860: Ther was a duc that highte theseus; 
861: Of atthenes he was lord and governour, 
862: And in his tyme swich a conquerour, 
863: That gretter was ther noon under the sonne. 
864: Ful many a riche contree hadde he wonne; 
865: What with his wysdom and his chivalrie, 
866: He conquered al the regne of femenye, 
867: That whilom was ycleped scithia, 
868: And weddede the queene ypolita, 
869: And broghte hire hoom with hym in his contree 
870: With muchel glorie and greet solempnytee, 
871: And eek hir yonge suster emelye. 
872: And thus with victorie and with melodye 
873: Lete I this noble duc to atthenes ryde, 
874: And al his hoost in armes hym bisyde. 
875: And certes, if it nere to long to heere, 
876: I wolde have toold yow fully the manere 
877: How wonnen was the regne of femenye 
878: By theseus and by his chivalrye; 
879: And of the grete bataille for the nones 
880: Bitwixen atthenes and amazones; 
881: And how asseged was ypolita, 
882: The faire, hardy queene of scithia; 
883: And of the feste that was at hir weddynge, 
884: And of the tempest at hir hoom-comynge; 
885: But al that thyng I moot as now forbere. 
886: I have, God woot, a large feeld to ere, 
887: And wayke been the oxen in my plough. 
888: The remenant of the tale is long ynough. 
889: I wol nat letten eek noon of this route; 
890: Lat every felawe telle his tale aboute, 
891: And lat se now who shal the soper wynne; 
892: And ther I lefte, I wol ayeyn bigynne. 
893: This duc, of whom I make mencioun, 
894: Whan he was come almoost unto the toun, 
895: In al his wele and in his mooste pride, 
896: He was war, as he caste his eye aside, 
897: Where that ther kneled in the heighe weye 
898: A compaignye of ladyes, tweye and tweye, 
899: Ech after oother, clad in clothes blake; 
900: But swich a cry and swich a wo they make 
901: That in this world nys creature lyvynge 
902: That herde swich another waymentynge; 
903: And of this cry they nolde nevere stenten 
904: Til they the reynes of his brydel henten. 
905: What fold been ye, that at myn homcomynge 
906: Perturben so my feste with criynge? 
907: Quod theseus. Have ye so greet envye 
908: Of myn honour, that thus compleyne and crye? 
909: Or who hath yow mysboden or offended? 
910: And telleth me if it may been amended, 
911: And why that ye been clothed thus in blak. 
912: The eldeste lady of hem alle spak, 
913: Whan she hadde swowned with a deedly cheere, 
914: That it was routhe for to seen and heere. 
915: She seyde: lord, to whom fortune hath yiven 
916: Victorie, and as a conqueror to lyven, 
917: Nat greveth us youre glorie and youre honour, 
918: But we biseken mercy and socour. 
919: Have mercy on oure wo and oure distresse! 
920: Som drope of pitee, thurgh thy gentillesse, 
921: Upon us wrecched wommen lat thou falle. 
922: For, certes, lord, ther is noon of us alle, 
923: That she ne hath been a duchesse or a queene. 
924: Now be we caytyves, as it is wel seene, 
925: Thanked be fortune and hire false wheel, 
926: That noon estaat assureth to be weel. 
927: And certes, lord, to abyden youre presence, 
928: Heere in this temple of the goddesse clemence 
929: We han ben waitynge al this fourtenyght. 
930: Now help us, lord, sith it is in thy myght. 
931: I, wrecche, which that wepe and wayle thus, 
932: Was whilom wyf to kyng cappaneus, 
933: That starf at thebes -- cursed be that day! -- 
934: And alle we that been in this array 
935: And maken al this lamentacioun, 
936: We losten alle oure housbondes at that toun, 
937: Whil that the seege theraboute lay. 
938: And yet now the olde creon, weylaway! 
939: That lord is now of thebes the citee, 
940: Fulfild of ire and of iniquitee, 
941: He, for despit and for his tirannye, 
942: To do the dede bodyes vileynye 
943: Of alle oure lordes whiche that been yslawe, 
944: Hath alle the bodyes on an heep ydrawe, 
945: And wol nat suffren hem, by noon assent, 
946: Neither to been yburyed nor ybrent, 
947: But maketh houndes ete hem in despit. 
948: And with that word, withouten moore respit, 
949: They fillen gruf and criden pitously, 
950: Have on us wrecched wommen som mercy, 
951: And lat oure sorwe synken in thyn herte. 
952: This gentil duc doun from his courser sterte 
953: With herte pitous, whan he herde hem speke. 
954: Hym thoughte that his herte wolde breke, 
955: Whan he saugh hem so pitous and so maat, 
956: That whilom weren of so greet estaat; 
957: And in his armes he hem alle up hente, 
958: And hem conforteth in ful good entente, 
959: And swoor his ooth, as he was trewe knyght, 
960: He wolde doon so ferforthly his myght 
961: Upon the tiraunt creon hem to wreke, 
962: That al the peple of grece sholde speke 
963: How creon was of theseus yserved 
964: As he that hadde his deeth ful wel deserved. 
965: And right anoon, withouten moore abood, 
966: His baner he desplayeth, and forth rood 
967: To thebes-ward, and al his hoost biside. 
968: No neer atthenes wolde he go ne ride, 
969: Ne take his ese fully half a day, 
970: But onward on his wey that nyght he lay, 
971: And sente anon ypolita the queene, 
972: And emelye, hir yonge suster sheene, 
973: Unto the toun of atthenes to dwelle, 
974: And forth he rit; ther is namoore to telle. 
975: The rede statue of mars, with spere and targe, 
976: So shyneth in his white baner large, 
977: That alle the feeldes glyteren up and doun; 
978: And by his baner born is his penoun 
979: Of gold ful riche, in which ther was ybete 
980: The mynotaur, which that he slough in crete. 
981: Thus rit this duc, thus rit this conquerour, 
982: And in his hoost of chivalrie the flour, 
983: Til that he cam to thebes and alighte 
984: Faire in a feeld, ther as he thoughte to fighte. 
985: But shortly for to speken of this thyng, 
986: With creon, which that was of thebes kyng, 
987: He faught, and slough hym manly as a knyght 
988: In pleyn bataille, and putte the folk to flyght; 
989: And by assaut he wan the citee after, 
990: And rente adoun bothe wall and sparre and rafter; 
991: And to the ladyes he restored agayn 
992: The bones of hir housbondes that were slayn, 
993: To doon obsequies, as was tho the gyse. 
994: But it were al to longe for to devyse 
995: The grete clamour and the waymentynge 
996: That the ladyes made at the brennynge 
997: Of the bodies, and the grete honour 
998: That theseus, the noble conquerour, 
999: Dooth to the ladyes, whan they from hym wente; 
1000: But shortly for to telle is myn entente. 
1001: Whan that this worthy duc, this theseus, 
1002: Hath creon slayn, and wonne thebes thus, 
1003: Stille in that feeld he took al nyght his reste, 
1004: And dide with al the contree as hym leste. 
1005: To ransake in the taas of bodyes dede, 
1006: Hem for to strepe of harneys and of wede, 
1007: The pilours diden bisynesse and cure 
1008: After the bataille and disconfiture. 
1009: And so bifel that in the taas they founde, 
1010: Thurgh-girt with many a grevous blody wounde, 
1011: Two yonge knyghtes liggynge by and by, 
1012: Bothe in oon armes, wroght ful richely, 
1013: Of whiche two arcita highte that oon, 
1014: And that oother knyght highte palamon. 
1015: Nat fully quyke, ne fully dede they were, 
1016: But by hir cote-armures and by hir gere 
1017: The heraudes knewe hem best in special 
1018: As they that weren of the blood roial 
1019: Of thebes, and of sustren two yborn. 
1020: Out of the taas the pilours han hem torn, 
1021: And han hem caried softe unto the tente 
1022: Of theseus; and he ful soone hem sente 
1023: To atthenes, to dwellen in prisoun 
1024: Perpetuelly, -- he nolde no raunsoun. 
1025: And whan this worthy duc hath thus ydon, 
1026: He took his hoost, and hoom he rit anon 
1027: With laurer crowned as a conquerour; 
1028: And ther he lyveth in joye and in honour 
1029: Terme of his lyf; what nedeth wordes mo? 
1030: And in a tour, in angwissh and in wo, 
1031: This palamon and his felawe arcite 
1032: For everemoore; ther may no gold hem quite. 
1033: This passeth yeer by yeer and day by day, 
1034: Till it fil ones, in a morwe of may, 
1035: That emelye, that fairer was to sene 
1036: Than is the lylie upon his stalke grene, 
1037: And fressher than the may with floures newe -- 
1038: For with the rose colour stroof hire hewe, 
1039: I noot which was the fyner of hem two -- 
1040: Er it were day, as was hir wone to do, 
1041: She was arisen and al redy dight; 
1042: For may wole have no slogardie a-nyght. 
1043: The sesoun priketh every gentil herte, 
1044: And maketh hym out of his slep to sterte, 
1045: And seith arys, and do thyn observaunce. 
1046: This maked emelye have remembraunce 
1047: To doon honour to may, and for to ryse. 
1048: Yclothed was she fressh, for to devyse: 
1049: Hir yelow heer was broyded in a tresse 
1050: Bihynde hir bak, a yerde long, I gesse. 
1051: And in the gardyn, at the sonne upriste, 
1052: She walketh up and doun, and as hire liste 
1053: She gadereth floures, party white and rede, 
1054: To make a subtil gerland for hire hede; 
1055: And as an aungel hevenysshly she soong. 
1056: The grete tour, that was so thikke and stroong, 
1057: Which of the castel was the chief dongeoun, 
1058: (ther as the knyghtes weren in prisoun 
1059: Of which I tolde yow and tellen shal) 
1060: Was evene joynant to the gardyn wal 
1061: Ther as this emelye hadde hir pleyynge. 
1062: Bright was the sonne and cleer that morwenynge, 
1063: And palamoun, this woful prisoner, 
1064: As was his wone, by leve of his gayler, 
1065: Was risen and romed in a chambre an heigh, 
1066: In which he al the noble citee seigh, 
1067: And eek the gardyn, ful of braunches grene, 
1068: Ther as this fresshe emelye the shene 
1069: Was in hire walk, and romed up and doun. 
1070: This sorweful prisoner, this palamoun, 
1071: Goth in the chambre romynge to and fro, 
1072: And to hymself compleynynge of his wo. 
1073: That he was born, ful ofte he seyde, allas! 
1074: And so bifel, by aventure or cas, 
1075: That thurgh a wyndow, thikke of many a barre 
1076: Of iren greet and square as any sparre, 
1077: He cast his eye upon emelya, 
1078: And therwithal he bleynte and cride, a! 
1079: As though he stongen were unto the herte. 
1080: And with that cry arcite anon up sterte, 
1081: And seyde, cosyn myn, what eyleth thee, 
1082: That art so pale and deedly on to see? 
1083: Why cridestow? who hath thee doon offence? 
1084: For goddes love, taak al in pacience 
1085: Oure prisoun, for it may noon oother be. 
1086: Fortune hath yeven us this adversitee. 
1087: Som wikke aspect or disposicioun 
1088: Of saturne, by som constellacioun, 
1089: Hath yeven us this, although we hadde it sworn; 
1090: So stood the hevene whan that we were born. 
1091: We moste endure it; this is the short and playn. 
1092: This palamon answerde and seyde agayn: 
1093: Cosyn, for sothe, of this opinioun 
1094: Thow hast a veyn ymaginacioun. 
1095: This prison caused me nat for to crye, 
1096: But I was hurt right now thurghout myn ye 
1097: Into myn herte, that wol my bane be. 
1098: The fairnesse of that lady that I see 
1099: Yond in the gardyn romen to and fro 
1100: Is cause of al my criyng and my wo. 
1101: I noot wher she be womman or goddesse, 
1102: But venus is it soothly, as I gesse. 
1103: And therwithal on knees doun he fil, 
1104: And seyde: venus, if it be thy wil 
1105: Yow in this gardyn thus to transfigure 
1106: Bifore me, sorweful, wrecched creature, 
1107: Out of this prisoun help that we may scapen. 
1108: And if so be my destynee be shapen 
1109: By eterne word to dyen in prisoun, 
1110: Of oure lynage have som compassioun, 
1111: That is so lowe ybroght by tirannye. 
1112: And with that word arcite gan espye 
1113: Wher as this lady romed to and fro, 
1114: And with that sighte hir beautee hurte hym so, 
1115: That, if that palamon was wounded sore, 
1116: Arcite is hurt as muche as he, or moore. 
1117: And with a sigh he seyde pitously: 
1118: The fresshe beautee sleeth me sodeynly 
1119: Of hire that rometh in the yonder place, 
1120: And but I have hir mercy and hir grace, 
1121: That I may seen hire atte leeste weye, 
1122: I nam but deed; ther nis namoore to seye. 
1123: This palamon, whan he tho wordes herde, 
1124: Dispitously he looked and answerde, 
1125: Wheither seistow this in ernest or in pley? 
1126: Nay, quod arcite, in ernest, by my fey! 
1127: God helpe me so, me list ful yvele pleye. 
1128: This palamon gan knytte his browes tweye. 
1129: It nere, quod he, to thee no greet honour 
1130: For to be fals, ne for to be traitour 
1131: To me, that am thy cosyn and thy brother 
1132: Ysworn ful depe, and ech of us til oother, 
1133: That nevere, for to dyen in the peyne, 
1134: Til that the deeth departe shal us tweyne, 
1135: Neither of us in love to hyndre oother, 
1136: Ne in noon oother cas, my leeve brother; 
1137: But that thou sholdest trewely forthren me 
1138: In every cas, as I shal forthren thee, -- 
1139: This was thyn ooth, and myn also, certeyn; 
1140: I woot right wel, thou darst it nat withseyn. 
1141: Thus artow of my conseil, out of doute, 
1142: And now thow woldest falsly been aboute 
1143: To love my lady, whom I love and serve, 
1144: And evere shal til that myn herte sterve. 
1145: Nay, certes, false arcite, thow shalt nat so. 
1146: I loved hire first, and tolde thee my wo 
1147: As to my conseil and my brother sworn 
1148: To forthre me, as I have toold biforn. 
1149: For which thou art ybounden as a knyght 
1150: To helpen me, if it lay in thy myght, 
1151: Or elles artow fals, I dar wel seyn. 
1152: This arcite ful proudly spak ageyn: 
1153: Thow shalt, quod he, be rather fals than I; 
1154: And thou art fals, I telle thee outrely, 
1155: For paramour I loved hire first er thow. 
1156: What wiltow seyen? thou woost nat yet now 
1157: Wheither she be a womman or goddesse! 
1158: Thyn is affeccioun of hoolynesse, 
1159: And myn is love, as to a creature; 
1160: For which I tolde thee myn aventure 
1161: As to my cosyn and my brother sworn. 
1162: I pose that thow lovedest hire biforn; 
1163: Wostow nat wel the olde clerkes sawe, 
1164: That "who shal yeve a lovere any lawe?" 
1165: Love is a gretter lawe, by my pan, 
1166: Than may be yeve to any erthely man; 
1167: And therfore positif lawe and swich decree 
1168: Is broken al day for love in ech degree. 
1169: A man moot nedes love, maugree his heed. 
1170: He may nat fleen it, thogh he sholde be deed, 
1171: Al be she mayde, or wydwe, or elles wyf. 
1172: And eek it is nat likly al thy lyf 
1173: To stonden in hir grace; namoore shal I; 
1174: For wel thou woost thyselven, verraily, 
1175: That thou and I be dampned to prisoun 
1176: Perpetuelly; us gayneth no raunsoun. 
1177: We stryve as dide the houndes for the boon; 
1178: They foughte al day, and yet hir part was noon. 
1179: Ther cam a kyte, whil that they were so wrothe, 
1180: And baar awey the boon bitwixe hem bothe. 
1181: And therfore, at the kynges court, my brother, 
1182: Ech man for hymself, ther is noon oother. 
1183: Love, if thee list, for I love and ay shal; 
1184: And soothly, leeve brother, this is al. 
1185: Heere in this prisoun moote we endure, 
1186: And everich of us take his aventure. 
1187: Greet was the strif and long bitwix hem tweye, 
1188: If that I hadde leyser for to seye, 
1189: But to th' effect. It happed on a day, 
1190: To telle it yow as shortly as I may, 
1191: A worthy duc that highte perotheus, 
1192: That felawe was unto duc theseus 
1193: Syn thilke day that they were children lite, 
1194: Was come to atthenes his felawe to visite, 
1195: And for to pleye as he was wont to do; 
1196: For in this world he loved no man so, 
1197: And he loved hym als tendrely agayn. 
1198: So wel they lovede, as olde bookes sayn, 
1199: That whan that oon was deed, soothly to telle, 
1200: His felawe wente and soughte hym doun in helle, -- 
1201: But of that storie list me nat to write. 
1202: Duc perotheus loved wel arcite, 
1203: And hadde hym knowe at thebes yeer by yere, 
1204: And finally at requeste and preyere 
1205: Of perotheus, withouten any raunsoun, 
1206: Duc theseus hym leet out of prisoun 
1207: Frely to goon wher that hym liste over al, 
1208: In swich a gyse as I you tellen shal. 
1209: This was the forward, pleynly for t' endite, 
1210: Bitwixen theseus and hym arcite 
1211: That if so were that arcite were yfounde 
1212: Evere in his lif, by day or nyght, oo stounde 
1213: In any contree of this theseus, 
1214: And he were caught, it was acorded thus, 
1215: That with a swerd he sholde lese his heed. 
1216: Ther nas noon oother remedie ne reed; 
1217: But taketh his leve, and homward he him spedde. 
1218: Lat hym be war! his nekke lith to wedde. 
1219: How greet a sorwe suffreth now arcite! 
1220: The deeth he feeleth thurgh his herte smyte; 
1221: He wepeth, wayleth, crieth pitously; 
1222: To sleen hymself he waiteth prively. 
1223: He seyde, allas that day that I was born! 
1224: Now is my prisoun worse than biforn; 
1225: Now is me shape eternally to dwelle. 
1226: Noght in purgatorie, but in helle. 
1227: Allas, that evere knew I perotheus! 
1228: For elles hadde I dwelled with theseus, 
1229: Yfetered in his prisoun everemo. 
1230: Thanne hadde I been in blisse, and nat in wo. 
1231: Oonly the sighte of hire whom that I serve, 
1232: Though that I nevere hir grace may deserve, 
1233: Wolde han suffised right ynough for me. 
1234: O deere cosyn palamon, quod he, 
1235: Thyn is the victorie of this aventure. 
1236: Ful blisfully in prison maistow dure, -- 
1237: In prison? certes nay, but in paradys! 
1238: Wel hath fortune yturned thee the dys, 
1239: That hast the sighte of hire, and I th' absence. 
1240: For possible is, syn thou hast hire presence, 
1241: And art a knyght, a worthy and an able, 
1242: That by som cas, syn fortune is chaungeable, 
1243: Thow maist to thy desir somtyme atteyne. 
1244: But I, that am exiled and bareyne 
1245: Of alle grace, and in so greet dispeir, 
1246: That ther nys erthe, water, fir, ne eir, 
1247: Ne creature that of hem maked is, 
1248: That may me helpe or doon confort in this, 
1249: Wel oughte I sterve in wanhope and distresse. 
1250: Farwel my lif, my lust, and my gladnesse! 
1251: Allas, why pleynen folk so in commune 
1252: On purveiaunce of god, or of fortune, 
1253: That yeveth hem ful ofte in many a gyse 
1254: Wel bettre than they kan hemself devyse? 
1255: Som man desireth for to han richesse, 
1256: That cause is of his mordre or greet siknesse; 
1257: And som man wolde out of his prisoun fayn, 
1258: That in his hous is of his meynee slayn. 
1259: Infinite harmes been in this mateere. 
1260: We witen nat what thing we preyen heere: 
1261: We faren as he that dronke is as a mous. 
1262: A dronke man woot wel he hath an hous, 
1263: But he noot which the righte wey is thider, 
1264: And to a dronke man the wey is slider. 
1265: And certes, in this world so faren we; 
1266: We seken faste after felicitee, 
1267: But we goon wrong ful often, trewely. 
1268: Thus may we seyen alle, and namely I, 
1269: That wende and hadde a greet opinioun 
1270: That if I myghte escapen from prisoun, 
1271: Thanne hadde I been in joye and perfit heele, 
1272: Ther now I am exiled fro my wele. 
1273: Syn that I may nat seen you, emelye, 
1274: I nam but deed; ther nys no remedye. 
1275: Upon that oother syde palamon, 
1276: Whan that he wiste arcite was agon, 
1277: Swich sorwe he maketh that the grete tour 
1278: Resouneth of his youlyng and clamour. 
1279: The pure fettres on his shynes grete 
1280: Weren of his bittre, salte teeres wete. 
1281: Allas, quod he, arcita, cosyn myn, 
1282: Of al oure strif, God woot, the fruyt is thyn. 
1283: Thou walkest now in thebes at thy large, 
1284: And of my wo thow yevest litel charge. 
1285: Thou mayst, syn thou hast wisdom and manhede, 
1286: Assemblen alle the folk of oure kynrede, 
1287: And make a werre so sharp on this citee, 
1288: That by som aventure or some tretee 
1289: Thow mayst have hire to lady and to wyf 
1290: For whom that I moste nedes lese my lyf. 
1291: For, as by wey of possibilitee, 
1292: Sith thou art at thy large, of prisoun free, 
1293: And art a lord, greet is thyn avauntage 
1294: Moore than is myn, that sterve here in a cage. 
1295: For I moot wepe and wayle, whil I lyve, 
1296: With al the wo that prison may me yive, 
1297: And eek with peyne that love me yeveth also, 
1298: That doubleth al my torment and my wo.
1299: Therwith the fyr of jalousie up sterte 
1300: Withinne his brest, and hente him by the herte 
1301: So woodly that he lyk was to biholde 
1302: The boxtree or the asshen dede and colde. 
1303: Thanne seyde he, o crueel goddes that governe 
1304: This world with byndyng of youre word eterne, 
1305: And writen in the table of atthamaunt 
1306: Youre parlement and youre eterne graunt, 
1307: What is mankynde moore unto you holde 
1308: Than is the sheep that rouketh in the folde? 
1309: For slayn is man right as another beest, 
1310: And dwelleth eek in prison and arreest, 
1311: And hath siknesse and greet adversitee, 
1312: And ofte tymes giltelees, pardee. 
1313: What governance is in this prescience, 
1314: That giltelees tormenteth innocence? 
1315: And yet encresseth this al my penaunce, 
1316: That man is bounden to his observaunce, 
1317: For goddes sake, to letten of his wille, 
1318: Ther as a beest may al his lust fulfille. 
1319: And whan a beest is deed he hath no peyne; 
1320: But man after his deeth moot wepe and pleyne, 
1321: Though in this world he have care and wo. 
1322: Withouten doute it may stonden so. 
1323: The answere of this lete I to dyvynys, 
1324: But wel I woot that in this world greet pyne ys. 
1325: Allas, I se a serpent or a theef, 
1326: That many a trewe man hath doon mescheef, 
1327: Goon at his large, and where hym list may turne. 
1328: But I moot been in prisoun thurgh saturne, 
1329: And eek thurgh juno, jalous and eek wood, 
1330: That hath destroyed wel ny al the blood 
1331: Of thebes with his waste walles wyde; 
1332: And venus sleeth me on that oother syde 
1333: For jalousie and fere of hym arcite. 
1334: Now wol I stynte of palamon a lite, 
1335: And lete hym in his prisoun stille dwelle, 
1336: And of arcita forth I wol yow telle. 
1337: The somer passeth, and the nyghtes longe 
1338: Encressen double wise the peynes stronge 
1339: Bothe of the lovere and the prisoner. 
1340: I noot which hath the wofuller mester. 
1341: For, shortly for to seyn, this palamoun 
1342: Perpetuelly is dampned to prisoun, 
1343: In cheynes and in fettres to been deed; 
1344: And arcite is exiled upon his heed 
1345: For everemo, as out of that contree, 
1346: Ne nevere mo he shal his lady see. 
1347: Yow loveres axe I now this questioun: 
1348: Who hath the worse, arcite or palamoun? 
1349: That oon may seen his lady day by day, 
1350: But in prison he moot dwelle alway; 
1351: That oother wher hym list may ride or go, 
1352: But seen his lady shal he nevere mo. 
1353: Now demeth as yow liste, ye that kan, 
1354: For I wol telle forth as I bigan. 
Explicit prima pars. 
Sequitur pars secunda.
1355: Whan that arcite to thebes comen was, 
1356: Ful ofte a day he swelte and seyde allas! 
1357: For seen his lady shal he nevere mo. 
1358: And shortly to concluden al his wo, 
1359: So muche sorwe hadde nevere creature 
1360: That is, or shal, whil that the world may dure. 
1361: His slep, his mete, his drynke, is hym biraft, 
1362: That lene he wex and drye as is a shaft; 
1363: His eyen holwe, and grisly to biholde, 
1364: His hewe falow and pale as asshen colde, 
1365: And solitarie he was and evere allone, 
1366: And waillynge al the nyght, makynge his mone; 
1367: And if he herde song or instrument, 
1368: Thanne wolde he wepe, he myghte nat be stent. 
1369: So feble eek were his spiritz, and so lowe, 
1370: And chaunged so, that no man koude knowe 
1371: His speche nor his voys, though men it herde. 
1372: And in his geere for al the world he ferde, 
1373: Nat oonly lik the loveris maladye 
1374: Of hereos, but rather lyk manye, 
1375: Engendred of humour malencolik, 
1376: Biforen, in his celle fantastik. 
1377: And shortly, turned was al up so doun 
1378: Bothe habit and eek disposicioun 
1379: Of hym, this woful lovere daun arcite. 
1380: What sholde I al day of his wo endite? 
1381: Whan he endured hadde a yeer or two 
1382: This crueel torment and this peyne and wo, 
1383: At thebes, in his contree, as I seyde, 
1384: Upon a nyght in sleep as he hym leyde, 
1385: Hym thoughte how that the wynged God mercurie 
1386: Biforn hym stood and bad hym to be murie. 
1387: His slepy yerde in hond he bar uprighte; 
1388: An hat he werede upon his heris brighte. 
1389: Arrayed was this god, as he took keep, 
1390: As he was whan that argus took his sleep; 
1391: And seyde hym thus: to atthenes shaltou wende, 
1392: Ther is thee shapen of thy wo an ende. 
1393: And with that word arcite wook and sterte. 
1394: Now trewely, hou soore that me smerte, 
1395: Quod he, to atthenes right now wol I fare, 
1396: Ne for the drede of deeth shal I nat spare 
1397: To se my lady, that I love and serve. 
1398: In hire presence I recche nat to sterve. 
1399: And with that word he caughte a greet mirour, 
1400: And saugh that chaunged was al his colour, 
1401: And saugh his visage al in another kynde. 
1402: And right anon it ran hym in his mynde, 
1403: That, sith his face was so disfigured 
1404: Of maladye the which he hadde endured, 
1405: He myghte wel, if that he bar hym lowe, 
1406: Lyve in atthenes everemoore unknowe. 
1407: And seen his lady wel ny day by day. 
1408: And right anon he chaunged his array, 
1409: And cladde hym as a povre laborer, 
1410: And al allone, save oonly a squier 
1411: That knew his privetee and al his cas, 
1412: Which was disgised povrely as he was, 
1413: To atthenes is he goon the nexte way. 
1414: And to the court he wente upon a day, 
1415: And at the gate he profreth his servyse 
1416: To drugge and drawe, what so men wol devyse. 
1417: And shortly of this matere for to seyn, 
1418: He fil in office with a chamberleyn 
1419: The which that dwellynge was with emelye; 
1420: For he was wys and koude soone espye 
1421: Of every servaunt which that serveth here. 
1422: Wel koude he hewen wode, and water bere, 
1423: For he was yong and myghty for the nones, 
1424: And therto he was long and big of bones 
1425: To doon that any wight kan hym devyse. 
1426: A yeer or two he was in this servyse, 
1427: Page of the chambre of emelye the brighte; 
1428: And philostrate he seyde that he highte. 
1429: But half so wel biloved a man as he 
1430: Ne was ther nevere in court of his degree; 
1431: He was so gentil of condicioun 
1432: That thurghout al the court was his renoun. 
1433: They seyden that it were a charitee 
1434: That theseus wolde enhauncen his degree, 
1435: And putten hym in worshipful servyse, 
1436: Ther as he myghte his vertu excercise. 
1437: And thus withinne a while his name is spronge, 
1438: Bothe of his dedes and his goode tonge, 
1439: That theseus hath taken hym so neer, 
1440: That of his chambre he made hym a squier, 
1441: And gaf hym gold to mayntene his degree. 
1442: And eek men broghte hym out of his contree, 
1443: From yeer to yeer, ful pryvely his rente; 
1444: But honestly and slyly he it spente, 
1445: That no man wondred how that he it hadde. 
1446: And thre yeer in this wise his lif he ladde, 
1447: And bar hym so, in pees and eek in werre, 
1448: Ther was no man that theseus hath derre. 
1449: And in this blisse lete I now arcite, 
1450: And speke I wole of palamon a lite. 
1451: In derknesse and horrible and strong prisoun 
1452: Thise seven yeer hath seten palamoun 
1453: Forpyned, what for wo and for distresse. 
1454: Who feeleth double soor and hevynesse 
1455: But palamon, that love destreyneth so 
1456: That wood out of his wit he goth for wo? 
1457: And eek therto he is a prisoner 
1458: Perpetuelly, noght oonly for a yer. 
1459: Who koude ryme in englyssh proprely 
1460: His martirdom? for sothe it am nat I; 
1461: Therfore I passe as lightly as I may. 
1462: It fel that in the seventhe yer, of may 
1463: The thridde nyght, (as olde bookes seyn, 
1464: That al this storie tellen moore pleyn) 
1465: Were it by aventure or destynee -- 
1466: As, whan a thyng is shapen, it shal be -- 
1467: That soone after the mydnyght palamoun, 
1468: By helpyng of a freend, brak his prisoun 
1469: And fleeth the citee faste as he may go. 
1470: For he hadde yeve his gayler drynke so 
1471: Of a clarree maad of a certeyn wyn, 
1472: With nercotikes and opie of thebes fyn, 
1473: That al that nyght, thogh that men wolde him shake, 
1474: The gayler sleep, he myghte nat awake; 
1475: And thus he fleeth as faste as evere he may. 
1476: The nyght was short and faste by the day, 
1477: That nedes cost he moot hymselven hyde; 
1478: And til a grove faste ther bisyde 
1479: With dredeful foot thanne stalketh palamon. 
1480: For, shortly, this was his opinion, 
1481: That in that grove he wolde hym hyde al day, 
1482: And in the nyght thanne wolde he take his way 
1483: To thebes-ward, his freendes for to preye 
1484: On theseus to helpe him to werreye; 
1485: And shortly, outher he wolde lese his lif, 
1486: Or wynnen emelye unto his wyf. 
1487: This is th' effect and his entente pleyn. 
1488: Now wol I turne to arcite ageyn, 
1489: That litel wiste how ny that was his care, 
1490: Til that fortune had broght him in the snare. 
1491: The bisy larke, messager of day, 
1492: Salueth in hir song the morwe gray, 
1493: And firy phebus riseth up so bright 
1494: That al the orient laugheth of the light, 
1495: And with his stremes dryeth in the greves 
1496: The silver dropes hangynge on the leves. 
1497: And arcita, that in the court roial 
1498: With theseus is squier principal, 
1499: Is risen and looketh on the myrie day. 
1500: And for to doon his observaunce to may, 
1501: Remembrynge on the poynt of his desir, 
1502: He on a courser, startlynge as the fir, 
1503: Is riden into the feeldes hym to pleye, 
1504: Out of the court, were it a myle or tweye. 
1505: And to the grove of which that I yow tolde 
1506: By aventure his wey he gan to holde, 
1507: To maken hym a gerland of the greves 
1508: Were it of wodebynde or hawethorn leves, 
1509: And loude he song ayeyn the sonne shene: 
1510: May, with alle thy floures and thy grene, 
1511: Welcome be thou, faire, fresshe may, 
1512: In hope that I som grene gete may. 
1513: And from his courser, with a lusty herte, 
1514: Into the grove ful hastily he sterte, 
1515: And in a path he rometh up and doun, 
1516: Ther as by aventure this palamoun 
1517: Was in a bussh, that no man myghte hym se, 
1518: For soore afered of his deeth was he. 
1519: No thyng ne knew he that it was arcite; 
1520: God woot he wolde have trowed it ful lite. 
1521: But sooth is seyd, go sithen many yeres, 
1522: That feeld hath eyen and the wode hath eres. 
1523: It is ful fair a man to bere hym evene, 
1524: For al day meeteth men at unset stevene. 
1525: Ful litel woot arcite of his felawe, 
1526: That was so ny to herknen al his sawe, 
1527: For in the bussh he sitteth now ful stille. 
1528: Whan that arcite hadde romed al his fille, 
1529: And songen al the roundel lustily, 
1530: Into a studie he fil sodeynly, 
1531: As doon thise loveres in hir queynte geres, 
1532: Now in the crope, now doun in the breres, 
1533: Now up, now doun, as boket in a welle. 
1534: Right as the friday, soothly for to telle, 
1535: Now it shyneth, now it reyneth faste, 
1536: Right so kan geery venus overcaste 
1537: The hertes of hir folk; right as hir day 
1538: Is gereful, right so chaungeth she array. 
1539: Selde is the friday al the wowke ylike. 
1540: Whan that arcite had songe, he gan to sike, 
1541: And sette hym doun withouten any moore. 
1542: Allas, quod he, that day that I was bore! 
1543: How longe, juno, thurgh thy crueltee, 
1544: Woltow werreyen thebes the citee? 
1545: Allas, ybroght is to confusioun 
1546: The blood roial of cadme and amphioun, -- 
1547: Of cadmus, which that was the firste man 
1548: That thebes bulte, or first the toun bigan, 
1549: And of the citee first was crouned kyng. 
1550: Of his lynage am I and his ofspryng 
1551: By verray ligne, as of the stok roial, 
1552: And now I am so caytyf and so thral, 
1553: That he that is my mortal enemy, 
1554: I serve hym as his squier povrely. 
1555: And yet dooth juno me wel moore shame, 
1556: For I dar noght biknowe myn owene name; 
1557: But ther as I was wont to highte arcite, 
1558: Now highte I philostrate, noght worth a myte. 
1559: Allas, thou felle mars! allas, juno! 
1560: Thus hath youre ire oure lynage al fordo, 
1561: Save oonly me and wrecched palamoun, 
1562: That theseus martireth in prisoun. 
1563: And over al this, to sleen me outrely, 
1564: Love hath his firy dart so brennyngly 
1565: Ystiked thurgh my trewe, careful herte, 
1566: That shapen was my deeth erst than my sherte. 
1567: Ye sleen me with youre eyen, emelye! 
1568: Ye been the cause wherfore that I dye. 
1569: Of al the remenant of myn oother care 
1570: Ne sette I nat the montance of a tare, 
1571: So that I koude doon aught to youre plesaunce. 
1572: And with that word he fil doun in a traunce 
1573: A longe tyme, and after he up sterte. 
1574: This palamoun, that thoughte that thurgh his herte 
1575: He felte a coold swerd sodeynliche glyde, 
1576: For ire he quook, no lenger wolde he byde. 
1577: And whan that he had herd arcites tale, 
1578: As he were wood, with face deed and pale, 
1579: He stirte hym up out of the buskes thikke, 
1580: And seide: arcite, false traytour wikke, 
1581: Now artow hent, that lovest my lady so, 
1582: For whom that I have al this peyne and wo, 
1583: And art my blood, and to my conseil sworn, 
1584: As I ful ofte have told thee heerbiforn, 
1585: And hast byjaped heere duc theseus, 
1586: And falsly chaunged hast thy name thus! 
1587: I wol be deed, or elles thou shalt dye. 
1588: Thou shalt nat love my lady emelye, 
1589: But I wol love hire oonly and namo; 
1590: For I am palamon, thy mortal foo. 
1591: And though that I no wepene have in this place, 
1592: But out of prison am astert by grace, 
1593: I drede noght that outher thow shalt dye, 
1594: Or thow ne shalt nat loven emelye. 
1595: Chees which thou wolt, for thou shalt nat asterte! 
1596: This arcite, with ful despitous herte, 
1597: Whan he hym knew, and hadde his tale herd, 
1598: As fiers as leon pulled out his swerd, 
1599: And seyde thus: by God that sit above, 
1600: Nere it that thou art sik and wood for love, 
1601: And eek that thow no wepne hast in this place, 
1602: Thou sholdest nevere out of this grove pace, 
1603: That thou ne sholdest dyen of myn hond. 
1604: For I defye the seurete and the bond 
1605: Which that thou seist that I have maad to thee. 
1606: What, verray fool, thynk wel that love is free, 
1607: And I wol love hire maugree al thy myght! 
1608: But for as muche thou art a worthy knyght; 
1609: And wilnest to darreyne hire by bataille, 
1610: Have heer my trouthe, tomorwe I wol nat faille, 
1611: Withoute wityng of any oother wight, 
1612: That heere I wol be founden as a knyght, 
1613: And bryngen harneys right ynough for thee; 
1614: And ches the beste, and leef the worste for me. 
1615: And mete and drynke this nyght wol I brynge 
1616: Ynough for thee, and clothes for thy beddynge. 
1617: And if so be that thou my lady wynne, 
1618: And sle me in this wode ther I am inne, 
1619: Thow mayst wel have thy lady as for me. 
1620: This palamon answerde, I graunte it thee. 
1621: And thus they been departed til amorwe, 
1622: Whan ech of hem had leyd his feith to borwe. 
1623: O cupide, out of alle charitee! 
1624: O regne, that wolt no felawe have with thee! 
1625: Ful sooth is seyd that love ne lordshipe 
1626: Wol noght, his thankes, have no felaweshipe. 
1627: Wel fynden that arcite and palamoun. 
1628: Arcite is riden anon unto the toun, 
1629: And on the morwe, er it were dayes light, 
1630: Ful prively two harneys hath he dight, 
1631: Bothe suffisaunt and mete to darreyne 
1632: The bataille in the feeld bitwix hem tweyne; 
1633: And on his hors, allone as he was born, 
1634: He carieth al the harneys hym biforn. 
1635: And in the grove, at tyme and place yset, 
1636: This arcite and this palamon ben met. 
1637: Tho chaungen gan the colour in hir face, 
1638: Right as the hunters in the regne of trace, 
1639: That stondeth at the gappe with a spere, 
1640: Whan hunted is the leon or the bere, 
1641: And hereth hym come russhyyng in the greves, 
1642: And breketh bothe bowes and the leves, 
1643: And thynketh, heere cometh my mortal enemy! 
1644: Withoute faille, he moot be deed, or I; 
1645: For outher I moot sleen hym at the gappe, 
1646: Or he moot sleen me, if that me myshappe, -- 
1647: So ferden they in chaungyng of hir hewe, 
1648: As fer as everich of hem oother knewe. 
1649: Ther nas no good day, ne no saluyng, 
1650: But streight, withouten word or rehersyng, 
1651: Everich of hem heelp for to armen oother 
1652: As freendly as he were his owene brother; 
1653: And after that, with sharpe speres stronge 
1654: They foynen ech at oother wonder longe. 
1655: Thou myghtest wene that this palamon 
1656: In his fightyng were a wood leon, 
1657: And as a crueel tigre was arcite; 
1658: As wilde bores gonne they to smyte, 
1659: That frothen whit as foom for ire wood. 
1660: Up to the ancle foghte they in hir blood. 
1661: And in this wise I lete hem fightyng dwelle, 
1662: And forth I wole of theseus yow telle. 
1663: The destinee, ministre general, 
1664: That executeth in the world over al 
1665: The purveiaunce that God hath seyn biforn, 
1666: So strong it is that, though the world had sworn 
1667: The contrarie of a thyng by ye or nay, 
1668: Yet somtyme it shal fallen on a day 
1669: That falleth nat eft withinne a thousand yeer. 
1670: For certeinly, oure appetites heer, 
1671: Be it of werre, or pees, or hate, or love, 
1672: Al is this reuled by the sighte above. 
1673: This mene I now by myghty theseus, 
1674: That for to hunten is so desirus, 
1675: And namely at the grete hert in may, 
1676: That in his bed ther daweth hym no day 
1677: That he nys clad, and redy for to ryde 
1678: With hunte and horn and houndes hym bisyde. 
1679: For in his huntyng hath he swich delit 
1680: That it is al his joye and appetit 
1681: To been hymself the grete hertes bane, 
1682: For after mars he serveth now dyane. 
1683: Cleer was the day, as I have toold er this, 
1684: And theseus with alle joye and blis, 
1685: With his ypolita, the faire queene, 
1686: And emelye, clothed al in grene, 
1687: On huntyng be they riden roially. 
1688: And to the grove that stood ful faste by, 
1689: In which ther was an hert, as men hym tolde, 
1690: Duc theseus the streighte wey hath holde. 
1691: And to the launde he rideth hym ful right, 
1692: For thider was the hert wont have his flight, 
1693: And over a brook, and so forth on his weye. 
1694: This duc wol han a cours at hym or tweye 
1695: With houndes swiche as that hym list comaunde. 
1696: And whan this duc was come unto the launde, 
1697: Under the sonne he looketh, and anon 
1698: He was war of arcite and palamon, 
1699: That foughten breme, as it were bores two. 
1700: The brighte swerdes wenten to and fro 
1701: So hidously that with the leeste strook 
1702: It semed as it wolde felle an ook. 
1703: But what they were, no thyng he ne woot. 
1704: This duc his courser with his spores smoot, 
1705: And at a stert he was bitwix hem two, 
1706: And pulled out a swerd, and cride, hoo! 
1707: Namoore, up peyne of lesynge of youre heed! 
1708: By myghty mars, he shal anon be deed 
1709: That smyteth any strook that I may seen. 
1710: But telleth me what myster men ye been, 
1711: That been so hardy for to fighten heere 
1712: Withouten juge or oother officere, 
1713: As it were in a lystes roially. 
1714: This palamon answerde hastily, 
1715: And seyde, sire, what nedeth wordes mo? 
1716: We have the deeth disserved bothe two. 
1717: Two woful wrecches been we, two caytyves, 
1718: That been encombred of oure owene lyves; 
1719: And as thou art a rightful lord and juge, 
1720: Ne yif us neither mercy ne refuge, 
1721: But sle me first, for seinte charitee! 
1722: But sle my felawe eek as wel as me; 
1723: Or sle hym first, for though thow knowest it lite, 
1724: This is thy mortal foo, this is arcite, 
1725: That fro thy lond is banysshed on his heed, 
1726: For which he hath deserved to be deed. 
1727: For this is he that cam unto thy gate 
1728: And seyde that he highte philostrate. 
1729: Thus hath he japed thee ful many a yer, 
1730: And thou hast maked hym thy chief squier; 
1731: And this is he that loveth emelye. 
1732: For sith the day is come that I shal dye, 
1733: I make pleynly my confessioun 
1734: That I am thilke woful palamoun 
1735: That hath thy prisoun broken wikkedly. 
1736: I am thy mortal foo, and it am I 
1737: That loveth so hoote emelye the brighte 
1738: That I wol dye present in hir sighte. 
1739: Wherfore I axe deeth and my juwise; 
1740: But sle my felawe in the same wise, 
1741: For bothe han we deserved to be slayn. 
1742: This worthy duc answerde anon agayn, 
1743: And seyde, this is a short conclusioun. 
1744: Youre owene mouth, by youre confessioun, 
1745: Hath dampned yow, and I wol it recorde; 
1746: It nedeth noght to pyne yow with the corde. 
1747: Ye shal be deed, by myghty mars the rede! 
1748: The queene anon, for verray wommanhede, 
1749: Gan for to wepe, and so dide emelye, 
1750: And alle the ladyes in the compaignye. 
1751: Greet pitee was it, as it thoughte hem alle, 
1752: That evere swich a chaunce sholde falle; 
1753: For gentil men they were of greet estaat, 
1754: And no thyng but for love was this debaat; 
1755: And saugh hir blody woundes wyde and soore, 
1756: And alle crieden, bothe lasse and moore, 
1757: Have mercy, lord, upon us wommen alle! 
1758: And on hir bare knees adoun they falle, 
1759: And wolde have kist his feet ther as he stood; 
1760: Til at the laste aslaked was his mood, 
1761: For pitee renneth soone in gentil herte. 
1762: And though he first for ire quook and sterte, 
1763: He hath considered shortly, in a clause, 
1764: The trespas of hem bothe, and eek the cause, 
1765: And although that his ire hir gilt accused, 
1766: Yet in his resoun he hem bothe excused, 
1767: As thus: he thoghte wel that every man 
1768: Wol helpe hymself in love, if that he kan, 
1769: And eek delivere hymself out of prisoun. 
1770: And eek his herte hadde compassioun 
1771: Of wommen, for they wepen evere in oon; 
1772: And in his gentil herte he thoughte anon, 
1773: And softe unto hymself he seyde, fy 
1774: Upon a lord that wol have no mercy, 
1775: But been a leon, bothe in word and dede, 
1776: To hem that been in repentaunce and drede, 
1777: As wel as to a proud despitous man 
1778: That wol mayntene that he first bigan. 
1779: That lord hath litel of discrecioun, 
1780: That in swich cas kan no divisioun, 
1781: But weyeth pride and humblesse after oon. 
1782: And shortly, whan his ire is thus agoon, 
1783: He gan to looken up with eyen lighte, 
1784: And spak thise same wordes al on highte: 
1785: The God of love, a, benedicite! 
1786: How myghty and how greet a lord is he! 
1787: Ayeyns his myght ther gayneth none obstacles. 
1788: He may be cleped a God for his myracles; 
1789: For he kan maken, at his owene gyse, 
1790: Of everich herte as that hym list divyse. 
1791: Lo heere this arcite and this palamoun, 
1792: That quitly weren out of my prisoun, 
1793: And myghte han lyved in thebes roially, 
1794: And witen I am hir mortal enemy, 
1795: And that hir deth lith in my myght also; 
1796: And yet hath love, maugree hir eyen two, 
1797: Broght hem hyder bothe for to dye. 
1798: Now looketh, is nat that an heigh folye? 
1799: Who may been a fool, but if he love? 
1800: Bihoold, for goddes sake that sit above, 
1801: Se how they blede! be they noght wel arrayed? 
1802: Thus hath hir lord, the God of love, ypayed 
1803: Hir wages and hir fees for hir servyse! 
1804: And yet they wenen for to been ful wyse 
1805: That serven love, for aught that may bifalle. 
1806: But this is yet the beste game of alle, 
1807: That she for whom they han this jolitee 
1808: Kan hem therfore as muche thank as me. 
1809: She woot namoore of al this hoote fare, 
1810: By god, than woot a cokkow or an hare! 
1811: But all moot ben assayed, hoot and coold; 
1812: A man moot ben a fool, or yong or oold, -- 
1813: I woot it by myself ful yore agon, 
1814: For in my tyme a servant was I oon. 
1815: And therfore, syn I knowe of loves peyne, 
1816: And woot hou soore it kan a man distreyne, 
1817: As he that hath ben caught ofte in his laas, 
1818: I yow foryeve al hoolly this trespaas,
1819: At requeste of the queene, that kneleth heere, 
1820: And eek of emelye, my suster deere. 
1821: And ye shul bothe anon unto me swere 
1822: That nevere mo ye shal my contree dere, 
1823: Ne make werre upon me nyght ne day, 
1824: But been my freendes in all that ye may. 
1825: I yow foryeve this trespas every deel. 
1826: And they hym sworen his axyng faire and weel, 
1827: And hym of lordshipe and of mercy preyde, 
1828: And he hem graunteth grace, and thus he seyde: 
1829: To speke of roial lynage and richesse, 
1830: Though that she were a queene or a princesse, 
1831: Ech of you bothe is worthy, doutelees, 
1832: To wedden whan tyme is, but nathelees 
1833: I speke as for my suster emelye, 
1834: For whom ye have this strif and jalousye. 
1835: Ye woot yourself she may nat wedden two 
1836: Atones, though ye fighten everemo. 
1837: That oon of you, al be hym looth or lief, 
1838: He moot go pipen in an yvy leef; 
1839: This is to seyn, she may nat now han bothe, 
1840: Al be ye never so jalouse ne so wrothe. 
1841: And forthy I yow putte in this degree, 
1842: That ech of yow shal have his destynee 
1843: As hym is shape, and herkneth in what wyse; 
1844: Lo heere youre ende of that I shal devyse. 
1845: My wyl is this, for plat conclusioun, 
1846: Withouten any repplicacioun, -- 
1847: If that you liketh, take it for the beste: 
1848: That everich of you shal goon where hym leste 
1849: Frely, withouten raunson or daunger; 
1850: And this day fifty wykes, fer ne ner, 
1851: Everich of you shal brynge an hundred knyghtes 
1852: Armed for lystes up at alle rightes, 
1853: Al redy to darreyne hire by bataille. 
1854: And this bihote I yow withouten faille, 
1855: Upon my trouthe, and as I am a knyght, 
1856: That wheither of yow bothe that hath myght, -- 
1857: This is to seyn, that wheither he or thow 
1858: May with his hundred, as I spak of now, 
1859: Sleen his contrarie, or out of lystes dryve, 
1860: Thanne shal I yeve emelya to wyve 
1861: To whom that fortune yeveth so fair a grace. 
1862: The lystes shal I maken in this place, 
1863: And God so wisly on my soule rewe, 
1864: As I shal evene juge been and trewe. 
1865: Ye shul noon oother ende with me maken, 
1866: That oon of yow ne shal be deed or taken. 
1867: And if yow thynketh this is weel ysayd, 
1868: Seyeth youre avys, and holdeth you apayd. 
1869: This is youre ende and youre conclusioun. 
1870: Who looketh lightly now but palamoun? 
1871: Who spryngeth up for joye but arcite? 
1872: Who kouthe telle, or who kouthe it endite, 
1873: The joye that is maked in the place 
1874: Whan theseus hath doon so fair a grace? 
1875: But doun on knees wente every maner wight, 
1876: And thonked hym with al hir herte and myght, 
1877: And namely the thebans often sithe. 
1878: And thus with good hope and with herte blithe 
1879: They taken hir leve, and homward gonne they ride 
1880: To thebes, with his olde walles wyde. 
Explicit secunda pars. 
Sequitur pars tercia.
1881: I trowe men wolde deme it necligence 
1882: If I foryete to tellen the dispence 
1883: Of theseus, that gooth so bisily 
1884: To maken up the lystes roially, 
1885: That swich a noble theatre as it was, 
1886: I dar wel seyen in this world ther nas. 
1887: The circuit a myle was aboute, 
1888: Walled of stoon, and dyched al withoute. 
1889: Round was the shap, in manere of compas, 
1890: Ful of degrees, the heighte of sixty pas, 
1891: That whan a man was set on o degree, 
1892: He letted nat his felawe for to see. 
1893: Estward ther stood a gate of marbul whit, 
1894: Westward right swich another in the opposit. 
1895: And shortly to concluden, swich a place 
1896: Was noon in erthe, as in so litel space; 
1897: For in the lond ther was no crafty man 
1898: That geometrie or ars-metrike kan, 
1899: Ne portreyour, ne kervere of ymages, 
1900: That theseus ne yaf him mete and wages, 
1901: The theatre for to maken and devyse. 
1902: And for to doon his ryte and sacrifise, 
1903: He estward hath, upon the gate above, 
1904: In worshipe of venus, goddesse of love, 
1905: Doon make an auter and an oratorie; 
1906: And on the gate westward, in memorie 
1907: Of mars, he maked hath right swich another, 
1908: That coste largely of gold a fother. 
1909: And northward, in a touret on the wal, 
1910: Of alabastre whit and reed coral, 
1911: An oratorie, riche for to see, 
1912: In worshipe of dyane of chastitee, 
1913: Hath theseus doon wroght in noble wyse. 
1914: But yet hadde I foryeten to devyse 
1915: The noble kervyng and the portreitures, 
1916: The shap, the contenaunce, and the figures, 
1917: That weren in thise oratories thre. 
1918: First in the temple of venus maystow se 
1919: Wroght on the wal, ful pitous to biholde, 
1920: The broken slepes, and the sikes colde, 
1921: The sacred teeris, and the waymentynge, 
1922: The firy strokes of the desirynge 
1923: That loves servantz in this lyf enduren; 
1924: The othes that hir covenantz assuren; 
1925: Plesaunce and hope, desir, foolhardynesse, 
1926: Beautee and youthe, bauderie, richesse, 
1927: Charmes and force, lesynges, flaterye, 
1928: Despense, bisynesse, and jalousye, 
1929: That wered of yelewe gooldes a gerland, 
1930: And a cokkow sittynge on hir hand; 
1931: Festes, instrumentz, caroles, daunces, 
1932: Lust and array, and alle the circumstaunces 
1933: Of love, which that I rekned and rekne shal, 
1934: By ordre weren peynted on the wal, 
1935: And mo than I kan make of mencioun. 
1936: For soothly al the mount of citheroun, 
1937: Ther venus hath hir principal dwellynge, 
1938: Was shewed on the wal in portreyynge, 
1939: With al the gardyn and the lustynesse. 
1940: Nat was foryeten the porter, ydelnesse, 
1941: Ne narcisus the faire of yore agon, 
1942: Ne yet the folye of kyng salomon, 
1943: Ne yet the grete strengthe of ercules -- 
1944: Th-enchauntementz of medea and circes -- 
1945: Ne of turnus, with the hardy fiers corage, 
1946: The riche cresus, kaytyf in servage. 
1947: Thus may ye seen that wysdom ne richesse, 
1948: Beautee ne sleighte, strengthe ne hardynesse, 
1949: Ne may with venus holde champartie, 
1950: For as hir list the world than may she gye. 
1951: Lo, alle thise folk so caught were in hir las, 
1952: Til they for wo ful ofte seyde allas! 
1953: Suffiseth heere ensamples oon or two, 
1954: And though I koude rekene a thousand mo. 
1955: The statue of venus, glorious for to se, 
1956: Was naked, fletynge in the large see, 
1957: And fro the navele doun al covered was 
1958: With wawes grene, and brighte as any glas. 
1959: A citole in hir right hand hadde she, 
1960: And on hir heed, ful semely for to se, 
1961: A rose gerland, fressh and wel smellynge; 
1962: Above hir heed hir dowves flikerynge. 
1963: Biforn hire stood hir sone cupido; 
1964: Upon his shuldres wynges hadde he two, 
1965: And blynd he was, as it is often seene; 
1966: A bowe he bar and arwes brighte and kene. 
1967: Why sholde I noght as wel eek telle yow al 
1968: The portreiture that was upon the wal 
1969: Withinne the temple of myghty mars the rede? 
1970: Al peynted was the wal, in lengthe and brede, 
1971: Lyk to the estres of the grisly place 
1972: That highte the grete temple of mars in trace, 
1973: In thilke colde, frosty regioun 
1974: Ther as mars hath his sovereyn mansioun. 
1975: First on the wal was peynted a forest, 
1976: In which ther dwelleth neither man ne best, 
1977: With knotty, knarry, bareyne trees olde, 
1978: Of stubbes sharpe and hidouse to biholde, 
1979: In which ther ran a rumbel in a swough, 
1980: As though a storm sholde bresten every bough. 
1981: And dounward from an hille, under a bente, 
1982: Ther stood the temple of mars armypotente, 
1983: Wroght al of burned steel, of which the entree 
1984: Was long and streit, and gastly for to see. 
1985: And therout came a rage and swich a veze 
1986: That it made al the gate for to rese. 
1987: The northren lyght in at the dores shoon, 
1988: For wyndowe on the wal ne was ther noon, 
1989: Thurgh which men myghten any light discerne. 
1990: The dore was al of adamant eterne, 
1991: Yclenched overthwart and endelong 
1992: With iren tough; and for to make it strong, 
1993: Every pyler, the temple to sustene, 
1994: Was tonne-greet, of iren bright and shene. 
1995: Ther saugh I first the derke ymaginyng 
1996: Of felonye, and al the compassyng; 
1997: The crueel ire, reed as any gleede; 
1998: The pykepurs, and eek the pale drede; 
1999: The smylere with the knyf under the cloke; 
2000: The shepne brennynge with the blake smoke; 
2001: The tresoun of the mordrynge in the bedde; 
2002: The open werre, with woundes al bibledde; 
2003: Contek, with blody knyf and sharp manace. 
2004: Al ful of chirkyng was that sory place. 
2005: The sleere of hymself yet saugh I ther, -- 
2006: His herte-blood hath bathed al his heer; 
2007: The nayl ydryven in the shode a-nyght; 
2008: The colde deeth, with mouth gapyng upright. 
2009: Amyddes of the temple sat meschaunce, 
2010: With disconfort and sory contenaunce. 
2011: Yet saugh I woodnesse, laughynge in his rage, 
2012: Armed compleint, outhees, and fiers outrage; 
2013: The careyne in the busk, with throte ycorve; 
2014: A thousand slayn, and nat of qualm ystorve; 
2015: The tiraunt, with the pray by force yraft; 
2016: The toun destroyed, ther was no thyng laft. 
2017: Yet saugh I brent the shippes hoppesteres; 
2018: The hunte strangled with the wilde beres; 
2019: The sowe freten the child right in the cradel; 
2020: The cook yscalded, for al his longe ladel. 
2021: Noght was foryeten by the infortune of marte 
2022: The cartere overryden with his carte: 
2023: Under the wheel ful lowe he lay adoun. 
2024: Ther were also, of martes divisioun, 
2025: The barbour, and the bocher, and the smyth, 
2026: That forgeth sharpe swerdes on his styth. 
2027: And al above, depeynted in a tour, 
2028: Saugh I conquest, sittynge in greet honour, 
2029: With the sharpe swerd over his heed 
2030: Hangynge by a soutil twynes threed. 
2031: Depeynted was the slaughtre of julius, 
2032: Of grete nero, and of antonius; 
2033: Al be that thilke tyme they were unborn, 
2034: Yet was hir deth depeynted ther-biforn 
2035: By manasynge of mars, right by figure. 
2036: So was it shewed in that portreiture, 
2037: As is depeynted in the sterres above 
2038: Who shal be slayn or elles deed for love. 
2039: Suffiseth oon ensample in stories olde; 
2040: I may nat rekene hem alle though I wolde. 
2041: The statue of mars upon a carte stood 
2042: Armed, and looked grym as he were wood; 
2043: And over his heed ther shynen two figures 
2044: Of sterres, that been cleped in scriptures, 
2045: That oon puella, that oother rubeus -- 
2046: This God of armes was arrayed thus. 
2047: A wolf ther stood biforn hym at his feet 
2048: With eyen rede, and of a man he eet; 
2049: With soutil pencel depeynted was this storie 
2050: In redoutynge of mars and of his glorie. 
2051: Now to the temple of dyane the chaste, 
2052: As shortly as I kan, I wol me haste, 
2053: To telle yow al the descripsioun. 
2054: Depeynted been the walles up and doun 
2055: Of huntyng and of shamefast chastitee. 
2056: Ther saugh I how woful calistopee, 
2057: Whan that diane agreved was with here, 
2058: Was turned from a womman til a bere, 
2059: And after was she maad the loode-sterre; 
2060: Thus was it peynted, I kan sey yow no ferre. 
2061: Hir sone is eek a sterre, as men may see. 
2062: Ther saugh I dane, yturned til a tree, -- 
2063: I mene nat the goddesse diane, 
2064: But penneus doghter, which that highte dane. 
2065: Ther saugh I attheon an hert ymaked, 
2066: For vengeaunce that he saugh diane al naked; 
2067: I saugh how that his houndes have hym caught 
2068: And freeten hym, for that they knewe hym naught. 
2069: Yet peynted was a litel forther moor 
2070: How atthalante hunted the wilde boor, 
2071: And meleagre, and many another mo, 
2072: For which dyane wroghte hym care and wo. 
2073: Ther saugh I many another wonder storie, 
2074: The which me list nat drawen to memorie. 
2075: This goddesse on an hert ful hye seet, 
2076: With smale houndes al aboute hir feet; 
2077: And undernethe hir feet she hadde a moone, -- 
2078: Wexynge it was and sholde wanye soone. 
2079: In gaude grene hir statue clothed was, 
2080: With bowe in honde, and arwes in a cas. 
2081: Hir eyen caste she ful lowe adoun, 
2082: Ther pluto hath his derke regioun. 
2083: A womman travaillynge was hire biforn; 
2084: But for hir child so longe was unborn, 
2085: Ful pitously lucyna gan she calle, 
2086: And seyde, help, for thou mayst best of alle! 
2087: Wel koude he peynten lifly that it wroghte; 
2088: With many a floryn he the hewes boghte. 
2089: Now been thise lystes maad, and theseus, 
2090: That at his grete cost arrayed thus 
2091: The temples and the theatre every deel, 
2092: Whan it was doon, hym lyked wonder weel. 
2093: But stynte I wole of theseus a lite, 
2094: And speke of palamon and of arcite. 
2095: The day approcheth of hir retournynge, 
2096: That everich sholde an hundred knyghtes brynge 
2097: The bataille to darreyne, as I yow tolde. 
2098: And til atthenes, hir covenant for to holde, 
2099: Hath everich of hem broght an hundred knyghtes, 
2100: Wel armed for the werre at alle rightes. 
2101: And sikerly ther trowed many a man 
2102: That nevere, sithen that the world bigan, 
2103: As for to speke of knyghthod of hir hond, 
2104: As fer as God hath maked see or lond, 
2105: Nas of so fewe so noble a compaignye. 
2106: For every wight that lovede chivalrye, 
2107: And wolde, his thankes, han a passant name, 
2108: Hath preyed that he myghte been of that game; 
2109: And wel was hym that therto chosen was. 
2110: For if ther fille tomorwe swich a cas, 
2111: Ye knowen wel that every lusty knyght 
2112: That loveth paramours and hath his myght, 
2113: Were it in engelond or elleswhere, 
2114: They wolde, hir thankes, wilnen to be there, -- 
2115: To fighte for a lady, benedicitee! 
2116: It were a lusty sighte for to see. 
2117: And right so ferden they with palamon. 
2118: With hym ther wenten knyghtes many on; 
2119: Som wol ben armed in an haubergeoun, 
2120: And in a brestplate and light gypoun; 
2121: And som wol have a paire plates large; 
2122: And som wol have a pruce sheeld or a targe; 
2123: Som wol ben armed on his legges weel, 
2124: And have an ax, and som a mace of steel -- 
2125: Ther is no newe gyse that it nas old. 
2126: Armed were they, as I have yow told, 
2127: Everych after his opinioun. 
2128: Ther maistow seen, comynge with palamoun, 
2129: Lygurge hymself, the grete kyng of trace. 
2130: Blak was his berd, and manly was his face; 
2131: The cercles of his eyen in his heed, 
2132: They gloweden bitwixen yelow and reed, 
2133: And lik a grifphon looked he aboute, 
2134: With kempe heeris on his browes stoute; 
2135: His lymes grete, his brawnes harde and stronge, 
2136: His shuldres brode, his armes rounde and longe; 
2137: And as the gyse was in his contree, 
2138: Ful hye upon a chaar of gold stood he, 
2139: With foure white boles in the trays. 
2140: In stede of cote-armure over his harnays, 
2141: With nayles yelewe and brighte as any gold, 
2142: He hadde a beres skyn, col-blak for old. 
2143: His longe heer was kembd bihynde his bak; 
2144: As any ravenes fethere it shoon for blak; 
2145: A wrethe of gold, arm-greet, of huge wighte, 
2146: Upon his heed, set ful of stones brighte, 
2147: Of fyne rubyes and of dyamauntz. 
2148: Aboute his chaar ther wenten white alauntz, 
2149: Twenty and mo, as grete as any steer, 
2150: To hunten at the leoun or the deer, 
2151: And folwed hym with mosel faste ybounde, 
2152: Colered of gold, and tourettes fyled rounde. 
2153: An hundred lordes hadde he in his route, 
2154: Armed ful wel, with hertes stierne and stoute. 
2155: With arcita, in stories as men fynde, 
2156: The grete emetreus, the kyng of inde, 
2157: Upon a steede bay trapped in steel, 
2158: Covered in clooth of gold, dyapred weel, 
2159: Cam ridynge lyk the God of armes, mars. 
2160: His cote-armure was of clooth of tars 
2161: Couched with perles white and rounde and grete; 
2162: His sadel was of brend gold newe ybete; 
2163: A mantelet upon his shulder hangynge, 
2164: Bret-ful of rubyes rede as fyr sparklynge; 
2165: His crispe heer lyk rynges was yronne, 
2166: And that was yelow, and glytered as the sonne. 
2167: His nose was heigh, his eyen bright citryn, 
2168: His lippes rounde, his colour was sangwyn; 
2169: A fewe frakenes in his face yspreynd, 
2170: Bitwixen yelow and somdel blak ymeynd; 
2171: And as a leon he his lookyng caste. 
2172: Of fyve and twenty yeer his age I caste. 
2173: His berd was wel bigonne for to sprynge; 
2174: His voys was as a trompe thonderynge. 
2175: Upon his heed he wered of laurer grene 
2176: A gerland, fressh and lusty for to sene. 
2177: Upon his hand he bar for his deduyt 
2178: An egle tame, as any lilye whyt. 
2179: An hundred lordes hadde he with hym there, 
2180: Al armed, save hir heddes, in al hir gere, 
2181: Ful richely in alle maner thynges. 
2182: For trusteth wel that dukes, erles, kynges 
2183: Were gadered in this noble compaignye, 
2184: For love and for encrees of chivalrye. 
2185: Aboute this kyng ther ran on every part 
2186: Ful many a tame leon and leopart. 
2187: And in this wise thise lordes, alle and some, 
2188: Been on the sonday to the citee come 
2189: Aboute pryme, and in the toun alight. 
2190: This theseus, this duc, this worthy knyght, 
2191: Whan he had broght hem into his citee, 
2192: And inned hem, everich at his degree, 
2193: He festeth hem, and dooth so greet labour 
2194: To esen hem and doon hem al honour, 
2195: That yet men wenen that no mannes wit 
2196: Of noon estaat ne koude amenden it. 
2197: The mynstralcye, the service at the feeste, 
2198: The grete yiftes to the meeste and leeste, 
2199: The riche array of theseus paleys, 
2200: Ne who sat first ne last upon the deys, 
2201: What ladyes fairest been or best daunsynge, 
2202: Or which of hem kan dauncen best and synge, 
2203: Ne who moost felyngly speketh of love; 
2204: What haukes sitten on the perche above, 
2205: What houndes liggen on the floor adoun, -- 
2206: Of al this make I now no mencioun, 
2207: But al th' effect, that thynketh me the beste. 
2208: Now cometh the point, and herkneth if yow leste. 
2209: The sonday nyght, er day bigan to sprynge, 
2210: Whan palamon the larke herde synge, 
2211: (although it nere nat day by houres two, 
2212: Yet song the larke) and palamon right tho 
2213: With hooly herte and with an heigh corage, 
2214: He roos to wenden on his pilgrymage 
2215: Unto the blisful citherea benigne, -- 
2216: I mene venus, honurable and digne. 
2217: And in hir houre he walketh forth a pas 
2218: Unto the lystes ther hire temple was, 
2219: And doun he kneleth, and with humble cheere 
2220: And herte soor, he seyde as ye shal heere: 
2221: Faireste of faire, o lady myn, venus, 
2222: Doughter to jove, and spouse of vulcanus, 
2223: Thow gladere of the mount of citheron, 
2224: For thilke love thow haddest to adoon, 
2225: Have pitee of my bittre teeris smerte, 
2226: And taak myn humble preyere at thyn herte. 
2227: Allas! I ne have no langage to telle 
2228: Th' effectes ne the tormentz of myn helle; 
2229: Myn herte may myne harmes nat biwreye; 
2230: I am so confus that I kan noght seye 
2231: But, -- mercy, lady bright, that knowest weele 
2232: My thought, and seest what harmes that feele! 
2233: Considere al this and rewe upon my soore, 
2234: As wisly as I shal for everemoore, 
2235: Emforth my myght, thy trewe servant be, 
2236: And holden werre alwey with chastitee. 
2237: That make I myn avow, so ye me helpe! 
2238: I kepe noght of armes for to yelpe, 
2239: Ne I ne axe nat tomorwe to have victorie, 
2240: Ne renoun in this cas, ne veyne glorie 
2241: Of pris of armes blowen up and doun; 
2242: But I wolde have fully possessioun 
2243: Of emelye, and dye in thy servyse. 
2244: Fynd thow the manere hou, and in what wyse: 
2245: I recche nat but it may bettre be 
2246: To have victorie of hem, or they of me, 
2247: So that I have my lady in myne armes. 
2248: For though so be that mars is God of armes, 
2249: Youre vertu is so greet in hevene above 
2250: That if yow list, I shal wel have my love. 
2251: Thy temple wol I worshipe everemo, 
2252: And on thyn auter, where I ride or go, 
2253: I wol doon sacrifice and fires beete. 
2254: And if ye wol nat so, my lady sweete, 
2255: Thanne preye I thee, tomorwe with a spere 
2256: That arcita me thurgh the herte bere. 
2257: Thanne rekke I noght, whan I have lost my lyf, 
2258: Though that arcita wynne hire to his wyf. 
2259: This is th' effect and ende of my preyere: 
2260: Yif me my love, thow blisful lady deere. 
2261: Whan the orison was doon of palamon, 
2262: His sacrifice he dide, and that anon, 
2263: Ful pitously, with alle circumstaunces, 
2264: Al telle I noght as now his observaunces; 
2265: But atte laste the statue of venus shook, 
2266: And made a signe, wherby that he took 
2267: That his preyere accepted was that day. 
2268: For thogh the signe shewed a delay, 
2269: Yet wiste he wel that graunted was his boone; 
2270: And with glad herte he wente hym hoom ful soone. 
2271: The thridde houre inequal that palamon 
2272: Bigan to venus temple for to gon, 
2273: Up roos the sonne, and up roos emelye, 
2274: And to the temple of dyane gan hye. 
2275: Hir maydens, that she thider with hire ladde, 
2276: Ful redily with hem the fyr they hadde, 
2277: Th' encens, the clothes, and the remenant al 
2278: That to the sacrifice longen shal; 
2279: The hornes fulle of meeth, as was the gyse: 
2280: Ther lakked noght to doon hir sacrifise. 
2281: Smokynge the temple, ful of clothes faire, 
2282: This emelye, with herte debonaire, 
2283: Hir body wessh with water of a welle. 
2284: But hou she dide hir ryte I dar nat telle, 
2285: But it be any thing in general; 
2286: And yet it were a game to heeren al. 
2287: To hym that meneth wel it were no charge; 
2288: But it is good a man been at his large. 
2289: Hir brighte heer was kembd, untressed al; 
2290: A coroune of a grene ook cerial 
2291: Upon hir heed was set ful fair and meete. 
2292: Two fyres on the auter gan she beete, 
2293: And dide hir thynges, as men may biholde 
2294: In stace of thebes and thise bookes olde. 
2295: Whan kyndled was the fyr, with pitous cheere 
2296: Unto dyane she spak as ye may heere: 
2297: O chaste goddesse of the wodes grene, 
2298: To whom bothe hevene and erthe and see is sene, 
2299: Queene of the regne of pluto derk and lowe, 
2300: Goddesse of maydens, that myn herte hast knowe 
2301: Ful many a yeer, and woost what I desire, 
2302: As keepe me fro thy vengeaunce and thyn ire, 
2303: That attheon aboughte cruelly. 
2304: Chaste goddesse, wel wostow that I 
2305: Desire to ben a mayden al my lyf, 
2306: Ne nevere wol I be no love ne wyf. 
2307: I am, thow woost, yet of thy compaignye, 
2308: A mayde, and love huntynge and venerye, 
2309: And for to walken in the wodes wilde, 
2310: And noght to ben a wyf and be with childe. 
2311: Noght wol I knowe compaignye of man. 
2312: Now help me, lady, sith ye may and kan, 
2313: For tho thre formes that thou hast in thee. 
2314: And palamon, that hath swich love to me, 
2315: And eek arcite, that loveth me so soore, 
2316: (this grace I preye thee withoute moore) 
2317: As sende love and pees bitwixe hem two, 
2318: And from me turne awey hir hertes so 
2319: That al hire hoote love and hir desir, 
2320: And al hir bisy torment, and hir fir 
2321: Be queynt, or turned in another place. 
2322: And if so be thou wolt nat do me grace, 
2323: Or if my destynee be shapen so 
2324: That I shal nedes have oon of hem two, 
2325: As sende me hym that moost desireth me. 
2326: Bihoold, goddesse of clene chastitee, 
2327: The bittre teeris that on my chekes falle. 
2328: Syn thou art mayde and kepere of us alle, 
2329: My maydenhede thou kepe and wel conserve 
2330: And whil I lyve, a mayde I wol thee serve. 
2331: The fires brenne upon the auter cleere, 
2332: Whil emelye was thus in hir preyere. 
2333: But sodeynly she saugh a sighte queynte, 
2334: For right anon oon of the fyres queynte, 
2335: And quyked agayn, and after that anon 
2336: That oother fyr was queynt and al agon; 
2337: And as it queynte it made a whistelynge, 
2338: As doon thise wete brondes in hir brennynge, 
2339: And at the brondes ende out ran anon 
2340: As it were blody dropes many oon; 
2341: For which so soore agast was emelye 
2342: That she was wel ny mad, and gan to crye, 
2343: For she ne wiste what it signyfied; 
2344: But oonly for the feere thus hath she cried, 
2345: And weep that it was pitee for to heere. 
2346: And therwithal dyane gan appeere, 
2347: With bowe in honde, right as an hunteresse, 
2348: And seyde, doghter, stynt thyn hevynesse. 
2349: Among the goddes hye it is affermed, 
2350: And by eterne word writen and confermed, 
2351: Thou shalt ben wedded unto oon of tho 
2352: That han for thee so muchel care and wo; 
2353: But unto which of hem I may nat telle. 
2354: Farwel, for I ne may no lenger dwelle. 
2355: The fires which that on myn auter brenne 
2356: Shulle thee declaren, er that thou go henne, 
2357: Thyn aventure of love, as in this cas. 
2358: And with that word, the arwes in the caas 
2359: Of the goddesse clateren faste and rynge, 
2360: And forth she wente, and made a vanysshynge; 
2361: For which this emelye astoned was, 
2362: And seyde, what amounteth this, allas? 
2363: I putte me in thy proteccioun, 
2364: Dyane, and in thy disposicioun. 
2365: And hoom she goth anon the nexte weye. 
2366: This is th' effect; ther is namoore to seye. 
2367: The nexte houre of mars folwynge this, 
2368: Arcite unto the temple walked is 
2369: Of fierse mars, to doon his sacrifise, 
2370: With alle the rytes of his payen wyse. 
2371: With pitous herte and heigh devocioun, 
2372: Right thus to mars he seyde his orisoun: 
2373: O stronge god, that in the regnes colde 
2374: Of trace honoured art and lord yholde, 
2375: And hast in every regne and every lond 
2376: Of armes al the brydel in thyn hond, 
2377: And hem fortunest as thee lyst devyse, 
2378: Accepte of me my pitous sacrifise. 
2379: If so be that my youthe may deserve, 
2380: And that my myght be worthy for to serve 
2381: Thy godhede, that I may been oon of thyne, 
2382: Thanne preye I thee to rewe upon my pyne. 
2383: For thilke peyne, and thilke hoote fir 
2384: In which thow whilom brendest for desir, 
2385: Whan that thow usedest the beautee 
2386: Of faire, yonge, fresshe venus free, 
2387: And haddest hire in armes at thy wille -- 
2388: Although thee ones on a tyme mysfille, 
2389: Whan vulcanus hadde caught thee in his las, 
2390: And foond thee liggynge by his wyf, allas! -- 
2391: For thilke sorwe that was in thyn herte, 
2392: Have routhe as wel upon my peynes smerte. 
2393: I am yong and unkonnynge, as thow woost, 
2394: And, as I trowe, with love offended moost 
2395: That evere was any lyves creature; 
2396: For she that dooth me al this wo endure 
2397: Ne reccheth nevere wher I synke or fleete. 
2398: And wel I woot, er she me mercy heete, 
2399: I moot with strengthe wynne hire in the place, 
2400: And, wel I woot, withouten help or grace 
2401: Of thee, ne may my strengthe noght availle. 
2402: Thanne help me, lord, tomorwe in my bataille, 
2403: For thilke fyr that whilom brente thee, 
2404: As wel as thilke fyr now brenneth me, 
2405: And do that I tomorwe have victorie. 
2406: Myn be the travaille, and thyn be the glorie! 
2407: Thy sovereyn temple wol I moost honouren 
2408: Of any place, and alwey moost labouren 
2409: In thy plesaunce and in thy craftes stronge, 
2410: And in thy temple I wol my baner honge 
2411: And alle the armes of my compaignye; 
2412: And everemo, unto that day I dye, 
2413: Eterne fir I wol bifore thee fynde. 
2414: And eek to this avow I wol me bynde: 
2415: My beerd, myn heer, that hongeth long adoun, 
2416: That nevere yet ne felte offensioun 
2417: Of rasour nor of shere, I wol thee yive, 
2418: And ben thy trewe servant whil I lyve. 
2419: Now, lord, have routhe upon my sorwes soore; 
2420: Yif me victorie, I aske thee namoore. 
2421: The preyere stynt of arcita the stronge, 
2422: The rynges on the temple dore that honge, 
2423: And eek the dores, clatereden ful faste, 
2424: Of which arcita somwhat hym agaste. 
2425: The fyres brenden upon the auter brighte, 
2426: That it gan al the temple for to lighte; 
2427: A sweete smel the ground anon up yaf, 
2428: And arcita anon his hand up haf, 
2429: And moore encens into the fyr he caste, 
2430: With othere rytes mo; and atte laste 
2431: The statue of mars bigan his hauberk rynge; 
2432: And with that soun he herde a murmurynge 
2433: Ful lowe and dym, and seyde thus, victorie! 
2434: For which he yaf to mars honour and glorie. 
2435: And thus with joye and hope wel to fare 
2436: Arcite anon unto his in is fare, 
2437: As fayn as fowel is of the brighte sonne. 
2438: And right anon swich strif ther is bigonne, 
2439: For thilke grauntyng, in the hevene above, 
2440: Bitwixe venus, the goddesse of love, 
2441: And mars, the stierne God armypotente, 
2442: That juppiter was bisy it to stente; 
2443: Til that the pale saturnus the colde, 
2444: That knew so manye of aventures olde, 
2445: Foond in his olde experience an art 
2446: That he ful soone hath plesed every part. 
2447: As sooth is seyd, elde hath greet avantage;
2448: In elde is bothe wysdom and usage; 
2449: Men may the olde atrenne, and noght atrede. 
2450: Saturne anon, to stynten strif and drede, 
2451: Al be it that it is agayn his kynde, 
2452: Of al this strif he gan remedie fynde. 
2453: My deere doghter venus, quod saturne, 
2454: My cours, that hath so wyde for to turne, 
2455: Hath moore power than woot any man. 
2456: Myn is the drenchyng in the see so wan; 
2457: Myn is the prison in the derke cote; 
2458: Myn is the stranglyng and hangyng by the throte, 
2459: The murmure and the cherles rebellyng, 
2460: The groynynge, and the pryvee empoysonyng; 
2461: I do vengeance and pleyn correccioun, 
2462: Whil I dwelle in the signe of the leoun. 
2463: Myn is the ruyne of the hye halles, 
2464: The fallynge of the toures and of the walles 
2465: Upon the mynour or the carpenter. 
2466: I slow sampsoun, shakynge the piler; 
2467: And myne be the maladyes colde, 
2468: The derke tresons, and the castes olde; 
2469: My lookyng is the fader of pestilence. 
2470: Now weep namoore, I shal doon diligence 
2471: That palamon, that is thyn owene knyght, 
2472: Shal have his lady, as thou hast him hight. 
2473: Though mars shal helpe his knyght, yet nathelees 
2474: Bitwixe yow ther moot be som tyme pees, 
2475: Al be ye noght of o compleccioun, 
2476: That causeth al day swich divisioun. 
2477: I am thyn aiel, redy at thy wille; 
2478: Weep now namoore, I wol thy lust fulfille. 
2479: Now wol I stynten of the goddes above, 
2480: Of mars, and of venus, goddesse of love, 
2481: And telle yow as pleynly as I kan 
2482: The grete effect, for which that I bygan. 
Explicit tercia pars. 
Sequitur pars quarta.
2483: Greet was the feeste in atthenes that day, 
2484: And eek the lusty seson of that may 
2485: Made every wight to been in swich plesaunce 
2486: That al that monday justen they and daunce, 
2487: And spenden it in venus heigh servyse. 
2488: But by the cause that they sholde ryse 
2489: Eerly, for to seen the grete fight, 
2490: Unto hir reste wenten they at nyght. 
2491: And on the morwe, whan that day gan sprynge, 
2492: Of hors and harneys noyse and claterynge 
2493: Ther was in hostelryes al aboute; 
2494: And to the paleys rood ther many a route 
2495: Of lordes upon steedes and palfreys. 
2496: Ther maystow seen devisynge of harneys 
2497: So unkouth and so riche, and wroght so weel 
2498: Of goldsmythrye, of browdynge, and of steel; 
2499: The sheeldes brighte, testeres, and trappures, 
2500: Gold-hewen helmes, hauberkes, cote-armures; 
2501: Lordes in parementz on hir courseres, 
2502: Knyghtes of retenue, and eek squieres 
2503: Nailynge the speres, and helmes bokelynge; 
2504: Giggynge of sheeldes, with layneres lacynge 
2505: (there as nede is they weren no thyng ydel); 
2506: The fomy steedes on the golden brydel 
2507: Gnawynge, and faste the armurers also 
2508: With fyle and hamer prikynge to and fro; 
2509: Yemen on foote, and communes many oon 
2510: With fyle and hamer prikynge to and fro; 
2511: Pypes, trompes, nakers, clariounes, 
2512: That in the bataille blowen blody sounes; 
2513: The paleys ful of peple up and doun, 
2514: Heere thre, ther ten, holdynge hir questioun, 
2515: Dyvynynge of thise thebane knyghtes two. 
2516: Somme seyden thus, somme seyde it shal be so; 
2517: Somme helden with hym with the blake berd, 
2518: Somme with the balled, somme with the thikke herd; 
2519: Somme seyde he looked grymme, and he wolde fighte; 
2520: He hath a sparth of twenty pound of wighte. 
2521: Thus was the halle ful of divynynge, 
2522: Longe after that the sonne gan to sprynge. 
2523: The grete theseus, that of his sleep awaked 
2524: With mynstralcie and noyse that was maked, 
2525: Heeld yet the chambre of his paleys riche, 
2526: Til that the thebane knyghtes, bothe yliche 
2527: Honured, were into the paleys fet. 
2528: Duc theseus was at a wyndow set, 
2529: Arrayed right as he were a God in trone. 
2530: The peple preesseth thiderward ful soone 
2531: Hym for to seen, and doon heigh reverence, 
2532: And eek to herkne his heste and his sentence. 
2533: And heraud on a scaffold made an oo! 
2534: Til al the noyse of peple was ydo, 
2535: And whan he saugh the peple of noyse al stille, 
2536: Tho shewed he the myghty dukes wille. 
2537: The lord hath of his heigh discrecioun 
2538: Considered that it were destruccioun 
2539: To gentil blood to fighten in the gyse 
2540: Of mortal bataille now in this emprise. 
2541: Wherfore, to shapen that they shal nat dye, 
2542: He wol his firste purpos modifye. 
2543: No man therfore, up peyne of los of lyf, 
2544: No maner shot, ne polax, ne short knyf 
2545: Into the lystes sende, or thider brynge; 
2546: Ne short swerd, for to stoke with poynt bitynge, 
2547: No man ne drawe, ne bere it by his syde. 
2548: Ne no man shal unto his felawe ryde 
2549: But o cours, with a sharpe ygrounde spere; 
2550: Foyne, if hym list, on foote, hymself to were. 
2551: And he that is at meschief shal be take 
2552: And noght slayn, but be broght unto the stake 
2553: That shal ben ordeyned on either syde; 
2554: But thider he shal by force, and there abyde. 
2555: And if so falle the chieftayn be take 
2556: On outher syde, or elles sleen his make, 
2557: No lenger shal the turneiynge laste. 
2558: God spede you! gooth forth, and ley on faste! 
2559: With long swerd and with maces fighteth youre fille. 
2560: Gooth now youre wey, this is the lordes wille. 
2561: The voys of peple touchede the hevene, 
2562: So loude cride they with murie stevene, 
2563: God save swich a lord, that is so good, 
2564: He wilneth no destruccion of blood! 
2565: Up goon the trompes and the melodye, 
2566: And to the lystes rit the compaignye, 
2567: By ordinance, thurghout the citee large, 
2568: Hanged with clooth of gold, and nat with sarge. 
2569: Ful lik a lord this noble duc gan ryde, 
2570: Thise two thebans upon either syde; 
2571: And after rood the queene, and emelye, 
2572: And after that another compaignye 
2573: Of oon and oother, after hir degree. 
2574: And thus they passen thurghout the citee, 
2575: And to the lystes come they by tyme. 
2576: It nas nat of the day yet fully pryme 
2577: Whan set was theseus ful riche and hye, 
2578: Ypolita the queene, and emelye, 
2579: And othere ladys in degrees aboute. 
2580: Unto the seetes preesseth al the route. 
2581: And westward, thurgh the gates under marte, 
2582: Arcite, and eek the hondred of his parte, 
2583: With baner reed is entred right anon; 
2584: And in that selve moment palamon 
2585: Is under venus, estward in the place, 
2586: With baner whyt, and hardy chiere and face. 
2587: In al the world, to seken up and doun, 
2588: So evene, withouten variacioun, 
2589: Ther nere swiche compaignyes tweye; 
2590: For ther was noon so wys that koude seye 
2591: That any hadde of oother avauntage 
2592: Of worthynesse, ne of estaat, ne age, 
2593: So evene were they chosen, for to gesse. 
2594: And in two renges faire they hem dresse. 
2595: Whan that hir names rad were everichon, 
2596: That in hir nombre gyle were ther noon, 
2597: Tho were the gates shet, and cried was loude: 
2598: Do now youre devoir, yonge knyghtes proude! 
2599: The heraudes lefte hir prikyng up and doun; 
2600: Now ryngen trompes loude and clarioun. 
2601: Ther is namoore to seyn, but west and est 
2602: In goon the speres ful sadly in arrest; 
2603: In gooth the sharpe spore into the syde. 
2604: Ther seen men who kan juste and who kan ryde; 
2605: Ther shyveren shaftes upon sheeldes thikke; 
2606: He feeleth thurgh the herte-spoon the prikke. 
2607: Up spryngen speres twenty foot on highte; 
2608: Out goon the swerdes as the silver brighte; 
2609: The helmes they tohewen and toshrede; 
2610: Out brest the blood with stierne stremes rede; 
2611: With myghty maces the bones they tobreste. 
2612: He thurgh the thikkeste of the throng gan threste; 
2613: Ther stomblen steedes stronge, and doun gooth al; 
2614: He rolleth under foot as dooth a bal; 
2615: He foyneth on his feet with his tronchoun, 
2616: And he hym hurtleth with hors adoun; 
2617: He thurgh the body is hurt and sither take, 
2618: Maugree his heed, and broght unto the stake: 
2619: As forward was, right there he moste abyde. 
2620: Another lad is on that oother syde. 
2621: And some tyme dooth hem theseus to reste, 
2622: Hem to refresshe and drynken, if hem leste. 
2623: Ful ofte a day han thise thebanes two 
2624: Togydre ymet, and wroght his felawe wo; 
2625: Unhorsed hath ech oother of hem tweye. 
2626: Ther nas no tygre in the vale of galgopheye, 
2627: Whan that hir whelp is stole whan it is lite, 
2628: So crueel on the hunte as is arcite 
2629: For jelous herte upon this palamon. 
2630: Ne in belmarye ther nys so fel leon, 
2631: That hunted is, or for his hunger wood, 
2632: Ne of his praye desireth so the blood, 
2633: As palamon to sleen his foo arcite. 
2634: The jelous strokes on hir helmes byte; 
2635: Out renneth blood on bothe hir sydes rede. 
2636: Som tyme an ende ther is of every dede. 
2637: For er the sonne unto the reste wente, 
2638: The stronge kyng emetreus gan hente 
2639: This palamon, as he faught with arcite, 
2640: And made his swerd depe in his flessh to byte; 
2641: And by the force of twenty is he take 
2642: Unyolden, and ydrawe unto the stake. 
2643: And in the rescus of this palamoun 
2644: The stronge kyng lygurge is born adoun, 
2645: And kyng emetreus, for al his strengthe, 
2646: Is born out of his sadel a swerdes lengthe, 
2647: So hitte him palamoun er he were take; 
2648: But al for noght, he was broght to the stake. 
2649: His hardy herte myghte hym helpe naught: 
2650: He moste abyde, whan that he was caught, 
2651: By force and eek by composicioun. 
2652: Who sorweth now but woful palamoun, 
2653: That moot namoore goon agayn to fighte? 
2654: And whan that theseus hadde seyn this sighte, 
2655: Unto the folk that foghten thus echon 
2656: He cryde, hoo! namoore, for it is doon! 
2657: I wol be trewe juge, and no partie. 
2658: Arcite of thebes shal have emelie, 
2659: That by his fortune hath hire faire ywonne. 
2660: Anon ther is a noyse of peple bigonne 
2661: For joye of this, so loude and heighe withalle, 
2662: It semed that the lystes sholde falle. 
2663: What kan now faire venus doon above? 
2664: What seith she now? what dooth this queene of love, 
2665: But wepeth so, for wantynge of hir wille, 
2666: Til that hir teeres in the lystes fille? 
2667: She seyde, I am ashamed, douteless. 
2668: Saturnus seyde, doghter, hoold thy pees! 
2669: Mars hath his wille, his knyght hath al his boone, 
2670: And, by myn heed, thow shalt been esed soone. 
2671: The trompours, with the loude mynstralcie, 
2672: The heraudes, that ful loude yelle and crie, 
2673: Been in hire wele for joye of daun arcite. 
2674: But herkneth me, and stynteth noyse a lite, 
2675: Which a myracle ther bifel anon. 
2676: This fierse arcite hath of his helm ydon, 
2677: And on a courser, for to shewe his face, 
2678: He priketh endelong the large place 
2679: Lokynge upward upon this emelye; 
2680: And she agayn hym caste a freendlich ye 
2681: (for wommen, as to speken in comune, 
2682: Thei folwen alle the favour of fortune) 
2683: And was al his chiere, as in his herte. 
2684: Out of the ground a furie infernal sterte, 
2685: From pluto sent at requeste of saturne, 
2686: For which his hors for fere gan to turne, 
2687: And leep aside, and foundred as he leep; 
2688: And er that arcite may taken keep, 
2689: He pighte hym on the pomel of his heed, 
2690: That in the place he lay as he were deed, 
2691: His brest tobrosten with his sadel-bowe. 
2692: As blak he lay as any cole or crowe, 
2693: So was the blood yronnen in his face. 
2694: Anon he was yborn out of the place, 
2695: With herte soor, to theseus paleys. 
2696: Tho was he korven out of his harneys, 
2697: And in a bed ybrought ful faire and blyve; 
2698: For he was yet in memorie and alyve, 
2699: And alwey criynge after emelye. 
2700: Duc theseus, with al his compaignye, 
2701: Is comen hoom to atthenes his citee, 
2702: With alle blisse and greet solempnitee. 
2703: Al be it that this aventure was falle, 
2704: He nolde noght disconforten hem alle. 
2705: Men seyde eek that arcite shal nat dye; 
2706: He shal been heeled of his maladye. 
2707: And of another thyng they weren as fayn, 
2708: That of hem alle was ther noon yslayn, 
2709: Al were they soore yhurt, and namely oon, 
2710: That with a spere was thirled his brest boon. 
2711: To othere woundes and to broken armes 
2712: Somme hadden salves, and somme hadden charmes; 
2713: Fermacies of herbes, and eek save 
2714: They dronken, for they wolde hir lymes have. 
2715: For which this noble duc, as he wel kan, 
2716: Conforteth and honoureth every man, 
2717: And made revel al the longe nyght 
2718: Unto the straunge lordes, as was right. 
2719: Ne ther was holden no disconfitynge 
2720: But as a justes, or a tourneiynge; 
2721: For soothly ther was no disconfiture. 
2722: For fallyng nys nat but an aventure, 
2723: Ne to be lad by force unto the stake 
2724: Unyolden, and with twenty knyghtes take, 
2725: O persone allone, withouten mo, 
2726: And haryed forth by arme, foot, and too, 
2727: And eke his steede dryven forth with staves 
2728: With footmen, bothe yemen and eek knaves, -- 
2729: It nas arretted hym no vileynye; 
2730: Ther may no man clepen it cowardye. 
2731: For which anon duc theseus leet crye, 
2732: To stynten alle rancour and envye, 
2733: The gree as wel of o syde as of oother, 
2734: And eyther syde ylik as ootheres brother; 
2735: And yaf hem yiftes after hir degree, 
2736: And fully heeld a feeste dayes three, 
2737: And conveyed the kynges worthily 
2738: Out of his toun a journee largely. 
2739: And hoom wente every man the righte way. 
2740: Ther was namoore but fare wel, have good day! 
2741: Of this bataille I wol namoore endite, 
2742: But speke of palamon and of arcite. 
2743: Swelleth the brest of arcite, and the soore 
2744: Encreesseth at his herte moore and moore. 
2745: The clothered blood, for any lechecraft, 
2746: Corrupteth, and is in his bouk ylaft, 
2747: That neither veyne-blood, ne ventusynge, 
2748: Ne drynke of herbes may ben his helpynge. 
2749: The vertu expulsif, or animal,
2750: Fro thilke vertu cleped natural 
2751: Ne may the venym voyden ne expelle. 
2752: The pipes of his longes gonne to swelle, 
2753: And every lacerte in his brest adoun 
2754: Is shent with venym and corrupcioun. 
2755: Hym gayneth neither, for to gete his lif, 
2756: Vomyt upward, ne dounward laxatif. 
2757: Al is tobrosten thilke regioun; 
2758: Nature hath now no dominacioun. 
2759: And certeinly, ther nature wol nat wirche, 
2760: Fare wel phisik! go ber the man to chirche! 
2761: This al and som, that arcita moot dye; 
2762: For which he sendeth after emelye, 
2763: And palamon, that was his cosyn deere. 
2764: Thanne seyde he thus, as ye shal after heere: 
2765: Naught may the woful spirit in myn herte 
2766: Declare o point of alle my sorwes smerte 
2767: To yow, my lady, that I love moost; 
2768: But I biquethe the servyce of my goost 
2769: To yow aboven every creature, 
2770: Syn that my lyf may no lenger dure. 
2771: Allas, the wo! allas, the peynes stronge, 
2772: That I for yow have suffred, and so longe! 
2773: Allas, the deeth! allas, myn emelye! 
2774: Allas, departynge of oure compaignye! 
2775: Allas, myn hertes queene! allas, my wyf! 
2776: Myn hertes lady, endere of my lyf! 
2777: What is this world? what asketh men to have? 
2778: Now with his love, now in his colde grave 
2779: Allone, withouten any compaignye. 
2780: Fare wel, my sweete foo, myn emelye! 
2781: And softe taak me in youre armes tweye, 
2782: For love of god, and herkneth what I seye. 
2783: I have heer with my cosyn palamon 
2784: Had strif and rancour many a day agon 
2785: For love of yow, and for my jalousye. 
2786: And juppiter so wys my soule gye, 
2787: To speken of a servaunt proprely, 
2788: With alle circumstances trewely -- 
2789: That is to seyen, trouthe, honour, knyghthede, 
2790: Wysdom, humblesse, estaat, and heigh kynrede, 
2791: Fredom, and al that longeth to that art -- 
2792: So juppiter have of my soule part, 
2793: As in this world right now ne knowe I non 
2794: So worthy to ben loved as palamon, 
2795: That serveth yow, and wol doon al his lyf. 
2796: And if that evere ye shul ben a wyf, 
2797: Foryet nat palamon, the gentil man. 
2798: And with that word his speche faille gan, 
2799: For from his feet up to his brest was come 
2800: The coold of deeth, that hadde hym overcome, 
2801: And yet mooreover, for in his armes two 
2802: The vital strengthe is lost and al ago. 
2803: Oonly the intellect, withouten moore, 
2804: That dwelled in his herte syk and soore, 
2805: Gan faillen whan the herte felte deeth. 
2806: Dusked his eyen two, and failled breeth, 
2807: But on his lady yet caste he his ye; 
2808: His laste word was, mercy, emelye! 
2809: His spirit chaunged hous and wente ther, 
2810: As I cam nevere, I kan nat tellen wher. 
2811: Therfore I stynte, I nam no divinistre; 
2812: Of soules fynde I nat in this registre, 
2813: Ne me ne list thilke opinions to telle 
2814: Of hem, though that they writen wher they dwelle. 
2815: Arcite is coold, ther mars his soule gye! 
2816: Now wol I speken forth of emelye. 
2817: Shrighte emelye, and howleth palamon, 
2818: And theseus his suster took anon 
2819: Swownynge, and baar hire fro the corps away. 
2820: What helpeth it to tarien forth the day 
2821: To tellen how she weep bothe eve and morwe? 
2822: For in swich cas wommen have swich sorwe, 
2823: Whan that hir housbondes ben from hem ago, 
2824: That for the moore part they sorwen so, 
2825: Or ellis fallen in swich maladye, 
2826: That at the laste certeinly they dye. 
2827: Infinite been the sorwes and the teeres 
2828: Of olde folk, and folk of tendre yeeres, 
2829: In al the toun for deeth of this theban. 
2830: For hym ther wepeth bothe child and man; 
2831: So greet wepyng was ther noon, certayn, 
2832: Whan ector was ybroght, al fressh yslayn, 
2833: To troye. Allas, the pitee that was ther, 
2834: Cracchynge of chekes, rentynge eek of heer. 
2835: Why woldestow be deed, thise wommen crye, 
2836: And haddest gold ynough, and emelye? 
2837: No man myghte gladen theseus, 
2838: Savynge his olde fader egeus, 
2839: That knew this worldes transmutacioun, 
2840: As he hadde seyn it chaunge bothe up and doun, 
2841: Joye after wo, and wo after gladnesse, 
2842: And shewed hem ensamples and liknesse. 
2843: Right as ther dyed nevere man, quod he, 
2844: That he ne lyvede in erthe in some degree, 
2845: Right so ther lyvede never man, he seyde, 
2846: In al this world, that som tyme he ne deyde. 
2847: This world nys but a thurghfare ful of wo, 
2848: And we been pilgrymes, passynge to and fro. 
2849: Deeth is an ende of every worldly soore. 
2850: And over al this yet seyde he muchel moore 
2851: To this effect, ful wisely to enhorte 
2852: The peple that they sholde hem reconforte. 
2853: Duc theseus, with al his bisy cure, 
2854: Caste now wher that the sepulture 
2855: Of goode arcite may best ymaked be, 
2856: And eek moost honurable in his degree. 
2857: And at the laste he took conclusioun 
2858: That ther as first arcite and palamoun 
2859: Hadden for love the bataille hem bitwene, 
2860: That in that selve grove, swoote and grene, 
2861: Ther as he hadde his amorouse desires, 
2862: His compleynte, and for love his hoote fires, 
2863: He wolde make a fyr in which the office 
2864: Funeral he myghte al accomplice. 
2865: And leet comande anon to hakke and hewe 
2866: The okes olde, and leye hem on a rewe 
2867: In colpons wel arrayed for to brenne. 
2868: His officers with swifte feet they renne 
2869: And ryde anon at his comandement. 
2870: And after this, theseus hath ysent 
2871: After a beere, and it al over spradde 
2872: With clooth of gold, the richeste that he hadde. 
2873: And of the same suyte he cladde arcite; 
2874: Upon his hondes hadde he gloves white, 
2875: Eek on his heed a coroune of laurer grene, 
2876: And in his hond a swerd ful bright and kene. 
2877: He leyde hym, bare the visage, on the beere; 
2878: Therwith he weep that pitee was to heere. 
2879: And for the peple sholde seen hym alle, 
2880: Whan it was day, he broghte hym to the halle, 
2881: That roreth of the criyng and the soun. 
2882: Tho cam this woful theban palamoun, 
2883: With flotery berd and ruggy, asshy heeres, 
2884: In clothes blake, ydropped al with teeres; 
2885: And, passynge othere of wepynge, emelye, 
2886: The rewefulleste of al the compaignye. 
2887: In as muche as the servyce sholde be 
2888: The moore noble and riche in his degree, 
2889: Duc theseus leet forth thre steedes brynge, 
2890: That trapped were in steel al gliterynge, 
2891: And covered with the armes of daun arcite. 
2892: Upon thise steedes, that weren grete and white, 
2893: Ther seten folk, of whiche oon baar his sheeld, 
2894: Another his spere up on his hondes heeld, 
2895: The thridde baar with hym his bowe turkeys 
2896: (of brend gold was the caas and eek the harneys); 
2897: And riden forth a paas with sorweful cheere 
2898: Toward the grove, as ye shul after heere. 
2899: The nobleste of the grekes that ther were 
2900: Upon hir shuldres caryeden the beere, 
2901: With slakke paas, and eyen rede and wete, 
2902: Thurghout the citee by the maister strete, 
2903: That sprad was al with blak, and wonder hye 
2904: Right of the same is the strete ywrye. 
2905: Upon the right hond wente olde egeus, 
2906: And on that oother syde duc theseus, 
2907: With vessels in hir hand of gold ful fyn, 
2908: Al ful of hony, milk, and blood, and wyn; 
2909: Eek palamon, with ful greet compaignye; 
2910: And after that cam woful emelye, 
2911: With fyr in honde, as was that tyme the gyse, 
2912: To do the office of funeral servyse. 
2913: Heigh labour and ful greet apparaillynge 
2914: Was at the service and the fyr-makynge, 
2915: That with his grene top the hevene raughte; 
2916: And twenty fadme of brede the armes straughte -- 
2917: This is to seyn, the bowes weren so brode. 
2918: Of stree first ther was leyd ful many a lode. 
2919: But how the fyr was maked upon highte, 
2920: Ne eek the names that the trees highte, 
2921: As ook, firre, birch, aspe, alder, holm, popler, 
2922: Wylugh, elm, plane, assh, box, chasteyn, lynde, laurer, 
2923: Mapul, thorn, bech, hasel, ew, whippeltree, -- 
2924: How they weren feld, shal nat be toold for me; 
2925: Ne hou the goddes ronnen up and doun, 
2926: Disherited of hire habitacioun, 
2927: In which they woneden in reste and pees, 
2928: Nymphes, fawnes and amadrides; 
2929: Ne hou the beestes and the briddes alle 
2930: Fledden for fere, whan the wode was falle; 
2931: Ne how the ground agast was of the light, 
2932: That was nat wont to seen the sonne bright; 
2933: Ne how the fyr was couched first with stree, 
2934: And thanne with drye stikkes cloven a thre, 
2935: And thanne with grene wode and spicerye, 
2936: And thanne with clooth of gold and with perrye, 
2937: And gerlandes, hangynge with ful many a flour; 
2938: The mirre, th' encens, with al so greet odour; 
2939: Ne how arcite lay among al this, 
2940: Ne what richesse aboute his body is; 
2941: Ne how that emelye, as was the gyse, 
2942: Putte in the fyr of funeral servyse; 
2943: Ne how she swowned whan men made the fyr, 
2944: Ne what she spak, ne what was hir desir; 
2945: Ne what jeweles men in the fyre caste, 
2946: Whan that the fyr was greet and brente faste; 
2947: Ne how somme caste hir sheeld, and somme hir spere, 
2948: And of hire vestimentz, whiche that they were, 
2949: And coppes fulle of wyn, and milk, and blood, 
2950: Into the fyr, that brente as it were wood; 
2951: Ne how the grekes, with an huge route, 
2952: Thries riden al the fyr aboute 
2953: Upon the left hand, with a loud shoutynge, 
2954: And thries with hir speres claterynge; 
2955: And thries how the ladyes gonne crye; 
2956: Ne how that lad was homward emelye; 
2957: Ne how arcite is brent to asshen colde; 
2958: Ne how that lyche-wake was yholde 
2959: Al thilke nyght; ne how the grekes pleye 
2960: The wake-pleyes, ne kepe I nat to seye; 
2961: Who wrastleth best naked with oille enoynt, 
2962: Ne who that baar hym best, in no disjoynt. 
2963: I wol nat tellen eek how that they goon 
2964: Hoom til atthenes, whan the pley is doon; 
2965: But shortly to the point thanne wol I wende, 
2966: And maken of my longe tale an ende. 
2967: By processe and by lengthe of certeyn yeres, 
2968: Al stynted is the moornynge and the teres 
2969: Of grekes, by oon general assent. 
2970: Thanne semed me ther was a parlement 
2971: At atthenes, upon certein pointz and caas; 
2972: Among the whiche pointz yspoken was, 
2973: To have with certein contrees alliaunce, 
2974: And have fully of thebans obeisaunce. 
2975: For which this noble theseus anon 
2976: Leet senden after gentil palamon, 
2977: Unwist of hym what was the cause and why; 
2978: But in his blake clothes sorwefully 
2979: He cam at his comandement in hye. 
2980: Tho sente theseus for emelye. 
2981: Whan they were set, and hust was al the place, 
2982: And theseus abiden hadde a space 
2983: Er any word cam fram his wise brest, 
2984: His eyen sette he ther as was his lest. 
2985: And with a sad visage he siked stille, 
2986: And after that right thus he seyde his wille: 
2987: The firste moevere of the cause above, 
2988: Whan he first made the faire cheyne of love, 
2989: Greet was th' effect, and heigh was his entente. 
2990: Wel wiste he why, and what thereof he mente; 
2991: For with that faire cheyne of love he bond 
2992: The fyr, the eyr, the water, and the lond 
2993: In certeyn boundes, that they may nat flee. 
2994: That same prince and that moevere, quod he, 
2995: Hath stablissed in this wrecched world adoun 
2996: Certeyne dayes and duracioun 
2997: To al that is engendred in this place, 
2998: Over the whiche day they may nat pace, 
2999: Al mowe they yet tho dayes wel abregge. 
3000: Ther nedeth noght noon auctoritee t' allegge, 
3001: For it is preeved by experience, 
3002: But that me list declaren my sentence. 
3003: Thanne may men by this ordre wel discerne 
3004: That thilke moevere stable is and eterne. 
3005: Wel may men knowe, but it be a fool, 
3006: That every part dirryveth from his hool; 
3007: For nature hath nat taken his bigynnyng 
3008: Of no partie or cantel of a thyng, 
3009: But of a thyng that parfit is and stable, 
3010: Descendynge so til it be corrumpable. 
3011: And therfore, of his wise purveiaunce, 
3012: He hath so wel biset his ordinaunce, 
3013: That speces of thynges and progressiouns 
3014: Shullen enduren by successiouns, 
3015: And nat eterne, withouten any lye. 
3016: This maystow understonde and seen at ye. 
3017: Loo the ook, that hath so long a norisshynge 
3018: From tyme that it first bigynneth to sprynge, 
3019: And hath so long a lif, as we may see, 
3020: Yet at the laste wasted is the tree. 
3021: Considereth eek how that the harde stoon 
3022: Under oure feet, on which we trede and goon, 
3023: Yet wasteth it as it lyth by the weye. 
3024: The brode ryver somtyme wexeth dreye; 
3025: The grete tounes se we wane and wende. 
3026: Thanne may ye se that al this thyng hath ende. 
3027: Of man and womman seen we wel also 
3028: That nedes, in oon of thise termes two, 
3029: This is to seyn, in youthe or elles age, 
3030: He moot be deed, the kyng as shal a page; 
3031: Som in his bed, som in the depe see, 
3032: Som in the large feeld, as men may see; 
3033: Ther helpeth noght, al goth that ilke weye. 
3034: Thanne may I seyn that al this thyng moot deye. 
3035: What maketh this but juppiter, the kyng, 
3036: That is prince and cause of alle thyng, 
3037: Convertynge al unto his propre welle 
3038: From which it is dirryved, sooth to telle? 
3039: And heer-agayns no creature on lyve, 
3040: Of no degree, availleth for to stryve. 
3041: Thanne is it wysdom, as it thynketh me, 
3042: To maken vertu of necessitee, 
3043: And take it weel that we may nat eschue, 
3044: And namely that to us alle is due. 
3045: And whoso gruccheth ought, he dooth folye, 
3046: And rebel is to hym that al may gye. 
3047: And certeinly a man hath moost honour 
3048: To dyen in his excellence and flour, 
3049: Whan he is siker of his goode name; 
3050: Thanne hath he doon his freend, ne hym, no shame. 
3051: And gladder oghte his freend been of his deeth, 
3052: Whan with honour up yolden is his breeth, 
3053: Than whan his name apalled is for age, 
3054: For al forgeten is his vassellage. 
3055: Thanne is it best, as for a worthy fame, 
3056: To dyen whan that he is best of name. 
3057: The contrarie of al this is wilfulnesse. 
3058: Why grucchen we, why have we hevynesse, 
3059: That goode arcite, of chivalrie the flour, 
3060: Departed is with duetee and honour 
3061: Out of this foule prisoun of this lyf? 
3062: Why grucchen heere his cosyn and his wyf 
3063: Of his welfare, that loved hem so weel? 
3064: Kan he hem thank? nay, God woot, never a deel, 
3065: That both his soule and eek hemself offende, 
3066: And yet they mowe hir lustes nat amende. 
3067: What may I conclude of this longe serye, 
3068: But after wo I rede us to be merye, 
3069: And thanken juppiter of al his grace? 
3070: And er that we departen from this place 
3071: I rede that we make of sorwes two 
3072: O parfit joye, lastynge everemo. 
3073: And looketh now, wher moost sorwe is herinne, 
3074: Ther wol we first amenden and bigynne. 
3075: Suster, quod he, this is my fulle assent, 
3076: With al th' avys heere of my parlement, 
3077: That gentil palamon, youre owene knyght, 
3078: That serveth yow with wille herte, and myght, 
3079: And ever hath doon syn ye first hym knewe, 
3080: That ye shul of youre grace upon hym rewe, 
3081: And taken hym for housbonde and for lord. 
3082: Lene me youre hond, for this is oure accord. 
3083: Lat se now of youre wommanly pitee. 
3084: He is kynges brother sone, pardee; 
3085: And though he were a povre bacheler, 
3086: Syn he hath served yow so many a yeer, 
3087: And had for yow so greet adversitee, 
3088: It moste been considered, leeveth me; 
3089: For gentil mercy oghte to passen right. 
3090: Thanne seyde he thus to palamon the knight: 
3091: I trowe ther nedeth litel sermonyng 
3092: To make yow assente to this thyng. 
3093: Com neer, and taak youre lady by the hond. 
3094: Bitwixen hem was maad anon the bond 
3095: That highte matrimoigne or mariage, 
3096: By al the conseil and the baronage. 
3097: And thus with alle blisse and melodye 
3098: Hath palamon ywedded emelye. 
3099: And god, that al this wyde world hath wroght, 
3100: Sende hym his love that hath it deere aboght; 
3101: For now is palamon in alle wele, 
3102: Lyvynge in blisse, in richesse, and in heele, 
3103: And emelye hym loveth so tendrely, 
3104: And he hire serveth al so gentilly, 
3105: That nevere was ther no word hem bitwene 
3106: Of jalousie or any oother teene. 
3107: Thus endeth palamon and emelye; 
3108: And God save al this faire compaignye! amen.

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