189. O blisful night, of hem so longe y-sought,
How blithe un-to hem bothe two thou were!
Why ne hadde I swich on with my soule y-bought,
Ye, or the leeste Ioye that was there? 1320
A-wey, thou foule daunger and thou fere,
And lat hem in this hevene blisse dwelle,
That is so heygh, that al ne can I telle!
190. But sooth is, though I can not tellen al,
As can myn auctor, of his excellence, 1325
Yet have I seyd, and, god to-forn, I shal
In every thing al hoolly his sentence.
And if that I, at loves reverence,
Have any word in eched for the beste,
Doth therwith-al right as your-selven leste. 1330
191. For myne wordes, here and every part,
I speke hem alle under correccioun
Of yow, that feling han in loves art,
And putte it al in your discrecioun
To encrese or maken diminucioun 1335
Of my langage, and that I yow bi-seche;
But now to purpos of my rather speche.
192. Thise ilke two, that ben in armes laft,
So looth to hem a-sonder goon it were,
That ech from other wende been biraft, 1340
Or elles, lo, this was hir moste fere,
That al this thing but nyce dremes were;
For which ful ofte ech of hem seyde, 'O swete,
Clippe ich yow thus, or elles I it mete?'
193. And, lord! so he gan goodly on hir see, 1345
That never his look ne bleynte from hir face,
And seyde, 'O dere herte, may it be
That it be sooth, that ye ben in this place?'
'Ye, herte myn, god thank I of his grace!'
Quod tho Criseyde, and therwith-al him kiste, 1350
That where his spirit was, for Ioye he niste.
194. This Troilus ful ofte hir eyen two
Gan for to kisse, and seyde, 'O eyen clere,
It were ye that wroughte me swich wo,
Ye humble nettes of my lady dere! 1355
Though ther be mercy writen in your chere,
God wot, the text ful hard is, sooth, to finde,
How coude ye with-outen bond me binde?'
195. Therwith he gan hir faste in armes take,
And wel an hundred tymes gan he syke, 1360
Nought swiche sorwful sykes as men make
For wo, or elles whan that folk ben syke,
But esy sykes, swiche as been to lyke,
That shewed his affeccioun with-inne;
Of swiche sykes coude he nought bilinne. 1365
196. Sone after this they speke of sondry thinges,
As fil to purpos of this aventure,
And pleyinge entrechaungeden hir ringes,
Of which I can nought tellen no scripture;
But wel I woot a broche, gold and asure, 1370
In whiche a ruby set was lyk an herte,
Criseyde him yaf, and stak it on his sherte.
197. Lord! trowe ye, a coveitous, a wrecche,
That blameth love and holt of it despyt,
That, of tho pens that he can mokre and kecche, 1375
Was ever yet y-yeve him swich delyt,
As is in love, in oo poynt, in som plyt?
Nay, doutelees, for also god me save,
So parfit Ioye may no nigard have!
198. They wol sey 'yis,' but lord! so that they lye, 1380
Tho bisy wrecches, ful of wo and drede!
They callen love a woodnesse or folye,
But it shal falle hem as I shal yow rede;
They shul forgo the whyte and eke the rede,
And live in wo, ther god yeve hem mischaunce, 1385
And every lover in his trouthe avaunce!
199. As wolde god, tho wrecches, that dispyse
Servyse of love, hadde eres al-so longe
As hadde Myda, ful of coveityse;
And ther-to dronken hadde as hoot and stronge 1390
As Crassus dide for his affectis wronge,
To techen hem that they ben in the vyce,
And loveres nought, al-though they holde hem nyce!
200. Thise ilke two, of whom that I yow seye,
Whan that hir hertes wel assured were, 1395
Tho gonne they to speken and to pleye,
And eek rehercen how, and whanne, and where,
They knewe hem first, and every wo and fere
That passed was; but al swich hevinesse,
I thanke it god, was tourned to gladnesse. 1400
201. And ever-mo, whan that hem fel to speke
Of any thing of swich a tyme agoon,
With kissing al that tale sholde breke,
And fallen in a newe Ioye anoon,
And diden al hir might, sin they were oon, 1405
For to recoveren blisse and been at ese,
And passed wo with Ioye countrepeyse.
202. Reson wil not that I speke of sleep,
For it accordeth nought to my matere;
God woot, they toke of that ful litel keep, 1410
But lest this night, that was to hem so dere,
Ne sholde in veyn escape in no manere,
It was biset in Ioye and bisinesse
Of al that souneth in-to gentilnesse.
203. But whan the cok, comune astrologer, 1415
Gan on his brest to bete, and after crowe,
And Lucifer, the dayes messager,
Gan for to ryse, and out hir bemes throwe;
And estward roos, to him that coude it knowe,
Fortuna maior, [than] anoon Criseyde, 1420
With herte sore, to Troilus thus seyde:--
204. 'Myn hertes lyf, my trist and my plesaunce,
That I was born, allas! what me is wo,
That day of us mot make desseveraunce!
For tyme it is to ryse, and hennes go, 1425
Or elles I am lost for evermo!
O night, allas! why niltow over us hove,
As longe as whanne Almena lay by Iove?
205. O blake night, as folk in bokes rede,
That shapen art by god this world to hyde 1430
At certeyn tymes with thy derke wede,
That under that men mighte in reste abyde,
Wel oughte bestes pleyne, and folk thee chyde,
That there-as day with labour wolde us breste,
That thou thus fleest, and deynest us nought reste! 1435
206. Thou dost, allas! to shortly thyn offyce,
Thou rakel night, ther god, makere of kinde,
Thee, for thyn hast and thyn unkinde vyce,
So faste ay to our hemi-spere binde,
That never-more under the ground thou winde! 1440
For now, for thou so hyest out of Troye,
Have I forgon thus hastily my Ioye!'
207. This Troilus, that with tho wordes felte,
As thoughte him tho, for pietous distresse,
The blody teres from his herte melte, 1445
As he that never yet swich hevinesse
Assayed hadde, out of so greet gladnesse,
Gan therwith-al Criseyde his lady dere
In armes streyne, and seyde in this manere:--
208. 'O cruel day, accusour of the Ioye 1450
That night and love han stole and faste y-wryen,
A-cursed be thy coming in-to Troye,
For every bore hath oon of thy bright yën!
Envyous day, what list thee so to spyen?
What hastow lost, why sekestow this place, 1455
Ther god thy lyght so quenche, for his grace?
209. Allas! what han thise loveres thee agilt,
Dispitous day? thyn be the pyne of helle!
For many a lovere hastow shent, and wilt;
Thy pouring in wol no-wher lete hem dwelle. 1460
What proferestow thy light here for to selle?
Go selle it hem that smale seles graven,
We wol thee nought, us nedeth no day haven.'
210. And eek the sonne Tytan gan he chyde,
And seyde, 'O fool, wel may men thee dispyse, 1465
That hast the Dawing al night by thy syde,
And suffrest hir so sone up fro thee ryse,
For to disesen loveres in this wyse.
What! hold your bed ther, thou, and eek thy Morwe!
I bidde god, so yeve yow bothe sorwe!' 1470
211. Therwith ful sore he sighte, and thus he seyde,
'My lady right, and of my wele or wo
The welle and rote, O goodly myn, Criseyde,
And shal I ryse, allas! and shal I go?
Now fele I that myn herte moot a-two! 1475
For how sholde I my lyf an houre save,
Sin that with yow is al the lyf I have?
212. What shal I doon, for certes, I not how,
Ne whanne, allas! I shal the tyme see,
That in this plyt I may be eft with yow; 1480
And of my lyf, god woot, how that shal be,
Sin that desyr right now so byteth me,
That I am deed anoon, but I retourne.
How sholde I longe, allas! fro yow soiourne?
213. But nathelees, myn owene lady bright, 1485
Yit were it so that I wiste outrely,
That I, your humble servaunt and your knight,
Were in your herte set so fermely
As ye in myn, the which thing, trewely,
Me lever were than thise worldes tweyne, 1490
Yet sholde I bet enduren al my peyne.'
214. To that Cryseyde answerde right anoon,
And with a syk she seyde, 'O herte dere,
The game, y-wis, so ferforth now is goon,
That first shal Phebus falle fro his spere, 1495
And every egle been the dowves fere,
And every roche out of his place sterte,
Er Troilus out of Criseydes herte!
215. Ye be so depe in-with myn herte grave,
That, though I wolde it turne out of my thought, 1500
As wisly verray god my soule save,
To dyen in the peyne, I coude nought!
And, for the love of god that us hath wrought,
Lat in your brayn non other fantasye
So crepe, that it cause me to dye! 1505
216. And that ye me wolde han as faste in minde
As I have yow, that wolde I yow bi-seche;
And, if I wiste soothly that to finde,
God mighte not a poynt my Ioyes eche!
But, herte myn, with-oute more speche, 1510
Beth to me trewe, or elles were it routhe;
For I am thyn, by god and by my trouthe!
217. Beth glad for-thy, and live in sikernesse;
Thus seyde I never er this, ne shal to mo;
And if to yow it were a gret gladnesse 1515
To turne ayein, soone after that ye go,
As fayn wolde I as ye, it were so,
As wisly god myn herte bringe at reste!'
And him in armes took, and ofte keste.
218. Agayns his wil, sin it mot nedes be, 1520
This Troilus up roos, and faste him cledde,
And in his armes took his lady free
An hundred tyme, and on his wey him spedde,
And with swich wordes as his herte bledde,
He seyde, 'farewel, my dere herte swete, 1525
Ther god us graunte sounde and sone to mete!'
219. To which no word for sorwe she answerde,
So sore gan his parting hir destreyne;
And Troilus un-to his palays ferde,
As woo bigon as she was, sooth to seyne; 1530
So hard him wrong of sharp desyr the peyne
For to ben eft there he was in plesaunce,
That it may never out of his remembraunce.
220. Retorned to his real palais, sone
He softe in-to his bed gan for to slinke, 1535
To slepe longe, as he was wont to done,
But al for nought; he may wel ligge and winke,
But sleep ne may ther in his herte sinke;
Thenkinge how she, for whom desyr him brende,
A thousand-fold was worth more than he wende. 1540
221. And in his thought gan up and doun to winde
Hir wordes alle, and every contenaunce,
And fermely impressen in his minde
The leste poynt that to him was plesaunce;
And verrayliche, of thilke remembraunce, 1545
Desyr al newe him brende, and lust to brede
Gan more than erst, and yet took he non hede.
222. Criseyde also, right in the same wyse,
Of Troilus gan in hir herte shette
His worthinesse, his lust, his dedes wyse, 1550
His gentilesse, and how she with him mette,
Thonkinge love he so wel hir bisette;
Desyring eft to have hir herte dere
In swich a plyt, she dorste make him chere.
223. Pandare, a-morwe which that comen was 1555
Un-to his nece, and gan hir fayre grete,
Seyde, 'al this night so reyned it, allas!
That al my drede is that ye, nece swete,
Han litel layser had to slepe and mete;
Al night,' quod he, 'hath reyn so do me wake, 1560
That som of us, I trowe, hir hedes ake.'
224. And ner he com, and seyde, 'how stont it now
This mery morwe, nece, how can ye fare?'
Criseyde answerde, 'never the bet for yow,
Fox that ye been, god yeve your herte care! 1565
God helpe me so, ye caused al this fare,
Trow I,' quod she, 'for alle your wordes whyte;
O! who-so seeth yow knoweth yow ful lyte!'
225. With that she gan hir face for to wrye
With the shete, and wex for shame al reed; 1570
And Pandarus gan under for to prye,
And seyde, 'nece, if that I shal ben deed,
Have here a swerd, and smyteth of myn heed.'
With that his arm al sodeynly he thriste
Under hir nekke, and at the laste hir kiste. 1575
226. I passe al that which chargeth nought to seye,
What! God foryaf his deeth, and she al-so
Foryaf, and with hir uncle gan to pleye,
For other cause was ther noon than so.
But of this thing right to the effect to go, 1580
Whan tyme was, hom til hir hous she wente,
And Pandarus hath fully his entente.
227. Now torne we ayein to Troilus,
That resteles ful longe a-bedde lay,
And prevely sente after Pandarus, 1585
To him to come in al the haste he may.
He com anoon, nought ones seyde he 'nay,'
And Troilus ful sobrely he grette,
And doun upon his beddes syde him sette.
228. This Troilus, with al the affeccioun 1590
Of frendes love that herte may devyse,
To Pandarus on kneës fil adoun,
And er that he wolde of the place aryse,
He gan him thonken in his beste wyse;
A hondred sythe he gan the tyme blesse, 1595
That he was born to bringe him fro distresse.
229. He seyde, 'O frend, of frendes the alderbeste
That ever was, the sothe for to telle,
Thou hast in hevene y-brought my soule at reste
Fro Flegiton, the fery flood of helle; 1600
That, though I mighte a thousand tymes selle,
Upon a day, my lyf in thy servyse,
It mighte nought a mote in that suffyse.
230. The sonne, which that al the world may see,
Saw never yet, my lyf, that dar I leye, 1605
So inly fair and goodly as is she,
Whos I am al, and shal, til that I deye;
And, that I thus am hires, dar I seye,
That thanked be the heighe worthinesse
Of love, and eek thy kinde bisinesse. 1610
231. Thus hastow me no litel thing y-yive,
Fo which to thee obliged be for ay
My lyf, and why? for thorugh thyn help I live;
For elles deed hadde I be many a day.'
And with that word doun in his bed he lay, 1615
And Pandarus ful sobrely him herde
Til al was seyd, and thanne he him answerde:
232. 'My dere frend, if I have doon for thee
In any cas, god wot, it is me leef;
And am as glad as man may of it be, 1620
God help me so; but tak now not a-greef
That I shal seyn, be war of this myscheef,
That, there-as thou now brought art in-to blisse,
That thou thy-self ne cause it nought to misse.
233. For of fortunes sharp adversitee 1625
The worst kinde of infortune is this,
A man to have ben in prosperitee,
And it remembren, whan it passed is.
Thou art wys y-nough, for-thy do nought amis;
Be not to rakel, though thou sitte warme, 1630
For if thou be, certeyn, it wol thee harme.
234. Thou art at ese, and holde thee wel ther-inne.
For also seur as reed is every fyr,
As greet a craft is kepe wel as winne;
Brydle alwey wel thy speche and thy desyr. 1635
For worldly Ioye halt not but by a wyr;
That preveth wel, it brest alday so ofte;
For-thy nede is to werke with it softe.'
235. Quod Troilus, 'I hope, and god to-forn,
My dere frend, that I shal so me bere, 1640
That in my gilt ther shal no thing be lorn,
Ne I nil not rakle as for to greven here;
It nedeth not this matere ofte tere;
For wistestow myn herte wel, Pandare,
God woot, of this thou woldest litel care.' 1645
236. Tho gan he telle him of his glade night.
And wher-of first his herte dredde, and how,
And seyde, 'freend, as I am trewe knight,
And by that feyth I shal to god and yow,
I hadde it never half so hote as now; 1650
And ay the more that desyr me byteth
To love hir best, the more it me delyteth.
237. I noot my-self not wisly what it is;
But now I fele a newe qualitee,
Ye, al another than I dide er this.' 1655
Pandare answerde, and seyde thus, that he
That ones may in hevene blisse be,
He feleth other weyes, dar I leye,
Than thilke tyme he first herde of it seye.
238. This is o word for al; this Troilus 1660
Was never ful, to speke of this matere,
And for to preysen un-to Pandarus
The bountee of his righte lady dere,
And Pandarus to thanke and maken chere.
This tale ay was span-newe to biginne 1665
Til that the night departed hem a-twinne.
239. Sone after this, for that fortune it wolde,
I-comen was the blisful tyme swete,
That Troilus was warned that he sholde,
Ther he was erst, Criseyde his lady mete; 1670
For which he felte his herte in Ioye flete;
And feythfully gan alle the goddes herie;
And lat see now if that he can be merie.
240. And holden was the forme and al the wyse,
Of hir cominge, and eek of his also, 1675
As it was erst, which nedeth nought devyse.
But playnly to the effect right for to go,
In Ioye and seurte Pandarus hem two
A-bedde broughte, whan hem bothe leste,
And thus they ben in quiete and in reste. 1680
241. Nought nedeth it to yow, sin they ben met,
To aske at me if that they blythe were;
For if it erst was wel, tho was it bet
A thousand-fold, this nedeth not enquere.
A-gon was every sorwe and every fere; 1685
And bothe, y-wis, they hadde, and so they wende,
As muche Ioye as herte may comprende.
242. This is no litel thing of for to seye,
This passeth every wit for to devyse;
For eche of hem gan otheres lust obeye; 1690
Felicitee, which that thise clerkes wyse
Commenden so, ne may not here suffyse.
This Ioye may not writen been with inke,
This passeth al that herte may bithinke.
243. But cruel day, so wel-awey the stounde! 1695
Gan for to aproche, as they by signes knewe,
For whiche hem thoughte felen dethes wounde;
So wo was hem, that changen gan hir hewe,
And day they gonnen to dispyse al newe,
Calling it traytour, envyous, and worse, 1700
And bitterly the dayes light they curse.
244. Quod Troilus, 'allas! now am I war
That Pirous and tho swifte stedes three,
Whiche that drawen forth the sonnes char,
Han goon som by-path in despyt of me; 1705
That maketh it so sone day to be;
And, for the sonne him hasteth thus to ryse,
Ne shal I never doon him sacrifyse!'
245. But nedes day departe moste hem sone,
And whanne hir speche doon was and hir chere, 1710
They twinne anoon as they were wont to done,
And setten tyme of meting eft y-fere;
And many a night they wroughte in this manere.
And thus Fortune a tyme ladde in Ioye
Criseyde, and eek this kinges sone of Troye. 1715
246. In suffisaunce, in blisse, and in singinges,
This Troilus gan al his lyf to lede;
He spendeth, Iusteth, maketh festeyinges;
He yeveth frely ofte, and chaungeth wede,
And held aboute him alwey, out of drede, 1720
A world of folk, as cam him wel of kinde,
The fressheste and the beste he coude fynde;
247. That swich a voys was of hym and a stevene
Thorugh-out the world, of honour and largesse,
That it up rong un-to the yate of hevene. 1725
And, as in love, he was in swich gladnesse,
That in his herte he demede, as I gesse,
That there nis lovere in this world at ese
So wel as he, and thus gan love him plese.
248. The godlihede or beautee which that kinde 1730
In any other lady hadde y-set
Can not the mountaunce of a knot unbinde,
A-boute his herte, of al Criseydes net.
He was so narwe y-masked and y-knet,
That it undon on any manere syde, 1735
That nil not been, for ought that may betyde.
249. And by the hond ful ofte he wolde take
This Pandarus, and in-to gardin lede,
And swich a feste and swich a proces make
Him of Criseyde, and of hir womanhede, 1740
And of hir beautee, that, with-outen drede,
It was an hevene his wordes for to here;
And thanne he wolde singe in this manere.
250. 'Love, that of erthe and see hath governaunce,
Love, that his hestes hath in hevene hye, 1745
Love, that with an holsom alliaunce
Halt peples ioyned, as him list hem gye,
Love, that knetteth lawe of companye,
And couples doth in vertu for to dwelle,
Bind this acord, that I have told and telle; 1750
251. That that the world with feyth, which that is stable,
Dyverseth so his stoundes concordinge,
That elements that been so discordable
Holden a bond perpetuely duringe,
That Phebus mote his rosy day forth bringe, 1755
And that the mone hath lordship over the nightes,
Al this doth Love; ay heried be his mightes!
252. That that the see, that gredy is to flowen,
Constreyneth to a certeyn ende so
His flodes, that so fersly they ne growen 1760
To drenchen erthe and al for ever-mo;
And if that Love ought lete his brydel go,
Al that now loveth a-sonder sholde lepe,
And lost were al, that Love halt now to-hepe.
253. So wolde god, that auctor is of kinde, 1765
That, with his bond, Love of his vertu liste
To cerclen hertes alle, and faste binde,
That from his bond no wight the wey out wiste.
And hertes colde, hem wolde I that he twiste
To make hem love, and that hem leste ay rewe 1770
On hertes sore, and kepe hem that ben trewe.'
254. In alle nedes, for the tounes werre,
He was, and ay the firste in armes dight;
And certeynly, but-if that bokes erre,
Save Ector, most y-drad of any wight; 1775
And this encrees of hardinesse and might
Cam him of love, his ladies thank to winne,
That altered his spirit so with-inne.
255. In tyme of trewe, on haukinge wolde he ryde,
Or elles hunten boor, bere, or lyoun; 1780
The smale bestes leet he gon bi-syde.
And whan that he com rydinge in-to toun,
Ful ofte his lady, from hir window doun,
As fresh as faucon comen out of muwe,
Ful redy was, him goodly to saluwe. 1785
256. And most of love and vertu was his speche,
And in despyt hadde alle wrecchednesse;
And doutelees, no nede was him biseche
To honouren hem that hadde worthinesse,
And esen hem that weren in distresse. 1790
And glad was he if any wight wel ferde,
That lover was, whan he it wiste or herde.
257. For sooth to seyn, he lost held every wight
But-if he were in loves heigh servyse,
I mene folk that oughte it been of right. 1795
And over al this, so wel coude he devyse
Of sentement, and in so unkouth wyse
Al his array, that every lover thoughte,
That al was wel, what-so he seyde or wroughte.
258. And though that he be come of blood royal, 1800
Him liste of pryde at no wight for to chase;
Benigne he was to ech in general,
For which he gat him thank in every place.
Thus wolde Love, y-heried be his grace,
That Pryde, Envye, Ire, and Avaryce 1805
He gan to flee, and every other vyce.
259. Thou lady bright, the doughter to Dione,
Thy blinde and winged sone eek, daun Cupyde;
Ye sustren nyne eek, that by Elicone
In hil Parnaso listen for to abyde, 1810
That ye thus fer han deyned me to gyde,
I can no more, but sin that ye wol wende,
Ye heried been for ay, with-outen ende!
260. Thourgh yow have I seyd fully in my song
Theffect and Ioye of Troilus servyse, 1815
Al be that ther was som disese among,
As to myn auctor listeth to devyse.
My thridde book now ende ich in this wyse;
And Troilus in luste and in quiete
Is with Criseyde, his owne herte swete. 1820
EXPLICIT LIBER TERCIUS.
RUBRIC; from Cp. 1-56. Lost in Cm. 3. H2. leef; Ed. lefe; Cl. lyef; Cp. H. lief. 7. Cl. thin (for 2nd thy). 9. Cl. of; rest if. // Cp. Ed. wel; H2. wil; Cl. wole; H. wol. 10. Cl. Cp. beste. 11. Cl. H. Ed. The; H2. To. // Cl. feld (for fele). 12. Cl. nough (!) 13. Cl. word; H. world; Cp. Ed. worlde; H2. wirk. 17. Cl. H. Comeueden (rightly); Cp. Comended; Ed. Comenden; H2. Commodious(!) // Cp. Ed. amorous; H2. amerous; Cl. H. amoreux. // All hem (wrongly); read him; see l. 19. 20. Cp. H. H2. hym; Ed. him; Cl. hem. 22. H. apasen; Ed. apeasen; H2. apesyn. // Cl. Iire. 23. Cl. lyste; rest list. 28. H2. hym; rest it. 32. Cl. thing. 33. Cl. constreue. // Cl. H. Cp. Io; H2. io; Ed. go; (Io=jo). 36. Cl. vniuersite (!) 38. Cl. H. worse. 42. Cl. this (for thy). // Cl. seruyce. 44. Cp. H. Inhielde. 49. H2. gladnes; rest om. 51. All lesson. 56. H2. leve (sic); rest leue. // Cp. H. Ed. werken; Cl. werke. 57. Cm. how; rest so. // Cl. om. that. 58. Cp. Ed. Cm. shorte; rest short. 59. Cl. lad. 60. Cl. om. in. 65. Cl. rufully; Ed. routhfully. 66. thou] Cl. yow. 74. H2. Ed. ey; rest I. 76. lordshipe] Cl. mercy. 77. Cl. beseche. 79. H. Cm. wex; Cl. Cp. wax. 81. Cl. smyte. 83. Cl. om. he. 90. Cp. H. Ed. resons; Cl. resones; Cm. werkis; H2. wordis. 92. Cl. An; H2. Hym; rest In. 93. Cl. quooke. 97. Cm. ferste; rest first (ferst). 99. Cl. whily. // Cl. ho (for he). 100. Cl. that; rest for. 101. Cl. om. I. 110. Cm. wrethe (for herte). // Cm. I; H2. y; rest om. 114. Cl. for to; rest to. 116. H. puked; H2. procurid (!) 119. Cm. H2. om. that. 121. Cp. H. Ed. wilne; Cm. wiln; Cl. wille. // Cl. shal seye; rest om. shal. 125. of] Cl. on. 135. Cl. deligence. 136. Cl. Cp. H. Ed. om. I; see l. 141. 138. Cl. defende (!) 139. Cl. Cm. digne; rest deigne. 142. Cl. Cp. myn; Cm. myne. 144. H2. serve; rest seruen. // Cl. Cp. H. ben ay I-lyke; Ed. to ben aye ylike; H2. bene y-lyke; Cm. ay ben I-lik; but read been y-lyke ay. 149. And] Cl. A. // Cl. om. a. 150. Cl. Cp. H. feste. 152. Cl. that this; rest om. that. 160. Cl. But (for And). 167. Cp. H. hennes; Cm. henys; Cl. hens. 172. MSS. soueraynte. 173. Cp. Ny (for Ne I). 176. Cl. my dere; rest om. my. 179. Cl. Ed. to; rest in-to. 180. yow] Cl. now. 183.
H. yen; Cm. ey[gh]yn; rest eyen. 188. Cl. Cp. H. in the; rest om. the. 190. Cl. Cm. H2. Ed. om. as. 193. Cl. and on; Ed. H2. and one; H. and oon; Cp. an oon; Cm. a-non; read as oon? 194. Cm. H2. the; Cp. to; rest two. 195. my] Cl. Cm. myn. 205. H2. They come vpwardis at. 207. Cl. blynde. 208. Cl. it is tyme. 213. Cl. ins. hire bef. diden. // Cp. H. diden; Cl. deden. 214. Cm. spekyn wondir wel; Cl. (and rest) wonder wel spaken (speken). 221. Cl. gardeyn. 223. Cl. lyste; Cp. Ed. H. leste. 229. Cp. Ed. paillet; rest pailet. 237. Cl. speke; rest speken (spekyn). 240. Cl. om. so. 242. Cp. Cm. waxeth; Ed. woxe; rest wax (but read wex). 244. Cl. sethen do. 250. Cl. a game bygonne to. 254. Cp. H. Bitwixen; Cl. Bytwene. 260. Cl. alle; rest al. 262. Cl. for to abrygge; Cp. H. for tabregge; Cm. to abregge. // Cl. destresse. 268. Cl. alwed. 269. Cl. dar I; rest I dar wel. 270. Cl. om. that. 279. Cl. bygone. 280. Cl. wonne. 281. Cl. om. wol. // Cl. H2. go. 283. Cl. preuete. 290. Cl. Cm. Ed. om. ther. 293. H. Ed. this (for yet); Cp. thus. 299. Cl. selue; Cm. seluyn. 300. H2. as for to; blabbe. 301. Cl. the (for they). 308. Cl. kyng (for kynde). // Cl. auauntures (!) 310. As] Cl. A. 312. Cl. H2. holde; rest holden. 313. Cl. om. it. 315. Cl. Cp. H2. And a; rest And. // Cl. heste; H2. hest; rest byheste. 319. Cl. byhight; Cp. bihyghte. 320. Cl. no more; rest om. no. 332. Cl. womman (!) 323. Cl. this not. 324. Cm. wis man; H2. wyse man; rest wyse men. 327. Cl. wys. 329. Cl. om. harm. 335. Cl. suffice; rest suffise. 337. Cl. om. wel. 340. the] Cl. H2. thi. 341. Cl. make (for may). 344. or] Cl. and. 346. theffect] Cl. the feyth. 347. Cl. sorwe (for herte). 351. Cl. om. as. 352. Cp. H. H2. dede; Cl. Cm. ded. 355. Cl. Cp. H. for to (for to). 356. Cm. Wex; Cl. Cp. H. Wax. 360. Cm. aprille; H. aperil; rest April. 361. remembre] Cl. remembreth. 363. H. didest; Cl. Cp. dedest. 366. Cl. I to; rest om. to. 368. Cm. Ed. tel; rest telle. 380. Cl. thenketh. 382. Cp. H. Caytif; Cl. Castif; rest Captif. // All Agamenoun. 385. Ed. the lyketh; H2. it lyke the; Cl. it lyketh; Cp. H. Cm. it liketh the. 386. Cl. meche; Cp. muche. // Cl. Cm. don; rest I-do (y-do, ydon). 389. Cl. In; rest on. 390.
Cl. the wole. 391. Cp. H. sclaue; Ed. slaue; Cl. knaue (with sl altered to kn). 397. Cl. baudery. 398. Cl. om. wood. 412. All Tel. // Cl. Cp. H. om. me. 414. Cl. seruyce. 417. Ed. moste; rest most. 425. Cp. Ed. though; H2. thogh; Cl. H. thought; Cm. tho. 441. Cl. he (for her). 442. All lay; perhaps read laye (subjunctive). 443. Cl. dishesed. 446. Cm. man; Cl. Cp. H. men. // Ed. men be. // Cl. yplesed; rest plesed. 450. Cp. H. writen; Cl. wreten. 451. Cl. om. and. 452. or] Cl. Ed. and. 453. Cl. as it; rest om. it. 457. Cl. om. awayt. 462. Cl. make; a (for an). 463. Cm. speke; rest spake. 475. Cl. seruyce. 476. Cp. H. auyse; rest deuyse. 481. Cm. goode; rest good. 485. Cp. Ed. y-like; H. yhold; rest ylyk. 491. wayten] Cl. wene. 496. Cl. stont; Cp. H. Cm. stant. 497. Cl. Cp. Cm. Hise. 507. Cm. These; rest This. 509. Cl. myght; Cp. H. Cm. myghte. 510. Ed. fulfell; rest fulfille. 514. Cl. And; rest As. 516. Cl. There-as; rest Wher-as. 520. Cl. om. -to. 525. Cp. H. H2. impossible. 526. Cp. H. Cm. Dredeles; Cl. Dredles. // Cm. cler; rest clere. 527. Of] Cl. From. 531. Cp. H. H2. witen; rest weten. 533. Cl. puruyaunce. 540. H. moste; Cm. Ed. muste; Cl. most. 545. Cl. om. -thy. 547. Cl. there but; rest om. but. 548. Cl. shortely. 551. Ed. H2. welken; Cp. wolken; rest walkene (walken). 552. Cl. straught; H. H2. streight; Cp. streght. 555. Cl. woned; rest wont. 558. Cp. H. cape. 562. sholde] Cl. shal. 563. Cl. om. ne. 572. Cp. H. thruste (!); Cm. thourrste (for thurfte); H2. Ed. durst; Cl. dorste (but read thurfte). // Cl. haue neuere. 573. Cl. hem; rest him. 576. Cl. Cp. H2. whan that; rest om. that. 578. Cl. ther; rest ther-of. 579. Cl. Cp. Ed. with-outen. // Cl. a-wayte. 584. H. goosish; Cp. goosissh; H2. gosisshe; Cl. gosylyche; Ed. gofysshe (!) // Cl. peple; H. peples; Cm. puples; Cp. poeples; Ed. peoples. 587. Cm. mot; rest most (must). 589. Cl. om. hir. 595. Cl. vn to the; rest to. 601. Cl. Cp. stuwe. 602. Cl. om. in. 603. Cl. H. Wnwist. 608. Cl. hym; rest hem. 612. Cl. auyse; rest deuyse. 613. Cl. like; Cp. H. Cm. liken. // Cl. laughen that here. 614. Cp. Cm. Ed. tolde; Cl. H. told. // Cl. tales; Ed. a tale; H2. the tale; rest tale. 616. Cl. she wolde; rest om.
she. 617. H2. werdis; Cl. Cp. Ed. wyerdes; H. wierdes; Cm. wordis (!) 619. Cm. H2. herdis; rest hierdes. 621. Cl. om. now. 630. it] Cl. a. 632. Cl. om. I. 636. Cl. be. nought a-] Cl. for no. 637. Cl. om. as. 640. ron] Ed. rayned. H2. flood; Cl. H. Cm. flode. 642. Cl. om. it. 645. dere] Cl. drede. 648. a] Cm. on. 664. Cp. outer; H. outter; Cl. other; Ed. vtter; Cm. vttir. 674. Cl. Cp. H. The voyde; Cm. They voydyn; Ed. They voyde; H2. They voydid &. 676. Cl. that; H2. om.; rest the. 684. Cl. in; rest at. 690. Cp. Ed. skippen; H. skipen; Cm. schepe; H2. skipe; Cl. speken. // traunce] Ed. praunce. 696. Cl. Cp. sey; H. seye; Cm. woste; H2. wist; Ed. sawe. // Cl. Ed. H2. al. 697. Cl. om. up-. 704. Cl. om. For. 711. Cp. H. gruwel; Cl. Cm. growel; Ed. gruell. 715. Cl. An; Cp. As; rest And. 717. Cl. combest; Cm. H2. cumbrid; Cp. H. Ed. combust. // Cl. om. in. 722. Cl. Cp. Ed. om. O. 725. Cl. Cp. H. Cipres; Cm. Cipris; Ed. Cipria; H2. Ciphis. 726. Ed. Daphne. 727. Cm. wex; Cl. Cp. H. wax. 729. Cl. Cp. H. hierse; H2. hyerce; Cm. hirie; Ed. her (!) 729, 731. Cl. ek, by-sek; H. eke, bi-seke. 735. Cl. help; rest helpeth. 737. Cl. a-garst (!) 738. Cp. H. don; Cm. do; rest do on. // Cl. a-boue; rest up-on. 739. Cl. folewe; Cp. Cm. folwe; H. Ed. folowe. 745. Cp. H. Ed. layen; Cl. lay. 753. Cl. Cm. haveth. 756. H. rise; Cl. rysen. 758. Cm. H2. thus; rest om. // hem] Cl. vs. 761. H2. Ey; Ed. Eygh; rest I. 762. Cl. Quod tho; rest om. tho. 763. Cl. om. er. 770. com] Cl. cam. 775. Cm. houe; H2. howe. 776. Cl. Cp. H. Ed. this mene while; Cm. H2. om. mene. 777. Cl. om. 2nd a. 780. Cl. that; Cp. Cm. H. Ed. al. 791. shal] H2. ow; Ed. owe. 795. Cl. Ed. H2. is this. 797. Cp. H. Cm. scholden louen oon; Cl. louen sholde on. // hatte] Ed. hight. 799. Cl. alle these thynges herde. 801. she] Cl. H2. ful. // Cl. answerede. 802. Cl. tolle (!) 804. Cl. conseytes. 809. Cl. more (for morwe). // and] Cl. yf. 810. Cl. fully excuse. 811. him] Cl. he. 813. Cl. om. god. 818. Cp. Ed. either; H. oyther (for eyther); Cl. Cm. other. // Cl. nough. 823. Cl. Other he; rest Or. 826. derknesse] H. distresse. 829. Cl. om. that. 833. ful] Cl. but. 834. Cl. Cm. manere. 839. Cl. H. mad Troylus to me; H2.
thus Troylus me made; Cm. Ed. Cp. Troylus mad to me. 842. him] Cl. yow. 843. Cl. myn; Cp. H. my. 847. Ed. I (for for I). // H. Ed. for the beste. 850. Ed. H2. om. a. 854. H. abedes; Cm. abydis. 857. Cp. H. Ed. Wel; rest om. // Cl. H2. to rescowe; rest om. to. 859. Cm. H2. How is; rest om. is (here). // H2. y-falle; Cm. falle; rest is falle. 861. H2. feldyfare; Cl. feld-fare; rest feldefare. 862. Cp. H. Ed. ne; rest om. // Cl. gref. 869. I] Cl. ye. 870. Ye] Cl. I. 880. Cl. malis. 887. more] Cl. H2. bettre. 889. Cl. ben sene; Cp. H. Cm. be sene; H2. be seyn; Ed. he sene. 892. dede men] Cl. a dede man. 893. trowe I] Cl. I trowe. 898. Cl. stenteth; rest stynteth. 900. Cp. Ed. Cm. nolde; H. nold; Cl. nold not. Cp. H. setten; Cl. Cm. sette. 909. Cl. To; rest So. // H. spek; rest speke. 912. Cm. om. is. // H. teuery (for to euery). 917. Cl. at; H2. am; Cm. H. Ed. al; Cp. om. 928. to] Cl. Cp. H. Ed. for to. 931. Cl. H. A; rest At. 935. or] Cl. Cm. H2. and. // Cl. tacches. 936. Cp. Ed. This is seyd. // Cl. hym; rest hem. // Cl. is; rest be (ben, beth). 947. Cl. That; H2. That good; rest Ther good. 954. Cl. Cm. Cp. H2. hede; Ed. heed; H. hed. 956. Cl. -lych; H. -lyche. 964. Cl. quysshon; Cm. qwischin; H2. cusshyn. 965. Cp. Ed. leste; rest lyste, lyst. 968. Cl. put; Cp. H. putte. 970. H2. dewte; Cp. dewete. 975. Cl. H2. now gode; rest om. now. 976. Cl. om. al. 978. Cl. fyre; Ed. fiere; rest fere. 980. Cl. loken. 990. Cl. goudly; Cp. H. goodly. // Cl. Cp. make; H. Cm. Ed. maken. 994. for] Cl. first; Cm. H2. om. 995. H2. found; rest founden. // Cp. [gh]it; Cm. yite; rest yet. 999. Cl. emforthe; Cp. H. Ed. emforth. 1002. Cl. H2. dredles. 1004. Cl. H2. yow not. 1005. your] Cl. H2. yow. 1009. Cl. loue (for myn, as a correction). 1014. Cl. refuyt; Cp. H. Cm. refut; Ed. refute. 1015. Cl. ins. him bef. arace. // arace] Cl. Ed. race. 1017. Ed. dignyte (for deitee). 1020. for to] Cl. that I. // on] Cl. Ed. of. 1022. up-on] Cl. on. 1029. Cl. Cm. to bere; rest om. to. 1032. Cl. And whanne. 1033. Cp. H. piete; rest pite. 1043. Cl. dishese. 1046. Cp. H. Ed. list; Cl. lyste. // Cm. ordel. 1047. Cl. lyste; Cp. H. Ed. leste. 1055. Cl. in-to the bed down; rest doun in the bed. 1056. Cl.
wreygh; Cp. H. wreigh; Cm. wrigh; Ed. wrighe. 1060. Cl. om. a. 1066. Cm. Ed. liste; rest lyst (list, lest). 1067. Cl. om. a. 1074. in] Cl. vn. 1075. that] Cl. the. 1087. Cl. eighen; Cp. H. Ed. eyen. 1094. Cl. H2. For; rest But. // Ed. hushte. 1096. Cl. Buth; Cp. H. Ed. Beth. 1097. Cl. he him in-to bedde. 1104. Cp. Ed. Cm. pullen; Cl. H. pulle. 1113. Cl. no; Cm. not; Cp. H. nought. 1116. to] Cl. for. 1121. Cl. bet gan; rest gan bet. 1129. Cp. Ed. keste; Cl. Cm. kyste. 1131. Cp. H. herte; rest hertes. 1132. Cp. H. Ed. leste; Cl. lyste. 1137. All eyen (ey[gh]en). 1141. Cl. Cp. chimeney; H. Cm. chimeneye. 1143. H. Ed. list; Cl. lyste. 1144. Cp. Cm. thoughte; Cl. H. thought. 1163. Cp. Ed. andswerde; H. answarde; Cl. answered. 1168. Cp. H. Ed. Ialous; Cm. Ielous; Cl. Ialousye. 1169. Cl. om. it. 1177. Cp. H. answerde; Cl. answered. 1192. Cl. Cp. Cm. it; rest him. // Cp. H. foot; Cl. fote. 1193. Cp. H. thise; Cm. these; Cl. this. 1194. Cp. H. sucre; Cm. seukere; H2. Ed. sugre; Cl. sour. // Cp. H. soot; Cl. sot; Cm. H2. sote; Ed. soote. 1195. Cl. mot. 1200. Ed. aspen; H2. auspen. 1201. Cl. om. his. 1203. Cl. om. tho. 1206. Cm. Ed. mote; rest mot. 1208. H. boot; Cl. Cp. Cm. bote. 1209. Cp. H. Cm. answerde; Cl. answered. 1211. Cl. yolden. 1218. hath] Cl. is. 1219. Cl. the more; rest om. the. 1222. Cl. sith that; rest om. that. 1225. Cp. comth; Cl. come. 1227. Cl. Iust. 1229. Cl. entent; H. entente. 1231. Cl. Cm. wrythe; Cp. H. Ed. writhe; H2. writhen is (read wryth or writh). 1234. Cl. gynneth to; Cp. bygynneth to; rest begynneth. 1236. Cl. ony. 1238. Cl. Criseyd. // Cl. stynte; Cp. H. stente. 1240. y-] Cl. is. 1241. Cl. out; gysse. 1244. Cl. alle; word. 1247. Cl. streyght; Cp. streghte. 1248. Cl. fleysshly. 1251. Cl. om. heuene and to. 1258. Cl. the; rest that (after next). 1261. Cl. Cm. Benyngne; Cp. H. Benigne. 1264. Cl. nodestow(!) 1266. Cl. seye; Cp. H. Cm. seyn. 1268. H2. coude leest; Cm. couthe lest; Cp. H. leest koude; Cl. lest kowde. 1269. Cl. be; Cp. H. Cm. ben. // Cl. to; Cp. H. Cm. vn-to. 1272. Cp. H. H2. pace; Cl. passe. 1276. Cl. dishese. 1285. Cp. H. Cm. benignite; Cl. benyngnite. 1286. Cm. thynkith; Cl. thenk; Cp. H. thynk that. 1288. Cl. seruyce. 1290.
Cl. for that; rest om. that. 1291. Cl. Cm. Cp. stere; H. Ed. fere (feere). 1294. Cl. om. that I; Cm. Cp. om. I. 1296. Cl. But; rest For. 1298. H. Cp. Ed. fynden; Cl. Cm. fynde. // Cl. lyfe. 1299. Cp. H. Ny (for Ne I). // Cm. Ed. H2. not; Cl. Cp. H. om. 1302. Cl. to; rest un-to. 1314. Cl. om. thise. 1315. Cm. be-twixe; Cl. be-twexen; H. bitweyne. // Cl. Cm. dred; rest drede (read dreed). 1318. Cl. om. two. 1321. Cl. daunder (!) 1322. Cl. blyssyd; rest blisse (blis). 1324. Cp. Ed. tellen; Cm. tellyn; H. talen; Cl. telle. 1326. Cm. (2nd) I; Cl. Cp. H. and; Ed. om. 1339. Cp. H. Cm. Ed. a-sonder; Cl. a-sondry. // Cp. H. Cm. Ed. gon; Cl. go ne(!) // Cl. om. it. 1340. Cm. H2. wende; Cp. Cl. H. wenden. 1341. Cm. Ed. Cp. H2. moste; Cl. H. most. 1342. Cl. nere (for were). 1345. And] Cl. A. // goodly] Cl. gladly. 1346. H. Cm. blynte; Cp. Ed. bleynte; Cl. blente. 1352. Cl. eighen; Cp. H. Ed. eyen. 1356. Cl. wreten; Cp. H. writen. 1361. H. swiche; H2. Ed. suche; Cl. swich. 1362. Cl. whanne; Cm. whan; Cp. H. when. 1365. H. bilynne; rest blynne. 1370. Cl. of; rest and. 1373. Cl. Cp. H. or a; Cm. a; rest om. 1375. tho] Cl. the. // Cl. Ed. pens; Cp. H. Cm. pans. // Cp. H. mokre; H2. moker; Cm. mokere; Cl. moke. // Cl. Ed. kecche; Cm. crache(!); Cp. tecche(!); H2. teche(!); H. theche(!) 1385. Cp. H. Ed. lyue; Cl. leue. 1387. tho] Cl. that. 1388. Cl. eerys. 1390. Cl. drenken. 1394. Cp. H. Thise; Cl. This. 1396. Cp. H. speken; Cl. speke. 1398. hem] Cl. hym. 1400. to] H. Cm. in-to. 1401. Cp. H. Cm. mo; rest more. // Cp. H. fel; Cl. fille. 1403. Cp. H. Cm. al; Cl. alle. 1405. Cl. dede; Cm. dedyn; Ed. dydden; rest diden. 1407. Cl. Cp. Ed. -peyse; rest -pese. 1408. Cl. shep(!); H. slep; rest slepe. 1409. Cl. nough(!) 1410. H. Cm. kep; rest kepe. 1414. Cl. Cp. gentilesse; rest gentilnesse. 1415. Cl. whanne; Cp. Cm. whan; H. when. 1416. Cl. to crowe; rest om. to. 1418. Cm. hese (= his); rest here (hire). // Cl. bemys throw. 1419. Cl. Cm. after-; rest est-. 1420. than] All that. 1424. Cl. Cm. des-; rest dis-. 1425. Cp. H. hennes; Cm. henys; Cl. hens to. 1426. Cl. ellys. 1428. Ed. Alcmena. 1435. Cl. Cm. flest; Cp. H. H2. fleest. 1442. Cl. hastely. 1444. H. piteous; Cp.
pietous; rest pitous. 1450. Cl. crueel. 1453. Cp. H2. yen; rest eyen. 1454. Cm. espyen. 1457. Cl. Cm. these; Cp. H2. thise. 1459. Cl. shent; rest slayn. 1460. Cm. Ed. let; Cl. late; rest lat (read lete). 1462. Cl. Cp. selys. 1464. Cl. he to; rest om. to. 1465. Cp. H. fool; Cl. Cm. fol. 1466. Cl. Cp. Cm. dawyng; rest dawnyng. 1471. H. Cp. sighte; Cl. sight; Ed. syghed. 1476. H. my lyf an oure; Cp. Ed. my lyf an houre; Cl. an hour my lyf. 1482. Cl. brenneth; H. bitleth(!); Cp. biteth; Ed. byteth; rest streyneth. 1486. Cm. H2. Yit; rest om. // Cp. H. wiste; Cl. wist. 1490. Cl. Cm. wordes; rest worldes. 1491. Cp. H. Cm. Ed. enduren; Cl. endure. 1492. Cp. H. answerde; Cl. answered. 1498. Cl. Troles(!) 1506. Cl. An. 1516. H. Cp. ayein; Cl. a-yen. 1525. Cl. myn herte and dere swete. 1526. Cp. H. sownde; Cl. sound. 1527. Cp. H. Cm. answerde; Cl. answerede. 1535. Cl. Cp. Ed. bedde; rest bed. 1536. Cl. woned. 1542. Cl. Hise; rest Hire (Her). 1543. Cl. hire; rest his. 1546. Cl. new; Cp. H. Cm. newe. 1554. Cp. dorste; Cl. H. dorst. 1558. Cl. ye my; rest om. my. 1559. slepe] Cl. shepe(!) 1562. Cp. H. com; Cl. Cm. come. 1563. Cl. H. murye; Cm. merie. 1564. Cp. H. answerde; Cl. Cm. answerede. // Cl. om. for. 1566. Cp. H. caused; Cl. causes. 1568. Cl. Cm. om. O. 1570. H. Cm. wex; Cl. Cp. wax. 1573. Cl. Here haue. // Ed. smyteth; Cp. smyten; rest smyte. 1575. Cl. keste. 1576-82. Cp. om. 1577. and] Cl. an. 1578. to] Cl. for to. 1579. Cl. H2. but; rest than. 1583. H. Cp. ayeyn; Cl. a-yen. 1587. Cl. come. 1592. Cm. kneis; Cp. H. knowes. 1593. Cl. out of; rest om. out. 1595. he] Cl. Cm. and. // Cl. H. Cm. blysse; rest blesse. 1600. Cp. Cm. flegetoun; Ed. Phlegeton. // Cl. Cp. H. Cm. fery; H2. firy; Ed. fyrie. 1603. Cm. myghte; Cl. might. // Cm. Ed. mote; Cp. H. moote; Cl. mot. 1608. Cp. H. hires; Cl. heres. 1609. Cp. heighe; Cm. hye; Cl. H. heigh. 1611. Cp. y-[gh]iue; Cl. y-yeue. 1613. Cl. Cm. leue; rest lyue. 1619, 1621, 1622. Cl. Cp. lief, grief, mischief; Cm. lef, gref, myschef; H2. leef, greef, mischeef. 1621. now] Cl. it. 1622. Cl. of of (!); rest of this. 1627. Cl. H2. be; rest ben. 1629. Cp. H. Thart. // Cl. ynowh. 1634. Cl. kep; rest kepe. 1642. Cp. H. Ny. 1644. Cm.
wistist thou; Ed. wystest thou; Cp. wystestow; Cl. H. wistow. 1655. than] Cl. er. 1656. H. answerde; Cl. answerede. 1657. Cl. Cm. onys. 1659. Cp. H. Cm. herde; Cl. herd. 1662. H. Cp. preysen; Cl.preyse. 1663. Cp. Cm. righte; Cl. H. right. 1664. chere] Cl. clere. 1671. Cp. Cm. felte; Cl. H. felt. 1675. Cm. H2. ek; rest om. 1677. Cp. H. theffect. 1679. Al brought. // Cl. Cp. H. H2. whan that; Cm. Ed. om. that. 1680. Cl. om. thus. 1687. Cl. complende(!); Cp. comprende; rest comprehende. 1693. H. wryten; H2. writyn; Cl. y-wrete. 1694. Cl. by-thenke; rest by-thynke. 1696. signes] Cl. synes. 1700. traytour] Cl. traytous. 1702. Cl. Cp. H. om. allas. 1703. H2. Pirous; Ed. Pyrous; H. Pirors; Cl. Cp. Cm. Piros. 1704. Ed. Whiche; rest Which. 1708. him] Cl. here; Cp. H. hire. // Cl. sacrifice. 1711. Cl. woned; Cp. H2. Ed. wont; H. wonte; Cm. wone. 1713. Cp. Cm. wroughte; Cl. H. wrought. 1718. Cl. H. festeynynges; Cp. H2. festynges; Cm. festyngys; (read festeyinges). 1720. aboute him] Cl. hym aboute. 1722. H. fresshiste; Cl. fresshest. 1723. Cl. om. 2nd a. // stevene] H. neuene. 1725. Cl. rong vp into. 1731. Cl. ony. 1734. Cl. y-maked(!) 1738. Cp. H. Cm. Ed. gardyn; Cl. gardeyn. 1745. Cl. heste. 1747. Cl. hem lyst hym (wrongly). 1748. Cl. Cp. knetteth; H. knettheth; Ed. knytteth; H2. kennyth; Cm. endytyth. // Cl. Cm. of; H. Cp. Ed. and; H2. om. 1753. Cl. elementes; Cp. H. elementz. 1755. Cp. H2. Ed. mote; Cl. H. mot; Cm. may. 1759. Cl. Constreyne. 1760. Cl. om. so. // Cp. H. Ed. fiersly; Cm. fersely; H2. fersly; Cl. freshly. 1762. Cp. H. lete; Cl. late; Cm. let; Ed. lette. 1767. H. Cp. cerclen; Cm. serkelyn; Cl. cerchen; Ed. serchen; H2. cherysson. 1768. Cp. H. wey; Cl. weye. 1769. twiste] Cl. it wyste. 1770. Cl. lest; Cp. H. liste. 1771. Cl. kep. 1774. Cl. certaynly. 1776. Cl. H. Cm. encres; Ed. encrease. 1779. Cl. om. he. 1780. Cp. boor; Cm. bor; rest bore. 1784. Cl. H2. cometh; rest comen. 1787. Cl. Cp. H. alle; rest al. 1794. Cl. heyghe; Cp. H. heigh. 1797. Cm. vnkouth; Cl. vnkow; Cp. vnkoude; rest vnkouthe. 1800. Cm. real. 1801. Cl. Lyst hym; Cp. H. Him liste. 1804. Cp. Cm. wolde; Cl. H. wold. 1805. Cp. H. Ed. pride and Ire enuye. 1807-1820. Lost in Cm. 1810. In] Cl.
I. // Cp. H. tabide. 1815. Cl. seruyce. 1816. Cl. dishese. 1818. wyse] Cl. wys. COLOPHON. From Ed.; Cl. Cp. H. H2. wrongly place it after Book IV, l. 28.
BOOK IV.
[PROHEMIUM.]
1. But al to litel, weylawey the whyle,
Lasteth swich Ioye, y-thonked be Fortune!
That semeth trewest, whan she wol bygyle,
And can to foles so hir song entune,
That she hem hent and blent, traytour comune; 5
And whan a wight is from hir wheel y-throwe,
Than laugheth she, and maketh him the mowe.
2. From Troilus she gan hir brighte face
Awey to wrythe, and took of him non hede,
But caste him clene oute of his lady grace, 10
And on hir wheel she sette up Diomede;
For which right now myn herte ginneth blede,
And now my penne, allas! with which I wryte,
Quaketh for drede of that I moot endyte.
3. For how Criseyde Troilus forsook, 15
Or at the leste, how that she was unkinde,
Mot hennes-forth ben matere of my book,
As wryten folk thorugh which it is in minde.
Allas! that they shulde ever cause finde
To speke hir harm; and if they on hir lye, 20
Y-wis, hem-self sholde han the vilanye.
4. O ye Herines, Nightes doughtren three,
That endelees compleynen ever in pyne,
Megera, Alete, and eek Thesiphone;
Thou cruel Mars eek, fader to Quiryne, 25
This ilke ferthe book me helpeth fyne,
So that the los of lyf and love y-fere
Of Troilus be fully shewed here.
EXPLICIT [PROHEMIUM]. INCIPIT QUARTUS LIBER.
5. Ligginge in ost, as I have seyd er this,
The Grekes stronge, aboute Troye toun, 30
Bifel that, whan that Phebus shyning is
Up-on the brest of Hercules Lyoun,
That Ector, with ful many a bold baroun,
Caste on a day with Grekes for to fighte,
As he was wont to greve hem what he mighte. 35
6. Not I how longe or short it was bitwene
This purpos and that day they fighte mente;
But on a day wel armed, bright and shene,
Ector, and many a worthy wight out wente,
With spere in hond and bigge bowes bente; 40
And in the berd, with-oute lenger lette,
Hir fomen in the feld anoon hem mette.
7. The longe day, with speres sharpe y-grounde,
With arwes, dartes, swerdes, maces felle,
They fighte and bringen hors and man to grounde, 45
And with hir axes out the braynes quelle.
But in the laste shour, sooth for to telle,
The folk of Troye hem-selven so misledden,
That with the worse at night homward they fledden.
8. At whiche day was taken Antenor, 50
Maugre Polydamas or Monesteo,
Santippe, Sarpedon, Polynestor,
Polyte, or eek the Troian daun Ripheo,
And othere lasse folk, as Phebuseo.
So that, for harm, that day the folk of Troye 55
Dredden to lese a greet part of hir Ioye.
9. Of Pryamus was yeve, at Greek requeste,
A tyme of trewe, and tho they gonnen trete,
Hir prisoneres to chaungen, moste and leste,
And for the surplus yeven sommes grete. 60
This thing anoon was couth in every strete,
Bothe in thassege, in toune, and every-where,
And with the firste it cam to Calkas ere.
10. Whan Calkas knew this tretis sholde holde,
In consistorie, among the Grekes, sone 65
He gan in thringe forth, with lordes olde,
And sette him there-as he was wont to done;
And with a chaunged face hem bad a bone,
For love of god, to don that reverence,
To stinte noyse, and yeve him audience. 70
11. Thanne seyde he thus, 'lo! lordes myne, I was
Troian, as it is knowen out of drede;
And if that yow remembre, I am Calkas,
That alderfirst yaf comfort to your nede,
And tolde wel how that ye sholden spede. 75
For dredelees, thorugh yow, shal, in a stounde,
Ben Troye y-brend, and beten doun to grounde.
12. And in what forme, or in what maner wyse
This town to shende, and al your lust to acheve,
Ye han er this wel herd it me devyse; 80
This knowe ye, my lordes, as I leve.
And for the Grekes weren me so leve,
I com my-self in my propre persone,
To teche in this how yow was best to done;
13. Havinge un-to my tresour ne my rente 85
Right no resport, to respect of your ese.
Thus al my good I loste and to yow wente,
Wening in this you, lordes, for to plese.
But al that los ne doth me no disese.
I vouche-sauf, as wisly have I Ioye, 90
For you to lese al that I have in Troye,
14. Save of a doughter, that I lafte, allas!
Slepinge at hoom, whanne out of Troye I sterte.
O sterne, O cruel fader that I was!
How mighte I have in that so hard an herte? 95
Allas! I ne hadde y-brought hir in hir sherte!
For sorwe of which I wol not live to morwe,
But-if ye lordes rewe up-on my sorwe.
15. For, by that cause I say no tyme er now
Hir to delivere, I holden have my pees; 100
But now or never, if that it lyke yow,
I may hir have right sone, doutelees.
O help and grace! amonges al this prees,
Rewe on this olde caitif in destresse,
Sin I through yow have al this hevinesse! 105
16. Ye have now caught and fetered in prisoun
Troians y-nowe; and if your willes be,
My child with oon may have redempcioun.
Now for the love of god and of bountee,
Oon of so fele, allas! so yeve him me. 110
What nede were it this preyere for to werne,
Sin ye shul bothe han folk and toun as yerne?
17. On peril of my lyf, I shal not lye,
Appollo hath me told it feithfully;
I have eek founde it by astronomye, 115
By sort, and by augurie eek trewely,
And dar wel seye, the tyme is faste by,
That fyr and flaumbe on al the toun shal sprede;
And thus shal Troye turne in asshen dede.
18. For certeyn, Phebus and Neptunus bothe, 120
That makeden the walles of the toun,
Ben with the folk of Troye alwey so wrothe,
That thei wol bringe it to confusioun,
Right in despyt of king Lameadoun.
By-cause he nolde payen hem hir hyre, 125
The toun of Troye shal ben set on-fyre.'
19. Telling his tale alwey, this olde greye,
Humble in speche, and in his lokinge eke,
The salte teres from his eyën tweye
Ful faste ronnen doun by eyther cheke. 130
So longe he gan of socour hem by-seke
That, for to hele him of his sorwes sore,
They yave him Antenor, with-oute more.
20. But who was glad y-nough but Calkas tho?
And of this thing ful sone his nedes leyde 135
On hem that sholden for the tretis go,
And hem for Antenor ful ofte preyde
To bringen hoom king Toas and Criseyde;
And whan Pryam his save-garde sente,
Thembassadours to Troye streyght they wente. 140
21. The cause y-told of hir cominge, the olde
Pryam the king ful sone in general
Let here-upon his parlement to holde,
Of which the effect rehersen yow I shal.
Thembassadours ben answered for fynal, 145
Theschaunge of prisoners and al this nede
Hem lyketh wel, and forth in they procede.
22. This Troilus was present in the place,
Whan axed was for Antenor Criseyde,
For which ful sone chaungen gan his face, 150
As he that with tho wordes wel neigh deyde.
But nathelees, he no word to it seyde,
Lest men sholde his affeccioun espye;
With mannes herte he gan his sorwes drye.
23. And ful of anguish and of grisly drede 155
Abood what lordes wolde un-to it seye;
And if they wolde graunte, as god forbede,
Theschaunge of hir, than thoughte he thinges tweye,
First, how to save hir honour, and what weye
He mighte best theschaunge of hir withstonde; 160
Ful faste he caste how al this mighte stonde.
24. Love him made al prest to doon hir byde,
And rather dye than she sholde go;
But resoun seyde him, on that other syde,
'With-oute assent of hir ne do not so, 165
Lest for thy werk she wolde be thy fo,
And seyn, that thorugh thy medling is y-blowe
Your bother love, there it was erst unknowe.'
25. For which he gan deliberen, for the beste,
That though the lordes wolde that she wente, 170
He wolde late hem graunte what hem leste,
And telle his lady first what that they mente.
And whan that she had seyd him hir entente,
Ther-after wolde he werken also blyve,
Though al the world ayein it wolde stryve. 175
26. Ector, which that wel the Grekes herde,
For Antenor how they wolde han Criseyde,
Gan it withstonde, and sobrely answerde:--
'Sires, she nis no prisoner,' he seyde;
'I noot on yow who that this charge leyde, 180
But, on my part, ye may eft-sone him telle,
We usen here no wommen for to selle.'
27. The noyse of peple up-stirte thanne at ones,
As breme as blase of straw y-set on fyre;
For infortune it wolde, for the nones, 185
They sholden hir confusioun desyre.
'Ector,' quod they, 'what goost may yow enspyre,
This womman thus to shilde and doon us lese
Daun Antenor?--a wrong wey now ye chese--
28. That is so wys, and eek so bold baroun, 190
And we han nede of folk, as men may see;
He is eek oon, the grettest of this toun;
O Ector, lat tho fantasyës be!
O king Pryam,' quod they, 'thus seggen we,
That al our voys is to for-gon Criseyde;' 195
And to deliveren Antenor they preyde.
29. O Iuvenal, lord! trewe is thy sentence,
That litel witen folk what is to yerne
That they ne finde in hir desyr offence;
For cloud of errour lat hem not descerne 200
What best is; and lo, here ensample as yerne.
This folk desiren now deliveraunce
Of Antenor, that broughte hem to mischaunce!
30. For he was after traytour to the toun
Of Troye; allas! they quitte him out to rathe; 205
O nyce world, lo, thy discrecioun!
Criseyde, which that never dide hem skathe,
Shal now no lenger in hir blisse bathe;
But Antenor, he shal com hoom to toune,
And she shal out; thus seyden here and howne. 210
31. For which delibered was by parlement,
For Antenor to yelden up Criseyde,
And it pronounced by the president,
Al-theigh that Ector 'nay' ful ofte preyde.
And fynaly, what wight that it with-seyde, 215
It was for nought, it moste been, and sholde;
For substaunce of the parlement it wolde.
32. Departed out of parlement echone,
This Troilus, with-oute wordes mo,
Un-to his chaumbre spedde him faste allone, 220
But-if it were a man of his or two,
The whiche he bad out faste for to go,
By-cause he wolde slepen, as he seyde,
And hastely up-on his bed him leyde.
33. And as in winter leves been biraft, 225
Eche after other, til the tree be bare,
So that ther nis but bark and braunche y-laft,
Lyth Troilus, biraft of ech wel-fare,
Y-bounden in the blake bark of care,
Disposed wood out of his wit to breyde, 230
So sore him sat the chaunginge of Criseyde.
34. He rist him up, and every dore he shette
And windowe eek, and tho this sorweful man
Up-on his beddes syde a-doun him sette,
Ful lyk a deed image pale and wan; 235
And in his brest the heped wo bigan
Out-breste, and he to werken in this wyse
In his woodnesse, as I shal yow devyse.
35. Right as the wilde bole biginneth springe
Now here, now there, y-darted to the herte, 240
And of his deeth roreth in compleyninge,
Right so gan he aboute the chaumbre sterte,
Smyting his brest ay with his festes smerte;
His heed to the wal, his body to the grounde
Ful ofte he swapte, him-selven to confounde. 245
36. His eyen two, for pitee of his herte,
Out stremeden as swifte welles tweye;
The heighe sobbes of his sorwes smerte
His speche him rafte, unnethes mighte he seye,
'O deeth, allas! why niltow do me deye? 250
A-cursed be the day which that nature
Shoop me to ben a lyves creature!'
37. But after, whan the furie and the rage
Which that his herte twiste and faste threste,
By lengthe of tyme somwhat gan asswage, 255
Up-on his bed he leyde him doun to reste;
But tho bigonne his teres more out-breste,
That wonder is, the body may suffyse
To half this wo, which that I yow devyse.
38. Than seyde he thus, 'Fortune! allas the whyle! 260
What have I doon, what have I thus a-gilt?
How mightestow for reuthe me bigyle?
Is ther no grace, and shal I thus be spilt?
Shal thus Criseyde awey, for that thou wilt?
Allas! how maystow in thyn herte finde 265
To been to me thus cruel and unkinde?
39. Have I thee nought honoured al my lyve,
As thou wel wost, above the goddes alle?
Why wiltow me fro Ioye thus depryve?
O Troilus, what may men now thee calle 270
But wrecche of wrecches, out of honour falle
In-to miserie, in which I wol biwayle
Criseyde, allas! til that the breeth me fayle?
40. Allas, Fortune! if that my lyf in Ioye
Displesed hadde un-to thy foule envye, 275
Why ne haddestow my fader, king of Troye,
By-raft the lyf, or doon my bretheren dye,
Or slayn my-self, that thus compleyne and crye,
I, combre-world, that may of no-thing serve,
But ever dye, and never fully sterve? 280
41. If that Criseyde allone were me laft,
Nought roughte I whider thou woldest me stere;
And hir, allas! than hastow me biraft.
But ever-more, lo! this is thy manere,
To reve a wight that most is to him dere, 285
To preve in that thy gerful violence.
Thus am I lost, ther helpeth no defence!
42. O verray lord of love, O god, allas!
That knowest best myn herte and al my thought,
What shal my sorwful lyf don in this cas 290
If I for-go that I so dere have bought?
Sin ye Cryseyde and me han fully brought
In-to your grace, and bothe our hertes seled,
How may ye suffre, allas! it be repeled?
43. What I may doon, I shal, whyl I may dure 295
On lyve in torment and in cruel peyne,
This infortune or this disaventure,
Allone as I was born, y-wis, compleyne;
Ne never wil I seen it shyne or reyne;
But ende I wil, as Edippe, in derknesse 300
My sorwful lyf, and dyen in distresse.
44. O wery goost, that errest to and fro,
Why niltow fleen out of the wofulleste
Body, that ever mighte on grounde go?
O soule, lurkinge in this wo, unneste, 305
Flee forth out of myn herte, and lat it breste,
And folwe alwey Criseyde, thy lady dere;
Thy righte place is now no lenger here!
45. O wofulle eyen two, sin your disport
Was al to seen Criseydes eyen brighte, 310
What shal ye doon but, for my discomfort,
Stonden for nought, and wepen out your sighte?
Sin she is queynt, that wont was yow to lighte,
In veyn fro-this-forth have I eyen tweye
Y-formed, sin your vertue is a-weye. 315
46. O my Criseyde, O lady sovereyne
Of thilke woful soule that thus cryeth,
Who shal now yeven comfort to the peyne?
Allas, no wight; but when myn herte dyeth,
My spirit, which that so un-to yow hyeth, 320
Receyve in gree, for that shal ay yow serve;
For-thy no fors is, though the body sterve.
47. O ye loveres, that heighe upon the wheel
Ben set of Fortune, in good aventure,
God leve that ye finde ay love of steel, 325
And longe mot your lyf in Ioye endure!
But whan ye comen by my sepulture,
Remembreth that your felawe resteth there;
For I lovede eek, though I unworthy were.
48. O olde unholsom and mislyved man, 330
Calkas I mene, allas! what eyleth thee
To been a Greek, sin thou art born Troian?
O Calkas, which that wilt my bane be,
In cursed tyme was thou born for me!
As wolde blisful Iove, for his Ioye, 335
That I thee hadde, where I wolde, in Troye!'
49. A thousand sykes, hottere than the glede,
Out of his brest ech after other wente,
Medled with pleyntes newe, his wo to fede,
For which his woful teres never stente; 340
And shortly, so his peynes him to-rente,
And wex so mat, that Ioye nor penaunce
He feleth noon, but lyth forth in a traunce.
50. Pandare, which that in the parlement
Hadde herd what every lord and burgeys seyde, 345
And how ful graunted was, by oon assent,
For Antenor to yelden so Criseyde,
Gan wel neigh wood out of his wit to breyde,
So that, for wo, he niste what he mente;
But in a rees to Troilus he wente. 350
51. A certeyn knight, that for the tyme kepte
The chaumbre-dore, un-dide it him anoon;
And Pandare, that ful tendreliche wepte,
In-to the derke chaumbre, as stille as stoon,
Toward the bed gan softely to goon, 355
So confus, that he niste what to seye;
For verray wo his wit was neigh aweye.
52. And with his chere and loking al to-torn,
For sorwe of this, and with his armes folden,
He stood this woful Troilus biforn, 360
And on his pitous face he gan biholden;
But lord, so often gan his herte colden,
Seing his freend in wo, whos hevinesse
His herte slow, as thoughte him, for distresse.
53. This woful wight, this Troilus, that felte 365
His freend Pandare y-comen him to see,
Gan as the snow ayein the sonne melte,
For which this sorwful Pandare, of pitee,
Gan for to wepe as tendreliche as he;
And specheles thus been thise ilke tweye, 370
That neyther mighte o word for sorwe seye.
54. But at the laste this woful Troilus,
Ney deed for smert, gan bresten out to rore,
And with a sorwful noyse he seyde thus,
Among his sobbes and his sykes sore, 375
'Lo! Pandare, I am deed, with-outen more.
Hastow nought herd at parlement,' he seyde,
'For Antenor how lost is my Criseyde?'
55. This Pandarus, ful deed and pale of hewe,
Ful pitously answerde and seyde, 'yis! 380
As wisly were it fals as it is trewe,
That I have herd, and wot al how it is.
O mercy, god, who wolde have trowed this?
Who wolde have wend that, in so litel a throwe,
Fortune our Ioye wolde han over-throwe? 385
56. For in this world ther is no creature,
As to my doom, that ever saw ruyne
Straungere than this, thorugh cas or aventure.
But who may al eschewe or al devyne?
Swich is this world; for-thy I thus defyne, 390
Ne trust no wight to finden in Fortune
Ay propretee; hir yeftes been comune.
57. But tel me this, why thou art now so mad
To sorwen thus? Why lystow in this wyse,
Sin thy desyr al holly hastow had, 395
So that, by right, it oughte y-now suffyse?
But I, that never felte in my servyse
A frendly chere or loking of an yë,
Lat me thus wepe and wayle, til I dye.
58. And over al this, as thou wel wost thy-selve, 400
This town is ful of ladies al aboute;
And, to my doom, fairer than swiche twelve
As ever she was, shal I finde, in som route,
Ye, oon or two, with-outen any doute.
For-thy be glad, myn owene dere brother, 405
If she be lost, we shul recovere another.
59. What, god for-bede alwey that ech plesaunce
In o thing were, and in non other wight!
If oon can singe, another can wel daunce;
If this be goodly, she is glad and light; 410
And this is fayr, and that can good a-right.
Ech for his vertu holden is for dere,
Bothe heroner and faucon for rivere.
60. And eek, as writ Zanzis, that was ful wys,
"The newe love out chaceth ofte the olde;" 415
And up-on newe cas lyth newe avys.
Thenk eek, thy-self to saven artow holde;
Swich fyr, by proces, shal of kinde colde.
For sin it is but casuel plesaunce,
Som cas shal putte it out of remembraunce. 420
61. For al-so seur as day cometh after night,
The newe love, labour or other wo,
Or elles selde seinge of a wight,
Don olde affecciouns alle over-go.
And, for thy part, thou shalt have oon of tho 425
To abrigge with thy bittre peynes smerte;
Absence of hir shal dryve hir out of herte.'
62. Thise wordes seyde he for the nones alle,
To helpe his freend, lest he for sorwe deyde.
For doutelees, to doon his wo to falle, 430
He roughte not what unthrift that he seyde.
But Troilus, that neigh for sorwe deyde,
Tok litel hede of al that ever he mente;
Oon ere it herde, at the other out it wente:--
