coitus. Et narrat mirabile exemplum de magno Rege Antiocho,
qui vxore mortua propriam filiam violauit: et quia filie
Matrimonium penes alios impedire voluit, tale ab eo
exiit edictum, quod si quis eam in vxorem peteret, nisi
ipse prius[1481] quoddam problema questionis, quam ipse
Rex proposuerat, veraciter solueret, capitali sentencia
puniretur. Super quo veniens tandem discretus iuuenis
princeps Tyri Appolinus questionem soluit; nec tamen
filiam habere potuit, set Rex indignatus ipsum propter hoc
in mortis odium recollegit. Vnde Appolinus a facie Regis
fugiens, quam plura, prout inferius intitulantur, propter
amorem pericla passus est.]
Of a Cronique in daies gon,
The which is cleped Pantheon,
In loves cause I rede thus,
Hou that the grete Antiochus,
Of whom that Antioche tok
His ferste name, as seith the bok,
Was coupled to a noble queene,
And hadde a dowhter hem betwene:
Bot such fortune cam to honde,
That deth, which no king mai withstonde, 280
Bot every lif it mote obeie,
This worthi queene tok aweie.
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 285=]
The king, which made mochel mone,
Tho stod, as who seith, al him one
Withoute wif, bot natheles
His doghter, which was piereles
Of beaute, duelte aboute him stille.
Bot whanne a man hath welthe at wille,
The fleissh is frele and falleth ofte,
And that this maide tendre and softe, 290
Which in hire fadres chambres duelte,[1482]
Withinne a time wiste and felte:
For likinge and concupiscence[1483]
Withoute insihte of conscience
The fader so with lustes blente,
That he caste al his hole entente
His oghne doghter forto spille.
This king hath leisir at his wille[1484]
With strengthe, and whanne he time sih,
This yonge maiden he forlih: 300
And sche was tendre and full of drede,
Sche couthe noght hir Maidenhede
Defende, and thus sche hath forlore
The flour which sche hath longe bore.
It helpeth noght althogh sche wepe,
For thei that scholde hir bodi kepe
Of wommen were absent as thanne;
And thus this maiden goth to manne,
The wylde fader thus devoureth
His oghne fleissh, which non socoureth,[1485] 310
And that was cause of mochel care.
Bot after this unkinde fare
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 286=]
Out of the chambre goth the king,
And sche lay stille, and of this thing,
Withinne hirself such sorghe made,
Ther was no wiht that mihte hir glade,
For feere of thilke horrible vice.
With that cam inne the Norrice
Which fro childhode hire hadde kept,
And axeth if sche hadde slept, 320
And why hire chiere was unglad.
Bot sche, which hath ben overlad
Of that sche myhte noght be wreke,
For schame couthe unethes speke;
And natheles mercy sche preide
With wepende yhe and thus sche seide:
‘Helas, mi Soster, waileway,
That evere I sih this ilke day!
Thing which mi bodi ferst begat
Into this world, onliche that 330
Mi worldes worschipe hath bereft.’
With that sche swouneth now and eft,
And evere wissheth after deth,
So that welnyh hire lacketh breth.
That other, which hire wordes herde,
In confortinge of hire ansuerde,
To lette hire fadres fol desir[1486]
Sche wiste no recoverir:
Whan thing is do, ther is no bote,
So suffren thei that suffre mote; 340
Ther was non other which it wiste.
Thus hath this king al that him liste
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 287=]
Of his likinge and his plesance,
And laste in such continuance,
And such delit he tok therinne,
Him thoghte that it was no Sinne;
And sche dorste him nothing withseie.
Bot fame, which goth every weie,
To sondry regnes al aboute
The grete beaute telleth oute 350
Of such a maide of hih parage:
So that for love of mariage
The worthi Princes come and sende,
As thei the whiche al honour wende,[1487]
And knewe nothing hou it stod.[1488]
The fader, whanne he understod,
That thei his dowhter thus besoghte,
With al his wit he caste and thoghte[1489]
Hou that he myhte finde a lette;
And such a Statut thanne he sette, 360
And in this wise his lawe he taxeth,
That what man that his doghter axeth,[1490]
Bot if he couthe his question
Assoile upon suggestion
Of certein thinges that befelle,
The whiche he wolde unto him telle,
He scholde in certein lese his hed.
And thus ther weren manye ded,
Here hevedes stondende on the gate,
Till ate laste longe and late, 370
For lacke of ansuere in the wise,[1491]
The remenant that weren wise
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 288=]
Eschuieden to make assay.
[Sidenote: De aduentu Appolini in Antiochiam, vbi ipse
filiam Regis Antiochi in vxorem postulauit.]
Til it befell upon a day
Appolinus the Prince of Tyr,
Which hath to love a gret desir,
As he which in his hihe mod
Was likende of his hote blod,
A yong, a freissh, a lusti knyht,
As he lai musende on a nyht 380
Of the tidinges whiche he herde,
He thoghte assaie hou that it ferde.
He was with worthi compainie
Arraied, and with good navie
To schipe he goth, the wynd him dryveth,
And seileth, til that he arryveth:
Sauf in the port of Antioche
He londeth, and goth to aproche
The kinges Court and his presence.
Of every naturel science, 390
Which eny clerk him couthe teche,
He couthe ynowh, and in his speche
Of wordes he was eloquent;
And whanne he sih the king present,
He preith he moste his dowhter have.
The king ayein began to crave,
And tolde him the condicion,
Hou ferst unto his question
He mote ansuere and faile noght,
Or with his heved it schal be boght: 400
And he him axeth what it was.
[Sidenote: Questio Regis Antiochi.]
The king declareth him the cas
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 289=]
With sturne lok and sturdi chiere,[1492]
To him and seide in this manere:
[Sidenote: Scelere vehor, materna carne vescor, quero
patrem meum, matris mee virum, vxoris mee filium.]
‘With felonie I am upbore,
I ete and have it noght forbore
Mi modres fleissh, whos housebonde
Mi fader forto seche I fonde,
Which is the Sone ek of my wif.
Hierof I am inquisitif; 410
And who that can mi tale save,
Al quyt he schal my doghter have;
Of his ansuere and if he faile,
He schal be ded withoute faile.
Forthi my Sone,’ quod the king,
‘Be wel avised of this thing,[1493]
Which hath thi lif in jeupartie.’
[Sidenote: Responsio Appollini.]
Appolinus for his partie,
Whan he this question hath herd,[1494]
Unto the king he hath ansuerd 420
And hath rehersed on and on
The pointz, and seide therupon:
‘The question which thou hast spoke,
If thou wolt that it be unloke,
It toucheth al the privete
Betwen thin oghne child and thee,
And stant al hol upon you tuo.’
[Sidenote: Indignacio Antiochi super responsione Appolini.[1495]]
The king was wonder sory tho,
And thoghte, if that he seide it oute,
Than were he schamed al aboute. 430
With slihe wordes and with felle
He seith, ‘Mi Sone, I schal thee telle,
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 290=]
Though that thou be of litel wit,
It is no gret merveile as yit,
Thin age mai it noght suffise:
Bot loke wel thou noght despise
Thin oghne lif, for of my grace
Of thretty daies fulle a space
I grante thee, to ben avised.’
[Sidenote: De recessu Appollini ab Antiochia.]
And thus with leve and time assised 440
This yonge Prince forth he wente,
And understod wel what it mente,
Withinne his herte as he was lered,[1496]
That forto maken him afered
The king his time hath so deslaied.
Wherof he dradde and was esmaied,[1497]
Of treson that he deie scholde,
For he the king his sothe tolde;
And sodeinly the nyhtes tyde,
That more wolde he noght abide, 450
Al prively his barge he hente
And hom ayein to Tyr he wente:
And in his oghne wit he seide
For drede, if he the king bewreide,
He knew so wel the kinges herte,
That deth ne scholde he noght asterte,
The king him wolde so poursuie.
Bot he, that wolde his deth eschuie,
And knew al this tofor the hond,
Forsake he thoghte his oghne lond, 460
That there wolde he noght abyde;
For wel he knew that on som syde[1498]
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 291=]
This tirant of his felonie
Be som manere of tricherie
To grieve his bodi wol noght leve.
[Sidenote: De fuga Appolini per mare[1499] a Regno suo.]
Forthi withoute take leve,
Als priveliche as evere he myhte,[1500]
He goth him to the See be nyhte
In Schipes that be whete laden:[1501]
Here takel redy tho thei maden 470
And hale up Seil and forth thei fare.[1502]
Bot forto tellen of the care
That thei of Tyr begonne tho,
Whan that thei wiste he was ago,
It is a Pite forto hiere.
They losten lust, they losten chiere,
Thei toke upon hem such penaunce,
Ther was no song, ther was no daunce,
Bot every merthe and melodie
To hem was thanne a maladie; 480
For unlust of that aventure
Ther was noman which tok tonsure,
In doelful clothes thei hem clothe,[1503]
The bathes and the Stwes bothe
Thei schetten in be every weie;
There was no lif which leste pleie
Ne take of eny joie kepe,
Bot for here liege lord to wepe;
And every wyht seide as he couthe,
‘Helas, the lusti flour of youthe, 490
Our Prince, oure heved, our governour,
Thurgh whom we stoden in honour,[1504]
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 292=]
Withoute the comun assent
Thus sodeinliche is fro ous went!’
Such was the clamour of hem alle.
[Sidenote: Nota[1505] qualiter Thaliartus Miles, vt
Appolinum veneno intoxicaret, ab Antiocho in Tyrum missus,
ipso ibidem non inuento Antiochiam rediit.]
Bot se we now what is befalle
Upon the ferste tale plein,
And torne we therto ayein.
Antiochus the grete Sire,
Which full of rancour and of ire 500
His herte berth, so as ye herde,
Of that this Prince of Tyr ansuerde,
He hadde a feloun bacheler,
Which was his prive consailer,
And Taliart be name he hihte:[1506]
The king a strong puison him dihte
Withinne a buiste and gold therto,[1507]
In alle haste and bad him go
Strawht unto Tyr, and for no cost
Ne spare he, til he hadde lost[1508] 510
The Prince which he wolde spille.
And whan the king hath seid his wille,
This Taliart in a Galeie[1509]
With alle haste he tok his weie:
The wynd was good, he saileth blyve,
Til he tok lond upon the ryve
Of Tyr, and forth with al anon
Into the Burgh he gan to gon,
And tok his In and bod a throwe.
Bot for he wolde noght be knowe, 520
Desguised thanne he goth him oute;
He sih the wepinge al aboute,
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 293=]
And axeth what the cause was,
And thei him tolden al the cas,
How sodeinli the Prince is go.
And whan he sih that it was so,
And that his labour was in vein,
Anon he torneth hom ayein,
And to the king, whan he cam nyh,
He tolde of that he herde and syh, 530
Hou that the Prince of Tyr is fled,
So was he come ayein unsped.
The king was sori for a while,
Bot whan he sih that with no wyle
He myhte achieve his crualte,[1510]
He stinte his wraththe and let him be.
[Sidenote: Qualiter Appolinus in portu Tharsis applicuit,
vbi in hospicio cuiusdam magni viri nomine Strangulionis
hospitatus est.]
Bot over this now forto telle
Of aventures that befelle
Unto this Prince of whom I tolde,[1511]
He hath his rihte cours forth holde 540
Be Ston and nedle, til he cam
To Tharse, and there his lond he nam.
A Burgeis riche of gold and fee
Was thilke time in that cite,
Which cleped was Strangulio,
His wif was Dionise also:
This yonge Prince, as seith the bok,
With hem his herbergage tok;[1512]
And it befell that Cite so
Before time and thanne also, 550
Thurgh strong famyne which hem ladde
Was non that eny whete hadde.
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 294=]
Appolinus, whan that he herde[1513]
The meschief, hou the cite ferde,
Al freliche of his oghne yifte
His whete, among hem forto schifte,
The which be Schipe he hadde broght,
He yaf, and tok of hem riht noght.
Bot sithen ferst this world began,
Was nevere yit to such a man 560
Mor joie mad than thei him made:
For thei were alle of him so glade,
That thei for evere in remembrance
Made a figure in resemblance
Of him, and in the comun place[1514]
Thei sette him up, so that his face[1515]
Mihte every maner man beholde,
So as the cite was beholde;[1516]
It was of latoun overgilt:
Thus hath he noght his yifte spilt. 570
[Sidenote: Qualiter Hellicanus ciuis Tyri Tharsim veniens
Appolinum de insidiis Antiochi premuniuit.[1517]]
Upon a time with his route[1518]
This lord to pleie goth him oute,
And in his weie of Tyr he mette
A man, the which on knees him grette,[1519]
And Hellican be name he hihte,
Which preide his lord to have insihte
Upon himself, and seide him thus,
Hou that the grete Antiochus
Awaiteth if he mihte him spille.
That other thoghte and hield him stille, 580
And thonked him of his warnynge,
And bad him telle no tidinge,[1520]
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 295=]
Whan he to Tyr cam hom ayein,
That he in Tharse him hadde sein.
[Sidenote: Qualiter Appolinus portum Tharsis relinquens,
cum ipse per mare nauigio securiorem quesiuit,
superueniente tempestate nauis cum omnibus preter ipsum
solum in eadem contentis iuxta Pentapolim periclitabatur.]
Fortune hath evere be muable
And mai no while stonde stable:
For now it hiheth, now it loweth,
Now stant upriht, now overthroweth,
Now full of blisse and now of bale,
As in the tellinge of mi tale[1521] 590
Hierafterward a man mai liere,
Which is gret routhe forto hiere.
This lord, which wolde don his beste,
Withinne himself hath litel reste,
And thoghte he wolde his place change
And seche a contre more strange.
Of Tharsiens his leve anon
He tok, and is to Schipe gon:[1522]
His cours he nam with Seil updrawe,
Where as fortune doth the lawe, 600
And scheweth, as I schal reherse,
How sche was to this lord diverse,
The which upon the See sche ferketh.
The wynd aros, the weder derketh,
It blew and made such tempeste,
Non ancher mai the schip areste,
Which hath tobroken al his gere;
The Schipmen stode in such a feere,
Was non that myhte himself bestere,
Bot evere awaite upon the lere, 610
Whan that thei scholde drenche at ones.
Ther was ynowh withinne wones
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 296=]
Of wepinge and of sorghe tho;
This yonge king makth mochel wo
So forto se the Schip travaile:
Bot al that myhte him noght availe;
The mast tobrak, the Seil torof,
The Schip upon the wawes drof,
Til that thei sihe a londes cooste.
Tho made avou the leste and moste,[1523] 620
Be so thei myhten come alonde;
Bot he which hath the See on honde,
Neptunus, wolde noght acorde,
Bot altobroke cable and corde,[1524]
Er thei to londe myhte aproche,
The Schip toclef upon a roche,
And al goth doun into the depe.
Bot he that alle thing mai kepe
Unto this lord was merciable,
And broghte him sauf upon a table, 630
Which to the lond him hath upbore;
The remenant was al forlore,
Wherof he made mochel mone.[1525]
[Sidenote: Qualiter Appolinus nudus super litus iactabatur,
vbi quidam piscator ipsum suo collobio vestiens ad vrbem
Pentapolim direxit.]
Thus was this yonge lord him one,
Al naked in a povere plit:[1526]
His colour, which whilom was whyt,[1527]
Was thanne of water fade and pale,
And ek he was so sore acale
That he wiste of himself no bote,
It halp him nothing forto mote 640
To gete ayein that he hath lore.
Bot sche which hath his deth forbore,
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 297=]
Fortune, thogh sche wol noght yelpe,
Al sodeinly hath sent him helpe,
Whanne him thoghte alle grace aweie;
Ther cam a Fisshere in the weie,
And sih a man ther naked stonde,
And whan that he hath understonde
The cause, he hath of him gret routhe,
And onliche of his povere trouthe 650
Of suche clothes as he hadde
With gret Pite this lord he cladde.
And he him thonketh as he scholde,
And seith him that it schal be yolde,
If evere he gete his stat ayein,
And preide that he wolde him sein
If nyh were eny toun for him.
He seide, ‘Yee, Pentapolim,
Wher bothe king and queene duellen.’
Whanne he this tale herde tellen, 660
He gladeth him and gan beseche
That he the weie him wolde teche:
And he him taghte; and forth he wente
And preide god with good entente
To sende him joie after his sorwe.
[Sidenote: Qualiter Appolino Pentapolim adueniente ludus
Gignasii per vrbem publice proclamatus est.]
It was noght passed yit Midmorwe,
Whan thiderward his weie he nam,[1528]
Wher sone upon the Non he cam.
He eet such as he myhte gete,
And forth anon, whan he hadde ete, 670
He goth to se the toun aboute,
And cam ther as he fond a route
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 298=]
Of yonge lusti men withalle;
And as it scholde tho befalle,
That day was set of such assisse,
That thei scholde in the londes guise,
As he herde of the poeple seie,[1529]
Here comun game thanne pleie;
And crid was that thei scholden come
Unto the gamen alle and some[1530] 680
Of hem that ben delivere and wyhte,
To do such maistrie as thei myhte.
Thei made hem naked as thei scholde,
For so that ilke game wolde,
As it was tho custume and us,[1531]
Amonges hem was no refus:
The flour of al the toun was there
And of the court also ther were,
And that was in a large place
Riht evene afore the kinges face, 690
Which Artestrathes thanne hihte.
The pley was pleid riht in his sihte,
And who most worthi was of dede
Receive he scholde a certein mede
And in the cite bere a pris.
[Sidenote: Qualiter Appolinus ludum gignasii vincens in
aulam[1532] Regis ad cenam honorifice receptus est.]
Appolinus, which war and wys
Of every game couthe an ende,
He thoghte assaie, hou so it wende,
And fell among hem into game:
And there he wan him such a name, 700
So as the king himself acompteth
That he alle othre men surmonteth,
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 299=]
And bar the pris above hem alle.
The king bad that into his halle
At Souper time he schal be broght;[1533]
And he cam thanne and lefte it noght,
Withoute compaignie al one:
Was non so semlich of persone,
Of visage and of limes bothe,
If that he hadde what to clothe. 710
At Soupertime natheles
The king amiddes al the pres
Let clepe him up among hem alle,
And bad his Mareschall of halle[1534]
To setten him in such degre
That he upon him myhte se.
The king was sone set and served,
And he, which hath his pris deserved[1535]
After the kinges oghne word,
Was mad beginne a Middel bord, 720
That bothe king and queene him sihe.
He sat and caste aboute his yhe
And sih the lordes in astat,
And with himself wax in debat
Thenkende what he hadde lore,
And such a sorwe he tok therfore,
That he sat evere stille and thoghte,
As he which of no mete roghte.
[Sidenote: Qualiter Appolinus in cena recumbens
nichil comedit, set doloroso vultu, submisso capite,
ingemiscebat;[1536] qui tandem a filia Regis confortatus
cytharam plectens cunctis audientibus citharisando
vltramodum complacuit.]
The king behield his hevynesse,
And of his grete gentillesse 730
His doghter, which was fair and good
And ate bord before him stod,
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 300=]
As it was thilke time usage,
He bad to gon on his message
And fonde forto make him glad.
And sche dede as hire fader bad,
And goth to him the softe pas
And axeth whenne and what he was,
And preith he scholde his thoghtes leve.
He seith, ‘Ma Dame, be your leve 740
Mi name is hote Appolinus,
And of mi richesse it is thus,
Upon the See I have it lore.
The contre wher as I was bore,
Wher that my lond is and mi rente,
I lefte at Tyr, whan that I wente:
The worschipe of this worldes aghte,[1537]
Unto the god ther I betaghte.’[1538]
And thus togedre as thei tuo speeke,
The teres runne be his cheeke. 750
The king, which therof tok good kepe,
Hath gret Pite to sen him wepe,
And for his doghter sende ayein,
And preide hir faire and gan to sein
That sche no lengere wolde drecche,
Bot that sche wolde anon forth fecche
Hire harpe and don al that sche can
To glade with that sory man.
And sche to don hir fader heste 760
Hir harpe fette, and in the feste
Upon a Chaier which thei fette
Hirself next to this man sche sette:
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 301=]
With harpe bothe and ek with mouthe
To him sche dede al that sche couthe
To make him chiere, and evere he siketh,
And sche him axeth hou him liketh.
‘Ma dame, certes wel,’ he seide,
‘Bot if ye the mesure pleide
Which, if you list, I schal you liere,
It were a glad thing forto hiere.’ 770
‘Ha, lieve sire,’ tho quod sche,
‘Now tak the harpe and let me se[1539]
Of what mesure that ye mene.’
Tho preith the king, tho preith the queene,
Forth with the lordes alle arewe,
That he som merthe wolde schewe;
He takth the Harpe and in his wise
He tempreth, and of such assise
Singende he harpeth forth withal,
That as a vois celestial 780
Hem thoghte it souneth in here Ere,
As thogh that he an Angel were.[1540]
Thei gladen of his melodie,
Bot most of all the compainie
The kinges doghter, which it herde,
And thoghte ek hou that he ansuerde,[1541]
Whan that he was of hire opposed,[1542]
Withinne hir herte hath wel supposed
That he is of gret gentilesse.
Hise dedes ben therof witnesse 790
Forth with the wisdom of his lore;
It nedeth noght to seche more,
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 302=]
He myhte noght have such manere,
Of gentil blod bot if he were.
Whanne he hath harped al his fille,
The kinges heste to fulfille,
Awey goth dissh, awey goth cuppe,
Doun goth the bord, the cloth was uppe,
Thei risen and gon out of halle.
[Sidenote: Qualiter Appolinus cum Rege pro filia sua
erudienda retentus est.]
The king his chamberlein let calle, 800
And bad that he be alle weie
A chambre for this man pourveie,
Which nyh his oghne chambre be.
‘It schal be do, mi lord,’ quod he.
Appolinus of whom I mene
Tho tok his leve of king and queene
And of the worthi Maide also,
Which preide unto hir fader tho,
That sche myhte of that yonge man[1543]
Of tho sciences whiche he can 810
His lore have; and in this wise
The king hir granteth his aprise,
So that himself therto assente.
Thus was acorded er thei wente,
That he with al that evere he may
This yonge faire freisshe May
Of that he couthe scholde enforme;[1544]
And full assented in this forme
Thei token leve as for that nyht.
[Sidenote: Qualiter filia Regis Appolinum ornato apparatu
vestiri fecit, et ipse ad puelle doctrinam in quampluribus
familiariter intendebat: vnde placata puella in amorem
Appolini exardescens infirmabatur.]
And whanne it was amorwe lyht, 820
Unto this yonge man of Tyr
Of clothes and of good atir
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 303=]
With gold and Selver to despende
This worthi yonge lady sende:
And thus sche made him wel at ese,
And he with al that he can plese
Hire serveth wel and faire ayein.[1545]
He tawhte hir til sche was certein
Of Harpe, of Citole and of Rote,[1546]
With many a tun and many a note[1547] 830
Upon Musique, upon mesure,
And of hire Harpe the temprure
He tawhte hire ek, as he wel couthe.
Bot as men sein that frele is youthe,
With leisir and continuance
This Mayde fell upon a chance,
That love hath mad him a querele
Ayein hire youthe freissh and frele,
That malgre wher sche wole or noght,[1548]
Sche mot with al hire hertes thoght 840
To love and to his lawe obeie;
And that sche schal ful sore abeie.
For sche wot nevere what it is,
Bot evere among sche fieleth this:[1549]
Thenkende upon this man of Tyr,
Hire herte is hot as eny fyr,
And otherwhile it is acale;
Now is sche red, nou is sche pale
Riht after the condicion
Of hire ymaginacion; 850
Bot evere among hire thoghtes alle,
Sche thoghte, what so mai befalle,[1550]
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 304=]
Or that sche lawhe, or that sche wepe,
Sche wolde hire goode name kepe
For feere of wommanysshe schame.
Bot what in ernest and in game,[1551]
Sche stant for love in such a plit,
That sche hath lost al appetit
Of mete, of drinke, of nyhtes reste,[1552]
As sche that not what is the beste;[1553] 860
Bot forto thenken al hir fille
Sche hield hire ofte times stille
Withinne hir chambre, and goth noght oute:
The king was of hire lif in doute,
Which wiste nothing what it mente.
[Sidenote: Qualiter tres filii Principum filiam Regis
singillatim in vxorem suis supplicacionibus postularunt.]
Bot fell a time, as he out wente
To walke, of Princes Sones thre
Ther come and felle to his kne;
And ech of hem in sondri wise
Besoghte and profreth his servise, 870
So that he myhte his doghter have.
The king, which wolde his honour save,[1554]
Seith sche is siek, and of that speche
Tho was no time to beseche;
Bot ech of hem do make a bille[1555]
He bad, and wryte his oghne wille,
His name, his fader and his good;
And whan sche wiste hou that it stod,
And hadde here billes oversein,
Thei scholden have ansuere ayein. 880
Of this conseil thei weren glad,
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 305=]
And writen as the king hem bad,
And every man his oghne bok
Into the kinges hond betok,
And he it to his dowhter sende,
And preide hir forto make an ende
And wryte ayein hire oghne hond,
Riht as sche in hire herte fond.
[Sidenote: Qualiter filia Regis omnibus aliis relictis
Appolinum in maritum preelegit.]
The billes weren wel received,
Bot sche hath alle here loves weyved, 890
And thoghte tho was time and space
To put hire in hir fader grace,[1556]
And wrot ayein and thus sche saide:
‘The schame which is in a Maide
With speche dar noght ben unloke,
Bot in writinge it mai be spoke;
So wryte I to you, fader, thus:
Bot if I have Appolinus,
Of al this world, what so betyde,
I wol non other man abide. 900
And certes if I of him faile,
I wot riht wel withoute faile
Ye schull for me be dowhterles.’
This lettre cam, and ther was press
Tofore the king, ther as he stod;
And whan that he it understod,
He yaf hem ansuer by and by,
Bot that was do so prively,
That non of othres conseil wiste.
Thei toke her leve, and wher hem liste 910
Thei wente forth upon here weie.
[Sidenote: Qualiter Rex et Regina in maritagium filie sue
cum Appolino consencierunt.]
The king ne wolde noght bewreie
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 306=]
The conseil for no maner hihe,
Bot soffreth til he time sihe:
And whan that he to chambre is come,
He hath unto his conseil nome
This man of Tyr, and let him se
The lettre and al the privete,
The which his dowhter to him sente:
And he his kne to grounde bente 920
And thonketh him and hire also,
And er thei wenten thanne atuo,
With good herte and with good corage
Of full Love and full mariage
The king and he ben hol acorded.
And after, whanne it was recorded
Unto the dowhter hou it stod,
The yifte of al this worldes good[1557]
Ne scholde have mad hir half so blythe:
And forth withal the king als swithe, 930
For he wol have hire good assent,
Hath for the queene hir moder sent.
The queene is come, and whan sche herde
Of this matiere hou that it ferde,
Sche syh debat, sche syh desese,
Bot if sche wolde hir dowhter plese,
And is therto assented full.
Which is a dede wonderfull,
For noman knew the sothe cas
Bot he himself, what man he was; 940
And natheles, so as hem thoghte,
Hise dedes to the sothe wroghte
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 307=]
That he was come of gentil blod:
Him lacketh noght bot worldes good,
And as therof is no despeir,
For sche schal ben hire fader heir,[1558]
And he was able to governe.
Thus wol thei noght the love werne
Of him and hire in none wise,
Bot ther acorded thei divise[1559] 950
The day and time of Mariage.
[Sidenote: Qualiter Appolinus filie Regis nupsit, et prima
nocte cum ea concubiens ipsam impregnauit.]
Wher love is lord of the corage,
Him thenketh longe er that he spede;
Bot ate laste unto the dede
The time is come, and in her wise
With gret offrende and sacrifise
Thei wedde and make a riche feste,
And every thing which was honeste[1560]
Withinnen house and ek withoute
It was so don, that al aboute 960
Of gret worschipe, of gret noblesse[1561]
Ther cride many a man largesse[1562]
Unto the lordes hihe and loude;
The knyhtes that ben yonge and proude,
Thei jouste ferst and after daunce.
The day is go, the nyhtes chaunce
Hath derked al the bryhte Sonne;
This lord, which hath his love wonne,
Is go to bedde with his wif,
Wher as thei ladde a lusti lif,[1563] 970
And that was after somdel sene,
For as thei pleiden hem betwene,
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 308=]
Thei gete a child betwen hem tuo,
To whom fell after mochel wo.
[Sidenote: Qualiter Ambaciatores a Tyro in quadam naui
Pentapolim venientes mortem Regis Antiochi Appolino
nunciarunt.]
Now have I told of the spousailes.[1564]
Bot forto speke of the mervailes
Whiche afterward to hem befelle,
It is a wonder forto telle.
It fell adai thei riden oute,[1565]
The king and queene and al the route, 980
To pleien hem upon the stronde,
Wher as thei sen toward the londe
A Schip sailende of gret array.
To knowe what it mene may,
Til it be come thei abide;
Than sen thei stonde on every side,
Endlong the schipes bord to schewe,
Of Penonceals a riche rewe.
Thei axen when the schip is come:
Fro Tyr, anon ansuerde some, 990
And over this thei seiden more
The cause why thei comen fore
Was forto seche and forto finde
Appolinus, which was of kinde[1566]
Her liege lord: and he appiereth,
And of the tale which he hiereth
He was riht glad; for thei him tolde,
That for vengance, as god it wolde,
Antiochus, as men mai wite,
With thondre and lyhthnynge is forsmite;[1567] 1000
His doghter hath the same chaunce,
So be thei bothe in o balance.
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 309=]
‘Forthi, oure liege lord, we seie
In name of al the lond, and preie,
That left al other thing to done,
It like you to come sone
And se youre oghne liege men
With othre that ben of youre ken,
That live in longinge and desir[1568]
Til ye be come ayein to Tyr.’ 1010
This tale after the king it hadde
Pentapolim al overspradde,
Ther was no joie forto seche;
For every man it hadde in speche
And seiden alle of on acord,
‘A worthi king schal ben oure lord:
That thoghte ous ferst an hevinesse
Is schape ous now to gret gladnesse.’
Thus goth the tidinge overal.
[Sidenote: Qualiter Appolino cum vxore sua impregnata a
Pentapoli versus Tyrum nauigantibus, contigit vxorem,
mortis articulo angustiatam, in naui filiam, que postea
Thaisis vocabatur, parere.]
Bot nede he mot, that nede schal: 1020
Appolinus his leve tok,
To god and al the lond betok
With al the poeple long and brod,
That he no lenger there abod.[1569]
The king and queene sorwe made,
Bot yit somdiel thei weren glade
Of such thing as thei herden tho:
And thus betwen the wel and wo
To schip he goth, his wif with childe,
The which was evere meke and mylde 1030
And wolde noght departe him fro,
Such love was betwen hem tuo.
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 310=]
Lichorida for hire office
Was take, which was a Norrice,
To wende with this yonge wif,
To whom was schape a woful lif.
Withinne a time, as it betidde,
Whan thei were in the See amidde,
Out of the North they sihe a cloude;
The storm aros, the wyndes loude 1040
Thei blewen many a dredful blast,
The welkne was al overcast,
The derke nyht the Sonne hath under,
Ther was a gret tempeste of thunder:
The Mone and ek the Sterres bothe
In blake cloudes thei hem clothe,
Wherof here brihte lok thei hyde.[1570]
This yonge ladi wepte and cride,
To whom no confort myhte availe;
Of childe sche began travaile, 1050
Wher sche lay in a Caban clos:
Hire woful lord fro hire aros,
And that was longe er eny morwe,
So that in anguisse and in sorwe
Sche was delivered al be nyhte
And ded in every mannes syhte;[1571]
Bot natheles for al this wo
A maide child was bore tho.
[Sidenote: Qualiter Appolinus vxoris sue mortem planxit.]
Appolinus whan he this knew,
For sorwe a swoune he overthrew,[1572] 1060
That noman wiste in him no lif.
And whanne he wok, he seide, ‘Ha, wif,
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 311=]
Mi lust, mi joie, my desir,[1573]
Mi welthe and my recoverir,
Why schal I live, and thou schalt dye?
Ha, thou fortune, I thee deffie,
Nou hast thou do to me thi werste.
Ha, herte, why ne wolt thou berste,
That forth with hire I myhte passe?[1574]
Mi peines weren wel the lasse.’ 1070
In such wepinge and in such cry
His dede wif, which lay him by,
A thousend sithes he hire kiste;
Was nevere man that sih ne wiste
A sorwe unto his sorwe lich;
For evere among upon the lich[1575]
He fell swounende, as he that soghte
His oghne deth, which he besoghte
Unto the goddes alle above
With many a pitous word of love; 1080
Bot suche wordes as tho were
Yit herde nevere mannes Ere,
Bot only thilke whiche he seide.
The Maister Schipman cam and preide
With othre suche as be therinne,
And sein that he mai nothing winne
Ayein the deth, bot thei him rede,
He be wel war and tak hiede,
The See be weie of his nature
Receive mai no creature 1090
Withinne himself as forto holde,
The which is ded: forthi thei wolde,
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 312=]
As thei conseilen al aboute,
The dede body casten oute.
For betre it is, thei seiden alle,
That it of hire so befalle,
Than if thei scholden alle spille.
The king, which understod here wille[1576]
[Sidenote: Qualiter suadentibus nautis corpus vxoris sue
mortue in quadam Cista plumbo et ferro obtusa[1577] que
circumligata Appolinus cum magno thesauro vna cum quadam
littera sub eius capite scripta recludi et in mare[1578]
proici fecit.]
And knew here conseil that was trewe,
Began ayein his sorwe newe 1100
With pitous herte, and thus to seie:
‘It is al reson that ye preie.
I am,’ quod he, ‘bot on al one,
So wolde I noght for mi persone
Ther felle such adversite.
Bot whan it mai no betre be,
Doth thanne thus upon my word,[1579]
Let make a cofre strong of bord,
That it be ferm with led and pich.’
Anon was mad a cofre sich,[1580] 1110
Al redy broght unto his hond;
And whanne he sih and redy fond
This cofre mad and wel enclowed,
The dede bodi was besowed
In cloth of gold and leid therinne.
And for he wolde unto hire winne
Upon som cooste a Sepulture,
Under hire heved in aventure
Of gold he leide Sommes grete
And of jeueals a strong beyete[1581] 1120