[Sidenote: Copia littere Appolini capiti vxoris sue supposite.]
‘I, king of Tyr Appollinus,
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 313=]
Do alle maner men to wite,
That hiere and se this lettre write,
That helpeles withoute red
Hier lith a kinges doghter ded:
And who that happeth hir to finde,
For charite tak in his mynde,[1582]
And do so that sche be begrave
With this tresor, which he schal have.’ 1130
Thus whan the lettre was full spoke,[1583]
Thei haue anon the cofre stoke,
And bounden it with yren faste,
That it may with the wawes laste,
And stoppen it be such a weie,
That it schal be withinne dreie,
So that no water myhte it grieve.
And thus in hope and good believe
Of that the corps schal wel aryve,
Thei caste it over bord als blyve. 1140
[Sidenote: Qualiter Appolinus, vxoris sue corpore in mare
proiecto, Tyrum relinquens cursum suum versus Tharsim
nauigio dolens arripuit.]
The Schip forth on the wawes wente;
The prince hath changed his entente,[1584]
And seith he wol noght come at Tyr
As thanne, bot al his desir
Is ferst to seilen unto Tharse.
The wyndy Storm began to skarse,
The Sonne arist, the weder cliereth,
The Schipman which behinde stiereth,
Whan that he sih the wyndes saghte,
Towardes Tharse his cours he straghte. 1150
[Sidenote: Qualiter corpus predicte defuncte super litus
apud Ephesim quidam medicus nomine Cerymon cum aliquibus
suis discipulis inuenit; quod in hospicium suum[1585]
portans et extra cistam ponens, spiraculo vite in ea adhuc
inuento, ipsam plene sanitati restituit.]
Bot now to mi matiere ayein,
To telle as olde bokes sein,
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 314=]
This dede corps of which ye knowe
With wynd and water was forthrowe
Now hier, now ther, til ate laste
At Ephesim the See upcaste
The cofre and al that was therinne.
Of gret merveile now beginne
Mai hiere who that sitteth stille;
That god wol save mai noght spille. 1160
Riht as the corps was throwe alonde,
Ther cam walkende upon the stronde
A worthi clerc, a Surgien,
And ek a gret Phisicien,
Of al that lond the wisest on,
Which hihte Maister Cerymon;
Ther were of his disciples some.
This Maister to the Cofre is come,[1586]
He peiseth ther was somwhat in,
And bad hem bere it to his In, 1170
And goth himselve forth withal.
Al that schal falle, falle schal;
They comen hom and tarie noght;
This Cofre is into chambre broght,
Which that thei finde faste stoke,
Bot thei with craft it have unloke.
Thei loken in, where as thei founde
A bodi ded, which was bewounde[1587]
In cloth of gold, as I seide er,
The tresor ek thei founden ther 1180
Forth with the lettre, which thei rede.
And tho thei token betre hiede;
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 315=]
Unsowed was the bodi sone,
And he, which knew what is to done,[1588]
This noble clerk, with alle haste
Began the veines forto taste,
And sih hire Age was of youthe,
And with the craftes whiche he couthe
He soghte and fond a signe of lif.
With that this worthi kinges wif 1190
Honestely thei token oute,
And maden fyres al aboute;
Thei leide hire on a couche softe,
And with a scheete warmed ofte
Hire colde brest began to hete,
Hire herte also to flacke and bete.
This Maister hath hire every joignt
With certein oile and balsme enoignt,
And putte a liquour in hire mouth,
Which is to fewe clerkes couth, 1200
So that sche coevereth ate laste:
And ferst hire yhen up sche caste,
And whan sche more of strengthe cawhte,
Hire Armes bothe forth sche strawhte,
Hield up hire hond and pitously
Sche spak and seide, ‘Ha, wher am I?[1589]
Where is my lord, what world is this?’
As sche that wot noght hou it is.
Bot Cerymon the worthi leche
Ansuerde anon upon hire speche 1210
And seith, ‘Ma dame, yee ben hiere,
Where yee be sauf, as yee schal hiere
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 316=]
Hierafterward; forthi as nou
Mi conseil is, conforteth you:
For trusteth wel withoute faile,
Ther is nothing which schal you faile,
That oghte of reson to be do.’
Thus passen thei a day or tuo;
Thei speke of noght as for an ende,
Til sche began somdiel amende, 1220
And wiste hireselven what sche mente.
[Sidenote: Qualiter vxor Appolini sanata domum religionis
peciit, vbi sacro[1591] velamine munita castam omni tempore se
vouit.]
Tho forto knowe hire hol entente,[1590]
This Maister axeth al the cas,
Hou sche cam there and what sche was.
‘Hou I cam hiere wot I noght,’
Quod sche, ‘bot wel I am bethoght
Of othre thinges al aboute’:
Fro point to point and tolde him oute
Als ferforthli as sche it wiste.
And he hire tolde hou in a kiste 1230
The See hire threw upon the lond,
And what tresor with hire he fond,
Which was al redy at hire wille,
As he that schop him to fulfille
With al his myht what thing he scholde.
Sche thonketh him that he so wolde,
And al hire herte sche discloseth,
And seith him wel that sche supposeth
Hire lord be dreint, hir child also;
So sih sche noght bot alle wo.[1592] 1240
Wherof as to the world nomore
Ne wol sche torne, and preith therfore
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 317=]
That in som temple of the Cite,
To kepe and holde hir chastete,
Sche mihte among the wommen duelle.
Whan he this tale hir herde telle,
He was riht glad, and made hire knowen
That he a dowhter of his owen
Hath, which he wol unto hir yive
To serve, whil thei bothe live, 1250
In stede of that which sche hath lost;
Al only at his oghne cost[1593]
Sche schal be rendred forth with hire.[1594]
She seith, ‘Grant mercy, lieve sire,
God quite it you, ther I ne may.’
And thus thei drive forth the day,
Til time com that sche was hol;
And tho thei take her conseil hol,[1595]
To schape upon good ordinance
And make a worthi pourveance[1596] 1260
Ayein the day whan thei be veiled.
And thus, whan that thei be conseiled,
In blake clothes thei hem clothe,
This lady and the dowhter bothe,
And yolde hem to religion.
The feste and the profession
After the reule of that degre
Was mad with gret solempnete,
Where as Diane is seintefied;
Thus stant this lady justefied 1270
In ordre wher sche thenkth to duelle.
[Sidenote: Qualiter Appolinus Tharsim nauigans, filiam
suam Thaisim Strangulioni et Dionisie vxori sue educandam
commendauit; et deinde Tyrum adiit, vbi cum inestimabili
gaudio a suis receptus est.]
Bot now ayeinward forto telle
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 318=]
In what plit that hire lord stod inne:
He seileth, til that he may winne[1597]
The havene of Tharse, as I seide er;
And whanne he was aryved ther,
And it was thurgh the Cite knowe,[1598]
Men myhte se withinne a throwe,
As who seith, al the toun at ones,
That come ayein him for the nones, 1280
To yiven him the reverence,
So glad thei were of his presence:
And thogh he were in his corage
Desesed, yit with glad visage
He made hem chiere, and to his In,
Wher he whilom sojourned in,
He goth him straght and was resceived.
And whan the presse of poeple is weived,
He takth his hoste unto him tho,
And seith, ‘Mi frend Strangulio, 1290
Lo, thus and thus it is befalle,
And thou thiself art on of alle,
Forth with thi wif, whiche I most triste.[1599]
Forthi, if it you bothe liste,
My doghter Thaise be youre leve
I thenke schal with you beleve
As for a time; and thus I preie,
That sche be kept be alle weie,
And whan sche hath of age more,
That sche be set to bokes lore. 1300
And this avou to god I make,
That I schal nevere for hir sake
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 319=]
Mi berd for no likinge schave,
Til it befalle that I have
In covenable time of age
Beset hire unto mariage.’
Thus thei acorde, and al is wel,
And forto resten him somdel,
As for a while he ther sojorneth,
And thanne he takth his leve and torneth 1310
To Schipe, and goth him hom to Tyr,
Wher every man with gret desir
Awaiteth upon his comynge.
Bot whan the Schip com in seilinge,
And thei perceiven it is he,[1600]
Was nevere yit in no cite
Such joie mad as thei tho made;
His herte also began to glade
Of that he sih the poeple glad.[1601]
Lo, thus fortune his hap hath lad; 1320
In sondri wise he was travailed,
Bot hou so evere he be assailed,
His latere ende schal be good.
[Sidenote: Qualiter Thaysis vna cum Philotenna
Strangulionis et Dionisie filia omnis sciencie et
honestatis doctrina imbuta est: set Thaisis Philotennam
precellens in odium mortale per inuidiam a Dionisia
recollecta est.]
And forto speke hou that it stod
Of Thaise his doghter, wher sche duelleth,
In Tharse, as the Cronique telleth,
Sche was wel kept, sche was wel loked,
Sche was wel tawht, sche was wel boked,
So wel sche spedde hir in hire youthe
That sche of every wisdom couthe, 1330
That forto seche in every lond
So wys an other noman fond,
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 320=]
Ne so wel tawht at mannes yhe.
Bot wo worthe evere fals envie![1602]
For it befell that time so,
A dowhter hath Strangulio,
The which was cleped Philotenne:
Bot fame, which wole evere renne,
Cam al day to hir moder Ere,
And seith, wher evere hir doghter were 1340
With Thayse set in eny place,
The comun vois, the comun grace
Was al upon that other Maide,
And of hir doghter noman saide.
Who wroth but Dionise thanne?
Hire thoghte a thousend yer til whanne
Sche myhte ben of Thaise wreke
Of that sche herde folk so speke.
And fell that ilke same tyde,
That ded was trewe Lychoride, 1350
Which hadde be servant to Thaise,
So that sche was the worse at aise,
For sche hath thanne no servise
Bot only thurgh this Dionise,
Which was hire dedlich Anemie
Thurgh pure treson and envie.
Sche, that of alle sorwe can,
Tho spak unto hire bondeman,
Which cleped was Theophilus,
And made him swere in conseil thus, 1360
That he such time as sche him sette
Schal come Thaise forto fette,
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 321=]
And lede hire oute of alle sihte,
Wher as noman hire helpe myhte,[1603]
Upon the Stronde nyh the See,
And there he schal this maiden sle.
This cherles herte is in a traunce,
As he which drad him of vengance
Whan time comth an other day;
Bot yit dorste he noght seie nay, 1370
Bot swor and seide he schal fulfille[1604]
Hire hestes at hire oghne wille.
[Sidenote: Qualiter Dionisia Thaysim, vt occideretur,[1605]
Theophilo seruo suo tradidit, qui cum noctanter longius
ab vrbe ipsam prope litus maris interficere proposuerat,
Pirate ibidem prope[1608] latitantes Thaisim de manu Carnificis
eripuerunt, ipsamque vsque Ciuitatem Mitelenam ducentes,
cuidam Leonino scortorum ibidem magistro vendiderunt.[1609]]
The treson and the time is schape,
So fell it that this cherles knape[1606]
Hath lad this maiden ther he wolde[1607]
Upon the Stronde, and what sche scholde
Sche was adrad; and he out breide
A rusti swerd and to hir seide,
‘Thou schalt be ded.’ ‘Helas!’ quod sche,
‘Why schal I so?’ ‘Lo thus,’ quod he, 1380
‘Mi ladi Dionise hath bede,
Thou schalt be moerdred in this stede.’
This Maiden tho for feere schryhte,
And for the love of god almyhte
Sche preith that for a litel stounde
Sche myhte knele upon the grounde,
Toward the hevene forto crave,
Hire wofull Soule if sche mai save:[1610]
And with this noise and with this cry,[1611]
Out of a barge faste by, 1390
Which hidd was ther on Scomerfare,
Men sterten out and weren ware
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 322=]
Of this feloun, and he to go,
And sche began to crie tho,
‘Ha, mercy, help for goddes sake!
Into the barge thei hire take,
As thieves scholde, and forth thei wente.
Upon the See the wynd hem hente,
And malgre wher thei wolde or non,[1612]
Tofor the weder forth thei gon, 1400
Ther halp no Seil, ther halp non Ore,
Forstormed and forblowen sore
In gret peril so forth thei dryve,
Til ate laste thei aryve
At Mitelene the Cite.
In havene sauf and whan thei be,
The Maister Schipman made him boun,
And goth him out into the toun,
And profreth Thaise forto selle.
On Leonin it herde telle, 1410
Which Maister of the bordel was,
And bad him gon a redy pas
To fetten hire, and forth he wente,[1613]
And Thaise out of his barge he hente,
And to this bordeller hir solde.[1614]
And he, that be hire body wolde[1615]
Take avantage, let do crye,
That what man wolde his lecherie
Attempte upon hire maidenhede,
Lei doun the gold and he schal spede. 1420
And thus whan he hath crid it oute
In syhte of al the poeple aboute,
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 323=]
He ladde hire to the bordel tho.[1616]
[Sidenote: Qualiter Leoninus Thaisim ad lupanar destinauit,
vbi dei gracia preuenta ipsius virginitatem nullus violare
potuit.]
No wonder is thogh sche be wo:[1617]
Clos in a chambre be hireselve,
Ech after other ten or tuelve
Of yonge men to hire in wente;
Bot such a grace god hire sente,
That for the sorwe which sche made
Was non of hem which pouer hade 1430
To don hire eny vileinie.
This Leonin let evere aspie,
And waiteth after gret beyete;
Bot al for noght, sche was forlete,
That mo men wolde ther noght come.[1618]
Whan he therof hath hiede nome,
And knew that sche was yit a maide,
Unto his oghne man he saide,
That he with strengthe ayein hire leve
Tho scholde hir maidenhod bereve. 1440
This man goth in, bot so it ferde,
Whan he hire wofull pleintes herde
And he therof hath take kepe,
Him liste betre forto wepe
Than don oght elles to the game.
And thus sche kepte hirself fro schame,
And kneleth doun to therthe and preide[1619]
Unto this man, and thus sche seide:
‘If so be that thi maister wolde
That I his gold encresce scholde,[1620] 1450
It mai noght falle be this weie:
Bot soffre me to go mi weie
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 324=]
Out of this hous wher I am inne,
And I schal make him forto winne
In som place elles of the toun,
Be so it be religioun,[1621]
Wher that honeste wommen duelle.
And thus thou myht thi maister telle,
That whanne I have a chambre there,
Let him do crie ay wyde where, 1460
What lord that hath his doghter diere,
And is in will that sche schal liere
Of such a Scole that is trewe,
I schal hire teche of thinges newe,
Which as non other womman can[1622]
In al this lond.’ And tho this man
Hire tale hath herd, he goth ayein,
And tolde unto his maister plein
That sche hath seid; and therupon,
Whan than he sih beyete non 1470
At the bordel be cause of hire,
He bad his man to gon and spire
A place wher sche myhte abyde,
That he mai winne upon som side
Be that sche can: bot ate leste
Thus was sche sauf fro this tempeste.[1623]
[Sidenote: Qualiter Thaisis a lupanari virgo liberata,
inter sacras mulieres hospicium habens, sciencias quibus
edocta fuit nobiles regni puellas ibidem edocebat.]
He hath hire fro the bordel take,
Bot that was noght for goddes sake,
Bot for the lucre, as sche him tolde.
Now comen tho that comen wolde 1480
Of wommen in her lusty youthe,
To hiere and se what thing sche couthe:
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 325=]
Sche can the wisdom of a clerk,
Sche can of every lusti werk[1624]
Which to a gentil womman longeth,
And some of hem sche underfongeth
To the Citole and to the Harpe,
And whom it liketh forto carpe
Proverbes and demandes slyhe,
An other such thei nevere syhe, 1490
Which that science so wel tawhte:
Wherof sche grete yiftes cawhte,
That sche to Leonin hath wonne;
And thus hire name is so begonne
Of sondri thinges that she techeth,
That al the lond unto hir secheth
Of yonge wommen forto liere.
[Sidenote: Qualiter Theophilus ad Dionisiam mane rediens
affirmauit se Thaisim occidisse; super quo Dionisia
vna cum Strangulione marito suo dolorem in publico
confingentes,[1625] exequias et sepulturam honorifice
quantum ad extra subdola coniectacione fieri constituerunt.]
Nou lete we this maiden hiere,
And speke of Dionise ayein
And of Theophile the vilein,[1626] 1500
Of whiche I spak of nou tofore.
Whan Thaise scholde have be forlore,
This false cherl to his lady
Whan he cam hom, al prively
He seith, ‘Ma Dame, slain I have[1627]
This maide Thaise, and is begrave
In prive place, as ye me biede.
Forthi, ma dame, taketh hiede
And kep conseil, hou so it stonde.’[1628]
This fend, which this hath understonde, 1510
Was glad, and weneth it be soth:
Now herkne, hierafter hou sche doth.[1629]
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 326=]
Sche wepth, sche sorweth, sche compleigneth,[1630]
And of sieknesse which sche feigneth
Sche seith that Taise sodeinly
Be nyhte is ded, ‘as sche and I
Togedre lyhen nyh my lord.’
Sche was a womman of record,
And al is lieved that sche seith;
And forto yive a more feith, 1520
Hire housebonde and ek sche bothe
In blake clothes thei hem clothe,
And made a gret enterrement;[1631]
And for the poeple schal be blent,
Of Thaise as for the remembrance,
After the real olde usance
A tumbe of latoun noble and riche
With an ymage unto hir liche
Liggende above therupon
Thei made and sette it up anon. 1530
Hire Epitaffe of good assisse
Was write aboute, and in this wise
It spak: ‘O yee that this beholde,
Lo, hier lith sche, the which was holde[1632]
The faireste and the flour of alle,
Whos name Thaïsis men calle.
The king of Tyr Appolinus
Hire fader was: now lith sche thus.
Fourtiene yer sche was of Age,
Whan deth hir tok to his viage.’ 1540
[Sidenote: Qualiter Appolinus in regno suo apud Tyrum
existens parliamentum fieri constituit.]
Thus was this false treson hidd,
Which afterward was wyde kidd,
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 327=]
As be the tale a man schal hiere.
Bot forto dare mi matiere,[1633]
To Tyr I thenke torne ayein,
And telle as the Croniqes sein.
Whan that the king was comen hom,
And hath left in the salte fom
His wif, which he mai noght foryete,
For he som confort wolde gete, 1550
He let somoune a parlement,
To which the lordes were asent;
And of the time he hath ben oute,
He seth the thinges al aboute,
And told hem ek hou he hath fare,[1634]
Whil he was out of londe fare;
And preide hem alle to abyde,
For he wolde at the same tyde
Do schape for his wyves mynde,
As he that wol noght ben unkinde. 1560
Solempne was that ilke office,
And riche was the sacrifice,
The feste reali was holde:
And therto was he wel beholde;
For such a wif as he hadde on
In thilke daies was ther non.
[Sidenote: Qualiter Appolinus post parliamentum Tharsim pro
Thaise filia sua querenda adiit, qua ibidem non inventa
abinde navigio recessit.]
Whan this was do, thanne he him thoghte
Upon his doghter, and besoghte
Suche of his lordes as he wolde,
That thei with him to Tharse scholde, 1570
To fette his doghter Taise there:
And thei anon al redy were,
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 328=]
To schip they gon and forth thei wente,
Til thei the havene of Tharse hente.
They londe and faile of that thei seche
Be coverture and sleyhte of speche:
This false man Strangulio,
And Dionise his wif also,
That he the betre trowe myhte,
Thei ladden him to have a sihte 1580
Wher that hir tombe was arraied.
The lasse yit he was mispaied,
And natheles, so as he dorste,
He curseth and seith al the worste
Unto fortune, as to the blinde,
Which can no seker weie finde;
For sche him neweth evere among,
And medleth sorwe with his song.
Bot sithe it mai no betre be,
[Sidenote: Qualiter Nauis Appolini ventis agitata portum
vrbis Mitelene in die quo festa Neptuni celebrare[1635]
consueuerunt applicuit; set ipse pre dolore Thaysis filie
sue, quam mortuam reputabat, in fundo nauis obscuro iacens
lumen videre noluit.]
He thonketh god and forth goth he[1636] 1590
Seilende toward Tyr ayein.
Bot sodeinly the wynd and reyn
Begonne upon the See debate,
So that he soffre mot algate
The lawe which Neptune ordeigneth;
Wherof fulofte time he pleigneth,
And hield him wel the more esmaied
Of that he hath tofore assaied.
So that for pure sorwe and care,
Of that he seth his world so fare, 1600
The reste he lefte of his Caban,
That for the conseil of noman
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 329=]
Ayein therinne he nolde come,
Bot hath benethe his place nome,
Wher he wepende al one lay,
Ther as he sih no lyht of day.
And thus tofor the wynd thei dryve,
Til longe and late thei aryve
With gret distresce, as it was sene,
Upon this toun of Mitelene, 1610
Which was a noble cite tho.
And hapneth thilke time so,
The lordes bothe and the comune
The hihe festes of Neptune
Upon the stronde at the rivage,
As it was custumme and usage,
Sollempneliche thei besihe.
[Sidenote: Qualiter Athenagoras vrbis Mitelene Princeps,
nauim Appollini inuestigans, ipsum sic contristatum
nichilque respondentem consolari satagebat.]
Whan thei this strange vessel syhe
Come in, and hath his Seil avaled,
The toun therof hath spoke and taled. 1620
The lord which of the cite was,[1637]
Whos name is Athenagoras,
Was there, and seide he wolde se
What Schip it is, and who thei be
That ben therinne: and after sone,
Whan that he sih it was to done,
His barge was for him arraied,
And he goth forth and hath assaied.
He fond the Schip of gret Array,
Bot what thing it amonte may, 1630
He seth thei maden hevy chiere,
Bot wel him thenkth be the manere
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 330=]
That thei be worthi men of blod,[1638]
And axeth of hem hou it stod;
And thei him tellen al the cas,
Hou that here lord fordrive was,
And what a sorwe that he made,[1639]
Of which ther mai noman him glade.
He preith that he here lord mai se,
Bot thei him tolde it mai noght be, 1640
For he lith in so derk a place,[1640]
That ther may no wiht sen his face:
Bot for al that, thogh hem be loth,
He fond the ladre and doun he goth,
And to him spak, bot non ansuere
Ayein of him ne mihte he bere[1641]
For oght that he can don or sein;
And thus he goth him up ayein.
Tho was ther spoke in many wise[1642]
Amonges hem that weren wise, 1650
Now this, now that, bot ate laste
[Sidenote: Qualiter precepto Principis, vt Appolinum
consolaretur, Thaisis cum cithara sua ad ipsum in obscuro
nauis, vbi jacebat, producta est.]
The wisdom of the toun this caste,
That yonge Taise were asent.
For if ther be amendement
To glade with this woful king,
Sche can so moche of every thing,
That sche schal gladen him anon.
A Messager for hire is gon,
And sche cam with hire Harpe on honde,
And seide hem that sche wolde fonde 1660
Be alle weies that sche can,[1643]
To glade with this sory man.
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 331=]
Bot what he was sche wiste noght,
Bot al the Schip hire hath besoght
That sche hire wit on him despende,
In aunter if he myhte amende,
And sein it schal be wel aquit.
Whan sche hath understonden it,
Sche goth hir doun, ther as he lay,
Wher that sche harpeth many a lay 1670
And lich an Angel sang withal;
Bot he nomore than the wal
Tok hiede of eny thing he herde.
And whan sche sih that he so ferde,
Sche falleth with him into wordes,
And telleth him of sondri bordes,
And axeth him demandes strange,
Wherof sche made his herte change,
And to hire speche his Ere he leide
And hath merveile of that sche seide. 1680
For in proverbe and in probleme
Sche spak, and bad he scholde deme
In many soubtil question:[1644]
Bot he for no suggestioun
Which toward him sche couthe stere,
He wolde noght o word ansuere,
Bot as a madd man ate laste[1645]
His heved wepende awey he caste,
And half in wraththe he bad hire go.
Bot yit sche wolde noght do so, 1690
And in the derke forth sche goth,
Til sche him toucheth, and he wroth,
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 332=]
And after hire with his hond
He smot: and thus whan sche him fond
Desesed, courtaisly sche saide,
‘Avoi, mi lord, I am a Maide;
And if ye wiste what I am,
And out of what lignage I cam,
Ye wolde noght be so salvage.’
[Sidenote: Qualiter, sicut deus destinauit, pater filiam
inuentam recognouit.]
With that he sobreth his corage 1700
And put awey his bevy chiere.
Bot of hem tuo a man mai liere
What is to be so sibb of blod:
Non wiste of other hou it stod,
And yit the fader ate laste
His herte upon this maide caste,
That he hire loveth kindely,
And yit he wiste nevere why.
Bot al was knowe er that thei wente;
For god, which wot here hol entente,[1646] 1710
Here hertes bothe anon descloseth.
This king unto this maide opposeth,
And axeth ferst what was hire name,[1647]
And wher sche lerned al this game,
And of what ken that sche was come.[1648]
And sche, that hath hise wordes nome,
Ansuerth and seith, ‘My name is Thaise,
That was som time wel at aise:
In Tharse I was forthdrawe and fed,
Ther lerned I, til I was sped, 1720
Of that I can. Mi fader eke
I not wher that I scholde him seke;
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 333=]
He was a king, men tolde me:
Mi Moder dreint was in the See.’
Fro point to point al sche him tolde,
That sche hath longe in herte holde,
And nevere dorste make hir mone
Bot only to this lord al one,
To whom hire herte can noght hele,
Torne it to wo, torne it to wele, 1730
Torne it to good, torne it to harm.
And he tho toke hire in his arm,[1649]
Bot such a joie as he tho made
Was nevere sen; thus be thei glade,
That sory hadden be toforn.
Fro this day forth fortune hath sworn
To sette him upward on the whiel;
So goth the world, now wo, now wel:
This king hath founde newe grace,
So that out of his derke place 1740
He goth him up into the liht,
And with him cam that swete wiht,
His doghter Thaise, and forth anon