To ransake in the tas of bodyes dede, 1005
Hem for to strepe of harneys and of wede,
The pilours diden bisinesse and cure,
After the bataille and disconfiture. (150)
And so bifel, that in the tas they founde,
Thurgh-girt with many a grevous blody wounde, 1010
Two yonge knightes ligging by and by,
Bothe in oon armes, wroght ful richely,
Of whiche two, Arcita hight that oon,
And that other knight hight Palamon.
Nat fully quike, ne fully dede they were, 1015
But by hir cote-armures, and by hir gere,
The heraudes knewe hem best in special,
As they that weren of the blood royal (160)
Of Thebes, and of sustren two y-born.
Out of the tas the pilours han hem torn, 1020
And han hem caried softe un-to the tente
Of Theseus, and he ful sone hem sente
To Athenës, to dwellen in prisoun
Perpetuelly, he nolde no raunsoun.
And whan this worthy duk hath thus y-don, 1025
He took his host, and hoom he rood anon
With laurer crowned as a conquerour;
And there he liveth, in Ioye and in honour, (170)
Terme of his lyf; what nedeth wordes mo?
[31: T. 1032-1066.]
And in a tour, in angwish and in wo, 1030
Dwellen this Palamoun and eek Arcite,
For evermore, ther may no gold hem quyte.
1005, 1009, 1020. E. Hn. Cm. taas; Hl. cas; Cp. Pt. Ln. caas; _read_
tas. 1005. Hn. Cm. Hl. of; _rest_ of the. 1013, 1014. Hl. hight; E.
highte. 1022. E. Hl. ful soone he. 1023. Hl. Tathenes for to.
1029. E. Cm. _om._ his. E. lyue; _rest_ lyf, lif. 1031. E. Cm. Hl.
This Palamon and his felawe Arcite.
This passeth yeer by yeer, and day by day,
Til it fil ones, in a morwe of May,
That Emelye, that fairer was to sene 1035
Than is the lilie upon his stalke grene,
And fressher than the May with floures newe—
For with the rose colour stroof hir hewe, (180)
I noot which was the fairer of hem two—
Er it were day, as was hir wone to do, 1040
She was arisen, and al redy dight;
For May wol have no slogardye a-night.
The sesoun priketh every gentil herte,
And maketh him out of his sleep to sterte,
And seith, ‘Arys, and do thyn observaunce.’ 1045
This maked Emelye have remembraunce
To doon honour to May, and for to ryse.
Y-clothed was she fresh, for to devyse; (190)
Hir yelow heer was broyded in a tresse,
Bihinde hir bak, a yerde long, I gesse. 1050
And in the gardin, at the sonne up-riste,
She walketh up and doun, and as hir liste
She gadereth floures, party whyte and rede,
To make a sotil gerland for hir hede,
And as an aungel hevenly she song. 1055
The grete tour, that was so thikke and strong,
Which of the castel was the chief dongeoun,
(Ther-as the knightes weren in prisoun, (200)
Of whiche I tolde yow, and tellen shal)
Was evene Ioynant to the gardin-wal, 1060
Ther as this Emelye hadde hir pleyinge.
Bright was the sonne, and cleer that morweninge,
And Palamon, this woful prisoner,
As was his wone, by leve of his gayler,
[32: T. 1067-1103.]
Was risen, and romed in a chambre on heigh, 1065
In which he al the noble citee seigh,
And eek the gardin, ful of braunches grene,
Ther-as this fresshe Emelye the shene (210)
Was in hir walk, and romed up and doun.
This sorweful prisoner, this Palamoun, 1070
Goth in the chambre, roming to and fro,
And to him-self compleyning of his wo;
That he was born, ful ofte he seyde, ‘alas!’
And so bifel, by aventure or cas,
That thurgh a window, thikke of many a barre 1075
Of yren greet, and square as any sparre,
He caste his eye upon Emelya,
And ther-with-al he bleynte, and cryde ‘a!’ (220)
As though he stongen were un-to the herte.
And with that cry Arcite anon up-sterte, 1080
And seyde, ‘Cosin myn, what eyleth thee,
That art so pale and deedly on to see?
Why crydestow? who hath thee doon offence?
For Goddes love, tak al in pacience
Our prisoun, for it may non other be; 1085
Fortune hath yeven us this adversitee.
Som wikke aspect or disposicioun
Of Saturne, by sum constellacioun, (230)
Hath yeven us this, al-though we hadde it sworn;
So stood the heven whan that we were born; 1090
We moste endure it: this is the short and pleyn.’
1036. Hl. on hire. 1039. E. Hl. fyner; Cm. fynere; Hn. Cp. Pt.
fairer. 1042. E. slogardrie; _rest_ slogardye (sloggardye,
sluggardie). 1049. E. Hn. Cm. Cp. broyded; Pt. breided; Ln. Hl.
browded. 1054. Ln. sotil; Cp. sotyl; E. Hn. Cm. subtil; Pt. subtile;
Hl. certeyn. 1055. Hl. Pt. heuenly; Cm. heueneliche; E. Hn. Cp. Ln.
heuenysshly. 1063. E. And this Palamon. 1065. Hl. Cp. Pt. on;
_rest_ an. 1091. _Only_ E. _om._ it.
This Palamon answerde, and seyde ageyn,
‘Cosyn, for sothe, of this opinioun
Thou hast a veyn imaginacioun.
This prison caused me nat for to crye. 1095
But I was hurt right now thurgh-out myn yë
In-to myn herte, that wol my bane be.
The fairnesse of that lady that I see (240)
Yond in the gardin romen to and fro,
Is cause of al my crying and my wo. 1100
I noot wher she be womman or goddesse;
[33: T. 1104-1139.]
But Venus is it, soothly, as I gesse.’
And ther-with-al on kneës doun he fil,
And seyde: ‘Venus, if it be thy wil
Yow in this gardin thus to transfigure 1105
Bifore me, sorweful wrecche creature,
Out of this prisoun help that we may scapen.
And if so be my destinee be shapen (250)
By eterne word to dyen in prisoun,
Of our linage have som compassioun, 1110
That is so lowe y-broght by tirannye.’
And with that word Arcite gan espye
Wher-as this lady romed to and fro.
And with that sighte hir beautee hurte him so,
That, if that Palamon was wounded sore, 1115
Arcite is hurt as muche as he, or more.
And with a sigh he seyde pitously:
‘The fresshe beautee sleeth me sodeynly (260)
Of hir that rometh in the yonder place;
And, but I have hir mercy and hir grace, 1120
That I may seen hir atte leeste weye,
I nam but deed; ther nis namore to seye.’
1096. Cm. Pt. ye; Hn. Iye; Cp. Hl. yhe; E. eye. 1101. Cm. wheþer; Hl.
wheþur. 1103. Hl. Cp. a doun. 1115. E. _wrongly om._ was. 1116.
Hn. muche; E. moche. 1122. E. is; _rest_ nys.
This Palamon, whan he tho wordes herde,
Dispitously he loked, and answerde:
‘Whether seistow this in ernest or in pley?’ 1125
1125 E. Wheither.
‘Nay,’ quod Arcite, ‘in ernest, by my fey!
God help me so, me list ful yvele pleye.’
This Palamon gan knitte his browes tweye: (270)
‘It nere,’ quod he, ‘to thee no greet honour
For to be fals, ne for to be traytour 1130
To me, that am thy cosin and thy brother
Y-sworn ful depe, and ech of us til other,
That never, for to dyen in the peyne,
Til that the deeth departe shal us tweyne,
Neither of us in love to hindren other, 1135
Ne in non other cas, my leve brother;
But that thou sholdest trewely forthren me
[34: T. 1140-1174.]
In every cas, and I shal forthren thee. (280)
This was thyn ooth, and myn also, certeyn;
I wot right wel, thou darst it nat withseyn. 1140
Thus artow of my counseil, out of doute.
And now thou woldest falsly been aboute
To love my lady, whom I love and serve,
And ever shal, til that myn herte sterve.
Now certes, fals Arcite, thou shalt nat so. 1145
I loved hir first, and tolde thee my wo
As to my counseil, and my brother sworn
To forthre me, as I have told biforn. (290)
For which thou art y-bounden as a knight
To helpen me, if it lay in thy might, 1150
Or elles artow fals, I dar wel seyn.’
1132. til] Cm. Pt. Ln. Hl. to. 1134. E. Ln. Hl. _om._ the. 1135. E.
hyndre; Cm. hynderyn. 1138. E. as; _rest_ and. 1141, 1151. E. Hn.
artow; _rest_ art thou. 1145. E. Nay; _rest_ Now. 1147. E. Cm. and
to my.
This Arcitë ful proudly spak ageyn,
‘Thou shalt,’ quod he, ‘be rather fals than I;
But thou art fals, I telle thee utterly;
For _par amour_ I loved hir first er thow. 1155
What wiltow seyn? thou wistest nat yet now
Whether she be a womman or goddesse!
Thyn is affeccioun of holinesse, (300)
And myn is love, as to a creature;
For which I tolde thee myn aventure 1160
As to my cosin, and my brother sworn.
I pose, that thou lovedest hir biforn;
Wostow nat wel the olde clerkes sawe,
That ‘who shal yeve a lover any lawe?’
Love is a gretter lawe, by my pan, 1165
Than may be yeve to any erthly man.
And therefore positif lawe and swich decree
Is broke al-day for love, in ech degree. (310)
A man moot nedes love, maugree his heed.
He may nat fleen it, thogh he sholde be deed, 1170
Al be she mayde, or widwe, or elles wyf.
And eek it is nat lykly, al thy lyf,
[35: T. 1175-1210.]
To stonden in hir grace; namore shal I;
For wel thou woost thy-selven, verraily,
That thou and I be dampned to prisoun 1175
Perpetuelly; us gayneth no raunsoun.
We stryve as dide the houndes for the boon,
They foughte al day, and yet hir part was noon; (320)
Ther cam a kyte, whyl that they were wrothe,
And bar awey the boon bitwixe hem bothe. 1180
And therfore, at the kinges court, my brother,
Ech man for him-self, ther is non other.
Love if thee list; for I love and ay shal;
And soothly, leve brother, this is al.
Here in this prisoun mote we endure, 1185
And everich of us take his aventure.’
1154. E. Hn. And; _rest_ But. Hl. Cm. uttirly; Cp. Pt. Ln. witterly; E.
Hn. outrely. 1156. Cp. Pt. wilt thou; Hl. wolt thou. 1157. E.
Wheither. 1163. Cm. Wist thou; Hl. Ln. Wost thou; Pt. Woost thow.
1166. E. of; _rest_ to. 1167. Hl. _om._ And. 1168. L. Cm. broken.
1170. Hn. Cp. Pt. fleen; E. Hl. flee. 1177. Hn. Cm. Hl. stryue;
_rest_ stryuen. 1179. E. _om._ that. _All but_ Cm. Hl. _ins._ so
_after_ were.
Greet was the stryf and long bitwixe hem tweye,
If that I hadde leyser for to seye; (330)
But to theffect. It happed on a day,
(To telle it yow as shortly as I may) 1190
A worthy duk that highte Perotheus,
That felawe was un-to duk Theseus
Sin thilke day that they were children lyte,
Was come to Athenes, his felawe to visyte,
And for to pleye, as he was wont to do, 1195
For in this world he loved no man so:
And he loved him as tendrely ageyn.
So wel they loved, as olde bokes seyn, (340)
That whan that oon was deed, sothly to telle,
His felawe wente and soghte him doun in helle; 1200
But of that story list me nat to wryte.
Duk Perotheus loved wel Arcite,
And hadde him knowe at Thebes yeer by yere;
And fynally, at requeste and preyere
Of Perotheus, with-oute any raunsoun, 1205
Duk Theseus him leet out of prisoun,
Freely to goon, wher that him liste over-al,
In swich a gyse, as I you tellen shal. (350)
[36: T. 1211-1247.]
This was the forward, pleynly for tendyte,
Bitwixen Theseus and him Arcite: 1210
That if so were, that Arcite were y-founde
Ever in his lyf, by day or night or stounde
In any contree of this Theseus,
And he were caught, it was acorded thus,
That with a swerd he sholde lese his heed; 1215
Ther nas non other remedye ne reed,
But taketh his leve, and homward he him spedde;
Let him be war, his nekke lyth to wedde! (360)
1192. E. to; Hl. to the; _rest_ un-to. 1195. E. won; Cm. wone; _rest_
wont. 1197. E. Cp. als; Hn. Cm. Hl. as. 1198. E. louede. 1200.
Hn. soghte; E. soughte. 1205. Hl. Cp. Pt. with-oute; _rest_
with-outen. 1217. Hl. (_alone_) took.
How greet a sorwe suffreth now Arcite!
The deeth he feleth thurgh his herte smyte; 1220
He wepeth, wayleth, cryeth pitously;
To sleen him-self he wayteth prively.
He seyde, ‘Allas that day that I was born!
Now is my prison worse than biforn;
Now is me shape eternally to dwelle 1225
Noght in purgatorie, but in helle.
Allas! that ever knew I Perotheus!
For elles hadde I dwelled with Theseus (370)
Y-fetered in his prisoun ever-mo.
Than hadde I been in blisse, and nat in wo. 1230
Only the sighte of hir, whom that I serve,
Though that I never hir grace may deserve,
Wolde han suffised right y-nough for me.
O dere cosin Palamon,’ quod he,
‘Thyn is the victorie of this aventure, 1235
Ful blisfully in prison maistow dure;
In prison? certes nay, but in paradys!
Wel hath fortune y-turned thee the dys, (380)
That hast the sighte of hir, and I thabsence.
For possible is, sin thou hast hir presence, 1240
And art a knight, a worthy and an able,
That by som cas, sin fortune is chaungeable,
Thou mayst to thy desyr som-tyme atteyne.
But I, that am exyled, and bareyne
Of alle grace, and in so greet despeir, 1245
[37: T. 1248-1283.]
That ther nis erthe, water, fyr, ne eir,
Ne creature, that of hem maked is,
That may me helpe or doon confort in this. (390)
Wel oughte I sterve in wanhope and distresse;
Farwel my lyf, my lust, and my gladnesse! 1250
1223. that (i)] Hn. Hl. the. E. he; _rest_ I. 1226. Hn. Noght; E.
Nat; Cm. Not; _rest_ Nought. E. _ins._ my _after_ in. 1228. Hl.
dweld. 1237. Cp. Pt. Ln. _om._ in. 1242. E. (_alone_) _om._ by.
1248. E. heele; _rest_ helpe.
Allas, why pleynen folk so in commune
Of purveyaunce of God, or of fortune,
That yeveth hem ful ofte in many a gyse
Wel bettre than they can hem-self devyse?
Som man desyreth for to han richesse, 1255
That cause is of his mordre or greet siknesse.
And som man wolde out of his prison fayn,
That in his hous is of his meynee slayn. (400)
Infinite harmes been in this matere;
We witen nat what thing we preyen here. 1260
We faren as he that dronke is as a mous;
A dronke man wot wel he hath an hous,
But he noot which the righte wey is thider;
And to a dronke man the wey is slider.
And certes, in this world so faren we; 1265
We seken faste after felicitee,
But we goon wrong ful often, trewely.
Thus may we seyen alle, and namely I, (410)
That wende and hadde a greet opinioun,
That, if I mighte escapen from prisoun, 1270
Than hadde I been in Ioye and perfit hele,
Ther now I am exyled fro my wele.
Sin that I may nat seen yow, Emelye,
I nam but deed; ther nis no remedye.’
1256. Cp. Ln. mordre; E. Hn. moerdre; Cm. Pt: mordere; Hl. morthre.
1260. E. (_alone_) _om._ thing. 1262. E. Cm. wel that he. 1268. Hl.
seyen; E. Hn. Cm. Cp. seyn. 1272. Ther] E. That.
Up-on that other syde Palamon, 1275
Whan that he wiste Arcite was agon,
Swich sorwe he maketh, that the grete tour
Resouneth of his youling and clamour. (420)
The pure fettres on his shines grete
Weren of his bittre salte teres wete. 1280
‘Allas!’ quod he, ‘Arcita, cosin myn,
[38: T. 1284-1317.]
Of al our stryf, God woot, the fruyt is thyn.
Thow walkest now in Thebes at thy large,
And of my wo thou yevest litel charge.
Thou mayst, sin thou hast wisdom and manhede, 1285
Assemblen alle the folk of our kinrede,
And make a werre so sharp on this citee,
That by som aventure, or som tretee, (430)
Thou mayst have hir to lady and to wyf,
For whom that I mot nedes lese my lyf. 1290
For, as by wey of possibilitee,
Sith thou art at thy large, of prison free,
And art a lord, greet is thyn avauntage,
More than is myn, that sterve here in a cage.
For I mot wepe and wayle, whyl I live, 1295
With al the wo that prison may me yive,
And eek with peyne that love me yiveth also,
That doubleth al my torment and my wo.’ (440)
Ther-with the fyr of Ielousye up-sterte
With-inne his brest, and hente him by the herte 1300
So woodly, that he lyk was to biholde
The box-tree, or the asshen dede and colde.
Tho seyde he; ‘O cruel goddes, that governe
This world with binding of your word eterne,
And wryten in the table of athamaunt 1305
Your parlement, and your eterne graunt,
What is mankinde more un-to yow holde
Than is the sheep, that rouketh in the folde? (450)
For slayn is man right as another beste,
And dwelleth eek in prison and areste, 1310
And hath siknesse, and greet adversitee,
And ofte tymes giltelees, pardee!
1278. E. Resouned; _rest_ Resouneth. Cp. Hl. yollyng; Pt. Ln.
yellinge. 1290. _All_ moste, most, muste; _but read_ mot: _see_ l.
1295. 1296. Hl. ȝyue; E. yeue. 1297. E. yeueth. 1299. Hl.
Ielousye; E. Ialousie. 1303. Hl. Tho; E. Thanne. E. crueel
gooddes(!). 1305. Hl. Cm. athamaunte; E. Atthamaunt. 1309. Cm. Hl.
beste; E. beest. 1310. Cm. areste; Hl. arreste; E. arreest. 1312,
1314. Cm. Cp. Hl. gilteles; E. giltlees.
What governaunce is in this prescience,
That giltelees tormenteth innocence?
And yet encreseth this al my penaunce, 1315
[39: T. 1318-1353.]
That man is bounden to his observaunce,
For Goddes sake, to letten of his wille,
Ther as a beest may al his lust fulfille. (460)
And whan a beest is deed, he hath no peyne;
But man after his deeth moot wepe and pleyne, 1320
Though in this world he have care and wo:
With-outen doute it may stonden so.
The answere of this I lete to divynis,
But wel I woot, that in this world gret pyne is.
Allas! I see a serpent or a theef, 1325
That many a trewe man hath doon mescheef,
Goon at his large, and wher him list may turne.
But I mot been in prison thurgh Saturne, (470)
And eek thurgh Iuno, Ialous and eek wood,
That hath destroyed wel ny al the blood 1330
Of Thebes, with his waste walles wyde.
And Venus sleeth me on that other syde
For Ielousye, and fere of him Arcite.’
1315. Cm. Cp. Pt. Ln. encreseth; E. encresseth. 1320. _So_ Hn. Cm.
Hl.; _rest_ after his deeth man. 1323. _So_ Hl.; _rest_ lete I.
1331. E. hise. 1333. E. Ialousie.
Now wol I stinte of Palamon a lyte,
And lete him in his prison stille dwelle, 1335
And of Arcita forth I wol yow telle.
The somer passeth, and the nightes longe
Encresen double wyse the peynes stronge (480)
Bothe of the lovere and the prisoner.
I noot which hath the wofullere mester. 1340
For shortly for to seyn, this Palamoun
Perpetuelly is dampned to prisoun,
In cheynes and in fettres to ben deed;
And Arcite is exyled upon his heed
For ever-mo as out of that contree, 1345
Ne never-mo he shal his lady see.
1337. E. (_alone_) sonne. 1338. E. Encressen. 1344. Cm. Cp. Pt. vp
(_perhaps rightly_).
Yow loveres axe I now this questioun,
Who hath the worse, Arcite or Palamoun? (490)
That oon may seen his lady day by day,
But in prison he moot dwelle alway. 1350
That other wher him list may ryde or go,
[40: T. 1354-1386.]
But seen his lady shal he never-mo.
Now demeth as yow liste, ye that can,
For I wol telle forth as I bigan.
1347. E. Now (_wrongly_); rest Yow. 1350. Hn. Cp. Pt. moot he.
1353. Ln. liste; Cm. lyste; Hl. luste; _rest_ list.
=Explicit prima Pars. Sequitur pars secunda.=
Whan that Arcite to Thebes comen was, 1355
Ful ofte a day he swelte and seyde ‘allas,’
For seen his lady shal he never-mo.
And shortly to concluden al his wo, (500)
So muche sorwe had never creature
That is, or shal, whyl that the world may dure. 1360
His sleep, his mete, his drink is him biraft,
That lene he wex, and drye as is a shaft.
His eyen holwe, and grisly to biholde;
His hewe falwe, and pale as asshen colde,
And solitarie he was, and ever allone, 1365
And wailling al the night, making his mone.
And if he herde song or instrument,
Then wolde he wepe, he mighte nat be stent; (510)
So feble eek were his spirits, and so lowe,
And chaunged so, that no man coude knowe 1370
His speche nor his vois, though men it herde.
And in his gere, for al the world he ferde
Nat oonly lyk the loveres maladye
Of Hereos, but rather lyk manye
Engendred of humour malencolyk, 1375
Biforen, in his celle fantastyk.
And shortly, turned was al up-so-doun
Bothe habit and eek disposicioun (520)
Of him, this woful lovere daun Arcite.
1359. Hl. Pt. Ln. had; _rest_ hadde. 1362. E. Pt. wexeth. 1364. Hi.
Cm. Cp. falwe; E. Hn. falow. 1369. E. spiritz. 1376. E. Biforn his
owene; Cm. Be-forn hese owene; Hn. Cp. Pt. Ln. Biforn his; Hl. Beforne
in his.
What sholde I al-day of his wo endyte? 1380
Whan he endured hadde a yeer or two
This cruel torment, and this peyne and wo,
At Thebes, in his contree, as I seyde,
Up-on a night, in sleep as he him leyde,
[41: T. 1387-1424.]
Him thoughte how that the winged god Mercurie 1385
Biforn him stood, and bad him to be murye.
His slepy yerde in hond he bar uprighte;
An hat he werede up-on his heres brighte. (530)
Arrayed was this god (as he took keep)
As he was whan that Argus took his sleep; 1390
And seyde him thus: ‘To Athenes shaltou wende;
Ther is thee shapen of thy wo an ende.’
And with that word Arcite wook and sterte.
‘Now trewely, how sore that me smerte,’
Quod he, ‘to Athenes right now wol I fare; 1395
Ne for the drede of deeth shal I nat spare
To see my lady, that I love and serve;
In hir presence I recche nat to sterve.’ (540)
1382. E. crueel. 1388. E. vp (_perhaps rightly_); _rest_ vp-on.
1389. E. I; _rest_ he.
And with that word he caughte a greet mirour,
And saugh that chaunged was al his colour, 1400
And saugh his visage al in another kinde.
And right anoon it ran him in his minde,
That, sith his face was so disfigured
Of maladye, the which he hadde endured,
He mighte wel, if that he bar him lowe, 1405
Live in Athenes ever-more unknowe,
And seen his lady wel ny day by day.
And right anon he chaunged his array, (550)
And cladde him as a povre laborer,
And al allone, save oonly a squyer, 1410
That knew his privetee and al his cas,
Which was disgysed povrely, as he was,
To Athenes is he goon the nexte way.
And to the court he wente up-on a day,
And at the gate he profreth his servyse, 1415
To drugge and drawe, what so men wol devyse.
And shortly of this matere for to seyn,
He fil in office with a chamberleyn, (560)
The which that dwelling was with Emelye.
For he was wys, and coude soon aspye 1420
Of every servaunt, which that serveth here.
Wel coude he hewen wode, and water bere,
[42: T. 1425-1461.]
For he was yong and mighty for the nones,
And ther-to be was strong and big of bones
To doon that any wight can him devyse. 1425
A yeer or two he was in this servyse,
Page of the chambre of Emelye the brighte;
And ‘Philostrate’ he seide that he highte. (570)
But half so wel biloved a man as he
Ne was ther never in court, of his degree; 1430
He was so gentil of condicioun,
That thurghout al the court was his renoun.
They seyden, that it were a charitee
That Theseus wolde enhauncen his degree,
And putten him in worshipful servyse, 1435
Ther as he mighte his vertu excercyse.
And thus, with-inne a whyle, his name is spronge
Bothe of his dedes, and his goode tonge, (580)
That Theseus hath taken him so neer
That of his chambre he made him a squyer, 1440
And yaf him gold to mayntene his degree;
And eek men broghte him out of his contree
From yeer to yeer, ful prively, his rente;
But honestly and slyly he it spente,
That no man wondred how that he it hadde. 1445
And three yeer in this wyse his lyf he ladde,
And bar him so in pees and eek in werre,
Ther nas no man that Theseus hath derre. (590)
And in this blisse lete I now Arcite,
And speke I wol of Palamon a lyte. 1450
1424. E. Cm. long; _rest_ strong. 1431. E. Hl. _ins._ his _after_
of. 1441. E. Hn. Cp. gaf.
In derknesse and horrible and strong prisoun
This seven yeer hath seten Palamoun,
Forpyned, what for wo and for distresse;
Who feleth double soor and hevinesse
But Palamon? that love destreyneth so, 1455
That wood out of his wit he gooth for wo;
And eek therto he is a prisoner
Perpetuelly, noght oonly for a yeer. (600)
Who coude ryme in English proprely
[43: T. 1462-1497.]
His martirdom? for sothe, it am nat I; 1460
Therefore I passe as lightly as I may.
1454. E. Hn. Pt. soor; Cp. Ln. sore; Cm. Hl. sorwe. E. _om._ and.
It fel that in the seventhe yeer, in May,
The thridde night, (as olde bokes seyn,
That al this storie tellen more pleyn,)
Were it by aventure or destinee, 1465
(As, whan a thing is shapen, it shal be,)
That, sone after the midnight, Palamoun,
By helping of a freend, brak his prisoun, (610)
And fleeth the citee, faste as he may go;
For he had yive his gayler drinke so 1470
Of a clarree, maad of a certeyn wyn,
With nercotikes and opie of Thebes fyn,
That al that night, thogh that men wolde him shake,
The gayler sleep, he mighte nat awake;
And thus he fleeth as faste as ever he may. 1475
The night was short, and faste by the day,
That nedes-cost he moste him-selven hyde,
And til a grove, faste ther besyde, (620)
With dredful foot than stalketh Palamoun.
For shortly, this was his opinioun, 1480
That in that grove he wolde him hyde al day,
And in the night than wolde he take his way
To Thebes-ward, his freendes for to preye
On Theseus to helpe him to werreye;
And shortly, outher he wolde lese his lyf, 1485
Or winnen Emelye un-to his wyf;
This is theffect and his entente pleyn.
1470. Hl. ȝiue; E. yeue. 1472. E. Of; _rest_ With. 1477. E.
moot; _rest_ moste, most, muste. 1479. E. Hn. Cm. thanne; _rest_
than.
Now wol I torne un-to Arcite ageyn, (630)
That litel wiste how ny that was his care,
Til that fortune had broght him in the snare. 1490
1488. E. Hn. Ln. to; _rest_ vn-to.
The bisy larke, messager of day,
Saluëth in hir song the morwe gray;
And fyry Phebus ryseth up so brighte,
That al the orient laugheth of the lighte,
And with his stremes dryeth in the greves 1495
[44: T. 1498-1532.]
The silver dropes, hanging on the leves.
And Arcite, that is in the court royal
With Theseus, his squyer principal, (640)
Is risen, and loketh on the myrie day.
And, for to doon his observaunce to May, 1500
Remembring on the poynt of his desyr,
He on a courser, sterting as the fyr,
Is riden in-to the feeldes, him to pleye,
Out of the court, were it a myle or tweye;
And to the grove, of which that I yow tolde, 1505
By aventure, his wey he gan to holde,
To maken him a gerland of the greves,
Were it of wodebinde or hawethorn-leves, (650)
And loude he song ageyn the sonne shene:
‘May, with alle thy floures and thy grene, 1510
Wel-come be thou, faire fresshe May,
I hope that I som grene gete may.’
And from his courser, with a lusty herte,
In-to the grove ful hastily he sterte,
And in a path he rometh up and doun, 1515
Ther-as, by aventure, this Palamoun
Was in a bush, that no man mighte him see,
For sore afered of his deeth was he. (660)
No-thing ne knew he that it was Arcite:
God wot he wolde have trowed it ful lyte. 1520
But sooth is seyd, gon sithen many yeres,
That ‘feeld hath eyen, and the wode hath eres.’
It is ful fair a man to bere him evene,
For al-day meteth men at unset stevene.
Ful litel woot Arcite of his felawe, 1525
That was so ny to herknen al his sawe,
For in the bush he sitteth now ful stille.
1491. day] Hl. May. 1495. E. hise. 1497. Hl. Arcite; _rest_
Arcita. 1502. E. Hn. Cm. a; _rest_ his. Cp. Pt. Ln. Hl. stertyng;
E. Hn. startlynge; Cm. stertelynge. 1511. Hl. wel faire; _rest om._
wel. 1512. E. Hn. Cm. Hl. In; _rest_ I. 1514. E. a; _rest_ the.
1518. Hn. Hl. afered; Cm. ofered; _rest_ aferd. E. (_alone_) _ins._
thanne _bef._ was. 1521. Hl. Pt. goon; Cm. Ln. gon; E. Hn. Cp. go.
1526. E. Hn. al; _rest_ of.
Whan that Arcite had romed al his fille, (670)
And songen al the roundel lustily,
In-to a studie he fil sodeynly, 1530
[45: T. 1533-1567.]
As doon thise loveres in hir queynte geres,
Now in the croppe, now doun in the breres,
Now up, now doun, as boket in a welle.
Right as the Friday, soothly for to telle,
Now it shyneth, now it reyneth faste, 1535
Right so can gery Venus overcaste
The hertes of hir folk; right as hir day
Is gerful, right so chaungeth she array. (680)
Selde is the Friday al the wyke y-lyke.
1530. E. fil al: _rest om._ al. 1532. E. Hn. Cm. crop; Cp. Hl. Pt.
croppe. 1536. E. Hn. Cm. kan; _rest_ gan. 1538. E. gereful; Cp.
geerful; Hl. grisful; _rest_ gerful. 1539. Hl. wyke; Hn. Cp. wike;
Pt. Ln. weke; Cm. wouke; E. wowke.
Whan that Arcite had songe, he gan to syke, 1540
And sette him doun with-outen any more:
‘Alas!’ quod he, ‘that day that I was bore!
How longe, Iuno, thurgh thy crueltee,
Woltow werreyen Thebes the citee?
Allas! y-broght is to confusioun 1545
The blood royal of Cadme and Amphioun;
Of Cadmus, which that was the firste man
That Thebes bulte, or first the toun bigan, 690
And of the citee first was crouned king,
Of his linage am I, and his of-spring 1550
By verray ligne, as of the stok royal:
And now I am so caitif and so thral,
That he, that is my mortal enemy,
I serve him as his squyer povrely.
And yet doth Iuno me wel more shame, 1555
For I dar noght biknowe myn owne name;
But ther-as I was wont to highte Arcite,
Now highte I Philostrate, noght worth a myte. 700
Allas! thou felle Mars, allas! Iuno,
Thus hath your ire our kinrede al fordo, 1560
Save only me, and wrecched Palamoun,
That Theseus martyreth in prisoun.
And over al this, to sleen me utterly,
Love hath his fyry dart so brenningly
Y-stiked thurgh my trewe careful herte, 1565
[46: T. 1568-1602.]
That shapen was my deeth erst than my sherte.
Ye sleen me with your eyen, Emelye;
Ye been the cause wherfor that I dye. (710)
Of al the remenant of myn other care
Ne sette I nat the mountaunce of a tare, 1570
So that I coude don aught to your plesaunce!’
And with that word he fil doun in a traunce
A longe tyme; and after he up-sterte.
1551. Cm. Pt. Hl. lyne. 1556. Cp. Pt. Ln. Hl. owne; E. owene. 1557.
highte] Hl. hote. 1560. E. kynrede; _rest_ lynage (lignage). 1563.
Hl. vtterly; E. outrely. 1573. _So_ E.; _rest_ afterward (_for_
after). Hl. _om_ he.
This Palamoun, that thoughte that thurgh his herte
He felte a cold swerd sodeynliche glyde, 1575
For ire he quook, no lenger wolde he byde.
And whan that he had herd Arcites tale,
As he were wood, with face deed and pale, (720)
He sterte him up out of the buskes thikke,
And seyde: ‘Arcite, false traitour wikke, 1580
Now artow hent, that lovest my lady so,
For whom that I have al this peyne and wo,
And art my blood, and to my counseil sworn,
As I ful ofte have told thee heer-biforn,
And hast by-iaped here duk Theseus, 1585
And falsly chaunged hast thy name thus;
I wol be deed, or elles thou shalt dye.
Thou shalt nat love my lady Emelye, (730)
But I wol love hir only, and namo;
For I am Palamoun, thy mortal fo. 1590
And though that I no wepne have in this place,
But out of prison am astert by grace,
I drede noght that outher thou shalt dye,
Or thou ne shalt nat loven Emelye.
Chees which thou wilt, for thou shalt nat asterte.’ 1595
1579. Hl. bussches; Cm. boschis; Ln. boskes. 1581. E. Hn. artow;
_rest_ art thou. 1584. told] E. Cm. seyd. 1589. E. Hn. namo; Hl.
Cm. no mo. 1595. E. Hn. wolt. Hl. for; _rest_ or.
This Arcitë, with ful despitous herte,
Whan he him knew, and hadde his tale herd,
As fiers as leoun, pulled out a swerd, (740)
And seyde thus: ‘by God that sit above,
Nere it that thou art sik, and wood for love, 1600
[47: T. 1603-1639.]
And eek that thou no wepne hast in this place,
Thou sholdest never out of this grove pace,
That thou ne sholdest dyen of myn hond.
For I defye the seurtee and the bond
Which that thou seyst that I have maad to thee. 1605
What, verray fool, think wel that love is free,
And I wol love hir, maugre al thy might!
But, for as muche thou art a worthy knight, (750)
And wilnest to darreyne hir by batayle,
Have heer my trouthe, to-morwe I wol nat fayle, 1610
With-outen witing of any other wight,
That here I wol be founden as a knight,
And bringen harneys right y-nough for thee;
And chees the beste, and leve the worste for me.
And mete and drinke this night wol I bringe 1615
Y-nough for thee, and clothes for thy beddinge.
And, if so be that thou my lady winne,
And slee me in this wode ther I am inne, (760)
Thou mayst wel have thy lady, as for me.’
This Palamon answerde: ‘I graunte it thee.’ 1620
And thus they been departed til a-morwe,
When ech of hem had leyd his feith to borwe.
1598. E. Hn. his; _rest_ a. 1599. E. sit; Cm. set; _rest_ sitteth.
1604. Hl. seurte; Cp. sewrte; E. seurete; Hn. seuretee. 1609. Cp.
derreyne; Hl. dereyne. 1614. Hn. chees; Cm. Hl. ches; _rest_ chese.
O Cupide, out of alle charitee!
O regne, that wolt no felawe have with thee!
Ful sooth is seyd, that love ne lordshipe 1625
Wol noght, his thankes, have no felaweshipe;
Wel finden that Arcite and Palamoun.
Arcite is riden anon un-to the toun, (770)
And on the morwe, er it were dayes light,
Ful prively two harneys hath he dight, 1630
Bothe suffisaunt and mete to darreyne
The bataille in the feeld bitwix hem tweyne.
And on his hors, allone as he was born,
He carieth al this harneys him biforn;
And in the grove, at tyme and place y-set, 1635
This Arcite and this Palamon ben met.
Tho chaungen gan the colour in hir face;
[48: T. 1640-1675.]
Right as the hunter in the regne of Trace, (780)
That stondeth at the gappe with a spere,
Whan hunted is the leoun or the bere, 1640
And hereth him come russhing in the greves,
And breketh bothe bowes and the leves,
And thinketh, ‘heer cometh my mortel enemy,
With-oute faile, he moot be deed, or I;
For outher I mot sleen him at the gappe, 1645
Or he mot sleen me, if that me mishappe:’
So ferden they, in chaunging of hir hewe,
As fer as everich of hem other knewe. (790)
Ther nas no good day, ne no saluing;
But streight, with-outen word or rehersing, 1650
Everich of hem halp for to armen other,
As freendly as he were his owne brother;
And after that, with sharpe speres stronge
They foynen ech at other wonder longe.
Thou mightest wene that this Palamoun 1655
In his fighting were a wood leoun,
And as a cruel tygre was Arcite:
As wilde bores gonne they to smyte, (800)
That frothen whyte as foom for ire wood.
Up to the ancle foghte they in hir blood. 1660
And in this wyse I lete hem fighting dwelle;
And forth I wol of Theseus yow telle.
1626. E. hir; _rest_ his. 1634. E. the; Hn. Cm. Hl. this. 1637. Hl.
Tho; _rest_ To. 1638. Hl. honter_us_; _rest_ hunters, hunterys; _ed._
1542, hunter. 1640. E. and; _rest_ or. 1651. Cm. halp; Cp. hilp; E.
Hn. heelp; Hl. Pt. helpeth; Ln. helpe. Hl. Ln. _om._ for. 1652. E.
owene. 1656. Tyrwhitt _ins._ as _bef._ a. 1659. E. Hn. whit.
1660. E. anclee. 1662. E. wole.
The destinee, ministre general,
That executeth in the world over-al
The purveyaunce, that God hath seyn biforn, 1665
So strong it is, that, though the world had sworn
The contrarie of a thing, by ye or nay,
Yet somtyme it shal fallen on a day (810)
That falleth nat eft with-inne a thousand yere.
For certeinly, our appetytes here, 1670
Be it of werre, or pees, or hate, or love,
Al is this reuled by the sighte above.
This mene I now by mighty Theseus,
[49: T. 1676-1712.]
That for to honten is so desirous,
And namely at the grete hert in May, 1675
That in his bed ther daweth him no day,
That he nis clad, and redy for to ryde
With hunte and horn, and houndes him bisyde. (820)
For in his hunting hath he swich delyt,
That it is al his Ioye and appetyt 1680
To been him-self the grete hertes bane;
For after Mars he serveth now Diane.
1672. this] Hl. it.
Cleer was the day, as I have told er this,
And Theseus, with alle Ioye and blis,
With his Ipolita, the fayre quene, 1685
And Emelye, clothed al in grene,
On hunting be they riden royally.
And to the grove, that stood ful faste by, (830)
In which ther was an hert, as men him tolde,
Duk Theseus the streighte wey hath holde. 1690
And to the launde he rydeth him ful right,
For thider was the hert wont have his flight,
And over a brook, and so forth on his weye.
This duk wol han a cours at him, or tweye,
With houndes, swiche as that him list comaunde. 1695