And whan this duk was come un-to the launde,
Under the sonne he loketh, and anon
He was war of Arcite and Palamon, (840)
That foughten breme, as it were bores two;
The brighte swerdes wenten to and fro 1700
So hidously, that with the leeste strook
It seemed as it wolde felle an ook;
But what they were, no-thing he ne woot.
This duk his courser with his spores smoot,
And at a stert he was bitwix hem two, 1705
And pulled out a swerd and cryed, ‘ho!
Namore, up peyne of lesing of your heed.
By mighty Mars, he shal anon be deed, (850)
That smyteth any strook, that I may seen!
But telleth me what mister men ye been, 1710
[50: T. 1713-1749.]
That been so hardy for to fighten here
With-outen Iuge or other officere,
As it were in a listes royally?’
1699. E. Cm. Hl. bores; _rest_ boles. 1702. E. fille. 1706. E.
cride; Hn. Cp. Pt. cryed. 1707. E. Hn. Ln. vp-on; _rest_ vp. 1710.
Hn. Cm. Cp. Pt. myster; E. mystiers; Ln. mester; Hl. mestir.
This Palamon answerde hastily,
And seyde: ‘sire, what nedeth wordes mo? 1715
We have the deeth deserved bothe two.
Two woful wrecches been we, two caytyves,
That been encombred of our owne lyves; (860)
And as thou art a rightful lord and Iuge,
Ne yeve us neither mercy ne refuge, 1720
But slee me first, for seynte charitee;
But slee my felawe eek as wel as me.
Or slee him first; for, though thou knowe it lyte,
This is thy mortal fo, this is Arcite,
That fro thy lond is banished on his heed, 1725
For which he hath deserved to be deed.
For this is he that cam un-to thy gate,
And seyde, that he highte Philostrate. (870)
Thus hath he Iaped thee ful many a yeer,
And thou has maked him thy chief squyer; 1730
And this is he that loveth Emelye.
For sith the day is come that I shal dye,
I make pleynly my confessioun,
That I am thilke woful Palamoun,
That hath thy prison broken wikkedly. 1735
I am thy mortal fo, and it am I
That loveth so hote Emelye the brighte,
That I wol dye present in hir sighte. (880)
Therfore I axe deeth and my Iuwyse;
But slee my felawe in the same wyse, 1740
For bothe han we deserved to be slayn.’
1716. E. Hn. disserued. 1718. E. Hn. Cm. owene. 1723. Hl. Hn.
knowe; _rest_ knowest. 1741. Ln. Hl. we haue.
This worthy duk answerde anon agayn,
And seyde, ‘This is a short conclusioun:
Youre owne mouth, by your confessioun,
Hath dampned you, and I wol it recorde, 1745
It nedeth noght to pyne yow with the corde.
Ye shul be deed, by mighty Mars the rede!’
[51: T. 1750-1787.]
The quene anon, for verray wommanhede, (890)
Gan for to wepe, and so dide Emelye,
And alle the ladies in the companye. 1750
Gret pitee was it, as it thoughte hem alle,
That ever swich a chaunce sholde falle;
For gentil men they were, of greet estat,
And no-thing but for love was this debat;
And sawe hir blody woundes wyde and sore; 1755
And alle cryden, bothe lasse and more,
‘Have mercy, lord, up-on us wommen alle!’
And on hir bare knees adoun they falle, (900)
And wolde have kist his feet ther-as he stood,
Til at the laste aslaked was his mood; 1760
For pitee renneth sone in gentil herte.
And though he first for ire quook and sterte,
He hath considered shortly, in a clause,
The trespas of hem bothe, and eek the cause:
And al-though that his ire hir gilt accused, 1765
Yet in his reson he hem bothe excused;
As thus: he thoghte wel, that every man
Wol helpe him-self in love, if that he can, (910)
And eek delivere him-self out of prisoun;
And eek his herte had compassioun 1770
Of wommen, for they wepen ever in oon;
And in his gentil herte he thoghte anoon,
And softe un-to himself he seyde: ‘fy
Up-on a lord that wol have no mercy,
But been a leoun, bothe in word and dede, 1775
To hem that been in repentaunce and drede
As wel as to a proud despitous man
That wol maynteyne that he first bigan! (920)
That lord hath litel of discrecioun,
That in swich cas can no divisioun, 1780
But weyeth pryde and humblesse after oon.’
And shortly, whan his ire is thus agoon,
He gan to loken up with eyen lighte,
And spak thise same wordes al on highte:—
The god of love, a! _benedicite_, 1785
[52: T. 1788-1823.]
How mighty and how greet a lord is he!
Ayeins his might ther gayneth none obstacles,
He may be cleped a god for his miracles; (930)
For he can maken at his owne gyse
Of everich herte, as that him list devyse. 1790
Lo heer, this Arcite and this Palamoun,
That quitly weren out of my prisoun,
And mighte han lived in Thebes royally,
And witen I am hir mortal enemy,
And that hir deeth lyth in my might also, 1795
And yet hath love, maugree hir eyen two,
Y-broght hem hider bothe for to dye!
Now loketh, is nat that an heigh folye? (940)
Who may been a fool, but-if he love?
Bihold, for Goddes sake that sit above, 1800
Se how they blede! be they noght wel arrayed?
Thus hath hir lord, the god of love, y-payed
Hir wages and hir fees for hir servyse!
And yet they wenen for to been ful wyse
That serven love, for aught that may bifalle! 1805
But this is yet the beste game of alle,
That she, for whom they han this Iolitee,
Can hem ther-for as muche thank as me; (950)
She woot namore of al this hote fare,
By God, than woot a cokkow or an hare! 1810
But al mot been assayed, hoot and cold;
A man mot been a fool, or yong or old;
I woot it by my-self ful yore agoon:
For in my tyme a servant was I oon.
And therfore, sin I knowe of loves peyne, 1815
And woot how sore it can a man distreyne,
As he that hath ben caught ofte in his las,
I yow foryeve al hoolly this trespas, (960)
At requeste of the quene that kneleth here,
And eek of Emelye, my suster dere. 1820
And ye shul bothe anon un-to me swere,
[53: T. 1824-1859.]
That never-mo ye shul my contree dere,
Ne make werre up-on me night ne day,
But been my freendes in al that ye may;
I yow foryeve this trespas every del.’ 1825
And they him swore his axing fayre and wel,
And him of lordshipe and of mercy preyde,
And he hem graunteth grace, and thus he seyde: (970)
1744. E. Hn. Cm. owene; Hl. Cp. Pt. owne. 1747. Hn. Pt. shul; Cm. Hl.
schul; E. shal. 1753. E. estaat. 1754. E. debaat. 1767. Hn. Cm.
Cp. As; _rest_ And. 1770. Hl. Pt. Ln. had; _rest_ hadde. 1771. Hn.
wepten; _rest_ wepen. 1788. E. hise. 1789. E. Hn. Cm. owene; Cp.
Pt. owne. 1790. E. diuyse. 1797. Hl. I-brought; _rest_ Broght,
Brought. 1799. _See note._ Hl. if that; _rest_ but if. 1810. E. Hn.
Cp. of; _rest_ or. 1811. and] Cm. Hl. or. 1817. E. Hn. Cp. Pt.
laas; Cm. las; Hl. Ln. lace. 1818. E. Pt. trespaas. 1822. E. Hn.
Cp. Ln. shal. contree] Cp. Ln. Hl. coroune. 1825, 1826. E. deel,
weel; Hn. Cm. Cp. del, wel. Hl. Pt. swore; _rest_ sworen, sworne,
sworyn. 1828. Hl. Cm. graunted.
‘To speke of royal linage and richesse,
Though that she were a quene or a princesse, 1830
Ech of yow bothe is worthy, doutelees,
To wedden whan tyme is, but nathelees
I speke as for my suster Emelye,
For whom ye have this stryf and Ielousye;
Ye woot your-self, she may not wedden two 1835
At ones, though ye fighten ever-mo:
That oon of yow, al be him looth or leef,
He moot go pypen in an ivy-leef; (980)
This is to seyn, she may nat now han bothe,
Al be ye never so Ielous, ne so wrothe. 1840
And for-thy I yow putte in this degree,
That ech of yow shal have his destinee
As him is shape; and herkneth in what wyse;
Lo, heer your ende of that I shal devyse.
1832. E. _wrongly repeats_ doutelees. 1834. E. Hn. Cp. Ialousye.
1837. E. Hn. Pt. lief. 1838. E. _om._ go. 1840. E. Hn. Cp. Ialouse.
My wil is this, for plat conclusioun, 1845
With-outen any replicacioun,
If that yow lyketh, tak it for the beste,
That everich of yow shal gon wher him leste (990)
Frely, with-outen raunson or daunger;
And this day fifty wykes, fer ne ner, 1850
Everich of yow shal bringe an hundred knightes,
Armed for listes up at alle rightes,
Al redy to darreyne hir by bataille.
And this bihote I yow, with-outen faille,
Up-on my trouthe, and as I am a knight, 1855
That whether of yow bothe that hath might,
This is to seyn, that whether he or thou
[54: T. 1860-1892.]
May with his hundred, as I spak of now, (1000)
Sleen his contrarie, or out of listes dryve,
Him shal I yeve Emelya to wyve, 1860
To whom that fortune yeveth so fair a grace.
The listes shal I maken in this place,
And God so wisly on my soule rewe,
As I shal even Iuge been and trewe.
Ye shul non other ende with me maken, 1865
That oon of yow ne shal be deed or taken.
And if yow thinketh this is wel y-sayd,
Seyeth your avys, and holdeth yow apayd. (1010)
This is your ende and your conclusioun.’
1856, 7. E. wheither. 1860. Hl. Him; Cp. Ln. That; E. Hn. Thanne; Cm.
Pt. Than. E. Cp. Ln. Emelya; Hl. Hn. Emelye.
Who loketh lightly now but Palamoun? 1870
Who springeth up for Ioye but Arcite?
Who couthe telle, or who couthe it endyte,
The Ioye that is maked in the place
Whan Theseus hath doon so fair a grace?
But doun on knees wente every maner wight, 1875
And thanked him with al her herte and might,
And namely the Thebans ofte sythe.
And thus with good hope and with herte blythe (1020)
They take hir leve, and hom-ward gonne they ryde
To Thebes, with his olde walles wyde. 1880
1872. E. Cm. Hl. _om._ it. 1876. Hl. thanked; Cm. thankede; Cp. Pt.
Ln. thonked; E. Hn. thonken. 1877. E. often; Ln. oft; Pt. mony;
_rest_ ofte.
=Explicit secunda pars. Sequitur pars tercia.=
I trowe men wolde deme it necligence,
If I foryete to tellen the dispence
Of Theseus, that goth so bisily
To maken up the listes royally;
That swich a noble theatre as it was, 1885
I dar wel seyn that in this world ther nas.
The circuit a myle was aboute,
Walled of stoon, and diched al with-oute. (1030)
Round was the shap, in maner of compas,
Ful of degrees, the heighte of sixty pas, 1890
[55: T. 1893-1928.]
That, whan a man was set on o degree,
He letted nat his felawe for to see.
1886. Hl. that; _rest om._ 1889. E. compaas. 1892. E. lette; Cm.
lettyth; _rest_ letted.
Est-ward ther stood a gate of marbel whyt,
West-ward, right swich another in the opposit.
And shortly to concluden, swich a place 1895
Was noon in erthe, as in so litel space;
For in the lond ther nas no crafty man,
That geometrie or ars-metrik can, (1040)
Ne purtreyour, ne kerver of images,
That Theseus ne yaf him mete and wages 1900
The theatre for to maken and devyse.
And for to doon his ryte and sacrifyse,
He est-ward hath, up-on the gate above,
In worship of Venus, goddesse of love,
Don make an auter and an oratorie; 1905
And west-ward, in the minde and in memorie
Of Mars, he maked hath right swich another,
That coste largely of gold a fother. (1050)
And north-ward, in a touret on the wal,
Of alabastre whyt and reed coral 1910
An oratorie riche for to see,
In worship of Dyane of chastitee,
Hath Theseus don wroght in noble wyse.
1893. E. Hn. Hl. marbul. 1899. Hl. Hn. Cp. purtreyour; E.
portreitour. 1900. Cp. Pt. Cm. him; Hl. hem; _rest om._ 1906. _So_
Hl.; E. Hn. Cm. (_wrongly_) And on the west-ward in memorie.
But yet hadde I foryeten to devyse
The noble kerving, and the portreitures, 1915
The shap, the countenaunce, and the figures,
That weren in thise oratories three.
First in the temple of Venus maystow see (1060)
Wroght on the wal, ful pitous to biholde,
The broken slepes, and the sykes colde; 1920
The sacred teres, and the waymenting;
The fyry strokes of the desiring,
That loves servaunts in this lyf enduren;
The othes, that hir covenants assuren;
Plesaunce and hope, desyr, fool-hardinesse, 1925
Beautee and youthe, bauderie, richesse,
[56: T. 1929-1963.]
Charmes and force, lesinges, flaterye,
Dispense, bisynesse, and Ielousye, (1070)
That wered of yelwe goldes a gerland,
And a cokkow sitting on hir hand; 1930
Festes, instruments, caroles, daunces,
Lust and array, and alle the circumstaunces
Of love, whiche that I rekne and rekne shal,
By ordre weren peynted on the wal,
And mo than I can make of mencioun. 1935
For soothly, al the mount of Citheroun,
Ther Venus hath hir principal dwelling,
Was shewed on the wal in portreying, (1080)
With al the gardin, and the lustinesse.
Nat was foryeten the porter Ydelnesse, 1940
Ne Narcisus the faire of yore agon,
Ne yet the folye of king Salamon,
Ne yet the grete strengthe of Hercules—
Thenchauntements of Medea and Circes—
Ne of Turnus, with the hardy fiers corage, 1945
The riche Cresus, caytif in servage.
Thus may ye seen that wisdom ne richesse,
Beautee ne sleighte, strengthe, ne hardinesse, (1090)
Ne may with Venus holde champartye;
For as hir list the world than may she gye. 1950
Lo, alle thise folk so caught were in hir las,
Til they for wo ful ofte seyde ‘allas!’
Suffyceth heer ensamples oon or two,
And though I coude rekne a thousand mo.
1922. E. Hl. and; _rest_ of. 1928. E. Hn. Cp. Ialousye. 1929. Hl.
guldes. 1930. Cp. Ln. Cm. his. 1933. Cm. I reken and rekne schal;
Hn. Hl. I rekned and rekne shal; E. I rekned haue and rekne shal (_too
long_). 1942. E. Cm. And; _rest_ Ne. 1943. E. Cm. And eek; Hn. Cp.
Pt. Ln. Ne yet; Hl. Ne eek. E. Hn. Cm. Ercules. 1948. E. Hn. Pt.
_om._ ne.
The statue of Venus, glorious for to see, 1955
Was naked fleting in the large see,
And fro the navele doun all covered was
With wawes grene, and brighte as any glas. (1100)
A citole in hir right hand hadde she,
And on hir heed, ful semely for to see, 1960
A rose gerland, fresh and wel smellinge;
[57: T. 1964-1997.]
Above hir heed hir dowves flikeringe.
Biforn hir stood hir sone Cupido,
Up-on his shuldres winges hadde he two;
And blind he was, as it is ofte sene; 1965
A bowe he bar and arwes brighte and kene.
1965. E. it was; _rest_ it is.
Why sholde I noght as wel eek telle yow al
The portreiture, that was up-on the wal (1110)
With-inne the temple of mighty Mars the rede?
Al peynted was the wal, in lengthe and brede, 1970
Lyk to the estres of the grisly place,
That highte the grete temple of Mars in Trace,
In thilke colde frosty regioun,
Ther-as Mars hath his sovereyn mansioun.
First on the wal was peynted a foreste, 1975
In which ther dwelleth neither man ne beste,
With knotty knarry bareyn treës olde
Of stubbes sharpe and hidous to biholde; (1120)
In which ther ran a rumbel and a swough,
As though a storm sholde bresten every bough: 1980
And downward from an hille, under a bente,
Ther stood the temple of Mars armipotente,
Wroght al of burned steel, of which thentree
Was long and streit, and gastly for to see.
And ther-out cam a rage and such a vese, 1985
That it made al the gates for to rese.
The northren light in at the dores shoon,
For windowe on the wal ne was ther noon, (1130)
Thurgh which men mighten any light discerne.
The dores were alle of adamant eterne, 1990
Y-clenched overthwart and endelong
With iren tough; and, for to make it strong,
Every piler, the temple to sustene,
Was tonne-greet, of iren bright and shene.
1975. Hl. foreste; E. forest. 1976. Hl. beste; E. best. 1977. E.
Hn. Cm. Cp. bareyne. 1979. E. rumbel; Cm. ru_m_bil; Hn. rombul; Cp.
Ln. rombel; Hl. swymbul. E. Pt. and; _rest_ in. 1980. Ln. berste;
Hl. berst. 1981. Hn. Hl. on (_for_ from). 1983. E. Hn. the
entree. 1985. Cp. vese; Cm. wese; E. Hn. Ln. veze; Hl. prise. 1986.
E. Hn. Cm. gate. Hl. rise. 1990. E. Hn. Pt. dore was.
Ther saugh I first the derke imagining 1995
[58: T. 1998-2033.]
Of felonye, and al the compassing;
The cruel ire, reed as any glede;
The pykepurs, and eek the pale drede; (1140)
The smyler with the knyf under the cloke;
The shepne brenning with the blake smoke; 2000
The treson of the mordring in the bedde;
The open werre, with woundes al bi-bledde;
Contek, with blody knyf and sharp manace;
Al ful of chirking was that sory place.
The sleere of him-self yet saugh I ther, 2005
His herte-blood hath bathed al his heer;
The nayl y-driven in the shode a-night;
The colde deeth, with mouth gaping up-right. (1150)
Amiddes of the temple sat meschaunce,
With disconfort and sory contenaunce. 2010
Yet saugh I woodnesse laughing in his rage;
Armed compleint, out-hees, and fiers outrage.
The careyne in the bush, with throte y-corve:
A thousand slayn, and nat of qualm y-storve;
The tiraunt, with the prey by force y-raft; 2015
The toun destroyed, ther was no-thing laft.
Yet saugh I brent the shippes hoppesteres;
The hunte strangled with the wilde beres: (1160)
The sowe freten the child right in the cradel;
The cook y-scalded, for al his longe ladel. 2020
Noght was foryeten by the infortune of Marte;
The carter over-riden with his carte,
Under the wheel ful lowe he lay adoun.
Ther were also, of Martes divisioun,
The barbour, and the bocher, and the smith 2025
That forgeth sharpe swerdes on his stith.
And al above, depeynted in a tour,
Saw I conquest sittinge in greet honour, (1170)
With the sharpe swerde over his heed
Hanginge by a sotil twynes threed. 2030
Depeynted was the slaughtre of Iulius,
[59: T. 2034-2069.]
Of grete Nero, and of Antonius;
Al be that thilke tyme they were unborn,
Yet was hir deeth depeynted ther-biforn,
By manasinge of Mars, right by figure; 2035
So was it shewed in that portreiture
As is depeynted in the sterres above,
Who shal be slayn or elles deed for love. (1180)
Suffyceth oon ensample in stories olde,
I may not rekne hem alle, thogh I wolde. 2040
1995. E. Hn. dirke. 1996. E. Cm. on. al. 1998. E. Cm. _om._ eek.
2012. Cm. outes. 2013. E. Cp. Ln. busk; Cm. bosch; Hn. Pt. bussh.
2014. E. _ins._ oon _after_ nat. 2021. Hl. _om._ by. 2025. E. Cm.
laborer; _rest_ barbour. 2029. Pt. Ln. swerde; _rest_ swerd. 2030.
E. soutil; Hn. Cp. Ln. subtil. 2037. Hl. sterres; E. Pt. certres;
_rest_ sertres.
The statue of Mars up-on a carte stood,
Armed, and loked grim as he were wood;
And over his he’ed ther shynen two figures
Of sterres, that been cleped in scriptures,
That oon Puella, that other Rubeus. 2045
This god of armes was arrayed thus:—
A wolf ther stood biforn him at his feet
With eyen rede, and of a man he eet; (1190)
With sotil pencel was depeynt this storie,
In redoutinge of Mars and of his glorie. 2050
2049. Cm. sotyl; E. soutil. _All_ depeynted (_badly_); _see_ C. 950.
Now to the temple of Diane the chaste
As shortly as I can I wol me haste,
To telle yow al the descripcioun.
Depeynted been the walles up and doun
Of hunting and of shamfast chastitee. 2055
Ther saugh I how woful Calistopee,
Whan that Diane agreved was with here,
Was turned from a womman til a bere, (1200)
And after was she maad the lode-sterre;
Thus was it peynt, I can say yow no ferre; 2060
Hir sone is eek a sterre, as men may see.
Ther saugh I Dane, y-turned til a tree,
I mene nat the goddesse Diane,
But Penneus doughter, which that highte Dane.
Ther saugh I Attheon an hert y-maked, 2065
For vengeaunce that he saugh Diane al naked;
I saugh how that his houndes have him caught,
[60: T. 2070-2106.]
And freten him, for that they knewe him naught. (1210)
Yet peynted was a litel forther-moor,
How Atthalante hunted the wilde boor, 2070
And Meleagre, and many another mo,
For which Diane wroghte him care and wo.
Ther saugh I many another wonder storie,
The whiche me list nat drawen to memorie.
This goddesse on an hert ful hye seet, 2075
With smale houndes al aboute hir feet;
And undernethe hir feet she hadde a mone,
Wexing it was, and sholde wanie sone. (1220)
In gaude grene hir statue clothed was,
With bowe in honde, and arwes in a cas. 2080
Hir eyen caste she ful lowe adoun,
Ther Pluto hath his derke regioun.
A womman travailinge was hir biforn,
But, for hir child so longe was unborn,
Ful pitously Lucyna gan she calle, 2085
And seyde, ‘help, for thou mayst best of alle.’
Wel couthe he peynten lyfly that it wroghte,
With many a florin he the hewes boghte. (1230)
2058. E. Pt. Ln. Hl. to; _rest_ til; _see_ l. 2062. 2060. _All_
peynted; _see_ l. 2049. Hl. _om._ yow. 2062. Hl. Cp. Pt. Ln.
turned. 2067. E. Hn. hise; Cm. hese. 2069. E. _om._ was. 2071. E.
Hn. Meleagree. 2075. E. Cp. Pt. _ins._ wel _after_ ful.
Now been thise listes maad, and Theseus,
That at his grete cost arrayed thus 2090
The temples and the theatre every del,
Whan it was doon, him lyked wonder wel.
But stinte I wol of Theseus a lyte,
And speke of Palamon and of Arcite.
2089. thise] E. the.
The day approcheth of hir retourninge, 2095
That everich sholde an hundred knightes bringe,
The bataille to darreyne, as I yow tolde;
And til Athenes, hir covenant for to holde, (1240)
Hath everich of hem broght an hundred knightes
Wel armed for the werre at alle rightes. 2100
And sikerly, ther trowed many a man
That never, sithen that the world bigan,
As for to speke of knighthod of hir hond,
As fer as God hath maked see or lond,
[61: T. 2107-2143.]
Nas, of so fewe, so noble a companye. 2105
For every wight that lovede chivalrye,
And wolde, his thankes, han a passant name,
Hath preyed that he mighte ben of that game; (1250)
And wel was him, that ther-to chosen was.
For if ther fille to-morwe swich a cas, 2110
Ye knowen wel, that every lusty knight,
That loveth paramours, and hath his might,
Were it in Engelond, or elles-where,
They wolde, hir thankes, wilnen to be there.
To fighte for a lady, _benedicite!_ 2115
It were a lusty sighte for to see.
2098. E. couenantz. Hl. _om._ for. 2108. E. preyd; Hn. prayd; Hl. Cm.
preyed. 2110. E. Cp. Pt. Hl. caas.
And right so ferden they with Palamon.
With him ther wenten knightes many oon; (1260)
Som wol ben armed in an habergeoun,
In a brest-plat and in a light gipoun; 2120
And somme woln have a peyre plates large;
And somme woln have a Pruce sheld, or a targe;
Somme woln ben armed on hir legges weel,
And have an ax, and somme a mace of steel.
Ther nis no newe gyse, that it nas old. 2125
Armed were they, as I have you told,
Everich after his opinioun.
2120. Hl. In a; E. And in; Hn. Cm. Cp. Ln. And in a; Pt. And a.
Ther maistow seen coming with Palamoun (1270)
Ligurge him-self, the grete king of Trace;
Blak was his berd, and manly was his face. 2130
The cercles of his eyen in his heed,
They gloweden bitwixe yelow and reed;
And lyk a griffon loked he aboute,
With kempe heres on his browes stoute;
His limes grete, his braunes harde and stronge, 2135
His shuldres brode, his armes rounde and longe.
And as the gyse was in his contree,
Ful hye up-on a char of gold stood he, (1280)
With foure whyte boles in the trays.
In-stede of cote-armure over his harnays, 2140
With nayles yelwe and brighte as any gold,
[62: T. 2144-2179.]
He hadde a beres skin, col-blak, for-old.
His longe heer was kembd bihinde his bak,
As any ravenes fether it shoon for-blak:
A wrethe of gold arm-greet, of huge wighte, 2145
Upon his heed, set ful of stones brighte,
Of fyne rubies and of dyamaunts.
Aboute his char ther wenten whyte alaunts, (1290)
Twenty and mo, as grete as any steer,
To hunten at the leoun or the deer, 2150
And folwed him, with mosel faste y-bounde,
Colers of gold, and torets fyled rounde.
An hundred lordes hadde he in his route
Armed ful wel, with hertes sterne and stoute.
2132. E. Hn. bitwyxen. 2134, 5, 6. E. hise. 2141. Hn. Cm. yelwe; E.
yelewe; Hl. yolwe. 2148. E. chaar. 2152. Pt. Ln. Colers; Cp.
Coleres; Hl. Colerd; E. Hn. Colered; Cm. Colerid. E. to_u_rettes; Cp.
Pt. torettes; Hl. torettz (_better_ torets); Ln. turettes. 2154. E.
Hn. stierne.
With Arcita, in stories as men finde, 2155
The grete Emetreus, the king of Inde,
Up-on a stede bay, trapped in steel,
Covered in cloth of gold diapred weel, (1300)
Cam ryding lyk the god of armes, Mars.
His cote-armure was of cloth of Tars, 2160
Couched with perles whyte and rounde and grete.
His sadel was of brend gold newe y-bete;
A mantelet upon his shuldre hanginge
Bret-ful of rubies rede, as fyr sparklinge.
His crispe heer lyk ringes was y-ronne, 2165
And that was yelow, and glitered as the sonne.
His nose was heigh, his eyen bright citryn,
His lippes rounde, his colour was sangwyn, (1310)
A fewe fraknes in his face y-spreynd,
Betwixen yelow and somdel blak y-meynd, 2170
And as a leoun he his loking caste.
Of fyve and twenty yeer his age I caste.
His berd was wel bigonne for to springe;
His voys was as a trompe thunderinge.
Up-on his heed he wered of laurer grene 2175
A gerland fresh and lusty for to sene.
Up-on his hand he bar, for his deduyt,
[63: T. 2180-2215.]
An egle tame, as eny lilie whyt. (1320)
An hundred lordes hadde he with him there,
Al armed, sauf hir heddes, in al hir gere, 2180
Ful richely in alle maner thinges.
For trusteth wel, that dukes, erles, kinges,
Were gadered in this noble companye,
For love and for encrees of chivalrye.
Aboute this king ther ran on every part 2185
Ful many a tame leoun and lepart.
And in this wyse thise lordes, alle and some,
Ben on the Sonday to the citee come (1330)
Aboute pryme, and in the toun alight.
2155. E. Pt. Arcite; _rest_ Arcita. 2163. E. Cm. Pt. mantel. 2164.
E. Brat-ful. 2180. Hl. _om._ al. 2186. Hl. Cp. Ln. lepart; E.
leopard.
This Theseus, this duk, this worthy knight, 2190
Whan he had broght hem in-to his citee,
And inned hem, everich in his degree,
He festeth hem, and dooth so greet labour
To esen hem, and doon hem al honour,
That yet men weneth that no mannes wit 2195
Of noon estat ne coude amenden it.
The minstralcye, the service at the feste,
The grete yiftes to the moste and leste, (1340)
The riche array of Theseus paleys,
Ne who sat first ne last up-on the deys, 2200
What ladies fairest been or best daunsinge,
Or which of hem can dauncen best and singe,
Ne who most felingly speketh of love:
What haukes sitten on the perche above,
What houndes liggen on the floor adoun: 2205
Of al this make I now no mencioun;
But al theffect, that thinketh me the beste;
Now comth the poynt, and herkneth if yow leste. (1350)
2192. E. in; Pt. after; _rest_ at. 2195. E. maner. 2198. E. Hn.
meeste; Cm. Cp. meste; _rest_ most. 2205. E. Cm. Hl. in; _rest_ on.
2207. al] Hl. of. 2208. Hn. Hl. comth; _rest_ cometh.
The Sonday night, er day bigan to springe,
When Palamon the larke herde singe, 2210
Although it nere nat day by houres two,
Yet song the larke, and Palamon also.
With holy herte, and with an heigh corage
[64: T. 2216-2251.]
He roos, to wenden on his pilgrimage
Un-to the blisful Citherea benigne, 2215
I mene Venus, honurable and digne.
And in hir houre he walketh forth a pas
Un-to the listes, ther hir temple was, (1360)
And doun he kneleth, and with humble chere
And herte soor, he seyde as ye shul here. 2220
2212. also] Hn. Cp. Pt. Ln. right tho. 2217. E. paas. 2219. E. with
ful; _rest_ and with. 2220. E. and seyde in this manere.
‘Faireste of faire, o lady myn, Venus,
Doughter to Iove and spouse of Vulcanus,
Thou glader of the mount of Citheroun,
For thilke love thou haddest to Adoun,
Have pitee of my bittre teres smerte, 2225
And tak myn humble preyer at thyn herte.
Allas! I ne have no langage to telle
Theffectes ne the torments of myn helle; (1370)
Myn herte may myne harmes nat biwreye;
I am so confus, that I can noght seye. 2230
But mercy, lady bright, that knowest weel
My thought, and seest what harmes that I feel,
Considere al this, and rewe up-on my sore,
As wisly as I shal for evermore,
Emforth my might, thy trewe servant be, 2235
And holden werre alwey with chastitee;
That make I myn avow, so ye me helpe.
I kepe noght of armes for to yelpe, (1380)
Ne I ne axe nat to-morwe to have victorie,
Ne renoun in this cas, ne veyne glorie 2240
Of pris of armes blowen up and doun,
But I wolde have fully possessioun
Of Emelye, and dye in thy servyse;
Find thou the maner how, and in what wyse.
I recche nat, but it may bettre be, 2245
To have victorie of hem, or they of me,
So that I have my lady in myne armes.
For though so be that Mars is god of armes, (1390)
Your vertu is so greet in hevene above,
[65: T. 2252-2287.]
That, if yow list, I shal wel have my love, 2250
Thy temple wol I worshipe evermo,
And on thyn auter, wher I ryde or go,
I wol don sacrifice, and fyres bete.
And if ye wol nat so, my lady swete,
Than preye I thee, to-morwe with a spere 2255
That Arcita me thurgh the herte bere.
Thanne rekke I noght, whan I have lost my lyf,
Though that Arcita winne hir to his wyf. (1400)
This is theffect and ende of my preyere,
Yif me my love, thou blisful lady dere.’ 2260
2222. to] Hn. Hl. of. of] _all but_ E. Cm. to. 2226. E. Cm.
preyere; Hn. prayere. at] Hl. to. 2227. to] Hl. for to. 2231, 2.
Cm. Hl. wel, fel; _rest_ wele, fele. 2239. Hl. aske. Hl. Ln. to
morn.
Whan thorisoun was doon of Palamon,
His sacrifice he dide, and that anon
Ful pitously, with alle circumstaunces,
Al telle I noght as now his observaunces.
But atte laste the statue of Venus shook, 2265
And made a signe, wher-by that he took
That his preyere accepted was that day.
For thogh the signe shewed a delay, (1410)
Yet wiste he wel that graunted was his bone;
And with glad herte he wente him hoom ful sone. 2270
2261. Hl. thorisoun; _rest_ the orison (orisoun). 2263. E. Cm.
circumstaunce. 2264. E. Cm. obseruaunce.
The thridde houre inequal that Palamon
Bigan to Venus temple for to goon,
Up roos the sonne, and up roos Emelye,
And to the temple of Diane gan hye.
Hir maydens, that she thider with hir ladde, 2275
Ful redily with hem the fyr they hadde,
Thencens, the clothes, and the remenant al
That to the sacrifyce longen shal; (1420)
The hornes fulle of meth, as was the gyse;
Ther lakked noght to doon hir sacrifyse. 2280
Smoking the temple, ful of clothes faire,
This Emelye, with herte debonaire,
Hir body wessh with water of a welle;
But how she dide hir ryte I dar nat telle,
But it be any thing in general; 2285
[66: T. 2288-2324.]
And yet it were a game to heren al;
To him that meneth wel, it were no charge:
But it is good a man ben at his large. (1430)
Hir brighte heer was kempt, untressed al;
A coroune of a grene ook cerial 2290
Up-on hir heed was set ful fair and mete.
Two fyres on the auter gan she bete,
And dide hir thinges, as men may biholde
In Stace of Thebes, and thise bokes olde.
Whan kindled was the fyr, with pitous chere 2295
Un-to Diane she spak, as ye may here.
2274. Pt. Hl. _ins._ she _after_ gan. 2276. E. ladde; _rest_ hadde.
2279. Cp. Pt. Ln. methe; Hl. meth; E. meeth; Hn. mede. 2287. were]
Hn. Cp. Ln. nere. 2289. E. kempd.
‘O chaste goddesse of the wodes grene,
To whom bothe hevene and erthe and see is sene, (1440)
Quene of the regne of Pluto derk and lowe,
Goddesse of maydens, that myn herte hast knowe 2300
Ful many a yeer, and woost what I desire,
As keep me fro thy vengeaunce and thyn ire,
That Attheon aboughte cruelly.
Chaste goddesse, wel wostow that I
Desire to been a mayden al my lyf, 2305
Ne never wol I be no love ne wyf.
I am, thou woost, yet of thy companye,
A mayde, and love hunting and venerye, (1450)
And for to walken in the wodes wilde,
And noght to been a wyf, and be with childe. 2310
Noght wol I knowe companye of man.
Now help me, lady, sith ye may and can,
For tho thre formes that thou hast in thee.
And Palamon, that hath swich love to me,
And eek Arcite, that loveth me so sore, 2315
This grace I preye thee with-oute more,
As sende love and pees bitwixe hem two;
And fro me turne awey hir hertes so, (1460)
That al hir hote love, and hir desyr,
And al hir bisy torment, and hir fyr 2320
Be queynt, or turned in another place;
And if so be thou wolt not do me grace,
[67: T. 2325-2360.]
Or if my destinee be shapen so,
That I shal nedes have oon of hem two,
As sende me him that most desireth me. 2325
Bihold, goddesse of clene chastitee,
The bittre teres that on my chekes falle.
Sin thou are mayde, and keper of us alle, (1470)
My maydenhede thou kepe and wel conserve,
And whyl I live a mayde, I wol thee serve.’ 2330
2303. Hl. Atheon. cruelly] Hl. trewely. 2311. E. Hl. _ins._ the
_after_ knowe. 2317. Hn. As; _rest_ And; _see_ l. 2325. 2322. not
do me] E. Hl. Pt. do me no. 2323. E. And; _rest_ Or. 2328. E. Cm.
Cp. kepere.
The fyres brenne up-on the auter clere,
Whyl Emelye was thus in hir preyere;
But sodeinly she saugh a sighte queynte,
For right anon oon of the fyres queynte,
And quiked agayn, and after that anon 2335
That other fyr was queynt, and al agon;
And as it queynte, it made a whistelinge,
As doon thise wete brondes in hir brenninge, (1480)
And at the brondes ende out-ran anoon
As it were blody dropes many oon; 2340
For which so sore agast was Emelye,
That she was wel ny mad, and gan to crye,
For she ne wiste what it signifyed;
But only for the fere thus hath she cryed,
And weep, that it was pitee for to here. 2345
And ther-with-al Diane gan appere,
With bowe in hond, right as an hunteresse,
And seyde: ‘Doghter, stint thyn hevinesse. (1490)
Among the goddes hye it is affermed,
And by eterne word write and confermed, 2350
Thou shalt ben wedded un-to oon of tho
That han for thee so muchel care and wo;
But un-to which of hem I may nat telle.
Farwel, for I ne may no lenger dwelle.
The fyres which that on myn auter brenne 2355
Shul thee declaren, er that thou go henne,
Thyn aventure of love, as in this cas.’
And with that word, the arwes in the cas (1500)
[68: T. 2361-2398.]
Of the goddesse clateren faste and ringe,
And forth she wente, and made a vanisshinge; 2360
For which this Emelye astoned was,
And seyde, ‘What amounteth this, allas!
I putte me in thy proteccioun,
Diane, and in thy disposicioun.’
And hoom she gooth anon the nexte weye. 2365
This is theffect, ther is namore to seye.
2337. E. Hn. Cp. whistlynge. 2338. Hl. (_only_) As doth a wete brond
in his. 2344. Pt Hl. _om._ hath. 2350. Hl. write; Pt. writt; _rest_
writen. 2356. E. Cp. Hl. declare. 2358. E. caas.
The nexte houre of Mars folwinge this,
Arcite un-to the temple walked is (1510)
Of fierse Mars, to doon his sacrifyse,
With alle the rytes of his payen wyse. 2370
With pitous herte and heigh devocioun,
Right thus to Mars he seyde his orisoun:
2369. E. Hn. fierse; Cm. ferse; Hl. fyry.
‘O stronge god, that in the regnes colde
Of Trace honoured art, and lord y-holde,
And hast in every regne and every lond 2375
Of armes al the brydel in thyn hond,
And hem fortunest as thee list devyse,
Accept of me my pitous sacrifyse. (1520)
If so be that my youthe may deserve,
And that my might be worthy for to serve 2380
Thy godhede, that I may been oon of thyne,
Than preye I thee to rewe up-on my pyne.
For thilke peyne, and thilke hote fyr,
In which thou whylom brendest for desyr,
Whan that thou usedest the grete beautee 2385
Of fayre yonge fresshe Venus free,
And haddest hir in armes at thy wille,
Al-though thee ones on a tyme misfille (1530)
Whan Vulcanus had caught thee in his las,
And fond thee ligging by his wyf, allas! 2390
For thilke sorwe that was in thyn herte,
Have routhe as wel up-on my peynes smerte.
I am yong and unkonning, as thou wost,
And, as I trowe, with love offended most,
That ever was any lyves creature; 2395
For she, that dooth me al this wo endure,
[69: T. 2399-2436.]
Ne reccheth never wher I sinke or flete.
And wel I woot, er she me mercy hete, (1540)
I moot with strengthe winne hir in the place;
And wel I woot, withouten help or grace 2400
Of thee, ne may my strengthe noght availle.
Than help me, lord, to-morwe in my bataille,
For thilke fyr that whylom brente thee,
As wel as thilke fyr now brenneth me;
And do that I to-morwe have victorie. 2405
Myn be the travaille, and thyn be the glorie!
Thy soverein temple wol I most honouren
Of any place, and alwey most labouren (1550)
In thy plesaunce and in thy craftes stronge,
And in thy temple I wol my baner honge, 2410
And alle the armes of my companye;
And evere-mo, un-to that day I dye,
Eterne fyr I wol biforn thee finde.
And eek to this avow I wol me binde:
My berd, myn heer that hongeth long adoun, 2415
That never yet ne felte offensioun
Of rasour nor of shere, I wol thee yive,
And ben thy trewe servant whyl I live. (1560)
Now lord, have routhe up-on my sorwes sore,
Yif me victorie, I aske thee namore.’ 2420
2385. Hl. the gret; _rest om._ gret. 2402. E. Hn. Thanne. 2420.
_All ins._ the (Hl. thy) _after_ me; (_read_ victórie).
The preyere stinte of Arcita the stronge,
The ringes on the temple-dore that honge,
And eek the dores, clatereden ful faste,
Of which Arcita som-what him agaste.
The fyres brende up-on the auter brighte, 2425
That it gan al the temple for to lighte;
And swete smel the ground anon up-yaf,
And Arcita anon his hand up-haf, (1570)
And more encens in-to the fyr he caste,
With othere rytes mo; and atte laste 2430
The statue of Mars bigan his hauberk ringe.
And with that soun he herde a murmuringe
Ful lowe and dim, that sayde thus, ‘Victorie:’
For which he yaf to Mars honour and glorie.
[70: T. 2437-2473.]
And thus with Ioye, and hope wel to fare, 2435
Arcite anon un-to his inne is fare,
As fayn as fowel is of the brighte sonne.
2425. Hn. Cm. brende; E. Cp. Hl. brenden. 2433. E. Hn. Hl. and;
_rest_ that. 2436. E. Hn. Cm. in.
And right anon swich stryf ther is bigonne (1580)
For thilke graunting, in the hevene above,
Bitwixe Venus, the goddesse of love, 2440
And Mars, the sterne god armipotente,
That Iupiter was bisy it to stente;
Til that the pale Saturnus the colde,
That knew so manye of aventures olde,
Fond in his olde experience an art, 2445
That he ful sone hath plesed every part.
As sooth is sayd, elde hath greet avantage;
In elde is bothe wisdom and usage; (1590)
Men may the olde at-renne, and noght at-rede.
Saturne anon, to stinten stryf and drede, 2450
Al be it that it is agayn his kynde,
Of al this stryf he gan remedie fynde.
2441. E. stierne. 2445. an] E. Pt. and. 2449. Hl. Pt. but; _rest_
and.
‘My dere doghter Venus,’ quod Saturne,
‘My cours, that hath so wyde for to turne,
Hath more power than wot any man. 2455
Myn is the drenching in the see so wan;
Myn is the prison in the derke cote;
Myn is the strangling and hanging by the throte; (1600)
The murmure, and the cherles rebelling,
The groyning, and the pryvee empoysoning: 2460
I do vengeance and pleyn correccioun
Whyl I dwelle in the signe of the leoun.
Myn is the ruine of the hye halles,
The falling of the toures and of the walles
Up-on the mynour or the carpenter. 2465
I slow Sampsoun in shaking the piler;
And myne be the maladyes colde,
The derke tresons, and the castes olde; (1610)
My loking is the fader of pestilence.
Now weep namore, I shal doon diligence 2470
That Palamon, that is thyn owne knight,
[71: T. 2474-2506.]
Shal have his lady, as thou hast him hight.
Though Mars shal helpe his knight, yet nathelees
Bitwixe yow ther moot be som tyme pees,
Al be ye noght of o complexioun, 2475
That causeth al day swich divisioun.
I am thin ayel, redy at thy wille;
Weep thou namore, I wol thy lust fulfille.’ (1620)
2462. E. _om. 1st_ the. 2466. Hl. in; _rest om._ 2468. Hl. tresoun.
Now wol I stinten of the goddes above,
Of Mars, and of Venus, goddesse of love, 2480
And telle yow, as pleynly as I can,
The grete effect, for which that I bigan.
=Explicit tercia pars. Sequitur pars quarta.=
Greet was the feste in Athenes that day,
And eek the lusty seson of that May
Made every wight to been in swich plesaunce, 2485
That al that Monday Iusten they and daunce,
And spenden it in Venus heigh servyse.
But by the cause that they sholde ryse (1630)
Erly, for to seen the grete fight,
Unto hir reste wente they at night. 2490
And on the morwe, whan that day gan springe,
Of hors and harneys, noyse and clateringe
Ther was in hostelryes al aboute;
And to the paleys rood ther many a route
Of lordes, up-on stedes and palfreys. 2495
Ther maystow seen devysing of herneys
So uncouth and so riche, and wroght so weel
Of goldsmithrie, of browding, and of steel; (1640)
The sheeldes brighte, testers, and trappures;
Gold-hewen helmes, hauberks, cote-armures; 2500
Lordes in paraments on hir courseres,
Knightes of retenue, and eek squyeres
Nailinge the speres, and helmes bokelinge,
Gigginge of sheeldes, with layneres lacinge;
[72: T. 2507-2543.]
Ther as need is, they weren no-thing ydel; 2505
The fomy stedes on the golden brydel
Gnawinge, and faste the armurers also
With fyle and hamer prikinge to and fro; (1650)
Yemen on fote, and communes many oon
With shorte staves, thikke as they may goon; 2510
Pypes, trompes, nakers, clariounes,
That in the bataille blowen blody sounes;
The paleys ful of peples up and doun,
Heer three, ther ten, holding hir questioun,
Divyninge of thise Thebane knightes two. 2515
Somme seyden thus, somme seyde it shal be so;
Somme helden with him with the blake berd,
Somme with the balled, somme with the thikke-herd; (1660)
Somme sayde, he loked grim and he wolde fighte;
He hath a sparth of twenty pound of wighte. 2520
Thus was the halle ful of divyninge,
Longe after that the sonne gan to springe.
2489. Hl. Erly a-morwe for to see that fight. 2493. E. _ins._ the
_after_ in. 2500. Hl. Gold-beten. 2503. Nailinge] Hl. Rayhyng.
2504. Hl. Girdyng. 2511. E. nakerers (_wrongly_). 2513. Hl. pepul;
Pt. puple; Ln. peple.
The grete Theseus, that of his sleep awaked
With minstralcye and noyse that was maked,
Held yet the chambre of his paleys riche, 2525
Til that the Thebane knightes, bothe y-liche
Honoured, were into the paleys fet.
Duk Theseus was at a window set, (1670)
Arrayed right as he were a god in trone.
The peple preesseth thider-ward ful sone 2530
Him for to seen, and doon heigh reverence,
And eek to herkne his hest and his sentence.
An heraud on a scaffold made an ho,
Til al the noyse of the peple was y-do;
And whan he saugh the peple of noyse al stille, 2535
Tho showed he the mighty dukes wille.
2533. E. Hn. Pt. oo. 2534. E. _om. 2nd_ the. 2535. E. Cm. the noyse
of peple.
‘The lord hath of his heigh discrecioun
Considered, that it were destruccioun (1680)
To gentil blood, to fighten in the gyse
Of mortal bataille now in this empryse; 2540
Wherfore, to shapen that they shul not dye,
[73: T. 2544-2579.]
He wol his firste purpos modifye.
No man therfor, up peyne of los of lyf,
No maner shot, ne pollax, ne short knyf
Into the listes sende, or thider bringe; 2545
Ne short swerd for to stoke, with poynt bytinge,
No man ne drawe, ne bere it by his syde.
Ne no man shal un-to his felawe ryde (1690)
But o cours, with a sharp y-grounde spere;
Foyne, if him list, on fote, him-self to were. 2550
And he that is at meschief, shal be take,
And noght slayn, but be broght un-to the stake
That shal ben ordeyned on either syde;
But thider he shal by force, and ther abyde.
And if so falle, the chieftayn be take 2555
On either syde, or elles slee his make,
No lenger shal the turneyinge laste.
God spede yow; goth forth, and ley on faste. (1700)
With long swerd and with maces fight your fille.
Goth now your wey; this is the lordes wille.’ 2560
2544. E. Cm. _om. 1st_ ne. 2545. or] E. Cm. Ln. ne. 2547. E. Hl.
_om._ it. 2555. falle] E. be. Cm. cheuynteyn; Cp. cheuentein; Hl.
cheuenten. 2556. Hl. sle; _rest_ sleen (sclayn). 2559. Hl. fight;
Ln. fihten; _rest_ fighteth.
The voys of peple touchede the hevene,
So loude cryden they with mery stevene:
‘God save swich a lord, that is so good,
He wilneth no destruccioun of blood!’
Up goon the trompes and the melodye. 2565
And to the listes rit the companye
By ordinaunce, thurgh-out the citee large,
Hanged with cloth of gold, and nat with sarge. (1710)
Ful lyk a lord this noble duk gan ryde,
Thise two Thebanes up-on either syde; 2570
And after rood the quene, and Emelye,
And after that another companye
Of oon and other, after hir degree.
And thus they passen thurgh-out the citee,
And to the listes come they by tyme. 2575
It nas not of the day yet fully pryme,
Whan set was Theseus ful riche and hye,
[74: T. 2580-2617.]
Ipolita the quene and Emelye, (1720)
And other ladies in degrees aboute.
Un-to the seetes preesseth al the route. 2580
And west-ward, thurgh the gates under Marte,
Arcite, and eek the hundred of his parte,
With baner reed is entred right anon;
And in that selve moment Palamon
Is under Venus, est-ward in the place, 2585
With baner whyt, and hardy chere and face.
In al the world, to seken up and doun,
So even with-outen variacioun, (1730)
Ther nere swiche companyes tweye.
For ther nas noon so wys that coude seye, 2590
That any hadde of other avauntage
Of worthinesse, ne of estaat, ne age,
So even were they chosen, for to gesse.
And in two renges faire they hem dresse.
Whan that hir names rad were everichoon, 2595
That in hir nombre gyle were ther noon,
Tho were the gates shet, and cryed was loude:
‘Do now your devoir, yonge knightes proude!’ (1740)
2561. Cm. Cp. touchede; Hl. touchith; _rest_ touched. 2562. Cm.
cryedyn; E. cride. E. murie. 2570. E. Hn. Hl. Thebans; _see_ l.
2623. 2593. E. _om._ they. 2598. Hl. Dooth.
The heraudes lefte hir priking up and doun;
Now ringen trompes loude and clarioun; 2600
Ther is namore to seyn, but west and est
In goon the speres ful sadly in arest;
In goth the sharpe spore in-to the syde.
Ther seen men who can Iuste, and who can ryde;
Ther shiveren shaftes up-on sheeldes thikke; 2605
He feleth thurgh the herte-spoon the prikke.
Up springen speres twenty foot on highte;
Out goon the swerdes as the silver brighte. (1750)
The helmes they to-hewen and to-shrede;
Out brest the blood, with sterne stremes rede. 2610
With mighty maces the bones they to-breste.
He thurgh the thikkeste of the throng gan threste.
Ther stomblen stedes stronge, and doun goth al.
He rolleth under foot as dooth a bal.
He foyneth on his feet with his tronchoun, 2615
[75: T. 2618-2655.]
And he him hurtleth with his hors adoun.
He thurgh the body is hurt, and sithen y-take,
Maugree his heed, and broght un-to the stake, (1760)
As forward was, right ther he moste abyde;
Another lad is on that other syde. 2620
And som tyme dooth hem Theseus to reste,
Hem to refresshe, and drinken if hem leste.
Ful ofte a-day han thise Thebanes two
Togidre y-met, and wroght his felawe wo;
Unhorsed hath ech other of hem tweye. 2625
Ther nas no tygre in the vale of Galgopheye,
Whan that hir whelp is stole, whan it is lyte,
So cruel on the hunte, as is Arcite (1770)
For Ielous herte upon this Palamoun:
Ne in Belmarye ther nis so fel leoun, 2630
That hunted is, or for his hunger wood,
Ne of his praye desireth so the blood,
As Palamon to sleen his fo Arcite.
The Ielous strokes on hir helmes byte;
Out renneth blood on bothe hir sydes rede. 2635
2608. E. gooth; _rest_ goon. 2613. stomblen] E. Cm. semblen. 2622.
E. fresshen.
Som tyme an ende ther is of every dede;
For er the sonne un-to the reste wente,
The stronge king Emetreus gan hente (1780)
This Palamon, as he faught with Arcite,
And made his swerd depe in his flesh to byte; 2640
And by the force of twenty is he take
Unyolden, and y-drawe unto the stake.
And in the rescous of this Palamoun
The stronge king Ligurge is born adoun;
And king Emetreus, for al his strengthe, 2645
Is born out of his sadel a swerdes lengthe,
So hitte him Palamon er he were take;
But al for noght, he was broght to the stake. (1790)
His hardy herte mighte him helpe naught;
He moste abyde, whan that he was caught 2650
By force, and eek by composicioun.
2643. E. rescus; Pt. rescowe; _rest_ rescous.
Who sorweth now but woful Palamoun,
That moot namore goon agayn to fighte?
[76: T. 2656-2691.]
And whan that Theseus had seyn this sighte,
Un-to the folk that foghten thus echoon 2655
He cryde, ‘Ho! namore, for it is doon!
I wol be trewe Iuge, and no partye.
Arcite of Thebes shal have Emelye, (1800)
That by his fortune hath hir faire y-wonne.’
Anon ther is a noyse of peple bigonne 2660
For Ioye of this, so loude and heigh with-alle,
It semed that the listes sholde falle.
What can now faire Venus doon above?
What seith she now? what dooth this quene of love?
But wepeth so, for wanting of hir wille, 2665
Til that hir teres in the listes fille;
She seyde: ‘I am ashamed, doutelees.’
Saturnus seyde: ‘Doghter, hold thy pees. (1810)
Mars hath his wille, his knight hath al his bone,
And, by myn heed, thou shalt ben esed sone.’ 2670
The trompes, with the loude minstralcye,
The heraudes, that ful loude yolle and crye,
Been in hir wele for Ioye of daun Arcite.
But herkneth me, and stinteth now a lyte,
Which a miracle ther bifel anon. 2675
2671. Hn. Cp. Pt. Ln. trompours.
This fierse Arcite hath of his helm y-don,
And on a courser, for to shewe his face,
He priketh endelong the large place, (1820)
Loking upward up-on this Emelye;
And she agayn him caste a freendlich yë, 2680
(For wommen, as to speken in comune,
They folwen al the favour of fortune),
And she was al his chere, as in his herte.
Out of the ground a furie infernal sterte,
From Pluto sent, at requeste of Saturne, 2685
For which his hors for fere gan to turne,
And leep asyde, and foundred as he leep;
And, er that Arcite may taken keep, (1830)
He pighte him on the pomel of his heed,
[77: T. 2692-2729.]
That in the place he lay as he were deed, 2690
His brest to-brosten with his sadel-bowe.
As blak he lay as any cole or crowe,
So was the blood y-ronnen in his face.
Anon he was y-born out of the place
With herte soor, to Theseus paleys. 2695
Tho was he corven out of his harneys,
And in a bed y-brought ful faire and blyve,
For he was yet in memorie and alyve, (1840)
And alway crying after Emelye.
2676. Cm. ferse; E. Hn. fierse. 2679. E. Pt. _om._ this. 2681. E.
Hn. Cm. _omit_ ll. 2681, 2682. 2683. Hn. she; _rest om._ 2684. E.
furie; Hn. Cm. furye; _rest_ fyr, fir, fire, fyre; _see note_. 2698.
Hl. Pt. on lyue.
Duk Theseus, with al his companye, 2700
Is comen hoom to Athenes his citee,
With alle blisse and greet solempnitee.
Al be it that this aventure was falle,
He nolde noght disconforten hem alle.
Men seyde eek, that Arcite shal nat dye; 2705
He shal ben heled of his maladye.
And of another thing they were as fayn,
That of hem alle was ther noon y-slayn, (1850)
Al were they sore y-hurt, and namely oon,
That with a spere was thirled his brest-boon. 2710
To othere woundes, and to broken armes,
Some hadden salves, and some hadden charmes;
Fermacies of herbes, and eek save
They dronken, for they wolde hir limes have.
For which this noble duk, as he wel can, 2715
Conforteth and honoureth every man,
And made revel al the longe night,
Un-to the straunge lordes, as was right. (1860)
Ne ther was holden no disconfitinge,
But as a Iustes or a tourneyinge; 2720
For soothly ther was no disconfiture,
For falling nis nat but an aventure;
Ne to be lad with fors un-to the stake
Unyolden, and with twenty knightes take,
O persone allone, with-outen mo, 2725
And haried forth by arme, foot, and to,
And eek his stede driven forth with staves,
[78: T. 2730-2767.]
With footmen, bothe yemen and eek knaves, (1870)
It nas aretted him no vileinye,
Ther may no man clepen it cowardye. 2730
2714. limes] Cp. Pt. Ln. Hl. lyues. 2726. E. Hn. Cm. arm.
For which anon duk Theseus leet crye,
To stinten alle rancour and envye,
The gree as wel of o syde as of other,
And either syde y-lyk, as otheres brother;
And yaf hem yiftes after hir degree, 2735
And fully heeld a feste dayes three;
And conveyed the kinges worthily
Out of his toun a Iournee largely. (1880)
And hoom wente every man the righte way.
Ther was namore, but ‘far wel, have good day!’ 2740
Of this bataille I wol namore endyte,
But speke of Palamon and of Arcite.
2737. E. conuoyed. 2740. E. fare; Cm. Hl. far.
Swelleth the brest of Arcite, and the sore
Encreesseth at his herte more and more.
The clothered blood, for any lechecraft, 2745
Corrupteth, and is in his bouk y-laft,
That neither veyne-blood, ne ventusinge,
Ne drinke of herbes may ben his helpinge. (1890)
The vertu expulsif, or animal,
Fro thilke vertu cleped natural 2750
Ne may the venim voyden, ne expelle.
The pypes of his longes gonne to swelle,
And every lacerte in his brest adoun
Is shent with venim and corrupcioun.
Him gayneth neither, for to gete his lyf, 2755
Vomyt upward, ne dounward laxatif;
Al is to-brosten thilke regioun,
Nature hath now no dominacioun. (1900)
And certeinly, ther nature wol nat wirche,
Far-wel, phisyk! go ber the man to chirche! 2760
This al and som, that Arcita mot dye,
For which he sendeth after Emelye,
And Palamon, that was his cosin dere;
Than seyde he thus, as ye shul after here.
2746. Hl. Pt. Corrumpith. 2760. E. fare; Cm. Hl. far.
‘Naught may the woful spirit in myn herte 2765
[79: T. 2768-2803.]
Declare o poynt of alle my sorwes smerte
To yow, my lady, that I love most;
But I biquethe the service of my gost (1910)
To yow aboven every creature,
Sin that my lyf may no lenger dure. 2770
Allas, the wo! allas, the peynes stronge,
That I for yow have suffred, and so longe!
Allas, the deeth! allas, myn Emelye!
Allas, departing of our companye!
Allas, myn hertes quene! allas, my wyf! 2775
Myn hertes lady, endere of my lyf!
What is this world? what asketh men to have?
Now with his love, now in his colde grave (1920)
Allone, with-outen any companye.
Far-wel, my swete fo! myn Emelye! 2780
And softe tak me in your armes tweye,
For love of God, and herkneth what I seye.
2770. Tyrwhitt _has_ ne may; ne _is not in the_ MSS. 2781. E. taak.
I have heer with my cosin Palamon
Had stryf and rancour, many a day a-gon,
For love of yow, and for my Ielousye. 2785
And Iupiter so wis my soule gye,
To speken of a servant proprely,
With alle circumstaunces trewely, (1930)
That is to seyn, trouthe, honour, and knighthede,
Wisdom, humblesse, estaat, and heigh kinrede, 2790
Fredom, and al that longeth to that art,
So Iupiter have of my soule part,
As in this world right now ne knowe I non
So worthy to ben loved as Palamon,
That serveth yow, and wol don al his lyf. 2795
And if that ever ye shul been a wyf,
Foryet nat Palamon, the gentil man.’
And with that word his speche faille gan, (1940)
For from his feet up to his brest was come
The cold of deeth, that hadde him overcome. 2800
And yet more-over, in his armes two
[80: T. 2804-2840.]
The vital strengthe is lost, and al ago.
Only the intellect, with-outen more,
That dwelled in his herte syk and sore,
Gan faillen, when the herte felte deeth, 2805
Dusked his eyen two, and failled breeth.
But on his lady yet caste he his yë;
His laste word was, ‘mercy, Emelye!’ (1950)
His spirit chaunged hous, and wente ther,
As I cam never, I can nat tellen wher. 2810
Therfor I stinte, I nam no divinistre;
Of soules finde I nat in this registre,
Ne me ne list thilke opiniouns to telle
Of hem, though that they wryten wher they dwelle.
Arcite is cold, ther Mars his soule gye; 2815
Now wol I speken forth of Emelye.
2785. E. Hn. Cp. Ialousye. 2789. Cp. Pt. Hl. and; rest _om._ 2799.
For] E. And. feet] E. Hl. Cm. herte. 2801. _All but_ Hl. _ins._ for
_before_ in.
Shrighte Emelye, and howleth Palamon,
And Theseus his suster took anon (1960)
Swowninge, and bar hir fro the corps away.
What helpeth it to tarien forth the day, 2820
To tellen how she weep, bothe eve and morwe?
For in swich cas wommen have swich sorwe,
Whan that hir housbonds been from hem ago,
That for the more part they sorwen so,
Or elles fallen in swich maladye, 2825
That at the laste certeinly they dye.
2819. E. Hn. baar. 2822. Hl. can haue; _rest om._ can. 2823. E.
housbond is.
Infinite been the sorwes and the teres
Of olde folk, and folk of tendre yeres, (1970)
In al the toun, for deeth of this Theban;
For him ther wepeth bothe child and man; 2830
So greet a weping was ther noon, certayn,
Whan Ector was y-broght, al fresh y-slayn,
To Troye; allas! the pitee that was ther,
Cracching of chekes, rending eek of heer.
‘Why woldestow be deed,’ thise wommen crye, 2835
‘And haddest gold y-nough, and Emelye?’
No man mighte gladen Theseus,
Savinge his olde fader Egeus, (1980)
[81: T. 2841-2876.]
That knew this worldes transmutacioun,
As he had seyn it chaungen up and doun, 2840
Ioye after wo, and wo after gladnesse:
And shewed hem ensamples and lyknesse.
2828. E. eek; _for 2nd_ folk. 2834. E. Hn. Cm. Pt. rentynge. 2840.
Hn. chaungen; Hl. torne; _rest om._
‘Right as ther deyed never man,’ quod he,
‘That he ne livede in erthe in som degree,
Right so ther livede never man,’ he seyde, 2845
‘In al this world, that som tyme he ne deyde.
This world nis but a thurghfare ful of wo,
And we ben pilgrimes, passinge to and fro; (1990)
Deeth is an ende of every worldly sore.’
And over al this yet seyde he muchel more 2850
To this effect, ful wysly to enhorte
The peple, that they sholde hem reconforte.
2843. Hn. deyed; E. dyed. 2849. E. worldes.
Duk Theseus, with al his bisy cure,
Caste now wher that the sepulture
Of good Arcite may best y-maked be, 2855
And eek most honurable in his degree.
And at the laste he took conclusioun,
That ther as first Arcite and Palamoun (2000)
Hadden for love the bataille hem bitwene,
That in that selve grove, swote and grene, 2860
Ther as he hadde his amorous desires,
His compleynt, and for love his hote fires,
He wolde make a fyr, in which thoffice
Funeral he mighte al accomplice;
And leet comaunde anon to hakke and hewe 2865
The okes olde, and leye hem on a rewe
In colpons wel arrayed for to brenne;
His officers with swifte feet they renne (2010)
And ryde anon at his comaundement.
And after this, Theseus hath y-sent 2870
After a bere, and it al over-spradde
With cloth of gold, the richest that he hadde.
And of the same suyte he cladde Arcite;
Upon his hondes hadde he gloves whyte;
[82: T. 2877-2913.]
Eek on his heed a croune of laurer grene, 2875
And in his hond a swerd ful bright and kene.
He leyde him bare the visage on the bere,
Therwith he weep that pitee was to here. (2020)
And for the peple sholde seen him alle,
Whan it was day, he broghte him to the halle, 2880
That roreth of the crying and the soun.
2854. Hn. Caste; E. Hl. Cast. now] Hl. busyly. 2861. E. amorouse.
2863. E. the office; Hl. thoffice. 2869. E. ryden. 2875. Cp. Pt.
Hl. croune; _rest_ coroune.
Tho cam this woful Theban Palamoun,
With flotery berd, and ruggy asshy heres,
In clothes blake, y-dropped al with teres;
And, passing othere of weping, Emelye, 2885
The rewfulleste of al the companye.
In as muche as the service sholde be
The more noble and riche in his degree, (2030)
Duk Theseus leet forth three stedes bringe,
That trapped were in steel al gliteringe, 2890
And covered with the armes of daun Arcite.
Up-on thise stedes, that weren grete and whyte,
Ther seten folk, of which oon bar his sheeld,
Another his spere up in his hondes heeld;
The thridde bar with him his bowe Turkeys, 2895
Of brend gold was the cas, and eek the harneys;
And riden forth a pas with sorweful chere
Toward the grove, as ye shul after here. (2040)
The nobleste of the Grekes that ther were
Upon hir shuldres carieden the bere, 2900
With slakke pas, and eyen rede and wete,
Thurgh-out the citee, by the maister-strete,
That sprad was al with blak, and wonder hye
Right of the same is al the strete y-wrye.
Up-on the right hond wente old Egeus, 2905
And on that other syde duk Theseus,
With vessels in hir hand of gold ful fyn,
Al ful of hony, milk, and blood, and wyn; (2050)
Eek Palamon, with ful greet companye;
And after that cam woful Emelye, 2910
With fyr in honde, as was that tyme the gyse,
[83: T. 2914-2949.]
To do thoffice of funeral servyse.
2883. E. rugged. 2892. Hl. that weren; _rest om._ 2893. E. Ln.
sitten. 2894. E. _om._ up. 2901. Ln. slake (_for_ slakke); _rest_
slak. 2904. Hl. al; _rest om._ 2912. _So_ Hl. Cp.; _rest_ the
office.
Heigh labour, and ful greet apparaillinge
Was at the service and the fyr-makinge,
That with his grene top the heven raughte, 2915
And twenty fadme of brede the armes straughte;
This is to seyn, the bowes were so brode.
Of stree first ther was leyd ful many a lode. (2060)
But how the fyr was maked up on highte,
And eek the names how the treës highte, 2920
As ook, firre, birch, asp, alder, holm, popler,
Wilow, elm, plane, ash, box, chasteyn, lind, laurer,
Mapul, thorn, beech, hasel, ew, whippeltree,
How they weren feld, shal nat be told for me;
Ne how the goddes ronnen up and doun, 2925
Disherited of hir habitacioun,
In which they woneden in reste and pees,
Nymphes, Faunes, and Amadrides; (2070)
Ne how the bestes and the briddes alle
Fledden for fere, whan the wode was falle; 2930
Ne how the ground agast was of the light,
That was nat wont to seen the sonne bright;
Ne how the fyr was couched first with stree,
And than with drye stokkes cloven a three,
And than with grene wode and spycerye, 2935
And than with cloth of gold and with perrye,
And gerlandes hanging with ful many a flour,
The mirre, thencens, with al so greet odour; (2080)
Ne how Arcite lay among al this,
Ne what richesse aboute his body is; 2940
Ne how that Emelye, as was the gyse,
Putte in the fyr of funeral servyse;
Ne how she swowned whan men made the fyr,
Ne what she spak, ne what was hir desyr;
Ne what Ieweles men in the fyr tho caste, 2945
Whan that the fyr was greet and brente faste;
Ne how som caste hir sheeld, and som hir spere,
[84: T. 2950-2986.]
And of hir vestiments, whiche that they were, (2090)
And cuppes ful of wyn, and milk, and blood,
Into the fyr, that brente as it were wood; 2950
Ne how the Grekes with an huge route
Thryës riden al the fyr aboute
Up-on the left hand, with a loud shoutinge,
And thryës with hir speres clateringe;
And thryës how the ladies gonne crye; 2955
Ne how that lad was hom-ward Emelye;
Ne how Arcite is brent to asshen colde;
Ne how that liche-wake was y-holde (2100)
Al thilke night, ne how the Grekes pleye
The wake-pleyes, ne kepe I nat to seye; 2960
Who wrastleth best naked, with oille enoynt,
Ne who that bar him best, in no disioynt.
I wol nat tellen eek how that they goon
Hoom til Athenes, whan the pley is doon;
But shortly to the poynt than wol I wende, 2965
And maken of my longe tale an ende.
2916. Hl. tharme. 2920. how] E. that. 2921. Hn. Hl. popler; _rest_
popelere. 2924. E. fild. 2926. Hl. Disheryt. 2928. E. Cm.
Nymphus. 2934, 5, 6. Pt. Ln. than; _rest_ thanne. 2934. E. Cp.
stokkes; _rest_ stikkes. 2943. E. _om._ the. 2945. Hl. tho; _rest
om._ 2952. _So all but_ Hl., _which has_ Thre tymes; _see_ l. 2954.
E. place (_for_ fyr). 2956. E. Hn. And (_for_ Ne). 2958. E. Hn.
lych; _rest_ liche.
By processe and by lengthe of certeyn yeres
Al stinted is the moorning and the teres (2110)
Of Grekes, by oon general assent.
Than semed me ther was a parlement 2970
At Athenes, up-on certeyn poynts and cas;
Among the whiche poynts y-spoken was
To have with certeyn contrees alliaunce,
And have fully of Thebans obeisaunce.
For which this noble Theseus anon 2975
Leet senden after gentil Palamon,
Unwist of him what was the cause and why;
But in his blake clothes sorwefully (2120)
He cam at his comaundement in hye.
Tho sente Theseus for Emelye. 2980
Whan they were set, and hust was al the place,
And Theseus abiden hadde a space
Er any word cam from his wyse brest,
His eyen sette he ther as was his lest,
[85: T. 2987-3020.]
And with a sad visage he syked stille, 2985
And after that right thus he seyde his wille.
‘The firste moevere of the cause above,
Whan he first made the faire cheyne of love, (2130)
Greet was theffect, and heigh was his entente;
Wel wiste he why, and what ther-of he mente; 2990
For with that faire cheyne of love he bond
The fyr, the eyr, the water, and the lond
In certeyn boundes, that they may nat flee;
That same prince and that moevere,’ quod he,
‘Hath stablissed, in this wrecched world adoun, 2995
Certeyne dayes and duracioun
To al that is engendred in this place,
Over the whiche day they may nat pace, (2140)
Al mowe they yet tho dayes wel abregge;
Ther needeth non auctoritee allegge, 3000
For it is preved by experience,
But that me list declaren my sentence.
Than may men by this ordre wel discerne,
That thilke moevere stable is and eterne.
Wel may men knowe, but it be a fool, 3005
That every part deryveth from his hool.
For nature hath nat take his beginning
Of no partye ne cantel of a thing, (2150)
But of a thing that parfit is and stable,
Descending so, til it be corrumpable. 3010
And therfore, of his wyse purveyaunce,
He hath so wel biset his ordinaunce,
That speces of thinges and progressiouns
Shullen enduren by successiouns,
And nat eterne be, with-oute lye: 3015
This maistow understonde and seen at eye.
2994. Hn. Ln. that; _rest_ (_except_ Hl.) that same. Hl. and moeuere
eek. 2995. Hl. Ln. stabled. 2997. Hl. alle that er; Cp. alle that
beth. 3000. E. Cp. _ins._ noght _bef._ noon. Hl. tallegge; Hn. to
allegge; Cm. Cp. Pt. to legge. 3006. E. dirryueth. 3007. Hl. Ln.
take; _rest_ taken; E. Cm. _om._ nat. 3008. Hl. ne; E. Hn. Pt. or of;
Cm. or of a. 3015. _So_ Hl.; _rest_ eterne with-outen any lye.
3016. at] E. it.
‘Lo the ook, that hath so long a norisshinge
From tyme that it first biginneth springe, (2160)
[86: T. 3021-3058.]
And hath so long a lyf, as we may see,
Yet at the laste wasted is the tree. 3020
‘Considereth eek, how that the harde stoon
Under our feet, on which we trede and goon,
Yit wasteth it, as it lyth by the weye.
The brode river somtyme wexeth dreye.
The grete tounes see we wane and wende. 3025
Than may ye see that al this thing hath ende.
3025. E. toures.
‘Of man and womman seen we wel also,
That nedeth, in oon of thise termes two, (2170)
This is to seyn, in youthe or elles age,
He moot ben deed, the king as shal a page; 3030
Som in his bed, som in the depe see,
Som in the large feeld, as men may se;
Ther helpeth noght, al goth that ilke weye.
Thanne may I seyn that al this thing moot deye.
What maketh this but Iupiter the king? 3035
The which is prince and cause of alle thing,
Converting al un-to his propre welle,
From which it is deryved, sooth to telle. (2180)
And here-agayns no creature on lyve
Of no degree availleth for to stryve. 3040
3034. E. Cm. _om._ that. 3036. _So_ Hl.; _rest_ That is.
‘Thanne is it wisdom, as it thinketh me,
To maken vertu of necessitee,
And take it wel, that we may nat eschue,
And namely that to us alle is due.
And who-so gruccheth ought, he dooth folye, 3045
And rebel is to him that al may gye.
And certeinly a man hath most honour
To dyen in his excellence and flour, (2190)
Whan he is siker of his gode name;
Than hath he doon his freend, ne him, no shame. 3050
And gladder oghte his freend ben of his deeth,
Whan with honour up-yolden is his breeth,
Than whan his name apalled is for age;
For al forgeten is his vasselage.
Than is it best, as for a worthy fame, 3055
To dyen whan that he is best of name.
[87: T. 3059-3095.]
The contrarie of al this is wilfulnesse.
Why grucchen we? why have we hevinesse, (2200)
That good Arcite, of chivalrye flour
Departed is, with duetee and honour, 3060
Out of this foule prison of this lyf?
Why grucchen heer his cosin and his wyf
Of his wel-fare that loved hem so weel?
Can he hem thank? nay, God wot, never a deel,
That bothe his soule and eek hem-self offende, 3065
And yet they mowe hir lustes nat amende.
3056. Hl. whan a man. 3059. Hl. Cp. Pt. Ln. _ins._ the _bef._ flour.
‘What may I conclude of this longe serie,
But, after wo, I rede us to be merie, (2210)
And thanken Iupiter of al his grace?
And, er that we departen from this place, 3070
I rede that we make, of sorwes two,
O parfyt Ioye, lasting ever-mo;
And loketh now, wher most sorwe is her-inne,
Ther wol we first amenden and biginne.