Aurelius, with blisful herte anoon,
Answerde thus, ‘fy on a thousand pound!
This wyde world, which that men seye is round, (500)
I wolde it yeve, if I were lord of it.
This bargayn is ful drive, for we ben knit. 1230
Ye shal be payed trewely, by my trouthe!
[497: T. 11544-11578.]
But loketh now, for no necligence or slouthe,
Ye tarie us heer no lenger than to-morwe.’
‘Nay,’ quod this clerk, ‘have heer my feith to borwe.’
To bedde is goon Aurelius whan him leste, 1235
And wel ny al that night he hadde his reste;
What for his labour and his hope of blisse,
His woful herte of penaunce hadde a lisse. (510)
Upon the morwe, whan that it was day,
To Britaigne toke they the righte way, 1240
Aurelius, and this magicien bisyde,
And been descended ther they wolde abyde;
And this was, as the bokes me remembre,
The colde frosty seson of Decembre.
1241. _So all; see_ 1184. 1243. E. Hn. thise; Hl. these; _rest_ the.
Phebus wex old, and hewed lyk latoun, 1245
That in his hote declinacioun
Shoon as the burned gold with stremes brighte;
But now in Capricorn adoun he lighte, (520)
Wher-as he shoon ful pale, I dar wel seyn.
The bittre frostes, with the sleet and reyn, 1250
Destroyed hath the grene in every yerd.
Ianus sit by the fyr, with double berd,
And drinketh of his bugle-horn the wyn.
Biforn him stant braun of the tusked swyn,
And “Nowel” cryeth every lusty man. 1255
1245. Cm. Pt. wex; E. Hn. Hl. Cp. wax. 1254. Hl. Cm. Cp. braun; Pt.
brawne; E. Hn. brawen.
Aurelius, in al that ever he can,
Doth to his maister chere and reverence,
And preyeth him to doon his diligence (530)
To bringen him out of his peynes smerte,
Or with a swerd that he wolde slitte his herte. 1260
1257. E. chiere; Cm. Ln. Hl. chier.
This subtil clerk swich routhe had of this man,
That night and day he spedde him that he can,
To wayte a tyme of his conclusioun;
This is to seye, to make illusioun,
By swich an apparence or Iogelrye, 1265
I ne can no termes of astrologye,
[498: T. 11579-11611.]
That she and every wight sholde wene and seye,
That of Britaigne the rokkes were aweye, (540)
Or elles they were sonken under grounde.
So atte laste he hath his tyme y-founde 1270
To maken his Iapes and his wrecchednesse
Of swich a superstitious cursednesse.
His tables Toletanes forth he broght,
Ful wel corrected, ne ther lakked noght,
Neither his collect ne his expans yeres, 1275
Ne his rotes ne his othere geres,
As been his centres and his arguments,
And his proporcionels convenients (550)
For his equacions in every thing.
And, by his eighte spere in his wirking, 1280
He knew ful wel how fer Alnath was shove
Fro the heed of thilke fixe Aries above
That in the ninthe speere considered is;
Ful subtilly he calculed al this.
1263. E. Hn. Cm. wayten. 1264. E. Cm. maken. 1265. E. a (_for_
an). 1269. E. ellis. 1273. E. Hn. tolletanes; Hl. tollitanes;
_rest_ colletanes(!). E. brought; Hn. broght. 1274. E. nought; Hn.
noght. 1275. E. yeeris. 1276. _So all_: (E. hise, rootes, geris).
1277. Ln. centres; _rest_ centris. 1278. Hn. Hl. proporcionels; E.
-cioneles; Cm. -ciounnys; Cp. Pt. -cions. 1280. E. speere. 1283.
Cm. nynte; Hl. fourthe(!); _rest_ 9. 1284. E. he hadde kalkuled;
_rest om._ hadde.
Whan he had founde his firste mansioun, 1285
He knew the remenant by proporcioun;
And knew the arysing of his mone weel,
And in whos face, and terme, and every-deel; (560)
And knew ful weel the mones mansioun
Acordaunt to his operacioun, 1290
And knew also his othere observaunces
For swiche illusiouns and swiche meschaunces
As hethen folk used in thilke dayes;
For which no lenger maked he delayes,
But thurgh his magik, for a wyke or tweye, 1295
It semed that alle the rokkes were aweye.
1285. E. hadde. 1293. Cp. Pt. Hl. vsed; E. Hn. vseden. 1295. E. Hn.
Cm. wyke; Hl. Cp. wike; Pt. Ln. weke. 1296. Hl. _om._ alle.
Aurelius, which that yet despeired is
Wher he shal han his love or fare amis, (570)
Awaiteth night and day on this miracle;
[499: T. 11612-11648.]
And whan he knew that ther was noon obstacle, 1300
That voided were thise rokkes everichon,
Doun to his maistres feet he fil anon,
And seyde, ‘I woful wrecche, Aurelius,
Thanke yow, lord, and lady myn Venus,
That me han holpen fro my cares colde:’ 1305
And to the temple his wey forth hath he holde,
Wher-as he knew he sholde his lady see.
And whan he saugh his tyme, anon-right he, (580)
With dredful herte and with ful humble chere,
Salewed hath his sovereyn lady dere: 1310
1302. E. Cm. hise.
‘My righte lady,’ quod this woful man,
‘Whom I most drede and love as I best can,
And lothest were of al this world displese,
Nere it that I for yow have swich disese,
That I moste dyen heer at your foot anon, 1315
Noght wolde I telle how me is wo bigon;
But certes outher moste I dye or pleyne;
Ye slee me giltelees for verray peyne. (590)
But of my deeth, thogh that ye have no routhe,
Avyseth yow, er that ye breke your trouthe. 1320
Repenteth yow, for thilke god above,
Er ye me sleen by-cause that I yow love.
For, madame, wel ye woot what ye han hight;
Nat that I chalange any thing of right
Of yow my sovereyn lady, but your grace; 1325
But in a gardin yond, at swich a place,
Ye woot right wel what ye bihighten me;
And in myn hand your trouthe plighten ye (600)
To love me best, god woot, ye seyde so,
Al be that I unworthy be therto. 1330
Madame, I speke it for the honour of yow,
More than to save myn hertes lyf right now;
I have do so as ye comanded me;
And if ye vouche-sauf, ye may go see.
Doth as yow list, have your biheste in minde, 1335
For quik or deed, right ther ye shul me finde;
[500: T. 11649-11683.]
In yow lyth al, to do me live or deye;—
But wel I woot the rokkes been aweye!’ (610)
1318. Pt. Cp. giltelees; Hl. gulteles; _rest_ giltless (-les). 1333.
E. Hn. Hl. do; _rest_ don. 1336. E. Hn. shal; Ln. schal.
He taketh his leve, and she astonied stood,
In al hir face nas a drope of blood; 1340
She wende never han come in swich a trappe:
‘Allas!’ quod she, ‘that ever this sholde happe!
For wende I never, by possibilitee,
That swich a monstre or merveille mighte be!
It is agayns the proces of nature’: 1345
And hoom she gooth a sorweful creature.
For verray fere unnethe may she go,
She wepeth, wailleth, al a day or two, (620)
And swowneth, that it routhe was to see;
But why it was, to no wight tolde she; 1350
For out of toune was goon Arveragus.
But to hir-self she spak, and seyde thus,
With face pale and with ful sorweful chere,
In hir compleynt, as ye shul after here:
1340. Hl. oon; Pt. on (_for_ a). 1354. E. Hn. Cm. shal.
‘Allas,’ quod she, ‘on thee, Fortune, I pleyne, 1355
That unwar wrapped hast me in thy cheyne;
For which, tescape, woot I no socour
Save only deeth or elles dishonour; (630)
Oon of thise two bihoveth me to chese.
But nathelees, yet have I lever to lese 1360
My lyf than of my body have a shame,
Or knowe my-selven fals, or lese my name,
And with my deth I may be quit, y-wis.
Hath ther nat many a noble wyf, er this,
And many a mayde y-slayn hir-self, allas! 1365
Rather than with hir body doon trespas?
1357. Hl. Fro; _rest_ For. 1358. E. Hn. Pt. Ln. _om._ elles. 1360.
Pt. Hl. _om._ to.
Yis, certes, lo, thise stories beren witnesse;
Whan thretty tyraunts, ful of cursednesse, (640)
Had slayn Phidoun in Athenes, atte feste,
They comanded his doghtres for tareste, 1370
And bringen hem biforn hem in despyt
[501: T. 11684-11719.]
Al naked, to fulfille hir foul delyt,
And in hir fadres blood they made hem daunce
Upon the pavement, god yeve hem mischaunce!
For which thise woful maydens, ful of drede, 1375
Rather than they wolde lese hir maydenhede,
They prively ben stirt in-to a welle,
And dreynte hem-selven, as the bokes telle. (650)
1367. Cm. bere. 1368. Cm. thretty; Hl. thritty; _rest_ xxx. 1369.
E. Hadde. E. Hn. Cm. Atthenes. E. at; _rest_ atte, at the. 1374.
Cp. Ln. pament.
They of Messene lete enquere and seke
Of Lacedomie fifty maydens eke, 1380
On whiche they wolden doon hir lecherye;
But was ther noon of al that companye
That she nas slayn, and with a good entente
Chees rather for to dye than assente
To been oppressed of hir maydenhede. 1385
Why sholde I thanne to dye been in drede?
1379. Cm. Messene; E. Hn. Hl. Mecene.
Lo, eek, the tiraunt Aristoclides
That loved a mayden, heet Stimphalides, (660)
Whan that hir fader slayn was on a night,
Un-to Dianes temple goth she right, 1390
And hente the image in hir handes two,
Fro which image wolde she never go.
No wight ne mighte hir handes of it arace,
Til she was slayn right in the selve place.
Now sith that maydens hadden swich despyt 1395
To been defouled with mannes foul delyt,
Wel oghte a wyf rather hir-selven slee
Than be defouled, as it thinketh me. (670)
1388. E. Hl. heet; Hn. Cm. highte; Cp. Ln. that hight (hiht); Pt. which
hiȝt.
What shal I seyn of Hasdrubales wyf,
That at Cartage birafte hir-self hir lyf? 1400
For whan she saugh that Romayns wan the toun,
She took hir children alle, and skipte adoun
In-to the fyr, and chees rather to dye
Than any Romayn dide hir vileinye.
Hath nat Lucresse y-slayn hir-self, allas! 1405
At Rome, whanne she oppressed was
Of Tarquin, for hir thoughte it was a shame
[502: T. 11720-11753.]
To liven whan she hadde lost hir name? (680)
1406. Hl. whanne; E. Hn. Cm. whan; Cp. Pt. there; Ln. thare. 1408.
Hn. Cm. Hl. hadde; _rest_ had.
The sevene maydens of Milesie also
Han slayn hem-self, for verray drede and wo, 1410
Rather than folk of Gaule hem sholde oppresse.
Mo than a thousand stories, as I gesse,
Coude I now telle as touchinge this matere.
1409. Hn. Cp. Ln. Milesie; E. Cm. Melesie. 1410. Hn. Cm. Hl. verray;
_rest om._
Whan Habradate was slayn, his wyf so dere
Hirselven slow, and leet hir blood to glyde 1415
In Habradates woundes depe and wyde,
And seyde, “my body, at the leeste way,
Ther shal no wight defoulen, if I may.” (690)
1414. Hn. Hl. habradace; Cp. Pt. habradas; Ln. Abradas.
What sholde I mo ensamples heer-of sayn,
Sith that so manye han hem-selven slayn 1420
Wel rather than they wolde defouled be?
I wol conclude, that it is bet for me
To sleen my-self, than been defouled thus.
I wol be trewe un-to Arveragus,
Or rather sleen my-self in som manere, 1425
As dide Demociones doghter dere,
By-cause that she wolde nat defouled be.
O Cedasus! it is ful greet pitee, (700)
To reden how thy doghtren deyde, allas!
That slowe hem-selven for swich maner cas. 1430
1430. _All_ hem-self; _see_ l. 1420.
As greet a pitee was it, or wel more,
The Theban mayden, that for Nichanore
Hir-selven slow, right for swich maner wo.
Another Theban mayden dide right so;
For oon of Macedoine hadde hir oppressed, 1435
She with hir deeth hir maydenhede redressed.
1435. Cm. Massedoyne; Ln. Macedoyne; Cp. Macedoigne; Pt. Masidoigne;
Hl. Macidone; E. Hn. Macidonye.
What shal I seye of Nicerates wyf,
That for swich cas birafte hir-self hir lyf? (710)
1437. Hn. Hl. Niceratis; Cm. Nycherates.
How trewe eek was to Alcebiades
His love, that rather for to dyen chees 1440
Than for to suffre his body unburied be!
[503: T. 11754-11785.]
Lo which a wyf was Alceste,’ quod she.
1440. Cm. al (_for_ that); E. _om._ 1442. Cp. Ln. Alcestem; Pt.
Alcesteyn; _rest_ Alceste.
‘What seith Omer of gode Penalopee?
Al Grece knoweth of hir chastitee.
1443. E. Penalopee; _rest_ Penolopee (-pe).
Pardee, of Laodomya is writen thus, 1445
That whan at Troye was slayn Protheselaus,
No lenger wolde she live after his day.
1445. Hn. Hl. Laodomya; E. Cm. Lacedomya; _rest_ Leodamya.
The same of noble Porcia telle I may; (720)
With-oute Brutus coude she nat live,
To whom she hadde al hool hir herte yive. 1450
1450. Cp. Cm. Hl. yiue; E. Hn. Pt. yeue.
The parfit wyfhod of Arthemesye
Honoured is thurgh al the Barbarye,
1452. E. Honured.
O Teuta, queen! thy wyfly chastitee
To alle wyves may a mirour be.
The same thing I seye of Bilia, [T. _om._
Of Rodogone, and eek Valeria.’ [T. _om._
1453. Cm. Cp. Hl. queen; _rest_ queene (quene). 1455, 1456. _These
two lines are in_ E. _and_ edd. _only_. E. Bilyea (_edd._ Bilia; _see
note_).
Thus pleyned Dorigene a day or tweye,
Purposinge ever that she wolde deye. (730)
1457. E. pleyne; _rest_ pleyned.
But nathelees, upon the thridde night,
Hom cam Arveragus, this worthy knight, 1460
And asked hir, why that she weep so sore?
And she gan wepen ever lenger the more.
‘Allas!’ quod she, ‘that ever was I born!
Thus have I seyd,’ quod she, ‘thus have I sworn’—
And told him al as ye han herd bifore; 1465
It nedeth nat reherce it yow na-more.
1463. E. I was; _rest_ was I.
This housbond with glad chere, in freendly wyse,
Answerde and seyde as I shal yow devyse: (740)
‘Is ther oght elles, Dorigen, but this?’
1467. E. Hl. chiere.
‘Nay, nay,’ quod she, ‘god help me so, as wis; 1470
This is to muche, and it were goddes wille.’
‘Ye, wyf,’ quod he, ‘lat slepen that is stille;
It may be wel, paraventure, yet to-day.
Ye shul your trouthe holden, by my fay!
For god so wisly have mercy on me, 1475
[504: T. 11786-11816.]
I hadde wel lever y-stiked for to be,
For verray love which that I to yow have,
But-if ye sholde your trouthe kepe and save. (750)
Trouthe is the hyeste thing that man may kepe’:—
But with that word he brast anon to wepe, 1480
And seyde, ‘I yow forbede, up peyne of deeth,
That never, whyl thee lasteth lyf ne breeth,
To no wight tel thou of this aventure.
As I may best, I wol my wo endure,
Ne make no contenance of hevinesse, 1485
That folk of yow may demen harm or gesse.’
1475. Hl. on; E. Hn. Cm. vp on. 1481. E. _om._ of. 1483. Hn. tel;
_rest_ telle; _see_ l. 1591.
And forth he cleped a squyer and a mayde:
‘Goth forth anon with Dorigen,’ he sayde, (760)
‘And bringeth hir to swich a place anon.’
They take hir leve, and on hir wey they gon; 1490
But they ne wiste why she thider wente.
He nolde no wight tellen his entente. (764)
Paraventure an heep of yow, y-wis, [T. _om._
Wol holden him a lewed man in this, [T. _om._
That he wol putte his wyf in Iupartye; [T. _om._
Herkneth the tale, er ye up-on hir crye. [T. _om._
She may have bettre fortune than yow semeth; [T. _om._
And whan that ye han herd the tale, demeth. [T. _om._
1493-98. _found in_ E. _only_.
This squyer, which that highte Aurelius, (771)
On Dorigen that was so amorous, 1500
Of aventure happed hir to mete
Amidde the toun, right in the quikkest strete,
As she was boun to goon the wey forth-right
Toward the gardin ther-as she had hight.
And he was to the gardinward also; 1505
For wel he spyed, whan she wolde go
Out of hir hous to any maner place.
But thus they mette, of aventure or grace; (780)
And he saleweth hir with glad entente,
And asked of hir whiderward she wente?
1500. E. Hn. Cm. amorus. 1503. E. bown; _rest_ boun.
And she answerde, half as she were mad,
‘Un-to the gardin, as myn housbond bad,
[505: T. 11817-11854.]
My trouthe for to holde, allas! allas!’
Aurelius gan wondren on this cas,
And in his herte had greet compassioun 1515
Of hir and of hir lamentacioun,
And of Arveragus, the worthy knight,
That bad hir holden al that she had hight, (790)
So looth him was his wyf sholde breke hir trouthe;
And in his herte he caughte of this greet routhe, 1520
Consideringe the beste on every syde,
That fro his lust yet were him lever abyde
Than doon so heigh a cherlish wrecchednesse
Agayns franchyse and alle gentillesse;
For which in fewe wordes seyde he thus: 1525
1515. E. Hn. Cm. hadde.
‘Madame, seyth to your lord Arveragus,
That sith I see his grete gentillesse (800)
To yow, and eek I see wel your distresse,
That him were lever han shame (and that were routhe)
Than ye to me sholde breke thus your trouthe, 1530
I have wel lever ever to suffre wo
Than I departe the love bitwix yow two.
I yow relesse, madame, in-to your hond
Quit every surement and every bond,
That ye han maad to me as heer-biforn, 1535
Sith thilke tyme which that ye were born.
My trouthe I plighte, I shal yow never repreve
Of no biheste, and here I take my leve, (810)
As of the treweste and the beste wyf
That ever yet I knew in al my lyf. 1540
But every wyf be-war of hir biheste,
On Dorigene remembreth atte leste.
Thus can a squyer doon a gentil dede,
As well as can a knight, with-outen drede.’
1527. E. Hn. seyeth. 1534. Hn. serement; Hl. seurement.
She thonketh him up-on hir knees al bare, 1545
And hoom un-to hir housbond is she fare,
And tolde him al as ye han herd me sayd;
And be ye siker, he was so weel apayd, (820)
That it were inpossible me to wryte;
What sholde I lenger of this cas endyte? 1550
[506: T. 11855-11889.]
Arveragus and Dorigene his wyf
In sovereyn blisse leden forth hir lyf.
Never eft ne was ther angre hem bitwene;
He cherisseth hir as though she were a quene;
And she was to him trewe for evermore. 1555
Of thise two folk ye gete of me na-more.
1556. E. _om._ two.
Aurelius, that his cost hath al forlorn,
Curseth the tyme that ever he was born: (830)
‘Allas,’ quod he, ‘allas! that I bihighte
Of pured gold a thousand pound of wighte 1560
Un-to this philosophre! how shal I do?
I see na-more but that I am fordo.
Myn heritage moot I nedes selle,
And been a begger; heer may I nat dwelle,
And shamen al my kinrede in this place, 1565
But I of him may gete bettre grace.
But nathelees, I wol of him assaye,
At certeyn dayes, yeer by yeer, to paye, (840)
And thanke him of his grete curteisye;
My trouthe wol I kepe, I wol nat lye.’ 1570
With herte soor he gooth un-to his cofre,
And broghte gold un-to this philosophre,
The value of fyve hundred pound, I gesse,
And him bisecheth, of his gentillesse,
To graunte him dayes of the remenaunt, 1575
And seyde, ‘maister, I dar wel make avaunt,
I failled never of my trouthe as yit;
For sikerly my dette shal be quit (850)
Towardes yow, how-ever that I fare
To goon a-begged in my kirtle bare. 1580
But wolde ye vouche-sauf, up-on seurtee,
Two yeer or three for to respyten me,
Than were I wel; for elles moot I selle
Myn heritage; ther is na-more to telle.’
1580. E. Hn. Cp. a-begged; Ln. abigged; Hl. a begge; Cm. Pt. a
beggere. 1581. Cm. Cp. Hl. seurte; Pt. swerte; E. Hn. seuretee.
1583. E. Thanne.
This philosophre sobrely answerde, 1585
[507: T. 11890-11924.]
And seyde thus, whan he thise wordes herde:
‘Have I nat holden covenant un-to thee?’
‘Yes, certes, wel and trewely,’ quod he. (860)
‘Hastow nat had thy lady as thee lyketh?’
‘No, no,’ quod he, and sorwefully he syketh. 1590
‘What was the cause? tel me if thou can.’
Aurelius his tale anon bigan,
And tolde him al, as ye han herd bifore;
It nedeth nat to yow reherce it more.
He seide, ‘Arveragus, of gentillesse, 1595
Had lever dye in sorwe and in distresse
Than that his wyf were of hir trouthe fals.’
The sorwe of Dorigen he tolde him als, (870)
How looth hir was to been a wikked wyf,
And that she lever had lost that day hir lyf, 1600
And that hir trouthe she swoor, thurgh innocence:
‘She never erst herde speke of apparence;
That made me han of hir so greet pitee.
And right as frely as he sente hir me,
As frely sente I hir to him ageyn. 1605
This al and som, ther is na-more to seyn.’
1596. E. Hn. Hadde. 1602. E. Hn. Hl. hadde herd; _rest_ herde
(herd). 1606. E. Hn. This; _rest_ This is.
This philosophre answerde, ‘leve brother,
Everich of yow dide gentilly til other. (880)
Thou art a squyer, and he is a knight;
But god forbede, for his blisful might, 1610
But-if a clerk coude doon a gentil dede
As wel as any of yow, it is no drede!
Sire, I relesse thee thy thousand pound,
As thou right now were cropen out of the ground,
Ne never er now ne haddest knowen me. 1615
For sire, I wol nat take a peny of thee
For al my craft, ne noght for my travaille.
Thou hast y-payed wel for my vitaille; (890)
It is y-nogh, and farewel, have good day:’
And took his hors, and forth he gooth his way. 1620
1613. E. releesse. 1614. Cp. Hl. crope; Ln. crepe. Cm. _om._ the.
1616. E. Cm. Cp. taken.
[508: T. 11925-11928.]
Lordinges, this question wolde I aske now, 1621
Which was the moste free, as thinketh yow?
Now telleth me, er that ye ferther wende.
I can na-more, my tale is at an ende. (896)