s: himself alludes to his name in the following whimsical lines:--


s: "'Khayyam, who stitched the tents of science,


s: Has fallen in grief's furnace and been suddenly burned;


s: The shears of Fate have cut the tent ropes of his life,


s: And the broker of Hope has sold him for nothing!'


s: teacher, Omar Khayyam, in a garden; and one day he said to me,


s: Though the Sultan "shower'd Favors upon him," Omar's Epicurean


s: material, but turning it to a mystical Use more convenient to


s: Having failed (however mistakenly) of finding any Providence but


s: For whatever Reason, however, Omar as before said, has never been


s: transmitted abroad.  The MSS. of his Poems, mutilated beyond the


s: acquisitions of Arms and Science.  There is no copy at the India


s: "O Thou who burn'st in Heart for those who burn


s: In Hell, whose fires thyself shall feed in turn,


s: How long be crying, 'Mercy on them, God!'


s: Why, who art Thou to teach, and He to learn?"


s: The Bodleian Quatrain pleads Pantheism by way of Justification.


s: Let this one thing for my Atonement plead:


s: The Reviewer, to whom I owe the Particulars of Omar's Life,


s: concludes his Review by comparing him with Lucretius, both as to


s: cultivated Intellect, fine Imagination, and Hearts passionate for


s: called) are independent Stanzas, consisting each of four Lines of


s: While the second Edition of this version of Omar was preparing,


s: indebted for all I know of Oriental, and very much of other,


s: Religions supposed to divide the world.  Von Hammer (according to


s: Has flung the Stone that puts the Stars to Flight:


s: And Lo! the Hunter of the East has caught


s: The Sultan's Turret in a Noose of Light.


s: Dreaming when Dawn's Left Hand was in the Sky


s: "Awake, my Little ones, and fill the Cup


s: Before Life's Liquor in its Cup be dry."


s: And, as the Cock crew, those who stood before


s: The Tavern shouted--"Open then the Door.


s: You know how little while we have to stay,


s: And, once departed, may return no more."


s: The thoughtful Soul to Solitude retires,


s: Where the WHITE HAND OF MOSES on the Bough


s: Puts out, and Jesus from the Ground suspires.


s: And Jamshyd's Sev'n-ring'd Cup where no one knows;


s: But still the Vine her ancient Ruby yields,


s: And David's Lips are lock't; but in divine


s: High piping Pelevi, with "Wine!  Wine!  Wine!


s: Red Wine!"--the Nightingale cries to the Rose


s: That yellow Cheek of hers to'incarnadine.


s: Come, fill the Cup, and in the Fire of Spring


s: To fly--and Lo! the Bird is on the Wing.


s: And look--a thousand Blossoms with the Day


s: Woke--and a thousand scatter'd into Clay:


s: And this first Summer Month that brings the Rose


s: But come with old Khayyam, and leave the Lot


s: With me along some Strip of Herbage strown


s: That just divides the desert from the sown,


s: Where name of Slave and Sultan scarce is known,


s: Here with a Loaf of Bread beneath the Bough,


s: A Flask of Wine, a Book of Verse--and Thou


s: "How sweet is mortal Sovranty!"--think some:


s: Others--"How blest the Paradise to come!"


s: Ah, take the Cash in hand and waive the Rest;


s: Look to the Rose that blows about us--"Lo,


s: Laughing," she says, "into the World I blow:


s: Tear, and its Treasure on the Garden throw."


s: The Worldly Hope men set their Hearts upon


s: And those who husbanded the Golden Grain,


s: And those who flung it to the Winds like Rain,


s: Alike to no such aureate Earth are turn'd


s: Whose Doorways are alternate Night and Day,


s: Abode his Hour or two, and went his way.


s: The Courts where Jamshyd gloried and drank deep:


s: And Bahram, that great Hunter--the Wild Ass


s: Stamps o'er his Head, and he lies fast asleep.


s: I sometimes think that never blows so red


s: The Rose as where some buried Caesar bled;


s: Dropt in its Lap from some once lovely Head.


s: And this delightful Herb whose tender Green


s: Fledges the River's Lip on which we lean--


s: From what once lovely Lip it springs unseen!


s: Ah! my Beloved, fill the Cup that clears


s: TO-DAY of past Regrets and future Fears-


s: Myself with Yesterday's Sev'n Thousand Years.


s: Lo! some we loved, the loveliest and the best


s: That Time and Fate of all their Vintage prest,


s: Have drunk their Cup a Round or two before,


s: They left, and Summer dresses in new Bloom,


s: Ourselves must we beneath the Couch of Earth


s: Descend, ourselves to make a Couch--for whom?


s: Ah, make the most of what we yet may spend,


s: Sans Wine, sans Song, sans Singer and--sans End!


s: A Muezzin from the Tower of Darkness cries


s: "Fools! your Reward is neither Here nor There."


s: Why, all the Saints and Sages who discuss'd


s: Of the Two Worlds so learnedly, are thrust


s: Like foolish Prophets forth; their Words to Scorn


s: Are scatter'd, and their Mouths are stopt with Dust.


s: Oh, come with old Khayyam, and leave the Wise


s: To talk; one thing is certain, that Life flies;


s: One thing is certain, and the Rest is Lies;


s: The Flower that once has blown for ever dies.


s: Doctor and Saint, and heard great Argument


s: And with my own hand labour'd it to grow:


s: And this was all the Harvest that I reap'd--


s: "I came like Water, and like Wind I go."


s: Into this Universe, and why not knowing,


s: Nor whence, like Water willy-nilly flowing:


s: I know not whither, willy-nilly blowing.


s: What, without asking, hither hurried whence?


s: And, without asking, whither hurried hence!


s: Up from Earth's Centre through the seventh Gate


s: I rose, and on the Throne of Saturn sate,


s: There was a Door to which I found no Key:


s: There was a Veil past which I could not see:


s: There seemed--and then no more of THEE and ME.


s: Then to the rolling Heav'n itself I cried,


s: Her little Children stumbling in the Dark?"


s: And--"A blind understanding!" Heav'n replied.


s: My Lip the secret Well of Life to learn:


s: And Lip to Lip it murmur'd--"While you live,


s: Drink!--for once dead you never shall return."


s: And merry-make; and the cold Lip I kiss'd


s: How many Kisses might it take--and give.


s: For in the Market-place, one Dusk of Day,


s: I watch'd the Potter thumping his wet Clay:


s: It murmur'd--"Gently, Brother, gently, pray!"


s: Ah, fill the Cup:--what boots it to repeat


s: How Time is slipping underneath our Feet:


s: One moment, of the Well of Life to taste--


s: Starts for the dawn of Nothing--Oh, make haste!


s: Than sadden after none, or bitter, Fruit.


s: You know, my Friends, how long since in my House


s: And took the Daughter of the Vine to Spouse.


s: For "IS" and "IS-NOT" though with Rule and Line,


s: And, "UP-AND-DOWN" without, I could define,


s: Came stealing through the Dusk an Angel Shape,


s: He bid me taste of it; and 'twas--the Grape!


s: The Two-and-Seventy jarring Sects confute:


s: Life's leaden Metal into Gold transmute.


s: That all the misbelieving and black Horde


s: Of Fears and Sorrows that infest the Soul


s: Scatters and slays with his enchanted Sword.


s: But leave the Wise to wrangle, and with me


s: And, in some corner of the Hubbub coucht,


s: Make Game of that which makes as much of Thee.


s: Play'd in a Box whose Candle is the Sun,


s: Round which we Phantom Figures come and go.


s: And if the Wine you drink, the Lip you press,


s: End in the Nothing all Things end in--Yes-


s: Then fancy while Thou art, Thou art but what


s: Thou shalt be--Nothing--Thou shalt not be less.


s: While the Rose blows along the River Brink,


s: With old Khayyam the Ruby Vintage drink:


s: And when the Angel with his darker Draught


s: Draws up to thee--take that, and do not shrink.


s: 'Tis all a Chequer-board of Nights and Days


s: Where Destiny with Men for Pieces plays:


s: Hither and thither moves, and mates, and slays,


s: The Ball no Question makes of Ayes and Noes,


s: But Right or Left as strikes the Player goes;


s: And He that toss'd Thee down into the Field,


s: He knows about it all--HE knows--HE knows!


s: The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,


s: Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,


s: Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it.


s: Whereunder crawling coop't we live and die,


s: Lift not thy hands to IT for help--for It


s: With Earth's first Clay They did the Last Man's knead,


s: And then of the Last Harvest sow'd the Seed:


s: Yea, the first Morning of Creation wrote


s: What the Last Dawn of Reckoning shall read.


s: I tell Thee this--When, starting from the Goal,


s: Of Heav'n Parwin and Mushtari they flung,


s: The Vine had struck a Fibre; which about


s: That shall unlock the Door he howls without.


s: And this I know: whether the one True Light,


s: Kindle to Love, or Wrath consume me quite,


s: One Glimpse of It within the Tavern caught


s: Better than in the Temple lost outright.


s: Oh Thou who didst with Pitfall and with Gin


s: Oh Thou, who Man of baser Earth didst make,


s: And who with Eden didst devise the Snake;


s: For all the Sin wherewith the Face of Man


s: Is blacken'd, Man's Forgiveness give--and take!


s: And strange to tell, among that Earthen Lot


s: Some could articulate, while others not:


s: "Who is the Potter, pray, and who the Pot?"


s: My substance from the common Earth was ta'en,


s: That He who subtly wrought me into Shape


s: Should stamp me back to common Earth again."


s: Would break the Bowl from which he drank in Joy;


s: Shall He that made the Vessel in pure Love


s: None answer'd this; but after Silence spake


s: What? did the Hand then of the Potter shake?"


s: Said one--"Folks of a surly Tapster tell,


s: And daub his Visage with the Smoke of Hell;


s: They talk of some strict Testing of us--Pish!


s: He's a Good Fellow, and 'twill all be well."


s: Then said another with a long-drawn Sigh,


s: "My Clay with long oblivion is gone dry:


s: But, fill me with the old familiar Juice,


s: So, while the Vessels one by one were speaking,


s: One spied the little Crescent all were seeking:


s: And then they jogg'd each other, "Brother! Brother!


s: Hark to the Porter's Shoulder-knot a-creaking!"


s: Ah, with the Grape my fading Life provide,


s: And wash my Body whence the life has died,


s: And in a Windingsheet of Vineleaf wrapt,


s: Have done my Credit in Men's Eye much wrong:


s: Have drown'd my Honour in a shallow Cup,


s: And then and then came Spring, and Rose-in-hand


s: And much as Wine has play'd the Infidel,


s: And robb'd me of my Robe of Honour--well,


s: One half so precious as the Goods they sell.


s: Alas, that Spring should vanish with the Rose!


s: That Youth's sweet-scented Manuscript should close!


s: The Nightingale that in the Branches sang,


s: Ah, whence, and whither flown again, who knows!


s: Ah, Love! could thou and I with Fate conspire


s: To grasp this sorry Scheme of Things entire,


s: Would not we shatter it to bits--and then


s: Re-mould it nearer to the Heart's Desire!


s: Ah, Moon of my Delight who know'st no wane,


s: The Moon of Heav'n is rising once again:


s: Through this same Garden after me--in vain!


s: And when Thyself with shining Foot shall pass


s: Among the Guests Star-scatter'd on The Grass,


s: Where I made one--turn down an empty Glass!


s: WAKE! For the Sun, who scatter'd into flight


s: The Stars before him from the Field of Night,


s: Drives Night along with them from Heav'n, and strikes


s: The Sultan's Turret with a Shaft of Light.


s: Before the phantom of False morning died,


s: Methought a Voice within the Tavern cried,


s: "When all the Temple is prepared within,


s: "Why nods the drowsy Worshiper outside?"


s: And, as the Cock crew, those who stood before


s: The Tavern shouted--"Open then the Door!


s: "You know how little while we have to stay,


s: And, once departed, may return no more."


s: The thoughtful Soul to Solitude retires,


s: Where the WHITE HAND OF MOSES on the Bough


s: Puts out, and Jesus from the Ground suspires.


s: And Jamshyd's Sev'n-ring'd Cup where no one knows;


s: And David's lips are lockt; but in divine


s: High-piping Pehlevi, with "Wine! Wine! Wine!


s: "Red Wine!"--the Nightingale cries to the Rose


s: That sallow cheek of hers to' incarnadine.


s: Come, fill the Cup, and in the fire of Spring


s: Your Winter garment of Repentance fling:


s: To flutter--and the Bird is on the Wing.


s: Whether the Cup with sweet or bitter run,


s: The Wine of Life keeps oozing drop by drop,


s: The Leaves of Life keep falling one by one.


s: Each Morn a thousand Roses brings, you say:


s: Yes, but where leaves the Rose of Yesterday?


s: And this first Summer month that brings the Rose


s: Well, let it take them!  What have we to do


s: Let Zal and Rustum bluster as they will,


s: With me along the strip of Herbage strown


s: That just divides the desert from the sown,


s: Where name of Slave and Sultan is forgot--


s: And Peace to Mahmud on his golden Throne!


s: A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread--and Thou


s: Some for the Glories of This World; and some


s: Sigh for the Prophet's Paradise to come;


s: Ah, take the Cash, and let the Credit go,


s: Laughing," she says, "into the world I blow,


s: Tear, and its Treasure on the Garden throw."


s: And those who husbanded the Golden grain,


s: And those who flung it to the winds like Rain,


s: Alike to no such aureate Earth are turn'd


s: The Worldly Hope men set their Hearts upon


s: Whose Portals are alternate Night and Day,


s: Abode his destined Hour, and went his way.


s: The courts where Jamshyd gloried and drank deep:


s: And Bahram, that great Hunter--the Wild Ass


s: Stamps o'er his Head, but cannot break his Sleep.


s: I sometimes think that never blows so red


s: The Rose as where some buried Caesar bled;


s: Dropt in her Lap from some once lovely Head.


s: And this reviving Herb whose tender Green


s: Fledges the River-Lip on which we lean--


s: From what once lovely Lip it springs unseen!


s: Ah, my Beloved, fill the Cup that clears


s: TO-DAY of past Regrets and future Fears:


s: Myself with Yesterday's Sev'n thousand Years.


s: For some we loved, the loveliest and the best


s: That from his Vintage rolling Time hath prest,


s: Have drunk their Cup a Round or two before,


s: They left, and Summer dresses in new bloom,


s: Ourselves must we beneath the Couch of Earth


s: Descend--ourselves to make a Couch--for whom?


s: Ah, make the most of what we yet may spend,


s: Sans Wine, sans Song, sans Singer, and--sans End!


s: And those that after some TO-MORROW stare,


s: A Muezzin from the Tower of Darkness cries,


s: "Fools! your Reward is neither Here nor There."


s: Why, all the Saints and Sages who discuss'd


s: Of the Two Worlds so wisely--they are thrust


s: Like foolish Prophets forth; their Words to Scorn


s: Are scatter'd, and their Mouths are stopt with Dust.


s: Doctor and Saint, and heard great argument


s: Came out by the same door where in I went.


s: And with mine own hand wrought to make it grow;


s: And this was all the Harvest that I reap'd--


s: "I came like Water, and like Wind I go."


s: Nor Whence, like Water willy-nilly flowing;


s: I know not Whither, willy-nilly blowing.


s: What, without asking, hither hurried Whence?


s: And, without asking, Whither hurried hence!


s: Must drown the memory of that insolence!


s: Up from Earth's Center through the Seventh Gate


s: I rose, and on the Throne of Saturn sate,


s: There was the Door to which I found no Key;


s: There was the Veil through which I might not see:


s: There was--and then no more of THEE and ME.


s: Earth could not answer; nor the Seas that mourn


s: In flowing Purple, of their Lord Forlorn;


s: Nor rolling Heaven, with all his Signs reveal'd


s: And hidden by the sleeve of Night and Morn.


s: As from Without--"THE ME WITHIN THEE BLIND!"


s: Then to the Lip of this poor earthen Urn


s: I lean'd, the Secret of my Life to learn:


s: And Lip to Lip it murmur'd--"While you live,


s: "Drink!--for, once dead, you never shall return."


s: And drink; and Ah! the passive Lip I kiss'd,


s: How many Kisses might it take--and give!


s: To watch a Potter thumping his wet Clay:


s: It murmur'd--"Gently, Brother, gently, pray!"


s: Down Man's successive generations roll'd


s: And not a drop that from our Cups we throw


s: For Earth to drink of, but may steal below


s: To quench the fire of Anguish in some Eye


s: There hidden--far beneath, and long ago.


s: Of Heav'nly Vintage from the soil looks up,


s: Do you devoutly do the like, till Heav'n


s: And if the Wine you drink, the Lip you press,


s: End in what All begins and ends in--Yes;


s: Think then you are TO-DAY what YESTERDAY


s: You were--TO-MORROW you shall not be less.


s: At last shall find you by the river-brink,


s: Forth to your Lips to quaff--you shall not shrink.


s: Why, if the Soul can fling the Dust aside,


s: Were't not a Shame--were't not a Shame for him


s: 'Tis but a Tent where takes his one day's rest


s: Strikes, and prepares it for another Guest.


s: And fear not lest Existence closing your


s: Account, and mine, should know the like no more;


s: The Eternal Saki from that Bowl has pour'd


s: Millions of Bubbles like us, and will pour.


s: When You and I behind the Veil are past,


s: Oh, but the long, long while the World shall last,


s: As the Sea's self should heed a pebble-cast.


s: And Lo!--the phantom Caravan has reach'd


s: The NOTHING it set out from--Oh, make haste!


s: Would you that spangle of Existence spend


s: About THE SECRET--quick about it, Friend!


s: A Hair perhaps divides the False from True--


s: And upon what, prithee, may life depend?


s: A Hair perhaps divides the False and True;


s: Could you but find it--to the Treasure-house,


s: Whose secret Presence through Creation's veins


s: Running Quicksilver-like eludes your pains;


s: They change and perish all--but He remains;


s: A moment guessed--then back behind the Fold


s: Immerst of Darkness round the Drama roll'd


s: He doth Himself contrive, enact, behold.


s: But if in vain, down on the stubborn floor


s: Of Earth, and up to Heav'n's unopening Door,


s: You gaze TO-DAY, while You are You--how then


s: TO-MORROW, when You shall be You no more?


s: Waste not your Hour, nor in the vain pursuit


s: Better be jocund with the fruitful Grape


s: Than sadden after none, or bitter, Fruit.


s: You know, my Friends, with what a brave Carouse


s: And took the Daughter of the Vine to Spouse.


s: For "Is" and "Is-not" though with Rule and Line


s: Of all that one should care to fathom, I


s: Reduce the Year to better reckoning?--Nay,


s: Came shining through the Dusk an Angel Shape


s: He bid me taste of it; and 'twas--the Grape!


s: The Two-and-Seventy jarring Sects confute:


s: Life's leaden metal into Gold transmute;


s: The mighty Mahmud, Allah-breathing Lord,


s: That all the misbelieving and black Horde


s: Of Fears and Sorrows that infest the Soul


s: Scatters before him with his whirlwind Sword.


s: Why, be this Juice the growth of God, who dare


s: Blaspheme the twisted tendril as a Snare?


s: A Blessing, we should use it, should we not?


s: And if a Curse--why, then, Who set it there?


s: Scared by some After-reckoning ta'en on trust,


s: Or lured with Hope of some Diviner Drink,


s: To fill the Cup--when crumbled into Dust!


s: Of threats of Hell and Hopes of Paradise!


s: One thing at least is certain--This Life flies;


s: One thing is certain and the rest is Lies;


s: The Flower that once has blown for ever dies.


s: Strange, is it not? that of the myriads who


s: Before us pass'd the door of Darkness through,


s: Who rose before us, and as Prophets burn'd,


s: Are all but Stories, which, awoke from Sleep


s: They told their comrades, and to Sleep return'd.


s: Some letter of that After-life to spell:


s: And answer'd "I Myself am Heav'n and Hell:"


s: Heav'n but the Vision of fulfill'd Desire,


s: And Hell the Shadow from a Soul on fire,


s: Cast on the Darkness into which Ourselves,


s: So late emerged from, shall so soon expire.


s: Round with the Sun-illumined Lantern held


s: But helpless Pieces of the Game He plays


s: Upon this Chequer-board of Nights and Days;


s: Hither and thither moves, and checks, and slays,


s: The Ball no question makes of Ayes and Noes,


s: But Here or There as strikes the Player goes;


s: And He that toss'd you down into the Field,


s: He knows about it all--HE knows--HE knows!


s: The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,


s: Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,


s: Nor all your Tears wash out a Word of it.


s: And that inverted Bowl they call the Sky,


s: Whereunder crawling coop'd we live and die,


s: Lift not your hands to It for help--for It


s: With Earth's first Clay They did the Last Man knead,


s: And there of the Last Harvest sow'd the Seed:


s: What the Last Dawn of Reckoning shall read.


s: YESTERDAY This Day's Madness did prepare;


s: TO-MORROW's Silence, Triumph, or Despair:


s: Drink! for you not know whence you came, nor why:


s: Drink! for you know not why you go, nor where.


s: I tell you this--When, started from the Goal,


s: Of Heav'n Parwin and Mushtari they flung,


s: In my predestined Plot of Dust and Soul.


s: The Vine had struck a fiber: which about


s: It clings my Being--let the Dervish flout;


s: That shall unlock the Door he howls without.


s: And this I know: whether the one True Light


s: Kindle to Love, or Wrath consume me quite,


s: One Flash of It within the Tavern caught


s: Better than in the Temple lost outright.


s: What! out of senseless Nothing to provoke


s: A conscious Something to resent the yoke


s: What! from his helpless Creature be repaid


s: Pure Gold for what he lent him dross-allay'd--


s: Oh Thou, who didst with pitfall and with gin


s: Thou wilt not with Predestined Evil round


s: Oh Thou, who Man of baser Earth didst make,


s: And ev'n with Paradise devise the Snake:


s: For all the Sin wherewith the Face of Man


s: Is blacken'd--Man's forgiveness give--and take!


s: Once more within the Potter's house alone


s: I stood, surrounded by the Shapes of Clay.


s: Shapes of all Sorts and Sizes, great and small,


s: That stood along the floor and by the wall;


s: And some loquacious Vessels were; and some


s: Listen'd perhaps, but never talk'd at all.


s: Said one among them--"Surely not in vain


s: My substance of the common Earth was ta'en


s: Or trampled back to shapeless Earth again."


s: Then said a Second--"Ne'er a peevish Boy


s: Would break the Bowl from which he drank in joy;


s: And He that with his hand the Vessel made


s: Will surely not in after Wrath destroy."


s: What! did the Hand then of the Potter shake?"


s: Whereat some one of the loquacious Lot--


s: "All this of Pot and Potter--Tell me then,


s: Who is the Potter, pray, and who the Pot?"


s: "Why," said another, "Some there are who tell


s: Of one who threatens he will toss to Hell


s: The luckless Pots he marr'd in making--Pish!


s: He's a Good Fellow, and 'twill all be well."


s: "Well," murmured one, "Let whoso make or buy,


s: But fill me with the old familiar Juice,


s: So while the Vessels one by one were speaking,


s: The little Moon look'd in that all were seeking:


s: And then they jogg'd each other, "Brother! Brother!


s: Now for the Porter's shoulders' knot a-creaking!"


s: Ah, with the Grape my fading life provide,


s: And wash the Body whence the Life has died,


s: And lay me, shrouded in the living Leaf,


s: Have done my credit in this World much wrong:


s: And then and then came Spring, and Rose-in-hand


s: And much as Wine has play'd the Infidel,


s: And robb'd me of my Robe of Honor--Well,


s: One half so precious as the stuff they sell.


s: Yet Ah, that Spring should vanish with the Rose!


s: That Youth's sweet-scented manuscript should close!


s: The Nightingale that in the branches sang,


s: Ah whence, and whither flown again, who knows!


s: Would but the Desert of the Fountain yield


s: One glimpse--if dimly, yet indeed, reveal'd,


s: To which the fainting Traveler might spring,


s: As springs the trampled herbage of the field!


s: Would but some winged Angel ere too late


s: Ah Love! could you and I with Him conspire


s: To grasp this sorry Scheme of Things entire,


s: Would not we shatter it to bits--and then


s: Re-mold it nearer to the Heart's Desire!


s: Yon rising Moon that looks for us again--


s: How oft hereafter will she wax and wane;


s: Through this same Garden--and for one in vain!


s: And when like her, oh Saki, you shall pass


s: Among the Guests Star-scatter'd on the Grass,


s: And in your joyous errand reach the spot


s: Where I made One--turn down an empty Glass!


s: (Stanza I.) Flinging a Stone into the Cup was the signal for "To


s: (IV.) New Year.  Beginning with the Vernal Equinox, it must be


s: remembered; and (howsoever the old Solar Year is practically


s: "The sudden approach and rapid advance of the Spring," says Mr.


s: clover; the Dock; the blue Cornflower; and that vulgar Herb the


s: (V.) Iram, planted by King Shaddad, and now sunk somewhere in the


s: I am not sure if the fourth line refers to the Red Rose looking


s: (X.) Rustum, the "Hercules" of Persia, and Zal his Father, whose


s: (XIII.) A Drum--beaten outside a Palace.


s: (XIV.) That is, the Rose's Golden Centre.


s: (XVIII.) Persepolis: call'd also Takht-i-Jam-shyd--THE THRONE OF


s: JAMSHYD, "King Splendid," of the mythical Peshdadian Dynasty, and


s: Jan--who also built the Pyramids--before the time of Adam.


s: revolve.  The Ruins of Three of those Towers are yet shown by the


s: The Palace that to Heav'n his pillars threw,


s: And Kings the forehead on his threshold drew--


s: And "Coo, coo, coo," she cried; and "Coo, coo, coo."


s: Cambridge,) grows only where Danish Blood has been spilt.


s: (XXXI.) Saturn, Lord of the Seventh Heaven.


s: (XLIII.) According to one beautiful Oriental Legend, Azrael


s: This, and the two following Stanzas would have been withdrawn, as


s: (LI.) From Mah to Mahi; from Fish to Moon.


s: (LVI.) A Jest, of course, at his Studies.  A curious mathematical


s: (LIX.) The Seventy-two Religions supposed to divide the World,


s: including Islamism, as some think: but others not.


s: (LX.) Alluding to Sultan Mahmud's Conquest of India and its dark


s: (LXX.) A very mysterious Line in the Original:


s: (LXXV.) Parwin and Mushtari--The Pleiads and Jupiter.


s: (LXXXVII.) This Relation of Pot and Potter to Man and his Maker


s: That was the king Priamus sone of Troye,


s: Thise woful vers, that wepen as I wryte!


s: To thee clepe I, thou goddesse of torment,


s: Thou cruel Furie, sorwing ever in peyne;


s: That helpeth lovers, as I can, to pleyne!


s: Preyen for speed, al sholde I therfor sterve,


s: But nathelees, if this may doon gladnesse


s: Have he my thank, and myn be this travayle!


s: But ye loveres, that bathen in gladnesse,


s: Of othere folk, and thenketh how that ye


s: Or ye han wonne hym with to greet an ese.


s: That love hem bringe in hevene to solas,


s: That I have might to shewe, in som manere,


s: Swich peyne and wo as Loves folk endure,


s: And biddeth eek for hem that been despeyred


s: And eek for hem that falsly been apeyred


s: So graunte hem sone out of this world to pace,


s: And biddeth eek for hem that been at ese,


s: That god hem graunte ay good perseveraunce,


s: That it to Love be worship and plesaunce.


s: To preye for hem that Loves servaunts be,


s: As though I were hir owene brother dere.


s: For now wol I gon streight to my matere,


s: And how that she forsook him er she deyde.


s: It is wel wist, how that the Grekes stronge


s: By Paris doon, they wroughten al hir peyne.


s: Now fil it so, that in the toun ther was


s: Knew wel that Troye sholde destroyed be,


s: By answere of his god, that highte thus,


s: That Grekes sholden swich a peple bringe,


s: Thorugh which that Troye moste been for-do,


s: For wel wiste he, by sort, that Troye sholde


s: He stal anoon; and they, in curteys wyse,


s: In trust that he hath conning hem to rede


s: Thorugh al the toun, and generally was spoken,


s: That Calkas traytor fled was, and allyed


s: With hem of Grece; and casten to ben wroken


s: On him that falsly hadde his feith so broken;


s: Ben worthy for to brennen, fel and bones.


s: Now hadde Calkas left, in this meschaunce,


s: Al unwist of this false and wikked dede,


s: His doughter, which that was in gret penaunce,


s: As she that niste what was best to rede;


s: Of any freend to whom she dorste hir mone.


s: Nas noon so fair, for passing every wight


s: This lady, which that al-day herde at ere


s: Hir fadres shame, his falsnesse and tresoun,


s: Wel nigh out of hir wit for sorwe and fere,


s: Forth with mischaunce, and ye your-self, in Ioye,


s: Dwelleth with us, whyl you good list, in Troye.


s: Ye shul han, and your body shal men save,


s: And she him thonked with ful humble chere,


s: And took hir leve, and hoom, and held hir stille.


s: And in hir hous she abood with swich meynee


s: And whyl she was dwellinge in that citee,


s: Ful wel beloved, and wel men of hir tolde.


s: But whether that she children hadde or noon,


s: I rede it naught; therfore I late it goon.


s: The thinges fellen, as they doon of werre,


s: For som day boughten they of Troye it derre,


s: And eft the Grekes founden no thing softe


s: The folk of Troye; and thus fortune on-lofte,


s: Ne falleth nought to purpos me to telle;


s: Who-so that can, may rede hem as they wryte.


s: But though that Grekes hem of Troye shetten,


s: As for to honoure hir goddes ful devoute;


s: With newe grene, of lusty Ver the pryme,


s: And swote smellen floures whyte and rede,


s: And to the temple, in al hir beste wyse,


s: In beautee first so stood she, makelees;


s: Nas never seyn thing to ben preysed derre,


s: As was Criseyde, as folk seyde everichoon


s: And yet she stood ful lowe and stille alloon,


s: Simple of a-tyr, and debonaire of chere,


s: His yonge knightes, ladde hem up and doun


s: Hadde he to noon, to reven him his reste,


s: But gan to preyse and lakken whom him leste.


s: Gan for to syke, or lete his eyen bayten


s: For love of thee, whan thou tornest ful ofte!


s: `I have herd told, pardieux, of your livinge,


s: Ye lovers, and your lewede observaunces,


s: And whan your preye is lost, wo and penaunces;


s: And with that word he gan cast up the browe,


s: Right for despyt, and shoop for to ben wroken;


s: For caught is proud, and caught is debonaire.


s: And litel weneth that he moot descenden.


s: But al-day falleth thing that foles ne wenden.


s: Out of the wey, so priketh him his corn,


s: Than thenketh he, `Though I praunce al biforn


s: First in the trays, ful fat and newe shorn,


s: I moot endure, and with my feres drawe.'


s: And wende nothing hadde had swiche might


s: Ayens his wil that sholde his herte stere,


s: Ye wyse, proude, and worthy folkes alle,


s: For ever it was, and ever it shal bifalle,


s: That Love is he that alle thing may binde;


s: For may no man for-do the lawe of kinde.


s: That this be sooth, hath preved and doth yet;


s: Than they that han be most with love y-nome;


s: And strengest folk ben therwith overcome,


s: For alderwysest han ther-with ben plesed;


s: With love han ben conforted most and esed;


s: And causeth most to dreden vyce and shame.


s: Now sith it may not goodly be withstonde,


s: Sin, as him-selven list, he may yow binde.


s: The yerde is bet that bowen wole and winde


s: Than that that brest; and therfor I yow rede


s: As of this kinges sone of which I tolde,


s: Both of his Ioye, and of his cares colde;


s: With-inne the temple he wente him forth pleyinge,


s: And up-on cas bifel, that thorugh a route


s: Til on Criseyde it smoot, and ther it stente.


s: `O mercy, god!' thoughte he, `wher hastow woned,


s: Ther-with his herte gan to sprede and ryse,


s: And softe sighed, lest men mighte him here,


s: She nas nat with the leste of hir stature,


s: Shewede wel, that men might in hir gesse


s: Gan for to lyke hir meninge and hir chere,


s: Hir look a lite a-side, in swich manere,


s: Ascaunces, `What! May I not stonden here?'


s: And after that hir loking gan she lighte,


s: That never thoughte him seen so good a sighte.


s: And though he erst hadde poured up and doun,


s: Lo, he that leet him-selven so konninge,


s: And scorned hem that loves peynes dryen,


s: Was ful unwar that love hadde his dwellinge


s: That sodeynly him thoughte he felte dyen,


s: Right with hir look, the spirit in his herte;


s: Blissed be love, that thus can folk converte!


s: On other thing his look som-tyme he caste,


s: And after this, not fulliche al awhaped,


s: Repentinge him that he hadde ever y-iaped


s: Whan he was fro the temple thus departed,


s: He streyght anoon un-to his paleys torneth,


s: Al feyneth he in lust that he soiorneth;


s: And al his chere and speche also he borneth;


s: Him-self to wrye, at hem he gan to smyle.


s: That serveth most ententiflich and best,


s: Your hyre is quit ayein, ye, god wot how!


s: In feith, your ordre is ruled in good wyse!


s: `In noun-certeyn ben alle your observaunces,


s: Ne no-thing asketh so grete attendaunces


s: But that is not the worste, as mote I thee;


s: But, tolde I yow the worste poynt, I leve,


s: Al seyde I sooth, ye wolden at me greve!


s: `But tak this, that ye loveres ofte eschuwe,


s: Be wrooth, than shalt thou han a groyn anoon:


s: But for al this, whan that he say his tyme,


s: He held his pees, non other bote him gayned;


s: That wel unnethe un-to his folk he fayned


s: For wo was him, that what to doon he niste,


s: But bad his folk to goon wher that hem liste.


s: And whan that he in chaumbre was allone,


s: He doun up-on his beddes feet him sette,


s: And thoughte ay on hir so, with-outen lette,


s: That, as he sat and wook, his spirit mette


s: That he hir saw a temple, and al the wyse


s: Right of hir loke, and gan it newe avyse.


s: And that he wel coude in his herte finde,


s: To love swich oon, and if he dide his cure


s: Or elles, for oon of hir servaunts pace.


s: Thus took he purpos loves craft to suwe,


s: But he mighte ought recovered be therby;


s: Remembring him, that love to wyde y-blowe


s: And over al this, yet muchel more he thoughte


s: What for to speke, and what to holden inne,


s: And what to arten hir to love he soughte,


s: Criseyde for to love, and nought repente.


s: And of his song nought only the sentence,


s: Seyde in his song, lo! every word right thus


s: As I shal seyn; and who-so list it here,


s: Lo! next this vers, he may it finden here.


s: And if love is, what thing and whiche is he!


s: If love be good, from whennes comth my wo?


s: For ay thurst I, the more that I it drinke.


s: `And if that at myn owene lust I brenne,


s: Fro whennes cometh my wailing and my pleynte?


s: If harme agree me, wher-to pleyne I thenne?


s: With pitous voys, `O lord, now youres is


s: Yow thanke I, lord, that han me brought to this;


s: She be, I noot, which that ye do me serve;


s: But as hir man I wole ay live and sterve.


s: In-to hir hond, and with ful humble chere


s: The fyr of love, wher-fro god me blesse,


s: But held him as his thral lowe in distresse,


s: That sixty tyme a day he loste his hewe.


s: So muche, day by day, his owene thought,


s: For lust to hir, gan quiken and encrese,


s: That every other charge he sette at nought;


s: To seen hir goodly look he gan to prese;


s: And ay the ner he was, the more he brende.


s: But were he fer or neer, I dar seye this,


s: His herte, which that is his brestes ye,


s: Eek of the day ther passed nought an houre


s: That to him-self a thousand tyme he seyde,


s: `Good goodly, to whom serve I and laboure,


s: And lyf is lost, but ye wole on me rewe.'


s: Alle othere dredes weren from him fledde,


s: Lo, here his lyf, and from the deeth his cure!


s: That Ector or his othere bretheren diden,


s: And yet was he, wher-so men wente or riden,


s: Founde oon the beste, and lengest tyme abiden


s: In armes, that to thenke it was mervayle.


s: But for non hate he to the Grekes hadde,


s: That alle the Grekes as the deeth him dredde.


s: And fro this forth tho refte him love his sleep,


s: It shewed in his hewe, bothe eve and morwe;


s: Of other syknesse, lest of him men wende


s: And seyde, he hadde a fever and ferde amis;


s: But how it was, certayn, can I not seye,


s: Or feyned hir she niste, oon of the tweye;


s: Nor of his peyne, or what-so-ever he thoughte.


s: That he was wel neigh wood; for ay his drede


s: That never of him she wolde have taken hede;


s: For whiche him thoughte he felte his herte blede.


s: To tellen it, for al this world to winne.


s: Thus to him-self ful ofte he gan to pleyne;


s: He sayde, `O fool, now art thou in the snare,


s: Now artow hent, now gnaw thyn owene cheyne;


s: Of thing fro which thou canst thee nat defende.


s: If this be wist, but ever in thyn absence


s: Laughen in scorn, and seyn, `Lo, ther gooth he,


s: Now, thonked be god, he may goon in the daunce


s: Of hem that Love list febly for to avaunce!'


s: That thow beset were on swich oon that sholde


s: Than were I quit of languisshing in drede.


s: More than that fool of whos folye men ryme.


s: `But now help god, and ye, swete, for whom


s: I pleyne, y-caught, ye, never wight so faste!


s: The deeth, for I, whyl that my lyf may laste,


s: More than my-self wol love yow to my laste.


s: And with som freendly look gladeth me, swete,


s: He spak, and called ever in his compleynte


s: Til neigh that he in salte teres dreynte.


s: Al was for nought, she herde nought his pleynte;


s: A freend of his, that called was Pandare,


s: And say his freend in swich distresse and care:


s: And waylest for thy sinne and thyn offence,


s: God save hem that bi-seged han our toun,


s: These wordes seyde he for the nones alle,


s: That with swich thing he mighte him angry maken,


s: `What cas,' quod Troilus, `or what aventure


s: Hath gyded thee to see my languisshinge,


s: But for the love of god, at my preyinge,


s: Ther-for go wey, ther is no more to seye.


s: It is not so, and ther-for scorne nought;


s: Wel more than ought the Grekes han y-wrought,


s: Which cause is of my deeth, for sorwe and thought.


s: Be thou nought wrooth; I hyde it for the beste.'


s: This Pandare, that neigh malt for wo and routhe,


s: Ful often seyde, `Allas! what may this be?


s: Now freend,' quod he, `if ever love or trouthe


s: Wostow nought wel that it am I, Pandare?


s: As it is freendes right, sooth for to seyne,


s: I have, and shal, for trewe or fals report,


s: In wrong and right y-loved thee al my lyve;


s: And seyde him thus, "God leve it be my beste


s: To telle it thee; for sith it may thee lyke,


s: Yet wole I telle it, though myn herte breste;


s: But lest thow deme I truste not to thee,


s: Now herkne, freend, for thus it stant with me.


s: `Love, a-yeins the which who-so defendeth


s: Him-selven most, him alder-lest avayleth,


s: That streyght un-to the deeth myn herte sayleth.


s: Ther-to desyr so brenningly me assaylleth,


s: That to ben slayn it were a gretter Ioye


s: To me than king of Grece been and Troye!


s: And lat me sterve, unknowe, of my distresse.'


s: Hid this fro me, thou fool?' quod Pandarus;


s: `Paraunter thou might after swich oon longe,


s: `This were a wonder thing,' quod Troylus,


s: `Thou coudest never in love thy-selven wisse;


s: How devel maystow bringen me to blisse?'


s: That oon that exces doth ful yvele fare,


s: By good counseyl can kepe his freend ther-fro.


s: And ther thou woost that I have ought miswent,


s: Eschewe thou that, for swich thing to thee scole is;


s: By his contrarie is every thing declared.


s: `For how might ever sweetnesse have be knowe


s: That never was in sorwe or som distresse;


s: Eek whyt by blak, by shame eek worthinesse,


s: Ech set by other, more for other semeth;


s: As men may see; and so the wyse it demeth.


s: Grevaunces, oughte conne, and wel the more


s: Counsayllen thee of that thou art amayed.


s: Thyn hevy charge; it shal the lasse dere.


s: Ye say the lettre that she wroot, y gesse?'


s: `Now,' quod Pandare, `herkneth, it was thus. --


s: "Phebus, that first fond art of medicyne,'


s: Remede and reed, by herbes he knew fyne,


s: Yet to him-self his conning was ful bare;


s: For love hadde him so bounden in a snare,


s: Al for the doughter of the kinge Admete,


s: I love oon best, and that me smerteth sore;


s: As doth an hauk that listeth for to pleye,


s: But to thyn help yet somwhat can I seye.


s: That certayn, for to deyen in the peyne,


s: Thee fro thy love, thogh that it were Eleyne,


s: That is thy brotheres wif, if ich it wiste;


s: Be what she be, and love hir as thee liste.


s: A man to love, til that him list to leve.


s: `And witeth wel, that bothe two ben vyces,


s: But wel I woot, the mene of it no vyce is,


s: Of trouthe, and for-thy wolde I fayn remeve


s: Thy wrong conseyte, and do thee som wight triste,


s: Thy wo to telle; and tel me, if thee liste.


s: `The wyse seyth, "Wo him that is allone,


s: And sith thou hast a felawe, tel thy mone;


s: For this nis not, certeyn, the nexte wyse


s: And listen nought to seche hem other cure.


s: For, bothe thou and I, of love we pleyne;


s: So ful of sorwe am I, soth for to seyne,


s: May sitte on me, for-why ther is no space.


s: Thow wost thy-self whom that I love, pardee,


s: Tel me sumwhat, sin al my wo thou wost.'


s: Yet Troilus, for al this, no word seyde,


s: But longe he ley as stille as he ded were;


s: And cryde `A-wake' ful wonderly and sharpe;


s: That hereth soun, whan men the strenges plye,


s: And with that, Pandare of his wordes stente;


s: To never no man, for whom that he so ferde.


s: With which the maker is him-self y-beten


s: That toucheth love that oughte be secree;


s: Fro thing which in effect men hunte faste;


s: And seyde, `Freend, though that I stille lye,


s: I am not deef; now pees, and cry no more;


s: For I have herd thy wordes and thy lore;


s: `No,' quod tho Pandarus, `therfore I seye,


s: `Now knowe I that ther reson in the fayleth.


s: For whom that thee al this misaunter ayleth?


s: Thy wo, sith thou darst not thy-self for fere,


s: And hir bisoughte on thee to han som routhe?'


s: `As though myn owene lyf lay on this nede?'


s: `No, certes, brother,' quod this Troilus,


s: `And why?' -- `For that thou sholdest never spede.'


s: Quod Troilus, `for al that ever ye conne,


s: She nil to noon swich wrecche as I be wonne.'


s: Quod Pandarus, `Allas! What may this be,


s: And for thyn ire and folish wilfulnesse,


s: For wantrust, tellen of thy sorwes smerte,


s: As muche as speke a resoun more or lesse,


s: But lyest as he that list of no-thing recche.


s: But that for fere is yolden up thy breeth,


s: Lord, which a thank than shaltow han of this!


s: Thus wol she seyn, and al the toun at ones,


s: `Thou mayst allone here wepe and crye and knele;


s: But, love a woman that she woot it nought,


s: And she wol quyte that thou shalt not fele;


s: Unknowe, unkist, and lost that is un-sought.


s: `What? Shulde be therfor fallen in despeyr,


s: Nay, nay, but ever in oon be fresh and grene


s: To serve and love his dere hertes quene,


s: And thenke it is a guerdoun hir to serve


s: A thousand-fold more than he can deserve.'


s: And thoughte anoon what folye he was inne,


s: That for to sleen him-self mighte he not winne,


s: For of his wo, god woot, she knew ful lyte.


s: And with that thought he gan ful sore syke,


s: And seyde, `Allas! What is me best to do?'


s: To whom Pandare answered, `If thee lyke,


s: And have my trouthe, but thou it finde so,


s: To peces do me drawe, and sithen honge!'


s: `Ye, so thou seyst,' quod Troilus tho, `allas!


s: May of hir cruel wheel the harm withstonde;


s: For thou art wrooth, ye, now at erst I see;


s: `For if hir wheel stinte any-thing to torne,


s: Right as thy-selven list, wol doon by thee,


s: Or that she be not fer fro thyn helpinge?


s: Paraunter, thou hast cause for to singe!


s: Lat be thy wo and turning to the grounde;


s: For who-so list have helping of his leche,


s: To him bihoveth first unwrye his wounde.


s: By my wil, she sholde al be thyn to-morwe.


s: `Loke up, I seye, and tel me what she is


s: Knowe ich hir ought? For my love, tel me this;


s: For he was hit, and wex al reed for shame;


s: `A ha!' quod Pandare, `Here biginneth game!'


s: And with that word he gan him for to shake,


s: As though men sholde han led him in-to helle,


s: And seyde, `Allas! Of al my wo the welle,


s: And whan that Pandare herde hir name nevene,


s: Lord, he was glad, and seyde, `Freend so dere,


s: Now fare a-right, for Ioves name in hevene,


s: Love hath biset the wel, be of good chere;


s: She hath y-nough, and eek of gentilesse;


s: If she be fayr, thou wost thy-self, I gesse,


s: Of hir estat, ne a gladder, ne of speche


s: For to do wel, ne lasse hadde nede to seche


s: What for to doon; and al this bet to eche,


s: In honour, to as fer as she may strecche,


s: A kinges herte semeth by hirs a wrecche.


s: A man to have pees with him-self, y-wis;


s: So oughtest thou, for nought but good it is


s: Thee oghte not to clepe it hap, but grace.


s: `And also thenk, and ther-with glade thee,


s: For vertue streccheth not him-self to shame.


s: `But wel is me that ever that I was born,


s: For by my trouthe, in love I dorste have sworn,


s: Thee sholde never han tid thus fayr a grace;


s: And wostow why? For thou were wont to chace


s: At Love in scorn, and for despyt him calle


s: And seyd, that loves servants everichone


s: And som, thou seydest, hadde a blaunche fevere,


s: And preydest god he sholde never kevere.


s: `And som of hem tok on hem, for the colde,


s: More than y-nough, so seydestow ful ofte;


s: How that they wake, whan they slepen softe;


s: And thus they wolde han brought hem-self a-lofte,


s: That thou art noon of tho, that dorste I seye.


s: `Now beet thy brest, and sey to god of love,


s: `Thou seyst wel,' quod Pandare, `and now I hope


s: And sithen thou hast wepen many a drope,


s: And seyd swich thing wher-with thy god is plesed,


s: And think wel, she of whom rist al thy wo


s: `For thilke ground, that bereth the wedes wikke,


s: Bereth eek thise holsom herbes, as ful ofte


s: The rose waxeth swote and smothe and softe;


s: And next the derke night the glade morwe;


s: And, for the beste, ay suffre to the tyde,


s: Be diligent, and trewe, and ay wel hyde.


s: Be lusty, free, persevere in thy servyse,


s: And al is wel, if thou werke in this wyse.


s: Is no-wher hool, as writen clerkes wyse;


s: What wonder is, though swich oon have no grace?


s: Eek wostow how it fareth of som servyse?


s: As plaunte a tre or herbe, in sondry wyse,


s: No wonder is, though it may never thryve.


s: `And sith that god of love hath thee bistowed


s: Stond faste, for to good port hastow rowed;


s: For this have I herd seyd of wyse y-lered,


s: Hir beautee to bithinken and hir youthe,


s: As yet, though that hir liste bothe and couthe;


s: And conne it counseyl kepe in swich a wyse


s: And what it is, I wol now that thou see.


s: I thenke, sith that love, of his goodnesse,


s: Of al his lay, and most his foos to-greve.


s: `Ensample why, see now these wyse clerkes,


s: And ben converted from hir wikked werkes


s: Than arn they folk that han most god in awe,


s: And strengest-feythed been, I understonde,


s: And conne an errour alder-best withstonde.'


s: Wex of his wo, as who seyth, untormented,


s: But hotter wex his love, and thus he seyde,


s: With sobre chere, al-though his herte pleyde,


s: `Now blisful Venus helpe, er that I sterve,


s: `But, dere frend, how shal myn wo ben lesse


s: Til this be doon? And goode, eek tel me this,


s: Lest she be wrooth, this drede I most, y-wys,


s: Of thee, hir eem, she nil no swich thing here.'


s: Quod Pandarus, `Thou hast a ful gret care


s: Lest that the cherl may falle out of the mone!


s: Why, entremete of that thou hast to done!


s: So lat me alone, and it shal be thy beste.' --


s: `Why, freend,' quod he, `now do right as the leste.


s: But that, that mighte sounen in-to gode.'


s: Tho lough this Pandare, and anoon answerde,


s: `And I thy borw? Fy! No wight dooth but so;


s: I roughte nought though that she stode and herde


s: A-dieu! Be glad! God spede us bothe two!


s: And of my speed be thyn al that swetnesse.'


s: Yet, pardee, god shal helpe us at the laste;


s: And dredelees, if that my lyf may laste,


s: And god to-forn, lo, som of hem shal smerte;


s: But thou wys, thou wost, thou mayst, thou art al!


s: My lyf, my deeth, hool in thyn bonde I leye;


s: Help now,' Quod he, `Yis, by my trouthe, I shal.'


s: To hir that to the deeth me may comaunde.'


s: `Far-wel, and thenk I wol thy thank deserve;


s: Have here my trouthe, and that thou shalt wel here.' --


s: And wente his wey, thenking on this matere,


s: And how he best mighte hir beseche of grace,


s: Ne renneth nought the werk for to biginne


s: With rakel hond, but he wol byde a stounde,


s: And sende his hertes lyne out fro with-inne


s: And caste his werk ful wysly, or he wroughte.


s: That ech him lovede that loked on his face.


s: The thriftieste and oon the beste knight,


s: His heighe port and his manere estraunge,


s: That fareth lyk a man that hurt is sore,


s: BOOK II. Incipit Prohemium Secundi Libri.


s: O wind, O wind, the weder ginneth clere;


s: For in this see the boot hath swich travayle,


s: Thou be my speed fro this forth, and my muse,


s: A blind man can nat Iuggen wel in hewis.


s: Ye knowe eek, that in forme of speche is chaunge


s: With-inne a thousand yeer, and wordes tho


s: That hadden prys, now wonder nyce and straunge


s: And spedde as wel in love as men now do;


s: That herkneth, as the storie wol devyse,


s: And thenketh, so nolde I nat love purchace,


s: Or wondreth on his speche or his doinge,


s: For every wight which that to Rome went,


s: Eek in som lond were al the gamen shent,


s: If that they ferde in love as men don here,


s: In visitinge, in forme, or seyde hire sawes;


s: For-thy men seyn, ech contree hath his lawes.


s: Eek scarsly been ther in this place three


s: That han in love seid lyk and doon in al;


s: And thee right nought, yet al is seyd or shal;


s: Eek som men grave in tree, som in stoon wal,


s: That fresshe floures, blewe, and whyte, and rede,


s: Whan Phebus doth his brighte bemes sprede


s: As I shal singe, on Mayes day the thridde,


s: Felt eek his part of loves shottes kene,


s: That, coude he never so wel of loving preche,


s: So shoop it, that hym fil that day a tene


s: In love, for which in wo to bedde he wente,


s: And made, er it was day, ful many a wente.


s: Til she so neigh him made hir chiteringe


s: And gan to calle, and dresse him up to ryse,


s: From Troilus, and eek his greet empryse;


s: And caste and knew in good plyt was the mone


s: Now Ianus, god of entree, thou him gyde!


s: `Wher is my lady?' to hir folk seyde he;


s: And fond, two othere ladyes sete and she,


s: With-inne a paved parlour; and they three


s: `Ey, uncle myn, welcome y-wis,' quod she,


s: She took him faste, and seyde, `This night thrye,


s: And with that word she doun on bench him sette.


s: If god wole, al this yeer,' quod Pandarus;


s: For goddes love, what seith it? tel it us.


s: `Uncle,' quod she, `your maistresse is not here!'


s: With that they gonnen laughe, and tho she seyde,


s: And we han herd how that king Laius deyde


s: Thurgh Edippus his sone, and al that dede;


s: And here we stenten at these lettres rede,


s: Quod Pandarus, `Al this knowe I my-selve,


s: And al the assege of Thebes and the care;


s: For her-of been ther maked bokes twelve: --


s: But lat be this, and tel me how ye fare;


s: Do wey your book, rys up, and lat us daunce,


s: To bidde, and rede on holy seyntes lyves;


s: Lat maydens gon to daunce, and yonge wyves.'


s: `Yet coude I telle a thing to doon you pleye.'


s: For goddes love; is than the assege aweye?


s: It is a thing wel bet than swiche fyve.'


s: `Ye, holy god,' quod she, `what thing is that?


s: What! Bet than swiche fyve? Ey, nay, y-wis!


s: And but your-selven telle us what it is,


s: As help me god, I noot nat what ye meene.'


s: `And I your borow, ne never shal, for me,


s: `And why so, uncle myn? Why so?' quod she.


s: `By god,' quod he, `that wole I telle as blyve;


s: For prouder womman were ther noon on-lyve,


s: And ye it wiste, in al the toun of Troye;


s: A thousand fold, and doun hir eyen caste;


s: For never, sith the tyme that she was born,


s: `Now, uncle myn, I nil yow nought displese,


s: And freendly tales, and with mery chere,


s: In many an unkouth glad and deep matere,


s: As freendes doon, whan they ben met y-fere;


s: That was the tounes wal and Grekes yerde.


s: `Save in his arm he hath a litel wounde;


s: Wysdom, honour, fredom, and worthinesse.'


s: `In good feith, eem,' quod she, `that lyketh me;


s: `In good feith, that is sooth,' quod Pandarus;


s: That certainly, though that I sholde deye,


s: They been as voyde of vyces, dar I seye,


s: `Of Ector nedeth it nought for to telle:


s: In al this world ther nis a bettre knight


s: God help me so, I knowe not swiche tweye.'


s: `By god,' quod she, `of Ector that is sooth;


s: To every wight, that al the prys hath he


s: `For yesterday, who-so hadde with him been,


s: Ne fleigh, as Grekes fro him gonne fleen;


s: `Now here, now there, he hunted hem so faste,


s: Now hem he hurte, and hem alle doun he caste;


s: He was hir deeth, and sheld and lyf for us;


s: That as that day ther dorste noon with-stonde,


s: Whyl that he held his blody swerd in honde.


s: To suche as him thinketh able for to thryve.'


s: And with that word tho Pandarus, as blyve,


s: He took his leve, and seyde, `I wol go henne.'


s: Nay, sitteth down; by god, I have to done


s: That herde that, gan fer a-wey to stonde,


s: Whyl they two hadde al that hem liste in honde.


s: Whan that hir tale al brought was to an ende,


s: But yet, I seye, aryseth, lat us daunce,


s: And cast your widwes habit to mischaunce:


s: What list yow thus your-self to disfigure,


s: `Shal I not witen what ye mene of this?'


s: `No, this thing axeth layser,' tho quod he,


s: Than seye a sooth that were ayeins your wille.


s: And Iuppiter, that maketh the thonder ringe,


s: That I best love, and lothest am to greve,


s: And that ye witen wel your-self, I leve.'


s: `Y-wis, myn uncle,' quod she, `grant mercy;


s: So muche as yow, and have so litel quit;


s: And, with the grace of god, emforth my wit,


s: `But, for the love of god, I yow beseche,


s: As ye ben he that I love most and triste,


s: And sey to me, your nece, what yow liste:'


s: Tak it for good that I shal seye yow here.'


s: With that she gan hir eiyen doun to caste,


s: With subtil art hir tales for to endyte,


s: What sholde I peynte or drawen it on lengthe


s: To yow, that been my freend so feithfully?'


s: And with that word he gan right inwardly


s: And seyde, `On suche a mirour goode grace!'


s: Than thoughte he thus: `If I my tale endyte


s: She shal no savour han ther-in but lyte,


s: Ther-as they can nat pleynly understonde;


s: For-thy hir wit to serven wol I fonde --'


s: Sey ye me never er now? What sey ye, no?'


s: `Yes, yes,' quod he, `and bet wole er I go;


s: But, by my trouthe, I thoughte now if ye


s: Som tyme is shape, if he it can receyven;


s: Whan that it commeth, but wilfully it weyven,


s: But right his verray slouthe and wrecchednesse;


s: And swich a wight is for to blame, I gesse.


s: Ful lightly founden, and ye conne it take;


s: Yif me your hond, for in this world is noon,


s: If that yow list, a wight so wel begoon.


s: By alle the othes that I have yow sworn,


s: `Beth nought agast, ne quaketh nat; wher-to?


s: Yet trist alwey, ye shal me finde trewe;


s: And were it thing that me thoughte unsittinge,


s: `Now, my good eem, for goddes love, I preye,'


s: Say on, lat me not in this fere dwelle:'


s: The goode, wyse, worthy, fresshe, and free,


s: Lo, here is al, what sholde I more seye?


s: Doth what yow list, to make him live or deye.


s: Have her my trouthe, nece, I nil not lyen;


s: With that the teres braste out of his yen,


s: And seyde, `If that ye doon us bothe dyen,


s: Thus giltelees, than have ye fisshed faire;


s: What mende ye, though that we bothe apeyre?


s: That trewe man, that noble gentil knight,


s: That nought desireth but your freendly chere,


s: And hasteth him, with al his fulle might,


s: Allas! That god yow swich a beautee sente!


s: That of his deeth yow liste nought to recche,


s: If ye be swich, your beautee may not strecche


s: Wo worth that beautee that is routhelees!


s: Wo worth that wight that tret ech under fote!


s: And ye, that been of beautee crop and rote,


s: If therwith-al in you ther be no routhe,


s: `And also thenk wel that this is no gaude;


s: Were hanged, than I sholde been his baude,


s: As heyghe, as men mighte on us alle y-see:


s: As wel as thee, if that I sholde assente,


s: Thorugh myn abet, that he thyn honour shente.


s: `Now understond, for I yow nought requere,


s: Than ye han doon er this, and more feste,


s: This al and som, and playnly our entente;


s: Ne doute of reson, pardee, is ther noon.


s: I sette the worste that ye dredden this,


s: Men wolden wondren seen him come or goon:


s: Wol deme it love of freendship in his minde.


s: `What? Who wol deme, though he see a man


s: That, wher he cometh, he prys and thank him geteth;


s: And eek ther-to, he shal come here so selde,


s: What fors were it though al the toun behelde?


s: `Swich love of freendes regneth al this toun;


s: But alwey, goode nece, to stinte his wo,


s: Criseyde, which that herde him in this wyse,


s: Thoughte, `I shal fele what he meneth, y-wis.'


s: `Now, eem,' quod she, `what wolde ye devyse?


s: What is your reed I sholde doon of this?'


s: As love for love is skilful guerdoninge.


s: `Thenk eek, how elde wasteth every houre


s: Go love, for, olde, ther wol no wight of thee.


s: "To late y-war, quod Beautee, whan it paste;"


s: Whan that him thinketh a womman bereth hir hye,


s: "So longe mote ye live, and alle proude,


s: And sende yow thanne a mirour in to prye


s: Nece, I bidde wisshe yow no more sorwe.'


s: With this he stente, and caste adoun the heed,


s: And seyde, `Allas, for wo! Why nere I deed?


s: Allas! What sholden straunge to me doon,


s: Whan he, that for my beste freend I wende,


s: Ret me to love, and sholde it me defende?


s: `What? Is this al the Ioye and al the feste?


s: Is this your reed, is this my blisful cas?


s: Is this the verray mede of your beheste?


s: Thou in this dredful cas for me purveye;


s: With that she gan ful sorwfully to syke;


s: And god to-forn, that am mistrusted thus;


s: Or of our deeth! Allas! I woful wrecche!


s: Mighte he yet live, of me is nought to recche.


s: So lat me never out of this hous departe,


s: For certayn, I wole deye as sone as he --'


s: And up he sterte, and on his wey he raughte,


s: Criseyde, which that wel neigh starf for fere,


s: That mighte be, and herde eek with hir ere,


s: And saw the sorwful ernest of the knight,


s: And in his preyere eek saw noon unright,


s: And for the harm that mighte eek fallen more,


s: And thoughte thus, `Unhappes fallen thikke


s: And if this man slee here him-self, allas!


s: What men wolde of hit deme I can nat seye;


s: `A! Lord! What me is tid a sory chaunce!


s: And eek his lyf;' and stinte for to wepe.


s: `No, wis,' quod he, `myn owene nece dere.'


s: I shal myn herte ayeins my lust constreyne.


s: `But that I nil not holden him in honde,


s: Ther-to nolde I nought ones have seyd nay,


s: Of yow, though that ye sterve bothe two,


s: Ne shal I never on him han other routhe. --'


s: `But may I truste wel ther-to,' quod he,


s: `That of this thing that ye han hight me here,


s: `Ye, doutelees,' quod she, `myn uncle dere.'


s: Quod he, `to pleyne, or after yow to preche?'


s: `Why, no, parde; what nedeth more speche?'


s: Til at the laste, `O good eem,' quod she tho,


s: Wot noon of hit but ye?' He seyde, `No.'


s: `Can he wel speke of love?' quod she, `I preye,


s: And seyde, `By my trouthe, I shal yow telle.


s: This other day, nought gon ful longe whyle,


s: Til at the laste he seyde he wolde slepe,


s: Til that I herde, as that I welk allone,


s: Right thus to Love he gan him for to pleyne;


s: He seyde, "Lord! Have routhe up-on my peyne,


s: Accepte in gree, and send me swich penaunce


s: That may my goost departe awey fro thee,


s: `"For certes, lord, so soore hath she me wounded,


s: That stod in blak, with loking of hir yen,


s: Thorugh which I woot that I mot nedes dyen;


s: This is the worste, I dar me not bi-wryen;


s: And wel the hotter been the gledes rede,


s: That men hem wryen with asshen pale and dede."


s: And I with that gan stille awey to goon,


s: And leet ther-of as no-thing wist hadde I,


s: It semeth nat that love dooth yow longe,


s: `"That slepen so that no man may yow wake.


s: "Ye, freend," quod he, "do ye your hedes ake


s: But though that he for wo was pale and wan,


s: Yet made he tho as freshe a countenaunce


s: As though he shulde have led the newe daunce.


s: `This passed forth, til now, this other day,


s: Into his chaumbre, and fond how that he lay


s: Ne herde I never, and what that was his mone,


s: Ne wist I nought; for, as I was cominge,


s: As never of thing hadde I no routhe more.


s: Unethes mighte I fro the deeth him kepe;


s: `And god wot, never, sith that I was born,


s: Or he me tolde who mighte been his leche.


s: Ne bid me not, but ye wol see me swowne.


s: And to non harm of yow, thus am I driven;


s: And for the love of god that us hath wrought,


s: Swich chere him dooth, that he and I may liven.


s: Now have I plat to yow myn herte shriven;


s: `And right good thrift, I prey to god, have ye,


s: That han swich oon y-caught with-oute net;


s: Whan ye ben his al hool, as he is youre:


s: Ther mighty god yet graunte us see that houre!'


s: `Nay, therof spak I not, a, ha!' quod she,


s: `What-so I spak, I mente nought but weel,


s: By Mars the god, that helmed is of steel;


s: Now beth nought wrooth, my blood, my nece dere.'


s: With this he took his leve, and hoom he wente;


s: Criseyde aroos, no lenger she ne stente,


s: But straught in-to hir closet wente anoon,


s: And every word gan up and doun to winde,


s: That he hadde seyd, as it com hir to minde;


s: Right for the newe cas; but whan that she


s: And she nought love ayein, but-if hir leste.


s: And men cryde in the strete, `See, Troilus


s: Hath right now put to flight the Grekes route!'


s: With that gan al hir meynee for to shoute,


s: For thurgh this strete he moot to palays ryde;


s: Right as his happy day was, sooth to seyne,


s: For which, men say, may nought disturbed be


s: And wounded was his hors, and gan to blede,


s: As was on him, was nought, with-outen faile,


s: He was to seen, fulfild of heigh prowesse;


s: To doon that thing, as wel as hardinesse;


s: That thirled hadde horn and nerf and rinde;


s: And ay the peple cryde, `Here cometh our Ioye,


s: And, next his brother, holdere up of Troye!'


s: Whan he the peple up-on him herde cryen,


s: That to hir-self she seyde, `Who yaf me drinke?'


s: For of hir owene thought she wex al reed,


s: Remembringe hir right thus, `Lo, this is he


s: Which that myn uncle swereth he moot be deed,


s: And with that thought, for pure a-shamed, she


s: Gan in hir heed to pulle, and that as faste,


s: His wit, his shap, and eek his gentillesse;


s: But most hir favour was, for his distresse


s: Was al for hir, and thoughte it was a routhe


s: `This was a sodeyn love; how mighte it be


s: Right for the firste sighte; ye, pardee?'


s: Yaf him hir love, but that she gan enclyne


s: For which, by proces and by good servyse,


s: That rydeth forth, and lat us tourne faste


s: Un-to Criseyde, that heng hir heed ful lowe,


s: Wher-on she wolde apoynte hir at the laste,


s: And, lord! So she gan in hir thought argue


s: And what to doon best were, and what eschue,


s: Now was hir herte warm, now was it cold,


s: And what she thoughte somwhat shal I wryte,


s: She knew by sighte and eek his gentillesse,


s: And thus she seyde, `Al were it nought to done,


s: To graunte him love, yet, for his worthinesse,


s: Thurgh which I mighte stonde in worse plyt;


s: With-outen nede, ther I may stonde in grace?


s: Eek sith I woot for me is his distresse,


s: His thewes goode, and that he is not nyce.


s: Ne avauntour, seyth men, certein, he is noon;


s: That he may make avaunt, by Iuste cause;


s: He shal me never binde in swiche a clause.


s: May I him lette of that? Why nay, pardee!


s: To been his love, so she hir honour save;


s: But swich is love, and eek myn aventure.


s: And so men seyn in al the toun of Troye.


s: What wonder is it though he of me have Ioye?


s: Right yong, and stonde unteyd in lusty lese,


s: Shal noon housbonde seyn to me "Chekmat!"


s: `What shal I doon? To what fyn live I thus?


s: Shal I nat loven, in cas if that me leste?


s: Upon this knight, that is the worthieste,


s: But right as whan the sonne shyneth brighte,


s: And that a cloud is put with wind to flighte


s: Which over-sprat the sonne as for a space,


s: A cloudy thought gan thorugh hir soule pace,


s: That over-spradde hir brighte thoughtes alle,


s: That thought was this: `Allas! Sin I am free,


s: Sholde I now love, and putte in Iupartye


s: Hir dredful Ioye, hir constreynt, and hir peyne?


s: Ther loveth noon, that she nath why to pleyne.


s: Right of him-self, that ever was bigonne;


s: Ther is in love, som cloud is over that sonne:


s: Ther-to we wrecched wommen no-thing conne,


s: Whan us is wo, but wepe and sitte and thinke;


s: Our wreche is this, our owene wo to drinke.


s: To speke us harm, eek men be so untrewe,


s: That, right anoon as cessed is hir lest,


s: So cesseth love, and forth to love a newe:


s: But harm y-doon, is doon, who-so it rewe.


s: Ful sharp biginning breketh ofte at ende.


s: To what fyn is swich love, I can nat see,


s: Wher it bycomth; lo, no wight on it sporneth;


s: That erst was no-thing, in-to nought it torneth.


s: And coye hem, that they sey non harm of me?


s: For though ther be no cause, yet hem semen


s: Al be for harm that folk hir freendes quemen;


s: And after that, hir thought bigan to clere,


s: And seyde, `He which that no-thing under-taketh,


s: No thing ne acheveth, be him looth or dere.'


s: And with an other thought hir herte quaketh;


s: Now hoot, now cold; but thus, bi-twixen tweye,


s: She rist hir up, and went hir for to pleye.


s: Adoun the steyre anoon-right tho she wente


s: And shadwed wel with blosmy bowes grene,


s: And benched newe, and sonded alle the weyes,


s: In which she walketh arm in arm bi-twene;


s: That it an heven was hir voys to here. --


s: She seyde, `O love, to whom I have and shal


s: Ben humble subgit, trewe in myn entente,


s: As I best can, to yow, lord, yeve ich al


s: For, lord, with-outen Ialousye or stryf,


s: `As he that is the welle of worthinesse,


s: Of trouthe ground, mirour of goodliheed,


s: Of vertu rote, of lust findere and heed,


s: Now good thrift have he, wher-so that he be!


s: `Whom sholde I thanke but yow, god of love,


s: Of al this blisse, in which to bathe I ginne?


s: This doth me so to vertu for to entende,


s: Or thraldom, though he fele in it distresse,


s: To loven; for swich maner folk, I gesse,


s: Thei speken, but they bente never his bowe.


s: `What is the sonne wers, of kinde righte,


s: Though that a man, for feblesse of his yen,


s: May nought endure on it to see for brighte?


s: No wele is worth, that may no sorwe dryen.


s: And for-thy, who that hath an heed of verre,


s: Fro cast of stones war him in the werre!


s: `But I with al myn herte and al my might,


s: Al dredde I first to love him to biginne,


s: And of hir song right with that word she stente,


s: And therwith-al, `Now, nece,' quod Criseyde,


s: `Who made this song with so good entente?'


s: And let hir lyf in most honour and Ioye.'


s: Quod tho Criseyde, and gan ther-with to syke,


s: These lovers, as they conne faire endyte?'


s: `Ye, wis,' quod freshe Antigone the whyte,


s: `For alle the folk that han or been on lyve


s: Ne conne wel the blisse of love discryve.


s: The parfit blisse of love? Why, nay, y-wis;


s: Do wey, do wey, they woot no-thing of this!


s: Criseyde un-to that purpos nought answerde,


s: But seyde, `Y-wis, it wol be night as faste.'


s: But every word which that she of hir herde,


s: Than it dide erst, and sinken in hir herte,


s: Gan westren faste, and dounward for to wrye,


s: As he that hadde his dayes cours y-ronne;


s: For lak of light, and sterres for to appere,


s: And voyded weren they that voyden oughte,


s: Hir wommen sone til hir bed hir broughte.


s: Of al this thing the manere and the wyse.


s: Reherce it nedeth nought, for ye ben wyse.


s: Of love, that made hir herte fresh and gay.


s: That herkned she so longe in good entente,


s: Til at the laste the dede sleep hir hente.


s: How that an egle, fethered whyt as boon,


s: And out hir herte he rente, and that a-noon,


s: And dide his herte in-to hir brest to goon,


s: And forth he fleigh, with herte left for herte.


s: Now lat hir slepe, and we our tales holde


s: Fro the scarmuch, of the whiche I tolde,


s: For Pandarus, and soughten him ful faste,


s: Til they him founde and broughte him at the laste.


s: To-day with swerdes, and with slinge-stones,


s: But Troilus, that hath caught him an hete?'


s: And gan to Iape, and seyde, `Lord, so ye swete!


s: And he answerde him, `Do we as thee leste.'


s: With al the haste goodly that they mighte,


s: They spedde hem fro the souper un-to bedde;


s: And every wight out at the dore him dighte,


s: And wher him liste upon his wey him spedde;


s: He seyde, `Freend, shal I now wepe or singe?'


s: Quod Pandarus, `Ly stille and lat me slepe,


s: At shorte wordes, thow shal trowe me. --


s: And love thee best, by god and by my trouthe,


s: But lak of pursuit make it in thy slouthe.


s: Fro day to day, til this day, by the morwe,


s: Hir love of freendship have I to thee wonne,


s: And also hath she leyd hir feyth to borwe.


s: But right as floures, thorugh the colde of night


s: Thy might, thy grace, y-heried be it here!'


s: And to Pandare he held up bothe his hondes,


s: For I am hool, al brosten been my bondes;


s: `But Lord, how shal I doon, how shal I liven?


s: How shal this longe tyme a-wey be driven,


s: That hangeth by the nekke, sooth to seyne,


s: Quod Pandarus, `for every thing hath tyme;


s: For al so siker as thow lyst here by me,


s: And god toforn, I wol be there at pryme,


s: And for thy werk somwhat as I shal seye,


s: Ben redy thee to serve, and to this night


s: Have I nought fayned, but emforth my wit


s: Don al thy lust, and shal with al my might.


s: Do now as I shal seye, and fare a-right;


s: A lettre, in which I wolde hir tellen how


s: I ferde amis, and hir beseche of routhe;


s: Now help thy-self, and leve it not for slouthe.


s: `And I my-self shal ther-with to hir goon;


s: And ryd forth by the place, as nought ne were,


s: And thou shalt finde us, if I may, sittinge


s: `And if thee list, than maystow us saluwe,


s: But, by thy lyf, be war and faste eschuwe


s: To tarien ought, god shilde us fro mischaunce!


s: And we shal speke of thee som-what, I trowe,


s: Whan Thou art goon, to do thyne eres glowe!


s: `Touching thy lettre, thou art wys y-nough,


s: Ne scrivenish or craftily thou it wryte;


s: And if thou wryte a goodly word al softe,


s: Though it be good, reherce it not to ofte.


s: That ever was, with alle his fingres fyve,


s: Touche ay o streng, or ay o werbul harpe,


s: Were his nayles poynted never so sharpe,


s: To here his glee, and of his strokes fulle.


s: `Ne Iompre eek no discordaunt thing y-fere,


s: It cordeth nought; so nere it but a Iape.'


s: Or that she nolde it for despyt receyve;


s: To that Pandare answerde, `If thee lest,


s: Do that I seye, and lat me therwith goon;


s: For by that lord that formed est and west,


s: Ayeins thy lust that helpeth thee to thryve.'


s: Sin that thee list, I will aryse and wryte;


s: The vyage, and the lettre I shal endyte,


s: So spede it; and thou, Minerva, the whyte,


s: And sette him doun, and wroot right in this wyse. --


s: His hertes lyf, his lust, his sorwes leche,


s: His blisse, and eek these othere termes alle,


s: That in swich cas these loveres alle seche;


s: And in ful humble wyse, as in his speche,


s: To be nought wrooth, though he, of his folye,


s: So hardy was to hir to wryte, and seyde,


s: And after that he seyde, and ley ful loude,


s: Him-self was litel worth, and lesse he coude;


s: And that she sholde han his conning excused,


s: And after that, than gan he telle his woo;


s: And seyde, he wolde in trouthe alwey him holde; --


s: Ther-with a thousand tymes, er he lette,


s: This Pandare took the lettre, and that by tyme


s: A-morwe, and to his neces paleys sterte,


s: And gan to Iape, and seyde, `Y-wis, myn herte,


s: So fresh it is, al-though it sore smerte,


s: With dreedful herte, and desirous to here


s: The cause of his cominge, thus answerde:


s: `Now by your feyth, myn uncle,' quod she, `dere,


s: How ferforth be ye put in loves daunce.'


s: `By god,' quod he, `I hoppe alwey bihinde!'


s: And she to-laugh, it thoughte hir herte breste.


s: Quod Pandarus, `Loke alwey that ye finde


s: Ther is right now come in-to toune a geste,


s: A Greek espye, and telleth newe thinges,


s: `Into the gardin go we, and we shal here,


s: In-to the gardin from the chaumbre doun.


s: And whan that he so fer was that the soun


s: Or, helpe me god, so pleynly for to seyne,


s: Ful dredfully tho gan she stonde stille,


s: And took it nought, but al hir humble chere


s: For love of god, that toucheth swich matere,


s: Than to his lust; what sholde I more seye?


s: And letteth nought, for favour ne for slouthe,


s: To myn estat, by god, and by your trouthe,


s: Ber it a-yein, for him that ye on leve!'


s: And seyde, `Now is this the grettest wonder


s: If, for the citee which that stondeth yonder,


s: Wolde I a lettre un-to yow bringe or take


s: To harm of yow; what list yow thus it make?


s: `But thus ye faren, wel neigh alle and some,


s: And whether that he live or elles sterve.


s: But for al that that ever I may deserve,


s: Refuse it nought,' quod he, and hente hir faste,


s: And seyde hire, `Now cast it awey anoon,


s: That folk may seen and gauren on us tweye.'


s: Quod she, `I can abyde til they be goon,'


s: And gan to smyle, and seyde hym, `Eem, I preye,


s: `No? than wol I,' quod he, `so ye endyte.'


s: Therwith she lough, and seyde, `Go we dyne.'


s: For love, that every other day I faste' --


s: `Now, eem,' quod she, `we wol go dine anoon;'


s: And streyght in-to hir chaumbre gan she goon;


s: And fond no lak, she thoughte he coude good;


s: And up it putte, and went hir in to dyne.


s: Er he was war, she took him by the hood,


s: And seyde, `Ye were caught er that ye wiste;'


s: `I vouche sauf,' quod he. `do what yow liste.'


s: Tho wesshen they, and sette hem doun and ete;


s: Gan drawe him to the window next the strete,


s: The yonder hous, that stant afor-yeyn us?'


s: `Which hous?' quod she, and gan for to biholde,


s: And fillen forth in speche of thinges smale,


s: And saw wel that hir folk were alle aweye,


s: Can he ther-on? For, by my trouthe, I noot.'


s: And gan to humme, and seyde, `So I trowe.'


s: And held his hondes up, and sat on knowe,


s: Yif me the labour, it to sowe and plyte.'


s: `And eek I noot what I sholde to him seye.'


s: Of his good wil, and doth him not to deye.


s: `Depar-dieux,' quod she, `God leve al be wel!


s: God help me so, this is the firste lettre


s: She wente allone, and gan hir herte unfettre


s: And sette hir doun, and gan a lettre wryte,


s: Of which to telle in short is myn entente


s: She nolde nought, ne make hir-selven bonde


s: In love, but as his suster, him to plese,


s: She shette it, and to Pandarus in gan goon,


s: There as he sat and loked in-to the strete,


s: And doun she sette hir by him on a stoon


s: Of Iaspre, up-on a quisshin gold y-bete,


s: Than wryte this, to which ye me constreyne;'


s: And took it him: He thonked hir and seyde,


s: `God woot, of thing ful ofte looth bigonne


s: Oughte he be glad, by god and yonder sonne!


s: For-why men seyth, "Impressiounes lighte


s: Ful lightly been ay redy to the flighte.'


s: And hard was it your herte for to grave;


s: Now stint, that ye no longer on it honge,


s: Causeth despyt ful often, for destresse.'


s: Ther-as they sete, as was his way to wende


s: And seyde, `Nece, y-see who cometh here ryde!


s: `Nay, nay,' quod she, and wex as reed as rose.


s: With dreedful chere, and oft his hewes muwe;


s: God woot wher he was lyk a manly knight!


s: What sholde I drecche, or telle of his aray?


s: His persone, his aray, his look, his chere,


s: So wel, that never, sith that she was born,


s: And how-so she hath hard ben her-biforn,


s: To god hope I, she hath now caught a thorn,


s: She shal not pulle it out this nexte wyke;


s: A womman, that were of his deeth to wyte,


s: Were it wel doon?' Quod she, `Nay, by my trouthe!'


s: `God help me so,' quod he, `ye sey me sooth.


s: Lo, yond he rit!' Quod she, `Ye, so he dooth!'


s: Lat be youre nyce shame and youre folye,


s: And spek with him in esing of his herte;


s: And why, for shame; and it were eek to sone


s: `For playnly hir entente,' as seyde she,


s: `Was for to love him unwist, if she mighte,


s: But Pandarus thoughte, `It shal not be so,


s: What sholde I make of this a long sermoun?


s: As for the tyme; and whan that it was eve,


s: And al was wel, he roos and took his leve.


s: And on his wey ful faste homward he spedde,


s: And right for Ioye he felte his herte daunce;


s: That lay as dooth these loveres, in a traunce,


s: He song, as who seyth, `Lo! Sumwhat I bringe,'


s: Y-buried thus?' `It am I, freend,' quod he.


s: `Who, Troilus? Nay, helpe me so the mone,'


s: Quod Pandarus, `Thou shalt aryse and see


s: A charme that was sent right now to thee,


s: If thou do forth-with al thy besinesse.'


s: `Ye, through the might of god!' quod Troilus.


s: So as the wordes yave him hope or drede.


s: On which, him thoughte, he mighte his herte reste,


s: That, what for hope and Pandarus biheste,


s: So through this lettre, which that she him sente,


s: Wherfore I seye alwey, that day and night


s: Fro day to day; he leet it not refreyde,


s: That by Pandare he wroot somwhat or seyde;


s: And, after that these dees turnede on chaunces,


s: And him bisoughte of rede and som socours;


s: Wex wel neigh deed for routhe, sooth to seyne,


s: Som of his wo to sleen, and that as faste;


s: And seyde, `Lord, and freend, and brother dere,


s: And god to-forn, yet shal I shape it so,


s: That thou shalt come in-to a certayn place,


s: But tho that been expert in love it seye,


s: It is oon of the thinges that furthereth most,


s: For in good herte it moot som routhe impresse,


s: To here and see the giltles in distresse.


s: Seyth Daunger, "Nay, thou shalt me never winne;


s: So reuleth hir hir hertes goost with-inne,


s: That, though she bende, yet she stant on rote;


s: On which men hakketh ofte, for the nones,


s: The grete sweigh doth it come al at ones,


s: As doon these rokkes or these milne-stones.


s: Whan it descendeth, than don thinges lighte.


s: `And reed that boweth doun for every blast,


s: Acheved wel, and stant with-outen doute,


s: `But, Troilus, yet tel me, if thee lest,


s: Which is thy brother that thou lovest best


s: `Now,' quod Pandare, `er houres twyes twelve,


s: `Now lat me allone, and werken as I may,'


s: Which hadde his lord and grete freend ben ay;


s: Freend to a cause which that toucheth me.'


s: `Yis, pardee,' quod Deiphebus, `wel thow wost,


s: It is; for sith that day that I was bore,


s: Ayeins a thing that mighte thee for-thinke.'


s: That is my nece, and called is Criseyde,


s: To been our freend, with-oute more speche.'


s: Deiphebus him answerde, `O, is not this,


s: That thow spekest of to me thus straungely,


s: Na-more to speke, for trusteth wel, that I


s: Wol be hir champioun with spore and yerde;


s: I roughte nought though alle hir foos it herde.


s: `But tel me how, thou that woost al this matere,


s: And chargen yow to have so greet travayle,


s: To han som of your bretheren here with yow,


s: For to be holpen, what at your instaunce,


s: What with hir othere freendes governaunce.'


s: Deiphebus, which that comen was, of kinde,


s: Yet gretter help to this in myn entente.


s: What wolt thow seyn, if I for Eleyne sente


s: To speke of this? I trowe it be the beste;


s: It nedeth nought to preye him freend to be;


s: For I have herd him, o tyme and eek other,


s: May seyn no bet, swich hap to him hath she.


s: He shal be swich, right as we wole him have.


s: On my bihalve, and pray him with us dyne.'


s: `Sire, al this shal be doon,' quod Pandarus;


s: But to his neces hous, as streyt as lyne,


s: He com; and fond hir fro the mete aryse;


s: And sette him doun, and spak right in this wyse.


s: He seyde, `O veray god, so have I ronne!


s: I noot whether ye the more thank me conne.


s: Be ye nought war how that fals Poliphete


s: And doon me wrong? What shal I do, allas?


s: Yet of him-self no-thing ne wolde I recche,


s: But, for the love of god, myn uncle dere,


s: No fors of that; lat him have al y-fere;


s: `Nay,' quod Pandare, `it shal no-thing be so.


s: That, by my thrift, he shal it never winne


s: For ought he can, whan that so he biginne.'


s: Com hir to preye, in his propre persone,


s: He thonked hir, and wente up-on his weye.


s: Whanne this was doon, this Pandare up a-noon,


s: To telle in short, and forth gan for to wende


s: And how that he Deiphebus gan to blende;


s: And seyde him, `Now is tyme, if that thou conne,


s: To bere thee wel to-morwe, and al is wonne.


s: `Now spek, now prey, now pitously compleyne;


s: Som-tyme a man mot telle his owene peyne;


s: Bileve it, and she shal han on thee routhe;


s: Thou shalt be saved by thy feyth, in trouthe.


s: `Thow thinkest now, "How sholde I doon al this?


s: Yet hadde I lever unwist for sorwe dye."


s: Of sleighte, for to coveren al thy chere.


s: `Thow shalt gon over night, and that as blyve,


s: For-why thou semest syk, soth for to seye.


s: Sone after that, doun in thy bed thee leye,


s: And sey, thow mayst no lenger up endure,


s: And ly right there, and byde thyn aventure.


s: And lat see now how wel thou canst it make,


s: For, par-dee, syk is he that is in sorwe.


s: Go now, farwel! And, Venus here to borwe,


s: Thy grace she shal fully ther conferme.'


s: Conseylest me, that sykliche I me feyne,


s: Quod Pandarus, `Thou shalt the bettre pleyne,


s: For him men demen hoot that men seen swete.


s: `Lo, holde thee at thy triste cloos, and I


s: How men gan him with clothes for to lade,


s: But al for nought; he held forth ay the wyse


s: That ye han herd Pandare er this devyse.


s: God woot, that he it grauntede anon-right,


s: To been hir fulle freend with al his might.


s: But swich a nede was to preye him thenne,


s: As for to bidde a wood man for to renne.


s: Of meel-tyd, that the faire quene Eleyne


s: Shoop hir to been, an houre after the pryme,


s: With Deiphebus, to whom she nolde feyne;


s: But as his suster, hoomly, sooth to seyne,


s: But god and Pandare wiste al what this mente.


s: Right to the effect, with-oute tales mo,


s: Why al this folk assembled in this place;


s: Gret honour dide hem Deiphebus, certeyn,


s: But ever-more, `Allas!' was his refreyn,


s: Lyth yet"--and therwith-al he gan to syke;


s: A leche anoon, and seyde, `In this manere


s: But ther sat oon, al list hir nought to teche,


s: That thoughte, best coude I yet been his leche.


s: After compleynt, him gonnen they to preyse,


s: As folk don yet, whan som wight hath bigonne


s: A thousand fold yet hyer than the sonne: --


s: `He is, he can, that fewe lordes conne.'


s: And Pandarus, of that they wolde afferme,


s: He not for-gat hir preysing to conferme.


s: For which with sobre chere hir herte lough;


s: To mowen swich a knight don live or dye?


s: And gonne a while of this and that devyse.


s: To speke here of the nedes of Criseyde?'


s: Eleyne, which that by the hond hir held,


s: That dooth yow harm, and bringe him sone of lyve!


s: `Tel thou thy neces cas,' quod Deiphebus


s: To Pandarus, `for thou canst best it telle.' --


s: `My lordes and my ladyes, it stant thus;


s: What sholde I lenger,' quod he, `do yow dwelle?'


s: So heynous, that men mighte on it spete.


s: Answerde of this ech worse of hem than other,


s: And Poliphete they gonnen thus to warien,


s: And so he shal, for it ne may not varien.'


s: What sholde I lenger in this tale tarien?


s: To been hir helpe in al that ever they mighten.


s: Woot ought my lord, my brother, this matere,


s: She tolde hir-self him al this, er she wente.


s: `For he wole have the more hir grief at herte,


s: And, by your leve, I wol but right in sterte,


s: If that he slepe, or wole ought here of this.'


s: And in he lepte, and seyde him in his ere,


s: `God have thy soule, y-brought have I thy bere!'


s: Out wente anoon to Eleyne and Deiphebus,


s: And seyde hem, `So there be no taryinge,


s: `But wel ye woot, the chaumbre is but lyte,


s: To bringe in prees that mighte doon him harm


s: Now loketh ye, that knowen what to doon is.


s: Reherce hir cas unlyk that she can seye;


s: To ben good lord, in short, and take hir leve;


s: This may not muchel of his ese him reve.


s: His ese, which that him thar nought for yow;


s: Eek other thing that toucheth not to here,


s: He wol me telle, I woot it wel right now,


s: That secret is, and for the tounes prow.'


s: With-oute more, to Troilus in they wente.


s: And seyde, `Ywis, ye moste alweyes aryse!


s: And gan hir arm right over his sholder leye,


s: As she best coude, she gan him to disporte.


s: For love of god, and so doth Pandare eke,


s: To been good lord and freend, right hertely,


s: Receyveth wrong, as woot wel here Pandare,


s: This Pandarus gan newe his tunge affyle,


s: Whan it was seyd, sone after, in a whyle,


s: Have god my trouthe, hir cause to sustene.'


s: `Good thrift have ye,' quod Eleyne the quene.


s: That she may take hir leve, er that she go?'


s: And with that word quod Troilus, `Ye two,


s: And fond, as hap was, at his beddes heed,


s: In ernest greet; so did Eleyne the quene;


s: And rominge outward, fast it gan biholde,


s: This ilke thing they redden hem bi-twene;


s: And largely, the mountaunce of an houre,


s: In-to the grete chambre, and that in hye,


s: The lesse prees, the bet; com forth with me,


s: Your tyme y-see, taketh of hem your leve,


s: Lest we to longe his restes him bireve.'


s: Seyde, `Alle folk, for goddes love, I preye,


s: Stinteth right here, and softely yow pleye.


s: And in what plyt oon is, god him amende!


s: Nece, I conjure and heighly yow defende,


s: On his half, which that sowle us alle sende,


s: Slee nought this man, that hath for yow this peyne!


s: `Fy on the devel! Thenk which oon he is,


s: Thenk al swich taried tyd, but lost it nis!


s: Up-on yow two; come of now, if ye conne;


s: Whyl folk is blent, lo, al the tyme is wonne!


s: `In titering, and pursuite, and delayes,


s: And though ye wolde han after merye dayes,


s: Than dar ye nought, and why? For she, and she


s: Spak swich a word; thus loked he, and he;


s: Lest tyme I loste, I dar not with yow dele;


s: But now to yow, ye lovers that ben here,


s: That lay, and mighte whispringe of hem here,


s: And thoughte, `O lord, right now renneth my sort


s: And was the firste tyme he shulde hir preye


s: Of love; O mighty god, what shal he seye?


s: BOOK III. Incipit prohemium tercii libri.


s: O verray cause of hele and of gladnesse,


s: Y-heried be thy might and thy goodnesse!


s: In hevene and helle, in erthe and salte see


s: Is felt thy might, if that I wel descerne;


s: God loveth, and to love wol nought werne;


s: With-outen love, is worth, or may endure.


s: Thorugh which that thinges liven alle and be,


s: For love in erthe, and whom yow liste, he hente.


s: And, as yow list, ye maken hertes digne;


s: Ye do hem corteys be, fresshe and benigne,


s: And hye or lowe, after a wight entendeth;


s: The Ioyes that he hath, your might him sendeth.


s: Of thinges which that folk on wondren so,


s: Whan they can not construe how it may io,


s: And this knowe I by hem that loveres be,


s: That who-so stryveth with yow hath the werse:


s: Som Ioye of that is felt in thy servyse.


s: Inhelde, and do me shewe of thy swetnesse. --


s: For now is nede; sestow not my destresse,


s: How I mot telle anon-right the gladnesse


s: To which gladnes, who nede hath, god him bringe!


s: `Ma fey!' thought he, `Thus wole I seye and thus;


s: That word is good, and this shal be my chere;


s: And, lord, so that his herte gan to quappe,


s: Heringe hir come, and shorte for to syke!


s: And Pandarus, that ledde hir by the lappe,


s: Lo, here is she that is your deeth to wyte.'


s: `Wher me be wo, O mighty god, thow wost!


s: `Sire,' quod Criseyde, `it is Pandare and I.'


s: `Ye, swete herte? Allas, I may nought ryse


s: And dressede him upward, and she right tho


s: Gan bothe here hondes softe upon him leye,


s: To me,' quod she, `Ey! What is this to seye?


s: First, yow to thonke, and of your lordshipe eke


s: Of lordship him, wex neither quik ne deed,


s: Al-though men sholde smyten of his heed.


s: And sire, his lesson, that he wende conne,


s: To preyen hir, is thurgh his wit y-ronne.


s: For she was wys, and lovede him never-the-lasse,


s: Or was to bold, to singe a fool a masse.


s: But whan his shame gan somwhat to passe,


s: In chaunged vois, right for his verray drede,


s: Which vois eek quook, and ther-to his manere


s: With look doun cast and humble yolden chere,


s: Lo, the alderfirste word that him asterte


s: Was, twyes, `Mercy, mercy, swete herte!'


s: And stinte a whyl, and whan he mighte out-bringe,


s: And shal til that I, woful wight, be grave.


s: And though I dar ne can un-to yow pleyne,


s: I may out-bringe, and if this yow displese,


s: Right sone, I trowe, and doon your herte an ese,


s: But sin that ye han herd me som-what seye,


s: Now recche I never how sone that I deye.'


s: It mighte han maad an herte of stoon to rewe;


s: For love of god, make of this thing an ende,


s: Or slee us bothe at ones, er that ye wende.'


s: I noot nought what ye wilne that I seye.'


s: `I? What?' quod he, `That ye han on him routhe,


s: For goddes love, and doth him nought to deye.'


s: `Now thanne thus,' quod she, `I wolde him preye


s: Yet wist I never wel what that he mente.'


s: That, with the stremes of your eyen clere,


s: In trouthe alwey to doon yow my servyse,


s: And I to han, right as yow list, comfort,


s: Lo, this mene I, myn owene swete herte.'


s: Quod Pandarus, `Lo, here an hard request,


s: Were I a god, ye sholde sterve as yerne,


s: That heren wel, this man wol no-thing yerne


s: But your honour, and seen him almost sterve,


s: And been so looth to suffren him yow serve.'


s: With never a word, but seyde him softely,


s: `Biseching him, for goddes love, that he


s: Wolde, in honour of trouthe and gentilesse,


s: Ay kepe; and if I may don him gladnesse,


s: From hennes-forth, y-wis, I nil not feyne:


s: Now beeth al hool; no lenger ye ne pleyne.


s: `But nathelees, this warne I yow,' quod she,


s: Of me in love, than right in that cas is;


s: Ne I nil forbere, if that ye doon a-mis,


s: To wrathen yow; and whyl that ye me serve,


s: `And shortly, dere herte and al my knight,


s: Beth glad, and draweth yow to lustinesse,


s: For every wo ye shal recovere a blisse';


s: And him in armes took, and gan him kisse.


s: To hevene threw, and held his hondes hye,


s: With-outen hond, me semeth that in the towne,


s: For this merveyle, I here ech belle sowne.


s: That han the lettre red; lo, I hem here.


s: And two, thou Troilus, whan thow mayst goon,


s: `And eseth ther your hertes right y-nough;


s: And lat see which of yow shal bere the belle


s: To speke of love a-right!' ther-with he lough,


s: Er this be doon?' Quod he, `Whan thou mayst ryse,


s: This thing shal be right as I yow devyse.'


s: His brother and his suster for to blende.


s: Quod Pandarus, `It tyme is that we wende;


s: As she wel coude, and they hir reverence


s: Hir governaunce, hir wit; and hir manere


s: That Deiphebus hadde in the gardin seyn.


s: Delivered been, and seyde that him leste


s: Deiphebus eek, and hoom wente every wight;


s: To tale; and wel was hem they were y-fere.


s: Whan every wight was voided but they two,


s: Up roos, and on his beddes syde him sette,


s: `Myn alderlevest lord, and brother dere,


s: When I thee saw so languisshing to-yere,


s: For love, of which thy wo wex alwey more;


s: That I, with al my might and al my lore,


s: `And have it brought to swich plyt as thou wost,


s: So that, thorugh me, thow stondest now in weye


s: And wostow which? For shame it is to seye,


s: Which that I never doon shal eft for other,


s: Al-though he were a thousand fold my brother.


s: `That is to seye, for thee am I bicomen,


s: Al sey I nought, thou wost wel what I mene.


s: For thee have I my nece, of vyces clene,


s: That al shal been right as thy-selve liste.


s: That never I this for coveityse wroughte,


s: For which wel nygh thou deydest, as me thoughte.


s: But, gode brother, do now as thee oughte,


s: Sin thou art wys, and save alwey hir name.


s: `For wel thou wost, the name as yet of here


s: Among the peple, as who seyth, halwed is;


s: For that man is unbore, I dar wel swere,


s: But wo is me, that I, that cause al this,


s: `And were it wist that I, through myn engyn,


s: Dide in this cas, that ever was bigonne,


s: `Wher-fore, er I wol ferther goon a pas,


s: That is to seye, that thou us never wreye;


s: For skilful is, thow wost wel, my preyere.


s: `And thenk what wo ther hath bitid er this,


s: Fro day to day, right for that wikked dede;


s: For which these wyse clerkes that ben dede


s: Of wommen lost, thorugh fals and foles bost;


s: Proverbes canst thy-self y-nowe, and wost,


s: Al seyde men sooth as often as they gabbe.


s: Seyd, "Welawey! The day that I was born!"


s: That men of yelpe, and it were brought to preve;


s: Hir love, and seyth that other wol she non,


s: `Now loke thanne, if they be nought to blame,


s: Swich maner folk; what shal I clepe hem, what,


s: That hem avaunte of wommen, and by name,


s: That never yet bihighte hem this ne that,


s: Though wommen drede with us men to dele.


s: Have al this thing that I have seyd in minde,


s: And keep thee clos, and be now of good chere,


s: For at thy day thou shalt me trewe finde.


s: I shal thy proces sette in swich a kinde,


s: For it shal been right as thou wolt devyse.


s: `For wel I woot, thou menest wel, parde;


s: Thou wost eek what thy lady graunted thee,


s: Have now good night, I may no lenger wake;


s: And bid for me, sin thou art now in blisse,


s: His olde wo, that made his herte swelte,


s: But right so as these holtes and these hayes,


s: Revesten hem in grene, whan that May is,


s: That gladder was ther never man in Troye.


s: How neigh the deeth for wo thou founde me;


s: To knowe of me the cause of my distresse.


s: To thee, that art the man that I best triste;


s: That wiste I wel; but tel me, if thee liste,


s: Sith I so looth was that thy-self it wiste,


s: That quake now, and no wight may us here?


s: `But natheles, by that god I thee swere,


s: That, as him list, may al this world governe,


s: Wolde it biwreye, or dorste, or sholde conne,


s: For al the good that god made under sonne;


s: `That rather deye I wolde, and determyne,


s: In wrecchednesse, in filthe, and in vermyne,


s: And this, in alle the temples of this toun


s: `And that thou hast so muche y-doon for me,


s: This knowe I wel, al mighte I now for thee


s: Right as thy sclave, whider-so thou wende,


s: `But here, with al myn herte, I thee biseche,


s: That this, which thou me dost for companye,


s: On swich message, calle him what thee list;


s: And this that thou dost, calle it gentilesse,


s: `And, that thou knowe I thenke nought ne wene


s: To han for thyn, and lat me thanne allone.


s: `But, sith that thou hast don me this servyse


s: So, for the love of god, this grete empryse


s: That al the world ne mighte it bet amende;


s: And, on the morwe, whan they were arayed,


s: For sharp desyr of hope and of plesaunce,


s: But in him-self with manhod gan restreyne


s: Ne sholde han wist, by word or by manere,


s: What that he mente, as touching this matere.


s: From every wight as fer as is the cloude


s: This was his lyf; with al his fulle might,


s: His lady best, hir thank for to deserve.


s: Nil I nought swere, al-though he lay softe,


s: That in his thought he nas sumwhat disesed,


s: But in swich cas men is nought alwey plesed,


s: She with him spak, whan that she dorste or leste,


s: And by hir bothe avys, as was the beste,


s: In swich awayt alwey, and in swich fere,


s: But thilke litel that they spake or wroughte,


s: His wyse goost took ay of al swich hede,


s: To bidde him ought to done, or ought for-bede;


s: For which she thought that love, al come it late,


s: That twenty thousand tymes, or she lette,


s: She thonked god she ever with him mette;


s: That al the world ne might it bet devyse.


s: That never man, as in his freendes nede,


s: But now, paraunter, som man wayten wolde


s: That every word, or sonde, or look, or chere


s: Or of what wight that stant in swich disioynte,


s: His wordes alle, or every look, to poynte.


s: For sothe, I have not herd it doon er this,


s: That wolde, as seyth myn auctor, wel contene


s: Neigh half this book, of which him list not wryte;


s: How sholde I thanne a lyne of it endyte?


s: That it befel right as I shal yow telle.


s: Right for the fyn that I shal speke of here,