BOOK II.

• • 1. OUT of these blake wawes for to sayle, [ ]
  • O wind, O wind, the weder ginneth clere;
  • For in this see the boot hath swich travayle,
  • Of my conning that unnethe I it stere:
  • This see clepe I the tempestous matere Skeat1900: 5
  • Of desespeyr that Troilus was inne:
  • But now of hope the calendes biginne. [ ]
• • 2. O lady myn, that called art Cleo , [ ]
  • Thou be my speed fro this forth, and my muse,
  • To ryme wel this book, til I have do; Skeat1900: 10
  • Me nedeth here noon other art to use.
  • For-why to every lovere I me excuse,
  • That of no sentement I this endyte,
  • But out of Latin in my tonge it wryte. [ ]
• • 3. Wherfore I nil have neither thank ne blame Skeat1900: 15
  • Of al this werk, but pray yow mekely,
  • Disblameth me, if any word be lame,
  • For as myn auctor seyde, so seye I.
  • Eek though I speke of love unfelingly,
  • No wonder is, for it no-thing of newe is; Skeat1900: 20
  • A blind man can nat Iuggen wel in hewis. [ ]
• • 4. Ye knowe eek, that in forme of speche is chaunge [ ]
  • With-inne a thousand yeer, and wordes tho
  • That hadden prys, now wonder nyce and straunge
  • Us thinketh hem; and yet they spake hem so, Skeat1900: 25
  • And spedde as wel in love as men now do;
  • Eek for to winne love in sondry ages,
  • In sondry londes, sondry ben usages. [ ]
• • 5. And for-thy if it happe in any wyse,
  • That here be any lovere in this place Skeat1900: 30
  • That herkeneth, as the story wol devyse,
  • How Troilus com to his lady grace,
  • And thenketh, so nolde I nat love purchace,
  • Or wondreth on his speche and his doinge,
  • I noot; but it is me no wonderinge; Skeat1900: 35
• • 6. For every wight which that to Rome went, [ ]
  • Halt nat o path, or alwey o manere;
  • Eek in some lond were al the gamen shent,
  • If that they ferde in love as men don here,
  • As thus, in open doing or in chere, Skeat1900: 40
  • In visitinge, in forme, or seyde hir sawes;
  • For-thy men seyn , ech contree hath his lawes.
• • 7. Eek scarsly been ther in this place three
  • That han in love seyd lyk and doon in al;
  • For to thy purpos this may lyken thee, Skeat1900: 45
  • And thee right nought, yet al is seyd or shal; [ ]
  • Eek som men grave in tree, som in stoon wal,
  • As it bitit; but sin I have begonne,
  • Myn auctor shal I folwen , if I conne.

• • 8. In May, that moder is of monthes glade, [ ] Skeat1900: 50
  • That fresshe floures, blewe, and whyte, and rede,
  • Ben quike agayn, that winter dede made,
  • And ful of bawme is fletinge every mede;
  • Whan Phebus doth his brighte bemes sprede
  • Right in the whyte Bole, it so bitidde [ ] Skeat1900: 55
  • As I shal singe, on Mayes day the thridde,
• • 9. That Pandarus, for al his wyse speche,
  • Felte eek his part of loves shottes kene,
  • That, coude he never so wel of loving preche,
  • It made his hewe a-day ful ofte grene; Skeat1900: 60
  • So shoop it, that him fil that day a tene
  • In love, for which in wo to bedde he wente,
  • And made, er it was day, ful many a wente. [ ]
• • 10. The swalwe Proignè , with a sorwful lay, [ ]
  • Whan morwe com, gan make hir weymentinge, Skeat1900: 65
  • Why she forshapen was; and ever lay
  • Pandare a-bedde, half in a slomeringe,
  • Til she so neigh him made hir chiteringe
  • How Tereus gan forth hir suster take,
  • That with the noyse of hir he gan a-wake; Skeat1900: 70
• • 11. And gan to calle, and dresse him up to ryse,
  • Remembringe him his erand was to done
  • From Troilus, and eek his greet empryse;
  • And caste and knew in good plyt was the mone [ ]
  • To doon viage, and took his wey ful sone Skeat1900: 75
  • Un-to his neces paleys ther bi-syde;
  • Now Ianus, god of entree, thou him gyde! [ ]
• • 12. Whan he was come un-to his neces place,
  • ‘Wher is my lady?’ to hir folk seyde he;
  • And they him tolde; and he forth in gan pace, Skeat1900: 80
  • And fond, two othere ladyes sete and she [ ]
  • With-inne a paved parlour; and they three
  • Herden a mayden reden hem the geste

  • 84. So all.

  • Of the Sege of Thebes, whyl hem leste. [ ]
• • 13. Quod Pandarus, ‘ma dame, god yow see, Skeat1900: 85
  • With al your book and al the companye!’
  • ‘Ey, uncle myn, welcome y-wis,’ quod she, [ ]
  • And up she roos, and by the hond in hye
  • She took him faste, and seyde, ‘this night thrye,
  • To goode mote it turne, of yow I mette !’ Skeat1900: 90
  • And with that word she doun on bench him sette.
• • 14. ‘Ye, nece, ye shal fare wel the bet,
  • If god wole, al this yeer,’ quod Pandarus;
  • ‘But I am sory that I have yow let
  • To herknen of your book ye preysen thus; Skeat1900: 95
  • For goddes love, what seith it? tel it us.
  • Is it of love ? O, som good ye me lere !’
  • ‘Uncle,’ quod she, ‘your maistresse is not here!’
• • 15. With that they gonnen laughe, and tho she seyde,
  • ‘This romaunce is of Thebes, that we rede; [ ] Skeat1900: 100
  • And we han herd how that king Laius deyde
  • Thurgh Edippus his sone, and al that dede;
  • And here we stenten at these lettres rede, [ ]
  • How the bisshop, as the book can telle,

  • 104. So all.

  • Amphiorax, fil thurgh the ground to helle.’ Skeat1900: 105
• • 16. Quod Pandarus, ‘al this knowe I my-selve,
  • And al the assege of Thebes and the care ;
  • For her-of been ther maked bokes twelve:— [ ]
  • But lat be this, and tel me how ye fare;
  • Do wey your barbe , and shew your face bare; [ ] Skeat1900: 110
  • Do wey your book, rys up, and lat us daunce,
  • And lat us don to May som observaunce.’ [ ]
• • 17. ‘ A ! god forbede!’ quod she, ‘be ye mad?’ [ ]
  • Is that a widewes lyf, so god you save?
  • By god, ye maken me right sore a-drad , Skeat1900: 115
  • Ye ben so wilde, it semeth as ye rave!
  • It sete me wel bet ay in a cave [ ]
  • To bidde, and rede on holy seyntes lyves:
  • Lat maydens gon to daunce, and yonge wyves.’
• • 18. ‘As ever thryve I,’ quod this Pandarus, Skeat1900: 120
  • ‘Yet coude I telle a thing to doon you pleye.’
  • ‘Now uncle dere,’ quod she, ‘tel it us
  • For goddes love; is than the assege aweye?
  • I am of Grekes so ferd that I deye.’
  • ‘Nay, nay,’ quod he, ‘as ever mote I thryve! Skeat1900: 125
  • It is a thing wel bet than swiche fyve.’
• • 19. ‘Ye, holy god!’ quod she, ‘what thing is that?
  • What? bet than swiche fyve? ey , nay, y-wis!
  • For al this world ne can I reden what
  • It sholde been; som Iape, I trowe, is this; Skeat1900: 130
  • And but your-selven telle us what it is,
  • My wit is for to arede it al to lene;
  • As help me god, I noot nat what ye mene.’
• • 20. ‘And I your borow , ne never shal, for me, [ ]
  • This thing be told to yow, as mote I thryve!’ Skeat1900: 135
  • ‘And why so, uncle myn? why so?’ quod she.
  • ‘By god,’ quod he, ‘that wole I telle as blyve;
  • For prouder womman were ther noon on-lyve,
  • And ye it wiste, in al the toun of Troye;
  • I iape nought, as ever have I Ioye!’ Skeat1900: 140
• • 21. Tho gan she wondren more than biforn
  • A thousand fold, and doun hir eyen caste;
  • For never, sith the tyme that she was born,
  • To knowe thing desired she so faste;
  • And with a syk she seyde him at the laste, Skeat1900: 145
  • ‘Now, uncle myn, I nil yow nought displese,
  • Nor axen more, that may do yow disese.’
• • 22. So after this, with many wordes glade,
  • And freendly tales, and with mery chere,
  • Of this and that they pleyde, and gunnen wade Skeat1900: 150
  • In many an unkouth glad and deep matere, [ ]
  • As freendes doon, whan they ben met y-fere;
  • Til she gan axen him how Ector ferde,
  • That was the tounes wal and Grekes yerde. [ ]
• • 23. ‘Ful wel, I thanke it god,’ quod Pandarus, Skeat1900: 155
  • ‘Save in his arm he hath a litel wounde;
  • And eek his fresshe brother Troilus,
  • The wyse worthy Ector the secounde,
  • In whom that every vertu list abounde,
  • As alle trouthe and alle gentillesse, Skeat1900: 160
  • Wysdom, honour, fredom, and worthinesse.’
• • 24. ‘In good feith, eem,’ quod she, ‘that lyketh me;
  • They faren wel, god save hem bothe two!
  • For trewely I holde it greet deyntee
  • A kinges sone in armes wel to do, Skeat1900: 165
  • And been of good condiciouns ther-to;
  • For greet power and moral vertu here [ ]
  • Is selde y-seye in o persone y-fere.’
• • 25. ‘In good feith, that is sooth,’ quod Pandarus;
  • But, by my trouthe, the king hath sones tweye, [ ] Skeat1900: 170
  • That is to mene, Ector and Troilus,
  • That certainly, though that I sholde deye,
  • They been as voyde of vyces, dar I seye,
  • As any men that liveth under the sonne,
  • Hir might is wyde y-knowe, and what they conne. Skeat1900: 175
• • 26. Of Ector nedeth it nought for to telle;
  • In al this world ther nis a bettre knight
  • Than he, that is of worthinesse welle;
  • And he wel more vertu hath than might.
  • This knoweth many a wys and worthy wight. Skeat1900: 180
  • The same prys of Troilus I seye,
  • God help me so, I knowe not swiche tweye.’
• • 27. ‘By god,’ quod she, ‘of Ector that is sooth;
  • Of Troilus the same thing trowe I;
  • For dredelees , men tellen that he dooth Skeat1900: 185
  • In armes day by day so worthily,
  • And bereth him here at hoom so gentilly
  • To every wight, that al the prys hath he
  • Of hem that me were levest preysed be.’
• • 28. ‘Ye sey right sooth, y-wis,’ quod Pandarus; Skeat1900: 190
  • ‘For yesterday, who-so hadde with him been,
  • He might have wondred up-on Troilus;
  • For never yet so thikke a swarm of been
  • Ne fleigh, as Grekes fro him gonne fleen ;
  • And thorugh the feld , in every wightes ere, Skeat1900: 195
  • Ther nas no cry but “Troilus is there!”
• • 29. Now here, now there, he hunted hem so faste,
  • Ther nas but Grekes blood; and Troilus,
  • Now hem he hurte, and hem alle doun he caste;
  • Ay where he wente it was arayed thus: Skeat1900: 200
  • He was hir deeth, and sheld and lyf for us;
  • That as that day ther dorste noon with-stonde,
  • Whyl that he held his blody swerd in honde.
• • 30. Therto he is the freendlieste man
  • Of grete estat, that ever I saw my lyve; Skeat1900: 205
  • And wher him list, best felawshipe can
  • To suche as him thinketh able for to thryve.’
  • And with that word tho Pandarus, as blyve,
  • He took his leve, and seyde, ‘I wol go henne:’
  • ‘Nay, blame have I, myn uncle,’ quod she thenne. Skeat1900: 210
• • 31. ‘What eyleth yow to be thus wery sone,
  • And namelich of wommen ? wol ye so?
  • Nay, sitteth down; by god, I have to done
  • With yow, to speke of wisdom er ye go.’
  • And every wight that was a-boute hem tho , Skeat1900: 215
  • That herde that, gan fer a-wey to stonde,
  • Whyl they two hadde al that hem liste in honde.
• • 32. Whan that hir tale al brought was to an ende
  • Of hire estat and of hir governaunce,
  • Quod Pandarus, ‘now is it tyme I wende; Skeat1900: 220
  • But yet, I seye, aryseth, lat us daunce,
  • And cast your widwes habit to mischaunce:
  • What list yow thus your-self to disfigure,
  • Sith yow is tid thus fair an aventure?’
• • 33. ‘A! wel bithought! for love of god,’ quod she, Skeat1900: 225
  • ‘Shal I not witen what ye mene of this?’
  • ‘No, this thing axeth layser,’ tho quod he,
  • ‘And eek me wolde muche greve, y-wis,
  • If I it tolde, and ye it toke amis.
  • Yet were it bet my tonge for to stille Skeat1900: 230
  • Than seye a sooth that were ayeins your wille.
• • 34. For, nece, by the goddesse Minerve,
  • And Iuppiter, that maketh the thonder ringe,
  • And by the blisful Venus that I serve,
  • Ye been the womman in this world livinge, Skeat1900: 235
  • With-oute paramours, to my witinge, [ ]
  • That I best love, and lothest am to greve,
  • And that ye witen wel your-self , I leve.’
• • 35. ‘Y-wis, myn uncle,’ quod she, ‘grant mercy;
  • Your freendship have I founden ever yit; Skeat1900: 240
  • I am to no man holden trewely
  • So muche as yow, and have so litel quit;
  • And, with the grace of god, emforth my wit,
  • As in my gilt I shal you never offende;
  • And if I have er this, I wol amende. Skeat1900: 245
• • 36. But, for the love of god, I yow beseche,
  • As ye ben he that I most love and triste ,
  • Lat be to me your fremde maner speche,
  • And sey to me, your nece, what yow liste:’
  • And with that word hir uncle anoon hir kiste , Skeat1900: 250
  • And seyde, ‘gladly, leve nece dere,
  • Tak it for good that I shal seye yow here.’
• • 37. With that she gan hir eyen doun to caste,
  • And Pandarus to coghe gan a lyte,
  • And seyde, ‘nece, alwey , lo! to the laste, Skeat1900: 255
  • How-so it be that som men hem delyte
  • With subtil art hir tales for to endyte,
  • Yet for al that, in hir entencioun,
  • Hir tale is al for som conclusioun.
• • 38. And sithen thende is every tales strengthe, Skeat1900: 260
  • And this matere is so bihovely,
  • What sholde I peynte or drawen it on lengthe
  • To yow, that been my freend so feithfully?’
  • And with that word he gan right inwardly
  • Biholden hir, and loken on hir face, Skeat1900: 265
  • And seyde, ‘on suche a mirour goode grace!’
• • 39. Than thoughte he thus, ‘if I my tale endyte
  • Ought hard, or make a proces any whyle,
  • She shal no savour han ther-in but lyte ,
  • And trowe I wolde hir in my wil bigyle. Skeat1900: 270
  • For tendre wittes wenen al be wyle
  • Ther-as they can nat pleynly understonde;
  • For-thy hir wit to serven wol I fonde’— [ ]
• • 40. And loked on hir in a besy wyse,
  • And she was war that he byheld hir so, Skeat1900: 275
  • And seyde, ‘lord! so faste ye me avyse!
  • Sey ye me never er now? what sey ye, no?’
  • ‘Yes, yes,’ quod he, ‘and bet wole er I go;
  • But, by my trouthe, I thoughte now if ye
  • Be fortunat, for now men shal it see. Skeat1900: 280
• • 41. For to every wight som goodly aventure
  • Som tyme is shape, if he it can receyven;
  • And if that he wol take of it no cure,
  • Whan that it cometh, but wilfully it weyven ,
  • Lo, neither cas nor fortune him deceyven, Skeat1900: 285
  • But right his verray slouthe and wrecchednesse;
  • And swich a wight is for to blame, I gesse.
• • 42. Good aventure, O bele nece, have ye
  • Ful lightly founden, and ye conne it take;
  • And, for the love of god, and eek of me, Skeat1900: 290
  • Cacche it anoon, lest aventure slake .
  • What sholde I lenger proces of it make?
  • Yif me your hond, for in this world is noon,
  • If that you list, a wight so wel begoon. [ ]
• • 43. And sith I speke of good entencioun, Skeat1900: 295
  • As I to yow have told wel here-biforn ,
  • And love as wel your honour and renoun
  • As creature in al this world y-born;
  • By alle the othes that I have yow sworn ,
  • And ye be wrooth therfore, or wene I lye, Skeat1900: 300

  • 301. All eye (eighe).

  • Ne shal I never seen yow eft with yë.
• • 44. Beth nought agast, ne quaketh nat; wher-to?
  • Ne chaungeth nat for fere so your hewe;
  • For hardely, the werste of this is do;
  • And though my tale as now be to yow newe, Skeat1900: 305
  • Yet trist alwey, ye shal me finde trewe;
  • And were it thing that me thoughte unsittinge,
  • To yow nolde I no swiche tales bringe.’
• • 45. ‘Now, my good eem, for goddes love, I preye,’
  • Quod she, ‘com of, and tel me what it is; Skeat1900: 310
  • For bothe I am agast what ye wol seye,
  • And eek me longeth it to wite, y-wis.
  • For whether it be wel or be amis,
  • Sey on, lat me not in this fere dwelle:’
  • ‘So wol I doon, now herkneth, I shal telle: Skeat1900: 315
• • 46. Now, nece myn, the kinges dere sone,
  • The goode , wyse, worthy, fresshe, and free,
  • Which alwey for to do wel is his wone, [ ]
  • The noble Troilus, so loveth thee,
  • That, bot ye helpe, it wol his bane be. Skeat1900: 320
  • Lo, here is al, what sholde I more seye?
  • Doth what yow list, to make him live or deye.
• • 47. But if ye lete him deye, I wol sterve;
  • Have her my trouthe, nece, I nil not lyen ;
  • Al sholde I with this knyf my throte kerve’— Skeat1900: 325

  • 326. All eyen (eighen).

  • With that the teres braste out of his yën,
  • And seyde, ‘if that ye doon us bothe dyen,
  • Thus giltelees , than have ye fisshed faire; [ ]
  • What mende ye, though that we bothe apeyre? [ ]
• • 48. Allas! he which that is my lord so dere, Skeat1900: 330
  • That trewe man, that noble gentil knight,
  • That nought desireth but your freendly chere,
  • I see him deye, ther he goth up-right,
  • And hasteth him, with al his fulle might,
  • For to be slayn, if fortune wol assente; Skeat1900: 335
  • Allas! that god yow swich a beautee sente!
• • 49. If it be so that ye so cruel be,
  • That of his deeth yow liste nought to recche,
  • That is so trewe and worthy, as ye see,
  • No more than of a Iapere or a wrecche, Skeat1900: 340
  • If ye be swich, your beautee may not strecche
  • To make amendes of so cruel a dede;
  • Avysement is good bifore the nede.
• • 50. Wo worth the faire gemme vertulees! [ ]
  • Wo worth that herbe also that dooth no bote! Skeat1900: 345
  • Wo worth that beautee that is routhelees!
  • Wo worth that wight that tret ech under fote!
  • And ye, that been of beautee crop and rote,
  • If therwith-al in you ther be no routhe,
  • Than is it harm ye liven, by my trouthe! Skeat1900: 350
• • 51. And also thenk wel, that this is no gaude;
  • For me were lever, thou and I and he
  • Were hanged, than I sholde been his baude,
  • As heyghe, as men mighte on us alle y-see:
  • I am thyn eem, the shame were to me, Skeat1900: 355
  • As wel as thee, if that I sholde assente,
  • Thorugh myn abet, that he thyn honour shente.
• • 52. Now understond, for I yow nought requere,
  • To binde yow to him thorugh no beheste ,
  • But only that ye make him bettre chere Skeat1900: 360
  • Than ye han doon er this, and more feste,
  • So that his lyf be saved, at the leste:
  • This al and som, and playnly our entente;
  • God helpe me so, I never other mente.
• • 53. Lo, this request is not but skile, y-wis, Skeat1900: 365
  • Ne doute of reson, pardee, is ther noon.
  • I sette the worste that ye dredden this,
  • Men wolden wondren seen him come or goon:
  • Ther-ayeins answere I thus a-noon,
  • That every wight, but he be fool of kinde, Skeat1900: 370
  • Wol deme it love of freendship in his minde.
• • 54. What ? who wol deme, though he see a man
  • To temple go, that he the images eteth?
  • Thenk eek how wel and wysly that he can
  • Governe him-self, that he no-thing foryeteth, Skeat1900: 375
  • That, wher he cometh, he prys and thank him geteth;
  • And eek ther-to, he shal come here so selde,
  • What fors were it though al the toun behelde?
• • 55. Swich love of freendes regneth al this toun;
  • And wrye yow in that mantel ever-mo; Skeat1900: 380
  • And, god so wis be my savacioun ,
  • As I have seyd, your beste is to do so.
  • But alwey , goode nece , to stinte his wo,
  • So lat your daunger sucred ben a lyte,
  • That of his deeth ye be nought for to wyte.’ Skeat1900: 385
• • 56. Criseyde, which that herde him in this wyse,
  • Thoughte, ‘I shal fele what he meneth , y-wis.’ [ ]
  • ‘Now, eem,’ quod she, ‘what wolde ye devyse,
  • What is your reed I sholde doon of this?’
  • ‘That is wel seyd,’ quod he, ‘certayn, best is Skeat1900: 390
  • That ye him love ayein for is lovinge, [ ]
  • As love for love is skilful guerdoninge.
• • 57. Thenk eek, how elde wasteth every houre [ ]
  • In eche of yow a party of beautee;
  • And therfore, er that age thee devoure, Skeat1900: 395
  • Go love, for, olde, ther wol no wight of thee. [ ]
  • Lat this proverbe a lore un-to yow be;
  • “To late y-war, quod Beautee, whan it paste;” [ ]
  • And elde daunteth daunger at the laste.
• • 58. The kinges fool is woned to cryen loude, [ ] Skeat1900: 400
  • Whan that him thinketh a womman bereth hir hyë ,
  • “So longe mote ye live, and alle proude,
  • Til crowes feet be growe under your yë, [ ]
  • And sende yow thanne a mirour in to pryë
  • In whiche ye may see your face a-morwe!” Skeat1900: 405
  • Nece , I bidde wisshe yow no more sorwe.’
• • 59. With this he stente, and caste adoun the heed,
  • And she bigan to breste a-wepe anoon. [ ]
  • And seyde, ‘allas, for wo! why nere I deed?
  • For of this world the feith is al agoon! Skeat1900: 410
  • Allas! what sholden straunge to me doon,
  • When he, that for my beste freend I wende,
  • Ret me to love, and sholde it me defende? [ ]
• • 60. Allas! I wolde han trusted , doutelees,
  • That if that I, thurgh my disaventure, Skeat1900: 415
  • Had loved other him or Achilles,
  • Ector, or any mannes creature,
  • Ye nolde han had no mercy ne mesure
  • On me, but alwey had me in repreve;
  • This false world, allas! who may it leve? Skeat1900: 420
• • 61. What? is this al the Ioye and al the feste?
  • Is this your reed, is this my blisful cas?
  • Is this the verray mede of your beheste ?
  • Is al this peynted proces seyd, allas!
  • Right for this fyn? O lady myn, Pallas! [ ] Skeat1900: 425
  • Thou in this dredful cas for me purveye;
  • For so astonied am I that I deye!’
• • 62. With that she gan ful sorwfully to syke;
  • ‘ A ! may it be no bet?’ quod Pandarus;
  • ‘By god, I shal no-more com here this wyke, Skeat1900: 430
  • And god to-forn, that am mistrusted thus;
  • I see ful wel that ye sette lyte of us,
  • Or of our deeth! Allas! I woful wrecche!
  • Mighte he yet live, of me is nought to recche. [ ]
• • 63. O cruel god, O dispitouse Marte, Skeat1900: 435
  • O Furies three of helle, on yow I crye!
  • So lat me never out of this hous departe,
  • If that I mente harm or vilanye !
  • But sith I see my lord mot nedes dye,
  • And I with him, here I me shryve, and seye Skeat1900: 440
  • That wikkedly ye doon us bothe deye.
• • 64. But sith it lyketh yow that I be deed,
  • By Neptunus, that god is of the see,
  • Fro this forth shal I never eten breed
  • Til I myn owene herte blood may see; Skeat1900: 445
  • For certayn , I wole deye as sone as he’—
  • And up he sterte, and on his wey he raughte,
  • Til she agayn him by the lappe caughte.
• • 65. Criseyde, which that wel neigh starf for fere,
  • So as she was the ferfulleste wight Skeat1900: 450
  • That mighte be, and herde eek with hir ere,
  • And saw the sorwful ernest of the knight,
  • And in his preyere eek saw noon unright,
  • And for the harm that mighte eek fallen more,
  • She gan to rewe, and dradde hir wonder sore; Skeat1900: 455
• • 66. And thoughte thus, ‘unhappes fallen thikke
  • Alday for love, and in swich maner cas,
  • As men ben cruel in hem-self and wikke;
  • And if this man slee here him-self, allas!
  • In my presence, it wol be no solas. Skeat1900: 460
  • What men wolde of hit deme I can nat seye;
  • It nedeth me ful sleyly for to pleye.’
• • 67. And with a sorwful syk she seyde thrye,
  • ‘A! lord! what me is tid a sory chaunce!
  • For myn estat now lyth in Iupartye, Skeat1900: 465
  • And eek myn emes lyf lyth in balaunce;
  • But nathelees, with goddes governaunce,
  • I shal so doon , myn honour shal I kepe,
  • And eek his lyf;’ and stinte for to wepe.
• • 68. ‘Of harmes two, the lesse is for to chese; Skeat1900: 470
  • Yet have I lever maken him good chere
  • In honour, than myn emes lyf to lese;
  • Ye seyn, ye no-thing elles me requere?’
  • ‘No, wis ,’ quod he, ‘myn owene nece dere.’
  • ‘Now wel,’ quod she, ‘and I wol doon my peyne; Skeat1900: 475
  • I shal myn herte ayeins my lust constreyne,
• • 69. But that I nil not holden him in honde, [ ]
  • Ne love a man, ne can I not, ne may
  • Ayeins my wil; but elles wol I fonde,
  • Myn honour sauf, plese him fro day to day; Skeat1900: 480
  • Ther-to nolde I nought ones have seyd nay,
  • But that I dredde , as in my fantasye;
  • But cesse cause, ay cesseth maladye. [ ]
• • 70. And here I make a protestacioun,
  • That in this proces if ye depper go, Skeat1900: 485
  • That certaynly, for no savacioun
  • Of yow, though that ye sterve bothe two,
  • Though al the world on o day be my fo,
  • Ne shal I never on him han other routhe.’—
  • ‘I graunte wel,’ quod Pandare , ‘by my trouthe. Skeat1900: 490
• • 71. But may I truste wel ther-to,’ quod he,
  • That, of this thing that ye han hight me here,
  • Ye wol it holden trewly un-to me?’
  • ‘Ye, doutelees ,’ quod she, ‘myn uncle dere.’
  • ‘Ne that I shal han cause in this matere,’ Skeat1900: 495
  • Quod he, ‘to pleyne, or after yow to preche?’
  • ‘Why, no, pardee; what nedeth more speche?’
• • 72. Tho fillen they in othere tales glade,
  • Til at the laste, ‘O good eem,’ quod she tho,
  • ‘For love of god , which that us bothe made, Skeat1900: 500
  • Tel me how first ye wisten of his wo:
  • Wot noon of hit but ye?’ He seyde, ‘no.’
  • ‘Can he wel speke of love?’ quod she, ‘I preye,
  • Tel me, for I the bet me shal purveye.’
• • 73. Tho Pandarus a litel gan to smyle, Skeat1900: 505
  • And seyde, ‘by my trouthe, I shal yow telle.
  • This other day, nought gon ful longe whyle, [ ]
  • In-with the paleys-gardyn, by a welle,
  • Gan he and I wel half a day to dwelle,
  • Right for to speken of an ordenaunce, Skeat1900: 510
  • How we the Grekes mighte disavaunce.
• • 74. Sone after that bigonne we to lepe,
  • And casten with our dartes to and fro,
  • Til at the laste he seyde, he wolde slepe,
  • And on the gres a-doun he leyde him tho; Skeat1900: 515
  • And I after gan rome to and fro
  • Til that I herde, as that I welk allone,
  • How he bigan ful wofully to grone.
• • 75. Tho gan I stalke him softely bihinde,
  • And sikerly, the sothe for to seyne, Skeat1900: 520
  • As I can clepe ayein now to my minde,
  • Right thus to Love he gan him for to pleyne;
  • He seyde, “lord! have routhe up-on my peyne,
  • Al have I been rebel in myn entente;
  • Now, mea culpa, lord! I me repente. [ ] Skeat1900: 525
• • 76. O god, that at thy disposicioun
  • Ledest the fyn, by Iuste purveyaunce, [ ]
  • Of every wight, my lowe confessioun
  • Accepte in gree, and send me swich penaunce [ ]
  • As lyketh thee, but from desesperaunce, Skeat1900: 530
  • That may my goost departe awey fro thee,
  • Thou be my sheld, for thy benignitee.
• • 77. For certes, lord, so sore hath she me wounded

  • 534. All eyen (eighen).

  • That stod in blak, with loking of hir yën,
  • That to myn hertes botme it is y-sounded, Skeat1900: 535
  • Thorugh which I woot that I mot nedes dyen ;
  • This is the worste, I dar me not bi-wryen ; [ ]
  • And wel the hotter been the gledes rede,
  • That men hem wryen with asshen pale and dede.” [ ]
• • 78. With that he smoot his heed adoun anoon, Skeat1900: 540
  • And gan to motre, I noot what, trewely .
  • And I with that gan stille awey to goon,
  • And leet ther-of as no-thing wist hadde I,
  • And come ayein anoon and stood him by,
  • And seyde, “a-wake, ye slepen al to longe; Skeat1900: 545
  • It semeth nat that love dooth yow longe,
• • 79. That slepen so that no man may yow wake.
  • Who sey ever or this so dul a man?”
  • “Ye, freend,” quod he, “ do ye your hedes ake
  • For love, and lat me liven as I can.” Skeat1900: 550
  • But though that he for wo was pale and wan,
  • Yet made he tho as fresh a contenaunce,
  • As though he shulde have led the newe daunce.
• • 80. This passed forth, til now, this other day,
  • It fel that I com roming al allone Skeat1900: 555
  • Into his chaumbre, and fond how that he lay
  • Up-on his bed; but man so sore grone
  • Ne herde I never, and what that was his mone,
  • Ne wiste I nought; for, as I was cominge,
  • Al sodeynly he lefte his compleyninge. Skeat1900: 560
• • 81. Of which I took somwhat suspecioun,
  • And neer I com , and fond he wepte sore;
  • And god so wis be my savacioun ,
  • As never of thing hadde I no routhe more.
  • For neither with engyn, ne with no lore, Skeat1900: 565
  • Unethes mighte I fro the deeth him kepe;
  • That yet fele I myn herte for him wepe.
• • 82. And god wot, never, sith that I was born,
  • Was I so bisy no man for to preche,
  • Ne never was to wight so depe y-sworn, Skeat1900: 570
  • Or he me tolde who mighte been his leche.
  • But now to yow rehersen al his speche,
  • Or alle his woful wordes for to soune,
  • Ne bid me not, but ye wol see me swowne .
• • 83. But for to save his lyf, and elles nought, Skeat1900: 575
  • And to non harm of yow, thus am I driven ;
  • And for the love of god that us hath wrought,
  • Swich chere him dooth, that he and I may liven.
  • Now have I plat to yow myn herte schriven;
  • And sin ye woot that myn entente is clene, Skeat1900: 580
  • Tak hede ther-of, for I non yvel mene.
• • 84. And right good thrift, I pray to god, have ye,
  • That han swich oon y-caught with-oute net;
  • And be ye wys, as ye ben fair to see,
  • Wel in the ring than is the ruby set. Skeat1900: 585
  • Ther were never two so wel y-met, [ ]
  • Whan ye ben his al hool, as he is youre:
  • Ther mighty god yet graunte us see that houre !’
• • 85. ‘Nay, therof spak I not, a, ha !’ quod she,
  • ‘As helpe me god, ye shenden every deel !’ Skeat1900: 590
  • ‘O mercy, dere nece,’ anoon quod he,
  • ‘What-so I spak, I mente nought but weel ,
  • By Mars the god, that helmed is of steel ;
  • Now beth nought wrooth, my blood, my nece dere.’
  • ‘Now wel ,’ quod she, ‘foryeven be it here!’ Skeat1900: 595
• • 86. With this he took his leve, and hoom he wente;
  • And lord, how he was glad and wel bigoon!
  • Criseyde aroos, no lenger she ne stente,
  • But straught in-to hir closet wente anoon,
  • And sette here doun as stille as any stoon, Skeat1900: 600
  • And every word gan up and doun to winde,
  • That he hadde seyd, as it com hir to minde;
• • 87. And wex somdel astonied in hir thought,
  • Right for the newe cas; but whan that she
  • Was ful avysed, tho fond she right nought Skeat1900: 605
  • Of peril, why she oughte afered be.
  • For man may love, of possibilitee,
  • A womman so, his herte may to-breste,
  • And she nought love ayein, but-if hir leste.
• • 88. But as she sat allone and thoughte thus, Skeat1900: 610
  • Thascry aroos at skarmish al with-oute, [ ]
  • And men cryde in the strete, ‘see, Troilus
  • Hath right now put to flight the Grekes route!’
  • With that gan al hir meynee for to shoute,
  • ‘A! go we see, caste up the latis wyde; [ ] Skeat1900: 615
  • For thurgh this strete he moot to palays ryde;
• • 89. For other wey is fro the yate noon
  • Of Dardanus , ther open is the cheyne.’ [ ]
  • With that com he and al his folk anoon
  • An esy pas rydinge, in routes tweyne, Skeat1900: 620
  • Right as his happy day was, sooth to seyne, [ ]
  • For which, men say, may nought disturbed be
  • That shal bityden of necessitee.
• • 90. This Troilus sat on his baye stede,
  • Al armed, save his heed, ful richely, Skeat1900: 625
  • And wounded was his hors, and gan to blede,
  • On whiche he rood a pas, ful softely; [ ]
  • But swych a knightly sighte , trewely, [ ]
  • As was on him, was nought, with-outen faile,
  • To loke on Mars, that god is of batayle. Skeat1900: 630
• • 91. So lyk a man of armes and a knight
  • He was to seen, fulfild of heigh prowesse;
  • For bothe he hadde a body and a might
  • To doon that thing, as wel as hardinesse;
  • And eek to seen him in his gere him dresse, Skeat1900: 635
  • So fresh, so yong, so weldy semed he,
  • It was an heven up-on him for to see. [ ]
• • 92. His helm to-hewen was in twenty places,
  • That by a tissew heng, his bak bihinde, [ ]
  • His sheld to-dasshed was with swerdes and maces, Skeat1900: 640
  • In which men mighte many an arwe finde
  • That thirled hadde horn and nerf and rinde; [ ]
  • And ay the peple cryde , ‘here cometh our Ioye,
  • And, next his brother, holdere up of Troye!’
• • 93. For which he wex a litel reed for shame, Skeat1900: 645
  • Whan he the peple up-on him herde cryen,
  • That to biholde it was a noble game,

  • 648. All eyen, eighen.

  • How sobreliche he caste doun his yën.
  • Cryseyda gan al his chere aspyen,
  • And leet so softe it in hir herte sinke, Skeat1900: 650
  • That to hir-self she seyde , ‘who yaf me drinke?’ [ ]
• • 94. For of hir owene thought she wex al reed,
  • Remembringe hir right thus, ‘lo, this is he
  • Which that myn uncle swereth he moot be deed,
  • But I on him have mercy and pitee;’ Skeat1900: 655
  • And with that thought, for pure a-shamed, she [ ]
  • Gan in hir heed to pulle, and that as faste,
  • Whyl he and al the peple for-by paste,
• • 95. And gan to caste and rollen up and doun
  • With-inne hir thought his excellent prowesse, Skeat1900: 660
  • And his estat, and also his renoun,
  • His wit, his shap , and eek his gentillesse;
  • But most hir favour was, for his distresse
  • Was al for hir, and thoughte it was a routhe
  • To sleen swich oon, if that he mente trouthe. Skeat1900: 665
• • 96. Now mighte som envyous Iangle thus, [ ]
  • ‘This was a sodeyn love, how mighte it be
  • That she so lightly lovede Troilus
  • Right for the firste sighte ; ye, pardee?’
  • Now who-so seyth so, mote he never thee ! Skeat1900: 670
  • For every thing, a ginning hath it nede
  • Er al be wrought, with-outen any drede.
• • 97. For I sey nought that she so sodeynly
  • Yaf him hir love, but that she gan enclyne
  • To lyke him first, and I have told yow why; Skeat1900: 675
  • And after that, his manhod and his pyne
  • Made love with-inne hir for to myne, [ ]
  • For which, by proces and by good servyse,
  • He gat hir love, and in no sodeyn wyse.
• • 98. And also blisful Venus, wel arayed, Skeat1900: 680
  • Sat in hir seventhe hous of hevene tho, [ ]
  • Disposed wel, and with aspectes payed,
  • To helpen sely Troilus of his wo.
  • And, sooth to seyn, she nas nat al a fo
  • To Troilus in his nativitee; Skeat1900: 685
  • God woot that wel the soner spedde he.
• • 99. Now lat us stinte of Troilus a throwe,
  • That rydeth forth, and lat us tourne faste
  • Un-to Criseyde, that heng hir heed ful lowe,
  • Ther-as she sat allone, and gan to caste Skeat1900: 690
  • Wher-on she wolde apoynte hir at the laste,
  • If it so were hir eem ne wolde cesse,
  • For Troilus, up-on hir for to presse.
• • 100. And, lord! so she gan in hir thought argue
  • In this matere of which I have yow told, Skeat1900: 695
  • And what to doon best were, and what eschue,
  • That plyted she ful ofte in many fold .
  • Now was hir herte warm, now was it cold,
  • And what she thoughte somwhat shal I wryte,
  • As to myn auctor listeth for to endyte . Skeat1900: 700
• • 101. She thoughte wel, that Troilus persone
  • She knew by sighte and eek his gentillesse,
  • And thus she seyde, ‘al were it nought to done,
  • To graunte him love, yet, for his worthinesse,
  • It were honour, with pley and with gladnesse, Skeat1900: 705
  • In honestee, with swich a lord to dele,
  • For myn estat, and also for his hele.
• • 102. Eek, wel wot I my kinges sone is he;
  • And sith he hath to see me swich delyt,
  • If I wolde utterly his sighte flee, Skeat1900: 710
  • Paraunter he mighte have me in dispyt,
  • Thurgh which I mighte stonde in worse plyt;
  • Now were I wys , me hate to purchace,
  • With-outen nede, ther I may stonde in grace?
• • 103. In every thing, I woot, ther lyth mesure. Skeat1900: 715
  • For though a man forbede dronkenesse, [ ]
  • He nought for-bet that every creature
  • Be drinkelees for alwey, as I gesse;
  • Eek sith I woot for me is his distresse,
  • I ne oughte not for that thing him despyse, Skeat1900: 720
  • Sith it is so, he meneth in good wyse.
• • 104. And eek I knowe, of longe tyme agoon,

  • 723. he] Cl. she (!).

  • His thewes goode, and that he is not nyce.
  • Ne avauntour , seyth men, certein, is he noon;
  • To wys is he to do so gret a vyce ; Skeat1900: 725
  • Ne als I nel him never so cheryce ,
  • That he may make avaunt, by Iuste cause;
  • He shal me never binde in swiche a clause.
• • 105. Now set a cas, the hardest is, y-wis ,
  • Men mighten deme that he loveth me: Skeat1900: 730
  • What dishonour were it un-to me, this?
  • May I him lette of that? why nay, pardee!
  • I knowe also, and alday here and see,
  • Men loven wommen al this toun aboute ;

  • 735. So Cm. H2. Ed. ; Cl. H. Cp. And whanne hem leste no more lat hem byleue.

  • Be they the wers? why, nay, with-outen doute. Skeat1900: 735
• • 106. I thenk eek how he able is for to have
  • Of al this noble toun the thriftieste ,
  • To been his love, so she hir honour save;
  • For out and out he is the worthieste,
  • Save only Ector, which that is the beste. Skeat1900: 740
  • And yet his lyf al lyth now in my cure,
  • But swich is love, and eek myn aventure.
• • 107. Ne me to love, a wonder is it nought;
  • For wel wot I my-self, so god me spede,
  • Al wolde I that noon wistë of this thought, Skeat1900: 745
  • I am oon the fayreste , out of drede, [ ]
  • And goodlieste , who-so taketh hede;
  • And so men seyn in al the toun of Troye.
  • What wonder is it though he of me have Ioye?
• • 108. I am myn owene woman, wel at ese, [ ] Skeat1900: 750
  • I thank it god, as after myn estat;
  • Right yong, and stonde unteyd in lusty lese, [ ]
  • With-outen Ialousye or swich debat;
  • Shal noon housbonde seyn to me “chekmat!” [ ]
  • For either they ben ful of Ialousye, Skeat1900: 755
  • Or maisterful, or loven novelrye.
• • 109. What shal I doon? to what fyn live I thus?
  • Shal I nat loven, in cas if that me leste ?
  • What, par dieux ! I am nought religious! [ ]
  • And though that I myn herte sette at reste Skeat1900: 760
  • Upon this knight, that is the worthieste,
  • And kepe alwey myn honour and my name,
  • By alle right, it may do me no shame.’
• • 110. But right as whan the sonne shyneth brighte ,
  • In March , that chaungeth ofte tyme his face, Skeat1900: 765
  • And that a cloud is put with wind to flighte
  • Which over-sprat the sonne as for a space, [ ]
  • A cloudy thought gan thorugh hir soule pace,
  • That over-spradde hir brighte thoughtes alle,
  • So that for fere almost she gan to falle. Skeat1900: 770
• • 111. That thought was this, ‘allas! sin I am free,
  • Sholde I now love, and putte in Iupartye
  • My sikernesse, and thrallen libertee?
  • Allas! how dorste I thenken that folye?
  • May I nought wel in other folk aspye Skeat1900: 775
  • Hir dredful Ioye, hir constreynt, and hir peyne?
  • Ther loveth noon, that she nath why to pleyne. [ ]
• • 112. For love is yet the moste stormy lyf,
  • Right of him-self, that ever was bigonne;
  • For ever som mistrust, or nyce stryf, Skeat1900: 780
  • Ther is in love, som cloud is over the sonne:
  • Ther-to we wrecched wommen no-thing conne,
  • Whan us is wo, but wepe and sitte and thinke;
  • Our wreche is this, our owene wo to drinke. [ ]
• • 113. Also these wikked tonges been so prest Skeat1900: 785
  • To speke us harm, eek men be so untrewe,
  • That, right anoon as cessed is hir lest,
  • So cesseth love, and forth to love a newe:
  • But harm y-doon, is doon, who-so it rewe.
  • For though these men for love hem first to-rende, Skeat1900: 790
  • Ful sharp biginning breketh ofte at ende.
• • 114. How ofte tyme hath it y-knowen be,
  • The treson, that to womman hath be do?
  • To what fyn is swich love, I can nat see,
  • Or wher bicomth it, whan it is ago ; Skeat1900: 795
  • Ther is no wight that woot, I trowe so,
  • Wher it bycomth ; lo, no wight on it sporneth; [ ]
  • That erst was no-thing, in-to nought it torneth.
• • 115. How bisy, if I love, eek moste I be
  • To plesen hem that Iangle of love, and demen , Skeat1900: 800
  • And coye hem, that they sey non harm of me?
  • For though ther be no cause, yet hem semen [ ]
  • Al be for harm that folk hir freendes quemen;
  • And who may stoppen every wikked tonge ,
  • Or soun of belles whyl that they be ronge ?’ Skeat1900: 805
• • 116. And after that, hir thought bigan to clere,
  • And seyde, ‘he which that no-thing under-taketh, [ ]
  • No thing ne acheveth, be him looth or dere.’
  • And with an other thought hir herte quaketh;
  • Than slepeth hope, and after dreed awaketh; Skeat1900: 810
  • Now hoot, now cold; but thus, bi-twixen tweye,
  • She rist hir up, and went hir for to pleye.
• • 117. Adoun the steyre anoon-right tho she wente
  • In-to the gardin, with hir neces three,
  • And up and doun ther made many a wente, Skeat1900: 815
  • Flexippe, she, Tharbe, and Antigone,
  • To pleyen, that it Ioye was to see;
  • And othere of hir wommen, a gret route,
  • Hir folwede in the gardin al aboute.
• • 118. This yerd was large, and rayled alle the aleyes, Skeat1900: 820
  • And shadwed wel with blosmy bowes grene ,
  • And benched newe, and sonded alle the weyes,
  • In which she walketh arm in arm bi-twene;
  • Til at the laste Antigone the shene
  • Gan on a Troian song to singe clere, Skeat1900: 825
  • That it an heven was hir voys to here.—
• • 119. She seyde, ‘O love, to whom I have and shal
  • Ben humble subgit, trewe in myn entente,
  • As I best can, to yow, lord, yeve ich al
  • For ever-more, myn hertes lust to rente. [ ] Skeat1900: 830
  • For never yet thy grace no wight sente [ ]
  • So blisful cause as me, my lyf to lede
  • In alle Ioye and seurtee, out of drede.
• • 120. Ye , blisful god, han me so wel beset
  • In love, y-wis, that al that bereth lyf Skeat1900: 835
  • Imaginen ne cowde how to ben bet;
  • For, lord, with-outen Ialousye or stryf,
  • I love oon which that is most ententyf
  • To serven wel, unwery or unfeyned,
  • That ever was, and leest with harm distreyned. Skeat1900: 840
• • 121. As he that is the welle of worthinesse,
  • Of trouthe ground, mirour of goodliheed,
  • Of wit Appollo, stoon of sikernesse ,
  • Of vertu rote, of lust findere and heed,
  • Thurgh which is alle sorwe fro me deed, Skeat1900: 845
  • Y-wis, I love him best, so doth he me;
  • Now good thrift have he, wher-so that he be!
• • 122. Whom sholde I thanke but yow, god of love,
  • Of al this blisse, in which to bathe I ginne?
  • And thanked be ye, lord, for that I love! Skeat1900: 850
  • This is the righte lyf that I am inne,
  • To flemen alle manere vyce and sinne:
  • This doth me so to vertu for to entende,
  • That day by day I in my wil amende.
• • 123. And who-so seyth that for to love is vyce, Skeat1900: 855
  • Or thraldom, though he fele in it distressse,

  • 857. Cf. l. 666.

  • He outher is envyous, or right nyce,
  • Or is unmighty, for his shrewednesse,
  • To loven; for swich maner folk, I gesse,
  • Defamen love, as no-thing of him knowe; Skeat1900: 860
  • They speken, but they bente never his bowe. [ ]
• • 124. What is the sonne wers, of kinde righte ,
  • Though that a man, for feblesse of his yën,
  • May nought endure on it to see for brighte?
  • Or love the wers, though wrecches on it cryen? Skeat1900: 865
  • No wele is worth, that may no sorwe dryen. [ ]
  • And for-thy, who that hath an heed of verre, [ ]
  • Fro cast of stones war him in the werre!
• • 125. But I with al myn herte and al my might,
  • As I have seyd, wol love, un-to my laste, Skeat1900: 870
  • My dere herte, and al myn owene knight,
  • In which myn herte growen is so faste,
  • And his in me, that it shal ever laste.
  • Al dredde I first to love him to biginne,
  • Now woot I wel, ther is no peril inne.’ Skeat1900: 875
• • 126. And of hir song right with that word she stente ,
  • And therwith-al, ‘now, nece,’ quod Criseyde,
  • ‘Who made this song with so good entente?’
  • Antigone answerde anoon, and seyde,
  • ‘Ma dame, y-wis, the goodlieste mayde Skeat1900: 880
  • Of greet estat in al the toun of Troye;
  • And let hir lyf in most honour and Ioye.’ [ ]
• • 127. ‘Forsothe, so it semeth by hir song,’

  • 884. See note.

  • Quod tho Criseyde, and gan ther-with to syke, [ ]
  • And seyde, ‘lord, is there swich blisse among Skeat1900: 885
  • These lovers, as they conne faire endyte?’
  • ‘Ye, wis,’ quod fresh Antigone the whyte,
  • ‘For alle the folk that han or been on lyve
  • Ne conne wel the blisse of love discryve.
• • 128. But wene ye that every wrecche woot Skeat1900: 890
  • The parfit blisse of love? why, nay, y-wis;
  • They wenen al be love, if oon be hoot;
  • Do wey, do wey, they woot no-thing of this!
  • Men mosten axe at seyntes if it is
  • Aught fair in hevene; why? for they conne telle; Skeat1900: 895
  • And axen fendes, is it foul in helle.’
• • 129. Criseyde un-to that purpos nought answerde,
  • But seyde, ‘y-wis, it wol be night as faste.’
  • But every word which that she of hir herde,
  • She gan to prenten in hir herte faste; Skeat1900: 900
  • And ay gan love hir lasse for to agaste
  • Than it dide erst, and sinken in hir herte,
  • That she wex somwhat able to converte.
• • 130. The dayes honour, and the hevenes yë,
  • The nightes fo, al this clepe I the sonne, Skeat1900: 905
  • Gan westren faste, and dounward for to wrye,
  • As he that hadde his dayes cours y-ronne;
  • And whyte thinges wexen dimme and donne
  • For lak of light, and sterres for to appere ,
  • That she and al hir folk in wente y-fere. Skeat1900: 910
• • 131. So whan it lyked hir to goon to reste,
  • And voyded weren they that voyden oughte,
  • She seyde, that to slepe wel hir leste.
  • Hir wommen sone til hir bed hir broughte.
  • Whan al was hust, than lay she stille, and thoughte Skeat1900: 915
  • Of al this thing the manere and the wyse.
  • Reherce it nedeth nought, for ye ben wyse.
• • 132. A nightingale, upon a cedre grene,
  • Under the chambre-wal ther as she lay,
  • Ful loude sang ayein the mone shene, [ ] Skeat1900: 920
  • Paraunter, in his briddes wyse, a lay
  • Of love, that made hir herte fresh and gay.
  • That herkned she so longe in good entente,
  • Til at the laste the dede sleep hir hente.
• • 133. And, as she sleep, anoon-right tho hir mette, Skeat1900: 925
  • How that an egle, fethered whyt as boon,
  • Under hir brest his longe clawes sette,
  • And out hir herte he rente, and that a-noon,
  • And dide his herte in-to hir brest to goon,
  • Of which she nought agroos ne no-thing smerte, Skeat1900: 930
  • And forth he fleigh, with herte left for herte.
• • 134. Now lat hir slepe, and we our tales holde
  • Of Troilus, that is to paleys riden,
  • Fro the scarmuch , of the whiche I tolde,
  • And in his chambre sit, and hath abiden Skeat1900: 935
  • Til two or three of his messages yeden
  • For Pandarus, and soughten him ful faste,
  • Til they him founde, and broughte him at the laste .
• • 135. This Pandarus com leping in at ones
  • And seide thus, ‘who hath ben wel y-bete Skeat1900: 940
  • To-day with swerdes, and with slinge-stones ,
  • But Troilus, that hath caught him an hete?’
  • And gan to Iape, and seyde, ‘lord, so ye swete!
  • But rys, and lat us soupe and go to reste;’
  • And he answerde him, ‘do we as thee leste.’ Skeat1900: 945
• • 136. With al the haste goodly that they mighte,
  • They spedde hem fro the souper un-to bedde;
  • And every wight out at the dore him dighte,
  • And wher him list upon his wey he spedde;
  • But Troilus, that thoughte his herte bledde Skeat1900: 950
  • For wo, til that he herde som tydinge,
  • He seyde, ‘freend, shal I now wepe or singe?’
• • 137. Quod Pandarus, ‘ly stille, and lat me slepe,
  • And don thyn hood, thy nedes spedde be;
  • And chese, if thou wolt singe or daunce or lepe; Skeat1900: 955
  • At shorte wordes, thow shalt trowe me.—

  • 957. So all.

  • Sire, my nece wol do wel by thee,
  • And love thee best, by god and by my trouthe,
  • But lak of pursuit make it in thy slouthe. [ ]
• • 138. For thus ferforth I have thy work bigonne, Skeat1900: 960
  • Fro day to day, til this day, by the morwe,
  • Hir love of freendship have I to thee wonne,
  • And also hath she leyd hir feyth to borwe.
  • Algate a foot is hameled of thy sorwe.’ [ ]
  • What sholde I lenger sermon of it holde? Skeat1900: 965
  • As ye han herd bifore, al he him tolde.
• • 139. But right as floures, thorugh the colde of night
  • Y-closed, stoupen on hir stalkes lowe,
  • Redressen hem a-yein the sonne bright,
  • And spreden on hir kinde cours by rowe; Skeat1900: 970
  • Right so gan tho his eyen up to throwe
  • This Troilus, and seyde, ‘O Venus dere,
  • Thy might, thy grace, y-heried be it here!’
• • 140. And to Pandare he held up bothe his hondes,
  • And seyde, ‘lord, al thyn be that I have; Skeat1900: 975
  • For I am hool, al brosten been my bondes ;
  • A thousand Troians who so that me yave,
  • Eche after other, god so wis me save,
  • Ne mighte me so gladen; lo, myn herte,
  • It spredeth so for Ioye, it wol to-sterte! Skeat1900: 980
• • 141. But lord, how shal I doon, how shal I liven?
  • Whan shal I next my dere herte see?
  • How shal this longe tyme a-wey be driven ,
  • Til that thou be ayein at hir fro me?
  • Thou mayst answere, “a-byd, a-byd,” but he Skeat1900: 985
  • That hangeth by the nekke, sooth to seyne,
  • In grete disese abydeth for the peyne.’
• • 142. ‘Al esily, now, for the love of Marte,’
  • Quod Pandarus, ‘for every thing hath tyme;
  • So longe abyd til that the night departe; Skeat1900: 990
  • For al so siker as thow lyst here by me,
  • And god toforn, I wol be there at pryme,
  • And for thy werk somwhat as I shal seye,
  • Or on som other wight this charge leye.
• • 143. For pardee, god wot, I have ever yit Skeat1900: 995
  • Ben redy thee to serve, and to this night
  • Have I nought fayned, but emforth my wit
  • Don al thy lust, and shal with al my might.
  • Do now as I shal seye, and fare a-right;
  • And if thou nilt, wyte al thy-self thy care, Skeat1900: 1000
  • On me is nought along thyn yvel fare. [ ]
• • 144. I woot wel that thow wyser art than I
  • A thousand fold, but if I were as thou,
  • God helpe me so, as I wolde outrely,
  • Right of myn owene hond, wryte hir right now Skeat1900: 1005
  • A lettre, in which I wolde hir tellen how
  • I ferde amis, and hir beseche of routhe;
  • Now help thy-self, and leve it not for slouthe.
• • 145. And I my-self shal ther-with to hir goon;
  • And whan thou wost that I am with hir there, Skeat1900: 1010
  • Worth thou up-on a courser right anoon,
  • Ye, hardily, right in thy beste gere,
  • And ryd forth by the place, as nought ne were,
  • And thou shalt finde us, if I may, sittinge
  • At som windowe, in-to the strete lokinge. Skeat1900: 1015
• • 146. And if thee list , than maystow us saluwe,
  • And up-on me makë thy contenaunce; [ ]
  • But, by thy lyf, be war and faste eschuwe
  • To tarien ought, god shilde us fro mischaunce!
  • Ryd forth thy wey, and hold thy governaunce; Skeat1900: 1020
  • And we shal speke of thee som-what, I trowe,
  • Whan thou art goon, to do thyne eres glowe! [ ]
• • 147. Touching thy lettre, thou art wys y-nough,
  • I woot thow nilt it digneliche endyte;
  • As make it with thise argumentes tough ; Skeat1900: 1025
  • Ne scrivenish or craftily thou it wryte; [ ]
  • Beblotte it with thy teres eek a lyte; [ ]
  • And if thou wryte a goodly word al softe,
  • Though it be good, reherce it not to ofte.
• • 148. For though the beste harpour upon lyve Skeat1900: 1030
  • Wolde on the beste souned Ioly harpe
  • That ever was, with alle his fingres fyve,
  • Touche ay o streng, or ay o werbul harpe, [ ]
  • Were his nayles poynted never so sharpe,
  • It shulde maken every wight to dulle, Skeat1900: 1035
  • To here his glee, and of his strokes fulle.
• • 149. Ne Iompre eek no discordaunt thing y-fere,
  • As thus, to usen termes of phisyk;
  • In loves termes, hold of thy matere
  • The forme alwey, and do that it be lyk; Skeat1900: 1040
  • For if a peyntour wolde peynte a pyk [ ]
  • With asses feet, and hede it as an ape,
  • It cordeth nought; so nere it but a Iape.’
• • 150. This counseyl lyked wel to Troilus;
  • But, as a dreedful lover, he seyde this:— Skeat1900: 1045
  • ‘Allas, my dere brother Pandarus,
  • I am ashamed for to wryte, y-wis,
  • Lest of myn innocence I seyde a-mis,
  • Or that she nolde it for despyt receyve; Skeat1900: 1049
  • Thanne were I deed, ther mighte it no-thing weyve.’
• • 151. To that Pandare answerde , ‘if thee lest ,
  • Do that I seye, and lat me therwith goon;
  • For by that lord that formed est and west,
  • I hope of it to bringe answere anoon
  • Right of hir hond, and if that thou nilt noon, Skeat1900: 1055
  • Lat be; and sory mote he been his lyve,
  • Ayeins thy lust that helpeth thee to thryve.’
• • 152. Quod Troilus, ‘ Depardieux, I assente;
  • Sin that thee list, I will aryse and wryte;
  • And blisful god preye ich , with good entente, Skeat1900: 1060
  • The vyage, and the lettre I shal endyte,
  • So spede it; and thou, Minerva, the whyte, [ ]
  • Yif thou me wit my lettre to devyse:’
  • And sette him doun, and wroot right in this wyse.—
• • 153. First he gan hir his righte lady calle, Skeat1900: 1065
  • His hertes lyf, his lust, his sorwes leche ,
  • His blisse, and eek this othere termes alle,
  • That in swich cas these loveres alle seche;
  • And in ful humble wyse, as in his speche,
  • He gan him recomaunde un-to hir grace; Skeat1900: 1070
  • To telle al how, it axeth muchel space.
• • 154. And after this , ful lowly he hir prayde
  • To be nought wrooth, though he, of his folye,
  • So hardy was to hir to wryte, and seyde,
  • That love it made, or elles moste he dye, [ ] Skeat1900: 1075
  • And pitously gan mercy for to crye;
  • And after that he seyde, and ley ful loude,
  • Him-self was litel worth, and lesse he coude;
• • 155. And that she sholde han his conning excused,
  • That litel was, and eek he dredde hir so, Skeat1900: 1080
  • And his unworthinesse he ay acused;
  • And after that, than gan he telle his wo;
  • But that was endeles, with-outen ho;
  • And seyde, he wolde in trouthe alwey him holde;—
  • And radde it over, and gan the lettre folde. Skeat1900: 1085
• • 156. And with his salte teres gan he bathe
  • The ruby in his signet, and it sette
  • Upon the wex deliverliche and rathe;
  • Ther-with a thousand tymes, er he lette,
  • He kiste tho the lettre that he shette, Skeat1900: 1090
  • And seyde, ‘lettre, a blisful destenee
  • Thee shapen is, my lady shal thee see.’
• • 157. This Pandare took the lettre, and that by tyme
  • A-morwe, and to his neces paleys sterte,
  • And faste he swoor, that it was passed pryme, Skeat1900: 1095
  • And gan to Iape, and seyde, ‘y-wis, myn herte,
  • So fresh it is, al-though it sore smerte,
  • I may not slepe never a Mayes morwe;
  • I have a Ioly wo, a lusty sorwe.’
• • 158. Criseyde, whan that she hir uncle herde, Skeat1900: 1100
  • With dreedful herte, and desirous to here
  • The cause of his cominge, thus answerde,
  • ‘Now by your feyth, myn uncle,’ quod she, ‘dere,
  • What maner windes gydeth yow now here?
  • Tel us your Ioly wo and your penaunce, Skeat1900: 1105
  • How ferforth be ye put in loves daunce.’
• • 159. ‘By god,’ quod he, ‘I hoppe alwey bihinde!’ [ ]
  • And she to-laugh , it thoughte hir herte breste . [ ]
  • Quod Pandarus, ‘loke alwey that ye finde
  • Game in myn hood, but herkneth, if yow leste; Skeat1900: 1110
  • Ther is right now come in-to toune a geste,
  • A Greek espye, and telleth newe thinges,
  • For which come I to telle yow tydinges.
• • 160. Into the gardin go we, and we shal here,
  • Al prevely, of this a long sermoun.’ Skeat1900: 1115
  • With that they wenten arm in arm y-fere
  • In-to the gardin from the chaumbre doun.
  • And whan that he so fer was that the soun
  • Of that he speke , no man here mighte, [ ]
  • He seyde hir thus, and out the lettre plighte, Skeat1900: 1120
• • 161. ‘Lo, he that is al hoolly youres free
  • Him recomaundeth lowly to your grace,
  • And sent to you this lettre here by me; [ ]
  • Avyseth you on it, whan ye han space,
  • And of som goodly answere yow purchace; Skeat1900: 1125
  • Or, helpe me god, so pleynly for to seyne,
  • He may not longe liven for his peyne.’
• • 162. Ful dredfully tho gan she stonde stille,
  • And took it nought, but al hir humble chere
  • Gan for to chaunge, and seyde, ‘ scrit ne bille, Skeat1900: 1130
  • For love of god, that toucheth swich matere,
  • Ne bring me noon; and also, uncle dere,
  • To myn estat have more reward, I preye,
  • Than to his lust; what sholde I more seye?
• • 163. And loketh now if this be resonable, Skeat1900: 1135
  • And letteth nought, for favour ne for slouthe,
  • To seyn a sooth; now were it covenable
  • To myn estat, by god, and by your trouthe,
  • To taken it, or to han of him routhe,
  • In harming of my-self or in repreve? Skeat1900: 1140
  • Ber it a-yein, for him that ye on leve!’
• • 164. This Pandarus gan on hir for to stare,
  • And seyde, ‘now is this the grettest wonder
  • That ever I sey! lat be this nyce fare!
  • To deethe mote I smiten be with thonder, Skeat1900: 1145
  • If, for the citee which that stondeth yonder,
  • Wolde I a lettre un-to yow bringe or take
  • To harm of yow; what list yow thus it make?
• • 165. But thus ye faren, wel neigh alle and some,
  • That he that most desireth yow to serve, Skeat1900: 1150
  • Of him ye recche leest wher he bicome,
  • And whether that he live or elles sterve.
  • But for al that that ever I may deserve,
  • Refuse it nought,’ quod he, and hente hir faste,
  • And in hir bosom the lettre doun he thraste , Skeat1900: 1155
• • 166. And seyde hir, ‘now cast it away anoon ,
  • That folk may seen and gauren on us tweye.’
  • Quod she, ‘I can abyde til they be goon,’
  • And gan to smyle, and seyde him , ‘eem, I preye,
  • Swich answere as yow list your-self purveye, Skeat1900: 1160

  • 1161. Cl. Ed. wol.

  • For trewely I nil no lettre wryte.’
  • ‘No? than wol I,’ quod he, ‘so ye endyte.’
• • 167. Therwith she lough, and seyde, ‘go we dyne.’
  • And he gan at him-self to iape faste,
  • And seyde, ‘nece, I have so greet a pyne Skeat1900: 1165
  • For love, that every other day I faste’—
  • And gan his beste Iapes forth to caste;
  • And made hir so to laughe at his folye,
  • That she for laughter wende for to dye.
• • 168. And whan that she was comen in-to halle, Skeat1900: 1170
  • ‘Now, eem,’ quod she, ‘we wol go dyne anoon;
  • And gan some of hir women to hir calle,
  • And streyght in-to hir chaumbre gan she goon;
  • But of hir besinesses , this was oon
  • A-monges othere thinges, out of drede, Skeat1900: 1175
  • Ful prively this lettre for to rede;
• • 169. Avysed word by word in every lyne, [ ]
  • And fond no lak, she thoughte he coude good;
  • And up it putte, and went hir in to dyne.
  • And Pandarus, that in a study stood, Skeat1900: 1180
  • Er he was war, she took him by the hood,
  • And seyde, ‘ye were caught er that ye wiste;’
  • ‘I vouche sauf,’ quod he, ‘do what yow liste.’
• • 170. Tho wesshen they, and sette hem doun and ete;
  • And after noon ful sleyly Pandarus Skeat1900: 1185
  • Gan drawe him to the window next the strete,
  • And seyde, ‘nece, who hath arayed thus
  • The yonder hous, that stant afor-yeyn us?’
  • ‘Which hous?’ quod she, and gan for to biholde,
  • And knew it wel, and whos it was him tolde, Skeat1900: 1190
• • 171. And fillen forth in speche of thinges smale,
  • And seten in the window bothe tweye.
  • Whan Pandarus saw tyme un-to his tale,
  • And saw wel that hir folk were alle aweye,
  • ‘Now, nece myn, tel on,’ quod he, ‘I seye, Skeat1900: 1195
  • How lyketh yow the lettre that ye woot?
  • Can he ther-on? for, by my trouthe, I noot.’
• • 172. Therwith al rosy hewed tho wex she,
  • And gan to humme, and seyde, ‘so I trowe.’
  • ‘Aquyte him wel, for goddes love,’ quod he; Skeat1900: 1200
  • ‘My-self to medes wol the lettre sowe,’ [ ]
  • And held his hondes up, and sat on knowe,
  • ‘Now, goode nece, be it never so lyte,
  • Yif me the labour, it to sowe and plyte.’
• • 173. ‘Ye, for I can so wryte,’ quod she tho; Skeat1900: 1205
  • ‘And eek I noot what I sholde to him seye.’
  • ‘Nay, nece,’ quod Pandare, ‘sey not so;
  • Yet at the leste thanketh him, I preye,
  • Of his good wil, and doth him not to deye.
  • Now for the love of me, my nece dere, Skeat1900: 1210
  • Refuseth not at this tyme my preyere.’
• • 174. ‘ Depar-dieux, ’ quod she, ‘god leve al be wel!
  • God helpe me so, this is the firste lettre
  • That ever I wroot , ye, al or any del.’
  • And in-to a closet, for to avyse hir bettre, Skeat1900: 1215
  • She wente allone, and gan hir herte unfettre
  • Out of disdaynes prison but a lyte;
  • And sette hir doun, and gan a lettre wryte,
• • 175. Of which to telle in short is myn entente
  • Theffect, as fer as I can understonde:— Skeat1900: 1220
  • She thonked him of al that he wel mente
  • Towardes hir, but holden him in honde
  • She nolde nought, ne make hir-selven bonde
  • In love, but as his suster, him to plese,
  • She wolde fayn, to doon his herte an ese. Skeat1900: 1225
• • 176. She shette it, and to Pandarus gan goon,
  • There as he sat and loked in-to strete,
  • And doun she sette hir by him on a stoon
  • Of Iaspre, up-on a quisshin gold y-bete, [ ]
  • And seyde, ‘as wisly helpe me god the grete, Skeat1900: 1230
  • I never dide a thing with more peyne
  • Than wryte this, to which ye me constreyne;’
• • 177. And took it him: he thonked hir and seyde,
  • ‘God woot, of thing ful ofte looth bigonne
  • Cometh ende good; and nece myn, Criseyde, Skeat1900: 1235
  • That ye to him of hard now ben y-wonne
  • Oughte he be glad, by god and yonder sonne!
  • For-why men seyth, “ impressiounes lighte [ ]
  • Ful lightly been ay redy to the flighte.”
• • 178. But ye han pleyed tyraunt neigh to longe, Skeat1900: 1240
  • And hard was it your herte for to grave;
  • Now stint, that ye no longer on it honge,
  • Al wolde ye the forme of daunger save.
  • But hasteth yow to doon him Ioye have;
  • For trusteth wel, to longe y-doon hardnesse Skeat1900: 1245
  • Causeth despyt ful often, for distresse.’
• • 179. And right as they declamed this matere,
  • Lo, Troilus, right at the stretes ende,
  • Com ryding with his tenthe some y-fere, [ ]
  • Al softely , and thiderward gan bende Skeat1900: 1250
  • Ther-as they sete, as was his wey to wende
  • To paleys-ward ; and Pandare him aspyde,
  • And seyde, ‘nece, y-see who cometh here ryde!
• • 180. O flee not in, he seeth us, I suppose;
  • Lest he may thinke that ye him eschuwe.’ Skeat1900: 1255
  • ‘Nay, nay,’ quod she, and wex as reed as rose .
  • With that he gan hir humbly to saluwe,
  • With dreedful chere, and ofte his hewes muwe;
  • And up his look debonairly he caste,
  • And bekked on Pandare, and forth he paste. Skeat1900: 1260
• • 181. God woot if he sat on his hors a-right,
  • Or goodly was beseyn, that ilke day!
  • God woot wher he was lyk a manly knight!
  • What sholde I drecche, or telle of his aray?
  • Criseyde, which that alle these thinges say, Skeat1900: 1265
  • To telle in short, hir lyked al y-fere,
  • His persone, his aray, his look, his chere,
• • 182. His goodly manere and his gentillesse,
  • So wel, that never, sith that she was born,
  • Ne hadde she swich routhe of his distresse; Skeat1900: 1270
  • And how-so she hath hard ben her-biforn,
  • To god hope I, she hath now caught a thorn.
  • She shal not pulle it out this nexte wyke;
  • God sende mo swich thornes on to pyke! [ ]
• • 183. Pandare, which that stood hir faste by, Skeat1900: 1275
  • Felte iren hoot, and he bigan to smyte, [ ]
  • And seyde, ‘nece, I pray yow hertely,
  • Tel me that I shal axen yow a lyte.
  • A womman, that were of his deeth to wyte,
  • With-outen his gilt, but for hir lakked routhe, Skeat1900: 1280
  • Were it wel doon?’ Quod she, ‘nay, by my trouthe!’
• • 184. ‘God helpe me so,’ quod he, ‘ye sey me sooth.
  • Ye felen wel your-self that I not lye;
  • Lo, yond he rit !’ Quod she, ‘ ye , so he dooth.’
  • ‘Wel,’ quod Pandare, ‘as I have told yow thrye, Skeat1900: 1285
  • Lat be your nyce shame and your folye,
  • And spek with him in esing of his herte;
  • Lat nycetee not do yow bothe smerte.’
• • 185. But ther-on was to heven and to done; [ ]
  • Considered al thing, it may not be; Skeat1900: 1290
  • And why, for shame; and it were eek to sone [ ]
  • To graunten him so greet a libertee.
  • ‘For playnly hir entente,’ as seyde she,
  • Was for to love him unwist, if she mighte, [ ]
  • And guerdon him with no-thing but with sighte.’ Skeat1900: 1295
• • 186. But Pandarus thoughte, ‘it shal not be so,
  • If that I may; this nyce opinioun
  • Shal not be holden fully yeres two.’
  • What sholde I make of this a long sermoun?
  • He moste assente on that conclusioun Skeat1900: 1300
  • As for the tyme; and whan that it was eve,
  • And al was wel, he roos and took his leve.
• • 187. And on his wey ful faste homward he spedde,
  • And right for Ioye he felte his herte daunce;
  • And Troilus he fond alone a-bedde, Skeat1900: 1305
  • That lay as dooth these loveres, in a traunce,
  • Bitwixen hope and derk desesperaunce.
  • But Pandarus, right at his in-cominge,
  • He song, as who seyth, ‘ lo ! sumwhat I bringe.’
• • 188. And seyde, ‘who is in his bed so sone Skeat1900: 1310
  • Y-buried thus?’ ‘It am I, freend,’ quod he.
  • ‘Who, Troilus? nay helpe me so the mone,’
  • Quod Pandarus, ‘thou shalt aryse and see
  • A charme that was sent right now to thee,
  • The which can helen thee of thyn accesse, [ ] Skeat1900: 1315
  • If thou do forth-with al thy besinesse.’
• • 189. ‘Ye, through the might of god!’ quod Troilus.
  • And Pandarus gan him the lettre take,
  • And seyde, ‘pardee, god hath holpen us;
  • Have here a light, and loke on al this blake .’ Skeat1900: 1320
  • But ofte gan the herte glade and quake
  • Of Troilus, whyl that he gan it rede,
  • So as the wordes yave him hope or drede.
• • 190. But fynally, he took al for the beste
  • That she him wroot, for sumwhat he biheld Skeat1900: 1325
  • On which, him thoughte, he mighte his herte reste,
  • Al covered she the wordes under sheld.
  • Thus to the more worthy part he held,
  • That, what for hope and Pandarus biheste ,
  • His grete wo for-yede he at the leste. Skeat1900: 1330
• • 191. But as we may alday our-selven see,
  • Through more wode or col, the more fyr;
  • Right so encrees of hope, of what it be,
  • Therwith ful ofte encreseth eek desyr;
  • Or, as an ook cometh of a litel spyr, Skeat1900: 1335
  • So through this lettre, which that she him sente,
  • Encresen gan desyr, of which he brente.
• • 192. Wherfore I seye alwey, that day and night
  • This Troilus gan to desiren more
  • Than he dide erst, thurgh hope, and dide his might Skeat1900: 1340
  • To pressen on, as by Pandarus lore,
  • And wryten to hir of his sorwes sore
  • Fro day to day; he leet it not refreyde, [ ]
  • That by Pandare he wroot somwhat or seyde;
• • 193. And dide also his othere observaunces Skeat1900: 1345
  • That to a lovere longeth in this cas;
  • And, after that these dees turnede on chaunces,
  • So was he outher glad or seyde ‘allas!’
  • And held after his gestes ay his pas; [ ]
  • And aftir swiche answeres as he hadde, Skeat1900: 1350
  • So were his dayes sory outher gladde.
• • 194. But to Pandare alwey was his recours,
  • And pitously gan ay til him to pleyne,
  • And him bisoughte of rede and som socours;
  • And Pandarus, that sey his wode peyne, Skeat1900: 1355
  • Wex wel neigh deed for routhe, sooth to seyne,
  • And bisily with al his herte caste
  • Som of his wo to sleen, and that as faste;
• • 195. And seyde, ‘lord, and freend, and brother dere,
  • God woot that thy disese dooth me wo. Skeat1900: 1360
  • But woltow stinten al this woful chere,
  • And, by my trouthe, or it be dayes two,
  • And god to-forn, yet shal I shape it so,
  • That thou shalt come in-to a certayn place,
  • Ther-as thou mayst thy-self hir preye of grace. Skeat1900: 1365
• • 196. And certainly, I noot if thou it wost,
  • But tho that been expert in love it seye,
  • It is oon of the thinges that furthereth most,
  • A man to have a leyser for to preye,
  • And siker place his wo for to biwreye; Skeat1900: 1370
  • For in good herte it moot som routhe impresse,
  • To here and see the giltles in distresse.
• • 197. Paraunter thenkestow: though it be so
  • That kinde wolde doon hir to biginne
  • To han a maner routhe up-on my wo, Skeat1900: 1375
  • Seyth Daunger, “Nay, thou shalt me never winne;
  • So reuleth hir hir hertes goost with-inne,
  • That, though she bende, yet she stant on rote;
  • What in effect is this un-to my bote?”
• • 198. Thenk here-ayeins, whan that the sturdy ook, Skeat1900: 1380
  • On which men hakketh ofte, for the nones,
  • Receyved hath the happy falling strook,
  • The grete sweigh doth it come al at ones,
  • As doon these rokkes or these milne-stones .
  • For swifter cours cometh thing that is of wighte, Skeat1900: 1385
  • Whan it descendeth, than don thinges lighte.
• • 199. And reed that boweth doun for every blast,
  • Ful lightly, cesse wind, it wol aryse;
  • But so nil not an ook whan it is cast;
  • It nedeth me nought thee longe to forbyse. [ ] Skeat1900: 1390
  • Men shal reioysen of a greet empryse
  • Acheved wel, and stant with-outen doute,
  • Al han men been the lenger ther-aboute.
• • 200. But, Troilus, yet tel me, if thee lest ,
  • A thing now which that I shal axen thee; Skeat1900: 1395
  • Which is thy brother that thou lovest best
  • As in thy verray hertes privetee?’
  • ‘Y-wis, my brother Deiphebus,’ quod he. [ ]
  • ‘Now,’ quod Pandare, ‘er houres twyes twelve,
  • He shal thee ese, unwist of it him-selve. Skeat1900: 1400
• • 201. Now lat me allone , and werken as I may,’
  • Quod he; and to Deiphebus wente he tho
  • Which hadde his lord and grete freend ben ay;
  • Save Troilus, no man he lovede so.
  • To telle in short, with-outen wordes mo, Skeat1900: 1405
  • Quod Pandarus, ‘I pray yow that ye be
  • Freend to a cause which that toucheth me.’
• • 202. ‘Yis, pardee,’ quod Deiphebus, ‘wel thow wost,
  • In al that ever I may, and god to-fore ,
  • Al nere it but for man I love most, [ ] Skeat1900: 1410
  • My brother Troilus; but sey wherfore
  • It is; for sith that day that I was bore,
  • I nas , ne never-mo to been I thinke,
  • Ayeins a thing that mighte thee for-thinke.’
• • 203. Pandare gan him thonke, and to him seyde, Skeat1900: 1415
  • ‘Lo, sire, I have a lady in this toun,
  • That is my nece, and called is Criseyde,
  • Which som men wolden doon oppressioun,
  • And wrongfully have hir possessioun:
  • Wherfor I of your lordship yow biseche Skeat1900: 1420
  • To been our freend, with-oute more speche.’
• • 204. Deiphebus him answerde, ‘O, is not this,
  • That thow spekest of to me thus straungely,
  • Crisëyda, my freend?’ He seyde, ‘Yis.’
  • ‘Than nedeth,’ quod Deiphebus hardely, Skeat1900: 1425
  • Na-more to speke, for trusteth wel, that I
  • Wol be hir champioun with spore and yerde; [ ]
  • I roughte nought though alle hir foos it herde.
• • 205. But tel me, thou that woost al this matere,
  • How I might best avaylen? now lat see.’ Skeat1900: 1430
  • Quod Pandarus, ‘if ye, my lord so dere,
  • Wolden as now don this honour to me,
  • To prayen hir to-morwe, lo, that she
  • Com un-to yow hir pleyntes to devyse,
  • Hir adversaries wolde of hit agryse. Skeat1900: 1435
• • 206. And if I more dorste preye as now,
  • And chargen yow to have so greet travayle,
  • To han som of your bretheren here with yow,
  • That mighten to hir cause bet avayle,
  • Than, woot I wel, she mighte never fayle Skeat1900: 1440
  • For to be holpen, what at your instaunce,
  • What with hir othere freendes governaunce.’
• • 207. Deiphebus, which that comen was, of kinde,
  • To al honour and bountee to consente,
  • Answerde, ‘it shal be doon; and I can finde Skeat1900: 1445
  • Yet gretter help to this in myn entente.
  • What wolt thow seyn, if I for Eleyne sente
  • To speke of this? I trowe it be the beste;
  • For she may leden Paris as hir leste.
• • 208. Of Ector, which that is my lord, my brother, Skeat1900: 1450
  • It nedeth nought to preye him freend to be;
  • For I have herd him, o tyme and eek other,
  • Speke of Criseyde swich honour, that he
  • May seyn no bet, swich hap to him hath she.
  • It nedeth nought his helpes for to crave; Skeat1900: 1455
  • He shal be swich, right as we wole him have.
• • 209. Spek thou thy-self also to Troilus
  • On my bihalve, and pray him with us dyne.’
  • ‘Sire, al this shal be doon,’ quod Pandarus;
  • And took his leve, and never gan to fyne, Skeat1900: 1460
  • But to his neces hous, as streyt as lyne, [ ]
  • He com; and fond hir fro the mete aryse;
  • And sette him doun, and spak right in this wyse.
• • 210. He seyde, ‘O veray god, so have I ronne!
  • Lo, nece myn , see ye nought how I swete? Skeat1900: 1465
  • I noot whether ye the more thank me conne.
  • Be ye nought war how that fals Poliphete
  • Is now aboute eft-sones for to plete,
  • And bringe on yow advocacyës newe?’
  • ‘I? no,’ quod she, and chaunged al hir hewe. Skeat1900: 1470
• • 211. ‘What is he more aboute, me to drecche
  • And doon me wrong? what shal I do, allas?
  • Yet of him-self no-thing ne wolde I recche,
  • Nere it for Antenor and Eneas,
  • That been his freendes in swich maner cas; Skeat1900: 1475
  • But, for the love of god, myn uncle dere,
  • No fors of that, lat him have al y-fere;
• • 212. With-outen that, I have ynough for us.’
  • ‘Nay,’ quod Pandare, ‘it shal no-thing be so.
  • For I have been right now at Deiphebus, Skeat1900: 1480
  • And Ector, and myne othere lordes mo,
  • And shortly maked eche of hem his fo;
  • That, by my thrift, he shal it never winne
  • For ought he can, whan that so he biginne.’
• • 213. And as they casten what was best to done, Skeat1900: 1485
  • Deiphebus, of his owene curtasye,
  • Com hir to preye, in his propre persone,
  • To holde him on the morwe companye
  • At diner, which she nolde not denye,
  • But goodly gan to his preyere obeye. Skeat1900: 1490
  • He thonked hir, and wente up-on his weye.
• • 214. Whanne this was doon, this Pandare up a-noon,
  • To telle in short, and forth gan for to wende
  • To Troilus, as stille as any stoon,

  • 1495. So all.

  • And al this thing he tolde him, word and ende; [ ] Skeat1900: 1495
  • And how that he Deiphebus gan to blende;
  • And seyde him, ‘now is tyme, if that thou conne,
  • To bere thee wel to-morwe, and al is wonne.
• • 215. Now spek, now prey, now pitously compleyne;
  • Lat not for nyce shame, or drede, or slouthe; Skeat1900: 1500
  • Som-tyme a man mot telle his owene peyne;
  • Bileve it, and she shal han on thee routhe;
  • Thou shalt be saved by thy feyth, in trouthe.
  • But wel wot I, thou art now in a drede;
  • And what it is, I leye, I can arede. Skeat1900: 1505
• • 216. Thow thinkest now, “how sholde I doon al this?
  • For by my cheres mosten folk aspye,
  • That for hir love is that I fare a-mis;
  • Yet hadde I lever unwist for sorwe dye.”
  • Now thenk not so, for thou dost greet folye. Skeat1900: 1510
  • For right now have I founden o manere
  • Of sleighte, for to coveren al thy chere.
• • 217. Thow shalt gon over night, and that as blyve ,
  • Un-to Deiphebus hous, as thee to pleye,
  • Thy maladye a-wey the bet to dryve, Skeat1900: 1515
  • For-why thou semest syk, soth for to seye.
  • Sone after that, doun in thy bed thee leye,
  • And sey, thow mayst no lenger up endure,
  • And lye right there, and byde thyn aventure.
• • 218. Sey that thy fever is wont thee for to take Skeat1900: 1520
  • The same tyme, and lasten til a-morwe;
  • And lat see now how wel thou canst it make,
  • For, par-dee, syk is he that is in sorwe.
  • Go now, farewel! and, Venus here to borwe,
  • I hope, and thou this purpos holde ferme, Skeat1900: 1525
  • Thy grace she shal fully ther conferme.’
• • 219. Quod Troilus, ‘y-wis, thou nedelees
  • Counseylest me, that sykliche I me feyne!
  • For I am syk in ernest, doutelees,
  • So that wel neigh I sterve for the peyne.’ Skeat1900: 1530
  • Quod Pandarus, ‘thou shalt the bettre pleyne,
  • And hast the lasse nede to countrefete;
  • For him men demen hoot that men seen swete.
• • 220. Lo, holde thee at thy triste cloos, and I [ ]
  • Shal wel the deer un-to thy bowe dryve.’ Skeat1900: 1535
  • Therwith he took his leve al softely,
  • And Troilus to paleys wente blyve.
  • So glad ne was he never in al his lyve;
  • And to Pandarus reed gan al assente,
  • And to Deiphebus hous at night he wente. Skeat1900: 1540
• • 221. What nedeth yow to tellen al the chere
  • That Deiphebus un-to his brother made,
  • Or his accesse, or his syklych manere,
  • How men gan him with clothes for to lade,
  • Whan he was leyd, and how men wolde him glade? Skeat1900: 1545
  • But al for nought, he held forth ay the wyse
  • That ye han herd Pandare er this devyse.
• • 222. But certeyn is, er Troilus him leyde,
  • Deiphebus had him prayed, over night,
  • To been a freend and helping to Criseyde. Skeat1900: 1550
  • God woot, that he it grauntede anon-right,
  • To been hir fulle freend with al his might.
  • But swich a nede was to preye him thenne,
  • As for to bidde a wood man for to renne. [ ]
• • 223. The morwen com, and neighen gan the tyme Skeat1900: 1555
  • Of meel-tyd , that the faire quene Eleyne
  • Shoop hir to been, an houre after the pryme,
  • With Deiphebus, to whom she nolde feyne;
  • But as his suster, hoomly, sooth to seyne,
  • She com to diner in hir playn entente. Skeat1900: 1560
  • But god and Pandare wiste al what this mente.
• • 224. Come eek Criseyde, al innocent of this,
  • Antigone, hir sister Tarbe also;
  • But flee we now prolixitee best is, [ ]
  • For love of god, and lat us faste go Skeat1900: 1565
  • Right to the effect, with-oute tales mo,
  • Why al this folk assembled in this place;
  • And lat us of hir saluinges pace.
• • 225. Gret honour dide hem Deiphebus, certeyn,
  • And fedde hem wel with al that mighte lyke. Skeat1900: 1570
  • But ever-more, ‘allas!’ was his refreyn,
  • ‘My goode brother Troilus, the syke,
  • Lyth yet’—and therwith-al he gan to syke;
  • And after that, he peyned him to glade
  • Hem as he mighte, and chere good he made. Skeat1900: 1575
• • 226. Compleyned eek Eleyne of his syknesse
  • So feithfully, that pitee was to here,
  • And every wight gan waxen for accesse
  • A leche anoon, and seyde, ‘in this manere
  • Men curen folk; this charme I wol yow lere.’ Skeat1900: 1580
  • But there sat oon, al list hir nought to teche, [ ]
  • That thoughte , best coude I yet been his leche.
• • 227. After compleynt, him gonnen they to preyse,
  • As folk don yet, whan som wight hath bigonne
  • To preyse a man, and up with prys him reyse Skeat1900: 1585
  • A thousand fold yet hyer than the sonne:—
  • ‘He is, he can, that fewe lordes conne.’
  • And Pandarus, of that they wolde afferme,
  • He not for-gat hir preysing to conferme.
• • 228. Herde al this thing Criseyde wel y-nough, Skeat1900: 1590
  • And every word gan for to notifye;
  • For which with sobre chere hir herte lough;
  • For who is that ne wolde hir glorifye,
  • To mowen swich a knight don live or dye? [ ]
  • But al passe I, lest ye to longe dwelle; Skeat1900: 1595
  • For for o fyn is al that ever I telle.
• • 229. The tyme com, fro diner for to ryse,
  • And, as hem oughte, arisen everychoon,
  • And gonne a while of this and that devyse.
  • But Pandarus brak al this speche anoon, Skeat1900: 1600
  • And seyde to Deiphebus, ‘wole ye goon,
  • If yourë wille be, as I yow preyde,
  • To speke here of the nedes of Criseyde?’
• • 230. Eleyne, which that by the hond hir held,
  • Took first the tale, and seyde, ‘go we blyve;’ Skeat1900: 1605
  • And goodly on Criseyde she biheld,
  • And seyde, ‘ Ioves lat him never thryve,
  • That dooth yow harm, and bringe him sone of lyve!
  • And yeve me sorwe, but he shal it rewe,
  • If that I may, and alle folk be trewe.’ Skeat1900: 1610
• • 231. ‘Tel thou thy neces cas,’ quod Deiphebus
  • To Pandarus, ‘for thou canst best it telle.’—
  • ‘My lordes and my ladyes, it stant thus;
  • What sholde I lenger,’ quod he, ‘do yow dwelle?’
  • He rong hem out a proces lyk a belle, Skeat1900: 1615
  • Up-on hir fo, that highte Poliphete,
  • So hëynous, that men mighte on it spete.
• • 232. Answerde of this ech worse of hem than other,
  • And Poliphete they gonnen thus to warien,
  • ‘An-honged be swich oon, were he my brother; Skeat1900: 1620
  • And so he shal, for it ne may not varien.’
  • What sholde I lenger in this tale tarien?
  • Pleynly, alle at ones, they hir highten,
  • To been hir helpe in al that ever they mighten.
• • 233. Spak than Eleyne, and seyde, ‘Pandarus, Skeat1900: 1625
  • Woot ought my lord, my brother, this matere,
  • I mene, Ector? or woot it Troilus?’
  • He seyde, ‘ye, but wole ye now me here?
  • Me thinketh this, sith Troilus is here,
  • It were good, if that ye wolde assente, Skeat1900: 1630
  • She tolde hir-self him al this, er she wente.
• • 234. For he wole have the more hir grief at herte,
  • By cause, lo, that she a lady is;
  • And, by your leve, I wol but right in sterte,
  • And do yow wite , and that anoon, y-wis, Skeat1900: 1635
  • If that he slepe, or wole ought here of this.’
  • And in he lepte, and seyde him in his ere,
  • ‘God have thy soule, y-brought have I thy bere!’
• • 235. To smylen of this gan tho Troilus,
  • And Pandarus, with-oute rekeninge, Skeat1900: 1640

  • 1641. So all.

  • Out wente anoon to Eleyne and Deiphebus,
  • And seyde hem, ‘so there be no taryinge,
  • Ne more pres, he wol wel that ye bringe
  • Crisëyda, my lady, that is here;
  • And as he may enduren, he wole here. Skeat1900: 1645
• • 236. But wel ye woot, the chaumbre is but lyte,
  • And fewe folk may lightly make it warm;
  • Now loketh ye, (for I wol have no wyte,
  • To bringe in prees that mighte doon him harm
  • Or him disesen , for my bettre arm), [ ] Skeat1900: 1650
  • Wher it be bet she byde til eft-sones;
  • Now loketh ye, that knowen what to doon is.
• • 237. I sey for me, best is, as I can knowe,
  • That no wight in ne wente but ye tweye,
  • But it were I, for I can, in a throwe, Skeat1900: 1655
  • Reherce hir cas, unlyk that she can seye;
  • And after this, she may him ones preye
  • To ben good lord, in short, and take hir leve;
  • This may not muchel of his ese him reve.
• • 238. And eek, for she is straunge, he wol forbere Skeat1900: 1660
  • His ese, which that him thar nought for yow; [ ]
  • Eek other thing, that toucheth not to here,
  • He wol me telle, I woot it wel right now,
  • That secret is, and for the tounes prow.’
  • And they, that no-thing knewe of this entente , Skeat1900: 1665
  • With-oute more, to Troilus in they wente .
• • 239. Eleyne in al hir goodly softe wyse,
  • Gan him saluwe, and womanly to pleye,
  • And seyde, ‘ywis, ye moste alweyes aryse!
  • Now fayre brother, beth al hool, I preye!’ Skeat1900: 1670
  • And gan hir arm right over his sholder leye,
  • And him with al hir wit to recomforte;
  • As she best coude, she gan him to disporte.
• • 240. So after this quod she, ‘we yow biseke ,
  • My dere brother, Deiphebus, and I, Skeat1900: 1675
  • For love of god, and so doth Pandare eke,
  • To been good lord and freend, right hertely,
  • Un-to Criseyde, which that certeinly
  • Receyveth wrong, as woot wel here Pandare,
  • That can hir cas wel bet than I declare.’ Skeat1900: 1680
• • 241. This Pandarus gan newe his tunge affyle,
  • And al hir cas reherce, and that anoon;
  • Whan it was seyd, sone after, in a whyle,
  • Quod Troilus, ‘as sone as I may goon,
  • I wol right fayn with al my might ben oon, Skeat1900: 1685
  • Have god my trouthe, hir cause to sustene .’
  • ‘ Good thrift have ye,’ quod Eleyne the quene.
• • 242. Quod Pandarus, ‘and it your wille be,
  • That she may take hir leve, er that she go?’
  • ‘ Or elles god for-bede ,’ tho quod he, Skeat1900: 1690
  • ‘If that she vouche sauf for to do so.’
  • And with that word quod Troilus, ‘ye two,
  • Deiphebus, and my suster leef and dere,
  • To yow have I to speke of o matere,
• • 243. To been avysed by your reed the bettre’:— Skeat1900: 1695
  • And fond, as hap was, at his beddes heed,
  • The copie of a tretis and a lettre,
  • That Ector hadde him sent to axen reed,
  • If swich a man was worthy to ben deed,
  • Woot I nought who; but in a grisly wyse Skeat1900: 1700
  • He preyede hem anoon on it avyse.
• • 244. Deiphebus gan this lettre to unfolde
  • In ernest greet; so dide Eleyne the quene;
  • And rominge outward, fast it gan biholde,
  • Downward a steyre, in-to an herber grene. Skeat1900: 1705
  • This ilke thing they redden hem bi-twene;
  • And largely, the mountaunce of an houre,
  • They gonne on it to reden and to poure.
• • 245. Now lat hem rede, and turne we anoon
  • To Pandarus, that gan ful faste prye Skeat1900: 1710
  • That al was wel, and out he gan to goon
  • In-to the grete chambre, and that in hye,
  • And seyde, ‘god save al this companye!
  • Com, nece myn; my lady quene Eleyne
  • Abydeth yow, and eek my lordes tweyne. Skeat1900: 1715
• • 246. Rys, take with yow your nece Antigone,
  • Or whom yow list, or no fors, hardily;
  • The lasse prees, the bet; com forth with me,
  • And loke that ye thonke humblely
  • Hem alle three, and, whan ye may goodly Skeat1900: 1720
  • Your tyme y-see, taketh of hem your leve,
  • Lest we to longe his restes him bireve .’
• • 247. Al innocent of Pandarus entente,
  • Quod tho Criseyde, ‘go we, uncle dere’;
  • And arm in arm inward with him she wente, Skeat1900: 1725
  • Avysed wel hir wordes and hir chere;
  • And Pandarus, in ernestful manere,
  • Seyde, ‘alle folk, for goddes love, I preye,
  • Stinteth right here, and softely yow pleye.
• • 248. Aviseth yow what folk ben here with-inne, Skeat1900: 1730
  • And in what plyt oon is, god him amende!
  • And inward thus ful softely biginne;
  • Nece, I coniure and heighly yow defende,
  • On his half , which that sowle us alle sende,
  • And in the vertue of corounes tweyne, [ ] Skeat1900: 1735
  • Slee nought this man, that hath for yow this peyne!
• • 249. Fy on the devel! thenk which oon he is, [ ]
  • And in what plyt he lyth; com of anoon; [ ]
  • Thenk al swich taried tyd, but lost it nis!
  • That wol ye bothe seyn, whan ye ben oon. Skeat1900: 1740
  • Secoundelich , ther yet devyneth noon
  • Up-on yow two; com of now, if ye conne;
  • Whyl folk is blent, lo, al the tyme is wonne!
• • 250. In titering, and pursuite, and delayes,
  • The folk devyne at wagginge of a stree; Skeat1900: 1745
  • And though ye wolde han after merye dayes,
  • Than dar ye nought, and why? for she, and she
  • Spak swich a word; thus loked he, and he;
  • Lest tyme I loste , I dar not with yow dele;
  • Com of therfore, and bringeth him to hele.’ Skeat1900: 1750
• • 251. But now to yow, ye lovers that ben here, [ ]
  • Was Troilus nought in a cankedort , [ ]
  • That lay, and mighte whispringe of hem here,
  • And thoughte, ‘O lord, right now renneth my sort
  • Fully to dye, or han anoon comfort’; Skeat1900: 1755
  • And was the firste tyme he shulde hir preye
  • Of love; O mighty god, what shal he seye?