BOOK IV.

• [Prohemium.]

• • 1. BUT al to litel, weylawey the whyle, [ ]
  • Lasteth swich Ioye, y-thonked be Fortune!
  • That semeth trewest, whan she wol bygyle, [ ]
  • And can to foles so hir song entune,

  • 4. Cl. kane.

  • That she hem hent and blent, traytour comune; [ ] Skeat1900: 5
  • And whan a wight is from hir wheel y-throwe, [ ]
  • Than laugheth she, and maketh him the mowe.
• • 2. From Troilus she gan hir brighte face
  • Awey to wrythe, and took of him non hede,
  • But caste him clene oute of his lady grace, Skeat1900: 10
  • And on hir wheel she sette up Diomede;

  • 12. Cl. rytht.

  • For which right now myn herte ginneth blede,
  • And now my penne, allas! with which I wryte,
  • Quaketh for drede of that I moot endyte.
• • 3. For how Criseyde Troilus forsook, Skeat1900: 15
  • Or at the leste, how that she was unkinde,
  • Mot hennes-forth ben matere of my book,
  • As wryten folk thorugh which it is in minde.
  • Allas! that they shulde ever cause finde
  • To speke hir harm; and if they on hir lye, Skeat1900: 20
  • Y-wis, hem-self sholde han the vilanye .
• • 4. O ye Herines, Nightes doughtren three, [ ]
  • That endelees compleynen ever in pyne,
  • Megera, Alete, and eek Thesiphone ;
  • Thou cruel Mars eek, fader to Quiryne, [ ] Skeat1900: 25
  • This ilke ferthe book me helpeth fyne,
  • So that the los of lyf and love y-fere
  • Of Troilus be fully shewed here.

• Explicit [prohemium]. Incipit Quartus Liber.

• • 5. LIGGINGE in ost, as I have seyd er this, [ ]
  • The Grekes stronge, aboute Troye toun, Skeat1900: 30
  • Bifel that, whan that Phebus shyning is
  • Up-on the brest of Hercules Lyoun, [ ]
  • That Ector, with ful many a bold baroun,
  • Caste on a day with Grekes for to fighte,
  • As he was wont to greve hem what he mighte. Skeat1900: 35
• • 6. Not I how longe or short it was bitwene
  • This purpos and that day they fighte mente;
  • But on a day wel armed, bright and shene,
  • Ector, and many a worthy wight out wente,
  • With spere in hond and bigge bowes bente; Skeat1900: 40
  • And in the berd, with-oute lenger lette, [ ]
  • Hir fomen in the feld anoon hem mette.
• • 7. The longe day, with speres sharpe y-grounde,
  • With arwes, dartes, swerdes, maces felle ,
  • They fighte and bringen hors and man to grounde, Skeat1900: 45
  • And with hir axes out the braynes quelle.
  • But in the laste shour, sooth for to telle, [ ]
  • The folk of Troye hem-selven so misledden,
  • That with the worse at night homward they fledden.
• • 8. At whiche day was taken Antenor, [ ] Skeat1900: 50
  • Maugre Polydamas or Monesteo ,

  • 52. Ed. Xantyppe; H2. Sartip. Ed. Palestynor.

  • Santippe, Sarpedon, Polynestor,
  • Polyte, or eek the Troian daun Ripheo ,
  • And othere lasse folk, as Phebuseo.
  • So that, for harm, that day the folk of Troye Skeat1900: 55
  • Dredden to lese a greet part of hir Ioye.
• • 9. Of Pryamus was yeve, at Greek requeste,
  • A tyme of trewe, and tho they gonnen trete,
  • Hir prisoneres to chaungen, moste and leste,
  • And for the surplus yeven sommes grete. Skeat1900: 60
  • This thing anoon was couth in every strete,
  • Bothe in thassege, in toune, and every-where, [ ]
  • And with the firste it cam to Calkas ere.
• • 10. Whan Calkas knew this tretis sholde holde, [ ]
  • In consistorie, among the Grekes, sone Skeat1900: 65
  • He gan in thringe forth, with lordes olde,
  • And sette him there-as he was wont to done;
  • And with a chaunged face hem bad a bone,
  • For love of god, to don that reverence,
  • To stinte noyse, and yeve him audience. Skeat1900: 70
• • 11. Thanne seyde he thus, ‘lo! lordes myne, I was
  • Troian, as it is knowen out of drede;
  • And if that yow remembre, I am Calkas,
  • That alderfirst yaf comfort to your nede,
  • And tolde wel how that ye sholden spede. Skeat1900: 75
  • For dredelees , thorugh yow, shal, in a stounde,
  • Ben Troye y-brend, and beten doun to grounde.
• • 12. And in what forme, or in what maner wyse

  • 79. Cp. H. Ed. tacheue.

  • This town to shende, and al your lust to acheve, [ ]
  • Ye han er this wel herd it me devyse; Skeat1900: 80

  • 81. H. leue ( glossed i. credo).

  • This knowe ye, my lordes, as I leve.
  • And for the Grekes weren me so leve,
  • I com my-self in my propre persone,
  • To teche in this how yow was best to done;
• • 13. Havinge un-to my tresour ne my rente Skeat1900: 85
  • Right no resport , to respect of your ese. [ ]
  • Thus al my good I loste and to yow wente,
  • Wening in this you, lordes, for to plese.
  • But al that los ne doth me no disese .
  • I vouche-sauf , as wisly have I Ioye, Skeat1900: 90
  • For you to lese al that I have in Troye,
• • 14. Save of a doughter, that I lafte, allas!
  • Slepinge at hoom, whanne out of Troye I sterte.

  • 94. Cp. and ( for 2 nd O). Cl. cruwel.

  • O sterne, O cruel fader that I was!
  • How mighte I have in that so hard an herte? Skeat1900: 95
  • Allas! I ne hadde y-brought hir in hir sherte! [ ]
  • For sorwe of which I wol not live to morwe,
  • But-if ye lordes rewe up-on my sorwe.
• • 15. For, by that cause I say no tyme er now [ ]
  • Hir to delivere, I holden have my pees; Skeat1900: 100
  • But now or never, if that it lyke yow,
  • I may hir have right sone, doutelees.
  • O help and grace! amonges al this prees,
  • Rewe on this olde caitif in destresse,
  • Sin I through yow have al this hevinesse! Skeat1900: 105
• • 16. Ye have now caught and fetered in prisoun
  • Troians y-nowe; and if your willes be,
  • My child with oon may have redempcioun.
  • Now for the love of god and of bountee,
  • Oon of so fele, allas! so yeve him me. Skeat1900: 110
  • What nede were it this preyere for to werne,
  • Sin ye shul bothe han folk and toun as yerne? [ ]
• • 17. On peril of my lyf, I shal not lye,
  • Appollo hath me told it feithfully;
  • I have eek founde it by astronomye, Skeat1900: 115
  • By sort, and by augurie eek trewely,
  • And dar wel seye, the tyme is faste by,
  • That fyr and flaumbe on al the toun shal sprede;
  • And thus shal Troye turne in asshen dede.
• • 18. For certeyn, Phebus and Neptunus bothe, [ ] Skeat1900: 120
  • That makeden the walles of the toun,
  • Ben with the folk of Troye alwey so wrothe,
  • That thei wol bringe it to confusioun,
  • Right in despyt of king Lameadoun .
  • By-cause he nolde payen hem hir hyre , Skeat1900: 125
  • The toun of Troye shal ben set on-fyre .’
• • 19. Telling his tale alwey, this olde greye,
  • Humble in speche, and in his lokinge eke,
  • The salte teres from his eyën tweye
  • Ful faste ronnen doun by eyther cheke. Skeat1900: 130
  • So longe he gan of socour hem by-seke
  • That, for to hele him of his sorwes sore,
  • They yave him Antenor, with-oute more. [ ]
• • 20. But who was glad y-nough but Calkas tho?
  • And of this thing ful sone his nedes leyde Skeat1900: 135
  • On hem that sholden for the tretis go,
  • And hem for Antenor ful ofte preyde
  • To bringen hoom king Toas and Criseyde;
  • And whan Pryam his save-garde sente,
  • Thembassadours to Troye streyght they wente. Skeat1900: 140
• • 21. The cause y-told of hir cominge, the olde
  • Pryam the king ful sone in general
  • Let here-upon his parlement to holde, [ ]
  • Of which the effect rehersen yow I shal.
  • Thembassadours ben answered for fynal, Skeat1900: 145
  • Theschaunge of prisoners and al this nede
  • Hem lyketh wel, and forth in they procede.
• • 22. This Troilus was present in the place,
  • Whan axed was for Antenor Criseyde,
  • For which ful sone chaungen gan his face, Skeat1900: 150
  • As he that with tho wordes wel neigh deyde.
  • But nathelees, he no word to it seyde,
  • Lest men sholde his affeccioun espye;
  • With mannes herte he gan his sorwes drye.
• • 23. And ful of anguish and of grisly drede Skeat1900: 155
  • Abood what lordes wolde un-to it seye;
  • And if they wolde graunte, as god forbede,
  • Theschaunge of hir, than thoughte he thinges tweye,
  • First, how to save hir honour, and what weye
  • He mighte best theschaunge of hir withstonde; Skeat1900: 160
  • Ful faste he caste how al this mighte stonde.
• • 24. Love him made al prest to doon hir byde,
  • And rather dye than she sholde go ;
  • But resoun seyde him, on that other syde,
  • ‘With-oute assent of hir ne do not so, Skeat1900: 165
  • Lest for thy werk she wolde be thy fo,
  • And seyn, that thorugh thy medling is y-blowe
  • Your bother love, there it was erst unknowe.’ [ ]
• • 25. For which he gan deliberen, for the beste,
  • That though the lordes wolde that she wente, Skeat1900: 170
  • He wolde late hem graunte what hem leste,
  • And telle his lady first what that they mente.
  • And whan that she had seyd him hir entente,
  • Ther-after wolde he werken also blyve,
  • Though al the world ayein it wolde stryve. Skeat1900: 175
• • 26. Ector, which that wel the Grekes herde,
  • For Antenor how they wolde han Criseyde,
  • Gan it withstonde, and sobrely answerde :—
  • ‘Sires, she nis no prisoner ,’ he seyde;
  • ‘I noot on yow who that this charge leyde, Skeat1900: 180
  • But, on my part, ye may eft-sone him telle,
  • We usen here no wommen for to selle.’
• • 27. The noyse of peple up-stirte thanne at ones,
  • As breme as blase of straw y-set on fyre;
  • For infortune it wolde, for the nones , Skeat1900: 185
  • They sholden hir confusioun desyre.
  • ‘Ector,’ quod they, ‘what goost may yow enspyre,
  • This womman thus to shilde and doon us lese
  • Daun Antenor?—a wrong wey now ye chese—
• • 28. That is so wys, and eek so bold baroun, Skeat1900: 190
  • And we han nede of folk , as men may see;

  • 192. Cl. stown (!).

  • He is eek oon, the grettest of this toun;
  • O Ector, lat tho fantasyës be!
  • O king Pryam,’ quod they, ‘thus seggen we,
  • That al our voys is to for-gon Criseyde;’ Skeat1900: 195
  • And to deliveren Antenor they preyde.
• • 29. O Iuvenal, lord! trewe is thy sentence, [ ]
  • That litel witen folk what is to yerne [ ]
  • That they ne finde in hir desyr offence;
  • For cloud of errour lat hem not descerne Skeat1900: 200
  • What best is; and lo, here ensample as yerne.
  • This folk desiren now deliveraunce
  • Of Antenor, that broughte hem to mischaunce! [ ]
• • 30. For he was after traytour to the toun
  • Of Troye; allas! they quitte him out to rathe; Skeat1900: 205
  • O nyce world, lo, thy discrecioun !
  • Criseyde, which that never dide hem skathe,
  • Shal now no lenger in hir blisse bathe;
  • But Antenor, he shal com hoom to toune,
  • And she shal out; thus seyden here and howne. [ ] Skeat1900: 210
• • 31. For which delibered was by parlement,
  • For Antenor to yelden up Criseyde,
  • And it pronounced by the president,
  • Al-theigh that Ector ‘nay’ ful ofte preyde .
  • And fynaly, what wight that it with-seyde, Skeat1900: 215
  • It was for nought, it moste been, and sholde;
  • For substaunce of the parlement it wolde.
• • 32. Departed out of parlement echone,
  • This Troilus, with-oute wordes mo,
  • Un-to his chaumbre spedde him faste allone, Skeat1900: 220
  • But-if it were a man of his or two,
  • The whiche he bad out faste for to go,
  • By-cause he wolde slepen , as he seyde,
  • And hastely up-on his bed him leyde.
• • 33. And as in winter leves been biraft, [ ] Skeat1900: 225
  • Eche after other, til the tree be bare,
  • So that ther nis but bark and braunche y-laft,
  • Lyth Troilus, biraft of ech wel-fare,
  • Y-bounden in the blake bark of care,
  • Disposed wood out of his wit to breyde, Skeat1900: 230
  • So sore him sat the chaunginge of Criseyde.
• • 34. He rist him up, and every dore he shette
  • And windowe eek, and tho this sorweful man
  • Up-on his beddes syde a-doun him sette,
  • Ful lyk a deed image pale and wan; Skeat1900: 235
  • And in his brest the heped wo bigan
  • Out-breste , and he to werken in this wyse
  • In his woodnesse, as I shal yow devyse.
• • 35. Right as the wilde bole biginneth springe [ ]
  • Now here, now there, y-darted to the herte, Skeat1900: 240
  • And of his deeth roreth in compleyninge,
  • Right so gan he aboute the chaumbre sterte,
  • Smyting his brest ay with his festes smerte;
  • His heed to the wal, his body to the grounde

  • 245. Cp. H. Ed. seluen; Cl. self.

  • Ful ofte he swapte, him-selven to confounde. Skeat1900: 245
• • 36. His eyen two, for pitee of his herte,
  • Out stremeden as swifte welles tweye;
  • The heighe sobbes of his sorwes smerte
  • His speche him rafte, unnethes mighte he seye,
  • ‘O deeth, allas! why niltow do me deye? Skeat1900: 250
  • A-cursed be the day which that nature [ ]
  • Shoop me to ben a lyves creature!’
• • 37. But after, whan the furie and the rage
  • Which that his herte twiste and faste threste,
  • By lengthe of tyme somwhat gan asswage, Skeat1900: 255
  • Up-on his bed he leyde him doun to reste;
  • But tho bigonne his teres more out-breste,
  • That wonder is, the body may suffyse
  • To half this wo, which that I yow devyse.
• • 38. Than seyde he thus, ‘Fortune! allas the whyle! Skeat1900: 260
  • What have I doon, what have I thus a-gilt?
  • How mightestow for reuthe me bigyle?
  • Is ther no grace, and shal I thus be spilt? [ ]
  • Shal thus Criseyde awey, for that thou wilt?
  • Allas! how maystow in thyn herte finde Skeat1900: 265
  • To been to me thus cruel and unkinde?
• • 39. Have I thee nought honoured al my lyve,
  • As thou wel wost, above the goddes alle?
  • Why wiltow me fro Ioye thus depryve?
  • O Troilus, what may men now thee calle Skeat1900: 270
  • But wrecche of wrecches, out of honour falle
  • In-to miserie, in which I wol biwayle [ ]
  • Criseyde, allas! til that the breeth me fayle?
• • 40. Allas, Fortune! if that my lyf in Ioye
  • Displesed hadde un-to thy foule envye, Skeat1900: 275
  • Why ne haddestow my fader, king of Troye,
  • By-raft the lyf, or doon my bretheren dye ,
  • Or slayn my-self, that thus compleyne and crye,
  • I, combre-world, that may of no-thing serve, [ ]
  • But ever dye, and never fully sterve? Skeat1900: 280
• • 41. If that Criseyde allone were me laft,
  • Nought roughte I whider thou woldest me stere;
  • And hir, allas! than hastow me biraft.
  • But ever-more, lo! this is thy manere,
  • To reve a wight that most is to him dere, Skeat1900: 285
  • To preve in that thy gerful violence. [ ]
  • Thus am I lost, ther helpeth no defence!
• • 42. O verray lord of love, O god, allas!
  • That knowest best myn herte and al my thought,
  • What shal my sorwful lyf don in this cas Skeat1900: 290
  • If I for-go that I so dere have bought?
  • Sin ye Cryseyde and me han fully brought
  • In-to your grace, and bothe our hertes seled,
  • How may ye suffre, allas! it be repeled ?
• • 43. What I may doon, I shal, whyl I may dure Skeat1900: 295
  • On lyve in torment and in cruel peyne,
  • This infortune or this disaventure,
  • Allone as I was born, y-wis, compleyne;
  • Ne never wil I seen it shyne or reyne;
  • But ende I wil, as Edippe, in derknesse [ ] Skeat1900: 300
  • My sorwful lyf, and dyen in distresse.
• • 44. O wery goost, that errest to and fro, [ ]
  • Why niltow fleen out of the wofulleste
  • Body, that ever mighte on grounde go?
  • O soule, lurkinge in this wo, unneste , [ ] Skeat1900: 305
  • Flee forth out of myn herte, and lat it breste,
  • And folwe alwey Criseyde, thy lady dere;
  • Thy righte place is now no lenger here!
• • 45. O wofulle eyen two, sin your disport
  • Was al to seen Criseydes eyen brighte , Skeat1900: 310
  • What shal ye doon but, for my discomfort,
  • Stonden for nought, and wepen out your sighte ?
  • Sin she is queynt, that wont was yow to lighte ,
  • In veyn fro-this-forth have I eyen tweye
  • Y-formed, sin your vertue is a-weye. Skeat1900: 315
• • 46. O my Criseyde, O lady sovereyne
  • Of thilke woful soule that thus cryeth,
  • Who shal now yeven comfort to the peyne? [ ] [ ]
  • Allas, no wight; but when myn herte dyeth,
  • My spirit, which that so un-to yow hyeth, Skeat1900: 320
  • Receyve in gree, for that shal ay yow serve;
  • For-thy no fors is, though the body sterve.
• • 47. O ye loveres, that heighe upon the wheel
  • Ben set of Fortune, in good aventure,
  • God leve that ye finde ay love of steel, Skeat1900: 325
  • And longe mot your lyf in Ioye endure!
  • But whan ye comen by my sepulture,
  • Remembreth that your felawe resteth there;
  • For I lovede eek, though I unworthy were.
• • 48. O olde unholsom and mislyved man, [ ] Skeat1900: 330
  • Calkas I mene, allas! what eyleth thee
  • To been a Greek, sin thou art born Troian?
  • O Calkas, which that wilt my bane be,
  • In cursed tyme was thou born for me!
  • As wolde blisful Iove, for his Ioye, Skeat1900: 335
  • That I thee hadde, where I wolde, in Troye!’
• • 49. A thousand sykes, hottere than the glede,
  • Out of his brest ech after other wente,
  • Medled with pleyntes newe, his wo to fede,
  • For which his woful teres never stente; Skeat1900: 340
  • And shortly, so his peynes him to-rente,
  • And wex so mat, that Ioye nor penaunce
  • He feleth noon, but lyth forth in a traunce.
• • 50. Pandare, which that in the parlement
  • Hadde herd what every lord and burgeys seyde, Skeat1900: 345
  • And how ful graunted was, by oon assent,
  • For Antenor to yelden so Criseyde,
  • Gan wel neigh wood out of his wit to breyde,
  • So that, for wo, he niste what he mente;
  • But in a rees to Troilus he wente. Skeat1900: 350
• • 51. A certeyn knight, that for the tyme kepte
  • The chaumbre-dore, un-dide it him anoon;
  • And Pandare, that ful tendreliche wepte,
  • In-to the derke chaumbre, as stille as stoon,
  • Toward the bed gan softely to goon, Skeat1900: 355
  • So confus, that he niste what to seye; [ ]
  • For verray wo his wit was neigh aweye.
• • 52. And with his chere and loking al to-torn,
  • For sorwe of this, and with his armes folden,
  • He stood this woful Troilus biforn, Skeat1900: 360
  • And on his pitous face he gan biholden;
  • But lord, so often gan his herte colden ,
  • Seing his freend in wo, whos hevinesse
  • His herte slow , as thoughte him, for distresse.
• • 53. This woful wight, this Troilus, that felte Skeat1900: 365
  • His freend Pandare y-comen him to see,
  • Gan as the snow ayein the sonne melte,
  • For which this sorwful Pandare, of pitee,
  • Gan for to wepe as tendreliche as he;
  • And specheles thus been thise ilke tweye, Skeat1900: 370
  • That neyther mighte o word for sorwe seye.
• • 54. But at the laste this woful Troilus,
  • Ney deed for smert, gan bresten out to rore,
  • And with a sorwful noyse he seyde thus,
  • Among his sobbes and his sykes sore, Skeat1900: 375
  • ‘Lo! Pandare, I am deed, with-outen more.
  • Hastow nought herd at parlement,’ he seyde,
  • ‘For Antenor how lost is my Criseyde?’
• • 55. This Pandarus, ful deed and pale of hewe,
  • Ful pitously answerde and seyde, ‘yis! Skeat1900: 380
  • As wisly were it fals as it is trewe, [ ]
  • That I have herd, and wot al how it is.
  • O mercy, god, who wolde have trowed this?
  • Who wolde have wend that, in so litel a throwe,
  • Fortune our Ioye wolde han over-throwe? Skeat1900: 385
• • 56. For in this world ther is no creature,
  • As to my doom, that ever saw ruyne
  • Straungere than this, thorugh cas or aventure.
  • But who may al eschewe or al devyne?
  • Swich is this world; for-thy I thus defyne, Skeat1900: 390
  • Ne trust no wight to finden in Fortune
  • Ay propretee; hir yeftes been comune. [ ]
• • 57. But tel me this, why thou art now so mad
  • To sorwen thus? Why lystow in this wyse,
  • Sin thy desyr al holly hastow had, Skeat1900: 395
  • So that, by right, it oughte y-now suffyse?
  • But I, that never felte in my servyse
  • A frendly chere or loking of an yë ,
  • Lat me thus wepe and wayle, til I dye.
• • 58. And over al this, as thou wel wost thy-selve, Skeat1900: 400
  • This town is ful of ladies al aboute;
  • And, to my doom, fairer than swiche twelve
  • As ever she was, shal I finde, in som route,
  • Ye, oon or two, with-outen any doute.
  • For-thy be glad, myn owene dere brother, Skeat1900: 405
  • If she be lost, we shul recovere another.
• • 59. What, god for-bede alwey that ech plesaunce [ ]
  • In o thing were, and in non other wight!
  • If oon can singe, another can wel daunce;
  • If this be goodly, she is glad and light; Skeat1900: 410
  • And this is fayr, and that can good a-right.
  • Ech for his vertu holden is for dere,
  • Bothe heroner and faucon for rivere. [ ]
• • 60. And eek, as writ Zanzis , that was ful wys, [ ]
  • “The newe love out chaceth ofte the olde;” Skeat1900: 415
  • And up-on newe cas lyth newe avys.
  • Thenk eek, thy-self to saven artow holde;
  • Swich fyr, by proces, shal of kinde colde.
  • For sin it is but casuel plesaunce,
  • Som cas shal putte it out of remembraunce. Skeat1900: 420
• • 61. For al-so seur as day cometh after night,
  • The newe love, labour or other wo,
  • Or elles selde seinge of a wight,
  • Don olde affecciouns alle over-go.
  • And, for thy part, thou shalt have oon of tho Skeat1900: 425
  • To abrigge with thy bittre peynes smerte;
  • Absence of hir shal dryve hir out of herte.’
• • 62. Thise wordes seyde he for the nones alle,
  • To helpe his freend, lest he for sorwe deyde.
  • For doutelees, to doon his wo to falle, Skeat1900: 430
  • He roughte not what unthrift that he seyde.
  • But Troilus, that neigh for sorwe deyde,
  • Tok litel hede of al that ever he mente;
  • Oon ere it herde, at the other out it wente:—
• • 63. But at the laste answerde and seyde, ‘freend, Skeat1900: 435
  • This lechecraft, or heled thus to be,
  • Were wel sitting, if that I were a feend ,
  • To traysen hir that trewe is unto me!
  • I pray god , lat this consayl never y-thee ;
  • But do me rather sterve anon-right here Skeat1900: 440
  • Er I thus do as thou me woldest lere.
• • 64. She that I serve, y-wis, what so thou seye,
  • To whom myn herte enhabit is by right,
  • Shal han me holly hires til that I deye.
  • For, Pandarus, sin I have trouthe hir hight, Skeat1900: 445
  • I wol not been untrewe for no wight;
  • But as hir man I wol ay live and sterve,
  • And never other creature serve.
• • 65. And ther thou seyst, thou shalt as faire finde
  • As she, lat be, make no comparisoun Skeat1900: 450
  • To creature y-formed here by kinde.
  • O leve Pandare, in conclusioun,
  • I wol not be of thyn opinioun,
  • Touching al this; for whiche I thee biseche,
  • So hold thy pees; thou sleest me with thy speche. Skeat1900: 455
• • 66. Thow biddest me I sholde love an-other
  • Al freshly newe, and lat Criseyde go!
  • It lyth not in my power, leve brother.
  • And though I mighte, I wolde not do so.
  • But canstow pleyen raket, to and fro, [ ] Skeat1900: 460
  • Netle in, dokke out, now this, now that, Pandare? [ ]
  • Now foule falle hir, for thy wo that care! [ ]
• • 67. Thow farest eek by me, thou Pandarus,
  • As he, that whan a wight is wo bi-goon,
  • He cometh to him a pas, and seyth right thus, Skeat1900: 465
  • “Thenk not on smert, and thou shalt fele noon.”
  • Thou most me first transmuwen in a stoon,
  • And reve me my passiounes alle,
  • Er thou so lightly do my wo to falle.
• • 68. The deeth may wel out of my brest departe Skeat1900: 470
  • The lyf, so longe may this sorwe myne;
  • But fro my soule shal Criseydes darte
  • Out never-mo; but doun with Proserpyne,
  • Whan I am deed, I wol go wone in pyne;
  • And ther I wol eternally compleyne Skeat1900: 475
  • My wo, and how that twinned be we tweyne.
• • 69. Thow hast here maad an argument, for fyn,
  • How that it sholde lasse peyne be
  • Criseyde to for-goon, for she was myn,
  • And live in ese and in felicitee. Skeat1900: 480
  • Why gabbestow, that seydest thus to me [ ]
  • That “him is wors that is fro wele y-throwe,
  • Than he hadde erst non of that wele y-knowe ?”
• • 70. But tel me now, sin that thee thinketh so light
  • To chaungen so in love, ay to and fro, Skeat1900: 485
  • Why hastow not don bisily thy might
  • To chaungen hir that doth thee al thy wo?
  • Why niltow lete hir fro thyn herte go?
  • Why niltow love an-other lady swete,
  • That may thyn herte setten in quiete? Skeat1900: 490

• Cp. omits 491-532.

• • 71. If thou hast had in love ay yet mischaunce,
  • And canst it not out of thyn herte dryve,
  • I, that livede in lust and in plesaunce [ ]
  • With hir as muche as creature on-lyve,
  • How sholde I that foryete, and that so blyve? Skeat1900: 495
  • O where hastow ben hid so longe in muwe,
  • That canst so wel and formely arguwe? [ ]
• • 72. Nay, nay , god wot, nought worth is al thy reed,
  • For which, for what that ever may bifalle,
  • With-outen wordes mo, I wol be deed. Skeat1900: 500
  • O deeth, that endere art of sorwes alle,
  • Com now, sin I so ofte after thee calle,
  • For sely is that deeth, soth for to seyne, [ ]
  • That, ofte y-cleped, cometh and endeth peyne.
• • 73. Wel wot I, whyl my lyf was in quiete, Skeat1900: 505
  • Er thou me slowe, I wolde have yeven hyre ; [ ]
  • But now thy cominge is to me so swete,
  • That in this world I no-thing so desyre.
  • O deeth, sin with this sorwe I am a-fyre,
  • Thou outher do me anoon in teres drenche, Skeat1900: 510
  • Or with thy colde strook myn hete quenche!
• • 74. Sin that thou sleest so fele in sondry wyse
  • Ayens hir wil, unpreyed, day and night,
  • Do me, at my requeste, this servyse,
  • Delivere now the world, so dostow right, Skeat1900: 515
  • Of me, that am the wofulleste wight
  • That ever was; for tyme is that I sterve,
  • Sin in this world of right nought may I serve.’
• • 75. This Troilus in teres gan distille,
  • As licour out of alambyk ful faste; [ ] Skeat1900: 520
  • And Pandarus gan holde his tunge stille,
  • And to the ground his eyen doun he caste.
  • But nathelees, thus thoughte he at the laste,
  • ‘What, parde, rather than my felawe deye,
  • Yet shal I som-what more un-to him seye:’ Skeat1900: 525
• • 76. And seyde , ‘freend, sin thou hast swich distresse,
  • And sin thee list myn arguments to blame,
  • Why nilt thy-selven helpen doon redresse,
  • And with thy manhod letten al this grame?
  • Go ravisshe hir ne canstow not for shame! Skeat1900: 530
  • And outher lat hir out of toune fare,
  • Or hold hir stille, and leve thy nyce fare.
• • 77. Artow in Troye, and hast non hardiment
  • To take a womman which that loveth thee,
  • And wolde hir-selven been of thyn assent? Skeat1900: 535
  • Now is not this a nyce vanitee?
  • Rys up anoon, and lat this weping be,
  • And kyth thou art a man, for in this houre
  • I wil be deed, or she shal bleven oure.’
• • 78. To this answerde him Troilus ful softe, Skeat1900: 540
  • And seyde, ‘parde, leve brother dere,
  • Al this have I my-self yet thought ful ofte,
  • And more thing than thou devysest here.
  • But why this thing is laft, thou shalt wel here;
  • And whan thou me hast yeve an audience, Skeat1900: 545
  • Ther-after mayst thou telle al thy sentence.
• • 79. First, sin thou wost this toun hath al this werre
  • For ravisshing of wommen so by might,
  • It sholde not be suffred me to erre,
  • As it stant now, ne doon so gret unright. Skeat1900: 550
  • I sholde han also blame of every wight,
  • My fadres graunt if that I so withstode,
  • Sin she is chaunged for the tounes goode.
• • 80 I have eek thought, so it were hir assent,
  • To aske hir at my fader, of his grace; Skeat1900: 555
  • Than thenke I, this were hir accusement, [ ]
  • Sin wel I woot I may hir not purchace.
  • For sin my fader, in so heigh a place
  • As parlement, hath hir eschaunge enseled,
  • He nil for me his lettre be repeled. Skeat1900: 560
• • 81. Yet drede I most hir herte to pertourbe
  • With violence, if I do swich a game;
  • For if I wolde it openly distourbe,
  • It moste been disclaundre to hir name.
  • And me were lever deed than hir defame, Skeat1900: 565
  • As nolde god but-if I sholde have
  • Hir honour lever than my lyf to save!
• • 82. Thus am I lost, for ought that I can see;
  • For certeyn is, sin that I am hir knight,
  • I moste hir honour levere han than me Skeat1900: 570
  • In every cas, as lovere oughte of right.
  • Thus am I with desyr and reson twight;
  • Desyr for to distourben hir me redeth,
  • And reson nil not, so myn herte dredeth.’
• • 83. Thus wepinge that he coude never cesse, Skeat1900: 575
  • He seyde, ‘allas! how shal I, wrecche, fare?
  • For wel fele I alwey my love encresse,
  • And hope is lasse and lasse alwey, Pandare!
  • Encressen eek the causes of my care;
  • So wel-a-wey, why nil myn herte breste? Skeat1900: 580
  • For, as in love, ther is but litel reste.’
• • 84. Pandare answerde , ‘freend, thou mayst, for me,
  • Don as thee list; but hadde ich it so hote, [ ]
  • And thyn estat, she sholde go with me;
  • Though al this toun cryede on this thing by note, Skeat1900: 585
  • I nolde sette at al that noyse a grote.
  • For when men han wel cryed, than wol they roune;
  • A wonder last but nyne night never in toune. [ ]
• • 85. Devyne not in reson ay so depe
  • Ne curteysly, but help thy-self anoon; Skeat1900: 590
  • Bet is that othere than thy-selven wepe,
  • And namely , sin ye two been al oon.
  • Rys up, for by myn heed, she shal not goon;
  • And rather be in blame a lyte y-founde
  • Than sterve here as a gnat, with-oute wounde. Skeat1900: 595
• • 86. It is no shame un-to yow, ne no vyce
  • Hir to with-holden, that ye loveth most.
  • Paraunter, she mighte holden thee for nyce
  • To lete hir go thus to the Grekes ost.
  • Thenk eek Fortune, as wel thy-selven wost, [ ] Skeat1900: 600
  • Helpeth hardy man to his empryse,
  • And weyveth wrecches, for hir cowardyse. [ ]
• • 87. And though thy lady wolde a litel hir greve, [ ]
  • Thou shalt thy pees ful wel here-after make,
  • But as for me, certayn, I can not leve Skeat1900: 605
  • That she wolde it as now for yvel take.
  • Why sholde than for ferd thyn herte quake? [ ]
  • Thenk eek how Paris hath, that is thy brother,
  • A love; and why shaltow not have another?
• • 88. And Troilus, o thing I dar thee swere, Skeat1900: 610
  • That if Criseyde, whiche that is thy leef,
  • Now loveth thee as wel as thou dost here,
  • God helpe me so, she nil not take a-greef,
  • Though thou do bote a-noon in this mischeef.
  • And if she wilneth fro thee for to passe, Skeat1900: 615
  • Thanne is she fals; so love hir wel the lasse.
• • 89. For-thy tak herte, and thenk, right as a knight,
  • Thourgh love is broken alday every lawe. [ ]
  • Kyth now sumwhat thy corage and thy might,
  • Have mercy on thy-self, for any awe. Skeat1900: 620
  • Lat not this wrecched wo thin herte gnawe,
  • But manly set the world on sixe and sevene; [ ]
  • And, if thou deye a martir, go to hevene.
• • 90. I wol my-self be with thee at this dede ,
  • Though ich and al my kin, up-on a stounde, Skeat1900: 625
  • Shulle in a strete as dogges liggen dede,
  • Thourgh-girt with many a wyd and blody wounde. [ ]
  • In every cas I wol a freend be founde.
  • And if thee list here sterven as a wrecche,
  • A-dieu, the devel spede him that it recche!’ [ ] Skeat1900: 630
• • 91. This Troilus gan with tho wordes quiken ,
  • And seyde, ‘freend, graunt mercy, ich assente;
  • But certaynly thou mayst not me so priken,
  • Ne peyne noon ne may me so tormente,
  • That, for no cas, it is not myn entente, Skeat1900: 635
  • At shorte wordes, though I dyen sholde,
  • To ravisshe hir, but-if hir-self it wolde.’
• • 92. ‘Why, so mene I,’ quod Pandarus, ‘al this day.
  • But tel me than, hastow hir wel assayed,
  • That sorwest thus?’ And he answerde , ‘nay.’ Skeat1900: 640
  • ‘Wher-of artow,’ quod Pandare, ‘than a-mayed,
  • That nost not that she wol ben yvel apayed
  • To ravisshe hir, sin thou hast not ben there,
  • But-if that Iove tolde it in thyn ere?
• • 93. For-thy rys up, as nought ne were, anoon, Skeat1900: 645
  • And wash thy face, and to the king thou wende,
  • Or he may wondren whider thou art goon.
  • Thou most with wisdom him and othere blende;
  • Or, up-on cas, he may after thee sende
  • Er thou be war; and shortly, brother dere, Skeat1900: 650
  • Be glad, and lat me werke in this matere.
• • 94. For I shal shape it so, that sikerly
  • Thou shalt this night som tyme, in som manere,
  • Com speke with thy lady prevely,
  • And by hir wordes eek, and by hir chere, Skeat1900: 655
  • Thou shalt ful sone aparceyve and wel here
  • Al hir entente, and in this cas the beste;
  • And fare now wel, for in this point I reste.’
• • 95. The swifte Fame, whiche that false thinges [ ]
  • Egal reporteth lyk the thinges trewe, Skeat1900: 660
  • Was thorugh-out Troye y-fled with preste winges
  • Fro man to man, and made this tale al newe,
  • How Calkas doughter, with hir brighte hewe,
  • At parlement, with-oute wordes more,
  • I-graunted was in chaunge of Antenore. Skeat1900: 665
• • 96. The whiche tale anoon-right as Criseyde
  • Had herd, she which that of hir fader roughte,
  • As in this cas, right nought, ne whanne he deyde,
  • Ful bisily to Iuppiter bisoughte
  • Yeve him mischaunce that this tretis broughte. Skeat1900: 670
  • But shortly, lest thise tales sothe were,
  • She dorste at no wight asken it, for fere.
• • 97. As she that hadde hir herte and al hir minde
  • On Troilus y-set so wonder faste,
  • That al this world ne mighte hir love unbinde, Skeat1900: 675
  • Ne Troilus out of hir herte caste;
  • She wol ben his, whyl that hir lyf may laste.
  • And thus she brenneth bothe in love and drede,
  • So that she niste what was best to rede.
• • 98. But as men seen in toune, and al aboute, Skeat1900: 680
  • That wommen usen frendes to visyte,
  • So to Criseyde of wommen com a route
  • For pitous Ioye, and wenden hir delyte; [ ]
  • And with hir tales, dere y-nough a myte, [ ]
  • These wommen, whiche that in the cite dwelle, Skeat1900: 685
  • They sette hem doun, and seyde as I shal telle.
• • 99. Quod first that oon, ‘I am glad, trewely,
  • By-cause of yow, that shal your fader see.’
  • A-nother seyde , ‘y-wis, so nam not I;
  • For al to litel hath she with us be.’ Skeat1900: 690
  • Quod tho the thridde, ‘I hope, y-wis, that she
  • Shal bringen us the pees on every syde, [ ]
  • That, whan she gooth, almighty god hir gyde!’
• • 100. Tho wordes and tho wommannisshe thinges,
  • She herde hem right as though she thennes were; Skeat1900: 695
  • For, god it wot, hir herte on other thing is,
  • Although the body sat among hem there.
  • Hir advertence is alwey elles-where;
  • For Troilus ful faste hir soule soughte;
  • With-outen word, alwey on him she thoughte. Skeat1900: 700
• • 101. Thise wommen, that thus wenden hir to plese,
  • Aboute nought gonne alle hir tales spende;
  • Swich vanitee ne can don hir non ese,
  • As she that, al this mene whyle, brende
  • Of other passioun than that they wende, Skeat1900: 705
  • So that she felte almost hir herte deye
  • For wo, and wery of that companye.

• 708-714. Cp. Cl. H. omit. From Ed. ( corrected by John’s MS.)

• • 102. For which no lenger mighte she restreyne [ ]
  • Hir teres, so they gonnen up to welle,
  • That yeven signes of the bitter peyne Skeat1900: 710
  • In whiche hir spirit was, and moste dwelle;
  • Remembring hir, fro heven unto which helle
  • She fallen was, sith she forgoth the sighte
  • Of Troilus, and sorowfully she sighte.
• • 103. And thilke foles sittinge hir aboute Skeat1900: 715
  • Wenden , that she wepte and syked sore [ ]
  • By-cause that she sholde out of that route
  • Departe, and never pleye with hem more.
  • And they that hadde y-knowen hir of yore
  • Seye hir so wepe, and thoughte it kindenesse, Skeat1900: 720
  • And eche of hem wepte eek for hir distresse;
• • 104. And bisily they gonnen hir conforten
  • Of thing, god wot, on which she litel thoughte;
  • And with hir tales wenden hir disporten,
  • And to be glad they often hir bisoughte. Skeat1900: 725
  • But swich an ese ther-with they hir wroughte
  • Right as a man is esed for to fele,
  • For ache of heed, to clawen him on his hele!
• • 105. But after al this nyce vanitee
  • They took hir leve, and hoom they wenten alle. Skeat1900: 730
  • Criseyde, ful of sorweful pitee,
  • In-to hir chaumbre up wente out of the halle,
  • And on hir bed she gan for deed to falle,
  • In purpos never thennes for to ryse;

  • After l. 735, Cm. inserts 750-756, with various readings.

  • And thus she wroughte, as I shal yow devyse. [ ] Skeat1900: 735
• • 106. Hir ounded heer, that sonnish was of hewe, [ ]
  • She rente, and eek hir fingres longe and smale
  • She wrong ful ofte, and bad god on hir rewe,
  • And with the deeth to doon bote on hir bale.
  • Hir hewe, whylom bright, that tho was pale, Skeat1900: 740
  • Bar witnes of hir wo and hir constreynte;
  • And thus she spak, sobbinge, in hir compleynte:
• • 107. ‘Alas!’ quod she, ‘out of this regioun
  • I, woful wrecche and infortuned wight,
  • And born in corsed constellacioun, Skeat1900: 745
  • Mot goon, and thus departen fro my knight;
  • Wo worth, allas! that ilke dayes light
  • On which I saw him first with eyen tweyne,
  • That causeth me, and I him, al this peyne!’

• 750-756. Cm. has these lines after l. 735.

• • 108. Therwith the teres from hir eyen two [ ] Skeat1900: 750
  • Doun fille , as shour in Aperill , ful swythe;
  • Hir whyte brest she bet, and for the wo
  • After the deeth she cryed a thousand sythe,
  • Sin he that wont hir wo was for to lythe,
  • She mot for-goon; for which disaventure Skeat1900: 755
  • She held hir-self a forlost creature.
• • 109. She seyde, ‘how shal he doon , and I also?
  • How sholde I live, if that I from him twinne?
  • O dere herte eek, that I love so,
  • Who shal that sorwe sleen that ye ben inne? Skeat1900: 760
  • O Calkas, fader, thyn be al this sinne!
  • O moder myn, that cleped were Argyve, [ ]
  • Wo worth that day that thou me bere on lyve!
• • 110. To what fyn sholde I live and sorwen thus?
  • How sholde a fish with-oute water dure? Skeat1900: 765
  • What is Criseyde worth, from Troilus?
  • How sholde a plaunte or lyves creature
  • Live , with-oute his kinde noriture?
  • For which ful oft a by-word here I seye, [ ]
  • That, “rotelees, mot grene sone deye.” Skeat1900: 770
• • 111. I shal don thus, sin neither swerd ne darte
  • Dar I non handle, for the crueltee ,
  • That ilke day that I from yow departe,
  • If sorwe of that nil not my bane be,
  • Than shal no mete or drinke come in me Skeat1900: 775
  • Til I my soule out of my breste unshethe;
  • And thus my-selven wol I do to dethe
• • 112. And, Troilus, my clothes everichoon
  • Shul blake been, in tokeninge, herte swete,
  • That I am as out of this world agoon, Skeat1900: 780
  • That wont was yow to setten in quiete;
  • And of myn ordre, ay til deeth me mete, [ ]
  • The observaunce ever, in your absence,
  • Shal sorwe been, compleynte, and abstinence.
• • 113. Myn herte and eek the woful goost ther-inne Skeat1900: 785
  • Biquethe I, with your spirit to compleyne
  • Eternally, for they shul never twinne.
  • For though in erthe y-twinned be we tweyne ,
  • Yet in the feld of pitee, out of peyne,

  • 790. Cm. There Pluteo regnyth schal.

  • That hight Elysos, shul we been y-fere, [ ] Skeat1900: 790
  • As Orpheus and Erudice his fere.
• • 114. Thus herte myn, for Antenor, allas!
  • I sone shal be chaunged, as I wene.
  • But how shul ye don in this sorwful cas,
  • How shal your tendre herte this sustene? Skeat1900: 795
  • But herte myn, for-yet this sorwe and tene,
  • And me also; for, soothly for to seye,
  • So ye wel fare, I recche not to deye.’
• • 115. How mighte it ever y-red ben or y-songe,
  • The pleynte that she made in hir distresse? Skeat1900: 800
  • I noot; but, as for me, my litel tonge,
  • If I discreven wolde hir hevinesse,
  • It sholde make hir sorwe seme lesse
  • Than that it was, and childishly deface
  • Hir heigh compleynte, and therfore I it pace. Skeat1900: 805

• 806-833. Cm. omits.

• • 116. Pandare, which that sent from Troilus
  • Was to Criseyde, as ye han herd devyse,
  • That for the beste it was accorded thus,
  • And he ful glad to doon him that servyse,
  • Un-to Criseyde, in a ful secree wyse, Skeat1900: 810
  • Ther-as she lay in torment and in rage,
  • Com hir to telle al hoolly his message.
• • 117. And fond that she hir-selven gan to trete
  • Ful pitously; for with hir salte teres
  • Hir brest, hir face y-bathed was ful wete; Skeat1900: 815
  • The mighty tresses of hir sonnish heres ,
  • Unbroyden, hangen al aboute hir eres ;
  • Which yaf him verray signal of martyre
  • Of deeth, which that hir herte gan desyre.
• • 118. Whan she him saw, she gan for sorwe anoon Skeat1900: 820
  • Hir tery face a-twixe hir armes hyde,
  • For which this Pandare is so wo bi-goon,
  • That in the hous he mighte unnethe abyde,
  • As he that pitee felte on every syde.
  • For if Criseyde hadde erst compleyned sore, Skeat1900: 825
  • Tho gan she pleyne a thousand tymes more.
• • 119. And in hir aspre pleynte than she seyde,
  • ‘Pandare first of Ioyes mo than two
  • Was cause causinge un-to me, Criseyde, [ ]
  • That now transmuwed been in cruel wo. Skeat1900: 830
  • Wher shal I seye to yow “wel come” or no, [ ]
  • That alderfirst me broughte in-to servyse
  • Of love, allas! that endeth in swich wyse?
• • 120. Endeth than love in wo? Ye, or men lyeth!
  • And alle worldly blisse, as thinketh me, Skeat1900: 835
  • The ende of blisse ay sorwe it occupyeth; [ ]
  • And who-so troweth not that it so be,
  • Lat him upon me, woful wrecche, y-see,
  • That my-self hate, and ay my birthe acorse ,
  • Felinge alwey, fro wikke I go to worse. Skeat1900: 840
• • 121. Who-so me seeth, he seeth sorwe al at ones ,
  • Peyne, torment, pleynte, wo , distresse. [ ]
  • Out of my woful body harm ther noon is, [ ]
  • As anguish, langour, cruel bitternesse,
  • A-noy, smert, drede, fury, and eek siknesse . Skeat1900: 845
  • I trowe, y-wis, from hevene teres reyne,
  • For pitee of myn aspre and cruel peyne!’
• • 122. ‘And thou, my suster, ful of discomfort,’
  • Quod Pandarus, ‘what thenkestow to do?
  • Why ne hastow to thy-selven som resport , [ ] Skeat1900: 850
  • Why woltow thus thy-selve, allas , for-do?
  • Leef al this werk and tak now hede to
  • That I shal seyn, and herkne, of good entente,
  • This, which by me thy Troilus thee sente.’
• • 123. Torned hir tho Criseyde, a wo makinge Skeat1900: 855
  • So greet that it a deeth was for to see:—
  • ‘Allas!’ quod she, ‘what wordes may ye bringe?
  • What wol my dere herte seyn to me,
  • Which that I drede never-mo to see?
  • Wol he have pleynte or teres , er I wende? Skeat1900: 860
  • I have y-nowe, if he ther-after sende!’
• • 124. She was right swich to seen in hir visage
  • As is that wight that men on bere binde;
  • Hir face, lyk of Paradys the image,
  • Was al y-chaunged in another kinde. [ ] Skeat1900: 865
  • The pleye, the laughtre men was wont to finde [ ]
  • In hir, and eek hir Ioyes everychone,
  • Ben fled, and thus lyth now Criseyde allone.
• • 125. Aboute hir eyen two a purpre ring
  • Bi-trent , in sothfast tokninge of hir peyne, [ ] Skeat1900: 870
  • That to biholde it was a dedly thing,
  • For which Pandare mighte not restreyne
  • The teres from his eyen for to reyne.
  • But nathelees, as he best mighte, he seyde
  • From Troilus thise wordes to Criseyde. Skeat1900: 875
• • 126. ‘Lo, nece, I trowe ye han herd al how
  • The king, with othere lordes, for the beste,
  • Hath mad eschaunge of Antenor and yow,
  • That cause is of this sorwe and this unreste.
  • But how this cas doth Troilus moleste, Skeat1900: 880
  • That may non erthely mannes tonge seye;
  • For verray wo his wit is al aweye .
• • 127. For which we han so sorwed, he and I,
  • That in-to litel bothe it hadde us slawe; [ ]
  • But thurgh my conseil this day, fynally, Skeat1900: 885
  • He somwhat is fro weping now with-drawe.
  • And semeth me that he desyreth fawe [ ]
  • With yow to been al night, for to devyse
  • Remede in this, if ther were any wyse.
• • 128. This, short and pleyne, theffect of my message, Skeat1900: 890
  • As ferforth as my wit can comprehende.
  • For ye, that been of torment in swich rage,
  • May to no long prologe as now entende;
  • And her-upon ye may answere him sende.
  • And, for the love of god, my nece dere, Skeat1900: 895
  • So leef this wo er Troilus be here.’
• • 129. ‘Gret is my wo,’ quod she, and sighte sore,
  • As she that feleth dedly sharp distresse;
  • ‘But yet to me his sorwe is muchel more,
  • That love him bet than he him-self, I gesse. Skeat1900: 900
  • Allas! for me hath he swich hevinesse?
  • Can he for me so pitously compleyne?
  • Y-wis, this sorwe doubleth al my peyne.
• • 130. Grevous to me, god wot, is for to twinne,’
  • Quod she, ‘but yet it hardere is to me Skeat1900: 905
  • To seen that sorwe which that he is inne;
  • For wel wot I, it wol my bane be; [ ]
  • And deye I wol in certayn,’ tho quod she;
  • ‘ But bidde him come, er deeth, that thus me threteth ,
  • Dryve out that goost, which in myn herte beteth .’ Skeat1900: 910
• • 131. Thise wordes seyd, she on hir armes two
  • Fil gruf, and gan to wepe pitously.
  • Quod Pandarus, ‘allas! why do ye so,
  • Syn wel ye wot the tyme is faste by,
  • That he shal come? Arys up hastely, Skeat1900: 915
  • That he yow nat biwopen thus ne finde,
  • But ye wol han him wood out of his minde!
• • 132. For wiste he that ye ferde in this manere,
  • He wolde him-selve slee; and if I wende
  • To han this fare, he sholde not come here Skeat1900: 920
  • For al the good that Pryam may despende.
  • For to what fyn he wolde anoon pretende,
  • That knowe I wel; and for-thy yet I seye,
  • So leef this sorwe, or platly he wol deye.
• • 133. And shapeth yow his sorwe for to abregge, Skeat1900: 925
  • And nought encresse, leve nece swete;
  • Beth rather to him cause of flat than egge, [ ]
  • And with som wysdom ye his sorwes bete.
  • What helpeth it to wepen ful a strete,
  • Or though ye bothe in salte teres dreynte ? Skeat1900: 930
  • Bet is a tyme of cure ay than of pleynte.
• • 134. I mene thus; whan I him hider bringe,
  • Sin ye ben wyse, and bothe of oon assent,
  • So shapeth how distourbe your goinge,
  • Or come ayen, sone after ye be went. Skeat1900: 935
  • Wommen ben wyse in short avysement;
  • And lat sen how your wit shal now avayle;
  • And what that I may helpe, it shal not fayle.’
• • 135. ‘Go,’ quod Criseyde, ‘and uncle, trewely,
  • I shal don al my might, me to restreyne Skeat1900: 940
  • From weping in his sight, and bisily,
  • Him for to glade, I shal don al my peyne,
  • And in myn herte seken every veyne;
  • If to this soor ther may be founden salve,
  • It shal not lakken, certain, on myn halve.’ Skeat1900: 945
• • 136. Goth Pandarus, and Troilus he soughte,
  • Til in a temple he fond him allone, [ ]
  • As he that of his lyf no lenger roughte ;
  • But to the pitouse goddes everichone
  • Ful tendrely he preyde, and made his mone, Skeat1900: 950
  • To doon him sone out of this world to pace;
  • For wel he thoughte ther was non other grace.

• • 953-1078. Cm. omits.

  • 137. And shortly, al the sothe for to seye,
  • He was so fallen in despeyr that day,
  • That outrely he shoop him for to deye. Skeat1900: 955
  • For right thus was his argument alwey:
  • He seyde, he nas but loren , waylawey!
  • ‘For al that comth, comth by necessitee;
  • Thus to be lorn, it is my destinee.
• • 138. For certaynly, this wot I wel,’ he seyde, Skeat1900: 960
  • That for-sight of divyne purveyaunce
  • Hath seyn alwey me to for-gon Criseyde,
  • Sin god seeth every thing, out of doutaunce, [ ] [ ]
  • And hem desponeth, thourgh his ordenaunce,
  • In hir merytes sothly for to be, Skeat1900: 965
  • As they shul comen by predestinee.
• • 139. But nathelees, allas! whom shal I leve?
  • For ther ben grete clerkes many oon, [ ]
  • That destinee thorugh argumentes preve;
  • And som men seyn that nedely ther is noon; Skeat1900: 970
  • But that free chois is yeven us everichoon.
  • O, welaway! so sleye arn clerkes olde,
  • That I not whos opinion I may holde.
• • 140. For som men seyn, if god seth al biforn, [ ]
  • Ne god may not deceyved ben, pardee, Skeat1900: 975
  • Than moot it fallen , though men hadde it sworn,
  • That purveyaunce hath seyn bifore to be.
  • Wherfor I seye, that from eterne if he

  • 978. In H., he is glossed i. deus.

  • Hath wist biforn our thought eek as our dede,
  • We have no free chois, as these clerkes rede. Skeat1900: 980
• • 141. For other thought nor other dede also
  • Might never be, but swich as purveyaunce,
  • Which may not ben deceyved never-mo,
  • Hath feled biforn, with-outen ignoraunce.
  • For if ther mighte been a variaunce Skeat1900: 985
  • To wrythen out fro goddes purveyinge,
  • Ther nere no prescience of thing cominge;
• • 142. But it were rather an opinioun
  • Uncerteyn, and no stedfast forseinge;
  • And certes, that were an abusioun, Skeat1900: 990
  • That god shuld han no parfit cleer witinge
  • More than we men that han doutous weninge.
  • But swich an errour up-on god to gesse
  • Were fals and foul, and wikked corsednesse .
• • 143. Eek this is an opinioun of somme Skeat1900: 995
  • That han hir top ful heighe and smothe y-shore; [ ]
  • They seyn right thus, that thing is not to come [ ]
  • For that the prescience hath seyn bifore
  • That it shal come; but they seyn, that therfore
  • That it shal come, therfore the purveyaunce Skeat1900: 1000
  • Wot it biforn with-outen ignoraunce;
• • 144. And in this manere this necessitee
  • Retorneth in his part contrarie agayn.
  • For needfully bihoveth it not to be
  • That thilke thinges fallen in certayn Skeat1900: 1005
  • That ben purveyed; but nedely, as they seyn,
  • Bihoveth it that thinges, whiche that falle,
  • That they in certayn ben purveyed alle.
• • 145. I mene as though I laboured me in this,
  • To enqueren which thing cause of which thing be; Skeat1900: 1010
  • As whether that the prescience of god is
  • The certayn cause of the necessitee
  • Of thinges that to comen been, pardee;
  • Or if necessitee of thing cominge
  • Be cause certeyn of the purveyinge. Skeat1900: 1015
• • 146. But now ne enforce I me nat in shewinge
  • How the ordre of causes stant; but wel wot I,
  • That it bihoveth that the bifallinge
  • Of thinges wist biforen certeynly
  • Be necessarie, al seme it not ther-by Skeat1900: 1020
  • That prescience put falling necessaire
  • To thing to come, al falle it foule or faire.
• • 147. For if ther sit a man yond on a see, [ ]
  • Than by necessitee bihoveth it
  • That, certes, thyn opinioun soth be, Skeat1900: 1025
  • That wenest or coniectest that he sit;
  • And ferther-over now ayenward yit,
  • Lo, right so it is of the part contrarie,
  • As thus; ( now herkne , for I wol not tarie):
• • 148. I seye, that if the opinioun of thee Skeat1900: 1030
  • Be sooth, for that he sit, than seye I this,
  • That he mot sitten by necessitee;
  • And thus necessitee in either is.
  • For in him nede of sitting is, y-wis,
  • And in thee nede of sooth; and thus, forsothe, Skeat1900: 1035
  • Ther moot necessitee ben in yow bothe.
• • 149. But thou mayst seyn, the man sit not therfore,
  • That thyn opinion of sitting soth is ;
  • But rather, for the man sit ther bifore,
  • Therfore is thyn opinion sooth, y-wis. Skeat1900: 1040
  • And I seye, though the cause of sooth of this
  • Comth of his sitting, yet necessitee
  • Is entrechaunged, bothe in him and thee.
• • 150. Thus on this same wyse, out of doutaunce,
  • I may wel maken , as it semeth me, Skeat1900: 1045
  • My resoninge of goddes purveyaunce,
  • And of the thinges that to comen be;
  • By whiche reson men may wel y-see,
  • That thilke thinges that in erthe falle,
  • That by necessitee they comen alle. Skeat1900: 1050
• • 151. For al-though that, for thing shal come, y-wis,
  • Therfore is it purveyed, certaynly,
  • Nat that it comth for it purveyed is:
  • Yet nathelees, bihoveth it nedfully,
  • That thing to come be purveyed, trewely; Skeat1900: 1055
  • Or elles, thinges that purveyed be,
  • That they bityden by necessitee.
• • 152. And this suffyseth right y-now, certeyn,
  • For to destroye our free chois every del.—
  • But now is this abusion to seyn, Skeat1900: 1060
  • That fallinge of the thinges temporel
  • Is cause of goddes prescience eternel.
  • Now trewely, that is a fals sentence,
  • That thing to come sholde cause his prescience.
• • 153. What mighte I wene, and I hadde swich a thought, Skeat1900: 1065
  • But that god purveyth thing that is to come
  • For that it is to come, and elles nought?
  • So mighte I wene that thinges alle and some,
  • That whylom been bifalle and over-come,
  • Ben cause of thilke sovereyn purveyaunce, Skeat1900: 1070
  • That for-wot al with-outen ignoraunce.
• • 154. And over al this, yet seye I more herto ,
  • That right as whan I woot ther is a thing,
  • Y-wis, that thing mot nedefully be so;
  • Eek right so, whan I woot a thing coming, Skeat1900: 1075
  • So mot it come; and thus the bifalling
  • Of thinges that ben wist bifore the tyde,
  • They mowe not been eschewed on no syde.’
• • 155. Than seyde he thus, ‘almighty Iove in trone,
  • That wost of al this thing the soothfastnesse, Skeat1900: 1080
  • Rewe on my sorwe, or do me deye sone,
  • Or bring Criseyde and me fro this distresse.’
  • And whyl he was in al this hevinesse,
  • Disputinge with him-self in this matere,
  • Com Pandare in , and seyde as ye may here. Skeat1900: 1085
• • 156. ‘O mighty god,’ quod Pandarus, ‘in trone,
  • Ey ! who seigh ever a wys man faren so?
  • Why, Troilus, what thenkestow to done?
  • Hastow swich lust to been thyn owene fo?
  • What, parde, yet is not Criseyde a-go! Skeat1900: 1090
  • Why lust thee so thy-self for-doon for drede,
  • That in thyn heed thyn eyen semen dede?
• • 157. Hastow not lived many a yeer biforn
  • With-outen hir, and ferd ful wel at ese? [ ]
  • Artow for hir and for non other born? Skeat1900: 1095
  • Hath kinde thee wroughte al-only hir to plese?
  • Lat be, and thenk right thus in thy disese.
  • That, in the dees right as ther fallen chaunces,
  • Right so in love, ther come and goon plesaunces.
• • 158. And yet this is a wonder most of alle, Skeat1900: 1100
  • Why thou thus sorwest, sin thou nost not yit,
  • Touching hir goinge, how that it shal falle,
  • Ne if she can hir-self distorben it.
  • Thou hast not yet assayed al hir wit.
  • A man may al by tyme his nekke bede [ ] Skeat1900: 1105
  • Whan it shal of, and sorwen at the nede.
• • 159. For-thy take hede of that that I shal seye;
  • I have with hir y-spoke and longe y-be,
  • So as accorded was bitwixe us tweye.
  • And ever-mo me thinketh thus, that she Skeat1900: 1110
  • Hath som-what in hir hertes prevetee,
  • Wher-with she can, if I shal right arede,
  • Distorbe al this, of which thou art in drede.
• • 160. For which my counseil is, whan it is night,
  • Thou to hir go, and make of this an ende; Skeat1900: 1115
  • And blisful Iuno, thourgh hir grete mighte,
  • Shal, as I hope, hir grace un-to us sende.
  • Myn herte seyth, “certeyn, she shal not wende;”
  • And for-thy put thyn herte a whyle in reste;
  • And hold this purpos, for it is the beste.’ Skeat1900: 1120
• • 161. This Troilus answerde , and sighte sore,
  • ‘Thou seyst right wel, and I wil do right so;’
  • And what him liste, he seyde un-to it more.
  • And whan that it was tyme for to go,
  • Ful prevely him-self, with-outen mo, Skeat1900: 1125
  • Un-to hir com, as he was wont to done;
  • And how they wroughte, I shal yow telle sone.
• • 162. Soth is, that whan they gonne first to mete,
  • So gan the peyne hir hertes for to twiste,
  • That neither of hem other mighte grete, Skeat1900: 1130
  • But hem in armes toke and after kiste.
  • The lasse wofulle of hem bothe niste
  • Wher that he was, ne mighte o word out-bringe,
  • As I seyde erst, for wo and for sobbinge.
• • 163. Tho woful teres that they leten falle Skeat1900: 1135
  • As bittre weren, out of teres kinde, [ ]
  • For peyne, as is ligne aloës or galle.
  • So bittre teres weep nought, as I finde,
  • The woful Myrra through the bark and rinde. [ ]
  • That in this world ther nis so hard an herte, Skeat1900: 1140
  • That nolde han rewed on hir peynes smerte.
• • 164. But whan hir woful wery gostes tweyne
  • Retorned been ther-as hem oughte dwelle,
  • And that som-what to wayken gan the peyne
  • By lengthe of pleynte, and ebben gan the welle Skeat1900: 1145
  • Of hire teres , and the herte unswelle, [ ]
  • With broken voys, al hoors for-shright , Criseyde [ ]
  • To Troilus thise ilke wordes seyde:
• • 165. ‘O Iove, I deye, and mercy I beseche!
  • Help, Troilus!’ and ther-with-al hir face Skeat1900: 1150
  • Upon his brest she leyde, and loste speche;
  • Hir woful spirit from his propre place,
  • Right with the word, alwey up poynt to pace. [ ]
  • And thus she lyth with hewes pale and grene,
  • That whylom fresh and fairest was to sene. Skeat1900: 1155
• • 166. This Troilus, that on hir gan biholde,
  • Clepinge hir name, (and she lay as for deed,
  • With-oute answere, and felte hir limes colde,
  • Hir eyen throwen upward to hir heed),
  • This sorwful man can now noon other reed, Skeat1900: 1160
  • But ofte tyme hir colde mouth he kiste;
  • Wher him was wo, god and him-self it wiste! [ ]
• • 167. He rist him up, and long streight he hir leyde;
  • For signe of lyf, for ought he can or may,
  • Can he noon finde in no-thing on Criseyde, Skeat1900: 1165
  • For which his song ful ofte is ‘weylaway!’
  • But whan he saugh that specheles she lay,
  • With sorwful voys, and herte of blisse al bare,
  • He seyde how she was fro this world y-fare!
• • 168. So after that he longe hadde hir compleyned, Skeat1900: 1170
  • His hondes wrong, and seyde that was to seye,
  • And with his teres salte hir brest bireyned,
  • He gan tho teris wypen of ful dreye,
  • And pitously gan for the soule preye, [ ]
  • And seyde, ‘O lord, that set art in thy trone, Skeat1900: 1175
  • Rewe eek on me, for I shal folwe hir sone!’
• • 169. She cold was and with-outen sentement,
  • For aught he woot, for breeth ne felte he noon;
  • And this was him a preignant argument [ ]
  • That she was forth out of this world agoon; Skeat1900: 1180
  • And whan he seigh ther was non other woon , [ ]
  • He gan hir limes dresse in swich manere
  • As men don hem that shul be leyd on bere.
• • 170. And after this, with sterne and cruel herte,
  • His swerd a-noon out of his shethe he twighte, [ ] Skeat1900: 1185
  • Him-self to sleen , how sore that him smerte,
  • So that his sowle hir sowle folwen mighte,
  • Ther-as the doom of Mynos wolde it dighte; [ ]
  • Sin love and cruel Fortune it ne wolde,
  • That in this world he lenger liven sholde. Skeat1900: 1190
• • 171. Thanne seyde he thus, fulfild of heigh desdayn,
  • ‘O cruel Iove, and thou, Fortune adverse,
  • This al and som, that falsly have ye slayn
  • Criseyde, and sin ye may do me no werse,
  • Fy on your might and werkes so diverse! Skeat1900: 1195
  • Thus cowardly ye shul me never winne;
  • Ther shal no deeth me fro my lady twinne.
• • 172. For I this world, sin ye han slayn hir thus,
  • Wol lete, and folowe hir spirit lowe or hye;
  • Shal never lover seyn that Troilus Skeat1900: 1200
  • Dar not, for fere, with his lady dye;
  • For certeyn, I wol bere hir companye.
  • But sin ye wol not suffre us liven here ,
  • Yet suffreth that our soules ben y-fere.
• • 173. And thou, citee, whiche that I leve in wo, Skeat1900: 1205
  • And thou, Pryam, and bretheren al y-fere,
  • And thou, my moder, farewel! for I go;
  • And Attropos , make redy thou my bere! [ ]
  • And thou, Criseyde, o swete herte dere,
  • Receyve now my spirit!’ wolde he seye, Skeat1900: 1210
  • With swerd at herte, al redy for to deye.
• • 174. But as god wolde, of swough ther-with she abreyde ,
  • And gan to syke, and ‘Troilus’ she cryde;
  • And he answerde, ‘lady myn Criseyde,
  • Live ye yet?’ and leet his swerd doun glyde. Skeat1900: 1215
  • ‘Ye, herte myn, that thanked be Cupyde!’
  • Quod she, and ther-with-al she sore sighte;
  • And he bigan to glade hir as he mighte;
• • 175. Took hir in armes two, and kiste hir ofte,
  • And hir to glade he dide al his entente; Skeat1900: 1220
  • For which hir goost, that flikered ay on-lofte,
  • In-to hir woful herte ayein it wente.
  • But at the laste, as that hir eyen glente
  • A-syde, anoon she gan his swerd aspye,
  • As it lay bare, and gan for fere crye, Skeat1900: 1225
• • 176. And asked him, why he it hadde out-drawe?
  • And Troilus anoon the cause hir tolde,
  • And how himself ther-with he wolde have slawe.
  • For which Criseyde up-on him gan biholde,
  • And gan him in hir armes faste folde, Skeat1900: 1230
  • And seyde, ‘O mercy, god, lo, which a dede!
  • Allas! how neigh we were bothe dede!
• • 177. Thanne if I ne hadde spoken, as grace was,
  • Ye wolde han slayn your-self anoon?’ quod she.
  • ‘Ye, douteless;’ and she answerde , ‘allas! Skeat1900: 1235
  • For, by that ilke lord that made me,
  • I nolde a forlong wey on-lyve han be, [ ]
  • After your deeth, to han be crowned quene
  • Of al the lond the sonne on shyneth shene.
• • 178. But with this selve swerd, which that here is, Skeat1900: 1240
  • My-selve I wolde have slayn !’—quod she tho; [ ]
  • ‘But ho, for we han right y-now of this, [ ]
  • And late us ryse and streight to bedde go,
  • And therë lat vs speken of our wo. [ ]
  • For, by the morter which that I see brenne, [ ] Skeat1900: 1245
  • Knowe I ful wel that day is not fer henne.’
• • 179. Whan they were in hir bedde, in armes folde,
  • Nought was it lyk tho nightes here-biforn;
  • For pitously ech other gan biholde,
  • As they that hadden al hir blisse y-lorn, Skeat1900: 1250
  • Biwaylinge ay the day that they were born.
  • Til at the last this sorwful wight Criseyde
  • To Troilus these ilke wordes seyde:—
• • 180. ‘Lo, herte myn, wel wot ye this,’ quod she,
  • ‘That if a wight alwey his wo compleyne, Skeat1900: 1255
  • And seketh nought how holpen for to be,
  • It nis but folye and encrees of peyne;
  • And sin that here assembled be we tweyne
  • To finde bote of wo that we ben inne,
  • It were al tyme sone to biginne. Skeat1900: 1260
• • 181. I am a womman, as ful wel ye woot ,
  • And as I am avysed sodeynly,
  • So wol I telle yow, whyl it is hoot .
  • Me thinketh thus, that neither ye nor I
  • Oughte half this wo to make skilfully. Skeat1900: 1265
  • For there is art y-now for to redresse
  • That yet is mis, and sleen this hevinesse.
• • 182. Sooth is, the wo, the whiche that we ben inne,
  • For ought I woot, for no-thing elles is
  • But for the cause that we sholden twinne. Skeat1900: 1270
  • Considered al, ther nis no-more amis.
  • But what is thanne a remede un-to this,
  • But that we shape us sone for to mete?
  • This al and som, my dere herte swete.
• • 183. Now that I shal wel bringen it aboute Skeat1900: 1275
  • To come ayein , sone after that I go,
  • Ther-of am I no maner thing in doute.
  • For dredeles , with-inne a wouke or two,
  • I shal ben here; and, that it may be so
  • By alle right, and in a wordes fewe, Skeat1900: 1280
  • I shal yow wel an heep of weyes shewe.
• • 184. For which I wol not make long sermoun ,
  • For tyme y-lost may not recovered be;
  • But I wol gon to my conclusioun ,
  • And to the beste, in ought that I can see. Skeat1900: 1285
  • And, for the love of god, for-yeve it me
  • If I speke ought ayein your hertes reste;
  • For trewely, I speke it for the beste;
• • 185. Makinge alwey a protestacioun,
  • That now these wordes, whiche that I shal seye, Skeat1900: 1290
  • Nis but to shewe yow my mocioun,
  • To finde un-to our helpe the beste weye;
  • And taketh it non other wyse, I preye.
  • For in effect what-so ye me comaunde,
  • That wol I doon, for that is no demaunde. [ ] Skeat1900: 1295
• • 186. Now herkeneth this, ye han wel understonde,
  • My goinge graunted is by parlement
  • So ferforth, that it may not be with-stonde
  • For al this world, as by my Iugement .
  • And sin ther helpeth noon avysement Skeat1900: 1300
  • To letten it, lat it passe out of minde;
  • And lat us shape a bettre wey to finde.
• • 187. The sothe is, that the twinninge of us tweyne
  • Wol us disese and cruelliche anoye.
  • But him bihoveth som-tyme han a peyne, Skeat1900: 1305
  • That serveth love, if that he wol have Ioye.
  • And sin I shal no ferthere out of Troye
  • Than I may ryde ayein on half a morwe,
  • It oughte lasse causen us to sorwe.
• • 188. So as I shal not so ben hid in muwe, Skeat1900: 1310
  • That day by day, myn owene herte dere,
  • Sin wel ye woot that it is now a truwe,
  • Ye shul ful wel al myn estat y-here.
  • And er that truwe is doon, I shal ben here,
  • And thanne have ye bothe Antenor y-wonne Skeat1900: 1315
  • And me also; beth glad now, if ye conne;
• • 189. And thenk right thus, “Criseyde is now agoon,
  • But what! she shal come hastely ayeyn ;”
  • And whanne, allas? by god, lo, right anoon,
  • Er dayes ten, this dar I saufly seyn. Skeat1900: 1320
  • And thanne at erste shul we been so fayn,
  • So as we shulle to-gederes ever dwelle,
  • Thal al this world ne mighte our blisse telle.
• • 190. I see that ofte , ther-as we ben now,
  • That for the beste, our conseil for to hyde, Skeat1900: 1325
  • Ye speke not with me, nor I with yow
  • In fourtenight; ne see yow go ne ryde.
  • May ye not ten dayes thanne abyde,
  • For myn honour, in swich an aventure?
  • Y-wis, ye mowen elles lite endure! Skeat1900: 1330
• • 191. Ye knowe eek how that al my kin is here,
  • But-if that onliche it my fader be;
  • And eek myn othere thinges alle y-fere,
  • And nameliche, my dere herte, ye,
  • Whom that I nolde leven for to see Skeat1900: 1335
  • For al this world, as wyd as it hath space;
  • Or elles, see ich never Ioves face!
• • 192. Why trowe ye my fader in this wyse
  • Coveiteth so to see me, but for drede
  • Lest in this toun that folkes me dispyse Skeat1900: 1340
  • By-cause of him, for his unhappy dede?
  • What woot my fader what lyf that I lede?
  • For if he wiste in Troye how wel I fare,
  • Us neded for my wending nought to care.
• • 193. Ye seen that every day eek, more and more, Skeat1900: 1345
  • Men trete of pees; and it supposed is,
  • That men the quene Eleyne shal restore,
  • And Grekes us restore that is mis.
  • So though ther nere comfort noon but this,
  • That men purposen pees on every syde, Skeat1900: 1350
  • Ye may the bettre at ese of herte abyde.
• • 194. For if that it be pees, myn herte dere,
  • The nature of the pees mot nedes dryve
  • That men moste entrecomunen y-fere,
  • And to and fro eek ryde and gon as blyve Skeat1900: 1355
  • Alday as thikke as been flen from an hyve;
  • And every wight han libertee to bleve
  • Wher-as him list the bet, with-outen leve.
• • 195. And though so be that pees ther may be noon,
  • Yet hider, though ther never pees ne were, Skeat1900: 1360
  • I moste come; for whider sholde I goon,
  • Or how mischaunce sholde I dwelle there
  • Among tho men of armes ever in fere?
  • For which, as wisly god my soule rede,
  • I can not seen wher-of ye sholden drede. Skeat1900: 1365
• • 196. Have here another wey, if it so be
  • That al this thing ne may yow not suffyse.
  • My fader, as ye knowen wel, pardee,
  • Is old, and elde is ful of coveityse.
  • And I right now have founden al the gyse, Skeat1900: 1370
  • With-oute net, wher-with I shal him hente;
  • And herkeneth how, if that ye wole assente.
• • 197. Lo, Troilus, men seyn that hard it is
  • The wolf ful, and the wether hool to have; [ ]
  • This is to seyn, that men ful ofte, y-wis, Skeat1900: 1375
  • Mot spenden part, the remenaunt for to save.
  • For ay with gold men may the herte grave [ ]
  • Of him that set is up-on coveityse;
  • And how I mene, I shal it yow devyse.
• • 198. The moeble which that I have in this toun [ ] Skeat1900: 1380
  • Un-to my fader shal I take, and seye,
  • That right for trust and for savacioun
  • It sent is from a freend of his or tweye,
  • The whiche freendes ferventliche him preye
  • To senden after more, and that in hye, Skeat1900: 1385
  • Whyl that this toun stant thus in Iupartye.
• • 199. And that shal been an huge quantitee ,

  • 1388-1408. Cp. omits.

  • Thus shal I seyn, but, lest it folk aspyde ,
  • This may be sent by no wight but by me;
  • I shal eek shewen him, if pees bityde, Skeat1900: 1390
  • What frendes that ich have on every syde
  • Toward the court, to doon the wrathe pace
  • Of Priamus, and doon him stonde in grace.
• • 200. So, what for o thing and for other , swete,
  • I shal him so enchaunten with my sawes, Skeat1900: 1395
  • That right in hevene his sowle is, shal he mete!
  • For al Appollo, or his clerkes lawes,
  • Or calculinge avayleth nought three hawes;
  • Desyr of gold shal so his sowle blende ,
  • That, as me lyst, I shal wel make an ende. Skeat1900: 1400
• • 201. And if he wolde ought by his sort it preve
  • If that I lye, in certayn I shal fonde
  • Distorben him, and plukke him by the sleve,
  • Makinge his sort, and beren him on honde, [ ]
  • He hath not wel the goddes understonde. Skeat1900: 1405
  • For goddes speken in amphibologyes, [ ]
  • And, for a sooth, they tellen twenty lyes.
• • 202. Eek drede fond first goddes, I suppose,
  • Thus shal I seyn, and that his cowarde herte
  • Made him amis the goddes text to glose, Skeat1900: 1410
  • Whan he for ferde out of his Delphos sterte. [ ]
  • And but I make him sone to converte,
  • And doon my reed with-inne a day or tweye,
  • I wol to yow oblige me to deye.’
• • 203. And treweliche, as writen wel I finde, Skeat1900: 1415
  • That al this thing was seyd of good entente ;
  • And that hir herte trewe was and kinde
  • Towardes him, and spak right as she mente,
  • And that she starf for wo neigh, whan she wente,
  • And was in purpos ever to be trewe; Skeat1900: 1420
  • Thus writen they that of hir werkes knewe.
• • 204. This Troilus, with herte and eres spradde, [ ]
  • Herde al this thing devysen to and fro;
  • And verraylich him semed that he hadde
  • The selve wit; but yet to lete hir go [ ] Skeat1900: 1425
  • His herte misforyaf him ever-mo.
  • But fynally, he gan his herte wreste
  • To trusten hir, and took it for the beste.
• • 205. For which the grete furie of his penaunce
  • Was queynt with hope, and ther-with hem bitwene Skeat1900: 1430
  • Bigan for Ioye the amorouse daunce.
  • And as the briddes, whan the sonne is shene,
  • Delyten in hir song in leves grene,
  • Right so the wordes that they spake y-fere
  • Delyted hem, and made hir hertes clere. [ ] Skeat1900: 1435
• • 206. But natheles , the wending of Criseyde,
  • For al this world, may nought out of his minde;
  • For which ful ofte he pitously hir preyde,
  • That of hir heste he might hir trewe finde.
  • And seyde hir, ‘certes, if ye be unkinde, Skeat1900: 1440
  • And but ye come at day set in-to Troye,
  • Ne shal I never have hele, honour, ne Ioye.
• • 207. For al-so sooth as sonne up-rist on morwe,
  • And, god! so wisly thou me, woful wrecche,
  • To reste bringe out of this cruel sorwe, Skeat1900: 1445
  • I wol my-selven slee if that ye drecche.
  • But of my deeth though litel be to recche,
  • Yet, er that ye me cause so to smerte,
  • Dwel rather here, myn owene swete herte!
• • 208. For trewely, myn owene lady dere, Skeat1900: 1450
  • Tho sleightes yet that I have herd yow stere
  • Ful shaply been to failen alle y-fere.
  • For thus men seyn, “that oon thenketh the bere, [ ]
  • But al another thenketh his ledere.”
  • Your sire is wys, and seyd is, out of drede, Skeat1900: 1455
  • “Men may the wyse at-renne, and not at-rede .” [ ]
• • 209. It is ful hard to halten unespyed
  • Bifore a crepul , for he can the craft;
  • Your fader is in sleighte as Argus yëd ; [ ]
  • For al be that his moeble is him biraft, Skeat1900: 1460
  • His olde sleighte is yet so with him laft,
  • Ye shal not blende him for your womanhede,
  • Ne feyne a-right, and that is al my drede.
• • 210. I noot if pees shal ever-mo bityde;
  • But, pees or no, for ernest ne for game, Skeat1900: 1465
  • I woot, sin Calkas on the Grekes syde
  • Hath ones been, and lost so foule his name,
  • He dar no more come here ayein for shame;
  • For which that weye, for ought I can espye,
  • To trusten on , nis but a fantasye. Skeat1900: 1470
• • 211. Ye shal eek seen, your fader shal yow glose
  • To been a wyf, and as he can wel preche,
  • He shal som Grek so preyse and wel alose,
  • That ravisshen he shal yow with his speche,
  • Or do yow doon by force as he shal teche. Skeat1900: 1475
  • And Troilus, of whom ye nil han routhe,
  • Shal causeles so sterven in his trouthe!
• • 212. And over al this, your fader shal despyse
  • Us alle, and seyn this citee nis but lorn;
  • And that thassege never shal aryse, Skeat1900: 1480
  • For-why the Grekes han it alle sworn
  • Til we be slayn, and doun our walles torn.
  • And thus he shal you with his wordes fere, [ ]
  • That ay drede I, that ye wol bleve there.
• • 213. Ye shul eek seen so many a lusty knight Skeat1900: 1485
  • A-mong the Grekes, ful of worthinesse,
  • And eche of hem with herte, wit, and might
  • To plesen yow don al his besinesse,
  • That ye shul dullen of the rudenesse
  • Of us sely Troianes , but-if routhe Skeat1900: 1490
  • Remorde yow, or vertue of your trouthe.
• • 214. And this to me so grevous is to thinke ,
  • That fro my brest it wol my soule rende;
  • Ne dredeles , in me ther may not sinke
  • A good opinioun, if that ye wende; Skeat1900: 1495
  • For-why your faderes sleighte wol us shende.
  • And if ye goon, as I have told yow yore,
  • So thenk I nam but deed, with-oute more.
• • 215. For which, with humble, trewe, and pitous herte,
  • A thousand tymes mercy I yow preye; Skeat1900: 1500
  • So reweth on myn aspre peynes smerte,
  • And doth somwhat, as that I shal yow seye,
  • And lat us stele away bitwixe us tweye ;
  • And thenk that folye is, whan man may chese,
  • For accident his substaunce ay to lese. [ ] Skeat1900: 1505
• • 216. I mene this, that sin we mowe er day
  • Wel stele away, and been to-gider so,
  • What wit were it to putten in assay,
  • In cas ye sholden to your fader go,
  • If that ye mighte come ayein or no? Skeat1900: 1510
  • Thus mene I, that it were a gret folye
  • To putte that sikernesse in Iupartye.
• • 217. And vulgarly to speken of substaunce
  • Of tresour, may we bothe with us lede
  • Y-nough to live in honour and plesaunce , Skeat1900: 1515
  • Til in-to tyme that we shul ben dede;
  • And thus we may eschewen al this drede.
  • For everich other wey ye can recorde,
  • Myn herte, y-wis, may not ther-with acorde.
• • 218. And hardily , ne dredeth no poverte, Skeat1900: 1520
  • For I have kin and freendes elles-where
  • That, though we comen in our bare sherte,
  • Us sholde neither lakke gold ne gere,
  • But been honoured whyl we dwelten there.
  • And go we anoon, for, as in myn entente, [ ] Skeat1900: 1525
  • This is the beste, if that ye wole assente.’
• • 219. Criseyde, with a syk, right in this wyse
  • Answerde, ‘y-wis, my dere herte trewe,
  • We may wel stele away, as ye devyse,
  • And finde swiche unthrifty weyes newe; Skeat1900: 1530
  • But afterward, ful sore it wol us rewe.
  • And help me god so at my moste nede
  • As causeles ye suffren al this drede!
• • 220. For thilke day that I for cherisshinge
  • Or drede of fader, or of other wight, Skeat1900: 1535
  • Or for estat, delyt, or for weddinge
  • Be fals to yow, my Troilus, my knight,
  • Saturnes doughter, Iuno, thorugh hir might, [ ]
  • As wood as Athamante do me dwelle
  • Eternaly in Stix, the put of helle! Skeat1900: 1540
• • 221. And this on every god celestial
  • I swere it yow, and eek on eche goddesse,
  • On every Nymphe and deite infernal,
  • On Satiry and Fauny more and lesse, [ ]
  • That halve goddes been of wildernesse; Skeat1900: 1545
  • And Attropos my threed of lyf to-breste
  • If I be fals; now trowe me if thow leste!
• • 222. And thou, Simoys , that as an arwe clere [ ]
  • Thorugh Troye rennest ay downward to the see,
  • Ber witnesse of this word that seyd is here, Skeat1900: 1550
  • That thilke day that ich untrewe be
  • To Troilus, myn owene herte free,
  • That thou retorne bakwarde to thy welle,
  • And I with body and soule sinke in helle!
• • 223. But that ye speke, awey thus for to go Skeat1900: 1555
  • And leten alle your freendes, god for-bede,
  • For any womman, that ye sholden so,
  • And namely , sin Troye hath now swich nede
  • Of help; and eek of o thing taketh hede,
  • If this were wist, my lif laye in balaunce, [ ] Skeat1900: 1560
  • And your honour; god shilde us fro mischaunce!
• • 224. And if so be that pees her-after take , [ ]
  • As alday happeth, after anger, game,
  • Why, lord! the sorwe and wo ye wolden make,
  • That ye ne dorste come ayein for shame! Skeat1900: 1565
  • And er that ye Iuparten so your name,
  • Beth nought to hasty in this hote fare;
  • For hasty man ne wanteth never care.
• • 225. What trowe ye the peple eek al aboute
  • Wolde of it seye? It is ful light to arede . Skeat1900: 1570
  • They wolden seye, and swere it, out of doute,
  • That love ne droof yow nought to doon this dede,
  • But lust voluptuous and coward drede.
  • Thus were al lost, y-wis, myn herte dere,
  • Your honour, which that now shyneth so clere. Skeat1900: 1575
• • 226. And also thenketh on myn honestee,
  • That floureth yet, how foule I sholde it shende,
  • And with what filthe it spotted sholde be,
  • If in this forme I sholde with yow wende.
  • Ne though I livede un-to the worldes ende, Skeat1900: 1580
  • My name sholde I never ayeinward winne;
  • Thus were I lost, and that were routhe and sinne.
• • 227. And for-thy slee with reson al this hete;
  • Men seyn, “the suffraunt overcometh,” pardee; [ ]
  • Eek “who-so wol han leef, he leef mot lete;” [ ] Skeat1900: 1585
  • Thus maketh vertue of necessitee
  • By pacience , and thenk that lord is he
  • Of fortune ay, that nought wol of hir recche;
  • And she ne daunteth no wight but a wrecche.
• • 228. And trusteth this, that certes, herte swete, Skeat1900: 1590
  • Er Phebus suster, Lucina the shene, [ ]
  • The Leoun passe out of this Ariete ,
  • I wol ben here, with-outen any wene.
  • I mene, as helpe me Iuno, hevenes quene,
  • The tenthe day, but-if that deeth me assayle , Skeat1900: 1595
  • I wol yow seen, with-outen any fayle.’
• • 229. ‘And now, so this be sooth,’ quod Troilus,
  • ‘I shal wel suffre un-to the tenthe day,
  • Sin that I see that nede it moot be thus.
  • But, for the love of god, if it be may, Skeat1900: 1600
  • So lat us stele prively away;
  • For ever in oon, as for to live in reste,
  • Myn herte seyth that it wol been the beste.’
• • 230. ‘O mercy, god, what lyf is this?’ quod she;
  • ‘Allas, ye slee me thus for verray tene! Skeat1900: 1605
  • I see wel now that ye mistrusten me;
  • For by your wordes it is wel y-sene.
  • Now, for the love of Cynthia the shene, [ ]
  • Mistrust me not thus causeles, for routhe;
  • Sin to be trewe I have yow plight my trouthe. Skeat1900: 1610
• • 231. And thenketh wel, that som tyme it is wit
  • To spende a tyme, a tyme for to winne; [ ]
  • Ne, pardee, lorn am I nought fro yow yit,
  • Though that we been a day or two a-twinne.
  • Dryf out the fantasyes yow with-inne; Skeat1900: 1615
  • And trusteth me, and leveth eek your sorwe,
  • Or here my trouthe, I wol not live til morwe.
• • 232. For if ye wiste how sore it doth me smerte,
  • Ye wolde cesse of this; for god, thou wost,
  • The pure spirit wepeth in myn herte, [ ] Skeat1900: 1620
  • To see yow wepen that I love most,
  • And that I moot gon to the Grekes ost.
  • Ye, nere it that I wiste remedye
  • To come ayein, right here I wolde dye!
• • 233. But certes, I am not so nyce a wight Skeat1900: 1625
  • That I ne can imaginen a way
  • To come ayein that day that I have hight.
  • For who may holde thing that wol a-way? [ ]
  • My fader nought, for al his queynte pley.
  • And by my thrift, my wending out of Troye Skeat1900: 1630
  • Another day shal torne us alle to Ioye.
• • 234. For-thy, with al myn herte I yow beseke ,
  • If that yow list don ought for my preyere,
  • And for the love which that I love yow eke,
  • That er that I departe fro yow here, Skeat1900: 1635
  • That of so good a comfort and a chere
  • I may you seen, that ye may bringe at reste
  • Myn herte, which that is at point to breste.
• • 235. And over al this, I pray yow,’ quod she tho,
  • ‘Myn owene hertes soothfast suffisaunce, Skeat1900: 1640
  • Sin I am thyn al hool, with-outen mo,
  • That whyl that I am absent , no plesaunce
  • Of othere do me fro your remembraunce.
  • For I am ever a-gast, for-why men rede,
  • That “love is thing ay ful of bisy drede.” [ ] Skeat1900: 1645
• • 236. For in this world ther liveth lady noon,
  • If that ye were untrewe, as god defende!
  • That so bitraysed were or wo bigoon
  • As I, that alle trouthe in yow entende.
  • And douteles, if that ich other wende, Skeat1900: 1650
  • I nere but deed; and er ye cause finde,
  • For goddes love, so beth me not unkinde.’
• • 237. To this answerde Troilus and seyde,
  • ‘Now god, to whom ther nis no cause y-wrye,
  • Me glade , as wis I never un-to Criseyde, Skeat1900: 1655
  • Sin thilke day I saw hir first with yë ,
  • Was fals, ne never shal til that I dye.
  • At shorte wordes, wel ye may me leve;
  • I can no more, it shal be founde at preve.’
• • 238. ‘Graunt mercy, goode myn, y-wis,’ quod she, Skeat1900: 1660
  • ‘And blisful Venus lat me never sterve
  • Er I may stonde of plesaunce in degree
  • To quyte him wel, that so wel can deserve;
  • And whyl that god my wit wol me conserve,
  • I shal so doon, so trewe I have yow founde, Skeat1900: 1665
  • That ay honour to me-ward shal rebounde.

• 1667-1701. Cm. omits.

• • 239. For trusteth wel, that your estat royal [ ]
  • Ne veyn delyt, nor only worthinesse
  • Of yow in werre, or torney marcial,
  • Ne pompe, array , nobley, or eek richesse, Skeat1900: 1670
  • Ne made me to rewe on your distresse;
  • But moral vertue, grounded upon trouthe,
  • That was the cause I first hadde on yow routhe!
• • 240. Eek gentil herte and manhod that ye hadde,
  • And that ye hadde, as me thoughte, in despyt Skeat1900: 1675
  • Every thing that souned in-to badde,
  • As rudenesse and poeplish appetyt; [ ]
  • And that your reson brydled your delyt,
  • This made, aboven every creature,
  • That I was your, and shal, whyl I may dure. Skeat1900: 1680
• • 241. And this may lengthe of yeres not for-do,
  • Ne remuable fortune deface; [ ]
  • But Iuppiter, that of his might may do
  • The sorwful to be glad, so yeve us grace,
  • Er nightes ten, to meten in this place, Skeat1900: 1685
  • So that it may your herte and myn suffyse;
  • And fareth now wel, for tyme is that ye ryse.’
• • 242. And after that they longe y-pleyned hadde,
  • And ofte y-kist and streite in armes folde,
  • The day gan ryse, and Troilus him cladde, Skeat1900: 1690
  • And rewfulliche his lady gan biholde,
  • As he that felte dethes cares colde.
  • And to hir grace he gan him recomaunde;
  • Wher him was wo, this holde I no demaunde.
• • 243. For mannes heed imaginen ne can, Skeat1900: 1695
  • Ne entendement considere, ne tonge telle
  • The cruel peynes of this sorwful man,
  • That passen every torment doun in helle.
  • For whan he saugh that she ne mighte dwelle,
  • Which that his soule out of his herte rente, Skeat1900: 1700
  • With-outen more, out of the chaumbre he wente.