HENRY FROWDE, M.A.

PUBLISHER TO THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD

LONDON, EDINBURGH, AND NEW YORK

THE COMPLETE WORKS

OF

GEOFFREY CHAUCER

EDITED, FROM NUMEROUS MANUSCRIPTS

BY THE

REV. WALTER W. SKEAT, M.A.

LITT.D., LL.D., D.C.L., PH.D.

ELRINGTON AND BOSWORTH PROFESSOR OF ANGLO-SAXON

AND FELLOW OF CHRIST'S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE

* * * *

THE CANTERBURY TALES: TEXT

'Let every felawe telle his tale aboute,

And lat see now who shal the soper winne.'

The Knightes Tale; A890

SECOND EDITION

Oxford

AT THE CLARENDON PRESS

M DCCCC

Frontispiece. CAMBRIDGE MS. (Gg. 4. 27). Prol. 326-342

Oxford

PRINTED AT THE CLARENDON PRESS

BY HORACE HART, M.A.,

PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY

[v]

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION.--SS 1. The Present Text. SS 2. The MSS.--I. In the British Museum. II. In Oxford. III. In Cambridge. IV. In other Public Libraries. V. In private hands. SS 3. The Printed Editions. SS 4. Plan of the present Edition. SS 5. Table of symbols denoting MSS. SS 6. Table showing various ways of numbering the lines. SS 7. The four types of MSS.

THE CANTERBURY TALES

GROUP A. THE PROLOGUE

THE KNIGHTES TALE

THE MILLER'S PROLOGUE

THE MILLERES TALE

THE REEVE'S PROLOGUE

THE REVES TALE

THE COOK'S PROLOGUE

THE COKES TALE

GROUP B. INTRODUCTION TO THE MAN OF LAW'S PROLOGUE

MAN OF LAW'S PROLOGUE

THE TALE OF THE MAN OF LAWE

THE SHIPMAN'S PROLOGUE

THE SHIPMANNES TALE

THE PRIORESS'S PROLOGUE

THE PRIORESSES TALE

PROLOGUE TO SIR THOPAS

SIR THOPAS

PROLOGUE TO MELIBEUS

THE TALE OF MELIBEUS

THE MONK'S PROLOGUE

THE MONKES TALE:--Lucifer; Adam; Sampson; Hercules;

Nabugodonosor; Balthasar; Cenobia; De Petro Rege Ispannie;

De Petro Rege De Cipro; De Barnabo de Lumbardia;

De Hugelino Comite de Pize; Nero; De Oloferno;

De Rege Anthiocho; De Alexandro; De Iulio Cesare; Cresus

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THE PROLOGUE OF THE NONNE PRESTES TALE

THE NONNE PRESTES TALE

EPILOGUE TO THE NONNE PRESTES TALE

GROUP C. THE PHISICIENS TALE

WORDS OF THE HOST

PROLOGUE OF THE PARDONERS TALE

THE PARDONERS TALE

GROUP D. THE WIFE OF BATH'S PROLOGUE

THE TALE OF THE WYF OF BATHE

THE FRIAR'S PROLOGUE

THE FRERES TALE

THE SOMNOUR'S PROLOGUE

THE SOMNOURS TALE

GROUP E. THE CLERK'S PROLOGUE

THE CLERKES TALE

THE MERCHANT'S PROLOGUE

THE MARCHANTES TALE

EPILOGUE TO THE MARCHANTES TALE

GROUP F. THE SQUIERES TALE

WORDS OF THE FRANKLIN

THE FRANKLIN'S PROLOGUE

THE FRANKELEYNS TALE

GROUP G. THE SECONDE NONNES TALE

THE CANON'S YEOMAN'S PROLOGUE

THE CHANOUNS YEMANNES TALE

GROUP H. THE MANCIPLE'S PROLOGUE

THE MAUNCIPLES TALE

GROUP I. THE PARSON'S PROLOGUE

THE PERSONES TALE

APPENDIX TO GROUP A. The Tale of Gamelyn

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INTRODUCTION

SS 1. THE PRESENT TEXT.

The text of the 'Canterbury Tales,' as printed in the present volume, is an entirely new one, owing nothing to the numerous printed editions which have preceded it. The only exceptions to this statement are to be found in the case of such portions as have been formerly edited, for the Clarendon Press, by Dr. Morris and myself. The reasons for the necessity of a formation of an absolutely new text will appear on a perusal of the text itself, as compared with any of its predecessors.

On the other hand, it owes everything to the labours of Dr. Furnivall for the Chaucer Society, but for which no satisfactory results could have been obtained, except at the cost of more time and toil than I could well devote to the subject. In other words, my work is entirely founded upon the splendid 'Six-text' Edition published by that Society, supplemented by the very valuable reprint of the celebrated 'Harleian' manuscript in the same series. These Seven Texts are all exact reproductions of seven important MSS., and are, in two respects, more important to the student than the MSS. themselves; that is to say, they can be studied simultaneously instead of separately, and they can be consulted and re-consulted at any moment, being always accessible. The importance of such opportunities is obvious.

SS 2. THE MANUSCRIPTS.

The following list contains all the MSS. of the existence of which I am aware. As to their types, see SS 7. [viii]

I. MSS. IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM.

1. Harl. 7334; denoted here by Hl. By Tyrwhitt called 'C.' A MS of the B-type (see below). Printed in full for the Chaucer Society, 1885. Collated throughout.

A MS. of great importance, but difficult to understand or describe. For the greater clearness, I shall roughly describe the MSS. as being of the A-type, the B-type, the C-type, and the D-type (really a second C-type). Of the A-type, the best example is the Ellesmere MS.; of the B-type, the best example is the Harleian MS. 7334; of the C-type, the Corpus and Lansdowne MSS.; the D-type is that exhibited by Caxton and Thynne in the early printed editions. They may be called the 'Ellesmere,' 'Harleian,' 'Corpus,' and 'Caxton' types respectively. These types differ as to the arrangement of the Tales, and even MSS. of a similar type differ slightly, in this respect, among themselves. They also frequently differ as to certain characteristic readings, although many of the variations of reading are peculiar to one or two MSS. only.

MS. Hl. contains the best copy of the Tale of Gamelyn, for which see p. 645; this Tale is not found in MSS. of the A-type. Moreover, Group G here precedes Group C and a large part of Group B, whereas in the Ellesmere MS. it follows them. In the Monk's Tale, the lines numbered B 3565-3652 (containing the Tales called the 'modern instances') immediately follow B 3564 (as in this edition), whereas in the Ellesmere MS. these lines come at the end of the Tale.

The 'various readings' of this MS. are often peculiar, and it is difficult to appraise them. I take them to be of two kinds: (i) readings which are better than those of the Six-text, and should certainly be preferred, such as halfe in A 8, cloysterlees in A 179, a (not a ful) in A 196, and the like; and (2) readings due to a terrible blundering on the part of the scribe, such as fleyng for flikeringe in A 1962, greene for kene in A 1966, and the like. It is, in fact, a most dangerous MS. to trust to, unless constantly corrected by others, and is not at all fitted to be taken as the basis of a text. For further remarks, see the description of Wright's printed edition at p. xvi.

As regards age, this MS. is one of the oldest; and it is beautifully written. Its chief defect is the loss of eight leaves, so that ll. 617-1223 in Group F are missing. It also misses several lines in various places; as A 2013-8, 2958, 3721-2, 4355, 4358, 4375-6, 4415-22; B 417, 1186-90, 1355, 1376-9, 1995, 3213-20, 4136-7, 4479-80; C 299, 300, 305-6, 478-9; D 575-584, 605-612, 619-626, 717-720; E 2356-7; F 1455-6, 1493-8; G 155, 210-216; besides some lines in Melibee and the Persones Tale. Moreover, it has nine spurious lines, D 2004 b, c, 2012 b, c, 2037 b, c 2048 b, c, F 592. These imperfections furnish an additional reason for not founding a text upon this MS.

2. Harl. 7335; by Tyrwhitt called 'A.' Of the B-type. Very imperfect, especially at the end. A few lines are printed in the Six-text edition to fill up gaps in various MSS., viz. E 1646-7, F 1-8, 1423-4, 1433-4, G 158, 213-4, 326-337, 432-3, 484. Collated so far.

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3. Harl. 7333; by Tyrwhitt called 'E.' Of the D-type. One of Shirley's MSS. Some lines are printed in the Six-text edition, viz. B 4233-8, E 1213-44, F 1147-8, 1567-8, G 156-9, 213-4, 326-337, 432. It also contains some of the Minor Poems; see the description of MS. 'Harl.' in the Introduction to those poems in vol. i.[1]

4. Harl. 1758, denoted by Harl. at p. 645; by Tyrwhitt called 'F.' In Urry's list, i. Of the D-type, but containing Gamelyn. Many lines are printed in the Six-text, including the whole of 'Gamelyn.' It is freely used to fill up gaps, as B 1-9, 2096-2108, 3049-78, 4112, 4114, 4581-4636, &c.

5. Harl. 1239; in Tyrwhitt, 'I.' In Urry's list, ii. Imperfect both at beginning and end.

6. Royal 18 C II; denoted by Rl.; in Tyrwhitt, 'B.' In Urry, vii. Of the D-type, but containing Gamelyn. Used to fill up gaps in the Six-text; e.g. in B 1163-1190 (Shipman's Prologue, called in this MS. the Squire's Prologue), 2109-73, 3961-80, E 65, 73, 81, 143, G 1337-40, I 472-511. The whole of 'Gamelyn' is also printed from this MS. in the Six-text.

7. Royal 17 D xv; in Tyrwhitt, 'D.' In Urry, viii. Of the D-type, but containing Gamelyn. Used to fill up gaps in the Six-text; e.g. in B 2328-61, 3961-80, 4112, 4114, 4233-8, 4637-51, D 609-612, 619-626, 717-720, E 1213-44, F 1423-4, 1433-4, H 47-52; and in the Tale of Gamelyn.

8. Sloane 1685; denoted by Sl. In Tyrwhitt, 'G.' In Urry, iii. Of the D-type, but containing Gamelyn. In two handwritings, one later than the other. Imperfect; has no Sir Thopas, Melibee, Manciple, or Parson. Very frequently quoted in the Six-text, to fill up rather large gaps in the Cambridge MS.; e.g. A 754-964, 3829-90, 4365-4422, &c. Gamelyn is printed from this MS. in the Six-text, the gaps in it being filled up from MS. 7 (above).

9. Sloane 1686; in Tyrwhitt, 'H.' In Urry, iv. Of the C-type; containing Gamelyn. A late MS., on paper. Imperfect; no Canon's Yeoman or Parson.

10. Lansdowne 851; denoted by Ln. In Tyrwhitt, 'W,' because at that time in the possession of P. C. Webb, Esq. Used by Mr. Wright to fill up the large gap in Hl., viz. F 617-1223, and frequently consulted by him and others. Printed in full as [x]the sixth MS. of the Six-text. Of the C-type; containing Gamelyn. Not a good MS., being certainly the worst of the six; but worth printing owing to the frequent use that has been made of it by editors.

11. Additional 5140; in Tyrwhitt, 'Ask. 2,' as being one of two MSS. lent to him by Dr. Askew. It has in it the arms of H. Deane, Archbp. of Canterbury, 1501-3. Of the A-type. Quoted in the Six-text to fill up gaps; e.g. B 3961-80, 4233-8, 4637-52, D 2158-2294, E 1213-44, 1646-7, 2419-40, F 1-8, 673-708, G 103, I 887-944, 1044-92.

12. Additional 25718. A mere fragment. A short passage from it, C 409-427, is quoted in the Six-text, to fill up a gap in Ln.

13. Egerton 2726; called the 'Haistwell MS.'; in Tyrwhitt denoted by 'HA,' and formerly belonging to E. Haistwell, Esq. Of the A-type, but imperfect. The Six-text quotes F 679, 680: also F 673-708 in the Preface.

II. MSS. IN OXFORD.

14. Bodley 686; no. 2527 in Bernard's list; in Tyrwhitt, 'B a.' A neat MS., with illuminations. Of the A-type; imperfect. The latter part of the Cook's Tale is on an inserted leaf (leaf 55), and concludes the Tale in a manner that is not Chaucer's. After the Canterbury Tales occur several poems by Lydgate.

15. Bodley 414; not noticed by Tyrwhitt. Given to the library by B. Heath in 1766. A late MS. of the D-type, and imperfect. No Cook, Gamelyn, Squire, or Merchant.

16. Laud 739: no. 1234 in Bernard's list; in Tyrwhitt, 'B b.' A poor and late MS. of the D-type, but containing Gamelyn; imperfect at the end; ends with Sir Thopas, down to B 2056.

17. Laud 600; no. 1476 in Bernard's list; in Tyrwhitt, 'B g.' Imperfect; several leaves 'restored.' Apparently, of the B-type; but Group D and the Clerk's Tale follow Gamelyn. Some extracts from it are given in the Six-text, viz. B 2328-61, D 717-20 (no other Oxford MS. has these scarce lines), F 673-708.

18. Arch. Selden B 14; no. 3360 in Bernard's list; in Tyrwhitt, 'B d.' Perhaps the best and earliest of the Bodleian MSS., but not very good. Sometimes here quoted as Seld. Apparently of the A-type, having no copy of Gamelyn; but it practically [xi]represents a transition-state between the A and B types, and has one correction of prime importance, as it is the only MS. which links together all the Tales in Group B, making the Shipman follow the Man of Law. Frequent extracts from it occur in the Six-text; e.g. A 1-72, B 1163-1190, &c. In particular, a large portion of the Parson's Tale, I 290-1086, is printed from this MS. in the same.

19. Barlow 20; no. 6420 in Bernard's list; in Tyrwhitt, 'B z' A clearly written MS. of the D-type, including Gamelyn; imperfect after Sir Thopas, but contains a portion of the Manciple's Tale. It contains the somewhat rare lines F 679, 680, which are quoted from it in the Six-text.

20. Hatton, Donat. 1 (not the same MS. as Hatton 1); no. 4138 in Bernard's list; in Tyrwhitt, 'B e.' The Tales are in great disorder, the Man of Law being thrust in between the Reeve and the Cook, as in no other MS. It contains Gamelyn. Lines F 679, 680 are quoted from it in the Six-text; and a few lines are again quoted from it at the end of the Parson's Tale.

21. Rawlinson Poet. 149. Apparently of the D-type, but it is very imperfect, having lost several leaves in various places. A late MS.

22. Rawlinson Poet. 141. Not a bad MS., but several Tales are omitted, and the Shipman follows the Clerk. Groups C and G do not appear at all. The Latin side-notes are numerous.

23. Rawlinson Poet. 223; the same as that called Rawl. Misc. 1133 in the Six-text 'Trial-table.' No copy of Gamelyn. The Tales are strangely misplaced. Slightly imperfect here and there.

24. Corpus Christi College (Oxford), no. 198; denoted by Cp. The best of the Oxford MSS., printed in full as the fourth MS. in the Six-text edition. Of the C-type; collated throughout. It contains a copy of Gamelyn, which is duly printed. It is rather imperfect from the loss of leaves in various places; the gaps being usually supplied from the Selden MS. (no. 18 above).

25. Christ Church (Oxford), no. 152. Contains Gamelyn. The Tales are extraordinarily arranged, but the MS. is nearly perfect, except at the end. A large part of the Parson's Tale, after I 550, being lost from the Hengwrt MS., the gap is supplied, in the Six-text, from this MS. and Addit. 5140. The Second Nun follows the Shipman. Of the A-type.

[xii]

26. New College (Oxford), no. 314; called 'NC' in Tyrwhitt. Of the D-type; imperfect at the beginning. No copy of Gamelyn.

27. Trinity College (Oxford), no. 49; containing 302 leaves; formerly in the possession of John Leche, temp. Edw. IV. It contains Gamelyn. The Tales are misplaced; the Pardoner and Man of Law being thrust into the middle of Group B, after the Prioress.

III. MSS. AT CAMBRIDGE.

28. University Library, Gg. 4. 27, not noticed by Tyrwhitt; here denoted by Cm. Also denoted, in vol. iii., by C.; and in vol. i., by Gg. A highly valuable and important MS. of the A-type, printed as the third text in the Six-text edition. The best copy in any public library. See the description of 'Gg.' in vol. i.; and the full description in the Library Catalogue.

29. University Library, Dd. 4. 24; in Tyrwhitt, 'C 1.' Quoted as Dd. A good MS. of the A-type, much relied upon by Tyrwhitt, who made good use of it. Has lost several leaves. The whole of the Clerk's Tale was printed from this MS. by Mr. Aldis Wright. The passage in B 4637-52 occurs only in this MS. and a few others, viz. Royal 17 D xv, Addit. 5140, and the Chr. Ch. MS. It also contains the rare lines D 575-84, 609-12, 619-26, 717-20, all printed from this MS. in the Six-text. Lines E 1213-44 are also quoted, to fill a gap in Cm.

30. University Library, Ii. 3. 26; in Tyrwhitt, 'C 2.' Of the D-type, including Gamelyn; but the Franklin's Tale is inserted after the Merchant. Contains many corrupt readings.

31. University Library, Mm. 2. 5. The arrangement of the Tales is very unusual, but resembles that in the Petworth MS., than which it is a little more irregular. A complete MS. of the D-type, including Gamelyn.

32. Trinity College (Cambridge), R. 3. 15; in Tyrwhitt, 'Tt.' In quarto, on paper. Some leaves are missing, so that the Canon's Yeoman, Prioress, and Sir Thopas are lost. Of the D-type, without Gamelyn.

N.B. This MS. also contains the three poems printed as Chaucer's (though not his) in the edition of 1687, and numbered 66, 67, and 68, in my Account of 'Speght's edition' in vol. i. It also contains the best MS. of Pierce the Ploughman's Crede, edited by me from this MS. in 1867.

[xiii]

33. Trinity College (Cambridge), R. 3. 3; in Tyrwhitt, 'T.' A folio MS., on vellum; of the D-type, without Gamelyn; but several Tales are misplaced.

IV. IN OTHER PUBLIC LIBRARIES.

34. Sion College, London. A mere fragment, containing only the Clerk's Tale and Group D.

35. Lichfield Cathedral Library; quoted as Lich. or Li. Of the D-type, omitting Gamelyn. The Tale of Melibee is missing. As the Hengwrt MS. has no Canon's Yeoman's Tale, lines G 554-1481 are printed from this MS. in the Six-text.

36. Lincoln Cathedral Library; begins with A 381. Resembles no. 42.

37. Glasgow; in the Hunterian Museum. Begins with A 353; dated 1476.

38. MS. at Paris, mentioned by Dr. Furnivall. Of the B-type.

39. MS. at Naples, mentioned by Dr. Furnivall.[2]

V. MSS. IN PRIVATE HANDS.

These include some of the very best.

40. The 'Ellesmere' MS., in the possession of the Earl of Ellesmere; denoted by E. It formerly belonged to the Duke of Bridgewater, and afterwards to the Marquis of Stafford. The finest and best of all the MSS. now extant. Of the A-type; printed as the first of the MSS. in the Six-text, and taken as the basis of the present edition.

It contains the curious coloured drawings of 23 of the Canterbury Pilgrims which have been reproduced for the Chaucer Society. At the end of the MS. is a valuable copy of Chaucer's Balade of 'Truth'; see vol. i. At the beginning of the MS., in a later hand, are written two poems printed in Todd's Illustrations of Gower, &c., pp. 295-309, which Todd absurdly attributed to Chaucer! They are of slight value or interest. It may suffice to say that, at the beginning of the former poem, we find revyved rimed with meved, and many of the lines in it are too long; e.g.--'I supposed yt to have been some noxiall fantasy.' In the latter poem, a compliment to the family of Vere, by rimes with auncestrye, and quarter with hereafter; and the lines are of similar over-length, e.g.--'Of whom prophesyes of antiquite makyth mencion.'

41. The 'Hengwrt' MS., no. 154, belonging to Mr. Wm. W. E. Wynne, of Peniarth; denoted by Hn. A valuable MS.; [xiv]it is really of the A-type, though the Tales are strangely misplaced, and the Canon's Yeoman's Tale is missing. The readings frequently agree so closely with those of E. (no. 40) that it is, to some extent, almost a duplicate of it. Printed as the second MS. in the Six-text. It also contains Chaucer's Boethius (imperfect).

42. The 'Petworth' MS., belonging to Lord Leconfield; denoted by Pt. A folio MS., on vellum, of high value. Formerly in the possession of the Earl of Egremont (Todd's Illustrations, p. 118). Of the D-type, including Gamelyn; but the Shipman and Prioress wrongly precede the Man of Law. Printed as the fifth MS. in the Six-text.

43. The 'Holkham' MS., noted by Todd (Illustrations, p. 127) as then belonging to Mr. Coke, of Norfolk, and now belonging to the Earl of Leicester. The Tales are out of order; perhaps the leaves are misarranged. Imperfect in various places; has no Parson's Tale.

44. The 'Helmingham' MS., at Helmingham Hall, Suffolk, belonging to Lord Tollemache. On paper and vellum; about 1460 A.D. For a specimen, see the Shipman's Prologue, printed in the Six-text, in the Preface, p. ix*. Either of the C-type or the D-type.

45-48. Four MSS. in the collection of the late Sir Thos. Phillipps, at Cheltenham, viz. nos. 6570, 8136, 8137, 8299.

Two of these are mentioned in Todd's Illustrations, p. 127, as being 'now [in 1810] in the collection of John P. Kemble, Esq., and in that belonging to the late Duke of Roxburghe; the latter is remarkably beautiful, and is believed to have been once the property of Sir Henry Spelman.' No. 8299 contains the Clerk's Tale only.

49-52. Four MSS. belonging to the Earl of Ashburnham; numbered 124-127 in the Appendix. Of these, no. 124 wants the end of the Man of Law's Tale and the beginning of the Squire's, and therefore belongs to either the C-type or D-type. Nos. 125 and 126 are imperfect. No. 127 seems to be complete.

53. A MS. belonging to the Duke of Devonshire, at Chatsworth; and formerly to Sir N. L'Estrange. (Of the A-type.)

54. A MS. belonging to Sir Henry Ingilby, of Ripley Castle, Yorkshire. (Of the A-type.)

55. A MS. belonging to the Duke of Northumberland, at Alnwick; and formerly to Mrs. Thynne. (Of the A-type.)

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56. A MS. now (in 1891) in the possession of Lady Cardigan.

57-59. Tyrwhitt uses the symbol 'Ask. 1' to denote a MS. lent to him by the late Dr. Askew. He also uses the symbols 'Ch.' and 'N.' to denote 'two MSS. described in the Preface to Urry's edition, the one as belonging to Chas. Cholmondeley, Esq. of Vale Royal, in Cheshire, and the other to Mr. Norton, of Southwick, in Hampshire.' Of these, 'Ch.' is now Lord Delamere's MS., described by Dr. Furnivall in Notes and Queries, 4 Ser. ix. 353. The others I cannot trace.

SS 3. THE PRINTED EDITIONS.

In the first five editions, the Canterbury Tales were published separately.

1. Caxton; about 1477-8, from a poor MS. Copies are in the British Museum, Merton College, and in the Pepysian Library (no. 2053).

2. Caxton; about 1483, from a better MS. A perfect copy exists in St. John's College Library, Oxford. Caxton bravely issued this new edition because he had found that his former one was faulty.

3. Pynson; about 1493. Copied from Caxton's 2nd edition.

4. Wynkyn de Worde; in 1498. In the British Museum.

5. Pynson; in 1526. Copied from Caxton's 2nd edition.

After this the Canterbury Tales were invariably issued with the rest of Chaucer's Works, until after 1721. Some account of these editions is given in the Preface to the Minor Poems, in vol. i.; which see. They are: Thynne's three editions, in 1532, 1542, and 1550 (the last is undated); Stowe's edition, 1561; Speght's editions, in 1598, 1602, and 1687; Urry's edition, in 1721.

Two modernised editions of the Canterbury Tales were published in London in 1737 or 1740, and in 1741.

Next came: 'Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, to which is added, an Essay on his Language and Versification; an introductory discourse; notes, and a glossary. By Thomas Tyrwhitt, London, 1775-8, 8vo, 5 vols.' A work of high literary value, to which I am greatly indebted for many necessary notes. Reprinted in 1798 in 4to, 2 vols., by the University of Oxford; and again, at London, in 1822, in post 8vo, 5 vols.; (by Pickering) in 1830, 8vo, 5 vols.; [xvi]and (by Moxon) in 1845, in 1 vol. imp. 8vo. The last of these adds poor texts of the rest of Chaucer's Works, from old black-letter editions, with which Tyrwhitt had nothing to do. In Tyrwhitt's text, the number of grammatical errors is very large, and he frequently introduces words into the text without authority. For some account of the later editions of Chaucer's Works, see the Introduction to the Legend of Good Women, in vol. iii. I may note, by the way, that the editions by Wright, Bell, and Morris are all founded on MS. Harl. 7334, a very unsafe MS. in some respects; see p. viii (above).

It is necessary to add here a few words of warning. Wright's edition, though it has many merits, turns out, in practice, to be dangerously untrustworthy. He frequently inserts words, borrowed from Tyrwhitt's edition (which he heartily condemns as being full of errors in grammar), without the least indication that they are not in the MS. This becomes the more serious when we find, upon examination, that Tyrwhitt had likewise no authority for some of such insertions, but simply introduced them, by guess, to fill up a line in a way that pleased him. For example, A 628 runs thus, in all the seven MSS.:--

'Of his visage children were aferd.' It is quite correct; for 'visag-e' is trisyllabic. Tyrwhitt did not know this, and counted the syllables as two only, neglecting the final e. The line seemed then too short; so he inserted sore before aferd, thus ruining the scansion. Wright follows suit, and inserts sore, though it is not in his MS.; giving no notice at all of what he has done. Bell follows suit, and the word is even preserved in Morris; but the latter prints the word in italics, to shew that it is not in the MS. Nor is it in the Six-text.

I shall not adduce more instances, but shall content myself with saying that, until the publications of the Chaucer Society appeared, no reader had the means of knowing what the best MS. texts were really like. All who have been accustomed to former (complete) editions have necessarily imbibed hundreds of false impressions, and have necessarily accepted numberless theories as to the scansion of lines which they will, in course of due time, be prepared to abandon. In the course of my work, it has been made clear to me that Chaucer's text has been manipulated and sophisticated, frequently in most cunning and plausible ways, to a far greater extent than I could have believed to be possible. This is not a pleasant subject, and I only mention it for the use of scholars. Such variations fortunately seldom affect the sense; but they vitiate the scansion, the grammar, and the etymology in many cases. Of course it will be understood that I am saying no more than I can fully substantiate.

It is absolutely appalling to read such a statement as the following in Bell's edition, vol. i. p. 60. 'All deviations, either from Mr. Wright's edition, or from the original MS., are pointed out in the footnotes for the ultimate satisfaction of the reader.' For the instances in which this is really done are very rare indeed, in spite of the large number of such deviations.

Of Tyrwhitt's text, it is sufficient to remark that it was hardly possible, at [xvii]that date, for a better text to have been produced. The rules of Middle English grammar had not been formulated, so that we are not surprised to find that he constantly makes the past tense of a weak verb monosyllabic, when it should be dissyllabic, and treats the past participle as dissyllabic, when it should be monosyllabic: which makes wild work with the scansion. It is also to be regretted that he based his text upon the faulty black-letter editions, though he took a great deal of pains in collating them with various MSS.

On the other hand, his literary notes are full of learning and research; and the number of admirable illustrations by which he has efficiently elucidated the text is very great. His reputation as one of the foremost of our literary critics is thoroughly established, and needs no comment.

Mr. Wright's notes are likewise excellent, and resulted from a wide reading. I have also found some most useful hints in the notes to Bell's edition. Of all such sources of information I have been only too glad to avail myself, as is more fully shewn in the succeeding volume.

SS 4. PLAN OF THE PRESENT EDITION.

The text of the present edition of the Canterbury Tales is founded upon that of the Ellesmere MS. (E.) It has been collated throughout with that of the other six MSS. published by the Chaucer Society. Of these seven MSS., the Harleian MS. 7334 (Hl.) was printed separately. The other six were printed in the valuable 'Six-text' edition, to which I constantly have occasion to refer, in parallel columns. The six MSS. are: E. (Ellesmere), Hn. (Hengwrt), Cm. (Cambridge, Gg. 4. 27), Cp. (Corpus Coll., Oxford), Pt. (Petworth), and Ln. (Lansdowne). MSS. E. Hn. Cm. represent the earliest type (A) of the text; Hl., a transitional type (B); Cp. and Ln., a still later type (C); and Pt., the latest of all (D), but hardly differing from C.

In using these terms, 'earliest,' &c., I do not refer to the age of the MSS., but to the type of text which they exhibit.

In the list of MSS. given above, Hl. is no. 1; E., Hn., Cm., are nos. 40, 41, and 28; and Cp., Pt., Ln., are nos. 24, 42, and 10 respectively.

Of all the MSS., E. is the best in nearly every respect. It not only gives good lines and good sense, but is also (usually) grammatically accurate and thoroughly well spelt. The publication of it has been a very great boon to all Chaucer students, for which Dr. Furnivall will be ever gratefully remembered. We must not omit, at the same time, to recognise the liberality and generosity of the owner of the MS., who so freely permitted such full use of it to be made; the same remark applies, equally, to the [xviii]owners of the Hengwrt and the Petworth MSS. The names of the Earl of Ellesmere, Mr. Wm. W. E. Wynne of Peniarth, and Lord Leconfield have deservedly become as 'familiar as household words' to many a student of Chaucer.

This splendid MS. has also the great merit of being complete, requiring no supplement from any other source, except in the few cases where a line or two has been missed. For example, it does not contain A 252 b-c (found in Hn. only); nor A 2681-2 (also not in Hn. or Cm.); nor B 1163-1190 (also not in Hn. or Cm.); nor B 1995 (very rare indeed).

It is slightly imperfect in B 2510, 2514, 2525, 2526, 2623-4, 2746, 2967. It drops B 3147-8, C 103-4, C 297-8 (not in Hn. Cm. Pt.), E 1358-61, G 564-5; and has a few defects in the Parson's Tale in I 190, 273, &c. In the Tale of Melibeus, the French original shews that all the MSS. have lost B 2252-3, 2623-4, which have to be supplied by translation.

None of the seven MSS. have B 4637-4652; these lines are genuine, but were probably meant to be cancelled. They only occur, to my knowledge, in four MSS., nos. 7, 11, 25, and 29; though found also in the old black-letter editions.

On the other hand, E. preserves lines rarely found elsewhere. Such are A 3155-6, 3721-2, F 1455-6, 1493-9; twelve genuine lines, none of which are in Tyrwhitt, and only the first two are in Wright. Observe also the stanza in the footnote to p. 424; with which compare B 3083, on p. 241.

The text of the Ellesmere MS. has only been corrected in cases where careful collation suggests a desirable improvement. Every instance of this character is invariably recorded in the footnotes. Thus, in A 8, the grammar and scansion require half-e, not half; though, curiously enough, this correct form appears in Hl. only, among all the seven MSS. In very difficult cases, other MSS. (besides the seven) have been collated, but I have seldom gained much by it. The chief additional MSS. thus used are Dd.= Cambridge, Dd. 4. 24 (no. 29 above); Slo. or Sl. = Sloane 1685 (no. 8); Roy. or Rl. = Royal 18 C 2 (no. 6); Harl. = Harleian 1758 (see p. 645); Li. or Lich. = Lichfield MS. (no. 35), for the Canon's Yeoman's Tale; and others that are sufficiently indicated.

I have paid especial attention to the suffixes required by Middle-English grammar, to the scansion, and to the pronunciation; and I suppose that this is the first complete edition in which the [xix]spelling has been tested by phonetic considerations. With a view to making the spelling a little clearer and more consistent, I have ventured to adopt certain methods which I here explain.

In certain words of variable spelling in E., such as whan or whanne, than or thanne, I have adopted that form which the scansion requires; but the MS. is usually right.

E. usually has hise for his with a plural sb., as in l. 1; I use his always, except in prose. E. has hir, here, for her, their; I use hir only, except at the end of a line.

E. uses the endings -ight or -yght, -inde or -ynde; I use -ight -inde only; and, in general, I use i to represent short i, and y to represent long i, as in king, wyf. Such is the usual habit of the scribe, but he often changes i into y before m and n, to make his writing clearer; such a precaution is needless in modern printing. Thus, in l. 42, I replace the scribe's bigynne by biginne; and in l. 78, I replace his pilgrymage by pilgrimage. This makes the text easier to read.

For a like reason, where equivalent spellings occur, I select the simpler; writing couthe (as in Pt.) for kowthe, sote for soote, sege for seege, and so on. In words such as our or oure, your or youre, hir or hire, neuer or neuere, I usually give the simpler forms, without the final -e, when the -e is obviously silent.

For consonantal u, as in neuer, I write v, as in never. This is usual in all editions. But I could not bring myself to use j for i consonant; the anachronism is too great. Never for neuer is common in the fifteenth century, but j does not occur even in the first folio of Shakespeare. I therefore usually keep the capital i of the MSS. and of the Elizabethan printers, as in Ioye (=joye) where initial, and the small i, as in enioinen=enjoinen) elsewhere. Those who dislike such conservatism may be comforted by the reflection that the sound rarely occurs.

The word eye has to be altered to ye at the end of a line, to preserve the rimes. The scribes usually write eye in the middle of a line, but when they come to it at the end of one, they are fairly puzzled. In l. 10, the scribe of Hn. writes Iye, and that of Ln. writes yhe; and the variations on this theme are most curious. The spelling ye (=ye) is, however, common; as in A 1096 (Cm., Pt.). I print it 'ye' to distinguish it from ye, the pl. pronoun.

These minute variations are, I trust, legitimate, and I have not recorded them. They cause trouble to the editor, but afford ease [xx]to the reader, which seems a sufficient justification for adopting them. But the scrupulous critic need not fear that the MS. has been departed from in any case, where it could make any phonetic difference, without due notice. Thus, in l. 9, where I have changed foweles into fowles as being a more usual form, the fact that foweles is the Ellesmere spelling is duly recorded in the footnotes. And so in other cases.

The footnotes do not record various readings where E. is correct as it stands; they have purposely been made as concise as possible. It would have been easy to multiply them fourfold without giving much information of value; this is not unfrequently done, but the gain is slight. With so good a MS. as the basis of the text, it did not seem desirable.

The following methods for shortening the footnotes have been adopted.

1. Sometimes only the readings of some of the MSS. are given. Thus at l. 9 (p. 1), I omit the readings of Cp. and of Cm. As a fact, neither of these MSS. contain the line; but it was not worth while to take up space by saying so. At l. 10 (p. 1), I again omit the readings of Cp. and of Cm., for the same reason; also of Ln., which is a poor MS., though here it agrees with Hl. (having yhe); also of Pt., which has eyghe, a spelling not here to be thought of. At l. 12, I just note that E. has pilgrimage (by mistake); of course this means that it should have had pilgrimages in the plural, as in other MSS., and as required by the rime.

2. At l. 23 (p. 2), the remark 'rest was' implies that all the rest of the seven MSS. specially collated have 'was.' The word 'rest' is a convenient abbreviation.

3. When, as at l. 53, I give nacions as a rejected reading of E. in the footnote, it will be understood that naciouns is a better spelling, justified by other MSS., and by other lines in E. itself. E.g., naciouns occurs in Hl. and Pt., and Cm. has naciounnys.

4. I often use 'om.' for 'omit,' or 'omits' as in the footnote to l. 188 (p. 6).

5. At l. 335 (p. 11), I give the footnote:--'ever] Hl. al.' This means that MS. Hl. has al instead of the word ever of the other MSS. It seemed worth noting; but ever is probably right.

6. At l. 520 (p. 16), the note is:--'All but Hl. this was.' That is, Hl. has was, as in the text; the rest have this was, where the addition of this sadly clogs the line.

With these hints, the footnotes present no difficulty.

As a rule, I have refrained from all emendation; but, in B 1189, I have ventured to suggest physices[3], for reasons explained in the Notes. Those who prefer the reading Phislyas can adopt it.

For further details regarding particular passages, I beg leave to refer the reader to the Notes in vol. v.

[xxi]

SS 5. TABLE OF SYMBOLS DENOTING MSS.

Cm.--Cambridge Univ. Lib. Gg. 4. 27 (Ellesmere type). No. 28 in list.

Cp.--Carpus Chr. Coll., Oxford, no. 198. No. 24.

Dd.--Cambridge Univ. Lib. Dd. 4. 24 (Ellesmere type). No. 29.

E.--Ellesmere MS. (basis of the text). No. 40.

Harl.--Harl. 1758; Brit. Mus.; see p. 645. No. 4.

Hl.--Harl. 7334; British Museum. No. 1.

Hn.--Hengwrt MS. no. 154. No. 41.

Li. or Lich.--Lichfield MS.; see pp. 533-553. No. 35.

Ln.--Lansdowne 851; Brit. Mus. (Corpus type). No. 10.

Pt.--Petworth MS. No. 42.

Rl. or Roy.--Royal 18 C. II; Brit. Mus.; see p. 645. No. 6.

Seld.--Arch. Selden, B. 14; Bodleian Library. No. 18.

Sl. or Slo.--Sloane 1685: Brit. Mus.; see p. 645. No. 8.

SS 6. TABLE SHEWING THE VARIOUS WAYS OF NUMBERING THE LINES.

SIX-TEXT (as here)

TYRWHITT.

WRIGHT.

A--1-4422

1-4420   [4]

1-4420   [4]

B--1-1162

4421-5582

4421-5582

B--1163-2156

12903-13894   [5]

14384-15374   [6]

B--2157-3078   [7]

Prose; not counted   [8].

Prose; not counted.

B--3079-3564

13895-14380

15375-15860

B--3565-3652

14685-14772

15861-15948

[xxii]

B--3653-3956

14381-14684

15949-16262

B--3957-4652

14773-15468

16253-16932   [9]

Spurious; see p. 289, note.

11929-11934

13410-13415

C--1-968

11935-12902

13416-14383

D (2294 lines); E (2440); F(1624)

5583-11928   [10]

5583-11928

G--1-1481

15469-16949

11929-13409

H--(362); I 1-74

16950-17385

16933-17368

Hence, to obtain the order of the lines in Tyrwhitt, see A-B 1162; D, E, F; p. 289, footnote; C; B 1163-2156, 3079-3564, 3653-3956, 3565-3652, 3957-4652; G, H, I.

Or (by pages), see pp. 1-164, 320-508, 289 (footnote), 290-319, 165-256 (which includes Melibeus), 259-268, 256-258, 269-289, 509-end.

To facilitate reference, the numbering of the lines in Tyrwhitt's text is marked at the top of every page, preceded by the letter 'T.'; lines which Tyrwhitt omits are marked '[T. om.', as on p. 90; and his paragraphs (all numbered in this edition) are carefully preserved in Melibeus and the Parson's Tale, which are in prose. In the Prologue, after l. 250, his numbering is given within marks of parenthesis.

The lines in every piece are also numbered separately, within marks of parenthesis, as (10), (20), on p. 26. This numbering (borrowed from Dr. Murray) agrees with the references given in the New English Dictionary. It also gives, in most cases, either exactly or approximately, the references to Dr. Morris's edition, who adopts a similar method, with a few variations of detail. The lines in Bell's edition are not numbered at all.

To obtain the order in Wright's edition, see pp. 1-164, 320-554, 289 (footnote), 290-319, 165-289, 555-end. The variations are fewer.

Some may find it more convenient to observe the names of the Tales.

[xxiii]

Tyrwhitt's order of the Tales is as follows[11]:--Prologue, Knight, Miller, Reeve, Cook--Man of Lawe--Wife, Friar, Somnour--Clerk, Merchant--Squire, Franklin--Doctor (Physician), Pardoner--Shipman, Prioress, Sir Thopas, Melibeus, Monk[12], Nun's Priest--Second Nun, Canon's Yeoman--Manciple--Parson.

SS7. THE FOUR LEADING TYPES OF THE MSS.

The four leading types of MSS. usually exhibit a variation in the order of the Tales, as well as many minor differences. I only note here the former (omitting Gamelyn, which is absent from MSS. of the A-type, and from some of the D-type).

A.--1. Prologue, Knight, Miller, Reeve, Cook.

2. Man of Lawe.

3. Wife of Bath, Friar, Sompnour.

4. Clerk, Merchant.

5. Squire, Franklin.

6. Doctor, Pardoner.

7. Shipman, Prioress, Sir Thopas, Melibeus, Monk, Nun's Priest.

8. Second Nun, Canon's Yeoman.

9. Manciple, (slightly linked to) Parson.

B.--Places 8 before 6. Order: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 6, 7, 9.

C.--Not only places 8 before 6 (as B), but splits 5 into 5 a

(Squire) and 5 b (Franklin), and places 5 a before 3. Order: 1,

2, 5 a, 3, 4, 5 b, 8, 6, 7, 9.

D.--As C, but further splits 4 into 4 a (Clerk), and 4 b

(Merchant), and places 4 b after 5 a. Order: 1, 2, 5 a, 4 b, 3, 4 a,

5 b, 8, 6, 7, 9. (D. is really a mere variety of C., with an external

difference.)

Observe the position of the Franklin. Thus: A. Squire, Franklin, Doctor. B. Squire, Franklin, Second Nun. C. Merchant, Franklin, Second Nun. D. Clerk, Franklin, Second Nun.

For further remarks on this subject, see vol. v.

[xxiv]

ERRATA

N.B. The following are all the Errata that I have observed. Those marked with an asterisk should be noticed. The rest are unimportant.

P. 14. A 467. Perhaps the full stop at the end of the line should be a colon.

P. 15. Footnote to A 503. For 'Hl. alone' read 'Tyrwhitt.'

P. 85. A 3016. For eye read ye

*P. 110. A 3822. For celle read selle

*P. 131. B 59, 60. For eek and seek read eke and seke

P. 133. B 115. Insert marks of quotation at the beginning and end of the line.

P. 133. B 120, 121. Insert marks of quotation at the beginning of l. 120 and at the end of l. 121.

P. 134. In the headline; for T. 4454 read T. 4554.

P. 146. B 540, 541, 547. For cristen read Cristen

P. 146. B 544 For cristianitee read Cristianitee. So also at p. 525; G 535.

P. 194. B 2043. Dele; after spicerye

P. 202. B 2222. For yevynge read yevinge

P. 205. B 2253. For owe read ow

P. 207. B 2303. For se read see

P. 219, footnotes. For 2251 and 2252 read 2551 and 2552

*P. 222. B 2624. For Iurisdicctioun read Iurisdiccioun

P. 232, ll. 9, 10. Dele the quotation-mark after certeyne, and insert it after another.

*P. 245. B 3230. For my read ny

*P. 253. B 3490. For warre read werre

P. 271. B 4011. For stope a better reading is stape

P. 285. B 4510. For charitee perhaps read Charitee

P. 285. B 4541. For chide read chyde

P. 299. C 291. Either read advocas, or note that the t in advocats is silent.

*P. 309. C 601. For opinoun read opinioun

P. 318. C 955. For Thay read They

P. 338. In the headline; for 6225 read 6235.

P. 339. In the headline; for 6226 read 6236.

P. 344. D 846. For But if read But-if

P. 345. D 859. For All read Al

P. 354. Footnotes; last line. For 1205 read 1204

P. 355. D 1219, 1227. For Chese and chese read Chees and chees.

P. 363. D 1436. For But if read But-if

P. 387. D 2242. Perhaps insert a comma after himself

P. 419. E 994. For gouernance read governance

P. 428. E 1304, 1306. Insert quotation-mark at the end of l. 1304, instead of the end of l. 1306.

P. 438. E 1635. For Saue read Save

P. 444. E 1866. Insert Auctor opposite this line.

P. 449. E 2058. For scorpion read scorpioun; as the last syllable is accented.

P. 459. E 2418. For bless read blesse

P. 461. F 20. After all, the right reading probably is that given by E. Cp. Pt. Ln. Hl., but with the form pietous for pitous as in Troilus, iii. 1444, and v. 451. Read--And pietous and Iust, alwey y-liche.

P. 468. F 266. For Cambynskan read Cambinskan. So also at p. 480, first line.

P. 474. F 462. For sle read slee

P. 505, footnotes. For 1527 read 1526

P. 527. G 558, footnote. The real reading of E is--

And vndernethe he wered a surplys

P. 543. G 1107. For shall read shal

*P. 545. G 1171. For torned read terved. [The reading in E is really terued=terved, i.e. stripped, flayed. The reading torned is a poor substitution.]

*P. 548. G 1274. For torne, read terve,

*P. 560. H 144. For hept read kept

P. 626. Footnotes; last line. For E. Seld. Ln. beauteis; read E. Seld. Ln. beautees;

P. 634. I 955. For Daniel, read David. [N.B. MSS. E. Cm. Danyel; the rest, Dauid. Probably Chaucer wrote 'Daniel' at first, and afterwards corrected it (by the original) to 'David.' Nevertheless, 'Daniel' is a good reading.]

[xxv]

ADDITIONS

TO

'THE MINOR POEMS' IN VOL. I.

[Further researches have brought to light some more of Chaucer's Minor Poems. I first met with the excellent Balade on 'Womanly Noblesse' in MS. Phillipps 9030 (now MS. Addit. 34360) on June 1, 1894; and on the following day I noticed in MS. Harl. 7578 (partly described in vol. i. p. 58) two Complaints that may perhaps be attributed to our author. As, from the nature of the case, they could not be included in Vol. i, they are inserted here.]

XXIV. WOMANLY NOBLESSE.

Balade that Chaucier made.

So hath my herte caught in remembraunce

Your beaute hool, and stedfast governaunce,

Your vertues alle, and your hy noblesse,

That you to serve is set al my plesaunce;

5

So wel me lykth your womanly contenaunce,

[xxvi]

Your fresshe fetures and your comlinesse,

That, whyl I live, my herte to his maistresse,

You hath ful chose, in trew perseveraunce,

Never to chaunge, for no maner distresse.

From MS. Addit. 34360, fol. 21, back (with ascription by Shirley); hitherto unprinted. Rejected readings of the MS. are here given.

1. hert. 2. Yowre (throughout); hoole; stidefast. 3. al; hie. 4. yow; sette. 5. likith; for womanly perhaps read wyfly. 6: comlynesse. 7: whiles; myn hert; maystresse. 8: triev.

10

And sith I [you] shal do this observaunce

Al my lyf, withouten displesaunce,

You for to serve with al my besinesse,

[Taketh me, lady, in your obeisaunce,]

And have me somwhat in your souvenaunce.

15

My woful herte suffreth greet duresse;

And [loke] how humbl[el]y, with al simplesse,

My wil I conforme to your ordenaunce,

As you best list, my peynes to redresse.

10: I insert you. 11: (Accent on Al); live. 12: besynesse. 13. Dr. Furnivall supplies this lost line; cf. Complaint to Pity, l. 84. 15. hert suffrith grete. 16: I supply loke; humbly. 17: ordynaunce. 18: for to (I omit for).

Considring eek how I hange in balaunce

20

In your servyse; swich, lo! is my chaunce,

Abyding grace, whan that your gentilnesse

Of my gret wo list doon allegeaunce,

And with your pite me som wyse avaunce,

In ful rebating of my hevinesse;

25

And thinkth, by reson, wommanly noblesse

Shuld nat desyre for to doon outrance

Ther-as she findeth noon unbuxumnesse.

19: eke. 20: service suche loo. 21: (Perhaps omit that). 22: grete woo; do. 23: wise. 24: rebatyng; myn hevynesse. 25: And thynkith be raison that (too long). 26: desire; for til do the (I omit the). 27: fyndith non vn-.

Lenvoye.

Auctour of norture, lady of plesaunce,

Soveraine of beaute, flour of wommanhede,

30

Take ye non hede unto myn ignoraunce,

But this receyveth of your goodlihede,

Thinking that I have caught in remembraunce

Your beaute hool, your stedfast governaunce.

29. Soueraigne; floure. 31. receyvith; goodelyhede. 32. Thynkyng. 33. hole; stidefast.

[xxvii]

XXV. COMPLAINT TO MY MORTAL FOE.

Al hoolly youres, withouten otheres part!

Wherefore? y-wis, that I ne can ne may

My service chaungen; thus of al suche art

The lerninge I desyre for ever and ay.

5

And evermore, whyl that I live may,

In trouthe I wol your servant stille abyde,

Although my wo encrese day by day,

Til that to me be come the dethes tyde.

From MS. Harl. 7578, fol. 15. At the bottom of fol. 14, back, is the last line of Chaucer's Complaint to Pity, beneath which is written 'Balade.' But the present poem is really a Complaint, like the preceding one. Rejected readings of the MS. are here given. There is no title in the MS. except 'Balade.'

1. holly; others parte. 2. I wisse. 3. By (surely an error for My); arte. 4. lernynge; desire; euer (and u for v often). 5. while; leue. 6. trought (sic); youre; abide. 7. be (for by).

Seint Valentyne! to you I renovele

10

My woful lyf, as I can, compleyninge;

But, as me thinketh, to you a quarele

Right greet I have, whan I, rememberinge

Bitwene, how kinde, ayeins the yeres springe,

Upon your day, doth ech foul chese his make;

15

And you list not in swich comfort me bringe,

That to her grace my lady shulde me take.

9. valentine; Renouele. 10. compleynynge. 12. grete; whanne; remembringe. 13. Bytwene howe kende. 14. Vppon youre; doith eche foule. 15. lyste; suche comforte.

[xxviii]

Wherfor unto you, Cupide, I beseche,

Furth with Venus, noble lusty goddesse,

Sith ye may best my sorowe lesse and eche;

20

And I, your man, oppressed with distresse,

Can not crye 'help!' but to your gentilnesse:

So voucheth sauf, sith I, your man, wol dye,

My ladies herte in pite folde and presse,

That of my peyne I finde remedye.

21. cry helpe; vnto (for to); gentelnesse. 22. safe. 24. peine; fynde I may (for I finde); remydie.

25

To your conning, my hertes right princesse,

My mortal fo, whiche I best love and serve,

I recommaunde my boistous lewednesse.

And, for I can not altherbest deserve

Your grace, I preye, as he that wol nat swerve,

30

That I may fare the better for my trouthe;

Sith I am youres, til deth my herte kerve,

On me, your man, now mercy have and routhe.

25. konnyngge; princes. 26. foo. 27. leudenesse. 29. prey; swerue. 30. trouth. 31. herte wol kerue (I omit wol). 32. haue; routh.

[xxix]

XXVI. COMPLAINT TO MY LODE-STERRE.

Of gretter cause may no wight him compleyne

Than I; for love hath set me in swich caas

That lasse Ioye and more encrees of peyne

Ne hath no man; wherfore I crye 'allas!'

5

A thousand tyme, whan I have tyme and space.

For she, that is my verray sorowes grounde,

Wol with her grace no wyse my sorowes sounde.

From MS. Harl. 7578, fol. 15, back. No title but 'Balade'; but it is really a Complaint. Rejected readings of the MS. are here given.

2. y (for I); hath me sette in swiche. 3. encrese. 5. whenne; haue. 6. sheo; werry (for verray). 7. Wolle; wise; (sounde means heal).

And that, shulde be my sorowes hertes leche,

Is me ageins, and maketh me swich werre,

10

That shortly, [in] al maner thought and speche,

Whether it be that I be nigh or ferre,

I misse the grace of you, my lode-sterre,

Which causeth me on you thus for to crye;

And al is it for lakke of remedye.

9. Ys; swide (miswritten for swiche). 10. I supply in; alle manere. 11. Whethre. 12. mys; loode-. 13. Whiche. 14. alle; remydie.

15

My soverain Ioye thus is my mortal fo;

She that shulde causen al my lustinesse

List in no wyse of my sorowes saye 'ho!'

[xxx]

But let me thus darraine, in hevinesse,

With woful thoughtes and my grete distresse,

20

The which she might right wele, [at] every tyde,

If that her liste, out of my herte gyde.

15. souueraine; foo. 16. alle; lustynesse. 17. Liste; wise; say hoo. 18. lete; heuinesse. 19. wooful; grette. 20. sheo; I supply at; euery. 21. oute; guyde.

But it is so, that her list, in no wyse,

Have pite on my woful besinesse;

And I ne can do no maner servyse

25

That may me torne out of my hevinesse;

So wolde god, that she now wolde impresse

Right in her herte my trouthe and eek good wille;

And let me not, for lakke of mercy, spille.

22. liste; wise. 23. Haue pitee. 24. kanne; manere seruice. 25. be (for me); oute; heuynesse. 26. sheo nowe. 27. herre (for her); trough (sic); eke. 28. lette; lake.

Now wele I woot why thus I smerte sore;

30

For couthe I wele, as othere folkes, feyne,

Than neded me to live in peyne no more,

But, whan I were from you, unteye my reyne,

And, for the tyme, drawe in another cheyne.

But wolde god that alle swich were y-knowe,

35

And duely punisshed of hye and lowe.

29. woote; why that I thus smerte so sore (two syllables too much). 30. couth; sayne (for feyne). 31. Thanne nedes; lyue. 32. whenne; vnteye. 33. into (for in); a-nothre. 35. punisshede both of high (I omit both).

Swich lyf defye I, bothe in thoughte and worde,

For yet me were wel lever for to sterve

Than in my herte for to make an horde

Of any falshood; for, til deth to-kerve

40

My herte and body, shal I never swerve

From you, that best may be my fynal cure,

But, at your liste, abyde myn aventure;

36. Swiche; defie. 37. yette; sterue. 38. Thanne; hoorde. 39. falshode; til deth the kerue (but see note on p. xxxii). 40. neuere swerue. 41. youre (for my). 42. atte youre; abide.

And preye to you, noble seint Valentyne,

My ladies herte that ye wolde enbrace,

[xxxi]

45

And make her pite to me more enclyne

That I may stonden in her noble grace

In hasty tyme, whyl I have lyves space:

For yit wiste I never noon, of my lyve,

So litel hony in so fayre hyve.

43. prey; sainte valentine. 45. pitee. 46. here. 47. whiles; haue lyues. 48. yitte; neuere none; lyfe. 49. hiue.

NOTES TO THE PRECEDING POEMS.

XXIV.--I take the title from l. 25; cf. Troil. i. 287.

The metre exhibits the nine-line stanza, as in Anelida, 211-9; but the same rimes recur in all three stanzas. The six-line Envoy, with the rime-formula a b a b a a, is unique in Chaucer. There are nineteen lines ending in -aunce, twelve in -esse, and two in -ede.

1. Note how ll. 1 and 2 are re-echoed in ll. 32, 33. For a similar effect, see Anelida, 211, 350.

8. ful chose, fully chosen; parallel to ful drive in C. T., F 1230.

14. souvenance, remembrance; not found elswhere in Chaucer.

16. humblely is trisyllabic; see Leg. 156, Troil. ii. 1719, v. 1354.

20. lo emphasises swich; cf. lo, this, T. v. 54; lo, which, T. iv. 1231.

22. allegeaunce, alleviation; the verb allegge is in the Glossary.

26. outrance, extreme violence, great hurt; see Godefroy.

27. unbuxumnesse, unsubmissiveness; cf. buxumnesse, Truth, 15.

XXV.--I take the title from l. 26; cf. Compl. to his Lady, 41, 64.

1. Cf. Amorous Complaint, 87; Troil. v. 1318, i. 960.

3. 'Love hath me taught no more of his art,' &c.; Compl. to his Lady, 42-3.

9. Cf. Compl. of Mars, 13, 14; p. xxx above, l. 43; Parl. Foules, 386-9; Amorous Complaint, 85-6.

19. eche, augment; 'hir sorwes eche,' T. i. 705.

27. 'And to your trouthe ay I me recomaunde;' T. v. 1414. 'I am a boistous man;' C. T., H 211.

XXVI.--I take the title from l. 12; see T. v. 232, 638, 1392.

7. sounde, heal, cure; as in Anelida, 242.

8. Perhaps read hertes sorwes leche; see T. ii. 1066.

10. Cf. 'as in his speche;' T. ii. 1069.

26. impresse; cf. T. ii. 1371.

[xxxii]

28. spille; cf. Compl. to his Lady, 121.

32. reyne, bridle. For this image, cf. Anelida, 184.

39. MS. deth the kerue. As e and o are constantly confused, the prefix to (written apart) may have looked like te, and would easily be altered to the. Cf. forkerveth in the Manc. Tale, H 340.

47. Here spac-e rimes with embrac-e, but in l. 5 it rimes with allas. This variation is no worse than the riming of embrace with compas in Proverbs, 8 (vol. i. p. 407). Cf. plac-e in C.T., B 1910, with its variant plas, B 1971.

N.B. The Complaints numbered XXV and XXVI are obviously by the same author; compare XXV. 26 with XXVI. 15; XXV. 9 with XXVI. 43; and XXV. 29-31 with XXVI. 39, 40. They were probably written nearly at the same time.

[1: T. 1-22.]

THE CANTERBURY TALES.

GROUP A. THE PROLOGUE.

Here biginneth the Book of the Tales of Caunterbury.

Whan that Aprille with his shoures sote

The droghte of Marche hath perced to the rote,

And bathed every veyne in swich licour,

Of which vertu engendred is the flour;

5

Whan Zephirus eek with his swete breeth

Inspired hath in every holt and heeth

The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne

Hath in the Ram his halfe cours y-ronne,

And smale fowles maken melodye,

10

That slepen al the night with open ye,

(So priketh hem nature in hir corages):

Than longen folk to goon on pilgrimages

(And palmers for to seken straunge strondes)

To ferne halwes, couthe in sondry londes;

15

And specially, from every shires ende

Of Engelond, to Caunterbury they wende,

The holy blisful martir for to seke,

That hem hath holpen, whan that they were seke.

HEADING. From E. 1. E. hise; rest his. 8. Hl. halfe; rest half. 9. Hl. fowles; Pt. Ln. foules; E. Hn. foweles. 10. Hl. yhe; Hn. Iye; E. eye. 12. Pt. Ln. Than; E. Thanne. E. pilgrimage (by mistake). 13. Pt. Hl. palmers; E. Palmeres. 16. Hn. Caunter-; E. Cauntur-. 18. E. seeke.

Bifel that, in that seson on a day,

20

In Southwerk at the Tabard as I lay

Redy to wenden on my pilgrimage

To Caunterbury with ful devout corage,

[2: T. 23-58.]

At night was come in-to that hostelrye

Wel nyne and twenty in a companye,

25

Of sondry folk, by aventure y-falle

In felawshipe, and pilgrims were they alle,

That toward Caunterbury wolden ryde;

The chambres and the stables weren wyde,

And wel we weren esed atte beste.

30

And shortly, whan the sonne was to reste,

So hadde I spoken with hem everichon,

That I was of hir felawshipe anon,

And made forward erly for to ryse,

To take our wey, ther as I yow devyse.

19. Hn. Bifel; E. Bifil. 23. E. were; rest was. 24. E. Hn. compaignye. 26, 32. E. felaweshipe. Hl. pilgryms; E. pilgrimes. 34. E. oure.

35

But natheles, whyl I have tyme and space,

Er that I ferther in this tale pace,

Me thinketh it acordaunt to resoun,

To telle yow al the condicioun

Of ech of hem, so as it semed me,

40

And whiche they weren, and of what degree;

And eek in what array that they were inne:

And at a knight than wol I first biginne.

35. E. Hn. nathelees. 40. Hl. weren; rest were, weere.

Knight.

A KNIGHT ther was, and that a worthy man,

That fro the tyme that he first bigan

45

To ryden out, he loved chivalrye,

Trouthe and honour, fredom and curteisye.

Ful worthy was he in his lordes werre,

And therto hadde he riden (no man ferre)

As wel in Cristendom as hethenesse,

50

And ever honoured for his worthinesse.

49. Hn. Hl. as; rest as in.

At Alisaundre he was, whan it was wonne;

Ful ofte tyme he hadde the bord bigonne

Aboven alle naciouns in Pruce.

In Lettow hadde he reysed and in Ruce,

55

No Cristen man so ofte of his degree.

In Gernade at the sege eek hadde he be

Of Algezir, and riden in Belmarye.

At Lyeys was he, and at Satalye,

[3: T. 59-92.]

Whan they were wonne; and in the Grete See

60

At many a noble aryve hadde he be.

At mortal batailles hadde he been fiftene,

And foughten for our feith at Tramissene

In listes thryes, and ay slayn his foo.

This ilke worthy knight had been also

65

Somtyme with the lord of Palatye,

Ageyn another hethen in Turkye:

And evermore he hadde a sovereyn prys.

And though that he were worthy, he was wys,

And of his port as meke as is a mayde.

70

He never yet no vileinye ne sayde

In al his lyf, un-to no maner wight.

He was a verray parfit gentil knight.

But for to tellen yow of his array,

His hors were gode, but he was nat gay.

75

Of fustian he wered a gipoun

Al bismotered with his habergeoun;

For he was late y-come from his viage,

And wente for to doon his pilgrimage.

53. E. nacions. 56. E. seege. 60. Hl. ariue; Cm. aryue; E. Hn. armee; Cp. Ln. arme. 62. E. oure. 64. Pt. had; rest hadde. 67. E. -moore. 68. E. Hn. Cm. were; rest was. 74. E. Pt. weren; Hl. Ln. was; rest were. Hl. Hn. he ne was.

Squyer.

With him ther was his sone, a yong SQUYER,

80

A lovyere, and a lusty bacheler,

With lokkes crulle, as they were leyd in presse.

Of twenty yeer of age he was, I gesse.

Of his stature he was of evene lengthe,

And wonderly deliver, and greet of strengthe.

85

And he had been somtyme in chivachye,

In Flaundres, in Artoys, and Picardye,

And born him wel, as of so litel space,

In hope to stonden in his lady grace.

Embrouded was he, as it were a mede

90

Al ful of fresshe floures, whyte and rede.

Singinge he was, or floytinge, al the day;

He was as fresh as is the month of May.

[4: T. 93-127.]

Short was his goune, with sleves longe and wyde.

Wel coude he sitte on hors, and faire ryde.

95

He coude songes make and wel endyte,

Iuste and eek daunce, and wel purtreye and wryte,

So hote he lovede, that by nightertale

He sleep namore than dooth a nightingale.

Curteys he was, lowly, and servisable,

100

And carf biforn his fader at the table.

83. Ln. euen; rest euene. 84. Hl. Ln. delyuer; rest delyuere. E. Hn. of greet; Cm. of gret; rest gret of. 85. Ln. had. 87. E. weel. 89, 90. E. meede, reede. 92. E. fressh. E. in; rest is. E. Hn. Monthe; Cp. month; Hl. Pt. Ln. moneth; Cm. monyth. 96. E. weel. 98. Hl. Cp. sleep; rest slepte. E. -moore. 99. Hl. Cp. Ln. lowly; E. Hn. Pt. lowely.

Yeman.

A YEMAN hadde he, and servaunts namo

At that tyme, for him liste ryde so;

And he was clad in cote and hood of grene;

A sheef of pecok-arwes brighte and kene

105

Under his belt he bar ful thriftily;

(Wel coude he dresse his takel yemanly:

His arwes drouped noght with fetheres lowe),

And in his hand he bar a mighty bowe.

A not-heed hadde he, with a broun visage.

110

Of wode-craft wel coude he al the usage.

Upon his arm he bar a gay bracer,

And by his syde a swerd and a bokeler,

And on that other syde a gay daggere,

Harneised wel, and sharp as point of spere;

115

A Cristofre on his brest of silver shene.

An horn he bar, the bawdrik was of grene;

A forster was he, soothly, as I gesse.

101. E. seruantz. 102. E. soo. 104. Hl. Cp. Pt. Ln. pocok. Cm. bryghte; rest bright. 107. E. Hise. 108, 111. E. baar. 113. E. oother. 115. Hn. Cristofre; E. Cristophere. E. sheene.

Prioresse.

Ther was also a Nonne, a PRIORESSE,

That of hir smyling was ful simple and coy;

120

Hir gretteste ooth was but by seynt Loy;

And she was cleped madame Eglentyne.

Ful wel she song the service divyne,

Entuned in hir nose ful semely;

And Frensh she spak ful faire and fetisly,

125

After the scole of Stratford atte Bowe,

For Frensh of Paris was to hir unknowe.

At mete wel y-taught was she with-alle;

[5: T. 128-161.]

She leet no morsel from hir lippes falle,

Ne wette hir fingres in hir sauce depe.

130

Wel coude she carie a morsel, and wel kepe,

That no drope ne fille up-on hir brest.

In curteisye was set ful muche hir lest.

Hir over lippe wyped she so clene,

That in hir coppe was no ferthing sene

135

Of grece, whan she dronken hadde hir draughte.

Ful semely after hir mete she raughte,

And sikerly she was of greet disport,

And ful plesaunt, and amiable of port,

And peyned hir to countrefete chere

140

Of court, and been estatlich of manere,

And to ben holden digne of reverence.

But, for to speken of hir conscience,

She was so charitable and so pitous,

She wolde wepe, if that she sawe a mous

145

Caught in a trappe, if it were deed or bledde.

Of smale houndes had she, that she fedde

With rosted flesh, or milk and wastel-breed.

But sore weep she if oon of hem were deed,

Or if men smoot it with a yerde smerte:

150

And al was conscience and tendre herte.

Ful semely hir wimpel pinched was;

Hir nose tretys; hir eyen greye as glas;

Hir mouth ful smal, and ther-to softe and reed;

But sikerly she hadde a fair forheed;

155

It was almost a spanne brood, I trowe;

For, hardily, she was nat undergrowe.

Ful fetis was hir cloke, as I was war.

Of smal coral aboute hir arm she bar

A peire of bedes, gauded al with grene;

160

And ther-on heng a broche of gold ful shene,

On which ther was first write a crowned A,

[6: T. 162-195.]

And after, Amor vincit omnia.

122. E. soong. 123. E. semeely. 131. Cm. brest; E. Hn. brist. 132. Cp. moche; Cm. meche; E. Hn. muchel. Hl. lest; E. Hn. Cm. list. 134. Hl. was; rest ther was. 137. E. Hn. desport; rest disport. 140. E. to been; Hl. Hn. omit to. 144. Hl. Hn. Cp. Ln. sawe; E. saugh; Cm. seye. 146. Pt. Ln. had; rest hadde. 148. Ln. wepped; rest wepte; read weep; cf. l. 2878. E. any; rest oon, on, one. 151. E. semyly. E. wympul; Hn. wympel. 160. E. Hn. brooch; rest broche.

Nonne.

Another NONNE with hir hadde she,

3 Preestes.

That was hir chapeleyne, and PREESTES three.

Monk.

A MONK ther was, a fair for the maistrye,

166

An out-rydere, that lovede venerye;

A manly man, to been an abbot able.

Ful many a deyntee hors hadde he in stable:

And, whan he rood, men mighte his brydel here

170

Ginglen in a whistling wind as clere,

And eek as loude as dooth the chapel-belle,

Ther as this lord was keper of the celle.

The reule of seint Maure or of seint Beneit,

By-cause that it was old and som-del streit,

175

This ilke monk leet olde thinges pace,

And held after the newe world the space.

He yaf nat of that text a pulled hen,

That seith, that hunters been nat holy men;

Ne that a monk, whan he is cloisterlees,

180

Is lykned til a fish that is waterlees;

This is to seyn, a monk out of his cloistre.

But thilke text held he nat worth an oistre;

And I seyde, his opinioun was good.

What sholde he studie, and make him-selven wood,

185

Upon a book in cloistre alwey to poure,

Or swinken with his handes, and laboure,

As Austin bit? How shal the world be served?

Lat Austin have his swink to him reserved.

Therfore he was a pricasour aright;

190

Grehoundes he hadde, as swifte as fowel in flight;

Of priking and of hunting for the hare

Was al his lust, for no cost wolde he spare.

I seigh his sleves purfiled at the hond

With grys, and that the fyneste of a lond;

195

And, for to festne his hood under his chin,

[7: T. 196-231.]

He hadde of gold y-wroght a curious pin:

A love-knotte in the gretter ende ther was.

His heed was balled, that shoon as any glas,

And eek his face, as he had been anoint.

200

He was a lord ful fat and in good point;

His eyen stepe, and rollinge in his heed,

That stemed as a forneys of a leed;

His botes souple, his hors in greet estat.

Now certeinly he was a fair prelat;

205

He was nat pale as a for-pyned goost.

A fat swan loved he best of any roost.

His palfrey was as broun as is a berye.

170. Hl. Cp. whistlyng; E. whistlynge. E. Cm. als; Ln. al-so; Hl. so; rest as. 176. E. Hn. heeld; Cm. held. 178. Hn. Hl. been; E. beth. 179. Hl. cloysterles; E. Hn. recchelees; Cp. Pt. Ln. recheles; Cm. rekeles (Ten Brink proposes recetlees). 182. E. Hn. heeld; Cm. held. 188. E. his owene; rest om. owene. 190. Hl. swifte; rest swift. 193. Hl. Hn. purfiled; Cm. purfilid; E. ypurfiled. 196. Hl. a; rest a ful. 196, 218. Ln. had; rest hadde. 199. E. it; rest he. 203, 4. E. estaat, prelaat.

Frere.

A FRERE ther was, a wantown and a merye,

A limitour, a ful solempne man.

210

In alle the ordres foure is noon that can

So muche of daliaunce and fair langage.

He hadde maad ful many a mariage

Of yonge wommen, at his owne cost.

Un-to his ordre he was a noble post.

215

Ful wel biloved and famulier was he

With frankeleyns over-al in his contree,

And eek with worthy wommen of the toun:

For he had power of confessioun,

As seyde him-self, more than a curat,

220

For of his ordre he was licentiat.

Ful swetely herde he confessioun,

And plesaunt was his absolucioun;

He was an esy man to yeve penaunce

Ther as he wiste to han a good pitaunce;

225

For unto a povre ordre for to yive

Is signe that a man is wel y-shrive.

For if he yaf, he dorste make avaunt,

He wiste that a man was repentaunt.

For many a man so hard is of his herte,

230

He may nat wepe al-thogh him sore smerte.

Therfore, in stede of weping and preyeres,

[8: T. 232-265.]

Men moot yeve silver to the povre freres.

His tipet was ay farsed ful of knyves

And pinnes, for to yeven faire wyves.

235

And certeinly he hadde a mery note;

Wel coude he singe and pleyen on a rote.

Of yeddinges he bar utterly the prys.

His nekke whyt was as the flour-de-lys;

Ther-to he strong was as a champioun.

240

He knew the tavernes wel in every toun,

And everich hostiler and tappestere

Bet than a lazar or a beggestere;

For un-to swich a worthy man as he

Acorded nat, as by his facultee,

245

To have with seke lazars aqueyntaunce.

It is nat honest, it may nat avaunce

For to delen with no swich poraille,

But al with riche and sellers of vitaille.

And over-al, ther as profit sholde aryse,

250

Curteys he was, and lowly of servyse.

Ther nas no man no-wher so vertuous.

He was the beste beggere in his hous;

252 b

[And yaf a certeyn ferme for the graunt;

252 c

Noon of his bretheren cam ther in his haunt;]

For thogh a widwe hadde noght a sho,

So plesaunt was his "In principio,"

255

Yet wolde he have a ferthing, er he wente.

His purchas was wel bettre than his rente.

And rage he coude, as it were right a whelpe.

(260)

In love-dayes ther coude he muchel helpe.

For there he was nat lyk a cloisterer,

260

With a thredbar cope, as is a povre scoler,

But he was lyk a maister or a pope.

Of double worsted was his semi-cope,

That rounded as a belle out of the presse.

[9: T. 266-300.]

Somwhat he lipsed, for his wantownesse,

265

To make his English swete up-on his tonge;

And in his harping, whan that he had songe,

His eyen twinkled in his heed aright,

(270)

As doon the sterres in the frosty night.

This worthy limitour was cleped Huberd.

208. E. wantowne. 211. Hn. muche; E. muchel. 213. Hl. owne; E. owene. 215. E. And; rest Ful. 217. Hl. Hn. eek; rest omit. 224. Hl. Cm. han; E. haue. 229. E. harde. 231. E. wepynge. 232. E. Hn. moote; see note. 234. E. yonge; rest faire. 235. Hl. mery; E. murye. 237. E. baar. Pt. vttirly; Hl. vtturly; E. Hn. outrely. 240. E. al the; rest euery. 245. E. Hn. Cm. sike; Pt. Ln. seke; see l. 18. 246. Cm. honest; E. honeste. 248. E. selleres. 250. E. lowely. After l. 252, Hn. alone inserts ll. 252 b and 252 c. 259. Hl. Cm. cloysterer; E. Hn. Cloystrer. 260. So all the MSS. (but with -bare); cf. l. 290. 262. All worstede (badly). 266. Pt. Ln. had; rest hadde.

Marchant.

A MARCHANT was ther with a forked berd,

271

In mottelee, and hye on horse he sat,

Up-on his heed a Flaundrish bever hat;

His botes clasped faire and fetisly.

His resons he spak ful solempnely,

275

Souninge alway thencrees of his winning.

He wolde the see were kept for any thing

Bitwixe Middelburgh and Orewelle.

(280)

Wel coude he in eschaunge sheeldes selle.

This worthy man ful wel his wit bisette;

280

Ther wiste no wight that he was in dette,

So estatly was he of his governaunce,

With his bargaynes, and with his chevisaunce.

For sothe he was a worthy man with-alle,

But sooth to seyn, I noot how men him calle.

271. Ln. motteley; Hl. motteleye; E. Hn. motlee. 272. E. beuere. 273. Cp. Pt. clapsed; Hl. clapsud. 274. E. Hise. 281. Cp. statly.

Clerk.

A CLERK ther was of Oxenford also,

286

That un-to logik hadde longe y-go.

As lene was his hors as is a rake,

(290)

And he nas nat right fat, I undertake;

But loked holwe, and ther-to soberly.

290

Ful thredbar was his overest courtepy;

For he had geten him yet no benefyce,

Ne was so worldly for to have offyce.

For him was lever have at his beddes heed

Twenty bokes, clad in blak or reed,

295

Of Aristotle and his philosophye,

Than robes riche, or fithele, or gay sautrye.

But al be that he was a philosophre,

(300)

Yet hadde he but litel gold in cofre;

[10: T. 301-336.]

But al that he mighte of his freendes hente,

300

On bokes and on lerninge he it spente,

And bisily gan for the soules preye

Of hem that yaf him wher-with to scoleye.

Of studie took he most cure and most hede.

Noght o word spak he more than was nede,

305

And that was seyd in forme and reverence,

And short and quik, and ful of hy sentence.

Souninge in moral vertu was his speche,

(310)

And gladly wolde he lerne, and gladly teche.

287. E. And; Hl. Al so; rest As. 289. E. Hn. sobrely; rest soburly. 290. All -bare. Hl. ouerest; E. Hn. Cm. ouereste. 291. Cp. Ln. had; rest hadde. 293. Cp. Ln. Hl. leuer; rest leuere. 300. E. Hl. his; rest on.

Man of Lawe.

A SERGEANT OF THE LAWE, war and wys,

310

That often hadde been at the parvys,

Ther was also, ful riche of excellence.

Discreet he was, and of greet reverence:

He semed swich, his wordes weren so wyse.

Iustyce he was ful often in assyse,

315

By patente, and by pleyn commissioun;

For his science, and for his heigh renoun

Of fees and robes hadde he many oon.

(320)

So greet a purchasour was no-wher noon.

Al was fee simple to him in effect,

320

His purchasing mighte nat been infect.

No-wher so bisy a man as he ther nas,

And yet he semed bisier than he was.

In termes hadde he caas and domes alle,

That from the tyme of king William were falle.

325

Therto he coude endyte, and make a thing,

Ther coude no wight pinche at his wryting;

And every statut coude he pleyn by rote.

(330)

He rood but hoomly in a medlee cote

Girt with a ceint of silk, with barres smale;

Of his array telle I no lenger tale.

324. E. yfalle; rest falle. 326. E. Hn. pynchen; rest pynche, pinche.

Frankeleyn.

A FRANKELEYN was in his companye;

Whyt was his berd, as is the dayesye.

Of his complexioun he was sangwyn.

Wel loved he by the morwe a sop in wyn.

[11: T. 337-370.]

335

To liven in delyt was ever his wone,

For he was Epicurus owne sone,

That heeld opinioun, that pleyn delyt

Was verraily felicitee parfyt.

(340)

An housholdere, and that a greet, was he;

Seint Iulian he was in his contree.

His breed, his ale, was alwey after oon;

A bettre envyned man was no-wher noon.

With-oute bake mete was never his hous,

Of fish and flesh, and that so plentevous,

345

It snewed in his hous of mete and drinke,

Of alle deyntees that men coude thinke.

After the sondry sesons of the yeer,

(350)

So chaunged he his mete and his soper.

Ful many a fat partrich hadde he in mewe,

350

And many a breem and many a luce in stewe.

Wo was his cook, but-if his sauce were

Poynaunt and sharp, and redy al his gere.

His table dormant in his halle alway

Stood redy covered al the longe day.

355

At sessiouns ther was he lord and sire;

Ful ofte tyme he was knight of the shire.

An anlas and a gipser al of silk

(360)

Heng at his girdel, whyt as morne milk.

A shirreve hadde he been, and a countour;

360

Was no-wher such a worthy vavasour.

332. E. heed; rest berd, berde. E. a; rest the. 335. ever] Hl. al. 336. E. Hn. Cm. owene; rest owne. 338. Hl. verraily; rest verray, verrey, uery. 340. E. was he; rest he was. 341. Cm. Ln. alwey; Hl. alway; E. Hn. Cp. alweys. 342. Hl. Pt. nowher; Cm. nower: rest neuere; cf. l. 360. 349, 350. E. Hn. muwe, stuwe. 357. E. Hn. anlaas; Hl. Cm. anlas. 358. E. Hn. heeng. 359. E. Hn. Cm. om. a.

Habaerdassher.

An HABERDASSHER and a CARPENTER,

Carpenter.

A WEBBE, a DYERE, and a TAPICER,

Webbe. Dyere.

Were with us eek, clothed in o liveree,

Tapicer.

Of a solempne and greet fraternitee.

365

Ful fresh and newe hir gere apyked was;

Hir knyves were y-chaped noght with bras,

But al with silver, wroght ful clene and weel,

(370)

Hir girdles and hir pouches every-deel.

[12: T. 371-406.]

Wel semed ech of hem a fair burgeys,

370

To sitten in a yeldhalle on a deys.

Everich, for the wisdom that he can,

Was shaply for to been an alderman.

For catel hadde they y-nogh and rente,

And eek hir wyves wolde it wel assente;

375

And elles certein were they to blame.

It is ful fair to been y-clept "ma dame,"

And goon to vigilyes al bifore,

(380)

And have a mantel royalliche y-bore.

363. So Hl.; rest And they were clothed alle. 364. All but Hl. and a. 366. Hl. I-chapud; Cm. chapid; rest chaped. 370. E. yeldehalle. 376. E. Hn. ycleped; Hl. clept; rest cleped, clepid. 380. Hl. om. 1st the.

Cook.

A COOK they hadde with hem for the nones,

380

To boille the chiknes with the mary-bones,

And poudre-marchant tart, and galingale.

Wel coude he knowe a draughte of London ale.

He coude roste, and sethe, and broille, and frye,

Maken mortreux, and wel bake a pye.

385

But greet harm was it, as it thoughte me,

That on his shine a mormal hadde he;

(389)

For blankmanger, that made he with the beste.

383. E. Hl. boille; Cm. boyle; rest broille, broile. 388. E. wonynge; Hn. wonyng.

Shipman.

A SHIPMAN was ther, woning fer by weste:

For aught I woot, he was of Dertemouthe.

390

He rood up-on a rouncy, as he couthe,

In a gowne of falding to the knee.

A daggere hanging on a laas hadde he

Aboute his nekke under his arm adoun.

The hote somer had maad his hewe al broun;

395

And, certeinly, he was a good felawe.

Ful many a draughte of wyn had he y-drawe

From Burdeux-ward, whyl that the chapman sleep.

(400)

Of nyce conscience took he no keep.

If that he faught, and hadde the hyer hond,

400

By water he sente hem hoom to every lond.

But of his craft to rekene wel his tydes,

His stremes and his daungers him bisydes,

His herberwe and his mone, his lodemenage,

Ther nas noon swich from Hulle to Cartage.

[13: T. 407-441.]

405

Hardy he was, and wys to undertake;

With many a tempest hadde his berd been shake.

He knew wel alle the havenes, as they were,

(410)

From Gootlond to the cape of Finistere,

And every cryke in Britayne and in Spayne;

410

His barge y-cleped was the Maudelayne.

396. Cm. I-drawe; rest drawe. 407. Hl. ins. wel; rest om.

Doctour.

With us ther was a DOCTOUR OF PHISYK,

In al this world ne was ther noon him lyk

To speke of phisik and of surgerye;

For he was grounded in astronomye.

415

He kepte his pacient a ful greet del

In houres, by his magik naturel.

Wel coude he fortunen the ascendent

(420)

Of his images for his pacient.

He knew the cause of everich maladye,

420

Were it of hoot or cold, or moiste, or drye,

And where engendred, and of what humour;

He was a verrey parfit practisour.

The cause y-knowe, and of his harm the rote,

Anon he yaf the seke man his bote.

425

Ful redy hadde he his apothecaries,

To sende him drogges and his letuaries,

For ech of hem made other for to winne;

(430)

Hir frendschipe nas nat newe to biginne.

Wel knew he the olde Esculapius,

430

And Deiscorides, and eek Rufus,

Old Ypocras, Haly, and Galien;

Serapion, Razis, and Avicen;

Averrois, Damascien, and Constantyn;

Bernard, and Gatesden, and Gilbertyn.

435

Of his diete mesurable was he,

For it was of no superfluitee,

But of greet norissing and digestible.

(440)

His studie was but litel on the Bible.

In sangwin and in pers he clad was al,

[14: T. 442-478.]

440

Lyned with taffata and with sendal;

And yet he was but esy of dispence;

He kepte that he wan in pestilence.

For gold in phisik is a cordial,

Therfore he lovede gold in special.

415. Hl. wondurly wel; rest a ful greet deel (del). 416. E. Hn. natureel. 418. E. Hn. hise; Cm. hese. 421. E. Cm. Hl. where they; Hn. where it. 424. Cm. Ln. seke; rest sike. 425. E. hise. 426. E. Hn. Cm. drogges; Cp. Pt. Ln. drugges; Hl. dragges. 430. Pt. Rufus; Cm. Rufijs; Hn. Cp. Ln. Hl. Rusus; E. Risus. 431. Hl. Pt. Old; rest Olde.

Wyf of Bathe.

A good WYF was ther of bisyde BATHE,

446

But she was som-del deef, and that was scathe.

Of clooth-making she hadde swiche an haunt,

(450)

She passed hem of Ypres and of Gaunt.

In al the parisshe wyf ne was ther noon

450

That to the offring bifore hir sholde goon;

And if ther dide, certeyn, so wrooth was she,

That she was out of alle charitee.

Hir coverchiefs ful fyne were of ground;

I dorste swere they weyeden ten pound

455

That on a Sonday were upon hir heed.

Hir hosen weren of fyn scarlet reed,

Ful streite y-teyd, and shoos ful moiste and newe.

(460)

Bold was hir face, and fair, and reed of hewe.

She was a worthy womman al hir lyve,

460

Housbondes at chirche-dore she hadde fyve,

Withouten other companye in youthe;

But therof nedeth nat to speke as nouthe.

And thryes hadde she been at Ierusalem;

She hadde passed many a straunge streem;

465

At Rome she hadde been, and at Boloigne,

In Galice at seint Iame, and at Coloigne.

She coude muche of wandring by the weye.

(470)

Gat-tothed was she, soothly for to seye.

Up-on an amblere esily she sat,

470

Y-wimpled wel, and on hir heed an hat

As brood as is a bokeler or a targe;

A foot-mantel aboute hir hipes large,

And on hir feet a paire of spores sharpe.

In felawschip wel coude she laughe and carpe.

475

Of remedyes of love she knew per-chaunce,

For she coude of that art the olde daunce.

452. Hl. was thanne out. 453, 455. E. weren. 457. Cp. Hl. schoos; E. Pt. Ln. shoes. 458. E. Hn. Boold. 463. Ln. had. 467. Ln. muche; Hl. Pt. Cp. moche; E. Hn. muchel. 474. E. Hn. felaweschip. 476. Hl. For of that art sche knew.

[15: T. 479-513.]

Persoun.

A good man was ther of religioun,

(480)

And was a povre PERSOUN of a toun;

But riche he was of holy thoght and werk.

480

He was also a lerned man, a clerk,

That Cristes gospel trewely wolde preche;

His parisshens devoutly wolde he teche.

Benigne he was, and wonder diligent,

And in adversitee ful pacient;

485

And swich he was y-preved ofte sythes.

Ful looth were him to cursen for his tythes,

But rather wolde he yeven, out of doute,

(490)

Un-to his povre parisshens aboute

Of his offring, and eek of his substaunce.

490

He coude in litel thing han suffisaunce.

Wyd was his parisshe, and houses fer a-sonder,

But he ne lafte nat, for reyn ne thonder,

In siknes nor in meschief, to visyte

The ferreste in his parisshe, muche and lyte,

495

Up-on his feet, and in his hand a staf.

This noble ensample to his sheep he yaf,

That first he wroghte, and afterward he taughte;

(500)

Out of the gospel he tho wordes caughte;

And this figure he added eek ther-to,

500

That if gold ruste, what shal iren do?

For if a preest be foul, on whom we truste,

No wonder is a lewed man to ruste;

And shame it is, if a preest take keep,

A shiten shepherde and a clene sheep.

505

Wel oghte a preest ensample for to yive,

By his clennesse, how that his sheep shold live.

He sette nat his benefice to hyre,

(510)

And leet his sheep encombred in the myre,

And ran to London, un-to seynt Poules,

510

To seken him a chaunterie for soules,

Or with a bretherhed to been withholde;

[16: T. 514-547.]

But dwelte at hoom, and kepte wel his folde,

So that the wolf ne made it nat miscarie;

He was a shepherde and no mercenarie.

515

And though he holy were, and vertuous,

He was to sinful man nat despitous,

Ne of his speche daungerous ne digne,

(520)

But in his teching discreet and benigne.

To drawen folk to heven by fairnesse

520

By good ensample, was his bisinesse:

But it were any persone obstinat,

What-so he were, of heigh or lowe estat,

Him wolde he snibben sharply for the nones.

A bettre preest, I trowe that nowher noon is.

525

He wayted after no pompe and reverence,

Ne maked him a spyced conscience,

But Cristes lore, and his apostles twelve,

(530)

He taughte, and first he folwed it him-selve.

485. Hl. I-proued; E. Cp. Pt. preued. 486. E. hise. 490. Hl. Cm. Pt. han; E. Hn. Cp. Ln. haue. 493. E. siknesse. 497. E. firste. E. ins. that (by mistake) before he. 503. Hl. alone ins. that after if. 505. Hl. yiue; E. yeue. 509. Hl. Cp. seynte. 510. Cp. Pt. Ln. Hl. chaunterie; E. Hn. chauntrie. 512. E. dwelleth; rest dwelte. E. keepeth; Ln. keped; rest kepte. 514. Hl. no; rest not a. 516. Hl. to senful man nought; rest nat to sinful man. 520. All but Hl. this was. 522. Hn. lowe; E. lough. 523. E. nonys. 525. E. waiteth; rest waited. 527. E. hise. 528. Hl. and; rest but.

Plowman.

With him ther was a PLOWMAN, was his brother,

530

That hadde y-lad of dong ful many a fother,

A trewe swinker and a good was he,

Livinge in pees and parfit charitee.

God loved he best with al his hole herte

At alle tymes, thogh him gamed or smerte,

535

And thanne his neighebour right as him-selve.

He wolde thresshe, and ther-to dyke and delve,

For Cristes sake, for every povre wight,

(540)

Withouten hyre, if it lay in his might.

His tythes payed he ful faire and wel,

540

Bothe of his propre swink and his catel.

In a tabard he rood upon a mere.

534. E. Pt. Ln. he; rest him. 537. for] Hn. Hl. with. 539. Cp. Pt. payed; Cm. Hl. payede; E. Hn. payde. 540. propre] Hl. owne.

Ther was also a Reve and a Millere,

A Somnour and a Pardoner also,

A Maunciple, and my-self; ther were namo.

Miller.

The MILLER was a stout carl, for the nones,

[17: T. 548-582.]

546

Ful big he was of braun, and eek of bones;

That proved wel, for over-al ther he cam,

(550)

At wrastling he wolde have alwey the ram.

He was short-sholdred, brood, a thikke knarre,

550

Ther nas no dore that he nolde heve of harre,

Or breke it, at a renning, with his heed.

His berd as any sowe or fox was reed,

And ther-to brood, as though it were a spade.

Up-on the cop right of his nose he hade

555

A werte, and ther-on stood a tuft of heres,

Reed as the bristles of a sowes eres;

His nose-thirles blake were and wyde.

(560)

A swerd and bokeler bar he by his syde;

His mouth as greet was as a greet forneys.

560

He was a Ianglere and a goliardeys,

And that was most of sinne and harlotryes.

Wel coude he stelen corn, and tollen thryes;

And yet he hadde a thombe of gold, pardee.

A whyt cote and a blew hood wered he.

565

A baggepype wel coude he blowe and sowne,

And ther-with-al he broghte us out of towne.

550. Cp. Hl. nolde; Hn. noolde; E. ne wolde. 555. E. toft; Ln. tofte: rest tuft. E. herys. 556. Hn. bristles; E. brustles; Pt. brysteles; Hl. Cp. berstles. E. erys. 558. All but Cp. and a. 559. Hl. wyde; rest greet, gret. 565. Hl. om. wel.

Maunciple.

A gentil MAUNCIPLE was ther of a temple,

(570)

Of which achatours mighte take exemple

For to be wyse in bying of vitaille.

570

For whether that he payde, or took by taille,

Algate he wayted so in his achat,

That he was ay biforn and in good stat.

Now is nat that of God a ful fair grace,

That swich a lewed mannes wit shal pace

575

The wisdom of an heep of lerned men?

Of maistres hadde he mo than thryes ten,

That were of lawe expert and curious;

(580)

Of which ther were a doseyn in that hous,

Worthy to been stiwardes of rente and lond

580

Of any lord that is in Engelond,

[18: T. 583-615.]

To make him live by his propre good,

In honour dettelees, but he were wood,

Or live as scarsly as him list desire;

And able for to helpen al a shire

585

In any cas that mighte falle or happe;

And yit this maunciple sette hir aller cappe.

570. E. Hn. wheither. 571. E. Achaat. 572. E. staat. 577. E. weren. 578. E. whiche. Cm. doseyn; E. duszeyne. 581. E. maken. 582. Cm. but; Cp. Pt. but if that; rest but if. 585. E. Hn. caas.

Reve.

The REVE was a sclendre colerik man,

(590)

His berd was shave as ny as ever he can.

His heer was by his eres round y-shorn.

590

His top was dokked lyk a preest biforn.

Ful longe were his legges, and ful lene,

Y-lyk a staf, ther was no calf y-sene.

Wel coude he kepe a gerner and a binne;

Ther was noon auditour coude on him winne.

595

Wel wiste he, by the droghte, and by the reyn,

The yelding of his seed, and of his greyn.

His lordes sheep, his neet, his dayerye,

(600)

His swyn, his hors, his stoor, and his pultrye,

Was hoolly in this reves governing,

600

And by his covenaunt yaf the rekening,

Sin that his lord was twenty yeer of age;

Ther coude no man bringe him in arrerage.

Ther nas baillif, ne herde, ne other hyne,

That he ne knew his sleighte and his covyne;

605

They were adrad of him, as of the deeth.

His woning was ful fair up-on an heeth,

With grene trees shadwed was his place.

(610)

He coude bettre than his lord purchace.

Ful riche he was astored prively,

610

His lord wel coude he plesen subtilly,

To yeve and lene him of his owne good,

And have a thank, and yet a cote and hood.

In youthe he lerned hadde a good mister;

[19: T. 616-652.]

He was a wel good wrighte, a carpenter.

615

This reve sat up-on a ful good stot,

That was al pomely grey, and highte Scot.

A long surcote of pers up-on he hade,

(620)

And by his syde he bar a rusty blade.

Of Northfolk was this reve, of which I telle,

620

Bisyde a toun men clepen Baldeswelle.

Tukked he was, as is a frere, aboute,

And ever he rood the hindreste of our route.

589. All but Hl. Ln. ins. ful after eres. 590. E. doked. 594. E. of; rest on. 603. ne (2)] E. Hn. Cp. Pt. nor. 604. Hl. they (for he). E. Cm. om. ne. 606. Hl. fair; E. faire. 607. E. Hn. shadwed; Hl. I-schadewed; Cm. I-schadewid; Cp. Pt. shadewed; Ln. schadowed. 611. Hl. owne; E. owene. 612. E. om. and. E. gowne; rest cote. 613. So Hn. Hl.; E. and rest hadde lerned. Cp. Hl. mester. 618. E. baar.

Somnour.

A SOMNOUR was ther with us in that place,

That hadde a fyr-reed cherubinnes face,

625

For sawcefleem he was, with eyen narwe.

As hoot he was, and lecherous, as a sparwe;

With scalled browes blake, and piled berd;

(630)

Of his visage children were aferd.

Ther nas quik-silver, litarge, ne brimstoon,

630

Boras, ceruce, ne oille of tartre noon,

Ne oynement that wolde dense and byte,

That him mighte helpen of his whelkes whyte,

Nor of the knobbes sittinge on his chekes.

Wel loved he garleek, oynons, and eek lekes,

635

And for to drinken strong wyn, reed as blood.

Thanne wolde he speke, and crye as he were wood.

And whan that he wel dronken hadde the wyn,

(640)

Than wolde he speke no word but Latyn.

A fewe termes hadde he, two or three,

640

That he had lerned out of som decree;

No wonder is, he herde it al the day;

And eek ye knowen wel, how that a Iay

Can clepen 'Watte,' as well as can the pope.

But who-so coude in other thing him grope,

645

Thanne hadde he spent al his philosophye;

Ay 'Questio quid iuris' wolde he crye.

He was a gentil harlot and a kinde;

(650)

A bettre felawe sholde men noght finde.

He wolde suffre, for a quart of wyn,

650

A good felawe to have his concubyn

[20: T. 653-687.]

A twelf-month, and excuse him atte fulle:

Ful prively a finch eek coude he pulle.

And if he fond o-wher a good felawe,

He wolde techen him to have non awe,

655

In swich cas, of the erchedeknes curs,

But-if a mannes soule were in his purs;

For in his purs he sholde y-punisshed be.

(660)

'Purs is the erchedeknes helle,' seyde he.

But wel I woot he lyed right in dede;

660

Of cursing oghte ech gilty man him drede--

For curs wol slee, right as assoilling saveth--

And also war him of a significavit.

In daunger hadde he at his owne gyse

The yonge girles of the diocyse,

665

And knew hir counseil, and was al hir reed.

A gerland hadde he set up-on his heed,

As greet as it were for an ale-stake;

(670)

A bokeler hadde he maad him of a cake.

623. Cm. Pt. Somnour; Hl. sompnour; E. Hn. Somonour. 627. E. Hn. Cm. scaled. 629. Cp. Pt. Hl. bremston. 632. E. the; rest his. 652. E. Ln. Hl. And; rest Ful. 655. Cm. Cp. erche-; E. erce-; Hl. arche-. 660. Cp. Ln. him; Hl. Pt. to; rest om. 661. Hl. Pt. saueth; E. sauith. 663. Hl. owne; E. owene. 668. E. bokeleer.

Pardoner.

With him ther rood a gentil PARDONER

670

Of Rouncival, his freend and his compeer,

That streight was comen fro the court of Rome.

Ful loude he song, 'Com hider, love, to me.'

This somnour bar to him a stif burdoun,

Was never trompe of half so greet a soun.

675

This pardoner hadde heer as yelow as wex,

But smothe it heng, as dooth a strike of flex;

By ounces henge his lokkes that he hadde,

(680)

And ther-with he his shuldres overspradde;

But thinne it lay, by colpons oon and oon;

680

But hood, for Iolitee, ne wered he noon,

For it was trussed up in his walet.

Him thoughte, he rood al of the newe Iet;

Dischevele, save his cappe, he rood al bare.

Swiche glaringe eyen hadde he as an hare.

685

A vernicle hadde he sowed on his cappe.

[21: T. 688-722.]

His walet lay biforn him in his lappe,

Bret-ful of pardoun come from Rome al hoot.

(690)

A voys he hadde as smal as hath a goot.

No berd hadde he, ne never sholde have,

690

As smothe it was as it were late y-shave;

I trowe he were a gelding or a mare.

But of his craft, fro Berwik into Ware,

Ne was ther swich another pardoner.

For in his male he hadde a pilwe-beer,

695

Which that, he seyde, was our lady veyl:

He seyde, he hadde a gobet of the seyl

That seynt Peter hadde, whan that he wente

(700)

Up-on the see, til Iesu Crist him hente.

He hadde a croys of latoun, ful of stones,

700

And in a glas he hadde pigges bones.

But with thise relikes, whan that he fond

A povre person dwelling up-on lond,

Up-on a day he gat him more moneye

Than that the person gat in monthes tweye.

705

And thus, with feyned flaterye and Iapes,

He made the person and the peple his apes.

But trewely to tellen, atte laste,

(710)

He was in chirche a noble ecclesiaste.

Wel coude he rede a lessoun or a storie,

710

But alderbest he song an offertorie;

For wel he wiste, whan that song was songe,

He moste preche, and wel affyle his tonge,

To winne silver, as he ful wel coude;

Therefore he song so meriely and loude.

669. E. was; rest rood, rode. 670. E. Cm. Pt. Rounciuale. 672. E. soong. 676. E. heeng. 677, 678. E. hise. 680. But] Cm. Hl. And. Hl. ne; rest omit. 683. E. Discheuelee. 685. Hl. Cp. on; rest vp on. 686. Hl. lay; which the rest omit. 687. Hl. Cm. come; rest comen. 688. Hl. eny (for hath a). 690. Hn. yshaue; E. shaue. 695. All oure. 713. Hl. right (for ful). 714. Cp. Pt. Ln. so meriely; E. Hn. Cm. the murierly.

715

Now have I told you shortly, in a clause,

Thestat, tharray, the nombre, and eek the cause

Why that assembled was this companye

(720)

In Southwerk, at this gentil hostelrye,

That highte the Tabard, faste by the Belle.

720

But now is tyme to yow for to telle

[22: T. 723-758.]

How that we baren us that ilke night,

Whan we were in that hostelrye alight.

And after wol I telle of our viage,

And al the remenaunt of our pilgrimage.

725

But first I pray yow, of your curteisye,

That ye narette it nat my vileinye,

Thogh that I pleynly speke in this matere,

(730)

To telle yow hir wordes and hir chere;

Ne thogh I speke hir wordes properly.

730

For this ye knowen al-so wel as I,

Who-so shal telle a tale after a man,

He moot reherce, as ny as ever he can,

Everich a word, if it be in his charge,

Al speke he never so rudeliche and large;

735

Or elles he moot telle his tale untrewe,

Or feyne thing, or finde wordes newe.

He may nat spare, al-thogh he were his brother;

(740)

He moot as wel seye o word as another.

Crist spak him-self ful brode in holy writ,

740

And wel ye woot, no vileinye is it.

Eek Plato seith, who-so that can him rede,

The wordes mote be cosin to the dede.

Also I prey yow to foryeve it me,

Al have I nat set folk in hir degree

745

Here in this tale, as that they sholde stonde;

My wit is short, ye may wel understonde.

715. E. Hl. shortly; rest soothly. 716. Hl. Thestat; Hn. Thestaat; E. The staat; Cm. Cp. The estat. 718. E. as; rest at. 724. E. oure (but our in l. 723). 725. E. youre; Hl. your. 726. E. Hn. Cm. narette; Cp. Pt. Hl. ne rette. 734. E. or; Hl. ne; rest and. 741. All but Hl. om. that.

Greet chere made our hoste us everichon,

(750)

And to the soper sette he us anon;

And served us with vitaille at the beste.

750

Strong was the wyn, and wel to drinke us leste.

A semely man our hoste was with-alle

For to han been a marshal in an halle;

A large man he was with eyen stepe,

A fairer burgeys is ther noon in Chepe:

755

Bold of his speche, and wys, and wel y-taught,

And of manhod him lakkede right naught.

[23: T. 759-793.]

Eek therto he was right a mery man,

(760)

And after soper pleyen he bigan,

And spak of mirthe amonges othere thinges,

760

Whan that we hadde maad our rekeninges;

And seyde thus: 'Now, lordinges, trewely,

Ye been to me right welcome hertely:

For by my trouthe, if that I shal nat lye,

I ne saugh this yeer so mery a companye

765

At ones in this herberwe as is now.

Fayn wolde I doon yow mirthe, wiste I how.

And of a mirthe I am right now bithoght,

(770)

To doon yow ese, and it shal coste noght.

747. E. chiere. E. hoost (see l. 751). 752. Hl. han; rest om. 754. E. Hn. was. 755. E. Hn. Boold. 756. Cm. Cp. lakkede; E. lakked. 761. now] Hl. lo. 764. Hl. ne saugh; rest saugh nat (seigh not, &c.). Hl. Cm. mery; E. myrie.

Ye goon to Caunterbury; God yow spede,

770

The blisful martir quyte yow your mede.

And wel I woot, as ye goon by the weye,

Ye shapen yow to talen and to pleye;

For trewely, confort ne mirthe is noon

To ryde by the weye doumb as a stoon;

775

And therfore wol I maken yow disport,

As I seyde erst, and doon yow som confort.

And if yow lyketh alle, by oon assent,

(780)

Now for to stonden at my Iugement,

And for to werken as I shal yow seye,

780

To-morwe, whan ye ryden by the weye,

Now, by my fader soule, that is deed,

But ye be merye, I wol yeve yow myn heed.

Hold up your hond, withouten more speche.'

774. a] E. the; Hn. om. 778. All but Hl. om. Now. 782. E. But if; rest But. E. myrie. Hl. merye smyteth of.

Our counseil was nat longe for to seche;

785

Us thoughte it was noght worth to make it wys,

And graunted him withouten more avys,

And bad him seye his verdit, as him leste.

785. Hl. nas. 787. Cp. verdit; Pt. veredit; Hl. Ln. verdite; Cm. verdoit; E. Hn. voirdit.

(790)

'Lordinges,' quod he, 'now herkneth for the beste;

But tak it not, I prey yow, in desdeyn;

790

This is the poynt, to speken short and pleyn,

That ech of yow, to shorte with your weye,

[24: T. 794-827.]

In this viage, shal telle tales tweye,

To Caunterbury-ward, I mene it so,

And hom-ward he shal tellen othere two,

795

Of aventures that whylom han bifalle.

And which of yow that bereth him best of alle,

That is to seyn, that telleth in this cas

(800)

Tales of best sentence and most solas,

Shal have a soper at our aller cost

800

Here in this place, sitting by this post,

Whan that we come agayn fro Caunterbury.

And for to make yow the more mery,

I wol my-selven gladly with yow ryde,

Right at myn owne cost, and be your gyde.

805

And who-so wol my Iugement withseye

Shal paye al that we spenden by the weye.

And if ye vouche-sauf that it be so,

(810)

Tel me anon, with-outen wordes mo,

And I wol erly shape me therfore.'

789. E. taak; Ln. tak; Cp. Pt. take; Hl. Hn. taketh. 791. Cp. Hl. your; rest our; cf. l. 803. 795. Hl. ther (for whylom). 797, 798. E. caas, solaas. 802. E. Hn. Cp. mury. 803. Hl. my seluen gladly; E. my self goodly. 805. E. wole (but wol in l. 809).

810

This thing was graunted, and our othes swore

With ful glad herte, and preyden him also

That he wold vouche-sauf for to do so,

And that he wolde been our governour,

And of our tales Iuge and reportour,

815

And sette a soper at a certeyn prys;

And we wold reuled been at his devys,

In heigh and lowe; and thus, by oon assent,

(820)

We been acorded to his Iugement.

And ther-up-on the wyn was fet anon;

820

We dronken, and to reste wente echon,

With-outen any lenger taryinge.

812. E. would. 816. Hl. wolde; Pt. wold; rest wol, wolen, wiln, wil. 817. Hl. lowe; E. lough.

A-morwe, whan that day bigan to springe,

Up roos our host, and was our aller cok,

And gadrede us togidre, alle in a flok,

825

And forth we riden, a litel more than pas,

[25: T. 828-860.]

Un-to the watering of seint Thomas.

And there our host bigan his hors areste,

(830)

And seyde; 'Lordinges, herkneth, if yow leste.

Ye woot your forward, and I it yow recorde.

830

If even-song and morwe-song acorde,

Lat se now who shal telle the firste tale.

As ever mote I drinke wyn or ale,

Who-so be rebel to my Iugement

Shal paye for al that by the weye is spent.

835

Now draweth cut, er that we ferrer twinne;

He which that hath the shortest shal biginne.

Sire knight,' quod he, 'my maister and my lord,

(840)

Now draweth cut, for that is myn acord.

Cometh neer,' quod he, 'my lady prioresse;

840

And ye, sir clerk, lat be your shamfastnesse,

Ne studieth noght; ley hond to, every man.'

822. E. Hn. that; Hl. that the; rest the. E. gan for; Hn. Cp. Hl. bigan. 823. E. Hn. aller; Hl. althur; Cp. alther; Pt. Ln. alder. 825. E. paas. 829. E. foreward (badly). E. Hn. om. I. 831. Hl. ferst a tale. 835. Cp. Pt. Ln. ferther; Hl. forther. 836. E. Hn. shorteste. 840. E. shamefastnesse.

Anon to drawen every wight bigan,

And shortly for to tellen, as it was,

Were it by aventure, or sort, or cas,

845

The sothe is this, the cut fil to the knight,

Of which ful blythe and glad was every wight;

And telle he moste his tale, as was resoun,

(850)

By forward and by composicioun,

As ye han herd; what nedeth wordes mo?

850

And whan this gode man saugh it was so,

As he that wys was and obedient

To kepe his forward by his free assent,

He seyde: 'Sin I shal biginne the game,

What, welcome be the cut, a Goddes name!

855

Now lat us ryde, and herkneth what I seye.'

848, 852. E. foreward (badly). 850. All insert that after saugh (needlessly). 854. Hl. thou (for the).

And with that word we riden forth our weye;

And he bigan with right a mery chere

(860)

His tale anon, and seyde in this manere.

Here endeth the prolog of this book; and here biginneth the first tale, which is the Knightes Tale.

857. Cm. mery; E. myrie. 858. So E. Hl.; rest as ye may here. COLOPHON: from MS. Sloane 1685, which has Heere endith, heere, knyghte (sic).

[26: T. 861-885.]

THE KNIGHTES TALE.

Iamque domos patrias, Scithice post aspera gentis

Prelia, laurigero, &c.

[Statius, Theb. xii. 519.]

Whylom, as olde stories tellen us,

860

Ther was a duk that highte Theseus;

Of Athenes he was lord and governour,

And in his tyme swich a conquerour,

That gretter was ther noon under the sonne.

Ful many a riche contree hadde he wonne;

865

What with his wisdom and his chivalrye,

He conquered al the regne of Femenye,

That whylom was y-cleped Scithia;

(10)

And weddede the quene Ipolita,

And broghte hir hoom with him in his contree

870

With muchel glorie and greet solempnitee,

And eek hir yonge suster Emelye.

And thus with victorie and with melodye

Lete I this noble duk to Athenes ryde,

And al his hoost, in armes, him bisyde.

QUOTATION; so in E. Hn. Cp. Pt. Ln. 865. E. Hl. That; rest What. 868. Cp. Hl. weddede; Slo. weddide; rest wedded. 871. E. faire; Pt. yenge; rest yonge.

875

And certes, if it nere to long to here,

I wolde han told yow fully the manere,

How wonnen was the regne of Femenye

(20)

By Theseus, and by his chivalrye;

And of the grete bataille for the nones

880

Bitwixen Athenes and Amazones;

And how asseged was Ipolita,

The faire hardy quene of Scithia;

And of the feste that was at hir weddinge,

[27: T. 886-921.]

And of the tempest at hir hoom-cominge;

885

But al that thing I moot as now forbere.

I have, God woot, a large feeld to ere,

And wayke been the oxen in my plough.

(30)

The remenant of the tale is long y-nough.

I wol nat letten eek noon of this route;

890

Lat every felawe telle his tale aboute,

And lat see now who shal the soper winne;

And ther I lefte, I wol ageyn biginne.

876. Hl. han told yow; E. yow haue toold; rest haue toold (told). 880. Tyrwhitt inserts the after and; but see 968, 973, 1023, &c. 889. Hl. lette eek non of al; rest letten, and omit al. 892. Hl. agayn; E. Hn. Cp. Pt. ayeyn.

This duk, of whom I make mencioun,

When he was come almost unto the toun,

895

In al his wele and in his moste pryde,

He was war, as he caste his eye asyde,

Wher that ther kneled in the hye weye

(40)

A companye of ladies, tweye and tweye,

Ech after other, clad in clothes blake;

900

But swich a cry and swich a wo they make,

That in this world nis creature livinge,

That herde swich another weymentinge;

And of this cry they nolde never stenten,

Til they the reynes of his brydel henten.

897. E. om. hye; rest hye, heighe, hihe, highe, high.

905

'What folk ben ye, that at myn hoom-cominge

Perturben so my feste with cryinge?'

Quod Theseus, 'have ye so greet envye

(50)

Of myn honour, that thus compleyne and crye?

Or who hath yow misboden, or offended?

910

And telleth me if it may been amended;

And why that ye ben clothed thus in blak?'

The eldest lady of hem alle spak,

When she hadde swowned with a deedly chere,

That it was routhe for to seen and here,

915

And seyde: 'Lord, to whom Fortune hath yiven

Victorie, and as a conquerour to liven,

Noght greveth us your glorie and your honour;

(60)

But we biseken mercy and socour.

Have mercy on our wo and our distresse.

[28: T. 922-957.]

920

Som drope of pitee, thurgh thy gentillesse,

Up-on us wrecched wommen lat thou falle.

For certes, lord, ther nis noon of us alle,

That she nath been a duchesse or a quene;

Now be we caitifs, as it is wel sene:

925

Thanked be Fortune, and hir false wheel,

That noon estat assureth to be weel.

And certes, lord, to abyden your presence,

(70)

Here in the temple of the goddesse Clemence

We han ben waytinge al this fourtenight;

930

Now help us, lord, sith it is in thy might.

912. Cm. eldest; E. eldeste. 914. E. routhe; Ln. rewthe; Slo. reuthe. Hl. or; rest and. 915. Hn. yiuen; E. yeuen. 916. Hn. conquerour; E. conqueror. 917. Hn. Hl. Noght; E. Pt. Ln. Nat. Hl. om. 2nd your. 922. Hl. nys; rest is. 923. E. Hn. Pt. Ln. ne hath. 924. Cp. Hl. caytifs; E. Hn. Pt. caytyues.

I wrecche, which that wepe and waille thus,

Was whylom wyf to king Capaneus,

That starf at Thebes, cursed be that day!

And alle we, that been in this array,

935

And maken al this lamentacioun,

We losten alle our housbondes at that toun,

Whyl that the sege ther-aboute lay.

(80)

And yet now the olde Creon, weylaway!

That lord is now of Thebes the citee,

940

Fulfild of ire and of iniquitee,

He, for despyt, and for his tirannye,

To do the dede bodyes vileinye,

Of alle our lordes, whiche that ben slawe,

Hath alle the bodyes on an heep y-drawe,

945

And wol nat suffren hem, by noon assent,

Neither to been y-buried nor y-brent,

But maketh houndes ete hem in despyt.'

(90)

And with that word, with-outen more respyt,

They fillen gruf, and cryden pitously,

950

'Have on us wrecched wommen som mercy,

And lat our sorwe sinken in thyn herte.'

931. E. crie; Hn. Hl. waille; Cp. Pt. weile. 938. Only Hl. om. now. 943. Hl. i-slawe. 944. E. He hath; rest Hath.

This gentil duk doun from his courser sterte

With herte pitous, whan he herde hem speke.

Him thoughte that his herte wolde breke,

955

Whan he saugh hem so pitous and so mat,

[29: T. 958-995.]

That whylom weren of so greet estat.

And in his armes he hem alle up hente,

(100)

And hem conforteth in ful good entente;

And swoor his ooth, as he was trewe knight,

960

He wolde doon so ferforthly his might

Up-on the tyraunt Creon hem to wreke,

That al the peple of Grece sholde speke

How Creon was of Theseus y-served,

As he that hadde his deeth ful wel deserved.

965

And right anoon, with-outen more abood,

His baner he desplayeth, and forth rood

To Thebes-ward, and al his host bisyde;

(110)

No neer Athenes wolde he go ne ryde,

Ne take his ese fully half a day,

970

But onward on his wey that night he lay;

And sente anoon Ipolita the quene,

And Emelye hir yonge suster shene,

Un-to the toun of Athenes to dwelle;

And forth he rit; ther nis namore to telle.

955. E. maat. 956. E. estaat. 974. Hn. Cp. nys; rest is.

975

The rede statue of Mars, with spere and targe,

So shyneth in his whyte baner large,

That alle the feeldes gliteren up and doun;

(120)

And by his baner born is his penoun

Of gold ful riche, in which ther was y-bete

980

The Minotaur, which that he slough in Crete.

Thus rit this duk, thus rit this conquerour,

And in his host of chivalrye the flour,

Til that he cam to Thebes, and alighte

Faire in a feeld, ther as he thoghte fighte.

985

But shortly for to speken of this thing,

With Creon, which that was of Thebes king,

He faught, and slough him manly as a knight

(130)

In pleyn bataille, and putte the folk to flight;

And by assaut he wan the citee after,

990

And rente adoun bothe wal, and sparre, and rafter;

And to the ladyes he restored agayn

The bones of hir housbondes that were slayn,

To doon obsequies, as was tho the gyse.

[30: T. 996-1031.]

But it were al to long for to devyse

995

The grete clamour and the waymentinge

That the ladyes made at the brenninge

Of the bodyes, and the grete honour

(140)

That Theseus, the noble conquerour,

Doth to the ladyes, whan they from him wente;

1000

But shortly for to telle is myn entente.

Whan that this worthy duk, this Theseus,

Hath Creon slayn, and wonne Thebes thus,

Stille in that feeld he took al night his reste,

And dide with al the contree as him leste.

984. Hn. thoghte; E. thoughte. 992. E. weren. 996. Hl. Which that.

1005

To ransake in the tas of bodyes dede,

Hem for to strepe of harneys and of wede,

The pilours diden bisinesse and cure,

(150)

After the bataille and disconfiture.

And so bifel, that in the tas they founde,

1010

Thurgh-girt with many a grevous blody wounde,

Two yonge knightes ligging by and by,

Bothe in oon armes, wroght ful richely,

Of whiche two, Arcita hight that oon,

And that other knight hight Palamon.

1015

Nat fully quike, ne fully dede they were,

But by hir cote-armures, and by hir gere,

The heraudes knewe hem best in special,

(160)

As they that weren of the blood royal

Of Thebes, and of sustren two y-born.

1020

Out of the tas the pilours han hem torn,

And han hem caried softe un-to the tente

Of Theseus, and he ful sone hem sente

To Athenes, to dwellen in prisoun

Perpetuelly, he nolde no raunsoun.

1025

And whan this worthy duk hath thus y-don,

He took his host, and hoom he rood anon

With laurer crowned as a conquerour;

(170)

And there he liveth, in Ioye and in honour,

Terme of his lyf; what nedeth wordes mo?

[31: T. 1032-1066.]

1030

And in a tour, in angwish and in wo,

Dwellen this Palamoun and eek Arcite,

For evermore, ther may no gold hem quyte.

1005, 1009, 1020. E. Hn. Cm. taas; Hl. cas; Cp. Pt. Ln. caas; read tas. 1005. Hn. Cm. Hl. of; rest of the. 1013, 1014. Hl. hight; E. highte. 1022. E. Hl. ful soone he. 1023. Hl. Tathenes for to. 1029. E. Cm. om. his. E. lyue; rest lyf, lif. 1031. E. Cm. Hl. This Palamon and his felawe Arcite.

This passeth yeer by yeer, and day by day,

Til it fil ones, in a morwe of May,

1035

That Emelye, that fairer was to sene

Than is the lilie upon his stalke grene,

And fressher than the May with floures newe--

(180)

For with the rose colour stroof hir hewe,

I noot which was the fairer of hem two--

1040

Er it were day, as was hir wone to do,

She was arisen, and al redy dight;

For May wol have no slogardye a-night.

The sesoun priketh every gentil herte,

And maketh him out of his sleep to sterte,

1045

And seith, 'Arys, and do thyn observaunce.'

This maked Emelye have remembraunce

To doon honour to May, and for to ryse.

(190)

Y-clothed was she fresh, for to devyse;

Hir yelow heer was broyded in a tresse,

1050

Bihinde hir bak, a yerde long, I gesse.

And in the gardin, at the sonne up-riste,

She walketh up and doun, and as hir liste

She gadereth floures, party whyte and rede,

To make a sotil gerland for hir hede,

1055

And as an aungel hevenly she song.

The grete tour, that was so thikke and strong,

Which of the castel was the chief dongeoun,

(200)

(Ther-as the knightes weren in prisoun,

Of whiche I tolde yow, and tellen shal)

1060

Was evene Ioynant to the gardin-wal,

Ther as this Emelye hadde hir pleyinge.

Bright was the sonne, and cleer that morweninge,

And Palamon, this woful prisoner,

As was his wone, by leve of his gayler,

[32: T. 1067-1103.]

1065

Was risen, and romed in a chambre on heigh,

In which he al the noble citee seigh,

And eek the gardin, ful of braunches grene,

(210)

Ther-as this fresshe Emelye the shene

Was in hir walk, and romed up and doun.

1070

This sorweful prisoner, this Palamoun,

Goth in the chambre, roming to and fro,

And to him-self compleyning of his wo;

That he was born, ful ofte he seyde, 'alas!'

And so bifel, by aventure or cas,

1075

That thurgh a window, thikke of many a barre

Of yren greet, and square as any sparre,

He caste his eye upon Emelya,

(220)

And ther-with-al he bleynte, and cryde 'a!'

As though he stongen were un-to the herte.

1080

And with that cry Arcite anon up-sterte,

And seyde, 'Cosin myn, what eyleth thee,

That art so pale and deedly on to see?

Why crydestow? who hath thee doon offence?

For Goddes love, tak al in pacience

1085

Our prisoun, for it may non other be;

Fortune hath yeven us this adversitee.

Som wikke aspect or disposicioun

(230)

Of Saturne, by sum constellacioun,

Hath yeven us this, al-though we hadde it sworn;

1090

So stood the heven whan that we were born;

We moste endure it: this is the short and pleyn.'

1036. Hl. on hire. 1039. E. Hl. fyner; Cm. fynere; Hn. Cp. Pt. fairer. 1042. E. slogardrie; rest slogardye (sloggardye, sluggardie). 1049. E. Hn. Cm. Cp. broyded; Pt. breided; Ln. Hl. browded. 1054. Ln. sotil; Cp. sotyl; E. Hn. Cm. subtil; Pt. subtile; Hl. certeyn. 1055. Hl. Pt. heuenly; Cm. heueneliche; E. Hn. Cp. Ln. heuenysshly. 1063. E. And this Palamon. 1065. Hl. Cp. Pt. on; rest an. 1091. Only E. om. it.

This Palamon answerde, and seyde ageyn,

'Cosyn, for sothe, of this opinioun

Thou hast a veyn imaginacioun.

1095

This prison caused me nat for to crye.

But I was hurt right now thurgh-out myn ye

In-to myn herte, that wol my bane be.

(240)

The fairnesse of that lady that I see

Yond in the gardin romen to and fro,

1100

Is cause of al my crying and my wo.

I noot wher she be womman or goddesse;

[33: T. 1104-1139.]

But Venus is it, soothly, as I gesse.'

And ther-with-al on knees doun he fil,

And seyde: 'Venus, if it be thy wil

1105

Yow in this gardin thus to transfigure

Bifore me, sorweful wrecche creature,

Out of this prisoun help that we may scapen.

(250)

And if so be my destinee be shapen

By eterne word to dyen in prisoun,

1110

Of our linage have som compassioun,

That is so lowe y-broght by tirannye.'

And with that word Arcite gan espye

Wher-as this lady romed to and fro.

And with that sighte hir beautee hurte him so,

1115

That, if that Palamon was wounded sore,

Arcite is hurt as muche as he, or more.

And with a sigh he seyde pitously:

(260)

'The fresshe beautee sleeth me sodeynly

Of hir that rometh in the yonder place;

1120

And, but I have hir mercy and hir grace,

That I may seen hir atte leeste weye,

I nam but deed; ther nis namore to seye.'

1096. Cm. Pt. ye; Hn. Iye; Cp. Hl. yhe; E. eye. 1101. Cm. whether; Hl. whethur. 1103. Hl. Cp. a doun. 1115. E. wrongly om. was. 1116. Hn. muche; E. moche. 1122. E. is; rest nys.

This Palamon, whan he tho wordes herde,

Dispitously he loked, and answerde:

1125

'Whether seistow this in ernest or in pley?'

1125 E. Wheither.

'Nay,' quod Arcite, 'in ernest, by my fey!

God help me so, me list ful yvele pleye.'

(270)

This Palamon gan knitte his browes tweye:

'It nere,' quod he, 'to thee no greet honour

1130

For to be fals, ne for to be traytour

To me, that am thy cosin and thy brother

Y-sworn ful depe, and ech of us til other,

That never, for to dyen in the peyne,

Til that the deeth departe shal us tweyne,

1135

Neither of us in love to hindren other,

Ne in non other cas, my leve brother;

But that thou sholdest trewely forthren me

[34: T. 1140-1174.]

(280)

In every cas, and I shal forthren thee.

This was thyn ooth, and myn also, certeyn;

1140

I wot right wel, thou darst it nat withseyn.

Thus artow of my counseil, out of doute.

And now thou woldest falsly been aboute

To love my lady, whom I love and serve,

And ever shal, til that myn herte sterve.

1145

Now certes, fals Arcite, thou shalt nat so.

I loved hir first, and tolde thee my wo

As to my counseil, and my brother sworn

(290)

To forthre me, as I have told biforn.

For which thou art y-bounden as a knight

1150

To helpen me, if it lay in thy might,

Or elles artow fals, I dar wel seyn.'

1132. til] Cm. Pt. Ln. Hl. to. 1134. E. Ln. Hl. om. the. 1135. E. hyndre; Cm. hynderyn. 1138. E. as; rest and. 1141, 1151. E. Hn. artow; rest art thou. 1145. E. Nay; rest Now. 1147. E. Cm. and to my.

This Arcite ful proudly spak ageyn,

'Thou shalt,' quod he, 'be rather fals than I;

But thou art fals, I telle thee utterly;

1155

For par amour I loved hir first er thow.

What wiltow seyn? thou wistest nat yet now

Whether she be a womman or goddesse!

(300)

Thyn is affeccioun of holinesse,

And myn is love, as to a creature;

1160

For which I tolde thee myn aventure

As to my cosin, and my brother sworn.

I pose, that thou lovedest hir biforn;

Wostow nat wel the olde clerkes sawe,

That 'who shal yeve a lover any lawe?'

1165

Love is a gretter lawe, by my pan,

Than may be yeve to any erthly man.

And therefore positif lawe and swich decree

(310)

Is broke al-day for love, in ech degree.

A man moot nedes love, maugree his heed.

1170

He may nat fleen it, thogh he sholde be deed,

Al be she mayde, or widwe, or elles wyf.

And eek it is nat lykly, al thy lyf,

[35: T. 1175-1210.]

To stonden in hir grace; namore shal I;

For wel thou woost thy-selven, verraily,

1175

That thou and I be dampned to prisoun

Perpetuelly; us gayneth no raunsoun.

We stryve as dide the houndes for the boon,

(320)

They foughte al day, and yet hir part was noon;

Ther cam a kyte, whyl that they were wrothe,

1180

And bar awey the boon bitwixe hem bothe.

And therfore, at the kinges court, my brother,

Ech man for him-self, ther is non other.

Love if thee list; for I love and ay shal;

And soothly, leve brother, this is al.

1185

Here in this prisoun mote we endure,

And everich of us take his aventure.'

1154. E. Hn. And; rest But. Hl. Cm. uttirly; Cp. Pt. Ln. witterly; E. Hn. outrely. 1156. Cp. Pt. wilt thou; Hl. wolt thou. 1157. E. Wheither. 1163. Cm. Wist thou; Hl. Ln. Wost thou; Pt. Woost thow. 1166. E. of; rest to. 1167. Hl. om. And. 1168. L. Cm. broken. 1170. Hn. Cp. Pt. fleen; E. Hl. flee. 1177. Hn. Cm. Hl. stryue; rest stryuen. 1179. E. om. that. All but Cm. Hl. ins. so after were.

Greet was the stryf and long bitwixe hem tweye,

(330)

If that I hadde leyser for to seye;

But to theffect. It happed on a day,

1190

(To telle it yow as shortly as I may)

A worthy duk that highte Perotheus,

That felawe was un-to duk Theseus

Sin thilke day that they were children lyte,

Was come to Athenes, his felawe to visyte,

1195

And for to pleye, as he was wont to do,

For in this world he loved no man so:

And he loved him as tendrely ageyn.

(340)

So wel they loved, as olde bokes seyn,

That whan that oon was deed, sothly to telle,

1200

His felawe wente and soghte him doun in helle;

But of that story list me nat to wryte.

Duk Perotheus loved wel Arcite,

And hadde him knowe at Thebes yeer by yere;

And fynally, at requeste and preyere

1205

Of Perotheus, with-oute any raunsoun,

Duk Theseus him leet out of prisoun,

Freely to goon, wher that him liste over-al,

(350)

In swich a gyse, as I you tellen shal.

[36: T. 1211-1247.]

This was the forward, pleynly for tendyte,

1210

Bitwixen Theseus and him Arcite:

That if so were, that Arcite were y-founde

Ever in his lyf, by day or night or stounde

In any contree of this Theseus,

And he were caught, it was acorded thus,

1215

That with a swerd he sholde lese his heed;

Ther nas non other remedye ne reed,

But taketh his leve, and homward he him spedde;

(360)

Let him be war, his nekke lyth to wedde!

1192. E. to; Hl. to the; rest un-to. 1195. E. won; Cm. wone; rest wont. 1197. E. Cp. als; Hn. Cm. Hl. as. 1198. E. louede. 1200. Hn. soghte; E. soughte. 1205. Hl. Cp. Pt. with-oute; rest with-outen. 1217. Hl. (alone) took.

How greet a sorwe suffreth now Arcite!

1220

The deeth he feleth thurgh his herte smyte;

He wepeth, wayleth, cryeth pitously;

To sleen him-self he wayteth prively.

He seyde, 'Allas that day that I was born!

Now is my prison worse than biforn;

1225

Now is me shape eternally to dwelle

Noght in purgatorie, but in helle.

Allas! that ever knew I Perotheus!

(370)

For elles hadde I dwelled with Theseus

Y-fetered in his prisoun ever-mo.

1230

Than hadde I been in blisse, and nat in wo.

Only the sighte of hir, whom that I serve,

Though that I never hir grace may deserve,

Wolde han suffised right y-nough for me.

O dere cosin Palamon,' quod he,

1235

'Thyn is the victorie of this aventure,

Ful blisfully in prison maistow dure;

In prison? certes nay, but in paradys!

(380)

Wel hath fortune y-turned thee the dys,

That hast the sighte of hir, and I thabsence.

1240

For possible is, sin thou hast hir presence,

And art a knight, a worthy and an able,

That by som cas, sin fortune is chaungeable,

Thou mayst to thy desyr som-tyme atteyne.

But I, that am exyled, and bareyne

1245

Of alle grace, and in so greet despeir,

[37: T. 1248-1283.]

That ther nis erthe, water, fyr, ne eir,

Ne creature, that of hem maked is,

(390)

That may me helpe or doon confort in this.

Wel oughte I sterve in wanhope and distresse;

1250

Farwel my lyf, my lust, and my gladnesse!

1223. that (i)] Hn. Hl. the. E. he; rest I. 1226. Hn. Noght; E. Nat; Cm. Not; rest Nought. E. ins. my after in. 1228. Hl. dweld. 1237. Cp. Pt. Ln. om. in. 1242. E. (alone) om. by. 1248. E. heele; rest helpe.

Allas, why pleynen folk so in commune

Of purveyaunce of God, or of fortune,

That yeveth hem ful ofte in many a gyse

Wel bettre than they can hem-self devyse?

1255

Som man desyreth for to han richesse,

That cause is of his mordre or greet siknesse.

And som man wolde out of his prison fayn,

(400)

That in his hous is of his meynee slayn.

Infinite harmes been in this matere;

1260

We witen nat what thing we preyen here.

We faren as he that dronke is as a mous;

A dronke man wot wel he hath an hous,

But he noot which the righte wey is thider;

And to a dronke man the wey is slider.

1265

And certes, in this world so faren we;

We seken faste after felicitee,

But we goon wrong ful often, trewely.

(410)

Thus may we seyen alle, and namely I,

That wende and hadde a greet opinioun,

1270

That, if I mighte escapen from prisoun,

Than hadde I been in Ioye and perfit hele,

Ther now I am exyled fro my wele.

Sin that I may nat seen yow, Emelye,

I nam but deed; ther nis no remedye.'

1256. Cp. Ln. mordre; E. Hn. moerdre; Cm. Pt: mordere; Hl. morthre. 1260. E. (alone) om. thing. 1262. E. Cm. wel that he. 1268. Hl. seyen; E. Hn. Cm. Cp. seyn. 1272. Ther] E. That.

1275

Up-on that other syde Palamon,

Whan that he wiste Arcite was agon,

Swich sorwe he maketh, that the grete tour

(420)

Resouneth of his youling and clamour.

The pure fettres on his shines grete

1280

Weren of his bittre salte teres wete.

'Allas!' quod he, 'Arcita, cosin myn,

[38: T. 1284-1317.]

Of al our stryf, God woot, the fruyt is thyn.

Thow walkest now in Thebes at thy large,

And of my wo thou yevest litel charge.

1285

Thou mayst, sin thou hast wisdom and manhede,

Assemblen alle the folk of our kinrede,

And make a werre so sharp on this citee,

(430)

That by som aventure, or som tretee,

Thou mayst have hir to lady and to wyf,

1290

For whom that I mot nedes lese my lyf.

For, as by wey of possibilitee,

Sith thou art at thy large, of prison free,

And art a lord, greet is thyn avauntage,

More than is myn, that sterve here in a cage.

1295

For I mot wepe and wayle, whyl I live,

With al the wo that prison may me yive,

And eek with peyne that love me yiveth also,

(440)

That doubleth al my torment and my wo.'

Ther-with the fyr of Ielousye up-sterte

1300

With-inne his brest, and hente him by the herte

So woodly, that he lyk was to biholde

The box-tree, or the asshen dede and colde.

Tho seyde he; 'O cruel goddes, that governe

This world with binding of your word eterne,

1305

And wryten in the table of athamaunt

Your parlement, and your eterne graunt,

What is mankinde more un-to yow holde

(450)

Than is the sheep, that rouketh in the folde?

For slayn is man right as another beste,

1310

And dwelleth eek in prison and areste,

And hath siknesse, and greet adversitee,

And ofte tymes giltelees, pardee!

1278. E. Resouned; rest Resouneth. Cp. Hl. yollyng; Pt. Ln. yellinge. 1290. All moste, most, muste; but read mot: see l. 1295. 1296. Hl. yyue; E. yeue. 1297. E. yeueth. 1299. Hl. Ielousye; E. Ialousie. 1303. Hl. Tho; E. Thanne. E. crueel gooddes(!). 1305. Hl. Cm. athamaunte; E. Atthamaunt. 1309. Cm. Hl. beste; E. beest. 1310. Cm. areste; Hl. arreste; E. arreest. 1312, 1314. Cm. Cp. Hl. gilteles; E. giltlees.

What governaunce is in this prescience,

That giltelees tormenteth innocence?

1315

And yet encreseth this al my penaunce,

[39: T. 1318-1353.]

That man is bounden to his observaunce,

For Goddes sake, to letten of his wille,

(460)

Ther as a beest may al his lust fulfille.

And whan a beest is deed, he hath no peyne;

1320

But man after his deeth moot wepe and pleyne,

Though in this world he have care and wo:

With-outen doute it may stonden so.

The answere of this I lete to divynis,

But wel I woot, that in this world gret pyne is.

1325

Allas! I see a serpent or a theef,

That many a trewe man hath doon mescheef,

Goon at his large, and wher him list may turne.

(470)

But I mot been in prison thurgh Saturne,

And eek thurgh Iuno, Ialous and eek wood,

1330

That hath destroyed wel ny al the blood

Of Thebes, with his waste walles wyde.

And Venus sleeth me on that other syde

For Ielousye, and fere of him Arcite.'

1315. Cm. Cp. Pt. Ln. encreseth; E. encresseth. 1320. So Hn. Cm. Hl.; rest after his deeth man. 1323. So Hl.; rest lete I. 1331. E. hise. 1333. E. Ialousie.

Now wol I stinte of Palamon a lyte,

1335

And lete him in his prison stille dwelle,

And of Arcita forth I wol yow telle.

The somer passeth, and the nightes longe

(480)

Encresen double wyse the peynes stronge

Bothe of the lovere and the prisoner.

1340

I noot which hath the wofullere mester.

For shortly for to seyn, this Palamoun

Perpetuelly is dampned to prisoun,

In cheynes and in fettres to ben deed;

And Arcite is exyled upon his heed

1345

For ever-mo as out of that contree,

Ne never-mo he shal his lady see.

1337. E. (alone) sonne. 1338. E. Encressen. 1344. Cm. Cp. Pt. vp (perhaps rightly).

Yow loveres axe I now this questioun,

(490)

Who hath the worse, Arcite or Palamoun?

That oon may seen his lady day by day,

1350

But in prison he moot dwelle alway.

That other wher him list may ryde or go,

[40: T. 1354-1386.]

But seen his lady shal he never-mo.

Now demeth as yow liste, ye that can,

For I wol telle forth as I bigan.

1347. E. Now (wrongly); rest Yow. 1350. Hn. Cp. Pt. moot he. 1353. Ln. liste; Cm. lyste; Hl. luste; rest list.

Explicit prima Pars. Sequitur pars secunda.

1355

Whan that Arcite to Thebes comen was,

Ful ofte a day he swelte and seyde 'allas,'

For seen his lady shal he never-mo.

(500)

And shortly to concluden al his wo,

So muche sorwe had never creature

1360

That is, or shal, whyl that the world may dure.

His sleep, his mete, his drink is him biraft,

That lene he wex, and drye as is a shaft.

His eyen holwe, and grisly to biholde;

His hewe falwe, and pale as asshen colde,

1365

And solitarie he was, and ever allone,

And wailling al the night, making his mone.

And if he herde song or instrument,

(510)

Then wolde he wepe, he mighte nat be stent;

So feble eek were his spirits, and so lowe,

1370

And chaunged so, that no man coude knowe

His speche nor his vois, though men it herde.

And in his gere, for al the world he ferde

Nat oonly lyk the loveres maladye

Of Hereos, but rather lyk manye

1375

Engendred of humour malencolyk,

Biforen, in his celle fantastyk.

And shortly, turned was al up-so-doun

(520)

Bothe habit and eek disposicioun

Of him, this woful lovere daun Arcite.

1359. Hl. Pt. Ln. had; rest hadde. 1362. E. Pt. wexeth. 1364. Hi. Cm. Cp. falwe; E. Hn. falow. 1369. E. spiritz. 1376. E. Biforn his owene; Cm. Be-forn hese owene; Hn. Cp. Pt. Ln. Biforn his; Hl. Beforne in his.

1380

What sholde I al-day of his wo endyte?

Whan he endured hadde a yeer or two

This cruel torment, and this peyne and wo,

At Thebes, in his contree, as I seyde,

Up-on a night, in sleep as he him leyde,

[41: T. 1387-1424.]

1385

Him thoughte how that the winged god Mercurie

Biforn him stood, and bad him to be murye.

His slepy yerde in hond he bar uprighte;

(530)

An hat he werede up-on his heres brighte.

Arrayed was this god (as he took keep)

1390

As he was whan that Argus took his sleep;

And seyde him thus: 'To Athenes shaltou wende;

Ther is thee shapen of thy wo an ende.'

And with that word Arcite wook and sterte.

'Now trewely, how sore that me smerte,'

1395

Quod he, 'to Athenes right now wol I fare;

Ne for the drede of deeth shal I nat spare

To see my lady, that I love and serve;

(540)

In hir presence I recche nat to sterve.'

1382. E. crueel. 1388. E. vp (perhaps rightly); rest vp-on. 1389. E. I; rest he.

And with that word he caughte a greet mirour,

1400

And saugh that chaunged was al his colour,

And saugh his visage al in another kinde.

And right anoon it ran him in his minde,

That, sith his face was so disfigured

Of maladye, the which he hadde endured,

1405

He mighte wel, if that he bar him lowe,

Live in Athenes ever-more unknowe,

And seen his lady wel ny day by day.

(550)

And right anon he chaunged his array,

And cladde him as a povre laborer,

1410

And al allone, save oonly a squyer,

That knew his privetee and al his cas,

Which was disgysed povrely, as he was,

To Athenes is he goon the nexte way.

And to the court he wente up-on a day,

1415

And at the gate he profreth his servyse,

To drugge and drawe, what so men wol devyse.

And shortly of this matere for to seyn,

(560)

He fil in office with a chamberleyn,

The which that dwelling was with Emelye.

1420

For he was wys, and coude soon aspye

Of every servaunt, which that serveth here.

Wel coude he hewen wode, and water bere,

[42: T. 1425-1461.]

For he was yong and mighty for the nones,

And ther-to be was strong and big of bones

1425

To doon that any wight can him devyse.

A yeer or two he was in this servyse,

Page of the chambre of Emelye the brighte;

(570)

And 'Philostrate' he seide that he highte.

But half so wel biloved a man as he

1430

Ne was ther never in court, of his degree;

He was so gentil of condicioun,

That thurghout al the court was his renoun.

They seyden, that it were a charitee

That Theseus wolde enhauncen his degree,

1435

And putten him in worshipful servyse,

Ther as he mighte his vertu excercyse.

And thus, with-inne a whyle, his name is spronge

(580)

Bothe of his dedes, and his goode tonge,

That Theseus hath taken him so neer

1440

That of his chambre he made him a squyer,

And yaf him gold to mayntene his degree;

And eek men broghte him out of his contree

From yeer to yeer, ful prively, his rente;

But honestly and slyly he it spente,

1445

That no man wondred how that he it hadde.

And three yeer in this wyse his lyf he ladde,

And bar him so in pees and eek in werre,

(590)

Ther nas no man that Theseus hath derre.

And in this blisse lete I now Arcite,

1450

And speke I wol of Palamon a lyte.

1424. E. Cm. long; rest strong. 1431. E. Hl. ins. his after of. 1441. E. Hn. Cp. gaf.

In derknesse and horrible and strong prisoun

This seven yeer hath seten Palamoun,

Forpyned, what for wo and for distresse;

Who feleth double soor and hevinesse

1455

But Palamon? that love destreyneth so,

That wood out of his wit he gooth for wo;

And eek therto he is a prisoner

(600)

Perpetuelly, noght oonly for a yeer.

Who coude ryme in English proprely

[43: T. 1462-1497.]

1460

His martirdom? for sothe, it am nat I;

Therefore I passe as lightly as I may.

1454. E. Hn. Pt. soor; Cp. Ln. sore; Cm. Hl. sorwe. E. om. and.

It fel that in the seventhe yeer, in May,

The thridde night, (as olde bokes seyn,

That al this storie tellen more pleyn,)

1465

Were it by aventure or destinee,

(As, whan a thing is shapen, it shal be,)

That, sone after the midnight, Palamoun,

(610)

By helping of a freend, brak his prisoun,

And fleeth the citee, faste as he may go;

1470

For he had yive his gayler drinke so

Of a clarree, maad of a certeyn wyn,

With nercotikes and opie of Thebes fyn,

That al that night, thogh that men wolde him shake,

The gayler sleep, he mighte nat awake;

1475

And thus he fleeth as faste as ever he may.

The night was short, and faste by the day,

That nedes-cost he moste him-selven hyde,

(620)

And til a grove, faste ther besyde,

With dredful foot than stalketh Palamoun.

1480

For shortly, this was his opinioun,

That in that grove he wolde him hyde al day,

And in the night than wolde he take his way

To Thebes-ward, his freendes for to preye

On Theseus to helpe him to werreye;

1485

And shortly, outher he wolde lese his lyf,

Or winnen Emelye un-to his wyf;

This is theffect and his entente pleyn.

1470. Hl. yiue; E. yeue. 1472. E. Of; rest With. 1477. E. moot; rest moste, most, muste. 1479. E. Hn. Cm. thanne; rest than.

(630)

Now wol I torne un-to Arcite ageyn,

That litel wiste how ny that was his care,

1490

Til that fortune had broght him in the snare.

1488. E. Hn. Ln. to; rest vn-to.

The bisy larke, messager of day,

Salueth in hir song the morwe gray;

And fyry Phebus ryseth up so brighte,

That al the orient laugheth of the lighte,

1495

And with his stremes dryeth in the greves

[44: T. 1498-1532.]

The silver dropes, hanging on the leves.

And Arcite, that is in the court royal

(640)

With Theseus, his squyer principal,

Is risen, and loketh on the myrie day.

1500

And, for to doon his observaunce to May,

Remembring on the poynt of his desyr,

He on a courser, sterting as the fyr,

Is riden in-to the feeldes, him to pleye,

Out of the court, were it a myle or tweye;

1505

And to the grove, of which that I yow tolde,

By aventure, his wey he gan to holde,

To maken him a gerland of the greves,

(650)

Were it of wodebinde or hawethorn-leves,

And loude he song ageyn the sonne shene:

1510

'May, with alle thy floures and thy grene,

Wel-come be thou, faire fresshe May,

I hope that I som grene gete may.'

And from his courser, with a lusty herte,

In-to the grove ful hastily he sterte,

1515

And in a path he rometh up and doun,

Ther-as, by aventure, this Palamoun

Was in a bush, that no man mighte him see,

(660)

For sore afered of his deeth was he.

No-thing ne knew he that it was Arcite:

1520

God wot he wolde have trowed it ful lyte.

But sooth is seyd, gon sithen many yeres,

That 'feeld hath eyen, and the wode hath eres.'

It is ful fair a man to bere him evene,

For al-day meteth men at unset stevene.

1525

Ful litel woot Arcite of his felawe,

That was so ny to herknen al his sawe,

For in the bush he sitteth now ful stille.

1491. day] Hl. May. 1495. E. hise. 1497. Hl. Arcite; rest Arcita. 1502. E. Hn. Cm. a; rest his. Cp. Pt. Ln. Hl. stertyng; E. Hn. startlynge; Cm. stertelynge. 1511. Hl. wel faire; rest om. wel. 1512. E. Hn. Cm. Hl. In; rest I. 1514. E. a; rest the. 1518. Hn. Hl. afered; Cm. ofered; rest aferd. E. (alone) ins. thanne bef. was. 1521. Hl. Pt. goon; Cm. Ln. gon; E. Hn. Cp. go. 1526. E. Hn. al; rest of.

(670)

Whan that Arcite had romed al his fille,

And songen al the roundel lustily,

1530

In-to a studie he fil sodeynly,

[45: T. 1533-1567.]

As doon thise loveres in hir queynte geres,

Now in the croppe, now doun in the breres,

Now up, now doun, as boket in a welle.

Right as the Friday, soothly for to telle,

1535

Now it shyneth, now it reyneth faste,

Right so can gery Venus overcaste

The hertes of hir folk; right as hir day

(680)

Is gerful, right so chaungeth she array.

Selde is the Friday al the wyke y-lyke.

1530. E. fil al: rest om. al. 1532. E. Hn. Cm. crop; Cp. Hl. Pt. croppe. 1536. E. Hn. Cm. kan; rest gan. 1538. E. gereful; Cp. geerful; Hl. grisful; rest gerful. 1539. Hl. wyke; Hn. Cp. wike; Pt. Ln. weke; Cm. wouke; E. wowke.

1540

Whan that Arcite had songe, he gan to syke,

And sette him doun with-outen any more:

'Alas!' quod he, 'that day that I was bore!

How longe, Iuno, thurgh thy crueltee,

Woltow werreyen Thebes the citee?

1545

Allas! y-broght is to confusioun

The blood royal of Cadme and Amphioun;

Of Cadmus, which that was the firste man

690

That Thebes bulte, or first the toun bigan,

And of the citee first was crouned king,

1550

Of his linage am I, and his of-spring

By verray ligne, as of the stok royal:

And now I am so caitif and so thral,

That he, that is my mortal enemy,

I serve him as his squyer povrely.

1555

And yet doth Iuno me wel more shame,

For I dar noght biknowe myn owne name;

But ther-as I was wont to highte Arcite,

700

Now highte I Philostrate, noght worth a myte.

Allas! thou felle Mars, allas! Iuno,

1560

Thus hath your ire our kinrede al fordo,

Save only me, and wrecched Palamoun,

That Theseus martyreth in prisoun.

And over al this, to sleen me utterly,

Love hath his fyry dart so brenningly

1565

Y-stiked thurgh my trewe careful herte,

[46: T. 1568-1602.]

That shapen was my deeth erst than my sherte.

Ye sleen me with your eyen, Emelye;

(710)

Ye been the cause wherfor that I dye.

Of al the remenant of myn other care

1570

Ne sette I nat the mountaunce of a tare,

So that I coude don aught to your plesaunce!'

And with that word he fil doun in a traunce

A longe tyme; and after he up-sterte.

1551. Cm. Pt. Hl. lyne. 1556. Cp. Pt. Ln. Hl. owne; E. owene. 1557. highte] Hl. hote. 1560. E. kynrede; rest lynage (lignage). 1563. Hl. vtterly; E. outrely. 1573. So E.; rest afterward (for after). Hl. om he.

This Palamoun, that thoughte that thurgh his herte

1575

He felte a cold swerd sodeynliche glyde,

For ire he quook, no lenger wolde he byde.

And whan that he had herd Arcites tale,

(720)

As he were wood, with face deed and pale,

He sterte him up out of the buskes thikke,

1580

And seyde: 'Arcite, false traitour wikke,

Now artow hent, that lovest my lady so,

For whom that I have al this peyne and wo,

And art my blood, and to my counseil sworn,

As I ful ofte have told thee heer-biforn,

1585

And hast by-iaped here duk Theseus,

And falsly chaunged hast thy name thus;

I wol be deed, or elles thou shalt dye.

(730)

Thou shalt nat love my lady Emelye,

But I wol love hir only, and namo;

1590

For I am Palamoun, thy mortal fo.

And though that I no wepne have in this place,

But out of prison am astert by grace,

I drede noght that outher thou shalt dye,

Or thou ne shalt nat loven Emelye.

1595

Chees which thou wilt, for thou shalt nat asterte.'

1579. Hl. bussches; Cm. boschis; Ln. boskes. 1581. E. Hn. artow; rest art thou. 1584. told] E. Cm. seyd. 1589. E. Hn. namo; Hl. Cm. no mo. 1595. E. Hn. wolt. Hl. for; rest or.

This Arcite, with ful despitous herte,

Whan he him knew, and hadde his tale herd,

(740)

As fiers as leoun, pulled out a swerd,

And seyde thus: 'by God that sit above,

1600

Nere it that thou art sik, and wood for love,

[47: T. 1603-1639.]

And eek that thou no wepne hast in this place,

Thou sholdest never out of this grove pace,

That thou ne sholdest dyen of myn hond.

For I defye the seurtee and the bond

1605

Which that thou seyst that I have maad to thee.

What, verray fool, think wel that love is free,

And I wol love hir, maugre al thy might!

(750)

But, for as muche thou art a worthy knight,

And wilnest to darreyne hir by batayle,

1610

Have heer my trouthe, to-morwe I wol nat fayle,

With-outen witing of any other wight,

That here I wol be founden as a knight,

And bringen harneys right y-nough for thee;

And chees the beste, and leve the worste for me.

1615

And mete and drinke this night wol I bringe

Y-nough for thee, and clothes for thy beddinge.

And, if so be that thou my lady winne,

(760)

And slee me in this wode ther I am inne,

Thou mayst wel have thy lady, as for me.'

1620

This Palamon answerde: 'I graunte it thee.'

And thus they been departed til a-morwe,

When ech of hem had leyd his feith to borwe.

1598. E. Hn. his; rest a. 1599. E. sit; Cm. set; rest sitteth. 1604. Hl. seurte; Cp. sewrte; E. seurete; Hn. seuretee. 1609. Cp. derreyne; Hl. dereyne. 1614. Hn. chees; Cm. Hl. ches; rest chese.

O Cupide, out of alle charitee!

O regne, that wolt no felawe have with thee!

1625

Ful sooth is seyd, that love ne lordshipe

Wol noght, his thankes, have no felaweshipe;

Wel finden that Arcite and Palamoun.

(770)

Arcite is riden anon un-to the toun,

And on the morwe, er it were dayes light,

1630

Ful prively two harneys hath he dight,

Bothe suffisaunt and mete to darreyne

The bataille in the feeld bitwix hem tweyne.

And on his hors, allone as he was born,

He carieth al this harneys him biforn;

1635

And in the grove, at tyme and place y-set,

This Arcite and this Palamon ben met.

Tho chaungen gan the colour in hir face;

[48: T. 1640-1675.]

(780)

Right as the hunter in the regne of Trace,

That stondeth at the gappe with a spere,

1640

Whan hunted is the leoun or the bere,

And hereth him come russhing in the greves,

And breketh bothe bowes and the leves,

And thinketh, 'heer cometh my mortel enemy,

With-oute faile, he moot be deed, or I;

1645

For outher I mot sleen him at the gappe,

Or he mot sleen me, if that me mishappe:'

So ferden they, in chaunging of hir hewe,

(790)

As fer as everich of hem other knewe.

Ther nas no good day, ne no saluing;

1650

But streight, with-outen word or rehersing,

Everich of hem halp for to armen other,

As freendly as he were his owne brother;

And after that, with sharpe speres stronge

They foynen ech at other wonder longe.

1655

Thou mightest wene that this Palamoun

In his fighting were a wood leoun,

And as a cruel tygre was Arcite:

(800)

As wilde bores gonne they to smyte,

That frothen whyte as foom for ire wood.

1660

Up to the ancle foghte they in hir blood.

And in this wyse I lete hem fighting dwelle;

And forth I wol of Theseus yow telle.

1626. E. hir; rest his. 1634. E. the; Hn. Cm. Hl. this. 1637. Hl. Tho; rest To. 1638. Hl. honterus; rest hunters, hunterys; ed. 1542, hunter. 1640. E. and; rest or. 1651. Cm. halp; Cp. hilp; E. Hn. heelp; Hl. Pt. helpeth; Ln. helpe. Hl. Ln. om. for. 1652. E. owene. 1656. Tyrwhitt ins. as bef. a. 1659. E. Hn. whit. 1660. E. anclee. 1662. E. wole.

The destinee, ministre general,

That executeth in the world over-al

1665

The purveyaunce, that God hath seyn biforn,

So strong it is, that, though the world had sworn

The contrarie of a thing, by ye or nay,

(810)

Yet somtyme it shal fallen on a day

That falleth nat eft with-inne a thousand yere.

1670

For certeinly, our appetytes here,

Be it of werre, or pees, or hate, or love,

Al is this reuled by the sighte above.

This mene I now by mighty Theseus,

[49: T. 1676-1712.]

That for to honten is so desirous,

1675

And namely at the grete hert in May,

That in his bed ther daweth him no day,

That he nis clad, and redy for to ryde

(820)

With hunte and horn, and houndes him bisyde.

For in his hunting hath he swich delyt,

1680

That it is al his Ioye and appetyt

To been him-self the grete hertes bane;

For after Mars he serveth now Diane.

1672. this] Hl. it.

Cleer was the day, as I have told er this,

And Theseus, with alle Ioye and blis,

1685

With his Ipolita, the fayre quene,

And Emelye, clothed al in grene,

On hunting be they riden royally.

(830)

And to the grove, that stood ful faste by,

In which ther was an hert, as men him tolde,

1690

Duk Theseus the streighte wey hath holde.

And to the launde he rydeth him ful right,

For thider was the hert wont have his flight,

And over a brook, and so forth on his weye.

This duk wol han a cours at him, or tweye,

1695

With houndes, swiche as that him list comaunde.

1693. E. Hl. in; rest on. 1695. Hn. Cp. Pt. that; rest om.

And whan this duk was come un-to the launde,

Under the sonne he loketh, and anon

(840)

He was war of Arcite and Palamon,

That foughten breme, as it were bores two;

1700

The brighte swerdes wenten to and fro

So hidously, that with the leeste strook

It seemed as it wolde felle an ook;

But what they were, no-thing he ne woot.

This duk his courser with his spores smoot,

1705

And at a stert he was bitwix hem two,

And pulled out a swerd and cryed, 'ho!

Namore, up peyne of lesing of your heed.

(850)

By mighty Mars, he shal anon be deed,

That smyteth any strook, that I may seen!

1710

But telleth me what mister men ye been,

[50: T. 1713-1749.]

That been so hardy for to fighten here

With-outen Iuge or other officere,

As it were in a listes royally?'

1699. E. Cm. Hl. bores; rest boles. 1702. E. fille. 1706. E. cride; Hn. Cp. Pt. cryed. 1707. E. Hn. Ln. vp-on; rest vp. 1710. Hn. Cm. Cp. Pt. myster; E. mystiers; Ln. mester; Hl. mestir.

This Palamon answerde hastily,

1715

And seyde: 'sire, what nedeth wordes mo?

We have the deeth deserved bothe two.

Two woful wrecches been we, two caytyves,

(860)

That been encombred of our owne lyves;

And as thou art a rightful lord and Iuge,

1720

Ne yeve us neither mercy ne refuge,

But slee me first, for seynte charitee;

But slee my felawe eek as wel as me.

Or slee him first; for, though thou knowe it lyte,

This is thy mortal fo, this is Arcite,

1725

That fro thy lond is banished on his heed,

For which he hath deserved to be deed.

For this is he that cam un-to thy gate,

(870)

And seyde, that he highte Philostrate.

Thus hath he Iaped thee ful many a yeer,

1730

And thou has maked him thy chief squyer;

And this is he that loveth Emelye.

For sith the day is come that I shal dye,

I make pleynly my confessioun,

That I am thilke woful Palamoun,

1735

That hath thy prison broken wikkedly.

I am thy mortal fo, and it am I

That loveth so hote Emelye the brighte,

(880)

That I wol dye present in hir sighte.

Therfore I axe deeth and my Iuwyse;

1740

But slee my felawe in the same wyse,

For bothe han we deserved to be slayn.'

1716. E. Hn. disserued. 1718. E. Hn. Cm. owene. 1723. Hl. Hn. knowe; rest knowest. 1741. Ln. Hl. we haue.

This worthy duk answerde anon agayn,

And seyde, 'This is a short conclusioun:

Youre owne mouth, by your confessioun,

1745

Hath dampned you, and I wol it recorde,

It nedeth noght to pyne yow with the corde.

Ye shul be deed, by mighty Mars the rede!'

[51: T. 1750-1787.]

(890)

The quene anon, for verray wommanhede,

Gan for to wepe, and so dide Emelye,

1750

And alle the ladies in the companye.

Gret pitee was it, as it thoughte hem alle,

That ever swich a chaunce sholde falle;

For gentil men they were, of greet estat,

And no-thing but for love was this debat;

1755

And sawe hir blody woundes wyde and sore;

And alle cryden, bothe lasse and more,

'Have mercy, lord, up-on us wommen alle!'

(900)

And on hir bare knees adoun they falle,

And wolde have kist his feet ther-as he stood,

1760

Til at the laste aslaked was his mood;

For pitee renneth sone in gentil herte.

And though he first for ire quook and sterte,

He hath considered shortly, in a clause,

The trespas of hem bothe, and eek the cause:

1765

And al-though that his ire hir gilt accused,

Yet in his reson he hem bothe excused;

As thus: he thoghte wel, that every man

(910)

Wol helpe him-self in love, if that he can,

And eek delivere him-self out of prisoun;

1770

And eek his herte had compassioun

Of wommen, for they wepen ever in oon;

And in his gentil herte he thoghte anoon,

And softe un-to himself he seyde: 'fy

Up-on a lord that wol have no mercy,

1775

But been a leoun, bothe in word and dede,

To hem that been in repentaunce and drede

As wel as to a proud despitous man

(920)

That wol maynteyne that he first bigan!

That lord hath litel of discrecioun,

1780

That in swich cas can no divisioun,

But weyeth pryde and humblesse after oon.'

And shortly, whan his ire is thus agoon,

He gan to loken up with eyen lighte,

And spak thise same wordes al on highte:--

1785

The god of love, a! benedicite,

[52: T. 1788-1823.]

How mighty and how greet a lord is he!

Ayeins his might ther gayneth none obstacles,

(930)

He may be cleped a god for his miracles;

For he can maken at his owne gyse

1790

Of everich herte, as that him list devyse.

Lo heer, this Arcite and this Palamoun,

That quitly weren out of my prisoun,

And mighte han lived in Thebes royally,

And witen I am hir mortal enemy,

1795

And that hir deeth lyth in my might also,

And yet hath love, maugree hir eyen two,

Y-broght hem hider bothe for to dye!

(940)

Now loketh, is nat that an heigh folye?

Who may been a fool, but-if he love?

1800

Bihold, for Goddes sake that sit above,

Se how they blede! be they noght wel arrayed?

Thus hath hir lord, the god of love, y-payed

Hir wages and hir fees for hir servyse!

And yet they wenen for to been ful wyse

1805

That serven love, for aught that may bifalle!

But this is yet the beste game of alle,

That she, for whom they han this Iolitee,

(950)

Can hem ther-for as muche thank as me;

She woot namore of al this hote fare,

1810

By God, than woot a cokkow or an hare!

But al mot been assayed, hoot and cold;

A man mot been a fool, or yong or old;

I woot it by my-self ful yore agoon:

For in my tyme a servant was I oon.

1815

And therfore, sin I knowe of loves peyne,

And woot how sore it can a man distreyne,

As he that hath ben caught ofte in his las,

(960)

I yow foryeve al hoolly this trespas,

At requeste of the quene that kneleth here,

1820

And eek of Emelye, my suster dere.

And ye shul bothe anon un-to me swere,

[53: T. 1824-1859.]

That never-mo ye shul my contree dere,

Ne make werre up-on me night ne day,

But been my freendes in al that ye may;

1825

I yow foryeve this trespas every del.'

And they him swore his axing fayre and wel,

And him of lordshipe and of mercy preyde,

(970)

And he hem graunteth grace, and thus he seyde:

1744. E. Hn. Cm. owene; Hl. Cp. Pt. owne. 1747. Hn. Pt. shul; Cm. Hl. schul; E. shal. 1753. E. estaat. 1754. E. debaat. 1767. Hn. Cm. Cp. As; rest And. 1770. Hl. Pt. Ln. had; rest hadde. 1771. Hn. wepten; rest wepen. 1788. E. hise. 1789. E. Hn. Cm. owene; Cp. Pt. owne. 1790. E. diuyse. 1797. Hl. I-brought; rest Broght, Brought. 1799. See note. Hl. if that; rest but if. 1810. E. Hn. Cp. of; rest or. 1811. and] Cm. Hl. or. 1817. E. Hn. Cp. Pt. laas; Cm. las; Hl. Ln. lace. 1818. E. Pt. trespaas. 1822. E. Hn. Cp. Ln. shal. contree] Cp. Ln. Hl. coroune. 1825, 1826. E. deel, weel; Hn. Cm. Cp. del, wel. Hl. Pt. swore; rest sworen, sworne, sworyn. 1828. Hl. Cm. graunted.

'To speke of royal linage and richesse,

1830

Though that she were a quene or a princesse,

Ech of yow bothe is worthy, doutelees,

To wedden whan tyme is, but nathelees

I speke as for my suster Emelye,

For whom ye have this stryf and Ielousye;

1835

Ye woot your-self, she may not wedden two

At ones, though ye fighten ever-mo:

That oon of yow, al be him looth or leef,

(980)

He moot go pypen in an ivy-leef;

This is to seyn, she may nat now han bothe,

1840

Al be ye never so Ielous, ne so wrothe.

And for-thy I yow putte in this degree,

That ech of yow shal have his destinee

As him is shape; and herkneth in what wyse;

Lo, heer your ende of that I shal devyse.

1832. E. wrongly repeats doutelees. 1834. E. Hn. Cp. Ialousye. 1837. E. Hn. Pt. lief. 1838. E. om. go. 1840. E. Hn. Cp. Ialouse.

1845

My wil is this, for plat conclusioun,

With-outen any replicacioun,

If that yow lyketh, tak it for the beste,

(990)

That everich of yow shal gon wher him leste

Frely, with-outen raunson or daunger;

1850

And this day fifty wykes, fer ne ner,

Everich of yow shal bringe an hundred knightes,

Armed for listes up at alle rightes,

Al redy to darreyne hir by bataille.

And this bihote I yow, with-outen faille,

1855

Up-on my trouthe, and as I am a knight,

That whether of yow bothe that hath might,

This is to seyn, that whether he or thou

[54: T. 1860-1892.]

(1000)

May with his hundred, as I spak of now,

Sleen his contrarie, or out of listes dryve,

1860

Him shal I yeve Emelya to wyve,

To whom that fortune yeveth so fair a grace.

The listes shal I maken in this place,

And God so wisly on my soule rewe,

As I shal even Iuge been and trewe.

1865

Ye shul non other ende with me maken,

That oon of yow ne shal be deed or taken.

And if yow thinketh this is wel y-sayd,

(1010)

Seyeth your avys, and holdeth yow apayd.

This is your ende and your conclusioun.'

1856, 7. E. wheither. 1860. Hl. Him; Cp. Ln. That; E. Hn. Thanne; Cm. Pt. Than. E. Cp. Ln. Emelya; Hl. Hn. Emelye.

1870

Who loketh lightly now but Palamoun?

Who springeth up for Ioye but Arcite?

Who couthe telle, or who couthe it endyte,

The Ioye that is maked in the place

Whan Theseus hath doon so fair a grace?

1875

But doun on knees wente every maner wight,

And thanked him with al her herte and might,

And namely the Thebans ofte sythe.

(1020)

And thus with good hope and with herte blythe

They take hir leve, and hom-ward gonne they ryde

1880

To Thebes, with his olde walles wyde.

1872. E. Cm. Hl. om. it. 1876. Hl. thanked; Cm. thankede; Cp. Pt. Ln. thonked; E. Hn. thonken. 1877. E. often; Ln. oft; Pt. mony; rest ofte.

Explicit secunda pars. Sequitur pars tercia.

I trowe men wolde deme it necligence,

If I foryete to tellen the dispence

Of Theseus, that goth so bisily

To maken up the listes royally;

1885

That swich a noble theatre as it was,

I dar wel seyn that in this world ther nas.

The circuit a myle was aboute,

(1030)

Walled of stoon, and diched al with-oute.

Round was the shap, in maner of compas,

1890

Ful of degrees, the heighte of sixty pas,

[55: T. 1893-1928.]

That, whan a man was set on o degree,

He letted nat his felawe for to see.

1886. Hl. that; rest om. 1889. E. compaas. 1892. E. lette; Cm. lettyth; rest letted.

Est-ward ther stood a gate of marbel whyt,

West-ward, right swich another in the opposit.

1895

And shortly to concluden, swich a place

Was noon in erthe, as in so litel space;

For in the lond ther nas no crafty man,

(1040)

That geometrie or ars-metrik can,

Ne purtreyour, ne kerver of images,

1900

That Theseus ne yaf him mete and wages

The theatre for to maken and devyse.

And for to doon his ryte and sacrifyse,

He est-ward hath, up-on the gate above,

In worship of Venus, goddesse of love,

1905

Don make an auter and an oratorie;

And west-ward, in the minde and in memorie

Of Mars, he maked hath right swich another,

(1050)

That coste largely of gold a fother.

And north-ward, in a touret on the wal,

1910

Of alabastre whyt and reed coral

An oratorie riche for to see,

In worship of Dyane of chastitee,

Hath Theseus don wroght in noble wyse.

1893. E. Hn. Hl. marbul. 1899. Hl. Hn. Cp. purtreyour; E. portreitour. 1900. Cp. Pt. Cm. him; Hl. hem; rest om. 1906. So Hl.; E. Hn. Cm. (wrongly) And on the west-ward in memorie.

But yet hadde I foryeten to devyse

1915

The noble kerving, and the portreitures,

The shap, the countenaunce, and the figures,

That weren in thise oratories three.

(1060)

First in the temple of Venus maystow see

Wroght on the wal, ful pitous to biholde,

1920

The broken slepes, and the sykes colde;

The sacred teres, and the waymenting;

The fyry strokes of the desiring,

That loves servaunts in this lyf enduren;

The othes, that hir covenants assuren;

1925

Plesaunce and hope, desyr, fool-hardinesse,

Beautee and youthe, bauderie, richesse,

[56: T. 1929-1963.]

Charmes and force, lesinges, flaterye,

(1070)

Dispense, bisynesse, and Ielousye,

That wered of yelwe goldes a gerland,

1930

And a cokkow sitting on hir hand;

Festes, instruments, caroles, daunces,

Lust and array, and alle the circumstaunces

Of love, whiche that I rekne and rekne shal,

By ordre weren peynted on the wal,

1935

And mo than I can make of mencioun.

For soothly, al the mount of Citheroun,

Ther Venus hath hir principal dwelling,

(1080)

Was shewed on the wal in portreying,

With al the gardin, and the lustinesse.

1940

Nat was foryeten the porter Ydelnesse,

Ne Narcisus the faire of yore agon,

Ne yet the folye of king Salamon,

Ne yet the grete strengthe of Hercules--

Thenchauntements of Medea and Circes--

1945

Ne of Turnus, with the hardy fiers corage,

The riche Cresus, caytif in servage.

Thus may ye seen that wisdom ne richesse,

(1090)

Beautee ne sleighte, strengthe, ne hardinesse,

Ne may with Venus holde champartye;

1950

For as hir list the world than may she gye.

Lo, alle thise folk so caught were in hir las,

Til they for wo ful ofte seyde 'allas!'

Suffyceth heer ensamples oon or two,

And though I coude rekne a thousand mo.

1922. E. Hl. and; rest of. 1928. E. Hn. Cp. Ialousye. 1929. Hl. guldes. 1930. Cp. Ln. Cm. his. 1933. Cm. I reken and rekne schal; Hn. Hl. I rekned and rekne shal; E. I rekned haue and rekne shal (too long). 1942. E. Cm. And; rest Ne. 1943. E. Cm. And eek; Hn. Cp. Pt. Ln. Ne yet; Hl. Ne eek. E. Hn. Cm. Ercules. 1948. E. Hn. Pt. om. ne.

1955

The statue of Venus, glorious for to see,

Was naked fleting in the large see,

And fro the navele doun all covered was

(1100)

With wawes grene, and brighte as any glas.

A citole in hir right hand hadde she,

1960

And on hir heed, ful semely for to see,

A rose gerland, fresh and wel smellinge;

[57: T. 1964-1997.]

Above hir heed hir dowves flikeringe.

Biforn hir stood hir sone Cupido,

Up-on his shuldres winges hadde he two;

1965

And blind he was, as it is ofte sene;

A bowe he bar and arwes brighte and kene.

1965. E. it was; rest it is.

Why sholde I noght as wel eek telle yow al

(1110)

The portreiture, that was up-on the wal

With-inne the temple of mighty Mars the rede?

1970

Al peynted was the wal, in lengthe and brede,

Lyk to the estres of the grisly place,

That highte the grete temple of Mars in Trace,

In thilke colde frosty regioun,

Ther-as Mars hath his sovereyn mansioun.

1975

First on the wal was peynted a foreste,

In which ther dwelleth neither man ne beste,

With knotty knarry bareyn trees olde

(1120)

Of stubbes sharpe and hidous to biholde;

In which ther ran a rumbel and a swough,

1980

As though a storm sholde bresten every bough:

And downward from an hille, under a bente,

Ther stood the temple of Mars armipotente,

Wroght al of burned steel, of which thentree

Was long and streit, and gastly for to see.

1985

And ther-out cam a rage and such a vese,

That it made al the gates for to rese.

The northren light in at the dores shoon,

(1130)

For windowe on the wal ne was ther noon,

Thurgh which men mighten any light discerne.

1990

The dores were alle of adamant eterne,

Y-clenched overthwart and endelong

With iren tough; and, for to make it strong,

Every piler, the temple to sustene,

Was tonne-greet, of iren bright and shene.

1975. Hl. foreste; E. forest. 1976. Hl. beste; E. best. 1977. E. Hn. Cm. Cp. bareyne. 1979. E. rumbel; Cm. rumbil; Hn. rombul; Cp. Ln. rombel; Hl. swymbul. E. Pt. and; rest in. 1980. Ln. berste; Hl. berst. 1981. Hn. Hl. on (for from). 1983. E. Hn. the entree. 1985. Cp. vese; Cm. wese; E. Hn. Ln. veze; Hl. prise. 1986. E. Hn. Cm. gate. Hl. rise. 1990. E. Hn. Pt. dore was.

1995

Ther saugh I first the derke imagining

[58: T. 1998-2033.]

Of felonye, and al the compassing;

The cruel ire, reed as any glede;

(1140)

The pykepurs, and eek the pale drede;

The smyler with the knyf under the cloke;

2000

The shepne brenning with the blake smoke;

The treson of the mordring in the bedde;

The open werre, with woundes al bi-bledde;

Contek, with blody knyf and sharp manace;

Al ful of chirking was that sory place.

2005

The sleere of him-self yet saugh I ther,

His herte-blood hath bathed al his heer;

The nayl y-driven in the shode a-night;

(1150)

The colde deeth, with mouth gaping up-right.

Amiddes of the temple sat meschaunce,

2010

With disconfort and sory contenaunce.

Yet saugh I woodnesse laughing in his rage;

Armed compleint, out-hees, and fiers outrage.

The careyne in the bush, with throte y-corve:

A thousand slayn, and nat of qualm y-storve;

2015

The tiraunt, with the prey by force y-raft;

The toun destroyed, ther was no-thing laft.

Yet saugh I brent the shippes hoppesteres;

(1160)

The hunte strangled with the wilde beres:

The sowe freten the child right in the cradel;

2020

The cook y-scalded, for al his longe ladel.

Noght was foryeten by the infortune of Marte;

The carter over-riden with his carte,

Under the wheel ful lowe he lay adoun.

Ther were also, of Martes divisioun,

2025

The barbour, and the bocher, and the smith

That forgeth sharpe swerdes on his stith.

And al above, depeynted in a tour,

(1170)

Saw I conquest sittinge in greet honour,

With the sharpe swerde over his heed

2030

Hanginge by a sotil twynes threed.

Depeynted was the slaughtre of Iulius,

[59: T. 2034-2069.]

Of grete Nero, and of Antonius;

Al be that thilke tyme they were unborn,

Yet was hir deeth depeynted ther-biforn,

2035

By manasinge of Mars, right by figure;

So was it shewed in that portreiture

As is depeynted in the sterres above,

(1180)

Who shal be slayn or elles deed for love.

Suffyceth oon ensample in stories olde,

2040

I may not rekne hem alle, thogh I wolde.

1995. E. Hn. dirke. 1996. E. Cm. on. al. 1998. E. Cm. om. eek. 2012. Cm. outes. 2013. E. Cp. Ln. busk; Cm. bosch; Hn. Pt. bussh. 2014. E. ins. oon after nat. 2021. Hl. om. by. 2025. E. Cm. laborer; rest barbour. 2029. Pt. Ln. swerde; rest swerd. 2030. E. soutil; Hn. Cp. Ln. subtil. 2037. Hl. sterres; E. Pt. certres; rest sertres.

The statue of Mars up-on a carte stood,

Armed, and loked grim as he were wood;

And over his he'ed ther shynen two figures

Of sterres, that been cleped in scriptures,

2045

That oon Puella, that other Rubeus.

This god of armes was arrayed thus:--

A wolf ther stood biforn him at his feet

(1190)

With eyen rede, and of a man he eet;

With sotil pencel was depeynt this storie,

2050

In redoutinge of Mars and of his glorie.

2049. Cm. sotyl; E. soutil. All depeynted (badly); see C. 950.

Now to the temple of Diane the chaste

As shortly as I can I wol me haste,

To telle yow al the descripcioun.

Depeynted been the walles up and doun

2055

Of hunting and of shamfast chastitee.

Ther saugh I how woful Calistopee,

Whan that Diane agreved was with here,

(1200)

Was turned from a womman til a bere,

And after was she maad the lode-sterre;

2060

Thus was it peynt, I can say yow no ferre;

Hir sone is eek a sterre, as men may see.

Ther saugh I Dane, y-turned til a tree,

I mene nat the goddesse Diane,

But Penneus doughter, which that highte Dane.

2065

Ther saugh I Attheon an hert y-maked,

For vengeaunce that he saugh Diane al naked;

I saugh how that his houndes have him caught,

[60: T. 2070-2106.]

(1210)

And freten him, for that they knewe him naught.

Yet peynted was a litel forther-moor,

2070

How Atthalante hunted the wilde boor,

And Meleagre, and many another mo,

For which Diane wroghte him care and wo.

Ther saugh I many another wonder storie,

The whiche me list nat drawen to memorie.

2075

This goddesse on an hert ful hye seet,

With smale houndes al aboute hir feet;

And undernethe hir feet she hadde a mone,

(1220)

Wexing it was, and sholde wanie sone.

In gaude grene hir statue clothed was,

2080

With bowe in honde, and arwes in a cas.

Hir eyen caste she ful lowe adoun,

Ther Pluto hath his derke regioun.

A womman travailinge was hir biforn,

But, for hir child so longe was unborn,

2085

Ful pitously Lucyna gan she calle,

And seyde, 'help, for thou mayst best of alle.'

Wel couthe he peynten lyfly that it wroghte,

(1230)

With many a florin he the hewes boghte.

2058. E. Pt. Ln. Hl. to; rest til; see l. 2062. 2060. All peynted; see l. 2049. Hl. om. yow. 2062. Hl. Cp. Pt. Ln. turned. 2067. E. Hn. hise; Cm. hese. 2069. E. om. was. 2071. E. Hn. Meleagree. 2075. E. Cp. Pt. ins. wel after ful.

Now been thise listes maad, and Theseus,

2090

That at his grete cost arrayed thus

The temples and the theatre every del,

Whan it was doon, him lyked wonder wel.

But stinte I wol of Theseus a lyte,

And speke of Palamon and of Arcite.

2089. thise] E. the.

2095

The day approcheth of hir retourninge,

That everich sholde an hundred knightes bringe,

The bataille to darreyne, as I yow tolde;

(1240)

And til Athenes, hir covenant for to holde,

Hath everich of hem broght an hundred knightes

2100

Wel armed for the werre at alle rightes.

And sikerly, ther trowed many a man

That never, sithen that the world bigan,

As for to speke of knighthod of hir hond,

As fer as God hath maked see or lond,

[61: T. 2107-2143.]

2105

Nas, of so fewe, so noble a companye.

For every wight that lovede chivalrye,

And wolde, his thankes, han a passant name,

(1250)

Hath preyed that he mighte ben of that game;

And wel was him, that ther-to chosen was.

2110

For if ther fille to-morwe swich a cas,

Ye knowen wel, that every lusty knight,

That loveth paramours, and hath his might,

Were it in Engelond, or elles-where,

They wolde, hir thankes, wilnen to be there.

2115

To fighte for a lady, benedicite!

It were a lusty sighte for to see.

2098. E. couenantz. Hl. om. for. 2108. E. preyd; Hn. prayd; Hl. Cm. preyed. 2110. E. Cp. Pt. Hl. caas.

And right so ferden they with Palamon.

(1260)

With him ther wenten knightes many oon;

Som wol ben armed in an habergeoun,

2120

In a brest-plat and in a light gipoun;

And somme woln have a peyre plates large;

And somme woln have a Pruce sheld, or a targe;

Somme woln ben armed on hir legges weel,

And have an ax, and somme a mace of steel.

2125

Ther nis no newe gyse, that it nas old.

Armed were they, as I have you told,

Everich after his opinioun.

2120. Hl. In a; E. And in; Hn. Cm. Cp. Ln. And in a; Pt. And a.

(1270)

Ther maistow seen coming with Palamoun

Ligurge him-self, the grete king of Trace;

2130

Blak was his berd, and manly was his face.

The cercles of his eyen in his heed,

They gloweden bitwixe yelow and reed;

And lyk a griffon loked he aboute,

With kempe heres on his browes stoute;

2135

His limes grete, his braunes harde and stronge,

His shuldres brode, his armes rounde and longe.

And as the gyse was in his contree,

(1280)

Ful hye up-on a char of gold stood he,

With foure whyte boles in the trays.

2140

In-stede of cote-armure over his harnays,

With nayles yelwe and brighte as any gold,

[62: T. 2144-2179.]

He hadde a beres skin, col-blak, for-old.

His longe heer was kembd bihinde his bak,

As any ravenes fether it shoon for-blak:

2145

A wrethe of gold arm-greet, of huge wighte,

Upon his heed, set ful of stones brighte,

Of fyne rubies and of dyamaunts.

(1290)

Aboute his char ther wenten whyte alaunts,

Twenty and mo, as grete as any steer,

2150

To hunten at the leoun or the deer,

And folwed him, with mosel faste y-bounde,

Colers of gold, and torets fyled rounde.

An hundred lordes hadde he in his route

Armed ful wel, with hertes sterne and stoute.

2132. E. Hn. bitwyxen. 2134, 5, 6. E. hise. 2141. Hn. Cm. yelwe; E. yelewe; Hl. yolwe. 2148. E. chaar. 2152. Pt. Ln. Colers; Cp. Coleres; Hl. Colerd; E. Hn. Colered; Cm. Colerid. E. tourettes; Cp. Pt. torettes; Hl. torettz (better torets); Ln. turettes. 2154. E. Hn. stierne.

2155

With Arcita, in stories as men finde,

The grete Emetreus, the king of Inde,

Up-on a stede bay, trapped in steel,

(1300)

Covered in cloth of gold diapred weel,

Cam ryding lyk the god of armes, Mars.

2160

His cote-armure was of cloth of Tars,

Couched with perles whyte and rounde and grete.

His sadel was of brend gold newe y-bete;

A mantelet upon his shuldre hanginge

Bret-ful of rubies rede, as fyr sparklinge.

2165

His crispe heer lyk ringes was y-ronne,

And that was yelow, and glitered as the sonne.

His nose was heigh, his eyen bright citryn,

(1310)

His lippes rounde, his colour was sangwyn,

A fewe fraknes in his face y-spreynd,

2170

Betwixen yelow and somdel blak y-meynd,

And as a leoun he his loking caste.

Of fyve and twenty yeer his age I caste.

His berd was wel bigonne for to springe;

His voys was as a trompe thunderinge.

2175

Up-on his heed he wered of laurer grene

A gerland fresh and lusty for to sene.

Up-on his hand he bar, for his deduyt,

[63: T. 2180-2215.]

(1320)

An egle tame, as eny lilie whyt.

An hundred lordes hadde he with him there,

2180

Al armed, sauf hir heddes, in al hir gere,

Ful richely in alle maner thinges.

For trusteth wel, that dukes, erles, kinges,

Were gadered in this noble companye,

For love and for encrees of chivalrye.

2185

Aboute this king ther ran on every part

Ful many a tame leoun and lepart.

And in this wyse thise lordes, alle and some,

(1330)

Ben on the Sonday to the citee come

Aboute pryme, and in the toun alight.

2155. E. Pt. Arcite; rest Arcita. 2163. E. Cm. Pt. mantel. 2164. E. Brat-ful. 2180. Hl. om. al. 2186. Hl. Cp. Ln. lepart; E. leopard.

2190

This Theseus, this duk, this worthy knight,

Whan he had broght hem in-to his citee,

And inned hem, everich in his degree,

He festeth hem, and dooth so greet labour

To esen hem, and doon hem al honour,

2195

That yet men weneth that no mannes wit

Of noon estat ne coude amenden it.

The minstralcye, the service at the feste,

(1340)

The grete yiftes to the moste and leste,

The riche array of Theseus paleys,

2200

Ne who sat first ne last up-on the deys,

What ladies fairest been or best daunsinge,

Or which of hem can dauncen best and singe,

Ne who most felingly speketh of love:

What haukes sitten on the perche above,

2205

What houndes liggen on the floor adoun:

Of al this make I now no mencioun;

But al theffect, that thinketh me the beste;

(1350)

Now comth the poynt, and herkneth if yow leste.

2192. E. in; Pt. after; rest at. 2195. E. maner. 2198. E. Hn. meeste; Cm. Cp. meste; rest most. 2205. E. Cm. Hl. in; rest on. 2207. al] Hl. of. 2208. Hn. Hl. comth; rest cometh.

The Sonday night, er day bigan to springe,

2210

When Palamon the larke herde singe,

Although it nere nat day by houres two,

Yet song the larke, and Palamon also.

With holy herte, and with an heigh corage

[64: T. 2216-2251.]

He roos, to wenden on his pilgrimage

2215

Un-to the blisful Citherea benigne,

I mene Venus, honurable and digne.

And in hir houre he walketh forth a pas

(1360)

Un-to the listes, ther hir temple was,

And doun he kneleth, and with humble chere

2220

And herte soor, he seyde as ye shul here.

2212. also] Hn. Cp. Pt. Ln. right tho. 2217. E. paas. 2219. E. with ful; rest and with. 2220. E. and seyde in this manere.

'Faireste of faire, o lady myn, Venus,

Doughter to Iove and spouse of Vulcanus,

Thou glader of the mount of Citheroun,

For thilke love thou haddest to Adoun,

2225

Have pitee of my bittre teres smerte,

And tak myn humble preyer at thyn herte.

Allas! I ne have no langage to telle

(1370)

Theffectes ne the torments of myn helle;

Myn herte may myne harmes nat biwreye;

2230

I am so confus, that I can noght seye.

But mercy, lady bright, that knowest weel

My thought, and seest what harmes that I feel,

Considere al this, and rewe up-on my sore,

As wisly as I shal for evermore,

2235

Emforth my might, thy trewe servant be,

And holden werre alwey with chastitee;

That make I myn avow, so ye me helpe.

(1380)

I kepe noght of armes for to yelpe,

Ne I ne axe nat to-morwe to have victorie,

2240

Ne renoun in this cas, ne veyne glorie

Of pris of armes blowen up and doun,

But I wolde have fully possessioun

Of Emelye, and dye in thy servyse;

Find thou the maner how, and in what wyse.

2245

I recche nat, but it may bettre be,

To have victorie of hem, or they of me,

So that I have my lady in myne armes.

(1390)

For though so be that Mars is god of armes,

Your vertu is so greet in hevene above,

[65: T. 2252-2287.]

2250

That, if yow list, I shal wel have my love,

Thy temple wol I worshipe evermo,

And on thyn auter, wher I ryde or go,

I wol don sacrifice, and fyres bete.

And if ye wol nat so, my lady swete,

2255

Than preye I thee, to-morwe with a spere

That Arcita me thurgh the herte bere.

Thanne rekke I noght, whan I have lost my lyf,

(1400)

Though that Arcita winne hir to his wyf.

This is theffect and ende of my preyere,

2260

Yif me my love, thou blisful lady dere.'

2222. to] Hn. Hl. of. of] all but E. Cm. to. 2226. E. Cm. preyere; Hn. prayere. at] Hl. to. 2227. to] Hl. for to. 2231, 2. Cm. Hl. wel, fel; rest wele, fele. 2239. Hl. aske. Hl. Ln. to morn.

Whan thorisoun was doon of Palamon,

His sacrifice he dide, and that anon

Ful pitously, with alle circumstaunces,

Al telle I noght as now his observaunces.

2265

But atte laste the statue of Venus shook,

And made a signe, wher-by that he took

That his preyere accepted was that day.

(1410)

For thogh the signe shewed a delay,

Yet wiste he wel that graunted was his bone;

2270

And with glad herte he wente him hoom ful sone.

2261. Hl. thorisoun; rest the orison (orisoun). 2263. E. Cm. circumstaunce. 2264. E. Cm. obseruaunce.

The thridde houre inequal that Palamon

Bigan to Venus temple for to goon,

Up roos the sonne, and up roos Emelye,

And to the temple of Diane gan hye.

2275

Hir maydens, that she thider with hir ladde,

Ful redily with hem the fyr they hadde,

Thencens, the clothes, and the remenant al

(1420)

That to the sacrifyce longen shal;

The hornes fulle of meth, as was the gyse;

2280

Ther lakked noght to doon hir sacrifyse.

Smoking the temple, ful of clothes faire,

This Emelye, with herte debonaire,

Hir body wessh with water of a welle;

But how she dide hir ryte I dar nat telle,

2285

But it be any thing in general;

[66: T. 2288-2324.]

And yet it were a game to heren al;

To him that meneth wel, it were no charge:

(1430)

But it is good a man ben at his large.

Hir brighte heer was kempt, untressed al;

2290

A coroune of a grene ook cerial

Up-on hir heed was set ful fair and mete.

Two fyres on the auter gan she bete,

And dide hir thinges, as men may biholde

In Stace of Thebes, and thise bokes olde.

2295

Whan kindled was the fyr, with pitous chere

Un-to Diane she spak, as ye may here.

2274. Pt. Hl. ins. she after gan. 2276. E. ladde; rest hadde. 2279. Cp. Pt. Ln. methe; Hl. meth; E. meeth; Hn. mede. 2287. were] Hn. Cp. Ln. nere. 2289. E. kempd.

'O chaste goddesse of the wodes grene,

(1440)

To whom bothe hevene and erthe and see is sene,

Quene of the regne of Pluto derk and lowe,

2300

Goddesse of maydens, that myn herte hast knowe

Ful many a yeer, and woost what I desire,

As keep me fro thy vengeaunce and thyn ire,

That Attheon aboughte cruelly.

Chaste goddesse, wel wostow that I

2305

Desire to been a mayden al my lyf,

Ne never wol I be no love ne wyf.

I am, thou woost, yet of thy companye,

(1450)

A mayde, and love hunting and venerye,

And for to walken in the wodes wilde,

2310

And noght to been a wyf, and be with childe.

Noght wol I knowe companye of man.

Now help me, lady, sith ye may and can,

For tho thre formes that thou hast in thee.

And Palamon, that hath swich love to me,

2315

And eek Arcite, that loveth me so sore,

This grace I preye thee with-oute more,

As sende love and pees bitwixe hem two;

(1460)

And fro me turne awey hir hertes so,

That al hir hote love, and hir desyr,

2320

And al hir bisy torment, and hir fyr

Be queynt, or turned in another place;

And if so be thou wolt not do me grace,

[67: T. 2325-2360.]

Or if my destinee be shapen so,

That I shal nedes have oon of hem two,

2325

As sende me him that most desireth me.

Bihold, goddesse of clene chastitee,

The bittre teres that on my chekes falle.

(1470)

Sin thou are mayde, and keper of us alle,

My maydenhede thou kepe and wel conserve,

2330

And whyl I live a mayde, I wol thee serve.'

2303. Hl. Atheon. cruelly] Hl. trewely. 2311. E. Hl. ins. the after knowe. 2317. Hn. As; rest And; see l. 2325. 2322. not do me] E. Hl. Pt. do me no. 2323. E. And; rest Or. 2328. E. Cm. Cp. kepere.

The fyres brenne up-on the auter clere,

Whyl Emelye was thus in hir preyere;

But sodeinly she saugh a sighte queynte,

For right anon oon of the fyres queynte,

2335

And quiked agayn, and after that anon

That other fyr was queynt, and al agon;

And as it queynte, it made a whistelinge,

(1480)

As doon thise wete brondes in hir brenninge,

And at the brondes ende out-ran anoon

2340

As it were blody dropes many oon;

For which so sore agast was Emelye,

That she was wel ny mad, and gan to crye,

For she ne wiste what it signifyed;

But only for the fere thus hath she cryed,

2345

And weep, that it was pitee for to here.

And ther-with-al Diane gan appere,

With bowe in hond, right as an hunteresse,

(1490)

And seyde: 'Doghter, stint thyn hevinesse.

Among the goddes hye it is affermed,

2350

And by eterne word write and confermed,

Thou shalt ben wedded un-to oon of tho

That han for thee so muchel care and wo;

But un-to which of hem I may nat telle.

Farwel, for I ne may no lenger dwelle.

2355

The fyres which that on myn auter brenne

Shul thee declaren, er that thou go henne,

Thyn aventure of love, as in this cas.'

(1500)

And with that word, the arwes in the cas

[68: T. 2361-2398.]

Of the goddesse clateren faste and ringe,

2360

And forth she wente, and made a vanisshinge;

For which this Emelye astoned was,

And seyde, 'What amounteth this, allas!

I putte me in thy proteccioun,

Diane, and in thy disposicioun.'

2365

And hoom she gooth anon the nexte weye.

This is theffect, ther is namore to seye.

2337. E. Hn. Cp. whistlynge. 2338. Hl. (only) As doth a wete brond in his. 2344. Pt Hl. om. hath. 2350. Hl. write; Pt. writt; rest writen. 2356. E. Cp. Hl. declare. 2358. E. caas.

The nexte houre of Mars folwinge this,

(1510)

Arcite un-to the temple walked is

Of fierse Mars, to doon his sacrifyse,

2370

With alle the rytes of his payen wyse.

With pitous herte and heigh devocioun,

Right thus to Mars he seyde his orisoun:

2369. E. Hn. fierse; Cm. ferse; Hl. fyry.

'O stronge god, that in the regnes colde

Of Trace honoured art, and lord y-holde,

2375

And hast in every regne and every lond

Of armes al the brydel in thyn hond,

And hem fortunest as thee list devyse,

(1520)

Accept of me my pitous sacrifyse.

If so be that my youthe may deserve,

2380

And that my might be worthy for to serve

Thy godhede, that I may been oon of thyne,

Than preye I thee to rewe up-on my pyne.

For thilke peyne, and thilke hote fyr,

In which thou whylom brendest for desyr,

2385

Whan that thou usedest the grete beautee

Of fayre yonge fresshe Venus free,

And haddest hir in armes at thy wille,

(1530)

Al-though thee ones on a tyme misfille

Whan Vulcanus had caught thee in his las,

2390

And fond thee ligging by his wyf, allas!

For thilke sorwe that was in thyn herte,

Have routhe as wel up-on my peynes smerte.

I am yong and unkonning, as thou wost,

And, as I trowe, with love offended most,

2395

That ever was any lyves creature;

For she, that dooth me al this wo endure,

[69: T. 2399-2436.]

Ne reccheth never wher I sinke or flete.

(1540)

And wel I woot, er she me mercy hete,

I moot with strengthe winne hir in the place;

2400

And wel I woot, withouten help or grace

Of thee, ne may my strengthe noght availle.

Than help me, lord, to-morwe in my bataille,

For thilke fyr that whylom brente thee,

As wel as thilke fyr now brenneth me;

2405

And do that I to-morwe have victorie.

Myn be the travaille, and thyn be the glorie!

Thy soverein temple wol I most honouren

(1550)

Of any place, and alwey most labouren

In thy plesaunce and in thy craftes stronge,

2410

And in thy temple I wol my baner honge,

And alle the armes of my companye;

And evere-mo, un-to that day I dye,

Eterne fyr I wol biforn thee finde.

And eek to this avow I wol me binde:

2415

My berd, myn heer that hongeth long adoun,

That never yet ne felte offensioun

Of rasour nor of shere, I wol thee yive,

(1560)

And ben thy trewe servant whyl I live.

Now lord, have routhe up-on my sorwes sore,

2420

Yif me victorie, I aske thee namore.'

2385. Hl. the gret; rest om. gret. 2402. E. Hn. Thanne. 2420. All ins. the (Hl. thy) after me; (read victorie).

The preyere stinte of Arcita the stronge,

The ringes on the temple-dore that honge,

And eek the dores, clatereden ful faste,

Of which Arcita som-what him agaste.

2425

The fyres brende up-on the auter brighte,

That it gan al the temple for to lighte;

And swete smel the ground anon up-yaf,

(1570)

And Arcita anon his hand up-haf,

And more encens in-to the fyr he caste,

2430

With othere rytes mo; and atte laste

The statue of Mars bigan his hauberk ringe.

And with that soun he herde a murmuringe

Ful lowe and dim, that sayde thus, 'Victorie:'

For which he yaf to Mars honour and glorie.

[70: T. 2437-2473.]

2435

And thus with Ioye, and hope wel to fare,

Arcite anon un-to his inne is fare,

As fayn as fowel is of the brighte sonne.

2425. Hn. Cm. brende; E. Cp. Hl. brenden. 2433. E. Hn. Hl. and; rest that. 2436. E. Hn. Cm. in.

(1580)

And right anon swich stryf ther is bigonne

For thilke graunting, in the hevene above,

2440

Bitwixe Venus, the goddesse of love,

And Mars, the sterne god armipotente,

That Iupiter was bisy it to stente;

Til that the pale Saturnus the colde,

That knew so manye of aventures olde,

2445

Fond in his olde experience an art,

That he ful sone hath plesed every part.

As sooth is sayd, elde hath greet avantage;

(1590)

In elde is bothe wisdom and usage;

Men may the olde at-renne, and noght at-rede.

2450

Saturne anon, to stinten stryf and drede,

Al be it that it is agayn his kynde,

Of al this stryf he gan remedie fynde.

2441. E. stierne. 2445. an] E. Pt. and. 2449. Hl. Pt. but; rest and.

'My dere doghter Venus,' quod Saturne,

'My cours, that hath so wyde for to turne,

2455

Hath more power than wot any man.

Myn is the drenching in the see so wan;

Myn is the prison in the derke cote;

(1600)

Myn is the strangling and hanging by the throte;

The murmure, and the cherles rebelling,

2460

The groyning, and the pryvee empoysoning:

I do vengeance and pleyn correccioun

Whyl I dwelle in the signe of the leoun.

Myn is the ruine of the hye halles,

The falling of the toures and of the walles

2465

Up-on the mynour or the carpenter.

I slow Sampsoun in shaking the piler;

And myne be the maladyes colde,

(1610)

The derke tresons, and the castes olde;

My loking is the fader of pestilence.

2470

Now weep namore, I shal doon diligence

That Palamon, that is thyn owne knight,

[71: T. 2474-2506.]

Shal have his lady, as thou hast him hight.

Though Mars shal helpe his knight, yet nathelees

Bitwixe yow ther moot be som tyme pees,

2475

Al be ye noght of o complexioun,

That causeth al day swich divisioun.

I am thin ayel, redy at thy wille;

(1620)

Weep thou namore, I wol thy lust fulfille.'

2462. E. om. 1st the. 2466. Hl. in; rest om. 2468. Hl. tresoun.

Now wol I stinten of the goddes above,

2480

Of Mars, and of Venus, goddesse of love,

And telle yow, as pleynly as I can,

The grete effect, for which that I bigan.

Explicit tercia pars. Sequitur pars quarta.

Greet was the feste in Athenes that day,

And eek the lusty seson of that May

2485

Made every wight to been in swich plesaunce,

That al that Monday Iusten they and daunce,

And spenden it in Venus heigh servyse.

(1630)

But by the cause that they sholde ryse

Erly, for to seen the grete fight,

2490

Unto hir reste wente they at night.

And on the morwe, whan that day gan springe,

Of hors and harneys, noyse and clateringe

Ther was in hostelryes al aboute;

And to the paleys rood ther many a route

2495

Of lordes, up-on stedes and palfreys.

Ther maystow seen devysing of herneys

So uncouth and so riche, and wroght so weel

(1640)

Of goldsmithrie, of browding, and of steel;

The sheeldes brighte, testers, and trappures;

2500

Gold-hewen helmes, hauberks, cote-armures;

Lordes in paraments on hir courseres,

Knightes of retenue, and eek squyeres

Nailinge the speres, and helmes bokelinge,

Gigginge of sheeldes, with layneres lacinge;

[72: T. 2507-2543.]

2505

Ther as need is, they weren no-thing ydel;

The fomy stedes on the golden brydel

Gnawinge, and faste the armurers also

(1650)

With fyle and hamer prikinge to and fro;

Yemen on fote, and communes many oon

2510

With shorte staves, thikke as they may goon;

Pypes, trompes, nakers, clariounes,

That in the bataille blowen blody sounes;

The paleys ful of peples up and doun,

Heer three, ther ten, holding hir questioun,

2515

Divyninge of thise Thebane knightes two.

Somme seyden thus, somme seyde it shal be so;

Somme helden with him with the blake berd,

(1660)

Somme with the balled, somme with the thikke-herd;

Somme sayde, he loked grim and he wolde fighte;

2520

He hath a sparth of twenty pound of wighte.

Thus was the halle ful of divyninge,

Longe after that the sonne gan to springe.

2489. Hl. Erly a-morwe for to see that fight. 2493. E. ins. the after in. 2500. Hl. Gold-beten. 2503. Nailinge] Hl. Rayhyng. 2504. Hl. Girdyng. 2511. E. nakerers (wrongly). 2513. Hl. pepul; Pt. puple; Ln. peple.

The grete Theseus, that of his sleep awaked

With minstralcye and noyse that was maked,

2525

Held yet the chambre of his paleys riche,

Til that the Thebane knightes, bothe y-liche

Honoured, were into the paleys fet.

(1670)

Duk Theseus was at a window set,

Arrayed right as he were a god in trone.

2530

The peple preesseth thider-ward ful sone

Him for to seen, and doon heigh reverence,

And eek to herkne his hest and his sentence.

An heraud on a scaffold made an ho,

Til al the noyse of the peple was y-do;

2535

And whan he saugh the peple of noyse al stille,

Tho showed he the mighty dukes wille.

2533. E. Hn. Pt. oo. 2534. E. om. 2nd the. 2535. E. Cm. the noyse of peple.

'The lord hath of his heigh discrecioun

(1680)

Considered, that it were destruccioun

To gentil blood, to fighten in the gyse

2540

Of mortal bataille now in this empryse;

Wherfore, to shapen that they shul not dye,

[73: T. 2544-2579.]

He wol his firste purpos modifye.

No man therfor, up peyne of los of lyf,

No maner shot, ne pollax, ne short knyf

2545

Into the listes sende, or thider bringe;

Ne short swerd for to stoke, with poynt bytinge,

No man ne drawe, ne bere it by his syde.

(1690)

Ne no man shal un-to his felawe ryde

But o cours, with a sharp y-grounde spere;

2550

Foyne, if him list, on fote, him-self to were.

And he that is at meschief, shal be take,

And noght slayn, but be broght un-to the stake

That shal ben ordeyned on either syde;

But thider he shal by force, and ther abyde.

2555

And if so falle, the chieftayn be take

On either syde, or elles slee his make,

No lenger shal the turneyinge laste.

(1700)

God spede yow; goth forth, and ley on faste.

With long swerd and with maces fight your fille.

2560

Goth now your wey; this is the lordes wille.'

2544. E. Cm. om. 1st ne. 2545. or] E. Cm. Ln. ne. 2547. E. Hl. om. it. 2555. falle] E. be. Cm. cheuynteyn; Cp. cheuentein; Hl. cheuenten. 2556. Hl. sle; rest sleen (sclayn). 2559. Hl. fight; Ln. fihten; rest fighteth.

The voys of peple touchede the hevene,

So loude cryden they with mery stevene:

'God save swich a lord, that is so good,

He wilneth no destruccioun of blood!'

2565

Up goon the trompes and the melodye.

And to the listes rit the companye

By ordinaunce, thurgh-out the citee large,

(1710)

Hanged with cloth of gold, and nat with sarge.

Ful lyk a lord this noble duk gan ryde,

2570

Thise two Thebanes up-on either syde;

And after rood the quene, and Emelye,

And after that another companye

Of oon and other, after hir degree.

And thus they passen thurgh-out the citee,

2575

And to the listes come they by tyme.

It nas not of the day yet fully pryme,

Whan set was Theseus ful riche and hye,

[74: T. 2580-2617.]

(1720)

Ipolita the quene and Emelye,

And other ladies in degrees aboute.

2580

Un-to the seetes preesseth al the route.

And west-ward, thurgh the gates under Marte,

Arcite, and eek the hundred of his parte,

With baner reed is entred right anon;

And in that selve moment Palamon

2585

Is under Venus, est-ward in the place,

With baner whyt, and hardy chere and face.

In al the world, to seken up and doun,

(1730)

So even with-outen variacioun,

Ther nere swiche companyes tweye.

2590

For ther nas noon so wys that coude seye,

That any hadde of other avauntage

Of worthinesse, ne of estaat, ne age,

So even were they chosen, for to gesse.

And in two renges faire they hem dresse.

2595

Whan that hir names rad were everichoon,

That in hir nombre gyle were ther noon,

Tho were the gates shet, and cryed was loude:

(1740)

'Do now your devoir, yonge knightes proude!'

2561. Cm. Cp. touchede; Hl. touchith; rest touched. 2562. Cm. cryedyn; E. cride. E. murie. 2570. E. Hn. Hl. Thebans; see l. 2623. 2593. E. om. they. 2598. Hl. Dooth.

The heraudes lefte hir priking up and doun;

2600

Now ringen trompes loude and clarioun;

Ther is namore to seyn, but west and est

In goon the speres ful sadly in arest;

In goth the sharpe spore in-to the syde.

Ther seen men who can Iuste, and who can ryde;

2605

Ther shiveren shaftes up-on sheeldes thikke;

He feleth thurgh the herte-spoon the prikke.

Up springen speres twenty foot on highte;

(1750)

Out goon the swerdes as the silver brighte.

The helmes they to-hewen and to-shrede;

2610

Out brest the blood, with sterne stremes rede.

With mighty maces the bones they to-breste.

He thurgh the thikkeste of the throng gan threste.

Ther stomblen stedes stronge, and doun goth al.

He rolleth under foot as dooth a bal.

2615

He foyneth on his feet with his tronchoun,

[75: T. 2618-2655.]

And he him hurtleth with his hors adoun.

He thurgh the body is hurt, and sithen y-take,

(1760)

Maugree his heed, and broght un-to the stake,

As forward was, right ther he moste abyde;

2620

Another lad is on that other syde.

And som tyme dooth hem Theseus to reste,

Hem to refresshe, and drinken if hem leste.

Ful ofte a-day han thise Thebanes two

Togidre y-met, and wroght his felawe wo;

2625

Unhorsed hath ech other of hem tweye.

Ther nas no tygre in the vale of Galgopheye,

Whan that hir whelp is stole, whan it is lyte,

(1770)

So cruel on the hunte, as is Arcite

For Ielous herte upon this Palamoun:

2630

Ne in Belmarye ther nis so fel leoun,

That hunted is, or for his hunger wood,

Ne of his praye desireth so the blood,

As Palamon to sleen his fo Arcite.

The Ielous strokes on hir helmes byte;

2635

Out renneth blood on bothe hir sydes rede.

2608. E. gooth; rest goon. 2613. stomblen] E. Cm. semblen. 2622. E. fresshen.

Som tyme an ende ther is of every dede;

For er the sonne un-to the reste wente,

(1780)

The stronge king Emetreus gan hente

This Palamon, as he faught with Arcite,

2640

And made his swerd depe in his flesh to byte;

And by the force of twenty is he take

Unyolden, and y-drawe unto the stake.

And in the rescous of this Palamoun

The stronge king Ligurge is born adoun;

2645

And king Emetreus, for al his strengthe,

Is born out of his sadel a swerdes lengthe,

So hitte him Palamon er he were take;

(1790)

But al for noght, he was broght to the stake.

His hardy herte mighte him helpe naught;

2650

He moste abyde, whan that he was caught

By force, and eek by composicioun.

2643. E. rescus; Pt. rescowe; rest rescous.

Who sorweth now but woful Palamoun,

That moot namore goon agayn to fighte?

[76: T. 2656-2691.]

And whan that Theseus had seyn this sighte,

2655

Un-to the folk that foghten thus echoon

He cryde, 'Ho! namore, for it is doon!

I wol be trewe Iuge, and no partye.

(1800)

Arcite of Thebes shal have Emelye,

That by his fortune hath hir faire y-wonne.'

2660

Anon ther is a noyse of peple bigonne

For Ioye of this, so loude and heigh with-alle,

It semed that the listes sholde falle.

What can now faire Venus doon above?

What seith she now? what dooth this quene of love?

2665

But wepeth so, for wanting of hir wille,

Til that hir teres in the listes fille;

She seyde: 'I am ashamed, doutelees.'

(1810)

Saturnus seyde: 'Doghter, hold thy pees.

Mars hath his wille, his knight hath al his bone,

2670

And, by myn heed, thou shalt ben esed sone.'

The trompes, with the loude minstralcye,

The heraudes, that ful loude yolle and crye,

Been in hir wele for Ioye of daun Arcite.

But herkneth me, and stinteth now a lyte,

2675

Which a miracle ther bifel anon.

2671. Hn. Cp. Pt. Ln. trompours.

This fierse Arcite hath of his helm y-don,

And on a courser, for to shewe his face,

(1820)

He priketh endelong the large place,

Loking upward up-on this Emelye;

2680

And she agayn him caste a freendlich ye,

(For wommen, as to speken in comune,

They folwen al the favour of fortune),

And she was al his chere, as in his herte.

Out of the ground a furie infernal sterte,

2685

From Pluto sent, at requeste of Saturne,

For which his hors for fere gan to turne,

And leep asyde, and foundred as he leep;

(1830)

And, er that Arcite may taken keep,

He pighte him on the pomel of his heed,

[77: T. 2692-2729.]

2690

That in the place he lay as he were deed,

His brest to-brosten with his sadel-bowe.

As blak he lay as any cole or crowe,

So was the blood y-ronnen in his face.

Anon he was y-born out of the place

2695

With herte soor, to Theseus paleys.

Tho was he corven out of his harneys,

And in a bed y-brought ful faire and blyve,

(1840)

For he was yet in memorie and alyve,

And alway crying after Emelye.

2676. Cm. ferse; E. Hn. fierse. 2679. E. Pt. om. this. 2681. E. Hn. Cm. omit ll. 2681, 2682. 2683. Hn. she; rest om. 2684. E. furie; Hn. Cm. furye; rest fyr, fir, fire, fyre; see note. 2698. Hl. Pt. on lyue.

2700

Duk Theseus, with al his companye,

Is comen hoom to Athenes his citee,

With alle blisse and greet solempnitee.

Al be it that this aventure was falle,

He nolde noght disconforten hem alle.

2705

Men seyde eek, that Arcite shal nat dye;

He shal ben heled of his maladye.

And of another thing they were as fayn,

(1850)

That of hem alle was ther noon y-slayn,

Al were they sore y-hurt, and namely oon,

2710

That with a spere was thirled his brest-boon.

To othere woundes, and to broken armes,

Some hadden salves, and some hadden charmes;

Fermacies of herbes, and eek save

They dronken, for they wolde hir limes have.

2715

For which this noble duk, as he wel can,

Conforteth and honoureth every man,

And made revel al the longe night,

(1860)

Un-to the straunge lordes, as was right.

Ne ther was holden no disconfitinge,

2720

But as a Iustes or a tourneyinge;

For soothly ther was no disconfiture,

For falling nis nat but an aventure;

Ne to be lad with fors un-to the stake

Unyolden, and with twenty knightes take,

2725

O persone allone, with-outen mo,

And haried forth by arme, foot, and to,

And eek his stede driven forth with staves,

[78: T. 2730-2767.]

(1870)

With footmen, bothe yemen and eek knaves,

It nas aretted him no vileinye,

2730

Ther may no man clepen it cowardye.

2714. limes] Cp. Pt. Ln. Hl. lyues. 2726. E. Hn. Cm. arm.

For which anon duk Theseus leet crye,

To stinten alle rancour and envye,

The gree as wel of o syde as of other,

And either syde y-lyk, as otheres brother;

2735

And yaf hem yiftes after hir degree,

And fully heeld a feste dayes three;

And conveyed the kinges worthily

(1880)

Out of his toun a Iournee largely.

And hoom wente every man the righte way.

2740

Ther was namore, but 'far wel, have good day!'

Of this bataille I wol namore endyte,

But speke of Palamon and of Arcite.

2737. E. conuoyed. 2740. E. fare; Cm. Hl. far.

Swelleth the brest of Arcite, and the sore

Encreesseth at his herte more and more.

2745

The clothered blood, for any lechecraft,

Corrupteth, and is in his bouk y-laft,

That neither veyne-blood, ne ventusinge,

(1890)

Ne drinke of herbes may ben his helpinge.

The vertu expulsif, or animal,

2750

Fro thilke vertu cleped natural

Ne may the venim voyden, ne expelle.

The pypes of his longes gonne to swelle,

And every lacerte in his brest adoun

Is shent with venim and corrupcioun.

2755

Him gayneth neither, for to gete his lyf,

Vomyt upward, ne dounward laxatif;

Al is to-brosten thilke regioun,

(1900)

Nature hath now no dominacioun.

And certeinly, ther nature wol nat wirche,

2760

Far-wel, phisyk! go ber the man to chirche!

This al and som, that Arcita mot dye,

For which he sendeth after Emelye,

And Palamon, that was his cosin dere;

Than seyde he thus, as ye shul after here.

2746. Hl. Pt. Corrumpith. 2760. E. fare; Cm. Hl. far.

2765

'Naught may the woful spirit in myn herte

[79: T. 2768-2803.]

Declare o poynt of alle my sorwes smerte

To yow, my lady, that I love most;

(1910)

But I biquethe the service of my gost

To yow aboven every creature,

2770

Sin that my lyf may no lenger dure.

Allas, the wo! allas, the peynes stronge,

That I for yow have suffred, and so longe!

Allas, the deeth! allas, myn Emelye!

Allas, departing of our companye!

2775

Allas, myn hertes quene! allas, my wyf!

Myn hertes lady, endere of my lyf!

What is this world? what asketh men to have?

(1920)

Now with his love, now in his colde grave

Allone, with-outen any companye.

2780

Far-wel, my swete fo! myn Emelye!

And softe tak me in your armes tweye,

For love of God, and herkneth what I seye.

2770. Tyrwhitt has ne may; ne is not in the MSS. 2781. E. taak.

I have heer with my cosin Palamon

Had stryf and rancour, many a day a-gon,

2785

For love of yow, and for my Ielousye.

And Iupiter so wis my soule gye,

To speken of a servant proprely,

(1930)

With alle circumstaunces trewely,

That is to seyn, trouthe, honour, and knighthede,

2790

Wisdom, humblesse, estaat, and heigh kinrede,

Fredom, and al that longeth to that art,

So Iupiter have of my soule part,

As in this world right now ne knowe I non

So worthy to ben loved as Palamon,

2795

That serveth yow, and wol don al his lyf.

And if that ever ye shul been a wyf,

Foryet nat Palamon, the gentil man.'

(1940)

And with that word his speche faille gan,

For from his feet up to his brest was come

2800

The cold of deeth, that hadde him overcome.

And yet more-over, in his armes two

[80: T. 2804-2840.]

The vital strengthe is lost, and al ago.

Only the intellect, with-outen more,

That dwelled in his herte syk and sore,

2805

Gan faillen, when the herte felte deeth,

Dusked his eyen two, and failled breeth.

But on his lady yet caste he his ye;

(1950)

His laste word was, 'mercy, Emelye!'

His spirit chaunged hous, and wente ther,

2810

As I cam never, I can nat tellen wher.

Therfor I stinte, I nam no divinistre;

Of soules finde I nat in this registre,

Ne me ne list thilke opiniouns to telle

Of hem, though that they wryten wher they dwelle.

2815

Arcite is cold, ther Mars his soule gye;

Now wol I speken forth of Emelye.

2785. E. Hn. Cp. Ialousye. 2789. Cp. Pt. Hl. and; rest om. 2799. For] E. And. feet] E. Hl. Cm. herte. 2801. All but Hl. ins. for before in.

Shrighte Emelye, and howleth Palamon,

(1960)

And Theseus his suster took anon

Swowninge, and bar hir fro the corps away.

2820

What helpeth it to tarien forth the day,

To tellen how she weep, bothe eve and morwe?

For in swich cas wommen have swich sorwe,

Whan that hir housbonds been from hem ago,

That for the more part they sorwen so,

2825

Or elles fallen in swich maladye,

That at the laste certeinly they dye.

2819. E. Hn. baar. 2822. Hl. can haue; rest om. can. 2823. E. housbond is.

Infinite been the sorwes and the teres

(1970)

Of olde folk, and folk of tendre yeres,

In al the toun, for deeth of this Theban;

2830

For him ther wepeth bothe child and man;

So greet a weping was ther noon, certayn,

Whan Ector was y-broght, al fresh y-slayn,

To Troye; allas! the pitee that was ther,

Cracching of chekes, rending eek of heer.

2835

'Why woldestow be deed,' thise wommen crye,

'And haddest gold y-nough, and Emelye?'

No man mighte gladen Theseus,

(1980)

Savinge his olde fader Egeus,

[81: T. 2841-2876.]

That knew this worldes transmutacioun,

2840

As he had seyn it chaungen up and doun,

Ioye after wo, and wo after gladnesse:

And shewed hem ensamples and lyknesse.

2828. E. eek; for 2nd folk. 2834. E. Hn. Cm. Pt. rentynge. 2840. Hn. chaungen; Hl. torne; rest om.

'Right as ther deyed never man,' quod he,

'That he ne livede in erthe in som degree,

2845

Right so ther livede never man,' he seyde,

'In al this world, that som tyme he ne deyde.

This world nis but a thurghfare ful of wo,

(1990)

And we ben pilgrimes, passinge to and fro;

Deeth is an ende of every worldly sore.'

2850

And over al this yet seyde he muchel more

To this effect, ful wysly to enhorte

The peple, that they sholde hem reconforte.

2843. Hn. deyed; E. dyed. 2849. E. worldes.

Duk Theseus, with al his bisy cure,

Caste now wher that the sepulture

2855

Of good Arcite may best y-maked be,

And eek most honurable in his degree.

And at the laste he took conclusioun,

(2000)

That ther as first Arcite and Palamoun

Hadden for love the bataille hem bitwene,

2860

That in that selve grove, swote and grene,

Ther as he hadde his amorous desires,

His compleynt, and for love his hote fires,

He wolde make a fyr, in which thoffice

Funeral he mighte al accomplice;

2865

And leet comaunde anon to hakke and hewe

The okes olde, and leye hem on a rewe

In colpons wel arrayed for to brenne;

(2010)

His officers with swifte feet they renne

And ryde anon at his comaundement.

2870

And after this, Theseus hath y-sent

After a bere, and it al over-spradde

With cloth of gold, the richest that he hadde.

And of the same suyte he cladde Arcite;

Upon his hondes hadde he gloves whyte;

[82: T. 2877-2913.]

2875

Eek on his heed a croune of laurer grene,

And in his hond a swerd ful bright and kene.

He leyde him bare the visage on the bere,

(2020)

Therwith he weep that pitee was to here.

And for the peple sholde seen him alle,

2880

Whan it was day, he broghte him to the halle,

That roreth of the crying and the soun.

2854. Hn. Caste; E. Hl. Cast. now] Hl. busyly. 2861. E. amorouse. 2863. E. the office; Hl. thoffice. 2869. E. ryden. 2875. Cp. Pt. Hl. croune; rest coroune.

Tho cam this woful Theban Palamoun,

With flotery berd, and ruggy asshy heres,

In clothes blake, y-dropped al with teres;

2885

And, passing othere of weping, Emelye,

The rewfulleste of al the companye.

In as muche as the service sholde be

(2030)

The more noble and riche in his degree,

Duk Theseus leet forth three stedes bringe,

2890

That trapped were in steel al gliteringe,

And covered with the armes of daun Arcite.

Up-on thise stedes, that weren grete and whyte,

Ther seten folk, of which oon bar his sheeld,

Another his spere up in his hondes heeld;

2895

The thridde bar with him his bowe Turkeys,

Of brend gold was the cas, and eek the harneys;

And riden forth a pas with sorweful chere

(2040)

Toward the grove, as ye shul after here.

The nobleste of the Grekes that ther were

2900

Upon hir shuldres carieden the bere,

With slakke pas, and eyen rede and wete,

Thurgh-out the citee, by the maister-strete,

That sprad was al with blak, and wonder hye

Right of the same is al the strete y-wrye.

2905

Up-on the right hond wente old Egeus,

And on that other syde duk Theseus,

With vessels in hir hand of gold ful fyn,

(2050)

Al ful of hony, milk, and blood, and wyn;

Eek Palamon, with ful greet companye;

2910

And after that cam woful Emelye,

With fyr in honde, as was that tyme the gyse,

[83: T. 2914-2949.]

To do thoffice of funeral servyse.

2883. E. rugged. 2892. Hl. that weren; rest om. 2893. E. Ln. sitten. 2894. E. om. up. 2901. Ln. slake (for slakke); rest slak. 2904. Hl. al; rest om. 2912. So Hl. Cp.; rest the office.

Heigh labour, and ful greet apparaillinge

Was at the service and the fyr-makinge,

2915

That with his grene top the heven raughte,

And twenty fadme of brede the armes straughte;

This is to seyn, the bowes were so brode.

(2060)

Of stree first ther was leyd ful many a lode.

But how the fyr was maked up on highte,

2920

And eek the names how the trees highte,

As ook, firre, birch, asp, alder, holm, popler,

Wilow, elm, plane, ash, box, chasteyn, lind, laurer,

Mapul, thorn, beech, hasel, ew, whippeltree,

How they weren feld, shal nat be told for me;

2925

Ne how the goddes ronnen up and doun,

Disherited of hir habitacioun,

In which they woneden in reste and pees,

(2070)

Nymphes, Faunes, and Amadrides;

Ne how the bestes and the briddes alle

2930

Fledden for fere, whan the wode was falle;

Ne how the ground agast was of the light,

That was nat wont to seen the sonne bright;

Ne how the fyr was couched first with stree,

And than with drye stokkes cloven a three,

2935

And than with grene wode and spycerye,

And than with cloth of gold and with perrye,

And gerlandes hanging with ful many a flour,

(2080)

The mirre, thencens, with al so greet odour;

Ne how Arcite lay among al this,

2940

Ne what richesse aboute his body is;

Ne how that Emelye, as was the gyse,

Putte in the fyr of funeral servyse;

Ne how she swowned whan men made the fyr,

Ne what she spak, ne what was hir desyr;

2945

Ne what Ieweles men in the fyr tho caste,

Whan that the fyr was greet and brente faste;

Ne how som caste hir sheeld, and som hir spere,

[84: T. 2950-2986.]

(2090)

And of hir vestiments, whiche that they were,

And cuppes ful of wyn, and milk, and blood,

2950

Into the fyr, that brente as it were wood;

Ne how the Grekes with an huge route

Thryes riden al the fyr aboute

Up-on the left hand, with a loud shoutinge,

And thryes with hir speres clateringe;

2955

And thryes how the ladies gonne crye;

Ne how that lad was hom-ward Emelye;

Ne how Arcite is brent to asshen colde;

(2100)

Ne how that liche-wake was y-holde

Al thilke night, ne how the Grekes pleye

2960

The wake-pleyes, ne kepe I nat to seye;

Who wrastleth best naked, with oille enoynt,

Ne who that bar him best, in no disioynt.

I wol nat tellen eek how that they goon

Hoom til Athenes, whan the pley is doon;

2965

But shortly to the poynt than wol I wende,

And maken of my longe tale an ende.

2916. Hl. tharme. 2920. how] E. that. 2921. Hn. Hl. popler; rest popelere. 2924. E. fild. 2926. Hl. Disheryt. 2928. E. Cm. Nymphus. 2934, 5, 6. Pt. Ln. than; rest thanne. 2934. E. Cp. stokkes; rest stikkes. 2943. E. om. the. 2945. Hl. tho; rest om. 2952. So all but Hl., which has Thre tymes; see l. 2954. E. place (for fyr). 2956. E. Hn. And (for Ne). 2958. E. Hn. lych; rest liche.

By processe and by lengthe of certeyn yeres

(2110)

Al stinted is the moorning and the teres

Of Grekes, by oon general assent.

2970

Than semed me ther was a parlement

At Athenes, up-on certeyn poynts and cas;

Among the whiche poynts y-spoken was

To have with certeyn contrees alliaunce,

And have fully of Thebans obeisaunce.

2975

For which this noble Theseus anon

Leet senden after gentil Palamon,

Unwist of him what was the cause and why;

(2120)

But in his blake clothes sorwefully

He cam at his comaundement in hye.

2980

Tho sente Theseus for Emelye.

Whan they were set, and hust was al the place,

And Theseus abiden hadde a space

Er any word cam from his wyse brest,

His eyen sette he ther as was his lest,

[85: T. 2987-3020.]

2985

And with a sad visage he syked stille,

And after that right thus he seyde his wille.

'The firste moevere of the cause above,

(2130)

Whan he first made the faire cheyne of love,

Greet was theffect, and heigh was his entente;

2990

Wel wiste he why, and what ther-of he mente;

For with that faire cheyne of love he bond

The fyr, the eyr, the water, and the lond

In certeyn boundes, that they may nat flee;

That same prince and that moevere,' quod he,

2995

'Hath stablissed, in this wrecched world adoun,

Certeyne dayes and duracioun

To al that is engendred in this place,

(2140)

Over the whiche day they may nat pace,

Al mowe they yet tho dayes wel abregge;

3000

Ther needeth non auctoritee allegge,

For it is preved by experience,

But that me list declaren my sentence.

Than may men by this ordre wel discerne,

That thilke moevere stable is and eterne.

3005

Wel may men knowe, but it be a fool,

That every part deryveth from his hool.

For nature hath nat take his beginning

(2150)

Of no partye ne cantel of a thing,

But of a thing that parfit is and stable,

3010

Descending so, til it be corrumpable.

And therfore, of his wyse purveyaunce,

He hath so wel biset his ordinaunce,

That speces of thinges and progressiouns

Shullen enduren by successiouns,

3015

And nat eterne be, with-oute lye:

This maistow understonde and seen at eye.

2994. Hn. Ln. that; rest (except Hl.) that same. Hl. and moeuere eek. 2995. Hl. Ln. stabled. 2997. Hl. alle that er; Cp. alle that beth. 3000. E. Cp. ins. noght bef. noon. Hl. tallegge; Hn. to allegge; Cm. Cp. Pt. to legge. 3006. E. dirryueth. 3007. Hl. Ln. take; rest taken; E. Cm. om. nat. 3008. Hl. ne; E. Hn. Pt. or of; Cm. or of a. 3015. So Hl.; rest eterne with-outen any lye. 3016. at] E. it.

'Lo the ook, that hath so long a norisshinge

(2160)

From tyme that it first biginneth springe,

[86: T. 3021-3058.]

And hath so long a lyf, as we may see,

3020

Yet at the laste wasted is the tree.

'Considereth eek, how that the harde stoon

Under our feet, on which we trede and goon,

Yit wasteth it, as it lyth by the weye.

The brode river somtyme wexeth dreye.

3025

The grete tounes see we wane and wende.

Than may ye see that al this thing hath ende.

3025. E. toures.

'Of man and womman seen we wel also,

(2170)

That nedeth, in oon of thise termes two,

This is to seyn, in youthe or elles age,

3030

He moot ben deed, the king as shal a page;

Som in his bed, som in the depe see,

Som in the large feeld, as men may se;

Ther helpeth noght, al goth that ilke weye.

Thanne may I seyn that al this thing moot deye.

3035

What maketh this but Iupiter the king?

The which is prince and cause of alle thing,

Converting al un-to his propre welle,

(2180)

From which it is deryved, sooth to telle.

And here-agayns no creature on lyve

3040

Of no degree availleth for to stryve.

3034. E. Cm. om. that. 3036. So Hl.; rest That is.

'Thanne is it wisdom, as it thinketh me,

To maken vertu of necessitee,

And take it wel, that we may nat eschue,

And namely that to us alle is due.

3045

And who-so gruccheth ought, he dooth folye,

And rebel is to him that al may gye.

And certeinly a man hath most honour

(2190)

To dyen in his excellence and flour,

Whan he is siker of his gode name;

3050

Than hath he doon his freend, ne him, no shame.

And gladder oghte his freend ben of his deeth,

Whan with honour up-yolden is his breeth,

Than whan his name apalled is for age;

For al forgeten is his vasselage.

3055

Than is it best, as for a worthy fame,

To dyen whan that he is best of name.

[87: T. 3059-3095.]

The contrarie of al this is wilfulnesse.

(2200)

Why grucchen we? why have we hevinesse,

That good Arcite, of chivalrye flour

3060

Departed is, with duetee and honour,

Out of this foule prison of this lyf?

Why grucchen heer his cosin and his wyf

Of his wel-fare that loved hem so weel?

Can he hem thank? nay, God wot, never a deel,

3065

That bothe his soule and eek hem-self offende,

And yet they mowe hir lustes nat amende.

3056. Hl. whan a man. 3059. Hl. Cp. Pt. Ln. ins. the bef. flour.

'What may I conclude of this longe serie,

(2210)

But, after wo, I rede us to be merie,

And thanken Iupiter of al his grace?

3070

And, er that we departen from this place,

I rede that we make, of sorwes two,

O parfyt Ioye, lasting ever-mo;

And loketh now, wher most sorwe is her-inne,

Ther wol we first amenden and biginne.

3071. Hl. that; rest om.

3075

'Suster,' quod he, 'this is my fulle assent,

With al thavys heer of my parlement,

That gentil Palamon, your owne knight,

(2220)

That serveth yow with wille, herte, and might,

And ever hath doon, sin that ye first him knewe,

3080

That ye shul, of your grace, up-on him rewe,

And taken him for housbonde and for lord:

Leen me your hond, for this is our acord.

Lat see now of your wommanly pitee.

He is a kinges brother sone, pardee;

3085

And, though he were a povre bacheler,

Sin he hath served yow so many a yeer,

And had for yow so greet adversitee,

(2230)

It moste been considered, leveth me;

For gentil mercy oghte to passen right.'

3077. your] E. thyn. 3082. Hn. Leen; rest Lene.

3090

Than seyde he thus to Palamon ful right;

'I trowe ther nedeth litel sermoning

To make yow assente to this thing.

Com neer, and tak your lady by the hond.'

[88: T. 3096-3110.]

Bitwixen hem was maad anon the bond,

3095

That highte matrimoine or mariage,

By al the counseil and the baronage.

And thus with alle blisse and melodye

(2240)

Hath Palamon y-wedded Emelye.

And God, that al this wyde world hath wroght,

3100

Sende him his love, that hath it dere a-boght.

For now is Palamon in alle wele,

Living in blisse, in richesse, and in hele;

And Emelye him loveth so tendrely,

And he hir serveth al-so gentilly,

3105

That never was ther no word hem bitwene

Of Ielousye, or any other tene.

Thus endeth Palamon and Emelye;

(2250)

And God save al this faire companye!--Amen.

Here is ended the Knightes Tale.

3095. E. Hn. Cp. Ln. matrimoigne; Pt. matrimoyne; Hl. matrimoyn. 3100. E. om. hath. 3104. Hl. also; rest so. 3106. E. Hn. Cp. Ialousye. Hl. ne of non othir teene. COLOPHON; so E. Hn.; Pt. Hl. endeth.

[89: T. 3111-3133.]

THE MILLER'S PROLOGUE.

Here folwen the wordes bitwene the Host and the Millere.

Whan that the Knight had thus his tale y-told,

3110

In al the route nas ther yong ne old

That he ne seyde it was a noble storie,

And worthy for to drawen to memorie;

And namely the gentils everichoon.

Our Hoste lough and swoor, 'so moot I goon,

3115

This gooth aright; unbokeled is the male;

Lat see now who shal telle another tale:

For trewely, the game is wel bigonne.

(10)

Now telleth ye, sir Monk, if that ye conne,

Sumwhat, to quyte with the Knightes tale.'

3120

The Miller, that for-dronken was al pale,

So that unnethe up-on his hors he sat,

He nolde avalen neither hood ne hat,

Ne abyde no man for his curteisye,

But in Pilates vois he gan to crye,

3125

And swoor by armes and by blood and bones,

'I can a noble tale for the nones,

With which I wol now quyte the Knightes tale.'

HEADING. From E. Heere; hoost. 3118. E. on; rest ye.

(20)

Our Hoste saugh that he was dronke of ale,

And seyde: 'abyd, Robin, my leve brother,

3130

Som bettre man shal telle us first another:

Abyd, and lat us werken thriftily.'

3128. Ln. oste; E. hoost; Hl. has--Oure hoost saugh wel how.

[90: T. 3134-3166.]

'By goddes soul,' quod he, 'that wol nat I;

For I wol speke, or elles go my wey.'

Our Hoste answerde: 'tel on, a devel wey!

3135

Thou art a fool, thy wit is overcome.'

3134. Pt. hooste; Ln. oste; E. hoost.

'Now herkneth,' quod the Miller, 'alle and some!

But first I make a protestacioun

(30)

That I am dronke, I knowe it by my soun;

And therfore, if that I misspeke or seye,

3140

Wyte it the ale of Southwerk, I yow preye;

For I wol telle a legende and a lyf

Bothe of a Carpenter, and of his wyf,

How that a clerk hath set the wrightes cappe.'

3140. E. Hn. Cm. om. yow.

The Reve answerde and seyde, 'stint thy clappe,

3145

Lat be thy lewed dronken harlotrye.

It is a sinne and eek a greet folye

To apeiren any man, or him diffame,

(40)

And eek to bringen wyves in swich fame.

Thou mayst y-nogh of othere thinges seyn.'

3147. E. Ln. Hl. defame; rest diffame.

3150

This dronken Miller spak ful sone ageyn,

And seyde, 'leve brother Osewold,

Who hath no wyf, he is no cokewold.

But I sey nat therfore that thou art oon;

3154

Ther been ful gode wyves many oon,

[T. om.

And ever a thousand gode ayeyns oon badde,

[T. om.

That knowestow wel thy-self, but-if thou madde.

Why artow angry with my tale now?

(50)

I have a wyf, pardee, as well as thou,

Yet nolde I, for the oxen in my plogh,

3160

Taken up-on me more than y-nogh,

As demen of my-self that I were oon;

I wol beleve wel that I am noon.

An housbond shal nat been inquisitif

Of goddes privetee, nor of his wyf.

3165

So he may finde goddes foyson there,

Of the remenant nedeth nat enquere.'

3150. E. dronke; Cm. dronkyn; rest dronken. 3155, 6. These two lines are in E. Cm. Hl. only. 3160. Cm. Takyn; rest Take, Tak. 3166. enquere] Cp. Pt. Ln. to enquere.

[91: T. 3167-3186.]

What sholde I more seyn, but this Millere

(60)

He nolde his wordes for no man forbere,

But tolde his cherles tale in his manere;

3170

Me thinketh that I shal reherce it here.

And ther-fore every gentil wight I preye,

For goddes love, demeth nat that I seye

Of evel entente, but that I moot reherce

Hir tales alle, be they bettre or werse,

3175

Or elles falsen som of my matere.

And therfore, who-so list it nat y-here,

Turne over the leef, and chese another tale;

(70)

For he shal finde y-nowe, grete and smale,

Of storial thing that toucheth gentillesse,

3180

And eek moralitee and holinesse;

Blameth nat me if that ye chese amis.

The Miller is a cherl, ye knowe wel this;

So was the Reve, and othere many mo,

And harlotrye they tolden bothe two.

3185

Avyseth yow and putte me out of blame;

And eek men shal nat make ernest of game.

Here endeth the prologe.

3170. E. Mathynketh; Hn. Cp. Ln. Hl. Me athynketh; Cm. Me thynkyth. 3172. demeth] Hl. as deme. 3173. E. yuel; Cm. euyl. 3177. Cp. chees; Cm. ches; rest chese. 3185. E. Cm. om. and. E. Cp. putteth; rest putte, put. 3186. E. Hn. Cm. maken; rest make. COLOPHON. From Cm.; Pt. Thus endeth the prologe; Ln. Explicit prologus; Hl. Here endeth the prologe of the Miller.

[92: T. 3187-3214.]

THE MILLERES TALE.

Here biginneth the Millere his tale.

Whylom ther was dwellinge at Oxenford

A riche gnof, that gestes heeld to bord,

And of his craft he was a Carpenter.

3190

With him ther was dwellinge a povre scoler,

Had lerned art, but al his fantasye

Was turned for to lerne astrologye,

And coude a certeyn of conclusiouns

To demen by interrogaciouns,

3195

If that men axed him in certein houres,

(10)

Whan that men sholde have droghte or elles shoures,

Or if men axed him what sholde bifalle

Of every thing, I may nat rekene hem alle.

3187. Cm. Pt. in (for at). 3190. Cm. Pt. Hl. pore; E. Hn. poure (= povre); Cp. Ln. pouer (= pover). 3195, 7. E. asked; rest axed.

This clerk was cleped hende Nicholas;

3200

Of derne love he coude and of solas;

And ther-to be was sleigh and ful privee,

And lyk a mayden meke for to see.

A chambre hadde he in that hostelrye

Allone, with-outen any companye,

3205

Ful fetisly y-dight with herbes swote;

(20)

And he him-self as swete as is the rote

Of licorys, or any cetewale.

His Almageste and bokes grete and smale,

His astrelabie, longinge for his art,

3210

His augrim-stones layen faire a-part

On shelves couched at his beddes heed:

His presse y-covered with a falding reed.

And al above ther lay a gay sautrye,

On which he made a nightes melodye

[93: T. 3215-3250.]

3215

So swetely, that al the chambre rong;

(30)

And Angelus ad virginem he song;

And after that he song the kinges note;

Ful often blessed was his mery throte.

And thus this swete clerk his tyme spente

3220

After his freendes finding and his rente.

3218. Cm. Pt. Ln. Hl. mery; E. myrie.

This Carpenter had wedded newe a wyf

Which that he lovede more than his lyf;

Of eightetene yeer she was of age.

Ialous he was, and heeld hir narwe in cage,

3225

For she was wilde and yong, and he was old

(40)

And demed him-self ben lyk a cokewold.

He knew nat Catoun, for his wit was rude,

That bad man sholde wedde his similitude.

Men sholde wedden after hir estaat,

3230

For youthe and elde is often at debaat.

But sith that he was fallen in the snare,

He moste endure, as other folk, his care.

3223. Hl. eyghteteene; rest xviij. 3225. E. yong and wylde. 3230. Cm. Hl. ben; rest is.

Fair was this yonge wyf, and ther-with-al

As any wesele hir body gent and smal.

3235

A ceynt she werede barred al of silk,

(50)

A barmclooth eek as whyt as morne milk

Up-on hir lendes, ful of many a gore.

Whyt was hir smok, and brouded al bifore

And eek bihinde, on hir coler aboute,

3240

Of col-blak silk, with-inne and eek with-oute.

The tapes of hir whyte voluper

Were of the same suyte of hir coler;

Hir filet brood of silk, and set ful hye:

And sikerly she hadde a likerous ye.

3245

Ful smale y-pulled were hir browes two,

(60)

And tho were bent, and blake as any sloo.

She was ful more blisful on to see

Than is the newe pere-ionette tree;

And softer than the wolle is of a wether.

3250

And by hir girdel heeng a purs of lether

[94: T. 3251-3285.]

Tasseld with silk, and perled with latoun.

In al this world, to seken up and doun,

There nis no man so wys, that coude thenche

So gay a popelote, or swich a wenche.

3255

Ful brighter was the shyning of hir hewe

(70)

Than in the tour the noble y-forged newe.

But of hir song, it was as loude and yerne

As any swalwe sittinge on a berne.

Ther-to she coude skippe and make game,

3260

As any kide or calf folwinge his dame.

Hir mouth was swete as bragot or the meeth,

Or hord of apples leyd in hey or heeth.

Winsinge she was, as is a Ioly colt,

Long as a mast, and upright as a bolt.

3265

A brooch she baar up-on hir lowe coler,

(80)

As brood as is the bos of a bocler.

Hir shoes were laced on hir legges hye;

She was a prymerole, a pigges-nye

For any lord to leggen in his bedde,

3270

Or yet for any good yeman to wedde.

3235. E. y-barred; rest barred. 3236. Hl. eek; rest om. 3238. Cp. brouded; Hl. browdid; Cm. I-brouded; E. Hn. broyden. 3251. E. Hn. Tasseled; Ln. Tassilde; Hl. Cp. Tassid. E. grene; rest silk. 3253. E. nas; Hn. Pt. Hl. nys; Cm. Cp. Ln. is. 3261. Cm. Pt. Cp. Ln. braket. 3265. Cm. lowe; rest loue. 3266. Cp. bocler; Hl. bocleer; rest bokeler.

Now sire, and eft sire, so bifel the cas,

That on a day this hende Nicholas

Fil with this yonge wyf to rage and pleye,

Whyl that hir housbond was at Oseneye,

3275

As clerkes ben ful subtile and ful queynte;

(90)

And prively he caughte hir by the queynte,

And seyde, 'y-wis, but if ich have my wille,

For derne love of thee, lemman, I spille.'

And heeld hir harde by the haunche-bones,

3280

And seyde, 'lemman, love me al at-ones,

Or I wol dyen, also god me save!'

And she sprong as a colt doth in the trave,

And with hir heed she wryed faste awey,

And seyde, 'I wol nat kisse thee, by my fey,

3285

Why, lat be,' quod she, 'lat be, Nicholas,

[95: T. 3286-3322.]

(100)

Or I wol crye out "harrow" and "allas."

Do wey your handes for your curteisye!'

3283. Cm. wrythed. 3285. Pt. she; Cm. Hl. sche; Ln. iche; rest ich.

This Nicholas gan mercy for to crye,

And spak so faire, and profred hir so faste,

3290

That she hir love him graunted atte laste,

And swoor hir ooth, by seint Thomas of Kent,

That she wol been at his comandement,

Whan that she may hir leyser wel espye.

'Myn housbond is so ful of Ialousye,

3295

That but ye wayte wel and been privee,

(110)

I woot right wel I nam but deed,' quod she.

'Ye moste been ful derne, as in this cas.'

'Nay ther-of care thee noght,' quod Nicholas,

'A clerk had litherly biset his whyle,

3300

But-if he coude a Carpenter bigyle.'

And thus they been acorded and y-sworn

To wayte a tyme, as I have told biforn.

Whan Nicholas had doon thus everydeel,

And thakked hir aboute the lendes weel,

3305

He kist hir swete, and taketh his sautrye,

(120)

And pleyeth faste, and maketh melodye.

3289. E. hir; rest him.

Than fil it thus, that to the parish-chirche,

Cristes owne werkes for to wirche,

This gode wyf wente on an haliday;

3310

Hir forheed shoon as bright as any day,

So was it wasshen whan she leet hir werk.

Now was ther of that chirche a parish-clerk,

The which that was y-cleped Absolon.

Crul was his heer, and as the gold it shoon,

3315

And strouted as a fanne large and brode;

(130)

Ful streight and even lay his Ioly shode.

His rode was reed, his eyen greye as goos;

With Powles window corven on his shoos,

In hoses rede he wente fetisly.

3320

Y-clad he was ful smal and proprely,

Al in a kirtel of a light wachet;

Ful faire and thikke been the poyntes set.

[96: T. 3323-3358.]

And ther-up-on he hadde a gay surplys

As whyt as is the blosme up-on the rys.

3325

A mery child he was, so god me save,

(140)

Wel coude he laten blood and clippe and shave,

And make a chartre of lond or acquitaunce.

In twenty manere coude he trippe and daunce

After the scole of Oxenforde tho,

3330

And with his legges casten to and fro,

And pleyen songes on a small rubible;

Ther-to he song som-tyme a loud quinible;

And as wel coude he pleye on his giterne.

In al the toun nas brewhous ne taverne

3335

That he ne visited with his solas,

(150)

Ther any gaylard tappestere was.

But sooth to seyn, he was somdel squaymous

Of farting, and of speche daungerous.

3319. Cm. hosyn; Pt. hosen; rest hoses. 3321. Hl. fyn (for light). Hl. Ln. wachet; Cm. vachet; rest waget. 3325. E. myrie; Hn. murye. 3327. E. Hn. maken. 3329. E. Hn. Oxenford; Cm. Oxenforthe; rest Oxenforde. 3333. E. his; rest a.

This Absolon, that Iolif was and gay,

3340

Gooth with a sencer on the haliday,

Sensinge the wyves of the parish faste;

And many a lovely look on hem he caste,

And namely on this carpenteres wyf.

To loke on hir him thoughte a mery lyf,

3345

She was so propre and swete and likerous.

(160)

I dar wel seyn, if she had been a mous,

And he a cat, he wolde hir hente anon.

3344. E. myrie; Hn. murye. 3347. E. Hl. wold; rest wolde.

This parish-clerk, this Ioly Absolon,

Hath in his herte swich a love-longinge,

3350

That of no wyf ne took he noon offringe;

For curteisye, he seyde, he wolde noon.

The mone, whan it was night, ful brighte shoon,

And Absolon his giterne hath y-take,

For paramours, he thoghte for to wake.

3353

And forth he gooth, Iolif and amorous,

(170)

Til he cam to the carpenteres hous

A litel after cokkes hadde y-crowe;

And dressed him up by a shot-windowe

[97: T. 3359-3392.]

That was up-on the carpenteres wal.

3360

He singeth in his vois gentil and smal,

'Now, dere lady, if thy wille be,

I preye yow that ye wol rewe on me,'

Ful wel acordaunt to his giterninge.

This carpenter awook, and herde him singe,

3365

And spak un-to his wyf, and seyde anon,

(180)

'What! Alison! herestow nat Absolon

That chaunteth thus under our boures wal?'

And she answerde hir housbond ther-with-al,

'Yis, god wot, Iohn, I here it every-del.'

3350. Hn. Hl. ne; rest om. 3362. Cm. preye; Hl. praye; Ln. preie; E. Hn. Cp. Pt. pray. E. wole; Cm. wele; Hn. Hl. wol; rest wil. E. thynke; rest rewe. 3364. E. om. him.

3370

This passeth forth; what wol ye bet than wel?

Fro day to day this Ioly Absolon

So woweth hir, that him is wo bigon.

He waketh al the night and al the day;

He kempte hise lokkes brode, and made him gay;

3375

He woweth hir by menes and brocage,

(190)

And swoor he wolde been hir owne page;

He singeth, brokkinge as a nightingale;

He sente hir piment, meeth, and spyced ale,

And wafres, pyping hote out of the glede;

3380

And for she was of toune, he profred mede.

For som folk wol ben wonnen for richesse,

And som for strokes, and som for gentillesse.

3371. E. repeats to day. 3374. Cm. kempte; Hn. Ln. kembed; Cp. kembede; E. Pt. kembeth. 3379. Cm. Pt. Ln. hote; E. Hn. Cp. hoot. 3380. E. profreth.

Somtyme, to shewe his lightnesse and maistrye,

He pleyeth Herodes on a scaffold hye.

3385

But what availleth him as in this cas?

(200)

She loveth so this hende Nicholas,

That Absolon may blowe the bukkes horn;

He ne hadde for his labour but a scorn;

And thus she maketh Absolon hir ape,

3390

And al his ernest turneth til a Iape.

Ful sooth is this proverbe, it is no lye,

Men seyn right thus, 'alwey the nye slye

[98: T. 3393-3429.]

Maketh the ferre leve to be looth.'

For though that Absolon be wood or wrooth,

3395

By-cause that he fer was from hir sighte,

(210)

This nye Nicholas stood in his lighte.

3384. Hl. Herodz; Ln. Heraude; rest Herodes, Heraudes. Hl. on; rest vp on. 3390. Hl. Pt. to; rest til.

Now bere thee wel, thou hende Nicholas!

For Absolon may waille and singe 'allas.'

And so bifel it on a Saterday,

3400

This carpenter was goon til Osenay;

And hende Nicholas and Alisoun

Acorded been to this conclusioun,

That Nicholas shal shapen him a wyle

This sely Ialous housbond to bigyle;

3405

And if so be the game wente aright,

(220)

She sholde slepen in his arm al night,

For this was his desyr and hir also.

And right anon, with-outen wordes mo,

This Nicholas no lenger wolde tarie,

3410

But doth ful softe un-to his chambre carie

Bothe mete and drinke for a day or tweye,

And to hir housbonde bad hir for to seye,

If that he axed after Nicholas,

She sholde seye she niste where he was,

3415

Of al that day she saugh him nat with ye;

(230)

She trowed that he was in maladye,

For, for no cry, hir mayde coude him calle;

He nolde answere, for no-thing that mighte falle.

3415. Cm. Pt. ye; Hl. Iye; rest eye. 3418. Hn. Cm. Cp. Ln. no thyng; Pt. Hl. nought; E. thyng. Pt. Hl. may bifalle. (Read mighte as might').

This passeth forth al thilke Saterday,

3420

That Nicholas stille in his chambre lay,

And eet and sleep, or dide what him leste,

Til Sonday, that the sonne gooth to reste.

This sely carpenter hath greet merveyle

Of Nicholas, or what thing mighte him eyle,

3425

And seyde, 'I am adrad, by seint Thomas,

(240)

It stondeth nat aright with Nicholas.

God shilde that he deyde sodeynly!

This world is now ful tikel, sikerly;

I saugh to-day a cors y-born to chirche

[99: T. 3430-3465.]

3430

That now, on Monday last, I saugh him wirche.

Go up,' quod he un-to his knave anoon,

'Clepe at his dore, or knokke with a stoon,

Loke how it is, and tel me boldely.'

This knave gooth him up ful sturdily,

3435

And at the chambre-dore, whyl that he stood,

(250)

He cryde and knokked as that he were wood:--

'What! how! what do ye, maister Nicholay?

How may ye slepen al the longe day?'

But al for noght, he herde nat a word;

3440

An hole he fond, ful lowe up-on a bord,

Ther as the cat was wont in for to crepe;

And at that hole he looked in ful depe,

And at the laste he hadde of him a sighte.

This Nicholas sat gaping ever up-righte,

3445

As he had kyked on the newe mone.

(260)

Adoun he gooth, and tolde his maister sone

In what array he saugh this ilke man.

3440. E. Hn. foond; Pt. foonde. 3444. E. Hn. Cp. capyng. 3445. Cp. Ln. keked; Hl. loked. 3447. E. Pt. that; rest this.

This carpenter to blessen him bigan,

And seyde, 'help us, seinte Frideswyde!

3450

A man woot litel what him shal bityde.

This man is falle, with his astromye,

In som woodnesse or in som agonye;

I thoghte ay wel how that it sholde be!

Men sholde nat knowe of goddes privetee.

3455

Ye, blessed be alwey a lewed man,

(270)

That noght but oonly his bileve can!

So ferde another clerk with astromye;

He walked in the feeldes for to prye

Up-on the sterres, what ther sholde bifalle,

3460

Til he was in a marle-pit y-falle;

He saugh nat that. But yet, by seint Thomas,

Me reweth sore of hende Nicholas.

He shal be rated of his studying,

If that I may, by Iesus, hevene king!

3451. E. Hn. Astromye; Ln. Arstromye; rest astronomye; but Astromye is meant; see l. 3457. 3457. So E. Hn.; rest astronomye. 3460. E. -put.

3465

Get me a staf, that I may underspore,

[100: T. 3466-3498.]

(280)

Whyl that thou, Robin, hevest up the dore.

He shal out of his studying, as I gesse'--

And to the chambre-dore he gan him dresse.

His knave was a strong carl for the nones,

3470

And by the haspe he haf it up atones;

In-to the floor the dore fil anon.

This Nicholas sat ay as stille as stoon,

And ever gaped upward in-to the eir.

This carpenter wende he were in despeir,

3475

And hente him by the sholdres mightily,

(290)

And shook him harde, and cryde spitously,

'What! Nicholay! what, how! what! loke adoun!

Awake, and thenk on Cristes passioun;

I crouche thee from elves and fro wightes!'

3480

Ther-with the night-spel seyde he anon-rightes

On foure halves of the hous aboute,

And on the threshfold of the dore with-oute:--

'Iesu Crist, and seynt Benedight,

Blesse this hous from every wikked wight,

3485

For nightes verye, the white pater-noster!

(300)

Where wentestow, seynt Petres soster?'

3466. E. of; rest vp, vpe. 3470. Cm. Hl. haf; E. Hn. haaf; Cp. heef. Hn. Pt. Ln. Hl. vp; rest of. 3473. E. Hn. caped; Hl. capyd; Cp. capede; rest gaped, gapede. 3477. Hl. man (for 3rd what); rest om. 3485. All but E. Hl. For the nyghtes. E. Hn. uerye; Cm. verie; Cp. Pt. verye; Ln. very; Hl. verray. 3486. Cm. wonyst thou; Hl. wonestow; after which Cm. Hl. ins. now.

And atte laste this hende Nicholas

Gan for to syke sore, and seyde, 'allas!

Shal al the world be lost eftsones now?'

3487. Hl. om. this. 3489. E. this; rest the.

3490

This carpenter answerde, 'what seystow?

What! thenk on god, as we don, men that swinke.'

3491. Hn. Pt. Hl. thenk; rest thynk; see 3478. Cm. as men don whan they swinke.

This Nicholas answerde, 'fecche me drinke;

And after wol I speke in privetee

Of certeyn thing that toucheth me and thee;

3495

I wol telle it non other man, certeyn.'

(310)

This carpenter goth doun, and comth ageyn,

And broghte of mighty ale a large quart;

And whan that ech of hem had dronke his part,

[101: T. 3499-3534.]

This Nicholas his dore faste shette,

3500

And doun the carpenter by him he sette.

He seyde, 'Iohn, myn hoste lief and dere,

Thou shall up-on thy trouthe swere me here,

That to no wight thou shalt this conseil wreye;

For it is Cristes conseil that I seye,

3505

And if thou telle it man, thou are forlore;

(320)

For this vengaunce thou shalt han therfore,

That if thou wreye me, thou shalt be wood!'

'Nay, Crist forbede it, for his holy blood!'

Quod tho this sely man, 'I nam no labbe,

3510

Ne, though I seye, I nam nat lief to gabbe.

Sey what thou wolt, I shal it never telle

To child ne wyf, by him that harwed helle!'

3501. Cp. Pt. hooste; Ln. ostee; Hl. host ful; E. Hn. hoost; Cm. ost. 3505. E. om. it. 3510. E. Hl. am; rest nam, ne am.

'Now John,' quod Nicholas, 'I wol nat lye;

I have y-founde in myn astrologye,

3515

As I have loked in the mone bright,

(330)

That now, a Monday next, at quarter-night,

Shal falle a reyn and that so wilde and wood,

That half so greet was never Noes flood.

This world,' he seyde, 'in lasse than in an hour

3520

Shal al be dreynt, so hidous is the shour;

Thus shal mankynde drenche and lese hir lyf.'

3516. a] Hl. on. 3519. Cm. Hl. om. 2nd in.

This carpenter answerde, 'allas, my wyf!

And shal she drenche? allas! myn Alisoun!'

For sorwe of this he fil almost adoun,

3525

And seyde, 'is ther no remedie in this cas?'

3525. Pt. Ln. om. ther.

(340)

'Why, yis, for gode,' quod hende Nicholas,

'If thou wolt werken after lore and reed;

Thou mayst nat werken after thyn owene heed.

For thus seith Salomon, that was ful trewe,

3530

"Werk al by conseil, and thou shalt nat rewe."

And if thou werken wolt by good conseil,

I undertake, with-outen mast and seyl,

Yet shal I saven hir and thee and me

Hastow nat herd how saved was Noe,

[102: T. 3535-3570.]

3535

Whan that our lord had warned him biforn

(350)

That al the world with water sholde be lorn?'

3527. E. aftir. 3534. E. hou. 3535. Hl. had; E. Hn. Cm. hadde.

'Yis,' quod this carpenter, 'ful yore ago.'

'Hastow nat herd,' quod Nicholas, 'also

The sorwe of Noe with his felawshipe,

3540

Er that he mighte gete his wyf to shipe?

Him had be lever, I dar wel undertake,

At thilke tyme, than alle hise wetheres blake,

That she hadde had a ship hir-self allone.

And ther-fore, wostou what is best to done?

3545

This asketh haste, and of an hastif thing

(360)

Men may nat preche or maken tarying.

3539. E. felaweshipe. 3540. E. brynge; rest gete. 3541. E. hadde; leuere. 3544. E. woostou; doone.

Anon go gete us faste in-to this in

A kneding-trogh, or elles a kimelin,

For ech of us, but loke that they be large,

3550

In whiche we mowe swimme as in a barge,

And han ther-inne vitaille suffisant

But for a day; fy on the remenant!

The water shal aslake and goon away

Aboute pryme up-on the nexte day.

3555

But Robin may nat wite of this, thy knave,

(370)

Ne eek thy mayde Gille I may nat save;

Axe nat why, for though thou aske me,

I wol nat tellen goddes privetee.

Suffiseth thee, but if thy wittes madde,

3560

To han as greet a grace as Noe hadde.

Thy wyf shal I wel saven, out of doute,

Go now thy wey, and speed thee heer-aboute.

3548. E. ellis. E. kymelyn; Hl. kemelyn.

But whan thou hast, for hir and thee and me,

Y-geten us thise kneding-tubbes three,

3565

Than shaltow hange hem in the roof ful hye,

(380)

That no man of our purveyaunce spye.

And whan thou thus hast doon as I have seyd,

And hast our vitaille faire in hem y-leyd,

And eek an ax, to smyte the corde atwo

3570

When that the water comth, that we may go,

[103: T. 3571-3606.]

And broke an hole an heigh, up-on the gable,

Unto the gardin-ward, over the stable,

That we may frely passen forth our way

Whan that the grete shour is goon away--

3575

Than shaltow swimme as myrie, I undertake,

(390)

As doth the whyte doke after hir drake.

Than wol I clepe, "how! Alison! how! John!

Be myrie, for the flood wol passe anon."

And thou wolt seyn, "hayl, maister Nicholay!

3580

Good morwe, I se thee wel, for it is day."

And than shul we be lordes al our lyf

Of al the world, as Noe and his wyf.

3565: E. Thanne. 3571. E. Pt. Ln. broke; rest breke. 3575. E. Thanne. E. shal I; rest shaltow, shalt thou. 3577. E. Thanne.

But of o thyng I warne thee ful right,

Be wel avysed, on that ilke night

3585

That we ben entred in-to shippes bord,

(400)

That noon of us ne speke nat a word,

Ne clepe, ne crye, but been in his preyere;

For it is goddes owne heste dere.

3588. E. heeste.

Thy wyf and thou mote hange fer a-twinne,

3590

For that bitwixe yow shal be no sinne

No more in looking than ther shal in dede;

This ordinance is seyd, go, god thee spede!

Tomorwe at night, whan men ben alle aslepe,

In-to our kneding-tubbes wol we crepe,

3595

And sitten ther, abyding goddes grace.

(410)

Go now thy wey, I have no lenger space

To make of this no lenger sermoning.

Men seyn thus, "send the wyse, and sey no-thing;"

Thou art so wys, it nedeth thee nat teche;

3600

Go, save our lyf, and that I thee biseche.'

3591. E. Hn. Na. 3592. E. Pt. Hl. so; rest go. 3593. E. folk; Cm. we; rest men. 3598. E. sende. 3599. E. to preche; Cp. to teche; rest teche.

This sely carpenter goth forth his wey.

Ful ofte he seith 'allas' and 'weylawey,'

And to his wyf he tolde his privetee;

And she was war, and knew it bet than he,

3605

What al this queynte cast was for to seye.

(420)

But nathelees she ferde as she wolde deye,

[104: T. 3607-3641.]

And seyde, 'allas! go forth thy wey anon,

Help us to scape, or we ben lost echon;

I am thy trewe verray wedded wyf;

3610

Go, dere spouse, and help to save our lyf.'

3608. Cm. er (for or). E. lost; rest dede, deede, ded. 3609. Cm. Hl. verray trewe.

Lo! which a greet thyng is affeccioun!

Men may dye of imaginacioun,

So depe may impressioun be take.

This sely carpenter biginneth quake;

3615

Him thinketh verraily that he may see

(430)

Noes flood come walwing as the see

To drenchen Alisoun, his hony dere.

He wepeth, weyleth, maketh sory chere,

He syketh with ful many a sory swogh.

3620

He gooth and geteth him a kneding-trogh,

And after that a tubbe and a kimelin,

And prively he sente hem to his in,

And heng hem in the roof in privetee.

His owne hand he made laddres three,

3625

To climben by the ronges and the stalkes

(440)

Un-to the tubbes hanginge in the balkes,

And hem vitailled, bothe trogh and tubbe,

With breed and chese, and good ale in a Iubbe,

Suffysinge right y-nogh as for a day.

3630

But er that he had maad al this array,

He sente his knave, and eek his wenche also,

Up-on his nede to London for to go.

And on the Monday, whan it drow to night,

He shette his dore with-oute candel-light,

3635

And dressed al thing as it sholde be.

(450)

And shortly, up they clomben alle three;

They sitten stille wel a furlong-way.

3611. E. Auctor (in margin). 3612. Hl. A man. E. Hn. dyen. Pt. Hl. for; Cm. thour; rest of. 3624. E. om. he; Hl. has than. 3626. E. In-to; Cm. Onto; rest Vnto. 3627. E. vitailleth. 3630. E. hadde. 3635. E. dresseth; rest dressed. E. Hn. Cm. alle. Hn. Cp. scholde; E. shal.

'Now, Pater-noster, clom!' seyde Nicholay,

And 'clom,' quod John, and 'clom,' seyde Alisoun.

3640

This carpenter seyde his devocioun,

And stille he sit, and biddeth his preyere,

[105: T. 3642-3677.]

Awaytinge on the reyn, if he it here.

The dede sleep, for wery bisinesse,

Fil on this carpenter right, as I gesse,

3645

Aboute corfew-tyme, or litel more;

(460)

For travail of his goost he groneth sore,

And eft he routeth, for his heed mislay.

Doun of the laddre stalketh Nicholay,

And Alisoun, ful softe adoun she spedde;

3650

With-outen wordes mo, they goon to bedde

Ther-as the carpenter is wont to lye.

Ther was the revel and the melodye;

And thus lyth Alison and Nicholas,

In bisinesse of mirthe and of solas,

3655

Til that the belle of laudes gan to ringe,

(470)

And freres in the chauncel gonne singe.

3643. Cm. Hl. verray; rest wery.

This parish-clerk, this amorous Absolon,

That is for love alwey so wo bigon,

Up-on the Monday was at Oseneye

3660

With companye, him to disporte and pleye,

And axed up-on cas a cloisterer

Ful prively after Iohn the carpenter;

And he drough him a-part out of the chirche,

And seyde, 'I noot, I saugh him here nat wirche

3665

Sin Saterday; I trow that he be went

(480)

For timber, ther our abbot hath him sent;

For he is wont for timber for to go,

And dwellen at the grange a day or two;

Or elles he is at his hous, certeyn;

3670

Wher that he be, I can nat sothly seyn.'

3660. E. With a compaignye. 3661. E. Cloistrer; Pt. Ln. Cloystrere.

This Absolon ful Ioly was and light,

And thoghte, 'now is tyme wake al night;

For sikirly I saugh him nat stiringe

Aboute his dore sin day bigan to springe.

3675

So moot I thryve, I shal, at cokkes crowe,

(490)

Ful prively knokken at his windowe

That stant ful lowe up-on his boures wal.

[106: T. 3678-3712.]

To Alison now wol I tellen al

My love-longing, for yet I shal nat misse

3680

That at the leste wey I shal hir kisse.

Som maner confort shal I have, parfay,

My mouth hath icched al this longe day;

That is a signe of kissing atte leste.

Al night me mette eek, I was at a feste.

3685

Therfor I wol gon slepe an houre or tweye,

(500)

And al the night than wol I wake and pleye.'

3672. E. Hl. wake; Cm. to wakyn; rest to wake. 3676. Hn. Cp. Pt. Ln. knokken; E. Cm. knokke; Hl. go knokke.

Whan that the firste cok hath crowe, anon

Up rist this Ioly lover Absolon,

And him arrayeth gay, at point-devys.

3690

But first he cheweth greyn and lycorys,

To smellen swete, er he had kembd his heer.

Under his tonge a trewe love he beer,

For ther-by wende he to ben gracious.

He rometh to the carpenteres hous,

3695

And stille he stant under the shot-windowe;

(510)

Un-to his brest it raughte, it was so lowe;

And softe he cogheth with a semi-soun--

'What do ye, hony-comb, swete Alisoun?

My faire brid, my swete cinamome,

3700

Awaketh, lemman myn, and speketh to me!

Wel litel thenken ye up-on my wo,

That for your love I swete ther I go.

No wonder is thogh that I swelte and swete;

I moorne as doth a lamb after the tete.

3705

Y-wis, lemman, I have swich love-longinge,

(520)

That lyk a turtel trewe is my moorninge;

I may nat ete na more than a mayde.'

3690. E. of; rest and. 3696. E. brist. 3697. Hn. cogheth; Cp. coughed; Hl. cowhith; Pt. kougheth; Cm. coude; E. knokketh. 3701. Cp. Pt. thenken; rest thynken, thynke.

'Go fro the window, Iakke fool,' she sayde,

'As help me god, it wol nat be "com ba me,"

3710

I love another, and elles I were to blame,

Wel bet than thee, by Iesu, Absolon!

Go forth thy wey, or I wol caste a ston,

[107: T. 3713-3745.]

And lat me slepe, a twenty devel wey!'

3709. E. Hn. com pa me; Cp. com pame; Cm. cumpame; Pt. compame; Hl. Ln. compaine; several MSS. come bame, combame; see note.

'Allas,' quod Absolon, 'and weylawey!

3715

That trewe love was ever so yvel biset!

(530)

Than kisse me, sin it may be no bet,

For Iesus love and for the love of me.'

3716. Cp. Pt. Ln. kisse; Hl. kisseth; rest kys.

'Wiltow than go thy wey ther-with?' quod she.

3718. E. om. ther-with.

'Ye, certes, lemman,' quod this Absolon.

3720

'Thanne make thee redy,' quod she, 'I come anon;'

[T. om.

And un-to Nicholas she seyde stille,

[T. om.

'Now hust, and thou shall laughen al thy fille.'

3721, 2. These 2 lines in E. only.

This Absolon doun sette him on his knees,

And seyde, 'I am a lord at alle degrees;

3725

For after this I hope ther cometh more!

(540)

Lemman, thy grace, and swete brid, thyn ore!'

3724. E. om. a.

The window she undoth, and that in haste,

'Have do,' quod she, 'com of, and speed thee faste,

Lest that our neighebores thee espye.'

3728. Cm. don; Hl. doon; Pt. doo; rest do. Hn. thee; rest the.

3730

This Absolon gan wype his mouth ful drye;

Derk was the night as pich, or as the cole,

And at the window out she putte hir hole,

And Absolon, him fil no bet ne wers,

But with his mouth he kiste hir naked ers

3735

Ful savourly, er he was war of this.

3731. E. Dirk. 3732. E. pitte.

(550)

Abak he sterte, and thoghte it was amis,

For wel he wiste a womman hath no berd;

He felte a thing al rough and long y-herd,

And seyde, 'fy! allas! what have I do?'

3736. E. Cm. stirte.

3740

'Tehee!' quod she, and clapte the window to;

And Absolon goth forth a sory pas.

'A berd, a berd!' quod hende Nicholas,

'By goddes corpus, this goth faire and weel!'

This sely Absolon herde every deel,

3745

And on his lippe he gan for anger byte;

(560)

And to him-self he seyde, 'I shal thee quyte!'

3743, 4. E. weel, deel; Ln. wele, dele; rest wel, del.

Who rubbeth now, who froteth now his lippes

[108: T. 3746-3780.]

With dust, with sond, with straw, with clooth, with chippes,

But Absolon, that seith ful ofte, 'allas!

3750

My soule bitake I un-to Sathanas,

But me wer lever than al this toun,' quod he,

'Of this despyt awroken for to be!

Allas!' quod he, 'allas! I ne hadde y-bleynt!'

His hote love was cold and al y-queynt;

3755

For fro that tyme that he had kiste hir ers,

(570)

Of paramours he sette nat a kers,

For he was heled of his maladye;

Ful ofte paramours he gan deffye,

And weep as dooth a child that is y-bete.

3760

A softe paas he wente over the strete

Un-til a smith men cleped daun Gerveys,

That in his forge smithed plough-harneys;

He sharpeth shaar and culter bisily.

This Absolon knokketh al esily,

3765

And seyde, 'undo, Gerveys, and that anon.'

3753. Hl. nadde bleynt. 3759. Cm. wepte; Hl. wept. 3763. E. Hn. kultour; Cp. Pt. Ln. culter.

(580)

'What, who artow?' 'It am I, Absolon.'

'What, Absolon! for Cristes swete tree,

Why ryse ye so rathe, ey, benedicite!

What eyleth yow? som gay gerl, god it woot,

3770

Hath broght yow thus up-on the viritoot;

By seynt Note, ye woot wel what I mene.'

3766. E. I am heere; rest it am I. 3770. E. Hn. Cp. viritoot; Pt. Vyritote; Ln. veritote; Cm. merytot; Hl. verytrot. 3771. Pt. Ln. seynt; rest seinte. Pt. Hl. Noet.

This Absolon ne roghte nat a bene

Of al his pley, no word agayn he yaf;

He hadde more tow on his distaf

3775

Than Gerveys knew, and seyde, 'freend so dere,

(590)

That hote culter in the chimenee here,

As lene it me, I have ther-with to done,

And I wol bringe it thee agayn ful sone.'

3776. E. kultour.

Gerveys answerde, 'certes, were it gold,

3780

Or in a poke nobles alle untold,

Thou sholdest have, as I am trewe smith;

Ey, Cristes foo! what wol ye do ther-with?'

[109: T. 3781-3815.]

3781. Hl. Ye schul him haue. 3782. Hl. fo; rest foo; ed. 1561, fote.

'Ther-of,' quod Absolon, 'be as be may;

I shal wel telle it thee to-morwe day'--

3785

And caughte the culter by the colde stele.

(600)

Ful softe out at the dore he gan to stele,

And wente un-to the carpenteres wal.

He cogheth first, and knokketh ther-with-al

Upon the windowe, right as he dide er.

3785. E. kultour.

3790

This Alison answerde, 'Who is ther

That knokketh so? I warante it a theef.'

'Why, nay,' quod he, 'god woot, my swete leef,

I am thyn Absolon, my dereling!

Of gold,' quod he, 'I have thee broght a ring;

3795

My moder yaf it me, so god me save,

(610)

Ful fyn it is, and ther-to wel y-grave;

This wol I yeve thee, if thou me kisse!'

3793. E. Hn. my; Cm. myn; Hl. O my; Cp. thi; Pt. thine; Ln. thin. E. deerelyng; Hn. Cm. Cp. derelyng.

This Nicholas was risen for to pisse,

And thoghte he wolde amenden al the Iape,

3800

He sholde kisse his ers er that he scape.

And up the windowe dide he hastily,

And out his ers he putteth prively

Over the buttok, to the haunche-bon;

And ther-with spak this clerk, this Absolon,

3805

'Spek, swete brid, I noot nat wher thou art.'

3800. E. om. ers.

(620)

This Nicholas anon leet flee a fart,

As greet as it had been a thonder-dent,

That with the strook he was almost y-blent;

And he was redy with his iren hoot,

3810

And Nicholas amidde the ers he smoot.

3810. E. om. the.

Of gooth the skin an hande-brede aboute,

The hole culter brende so his toute,

And for the smert he wende for to dye.

As he were wood, for wo he gan to crye--

3815

Help! water! water! help, for goddes herte!'

3812. E. kultour. 3813. And] Hn. That.

(630)

This carpenter out of his slomber sterte,

And herde oon cryen 'water' as he were wood,

[110: T. 3816-3848.]

And thoghte, 'Allas! now comth Nowelis flood!'

He sit him up with-outen wordes mo,

3820

And with his ax he smoot the corde a-two,

And doun goth al; he fond neither to selle,

Ne breed ne ale, til he cam to the celle

Up-on the floor; and ther aswowne he lay.

3818. E. Hn. Nowelis; Cp. Noweles (intentionally); Cm. Newelis; Pt. Ln. Hl. noes. 3821. Hl. he goth (for goth al). E. Hn. foond.

Up sterte hir Alison, and Nicholay,

3835

And cryden 'out' and 'harrow' in the strete.

(640)

The neighebores, bothe smale and grete,

In ronnen, for to gauren on this man,

That yet aswowne he lay, bothe pale and wan;

For with the fal he brosten hadde his arm;

3830

But stonde he moste un-to his owne harm.

For whan he spak, he was anon bore doun

With hende Nicholas and Alisoun.

They tolden every man that he was wood,

He was agast so of 'Nowelis flood'

3835

Thurgh fantasye, that of his vanitee

(650)

He hadde y-boght him kneding-tubbes three,

And hadde hem hanged in the roof above;

And that he preyed hem, for goddes love,

To sitten in the roof, par companye.

3828. E. Hn. he; rest om. 3831. Pt. Ln. Hl. born. 3834. E. Hn. Nowelis; Cp. Ln. the Nowels; Pt. the Noes; Hl. Noes. 3837. E. roue; see l. 3839. 3838. E. Hn. Ln. preyde.

3840

The folk gan laughen at his fantasye;

In-to the roof they kyken and they gape,

And turned al his harm un-to a Iape.

For what so that this carpenter answerde,

It was for noght, no man his reson herde;

3845

With othes grete he was so sworn adoun,

(660)

That he was holden wood in al the toun;

For every clerk anon-right heeld with other.

They seyde, 'the man is wood, my leve brother;'

And every wight gan laughen of this stryf.

3841. E. Hn. Cp. cape. 3846. E. holde. 3848. E. Hn. Hl. was; rest is. 3849. E. of this; Hn. at this; rest at his.

3850

Thus swyved was the carpenteres wyf,

[111: T. 3849-3852.]

For al his keping and his Ialousye;

And Absolon hath kist hir nether ye;

(667)

And Nicholas is scalded in the toute.

3854

This tale is doon, and god save al the route!

Here endeth the Millere his tale.

3850. E. this; rest the. 3852. Pt. Hl. ye; Hn. Iye; E. Ln. eye. 3853. E. Hn. the; rest his. COLOPHON. So E. (with Heere); Hl. Pn. Here endeth the Millers tale; Hn. Here is ended the Millerys tale; Cp. Ln. Explicit fabula Molendinarii.

[112: T. 3853-3882.]

THE REEVE'S PROLOGUE

The prologe of the Reves tale.

3855

Whan folk had laughen at this nyce cas

Of Absolon and hende Nicholas,

Diverse folk diversely they seyde;

But, for the more part, they loughe and pleyde,

Ne at this tale I saugh no man him greve,

3860

But it were only Osewold the Reve,

By-cause he was of carpenteres craft.

A litel ire is in his herte y-laft,

He gan to grucche and blamed it a lyte.

3862. E. Pt. om. is.

(10)

'So theek,' quod he, 'ful wel coude I yow quyte

3865

With blering of a proud milleres ye,

If that me liste speke of ribaudye.

But ik am old, me list not pley for age;

Gras-tyme is doon, my fodder is now forage,

This whyte top wryteth myne olde yeres,

3870

Myn herte is al-so mowled as myne heres,

But-if I fare as dooth an open-ers;

That ilke fruit is ever leng the wers,

Til it be roten in mullok or in stree.

(20)

We olde men, I drede, so fare we;

3875

Til we be roten, can we nat be rype;

We hoppen ay, whyl that the world wol pype.

For in oure wil ther stiketh ever a nayl,

To have an hoor heed and a grene tayl,

As hath a leek; for thogh our might be goon,

3880

Our wil desireth folie ever in oon.

For whan we may nat doon, than wol we speke;

Yet in our asshen olde is fyr y-reke.

3865. E. Ln. eye. 3867. E. Hn. no (for not). 3869. Hl. My (for This). 3870. E. mowled also. 3872. E. leng; Ln. longe: rest lenger. 3876. E. ay whil that; Hn. alwey whil that; rest alwey while.

Foure gledes han we, whiche I shal devyse,

(30)

Avaunting, lying, anger, coveityse;

[113: T. 3883-3918.]

3885

Thise foure sparkles longen un-to elde.

Our olde lemes mowe wel been unwelde,

But wil ne shal nat faillen, that is sooth.

And yet ik have alwey a coltes tooth,

As many a yeer as it is passed henne

3890

Sin that my tappe of lyf bigan to renne.

For sikerly, whan I was bore, anon

Deeth drogh the tappe of lyf and leet it gon;

And ever sith hath so the tappe y-ronne,

(40)

Til that almost al empty is the tonne.

3895

The streem of lyf now droppeth on the chimbe;

The sely tonge may wel ringe and chimbe

Of wrecchednesse that passed is ful yore;

With olde folk, save dotage, is namore.'

3885. E. eelde. 3886. E. vnweelde. 3893. Hn. sith; E. sithe.

Whan that our host hadde herd this sermoning,

3900

He gan to speke as lordly as a king;

He seide, 'what amounteth al this wit?

What shul we speke alday of holy writ?

The devel made a reve for to preche,

(50)

And of a souter a shipman or a leche.

3905

Sey forth thy tale, and tarie nat the tyme,

Lo, Depeford! and it is half-way pryme.

Lo, Grenewich, ther many a shrewe is inne;

It were al tyme thy tale to biginne.'

3904. E. Cm. And; rest Or. All but Hn. om. 2nd a. 3907. Cp. Pt. Ln. that (for ther). 3908. Pt. hie (for al).

'Now, sires,' quod this Osewold the Reve,

3910

'I pray yow alle that ye nat yow greve,

Thogh I answere and somdel sette his howve;

For leveful is with force force of-showve.

3912. In margin of E.--vim vi repellere.

This dronke millere hath y-told us heer,

(60)

How that bigyled was a carpenteer,

3915

Peraventure in scorn, for I am oon.

And, by your leve, I shal him quyte anoon;

Right in his cherles termes wol I speke.

I pray to god his nekke mote breke;

He can wel in myn ye seen a stalke,

3920

But in his owne he can nat seen a balke.

3918. Hl. tobreke; Pt. alto-breke. 3919. Pt. ye; Cp. ye; rest eye.

[114: T. 3919-3943.]

THE REVES TALE.

Here biginneth the Reves tale.

At Trumpington, nat fer fro Cantebrigge,

Ther goth a brook and over that a brigge,

Up-on the whiche brook ther stant a melle;

And this is verray soth that I yow telle.

3925

A Miller was ther dwelling many a day;

As eny pecok he was proud and gay.

Pypen he coude and fisshe, and nettes bete,

And turne coppes, and wel wrastle and shete;

And by his belt he baar a long panade,

3930

And of a swerd ful trenchant was the blade.

(11)

A Ioly popper baar he in his pouche;

Ther was no man for peril dorste him touche.

A Sheffeld thwitel baar he in his hose;

Round was his face, and camuse was his nose.

3935

As piled as an ape was his skulle.

He was a market-beter atte fulle.

Ther dorste no wight hand up-on him legge,

That he ne swoor he sholde anon abegge.

A theef he was for sothe of corn and mele,

3940

And that a sly, and usaunt for to stele.

(21)

His name was hoten deynous Simkin.

A wyf he hadde, y-comen of noble kin;

The person of the toun hir fader was.

With hir he yaf ful many a panne of bras,

3945

For that Simkin sholde in his blood allye.

[115: T. 3944-3976.]

She was y-fostred in a nonnerye;

For Simkin wolde no wyf, as he sayde,

But she were wel y-norissed and a mayde,

To saven his estaat of yomanrye.

3950

And she was proud, and pert as is a pye.

(31)

A ful fair sighte was it on hem two;

On haly-dayes biforn hir wolde he go

With his tipet bounden about his heed,

And she cam after in a gyte of reed;

3955

And Simkin hadde hosen of the same.

Ther dorste no wight clepen hir but 'dame.'

Was noon so hardy that wente by the weye

That with hir dorste rage or ones pleye,

But-if he wolde be slayn of Simkin

3960

With panade, or with knyf, or boydekin.

(41)

For Ialous folk ben perilous evermo,

Algate they wolde hir wyves wenden so.

And eek, for she was somdel smoterlich,

She was as digne as water in a dich;

3965

And ful of hoker and of bisemare.

Hir thoughte that a lady sholde hir spare,

What for hir kinrede and hir nortelrye

That she had lerned in the nonnerye.

3923. E. Hn. Cm. which; rest whiche. 3928. Hl. wrastle wel (om. and). 3934. Hl. camois; Pt. camoyse. 3939. E. was of corn and eek of Mele. 3941. E. Cp. Hl. hoote; Cm. hotyn; rest hoten. Pt. deyneyouse. 3944. panne] Cm. peny. 3948. E. But if; rest But. 3949. Hn. Cm. Pt. yemanrye. 3950. E. Hn. Pt. peert. 3951. Cm. Hl. on; rest vp-on. 3953. Cm. boundyn; Pt. bounden; Hn. Cp. Ln. wounden; Hl. ybounde. 3956. Hl. ma dame. 3958. Hl. elles (for ones). 3959. Hl. Symekyn. 3965. Hn. Cm. And; rest As. Hl. bissemare; Cp. bisemare; E. Hn. Pt. Ln. bismare.

A doghter hadde they bitwixe hem two

3970

Of twenty yeer, with-outen any mo,

(51)

Savinge a child that was of half-yeer age;

In cradel it lay and was a propre page.

This wenche thikke and wel y-growen was,

With camuse nose and yen greye as glas;

3975

With buttokes brode and brestes rounde and hye,

But right fair was hir heer, I wol nat lye.

3974. Cp. Pt. Ln. Hl. camoys. MSS. eyen, eyyen. 3975. E. Cm. om. With.

The person of the toun, for she was feir,

In purpos was to maken hir his heir

[116: T. 3977-4012.]

Bothe of his catel and his messuage,

3980

And straunge he made it of hir mariage.

(61)

His purpos was for to bistowe hir hye

In-to som worthy blood of auncetrye;

For holy chirches good moot been despended

On holy chirches blood, that is descended.

3985

Therfore he wolde his holy blood honoure,

Though that he holy chirche sholde devoure.

3977. E. Cm. This; rest The.

Gret soken hath this miller, out of doute,

With whete and malt of al the land aboute;

And nameliche ther was a greet collegge,

3990

Men clepen the Soler-halle at Cantebregge,

(71)

Ther was hir whete and eek hir malt y-grounde.

And on a day it happed, in a stounde,

Sik lay the maunciple on a maladye;

Men wenden wisly that he sholde dye.

3995

For which this miller stal bothe mele and corn

An hundred tyme more than biforn;

For ther-biforn he stal but curteisly,

But now he was a theef outrageously,

For which the wardeyn chidde and made fare.

4000

But ther-of sette the miller nat a tare;

(81)

He craketh boost, and swoor it was nat so.

3987. E. Cm. sokene.

Than were ther yonge povre clerkes two,

That dwelten in this halle, of which I seye.

Testif they were, and lusty for to pleye,

4005

And, only for hir mirthe and revelrye,

Up-on the wardeyn bisily they crye,

To yeve hem leve but a litel stounde

To goon to mille and seen hir corn y-grounde;

And hardily, they dorste leye hir nekke,

4010

The miller shold nat stele hem half a pekke

(91)

Of corn by sleighte, ne by force hem reve;

And at the laste the wardeyn yaf hem leve.

Iohn hight that oon, and Aleyn hight that other;

Of o toun were they born, that highte Strother,

[117: T. 4013-4045.]

4015

Fer in the north, I can nat telle where.

4002. Pt. Ln. Than; rest Thanne. 4004. Pt. Teestif. 4005. Ln. revelrie; rest reuerye; ed. 1561, reuelry. 4013. E. highte (1st); heet (2nd). Cp. Pt. Ln. Hl. hight.

This Aleyn maketh redy al his gere,

And on an hors the sak he caste anon.

Forth goth Aleyn the clerk, and also Iohn,

With good swerd and with bokeler by hir syde.

4020

Iohn knew the wey, hem nedede no gyde,

(101)

And at the mille the sak adoun he layth.

Aleyn spak first, 'al hayl, Symond, y-fayth;

How fares thy faire doghter and thy wyf?'

4019. E. Cm. Pt. om. with. 4020. Cp. needede (see l. 4161); E. Hn. Pt. neded; Cm. Hl. nedyth; Ln. nedeth. 4022. Hn. Symkyn; rest Symond, Symon; see l. 4026.

'Aleyn! welcome,' quod Simkin, 'by my lyf,

4025

And Iohn also, how now, what do ye heer?'

'Symond,' quod Iohn, 'by god, nede has na peer;

Him boes serve him-selve that has na swayn,

Or elles he is a fool, as clerkes sayn.

Our manciple, I hope he wil be deed,

4030

Swa werkes ay the wanges in his heed.

(111)

And forthy is I come, and eek Alayn,

To grinde our corn and carie it ham agayn;

I pray yow spede us hethen that ye may.'

4027. E. boes (= North. E. bus); Hn. Cp. bihoues; Pt. Ln. byhoueth; Cm. muste; Hl. falles. 4033. E. Hn. Cp. heythen; Ln. hethen (the right form); Cm. hene; Pt. hepen (for hethen).

'It shal be doon,' quod Simkin, 'by my fay;

4035

What wol ye doon whyl that it is in hande?'

'By god, right by the hoper wil I stande,'

Quod Iohn, 'and se how that the corn gas in;

Yet saugh I never, by my fader kin,

How that the hoper wagges til and fra.'

4036. E. hopur.

4040

Aleyn answerde, 'Iohn, and wiltow swa,

(121)

Than wil I be bynethe, by my croun,

And se how that the mele falles doun

In-to the trough; that sal be my disport.

For Iohn, in faith, I may been of your sort;

4045

I is as ille a miller as are ye.'

4040. Cp. Hl. and; rest om. 4044. E. Cm. yfayth. 4045. Cm. Pt. is (for are); Ln. es.

This miller smyled of hir nycetee,

And thoghte, 'al this nis doon but for a wyle;

[118: T. 4046-4079.]

They wene that no man may hem bigyle;

But, by my thrift, yet shal I blere hir ye

4050

For al the sleighte in hir philosophye.

(131)

The more queynte crekes that they make,

The more wol I stele whan I take.

In stede of flour, yet wol I yeve hem bren.

"The gretteste clerkes been noght the wysest men,"

4055

As whylom to the wolf thus spak the mare;

Of al hir art I counte noght a tare.'

4049. E. Ln. eye. 4051. E. Hn. Cp. Ln. crekes; Hl. knakkes. 4053. E. stide. 4054. E. Cm. Hl. om. the. 4056. Cm. I counte; Hl. ne counte I; rest counte I.

Out at the dore he gooth ful prively,

Whan that he saugh his tyme, softely;

He loketh up and doun til he hath founde

4060

The clerkes hors, ther as it stood y-bounde

(141)

Bihinde the mille, under a levesel;

And to the hors he gooth him faire and wel;

He strepeth of the brydel right anon.

And whan the hors was loos, he ginneth gon

4065

Toward the fen, ther wilde mares renne,

Forth with wehee, thurgh thikke and thurgh thenne.

4061. Cm. Cp. Ln. Hl. leuesel; E. lefsel; Hn. leefsel. 4064. E. Hn. Cp. Ln. laus; Hl. loos; Cm. los; Pt. louse; see l. 4138.

This miller gooth agayn, no word he seyde,

But dooth his note, and with the clerkes pleyde,

Til that hir corn was faire and wel y-grounde.

4070

And whan the mele is sakked and y-bounde,

(151)

This Iohn goth out and fynt his hors away,

And gan to crye 'harrow' and 'weylaway!

Our hors is lorn! Alayn, for goddes banes,

Step on thy feet, com out, man, al at anes!

4075

Allas, our wardeyn has his palfrey lorn.'

This Aleyn al forgat, bothe mele and corn,

Al was out of his mynde his housbondrye.

'What? whilk way is he geen?' he gan to crye.

4069. E. weel. 4074. E. out; Hn. Cm. Cp. Pt. Ln. of; Hl. on. 4078. E. geen; Hn. Ln. gane; Hl. gan; Cm. Cp. Pt. gon.

The wyf cam leping inward with a ren,

4080

She seyde, 'allas! your hors goth to the fen

(161)

With wilde mares, as faste as he may go.

[119: T. 4080-4114.]

Unthank come on his hand that bond him so,

And he that bettre sholde han knit the reyne.'

4082. E. Hn. boond.

'Allas,' quod Iohn, 'Aleyn, for Cristes peyne,

4085

Lay doun thy swerd, and I wil myn alswa;

I is ful wight, god waat, as is a raa;

By goddes herte he sal nat scape us bathe.

Why nadstow pit the capul in the lathe?

Il-hayl, by god, Aleyn, thou is a fonne!'

4084. E. Cm. om. Iohn. 4087. E. Hn. god; rest goddes, goddis. 4088. E. Hn. Cm. pit; rest put (putte).

4090

This sely clerkes han ful faste y-ronne

(171)

To-ward the fen, bothe Aleyn and eek Iohn.

And whan the miller saugh that they were gon,

He half a busshel of hir flour hath take,

And bad his wyf go knede it in a cake.

4095

He seyde, 'I trowe the clerkes were aferd;

Yet can a miller make a clerkes berd

For al his art; now lat hem goon hir weye.

Lo wher they goon, ye, lat the children pleye;

They gete him nat so lightly, by my croun!'

4094. E. om. a.

4100

Thise sely clerkes rennen up and doun

(181)

With 'keep, keep, stand, stand, Iossa, warderere,

Ga whistle thou, and I shal kepe him here!'

But shortly, til that it was verray night,

They coude nat, though they do al hir might,

4105

Hir capul cacche, he ran alwey so faste,

Til in a dich they caughte him atte laste.

4101. Cm. ware the rere; Hl. ware derere; rest warderere; ed. 1561, wartherere. 4104. E. do; Cm. don; rest dide (did).

Wery and weet, as beste is in the reyn,

Comth sely Iohn, and with him comth Aleyn.

'Allas,' quod Iohn, 'the day that I was born!

4110

Now are we drive til hething and til scorn.

(191)

Our corn is stole, men wil us foles calle,

Bathe the wardeyn and our felawes alle,

And namely the miller; weylaway!'

4107. Cm. beste; E. Hn. beest. 4110. E. Hl. dryue; rest dryuen (dreven). 4111. E. stoln me.

Thus pleyneth Iohn as he goth by the way

4115

Toward the mille, and Bayard in his hond.

The miller sitting by the fyr he fond,

[120: T. 4115-4147.]

For it was night, and forther mighte they noght;

But, for the love of god, they him bisoght

Of herberwe and of ese, as for hir peny.

4120

The miller seyde agayn, 'if ther be eny,

(201)

Swich as it is, yet shal ye have your part.

Myn hous is streit, but ye han lerned art;

Ye conne by argumentes make a place

A myle brood of twenty foot of space.

4125

Lat see now if this place may suffyse,

Or make it roum with speche, as is youre gyse.'

4123. E. Hn. Argumentz; Cm. argumentis; Cp. Hl. argumentes. 4126. E. in (for is).

'Now, Symond,' seyde Iohn, 'by seint Cutberd,

Ay is thou mery, and this is faire answerd.

I have herd seyd, man sal taa of twa thinges

4130

Slyk as he fyndes, or taa slyk as he bringes.

(211)

But specially, I pray thee, hoste dere,

Get us som mete and drinke, and make us chere,

And we wil payen trewely atte fulle.

With empty hand men may na haukes tulle;

4135

Lo here our silver, redy for to spende.'

4128. Cp. Pt. Ln. Hl. mery; E. Hn. myrie. 4129. E. taa; Cm. tan; Pt. taken; Hn. tak; Cp. take. 4131. E. Hn. hoost; Hl. host ful; Pt. hooste; Cp. Ln. ooste. 4134. Hl. na; Cp. naan; E. Hn. Cm. none; Pt. not.

This miller in-to toun his doghter sende

For ale and breed, and rosted hem a goos,

And bond hir hors, it sholde nat gon loos;

And in his owne chambre hem made a bed

4140

With shetes and with chalons faire y-spred,

(221)

Noght from his owne bed ten foot or twelve.

His doghter hadde a bed, al by hir-selve,

Right in the same chambre, by and by;

It mighte be no bet, and cause why,

4145

Ther was no roumer herberwe in the place.

They soupen and they speke, hem to solace,

And drinken ever strong ale atte beste.

Aboute midnight wente they to reste.

4138. E. Hn. Cp. boond. E. nat; Cm. not; Hn. namoore; Cp. namore; Pt. Ln. Hl. no more. 4147. E. drynke; Hn. Cp. Pt. drynken; Hl. Cm. dronken.

Wel hath this miller vernisshed his heed;

[121: T. 4148-4180.]

4150

Ful pale he was for-dronken, and nat reed.

(231)

He yexeth, and he speketh thurgh the nose

As he were on the quakke, or on the pose.

To bedde he gooth, and with him goth his wyf.

As any Iay she light was and Iolyf,

4155

So was hir Ioly whistle wel y-wet.

The cradel at hir beddes feet is set,

To rokken, and to yeve the child to souke.

And whan that dronken al was in the crouke,

To bedde went the doghter right anon;

4160

To bedde gooth Aleyn and also Iohn;

(241)

Ther nas na more, hem nedede no dwale.

This miller hath so wisly bibbed ale,

That as an hors he snorteth in his sleep,

Ne of his tayl bihinde he took no keep.

4165

His wyf bar him a burdon, a ful strong,

Men mighte hir routing here two furlong;

The wenche routeth eek par companye.

4151. Hl. yoxeth. 4160. E. wente; rest gooth (goth). 4161. Cp. needede (see l. 4020); rest neded. 4162. Hl. wysly; Cm. wysely; E. wisely; rest wisly. 4166. Hl. Cp. a (for two).

Aleyn the clerk, that herd this melodye,

He poked Iohn, and seyde, 'slepestow?

4170

Herdestow ever slyk a sang er now?

(251)

Lo, whilk a compline is y-mel hem alle!

A wilde fyr up-on thair bodyes falle!

Wha herkned ever slyk a ferly thing?

Ye, they sal have the flour of il ending.

4175

This lange night ther tydes me na reste;

But yet, na fors; al sal be for the beste.

For Iohn,' seyde he, 'als ever moot I thryve,

If that I may, yon wenche wil I swyve.

Som esement has lawe y-shapen us;

4180

For Iohn, ther is a lawe that says thus,

(261)

That gif a man in a point be y-greved,

That in another he sal be releved.

[122: T. 4181-4216.]

Our corn is stoln, shortly, it is na nay,

And we han had an il fit al this day.

4185

And sin I sal have neen amendement,

Agayn my los I wil have esement.

By goddes saule, it sal neen other be!'

4170. Cp. Herdestow; Cm. Ln. Herdist thou; Hl. Herdistow; E. Herdtow; Hn. Herd thow. 4171. E. whilk; Hn. Cp. Ln. swilke; Cm. swich; Pt. sclike; Hl. slik. 4171. Ln. compline; Hn. conplyng; Pt. conplinge; Hl. couplyng (wrongly); E. cowplyng; Cm. copil. 4181. Hl. (margin) Qui in vno grauatur in alio debet releuari. 4183. E. Cm. shortly; rest sothly. E. is; rest it is. Hn. Hl. na; E. ne; rest no (non). 4185. E. neen; Hn. naan; Hl. nan; rest non (noon); so in 4187.

This Iohn answerde, 'Alayn, avyse thee,

The miller is a perilous man,' he seyde,

4190

'And gif that he out of his sleep abreyde,

(271)

He mighte doon us bathe a vileinye.'

Aleyn answerde, 'I count him nat a flye;'

And up he rist, and by the wenche he crepte.

This wenche lay upright, and faste slepte,

4195

Til he so ny was, er she mighte espye,

That it had been to late for to crye,

And shortly for to seyn, they were at on;

Now pley, Aleyn! for I wol speke of Iohn.

This Iohn lyth stille a furlong-wey or two,

4200

And to him-self he maketh routhe and wo:

(281)

'Allas!' quod he, 'this is a wikked Iape;

Now may I seyn that I is but an ape.

Yet has my felawe som-what for his harm;

He has the milleris doghter in his arm.

4205

He auntred him, and has his nedes sped,

And I lye as a draf-sek in my bed;

And when this Iape is tald another day,

I sal been halde a daf, a cokenay!

I wil aryse, and auntre it, by my fayth!

4210

"Unhardy is unsely," thus men sayth.'

(291)

And up he roos and softely he wente

Un-to the cradel, and in his hand it hente,

And baar it softe un-to his beddes feet.

4206. E. Cm. sek; rest sak. 4213. E. the; rest his.

Sone after this the wyf hir routing leet,

4215

And gan awake, and wente hir out to pisse,

And cam agayn, and gan hir cradel misse,

And groped heer and ther, but she fond noon.

'Allas!' quod she, 'I hadde almost misgoon;

[123: T. 4217-4252.]

I hadde almost gon to the clerkes bed.

4220

By, benedicite! thanne hadde I foule y-sped:'

(301)

And forth she gooth til she the cradel fond.

She gropeth alwey forther with hir hond,

And fond the bed, and thoghte noght but good,

By-cause that the cradel by it stood,

4225,

And niste wher she was, for it was derk;

But faire and wel she creep in to the clerk,

And lyth ful stille, and wolde han caught a sleep.

With-inne a whyl this Iohn the clerk up leep,

And on this gode wyf he leyth on sore.

4230

So mery a fit ne hadde she nat ful yore;

(311)

He priketh harde and depe as he were mad.

This Ioly lyf han thise two clerkes lad

Til that the thridde cok bigan to singe.

4217. E. Hn. Pt. foond. 4223. E. Hn. foond. 4226. to] Cm. bi. 4230. E. myrie; om. ne. 4231. E. soore; Cm. sore; rest depe (deepe).

Aleyn wex wery in the daweninge,

4235

For he had swonken al the longe night;

And seyde, 'far wel, Malin, swete wight!

The day is come, I may no lenger byde;

But evermo, wher so I go or ryde,

I is thyn awen clerk, swa have I seel!'

4234. Cm. Ln. Pt. wex; rest wax. 4236. Cm. Cp. Hl. far; rest fare; see note.

4240

'Now dere lemman,' quod she, 'go, far weel!

(321)

But er thou go, o thing I wol thee telle,

Whan that thou wendest homward by the melle,

Right at the entree of the dore bihinde,

Thou shalt a cake of half a busshel finde

4245

That was y-maked of thyn owne mele,

Which that I heelp my fader for to stele.

And, gode lemman, god thee save and kepe!'

And with that word almost she gan to wepe.

4246. Cm. halp; E. Hn. heelp.

Aleyn up-rist, and thoughte, 'er that it dawe,

4250

I wol go crepen in by my felawe;

(331)

And fond the cradel with his hand anon,

'By god,' thoghte he, 'al wrang I have misgon;

Myn heed is toty of my swink to-night,

That maketh me that I go nat aright.

[124: T. 4253-4288.]

4255

I woot wel by the cradel, I have misgo,

Heer lyth the miller and his wyf also.'

And forth he goth, a twenty devel way,

Un-to the bed ther-as the miller lay.

He wende have cropen by his felawe Iohn;

4260

And by the miller in he creep anon,

(341)

And caughte hym by the nekke, and softe he spak:

He seyde, 'thou, Iohn, thou swynes-heed, awak

For Cristes saule, and heer a noble game.

For by that lord that called is seint Iame,

4265

As I have thryes, in this shorte night,

Swyved the milleres doghter bolt-upright,

Whyl thow hast as a coward been agast.'

'Ye, false harlot,' quod the miller, 'hast?

A! false traitour! false clerk!' quod he,

4270

'Thou shalt be deed, by goddes dignitee!

(351)

Who dorste be so bold to disparage

My doghter, that is come of swich linage?'

And by the throte-bolle he caughte Alayn.

And he hente hym despitously agayn,

4275

And on the nose he smoot him with his fest.

Doun ran the blody streem up-on his brest;

And in the floor, with nose and mouth to-broke,

They walwe as doon two pigges in a poke.

And up they goon, and doun agayn anon,

4280

Til that the miller sporned at a stoon,

(361)

And doun he fil bakward up-on his wyf,

That wiste no-thing of this nyce stryf;

For she was falle aslepe a lyte wight

With Iohn the clerk, that waked hadde al night.

4285

And with the fal, out of hir sleep she breyde--

'Help, holy croys of Bromeholm,' she seyde,

In manus tuas! lord, to thee I calle!

Awak, Symond! the feend is on us falle,

Myn herte is broken, help, I nam but deed;

4290

There lyth oon up my wombe and up myn heed;

[125: T. 4289-4322.]

(371)

Help, Simkin, for the false clerkes fighte.'

4277. in] Hn. on. 4278. Hl. walweden as pigges. 4280. Hn. on; Cm. ayen; rest at. 4283. E. lite; Cm. lyte; rest litel. 4286. Cm. Pt. Ln. Bromeholm; rest Bromholm. 4290. Cp. Ln. vp (twice). E. Hn. Cm. Pt. Hl. vp on (for 1st up). E. Cm. Pt. Hl. on (Hn. vp); for 2nd vp.

This Iohn sterte up as faste as ever he mighte,

And graspeth by the walles to and fro,

To finde a staf; and she sterte up also,

4295

And knew the estres bet than dide this Iohn,

And by the wal a staf she fond, anon,

And saugh a litel shimering of a light,

For at an hole in shoon the mone bright;

And by that light she saugh hem bothe two,

4300

But sikerly she niste who was who,

(38l)

But as she saugh a whyt thing in hir ye.

And whan she gan the whyte thing espye,

She wende the clerk hadde wered a volupeer.

And with the staf she drough ay neer and neer,

4305

And wende han hit this Aleyn at the fulle,

And smoot the miller on the pyled skulle,

That doun he gooth and cryde, 'harrow! I dye!'

Thise clerkes bete him weel and lete him lye;

And greythen hem, and toke hir hors anon,

4310

And eek hir mele, and on hir wey they gon.

(391)

And at the mille yet they toke hir cake

Of half a busshel flour, ful wel y-bake.

4292. E. Cm. stirte. E. soone (for faste). 4296. E. Hn. foond; Hl. took. 4301. Hl. ye; Hn. Iye; rest eye. 4307. E. Cm. Hl. And; rest That. 4309. Hl. greyth; Cm. hastede.

Thus is the proude miller wel y-bete,

And hath y-lost the grinding of the whete,

4315

And payed for the soper every-deel

Of Aleyn and of Iohn, that bette him weel.

His wyf is swyved, and his doghter als;

Lo, swich it is a miller to be fals!

And therfore this proverbe is seyd ful sooth,

4320

'Him thar nat wene wel that yvel dooth;

(401)

A gylour shal him-self bigyled be.'

And God, that sitteth heighe in magestee,

Save al this companye grete and smale!

Thus have I quit the miller in my tale.

Here is ended the Reves tale.

4320. E. Hn. yuele; Cm. euele. 4322. E. Trinitee; rest magestee (mageste). COLOPHON. Hn. Hl. Here endeth the Reves tale.

[126: T. 4323-4347.]

THE COOK'S PROLOGUE.

The prologe of the Cokes Tale.

4325

The Cook of London, whyl the Reve spak,

For Ioye, him thoughte, he clawed him on the bak,

'Ha! ha!' quod he, 'for Cristes passioun,

This miller hadde a sharp conclusioun

Upon his argument of herbergage!

4330

Wel seyde Salomon in his langage,

"Ne bringe nat every man in-to thyn hous;"

For herberwing by nighte is perilous.

Wel oghte a man avysed for to be

(10)

Whom that he broghte in-to his privetee.

4335

I pray to god, so yeve me sorwe and care,

If ever, sith I highte Hogge of Ware,

Herde I a miller bettre y-set a-werk.

He hadde a Iape of malice in the derk.

But god forbede that we stinten here;

4340

And therfore, if ye vouche-sauf to here

A tale of me, that am a povre man,

I wol yow telle as wel as ever I can

A litel Iape that fil in our citee.'

4325. E. whil that the. 4332. Hl. herburgage. 4336. Hn. sith; E. sitthe; Hl. siththe; Cp. Pt. Ln. sithen. 4339. Hn. Hl. stynten; E. stynte. 4339, 4340. Last two words glossed hic and audire in E. Hn.

(20)

Our host answerde, and seide, 'I graunte it thee;

4345

Now telle on, Roger, loke that it be good;

For many a pastee hastow laten blood,

And many a Iakke of Dover hastow sold

That hath been twyes hoot and twyes cold.

Of many a pilgrim hastow Cristes curs,

[127: T. 4348-4362.]

4350

For of thy persly yet they fare the wors,

That they han eten with thy stubbel-goos;

For in thy shoppe is many a flye loos.

Now telle on, gentil Roger, by thy name.

(30)

But yet I pray thee, be nat wrooth for game,

4355

A man may seye ful sooth in game and pley.'

4347. E. Hn. Cm. Ln. Douere. E. Hn. soold. 4348. E. Hn. coold. 4350. Hl. persly; Hn. persle; E. percely. 4355. Hl. omits.

'Thou seist ful sooth,' quod Roger, 'by my fey,

But "sooth pley, quaad pley," as the Fleming seith;

And ther-fore, Herry Bailly, by thy feith,

Be thou nat wrooth, er we departen heer,

4360

Though that my tale be of an hostileer.

But nathelees I wol nat telle it yit,

But er we parte, y-wis, thou shalt be quit.'

And ther-with-al he lough and made chere,

(40)

And seyde his tale, as ye shul after here.

Thus endeth the Prologe of the Cokes tale.

4357. E. Cm. quaad; Cp. Hl. quad; rest quade. 4359. E. na (for nat). COLOPHON. In Pt.; Ln. Explicit prologus.

[128: T. 4363-4390.]

THE COKES TALE.

Heer bigynneth the Cokes tale.

4365

A prentis whylom dwelled in our citee,

And of a craft of vitaillers was he;

Gaillard he was as goldfinch in the shawe,

Broun as a berie, a propre short felawe,

With lokkes blake, y-kempt ful fetisly.

4370

Dauncen he coude so wel and Iolily,

That he was cleped Perkin Revelour.

He was as ful of love and paramour

As is the hyve ful of hony swete;

(10)

Wel was the wenche with him mighte mete.

4375

At every brydale wolde he singe and hoppe,

He loved bet the taverne than the shoppe.

4366. E. vitailliers. 4369. E. ykempd; Hn. ykembd; rest ykempt.

For whan ther any ryding was in Chepe,

Out of the shoppe thider wolde he lepe.

Til that he hadde al the sighte y-seyn,

4380

And daunced wel, he wolde nat come ageyn.

And gadered him a meinee of his sort

To hoppe and singe, and maken swich disport.

And ther they setten Steven for to mete

(20)

To pleyen at the dys in swich a strete.

4385

For in the toune nas ther no prentys,

That fairer coude caste a paire of dys

Than Perkin coude, and ther-to he was free

Of his dispense, in place of privetee.

That fond his maister wel in his chaffare;

4390

For often tyme he fond his box ful bare.

For sikerly a prentis revelour,

That haunteth dys, riot, or paramour,

[129: T. 4391-4420.]

His maister shal it in his shoppe abye,

(30)

Al have he no part of the minstralcye;

4395

For thefte and riot, they ben convertible,

Al conne he pleye on giterne or ribible.

Revel and trouthe, as in a low degree,

They been ful wrothe al day, as men may see.

4380. E. ayeyn. 4383. Pt. Ln. steuen; rest steuene. 4385. Pt. Ln. toune; rest toun. 4396. E. Ln. ribible; rest rubible. 4397. E. lowe.

This Ioly prentis with his maister bood,

4400

Til he were ny out of his prentishood,

Al were he snibbed bothe erly and late,

And somtyme lad with revel to Newgate;

But atte laste his maister him bithoghte,

(40)

Up-on a day, whan he his paper soghte,

4405

Of a proverbe that seith this same word,

'Wel bet is roten appel out of hord

Than that it rotie al the remenaunt.'

So fareth it by a riotous servaunt;

It is wel lasse harm to lete him pace,

4410

Than he shende alle the servants in the place.

Therfore his maister yaf him acquitance,

And bad him go with sorwe and with meschance;

And thus this Ioly prentis hadde his leve.

(50)

Now lat him riote al the night or leve.

4402. E. Newegate. 4404. E. Hn. Hl. papir. 4406. E. Hn. Cp. Hl. Appul. 4410. E. seruantz.

4415

And for ther is no theef with-oute a louke,

That helpeth him to wasten and to souke

Of that he brybe can or borwe may,

Anon he sente his bed and his array

Un-to a compeer of his owne sort,

4420

That lovede dys and revel and disport,

And hadde a wyf that heeld for countenance

4422

A shoppe, and swyved for hir sustenance.

Of this Cokes tale maked Chaucer na more.

[For The Tale of Gamelin, see the Appendix.]

4415-22. Hl.

Table of Contents

Unnamed

The Present Text

The MSS

In the British Museum

In Oxford

In Cambridge

In other Public Libraries

In private hands

The Printed Editions

Plan of the present Edition

Table of symbols denoting MSS

Table showing various ways of numbering the lines

The four types of MSS

The Prologue

The Knightes Tale

The Miller's Prologue

The Milleres Tale

The Reeve's Prologue

The Reves Tale

The Cook's Prologue

The Cokes Tale

Introduction to the Man of Law's Prologue

Man of Law's Prologue

The Tale of the Man of Lawe

The Shipman's Prologue

The Shipmannes Tale

The Prioress's Prologue

The Prioresses Tale

Prologue to Sir Thopas

Sir Thopas

Prologue to Melibeus

The Tale of Melibeus

The Monk's Prologue

The Monkes Tale

Lucifer

Adam

Sampson

Hercules

Nabugodonosor

Balthasar

Cenobia

De Petro Rege Ispannie

De Petro Rege De Cipro

De Barnabo de Lumbardia

De Hugelino Comite de Pize

Nero

De Oloferno

De Rege Anthiocho

De Alexandro

De Iulio Cesare