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The Canterbury Tales and Other Works of Chaucer (Middle English), by Geoffery Chaucer, [14th cent.], at sacred-texts.com

The Canterbury Tales

The Knight's Tale

 Whilom, as olde stories tellen us,
860 Ther was a duc that highte Theseus;
 Of Atthenes 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;
 What with his wysdom and his chivalrie,
 He conquered al the regne of Femenye,
 That whilom was ycleped Scithia,
 And weddede the queene Ypolita,
 And broghte hire hoom with hym in his contree
870 With muchel glorie and greet solempnytee,
 And eek hir yonge suster Emelye.
 And thus with victorie and with melodye
 Lete I this noble duc to Atthenes ryde,
 And al his hoost in armes hym bisyde.
 And certes, if it nere to long to heere,
 I wolde have toold yow fully the manere
 How wonnen was the regne of Femenye
 By Theseus and by his chivalrye;
 And of the grete bataille for the nones
880 Bitwixen Atthenes and Amazones;
 And how asseged was Ypolita,
 The faire, hardy queene of Scithia;
 And of the feste that was at hir weddynge,
 And of the tempest at hir hoom-comynge;
 But al that thyng I moot as now forbere.
 I have, God woot, a large feeld to ere,
 And wayke been the oxen in my plough.
 The remenant of the tale is long ynough.
 I wol nat letten eek noon of this route;
890 Lat every felawe telle his tale aboute,
 And lat se now who shal the soper wynne;
 And ther I lefte, I wol ayeyn bigynne.
 This duc, of whom I make mencioun,
 Whan he was come almoost unto the toun,
 In al his wele and in his mooste pride,
 He was war, as he caste his eye aside,
 Where that ther kneled in the heighe weye
 A compaignye of ladyes, tweye and tweye,
 Ech after oother clad in clothes blake;
900 But swich a cry and swich a wo they make
 That in this world nys creature lyvynge
 That herde swich another waymentynge;
 And of this cry they nolde nevere stenten
 Til they the reynes of his brydel henten.
 "What folk been ye, that at myn hom-comynge
 Perturben so my feste with criynge?"
 Quod Theseus. "Have ye so greet envye
 Of myn honour, that thus compleyne and crye?
 Or who hath yow mysboden or offended?
910 And telleth me if it may been amended,
 And why that ye been clothed thus in blak."
 The eldeste lady of hem alle spak,
 Whan she hadde swowned with a deedly cheere,
 That it was routhe for to seen and heere;
 She seyde, "Lord, to whom Fortune hath yiven
 Victorie, and as a conqueror to lyven,
 Nat greveth us youre glorie and youre honour,
 But we biseken mercy and socour.
 Have mercy on oure wo and oure distresse!
920 Som drope of pitee, thurgh thy gentillesse,
 Upon us wrecched wommen lat thou falle,
 For, certes, lord, ther is noon of us alle
 That she ne hath been a duchesse or a queene.
 Now be we caytyves, as it is wel seene,
 Thanked be Fortune and hire false wheel,
 That noon estaat assureth to be weel.
 And certes, lord, to abyden youre presence,
 Heere in this temple of the goddesse Clemence
 We han ben waitynge al this fourtenyght.
930 Now help us, lord, sith it is in thy myght.
 "I, wrecche, which that wepe and wayle thus,
 Was whilom wyf to kyng Cappaneus,
 That starf at Thebes -- cursed be that day! --
 And alle we that been in this array
 And maken al this lamentacioun,
 We losten alle oure housbondes at that toun,
 Whil that the seege theraboute lay.
 And yet now the olde Creon -- weylaway! --
 That lord is now of Thebes the citee,
940 Fulfild of ire and of iniquitee,
 He, for despit and for his tirannye,
 To do the dede bodyes vileynye
 Of alle oure lordes whiche that been yslawe,
 Hath alle the bodyes on an heep ydrawe,
 And wol nat suffren hem, by noon assent,
 Neither to been yburyed nor ybrent,
 But maketh houndes ete hem in despit."
 And with that word, withouten moore respit,
 They fillen gruf and criden pitously,
950 "Have on us wrecched wommen som mercy,
 And lat oure sorwe synken in thyn herte."
 This gentil duc doun from his courser sterte
 With herte pitous, whan he herde hem speke.
 Hym thoughte that his herte wolde breke,
 Whan he saugh hem so pitous and so maat,
 That whilom weren of so greet estaat;
 And in his armes he hem alle up hente,
 And hem conforteth in ful good entente,
 And swoor his ooth, as he was trewe knyght,
960 He wolde doon so ferforthly his myght
 Upon the tiraunt Creon hem to wreke
 That al the peple of Grece sholde speke
 How Creon was of Theseus yserved
 As he that hadde his deeth ful wel deserved.
 And right anoon, withouten moore abood,
 His baner he desplayeth, and forth rood
 To Thebes-ward, and al his hoost biside.
 No neer Atthenes wolde he go ne ride,
 Ne take his ese fully half a day,
970 But onward on his wey that nyght he lay,
 And sente anon Ypolita the queene,
 And Emelye, hir yonge suster sheene,
 Unto the toun of Atthenes to dwelle,
 And forth he rit; ther is namoore to telle.
 The rede statue of Mars, with spere and targe,
 So shyneth in his white baner large
 That alle the feeldes glyteren up and doun;
 And by his baner born is his penoun
 Of gold ful riche, in which ther was ybete

 

 

980 The Mynotaur, which that he wan in Crete.
 Thus rit this duc, thus rit this conquerour,
 And in his hoost of chivalrie the flour,
 Til that he cam to Thebes and alighte
 Faire in a feeld, ther as he thoughte to fighte.
 But shortly for to speken of this thyng,
 With Creon, which that was of Thebes kyng,
 He faught, and slough hym manly as a knyght
 In pleyn bataille, and putte the folk to flyght;
 And by assaut he wan the citee after,
990 And rente adoun bothe wall and sparre and rafter;
 And to the ladyes he restored agayn
 The bones of hir freendes that were slayn,
 To doon obsequies, as was tho the gyse.
 But it were al to longe for to devyse
 The grete clamour and the waymentynge
 That the ladyes made at the brennynge
 Of the bodies, and the grete honour
 That Theseus, the noble conquerour,
 Dooth to the ladyes, whan they from hym wente;
1000 But shortly for to telle is myn entente.
 Whan that this worthy duc, this Theseus,
 Hath Creon slayn and wonne Thebes thus,
 Stille in that feeld he took al nyght his reste,
 And dide with al the contree as hym leste.
 To ransake in the taas of bodyes dede,
 Hem for to strepe of harneys and of wede,
 The pilours diden bisynesse and cure
 After the bataille and disconfiture.
 And so bifel that in the taas they founde,
1010 Thurgh-girt with many a grevous blody wounde,
 Two yonge knyghtes liggynge by and by,
 Bothe in oon armes, wroght ful richely,
 Of whiche two Arcita highte that oon,
 And that oother knyght highte Palamon.
 Nat fully quyke, ne fully dede they were,
 But by hir cote-armures and by hir gere
 The heraudes knewe hem best in special
 As they that weren of the blood roial
 Of Thebes, and of sustren two yborn.
1020 Out of the taas the pilours han hem torn,
 And han hem caried softe unto the tente
 Of Theseus; and he ful soone hem sente
 To Atthenes, to dwellen in prisoun
 Perpetuelly -- he nolde no raunsoun.
 And whan this worthy duc hath thus ydon,
 He took his hoost, and hoom he rit anon
 With laurer crowned as a conquerour;
 And ther he lyveth in joye and in honour
 Terme of his lyf; what nedeth wordes mo?
1030 And in a tour, in angwissh and in wo,
 This Palamon and his felawe Arcite
 For everemoore; ther may no gold hem quite.
 This passeth yeer by yeer and day by day,
 Till it fil ones, in a morwe of May,
 That Emelye, that fairer was to sene
 Than is the lylie upon his stalke grene,
 And fressher than the May with floures newe --
 For with the rose colour stroof hire hewe,
 I noot which was the fyner of hem two --
1040 Er it were day, as was hir wone to do,
 She was arisen and al redy dight,
 For May wole have no slogardie anyght.
 The sesoun priketh every gentil herte,
 And maketh it out of his slep to sterte,
 And seith "Arys, and do thyn observaunce."
 This maked Emelye have remembraunce
 To doon honour to May, and for to ryse.
 Yclothed was she fressh, for to devyse:
 Hir yelow heer was broyded in a tresse
1050 Bihynde hir bak, a yerde long, I gesse.
 And in the gardyn, at the sonne upriste,
 She walketh up and doun, and as hire liste
 She gadereth floures, party white and rede,
 To make a subtil gerland for hire hede;
 And as an aungel hevenysshly she soong.
 The grete tour, that was so thikke and stroong,
 Which of the castel was the chief dongeoun
 (Ther as the knyghtes weren in prisoun
 Of which I tolde yow and tellen shal),
1060 Was evene joynant to the gardyn wal
 Ther as this Emelye hadde hir pleyynge.
 Bright was the sonne and cleer that morwenynge,
 And Palamoun, this woful prisoner,
 As was his wone, by leve of his gayler,
 Was risen and romed in a chambre an heigh,
 In which he al the noble citee seigh,
 And eek the gardyn, ful of braunches grene,
 Ther as this fresshe Emelye the shene
 Was in hire walk, and romed up and doun.
1070 This sorweful prisoner, this Palamoun,
 Goth in the chambre romynge to and fro
 And to hymself compleynynge of his wo.
 That he was born, ful ofte he seyde, "allas!"
 And so bifel, by aventure or cas,
 That thurgh a wyndow, thikke of many a barre
 Of iren greet and square as any sparre,
 He cast his eye upon Emelya,
 And therwithal he bleynte and cride, "A!"
 As though he stongen were unto the herte.
1080 And with that cry Arcite anon up sterte
 And seyde, "Cosyn myn, what eyleth thee,
 That art so pale and deedly on to see?
 Why cridestow? Who hath thee doon offence?
 For Goddes love, taak al in pacience
 Oure prisoun, for it may noon oother be.
 Fortune hath yeven us this adversitee.
 Som wikke aspect or disposicioun
 Of Saturne, by som constellacioun,
 Hath yeven us this, although we hadde it sworn;
1090 So stood the hevene whan that we were born.
 We moste endure it; this is the short and playn."
 This Palamon answerde and seyde agayn,
 "Cosyn, for sothe, of this opinioun
 Thow hast a veyn ymaginacioun.
 This prison caused me nat for to crye,
 But I was hurt right now thurghout myn ye
 Into myn herte, that wol my bane be.
 The fairnesse of that lady that I see
 Yond in the gardyn romen to and fro
1100 Is cause of al my criyng and my wo.
 I noot wher she be womman or goddesse,
 But Venus is it soothly, as I gesse."
 And therwithal on knees doun he fil,
 And seyde, "Venus, if it be thy wil
 Yow in this gardyn thus to transfigure
 Bifore me, sorweful, wrecched creature,
 Out of this prisoun help that we may scapen.
 And if so be my destynee be shapen
 By eterne word to dyen in prisoun,
1110 Of oure lynage have som compassioun,
 That is so lowe ybroght by tirannye."
 And with that word Arcite gan espye
 Wher as this lady romed to and fro,
 And with that sighte hir beautee hurte hym so,
 That, if that Palamon was wounded sore,
 Arcite is hurt as muche as he, or moore.
 And with a sigh he seyde pitously,
 "The fresshe beautee sleeth me sodeynly
 Of hire that rometh in the yonder place;
1120 And but I have hir mercy and hir grace,
 That I may seen hire atte leeste weye,
 I nam but deed; ther nis namoore to seye."
 This Palamon, whan he tho wordes herde,
 Dispitously he looked and answerde,
 "Wheither seistow this in ernest or in pley?"
 "Nay," quod Arcite, "in ernest, by my fey!
 God helpe me so, me list ful yvele pleye."
 This Palamon gan knytte his browes tweye.
 "It nere," quod he, "to thee no greet honour
1130 For to be fals, ne for to be traitour
 To me, that am thy cosyn and thy brother
 Ysworn ful depe, and ech of us til oother,
 That nevere, for to dyen in the peyne,
 Til that the deeth departe shal us tweyne,
 Neither of us in love to hyndre oother,
 Ne in noon oother cas, my leeve brother,
 But that thou sholdest trewely forthren me
 In every cas, as I shal forthren thee --
 This was thyn ooth, and myn also, certeyn;
1140 I woot right wel, thou darst it nat withseyn.
 Thus artow of my conseil, out of doute,
 And now thow woldest falsly been aboute
 To love my lady, whom I love and serve,
 And evere shal til that myn herte sterve.
 Nay, certes, false Arcite, thow shalt nat so.
 I loved hire first, and tolde thee my wo
 As to my conseil and my brother sworn
 To forthre me, as I have toold biforn.
 For which thou art ybounden as a knyght
1150 To helpen me, if it lay in thy myght,
 Or elles artow fals, I dar wel seyn."
 This Arcite ful proudly spak ageyn:
 "Thow shalt," quod he, "be rather fals than I;
 And thou art fals, I telle thee outrely,
 For paramour I loved hire first er thow.
 What wiltow seyen? Thou woost nat yet now
 Wheither she be a womman or goddesse!
 Thyn is affeccioun of hoolynesse,
 And myn is love as to a creature;
1160 For which I tolde thee myn aventure
 As to my cosyn and my brother sworn.
 I pose that thow lovedest hire biforn;
 Wostow nat wel the olde clerkes sawe,
 That `who shal yeve a lovere any lawe?'
 Love is a gretter lawe, by my pan,
 Than may be yeve to any erthely man;
 And therfore positif lawe and swich decree
 Is broken 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 wydwe, or elles wyf.
 And eek it is nat likly al thy lyf
 To stonden in hir grace; namoore shal I;
 For wel thou woost thyselven, verraily,
 That thou and I be dampned to prisoun
 Perpetuelly; us gayneth no raunsoun.
 We stryve as dide the houndes for the boon;
 They foughte al day, and yet hir part was noon.
 Ther cam a kyte, whil that they were so wrothe,
1180 And baar awey the boon bitwixe hem bothe.
 And therfore, at the kynges court, my brother,
 Ech man for hymself, ther is noon oother.
 Love, if thee list, for I love and ay shal;
 And soothly, leeve brother, this is al.
 Heere in this prisoun moote we endure,
 And everich of us take his aventure."
 Greet was the strif and long bitwix hem tweye,
 If that I hadde leyser for to seye;
 But to th' effect. It happed on a day,
1190 To telle it yow as shortly as I may,
 A worthy duc that highte Perotheus,
 That felawe was unto duc Theseus
 Syn thilke day that they were children lite,
 Was come to Atthenes his felawe to visite,
 And for to pleye as he was wont to do;
 For in this world he loved no man so,
 And he loved hym als tendrely agayn.
 So wel they lovede, as olde bookes sayn,
 That whan that oon was deed, soothly to telle,
1200 His felawe wente and soughte hym doun in helle --
 But of that storie list me nat to write.
 Duc Perotheus loved wel Arcite,
 And hadde hym knowe at Thebes yeer by yere,
 And finally at requeste and preyere
 Of Perotheus, withouten any raunsoun,
 Duc Theseus hym leet out of prisoun
 Frely to goon wher that hym liste over al,
 In swich a gyse as I you tellen shal.
 This was the forward, pleynly for t' endite,
1210 Bitwixen Theseus and hym Arcite:
 That if so were that Arcite were yfounde
 Evere in his lif, by day or nyght, oo stounde
 In any contree of this Theseus,
 And he were caught, it was acorded thus,
 That with a swerd he sholde lese his heed.
 Ther nas noon oother remedie ne reed;
 But taketh his leve, and homward he him spedde.
 Lat hym be war! His nekke lith to wedde.
 How greet a sorwe suffreth now Arcite!
1220 The deeth he feeleth thurgh his herte smyte;
 He wepeth, wayleth, crieth pitously;
 To sleen hymself he waiteth prively.
 He seyde, "Allas that day that I was born!
 Now is my prisoun worse than biforn;
 Now is me shape eternally to dwelle
 Noght in purgatorie, but in helle.
 Allas, that evere knew I Perotheus!
 For elles hadde I dwelled with Theseus,
 Yfetered in his prisoun everemo.
1230 Thanne hadde I been in blisse and nat in wo.
 Oonly the sighte of hire whom that I serve,
 Though that I nevere hir grace may deserve,
 Wolde han suffised right ynough for me.
 O deere cosyn Palamon," quod he,
 "Thyn is the victorie of this aventure.
 Ful blisfully in prison maistow dure --
 In prison? Certes nay, but in paradys!
 Wel hath Fortune yturned thee the dys,
 That hast the sighte of hire, and I th' absence.
1240 For possible is, syn thou hast hire presence,
 And art a knyght, a worthy and an able,
 That by som cas, syn Fortune is chaungeable,
 Thow maist to thy desir somtyme atteyne.
 But I, that am exiled and bareyne
 Of alle grace, and in so greet dispeir
 That ther nys erthe, water, fir, ne eir,
 Ne creature that of hem maked is,
 That may me helpe or doon confort in this,
 Wel oughte I sterve in wanhope and distresse.
1250 Farwel my lif, my lust, and my gladnesse!
 "Allas, why pleynen folk so in commune
 On purveiaunce of God, or of Fortune,
 That yeveth hem ful ofte in many a gyse
 Wel bettre than they kan hemself devyse?
 Som man desireth for to han richesse,
 That cause is of his mordre or greet siknesse;
 And som man wolde out of his prisoun fayn,
 That in his hous is of his meynee slayn.
 Infinite harmes been in this mateere.
1260 We witen nat what thing we preyen heere;
 We faren as he that dronke is as a mous.
 A dronke man woot wel he hath an hous,
 But he noot which the righte wey is thider,
 And to a dronke man the wey is slider.
 And certes, in this world so faren we;
 We seken faste after felicitee,
 But we goon wrong ful often, trewely.
 Thus may we seyen alle, and namely I,
 That wende and hadde a greet opinioun
1270 That if I myghte escapen from prisoun,
 Thanne hadde I been in joye and parfit heele,
 Ther now I am exiled fro my wele.
 Syn that I may nat seen you, Emelye,
 I nam but deed; ther nys no remedye."
 Upon that oother syde Palamon,
 Whan that he wiste Arcite was agon,
 Swich sorwe he maketh that the grete tour
 Resouneth of his youlyng and clamour.
 The pure fettres on his shynes grete
1280 Weren of his bittre, salte teeres wete.
 "Allas," quod he, "Arcita, cosyn myn,
 Of al oure strif, God woot, the fruyt is thyn.
 Thow walkest now in Thebes at thy large,
 And of my wo thow yevest litel charge.
 Thou mayst, syn thou hast wisdom and manhede,
 Assemblen alle the folk of oure kynrede,
 And make a werre so sharp on this citee
 That by som aventure or some tretee
 Thow mayst have hire to lady and to wyf
1290 For whom that I moste nedes lese my lyf.
 For, as by wey of possibilitee,
 Sith thou art at thy large, of prisoun free,
 And art a lord, greet is thyn avauntage
 Moore than is myn, that sterve here in a cage.
 For I moot wepe and wayle, whil I lyve,
 With al the wo that prison may me yive,

 

 And eek with peyne that love me yeveth also,
 That doubleth al my torment and my wo."
 Therwith the fyr of jalousie up sterte
1300 Withinne his brest, and hente him by the herte
 So woodly that he lyk was to biholde
 The boxtree or the asshen dede and colde.
 Thanne seyde he, "O crueel goddes that governe
 This world with byndyng of youre word eterne,
 And writen in the table of atthamaunt
 Youre parlement and youre eterne graunt,
 What is mankynde moore unto you holde
 Than is the sheep that rouketh in the folde?
 For slayn is man right as another beest,
1310 And dwelleth eek in prison and arreest,
 And hath siknesse and greet adversitee,
 And ofte tymes giltelees, pardee.
 "What governance is in this prescience,
 That giltelees tormenteth innocence?
 And yet encresseth this al my penaunce,
 That man is bounden to his observaunce,
 For Goddes sake, to letten of his wille,
 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.
 Withouten doute it may stonden so.
 The answere of this lete I to dyvynys,
 But wel I woot that in this world greet pyne ys.
 Allas, I se a serpent or a theef,
 That many a trewe man hath doon mescheef,
 Goon at his large, and where hym list may turne.
 But I moot been in prisoun thurgh Saturne,
 And eek thurgh Juno, jalous 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 oother syde
 For jalousie and fere of hym Arcite."
 Now wol I stynte of Palamon a lite,
 And lete hym in his prisoun stille dwelle,
 And of Arcita forth I wol yow telle.
 The somer passeth, and the nyghtes longe
 Encressen double wise the peynes stronge
 Bothe of the lovere and the prisoner.
1340 I noot which hath the wofuller mester.
 For, shortly for to seyn, this Palamoun
 Perpetuelly is dampned to prisoun,
 In cheynes and in fettres to been deed;
 And Arcite is exiled upon his heed
 For everemo, as out of that contree,
 Ne nevere mo ne shal his lady see.
 Yow loveres axe I now this questioun:
 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 oother wher hym list may ride or go,
 But seen his lady shal he nevere mo.
 Now demeth as yow liste, ye that kan,
 For I wol telle forth as I bigan.
 Whan that Arcite to Thebes comen was,
 Ful ofte a day he swelte and seyde "Allas!"
 For seen his lady shal he nevere mo.
 And shortly to concluden al his wo,
 So muche sorwe hadde nevere creature
1360 That is, or shal, whil that the world may dure.
 His slep, his mete, his drynke, is hym biraft,
 That lene he wex and drye as is a shaft;
 His eyen holwe and grisly to biholde,
 His hewe falow and pale as asshen colde,
 And solitarie he was and evere allone,
 And waillynge al the nyght, makynge his mone;
 And if he herde song or instrument,
 Thanne wolde he wepe, he myghte nat be stent.
 So feble eek were his spiritz, and so lowe,
1370 And chaunged so, that no man koude knowe
 His speche nor his voys, though men it herde.
 And in his geere for al the world he ferde
 Nat oonly lik the loveris maladye
 Of Hereos, but rather lyk manye,
 Engendred of humour malencolik
 Biforen, in his celle fantastik.
 And shortly, turned was al up so doun
 Bothe habit and eek disposicioun
 Of hym, this woful lovere daun Arcite.
1380 What sholde I al day of his wo endite?
 Whan he endured hadde a yeer or two
 This crueel torment and this peyne and wo,
 At Thebes, in his contree, as I seyde,
 Upon a nyght in sleep as he hym leyde,
 Hym thoughte how that the wynged god Mercurie
 Biforn hym stood and bad hym to be murie.
 His slepy yerde in hond he bar uprighte;
 An hat he werede upon his heris brighte.
 Arrayed was this god, as he took keep,
1390 As he was whan that Argus took his sleep;
 And seyde hym thus: "To Atthenes shaltou wende,
 Ther is thee shapen of thy wo an ende."
 And with that word Arcite wook and sterte.
 "Now trewely, hou soore that me smerte,"
 Quod he, "to Atthenes right now wol I fare,
 Ne for the drede of deeth shal I nat spare
 To se my lady, that I love and serve.
 In hire presence I recche nat to sterve."
 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 kynde.
 And right anon it ran hym in his mynde,
 That, sith his face was so disfigured
 Of maladye the which he hadde endured,
 He myghte wel, if that he bar hym lowe,
 Lyve in Atthenes everemoore unknowe,
 And seen his lady wel ny day by day.
 And right anon he chaunged his array,
 And cladde hym as a povre laborer,
1410 And al allone, save oonly a squier
 That knew his privetee and al his cas,
 Which was disgised povrely as he was,
 To Atthenes is he goon the nexte way.
 And to the court he wente upon a day,
 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,
 He fil in office with a chamberleyn
 The which that dwellynge was with Emelye,
1420 For he was wys and koude soone espye,
 Of every servaunt, which that serveth here.
 Wel koude he hewen wode, and water bere,
 For he was yong and myghty for the nones,
 And therto he was long and big of bones
 To doon that any wight kan hym devyse.
 A yeer or two he was in this servyse,
 Page of the chambre of Emelye the brighte,
 And Philostrate he seyde that he highte.
 But half so wel biloved a man as he
1430 Ne was ther nevere 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,
 And putten hym in worshipful servyse,
 Ther as he myghte his vertu excercise.
 And thus withinne a while his name is spronge,
 Bothe of his dedes and his goode tonge,
 That Theseus hath taken hym so neer
1440 That of his chambre he made hym a squier,
 And gaf hym gold to mayntene his degree.
 And eek men broghte hym out of his contree,
 From yeer to yeer, ful pryvely his rente;
 But honestly and slyly he it spente,
 That no man wondred how that he it hadde.
 And thre yeer in this wise his lif he ladde,
 And bar hym so, in pees and eek in werre,
 Ther was no man that Theseus hath derre.
 And in this blisse lete I now Arcite,
1450 And speke I wole of Palamon a lite.
 In derknesse and horrible and strong prisoun
 Thise seven yeer hath seten Palamoun
 Forpyned, what for wo and for distresse.
 Who feeleth double soor and hevynesse
 But Palamon, that love destreyneth so
 That wood out of his wit he goth for wo?
 And eek therto he is a prisoner
 Perpetuelly, noght oonly for a yer.
 Who koude ryme in Englyssh proprely
1460 His martirdom? For sothe it am nat I;
 Therfore I passe as lightly as I may.
 It fel that in the seventhe yer, of May
 The thridde nyght (as olde bookes seyn,
 That al this storie tellen moore pleyn),
 Were it by aventure or destynee --
 As, whan a thyng is shapen, it shal be --
 That soone after the mydnyght Palamoun,
 By helpyng of a freend, brak his prisoun
 And fleeth the citee faste as he may go.
1470 For he hadde yeve his gayler drynke so
 Of a clarree maad of a certeyn wyn,
 With nercotikes and opie of Thebes fyn,
 That al that nyght, thogh that men wolde him shake,
 The gayler sleep; he myghte nat awake.
 And thus he fleeth as faste as evere he may.
 The nyght was short and faste by the day
 That nedes cost he moot hymselven hyde,
 And til a grove faste ther bisyde
 With dredeful foot thanne stalketh Palamon.
1480 For, shortly, this was his opinion:
 That in that grove he wolde hym hyde al day,
 And in the nyght thanne wolde he take his way
 To Thebes-ward, his freendes for to preye
 On Theseus to helpe him to werreye;
 And shortly, outher he wolde lese his lif
 Or wynnen Emelye unto his wyf.
 This is th' effect and his entente pleyn.
 Now wol I turne to Arcite ageyn,
 That litel wiste how ny that was his care,
1490 Til that Fortune had broght him in the snare.
 The bisy larke, messager of day,
 Salueth in hir song the morwe gray,
 And firy Phebus riseth up so bright
 That al the orient laugheth of the light,
 And with his stremes dryeth in the greves
 The silver dropes hangynge on the leves.
 And Arcita, that in the court roial
 With Theseus is squier principal,
 Is risen and looketh on the myrie day.
1500 And for to doon his observaunce to May,
 Remembrynge on the poynt of his desir,
 He on a courser, startlynge as the fir,
 Is riden into the feeldes hym to pleye,
 Out of the court, were it a myle or tweye.
 And to the grove of which that I yow tolde
 By aventure his wey he gan to holde
 To maken hym a gerland of the greves,
 Were it of wodebynde or hawethorn leves,
 And loude he song ayeyn the sonne shene:
1510 "May, with alle thy floures and thy grene,
 Welcome be thou, faire, fresshe May,
 In hope that I som grene gete may."
 And from his courser, with a lusty herte,
 Into the grove ful hastily he sterte,
 And in a path he rometh up and doun,
 Ther as by aventure this Palamoun
 Was in a bussh, that no man myghte hym se,
 For soore afered of his deeth was he.
 No thyng ne knew he that it was Arcite;
1520 God woot he wolde have trowed it ful lite.
 But sooth is seyd, go sithen many yeres,
 That "feeld hath eyen and the wode hath eres."
 It is ful fair a man to bere hym evene,
 For al day meeteth men at unset stevene.
 Ful litel woot Arcite of his felawe,
 That was so ny to herknen al his sawe,
 For in the bussh he sitteth now ful stille.
 Whan that Arcite hadde romed al his fille,
 And songen al the roundel lustily,
1530 Into a studie he fil sodeynly,
 As doon thise loveres in hir queynte geres,
 Now in the crope, now doun in the breres,

 

 Now up, now doun, as boket in a welle.
 Right as the Friday, soothly for to telle,
 Now it shyneth, now it reyneth faste,
 Right so kan geery Venus overcaste
 The hertes of hir folk; right as hir day
 Is gereful, right so chaungeth she array.
 Selde is the Friday al the wowke ylike.
1540 Whan that Arcite had songe, he gan to sike
 And sette hym doun withouten any moore.
 "Allas," quod he, "that day that I was bore!
 How longe, Juno, thurgh thy crueltee,
 Woltow werreyen Thebes the citee?
 Allas, ybroght is to confusioun
 The blood roial of Cadme and Amphioun --
 Of Cadmus, which that was the firste man
 That Thebes bulte, or first the toun bigan,
 And of the citee first was crouned kyng.
1550 Of his lynage am I and his ofspryng
 By verray ligne, as of the stok roial,
 And now I am so caytyf and so thral,
 That he that is my mortal enemy,
 I serve hym as his squier povrely.
 And yet dooth Juno me wel moore shame,
 For I dar noght biknowe myn owene name;
 But ther as I was wont to highte Arcite,
 Now highte I Philostrate, noght worth a myte.
 Allas, thou felle Mars! Allas, Juno!
1560 Thus hath youre ire oure lynage al fordo,
 Save oonly me and wrecched Palamoun,
 That Theseus martireth in prisoun.
 And over al this, to sleen me outrely
 Love hath his firy dart so brennyngly
 Ystiked thurgh my trewe, careful herte
 That shapen was my deeth erst than my sherte.
 Ye sleen me with youre eyen, Emelye!
 Ye been the cause wherfore that I dye.
 Of al the remenant of myn oother care
1570 Ne sette I nat the montance of a tare,
 So that I koude doon aught to youre plesaunce."
 And with that word he fil doun in a traunce
 A longe tyme, and after he up sterte.
 This Palamoun, that thoughte that thurgh his herte
 He felte a coold swerd sodeynliche glyde,
 For ire he quook; no lenger wolde he byde.
 And whan that he had herd Arcites tale,
 As he were wood, with face deed and pale,
 He stirte hym up out of the buskes thikke
1580 And seide: "Arcite, false traytour 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 conseil sworn,
 As I ful ofte have told thee heerbiforn,
 And hast byjaped heere duc Theseus,
 And falsly chaunged hast thy name thus!
 I wol be deed, or elles thou shalt dye.
 Thou shalt nat love my lady Emelye,
 But I wol love hire oonly and namo;
1590 For I am Palamon, thy mortal foo.
 And though that I no wepene have in this place,
 But out of prison am astert by grace,
 I drede noght that outher thow shalt dye,
 Or thow ne shalt nat loven Emelye.
 Chees which thou wolt, or thou shalt nat asterte!"
 This Arcite, with ful despitous herte,
 Whan he hym knew, and hadde his tale herd,
 As fiers as leon pulled out his swerd,
 And seyde thus: "By God that sit above,
1600 Nere it that thou art sik and wood for love,
 And eek that thow no wepne hast in this place,
 Thou sholdest nevere out of this grove pace,
 That thou ne sholdest dyen of myn hond.
 For I defye the seurete and the bond
 Which that thou seist that I have maad to thee.
 What! Verray fool, thynk wel that love is free,
 And I wol love hire maugree al thy myght!
 But for as muche thou art a worthy knyght
 And wilnest to darreyne hire by bataille,
1610 Have heer my trouthe; tomorwe I wol nat faille,
 Withoute wityng of any oother wight,
 That heere I wol be founden as a knyght,
 And bryngen harneys right ynough for thee;
 And ches the beste, and leef the worste for me.
 And mete and drynke this nyght wol I brynge
 Ynough for thee, and clothes for thy beddynge.
 And if so be that thou my lady wynne,
 And sle me in this wode ther I am inne,
 Thow mayst wel have thy lady as for me."
1620 This Palamon answerde, "I graunte it thee."
 And thus they been departed til amorwe,
 Whan ech of hem had leyd his feith to borwe.
 O Cupide, out of alle charitee!
 O regne, that wolt no felawe have with thee!
 Ful sooth is seyd that love ne lordshipe
 Wol noght, his thankes, have no felaweshipe.
 Wel fynden that Arcite and Palamoun.
 Arcite is riden anon unto 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 the harneys hym biforn.
 And in the grove, at tyme and place yset,
 This Arcite and this Palamon ben met.
 To chaungen gan the colour in hir face;
 Right as the hunters in the regne of Trace,
 That stondeth at the gappe with a spere,
1640 Whan hunted is the leon or the bere,
 And hereth hym come russhyng in the greves,
 And breketh bothe bowes and the leves,
 And thynketh, "Heere cometh my mortal enemy!
 Withoute faille, he moot be deed, or I,
 For outher I moot sleen hym at the gappe,
 Or he moot sleen me, if that me myshappe."
 So ferden they in chaungyng of hir hewe,
 As fer as everich of hem oother knewe.
 Ther nas no good day, ne no saluyng,
1650 But streight, withouten word or rehersyng,
 Everich of hem heelp for to armen oother
 As freendly as he were his owene brother;
 And after that, with sharpe speres stronge
 They foynen ech at oother wonder longe.
 Thou myghtest wene that this Palamon
 In his fightyng were a wood leon,
 And as a crueel tigre was Arcite;
 As wilde bores gonne they to smyte,
 That frothen whit as foom for ire wood.
1660 Up to the ancle foghte they in hir blood.
 And in this wise I lete hem fightyng dwelle,
 And forth I wole of Theseus yow telle.
 The destinee, ministre general,
 That executeth in the world over al
 The purveiaunce that God hath seyn biforn,
 So strong it is that, though the world had sworn
 The contrarie of a thyng by ye or nay,
 Yet somtyme it shal fallen on a day
 That falleth nat eft withinne a thousand yeer.
1670 For certeinly, oure appetites heer,
 Be it of werre, or pees, or hate, or love,
 Al is this reuled by the sighte above.
 This mene I now by myghty Theseus,
 That for to hunten is so desirus,
 And namely at the grete hert in May,
 That in his bed ther daweth hym no day
 That he nys clad, and redy for to ryde
 With hunte and horn and houndes hym bisyde.
 For in his huntyng hath he swich delit
1680 That it is al his joye and appetit
 To been hymself the grete hertes bane,
 For after Mars he serveth now Dyane.
 Cleer was the day, as I have toold er this,
 And Theseus with alle joye and blis,
 With his Ypolita, the faire queene,
 And Emelye, clothed al in grene,
 On huntyng be they riden roially.
 And to the grove that stood ful faste by,
 In which ther was an hert, as men hym tolde,
1690 Duc Theseus the streighte wey hath holde.
 And to the launde he rideth hym ful right,
 For thider was the hert wont have his flight,
 And over a brook, and so forth on his weye.
 This duc wol han a cours at hym or tweye
 With houndes swiche as that hym list comaunde.
 And whan this duc was come unto the launde,
 Under the sonne he looketh, and anon
 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 semed as it wolde felle an ook.
 But what they were, no thyng he ne woot.
 This duc his courser with his spores smoot,
 And at a stert he was bitwix hem two,
 And pulled out a swerd and cride, "Hoo!
 Namoore, up peyne of lesynge of youre heed!
 By myghty Mars, he shal anon be deed
 That smyteth any strook that I may seen.
1710 But telleth me what myster men ye been,
 That been so hardy for to fighten heere
 Withouten juge or oother officere,
 As it were in a lystes roially."
 This Palamon answerde hastily
 And seyde, "Sire, what nedeth wordes mo?
 We have the deeth disserved bothe two.
 Two woful wrecches been we, two caytyves,
 That been encombred of oure owene lyves;
 And as thou art a rightful lord and juge,
1720 Ne yif us neither mercy ne refuge,
 But sle me first, for seinte charitee!
 But sle my felawe eek as wel as me;
 Or sle hym first, for though thow knowest it lite,
 This is thy mortal foo, this is Arcite,
 That fro thy lond is banysshed on his heed,
 For which he hath deserved to be deed.
 For this is he that cam unto thy gate
 And seyde that he highte Philostrate.
 Thus hath he japed thee ful many a yer,
1730 And thou hast maked hym thy chief squier;
 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
 That hath thy prisoun broken wikkedly.
 I am thy mortal foo, and it am I
 That loveth so hoote Emelye the brighte
 That I wol dye present in hir sighte.
 Wherfore I axe deeth and my juwise;
1740 But sle my felawe in the same wise,
 For bothe han we deserved to be slayn."
 This worthy duc answerde anon agayn,
 And seyde, "This is a short conclusioun.
 Youre owene mouth, by youre confessioun,
 Hath dampned yow, and I wol it recorde;
 It nedeth noght to pyne yow with the corde.
 Ye shal be deed, by myghty Mars the rede!"
 The queene anon, for verray wommanhede,
 Gan for to wepe, and so dide Emelye,
1750 And alle the ladyes in the compaignye.
 Greet pitee was it, as it thoughte hem alle,
 That evere swich a chaunce sholde falle,
 For gentil men they were of greet estaat,
 And no thyng but for love was this debaat;
 And saugh hir blody woundes wyde and soore,
 And alle crieden, bothe lasse and moore,
 "Have mercy, Lord, upon us wommen alle!"
 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 soone 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,
 And although that his ire hir gilt accused,
 Yet in his resoun he hem bothe excused,
 As thus: he thoghte wel that every man
 Wol helpe hymself in love, if that he kan,
 And eek delivere hymself out of prisoun.
1770 And eek his herte hadde compassioun
 Of wommen, for they wepen evere in oon,
 And in his gentil herte he thoughte anon,
 And softe unto hymself he seyde, "Fy
 Upon a lord that wol have no mercy,
 But been a leon, bothe in word and dede,
 To hem that been in repentaunce and drede,
 As wel as to a proud despitous man
 That wol mayntene that he first bigan.
 That lord hath litel of discrecioun,
1780 That in swich cas kan no divisioun
 But weyeth pride and humblesse after oon."
 And shortly, whan his ire is thus agoon,

 

 He gan to looken up with eyen lighte
 And spak thise same wordes al on highte:
 "The god of love, a benedicite!
 How myghty and how greet a lord is he!
 Ayeyns his myght ther gayneth none obstacles.
 He may be cleped a god for his myracles,
 For he kan maken, at his owene gyse,
1790 Of everich herte as that hym list divyse.
 Lo heere this Arcite and this Palamoun,
 That quitly weren out of my prisoun,
 And myghte han lyved in Thebes roially,
 And witen I am hir mortal enemy,
 And that hir deth lith in my myght also,
 And yet hath love, maugree hir eyen two,
 Broght hem hyder bothe for to dye.
 Now looketh, is nat that an heigh folye?
 Who may been a fool but if he love?
1800 Bihoold, for Goddes sake that sit above,
 Se how they blede! Be they noght wel arrayed?
 Thus hath hir lord, the god of love, ypayed
 Hir wages and hir fees for hir servyse!
 And yet they wenen for to been ful wyse
 That serven love, for aught that may bifalle.
 But this is yet the beste game of alle,
 That she for whom they han this jolitee
 Kan hem therfore as muche thank as me.
 She woot namoore of al this hoote fare,
1810 By God, than woot a cokkow or an hare!
 But all moot ben assayed, hoot and coold;
 A man moot ben a fool, or yong or oold --
 I woot it by myself ful yore agon,
 For in my tyme a servant was I oon.
 And therfore, syn I knowe of loves peyne
 And woot hou soore it kan a man distreyne,
 As he that hath ben caught ofte in his laas,
 I yow foryeve al hoolly this trespaas,
 At requeste of the queene, that kneleth heere,
1820 And eek of Emelye, my suster deere.
 And ye shul bothe anon unto me swere
 That nevere mo ye shal my contree dere,
 Ne make werre upon me nyght ne day,
 But been my freendes in all that ye may.
 I yow foryeve this trespas every deel."
 And they hym sworen his axyng faire and weel,
 And hym of lordshipe and of mercy preyde,
 And he hem graunteth grace, and thus he seyde:
 "To speke of roial lynage and richesse,
1830 Though that she were a queene or a princesse,
 Ech of you bothe is worthy, doutelees,
 To wedden whan tyme is; but nathelees --
 I speke as for my suster Emelye,
 For whom ye have this strif and jalousye --
 Ye woot yourself she may nat wedden two
 Atones, though ye fighten everemo,
 That oon of you, al be hym looth or lief,
 He moot go pipen in an yvy leef;
 This is to seyn, she may nat now han bothe,
1840 Al be ye never so jalouse ne so wrothe.
 And forthy I yow putte in this degree,
 That ech of yow shal have his destynee
 As hym is shape, and herkneth in what wyse;
 Lo, heere youre ende of that I shal devyse.
 My wyl is this, for plat conclusioun,
 Withouten any repplicacioun --
 If that you liketh, take it for the beste:
 That everich of you shal goon where hym leste
 Frely, withouten raunson or daunger,
1850 And this day fifty wykes, fer ne ner,
 Everich of you shal brynge an hundred knyghtes
 Armed for lystes up at alle rightes,
 Al redy to darreyne hire by bataille.
 And this bihote I yow withouten faille,
 Upon my trouthe, and as I am a knyght,
 That wheither of yow bothe that hath myght --
 This is to seyn, that wheither he or thow
 May with his hundred, as I spak of now,
 Sleen his contrarie, or out of lystes dryve,
1860 Thanne shal I yeve Emelya to wyve
 To whom that Fortune yeveth so fair a grace.
 The lystes shal I maken in this place,
 And God so wisly on my soule rewe
 As I shal evene juge been and trewe.
 Ye shul noon oother ende with me maken,
 That oon of yow ne shal be deed or taken.
 And if yow thynketh this is weel ysayd,
 Seyeth youre avys, and holdeth you apayd.
 This is youre ende and youre conclusioun."
1870 Who looketh lightly now but Palamoun?
 Who spryngeth up for joye but Arcite?
 Who kouthe telle, or who kouthe it endite,
 The joye that is maked in the place
 Whan Theseus hath doon so fair a grace?
 But doun on knees wente every maner wight,
 And thonked hym with al hir herte and myght,
 And namely the Thebans often sithe.
 And thus with good hope and with herte blithe
 They taken hir leve, and homward gonne they ride
1880 To Thebes with his olde walles wyde.
 I trowe men wolde deme it necligence
 If I foryete to tellen the dispence
 Of Theseus, that gooth so bisily
 To maken up the lystes roially,
 That swich a noble theatre as it was
 I dar wel seyen in this world ther nas.
 The circuit a myle was aboute,
 Walled of stoon, and dyched al withoute.
 Round was the shap, in manere of compas,
1890 Ful of degrees, the heighte of sixty pas,
 That whan a man was set on o degree,
 He letted nat his felawe for to see.
 Estward ther stood a gate of marbul whit,
 Westward right swich another in the opposit.
 And shortly to concluden, swich a place
 Was noon in erthe, as in so litel space;
 For in the lond ther was no crafty man
 That geometrie or ars-metrike kan,
 Ne portreyour, ne kervere of ymages,
1900 That Theseus ne yaf him mete and wages

 

 The theatre for to maken and devyse.
 And for to doon his ryte and sacrifise,
 He estward hath, upon the gate above,
 In worshipe of Venus, goddesse of love,
 Doon make an auter and an oratorie;
 And on the gate westward, in memorie
 Of Mars, he maked hath right swich another,
 That coste largely of gold a fother.
 And northward, in a touret on the wal,
1910 Of alabastre whit and reed coral,
 An oratorie, riche for to see,
 In worshipe of Dyane of chastitee,
 Hath Theseus doon wroght in noble wyse.
 But yet hadde I foryeten to devyse
 The noble kervyng and the portreitures,
 The shap, the contenaunce, and the figures
 That weren in thise oratories thre.
 First in the temple of Venus maystow se
 Wroght on the wal, ful pitous to biholde,
1920 The broken slepes, and the sikes colde,
 The sacred teeris, and the waymentynge,
 The firy strokes of the desirynge
 That loves servantz in this lyf enduren;
 The othes that hir covenantz assuren;
 Plesaunce and Hope, Desir, Foolhardynesse,
 Beautee and Youthe, Bauderie, Richesse,
 Charmes and Force, Lesynges, Flaterye,
 Despense, Bisynesse, and Jalousye,
 That wered of yelewe gooldes a gerland,
1930 And a cokkow sittynge on hir hand;
 Festes, instrumentz, caroles, daunces,
 Lust and array, and alle the circumstaunces
 Of love, which that I rekned and rekne shal,
 By ordre weren peynted on the wal,
 And mo than I kan make of mencioun.
 For soothly al the mount of Citheroun,
 Ther Venus hath hir principal dwellynge,
 Was shewed on the wal in portreyynge,
 With al the gardyn and the lustynesse.
1940 Nat was foryeten the porter, Ydelnesse,
 Ne Narcisus the faire of yore agon,
 Ne yet the folye of kyng Salomon,
 Ne yet the grete strengthe of Ercules --
 Th' enchauntementz of Medea and Circes --
 Ne of Turnus, with the hardy fiers corage,
 The riche Cresus, kaytyf in servage.
 Thus may ye seen that wysdom ne richesse,
 Beautee ne sleighte, strengthe ne hardynesse,
 Ne may with Venus holde champartie,
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!"
 Suffiseth heere ensamples oon or two,
 And though I koude rekene a thousand mo.
 The statue of Venus, glorious for to se,
 Was naked, fletynge in the large see,
 And fro the navele doun al covered was
 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 se,
 A rose gerland, fressh and wel smellynge;
 Above hir heed hir dowves flikerynge.
 Biforn hire stood hir sone Cupido;
 Upon his shuldres wynges hadde he two,
 And blynd he was, as it is often seene;
 A bowe he bar and arwes brighte and kene.
 Why sholde I noght as wel eek telle yow al
 The portreiture that was upon the wal
 Withinne the temple of myghty 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.
 First on the wal was peynted a forest,
 In which ther dwelleth neither man ne best,
 With knotty, knarry, bareyne trees olde,
 Of stubbes sharpe and hidouse to biholde,
 In which ther ran a rumbel in a swough,
1980 As though a storm sholde bresten every bough.
 And dounward from an hille, under a bente,
 Ther stood the temple of Mars armypotente,
 Wroght al of burned steel, of which the entree
 Was long and streit, and gastly for to see.
 And therout came a rage and swich a veze
 That it made al the gate for to rese.
 The northren lyght in at the dores shoon,
 For wyndowe on the wal ne was ther noon,
 Thurgh which men myghten any light discerne.
1990 The dore was al of adamant eterne,
 Yclenched overthwart and endelong
 With iren tough; and for to make it strong,
 Every pyler, the temple to sustene,
 Was tonne-greet, of iren bright and shene.
 Ther saugh I first the derke ymaginyng
 Of Felonye, and al the compassyng;
 The crueel Ire, reed as any gleede;
 The pykepurs, and eek the pale Drede;
 The smylere with the knyf under the cloke;
2000 The shepne brennynge with the blake smoke;
 The tresoun of the mordrynge in the bedde;
 The open werre, with woundes al bibledde;
 Contek, with blody knyf and sharp manace.
 Al ful of chirkyng was that sory place.
 The sleere of hymself yet saugh I ther --
 His herte-blood hath bathed al his heer --
 The nayl ydryven in the shode anyght;
 The colde deeth, with mouth gapyng upright.
 Amyddes of the temple sat Meschaunce,
2010 With disconfort and sory contenaunce.
 Yet saugh I Woodnesse, laughynge in his rage,
 Armed Compleint, Outhees, and fiers Outrage;
 The careyne in the busk, with throte ycorve;
 A thousand slayn, and nat of qualm ystorve;
 The tiraunt, with the pray by force yraft;
 The toun destroyed, ther was no thyng laft.
 Yet saugh I brent the shippes hoppesteres;
 The hunte strangled with the wilde beres;
 The sowe freten the child right in the cradel;
2020 The cook yscalded, for al his longe ladel.
 Noght was foryeten by the infortune of Marte.
 The cartere overryden with his carte --
 Under the wheel ful lowe he lay adoun.
 Ther were also, of Martes divisioun,
 The barbour, and the bocher, and the smyth,
 That forgeth sharpe swerdes on his styth.
 And al above, depeynted in a tour,
 Saugh I Conquest, sittynge in greet honour,
 With the sharpe swerd over his heed
2030 Hangynge by a soutil twynes threed.
 Depeynted was the slaughtre of Julius,
 Of grete Nero, and of Antonius;
 Al be that thilke tyme they were unborn,
 Yet was hir deth depeynted ther-biforn
 By manasynge of Mars, right by figure;
 So was it shewed in that portreiture,
 As is depeynted in the sterres above
 Who shal be slayn or elles deed for love.
 Suffiseth oon ensample in stories olde;
2040 I may nat rekene hem alle though I wolde.
 The statue of Mars upon a carte stood
 Armed, and looked grym as he were wood;
 And over his heed ther shynen two figures

 

 Of sterres, that been cleped in scriptures,
 That oon Puella, that oother Rubeus --
 This god of armes was arrayed thus.
 A wolf ther stood biforn hym at his feet
 With eyen rede, and of a man he eet;
 With soutil pencel was depeynted this storie
2050 In redoutynge of Mars and of his glorie.
 Now to the temple of Dyane the chaste,
 As shortly as I kan, I wol me haste,
 To telle yow al the descripsioun.
 Depeynted been the walles up and doun
 Of huntyng and of shamefast chastitee.
 Ther saugh I how woful Calistopee,
 Whan that Diane agreved was with here,
 Was turned from a womman til a bere,
 And after was she maad the loode-sterre.
2060 Thus was it peynted; I kan sey yow no ferre.
 Hir sone is eek a sterre, as men may see.
 Ther saugh I Dane, yturned til a tree --
 I mene nat the goddesse Diane,
 But Penneus doghter, which that highte Dane.
 Ther saugh I Attheon an hert ymaked,
 For vengeaunce that he saugh Diane al naked;
 I saugh how that his houndes have hym caught
 And freeten hym, for that they knewe hym naught.
 Yet peynted was a litel forther moor
2070 How Atthalante hunted the wilde boor,
 And Meleagre, and many another mo,
 For which Dyane wroghte hym care and wo.
 Ther saugh I many another wonder storie,
 The which me list nat drawen to memorie.
 This goddesse on an hert ful hye seet,
 With smale houndes al aboute hir feet,
 And undernethe hir feet she hadde a moone --
 Wexynge it was and sholde wanye soone.
 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 travaillynge was hire biforn;
 But for hir child so longe was unborn,
 Ful pitously Lucyna gan she calle
 And seyde, "Help, for thou mayst best of alle!"
 Wel koude he peynten lifly that it wroghte;
 With many a floryn he the hewes boghte.
 Now been thise lystes maad, and Theseus,
2090 That at his grete cost arrayed thus
 The temples and the theatre every deel,
 Whan it was doon, hym lyked wonder weel.
 But stynte I wole of Theseus a lite,
 And speke of Palamon and of Arcite.
 The day approcheth of hir retournynge,
 That everich sholde an hundred knyghtes brynge
 The bataille to darreyne, as I yow tolde.
 And til Atthenes, hir covenant for to holde,
 Hath everich of hem broght an hundred knyghtes,
2100 Wel armed for the werre at alle rightes.
 And sikerly ther trowed many a man
 That nevere, sithen that the world bigan,
 As for to speke of knyghthod of hir hond,
 As fer as God hath maked see or lond,
 Nas of so fewe so noble a compaignye.
 For every wight that lovede chivalrye
 And wolde, his thankes, han a passant name,
 Hath preyed that he myghte been of that game;
 And wel was hym that therto chosen was,
2110 For if ther fille tomorwe swich a cas,
 Ye knowen wel that every lusty knyght
 That loveth paramours and hath his myght,
 Were it in Engelond or elleswhere,
 They wolde, hir thankes, wilnen to be there --
 To fighte for a lady, benedicitee!
 It were a lusty sighte for to see.
 And right so ferden they with Palamon.
 With hym ther wenten knyghtes many on;
 Som wol ben armed in an haubergeoun,
2120 And in a brestplate and a light gypoun;

 

 And som wol have a paire plates large;
 And som wol have a Pruce sheeld or a targe;
 Som wol ben armed on his legges weel,
 And have an ax, and som a mace of steel --
 Ther is no newe gyse that it nas old.
 Armed were they, as I have yow told,
 Everych after his opinioun.
 Ther maistow seen, comynge with Palamoun,
 Lygurge hymself, the grete kyng of Trace.
2130 Blak was his berd, and manly was his face;
 The cercles of his eyen in his heed,
 They gloweden bitwixen yelow and reed,
 And lik a grifphon looked he aboute,
 With kempe heeris on his browes stoute;
 His lymes grete, his brawnes harde and stronge,
 His shuldres brode, his armes rounde and longe;
 And as the gyse was in his contree,
 Ful hye upon a chaar of gold stood he,
 With foure white boles in the trays.
2140 In stede of cote-armure over his harnays,
 With nayles yelewe and brighte as any gold,
 He hadde a beres skyn, col-blak for old.
 His longe heer was kembd bihynde his bak;
 As any ravenes fethere it shoon for blak;
 A wrethe of gold, arm-greet, of huge wighte,
 Upon his heed, set ful of stones brighte,
 Of fyne rubyes and of dyamauntz.
 Aboute his chaar ther wenten white alauntz,
 Twenty and mo, as grete as any steer,
2150 To hunten at the leoun or the deer,
 And folwed hym with mosel faste ybounde,
 Colered of gold, and tourettes fyled rounde.
 An hundred lordes hadde he in his route,
 Armed ful wel, with hertes stierne and stoute.
 With Arcita, in stories as men fynde,
 The grete Emetreus, the kyng of Inde,
 Upon a steede bay trapped in steel,
 Covered in clooth of gold, dyapred weel,
 Cam ridynge lyk the god of armes, Mars.
2160 His cote-armure was of clooth of Tars
 Couched with perles white and rounde and grete;
 His sadel was of brend gold newe ybete;
 A mantelet upon his shulder hangynge,
 Bret-ful of rubyes rede as fyr sparklynge;
 His crispe heer lyk rynges was yronne,
 And that was yelow, and glytered as the sonne.
 His nose was heigh, his eyen bright citryn,
 His lippes rounde, his colour was sangwyn;
 A fewe frakenes in his face yspreynd,
2170 Bitwixen yelow and somdel blak ymeynd;
 And as a leon he his lookyng caste.
 Of fyve and twenty yeer his age I caste.
 His berd was wel bigonne for to sprynge;
 His voys was as a trompe thonderynge.
 Upon his heed he wered of laurer grene
 A gerland, fressh and lusty for to sene.
 Upon his hand he bar for his deduyt
 An egle tame, as any lilye whyt.
 An hundred lordes hadde he with hym there,
2180 Al armed, save hir heddes, in al hir gere,
 Ful richely in alle maner thynges.
 For trusteth wel that dukes, erles, kynges
 Were gadered in this noble compaignye,
 For love and for encrees of chivalrye.
 Aboute this kyng ther ran on every part
 Ful many a tame leon and leopart.
 And in this wise thise lordes, alle and some,
 Been on the Sonday to the citee come
 Aboute pryme, and in the toun alight.
2190 This Theseus, this duc, this worthy knyght,
 Whan he had broght hem into his citee,
 And inned hem, everich at his degree,
 He festeth hem, and dooth so greet labour
 To esen hem and doon hem al honour
 That yet men wenen that no mannes wit
 Of noon estaat ne koude amenden it.
 The mynstralcye, the service at the feeste,
 The grete yiftes to the meeste and leeste,
 The riche array of Theseus paleys,
2200 Ne who sat first ne last upon the deys,
 What ladyes fairest been or best daunsynge,
 Or which of hem kan dauncen best and synge,
 Ne who moost felyngly speketh of love;
 What haukes sitten on the perche above,
 What houndes liggen on the floor adoun --
 Of al this make I now no mencioun,
 But al th' effect; that thynketh me the beste.
 Now cometh the point, and herkneth if yow leste.
 The Sonday nyght, er day bigan to sprynge,
2210 Whan Palamon the larke herde synge
 (Although it nere nat day by houres two,
 Yet song the larke) and Palamon right tho
 With hooly herte and with an heigh corage,
 He roos to wenden on his pilgrymage
 Unto the blisful Citherea benigne --
 I mene Venus, honurable and digne.
 And in hir houre he walketh forth a pas
 Unto the lystes ther hire temple was,
 And doun he kneleth, and with humble cheere
2220 And herte soor he seyde as ye shal heere:
 "Faireste of faire, O lady myn, Venus,
 Doughter to Jove and spouse of Vulcanus,

 

 Thow gladere of the mount of Citheron,
 For thilke love thow haddest to Adoon,
 Have pitee of my bittre teeris smerte,
 And taak myn humble preyere at thyn herte.
 Allas! I ne have no langage to telle
 Th' effectes ne the tormentz of myn helle;
 Myn herte may myne harmes nat biwreye;
2230 I am so confus that I kan noght seye
 But `Mercy, lady bright, that knowest weele
 My thought and seest what harmes that I feele!'
 Considere al this and rewe upon my soore,
 As wisly as I shal for everemoore,
 Emforth my myght, thy trewe servant be,
 And holden werre alwey with chastitee.
 That make I myn avow, so ye me helpe!
 I kepe noght of armes for to yelpe,
 Ne I ne axe nat tomorwe 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.
 Fynd thow the manere hou and in what wyse:
 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.
 For though so be that Mars is god of armes,
 Youre vertu is so greet in hevene above
2250 That if yow list, I shal wel have my love.
 Thy temple wol I worshipe everemo,
 And on thyn auter, where I ride or go,
 I wol doon sacrifice and fires beete.
 And if ye wol nat so, my lady sweete,
 Thanne preye I thee, tomorwe with a spere
 That Arcita me thurgh the herte bere.
 Thanne rekke I noght, whan I have lost my lyf,
 Though that Arcita wynne hire to his wyf.
 This is th' effect and ende of my preyere:
2260 Yif me my love, thow blisful lady deere."
 Whan the orison was doon of Palamon,
 His sacrifice he dide, and that anon,
 Ful pitously, with alle circumstaunces,
 Al telle I noght as now his observaunces;
 But atte laste the statue of Venus shook,
 And made a signe, wherby that he took
 That his preyere accepted was that day.
 For thogh the signe shewed a delay,
 Yet wiste he wel that graunted was his boone,
2270 And with glad herte he wente hym hoom ful soone.
 The thridde houre inequal that Palamon
 Bigan to Venus temple for to gon,
 Up roos the sonne, and up roos Emelye
 And to the temple of Dyane gan hye.
 Hir maydens, that she thider with hire ladde,
 Ful redily with hem the fyr they hadde,
 Th' encens, the clothes, and the remenant al
 That to the sacrifice longen shal;
 The hornes fulle of meeth, as was the gyse --
2280 Ther lakked noght to doon hir sacrifise.
 Smokynge the temple, ful of clothes faire,
 This Emelye, with herte debonaire,
 Hir body wessh with water of a welle.
 But hou she dide hir ryte I dar nat telle,
 But it be any thing in general;
 And yet it were a game to heeren al.
 To hym that meneth wel it were no charge;
 But it is good a man been at his large.
 Hir brighte heer was kembd, untressed al;
2290 A coroune of a grene ook cerial
 Upon hir heed was set ful fair and meete.
 Two fyres on the auter gan she beete,
 And dide hir thynges, as men may biholde
 In Stace of Thebes and thise bookes olde.
 Whan kyndled was the fyr, with pitous cheere
 Unto Dyane she spak as ye may heere:
 "O chaste goddesse of the wodes grene,
 To whom bothe hevene and erthe and see is sene,
 Queene 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 keepe me fro thy vengeaunce and thyn ire,
 That Attheon aboughte cruelly.
 Chaste goddesse, wel wostow that I
 Desire to ben a mayden al my lyf,
 Ne nevere wol I be no love ne wyf.
 I am, thow woost, yet of thy compaignye,
 A mayde, and love huntynge and venerye,
 And for to walken in the wodes wilde,
2310 And noght to ben a wyf and be with childe.
 Noght wol I knowe compaignye of man.
 Now help me, lady, sith ye may and kan,
 For tho thre formes that thou hast in thee.
 And Palamon, that hath swich love to me,
 And eek Arcite, that loveth me so soore,
 This grace I preye thee withoute moore,
 As sende love and pees bitwixe hem two,
 And fro me turne awey hir hertes so
 That al hire hoote love and hir desir,
2320 And al hir bisy torment, and hir fir
 Be queynt, or turned in another place.
 And if so be thou wolt nat do me grace,
 Or if my destynee be shapen so
 That I shal nedes have oon of hem two,
 As sende me hym that moost desireth me.
 Bihoold, goddesse of clene chastitee,
 The bittre teeris that on my chekes falle.
 Syn thou art mayde and kepere of us alle,
 My maydenhede thou kepe and wel conserve,
2330 And whil I lyve, a mayde I wol thee serve."
 The fires brenne upon the auter cleere,
 Whil Emelye was thus in hir preyere.
 But sodeynly she saugh a sighte queynte,
 For right anon oon of the fyres queynte
 And quyked agayn, and after that anon
 That oother fyr was queynt and al agon;
 And as it queynte it made a whistelynge,
 As doon thise wete brondes in hir brennynge,
 And at the brondes ende out ran anon
2340 As it were blody dropes many oon;
 For which so soore agast was Emelye
 That she was wel ny mad and gan to crye,
 For she ne wiste what it signyfied,
 But oonly for the feere thus hath she cried,
 And weep that it was pitee for to heere.
 And therwithal Dyane gan appeere,
 With bowe in honde, right as an hunteresse,
 And seyde, "Doghter, stynt thyn hevynesse.
 Among the goddes hye it is affermed,
2350 And by eterne word writen and confermed,
 Thou shalt ben wedded unto oon of tho
 That han for thee so muchel care and wo,
 But unto which of hem I may nat telle.
 Farwel, for I ne may no lenger dwelle.
 The fires which that on myn auter brenne
 Shulle thee declaren, er that thou go henne,
 Thyn aventure of love, as in this cas."
 And with that word, the arwes in the caas
 Of the goddesse clateren faste and rynge,
2360 And forth she wente and made a vanysshynge;
 For which this Emelye astoned was,
 And seyde, "What amounteth this, allas?
 I putte me in thy proteccioun,
 Dyane, and in thy disposicioun."
 And hoom she goth anon the nexte weye.
 This is th' effect; ther is namoore to seye.
 The nexte houre of Mars folwynge this,
 Arcite unto the temple walked is
 Of fierse Mars to doon his sacrifise,
2370 With alle the rytes of his payen wyse.
 With pitous herte and heigh devocioun,
 Right thus to Mars he seyde his orisoun:
 "O stronge god, that in the regnes colde
 Of Trace honoured art and lord yholde,
 And hast in every regne and every lond
 Of armes al the brydel in thyn hond,
 And hem fortunest as thee lyst devyse,
 Accepte of me my pitous sacrifise.
 If so be that my youthe may deserve,
2380 And that my myght be worthy for to serve
 Thy godhede, that I may been oon of thyne,
 Thanne preye I thee to rewe upon my pyne.
 For thilke peyne and thilke hoote fir
 In which thow whilom brendest for desir,
 Whan that thow usedest the beautee
 Of faire, yonge, fresshe Venus free,
 And haddest hire in armes at thy wille --
 Although thee ones on a tyme mysfille,
 Whan Vulcanus hadde caught thee in his las
2390 And foond thee liggynge by his wyf, allas! --
 For thilke sorwe that was in thyn herte,
 Have routhe as wel upon my peynes smerte.
 I am yong and unkonnynge, as thow woost,
 And, as I trowe, with love offended moost
 That evere was any lyves creature,
 For she that dooth me al this wo endure
 Ne reccheth nevere wher I synke or fleete.
 And wel I woot, er she me mercy heete,
 I moot with strengthe wynne hire in the place,
2400 And wel I woot, withouten help or grace
 Of thee ne may my strengthe noght availle.
 Thanne help me, lord, tomorwe in my bataille,
 For thilke fyr that whilom brente thee,
 As wel as thilke fyr now brenneth me,
 And do that I tomorwe have victorie.
 Myn be the travaille, and thyn be the glorie!
 Thy sovereyn temple wol I moost honouren
 Of any place, and alwey moost 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 compaignye,
 And everemo, unto that day I dye,
 Eterne fir I wol bifore thee fynde.
 And eek to this avow I wol me bynde:
 My beerd, myn heer, that hongeth long adoun,
 That nevere yet ne felte offensioun
 Of rasour nor of shere, I wol thee yive,
 And ben thy trewe servant whil I lyve.
 Now, lord, have routhe upon my sorwes soore;
2420 Yif me [victorie]; I aske thee namoore."
 The preyere stynt of Arcita the stronge,
 The rynges on the temple dore that honge,
 And eek the dores, clatereden ful faste,
 Of which Arcita somwhat hym agaste.
 The fyres brenden upon the auter brighte
 That it gan al the temple for to lighte;
 A sweete smel the ground anon up yaf,
 And Arcita anon his hand up haf,
 And moore encens into the fyr he caste,
2430 With othere rytes mo; and atte laste
 The statue of Mars bigan his hauberk rynge,
 And with that soun he herde a murmurynge
 Ful lowe and dym, and seyde thus, "Victorie!"
 For which he yaf to Mars honour and glorie.
 And thus with joye and hope wel to fare
 Arcite anon unto his in is fare,
 As fayn as fowel is of the brighte sonne.
 And right anon swich strif ther is bigonne,
 For thilke grauntyng, in the hevene above,
2440 Bitwixe Venus, the goddesse of love,
 And Mars, the stierne god armypotente,
 That Juppiter was bisy it to stente,
 Til that the pale Saturnus the colde,
 That knew so manye of aventures olde,
 Foond in his olde experience an art
 That he ful soone hath plesed every part.
 As sooth is seyd, elde hath greet avantage;
 In elde is bothe wysdom and usage;
 Men may the olde atrenne and noght atrede.
2450 Saturne anon, to stynten strif and drede,
 Al be it that it is agayn his kynde,
 Of al this strif he gan remedie fynde.
 "My deere doghter Venus," quod Saturne,
 "My cours, that hath so wyde for to turne,
 Hath moore power than woot any man.
 Myn is the drenchyng in the see so wan;
 Myn is the prison in the derke cote;
 Myn is the stranglyng and hangyng by the throte,
 The murmure and the cherles rebellyng,
2460 The groynynge, and the pryvee empoysonyng;
 I do vengeance and pleyn correccioun,
 Whil I dwelle in the signe of the leoun.
 Myn is the ruyne of the hye halles,
 The fallynge of the toures and of the walles
 Upon the mynour or the carpenter.
 I slow Sampsoun, shakynge the piler;
 And myne be the maladyes colde,
 The derke tresons, and the castes olde;
 My lookyng is the fader of pestilence.
2470 Now weep namoore; I shal doon diligence
 That Palamon, that is thyn owene knyght,
 Shal have his lady, as thou hast him hight.
 Though Mars shal helpe his knyght, yet nathelees
 Bitwixe yow ther moot be som tyme pees,
 Al be ye noght of o compleccioun,
 That causeth al day swich divisioun.
 I am thyn aiel, redy at thy wille;
 Weep now namoore; I wol thy lust fulfille."
 Now wol I stynten of the goddes above,
2480 Of Mars, and of Venus, goddesse of love,
 And telle yow as pleynly as I kan
 The grete effect, for which that I bygan.
 Greet was the feeste in Atthenes that day,
 And eek the lusty seson of that May
 Made every wight to been in swich plesaunce
 That al that Monday justen they and daunce,
 And spenden it in Venus heigh servyse.
 But by the cause that they sholde ryse
 Eerly, for to seen the grete fight,
2490 Unto hir reste wenten they at nyght.
 And on the morwe, whan that day gan sprynge,
 Of hors and harneys noyse and claterynge
 Ther was in hostelryes al aboute,
 And to the paleys rood ther many a route
 Of lordes upon steedes and palfreys.
 Ther maystow seen devisynge of harneys
 So unkouth and so riche, and wroght so weel
 Of goldsmythrye, of browdynge, and of steel;
 The sheeldes brighte, testeres, and trappures,
2500 Gold-hewen helmes, hauberkes, cote-armures;
 Lordes in parementz on hir courseres,
 Knyghtes of retenue, and eek squieres
 Nailynge the speres, and helmes bokelynge;
 Giggynge of sheeldes, with layneres lacynge --
 There as nede is they weren no thyng ydel;
 The fomy steedes on the golden brydel
 Gnawynge, and faste the armurers also
 With fyle and hamer prikynge to and fro;
 Yemen on foote, 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 peple up and doun,
 Heere thre, ther ten, holdynge hir questioun,
 Dyvynynge of thise Thebane knyghtes two.
 Somme seyden thus, somme seyde "it shal be so";
 Somme helden with hym with the blake berd,
 Somme with the balled, somme with the thikke herd;
 Somme seyde he looked grymme, and he wolde fighte:
2520 "He hath a sparth of twenty pound of wighte."
 Thus was the halle ful of divynynge,
 Longe after that the sonne gan to sprynge.
 The grete Theseus, that of his sleep awaked
 With mynstralcie and noyse that was maked,
 Heeld yet the chambre of his paleys riche
 Til that the Thebane knyghtes, bothe yliche
 Honured, were into the paleys fet.
 Duc Theseus was at a wyndow set,
 Arrayed right as he were a god in trone.
2530 The peple preesseth thiderward ful soone
 Hym for to seen, and doon heigh reverence,
 And eek to herkne his heste and his sentence.
 An heraud on a scaffold made an "Oo!"
 Til al the noyse of peple was ydo,
 And whan he saugh the peple of noyse al stille,
 Tho shewed he the myghty dukes wille:
 "The lord hath of his heigh discrecioun
 Considered that it were destruccioun
 To gentil blood to fighten in the gyse

 

2540 Of mortal bataille now in this emprise.
 Wherfore, to shapen that they shal nat dye,
 He wol his firste purpos modifye.
 No man therfore, up peyne of los of lyf,
 No maner shot, ne polax, ne short knyf
 Into the lystes sende or thider brynge;
 Ne short swerd, for to stoke with poynt bitynge,
 No man ne drawe, ne bere it by his syde.
 Ne no man shal unto his felawe ryde
 But o cours with a sharpe ygrounde spere;
2550 Foyne, if hym list, on foote, hymself to were.
 And he that is at meschief shal be take
 And noght slayn, but be broght unto the stake
 That shal ben ordeyned on either syde;
 But thider he shal by force, and there abyde.
 And if so falle the chieftayn be take
 On outher syde, or elles sleen his make,
 No lenger shal the turneiynge laste.
 God spede you! Gooth forth and ley on faste!
 With long swerd and with mace fighteth youre fille.
2560 Gooth now youre wey; this is the lordes wille."
 The voys of peple touchede the hevene,
 So loude cride they with murie stevene,
 "God save swich a lord, that is so good
 He wilneth no destruccion of blood!"
 Up goon the trompes and the melodye,
 And to the lystes rit the compaignye,
 By ordinance, thurghout the citee large,
 Hanged with clooth of gold, and nat with sarge.
 Ful lik a lord this noble duc gan ryde,
2570 Thise two Thebans upon either syde,
 And after rood the queene and Emelye,
 And after that another compaignye
 Of oon and oother, after hir degree.
 And thus they passen thurghout the citee,
 And to the lystes come they by tyme.
 It nas nat of the day yet fully pryme
 Whan set was Theseus ful riche and hye,
 Ypolita the queene, and Emelye,
 And othere ladys in degrees aboute.
2580 Unto the seetes preesseth al the route.
 And westward, thurgh the gates under Marte,
 Arcite, and eek the hondred of his parte,
 With baner reed is entred right anon;
 And in that selve moment Palamon
 Is under Venus, estward in the place,
 With baner whyt and hardy chiere and face.
 In al the world, to seken up and doun,
 So evene, withouten variacioun,
 Ther nere swiche compaignyes tweye,
2590 For ther was noon so wys that koude seye
 That any hadde of oother avauntage
 Of worthynesse, ne of estaat, ne age,
 So evene were they chosen, for to gesse.
 And in two renges faire they hem dresse.
 Whan that hir names rad were everichon,
 That in hir nombre gyle were ther noon,
 Tho were the gates shet, and cried was loude:
 "Do now youre devoir, yonge knyghtes proude!"
 The heraudes lefte hir prikyng up and doun;
2600 Now ryngen trompes loude and clarioun.
 Ther is namoore to seyn, but west and est
 In goon the speres ful sadly in arrest;
 In gooth the sharpe spore into the syde.
 Ther seen men who kan juste and who kan ryde;
 Ther shyveren shaftes upon sheeldes thikke;
 He feeleth thurgh the herte-spoon the prikke.
 Up spryngen speres twenty foot on highte;
 Out goon the swerdes as the silver brighte;
 The helmes they tohewen and toshrede;
2610 Out brest the blood with stierne stremes rede;
 With myghty maces the bones they tobreste.
 He thurgh the thikkeste of the throng gan threste;
 Ther stomblen steedes stronge, and doun gooth al,
 He rolleth under foot as dooth a bal;
 He foyneth on his feet with his tronchoun,
 And he hym hurtleth with his hors adoun;
 He thurgh the body is hurt and sithen ytake,
 Maugree his heed, and broght unto the stake;
 As forward was, right there he moste abyde.
2620 Another lad is on that oother syde.
 And some tyme dooth hem Theseus to reste,
 Hem to refresshe and drynken, if hem leste.
 Ful ofte a day han thise Thebanes two
 Togydre ymet, and wroght his felawe wo;
 Unhorsed hath ech oother of hem tweye.
 Ther nas no tygre in the vale of Galgopheye,
 Whan that hir whelp is stole whan it is lite,
 So crueel on the hunte as is Arcite
 For jelous herte upon this Palamon.
2630 Ne in Belmarye ther nys so fel leon,
 That hunted is, or for his hunger wood,
 Ne of his praye desireth so the blood,
 As Palamon to sleen his foo Arcite.
 The jelous strokes on hir helmes byte;
 Out renneth blood on bothe hir sydes rede.
 Som tyme an ende ther is of every dede.
 For er the sonne unto the reste wente,
 The stronge kyng Emetreus gan hente
 This Palamon, as he faught with Arcite,
2640 And made his swerd depe in his flessh to byte,
 And by the force of twenty is he take
 Unyolden, and ydrawen to the stake.
 And in the rescus of this Palamoun
 The stronge kyng Lygurge is born adoun,
 And kyng Emetreus, for al his strengthe,
 Is born out of his sadel a swerdes lengthe,
 So hitte him Palamoun er he were take.
 But al for noght; he was broght to the stake.
 His hardy herte myghte hym helpe naught:
2650 He moste abyde, whan that he was caught,
 By force and eek by composicioun.
 Who sorweth now but woful Palamoun,
 That moot namoore goon agayn to fighte?
 And whan that Theseus hadde seyn this sighte,
 Unto the folk that foghten thus echon
 He cryde, "Hoo! namoore, for it is doon!
 I wol be trewe juge, and no partie.
 Arcite of Thebes shal have Emelie,
 That by his fortune hath hire faire ywonne."
2660 Anon ther is a noyse of peple bigonne
 For joye of this, so loude and heighe withalle
 It semed that the lystes sholde falle.
 What kan now faire Venus doon above?
 What seith she now? What dooth this queene of love,
 But wepeth so, for wantynge of hir wille,
 Til that hir teeres in the lystes fille?
 She seyde, "I am ashamed, doutelees."
 Saturnus seyde, "Doghter, hoold thy pees!
 Mars hath his wille, his knyght hath al his boone,
2670 And, by myn heed, thow shalt been esed soone."
 The trompours, with the loude mynstralcie,
 The heraudes, that ful loude yelle and crie,
 Been in hire wele for joye of daun Arcite.
 But herkneth me, and stynteth noyse a lite,
 Which a myracle ther bifel anon.
 This fierse Arcite hath of his helm ydon,
 And on a courser, for to shewe his face,
 He priketh endelong the large place
 Lokynge upward upon this Emelye;
2680 And she agayn hym caste a freendlich ye
 (For wommen, as to speken in comune,
 Thei folwen alle the favour of Fortune)
 And was al his chiere, as in his herte.
 Out of the ground a furie infernal sterte,
 From Pluto sent at requeste of Saturne,
 For which his hors for fere gan to turne,
 And leep aside, and foundred as he leep;
 And er that Arcite may taken keep,
 He pighte hym on the pomel of his heed,
2690 That in the place he lay as he were deed,
 His brest tobrosten with his sadel-bowe.
 As blak he lay as any cole or crowe,
 So was the blood yronnen in his face.
 Anon he was yborn out of the place,
 With herte soor, to Theseus paleys.
 Tho was he korven out of his harneys
 And in a bed ybrought ful faire and blyve,
 For he was yet in memorie and alyve,
 And alwey criynge after Emelye.
2700 Duc Theseus, with al his compaignye,
 Is comen hoom to Atthenes his citee,
 With alle blisse and greet solempnitee.
 Al be it that this aventure was falle,
 He nolde noght disconforten hem alle.
 Men seyde eek that Arcite shal nat dye;
 He shal been heeled of his maladye.
 And of another thyng they weren as fayn,
 That of hem alle was ther noon yslayn,
 Al were they soore yhurt, and namely oon,
2710 That with a spere was thirled his brest boon.
 To othere woundes and to broken armes
 Somme hadden salves, and somme hadden charmes;
 Fermacies of herbes, and eek save
 They dronken, for they wolde hir lymes have.
 For which this noble duc, as he wel kan,
 Conforteth and honoureth every man,
 And made revel al the longe nyght
 Unto the straunge lordes, as was right.
 Ne ther was holden no disconfitynge
2720 But as a justes or a tourneiynge;
 For soothly ther was no disconfiture.
 For fallyng nys nat but an aventure,
 Ne to be lad by force unto the stake
 Unyolden, and with twenty knyghtes take,
 O persone allone, withouten mo,
 And haryed forth by arme, foot, and too,
 And eke his steede dryven forth with staves
 With footmen, bothe yemen and eek knaves --
 It nas arretted hym no vileynye;
2730 Ther may no man clepen it cowardye.
 For which anon duc Theseus leet crye,
 To stynten alle rancour and envye,
 The gree as wel of o syde as of oother,
 And eyther syde ylik as ootheres brother;
 And yaf hem yiftes after hir degree,
 And fully heeld a feeste dayes three,
 And conveyed the kynges worthily
 Out of his toun a journee largely.
 And hoom wente every man the righte way.
2740 Ther was namoore but "Fare wel, have good day!"
 Of this bataille I wol namoore endite,
 But speke of Palamon and of Arcite.
 Swelleth the brest of Arcite, and the soore
 Encreesseth at his herte moore and moore.
 The clothered blood, for any lechecraft,
 Corrupteth, and is in his bouk ylaft,
 That neither veyne-blood, ne ventusynge,
 Ne drynke of herbes may ben his helpynge.
 The vertu expulsif, or animal,
2750 Fro thilke vertu cleped natural
 Ne may the venym voyden ne expelle.
 The pipes of his longes gonne to swelle,
 And every lacerte in his brest adoun
 Is shent with venym and corrupcioun.
 Hym gayneth neither, for to gete his lif,
 Vomyt upward, ne dounward laxatif.
 Al is tobrosten thilke regioun;
 Nature hath now no dominacioun.
 And certeinly, ther Nature wol nat wirche,
2760 Fare wel phisik! Go ber the man to chirche!
 This al and som, that Arcita moot dye;
 For which he sendeth after Emelye,
 And Palamon, that was his cosyn deere.
 Thanne seyde he thus, as ye shal after heere:
 "Naught may the woful spirit in myn herte
 Declare o point of alle my sorwes smerte
 To yow, my lady, that I love moost,
 But I biquethe the servyce of my goost
 To yow aboven every creature,
2770 Syn 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, departynge of oure compaignye!
 Allas, myn hertes queene! Allas, my wyf,
 Myn hertes lady, endere of my lyf!
 What is this world? What asketh men to have?
 Now with his love, now in his colde grave
 Allone, withouten any compaignye.
2780 Fare wel, my sweete foo, myn Emelye!
 And softe taak me in youre armes tweye,
 For love of God, and herkneth what I seye.
 "I have heer with my cosyn Palamon
 Had strif and rancour many a day agon
 For love of yow, and for my jalousye.
 And Juppiter so wys my soule gye,
 To speken of a servaunt proprely,
 With alle circumstances trewely --
 That is to seyen, trouthe, honour, knyghthede,
2790 Wysdom, humblesse, estaat, and heigh kynrede,
 Fredom, and al that longeth to that art --
 So Juppiter have of my soule part,
 As in this world right now ne knowe I non
 So worthy to ben loved as Palamon,
 That serveth yow, and wol doon al his lyf.
 And if that evere ye shul ben a wyf,
 Foryet nat Palamon, the gentil man."
 And with that word his speche faille gan,
 For from his feet up to his brest was come
2800 The coold of deeth, that hadde hym overcome,
 And yet mooreover, for in his armes two
 The vital strengthe is lost and al ago.
 Oonly the intellect, withouten moore,
 That dwelled in his herte syk and soore,
 Gan faillen whan the herte felte deeth.
 Dusked his eyen two, and failled breeth,
 But on his lady yet caste he his ye;
 His laste word was, "Mercy, Emelye!"
 His spirit chaunged hous and wente ther,
2810 As I cam nevere, I kan nat tellen wher.
 Therfore I stynte; I nam no divinistre;
 Of soules fynde I nat in this registre,
 Ne me ne list thilke opinions to telle
 Of hem, though that they writen wher they dwelle.
 Arcite is coold, ther Mars his soule gye!
 Now wol I speken forth of Emelye.
 Shrighte Emelye, and howleth Palamon,
 And Theseus his suster took anon
 Swownynge, and baar hire 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 housbondes ben from hem ago,
 That for the moore part they sorwen so,
 Or ellis fallen in swich maladye
 That at the laste certeinly they dye.
 Infinite been the sorwes and the teeres
 Of olde folk and folk of tendre yeeres
 In al the toun for deeth of this Theban.
2830 For hym ther wepeth bothe child and man;
 So greet wepyng was ther noon, certayn,
 Whan Ector was ybroght, al fressh yslayn,
 To Troye. Allas, the pitee that was ther,
 Cracchynge of chekes, rentynge eek of heer.
 "Why woldestow be deed," thise wommen crye,
 "And haddest gold ynough, and Emelye?"
 No man myghte gladen Theseus,
 Savynge his olde fader Egeus,
 That knew this worldes transmutacioun,
2840 As he hadde seyn it chaunge bothe up and doun,
 Joye after wo, and wo after gladnesse,
 And shewed hem ensamples and liknesse.
 "Right as ther dyed nevere man," quod he,
 "That he ne lyvede in erthe in some degree,
 Right so ther lyvede never man," he seyde,
 "In al this world, that som tyme he ne deyde.
 This world nys but a thurghfare ful of wo,
 And we been pilgrymes, passynge to and fro.
 Deeth is an ende of every worldly soore."
2850 And over al this yet seyde he muchel moore
 To this effect, ful wisely to enhorte
 The peple that they sholde hem reconforte.
 Duc Theseus, with al his bisy cure,
 Caste now wher that the sepulture
 Of goode Arcite may best ymaked be,
 And eek moost honurable in his degree.
 And at the laste he took conclusioun
 That ther as first Arcite and Palamoun
 Hadden for love the bataille hem bitwene,
2860 That in that selve grove, swoote and grene,
 Ther as he hadde his amorouse desires,
 His compleynte, and for love his hoote fires,

 

 

 He wolde make a fyr in which the office
 Funeral he myghte al accomplice.
 And leet comande anon to hakke and hewe
 The okes olde, and leye hem on a rewe
 In colpons wel arrayed for to brenne.
 His officers with swifte feet they renne
 And ryde anon at his comandement.
2870 And after this, Theseus hath ysent
 After a beere, and it al overspradde
 With clooth of gold, the richeste that he hadde.
 And of the same suyte he cladde Arcite;
 Upon his hondes hadde he gloves white,
 Eek on his heed a coroune of laurer grene,
 And in his hond a swerd ful bright and kene.
 He leyde hym, bare the visage, on the beere;
 Therwith he weep that pitee was to heere.
 And for the peple sholde seen hym alle,
2880 Whan it was day, he broghte hym to the halle,
 That roreth of the criyng and the soun.
 Tho cam this woful Theban Palamoun,
 With flotery berd and ruggy, asshy heeres,
 In clothes blake, ydropped al with teeres;
 And, passynge othere of wepynge, Emelye,
 The rewefulleste of al the compaignye.
 In as muche as the servyce sholde be
 The moore noble and riche in his degree,
 Duc Theseus leet forth thre steedes brynge,
2890 That trapped were in steel al gliterynge,
 And covered with the armes of daun Arcite.
 Upon thise steedes, that weren grete and white,
 Ther seten folk, of whiche oon baar his sheeld,
 Another his spere up on his hondes heeld,
 The thridde baar with hym his bowe Turkeys
 (Of brend gold was the caas and eek the harneys);
 And riden forth a paas with sorweful cheere
 Toward the grove, as ye shul after heere.
 The nobleste of the Grekes that ther were
2900 Upon hir shuldres caryeden the beere,
 With slakke paas and eyen rede and wete,
 Thurghout the citee by the maister strete,
 That sprad was al with blak, and wonder hye
 Right of the same is the strete ywrye.
 Upon the right hond wente olde Egeus,
 And on that oother syde duc Theseus,
 With vessels in hir hand of gold ful fyn,
 Al ful of hony, milk, and blood, and wyn;
 Eek Palamon, with ful greet compaignye;
2910 And after that cam woful Emelye,
 With fyr in honde, as was that tyme the gyse,
 To do the office of funeral servyse.
 Heigh labour and ful greet apparaillynge
 Was at the service and the fyr-makynge,
 That with his grene top the hevene raughte;
 And twenty fadme of brede the armes straughte --
 This is to seyn, the bowes weren so brode.
 Of stree first ther was leyd ful many a lode.
 But how the fyr was maked upon highte,
2920 Ne eek the names that the trees highte,
 As ook, firre, birch, aspe, alder, holm, popler,
 Wylugh, elm, plane, assh, box, chasteyn, lynde, laurer,
 Mapul, thorn, bech, hasel, ew, whippeltree --
 How they weren feld shal nat be toold for me;
 Ne hou the goddes ronnen up and doun,
 Disherited of hire habitacioun,
 In which they woneden in reste and pees,
 Nymphes, fawnes and amadrides;
 Ne hou the beestes 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 thanne with drye stikkes cloven a thre,
 And thanne with grene wode and spicerye,
 And thanne with clooth of gold and with perrye,
 And gerlandes, hangynge with ful many a flour;
 The mirre, th' encens, 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 desir;
 Ne what jeweles men in the fyre caste,
 Whan that the fyr was greet and brente faste;
 Ne how somme caste hir sheeld, and somme hir spere,
 And of hire vestimentz, whiche that they were,
 And coppes fulle of wyn, and milk, and blood,
2950 Into the fyr, that brente as it were wood;
 Ne how the Grekes, with an huge route,
 Thries riden al the fyr aboute
 Upon the left hand, with a loud shoutynge,
 And thries with hir speres claterynge;
 And thries how the ladyes gonne crye;
 And how that lad was homward Emelye;
 Ne how Arcite is brent to asshen colde;
 Ne how that lyche-wake was yholde
 Al thilke nyght; 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 baar hym best, in no disjoynt.
 I wol nat tellen eek how that they goon
 Hoom til Atthenes, whan the pley is doon;
 But shortly to the point thanne wol I wende
 And maken of my longe tale an ende.
 By processe and by lengthe of certeyn yeres,
 Al stynted is the moornynge and the teres
 Of Grekes, by oon general assent.
2970 Thanne semed me ther was a parlement
 At Atthenes, upon certein pointz and caas;
 Among the whiche pointz yspoken was,
 To have with certein contrees alliaunce,
 And have fully of Thebans obeisaunce.
 For which this noble Theseus anon
 Leet senden after gentil Palamon,
 Unwist of hym what was the cause and why,
 But in his blake clothes sorwefully
 He cam at his comandement 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 fram his wise brest,
 His eyen sette he ther as was his lest.
 And with a sad visage he siked stille,
 And after that right thus he seyde his wille:
 "The Firste Moevere of the cause above,
 Whan he first made the faire cheyne of love,
 Greet was th' effect, and heigh was his entente.
2990 Wel wiste he why, and what thereof 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,
 "Hath stablissed in this wrecched world adoun
 Certeyne dayes and duracioun
 To al that is engendred in this place,
 Over the whiche day they may nat pace,
 Al mowe they yet tho dayes wel abregge.
3000 Ther nedeth noght noon auctoritee t' allegge,
 For it is preeved by experience,
 But that me list declaren my sentence.
 Thanne may men by this ordre wel discerne
 That thilke Moevere stable is and eterne.
 Wel may men knowe, but it be a fool,
 That every part dirryveth from his hool,
 For nature hath nat taken his bigynnyng
 Of no partie or cantel of a thyng,
 But of a thyng that parfit is and stable,
3010 Descendynge so til it be corrumpable.
 And therfore, of his wise purveiaunce,
 He hath so wel biset his ordinaunce
 That speces of thynges and progressiouns
 Shullen enduren by successiouns,
 And nat eterne, withouten any lye.
 This maystow understonde and seen at ye.
 "Loo the ook, that hath so long a norisshynge
 From tyme that it first bigynneth to sprynge,
 And hath so long a lif, as we may see,
3020 Yet at the laste wasted is the tree.
 "Considereth eek how that the harde stoon
 Under oure feet, on which we trede and goon,
 Yet wasteth it as it lyth by the weye.
 The brode ryver somtyme wexeth dreye;
 The grete tounes se we wane and wende.
 Thanne may ye se that al this thyng hath ende.
 "Of man and womman seen we wel also
 That nedes, in oon of thise termes two --
 This is to seyn, in youthe or elles age --
3030 He moot be deed, the kyng as shal a page;
 Som in his bed, som in the depe see,
 Som in the large feeld, as men may see;
 Ther helpeth noght; al goth that ilke weye.
 Thanne may I seyn that al this thyng moot deye.
 "What maketh this but Juppiter, the kyng,
 That is prince and cause of alle thyng,
 Convertynge al unto his propre welle
 From which it is dirryved, sooth to telle?
 And heer-agayns no creature on lyve,
3040 Of no degree, availleth for to stryve.
 "Thanne is it wysdom, as it thynketh me,
 To maken vertu of necessitee,
 And take it weel that we may nat eschue,
 And namely that to us alle is due.
 And whoso gruccheth ought, he dooth folye,
 And rebel is to hym that al may gye.
 And certeinly a man hath moost honour
 To dyen in his excellence and flour,
 Whan he is siker of his goode name;
3050 Thanne hath he doon his freend, ne hym, no shame.
 And gladder oghte his freend been of his deeth,
 Whan with honour up yolden is his breeth,
 Than whan his name apalled is for age,
 For al forgeten is his vassellage.
 Thanne is it best, as for a worthy fame,
 To dyen whan that he is best of name.
 "The contrarie of al this is wilfulnesse.
 Why grucchen we, why have we hevynesse,
 That goode Arcite, of chivalrie flour,
3060 Departed is with duetee and honour
 Out of this foule prisoun of this lyf?
 Why grucchen heere his cosyn and his wyf
 Of his welfare, that loved hem so weel?
 Kan he hem thank? Nay, God woot, never a deel,
 That both his soule and eek hemself offende,
 And yet they mowe hir lustes nat amende.
 "What may I conclude of this longe serye,
 But after wo I rede us to be merye
 And thanken Juppiter of al his grace?
3070 And er that we departen from this place
 I rede that we make of sorwes two
 O parfit joye, lastynge everemo.
 And looketh now, wher moost sorwe is herinne,
 Ther wol we first amenden and bigynne.
 "Suster," quod he, "this is my fulle assent,
 With al th' avys heere of my parlement,
 That gentil Palamon, youre owene knyght,
 That serveth yow with wille, herte, and myght,
 And ever hath doon syn ye first hym knewe,
3080 That ye shul of youre grace upon hym rewe,
 And taken hym for housbonde and for lord.
 Lene me youre hond, for this is oure accord.
 Lat se now of youre wommanly pitee.
 He is a kynges brother sone, pardee;
 And though he were a povre bacheler,
 Syn he hath served yow so many a yeer,
 And had for yow so greet adversitee,
 It moste been considered, leeveth me,
 For gentil mercy oghte to passen right."
3090 Thanne seyde he thus to Palamon the knight:
 "I trowe ther nedeth litel sermonyng
 To make yow assente to this thyng.
 Com neer, and taak youre lady by the hond."
 Bitwixen hem was maad anon the bond
 That highte matrimoigne or mariage,
 By al the conseil and the baronage.
 And thus with alle blisse and melodye
 Hath Palamon ywedded Emelye.
 And God, that al this wyde world hath wroght,
3100 Sende hym his love that hath it deere aboght;
 For now is Palamon in alle wele,
 Lyvynge in blisse, in richesse, and in heele,
 And Emelye hym loveth so tendrely,
 And he hire serveth so gentilly,
 That nevere was ther no word hem bitwene
 Of jalousie or any oother teene.
 Thus endeth Palamon and Emelye;
 And God save al this faire compaignye! Amen.

Next: The Miller's Prologue