A TRANSCRIPTION AND COLLATION OF WYNKYN DE WORDE'S 1498 EDITION OF THE CANTERBURY TALES WITH Cx2, THE GENERAL PROLOGUE THROUGH Thm FRANKLIN'S TALE

by

WILLIAM FREDERICK HUTMACHER, M.A.

A DISSERTATION

IN

ENGLISH

Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Texas Tech University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Approved

December, 1976 !••;«•; 5^

CopA

I am deeply indebted to Professor Joseph J. Mogan for his

direction of this dissertation and to the other members of my

committee. Professors James W. Gulp, Beverly Gilbert, Joseph T.

McCullen, and Everett A. Gillis, for their helpful criticism and

their constant encouragement.

11 CONTENTS

TITLE-APPROVAL PAGE

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ±± INTRODUCTION i

WYNKYN'S LIFE AND WORKS 7

WYNDYN DE WORDE'S CONTRIBUTION TO PRINTING 13

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WYNKYN'S THE CANTERBURY TALES 21

SIGNIFICANCE OF WYNKYN'S ORDER OF THE TALES 25

SCHEME OF THE ORDER OF THE CANTERBURY TALES 26

WYNKYN'S VARIANTS FROM CX^ 27

PRINTER'S ERRORS 40

SPELLING 41

OMISSIONS IN WYNKYN'S EDITION 42

ADDITIONS IN WYNKYN'S EDITION 44

TRANSPOSITIONS IN WYNKYN'S EDITION 46

MISCELLANEOUS VARIANTS IN THE READING 48

BIBLIOGRAPHY 49

EXPLANATION OF THE SCHEME OF THE TRANSCRIPTION AND RECORDING OF THE VARIANTS 57 THE TRANSCRIPTION AND COLLATION (CONTINUED IN VOLUMES II AND III) 58

111 INTRODUCTION

This study represents a partial examination of De Worde's

1498 printing of The Canterbury Tales, and has been undertaken as a study leading ultimately to an edition of this printing. No transcription and collation of the early editions of The Canterbury

Tales has been done, no sustained study of Wynkyn de Worde has come to light, and his 1498 edition has thus far not been collated with any other. It is for this reason that in this study approximate­ ly sixty-five percent of The Canterbury Tales, as Wynkyn has them, have been transcribed and collated with Caxton's second edition of

1485. The variants have been schematically represented and dis­ cussed as they represent variants of (1) printer's errors or corrections, (2) additions, (3) omissions, (4) transpositions, and

(5) spelling. The results of this dissertation strongly suggest a confirmation of conclusions that heretofore have been only assumed: that Wynkyn de Worde used as his source William Caxton's edition of The Canterbury Tales (1485), that he had no other source and that, consequently, the variants of Wynkyn's edition from that of

Caxton's must be, in part at least, the result of common practices

But see Speculum, 49 (1974), 181, where attention is called to The Caxton Chaucers, Beverly Boyd, 1975, University of Kansas, Lawrence. of the early printers.

Before discussing the sources of these assumptions, it is

necessary to consider a possible earlier edition of 1495 of The

Canterbury Tales by Wynkyn de Worde. In his "Appendix to the

Preface" of his edition of The Canterbury Tales (1775), Tyrwhitt

states that though Wynkyn de Worde allegedly printed The Canterbury

Tales in 1495, he has never seen it, nor has he met with any

authority for its existence. He is sure, however, that if there 2 was such an edition, it was only a copy of that of Caxton. If 2 the 1495 edition was only a copy of Cx , the fact that it is hardly

mentioned in the scholarship of Chaucer, never described, and its

existence never insisted upon, is of little or no importance.

Joseph Ames, in his monumental work of 1785 , simply mentions that

Chaucer's Canterbury Tales were collected by William Caxton and

printed by Wynkyn de Worde at Westminster. He then calls attention

to Tyrwhitt's Preface. Eleanor Hammond in 1908 concludes thus:

"The report of an edition of this date, no copy of which has ever

been seen, comes apparently from a misprint in Ames; Tyrwhitt,

Appendix to the Preface, cites Ames' mention of a 1495 folio

2 Thomas Tyrwhitt, The Canterbury Tales of Chaucer, To which are added an Essay upon his language and versification; an Introductory Discourse; and Notes. Vol. 1 (London: Printed for T. Payne, at the News-gate, 1775), p. viii.

Joseph Ames, Typographical Antiquities: Being an Historical Account of Printing in England; With Some Memoirs of Our Ancient Printers, and a^ Register of the Year MDC. With an Appendix Concern­ ing Printing in Scotland and Ireland to the Same Time (London: Printed for the editor, William HerberF, 1785), Vol. 1, p. 123. edition, but remarks that Ames does not appear to have seen it himself, and that he has met with no other authority for its 4 existence." There has been no scholarship subsequent to 1908 that has added anything to the matter of a 1495 edition.

If De Worde's unconfirmed edition of 1495 was from Cx or 2 Cx , then no doubt so was his 1498 printing, for the only other editions to have been printed prior to 1498 were two by Caxton

(1475-76 and 1481-82 respectively), and one by Pynson (c. 1491). ?5 Pynson's edition was undoubtedly printed from Cx . Since Wynkyn 2 had access to a copy of Cx , why would he have used Pynson's 2 edition, knowing that edition to have been made from Cx^? It is logical to assume that he used Cx , for he must otherwise have gone back to manuscript, which is not likely on the basis of a statement made by W. W. Greg that "No print after Caxton's original edition was set up from a manuscript." In the light of

Greg's statement, Tyrwhitt's remarks may very well be the first indirect linking of Wynkyn de Worde's 1498 edition to Cx^.

It has long been accepted that the source of Wynkyn de Worde's printing of The Canterbury Tales in 1498 was William Caxton's edition of 1485. To say this, however, is to rely on data as

^Eleanor Prescott Hammond, Chaucer: A^ Bibliographical Manual (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1908), p. 203.

^Tyrwhitt, p. viii.

^. W. Greg, "The Early Printed Editions Of The^ Canterbury Tales," PMLA, 39 (1924), 741. 4 much negative as positive. Of the several editions of Chaucer,

from those of Caxton to William Morris, that Eleanor Hammond lists y

and describes, some have introductory materials, but nowhere is

there to be found a discussion of Wynkyn de Worde. In regard to the question which naturally arises as to the importance of

Wynkyn's source, it has apparently thus far been of little con­

sequence, since very few critics have mentioned it and since no

critic has discussed it at any length.

T. R. Lounsbury, in his three-volume study of Chaucer, devotes all of Chapter III to a critical discussion of the editions of Chaucer. He says of Wynkyn de Worde's edition only that both

Pynson's and De Worde's editions follow the text of Cx^ . W. W.

Skeat, in listing the earlier editions and commenting upon them, mentions that Pynson's edition of 1493 was copied from Cx^,

Pynson's edition of 1526 was copied from Cx^; and between these two assertions he states merely that Wynkyn printed his edition in 9 1498. Either he did not know the source or he thought it un- import ant.

7 Hammond, pp. 263-328.

^. R. Lounsbury, Studies in Chaucer (New York: Harper and Brothers, Franklin Square, 189277 Vol. I, p. 264.

^Geoffrey Chaucer, The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer and Others Being a_ Reproduction in Facsimile of The First Collected Edition 1552 From the Copy in the British Museum With an Introduction by Walter W. Skeat, Litt". P., £.B^.A. (London: Alexander Moring, LTD., n.d.). Vol. IV, p. XV. W. W. Greg, in 1924, asserts that there is no reasonable •510 doubt that Wynkyn's edition of 1498 is printed from Cx'^ . In the very little that Eleanor Hammond has to say about Wynkyn de

Worde, she indicates Cx as the source of De Worde's edition of

1495,^ and this is tantamount to saying that it is the source of the 1498 edition also because the information contained in the

"Proheme" or preface to Caxton's second edition asserts that

Caxton borrowed a book from a friend to correct his earlier edition. Charles Muscatine has recently quoted this Proheme, and in it Caxton says that he borrowed a more perfect copy of The

Canterbury Tales for the purpose of correcting his edition of

1495."^^ Finally, Charles Muscatine states, "As one might expect,

De Worde printed his Canterbury Tales from Caxton's second edition."^^ It is obvious that Cx as the source of Wynkyn's edition of 1498 has gone heretofore unchallenged.

The 1498 volume of De Worde consists of sixty-three leaves, all in double columns except the leaf designated by the signature

Ui. The signatures are from a to z. The Prohemium by William

Caxton is printed with the signature ail, and the Prologue begins

l^Greg, p. 6.

Hammond, p. 202.

l^charles Muscatine, The^ Book of Geoffrey Chaucer (San Francisco: The Book Club of California, 1963), p. 6.

^'Muscatine, p. 10. with a iii; two leaves following, the Prologue has the signature bi. From b to z the signatures are all in sixes except b with four leaves; c, eight leaves; d, eight leaves; r, eight; s, eight; t, four; u, five; y, four; fifteen leaves follow z without sig­ natures. The Colophon appears on the last of these leaves with the date 1498. On the front side of the last leaf of The

Canterbury Tales there is a woodcut, which was also used in the

Prologue, representing the pilgrims at the table. On the back side of this same page appears Caxton's monogram. This is followed in the volume by Lydgate's treatise on Gods and Goddesses,

Only four copies of this volume are extant: the only perfect copy

is in the Pierpont Morgan Library in New York, one copy in the

Folgers Library in Washington, one copy is in the British Museum

in London, and the fourth is in the Cambridge University Library.

Charles Muscatine calls attention to three of the surviving copies 14 in The Book of Geoffrey Chaucer.

Muscatine, p. 11. WYNKYN'S LIFE AND WORKS

About 1495, following the death of William Caxton in 1491,

Wynkyn de Worde became the owner of a printing business he had helped to create. De Worde and his wife, Elizabeth, were living at Westminster Abbey in 1480 after De Worde had come to England only a short time previous to this date to become Caxton's assistant. He continued in this capacity until 1491, when he became relatively idle, awaiting the result of litigation which, in 1495, made him the owner of Caxton's shop at the Red Pale in

Westminster. Five years later he settled in London where he re­ mained until his death in 1535.

Not everyone is agreed upon the birthplace of De Worde.

Joseph Ames says simply that he was born in the dukedom of

Lorrain,-^^ and E. G. Duff believes that his name is clearly taken 17 from the town of Worth in Alsace.

l^The salient features of De Worde's life necessary to place him in the general history of printing are, unless otherwise cited, taken from Henry R. Plomer, Wynkyn de Worde and His Contemporaries (London, W. C. 1: Grafton and Co., Coptic house, 1925), pp. 19-105.

l^Ames, p. 117.

l^E. Gordon Duff, The Printers, Stationers and Bookbinders of Westminster and London from 1476 to^ 1555 (1906; rpt. New York: Benjamin Blom, Inc., 1971), p. 24. 8

Duff maintains further that his name is not derived from the town of Woerden in Holland.^° Konrad Haebler, however, writing about twenty years later, is of the opinion that not only does the name

De Worde derive from the city of Woerden in Holland, but that certain circumstances point to the fact that he was born there.-^^

Almost nothing is known of Wynkyn until after Caxton's death in 1491, and a rather ungenerous opinion of his activities

for three years thereafter is afforded by Duff, who charges

20

Wynkyn with procrastination. But in charging Wynkyn with pro­

crastination. Duff was either unaware of certain pending litiga­

tion to determine ownership of Caxton's property, or he chose to

ignore it for, as Plomer points out, Wynkyn's hands were tied for

three years. During this time, there was in progress a series of

actions started by Mr. Gerard Crop, Caxton's son-in-law, in which

he put forth a claim to Caxton's estate, a claim which was not

allowed by Wynkyn de Worde, who was in all probability one of the

executors. The results of this litigation, which lasted three

years, were that Crop was imprisoned and the business was in a

state of stagnation. Only six books were known to have been printed during this time, and they were books that probably had been paid for before Caxton's death, or were on order at that time

l^Duff, p. 24.

l^Konrad Haebler, "England, 1476-1500," Die deutschen Buch- drucker des XV. Jahrhunderts im Auslande (Munich, 1924), pp. 275-276.

2°Duff, p. 24. and partially printed. Plomer gives two other circumstances to support these conclusions:

One is that De Worde did not put his name to any book before 1494, and the other that the Vitas Patrum, the book which Caxton finished translating on the day of his death, was not issued until 1495. The manuscript of that book was Caxton's own property, and nothing could be done with it until his affairs were settled. Allowing this to have taken place in 1494, and allowing the year for the preparation of the numerous woodcuts with which the work is illustrated, and the printing, it will be seen that it was published at the earliest possible moment after Caxton's death.^^

Wynkyn de Worde more than made up for lost time, as noted by

Haebler. He published more than one hundred single works during the years 1493-1500 (including the undated ones), a production which nearly doubled that of his master; so that in a seven year 22 period, he published more than Caxton had published in fifteen.

The number of books that Wynkyn de Worde printed has been variously given, but Plomer says only that it was "upwards of eight hundred in his entire lifetime."^-^

When Wynkyn inherited Caxton's business, he also inherited

Caxton's relationships with some of his patrons. Henry B. Lathrop comments on these relationships:

Of Wynkyn's 700 printed works, only about 200, roughly speak­ ing, are known to be reprints, either of his own books or of the books of other printers. Of this number some 8 are definitely said to be at the specific request of an individual, 3 or 4 may be so, and one reprint (of Polycronicon) was

^•^Plomer, p. 47.

^^Haebler, p. 276.

^^Plomer, p. 8. 10

undertaken at the request of a definite patron. Nearly all, moreover, of Wynkyn de Worde's patronized books are books 'of good life,' and his main patron was evidently Margaret Beaufort, who continued with him the relation already estab­ lished with Caxton.2^

Margaret specifically requested devotional books of Wynkyn in 1494 and in 1502. The title, "Printer to the King's Mother," appears in

1509 upon The Parliament of Devils, Nichodemus's Gospel, and Hawkes's

Conversion of Swearers. Thus the character of Wynkyn's publication may show that Margaret's influence "had been exerted in more cases 25 than directly appears." There is no evidence, however, that any requests were made for any secular works, and it is interesting to speculate upon the motivation for the printing, all in one year, of the English romances Sir Guy, Sir Bevis, and Robin Hood, and Sir

Eg1amour. The Chastising of God's Children, another of those books of a religious nature, printed in 1493, deserves special men­ tion for being the first book from either Caxton's or Wynkyn's 27 presses with a separate title page.

In 1498, Wynkyn printed three folios that were exceptionally well done and which have remained significant works of literature:

The Morte d'Arthur, The Golden Legend, perfect copies of which

^^Henry B. Lathrop, "The First English Printers and Their Patrons," Transactions of the Bibliographical Society, A. W. Pollard, ed. (London: Oxford University Press, 1923), p. 90. 25

Lathrop, p. 92.

^^Lathrop, p. 93.

27Duff, p. 25. 11 are in the John Rylands Library at Manchester, and The Canterbury

Tales. The only perfect copy of this book was sold in the Ash- bumham sale for one thousand pounds sterling, and is now housed in the Pierpont Morgan Library in New York City, New York.

When Wynkyn left Westminster in 1500, he rented two houses in

London, one for his shop and one for his dwelling to pay a rent of sixty-six shillings and eight-pence, a rather high rent for those 29 times. This fact attests to Wynkyn's good business sense and prosperity. Upon leaving Westminster he parted with a considerable portion of his printing material, because some of the type used up to this time never again appears in his work, but many of the wood blocks he used as illustrations turn up in the hands of other printers, especially Julian Notary.

The year 1509 was significant in the life of De Worde.

Henry VII died in this year, just a short time before his mother, the special patroness of De Worde. He printed thirty books in this year, twenty-five of which were printed after the royal deaths be­ cause of the fact that since many people would be coming up to

London, business would be good.

After 1530, De Worde mostly reprinted earlier editions, only about one in twenty books being new. The change in the type at this time shows that much of his work was done by other printers.

^^Duff, p. 30.

^^Duff, pp. 131-139, contains a substance of the remainder of this selection dealing with Wynkyn de JVorde's life. 12 and other printer's work was done in turn by him. For example, he printed at least three books for his former apprentice John Byddell in 1533 and 1534, Erasmus' Enchiridion Militis Christiani, a Life of Hyldebrande, and another work.

De Worde died at the beginning of 1535, for his will was tested

and authenticated on the 19th of January. John Byddell and James

Gaver were made executors of Wynkyn's estate and continued Wynkyn's

business in the same shop. Wynkyn's wife had long since been dead

with no surviving children; his legacy to himself consisted of lands

bought near London which produced twenty shillings a year revenue to

be given to St Bride's Church to keep an obit for his soul. This

was done by his executors at Wynkyn's request, and this payment to

the church continued through the sum of thirty-six pounds. WYNKYN DE WORDE'S CONTRIBUTION TO PRINTING

Wynkyn de Worde's contributions to printing may be dealt with very briefly. Duff thinks that Wynkyn was the first to use a title-page^", but Blades disagrees."^"^ It is clear, however, that immediately after Caxton's death, Wynkyn de Worde began to use 32 title-pages. H. S. Bennett notes that De Worde used title-pages in Th£ Chastising of^ God's Children.^^

Wynkyn is responsible for the first use of Lombardic capitals

T A in red ink and for the introduction of Greek, Arabic, and Hebrew letters into his books: "In a grammar of Whittinton, printed in

1517, he used a few Greek words, the characters being cut in wood; in 1528, for Wakefield's Oratio de laudibus trium linguarorum, he printed some Greek words in movable type, as well as some Arabic and Hebrew cut in wood." ^

^%uff, p. 25.

^•'^William Blades, The Biography and Typography of William Caxton, England's First Printer (New York: Scribner and Welford, 1882), p. 45.

^^Blades, p. 45.

^^H. S. Bennett, English Books and Readers 1475 to 1557 (Cambridge, England: The University Press, 1969), p. 212.

^^Blades, p. 119.

^^Colin Clair, A History of Printing in Britain (London: Cassell and Company TTD, 1965), p. 31.

13 14

Wynkyn was also the first printer to use italic type.^^

Wynkyn's contribution to printing is admirably stated in a late British publication by Edward Rowe Mores, who noted that

Wynkyn was the first to bring into English Th£ Round Roman Letter which had been cut by Swegnheim and Pannortz under the patronage of the Bishop of Alerca, librarian to Paul 11.^^ In a short note at the foot of the page, Mr. Mores quotes S. Palmer in A General

History of Printing (1732) in reference to De Worde's type:

". . . that in some of his first printed books, the very little he made use of, is the same used by all the Printers in London to this day; and I believe were struck from his puncheons."

Significant also in the assessment of Wynkyn de Worde's importance as a printer are H. S. Bennett's assertions: "A work of . . . range and importance was the D£ Proprietatibus rerum of

Bartholameus Anglicus. The Latin original was translated into

English in the last years of the 14th century, and this version was first printed by Wynkyn de Worde in 1495. . . . The work re- 39 mained in demand throughout the 16th century." Bennett further

^"Robert Grabhom, A_ Short Account of The Life and Works of Wynkyn de Worde, Printer at Westminster and London, 1491-1535 (San Francisco: The Grabhorn Press, 1949), p. 8.

'Edward Rowe Mores, A Dissertation Upon English Typographical Founders and Founderies (London: Oxford University Press, 1961), p. 5. 38 Mores, p. 5. ^^Bennett, p. 110. 15

asserts the popular range of Wynkyn's activities: "Wynkyn, in the

first decade of the 16th century, brought the printing press into

closer contact with a body of readers whose needs were great."^^

The fact that seventy per cent of all books printed by Wynkyn were

printed for the first time,^^ and forty per cent of all of De

Worde's printings were in the field of education,"^^ and sold well,

show unmistakeably that Wynkyn's choices of fare were eagerly

relished by the English public, and that for the first time in

the history of printing.

German criticism does not credit Wynkyn de Worde with much

contribution to English printing. Haebler sums up admirably with-

A 7

out detail. It is not to be denied that Wynkyn was very con­

servative. The largest part of his printing to 1500 was of the

same type used by Caxton. Since Wynkyn had inherited this type

from Caxton, he had no need to make any of his own. What he added

to Caxton's type appears as if he had not independently fashioned

it, but rather borrowed it from either the Netherlands or from

France. If he had fashioned it himself, he would probably have

held more slavishly to a specific pattern. It appears that what

40Bennett, p. 187.

4lBennett, p. 190.

^^Bennett, p. 188.

43Haebler, p. 276. The following paragraph is a paraphrase of thlee GermanGerman. 16

Wynkyn brought in new was from somewhere other than from Caxton.

Also, his initials seem not to have been self-made, but to have been borrowed from the Netherlands; and his woodcuts, in so far as they stem neither from Caxton nor from the Netherlands, are in fact the least worthy. In these circumstances it is understandable that the Wynkyn de Worde publications scarcely carry a personal character. Since both Caxton and Wynkyn considered the printing of books in Latin to be a risky business venture, they printed mostly in English. But while Caxton brought out a great number of originals, Wynkyn did a great number of reprints. Wynkyn's print­ ing is only a continuation of that of Caxton, but without Caxton's literary and technical understanding.

Blades refers to the varieties of types used by Caxton as numbers 1-6, and numbers them according to their chronological appearance. Duff adds numbers 7 and 8. Blades describes

Caxton's six types in detail, " and excellent specimens of these types and numbers 7 and 8 are afforded by Duff^ and Updike.

Updike notes that at first Wynkyn used Caxton's types, which

"•^Blades, p. 109.

^^E. Gordon Duff, Fifteenth Century English Books (London: Oxford University Press, 1917), p. 125.

^^Blades, pp. 109-121.

47Duff, Fifteenth Century English Books, 53 pages without numbers following page 123.

^°Daniel Berkley Updike, Printing Types (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1922), pp. 114-120. 17 he had inherited, and that these types were numbers 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8. Wynkyn used these types in five books printed from

1491-1493, one of which was The Golden Legend. The first type of his own that Wynkyn used was in a Liber Festivalis of 1493, which has the appearance of, but varies somewhat from Caxton's type 8.

It was this type 8 from which De Worde's Speculum of 1494 was printed. De Worde had two other types that he used before the end of the fifteenth century, in his Opus Grammaticum. An engraving

on wood of the crucifixion, first used by Caxton in the Fifteen

Odes, was used so much by De Worde that in 1498 it began to crack,

and in 1499, during the printing of the Mirror of Consulation, the block split in two. Updike notes this with interest as affording

scholars a sure way of fixing the decade of publications in which

this engraving was used, the fissure in the plate marking the progress of time.

That which Blades refers to as type no. 3 was in use from

1479-1483, but it was used by Caxton only for such things as

"headings." No English book exists in this type, but three Latin

printings, a Psalterium, fragments of a Horae, and a Directorium prove that there were at least three works printed with this fount.

The small letters of this type are exactly like the early German,

and the capital letters are much like that of the Flemish. Wynkyn

^%he following paragraph is from Daniel B. Updike, I, pp. 113-124. 18 came into possession of the fount at Caxton's death and used it continually.

Another type which Wynkyn inherited from Caxton was that which

Blades designates as type no. 5. The capital letters have large spaces and are without beards. Wherever type 5 is found in Caxton the capitals are Lombardic. Wynkyn used type 5 and with it the

Lombardic capitals in red ink, as has been mentioned, an invention purely Wynkyn's own. The specific types Wynkyn inherited from

Caxton seem not to be known; Blades says simply that "Wynkyn de

Worde . . . appears to have inherited his master's working materials." Caxton's last fount, type 6 according to Blades, was used by him until 1491, the time of his death, and there seems to be reason for believing that it came into Wynkyn's possession at that time. Nellie Slayton Aurner concurs in this: "Wynkyn de Worde, who seems to have been heir to his (Caxton's) ideas and 52 policies as well as to his business equipment."

In regard to Wynkyn de Worde's initials, which he himself very well might have made, but which Haebler has argued against, Charles

Sayle suggests that they are useful in distinguishing De Worde's earliest books from Caxton's, and that these initials were

^^Blades, p. 115.

^^Blades, p. 119.

^^Nellie Slayton Aurner, Caxton: Mirrour of Fifteenth- Century Letters (Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1926), p. 129. 19 ornamental letters which began to appear in 1480.^*^ Caxton's initials were very plain, bold, small, and black, while Wynkyn's were a finer and more elaborate type. They are important because they assist in the identification of fragments.

A significant comment regarding type is made by Marjorie

Plant: "It would, perhaps, be untrue to say that every printer of the early sixteenth century founded his own type, but one can at least infer from the complete silence on the subject until the end of the century that there was no separate industry of type-founding,

It seems possible that the early printer lent his type to others; unless the type used by Pynson, De Worde and Notary had been cast from the same bad matrices there is no other way of accounting for the general similarity of their printing in the identically irregular letters appearing in their work." In the light of this statement by Marjorie Plant, it would seem that there is no way of ascertaining whether Wynkyn set up his own type, and if so, which is his and which is that of another printer.

As in the manner of Wynkyn's acquisition of types, he inherit­ ed all of Caxton's woodcuts and put them to work immediately in

S^Charles Sayle, "Initial Letters in Early English Printed Books," The Bibliographical Society. Transactions, 7 (London, 1904 For 1902-1904), 15.

Sayle, p. 22.

^^Marjorie Plant, The English Book Trade (London: George Allen and Unwin LTD, 1939), p. 61. 20

The Golden Legend. The books of Wynkyn's career most heavily

illustrated with these woodcuts are The Golden Legend, Mirk's

Festyuall, the Speculum Vitae Christi, and the Horae ad Usum

Sarum. In all Wynkyn printed at least three hundred and sixty

illustrated books and used at least one thousand woodcuts, as

noted by Hodnett in the most monumental work yet to appear on 57 English woodcuts. Hodnett describes in some detail all of the

woodcuts used by Wynkyn which Hodnett thought to be worthy of 58 mention. In this description Hodnett is sure that none of these

woodcuts are original with Wynkyn, that he imported some whole­

sale, and that he commissioned several men at different times to

copy others already extant.

S^Edward Hodnett, English Woodcuts, 1480-1535 (London: The Bibliographical Society. Illustrated Monographs, No. 22., 1935), p. 9. 57 Hodnett, p. 3. ^%odnett, pp. 7-32. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WYNKYN'S THE CANTERBURY TALES

Significant among the printings of Wynkyn de Worde is the

1498 edition of The Canterbury Tales. An examination of the variety of books laid before the reading public in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries would naturally prompt the question why The Canterbury Tales are significant as a publication at this time and what caused Wynkyn de Worde to issue them. No one has attempted thus far to answer these questions specifically, so that the reason must be surmised in the light of the facts that exist. References to H. S. Bennett, T. R. Lounsbury, E. Gordon

Duff, Henry Plomer, and Joseph Ames show that books on religion, law, education, medicine, general information, arithmetic, astron­ omy and popular science, geography, history, news, and grammar books--all dealing with the instruction and edification of the reader--constitute by far the major output of Wynkyn de Worde, as well as the other early English printers, for works of this kind always comprised a ready market. Bennett asserts that this period is not one of the great productive eras of English litera­ ture.^^ Yet T. R. Lounsbury records as unimpeachable evidence of the popularity of Chaucer during this era the following: Caxton had published two editions of The Canterbury Tales, and before the

^^Bennett, p. 145. 21 22 end of the fifteenth century three more editions were published by

Wynkyn de Worde and Pynson. Within a space of less than twenty- five years, then, there were five large folio editions of The

Canterbury Tales. Between 1532 and 1561 four more editions of his complete works attest to the popularity of Chaucer; and con­ sidering the facts that these nine editions were bulky and expen­ sive volumes, that the population of England was small, and that not everybody could read, there remains little doubt that for the public to have absorbed this much of Chaucer, the publication of

The Canterbury Tales entailed little financial risk.

Henry Plomer asserts: "From the point of view of literature the books then printed (1498-1500) are far and away the most interesting of any that preceded them. Liturgical and devotional works were still in the majority, but alongside these we have one or two valuable educational works, and a greater number of ro­ mances and political works than ever before.""-^ Among these ro­ mances Plomer cites Bevis of Hampton, Sir Eg1amour, Guy of Warwich, and Robin Hood. ft"? This shows, according to Plomer, how Wynkyn earned the title "the popular printer."

Bennett calls attention to the fact that in the late fifteenth century Chaucer, Lydgate, and Gower were very popular, and that

Lounsbury, v. 3, pp. 33-34.

^^Plomer, p. 58.

^^Plomer, p. 60. 23

Caxton found a ready market for small quartos of Chaucer's and

Lydgate's verse. Bennett implies that very little risk was run at the time in publishing poetical works, and because of the popularity of Chaucer, Wynkyn published The Canterbury Tales.^^

Bennett further urges the reasonableness of Caxton's respect for the feeling the reading public had for Chaucer which led Caxton to print the works of three outstanding medieval poets, Chaucer,

Gower, and Lydgate, as well as the great prose romances of Thomas

Malory."^ "The work begun by Caxton was continued by his succes­ sors who extended their search for masterpeieces of English litera­ ture so that in 1557 the printers could feel that they had done fully as much as could be expected of them in providing the public with a variety of verse and prose by English authors. Bennett states: "It is clear, therefore, that the sale of Chaucer's work was a good speculation, and one in which a number of men were pre­ pared to participate." By the time Wynkyn came to print, a number of editions of individual works by Chaucer had already been published for the benefit of those who did not have much money to spend. These editions comprised texts of The Canterbury

^^Bennett, p. 17.

^"^Bennett, p. 146.

^^Bennett, p. 146.

^^Bennett, p. 147. 24

Tales (1478), Troilus and Criseyde (1482), The Hous of Fame (1486), and Th£ Parlement of Foules (1478).^^

In assessing the significance of De Worde's career, Bennett notes that De Worde made a notable contribution to romance, as well as to other forms of literature, for he seemed to know what was anticipated and what would sell. Though De Worde was ever ready to print something new, he had very little literary judge­ ment of his own, and the decision to print certain books was prompted by his friends and helpers.7 0 It may very well be that

Wynkyn was not sharp to realize that the time was propitious for an edition of The Canterbury Tales, but that such a printing was

suggested to him by Robert Copland or Henry Watson.

^^Bennett, p. 147.

^^Bennett, p. 191.

^^Bennett, p. 191.

^^Bennett, p. 191. SIGNIFICANCE OF WYNKYN'S ORDER OF THE TALES

Before proceeding to a discussion of the variants, it may be well to note that Wynkyn's edition differs from that of Caxton in the ordering of the tales. The extent to which the two editions differ is made clear from the schematic representation which follows. A conjecture as to the differences, however, may be in order. Of the sixty-six manuscripts of The Canterbury Tales 71 listed by Eleanor Hammond, the Ellesmere is generally thought to 72 be superior. The only difference in the order of the tales, between the Ellesmere Ms. and Wynkyn's edition, is that Wynkyn has misplaced Fragment VIII, putting it after V instead of VII. It would be consistent with this study to conclude that Wynkyn was 2 again correcting Cx , except that on this occasion he erred slightly. In light of the many instances in which this study shows

Wynkyn to have corrected Cx , it is apparent that Wynkyn was con­ cerned with issuing as accurate an edition as possible; and with a 2 source other than Cx at hand, possibly that which has come to be known as the Ellesmere, he would naturally extend his corrections to the ordering of the tales.

71 Hammond, p. 164. ^^Furnivall, p. 11.

25 26

SCHEME OF THE ORDER OF THE CANTERBURY TALES

ACCORDING TO CX2 ACCORDING TO WYNKYN DE WORDE

FRAGMENTS TALES FRAGMENTS TALES

I Prologue I Prologue Knight Knight Miller Miller Reeve Reeve Cook Cook

II Man of Law II Man of Law

IV Merchant III Wife of Bath Friar Sompnour

V Squire IV Clerk Franklin Merchant

III Wife of Bath V Squire Friar Franklin Sompnour

IV Clerk VIII Second Nun Cannon's Yeoman

VIII Second Nun VI Doctor Cannon Pardoner

VI Doctor VII Shipman Pardoner Prioress Thopas Melibe Monk Nun's Priest

VII Shipman IX Manciple Prioress Thopas Melibe Monk Nun's Priest

IX Manciple Parson

X Parson WYNKYN'S VARIANTS FROM CX^

Wynkyn's variants from Cx? are discussed in the light of early printing practices; consequently it is necessary to note that the early printers deviated from their sources by varying spelling and contracting and expanding words as an aid to justification. More­ over, substitution of single words and phrases, omissions, additions and transpositions are either accidental or are to be accounted for as necessary to improve the verse or the sense. Spelling variants are dealt with first, and pertinent to this, Gaskell suggests: "It is. . .essential to include all the words in a spelling analysis, not merely a selection of them, since the over-all spelling pattern is bound to be a complex mixture of the spelling standards of the period with the individual spelling habits of the author, the copy­ ist (if any), the compositors, and the correctors. Only a complete analysis can hope to separate the various components, and even then it will probably be necessary to compare the results with the 73 spelling of other texts from the same printing house." Percy

Simpson notes that each printer followed his own spelling practice.

The compositor finished his work more rapidly if he was not obliged

73 Philip Gaskell, A New Introduction to Bibliography (New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1972), p. 350. 27 28 to reproduce the spelling of his author or source.^^ Every spelling variant is not schematically represented here; however, each is noted in the transcription and collation which follow this introductory chapter.

These references to Gaskell and Simpson obviously reveal the fact that the early printers were not overly concerned with transmit­ ting a text "Letra-atim." Two earlier references support this opin­ ion, and the first reference would, undoubtedly, be regarded as a dangerous bit of advice to a modem printer: "A good compositor is ambitious ... to make the meaning of his author intelligent to the reader, as to make his work shew graceful to the eye and pleasant in reading: therefore if his copy be written in a language he under­ stands, he reads his copy with consideration; that so he may get him­ self into the meaning of the author, and consequently considers how to order his work the better in the Title page, and in the manner of the book: as how to make his indenting, pointing, breaking, italick- ing, etc. the better sympathize with the author's genius, and also 75 with the capacity of the reader." Apparently, only when the copy was written in a strange language was the compositor urged not to

^^Percy Simpson, Proof-reading in the Sixteenth Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries (London: Oxford University Press, 1935), p. 51.

^^J. Moxon, Mechanick excercises (London 1683 rpt. Oxford 1962), v. 2, p. 220. 29 76 meddle in any way with the text.

There is no question that if Wynkyn intended to adhere to the

spelling of his source, a conservative estimate of the ten thousand

variants in The Canterbury Tales strongly suggests that he failed.

A sampling of the spelling variants reveal relative consistencies on

the part of Wynkyn: he prints ^at where Cx has that, as seen in

11. 389 and 477 of the Prologue. Both Wynkyn and Cx^ use y_ and i_

interchangeably, yet Wynkyn is prone to print his where Cx^ prints

hys (Prologue, 1. 490). Wynkyn frequently prints with where Cx^ has

wyth (WBP, 1. 725); and Wynkyn prints lytyl where Cx^ has lityll

(Prologue, 1. 491). Noticeable also is Wynkyn's tendency to use a 2 2 w^ where Cx uses a u_. Wynkyn, for example, prints cowde and Cx coude (Prologue, 11. 475, 476, 477, and 710); Wynkyn prints lowde 2 2 and Cx loude (Prologue, 1. 715); Wynkyn abowte and Cx aboute (KnT, 1. 939); and Wynkyn downe, Cx^ doune (KnT, 1. 992). Wynkyn 2 characteristically prints Y\^ where Cx has 1_: gentyll, blysfull,

rebel1, full, and tyll (Prologue, 11. 719, 771, 834, 847, and KnT,

906). The 3^ is often substituted in Wynkyn for Caxton's gh_: flyst,

thou;^, kn-^tes, (KnT, 11. 1694, 1832, and 2100). Wynkyn tends to be modem in the printing of called (Prologue, 1. 868) and callyd

(KnT, 1. 1790) instead of Caxton's cleped. Also Wynkyn prints her

for hyr and glory for glorye (Prologue, 11. 870 and 871), which printings are rather consistently to be found throughout Wynkyn's edition.

76 Moxon, p. 198. 30

Many of the variants from Cx^ in De Worde's edition are obvious­ ly due to printer's errors. Almost all of these errors concem the use of the li, or n_. Although Caxton makes these errors also, he never makes them in the same places as does Wynkyn, so that they may be regarded variants. In the late Middle Ages the ij was rarely to 77 be distinguished from the ii_ in manuscripts. Consequently, if

Caxton is incorrect it is because he is misreading his manuscript; if 2 Wynkyn varies from Cx , it is because he is either incorrect or is correcting Caxton. In the following examples it is Wynkyn who is careless, for Caxton has copied his manuscript correctly. Wynkyn prints: General Prologue, 1. 45, lonyd; 52, bonrde; 95, eudyte;

399, conscyeuce; 434, aneroys; 507, lyne; 625, chernbyns; 630, quyksylner; 685, snche. In the Knight's Tale, 11. 997, clamonr;

1325, auswer; 1363, dryuke; 1602, nere; 1917, kernynge. Further examples occur in the tales of the Miller, Reeve, Man of Law, the

Wife of Bath's Prologue, Friar, Clerk, Merchant, and Franklin.

These examples are included in the Scheme of Variants which follows this Introduction.

Of the following examples of another nature, three are shown-- one by a reconstruction of the context--to be corrections of Caxton by Wynkyn: in the Knight's Tale (11. 2108-2109) Caxton prints "As fer as god hath made see and londe / Nas of so few so nobyl a company."

Hilary Jenkinson, The Later Court Hands in England From the Fifteenth to the Seventeenth Century (New York: Frederick Ungar Pub­ lishing Co., 1969), p. 36. Two minims were placed together in a vertical position in such a way as freqijently not to show whether they were joined together at the top or at the bottom. 31

Wynkyn corrects Caxton's fewe to ferwe, which was probably correct inasmuch as ferwe plays upon ferre in the preceding line. In the

Franklin's Tale (1. 795) Wynkyn corrects Caxton's Penmark to Denmark, which is an obvious error in Caxton. In 1. 988, Wynkyn's shyp corrects Caxton's shp. To distinguish these corrections from errors,

Wynkyn prints glass for grass in the General Prologue, 1. 151; craf for craft, 1. 402; herheed for hyr hed, 1. 471; lyght for hyght, which is erroneous since the context shows the word to mean called,

1. 617; in the Knight's Tale, 1. 2134, namly for manly; 1. 2387, tyre for fyre; 1. 2402, shente for she me. 2 Also to be noted is Wynkyn's correction of the Cx printing by avoiding Caxton's repetition: In the Miller's Tale, 11. 3375 to 3450 are repeated by Caxton. These comprise two full pages exactly and constitute an error which is understandable. Wynkyn does not repeat, and, since it is Caxton's repetition and not Wynkyn's, the repetition is not transcribed in the collation which follows this Introduction.

There are many instances in which Wynkyn makes corrections of single words of Caxton's misreading of his manuscript, one example of which will suffice before turning to the more significant var­ iants: In the Merchant's Tale, 1. 2324, Wynkyn corrects Caxton's turue to tome.

Not taken into consideration in this discussion, although noted in the collation, are such variants as Wynkyn's choosing to print vpon instead of o£ on^ (FriarT, 1. 2040). Very frequently

Wynkyn uses one word where Cx^ uses two. Another example is Byneth where Cx^ prints By nethe (FriarT, 1. 2045). On rare occasions. 32 however, Wynkyn prints for to where Cx^ has forto.

A significant omission occurs in the Reeve's Tale: This

omission constitutes one hundred and eighty lines, from 1. 4030 to 2 1. 4210 in Cx , does not constitute a number of complete pages, and

is therefore difficult to account for. The omission occurs six lines

before the end of the page in the Caxton printing and continues

three pages further in the middle of a page. These lines, omitted by

Wynkyn, are transcribed in the collation following this Introduction

2

as they are found in Cx , and the enumeration continues in the tran­

scription of the Caxton printing through line 4210. When Wynkyn

begins again at this point, the enumeration takes up at line 4030 so

as to record the exact number of lines that Wynkyn printed, and to

number them correctly. The omission occurs in the tale before John

and Aleyn talk with Symkyn at the mill, and the action resumes, in

the Wynkyn printing, during the night in the Miller's house after

the Miller has been deceived and immediately before Aleyn and John

are discovered by the Miller as having dishonored the wife and the

daughter. The source here, one is tempted to speculate, might have

been an expurgated printing, now lost; since the tales of the

Miller, Cook, and Summoner are all intact, however, this hardly

seems likely.

At various places in the collation are to be noted entire lines 2 frequently omitted: the first one to occur is the omission of a Cx

line between 11. 3636 and 3637 in the Miller's Tale in the Wynkyn

printing. The line reads, "And clum sayd John and clum sayd alyson,"

and the omission is significant because*it disrupts the rhyme scheme: 33

Lines 3635-3637 in the Wynkyn printing read thus: "They sytten stylle

well a forlonge way / Now (pater noster) clum sayd alyson / This

carpenter sayd his deuocyon." The corresponding lines in Cx^ are as

follows: "They syttyn stylle wel a furlong waye / Now pater noster

clum sayd Nycholaye / and clum sayd John and clum sayd alyson / Thys

Carpenter sayd hys deuocion." The couplet preceding these lines

rhymes "be / three" so that the line "They sytten stylle well a for­

longe way" rhymes with nothing at all as Wynkyn has it. Every other

instance of Wynkyn's omission of an entire line appears in this col­

lation to be of a similar nature; they are errors which distort the

rhyme scheme: Between lines 498 and 499 of WBT, "In many wyse how

fore I hym twyste"; 11. 659-660, "And priketh his blynde hors over

the falowis"; 11. 1311-1312, FriarT, "of contract and of lak of

sacrementis"; 11. 1872-1873, "Therfore I speke to hym in thys manere";

11. 2402-2403, MerT, "Ryght so a man that long blynd hath be"; 11.

14-15, SqT, "Yong fressh strong in armys desirous"; 11. 1047-1048,

FrankT, "Both in the see and ryuers more and les"; and 11. 1872-1873,

MerT, "Therfore I speke to hym in thys manere."

In addition to these omitted lines, there are twenty-five

omissions of individual words exclusive of the General Prologue. One

example will suffice since they are all of the same nature: WB Prol., 2 1.1, Cx has "of experience", Wynkyn, "experience." The omission by

Wynkyn is a correction of Caxton as it keeps the verse within iambic pentameter, whereas Caxton's line is a distortion of the meter. Of the twenty-five omissions of one word found in this transcription, fourteen of them can be demonstrated to \)e Wynkyn's corrections in 34 favor of meter. The references to these omissions are: WB Prol., 1.1;

1. 298; 1. 335; 1. 665; WBT, 1. 1197; MLT, 1. 665; 1. 858; FriarT,

1. 1459; 1. 1649; 1. 1691; 1. 1731; 1. 2005; 1. 2080; 1. 2103; 1. 2108;

CLT, 1. 245; 1. 972; MerchT, 1. 2259; SqT, 1. 456; 1. 527; FranklT,

1. 719; 1. 898; 1. 1140; 1. 1588; WBT, 1. 1108.

Eleven instances of Wynkyn's omission of the virgule in the

Caxton printing occur in KnT, 1. 2018, 1. 2511, 1. 2549, 1. 2556, and 1. 2786; MerchT, 1. 3208 and 1. 3786; CLT, 1. 668, 1. 803, and

1. 1088; SqT, 1. 194. It is difficult to account for this disregard of punctuation, since the instances of inclusion or omission of punc­ tuation does no violence to the verse. It is always possible that

Wynkyn's compositor--none of the scholarship reveals whether Wynkyn set his own type or had a compositor to do it--omitted the virgule as an aid to justifying the line, or that a process known as "stop- 78 press" might have caused the four extant printings of Wynkyn de

Worde to be imperfect in this area.

Occurring in the collation are eight lines in which Wynkyn has 2 made omissions. In MLT before line 1, Cx has "Here endyth the Cokys tale / and begynneth the man of lays prologe", and Wynkyn prints

"here endeth the cokys tale, and beginneth the man of lawes prologe."

The seven other omissions are of a similar nature and are found in

MLT between 11. 98 and 99; WB Prol., before 1. 1; CLT, before 1. 1213; before 1. 1220; before 1. 1251; the last omission of this kind are

78 Frequently one of the first few sheets to be printed would be taken from the press for proofing. Wl\ile the sheet was being checked for errors, the press would continue to operate. If an error was found, the press would then be stopped but the first few sheets, incorrect though they were, would be gathered up and used in the edition. 35 the words indicating a division within a tale: Between 11. 196 and 197 of CLT Caxton writes "Prima pars Grisildis" which Wynkyn omits.

These omissions can hardly be accounted for in any way other than to

suspect that Wynkyn is just abbreviating by excluding material that

is not really pertinent to the tale.

Variants of addition discovered in the collation are of three

kinds: duplications of several lines, simple additions of words, and

additions of punctuation. Of the first kind, Wynkyn duplicates in

two places, both in MerchT, 11. 1258-1437, and 11. 1978-1977 res­

pectively. There appears to be no way to regard this other than as

carelessness.

There are thirty-four simple additions of words to be found in

the collated material. It is not to Wynkyn's credit that only four

of these additions improve the meter, and can, therefore, be regarded

as corrections, and that thirty of the additions either do not im­

prove the verse or overtly do violence to it. An example of the

improvement is found in CkT, 1. 4231 where Caxton prints "And ther

is no theef withouten a lowke", and which Wynkyn, through addition,

changes the meter to perfect iambic pentameter: "And for ther is

no theyf withoute a lowke." An example of violence done to a per­

fect iambic pentameter verse by Wynkyn's addition of a single word

occurs in KnT, 1. 2758, where Caxton prints "Al is to brosten

thylke regyon", and Wynkyn distorts to "All is to brosten in thylke

regyon." These additions, which distort the rhyme scheme, have to

be the result of carelessness. % One more example of an addition is in order here because of 36 the interesting way in which Wynkyn embellishes the Cx^ text: After

1. 663 concluding SqT, Caxton says simply, "There is nomore of sqyers tale The words of the frankeleyns", and Wynkyn embellishes, "There can be founde no more of this forsayd tale, whyche I haue ryght dilygently serchyd in many dyuers scopyes / The words of the frankeleyn to the squyre and the words of the hoste to the frankeleyn." 2 There persists the recurring notion that, though Cx is undeniably the source of Wynkyn's 1498 printing, Wynkyn might possibly have con­ cerned himself with an occasional other reading.

At this juncture it may be pointed out that there seems to be no consistency at all in the use of punctuation by either Wynkyn or

Caxton, with the exception of Wynkyn's use of periods before and after Roman numerals. The only other punctuation used by either of these printers is the virgule, used very sparingly, and seldom used simultaneously by Caxton and Wynkyn. There is only one example in this collation of Wynkyn's adding a period other than before and after Roman numerals: the addition occurs in MLT immediately before

1. 1.

Twenty-seven transpositions of phrases and words occur in this collation, but the only thing that can be said regarding their significance is that in fifteen of these transpositions no violence is done to the sense or meter and can only be accounted for by assuming that Wynkyn was as prone as anybody else to transpose inad­ vertently, especially when the eye is tired; twelve of these trans­ positions definitely improve either the meter or the sense and *2 consequently constitute corrections of Cx . 37

There exists a great number of variant readings in the Wynkyn printing which are not occasioned by any of the variants thus far pointed out, and some of them are significant. In line 862 of KnT,

Theseus is recorded to have been governor of Thebes according to Cx^, 2 but Wynkyn prints "Athens." Cx consistently prints "cleped", and

Wynkyn just as consistently prints "called", as in 1. 868 of KnT and 2 1. 3312 of MillT. Cx tends toward "couthe" while Wynkyn reasonably 2 prints "cowde" as in 1. 3415 of MillT. In 1. 3636 of MillT., Cx has 2 "Nycholaye" and Wynkyn prints "Alyson." In the prologue to KnT, Cx prints "And thourgh hym unhappy and eek wood", and Wynkyn, "And eke thrugh Juno Jalous and eke wood." These examples are, perhaps, the most significant, but others abound, and the following is a less than generous sampling: KnT, 1. 1339, "light", "lihgt", metathesis here which is clearly an error; 1. 2962, "which wrastelith best", "why the wrasteleth best"; 1. 3101, "his", "this"; MillT, 1. 3643, "hys ghoost",

"the ghost"; RvT, 1. 4040, "Thoughte nought but good", "Thought not but good"; 1. 4101, "that wakyd", "who wakyd"; MLT, 1. 51, "yf he ne hath not sayd", "yf he ne hath sayd hem"; 1. 172, "The blishful mayde",

"This blisful mayde"; 1. 314, "to lewd and elles to slowe", "to lewde or elles to slowe"; 1. 501, "it was as grete", "it was a grete";

1. 724, "and wroot vnto this kyng", "and wrote unto the kyng";

WB Prol., 1. 1, "she sayd", "he sayd", 1. 115, "all that", "and that";

1. 266, "Somme for gentylnes or". Some for gentylnesse and for"; 1.297,

"Tyl they be weddyd to", "Tyll they be wedded thou"; 1. 361, "yf I be gay", "yf she be gay"; 1. 379, "Thou liknest vs eek to wylde fyre", 38

"Thou rekenest eke also to wylde fyre"; 1. 717, "as he sate", "and he sate", 1. 757, "she yaf unto hym", "She yaf hym"; 1. 860, "an", "a";

1. 907, "What thyng it is". What thynge is this"; FriarT. 1. 1515,

"in the gylt", "to the gylt"; 1. 1562, "hertis ay to", "hertis to";

1. 1775, "folk al be", "peple all be"; 1. 1847, "ne thou our brother",

"ne your brother"; 1. 2068, "of that vylage", "of all the vylage";

CLT, 1. 208, "of that throwpe", "of the throwpe"; 1. 1057, "and her in armys took", "and in his armys toke"; MerchT, 1. 1935, "what he wold", "that he wold"; 1. 2208, "and wommen", "as wymmen"; 1. 2355,

"i can not glose", SqT, 1. 97, "so hygh an style", "so hyghe a style"; 1. 326, "the knight", "tat knight"; 1. 405, "so pytouslye",

"full pytouslye"; FranklT, 1. 716, "ne", "ue"; 1. 1357, "an noble",

"a noble"; 1. 1069, "Ne never or now ne haddist knowen me", "Ne never or now thou haddest knowen me."

Scholars of Chaucer textual history have said that Wynkyn de

Worde used Caxton's second edition of The Canterbury Tales as the source of his printing of 1498, and no statement can be found that challenges this. W. W. Greg has collated the first 116 lines of 2 Wynkyn with Cx , and it is easy to see, on the basis of his collation, 2 that Cx is Wynkyn's source. Greg's arguments are based on a colla­ tion of several manuscripts, and he finds that Caxton and Wynkyn agree in places with a manuscript which is not in agreement with other manu­ scripts. In this study, approximately twenty thousand lines of

Wynkyn de Worde's 1498 edition of The Canterbury Tales have been collated with as many lines of Caxton's 1485 printing and the variants noted. 39

It is estimated that Wynkyn differs from Cx^ to the extent of ten thousand variants in spelling; and, although most are noted in the collation, only a small number have been discussed in this Introduc­ tion. Wynkyn is not unique in spelling inconsistencies, and no rare or unusual spellings have been noted in this collation.

The Caxton printing is virtually without punctuation whereas

Wynkyn seems to use periods for quotation marks and also for commas.

Virgules are used by both Wynkyn and Caxton, but seldom in the same place.

The many variants of omission, addition, transposition, and

variant readings that have been occasioned by none of the other cate­

gories have been pointed out in their entirety in the collation, and

samples of these have been noted and discussed in this Introduction.

The repetitions of both Caxton and Wynkyn de Worde can not be held to be significant because they are clearly errors, but no

reason can be given for Wynkyn's great hiatus of 180 lines in RvT,

from 1. 4030 to 1. 4210 in Cx . If this omission had occurred between the end of one page and the beginning of the next, one might

surmise that Wynkyn simply turned over too many leaves, but the omission begins before the end of one page and concludes in the middle of another.

There follow six schematic representations of a sampling of

(1) variants of printer's errors, (2) spelling, (3) omissions, (4) additions, (5) transpositions, and (6) miscellaneous variants in the reading occasioned by none of the other categories. 40

PRINTER'S ERRORS

Cx2 Wynkyn

General Prologue 1. 45 louyd lonyd 1. 52 bourde bonrde 1. 95 endyte eudyte Knight's Tale 1. 997 clamour clamonr 1. 1325 answer aunswer 1. 1362 drynke dryuke 1. 2109 fewe ferwe Wife of Bath's Prologue 1. 314 hidist ydchst 1. 24 neuer ueuer Franklin's Tale 1. 797 Denmark Penmark 1. 988 shyp shp 1. 1015 sorowfull sorowfnll 1. 1069 neuer ueuer 41

SPELLING

Cx' Wynkyn

General Prologue 1. 389 that ^at 1. 477 that ^at 1. 490 hys his 1. 491 lityll lytyl 1. 710 coude cowde 1. 715 loude lowde Knight's Tale 1. 939 aboute abowte 1. 1694 fiyght fly3t 42

OMISSIONS IN WYNKYN'S EDITION

Miller's Tale 11. 3635-3638

Cx' They syttyn stylle wel a furlong waye Now pater noster clum sayd Nycholaye And clum sayd John and clum sayd alyson Thys Carpenter sayd hys deuocion

Wynkyn They sytten stylle well a forlonge waye XX X XXX X Now (pater noster) clum sayd alyson This carpenter sayd his deuocyon

Wife of Bath's Prologue 1. 1

Cx^ of experience

Wynkyn experience 1. 298

Cx2 And than sayst thou

Wynkyn And sayst thou

1. 335

Cx' dar the recke

Wynkyn Dare reche

Wife of Bath's Tale 1. 1008

Cx' yf that I can sayn

Wynkyn yf I can sayn 43

OMISSIONS

Man of Law's Tale 1. 665

Cx^ A briton book wryten with euangelys

Wynkyn A bryton boke with euangelys

1. 858

Cx2 My lytyl chyld

Wynkyn My chyld

Friar's Tale 1. 1649

Hadde I had leue

Wynkyn Had I leue

1. 1691

Cx2 Bradder than of a Carik

Wynkyn Bradder than a caryk

1. 1731

Cx2 o masse on a day

Wynkyn o masse on day

1. 2080

Cx2 To a poure man men shold

Wynkyn To a poure man sholde 44

ADDITIONS IN WYNKYN'S EDITION

Knight's Tale 1. 1342

Cx2 I ne woot who hath the wofuller myster

Wynkyn I ne wote who that hath the wofuller myster

1. 1375

Cx^ Nought only lyke the louers maladye

Wynkyn Nought only lyke to the louers maladye

1. 1412

Cx^ and alone save only a poure squyer

Wynkyn and all alone sauf oonly a poore squyer

1. 2758

Cx^ Al is to brosten thylke regyon

Wynnkyn All is to brosten in thylke regyon

Cook's Tale

1. 4231 And ther is no theef withouten a lowke Cx^ And for there is no theyf wythoute a lowke Wynkyn Man of Law's Tale 1. 288

Cx2 Of Ilyon nor brent was Thebes the cyte

Wynkyn Of Ilyon ne not brent was thebes the cyte 45

ADDITIONS

Friar's Tale 1. 1562

Cx Dyspose ye your hertis ay wythstonde

Wynkyn Dyspose ye alwaye your hertis to wythstonde

1. 1730

Cx2 Thogh I hym wrye and make hym warm

Wynkyn Thogh that I hym weye and make hym warme

Clerk's Tale 1. 20

Cx That we may understonde what ye say

Wynkyn That we maye understonde you what ye saye 46

TRANSPOSITIONS IN WYNKYN'S EDITION

Knight's Tale 1. 2288

Cx2 But how she dyd there I dare not telle

Wynkyn But how she dyde there dare I not telle

1. 2318

Cx2 And Palamon that hath suche loue to me

Wynkyn And Palamon that suche loue hath to me

1. 3047 2 Cx And rebel is to hym that al may gye

Wynkyn And rebel1 is to hym that maye al gye

Miller's Tale 1. 3275

Cx2 And pryuely he caughte hyr the by queynt

Wynkyn And pryuely he caughte her by the queynt

1. 3669

Cx2 And thought now is tyme to walke al nyght

Wynkyn And thought now tyme is to walke all nyght

Man of Law's Tale 1. 140 2 Cx Wyth hem and eke to se-len her hem ware

Wynkyn Wyth hem and eke to sellen hem her ware 47

TRANSPOSITIONS

Wife of Bath's Tale 1. 1010

Coude ye me wisshe I wold quywetel your hire

Wynkyn Coude ye me wissh I wold wel quyte your hire

Friar's Tale 1. 1369

Cx I am thy frend there I may the auaylle

Wynkyn I am thy frende there I the maye auayle

Sompnour's Tale 1. 1712

Cx I all the chyrche so god saue me

Wynkyn In all the chyrche so god me saue

Clerk's Tale 1. 434

Cx In al the lond that she it coude a peas

Wynkyn In all the londe that she cowde it apees 48

MISCELLANEOUS VARIANTS IN THE READING

Source Cx2 Wynkyn

Knight's Tale 1. 862 Thebes Athens 1. 868 cleped called Miller's Tale 1. 3415 couthe cowde 1. 3636 Nycholaye Alyson 1. 3643 hys ghoost the ghost Reeve's Tale 1. 4040 Thoughte nought but Thought not but good good 1. 4101 that wakyd who wakyd Man of Law's 1. 51 yf he ne hath not yf he ne hath sayd hem sayd 1. 172 The blisful mayde This blisful mayde 1. 314 to lewd and elles to lewde or elles to to slowe slowe Wife of Bath's Prologue 1. 1 she sayd he sayd Clerk's Tale 1. 218 of that throwpe of the throwpe 1. 1057 and her in armys took and in his armys took BIBLIOGRAPHY

A. Books

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Bennett, Henry Stanley. Chaucer and The Fifteenth Century. New York: Oxford University Press, 1947.

. English Books and Readers, 1475-1557. Being a Study in the History of the Book Trade From Caxton to the Incorporation of the Stationer's Company. Cambridge (England), 1952, Vol. XIII.

Blades, William. The Biography and Typography of William Caxton, England's First Printer. New York: Scribner and Welford, 1882.

Bloy, C. H. A^ history of printing ink, balls and rollers, 1440-1850. London, 1967.

Bosanquet, Eustace F. English Printed Almanacks and Prognostica­ tions. A Bibliographical History to the Year 1600. London, 1917. (The Bibliographical Society. Illustrated Monograph 17.)

Bradshaw, Henry. (A Letter to J. J. Green.) In G. W. Prothero. A Memoir of Henry Bradshaw. London, 1888. Pp. 366-368.

. Notice of a Fragment of the "Fifteen Oes and Other Prayers" Printed at Westminster by IV. Caxton about 1490-91^ Preserved in the Library of the Baptist College, Bristol. London, 1877.

Carter, H. A View of Early Typography. Oxford: The Clarendon Press, 1969.

49

TEXAS TECH LIBRARY 50

Clair, Colin. A History of Printing in Britain. London: Cassell, 1965.

Davies, Hugh Williams. Devices of the Early Printers, 1457-1560. Their History and Development. London, 1935.

Duff, Edward Gordon. Information for Pilgrims unto the Holy Land Facsimile of the Edition of Vj_. d_. Worde, Westminster, 1498. London, 1893.

. The English Provincial Printers, Stationers and Bookbinders to 1557. Cambridge, 1912.

. Handlist of Books Printed by London Printers, 1501-1556. London, 1913.

. Fifteenth Century English Books, The Bibliog­ raphical Society. Oxford, 1917.

. The Printers, Stationers, and Bookbinders of London and Westminster in the Fifteenth Century. Aberdeen, 1899.

^ . The Printers, Stationers, and Bookbinders of Westminster and London from 1476 to 1555. Cambridge, 1906.

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. Early English Printing. A^ Series of Facsimiles of all the Types Used in England During the XVth Century, With Some of Those Used in the Printing of English Books Abroad. London, 1896, VoT. VIII.

Dunn, Thomas F. The Manuscript Sources of Caxton's Second Edition of the Canterbury Tales. Chicago, 1940.

Fertel, M. D. La science pratique de I'impremeries. Saint-Omer, 1723.

Fumivall, F. J. A Temporary Preface to the Six-Text Edition of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, Part I. London: N. Trubner and Co., for the Chaucer Society, 1868.

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Gessler, Jean. Fragment d'anciens traites pour 1'enseignement du Francais en Angleterre. New York, 1933.

Goldschmidt, E. Ph. Medieval Texts and Thgir First Appearance in Print. BS (1943). 51

Grabhom, Robert. A Short Account of The Life and Works of Wynkyn de Worde, Printer at Westminster and London, T4"91-1535. San Francisco: The Grabhom Press, 1949.

Hammond, Eleanor Prescott. Chaucer; A Bibliographical Manual. New York: The Macmillan Co., 1908.

Haslewood, Joseph, ed. Literary Researches into the History of the "Book of Saint Albans." London: n.p., 1810.

Heilbromer, Walter L. Printing and the Book in Fifteenth Century England. Charlottesville: The University Press of Virginia, 1967. "A Bibliographical Essay."

Hodnett, Edward. English Woodcuts, 1480-1535. The Bibliographical Society. Illustrated Monographs, no. 22. London: n.p., 1935.

Isaac, Frank. English Printers' Types of the Sixteenth Century. London: Oxford University Press, 1936.

Johnson, Charles and Jenkinson, Hilery. English Court Hand AD 1066-1500, Part I. Oxford: The Clarendon Press.

Kennard, Joseph S. Some Early Printers and Their Colophons. Philadelphia, 1902. "A brief, sentimentalized discussion of Caxton and W.d.W. p. 119.

Keynes, Geoffrey. William Pickering Publisher. London: The Fleuron, 1924.

Lounsbury, Thomas R. Studies in Chaucer, 3 vols. New York: Harper, 1892.

Mackail, J. W. The Life of William Morris, 2 vols. London: Longmans Green, 1901.

Manly, John M. and Rickert, Edith, eds. The Text of the Canterbury Tales, 8 vols. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1940.

Moran, James. Wynkyn de Worde, Father of Fleet Street. London, 1960.

Mores, Edward Rowe. A Dissertation Upon English Typographical Founders and Founderies. London: Oxford University Press, 1961.

Morrison, Paul G. Index Printers, Publishers and Booksellers. . . . Charlottesville: Bibliographical Society of the University of Virginia, 1950. 52 Morsbach, Lorenz. Mittelenglische Originalurkunden von der Chaucerzeit bis zur des 15 Jahrhunderts. Alt-und~mrEt"el- englische Texte, hg. v. Morsbach und Holthausen. Vol. X, Heidelberg, 1923.

Moxon, Joseph. Mechanick Exercises. London, 1683. Edited by H. Davis and H. Carter, 2nd ed., Oxford, 1962.

Mumby, Frank Arthur. Publishing and Bookselling, 4th ed. London: Jonathan Cape, 1956.

Muscatine, Charles. The Book of Geoffrey Chaucer. San Francisco: The Book Club of California, 1963.

McCormick, Sir William. The Manuscripts of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales: A Critical Description of Their Contents. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1933.

McKerrow, Ronald B. and Ferguson, Frederick S. Title-Page Borders Used in England and Scotland, 1485-1640. Bibliographical Society. Illustrated Monographs, no. 21. London, 1932 (for 1931). XLVII.

. Printer's and Publisher's Devices in England and Scotland, 1485-1640. London, 1913. Plant, Marjorie. The English Book Trade. London: George Allen and Unwin LTD, 1939.

Plomer, Henry R. Abstracts From the Wills of English Printers and Stationers, From 1492-1650. London, 1903. V.

. A Short History of English Printing, 1476-1900. London, 1900. _^ . Wynkyn de Worde and His Contemporaries From the Death of Caxton to 1535. A Chapter in English Printing. London, 1925.

Pollard, Alfred W. Facsimiles From Early Printed Books in the British Museum. Selected Pages From Representative Specimens of the Early Printed Books of Germany, Italy, France, Holland and England, Exhibited in the King's Library. London, 1897. Sayles, C. E. Early English Printed Books in the University Library. 4 vols., Cambridge, 1906-1907.

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Simpson, P. Proof-reading in the 16th, 17^th and 18th centuries. Oxford, 1935; rpt. 1970. 53

Skeat, Walter W., ed. The Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer. 7 vols. Oxford, 1894-1897.

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Winship, George Parker. Printing iii th£ Fifteenth Century. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1940. 54

B. PUBLICATIONS OF LEARNED ORGANIZATIONS

Bennett, Henry Stanley. "Notes on Two Incunables: The Abbey of the Holy Ghost and A^ Ryght Profytable Treatyse." The Library, 5th ser. 10 (1955), 120-121.

Bowers, Fredson. "Printing Evidence in Wynkyn de Worde's Edition of 'The Life of Johan Picus' by Sir Thomas More." Bibliog­ raphical Society of America. Publications 43 (1949), 398-399,

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"A Chapter in the Ms. History of the Canter­ bury Tales: The Ancestor of Group 'd': The Origin of its Texts, Tale Order, and Spurious Links." PMLA, 63 (1948), 456-484.

. "The Fifteenth-Century Editors of the Canterbury Tales and the Problem of Tale Order." PMLA, 64 (1949) 1123-1142.

Forman, P. "Two Rare Books in the University Library, Glasgow." The Bibliotheck, I (1956), 22-23.

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Johnson, Francis R. "Notes on English Retail Bond Prices, 1550-1640." The Library, 5th ser., 5, (1950-1951), 83-112.

Kilgour, Margaret. "The Manuscript Source of Caxton's Second Edition of the Canterbury Tales." PMLA, 44 (1929), 186-201.

Lam, George L., and Smith, Warren H., "George Vertue's Contribution to Chaucerian Iconography." Modem Language Quarterly, 5, (1944), 303-322.

Lathrop, Henry B. "The First English Printers and Their Patrons." The Library, 4th ser., 3 (1923), 69-96.

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Owen, Charles A., Jr. "The Canterbury Tales: Early Mss. and Relative Popularity." Journal of English and Germanic Literature, LIV (1955), 104-110. 56

Pafort, Eloise. "Notes on the Wynkyn de Worde Editions of the Boke of St. Albans and its Separates." Studies in Bibliog­ raphy, 5 (1952-1953), 43-52.

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Rickert, Edith. "Are there More Chaucer mss.?" Times Literary Supplement, Dec. 17, 1931, 1028.

Sayce, A. A. "Compositorial Practices and the Localisation of Printed Books, 1530-1800." The Library, XXI, 1966, 1-45.

Sayle, Charles. "Initial Letters in Early English Printed Books." The Bibliographical Society. Transactions, 7 (London, 1904 [for 1902-1904]), 15-47.

Schultz, H. C. "Manuscript Printer's Copy for a Last Early English Book." The Library, 4th ser., 22 (1942), 138-144.

Shaw, A. E. "The Earliest Latin Grammars in English." The Bibliographical Society. Transactions, 5 (London, 1901 [for 1898-1900]).

Tatlock, J. S. P. "The Canterbury Tales in 1400," PMLA, 50 (1935), 100-139.

Updike, Daniel B. "Type and Type Forms of the Fifteenth Century in England." Printing Types, Their History, Forms, and Use. A Study in Survivals. Cambridge (Mass.), 1927, I, 113-124, 2nd ed., 1937. 3rd ed., 1962. Explanation of the Scheme of the Transcription

And Recording of the Variants

In this transcription and collation, the base line is the Wynkyn de Worde printing, and the variant written above is the Caxton print­ ing. X's are placed in the variant line to indicate that the words or phrases over which the x's are placed represent a variant of addi­ tion by Wynkyn de Worde. To indicate variants of omission by Wynkyn de Worde, the omitted material is placed in the variant line. With this scheme the differences between the Wynkyn de Worde line and the

Cx'^ line become readily apparent.

Every tenth line in the Wynkyn de Worde printing is numbered throughout the particular fragment in which the lines are found. In the instance in which Wynkyn has omitted one hundred eighty lines of his source, the numbering of the Wynkyn lines is discontinued at the point where Wynkyn's omission begins and continued at the point where Wynkyn continues his printing so as to preserve the exact number of lines in the Wynkyn printing. The intervening one hundred 2 eighty lines of Cx are numbered with the superscript a_ above and to the right of the line numbered.

57 Prologus

hys shouris When ^at Apryll wyth his shoures sote

droughte percyd the drou^t of Marche had percid the rote

bathyd euery veyne And bathed eueri veyn in suche lycour

Of whyche vertue engendryd is the flour

eke hys Whanne zepherus also wyth his sote breth

Enspyrid Enspyred hath in euery holte and heth

tendyr croppis The tendre croppys / and the yonge sonne

hys Hath in the ram half his cours y ronne

foulis And smale foules make melodye

slepyn al opyn 10 That slope all nyght wyth open eye

prykyth hem her So prycketh them nature in ther corages

longyn folk gon pylgremages Then longeth folke to go on pylgrymages

seche And palmers to seke straunge strondis

serue londis To ferue halowys couthe in sondry londes

shyris And specyally fro euery shyres ende

engelond Cauntirbury thy Of englonde to caunterbury they wende

58 blysful martir 59 The holy blysfull martyr for to seke

holpyn when That them hath holpe whan they were seke

Byfyl in day Befyll that seson on a daye

tabard loy 20 In suthwerk atte taberde as I laye

senden pylgremage Redy to goo on my pylgrymage

Cauntirbury deuout To caunterbury wyth deuowte corage

That nyght was come in to that hostelrye

Well nyne and twenty in a companye

folk Of sondry foke by auenture y falle

feleshyp pylgryrays In felyshyp and pylgrymes were they alle

toward Cauntirbury wolden That towarde caunterbury wolde ryde

chambrys stablys The chambres and the stables were wyde

wel esid beste And well were we esyd atte best

30 And shortly whan the sonne was at rest

spokyn hem So had I spoke wyth them euerychon

her feleshyp That I was of ther felyshyd anon

forward And made promyse erly for to ryse

wey To take our weye there as I you deuyse whyles 60 But natheles whyle I haue tyme and space

ferthyr thys Or that I ferder in this tale pace

Me thynketh it accordaunt to reson

telle al condicion a ill To tell you all the condycyon

hem semed Of echo of them so as it semyd me

40 And whyche they were and of what degre

aray eke werren ynne And in what araye also they were in

wyl begynne a iii And at a knyght thenne I woll begyn ther A Knyght there was a worthy man

that first That fro the tyme ^aX he fyrst began

ryden loued To ryde out he lonyd chyaulrye

Trouthe and honour fredom and curtesye

Ful hys lordis Full worthy he was in his lordys werre

hadde noman And thereto had he ryden no man ferre

crystendom And as wel in cristendom as in hethenesse

hadde hys 50 And euer had honour for his worthynesse

At Alisaundre he was whan it was wonne

hadde boorde Full ofte tyme had had the bonrde begonne alle nacions 61 Abouen all nacyons in pruce

lettowe hadde Ruse In lettow had he reysed and in ruse

No crysten man so often tymes as he

Ingarnade seye eke hadde In gamade at the syge also had he be

Algezir Belmarye At algezer and ryden in belmarye

eke Satalye At leyeys was he and also at satalye

Whan they were wonne and in the grete see

at nobyl hadde 60 At many a noble arme had he be

mortal batayllis At mortal1 bataylles had he be fyftene

foughte feyth Tramyssene And fought for our fayth at tramyssene

listys thryes sleyn hys In lystis therys and ay slayn his foo

Thys hadde This ylke worthy knyght had he also

Som tyme lord Somtyme wyth the lorde of palathye

another Turkye Agayn a nother hethen man in turkye

hadde souerayn And euermore he had a souertyne prys

And though he was worthy he was wys

hys And of his port as meke as a mayde

He no Vylaynye 70 Neuer yet noo vylanye he sayde hys 62 In all his lyf vnto no manor wyght

gentyl parfyght He was a very gentyll perfyght knyght

Forto telle hys For to tell you of his aray

Hys His hors were good but he was not gay

fustian wered Of fustyan he ware a gyppion

Al be smered hys habergeon All besmered wyth his hawbergeon

For he was late come fro his vyage

sente hys pylgremage a iiii And sent for to do his pylgrymage

hys yong squyer Wyth hym ther was his sone a yonge squyre

bachelor 80 A louer and a lusty bachelere

Wyth X Crulle were leyd With his lockys cruwle as they wer layd in presse

yer age Of twenty yere of aege he was I gesse

hys eune Of his stature he was of euen lengthe

greet And wonderly delyuer and of gret strengthe

som tyme And he had be somtyme in chyuauchye

Flaundrys Artoyse In flaundres in artoys and in pycardye

wel lytyl And born hym well as of a lytyl1 space

stonden hys In hope to stonde in his ladyes grace 63 Enbrowded was he as it were a mede

Al flourys rede 90 All full of fresshe floures whyte and red

Syngynge floytynge al Syngyng he was or floytyng all the day

moneth He was as fresshe as is the month of may

hys wyth sleuys longe Short was his gowne with sleues long and wyde

Wel couthe sitte Well cowde he sytte on hors and thereto fayr ryde

couthe songys wel endyte He cowde songes make and well eudyte

Jouste eke Joust and daunce portraye and also wryte

So hote he loued that by nyghter tale

He slepte nomore than a nyghtyngale

seruysabyl Curteys he was lowly and seruysable

carf beforn hys tabyl 100 He keruid before his fader at the table

hadde seruantis A yeman had he and seruauntes nomo

At that tyme for he lyst to ryde so

hood And he was clad in cote and hode of grene

A sheef of pecok arowes bryght and shene

hys belt ful thryftyly Vnder his gyrdyll he bare full thryftily

coude hys tabyl, Well cowde he dresse his tabyl1 yomanly 64 arowys drouped wgth fetherys His arowes drowpid not with fethers lowe

hys baar And in his bond he bare a myghty bowe

wth broun A not hed he had wyth a browne vysage

Of wodemannes craft coud he al the usage (This is Cx2 line between 11.109-110 of W. de W.) Vp on hys 110 Vpon his arme he bare a gay bracer

hys swerd And by his syde a swerde and a bokeler

And on that other syde a gay daggare

Harneysed wel sharpe Harneysid well and sharp as poynt of spere

Cristofir hys siluer A cristofir on his brest of syluer shene

horn baar An home he bare the bawdryk was of grene

forster A foster was he sothly as I gesse

Ther There was also a nonne a pryoresse

hyr smylynge sympyl That of her smylyng was symple and koy

oth be Her grettest othe was bi synt loy

clepyd 120 And she was callyd dame eglentyn

wel Ful well she songe the seruyse dyuyne

Entoyued hyr Entoyned in her voys ful semely

spak And frensh she spake full fetously Aftir 65 After the scole of stratforde at the bowe

paris hyr For frensh of parys was to her vnknowe

wel al At mete well taught was she syth all

morsel hyr lyppys fal She lete no morsel1 fro her lyppes fall

hyre hyr Ne wete her fyngres in her sauce dope

coude morsel Well cowde she cary a morsell of mete

fyl hyr 130 That no drope fyll vpon her brest

curtesye ful mykyl hyr lest In curtesy was set full moche her list

wyped Her ouerlyppe whyped she so clone

cup ther ferthynge That in her cuppe there was no ferthyng sene

hadde draugh Of grece / whan she had dronke her draught

Ful hyr Full semely after her mete she raught

sekerly And sykerly she was of grete dysport

plesaunce Of pleysaunce and amyable of port

countrefete chyere And peyned her to counterfete chore

Of courte and to be stately of manors

140 And to be holde dygne of reuerence

hyr conscience But for to speke of her conscyence She was so charytable and so pyctous 66

wold She wolde wepe yf that she sawe a mous

Kawght yf it deed Caught in trappe yfit were ded or bledde

houndys hadde Of smale houndes had she that she fedde

wastel Wyth rost flessh or mylke or wastel1 bred

wepte But sore wept she yf ony of them were ded

Or smoot hem yerd Of yf men smote them wyth rodde smert

al conscience tendyr And all was conscyence and tender hert

Ful hyr wympy] 150 Full semely her wympy11 pynched was

tretise here glas Her nose tretyse her eyen grey as grass

smal therto softe Her mouth smale and thereto soft and reed

sykyrly But sykerly she had a fayr forhead

It was almost a span brode I trowe

For hardly she was not vnder growe

Ful fetyce Flul fetyse was her choke as I was waar

smal coral aboute harm Of small coral1 abowte her arme she baar

bedis A peyre of bedys / gauded all wyth grene

there on heng ful And thereon hange a broche full shene 67 first xAx 160 On whyche fyrst was wryte a crowned .a.

aftyr xAmor Vineit x And after that .amor vincit omnia.

Nonne A nother nonne wyth her hath she

chapelayn prestis That was her shapeleyn and preestis thre

Monk magistrye A Monke ther was fayr for the maystry

out ryder that venorye An out ryder |)at loued well venory

abbote A manly man to be an abbot able

Ful hadde Full many a deynte hors had he in stable

when rood myghte wys brydyl And whan he rode men myght his bridyl here

Gyngelynge whystelynge wynd x clere Gyngelyng and whystelyng in the wynde I clere

eke chapel 170 And also as lowde as doth the chapell belle

thys lord There as this lorde was keper of the celle

rewle The rule of saynt Maure and of saynt Benet

Be held old By cause he helde it somwhat olde and streyt

Thys ylke This sayd monke lete olde thynges pace

held world And helde after the newe worlde the space

He yaf not of the text a pulled henne

seyth That sayth that hunters be not holy men monk whenne 68 Ne that a monke whan he is rechelees

lyk fishe when Is lyke to a fysshe whan it is waterlees

Thys saye 180 This is to say a monke out of a cloystre

that texte held But |)at text helde he not worth an oystre

say that hys opynyon And I saye |)at his opyuyon was good

shold studye What sholde he study and make hym wood

book cloystir Vpon a boke alway in cloystre to powre

swynke hys hondis laboure Or besy wyth his hondes and a labowre

Austyn byddeth how shold As austin biddeth hou sholde the world be serued

Austyn hys swynk Let austin haue his trauell to hym reserued

Therfore he was a prycasour a ryght

Grehoundis foul Grehoundes he had as swyft as foule in fiyght

prykynge huntynge 190 Of pryckyng and of huntyng for the hare

al hys luste Was all his lust for no coste wolde he spare

hys purfyled bond I sawe his sleuys purfelyd at the honde

Wyth grice and that the fynest of a londe

fastyn hys hood And to faste his hode vnder the chynne

hadde gold curyous He had of golde wrought a curious pynne A loue knot in the gretter ende there was 69

Hys heed balled shoon His hed was ballyd whyche shone as glas

eke hys ben And also his face as he had be anoynte

lord He was a lorde fatte and in good poynt

Hys steep rollynge hys 200 His eyen stepe and rollyng in his heed

That stemyd as a furneys of a leed

Hys bootis sowpyl hys His botes souple his hors in grete astate

Now cettenly he was a fayr prelate

ghoost He was not pale as a fourpyned ghost

fat roost A fatte sawn loued he best of ony rost

Hys broun His palyfrey was as browne as a bery

there A Frere ther was a wanton and a mery

ful solemne A lymytour and a full solempne man

alle ordrys In all the ordres four is non that can

dalizunce fair 210 So moche of dalyannce and fayr langage

hadde ful fair mariage He had made full many a fayr maryage

X hys owen Of yong wymmen 1 at his owne cost

Vntil hys nobil Vutyll his ordre he was a noble post Ful ful famylier 70 Full welbeloued and full famyIyer was he

al hys Wyth frankeleyns ouer all in his countre

eke And also wyth worthy yemen of the toun

confession For he had power of confessyon

hym self As sayd hymself more than a curat

hys And of his ordre he was licenciat

Ful herd confession 220 Full swetly horde he confessyon

hys absolucion And plesaunt was his absolucyon

gyue And an esy man to geue penaunce

There pitaunce Ther he wyste to haue good penaunce

vnto poure forto gyne For vnto a poore ordre for to geue

signe wel Is sygne that a man is well y shryue

yafx / durste a vaunt For yf he yaue. he durst make auaunt

wyst He wyste that a man was repentaunt

hard Many a man so harde is of herte

thought He may not wepe though he sore smerte

wepynge prayers 230 Therfore in stede of wepyng and prayres

moste siluer poure freris Men must yeue syluer to the poore freres Hys tipet y farsed ful knyuys 71 His typet was yfarsed full of knyues

pynnys gyue wyuys And wyth pynnes to geue fayre wyues

certayn And certeyn he hadde a mery note

Meryly coude pieye Merily cowde he synge and playe at the rote

yeddyngys baar vttrily Of yeddynges he bare vterly the prys

Hys whyt His cecke was whyte as the flour delys

champioun Thereto shronge he was as a champyoun

touernys wel And knewe the tauemes well in euery toun

osteler 240 And euery hosteler and tapstere

Better than a la3er or a beggestere

Forto sach For vnto suche a worthy man as he

Accordyth hys Acordyth not as by his faculte

ylke To haue of suche la3ers acqueyntaunce

It is not honest it may not auaunce

Forto For to dele wyth suche poraylle

riche rytaylle But wyth ryche and sellers of vytalle

al richesse shold And ouer all there as rychesse sholde aryse

lowly Curteys he was and lowely of seruyse nowhere 72 250 Ther was no man nowher so vertuous

beste hys He was the best beggere in his hous

certayn And yaf a certeyn ferme for the graunt

Noon hys hys None of his brethern cam in his haunt

For though a wydowe had not a shoo

hys in principio So plesaunt was his Inprincipio

Yet wolde he haue a ferthyng or he went

Hys bettir hys His purchase was better than his rent

couthe And barke he cowde as it were a whelpe

coude mykyl In louedayes there cowde he moche helpe

there 260 For ther he nas lyke a cloysterer

threedbare poure Wyth a thredebare cope as a poore frere

But he was lyke a mayster or a pope

dublyl hys Of dowble worstede was his semy cope

round That rounde was as a belle out of presse

lispyd hys wantownesse Somwhat he lisped for his wantonnesse

hys hys To make his englysshe swete vpon his tonge

hys hadde sunge And in harpyng whan he had y songe Hys hys hed a ryght 73 His eyen twynklyd in his heed aryght

As doon the sterris in the frosty nyght

Thys 270 This worthy frere was callyd hubberd

wyth forkyd A Marchaunt ther was with a forkid herd

hys In motley on hygh on his hors he sat

Vp on hed Vpon his heed a falundres beuer hat

Hys bootis feyr His botys claspyd fayr and fetously

Hys spackful His resons he spake full solemphely

Showynge hys wynnynge Shewyng alway the encresse of his wynnyng

thynge He wolde the see were kept for ony thyng

Betwyx myddelburgh Betwyxe myddelbo rough and orewelle

Welle coude hys Well cowde he in his eschaunges selle

Thys hys ful wel 280 This worthy man his wytte full well besette

Ther There wyst no wyght that he was in dette

So estatly he was in gouemaunce

hys bargayns Wyth his bargeyns and wyth his cheuesaunce

alle Forsothe he was a worthy man whth all

calle But soth to say I not how men hym call Clerk oxenford 74 A clerk ther was of exenforde also

hadde That vnto logyk had longe y go

hys As lene was his hors as a rake

And he was not ryght fat I vndertake

sobyrly 290 But lokyd holow and therto soberly

Ful threedbare hys Full thrededbare was his ouerset courtby

hadde For he had goto hym yet no benefyce

haue Ne was not worldly to hane an offyce

leuyr hys beddys For hym was leuer to haue at his beddes heed

bokys Twenty bokes y clad in whyt and reed

Aristotle hys b i Of aristotle and of his phylosophye

Robys riche fydyl Than robes ryche or fydyll or sawtrye

al But all be that he was a phylosophre

hadde lytyl gold Yet had he but lytyl1 golde in cofre

al myghte hys frendys 300 But all that he myght of his frendes hent

bokys On bokes and on lemynge he it spent

besely soulis And besyly gan for the sowles praye

hem Of them that yaf hym wherwyth to scolaye took most 75 Of study toke he moost cure and hede

spak Not a worde spake he more than node

And that was sayd in fourme and reuerence

quyk ful Short and quyck and full of hygh sentence

moral hys Sownyng moral1 vertu was his speche

wold And gladly wholde he leme and gladly teche

Sergeante waar 310 A sergaunt of lawe ware and wyse

hadde peruyse Was there that ofte had be at the pervyse

Tat ful riche That was also full ryche of excellence

Discrete renerence Dyscrete he was of grete reuerence

hys wordys He semyd suche his wordes were so wyse

Justyce ful Justyse he was full ofte in assyse

be commyssion By patent and by playn commyssyon

hys science hys For his scyence and his hygh renoun

Robys hadde Of fees and robes had he many on

So gret a purchasour was there nowher non

Al 320 All was fee symple to hum in effecte

Hys myghte His purchace myght not be to hym suspecte 76 aman No where so besy a man as he ther nas

And yet he semyd besyer than he was b i

teermes hadde In termes had he caas and domes alle

That fro the tyme of kyng wylliam were falle

coud Thereto he cowde endyte and make a thyng

wrytyng Ther coude no wyght pynche at his writyng

coude pleyn And euery statute cowde he playn by rote

rood medio He rode but homely in a medlyd cote

silk wyth barris 330 Y gyrt wyth a seynt of sylk with barrys smale

hys b ii Of his aray telle I no longer tale

hys A Frankeleyn was in his companye

hys Whyte was his herd as is the deysie

hys complexion And of his complexyon was sanguyn

Wel morow Well loued he by the morowe a cup wyn

hys To lyue in delyte was euer his wone

epycuryes owen For he was epycuries owne sone

held pleyn That helde opynyon that playn delyte « veruay felicyte Was very felycyte perfyte 77 340 An housholder and that a grete was he

hys Saynt Julian he was in his contre

Hys hys allewey aftyr His brede his ale was alway after one

bettyr nowher A better vyned man was nowhere none

Wythoute Wythout bake mete was he neuer in his hous

Hys hys plentuous His fyssh his flessh and that so plenteuous

hys hows It snowed in his hous of mete and rynke

deyntees couthe Of all deyntes that men cowde thynke

Aftyr yeer After the sondry seson of the yere

channged hys hys Soper So changed he his mete and his suppere

Ful hadde 350 Full many a fat partrych had he in mewe

And many a breme and luce in stewe

hys cook hys Wo was his coke but his sawce were

sharp al hys Poynant and sharpe and redy all his gere

Hys tabyl hys His table dormaunt in his halle alway

al Was redy couered all the longe day

sessions sire At sessyons ther was he lorde and syre

Ful Full ofte tyme he was knyght of the shyre al silk 78 A anlace and a gypser all of sylk

Hynge hys Hyng at his gyrdyl as whyte as morow mylk

shereue hadde ben 360 A shyreyf had he be and a coronour

nowhere Was nowher suche a worthy vauesour

habyrdassher An Haberdassher ther was and a carpenter

A Webbe a dyer and a tapyser

alle And they were clothed all in o lyuere

Of a solempne and grete fraternyte

Ful her geer Full fressh and newe ther gere pyked was

Here knyuys Ther knyues chapyd were not wyth bras

al ful wel But all with syluer wrought full clone and wele

Here gyrdelis hyr euerydel Ther gyrdelys and ther powchys euerydele

Wel hem 370 Well semyd echo of them a fayr burgeys

sitten yeld To sytte in the yelde halle at the deys

Euerych for the wysdom that he can

happely forto Was haply for to be an aldyrman

hadde ynow For cateyll had they ynough and rent

here wyuys wold wel And ther wyues wolde it well assent ellis certayn 79 And ellys certeyn they were to blame

Hit ful It is full fayr to be callyd madame

vygyllis al And go to the vigyllis all before

And haue a mantel1 ryally ybore

Cook hadde wyth hem 380 A coke they had with them for the nonys

boylle chykens To boyle the chekyns and the mary bonys

And powder marchaunt tart and galyngale

knew draughte Wel knewe he a draught of london ale

coude broylle He cowde roste sethe broyle and frye

Wel Make mortrewys and well bake a pye

But grete harm was it as it thoughte me

mormal For on his shynne a mormall had he

blank manger And blanke mauger made he wyth the best

sypman that be weste A shypraan was ther 4)at woned fer by west

390 For ought I wote he was of derthemouthe

rood vp rowney couth He rode vpon a rowney as he couthe

foldynge In a gowne foldyng to the kne daggar hangynge 80 A dagger on a lace hangyng had he

About hys hys adoun Abowte his necke vnder his arm a downe

hadde hys hewe broun The hote somer had made his hew al browne

And certaynly he was a good felawe

hadde Full many a draughte wyn he had drawe

Fro burdeux ward whyle the chapman sleep

conscyence Of nyce conscyeuce toke he no keep

bond 400 Yf that he faught and had the hygher honde

hem lond By water he sent them hom to euery londe

hys craft wel hys But of his craf to reken well his tydes

Hys hys besides His stremys and his daungers hym besydes

Hys hys hys His herberugh his mono and his lodemanage

b iiii Ther was none suche from hulle to cartage

waar Hardy he was and ware to vndertake

hys herd Wyth many a tempest his berde hath he shake

He knewe all the hauences that there were

gotelond the Fro gotelonde in to capfenestre

cryke 410 And euery creke in brytayne and in spayne Hys Maude leyne ^1 His barge was called the mawdeleyne

physik Wyth vs there was doctour in physyk

world ther In the worlde was there none hum lyk

physik To speke of phisyk and surgerye

groundyd For he was grounded in astronomye

hys pacieute greet He kepte his pacyente a grete deel

natureel In houres by magyk natureel1

couthe Well cowde he of fortune the assendent

hys hys pacient Of his ymages for his pacyent

420 He knewe the cause of euery maladye

colde Were it of colde hete moyst or drye

And were engendred of what humour

parfight He was a very perfyght practesour

hys The cause y know and of his harm the rote

sik hys Anon he yaf to the syk man his bote

be hys For redy alway ben his apotecaryes

hys lectwaryes To sonde hym drugges and his lectuaryes For echo of them made other for to wynne ^2

Her frendshyp was not newe to begynne

Ful wel Esculapius 430 Full well knewe he the olde esculapius

dyscorydes eke Rufus And discondes and also rufus

eke Galiene Olde ypocras / haly and also gallon

Serapion Rasis eke Auicene Serapyon rasis and also auicen

Auerroys Aneroys damascene and constantyn

Bernard Bernardo gatisden and gylbertyn

hys Of his dyete mesurable was he

For it was of no superfluyte

nourisshynge But of grete nourysshynge and dygestyble

lytyl His stody was but lytyl1 on the byble

sangweyn Y 440 In sangwen and in perce y clad wyth all

Lyned wyth taffata and wyth sandal1

lytyl hys And lytyl1 he was of his dyspence

whan pestelence He kepte that he wan in the pestylence

gold physik cordyal For golde in physyk is a cordyal1

Therfor loued gold especyal Therfore he louyd golde in espftcyall beside ^^ A good wyf ther was of besyde bathe

somdeel deet And she was somdell def and that was scathe

makynge Of cloth makyng had she suche an haunt

She passyd them of ypre and of gaunt

al parisshe 450 In all the parysshe wyf was ther non

hyr That to the offrynge before her sholde goon

dyd certayn And yf ther dyde certeyn wroth was she

Than Then was she oute of all charyte

ful fyn ground Her kercheuys full fyne were of grounde

pound I durste swore they weyed thre pounde

hyr That on a sonday were on her hed

Hry scarlet Her hosyn were of fyne scarlot reed

Ful teyd shoos ful moyste Full streyt0 y toyed and shoes full moyst and newe

Bold rede Bolde was her face fayr and redde of hewe

womman al hyr 460 She was a worthy woman all her lyue

Husbondys hadde Husbondes at the chyrche dore had she fyue

companye Wythout other company in youthe

her of *s nouthe But herof nedyth not to speke wyth mouthe been Jherusaleme ^^ At acres had she ben and at Jerusaleme

thourgh She had passyd thorugh many a strange reme

Rome At rome she had be and at boloyne

James Galis Coloyne At saynt Jamys in galys and at coloyne

coude weye She cowde moche of wandryng in the waye

tothyd seye Gap tothed was she sothly to saye

Vp on ful esely 470 Vpon an ambuler full easely she sat

Y wymplyd wel hyr hed Ywympled well and on herheed an hat

brood As brode as it were a bokeler or a targe

mantyl aboute hyppis A foot mantyl1 abowte her hyppes large

hyr peyre sporis And on her helys a payre of sporys sharpe

felesshyp coude lawhe In felyshyp cowde she laugh and carpe

coude Of remedyOS of loue she cowde per chaunce

that coude For of |)at arte she cowde the olde daunce

b ii

ther religyon A Good man there was of relygyon

poure parson And was a poore person of a toun

riche thought 480 But ryche he was of holy thoughte and work lerned 85 He was also a lernyd man and a clerk

crystis trewly wold That cristis gospellis truely wolde preche

Hys parishons deuoutyly His paryshons deuowtly wolde he teche

Benygne he was and wonder dylygent

aduersite ful pacient And in aduersyte full pacyent

proued ofte sithes And suche he was prouyd oftesythes

Ful loth hys tithys Full lothe were he to curse for his tythes

Rathyr wold But rather wolde he yeue out of doute

hys poure parishons Vnto his poore paryshons aboute

hys eke hys 490 Of his offryng and also of his substaunce

coude lityl thyng He cowde in lytyl1 thynge haue suffysaunce

Parysshe housis fer sondir Wyde was his parisshe and houses ferre a sondre

thundyr But he let not for rayn ne for thondre

siknesse myschyef In syknesse nor in myscheyf to vysyte

hys parish lite The ferrest in his paryssh more and lyte

Vp on hys feet hys hond Vpon his fete and in his honde a staf

Thys nobyl sheep This noble ensample vnto his shepe he yaf

first wroughte aftirward That fyrst he wrought and afterwarde taught gospel1 wordys 86 Out of the gospel the wordes he caught

thys figure 500 And this fygure he ekyd therto

gold shold That yf golde ruste what sholde yren do

foul trust For a preest to be fowle in whom we truste

lewd No wonder is a lewde man to ruste

And shame it is yf a preest take kepe

slotty shepherde A slusty sheperde and a clone shepe

Wel oughte Well ought a preest ensample to gyue

Be hys hys sheep shold lyue By his clennesse how his shepe sholde lyne

hys He sette not his benefyce to hyre

hys sheep And lete his shepe acombre in the myre

London 510 And renne to london to saynt poulis

And seke hym a chauntrye for soulis

Othyr wythholde Other wyth a bretherhede to be wytholde

duello hoom hys But dwelle at home and kepe his folde

that the wolf ne madeit not So that wulf ne may not it myscarye

sheepherde He was a shepeherde and not a mercenarye

And though he holy were and vertuous nat synfulmen despytous ^^ He was not to synfull men to dyspytous

hys techyng Ne of his techynge daungerous ne dygne

hys But in his speche dyscrete and benygne

folk wyth 520 To drawe folke to heuen with fayrnesse

Be ensampyl thys hys besinesse By good ensample this was his besynesse

But it were ony persone obstynat

hygh astat Whether he were of hyghe or lowe estat

wold Hym wolde he snybbe sharply for the nonys

non A better preest I trowe nowhere none is

aftyr He wayted after no pompe ne reuerence

He made to hym a spyced conscyence

crystys hys apostelis But cristis lore and his appostles twelue

taughte first He taught but fyrst he folowed hymselue

hym ther polowman hys broder 530 Wyth him there was a plowman his brod

hadde dung That had led of dunge many a fother

trowe swynker a A true labourer and good was he

Leuynge pees parfit Lyuynge in peas and perfyt charyte

hys- God loued he best wyth all his herte alle gamed smertr 88 At all tymes though he gamyd or smerte

than hys neyghebour hym selue And then his neyghbour ryght as hymselue

thresshe He wolde thresse and therto dygge and delue

crystis poure For cristis sake for euery poore wyght

Wythoute lay hys Wythout hyre yf it laye in his myght

Hys payde wel 540 His tythes payed he bothe fayre and well

hys propyr x swynk hys catel Of his propre labur and his catell

rood vp on In a tabard he rode vpon a mere

eek There was also a roue and also a myllere

A sompnour and a pardoner also

mancipill my self A mancyple and myself ther was no mo

The myllere was a stout carle for the nonys

Ful byge braun Full bygge he was of brawne and bonys

wel oueral cam That proued well for ouer all there he came

alwey At wrastlynge alway he wolde haue the ram

shuldred brood thycke 550 He was short sholdred brode a thicke quarre

Ther was no dore that he nolde heue of the harre hys 89 Or broke it at rennynge wyth his hed

Hys herd fox rred His berde as ony sowe or foxe was red

brood And therto brode as it were a spade

cop right hys Vp on the top ryght of his nose he hade

ther on stood A werte and theron stode a tufte of heris

brustelis Rede as the brystylis of a sowes oris

nostrellis blak His nostrellys black were and wyde

swerd baar hys A swerde and a bokeler bare he by his syde

Hys greet 560 His mouth as grete was as a furneys

Jangeler goliardeys He was a Jangelere and a golyardeys

And that was most of synne and harlotryes

conde corn Well cowde he stele come and tolle thryes

hadde And that he had a thombe of golde parde

a blew hood A whyt cote and blewe hode weryd he

coude A bagge pype cowde he blowe and sowne

broughte And therewyth he brought vs out of towne

Gentyl mancypyl ther % A gentyll mancyple was there of the temple Of whyche a catour myghte take exemple 90

Forto byynge vytayl 570 For to be wyse in byenge of vitayll

took tayl For whether he payde or toke by tayll

waytyd hys Algate he wayted so on his achate

That he was ay before and in good state

x Now is it not that of god a fayr grace

lewd wytte shal That suche a lewde mannys wyte shall pace

wysedom heep lerned The wysdom of an hope of lernyd men

maystris hadde Of maysters had he moo than thryes ten

expert corious That were of lawe experte and curyous

Of whyche there were a dosen in that hous

stuardys 580 Worthy to be stywardes of rente and londe

Englond Of ony lorde that is in englonde

be hys owen To make hym lyue by his owne good

In honour detles but he were wood

Othyr list desire Other lyue scarsely as hym lyst desyre

al And able for to helpe all the shyre

In ony cause that myghte falle*or happe thys mancipyl al her 91 And yet this mancyple set all ther cappe

ther slendir colerik A Roue there was a slender coleryk man

herd nygh His berde was shaue as nyghe as he can

be oris round 590 His heris were by his erys rounde y shore

dockid lik His top was dockyd lyk a prest before

Ful hys leggis ful Full longe were his legges and full lene

Lyk Lyke a staf ther nys no calf y sene

b iii

Wel coude Well cowde he kepe a garner and a bynne

Ther was non auditour coude of hym wynne

Wel Well wyst he by the droughte and by the rayn

hys seed hys greyn The yeldynge of his sede and of his grayn

Hys sheep hys hys His lordis shepe his neet and his deyrie

hors His swyne his horse his store and his pultrye

holly thys 600 Was hooly in this reuys gouernyng

hys rekenynge And by his couenaunt yaf the rekenyng

hys lord age Syth his lorde was twenty yere of aege

coude • Ther cowde noman brynge hym in arerage 92 noon Ther nas baylly ne none other hyne

hys That he ne knewe his sleyghte or his couyne

They a drad Ther were of hym adrad as of the deth

Hys wonynge ful vp on His dwellyng was full fayr vpon an heth

treys hys Wyth grene trees shadowed was his place

coude lord He cowde better than his lorde purchace

Ful riche astored 610 Full ryche he was astoryed pryuely

Hys lord wel coude please His lorde well he cowde pleace subtylly

hys owen good To yeue and lene to hym of his owne godd

And haue thank and yet a cote and an hood

yongther hadde In youthe he had lerned a good mystere

Carpentere He was a wel good wryght a carpentere

Thys This roue sat vpon a wel good stot

al pomel grey hyghte That was all pomel1 grey and lyght scot

af Perce vp on A long surcote vpon hym he hadde

hys side baar And by his syde he bare a rusty bladde

norfolk thys 620 Of northfolk was this reue of whyche I telle

Beside toun BaldySwelle Besyde a towne men calle baldeswelle aboute 93 Tuckyd he was as is a frere abowte

rood c 1 And euer he rode the hynderest of the rowte

Sompnour wyth vs was in that place

hadde reed cherubyns That had a fyre redde chernbyns face

For sausfleme he was wyth eyen narow

Hoot likerous Hote he was and lykorous as a sparow

blake skallid pilled herd Wyth blak browes skallyd and pylled berde

hys ferd Of his vysage chyldren were a ferde

quyksilver litarge 630 Ther nas quyksylner lytarge ne brymstone

tartre Borace ceruse ne oyle of tarter none

wold Ne oynement that wolde dense and byte

myghte hys welkys That hym myght helpe of his whelkis whyte

hys knobbis sittynger hys chekis Ne of his knobbys syttyng on his chekys

Wel garleek Well loued he oynons garlyk and lekys

drynke And for to drynk strong wyn as red as blood

wold skeke wer Then wolde he speke and crye as he were wood

hadde wel dronke And whan he had well dronk the wyn word 94 Then wolde he speke no worde but latyn

hadde 640 A fewe termes had he two or thre

hadde sum That he had lerned of som man of decree

wondyr herd al No wonder is he horde it all the day

eke wel And also ye knowe well that a jay

dope wel Can celle watte as well as can the pope

coude thyngys But who cowde hym in other thynages grope

al hys phylosofye Then had he spent all his phylosophy

Ay questio quid queris wolde he crye

gentyl He was a gentyll harlot and a kynde

felow shold A better felowe sholde men not fynde

wold 650 He wolde suffre for a quart of wyn

felow hys A good felowe to haue his concubyn

two If A twelne monthe and excuse hym at the fulle

Ful eke coude Full pryuely a fynche also cowde he pulle

fond owher And yf he founde o wher a good felawe

wold He wolde teche hym anon to haue awe

archedekeaes In suche caas as the arched ekenes curs hys 95 But yf mannys soule were in his purs

hys shold punysshyd For in his purs he sholde punysshed be

Pu_s Purs is the archedekenes hello sayd he

wel woot lied right 660 But well I wote he lyed ryght in dede

cursynge owght Of cursyng ought echo man to drede

cursynge wyl right soylyng For cursyng woll sle ryght as soyllyng saueth

And also ware hym of a significauit

hadde hys owne In daunger had he at his owne gyse

Alio gyrlis All the yonge gyrles of the dyocyse

knew hyr counseyl her And knewe of ther couiisell and was of ther rede

garlond hadder vp on hys A garlonde he had set vpon his hede

greet As grete as it were an alestake

hadde Cake c ii A bokeler had he made hym of a cake

ther rood gentil 670 Wyth hym there rode a gentyll pardoner

hys frend hys Of rouncyuale his frende and his comper

streyght Rome That strey3t was come fro the court of rome

Ful song Full lowde he songe come hyther loue to me Thys baar burdoun 96 This sompnour bare to hym a styf burddun

greet Was neuer trompe of half so gret a soun

Thys yelow wex This pardoner had heer as yelowe as wexe

hyng flex And smothe it hynge as doth a stryke of flexe

hounses hyng hys lockis hadde By bounses henge his lockys that he had

there wyth hys sholdris ouer spradde And therwyth his sholders ouersprad

than culpous 680 But then it lay by culpons one and one

hood wered An hode for jolyte ware he none

trussed hys For it was trussyd vp in his walet

rood vp on Hym thoughte he rode vpon the newe get

Dyssheuyld saue hys rood al Byssheuylde sauf his cappe he rode all bare

Suche glarynge hadde Snche glaryng eyen had he as hath an hare

hadde sowyd vp on hys A vemacle had he sowed vpon his cappe

Hys hys His walet beforn hym had he in his lappe

ful Rome hoot Brette full of pardon come fro rome all hote

hadde smal goot A voys he had as small as hath a goto

herd hadde 690 No berde had he ne neuer sholde haue

As smothe was it as it were newe shaue hyeldyng 97 I trowe he were a geldyng or a mare

hys Berwyk But of his craft from berwyk vnto ware

Ne was ther nowher suche a pardoner

hys hadde For in his male he had a pylow beer

that sayde Whyche as he sayd was our ladyes veyll

hadde seyl He sayd he had a gobet of the seyll

hadde That synt peter had whan that he went

tyl cryst Vp on the see tyll Jhesus crist hym hent

hade ful stones 700 He had a crosse of laton full of stonys

hadde pyggis bones And in a glas he had pygges bonys

religues But with thyse relyques whan that he fonde

poure person vp on A poore person dwellyng vpon londe

Vp on day gat Vpon a daye he gate hym more moneye

person monethis Than the person gate in monthis tweye

Jap is And thus had he feyned flateryes and Japes

parson pepyl hys He made the person and the peple his apis

trewly But truely to telle at the last

an He was in chyrche a noble ecclesiast Wel coude 98 710 Well cowde he rede a lesson or a story

song But alderbest he songe an offretory

wel wyste song sunge For well he wyst whan that songe was songe

moste file hys tunge He must preche and fyle a whyle his tonge

siluer ful wel coude To Wynne syluer as he full well cowde

merierly loude Therfore he songe the merely and lowde

Now haue I told you shortly in a clause

The state the aray the nombre and the cause

companye Why that assembled was this companye

Southwerk thys gentyl In suthwerk at this gentyll hostelrye

faste 720 That hyghte the taberd fast by the belle

forto But now is tyme to you for to telle

ilke How that we bare vs that ylke nyght

light Whan that we were in the hostry a lyght

aftir wyl viage And after woll I telle of our vyage

al pylgremage c iii And all thr remenaunt of our pylgrymage

But fyrst I you praye of your curtesye

vylonye That ye ne arette it not my vylanye thys 99 Though that I playnly speke in this matere

telle here wordys hyr To tell you ther wordes and ther chere

here wordys propyrly 730 , And though I speke ther wordes properly

thys wel For this ye knowe as well as I

shal Who shall a tale telle after a man

moste reherse He muste reherce as nere as he can

word hys Euery worde yf it be in his charge

Al All speke he neuer so rudely and so large

muste hys Or ellys he must telle his tale vntrewe

see thyngis wordis Or se thynges or feyne wordes newe

al thouh broder He may not spare all thou3 he were his brother

moot wel word another He must as well say o worde as a nother

Cryst hym self ful 740 Crist spak hymself full brode in holy wryt

woot And well ye wote no vylany is it

Eke who so Also plato sayth whoso can it rede

word muste The worde must be cosyn to the dede

Pray you foryeue Also I praye youforyeue it me

Al though folk . her All though I sette not folke in ther degre shold 100 Here in thyse tales as they sholde stonde

wel My wyt is short ye may well vnderstonde

Grete chere made our ost to vs euerychon

soupere And to supper sette he vs anon

vytayll 750 He serued vs wyth vytaylle at the beste

Strong wel Stronge was the wyne and well drynke vs lyste

oste A semely man our ost was syth alle

Forto lordes For to be a marchall in a lordis halle

A large man he was wyth eyen stepe

feyrer ther non A fayrer burgeys is there none in chepe

Bold hys wel x y Bolde of his speche and well was he taught

manhood lacked right And of manhode lackyd he ryght nought

right Eke therto was he ryght a mery man

aftir soupper pieyen begon And after supper to playn he began

spak among 760 And spake of rayrthe amonge other thynges

hadde Whan that we had made our rekenynges

treuly He sayd thus now lordynges truely right 101 Ye be to me ryght welcome hertly

trowthe shal For by my trouth yf I shall not lye

saw thys yeer companye c iiii I sawe not this yere so mery a company

thys At onys in this herborow as now

wyste Feyne wolde I do you myrthe yf I wyst how

right be thought And of a myrthe I am ryght now bethought

ese shal To do you ease and it shall coste you nought

770 ye go to Caunterbury ward god you spede

blysful The blysfull martyr quyte you your mede

wel woot be weye And well ye wote as ye go by the waye

shappyn pieye ye shapen you to talke and to playe

trewly non For truely comfort ne nyrthe is none

wey stoon To ryde by the waye dombe as a stone

wyl And therefore wyll I make you dysport

sayde As I sayd erst and do you comfort

liketh alle And yf it lyketh you all by one assent

Forto For to stonde at my Jugement

forto shal 780 And for to werke as I shall you say ryden 102 To morow whan ye ryde on the way

fader Now by my faders soule that is ded

shal But ye be mery I shall yeue you my hed

H_l_ hond sp c Holde vp your honde wythout more spechF

counsel shal longe b Our counsel1 shall not longer he to seche

Vs thought it was not worth to make vs wys

wythoute a vys And graunted hym wythout more a avuys

hys l_st And bad hym saye his verdyt as hym leste

Lordynges quod he now herkeneth for the best

dysdeyne 790 But take it not I pray you in disdeyne

Thys This is the poynt to speke it short and playne

c 1

That echo of you to shorte wyth your weye

thys shal talis In this vyage shall telle talys tweye

Cauntirburyward mene soo To caunterbury warde I meane it so

homward shal talis And homwarde he shall telle other tales two

auenturis whilom Of auentures that whylom haue befalle

And shyche of you beryth hum best of alle thys 103 That is to saye that tellyth in this caas

Tales of best sentence and most solaas

Shal souper oure 800 Shall haue a supper of our alther cost

thys sittynge thys Here in this place syttynge by this post

Whan that we come ayen from Caunterbury

forto And for to make you the more mery

wyl my self I wyll myself goodly wyth to ryde

owen cost gyde Ryght at myn owne coste and be your guyde

wol wyth say And who that woll my Judgment wythsay

al Shortly shal paye all that is spent by the way

And yf ye vouchesauf that it be soo

Tel wythoute wordys Telle me anone wythout wordes moo

wol 810 And I woll erly shape me therfore

Thys th_ng othis This thynge was graunted and othes swore

ful preyen Wyth full glad herte and prayen hym also

wold That he wolde vouchesauf that it be so

And that he wolde be our gouemour

ouretalis And of our tales juge and reportour souper And sette a supper at a certayn pryce 104

wold rewlid And wolde be ruled at his euyce

Hygh alle on Hyghe and lowe and all by one assent

We be accorded to his jugement

vp on 820 And there vpon the wyne was set anone

dronk echone We dronke and to reste went we echon

Wyth oute ony taryynge Wythout ony lenger taryenge

Amorow A morrow whan the day gan sprynge

roos al onr cok Vp rose our host and was all our cocke

to gydre alle flok And gadred vs togyder all in a flocke

lityl And forth we ryden lytyl1 more than pass

waterynge Thomas Vnto the watrynge of saynt thomas

oste hys And there our host gan his hors areste

sayde herkeneth lordyngs And sayd herekenyth lordynges yf ye lyste

woot forward and 830 Ye wote our forwarde aud I you recorde

euensong Yf euesonge and morow songe acorde

shal Let se now who shall telle the fyrste tale

euyr • As euer moot I drynke wyne or ale so wyl rebel 105 Who is woll be rebel1 to my jugement

al way Shall paye for all that is by the waye spent

draw Now drawe cut or that ye further twynne

Whyche shal Whiche shall the fyrst tale begynne

lord Syre knyght quod he my mayster and my lorde

drawyth accord Now draweth cut for that is myn accorde

Cometh hgthyr 840 Come hyther quod he my lady pryoresse

sire clerk let by shamefastnesse And ye syre clerke lete be your shamfastnesse

He study not/lay on hone euery man

Anon drawen And on to drawe euery wyght began

And shortly to telle as it was

Were it by auenture fortune or caas

thys fyl The soth is thus the cut fell on the knyght

ful Of whyche full blythe and glad is euery wyght

telle muste And tell he must as it was reson

forward c omp o s i c i on By Forwarde and by composycion

herd wordys 850 As ye haue horde what nedyth wordes moo

thys , And whan this good man sawe that it was soo As he that was wyse and obedyent 106

forward hys fro To kepe his forwarde by his free assent

sayde sithnes shal He sayd sythnes I shall begynne the game

goddys What welcom be cut a goddis name

late herkyn Now lete vs ryde and herken what I say

word riden And wyth that worde we ryden forth our way

right And he began wyth ryght a mery chere

sayde hys shul And sayd anone his tale as ye shall here

begynneth knyghtis Here begynnyth the knyghtes tale

story 860 Whylom as olde storyes telleth vs

Ther hyghte There was a duke that hyght Theseus

thebes lord Of Athenes he was lorde and gouemour

hys And in his tyme suche a conquerour

X That gretter was ther none vnder the sonne

Ful riche Full many a ryche countre had he wonne

That wyth his wysedom and chyualrye

al He conquered all the regno of femenye cleped Cithea 107 That whylom was called cithea

And wedded the quene ypolita

hyr hys 870 And broughte her home in to his countre

glorye Wyth moche glory and solempnyte

hyr yong And eke her yonge syster emelye

And thus wyth vyctory and melodye

thys Athenes Lete I this worthy duke to athenes ryde

hys And all his boost in armes hym besyde

certis long And certes yf it nere to longe to here

I wolde haue tolde fully the matere

How wonne was the regno of femenye

hys 880 By theseus and by his chyualrye

And of the grete bataylle for the nones

Athenes Betwyx athenes and Amosones

Ipolita And how beseged was ypolita

Cythea The fayre hardy quene of Cithea

feste hyr And of the feest that was at her weddynge

hyr And of the tempest at her home comynge al thyng 108 But all that thynge I moot as now forbore

woot fold I haue god wote a large felde to ere

week plow And weke ben the oxen in the plough

remanant long ynow 890 The remenaunt of my tale is longe ynough

wyl thys I woll not lotto eke none of this rowte

Let felow hys aboute Lete euery felowe telle his tale abowte

let shal souper And lete se now who shall the supper wynne

wyl And there I lefte I woll agayn begynne

Thys mencion His duke of whom I make mancyon

almost Whan he was come al most to the toun

al hys welthe hys In all his welth and his most pryde

hys a syde He was ware as he cast his eye asyde

kneled hygh wey Where that ther kne1yd in the hyghe way

900 A companye of ladyes twey and twey

aftir Echo after other clad in clothes blake

cry But suche a crye and suche a woo they make

thys world That in this worlde nys creature lyuynge

That horde suche an other weymentynge cry stentyn 109 And of this crye they nolde neuer stynten

Tyl reynys hys brydyl hentyn Tyll they the reynes of his brydyl1 henton

folk What folke be ye that at myn home comynge

soo feste cryyng Perturben so my feest wyth cryenge

Theseus gret Quod theseus haue ye so grete enuye

compleyne 910 Of myn honour that thus complayne and crye

Or who hath you mysboden or offended

tel may And tell me yf it maye be amended

blak And why that ye be clothed thus in blake

alle spak The oldest lady of them all spake

hadde dedly Whan she had swowned wyth a deedly chere

rewthe see That it was ruthe to se and to here

lord whome She sayd lorde to whom fortune hath yeue

conquerour vyctory and as conquerour to lyue

Nouhgt greueth Nought greuyth vs your glory and your honour

920 But we beseke you of mercy and socour

dystresse Haue mercy on our woo and distresse

thurgh Some drope of pyte thrugh thy gentylnesse Vp on wommen let now 110 Vpon vs wretchyd wymen lete nowe falle

certis lord ther For certes lorde there is none of vs alle

That she ne hath be duchesse or a quene

caytifs wel sene Now be we caytyfs as it is well seen

hyr wheel Thanked be fortune and her fals whole

non astat weel That none estate ensureth to be wele

certis lord now certes lorde to abyde your presence

thys 930 Here in this temple of the goddesse clemence

al thys We haue be waytynge all this fourtenyght

help lord sith yt lieth Now helpe vs lorde syth it lyeth in thy myght

which wayle I Wretche that wepe and waylle thus

kyng Whylom wyf to kynge Campaneus

acursid That starf at thebes acursyd be that daye

alle thys aray And all we that ben in this araye

al thys lamentacion And make all this lamentacyon

alle husbondis toun We losten all our husbondes at that towne

aboute lay Whyles that the sege there abowte laye

•away 940 And yet now the olde creon wel awaye That lorde is now of thebes that cyte HI

Fulfilled Iniquyte Fulfylled of yre and Inyquyte

despyt hys He for despyte and for his tyrannye

ded vylonye To don the deed bodyes vylanye

alle lordis Of all our lordes whyche that ben slawe

alle heep y drawe Hath all the bodyes on an hepe Idrawe

wol hem And woll not suffre them by none assent

Neyther to be buryed ne to be brent

houndis despyt But makyth houndes to ete hem in despyte

word wythout respyt 950 And wyth that worde wythont more respyte

pytously They fallen groflynge and crye petously

som Haue on vs wretchyd wymmen some mercy

let sorow hert And lete our sorowe synke in they herte

Thys gentyl duke hys This gentyll duche of his courser stert

whenne hem Wyth herte pytous whan he horde them speke

hys wold Hym thoughte his herte wolde broke

Whan pytous When he sawe hem so pytously and so mate

greet That whylom were of so grete astate hys alle 112 And in his armes he hem all vp hent

ful 960 And hem comforted in full good entent

hys trowe And swore his oth as he was true knyght

hys He wolde do so ferforth his myght

Vp on wreke Vpon the tyraunt Creon hym to werke

al pepyl shold That all the people of grece sholde speke

Creon Theseus y How creon was of theseus I serued

hath hys wel As he that his deth well deserued

right anon abod And ryght anone wythouten more abode

Hys dysplayde rood His baner he displayed and forth he rode

Thebes alle hys oste beside To thebes warde and all his boost besyde

Athenes 970 No nor athenes nolde he goo ne ryde

hys aday Ne take his ese not fully half a daye

hys way lay But on his waye that nyght he laye

sente anon And sent anone ypolita the quene

Emely hyr yong sustir And emely her yonger syster shene

toun Athenes Vnto the towne of athenes to dwelle

rideth ther And forth he rydeth there is nomore to telle reed wrth 113 The red statu of mars wyth spere and targe

hys whyt So shyneth in his whyte baner large

alle feldis gliteren That all the feldes glitteren vp and doun

hys hys penon 980 And by his baner bom is his person

gold ful riche y Of golde full ryche in whyche ther was I bete

Crete The mynotaure whyche he wan in Crete

rideth thys thys Thus rydeth this duke this conquerour

hys And in his oste of chyualrye the flour

Tyl cam Thebes lighte Tyll that he came to thebes and a lyghte

feld fighte Fayr in a felde there as he thoughte to fyghte

thys thyng But shortly for to speke of this thynge

Thebes kyng Wyth creon whyche was of thebes kynge

slow He faught / and slowe hym manly as a knyght

bataylle hys folk 990 In playn batayll and put his folke to fiyght

a sawte aftyr And at asawte he wan the cyte after

doun wal raftir And rente a downe wall sparre and rafter

ageyn And to the ladyes he restored agayn

bodyes husbondis % sleyn The bodies of her husbondes that were slayn To do obsequyes as tho was the gyse

al long But it were all to longe for to deuyse

gret clamour weymentyng The grete clamonr and the weymentynge

brehnyng That the ladyes made at the brennynge

Of the bodyes / and the grete honour

Theseus nobyl 1000 That theseus the noble conquerour

when fro Doth to the ladyes whan they from hym went

forto telle But shortly for to tell is myn entent

When thys thys Theseus Whan that this worthy duke this theseus

Creon Thebes Hath creon slayn and wan thebes thus

Styl al nyght hys Styll in the felde he toke all nyghte his rest

al countre And dyde wyth all the countree as hym lyst

He ransaked in the taas of bodyes dede

Hem for to stripe of barneys and of wede

hyr The pylours dyde her besynesse and cure

Aftyr dyscomfyture 1010 After the bataylle and the discomfyture

befyl fond And so befell that in the taas they founde

Thorow meny wound Thrugh gyrt wyth many a greuous wounde knyghtis lyyng 115 Two yonge knyghtes lyenge by and by

Bothe wrought ful richely Both in one barneys wroughte full rychely

arcite Of whyche two arcyte hyghte that one

Palamon And the other knyght hyghte palamon

quyk Not fully quycke ne fully ded they were

hyr by hyr But by her cote armur and bi her gere

knewe specyal The herowdes knew hem best in specyal1

ryal 1020 As that they were of the blood ryall

Thebes sustryn Of thebes and of systren two ybore

haue Out of the taas the plyours hath hem tore

in to And haue hem caryed softe into the tent

Theseus ful Of theseus / and he full sone hem sent

Athenes To athenes to dwelle there in pryson

Perpetuel Perpetuell he nolde no raunson

And whan this worthy duke hadde thus don

tookhys hom goth He toke his boost and home he gooth anon

laurer Wyth lawrer crowned as a conquerour

1030 And there he lyueth in Joye and in honour hye nedyth wordys 116 Terme of his lyf what nedith wordes moo

in anguysh wyth And in a tour wyth anguysshe and with woo

Dwellyth Palamon hys felow Arcite Dwelleth palamon and his felowe Arcyte

ther may gold For euermore there maye no golde hem quyte

passed Thus passyd yere by yere and day by day

Tyl fyl morning Tyll it fell ones in a momynge of may

Emely That emely that fayrer was to seen

vp on stalk Than is the lely vpon the stalke green

flouris And fressher than may wyth floures newe

hyr 1040 For wyth the rose colour stroof her hewe

I not whyche was the fayrer of hem two

day doo Er it was daye as was her wont to do

al She was arysen and all redy dyght

wol slogard For may woll haue no slogarde a nyght

prycketh gentyl The seson pricketh euery gentyll herte

hys And maketh hym out of his slope to sterte

And sayth aryse and do thyne obseruaunces

Thys makith Emely Remombraunces This maketh emelye to haue remembraunces honoure 117 To do honour to may and for to ryse

fressh 1050 I clothed fresshe was she to deuyse

Her yelow heer was broyded on a tresse

Behynd long Behynde her bak a longe yerde I gesse

at vprist And in the gardyn as the sonne vpryst

walked doun hyr heed She walkyd vp and downe and as her lyst

flowris She gadred floures part whyte and rede

subtil chapelet hyr heed To make a subtyll chaplet for her hede

aungel And as an angell heuenly she songe

thycke stronge The grete tour that was so thicke and strouge

chyef Whyche of the castel was cheyf dungeon

knyghtis 1060 There as the knyghtes were in pryson

told shal Of whyche I tolde you and telle shall

euene Joynant Was euen Joynaunt to the gardyne wall

thys Emelye playyng There as this emelye had her playenge

cleer mornyng Bryght was the sonne and clere that momynge

Palamon thys woful And palamon this woful1 prysoner

hys hys• As was his wone by leue of his gayler chambyr hyhe 118 Was rysen and romed in the chambre on hyghe

alle syhe In whyche all the noble cyte he syghe

braunchis And eke the gardyn ful of brannches grene

thys fressh Emely 1070 There as this fresshe emelye the shene

hyr walk romed Was in her walke and romyd vp and doun

Thys sorowful thys palamoun This sorowfull prysoner this palamon

chambyr romyng Goth in the chambre romynge to and fro

hym self compleyned hys And to hymself complayned of his wo

born ful alias That he was borne full ofte he sayd alas

befyl And so befell by auenture and caas

thorow barre That thrugh a wyndow thyk of many a barre

greet squaar sparre Of gren grete and square as ony sparre

cast hys vp on Emelia He caste his eyen vpon emelia

ther wyth blente cryde 1080 And therwyth he blent and cryed a

stongyn hert As though he were stongen to the herte

cry arcite anon stert And wyth that crye arcyte anone vp sterte

sayde And sayd cosyn myn what eyleth the

see That art so pale and dedly on to se Why cryest thou who hath do the offence

pacience For goddis loue take all in pacyence

c ill

may Our pryson for it maye non other be

thys aduersite Fortune hath yeue vs this aduersyte

ellis som wykked dysposicion Or elles some wyckyd aspect or disposycion

som constyllacion 1090 Of saturne by some constellacion

thys al they Hath yeue vs this all though we hadde sworn

stood heuene So stode the heuen whan we were bom

muste thys We must endure this is the short and playn

Thys answerd This palamon answerde and sayd agayn

thys Cosyn forsoth of this opynyon

ymagynacion Thou hast a veyn ymagynacyon

Thys causid This pryson causyd me not to crye

thurgh But I was hurt now thrugh myn eye

my hert wol Vnto myn herte that woll my bane be

see 1100 The fayrnesse of a lady that I se

romyng froo Yonder in the gardyn romynge to and fro X Is al cryynge woo 120 It is cause of all my cryenge and my wo

womman I not whether she be woman or goddesse

But venus it is sothly as I gesse

al doun fyl And therwyth all on knees downe he fyll

wyl And sayd venus yf it be thy wyll

thys You in this gardyn thus to transfygure

sorouful Before me sorowfull wretche thy creature

thys help may Out of this pryson helpe that we maye scape

be shape 1110 And yf it be our destenye so beshape

Be etem word dye By eteme worde to deye in pryson

som Of our lygnage haue some compassyon

That is so lowe y brought by tyrannye

word And wyth that worde arcyte gan espye

wente Where as the lady went to and fro

sight beaute And wyth that syght her bewte hurte hym so

That yf palamon were wounded sore

hurt Arcyte is hurte as moche as he or more

sygh sayde And wyth a syghe he sayd pytously fressh beaute 221 1120 The fresshe bewte me sleeth sodenly

hyr Of her that rometh in the yonder place

hyr hyr And but I haue her mercy and her grace

may see leste wey That I maye se her at the leest waye

ded soy I nam but deed ther is nomoe to saye

palamoii when wordis This palamon whan he thise wordes herd

Dyspytously Dispytously he loketh and answerd

Whethir saist play Whether sayst thou this in emest or in playe

fay Nay quod arcyte in emest by my faye

ful tytyl play God helpe so me lust full lytyl1 to playe

Thys knyghte hys browis tway 1130 This palamon gan knyght his browes tweye

Hyt gret It were quod he to the no grete honour

For to be fals ne for to be a traytour

To me that am thy cosyn and thy brother

I sworn full dope and echo of vs to other

peyn That neuer for to dyen in the peyne

Tyl shal tweyn Tyll that the deth departe shall vs tweyne

Neyther of vs in loue to hyndre other Ne in no other caas my leue brother 122

And that thou sholdest truly further me

shold 1140 In euery caas as I sholde further the

Thys This was thyn oth and myn certayn

woot wel I wote it well thou darst it not wythsayn

counsel wythoute Thus art thou of my couusell wythout doute

woldyst falsly And now thou woldest fasly be aboute

To loue my lady whom I loue and serue

euyr shal tyl And euer shall tyll that myn herte sterue

certis shalt Now certes fals arcyte thou shalte not soo

hyr told I loued her fyrst and tolde the my woo

counseyl As to my connsell and to my brother sworn

told byfom 1150 To further me as I haue tolde beforn

knyght For whyche thou art bounden as a knyghte

myght To helpe me yf it laye in thy myghte

ellis false dar wel Or elles art thou fals I dare well seyn

Thys ful spak agayn This arcyte full proudly spake ageyn

Thou shalt quod he be rather fals than I But thou art fals I telle the vtterly 123

louyd er For par amour I loued her fyrst or thou

seyn/ wistest What wilt thou sayn thou wustest not yet now

Whether she be a woman or a goddesse

affection 1160 Thyn is affeccyon of holynesse

And myn is loue as to a creature

told For whyche I tolde the myn auenture

As to my cosyn and my brother sowm

louedyst hyr beforn I suppose thou louedest her here byfom

wel clerkis Wost thou not well the olde clerkes sawe

shal gyue That who shall geue a louer ony lawe

Loue is a gretter lawe by my panne

may erthly Than maye be yeue of ony erthli manne

positif such And therfore posityf lawe and suche decree

alday degre 1170 Is broken all daye for loue in eche degree

most nedis hys hed A man must nodes loue magre his heed

flee thouh ded He may not fie it though he sholde be deed

Al be she mayde wydowe or wyf likly al 124 And eke it is not lykly all thy lyf

To stonde in her grace nomore shal I

wel thy self veryly For well thou wost thyself verily

That thou and I be darapned to pryson

Perpetually Perpetuelly vs gayneth no raunson

dyd houndis We stryue as dyde the houndes for the bone

1180 They faught al day and yet her part was none

while Ther cam a cure whyle that they were so wroth

baar awey bone betwix And bare awaye the boon betwyx hem bothe

kyngis And therefore at the kynges court my brother

hym self Eche man for hymself ther is non other

list shal Loue yf thou lyst for I loue and ay shall

lief thys al And sothly leyf brother this is all

thys Here in this pryson must we endure

hys And euery of vs take his auenture

Gret long betwix Grete was the stryf and longe betwyx hem twey

1190 Yf that I hadde leyser for to sey

But to the effect it happed on a day To tele it you shortly as I may 123

A Worthy duke that hyghte parotheus

felow That felowe was to duke theseus

Sith thilk children Syth thylk day that they were chyldren lyte

hys felow vysite Was come to athenes his felowe to visyte

pi eye And for to playe as he was wont to doo

thys world For in this worlde he loued noman soo

And he loued hym / as tenderly agayn

wel old d ii 1200 So well they loued as olde bokes sayn

That whan that one was deed sothly to telle

Hys felow doun His felowe went and sought hym downe in hello

But of that story lyst me not to endyte

wel Duke parotheus loued well arcyte

yeer yeer And hadde hym knowe at thebes yere by yere

prayer And fynally at the request and prayre

eny Of parotheus wythout ony raunson

Theseus loot Duke theseus lete hym out of pryson

Freely list ^ al Frely to go where hym lyst ouef all shal 126 1210 In suche a gyse as I you telle shall

Thys forward This was the forwarde playnly to endyte

Theseus Betwyx duke theseus and hym arcyte

That yf so were that arcyte were founde

hys Euer in his lyf by day or by stounde

contre thys Theseus In ony countre of this duke theseus

And he were caught it was acorded thus

swerd shold hys That wyth a swerde he sholde lese his heed

Ther was non other remedy ne reed

hys homward But takyth his leue and homwarde hym spedde

Let bewaar hys lieth 1220 Lete hym bewar his necke lyeth to wedde

greet sorow now suffrith How grete sorowe new suffroth arcyte

Hys feleth thurgh hys His deth he felyth thrugh his herte smyte

wepeth wayleth He wepyth waylleth and cryeth pytously

hym self pryuely To slee humself he wayteth preuely

day He sayd alas the daye that I was bom

w_rse byfom Now is my pryson worse than beforn

shapyn Now is me shapen eternally to dwelle Nought in purgatory but in hello 127

Alias Alas that euer knewe I parotheus

ellis hadde duelt Theseus 1230 For elles had I dwelt wyth theseus

hys Y fetered in his pryson euer moo

Than Then hadde I be in ease and not in woo

sight hyr Only the syght of her whom that I serue

may Though that I neuer her grace maye deserue

Wold suffised ynow Wolde haue suffysed ryght ynough for me

cosyn Palamon 0 dere chosyn palamon quod he

aueuture Thyn is the victory of thys auenture

Ful blysful Full blysfull in pryson mayst thou endure

certis In pryson nay certes but in paradyse

Wel turned 1240 Well hath fortune to the tomed the dyse

haste sighte That hast the syghte of her and I thabsence

sithnes hir For possyble it is sythnes thou hast her presence

knyght And art a knyghte a worthy man and able

chaungeable That by som caas syn fortune is chaungable

som tyme desire Thou mayst somtyme to thy desyt'o atteyne But I that am exyled and bareyne 128

alio gret despeyr Of all grace and so in grete dispeyre

erthe eyr That ther nys water erth fyre ne eyre

Ne creature that of hem maked is

may thys 1250 That maye me hole or do comfort in this

Wel oughte Well ought I sterue in wanhope and dystres

Far wel Farwell my lyf my lust and my gladnes

Alias coiranune Alas why playnen men so in comune

On purueaunce of god or of fortune

hem meny That yeueth them ofte in many wyse

Wel than Well better then hem self can deuyse

desire Som men desyre to haue rychesse

gret siknesse That cause is of murdre or grete syknesse

hys sleyn And som man wolde out of his pryson seyne

hys hys sleyn 1260 That in his hous of his meyne is sleyne

thys Infynyt harmes be in this matere

woot thyng We wote not what thynge we praye here

We faren as he that dronke is is a mous wot 129 A dronken man wote wel he hath an hous

which right wey thider But he wote not whyche is the ryght way thyder

dronkyn wey slider And to a dronken man the way is slyder

C 1111

certis thys And certes in this worlde so fare we

aftyr We sekyn faste after felycyte

goo wrong ful of trewly But we go wronge full ofte truely

may say alle 1270 Thus maye we saye all and namely I

gret oppynyon That wende haue had a grete opynyon

myghte That and I myght scape out of pryson

Than hadde parfyt hole Then had I be in Joye and in perfyt heele

exiled myn wele Ther now I am exyled fro my weele

may Emelye Sythnes I maye not se you emelye

« * • * d 111 I ne am but ded ther is no reraedye

side Vpon that other syde palamon

wyste gon Whan that he wyst arcyte was good

sorow makyth Suche sorowe he maketh that the grete tour

Resouned hys ye Hyng 1280 Resowned of his yellynge and clamour hys shynys 130 The pure feteris on his shynes grete

hys byttyr Were of his bytter salt teris wete

cosyn Alas quod he arcyte chosyn myn

strif woot Of all our stryf god wote the fruyt in thyn

Thou walkyst Thow walkest now in thebes at thy large

woo lytyl And of my wo thou yeuest lytyl1 charge

say wysedom Thou mayst syn thou hast wysdom and manhode

alle folk Assemble all the folke of our kynrede

warre sharp thys contre And make werre so sharpe in this countre

som aueuture som 1290 That by some auenture or by some trete

hyr Thou mayst haue her to lady and to wyf

muste nedis For whom I must nedes lese my lyf

wey possibylite For as by waye of possybylyte

Sythnes thou art at large of pryson fro

lord And art a lorde grete is thyn auauntage

More than is myn that sterue here in a cage

whylis For I may wepe and wayle whyles that I lyue

Wyth all the woo that pryson may me yeue peyne yeuyth 131 And eke wyth payne that loue me yeueth also

doublith al tourment woo 1300 That doubleth all my torment and my wo

Jalousye Therwyth the fyre of Jelousye vp stert

Wyth ynne hys Wythin his brest and hent hym by the hert

So woodly that he lykly was to beholde

box tre ded The boxetree or asshen deed or colde

That sayde se cruel Then sayd he o cruell goddes that goueme

world word The worde with byndyng of your worde eteme

tabyl the And wryten in the table of athamant

etem Your parlement and your eteme grant

What is mankynde more vnto you holde

sheep roukyth 1310 Than is the shepe that rouketh in the folde

right anothyr For slayn is man ryght as a nother boost

dwellyth arest And dwelleth eke in pryson and in areest

siknesse gret aduersite And hath shyknesse and grete aduersyte

And ofte tyme gylylees parde

thys What gouemaylle is in this prescience

That gyltlees tormentyth Innocence encresith thys al 132 And yet encresyth this all my penaunce

hys That man is bounde to his obseruaunce

goddis lettyn hys wyl For goddys sake to leten of his wyll

al hys fulfyl 1320 There as a boost may all his lust fulfyll

peyne And whan a beest is ded he hath no payn

aftyr hys pleyne But after his deth man may wepe and playn

thys world haue wo Though in this worde he hath care and woo

Whthoute so Wythout doute it may stonde soo

answer thys deuynes The auswer of this lete I to diuynes

wel woot world But well I wote in this worlde grete pyne is

Alias theef Alas I see a serpent or a theyf

trow myschyef That many a true man hath do myscheyf

Goon list tume Gon at his large and where hym lyst may tome

thourgh 1330 But I must be in pryson thrugh saturne

X thourgh x x hym unhappy eek And eke thrugh Juno Jalous and eke wood

destroyd wel nygh al That hath dystroyed well nyghe all the blood

hys wallis Of thebes wyth his wast walles wyde

side And venus sleeth me in that other syde feer 133 For Jalousye and fere of hym arcyte

wol Palamon Now wyll I stynte of palamon alyte

hys duello And lete hym in his pryson stylle dwelle arcite wold And of arcyte forth I wolde you telle

passed nyghtis wax long The somer passyd the nyghtes were longe

Encreath doubyl the peynes strong 1340 Encresyth he dowble wyse in paynes stronge

Bothe of the louer and othe the prysoner

woot X I ne wote who that hath the wofuller myster

thys For shortly to saye this palamon

Perpetuelly is dampned to pryson

cheynys fetris ded In cheynes and in feteris to be deed

arcite exiled hys hed And arcyte is exyled on his heed

contre For euermore as out of that countre

shal hys For neuer more shall be his lady se

thys question Yow louers axe I now this questyon

arcite 1350 Who hath the worse of arcyte or palamon

hys That one may se his lady day by day

1 • • • • d 1111 But in pryson muste he dwelle alway That other where hym lyst may ryde or goo 1^^

hys shal But se his lady shall he neuer moo

Now demyth as ye lyst ye that can

wyl For I woll telle forth as I began

arcite Thebes Whan that arcyte to thebes come was

Ful ofte aday alias Full oft a day he swelte and sayd alas

hys shal For see his lady shall be neuer moo

alle hys 1360 And shortly to conclude all his woo

sorow So moche sorowe ne hath creature

whyle world That is or shal be while the worlde may dure

Hys sleep hys mete hys drynk beraft His slope his meete his druke is hym byraft

That lene he wax and drye as is a shaft

Hys be holde His eyen holow and grisly to beholde

Hys falow asshyn His hewe falowe and pale as asshen colde

solitary a lone And solytary he was and euer alone

And waylyng all the nyght makyng his mone

herd song instrument And yf he horde songe or Instrument

Than wold 1370 Then wolde he wepe he myght not stent febyl hys spyritis 135 So feble were his spirytes and so lowe

noman coude And chaunged so that no man cowde knowe

Hys hys His speche ne his voys though men it horde

hys world As in his gyre for all the worlde it fordo

only X Noughly oonly lyke to the louers maladye

y lyk many Of hereos but rather ylyice to manye

Engendryd Engendred of humour malencolyk

Beforn in his celle fantastyk

al And shortly tomed was all vp so doun

dysposicion 1380 Bothe habyt and dysposycyon

thys woful arcite Of hym this woful1 louer dan arcyte

shold hys alday What sholde I of his woo all daye endyte

hadde yeer Whan he endured had a yere or two

Thys cruel turment thys peyne woo This cruell torment this payne and wo

Thebes hys contre At thebes in his countre as I sayde

nyght Vpon a nyghte in slope as he hym layde

thoughte Mercury Hym thought how that the wynged mercury

stoode bid Before hym stode and bad hym be mery Hys baar hond right 136 His slepy yerde he bare in honde vp ryght

world hys 1390 An hat he weryd vpon his heris bryght

Arayd thys took Arayed was this god as he toke kepe

took hys As he was whan argus toke his slope

said hym wende And sayd hym thus to athenes thou shalt wende

shaap There is the shape of they woo an ende

with arcite awook stert And wyth that worde arcyte awoke and sterte

trewly smert Now truely how sore that me smerte

wyl Quod he to athenes wyll I fare

shal Ne fore no drede of deth shall I spare

To se my lady that I loue and serue

1400 In her presence recke I not to sterue

myrour And wyth that worde he caughte a myrrour

hys And sawe that chaunged was his colour

hys al anothyr And sawe his vysage all in a nother kynde

right hys And ryght anon it ran hym in his mynde

sythnes hys disfugured That sythenes his face was so disfyguryd

Of maladye the whyche he had endured myght wel 137 He myghte well yf that he bare hym lowe

Lyue in athenes euermore vnknowe

hys wel nihe And se his lady well nighe day by day

right Anon hys 1410 And ryght anon he chaunged his aray

poure laborer And clad hym as a poore labourer

X saue only poure And all alone sauf oonly a poore squyer

hys al hys That knewe his pryuyte and all his caas

dysguysed pourly Whyche was disguysed poorly as he was

To athenes is he gon the next way

wente vp on And to the court he went vpon a day

hys seruyse And at the gate he proferyd his seruyce

deuyse To drug and to drawe and what men wold deuise

thys forto seyn And shortly of this mater for to sayn

fil office toward chambyrleyn 1420 He fell in offyce towarde a chamberlayn

wyth Emelye The whyche that was dwellyng with emelye

coude aspye For he was wyse and wel cowde espye

Of euery seruaunt whyche that serued there

Wel coude watyr Well cowde he hewe wode and water bore yong myghty nonys 138 For he was yonge and mighty for the nones

strong byg bonys And therto he was stronge and bygge of bones

wight coude To do that ony wyght hym cowde deuyse

yeer thys A yere or two ho was in this seruyse

chambyr Emely Page in the chambre of emelyes the bryghte

Phylostrat 1430 And phylostrate he sayd that he hyghte

wel But half so well a loued man as he

ther hys degre Ne was there non in court of his degree

gentyl condicion He was so gentyll of condycyon

thurgh al hys That thrugh all the court was his renoun

They sayde that it were grete charyte

Theseus wold enhaunse hys That theseus wolde enhaunce his degre

worshypful And put hym in a worshipful1 seruyse

hys vertu excersise There that he myghte his vertue excercyse

hys sprong And thus wythin a whyle his name spronge

Bothe hys dedis hys tong 1440 Both of his dedes and of his good tonge

hym That theseus hath take him so nere

hys chambyr * squyere That of his chambre he made hym a squyre gold hys 139 And yaf hym golde to raayntene his degre

brought contre And eke men brought© hym out of his countre

yeer yeer ful hys rente Fro yere to yere full pryuely his rent

slyghly spente But honestly and slyly he it spent

noman That no man wondred how that he it hadde

thre yeer thys hys And that yere in this wyse his lyf he ladde

pees eke And bare hym in peas and eek in werre

noman Theseus 1450 Ther was no man that theseus hadde derre

blisse arcite And in this blysse lete I now arcyte

wyl alite And speke I woll of palamon alyte

horrible stroiig prison In derknesse horryble and in stronge pryson

Thys yeer fete thys Palamon This souen yere hath fate this palamon

For pyned what for woo and dystresse

doubyl Who felyth dowble woo and heuynesse

Palamon dystreyneth But palamon that loue distreyneth soo

hys goth That wood out of his wyt he gooth for woo

prysoner And eke therto he is a prysonere

Perpetuel only *yeer 1460 Perpetuell and not oonly for a yere coude propyrly ^^^ Who cowde ryme in englyssh properly martirdom forsothe His martyrdom forsoth it am not I

lightly Therfore I passe as lyghtly as I may Hyt fyll It fell in that seuenth yere in may bokys The thyrde nyght as olde bokes sayn

thys That all this story telIon more playn

Were it by auenture or destyne

thyng shapyn shal As that whan a thynge is shapen it shall be

aftir That sone after the mydnyght palamon

Be help frend hys 1470 By helpe of a frende broke hath his pryson sone And fleeth the cyte as soone as he may goo

hadd yeue hys For he had geue his gayler drynke soo

clarrey a certayn Of a clarret made of certen wyne

nercotises Opye Wyth nercotykes and opye of thebes fyne

That all nyght though men wold hym shake

The gayler so slept he myght not awake

may And thus he fleeth as faste as he maye

nyght short * day The nyghte was shorte and faste by the daye cost muste hym self hyde That nedys coste he must hymself hyde

beside 1480 And to a groue faste there besyde

dredful foot Wyth dredeful fote than stalketh palamon

hys For shortly this was his opynyon

wold That in that groue he wolde hym hyde alday

than wold And in the nyght then wolde he take his way

ward hys frendis prey To thebes warde his frendes for to preye

Theseus werrey On theseus to helpe hym to werreye

hys And shortly eyther he wolde lese his lyf

fayre Emelye hys Or wynne fayr emelye vnto his wyf

Thys This is the effect and the entent playn

wyl turne 1490 Now woll I torne to arcyte agayn

lytyl nygh hys That lytyl1 wyst how nyghe was his care

7yl hym in Tyll that fortune had brought him to the snare

messanger day The mery larke messager of daye

Salueth hyr Saleweth in her songe the morow gray

risith And fyry phebus ryseth vp so bryght

al orient lauhyth * sight That all the oryent laugheth of the syght hys stremys l'*2 And wyth his stremes dryeth the greues

droppis leuys The syluer froppes hangynge on the leues

ryal And arcyte that in the court ryall

Theseus hys squyer pryncypal 1500 Wyth theseus his squyre pryncypal1

loketh day Is rysen and lokyth on the mery daye

forto hys And for to do his obseruaunce to may

Remembryng hys desire Remembrynge on the poynt of his desyre

hys startlyng He on his courser startlynge as the fyre

feldis pleye Is ryden in to the feldes hym to play

Out of the court were it a myle or tweye

And to the groue of whyche that I you tolde

hys wey By auenture his waye he gan to holde

garlond greuys To make hym a garlonde of the greues

wodebynde leuys 1510 Were it of wodbynde or of hawthorn leues

song ayens And lowde he songe ayenst the sonne shene

al flowris May wyth all thy floures and thy grene

Welcome fressh Welcom be thou fresshe fayre may

In hope that I som grene goto may hys 143 And fro his courser wyth a lusty herte

ful stert In to the groue fnll hastely he sterte

And in a path he romed vp and doun

thys There as by auenture this palamon

bussh noman Was in a busshe that no man myght hym se

a ferd hys 1520 For sore aferde of his deth was he

thyng knew thys No thynge knewe he that this was arcyte

woot ful God wote he wolde haue trowed it full lyte

sithen yeris But soth is sayd go sythen many yores

feld woode eris That felde hath eyen and wode hath eeres

Hyt ful aman bore It is full fayr a man to beere hym euyn

For alday men mete at vnset steuyn

lytyl wente hys For lytyl1 went arcyte of his felawe

nygh herkyn al hys That was so nyghe to herken all his sawe

hadde al hys Whan that arcyte had romed all his fyll

bush now sittyth 1530 Palamon in the busshe new sytteth styll

al roundel lustyly And arcyte songe all the roundell lustely

fyl In to a study he fell sodenly hyr gueynte 1^4 As doon thyse louers in theyr queynt gyris

crop now Now in the croppe and new in the breris

Now vp now doun as boket in a welie

Right fryday forto Ryght as the frydaye sothly for to telle

rayneth Now it shyneth now it reyneth fast

Ryght so gan guerry venus ouer cast

hertis folk right The hertes of her folke ryght as her day

gueriful right 1540 Is gueryfull / ryght so chaunged she aray

woke lyk Soldo is the fryday all the weke lyke

hadde sik Whan that arcyte had songe he gan to syke

doun And he set hym downe wythoute ony more

Alias day Alas quod he the daye that I was bore thurgh How longe Juno thrugh thy cruelto

Wylt thou werien Wyltthou weryen thebes the cyte

brought confusion Alas y broughte is to confusyon

ryal Cadme The blood ryall of cadme and amphyon

Cadmus first Of cadmus whyche was the fyrst man

bylt first *toun 1550 That thebes buylt or fyrst the towne began first crouned kyng 1^5 And of the cyte fyrst was crowned kynge

hys hys offspryng Of his lynage am I and of his ofsprynge

Be stok ryal By very lyne as of the stocke ryall

kaytyf thral And now I am so katyf and so thrall

mortal That he that is my mortal1 enemy

hym hys squyer pouerly I serue him and am his squyre poorly

wel And yet doth me Juno well more shame

dar owen For I dare not be knowe myn owne name

But there as I wont was to hyghte arcyte

hyghte 1560 Now hyght I phylostrat not worth a myte

Alias fel alias Juno Alas thou fell mars alas thou June

ire al fordo Thus your yre hath our lynage all for do

only Palamon Saue oonly me and wretchyd palamon

Theseus martryth That theseus martreth in pryson

thys sle And ouer all this to slee me vtterly

hys Loue hath his fyry dart so brennyngly

stykyd thorugh trow careful hert It stycked thrugh my true careful1 herte

short That shapen was erst my deth than my shorte sle Emelye 146 Ye slee me wyth your eyen emelye

1570 Ye be tho cause wherfore that I dye

al Of all the remenaunt of myn other care

tare Ne sette I not the mountaunce of a tare

coude aught So that I cowde do ought to your plesaunce

word fyl doun And wyth that worde he fell downe in a traunce

aftirward A longe tyme and afterwarde he vp stert

Thys thorow hys This palamon that thoughte thrugh his hert

felt cold swerd He felte a colde swerde sodenly glyde

ire lengyr For yre he quoke he nolde no lenger abyde

herd arcites And whan that he hath horde arcytes tale

ded 1580 As he were wood wyth face deed and pale

bussh He styrt hum vp out of the busshe thycke

And sayd arcyte fals traytour wycke

Now Nowe art thou hent that louest my lady so

thys peyne woo For whom that I haue this payne and wo

counceyl And art my blood and to my counsel1 sworn

ful ofte told the " And I full oft haue tolde here befom iaped Theseus ^^7 And hast be Japed here duke theseus

And falsly hast chaunged thy name thus

wyl ded ellis shalt I woll be deed or elles thou shall dye

Emelye 1590 Thou shalt not laue my lady enelye

wyl only But I woll loue her oonly and no mo

mortal For I am palamon thy mortal1 fo

thys And though I haue no wepyn in this place

But out of pryson am stert by grace

outher I drede not other thou shalt dye

Emelye Or thou ne shalt not louen emely

Chees wilt thou Chose whyche thou wolt / thou shalt not astert

Thys Arcyte ful despytoue herte This arcyte wyth full dispytous hert

/E hys Whan he hym knewe and had his tale horde

X pulled hys 1600 As fyers as a lyon pullyd out his swerde

And sayd thus by god that sytte aboue

Were thon art seke Nere it that thou arte syke and wood for loue

wepne hast And eke that thou no wepen hath in this place

thys Thou sholdest neuer out of this groue pace sholdyst dye hond 148 That thou ne sholdest dey of myn honde

bond For I defye the surete and the bonde

Whyche that thou sayst I haue made to the

verry thynk What very fole thynke that loue is fro

wol hyre al And I woll loue her magre all thy myghte

muche knyght 1610 But for as moche as thou art a knyghte

wylnyst darrayne And wylnest to darreyne here by bataylle

here wil faile Haue her my trouth to morow I wyl not fayll

wytyng wyght Wythout wytynge of ony other wyghte

wyl knyght That here I woll be founden as a knyghte

ynow And bryngen hameys ryght ynough for the

chees And chose the best and leue the worst for me

mete drynk thys nyght wyl And meete and drynke this nyghte wyll I brynge

Inow clothis Inough for the and clothes for thy beddynge

And yf so be that thou my lady wynne

sle Inne 1620 And slee me in this wode that I am inne

Thou wel Thow mayst well haue thy lady as for me

Thys answerd grauntd hyt This palamon answerde I graunt it the departid tyl amorow -^49 And thus they be departed tyll a morowe

Whan either hein hath leid feith borow Whaii eche of hem had layd his fayth to borowe

Occupyed 0 cupyde out of alle charyte

woldyst 0 regno that woldest haue no felow wyth the

Ful Full soth is sayd that loue ne lordshyp

Wyl hys feleshyp Wyll not his thankes haue ony felyshyp

We fynde thus of arcyte and palamon

1630 Arcyte is ryden anon in to the toun

morow or And on the morowe anon ar it were lyght

Ful pryuely Full preuely two hameys hath he dyght

Bothe suffycyent and mete to darreygne

bataylle feld The batayll in the felde betwyx hem tweyne

hys And on his hors allone as he was bom

He caryed the hameys hym befom

set And in the groue at tyme and place sette

Thys thys met This arcyte and this palamon been motto

Tho chaunge gan the colour in her face

1640 Ryght as the hunters in regne of trace That stondeth at the gappe wyth a spere 1^^

huntyd lioun Whan hunted is the lyon and the bore

msshyng greuys And heryth hym come russhynge in the greues

bothe leuys And brekyth both bowes and eke leues

thynkyth mortal And thynketh here comyth my mortal1 enemy

Wythoute fayle muste Wythout faylie he must be ded or I

moste For eyther I muste sle hym atte gappe

mys happe Or he muste sle me yf I mishappe

chaungyng So ferden they in channgynge of her hewe

hem 1650 As fer as ony of them other knewe

Ther nas no good day ne saluynge

wythoute wordis But streyght without wordes of rehercynge

Euerych hem Eueryche of them helpyth to arme other

hys owen As frendly as he were his owne brother

sporis And after that wyth sharpe speres stronge

They foynen eche at other wonder longe

myghtyst thys Thou myghtest wone that this palamon

hys fyghtyng In his fyghtynge were a wood l^on cruel 151 And as a cruell tygre was arcyte

borys to geder 1660 As wylde bores gan they togyder smyte

whyt That froten white as foom for yre wood

Vp to the ancle foughto they in her blood

fyghtyng And in this wyse I lete hem fyghtynge dwelle

wyl And forsoth I woll of theseus you telle

general The destenye mynyster general1

world ouyr al That executeth in the worlde ouer all

seyn byforn The purueaunce that god hath seen befom

straunge world So strong it is that though the worlde hath sworn

thyng The contrary of a thynge by ye or nay

shal 1670 Yet somtyme it shall falle vp on a day

thousand yeer That fallyth not eft in a thousande yere

appetitis heer For certenly our appetites here

pees warre Be it of peas hate werre or loue

Al rewlid sighte All is rulyd by the syghte aboue

Thys be Theseus This mene I now by myghty theseus

forto desiroifs That for to hunte is so desyrous namely grete hert ^^2 And namly at the grrete harte in may

hys ther dawyth hym That in his bed there daweth him no day

forto That he nys clad and redy for the ryde

hom houndis by side 1680 Wyth hunte and home and houndes hym besyde

hys For in his huntynge hath he suche delyte

al hys loye hys That it is all his Joye and his appetyte

hym self hertis To be hymself the grete hartys bane

aftir Mars For after mars he seruyth now dyane

Cleer day told thys Clere was the daye as I haue tolde or this

Theseus al And theseus wyth all Joye and blys

hys jpolita fayir Wyth his ypolita the fayre quene

Emely al And emely y clothed all in grene

And huntyng ryally An huntynge ben they ryden rially

stood ther 1690 And to the groue that stode there fast by

whiche hert hym tolde In whyche ther was an harte as men hym told

wey holde Duke theseus the streyght waye hath hold

rydyth ful And to the launde he rydeth full ryght

thider hert wont ' flight For thyder was the harte wont to haue his flyst brook hys 1^^ And ouer a broke and so forth on his wey

wold acours The duke wolde haue a cours of hym or twey

houndis list comande Wyth houndes suche as he lyst to comaunde

thys And whan this duke was come to the launde

lokyd Vnder the sonne he loked and that anon

Palamon 1700 He was waar of arcyte and palamon

bolis That foughten breme as it were bulles two

bryght Swerdis The bryghte swerdes wente to and fro

leste strook So hydously that wyth the leest stroke

wold on ook He semyd that it wolde haue fel1yd an oke

nothyng woot But what they were no thynge he ne wote

Thys sporis This duke wyth his spores his courser smote

a And at sterte he was betwyx hem two

pullyd hys swerd ho And pulled out his swerde and sayd he

peyne lesyng hed Nomore on payn of lesynge of your heed

Be shal ded 1710 By myghty marce anon he shall be deed

smytyth strook That smyteth ony stroke that I may se

But tellyth me what myster men ye be fyght 154 That ben so hardy to fyghte here

Wythout ony Juge or other offycere

lystis As though it were in lystes ryally

Thys answerd This palamon answerde hastely

wordis And sayd syre what nedyth wordes moo

twoo We haue the deth deserued bothe two

woful wretchis caytyuys Two woful1 wretches be we two caytyues

oure oune lyuys 1720 That ben encombred of our owne lyues

ryghtful lord And as thou art a ryghtfull lorde and Juge

ne Ne yeue vs neyther mercy no refuge

But sle me fyrst for saynt charyte

felow wel But sle my felowe eke as well as me

first theyh knowe Or sle hym f>T:st for though thou know hym lyte

mortal thys arcyte He is thy mortal1 foo this is Arcyte

lond That fro thy londe was banysshed on his hed

For whyche he hath deserued to be ded

thys cam For this is he that came to thy yate

hyghte 1730 And sayd that he hyght philostrate iaped ful yeer ^^^ Thus he hath Japed the full many a yere

maad hym chyef squyer e 1 And thou hast made him thy cheyf squyre

thys Emelye And this is he that loueth emelye

sithnes day shal For sythenes the daye is come that I shall dye

pleynly confession I make playnly my confessyon

woful That I am that woful1 palamon

That hath thy pryson broke wyckedly

mortal I am thy mortal1 foo and he am I

Emely That loueth so hote emelye the bryght

wyl dye sight 1740 That I woll dey here present in her syght

deth Therfore I axe dethe of my Jewyse

felow But sle my felowe in the same wyse

bothe For both haue we deserued to be slayn

answerd and This worthy duke answerde anone agayn

said conclusion And sayd this is a short conclusyon

owen confession Your owne mouth by your confessyon

wyl Hath dempned you and I wol it recorde

Hyt peyne It nedyth not to payne you wyth the corde shul ^^^ Ye shall be ded by myghty mars the rede

anon verray wommanhede 1750 The quene anone for very womanhede

dede Emelye Gan for to wepe and so dyde emelye

alle And all the ladyes in that companye

hem Gret pyte was it as them thoughte alle

shold be falle That euer suche a chaunce sholde befalle

gentylmen astat For gontilmen they were and of grete astate

nothyng thys debaat And no thynge but for loue was this debate

hyr woundis And sawe her blody woundes wyde and sore

alle And all cryden bothe lasso and more

lord Haue mercy lorde vpon vs wymmen alle

doun 1760 And on her bare knees downe they falle

wold hys feet stood And wolde haue kyst his fete ther as he stode

Tyl laste hys mood Tyll at the last slakyd was his mode

gentyl For pyte renneth sone in gentyll herte

first Ire And though he fyrst for yre quoke and sterte

considered He consydered shortly in a clause

The trespas of them bothe and eke the cause al hys Ire hire gilt ^^^ And all though that his yre her gylt accused hys Yet in his reson he hem bothe excused

thus thoughte wel As though he thought well that euery man

Wyl hym self 1770 Wyll helpe hymself in loue as he can

hym self And delyuer hymself out of pryson

hys compassion And eke in his herte he hadde compassyon wommen Of wymmen for they were euer in one

hys gentil anon And in his gentyll herte he thoughte anone hym self And softe vnto hymself he sayd fy

Vp on lord wyl Vpon a lorde that woll haue no mercy word But he a lyoun bothe in worde and dede

To hem that ben in repentaunce and drede

wel dyspytous As well as proude dispytous man wyl first 1780 That woll mayntene that he fyrste began lord lytyl dyscression That lorde hath lytyl1 of discrecyon

That in suche a caas can no dyuysion

aftir But weyeth pryde and hymblesse after one

hysire And shortly whan his yre is thus agon with vglye 1^^ He gan to loke on hem wyth eyen blak and vgly

wordis al hye And spake thyse wordes all on hy

The god of loue a benedicite

lord How myghty and how grete a lorde is he

n^yght obstakyl Agayns his myghte ther gayneth non obstacle

may clepyd hys myrakyl 1790 He maye be callyd a god for his myracle

hys owen For he can make at his owne gyse

list Of euery herte as hym lyst deuyse

thys thys Lo here this arcyte and this palamon

pryson That queyntly cam out of my prison

lyuyd And myght a lyued in thebes ryally

mortal And knowen I am her mortal1 enemy

lyth And that her deth lyeth in my myght also

hyr And yet hath loue maugre her eyen two

Brought hem hyther bothe for to dye

thys 1800 Now lokyth is not this an hygh folye

may foole Who maye be a fole but yf that he loue

Behold sittyth a boue Beholde for goddis sake that sytteth aboue wel arayd 1^^ Se how they blede be they not well arayed

lord h_m payd Thus hath her lorde the god of loue hem payed

seruyse Her wages and her fees of her seruyse

wone ful And yet they wente for to be full wyse

aught That serue loue for ought that may falle

thys X X of e ii But this is yet the beste game that maye alle

That she for whom they haue this Jolyte

therfore thank 1810 Can hem therfor as moche thanke as me

al thys hoot She wot nomore of all this hote fare

Be woot Cuckow By god than wote a cokow or an hare

assayd hoot cold But all must be assayed hote or colde

muste fool yong old A man must be a fole yonge or olde

woot my self ful I wote it by myself full longe a goon

one For in my tyme a seruaunt was I oon

sethnys louys And therfore sithnes I knowe of loues peyne

hyt dystreyne And wote how sore it can a man distreyne

thys As he that hath be caught in this laas

al hoolly thys 1820 I you foryeue all hooly this trespaas request knelith 160 And at the bequest of the quene that kneloth here

Emely suster And eke of emely my syster dere

shul bothe anon And ye shalt both anone vnto me swore

mo shal contre That neuer more ye shall my countre dere

warre Ne make werre on me nyght ne day

al But be my frendes in all that ye may

thys euerydeel I you foryeue this trespas euery dele

hym swar hys axyng fair weel And they him sware his axynge fayr and wele

And hym prayde And him of lordshyp and mercy prayed

grauntyd 1830 And he hem graunted and thus he sayd

To speke of worthy lynage and rychesse

Though princesse Thou3 that she were a quene or a pryncesse

doutlis Eche of you bothe is worthy doutleste

To wedde whan tyme is but netheles

suster Emely I speke as for my syster emely

strif thys Jelousy For whom ye haue this stryfe and this Jelowsy

woot your self Ye wote yourself ye may not wedde two

onys theygh fighte At ones though ye fyght euer mo al leef 161 That one of you all be hym loth or leyf

Juy leef 1840 He mot go pype in an yue leyf

Thys say may This is to saye she maye not haue bothe

Al Jelous All be ye neuer so Jolous and so lothe

thys And for thy I you put in this degre

shal hys That eche of you shall haue his dostone

shapyn As hym is shapen and herkyn in what wyse

shal Lo here youre ende of that I shall deuyse

wyl thys conclusion My wyll is this for plat conclusyon

Wythoute replycacion Wythout ony more replycacyon

lykyth take beste Yf that you lyketh taketh it for the best

euerich shal liste 1850 That eueryche of you shall go where hym lest

Frely wythout raunson or daunger

thys day wykes And this daye fyfty wekes fer ne neer

Euerich shal xCxknyghtis Eueryche of you ahall brynge an.C.knyghtes

Armed lystis alle rightis Armyd for lystes vp at all ryghtes

Al All redy to darreyne here by batayll

thys behote And this byhote I you wythout fayll trowthe trow knyght ^^^ Vpon my tronth and as I am true knyghte

whethir both myght That whether of you both hath that myghte

sey whethyr That is to say whether he or thow

with spak I860 May wyth his hundred as I spake of now

Sle lystis Slee his contrary or out of lystes dryue

shal Emely Hym shall I yeue emely to wyue

To whom that fortune yeueth so fayr a grace

lystis shal thys The lystes shall I make on this place

sowle And god so wysly on my soule rowe

euene trewe As I shal euen Juge be and true

shul othyr Ye shall none other ende wyth me make

shal That one of you ne shall be ded or take

thys wel And yf ye thynke this is well sayd

Sayeth payd 1870 Sayth your auys and holde you payed

Thys conclusion This is your ende and your conclusyon

lokyth lightly Who loketh now lyghtly but palamon

Who spryngeth vp for Joye but arcyte

coude coude Who cowde telle or who cowde endyte The Joye that made is in this place 163

When hadde fayre Whan theseus had do so fayr a grace

doun a wente But down on knees went euery wyght

thanked al And thankyd hym wyth all her myght

namely Thebans sithe And namly the thebans ofte sythe

1880 And thus wyth good hope and herte blythe

homward They take her leue and homwarde they ryde

hys wallis To thebes wyth his olde walles wyde

negligence I trowe men wolde it dome neclygence

3yf foryete e iii Yf I forgete to telle the dyspence

Theseus goth besily Of theseus that gooth so besyly

lystis To make vp the lystes ryally

nobyl That suche a noble theatre as it was

dar wel say thys world ther I dare well saye in this worlde there nas

ther of aboute The cyrcuyte a myle therof was abowte

Wallid round aboute 1890 Walled wyth stoon and diched rounde abowte

Round shappe manor Rounde was the shape in manere of a compas

Ful heyght Full of degrees the heyghte of'sixty paas m on 164 That whan a man was set on one degre

hys felow He letted not his felowe for to se

Eftward ther marbel whyt Eftwarde there was a gate of marbyll whyte

Westward another Westwarde suche a nother in thopposite

And shortly to conclude suche a place

lytyl Was none in erthe in so lytyl1 space

lond ther craftis man For in the londe there was no craftisman

metric 1900 That gemetrye or ars metrie can

Ne portreture ne keruar of ymages

theseus That Theseus ne yaf mete and wages

The Theatre for to make and deuyse hys hys sacryfice And for to do his ryte and his sacrefyce

eftward He eftwarde hath vp on the gate aboue

In worshyp of Venus goddesse of loue

autir Oratory Do make an awter and an oratory

And on the westward in memory

anothyr Of marce hath he made suche a nother

gold f othyr 1910 That coste large of golde a fother northward/ wal ^^^ And northwarde in a tour of the wall

whyt reed coral Of whyte alabastre and red coral1

oradory riche forto see An oratory ryche for to se

In worshyp of dyane goddesse of chastyte

Theseus nobyl Hath theseus do wrought in noble wyse

But yet hadde I forgete to deuyse

nobyl Keruynge The noble Kernynge and the portreturis

figuris The shap the countenaunce and the fyguris

weren That were in the oratoryes thre

First tempyl 1920 Fyrst in the temple of Venus thou mayst se

wal ful be holde Wrought in the wall full petously to beholde

brokyn slepis sighis The broken slopes and the syghis colde

sakryd The sacrid teris and the waymentynge

fyry strokys The fyre strokes and the desirynge

thys world enduryn That loues folkes in this worlde enduren

couenauntis The othes that her couenauntes assuren

desire fool hardynesse Plesaunce hope desyre and foolehardynesse

Beaute Bewte and yongthe baudry and rychesse Charmys 166 Charmes and forcerye lesynges and flaterye

1930 Dyspense besynesse and Jelowsye

garlond That wered of yelow gooldes a garlonde

Cuckow syttyng hond And a cokow syttynge on her honde

instrumentis carollis daunsis Feestis Instrumentes carolles and daunces

alle cyrcumstauncis Lust and aray and all the cyrcumstaunces

rekene tell shal Of loue whyche that I reken and telle shall

Be ordyr wal By ordre were paynted on the wall

mencion And mo than I can make mencyon

al Cycheron For sothly all the mounte of sycheron

hyr pryncypal Ther venus hath her pryncypal1 dwellyng

shewd wal her portreyyng 1940 Was shewed on the wall her portreyng

al al Wyth all the Joye and all the lustynesse

foryeten Idelnesse Nought was forgetyn the porters ydylnesse

yore Ne Narcysus the fayre yoore agoon

kyng Salamon Ne yet the folye of kynge Salomon

hardynesse The enchauntment of Medea and hardinesse

wyl Of Jason I woll not now expresse Ne yet the strengthe of hercules 167

Thenchauntement Thenchauntment of Medea and Circes

turnus wyth hys hard fiers Ne of Turnus with his harde fyers corage

1950 The ryche Cresus captyf in seruage

may wysedom Thus maye ye se that wysdom ne rychesse

Beaute sleyghte strengthe ne hardynesse

may Ne maye wyth venus holde champartye

world may For as she lyst the worlde maye she gye

alle folk So all thyse folke caught were in her laas

Tyl ful Tyll they for wo full ofte sayd alias

Suffyseth ensaumplis Suffysith thyse ensamples one or two

though coude thousand And though I cowde rekene a thousande mo

venus glorious see The statue of Venus gloryous for to se

naked see e iiii 1960 Was nakyd fletynge in the large se

nauyl dounal And fro the nauyl1 downe all couerd she was

wawis bryght Wyth wawes grene and bryghte as ony glas

hond A cytole in her ryght honde hadde she

ful And her heed full semely on to'se wel 168 A rose garlond fressh and well smellyng

A boue douues Aboue her heed doues also flykeryng

hyr stood hyr cupydo Beforn her stode her sone Cupydo

hys shuldres wyngis Vpon his sholders wynges hadde he two

blynd it And blynde he was as is ofte seen

1970 A bowe he baar and arowes bryght and keen

shold Why sholde I not eke telle you all

portreyynge The portrayenge that was vpon the wall

Wyth in tempyl mars Wythin the temple of myghty Mars the rede

Al peynted wallis All was paynted the walles in lengthe and brede

Lyke to the Estris of the grysly place

hyght tempyl mars That hyghte the grete temple of Mars in trace

cold regioun In that colde northern frosty regyoun

mars hys mansioun There as Mars hath his souereyn mansyoun

wal peyntyd Tyrst on the wall was paynted a forest

ther dwellyth 1980 In whyche there dwelleth neyther man ne best

Wyth knotty and knarry bareyn trees olde

stubbis sharp Of stobbes sharpe and hydous to beholde In whyche ran as a rumbyl in a swow 169

though As thouh if a storm were shold brest euery bow

abent And dounward on an hyl vnder a bent

stood marce There stode the tempyl of Marce armypotent

steel the which the Wrought of al bumyd stele that whiche the entre

Was longe and streyght and gastly for to see

ther cam And there out came a rage and suche a veyse

al gatis forto 1990 That it made all the gates for to reyse

northeron lyght dore The northen lyghte in at the dor shon

wal ther non For wyndow on the wall was therenon

Thurgh light dyscerne Thrugh whiche men myght ony lihgt disceme

doris al athemaundis The dores were all of athamaundis enteme

Y clenchyd Yclenchyd ouerthwart and endlonge

Iron tow forto Wyth yren tough for to make it stronge

pyler tempyl forto Euery pylar the temple for to susteyne

greet Was tonne grete of yren bryght and shene

first derk ymagynyng There sawe I fyrst the derke ymagynyng

alle compassyng 2000 Of felony and all the compassyn^e cruel Ire reed 170 The cruell yre redde as ony glede

pyke purs The pycke purse and eke the pale drede

The smyler wyth the knyf vnder the cloke

blak The shepen brennyng wyth the blacke smoke

murdryng bed The treson of the murdrynge in the bedde

opyn worrys woundis al bled The open werres wyth woundes all bledde

Contake wyth sharp Conta-- with blody knyf and sharpe manace

ful chyrkyng And full of chyrkynge was the sory place

hym self saw The sleer of hymself yet sawe I there

Hys al hys 2010 His herte blood hath bated all his chere

nayle hyghte The naylle y dryue in the shode an hyght

vp right The colde deth wyth mouth gapyng vpryght

tempyl A myddyll of the temple sat myschaunce

dyscomforte contenaunce Wyth discomfort and sory countenaunce

wodenesse lawghyng hys Yet sawe I wodnesse laughynge in his rage

Armed compleynt outhees Armyd complaynt / othes and fyers courage

wyth y The carayne in the busshe with throte I corue

thousand slayn/ A thousande slayne and not of qualme y storue The tyraunt wyth the pray by force y raft 171

destroyed ther 2020 The toun distroyed there was nothyng laft

brente shippes Yet sawe I brent the shyppes hoppesteris

beeris The hunter strangled wyth the wylde berris

fretyng chyld cradyl The sowe fretynge the chylde in the cradyl1

cook al hys ladyl The coke y scalded for all his longe ladyll

foryetyn infortune Nought foryeten was the Infortune of marte

hys owen The carter ouer ryden wyth his owne carte

wheel ful doun Vnder the whole full lowe he laye a downe

deuysion There were also of martes diuysyon

The harbour the boucher and the smyth

forged swerdis 2030 That forgyd sharpe swerdes in the styth

al And all aboue depeynted in a toure

sittynge gret honour Sawe I conquest syttynge in grete honoure

sharp swerd hys hed Wyth the sharpe swerde ouer his head

be subtyl thred Hangynge by a subtyll twyned threde

ther slaughtir Depeynted was there the Daughter of Julius

Of grete Nero and of Anthonius * vnborn ^72 Al be it that thylke tyme they were vnborne

her beforn Yet was ther deth peynted ther beforne

Be manassynge By manacynge of marce ryght by fygure

shewd right 2040 So was it shewed ryght by portreture

depaynted sterris As it is depeynted in the sterres aboue

shal slayn or ellis ded Who shall be slayne or elles deed for loue

on ensampyl Suffyseth an ensample in storyes olde

may rekene hem alle I maye not reken them al though I wolde

vp on stood The statue of marce vpon a carte stode

lokyd woode Armyd and loked grym as he were wode

ouer hys hed fyguris And oner his heed ther shynen two fygures

ben called scripturis Of sterres that be callyd in scryptures

X xhyght that x x That one(puella)highte dat other(rubeus)

Thys armys arayd 2050 This god of armes was arayed thus

wolf ther stood hys feet A wulf there stode beforn hym at his fete

rede of eet Wyth eyen red and as a man he ete

subtyl pensel thys Wyth subtyll pensyll was peynted this story

redoubtyng hys In redoubtynge of marce and of his glory tempyl 173 Now to the temple of dyane the chaste

wyl As shortly as I can I woll me haste

descripcion To telle you alle the dyscripcyon

wallis Depeynted ben the walles vp and doun

Of huntynge and of shamfaste chastyte

saw woful Calistope 2060 There sawe I how woful1 calistope

greuyd here Whan dyane greued was wyth heere

turned bore Was tomed fro woman to a beere

aftyr maad sterre And after was she made the lood store

say Thus was it peynted I can saye no ferre

sone sterre Her lone is eke a store as men may se

vntyl tre There sawe I dane turned vnto a tree

mene godesse I meane not the goddesse dyane

which highte But Peneus doughter whiche that hight dane

saw hert y makyd There sawe I atheon an herte I maked

vengeaunce saw nakyd 2070 For vengaunce that he sawe dyane al naked

saw houndis I sawe how that houndes haue hym caught

knew And fretyn hym for they knewe hym nought lytyl furthermore ^74 Yet y peynted was a lytyl1 forthermore

How athalante huntyd the wylde bore

meny And me1lager and many other moo

wroughte For whyche dyane wrought hym care and woo

There another Ther sawe I many a nother wonder story

The whyche me lyst not drawe in memory

Thys hert hygh This goddesse on an hart hyghe is sote

houndis al aboute 2080 Wyth smale houndes all abowte her fete

vndemethe hyr feet hadde And vndemeth her fete she had a mone

shold Wexynge it was and sholde wane sone

In gawdy grene her statue clothed was

hond Wyth bowe in honde and arowes in caas

Here ful adoun Her eyen cast she full lowe anowe

hys derk regioun There pluto hath his derke regyoun

womman here beforn A woman trauelynge was her beforne

hyr chyld vnborn But for her chylde so longe was vnborne

Ful pytously Full pytouusly lucyna gan she calle

said help * alle 2090 And sayd helpe for thou mayst best of all Wel coude peynte 175 Well cowde he paynte lyuely that it wroughte

meny huwis Wyth many a floreyn he the huwys bought©

lystis maad Theseus Now ben thyse lystes made and theseus

That at his grete cost hath arayd thus

templis euerydel The temples and the theatre euerydel1

likyd wel Whan it was doon it lyked hym wonder well

wyl Theseus alite But stynte I woll of theseus alyte

arcite And speke of palamon and of arcyte

day here retomyng The daye approchyth of her retomynge

euerich hundrid knyghtes 2100 That euerych shold an hundred knystes bryng

bateylle The bataylle to darreyne as I you tolde

tyl Athenes here couenaunt forto And tyll athenes her couenaunte for to holde

euerich x x Hath euerych of hem brought an.C.knyghtes

Wel armed al Well y armyd for the werre at all ryghtes

sikirly ther And sykerly there trowed many a man

neuyr sithnes world That neuer sythenes the worlde began

knyghthood hond As for to speke of knyghthode of her honde

fer As ferre as god hath made see and londe fewe nobyl 176 Nas of so ferwe so noble a company

loued chyualrye 2110 For euery wyght that louyd chyualry

thankys passyng And wold his thankis haue a passynge name

prayde Hath prayed that he myghte be of that game

wel chosyn And well was hym that therto chosen was

ther fyl morow For yf there fell to morowe suche a caas

wel Ye knowe well that euery lusty knyght

paramouris hys That loueth paramours and hath his myght

engelond ellis Were it in englonde or elles where

thankys They wolde her thankes wyllen to be there

benedicite To fyght for a lady a benedicity

Hyt sight 2120 It were a lusty syght for to se

ferthe And ryght so fore they wyth palamon

wente knyghtis Wyth hym ther went knyghtes many oon

armed Some wolde be armyd in habergeon

Some in brest plate and in a lyght gyppon

wol peyr And some woll haue a payr of platis large

pryce And some wolde haue a price sholde and targe armed hys leggis Some wolde be armyd on his legges wele

ax somme steel And haue an axe and some a mace of stele

hold Ther is no newe gyse but it was holde

told 2130 Armed were they as I haue tolde

aftir hys owen oppynyon Eueryche after his owne opynyon

thow comyng There mayst thou se comynge wyth palamon

hym self kyng Ligurge hymself the grete kynge of trace

herd manly Blak was his berde and namly was his face

cordis hys hys The cercles of his eyen in his heed

yelow They glowden betweyx yelowe and reed

loked aboute And lyke a gryffyn lokyd he abowte

kempt heris hys browys stoute Wyth kempt0 heerys in his browes stowte

Hys lymes hys brawn hard strong His lymbes grete his brawne harde and stronge

shuldres hys armes round long 2140 His sholders brode his armys rounde and longe

hys And as the gyse was in his contre

Ful hygh vp on gold stood Full hyghe vpon a chare of golde stode he

bolis Wyth four whyte bullys in the trays

armur0 hys In stede of cote armur ouer his harnays naylis yelow bright gold 178 Wyth naylles yelowe and bryght as ony golde

hadde bore cool old He had a beer skyn cole blak for olde

heris kempt behynd His longe heeris were kempte behynde his bak

fethir As ony tauen fother it shoon for blak

gold A wrethe of golde arme grete of huge v;eyght

sat ful 2150 Vp on his hed fat full of stones bryght

fyn Rubyes fyn diamantes Of fyne rubyes and of fyne dyamantes

Aboute hys ther wente alauntes Abowte his chare there went alaunntes

steer Twenty and mo as grete as ony store

lyoun ellis deer To hunte atte lyon or elles at the dere

mosel And folowed hym wyth mosel1 faste y bounde

gold torettis filyd Colors of golde and turretres fyled rounde

hundrid hadde hys An hundred lordes he had in his rowte

Armed wel Armyd well wyth hertes sterne and stowte

arcite Wyth arcyte as men in story fynde

Emetrius kyng Inde 2160 The strong emetrius the kynge of ynde

abay y trappis al Steele Vp on a baye stede ytrappyd all in stele

Armed gold * well Armyd wyth a cloth of golde y dyapred wele Cam 179 Can rydynge lyke the god of armys marce

Hys His cote armour was of cloth of tarce

perils whyt Cowchid wyth perles whyte rounde and grete

Hys sadyl brente gold His sadyll was of brent golde newe y bete

d i

hys shuldris A mantelet on his sholders hangynge

ful rybyys bryght fire sparklynge Bret full of rubyes bryghte as fyre sperclynge

like ryngis His bright crispe heris lyke rynges were ronne

glytered sonne 2170 And that was yelow and glytteryd as the sonne

Hys high hys His nose was highe his eyen bryght cytryne

Hys lippis hys His lyppes rounde his colour was sanguyne

frakelis hys A fewe frakelys in his face were spreynt

yelow somdeel Betwyx yelowe and somdele blak y meynt

aboute And as a lyoun he lokyd abowte faste

X X age Of.XXV.yere of aege I hym caste

Hys herd wel His berde was well begonne for to sprynge

Hys His voys was as a trompe thonderynge

Vpon hys hed weryd Vp on his heed he wered of laurer grene garlond 180 2180 A garlonde fressh and lusty for to sene

hys baar hys Vpon his honde he bare for his ded wyte

An lyiy And ogle tame as ony lely whyte

C hadde An hundryd knyghtes had he wyth hym there

Al armed hedis alle All armyd saue her hedys in all her gere

al manor thyngis Were rychely arayed in all manere thynges

erlis kyngis Trustyth wel that erles dukes and kynges

gadred thys nobyl Were gadrid in this noble companye

cheualrye For loue and encrece of chyualrye

thys ronnen Aboute this kyng ther ronnen on euery part

Wel lioun libart 2190 Well many a tame lyon and lybart

thys lordis alle som And in this wyse the lordes all and some

Been Sonday com Ben on the Sondaye to the cyte come

Aboute town a light Abowte pryme and in the towue alyghte

Theseus thys knyght This theseus_ this duke this worthy knyghte

When hadde brought hys Whan he had broughte hem in to his cyte

euerich at hys And ynned hem euerych after his degre

festyth He festyd hem and doth so gret labour al 181 To ese hem and to do hem all honour

That men wenen that no mans wyt

astat coude 2200 Of none astate ne cowde amende it

mynystraleye seruyse The mynstraleye the seruyce at the feste

gyftis The grete gyftes to the most and leste aray Theseus paleys The ryche araye of theseus palays

fyrst vp on Ne who sat fyrste ne last vpon the deys

feyrest daunsynge Or what ladyes fayrest ben or best daunsyuge theym Or whyche of them can best daunce or synge most speketh Ne who moost felyngly spekyth of loue sitte perchis What hawkys sytte on the perkys aboue

houndis a doun What houndes lyen in the floor adoun al thys mencion 2210 Of all this make I no mencyon

But of theeffect that thynketh me best lyst Now comyth the poynt and herken yf ye lest

nyght begaii_ spryng The sonday at ny3t or day began to spryng

Palamon Whan palamon herde the larke syng

p^l be hburis All though it were not day by houres two Yet songe the larke and palamon ryght tho 182

corage Wyth holy herte and wyth an hygh courage

hys pylgremage Is rysen to sonde on his pylgrymage

Sytherea Vnto the blysful sitherea benygne

2220 I mene venus honourable and dygne

And in her houre he walked forth a pace

lystys Vnto the lystes there her temple was

doun knelyth And downe he knelyd and wyth humble chere

shul And wyth hert sore he sayd as ye shall here

Feyrest feyre myn Fayrest of fayre o lady my venus

spous Doughter to Jouis and spowse to vlcanus

al Sythereon That gladdest all the mount of Cythereon

Adon For that loue that thou haddest to adon

bitter Haue pyte on my bytter teris smert

2230 And take myn humble prayer at thy hert

Alias forto Alas I haue no langage for to telle

effect turment The effecte ne the torment of myn hello

may harmys be wreye Myn hert maye not myn harmes beVreye sorowful 183 I am so sorowfull that I can not seye

bryght wel But mercy lady bright that knowest wele

harmys My thought and seest the harmes that I fele

Considere thys vp on Consyder this and rowe vpon my sore

shal As wysly as I shall for euermore

trewe Emforthe my myght thy true seruaunt to be

warre alway 2240 And holde werre lady alwaye wyth chastyte

That I make myn auowe so ye me helpe

forto I kepe not of armys for to yelpe

axe morow forto victory Ne I are not to morowe for to haue vyctory

thys veynglorye Ne renoun in this caas ne vaynglory

pryse Of pryce of armys to blowe vp and doun

wold possession But I wolde fully haue possessyon

Emely dye Of emelye and deye in thy seruyse

X Fynd thou the manere how and in \/hat wyse

I retche not but yf it may better be

2250 To haue vyctory of them or they of me

So that I haue my lady in myn armys armys 184 For though so be that mars be god of armes

vertu heuene Your vertue is so grete in heuen aboue

That yf shal That yf you lyst I shall haue my loue

tempyl wol Thy temple woll I worshyp euermo

auter were And on an awter where I ryde or go

wyl sacrefyce fyris I woll do sacrifyce and fyres bete

wyl And yf ye wyll not so my lady swete

Than Then praye I the to morow wyth a spere

thorow 2260 That arcyte me thorugh the herte bore

Than Then recke I not whan I haue lost my lyf

hys Though that arcyte wedde her to his wyf

Thys prayer This is the effect and the ende of my prayere

blyssed Yeue me my loue my blessyd lady dere

oryson Whan that the orison was don of palamon

Hys sacrefyce dyd His sacrifyce he dyde and that anon

Ful circumstaunces Full petously wyth alle cyrcumstaunces

nowe hys Alle telle I not as now his obseruaunces

al And all the statue of venus shoke signe ^85 2270 And made a sygne wherby that he toke

hys day That his prayer accepted was that daye

delay For though the fygure shewed delaye

wel grauntyd hys Yet wyste he well that grauntyd was his bone

with wente And wyth glad herte he went hym home sone

thride equal The thyrde hour equal1 that palamon

tempyl Began to venus temple for to gon

UP roos roos Emelye Up rose the sonne and vp rose emelye

tempyl ' And to the temple of dyane gan hye

maydens with hyr thider Her maydens that she wyth her thether lad

Ful redely 2280 Full redily wyth hem the fyre they had

clothis al Thencence the clothes and the remenaunt all

sacryfyce longyn shal That to the sacrifyce longen shall

ful methe gyse The homes full of meth as was the guyse

There lackyd hyr sacryfyse Ther lacked nought to don her sacrifyce

Smokyng tempyl ful clothis Smokynge the temple full of clothes fayr

Thys Emely This emelye wyth herte debonayr

weesshe Her body wysshe wyth water in a welle dyd I dare 186 But how she dyde there dare I not telle

hit thyng general But it be ony thynge in general1

al 2290 And yet it were a game to here it all

wel To hym that meneth well it were no charge

aman hys But it is good a man be at his large

vntressed al Her bryght heer was kempt and vntressyd all

seryal And a crowne of grene oke seryal1

ful Vp on her hed was set full fayr and mete

fyris auter Two fyres on the awter gan she bete

may And dyde her thynges as men maye be holde

Thebes bokys In state of thebes and in bokis olde

When kyndeled pytous Whan kyndled was the fyre with pyteous chere

spak 2300 Vnto dyane she spake as ye may here

0 chast goddesse of the wode grene

whome bothe sen To whom both heuene and erthe and see is seen

derk Quene of the regne of pluto derke and lowe

that Goddesse of maydens ^^at my hert hast knowe

Ful yeer wotyst Full many a yere and wotest what I desyre As keep vengeaunce Ire ^^^ And kepe me fro the vengaunce and thyn yre trewly That atheon aboughte truely

wel wotyst Chast goddesse well wotest thou that I

al Desyre to be a mayden all my lyf

wol 2310 Ne neuer woll I be loue ne wyf

wotyst I am thou wotest yet of thy company

huntyng venory A mayden and loue huntynge and venery

walkyn And for to walken in the wodis wylde

chyd And not to be a wyf and be wyth chylde

wyl Nought woll I knowe companye of man

help sithnes Now helpe me lady sythnes thou may and can

For the thre fourmes that thou hast in the

Palamon hath suche loue And palamon that suche loue hath to me

And eke arcyte that loueth me so sore

Thys pray 2320 This grace I praye the wythouten more

pees As sonde loue and peas bytwyx hem two

away hert hertis And fro me tome awaye her hertes so

al hyr al hyr That all her hote loue and all her desyre al hyr al hyr 188 And all her besy turment and all her fyre

turned another Be queynt or tomed in a nother place

wyl And yf so be thou woll do me no grace

destenye Or yf my desteny be shapen so

shal nedys That I shall nedes haue one of hem two

send As sonde me hym that most desyreth me

2330 Beholde goddesse of clone chastyte

byttyr terys That bytter teris that on my chekis falle

Sythnes thou art a mayde and keper of vs alle

maydenhed wel My maydenhede thou kepe and well conserue

whiles wyl And whyle I lyue a mayden wyll I the serue

Thys fyrys vp on auters Thyse fyres brenne vpon the awters clere

Emely hyr Whyle emelye was thus in her prayere

saw syghte But sodenly she sawe a syght queynt

fyrys For ryght anon one of the fyres queynt

quyekyd aftyr And quenchyd agayn and after that anon

othyr al f i 2340 That other fyre was queynt and all agon

whyStlyng And as it queynt it made a whystlynge brondis brennyng ^^^ As don thyse wete brondes in her brennynge

at brondis ende And as the brondes endes out ran anon

dropis As it were dropes blody many on

he so sore Emely For why tho sosore agast was emelye

cry That she was almost mad and gan to crye

d ii

signyfyed For she ne wyste what it sygnyfyed

feer But only for fere thus hath she cryed

And wepte that it was pyte to here

al 2350 And therwyth all dyane gan appere

hond hunteres Wyth bowe in honde ryght as an hunteresse

And sayd doughter stynt thyn heuynesse

goddis Amonge the goddys an hyghe it is affermyd

etem conformed And by eterne worde wryten and confermyd

Thou shal weddyd vntyl Thou shall be wedded vntyl1 one of two

That haue for the so moche care and wo

whyche But vnto whiche of hem may I not telle

wel Fare well for I may no lenger dwelle fyris auter 190 The fyres whyche on myn awter brenne

Shul 2360 Shall the declare or thou go henne

thys Thyn auenture of loue as in this caas

word And wyth that worde the arowes in the caas

Of the goddesse clateren faste and rynge

vanysshynge And forth she wente and made a vanysshyng

thys Emely For whyche this emelye astonyed was

thys alias And sayd what amounteth this alas

protection I put me vnder thy proteccyon

dysposicion Dyane and in thy dysposycyon

wey And home she goth anon the nexte waye

Thys there nomoe sey 2370 This is the effect ther is nomore to saye

thys In the nexte houre of mars after this

tempyl Arcyte vnto the temple walkyd is

hys Of fyers mars to do his sacryfyce

With al rightis wise Wyth all the ryghtis of his paynem wyse

Wy pyteous hygh deuocion Wyth pytuous herte and hyghe deuocyon

thys Ryght thus to mars he sayd this oryson strong 191 0 stronge god that in thr regnes colde

lord I Of trace honoured art and lorde y holde

lond And hast in euery regne and euery londe

al brydyl hond 2380 Of armys all the brydyl1 in thy honde

the And hem fortunest as thy lyst best deuyse

pytous sacryfyse Accept0 of me my pyteous sacrifyce

deserue Yf so be that my thought may deseme

serue And that my myght be worthy to leme

may Thy godhede that I maye be one of thyne

Than prey Then praye I the rowe on my pyne

peyne fyre For that payne and that hote tyre

brendyst In whyche thou whylom brendest for desyre

Whan that thou vsedyst the beaute

feyre yong fressh 2390 Of fayre yonge fresshe venus fro

wylle And haddest her in thy armys at thy wyll

onys mys fylle And though the ones a tyme mysfylle

hys Whan vlcanus had caught the in his laas

fond lyggynge be hys And fonde the lyenge by his wyf alas For thylke sorowe that was in thy hert 192

rowthe wel peynys Haue ruthe as well vp on my paynes smert

yong I am yonge and vncunnynge as thou wost

offendyd And as I trowe wyth loue offended most

lyuys Than euer was ony lyues creature

alle thys 2400 For she that doth me all this wo endure

retchyth Ne retcheth neuer whether I synke or flete

wel woot she me And well I wote or shente mercy hete

here I muste wyth strengthe wynne her in the place

wel help And well I wote wythout helpe and grace

may arayle Of the maye not my strengthe auayle

Than help morow Then helpe me lord to morowe in my batayle

For that fyre that whylom brent the

wel As well as that fyre now brennyth me

morow And do that I to morowe haue the vyctory

trauayl 2410 Myn the trauayl1 and thyn be the glory

tempyl wil Thy souereyn temple woll I most honouren

alwey labowren Of ony place alwaye and most l^ouren craftis 193 In thy plesaunce and in thy craftes stronge

tempyl wyl And in thy temple I woll my baner honge

alle armys And all the armes of my companye

vntyl £ ^^ And euermore vntyl1 that daye I dye

wol Eterne fyre I woll beforn the fynde

thys wyl And eke to this auowe I woll me bynde

^®^d long adoun My berde my heer that hangyth longe a doun

offensioun 2420 That neuer yet felt offensyoun

wyl Of rasour ne of shere I woll the yeue

trewe whilis And be thy true seruaunt whyles I lyue

lord rowthe vp on sorowis Now lorde haue ruthe vpon my sorowes sore

Yeue me the vyctory I axe nomore

strong The prayer stynt of arcyte the stronge

ringis tempyl hong The rynges that on the temple dore honge

clatered And eke the dores clatteryd so faste

Of whyche arcyte somwhat hym agaste

fyris auters The fyres brent vpon the awters bryght

tempyl forto 2430 That it gan all the temple for to lyght smel ground 194 A sote smell anon the grounde vp yaf

hys hond And arcyte anon his honde vp gaf

in to Amd more encence into the fyre caste

Wyth other rytes moo and at the laste

hys hauberk The statue of mars began his hawberk rynge

wyth sown murmuryng And with that sowne her herde a murmurynge

Ful Full lowe and dym and sayd thus vyctory

whyche yaf For whiche he yaue to mars honour and glory

wel And thus wyth Joye and hope well to fare

anon hys 2440 Arcyte anone to his Inne is fare

fowle Sonne As fayn as foule is of the bryght sone

And ryght anon suche stryf is there begonne

For that grauntynge in heuene aboue

Betwyx venus goddesse of loue

And mars the sterne god armypotent

Jupiter stynte That Jupyter was besy it to stente

Tyl Satumus Tyll that the pale saturnus the colde

knew auenturis That knewe so many of auentures olde Fond hys experience ^^^ Fonde in his olde experyence and art

ful plesed 2450 That he full sone hath plesyd euery part

eld grot As soth is sayd elde hath grete auantage

eld bothe wysedom In elde is both wysdom and vsage

old Men may the olde out renne but not our rede

anon strif Saturne anone to stynte stryf and drede

Al it hys All be it that is ayenst his kynde

al thys Of all this stryf he gan remedyes fynde

Saturne My dere doughter venus quod saturne

forto My cours that hath so wyde for to turne

Hath more power than wote ony man

drenchyng 2460 Myn is the drenchynge on the see so wan

Myn is the pryson in the derke cote

straiiglyng Myn is the stranglyng and hangyng by the throte

chorlis rebellyng The murmur and the churles rebellynge

groynynge enpoysonyng The growyninge and the pr>Tie enpoysenynge

vengeaunce correction I do vengaunce and playn correctyon

signe Whyles I dwelle in the sygne of the lyon ruyne 196 Myn is the ruyn of the hygh hallos

fallyng touris The fallynge of the toures and the walles

Vp on the mynour or the carpenter

Sampsom 2470 I slough Sampson shakynge the pyler

And myne ben the maladyes colde

castis The derke treson and the castelles olde

pestelence My lokynge is the fader of pestylence

shal Now wepe nomore I shall don dylygence

thyn owen knyght That palamon that is thin owne knyghte

Shal hys behyght Shall haue his lady as thou hym behyghte

Mars shal knyght natheles And mars shall kepe his knyghte yet netheles

muste Betweyx you ther must be somtyme pees

Al complexion All be ye not of one complexyon

causith alday 2480 That causyth all daye suche dyuysion

al wyl I am thyn all redy at thy wyll

wyl fulfyl Wepe now nomore I woll thy lust fulfyll

wol goddes Now woll I stynte of the goddis aboue

Of mars and venus goddesse of loue al 197 And telle you all playnly as I can

The grete effect for whyche I began

GRet feste Gret was the feest in athenes that day

And eke the lusty seson of that may

wight such plesaun^ce Made euery wyght to be in suche plesaunce

al 2490 That all that monday Juste they and daunce

And spenden it in venus hygh seruyse

f iii But by cause that they sholden aryse

see fyght Erly for to se the grete fyghte

wente nyght Vnto her reste went they at nyghte

morow when And on the morowe whan day gan sprynge

claterynge Of hors and noyse barneys and clatterynge

hostelryes alle aboute Ther was in hosteleryes all abowte

ther route And to the paleys rode there many a rowte

lordys And lordes vp on stedys and palfreys

2500 There mayst thou se deuysynge of barneys

uncowthe wel So ancouthe and so ryche and wrought so wele

stel Of goldsmythrye of browderye and of stele The sheldys bryght testeris and trappours 198

hewen hawberkis Gold hewen holmes hauberkis and cote armours

Lordes in paramentis on her coursers

Knughtes of retenue and eke squyers

Naylyng speris holmes bokelyng Nayllyng the sperys and helmys bokelynge

Guydyng of sheldys wyth leyners lasynge

idyl Ther as node is they were nothyng ydyll

stedes goldyn brydyl 2510 The fomy stedys on the golden brydyl1

/ Gnawyng and faste the armorers also

hamer prykyng Wyth fyle and hamour prykynge to and fro

on Yomen on fote and comyns many oon

gon Wyth short staues thycke as they may good

Pypys naconers Pypis trompis nacomers and clarions

That in the bataylle blowen blody sowns

paleys ful pepyl The palays full of pepyl1 vp and doun

questioun Here thre there ten holdyng her questyoun

Demynge Theban knyghtis Demyng of the theban knyghtes two

shal 2520 Some sayd thus some sayd it shall be so / herd 199 Some holde wyth hym wyth the blak berde

Somme with ballid/ with thicke Some wyth the ballyd some wyth the thyk herid

Somme loked Some sayd he lokyd grym and he wolde fyghte

X X He hath a sparth of.xx.pounde of wyghte

ful deuynynge Thus was the halle full of dyuinynge

aftyr Longe after that the sonne gan to sprynge

d iii

Theseus hys sleep The grete theseus that of his slepe awakyd

mynstraleye Wyth mynstralsy and noyse that was makyd

Held chambry hys paleys Helde yet the chambre of his palays ryche

Tyl knyghtis y lyche 2530 Tyll that the theban knyghtes bothe ylyche

Honoured paleys Honouryd were and in to the palays fet

Theseus Duke theseus is at the wyndowe set

Arayd ryght as he were a god in trone

pepyl preced thyderward ful sone The pepyl1 precyd thytherwarde full soone

forto Hym for to seen and doon hygh reuerence

harkyn hys hys And eke to herken his host and his sentence

skaffold An herowde on a scaffolde made an 0 Tyl alle pepyl 200 Tyll all the noyse of the pepyl1 was do

pepyl styl And whan he sawe the pepyll of noyse al styll

shewd wylle 2540 Thus shewed he the myghty dukes wyll

lord hys dyserecion The lorde hath of his hygh dyscrecyon

Considered destruction Consydred that it were dystruccyon

gentyl fyghtyn thys To geutyll blook to fyghte in this wyse

mortal thys Of mortall bataylle now in this empryse

shold Wherfore to shapen that they sholde not dye

wyl hys He wyll his fyrst purpos modyfye

Noman peyne No man therfore on payne of losse of lyf

Nomaner / ne No maner shot ne pollax no short knyf

lystis thedyr In the lysten sonde or thyther brynge

swerd forto stike peynt bitynge 2550 No shorte sword for to styke with poynt biting

be hys Ne noman ne drawe ne bore it by his syde

shal hys felaw Ne noman shall vnto his felow ryde

ground But one cours wyth a sharp y grounded spere

Foynyng Foynynge yf hym lyst on fote hym self to were

myschyef shal And he that is at myscheyf shall be take / 201 And not slayn but be brought to the stake

shal That shall be ordeyned on eyther syde

shal But thyder he shall by force and there abyde

chefteyn And yf so falle the cheefteyn be take

ellis sloth hys 2560 On eyther syde or elles sleeth his make

shal tumeyyng No lenger shall the tumeyeng laste

loye faste God spede you goth forth and laye on fast

swerdis ful Wyth longe swerdes and maces fyght your fyll

wey thys lordis wyl Goth now your way this is the lordes wyll

pepyH The voys of pepyll towchyd the heuen

cryde mery So lowde cryed they wyth mercy steuen

lord God saue suche a lorde that is so good

destruction f iiii Ho wylneth no dystruccyon of blood

Vp goth the trumpis and the melodye

ridyth thys 2570 And to the lystis rydeth this companye

ordenaunce thourgh By ordynaunce thorugh out the cyte large

gold Hangyd wyth cloth of golde and not wyth sarge

Ful lord thys nobyl Full lyke a lorde this noble duke gan ryde Thyse two thebans vp on eyther syde 202

aftyr rood Emelye And after rode the quene and emelye

aftyr another And after that a nother companye

aftyr Of one and other after her degre

thurgh And thus they passe thorugh the cyte

lystys And to the lystes come they betyme

day 2580 Hyt nas not of the daye yet fully pryme

When Theseus Whan set was theseus ryche on hyghe

Ipolita Emelye Ipolyta the quene and emelye

And other ladyes in degrees abowte

fetes Vnto the cotes preceth all the rowte

westward thurgh And westwarde thrugh the yates vnder marte

Arcite hundred hys Arcyte and eke the hundryd of his parte

reed Wyth baner redde is entrod ryght anon

selue Palamon And in that self moment palamon

eftward Is vnder venus eftwarde in that place

2590 Wyth baner whyte and hardy chere of face

world In all the worlde to seke vp and doun euene wythout variacioun 203 So euyn wythoute ony varyacyoun

Ther nere suche companes tweye

coude For ther was non so wyse that cowde seye

That ony hadde of other auauntage

age Of worthynesse ne estate ne of aege

forto So euen were they chosen for to gesse

And in two renges fayre they hem dresse

^^^^ euerichon And whan that her names rad were euerychon

noumbre noon 2600 That in her nombre gyle were ther non

yatis cryde loude Tho were the yates shyt and cryed was lowde

yong knyghtys proude Do now your deuor yonge knyghtes prowde

lefte hyr prykyng The herowdes left her pryckyng vp and doun

ryngyn trompis clarioun Now ryngen trompes lowde and claryoun

nomore sey Ther is no more to say but est and west

goth ful In gooth the speris full sadly in the rest

sharp In goth the sharpe spore in to the syde

Juste Ther seen men who can Just and who can ryde

shaftys sheldys thykko Ther shyueryn shaftes vp on sheldes thycke thorow spon 2610 He felyth thorough the herte sponne the pryk

spryngyth speris foot hyghte Vp spryngeth sperys twenty fote on heyghte

swerdys siluer Out gon the swerdes as the syluer bryghte

newen The holmes they to heuen and to shrede

brest stremys Out breste the blood wyth sterne stremes rede

Wyth myghty maces the bones they to brest

thorow thickest throng He thrugh the thyckest of the thronge gan threst

stedis alle There stombelyn stedys strong and doun goth al

foot balle He rollyth vnder fote as doth a bal

foyneth feet wyth hys He fayneth on his fete with his trunchon

hurtelith hys 2620 And he hurtelyth wyth his hors adoun

thorow sithnes He thorugh the body is hurt and sythnes take

hys Magre his heed and brought to the stake

muste As forward was ryght there he must abyde

Anothyr A nother led is on that other syde

Theseus And somtyme doth hem theseus to reste

forto lys^e Hem for to refresshe and drynke yf theym leste

a day Thebans' Ful ofte aday haue the thebans two To gyder y met and wrought eyther wo 205

Vnhorsid Vnhorsyd hath eche other of hem tweye

tyger 2630 Ther is no tygre in the vale of galegopheye

When when Whan that her whelpe is stole whan it is lyte

cruel So cruell on the hunte as is arcyte

thys For Jelous herte vpon this palamon

belmarye fel lyoun Ne in belmarie ther nys so fell lyon

angyr That huntyd is or for angre wood

hys desiryth Ne of his pray desyreth so the blood

hys As palamon to sle his foo arcyte

strokis hyr helmys The Jelous strokes on her holmes byte

Out renneth blood on bothe her sydes reede

Som tyme ther dede 2640 Sometyme an ende there is of euery deede X wente For or the sonne vnto the reste went

kyng Emetrius hent The strong kynge emetrius gan hente

Thys This palamon as he fought wyth arcyte hys swerd hys flessh And made his swerde dope in his flesshe byte

And by the force of twenty was*he take Vnyolden and drawe to the stake 206

thys And in the rescous of this palamon

strong kyng ligurge The stronge kynge ligurge is born a doun

kyng Emetrius al hys And kynge emetrius for all is strengthe

hys sadyl swerdis 2650 Is bom out of his sadyll a swerdes lengthe

So hytte hym palamon or he were take

al But all for nought he was brought to the stake

Hys His hardy hert ne myght hym helpe nought

muste when He must abyde whan he was caught

compesicion By force and eke by composycyon

woful Who soroweth now but woful1 palamon

That muste nomore go ayen to fyght

Theseus that And whan that theseus hadde seye the syght

Vnto the folke that foughten thus echone

cryde than 2660 He cryed then ho / nomore for it is done

wyl trewe I woll be true Juge and not party

shal Emely Arcyte of thebes shall haue emely

hys fortune feyr That by his fortuue hath her fayr y wonne pepyl 207 Anon ther is a noyse of pepyll begonne

thys loude hyght al For Joye of this so lowde and hyghe wyth all

semed lystis fal That it semyd that the lystes sholde fall

What can now fayre venus done aboue

saith What sayth she waht doth the quene of lo

Tyl teris lystis fyl Tyll that her teres in the lystes fyll (ue

doutlees 2670 She sayd I am ashamed doutlees

Saturne sayd doughter holde thy pees

hys wyl hys Mars hath his wyll the knyght hath his bone

heed esed And by my hed thou shalt be esyd sone

lowd The trompettis wyth the loude mynstralsie

he rowdes ful The herowdes that full lowde yelie and crye

weel Bene in her Joye for the wele of dane arcyte

herkenn^eth stynte But herkenygh me and stynt noyse alyte

myrakyl befyl Whyche a myracle there befell anone

Thys force hys This fyers arcyte hath his holme of done

forto hys 2680 And on a courser for the shewe his face

pryked endlong He prycked endlonge the large place vpward vp on thys Emelye 208 Lokyng vpwarde vnto this emelye

And she agayn hym cast a frendly eye

al hys hys And was all in his chere as in his hert

ground infernal Out of the grounde a fyre Infernal1 stert

From Fro pluto sent atte request of saturne

wyhyche hys feer turne For whyche his hors for fere gan to torne

a syde And lepte asyde and foundryd as he lope

And or that arcyte may take kepe

pyghte pomel hys 2690 He hyghte hym on the pomel1 of his hed

lay That in the place he laye as he were ded

Hys hys sadyl His brest to brosten wyth his sadyll bowe

lay As blak he laye as ony cole or crowe

hys So was the blood ronne in his face

Anon he was born ont of the place

Theseus paleys Wyth herte sore to theseus palayes

coruyn hys hameys Tho was he coruen out of his harneyes

ful feyre And in a bed brought full fayre and blyue

For he was yet in memorye and alyue alwey cryynge aftyr Emelye 209 2700 And alwaye cryenge after emelye

Theseus al hys Duke theseus wyth all his companye

Is come home to athenes his cyte

W_th alle Wyth all blys and grete solempnyte

Al thys All be it that this auenture was falle

dyscomforte alle He nolde not discomforte be in all

d iiii shold Men sayd eke that arcyte sholde not dye

shold helyd hys He sholde be heelyd of his maladye

another thyng feyn And of a nother thynge they were feyne

alle sleyn That of hem al ther was none sleyne

Alle hurt 2710 All were they sore hurte and namely one

thrylled That wyth a spere was thyrled the brestbone

othyr woundis armis The other woundes and the broke armes

saluys somme Some hadde salues and some hadden charmes

Fermacyes of herbes and eke sane

dronkyn wold They dronken for they wolde her lyues hane

thys nobyl * wel For whyche this noble duke as he well can honoured 210 Comforteth and honoureth euery man

alle long And made reuell all the longe nyght

straunge lordys Vnto the strange lordes as was ryght

dyscomfytynge 2720 Ne there was holden no discomfytynge

toureneyeng But as a Justes or a tourneyenge

dyscomfyture For ther was holden no discomfyture

faylyng For faylynge nys but auenture

Ne to be lad by force vnto the stake

yeldyn x xknyghtis Vn yelden and wyth.xx.knyghtes take

allone wyth oute One persone alone wythoute mo

arme foot And haryed forth by harme fote and to

hys stauys And eke his stede dryuen forth wyth staues

Wyth footmen bothe yemen knauys With fotemen both yoman and eke knaves

Hyt retted 2730 It nas y rettyd hum no vylonye

noman Ther may no man clepe it cowardrye

Theseus let For whyche anon duke theseus lete crye

styntyn alle To stynten all rancour and enuye

wel The degre as well in o syde as in other side othyr 211 And eyther syde lyke as other brother

gyftys aftyr And yaf hem gyftes after her degre

held feste And fully helde a feest dayes thre

And conueyed the kynges worthyly

hys town Out of his towne a Journey largely

wente right 2740 And home went euery man the ryght way

farwel good Ther was nomore but farewell haue gode day

Of batayl wyl After this batayll I woll nomore endyte

But speke of palamon and of arcyte

Swellyth Swelleth the brest of arcyte and the sore

hys Encrecyth at his hert ay more and more

cloteryd bled The clutteryd blood for ony lechecraft

Coruptyth hys bowk Corruptyth and in his bowke is laft

blood That neyther veyne bloode ne ventusynge

herbis hys No drynke of herbes may be his helpynge

vertu expulsif anymall 2750 The vertue expulsyf or animal1

vertu Fro that vertue y clepyd natural1

Ne may the venym voyde ne expelle pypis hys longis 212 The pypes of his longes gan to swelle

la rt hys And euery lacert in his brest a doun

venyme corrupcioun Is shent wyth venym and corrupcyoun

forto hys Hym gatneth nothyng for to goto his lyf

dounward Vomyte vpwarde and dounwarde laxatyf

Al X All is to brosten in thylke regyon

domynacioun Nature hath in hym no domynacyon

wol 2760 And certaynly there nature woll not werche

wel phesyk Fare well physik go bore the man to chyrche

Thys al muste This is all and som arcyte must dye

sendyth aftyr Emelye For whyche he sendeth after emelye

hys And palamon that was his cosyn dere

Than shul aftyr Then sayd he thus as ye shall after here

woful spynt hert Not may the woful1 spyryte in my herte

al sorowys smert Declare a poynt of all my sorowe smerte

To you my lady that I loue most

be quethe But bequethe the seruyce of my gost

abouen 2770 To you aboue euery creature Sythnes that my lyf may no lenger dure ^^^

payne strong Alas the woo alas the paynes stronge

suffrid long That I for you haue suffred and so longe

Alas Emelye Alas the deth / alas my emelye

departyng Alas the departynge of our companye hertis Alas my hertes quene / alas my wyf hertis My hertes lady ender of my lyf

world axith What is this worlde what axeth men to haue

hys hys Now wyth his loue now colde in his graue Alone 2780 Alon wythouten ony company

wel Emely Fare well my swete foo my emelye

And softe take me in your armes tweye

herkenyth For the loue of god and herkenith what I seye

I haue here wyth my cosyn palamon

aday Had stryf and rancour many a daye agoon

/ Jewowsye For loue of you and of my Jelousye

And Jupyter so wysly my soule gye

To spoken of a seruaunt properly circumstaunces alle truly 214 Wyth circumstannces all truely o-rnr^ TT, ^ • ^ knyghthedo 2790 Ihat is to sayn trough honour and knyghthode

Wysdom humblesse estate and hye kynrede

alle Fredom and all that longeth to that arte

sowle So Jupyter haue of my soule parte

thys world right As in this worlde ryght now knowe I non

So worthy to be loued as pal amon

wyl al hys That serueth you and woll do all his lyf

And yf that euer ye shul be a wyf

Foryetith gentyl Foryeteth not palamon the gentyll man

word hys fayle And wyth that worde his speche faylie gan

feet hys brest 2800 For fro his fete vnto his breste was come

deth hym The colde of deth that hath him ouercome

hys And yet more ouer for in his armes two

vytal al The vytal1 strengthe is lost and all ago

intellectis Only the Intellectes wythouten more

dwellyth hys That dwelleth in his herte syke and sore

Gan fayle whan the herte felyth deth hys to fayleth hys 215 Dusshyd his eyen two and faylleth his breth

hys hys But on his lady yet caste he his eye

Hys word Emelye His laste worde was mercy emelye

Hys spirit chaungyd wente 2870 His spiryte chaunged the hous and went there

As I cam neuer I can not telle where

y deuynyster There I stynte I am not dyuynyster

soulis thys regystre Of soules fynde I not in this register

Ne me lyst the opynyons to tell

Of them that writen 0 them though paX they wryten where they dwell

cold hys Arcyte is colde there mars his soule guye

wyl Emelye Now woll I speke forth of emelye

Shryhto Emelye Shryghte emelye and howloth palamon

Theseus hys sustyr And theseus his syster toke anon

Swownynge hyr cors 2820 Swownyng and bare her fro the cours away

day What helpyth it to tary forth the daye

To telle how she wepte bothe eue and morow

wommen suche For in suche caas wymmen haue such sorow

husbondis Whan that her husbondes be fro ago part 216 That for the more parte they sorowen so

ellis falle Or elles fallen in suche a maladye

That at the laste certaynly they dye

sorowys Infynyt ben the sorowes and the teris

folk folk Of olde folke and folke of tendre yeris

toun thys 2830 In all the towne for deth of this theban

chyld For hym there wepyth bothe chylde and man

greet wepyng So grete wepynge was ther non certayn

Ector al fresh Whan ector was brought all fressh y slayn

troye alias To troy alas the pyte that was there

Cratchynge of chekys rentynge eke of here

thys Why woldest thou be ded thus wyimnen crye

gold and Emelye And haddest golde ynough thys emelye

No man myght glade theseus

hys Sauynge his olde fader egeus

knew thys worldis transmutacion 2840 That knewe this worldes transmutacyon

As chaunge And he hadde seen it channge vp and doun

aftyr aftyr * Joye after woo and woo after gladnesse shewde ensaumple liknesse 217 And shewed hym ensample and lyknesse

deyde Ryght as ther doyed neuer man quod he

erthe somme That he ne lyued in erth in dome" degre

Ryght so ther lyued neuer man he seyde

world sommetyme ne In all this worlde that somtyme ho no deyde

Thys world thorow ful wo This worlde is but a thrugh fare full of we

passyng And we be pylgryms passynge to and fro

worldis 2850 Deth is an ende of euery worles sore

al thys sayde mykyl And ouer all this yet sayd he moche more

ful To this effect full wysely to enhorte

pepyl shold him The pepyll that they sholde hem recomforte

Theseus al hys Duke theseus wyth all his besy cure

Caste Laste now where that the sepulture

makyd Of good arcyte may best y maked be

hys And eke most honourable in his degre

took conclusion And at the last he toke conclusyon

Palamon That there as fyrst arcyte and palamon

between 2860 Hadden for loue the bataylle hem betwene 21 c selue green That in that selfe groue swete and grene

hys amerons desirys There as he hadde his amorous desyres

Hys hys firys His complaynt and for loue his hote fyres

wold office He wolde make a fyre in whyche the offyce

Funeral Funeral1 he myght fully accomplyce

comanded And comaundyd anon to hacke and to hewe

okis ley The okys olde and laye hem on a rowe

wel arayd In culpyns well arayed for to brenne

Hys feet His offycers wyth swyft fete they renne

hys 2870 And ryden anon at his comaundement

aftyr thys And after this theseus hath sent

Aftyr After a bore and he it ouer sprad

clothys rychest Wyth clothes of gold the richest that he had

clothyd And of the same sute he clothed arcyte

hys hondys hys glouys Vp on his hondes his gloues whyte

hys And on his hed.a crowne of lawrer grene

swerd ful bryght And in his honde a swerde full bryghte and kene

layde He layed hym bare the vysage on the bore wyth wepte 219 Ther with he wept that pyte was to here

pepyl shold 2880 And for the pepyll sholde se hym alle

Whan it was day / he brought hym in the halle

cryyng sown That roreth of the cryenge and the soun

thys woful Palamon Tho cam this woful1 theban palamon

floterid herd ruggid Wyth floteryd berde / and rugged asshy heris

clothis dropped al In clothe blak droppyd all wyth teris

passyng x wepyng Emelye And passynge all other of wepynge emelye

alle The rewfullest of all the companye

muche shuld And in as moche as the seruyse sholde be

nobyl Ryche hys The more noble and ryche in his degre

Theseus leet stedis 2890 Duke theseus lete thre stedys forth brynge

steel al glyterynge That trappyd were in stele all glytterynge

couered And coueryd wyth the armys of arcyte

vp on And eke vpon the stedys grete and whyte

satyn folk whyche hys Ther sate folke of whiche one bare his shold

Anothyr hys sholdres A nother a spere vpon his sholders held

hys The thyrde bare wyth hym his bowe turkeys gold 220 Of brend golde was the caas and the hameys

sorouful And ryden forth a paas wyth sorowfull chere

shul aftyr Toward the groue as ye shall after here

grekes 2900 The noblest of the grekys that there were

caryden Vpon theyr backes cariden the bere

weet Wyth slak paas and eyen rede and wete

Thorow out Thorughout the cyte by the mayster strete

spred al wonder That sprad was all wyth blak and wond hye

Ryght of the same is the strete y wrye

hond wente old Egeus Vp on the ryght honde went olde egeus

othyr Theseus And on that other syde duke theseus

vesselis gold hyr hond ful fyne Wyth vesscilis of golde in her honde full fyne

ful mylk And full of hony mylke / blood and wyne

Palamon ful 2910 Eke palamon wyth full grete companye

aftyr cam woful Emelye And after that came wofull emelye

Wyth fyre in hond as was that tyme the gyse

funeral To do the offyce of the funeral1 seruyce

Hygh ful greet a^parelynge High labour and full grete appareylynge Was at the seruyce of that fyre makynge ^^^

That wyth his grene top the heuen raughte

Twenty And.xx.fadom of brede the armys straughte

Thys saye brood This is to say the bowes were so brode

meny lood Of strawe fyrst was layd many a lode

an 2920 But how the fyre was made vp and heyghte

Ne eke the names how the trees hyghte

firre birche popeler As ook fyrre / byrche assh / alder holm populer

Mapil bech Mapyl thorn beche aspe box chesteyn lynd lau

basil Wylow / elme / plane / hasyl and whypultre (rer

shal told How they were fel1yd shall not be tolde for me

rennyn Ne how the goddis rennen vp and doun

their habytacioun Disheryted of theyr habitacyoun

whyche in reste In whiche they woned to rest and pees

a Nymphes faunes and madrides

alle 2930 No how the bestis and the bryddes all

feer falle Fledden for fere whan the wode gan fall

ground lyhgt Ne how the grounde agast was of the lyghte 222 bryght That was not wont to se the sonne bryghte

first Ne how the fyre was cowchyd fyrst wyth stre

than stickys And then wyth drye styckes clouen on thre

than And then wyth grene wode and spycery

than with gold with And then wyth cloth of golde and wyth perry

garlondis with And garlondes hangynge wyth many a flour

en_ence The myrre the encence wyth swete odour

lay among al thys 2940 No how arcyte laye amonge all this

hys Ne what rychesse abowte his body ther is

Emelye Ne how that emelye as was the gyse

funeral put in the fyre of funeral1 seruyse

swowned Ne how she swouned whan made was the fyre

spak Ne what she spake ne what was her desyre

Ne what Jewellis men in to the fyre caste

brende g i Whan that the fyre was grete and brente faste

somme somme Ne how some caste her sholde and some her spere

vestimentis whych And of her vestumentes whyche that they were

ful mylk 2950 And cuppis full of mylke wyne and blood In to tho fyre that brent as it were wood 223

route Ne how the grekys wyth an huge rowte

al Thryes ryden all the fyre aboute

hygh showtynge Vp on the lyft hond wyth an hyghe showtyng

here speris And thryes wyth her speres claterynge

And thryes how the ladyes gan crye

homward Emelye Ne how that led was hom warde emelye

cold Ne how arcyte is brent to asshen colde

lych Ne how the lyche wakys were y holde

nyght pleye 2960 That ylke nyghte ne how the grekys playe

pleyes seye The wake playes ne kepe I not to saye

Which Wrastelith naked with oyl Why the wrasteleth best nakyd wyth oyle anoynt

Ne how that bare hym best at the poynt

wyl al I woll not telle all how they goon

Athenes when pley Home to athenes whan the playe is doon

shortly than But shortly to the poynt then wol I wende

long And make of my longe tale an ende

proces certeyn yeris By processe and by lengthe of certen yores Al mornyng cheris All stynt is the mornynge and the chores

general 2970 Of grekys by one general1 assent

Than Then semyth me ther was a parlement

At athenes vpon a certeyn poynt and caas

whiche poyntis spokyn And among the whyche poyntes spoken was

certayn contrees To haue wyth certen countrees alyaunce

obeyssaunce And haue fully of thebans obeysaunce

whyche thys nobyl Theseus For whiche this noble theseus anon

Leet aftyr gentyl Palamon Lete sonde after gentyll palamon

Vnwyst of hym what was the cause and why

hys blake clothis But in his blacke clothes sorowfully

hys comaundement 2980 He cam at his commaundement an hye

Emelye Tho sent theseus for emelye

al Whan they were set and bust was all the place

Theseus And theseus abyden hath a space

word from hys Or ony worde cam fro his wyse brest

Hys sette be hym His eyen set there as him lyst

sighed And wyth a sad vysage he syghed stylle aftyr said wylle ^^^ And after that ryght thus he sayd his wyll

The fyrst mouer of the cause aboue

fyrst Whan he fyrste made the fayre cheyne of loue

Greet hygh hys 2990 Gret was the effect and highe was his entent

Wel wyste Well wyst he why and what ther of he ment

bond For wyth that fayr cheyne of loue he bonde

eyr lond The fyre the ayer the water and the londe

certeyn bondis xmay fie In certen bondes that men maye not flee

The same prynce and that mouer quod he

stablisshed wretchid Hath stablished in this wretchyd world adoun

Certayn duracioun Leten dayes and duracyoun

engendrid thys To all that is engendryd in this place

day Ouer the whyche daye they mow not pace

Al abruygge 3000 All mowe they yet tho dayes abrydge

legge Ther nedyth non auctoryte to ledge

experience Fot it is proued by experyence

But that me lyst to declare my sentence

Than thys ordre* Then may wel men by this order dyscerne stabyl 226 That thylke mouer stable is and eterne

Wel may fool Well maye men knowe but it be a fole

hys hool That euery party is deryued fro his hole

hys begynnyng For nature hath not take his begynnynge

part cantel thyng Of one parte or of a cantel1 of a thynge

thyng parfyght 3010 But of a thynge that perfyght is and stable

Descendyng tyl corumpabyl Descendynge so tyll it be corrumpable

hys And therfore for his wyse purueaunce

wel be set hys ordenaunce He hath so well beset his ordynaunce

thyng progressions That speces of thynge and progressyons

successions Sholden endure by sucessyons

etem wythoute And nought eterne wythout ony lye

Thys Thus mayst thou vnderstonde and se at eye

ook long norysshynge Lo the oke that hath so longe a nourysshyng

first Fro the tyme that it fyrst gynneth to sprynge

long may 3020 And hath so longe lyf as ye maye see

laste wastid tre Yet at the last wasted is the tree

Considereth ^ard Consydereth eke how that the harde stoon fleet which 227 Vnder our fete / on whyche we trede and goon

wey Yet wastyth it as it lyeth by the waye

brood wexyth The brode ryuer somtyme wexeth drey

The grete townes se we wane and wende

Than al thyng Then ye se that all thynge hath an ende

womman wel Of man of woman se we also

nedis termys That nedys in one of thyse termes two

Thys yongthe age 3030 This is to saye in yongth or ellis in aege

moot kyng shal He mot be ded the kynge as shall a page

Somme hys somme Some in his bed some in the dope see

Somme feld may se Some in the large felde as men maye see

nought alle ilke Ther helpyth noght /all gon that ylke weye

Than say al thyng Then may I saye all thynges mot nedes deye

thys Jupiter kyng What makyth this but Jupyter the kynge

al thyng That is prynce and cause of all thynge

wyl Conuertynge alle vnto his propre wyll

tel For whyche it is deryued soth to tell

agayns alyue 3040 And here agaynst no creature a lyue auayleth forto 228 Of no degre auaylieth for to stryue

Than wysedom Then is it wysdom as thynketh me

vertu To make vertue of necessyte

wel may And take it well that we maye not eschewe

alle due And namely that to vs all is dewe

grutchyth And who so grutcheth ought he doth folye

rebel al may And rebel1 is to hym that maye all gye

And certeynly a man hath most honour

To dyen in his most excellent flour

sykir 3050 Whan he is syker of his good name

Than hys frend Then hath he do his frende ne hym no shame

frend hys And gladder ought his frende be of his deth

hys Whan wyth honour so vp yolden is his breth

hys appallid Than whan his name appal1yd is for age

alle than hys For all foryten is then his vassellage

Than is hyt Then it is best as for a worthy fame

To dyen whan a man is best of name

al thys The contrary for all this is wylfulnesse Why grutche we why haue we heuynesse 229

arcite 3060 That good arcyte of chyualrye the flour < Departid honour Departyd is wyth duete and hononr

thys Out of the fowle pryson of this lyf

hys hys Why grutchyd his cosyn and his wyf

hys weel Of his welfare that loueth hym so wele

thank woot deel Can he hem thanke nay god wote neuer a dele

hys That bothe his soule and eke hem offende

mowe lustys And yet they mow her lustes not amende

thys long What may I conclude of this longe sory

aftyr But after wo I rede vs to be mery

thonke al hys 3070 And thanke Jupyter of all his grace

thys And er we departen from this place

sorowys I rede that we make of sorowes two

parfyt 0 perfyt Joye lastyng euer mo

loketh ynne And lokyth now where most sorow is inne

wyl There wyll I fyrst amende and begynne

Sustyr thys ful Syster quod he this is my filll assent al 230 Wyth all the auyse of my parlement

gentyl owen That gentyll palamon your owne knyght

That serueth you wyth hert and myght

knew 3080 And euer hath do syn ye fyrst hym knewe

shul row That ye shal of your grace on hym rowe

husbond lord And take hym for husbonde and for lorde

hond thys accord Lene me your honde for this is our acorde

Let see wommanly Lete se now of your womanly pyte

parde He is a kyngis brother sone perde

poure And though he were a poore bachelor

meny Syn he hath serued you so many a yeer

And hadde for you so gret aduersyte

It mot be consydered leuyth me

X gentyl 3090 For a gentyll mercy ought to passe ryght

Than Then sayd he thus to palamon the knyght

lytyl I trow ther nedyth lytyl1 sermonynge

assent thys To make you asent to this thynge

Cometh Comyth nor and takyth your lady by the honde And thus of hem bothe was made the bonde 231

That hyght matrymony or maryage

al counseyl By all the counsel1 of the baronage

al blis And thus wyth all blys and melodye

Emelye g iii Hath palamon wedded emelye

al thys world 3100 And god that all this worlde hath wrought

hys Sente hym this loue that he dere had bought

For now is palamon in alle wele

Lyuyng blis Lyuynge in blys in ryches and in hole

Emely loueth And emelye hym louyth so tenderly

And here agayn And he her seruyth agayne so gentylly

word That ther was no worde hem betwene

Jelousye othyr Of Jelowsye or of ony other tene

Palamon Emelye Thus endyth palamon and emelye

thys 3109 And god saue alle this companye

knyghtys : Here endyth the knyghtes tale

Myllers prolog And here begynneth the myllars prologue 232

knyght 3110 Whan paX the kny3t had thus his tale told

al that In all fat companye nas ther yong ne old

nobyl That he ne sayd it was a noble story

And worthy to be drawe in memory

eurichon And namely the gentylis euerychon

hoost lowgh swoor goon Our hoste lough and swore so mot I gon

Thys aright vnbokelid This goth aryght vnbokelyd is the male

Let shal another Lete se now who shall telle a nother tale

treuly wel For truely the game is well begonne

monk konne Now telle ye syr monke yf that ye conne

hys 3120 Som what to quyte the knyght his tale

My1ward al The myllarre that fordronkyn was all pale

vnnethys hys sat To the vnethes vp on his hors he sate

hood hat He nolde auale nother hode ne hate

noman hys curtesye Ne abyde no man for his curteysye

But in pylatis voys he gan crye

swoor bonys And swore by armys blood and bones nobyl nonys 233 I can a noble tale for the nones

knyghts With whiche I woll now quyte the knyghtes tale

hoost saw Our hoste sawe that he was dronke of ale

Robyn brothyr 3130 And sayd abyde robyn leue brother

Sum bettyr anothyr Som better man shal telle fyrst a nother

Abyde and let vs werke thryftely

cokkis nyl • By cockys soule quod he that nyll not I

wyl ellis wey For I woll speke or elles go my waye

hoost answerd tel deuyl wey Our hoste answerde tell on a deuyl1 waye

fool Thou art a fole thy wytte is ouercome

myllere Now herkeneth quod the myllar alle and some

protestacioun But fyrst I make a protestacyoun

That I am dronke I knowe by my soun

aught say 3140 And therfore yf I ought mys speke or saye

suthwerk pray Wyte it the ale of suthwerke I you praye

wol For I woll telle a legende and a lyf

hys Bothe of a carpenter and of his wyf

clerk * wryghtis How that a clerke hath set the wryghtes cappe answerd 234 The reue answerde and sayd stynt thy clappe

lewd dronkyn Let be thy lewde dronken harlottrye

Hyt greet It is a synne and eke grete folye

To appeyre ony man or hym defame

wyuys And eke brynge wyues in suche a name

Inowgh othyr thyngis 3150 Thou mayst ynough of other thynges sayn

dronkyn mylward spak This dronken myllare spake ful sone agayn

0 brothyr Oswold And sayd o leue brother oswolde

Who hath no wyf he is no cokcold

say But I saye not therfore that thou art one

gode wyuys on Ther ben good wyues many one

Why art thou angry wyth my tale now

wel thow I haue a wyf parde as well as thou

Yet nolde I not for the oxen in my plow

Take vp on me more than ynow

my self 3160 As dome of myself that I were one

wol beleue wel I woll byleue well that I am none

husbond shold inquysytyf An husbonde sholde not be Inquisytif pryuyte hys 235

Of goddis preuyte ne of his wyf

So he may fynde goddys fuson there

Of the remenaunt nedyth not to enquere shold say thys Milore What sholde I more saye but this myllere hys word noman He nolde his worde for no man forbore

told hys chorlis hys But tolde his curies tale in his manere

at thynketh shal g iiii Me forthynketh that I shall reherce it here

gentyl pray 3170 And therfore euery gentyll wyght I praye

Demeth goddis say Demyth not for goddys loue that I saye

euyl most Of euyll entent but that I must reherce

talis al werce Here tales all be they better or worce

ellis somme Or elles falsen some" of my matere

lystyth And therfore who so lysteth not to here

Turne leef chees another Torne ouer the leyf and chose a nother tale

shal bothe For he shall fynde ynowe both grete and smale

hystoryal thyng that Of historyall thynge |)at towchyth gentylnesse

And eke moralyte and holynesse

Blameth chose 3180 Blamyth not me yf that ye chose amys Myllere chorle know wel thys 236 The myllar is a churle ye knowe well this

So is the reue and eke other mo

And harlottrye they tolde bothe two

Auysyth Auyseth you and put me out of blame

shul And eke men sholde not make emest of game

XX XX X Here endyth the myllars prologue

mylleres Here begynneth the myllars tale

dwellyng Oxenforde Whylom ther was dwellyng in oxenford

gnof gestis hadde borde A ryche gnuf that gestys had to bord

hys And of his craft was he a carpenter

With dwelling pour Wyth hym ther was dwellynge a poore scoler

al hys fantesye 3190 Hadde lernyd art but all his fantasye

tumyd Was tomed to leme astrologye

coude conclusions And cowde a certayn of conclusyons

interrogacions To demyn by Interogacyons Yf that men axed hym certayn houres 237

shold Whether they sholde haue droughte or shoures

shold Or yf that men axed hym what sholde befalle

thyng may no rekene Of euery thynge I maye not reken alle

Thys clerk honde Nycholas This clerke was clepyd hynde nycholas

couthe Of dem loue he cowde and of solas

ful pryue 3200 And therto he was sly and full preuy

lyk And lyke a mayden meke for to se

chambyr hostelrye A chambre hadde he in that hostelerye

wythout Alone without ony companye

Ful y dyght herbys Full fetously ydyght wyth herbes sote

And he hym self was swete as is the rote

Cetewale Of lycoryce or of ony cetewale

Hys hys bokys His almegeste his bokes grete and smale

Hys / hys His astrologye longynge for his art

Hys awgrym lay feyre His awgryth stones laye fayr a part

cowchyd hys beddis hed 3210 On sheluys cowchid at his beddys heed

Hys ycouered foldyng His presse ycoueryd wyth a folSyuge reed al lay gay 238 And all aboue ther laye a gaye sawtrye

^ nyghtis Of whyche he made a nyghtes melodye

al chambyr rong So swetely that all the chambre ronge

X X song And(angelus ad virginem)he songe

aftyr song kyngis And after that he songe the kynges note

blyssyd hys Ful often blessyd was his mery throte

thys clerk hys And this swete clerke his tyme spent

Aftyr hys frendes fyndyng hys After his frendys fyndynge and his rent

Thys 3220 This carpenter hadde weddyd newe a wyf

hys Whyche that he louyd more than his lyf

X xyeer age Of.xviii.yere she was of aege

held Jelous he was and helde her narow in cage

wyld For she was wylde and yong and he was olde

domed lyk And demyd hym self lyke to be a cokewolde

knew Caton hys He knewe not caton for his wyt was rude

badde man_ symylytude That bad a man shold wedde his symylitude

shold aftyr hyr Men sholde wedde after her astate

For yongthe and old ben often at debate 3230 But shythen he was fallen in the snare 239

othyr folk hys He muste endure as other folke his care

yong Fayr was this yonge wyf and there wyth all

wesyl hyr As ony wesyl1 her body gent and small

sylk A seynt she weryd barryd alle of sylke

morow mylk A barmecloth as whyte as morowe mylke

hyr ful meny agore Vp on her lendys wyth full many a gore

smok al before Whyte was her smocke and broyden all before

hyr aboute And eke behynde on her coler abowte

sylk wythynne wythoute Of coleblak sylke wythinne and eke wythout

3240 The tapettis of her whyte voluper

Were of the same sute of the coler

filet brood sylk ful Her fylet brode of sylke and set full hye

sikyrly hadde And sykerly she had a lykorous eye

Ful pullyd here browis Full smale y pulled were her browes two

bente And they were bent and blak as ony slo

blysful She was moche more blysfull on to see

Than is the newe pore genet tree And softer than is the wulle of a weder 240

hyr gyrdyl And by her gyrdyll hangyth a purs of leder

sylk 3250 Tarselyd wyth sylke and perlyd wyth laton

al thys world In all this worlde to seke vp and doun

noman coude Ther is no man so wyse that cowde thenche

gay So gaye a pupelot or so praty a wenche

Ful hue For bryghter was she shynynge of her hewe

nobyl Than in the tour the nobyl1 forgyd newe

song But of her songe it was as lowde and yem

swalow sittynge As ony swalowe syttynge on the born

coude Therto she cowde skyppe and make game

hys As ony kyd or calf folowyng his dame

3260 Her mouth was swete as braket or methe

appelis leyd heth Or hord of appyls layd on hey or hethe

Wynsynge she was as is a Joly colt

Long as a mast and vpryght as a bolt

baar hyr low A broche she bare vp on her lowe coler

brood As brode as is the boos of a b'okeler Here laced hyr leggis 241 Her shoon were lacyd on her legges hye

pyggis She was a prymerosse a pyggys nye

lord liggen hys For ony lorde to lyggen in his bed

yeman Or yet for ony good yoman to wed

befyl 3270 Now syre and eft syre so befyll the caas

thys hend Nycholas That on a day this honde nicholas

Fyl thys yong Fell wyth this yonge wyf to rage and to playe

Whylys husbond Oseneye Whyles that her husbonde was at oseneye

clerkys beful subtyl ful As clerkes he full subtyll and full queynt

hyr the by And pryuely he caughte her by the queynt

And sayd ywys but yf I haue my wylle

For dem loue of the lemman I spylle

held here hard shank And helde her harde by the shanke bones

at onys And sayd lemman loue me all a tones

wold 3280 Or I wolde dye al so god me saue

sprong And she spronge as a colt doth in the traue

heed away And wyth her hed she wryoth faste a waye

wol fay She sayd I woll not kysse you by my faye let Nycholas ^42 Why lete be quod she let be nycholas

^1 harow alias Or I woll crye out harowe and alas

wey hondis Do way your hondes for your curtesye

Thys Nycholas This nycholas gan mercy for to crye

spak profered faste And spake so fayre and proferyd her so fast

That she her loue graunted hym at the last

swore Thomas 3290 And swore her oth by saynt thomas of kent

wold hys comaundement That she wolde be at his commaundement

may wel Whan that she maye her leyser well espye

husbond ful Jelousye Myn husbonde is so full of Jelowsye

wel pryue That but ye wayte well and be preuy

wel ded I wot ryght well I nam but deed quod she

ful thys Ye must be full dem as in this caas

the Nycholas Nay therof care ye not quod nycholas

Lythyrly clerk beset hys Lytherly a clerke had be set his whyle

coude But yf he cowde a carpenter begyle

3300 And thus they ben accorded and y sworn

toli To wayte a tyme as I haue tolde beforn Nycholas hadde euerydeel ^'^^ Whan nycholas had do thus euery dele thackyd aboute wel And thacked her abowte the lendys wele kyste took hys He kyst her swete and toke his sawtrye pleyde And played faste and made melodye

Than fel that parysh Then fell it thus pa^t to the parysshe chyrche Crystys owen werkis Crystis owne werkes for to werche Thys wyf wente holiday This good wyfe went on an holy daye

forhed bryghte day Her forehed shoon as bryght as ony daye when leet work 3310 So was it wasshe whan she lete her werke

that parysh clerk Now was ther of ^aX chyrche a paryssh clerke clepyd The whyche that was y callyd absolon

Crulled heer gold Crullid was his heere and as the golde it shoon brood And strowtyd as a fan large and brode

Ful euen lay hys shod Full streyght and euyn laye his Joly shode Hys reed hys gray His rode was red his eyen graye as goos powlis hys Wyth poulis wyndowes coruen in his shoos hosis reed wente ful In hoses red he went full fetously Y clad he was ful smal and fetously 244 (This is a Cx2 line between 33.28-29 of W. de W.) kyrtyl Alle in a kyrtyll of a lyght waget

Ful fayre be poyntis 3320 Full faye and thycke ben the poyntes set

ther vpon gay And thervpon he hadde a gaye surplys

on As whyte as is the blossom of the rys

chyld A mery chylde he was so god me saue

Wel coude Well cowde he leten blood and clyppe and shaue

chartyr lond aquytance And make a chartre of londe and aquytaunce

In And twenty manors coude he tryppe and daunce

Aftyr After the scole of oxenforde tho

hys And wyth his legges caste to and fro

pleye songis And playe songes on a smale ribyble

song 3330 Therto he songe somtyme a lowde quynyble

wel coude play hys And as well cowde he playe on his geterne

al toune In all the towne nas brewe hous ne tauerne

vysited hys That he ne visyted wyth his solace

gaylard There as ony gaylarde tapster was

say * skweymous But soth to saye he was somdel sqweymous fartyng 245 Of fartynge and of speche daungerous

Thys Jolyf This absolon that Joly was and gay

Goth wyth a sensor on the holy day

wyuys parysh Sensynge wyues of the parysshe fast

meny 3340 And many a louely loke on hem he cast

thys carpentyres And namely on this carpenters wyf

hyr To loke on her hym thoughte a mery lyf

propyr eek She was so propre swete and eke lykorous

wel mows I dar well say yf she had be a mous

cat And he a cate he wolde her hente anon

Thys parysh clerk thys This parysshe clerke this Joly absolon

hys Hath in his hert suche a loue longynge

That of no wyf toke he non offrynge

wold For curtesye he sayd he wolde non

3350 The mone whan it was nyght b ryght shoon

hys I And adsolon his gyterne hadde y take

For paramours he thoughte for to wake

Jolyf And forth he goth Joly and amorous Tyl Carpenters 246 Tyll he cam to the carpenters hous

lytyl aftyr cockys A lytyl1 after cockes hadde y crowe

dressed And dressyd hym vp by the shot wyndowe

Carpenters wal •That was vpon the carpenters walle

syngyth hys gentyl smal He syngeth in his voys gentyll and smalle

wyl Now dere lady / yf thy wyll be

pray wyl 3360 I praye you that ye wyll thynke on me

Ful wel hys gytemyng Full well acordynge to his gyttemynge

Thys This carpenter awoke and herde hym synge

spak hys And spake vnto his wyf and sayd anon

herist What alyson herest thou not absolon

bowris wal That chauntyth thus vnder our bowres wall

answerd husbond al And she answerde her husbonde ther wyth all

woot euerydel Yes god wote John I here it euerydele

Thys passeth wyl bet wel Thus passyth forth what wyll ye bett than wele

From day to day this Joly absolon

begoon 3370 So woweth her that he is wo begon

al nyght al He wakyth all the nyghte and all the day hys lockis gg^y 247 He kempte his lockes brode and made hym gaye hyr He woweth her by menes and brocage

swoor hyr owen And swore he wolde be her owne page

anyghtyngale He syngeth brockyng as a nyghtyngale

aftyr He sent after pyment methe and spyced ale

wafris hoot And wafres pypynge hote out of the glede

toun And for she was of towne he proferyd mede

somme folk wol For some folke woll be wonnen for rychesse

somme strokis somme 3380 And some for strokys and some" for Jolynesse

Sommetime sheweth lustinesse maistrie Somtyme he shewyth his Instynesse and maystri

pleyeth vp on scaffolt He playeth herodes vpon a scaffold hye

hym thys caas But what auayleth him as in this cas

he thys hend Nycholas She loued so this hynde nycholas

may x That absolon maye blowe in the buckis hom hadde hys He ne had for his labour but a scorn

And thus she makyth absolon her ape

al hys turneth tyl And all his emest torneth to a Jape

Ful thys Full soth is this prouerbe it is no lye 248 say alwey 3390 Men saye ryght thus alwaye the nyghe slye

Maketh fer leef looth Makyth the ferre leyf for to be loth

For though that absolon be wood or wroth

Be fer hyr sighte By cause that he ferre was from her syghte

Thys Nycholas stood hys lyght This nyghe nycholas stode in his lyghte

wel hend Nycholas Now here the well thou hende nycholas

may For absolon maye wayle and synge alas

befyl Saturday And so befell it that on a saterday

Thys tyl Osnay This carpenter was gon tyll osnay

hend Alyson And eke hynde nycholas and alyson

Acordyd thys conclusion 3400 Acorded be fully to this conclusyon

Nycholas shal wyle That nycholas shall shapen hym a wyse

Thys husbond This sely Jelous husbonde to begyle

And yf so be the game wente a ryght

shold hys al She sholde slepe in his armys all nyght

thys For this was Tier desyre and his also

And ryght anon wythout wordys mo

Thys Nycholas This nycholas no lenger wolde tary 249 _^^^ ___ chambyr But doth full softe m To TTiT chambre cary day Twey Bothe mete and drynke for a daye or tweye

sey 3410 And to her husbonde bad her for to seye

aftyr Nycholas Yf that he axed after nycholas shold say She sholde saye she nyst where he was al saw Of all that day she sawe hym not wyth eye somme She troweth that he is in some maladye

cry couthe For that no crye her mayde cowde hym calle nothyng He nolde answer for no thynge myghte falle

Thys al satirday This passyth forth all that saterday Nycholas stylle hys chambyr lay That nycholas styll in his chambre laye

sleep dede lyst And ete or slepe or dyde what hym leste

Tyl 3420 Tyll sonday that the sonne goth to reste

Thys grot meruayl This sely carpenter hath grete memayle Nycholas ayl Of nycholas or what myght hym ayll adrad Thomas And sayd I am a drad by saynt thomas aright Nycholas It stondyth not aryght wyth nycholas

shylde deyde God shelde it that he doyed sodenly Thys world ful tykyl sikyrly ^^^ This worlde is now full tykell sikerly

day I sawe a corps to daye bore to chyrche

seyh hym wyrche That now a monday last I saw him werche

hys Go vp quod he vnto his knaue anon

3430 Clepe at the dore or knocke wyth a ston

boldely Loke how it is and telle me boldly

Thys ful This kuaue goth hym vp full sturdely

chambir whyl stood And at the chambre dore whyle that he stode

cryde knokked He cryed and knocked as he were wood

maystir Nycholas What how what do ye mayster nychola

al long How may ye slepen all the longe day

al word But all for nought he herde not a worde

hool ful found vp on An hole full lowe he founde vpon a borde

There forto Ther as the cat was wont in for to crepe

loked ful 3440 And at the hole he lokyd in full dope

Tyl last sighte Tyll at the laste he hadde of h)Tn a syght

Thys Nycholas satte gapyng euyr vpright This nycholas sate gap>Tige euer vpryght

new As he had kyked on the newe mone told hys 251 Adowne he goth and tolde his mayster sone

aray saw thys In what araye he sawe this ylke man

Thys blysse This carpenter to blesse hym began

help sanyt And sayd helpe vs saynt frydeswyde

woot lytyl shal A man wote lytyl1 what hym shall betyde

Thys hys astrono This man is fallen wyth his astronomye

woodnesse somme 3450 In some wodnesse or in some" agonye

ay wel I thoughte aye well how it sholde be

shold goddis pryuyte Men sholde not knowe of goddys preuyte

blyssed alwey alowd Y blessyd be alwaye a lewde man

hys beleue That nought but only his byleue can

anothyr clerk So ferd a nother clerke wyth astronomye

feldis He walked in the feldes for to prye

sterrys Vpon the sterres what ther shold befalle

Tyl marlepit Tyll he was in a marlepyt y falle

saw Thomas He sawe not that but yet by saynt thomas

rewyth hend Nycholas 3460 Me reweth sore of hynde nycholas

shal hys studyyng He shall be ratyd of his stndyenge niay hewyn kyng ^^^ Yf that I maye by Jhesu heuen kynge

a staf may vnderspore Gete me astaffe that I man vuderspore

Robyn heuyst Whyle that thou robyn heuest of the dore

shal thys studyyng He shall out of this studyenge as I gesse

chambyr And to the chambre dore he gan hym dresse

strong chorle nonys His knaue was a stronge churle for the nones

hasp onys And by the haspe he haf it vp at ones

fyl anon In to the floor the dore fell anone

Thys Nicholas stylle ston 3470 This nycholas sat ay as styll as stone

euyr gaped vpward eyr And euer gapyd vpwarde in the ayre

Thys that despeyr This carpenter wende pat he were in dispeyr

sholdris And hente hym by the sholders myghtely

shook cryde spetously And shoke hym harde and cryed spytously

Nicholay looke doun What nycholay what how loke a downe

thynk crystis passion Awake and thynke on cristys passyon

I crouche the fro eluys and fro wyghtis

Therwyth rightis Therwith the nyghtspel sayd he anon ryghtis

haluys aboute On four halues on the hous abowte thresshold 253 3480 And on the thressholde of the dore wythout

cryst Jhesu crist and saynt benedyght

Blysse thys wyckid wight Blesse this hous from euery wyckyd wyghte

nyghtis x x For nyghtes verry the v/yght (pater noster)

Petris suster Where wonnest thou saynt peters syster

thys hend Nicholas And at the last this hynde nycholas

sighe Gan for to syghe sore and sayd alas

Shal al world lost Shall all the worlde be loste eftsones now

Thys answerd This carpenter answerde what sayst thou

nk pat swynke What thynk on god as we do men tliat swynk

Thys Nicholas drynke 3490 This nycholas answerd fette me drynk

aftyr wyl pryuyte And after woll I speke to the in preuyte

certayn thyngis Of certen thynges that towchen me and the

wyl tel othyr I woll tell it non other man certayn

Thys doun agayn This carpenter goth down and comyth again

quart And broughte of myghty ale a large quarte

when hys And whan eche of hem hadde dronke his part

Thys Nycholas hys This nycholas his dore faste shette doun 254 And downe the carpenter by hym he sette

hoost He sayd John myn hoste leue and dere

vp on trouthe 3500 Thou shalt vpon thy trouth swore me here

wight counsel That to no wyght thou shalt this counsel1 wrey

crystis counsel For it is cristys counsel1 that I sey

And yf thou telle it man thou art forlore

thys vengeaunce For this vengaunce thou shalt haue therfore

That yf thou wreye it / man shalt be wood

cryst hys verry Nay crist forbede it for his very blood

thys Quod tho this sely man I am no blabbe

thogh say Ne though I saye I am not leue to gabbe

Say wylt shal neuyr Saye what thou wolt I shall it neuer telle

chyld 3510 To chylde ne wyf by hym that harowed hello

Nicholas wyl Now John quod nycholas I woll not lye

I haue founde it in myn astrologye

loked As I haue lokyd in the mone bryght

quartyr That now a monday next at quarter nyght

Shal rayn Shall falle a reyne and that so \fylde and wood gret neuer 255 That half so grete was ueuer noes flood

Thys world sayde Thus worlde he sayd in lesse than in an hour

Shal al Shall all be breynt so hydous is the shour

Thus shal her This shall mankynde drenche and lese his lyf

Thys answerd alias 3520 This carpenter answerde alas my wyf

shal al_soun And shall she drenche alas my alysoun

sorow thys fyl adoun For sorowe of this he fell almost a doun

sayde thys And sayd is ther no remedy in this caas

hend Nicholas Why yes for god quod hynde nycholas

wylt worke Yf thou wolt werke after lore and rede

worke aftyr Thou mayst not werke after thyn owne hede

ful trewe For thus sayth salamon that was full true

Worke al counsel Werke all by counsell and thou shalt not rewe

worke counsel And yf thou werke wylt by good counsayll

vndirtake sayl 3530 I vndertake wythouten mast or sayll

shal here Yet shall I saue her and the and me

herd Noe Hast thou not herde how saued was noe

lord hadde Whan that our lorde had warned hym beforn al world 256 That all the worlde wyth water shold be lorn

thys Carpenter ful Yes quod this carpenter full yore ago

herd Nicholas Hast thou not herde quod nycholas also

sorow Noe hys feleship The sorowe of noe wyth his felyshyp

ship Or that he myght gete his wyf to shyp

be dar wel Hym had he leuer I dare well vndertake

al hys 3540 At that tyme than all his wetheris blake

her self That she hadde had a shyp herself alone

wotist And therfore wotest thou what is best to done

askith thyng This askyth haste and of an hasty thynge

May taryyng Maye men not preche ne make taryenge

Anon go gete vs faste in to this in

c 1

knedyng trowgh A knedynge trough or ellis a kemelyn

For eche of vs but loke that they be large

whiche mowe In whyche we mow swymmen as in a barge

vitayl sufficiaunt And haue therin vytayll suffysaunt

day fy 3550 But for o daye fye on the remenaunt shal away 257 The water shall a slake and go awaye

Aboute vp on day Abowte pryme vpon the nexte daye

Robyn may thys But robyn maye not wyte of this thy knaue

may Ne eke thy mayden gylle I maye not saue

Axe not why for though thou aske me

wyl goddis pryuyte I woll not telle goddys preuyte

suffysith wit It suffyseth the but yf thy wyt be mad

gret To haue as grete a grace as noe had

shal wel Thy wyf shall I well saue out of doute

wey speed aboute 3560 Go now thy waye and spede the here abowte

But whan thou hast for the and her and me

knedyng tubbis Y goten vs thyse knedynge tubbes thre

Than thoo honge Then shalt thou heng hem in the roof ful hye

noman pourueyance That no man of our purueaunce espye

seyd And whan thou thus hast don as I haue sayd

vytayl fayre leyd And hast our vytayll fayr in hem y layd

And eke an exe to smyte the corde a two

watyr cometh Whan that the water comyth that we may go hool hygh gabyl 258 And broke an hole an hyghe vpon the gabyl1

gardeyn ward stabyl 3570 In to the gardyn warde ouer the stable

^^y onr way That we maye frely passe forth our waye

passid away Whan that the grete shour is passyd awaye

Than, shul swymme vndertake Than shal we swymme as merily I vndtake

doke aftyr As doth the whyte ducke after the drake

Than wyl alison Then woll I clepe how alyson how John

flood wyl Be mery for the flodde wyll passe anon

wylt hayl Nicholay And thou woll say hay11 mayster nycholay

Gode wel day Good morow I se the well for it is daye

than shal al And thenne shall we be lordys all our lyf

al world hys 3580 Of all the worlde as noe and his wyf

o thyng ful But of a thynge I warne the full ryght

wel auysyd ilke Be well auysed on that ylke nyght

When entred shyp bord Whan we be entryd in to the shyppe borde

word That none of vs ne speke not a worde

hys Ne clepe ne crye but be in his prayere

owen For it is goddys owne host dere Thy hang 259 The wyf and thou must hange fer a twyn

shal syune For that betwyx you shall be no synne

shal Nomore in lokynge than ther shall in dede

Thys 3590 This ordenaunce is sayd goo god the spede

when folk alle To morow at nyght whan folke be al a slepe

Into knedyng wyl In to our knedynge tubbis woll we crepe

sittyn a bydyng goddis And sytten there abydynge goddys grace

wey Go now thy way I haue no lenger space

thys sermonyng To make of this no lenger sermonynge

sey send say nothyng Men say thus sonde the wyse and saye no thynge

Thou art so wyse it nedyth the not to teche

God Goo saue our lyf and that I the beseche

Thys hys weye This sely carpenter goth forth his waye

Ful wele aweye 3600 Full oft he sayd alas and welaway

hys told thys pryuyte But to his wyf he tolde this preuyte

waar knew h ii And she was war and knewe it bet then he

al thys seye What all this queynte cast was for to saye

natheles ferd wolde deye But netheles she ferde as she woll deye sayde wey 260 And sayd alas go forth thy way anon

^elp echone Helpe vs to scape or we be ded echeon

trewe weddid I am thy true very weddyd wyf

help Go dere spouse and helpe to saue our lyf

gret thyng affection Lo whyche a grete thynge is affeccyon

may dye al day ymagynacioun 3610 Men maye deye all daye of ymagynacyon

impression So depe may Impressyon be take

Thys carpenter This sely carpeuter begynneth quake

may Hym thynketh veryly that he maye se

flood walowyng Noes flode come walowynge as the see

drenchen alison hys To drenchon alyson his hony dere

waylyth He wepyth waylleth and maketh sory chere

He syghed wyth many a sory swough

knedyng He goth and getyth hym a knedynge trough

aftyr And after that a tub and a kemelyn

pryuely hys in 3620 And pyuely he sent hem to his In

heng pryuyte And henge hem in the roof in preuyte

Hys owen hond laddres His owne honde he made ladders thre rengis stalkis 261 To clymben by the rengys and the stalkes

tubbis hangyng In to the tubbes hangynge in the balkys

vytaylith bothe And hem vitaylloth both trough and tub

breed good Wyth brede and chose and gode ale in a Jub

Suffysyng right Inow day Suffysynge ryght ynough as for o daye

hadde maad alle aray But or that he had made all that araye

sente hys hys He sent his knaue and eke his wenche also

hys erond forto goo 3630 Vp on his eronde to london for to go

monday when drew And on the mondaye whan it drewe to nyght

hys wythoute candel He shytte his dore wythout candy11 lyght

al shold And dressyd all thyng as it sholde be

And shortly vp they clomben alle thre

syttyn wel furlong They sytten stylle well a forlonge waye

X X Nycholaye Now(pater noster)clum sayd alyson

And clum sayd John and clum sayd alyson (This is Cx2 line between 11.3636-3637 of W. de W.) Thys Carpenter hys deuocyon This carpenter sayd his deuocyon

stylle syttyth buddyth hys prayere And styll he sytteth and byddeth his prayer

Awaytyng rayn here Awaytynge on the rayne yf he it her ded sleep 262 3640 The deed slepe for wery besynesse

Fyl thys right Fell on this carpenter ryght as I gesse

Aboute lityl Abowte curfu tyme or lytyl1 more

trauayl hys ghoost For traueyll of the ghost he gronyth sore

rowtith hys And eft he rowtyth for his hed mys lay

Doun stalkyth Downe of the ladder stalketh nycholay

alison ful doun And alyson full softe downe she spedde

Wythoute wordis Wythout wordes mo they go to bedde

Ther as the carpenter was wont to lye

reuel There was the reuell and the melodye

lieth alison Nicholas 3650 And thus lyeth alyson and nycholas

besynes myrthe In besynesse of myrth and in solas

Tyl Tyll that the belle of laudes gan to rynge

freris chauncel And freres in the chauncel1 gan to synge

Thys parysh clerk thys This parysshe clerke this amorous absolon

alwey That is for loue alwaye so wo begon

Oseney Vp on the monday was at oseney

Wyth companye hym to dysport and ploy vpon 263 And askyd vp on a caas a cloysterer

Ful pryuely aftyr Full preuely after John the carpenter

drew apart 3660 And he drewe hym a part out of the chyrche

not saw wyrche And sayd I note I sawe hym not werche

Saturday trow Syth saterday I trowe that he be went

tymbir For tymbre ther our abbot hath hym sent

tymbyr For he is wont for tymbre for to go

day And dwelle at the graunge a daye or two

hys certeyn Or ellis he is at his hous certayn

Where that he be I can not sothly sayn

Thys ful This absolon full Joly was and lyght

is tyme al And thought now tyme is to walke all nyght

sikirly saw steryng 3670 For sykerly I sawe hym not sterynge

Aboute hys spryng Abowte his dore syn day gan to sprynge

moot shal cockis So mote I thryue I shall or cockys crowe

hys \^ndow Pryuely knocken at his wyndowe

hys bowris wal That stont ful lowe vp on his bowrys wall

« alison wol al To alyson now woll I tellen all longyng shal 264 My loue longynge for yet I shall not mys

leste wey shal kys h iii That at the leest waye I shall her kysse

shal Som maner comfort shall I haue parfay

itched al thys day My mouth hath ytched all this long daye

3680 That is a sygne of kyssynge at the leest

Al nyght feste All nyghte me motto eke I was at a feest

wyl Therfor I woll go slepe an hour or tweye

al than wil and And all the nyght then woll I walke or pleye

Whan that the fyrst cok hath crowe anon

risith thys Vp ryseth this Joly louer absolon

gay And hym arayeth gaye at poynt deuyse

first But fyrst he chewyth grayn and ycoryse

smelIon hadde kempt hys heer To smelle swete or he had kempte his heere

hys tong trow beer Vnder his tonge a true loue he beere

gracious 3690 For therby wende he to haue be gracyous

Carpenters He rometh to the carpentars hous

And stylle he stont vnder the shot wyndow

hys Vnto his brest it raught it was so lowe cowheth semysoun 265 And softe he cowchyth wyth a semy so\me

alysoun What do ye honycombe swete alysowne

feyre My fayr byrde my swete synamome

Awaketh Awakyth lemman myn and speke to me

Ful lytyl Full lytyl1 thynke ye vp on my woo

That for your loue I swete ther I goo

3700 No wonder is though I swelte and swete

aftyr I morne as doth a lamb after the tote

X Iwys lemman I haue suche a loue longynge

lyk turtyl trewe That lyke a turtyl 1 true is my momynge

may amayde I maye not ete nomore than a mayde

fool Go fro the wyndow Jacke fole she sayd

wol As helpe me god it woll not be combame

another ellis I loue a nother and elles I were to blame

Wel Well bet than the by Jhesu absolon

wey wyl stoon Go forth thy waye or I woll throwe a ston

deuyl wey 3710 And let me slepe a twenty deuyll waye

Alias Absolon wel * awey Alas quod absolon and well awaye trewe euyr euel 266 That true loue was euer so euyll be set

Than kys may noo Then skys me syn it maye be no bet

For Jhesus loue and for the loue of me

than wey therwith Wylt thou then go thy way therwyth quod

certis thys Ye certys lemman quod this absolon

Than come Then make the redy quod she I comme anon

Nicholas And vnto nycholas she sayd stylle

pees laughe Now peas and thou shalt laugh all thy fylle

Thys doun hys 3720 This absolon downe set hym on his knees

lord al And sayd I am a lorde at all degrees

aftyr thys For after this I hope ther comyth more

bryd Lemman thy grace and swete byrde thyn ore

The wyndowes she vndoth and that in haste

C 11

com Haue do quod she come of and speke the faste

neyghebouris Lest that our neyghbours the aspye

Thys wype hys This absolon gan wipe his mouth full drye

pyche* cool Derke was the nyght as pytche or cole hool 267 And at the wyndowe she put out her hole

w_rs 3730 And absolon hym felte ne bet ne wa^rs

hys ers But wyth his mouth he kyst her ars

Ful thys Full sauerly or he were ware of this

Abac thoughte Abak he stert and thought it was amys

For wel womman hadde Full well wyste he a woman had no berde

felte thyng al row herid He felt a thynge all rough and long heryd

fy allal And sayd fye alas what haue 1 do

Tehe quod she and clappid the wyndow to

Absolon paas And absolon goth forth a sory pas

herd herd hend Nicholas A berde a berde sayd hynde nycholas

thys weel 3740 By goddis corpus this goth fayr and wele

Thys herd deel This sely absolon herde euery dele

hys lippe angyr And on his lyppe he gan for angre byte

hym self shal And to hymself he sayd I shall the quyte

rubbith hys lippis Who rubbyth now who frotith now his lyppis

with wyth chyppis .yth dust with cloth wyth sond with chippis

Absolon ful But absolon that sayth full ofte alas My soule betake I sayd he to sathanas 268

leuyr al toun But me were leuer than all this tov^me quod he

thys despyt a wrokyn forto On this dispyte awroken for to be

that I ne hadde 3750 Alas quod he alas ne that I had blent

Hys hoot cold al His hote loue was colde and all queynt

hadde For fro that tyme that he had dyst her ars

a • • • • h 1111 Of paramours set he not a cars

helid hys For he was helyd of his maladye

Ful Full ofte paramours gan he dyffye

chyld And wepte as doth a chylde that is bete

wente A softe paas he went hym ouer the strete

callid Vnto a smyth men callyd dane gerueys

hys smytyth That in his forge smyteth plow hameys

sharpyth 3760 He sharpith the share and the cultre besily

Thys knockyth This absolon knocketh all esely

And sayd vndo geruays and that anon

What who art thou / it am I absolon

crystes What absolon / what cristys ^wete tree benedicyte 269 Why ryse ye so rathe / ey benedicitee

somme gay woot What eyleth you some gaye gyrle god it wote

brought Hath broughte you thus vpon the verytote

seynt Note By saynt note / ye wote what I mene

Thys This absolon ne rought not a bene

alle thys pley ageyn word 3770 Of all this playe agayn no worde he yaf

hadde wel towh hys He had well more towe on his dystaf

Than knew frend Then geruays knewe and sayd frende so dere

hoot the That hote cultre in thy chymney here

As lene it me I haue therwyth to doon

wol ful sone I woll brynge it the agayn full soon

answerd certis gold Geruays answerde / certes were it golde

noblis alle vntold Or in a poke nobyls all vntolde

trewe Thou sholdest it haue as I am true smyth

crystis foot wyl doo Ey cristys fote what woll ye do therwyth

Absolon 3780 Therfore quod absolon be as be may

shal wel morow day I shall well telle it the to morowe or daye

by * cold Steele And caughte the cultre bi the colde stele P"l Steele "° And softe out of the dore he gan stele

wal And wente vnto the carpentoris walle

cowghed knokked al He coughed fyrst and knocked then^^yth alle

/ dyd eer Vp on the wyndowe ryght as he dyde ere Thys alison answerd This alyson answerde who is there

y warrint That knockyth so I warant it a thef

woot Why nay quod he god wote my swete lef

thy 3790 I am absolon thyn owme derlynge

ryng Of gold quod he I haue the brought a rynge

yaf My moder yaue it me so god me saue

Ful wel Full fyne it is and therto well y graue

Thys wol gyue This woll I geue the yf thou me kysse

Thys forto This nycholas was rysen for to pysse

al And thoughte he wolde amende all the Jape

shold hys ers He sholde kysse his ars or that he scape

wyndow dede And vp the wyndowe dyde he hastely

hys pryuely And out his ars he puttyth preuely

3800 Ouer the buttok to the shank boon thys clerk 271 And therwyth spak this clerke absolon

not Spek swete bryd I note where thou art

Thys Nycholas fie This nycholas anon let fly a fart

As gret as it had be a thonder dent

strook That wyth the stroke he was almost y blent

hys hoot And he was redy wyth his yren hote

Nycholas ers smoot And nycholas amyd the ars he smote

hond brede aboute Of goth the skyn an honde brode abowte

hoote brende hys The hote cultre brent so his towte

wende forto 3810 And for the smert he went for to dye

woo As he were wood for wo he gan crye

help goddis Help water water helpe for goddys hert

Thys hys slombyr This carpenter out of his slombre stert

And herde one crye water as he were wood

alias And thoughte alas now comyth the flood

wordis He set hym vp wythout wordes mo

hys smoot a two And wyth his axe he smote the corde atwo

doun fond And downe goth all he fonde neyther to selle 97? tyl come Ne brede ne ale tyll he came to the selle

Vpon floor 3820 Vp on the flour and there aswoun he lay

alison Nycholay Vp stert her alyson and nycholay

cryde And cryed out and harow in the strete

neyghebours The neyghbours bothe smale and grete

ronnyn forto thys In ronnen for to gawryn on this man

swoun lay That yet a swonn laye bothe pale and wan

fal hys For wyth the falle broste hath he his arme

muste hys owen But stonde he must vnto his owne harme

spak doun For whan he spake he was anon bore downe

hende Nicholas alysoun Wyth hynde nycholas and alysowne

told euery 3830 They tolde eueri man that he was wood

So he was agast of noes flood

Thorow fantesye hys Thorugh fantasye that of his vanyte

bought knedyng tubbis He hadde boughto hym knedynge tubbes thre

hym And hadde hem hanged in the roof aboue

prayde goddys And that he prayed hem for goddis loue

sittyn To sytten in the roof per companye folk lawghen hys fant_sye ^^^ The folke gan laughen at his fantasye kykyn In to the roof they kyken and they gape

turned al hys harm And torned all his harme in to a Jape

thys answerd For what so euer this carpenter answerde noman hys herd It was for nought no man his reson herde othys Wyth othes grete he was swore a doun

That he was holde wood in all the toun

euery clerk right held For enery clerke ryght anon helde wyth other

said the They sayd that man was wood my leue brother

lawghe thys And euery wyght gan laugh at this stryf

swyuyd carpenters Thus swyued was the carpentars wyf

al hys kepyng al hys Jelousye For all his kepynge and all his Jelowsye

nethyr And absolon hath kyssed her nether eye

Nycholas toute And nycholas is scalded in the towte doon al route This tale is done and god saue all the rowte

endeth Myllers Here endyth the myllars tale

And here begynneth the roues 274 Prologue

folk lawghen Whan folke had laughe at this nyce caas

Absolon hend Nycholas Of absolon and of hynde nycholas

folk Dyuerse folke dyuersly they sayden

they lowhe pleyden But for the more part thei lough and playden

thys noman Ne at this tale I sawe no man hym greue

Oswold But yf it were only oswolde the reue

carpentoris By cause he was of carpentaris craft

lytyl Ire hys ther A lytyll yre is in his herte there laft

alyte 3860 He gan to grutche and blame it a lyte

ful wel coude Sy the quod he full well I cowde the quyte

proud myllers Wyth bleryng of a prowde myllars eye

Rebaudrye Yf that me lyst to speke of rybawdrye

old pleye age But I am olde me lyst not playe for aege

Gras tyme is doon my foder is now forage

Thys wrytyth my old yeris This whyte top wryteth myn olde yores

moulid heer Myn hert also moulyd is as myn heere is

But yet I fare as doth an open ers For that ylke fruyt is euer lenger the wers 275

Tyl 3870 Tyll it be rotyn in mullok or in stre

We olde men I drede so faren we

Tyl Tyll we be rotyn can we not be rype

alwey while We hoppyn alway whyle the world wold pype

wyl stykyth nayl For in our wyll ther stycketh euer a nayll

tayl To haue an hoore heed and a grene tayll

leek As hath a loke for though our myght be gon

wyl desiryth one Our wyll desyreth foly euer in one

nought than For what^ we may nou3t do then wol we spoken

old rekyn Yet in our asshen olde fyre is reken

gledis shal 3880 Four gledys haue we whyche I shall deuyse

Auauntyng lyynge anger couetyse Auauntynge lyenge angre and courtyse

Thyss^e sparcelis longyth eld Thyse four sparcles longeth vnto elde

old lymys mowe boweId Our oldy lymmes mow we not be wolde

wyl shal fayle But wyll ne shall not faylle that is soth

alwey coltis And yet haue I alwaye a coltys toth

yeer passed As many a yere as it is pasayd henne Sen that my tappe of lyf began to renne 276

sikyrly For sykerly whan I was born anone

let Deth drewe the tappe of lyf and lete it gone

soth 3890 And euer syth hath so the tappe ronne

Tyl al Tyll that almost all empty is the tonne

The streme of lyf now droppyth on the chymbe

tunge wel The sely tonge maye well rynge and chymbe

ful Of wretchydnesse that past is full yore

folk Wyth olde folke saue dotage ther is nomore

that hoost thys Whan ^aX our hoste had herd this sermonyng

kyng He gan to spoken as lordly as a kynge

amountith al thys And sayd what amountyth all this wyt

shul alday What sholl we speke all daye of holy wryt

C 111

deuel 3900 The deuyll made a reue for to preche

shipman Or of a sowter a shypman or a leche

Say forth thy tale and tary not the tyme

haIfwey Lo depford and it is half way to pryme 277 grenewich ynne Lo grenewych that many a shrewe is inne

al It were all tyme thy tale for to begynne

sires thys oswold Now syren quod this oswolde the reue

pray al I praye you all that ye you not greue

that somdel sette his houue Though pat I answere and somdele set hishouue

leful shouue For leful1 is wyth force / force of shoue

Thys dronkyn myllere told here 3910 This dronken myllar hath tolde vs heer

begylyd How that begyled was a carpentere

Parauenturo Perauenture in scorn for that I am one

shal anon And by your leue I shall hym quyte anone

hys chorlis termys wol Ryght in his churlys termes woll I speke

pray hys mowe I praye to god his necke mow to brekc

wel stalk He can well in myn eye se a stalke

hys owen balk But in his owe he can not se a balke

endeth Roues prolog Here endyth the reues prologue

begynneth hys And here begynnyth his tale

At trompynton not fer fro cambryge

brook Ther goth a broke a:.J ouer that a bryge Vp on which brook stonte ^^^ 3920 Vpon the whiche broke ther stont a mylle

thys verry And this is very soth that I you telle

my Her dwellyng day A myllar was there dwellynge many a daye

gay As ony pecok he was proude and gaye

coude nettis Pype he cowde and fysshe and nettes bete

turne cuppis wel wrastle And dome cuppes and well wrastyll and shete

hys baar long Ay by his belt he bare a longe pauade

swerd ful blaad And of a swerde full trenchant was the blade

baar hys pouche A joly popper bare he in his powche

peril hym touche Ther was noman for peryll durste hym towche

sheffeld thwytel hys 3930 A sheffelde thwytell bare he in his hose

hys camoysid hys Round was his face and camoysed was his nose

pilled Ape hys Also pylled as an ape was his skulle

fulle He was a market beter at the full

wyht hond Ther durste no wyght honde vp on hym ledge

swoor shold That he ne swore anon he sholde abedge

for sothe A thef he was forsothe of corn and mole

sligh forto And that a slygh and vsant for to stele Hys Symkyn 279 His name was y hote deynus symkyn

nobyl A wyf he hadde y comen of noble kyn

toun hyr 3940 The person of the towne her fader was

here yaf Wyth her he yaue many a panne of bras

Symkyn hys For that synkyn sholde in his blood alye

fostrid Nonnerye She was y frostryd in a nonnerye

Symkyn wold For synkyn wolde no wyfe as he sayde

wel norisshyd But yf she were y nourysshed and a mayde

hys astat To saue his astate of yemanrye

proud And she was proude and pert as a pye

ful feyr sight A full fayr syght was vpon hem two

day wold On holy daye beforn her wolde he go

hys aboute hys 3950 Wyth his typet ybounde abowte his hed

cam aftyr reed And she came after in a gyte of red

Symkyn And symkyn hadde hosen of the same

Ther durst no wyght clepe her but dame

wente way Was non so hardy that went by the waye

hyr durste onys » play That wyth her durst ones rage or playe wold Symkyn 280 But yf he wolde be slayn of symkyn

pauade Wyth spauade or wyth knyf or bodekyn

folk parlous For Jelous folke ben perlous euermo

Algatis wold wyuys Algates they wolde her wyues wenden so

smotirlich 3960 And eke also for she was somdele smotterlych

watyr She was as dygne as water in a dych

ful And full of hocour and of bysmare

Here shold here Her thoughte a lady sholde her spare

hyr hyr What for her kynrede and her nortylrye

lernyd Nonerye That she had lerned in the nonerye

doughtyr hadde hem A doughter had they betwyx him two

yeer Of twenty yere wythoute ony mo

chyld that yeer age Sauynge a chylde 4^at was of half yere aege

cradyl proper In cradyll it lay and was a propre page

Thys wel 3970 This wenche thycke and well y growe was

Chamoys grey Wyth chamoys nose and eyen greye as glas

Buttokkis Buttockes brode and brestis rounde and hye

fair heer, wyl But ryght fayr was her heere I woll not lye parson toun 281 The person of the tovme for she was feyr

hys In purpos was to make her his heyr

hys Catel hys Bothe of his catell and of his mesuage

hyr mariage And straunge he made it of her maryage

here His purpos was for to bestowe her hye

sum blood auncetrye Vnto some worthy bloode of aunctry

chirche spendyd 3980 For holy chyrche goodes muste be spended

chirche blood descendyd On holy chyrche blode that is descended

wold blood Therfore he wolde his holy blode honoure

chirche shold Though that he holy chyrche sholde deuoure

my Her Gret sokyn hath this myllar out of doute

malt al lond aboute V/yth whete and malte of all the londe abowte

Colege And namely ther was a gret college

clepith Men clepyth it the soler halle at Cambrege

There grounde Ther was her whete and eke her malt y grounde

And day On a daye it happed in a stounde

Seek mancipyl 3990 Syke laye the mancyple on a malady

wenden shold Men wende wysly that he sholde dy my Her 282 Fro whom this myllar stale bothe mole and corn

dyd An hundryd tyme more than he dyde befom

stal bul curteysly For there before he stale but curtesly

theef But now he was a theyf outrageously

whiche For whyche the wardeyn chydde and made fare

Myller But therof set this myllar not a tare

crakid host He craked boste and swore it was not so

Than Then were there yonge scolers two

thys whiche sey 4000 That dweldyn in this halle of whyche I say

pley Testyf they were and lusty for to play

hyr And only for her myrthe and reuelrye

wardeyn bysyly Vp on the warden besyly they crye

hym loue lytyl To yeue hem leue but a lytyll stounde

To go to the mylle and se her corn y grounde

hardely ley And hardily they durste laye her necke

myller The myllar shold not stele half a pecke

corn by Of corne by sleyghte ne bi force hem reue

And at the laste the wardeyn yaf hem leue highte highte 283 4010 John hyght that one and aleyn hy3t that other

toun hyghte Of a towne were they born that hyght stroder

fer in the north I can not telle where

Thys maketh hys This aleyn makyth redy alle his gere

A sackes And on an hors the sackys he cast anon

clerk Forth goth aleyn the clerke and eke John

With swerd And hys Wyth good swerde and bokeler by his syde

wey nedyd John knewe the waye hym neded no to gyde

adoun And at the mylle the sak a downe he leyth

spak first Symond Aleyn spake fyrst al hayl symonde in feyth

faris fayre 4020 How farys thy fayr doughter and thy wyf

Symkyn Aleyn welcome quod symkyn by my lyf

And John also how now what do ye here

Symond Symond quod John by god node has no pore

Hym bus serue hym self that has no swayn

ellis fool clerkis Or elles he is a fuole as clerkes sayn

mauncyple I hope wol Our mauncyple hope I he woll be ded

Swa workis ay there wangis in his hed 284 And therfor I is come and this aleyn

To grynde our corn and cary it heme agayn

(Here follow 180 lines in the Caxton2 printing which W. de W. ommitted. The ennumeration continues; and when IV. de V,'. resumes, the en- numeration of Wynkyn's lines will commence at 4030 so as to record the exact number of lines printed by Wynkyn.)

4030 I pray you spede us heyn in that ye may

It shal be do quod Symkyn by my fay

What wil ye do whilis it is in hond

By god ryght by the hoper wol I stond

Quod John and se how the com good yn

Yet sawe I neuyr by my fadyr kyn

How the hoper waggis to and fro

Aleyn answerd John wolt thou so

Than wol I be benethe by my croun

And se hou the mole fallis doun

4040 In to the trough that shal be my dysport

For John m fayth I may be of your sort

% I is as ille a Myllere as is ye Thys myller smyled of her nycete 285

And thoughte al this is don but for a wyle

They wone that noman may hem begyle

But by my thrifte yet shal I blere her eye

For al her sleyghte and her philosophye

The more queynte crekis that they make

The more shal I stele whan I take

4050 In stede of flour yet wil I yeue hem bren

The grettist clerkis be not the wysest men

Ae whilom to the wolf thus spak the mare

Of alle her art ne counte I not a tare

Out at the dore he goth ful pryuely

When that he sawe hys tyme softly

He lokyth vp and doun tyl he hath founde

Thyse clerkys hors where it stood y bounde

Behynde the mylle vnder a leefsol

And to the hors he goth faire and wel

4060 He strypyth of the brydil r^ght anon And when the hors was loos he gan to gon 286

Toward the fenne where wilde maris renne

Forth with wehy thurgh thicke and thynne

This myller goth ayen no word he seyde

But doth his note and wyth the clerkis pleyde

Til that her corn was faire and wel grounde

And whan the mole is sackid and bounde

Thys John goth forth and fynt hys hors aweye

And gan to crye harow and wel awey

4070 Coir hors is lost aleyn by cokkis banys

Steep on thy feet come of man alle at anys

Alias our wardeyn hath hys palfrey lorn

Thys aleyn al forgat bothe mole and corn

Al was out of mynde hys husbondry

What whylk wey is he gon he gan crye

The wyf come rennynge ynward at a renne

She sayd alias your hors goth to fenne

Whyth wylde maris / as faste as he may go Vnthank come on hys hand that bond hym so ^^^

4080 And he that bettyr shold haue knyt the reyne

Alias quod John alias for crystis peyne

Ley doun thy swerd and I wyl myn alswa

I is ful swyfte god woot as is a raa

Be godis sale he shal not ascape vs bathe

Why ne had thou put the capyl in the lathe

Ille hayl be god aleyn thou is a fonne

These sely clerkis haue wel faste y ronne

Toward the fenne bothe aleyn and eke John

And when the myllere saw they were goon

4090 He half a busshel of her flour hath take

And bad hys wyf go knede it in a cake

He sayd I trow the clerkis were aferd

Yet can a myllere make a clerkis herd

For al her art yet let hem go her wey

Lo where they goon so lat the chyldren pley

They gete hym nought so lyghtly by my croun Thyse sely clerkis rennyn vp and dounn 288

Wyth kepe kepe stond stond Jossa ware derere

Ga whystle thou there and I shal kepe hym here

4100 But shortly tyl it was veryly nyght

They coude not though they dede al her myght

Her capyl catthe he ran alwey so faste

Tyl in a dyche they caught hym at the laste

Wery and weet as best is in the rayn

Comyth John the clerk and wyth hym come aleyn

Alias quod John the day that I was born

Now are we dryuen tyl hethyng and tyl scorn

Our corn is stole men wylle vs foils calle

Bothe the wardeyn and our felowys alle

4110 And namely the myller wel a wey

Thus pleyneth John as he goth by the wey

Toward the Mylle and bayard in hys hond

The myller sittyng by the fyre he fond

For it was nyght and ferther myght they nought But for the loue of god they hym besought 289

Of herberowh and of ese as for her pony

The myller sayd agayn yf ther be eny

Suche as it is yet shulle ye haue your part

Myn hous is strayt but ye haue lernyd art

4120 Ye can by argumentis maken a place

A myle brood of twenty foot of space

Let se now yf thys place wol suffise

Or make it romer with speche as is your gyse

Now symond said this John by saynt Cutberd

Ay is thou mery and that is wel answerd

I haue herd say men shal take of twa thyngis

S wylk as he fyndis or swylk as he bryngis

But specyally I pray the hoost so dere

Gete vs som mete and drynke and make vs chere

4130 And we wol paye trewly at the fulle

Wyth empty hondis men may not hawkis full

Lo here my siluer redy forto spende Thys myller to the toun hys doughter sonde 290

For ale and breed and rostid hem a goos

And bond her hors he shold nomore go loos

And in hys owen chamber he made a bed

Wyth shetes and wyth chalons faire I spred

Not fro hys owen bed ten foot or twelue

Hys doughter had a bed al by her selue

4140 Ryght in the same chambyr by and by

It myghte be no bet and cause why

Ther was no romer her berow in the place

They soupen and spokyn hem of solace

And dronkyn euyr strong ale atte beste

Aboute mydnyght wente they to reste

Wel hath thys myleer vernysshed hys hed

Ful pale he was for dronke and nat red

He yexith and he spekith thorow the nose

As he were in the quacke or on the pose

4150 To bedde he goth and wyth hym goth hys wyf As ony Jay was she lyght and Jolyf 291

So was her Joly whystyl wel y wet

The cradyl at here beddis feet was fet

To reckon and to yeue the chylde sowke

And when that dawkyn was in the crowke

To bedde wente the doughter right anone

To bedde goth aleyn and also John

Ther nas nomore ther nedyth hem no dwale

Thys myller hath so wysely bibbed ale

4160 That as an hors he snortith and slepe

Ne of hys tayl behynde he toke no kepe

Hys wyf bare hym a burden ful strong

Men myghte here rowtyng heron a furlong

The wenche rowted eke par company

Aleyn the clerk that herde thys melody

He pokyd John and sayd slepist thou

Herdist thou euyr slyke a song or now

Lo whylk a coplynge is atwene hem alle A wylde fyre vp on her bodyys falle ^^^

4170 Who herde euyr swylk a ferly thyng

Ye they shal haue the flour of yll endyng

Thys longe nyght ther tyd me no reste

But yet no force al shal be for the best

For John sayd aleyn al so mot I thoyue

If that I may yon wenche wol I swyue

Som esement hath lawe shapen vs

For John ther is a lawe that sayth thus

That yf a man in o thyng be agreued

That in anothyr he shal be releued

4180 Our corn is stole sothly hyt is no nay

And we haue had an euyl sytte to day

And syn I shal hane non amendement

Ageyns my losse I wol haue esement

Be goddis sale it shal non othyr be

Thys John answerd aleyn auyse the

The myllere is a perlous man he seyde And yf that he out of hys slepe abreyde 293

He myght do vs bathe a velony

Aleyn answerd I counte hym not a flye

4190 And vp he rist and by the wenche he creep

Thys wenche lay vpright and fast sleep

Tyl he so ny was or she myght aspye

That is had be to late for to crye

And shortly for to telle they were attone

Now pley aleyn for I wyl speke of John

Thys John beth stylle a furlongwey or two

And to hym self he made routhe and woo

Alias quod he this is a wickyd Jape

Now may I say that I is but an ape

4200 Yet hath my felow somwhat for hys harm

He hath the Myllars doughter in hys arme

He auntrid hym and hath hys nedis spedde

And I ly as a draf sak in my bedde

And whan this Jape is told anothyr day I shal be hold a daffe a cokenay 294

I wyl aryse and auntre it be my feyth

Vnhardy is vnsely thus men seyth

And vp he roos and softly he went

Vnto the cradyl and hys arm it hent

hys beddis feet 4030 And bare it softe vnto his beddys fete

aftyr hyr rowtyng leet Sone after the wyf her rowtynge lete

And gan awake and wente her out to pysse

hyr cradyl And cam ayen and gan her cradyll mysse

gropid fond And gropyd here and there but she fonde non

Alias Alas quod she I hadde almost mysgon clerkis I hadde almost goon to the clerkys bed

than foule Ey benedicite then hadde I fowle sped

tyl cradyl fond And forth she goth tyll she the cradyll fonde

alwey hond She gropyth alwaye ferther wyth her honde

thoughte nought 4140 And fond the bed and thought not but good

cradyl By cause that the cradyll hy it stood nyste derk ^^^ And nyst where she was for it was derke wel clerk But fayr and well she crepto vnto the clerke lith ful still sleep And lyth full styll and wold haue caught a slepe Wyth ynne thys loop Wythin a whyle this John vp lope

thys leyeth And on thes good wyf he layeth on sore

So mery a fytte ne hadde not she ful yore

prykyd hard He prickyd harde and sore as he were mad

Thys clerkis This Joly lyf haue thyse two clerkes lad Tyl thrydde 4050 Tyll that the thyrd cok began to synge

Aleyn wext wery in the dawn)Tige

al For he had swonken all the longe nyght

wel And sayd fare well malyn swete wyght

The day is come I may no lenger byde

where so Yet euermore whereso I go or ryde

owen clerk I am thyn owne clerke so haue I hole wele Now dere lemman quod she go fare well

thyng wol But or thou go o thynge I woll the telle

Vihen wendyst homward Whan that thou wendest homwarde by the melle atte 296 Ryght at entre of the dore behynde

abusshyl Thou Shalt a cake of half a busshell fynde

maad owen That was made of thyn o\\me mole

Whych halp forto Whyche that I halpe my s>rre for to stele

gode And good lemman god the saue and kepe

with word And wyth that worde almost she gan to wepe

vprist thoughte Aleyn vp ryst and thought or that it dawe

wyl felawe I woll go crepe in by my felowe

fond cradyl hys hond And fonde the cradyll wyth his honde anon

al wrong By god thoughte he all wronge haue I gon

4070 My hed is toty of my swynk to nyght

makyth right That maketh me that I go not a ryght

wel cradyl I wote well by the cradyll I haue mys go

lith myllere hys Here lyeth the myllar and his wyf also

deuyl way And forth he goth a twenty deuyll waye

myllere lay In to the bed there the myllare laye

hys felow He wende haue cropen in by his felowe John

myller crepe And by the myllar in he ci^pt anon caughte 3p^^ 297 And caught hym by the necke and softe spake

- ' * * He sayd thou John thou swyneshede awake 1 111

crystis nobyl 4080 For cristys soule and here a noble game

lord callid For by the lorde that callyd is saynt Jame

thryes thys As I haue thries in this short nyght

my Heris vpright Swyuyd the myllars doughter bolt vpryght

Whylis coward Whyles thou hast as a cowarde be agast

haste Ye false harlot quod the myllar hast

A fals traytour fals clerke quod he

goddis Thou shalt be ded by goddys dygnyte

durste Who durst be so bolde to dysperage

lynage My doughter that is of suche lygnage

4090 And by the throte bolle he caughte aleyn

dispitously And he hente hym dispytously agayn

hys fist And on the nose he smot hym wyth his fyst

Doun vp on hys Downe ran the blody streme vpon his brest

wyth X And in the floor with the nose and mouth to broke

walowyd piggis do They walowed as pygges don* in a poke doun 298 And vp they goon and downe ayen anon

Tyl Myllere sporned Tyll that the myllar sporued at the stoon

doun fyl bacward hys And downe he fell bakward on his wyf

thys That wyst no thyng of this nyce stryf

lytyl 4100 For she was falle a slepe a lytyll wyght

With clerk that al Wyth John the clerke who wakyd had all nyght

fal breyd And wyth the fall out of her slepe she brayd

cros Help holy crosse of bromehom she sayd

In manus tuas to the lord I calle

fend Awake symond the fonde is on me falle

hert brokyn Myn herte is broken helpe I am but ded

There lyeth one on my wombe and on my hed

Symkyn clerkis fighte Help symkyn for the fals clerkes fyghte

Thys myghte This John stert vp as faste as he myght

wallis 4110 And graspyd by the walles to and fro

To fynde a staf and she stert vp also

dyd thys And knewe the esters bet than dyde this John

wal And by the wall a staf sho toke anon saw a lytyl light ^^^ And sawe a lytyll shymerynge of a lyghte

shoon bryght For at an hole in shone the mone brighte

And by that lyght she sawe hem bothe two

sikirly nyste But sykerly she nyst who was who

whyt thyng And as she sawe a whyte thynge in her eye

thys thyng And whan she gan this whyte thynge aspye

clerk hadde world volupyer 4120 She wende the clerke had weryd a volupere

drew ay And wyth the staf she drewe aye nere and nere

ful And haue hyt this aleyn at the full

smoot myller pyllid skul And smote the myllar on the pylled skull

doun cryde And downe he goth and cryed harow I dye

clerkis wel let The clerkes bete hym well and lete hym lye

hyr And greyden hem and toke her hors anon

hyr hyr goon And eke her mole and on her way they gon

atte X took hyr And at the mylle dore yet they toke her cake

busshel flour wel Of half a busshell flowur well y bake

proud myller wel 4130 Thus is the prowde myllar well y bete

gryndyng And hath lost the gryndyng^ of the whete soper ^^^ And payd for the supper euerydell

Of aleyn and of John that bete hym well

Hys swyuyd hys doughtyr His wyf is swyued and his doughter als

myller Loosuche it is a myllar to be fals

thys ful And therto this prouerbe is sayd full soth

wel euyl Hym dare not wene well that euyll doth

shal A gylour shall hym self begyled be

sit hygh And god that syt hyghe in mageste

al thys 4140 Saue all this companye grete and smale

myller Thus haue I quyt the myllar in my tale

Reuys Here endyth the reues tale

cokis And begynneth the cokys prologue

cook The coke of london whyle the reue spak

loye thoughte clawid hym For Joy he thou3t he clawed hym on the bak

A ha crystis owen passion Aha quod he for cristys owne passyon

Thys myller sharp conclusion This myllar hath a sharpe conclusyon

Vp on hys Vpon his argument of herbegage Wel soth Salamon hys 301

Well soth sayd salamon in his langage

Ne brynge not euery man in thy hous

For herberowyng by nyght is perlous Wel auysyd 1 ini 4150 Well ought a man auysed for to be hys Whom that he brynge in to his pryuyte

Pi^ey sorow I pray to god so yeue me sorowe and care

euyr sith hyghte Yf euer syth that I hyght hedge of ware

myller work Herd I myllar bet y set a werke

malice derk He hadde a Jape of malyce in the derke

But god forbede that we stynten here

vouchesauf And therfore yf ye wouchesauf to here

poure A tale of me that am a poore man

wol telle wel I woll you tell as well as I can

lytyl fyl 4160 A lytyll Jape that fell in our cyte

answerd sayde Our hoste answerde and sayd I graunt it the

Now telle on roger loke that it be good

blood For many a pasty hast thou lete blode

jacke douyr sold And many a Jacke of douer.hast thou solde twys hoot tw>'s cold 302 That had be twyes hote and twyes colde

crystis Of many a pylgrym hast thou cristys curs

wers For of thy persely yet fare they the wors

ghoos That they haue eten wyth the stubbed goos

For in thy shop is many a flye loos

tel gentyl Roger 4170 Now tell on gentyll roger by thy name

pray wrothfor But I praye the be not wroth for gajne

ful pley An man may say full soth in game and play

sayde Roger fey Thou sayst soth sayd roger by my faye

pley pley saith But soth play quade play as the flemyng sayth

And therfore harry bally by thy fayth

Be thou not wroth ar we departen here

Though that my tale be of an hostyllere

wyl But netheles I woll not telle it yet

Iwis But or we depart ywis thou shalt be quyt

al lowgh And therwyth all he lough and made chere

hys shul aftyr And sayd his tale as ye shall after here

Cokis Here endyth the cokys pjologe