●hou fires god of arms/ mars the red  
That in the frosty country called trace  
Within thy grisly temple full of dread  
Honoured art as patron of that place  
With thy bellona/ pallas full of grace  
Be present and my song continue & gye  
At my beginning thus to the I cry   

For it full deep is sunken in my mind  
With pieteus heart in english for tendyte  
This old story in latin that I find  
Of queen anelida & falls arcyte  
That eld that all can frete and bite  
As it hath freten many anoble story  
Hath nyh devoured out of my memory   

Be favourable eke thou polimia  
On pernaso that with thy sustren glade  
By elycon/ not fer from cirrea  
Singest with wis memorial in the shade  
Under the laurel the which may not fade  
And do that I my ship to haven wynue  
First follow I stace and after that corynne   

When theseus with werres long & great  
Thaspre folk of cithye/ had overcome  
With laurel crowned in his char gold beat  
Home to his country hool is come  
For which the people/ blissful all and some  
So cryeden/ that to the stars it went  
And him to honouren/ died all their intent   

Biforn this duc in sign of victory  
The trumps come/ and in his banner large  
The image of mars/ & in tokening of glory  
Men might see of treasure many a charge  
Many bright helm & many a spear & targe  
Mani a fresh knight & many a blissful rout  
On horse & foot all the field about   

Ipolita his wife/ the hardy queen  
Of cythia/ that he conquered had  
With emelie/ her young sister sheen  
Fair in a char of gold/ he with him lad  
That all the ground about her char she spread  
With brightness of the beauty of her face  
fulfilled with largesse of all grace   

With this triumph & laurel crowned thus  
In all the flower of fortunes giving  
let I this noble prince Theseus  
Toward atthenes in his way riding  
And fond I will shortly for to bring  
The sleight way of that I 'gan to write  
Of queen anelida/ and false arcyte   

Mars that with his furious course of Ire  
Thold wrath of juno to susfylle  
Hath set the peoples hearts both a fire  
Of thebes and grece/ each other to kill  
With bloody spears/ ne rested never still  
But throng/ now here/ now there among bottle  
Till everich other slowhe so were they wroth   

For when amphiorax and tideus  
Ipomedon and/ parthonope also  
Were deed and slain and proud campaneꝰ  
And when the wretched brethren two  
Were slain and king adrastus hom y go  
So desolate stood thebes/ and so bare  
That no wight/ couth remedy of his fare   

And when th'old creon 'gan espy  
How the blood ryal was brought adown  
He held that city by his tyranny  
And died the gentles of that regyoun  
To been his friends/ & women in that town  
So what for love of him/ & what for awe  
The noble folk were to the town ydrawe   

Among all these/ anelida the queen  
Of ermonye/ was in that town dwelling  
That fairer was/ than is the son sheen  
through the world so 'gan her name spring  
That her to seen/ had every wight liking  
For as of troth/ is there none her like  
Of all the women/ in the world rich   

young was this queen/ of twenty year old  
Of middle stature/ & of such fairness  
That nature had a joy/ her to behold  
And for to speak of her stedefastnes  
She puffed hath Pegasus & lucre's  
And shortly if she shall be comprehended  
In her might nothing been amended   

This theban knight eke sooth to sayen  
Was young & there with all a lusty knight  
But he was double in love & nothing pleyn  
And subtle in that craft over any wight  
And with his cunning won the lady bright  
For so farforth he 'gan to her troth ensure  
That she him trusted over any creature   

What should I say she loved arcyte so  
That when he was absent any throw  
Anon her thought her heart breast a-two  
For in her sight to her he bore him low  
So that she wend have all his heart yknowe  
But he was false it was but feigned cheer  
Al needeth not to men such craft to lere   

But natheless full mychel business  
Had he or he might his lady win  
And swore he would die for desires  
Or from his wit he said he would twin  
Alas the while for it was routh & sin  
That she upon his sorrows would rue  
But nothing thinketh the false as the true   

high fredam fond arcyte in such manere  
That all was his that she hath/ moche or light  
Ne to no creature/ made she cheer  
Further/ than that it liketh to arcyte  
there nas lack/ wherewith he might her wit  
She was so farforth yeven him to please  
That all that liketh him it deed her eese   

there nas to her/ no manner ●rē sent  
That touched love/ from any manner wight  
That she ne showed it him/ ere it was brent  
So plain she was & did her full might  
That she nel hiden nothing from her knight  
Lest he of any untruth her upbreyde  
With out bode/ his hest she obeyed   

And eke he made him jealous over here  
That when any man had to her said  
Anon he would prayen her to swear  
What was the word/ or make him evil paid  
And than wend she out of her wit have brayed  
But all this nas but sleight & flattery  
Without love he feigned jealousy   

And all this took she so debonairly  
That all his will it thought her skilful thing  
And ever the longer she loveth him tenderly  
And died him honour/ as he were a king  
Her heart was to him wedded with a ring  
So farforth upon truth/ is her intent  
That where he goth/ her heart with him went   

When she shall eat/ on him is all her thought  
That well unuethe/ of meet took she keep  
And when that she was to her rest ybrought  
On him she thought always/ till that she sleep  
When he was absent/ privily she would weep  
Thus lyneth fair anelyda the queen  
For falls arcyte/ that did her all this tene   

This falls arcyte/ of his newfangledness  
For she to him/ so lowly was and true  
Took lass deynte/ of her steadfastness  
And saw another lady proud and new  
And right anon he clad him in her hew  
Wot I not whether/ in white red or green  
And falsehood fair anelīda the queen   

But natheless great wonder was it none  
Though he was falls/ it is kind of man  
sith lameth was/ that is so long a goon  
To be in love as falls/ as ever he can  
He was the first father that began  
To loven two/ and was in bigamy  
And he fond tents first but if men lie   

This false arcyte/ somewhat must he feign  
When he was falls/ to cover his trayterye  
Right as an horse/ that can both bite & plain  
For he bar her on hand/ of treachery  
And swore/ he couth her doubleness espy  
And all was falseness that she to him meant  
Thus swore this thief & forth his way he went   

Alas what heart/ might enduren it  
For routh & woe/ her sorrow for to tell  
Or what man hath the cunning or the wit  
Or what man might within the chamber dwell  
If that I rehearse should the hell  
That suffereth fair anelida the queen  
For falls arcyte/ that died her all this tene   

She weepeth. waileth. sw●wneth piteously  
To ground deed/ she falleth as a stone  
Crampissheth her lymens'/ wickedly  
She speaketh as her wit were all agone  
Other colour than asshen/ hath she none  
None other word speaketh she much or light  
But mercy cruel heart mine arcyte   

And thus endureth till that she was so mate  
That she and foot on which she may abstain  
But forth languysshing ever in this estate  
On which arcyte hath couth non ne tene  
His heart was else where/ new and green  
That on her woe/ not deigneth him to think  
Him recketh not/ whether she fleet or sink   

His new lady holdeth him so narrow  
Up by the bridal/ at the staves end  
That every word/ he dread as an arrow  
Her danger made him both bow and bend  
And as her list/ made him turn & wend  
For she ne granteth him in her living  
No grace/ why that he hath lust to sing   

But drof him forth uneath ●●st her know  
That he was servant/ unto her ladyship  
But lest that he were proud she held him low  
Thus serveth he/ without meet or sype  
She sent him now to land & now to ship  
And for she gaf him danger/ all his fill  
Therefore she had him/ at her owen will   

Ensample of this ye thrifty women all  
Taketh heed of anelida and arcyte  
That for her list/ him dear heart call  
And was so meek/ therefore he loveth her light  
The kind of mans heart/ is to delight  
In thing that strannge is/ also god me save  
For what he may not get/ that would he have   

Now torn we to anelida again  
That pineth day by day languishing  
But when she saw/ that her gate no gain  
Upon a day/ full sorrowful weeping  
She cast herefor to make a compleyning  
And of her owen hand she 'gan it write  
And send it to her theban knight arcyte    


Here followeth the complaint of anelida queen of hermenye upon false arcyte of Thebes.  

So thirleth with the point of remembrance  
The sword of sorrow/ whet with false plesance  
My heart bare of bliss/ & black of hew  
That turned is/ in quaking/ all my dance  
My sewerte in awhaped countenance  
sith it availeth not to be true  
For who so truest is it shall her rue  
That serveth love/ and doth her observance  
Always till one/ and changeth for no new   

I wot myself/ as well as any wight  
For I loved one with all my heart & might  
More than myself/ an. C. thousand sith  
And called him/ my hertis life/ my knight  
And was all his/ as far as it was right  
And when he was glad/ than was I blithe  
And his disease/ was my death as swithe  
And he again/ his troth hath me plight  
For evermore/ his lady me to kithe   

Now is he falls/ alas/ and causeless  
And of my woe/ he is so routheles  
That with a word/ him list not once deigned  
To bring again/ my sorrowful heart in pe●  
For he is caught up/ in an other lees  
Right as him list/ he laweth at my pain  
And I ne can my heart/ not restrain  
For to love him/ neither thelees  
And of all this/ I note to whom to plain   

And shall I plain/ alas the hard stound  
Unto my foo/ that gave my heart/ a wound  
And yet desireth/ that my harm be more  
Nay certes/ for there shall never be found  
None other help/ my sores for to sound  
My destiny hath shape it so/ full yore  
I will none other medicine/ ne lore  
I will be ay/ there I was once bound  
That I have said be said for evermore   

Alas/ where is become your gentillesse  
Your words full of pleasance and humblesse  
Your obsernances/ and lo low manner  
Your awaiting/ and your business  
Upon me/ that ye called your mistress  
Your sovereign of these world is here  
Alas/ and is there now no word ●e cheer  
Ye wuchen safe, upon my heaviness  
Alas/ your love/ I buy it all to dear   

Now certes sweet/ though that ye  
Thus causeless/ the cause be  
Of my deadly/ adversity  
Your manly reason/ aught it to respite  
To slay your friend/ & namely me  
That never yet in no degree  
Offended/ as wisely he  
That all wot/ out of woe my soul quite  
But for I was so plain arcyte  
In all my works/ moche & light  
And so busy/ you to delight  
Mine honour safe/ meek. kind. and free  
Therefore ye put on me this wit  
And also ye reckon not a mite  
Though that the sword of sorrow bite  
My woeful heart/ through your cruelty   

My sweet foo/ why do ye so. for shame  
And think ye/ that furthered be/ your name  
To love a new/ and be untrue/ nay  
And put you/ in slander now/ & blame  
And do to me/ adversity/ and grame  
That love you most/ god thou wost/ alway  
Yet come again/ & be thou plain/ some day  
And then shall this/ the now is miss/ be game  
And all forgive/ while I live/ may   

Lo heart mine/ alle this is for to sayne  
As whether shall I pray/ or else plain  
Which is the way/ to do you to be true  
For either might I han you in my cheyn  
Or with the death/ ye moat depart us twain  
there lie none other mean ways new  
For god so wisely/ on my soul rue  
As verily ye sle me with the pain  
That may ye see unfeigned an my hew   

And should I pray/ and weyven womanhede  
Nay rather die/ than do so cruel deed  
And axe mercy causeless/ what need  
And if I plain/ what life that I lead  
then will ye laugh I know it out of deed  
And if that I to you/ mine oaths bede  
For mine excuse/ a scorn shall be my meed  
Your cheer flourith/ but it will not seed  
For long a go/ I oft han take heed   

For though I had you to morn again  
I might as well hold apryll for rein  
As holden you/ to make you steadfast  
all mighty god of troth sovereign  
Where is the truth of man who hath it slain  
Who the him loveth shall him find as fast  
As in a tempest is a rotten mast  
Is that a tame be'st/ that is aye fain  
To i'll away/ when he is least aghast   

But mercy sweet/ if I miss say  
Have I ought said out of the weigh  
I note/ my wit is half a weigh  
I far as doth the song of chanteplure  
For now I plain/ and now I play  
I am so marred that I die  
Arcyte hath born away the key  
Of all my world and good adventure   

For in this world/ nies creature  
Waking in more discumfiture  
Than I/ ne more sorrow endure  
And if I sleep/ a furlong weigh or fifty  
then thinketh me/ your figure  
Before me stont/ clothid in azure  
To profrens eft/ and new assure  
For to be true/ and love me/ till he die   

The long night/ this wonder sight/ I dry  
And on the day/ for thilk affray/ I die  
And of all this right nought iwis ye recche  
Ne never more/ mine eyen two/ be dry  
And to your ruth/ & to your truth/ I cry  
But we'll away/ fer been they/ to fecche  
Thus holdeth we/ my destiny/ a wrecche  
But me to read/ out of this dread/ or gye  
Ne may my wit/ so weyke is it/ not strecche   

then I thus/ sin I may do no more  
I give it up/ for now and evermore  
For shall I never/ eft putten in balance  
My sikerness/ or learn of love the lore  
But as the swan/ I have herd say full yore  
Again his death/ shall singen his penance  
So sing I here/ my destiny or chance  
How that arcite/ anelida so sore  
Hath thirled with the paint of remembrance   
Thus endeth the complaint of anelida    


The ꝯpleint of chaucer unto his empty purse  

To you my purse/ and to none other wight  
Complain I for ye be my lady dear  
I am sorry now/ that ye be light  
For certes/ ye now make me heavy cheer  
Me were as ●ef/ be laid upon a bear  
For which/ unto your mercy thus I cry  
Be heavy again/ or else mote I die   

Now wuchesauf/ this day or yet be night  
That I of you/ the blissful sown may here  
Or see your colour like the son bright  
That of yelownes had never peer  
Ye be my life/ ye be my herte● steer  
Queen of comfort/ and of good company  
Be heavy again/ or else mote I die   

Now purse that be to me my lives light  
And savour/ as down in this world here  
Out of this town help me by your might  
Sin that ye will not be my tresorere  
For I am ●haue/ as nigh as any frere  
But I pray unto your curtoisye  
Be heavy again/ or else mote I die     


The nuoye of chaucer unto the king  
O conqueror of brutes albion  
Which that by line/ and free election  
Ben very king/ this to you I send  
And ye that may/ alle harms amend  
Have mind upon my supplicacion  
Explicit.   

When faith faileth in priests saws  
And lords hests are holden for laws  
And robbery is holden purchas  
And lechery is holden solas  
Than shall the land of albion  
Be brought to great confusion   

Hit falleth for every gentleman  
To say the best that he can  
In man's absence  
And the sooth in his presence  
Hit cometh by kind of gentle blood  
To cast away all heaviness  
And gather together words good  
The work of wisdom heareth witness    
Et sic est finis