The double sorrow of Troilus to tell  
King Priamus son of Troy  
In loving/ how his adventures fell  
From woe to we'll/ and after out of joy  
My purpose is/ or that I part froye  
Thesipho ne thou help me for to indite  
These woeful verses/ that wepyn as I write   

To the clepe I goddess of tourment/  
Thou cruel fury/ sorrowing ever in pain  
Help me that am the sorrowful instrument  
That help lovers/ as I can to plain  
For well sit/ the sooth for to say  
A woeful wight/ to have a dreary fere  
And to a sorrowful tale/ a sorry cheer   

For I that god of Louis servants serve  
Ne dare not love/ for mine unlyklynesse  
Pray for speed/ all should I therefore starve  
So far am I/ from his help in darkness  
But natheless/ yif this may do gladness  
To any lover/ and his lady avail  
Have he the thank/ and mine be the travail   

But ye loners that bathen in gladness  
If any drop of pity in you be  
Remember you in passed heaviness  
That ye han felt/ and in the adversity  
Of other folk/ and think how that ye  
Have felt how love durst you displease  
Or ye have won 'em with to great ease   

And pray for 'em that been in the case  
Of Troilus as ye may after here  
That love him bring/ in heaven to solace  
And eke for me prayeth/ to god so dear  
That I have might/ to show in some manner  
Such pain & woe/ as Louis servants endure  
As in Troilus unsilly adventure   

And byddyth eke for 'em that been despaired  
In love/ that never will recovered be  
And eke for them that falsely been apeyred  
through wicked tongues/ be it he or she  
Thus prayeth god/ for his benignity  
So grant him soon/ out of this world to pace  
That is despaired out of Louis grace   

And byddyth eke for 'em/ that been at ease  
That god grant 'em ay/ good● perseverance  
And send 'em might/ their ladies for to please  
That is to love by worship and pleasance  
For so hope I myself best advance  
To pray for 'em that loves servants be  
And write their woe/ and live in charity   

And for to have on them compassion  
As though they were their own brethren dear  
Now herkenyth with good entencioun  
For now I will go straight to my matter  
jy which ye may the double sorrow here  
Of Troilus in loving of Criseyde  
And how she forsook him or he died   

●T is well wist/ how the Grekis strong  
In arms with a thousand ships went  
To troy ward/ and the cit●e long  
Assyegid well t●n year or they stint  
And in diverse wise/ and oon intent  
The ravishing to wreak/ of Heleyne  
By Paris done they wrought all their pain   

Now fill it so that in the town there was  
dwelling a lord of great authority  
A great devynour/ that cleped was Calcas  
That in science so expert was he  
knew well that Troy should destroyed be  
By answer of his god/ that height thus  
Dan Phoebus or Apollo Delphycus   

So when calcas knew by calculing  
And eke by answer of this Apollo  
That greeks should such a people bring  
through which that Troy must be fordo  
He cast anon out of the town to go  
For weal he wyste by sort that Troy should  
destroyed be who so would or nolde   

For which he thought to depart softly  
Took purpose thus in full unknown wise  
And to the greeks went full privily  
He stolen anon and they in curteys' wise  
Him dieden both worship and service  
In trust that he had cunning hem to read  
In every peril/ which that stood in dread   

Noise up rose when it was first espied  
In all the town/ and openly was spoken  
That calcas traitor fled/ was and allied  
To hem of grece/ and cast was to be wroken  
On him that falsely hath his faith so broken  
And said he and all his kin atones  
Were worthy to be brent both fell and bones   

Now had Calcas left in this mischance  
Vnwyst of this falls and wicked deed  
A daughter which that was in great penance  
And of her life she was full sore in dread  
And wist never what best was to read  
And as a wydewe was she all alone  
And ●yst to whom/ she durst make her moan   

Criseide was this ladies name a right  
As to my doom in all Troy's city  
Most fairest lady for passing every wight  
So Aungelyk shone her natyf beauty  
That thing none mortal femyd she  
And there with was she so perfit a creature  
As she had be made in scorning of nature   

This lady that alday/ herd at ere  
Her father shame/ falsehood and treason  
Full nigh out of her wit/ for sorrow & fere  
In wydewes habit large of samy te brown  
Before Hector on knees she fell adoun  
His mercy lad/ her self excusing  
With piteous voys/ and tenderly weeping   

Now was this Hector piteous of nature  
And saw that she was sorrowful bygon  
And that she was so fair a creature  
O● his goodness/ he gladded her anon  
And said/ late your faders treason gone  
Forth with mischance & ye yourself ●n joy  
〈◊〉 with us while your good list in troy   

And all the honour that men may do you have  
As ●erforth as though your father dwe●id here  
Ye shul have/ and your body shul men save  
As fer as I may aught inquire and here  
And she him thanked with full humble cheer  
And ofter would/ and it ●●d been his will  
Took her leave went home/ and held her still   

And in her house abode with such main  
As to her honour need was to hold  
And while that she was dwelling in the 〈◊〉  
Kept her estate/ and both of young and old  
Full well be●uyd and men of her told  
But whether she child had or non  
I read it not/ Therefore I let it gone   

The things fell as they done of wer●e  
Betwyx hem of Troy and Grekis oft  
For some day bought they of Troy dear  
And eft the greeks found nothing soft  
The folk of Troy/ and thus fortune aloft  
And undyr eft 'gan 'em to repent both  
After their course when they wer● wroth   

But how this town come to destruction  
Ne falleth not to purpose me to tell  
For it were here a long dygressioun  
Fro my matyer/ and you full long to dewlle  
But the Trojan gestis as they tell  
In Omere in Dares/ or in Dyte  
Who so that can may read 'em as they write   

And though the greekis them of Troy shet●en  
Had and their atre besieged all about  
Yet for all their usage would they not let  
To worship & honour they God's full devout  
With most reverence in honour out of doubt  
They worshipped a reliquyk called Palladion  
On whom was all their trust above echon   

And so befell when comen was the time  
Of Apryll when clothed is the m●de  
With new green of lusty veer the prime  
And sweet smelling flowers white and red  
In sundry wise showed as I read  
The folk of Troy their observances old  
Palladion feste went for to hold   

Unto the temple in alther best wise  
Generally their went many a wight  
To berkene of Palladion service  
And namely many a lusty knight  
And many a lady fresh and maiden bright  
Full well arrayed both most and lest  
Both for the season and the high fest   

Among these other folk was Criseyda  
In wydewes habit black/ but natheles  
Right as our first lettir is now an A  
In beauty first/ so stood the makeles  
Her goodly looking/ gladded all the pres  
Nas never seen thing to be praised dear  
Nor under cloud black so bright a star   

As was Criseyde/ as folk said eachone  
That her beheld in her black weed  
And yet she stood full low and still alone  
Behind other folk in little breed  
And nigh the door under shames dread  
Simple of attire/ and debonair of chyere  
With full assured looking and manyere   

This Troilus as he was wont to guide  
His young knights lad 'em up and down  
In thyl●t large temple/ on every side  
Beholding ay the ladies of the town  
Now here now there/ for no devotion  
Had he to none to reven him his rest  
But 'gan to praise and last when him lest   

And in high walk full fast he 'gan to waiten  
If knight or savyer/ of his company  
'Gan for to sigh/ or let his eyes ●●yten  
On any woman that be could espy  
He would smile and hold it a folly  
And said hem thus god wot she sleepeth full s●ft  
For love of you/ when ye torn fut oft   

I have herd trl pardieu● of your living  
Ye lovers and eke your lewd observances  
And which a labour/ folk have in winning  
Of love and in the keeping which dout●lias  
And when your prey is lost woe & p●naunces  
O very foolis/ blind and nice be 〈◊〉  
Theridamas is not one can ware by other be   

And with the word he would cast up the brow  
A stance is this not weal y spoken  
At which the god of love 'gan looken row  
Right for despite/ and shoope to be wroken  
He kid anon/ his low was not broken  
For suddenly be hit him at the full  
And yet as proud a peacock can he pull   

O blind world/ O blind entencioun  
How oft falleth all theffes contrary  
Of sur quydrye and foul presumpcioun  
For caught is proud & caught is debonair  
This Troilus is clombyn on the stair  
And little weeneth that he shall descenden  
But alday faylith thing/ that foolis wenden   

As proud bayard beginneth for to skip  
Out of the way/ so prykyth him his corn  
Till he a lassh have of the long-whip  
Than thinketh he though I prance all byforn  
first in the trays/ full fat and new y shorn  
Yet am I but an horse/ and horse's law  
I must endure/ and with my feeriss draw   

So fired it by this fierce and proud kynyght  
Though he a worthy king sons were  
And wend nothing had had such might  
against his will that should his heart steer  
Yet with a look his heart way a fuyre  
That be that now was most in pride above  
Wax suddenly most subgect unto love   

For thy ensample take of this man  
Ye wise proud and worthy folks all  
To scorn love/ which that so soon can  
The freedom of your hearts to him thrall  
For ever it was and ever be shall  
That love is he/ that all thing may bind  
For noman may fordo the law of kind   

That this is sooth is proved and doth yet  
For this trow I ye known all and some  
Men readen not that folk have greater wit  
Than they that han been most with lovely nome  
And strongest folk be therewith overcome  
The worthiest and greatest of degree  
This was and is/ and yet men shul it fee   

And truly it falleth well to be so  
For alther wisest han therewith been pleased  
And they that han been althermost in woe  
With love have been comforted most and easid  
And oft it hath the cruel heart apeasid  
And worthy folk made worthier of name  
And causeth most to dread vice and shame   

Now sith it may not goodly be withstand  
And is a thing so virtuous in kind  
Refusith not in love to bound  
Sith as himself list he may you bind  
The yard is better that bowen will and wind  
Than that that brestith/ and therefore I you read  
To follow love/ that you so well can lead   

But forth to tell/ in especial  
As of this king son of which I told  
And let other things collateral  
Of him think I my tale forth to hold  
Both of his joy and of his cares cold  
And all his works towchnyg this matter  
For there as I 'gan I will thereto refer   

Within the temple he went him forth pleyeng  
This Troilus of every wight about  
On this lady and now on that looking  
Whether so she were of town or of without  
And upon case byfel that through a Yowte  
His eye perad and so deep it went  
All on Criseide it smit and there it stint   

And suddenly he wax therewith astonied  
And 'gan her bet behold in thrifty wise  
O mercy god thought he/ where hast thou woned  
That art so fair and goodly to devise  
Therewith his heart began to spread and rise  
And soft sighed/ lest men might him here  
And caught again his first pleyeng cheer   

She was nat with the lest/ of her stature  
But all her limbs/ so well answering  
Weren to wommanhode/ that creature  
Nas never lass mannyssh in seeming  
And eke the pure wise of her moving  
showed we'll that men might in her guess  
Honour estate/ and wommanly noblesse   

though Troilns right wonderly well withal  
'Gan for to like her moving and her chyere  
Which sumdel deynous was for she leete fall  
Her look a light aside in such manece  
Askance what may I nat stand here  
And after that her looking 'gan she light  
Him never thought have seen so good a sight   

And of her look in him there 'gan quyken  
So great desire/ and such affection  
That his heart bottum it 'gan styken  
Of her figure with deep oppression  
And though he eerst had powered up & down  
He was tho glad/ his horns in to shrink  
uneath witted he how to look or wink   

Lo he that leete himself so cunning  
And scorned them that Louis pains dryen  
Was full unware/ that love hath his dwelling  
Within the subtle streams/ of her eyen  
That suddenly him thought he should dyen  
Right with her look the spirit in his heart  
Blissed he love/ that can thus folk convert   

She thus in black/ liking to Troilus  
Over all thing/ he stood to behold  
Ne his desire/ ne wherefore he stood thus  
He never chyere made/ ne word told  
But from after/ his manner to behold  
On other thing sometime his look he cast  
And eft on her while the service last   

And after this not fully all awapyd  
Out of the temple/ all easily be went  
Repenting him that he had ever japed  
Of lovie folk/ lest fully the descent  
Of scorn fell on himself/ but what he meant  
Lest it were wist in any manner side  
His woe he 'gan dyssimulen/ and to hide   

When he was fro the temple thus departed  
He straight anon/ unto his palace turneth  
Right with her look thurh shot & thurh dare tid  
So feigneth he in lust/ there he soiournyth  
And all his cheer & speech/ also he bournyth  
And ay of Louis seruauntis/ every while  
Himself to wick at hem he 'gan to smple   

And said lord so ye live all in lose  
Ye lovers for the connyngest of you  
That serveth most ententysly and lest  
Him t●● thereof as often harm as prow  
Your huyre is quit again/ ye god wot how  
Nat weal for we'll/ but scorn for good see nice  
In faith your ordir is/ r●●●d in goodly wise   

In no certain been all your obseruaun●●s  
But it a silly feyre peyntes be  
Ne nothing asketh so great attendaunces  
As doth your lay/ and that known all ye  
But that is not the worst so mo●e I the  
But told I you the worst point I leave  
All said I soothe/ ye would at me grieve   

But take this that ye lovers oft eschyewe  
Or elliss done of good entrncioun  
Full oft your lady/ will it miss conscriewe  
And dame it harm/ in her oppynyoun  
And yet if she for other encheason  
Be wroth th●ne shalt thou have a groin 〈◊〉  
Lord weal is him/ that may be of you 〈◊〉   

But for all this/ when that he saw his time  
He held his peace noke other boot him gained  
For love began his fethyrs for to lime  
That well uneath unto his folk he feigned  
That other busy nedis/ him distrained  
For woe was him that what to do he nyst  
But bad his folk go where that hem list   

And when that he in chambre was alone  
He down upon his beddis feet him set  
And first he 'gan do sigh/ and eft to groan  
And thought ay so on her/ withouten let  
That as he sat and work/ his spirit met  
That he her saw temple and all the guise  
Right of her look/ and 'gan it new advise   

Thus 'gan he make a mirror of his mind  
In which he saw all hool her figure  
And that he well could/ in his heart find  
It was to him a right good adventure  
To love such one/ and if he did his cure  
To serven her yet might he fall in grace  
Or elliss for one of her servants place   

imagining that travail ne grame  
Ne might not for so goodly one be lorn  
As she ne him for no desire ne shame  
Al were it wist/ but in price up born  
Of all lovers well more than byforn  
Thus argued he in his beginning  
Full unadvised of his woe coming   

Thus took he purpose/ Louis craft to syewe  
And thought he would work privily  
first to hide his desire in mewe  
From every wight y born uttirly  
But he might aught recovered be thereby  
Remembering him that love to wide blow  
yieldeth vetter fruit though sweet seed be sow   

And over all this moche more he thought  
What for to speak/ and what to hold in  
And to art her to love he fought  
And a song/ anon right to begin  
And 'gan loud on his sorrow for to win  
For with good hope/ he 'gan fully assent  
Cryseyde for to love/ and not to repent   

And of his song not only the sentence  
As writeth mine author/ called ●ollius  
But plainly save our tongues difference  
I dare well say in all that Twylus  
saide in his song ●o every word right thus  
As I shall say/ and who so list it ●err  
Is next this vers ye may it fynden near   

If no love is/ O god what ferle I so  
And if love is what thing and which is he  
If love be good from whence cometh my we  
If it be wycke/ a wondyr thinketh me  
When every ●●ment and adversice  
That cometh of him may to me sau●ry think  
For ay thrice I the more that I it dryust   

And if that at mine own lust I beenne  
From whence cometh my wailing & my plaint  
If harm anger me/ whereto plain I thenne  
I note not why unwery that I faint  
O quyst death/ O s●bete harm so quaint  
How may of the in me be such quantity  
But if I consent/ that it so be   

And if that I consent wrongfully  
Conpleyne ywys/ thus possid to and fro  
All styerles/ within a boat am I  
amid the see between winds two  
That in contrary stondyn evermore  
Alas what is this wondyr malady  
For heat of cold/ for cold of heat I die   

And to the god of love thus said he  
With piteous voys/ O lord now your is  
My spirit which that aught yowris be  
You thank I lord/ that have me brought to this  
But whether goddess or woman iwis  
She be I note which that ye do me serve  
But as her man I will ay live and starve   

Ye stonden in her eyen/ mightily  
As in a place/ unto your virtue dign  
Therefore lord if my service or I  
May like you/ so be to me benign  
For mine estate Royal/ I here resign  
In to her hand/ and with full humble cheer  
become her man as to my lady dear   

In him ne deigned to spare blood Royal  
The fire of love wherfrom god me bless  
Ne him forbore in no degree for all  
his excellent or virtuous prowess  
But held him as his thrall/ in love distress  
And brent him so in sundry wise all new  
That sixty time a day/ he lost his hew   

So moche day from day/ his own thought  
For lust to her/ 'gan quyken and increase  
That every other charge he set at nought  
For thy sul oft/ his hot fire to cease  
To see her goodly cheer he 'gan to press  
For thereby to be eased well he wend  
And ay the near he was/ the more he burnt   

But when he had a space/ from his care  
Thus to himself/ full oft he 'gan to plain  
He said a fool/ now art thou in the snare  
That whilom japydest/ at loves pain  
Now art thou bend/ now gnaw thine own chain  
Thou were ay wont/ each lover to reprehend  
Of thing the which thou canst the not defend   

What will now every lover/ say of the  
If this be wist/ but ever in thine absence  
Laugh in scorn/ and say lo where goth he  
That is the man/ of so great sapience  
That held us lovers/ lest in reverence  
Now thanked be god/ he may go in the dance  
Of 'em that love list/ fyebly to advance   

But o thou woeful Troilus god would  
sith thou must love/ through thy destiny  
That thou beset were/ on such one that should  
Know all thy woe/ all lacked her pity  
But also cold/ in love towardis the  
Thy lady is/ as frost in winter moon  
And thou for done as frost in winter soon   

God would I were arrived in the port  
Of death the which/ my sorrow will me lead  
A lord to me it were a great comfort  
Than were I quite of languishing in dread  
For by mine hid sorrow blown in breed  
I shall y iaped be/ a thousand time  
More than a fool of whose folly men rhyme   

But now help god/ and ye sweet for whom  
I plain/ y caught ye never wight so fast  
O mercy dear heart/ and help me from  
The death/ for I while my life may last  
More than myself will love you to my last  
And with some friendly look/ gladith me sweet  
Though never nothing more ye me byheete   

These words/ and full many another to  
He spack and called ever in his complaint  
Her name for to tellyn her/ he is woe  
Till nigh that he in salt tears dreynt  
Al was for nought/ she herd not his plaint  
And when that he bethought/ on that folly  
A thousand fold/ his woe 'gan multiply   

By wailing in his chambre/ thus alone  
A friend of his/ that called was Pandar  
Come oones in/ and herd him groan  
And saw his friend/ in such distress and care  
Alas quoth he/ who causith all this fare  
O mercy god/ what unhap may this mean  
Have now thus soon/ greekis made you leanly   

Or hast thou some remorse/ of conscience  
And art now fallen/ in some devotion  
And waylest for thy sin & for thine offence  
And haste for fere/ caught contricioun  
God save 'em that bysieged have this town  
That so can lay/ our jonte on press  
And bring our lusty folk/ to holiness   

These words said he/ for the nonce all  
That with such thing he might him angry maken  
And with his anger/ do his sorrow fall  
As for the time/ and his courage awaken  
And well wist he/ as far as tongues spaken  
There nas a man of greater hardiness  
Than he/ ne no more desired worthiness   

What case quod Twilus though/ or what adventure  
Hath guided thee/ to see me languysshyg  
That am refuse/ of every creature  
But for the love of god/ at my praying  
Go hens away/ for certis my dying  
Will the disease/ and I mote nedis die  
Therefore go hens/ there is no more to say   

But if thou ween/ I be thus sick for dread  
It is not so/ and therefore scorn me nought  
There is another thing I take of heed  
well more than ought the greeks han yet wrought  
Which cause is of my death/ sorrow & thought  
But though I now tell it the ne lest  
Be thou not wroth I hide it for the best   

This Pander that ny malt/ for woe & 〈◊〉  
Full oft said alas/ what may this be  
Now friend quoth he/ if ever love or tro●●●●  
Hath been or is/ between the and 〈◊〉  
Ne do thou never/ such a cruelty  
To hide from me thy friend/ such a 〈◊〉  
Wost thou not well/ that I am pander   

I will part with the all the pain  
If it be so/ I do the no comfort  
As it is friends right/ sooth for to say  
To entreparte woe/ as glad disport  
I have and shall for true or false report  
In wrong and right/ I loved the all my ly●●●  
Hide not thy woe from me/ but tell it belive   

Than 'gan this sorrowful Troilus to si●●  
And said him thus/ god lief it be my 〈◊〉  
To tell it thee/ for sigh it may the like  
Yet will 〈◊〉/ though mine heart breast  
And well wot I/ thou mayst do no rest  
But lest thou dame/ I trust not to the  
Now herk friend/ for thuo it standyeth with 〈◊〉   

Love against which/ who so defendeth  
Himself most/ it all therlist au●ylith  
With despair/ so sorrowfully me offendyth  
That ser●yght unto the death/ mine bert say●●●●  
Thereto desire/ so brennyngly me assay●●th  
That to be slain/ it were a gret●er Ioy●  
To me than to be king/ of Grece and Troy   

sufficeth this my full friend Pandar  
That I have said/ for now wost thou my 〈◊〉  
And for the love of god/ my cold 〈◊〉  
Hide it well/ I told it never nomo  
For harms might follow me than two  
If it were wist/ but be thou in gladness  
And let me starve/ vnknow of my dysires   

How hast thou thus/ unkindly and long  
hid this fro me/ thou fool quod Pandarus  
peradventure thou mayst/ after sucheon long  
That mine advise/ anon may helpen us  
This were a wonder thing/ quod Troilus  
Thou cowdyst never in love/ thyself wysse  
How devil mayst thou than/ bring me to bliss   

Ye stylus hearken now/ quod Pandar  
Though I be nice/ it happeth often so  
That oon that excess doth/ full evylfare  
By good counsel/ can keep his friend therefro  
I have myself seen a blind man go  
There as he fell/ that could look wide  
A fool may eke/ a wise man often guide   

A wheston/ is no keruing instrument  
But yet it maketh/ sharp keruing coolis  
And there thou woost/ that I have miswent  
Eschiew thou that/ for such thing to school is  
Thus oft wise men/ been ware by fools  
If thou do so/ thy wit is well bewarid  
By his contrary/ is every thing declared   

For how might ever/ sweetness be know  
To him that never/ tastid bitterness  
Ne noman may/ be inly glad I trow  
That never was in sorrow/ or some distress  
Eke white by black/ by shame eke worthiness  
Each set by other/ more for othyr seemeth  
As men may see/ and so the wise it deem   

sith thus of two contraries/ is oo lore  
A that have so oft/ in love assayed  
grievances ought con/ well the more  
Counsel thee/ of that thou art dismayed  
And eke the not aught/ be evil apaid  
Though I desire/ with the for to bear  
Thine heavy charge/ it shall the lass dear   

A wot well/ it fareth thus by me  
As to thy brother Paris/ and a princess  
Which that cleped was Oenont  
Wrote in a complaint/ of her heaviness  
Thou saw the lettir/ that she wrote I guess  
Nay never yet ywys/ quod Troilus  
Now quoth Pandar/ hearken it was thus   

Phoebus that first found/ art of medicine  
Quod she that cowd/ in every wyghtis 〈◊〉  
Remedy and read/ by herbis he knew fine  
Yet to himself/ his cunning was full lure  
For love had him/ bond in a snare  
Al for the daughter of the king Am●●●  
That all his craft/ no cowde his sorrows beat   

Right so far I/ unhappily for me  
A love one best/ and that me smertyth fore  
And yet peradventure can I reden the  
And not myself/ reprove me no more  
A have no cause I wot well for to fore  
As doth an hawk/ that listeth for to ●bey  
But to thine help/ somewhat can I say   

And of o thing/ right siker mayst thou be  
That certain for to dyen in the pryne  
That shall I never more/ dyscou●ren the  
Ne by my trowth/ I ●●epe not restrain  
The from thy love/ though that it there Heleynt  
That to thy brothyrs wife/ if I it wist  
Be what she be/ and love her as the list   

Therefore as frendfully/ in me assure  
And tell me plat now/ what is thencheson  
And final cause/ of woe that ye endure  
For douthyth nothing/ my en●encion  
Nys nor to you/ of reprehension  
To speak as now/ for no wight may bereave  
A man to love/ till that him list to leave   

And wite well/ that both two been vices  
mistrust all/ o● else all to leave  
But well I wot/ the mean of it no vice is  
For to trust some wight/ it is a prove  
Of trowth and for thy/ would I fain remove  
Thy wrong conceit/ and do the somewhat tryst  
Thy woe to tell/ and tell me if the list   

The wise saith/ woe him that is alone  
For if he fall/ he hath no help to rise  
And sith thou hast a fellow/ tell thy moan  
For this is not certain the next wise  
To winnen love/ as rechen us the wise  
To walewe and weep/ as Niobe the queen  
whose teens yet in marbyl stone be seen   

Late be thy weeping/ and thy drearinesss  
And let us l●ssen woe/ with our speech  
So may thy woeful time/ seem less  
delight not in woe/ thy woe to seche  
As done these fools/ that their sorrows each  
With sorrow/ when they have misadventure  
And list not to seche hem/ othyr cure   

Men sayn/ to wretchis is consolacioun  
To have anothyr fellow in his pain  
That ought well be/ our oppynyoun  
For both thou and I/ for love we plain  
So full of sorrow am I soothe to say  
That certainly nomoore hard grace  
May sit on me/ for why there is no space   

If god will thou art not aghast of me  
Lest I would of thy lady the beguile  
Thou wost thyself whom that I love pard  
As I best can/ goon sith long while  
And sith thou woost/ I do it for no wile  
And sayst I am he/ thou trustist most  
Tell me somewhat/ sith all my wit thou woost   

Yet Troilus for all this/ no word said  
But long he lay still/ as he deed were  
And after this/ with sighing he abreyde  
And to pandarus voice/ he layed his eve  
And up his eyen cast he/ that in fere  
Was Pandarus/ lest that in frenzy  
He should fall/ or else soon die   

And cried awake full wonderly and sharp  
What slombryst thou/ a in a lethargy  
Or art thou like/ an Ass unto the harp  
That heareth sown/ when men the strings ply  
But in his mind of that no melody  
May synken in/ to gladden for that he  
So dull is of his bestialyte   

And with that Pandar/ of his words stint  
And Troilus yet him/ nothing answered  
For thy to tell/ was not his intent  
Never to noman/ for whom he so fir  
For it is said/ men make oft a yard  
With which the maker/ is himself y betyn  
In sundry manner as these wise tretyn   

And namely/ in his counsel telling  
That touchyth love/ that aught to be secre  
For of himself/ it will enough out spring  
But if that it/ the bet governed be  
Eke sometime it is craft to seem i'll  
For thing which in effect/ men huntyn fast  
All this 'gan Troilus/ in his heart cast   

But nevertheless/ when he had herd him cry  
Awake he 'gan/ and sighed wonder sore  
And said friend/ though that I still lie  
I am not deef/ now peace and cry no more  
I have herd thy words/ and thy lore  
But suffer me/ my mischief to bewaylen  
For thy proverbs/ may me not avaylen   

None other cure canst thou for me  
Eke I will not be curid/ I will die  
What know I of the queen Niobe  
Eat be thine old ensamples I the prey  
No quod pander therefore I say  
such is delight of fools to bywepe  
Her woe but seek boot they ne keep   

Now know I that reason in the faylyth  
But tell me/ if I wist what she were  
For whom that the all this misadventure aylyth  
Durst thou that I told it in her ear  
Thy woe sith thou darest not thyself for fere  
And her besought/ on the to have some rowth  
Why nay quod he/ by god and by my trowth   

What not as busily quod pandarus  
As though mine own life lay in this need  
No certis brother quod this Troilus  
And why/ for that thou shouldest never speed  
Woost thou not well/ ye that is out of dread  
Quod troilus for all that ever ye con  
She nyl to no such wretch as I be won   

Quod pandarus alas what may this be  
That thou dyspayrid art thus causeless  
What liveth not thy lady benedicite  
How woost thou so/ that thou art graceless  
Such evil is not always bootless  
Why put not impossible thus thy cure  
sith thing to come is/ oft hath adventure   

What should he therefore fall in despair  
Or be recreant/ for his own teen  
Or slay himself/ all be his lady feyre  
Nay nay but ever in oon be fresh and green  
To serve and love/ his dear hearts queen  
And think it is a guerdon for to serve  
A thousand fold more than he can deserve   

And of that word took heed Troilus  
And thought anon/ what folly he was in  
And how that soothe him said Pandarus  
That for to slay himself/ might he not win  
But both do unmanhod/ and a sin  
And of his d●th/ his lady not to wide  
For of his woe god wilt she knew but light   

And with that thought/ he 'gan full sor● 〈◊〉  
And said alas/ what is me best to do  
To whom pander/ answered if the like  
The best is/ that thou tell me all thy woe  
And have my troth/ but thou find it so  
A be shy boot/ or that it be full long  
And else ●o p●as/ do me draw and ●●ng   

Yeso s●yst thou/ quod Troilus though al●●  
But god wot/ it is not the rather so  
Full hard wot it/ to helpen in this ca●  
For we'll find I/ that fortune is my foo  
Ne all the men that riden con or go  
May of her cruel w●●le the harm withstand  
For as she lice, she pleyth with for and 〈◊〉   

I grant well if at thou endurist woe  
As sharp as doth Tiave in best  
Who stomach fowlio tyr●n evermore  
That height vulturre/ as books 〈◊〉  
But I may not endure/ that thou dwell  
In so an unskilful opinion  
That of thy woe is no cumaon   

But oones nyltow/ for thy coward lert  
And for thine ite/ and foolissh wilfulness  
For wantrust tell of thy woundis smert  
Ne to thine own help/ do business  
As much as speak a reason/ more on less  
But lyggese as he that list of nothing ret●●●  
What woman could love such a wretch   

What may she dame/ othyr of thy death  
If thou thus die/ and she note why it is  
But that for dread is yolden up thy breath  
For Greekis han besieged us ywys  
Lord such a thank shalt thou have of this  
Thus will she say/ and all the town at once  
The wretch is ded/ the devil have his bones   

Thou mayst alone here weep kne●● and cry  
But love a woman that she wot it● nought  
And she shall quite it/ thou shalt it not espy  
Vnknow unkyst/ and lost that is unsought  
What many a man hath love/ full dear y bought  
Twenty winter/ that his lady ne wist  
That never yet his lady mouth he kissed   

Quod pandarus thou blamest fortune  
For thou art wroth/ now at erst I see  
Wost thou not well that fortune is commune  
To every manner wight/ in some degree  
And yet thou hast this comfort ●o pard  
So as her joys must overgon  
So must h●r sorrows passen everyone   

For if her wheel stint any thing to torn  
Than scaceth she anon fortune to be  
Now sith her wheel by no way may sojourn  
What woost thou/ of her mutability  
Right as thyself lice/ she will do by the  
Or if she be not seen at thine helping  
peradventure thou hast cause for to sing   

And therefore woost thou what I the beseech  
Late be thy woe/ and turning to the ground  
For who so list have helping of his leech  
To him behooveth first/ unkover his wound  
To cerberus in hell/ ay be I bound  
Were it for my sustre/ all thy sorrow  
By my will she should be thine to morrow   

Look up I say/ and tell me what she is  
Anon that I may go about thy need  
Know I her not for my love tell me this  
Than would I hope rather for to speed  
though 'gan the veins of troilus to bleed  
For he was it and wax all red for shame  
A ha quod Pandar/ here beginneth the game   

And with that word he 'gan him to shake  
And said thyef thou shalt her name tell  
But though 'gan silly Troilus to quake  
As thought the men should have led him to hell  
And said alas/ of all my woe the well  
That 〈◊〉 she my sweet called Cr●seyde  
And with that word/ for few nigh he died   

And when pandar● herd him her name 〈◊〉  
Lord he was glad/ and said friend so 〈◊〉  
Now far a right/ for Io●●● name in 〈◊〉  
Love hath be set the well be of good 〈◊〉  
For of good name/ wisdom and 〈◊〉  
She hath enough/ and eke of gentleness  
If she be fair/ thou woost thyself I guess   

Never saw I none more boun●●uous  
Of her estate ne gladder of speech  
A frendlyer/ ne more gracious  
For to do well ne base had need to s●che  
What to for to done/ and all this bet to each  
In honour to as f●r as she may stretch  
A kings heart seemeth by hire a wretch   

And also think/ and therewith glad the  
That sith thy lady virtuous is all  
So followeth it/ that there is some pity  
Among all these other in general  
And for thy see that in especial  
Require not that is against her name  
For virtue stretchyth not himself to shame   

Now beat thy breast/ and say to god of love  
Thy grace lord/ for now I me repent  
If I myspack afore now myself I love  
Thus say with all thine heart in good intent  
Quod Troilus/ a lord I me consent  
And pray to thee/ my japis to foryeve  
And I shall nevermore while I live   

Thou sayest well quoth pander/ now I hope  
That thou the God's wrath haste appeased  
And sith thou hast wept many a drop  
And said such thing wherewith thy god is pleased  
Now would never god/ but thou were casid  
And think well she of whom rist all thy woe  
Here afore/ thy comfort may be also   

For thilk ground/ that beareth the weediss wycke  
Beryth este the wholesome herbis full oft  
Next the foul nettyl rough and thick  
The rose wexith sweet/ smooth and soft  
And next the valley/ is the hill aloft  
And next the derk night/ is the glad morrow  
And also joy is next th'end of sorrow   

Now book that attempre be thy bridal  
And for the best/ ay suffer to the   
Or else all our labour/ is all idle  
He hastyth well/ that wisely can abide  
Be diligent and true/ and always hide  
Be lusty free/ persevere in thy service  
And all is well/ if thou werk in thy wise   

The time thou mayst bliss/ that ever thou were born  
And the God's thank/ that in so good a place  
Have the bistowed in love/ I durst have sworn  
That thou should never have had/ so fayce a grace  
And why for thou were ever wont to chase  
At love in scorn/ and for despite hem call  
deliver the world/ lord of this foolis all   

When Toylus had herd/ Pandar assented  
To be his help in loving of Criseyde  
Way of his woe/ as who saith unturmentid  
But hott●● wax his love/ and than he saide  
With sober cheer/ as though his heart had played  
Now blissful venus'/ help or that I sterus  
Of the Pander/ I may some thank deserve   

But dear friend how shall my woe be less  
Till this be done/ and good eke trl me this  
How wilt thou say/ of me and my dyscresse  
lest she be wroth/ thy dread I most iwis  
Or will not here/ or trowen how it is  
All this dread I/ and eke for the manner  
Of the her eme/ she will no such thing here   

Quod Pandarus/ thou hast full great care  
Lest that the churl/ fall over of the moon  
Why lord I hate of thee/ thy nice fare  
What entremets of that/ thou hast to done  
For God's love/ I bide the a boon  
So let me alone/ and it shall be thy feste  
What friend quoth be now/ do right as the lest   

But herk/ Pandar/ o word for I nold  
That thou in me/ wendyst so great folly  
That to my lady/ I desire should  
That touchyth harm/ or any villainy  
For dreadless/ me were liefer die  
Than she of me/ ought else undirstoode  
But that/ that might sown in to good   

though lowgh this pander/ and anon answerd●  
And I thy borrow/ fie no wight doth but so  
I taught not/ though she stood and herd  
How that thou sayst/ but far well I will go  
Adieu be glad/ god speed us with two  
Yeve me this labour/ and this business  
And of my speed/ be thine all the sweetness   

though Troilus 'gan down/ on his knees fall  
And Pander in his arms/ hent fast  
And said now fie on the grekis all  
Yet pard god shall help us at the last  
And dreadless if that my life may last  
And god to forn/ yet some of hem shall smart  
And yet me athynketh this avaunt me astart   

Now pandarus/ I can no more say  
But thou wise/ thou wost/ thou mayst/ thou art all  
My life my death/ whole in thine hand I lay  
Help now quoth he/ yis by my trowth I shall  
God yield the friend/ and this in special  
Quod Troilus/ that thou me recomanude  
To her that may me/ to death command   

This Pandarus/ though desirous to serve  
His full friend/ though said in this manner  
Farewell and think I will/ thy thank deserve  
Have here my trowth/ & that thou shalt well here  
And went his weigh/ thinking on this matter  
And how he might best/ beseech her of grace  
And find a time hereto/ and a place   

For every wight/ that hath an house to found  
Ne runneth not/ the work for to begin  
With rakil hand/ but he will bide a stound  
And send his hearts line/ out from wythynne  
Altherfirst his purpose for to win  
All this Pandar/ in his heart thought  
And cast his work full wisely or he wrought   

But Troilus though/ lay no longer down  
But up anon upon his steed bay  
And in the field he playeth the lyoun  
Woe was the greek/ that met with him that day  
And in the town/ his manerr he holdyth ay  
So goodly he was/ and gate him so in grace  
That each him loved/ that looked in his face   

For he become/ the frendlyest knight  
The gentlest/ and eke the most free  
The thryftyest and one the best wight  
That in his time/ was or might be  
Deed were his japis/ and his cruelty  
His high port/ and his manner strange  
And each of though/ 'gan for a virtue change   

Now let us stint of Troilus a stound  
That fareth like a man/ that hurt is sore  
And is somedeal of aching of his wound  
Y lyssed well/ but helid no del more  
And as an esy patient/ the lore  
Abydyth of him that goth about his cure  
And thus be driveth forth his adventure   
¶ Here endeth the first book   

¶ And beginneth the prologue of the second book  

out of these black wawes/ for to sail  
O wind the wedir/ beginneth to clear  
For in this see/ the boat hath such travail  
Of my cunning/ that uneath I it steer  
This see clepe I/ the tempestous matter  
Of despair/ that Troilus was in  
For now of hope the kalendis begin   

O lady mine/ that called art Cleo  
Thou be my speed fro this forth/ and my muse  
To Rhyme well this book/ till I have do  
Me needeth here/ none other art to use  
For why to every lover I me excuse  
That of no sentement/ I this indite  
But out of latin/ in to my tongue I write   

Wherefore I will have/ neither thank ne blame  
Of all this work/ but pray you meekly  
Dysblameth me/ if any word be lame  
For as mine author saith/ so say I  
Eke though I speak/ of love unfelyngly  
No wonder is/ for it of thing now new is  
A blind man can not well judge in hewis   

I know eke that in form of speech/ is change  
Wythyn a thousand year/ of words tho  
That hadden pry●●/ been now nice and strange  
Us thinketh 'em/ and yet they spack 'em so  
And sped as well in love/ as men now do  
Eke for to win love/ in sundry ages  
An sundry ●ondes/ sundry been usages   

And for thy if it hap/ in any wise  
That there be any lover/ in this place  
That herkenyth as the story can devise  
How Troilus come/ to his lady grace  
And thynkith s● nold I/ love purchase  
Or wondryth on his speech/ or doing  
I not but unto me/ it is no wondering   

For every wight/ which that to rome went  
Holt not oo path/ ne always oo manner  
Eke in some bond/ were all the game y shent  
If they fir in love/ as men done here  
As thus in open doing/ and in cheer  
In visiting in form/ or said our saws  
For why men say/ each country hath his laws   

Eke scarcely be there in this place three  
That have in love said like/ and done all  
For to thy purpose this may like the  
And the right nought/ yet all is said & shall  
Eke some men grave/ in the stone wall  
As it betid but sith I have begun  
Mine author shall I follow if that I con   
¶ Here endeth the prologue   

¶ And here beginneth the second book  

IN may that mother is of monethis glade  
That fresh flowers/ blew whet & tread  
Ben quykened again/ that wīert deed made  
And full of balm/ is fleeting every meed  
When phoebus doth/ his bright beams speed  
Right in the white bowl/ it is betid  
As I shall sing/ on May's day the third   

That pandarus/ for all his wise speech  
Felt eke his part/ of loves 〈◊〉 been  
That could he never/ so well of loving preach  
It made his hew/ ful oft a day green  
Shoope him that day/ there fill him a trene  
In love for which/ to be ded/ he went  
And made or it was day full many a went   

The swallow Proigne/ with a sorrowful lay  
When morrow come/ made her waymenting  
Why she forshape was/ and all the lay  
Pandar a bed halt in a slomb●yng  
Till she so nyh him/ made her chy●●ryng  
How Ter●us 'gan forth/ her sus●●r take  
That with the noise of her he 'gan awake   

And 'gan to call/ and dress him to rise  
Remembering him/ his ●●●nd was to done  
From Troilus/ and eke his greed emprise  
And case & knew/ in good plice was the moan  
To do voyage/ and took his weigh full soon  
Unto his neas palace/ there beside  
Now janus god of entry/ thou him guide   

When he was come/ unto his neas place  
Where is my lady to her folk quoth he  
And they him told/ and he forth in 'gan pace  
And fond two othyr ladies/ sit and she  
Within a paved parlour/ and they three  
Herd hem a maiden/ reading the gest  
Of the siege of thebes while hem lest   

Quod Pandarus/ madame god you see  
With your book/ and all the company  
Ey uncle now/ welcome iwis quoth she  
And us she Ros/ and by the hand in hy  
She took him fast/ and said thus night thry  
To good mote it turn/ of you I met  
And with that word/ she down on bench him set   

Ye niece ye shul far/ well the bet  
If god will/ all this year quoth Pandarus  
But I am sorry/ that I have you let  
To hearken on your book/ ye praisen thus  
For God's love what saith it/ tell it us  
Is it of love/ or some good thing ye me lere  
Uncle quoth she your master is not here   

With that they gone laugh/ and though she said  
This romance is of Thebes/ that we read  
And we han herd/ how that king layus died  
through Edippus his son and all that deed  
And here we stint/ at these letters read  
How the bishop as the book can tell  
Amphiorax fell through the ground to hell   

Quod pandarus all this know I myself  
And all the fleges of thebes/ and the care  
For hereof been therr/ books made twelve  
But let be this/ and tell me how ye far  
Do way your wympyl/ & show your face bare  
Do way your book/ rise up & let us dance  
And let us do to may/ some observance   

Ey god forbid quoth she/ be ye mad  
Is that a wydewes life/ so god you save  
By god ye maken me/ right sore adread  
Ye be so wield/ it seemeth as ye rave  
It sit me well bet/ to be in a cave  
To bid and read/ on holy saints lives  
Late maidens go dance/ and young wives   

As ever thrive I/ quod thy● pandarus  
Yet couth I 〈◊〉 a thing/ to do your ●●rt 〈◊〉  
Now uncle dear quoth she/ tell it ve  
For God's love/ is than the siege away  
I am of the Grrel●is/ so fir that I day  
Nay nay quod 〈◊〉/ as ever more I thrive  
It is a thing well bet/ than such five   

Ye holy god quoth she/ what thyng● to that  
What bet than such ●yue/ nay iwies  
For all this world/ ne can I read what  
It shall be some ●ape/ I trow it is  
And but yourself us crl/ what it is  
My wit to arrde it/ is all to seen  
Ao help me god I no●● what ye mean   

And I your borrow/ ne never shall quod ●e  
This thing be told to you/ so most I thrive  
And why so uncle mine/ why so quoth she  
By god quoth he/ that will I trl as clyve  
For prouder woman/ is there none on live  
And ye it wist/ in all the ●owne of Troy  
I lie not/ so ever have I joy   

though 'gan she wonder/ more than byforn  
A thousand fold/ & down her eyen cast  
For never sith the time/ she was born  
To know a thing/ desired she so fast  
And with a sigh/ she said him at the last  
Now uncle mine/ I will you not displease ace  
Ne axe thing/ that may do you disease   

So after this/ with many words glade  
And friendly talis/ and with merry cheer  
Of this and that/ they gone play and wade  
In many uncowth glad and deep matter  
As friends done/ when they been met in fear  
Till she 'gan ask him/ how that Hector feared  
That was the wall of Troy/ and greekis yard   

Full well I thank it god/ quod Pandarus  
Save in his arm/ he hath a little wound  
And eke his fresh brothyr Troilus  
The wise worthy/ Hector the second  
In whom that every virtue/ list abound  
As all trowth/ and all gentleness  
wisdom honour/ freedom and worthiness   

In good faith eme quoth she/ that lykith me  
They faren well/ god save 'em both two  
For truly/ I hold it great dainty  
A kings son/ in arms well to do  
And be of good conditions thereto  
For great power/ and moral virtue here  
Is selden seen/ in oo person yfere   

In good faith/ that is sooth quod Pandarus  
But by my troth/ the king hath sons fifty  
That is to say/ Hector and Troilus  
That certainly though that I should die  
They been us void/ of vices dare I say  
As any men/ that lyven under the son  
Their might is wide known/ & what they con   

Of Hector needeth nothing for to tell  
In all this world/ there nies a bettir knight  
Than he that is of worthiness well  
And he well more virtue hath/ than might  
This knoweth many a wise/ & worthy knight  
The same price of Troilus I say  
God help me so/ I know not such twey   

By god quoth she/ of Hector that is sooth  
Of Troilus the same thing trow I  
For dreadless/ men telleth that he doth  
In arms day by day/ and that so worthily  
And berith him here at hom so gently  
To every wight that overall price hath he  
Of 'em that were me liefest praised be   

Ye say right sooth iwis/ quod Pandarus  
For yesterday/ who hath with him been  
Might have wondered/ upon Troilus  
For never yet so thick a swarm of leen  
As than the greeks/ from him 'gan fleen  
And through the field in every wyghtis eve  
Theridamas nas no cry/ but Troilus is there   

Now here now there/ he hunted hem so fast  
Theridamas nas but Grekis blood/ and Troilus  
Now him he hurt/ and now him down he cast  
Ay where he went it was arayeed thus  
He was their death/ and shield and life for us  
That as that day/ there durst none withstand  
While he held/ his bloody sword in hand   

Thereto he is the frendelyest man  
Of great estate/ that ever I saw in my fine  
And where him list/ best fellowship can  
To such as him thinketh/ able for to thrive  
And with that word/ though Pandarus as belive  
Took of them leave/ & said he would gone hen  
Nay blame have I mine uncle quoth she thenne   

Hot aileth you to be thus weary soon  
And namely of women will ye so  
Nay sittyth down by god I have to done  
With you to speak/ of wisdom or ye go  
And every wight/ that was about 'em though  
That herd that/ 'gan for away to stand  
While they two had/ all that hem le●t on hand   

When that her tale/ brought was to an end  
Of her estate and her governance  
Quod Pandarus/ now is time I wend  
But now I say arise/ and let us dance  
And cast your wydewes habit/ to mischance  
What list you thus/ yourself to dyffygure  
sith you is betided/ so glad an adventure   

A well bythought/ for love of god quoth she  
Shall I not wite/ what ye mean of this  
No this thing asketh/ leisure quod he  
And eke me would/ moche grieve ywys  
If I it told/ and ye took it amiss  
Yet were it bet/ my tongue for to still  
Than say a thing/ that were again your ●ille   

For niece by the goddess Minerva  
And jubiter/ that maketh the thunder to ring  
And by the blissful Venus'/ that I serve  
Ye be the woman/ in this world living  
Without paramours/ to my wyting  
That I best love/ and bothest am to grieve  
And that ye wyten well/ yourself I leave   

Iwis mine uncle/ quod she grantmercy  
Your friendship have I founden ever yet  
I am to noman/ holden truly  
So much as you/ and have so little quit  
And with grace of god/ with my full wit  
As in my guilt/ I shall you never offend  
And if I have or this/ I will amend   

B●th not aghast/ ne quakyth not whereto  
Ne chaungyth not for fere/ so your hew  
For hardily the worst of this is do  
And though my tale be now/ as to you new  
Yet trust always/ ye should find me true  
And were it thing/ me thought unfitting  
To you would I/ no such talis bring   

Now my good eme/ for God's love I pray  
Quod she come of/ and tell me what it is  
For both I am aghast/ what ye will say  
And eke me longyth/ to wite iwis  
For whether it be well/ or be amiss  
Say and late me not/ in this fere dwell  
So will I do now herkyn I shall tell   

Now niece mine/ the kings de●e soon  
The good wise worthy/ fressh and free  
Which always for to do well/ is his won  
The noble Troilus/ so loveth the  
That but ye help/ it will his baane be  
Lo here is all/ what should I more say  
Do what ye list/ make him live on die   

And if ye let him die/ I will starven  
Have here my trowth/ nyl I not lain  
All should I with this ●●●yf/ my throat ●eruen  
With that trene/ burst out of his eyen  
And said/ if that ye do us both dyen  
What mean ye though we both apayre  
Thus gylilis/ than love ye fysstred fair   

Alas be which 〈◊〉/ my lord so dear  
That crew man/ that noble knight  
That nought desires/ but your friendly cheer  
I see him die/ there he goeth upright  
And baseyth him/ with all his full might  
For to be slain/ if his fortune assent  
Alas that god such a beauty you sent   

If it be so/ ye so cruel be  
That of his death/ ye list not to retch  
That is so true/ and worthy as we see  
no more than of a japer/ or of a wretch  
If ye be such/ yowre beauty may not stretch  
To make amends/ of so cruel a deed  
Auysement is good/ before the need   

woe worth/ the fair Gem vertules  
Woe worth that hark/ that doth no boat  
Woe worth that beauty/ that is rowthles  
Woe worth that wight/ that each tret undirfoote  
And ye that be/ of beauty crop and root  
If that withal in you be no rowth  
Than is it harm/ ye lyven by me troth   

And also think well that this is no god  
For me were liefer/ you and I and he  
Were banged/ than I should be his bawd  
As high as any man/ might on us see  
I am thine eme/ the shame were to me  
As well as thine/ if that I should assent  
through my counsel/ that he thine honour shent   

Now understand/ for I not reqire  
To bind you to him/ by no behest  
But only that ye make him better cheer  
Than ye have done or this/ & make him more fest  
So that his life be saved/ at the lest  
This is all & some/ and plainly our intent  
God help me so/ I never other meant   

Lo this request/ is not but skill ywys  
Ne doubt of treason pard is there none  
I set the worst/ that ye dredden this  
Men would wonder/ to see him come and gone  
There against/ answer I thus anon  
That every wight/ but he be fool of kind  
Will dame it love/ and friendship in his mind   

What who will deem/ though he see a man  
To temple go/ that he the image eateth  
think eke how well/ and wisely that he can  
Govern himself/ that he nothing foryetith  
That where he cometh/ the price & thank he getith  
And eke thereto/ he shall come here so seld  
What for'rs were it/ if all the town beheld   

Such love of friends/ reigneth in all this town  
And wry you in that mantle/ everine  
And god so wisely/ be my saluacioune  
As I have said you/ best is to do so  
But good niece always to stint his woe  
So let your danger/ sugrid be alyte  
That of his death/ ye be not to wite   

Criseyde which that herd him/ in this wist  
Thought I shall fool/ what ye mean iwis  
Now eme quoth she/ what will ye devise  
What is your read/ I should do of this  
That is well said quoth he/ certain best is  
That ye him love again for his loving  
As love for love/ is skilful gwerdonny●g   

think eke how ●eld/ wostith every hour  
In each of you/ a party of beauty  
And therefore or that age/ you devour  
So love/ for old there will no wight of the  
Late this proverb/ a lore unto you be  
To late I ware/ quod beauty when it is past  
And age dauntyth/ danger at the last   

The kings fool/ is wont to cry loud  
When that him thinketh/ a woman berish her high  
So long more ye live/ and all proud  
Till crowee feet/ been wax undyr your eye  
And send you than/ a mirror in to p●ye  
In which that ye may/ see your face a morrow  
I bid than wish you/ nomo●e sorrow   

With this he stint/ and cast down the heed  
And she began/ to breast to weep anon  
And said alas/ for woe why ner I deed  
For of this world/ the faith is all gone  
Alas what should/ a stranger to me done  
When he that for my best/ friend I wend  
Will make me love/ and should me defend   

Alas I would have trustid dou●eles  
That if I that/ through my dysauenture  
Haddit loved him othyr Achilles  
Hector or any man's creature  
Ye nold have had/ no mercy ne measure  
On me but alway/ had me in reprove  
This false world alas/ how may it leave   

What is this all/ the joy and the feast  
Is this your read/ is this your blissful case  
Is this the vemy meed/ of your behest  
Is all this painted process/ come to this alas  
Right for this fine/ O lady mine Pallas  
Thou in this drdeful cas/ for me purueys  
For so astonied am I/ that I die   

With that she 'gan sorrowfully to sick  
And may it be not bet/ quod Pandaus  
By god I shall no more/ come here this wyke  
And god toforn/ that am mistrusted thus  
I see well that ye set little of us  
Or of our death/ Alas I woeful wretch  
Might he yet live/ of me is not to retch   

O cruel god/ o dispiteous mart  
O furies three of hell on you I cry  
So let me never/ out of this house departed  
If that I meant harm or villainy  
But sith I see/ my lord mote nediss die  
And I with him/ here I me shrive and say  
That wickedly/ ye do us both die   

But sith it liketh you/ that I be ded  
By Neptunus'/ that god is on the see  
from this forth/ shall I never eat breed  
Till I mine own/ heart blood may see  
For certain I will die as soon as he  
And up he start/ and on his weigh he reached  
Till she again him/ by the lap caught   

Criseyde with that/ full ny starf for fere  
So as she was/ the ferdfullest wight  
That might be/ and herd eke with her ere  
And saw the sorrowful earnest/ of the knight  
And in his prayer/ eke saw none unright  
And for the harm/ that might eke fall more  
She 'gan to rue/ and dread her wonder sore   

And thought thus unhaps fallen thick  
Alday for love/ in such manner case  
As men been cruel/ in hem self and wyk  
And if this man slay himself alas  
In my presence/ if will be no solas  
What men will it dame/ I can not say  
It needeth me/ full wisely to play   

And with a sorrowful sick/ she said thry  
A lord what me is / a sorry chance  
For mine estate lieth in juparty  
And eke mine Eames life/ lieth in balance  
But natheless/ with God's governance  
I shall so do/ mine honour shall I keep  
And eke his life/ and stynt for to weep   

Of harms two/ the alas is for to cheese  
Yet had I liefer/ make him good cheer  
In honour than mine own/ eames life to lose  
Ye say ye nothing/ else reqire  
Nowis quoth he/ mine own niece dear  
Now well quoth she/ and I will do my pain  
I shall mine heart/ against my lust constrain   

But that I nyl not/ holdyn him in hand  
Ne love a man/ ne can I not ne may  
against his will/ but else will I fond  
Mine honour save/ please him from day to day  
Thereto nold I not oones/ have said nay  
But that I dread/ as in his fantasy  
But cease the cause/ cesith the malady   

But here I make a protestation  
That in this process/ or ye further go  
That certainly/ for no salvation  
Of you though that ye starve both two  
And all the world on a day/ be my fooo  
Ne shall I never of him/ have other rowth  
I grant well quoth Pandar/ by my trowth   

But may I trust well to you/ quod he  
That of this thing/ that ye have height me here  
Ye will holden truly/ unto me  
Ye doubt it not quoth she my uncle dear  
Ne that I shall have cause in this matrre  
Quod he to plain/ or ofter you to preach  
Why no pard what needeth more speech   

though fyllen they/ in other talis glade  
Till at the last/ o good eme quoth she though  
For his love/ which us both made  
Tell me how first/ ye wisten of his woe  
Wot none of it but ye/ he said no  
Can he well speak of love/ quod she I you prey  
Tell me for I the bet/ shall me purvey   

though pandarus/ a little 'gan to smile  
And said by my troth/ I shall you tell  
This othyr day/ not go full long while  
Within the garden palace/ by a well  
'Gan he and I/ half a day to dwell  
Right for to speak/ of an ordinance  
How we the greeks might dysavaunce   

Soon after that we 'gan to leap  
And cast with our ●●rtis/ to and fro  
Till at the last he said he would sleep  
And on the grass/ adown he layed him tho  
And I after/ 'gan rome to and fro  
Till that I herd/ as I walked alone  
How he began/ full woefully to groan   

though 'gan I stalk him/ softly behind  
And sikyrly/ the forth for to say  
As I can clepe again to my mind  
Right thus to love/ 'gan him for to plain  
He said lord have rowth/ upon my pain  
Al have I be rebel/ in mine intent  
Now mea culpa/ lord I me repent   

O god/ that thy disposition  
Ledyst the fine/ by Just purveyance  
Of every wight/ my low confess on  
A corpt in gre/ and send me such penance  
As lykith thee/ but from desperaunce  
Late not my ghost/ depart away from the  
Thou be my shield/ for thy benignity   

For c●rti● lord so sore hath she me wounded  
That stood in black/ with looking of her eyen  
That to mine her●o bottum/ it is founded  
through which I wot/ that I must nediss doyen  
This to the worst/ I dare not bewrepe●  
And well the hotter/ been the gl●dis read  
That men hem wryens with ass●●n pale and deed   

With that he smote his ●ed/ down anon  
And 'gan to moe●●/ I not what truly  
And I with that/ 'gan still away to gone  
And let thereof/ as nothing wist had I  
And come again anon/ and stood him by  
And said awake/ ye slepen alto long  
It seemeth not that love doeith you 〈◊〉   

That slepyn so that noman may you wa●●  
Who saw ever on this so dull a man  
Ye friend quoth he/ do ye your ●eedis ale  
For love and let me/ lyven as I can  
But though that ●e for woe/ wae pale & wan  
Yet made he though/ as fresh a countenance  
As though he should have l●d the dance   

This passed forth/ till now this other day  
It fell that I come roaming all alone  
In to his chambre/ and found how that he lay  
Upon his bed but man so sore groan  
Ne herd I never/ ne what was his moan  
Ne wist I not for as I was coming  
All suddenly he left his complaining   

Of which I took somewhat suspection  
And near I come/ and fond he wept sore  
And god so wis/ be my salvation  
Never yet of thing/ had I rowth more  
For neither with engine/ ne with lore  
Vnne this might I from the death him keep  
That yet feel I for him/ mine heart weep   

And god wot/ never sith that I was born  
Was I so busy/ no man to preach  
Ne never was to wight/ so deep y sworn  
Or he me told/ who might be his leech  
But now to rehersen all his speech  
Or all his woeful words/ for to sown  
Ne bid me not but ye will see me swoon   

But for to save his life and elliss nought  
And to none harm of you/ thus am I driven  
As for the love of god/ that us hath wrought  
Such cheer him doth/ as he and I may loven  
Now have I plate to you/ mine heart shriven  
And sith ye wot/ that mine intent is clean  
Take heed thereof/ for I none evil mean   

And right good thirst I pray to god have ye  
That have such one caught withouten net  
And be ye wise/ as ye be fair to see  
Well in the ring/ than is the Ruby set  
There were never two/ so well y met  
When ye be his all hool/ as he is your  
All mighty god grant us/ to see that hour   

Nay thereof spack I not/ a ha quod she  
As h●lp me god/ ye shenden every de●e  
A mercy dear rece/ anon quoth he  
What so I spack/ I meant but weal  
By Mars the god/ that helmed is with steel  
Now be not wroth/ my blood my niece dear  
Now well quoth she/ foryeven be it here   

With this he took his leave/ and home he went  
A lord so he was glad/ and well bygon  
Criseyde aroos/ no longer she ne stint  
But strait into her closet/ she went anon  
And set her down as still as any stone  
And every word/ 'gan up and down to wind  
As he had said/ as it come to her mind   

And was somedel astonied/ in her thought  
Right for the new cas/ but when that she  
Was full advised/ than fond she right nought  
Of peril/ which she ought afeard to be  
For men may love/ of pessibylyte  
A woman so his heart may to breast  
And she not love again/ but if she lest   

But as she sat alone/ and thought thus  
Ascry aros at scarmyssh/ all without  
And men cried in the srete/ see Troilus  
Hath now put to flight/ the greekis rout  
With that 'gan her main/ for to shout  
A go we see/ cast up the gatis wide  
For through this street/ he must to palace ride   

For other weigh/ is fro the gate none  
Of dardanus/ there open is the chain  
With that come he/ and all his folk anon  
An esy pace riding/ in rowtis twain  
Right as his happy day/ was sooth to say  
For which men say/ may not disturbed be  
That shall betide must be of necessity   

This Troilus sat/ on his bay steed  
Al armed save his heed/ full richly  
And wounded was his horse/ & 'gan to bleed  
In which he road/ a pace full softly  
But such a knightly sight truly  
As was on him/ was not wythouten fail  
To look on Mars/ that is god of battle   

So like a man of arms/ and a knight  
He was to see/ fulfilled of high prowess  
For both he hath a body/ and a might  
To do a thing/ as well as hardiness  
And to see him/ in his gear him dress  
So fresh so young/ so worthy seemed he  
It was an heaven/ upon him to see   

His helm to hewn/ was in twenty places  
That by a tassel/ hang his back behind  
His shield/ to dashed with swerdis & maces  
In which men might/ many an arrow find  
That thrylled had/ horn nerf and rind  
And ay the people cried/ here cometh our joy  
Next his brother holder up of Troy   

For which he wax/ all reed for shame  
When he the people/ cry upon him herden  
That to behold/ it was a noble game  
How sobyrly he cast down his eyen  
Criseyde 'gan all his cheer espyen  
And leete it so soft/ in her heart synk  
That to her self she said/ who gave me drink   

For of her own thought/ she wax all red  
Remembering her right thus/ lo this is he  
Which that mine uncle sweareth/ he moat be deed  
But I on him have mercy and pity  
And with that thought/ ashamed wax she  
'Gan in her heed to pull/ and that as fast  
While he and all the people forth by paste   

And 'gan to cast/ and roll up and down  
Within her thought/ his excellent prowess  
And his high estate/ and all his renown  
His wit his shap/ and eke his gentleness  
But most her favour/ was for his distress  
Was all for her/ and thought it was a rowth  
To slay such one/ if that he meant trowth   

Now might some envious jangle thus  
This was a sudden love/ how might 〈◊〉 be  
That she so hastily/ loved Troilus  
Right for the first sight/ ye pard  
Now who so saith/ moat be never the  
For every thing/ agynning both 〈◊〉 need  
Or all be wrought wythouten any dread   

For I say not that she/ so suddenly  
give him her love/ But that six died incline  
To like him fyrs●/ & I have told you why  
And after that/ his manhood and high pine  
Made love/ in her heart for to mine  
For which by process/ and by good serving  
He gate her love/ and not in sodaynt wy●e   

And also blissful venue/ we'll 〈◊〉  
Sat in her seventh house/ of heuene though  
disposed we'll/ and with aspected 〈◊〉  
To helpen silly Troilus of his woe  
And sooth to say/ she nas not all his foo  
To Troilus in his nativity  
God wot that weal the sooner/ sped he   

Now let us seynt/ of Troilus a throw  
That rydyth forth/ and let us turn fast  
Unto Criseyde/ that hang her lred full low  
There as she sat alone/ and 'gan to cast  
Where that she would appoint her/ at the last  
If it so were/ her eme nold cease  
For Troilus upon his/ mo●e for to press   

And lord so she 'gan/ in her thought argue  
In this matter/ of which I have you told  
And what to do best were/ and what to eschew  
That plyted she full oft/ in many a fold  
Now was her heart warm/ now was it cold  
And what she thought/ somewhat shall I write  
As that mine auctor/ lyftyth to indite   

She thought we'll/ that Troilus person  
She knew by sight/ and eke his gentleness  
And thus she said/ all were it not to done  
To grant him love/ yet for his worthiness  
It were honour/ with play & with gladness  
In honest/ with such a lord to deal  
For mine estate and his hele   

Eke well wot I/ a kings son is he  
And sith he hath to see me/ such delight  
If I would utterly/ his sight flee  
peradventure he might/ have me in despite  
Where through I might stand/ in worse plight  
Now were I wise me haate to purchase  
Wythouten need/ there I may stand in grace   

In every thing/ I wot there lieth measure  
For though a man forbid drunkenness  
He not forbiddeth/ that every creature  
Be drynkles/ for alway as I guess  
Eke sith I wot/ for me is his distress  
I ne aught not/ for that thing him despise  
sith it so is/ he meanyth in goodly wise   

And eke I know/ of long time agone  
His ●hewys good/ and that he is not nice  
Ne a vantour certain/ men sayn he is none  
To wise he is to do such a vice  
And eke I nyl not/ so him cheryce  
That he may make avaunt/ by Just cause  
He shall me never bind/ in such a clause   

Now set a case/ the hardest is ywys  
Men might dame/ that he loveth me  
What dishonour/ were unto me this  
May I let him of that/ why nay pard  
I know also and alday here and see  
Men loven women/ all beside her leave  
And when him list no more let him leave   

I think how/ he able is to have  
Of all this noble town/ the thryftyest  
To be his love/ so she her honour save  
For in and out/ he is the worthiest  
Save only Hector/ which that is the best  
And yet his life now/ lieth all in my cure  
Lo such is love/ and eke mine adventure   

Ne me to love/ a wonder is it nought  
For well wot I myself/ so god me speed  
Al would I that noman wist/ of this thought  
I am one the fairest/ withouten dread  
And godelyest/ who so taketh heed  
And so men sayn/ in all the town of Troy  
What wonder is/ though he of me have joy   

I am mine own woman/ we'll at ease  
I thank it god/ as for mine estate  
Right young and stand untied/ in lusty lease  
Wythouth jalowsy/ or such debate  
Shall no husband/ say to me chekmate  
For other they been full of jealousy  
Or maysterful/ or loven novelrye   

What shall I do to what fine live I thus  
Shall I not love in cas if that me lest  
What pard I am/ now no religious  
And though that I mine heart/ set in rest  
Upon this knight/ that is the worthiest  
And keep allbey/ mine honour and my name  
By all right/ it may do me no shame   

But right as when/ the son shineth bright  
In march that chaungyth/ oft time his face  
And that a cloud put with wind to flight  
Which oversprad the son/ as for a space  
A cloudy thought/ 'gan through her heart pace  
That oversprad/ her bright thoughtis all  
So that for fere/ almost she 'gan to fall   

That thought was this/ alas sith I am free  
Should I now love/ and put in jeopardy  
My sickerness/ and thrallen liberty  
Alas how dared I think that folly  
May I not we'll/ in other folk espy  
Their dreadful joy/ their constraint & their pain  
Theridamas loovyth none/ that she ne hath weigh to plain   

For love is yet/ the most stormy life  
Right of himself/ that ever was begun  
For ever some mistrust/ or nice strif  
There is in love/ some cloud over the son  
Whereto we wretched women/ nothing con  
When us is woe/ but fit weep and think  
Our wretch is this/ our own woe to drink   

Also these wicked tongues/ been so priest  
To speak us harm/ eke men been so untrue  
That right anon/ as ceasid is their jest  
Deceasith their love/ & forth to love a new  
But harm y do is do/ who so it rue  
For though these men/ for love 'em self rend  
Full sharp beginning/ brekyth oft at end   

How often times/ hath it known been  
The treason that to women/ hath be done  
To what fine is such love/ I can not seen  
Or where become it when it is gone  
There is no wight I trow/ that wot soon  
Where it bycomyth/ no wight there at spornyth  
That erst was nothing/ in to nought tornyth   

How busy if I love/ must I be  
To please them/ that jangle of love & dremyn  
And coy 'em/ that they say no harm of me  
For though there be no cause/ yet hem semyn  
All be for harm/ that folk her friends wenyn  
Or who may stop/ every wykked tongue  
Or sown of bellis/ while they been rung   

And after that thought 'gan to clear  
She said that he/ nothing undyrtakyth  
Nothing achevyth/ be him loath or dear  
And with another thought her heart quakyth  
Than slepyth hoop/ and after dread awakyth  
Now hot now cold/ but thus betwixt twey  
She ryst her up/ and went her for to play   

Adoun the steyre/ anon right down she went  
In to the garden/ with her neecis three  
And up & down they made many a went  
Flexible and she Tarbe and Antigone  
To pleyen that joy it was to see  
And othyr of her women/ a great rout  
Her followed in the garden/ all about   

This yard was large and railed all the aleyes  
And shadowed we'll/ with blosmy bows green  
Y benched new/ and sanded all the ways  
An which she walkith/ arm in arm between  
Till at the last/ Antigone the sheen  
'Gan on a Trojan song/ singen clear  
That it an heaven was/ for to here   

She said O love to whom I have and shall  
Ben humble subgect/ true in mine intent  
As I best can/ to you lord give I all  
For evermore mine hearts lust/ the rend  
For never yet/ thy grace no wight sent  
So blissful cause/ as me my life to lead  
In all joy and surety/ out of dread   

The blissful god hath me/ so well be set  
In love iwis/ that all that berith life  
imagine ne could/ how to be bet  
For lord without/ jelowsy or strife  
I love one which is most intentive  
To serven well/ unwery and unfeigned  
That ever was/ and least with harm disdained   

As he that is/ the well of worthiness  
Of trowth ground/ mirror of goodelyhed  
Of wit Apollo/ stone of secretness  
Of virtue root/ of lust finder and h●ed  
through which is all my sorrow from me deed  
Iwis I love him best/ so doth he me  
Now good thrift have he/ wherso ever he be   

Whom should I thank/ but you god of love  
Of all this bliss/ in which I bathe now in  
All thanked be the lord/ for that I love  
This is the right life/ that I am in  
To eschew all manner/ vice and sin  
This doth me/ so to virtue intend  
That day by day/ I in my will amend   

And who that saith/ that for to love is vice  
Or thraldom/ though he feel in it distress  
He outhyr is envious/ or right nice  
Or is unmighty/ for his shrewdness  
To love for such manner folk/ as I guess  
Defamyn love/ as nothing of it know  
They speak/ but bent they never his bow   

What is the son the worse of kind right  
Though that a man/ for feebleness of his eyen  
May not endure on it/ to look for bright  
Or love the worse/ though wretches on it cryen  
No weal is he worth/ that may no sorrow dryen  
And for thy who that hath/ an heed of verre  
from cast of stones/ beware him in the were   

But I with all mine heart/ and my might  
As I have said/ will love unto my lost  
My dear heart and all mine own knight  
In which mine heart/ graven is so fast  
And his in mine/ that it shall ever last  
All dread I first/ love him to begin  
Now wot I well/ there is no pa●l in   

And of her song/ right at that word she seynt  
And therewith all/ now niece quoth C●seyde  
Who made this song/ with so good entr●t  
Antigone answered anon and said  
Madame iwis the goodehest maid  
Of great esiatr/ in all the town of Troy  
And led her life/ in most honour and joy   

Forsooth so it seemeth/ up her song  
Quoth though Enseyde/ and 'gan therewith to 〈◊〉  
And said lord/ to their such 〈◊〉 among  
These lovers/ as they said indite  
Yewis quoth fresh Antigone the whyse  
For all the folk/ that have or been aly●●  
Ne could not well the bliss of love desery●●   

But ween ye that every wretch wot  
The parsytr bliss of love/ nay ywys  
They ween all love/ if one behote  
Do weigh do weigh they wot nothing of this  
Men must ask at saints/ if it is  
Ought f●yre in heaven/ for they con tells  
And ask fyendis if it be foul in hell   

Cnseyde unto that purpose/ nought answered  
But said iwis/ it will be night as fast  
But every word/ which that she of herd  
She 'gan to print it/ in her heart fast  
And ay 'gan love/ it lessed more to agost  
Than it did erst/ and synkyn in her heart  
That she wax somewhat/ able to convert   

The days honour/ and the hevenes' eye  
The nyghtis foo/ all this clepe I the son  
'Gan western fast/ and downward for to wry  
As he that had his days course y ronne  
And white things/ waxed dim & done  
For lak of light/ and sterris to appear  
That she and all her folk/ home went in fear   

So when it liketh her/ to go to rest  
And voided were though/ that voiden ought  
She said that to sleep/ well her lest  
her women soon/ in to her bed by'r brought  
When all was hushed/ though lay she still & thought  
Of all these things/ the manner and the guise  
To rehearse it needeth not/ for ye been wise   

A nightinggale/ upon a cedar green  
Vndyr the chamber wall/ there as she lay  
Full loud song/ again the moan sheen  
peraventure in her bryddis/ wise allay  
Of love that made/ her heart fresh and gay  
That harkeneth she/ so long in good intent  
That at the last/ the dead sleep● her hent   

And as she sleep/ anon right her met  
How that an Eagle/ fetherid white as bone  
Vndyr her breast/ his long clees set  
And out her heart rend/ and that anon  
And did his heart/ in to her breast gone  
Of which she nought agros/ ne nothing smart  
And forth he fly/ with heart left for heart   

Now let her sleep/ and we our talis hold  
Of Troilus that is to palace ridden  
For the searmyssh/ of which I told  
And in his chambre sit/ and hath abiden  
Till two or three/ of his messengers yeden  
For Pandarus/ and sought him so fast  
Till they him fond/ & brought him at the last   

This Pandarus/ came leaping in atones  
And said thus/ who hath been well I beat  
To day with swerdis/ with slings & stones  
But Troilus that hath caught him an heat  
And 'gan to jape/ and said lord ye sweet  
But rise and let us soup/ and go to rest  
And he answered/ go we where the lest   

With all the haste goodly/ that they might  
They sped 'em from the souper and to bed  
And every wight/ out at the door him dight  
And where him least/ upon his weigh him sped  
But Troilus/ that thought his heart bled  
For woe/ till he herd some tiding  
He said friend/ shall I now weep or sing   

Quod Pandarus/ be still and let me sleep  
And do on thine hood/ thy nedis sped be  
And cheese if thou wilt/ sing dance or leepe  
At short words/ thou shalt trust in me  
And my niece will do well by the  
And love the best by god and by my trowth  
But lack of poursute/ make it in thy sloth   

For thus farforth have I/ thy work begun  
From day to day/ to this day by the morrow  
Her love and friendship/ have I to the won  
And thereto hath the laid/ her faith to borrow  
Algate one foot/ is lissed of thy sorrow  
What shall I longer/ sermon of it hold  
As ye have herd before/ he all him told   

But right as flowers/ through the cold of night  
Yclosed stoupen on her stalkis low  
Redressen again/ the son bright  
And spreaden out their colours/ kindly by row  
Right so 'gan he though/ his eyen up throw  
This Troilus and said/ O Venus' dear  
Thy might thy grace/ I heryed be it here   

And to Pandar/ held up both his handis  
And said lord all thine be it that I have  
For I am hole/ all brostyn be my bondis  
A thousand Troy's/ who so that me gave  
Each after other/ god so me wysse and save  
Ne might me so gladdyn/ lo my heart  
It spredyth so for joy/ it would out start   

But lord how shall I do/ how shall I lyven  
When shall I next/ my dear heart see  
How shall this long time/ away be driven  
Till thou be again/ at her from me  
Thou mayst answer/ abide abide but he  
That hangeth by the neck/ sooth to say  
In great disease/ abydyth for the pain   

Al Easily now/ for love and charity  
Quod Pandarus for all thing hath time  
So long abide till that the night departed be  
For siker as thou liest here byme  
And god to forn I will be there at prime  
And for thy work somewhat shall I say  
Or on some other wight this charge leye   

For god wot that I have ever yet  
Be ready to serve/ in to this night  
Have I not feigned/ but enforced my might  
Do now as I shall say/ and far a right  
For I have do thy lust/ with all my might  
And if thou nylt/ wite thyself thy care  
On me is not a long/ thine evil far   

I wot well that thou wiser art than I  
A thousand fold/ but and I were as thou  
God help me so I would utterly  
Right of mine own hand/ write to her now  
A letter in which/ I would tell her how  
I fir amiss/ and her beseech of rowth  
Now help thyself/ and let for no sloth   

And I myself shall therewith to her gone  
And when thou wost that I am there  
Worth upon a courser and that anon  
Ye hardyly/ right in thy best gear  
And right forth by that place as nought ne were  
And thou shalt synd us/ if I may fitting  
At some window/ in to the street looking   

And if the list/ thou mayst us fal●we  
And upon me make thy contrnounce  
But by thy life beware/ and fast eschyewe  
To tarryen ought/ god sh●ld us from myschalice  
ride forth thy weigh/ and hold thy governalice  
And we shuln speak of the somewhat I trow  
When thou art gone/ to make thine earen glow   

Touching thy letter/ thou art wise enough  
I wot well thou nylt/ it clerkly endytr  
As make it with these/ argumentie ●ow  
Ne serivanly/ ne ●aftyly it write  
Blot●● it eke/ with thy treris alyte  
And though thou write/ a goodly word & soft  
Though it be good/ rehearse it not to oft   

For though the least harper/ upon live  
Wold on the best swooned/ jolly harp  
That ever was/ with as his fingers five  
touch ay one string/ or ay one warbyl harp  
With his nails/ pointed never so sharp  
It should make every wight to dull  
To here his glee/ and of his strokes full   

Ne jompre not/ no dyscordaunt in fear  
As usen these terms of physic  
In loves terms/ hold on thy matter  
The form alway/ and do that it be like  
For if a peyntour/ would paint a pike  
With asses feet/ and heed as an ape  
It cordyth not/ so ner it but a jape   

This consayl liked well Twylus  
But as a dreadful man he said this  
Alas my dear brother pandarus  
I am ashamed/ for to written iwies  
Lest of mine Innocence/ I said amiss  
Or that she nold/ for despite it receive  
Than were I ded/ there might nothing it waive   

To that Pander answered/ if the lest  
Do as I say/ and let me therewith gone  
For by that lord/ that form Est and West  
I hope of it/ to bring answer anon  
Right of her hand/ and if thou wilt none  
Late be/ and sorry mote he be his live  
against thy lust/ that helpeth the to thrive   

Quod Troilus depardieux each assent  
sith that the list I will arise and write  
And blissful god pray I/ with good intent  
The viage and the letter/ I shall indite  
So speed/ and thou Minerva the white  
give thou me wit/ my lettir to devise  
And sat him down/ and wrote in this wise   

first he 'gan her/ his right lady call  
His hearts life/ his lust/ his sorrows leche  
His bliss and eke these other terms all  
That in such ●●as/ ye lovers all seeche  
And in full humble wise as in his speech  
He 'gan him recomaund unto her grace  
To tell all how/ it asketh moche space   

And after this/ full lowly he her prayed  
To be not wroth/ though he of his folly  
So hardy was her to write or saide  
But love it made/ or else must he die  
And piteously 'gan mercy for to cry  
And after he said/ and lied loud  
Himself was little worth/ & less good could   

And prayed her have exeusid his unkonning  
That little was/ and eke himself also  
Was weal nigh deed/ in his writing  
And after that/ than 'gan he tell his woe  
But that was endlees/ withouten hoo  
And said he would/ in trowth alway him hold  
And rad it over/ and 'gan the letter fold   

And with his salt treris/ 'gan he bathe  
The Ruby in his signet/ and it he set  
Upon the wax/ deliverly and rathe  
Therewith a thousand times/ or he let  
He kissed the lettyr/ and after that it shut  
And said lettre/ a blissful destiny  
The shapyn is/ my lady shall the see   

This Pander took the letter right by time  
On morrow & to his necis palace he him start  
And fast he swore/ that it was passed prime  
And 'gan to jape/ and said ywys mine heart  
So fresh it is/ all though it sore smart  
I may not sleep/ never a may's morrow  
I have a jolly woe/ & a lusty sorrow   

Cryseyde when she/ her uncle heard  
With dreadful heart/ and desirous to here  
The cause of his coming/ thus answered  
Now by your faith mine uncle quoth she dear  
What manner wind/ guydyth you now here  
Tell us your jolly woe/ and your penance  
How farforth been ye/ put in Louis dance   

By god quoth he/ I hop always behind  
And she to laugh/ her thought her heart breast  
Quod Pandarus/ look alway that ye find  
Game in my hood/ but herkenyth if ye lest  
There is right now come to town a gest  
A greek aspye/ and telleth new things  
Wherefore I come/ to tell you tidings   

In to the garden gowe/ and ye shul here  
All privily of this/ a long sermon  
With that they went/ arm in arm yfere  
In to the garden/ from the chamber down  
And when he was so far/ that the sown  
Of that he spoke/ noman here might  
He said her thus/ and out the lettir plight   

Lo he that is/ as holy yours free  
Him recomaundyth/ lowly to your grace  
And sent you this letter/ here by me  
Auyse you on it/ when ye have space  
And of some goodly answer/ you purchase  
Or so help me god/ plainly for to say  
He may not long live/ in this pain   

Full dreadfully though/ 'gan the stand still  
And took it not/ but all here humble cheer  
'Gan for to change/ and said script ne bill  
For love of god/ that touchyth such matter  
Ne bring me none/ and also uncle dear  
To mine estate have more reward I prey  
Than to his lust/ what should I more say   

And lokyth now if this be reasonable  
And letteth not/ for favour ne for sloth  
To say a sooth/ now were it covenable  
To mine estate by god/ and by your trowth  
To take it/ to have of him rowth  
In harming of myself/ or reprove  
Bear it again/ for him that ye on leave   

This Pandarus/ 'gan on her for to stare  
And said now/ this is the most wondyr  
That ever I saw/ late be this nice fare  
To death moat I smite be/ with thondyr  
If for the city/ which that stondyth yondyr  
And I a lettyr to you/ bring or take  
To harm of you/ what lust ye this to make   

But thus ye far weal nigh/ all and some  
He that most desireth/ you to serve  
Of him ye retch least/ where he become  
Or whether that he live/ or else starve  
But for all that/ I may deserve  
Refuse it not quoth he/ and bend her fast  
And in her bosum/ down the letter thraft   

And said her/ cast it fast away anon  
That folk may/ see and gawre on us ●wey  
Quod she I can abide/ till they be gone  
And 'gan to smile/ and said Game I pray  
Such answer an you lice/ such yourself po●uey  
For truly/ I nyl no lettir write  
No than will I/ so that ye indite   

I herewith she laugh/ and said go we dine  
And began at himself/ jape fast  
And said ne●● I/ have so great a pine  
For love that every othyr day I fast  
And 'gan his japrs/ best forth to cast  
And make her so to laugh/ of buy folly  
That she for laughtir/ wend for to die   

And when she was comen/ in to the hall  
Now eme quoth she/ we will go dine an one  
And 'gan some of her women/ to call  
And straight unto her chambyr/ 'gan she gone  
But of her business/ this was one  
Among other things/ out of dread  
Full privily/ this letter 'gan she read   

Auysed word by word in every line  
And fond no lack/ she thought he could good  
And up it put and went her in to dine  
But Pandarus/ that in study stood  
Or he was ware/ she took him by the hood  
And said ye were caught/ or that ye wist  
I vouchsafe quod he/ do what ye list   

though wysshen they/ and set 'em down to eat  
And after anon/ full slily Pandarus  
'Gan draw him to the window/ next the street  
And said niece/ who hath arrayed thus  
That yondy● house/ that stont/ aforyenst us  
Which house quoth she/ and come for to behold  
And knew it weal/ & whose it was him told   

And fellen forth/ in speech of things small  
And satin in the window/ both twey  
When Pandarus saw time/ unto his tale  
And saw well/ her folk were a weigh  
Now niece mine tell on/ quod he I say  
How liketh you this letter/ that ye wot  
Can he there on/ for by my trowth I note   

Therewith all rose hewed/ though wax she  
And 'gan to homme/ ye so I trow  
And write to him weal for God's sake quod he  
Myself to medes/ will the letter sow  
And held his hands up/ and fell on know  
Now good niece be it never so light  
give me the labour/ it to sow and plight   

Ye for I can so write quod she tho  
And eke I note/ what I shul to him say  
Nay niece quod Pandar/ say not so  
Yet at the lest/ thank him I you prey  
Of his good will/ o do him not to they  
Now for the love of me/ my niece dear  
Refuse not at this time/ my prayer   

God grant quoth she/ all thing be weal  
God help me so this is the first lettyr  
That ever I wrote/ ye or any deal  
And in to a closet/ for to advise her better  
She went anon/ and 'gan her heart unfettyr  
Out of dysdeygnous prison let a light  
She set her down/ and 'gan a lettyr write   

Of which to tell/ in short is mine intent  
Theffect as fer/ as I can understand  
She thanked him of all/ that he weal meant  
Towardis her/ but holden him in hand  
She would not/ ne make her self bond  
In love but as his sister/ him to please  
She would ay fain/ do his heart ease   

She shut it/ and to Pandar 'gan gone  
There as he sat/ and lookid in to the street  
And down she set her/ by him on a stone  
Of jasper upon a qwysshon/ of gold I beat  
And said as wisely/ help me god the great  
I never did a thing/ with more pain  
Than write this/ to which ye me constrain   

And took it him/ he thanked here and saide  
God wot of thing/ full oft both begun  
cometh end good/ and niece mine Criseyde  
That ye to him/ of hard now be won  
Ought he be glad/ by god and by yond son  
For why men say/ impressions light  
Full lightly been all/ ready to the flight   

But ye have played/ the tyrant nigh to long  
And hard was it/ yowre heart for to grave  
Now stynt that ye/ not longer on it hung  
All would the form/ of daungyer it save  
But hastyth you/ to do him joy to have  
For trustyth we'll/ to long y do hardness  
causeth despite full oft/ for distress   

And right as they declared this 〈…〉 ere  
Lo Troilus right/ at the stretis end  
Come riding/ with his people in fear  
Al softly/ and thitherward 'gan bent  
There as they sat/ as was his weigh to wend  
To palace ward/ and Pander him espied  
And said niece/ lo who 〈◊〉 here now ride   

O flee not in/ he seeth us as I suppose  
Lest he may think/ that we him eschew  
Nay nay quoth she/ and wax as red as rose  
With that he 'gan/ her humbly salew  
With dreadful cheer/ and oft his hue was new  
And up his heed/ debonayrly he cast  
And bekened on Pandar/ and forth he past   

God wot if he sat/ on his horse a right  
Or goodly was beseen/ that ilk day  
God wot whether he was like a manly knight  
What should I dretche/ or tell of his array  
Criseyde which that/ all these thing say  
To tell in short/ her liked all in fere  
His person his array ● his look his cheer   

His goodly manner/ and his gentilesse  
So well that never/ sith she was born  
Ne had she such rowth/ of his distress  
And though she had be hard/ there toforn  
To good hope/ she hath now caught a thorn  
She shall not pull it out/ this next wyke  
God send her more such/ thorns on to pike   

Pandar which that stood her fast by  
Felt the iron hot/ and began to smite  
And said niece/ I pray you heartily  
Tell me that I sh〈…〉  
A woman 〈…〉 to wite  
Without 〈…〉 rowth  
Were it which 〈…〉 by my trowth   

God help m 〈…〉 y me sooth  
If ye feel you 〈…〉 ot lie  
Lo yond he r 〈…〉 o he doth  
We'll quod P 〈…〉/ as I have told you thry  
Late be you 〈…〉 ame/ and folly  
And speak 〈…〉 ym him/ in easing of his heart  
Late nycete not d 〈…〉 you both to smart   

But thereon was/ to have and to done  
Considered all thing/ it may not so be  
And why for speech/ and eke it were to soon  
To grant him yet/ so great a liberty  
For plainly her intent/ as said she  
Was for to love him/ unwist if she might  
And guerdon him with nothing/ but with sight   

But pander thought/ it should not be so  
If that I may this nice opinion  
Shall not be hold/ fully years too  
What should I make of this/ a long sermon  
She must assent/ on that conclusion  
As for the time/ and when that it was eve  
And all was we'll/ he rose and took his leave   

And on his way homeward/ full fast him sped  
And right for joy/ he felt his heart dance  
And Troilus he fond/ alone a bed  
That lay as done/ these lovers in a trance  
Betwyx hope/ and derst desperaunce  
But Pander right/ all his in coming  
He sang as who saith/ somewhat I bring   

And said who is in high bed so soon  
Y buried thus/ it am I friend quoth he  
Who Troilus nay/ help me so the moon  
Quod Pandarus/ th' 〈…〉  
A charm that was 〈…〉  
The which can he'll 〈…〉  
So that thou do forthwith 〈…〉   

Ye through the might of g 〈…〉   
And Pandarus/ 'gan him 〈…〉  
And said pardieux/ god 〈…〉  
Have here a light/ & look over a 〈…〉  
But oft 'gan his heart/ glad and a 〈…〉  
Of Troilus while he 'gan it read  
So as the words/ gave him hoop and dread  

But finally/ he took all for the best  
That she him wrote/ for somewhat he beheld  
On which he thought/ he might his heart rest  
All covered she the word/ undyr shield  
Thus to the more worthier/ part he held  
That what for hope/ and Pandarus behest  
His great woe foryeede/ at the least   

But as we may alday/ our seluen see  
The more wood and cool/ the more fire  
Right so encreas of hope/ what so it be  
Therewith full oft/ encreasith his desire  
Or as an Oak/ cometh of a little spire  
So through this letter/ which that she him sent  
Increase 'gan desire/ with which he brent   

Wherefore I say alway/ that day and night  
This Troilus/ 'gan to desire more  
Than he died erst/ through hope & did his might  
To preacen on/ as by Pandarus lore  
And wrote unto her/ of his sorrows sore  
Fro day to day/ he let it not refreyde  
That by pander somewhat he wrote or saide   

And did also his other observances  
That to a lover/ longyth in this case  
And after that his dice/ turned on chances  
So he was other glad/ or said alas  
And held after his gifts/ ay his pas  
As after such answer as he had  
So were his daye● 〈◊〉 other glad   

But to pander alway/ was his recours  
And piteously 'gan/ unto him pleyne  
And him besought/ of rede or some socours  
And Pandarus saw his woodely pain  
Wax weal nigh deed/ for rowth sooth to say  
And besily with all his heart he cast  
Some of his woe to slay/ and that as fast   

And said lord/ and friend/ and brother dear  
God wot that thy disease/ doth me woe  
But wilt thou stint/ all this woeful cheer  
And by my troth/ or it be days two  
And god to forn/ yet shall I shape it so  
That thou shalt come/ in to a certain place  
Theridamas as thou mayst thyself/ prey her of grace   

And certainly I note/ if thou it wost  
But tho that been expert/ in love I say  
It is one of the things/ that furtherith most  
A man to have a leisure/ for to prey  
And siker place his woe for to bewray  
For in good heart/ there must rowth impress  
To her that seeth/ the guiltless in distress   

peradventure thinkest thou/ though it be so  
That kind would done/ for to begin  
To have a manner rowth/ upon my woe  
saith daungyer nay thou shalt me never win  
In that manner for no manner gin  
Though that she bend yet/ she stant on Root  
What in effect is this/ unto my boot   

Than there against/ when that the sturdy oak  
On which men hack/ oft for the nonce  
received hath/ the happy falling struck  
The great sweyght/ doth it fall at ones  
As done these rokkes/ to the millstones  
For swyfter course/ cometh thing of weight  
When it descendyth/ than done things ●●ght   

But Reed that bowyth down/ with every blast  
Full lightly with the wind/ it will arise  
But so nyl not an oak/ when it is cast  
It needeth me not/ the long to devise  
Men should rejoice/ of great emprise  
Achevyth we'll/ and stondyth out of doubt  
Al have men been/ the longer there about   

But Troilus now tell me if the lest  
A thing the which/ I shall ask the  
Which is the brother/ that thou lovest best  
As in thy very hearts privity  
iwis my dear brother/ Deyphebe  
Now quoth Pandar/ or houris twice twelve  
He shall the ease/ unwyst of himself   

Now let me alone/ and work as I may  
Quod he/ and to deyphebus went he though  
Which had his lord/ and great friend been ay  
Save Troilus noman he loved so  
To tell in short/ without words more  
Quod Pandarus/ I pray you that ye be  
Friend to a cause/ which that touchyeth me   

Yis pard quod Deyphebus/ well thou wost  
In all that ever I may/ and god to fore  
All near it but for oo man/ that I love most  
My brother Troilus/ but say me wherefore  
It is for sith the day/ that I was boar  
I nas nor nevermore/ to be I think  
against a thing/ that might the forthynk   

Pandarus 'gan him thank/ and thus he saide  
Lo sire I have a lady in this town  
That is my niece/ and called is Criseyde  
Which some men would do oppression  
And wrongfully have her possession  
Wherefore your lordship/ I you beseech  
To be our friend without more speech   

Deiphobus answered/ is it this  
That thou to me spack of/ so strangely  
Criseyde my friend/ he said she is  
Than needeth quod Deiphobus/ hardily  
no more of this for trusteth well that I  
Will be her champioun/ with spear and sword  
I wrought not/ though all her foes it herd   

But tell me/ for thou wost this matter  
I might her best avail/ now late see  
Quod Pandarus/ if ye my lord so dear  
Would as now do/ this honour unto me  
To prayen her this/ to morrow that she  
Come unto you/ her plaints to devise  
Her adversaries/ would thereof agryse   

Lord if that more/ I durst you prey as now  
And charge you to have so great travail  
To have some of your brethren/ here with you  
Than might her cause/ the better avail  
Than wot I well/ she might never fail  
For to be holp/ what at your instance  
What with her othyr friends/ sustenance   

Deiphobus which that was/ come of kind  
To all honour/ and bounty to consent  
Answered it shall be done/ and I can find  
Yet greater help to this/ in mine intent  
That wilt thou say/ if for Heleyne I sent  
To speak of this/ I trow it be best  
For she may lead Paris/ as her jest   

For Hector which that is my lord my brother  
It needeth not to pray him friend to be  
For I have herd him/ both one time and other  
Speke of Criseyde such honour that he  
May say no bet/ such hap to him hath she  
So needeth not his help/ now for to crave  
He shall be such/ right as we will him have   

Speke thou thyself also to Troilus  
On my behalue/ and pray him with us dine  
Sir all this shall be do/ quod Pandarus  
And took his leave/ and never 'gan to fine  
But to his neecis house/ as straight as a line  
He come and fond her/ from the meet arise  
And set him down/ & spack right in this wise   

He said/ O very god so have I run  
Lo niece mine/ see ye not how I sweet  
I note whether the more/ ye me thank con  
Be ye not ware/ how falls Poliphete  
Is now about/ eftsoons to plete  
To bring on you/ advocatis new  
I no quoth she/ and changed all her hew   

What is he more about/ me to dretche  
And do me wrong/ what shall I do alas  
Yet of himself/ nothing would I retch  
Ne'er it for Antenor and Aeneas  
That been his friends/ in such manner cas  
But for the love of god/ mine uncle dear  
No forhis of it/ let him have all yfere   

Without that I have enough for us  
Nay quod Pandar/ it shall nothing be so  
For I have be right now/ with Deiphobus  
At Hector/ and mine other lords moo  
And shortly made each of them/ his foo  
That by my thrift/ he shall it never win  
For aught he can/ when so that he begin   

And as they cast/ what was best to done  
Deiphobus/ of his own courtesy  
Came her to pray/ in his own propyr person  
To hold him/ on the morrow company  
At dinner which she would/ him not deny  
But goodly 'gan/ to his prayer obey  
He thankyth her/ and went upon his weigh   

When this was done this pander up anon  
To tell in short/ forth he 'gan to wend  
To Troilus as still as any stone  
Of all this thing he told him word and end  
And how he Deiphobus 'gan to blend  
And said now is time/ if that thou con  
Bear the weal to morrow/ and all is won   

Now speak now prey/ now piteously complain  
Leave not for nice shame/ or dread or sloth  
Sometime a man moat/ tell his own pain  
believe it and she will have/ on the rowth  
Thou shalt be saved/ by thy faith in trowth  
But we'll wot I thou art in a dread  
And what it is/ lo I can it read   

Thou thinkest now/ how shall I do all this  
For by my cheer/ must folk espy  
That for love is/ that I far amiss  
Yet had I liefer iwies/ for sorrow die  
Now think not so/ thou dost great folly  
For I right now/ have found a manner  
Of sleight/ for to cover all thy chyere   

Thou shalt go over night/ and that as belive  
Unto Deiphobus house/ the to play  
Thy malady the bet/ away to drive  
For why thou semyst sick/ the sooth to say  
Soon after that/ down in thy bed the lay  
And say thou mayst/ no longer up endure  
And be right there/ and bide thy aveuture   

Say that the fever/ is wont the to take  
The same time/ and last till a morrow  
And let see now/ how well thou kanst it make  
For pard sick is he that is in sorrow  
Go now fare we'll/ and venus' here to borrow  
I hope and thou/ thy purposes hold farm  
In grace she shall/ the fully confirm   

Quod Troilus ywys/ thou needles  
Counseylest me/ sickerly to feign  
For I am sick/ in earnest doubtless  
So well nigh that/ I starve for the pain  
Quod Pandarus/ thou shalt the better plain  
And hast the lass need/ to countrefete  
For him men dame hot/ that men see sweet   

Lo hold the at thy Trist clos/ and I  
Shall weal the dear/ unto thy low drive  
Therewith he took his leave/ all softly  
And Troilus to palace went belive  
So glad he nas/ never in all his live  
And to Pandarus read/ 'gan all assent  
And to Deiphobus house/ at night he went   

What needeth you/ to tell of the cheer  
That Deiphobus 'gan his brothyr make  
Or his access/ or his sikely manner  
How men him 'gan/ with clothes lad  
When he was laid/ & how men did him glade  
But all for nought/ he held forth his guise  
As ye have herd/ Pandar him devise   

But certain is/ or Troilus him laid  
Deiphobus prayed him/ over night  
To be a friend and helping to Criseyde  
God wot that he/ it granted anon right  
To be her full friend/ with all his might  
But such a need it was/ to pray him then  
As for to bid/ a wood man to run   

The morrow come/ and nyghen 'gan the time  
Of meal tide/ that the fair queen heleyne  
Shoope her to be/ a hour after the prime  
With deiphobus/ to whom she would not feign  
But as his sister/ homely soothe to say  
She come to dyner/ in her plain intent  
But god & Pandar/ wist none what this meant   

Come eke Criseyde all innocent of this  
Antigone her sister and Targe also  
But i'll we now prolixity best is  
For love of god and let us fast go  
Right to th'effect/ without talis moo  
Why all this folk/ assembled in that place  
And let us of their salowynges place   

great honour did 'em Deiphobus certain  
And fed 'em well/ with all that might hem like  
But evermore alas/ was his refreyne  
My good brother/ Troilus the sick  
Lieth yet/ and therewith all he 'gan to sick  
And after that/ he pained him to glade  
Hem as he might/ and good cheer hem made   

complained eke Heleyne/ of his sickness  
So faithfully/ that pity was to here  
And every wight than/ was for that access  
A leech anon/ and saide in this manner  
Men curen folk/ this charm I will you 〈◊〉  
But there sat one/ all list her not to 〈◊〉  
That thought/ yet best cowd I be his lec●●   

After complaint/ than 'gan they him to praise  
As folk done yet/ when some han begun  
To praise a man/ and up with him to raise  
A thousand fold/ yet higher than the son  
He is that can/ that few lords con  
And Pandarus of that/ they would affirm  
He not forgot/ his praising to confirm   

Herd all this/ Cryseyde well enough  
And every word/ 'gan to notyfye  
For which with sober cheer/ her heart lowgh  
For who is that/ nold him glorify  
To moon such a knight/ to live or die  
But all pass I/ lose ye to long dwell  
For all is/ for a fine that I you tell   

To time come/ from dyner for to rise  
And as them aught/ they risen everychon  
And 'gan a while/ of this and that devise  
But Pandarus/ broke all that speech anon  
And said to Deiphobus/ will we gone  
If your will be/ as I you prayed  
To speak here of the needs/ of Criseyde   

Heleyne which that/ by the hand her held  
Took first the tale/ and said gowe belive  
And goodly on Criseyde she beheld  
And said iovis late him never thrive  
That doth you harm/ & bring himself of live  
And give me sorrow/ but he shall it rue  
If that I may/ and all folks be true   

Tell thou thy neecis case/ quod Deiphobus  
To Pandarus/ for thou canst best it tell  
My lords and my ladies it stant thus  
What should I longer/ do you dwell  
He rung him out a process like a bell  
Upon her foo/ that height poliphete  
So heinous that men/ might on it spete   

Answered of this each of them/ worse than other  
And poliphete/ thus 'gan they waryens  
An hanged lo such one/ were he my brother  
And so it shall/ for it may not varien  
What should I longer/ in this process tarryen  
Plainly all at ones/ they her behyght  
To be her friend/ in all that ever they might   

Spack than heleyne/ and herd Pandarus  
Wot aught my lord my brother this matter  
I mean Hector/ or wot it Troilus  
He said ye/ but will ye now me here  
Me thinketh this/ sith Troilus is here  
It were good/ if that ye would assent  
She told him herself/ all this or she went   

For he will have the more/ her grief at heart  
By cause loo/ that she a lady is  
And by your leave/ I will but in start  
And do you wite/ and that anon ywys  
If that he sleep/ or will aught here of this  
And in he leepe/ and said him in his ear  
God have thy soul brought I have thy bear   

To smylen 'gan/ of this Troilus  
And Pandarus/ without restoning  
Out went anon/ to Heleyne and Deiphobus  
And said 'em so/ there be no tarrying  
Ne more I will well/ that ye bring  
Criseyde anon/ my lady that is here  
As he may endure/ he will you here   

But well ye wot/ the chambre is but light  
And few folk may lightly/ make it warm  
Now looketh ye/ for I will have no wite  
To bring in pr●●s/ that might do him h●rme  
●r him disease/ for my better arm  
Where it be ●●t/ she abide till eft son is  
Now look ye that know/ what to do is   

I say for me best is/ as I can know  
That no wight now wend in but ye ●wey  
But it were for I can in a throw  
rehearse her cause/ unlike that she can say  
And after this/ she may him oones prey  
To be her good lord/ in short and take her leave  
This may not much/ of his ease him true   

And for that she is strange/ he will forbear  
His ease which he dare not for you  
Eke other things/ which touchyth not to her  
He will you tell/ I wot it well enough  
That secret is/ and for the towns prow  
And she that nothing knew/ of this intent  
Without more/ to Troilus in went   

Heleyne in all her goodly soft wise  
'Gan him sa●●w/ and wommanly play  
And said ywys/ ye moat algate arise  
Now fair brother/ be all hole I you prey  
And 'gan her arm/ upon his shoulder ley  
And him with all her heart/ she 'gan dysport  
As she best could/ of sorrow him to comfort   

Soon after quoth she/ we you byseke  
My dear brother Deiphobus/ and I  
For love of god/ and so doth Pandar eke  
To be good lord/ and friend right heartily  
Unto Criseyde which that certainly  
receiveth wrong/ as wot well here Pandar  
That can her cas/ well bet than I declare   

This Pandarus/ 'gan now his tongue affyle  
And all her case rehearsed/ and that anon  
When it was said/ soon after in a while  
Quod Troilus/ as soon as I may gone  
I will right fain/ with all my might anon  
Have god my trowth/ her cause to sustain  
good thrift have ye/ quod Heleyne the queen   

Quod Pandadas/ and yet your will be  
That she may take her leave/ or that she go  
Now else god forbid it though quoth she  
If that she vouchsafe/ for to do so  
And with that word/ quod Troilus you two  
Deiphebe/ and ye my sister dear  
To you have I to speak/ of a matter   

To be advised/ by your advise the bettir  
And had as hap was/ at his beddis heed  
The copy of a tretice/ and a lettyr  
That Hector had him sent/ to askyn read  
If such a man/ were worthy to be deed  
Note I not who/ but in a grisly wise  
He prayed 'em both anon/ on it advice   

Deiphobus/ 'gan this lettyr unfold  
In earnest great/ so died heleyne the qwene  
And roaming outward/ fast 'gan it behold  
downward a stair/ and in to an herber green  
This ilk thing/ they redden hem between  
And largely/ the montenaunce of an honre  
They gone on it/ for to read and power   

Now let hem read/ and turn we anon  
To Pandarus/ that 'gan full fast pry  
That as well in and out/ 'gan he gone  
Unto the chambre a fit/ and that on high  
And said god save all this company  
Come now my need/ my lady awene Heleyne  
Abydyth you/ and eke my lords ●weyne   

Rise take with you/ your near Antigone  
Or whom ye list/ or nofors hardyly  
The less press the bet/ come forth with me  
And look that ye thank humbely  
Hem all three/ and when ye may goodly  
your time see/ taketh of 'em your leave  
Lest we to long/ his rest him bereave   

All innocent/ of Pandarus intent  
O vod though C●seydes/ go we uncle dear  
And arm in arm/ inward with him she went  
Auysing well her words/ and her cheer  
And Pandarus/ in earn fullest manner  
say all folk/ for God's love I prey  
Styntyth right here/ and softly ye play   

Auyse ye what folk/ been here wythynne  
And in what plyer one is/ god him amend  
And ynward thus/ full softly begin  
Niece I conjure/ and highly defend  
On his half/ which that us soul hath send  
And in the virtue/ of the corownes twain  
Sle not this man/ that hath for you this pain   

Fie on the devil/ think which one be is  
And in what plight he lieth/ come of anon  
think all such tarried tied/ lost is  
That will ye both say/ when ye been one  
And sikerly there yet/ dyvyneth none  
Upon you two/ come of now if ye con  
While folk is blended/ lo all the time is won   

In tytering in pursuit/ and delays  
Folk will divine/ at wagging of a stre  
That though ye would/ have after merry days  
Than dare ye not for why/ for he and he  
Spack such a word/ thus lookid she and she  
Thus time y lost/ I dare not with you deal  
Come of therefore/ and bring him to his heel   

But now to you/ ye lovers that been here  
Was not trroylus/ in a cankerdort  
That lay & might/ the whyspring of her here  
And thought o lord/ now rennyth my sort  
Fully to die/ or have no comfort  
And was the first time he should her prey  
Of love/ o mighty god what shall I say   
¶ Here endeth the second book   

¶ And here beginneth the prologue of the third book  

O Blissful light of which the beams clear  
adorneth/ all the high heavens fair  
O sons life/ O jovys daughter d●re  
Pbe sans o love/ o goodly debonair  
In gentle hearts/ ready to repair  
O very cause of hele/ and of gladness  
Y heryed be thy might/ and thy goodness   

In heaven and hell/ earth and see  
Is first thy might/ if that I well discern  
As man bride best/ fyssh herb and green tree  
The field in times/ with vapour eterne  
God loveth and to love/ he will not werne  
And in this world/ no lives creature  
Without love is worth/ or may endure   

In iovis first/ to thylk effectis glade  
through which that things/ lyven all and be  
commended/ and amoureux hem made  
O mortal thing/ and as thou list ay see  
gave hem in love/ ease or adversity  
And in a thousand forms/ down hem sent  
To love in earth/ and whom ye list is blended   

The fierce Mars/ to apesyn of his Ire  
And as ye list me make hearts dign  
Algatis hem/ that ye will set a fire  
That dreaden shame/ and vices yet resign  
Ye to hem courteous/ fressh be and benign  
And hem promotith/ after a wight entendyth  
The joy that he hath/ your might him fendyth   

Ye holdyn reign and house/ in unity  
The soothfast cause/ and friendship be also  
Ye know all thylk/ covered quality  
Of things which that folks wondren on so  
That they can not constrewe/ how it may geo  
She loveth him/ or why loveth he not here  
Or why this fissh/ & not that cometh to the were   

The folk a law/ han set in universe  
And this know I/ by them that lovers be  
That who so strivyth with you/ hath the were  
Now lady bright/ for thy benignity  
At reverence of 'em/ that serven the  
whose clerk I am/ teach me devise  
Some joy of that/ is felt in thy service   

Ye in my naked/ hearts sentement  
In eld/ and do me show of thy witness  
Calliope/ thy days been now present  
For now is need/ seest thou not my distress  
How I must tell anon/ right the gladness  
Of Troilus to venus heryeng  
To which gladness who need hath god him bring   
¶ Here endeth the prologue   

¶ And here beginneth the third book  

LAy all this mean while Troilus  
Recording his lesson/ in this manner  
Mafey thought he/ thus will I say & thus  
Thus will I plain/ unto my lady dear  
That word is good/ & that shall be my matter  
This will I not for getten/ in no wise  
God lyeve he work/ as he 'gan devise   

And lord so his heart/ 'gan though to whappe  
Hearing her come/ and sore for to sick  
And Pandarus/ that lad her by the lap  
Come near and 'gan/ in at the curteyn pike  
And said god do boat/ on all sick  
See who is here/ you common to visit  
Lo here is she/ that is your death to wite   

Therewith it seemed/ that he wept almost  
A ha god/ quod Troilus so sorrowfully  
Where me be woe/ o might god thou wost  
Who is all there/ I see not truly  
Sir quoth Criseyde/ it is Pandar and I  
Ye sweet heart/ Alas I may not rise  
To kneel and do you honour/ in some wise   

And dressid him upward/ and she right though  
Bygan her hands soft/ upon him lay  
O for the love of god/ do ye not so  
To me quoth she/ what is this to say  
Sir come 〈◊〉 I to you/ for cause's fifty  
first you to thank/ of your good lordship eke  
continuance thereof/ I you byseke   

Troilus that herd thus/ his lady pray  
Of lordship him was neither/ quick ne deed  
Ne might one word/ for shame to her say  
And though men should have smite of his head  
But lord so he was/ suddenly red  
And his lesson/ that he wend had con  
To pray her/ was through his heart y ronne   

Criseyde all this espied well enough  
For she was wise/ & loved him never the lass  
Al though he were not malaꝑt/ & made it tough  
Or was to bold/ to sing a fool a mass  
But when his shame/ began somewhat to pass  
His words as I may/ my rhymes hold  
I will you tell/ as techen books old   

In changed voice/ right for his lady dread  
Which voice eke quoke/ & thereto his manner  
goodly abashed and now his hyewes read  
Now pale unto Criseyde his lady dear  
With look down cast/ and humble lowly cheer  
Lo altherfyrst word/ that him astart  
Was twice mercy mercy sweet heart   

And stint a while/ & when he might out bring  
The next word was/ god wot for I have  
As farforth as I have had cunning  
Be yowres all/ so god my soul save  
And shall till that/ I woeful wight be grave  
And though I ne dare/ ne can to you complain  
Y iwis I suffer not/ the alas pain   

Thus moche as now/ o wommanly wife  
I may out bring/ and if it you displease  
That shall I wreak/ upon mine own life  
Right soon I trow/ and do your heart and ease  
If with my death/ yowre heart may appease  
For sith ye have me herd/ somewhat say  
Now retch I never/ how soon that I die   

Therewith his manly sorrow/ to behold  
It might hath made an heart/ of stone to rue  
And Pander wept/ as he to water would  
And said woe-begone/ been hearts true  
And prokid ever his niece/ new and new  
For love of god/ make of this thing an end  
Or slay us both at ones/ or we hens wend   

Ey what quoth she/ by god and by my trowth  
I wot not what ye would that I say  
I what quoth he/ that ye have of him rowth  
For God's love/ and do him not to they  
Now than quoth she thus I would him prey  
To tell me the fine of his intent  
Yet wist I never/ well what he meant   

What that I mean/ o sweet heart dear  
Quod Troilus/ o goodly fresh fire  
With the streams/ of your eyen clear  
Ye would friendly/ sometime on me see  
And that ye suffer/ that I never be he  
Without branch of vice/ in any wise  
You for to serve/ like as ye will devise   

As to my lady right/ and chief resort  
And all my wit/ and all my diligence  
And I to have right as you list comfort  
Vndyr your yard equal/ to mine offence  
As death/ ye if I do any offence  
And that ye list me/ so much honour  
Me to coumaunde/ aught in any hour   

And I to be your/ very humble true  
Secret/ and in my pains patient  
And evermore desire/ freshly new  
To serve and be/ alike  
And with good heart/ all holy your talon  
receive in gree/ how sore that me smart  
Lo thus mean I/ mine own sweet heart   

Quod Pandarus lo here/ a hard request  
And reasonably/ a lady for to werne  
Now niece mine/ by natal iovis fest  
Were I a god/ ye should starve as yearn  
That hearen well this man/ nothing yearn  
But your honour/ and see him almost starve  
And be so loath/ to suffer him you to serve   

With that she 'gan her eyen/ on him cast  
Full easily/ and full debonayrly  
Auysing her/ and hied her not to fast  
With never a word/ but said him sobyrby  
Mine honour safe/ I will well truly  
And in such form/ as ye con devise  
receiven him fully/ to my service   

Beseeching him/ for God's love that he  
Would in honour trowth/ and gentleness  
As I wel● mean/ eke mean he well to me  
And mine honour/ with all business  
Ay keep if I may/ & do him gladness  
From henceforth/ ywys I will not feign  
Now beth all hole/ no longer that ye plain   

But natheless/ this warn I you quoth she  
A kings son/ though ye be ywys  
Ye shul no more/ have sovemynte  
Of me in love/ right but as in that cas is  
Ne I nyl forbear/ if ye don amiss  
To wrath you/ and while ye me serve  
Cherissh you right after you deserve   

And shortly dear heart and all my knight  
Beth glad and draw you/ to lustiness  
And I shall truly/ with all my might  
your bitter torn/ all in to sweetness  
If I be she/ that may do you gladness  
For every woe/ ye shul recover a bliss  
And him in arms took/ and 'gan him kiss   

Fill Pandar on knees/ and up his eyen  
To heaven he threw/ and held his hands high  
Immortal god quoth he/ that mayst not dyen  
Cupid I mean/ of this mayst glorify  
And Venus thou mayst/ make melody  
Wythouten hand/ me seemeth that in town  
For this miracle/ I here each bell sown   

But ho no more as now/ of this matter  
For why this folk/ will come up anon  
That have the letter red/ o I hem here  
But I adjourn thee/ Criseyde anon  
And the Troilus/ that when thou mayst gone  
That at mine house/ ye be at my warning  
For I full well/ shall shape your coming   

And easith there your hearts/ right enough  
And let see which of you/ shall here the bell  
To speak of love/ a little therewith he lowgh  
For there have ye/ a lyser for to tell  
Quod Troilus/ how long shall it dwell  
Or this be do quoth he/ when thou mayst rise  
This thing shall be/ right as I devise   

With that Heleyne/ and eke Deiphobus  
Than comen upward/ at the stair end  
And lord so to groan/ though 'gan Troilus  
His brothyr and his sustir/ for to blend  
Quod Pandarus time is that we wend  
Take niece mine/ yowre leave at all three  
And let hem speak/ and come forth with me   

She took her leave/ at hem full honestly  
As she weal cowd/ and her reverence  
Unto the full/ they dieden hardyly  
And wonder well spack/ in her absence  
Of her in praising/ of her excellence  
Her governance her wit/ and her manner  
Commending it/ that joy it was to here   

Now let her wend/ to her own place  
And torn we/ to Troilus again  
That 'gan full lightly/ of the letter pace  
That Deiphe●us/ had in the garden seen  
And of Heleyne and him he would feyn  
delivered be and said that him lest  
To sleep and after talis to have rest   

Heleyne him kissed and took/ her leave belive  
Deiphobus eke/ and home went every wight  
And pandarus/ as fast as he may drive  
To Troilus come/ though as belive right  
And on a paylet/ all that glad night  
By Troilus he lay/ with blissful cheer  
To talk and well was hem/ they were in fere   

When every wight was voided/ but they two  
And all the doors/ were fast shut  
To tell in short/ withouten words more  
This Pandarus/ without any let  
Up rose and upon his beddis side/ him set  
And 'gan to speak/ in a sober wise  
To Troilus/ as I shall you now devise   

Mine alther best lord/ and brother dear  
God would and thou/ that it sat me so sore  
When I the saw/ so languishing to year  
For love of which/ the woe wax evermore  
That I with all my might/ and my lore  
Have ever sith/ do my business  
To bring the to joy/ out of distress   

And have it brought/ to such plight as thou wost  
So that through me/ thou stondyst now in weigh  
To far we'll/ I say it for no lost  
And wost thou why/ for shame it is to say  
For the have I begun/ a game to play  
Which that I never do shall/ eft for other  
All though he were/ a thousand fold my brother   

That is to say/ for the am I becomen  
Betwyx game and earnest/ such a mean  
As maken women/ unto men comen  
Thou wost thyself/ what that I would mean  
For the have I/ my niece of vices clean  
So fully made thy gentilesse to tryst  
That all shall be/ right as thyself list   

But god that all wot/ take I to witness  
That I never this/ for covetise wrought  
But only to abridge/ thy distress  
For which well nigh/ thou deydest as me thought  
But good brother/ do now as the aught  
For goods love/ and keep here out of blame  
So as thou art wise/ keep her out of shame   

For well thou woste the name is yet of her  
Among the people/ as who say hallowed is  
For never was yet wight/ I dare well swear  
That ever wist/ she did amiss  
But woe is me/ that I that cause all this  
May think/ that she is my niece dear  
And I her eme/ and traitor both I fere   

And were it wist/ that I through mine engine  
Had in my niece/ put this fantasy  
To do thy lust/ and holy to be thine  
Why all the people/ would upon it cry  
And say that I/ the worst treachery  
Died in this cas/ that ever was begun  
And she fordone/ & thou right nought y wonne   

Wherefore ere I will further go a pace  
The I pray eft/ though thou shouldest they  
That privity/ go with us in this case  
That is to say/ thou never us bewray  
And be not wroth/ though I the oft prey  
To hold secre/ such an high matter  
For skilful is/ thou wost well my prayer   

think what woe/ there hath betid or this  
For making of avauntiss/ as men read  
And what mischance/ yet in this world is  
Fro day to day/ right for that wicked deed  
For which these wise clerks/ that been deed  
Have write or this/ as yet men teach us young  
The first virtue is/ to keep the tongue   

And ner it that/ I would as now abredge  
Dyffusion of speech/ I could almost  
A thousand old stories the allege  
Of women through falls/ and foolis boast  
Proverbis canst thyself/ enough and wost  
again that vice/ for to be a lable  
Though men soothe say/ as often as they gabbe   

For tongue alas/ so oft here byforn  
Hath made full many a lady/ bright of few  
Say welawey the day/ that she was born  
And many a maiden/ sorrow for to new  
And for the more part/ all is untrue  
That men of yelp/ & it were brought to prove  
By reason none avauntour/ is to leave   

A vauntour and a liar/ all is one  
As thus I suppose/ a woman loveth me  
And saith certain/ that other will she none  
And I am sworn/ to hold it secre  
And after I go/ and tell it two or three  
Y iwis I am a vauntour/ at the jest  
And a liar/ in breaking of my behest   

Such manner folk/ what shall I clepe 'em what  
And look that I be right nought to blame  
That hem avaunt of women/ & say she is that  
That never yet/ in earnest nor in game  
knew her no more/ than the devils dame  
No wonder is/ so god me send hele  
Though women dread/ with us men to ●ele   

I say not this/ for no mistrust of you  
Ne for no wise man/ but for fools nice  
And for the harm/ that in the world is now  
As weal for folly used/ as for malice  
For weal I wot/ that wise folk that vice  
No woman dredyth/ if she be weal advised  
For wise folk been/ by foolis harms chastised   

But now to purpose/ lyef brother dear  
Have all this thing/ that I have said in mind  
And keep the close/ and be now of good cheer  
For at thy day/ thou shalt me true find  
I shall thy process/ set in such a kind  
And god tofore/ that it shall the suffice  
For it shall be right/ as thou will it devise   

For well I wot/ thou meanest well pard  
Therefore I dare this fully undyrtake  
Thou wost eke/ what thy lady granted the  
And day is set/ the charters up to make  
Have now good night/ I may no longer wake  
And bid for me/ sith thou art now in bliss  
That god the send death/ or soon lisse   

Who might tell/ half the joy or feast  
Which that the soul/ of Troilus though felt  
Hearing th'effect/ of Pandarus behest  
His old woe/ that made his heart swelled  
'Gan tho for joy/ to wasten and to melt  
And all the thoughtis/ of his sighs sore  
Atones fled/ he felt of them no more   

But right as these holtis/ and these hays  
That have been in winter/ deed and dryen  
Revesten hem in green/ when that may is  
When every lusty/ lysti●h for to pleyen  
Right in that self wise/ soothe for to sayen  
Wax suddenly his heart/ full of joy  
That gladder was there never man in Troy   

And 'gan his look/ on Pandarus up cast  
Full soberly/ and friendly unto see  
And said friend in Apryl the last  
Well thou wost/ if it remember the  
Well nigh the death/ for woe thou fond me  
And how thou didst/ all thy business  
To know of me/ the cause of my distress   

Thou wost how long/ I forbore to say  
To the that art the man/ that I best tryst  
And peril none was it/ to the bewreye  
That wist I well/ but tell me if the list  
sith I so both was/ that thy felt it wist  
How durst I more tell/ of this matter  
That qwake now/ and noman may us here   

But natheless by that god/ I the sweet  
That as him lice/ may all this world govern  
And if I lie/ A chylles with a spete  
My heart cleave/ all were my life a turn  
As I am mortal/ if I late or yearn  
Would it bewray/ it show or con  
For all the good/ that god made undyr the son   

But rather would I they/ and determine  
As thinketh me now/ stokked in prison  
In wretchedness in filth/ and vermin  
Captyf to cruel king A gamenon  
And this in all the templis/ of the town  
Upon the God's all/ will I the swear  
To morrow day/ if it likyth the to bear   

And that thou hast/ so much y do for me  
That I ne may/ it nevermore deserve  
This know I well/ all might I now for the  
A thousand times/ in a morrow starve  
I can no more/ but that I will the serve  
Right as thy slave/ whither so thou wend  
For evermore unto my lives end   

But here with all mine heart/ I the beseech  
That never in me/ thou dame such folly  
As I shall say/ me thought by thy speech  
That this that thou hast/ me for company  
Do/ I should dame it a bawdry  
I am not wood/ all if I lewd be  
It is not bawdry/ that wot I well pard   

But he that goth/ for gold or for rings  
On such message/ call hem what the lest  
But this that thou dost/ for gentleness  
Compassion fellowship and trust  
Depart it so/ for wide where is wist  
How that there is/ diversity required  
Betwyx's things/ like as I have lerid   

And that thou know/ I think not ne ween  
That this service/ a shame be or a jape  
I have my fair sustyr/ Polyxena  
Cassandre Heleyne/ or any of the frape  
Be she never so fair/ ne so well y shape  
Tell me which thou wilt/ of everichone  
To have for thine/ and let me than alone   

But sith thou hast do me this service  
My life to save/ and for no hope of meed  
So for the love of god/ this great emprise  
Perform it ou●/ for now is most need  
For high or low/ without any dread  
I will alway/ thy hestis all keep  
Have now good night/ and late us both sleep   

Thus held 'em each of other/ well apaid  
That all the world ne might it amend  
And on the morrow/ when they were arrayed  
Each to his own need/ 'gan intend  
But Troilus thought/ as the fire he brende  
For sharp desire/ of hope and of pleasance  
He not forgot/ his wise governance   

But in himself with manhood 'gan restrain  
Each reckless deed/ and each brydeld cheer  
That all though that lyven/ soothe to say  
Ne should have wist/ by word ne manner  
What that he meant/ as touching this matter  
From every wight/ as fer as the cloud  
He was so wise/ and dyssimylen he could   

And all this while/ which I you devise  
This was his life with his full might  
By day he was/ in Martis high service  
That is to say/ in arms as a knight  
And for the most part/ the long night  
He lay and thought/ how that he might serve  
His lady ●est/ her thank for to deserve   

For why she fond him/ so dyseret in all  
So secret/ and of such obeisance  
That well she felt/ he was to her a wall  
Of styele a shield/ from every displeasance  
That to be/ in his good governance  
So wise he was/ she was no more afeard  
I mean as fer/ as aught to be required   

And Pandarus/ to qwykene alway the fire  
Was ever like/ priest and diligent  
To ease his friend/ was set all his desire  
He shof ay on/ he to and fro was sent  
He letters bear/ when Troilus was absent  
That never wight wist/ as in his friends need  
Ne bore him bet/ to do his friend to speed   

But now peradventure/ some men wait would  
That every word or look/ fond or cheer  
Of Troilus/ that I rehearse should  
In all this while/ unto his lady dear  
I trow it were/ a long thing to here  
Or of any wight/ that stant in such dysjoint  
His words all/ or every look to point   

Forsooth I have not herd/ it done or this  
In story none/ ne noman here I ween  
And though I would/ I cowd not ywys  
For there was some epystyl/ sent between  
That would as saith my author/ we'll contene  
An hundred verse/ of which him list not write  
How should I than/ a line of it indite   

But to the great effect/ that I say thus  
That standing in concord and quiet  
these ilk two/ Criseyde and Troilus  
As I have said/ in this time sweet  
Save only that/ oft time they might not meet  
Ne leysir had/ her spechis to fulfil  
It befell right/ as I shall you tell   

That pandarus/ which that always died his might  
Right for the fine that I speak of here  
As for to bring to his house some night  
His fair niece/ and Troilus yfere  
There as at leisure/ all this high matter  
Touching their love/ were at the full up bound  
Had as him thought/ a iyme thereto y found   

For he with great deliberation  
Had every thing/ that thereto might avail  
Forn cast/ and put in execution  
And nothyr left for cost/ ne for travail  
That none of hem should in nothing fail  
And for to be not espied there  
He thought we'll/ a impossible were   

And dreadless/ it clear was in the wind  
Of every pie/ and every let game  
Thus all is well/ and all this world is blind  
In this matter both wild and tame  
This timber is ready for to put in frame  
Us lacketh not/ but that we wyten would  
A certain hour/ in which she common should   

And Troilus that at his purveyance  
Knew at the full/ and waited on it ay  
Had here upon eke made/ his ordinance  
And fond his cause/ and eke all the array  
That if that he were missed/ night or day  
The while he was about this service  
That he was go/ to do his sacrifice   

And must at such a temple/ all ne wake  
And worship Appolo/ theridamas would he be  
And first to see/ the holy lau●er quake  
Or that Apollo/ spack out of the tree  
To tell him when/ the Grekis should i'll  
And for thy let him noman/ god forbid  
But pray Apollo/ that he would him speed   

Now is there little more/ for to done  
But Pondare up/ and shortly to say  
Right upon the changing/ of the moan  
When lightles is the world/ a night or twain  
And that the welkyn/ sho●pe him for to rain  
He straight a morrow/ unto his niece went  
Ye ha●e well herd/ the fine of his intent   

When he was there/ he 'gan anon to play  
As he was wont/ and at himself to jape  
And finally he swore/ and 'gan her say  
Both this and that/ she should him not escape  
Ne make him longer/ after her to gape  
But certainly/ she must by her leave  
Come soup with him/ at his house at eve   

At which she lough/ and 'gan her self excusen  
And said it raineth/ lo how should I gone  
Lat be qd he my friend/ ne seond not thus & musen  
This mote be done/ ye shul be there anon  
So at the last/ krof they fell at on  
And else soft he swore her in her err  
He would never come/ there as she were   

And she again/ 'gan him for to rowne  
And asked him/ if Troilus were there  
He swore her nay/ for he was out of town  
And said niece/ I pose that he were there  
Ye durst never have/ the more fere  
For rather than men/ should him espy  
Me were liefer/ a thousand fold to die   

not list mine Author/ fully to declaryn  
What that she thought/ when he said so  
That Troilus was/ out of town y faryn  
As if he said/ soothe thereof or no  
But that she granted/ with him for to go  
Without nayeng/ sith he her besought  
And as his niece/ obeyed as her ought   

But natheless than/ 'gan she him beseech  
All though with him to go/ was no fere  
For to be ware/ of ghostly people's speech  
That dremen things/ which that never were  
And we'll advise him/ whom he brought there  
And said eme/ sith I must you tryst  
Look all be well/ for I do as you list   

He swore her though/ by stokkes and by stones  
And by the God's/ that in heaven dwell  
Or else were him liefer/ fell and bones  
With Pluto king/ as deep be in hell  
As Cantalus/ what should I longer dwell  
When all was well/ he rose and took his leave  
And she to sonper come/ when it was eve   

With a certain/ of her own men  
And with her fair niece Antigone  
And other of her women/ nine or ten  
But who was glad/ who as trow ye  
But Troilus that stood/ and might it see  
through a little window/ in a stew  
There he shut was/ sith midnight in a mewe   

Vnwyst of every wight/ but of Pandar  
But now to purpose/ when that she was come  
With all joy/ and all friends far  
Her eme anon/ in arms hath her nome  
And after to the sowper/ all and some  
When time was to sowper they be fet  
God wot there was no dainty/ for to set   

And after sowper/ 'gan they to rise  
At ease well/ with hearts fresh and glade  
And well was him/ that cowd best devise  
To liken her/ or to lawghen her made  
He sung she played/ he told a tale of wade  
But at the last/ as every thing hath end  
She took her leave/ & nedis would home wend   

But o fortune/ executiyce of wyerdis  
O influence/ of these heavens high  
Sooth is that undyr god/ ye been our hyerdis  
Though to us/ been the causes w●ye  
This mean I now/ for she 'gan homeward high  
But executed was all/ beside her leave  
The God's will/ for which she must bleve   

The bend moon/ with her horns pale  
Saturn and juno in Cancro joined were  
That such a rain/ from heaven 'gan aua●●  
That every man and woman that was there  
Had of the smoky rain/ a very fere  
And Pander lough though/ and said then  
Now it were time/ a lady go hen   

But now good niece/ if I might ever please  
You any thing/ than pray I you quoth he  
To do mine heart/ as now so great an ease  
As for to dwell here/ this night with me  
For niece this is your own house pard  
Now be miry I say/ it is now no game  
To wend now home/ it were to me a shame   

Criseyde which that could/ qs much good  
As half a world took heed of his prayer  
And saw it rained/ and all was on a flood  
She thought as good cheap may I dwell here  
And grant it gladly/ with a friendly cheer  
And have a thank/ than grudge & than abide  
For home to gone/ it will not well betide   

I will quod she mine uncle lyef and dear  
sith that you list/ it skill is to be so  
I am right glad/ with you to dwellen here  
I said but a game/ that I would go  
iwis grant mercy/ niece quod he though  
Were it a game/ or sooth for to tell  
I am now glad/ sith that ye list dwell   

Thus all is well/ but though began a right  
The new joy/ and all the fest again  
But Pandarus/ if goodly had he might  
He would have hied her/ to bed full fain  
And said lord/ this is a huge rain  
This were a wedyr/ for to slepen in  
And that I read us/ soon to begin   

And niece wot ye/ where I shall you ley  
For that we shul not/ lig fer a sunder  
And for ye shul neither/ dare I say  
Here noise of rain/ ne of thunder  
By god right in my little closet yonder  
And I will in that little house alone  
By warden/ of your women everichone   

And in this myddyl chambre that ye see  
Shuln all your women/ sleepen fair & soft  
And all within/ shall your self be  
And if ye lig well to night/ come more oft  
And carith not for the wedir/ though it be aloft  
The wine was brought/ & when so that you lest  
Than is it time/ for to go to rest   

There was no more/ but thereafter soon  
They void drank/ and travers draw anon  
'Gan every wight/ that had nought to done  
More in the place/ out of the chambre gone  
And always in this mean while it rone  
And blue therewith/ so wondyrly loud  
That well nigh/ noman other here could   

though Pandarus/ right as him aught  
With women such/ as were her nyh about  
Full glad unto her beddis side her brought  
And took their leave/ and 'gan full low lout  
And said at this closet door/ without  
Right overthwert/ your women lyggen all  
That whom ye list of 'em/ ye may soon call   

So when she was in the closet laid  
And all her women forth by ordinance  
A bed were they/ as I have you saide  
This was no more/ to skip ne to trance  
But bodyn go to bed/ with mischance  
If any man was stirring/ any where  
And let them sleep/ that a bed were   

But Pandarus/ that we'll could each a deal  
The old dance/ and every point therein  
When that he saw/ that all thing was weal  
He thought he would/ upon his work begin  
And 'gan the styewe door/ alsoft unpynne  
And still as stone/ without longer let  
By Troilus adown/ he by him set   

And shortly to the point now for to gone  
Of all this thing/ he told him word & end  
And said make the ready/ right anon  
For thou shalt in to heaven bliss wend  
Now saint venus'/ thou me grace send  
Quod Troilus/ for never yet no need  
Had I or now/ ne halfuendel the dread   

Quod Pandarus/ ne dread the never a deal  
For it shall be right/ as thou wilt desire  
So thrive I this night/ I shall make it weal  
Or cast all the growel/ in the fire  
That blissful venus'/ this night me inspire  
Quod Troilus as wis/ as I the serve  
And ever bet and bet/ shall till I starve   

And if I had o Venus' full of mirth  
Aspectis bad of Mars or of Saturn  
Or through combust/ or let were in my birth  
Thy father pray/ all thylk harm dystorne  
Of grace/ and that I glad again may torn  
For love of him/ thou lovedyst in the shaw  
I mean Adeon/ that with the bore was slawe   

O jove eke/ for the love of the fair Europe  
The which in form of a bowl/ away the fet  
Now help and Mars with thy bloody Cope  
For love of Cipac/ thou me not ne let  
O Phoebus think/ when Diane her self shut  
Vndyr the bark/ and ran away for dread  
Yet for her love/ now help at this need   

Mercury for the love/ of her eke  
For which Pallas/ was with Aglaurus wroth  
Now help/ Diane and eke I the beseke  
That this viage/ be not to the loath  
O fatal sistren/ which or any clothe  
Me shapen was/ my destyne me spun  
So help to this work that is here begun   

Quod Pandarus/ thou wretched mouse's heart  
Art thou aghast/ so that the will the bite  
Why do on this furred cloak/ upon thy shirt  
And follow me for I will have the wite  
But bide and late me go/ a fore a light  
And with that word/ he 'gan undo the trap  
And Troilus he brought in by the lap   

The stern wind/ so loud gand to rout  
That no wight others noise/ might here  
And they that lay/ at the door without  
Full sikyrly they slept/ all in fear  
And Pandarus with a full sober cheer  
Goth to the door anon/ without let  
There as they lay/ and softly it shut   

And as he come ageynward/ full privily  
His niece a woke/ and asked who is there  
My dear niece quoth he/ it am I  
Ne wondryth not/ ne have of it no fere  
And near he come/ and said her in her 〈◊〉  
No word for the love of god I you beseech  
Late no wight arise/ and here of our speech   

What which weigh been ye come been diate  
Quod she and how/ ●●us vnwys● of 'em ass  
Here at this little trap door/ quod ●e  
Quod though Creseyde/ late me some wight call  
O god forbid that it should befall  
Quoth Pandarus/ that ye such folly wrought  
They might dame/ that they never ere thought   

It is not good a sleeping hound to wake  
Ne give a wight/ a cause to divine  
your women sleep/ all I undyrtake  
So that for them/ the heus men might mine  
And sleep will/ that till the son shine  
And when my tale brought is to an end  
Unwise right as I come/ so will I wend   

Now niece mine/ ye shul well undyrstond  
Quoth he so as ye women/ do men all  
That for to hold a man/ long in hand  
And him her lyef/ and dear heart call  
And make him an ●●e/ above a call  
I mean as love another/ in the mean while  
she doth her self a shame/ and him a guile   

Now whereby that I tell you/ all this  
Ye wot yourself as well as any wight  
How that your love/ all fully granted is  
To Troilus the worthiest knight  
One of this world/ and thereto trowth ye plight  
That but it were on him a long/ ye nold  
Him never falsen/ while ye live should   

Now stant it thus/ sith I fro you went  
This Troilus platly/ for to see  
Is through a gutter by a privy went  
In to my chambre come/ in all this rain  
Vnwyst of any manner wight certain  
Sauf of myself/ as wisely have I joy  
And by the faith/ I own Priam of Troy   

And he is come/ in such pain and distress  
I trow he be/ all fully wood by this  
He suddenly moat fall/ in to woodenesse  
But god help/ and why the cause is this  
He saith him told is/ of a friend of his  
How that ye should love/ one horast  
For sorrow of which/ this night will be his last   

Criseyde/ which that all this wonder herd  
'Gan therewith/ about her heart cold  
And with a sigh/ she suddenly answered  
Alas I wend/ who so talis told  
My dear heart/ would me not hold  
So lightly falls/ alas conceytis wrong  
What harm they do/ for now I live to long   

Horast alas/ and falsen Troilus  
I know him not/ god me help so quoth she  
Alas what wicked spirit/ told him thus  
Now certis eme/ to morrow and I him see  
I shall of that as fully excusen me  
As ever did woman if that him like  
And with that word/ she 'gan for to sick   

O god quod she/ so worldly silliness  
Which clerks call/ falls felicity  
Y meddled is/ with many a bitterness  
Full anguishous/ that is god wot quoth she  
Condition/ of vain prosperity  
For either joys/ come not ay in fear  
Or else no wight/ hath 'em alway here   

O brutyl we'll/ of worldly joy unstable  
With what wight/ so that thou be or play  
Either he wot that/ thou art joy mutable  
Or wot it not/ it moat be one of fifty  
Now if he wot it not/ how may he say  
That he hath very joy/ and silliness  
That is of ignorance/ ay in darkness   

Now if be wot/ that joy is transiterye  
As every joy/ of worldly thing moat i'll  
Now eueryc●e/ that hath in memory  
The dread of losing/ maketh him that he  
May in no porfit/ sickerness be  
And if to lose his joy/ be set amity  
Than seemeth that joy/ is worth but light   

Wherefore I will define/ in this manner  
That truly for aught/ I can espy  
There is no very we'll/ in this world here  
But o thou wicked/ serpent jealousy  
Thou misbelieved/ envious folly  
Why hast thou made Troilus/ me untryst  
That never yet agylted him/ that I wist   

Quod pandarus/ thus fallen is this cas  
Why uncle mine quod she/ ho told him this  
Why doth mine dear heart/ thus alas  
Ye wot ye niece mine/ quod he what is  
I hope all shall be we'll/ that is amiss  
For ye may qwenche all this/ if ye jest  
And doth right so/ I hold it for the best   

So shall I do to morrow/ ywys quoth she  
And god toforn/ so that it shall suffice  
To morrow alas/ that were fair quoth he  
Nay nay it may not stand in this wise  
For niece mine/ thus written clerks wise  
That peril is/ with dretching in draw  
Nay such abodis/ been not worth an haw   

Niece all thing hath time/ I dare a vow  
For when a chamber a fire is/ or an hall  
Well more mister is/ it suddenly rescue  
Than to dispute/ and ask among 'em all  
How this candle/ in the straw died fall  
A benedicite/ for all that long far  
The harm is do/ and far well field fare   

And niece mine/ ne take it not a grief  
If that ye suffer him/ all night in this woe  
God help me so/ ye had him never lyef  
That dare I say/ now there is but we two  
But well I wot/ ye will not do so  
Ye be to wise/ to do so great folly  
To put his life/ all night in jeopardy   

Had ye him never lyef/ by god I ween  
I had never thing so lyef/ by god quoth she  
Now by my trowth quoth he/ that shall be seen  
For sith ye make this ensample/ of me  
If I all night/ would him in sorrow see  
For all the treasure/ in the town of Troy  
I bid god/ never more have I joy   

Now looketh than/ if that ye be his love  
To put all night his life in jeopardy  
For thing of nought/ now by that lord above  
Not only this delay/ cometh of folly  
But of malice/ if I shall not lie ●  
What platly/ and ye see him in distress  
Neither ye wisely done/ ne gentleness   

Quod tho Criseyde/ will ye do o thing  
And ye therewith/ shul seynt his dyscase  
Have here and bare him/ this blue ring  
For there is nothing/ may him better please  
Save I myself/ ne more his heart ease  
And say my dear heart/ that his sorrow  
Is causeless/ and that he shall see to morrow   

A ring quod he/ ye hasilwoode is shaken  
Ye niece mine that ring/ must have a stone  
That might dead men/ alive maken  
And such a ring trow I/ that ye have none  
Discretion out of your heed is gone  
That feel I now quoth he/ and that is rowth  
O time y lost well mayst thou curs sloth   

Wot ye not we'll/ that noble and high courage  
Ne sorowyth not/ ne styntyth not for light  
But if a fool/ were in a jealous rage  
I nold set at his sorrow a mite  
But feoff him/ with a few words white  
Another day when I might him find  
But this thing stant all/ in another kind   

He is so gentle/ and so tender of heart  
That with his death/ he will his sorrow wreak  
For trustyth well/ how sore that him smart  
He will to you/ no jealous word speak  
And for thy niece/ or that his heart break  
So speak your self/ to him of this matter  
For with oo word/ ye may his heart steer   

Now have I told/ what peril he is in  
And his coming unwist of every wight  
And pard harm may there be/ none ne sin  
I will myself be with you all this night  
Ye/ know well eke/ he is your own knight  
And that by right/ ye must upon him tryst  
And I all priest to fetch/ him when ye list   

This accident/ so piteous was to here  
And eke so like a sooth/ at prime face  
And Troilus her knight/ to her so dear  
His privy coming/ and the siker place  
That though she did him/ as than a grace  
Considered all things/ as they stood  
No wonder is sith/ she did all for good   

Criseyde answered/ as wisely god at rest  
My soul bring/ as me is for him woe  
And eme ywys fain would I do the best  
If that I had grace/ to do so  
But whethyr that ye dwell/ of for him go  
I am till god/ me better mind send  
At Dulcarnon/ at my wits end   

Quod Pandarus/ ye niece will ye here  
Dulcarnon is called fleming of wretchis  
It seemeth hard for wretchiss will not here  
For very sloth/ and other wilful tetchis  
This said he by 'em/ that be not worth two fetchis  
But ye be wise/ & have this matter in hand  
Nys neither hard/ ne skilful to withstand   

Than eme quoth she/ doth hereof as ye list  
But or he come/ I will first arise  
And for the love of god/ sith all my tryst  
Is on you two/ and ye both wise  
So wyrkyth now/ in so discrete a wise  
That I honour may have/ and he pleasance  
For I am here now/ in your governance   

This is well said quoth he/ my niece dear  
Good thrift came on that/ wise gentle heart  
But liggyth still/ and taketh him right here  
It needeth not/ no further for him start  
And each of you/ ease other sorrows smart  
For soon hope I/ we shul all be merry  
For love of god/ and venus I the hery   

This Troilus full soon/ on knees him set  
Full sobyrly right by her beddis heed  
And in his best wise/ his lady great  
But lord so she was/ suddenly read  
Ne though men should/ smite of her heed  
She might not o word/ a right out bring  
So suddenly for his soo●e coming   

But Pandarus/ that so we'll cowd feel  
In every thing to play/ anon began  
And said niece/ see how this lord can kneel  
Now for your trowth/ see this gentleman  
And with that word he for a qwysshon ran  
And said now knelyth/ while that you list  
That god your hearts/ bring soon at rest   

Can I not sayne/ for she had him not rise  
If sorrow it put/ out of remembrance  
Or ellie that she took it/ ●n this wise  
Of dyew●e/ as for hy● obeisance  
But we'll I read/ she did him this pleasance  
That she him kyst ● all though he sighed sore  
And bud him 〈◊〉 a d●un/wythout●n mor●   

Quod Pandarus now will ye we'll begin  
Now doth him 〈◊〉/ good niece 〈◊〉  
Upon your beddis s●de/ all wythynne  
That each of you the ●et ●ay other here  
And with that word he drew him to the fire  
And took a light/ & feigned his countenance  
As for to look ●vpon an old romance   

Criseyde that was/ Troilus lady right  
And clear stood/ on a ground of sickerness  
Al though she her servant/ and her knight  
He should of right/ none untrowth in her guess  
Yet natheless/ considered his distress  
And that love to/ in cause of such folly  
Thus to him sp●ck she/ of his jealousy   

Lo heart mine/ as would the excellence  
Of love/ against the which ●oman may  
Ne ought eke goodly/ make resistance  
And eke by cause/ I felt well and say  
your great trowth/ and service every day  
And that yowre heart all mine was/ sooth to say  
This drove me/ to rue upon your pain   

And your goodness have I found alway yet  
Of which my dear heart/ and my knight  
I thank it you/ as fer as I have wit  
Al can I not/ as moche as it were right  
And I henceforth my cunning/ and my might  
Have and ay shall/ how sore that me smart  
Be to you true/ and hole with all mine heart   

And dreadless that shall be found at prove  
But heart mine/ what all this is to sayne  
Shall well be told/ so that ye you not grieve  
Though I to you right/ on your self complain  
For therewith mean I/ finally the pain  
That holt your heart/ and mine in heaviness  
Fully to slene/ and every wrong redress   

My good heart not I/ for why ne how  
That jealousy alas/ that wyckid wyvere  
So causeless is cropen/ in to you  
The harm of which/ I would fain deliver  
Alas that ye all hool/ or of him a shyvere  
Should have his refute/ in so dign a place  
That jove out soon/ out of your heart him race   

But o thou jove/ author of nature  
Is this an hononr/ unto thy deyte  
That folk unguilty/ suffer here Injure  
And he that guilty is/ unquyt goth he  
O were it leeful/ for to plain/ on the  
That undeserved/ suffrist jealousy  
Of that I would/ upon the pleyne and cry   

Eke all my woe is this/ that men now usen  
To say right thus/ that jealousy is love  
And would a bushel of venom all excusen  
For that one greyn of love/ is in shove  
But that wot the high god/ that sit above  
If it be syker love/ hate or grame  
And after that/ it aught to bear his name   

But certain is/ some manner jealousy  
Is excusable/ more than some iwies  
As when cause/ and some such fantasy  
With pity so well/ repressid is  
That it uneath doth/ or saith amiss  
But goodly drynkyth up/ all his distress  
And that excuse I/ for the gentleness   

And some so full/ of fury and despite  
That it surmountyth/ his repressioun  
But heart mine/ ye be not in this plight  
That thank I god/ for which your passion  
I will not call it but an Illusioun  
Of abundance of love/ and busy cure  
That doth your heart/ this disease endure   

Of which I am right sorry/ but not wroth  
But for my desire/ and your hearts rest  
Whether so you list/ by ordal or by oath  
By sort or be what wise/ so that you lest  
For love of god/ late prove it for the best  
And if that I be guilty do me die  
Alas what might I more/ done or say   

With that a few/ bright teeris new  
Out of her eyen fell/ and thus she saide  
Now god thou wost/ in thought ne deed untrue  
To Troilus was never yet Criseyde  
With that her hand/ down in the bed she laid  
And with the sheet it wried/ and sighed sore  
And held her peace/ not a word spack she more   

But now help god/ to qwenche all this sorrow  
So hope I that he shall/ for he best may  
For I have seen/ a full misty morrow  
Follow full oft/ a miry summer day  
And after winter followeth green may  
Men seen alday/ and read eke in stories  
That after sharp showers/ been victories   

This Troilus/ when he her words herd  
Have ye no care/ him list not to sleep  
For it thought him/ no strokes of a yard  
To here or see/ Criseyde his lady weep  
But we'll he felt/ about his heart creep  
For every teere/ which that Criseyde as●ert  
The cramp of doth/ straineth him by the heart   

And in his mind/ he 'gan the time acurse  
That he came there/ or that he was boar  
For now is wick/ turned in to worse  
And all the labour/ he hath do before  
He thought it lost/ he wend he nas but lore  
O Pandarus alas thought he/ thy wile  
serveth of nought/ so welawey the while   

And there withal/ he hang a down the heed  
And fell on knees/ and sorrowfully he sight  
What might he say/ he felt he nas but deed  
For wrath was she/ that should his sorrows light  
But natheless when he speak might  
Than said he thus/ god wot that of this grame  
When all is wist/ than am I not to blame   

Therewith the sorrow/ of his heart shut  
That from his eyen/ fell there n●t a teere  
And every spirit/ his vigour in knit  
So they astonied/ and oppressed were  
The feeling of his sorrow/ and of his cheer  
Or of aught else/ fled was out of town  
A down he fell all suddenly/ in a swoon   

This was no little/ sorrow for to see  
For all was huysht/ but Pandar up at the last  
O niece peace/ or we be boast quoth he  
Be not aghast/ but alway at the last  
For this or that/ he him in to the bed cast  
And said thyef/ is this a man's heart  
And of he rend/ all to his bare shirt   

And said niece/ but ye help us now  
Ywys your own/ Troilus is born  
Alas so would I/ and I wist how  
Full fain quoth she/ alas that I was born  
Ye ne●● will ye pull out the thorn  
That scikyth in his heart/ quod Pandar  
Say all foryeve/ and stynt all this care   

Ye that to me quoth she/ liefer were  
Than all the good/ the senne about goth  
And therewithal she swore him in his cere  
Y iwis my dear heart/ I am not wroth  
Have here my trowth and many another oath  
Now speak to me/ for it am I Creseyde  
But all for nought/ yet might he not abraid   

though Troilus/ 'gan sorrowfully to sick  
Lest she were/ wroth him thought his heart died  
And said alas/ upon my sorrows sick  
Have mercy on me/ sweet heart mine Criseyde  
And if that in the words/ that I feyde  
Be any wrong I will no more crespace  
Doth as you list/ I put me in your grace   

Criseyde answered of guilt myseryoord  
That is for to say/ I foryeve all this  
And evermore on this night record  
And beth well / ye do no more amiss  
Nay dear heart mine/ quod he ywys  
And now quoth she/ that I have do you smart  
Foryeve it me/ mine own sweet heart   

though Troilus with bus/ of that supprysed  
Put all in God's hand/ as he that meant  
Nothing but well/ and suddenly advised  
He her in arms/ fast to him hent  
And Pandarus/ with full good intent  
Laid him to sleep/ and said if ye be wise  
Swoon not now/ lest more folk arise   

What might or may/ the silly lark say  
When that the sperhawke/ hath it in his foot  
I can no more/ but of this ilk fifty  
To whom this tale/ sugar he or swoote  
Though that I tarry a year/ sometime I moat  
After mine author/ tell of their gladness  
As weal as I have/ told their heaviness   

Criseyde with that/ felt her thus y take  
As written clerks/ in their books old  
Right as an aspen leef/ she 'gan to quake  
When she her felt/ in his arms fold  
And Troilus all hool/ of his cares cold  
'Gan thankyn though/ the bright God's seven  
That sundry pains/ bringen folk to heaven   

This Troilus in arms 'gan her strain  
And said o sweet/ as ever moat I gone  
Now be ye caught/ there nies but we twain  
Now yeldyth you/ for other boot is none  
To that Criseyde/ answered thus anon  
Ne had I ere now/ my sweet heart dear  
Be yoleden iwies/ I were not now here   

O sooth is said/ that healed for to be  
As of a fever/ or another great sickness  
Men must drink alday/ as men may see  
Full bitter drink/ and for to have gladness  
Men duren of pain/ and great distress  
I mean it here/ as of this adventure  
That through a pain/ hath found now his cure   

And now sweetness/ seemeth more sweet  
That bitterness assayed/ was byforn  
For out of woe/ in bliss now they fleet  
None such they felt/ sith that they were born  
Now is this bet/ than both two be lorn  
For love of god/ take every woman heed  
To work thus/ when it cometh to need   

Criseyde all quite/ from every dread and teen  
As she that just cause had him to tryst  
Made him such feeste/ that joy it was to seen  
When she his trowth/ and clean intent wist  
And as about a tree/ with many a twist  
By●●ent and writhe/ the soot woodebind  
'Gan each of 'em/ in arms other wind   

And as the new/ abashed nightinggale  
That styntyth first/ or she begin to sing  
When she heareth/ any hyerdis tale  
Or in the hedgis/ any wight stirring  
And after sickerness/ her voys doth out ring  
Right so Criseyde/ when that her dread stint  
Opened her heart/ and told all her intent   

And right as he/ that saw his death y shapen  
And die must/ in aught that he 'gan guess  
And suddenly rescous/ doth him escapen  
And from his death/ is brought in sickerness  
For all this world/ right in such gladness  
Is Troilus/ and hath his lady sweet  
With worse hay/ god let us never meet   

Her arms small/ her straight back and soft  
Her sides long fleshly smooth and white  
He 'gan to struck/ and bad good thrift full oft  
Her snowysh throat/ her brestis round & light  
Thus in this heaven/ he 'gan him delight  
And therewithal/ a thousand time her kyst  
That for what to do/ for joy uneath he wist   

Than said he thus/ o love o charity  
Thy mother eke/ Cytherea the sweet  
After thyself/ next heryed be she  
Venus mean I/ the weal wylly planet  
And next Ymeneus/ I the great  
For never man was/ to you God's hold  
As I that ye have/ brought from cares cold   

benign love/ thou holy bond of things  
Who so will grace/ and list not the honour  
Lo his desire will i'll/ without wings  
For thou noldyst of bounty/ hem succour  
That serven best/ and alway most labour  
But if thy grace/ passed our desertis  
Al were lost/ that I dare say certis   

And for thou me/ that cowd best deserve  
Of 'em that numbered be unto thy grace  
Hast helped there/ I likely was to starve  
And me bystowed/ in so high a place  
That ilk boundis/ may no bliss pace  
I can no more/ but laud and reverence  
Be to thy bounty/ and thine excellence   

And there withal/ Criseyde anon he kyst  
Of which certain/ she felt no disease  
And thus said he/ now would god I wist  
Mine heart sweet/ how I might you please  
What man quoth he/ was ever thus at ease  
As I on whom/ the fairest and the best  
That ever I say/ deigneth her heart to rest   

Here may men see/ that mercy passeth right  
Thexperience of this/ is felt in me  
That am unworthy/ to you my lady bright  
But heart mine/ of your benignity  
So thinketh though I unworthy be  
Yet mote need/ amend in some wise  
Right through the virtue/ of your high service   

And for the love of god my lady dear  
Sith god hath wrought me/ for you ever to serve  
As thus he will/ that ye be my steer  
To do me live/ if that ye list or starve  
So teacheth me how that I may deserve  
your thank/ so that I through mine Ignorance  
Ne do nothing/ that do you displeasance   

For certis fressh wommanly wife  
The day is sith/ that trowth and diligence  
Ye s●●l in me finden all my life  
I nil certain/ break your defence  
And if I do/ present or in absence  
For love of god/ 〈◊〉 slay me with the deed  
If that it like/ unto your wommanshede   

Y iwis quod she/ mine own hearts lust  
My ground of ca●e/ and all mine heart dear  
Gramercy/ for on that to all my trust  
But let us full away/ from this matrre  
For this suffysitt●●/ which that is said here  
And a●●o word/ without repentance  
Well come my knight/ my 〈◊〉/ my suffisance   

Of their delight or joice/ one the lest  
Were in possible/ in my wit to say  
But jugyth ye/ that han been at the feast  
Of such gladness if/ 〈◊〉 lys● play  
I can no more/ but 〈◊〉 thy● ilk twey  
That night betwixt/ dread and sickerness  
They felt in love/ the gre●● worthiness   

O blissful night/ of whom so long I sought  
How blithe unto hem both/ thou were  
Why ne had I such one/ with my fowl y bought  
Ye for the least joy/ that was there  
Away thou fowl danger/ and thou fere  
And let hem/ in this heaven bliss dwell  
That is so high that noman can tell   

These ilk two/ that been in arms last  
So both to hem/ a sundre to gd it were  
That each of 'em from other/ wend byraft  
Or else lo thus/ was their most fere  
Lest all this thing/ but nice dreams were  
For which full oft/ each of them saide o sweet  
clip I you thus/ or else do I meet   

And lord so he 'gan/ goodly on her see  
That never his look/ blended from her face  
And said o dear heart/ how may it be  
That it be sooth/ that ye be in this place  
Ye heart mine/ god thank I of his grace  
Quoth though Cryseyde/ and there withal him kissed  
That where his spirit was/ for joy he nyst   

This Troilus full oft/ her eyen two  
'Gan for to kiss/ and said o eyen clear  
It were ye/ that wrought me this woe  
Ye humble nets/ of my lady dear  
Though there be mercy/ written in your cheer  
God wot that 〈◊〉/ full hard is sooth to find  
How could ye/ without bond me bind   

Therewith he 'gan her fast in arms take  
And well a thousand time/ 'gan he sick  
Not such sorrowful sighs/ as men make  
For sorrow or else/ when that folk be sick  
But easy sighs/ such as been to like  
That showed his affection within  
Of such sighs/ could he not blyn   

Soon after this/ they spack of sundry things  
As fell to purpose/ of their adventure  
And pleyeng/ entrechaungeden rings  
Of which I can tell no scripture  
But we'll I wot/ a broche of gold and azure  
In which a Ruby set/ was like an heart  
Cnseyde him gave/ and stak it on his shirt   

Lord trow ye/ that a covetous wretch  
That blameth love/ and hath of it despite  
That of the pene/ that he can moor and ●etche  
Was ever yet give to him such delight  
As is in love/ in some manner plight  
Nay doubtless/ for as so god me save  
So perfit joy/ may no niggard have   

They will say yis/ but lord so they lie  
The busy wretches/ full of woe and dread  
They clepe love a woodenness a or fury  
But it fall 'em/ as I shall now read  
They shut forego/ both the white and the red  
And live in woe/ their god give 'em mischance  
And every lover/ in his trowth advance   

As would god/ these wretches that despise  
service of love/ had eris also long  
As had Mida/ full of covetise  
And thereto drunken had/ as hot and strong  
As Crassus died/ for his affectis wrong  
To teach 'em that covetise is vice  
And love is virtue/ though men hold it nice   

These ilk two/ of which that I you say  
When that their hearts/ fully assured were  
though 'gan they to speak/ and to play  
And eke rehersen/ how and when & where  
They knew first/ and every woe and fere  
That passed was/ but all that heaviness  
Y thanked god/ was turned in to gladness   

And evermore/ when they fell to speak  
Of any woe/ of such a time agone  
With kissing/ all that tale should break  
And fallyn in a new joy anon  
And did all their might/ sith they were one  
For to recover Elis/ and be at ease  
And poised woe/ with joy countrepease   

Reason will not/ that I now speak of sleep  
Fo● it accordeth not/ to my matter  
God wot they took of that/ full little keep  
But lest this night/ that was to him so dear  
Ne should in vain/ scape in no manner  
It was beset/ in joy and business  
Of all that soundeth/ in to gentleness   

But how all though/ I can not tell all  
As can mine author/ of his excellence  
Yet have I said/ and god tofore I shall  
In every thing/ the great of his sentence  
And if that I at loves reverence  
Have any thing/ echyd for the best  
Do therewithal/ right as you self lest   

For my words/ here and in every part  
I speak 'em all/ under correction  
Of you that feeling have/ in Louis art  
And I put 'em hole/ in your discretion  
To increase/ and make diminution  
Of my language/ and I you beseech  
But now to purpose/ of my rather speech   

When that the cock/ the common ginger  
'Gan on his breast to beat/ and after crow  
And Lucifer/ the days messenger  
'Gan for to rise/ and out her stream throw  
And eastward was to him/ that could it know  
Fortuna maior/ that anon Criseyde  
With heart sore/ to Troilus thus she said   

Mine hearts life/ my trust and my pleasance  
That I was born/ alas that me is woe  
This day we moat/ make dysseveraunce  
For time is to rise/ and hens go  
Or else I am lost/ for evermore  
O night alas why nil thou/ over us hove  
As long as when/ Almena lay by jove   

O black night/ as men in books reed  
That shapyn art by god/ this world to hide  
At certain times/ with thy black weed  
That undyr that/ men might in rest abide  
We'll aught bestis pleyne/ and folk the chide  
That there as day/ with labour would us breast  
That thou us fleest/ and late us have no rest   

Thou dost alas/ to shortly thine office  
Thou rakel night/ there god maker of kind  
For thou so downward/ hastyst of malice  
Thy course/ and to our Emyspery bind  
That nevermore/ undyr our ground the wind  
For through the rakel hyeng out of Troy  
Have I forego/ thus hastily my joy   

This Troilus that with the words felt  
As thought him though/ for piteous distress  
The bloody teeris/ from his heart melt  
As he that never/ yet such heaviness  
Assayed had/ out of so great gladness  
'Gan her withal/ Criseyde his lady dear  
In arms strain/ and said in this manner   

O cruel day/ accuser/ of the joy  
That love and night/ have stole & fast wryens  
Accursid be the coming/ in to Troy  
For every loore/ with one of thy bright eyen  
Envious day/ what list the to espyen  
What hast thou lost/ what seekest thou in this place  
Theridamas god thy sight/ so qwenche for his grace   

Alas what have these lovers/ the agylt  
dispiteous day/ thine be the pit of hell  
Fin many a lover/ hast thou slain and wilt  
Thy pouring in/ will nowher let hem dwell  
What proferest th●u thy light/ here for to sell  
Go sell it hem/ that small sealis grave  
We will the not/ us needeth no day to have   

And eke the son Titan/ would he chide  
And said fool/ well may men the despise  
Thou hast all night/ the dawning by thy side  
And soeffryst her so soon/ from the rise  
For to depart●n lovers/ in this wise  
What hold thy bed/ thou and eke thy morrow  
I pray to god/ so give you both sorrow   

Therewith full sore he sighed/ and thus saide  
My lady right/ and of my weal and woe  
The very root/ o goodly mine Cryseyde  
And shall I rise/ alas and shall I so  
Now feel I that/ mine heart moat a two  
For how should I/ my life an hour save  
sith that with you/ is all my life I have   

What shall I do/ for certis I note how  
Ne when alas/ I may the time y see  
That in this place I may be eft with you  
And of my life/ god wot/ how that shall be  
So that desire/ right now so straineth me  
That I am dead anon/ but I return  
How should I long alas/ fro you sojourn   

But natheless/ mine own lady bright  
If it were so/ that I wist uttyrly  
That I your servant/ and your knight  
Were in your heart/ shut as firmly  
As ye in mine/ the which thing truly  
Me liefer were/ than these worlds twain  
Yet should I bet endure/ all my pain   

To that Criseyde/ answered thus anon  
And with a sigh/ she said heart dear  
The game ywys/ so farforth now is gone  
That erst shall Phoebus/ fall from his spear  
And every Eagle be the hawkis fear  
And every rock/ out of his place start  
Or Troilus go out/ of Criseydes heart   

With that she 'gan/ her face for to wry  
With the sheet/ and wax for shame all red  
And Pandarus/ 'gan undyr for to pry  
And said nee●e/ if that I shall be deed  
Have here my sword/ and smite of mine heed  
With that his arm/ all suddenly he thirst  
Vndyr her neck/ and at the last her kyst   

I pass all that/ which needyth not to say  
What god foryaf his death/ and she also  
Foryaf/ and with her uncle 'gan to play  
For other cause was there none than so  
But of this thing/ right to theffect to go  
When time was/ hom to her house she went  
And Pandarus/ hath holy his intent   

Now torn we again/ to Troilus  
That restless/ full long a-bed lay  
And privily sent after Pandarus  
To him to come/ in all the hast he may  
He come anon not once said he nay  
And Troilus/ full sobyrly him great  
And down on his beddis side him set   

This Troilus/ with all the affection  
Of friendly love/ that heart may devise  
To Pandarus/ on knees fell a down  
And or that he would/ of that place arise  
He 'gan him thank/ in the best wise  
A thousand times/ and 'gan the day to bless  
That he was born/ to bring him from distress   

And said o friend/ of friends altherbest  
That ever was the sooth for to tell  
Thou hast in heaven/ brought my soul at rest  
from Cochita/ the fiery flood of hell  
And though I might/ a thousand times sell  
Upon a day/ my life in thy service  
It might not amount/ ne in that suffice   

The son which that all the world may see  
Was never yet my life/ dare I say  
So inly fair/ so goodly as is she  
whose I am and shall/ till that I die  
And that I thus am here/ I dare well say  
That thanked be the high worthiness  
Of love and eke/ thy kind business   

Thus hast thou me/ not a little give  
For which oblyged be/ to the for ay  
My life for why/ for through thy help I live  
Or elliss ded had I be/ gone many a day  
And with that word/ down in his bed he lay  
And Pandarus/ full sobyrly him herd  
Till all was saide/ and than he thus answered   

My dear friend/ if I have do for the  
In any case/ god wot it is me lyef  
And am as glad/ as man of it may  
God help me so/ but take it not agryef  
For love of god/ beware of this mischief  
That there as now/ brought art to thy bliss  
That thou thyself/ ne cause it not to miss   

For of fortunes sharp adversity  
The worst kind of infortune is this  
A man to have be in prosperity  
And it remember/ when it passed is  
Thou art wise enough/ for why do not amiss  
Be not to rakel/ though thou sit warm  
For if thou do/ certain it will the harm   

Thou art at ease/ hold the now therein  
For all so sure/ as ready is ever fire  
As great a craft is/ to keep well as win  
Bridle thy speech/ and thy desire  
For worldly joy/ holt not but by a wire  
That proveth well/ it breast alway so oft  
For thy need is/ to work wile it is soft   

Quod Troilus I hope/ and god 〈◊〉  
My deer that I shall so me bear  
That in my guilt/ there shall nothing be 〈◊〉  
Ne I nil do/ as for to greven here  
It needeth not this matter/ oft to steer  
For wist thou well mine heart/ thou pander  
By god of this/ thou wouldst little 〈◊〉   

though 'gan he tell him/ of his glad night  
And whereof his heart/ dread and how  
And said fr●nd/ as I am true knight  
And by the faith/ I own to god and you  
I had it never/ half so hotr as now  
And ay the more/ that desire me bytith  
To love her lest/ the more me desytith   

I not myself wisely/ what it is  
But now I feel/ a new quality  
Ye all an other than I died or this  
Pander answered/ and said thus that 〈◊〉  
That once may/ in heaven 〈◊〉 ●e  
He f●●lish 〈◊〉 wise/ that dare I say  
Than thysst time/ 〈◊〉 herd of 〈◊〉 first say   

This is o word/ for all this Troilus  
Was never full/ to speak of this ma●●●●  
And for to praise/ unto Pandarus  
The beauty of his right lady 〈◊〉  
And Pandarus/ to think and make him 〈◊〉  
This cale was alway/ span new to begin  
Till that the night/ departed 'em a twin   

Soon after this/ for that fortune it would  
Y comen was/ the blissful time sweet  
That Troilus was warned/ that he should  
There he was erst/ Criseyde his lady meet  
For which he felt/ in joy his heart fleet  
And faithfully/ 'gan all the God's hoary  
And late see now/ if that he can be merry   

And holden was the form/ and all the wise  
Of her coming/ and eke of his also  
As it was erst which needeth not to devise  
But plainly/ to th'effect for to go  
In joy and surety/ Pandarus hem two  
A bed brought/ when hem both best  
And thus they be/ in quiet and in rest   

Nat needeth to you/ si●h they been met  
To ask of me if they blithe were  
For if it erst was we'll/ though was it bet  
A thousand fold/ this needeth not to inquire  
Agon was every care/ and every fere  
And both iwies they had/ and so they wend  
As much joy/ as heart may comprehend   

This is no little thing/ of for to say  
This passeth every/ wight/ for to devise  
For each of 'em/ 'gan others lust obey  
Felicyte which that these clerks wise  
Commendyn so/ ne may not here suffice  
This joy may not/ written be with ynk  
It passeth all that/ any heart may think   

But cruel day/ so wellaway the stound  
'Gan for to approach/ as they be signs knew  
For which hem thought/ feelen dethis wound  
So woe was 'em/ that changen 'gan their hue  
And they began/ to despise all new  
Calling it traitor envious and worse  
And byttyrly the day light they curs   

Quoth Troilus alas/ now am I ware  
That Pierers/ and the swift styediss three  
Which that drawn forth/ the sons char  
Han gone some bypath/ in despite of me  
That maketh it so soon/ day to be  
And for the son/ hastyth him thus to rise  
Ne shall I never do eft him sacrifice   

But needs day/ depart must hem soon  
And when their speech done was/ & their cheer  
They twin anon/ as they be wont to done  
And setten time/ of meeting eft in fear  
And many a night they wrouht in this manner  
And thus fortune/ a time lad hem in joy  
Criseyde and eke/ the kings son of Troy   

In suffisance/ in bliss/ and in syngynges  
Thus Troilus 'gan all his life to lead  
He spendyth justyth/ and maketh festynges  
He giveth freely oft/ and chaungyth weed  
And holt about him/ ay without dread  
A world of folk/ as came him well of kind  
The freshest and the best/ that he could find   

That such a voys of him/ was and a steven  
through out the world/ of honour and largesse  
That it up rung/ to the gate of heaven  
And as in love/ he was in such gladness  
That in his heart/ he deem as I guess  
That their nies lover/ in this world at ease  
So well as he/ and thus 'gan love him please   

The goodly head & bounty/ which that kind  
In any other lady/ had y set  
Can not the mountenance/ of a knot unbind  
About his heart/ of all Criseydes' net  
He was so narrow/ masked and y knet  
That it to undo/ on any manner side  
That will not be/ for aught that may betide   

And by the hand/ full oft he would take  
This pandarus/ and in to the garden lead  
And such a fest/ and such a process make  
Him of Criseyde/ and of her wommanheede  
And of her beauty/ eke wythouten dread  
It was an heaven/ his words for to here  
And than he would sing/ in this manner   

Love that of earth & see/ hath in governance  
Love that his hestis/ hath in hevenes' high  
Love that with/ an holsum alliance  
Holt peoples joined as he lest hem gye  
Love that endueth/ law of company  
And cowples doth/ in virtue for to dwell  
Bind this accord/ that I have told & tell   

That/ that the world/ with faith that is stable  
Dyversith so his stoundis/ concording  
That Elementis/ that been so dyscordable  
Holt in a bond perpetuelly during  
That Phoebus must/ his rosy day forth bring  
And the moon have lordship over the nyghtis  
Al this doth Love all/ heryed be his myghtis   

That that the see/ greedy is to flowyn  
constraineth/ to a certain end so  
As floods that so freshly/ they ne growyn  
To drench the earth/ and all for evermore  
And if that love ought let/ his bridal go  
And that now liveth/ a sundre should keep  
And lost were all/ that love now holt to heap   

So would god that auctors of kind  
That with his bond of love/ of his virtue list  
So serchen hearts all/ and fast bind  
That from his bond/ no wight out the weigh wist  
And hearts cold hem would I/ that he twist  
To make 'em love/ and that hem list ay rue  
On hearts sore/ and keep 'em that been true   

In all needis/ for the towns were  
He was and ay first/ in his arms dight  
And certainly/ but if that books err  
Save Hector most dread/ of any wight  
And this encres/ of hardiness and might  
Come him of love/ his lady for to win  
That altered his spirit so wythynne   

And most of virtue/ and love was his speech  
And in despite/ had all wretchedness  
And doubtless no need/ was him beseech  
To honour 'em/ that haddyn worthiness  
And ●asen hem/ that were in distress  
And glad was/ if any wight weal fir  
That lover was/ when he it wist and herd   

Forsooth to say/ ●e loster held every wight  
But if he were/ in loves high service  
I mean folks/ that ought be by right  
And over all this/ so we'll could he devise  
Of sentement/ and in so uncowth wise  
All his a●●y/ that every lover thought  
That all was we'll/ what so he said or wrought   

And all though he come/ of blood ●oyal  
Him lice not of pride/ at no wight to chase  
benign he was/ to each in general  
For which he ga●e him help/ in every place  
●●us would love/ y heryed be his grace  
That pride and Ire/ envy and avaryer  
He 'gan to flee/ and many another vy●●   

Thou lady bright/ doughtyr to Dione  
Thy blind and winged soon/ dan Cupid  
Yowre sustain eke/ that ●y E●oone  
In hyst Pernaso/ listen for to abide  
That ye thus far/ have deigned me to guide  
I can no more but sith that ye will wend  
Y heryed be ye for ay/ withouten end   

In time of tryews/ on l●wkynge would be ride  
Or elliss hunt Boar- Bear or Lyoun  
The small bes●is/ let he go beside  
And when that he come/ riding to the town  
Full oft his lady/ from the window down  
As fresh as faw●●n/ cometh out of mewe  
Full ready was him/ goodly to salue   

Now have I you said/ fully in my song  
Theffect and joy/ of Troilus service  
All be that there was/ some disease among  
As mine author/ lystyth to devise  
My third book/ now end I in this wise  
And Troilus in lust/ and in quiet  
Is with Criseyde/ his own lady sweet   
Here Endeth the third Book And followeth the Fourth Book  
Here endeth the third book of Troilus   

And here beginneth the prolog of the fourth book  

but all to little well away the while  
Lastyth such joy blessed he fortune  
That seemeth truest when she doth beguile  
And can to fools so her song entune  
That she doth hent & blended as traitor commune  
And when a wight is from her wheel I throw  
Than laughyth she & maketh him a mow   

From Troilus 'gan she her bright face  
Away to wry & took of him none heed  
But cast him clean all out of her grace  
And on her wheel she set up diomed  
For which right now mine heart gynneth bleed  
And now my pen alas with which I writ  
Qnaketh for dread of that I must indite   

For how Creseyde Troilus forsook  
Or at the lest how that she was unkind  
might be hens forth matter of my book  
As written folk through which it is in mind  
Alas that ever she should cause find  
To speak her harm/ & if they on her lie  
iwis hem self shall have the villainy   

O ye Herynes nights daughters three  
That endless complain ever in pain  
Megaera Allecto and eke Thesyphone  
Thou cruel mars eke father to Quyryne  
This ilk fourth book help me to fine  
So that the loos & love and life yfere  
Of Troilus be fully showed here   
Here endeth the prologue   

And beginneth the fourth book  

ligging in host as I have told 〈◊〉 this  
The greeks strong about Troy town  
Befell that when phoebus 'gan shine iwis  
Upon the breast of hercules lyoun  
That Hector with full many a bold baroun  
Cast on a day with greeks for to fight  
As he was wont to grieve 'em if he might   

Note I how long or short it was between  
This purposes & that day they fight meant  
But on a day well bright & sheen  
With spear in hand & big bows bend  
Hector & many a worthy knight out went  
And in the beard anon withouten let  
Her foemen in the field 'em fast met   

The long day with spears sharp y ground  
With arrwes/ darts/ swords/ maces fell  
They fight & bring horse & man to ground  
And with their axes out the brains quelle  
But in the last shower forth for to tell  
The folk of Troy hem self so mysledde●  
That with the worse honward at night they fledd●●   

At which day was taken Anthen 〈…〉  
Maugre Pollymydas or Mon●sryo  
Xandype/ Sarpedon/ Palestyn●●e  
Polyte or eke the Trojan Ry●●●o  
And other lass folk as Phebuseo  
So that for harm that day the folk of Troy  
Dirdden to lief a great part of their joy   

But nevertheless a truce was there take  
At greeks request and though they 'gan treat  
Of prisoners a change for to make  
This thing anon was couth in every street  
And for the surplus given sums great  
Both in the siege & Town & every where  
And with the first it came to Calcas ere   

When Calcas knew the treaties should hold  
In concystory among greeks soon  
He 'gan in thring forth with lords old  
And set him there as he was wont to done  
And with their changing he had 'em a bone  
For love of god to do that reverence  
To stint noise & give him audience   

Than said he thus loo lords mine I was  
Trojan as it is know out of dread  
And if ye remember I am Calcas  
That alther first gave comfort to your need  
And told weal how ye should speed  
For dreadless through you shall in a sconde  
This Troy be brent & drawn down to ground   

And in what form/ & in what manner wise  
This town to shende/ & all your lust to ach●ue  
Ye have or this me herd well devise  
This known ye my lords as I leave  
And for the greeks were me so leave  
I come myself in my proper person  
To teach in this what ye were best to done   

Having upon my treasure ne my rent  
Right no respect to respect of your case  
Thus all my good I left & to you went  
weening in this my lords you to please  
But all this loss doth me no disease  
I vouchsafe as wisely have I joy  
For you to lose all that I have in Troy   

save of a daughter that I left alas  
Sleeping at home when out of Troy I start  
O stern & cruel father that I was  
How might I have in that so hard an heart  
Alas I ne had brought her in my shirt  
For sorrow of which I will not leave to morrow  
But if ye lords rue upon my sorrow   

For by that cause I saw no time or now  
Her to deliver hold I have my peace  
But now or never if it like you  
I may her have right soon doubtless  
O help & grace among all this pres  
rue on me old Caytyf here in distress  
sith I for you have all this heaviness   

Ye have now caught & feathered in prysoun  
Troyans' enough/ & if your will be  
My child with one may have redempcyo●●  
Now for the love of god & of your bounty  
One of so feel alas so give him me  
What need were this prayer for to werne  
sith ye shall have both town & folk as yearn   

On peril of my life I shall not lie  
Apollo hath me told it faithfully  
I have it found eke by astronomy  
By sort by angury eke truly  
And dare well say the time is fast by  
That fire & flame on all the town shall spread  
And thus shall Troy tornen in to a ashen deed   

For certain phoebus & neptunus both  
That maden the wallys of the town  
Been with folk of Troy now so wroth  
They will eft bring it to confusion  
Right for despite of king Laomedon  
By cause he nold pay hem her huyre  
The town shall yet be set on a fuyre   

Telling his tale alway this old grey  
Humble in speech/ & in his looking eke  
The salt tears from his eyen fifty  
Full fast run down by either cheek  
So long he 'gan of succour 'em byseke  
That for to hele him of his sighs sore  
They gave him Anthenore withouten more   

But who was glad enough but Calcas tho  
And of all thing full soon is laid  
On 'em that should for the treatise gone  
To bring 'em king Thoas & Creseyde  
And hem for Antenor full oft prayed  
And when Priamus his safe guard sent  
The ambassadors full straight to Troy went   

The cause told of their coming/ the old  
Pryamus king full soon in general  
Do here upon his parliament to hold  
Of which the effect rehercen you I shall  
The ambassadors been answered for final  
The change of prisoners & all this deed  
Hempskirk liketh weal & so they forth proceed   

This Troilus was present in the place  
When asked was for Anthenore Creseyde  
For which full soon changed he his face  
As he that with the words full nyhe deyde  
But nevertheless he no word to it saide  
With man's heart he 'gan his sorrow dry  
Lest men should his affectyoun aspye   

And full of anguish & of busy dread  
Abode what other lords would say  
And if they will grant as god forbid  
Theschaungeexchange of her than thought he things fifty  
first for to save her honour & what weigh  
He might best thexchange of her withstand  
Full fast he cast/ how all this thing might stand   

Love him made all priest to make her bide  
Or rather die than she should go  
But reason him said on that other side  
Without assent of her ne do not so  
Lest thou her wrath/ & she than be thy foo  
And say that through thy meddling is blow  
Your bother love there it was erst vnknowe   

For which he 'gan desyberyn to the best  
That though the lords would that she went  
He would let hem grant what he● fest  
And tell his lady first what they meant  
And when that she had said him her intent  
Thereafter would he work/ also belive  
Though all the world again it would strive   

Hector which that right well the greeks herd  
For Anthenore how they would have Creseyde  
'Gan it withstand & so briefly answered  
Sirs she nies no prisoner he saide  
I not on you who this charge laid  
But on my party may eftsoon hem tell  
We use not here no women for to sell   

The noise of the people up start than all at ones  
As breme as blaze of straw set a fire  
For infortune it would for the nonce  
They should their confusion desire  
Hector quoth they what ghost may you inspire  
This woman thus to shield/ and do us lose  
Daune Anthenore a wrong weigh now ye cheese   

That is so wise & so bold a baroun  
And we have need of folk as men may see  
He is eke one of the greatest of this town  
Save Hector/ let the fantasies be  
Of king Pryamus quod they thus say we  
That all our voys is to forego Creseyde  
And to deliver Anthenore they prayed   

O Juvenal lord full sooth is thy sentence  
That little wyten folk what is to yearn  
That they ne find in her desire offence  
For cloud of error let hem to discern  
What lest is/ loo here ensample as yearn  
This folk desire now deliverance  
Of Anthenore that brought 'em to mischance   

For he was after traitor to the town  
Of Troy alas they quite him out to rathe  
O nice world lo thy dyscrecyoun  
Creseyde which that never did 'em scathe  
Shall now no longer in her bliss bathe  
But Anthenore shall come home to town  
And she shall out/ thus all they said & sown   

For which delivered was by parliament  
For Anthenore to yeven out Creseyde  
And it pronounced by the president  
And though that Hector nay full oft prayed  
That finally what wight that it wythseyde  
It was for nought it must be & should  
For substance of the parliament it would   

Departed out of parliament eachone  
This Troilus without words moo  
In to his chambre sped him fast alone  
But if it were a man of his or two  
The which he had out fast to go  
By cause he would sleep as he saide  
And hastily upon his bed him laid   

And as in winter leaves been y raft  
Each after other till the tree be bare  
Seo that there nies but branch & bark haft  
Right to Troilus byraft of each welfare  
I bond within with bonds of care  
disposed wood out of his wit to breyde  
So sore him sat the changing of Creseyde   

He ryst him up/ and every door he shut  
And wyndo we eke/ & though this sorrowful man  
Upon his beds side down him set  
Full like a deed image pale & wan  
And in his breast the heaped woe began  
Out breast & he wrought in this wise  
In his woodenness as I shall you devise   

Right as the wild bull beginneth 〈◊〉  
Now here now there darted to the heart  
A●d of his death ro●ith in complaining  
Right so 'gan he about his chambre 〈◊〉  
smiting his breast ay with his fists 〈◊〉  
His heed to wallys his lady to the ground  
Full oft 〈◊〉 swapped himself to confound   

His eyen two for pity of his heart  
Out stremedyn as swift 〈…〉  
The hy● sobbies of his sorrowful smart  
His speech him reft/ 〈◊〉 might he 〈◊〉  
O death alas why nil thou do me day  
A cursed be that day which that 〈◊〉  
Shaped me to be a lives creature   

But after when the fury & all this rage  
Which that his heart twist & fast thrust  
By length of time somewhat 'gan assuage  
Upon his bed he layed him down to rest  
But though began his ferrs more 〈…〉  
That wonder is the body may suffice  
To half this woe which that I you devise   

Than said ●e thus fortune alas the while  
What have I do/ what have I thus agyle  
How might thou for rowth me 〈◊〉  
Is there no grace/ & shall I 〈…〉  
Shall thus Creseyde for that thou 〈◊〉  
Alas how mayst thou 〈◊〉 thine heart find  
To be to me thus cruel & unkind   

H●ue I the not honoured all my ly●●●  
As thou well woost above the goods a●  
Why wilt thou thus from joy me 〈◊〉  
O Troilus what may men now ●he 〈◊〉  
But wretch of wretches 〈◊〉 of honour 〈◊〉  
In to misery which I will bewail  
Creseyde alas till that the breath me fail   

Alas fortune if that my life in ioy●  
displeased had unto thy fow●● 〈◊〉  
Why ne ●addest thou my 〈◊〉 king of Troy  
byraft the life or do my brethren die  
Or slain myself that thus complain & cry  
I cumber world that may of no thing serve  
But alway die and never fully starve   

If that Creseyde alone were laft  
Nought wrought whyderward thou wouldest steer  
And her alas thou hast me bereft  
But evermore loo this is thy manner  
To 〈◊〉 a wight lo that is to him dear  
To p●●ue in that thy gyreful violence  
Thus 〈◊〉 I lost there helpeth no defence   

O very god/ O love/ O god alas  
That knowest best mine heart & all my thought  
What shall my sorrowful life do in this case  
If I forego that I so dear have bought  
sith ye Creseyde & me fully have brought  
In to your grace & both our hearts sealed  
How may ye suffer in less it be repelled   

What shall I do while I may dure  
Ay live in tourment/ & in cruel pain  
Thus infortune or this dys●uenture  
〈◊〉 as I was borne I will complain  
Ne never will I seen shine or rain  
But ever will I as Edyppe is darkness  
lead my sorrowful life & live in distress   

O 〈◊〉 ghost that erryst to & fro  
Why nylt thou flee out of the woefullest  
Body that ever might on ground go  
O 〈◊〉 ●●●kyng in this woeful nest  
〈…〉 of mine heart or it breast  
And follow alway & Creseyde thy lady dear  
Thy right place is now no longer here   

This pandarus full deed & pale of hew  
F●l piteously answered & said this  
As wisely were it falls as it is true  
That I have herd & wot how it is  
O mercy god who would have trowed this  
Who would have wend that in so little a throw  
Fortune our joy would have overthrow   

For in this world there nies no creature  
As to my doom that ever saw ruin  
Strenger than this thorough case or adventure  
But who may all eschew or all divine  
Such is this/ for thy I thus define  
That trust no wight to find in fortune  
Ay property/ her yefts been common   

But tell me this why art thou now so mad  
To sorrow thus why liest thou now in this wise  
sith thy desire all holy thou hast had  
So that by right it ought enough suffice  
But I that never felt in my service  
Or friendly cheer or looking of an eye  
Late me thus weep and wail till I die   

And over all this as thou wost well thyself  
This town is full of ladies all about  
And do my doom fairer than such twelve  
As ever she was shall I find in some rout  
Ye one or two without any doubt  
For thy be glad mine own brother  
If she be lost we shall find another   

What god forbid alway that such pleasance  
In one thing were & in none other wight  
If one can sing/ another can well dance  
If this be goodly/ she that is glad & light  
And this is fair & that can good aright  
Each for his virtue holden is full dear  
Both heroune & Falcon for the river   

And eke as write Zanzies that was full wise  
The new out chasyth oft the old  
And upon new case lieth new advise  
think eke thy life to save thou art hold  
Such fire by process shall be key cold  
For sith it nies but casuel pleasance  
Somme case shall put out of remembrance   

For why sure is/ as day cometh after night  
Ye new love labour or other woe  
Or else seeing of another wight  
Done all affections soon overgo  
And for thy part/ thou shalt have one of though  
To abredge with thy bitter pains smart  
Absence of her shall drive it out of heart   

These words said he for the nonce all  
To help his friend lest he for sorrow deyde  
For doubtless to do his woe to fall  
He wrought not what unthrift he saide  
But Troilus that nigh for sorrow deyde  
Took little heed of all that ever he meant  
One ere it herd/ & at that other it out went   

But at the last he answered & said friend  
This leech craft/ or heeled thus to be  
Were well sitting if that I were a f●end  
To tray a wight that true is unto me  
I pray god let this counseyl never y the  
But do me rather now starven here  
Or I thus do as thou wouldest me lere   

She that I serve ywys so what thou say  
To whom mine heart enhabyt is by right  
Shall have me holy hers till that I die  
For Pander sith I her truth behight  
I will not be untrue for no wight  
But as her man I will ay live & starve  
And never other creature serve   

And there thou sayest thou shalt as fair find  
As she late be make no comparison  
To creature form like her by kind  
O lyef pander in conclusion  
I will not be of thine oppynyoun  
Touching all this/ for why/ I the beseech  
Holt thy peace thou sleest me with thy speech   

Thou biddest me I should love another  
All freshly new & late Creseyde go  
It lieth not in my power lyef brother  
And if I might yet will I not do so  
But thou canst play Raket to & fro  
Ne●le in dok out now this now that pander  
Now fowl fall her/ for thy woe that care   

Thou farest eke by me thou pandarus  
As he that when a wight is woe by-gone  
He cometh to him a feat/ & said right thus  
Think not on smart & thou shalt feel none  
then must I first transmue unto a stone  
And reave me my passyone all  
Or thou so lightly do my woe to fall   

My death may well out of my breast depart  
Thy life so long may this sorrow mine  
But fro my soul shall Creseydes dart  
Out nevermore but down with proserpine  
When I am deed I will go won in pine  
And there I will eternally complain  
My woe/ & than twynned be we twain   

Thou hast here made an argument forfyne  
How that it should a less pain be  
Creseyde to for go/ for she was mine  
And live in case & in felicity  
Why gabbest thou that saidest thus to me  
That him is worse that is from weal I throw  
Than he that never had of weal I know   

But tell me now/ sith ye think so light  
To changen so in love to & fro  
Why ne hadst thou do lesyly thy might  
To change her that doth the all thy woe  
Why nil thou let her from thine heart go  
Why nil thou love another lady sweet  
That might set thine heart in quiet   

If thou hast had in love ay yet myschawce  
And canst it not out of thine heart drive  
I that lived in lust & in pleasance  
With her as much as creature on live  
How should I that forget/ & that so belive  
Loo where hast thou be hid so long in mewe  
That canst so we'll love/ not a griewe   

Nay nay god wot nought worth is all thy rede  
For which/ for what that ever may befall  
Without words moo I will be deed  
O death that ender art of sorrows all  
Come now sith I so oft after the call  
For happy is that death soothly to say  
That oft I cleped cometh & endeth pain   

Well wot I while my life was in quiet  
Or thou me slow/ I would have yeven huyre  
But now thy coming is to me so sweet  
That in this world I no thing so desire  
O death sith with this world I am a fuyre  
Thou other do me anon in tears drench  
Or with thy cold stroke mine heart quench   

sith that thou sleest so many in sundry wise  
against their will unprayed day & night  
Do● now at my request this service  
deliver now the world so dost thou right  
Of me that am the sorowfullest wight  
That ever was for time that I starve  
sith in this world of right nought may I serve   

Thus Troilus in teries 'gan distill  
As liquor out of a lembyk full fast  
And Pandarus 'gan hold his tongue still  
And to the ground his eyen down he cast  
But netheless thus thought he at the last  
What pard rather than my fellow they  
Yet shall I somewhat more unto him say   

And said friend sith thou hast such distress  
And sith the list mine arguments to blame  
Why nylt thyself help to redress  
And with thy manhood let all this game  
To ravish her ne canst thou not for shame  
And owther let her out of Town far  
Or hold her still/ & leave thy nice fare   

Art thou in Troy & hast none hardiment  
To take a woman which that loveth the  
And would her self be of thine assent  
Now is not this a nice vanity  
Rise up anon & let thy weeping be  
And sith thou art a man/ for in this hour  
I will be deed or she shall be still our   

To this answered him Troilus full soft  
And said pard lyeve brother dear  
All this have I myself thought full oft  
And more thing than thou devisest here  
But why it is haft thou shalt well here  
And when thou hast me give audience  
Thereafter mayst thou tell thy sentence   

First thou wost sith this town hath all this were  
For ravishing of a woman by night  
It should not be suffered me to err  
And it stant now/ ne do not so great unright  
I should also have blame of every wight  
My faders grant if I so wythstood  
sith she is changed for the towns good   

I have eke thought/ sith it were her assent  
To ask her of my father/ at his grace  
Than think I thus it were her accusement  
sith weal I wot I may her not purchase  
For sith my father in so high a place  
As parliament hath her exchange ens●aled  
He nyl for me his letters be repealed   

Yet dread I most her heart to perturb  
With violence if I do such a game  
For if I would it openly disturb  
It must be disclander unto her name  
And me were liefer die than her defame  
As nold god but if I should have  
Her honour as lyef as my life to save   

Thus am I lost for aught that I can see  
For certain is/ sith I am her knight  
I must her honour liefer save than me  
In every case as lover ought of right  
Thus am I with desire I reason twyght  
Desire her to disturb/ ay me redyth  
And reason nil not/ so my heart dreadeth   

This weeping quoth he couth never cease  
He said alas how shall I wretch far  
For we'll feel I alway my love increase  
And hope is lass and lass/ always Pandar  
Encrecen eke the causes of my care  
So well away why nel mine heart breast  
For as in love is there but little rest   

Pandar answered/ Friend thou mayst for me  
Do as the list/ but had I it so hot  
And thine estate/ she should go with me  
Though all this town cried on this thing by note  
I nolde not set at all the noise a groat  
For when men have well cried than will they roune  
Eke wonder lasteth/ but nine days in town   

divine not in reason/ ay so deep  
Ne curyously/ but help thyself anon  
Bet is that other/ than thyself weep  
And namely sith ye two been all one  
Rise up for by my heed/ she shall not gone  
And rather be in blame a little stound  
Than starve here/ as gnat without wound   

It is no shame unto you ne vice  
Her to withhold that you loveth most  
peraventure she might hold you for nice  
To let her go 〈◊〉 to the greeks host  
think eke fo 〈…〉 as weal thy seluen wost  
Helpyth an 〈…〉 to his emprise  
And fleyth fro 〈…〉 for their cowardice   

And though thy lady 〈◊〉 a little her grieve  
Thou shalt thyself thy pres 〈◊〉 make  
But as for me certain I can not leave  
That she will now as yet for evil take  
Why should than for fere thine heart quake  
think how that parye which that is thy brother  
A love hath won why not thou another   

And Troilus one thing I dare the s 〈…〉 re  
That if Creseyde which that is thy lief  
Now loveth the as we'll/ as thou dost here  
God help me so/ she nil not take a grief  
Though thou do boat/ anon in thy● mischief  
And if she will alweye from the pass  
Than is she falls/ so love her well the lass   

For thy take heart/ & think right as a knight  
through love is broke/ all day every law  
Kith now somewhat thy courage/ & thy might  
Have mercy on thyself for any awe  
let not wretched woe/ thy heart gnaw  
Be manly set the world at six & seven  
And if thou die a martyr go to heaven   

I will myself be with the all this deed  
Though I & all my kin upon a stound  
Should in the street as dogs lyggen deed  
through girt with many a wide & bloody wonde  
In every case I will a friend be found  
And if the list here starve as a wretch  
Adyeu the devil speed him that retch   

This Troilus 'gan with the words quyken  
And saide friend/ gramercy I assent  
But certainly thou mayst not so me pryken  
Ne pain none/ may not me so torment  
That for no case/ it is not mine intent  
at short words/ though I die should  
To ravish her/ but if her self would   

Right so mean I quoth Pandarus all this day  
But tell me than/ hast thou her weal assayed  
That sorrowest thus/ and he answered nay  
Whereof art thou quoth Pandarus so dismayed  
That noste not/ if she will be weal apaid  
To ravish her sith thou hast not be there  
But if that jove told it in thine ere   

For thy rise up/ as though ne were anon  
And wash thy face/ & to the king thou wend  
Or he may wonder/ whither thou art gone  
Thou must with wisdom him & other blend  
Or upon case he may after the send  
Or thou be ware & shortly brorer dear  
Be glad/ & let me w●●ke in this matter   

For I shall shape it so that sickerly  
Thou shalt this night sometime in some manner  
Come speak with thy lady privily  
And by her words & eke by her cheer  
Thou shalt well soon perceive & here  
All her intent/ & of this cas the best  
And far now we'll for in this point I rest   

The swift fame which that false things  
Equally reporteth like things true  
Was through out Troy's fled with priest wings  
From man to men & made this tale all new  
How Calcas daughter with her bright hew  
At parliament without words more  
Y granted was in change of Anthenore   

The which tale anon as Creseyde  
Had herd as she that of her father wrought  
As in this cas right nought/ ne when he deide  
Full busily to jupiter bysought  
Yeve him mischance that this treatise wrought  
But shortly 〈◊〉 this tale sooth were  
She durst of no wight asken for fere   

As she that her heart & all her mind  
On Troilus y set was so wonder fast  
That all this world ne might her love unbind  
Ne Troilus out of her heart cast  
She will be his while her life may last  
And thus she burneth both in love & dread  
So that she nyste what was to read   

But as men see in Town all about  
That women use friends to vyfyte  
So to Creseyde of women come a rout  
For piteous joy/ & wend her delight  
And with their tales dear enough amity  
These women which that in the city dwell  
They set 'em down & saide as I shall tell   

Quoth first that one I am glad truly  
By cause of you ye shall your father see  
Another said ywys so am not I  
For all to little hath she with us be  
Quoth though the third/ I hope ywys that she  
Shall bring us peace on every side  
That when she goth/ almighty god her guide   

The words & the womannysshe things  
She herd right as she thence were  
For god wot her heart on other thing is  
All though the body sat among 'em there  
Her audience is alway else where  
For Troilus full fast her soul sought  
Withouten word alway on him she thought   

These women that th●s wenden her to please  
About nought 'gan all these tales spend  
Such vanity ne can her do none ease  
As she that all this mean while brende  
Of other passyoun than they wend  
So that she felt all most her heart die  
For woe & weary of that company   

For which no longer might she restrain  
The teries so they 'gan up to well  
That given signs of the bitter pain  
In which her spirit was & must duelle  
Remembering her from heaven in to hell  
She fallen was sith she forgoth the sight  
Of Troilus/ & sorrowfully she sight   

And thylk foolys that saten here about  
Wend that she so wept & sighed sore  
By cause that she should out of that rout  
Depart & play never with 'em more  
And they that had known her of yore  
Saw her so weep/ & thought it kindness  
And each of 'em wept for her distress   

And busily they 'gan her comfort  
Of thing god wot on which she little thought  
And with her tales wenden her dyspoȝt  
And to be glad they often her besought  
But such an ease they her therewith wrought  
Right as a man is esed for to feel  
For ache of heed to claw him on the heel   

But after all this nice vanity  
They token her leave/ & home they wenten all  
Creseyde full of sorrowful pity  
In to the chambre up out of the hall  
And on her bygan for deed 'gan to fall  
In purposes thence never for to rise  
And thus she wrought as I shall you ●●●yse   

Her yellow here that sonnysshe was of bew  
She rend/ and eke her fingers long & small  
She wrong full oft/ & bad god on her rue  
And with her death to do boat on her bale  
Her hew whilom so bright/ though was pale  
Bare witness of her woe/ and her cons●●●ynt  
And thus she spoke sobbing in her complaint   

Alas quoth she out of this Regyoun  
I woeful wretch & Infortuned wight  
And borne in cursed constellacyoun  
Mot● go/ and thus depart fro my knight  
Woe worth alas that ilk days light  
On which I saw first with eyen twain  
That causeth me & him all this pain   

Therewith the teries from her eyen two  
Down fell as shower in april doth swith  
Her white breast she beat/ and for the woe  
After the death she cried a thousand sith  
sith he that wonted her woe was to lieth  
She moat forego/ for such dysauenture  
She held her self a forbost creature   

She said how shall he do & I also  
How shall I live if I from him twin  
O dear heart eke that I love so  
Who shall that sorrow slay that ye been in  
O Calcas father thine be all this sin  
O mother mine that cleped art Argyve  
Woe worth that day thou bore my elyve   

To what fine should I live/ and sorrow thus  
How should a fish without water dure  
What is Creseyde worth from Troilus  
How should a plant or lives creature  
Live without his kindly noreture  
For which full oft a byword here I say  
That roteles mote green soon die   

I shall do thus sith none other sword ne dart  
Dare I none handle for the cruelty  
That ilk day I moat from you depart  
If sorrow of that will not my bane be  
Than shall no meet ne drink come in me  
Till my soul out of my breast vnshethe  
And thus myself will I do to death   

And Troilus my clothes everichone  
Shall black be in tokening heart sweet  
That I am as out of this world agone  
I wont was you to set in quiet  
And of mine order ay till death me meet  
The observance ever in your absence  
Shall sorrow be complaint & abstinence   

Mine heart & eke the woeful ghost therein  
bequeatheth I with your spirit to complain  
Eternally for they shall never twin  
For though in earth I twynned be we twain  
Yet in the fold of pity out of pain  
That height Elyzos/ shall we been in fere  
As Orpheus is with Erudyce his fere   

Thus heart mine/ for Anthenore alas  
I soon shall be changed as I ween  
But how shall ye do now in this cas  
How shall your sorrowful heart it sustain  
But heart mine foryete this sorrow & tene  
And me also/ for soothly for to say  
So ye far we'll/ I reck not to day   

How ever might I red be or song  
The plaint that she made in her distress  
I not but as for me my little tongue  
If I descryve would her heaviness  
It should make her sorrow seem less  
Than that was & chyldely deface  
Her high complaint/ & therefore I let it place   

Pandar which that sent was for Troilus  
Unto Creseyde as ye have herd devise  
That for the best it was acorded thus  
And he full glad to do him that service  
Unto Creseyde in a full secre wise  
There as she lay in tourment & in rage  
Come her to tell all holy his message   

And fond that she her self 'gan to treat  
Full piteously/ for with her salt tears  
Her breast/ her face y bathed was full weet  
The mighty tressies of her sonnysshe hairs  
Vnbroyded hang all about her ears  
Which gave him very sign of matyere  
Of death which that her heart 'gan desire   

When she him saw she 'gan for sorrow anon  
Her woeful face bytweye her arms hide  
For which this pandarus is so woe by-gone  
That in the house he might unneath abide  
As he that pity felt on every side  
For if Troilus had erst complained sore  
Than 'gan she plain a thousand times more   

And in her asper plaint thus she said  
Pander first of joys more than two  
Was cause causing unto me Creseyde  
That now transmuted been in cruel woe  
Whether shall I say welcome to you or no  
That altherfyrst me brought in to service  
Of love alas that endeth in such wise   

Endyth than love in woe/ ye or men lieth  
And all worldly bliss/ as thinketh me  
th'end of bliss/ ay sorrow it occupieth  
And who so troweth that it not so be  
let him upon my woeful wretch see  
That myself hate/ and my birth curs  
Feeling alway fro wyk I go to wurs   

Who so me seeth/ seeth sorrows all at ones  
prive woe/ pain/ turment and distress  
Out of my woeful body harm there ynouh is  
As anguish/ languor/ cruel bitterness  
Annoyed smart/ dread fury and eke sickness  
I trow ywys from heaven tears rain  
For pity of mine asper cruel pain   

And thou my sister/ full of dyscomfort  
Quod pandarus what thinkest thou to do  
Why ne hast thou to thyself some resport  
Why wilt thou thus/ alas thyself for do  
Leave all this/ and take now heed to  
That I shall say and herkene in good intent  
This which by me thy Troilus the sent   

turned tho Creseyde a woe making  
So great that death it was to see  
Alas she said/ what words may ye bring  
What will my dear heart say to me  
Which that I dread nevermore to see  
Will he have plaint or teries or I wend  
I have enough if he thereafter send   

She was right such to see in her visage  
As is that wight that men on bear bind  
Her face lyche of paradise the image  
Was all changed in to another kind  
The play the laughter men were wont to find  
On her/ & eke her joys everichone  
Ben fled/ and thus lieth Creseyde alone   

About her eyen two/ a propyr ring  
Bytrent in soothfast token of her pain  
That to behold it was a deadly thing  
For which pander might not restrain  
The teries from his eyen for to rain  
But nevertheless as he best might he saide  
From Troilus these words unto Creseyde   

Loo niece I trow ye have herd all how  
The king with other lords for the best  
Hath made a change for Antenor & you  
That cause is of this sorrow & unrest  
But how this cas doth/ Troilus molest  
That may none earthly man's tongue say  
As he that shortly shapyth him to die   

For which we have so sorrowed both he & I  
That in to little/ both it hath us slawe  
But through my counseyl this day finally  
He somewhat is fro weeping now withdraw  
And seemeth me that he desireth fawe  
With you to be all night for to devise  
Remedy of this if there be any wise   

This is short & plain th'effect of my message  
As farforth as my wit can comprehend  
For that ye be of tourment in such a rage  
Ye may to no long prolog as now intend  
And hereupon ye must answer him send  
And for the love of god my niece dear  
So leave this woe or Troilus come here   

great is my woe quoth she/ and sighed sore  
As she that feeleth deaths sharp distress  
But yet to me his sorrow is much more  
That love him let than he himself I guess  
Alas for me hath he such heaviness  
Can he for me so pitously complain  
Ywys his sorrow doublyth all my pain   

grievous for me god wot/ is for to twin  
Quoth she/ but god wot harder is to me  
To see that sorrow which that he is Inn  
For well I wot it will my bane be  
And die I will in certain quoth she  
But bid him come/ or death that thus me threteth  
drive out that ghost/ which in mine heart beateth   

These words said she on her arms two  
Fulgruf/ and 'gan to weep piteously  
Quod pandarus alas why do ye so  
sith weal ye wot/ the time is fast by  
That he shall come arise up hastily  
That he bywopen thus you now find  
But ye will have him wooed out of his mind   

For wist he ye fir in this manner  
He would himself slay/ if I wend  
To have this fare/ he should not come here  
For all the good that Priamus may dispend  
For to what fine he would anon pretend  
That know I weal/ & therefore yet I say  
So let this sorrow/ or platly he will they   

And shapyth you his sorrow to abredge  
And not to increase lief niece sweet  
Be rather to him of flat than edge  
And with some wisdom ye his sorrow beat  
What helpeth it to weep full a start  
Or though ye both in salt terye dreynt  
Bet is a time of cure than of complaint   

I mean as when I hither him bring  
sith ye been wise & of one assent  
So shapyth how to disturb your going  
Or come again soon/ after ye be went  
women been wise in short advisement  
And late see now your wit how shall avail  
And that I may help shall not fail   

Go quod Creseyde & uncle truly  
I shall do all my might me to restrain  
From weeping in his sight/ & busily  
Him for to glade I shall do my pain  
And in my heart seek every vain  
If to his sore there may be found salve  
It shall not lak certain in my behalf   

Goth Pandarus/ & Troilus he sought  
Till in a Temple he fond him all alone  
As he that of his life no more wrought  
But to the piteous gods enerychone  
Full tenderly he prayed & made his moan  
To do him soon/ out of this world pace  
For weal he thought there was none other grace   

And shortly all the sooth to say  
He was so fall in despeyr that day  
That utterly he shope for to day  
For right thus was his argument always  
He said I am but lorn so we'll away  
For all that cometh/ cometh by necessity  
Thus to be lorn it is my destiny   

For certainly this wot I well he saide  
That foresight of divine purveyance  
Hath seen me alway to forego Creseyde  
sith god seeth every thing out of doutaunce  
And hem dysposyth after his ordinance  
In her merits soothly for to be  
As they shall come by predestyne   

But nevertheless alas whom shall I leave  
For there been clerks many one  
That descryve through arguments prove  
And some said that needily there is none  
But that free choice is you to everichone  
O we'll away so sly are clerks old  
That I note whose opinion I may hold   

For some said that god seeth all byforn  
And god may not be deceived pard  
Than moat it fall/ though men had it sworn  
That purveyance hath seen aforn to be  
Wherefore I say that from eterne if he  
Hath wist before or thought eke all our deeds  
We have no free choice as these clerks redies   

For neither thought ne other deed also  
Might never be/ but such as pur●eaunce  
Which may not be deceived nevermo  
Hath felt before without ignorance  
For if there might be a varyounce  
To worchen out from gods purueyeng  
There were no prescience of thing coming   

But it were rather an opinion  
Vnstydfast/ & not certain seeing  
And certes that were an abusion  
That god should have no perfit clear witting  
More than we men that have douteous weening  
But such an error upon god to guess  
Were false & fowl & cursed wickedness   

And this is eke an opinion of some  
That have their top full high/ & smooth y shore  
They say right thus that thing is not to come  
For that prescience hath sayne it before  
That it shall come/ but they that therefore  
That it shall come/ therefore the purveyance  
Wot● it before without ignorance   

And in this manner this necessity  
receiveth in his part contrary again  
For needfully behoveth it not be  
That thylk things fall in certain  
That been purveyed/ but needily as they say  
Behoveth it that things which that fall  
That they in certain been purveyed all   

I mean as though I laboured me in this  
To inquire which thing/ of which thing cause be  
As whether that the prescience of god is  
The certain cause of the necessity  
Of things that to come be pard  
Or if necessity of thing coming  
Be cause certain of the purueyeng   

But now enforce I me not in showing  
How the order of causes stant/ but well wot I  
That it behooveth that the byfalling  
Of things wist before certainly  
Been necessary/ all seem it not there by  
That preseyence put falling necessayre  
Of thing to come/ fall they fowl or fair   

For if there sit a man yond on a see  
Than by necessity behoveth it  
That certes thine opinion sooth be  
That weenest & coniectyst that he sit  
And furthermore againward yet  
Loo right so it is of the part contrary  
As thus so hearken/ for I will not ta●●   

I say if the opinion of the  
Be sooth for that he sit/ than say I thus  
That he moat sit by necessity  
And thus necessity in either is  
For in him need of sitting is  
And in the need of sooth/ & thus forsooth  
There mo●e necessity be in you both   

But thou mayst say the man sit not therefore  
That thine opinion of his sitting sooth is  
But rather for the man sit there before  
Therefore is thine opinion soothe ywys  
And I say though the cause of sooth of this  
cometh of his sitting yet necessity  
Is interchanged both in him & the   

Thus in the same wise out of doutaunce  
I may well make/ as it seemeth me  
My reasoning of god's purveyance  
As of though things/ that to comen be  
By which reason men may well see  
That thylk things that in earth fall  
That by necessity they comen all   

For though that thyngiss shall come ywys  
Therefore they been purveyed certainly  
Not that it cometh for it purveyed is  
Yet nevertheless behoveth it needfully  
That thing to come/ be purveyed truly  
Or else things that purveyed be  
That they betide by necessity   

And this sufficeth right enough certain  
For to destroy our free choice every deal  
But now is this abusion to said  
That falling of the things temporele  
Is cause of god's prescience eternele  
Now truly that is a falls sentence  
That thing to come shall cause his prescience   

What might I ween/ & I had such a thought  
But that god purveyeth thing that is to come  
For that it is to come/ & else nought  
So might I ween that things all & some  
That whilom been befall & overcome  
By cause of thylk sovereign purveyance  
That forwote all without ignorance   

And over all this yet say I more thereto  
That right as when I wot there is a thing  
iwis that thing moat needfully be so  
Eke right so when I wot a thing coming  
So moat it come/ & thus by byfalling  
Of things that been wist before the tide  
They may not been eschewed on no side   

Than said he thus almighty jove in Throne  
That wost of all this thing the soothfastness  
rue on my sorrow/ and do me die soon  
Or bring Creseyde & me from distress  
And while he was in all this heaviness  
disputing with himself in this matere  
Come Pandar & said as ye shall here   

O mighty god quoth Pandarus in throne  
Ay who saw ever a wise man far so  
Why Troilus what thinkest thou to done  
Hast thou such lust to be thine own foo  
What pard/ yet nies not Creseyde go  
Why list the so thyself for to dread  
That in thine heed thine eyen semen deed   

Hast thou not lived many year byforn  
Without her/ & fir full weal at ease  
Art thou for her/ and for none other born  
Hath kind wrought the only for to please  
Here let see/ & think on thy disease  
That on the dice right as there fallen chances  
Right so in love there come & go pleasances   

And yet this is my wonder most of all  
Why thou thus sorrowest/ sith that thou wost not yet  
touching her going how it shall fall  
Ne if she can her seluen dystourben it  
Thou hast not yet assayed all her wit  
A man may all by time his neck bede  
When it shall of/ & sorowen at need   

For thy take heed of that I shall the say  
I have with her y spoke/ and long I be  
So as accorded was betwixt us fifty  
And evermore me thinketh thus that she  
Hath somewhat in her hearts pryvete  
wherewith she can if I shall right read  
disturb all this/ of which thou art in dread   

For which my counseyl is when it is night  
Thou to her go/ and make of this an end  
And blissful juno through his great might  
Shall as I hope her grace to the send  
Mine heart saith certain/ she shall not wend  
And for thy put thine heart a while in rest  
And hold this purpoos/ for it is the best   

This Troilus answered & sighed sore  
Thou sayst right we'll/ & I will do right so  
And what him list/ he said unto him more  
And when that it was time for to go  
Full privily himself withouten moo  
Unto her come/ as he was wont to done  
And how they wrought I shall you tell soon   

sooth is when they 'gan first meet  
So again the pain/ their hearts for to twyste  
That neither of 'em other might great  
But 'em in arms took & after kiss  
The lass woeful of both hem nyst  
What for to done/ ne might one word out bring  
As I said erst/ for woe/ & for sobbing   

The woeful tears that they let fall  
As bitter were out of tears kind  
For pain as is lignum aloes or gall  
So bitter teries wept not as I find  
The woeful Myrra through bark & rind  
That in this world their nies so hard an heart  
That ne would have rewid on their pains smart   

But when their woeful weary ghosties twain  
Returned been there/ as they ought to dwell  
And that somewhat to weyken 'gan their pain  
By length of plaint/ & ebben 'gan the well  
Of their hearts/ & the heart unswelle  
With broken voys all hoors for woe creseyde  
To Troilus these ilk words saide   

O jove I die/ and mercy I beseech  
Help Troilus/ and there with all her face  
Upon his breast she laid/ & boast speech  
Her woeful spirit from his proper place  
Right with the word/ away in point to pace  
And thus she lieth with hew pale & green  
That whilom fresh and fairest was to seen   

This Troilus that on her 'gan behold  
Cleping her name/ as she lay for deed  
Without answer/ & felt her limbs cold  
Her eyen thrown upward in her heed  
This sorrowful man can none other rede  
But of ●e her cold mouth he ●yst  
Where he was woe/ god & himself it wist   

He rise him up/ ● long straight her laid  
For sign of life for aught he can or may  
couth he none find/ for nothing on Creseyde  
For which his song full oft was weal away  
But when he saw that speechless she lay  
With sorrowful voys & heart of bliss all 〈◊〉  
He said how she was fro this world y fa●e   

So after that he had her long complained  
His hands he wrong/ & said that was to say  
And with his ●●res her breast bereyned  
He 'gan the teries wypen of full dry  
And piteously 'gan for the soul prey  
And said O lord/ that set art in thy Throne  
rue on me/ for I shall follow her soon   

She cold was without sentement  
For ought he wot breath ne felt be none  
And this was to him preygnaunt argument  
That she was forth out of this world y gone  
And when he saw there was none other won  
He 'gan her limbs dress in such manner  
As men done them that shollen be laid on bear   

And after this with stern & cruel heart  
His sword out of his sheeths he twyght  
Himself to slay/ how sore that him smart  
So that his soul/ her soul follow might  
There as the doom of Minos would it dight  
sith love & cruel fortune it ne would  
That in this world he longer live should   

Than said he thus fulfilled of high disdain  
O cruel jove & thou fortune adverse  
This all & some that ye falsely han slain  
Creseyde/ & sith ye may do no were  
Fie on your might & works so diverse  
Thus cowardly shall ye me never win  
There shall no death/ me from my lady twin   

For I this world/ sith ye have her slain thus  
Wol let & follow her spirit low or high  
Shall never Lover say that Troilus  
Dare not for fere with his lady die  
For certain I will bear her company  
But sith ye will not suffer us live here  
Yet suffer that our souls been yfere   

And thou cytte which that I live in woe  
And thou priamus/ & brethren all in fere  
And thou mother fare we'll/ for I go  
And Antropos make ready thou my bear  
And thou Creseyde/ O sweet heart dear  
receive now my spirit would he say  
With sword at heart full ready for to they   

But as god would of swough she abraid  
And 'gan to sigh/ & to Troilus she cried  
And he answered/ lady mine Creseyde  
Live ye yet/ & let his sword down glide  
Ye heart mine that thanked be cupid  
Quoth she/ & there with all she sore sight  
And he began to glade her as he might   

Took her in arms two/ & kissed her oft  
And her to glade he died all his intent  
In which her ghost that flickered ay aloft  
In to her woeful heart again it went  
But at the last right as her eyen glent  
A side anon she 'gan the sword aspye  
As it lay bare/ & 'gan for to cry   

And asked him why he it out had draw  
And Troilus the cause anon her told  
And how himself therewith he would have slaw  
For which Creseyde upon him 'gan behold  
And 'gan him in her arms fast hold  
O mercy god/ she said/ ●o such a deed  
Alas how nyhe we were both deed   

Than if I ne had spoke as grace was  
Ye would have slain anon yourself quoth she  
Ye doubtless/ & she answered alas  
For by that ilk lord that made me  
I nold a furlong weigh alive have be  
After your death to have be crowned queen  
Of all the land the son on shineth sheen   

But with the self sword which that here is  
Myself would have slain quoth she though  
But hoo for we have right enough of this  
And let us rise/ & straight to bed go  
And there let us speak of our woe  
For by the mortar which I see here burn  
Know I full well that day is not far hen   

When they were a bed in arms fold  
Nought was it like the nights there before  
For piteously each other 'gan behold  
As they that had all bliss y borne  
Bywailing ay the day that they were borne  
Till at the last this woeful wight Creseyde  
To Troilus these ilk words saide   

Lo heart mine we'll wot ye this quoth she  
That if a wight alweye his woe complain  
And seeketh not how helped for to be  
It nies but folly & increase of pain  
And sith that here assembled be we twain  
To find boot of woe that we been Inn  
It were all time soon to begin   

I am but a woman as full weal ye wot  
And as I am advised suddenly  
So will I tell it you while it is hot  
Me thinketh thus that neither ye nor I  
Ought half this woe to make skilfully  
For there is art enough for to redress  
That yet is miss & slay this heaviness   

So this the woe that we been Inn  
For aught I wot/ for no thing else is  
But for by cause that we shall twin  
Considered all there is no more iwies  
But what is than a remedy unto this  
But that we shape us soon for to meet  
This is all & some/ my dear heart sweet   

Now that shall I weal bringen about  
To come soon again after I am go  
Not withstanding the greeks great rout  
Doutyth not/ it must needs be so  
By very reasons more than one or two  
By all right/ & in words few  
I shall you weal an heap of ways show   

For which I will not make long sermon  
For time y lost may not recovered be  
But I will go to my conclusion  
And to the best in that that I can see  
But for the love of god forgive it me  
If I speak aught against your hearts rest  
For truly I speak it for the best   

Making alway a protestation  
That now t●ese words which that I shall say  
Nys but to show you my mocyoun  
To find unto your help the ●est weigh  
And taketh it none otherwise I you prey  
For in effect/ what so ye me command  
That will I do/ for that is no demand   

Now herkenyth weal that ye have understand  
My going granted is by parliament  
So farforth that it may not be wythstond  
For all this world as by judgement  
And sith there helpeth none advisement  
To let it/ let it passen out of mind  
And let us shape a better weigh to find   

Sooth is this the twynning of us twain  
will us disease & greatly annoy  
But him behooveth sometime have pain  
That serveth love/ if that he will have joy  
And sith I shall no further out of Troy  
Than I may ride again in half a morrow  
It ought the less causen us to sorrow   

sith as I shall not been hid in mewe  
That day by day mine own heart dear  
sith weal ye wot it is now a true  
Ye shall full weal all mine estate here  
And or that truce is done I shall be here  
And than have ye both Anthenore won  
And me also/ be glad if that ye con   

And think right thus Creseyde is now agone  
But when she shall come hastily again  
And when alas/ by god right here anon  
Or days ten/ this dare I saufly say  
And than at e●st shall we be so feyn  
So as we shall to guider ever duelle  
That all the world ne might our bliss tell   

I see that oft/ there as we be now  
Is for the best our counseyl for to hide  
Ye speak not with me nor I with you  
In fortnight ne see you go ne ride  
May ye not ten days than abide  
For mine honour in such an adventure  
iwis ye mow else little endure   

Ye know well eke how all my kin is here  
But if that only it my father be  
And eke mine other things all in fere  
And namely my dear heart ye  
Whom that I nolde leave for to see  
For all this world as wide as it hath space  
Or else see I never jove in the face   

Why trow ye my father in this wise  
coveteth so to see me/ but for dread  
Lest in this town the folk me despise  
By cause of him for his unhappy deed  
What wot my father what life I lead  
For & he wist in Troy how weal that I far  
Us nedyth for my wending no thing to care   

Ye see eke that every day more & more  
Men treat of peace/ & it supposed is  
That men the queen Heleyne shollen restore  
And greeks us restore that is amiss  
So & there near comfort/ none but this  
That men purpose peace on every side  
Ye may the better at ease of heart abide   

For if that it be peace/ ●oo mine heart dear  
The nature of the peace must needs drive  
That men must entrecomune in fere  
And to & fro eke go & ride as belive  
All day as thick/ as been from the hive  
And every wight have liberty to bleve  
Where as him list the bet without leave   

And though so be that peace may be none  
Yet hither though never ne peace were  
I must come/ for whither should I gone  
Or how mischance should I dwell there  
Among the men of arms in fere  
For which as wisely god my soul read  
I can not seen whereof ye should dread   

Have here another weigh if it so be  
That all this thing ne may not you suffice  
My father as ye known well pard  
Is old/ & eld is full of covetise  
And I right now have found all the guise  
Without net/ wherewith I shall him hent  
And harkeneth how if ye will assent   

Loo Troilus men say that hard it is  
The wether from the wolf hole to save  
This is to say/ that men full oft ywys  
might spend part the remnant to save  
For ay with gold/ men may the heart grave  
Of him that set is upon covetise  
And how I mean I shall you now devise   

The meoble which I have in this town  
Unto my father/ shall I take and say  
That right for trust and salvation  
It sent is from a friend of his or fifty  
The which friends fervently him prey  
To send after more/ & that in high  
While that this Town stant thus in jeopardy   

And that shall be an huge quantity  
This shall I say but less than folk espyede  
This may be sent by no wight but by me  
I shall it show if peace betide  
What friends that I have on either side  
Toward the court to do the wrath pace  
Of Priamus & done him stand in grace   

So that for one thing/ or for other my 〈◊〉  
I shall him so enchaun●en with my saws  
That right in heaven his soul shall he meet  
For all Apollo & his clerks laws  
Or calculing availeth not three haws  
Desire of gold shall so his heart blend  
That as me list I shall well make an end   

And if he would aught by his sort prove  
If that I lie in certain I shall find  
Dystourben him & plucken him by the sleeve  
Marring his sort & bearing him on hand  
He hath not well the gods understand  
For gods speaken in Amphybylogyes  
And for one sooth they make twenty lies   

Eke dread fond first goddess I suppose  
Thus shall I say/ and that his coward heart  
Made him amiss the god's text to gloze  
When he for fere out of Delphos 'gan s●ert  
And but I makehym soon to convert  
And do my read within a day or twey  
I will to you oblyge me to dey●   

And truly written as I find  
That all this thing was said of good intent  
And that her heart true was & kind  
Coward him & spoke right as she meant  
And that she starf for woe nigh when she went  
And was in purposes ever to been true  
Thus written they that of her hearts knew   

This Troilus with heart & ears sprad  
Herd all this thing devised to & fro  
And verily him seemed that he had  
The self wit/ but yet to let her go  
His heart mysforyave him evermore  
But finally he 'gan his heart wrest  
To trust her & took it for the best   

For which the great fury of his penance  
Was quaint with hope/ & therewith hem between  
Bygan for joy the amorous dance  
And as the birds when the son is sheen  
delighten in her song in the leaves green  
Right so the words that they spoke in fere  
Dely●●d 'em & made their hearts clear   

But nevertheless the wending of Cres●id●  
For all this world may not out of his mind  
For which full oft full piteously he pride  
That of her heest he might her true find  
And saide 〈◊〉 if ye been unkind  
And but ye come all that day set in Troy  
Ne shall I never have h●le honour ne joy   

For also soothe a● son rys● a ●●●orow●  
And god so wisely thou me woeful w●●tche  
To r●s● me bring out of this cruel sorrow  
I will myself if that y● dretche  
But of my d●th though little be to retch  
Yet or that ye causen me so to smart  
dwell here rather mine own dear h●rt   

For truly mine own lady dear  
The sleygh●es that I have herd you 〈◊〉  
Full shaply be to fallen all in fere  
For sooth is said what thinketh the bear  
Yet all another thinketh his leder●  
Your father is wise/ & said is out of deed  
Men may the wise at ●enne/ but not at rede   

It is full hard/ to halten unaspyed  
Before a Crepul/ for he can the craft  
Your father is in sloyghtes/ as argus is eyed  
For all be that his meoble be him becaft  
His old sleygh●rs yet been with him last  
Ye shall not blind him for your womanhede  
Ne feign a right/ & that is all my dread   

I note if peace shall evermore betide  
But peace o● no/ for earnest ne for game  
I wot sith 〈◊〉 on the greeks side  
Hath once been and 〈◊〉 so foul his name  
He dare no more come here again for shame  
For which that ●ey for aught I can espy  
To trust upon nies but a fantasy   

Ye shall eke see your father shall you gloze  
To be a wife/ & as he can well preach  
He shall some greek so praise so high a lose  
That ravysshen he shall you with his speech  
Or do you do by force/ as he shall teach  
And Troilus of whom he nil have ruth  
So causeless shall starve in his truth   

And over all this your father shall despise  
●s all and say this Cytte nies but born  
And that the siege never shall arise  
For why the greeks have it all y sworn  
Till we been slain/ & down our wallys torn  
And thus he shall you with his words fere  
That aye dread I/ ye shall believe there   

Ye shall eke see so many a lusty knight  
Among the greeks full of worthiness  
And each of them with heart wit & might  
To please you will do all their ●esynesse  
That ye shall dull of the rudeness  
Of us Cely Tro●aue● but if that ro●●he  
Remorde you of virtue & of your truth   

And thus to me so grievous is to think  
That fro my breast it will my soul rend  
Ne dreadless in me there can not sink  
A good opinion if that ye wend  
For why your faders sleygh●es will us shende  
And if ye gone as I have told you yore  
So think I nam but deed withouten more   

For which with humble true & piteous heart  
A thousand times mercy I you pray  
So rewyth upon mine aspye pains smart  
And doth somewhat as I shall you say  
And let us steel away between us fifty  
And think that folly is when a man may cheese  
For accident his substance ay to lose   

I mean thus that sith ye mow no day  
We'll steel away/ and be together so  
What were it to put in assay  
In case ye should unto your father go  
If that ye might come again or no  
Thus thinketh me it were a great folly  
To put that sikerness in to jeopardy   

And wulgarly to speak of substance  
Of treasure may we both with us lead  
Enough to live in honour & pleasance  
Till in to time that we shall be deed  
And thus we may eschew all this dread  
For every other weigh ye can record  
Mine heart iwies may therewith not accord   

And hardly/ ne careth no poverty  
For I have kin & friends else where  
That though we come in our bare shirt  
Us should neither last gold ne gear  
But been honoured while we dwellen there  
And go we anon/ for after mine intent  
This is the best if that ye will assent   

Creseyde him with a sick right in this wise  
answered ywys/ my dear heart true  
We may weal away as ye devise  
Or find such unthrifty ways new  
But afterward full soon it would us rue  
As help me god at my last need  
Al causeless ye suffer all this dread   

For thylk day that I for cherishing  
Or dread of father or of other wight  
Or for estate delight or for wedding  
Be false to you my Troilus my knight  
Saturnus daughter juno through her might  
As wood as Adamaunt/ do me dwell  
Eternally with styx in the pit of hell   

And this on every god celestial  
I swear it you/ and eke on each goddess  
On every nymph/ & deyte infernal  
On Satyry and Fauny/ more & less  
That half gods been of wilderness  
And Antropos my thread of life to breast  
If I be falls now trow me if ye jest   

And thou Synoys that as an arewe clore  
through Troy rennest downward to the see  
Bear witness of this word that said is here  
That ilk day that I untrue be  
To Troilus mine own heart free  
That thou return backward to thy well  
And I with body & soul sink to hell   

But that ye speak away thus for to go  
And leave all your friends/ god forbid  
For any woman that ye holden so  
And namely sith Troy hath now such need  
Of help/ & eke of one thing taketh heed  
If this were wist/ my life lay in balance  
And your honour/ god shyeld us from myschance   

And if so be that peace hereafter take  
As all day happyth/ after angyr game  
What lord the sorrow & woe ye would make  
That ye ne durst come again for shame  
And ere that ye ieopart/ so your name  
Be not to hasty in this old fare  
For hasty man wantyth never care   

What trow ye eke/ that people here about  
Wold of it say/ it is full light to read  
They will say/ & swear it out of doubt  
That love ne drove you to do that deed  
But lust voluptuous & coward dread  
Thus were all lost/ ywys mine heart dear  
Your honour which that now shineth so clear   

And also thinketh on mine honest  
That flowryth yet/ how foul should I it shende  
And with what filth it spotted should be  
If in this form with you I should wend  
Ne though I lived unto the worldys' end  
My name should I never ageynward win  
Thus were I lost/ & that were rowthe & sin   

And for to slay with reason all this heat  
Men say the suff●aunt overcometh pard  
Also who will have lyef/ lyef more let  
Thus maketh v●rtu of necessyre  
By pacyen●e/ & think that lord ●o he  
By fortune/ ay that will not retch  
And she ne daunt●th but a wretch   

And truseyth this that certrs heart sweet  
Or Phoebus suffer Lucyna the sheen  
The lion pass out of this Arye●e  
I will be here without any ween  
I ween as help me juno heavens queen  
The tenthe day/ but if that death ma●ayle  
I will you seen without any fail   

And now so this be true/ quod Troilus  
I shall weal suffer unto the tenth day  
sith that I see/ need it moat be thus  
But for the love of god if it be may  
So let us steel privily away  
For ever in one/ as for to live in rest  
Mine heart saith/ that it would be the best   

O mercy god what life is this quoth she  
Alas ye s●e me thus with very tene  
I see weal now that ye mystrusten me  
For by your words it is we'll y seen  
Now for the love of Sathya the sheen  
mistrust me not thus causeless for ruth  
Sith to be true I have plight you my troth   

And thinketh weal that sometime it is wit  
To spend a time right for to win  
Ne pard lorn am I not from you yet  
Though we be a day or two a twin  
drive out the fantasies you withynne  
And trus●yth me/ & leaveth eke your sorrow  
Or here my truth I will not live to morrow   

For if ye wist how sore it doth me smart  
Ye would cease of this for god thou wost  
The pour spirit weyyth in my heart  
To see you weep that I love most  
And that I moat go to the greeks host  
Ye near that I wist a remedy  
To come again/ right here would I die   

But certes I name not so nice a wight  
That I ne can well imagine a weigh  
To come again that day that I have height  
For who may hold a thing that will away  
My father nought for all this quaint play  
And by my thrift my wending out of Troy  
Another day shall ●orne us all to joy   

For thy with all mine heart I you byseke  
If that ye list do aught for my prayer  
And for that love/ which I love you eke  
That or I depart from you here  
That of so good comfort & chyere  
I may you see that I may bring at rest  
Mine heart which that is in paint to breast   

And over all this I pray you quoth she though  
Mine own hearts/ soothfast suffisance  
sith I am thine all hole withouten more  
The while that I am absent that no pleasance  
Of other do me from your remembrance  
For why I am ever aghast/ for why men read  
Love is thine/ & ay full of busy dread   

For in this world there liveth lady none  
If that ye were untrue as god defend  
That so betrayed were/ or woe by-gone  
And I that all truth in you intend  
And dout●les if that I other wend  
I near but deed/ & or ye can so find  
For gods love so let not to me unkind   

To this answered Troilus & saide  
Now god to whom there is no cause y wry  
Me glad as wis I never to Creseyde  
sith thylk day I saw her first with eye  
Was false/ ne never shall/ till that I die  
At short words weal ye may me leave  
I can no more/ it shall be found at p●●ue   

Gromercy good heart mine quod she  
And blissful Venus let me never starve  
Or I may stand in pleasance of ●gree  
To quite him weal that so weal can deseru●  
And while that god my wit will me conserve  
I shall so done so true I have you found  
That ay honour to me ward shall rebound   

For truseyth weal that your estate royal  
No vain delight/ nor only worthiness  
Of you in were/ ne tourney martial  
Nor pomp● array/ nobley or eke richesse  
Ne made me to rue upon your distress  
But moral virtue grounded upon truth  
That was the cause I had first on you ruth   

Eke gentle heart/ and manhood that ye had  
And that ye had as me thinketh in despite  
Every thing/ that sowned● in to bad  
As rudevesse and peoplyss●e appetite  
And that your reason bridled your delight  
This made me above every creature  
That I was your/ & shall while I may dure   

And this may length of years not for do  
Ne remuable fortune deface  
But jupiter/ that of his might may do  
Ye sorrowful to be glad/ so give us grace  
Or nights ten to meeten in this place  
So that it may/ mine heart & your suffice  
And far ye we'll/ time is that ye rise   

But after that they love plained had  
And I liyst/ and strait in arms fold  
The day 'gan rise/ and Troilus him clad  
And rewfully his lady 'gan behold  
As he that felt/ deaths tr●es cold  
And to her grace/ he 'gan him recomaunde  
Whether he was woe/ thus hold I no demand   

For man's heed imagine ne can  
Ne nen tendement consider/ ne tongue tell  
The cruel pains/ of this woeful man  
That passyn every torment down in hell  
For when he saw/ she might not dwell  
Which that his soul/ out of his heart rend  
Without more/ he out of the chambre went   
Here endeth the Fourth book   

And beginneth the fifth  

aProchen 'gan the fatal day of destiny  
That iovis hath in his disposition  
And to you angry parcas sisters three  
Committed to do anon execution  
For which Creseyde must out of the town  
And Troilus shall dwell/ forth in pine  
Till lachesys his thread no longer twine   

The gold tressed Phoebus high on fit  
Shined had with his beams clear  
The snows molt/ & Zephyrus as oft  
Y● brought again the lusty leaves green  
sith that the son of Hecuba the queen  
Bygan to love her first/ for whom his sorrow  
Was all/ that she depart should a morrow   

Full ready was at prime diomed  
Creseyde unto the greeks host to lead  
For sorrow/ of which she felt her heart bleed  
As she that nyst/ what was best to read  
And truly as men in books read  
Men wist never woman have more care  
Ne was so loath/ out of a town to far   

This Troilus without rede or lore  
As a man that hath his joys eke forlese  
Was waiting on his lady evermore  
As she/ that the soothfast crop & more  
Of all his lust/ or joys here bifore  
But Troilus/ now far weal all thy joys  
For shalt thou never/ see her eft in Troy's   

sooth is while that he bode in this manner  
He 'gan his woe full manly for to hide  
That weal uneath/ it seen was in his cheer  
But at the gate/ there she should out ride  
With certain folk he houyd her to bide  
So woe bygo/ all would he not complain  
That on his horse uneath he sat for pain   

For Ire he quoke/ so 'gan his heart gnaw  
When diomed/ on horse him 'gan dress  
And said to himself this ilk saw  
Alas quod he/ thus fowl & wretchedness  
Why suffer I it/ why nil I it redress  
Were it not bet at ones for to die  
Than evermore in languor/ thus for to dry   

Why nil I make at one's rich & pour  
To have enough to do/ or that she go  
Why nil I bring all Troy in Roure  
Why nil I slay this diomed also  
Why nil I rather with a man or two  
Steel her away/ why will I thus endure  
Why nil I help/ to mine own cure   

But why he nold do so fell a deed  
That shall I say/ & why he list to spare  
He had in heart alway a manner dread  
Lest that Creseyde in rumour of this fare  
Should have been slain/ lo thus was all his care  
And else certain/ as I said over  
He had it done without words more   

Creseide when she ready was to ride  
Full sorrowfully she sight/ & said alas  
But forth she moat/ for aught that may betide  
There nys none other remedy in this case  
And forth she road full sorrowfully a pace  
What wonder is/ though her sore smart  
When she forgoth/ her own dear heart   

This Troilus in wise of courtesy  
With hawk on hand/ & with an huge rout  
Of knights road/ & died her company  
Passing all the valley far without  
And ferther would have ride/ out of doubt  
Full fain/ & woe was him to go so soon  
But right with that was Anthenore y gone   

But turn he must/ & eke it was to done  
Out of the greeks host & every wight  
Was of it glad/ & said he was welcome  
And Troilus near all his heart light  
He pained him with all his full might  
Him to withhold of weeping at the least  
And Anthenore/ he kyst & made feast   

And here with all/ his lady's leave to take  
He cast his eye upon her piteously  
And near he road/ his cause for to make  
To take her by the hand/ all sobyrly  
And lord she 'gan weep t●ndyrly  
And he full soft/ slily 'gan her say  
Now hold your day/ & do me not to die   

With that his courser/ turned he ab●u●●  
With 〈◊〉 pale/ & unto diomed  
No word he spoke/ ne none of all his reuth  
Of which the son of Tydeus took beede  
As he that couth more than hie C●●de  
In such a craft/ & by the mine her ●●nt  
And Troilus to Troy homeward went   

This diomed that led ●yr by the bridal  
When that he saw the folk of Troy away:  
Thought all my labour/ shall not be m●ydel  
If that I may/ for somewhat shall I say  
For at the les● yet/ it may short over weigh  
I have herd saide eke/ times twyre twelve  
He is a fool that will fory●ce himself   

But nevertheless thus/ thought he weal enough  
That certainly/ I am about nought  
If that I speak of love/ or make it tough  
For doubtless if she have in her thought  
Him that I guess/ he may not be y brought  
So soon away/ but I shall find a mean  
That she not yet shall wy●● what I mean   

This diomed as he that couth his good  
When time was/ 'gan fall forth in speech  
Of this & that/ & asked why she stood  
In such disease/ & 'gan her beseech  
That if he increase might or each  
With any thing/ her ease that she would  
Comounde it him/ & he do it would   

For truly he swore her as a knight  
That there nas thing with which he might her please  
That he nil do his heart & all his might  
To do it/ for to do her heart an ease  
And prayed her she would her appease  
And said iwies we greeks con have joy  
To honour you as wese/ as folk of Troy   

He said eke thus/ ● wot ye think it strange  
No wonder to/ for it is to you new  
T●●queyntaūce of these Troyans' for to change  
For folk of grece/ that ye never knew  
But would never god/ but that as true  
A greek ye might among us all find  
As any Trojan is & eke as kind   

And by cause I swore you right now  
To be your friend/ & helply to my might  
And for the more acquaintance eke of you  
Have I had than another strange wight  
So fro this forth I pray you day & night  
Comaundyth me how sore that I smart  
To do all that may like unto your heart   

And that ye me would as for your brother treat  
And taketh not my friendship in despite  
And though your sorrows been for things great  
Note I not why/ but out of more respite  
Mine heart hath to amend it great delight  
And if I may your harms not redress  
I am right sorry for your heaviness   

For though the Troyans' be with us greeks wrath  
Have many a day/ & been yet pard  
O god of love sith we serven both  
And for the love of god my lady free  
Whom so ye hate/ ne be not wroth with me  
For truly there can no wight you serve  
That half so loath your wrath would deserve   

And near it that we been so nigh the tent  
Of Calcas which that see us both may  
I would of this now tr●●e all mine eutent  
But this ensealed shall be till another day  
Yeve me your hand/ I am & shall be ay  
God help me so while that my life may dure  
Your own above any creature   

Thus said I never or now to women born  
For god mine heart as wisely glad so  
I loved never woman here byforn  
As paramour ne never shall no moo  
And for the love of god be not my foo  
All can I not to you my lady dear  
Complain a right/ for I am yet to lere   

And wondryth not mine own lady bright  
Though that I speak of love to you thus belive  
For I have herd or this of many a wight  
That loved thing/ he never saw his live  
For I am not of power for to strive  
against god of love but him obey  
I will alway/ & of mercy you prey   

There been so worthy knights in this place  
And ye so fair that everich of 'em all  
will peynen hem to stand in your grace  
But might me so fair a grace fall  
That ye me for your servant would call  
So lowly ne so truly would serve  
Nyl none of 'em as I shall till I starve   

Crrseyde unto that purpose little answered  
As she that was with sorrow oppressed so  
That in effect she nought his tales herd  
But here & there/ now here a word or two  
Her thought her sorrowful heart breast a two  
For when she 'gan her father fer aspye  
We'll nigh down of her hor● she 'gan to sye   

But nevertheless she thanked diomed  
Of all his travail & his good cheer  
And that him list his freudshyp her to lied  
And she accepting it in good manner  
She would do feign/ that is him lyef & dear  
And trustyn him she would & weal she might  
As saide she/ & from her horse she light   

Her father hath her in his arms nome  
And twenty time he kissed his daughter sweet  
And saide dear daughter mine welcome  
She said she was fain with him to meet  
And stood forth mild & mansuete  
And thus I leave her with her father dwell  
And forth I will of Troilus you tell   

To Troy is come this woeful Troilus  
In sorrow above all sorrows smart  
With fellow look & face defpytous  
And suddenly down from his horse he start  
And through his palace with a swollen heart  
To chambre went/ of nothing took he heed  
For none durst to him speak a word for dread   

And there his sorrows that he spared had  
He gave an issue large/ and death he cried  
And in his throws frentyk sore & mad  
He cursed juno Apollo & eke cupid  
He cursed Ceres Bacchus/ and Cypryde  
His birth/ himself & eke nature  
And save his lady/ every creature   

To bed he goth/ walwyth there & 〈◊〉  
In fury/ as doth he Ixyoun in 〈◊〉  
And in this wise/ heavy till day sorou●●●●  
But though began his heart/ a little unswelle  
through t●rys/ which 'gan up to well  
And piteously he cried upon Causeyed  
And to himself right thus he spoken & said   

Where is mine own lady ly●f & 〈◊〉  
Where is her white b●●st/ where is it 〈◊〉  
Where been her arms/ and her eyen 〈◊〉  
That ●●ster night this time with me were  
Now may I we●e o●●ne many a 〈◊〉  
And grasp about I may but in this place  
Save a py●●we I find none to embrace   

How shall I do when shall she come again  
I not alas why let● I her go  
As would god I had as though be slain  
O heart mine Creseyde & swe●e so  
O lady mine that I love & no moo  
To whom for evermore mine ●ert I low  
See how I die/ ye will not me rescowe   

Who seeth you now my right ●ode steree  
Who sit right now or scant in your pre●ence  
Who can comfort now your 〈…〉  
Now I am go/ who giveth you andy●nce  
Who speaketh for me now in mine absence  
Alas no wight/ & that is all my care  
For weal I wo●e as evil as I ye 〈◊〉   

How shall I thue ten days full endure  
When I the first night have all this trne  
How shall ye do sorrowful creature  
For tendyrnes how shall ye eke sustain  
Such woe for me/ how piteous pale & green  
Shall be your fresh womanly face  
For longing or ye torn in to this place   

And when he fill in any s●●mbrynges  
A none begin he should to groan  
And dream of right dreadful things  
That night/ as meet that he were alone  
In place horrible making ay his moan  
Or metyn that he was amongs all  
His enemies/ & in her hands f●lle   

And therewith all his body should start  
And with the styrt all suddenly awake  
And such a cramp feel about his heart  
That of the fere his body should avake  
And there with all/ he should a noise make  
And seem as though he should full deep  
From high aloft/ and than he would weep   

And rue on himself so piteously  
That wonder was to here his fantasy  
Another time he should mightily  
Comfort himself/ and say it was folly  
So causeless such dreads for to dry  
And after begin his asper sorrows new  
That every man might on his sorrow row   

Who couth tell a right or full deseryue  
His weo his plaint/ his languor & his pine  
Not all the men that have or been alive  
Thou reader mayst full 〈◊〉 thyself dyvyna  
That such a woe my wit can not define  
On idle should I write it with ink  
When that my wit is weary it to think   

On heaven the stars wer● seen  
All though full pale waxen was the mon●  
And whyten 'gan the orysount sheen  
Al eastward as it is wont to done  
And Phoebus with his rosy cart soon  
'Gan after that to dress him up to far  
When Troilus hath sent after pander   

This Pander that of all day byforn  
Ne might have come Troilus to see  
And though on his heed/ he had it sworn  
For with king Priamus all day was he  
So that it lay not in his liberty  
Nowhere to go/ but on the morrow he went  
To Troilus when that he for him sent   

For in his heart he couth well divine  
That Troilus all night for sorrow work  
And that he would tell him of his pine  
This knew he right weal without book  
For which to his chamber the right weigh he took  
And Troilus though soothly he great  
And on the bed full soon he 'gan him set   

My Pander quoth Troilus the sorrow  
Which that I dry/ & may not long endure  
I trow I shall not live till to morrow  
For which I would always in adventure  
To the devise of my sepulture  
The form & of my meoble thou dyspone  
Right as the seemeth lest is for to done   

But of the fnrye & flawmes funeral  
In which my body burn shall to gleed  
And of the feast & plays palestral  
At my vigils I pray take good heed  
That that he we'll and offer mars my stead  
My sword/ mine helm/ & lyef brother dear  
My shield to pallas give that shineth clear   

The powder in which mine heart brent shall torn  
That pray I the thou take/ & it conserve  
In a vessel that men clepyn an urn  
Of gold to my lady that I serve  
For love of whom thus piteously I starve  
So give it her & do me this pleasance  
To pray her to keep it for a remembrance   

For weal I feel by my malady  
And by my dreams/ now & yore ago  
All certainly that I moat needs die  
The Owl eke which that height Escaphylo  
Hath after me shryght/ all these nights two  
And god Mercury now of me woeful wretch  
The soul guide/ & when ye list it fetch   

Pander answered & said O Troilus  
My dear friend as I have told the yore  
That it is folly for to sorrow thus  
And causeless/ for which I can no more  
But who so will not trowen read ne lore  
I can not see in him no remedy  
But let him work with his fantasy   

But Troilus I pray the tell me now  
If thou wot or this any wight  
Hath loved paramour as weal as thou  
Ye god wot/ & from many a worthy knight  
Hath his lady been a fortnight  
And he not yet made haluendele the fare  
What need is the to maken all this care   

sith day by day thou mayst thyself see  
That from his love/ or else from his wife  
A man moat twin of necessity  
Ye though he love her/ as his own life  
And though between you were never no strif  
For weal thou wost my lyef brother dear  
That alway friends may not been yfere   

How done these folk that seen her loves wedded  
By friends might/ as it betid full oft  
And seen 'em in her spouses bed y bedded  
God wot they take it wisely fair & soft  
Without words or blowing out aloft  
And for they con a time of sorrow endure  
As time hem hurt/ time will 'em recure   

So shalt thou endure & lote slide  
The time/ & found to be glad & light  
Ten days is not so long to abide  
And sith she to come hath behyght  
She nyl her heest break for no wight  
For dread not but she will find a weigh  
To come again my life that dare I lay   

Thy swevens eke/ & all such fantasy  
drive out & let hem go to mysehawce  
For though they proceed of thy melancholy  
That doth the feel in sleep all this penance  
Straw for all thy swevenes' sygnyfyannce  
God help me so/ I count 'em not at a been  
There wot noman a right what dreams mean   

For priests of the temple tell this  
That dreams been the revelations  
Of god's/ & as weal they tell ywys  
That they been infernal illusions  
And leches say that of complexyons  
Proceden they of fasting or gluttony  
Who wot in sooth what they sygnefye   

Eke other soyn that through impressions  
As if a wight hath fast a thing in mind  
That thereof come such visions  
And other sayne as they in books find  
That after times of the year by kind  
Men dream & that th'effect goth by the moan  
But leave no dream sith it is not to done   

We'll worth of dreams all these old wives  
And truly angury of these fowls  
For fere/ whereof men ween to lose their lives  
As ravenes qualm/ & shrieking of these oules  
To trowen on it/ falls & foul is  
Alas alas that so noble a creature  
As is a man should dread such ordure   

For which with all mine heart I the beseech  
Unto thyself/ all this thou forgive  
And rise now up without more speech  
And let us cast/ how forth may best bedryve  
This time & eke/ how freshly we may live  
When that she cometh that shall be right soon  
God help me so/ this think me best to done   

Rise let us speak/ of lusty life in Troy  
That we have lad/ & forth this time drive  
And eke of time coming/ as of joy  
That bring shall our bliss/ now so belive  
And languor of these/ twice days five  
We shuln therewith/ so foryete our oppress  
That weal uneath/ it shall do us duresse   

This town is full of lords all about  
And truce lasteth/ all this mean while  
Go we play us/ in some lusty rout  
To Sardepedon/ not hens but a mile  
And thus thou shalt/ the time well beguile  
And drive it forth/ unto thy blissful morrow  
That thou her see/ that is cause of thy sorrow   

Now rise/ my dear brother Troilus  
For certain none honour/ is to the  
To weep/ & in thy bed to rowken thus  
For truly of one thing/ trust thou me  
If thou thus lig/ a day two or three  
The folk will say/ that thou for cowardice  
Thou feynest thee seek & darest not arise   

This Troilus answered/ O brother dear  
This known folk/ that han suffered pain  
That though he weep & make sorrowful cheer  
That feeleth harm/ and smart in every beyne  
No wonder is though that I ever plain  
Or alway were I am no thing to blame  
sith I have lost/ the cause of all my game   

But s●th of fyn force I must arise  
I shall arise as soon as ever I may  
And god to whom mine heart I sacrifice  
So send us hastily now the tenth day  
For was there never fowl so fain of may  
As I shall be when/ she cometh in Troy  
That cause is of my torment/ & my joy   

But whither is thy read quoth Troilus  
That we play us may best in this town  
My counseyl is by god/ quod pandarus  
To ride & play us with Sarpedon  
So long of this they speaken up & down  
Till Troilus at the last 'gan assent  
To rise/ & forth to Sarpedon they went   

This Sarpedon/ as he that honourable  
Was ever his life/ & full of high largesse  
With all that might served be at table  
That dainty was/ all cost it great richesse  
He fed 'em day by day/ that such noblesse  
As saiden both the more & eke the lest  
Was never seen or wist at any feste   

Nor in this world there nys none ins●●●ment  
delight of song/ or touch of cord  
As fer/ as any wight hath ever went  
That tongue tell/ or heart may record  
That at the fest/ it nas herd accord  
Of ladies eke so fair a company  
On dances as though/ was none seen with eye   

But what availeth this to Troilus  
That for his sorrow no thing of it wrought  
For ever in one/ his heart piteous  
Full busily Creseyde his lady sought  
On her was ever/ all that his heart thought  
Now this now that/ so fast imagining  
That glad iwies can him no festening   

These ladies that at the ●●st been  
sith that he saw his lady was away  
It was his sorrow/ upon 'em to seen  
Or for to here/ Instruments play  
For she that of his heart bore the key  
Was absent/ loo this was his fantasy  
That no wight should make melody   

For there nas hour/ in the day nor night  
When he was there/ that no man might him here  
That he no said/ O blissful lady bright  
How have ye far/ sith that ye were here  
Welcome ywys mine own lady dear  
But we'll away/ all this nas but a maze  
Fortune his hove/ intended bet to glaze   

The letters eke/ that she of old time  
Had him sent/ he would anon read  
And oft betwixt/ none & prime  
Refyguring her sha●/ & her womanhead  
Within his heart/ & every word & deed  
That passed was/ & thus he droof to an end  
The fourth day with Pandar his friend   

And said/ lyeve brother Pandarus  
Entendyst thou/ that we shall here believe  
Till Sarpedon forth will convey us  
Yet were it fairer that we took our love  
For gods love/ let us soon at eve  
Our leave take/ and home let us torn  
For truly I nyl not thus sojourn   

Pander answered/ be we comen hither  
To fetch fuyre & torn home again  
God help me so/ I can not tell whither  
We might gone/ if I shall soothly say  
There any wight/ is of us more fain  
Than Sarpedon/ & if ye hens high  
Thus suddenly/ I hold it villainy   

sith that we said/ we would bleve  
With him a wyke/ and now thus suddenly  
The fourth day take of him our leu●  
He would wonder/ on it truly  
let us forth hold/ our purpoos firmly  
And sith that ye behyghte him for to abide  
Hold forward now/ and after ●●te us ryd●   

This pandarus with all pain & woe  
Made him to dwell/ & at the weeks end  
Of Sarpedon they took her l●ue tho  
And on their weigh they sped 'em to wend  
Quod Troilus/ now lord me gr●●● send  
That I may find/ at mine home coming  
Creseyde y come/ & therewith he 'gan sing   

Ye basyl wood quoth this Pander  
And to himself full softly he saide  
God wot● referyde/ may thy 〈◊〉 fare  
Or Cal●●● send to Troilus Creseyde  
But nevertheless he 〈◊〉 thus & 〈◊〉  
And swore ywys/ his h●rt him thus 〈◊〉  
She would come as soon as she might   

When they unto the palace were common  
Of Troilus/ they down of hor● alight  
And to the chambre the weigh have they 〈◊〉  
And in to time/ that it 'gan to night  
They speak all of Creseyde the bright  
And after this/ when ●●m both life  
They sped 'em from sowper unto rest   

On morrow as soon/ as day began to clear  
This Troilus 'gan of his sleep to abreyde  
And to Pandar his own brother dear  
For love of god/ full piteously he saide  
As go we see the palace of Creseyde  
For sith we yet may have no more feste  
So let us see her pal●ys at the lest   

And there with all his main for to blend  
A cause he fond in Town for to go  
And to Creseyde house they 'gan to wend  
But lord this cely Troilus was woe  
He thought his sorrowful heart barst a two  
For when he saw her doors sperid all  
Well nigh for sorrow a down he 'gan to fall   

Therewith when he was ware/ and ga● behold  
How shut was every window of the pla●●  
As frost him thought his heart 'gan to cold  
For which him thought with deadly pale 〈◊〉  
Without word forth by he 'gan to pace  
And as god would/ he 'gan so fast to ride  
That no wight of his countenance espied   

Than said he thus/ O palace desolate  
Of honour of gladness whilom best y dyght  
O palace empty and disconsolate  
O thou lantern/ of which quenched is the light  
O palace whilom day/ that now art night  
We'll aught thou to fall down/ & I to die  
sith she is went that was wont us to guy   

O palace whilom crown of house all  
Enlumyned with son of all bliss  
O ring from which the Ruby is fall  
O cause of woe/ that cause hast be of lysse  
Yet sith I may not bet/ fain would I hiss  
Thy cold do●●/ if I durst for this rout  
And fare well shrine/ of which the corpse is out   

Therewith he cast on Pandarus his eye  
With changed face/ and piteous to behold  
And when he might his time right espy  
Ay as he rood to Pandarus he told  
His new sorrow & eke his joys old  
So piteously/ and with so deed an hew  
That every wight/ might on his sorrow rue   

From thenceforth/ he rideth up & down  
And every thing come him to remembrance  
As he road by the places in the town  
In which he had/ had his pleasance  
Loo yonder saw I last my lady dance  
And in that temple with her eyen clear  
Me caught first/ my right lady dear   

And yonder have I herd/ full lustily  
My dear heart laugh & yonder play  
Saw I her ones/ eke full blysfully  
And to me once yonder 'gan she say  
Now good sweet/ love me weal I prey  
And yond so goodly/ 'gan she me behold  
That to the death/ mine heart is to her hold   

And● at the corner in the yonder house  
Herd I mine all there levest lady dear  
So womanly with boyce melodious  
singen so weal/ so goodly and so clear  
That in my soul me thinketh I here  
That blissful sown/ and in that yonder place  
My lady first me took unto her grace   

Than thought he thus/ O blissful lord cupid  
When I the process have in memory  
How thou me hast werreyd on every side  
Men might a book make of it like a story  
What need is the to seek of me victory  
sith I am thine & holy at thy will  
What joy hast thou thine own folk to spill   

We'll hast thou lord broke on me thine Ire  
Thou myghtful god/ & dreadful for to grieve  
Now mercy lord/ thou woost well I desire  
This grace most of all lusts leave  
And live and die I will in that byleus  
For which I ne ask in guerdon but a boon  
That thou me send Creseyde again soon   

Dystreyne her heart as fast to return  
As thou dost mine/ to long her to see  
Than wot I weal/ that she nyl not sojourn  
Now blissful lord/ so cruel thou ne be  
Unto the blood of Troy I pray to the  
As jove was/ unto the blood of Theban  
For which the folk of Thebes/ caught their bane   

And after this/ he to the yates went  
There as Creseyde/ road out a full good pace  
And up & down there made he many a went  
And to himself full oft he said alas  
From hens road/ my bliss & my solas  
And would blissful god now for his joy  
I might her seen again come to Troy   

And to the yonder hill/ he 'gan her guide  
Alas/ & there I took of her my leave  
And yond I saw her/ unto her father ride  
For sorrow of which/ mine heart will to cleave  
And hither home I come/ when it was eve  
And here I dwell out cast/ from all joy  
And shall till I may see her eft in Troy   

And of himself/ imagined he full oft  
To be defeted/ pale and wax less  
Than he was wont/ & that men saiden soft  
What may it be/ who can the sooth guess  
Why Troilus hath all this heaviness  
And all this nas but his melancholy  
That he had of himself such fantasy   

Another time imagine he would  
That every wight/ that went by the weigh  
Had of him rowthe/ and they say should  
I am right sorry/ Troilus will die  
And thus he droofe forth yet a day or fifty  
As ye have herd/ such life he 'gan lead  
As he that stood between hope & dread   

For which him liked in his songs show  
Thencheson of his woe/ as he best might  
And made a song of words but a few  
Somewhat his woeful heart for to light  
And when he was from every man's sight  
With soft voys/ he of his lady dear  
That absent was/ 'gan singen as ye shall here   

O star of which I have y lost the light  
With heart sore/ aught I to bewail  
That ever dark in tourment/ night by night  
Toward my death/ with wind I 〈◊〉 & sail  
For which the tenth night/ if that I fail  
The Aydemant of thy beams/ bright & our  
My ship and me Carybdye will devour   

This song when he had sungen soon  
He syl again in to his sighs old  
And every night as he was wont to 〈◊〉  
He stood the bright moan to behold  
And all his sorrow he to the moan ●old  
And said iwies when thou art horne● 〈◊〉  
I shall be glad/ if all the world be true   

I saw thine horns eke/ old by the morrow  
When 〈◊〉 road my right lady 〈◊〉  
That cause to of my tourment & my sorrow  
For which bright ●neyna the clear  
For love of god ●●nne fast about thy 〈◊〉  
For when thy horns new gynne spring  
Than shall she come/ that may my bliss 〈◊〉   

The day is more/ and longer every night  
Than they be wont to be/ him thought tho  
And that the son went his course unright  
By longer ●●ey/ than he is wont to do  
And said ywys me dredyth evermore  
The sons son Phyron to be a live  
And that his cart amiss he doth drive   

Upon the wallys/ fast he would walk  
And on the greeks fast he would see  
And to himself right thus he would talk  
Loo yonder is mine own lady free  
Or else yonder/ there the tents be  
And thence cometh this air/ that is so swote  
Foe in my soul I feel it doth me boat   

And hardyly this/ wind more & more  
Thus stound meal increased in my face  
Is of my lady dear/ sighs sore  
I prove it thus/ for in none other space  
Of all this Town/ save only in this place  
Feel I no wind/ that sownyth so like pain  
It saith alas/ why twynned be we twain   

This long time he driveth forth right thus  
Till fully passed was the ninth night  
And ay beside him/ was this Pandarus  
That busily died his full might  
Him to comfort/ & make his heart light  
giving him hope alway the tenth morrow  
That she shall come/ & stint all this sorrow   

Upon that other side was this Creseyde  
With women few among the greeks strong  
For which full oft/ alas alas she saide  
That I was born/ well may mine heart long  
After my death/ for now live I to long  
Alas/ & I may it not amend  
For now is were/ than ever yet I wend   

My father nil for no thing do me grace  
To go again/ for nought I can him queme  
And if so be that I my term place  
My Troilus shall now in his heart dame  
That I am false/ & so it may well seem  
Thus shall I have unthank on every side  
That I was born/ so we'll away the tide   

And if I me put in ieopordye  
To steel away to night/ & it befall  
That I be caught I shall be hold aspye  
Or else/ loo this dread I most of all  
If in the hands of some wretch I fall  
I am but lost all be mine heart true  
Now mighty god thou on my sorrow rue   

Full pale was wox her bright face  
Her limbs lean/ as she that all the day  
S●ood wh●n she durst/ and looked on the place  
There she was borne/ & there she dwelled ay  
And all the night weeping/ alas she lay  
And thus despaired out of all cure  
She lad her life/ this woeful creature   

Full oft a day/ she sighed for distress  
And in herself/ she went ay portrayeng  
Of Troilus the great worthiness  
And all his goodly words recording  
sith first that day/ their love began to spring  
And thus she sent her woeful heart a fire  
through remembrance of that she 'gan desire   

In all this world/ there nies so cruel heart  
That her had herd compleyve in that sorrow  
That nold ha●e wept for pains smart  
So tendyrly she wept both eve & morrow  
Her needed no teries for to borrow  
And this was yet the worst of all her pain  
There was no wight/ to whom she might complain   

For rewfully she looked upon Troy  
beheld the towers high & eke the halls  
Alas quoth she the pleasance & the joy  
The which all new turned in to gall is  
Have I had oft within yonder wallys  
O Troilus what dost thou now she saide  
Lord whether thou yet think upon Creseyde   

Alas I ne had trowed/ upon your lore  
And wend with you/ as me red or this  
Than had enough not sighed/ half so sore  
Who might han saide/ that I had done amiss  
To steel away/ with such one as he is  
But all to late/ cometh the lectuarye  
When men the corpse unto the grave carry   

To late is now/ to speak of that matter  
Prudence alas/ one of thine eyen three  
Me lacked alway or that I come here  
Of time passed I will remember me  
And present time/ we'll couth I see  
But future time/ or I was in the snare  
Couthe I not see/ that causeth all my care   

But nevertheless betid/ what betide  
I shall to morrow at night/ by est or west  
Out of this hostel/ on some manner side  
And go with Troilus where so him lest  
This p●rppos will I hold/ and this is best  
No for'rs of wykke tongues/ Iangel●rye  
For ever on love/ have wretch's envy   

For who so will of every word take heed  
Or rule himself/ by every wights wit  
Ne shall he never thrive out of dread  
For that some men blamen ever yet  
Loo other men/ yet comendyn it  
And as for me/ all such variance  
felicity clepe I my suffisance   

For which without any words more  
To Troilus will I/ as for conclusion  
But god it wot/ or fully nights two  
She was full fer from that entencyoun  
For both Troilus and Troy town  
Shall knotteles through her heart slide  
For she will another purpoos abide   

This diomed/ of whom I tell you? 'gan  
Goth now within himself/ ay arguing  
With all sleight/ and all that ever he can  
How he may best/ with shortest tarrying  
In to his net/ Creseydes heart breng  
To this intent/ he couth ●euer fine  
To fysshen her/ he laid out hook & line   

But nevertheless well in his heart he thought  
That she was not without a love in Troy  
For he never sith/ he her thence brought  
Ne couth her see laugh/ ne make joy  
He nyst how best/ her heart to acoye  
But for to assay/ he saide not ne grieveth  
For he that nought ne assayeth/ nought ne chevyth   

Yet said he himself upon a night  
Now am I not a fool/ that wot well how  
Her woe for love is of another wight  
And hereupon to go assay now  
I may well wite/ it will not be my prow  
For wise folk in books it express  
Men should not woo a wight in heaviness   

But who so might win such a flower  
From him/ for whom she mornyth night & day  
He might say/ he were a conqueror  
And right anon/ as he that told was aye  
Thought in his heart/ hap how I hap may  
All should I die/ I will her heart seek  
I shall no more lose/ but my speech   

This diomed/ as books us declare  
Was in his need priest & courageous  
With stern voys/ & mighty limbs square  
Hardy right strong/ and chivalrous  
Of deeds like his father Tydeus  
And some men say he was of tongue large  
And heir he was of Calydoyne & Arge   

Creseyde mediocre/ was of stature  
Thereto of shap/ of face/ & eke of cheer  
There might be no fairer creature  
And of time this was her manner  
To go tressed with her heres clear  
Down by her Coler/ at her back behind  
Which with a thread of gold/ she would bind   

And save her brows joined in fere  
There was no lak in aught I can espyen  
But for to speak of her eyen clear  
truly they written all that her syen  
That paradise stood form in her eyen  
And with her rich beauty evermore  
Stroofe love in her ay/ which was more   

She sober was simple/ & wise with all  
The best nortured eke that might be  
And goodly of her speech in general  
chartable estatly/ lusty/ and free  
Ne nevermore lacked her pity  
Tender hearted/ sliding of courage  
But truly I can not tell her age   

And Troilus weal waxen was in height  
And complete formed by proportion  
So weal that kind not amend might  
Young/ fresh/ strong/ and hardy as lyoun  
True as styele in each condycyoun  
One of the best entedchyd creature  
That is or shall while the world may dure   

And certainly in story/ as it is found  
That Troilus was never unto no wight  
As in his time/ in no degree second  
In daring do that longyth to a knight  
Al might a Giant/ passen him of might  
His force ay with the first/ & with the best  
Stood paregal/ to do what him jest   

But for to tell forth of diomed  
It fell after/ that on the tenth day  
sith that Creseyde/ out of the city yeede  
This diomed as fresh/ as branch in may  
Come to the tent/ there as Calcas lay  
And feigned him with Calcas have to done  
But what he meant/ I shall you tell soon   

Creseyde at short words for to tell  
Welcomed him/ & did him by her set  
And he was ethe enough/ to make duelle  
And after this without long let  
spices & win men forth hem fet  
And forth they speak of this & that yfere  
As friends do/ of which some ye shall here   

He 'gan first fall of the were in speech  
Betwixt hem & the folk of Troy Town  
And of thassiege/ he 'gan her beseech  
To tell him/ what was her oppynyoun  
Fro that demand/ he so descendyth down  
To asken her/ if that she strange thought  
The greeks guise/ & works that they wrought   

And why her father/ tarrieth here so long  
To wedden her unto some worthy knight  
Creseyde that was in her pains strong  
For love of Troilus her own dear knight  
As farforth as she cunning had or might  
answered him though/ but all of his intent  
It seemed not/ she wist what he meant   

But nevertheless this ilk diomed  
'Gan in himself assure/ and thus he saide  
If I a right/ have take of you heed  
Me thinketh thus/ O lady mine Creseyde  
sith that I first hand on your bridal laid  
When ye out come of Troy by the morrow  
Ne couth I never see you but in sorrow   

Can I not sayne what may the cause be  
But it for love of some Trojan it were  
The which right sore would a think me  
That for any wight that dwelleth there  
Sholden spylle a quarter of a tere  
Or piteously/ yourself so beguile  
For dreadless it is not worth the while   

The folk of Troy/ as who saith all & some  
In prysoune be/ as yourself see  
For thence shall none a live come  
For all the gold between son & see  
Trustyth right we'll/ & understand me  
There shall not one to mercy/ go alive  
Al were he lord of worlds twice five   

Such wretch on hem for fetching of Heleyne  
There shall be take or that we hens wend  
That Maunes which gods been of pain  
Should been aghast/ how greeks should hem shende  
And men shuln dread unto the worlds end  
From hens forth to ravish any queen  
So cruel shall our wretch on 'em be seen   

And but if Calcas lead us with Ambages  
That is to say with double words sly  
S●che as men clepe a word with two visages  
Ye shall well know/ that I nought ne lie  
And all this thing right soon with your eye  
And that anon ye will not trow how soon  
Now taketh heed/ for it is to done   

What ween ye your wise father would  
Have you yew/ for Anthenore anon  
If he ne wist that the city should  
Destroyed be/ why nay so moat I gone  
He knoweth full weal there shall escape none  
That Trojan is/ & for the great fere  
He durst not/ that ye dwelled longer there   

What would ye more love some lady dere●  
let Troy & Troyans' from your heart pace  
drive out your bitter hope/ & make good cheer  
And clepe again the beauty of your face  
That ye with salt tears so deface  
For Troy is brought in such jeopardy  
That it to save is nowher remedy   

And thinketh we'll/ ye shall in greeks find  
A more perfit love/ or it be night  
Than any Trojan is/ and more kind  
And bet to serve you/ will do his might  
And if ye vouched souf my lady bright  
A will be he/ to serve you myself  
Ye liefer than be king of greeks twelve   

And with that word/ he 'gan to wax red  
And in his speech a little wight be quo●e  
And cas● a side a little with his heed  
And seynt a while/ and afterward be wo●e  
And sobyrlyche on her threw his look  
And said I am/ all be it to you no joy  
As gentle a man/ as any wight in 〈◊〉   

For if my f●der Tydens he saide  
Lived had/ I had be long or this  
Of Calcydony and Arge/ a ●yng Creseyde  
And so I hope I shall be yet ywys  
But he was slain/ alas the more harm is  
Unhappily at Theles/ all to rathe  
Polemytes/ and many a man to scathe   

But heart mine sith I am your man  
And y● the first/ of whom I sec●e grace  
And serve you/ as heartily as I can  
And ever shall while I to live have space  
So or that I depart out of this place  
That ye me grant that I may to morrow  
At better leisure/ tell you my sorrow   

What should I tell his words/ that he saide  
He spoke enough for one day at the meest  
It proveth weal he spak● so that Creseyde  
Granted him a morrow/ at his request  
To have a speech with her at the lest  
So that he nold speak of such matter  
And thus she said to him as ye may here   

As she that had her heart on Troilus  
So that there may none it arace  
And strangely she spoke/ & said thus  
O diomed I love that ilk place  
That I was born in/ and jove for his grace  
deliver it soon/ of all that do it care  
God for thy might/ so leanly it well to far   

That greeks would in Troy their wrath wreak  
If that they might I know it weal ywys  
But it shall not fallen/ as ye speak  
And god to forn/ & further over this  
I wot my father loyse and ready is  
And that he hath me bought/ as ye me told  
So dear I am the more to him hold   

These greeks been of high condycyoun  
I wot it we'll/ but certain men shuln find  
As worthy folk within Troy Town  
As cunning/ as perfit/ & as kind  
As between Orcades & y●de  
And that ye couth weal your lady serve  
I trow it we'll/ her thank for to deserve   

But as to speak of love ywys she saide  
I had a lord/ to whom I wedded was  
The which mine heart had/ till that he died  
And other love/ as help me now pallas  
There in mine heart nies ne never was  
And that ye be of noble & high kindred  
I have it herd well tell out of dread   

And that doth me/ to have so great a wonder  
That ye will scorn any woman so  
Eke god wot love and I been far a sunder  
I am disposed/ bet so moat I go  
Unto my death to plain & make woe  
What shall I do after can I not say  
But truly as yet me list not to play   

Mine heart is now in tribulation  
And ye in arms lesy day by day  
Here after when ye wonnen have the town  
Paraventer than so it hap may  
That when I see/ that never yet I say  
Than will I work/ that I never wrought  
This word to you enough suffysen ought   

tomorrow will I speak with you fain  
So that ye touch not of this matrre  
And when you list ye may come here again  
And or ye go/ thus moche I say you here  
As help me pallas with her hairs clear  
If that I should on any greek have ruth  
It should be yourself by my truth   

I say not therefore that I will you love  
Ne I say not nay/ but in conclusion  
I mean we'll by god/ that sit alove  
And therewith all she cast her eyen down  
And 'gan to sigh/ & said O Troy Town  
Yet bid I god in quiet & in rest  
I may the see/ or do mine heart breast   

But in effect as shortly for to say  
This diomed all fresh new again  
'Gan precen in/ fast her mercy pray  
And after this the sooth for to say  
Her glove he took/ of which he was full fain  
And finally when it was waxen eve  
And all was we'll/ he roose/ & took his leave   

The bright Vews followed/ and ay taught  
The weigh there broad Phoebus a down light  
And Cythera the char horse over reached  
To whirl out of the lyoun/ if she might  
And Signifer his candle showed bright  
When Creseyde unto her rest went  
In with her faders fair bright tent   

Returning in her soul up & down  
The words of this sudden diomed  
His great estate & peril of the Town  
And that she was alone/ & had need  
Of friends/ & thus began to breed  
The cause why the sooth for to tell  
That she took purpoos fully for to duelle   

The morrow came/ and ghostly for to speak  
This diomed is come to Creseyde  
And shortly lest that ye my tale break  
So weal he for himself spoke & saide  
That all his sighs sore a down he laid  
And finally the sooth for to say  
He left of the great/ of all his pain   

And after this/ the story telleth us  
That she him give the fair bay stead  
The which she once had of Troilus  
And eke a broche that was lytel need  
That Troilus was/ she gave this diomed  
In deed the bet/ from sorrow him to relieve  
She made him were/ a pencil of her sleeve   

I find eke in the story else where  
When through the body/ hurt was diomed  
Of Troilus though wept she many a tear  
When that she saw his wide wounds bleed  
And that she took to keep him good heed  
And for to hele him of his sorrows smart  
Men sayn I note/ she gave him her heart   

But truly the story telleth us  
There made never woman more woe  
Than she when she falsehood Troilus  
She said alas/ for now is clean a go  
My name of truth in love for evermore  
For I have falsehood one the gentlest  
That ever was & eke the worthiest   

Alas of me unto the worlds end  
Shall neither of me be write nor s●nge  
No good word/ for this book will me shend●  
Y rolled shall it be on many a tongue  
thorough outr the world/ my ●elle shall be 〈◊〉  
And women will me hate most of all  
Alas that such a case should me befall   

They will say in as much/ as in me is  
I have him do dishonour we'll away  
Al be I not the first that died a●nye  
What helpeth that to do my blame aweys  
But sith I see 〈◊〉 nies no bett●● ways  
And that to late it is now for to ●●we  
To diomed algate I willbe true   

But Troilus sith I no better may  
And sith that thus departen ye and I  
I pray god/ give you right good day  
As for the gentlest knight tr●wely  
That ever I saw to serve faithfully  
And 〈◊〉 can ay his lady honour keep  
And with that word/ she br●se anon● to wept   

And ●●rtes you hatyn shall I never  
And friends love/ that shall ye love of me  
And my good word/ all might I lyven ever  
And truly I would right sorry be  
To see you in any aduersy●●  
And guiltless I wo●e we'll I you l●ue  
But all shall pass/ & thus I take my leave   

But truly how long it was between  
That she forsook him for this diomed  
There is none other author telleth I ween  
Take every man now to his books heed  
He shall no term find out of dread  
For though that he began to love her soon  
Or he her wan/ yet was there more to done   

Ne me lys● not/ this cely woman chide  
Further than the story will devise  
Her name alas is published so wide  
That for her guilt/ it ought enough suffice  
And if I might excuse her in any wise  
For she so sorry was for her untruth  
iwis I would excuse her yet for ruth   

This Troilus as I before have told  
Thus driveth forth/ as we'll as he might  
But oft was his heart hoot & ●ld  
And namely that ilk ninth night  
Which on the morrow/ she had him behyght  
To come again/ god wot full little rest  
Had he that night/ nothing to sleep him lest   

The laurer crowned Phoebus with his heat  
Come in his course/ ay upward as he went  
To warmen of the east the wawes wet  
And Cyrces' daughter sa●ge with good intent  
When Troilus his Pander after sent  
And on the wallys of the Town they pleyde  
To look if they can aught see of Creseyde   

Till it was none they stood for to see  
Who that there come/ & every manner wight  
That come from fer/ they said it was she  
And that weigh couth known 'em a right  
Now was his heart heavy/ now was it light  
And thus beiaped they stand to stare  
About nought Troilus & Pandar   

To Pandarus this Troilus though saide  
For ought I wot/ before none sickerly  
In to this town not cometh here Creseyde  
She hath enough a do there hardyly  
To win from her father/ so trow I  
Her old father would yet make her dine  
Or that she go/ god give his heart pine   

Pandar answered/ It may well be certain  
And for thy let us dine I the beseech  
And after none/ than mayst thou come again  
And home they gone without more speech  
And come again/ and long may they seche  
Or that they find/ that they after gape  
Fortune hem both/ thinketh for to jape   

Quod Troilus I see well enough that she  
Is ●aryed with her old father so  
That or she come/ it will nyhe even be  
Come forth I will unto the gate go  
These portyers been uncunning evermore  
And I will do 'em hold open the gate  
As nought ne were/ all though she come late   

The day goth fast/ & after that come eve  
And yet come not to Troilus Creseyde  
He looketh forth by hedge/ by tree/ by grieve  
And far his heed on the wall he laid  
And at the last he turned him & saide  
By god I wot her meaning now pander  
All most ywys/ all new was my care   

Now doubtless this lady can her good  
I wot she cometh riding privily  
I commend her wisdom by mine hood  
She will not make people nicely  
Gawryn on her when she cometh/ but softly  
By night in to Town she thinketh ride  
And dear brother/ think not long to abide   

We have not else to done iwies  
And Pandarns now shalt thou trow me  
Have here my truth/ I see yond where she is  
Have up thine eyen/ man mayst thou not see  
Pandar answered/ nay so moat I the  
All wrong by god/ what feist thou man where art  
That I see yond nies but a fare cart   

Alas thou sayst full sooth quod Troilus  
But hardyly it is not all for nought  
That in mine heart that I rejoice thus  
It is against some good/ I have a thought  
Note I not how/ but sith that I was wrought  
Ne felt I such a comfort sooth to say  
She cometh to night/ my life dare I lay   

Pander answered/ it may be well enough  
And held with him of all that ever he saide  
But in his heart he thought/ & fast lough  
And to himself full sobyrly he saide  
From hasylwoode/ there jolly Robin played  
Shall come all that thou dost abide here  
Ye far weal all the snow of fern year   

The warden of the gates 'gan to call  
The folk/ which without the gates were  
And bade 'em drive in their beasts all  
Or all that night they must abide there  
And fer within night with many a tear  
This Troilus 'gan homeward for to ride  
For weal he saw/ it helped not abide   

But nevertheless he gladded him in this  
He thought amiss he had counted his day  
And said I understand have all amiss  
For thylk night/ I last Creseyde say  
She said I shall be here/ if that I may  
Or that the moan/ O dear heart sweet  
The syoun pass out of this Aryete   

For which she may yet hold her hest  
And on the morrow unto the gate he went  
And up & down/ by west/ & eke by Eeste  
Vpoon the wallys made he many a went  
But all for nought/ his hope alway him blended  
For which at night in sorrow & sighs sore  
He went him home without any more   

His hope all clean out of his heart fled  
He ne hath whereon/ no longer now to hung  
But for the pain him thought his heart bled  
So were his throws sharp & wonder strong  
For when he saw she abode so long  
He nyst what he imagine thereof might  
sith that the hath broke/ that she him behyght   

The third/ the fourth/ the fifth/ & the sixth day  
After the days ten/ of which I told  
between h●pe & dread his heart lay  
〈◊〉 somewhat trusting on her heestes old  
But when he saw/ she nold her term hold  
He can now see none other remedy  
But for to shape him soon for to die   

There with the wicked spirit/ god us bless  
Which that men clepe wood jealousy  
'Gan in him creep in all this heaviness  
For which by cause he would soon die  
He ne eat ne drank for his melancholy  
And eke from every company he fled  
This was the life/ that all this time he led   

He so defeted was that no manner man  
Him know might/ uneath where he went  
So was he leanly/ & thereto pale & wan  
And feeble that he walked by potent  
And with his Ire thus himself he shent  
And who so asked him/ whereof he smart  
He saide his harm was all about his heart   

Priamus full oft/ & eke his mother dear  
His brethren & his sistren 'gan him freyne  
Why he so sorrowful was/ in all his cheer  
And what thing was the cause of his pain  
But all for nought he nold his cause plain  
But saide/ he felt a grievous malady  
About his heart/ & fain would he die   

So on a day/ he laid him down to sleep  
And so befell that in his sleep he thought  
That he walked in a forest to weep  
For love of her that his pain wrought  
And up & down/ as he the forest sought  
Him thought he saw a bore with Tusks great  
That sleep a geyne the bright sons heat   

And by this bore/ fast in arms fold  
Lay kissing ay/ his lady bright Treseyde  
For sorrow of which/ when he 'gan behold  
Loud he cried on Pandarus & saide  
For sorrow of which/ almost there he died  
O Pandarus now know I crop & rote  
I am but deed/ there nies none other boot   

My lady bright Creseyde hath me betrayed  
In whom I trusted most of any wight  
She esses where hath now her heart apaid  
The blissful god's through their great might  
Have in my dream showed me full right  
Thus in my dream Creseyde have I behold  
And all this thing to pandarus he told   

O my Creseyde/ alas what subtlety  
What new lust/ what beauty/ what science  
Hath thus withdraw your heart/ & love from me  
This is the cause of your long absence  
Hath from me raft/ alas your advertence  
O trust/ O faith/ O deep assurance  
Who hath me raft Creseyde all my pleasance   

Alas why let I you from hens go  
For which well nigh out of my wit I breide  
Who shall now trow on any oaths moo  
God wot I wend lady bright Creseyde  
That every word was gospel/ that ye saide  
But who may bet beguile/ if him list  
Than he on whom men ween best to tryst   

What shall I do/ my Pandarus alas  
I feel now so sharp/ & a new pain  
sith that there lieth no remedy in this case  
That bet it were I with mine hands twain  
Myself slay/ than thus alway to plain  
For through the death my woe should have an end  
There every day with life myself I shende   

Pandar answered/ & said alas the while  
That I was borne/ have I not said or this  
That dreams may many a man beguile  
And why for folk expownen 'em amiss  
How dared thou say/ that falls thy lady is  
For any dreams right for thine own dread  
Lace be thy thought/ thou canst no dreams read   

Paraventer there thou dremest of this boor  
It may so be/ that it may signify  
Her ●ader eke/ which old is & hoar  
again the son lieth in point to die  
And she for sorrow gynneth weep & cry  
And there he lieth kissed him on the ground  
Thus shouldest thou thy dreams right expound   

How might I than done quod Troilus  
To know of this/ were it never so light  
Now sayst thou wisely quoth tho pandarus  
My read is this/ sith thou canst weal indite  
That hastily a letter thou to her write  
Thoragh which thou shalt bringen it about  
To know a sooth there thou art in doubt   

And see now why/ for I dare well sayne  
That if so is/ she untrue be  
I can not trow she will write again  
And if she write thou shalt soon see  
As whether she hath/ any liberty  
To come again/ or else in some clause  
If she be let/ she will assign a cause   

Thou hast not write to her/ sith she went  
Ne she to thee/ and this I durst lay  
There may such cause be in her intent  
That hardyly thou wilt thyself say  
That her abode/ the best is for you fifty  
Now write her than/ & thou shalt see soon  
A sooth of all/ there is no more to done   

accorded been they to this conclusion  
And that anon these ilk lords two  
And hastily sit Troilus a down  
And rollyth in his heart to & fro  
How he may best descriven her his woe  
And to Creseyde his own lady dear  
He wrote right thus/ and said as ye shall here   

Right fresh flower/ whose I have been & shall  
Withouten part of else where service  
With heart/ body/ life/ lust/ thought & all  
I woeful wight in every humble wise  
That tongue can tell or heart may devise  
As oft as matter occupieth place  
Me recomaunde I unto your noble grace   

Liketh you to wite sweet heart  
As ye well know/ how long time agone  
That ye me left in asper pains smart  
When that ye went/ of which yet boot none  
Have I none had/ but ever worse by-gone  
From day to day am I/ and so more dwell  
While it you lest lo ye of weal & woe my well   

For which to you with dreadful heart true  
I'wryte as he that scrow dryue●h to write  
My woe that every hour 〈◊〉 new  
Compleyning/ ae I da●●/ or con 〈◊〉  
And that a 〈◊〉/ ye may weal 〈◊〉  
The 〈◊〉 which that sro mine 〈◊〉 rey●●  
They would speak/ if they ●cuthe complain 〈◊〉   

You first/ beseech, I with your eyen 〈◊〉  
To look on this defouled/ & unfold  
And over all this/ ye my lady dear  
Will judge this letter to behold  
And by the cause eke of my cares cold  
That 〈◊〉 my wit/ if aught amye me start  
So y●ue it me mine own sweet heart   

〈…〉 cursed or ought of right  
〈…〉 lady piteously complain  
〈…〉 that I ought be that wight  
〈…〉 this that ye these months tweyn  
Have tarried their/ ye saide sooth to say  
But 〈…〉 ye nold in host sorourne  
But 〈◊〉 two months yet ye not 〈◊〉   

But 〈…〉 moche/ as I mo●e needs like  
All that you liketh I dare plain no more  
But 〈◊〉 with sorrowful sight sick  
You wry●● I mine unirsty sorowee sore  
From day to day desiring evermore  
To know fully/ if your will were  
How ye have feid/ and deo while ye be there   

whose welfare/ and hel●/ god eke increase  
In honour such/ as upward in degree  
It grow alway so/ that it never cease  
Like as yourself 〈◊〉 can my l●dy fire  
devise I pray 〈◊〉 god so more it be  
And grant that 〈◊〉 ●oone upon me 〈◊〉  
As wisely as in all I am your true   

And if you like to know of the fare  
Of me whose woe/ there may no wight deserive  
I can no mo●e/ but 〈◊〉 of ●●ery care  
At writing of 〈…〉 I was alive  
All ready cute my woeful goos● to drive  
Which I delay/ and hold him yet in hand  
Upon the sight of mat●re of your fond   

mine eyen two in vain/ with which I see  
Of woeful tears salt/ arn waxed wells  
My song in plaint of mine adversity  
My good in harm/ mine ease woxen hell is  
My joy in woe/ I can you say not else  
〈◊〉 turned is/ for which my life I wary  
Every joy/ is turned to me contrary   

Which with your coming home again to Troy  
Ye may redress/ and more a thousand sith  
Than ever I had increasing in me joy  
〈◊〉 was there never heart yet so blithe  
〈◊〉 have his life/ as I should be as swith  
As I you see ● though no manner ruth  
〈◊〉 mean yet/ think upon your truth   

And if so much my death I have deserved  
Or if you list no more upon me see  
In guerdon yet of all I have you served  
〈◊〉 I you my hearts lady free  
That heruppn/ ye will write me  
For love of god/ my right loode star  
Or dathe let make an end of all my were   

● there cause aught that doth you for to duelle  
That with your letter ye me recomfort  
For though to me your absence be an hell  
With patience I will my woe support  
And with your letter of hore I will disport  
Now writeth sweet/ ● le●● me thus not plain  
With hoop or ●●th deliver me from pain   

iwis mine own dear heart true  
I wot than/ when ye next upon me see  
So boast have I mine health/ & eke mine hew  
Creseyde shall not con know me  
iwis mine hearts day/ my lady free  
So thurstyth ay mine heart to behold  
Your beauty that my life uneath I hold   

I say no more/ all have I for to say  
To you well more than I tell may  
But whether ye done me live or die  
Yet pray I god/ so give you right good day  
And faryth we'll/ right fair fresh may  
As ye thal life or death may me command  
And to your truth I me recomaunde   

With health such/ that but if ye give me  
The same health/ I shall never health have  
In you lieth/ when you list/ it so shall be  
The day on which me clothen shall my grave  
In you my life/ your might is it to save  
Me from disease/ of all pains smart  
And f●re now weal mine own sweet heart   

This letter forth was sent unto Creseyde  
Of which her answer in effect was this  
Full piteously she wrote again and saide  
That as soon/ as ever she might ywys  
She would come/ and mend that was amiss  
And finally wrote/ & said him than  
She would come/ but she wist never when   

But in her letter/ she made such feestes  
That wonder was/ & swore she loved him best  
Of which he fond/ but bottumles behests  
But Troilus thou mayst now east or west  
Pipe in an ivy leef/ if that the lest  
Thus goth the world/ god shield us from myschance  
And every wight/ that meaneth truth advance   

increasen 'gan the woe from day to night  
Of Troilus/ for tarrying of Creseyde  
And lassen 'gan his hope & eke his might  
For which all down udon his bed him laid  
He ne ete ne drank/ ne sleep/ ne no word saide  
imagining ay that she was unkind  
For which well nyhe he wax out of mind   

This dream/ of which I told have here byforn  
May never come out of his remembrance  
He thought as we'll/ he had his lady born  
And that jovys, of his purveyance  
Him showed had in slope the sygnyfyaunce  
Of her untruth & dysauenture  
And that this was showed him in figure   

For which he for Syble his sister sent  
That called was Cassandra eke all about  
And all his dream/ he told her or he went  
And her bysought/ assoylen him the doubt  
Of this strong bore with tuskies stout  
And finally within a little stound  
Cassandra right thus his dream expound   

She 'gan first smile/ & said brother dear  
If thou a sooth of this desirest to know  
Thou must a few of old stories here  
To purposes how that fortune overthrow  
Hath lords high/ which within a throw  
This bore shalt thou know well/ & of what kind  
He common is/ as men in books find   

diane which that wroth was & in ire  
For greeks nold do her sacrifice  
Ne encens on her altar set a fire  
She for that greeks/ 'gan her despise  
Wroke her in a wonder cruel wise  
For with a bore/ as great as Ox in stalle  
She made him et● up her corn & upnes all   

To slay this bore was all the country raised  
amongs which there come this bore to see  
A maid one of this world best y praised  
And Meleager lord of that country  
He loved so/ this fresh maid free  
That with his manhood/ or he would stint  
This bore he slow/ and her the heed he sent   

Of which as old ●okes tell us  
There rose a contek ●a great envy  
And of this lord des●endyd Tydeus  
By line/ or esses/ old books lie  
But how this Meleager 'gan for to die  
thorough his mother will I you not ●●lle  
For all to long it were for to duelle   

She told eke/ how Tydeus she sent  
Unto the strong ●yte of Thebes  
To claim kingdom of the city & went  
For his fellow ●an Possymytrs  
Of which his own brother Ethyocles  
Full wrongfully of 〈◊〉 held the strength  
This ●old she by process & by length   

She told eke/ how he monyde● as●erte  
〈…〉 knights stou●●  
 
〈…〉 kynged with their 〈◊〉  
〈…〉 there the city of about  
And of the holy serpent & the well  
And of the furyed of 'gan she him 〈◊〉   

Associate profugum/ Tideus prim● Po●●midem  
Tidea legatum/ docet infidias 〈◊〉 secundis  
Teraus Hermodien 〈…〉  
Mor● fur●e ●euine/quin●● narrantur & angues  
Ouartue ba●et wges/ ineuntes 〈◊〉 septem  
Archynon luse●/ seyto lud● 〈◊〉 leguntur  
Dat Grai●s Thel●s/v●●●em sep●●nis vmb●s   

Ocravo c●adit/ Tideus spes vit● pelagis  
Ipomedon nono moritur cum Parthonepeo  
Fulmine percusso/ decimo Canapus superatur  
Vndecimo sese/ perimunt per vutnera fratres  
Argivam flentem/ narrat duodenis & ignem   

Of Archenores' burying/ and the plays  
And how Amphyoray/ fell through the ground  
How Tydeus was slain lord of Argeys  
And how Ipomedon in a little stound  
Was dreynt & deed/ Parthonope of wound  
And how Canapus the proud  
With thunder was slain that cried loud   

She 'gan him eke tell/ how that either brother  
Ethyocles and Polemyte also  
At a scarmuche each of them slow other  
And of Argive/ her weeping & her woe  
And how the town was brent/ she told eke th●  
And so descended down from gests old  
To diomed/ & thus she spack & told   

This ilk bore betokeneth diomed  
Tydeus son that down descended is  
Fro Meleager/ that made the bore to blood  
And thy lady● where that she be ywys  
This diomed her heart hath/ & she his  
Weep if thou wilt or leave/ for out of doubt  
This diomed is in/ & thou art out   

Thou sayst not soothe thou falls sorceress  
With all thy false ghost of prophecy  
Thou weenest to be a great dyvyneres  
Now seest thou not this fool of fantasy  
paineth her/ on ladies for to lie  
Away quoth he there jovys give the sorrow  
Thou shalt be false paraunter yet to morrow   

As weal mightest thou lie upon Alceste  
That was of creatures/ but men lie  
That ever was the kyndethe & best  
For when her husband was in jeopardy  
To die himself/ but if she would die  
She chaas for him to die/ and go to hell  
And starf anon as us the books tell   

Cassandre goth/ & he with cruel heart  
For that his woe/ for anger of her speech  
And from his bed all suddenly he start  
As though all hole him had made a leech  
And day by day/ he 'gan inquire & seche  
A sooth of this with all his busy cure  
And thus he dryneth forth his adventure   

Fortune which hath the permutation  
Of things had/ as it is here committed  
By purveyance and dysposycyoun  
Of him jove/ as Reygnes shul be flytted  
From folk in folk/ or when they shall be smitted  
'Gan pull away the feathers bright of Troy  
From day to day/ till they be bare of joy   

Among all this the fyn of the parody  
Of Hector 'gan approach wonder belive  
The faate would/ his soul should unbody  
And shapen had a mean out to drive  
against which faith/ him helpeth not to strive  
But on a day to fight 'gan be wend  
At which alas he caught his last end   

For which me thinketh that every manner wight  
That hauntyth arms/ aught to bewail  
The death of him that was so noble a knight  
For as he drowe a king by the aventail  
Unware of this Achilles through the mail  
And through the body 'gan him for to rive  
And thus that worthy knight was brought from live   

For whom as old books tell us  
Was made such woe that tongue may it not tell  
And namelyche the sorrow of Troilus  
That next him was of worthiness well  
And in this woe 'gan Troilus to duelle  
That for that sorrow/ & love of his unrest  
Full oft a day he had his heart breast   

But nevertheless though he 'gan him despair  
He dread ay his lady was untrue  
Yet ay on her his heart 'gan repair  
And as lovers done/ he sought ay new  
To get again Treseyde bright of hew  
And in his heart he went ay excusing  
That Calcas caused all her tarrying   

And offtime he was in purposes great  
Himself like a pilgrim to desguyse  
To seen her/ but he couth not counterfeit  
To be unknown of folk that were wise  
Ne find excuse a right/ that might suffice  
If he among the greeks known were  
For which he wept full oft many a tear   

To her he wrote yet eft all new  
Full piteously he let not for sloth  
beseeching her/ that sith he was true  
That she would come again/ & hold her troth  
For which Creseyde upon a day for ruth  
I take it so/ touching all this matter  
Wrote him again/ & said/ as ye may here   

Cupydes sone/ ensample of goodlyheed  
O sword of knighthood/ sours of gentleness  
How might a wight in tourment & in dread  
And helthles send you/ as yet gladness  
I herteles/ I sigh in great distress  
sith ye with me nor I with you may deal  
You may I send neither heart ne hele   

Your letters full the papyr all be pleynted  
conceived hath mine hearts pity  
I have eke sayne with tears all be painted  
Your letter/ & how ye ● quyren me  
To come again/ which yet may not be  
But why lest that this letter found were  
No mencyoun make I now for fere   

grievous to me/ god wot your unrest  
Your haste/ & if at the god's ordinance  
It seemeth not/ ye take it for the best  
For other things nies in your remembrance  
As thinketh me/ but only your p●saunce  
But he not wroth/ and that I you beseech  
For that I tarry/ it is for wicked speech   

For I have herd well more than I wend  
touching v● two how things have stoned  
Which I shall with dyssymyling amend  
And be ye not wroth I have eke understand  
How ye ne do/ but hold me in hand  
But now no fore/ I can not in you guess  
But all truth ever/ and all gentleness   

Come I will/ but yet in such disjoint  
I stand as now/ but what hour or what day  
That this shall b●●an I not appoint  
But in effect/ I pray you as I may  
Of your good word/ & of your friendship ay  
For truly/ whyse my life may dure  
As for a friend/ ye may in me assurr   

Yet I pray you/ on evil ye ne take  
That it is short/ which I to you write  
I dare not there I am well letters make  
●le never yet couth I wel● indite  
Eke great effect/ men write in place light  
Thene●ut is all/ & not the letters space  
And farith now well god have you in his grace   

Troilus this letter thought all strange  
When he it saw/ and sorrowfully he sight  
Him thought it a kalends of change  
But finally he full ne trowen might  
That she ne would hold him that she height  
For withful evil will/ list him to leave  
That loveth weal in such case/ though him grieve   

But nevertheless men say that at the last  
For any thing/ men shuln the sooth see  
And such a case betid/ and that as fast  
That Troilus weal understood that she  
Nas not so kind/ as her ought to be  
And finally he wot now out of doubt  
That all is lost/ that he hath been about   

Stood on a day/ in his melancholy  
This Troilus/ and in suspectyoun  
Of her/ for whom he wend for to die  
And so byfel that through Troy Town  
As was the guise/ bore was up & doime  
A manner cote armour/ as saith the story  
Before Deyphebus in sign of victory   

The which coat/ as saith Lollyus  
Deyphebe had rend from diomed  
The same day/ and when this Troilus  
It saw he 'gan to take of it heed  
Auysing on the length/ & of the breed  
And all the work/ & as he 'gan behold  
Full suddenly his heart 'gan to cold   

As he that on the collar fond within  
A brooch that he Creseyde gave at morrow  
That she from Troy must needs twin  
In remembrance of him/ & of his sow●●●  
And she him laid her faith again to borrow  
To keep it/ but now full weal he wist  
His lady was no l●nger for to tryst   

He goth him home/ and than full soon he send  
For Pandarus/ & all this new chance  
And of his broche/ he told him word & end  
complaining of her hearts variance  
His long love/ his truth & his penance  
And after death without words more  
Full fast he cried his rest him to restore   

Than spoke he thus/ O lady bright Creseyde  
Where is your faith/ where is your behest  
Where is your love where is your troth he said  
O diomed/ have ye now all this fest  
Alas I would have trowed at the lest  
That sith ye nold true to me stand  
That thus ye nold have hold me in hand   

Who shall now trow any oaths moo  
Alas I would never have wend or this  
That ye Creseyde couth have changed so  
Not but I had a guilt/ or done amiss  
So cruel wend I not your heart iwies  
To slay me thus/ alas your name of truth  
Is now fordone/ & that is all my ruth   

Was there none other froche ye list to let  
To feeze with your new leave quoth he  
But thylk broche/ that I with tears weet  
You yofe/ as for a remembrance of me  
None other cause alas ne hadden ye  
But for despite/ & eke for that ye meant  
All utterly to show your intent   

thorough which I see clean out of your mind  
Ye have me cast/ and I ne can ne may  
For all this world within mine heart find  
To unlove you a quarter of a day  
In cursed time I borne was well away  
That ye that do me all this woe endure  
Yet love I best of any creature   

Now god quoth he/ yet send me that grace  
That I may meet with this diomed  
And truly if I have might and space  
Yet shall I make/ I hope his sides bleed  
O god quod he that oughtest taken heed  
To further truth/ & wrongs to punyce  
Why nil thou do a vengeance of this vice   

O Pander that in dreams for to tryst  
Me blamed hast/ & oft me up breyde  
Now mayst thou see thyself/ if that thou list  
How true is now thy niece bright Creseyde  
In sundry forms/ god it wot he saide  
The gods show/ both joy & tene  
In sleep/ and be my dream it is seen   

And certainly without more speech  
Form hens forth/ as farforth as I may  
Mine own death in arms will I seek  
I retch not how soon be the day  
But truly Creseyde sweet may  
Whom I have ay with all my might served  
That ye thus do/ I have it not deserved   

This Pandarus that all these things herd  
And wist we'll/ he said a sooth of this  
He not a word to him again answered  
For sorry of his friends/ sorrow he is  
And shamed for his niece had done amiss  
And stood astonied of these causes fifty  
As still as stone/ a word couth he not not say   

But at the last/ thus he spoke & saide  
My brother dear I may do the no more  
What should I say/ I hate ywys Creseyde  
And god wot I will haate her evermore  
And that thou me bysoughtest done of yore  
Having unto mine honour/ nor to my rest  
Right no reward/ I deed all that ye left   

If I did aught/ that might liken the  
It is me ●●ef and of this treason now  
God wot that it/ a sorrow is unto me  
And dreadless for heats 〈◊〉 of you  
Right fain would I it amend/ wise I how  
And too this world almighty god I pray  
deliver her son I can no more say   

Gre●e was the sorrow & the plaint of troilus  
But forth his ceurs of fortune 'gan to hold  
〈◊〉 loveth so the son of tydeus  
And twylus 〈◊〉 weep in cares cold  
such is the world who so can behold  
In each estate is 〈◊〉 hearts rest  
God let v● take it all for the ●este   

In many cruel battle out of dread  
Of troilus this ilk noble knight  
〈◊〉 men may in th●se old books red●  
Was seen his knighthood & his great might  
And dreadless his yrr day and night  
Full cruelly the gres●y● ay about  
And alway most this d●●m●de he sought   

And oft time I find that they met  
With bloody 〈◊〉 & with word a 〈◊〉  
Assaying how then spears we●r I w●tt●  
And god wotr with 〈◊〉 a cruel 〈◊〉  
Can troilus upon 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉  
But nevertheless fortune 〈◊〉 not ne wotd  
Of other hand that either die should   

And if I had taken for to write  
The a●nes of these ilk worthy man  
Than would I of his battles indite  
But for that I to write first began  
Of his love I have said as I can  
His worthy deeds who so list 'em here  
Rede dares he can tell 'em all in fere   

beseeching every lady bright of hew  
And every gentlewoman what she be  
That alle that Creseyde was untrue  
That for that guilt ye be not wroth with me  
Ye may her guilt in other books see  
And gladlier I would write/ if you lest  
Penolopes truth/ and good Alcestis   

Ne I say not this/ as only for this men  
But most for women that betrayed be  
thorough falls folk/ god give 'em sorrow amen  
That with their great words & subtlety  
Bytrayeth you/ & this now moveth me  
To speak/ & in effect all you I prey  
Beeth ware of men/ & hearken what I say   

God little book/ go little Tregedye  
That god thy maker/ yet or that I die  
So send me might/ to make some comedy  
But little book/ make thou none envy  
But subject be thou unto all Poesy  
And kiss the steps/ where as thou seest space  
Of Vyrgyle/ Ovid/ Homer/ Lucan/ & stace   

And for theridamas is so great diversity  
In english/ & in writing of our tongue  
So pray to god/ that none myswryte the  
Ne the mysmetre for default of tongue  
And red where so thou be/ or else song  
That thou be understand/ god I beseech  
But yet to purpoos of my rather speech   

The wrath/ as I began you for to say  
Of Troilus how the greeks bought dear  
For thousands of his hands did he die  
As he that was without any peer  
Save Hector in his time as I can here  
But we'll away/ safe only gods will  
Dyspytously him slow the fierce Achylle   

And when that he was slain in this manner  
His light ghost/ full blysfully is went  
Unto the hollowness of the eight spear  
In his place letting each element  
And there he saw with full advisement  
How he was sloyne/ alas all to rathe  
The folk of Troy to much harm & scathe   

And down from thence first he 'gan advise  
This little spot of earth/ that with the see  
embraced is/ & fully 'gan despise  
This wretched world/ & held it vanity  
To respect of that plain felicity  
That is in heaven above/ & at the last  
There he was slain/ his looking down he case   

And in himself he l●ugh right at the woe  
On 'em that weepen for his death so fast  
And dampnen all our works that followen so  
The blind lust/ which that may not last  
And should all our hearts to heaven cast  
Now forth he went shortly for to tell  
There as Mercury sorted him to dwell   

Such fine hath loo/ this Troilus for love  
Such fine his love/ such fine his noblesse  
Such fine hath his estate ryal above  
Such fine hath false worlds trotylnesse  
Such fine hath all his great worthiness  
And thus began/ his loving of Creseyde  
As I have told/ and in this wise he died   

O young fresh folks/ he or she  
In which that love up groweth with your age  
Repaireth home from worldly vanity  
And of your heart up casteth the visage  
To thylk lord/ that after his image  
You made/ and thinketh all is but a fair  
This world that passeth soon/ as ●●●ures fair   

And loveth him which that right for love  
Upon a cross our souls for to beye  
first starf & roose/ & sith in heaven above  
For he will falls no wight dare I say  
That will his heart all holy on him lay  
And sooth/ he best is to love/ and most meek  
What needeth feigned love here for to seek   

Loo here of paynims cursed old rites  
Loo hear what all their gods may avail  
Loo here these worlds wretched appetites  
Loo here the fine & guerdon for travail  
Of jove Apollo/ of mars/ such rascayle  
Loo here the form of old clerks speech  
In poetry/ if ye their books seek   

O moral Gower this book I direct  
To the and to the Phylosophycal Strode  
To vouchsafe there need is to correct  
And of your benyngnytees/ and zelies good  
And to that soothfast/ Crist that starf on rood  
With all mine heart of mercy I prey  
And to the lord right thus I speak & say   

Thou one and two/ and three eterne a live  
That regnest ay in three two and one  
Incircumscript/ & all mayst circumscryve  
Us from visible and invisible soon  
Defend & to thy mercy everichone  
So make us Ihesu for thy mercy dign  
For love of maiden/ & mother thine benign   
Here endeth Troilus/ as touching Creseyde  
Explicit per Caxton