1Thus afterward upon a dai,
2Whan that Demetrius was come,
3Anon his fader hath him nome,
4And bad unto his brother Perse
5That he his tale schal reherse
6Of thilke tresoun which he tolde.
7And he, which al untrowthe wolde,
8Conseileth that so hih a nede
9Be treted wher as it mai spede,
10In comun place of juggement.
11The king therto yaf his assent,
12Demetrius was put in hold,
13Wherof that Perseus was bold.

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14Thus stod the trowthe under the charge,
15And the falshede goth at large,
16Which thurgh beheste hath overcome
17The greteste of the lordes some,
18That privelich of his acord
19Thei stonde as witnesse of record:
20The jugge was mad favorable:
21Thus was the lawe deceivable
22So ferforth that the trowthe fond
23Rescousse non, and thus the lond
24Forth with the king deceived were.

25The gulteles was dampned there
26And deide upon accusement:
27Bot such a fals conspirement,
28Thogh it be prive for a throwe,
29Godd wolde noght it were unknowe;
30And that was afterward wel proved
31In him which hath the deth controved.
32Of that his brother was so slain
33This Perseus was wonder fain,
34As he that tho was apparant,
35Upon the Regne and expectant;
36Wherof he wax so proud and vein,
37That he his fader in desdeign
38Hath take and set of non acompte,
39As he which thoghte him to surmonte;
40That wher he was ferst debonaire,
41He was tho rebell and contraire,
42And noght as heir bot as a king
43He tok upon him alle thing
44Of malice and of tirannie
45In contempt of the Regalie,
46Livende his fader, and so wroghte,
47That whan the fader him bethoghte
48And sih to whether side it drowh,
49Anon he wiste well ynowh
50How Perse after his false tunge

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51Hath so thenvious belle runge,
52That he hath slain his oghne brother.
53Wherof as thanne he knew non other,
54Bot sodeinly the jugge he nom,
55Which corrupt sat upon the dom,
56In such a wise and hath him pressed,
57That he the sothe him hath confessed
58Of al that hath be spoke and do.

59Mor sori than the king was tho
60Was nevere man upon this Molde,
61And thoghte in certein that he wolde
62Vengance take upon this wrong.
63Bot thother parti was so strong,
64That for the lawe of no statut
65Ther mai no riht ben execut;
66And upon this division
67The lond was torned up so doun:
68Wherof his herte is so distraght,
69That he for pure sorwe hath caght
70The maladie of which nature
71Is queint in every creature.

72And whan this king was passed thus,
73This false tunged Perseus
74The regiment hath underfonge.
75Bot ther mai nothing stonde longe
76Which is noght upon trowthe grounded;
77For god, which alle thing hath bounded
78And sih the falshod of his guile,
79Hath set him bot a litel while,
80That he schal regne upon depos;
81For sodeinliche as he aros
82So sodeinliche doun he fell.

83In thilke time it so befell,
84This newe king of newe Pride
85With strengthe schop him forto ride,
86And seide he wolde Rome waste,
87Wherof he made a besi haste,

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88And hath assembled him an host
89In al that evere he mihte most:
90What man that mihte wepne bere
91Of alle he wolde non forbere;
92So that it mihte noght be nombred,
93The folk which after was encombred
94Thurgh him, that god wolde overthrowe.

95Anon it was at Rome knowe,
96The pompe which that Perse ladde;
97And the Romeins that time hadde
98A Consul, which was cleped thus
99Be name, Paul Emilius,
100A noble, a worthi kniht withalle;
101And he, which chief was of hem alle,
102This werre on honde hath undertake.
103And whanne he scholde his leve take
104Of a yong dowhter which was his,
105Sche wepte, and he what cause it is
106Hire axeth, and sche him ansuerde
107That Perse is ded; and he it herde,
108And wondreth what sche meene wolde:
109And sche upon childhode him tolde
110That Perse hir litel hound is ded.
111With that he pulleth up his hed
112And made riht a glad visage,
113And seide how that was a presage
114Touchende unto that other Perse,
115Of that fortune him scholde adverse,
116He seith, for such a prenostik
117Most of an hound was to him lik:
118For as it is an houndes kinde
119To berke upon a man behinde,
120Riht so behinde his brother bak
121With false wordes whiche he spak
122He hath do slain, and that is rowthe.
123'Bot he which hateth alle untrowthe,
124The hihe god, it schal redresse;
125For so my dowhter prophetesse

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126Forth with hir litel houndes deth
127Betokneth.' And thus forth he geth
128Conforted of this evidence,
129With the Romeins in his defence
130Ayein the Greks that ben comende.

131This Perseus, as noght seende
132This meschief which that him abod,
133With al his multitude rod,
134And prided him upon the thing,
135Of that he was become a king,
136And how he hadde his regne gete;
137Bot he hath al the riht foryete
138Which longeth unto governance.
139Wherof thurgh goddes ordinance
140It fell, upon the wynter tide
141That with his host he scholde ride
142Over Danubie thilke flod,
143Which al befrose thanne stod
144So harde, that he wende wel
145To passe: bot the blinde whiel,
146Which torneth ofte er men be war,
147Thilke ys which that the horsmen bar
148Tobrak, so that a gret partie
149Was dreint; of the chivalerie
150The rerewarde it tok aweie,
151Cam non of hem to londe dreie.

152Paulus the worthi kniht Romein
153Be his aspie it herde sein,
154And hasteth him al that he may,
155So that upon that other day
156He cam wher he this host beheld,
157And that was in a large feld,
158Wher the Baneres ben desplaied.
159He hath anon hise men arraied,
160And whan that he was embatailled,
161He goth and hath the feld assailed,
162And slowh and tok al that he fond;
163Wherof the Macedoyne lond,

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164Which thurgh king Alisandre honoured
165Long time stod, was tho devoured.
166To Perse and al that infortune
167Thei wyte, so that the comune
168Of al the lond his heir exile;
169And he despeired for the while
170Desguised in a povere wede
171To Rome goth, and ther for nede
172The craft which thilke time was,
173To worche in latoun and in bras,
174He lerneth for his sustienance.
175Such was the Sones pourveance,
176And of his fader it is seid,
177In strong prisoun that he was leid
178In Albe, wher that he was ded
179For hunger and defalte of bred.
180The hound was tokne and prophecie
181That lich an hound he scholde die,
182Which lich was of condicioun,
183Whan he with his detraccioun
184Bark on his brother so behinde.

185Lo, what profit a man mai finde,
186Which hindre wole an other wiht.
187Forthi with al thin hole miht,
188Mi Sone, eschuie thilke vice.

189Mi fader, elles were I nyce:
190For ye therof so wel have spoke,
191That it is in myn herte loke
192And evere schal: bot of Envie,
193If ther be more in his baillie
194Towardes love, sai me what.

195Mi Sone, as guile under the hat
196With sleyhtes of a tregetour
197Is hidd, Envie of such colour
198Hath yit the ferthe deceivant,
199The which is cleped Falssemblant,
200Wherof the matiere and the forme
201Now herkne and I thee schal enforme.

202Of Falssemblant if I schal telle,
203Above alle othre it is the welle
204Out of the which deceipte floweth.
205Ther is noman so wys that knoweth
206Of thilke flod which is the tyde,
207Ne how he scholde himselven guide
208To take sauf passage there.
209And yit the wynd to mannes Ere
210Is softe, and as it semeth oute
211It makth clier weder al aboute;
212Bot thogh it seme, it is noght so.

213Ye, fader, ofte it hath be so,
214That whanne I am mi ladi fro
215And thenke untoward hire drawe,
216Than cast I many a newe lawe
217And al the world torne up so doun,
218And so recorde I mi lecoun
219And wryte in my memorial
220What I to hire telle schal,
221Riht al the matiere of mi tale:
222Bot al nys worth a note schale;
223For whanne I come ther sche is,
224I have it al foryete ywiss;
225Of that I thoghte forto telle
226I can noght thanne unethes spelle
227That I wende altherbest have rad,

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228So sore I am of hire adrad.
229For as a man that sodeinli
230A gost behelde, so fare I;
231So that for feere I can noght gete
232Mi witt, bot I miself foryete,
233That I wot nevere what I am,
234Ne whider I schal, ne whenne I cam,
235Bot muse as he that were amased.
236Lich to the bok in which is rased
237The lettre, and mai nothing be rad,
238So ben my wittes overlad,
239That what as evere I thoghte have spoken,
240It is out fro myn herte stoken,
241And stonde, as who seith, doumb and def,
242That all nys worth an yvy lef,
243Of that I wende wel have seid.
244And ate laste I make abreid,
245Caste up myn hed and loke aboute,
246Riht as a man that were in doute
247And wot noght wher he schal become.
248Thus am I ofte al overcome,
249Ther as I wende best to stonde:
250Bot after, whanne I understonde,
251And am in other place al one,
252I make many a wofull mone
253Unto miself, and speke so:
254'Ha fol, wher was thin herte tho,
255Whan thou thi worthi ladi syhe?
256Were thou afered of hire yhe?
257For of hire hand ther is no drede:
258So wel I knowe hir wommanhede,
259That in hire is nomore oultrage
260Than in a child of thre yeer age.
261Whi hast thou drede of so good on,
262Whom alle vertu hath begon,
263That in hire is no violence
264Bot goodlihiede and innocence
265Withouten spot of eny blame?

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266Ha, nyce herte, fy for schame!
267Ha, couard herte of love unlered,
268Wherof art thou so sore afered,
269That thou thi tunge soffrest frese,
270And wolt thi goode wordes lese,
271Whan thou hast founde time and space?
272How scholdest thou deserve grace,
273Whan thou thiself darst axe non,
274Bot al thou hast foryete anon?'
275And thus despute I loves lore,
276Bot help ne finde I noght the more,
277Bot stomble upon myn oghne treine
278And make an ekinge of my peine.
279For evere whan I thenke among
280How al is on miself along,
281I seie, 'O fol of alle foles,
282Thou farst as he betwen tuo stoles
283That wolde sitte and goth to grounde.
284It was ne nevere schal be founde,
285Betwen foryetelnesse and drede
286That man scholde any cause spede.'
287And thus, myn holi fader diere,
288Toward miself, as ye mai hiere,
289I pleigne of my foryetelnesse;
290Bot elles al the besinesse,
291That mai be take of mannes thoght,
292Min herte takth, and is thorghsoght
293To thenken evere upon that swete
294Withoute Slowthe, I you behete.
295For what so falle, or wel or wo,
296That thoght foryete I neveremo,
297Wher so I lawhe or so I loure:
298Noght half the Minut of an houre
299Ne mihte I lete out of my mende,
300Bot if I thoghte upon that hende.
301Therof me schal no Slowthe lette,
302Til deth out of this world me fette,

page I,319

303Althogh I hadde on such a Ring,
304As Moises thurgh his enchanting
305Som time in Ethiope made,
306Whan that he Tharbis weddid hade.
307Which Ring bar of Oblivion
308The name, and that was be resoun
309That where it on a finger sat,
310Anon his love he so foryat,
311As thogh he hadde it nevere knowe:
312And so it fell that ilke throwe,
313Whan Tharbis hadde it on hire hond,
314No knowlechinge of him sche fond,
315Bot al was clene out of memoire,
316As men mai rede in his histoire;
317And thus he wente quit away,
318That nevere after that ilke day
319Sche thoghte that ther was such on;
320Al was foryete and overgon.
321Bot in good feith so mai noght I:
322For sche is evere faste by,
323So nyh that sche myn herte toucheth,
324That for nothing that Slowthe voucheth
325I mai foryete hire, lief ne loth;
326For overal, where as sche goth,
327Min herte folwith hire aboute.
328Thus mai I seie withoute doute,
329For bet, for wers, for oght, for noght,
330Sche passeth nevere fro my thoght;
331Bot whanne I am ther as sche is,
332Min herte, as I you saide er this,
333Som time of hire is sore adrad,
334And som time it is overglad,
335Al out of reule and out of space.
336For whan I se hir goodli face
337And thenke upon hire hihe pris,
338As thogh I were in Paradis,
339I am so ravisht of the syhte,
340That speke unto hire I ne myhte

page I,320

341As for the time, thogh I wolde:
342For I ne mai my wit unfolde
343To finde o word of that I mene,
344Bot al it is foryete clene;
345And thogh I stonde there a myle,
346Al is foryete for the while,
347A tunge I have and wordes none.
348And thus I stonde and thenke al one
349Of thing that helpeth ofte noght;
350Bot what I hadde afore thoght
351To speke, whanne I come there,
352It is foryete, as noght ne were,
353And stonde amased and assoted,
354That of nothing which I have noted
355I can noght thanne a note singe,
356Bot al is out of knowlechinge:
357Thus, what for joie and what for drede,
358Al is foryeten ate nede.
359So that, mi fader, of this Slowthe
360I have you said the pleine trowthe;
361Ye mai it as you list redresce:
362For thus stant my foryetelnesse
363And ek my pusillamite.
364Sey now forth what you list to me,
365For I wol only do be you.

366Mi Sone, I have wel herd how thou
367Hast seid, and that thou most amende:
368For love his grace wol noght sende
369To that man which dar axe non.
370For this we knowen everichon,
371A mannes thoght withoute speche
372God wot, and yit that men beseche
373His will is; for withoute bedes
374He doth his grace in fewe stedes:
375And what man that foryet himselve,
376Among a thousand be noght tuelve,
377That wol him take in remembraunce,
378Bot lete him falle and take his chaunce.

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379Forthi pull up a besi herte,
380Mi Sone, and let nothing asterte
381Of love fro thi besinesse:
382For touchinge of foryetelnesse,
383Which many a love hath set behinde,
384A tale of gret ensample I finde,
385Wherof it is pite to wite
386In the manere as it is write.

388King Demephon, whan he be Schipe
389To Troieward with felaschipe
390Sailende goth, upon his weie
391It hapneth him at Rodopeie,
392As Eolus him hadde blowe,
393To londe, and rested for a throwe.
394And fell that ilke time thus,
395The dowhter of Ligurgius,
396Which qweene was of the contre,
397Was sojournende in that Cite
398Withinne a Castell nyh the stronde,
399Wher Demephon cam up to londe.
400Phillis sche hihte, and of yong age
401And of stature and of visage
402Sche hadde al that hire best besemeth.
403Of Demephon riht wel hire qwemeth,
404Whan he was come, and made him chiere;
405And he, that was of his manere
406A lusti knyht, ne myhte asterte
407That he ne sette on hire his herte;
408So that withinne a day or tuo
409He thoghte, how evere that it go,
410He wolde assaie the fortune,
411And gan his herte to commune
412With goodly wordes in hire Ere;
413And forto put hire out of fere,
414He swor and hath his trowthe pliht
415To be for evere hire oghne knyht.
416And thus with hire he stille abod,
417Ther while his Schip on Anker rod,

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418And hadde ynowh of time and space
419To speke of love and seche grace.

420This ladi herde al that he seide,
421And hou he swor and hou he preide,
422Which was as an enchantement
423To hire, that was innocent:
424As thogh it were trowthe and feith,
425Sche lieveth al that evere he seith,
426And as hire infortune scholde,
427Sche granteth him al that he wolde.

428Brocours of love that deceiven,
429No wonder is thogh thei receiven
430After the wrong that thei decerven;
431For whom as evere that thei serven
432And do plesance for a whyle,
433Yit ate laste here oghne guile
434Upon here oghne hed descendeth,
435Which god of his vengance sendeth,
436As be ensample of time go
437A man mai finde it hath be so.
438It fell somtime, as it was sene,
439The hihe goddesse and the queene
440Juno tho hadde in compainie
441A Maiden full of tricherie;
442For sche was evere in on acord

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443With Jupiter, that was hire lord,
444To gete him othre loves newe,
445Thurgh such brocage and was untrewe
446Al otherwise than him nedeth.
447Bot sche, which of no schame dredeth,
448With queinte wordes and with slyhe
449Blente in such wise hir lady yhe,
450As sche to whom that Juno triste,
451So that therof sche nothing wiste.
452Bot so prive mai be nothing,
453That it ne comth to knowleching;
454Thing don upon the derke nyht
455Is after knowe on daies liht:
456So it befell, that ate laste
457Al that this slyhe maiden caste
458Was overcast and overthrowe.
459For as the sothe mot be knowe,
460To Juno was don understonde
461In what manere hir housebonde
462With fals brocage hath take usure
463Of love mor than his mesure,
464Whan he tok othre than his wif,
465Wherof this mayden was gultif,
466Which hadde ben of his assent.
467And thus was al the game schent;
468She soffreth him, as sche mot nede,
469Bot the brocour of his misdede,
470Sche which hir conseil yaf therto,
471On hire is the vengance do:
472For Juno with hire wordes hote,
473This Maiden, which Eccho was hote,
474Reproveth and seith in this wise:
475'O traiteresse, of which servise
476Hast thou thin oghne ladi served!
477Thou hast gret peine wel deserved,
478That thou canst maken it so queinte,
479Thi slyhe wordes forto peinte
480Towardes me, that am thi queene,
481Wherof thou madest me to wene

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482That myn housbonde trewe were,
483Whan that he loveth elleswhere,
484Al be it so him nedeth noght.
485Bot upon thee it schal be boght,
486Which art prive to tho doinges,
487And me fulofte of thi lesinges
488Deceived hast: nou is the day
489That I thi while aquite may;
490And for thou hast to me conceled
491That my lord hath with othre deled,
492I schal thee sette in such a kende,
493That evere unto the worldes ende
494Al that thou hierest thou schalt telle,
495And clappe it out as doth a belle.'
496And with that word sche was forschape,
497Ther may no vois hire mouth ascape,
498What man that in the wodes crieth,
499Withoute faile Eccho replieth,
500And what word that him list to sein,
501The same word sche seith ayein.
502Thus sche, which whilom hadde leve
503To duelle in chambre, mot beleve
504In wodes and on helles bothe,
505For such brocage as wyves lothe,
506Which doth here lordes hertes change
507And love in other place strange.

508Forthi, if evere it so befalle,
509That thou, mi Sone, amonges alle
510Be wedded man, hold that thou hast,
511For thanne al other love is wast.
512O wif schal wel to thee suffise,
513And thanne, if thou for covoitise
514Of love woldest axe more,
515Thou scholdest don ayein the lore
516Of alle hem that trewe be.

517Mi fader, as in this degre
518My conscience is noght accused;

page II,74

519For I no such brocage have used,
520Wherof that lust of love is wonne.
521Forthi spek forth, as ye begonne,
522Of Avarice upon mi schrifte.
523Mi Sone, I schal the branches schifte
524Be ordre so as thei ben set,
525On whom no good is wel beset.

526Blinde Avarice of his lignage
527For conseil and for cousinage,
528To be withholde ayein largesse,
529Hath on, whos name is seid Skarsnesse,
530The which is kepere of his hous,
531And is so thurghout averous,
532That he no good let out of honde;
533Thogh god himself it wolde fonde,
534Of yifte scholde he nothing have;
535And if a man it wolde crave,
536He moste thanne faile nede,
537Wher god himselve mai noght spede.
538And thus Skarsnesse in every place
539Be reson mai no thonk porchace,
540And natheles in his degree
541Above alle othre most prive
542With Avarice stant he this.
543For he governeth that ther is
544In ech astat of his office
545After the reule of thilke vice;
546He takth, he kepth, he halt, he bint,
547That lihtere is to fle the flint
548Than gete of him in hard or neisshe
549Only the value of a reysshe
550Of good in helpinge of an other,
551Noght thogh it were his oghne brother.

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552For in the cas of yifte and lone
553Stant every man for him al one,
554Him thenkth of his unkindeschipe
555That him nedeth no felaschipe:
556Be so the bagge and he acorden,
557Him reccheth noght what men recorden
558Of him, or it be evel or good.
559For al his trust is on his good,
560So that al one he falleth ofte,
561Whan he best weneth stonde alofte,
562Als wel in love as other wise;
563For love is evere of som reprise
564To him that wole his love holde.
565Forthi, mi Sone, as thou art holde,
566Touchende of this tell me thi schrifte:
567Hast thou be scars or large of yifte
568Unto thi love, whom thou servest?
569For after that thou wel deservest
570Of yifte, thou miht be the bet;
571For that good holde I wel beset,
572For why thou miht the betre fare;
573Thanne is no wisdom forto spare.
574For thus men sein, in every nede
575He was wys that ferst made mede;
576For where as mede mai noght spede,
577I not what helpeth other dede:
578Fulofte he faileth of his game
579That wol with ydel hand reclame
580His hauk, as many a nyce doth.
581Forthi, mi Sone, tell me soth
582And sei the trouthe, if thou hast be
583Unto thy love or skars or fre.

584Mi fader, it hath stonde thus,
585That if the tresor of Cresus
586And al the gold Octovien,
587Forth with the richesse Yndien
588Of Perles and of riche stones,
589Were al togedre myn at ones,

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590I sette it at nomore acompte
591Than wolde a bare straw amonte,
592To yive it hire al in a day,
593Be so that to that suete may
594I myhte like or more or lesse.
595And thus be cause of my scarsnesse
596Ye mai wel understonde and lieve
597That I schal noght the worse achieve
598The pourpos which is in my thoght.
599Bot yit I yaf hir nevere noght,
600Ne therto dorste a profre make;
601For wel I wot sche wol noght take,
602And yive wol sche noght also,
603Sche is eschu of bothe tuo.
604And this I trowe be the skile
605Towardes me, for sche ne wile
606That I have eny cause of hope,
607Noght also mochel as a drope.
608Bot toward othre, as I mai se,
609Sche takth and yifth in such degre,
610That as be weie of frendlihiede
611Sche can so kepe hir wommanhiede,
612That every man spekth of hir wel.
613Bot sche wole take of me no del,
614And yit sche wot wel that I wolde
615Yive and do bothe what I scholde
616To plesen hire in al my myht:
617Be reson this wot every wyht,
618For that mai be no weie asterte,
619Ther sche is maister of the herte,
620Sche mot be maister of the good.
621For god wot wel that al my mod
622And al min herte and al mi thoght
623And al mi good, whil I have oght,
624Als freliche as god hath it yive,
625It schal ben hires, while I live,
626Riht as hir list hirself commande.
627So that it nedeth no demande,

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628To axe of me if I be scars
629To love, for as to tho pars
630I wole ansuere and seie no.

631Sche longeth sore after the dai,
632That sche hir swevene telle mai
633To this guilour in privete,
634Which kneu it als so wel as sche:
635And natheles on morwe sone
636Sche lefte alle other thing to done,
637And for him sende, and al the cas
638Sche tolde him pleinly as it was,
639And seide hou thanne wel sche wiste
640That sche his wordes mihte triste,
641For sche fond hire Avisioun
642Riht after the condicion
643Which he hire hadde told tofore;
644And preide him hertely therfore
645That he hire holde covenant
646So forth of al the remenant,
647That sche may thurgh his ordinance
648Toward the god do such plesance,

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649That sche wakende myhte him kepe
650In such wise as sche mette aslepe.
651And he, that couthe of guile ynouh,
652Whan he this herde, of joie he louh,
653And seith, 'Ma dame, it schal be do.
654Bot this I warne you therto:
655This nyht, whan that he comth to pleie,
656That ther be no lif in the weie
657Bot I, that schal at his likinge
658Ordeine so for his cominge,
659That ye ne schull noght of him faile.
660For this, ma dame, I you consaile,
661That ye it kepe so prive,
662That no wiht elles bot we thre
663Have knowlechinge hou that it is;
664For elles mihte it fare amis,
665If ye dede oght that scholde him grieve.'
666And thus he makth hire to believe,
667And feigneth under guile feith:
668Bot natheles al that he seith
669Sche troweth; and ayein the nyht
670Sche hath withinne hire chambre dyht,
671Wher as this guilour faste by
672Upon this god schal prively
673Awaite, as he makth hire to wene:
674And thus this noble gentil queene,
675Whan sche most trusteth, was deceived.

676The nyht com, and the chambre is weyved,
677Nectanabus hath take his place,
678And whan he sih the time and space,
679Thurgh the deceipte of his magique
680He putte him out of mannes like,
681And of a dragoun tok the forme,
682As he which wolde him al conforme
683To that sche sih in swevene er this;

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684And thus to chambre come he is.
685The queene lay abedde and sih,
686And hopeth evere, as he com nyh,
687That he god of Lubye were,
688So hath sche wel the lasse fere.
689Bot for he wolde hire more assure,
690Yit eft he changeth his figure,
691And of a wether the liknesse
692He tok, in signe of his noblesse
693With large hornes for the nones:
694Of fin gold and of riche stones
695A corone on his hed he bar,
696And soudeinly, er sche was war,
697As he which alle guile can,
698His forme he torneth into man,
699And cam to bedde, and sche lai stille,
700Wher as sche soffreth al his wille,
701As sche which wende noght misdo.
702Bot natheles it hapneth so,
703Althogh sche were in part deceived,
704Yit for al that sche hath conceived
705The worthieste of alle kiththe,
706Which evere was tofore or siththe
707Of conqueste and chivalerie;
708So that thurgh guile and Sorcerie
709Ther was that noble knyht begunne,
710Which al the world hath after wunne.
711Thus fell the thing which falle scholde,
712Nectanabus hath that he wolde;
713With guile he hath his love sped,
714With guile he cam into the bed,
715With guile he goth him out ayein:
716He was a schrewed chamberlein,
717So to beguile a worthi queene,
718And that on him was after seene.
719Bot natheles the thing is do;
720This false god was sone go,

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721With his deceipte and hield him clos,
722Til morwe cam, that he aros.

723And tho, whan time and leisir was,
724The queene tolde him al the cas,
725As sche that guile non supposeth;
726And of tuo pointz sche him opposeth.
727On was, if that this god nomore
728Wol come ayein, and overmore,
729Hou sche schal stonden in acord
730With king Philippe hire oghne lord,
731Whan he comth hom and seth hire grone.
732'Ma dame,' he seith, 'let me alone:
733As for the god I undertake
734That whan it liketh you to take
735His compaignie at eny throwe,
736If I a day tofore it knowe,
737He schal be with you on the nyht;
738And he is wel of such a myht
739To kepe you from alle blame.
740Forthi conforte you, ma dame,
741Ther schal non other cause be.'
742Thus tok he leve and forth goth he,
743And tho began he forto muse
744Hou he the queene mihte excuse
745Toward the king of that is falle;
746And fond a craft amonges alle,
747Thurgh which he hath a See foul daunted,
748With his magique and so enchaunted,
749That he flyh forth, whan it was nyht,
750Unto the kinges tente riht,
751Wher that he lay amidde his host:
752And whanne he was aslepe most,
753With that the See foul to him broghte
754And othre charmes, whiche he wroghte
755At hom withinne his chambre stille,
756The king he torneth at his wille,
757And makth him forto dreme and se
758The dragoun and the privete
759Which was betuen him and the queene.

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760And over that he made him wene
761In swevene, hou that the god Amos,
762Whan he up fro the queene aros,
763Tok forth a ring, wherinne a ston
764Was set, and grave therupon
765A Sonne, in which, whan he cam nyh,
766A leoun with a swerd he sih;
767And with that priente, as he tho mette,
768Upon the queenes wombe he sette
769A Seal, and goth him forth his weie.
770With that the swevene wente aweie,
771And tho began the king awake
772And sigheth for his wyves sake,
773Wher as he lay withinne his tente,
774And hath gret wonder what it mente.

775With that he hasteth him to ryse
776Anon, and sende after the wise,
777Among the whiche ther was on,
778A clerc, his name is Amphion:
779Whan he the kinges swevene herde,
780What it betokneth he ansuerde,
781And seith, 'So siker as the lif,
782A god hath leie be thi wif,
783And gete a Sone, which schal winne
784The world and al that is withinne.
785As leon is the king of bestes,
786So schal the world obeie his hestes,
787Which with his swerd schal al be wonne,
788Als ferr as schyneth eny Sonne.'

789The king was doubtif of this dom;
790Bot natheles, whan that he com
791Ayein into his oghne lond,
792His wif with childe gret he fond.
793He mihte noght himselve stiere,
794That he ne made hire hevy chiere;
795Bot he which couthe of alle sorwe,
796Nectanabus, upon the morwe
797Thurgh the deceipte and nigromance

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798Tok of a dragoun the semblance,
799And wher the king sat in his halle,
800Com in rampende among hem alle
801With such a noise and such a rore,
802That thei agast were also sore
803As thogh thei scholde deie anon.
804And natheles he grieveth non,
805Bot goth toward the deyss on hih;
806And whan he cam the queene nyh,
807He stinte his noise, and in his wise
808To hire he profreth his servise,
809And leith his hed upon hire barm;
810And sche with goodly chiere hire arm
811Aboute his necke ayeinward leide,
812And thus the queene with him pleide
813In sihte of alle men aboute.
814And ate laste he gan to loute
815And obeissance unto hire make,
816As he that wolde his leve take;
817And sodeinly his lothly forme
818Into an Egle he gan transforme,
819And flyh and sette him on a raile;
820Wherof the king hath gret mervaile,
821For there he pruneth him and piketh,
822As doth an hauk whan him wel liketh,
823And after that himself he schok,
824Wherof that al the halle quok,
825As it a terremote were;
826Thei seiden alle, god was there:
827In such a res and forth he flyh.