When Flora, the Quene of Pleasaunce, Had hol acheved th’ obessiaunce wholly submission Of the freshe and new season Thorowte every region, line5 And withe her mantell hol covert entirely covered That winter made had discovert, What winter had laid bare Of aventure, without light, By chance In May I lay uppon a nyght Allone, and on my lady thowght line10 And how the Lord that her wrought Couthe well entayle in imagerye And shewed had great masterye When he in so litle space Made suche a body and a face: line15 So great beawty, with suche features, More then in other creatures. than And in my thowghtes, as I laye In a lodge out of the waye, Beside a well in a foreste, line20 Wher after huntinge I toke reste, Nature and kynd so in me wrought natural disposition That halfe on slepe thay me browght, And gan to dreme, to my thinkinge, And [I] began With minde of knowledge leke wakinge. like line25 For what I dreamed, as me thought, I sawe it, and I slepte nought. Wherfore is yet my full beleve belief That some good spirite, that eve, By maner of some cureux port mysterious mode of conveyance line30 Bare me where I saw payne and sport. Bore But wether it were I woke or slept, Well wot I oft I laught and wepte. Well I know laughed Wherefor I woll in remembraunce will Put hole the paine and the pleasaunce the whole line35 Whiche was to me axes and heale. both fever and health Wold God ye wiste it every dele! Would to God knew bit Or at the least ye might on night at night Of suche another have a syght. Althowghe it were to yow a payne, line40 Yet, on the morrowe, ye wold be fayne glad And wishe it might longe duer. last Then might you saye ye had good eure! fortune For who that dremes and wenes he see, thinks sees Muche the better yet may hee line45 Wit what, and of home, and where, Know of whom And eke the lesse it wol him deare. also trouble To thinke I se thus withe myne eyne! saw eyes Iwis this may no dreme bene, Indeed But signe or signiffiaunce line50 Of hasty thinge, soundinge pleasaunce. For on this wise uppon a nyght, in this manner As ye have hard, witheout light, heard Not all wakynge ne full on slepe, nor fully asleep Abowte suche houre as lovers wepe line55 And cry after ther ladies grace, cry out for Befell me this wonder case wondrous adventure Whiche ye shall here and all the wise all the manner of it As holly as I cane devise fully can In playne Englishe, evell writton; badly written line60 For slepe wrightter, well ye weten, sleep(y) writer know Excused is, thowghe he do mise, amiss More then on that wakinge is. than one Wherefor, here, of your gentulnes I you requier my boysteousnes lack of polish line65 Ye let passe as thinge rude, And hereth what I woll conclude; And of th’ enditinge takethe no hede, art of composition take Ne of the termes, so God you sped, rhetorical figures prosper But let all passe as nothinge were: as if it were of no account line70 For thus befell as ye shall here.

Withein an ylle me thowght I was isle Where wall and yate was all of glasse, gate And so was closed rounde abowte That leveles non come in ne owt: without permission came line75 Uncothe and straunge to beholde. Unfamiliar For every yate of fine golde A thousannd fannes ay turninge weather-vanes always Entuned had, and birdes singinge Made to sound in tune together Diverse, and on eche fanne a payer pair line80 Withe open mouthe agayne th’ ayer. to meet the air And of a suite were all the towers in the same fashion Sotilly carven after flowers Cleverly carved like Of uncothe colours, duringe aye, strange lasting ever That never been none sene in May, none of them line85 Withe many a smale turret highe. But mane on lyve culd I non spye, a living man Ne creatures save ladyes playe, Wiche were suche of ther arraye That, as me thowght, of godlyhed in fine appearance line90 They passen all and womanhed. surpass For to beholde hem daunce and singe Hit semed like none earthely thinge, Suche was ther uncoth countenaunce demeanor In every playe of right usaunce. line95 And of one age everychon the same They semed all, save only one Wiche had of yeres sufficaunce; sufficiency For she might neyther singe ne daunce, But yet her countenaunce was as glad line100 As she as few yeres had hadd As any lady that was there; And as litle it did her dere put out Of lustines to laugh and tale pleasure tell stories As she had full stuffed a male bag line105 Of disport and new playes. fun games Fayre had she been in her dayes, And mistres semed well to be Of all that lusty companye; pleasure-loving And so she might, I you ensure, assure line110 For on the coningest creature one of the wisest of creatures She was, and so sayd everychone That ever her knew, ther fayled none; not one disagreed For she was sobre and well avised, very judicious And from every fault disguysed, kept hidden line115 And nothinge used but faythe and trothe. practised That she nas younge hit was great routhe, was not pity For everywhere and in eche place She governed her, that in grace She stod alwaye withe pore and riche, line120 That, in a word, was none her liche, like Ne halfe so able misteres to be mistress To suche a lustye company. Byfell me so, when I avised surveyed Had the yle, at me sufficed, that line125 And hol th’ astate everywhere all the state of things That in that lusty yle was there, Wiche was more wonder to devise conceive Then the joieux paradise, joyful I dare well say; for flower, ne tree, nor line130 Ne thinge wherein pleassaunce myght be, Ther fayled none for every wighte; creature Had thay desyred day and nyghte Richesse, hele, beauwty, and ease, health Withe everye thinge that hem might please, line135 Thynke, and have, hit cost no more. Think of it and you had it In suche a countrye there before Had I not been, ne hard tell heard That lyves creature might dwell. living And when I had thus all abowght about line140 The yle advised thorowghte surveyed thoroughly The state and how they were arrayed, condition of things In my harte I wex well payed, became well pleased And in my self I me assured That in my body I was well eured, in luck line145 Sithe I might have suche a grace Since To se the ladyes and the place Wiche were so fayer, I you ensure, That to my dome, thowghe that nature in my judgment Wold ever strive and do hir payne, make her greatest effort line150 She shuld not con ne mowe attaigne be able nor have power to The lest feature to amende; least Thowgh she wold all hir coninge spende skill That to beawty might availe, Hit were but payne and lost travayle: labor line155 Suche parte in ther nativite Was hem alarged of beawtie. generously granted And eke they had a thinge notable Unto ther deathe ay durable, And was that ther beawte shuld dure, And that was last line160 Wiche was never seen in creature; Save only ther, as I trowe, believe Hit hathe not be wist ne know. Where it been known Wherefore I praise with ther coninge That duringe bewte, riche thinge; enduring line165 Had thay been of ther lyves certaigne, Thay had been qwyt of every payne. released from

And when I wend thus all have seen, thought to have seen Th’ estate, the riches, that might been, That me thowght impossible were line170 To se one thinge more then was there That to beautie or glad coninge pleasing skill Serve or avayle might ony thinge, any

All sodenly, as I there stode, This lady, that couth so moche good, knew line175 Unto me come withe smilinge chere And sayd: ‘Benedicite! This yere Bless ye! Saw I never man here but you. Tell me how ye come hether nowe, hither And your name, and were you dwell, where line180 And whom ye sek eke mot ye tell, must And how ye come be to this place. The soth well told may cause you grace; truth And else ye mote prisoner be Unto these ladyes here and me line185 That han the governaunce of this yle.’ And withe that word she gane to smyle, And so dyd all the lusty rowte company Of ladyes that stode her abowte. ‘Madame,’ quod I, ‘this night paste, line190 Lodged I was and slepte faste In a forest beside a well, And nowe ame here. How shuld I tell? Wot I not by whos ordinaunce, whose command But only Fortunes purveaunce forward planning line195 Wiche puttes many, as I gesse, To travell, payne, and busines, labor And lettes nothinge for ther trowth spares But some sleethe eke, and that is rowth; slays pity Wherefore I dowt hir britelnes, fear mutability line200 Hir variaunce and unstedfastnes, So that I am as yet affrayd frightened And of my beinge here amayed; dismayed For wondre thinge, semethe me, Thus many freshe ladyes to see, line205 So fayer, so connynge, and so yonge, clever And no mane dwellethe hem amonge. man Wot I not how I hether come, hither Madame,’ quod I, ‘this all and some. What shuld I feyne a longe processe invent story line210 To you that seme suche a princes? What please you comaunde or saye, Here I am you to obeye To my power, and all fulfill, And prisoner byde at your will line215 Till you dewlye enformed be properly Of everye thinge ye aske me.’ This lady ther right well appayed pleased Me by th’ ande toke and sayd: hand ‘Welcome, prisoner adventurus! unexpected line220 Right glad am I ye have sayd thus. And for ye doute me to displease, fear I will assaye to do you ease.’ And with that word, ye anon, yes indeed straightway She and the ladyes everychone line225 Assembled and to counsell went; And after that, sone for me sent, And to me sayd on this maner, Word for word as ye shall here.

‘To se you here us thinketh marvayle, seems to us a marvel line230 And how witheout boot or sayle boat By any souttyllete or wyle trickery Ye get have entre in this Ile. have got entry But not for that, yet shall you see nevertheless That we gentilwomen bee, line235 Lothe to displease any wight, Notwithstondinge our great right. And for ye shall well understand The old custome of this lande Wiche hathe continewed many yere, line240 Ye shall well wyt that withe us here Ye may not byd, for causes twayne stay Wheche we be purposed you to seyne. say

The ton is this: our ordinaunce, The one Whiche is of longe continuaunce, of great antiquity line245 Woll not, sothely we you tell, Desires That no mane here amonge us dwell; Wherefore ye mot nedes retorne. must In no weys may ye here sojorne. way remain The tother is eke that our qwene The other line250 Owt of the reme, as ye may sene, realm Is, and may be to us a charge it may harm Yf we let you go here at large. For wiche cause, the more we dowbte To do a faute while she is owte, fault line255 Or suffer that may be noysaunce what harm Again our olde acustemaunce.’ Against custom

And when I had these causes tweine Herd, O God, whiche a payne heard what All sodenly abowte my harte line260 Ther come attons, and how smerte! at once painfully In crepinge soft, as who wold stele as if someone Or me do robe of all myn hele; have me robbed well-being And made me in my thought so frayd afraid That in corage I stode dismayed. spirit line265 And standinge thus, as was my grace, A lady come, more then apas, quite quickly Withe huge pres hir abowte, throng And told how the quene withoute Was arryved and wold come in. line270 Wele were thay that thether might wyn; Happy thither They hied so, they wold not byde hastened The bridelinge of ther horse to ryde. By ten, by six, by two, by thre, Ther was not one abode with me. stayed line275 The quene to mete, everychone They went, and bod withe me not one. stayed And I after, a softe paas, at a gentle pace Imageninge how to purchace Grace of the quene ther t’ abyde, line280 Till good fortune some happy guyde Me send might, that wold me bringe Where I was borne to my woninge; carried away dwelling For way ne sent knew I none, path Ne whetherward I nyst to gone, did not know line285 For all was see aboute the Ile. sea No wonder thowghe me lest not smyle, I had no wish to Seinge the case unquowth and straunge unfamiliar And so like a perelus chaunge. Imageninge thus, walkinge allone, line290 I saw the ladyes everychone. So that I myght somwhat ofer, offer Sone after that I drew me neare. And tho I was war of the quene, then And how the ladyes on there knene knees line295 Withe joyeuse wordes, gladly avised, devised Hir welcomed, so that hit sufficed Thoghe she princes hole had bee entirely Of all that vironed is withe see. surrounded And thus avisinge with chere sadd, looking on gloomy line300 All sodenlye I wex gladd, became That greatter joye, as mot I thrive, may I trow had never mon on lyve believe alive Then had I tho, ne harte more light, Than then When of my lady I had syght line305 Wiche withe the quene come was there. And in one clothinge bothe they were. A knyght also, right wel besene, very well turned out I sawe, that come was with the quene; Of whom the ladyes of that Ile line310 Had huge wonder longe whyle, Till at the last, right soberlye The quene herselfe full coninglye wisely With softe wordes, in goodlye wyse, Sayd to the ladyes yonge and wyse:

line315 ‘My susters, how hit hathe befall, I trow ye know it, on and all, That of longe tyme here have I been Withein this yle bydinge as quene, Lyvinge at ease, that never wight line320 More perfyte joye have ne mighte; And to you been of governaunce in my way of governing Suche as ye fond in hol pleasaunce found entirely satisfying In every thinge, as ye knowe, After our costome and our lowe. law line325 Wiche how they first found were, I trow ye wote all the manere believe know And how who quene is of this Ile — As I have bene longe while — Yche seven yeres mot of usage must ancient custom line330 Visyt the hevenly armitage, hermitage Wiche on a roche so highe stondes In strange se, out from all londes, sea far from That to make the pillerenage pilgrimage Is caled a longe perileuse viage; journey line335 For yf the winde be not good frind, friend The jorney duers to th’ ende lasts Of hem that hit undertakes: Of twenti thousande one not skapes. Oppon whiche roche growethe a tree Upon line340 That certayne yeres bares apples three, Wiche thre apples who may have whoever Bene from all displeasaunce save safe That in the seven yere may fall. This wote ye well, one and all. line345 For the first appull, and the hexst highest Whiche growethe unto you nexst, Hathe thre vertues notable And kepethe youthe ay durable, everlasting Bewtie and hele ever in one, health ever the same line350 And is the beste in everychone. The second appule, red and grene, Only with lokes of your yene looks eyes You nurrisshes in pleasaunce Better then partrich ne fesaunce, pheasants line355 And fedes every lyves wyght living creature Plesauntlye with the syght. The thirde appule of the thre, Wiche growethe loueste in the tree, lowest Who yt beres may not fayle line360 That to his pleasaunce may availe. Whatever So your pleasure and beutie riche, Your duringe youthe ever liche, lasting ever the same Your trothe, your coninge, and your welle, wisdom well-being Hathe ay flowred, and your good hele happiness line365 Witheout sicknes or displesaunce Or thinge that to you was noysaunce, a harm So that you have as goddesses Lived aboven all princesses.

Now is byfall as ye may see: line370 To gedre these sayd appuls three, To gather these same I have not fayled agayne the daye against (upon) Thetherward to take the weye, Weninge to spede, as I had oft; Thinking to have success But when I come, I found aloft line375 My sister wiche that here stondes, Havinge those appulles in her handes, Avisinge hem, and nothinge sayde Looking at them But loked as she wer well payed. pleased And as I stode her to behold, line380 Thenkinge howe my joyes were cold Sithe I those apples have ne might, Even withe that, so come this knight, And in his armes, of me unware, to me unexpectedly Me toke, and to his shipe me bare, carried off line385 And sayd, thowgh he me never had sene, Yet had I longe his lady bene, Wherefore I shuld withe him wend, go And he wolde to his lives ende My servaunte be, and can to singe began line390 As one that had wone riche thinge. Tho were my spirites fro me gone Then So sodenlye, everychone, That in me appered but deathe; For I feld neyther live, ne brethe, felt life line395 Ne good, ne harme, non I knewe. The sodeyne paine me was so new, That had not the hasty grace be immediate help been Of this lady, that fro the tree Of her gentulnes so hiede line400 Me to comforthe, I had dyed; And of her three applus, one In myn hand ther put annone, Wiche browght agayne minde and brethe, And me recovered from the deathe. line405 Wherefore to her so am I holde beholden That for her all thinge do I wolde; For she was leche of all my smart, physician hurt And from great paine socourte myn harte, relieved And, as God wotte, right as ye here, knows line410 Me to comforte, with frindlye chere friendly She did her power and her might; And trewlye eke so did this knight, In that he couthe, and oft sayd In whatever That of my woo he was il payed, ill pleased line415 And cursed the shipe hem thether browght, the ship that The mast, the master that hit wrought. And as eche thinge mot have an ende, must My suster here, our brother frinde, Con withe her wordes so womanlye Began line420 This knyght entreat and coningelye, skillfully For myn honour and his also, And sayd that with her we shuld goo Bothe in her shippe, where she was browght, wherein Wiche was so wonderfullye wrought, line425 So clene, so riche, and so arrayed That we were bothe content and payed. And me to comfort and to plesse, And myn hart to put at easse, She toke great payne in litle while, line430 And thus hathe browght us to this Ile As ye maye se. Wherefore echone I praye you thanke her, one and one, one after another As hertelye as ye cane devise Or imagen in any wyse.’

line435 At once ther, tho, men myght sene A world of ladyes fall on knene knees Before my lady, that ther abowte Was left none stanndinge in the route, company Bot all to th’ erthe they went at once; line440 To knele they spared not for the stones, Ne for estate, ne for ther blode. their high birth Well shewed they ther they cuthe moche good, For to my lady they made suche feaste, With such wordes, that the leste least line445 So frindlye and so faythefullye Sayd was, and so coninglye, That wonder was, seinge ther youthe, To here the launguage they cothe, had command of And holly how they governed were conducted themselves line450 In thannkynge of my ladye there; And sayd by will and maundement command They were at her comandemente, Wiche was to me as great a joye As wininge of the towne of Troye line455 Was to the hardye Grekes stronge When thay yt wane with seage longe: won siege To se my ladye in suche a place So receyved as she was.

And when they taled had a while talked line460 Of this and that, and of the Ile, My lady and the ladyes there, All together as they were, The quene herselfe begane to playe, speak playfully And to the aged lady saye: line465 ‘Now semethe you nat good it were, Sith we be all togither here, Since To ordayne and avise the best devise To set this knyght and me at rest? For woman is a feble wyght person line470 To rere a ware agayne a knyght. raise a war And sith he here is in this place At my lyst, daunger or grace, It were in me great villanye discourtesy To do him any tirrannye. line475 But fayne I wolde now, will ye here, In his owne cunterye that he were, And I in peace, and he at ease; This were a waye us bothe to please. Yf yt might be, I you beseche line480 Withe him hereof ye fall in speche.’ This lady tho began to smyle, Avisinge her a littull whille, Considering within herself And withe glad chere she sayd annon; ‘Madame, I will unto him gone line485 And withe him speke, and of him fele detect What he desyers, everye dele.’ every bit And soberlye this lady tho, Herselfe and other ladyes two She toke withe her, and with sad chere with a serious face line490 Sayd to the knyght on this maner: in ‘Syr, the princesse of this Ile, Whom for your pleasaunce many myle Ye sowght have, as I understand, Till at the last ye have her found, line495 Me sende hathe here, and ladyes twayne, sent To here all thinge that ye sayne, say And for what cause ye have her sowght, Fayne wold she wyt, and hole your thought, know, and all And whi you do her all this woo, cause line500 And for what cause ye be her foo, enemy And whi, of everye wight unware, unbeknown By force ye to your shippe her bare That she so nyghe was agone was so nearly distracted That minde ne speche had she none, line505 But as a paynefull creature full of sorrow Diinge abode her adventure, awaited her fate That her to se enduer that payne, I dare well saye unto you playne, Right on yourselfe ye did amise, in line510 Seeinge how she a princes is.’ This knyght, the whiche couth his good, knew what was good for him Ryght of his trothe meved his blood, drained (from his face) That pale he wox as any ledd lead And loked as he wold be dedd. line515 Blud was ther none in nayther cheke; Wordles he was, and semed sike; And so yt preved well he was, For without mevinge any passe, moving a step All sodenlye, as thinge dyinge, line520 He fell at once downe sowninge; swooning That, for his wo, this lady frayed afraid Unto the quene her hied and sayd: she hurried ‘Comethe on, anone, as have ye blisse! as you may have But be ye wyse, thinge is misse. Unless amiss line525 This knyght is ded or wil be sone; Lo, where he lyethe yonde in sowne, swoon Without word or answeringe To that I sayd have any thinge! Wherefore I dowbte that the blame line530 Might be hinderinge to your name, Whiche flowred hathe so many yere So longe, that for nothinge here I wold in no wyse he dyedd. Wherefore good were that ye hiedd it would be good line535 His lyfe to save, at the lest; And after that his woo be ceste, ceased Commaunde him to voyd or dwell, depart For in no wyse dare I more medell meddle Of thinge wherein suche perill is line540 As lyke is now to fall of this.’

This quene right tho, full of great feare, Withe all the ladyes present there, Unto the knyght come where he leye And mad a lady to him saye: line545 ‘Lo, here the quene! Awacke, for shame! What will ye do? Is this good game? Whi lye you here? Where is your minde? Now is well sene your wyt is blinde, To see so many ladyes here, line550 And ye to make none other chere But as ye sett them all at nowght. Aryse, for His love that you bowght!’ redeemed But what she sayed, a word not one whatever He spake, ne answere gave her none. line555 The quene of very pytye tho, Her worshipe and his life also To save, ther she dyd her payne, exerted herself And quocke for fere and con to sayne quaked and said For woo: ‘Allas, what shall I do? line560 What shall I saye this man unto? Yf he dye here, lost is my name. How shall I pleye this perilous game? Yf any thinge be here amise, Yt shal be sayd hit rigor is, cruelty is line565 Whereby my name enpayer myght, might be injured And like to dye eke is this knyght.’ And withe that word, her hande she layed Uppon his brest, and to him sayed: ‘Awacke, my knyght! Lo, yt am I line570 That to you speke! Now tell me whi Ye fare thus and this payne enduer, Seinge ye be in counterye suer, a safe country Amonge suche frindes that wold your hele, desire your well-being Your hartes ease eke, and your welle; line575 And yf I wyst what you might ease Or knew the thinge that you might please, I you ensuer it shulde not fayle That to youre hele you might avayle. Whatever Wherefore with all myne harte I praye line580 Ye rysse, and lett us tale and pleye, rise converse And see how many ladyes here Be common for to make you chere.’ Are come

All was for nawght; for still as stone He laye, and worde spake he none. line585 Longe while was or he might brayd, ere stir And of all that the quene had sayd He wyst no worde; but at the last, ‘Mercy’ twies he cried faste, That pyty was his voice to here line590 Or to beholde his paynefull chere, Wiche was not fayned, well was to sene as could clearly be seen Bothe by his visage and his eyne eyes Wiche on the quene at once he caste, And syghte as he wolde to-braste. sighed burst line595 And after that he shright soo shrieked That wonder was to se his woo; For sythe that paine was first named since Was never more woofull paine entamed, revealed For withe voice ded he gan to playne, dead line600 And to himselfe these wordes sayne: ‘I, woofull wyght full of maleure, misfortune Am worse then ded, and yet I duer endure Magre any payne or deathe; Despite Agaynst my will I fele my brethe. line605 Whi ner I ded, sythe I ne serve Why should I not be dead And sythe my lady will I sterve? wishes that I die Where art thou, deathe? Art thou agast? Well shall we mete yet at the laste! Thowghe thou the hide, it is for nawght; line610 For, where thou dwell, thou shall be sought, Magre thi subtill dowble face; Despite Here will I dye, right in this place, To thi dishonour and myn ease. Thi manner is no wyght to please. practise creature line615 What nedes the, sythe I the seche, So the to hide, my paine to eche? increase And well wyst thou I woll not lyve — Who wolde me all this world here gefe — Even if someone give For I have withe my cowardice line620 Lost joye, and helle, and my service, well-being And made my soveraigne lady soo, That while she lyves, I trow, my foo believe She wil be ever to her ende. Thus have I neyther joye ne frend. line625 Wote I not whither hast or slowthe whether haste Hathe caused this now, by my trothe; For at the hermitage full hye, Where I her saw first withe myn eye, I hyed till I was alofte, hastened line630 And mad my pace smale and softe, short and stealthy Till in myn armes I had her faste, And to my shipe bare at the laste; Whereof she was displeased soo That endles there semed her woo, line635 And I thereof had so great feare That me repent that I came there; I repent Wiche hast, I trowe, con her displease haste displeased her And be the cause of my deseace.’ And was distress And withe that word he can to crye line640 ‘Now deathe, deathe!’ twy or thrye, twice or thrice A motird wot I not what of slougthe. And even withe that, the quene, of routhe, for pity Him in her armes tooke and sayd: ‘Now myn owne knyght, be not yll payed ill pleased line645 That I a lady to you sente To have knowledge of your entent; For, in good faythe, I ment but well, And wold ye wyst yt everye dell, Nor woll not do to you, iwysse.’ do [any harm] indeed line650 And withe that word she can him kysse, And prayed him ryse, and sayd she wold desired His welfare by her trothe, and tolde Him howe she was for his diseace Right sorye, and fayne wold him please. line655 His lyfe to save, thes wordes thoo these She sayd to him, and many moo, In comfortinge; for from the peyne She wold he were delyvered fayne. The knight tho upcast his eyne, line660 And when he se it was the quene saw That to him had those wordes sayde, Ryght in his woo he can to brayd And him updressed for to knele, prepared The quene avisinge wonder well. gazing upon line665 But as he rosse, he over-threwe; rose fell over Wherefore the quene, yet eft newe, yet once again Him in her armes annon toke And piteuslye con on him looke. But, for all that, nothinge she sayde, line670 Ne spake not lyke she were well paied, Ne no chere mad more sadd ne lyght, neither more But all in on, to every wyght, equally combined Ther was sene connynnge withe estate politeness with nobility In her, witheout noyse or debate; line675 For, save only a look peteus Of womanehed, undispiteous, free from scorn That she shewed in countenaunce, Far semed her hart from obeysaunce. submission And not for that, she did her paine notwithstanding that line680 Him to recover from the paine, And his harte to put at large. set free For her entent was to his barge Him to bringe agenst the eve, towards evening Withe sertayne ladyes, and take leve, line685 And pray him of his gentulnes To suffer her thenceforthe in peace allow her [to live] As other princisse had byfore; princes And from thenseforthe, for evermore, She wold him worshipe in all wise line690 That jentylnes myght devise, courtesy stipulate And payne her holly to fulfill, In honor, his pleasure and will.

And duringe thus the knyghtes woo — Present the quene and other mo, The queen being present line695 My lady and many another wight — Ten thousand shippes, at a syght, I sawe come over the wavy floude Withe sayle and ore, thatt, as I stoode Them to beholde, I cone marvell line700 From whense myght come so many a sayle; For sythe the tyme that I was bore, Suche a navy ther before Had I not sene, ne so arrayed, That for the syght myn hart played line705 Two and fro withein my brest To and fro Fro joy; longe was or it wold rest. it was a long time before For ther wer sayles full of flowers, Aftercastelles withe huge towers, Stern-castles Seminge full of armes bright, coats of arms (weapons?) line710 That wonder lusty was the syght, invigorating Withe large toppes and mastes longe, mast-head platforms Richelye depainte; and ever amonge, ever and again At certen tymes, con repayer made their way Smale burdes downe from the eyor, air line715 And on the shippes bordes abowte planks Sate, and songe withe voice full owt full-throated Ballades and leyes, right joyouslye, lays As they couthe in ther armonye; That you to wright that I ther see, write what saw line720 Myn excuse is it may not bee; For whi the matter were to longe Because To name the birdes and wright her songe. Whereof, annon, the thithinges ther tidings Unto the quene sonne browght wer soon line725 Withe many ‘alas’ and many a doubte, Shewinge the shippes ther without. Announcing Tho can the aged lady weppe And sayd, ‘Allas, your joye on slepe joy to sleep Sone shal be browght; ye, long or night! line730 For we distroyed bene by this knyght. For certes it may none other be But he is of yened companie, yonder And thay be come him here to seche.’ seek And withe that word her fayled speche. line735 ‘Witheout remedy we be distroyed,’ Full ofte sayd all, and con conclude, Holy at once at the laste, That best was shett ther yattes faste, to shut gates And arme them all in good langauge, line740 As they had done of old usage, And of fayre wordes make ther shoot. ammunition And this was ther counsell and the knot. main point And other purpose toke they none, But, armed thus, forthe they gone line745 Towarde the walles of the Ile. But or they come ther longe while, They mette the great lord of above That cauled is the God of Love called That hem advised withe suche chere looked at them line750 Right as he withe them angrye were. Avayled them not ther walles of glasse — This mighty lord lett not to passe — was not hindered Ne shettinge of ther yattes fast. All they had ordayned was but wast; a waste line755 For when his shipe had founde londe, This lord anone withe bowe in hande, In to this Ile withe huge presse throng Hyed fast, and wold not ceasse hastened Tyll he come where this knyght laye. line760 Of quene ne ladye by the waye Toke he no hedd, but forthe past — heed And yet all followed at the laste. And when he come where laye the knight, Well shewed he he had great might, line765 And forthe the quene cauled, anone, And all the ladyes everychone, And to them sayde: ‘Is this not rothe a pity To se my servaunte for his trothe Thus lene, thus syke, and in this paine, line770 And wote not unto home to plaine, whom to complain Save onlye one, witheout mo, Wiche might him helle and is his foo?’ heal And withe that word, his hevye browe He shewed the quene, and loked rowghe. fierce line775 This mighty lord, forthe tho annone, Withe o loke, her feautes echeon faults He can her shew in littell speche, in few words Comaundinge her to be his leche. physician Witheout more, shortlye to saye, line780 He thawght the quene sonne shuld obye. soon obey And in his hannd he shoke his bowe, And sayd right sone he wolde be know; acknowledged as lord And for she had so longe refused His servaunte, and his lawes not used, line785 He lett her witt that he was wrothe, let her know And bent his bowe, and forthe he goethe A paace or two, and even here A large drawght up to his eare He drew, and withe an arrow ground sharpened by grinding line790 Sharpe and new, the quene a woounde He gave that pearced unto the harte, Wiche afterward full sore can smarte, And was not holle of many a yere. healed for And even withe that: ‘Be of good chere, line795 My knyght,’ quod he. ‘I will the hele, heal you And the restore to parfyte wele. well-being And for eche payne thou hast endured, To have two joyes thou ar ewred.’ happily destined

And forthe he past by the rowte crowd line800 Withe sobre chere, walkynge aboute, And what he sayd I thowght to here. Well wist he wiche his servauntes were, knew And as he passed, annone he found My lady, and her toke by the hande, line805 And made her chere as a goddesse, And of beutye he cauled her princesse; Of bountye eke gave her the name, And sayd ther was nothinge blame to be blamed In her but she was vertuus, line810 Savinge she wolde no pitye use, Wiche was the cause he ther her sawght To put that faute owt of her thawght. deficiency And sythe she had the hole riches Of womanehed and frendlynes, line815 He sayd it was nothinge syttinge appropriate To voyd petye his owne lodginge; thrust out pity from And can her preache and withe her playe, converse lightly And of her beawtye tolde her aye, repeatedly And sayd she was a creature line820 Off whom the name shuld longe dewer endure And in bookes full of plesaunse Be put for ever in remembraunce. And as me thowght, more frindlyely Unto my ladye and goodlelye line825 He spake, then any that was ther; And for the apples, I trow yt were, That she had in possession. Wherefor longe in processyon, Many a paace, arme under other, line830 He walked, and so did with none other. But what he wold comaunde or saye Forthewithe neades all must obeye; Straightway And what he desyred at the least Of my ladye, was by requeste. line835 And when they longe together had bene, He browght my ladye to the quene, And to her sayd: ‘So God you spede, Shew grace, consentes, that is neade.’ needful My ladye, tho, full conninglye, line840 Right well avised and womanlye, Very judicious Downe cone to knele uppon the flores, Whiche Aprell nurrished had with showers, And to this mightye lord cane saye, ‘That pleassethe you, I woll obeye What line845 And me restraine from other thowght; As ye woll, all thinges shal be wrought.’ And withe that word, knelinge, she qwoke. That mightye lord in armes her toke And sayd: ‘Ye have a sarvaunte, one line850 That trewer livinge is ther none; Wherefore, god were, seinge his trothe, it were good That on his paynes ye had rothe compassion And purposed you to here his speche, Fullye avised him to leche. resolved cure line855 For of one thinge ye may be suer: certain He wil be youres while he may duer.’ And withe that word, right on his game, in his playful way Me thowght he lowghe and tolde my name, laughed Wiche was to me marvell and fere, line860 That what to do I nist there, did not know Ne whither me was better or none Ther to abyde or thence to gone. For well wend I my ladye wolde thought Imagen or deme that I had tolde line865 My counsell hole, or made complainte whole secret Unto that lorde, that mightye saynte; So verelye eche thinge unsawght accurately unasked He sayd as he had know my thought, known And tolde my trothe and myn unease line870 Bet then I couthe for myn ease, Tho I had studied all a weake. a whole week Well wist that lord that I was syke And wold be leched wonder faine. healed No mane me blame; myne was the paine. I blame no one line875 And when this lord had all sayd And longe withe my ladye playd, She can to smyle withe sprite glade. This was the answere that she mad, This (the smile) Wiche put me there in dowble paine, line880 That what to do, ne what to sayne, Wist I not ne what was the best. Fare was myn harte tho from his rest: Far For as I thowght that smylinge sygne Was token that the hart inclyne line885 Wold to request reasonable, By cause smylinge is favorable To every thinge that shall thrive, So thowght I tho, anon belyve, So too just as quickly That wordeles answere in no towne in no place line890 Was tane for obligacyon, taken Ne cauled sewertye, in no wyse, certainty Amonges them that cauled bene wise. Thus was I in a joyous doubte, Suer an unsurest of that rowte. and line895 Right as myn hart thowght it were, So more or lesse woxe my fere, grew That yf one thowght made it well, Annother shente yt everye deale, destroyed every bit Till at the last I couthe no more, line900 But porposed, as I dyd before, To serve trewelye my lyves space, the duration of my life Awaytinge ever the yere of grace Wiche may fall yet or I sterve, befall before I die Yf it please her that I serve, line905 And served have, and wil do ever. For thinge is none that me is lever more precious Then her service, whose presence Myn heven is hole, and her absence Is my whole heaven An hell full of diverse paines line910 Wiche to the deathe full oft me straynes.

Thus in my thowghtes, as I stode — That unethe felt I harme ne good — hardly I sawe the quene at littell paace very slowly Come where this mightye lord was, line915 And kneled downe in presence there Of all the ladyes that ther were, Withe sobre countenance avised, well-composed In fewe wordes that well sufficed, And to this lord, annon, pressent line920 A byll, wherin hol her intente letter wholly Was writton, and how she besowght, As he knew every will and thought, That of his godhede and his grace goodness He wold forgeve all old trespace, line925 And undispleased be of tyme past, For she wold ever be stedfaste, And, in his service, to the deathe Use every thought wall she had breathe, while And syght, and wepte, and sayde no more. sighed line930 Withein was wrytton all the sore. At wiche bill the lord cane smyle, And sayd he wold withein that Ile Be lord and syr, bothe est and west; sire And cauled it ther his new conquest, line935 And in great counsell toke the quene. Longe were the tales them betwene. And over her bill he rede thrise, And wonder gladlye con devise gave an account of Her features fayer and hir visage, line940 And bad good thrifte on that image, wished good success And sayd he trowed her complaynet Shuld after cause her be corseint And in his sleve he put the bill — Was ther none that knewe his will — line945 And forthe walked apace abowte, briskly Beholdinge all the lustye rowte, pleasant company Halfe in a thowght, withe smylinge chere, Till, at the last, as ye shall here, He torned unto the quene agayne line950 And sayd: ‘To morne, here in this playne Tomorrow morning I woll ye be, and all yours That purposed bene to were flowers Or of my lustye collours use. It may not be to you excuse, There may line955 Ne none of youres, in no wyse, That able be to my service. are capable For, as I sayd have here before, I woll be lord for evermore Of you, and of this Ile and all, line960 And of all youres that have shall Joye, peace, or easse, or in pleasaunce Your lives use witheoute mischaunce; Here will I in estate be sene’ — in my position of power And turned his visage to the quene — line965 ‘And you geve knowledge of my will, And a full answere of youre bill.’ Was ther non ‘ney,’ ne wordes none, But very obeysaunt semed eche one, obedient Quene and other that were there. line970 Well semed yt they had great feare. And toke lodginge every wyght; Was none departed of that night. And some to reade old romansys Hem occupied for ther pleasaunces, line975 Some to make virleyes and leyes, virelays and lays And some to other diverse pleyes. And I to me a romaunse toke, And as I readinge was the booke, Me thowght the spere had so rone sphere run line980 That it was risinge of the sonne, And suche a presse into the playne crowd Assemble con, that withe great paine One might for other go ne stande, because of others nearby Ne none take other by the hand line985 Witheouten they distorbed were, So huge and great the presse was ther.

And after that, within two oweres, hours This mightye lord, all in flowers Of diverse coloures many a payer, pair line990 In his estate up in the eyer, Well to fadome as his hight, He sett him ther in all ther syght; And for the quene, and for the knyght, And for my ladye, and every wyght line995 In hast he sende, so that never one sent Was ther absent, but come echeon. And when thay thus assembled were, As ye have hard me saye you here, heard Witheout more tarringe, on hight, line1000 Ther to be sene of everye wyght, Up stood, amonge the presse above, A counseler, servaunt of Love, Wiche semed well of great estate; And shewed ther how no debate argument [against God of Love] line1005 Ofte ne goodlye might be used Ought nor properly might In gentullnes and be excussed. courtesy Wherefore he sayd his lordes will Was, every wyght there shuld be still And in peace and one accorde, line1010 And thus comaunded at a word. instantly And cane his tonge to suche laungauge Turne, that yet in all his age in all of his age Hard I never so coninglye Heard Man speke, ne halfe so faythefullye; line1015 For every thinge he sayd there Semed as it insealed were had the seal of authority Or appreved for very trew. confirmed absolute truth Shuche was his conninge langauge new, Such And well accordinge to his chere, line1020 That, where I be, me thinke I here hear Him yet alwaye, when I my one on my own In any place may be allone. First con he of the lustye Ile All the astate in little while condition line1025 Reherse, and hollye every thinge That caused ther his lordes cominge; And everye wele, and every wo, And for what cause eche thinge was so, Well shewed he there, in easye speche; unhurried line1030 And how the syke had nede of leche, sick physician And who that whole was and in grace, He told playnelye how eche thinge was. And, at the last, he con conclude, Voydinge every language rude, Avoiding line1035 And sayd that prince, that mightye lord, Or his depertinge wold accorde Before his departure All the perties ther presente, And was the fyne of his entente: And that was whole point ‘Wittnesse his presence in your syght line1040 Whiche syttes amonge you in his might.’ And kneled downe, witheowten more, And no o word spoke he more. not a single word

Tho can this mightye lord him dresse, prepared to rise Withe chere avised to do largesse, line1045 And sayd unto this knyght and me: ‘Ye shall to joye restored be. And for ye have bene trewe, ye twayne, I graunte you here for every payne A thousand joyes everye weckee, week line1050 And look ye be no lenger syke; no longer sick And bothe your ladyes — lo them here! — Take eche his owne. Beth of good chere! Your happye daye is now begonne Sythe yt was rissinge of the sunne. line1055 And to all other in this place, I graunt hollye to staund in grace That servethe trewelye witheout slowthe And to avanced be, by trothe.’ Tho can this knyght and I downe knele, line1060 Weninge to do wonder well, Thinking Sayinge, ‘O Lord, your great mercye Us hathe enriched so openly, That we deserve may nevermore The least parte, but evermore line1065 Withe sowle and bodye trulye serve You and yours till we sterve.’ die And to oure ladyes, ther they stood, where This knyght that cothe so mikle good much Whent in hast, and I allso — line1070 Joyeux and glad were we tho, And as riche in everye thowght As he that all hathe and owe nowght — owes And them besoute, in humble wise, besought Us t’accepte to ther service line1075 And shewe us of ther frendlye cheres, Wiche in ther treasure many yeres They kepte had, us to great paine; to our great distress And told that servauntes twayne Were, and wolde be, and so had ever, had [been] line1080 And for the deathe chaunge wold we never, even in the face of death Ne do offence, ne thinge leke yll, nor anything like an injury But full ther ordinaunce and will; fulfill And made oure othes freshe new, Oure olde servaunce to renewe, service line1085 And hollye thers for evermore We ther become, what might we more, whatever And well awaytinge that in slowghth watching out sloth We made no faute, ne in no trothe, Ne thowght not do, I you ensure, Nor thought not to do [any] line1090 Withe oure will while we may duer.

This season past, againse an eve time towards one evening This lord of the quene toke leve, And sayd he wold hastelye retorne And at good leasure there sojorne, line1095 Bothe for his honor and her ease, Comaundinge fast the knyght to please. Commanding [her] earnestly And gave his statutes in papers, And ordayned diverse officers, And forthe to shipe the same nyght line1100 He wente, and sone was owt of syght. And on the morrow, when the ayere Attempered was and wether fayer, More temperate Erlye at rysinge of the sonne, After the nyght awaye was ronne, line1105 Playinge us on the rivage, Chatting playfully shore My lady spake of her viage, journey And sayd she made smale jorneys was accustomed to make And held her in straunge conteryes; And forthewithe to the quene went, line1110 And shewed her holly her entent, And toke her leve withe chere wepinge, in a tearful manner That petye it was to se that partinge. For to the quene it was a paine As to a martyre new slayne; line1115 That for her woo, and she so tender, Yet wepe I ofte, when I remembre. She offered ther to resyne resign To my ladye, eyght tymes or nyne, Th’astate, the Ile, shortlye to tell, line1120 If it might please her ther to dwell; And sayd forever her linage kin Shuld to my lady do omage And herrs be holl, witheowten more, They and all thers for evermore. line1125 ‘Naye, God forbyd,’ my ladye ofte Withe many connynge wordes and softe skillfully chosen Sayd, ‘that ever suche thinge shuld bene That I consent shulde that a quene Of youre estate, and so well named, and of such a high reputation line1130 In any wise shuld be entamed! harmed But wold be fayne withe all my hart, What so befell or how me smarte, or however I was hurt To do thinge that you might please In any wise, or be your ease.’ line1135 And kysed ther, and bad goodnyght. For wiche leve wepte many a wyght. leave-taking Ther might men here my ladye preysed, And suche a name of her arrayssed — exalted What of connynge and fryndlyenes, line1140 What of beautye withe jentulnes, What of glad and frendlye cheres That she used in all her yeres — That wonder was here every wight to hear To saye well how they did ther might. To speak well [of her] line1145 And withe a prese, uppon the morrowe To shipe her browght; and wich a sorrowe what They made when she shuld under sayle, [begin to leave] under sail That, and ye wyst, ye wold mervayle! if you knew

Forthe goethe the shipe; owt goethe the sonde; sounding-line line1150 And I, as wood man unbownde, mad For dowbte to be behinde there, Into the see, witheowten feare, Annone I ranne, till withe a wave All sodenly I was overthrowghe; line1155 And withe the water, to and fro, Bacwarde and forward, traveled so, so battered That mynd and brethe nyghe was gone, That for good ne harme knew I none. I could not distinguish Till, at the last, withe hockes twayne hooks line1160 Men of the shipe withe mickle paine To save my lyve dyd suche travell hard work That, and ye wyst, ye wold mervell; And in the shipe me drew on highe, And sayden all that I wold dye, line1165 And layd me longe downe by the maste, full length And of ther clothes uppon me caste. And ther I made my testament, And wyst my selfe not what I mente; But when I sayd had what I wolde, line1170 And to the mast my wo all toulde, And tane my leve at everye wight, taken And closyd myn eyne, and lost my syght, Avised to dye witheout more speche Resolved Or any remedye to seche, seek line1175 Of grace newe, as was grete ned, My ladye of my paine toke hede, And her bethought how that for trothe thought to herself To se me dye it were great routhe; And to me came in sobre wyse line1180 And softelye sayd, ‘I praye you, ryse. Come on withe me; let be this fare. behavior All shall be well. Have ye no care. I woll obey, ye, and fulfyll yea Holly in all that lordes will line1185 That you and me, not longe ago, After his liste comaunded so, desire That ther agayne no resistaunce May be, witheout great offence. And therefore, here now what I saye. line1190 I am, and wol be, frindlye aye. Ryse up! Beholde this avauntage great favor I graunt you in erytage, as a gift Peaseble witheowt stryve strife Duringe the dayes of your lyfe.’ line1195 And of her apples in my sleve One she put, and toke her leve In wordes few, and sayd, ‘Good hele, health He that all made you send, and wele!’ well-being Werewithe my paines, all at once, line1200 Toke suche leve, that all my bones For the newe ourewse pleasaunce, joyful So as they cothe, desyred to daunce. And I, as hole as any wyght, Up rose withe joyoux harte and light, line1205 Hole and unsyke, right well at ease, And all forgett had my diseace; And to my ladye, where she playd, I went annone and to her sayd: ‘He that all joyes, persones to plese, line1210 First ordayned withe perfyt ease, And everye pleasure cane departe, distributed Send you, madame, as large parte; as large a part And of his goodes suche plentye As he has done you of bewtye, line1215 Withe hele and all that maye be thowght, He send you all, as he all wrought. Madame,’ quod I, ‘Your servaunte trewe Have I byne longe, and yet woll new, been still will [be] anew Witheowten chaunge or repentaunce line1220 In any wise, or variaunce, And so wool do, as thrive I ever; will For thinge is none that me is lever dearer Then you to please, however I fare, Myn hartes ladye and my welfare, line1225 My lyfe, myn hele, my leche also Of every thinge that doth me wo, Myn helpe at ned, and my suertye guarantee Of everye joye that longes to me, belongs My succors hole in all wyse My whole salvation line1230 That may be thowght or man devise. Your grace, madame, suche have I found Now, in my nead, that I am bound To you for ever, so Christ me save, For hele and lyve of you I have; life line1235 Wherefore is reason I you serve Withe dew obeysaunce till I starve, due obedience And so wil do by my trothe,’ Quod I, ‘Madame, witheout slouthe, And dead and quicke be ever youres, line1240 Late, erlye, and at all owers.’ hours Tho can my ladye smyle a lyte, And in playne englyshe on consyte, In wordes fewe, holl her entent She shewed me ther, and how she ment line1245 To meward, in every wyse, Towards me Holly she can all ther devise Witheout prosses or longe travell, Charginge me to kepe counsell the secret As I wold to her grace attayne; line1250 Of wiche comaundemente I was fayne. Wherefore I passe over at this tyme, For counsell cordes not well in ryme, And eak the othe, that I have swore, also To breke me were bet unbore; line1255 Whi for untrewe for evermore The reason being that I shuld be hold, that nevermore Of me in place shuld be reporte reported Thinge that avayle might or comfort To mewardes in any wysse, Towards me way line1260 And eche wyght wold me dispice despise In that they couthe, and me repreve, Because of what they knew Whiche were a thinge sore for to greve; Wherefore, hereof more mencyon Make I not now, ne longe sermone, discourse line1265 But shortlye thus I me excuse: To ryme a counssell I refuce.

Saylinge thus, two dayes or thre, My ladye, towardes her cunterye, Over the waves highe and grene line1270 Wiche were large and depe betwene, Uppon a tyme me cauled, and sayd That of my hele she was well paide; And of the quene, and of the Ile, She taled withe me longe while, talked line1275 And of all that she there had sene, And of th’astate, and of the quene, And of the ladyes, name by name, Two owres or mo, this was her game. hours pleasure Till at the last the wynde can ryse, line1280 And blew so fast, and in suche wyse, The shipe, that every wyght con saye: ‘Madame, or eve be of this daye, before And God tofore, ye shal be there God willing As ye wold faynest that ye were; line1285 And doubte not that withein six owres Ye shal be ther as all is youres.’ there where At whiche wordes she cane to smyle, And sayd that was no longe while That they hur sett, and up she rosse, line1290 And all abowt the shipe she goes, And mad good chere to everye wyght, Till of the londe she had syght; Of wiche syght glad, God yt wote, She was, and abasshed annon a boote had a boat lowered at once line1295 And forthe goethe, shortlye you to tell, Where she accostomed was to dwell, And recyved was, as good right, as was proper Withe joyeux chere and hartes light, And as a glad newe aventure, a piece of good fortune line1300 Pleasaunte to every creature.

Withe whiche landinge tho I woke, And found my chaumbre full of smoke, My chekes eke, unto the eares, cheeks And all my body weate of teares; wet line1305 And all so feble and in suche wise I was, that unethe might I rise, hardly So fare traveled and so feynte, So greatly over-exerted That neither knew I kyrk ne saynt, church Ne what was what, ne who was who, line1310 N’avysed what wey I wolde goo. Nor knew But, by aventures grace, fortune’s grace I ryse and welke sawght paace and pace, walked soft step by step Till I a windinge stayer founde, stair And held the vice ay in my hand, central newel-shaft line1315 And upwardes sauftelye so can crepe softly Till I cam where I thowght to slepe More at myn ease and owt of presse, out of danger At my good leysure and in peace, Till somewhat I recoumfort were line1320 Of the travell and great feare That I indured had before: This was my thought, witheowt more. And as a wyght wittles and faynte, Witheout more, in a chaumbre painte line1325 Full of storyes old and diverse — More then I cane now reherse — Unto a bed full soberlye, [I approached] a bed So as I might full sauftelye, softly Pace after other, and nothinge sayd. Step by step line1330 Till, at the last, downe I me layde; And, as my mynd wolde geve me leve, All that I dremed had that eve Before, all I con reherse, Right as a childe at skole his vearse line1335 Dothe, after that he thinkethe to thrive, in so far as he Right so did I; for all my lyve I thawght to have in remembraunce — Bothe the paine and the pleasaunce — The dreame, hole as yt me befell, line1340 Wiche was as ye here me tell.

Thus in my thowghtes as I laye, That happy or unhappy daye — Woote I not, so have I blame, even though I am to be blamed Of the two wiche is the name — line1345 Befell me so that ther a thought By processe new on slepe me browght, In due course again And me governed so, in a while, That agayne withein the Ile Me thawght I was; where of the knyght, line1350 And of the ladyes I had a syght, And were assembled on a grene, Knyght and lady withe the quene; At wiche assemble ther was sayd How they all content and payd pleased line1355 Were holly, as in that o thinge, That the knyght ther shuld be kynge, And thay wold all for suer wytnes Wedded be, bothe more and lesse, In remembraunce, witheout more; line1360 Thus they concente for evermore. And was concluded that the knyght Departe shulde the same nyght, And forthewithe ther take his viage, To jorneye for his mariage line1365 And retorne withe suche an ooste a host That weddid might be lest and most; the least and the greatest This was concluded, writton, and sealed, That yt might not be repeled In no wyse, but aye be fyrme, line1370 And all shuld be withein a terme a set time Witheouwt more excusacyon, Bothe feast and coronacyon.

This knyght, wiche had thereof the charge, Annone into a littull barge line1375 Browght was, late ageynst an eve, late towards one evening Where of all he toke his leave; Wiche barge was a manes thowght, After his pleasure it him browght; The quene herselfe accostomed aye line1380 In the same barge to pleye. Yt nedethe nether mast ne rother — rudder I have not hard of suche another — heard Ne master for the governaunce; Hit sayled by thowght and by pleasaunce, line1385 Witheowt labor, est or west All was one, calme and tempest. And I wente withe, at his requeste, with [him] And was the first prayed to the fest. invited When he come in his cuntrye, line1390 And passed had the wavy sea, In an haven, depe and large, He left his riche and noble barge, And to the court, shortlye to tell, He wente, where he was wont to dwell; line1395 And was receyved as good right as was proper As heyre and for a worthi knyght, Withe all the stattes of the lande persons of rank Wiche come annon at his first sende, summons Withe glad spirites, full of trothe, line1400 Lothe to do faute, or withe a slouthe Attaynte be in any wyse — Be found guilty Ther riches was ther olde service, Wiche ever trew had be founde Sythe first inhabyte was the lond. line1405 And so receyved ther there kynge, That forgotten was nothinge That owe to be done, ne might please, ought Ne ther soverayne lord do ease, And withe them so, shortlye to saye, And [done] by them thus line1410 As they of custome had done aye. For seven yere past was, and more, For it was seven years ago The father, the olde, wyse and hoore [Since] the father grey-haired Kinge of the lande, toke his leve Of all his barones one an eve, line1415 And tolde them how his dayes past Were all, and comen was the laste; And hartelye prayd hem to remembre, His sonne, wiche yonge was and tender, That borne was ther prince to be, line1420 Yf he retorne to that cuntrye Might, be aventure or grace, by good fortune Withein any tyme or space; And to be trewe and frindlye aye, As they to him had bene allweye, line1425 Thus he them prayd, witheowt more, And toke his leve for evermore. Knowne was how, in tender age This younge prince a great viage, Oncouthe and straunge, onors to sekche, Marvellous honors seek line1430 Toke on hand, withe littull speche; Wiche was to seke a princes princess That he desyred more then riches For her great name that flowred so, That in that tyme ther was no moo line1435 Of her estate, ne so well named, rank spoken of For borne was none that ever hir blamed; Of wiche princes, sumewhat before Here have I spoke, and sonne will more. soon

So thus befell as ye shall here. line1440 Unto the lord they made suche chere, That joye was, there to be presente To se ther trothe and how they ment; So very glade they were echeone, That them amonge ther was not one line1445 That desyred more riches Than for ther lord suche a princes, That they might please and that were fayer; For faste desyred they an heyer, heir And sayd great suertye were, iwis. line1450 And as they were speakinge of this, The prince himeselfe him avised, made up his mind And in playne englyshe undisgised Them shewed hole his jorneye, And of ther counsell can them praye; line1455 And tolde how he ensured was, committed And how his daye he might not passe due date Witheouwt dishonor and great blame And to him forever a shame; And of ther counsell and avise line1460 There he prayed them, once or twyse, And that they wolde withein ten dayes Avise and ordayne him suche wayes Advise So that it were no displeasaunce, Ne to this reme over great grevaunce, realm excessive line1465 And that he have might to his feaste Sixti thousannd at the leaste; For his intente withein short while Was to retorne unto this Ile That he came fro, and kepe his daye: line1470 For nothinge wolde he be awaye. Not for anything To counsell tho the lordes annone Into a chaumbre everychon Together went, them to devyse How they might best, and in what wise, line1475 Purveye for ther lordes pleasaunce And the realmes contynuaunce Of honor, whiche in it before Had contynewed evermore. So, at the last, they founde the weys line1480 How withein the next fyftene dayes All myght withe paine and diligence Be done, and cast what the dispence estimated expense Might draw and, in conclusyon, amount to Made for eache thinge provisyon.

line1485 When this was done hollye, tofore The prince, the lordes all before Come and shewed what they had done, And how they couthe by no reason Fynde that within the ten dayes line1490 He myght departe, by no wayes, But wolde be fiftene at least Or he retorne might to his feaste; And shewed him every reason whi Yt myght not be so hastelye line1495 As he desyred, ne his daye He might not kepe by no waye, For diverse causes wonder greate. Wiche when he hard, in suche a heate He fell for sorrowe, and was syke line1500 Stil in his bed hole that weake all that week And nyghe the tother, for the shame, And most of the next And for the dowbte, and for the blame That might on him be arette. attributed And oft uppon his brest he bette, line1505 And sayd: ‘Allas! Myn honor for aye Have I here lost clene this daye. Ded wold I be! Allas, my name I wish I were dead Shall aye be more henseforthe in shame, Shall be for evermore And I disonered and repreved reproved line1510 And never more shal be beleved!’ And made suche sorowe that, in trothe, Him to behold it was great rothe.

And so endured the dayes fyftene Till that the lordes, of an even, one evening line1515 Him come and toulde they reydye wayre, were ready And shewed, in fewe wordes there, How and what wysse they had purveyd in what way For his estate; unto him sayde That twentye thousannd knyghtes of name line1520 And fortye thousande witheowt blame, All come of noble lyne, Togather in a companye Were lodged on a ryvers syde, Him and his pleasures ther to abyde. line1525 The prince, tho, for joye uprosse And, were they lodged were, he goes, And, where Witheout more, the same nyght, And ther his supper made to dytte, caused to be prepared And withe them boode till it was daye, remained line1530 And forthewithe so toke his jorneye, Levinge the streyght, holdinge the large, Till he come till his noble barge. to And when this prince, this lusty knyght, Withe his pepull in armes bright line1535 Was comen where he thowght to passe, embark And knewe well none abyden was Behind, but all were there present, Forthewithe annone all his entent He told them ther, and made his cryes proclamations line1540 Throwghe his host that daye twyse, Comandinge every lyves wight, living creature Ther beinge present in his syght, To be the morrowe on the rivage shore Where he begine wold his vioage. line1545 The morrow come; the crye was kept; the proclamation was kept Fewe was ther that night that slepte, But trussed and purveyed for the morowe. packed and provided Faute of shippes was all ther sorrowe; Lack For save the barge and other two, line1550 Of shippes ther sawe I no moe. Thus in ther dowbtes as they stode, Waxinge the see, cominge the flode, The sea rising, the tide coming in Was cryed: ‘To shipe go, everye wight!’ Then was but hye that hye myght. everyone hurrying that could line1555 Unto the barge, me thowght, echeon They wente; witheout was lefte not one — outside Horse, male, trusse, ne baggage, bag, package Sallett, spere, gardbrace, ne page — Helmet arm-guard But was loudged and rome inowghe. line1560 At wiche shippinge me thought I lowghe, feat of ship-loading laughed And cane to marvell in my thought How ever suche a shipe was wrought; For what people that cane increasse whatever the number of people Ne never so thicke might be the presse, And however thick line1565 But all had rome at ther will. room Ther was not one that was lodged yll; For, as I trow, my selfe the laste Was one that lodged by the mast, And where I loked I sawe suche rome line1570 As all were lodged in a towne.

Forthe goethe the shipe; sayd was the crede; And on ther knees, for ther good spedde, good success Downe kneled everye wight a while And prayed fast unto the Ile prayed [that] line1575 They might come in savetye, The prince and all the companye, Withe worshipe and witheout blame Or disslaunder of his name Of the promese he shuld retorne Concerning the promise line1580 Withein the tyme he did sojorne In his land, biddinge his hoost — summoning his retinue This was ther prayer, lest and most. To kepe the daye duye, it might not bene, due That he appoynt had withe the quene, line1585 To retorne witheowt slouthe, And so assured had his trothe. For wiche faute, this prince, this knygkte, Durynge the tyme slepte not a night; Suche was his woo and his disease, line1590 For dowbt he shuld the quene displeace.

Forthe goethe the shipe withe suche spede, Right as the prince for his great neade Desyer wolde after his thawghte, Till it unto the Ile him browght; line1595 Were in hast, upon the sannde, Where beach He and his people toke the land disembarked Withe hartes glade and chere light, Weninge to be in heven that night. Thinking But or they passed had a myle, line1600 Enteringe in toward that Ile, All cladd in blacke withe chere peteus A lady, wiche never dispeteouse cruel Had be in all her lyfe tofore, Withe sorye chere and harte to-tore, torn to pieces line1605 Unto this prince, where he cane ryde, Come and sayde: ‘Abyde! Abyde! And have no hast, but fast retorne. instantly No reason is ye here sojorne, For your untrothe hathe us distroyed; line1610 Woo worthe the tyme we us alyed Woe be to Withe you, that ar so sone untrewe. Allas the daye that we you knewe! Allas the tyme that ye were bore; born For all this land by you is lore! lost line1615 Accursed be he you hether browght, For all oure joye is turned to nowght. Youre accquayntaunce we may complayne, Wiche is the cause of all oure peine.’ ‘Allas, madame!’ quod tho this knight; line1620 And withe that from his horse he light Withe color pale and chekes lene. ‘Allas, what is this for to mene? What have ye sayde? Whi be you wrothe? You to displease I wold be lothe. line1625 Knowe ye not well the promese I made have to youre princes, Wiche to performe is myne entent, So mote I sped, as I have mente, So may I prosper And as I am her verye trewe, very true [servant] line1630 Witheowte chaunge or thowght new, And also solelye her seruaunte solely As creature or man lyvenante living May be to ladye or princes; For she myn heven and hole riches line1635 Is, and the ladye of myn hele, My wordes joye and all my wele. world’s What maye this be? Wense comes this speche? Whence Tell me, madame, I you beseche; For sythe the first of my lyvinge the first day of my life line1640 Was I so fearfull of nothinge As I am now to here you speke. For dowbte I feale my harte brecke. Say on, madame! Tell me your will. The remenaunt is it good or ill?’

line1645 ‘Allas,’ quod she, ‘that you ware bore! For, for your love, this land is lore; The quene is ded, and that is rothe, pity For sorrow of your great untrothe. Of two partes of the lusty rowte Some two thirds line1650 Of ladyes that were here abowte, That wonte were to tale and pleye, chat Nowe ar ded and clene awaye, And under earthe tane lodginge newe. taken Alas, that ever ye were untrewe! line1655 For when the tyme ye sett was paste, The quene to counsell sone in hast — soon [went] What was to do? — and sayd great blame Your accquayntaunce cause wold and shame, And the ladyes of ther avise for their advice line1660 Prayed, for nead was to be wisse need wise In eschewinge tales and songes, That by them make culd evell tunges, concerning them could And say they were lyghtlye conquest easily conquered And prayed to a poore feast invited line1665 And fowle had ther worshipe wayved, honor given up When so onwyselye they conceyved unwisely thought Ther riche treasure and ther hele, happiness Ther famous name and ther wele, To put in suche an aventure; to such hazard line1670 Of wiche the slaunder ever duer ever to last Was lyke, witheowt helpe of apele; appeal Wherefore they nede had of counscell, For everye wight of them wold saye Ther closed Ile an open weye line1675 Was become to every wight, And well approved by a knyght, confirmed Wiche he holles, witheowt pesaunse, entirely trouble Had sone atcheved th’obeysaunce. All this was meved at counsell thrise, put forward for discussion line1680 And concludedd daylye twise, That bet was dye witheowt blame it was better to die Then losse the riches of her name. lose Wherefor, the deathes acquantaunce They chese, and leste have ther pleasaunce, chose lost line1685 For dowbte to lyve as repreved under reproof In that they you so sone beleved; And made ther othes withe one accord, That eate, ne drinke, ne speke a worde They shuld never, but ever wepinge line1690 Byde in oo place witheout partinge, And use ther dayes in penaunce, Witheowt desyer of allegiaunce. alleviation Of wiche the trothe annone con preve; was demonstrated For whi the quene, forthewithe, her leve Because line1695 Tooke at them all that were present, Of her defautes fullye repente, repentant And dyed there witheowten more. Thus ar we lost for evermore. What shuld I more hereof reherse? line1700 Come on withe me. Come se the herse, Where ye shall se the petiust syght most pitiful That ever yet was shewed to knyght; For ye shal se ladyes stand, Eche withe a great rood in hand, rod line1705 Clade in blacke, withe visage whight, white Be rydye eche other for to smyte; ready Yf any be that will not wepe, Or who that makes countenaunce to slepe, They be so bet, that also blewe beaten line1710 They be, as clothe that dyed is newe. Suche is ther perfyte repentaunce. And thus they kepe ther ordinaunce, And woll do ever to the deathe, While them induers any brethe.’

line1715 This knyght, tho, in armes twayne This ladye toke, and cone her saynne: ‘Allas my birthe! Wo worthe my lyfe!’ Woe is And even withe that he drewe a knyfe And thorowghe gowne, dublet, and shirte, line1720 He made the blode cume from his hart; And sett him downe uppon the grene, And full repent, and closeyd his eyne, fully repented And, save that once he drew his brethe, Witheowt more thus he tooke his deathe. line1725 For wiche cause, the lustye hoost Whiche, in a battayle on the coste, At once, for sorrowe, suche a crye Con reare thorowe the companye, Was raised That to the heven hard was the sowne heard noise line1730 And under th’ earthe as far downe, That wild beastes for feare So sodanlye aferde awere, That for the doubt, while they might duer, They ranne as of ther lyves unsuer line1735 From the woddes untto the plaine, And from the valles the highe mountayne They sowght, and rane as bestes blind That clene forgetten had ther kynd. nature

This wo not ceassed, to counsell went line1740 This lordes, and for that ladye sente, And of avise what was to done advice to be done They her besowght she saye wold sone. Wepinge full sore, all clad in blacke, This ladye saftelye to them spake, softly line1745 And sayd: ‘My lordes, by my trothe, This mischeve holl is of your slouthe. whole due to your And yf ye had, that judge wold right, [you] that would judge rightly A prince that were a very knyght, a true Ye that bene of estate, eche one line1750 Dye for his faute shulde, one and one; one by one For ye hold had the promesse, if you had kept And done that longes to jentulnes, belongs And fulfilled the prince behest, This hastye harme had bene a feast, sudden celebration line1755 And now is unrecoverable, And us a slaunder aye durable. to us lasting forever Wherefore I saye, as of counsell, In me is none that may avayle; But, yf you list, for remembraunce, if it pleases you line1760 Purveye and make such ordinaunce That the quene, that was so meke, Withe all her wemen, ded or syke, Might in your land a chapell have, Withe some remembraunce on her grave line1765 Shewinge her end withe the petye, all piteous circumstances In somme notable olde cetye, city Nighe unto an highe-waye Where everye wight might for her praye, And for all heres that have bene trewe.’ hers (i.e., women) line1770 And even withe that she chaunged hewe, And twise wished after the deathe, And syght, and thus passed her brethe. sighed

Then sayd the lordes of the ooste, And so concluded lest and most, line1775 That they wold ever in houses of thacke thatch Ther lyves use, and were but blacke, spend wear And forsake all ther pleasaunces, And turne all joye to penaunces, And bare the ded prince to the barge, And they bore line1780 And named them shuld have the charge. appointed those who And to the hearse where laye the quene The remenante went, and downe on knene, Holdinge ther handes on hight, con crye, ‘Mercy! Mercy!’ everiche thrye; each one thrice line1785 And cursed the tyme that ever slouthe Shuld have suche masterdome of trothe. And to the barge, a long mile, They bere her forthe, and in a while All the ladyes, one and one, line1790 By companies were browght echeon; And past the see, and toke the lande, crossed over landed And in newe hersses on a sannde hearses beach Put, and browght were all annone Unto a cety clossed withe stone, line1795 Where it had bene used aye been ever the custom The kynges of the lannd to leye After they reyned in honors, And wright was wiche were conquerers, And it was written In an abbye of nonnes wiche were blacke, line1800 Wiche accostomed were to wacke, keep vigil And of ussage rysse eche a night To pray for everye lyves wight. living creature And as befell, as is the gyse, And so it befell custom Ordayned and sayd was the service line1805 Of the prince and of the quene As devoutlye as might bene; And after that, abowght the hercesse, about hearses Many orrysonnes and vearses, prayers verses Witheowt note, full softelye music line1810 Sayd were and full hartelye, devoutly That all the night, till it was daye, The peple in the churche cone preye Unto the Hollye Trynite Holy Of those sowles to have petye.

line1815 And when the night past and ronne Was, and the newe daye begonne, The yonge morrowe withe rayes redd, Wiche from the sonne over all con spredd, Attempered cleare was and fayer, Was made mild and clear line1820 And made a tyme of holsome ayer, air Befell a wonder case and straunge an astonishing happening Amonge the people, and con chaunge Sone the worde and everye woo the decree of destiny Unto a joye, and some to two. line1825 A byrde all fethered blewe and grene, Withe bright arrayes, lyke gold, betwene, streaks As smale thredes over every joynte, All full of collors straunge and cointe, exotically beautiful Uncothe and wonderfull to syghte, Unfamiliar line1830 Uppon the quenes herse cone lyghte, alighted And songe full lowe and softelye Thre songes in his armoneye, Unletted of every wight; Unhindered Till, at the last, an aged knyght, line1835 Whiche semed a man in great thought Lyke as he sett all thinge at nawght, Withe visage and eyne over-wepte, exhausted with weeping And pale as mane longe unslepte, By the hersses as he stoode, line1840 Withe hasty handelinge of his hood touching [or doffing] Unto a prince that by him past, Made the birde somewhat agast; frightened Wherefore he rose, and lefte his songe, And departe from us amonge, line1845 And spred his winges for to passe By the place he entered was; And in his hast, shortlye to tell, He him hurte, that bacwarde downe he fell From a windowe, richelye painte line1850 Withe lyves of many a dyverse saynte, And beate his winges, and bled faste, And of the hurte thus dyed and paste, passed away And ley ther well an hower or more, Till, at the last, of birdes a skore line1855 Come, and sembled at the place gathered Where the windowe broken was, And made suche weymentacyon, lamentation That petye was to here the son sound And the werbelinge of ther throtes line1860 And the complainte in ther nottes, Wiche from joye clene was reversed. And of them on the glasse sone percsyd, one of them pierced And in his beke, of colours nyne, An erb he browght, flowerles, all grene, line1865 Full of smale leves and plaine, Swerte, and longe, withe many a vayne; Dark And where his fellowe laye thus ded, This erbe downe layd by his hede, And dressed hit full softelye, arranged line1870 And hange his hede, and stode therbye. Whiche erbe, in lesse then halfe an owere, hour Cone over all knote, and after flower Burst into bud all over Full owt, and rype the seade; And right this one another feede And just as one [bird] line1875 Wold, in his beake, he toke a grayne And in his fellowes beke, certayne, Yt put; and thus withein the thirde, in a trice Up stode and pruned him the birde preened Wiche dede had be in all oure syght, dead line1880 And bothe together forthe ther flyght Toke, singinge, from us, and ther leve; Was none disturbe them wold, ne greve.

And when they perted were and gone, departed Th’ abbas the seades sone echeon abbess line1885 Gathered had, and in her hande Th’ erbe she helde, well avisaunte closely inspecting The lefe, the sede, the stalke, the flower, And sayd it had a good savor And was no comone herbe to fynde line1890 And well approved of uncothe kynde, confirmed unfamiliar And then other more vertuus; Who so yt have myght, for to use In his neade — flower, lefe, or graine — Of ther hele myght be certainge; line1895 And layd it downe uppon the hersse Where lay the quene, and con rehersse Eche one to other that they had sene. what And talinge this, the seade wox grene, And as they talked thus And on the drye herse con springe, line1900 Wiche me thowght a wonder thinge, And after that, flower an new seade, [came] flower and Of wiche the pepull all toke hede And sayd yt was some great miracle Or medicyne more fyne then treacle, line1905 And were well done ther to assaye And it would do well Yf yt might ease in any waye The corsses wiche withe torche-lyght corpses Thay waked had ther, all that night. had kept vigil over

Sone were the lordes there concent, consented line1910 And all the pepull therto content, Withe easye wordes and lyttull fare, little fuss And made the quenes visage bare, Wiche shewed was to all abowte; Wherefore in sowne fell hole the rowte, swoon all the company line1915 And were so sorye, most and leste, That longe of wepinge they not ceased; for a long time For, of ther lord the remembraunce Unto them was suche displeasaunce, That for to lyve they cauled paine, they called living a pain line1920 So were they verye trewe and playne. faithful and honest And after this, the good abbas Of the greynes con chesse and dresse choose and prepare Thre, withe her fingers clene and smale; And in the quenes mothe, be tall, mouth, consecutively line1925 One after other full easelye She put and full coninglye, Wiche sheewed sone suche vertu, That preved was the medicyne trewe; For withe a smylinge countenaunce line1930 The quene uprose, and of usaunce, according to custom As she was wonte, to everye wight She made good chere; for wiche syght, The people knelynge on the stones Thowght they in heven were, sowle and bones. line1935 Unto the prince where he laye They went, to make the same assaye. attempt And when the quene it understode, And how the medicyne was good, She prayed she might have the greynes line1940 To releve him from the paines Whiche she and he had bothe endured; And to him wente, and so him ured, brought a happy destiny That withein a lyttull space Lustye and freshe one lyve he was, alive line1945 And in good hele, and hole of speche, perfectly able to speak And lowghe, and sayd, ‘Gramercy, leche.’ Many thanks For whiche the joye throwgheowt the towne So great was, that the belles sowne Affrayde the peopull a jorneye line1950 Abowte the cetye everye waye And comen and asked cause and whi They rongen were so stattelelye. And after that, the quene, th’ abbas, Made dilligence, or theye wolde cease, Made every effort, before line1955 Suche that of ladyes sonne a rowte Suinge the quene was all abowte; Attending upon And cauled by name eche one and tolde, counted them off Was none forgotton, yonge ne olde. There mighte mene se joyes newe, men line1960 When the medicyne, fyne and trewe, Thus restored had every wight, As well the ladyes as the knyght, Unto pefyte joye and hele, That flyttinge they were in suche wele, abounding line1965 As folke that wolde in no wyse Desyer more perfyte parradysse.

And thus, when passed was the sorrowe, Withe mickell joye, sone on the morrowe, The kinge, the quene, and everye lord, line1970 Withe all the ladyes, by one accorde A generall assemble Gert crye thorowghe the cunterye; Caused to be proclaimed The whiche after, as ther intente, Was turned to a parlament, line1975 Where was ordayned and avised resolved Everye thinge and devised worked out That please might to most and lest. everyone, regardless of rank And ther concluded was, the feast Withein the Ile to be holde, line1980 Withe full concente of yonge and olde; In the same wyse as before All thinges shulde be, witheowten more; without more ado And shipeden, and thether went. [they] took ship And into straunge remes sent far-off realms line1985 To kinges, quenes, and ducheces, To diverse princes and princesses Of ther linage, and cane praye, Yf yt lyke them, at that daye Of marriage, for ther sporte, line1990 Come se the Ile and them disporte, Where shulde be justes and turneyes, And armes done in other wayes, feats of arms Signifyinge over all the daye, Announcing everywhere After Aprell withein Maye. [Which should be] after line1995 And was avised that ladyes twayne [it] was resolved Of good estate and wel besene, well turned out Withe certayne knightes and squiers, And of the quenes officers, In maner of imbassad embassy line2000 Withe certeyne leters, closed and made, sealed Shuld take the barge, and departe, And seke my ladye evrye parte Till they her founde, for any thinge; without fail Bothe charged thus, quene and kinge, line2005 And as ther ladye and misteris, as [she was] mistress For to beseke, of jentulnes, At the daye ther for to bene. And ofte her recomaunde the quene, commended herself [to her] And prayed, for all loves, to hast; line2010 For but she come, all woll be wast, And the feast a busynes tedious chore Witheout joye or lustynes; And toke them tokenes, and god spede Prayed God send, after ther neade. according to

line2015 Forthe wente the ladyes and the knightes, And were owt fourteen dayes and nightes, And browght my ladye in ther barge, And had well sped, and done the charge. commission Whereof the quene so hartelye glad line2020 Was, that in sothe shuche joyes she hadd such When the shipe approched lannde, That she my ladye on the sannde Met, and in armes so constrayne, embraced That wonder was beholde them twayne line2025 Whiche, to my dome, duringe twelve oures, in my opinion hours Nether for heat ne watery showers Departed not; ne companye, Did not separate Savinge themselfe, bode none them bye, remained But gave them leaysure, at ther ease, line2030 To reherse joye and diseace, distress After the pleasure and corrages stirrings of the spirit Of ther yonge and tender ages; And after, withe many a knyght Browght were where, as for that nyght, [They] were brought line2035 They parted not, for to pleasaunce Consent was hart and countenaunce, Bothe of the quene and my mistris: This was that night ther busynes. And one the morrowe, withe huge route — line2040 This prince — of lordes him abowte, Come, and to my ladye sayd That of her cominge glad and well appaide pleased He was, and full conninglye Her thannked and full hertelye, line2045 And lowghe, and smyled, and sayd, ‘Iwis, That was in dowbte in suerty es.’ What is now assured And comaunde do dilygence, And spare for neyther golde ne spence, expense But make redye; for, one the morrowe, line2050 Weddid withe ‘Seynt John to borowe’ May St. John be my security He wold be, witheouten more; And let them wytt them, lesse and more. The morowe come, and the service Of marriage in suche wyse line2055 Sayd was, that with more honor Was never prince ne connqueror Wedd, ne withe suche companye Of gentulnes in chivalrye, Ne of ladyes so great rowtes, line2060 Ne so besene, as all abowghtes fine-looking They were there, I certefye You and my lyffe, witheout lye. on my life And the feast helde was in tentes — As to tell you myne intent is — line2065 In a rome, a large playne, great open space Under a wood in a champayne, Close by open meadow Betwene a ryver and a well, spring Where never had abby ne sell monastic cell Ben, ne kyrke, house, ne village, line2070 In tyme of any manes age. man’s And dured thre monethes the feast lasted In one estate, and never ceste In unvarying splendor ceased From earlye the ryssinge of the sune Till the daye spent was and rune, line2075 In justinge, dauncesinge, and lustines, And all that sowned to gentulnes.

And, as me thowght, the second morrowe, When endid was all old sorrowe And in suertye everye wight in the security [of wedlock] line2080 Had withe his ladye slepte a nyght, The prince, the quene, and all the feast, Unto my ladye made request, And her besowght and ofte prayed To mewardes to be well paied, Towards me pleased line2085 And consyther myne olde trothe, consider And one my paines to have rothe, And me accepte to her service In suche forme, and in suche wyse, That we bothe myght be as one: line2090 Thus prayde the quene and everyechone. And for ther shuld be no ‘naye,’ They stinte justinge all a daye stopped To praye my ladye and requier Be content and owt of feare, [Her to] be line2095 And withe good hart make frindlye chere, And sayd yt was an happye yere. At wiche she smyled and sayd, ‘Iwis, I trow well he my servante is, And wold my welfare, as I trist. [he] desires trust line2100 So wold I his, and wolde he wist wished he knew How, and I knew his trothe How, if I knew Contynewe wold witheout slouthe And be suche as ye here reporte, Restraynynge bothe corrage and sport, free and wanton spirit line2105 And couthe consent at youre request To be named of your feast, named [as one] And do so after your usaunce In obeyinge your pleasaunce; At your request, thus I concent line2110 To please you in youre entent, in what you purpose As eke the soveraynge above Comaunded hathe me for to love And before other him prefarre, Agaynst wiche prince may be no warr, line2115 For his power over all reynegthe, That other wold for nowght him paynethe. And sythe his will and yours is one, Contrarye in me shal be none.’

Tho, as me thowght, the promesse line2120 Of marriage before the messe mass Desyred was — of every wight — To be made the same nyght, To put awaye all maner dowbtes Of everye wyght there abowtes; line2125 And so was do. And one the morrow, done on When every thowght and every sorrowe Dislodged was owt of myne harte, Withe everye wo and every smarte, Unto a tente the prince and princesse, line2130 Me thowght, me browght and my misteris, mistress And sayd we were at full age Ther to conclud our marriage, Withe ladyes, knyghtes, and squiers, And a great hoost of mynistres minstrels line2135 Withe instrumentes and soundes diverse, That longe were here you to reherse. Wiche tente was churche perochiall, And this tent parochial Ordeyned it was in especiall For the feast and for the sacre, sacred ceremony line2140 Where arshebyshope and archedyaker archdeacon Sunge full owt the service, with full voice After the custome and the gyse fashion And the churches ordinaunce; And after that, to dyne and daunce line2145 Browght were we unto diverse pleyes. entertainments And, for oure spede, eache wihte prayse, person prays And merrye was most and lest; And sayd amended was the feast And where right glad, ladye and lord, were line2150 Of the marriage and th’ accorde, And wished us hartes pleasaunce, Joye, hele, and continuaunce; And to the minsterelles made request That in increasynge of the feast to add to the pleasure of line2155 Thay wold tuche ther cordes, strings And withe some newe joyeux accordes harmonies Meve the pepull to gladnes, And prayden of all gentulnes Eche to paine him, for the daye, line2160 To shew his conninge and his pleye. skill in playing

Tho begane sowndes marvelus, And intuned withe accordes joyeux, all in tune harmonies Rounde abowte all the tentes, Withe thousanndes of instrumentes, line2165 That everye wyght to daunce him pained, To be merye was none that fayned; Wiche so me trowbeled in my slepe, That from my bed forthe I lepe, leapt Weninge to be at the feast. Thinking [I was] line2170 But when I wocke, all was ceaste. woke ceased For ther was ladye, ne creature, Save one the walles old portrature Of horsemen, hawkes, and houndes, And hurte deare full of woundes, line2175 Some lyke bytton, some hurtte with shott, as if bitten And, as my dreme, semed that was not. And when I wocke and knew the trothe, Had ye sene, of verye rothe I trow ye wold have wepte a wecke; week line2180 For never man yet halfe so sike Escaped, I wene, withe the lyfe; with his life And was for faute that sword ne knyfe only for want I find myght, my lyve t’ abrege, shorten Ne thinge that carved, ne had edge, line2185 Wherewithe I might my wofull peines Have voyd withe bledinge of my veynes. ended Lo, here my blysse! Lo, here my payne! Whiche to my lady I complayne, And grace and mercy her requier, line2190 To ende my wo and besy fere, urgent anxiety And me accepte to her service After her pleasaunce, in suche wise That of my dreame the substaunce Might turne once to cognisaunce, line2195 And cognisaunce to very preve, absolute proof By full concent and good leave; Or else, witheowten more, I pray That this night, or yt be daye, I mote unto my dreame retorne, may line2200 And slepinge so, forthe ay sojorne Abowte the Ile of pleasaunce, Under my ladyes obeysaunce, rule In her service, and in suche wyse As yt please her may to devise, line2205 And grace once to be accepte, [be granted] grace one day Like as I dremed when I slepte, And duer a thousannd yeres and tene And [may I] endure ten In His good grace. Amen. Amen.

EXPLICIT

Fayrest of fayer and goodleste on lyve, alive line2210 All my secre to you I playne and shreve, lament and confess Requiringe grace, and of all my complainte To be heled, or martered as a saynt; For by my trothe I swere, and by this booke, Ye may bothe hele and slaye me with a looke.

line2215 Go forthe myn owne trew harte innocent, And withe humblenesse do thine observaunce, And to thi lady on thi knes present Thi service new, and thinke how great plesaunce Hit is to lyve under the obeysaunce sway line2220 Of her, that may withe her lookes softe Geve the blisse that thou desyers ofte.

Be diligent, awacke, obye, and dread, And not to wilde of thi countenaunce, too But meke and glade, and thi nature fead nurture line2225 To do eche thinge that may her pleasaunce. may [give] her When you shall slepe, have ay in remembraunce The image of her whiche may withe lookes softe Geve the blysse that thou desyers ofte.

And yf so be that thou her name finde, line2230 Writton in booke or else uppon wall, Looke that thou do as servaunte trew and kynde Thine obeysaunce, as she were ther witheall. obedient service Fayninge in love is breadinge of a fall original source of From the grace of her, whose lookes softe line2235 May geve the blisse that thou desyers ofte.

FINIS

Ye that this balade rede shall, I pray you kepe you from the fall.

FINIS QUOD CHAUCER