(The text in the first column is my diplomatic transcription [May 1999; revised September 1999], from the published facsimile of CUL MS Gg.4.27 [Parkes and Beadle, ed. Norman OK: Pilgrim Books, 1980). Some faint diagonal slashes in mid-line I may have omitted, pending examination of MS; darker ones I have included. The second column contains commentary and additional information regarding the text and layout.)
 
 

Fol. (413/444) 445r
A Thousent sythis haue I herd men telle	4-line 'drop' capital
That there is Ioye in heuene & peyne in helle
And I a corde wel that it beso
But natheles this wit I wel also
That there ne is non that dwellyth In this cuntce	second 'c' in 'cuntce' seems quite clear; NOT an 'r'
That eythir hath in helle or heuene I be
Ne may of it non othere weyis wytyn
But as he hat herd seyd or founde it wrytyn
ffor by asay there may no man it preue
But goddis forbode / but men schulde leue
Wel more thyng / than men han seyn with eye
Men schal nat wenyn / euery thyng alye
ffor that he say. it nat of 3ore a go
God wot a thyng is neuere the lesse so
Thow euery wyght ne may it nat I se
Bernard the monk ne say nat al parde [Bernardus non vidit omnia]
Thanne motyn we to bokys that we fynde
Thorow whiche that olde thyngis ben In mynde
And to the doctryne of these olde wyse
3euyn credence In euery skylful wyse
And trowyn on these olde aprouede storyis
Of holynesse /of regnys of victoryis
Of loue / of hate / of othere sundery thyngis
Of whiche I may natmake rehersyngys
And If that olde bokis weryn a weye
I loryn were of remembrance the keye
Wel ou3te vs thanne on olde bokys leue
There as there is non othyr a say be preue
And as for me thow that myn wit be lite
On bokys for to rede I me delyte
And in myn herte haue hem in reuerence
And to hem 3eue swich lust & swich credence
That there is wel onethe game non
That from myne bokys make me to gon
But it be oþer vp on the haly day
Or ellis in the Ioly tyme of may
Whan that I here the smale foulys synge
And that the flouris gynne for to sprynge	'y' in 'sprynge' changed from 'r'?
Dd iij
	Fol. (413/444) 445v
ffarwel myn stodye as lastynge þat sesoun
Now haue I therto this condycyoun
That of alle the flouris in the mede
Thanne loue I most these flourys white & rede
Swyche as men calle dayesyis in oure toun
To hem haue I so gret affeccioun
As I seyde erst whan comyn is the may
That in myn bed there dawith me no day
That I ne am vp&walkynge in the mede	'&'-- in its second form--later inserted in the space between 'vp' and 'walkynge'
To sen these flouris a gen the sunne to sprede
Whan it vp ryseth be the morwe schene
The longe day thus walkynge in the grene
And whan the sunne be gynnys for to weste
Thanne closeth it & drawith it to reste
So sore it is a ferid of the ny3t
Til on the morwe that it is dayis ly3t
This dayeseye of alle flouris flour
ffulfyld of vertu & of alle honour
And euere I like fayr & frosch of hewe ----+ [as in somer n a]	Bracketed material erased
ffayn wolde I preysyn If I coude a ryht
But wo is me it lyth nat in myn myght
ffor wel I wot that folk han here be forn
Of makynge ropyn & lad a wey the corn
I come aftyr glenynge here & ther
And am ful glad if I may fynde an er
Of ony goodly word that they han laft
And If it happe me reherse eft
That they han In here frosche songis said
I hope that they wele nat ben euele a payed
Sithe it is seyd in fortheryng & honour
Of hem that eythir seruyn lef or flour
ffor trustyth wel I ne haue nat vndyr take
As of the lef a gayn the flour to make
Ne of the flour to make a geyn the lef
No more than of the corn a gen the shef
ffor as to me is lefere non ne lothere
I am witholde 3it with neuer nothire
As wel In wyntyr as in somyr newe ----+ b
Fol. (414/445) 446r
I not ho seruyth lef ne who the flour
That nys nothing the entent of myn labour
ffor this werk is al of a nothyr tunne
Of old story er swich strif was be gunne
But wherfore that I spak to 3eue credence
To bokys olde & don hem reuerence
Is for men schulde autoriteis be leue
There as there lyth non othyr a say by preue
ffor myn entent is or I fro 3ow fare
The nakede tixt in englis to declare
Of manye a story or ellis of manye a geste
As autourys seyn & leuyth hem If 3ow leste
Whan passed was almost the monyth of may
And I hadde romed al the somerys day
The grene medewe of which that I 3ow tolde
Vp on the frosche dayseie to be holde
And that the sonne out of the souht gan weste
And clothede was the flour & gon to reste
ffor derknese of the nyht of which sche dradde
Hom to myn hous ful swiftly I me spadde
And in a lytyl erber that I haue
I benchede newe with turwis frosche I grawe	second 'I' written over '&'
I bad men schulde me myn couche make
ffor deynte of the newe somerys sake
I had hem strowe flouris on myn bed
Whan I was layd & hadde myn eyen hid
I fel a slepe with Inne an our or two
Me mette how I was in the medewe tho
And that I romede in that same gyse
To sen that flour / as 3e han herd deuyse ·i· daieseye
ffayr was this medewe as thou3te me oueral
With flourirs sote enbroudit was it al
As for to speke of gomme or erbe or tre
Comparisoun may non I makede be
ffor it surmountede pleynly alle odours
And of ryche beute alle flourys
fforgetyn hadde the erthe his pore estat
Of wyntyr that hym nakede made & mat
Dd iiij
	Fol. (414/445) 446v
And with his swerd of cold so sore hadde greuyd
Now hadde the tempre sonne al that releuyd
And clothede hym in grene al newe a geyn
The smale foulis of hte seson fayn
That from the panter & the net ben sk^a^pid	'a' inserted above; caret below
Vp on the fouler that hem made a wapid
In wyntyr & distroyed hadde hire brod
In his dispit hem thou3te it dede hem good
To synge of hym & in here song despise
The foule cherl that for his coueytyse
Hadde hem be trayed with his sophistrye
This was here song the foulere we defye
Some songyn on the braunchis clere
Of love & that Ioye It was to here
In worschepe & in preysyng of hire make
And of the newe blysfful somerys sake
That sungyn blyssede be seynt volentyn
At his day I ches 3ow to be myn
With oute repentynge myn herte swete
And therwithal here bekys gunne mete
The honour & the humble obeysaunce
And aftyr dedyn othere obseruauncys
Ryht on to loue & to natures
So eche of hem to cryaturys
This song to herkenyn I dede al myn entent
ffor why I mette I wiste what they ment
Tyl at the laste a larke songe a boue
I se quod she the my3ty god of loue
Lo 3ond he comyth I se hise wyngis sprede
Tho gan I loke endelong the mede
And saw hym come & in his hond a quene
Clothid in ryal abyte al of grene
A grette of goold sche hadde next hyre her
And vp on that a whit corone sche ber
With mane flourys & I schal nat lye
ffor al the world ryht as the dayseye
I corounede is with white leuys lite
Swiche were the flourys of hire corene white
Fol. (415/4465) 447r
ffor of o perle fyn & oryental
Hyre white coroun ws I makyd al
ffor whiche the white coroun a boue the grene
Made hire lyk a dyeseye for to sene
Considerede ek the fret of gold a boue
I clothede was this nyhty god of loue
Of silk I broudede ful of grene greuys
A garlond on his hed of rose leuys
Stekid al with lylye flourys newe
But of his face I can not seyn the hewe
ffor sekyrly his face schon so bryhte
That with the glem a stonede was the syhte
A furlongwey I myhte hym not be holde
But at the lasted in hande I saw hym holde
Tho fery dartis as the gleedys rede
And aungellych hyse wengis gan he sprede
And al be that men seyn that blynd is he
Algate me thou3te he my3te wel I se
ffor sternely on me he gan beholde
So that his lokynge doth myn herte colde
And be the hond he held the noble quene
Corouned with whit & clothede al in grene
So womanly so benygne & so meke
That in this world thow that men wolde seke
Half hire beute / schulde men nat fynde
In ^on^ cryature that formede is be kynde
Hire name was Alceste the thebonoyre	lower-case 'a' made into capital
I preye to god that euere falle sche fayre
ffor ne hadde confort been / of hire presense
I hadde be ded / with outyn ony defence
ffor dred of louys / wordys & his chere
As whan tyme is / here aftyr 3e schal here
¶ By hynde this god / of loue vp on this grene	¶ in left margin
I saw comynge of ladyis nynetene
In ryal abyte a ful esy pas
And aftyr hem come of wemen swich a tras
That syn that god adam made of erthe
The thredde part of wemen ne the ferthe
+
	Fol. (415/446) 447v
Ne wende I not by possibilite
Haddyn euere in this world I be
And trewe of loue these wemen were echon
Now whether was that a wondyr thyng or non
That ryht a non as that they gunne espye
This flour whiche that I clepe the day seye
fful sodeynly they styntyn alle atonys
And knelede a doun as it were for the nonys
And aftyr that they wentyn in cumpas
Daunsynge aboute this flour an esy pas
And songyn as it were in carolewyse
This balade which that I shaw 3ow deuyse
H yd absalon thynne gilte tressis clere
Ester ley thow thyn meknesse al a doun
Hyde Ionathas al thyn frendely manere
Penolope & Marcia catoun
Mak of 3oure wyfhod no comparisoun
Hyde 3e 3oure beuteis ysoude & Elene
Alceste is here that al that may destene
Thyn fayre body lat it nat a peere	second 'e' in 'peere' corrected from 'r'?
Laueyne / & thow Lucresse of rome toun
And Pollexene that bou3te loue so dere
Ek Cleopatre with al thyn passioun
Hide 3e 3oure trouth in loue & 3oure ronoun
And thow tysbe / that hast for loue swich peyne
Alceste is here that al that may desteyne
Herro. Dido. Laodomya alle in fere
Ek Phillis hangynge for thyn demophoun
And Canace espied be thyn chere
Ysiphile bytrayed with Iasoun
Mak of 3oure trouthe in loue no bost ne soun
Nor ypermystre or Adriane ne pleyne	lower-case 'a' made into capital
Alceste is here that al that may disteyne
Fol. (416/447) 448r
What that this balade al I songyn was
Vp on the softe & sote grene gras
They settyn hem ful softely adoun
By ordere alle in cumpas / alle inveroun	unusual shape to 'v' of 'inveroun'--capital?--for 'in Veroun'?
ffyrst sat the god of loue & thanne this queene
With the white corone clad in grene
And sithyn al the remenant by & by
As they were of degre ful curteysly
Ne nat a word was spokyn in that place
The mountenaunce of a furlongwey of space
I lenynge faste by vndyr a bente
A bod to knowe what this peple mente
As stille as ony ston til at the laste
The god of loue on me his eye caste
And seyde ho restith there & I answerde
Vn to his axsynge what that I hym herde
And seyde sere It am I & cam hym ner
And salewede hym . quod he what dost thow her
In my presence & that so boldely
ffor it were bettere worthi trewely
A werm to come in myn syht than thow
And why sere quod I and it lyke 3ow
ffor thow quod he art therto no thyng a ble
Myne seruauntis ben alle wyse & honourable
Thow art myn mortal fo & me warreyest
And of mynne olde seruauntis thow mysseyst
And hynderyst hem with thyn translacyoun
And lettist folk to han deuocyoun
To seruyn me & haldist it folye
To troste on me thow mayst it nat denye
ffor in pleyn tixt it nedyth nat to glose
Thow hast translatid the romauns of the rose
That is an eresye a geyns myn lawe
And makyst wise folk fro me withdrawe
And thynkist in thyn wit that is ful cole
That he nys but a verray propre fole
That louyth paramouris to harde & hote
Wel wot I ther by / thow begynnyst dote
	Fol. (416/447) 448v
As olde folis whan here spryt faylyth
Thanne blame they folk & wete nat what hem ealyth
Hast thow nat mad in englys ek the bok
How that Crisseyde Troylis forsok
In schewynge how that wemen han don mis
Bit natheles answere me now to this	'd' erased before 'this'
Why noldist thow as wel a seyd goodnes
Of wemen as thow hast seyd wekedenes
Was there no good matyr in thyn mynde
Ne in alle thyne bokys ne coudist thow nat fynde
Sum story of wemen that were goode & trewe
3is god wot ·lx· bokys olde & newe
Hast thow thyn self alle ful of storyis grete
That bothe romaynys & ek grekis trete
Of sundery wemen whiche lyf that they ledde
And euere an hunderede goode a geyn on badde
This knowith god & alle clerkis ek
That vsyn sweche materis for to sek
What seith valerye Titus or Claudy an
What seith Ierome agayns Iouynyan
How clene maydenys& how trewe wyuys	's' at end of 'maydenys' inserted later
How stedefaste wedewys durynge alle here lyuys
Tellyth Ierome & that nat of a fewe
But I dar seyn an hunderede on a rewe
That it is pete for to rede & routhe
The wo that they endure for here trouthe
ffor to hyre loue were they so trewe
That rathere than they wole take anewe
They chose to be ded in sundery wyse
And deiedyn as the story wele deuyse
And some were brend & some were cut the hals
And some dreynkt for thy woldyn not be fals
ffor alle kepid they here maydynhed	'id ' seems to be a correction over erasure
Or ellis wedlek or here wedewehed
And this thing was nat kept for holynesse
But al for verray Vertu & clennesse
And for men schulde sette on hem no lak
And 3it they were hethene al the pak
Fol. (417/448) 449r
That were so sore a drad of alle schame
These olde wemen kepte so here name
That in this world I trowe men schal nat fynde
Aman tha coude be so trowe & kynde	't' omitted from 'tha'; added above by later hand
As was the leste woman in that tyde
What seyth also the epistelle of Ouyde
Of trewe wyuys & of here labour	?erasure after 'labour'?
What vincent in his estoryal myrour
Ek al te world of autourys mayst tow here	'h' omitted from 'te'
Cristene & hethene trete of swich matere
It nedyth nat al day thus for to endite
But 3it I seye what eylyth the to wryte
The draf of storyis & forgete the corn	'gete' of 'forgete' added over erasure
Be seynt venus of whom that I was born
Al thow thow reneyist hast myn lay
As othere olde folys manye a day
Thow schalt repente it so that it schal be sene
Thanne spak Alceste the worthyere que^e^ne
And seyde god ry3t of 3oure curteysye
3e motyn herkenyn If he can replye
A geyns these poyntys that 3e han to hym mevid
A god ne schulde not thus been a greuyd
But of his dede he schal be stable
And therto ry3tful & ek mercyable
He schal nat ryghtfully his yre wreke
Or he haue herd the tothyr partye speke
Al ne is nat gospel that is to 3ow pleynyd
The god of loue heruth manye a tale I feynyd
ffor in 3oure court is manye a losenger
And manye aqueynte totulour acusour
That tabourryn in 3oure eres / manye a thyng
ffor hate or for Ielous ymagynyng
And for to han with 3ou sum dalyaunce
Enuye I prere to god 3eue hire myschaunce	first 'r' in 'prere' mistake for 'i'
Is lauender In the grete court alway
ffor che ne partyth neythir nygh ne day
But of the hous of Cesar thus seyth dante
Who so that goth alwey sche mote wante
	Fol. (417/448) 449v
This man to 3ow may wrongly ben acused
There as be ryght hym oughte ben excusid
Or ellis sere for that this man is nyce
He may translate a thyng in no malyce
But for he vsith bokis for to make
And takyth non hed of what matere he take
Therfore he wrot the rose & ek Crisseyde
Of innocence & nyste what he seyde
Or hym was bodyn make thilke tweye
Of sum persone & durste it not with seye
ffor he hath wrete manye a bok er this
He ne hath not don so greuosly a mys
To translate that olde clerkis wryte
As thow that he of maleys wolde endyte
Despit of loue & hadde hym self I wrouht
This schulde a ryghtwys lord han in his thou3t
And not ben lyk tyrauntis of lumbardye
That vsyn wilfulhed & tyraunye
ffor he that kyng or lord is naturel
Hym oughte nat be tyraunt & crewel #	'#' indicates misplaced folio: mid 450r-v
Considere his owene honour & his trespace
ffor sythe no cause of deth lyth in this cace
3ow oughte to ben the lyghtere merciable
Letith 3oure yre & beth sumwhat tretable
The man hath seruyd 3ow of his konnyg	'o' of 'konnyg' corrected from 'u'; final 'n' omitted
And fortheryd 3oure lawe with his makyng
Whil he was 3ong he kepte 3oure estat
I not where he be now a renegit	'i' of 'renegit' corrected from 'e'?
But wel I wot with that he can endyte
He hath makid lewede folk to delyte
To seruyn 3ow in preysynge of 3oure name
He made the bok that highte the hous of fame
And ek the deth of Blaunche the duchesse
And the parlement of foulis as I gesse
And al the loue of Palamon & Arcite	lower-case 'a' made capital in 'Arcite'
Of thebes thow the storye is knowe lite
And manye an ympne for thour halydayis
That hightyn baladis roundelys & vyrelayes
Fol. (418/449) 450r
And for to speke of othyr besynesse
He hath in prose translatid Boece
And of the wrechede engendrynge of mankynde
As man may in pope innocent I fynde
And made the lyf also of seynt Cecile
He made also gon is agret while
Orygenes vp on the maudeleyne
Hym ouu3te now to haue the lesse peyne
He hath mad manye a lay & manye a thyng
Now as 3e ben a go & ek a kyng
I 3oure alceste whilom quene of trace
I axe 3ow this man rygh of 3oure grace
That 3e hym neuere hurte in al his lyue
And he schal swere to 3ow & that as blyue
He schal no more agiltyn in this wyse
But he schal makyn as 3e wele deuyse
Of wemen trewe in louynge al here lyue
Wher so 3e wele of maydyn or of wyue #
As is a fermour to don the harm he can
He muste thynke it is his lige man
And that hym owith o verry duetee
Schewyn his peple pleyn benygnete
And wel to heryn here excusacyounis
And here conpleyntys & petyciouns	's' suspension added ?later to 'conpleynty'
In duewe tyme whan they schal it profre
This is the sentens of the philysophre
A kyng to kepe hise lygis in iustise
Which oughtyn doute that is his offise	'e' at end of 'Which' erased
And therto is a kyng ful depe I sworn
fful manye an hunderede wyntyr here be forn
And for to kepe his lordys hir degre
As it is ryght & skylful that they be
Enhaunsede and / honoured most dere
ffor they ben half goddys in this world here
This schal he don bothe to pore ryche	'r' of 'ryche' made from '&'- which is needed here
Al be that here stat be nat a lyche
And han of pore folk compassioun
ffor lo the gentyl kynde of the lyoun
	Fol. (418/449) 450v
ffor whan a flye offendyth hym or bytith
He with his tayl awey the flye smytyth
As esyly for of his generye
Hym deynyth nat to wreke hym on a flye
As doth a curre or ellis a nothir beste
In nobel corage oughte ben areste
And weyen eueryth by equite
And euere han reward to his owen degre
ffor sire it is no maystrye for a lord
To dampne a man with oute answere or word
And for a lord that is wel foul to vse
And If so be he may hym nat ascuse
Axith mercy with a sorweful herte
And proferyth hym ryght in his bare scherte
To been rygh at 3oure owene Iugement
Than ought a god by schort avisement #	end of misplaced folio
And fortheryn 3ow as meche as he mysseyde
Or in the rose or ellis in crisseyde
The god of loue answerede hire thus a non
Madame quod he it is so long a gon
That I 3ow knew so charytable & trewe
That neuere 3it sithe that the world was newe
To me ne fond I neuere non betere than the
That If that I wele saue myn degre
I may ne wel not warne 3oure requeste
Al lyth in 3ow doth with hym what 3ow leste
And al for 3eue with oute lengere space
ffor who so 3euyth a 3ifte or doth a grace
So it be tyme his thank is wel te more
And demyth 3e what he shal don therfore
Go thanke now myn lady here quod he
I ros and doun I sette me on myn kne
And seyde thus madame the god a boue
ffor 3elde 3ow that 3e the god of loue
Han makyd me his wrethe to for3eue
And 3eue me grace so longe for to leue
That I may knowe sothly wht 3e be
That han me holpyn & put me in swich degre
but trewely I	catchword
Fol. (419/450) 451r
But trewely I wende as in this cas
Naught haue a gilt ne don to loue trespas
ffor why a trewe amn with oute drede
Hath nat to parte with a theuys dede
Ne a trewe louere may me nat blame	'may' written over a large erasure
Thaw that I speke a fals louere sum schame	'fals' written over a large erasure
They aughte rathere with me for to holde
ffor that I of Criseyde wrot or tolde
Or of the rose what so myn au3tour mente	'mente' orig. written 'menee'
Algate god wot it was myn entente
To forthere trouthe in loue & it cheryse
And to be war from falsenesse & from vice
By swich ensaumple this was myn menynge
And sche answerde lat be thyn arguynge
ffor loue ne wele nat countyrpletyd be
In ryght ne wrong & lerne this at me
Thow hast thyn grace & holde the ryght therto	last 4 words over erasure
Now wole I seyn what penaunce thow schat do	sic: 'schat'
ffor thyn trespae & vndyrstonde it here
Thow schalt whil thow leuyst 3er be 3ere
The moste partye of thyn lyf spende
In makynge of a gloryous legende
Of goode wemen maydenys & wyues
That were tre^we^ in leuynge al here lyuys
And telle of false men that hem betrayen
That al here lyf ne don nat but asayen
How manye wemen / they may don a schame
ffor in 3oure world that is now holdyn game
And thow the lestyth nat a louere be
Spek wel of loue this penaunce 3eue I the
And to the god of loue I schal so preye
That he schal charge hise seruauntys by ony wey
To fortheryn the & wel thyn labor quite
Go now thyn wey thyn penaunce is but lyte
The god of loue gan smyle & thanne he seyde
Wostow quod he wher this be wif or mayde
Or queen or cuntesse or of what degre
That hath so lytil penaunce 3euyn the
Ee j
	Fol. (419/450) 451v
That hast deseruyd sorere for to smerte
But pete rennyth sone in gentil herte
That mayst thow sen sche kytheth what sche is
And I answerde nay sere so haue I blys
No more but that I se wel sche is good
That is a trewe tale by myn hod
Qod loue / & that thow knowist wel parde
3if it be so that thow a vise the
Hast thow nat in a bok lyth in thyn cheste
The grete goodnesse of the queene Alceste
That turnede was in to a dayesye
Sche that for hire husbonde ches to deye
And ek to gon to helle rathere than he
And Ercules rescued hire parde
And broughte hyre out of helle a geyn to blys
And I answerde a 3en & seyde 3is
Now knowe I hire & is this goode alceste
The dayes eye & myn owene herte is reste
Now fele I wel the goodnesse of this wif
That bothe aftyr hire deth & ek hire lyf
Hire grete bounte doubelyth hire renoun
Wel hath sche quit me myn affeccioun
That I haue to hire flour the dayesye
No wondyr is / thow Ioue hire stellefye
As tellyth Agaton for hyre goodnesse
Hire white coroun beryth of it witnesse
ffor al so manye vertuys hath sche
As smale flourys in hyre coroun be
Of remembrauns of hire & in honour
Cibella made thedayesye & the flour
I Coroned al with whit as men ma se
And Mars3af to hire corone red parde	's' written, ?later, in space after 'Mar'
In stede of rubeis set a mong the white
Therwith this queene wex red for schame a lyte
Whan sche was preysid so in hire presence
Thanne seyde loue a ful gret neglygence
Was it to the to write onstedefast nesse	perhaps 'unstedefast'
Of women sithe thow knowist here goodnesse
Fol. (420/451) 452r
By pref & ek by storyis here by forn
Let be the chaf & writ wel of the corn
Why noldist thow han writyn of alceste
And latyn Criseide ben a slepe & reste
ffor of alceste schulde thyn wrytynge be
Syn that thow wist that calandier Is she
Of goodnesse for sche taughte of fyn louynge
And namely of wifhod the lyuynge
And alle the boundys that sche aughte kepe
Thyn lityl wit was thilke tyme a slepe
But now I charge the vp on thyn lyf
That in thyn legende thow make of this wif
Whan thow hast othere smale mad by fore
And fare now wel I charge the no more
At cliopatre I wele that thow begynne
And so forth & myn loue so shalt tow wynne
And with that word of slep I gan a wake
And ryght thus on myn legende gan I make
E xplicit prohemium	2-line capital
Incipit legenda Cleopatrie regine
T fftyr the deth of tholome the kyng	'T' over clear guide letter 'a'
That of Egipt hadde in his gouernyng	3-line 'drop' capital
Regnede his queen Cleopataras
Tyl on a tyme be fel there swich a cas
That out of rome was sent a senatour
ffor to conqueryn regnys & honour	?'s' erased after 'y' of 'conquery'?
Vn to the toun of rome as was vsagee
To han the world vn to hyre obeysaunce
And soth to seyne Antonius was his name
So fil it as fortune hym aughte a schame
Whan he was fallyn in prosperite
Rebel vn to the toun of rome is he
And ouyral this the sustyr of Cesar
He lafte hire falle or that sche was war
Ee ij
	Fol. (420/451) 452v
And wolde algate han a nothir wif
ffor which he tok with rome & Cesar stryf
Natheles for sorthe this ilke senatour
Was a ful worthy gentyl werriour	last three words over erasure
And of his deth it was ful gret damage
But loue hadde brought this man in swich a rage
And hym so narwe boundyn In his las	'In' written over erasure
Al for the loue of Cleopatraas	'aas' over erasure
That al the world he sette at no value
Hym thoute there nas to hym no thyng so dewe	?'war' erased before 'nas', and its 's' corrected from 't'?
As Cleopatras for to loue & serve
Hym roughte nat in armys for to sterve	'sterve' over erasure?
In the diffens of hyre & of hire ryght
This noble queene ek louede so this knyght	?'e' erased at end of 'ek'?
Thorw his desert & for his chyualrye
As certeynly but If that bokys lye
He was of persone & of gentillesse
And of discrecioun & of hardynesse
Worthi to only wyght that lyuyn may
And sche was fayr as is the Rose in may
And for to make shortly is the beste
Sche wax his wif and hadde hym as hire leste
The weddynge & the feste to deuyse
To me that haue ytake swich empryse
Of so manye a story for to make
It were to longe lest that I schulde slake
Of thyng that beryth more effect & charge
ffor men may ouerlade a schip or barge
And for thy to thefeect thanne wele I skyppe
And al the remenaunt I wele lete slippe
Octouyan that wod was of this dede
Schop hym an ost / of antonye to lede
Al vtyrly for his destruccioun
With stoute romeynys crewel as lyoun
To schepe they wente & thus I lat hem sayle
Antonius was war and wele nat fayle
To metyn with these romeynys If he may
Tok ek his red & bothe vp on a day
Fol. (421/452) 453r
Hys wif & he & al his ost forth wentyn
To shepe anon no lengere they ne stente
And in the se it happede hem to mete
Vp goth the trompe & for to schoute & schete
And peynede hem to sette on with the sunne
With grysely soun out goth the grete gonnne	sic: 'gonnne'--?corrected from 'gunnne'?
And heterly they hurtelyn al atonys
ffrom the top doun comyth the grete stonys
In goth the grapenel so ful of crokis
Among the ropis rennyth the scherynge hokys
In with the polax presith he & sche
By hyndyn the mast begynnyth he to fle
And out a geyn and dryuyth hym ouerborde
He styngith hym vp on his sperys orde
He rent the seyl with hokys lyk a sithe
He bryngith the cuppe & biddyth hem be blythe
He pouryth pesyn vp on the hachis sledere
With pottis ful of lym they gon to gedere
And thus the longe day to gedere they spende
Tylat the laste as euery thyng hat ende
Antonye is schent & put hym to the flyghte
And al his folk to go that best go myght
ffleth ek the queen withal hire porpere sayl
ffor strokys whiche that wente as thikke as hayl
No wondyr was sche myghte it nat endure
And whan that antonye / saw that auenture
Allas quod he the day that I was born
Myn worshepe in this day thus haue I lorn
And for dispeyr out of his wit he sterte
And rof hym self a non thorw out the herte
Or that he ferthere wente out of the place
His wif that coude of Cesar haue no grace
To egipt is sche fled for dred & for destresse
But herkenyth 3e that spekyn of kyndenesse
3e men that falsely swere manye an oth
That 3e wele deye If that 3oure loue be wroth
Here may 3e sen of wemen which a trouthe
This woful Cleopatre hath mad swich routhe
Ee iij
	Fol. (421/452) 453v
That ther is tunge non that may it telle
But on the morwe sche wolde no lengere dwelle
But made hire subtyl werkemen make a schryne
Of alle the rubyis & the stonys fyne
In al egypt that sche coude espie
And putte ful the schryne of spicerye
And let the cors enbaumme & forth sche fette
This dede cors & in the schryne it schette
And next the schryne a pet thanne doth sche graue
And alle the serpentys that sche myghte haue
Sche putte hem in that graue & thus sche seyde
Now love to whom myn sorweful herte obeyede
So ferforthly that from that blisful our
That I 3ow swor to ben al frely 3our
I mene 3ow Antonius myn knyght
That neuere wakynge in the day or nygh
3e nere out of myn hertis remembraunce
ffor wel or wol for carole or for daunce
And in myn self this couenaunt made I tho
ffor rygh swich as 3e feldyn wel or wo
As fer forth as it in myn power lay
Vnreprouable on to myn wyfhod ay
The same wolde I fele lyf or deth
And thilke comenant whil me lastith breth	sic: 'comenant'
I wele fulfille & that schal ben wel sene
Was neuere on to hire loue a trewere quene
And with that word nakyd with ful good herte
Among the serpentis in the pit sche styrte
And there sche ches to hauyn hire buryinge
Anon the nadderys gonne hire for to stynge	?'gunne' corrected to 'gonne'
And sche hire deth receyuyth with good cheere
ffor loue of antonye that was hire so dere
And this is storyal soth it is no fable
Now or I fynde a man thus trewe & stable
And wele for loue his deth so frely take
I preye got let oure hedys neuere ake. Amen.	'Amen' in larger script
Explicit Cliopater Incipit semiramus] ~	'semiramus' erased
Here foloweth the Legend of Piramus	later hand
And Thisbe
Fol. (422/453) 454r
A T babiloyne whylom fyl it thus	3-line 'drop' capital
The wyche toun the quien semyramus
Let dyche al a boute & wallis make
fful hye of harde tilis wel I bake
There were dwellyng in this noble toun
Two lordys whiche that were of gret renoun
And wonedyn so nygh vp on a grene
That there was but a ston wal hem be tweene
As ofte in grete tounnys is the wone
And soth to seyne that on man hadde a sone
Of al that lond on of the lustyeste
That othir hadde a doughtyr the fayreste
That tho was in that lond Estward dwellynge
The name of euerych gan to othyr sprynge
By wemen that were neigheboris a boute
ffor in that cuntre 3it with outyn doute
Maydenys been I kept for gelosye
fful streyte lyst they dedyn sum folye
This 3onge man was callyd Piramus
And Tysbe he^i^t te m^i^ade Naso seyth thus	both inserted 'i's small, and carets located thus; the 'e' of 'heit' is altered from an 'i'
And thus by report was hire name I shone
That as they wex in age / wex here loue
And certeyn as by rosoun of hire age	sic: 'rosoun'
There myghte a ben by twixe hem maryage	'b' of 'by' corrected from 't'
But that here faderys myghte nat assente
And bothe in loue I lyke sore they brente
That none of alle hyre frendis myght it lette
But pryuyly sum tyme 3it they mette
Bysleyghte & spokyn summe of here desyr
As wry the glede & hettere is the fyr
fforbede a loue & it is ten so wod
This wal that which / bi twixe hem bothe stod
Was cloue a two ryght from the cop a doun
Of olde tyme of his fundacioun
But 3it this clyfte was so narw & lyte
It nas nat sene deere I now a myte
But wat is that that loue can nat espye
3e louerys two If that I schal nat lye
Ee iiij
	Fol. (422/453) 454v
3e foundyn first this litil narwe clifte
And with a soun as softe as ony shryfte
They lete here wordis thorw the clift pace
And toldyn whil that they stode in the place
Al here compleynt of loue & al here wo
At euery tyme whan they durste so
Vp on that on syde of that wal stod he
And on that othir side stod Thesbe
The sote soun of othir to resseyue
And thus here wardeynys wolde they disceyue
And euery day this wal they wolde threte
And wissche to god that it were doun I bete
Thus wolde they seyn alas thow welkede wal
Thorw thyn enuye thow vs letttist al
Why nyst thow cleue or fallyn al a two
Or at the laste but If thw woldist so
3it woldist thow but onys lat vs mete
Or onys that we myghtyn kysse swete
Thanne were we coueryd of our carys colde
But natheles 3it be we to the holde
In as meche as thow sufferyst for to gon
Ovre wordys thorw thyn lym & thorw thyn ston	'vre' over an erasure
3it oughte ^we^ with the been wel a payed
And whan these ydele wordys weren sayed	's' of 'sayed' corrected from ?'o' or top of 'p'
The colde wal they wele kysse of ston
And take here leue & forth they woldyn gon
And this was gladly in the eue tyde
Or wondyr erly lest men it espiede
And longe tyme they wroughte in this manere
Tyl on a day that Phebus gan to cleere
Aurora with the stremys of hete
Hadde dreyed vp the dew of erbis wete
Vn to this clyft as it was wone to be
Come Piramus and aftyr come Thysbe
And plyghtyn trouthe / fully in here fey
That ilke same nyght / to stele a wey
And to begile here wardeynys echon
And forth out of the / cete for to goon
Fol. (423/454) 455r
And for the feldis ben so brode & wide
ffor to mete in on place at on tyde
They settyn marke here metynge wolde be
There kyng nynus was graue out of a tre
ffor olde Payenys that Idolys heryed
Vsedyn tho in feldys to ben beryed
And faste by there graue was a welle
And schortely of this tale for to telle
This couenaunt was affermyd wondyr faste
And longe hym thoughte that the sunne laste
That it nere gon vndyr the se a doun
This tisbe hat so gret affeccioun
And so gret haste Piramus to se
That whan sche say hire tyme myghte be
At nygh sche stal a wey ful pryuyly
With hire face I wymplid subtyly
And alle hire frendis for to saue hire trouthe
Sche hath forsake allas & that is routhe
That euere wolde ben so trewe
To truste man but sche the bet hym knewe
And to the tre sche goth a ful good pas
ffor loue made hire so hardy in this cas
And by the welle a doun sche gan hyre dres
Allas there comyth a wilde lyones
Out of the wode with oute more arest	'e' of 'arest' corrected from 'i'
With blody mouth of strangelynge of a best
To drynkyn of the welle there as sche sat
And whan that tisbe hadde espyed that
Sche rist hire vp with a ful dredy herte
And in a kaue with dredful for sche sterte
ffor by the mone sche say it wel with alle
And as sche ran hire wympil let sche falle
And tok non hed so sore sche was a wapid
And ek so glad that þat sche was escapid
And thus sche sit & darkyth wondyr stylle
Whan that this lyonesse hath dronke hirefille	'e' added ?later in space after 'hir'
A boute the welle gan sche for to wynde
And ryght a non the wympyl gan sche fynde
Ee v
	Fol. (423/454) 455v
And with hire blody mouth it al to rente
What this was don no lengere sche ne stente
But to the wode hire weye thanne hath sche nome
And at the laste this Piramus is come
But al to longe allas at hom was he
The mone schon & myghte wel y se
And in his wey as that he com ful faste
Hise eyen to the ground a doun he caste
And in the sond as he by hild a doun
He sey the steppis brode of a lyoun
And in his herte he sodeynly a gros
And pale he wex therwith his herte a ros
And ner he com & fond the wimpil torn
Allas quod he the day that I was born
This on nyght welevs loueris bothe sle
How schulde I axe mercy of tisbe
Whan I am he that haue 3ow slayn allas
Myn biddyng hath 3ow slayn as in this cas
Allas to bidde a woman gon be nyghte
In place there as peril falle myghte
And I so slayn allas I ne hadde be
Here in this place a furlong weye or 3e
Now what lyoun that be in this forest
Myn body mote he renten or what best
That wilde is gnawe mote he now myn herte
And with that word he to that wympil sterte
And kiste it ofte & wep on it ful sore
And seyde wympil allas there is no more
But thow schat feele as wel the blod of me
As thow hast felt the bledyng of Thisbe
And with that word he smot hym to the herte
The blod out of the wounde as brode sterte
As watyr whan the condit brokyn is
Now Tisbe which that wiste nat of this
But sittynge in hire drede sche thoughte thus
If it so falle that myn piramus
Be comyn hidir & may me not I fynde
He may me holde fals & ek onkynde
Fol. (424/455) 456r
And out she comyth & aftyr hym gan espien
Bothe with hire herte & with hire eyen
And thou3te I wele hym tellyn of myn drede
Bothe of the lyonesse & al myn deede	'a' of 'al' corrected from 'o'; first 'e' of 'deede' over erasure
And at the laste hire loue thane hath sche founde
Betynge with hese helys on the grounde	't' erased before 'hese'
Al blody & therwith a bak sche sterte
And lik the wawis quappe gan hire herte
And pale as box sche was & in a throwe
A visede hire & gan hym wel to knowe
That it was piramus hire herte deere
Ho coude wryte which a dedly cheere
Hath Thisbe tho / & how hire heer she rente	'hire' erased before 'heer'
And how sche gan hire selue to turnemente
And how sche lyth & swounnyth on the grounde
And how she wep of terys ful hise wounde
How medeled she hise blod with hire compleynte
How with hise blod hire selue gan sche pente
How clyppith sche the deede cors allas
How doth this woful tisbe in this cas
How kyssith she his frosty mouth so cold
Ho hath don this & ho hath been so bold
To sle myn lyf o spek myn piramus
Ial thyn Tisbe that the callyth thus
And therwithal he leftyth vp his hed	'sc' erased before 'he'
This woful man that is nat fully ded
Whan that he herde the name of Tisbe cryen
On hire he caste hise heuy dedly eyen
And doun a gayn & 3eldyth vp the gost
Tysbe ryst vp with outyn ony bost
And saw hire wympil & hise emty schede
And ek his swerd that hym hath don to dede
Thanne spak sche thus myn woful hand quod she	?'tho' erased before 'thus'
Is strong I now in swich a werk to me
ffor loue schal 3eue me strenthe & hardynesse
To make myn wounde large I now I gesse
I wele the folwe ded & I wele be
ffelawe & cause of thyn deth quod sche
Ee vj
	Fol. (424/455) 456v
And thow that nothing saue the deth only
Mighte the fro me depare trewely
Thow schat no more departe now fro me
Than from the deth for I wele go with the	something erased after 'fro'--?'st'--before macron, of rather different form, is added
And now 3e wrechede gelos faderys oure
We that whihom were childeryn 3oure	sic: 'whihom'
We preyen 3ow with outyn more enuye
That in on graue that we motyn lye
Sithe loue hath brought vs to his pitous ende
And rygh wis god to euery louere synde
That louyth trewely more prosperite
Than euere 3it hade Piramus & Tisbe
And late no gentyl woman hyre assure
To pottyn hire in swich an avinture	?attempt to make 'i' an 'e' in 'avinture'?
But god forbede but a woman can
Ben as trewe & louynge as a man
And for myn part I schal a non it kythe
And with that word his swerd sche tok a swythe
That warm was of hire louys blod & hot
And to the herte sche hire self smot
And thus is Tisbe & Piramus I go
Of trewe men I fynde but fewe mo
In alle myne bokis saue this piramus
And therfore haue I spokyn of hym thus
ffor it is deynte for vs men to fynde
A man that can in loue been trewe & kynde
Here may 3e se what louere so he be
A woman dare & can as wel as he
G Lorye & honour Virgile Mantoan	3-line 'drop' capital
Be to thyn name & I shal as I can
ffolwe thy lanterne as thow gost by forn
How Enea to Dido was forsworn	is 's' in 'forsworn' added later?
In Naso & Eneydos wele I take
The tenor & the grete effectis make
Whan troye brought was to distruccioun
By grekis sleyghte & namely by Synoun
The legend of Dido	later hand
Queene of Carthage
Fol. (425/456) 457r
ffeynynge the hors I offerede to mynerue
Thorw which that many troyan muste sterue
And ector hadde aftyr his deth apiered
And fyr so wod it my3te nat been steerid
In al the noble toure of ylioun
That of the cete was the chif dongeoun
And al the cuntre was so lowe brought
And Priamus the kyng fordon & nought
And Enyas was chargit by venus
To fleen a wey & he tok ascanius
That was his sone in his rygh hand & fledde
And on his bak he bar & withym ledde
His owene fadyr I clepid Anchises
And by the weye his wif Crusa he les
And meche sorwe hadde he in his mynde
Or that he coude his felaue schepe fynde
But at the laste whan he hadde hem founde
He mad hym redy in a certeyn stounde
And to the se wol faste he gan hem hye
And saylyth forth al his cumpaynye
Toward ytayle as wolde his destene
But of hise auentourys in the se
Nis nat to purpos for to speke of heyre
ffor it acordyth nat to myn matere
But as I seyde of hym & of Dido
Schal be myn tale til that I haue do
So longe he saylede in the salte se
Tyl in libie onethe aryuede he
With schepis vii & with no more nauye
And glad was he to londe for to hye
So was he with the tempest al to shake
And whan that he the hauene hadde take
He hadde a knyght was clepid achates
And hym of al his felaushepe he ches
To gon with hym the cuntre for tespie
He tok with hym no more cumpaynye
But forth they gon & lafte hise schepis ryde
His fere & he with outyn any gyde --
+
	Fol. (425/456) 457v
So longe he walkyth in this wildyrnesse
Til at the laste he mette an hunteresse
A bowe in hande and arwis hadde sche
Hire clothis cutte were vn to the kne
But she was 3it the fayreste creature
That euere was I formyd by nature
And Eneas & Achates sche grette
And thus sche to hem spak whan she hem mette
Saw 3e quod sche as 3e han walkid wyde
Onye of myne susteryn walke 3ow be syde
With ony wilde bor or othir beste
That they han huntid to in this foreste
I tukkid vp with arwis in hire cas
Nay sothly lady quod this Enyas
But by thyn beute as it thynkyt me
Thouw myghtyst neuere erthely woman be
But Phebus systyr art thow as I gesse
And If so be that thow be a goddesse
Haue mercy on oure labour & oure wo
I neam no goddesse sothly quod sche tho
ffor maydenys walkyn in this cuntre here
With arwis & with bowe in this manere
This is the reyne of libie there 3e ben
Of that dido lady is & queen
And shortely tolde hym al the occasyoun
Whi Dido cam in to that regioun
Of whiche as now me lestyth nat to ryme
It nedyth nat it were but los of tyme
ffor this is al & som it was Venus
His owene modyr that spak thus
And to cartage he bad he shulde hym dighte
And vanyschid a non out of his syghte
I coude folwe word for word virgile
But it schule lastyn al the longe while
This noble queen that clepid was dido
That whilom was the wif of Sytheo
That fayrere was than is the bryghte sunne
This noble toun of cartage hath bygunne
Fol. (426/457) 458r
In which sche regnyth in so gret honour
That sche was holdyn^of^alle queenys^the^flour
Of gentillesse of fredomof beute	third minim of 'm' in 'fredom' added in space?
That wel was hym that myghte hire onys se
Of kyngis & of lordis so desyred
That al the world her beute hadde I fyred	?"y" corrected to "r" in "fyred"
Sche stod so wel in euery wightis grace
Whan Enya was come on to that place
Vn to the maystir temple of al the toun
Ther dido was in hire deuocyoun
fful pryuyly his weye thus hath he nome
Whan he was in the large temple come
I can nat seyn If that it be possible
But venus hadde hym makid inuysible
Thus seyt the bok with outyn ony les
And whan this Enyas & Achates A	'A' of 'Achates' blotted; one in margin faded or erased
Haddyn in this temple ben oueral
Thanne founde they depeyntid on the wal
How troye & al the lond distroyed was
Allas that I was born quod Enyas
Thorw out the worl oure shame is kid so wyde
Now it is peyntid up on euery syde
We that weryn in prosperite
Been now disclanderyd & in swich degre
No lengere lyuyn I ne kepe
And with that word he brast out for to wepe
So tendyrly that routhe it was to sene
This frosche lady of the cete queene
Stod in the temple in hire estat ryal
So rychely and ek so fayr with al
So 3ong so lusty with hire eyen glade
That If that god that heuene & erte made
Wolde han a loue for beute & goodnesse
And womanhed & trouthe & semelynesse
Whom shulde he louyn but this lady swete
Ther nys no woman to hym half so mete
ffortune that hath the world in gouernaunce
Hath sodeynly brough in so newe a chaunce
	Fol. (426/457) 458v
That nevere 3it was so fremde a cas
ffor al the cumpaynye of Enyas
With that he wende a lorn in the se
Aryuyd is nat fer from that Cete
ffor which the gretteste of hise lordis some
By auenture ben to the cete come
Vn to that same temple for to seke
The queene & of hire socour to beyseke
Swich renoun was there sprongyn of hire goodnesse
And whan that they hadden told of al here distresse
And al here tempest & here harde cas
Vn to the quyen apiered Enyeas	'e' inserted above 'y' in 'Enyeas'
And opynly he knew that it was he
Ho hadde Ioye thanne but his meyne
That hadde founde here lord here gouernour
The quyen saugh that they dede hym swych honour
And hadde herd ofte of Eneas er tho
And in hire herte she hadde routhe & wo
That euere swich anoble man as he
Schal ben diserityd in swich degre
And saw the man that he was lyk a knyght
And sufficiaunt of persone & of mygh
And lyk to been a verray gentil man
And wel hise wordis he besette can
And hadde a noble visage for thenonys
And formed wel of braun & of bonys
ffor aftyr venus hadde he swich fayrnesse
That no man myghte be half so fayr I gesse
And wel a lord he semede for to be
And for he was a straunger sumwhat sche
Likede hym the bet as god do bote
To sum folk ofte newe thyng is sote
Anon hire herte hath pite of his wo
And with that pete loue come in also
And thus for pete & for gentillesse
Refreschede muste he been of his distresse
And seyde certis that sche sory was
That he hath had swych peryl & swich cas
Fol. (427/458) 459r
And in hire frendely speche in this manere
Sche to hym sp^a^k & seyde as 3e may here
Be 3e nat v^e^nus sone and anchises
In good fey al the worshepe & encres
That I may goodly don 3ow 3e schal haue
3oure shepis & 3oure meyne shal I saue	?"u" in "saue" altered to "v"?
And manye a gentil word sche spak hym to
And comaunded hire massangerys for to go
The same day with outyn any fayle
His shippis for to seke & hem vitayle
Sche manye a beste to the shippis sente	"sche" erased after 'beste'
And with the wyn sche gan hym to presente	?macron over second 'e' of 'presente'?
And to hire real paleys she hire spedde
And Enyas alwey with hire she ledde
What nedyth 3ow the feste to descrive
He neuere atese was betyr in al hese lyve	?last five words over erasure?
fful was the feste of deynteis & rychesse
Of instrumentis of song & of gladnesse
Of manye an amerous lokyng & deuys
This Enyas is come to paradys
Out of the swolw of helle & thus in Ioye
Remembrith hym of his estat in troye
To daunsynge chaumberys ful of paramentys
Of riche beddis & of ornementis
This Enyas is led aftyr the mete
And with the quene / whan he hadde sete
And spicis partid & the wyn agon
Vn to his chambris was he led a non
ffor his ese & for to take his reste	"ff" inserted later over erasure? 'the' erased after 'ffor'
With al his folk to don what so hem leste
There nas courser wel I brydelid non
Ne stede for to iuste wel to gon
Ne large palfrey esy forthenonys
Ne Iewel frettid ful of ryche stonys
Ne sakkis ful of gold of large weyghte
Ne rubye non that shynede be nyghte
Ne gentil hawtein faucoun heroner
Ne hound for hert or wilde bor or der
	Fol. (427/458) 459v
Ne coupe of gold with floreynys newe I bete
That in the land of libie may be gete
ThatDido hath it Enyas I sent	?final 't' in 'That' added in space?
And al is payed what þat he hath spent	unique appearance of "þ"?
Thus can this honurable quene hire gestis calle
As sche that can in fredom passyn alle
Eneas sothly ek with oute les
Hadde sent on to his schip by Achates
Aftyr his sone & aftyr riche thyngis
Bothe septre clothis^ & ek brochis^ ryngis
Some for to were & some to presente
To hym that alle thyngis hym sente	'hym' in error for "hyr"
And bad his sone how that he schulde make
The presentis & to the quyen it take
Repeyrid is this achates agayn
And Enyas ful blysful is & fayn
To sen this blysful sone Ascanyus
But natheles oure autour tellith vs
That Cupido that is the god of loue
At preyere of his modyr hye a boue
Hadde the liknesse of the child I take
This holy queen enamorede to make
On Eneas but as of that scripture
Be as bemay I take of it no cure
But soth is this the queen hath mad swich chere
Vnto this child that wondir is to here
And of the present that his fadyr sente
Sche thankyth hym ful ofte with good entente
Thus is this quyen in plesaunce & in Ioye
With alle these newe lusti folk of troye
And of the dedis hath she more enquyrid
Of Enyas & al the story lerid
Of Troye & al the longe day they tweye
Entendedyn to spekyn & to pleye
Of whiche ther gan to bredyn swich a fyer
That sely Dido hath now swich desyr
With Enyas hire newe geste to dele
That she hath lost hire hewe & ek hire hele
Fol. (428/459) 460r
Now to theffect now comyth the freut of al
Whi I haue told this story & telle schal
Thus I begynne it fil vp on a nyght
Whan that the mone vp reysed hadde his lyght
This noble queene on to hire reste wente
Sche sikyth sore & gan hyre self turnemente
Sche waylith & sche makith manye a breyde
As don these loueris as I haue herd seyde
And at the laste vnto hire systyr anne
Sche made hire mone & ryght thus spak sche thanne
Now leue sistyr myn what may it be
That me agastith in myn slep quod she
This newe troyan is so in myn thought
Me thynkith that he is so wel I wrought
And likli for to ben a man
And ek thereto so mech good he can
That al myn loue & lyf lyth in his cure
Have 3e nat herd his auenture
Now certis anne if that 3e rede it me
I wolde fayn to hym I weddit be
This is theffect what schunde I more seye	'schunde' for "schulde"
In hym lyth al / to do me leue or deye
Hyre systir Anne as she that coude hire good
Seyde as hire thoughte & sumdel it with stod
But herof was so long a sarmounnyng
It were to longe to make rehersyng
But finaly it may nat ben withstande
Loue wil loue for not thing wele it wande
The dawenyng vp rist out of the se
This amerous quien chargith ouremeyne	'oure' for "hire"?
The nettis dresse & speris brode & kene
An. huntyng wolde this lusti frosche queene
So prikyth hire this newe iolye wo
To hors is al his lusty folk I go
In to the court the houndis been I brought
And vp on courseris swift as ony thought
Hire 3onge knyghtis houyn al a boute
And of hire wemen ek an huge route
	Fol. (428/459) 460v
Vp on a thikke palfrey paper whit
With sadyl red enbroudit with delyt
Of gold the barris vp enbosede hye	erasure
Sit Dido al in gold & perre wrye
And she as bright as is the bryght morwe
That helith syke men of nyghtis sorwe
Vp on a courser stertelynge as the fyr
Men myghte turne hym with a litil wyr
Sit Enyas lik phebus to deuyse
So was he frosch arayed in his wyse
The fomy brydil with the bit of gold
Gouernyth he ryght as hym self hath wold
And forth this noble queen this lady ride
On huntynge with this troyan by hyre side
The hirde of hertis Is I founde a non
With hay bobet pryke thow lat gon lat gon
Why nyl the lioun comyn or the bere
That I myghte hym onys mete with this spere
Thus sey these 3onge folk & vp they kylle
These bestys wilde & han hem at here wille
Among al this to rumbelyn gan the heuene
The thundyr rored with a gresely steuene
Doun cam the reyn with hayl & slet so faste
With heuenys fer that it so sore a gaste
This noble quien & also hire meyne
That iche of hem was glad a wey to fle
And schortely from the tempest hire to saue
Sche fledde hireself in to a litil caue
And with hire wente this Enyas also
I not with hem If there wente any mo
The autour makyth of it no mencioun
And here be gan the depe affeccioun
Be twixe hem two this was the ferste morwe
Of hire gladnesse & gynnere of hire sorwe
ffor there hath Enyas I kneled so
And told hire al his erte and al his wo
And swore so depe to hire to be trewe
ffor wel or wo & chaunge hire for no newe
Fol. (429/460) 461r
And as a fals louere so wel can pleyne
That sely dido rewede on his peyne
And tok hym for husbonde & become his wyf
ffor eueremo whil that hym leste lyf
And aftyr whil that the tempest stynte
With myrthe out as they comyn hom they wente
The wikke fame a ros & that a non
How Enias hath with the queen I gon
In to the caue & demede as hem leste
And whan the kyng that yarbis highte it woste
As he that hadde I louyd euere his lyf
And wowede hyre to han hire as his wyf
Swich sorwe as he makede & swich cheere
It is a routhe & pite for to here
But in loue alday it happith so
That on schal layghyn of a notherys wo
Now layhith enias & is in Ioye
And more richesse than euere was in troye
O sely wemen ful of Innocence
fful of pite of trouthe of concience
What makyth 3ow to men to truste so
Have 3e swych routhe vp on hyre feynede wo
And han swich olde ensaumplis 3ow be forn
Se 3e nat alle how that 3e ben forsworn
Where sen 3e on that he ne hath lafthis lief
Or ben onkynde or don hire sum myschief
Or pilid hire or bostid of hise dede
3e may as wel it sen as 3e may it rede
Thak hede now of this grete gentil man
This troyan that so wel hire plesyn can
That feynyth hym so trewe & obeysynge	?second 'y' of 'obeysynge' over an 'n'?'
So gentil & so trewe of his doinge
And can so wel don alle his obeysauncis
And waytyn hire at festis & at dauncis
And whan sche goth to temple & hom a geyn	? 's' in 'sche' added later
And fastyn til he hath his lady seyn
And beryn in hise deuysis for hire sake
Not I not what & songis wolde he make
	Fol. (429/460) 461v
Iustyn & don of Armys manye thyngis
Synde hire letteres to kenys brochis ryngis
Now herkith how he shal his lady serue
There as he was in peril for to sterue
ffor hungyr & for myschif in the se
And desolat & fled from his cuntre
And al his folk with tempest al to dryuyn
Sche hath hire body & ek hire reame 3euyn
In to his hand there as she myghte haue been
Of othere landys than of cartage quien
And lyuyd in Ioye I now what wele 3e more
This Enyas that hat so depe I swore
Is wery of his craft with inne a throwe
The hote ernest is al ouerblowe
And pryuyly he doth hise shepis dyghte
And shapith hym to stele a wey by nyghte
This dido hath suspescioun of this
And thoughte wel that it was al a mys
ffor in hire bed sche lyth a nyght & sykyth
Sche axeth hym a non what hym mys lykyth
Myn dere herte whiche that I loue most
Sertis quod he this nyghtmyn faderys gost	't' of 'nyght' added later in space
Hath in myn slep so sore me tormentid
And ek mercurye his massage hath presentid
That nedis to the conquest of ytayle
Myn destene is sone for to sayle
ffor which me thynkyth brostyn is myn herte
Therwith hise false terys out they sterte
And takith hire with Inne hise armys two
Is that in ernest quod sche wele 3e so
Haue 3e nat sworn to wyue me to take
Allas what weman wele 3e of me make
I am a gentil woman & a quien
3e wele nat from 3oure wif thus foule fleen
That I was born allas what schal I do
To telle in short this noble quen dydo	"so" erased after 'dydo'
Sche sekith halwis & doth sacryfise
Sche knelyth cryeth that routhe is to deuyse
Fol. (430/461) 462r
Coniurith hym & proferyth hym to be
His thral his seruant in the leste gre
Sche fallith hym to fote & swounnyth ther
Discheuele with hire bryghte gilte her
And seyth hauyth mercy & let me with 3ow ryde
These lordis whiche that wonyn me be syde
Wele me distroyen only for 3oure sake
And so 3e wele me now to wiue take
As 3e han sworn thanne wele I 3eue 3ow leue
To slen me with 3oure swerd nowsone at eue
ffor thanne 3it shal I deye as youre wif
I am with childe & 3eue myn child his lyf
Mercy lord hauyth pete in 3oure thought
But al this thing auaylith hire righ nought
ffor on a nyght slepynge he let hire lye
And stal a wey on to his cumpaynye
And as a traytour forth he gan to sayle
Toward the large cuntre of ytayle
Thus he hath laft dido in wo & peyne
And weddede ther a lady hy3te lauyne	erasure: ?'a' after 'ther'
A cloth he lafte & ek his swerd stondynge
Whan he from Dido stal in hire slepynge
Ryght at hire beddys hed so gan he hie
Whan that he stal a wey to his nauye
Which cloth what sely dido gan a wake
Sche hath it kyst & ful ofte for his sake
And seyde o swete cloth whil Iuppiter it leste
Tak now myn soule & brynge it of this onreste
I haue fulfild of fortune al the cours
And thus with outyn his socours	'ur' of 'socours' are a little odd
Twenti tyme I swounyd hath sche thanne
And whanne that sche vn to hire systyr Anne
Compleynede hadde of which I may nat wryte
So gret a reuthe I haue for tendite
And bad hire norice & hire sistir gon
To fechyn fyr & othyr thyng a non
And seyde that sche wolde sacryfye
And whan she myghte hire tyme wel espie
	Fol. (430/461) 462v
Vp on the fir of sacryfise she sterte
And with his swerd she rof hyre herte	'f' of 'rof' added later?
But 3it as myn autour right thus sche seyde
Or she was hurt by forn or she deyede
Sche wrot a lettere a non that thus be gan
Ryght so quod she as that the white swan
A 3ens his deth be gynnyth for to synge
Right so to 3ow make I myn compleynynge
Not that I trowe to getyn 3ow a geyn
ffor wel I wot that it is al in veyn
Syn that the goddis been contrarye to me
But syn myn name is lost thorw 3ow quod she
I may wel lese on 3ow a word or lettere
Al be it that I shal ben neuere the bettere
ffor thilke wynd that blew 3oure schip a wey
The same wynd hath blowe a wey 3oure fey
But ho so wele al this lettere hauyn in mynde
Rede he ouyde & in hym he shal it fynde.
T How rote of falce loueris Duc Iason	4-line 'drop' capital
Thow sly deuourere & confusioun
Of tendere wemen gentil cryaturys
Thow madist thyn recleymyng & thyn luris
To ladyis of thyn statly aparaunce
And of thyne wordis farcede with plesaunce
And of thyne feynede trouthe & thyn manere
With thyn obeysaunce & humble cheere
And with thyne contrefetid peyne & wo
There othere falsyn on thow falsist two
O oftyn sworist thow that thow woldist deye
ffor loue whan thow ne feltist maledye
Saue foul delyt whiche that tow callist loue
3if that I leue thyn name shal be shoue
In englis that thyn sekte shal be knowe
Haue at the Iason now thyn horn is blowe
The legend of Hipsihile and Medea	later hand
But certis
Fol. (431/462) 463r
But sertis it is bothe routhe & wo
That loue with false loueris werkyth so
ffor they schal haue wel betere loue & chere
Than he that hath a bought his loue wol dere
Or hadde in armys manye a blodi box
ffor euere as tendere a capoun et the fox
Thow he be fals & hath the foul be trayed
As shal the goode man that therfore hath payed
Al haue he to the capoun skille & ryght
The false fox wele haue his part at nyght
On Iason this ensaumple is wel I sene
By Isiple & media the queene
In Tessalie as guido tellith vs
There was a kyng that highte pelleus
That hadde a brothyr that highte Eson
And whan for age he myghte vnnethis gon
He 3af to Pelleus the gouernyng
Of al his regne & made hym lord & kyng
Of whiche Eson this Iason getyn was
That in his tyme in al that land there nas
Nat swich a famous knyght of gentilnes
Of fredom & of strenthe & lustynes
Aftyr his fadiris deth he bar hym so
That there nas non that liste ben his fo
But dide hym al honour & compaynye
Of which this Pelleus hadde gret enuye
Imagynynge that Iason myghte be
Enhaunsede so & put in swich degre
Withloue of lordis of his regioun
That from his regne he myghte ben put a doun
In his wit a nyght compassede he
How Iason myghte best distroyed be
With oute sclaundere of his compassement
And at the laste he tok a Vysement
To syndyn hym in to sum fer cuntre
There as this Iason may distroyed be
This was his with al made he to Iason	'is' and 'made' seems added or rewritten
Gret chiere of loue & of affeccioun	'ere of' seems added or rewritten
ff j
	Fol. (431/462) 463v
ffor dred lest hise lordis it espiede
Tho fyl it so as fame rennyth wide
Theere was swich tydying oueral & swich loos
That in an ylde that callid was colcos
Be3onde Troye est ward in the se
That therin was a ram that men may se
That hadde a fles of gold that shon so bryghte
That nower was swich a nothir syghte
But it was kept alwey with a dragoun
And manye othere merveylis vp & doun
And with two bolys makyd al of bras
That spittyin fer & meche othir thyng there was
But this was ek the tale natheles
That who so wolde wynne tylke fles
He muste bothe or he it wynne myghte
With the bole & the dragoun fyghte
And kyng Oetes lord was of that yle
This Pelleus be thoute hym vp on this wile
That he his neveu Iason wolde enhorte
To saylyn to that lond hym to disporte
And seyde neuew If it myghte be
That swich a worchepe myghte fallyn the
That thw this famous tresore myghtist wynne
And bryngyn it myn regioun with inne
It were to me gret plesaunce & honour
Thanne were I holde to quyte thyn labour
And al the cost I wele myn seluyn make
Schis what folk that thow wit with the take
Lat sen now daryst thow take this viage
Iason was 3ong & lusty of corage
And vndyr tok to don this empryse
A non Argus his schepis gan deuyse
And with Iason wente the stronge Ercules
And manye a nothir that he with hym ches
But who so axeth who is with hym gon
Lat hym ryde argonautycoun
ffor he wele telle a tale long I now
Philoteces a non the seyl vp drow
Fol. (432/463) 464r
Whan that the wynd was good & gan hym hye
Out of his cuntre callid Thessalye
So longe he seylith in the salte se
Til in the yle of lenoun aryuede he
Al be this nat rehersid of Gwido
3it seyth ouyde in hise epistelis so
And of this Ile lady was & quien
The fayre 3ynge ysiphele the shene
That thoas doughtyr was the kyng
Isiphile was gon in hire pleying
And romynge on the clyuys by the se
Vndyr a banke anon aspiede she
Where that the ship of Iason gan a ryue
Of hire goodnese a doun she sendyth blythe
To wetyn If that any straunge wight
With tempest were thidyr blowe a nyght
To don hem socour as was hire vsaunce
To fortheryn euery wight & to don plesaunce
Of verry bounte & of curteysye
This messangeer a doun hym gan to hye
And fond Iason & Ercules also
That in a cog to londe were I go
Hem to refrosche & for to take the eyr
The morwynge attempre was & fayr
And in his weye this massanger hym mette
fful cunnyngely these lordis two he grette
And dede his massage axinge hym a non
If they were brokyn or ought wo begon
Or haddyn nede of lodman or vitayle
Or of socour they schulde no thyng fayle
ffor it was outrely the quien is wille
Iason answerde mekely & stylle
Myn lady quod he thanke I hertyly
Of hire goodnesse vs nedyth trewely
Nothyng as now but that we wery be
And come for to pleye out of the se
Tyl that the wynd be bettyr in hire weye
This lady romyth by the clyf to pleye
ff ij
	Fol. (432/463) 464v
Wyth hire meyne endelong the stronde
And fyndith Iason & these othere stonde
In spekynge of this thyng as I 3ow tolde
This Ercules & Iason gan be holde
How that the queen it was & fayre hire grette
Anon ryght as they with this lady mette
And sche tok hed & knew by hyre manyere
By hire aray by wordys & by chiere
That it were gentil men of gret degre
And to the castel with hire ledyth she
These straunge folk & doth hem gret honour
And axeth hem of trauayle & labour
That they han suffered in the salte se
So that with inne a day or two or thre
Sche knew by folk that in his shepis be
That it was Iason ful of renone
And Ercules that hadde tho gret los
That soughtyn the auenturys of Calcos
And dede hem honour more than be fore
And with hem delede euerelengere the more
ffor they ben worthy folk with oute les
And namely most she spak with ercules
To hym hire herte bar he shulde be
Sad wys & trewe of wordys a vyse
With outen any othir affeccioun
---- >
This Ercules hath so this Iason preysid	'a' in left margin
That to the sunne he hath hym vp areysid	'he' erased after 'he'
That so trewe a man there nas of loue
Vndyr the cape of heue that is a boue
And he was wis hardy secre & ryche
Of these thre poyntis there nas no man hym liche
Of fredom passede he & lustyhede
Alle tho that lyuyn & been dede
Therto so gret a gentilman was he
And of thessalye likly kyng to be
There nas no lak but that he was a gast
To loue & for to spke shamefast	'&' is the second form
Of loue or euyl ymagynacyoun	'b' in left margin
Fol. (433/464) 465r
Hym selue to mordere & deye
Than that men shude a louere hym espye
As wolde god that þat I hadde 3eue
Myn blod & flesch so that I myghe leue
With nonys so that he hadde a wif
ffor hyse estat for whiche a lusty lyf
Sche shulde lede with this lusty knyght
And al this was compassid in the nyght
By twixe hym Iason & this Ercules
Of these two here was a shrewede lees
To come to house vp on an Innocent
ffor to be dote this queen was here assent
And Iason is as coy as is a mayde
He lokyth pitously but nought he sayde
But frely 3af he to hire conseylerys
3iftis grete & to hire offiserys
As wolde god I leyser hadde & tyme
By proces al his wowying for to ryme
But in this hous If ony fals louere be
Ryth as hym self doth rygh so dede he
With feynynge & with euery subtyl dede
3e gete na more of me but 3e wele rede
Thorigynal that tellyth al the cas
The somme is this that Iason weddit was
Vn to this queen & tok of it substaunce
What so hym leste onto his puruyaunce
And vp on hire be gat he childeryn two
And drow his sayl & saw hym neuere mo
A lettere sente she to hym serteyn
Whiche were to longe to wryte & to sen
And hym reprevith of his ontrouthe
And preyeth on hire to haue sum routhe
And of hire childeryn two she seyde hym this
That they ben lyk of alle thynge I wis
To Iason save they coude nat be gile
And preyede to god or it were long while
That she that hadde hire herte I raft hire fro
Muste fyndyn hym ontrewe also
ff iij
	Fol. (433e/464) 465v
And that sche muste bothe hire chylderyn spylle
And alle tho that sufferede hym his wille
And trewe to Iason was she al hire lyf
And euere kepte hire chast as for his wif
Ne nevere hadde she Ioye at hire herte
But deyede for his loue / of sorwe smerte
To calcos comyn is this Duc Iason	'n' of 'comyn' corrected from 't'/'c'?
That is of loue devoure & dragoun
As matier apetitith forme alwey
And from forme in to forme it passyn may
Or as a welle that were botemeles
Ryght so can false Iason haue no pes
ffor to desyryn thorw his apetit
To don with gentil wemen his delyt
This is his lust & his felicite
Iason is romyd forth to the Cyte
That whilom clepid was Iaconitos
That was the mayster toun I clepid Colcos
And hath I told the cause of his comyng
Vn to Oetes of that cuntre kyng
Preyinge hym that he must don his assay
To gete the fles of gold If that he may
Of whiche the kyng assentede to his bone
And doth hym honour as it was to done
So fer forth that his doughtyr& his ayr
Media that was so wis & fayr
That fayrere say there neuere man with eye
He made hire don to Iason cumpaynye
At mete & sitte by hym in the halle
Now was Iason a semely man with alle
And lyk a lord & hadde a gret renoun
And of his lok as real as a leoun
And goodly of his speche & familer
And coude of loue al the craft & art pleyner
With oute bok & eueryche obseuaunce
And as fortune hire oughte a foul myschaunce
Sche wex enamourrid vp on this man
Iason quod sche for ought I se or can
Fol. (434/465) 466r
As of this thyng of whiche 3e ben a boutyn	a tear damages the '3' of '3e'
3e han 3oure self put in meche doute
ffor ho so wele this auenture acheue
He may nat wel astertyn as I leue
With outyn deth but I his helpe be
But natheles it is myn wylle quod she
To fortheryn 3ow so that 3e schal nat die
But turnyn sound hom to 3oure tessalye
Myn ryght lady quod this Iason tho
That 3e han of myn deth or of myn wo
Any reward & don me this honour
I wot wel that myn mygh ne myn labour
May not disserue it in myn lyuys day
God thanke 3ow there I ne can ne may
3oure man I am &louely 3ow be seche
To ben my helpe with oute more speche
But sertis for myn deth schal I nat spare
Tho gan this Media to hym declare
The peril of this cas from poynt to poynt
And of his batayle & in what disioynt
He muste stonde of whiche no cryature
Saue only she ne myghte his lyf assure
And shortely to the poynt ryght for to go
They been acordit ful by twixe hem two
That Iason shal hire wedde as trewe knyght
And terme set to come sone at nyght
Vn to hire chambir & make there hise oth
Vp on the goddys that he for lef or loth
Ne shulde neuere hire false nyght ne day
To ben hire husbonde while he lyue may
As she that from his deth hym sauyth here
And here vp a nyght they mette in feere
And doth his oth & goth with hire to bedde
And on the morwe vpward he hym spedde
ffor she hath taught hym how he shal nat fayle
The fles to wynne & stynted his batayle
And sauede hym his lyf & his honour
And gat hym a name ryth as a conquerour
ff iiij
	Fol. (434/465) 466v
Rygh thorw the sleyte of hire enchantement
Now hath Iason the fles & hom is went
With Media & tresor ful gret won
But on wist of hire fadyr is she gon
To Tessaly with with duk Iason hire lef
That aftyrward hat brought hire to myschef
ffor as a traytour he is from hire go
And with hire lafte hire 3ynge childere two
And falsely hath be traysede hire allas
As euere in loue a thef & traytour he was
And weddyth 3it the thredde wif a non
That was the doughtyr of the kyng Creon
This is the mede of louynge & guerdoun
That Medya receyuyth of Iason
Rygh for hire treuthe & for hire kyndenesse
That louede hym betere than hire self I gesse
And lafte hire fadyr & hire erytage
And of Iason this is the vassellage
That in hise dayis nas there non I founde
So fals a louere goinge on the grounde
And therfore in hire lettere thus she seyde
ffyrst of his falsenesse whan she hym vpbreyde
Whi lykede me thyn 3elwe her to se
More than the boundys of myn oneste
Why lykede me thyn 3outhe & thyn fayrnesse
And of thyn tunge the infynyt graciousnesse
O haddist thow in thyn conquest ded I be
fful meche ontrouthe hadde deyed with the
Wel can ouyde hire lettere in Vers endyte
Whiche were as now to longe for me to wryte
N Ow mote I seyn the exilynge of kyngis	4-line 'drop' capital
Of Rome for here orible doingis
Of the laste kyng Tarquinius
As seyth ouyde & Titus lyuius
The Legend of Lucrece of Rome	later hand
Fol. (435/466) 467r
But for that cause ne telle I nat this storye
But for to preyese & drawe to me memorye
The verry wif the verry trewe lucresse
That for hyre wifhod & hire stedefastenesse
Nat only that these payenys hire comende
But he that clepid is in oure l^e^gende
The grete Austyn hath gret compassioun
Of this lucresse that starf at rome toun
And in what wise I wele but shortely trete
And of al this thyng I tuche but the grete	'I' is corrected from '&'
Whan Ardea be seged was a boute
With romeynys that ful sterne were & stoute
fful longe lay the sege & lytil wroughten
So that they were half Idyl as hem thou3ten
And in his pley tarquinius the 3onge
Gan for to Iape for he was lyght of tunge
And seyde it was an ydil lyf
No man dide there no more than his wif
And lat vs speke of weyuys & that is best
Preyse euery man his owene as hym lest
And with oure speche lat vs ese oure herte
A knyght that highte Colatyn vp sterte
And seyde thus nay sire it is no nede
To trowyn on the word but on the dede
I haue a wif quod he that as I trowe
Is holdyn good of alle that euere hire knowe
Go we to nyght to rome & we shal se
Terquinius answerde that likyth me
To rome be they come & faste hem dyghte
To Colatynys hous & doun they lyghte
Tarquinius & ek this Colatyn
The husbonde knew the estris wel & fyn
And ful priuyly in to the hous they gon
Nor at the 3ote porte nas there non
And at the chambre dore they gan abyde
This noble wif sat by hire beddys side
Discheuele for no maleyce she ne thoughte
And softe wolle seyth that she wroughte
ff v
	Fol. (435/466) 467v
To kepe hire from slouthe & Idilneffe	'ff' for 'ss'
And bad hire seruauntis don hire besynesse
And axith hem what tydyngis hery 3e
How seyth men of the sege how shal it be
God wolde the wal were falle a doun
Myn husbonde is so longe out of this toun
ffor which the drede doth me so sore smerte
That with a swerd me thynkyth that to myn herte
It styngith me whan I thynke on that place
God saue myn lord I preye hym for his grace
And there with al ful tendirly sche wep
And of hire werk tok no more no kep
And mekely hyre eyen let she falle
And tilke semblant sat hire wel with alle
And hire teris ful of oneste
Emblemyschid hire wifly chastite
And with that word hire husbonde colatyn
Or she was war come stertynge In
And seyde drede the nat for I am here
And she a non vp ros with blysful chere
Hyre cuntenaunce is to hire herte dygne
ffor they accord bothe in dede & sygne
And kiste hym as of wiuys is the wone
Tarquinius this proude kyngis sone
Conseyuede hath hire beute & hyre cheere
Hire 3elwe her hire shap & hire manere
Hire hew hire wordis that she hath compleynyd
And by no craft hire beute nas nat feynyd
And caughte to this lady swich desyr
That in his herte brende as any fer
So wodly that his wit is al forgetyn
ffor he woste wel she wolde nat ben getyn
And ay the more that he was in dispayr
The more coueyth hire & thoughte hire fayr
This blynde lust was al his coueytynge
A morwe whan the brid be gan to synge
Vn to the sege he comyth ful priuily
And by hym self he walkyth sobirly
Fol. (436/467) 468r
Thymage of hire recordynge alwey newe
Thus lay hire her & thus frosch was hyre hewe
Thus sat thus spak thus span thus was hire chere
Thus fayr sche was & thus was hire manere
Al this conseit hys herte hath now I take
And as the se with tempest al to shake
3it aftyr whan the storm is al a gon
3it wele the watyr quappe a day or two
Rygh so thow that hire forme were absent
The plesaunce of hire forme was present
Natheles nat plesaunce but delit
Or an onrighful talent with dispit
ffor maugre hyre she schal myn leman be
Hap helpith hardy man alday quod he	'y' of 'alday' corrected from 'r'?, with 'y' above, also--and extra following space
What ende that I make it shal be so
And gerte hym with his swerd & gan to go
And forth he rit til he to Rome is come
And al a lone his weye hathe he nome
Vn to the hous of Colatyn ful ryght
Doun was the sonne & day hath lost hire lyght
And in he comyth in to a priue halk
And in the nyght ful thefly gan he stalk
Whan euery wight was to his reste braught
Ne no wight hadde of tresoun swich a thought
Were it by wyndow or by othyr gyn
With swerd drawe shortly he come In
There as sche lay the noble wif Lucresse
And as she wok hire bed she felte presse
What beste quod she is that weyeth thus
I am the kyngis sone tarquinius
Quod he but & thow crye or noyse make
Or If there ony creature awake
By thilke god that formede man a lyue
This swerd thorw out thyn hrete shal I ryue
And therewith al in to hire throte he sterte
And sette the poynt al sharp vp on hire herte
No word she spak she hath no myght therto
What shal she seyn hire wit is al a go
ff vj
Fol. (436/467) 468v]
Rytht as a wolf that fynt a lomb a lone
To whom shal she compleyne or make mone
What shal she fyghte with an hardy knyght
Wel wot men that a woman hath no myght
What shal she crye or how shal she asterte
That hast hire by the throte with a swerd at herte
She axeth grace & seyth al that she can
Ne wilt how nat quod he this crewel man
As wisely Iupiter myn soule sawe
As I shal In the stable slen thyn knawe
And ley hym In thyn bed & loude crye
That I the fynde In auouterye
And thus thow shalt be ded & also lese
Thyn name for thow shalt non othir chese	'w' in 'thow' seems written oddly over something else
These Romeyn wyuys louede so here name
At Ilke tyme & dredde so here shame
That what for fer or sclaundere & drede of deth
Sche loste bothe at onys bothe with & breth	first 'bothe' subpuncted, and struck through
And in a swc she lay & wex so ded	'c' of 'swc' may be a half 'o'
Men myghte smyte of hire arm or hed
Sche felyth no thyng neythir foul ne fayr
Tarquinius that art a kyngis Ayr
And sholdist as be lynage & be ryght
Don as a lord & as a worthi knyght
Whi hast tow don dispit to chiualrye
Whi hast thow don this lady vilanye
Allas of the this was a vileyn dede
But now to purpos in the story I rede
Whan this was gon & this myschaunce befalle
This lady sent aftyr hire frendis alle
ffodyr modyr husbonde alle In feere
And al discheuele with hire herys cleere
In abit swich as wemen vsyn tho
Vn to the buryinge of hire frendys go
Sche sit In halle with a sorweful sighte	'sighte' written over an erasure
Hyre fryndys axen what hire eylyn myghte
And who was ded & she sit ay wepynge
A word for shame forth ne myght she brynge
	Foliomissing lines 1836-1907: end of Lucresse and beginning of Adryane
Fol. (437/469) 470r
That nysus doughtyr stod vp on the wal
And of the sege saw the maner al
So happid it that at a scarmuchyng
She caughte hyre herte vp on Mynos the kyng
ffor his beute & for his chyualrye
So sore that she wende for to deye
And shortely of this proces for to pace
She made Mynos wynnyn tilke place
So that the site was al at his wille
To sauyn hem hym leste or ellis spille
But wikkedely he quitte hire kyndenesse
And let hire drenche in sorwe & in distresse
Nere that the goddis hadde of hire pite
But that tale were to longe as now for me
But this theffect that Mynos hath so dreuyn
Hem of Athenys that they mot hym 3euyn
ffrom 3er to 3er hire owene childeryn dere
ffor to be slayn righ as 3e shal here
This Mynos hadde a monstre a wekede best
That was so crewel that with oute arest
Whan that a man was brou3t in his presence
He wolde hym ete ther helpith no defence
And euery thredde with oute doute
They caste lot & as it fil a boute
On riche or pore he muste his sone take
And of his child he muste present make
To Theseus to save hym or to spylle	'Theseus' is a very interesting slip for 'Minos'}
Or lete his beste deuoure hym at his wille
And this hath Mynos don ryght In dispit
To wreke his sone was set al his delyt
And makyn hem of Athenys his thral
ffrom 3er to 3er whil that he leuyn shal
And hom he saylyth whan the toun is wonne
This wekede custome is so longe I ronne
Til that of Athenys kyng Eegeus
Mote syndyn his owene sone Theseus
Sithe that the lot is fallyn hym vp on
To ben deuouryd for grace is there non
	Fol. (437/469) 470v
And forth is gon this woful 3onge knght
Onto the court of kyng Mynos ful ryght
And in to a prysoun feterid cast is he
Tyl the ilke tyme he shulde fretyn be
Wel maystow wepe o woful thesyus
That art a kyngis sone & dampned thus
Me thynkith thus that thow were depe I holde
To hym that savede the from caris colde
And If now ony woman helpe the
Wel aughtist tow hire seruant for to be
And ben hire trewe louere 3er be 3er
But now to come a geyn to myn matyr
The tour there as this thesyus is throwe
Doun in the boteme dyrk & wondyr lowe
Was Ioynynge in the wal to a foreyne
And it was longynge to the doughteryn tweyne
Of Thesius that in hire chaumberys grete
Dwelledyn a bowe toward the maystyr strete
Of Athenys in Ioye & in solas /
Not I not how it happid par cas
As Thesyus compleynede hym be nyghte
The kyngis doughtyr Adryane that highte
And ek hire systyr ffedra herdyn al
His compleynynge as they stodyn on the wal
And lokedyn vp on the bryghe mone
Hem leste nat to gon to bedde sone
And of his wo they haddyn compassioun
A kyngis sone to ben In swich a prysoun
And ben deuoured thoughte hem gret pete
This Adryane spak to hire systeryn fre
And seyde leue systyr phedra dere
This woful lordys sone may 3e nat here
How pitously compleynyth he his kyn
And ek his pouere astat that he is In
And giltles now certeyn it is routhe
And If 3e wele assentyn by myn trouthe
He shal ben holpyn how so euere we do
Phedra answerde I wis me is as wo
Fol. (438/470) 471r
ffor hym as euere I was for man
And to his helpe the beste red I can
Is that we do the gayler priuyly
To come & speke with vs hastily
And don this woful man with hym to come
ffor If he may this monstre ouercome
Thanne were he quyt ther is non other bote
Lat vs wel taste hym at his herte rote
If so be that he a wepene have
Where that he dar his lyf to kepe & saue
ffyghtyn with the fend & hym defende
ffor In the prysoun ther he shal dessende
3e wete wel that the beste is in a place
That nys nat derk / & hath bothe roum & space
And wilde an ax or swerd or staf or kynf	sic: 'kynf'
So that me thynkyth he shulde save his lyf
If that he be a man he shal don so
And we shul make hym ballis ek also
Of wex & tow / that whan he gapith faste
In to the bestis throte he shal hem caste
To slake his hungir & encombre his teth
And right a non what that Thesyus seth
The beste achokid he shal as hym lepe	strange form for the 'a' of 'achokid'--corrected from 'o' perhaps
And slen hym as they comyn more to hepe
This wepne shal the gayler or that tyde
fful rriuyly with inne the prysoun hyde
And for the hous is knynkeled two & fro
And hath so queynte weyis for to go
ffor it is shapyn as the mase is wrought
Therto haue I a remedye In myn thought
That by a crewe of twyn as he hath gon	upper right of 'r' in 'crewe' erased?
The same weye he may returne a non
ffolwynge alwey the thred as he hath come
And whan that he this beste hath ouercome
Thanne may he flen a wey out of this drede
And ek the gayler may he with hym lede
	Fol. (438/470) 471v
And hym auaunce at hom In his cuntre
Syn that so gret a lordis sone is he
This is myn red If that he dare it take
What sholde I lengere sarmoun of it make
This gayler comyth & with hym Thesyus
And whan these thyngis ben a cordit thus
A doun sit Thesyus vp on his kne
The rygh lady of myn lyf quod he
I sorweful man dampnede to the deth
ffro 3ow whil that me lestyth lyf or breth
I wil nat twynne aftyr this auenture	'I' corrected from 'ff'
But in 3oure servise thus I wele endure
That as a wreche vnknowe I wele 3ow serve
ffor euere mo til that myn herte sterue
fforsake I wele at hom mynherytage	'h' in 'herytage' squeezed in later
And as I seyde ben of 3oure court a page
If 3e vouche saf that in this place
3e graunte me to han so gret a grace
That I may han nat but myn mete & drynk
And for myn sustenaunce 3it wele I swynk
Rygh as 3ow leste that Mynos ne no wight
Syn that he saw me neuere with eye syght
Ne non ellis shal me cunne espye
So slyly & so wel I shal me gye
And me so wel disfigure & so lowe
That in this world ther shal no man me knowe
To han myn lyf & for to han presence
Of 3ow that don me this excellence
And to myn fadyr shal I sende hir
This worthi man that is now 3oure gayler
And hym to gwerdone that he shal wel be
On of the gretteste man of myn cuntre
And If I durste seyn myn lady bryght
I am a kyngis sone & ek a knyght
So wolde god If that it myghte be
3e weryn In myn cuntre alle thre
And I with 3ow to bere 3ow compaignye
Thanne shulde 3e se If that I therof lye
Fol. (439/471) 472r
And If I profre 3ow In low manere
To ben 3oure page & seruyn 3ow ryght here
But I 3ow serve as louly In that place
I preye to Mars so 3ee 3ow swich a grace
That shamys deth on me than mote falle
And deth & poverte to mynne frendys alle
And that myn spirit be nyghte mote go
Aftyr myn deth & walke two & fro
That I mote of traytour haue a name
ffor whiche myn sprit goth to do me shame
And If I euere cleyme othir degre
But If 3e vouche saf to 3eue it me
And I haue seyd of shamys deth I deye
And mercy lady I can nat ellis seye
A semely knyght was thesius to se
And 3ong but of a twenty 3ir & thre
But ho so hadde seyn his cuntenaunce
He wolde a wept for routhe of his penaunce
ffor which this Adryane In this manere
Answerde hym to his profre & to his chere
A kyngis sone & ek a knyght quod she
To ben myn seruaunt In so low degre
God shilde it for the shame of wemen alle
And leue me neuere swich a cas be falle
But synde 3ow grace of slyghte & herte also
3ow to defende & knyghtly slen 3oure fo
And leue here aftyr that I may 3ow fynde
To me & to myn systyr here so kynde
That I repente nat to 3eue the lyf
3it were it betere that I were 3oure wyf
Syn that 3e ben as gentil born as I
And hauyn a reume nat but fasteby
Than that I sufferede giltles 3ow sterve
Or that I let 3ow as a page serue
It nys no profre as on to 3oure kynrede
But what is that men nyl don for drede
An to myn systyr syn that it Is so
That she mot gon with me If that I go
	Fol. (439/471) 472v
Or ellis suffere deth as wel as I
That 3e vnto 3oure sone as trewely
Don hire ben weddit at 3oure hom comyng
This is the fenal ende of al this thyng
3e swere it here vp on al that may be sworen
3a lady myn quod he or ellis torn
Mote I be with the mynatour to morwe
And hauyth here of myn herte blod to borwe
If that 3e wele If I hadde knyf or spere
I wele it latyn out & theron swere
ffor thanne at erst I wot 3e wele me leue
By Mars that is the chif of myn beleue
So that I myghte leuyn & nat fayle
To morwe for tacheue myn batayle
I wolde neuere from this place fle
Til that 3e shulde the verray preue se
ffor now If that the sothe I shal 3ow say
I haue I louyd 3ow ful manye a day
Thow 3e ne wiste it nat in myn cuntre
And aldermost desirede 3ow to se
Of any erthely leuynge creature
Vp on myn trouthe I swere & 3ow ensure
This seuene 3er I haue 3oure seruaunt be
Now haue I 3ow & also haue 3e me
Myn dere herte of Athenys duchesse
This lady smylith at his stedefast nesse
And at his hertely wordis & his chere
And to hyre sistyr seyde in this mane
Al softely systyr myn quod she
Now be we duchessis bothe I & 3e
And sekerede to the regalys of Athenys
And bothe hereaftyr likly to ben quenys
And sauyd from his deth a kyngis sone
As euere of gentil wemen is the wone
To saue a gentyl man emforth hire myght
In honest cause & namely In his ryght
Me thynkyth no wight oughte herof vs blame
Ne beryn vs therfore an euyl name
Fol. (440/472) 473r
And shortely of this mater for to make
This thesius hath of hire leue take
And euery poynt was parformed In dede
As 3e han In this couenaunt herd me rede
His wepne his clewe his thyng that I haue sayd
Was by the gayler in the hous I leyd
Ther as this Mynatour hath his dwellyng
Rygh faste by the dore at his entryng
And Thesyus is lad onto his deth
And forth vnto this mynatour he geth
And by the techynge of this Adryane
He ouercom this beste & was his ban
And out he comyth by the clewe a gayn
fful priuyly whan he this beste hath slayn
And by the gayler getyn hath a barge
And of his wyuys tresor gan it charge
And tok his wif & ek hire sistyr fre
And ek the gayler & with hym alle thre
Is stole a wey out of the lond be nyghte
And to the cuntre of Ennepye hym dyghte
There as he hadde a frend of his knowynge
There feste they there daunce they & synge
And in hise armys hat this adryane
That of the beste hat kept hym from his bane
And gat hym there a newe barge a non
And of his cuntre folk a ful gret won
And takyth his leue & homward saylyth he
And in an yle a myd the wilde se
Ther as there dwellede cryatur non
Saue wilde bestis & that ful manyon
He made his ship a londe for to sette
And in that yle half a day he lette
And seyde that on the lond he muste hym reste
His maryneris han don rygh as hym leste
And forth to tellyn shortly in this cas
Whan adryane his wif a slepe was
ffor that hire systyr fayrere was than she
He takyth hire In his hond & forth goth he
	Fol. (440/472) 473v
To shepe & as a traytour stal his wey
Whil that this Adryane a slepe lay
And to his cuntreward he saylith swythe
A twenty deuelewey the wynd hym dryue
And fond his fadyr drenchid in the se
Me leste no more to speke of hym parde
These false louerys poysoun be here bane
But I wele turne a geyn to Adryane
That Is with slep with werynesse a take
fful sorwefully hire herte may a wake
Allas for the myn herte hath now pete
Ryght In the dawynnyng awakyth she
And graspith In the bed & fond ryght nought
Allas quod she that euere that I was wrought
I am betrayed & al hire her to rent
And to the stronde barefot faste she went
And cryede Thesius myn herte swete
Where be 3e that I may nat with 3ow mete
And myghte thus with bestys ben I slayn
The holwe rokkis answerden hire a gayn
No man she saw & 3it shynede the mone
And hye vp on a rokke she wente sone
And saw his barge saylynge in the se
Cold wex hire herte & rygh thus seyde she·
Mekere than 3e fynde I the bestis wilde
Hadde he nat synne that hire thus be gylid
She cryede o turne a geyn for routhe & synne
Thyn barge hath nat al his myne Inne
Hire couerchif vp on a pole stekede she
Ascaunce that he shulde it wel I se
And hym remembre that she was be hynde
And turne a geyn & on the stronde hire fynde
But al for nought his weye he is I gon
A doun she fyl aswoune vp on a ston
And vp she rysith & kyssith in al hire care
The steppis of his fet ther he hath fare
And to hire bed ryght thus spekyth tho
Tow bed quod she that hast receyuyd two
Fol. (441/473) 474r
Thow shat answere of two & nat of on
Where is thyn grettere part a wey I gon
Allas where shal I wreche wight become
ffor thow so be that boot here ne cone
Hom to to myn cuntre dare I nat for drede
I can myn selue In this cas nat rede
What shulde I more telle hire compleynynge
It is so long it were an heuy thynge
In hire epistil noso tellyth al
But shortly to the ende I telle shal
The goddys han hire holpyn for pite
And In the signe of taurus men may se
The stonys of hire Corone shyne clere
I wele no more speke of this mateere
But thus this false louere can begyle
His trewe loue the deuyl quyte hym his while
The Legend of Philomene	later hand
T How 3euere of the formys that hast wrought	4-line 'drop' capital
This fayre world & bar it In thyn thought
Eternaly er thow thyn werk beganne
Why madist thow on to the slaundere of man
Or al be that it was nat thyn doinge
As for that fyn to make swich a thynge
Whi sufferist thow that tereus was bore
That is In loue so fals & so forswore
That from this world vp to the ferste heuene
Coruptyh whan that folk his name nemene	all after first word written over erasure, some of which can be read: e.g., 'name nemene'
And as to me so gresely was his dede
That whan that I his foule storye rede
Mynne eyen wexe foule & sore also
3it lestyth the venym of so longe a go
That it enfectyth hym that wele be holde
The storye of Therius of whiche I tolde
Of trace was he lord & kyn to Marte.
The crewel god that stant with body darte.
	Fol. (441/473) 474v
And weddid hadde he with blysful cheere
Kyng pandionys fayre doughtyr dere
That highte Progne flour of that cuntre
Thow Iune lyst nat at the feste to be
Ne Imeneus that god of wedyng is
But at the feste redy ben I wis
The furies thre with al here mortal brond
The oule al nyght a boute te balkis wond
That prophete is of wo & of myschaunce
This reuel ful of song ek of daunce
Laste a forenyght or lytillasse
But shortely of this story for to passe
ffor I am wery of hym for to telle
ffyue 3er his wif & he to gedere dwelle
Til on a day she gan so sore longe
To sen hire sistyr that she say nat longe
That for desyr she nyste what to seye
But to hire husbonde be gan she for to preye
ffor godys loue that she muste onys gon
Hyre systyr for to se & come a non
Or ellis but she must with hire wend
She preyeth hym ho wolde aftyr hir synde
And this was day be day al hire preyere
With humblesse of wifhod word & chere
This Therius let make hise shepis 3are
And In to grece hymself is forth I fare
Vn to his gadyr in lawe gan he preye
To vouche saf that for a monyth or tweye
That Philomene his wyuys systyr myghte
On Pregne his wif myghte onys han a syghte
And she shanl come to 3ow a geyn a non	clear macron over 'a' of 'shal'
Myn self with hyre wele bothe come & gon
And as myn hertis lyf I wele hire kepe
This olde pandion this kyng gan wepe
ffor tendirnesse of herte for to leue
His doughtyr gon & for to 3eue hire leue
Of al this world he louyth no thyng so
But at the laste leue hath she to go	hole in MS caused indentation of this line
for philomene
Fol. (442/474) 475r
ffor philomene with salte teris eke
Gan of hire fadyr grace to beseke
To sen hire systyr that she lovith so
And hym embrasyth with hire armys two
And therwithal so 3ong & fayr was she
That whan that Thereus saw hire beute
And of aray that ther was non hire lyche
And 3it of Beute was she two so ryche
He caste his fery herte vp on hyre so
That he wil haue hir how so euere he do
And with hise wilis he so fayre hire preyede
Tyl at the laste pandyon thus seyde
Now sone quod he that art to me so dere
I the be take myn 3onge doughtyr here
That beryth the keye of al myn hertes lyf
And gret me wel myn doughtyr & thyn wif
And 3if hire leue sumtyme for to pleye
That she may sen me onys er I deye
And sotly he hath mad hym riche feste
And to hise folk the moste & ek the leste
That with hym com & 3af hym 3iftys grete
And hym conueyeth thorw the mayster strete
Of Athenes & to the se hym brou3te
And turnyth hom no maleyce he ne thoughte
The oris pullyn forth the vessel faste
And in to trace aryuyth at the laste
And vp in to a forest he hire ledde
And to a kaaue pryuyly hym spedde	first 'a' of 'kaaue' corrected from 'n'?
And in this dirke caue If hir leste
Or leste nat he bad hire for to reste
ffor whiche hire herte aros & seyde thus	'r' in 'aros' is not altogether clear or fully formed--?result of a blot or erasure
Were is myn sistyr borthir Tireus
And therwith al she wepte tendyrly
And quok for fere pale & pitously
Ryth as the lamb that of the wolf is bityn
Or as the Culuer that of the egle is smetyn
And is out of his clawis forth escapid
3it it is aferyd & a whapid ~~~~~
Gg j
	Fol. (442/474) 475v
List it be hent eft sonys so that she
But vttyrly it may non othyr be
By force hat he this traytour don that dede
That he hath reft hire of hire maydyn hede
Maugre hire hed by strenthe & by hise myght
Lo here a dede of men & that a ryght
Sche cryeth systyr with ful loude a steuene
And fadyr dere & help me god in heuene
Al helpith nat & 3it this false thef
Hath don this lady 3it a more myschef
ffor fere lyst she shulde his shame crye
And don hym opynly a vilenye
And with his swerd hire tonge of keruyth he
And in a castel made hire for to be
fful pryuyly in prisoun euere more
And kepte hire to his vsage & his store
So that she myghte hym neuere more asterte
O sely Phiomene wo is thyn herte
God wreke the & sende the thyn bone
Now is it tyme I make an ende sone
This tereus Is to his wif I come
And in his armys hath his wif I nome
And pitously he wep & shok his hed
And swor that he say his sistyr ded
ffor which this sely progne hath swich wo
That nygh hire sorweful herte brak a two	'w' in 'sorweful' looks odd, ?correction
And thus In terys lete I progne dwelle
And of hire sistyr forth I wele 3ow telle
This woful lady lernede hadde in 3oughte
So that she werkyn & enbroude couthe
And weuyn In hire stol the radyuore
As it of wemyn hath be wonid 3ore
And sothly for to seyne she hadde hire fille
Of mete & drynk & clothyng at hire wille
She coude rede & wel I now endyte
But with a penne coude she nat wryte
But letterys coude she weue two & fro
So that by the 3er was al a go
Fol. (443/475) 476r
She hadde I wouyn In a stamyn large
How she was brough from Athenys in a Barge
And In a caue how that she was browt
And al the thyng that Tereus hath wrought
She waf it wel & wrot the storye a boue
How she was seruyd for hire systyris loue
And to a knave a ryng she 3af a non
And preyede hym with signys to gon
Vn to the queen & beryn hire that cloth
And be signys swor hym manye an oth
She wolde hym 3euyn what she getyn myghte
This knave a non on to the qe^e^ne hym dyghte	'qeene' corrected from 'caue'
And tok it hire & al the maner hire tolde
And whan that progne hath this thing be holde
No word she spak for sorwe & ek for rage
But feynede hire to gon on pilgrymage
To Bacus temple & In a litil stounde
Hire dombe sistyr sittynge hat she founde
Wepynge In the castel here a lone
Allas the compleynt the wo & the mone
That Progne vp on hire doumbe systyr makyth
In armys euerych of hem othir takyth
And thus I late hem in here sorwe dwelle
The remenant is no charge for to telle	'e' of 'charge' inserted above the line
ffor this is al & som thus was she seruyd
That neuere harm agilte ne deseruyd
On to this crewel man that she of wiste
3e may ben war of men If that 3ow leste
ffor al be that he wil not for his shame
Don so as Tereus to lese his name
Ne serve 3ow as a morderour or a knaue
fful lytil while shal 3e trewe hym haue
That wele I seyn al were he now myn brothir
But it so be that he may haue non othir
	four lines left blank at the end of this column
Gg ij
	Fol. (443/475) 476v
The Legend of Phillis	later hand, above column
B Y prof as wel as bi autorite	4-line 'drop' capital
That weked freut comyth o wekid tre
That my 3e wete If that like 3ow	faint 'a' above 'y'of 'my'
But for this ende I speke this as now
To tellen 3ow of flase demophon
In loue a falsere herde I neuere non
But If it were his fadyr theseus
God for his grace from swichon kepe vs
Thus may these wemen preyen that it here
Now to the effect turne I of myn matere
Destroyed is of troye the cete
This demophom comyth seylynge In the se
Toward Athenys to his paleys large
With hym come manye a ship & manye a barge
fful of his folk of whiche ful manyon
Is woundit sore & sek & wo begon
As they han at thasege longe I leyn
By hynde hym come a wynd & ek a reyn
That shof so sore his sayl ne myghte stonde
Hym were leuere than al the world a londe
So huntith hym the tempest to & fro
So derk it was he coude nower go
And with a wawe brostyn was his stere
His ship was rent so lowe in swich manere
That Carpentir ne coude it nat a mende
The se by nyghte as ony torche it brende
ffor wod & possith hym now vp now doun
Til nepture hath of hym compassioun
And Thetes. Thorus. Triton. & they alle
And madyn hym vp on a lond to falle
Wherof that Philus lady was & queen
Ligurges doughtyr fayrere on to sen
Than is the flour a geyn the bryghte sunne
Vnnethe is Domephon to londe I wunne
Wayk & ek wery & his folk forpynnyd	's' or 'e' erased after 'folk'?
Of werynesse & also enfamynyd
That to the deth almost he was I drevyn
Hise wise folk to conseyl han hym 3euyn
Fol. (444/476) 477r
To seke helpe & socour of the quien
And loke what his grace myghte bien
And makyn In that lond sum cheuysance
To kepyn hym from wo & fro myschaunce
ffor syk he was & almost at the deth
Vnnethe myghe he speke or drawe his breth
And lyth In rodopeya hym for to reste
Whan he may walke hym thoute it was thebeste
Vn to the court to sekyn for socour
Men knewyn hym wel & dedyn hym honour
ffor of Athenys deuk & lord was he
As thesyus his fadyr hadde be
That In his tyme was of gret renoun
No man so gret of al the regyoun
And lyk his fadyr of face & of stature
And fals of loue It com hym of nature
As doth the fox Renard the foxis sone
Of kynde he coude his owene faderys wone
With oute lore as can a drake sweme
Whan it is caught & caryed to the brymme
This honurable Philes doth hym Chere
Hire likith wel his port & his manere
But for I am agrotyed here byforn
To wryte of hem that ben In loue for sworn
And ek to hastyn me In myn legende
Which to performe god me grace sende
Therfore I passe shortly In this wyse
3e han wel herd of Theseus deuyse
In the be traysynge of fayre adryane
That of hire pite kepte him from his bane
At shorte wordis ryth so Demophon
The same weye the same path hat gon
That dide his false fadyr Thesyus
ffor vn to philia hath he sworyn thus
To weddyn hire & hire his treuthe plyte
And pikid of hire al the good he myghte
Whan he was hol & sound & hadde his reste
And don with Philus what so that hym leste
Gg iij
	Fol. (444/476) 477v
As wel coude I If that me leste so
Tellyn his doynge to & fro
He seyde vnto his cuntre muste he sayle
ffor there he wolde hire weddynge aparayle
As fel to hire honour & his also
And opynli he tok his leue tho
And hath hire sworn he wolde nat soiorne
But In a monyth he wolde a geyn retorne
And In that lond let make his ordenaunce
As verray lord & tok the obeysaunce
Wel & homly & let his shepis dighte
And hom he goth the nexte weye he myghte
ffor on to philis 3it ne come he nought
And that hath she so harde & sore a bough
Allas that as the storye vs recordith
She was hire owene deth ryght with a corde
Whan that she saw that Demophon hire trayede
But to hym ferst she wrot & faste she prayede
He wolde come & hire delyuere of peyne
As I reherce shal a word or tweyne
Me lyste nat vouche saf on hym to swynke
Ne spende on hym a penne ful of ynke
ffor fals In loue was he rygh as his syre
The deuyl sette here soules bothe a fere
But of the lettere of Philis wele I wryte
A word or two al thow it be but lyte
Ostesse thyn quod she O demophon
Thyn Philis whiche that is so wo begon
Of rodepeyre vp on 3ow mot compleyne
Ouer the term set by twixe vs tweyne
That ye ne holde forward that 3e seyde	'y' of 'ye' seems written over an erasure
3oure anker that 3e In 3oure hauene leyde
Hyghte vs that 3e wolde comyn out of doute	'c' of 'comyn' inserted in line later
Or that the mone wente onys a boute
But tymys foure themone hath hid hire face
Syn that thilke day 3e wente from this place
3it hath the storm of Sytoye nat brought
ffom Athenys the ship 3it comyth it noght
Fol. (445/477) 478r
And If that 3e the terme rekene wolde
As I or as a trewe louere shulde
I pleyne nat god wot by forn myn day
But al hire lettere wryte I ne may
By ordere for it were to me a charge
Hire lettere was rygh long & therto large
But here & ther In rym I haue it layd
There as me thoughe she wel hath sayd
She seyde thyne saylis come nat a gen
Ne to thyn word there is no fey certeyn
But I wot why 3e come nat quod she
ffor I was of myn loue to 3ow to fre
And of the goddis that 3e han forswore
3if hire vengeaunce falle on 3ow therfore
3e be nat sufficiaunt to bere the peyne
To meche truste I wel may I pleyne	first 'I' erased? -- or just faded?
Vp on 3oure lynage & 3oure fayre tunge
And on 3oure teris falsely out I wronge
How coude 3e wepe so be craf quod she
May there swich terys feynede be
Now certis 3if 3e wele haue in memorye
It oughte be to 3ow but lyte glorye
To han a sely mayde thus be trayed
To go quod she preye I & ofte haue prayed
That it mot be the gretteste prys of alle
And most honour that euere the shal befalle
And whan thynne olde auncestris peyntede ben
In which men may here worthynesse sen
Thanne preye I god thow peynted be also
That men may rede forby as they go
Lo this is he that with his flaterye
By trisede hath & don hire vilenye
That was his trewe loue In thought & dede
But sothly of on poynt 3it may they rede
That 3e ben lyk 3oure fadyr as In this
ffor he begilede Adriane I wis
With swich an art & with swich subtilete
As thow thyn selue hast begylede me
Gg iiij
	Fol. (445/477) 478v
As In that poynt al thow it be nat fayr
Thow folwist hym certayn & art his ayr
But syn thus synfully 3e me be gile
Myn body mote 3e se with Inne a while
Ryght In the hauene of Athenys fletynge
With oute sepulture & beryinge
They 3e ben hardyere than ony ston
And whan this lettere was forth sent a non
And knew how brothil & how fals he was
She for dispeyr fordede hyre self allas
Swych sorwe hath she for she besette hire so
Be war 3e wemen of 3oure subtyl fo	'w' overwritten with 'f' in 'fo'
Syn 3it this day men may ensaumple se
And trustyth as In loue no man but me.
The Legend of Hypermestra	later hand
I N Grece whilom weren bretheryn two	13-line 'drop'capital in the
Of whiche that on was clepid danao	margin, with flourishes the
That manye a sone hathof his body wonne	entire length of the page
As swiche false loueris ofte cunne
A mong hise sonys alle there was on
That aldyrmost he louede of euerychon
And whan this child was born this danao
Shop hym a name & callede hym lyno
That othir brothir was callid Egist	'e' erased at end of 'Egist'
That was of loue as fals as euere hym lest	'e' erased at end of 'lest'
And manye a doughtyr gat he In his lyf
Of whiche he gat vp on his ryghte wyf
A doughtyr dere & dede hire for to calle
Ypermystra 3yngeste of hem alle
The whiche child of hire natyuyte
To alle thewis goode I born was she
As likede to the goddis er she was born
That of the she she shal be the corn
The werdys that we clepyn destene
Hath shapyn hire that she mot nedis be
Fol. (446/478) 479r
Pyetous. sad. wis. & trewe as stel
As to these wemen It acordyth wel
ffor thow that venus 3af hire gret beute
With Iupiter compounned so was she
That concience trouhte & dred of shame
And of hyre wifhod for to kepe hire name
This thoughte hire was felycite as hire
The rede Mars was that tyme of the 3eere
So feble that his maleyce is hym be raft
Repressid thath venus his crewel craft
That what with venus & othir oppressioun
Of howses that Mars venym is a doun
That ypermystra dar nat handele a knyf
In maleyce thow she shulde lese hire lyf
But natheles as heuene gan to turne
To badde aspectys hath she of saturne
That made hire for to turne In prisoun
As I shal aftyr make mencioun
To Danao & Egistes also
Al thow so be that they were bretheryn two
ffor thilke tyme was sparyd no lynage
It lykede hem to make a maryage
By twixe ypermystre & hym lyno
And castyn swich aday it shal be so
And ful acordit was it vttyrly
The aray is wrought the tyme is fasteby
And thus lyno hath of his faderis brothir
The doughtyr weddit & eche of hem hath othyr	second 'h' of 'hath' squeezed in later?
The torchis brennyn & the laumpis bryght
The sacryfises ben ful redy dight
Thensens out of the fuyr out rekyth sote
The flourys the lef is rent vp by the rote
To makyn garlondis & crounnys hye
fful is the place of soun of menstralsye
Of songis amerous of maryage
As tylke tyme was the pleyne vsage
This was In the paleys of Egiste
That In his hous was lord ryght as hym lyste
Gg v
	Fol. (446/478) 479v
And thus the day they dryve til an ende
The frendys takyn leue & hom they wende
The nyght is come the bryd shal go to bedde
Egistus to his chambere faste hym spedde
And priuyly he let his doughtyr calle
Whan that the hous was voyd of hem alle
He lokyth on his doughtyr with glad chere
And to hire spak as 3e shal aftyr here
Myn ryghte doughtyr tresor of myn herte
Syn fyrst that day that shapyn was myn sherte
Or by the fatal systeryn hadde myn dom
So nygh myn herte neuere thyng ne com
As thow myn ypermystre doughtyr dere
Tak hed what I thyn fadyr seyth the here
And werke aftyr thyn wisere euere mo
ffor aldirferst doughtyr I loue the so
That al the world to me is half so lef
Ne I nolde rede the to thyn myschef
ffor al the good vndyr the colde mone
And what I mene It shal be seyd ful sone
With protestacioun as in this wyse
That but thow do as I shal the deuyse
Thow shalt be ded by hym that al hath wrought
At shorte wordis thow nescapist nought
Out of myn paleys or that thow be ded
But thow concente & werke aftyr myn red
Tak this to the for ful conclusioun
This ypermystre caste hire eyen doun
And quok as doth the lef of alpis grene
Ded wex hire hew & lyk an asch to sene
And seyde lord & fadyr al 3oure wille
Aftyr myn myght god wot I shal fulfille
So it to me be non confusioun
I nele quod he haue non excepcioun
And out he caught a knyf as rasour kene
Hid this quod he that it be nat sene
And whan thyn husbonde is to bedde go
Whil that he slepith kit his throte a two
Fol. (447/479) 480r
ffor In myne dremys is it warnede me
How that myn Neuew shal myn bane be
But wit I nat wherfore I wele be sekyr
Yf thow sey nay we two shul haue a bekyr
As I haue seyd by hym that I have sworn
This Ipermystere hath nygh hire wit for lorn
And for to passyn harmles of that place
She grauntyth hym ther is non othir grace
And therwith al a costret takyth he
And seyde herof a draught or two or thre
3if hym drynke whan he goth to reste
And he shal slepe as longe as euere the leste
The narcotykis & opijs ben so stronge
And go thyn wey lyst that he thynkyth longe	something--'s'?--erased before 'he'
Out comyth the Bryd & with ful sobre cheere
As is of maydenys ofte the manere
To chaumbre is brought with reuel & with song
And shortly list this tale be to long
This lyno & she ben brought a bedde
And euery wight out at the dore hym spedde	'g' of 'wight' in unusual form--corrected from 't
The nyght is wastid & he fyl a slepe
fful tendyrly begynnyth she to wepe
She rist hire vp & dredfully she quakyth
As doth the braunche that sepherus shakyth
And hust were alle In argon that cete
And cold as ony frost now waxeth she
ffor Pite by the herte hire streynyth so
And drede of deth doth hire so meche wo
And thryis doun she fyl in this awer
She rist 3it vp & stakerith her & ther
And on hire hondis faste lokyth she
Allas & shal mynne hondis blody be
I am a mayde & by myn nature
And bi myn semblaunt & by myn vesture
Mynne handis ben nat shape for a knyf
As for to reue no man fro his lyf
What deuyl haue I with the knyf to do
And shal I haue myn throte kerue a two
Gg vj
	Fol. (447/479) 480v
Thanne shal I blede allas & me be shynde
And nedis cost this thyng muste haue an ende
Or he or I mot nedis lese oure lyf
Now certys quod she syn I am his wif
And hath myn feyth 3it is it bet for me
ffor to be ded In wifly honeste
Than ben a traytour lyuynge In myn shame
Be as be may for ernest or for game
He shal awake & ryse & gon his way
Out at his goter or that it be day
And wepe ful tenderely vp on his face
And In hyre armys gan hym to enbrace
And hym she roggith & a wakyth softe
And at a wyndow lep he fro the lofte
Whan she hath warnede hym & don hym bote
This lyno swift was & lyght of fote
And from his wif ran a ful gret pas
This sely weman is so weik allas
And helpeles so that or that she forth went
Hire crewel fadyr dede hire for to hente
Allas lyno whi art thow so vnkynde
Why ne haddist thow remembred In thyn mynde
To takyn hire & lad hire forth with the
ffor whan she saw that gon a wey was he
And that she myghte nato so faste go
Ne folwyn hym she set hire don ryght tho
Til she was caught & fetered In prysoun
This tale is seyd for this conclusioun ~
Here begynyth the parlement of ffoulys.