Part 40

Thus be thei comen bothe tuo, And Brutus cam with Collatin, Which to Lucrece was cousin, And in thei wenten alle thre To chambre, wher thei myhten se The wofulleste upon this Molde, Which wepte as sche to water scholde. The chambre Dore anon was stoke, Er thei have oght unto hire spoke; 5020 Thei sihe hire clothes al desguised, And hou sche hath hirself despised, Hire her hangende unkemd aboute, Bot natheles sche gan to loute And knele unto hire housebonde; And he, which fain wolde understonde The cause why sche ferde so, With softe wordes axeth tho, “What mai you be, mi goode swete?” And sche, which thoghte hirself unmete 5030 And the lest worth of wommen alle, Hire wofull chiere let doun falle For schame and couthe unnethes loke. And thei therof good hiede toke, And preiden hire in alle weie That sche ne spare forto seie Unto hir frendes what hire eileth, Why sche so sore hirself beweileth, And what the sothe wolde mene. And sche, which hath hire sorwes grene, 5040 Hire wo to telle thanne assaieth, Bot tendre schame hire word delaieth, That sondri times as sche minte To speke, upon the point sche stinte. And thei hire bidden evere in on To telle forth, and therupon, Whan that sche sih sche moste nede, Hire tale betwen schame and drede Sche tolde, noght withoute peine. And he, which wolde hire wo restreigne, 5050 Hire housebonde, a sory man, Conforteth hire al that he can, And swor, and ek hire fader bothe, That thei with hire be noght wrothe Of that is don ayein hire wille; And preiden hire to be stille, For thei to hire have al foryive. Bot sche, which thoghte noght to live, Of hem wol no foryivenesse, And seide, of thilke wickednesse 5060 Which was unto hire bodi wroght, Al were it so sche myhte it noght, Nevere afterward the world ne schal Reproeven hire; and forth withal, Er eny man therof be war, A naked swerd, the which sche bar Withinne hire Mantel priveli, Betwen hire hondes sodeinly Sche tok, and thurgh hire herte it throng, And fell to grounde, and evere among, 5070 Whan that sche fell, so as sche myhte, Hire clothes with hire hand sche rihte, That noman dounward fro the kne Scholde eny thing of hire se: Thus lay this wif honestely, Althogh sche deide wofully.

Tho was no sorwe forto seke: Hire housebonde, hire fader eke Aswoune upon the bodi felle; Ther mai no mannes tunge telle 5080 In which anguisshe that thei were. Bot Brutus, which was with hem there, Toward himself his herte kepte, And to Lucrece anon he lepte, The blodi swerd and pulleth oute, And swor the goddes al aboute That he therof schal do vengance. And sche tho made a contienance, Hire dedlich yhe and ate laste In thonkinge as it were up caste, 5090 And so behield him in the wise, Whil sche to loke mai suffise. And Brutus with a manlich herte Hire housebonde hath mad up sterte Forth with hire fader ek also In alle haste, and seide hem tho That thei anon withoute lette A Beere for the body fette; Lucrece and therupon bledende He leide, and so forth out criende 5100 He goth into the Market place Of Rome: and in a litel space Thurgh cry the cite was assembled, And every mannes herte is trembled, Whan thei the sothe herde of the cas. And therupon the conseil was Take of the grete and of the smale, And Brutus tolde hem al the tale; And thus cam into remembrance Of Senne the continuance, 5110 Which Arrons hadde do tofore, And ek, long time er he was bore, Of that his fadre hadde do The wrong cam into place tho; So that the comun clamour tolde The newe schame of Sennes olde. And al the toun began to crie, “Awey, awey the tirannie Of lecherie and covoitise!” And ate laste in such a wise 5120 The fader in the same while Forth with his Sone thei exile, And taken betre governance. Bot yit an other remembrance That rihtwisnesse and lecherie Acorden noght in compaignie With him that hath the lawe on honde, That mai a man wel understonde, As be a tale thou shalt wite, Of olde ensample as it is write. 5130

At Rome whan that Apius, Whos other name is Claudius, Was governour of the cite, Ther fell a wonder thing to se Touchende a gentil Maide, as thus, Whom Livius Virginius Begeten hadde upon his wif: Men seiden that so fair a lif As sche was noght in al the toun. This fame, which goth up and doun, 5140 To Claudius cam in his Ere, Wherof his thoght anon was there, Which al his herte hath set afyre, That he began the flour desire Which longeth unto maydenhede, And sende, if that he myhte spede The blinde lustes of his wille. Bot that thing mai he noght fulfille, For sche stod upon Mariage; A worthi kniht of gret lignage, 5150 Ilicius which thanne hihte, Acorded in hire fader sihte Was, that he scholde his douhter wedde. Bot er the cause fully spedde, Hire fader, which in Romanie The ledinge of chivalerie In governance hath undertake, Upon a werre which was take Goth out with al the strengthe he hadde Of men of Armes whiche he ladde: 5160 So was the mariage left, And stod upon acord til eft.

The king, which herde telle of this, Hou that this Maide ordeigned is To Mariage, thoghte an other. And hadde thilke time a brother, Which Marchus Claudius was hote, And was a man of such riote Riht as the king himselve was: Thei tuo togedre upon this cas 5170 In conseil founden out this weie, That Marchus Claudius schal seie Hou sche be weie of covenant To his service appourtenant Was hol, and to non other man; And therupon he seith he can In every point witnesse take, So that sche schal it noght forsake. Whan that thei hadden schape so, After the lawe which was tho, 5180 Whil that hir fader was absent, Sche was somouned and assent To come in presence of the king And stonde in ansuere of this thing. Hire frendes wisten alle wel That it was falshed everydel, And comen to the king and seiden, Upon the comun lawe and preiden, So as this noble worthi knyht Hir fader for the comun riht 5190 In thilke time, as was befalle, Lai for the profit of hem alle Upon the wylde feldes armed, That he ne scholde noght ben harmed Ne schamed, whil that he were oute; And thus thei preiden al aboute.

For al the clamour that he herde, The king upon his lust ansuerde, And yaf hem only daies tuo Of respit; for he wende tho, 5200 That in so schorte a time appiere Hire fader mihte in no manere. Bot as therof he was deceived; For Livius hadde al conceived The pourpos of the king tofore, So that to Rome ayein therfore In alle haste he cam ridende, And lefte upon the field liggende His host, til that he come ayein. And thus this worthi capitein 5210 Appiereth redi at his day, Wher al that evere reson may Be lawe in audience he doth, So that his dowhter upon soth Of that Marchus hire hadde accused He hath tofore the court excused.

The king, which sih his pourpos faile, And that no sleihte mihte availe, Encombred of his lustes blinde The lawe torneth out of kinde, 5220 And half in wraththe as thogh it were, In presence of hem alle there Deceived of concupiscence Yaf for his brother the sentence, And bad him that he scholde sese This Maide and make him wel at ese; Bot al withinne his oghne entente He wiste hou that the cause wente, Of that his brother hath the wyte He was himselven forto wyte. 5230 Bot thus this maiden hadde wrong, Which was upon the king along, Bot ayein him was non Appel, And that the fader wiste wel: Wherof upon the tirannie, That for the lust of Lecherie His douhter scholde be deceived, And that Ilicius was weyved Untrewly fro the Mariage, Riht as a Leon in his rage, 5240 Which of no drede set acompte And not what pite scholde amounte, A naked swerd he pulleth oute, The which amonges al the route He threste thurgh his dowhter side, And al alowd this word he cride: “Lo, take hire ther, thou wrongfull king, For me is levere upon this thing To be the fader of a Maide, Thogh sche be ded, that if men saide 5250 That in hir lif sche were schamed And I therof were evele named.”

Tho bad the king men scholde areste His bodi, bot of thilke heste, Lich to the chaced wylde bor, The houndes whan he fieleth sor, Tothroweth and goth forth his weie, In such a wise forto seie This worthi kniht with swerd on honde His weie made, and thei him wonde, 5260 That non of hem his strokes kepte; And thus upon his hors he lepte, And with his swerd droppende of blod, The which withinne his douhter stod, He cam ther as the pouer was Of Rome, and tolde hem al the cas, And seide hem that thei myhten liere Upon the wrong of his matiere, That betre it were to redresce At hom the grete unrihtwisnesse, 5270 Than forto werre in strange place And lese at hom here oghne grace. For thus stant every mannes lif In jeupartie for his wif Or for his dowhter, if thei be Passende an other of beaute.

Of this merveile which thei sihe So apparant tofore here yhe, Of that the king him hath misbore, Here othes thei have alle swore 5280 That thei wol stonde be the riht. And thus of on acord upriht To Rome at ones hom ayein Thei torne, and schortly forto sein, This tirannye cam to mouthe, And every man seith what he couthe, So that the prive tricherie, Which set was upon lecherie, Cam openly to mannes Ere; And that broghte in the comun feere, 5290 That every man the peril dradde Of him that so hem overladde. Forthi, er that it worse falle, Thurgh comun conseil of hem alle Thei have here wrongfull king deposed, And hem in whom it was supposed The conseil stod of his ledinge Be lawe unto the dom thei bringe, Wher thei receiven the penance That longeth to such governance. 5300 And thus thunchaste was chastised, Wherof thei myhte ben avised That scholden afterward governe, And be this evidence lerne, Hou it is good a king eschuie The lust of vice and vertu suie.

To make an ende in this partie, Which toucheth to the Policie Of Chastite in special, As for conclusion final 5310 That every lust is to eschue Be gret ensample I mai argue: Hou in Rages a toun of Mede Ther was a Mayde, and as I rede, Sarra sche hihte, and Raguel Hir fader was; and so befell, Of bodi bothe and of visage Was non so fair of the lignage, To seche among hem alle, as sche; Wherof the riche of the cite, 5320 Of lusti folk that couden love, Assoted were upon hire love, And asken hire forto wedde. On was which ate laste spedde, Bot that was more for likinge, To have his lust, than for weddinge, As he withinne his herte caste, Which him repenteth ate laste. For so it fell the ferste nyht, That whanne he was to bedde dyht, 5330 As he which nothing god besecheth Bot al only hise lustes secheth, Abedde er he was fully warm And wolde have take hire in his Arm, Asmod, which was a fend of helle, And serveth, as the bokes telle, To tempte a man of such a wise, Was redy there, and thilke emprise, Which he hath set upon delit, He vengeth thanne in such a plit, 5340 That he his necke hathe writhe atuo. This yonge wif was sory tho, Which wiste nothing what it mente; And natheles yit thus it wente Noght only of this ferste man, Bot after, riht as he began, Sexe othre of hire housebondes Asmod hath take into hise bondes, So that thei alle abedde deiden, Whan thei her hand toward hir leiden, 5350 Noght for the lawe of Mariage, Bot for that ilke fyri rage In which that thei the lawe excede: For who that wolde taken hiede What after fell in this matiere, Ther mihte he wel the sothe hiere. Whan sche was wedded to Thobie, And Raphael in compainie Hath tawht him hou to ben honeste, Asmod wan noght at thilke feste, 5360 And yit Thobie his wille hadde; For he his lust so goodly ladde, That bothe lawe and kinde is served, Wherof he hath himself preserved, That he fell noght in the sentence. O which an open evidence Of this ensample a man mai se, That whan likinge in the degre Of Mariage mai forsueie, Wel oghte him thanne in other weie 5370 Of lust to be the betre avised. For god the lawes hath assissed Als wel to reson as to kinde, Bot he the bestes wolde binde Only to lawes of nature, Bot to the mannes creature God yaf him reson forth withal, Wherof that he nature schal Upon the causes modefie, That he schal do no lecherie, 5380 And yit he schal hise lustes have. So ben the lawes bothe save And every thing put out of sclandre; As whilom to king Alisandre The wise Philosophre tawhte, Whan he his ferste lore cawhte, Noght only upon chastete, Bot upon alle honestete; Wherof a king himself mai taste, Hou trewe, hou large, hou joust, hou chaste 5390 Him oghte of reson forto be, Forth with the vertu of Pite, Thurgh which he mai gret thonk deserve Toward his godd, that he preserve Him and his poeple in alle welthe Of pes, richesse, honour and helthe Hier in this world and elles eke.

Mi Sone, as we tofore spieke In schrifte, so as thou me seidest, And for thin ese, as thou me preidest, 5400 Thi love throghes forto lisse, That I thee wolde telle and wisse The forme of Aristotles lore, I have it seid, and somdiel more Of othre ensamples, to assaie If I thi peines myhte allaie Thurgh eny thing that I can seie.

Do wey, mi fader, I you preie: Of that ye have unto me told I thonke you a thousendfold. 5410 The tales sounen in myn Ere, Bot yit min herte is elleswhere, I mai miselve noght restreigne, That I nam evere in loves peine: Such lore couthe I nevere gete, Which myhte make me foryete O point, bot if so were I slepte, That I my tydes ay ne kepte To thenke of love and of his lawe; That herte can I noght withdrawe. 5420 Forthi, my goode fader diere, Lef al and speke of my matiere Touchende of love, as we begonne: If that ther be oght overronne Or oght foryete or left behinde Which falleth unto loves kinde, Wherof it nedeth to be schrive, Nou axeth, so that whil I live I myhte amende that is mys.

Mi goode diere Sone, yis. 5430 Thi schrifte forto make plein, Ther is yit more forto sein Of love which is unavised. Bot for thou schalt be wel avised Unto thi schrifte as it belongeth, A point which upon love hongeth And is the laste of alle tho, I wol thee telle, and thanne ho.

Explicit Liber Septimus.

Incipit Liber Octavus

Que favet ad vicium vetus hec modo regula confert, Nec novus e contra qui docet ordo placet. Cecus amor dudum nondum sua lumina cepit, Quo Venus impositum devia fallit iter.

The myhti god, which unbegunne Stant of himself and hath begunne Alle othre thinges at his wille, The hevene him liste to fulfille Of alle joie, where as he Sit inthronized in his See, And hath hise Angles him to serve, Suche as him liketh to preserve, So that thei mowe noght forsueie: Bot Lucifer he putte aweie, 10 With al the route apostazied Of hem that ben to him allied, Whiche out of hevene into the helle From Angles into fendes felle; Wher that ther is no joie of lyht, Bot more derk than eny nyht The peine schal ben endeles; And yit of fyres natheles Ther is plente, bot thei ben blake, Wherof no syhte mai be take. 20

Thus whan the thinges ben befalle, That Luciferes court was falle Wher dedly Pride hem hath conveied, Anon forthwith it was pourveied Thurgh him which alle thinges may; He made Adam the sexte day In Paradis, and to his make Him liketh Eve also to make, And bad hem cresce and multiplie. For of the mannes Progenie, 30 Which of the womman schal be bore, The nombre of Angles which was lore, Whan thei out fro the blisse felle, He thoghte to restore, and felle In hevene thilke holy place Which stod tho voide upon his grace. Bot as it is wel wiste and knowe, Adam and Eve bot a throwe, So as it scholde of hem betyde, In Paradis at thilke tyde 40 Ne duelten, and the cause why, Write in the bok of Genesi, As who seith, alle men have herd, Hou Raphael the fyri swerd In honde tok and drof hem oute, To gete here lyves fode aboute Upon this wofull Erthe hiere. Metodre seith to this matiere, As he be revelacion It hadde upon avision, 50 Hou that Adam and Eve also Virgines comen bothe tuo Into the world and were aschamed, Til that nature hem hath reclamed To love, and tauht hem thilke lore, That ferst thei keste, and overmore Thei don that is to kinde due, Wherof thei hadden fair issue. A Sone was the ferste of alle, And Chain be name thei him calle; 60 Abel was after the secounde, And in the geste as it is founde, Nature so the cause ladde, Tuo douhtres ek Dame Eve hadde, The ferste cleped Calmana Was, and that other Delbora. Thus was mankinde to beginne; Forthi that time it was no Sinne The Soster forto take hire brother, Whan that ther was of chois non other: 70 To Chain was Calmana betake, And Delboram hath Abel take, In whom was gete natheles Of worldes folk the ferste encres. Men sein that nede hath no lawe, And so it was be thilke dawe And laste into the Secounde Age, Til that the grete water rage, Of Noeh which was seid the flod, The world, which thanne in Senne stod, 80 Hath dreint, outake lyves Eyhte. Tho was mankinde of litel weyhte; Sem, Cham, Japhet, of these thre, That ben the Sones of Noë, The world of mannes nacion Into multiplicacion Was tho restored newe ayein So ferforth, as the bokes sein, That of hem thre and here issue Ther was so large a retenue, 90 Of naciouns seventy and tuo; In sondri place ech on of tho The wyde world have enhabited. Bot as nature hem hath excited, Thei token thanne litel hiede, The brother of the Sosterhiede To wedde wyves, til it cam Into the time of Habraham. Whan the thridde Age was begunne, The nede tho was overrunne, 100 For ther was poeple ynouh in londe: Thanne ate ferste it cam to honde, That Sosterhode of mariage Was torned into cousinage, So that after the rihte lyne The Cousin weddeth the cousine. For Habraham, er that he deide, This charge upon his servant leide, To him and in this wise spak, That he his Sone Isaäc 110 Do wedde for no worldes good, Bot only to his oghne blod: Wherof this Servant, as he bad, Whan he was ded, his Sone hath lad To Bathuel, wher he Rebecke Hath wedded with the whyte necke; For sche, he wiste wel and syh, Was to the child cousine nyh.

And thus as Habraham hath tawht, Whan Isaäc was god betawht, 120 His Sone Jacob dede also, And of Laban the dowhtres tuo, Which was his Em, he tok to wyve, And gat upon hem in his lyve, Of hire ferst which hihte Lie, Sex Sones of his Progenie, And of Rachel tuo Sones eke: The remenant was forto seke, That is to sein of foure mo, Wherof he gat on Bala tuo, 130 And of Zelpha he hadde ek tweie. And these tuelve, as I thee seie, Thurgh providence of god himselve Ben seid the Patriarkes tuelve; Of whom, as afterward befell, The tribes tuelve of Irahel Engendred were, and ben the same That of Hebreus tho hadden name, Which of Sibrede in alliance For evere kepten thilke usance 140 Most comunly, til Crist was bore. Bot afterward it was forbore Amonges ous that ben baptized; For of the lawe canonized The Pope hath bede to the men, That non schal wedden of his ken Ne the seconde ne the thridde. Bot thogh that holy cherche it bidde, So to restreigne Mariage, Ther ben yit upon loves Rage 150 Full manye of suche nou aday That taken wher thei take may. For love, which is unbesein Of alle reson, as men sein, Thurgh sotie and thurgh nycete, Of his voluptuosite He spareth no condicion Of ken ne yit religion, Bot as a cock among the Hennes, Or as a Stalon in the Fennes, 160 Which goth amonges al the Stod, Riht so can he nomore good, Bot takth what thing comth next to honde.

Mi Sone, thou schalt understonde, That such delit is forto blame. Forthi if thou hast be the same To love in eny such manere, Tell forth therof and schrif thee hiere.

Mi fader, nay, god wot the sothe, Mi feire is noght of such a bothe, 170 So wylde a man yit was I nevere, That of mi ken or lief or levere Me liste love in such a wise: And ek I not for what emprise I scholde assote upon a Nonne, For thogh I hadde hir love wonne, It myhte into no pris amonte, So therof sette I non acompte. Ye mai wel axe of this and that, Bot sothli forto telle plat, 180 In al this world ther is bot on The which myn herte hath overgon; I am toward alle othre fre.

Full wel, mi Sone, nou I see Thi word stant evere upon o place, Bot yit therof thou hast a grace, That thou thee myht so wel excuse Of love such as som men use, So as I spak of now tofore. For al such time of love is lore, 190 And lich unto the bitterswete; For thogh it thenke a man ferst swete, He schal wel fielen ate laste That it is sour and may noght laste. For as a morsell envenimed, So hath such love his lust mistimed, And grete ensamples manyon A man mai finde therupon.

At Rome ferst if we beginne, Ther schal I finde hou of this sinne 200 An Emperour was forto blame, Gayus Caligula be name, Which of his oghne Sostres thre Berefte the virginite: And whanne he hadde hem so forlein, As he the which was al vilein, He dede hem out of londe exile. Bot afterward withinne a while God hath beraft him in his ire His lif and ek his large empire: 210 And thus for likinge of a throwe For evere his lust was overthrowe.

Of this sotie also I finde, Amon his Soster ayein kinde, Which hihte Thamar, he forlay; Bot he that lust an other day Aboghte, whan that Absolon His oghne brother therupon, Of that he hadde his Soster schent, Tok of that Senne vengement 220 And slowh him with his oghne hond: And thus thunkinde unkinde fond.

And forto se more of this thing, The bible makth a knowleching, Wherof thou miht take evidence Upon the sothe experience. Whan Lothes wif was overgon And schape into the salte Ston, As it is spoke into this day, Be bothe hise dowhtres thanne he lay, 230 With childe and made hem bothe grete, Til that nature hem wolde lete, And so the cause aboute ladde That ech of hem a Sone hadde, Moab the ferste, and the seconde Amon, of whiche, as it is founde, Cam afterward to gret encres Tuo nacions: and natheles, For that the stockes were ungoode, The branches mihten noght be goode; 240 For of the false Moabites Forth with the strengthe of Amonites, Of that thei weren ferst misgete, The poeple of god was ofte upsete In Irahel and in Judee, As in the bible a man mai se.

Lo thus, my Sone, as I thee seie, Thou miht thiselve be beseie Of that thou hast of othre herd: For evere yit it hath so ferd, 250 Of loves lust if so befalle That it in other place falle Than it is of the lawe set, He which his love hath so beset Mote afterward repente him sore. And every man is othres lore; Of that befell in time er this The present time which now is May ben enformed hou it stod, And take that him thenketh good, 260 And leve that which is noght so. Bot forto loke of time go, Hou lust of love excedeth lawe, It oghte forto be withdrawe; For every man it scholde drede, And nameliche in his Sibrede, Which torneth ofte to vengance: Wherof a tale in remembrance, Which is a long process to hiere, I thenke forto tellen hiere. 270

Of a Cronique in daies gon, The which is cleped Pantheon, In loves cause I rede thus, Hou that the grete Antiochus, Of whom that Antioche tok His ferste name, as seith the bok, Was coupled to a noble queene, And hadde a dowhter hem betwene: Bot such fortune cam to honde, That deth, which no king mai withstonde, 280 Bot every lif it mote obeie, This worthi queene tok aweie. The king, which made mochel mone, Tho stod, as who seith, al him one Withoute wif, bot natheles His doghter, which was piereles Of beaute, duelte aboute him stille. Bot whanne a man hath welthe at wille, The fleissh is frele and falleth ofte, And that this maide tendre and softe, 290 Which in hire fadres chambres duelte, Withinne a time wiste and felte: For likinge and concupiscence Withoute insihte of conscience The fader so with lustes blente, That he caste al his hole entente His oghne doghter forto spille. This king hath leisir at his wille With strengthe, and whanne he time sih, This yonge maiden he forlih: 300 And sche was tendre and full of drede, Sche couthe noght hir Maidenhede Defende, and thus sche hath forlore The flour which she hath longe bore. It helpeth noght althogh sche wepe, For thei that scholde hir bodi kepe Of wommen were absent as thanne; And thus this maiden goth to manne, The wylde fader thus devoureth His oghne fleissh, which non socoureth, 310 And that was cause of mochel care. Bot after this unkinde fare Out of the chambre goth the king, And sche lay stille, and of this thing, Withinne hirself such sorghe made, Ther was no wiht that mihte hir glade, For feere of thilke horrible vice. With that cam inne the Norrice Which fro childhode hire hadde kept, And axeth if sche hadde slept, 320 And why hire chiere was unglad. Bot sche, which hath ben overlad Of that sche myhte noght be wreke, For schame couthe unethes speke; And natheles mercy sche preide With wepende yhe and thus sche seide: “Helas, mi Soster, waileway, That evere I sih this ilke day! Thing which mi bodi ferst begat Into this world, onliche that 330 Mi worldes worschipe hath bereft.” With that sche swouneth now and eft, And evere wissheth after deth, So that welnyh hire lacketh breth. That other, which hire wordes herde, In confortinge of hire ansuerde, To lette hire fadres fol desir Sche wiste no recoverir: Whan thing is do, ther is no bote, So suffren thei that suffre mote; 340 Ther was non other which it wiste. Thus hath this king al that him liste Of his likinge and his plesance, And laste in such continuance, And such delit he tok therinne, Him thoghte that it was no Sinne; And sche dorste him nothing withseie.

Bot fame, which goth every weie, To sondry regnes al aboute The grete beaute telleth oute 350 Of such a maide of hih parage: So that for love of mariage The worthi Princes come and sende, As thei the whiche al honour wende, And knewe nothing hou it stod. The fader, whanne he understod, That thei his dowhter thus besoghte, With al his wit he caste and thoghte Hou that he myhte finde a lette; And such a Statut thanne he sette, 360 And in this wise his lawe he taxeth, That what man that his doghter axeth, Bot if he couthe his question Assoile upon suggestion Of certein thinges that befelle, The whiche he wolde unto him telle, He scholde in certein lese his hed. And thus ther weren manye ded, Here hevedes stondende on the gate, Till ate laste longe and late, 370 For lacke of ansuere in the wise, The remenant that weren wise Eschuieden to make assay.

Til it befell upon a day Appolinus the Prince of Tyr, Which hath to love a gret desir, As he which in his hihe mod Was likende of his hote blod, A yong, a freissh, a lusti knyht, As he lai musende on a nyht 380 Of the tidinges whiche he herde, He thoghte assaie hou that it ferde. He was with worthi compainie Arraied, and with good navie To schipe he goth, the wynd him dryveth, And seileth, til that he arryveth: Sauf in the port of Antioche He londeth, and goth to aproche The kinges Court and his presence. Of every naturel science, 390 Which eny clerk him couthe teche, He couthe ynowh, and in his speche Of wordes he was eloquent; And whanne he sih the king present, He preith he moste his dowhter have. The king ayein began to crave, And tolde him the condicion, Hou ferst unto his question He mote ansuere and faile noght, Or with his heved it schal be boght: 400 And he him axeth what it was.