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Than Alexander, as we haue said before,
[Gart] sembill all his princis him before,
And to thame gaif grete lordschipis and grete landis,
And helde na thing bot vourschip in his handis:
Till laware men he gaif baith gold and gere,
Quhilk [he] had wonnying before into þat were.
Quhan thai persauit the gentrice of þe king,
How he was sett to larges oure [all] thing,
He wan þare hartis and thare seruice hale,
To liff and de with him in his battale,
And newlingis made him fewta and lawte,
Euer in his seruice for to liff and de.
Till Roxanen his spous he powar gaif,
To be obeyit in his stede oure þe laif,
In Pers, in Grece, in Tyre, and Macedone,
With all the landis þat pendis þame apoun.
Traist wele, quha sayis sede of wrecchitnes,
Sall neuer gaddir grewith of gudlynes,
And quha but fredome schapis to mak conquest
Sall tyne honoure, and wyn him-selff vnrest.

Syne ordand he his battallis at devise,
As he that was in were hardy and wise:
Off Pers he ordand ane grete battall to be,
Ane vther of Tyre and Gadderis ordand he,
On athir side to be, as wenngis twa—
His traist was ȝitt bot litill in nane of þai.
In his awne battalle was Grece and Macedone,
For euer his traist was maist þame apoun:
Into the vangarde was Emenedone,
With money ane wourthy knicht and bauld barroun;
Into the reregarde sett he Tholome,
With thame of Egipte and of Hermenee;
The douȝeperis in the kingis battalle was,
For to supplie gif neid war at þe p[rei]s,
Ilkane ten thousand at his governying,
Euer at ane nede for to supplie the king;
Five thousand skippis with his artillereȝ,
With schot and armoure cummand be the sey,
With armit cartis, and gounnys in chariotts,
And bumbardis ma na past was in þe flotis.
Thay trumpit vp, and tuke þe feild anone,
And towart Ynde Maior þe way has tane.

Sa it befell i[n] myddil Ynde Maior þare was
Ane wedow quene, þat was richt fare of face—
Off Candis scho was quene and emprice—
Quhilk was ane wourthy woman, baith war and wise;
For the grete los, lordschip, and honoure
Quhilk scho hard of þat wourdie emprioure,
Scho gaif him sic ane fauoure and ane lufe
That scho hade levar, but schame, lake, or reprufe,
At his plesance a nycht with him convers
Na all the gold of Ynde Maior and Pers,
And kest the wayis how scho micht gett knawlege
Off his persoun, his stature, and his visage:
Sa purposit scho to send þare seutely
Ane payntoure, quhilk of craft was maid slichty,
To paynt his fessoun and his phisonomy,
With all the portratoure of his body;
And in hir secrete closett scho it held,
And everie day oft tymes it beheld.
Syne till him send scho grete ambassatry,
With giftis and rewardis richt michtelie,
Ane hunder palfrais, quhit as ony milk,
Sadillit and traippit all with gold and silk,
Fifty chariottis, all chargit with armorous,
Quhilk ordand war for lordis of honouris,
That is to say, with mas and hawbirgeounis,
Helems and scheildis of new fassounis;
Off grundin gold ten chareiottis scho send,
And vther ten of cunȝete for to spend,
And maid him homage and fewta for hir landis,
Thinkand till haue him till hir awne husband;
Quhareat the King of Ynde was grevit sare,
And tocht to mak hir were, with all powar.
Than had scho tua sonnys, suld be hir are,
Quhilk war baith wise, wourthy men, and fare,
And, becaus the land movit of hir syre,
For all hir liffe scho brokit þe empire,
And wauld neuer latt hir sonnys tak the croun,
Hir to degarde, na put hir honoure doun.

Than tuke the king in purpois for to pas
In Myddill Ynde, to helpe þe Quene Candas;
Off quhilk the way lay sum part throw Calde,
Nere by Dauriȝ, that was ane grete citie,
Off quhilk the lorde was callit Famear,
That worthely the king resauit þare,
And maid the king fewta and liege band,
Till halde of him his lordschip and his land.
Syne tuke the way to Turs, the grete ciete,
Quhare Quene Candas was wont duelland to be;
Thare on ane fare feild, fer fra ony towunys,
Nere ane forrest þai stynt þare pavilȝonis,
Endland ane ryvare, in ane fare cuntre,
To se the multitude of hir menȝe,
And lugit þare þat nycht and on þe morow,
An[d] ioyfull of that, had na tocht of sorrow.

And on the morne, als sone as day couth spring,
The king past furth to here þe foulis sing,
All him allane, on hors, as him tocht best,
Armit at all, with helme, spere, and scheild,
As he wauld pas to fecht in-till ane feild—
He wauld neuer ride bot he war armit at all,
For he wist nocht quhat anis micht him fall.
And as he past allane alanerlie,
Sa saw him cumand in ane rod him by
Ane mekill man, with berde and browis bere,
In habit blake, an ermit as he war:
Ane silkin how vnder his choll was knytt,
Ane bevar hatt apoun his hede was sett;
His gowun was of a grete roid cameta,
Side to the fute, and heremyte-like alsua;
Ane pare of grete bedis at his belt he bare;
Doun oure his schulderis in tatis hang his hare,
Nocht wele kemmyt, na haldin in daynte;
Ane matyne buke in-till his hand had he,
Ane pair of knoppit schone, of basan grete,
Withoutin hous, for birnying of his fete.

With that the king al sadlie halsit he
In maner of the langage of Calde;
The king revardit him into that tide,
And all his persoun graithlie he aspyit:
Ane mekill man he was, with schulderis bred,
In all his memberis vounder manlie made,
And like to be ane man in all degrie,
Suppois quhite are and man of eilde was he.
The king spak wele the langage of þe land,
And hade gud will to stand with him talkand,
And sperit fast of the state of þat countray,
And fane wald witt quhat kyn a man was he;
And he agane þe king fast coud espye,
And marvellit quhy he raid sa anerly.
The king said, “Fare sir, plesit it ȝow tell
Quhat is ȝoure name, quhare war ȝe wont to duell,
And quhat the caus is of ȝoure wandering here
In sic habit, alane, withoutin fere?”

The wourthy man ansurid richt curtestly,
For wourschip cummys euer of a man worthy,
For him [thocht] that the king apperit to be
A man of estate and of grete dignite:
He said, “Fare syr, I am of Calde borne,
Sa was my fader and my moder me beforne;
My broder was Gaudefer Dularis,
The quhilk deit in the weris of Duke Bites—
His dede has done me mekill dule and dere [OMITTED]
And haldis me here into ane heremytage,
To serue my God here in my lettir age,
To tak pennance vnto the day I de,
In this forrest to pray for him and me;
And till ane tempill, is callit tempill Marcus,
Euer-ilk day on morowus I ga thus,
To se seruice, and sacrefice to ma;
And all my liffe thinkis for to liff sua—
The dede of him has maid my hart sa sare—
And of all warldis ioy I bid no mare:
He was a lorde of land in þis cuntre,
Off Effeȝoun, with money ane grete citie.
And ȝitt a thing mare ekis my doloure—
He had a wiffe, a wourthy creatoure,
The quhilk to name was callit Elidas,
Off Gaderis, quhilk Duke Bites sister was,
Quhilk, fra that scho hard he was endit sua,
Scho eite neuer mete quhill hir harte brist in twa;
Scho has to him sonnys, fare and fre,
And ane dochter, the farest þat may be.

“Clarus, the King of Ynde, þat har hald hare,
Is cumyn to lay the sege with all powar
Till Effeȝoun, and makis vowis grete,
Bot he that ladie at his bandoun gett,
He sall neuer thyne quhill he þat citie wyn,
And hing and hede [all that he] findis þarein;
And hir desiris, and hir brether tua,
To save þare liffis, gif þai may chape sua.”

Quhan the king had hard all þis regrett,
The teris tigglit oure his chekis wett,
Quhan that he hard him speik of Gaudifere;
With that the knicht beheld him, and drew nere,
Sayand, “Swete syr, quhat menis þat at ȝe
Makis sic chere for the diseis of me?”
“Ȝis,” sayis the king, “Þat man þat ȝe of mene,
Þocht all the gold of Babelone myne had bene,
To haue him levand I wauld gif it hale,
To haue his fryndschip and his luffe speciall.”
Than said the knicht, “Fare syr, I ȝow require
The caus quhy ȝe cum þus waverand here,
And quhare ȝe duell, and into quhat cuntre,
For ȝe me seme ane man of grete dignetie,
And mervell is to me to se ȝow sua
In this forrest, withouttin feres ma—
Men sayis that Alexander the conqueroure
Is cumin in-to þis land to mak succoure,
And for to pas in Ynde in conquering,
For to mak were on auld Clarus the king;
Quharefore, sen ȝe speik langage of þis land,
Me think ȝe suld nocht pas alane thus waverand.
Thare ar the folk that hes my broder slane—
War nocht that caus, to pas thare I ware bound,
To ask supplie at him, for his honoure,
He hes sic name of wourschip and walloure.”
Than said the king, and ansurid soberlie,
“Fare syr, I counsale ȝow nocht latt forthy—
Ȝe watt that deid of were is antirus,
And all the fortouns of it perrellus:
Suppois ane man to-day haue victorie,
And of the feild the victory halely,
He may nocht save before discomfitoure,
Suppois he wauld to sum man do fauoure,
For sic a man to favoure tak may he
Throw quhome ane battall may discomfist be:
Thus, quhill þe battall tak discomfitoure,
Thare will na man in battall do favoure.
Bot traist wele, and his dede mycht be forsene,
And it war knawin quhat man þat he had bene,
He sould haue had mare favouris na ony man
That deid in battall sen þe were begane;
For treulie I am of the cumpaney,
And Alexander richt vounder wele knaw I,
And how he was displesit of his dede,
And he micht ony way haue sett remede;
Quharefore me think ȝoure harte sould sobrit be,
Quhan that ȝe watt quhat lufe till him had he.”

Than, quhan the auld knicht hard him say þat he
Knew Alexander, and was of his menȝie,
His hart grew grete, and boldnit in his breist,
His curage grew, and vp his hede he keist;
His memberis quoik, his face begouth to suell,
For to his hart þare come a suddane knell,
That for gret iyre ane wourd he micht nocht speik,
He had sic will his brother dede to wreik,
Thinkand richt wele þat he was ane of þai
That his broder helpit for to sla.
With that, glovrand on him he threw his brow,
Sayand, “God giff I war bodin as ȝow,
Thow sould forthink that evir thow come þis way,
Or I sould de on þe þis ilk day!”
Than said the king, and smylit a litill we,
“Sobir ȝow, fare syr, and lat sic querell be:
Albeit ȝe war armit in ȝoure gere,
Me think ȝe haue na mister of mare were;
Bot wauld ȝe listyn, and to my counsale tak,
Percais the king sould sic confort to ȝow mak,
And sic ane mendis for ȝoure broder dede,
It suld ȝow pleis, and stance all ȝoure fede;
For I dar say, had ȝe him anys sene,
And in his cumpaney a quhill had bene,
Ȝe sould favoure and fryndschip in him find;
And als with sic ressounis he sould ȝow bind,
That be ressoun ȝe sould haue him excusit,
And of his officeris na thing be refusit.
And I dar wele assovir ȝow and affy
That, and ȝow list cum till his cumpaney,
And speik with him, and put away all breith,
And be tretabill and sobir in ȝoure wreith,
And he sould for ȝoure saik the sege rais
Quhilk Clarus to that citie posit has,
And all ȝoure fryndis put in libertie,
And mak thame lordis hale of þare cuntrie.”

With that the wourdie knicht kest vp his face;
Than all his hart for ioy recomfort was,
Sayand, “Fare syr, and I micht in ȝow traist,
I wald fane gudlie wayis of trety taist;
Wist I þat ȝe sic power with him hade,
I sould pas furth with ȝow but mare ab[a]de,
With ȝour counsale sic trety to assay,
To mak concorde and wiryth all wreth away—
For to supplie my nevoyis and my nece,
I wauld pas with ȝow to the land of Grece.”

Than said the king with grete benignetie,
“Tell me ȝoure name, ȝoure plesure gif it be.”
“Syr,” said the knicht, “men callis me Cassamus—
In all this cuntrie namet am I thus—
Quhilk hes gevin oure the ioy of warldis glore,
For causis quhilk I haue tald ȝow of before;
I was ane knicht quhill þat my dayis docht,
Bot now of all þis warldit I sett richt nocht.”
Than said the king, “Cassamus, traist in me,
For be þe faith that into a knicht sould be,
Ȝe salbe sikkar of all þat I haue said before,
And here my faith to ȝow I gif þarefore.”
All þus the way vnto þe ost he tais,
And Cassamus þe gude knicht with him gais;
As thay was passand to the cumpaney,
Sa come Antigonus that was wourthy,
With money douchty men þat wourdie was,
Sikand the king in wod and wildernes—
Thay salust him, with hedis vnhelit bare,
And thankit God that þai had fund him thare.

Than Cassamus, quhilk saw sic courtessy
Maid to the king, beheld him mare reddly,
And in his mynd, “Þis is the king,” said he;
“God grant me grece þis for my proffeit be.”
He was agast, and tuke in hart havie
That he him maide sa litill curtesy;
Ane wther way mekill recoimfort he was
Off his grete piete and his hamelynes,
That sic a piete of his broder he had,
And sic profferris of mendment till him made.
The king behelde, and saw he was efferde,
And everie man sa mervellit on his berde,
That he him to the pavillioun gart lede,
And bad him make gude chere, and haue na drede;
And semblit all the douȝeperis euer-ilkane,
And tauld thame quho the king was cum and gane,
And how to Cassamus promeist he was
Off Effeȝone þe sege for to rais,
And to freith his nece and nevois deris,
Quhilkis tharein ar segit as presoneris,
And als to put out of subiectioun
Thare landis hale, þare castell, toure, and toun.
Off quhilkis the douȝeperis war richt wele content,
And tuke to purposis all with ane entent
To pas with Cassamus, his broder dere,
In mendiment of the dede of Gaudifere;
And ȝitt mare, for his wourthy brother saik,
Sa honerabile a mendis sould he mak
That it sould be wourschip his fryndis till;
And with that swere he deit agane þare will,
For ane of wourthiest rede speris was he
That was in Ynde, in Pers, or Calde.

Than callit þai Cassamus, and tald him hale
How that the king had ordand in consalle,
Bad him in haist pas on till Effeȝone,
To conforte all his fryndis and the toun,
And bald thame mak gude chere, and be in haist—
Thai sould haue tythingis of thame in all haist.
And with thame send thai spyis, for to se
How Clarus lay, and in quhat degrie,
And quhat kingis and princis with him was,
And quhan thare purposis was to salt the place.

Quhan Cassamus had hard thare ansuring,
Sa plesit him the douȝeperis and the king
That for grete ioy almaist he had sowneit,
And grufelingis doun he knelit to þe ground, [OMITTED]
Come crepand to the king, to kis his fete.
The king wald nocht, bot rasit him be þe hand,
And braissit in his armys, vp stand[and];
And all the douȝeperis about kissit Cassamus—
Bot ȝitt was cuming nocht Emenedus.
The king gart bring baith clething and armyng—
Than for to se him was a statlie thing,
How he was richt mekill, and manly maid,
Ane semely man, with brawnes and schulderis braid;
Gart schaif his berde, and coll his lokkerand hare,
And ay him semyt baith fare and semelyare.
The king said, “Cassamus, be Godis grace,
I trow, and ȝe war stede in battall place
With ony prince þat ȝe had loverand to,
Thare sould na elde lat ȝow ȝoure dett to do,
For all gude likelynes dissavis me
And ony fallowlike man gart ȝow fle.”
The auld knicht said, “Quhan it cummys þareto,
Thare is no man þat watte quhat he may do—
Suppois we think in battall beris to bind,
Is nane sa gude bot he ane fere may find.”

The king said, “Cassamus, for lufe of the,
As langand Gaudifere, þi broder fre,
I sall gar him þat was his fere in feild,
Quhilk strake him throw the body and the scheild,
Aquyt him, with ane hundreth knichtis kene—
Off quhilkis my-selff ane of þe first sall bene—
That he throw cais, and na thing purpostly,
Be antir of were, as passand soddanly—
He was sa noyit, and birnand as in fyre
For wourth Pirrus, and Sansoun, lord of Tyre,
Quhilkis war strikkin doun and left þare on þe land,
Sare voundit, in ane dede-thraw þare liand:
Quhat witt had he þat saw his fallowis sua
Sw[e]ltand to dede, þare slaaris for to sla?
Bot had men wittin his bewty and estate
And wourthynes, now als wele as we watt,
He wauld nocht, and he micht savit be,
For all the gold of Pers haue sene him dee.”

With that come Emenedus Darcade,
Quhilk of the douȝeperis all þare henmaist bade,
With him ane hundreth knichtis in a rout.
Than Cassamus begouth to luke about,
And him persauit, and traistit wele it was he
Quhilk Gaudefere his broder had gart de—
Suppois his hart was sare, na mervell was:
First was he pale, syne blaknynit all his face.
Than said the king, þat micht his malice se,
“Swette syr, latt all this malincoly be,
And here the excusatioun of þis lord,
As all þir knichtis may to ȝow recorde,
And tak him fryndschip, with ȝoure harte,
And h[a]lde gude fallowschip fra þine furthwart;
And he sall forther ȝow mare on a day
Na twenty tymes his dede ȝow proffeit ma.”
With that the knicht knelit before the king,
Sayand, “Fare lord, I am at ȝoure bidding.”
With þat, gude spede he lett doun teris f[a]ll,
Sa did the knichtis ilkane, grete and small.
Thus maid Emenedus his acqu[i]tance,
And eftir, at the kingis ordinance,
Thay war maid fryndis, and kissit the kis of pese,
Of quhilkis the lordis all reiosit was;
Syne with gude chere the king past to þe dyne—
In gude accorde þai drank togidder syne.

The king said, “Cassamus, quhow may þis be?
Ȝoure broder was far ȝounger man na ȝe;
Thus mervellis me—sen ȝe ar mare of age,
How sould his aris bruke ȝoure heretage?”
“Fare lord,” said he, “we war of moderis tua:
To barne my moder had me, and na ma,
And all my fader propir heretage
Haldis vnder me, and of my servage;
Bot aris had I nevir of my body—
Tharefore my nevois brukis halely.
Bot Gaudeferis wayffe grete ladie was
Off Effeȝen, and mony ane vþer place:
Scho was half-sister to the Duke Bites,
That gert my broder de in his seruice—
Tua sonnys and ane dochter scho him bare,
Ane callit Bites, ane wþer Gaudefere,
With ane dochter, quhilk callit is Physonnas—
In all Calde is nane so fare a face—
With quhome King Clarus and his sonnys thre
Ar oft in plede quha sall best luffit be;
Bot scho had lever be revyn in quartaris,
And on ane gallous hing be þe haris,
Or that churle Indoȝ sould hir lemen be,
Quhilk garris hir broder mekill sorrow dre.”

Thus Cassamus at the king his leiff hes tane—
Mare semelie knicht in all þat oist was nane.
The king callit þe chiftane of Calde,
Ane man of ane þat maist in traistit he,
And gart him tak of men þat was wourthy
Five hunderth armit in his cumpaney:
To Cassamus he bad þai sould be bane,
Baith nycht and day to serfe with all þare mayne;
And certane trist as þane, nane couth þai make,
Bot bauld him say that ladie, for his saik,
He sould se Clarus, bot he left þe feild,
With money ane wourthy knicht vnder goldin scheild,
And put hir anys in fredome and in rest,
Syne latt hir mary quhare-evir scho likit best.

Than Cassamus with his feris maid him boun
The narrest way to pas to Ephesoun:
Bot in his way was gret Pharon þe flude
Or he come þare, quhilk pas it him behude;
Oure quhilk the king, for the fare ladyis saik,
Had vndertane far briggis for to mak,
For all the briggis þat standis it apoun,
Fra Effesoun all done to Babelone,
War all intill his enemys handis,
For ȝitt hade he nane conquest of þai landis.
Thus Cassamus passit on his wayis wes—
He had to ride thre iornais, and na les,
Or he micht cum to Pharon þe rever,
Quhare Effeȝon was standand sum dale nere.
Quhan he come to þe toun off Effeȝon,
Faist to þe ȝettis mad him prikand boun,
And his ensenȝe loude him-selvin cryit;
Off quhilkis the wachis was richt sone espyit,
Wend he had bene of Clarus cumpaney,
Quhilk cummyn was the ciete till espye:
Bot quhan þai wist þe suth þat it was he,
The fyris of ioy þai maid in that ciete.
He enterit sone, and to þe ladeis gais,
And till his nevois all his coimpt he mais,
Quhilk was sa blayith þat slokit was þe sorrow,
And schupe þe sailly are þe morrow.
The sege traistit þai micht no powar be
To do nor dre nor greif to thare menȝe—
Nocht þan þar war of gude men of þe land,
Sic as þai war, wele ten or tu[e]lf thousand.
Than Marchian, quhilk of the nicht-wache had keping,
The nycht had of þe fyris persaving,
And past to Clarus on the morne tymely,
Sayand þai traistit succouris sikkirly
Within the toun, for sic fyris þai made,
Quhilk takin was sum gud newis þai had,
Bad him be war, and send discurreouris fast
On athir syde, of men þat war maist traist.

This Marchiane was King Clarus sister sone,
And money dede of armes had he done;
He armit him, and maid him reddy boun,
And tocht to ride about and se the toun.
Than Cassamus had gart sembil haistaly
Thre or foure thousand of þe maist wourthy,
And tocht till ische and strike apoun a side.
Than Marchiane, þat was a man of mekill pride,
Was with his menȝe makand his devise:
Than Cassamus ischit on his best wise,
And with him Gaudefere and Betis ȝhing—
Towart þe sege þai past in ane ling,
And of þe formest fellit grete fusoun:
Thare cry [was] “Cassamus of Effeȝoun!”
With that the skry into the oist vp-rais,
And all the lordis to thare armes gais;
The Marchiane, þat was wourthy man of were,
Was all reddie and armit in his gere
With his menȝe, as we before haue said,
And fra the king he past in a braid:
He tuke the feild with thame þat was reddy,
With money a gude man in his cumpaney.
Be that Syr Cassamus had hewin doun
Mony a proude man, with money a pavillioun;
With that he saw Syr Marchiane to the feild,
On hors enarmit, baith with spere and scheild,
With him a grete battall, all reddie boun,
Arrayit wele betuix him and the toun.

Than Cassamus callit on Gaudefere,
Said, “Boun þe, nevo, now to streke þi spere—
Here is nocht ellis bot owther do or dee;
Thay ar of men foure tymes ma þan we,
Bot fare nevo, be nocht dredand for þai,
For multitude makis na victory.”
With that he cryit loude, þat all micht here,
Bad thame be of gude comfort, and mak gude chere,
And euerie man be sikker of spere and scheild,
And mark at the mydwart of the feild;
And gif God gevis thame grace to mak a slop,
Thay sould ger of þe proudest hedis hop—
Think on þare cry, and kepe wele þare ensenȝe,
Hald all togidder, and be sikker of þare renȝe,
“And here for me!” With that he gaif ane schout,
And markit at the mydwart of þe rout,
And hit Marchiane in myddis of þe scheild,
Quhil[l] hors and man lay flatlingis in þe feild;
And Gaudefere ane wther has ouretane:
Out-throw the scheild þe spere is quytly gane—
Had nocht his haubert bene of mailȝe fyne,
He had bene quyte of drynking of þe wyne.
And ȝing Betis bare him sa wourthely
That of þe freschast bledand he gart ly;
And als þe laif sa wele þare pageand playit
That money ane wourthy to the ground was laid,
Quhill sic ane flitt thai made in þare battall
That all thare menȝe past oure throw alhale:
And in agane þat ilk way þai straik,
And ilk wourth chesit him a maik,
And throucht and throucht þai past, twyis or thryis,
That quha was doun micht nocht gudlie rais.

With that Marchiane was gottin on his fute,
And vther ma, suppois it was na bute,
For he was toppit sone, and led away
Till Effeȝone, withouttin mare delay.
Than schupe þai thame for till be passand hame;
Bot thai wauld neuer turne þe bak, for schame,
Bot removand and kepand thare menȝie,
And nevir tocht to turne the bak and fle,
And thare begane for to engrege the stoure.
Thare micht men se quha maist was of waloure:
Ȝing Gaudefere richt wourthely him bare,
Bot ȝoung Betis full sare was woundit þare;
Thay tocht to vmbelap þame all about,
Bot of þe toun þare come with sic ane schoute
And new battall, for to reskew þare men,
Be liklynes of thousandis may þan ten;
And Cassamus helde þame in barganying
Quhill succoure come, with helpe of his cousing.
Than rais the scry apoun the castall wall,
Quhilk all the ladyis gart in swownyng fall.
The Caldenȝ stoure was wounder mervellus,
Quhilk Alexander had sen[d] with Cassamus—
Off presoneris thai tuke ane grete menȝe
Off thame of Ynde, quhan þai begouth to fle;
Thare five thousand chaisit agane fivetene,
Quhan thai the battall of the toun had sene:
Baith was thare slane and woundit mony ane,
The battalle discomfist, and the chiftane tane,
And all with honoure past in þe citie,
Or Clarus battall mycht enarmit be.

Than was the lord of Bauder, King of Mede,
Enermyt cumand on ane sturdy stede,
With [twenty] thousand in his cumpaney
Off men of Ynde, all armit richely,
And tuke the ciete þe nerrest way,
Thinkand with mynes and ledderis to assay
To tak the toun; bot þat was all in vane,
For þai war schamefully put hame agane,
For þi war in dikis dungin doun
With cast of stane, on all sydis of þe toun,
And slane with schote, in sa grete quantetie
That þai war fane þare way agane to fle.
Thare was the King of Meid, the Bauderance, tane,
And in þe dikis slane full mony ane—
Ȝoung Gaudefere at the portis strak him doun,
Baith hors and man, or he come to þe toun.
Quhat wo in hart þan had Clarus the king,
That all his thre sonnys gane was in hunting,
His men defoulit, and mony tane and slane,
And all the laif chaist hame till him agane.

Bot lorde! quhat ioy into the citie was
Betuix the lordis and dame Phisonas,
Quhan brocht was þe Bauderane, for to feistit be,
And mak his quentance with the ladyis fre,
And vther lordis that tane war in þe pers,
In Venus chalmer, as the custume was;
Quhare Merchiane fell in amorous in sic kynd
That of his persoun he had no more mynd.
And all þe toun sic ioy into þare hart þai had
That of þe sege litill coimpt þai maid;
And als þai war recoimforte, man and page,
That Cassamus had left his heremitage,
And als in Alexander, attoure all thing,
Thare traist was maist and thare recomforting [OMITTED]
And sparis nocht, bot rially þai spend.
All thus to Venus chalmer haue þai gane,
The Bauderane, ȝoung Gaudefere, and the Merchiane,
Quhare Phisonas, Ydory, and Edea
In chalmer war, with mony ladyis ma:
Thare was ȝoung Betis chosing King of Lufe,
And maid ane aith þat he sould, but reprufe,
Off all demandis gif richtwis iugment
Belangand lufe, treuly by his entent.

Than Cassamus said to þe presona[r]is,
“Witt ȝe, lordingis þat in þis chalmer þare is,
That ȝe sould here be blayth in ȝoure entent,
And putt away diseis and matelent,
And think on na thing bot on ioy and blythnes,
For anter of were is every mannis cais—
Malancoly puttis mannis hartis doun,
And puttis all fryndis to confusioun,
And makis oure fais blayth of oure maleis,
And dois þame sorow quhen we ar wele at ais:
Than sould we schape to mak oure fryndis fane,
Throw blaythnes put oure fais to pane.”
Thus conforte he the wourthy King of Meid,
Quhilk had ynewch of blyithnes or [h]e ȝeid,
For he was syne so hie in amorous sett
With ane that efter wele his barrett bett,
For he was louit with lady Ydory,
Quhilk was þe farest and the maist lusty
Off all the ladyis þat war into þat place,
Nixt Gaudef[e]ris sister, dame Phisonas.
The Baudriane was ane wourthy man of hand,
Ane fare persoun of ony of all þe land,
And cummyn doun fra the worthy strynd of Troy,
And micht wele seme tobe a ladyis ioye.
The chalmer was fare and richely arrayit,
And eik the Baudreane was richt wele appayit
To be in keping of dame Ydory,
To hald him blayth, and stench malancoly;
Bot Pheȝonas, movit with ielosy,
Said to dame Ydory, all prevaly,
“Ȝe haue nocht falȝeit for to cheis at richt,
For ȝe haue chosin ane freche and wourth knicht
Off ony that is takin in þis place,
And like to stand into his ladyis grace.”
“Madame,” said scho, “treulie, be my gude fay,
Quhen I him saw in feild þis hinder day,
I had of[f] him na suthfast wittering
Off his valoure, na þat he was a king,
Bot, as me tocht, he bare him worthely,
And him defendit wounder manfuly
Quhill hors mycht stand—quhat micht he syne do mair?
Syne hors and man helde baith togidder þare.”

Syne efter was þe King of Lufe vpsett,
And frechlie crovnit with ane rois chaplet;
And maid ane aith þat he suld treulie say
Till all demandis of lufe, as for þat day,
And at ilkane he suld thre questionis spere,
And thai till ansure [in] þare best maner,
The lawte for to say, vnfenȝeitly,
Be thare witting, be faith of þare body.
And first he sperit at madyn Ydea
Giff euer scho was with luffe distrenȝeit sa
That scho micht nowther ete, drink, na slepe,
Nor to nane vther proffitt to tak kepe
Quhill scho had of hir lufe sum conforting,
The quhilk scho luffit best attoure all thing;
Ane vther questioun, quhidder þat scho
Had levir with hir lufe allane to be,
To se of fer baith vissage and body,
Or for to grape and fele, but villanly,
And nowther him se, speik, na vther plesance tak,
Bot kis and brais, and no callacioun mak;
The thrid, gif þat scho wist he louit hir nocht,
Giff scho forthy vald turne fra him hir tocht.

Than scho, quhilk had ane lufe baith fare and gude,
And all the questiouns richt wele vnderstude,
Nocht þan suppois þat sho was ȝitt vntamyt,
Na of na taynt of velaney had bene blamyt,
Scho ansurid sweitlie, and with gude mesure:
“As to the first,” scho said, “I ȝow assure
That I was nevir with lufe sa ȝitt ouresett
That euer I left to slepe, or ete my mett—
And ȝitt I traist I lufe als wele my lufe
As ony lady may do but reprufe.
I will nocht say þat quhan I on [him] think,
Na les me pleis baith slepe and mete and drink;
And vexis me, and trublis all my mynde,
Quhare I find him oure [---] or vnkynde.
As to the tothir questioun, þis I say,
That I had lever him se with licht of day,
With sic estate as till him suld effere,
As him to grape, and nowtherane se nor here,
For gudely plesand sicht may wele suffice
To thame þat may nocht mete in vther wise;
Bot for to fele, and noutherane speik nor se,
Na vther ioy bot hals and kis and fle,
Ȝitt I had lever bot bide in esperance
Na meit sa nere, and haue na mare plesance:
Les vauld me greif to luke on mete disting,
Na handill mete, and ete þareof na thing.
As to the thrid, certis, quhare I am sett,
Suppois I wist my baill sould never be bett,
And that he was conquest with subteletie,
Or be riches his harte removit fra me,
Or eike [throw] bewtie or throw glaidlynes—
As vtheris has mare na I, [I] ges—
Ȝitt sould I neuer my hart fra him disseuer,
Bot lufe him ay, suppois he luffit me neuer—
Percais he may fra lufe to lufe ourecast,
And efter all best lufe me at the last:
Thus in gude hope I sall my dule oure-drive,
And lufe him best euer quhill he beis on liffe.
Thus mennis lufe oft tymes be variable—
And womennis lufe euer suld be ferme and stabill,
Na ony women may lufe ma na ane.”

Than said the king, “Maistres dame Ydory,
It may neuer be bot ȝe haue lufe ioly—
I ask ȝow, for þe faith ȝe aucht to lufe,
And alsa mot helpe ȝow at ȝoure behuffe,
Quhe[r] ȝe haue chosin ane to ȝoure lufe-drowry,
On quhome ȝoure hart is sett alhalely,
To bruke and iois vnto ȝoure lettir age,
To lufe in lamenry or in mariage;
Ane wther questioun ȝitt I will ȝow make:
Quhen ȝe ar vexit for ȝoure lufis saik,
Quh[er] mare ȝow vexis wanhoip or desire,
Quhan lust in ȝow kendlit has þe fyre;
The thrid, in quhat partis of ȝoure bodie
That lufe ȝow vexis maist excidantlie.”
Quhen he had said, for schame scho changit hew,
As lufferris dois quhan þai of lufe ar trew,
And till him said, “Fare syr, I moist on nede
Mak answring, and bow quhan ȝe me bid:
As to the first, I ansure ȝow treulie
That I haue chosin, bot I watt nocht gif I
Be chosin agane, for my lufe is bot grene,
And may sa fall þat lett sall cum betwne;
Bot war it at my will, I say for me
I sould him neuer change quhill I de—
In quhat kynd that euer likis him best me haue,
I sall him lelely lufe oure all þe laif.
As to the tothir, desire vexis me nocht,
For my desire is plesand to my tocht,
For gude hoipe in his cumpaney ay was,
And sall, quhill I se vthir likelynes;
Off wanhoip I had neuer ȝitt knawlege,
Becaus oure lyffe is of sa tendir aige—
Nocht thane, but raddoure can I neuer be,
For dout he for ane farer chainge me;
As to the thrid, in quhat part I maist fele
Maist vexand me, I can nocht tell ȝow wele,
For quhan I se þat I luffe lelely,
It trublis all the partis of my body:
Than I desire to haue his mouth to myne,
Syne breist to breist, and all the body syne,
In armys plett, nakitt, with his gud will,
And syne that war na velanly ws till.”

Than Phisonas smylit, and made small ene,
Quhan Ydory said þat hir lufe was grene.
Than said the king, “Certis, I traist trewlie
That scho hes said the soith, vnfeneȝeitlie.”
To Pheȝonas, his sister, þan said he,
“My fare sister, now war it tyme þat ȝe
Wauld sum thing say, ȝoure selff for till excuse—
Ȝow to discharge in sum thing ȝow behuse:
And for þe first demand at ȝow spere I
Quhidder, in þe place ȝe luffe maist lelely,
To se ȝoure luffe at laysere at ȝour eis,
Or think on his bewtie may mare ȝow pleis;
Ane wthir, gif ȝoure luffe war in battall plais—
As oft-tymes happinis in þe samin cais—
Quhidder ȝe had levar ȝoure broder takin war,
Or ȝoure luffe war in fechting wound[it] sare;
The thrid demande ȝe treulie tell [till] me,
Be quhat taknyningis lufe best may knawin be.”

The ladie, quhilk of lufe small knawlege had,
As to the first demand nane ansure maid,
For scho was ȝoung, and eik of tendir age,
And of þe stoundis of lufe had na knawlege,
And said, “I luffit nane ȝit in prevatie
Na man, nor nane dedenȝeis to lufe me,
Bot I traist, and I luffit ony way,
And had my hart on him sett faithfulie,
I wauld be les distrublit with thinking
Na graithly him to se, be mekill thing,
For of swete tocht I haue na displesance,
Bot sic kendellis fyre, to be at nere quentance—
Thus wauld suete tocht fare mare recomfort me
Na on him luke, and neuer the narrar be.
As to the tothir, I here þame say that luffis—
I watt nocht gif þa[r]e saw to thame repruff is—
For all thare kyn þai wauld nocht mak sic care
As þai wauld for þe dede of þare luffar:
Quharefore me think I war nocht to reprufe,
As vþer wemen dois, to lufe my lufe.
As to the thrid, I can nocht say, treulie,
Quhill wyth myne eme first counsolit war I.”

Than said the king, “Fare eme, Syr Cassamus,
Sen ȝoure lady can nocht þis were discus,
Ȝe wauld ryse, and be to hir counsaleoure—
To helpe ladyis it war bot gret honoure.”
Than said Syr Cassamus, “Far nece, lat be—
Off ȝoure demande na thing efferis to me;
For gif ȝe can of þis demand na skill,
Ȝe sall ane vþer haue, and ansure till.”
The king said, “Eme, me think ȝe say ressoun—
I sall remufe to ȝow þis questioun;
And, as langand my sister Phesonas,
I sall demand hir of ane vþer cais,
That is to say, quh[i]dder þat hid invye
Distrublis luffaris mare, or ieloussy,
For I persaue the oith is nocht to nyte,
That of sic thing scho may nocht hir acquyte.”

Than was scho fare mare trublit na before,
For mony luffaris war settand hir before,
To ansure to the demand of ieloussy—
Ilkane wauld think the ressoun, þe quhy:
Scho studeit in hir mynd a litill tyme,
And oft-times changit hewis, and ansured syne,
And said, “Syr king, certis, be my entent,
And I sould say efter my iugment,
I watte nocht quhilk of thame mare vexis me,
For ane may nocht without ane vþer be,
For quhan ane ladie is strikin with ielussy,
It may neuer be bot scho hes sum invye
At sum persoun quhome at scho has dispar[e],
That his luffe thinkis mare worthy, and mare fare,
And makis hir oure grete chere and cumpaney—
Tha[n] will scho haue at þat persoun invy;
And till hir luffe þe ielussy pertenis,
That scho on him has sum mystraist, or wenys
That he wauld lichtlie hir for þat persoun,
The quhilk to h[ai]te me think scho has ressoun,
And have hir dispyte and gret invye—
Thus baith elike distrublis grevuslie.”

Sade Cassamus, “Fare nece, I dar avow,
Giff ony man of amouris quytis ȝow,
And strublance, with invye and ielussy,
Quhare-euer it be, þat it sall nocht I be.”
[With] þat scho wex all rede, and lukit doun,
And till [hir] vncle softlie couth scho rovne,
“Quhy haue ȝe me repruffit sa opinlie—
Be God, ȝe speik oure plane poesy.”
With that dame Ydory smyleit and leuch,
And the Bauderane maid it wounder teuch,
With blenkis gevin and ȝeildit mony wise,
And sichand in þare hartis, said oft syse,
“Hie Cupid, god of lufe, grant oure desire,
And meis þir stoundis, þat flammys oure hartis in fyre.”
Than was Marchiane with madyn Ydea
Sa stratly stad that he wist of na wa,
Thinkand that he sould stand intill hir grace;
Bot scho, that had hir hart in vþer place,
Till Bites, quhilk scho luffit of lang tyme,
Scho gaif hir luffe, and vþer wauld scho nane,
To quhome scho kist luffe-blinkeis ay betwne—
Luffe quykkynis sone, quhare auld lufe ay has bene.

Than to the Baudreane sayis the King of Luffe,
“Schir King of Meid, now, as ȝe heit repruffe
And luffis laute, þat ȝe will soithlie say
In quhat kin wise luffe be kepit may,
And quhil[k] the poyntis ar ȝe wauld tell me,
Throw quhilkis gude lufe may langest kepit be.”
The King Cassell, quhilk was a nobill knicht,
A fare persoun, baith wise, wourthy, and wechte,
Kest in his hart þat he micht ansure sua
That with his wourschip saiflie he mycht ga.
Than sais the King of Lufe, “Ȝet wauld I spere
Ane vþer questioun ȝit in þis maner,
Quhidder as ȝe traist þat [bonte] or bewtie
In lufe mare pu[n]gȝeand and distrenȝeand be,
That is to say, quheder guidis or fairnes
Is to luffiaris mare comfort and blythnes;
The thrid, qu[hi]dder discomfort or esperance
Is mare dissauit in lufe throw fals semblance.”
Than said the Baudriane fare and courtesly,
“Sen I am soworne, on nede ansure man I:
As to the first, certis, I say for me,
Quhan lufe is sett in fare and gud party,
Wisdome, lawte, fredome, and gude wele
Makis lufe to lest, and euer be starke as stele,
For treulie, and ony of þir foure poyntis falȝie,
The end of lufe salbe of litill valȝe.
As to the tothir, I traist of freche bewtie
Mare ardand, pungȝeand, and distrenȝeand be,
And soner schawis furth his ententioun,
To secreitlie inquere of hir renoun;
For beautie, but it passis of mesoure, [OMITTED]
And beautie oft tymes blekkis hir honoure,
Quhen beautie may for wourschip bare þe floure:
Bot quha may haue thame baith togidder tua,
Be ressoun suld cavete forthir ga.
Bot quhan a man to lufe wald cheis a fyre,
I trow beautie be þe first messingere:
And be þe wise he sett him syne to ken
Off his gudnes, be voce of wþer men;
Bot fulis hartis for beautie sum inclynis—
Off baran beautie þe end ay foly syn is,
And bettir is with counsale cheis gude wyne,
Na fare and ill, and to devode it syne.
As to the thrid, I traist þat fals semblance
Dissavis ma to hender [n]a avance
Vnder gude hope na throw discomforting,
For covatesie of mennis gude wynning
Gerris men traist þat þai best luvit be,
Sen luffis ane vther far bettir in prevatie—
That is dissate of fals collusioun,
And oft it cummys to ill conclusioun.”

Than sais the king, “Fare eme, Syr Cassamus,
Sen ȝe best wate, we pray the tell till ws,
And till ws ȝoung folk of ȝoure wisdome lere,
Quhilk ar the thingis þat maist may luffaris d[e]re;
And vther, quhat thing may thame maist empleis,
And maist may hald þare luffaris at thair eis;
The thrid, that ȝe wauld trewlie till ws schaw
Be quhat tayknynnis men may lele luffaris knaw.”
The gude knicht sais, “With grete difficultie
And grete avise þir thingis mon ansurid be:
Dangere, distres, wanhope, and fals sembland, [OMITTED]
Vnlawte, wrechitnes, and foli[s] corage,
Fede, ieloussy, and oure opin langage—
Thir ar the thingis þat lele lufe may forlete,
And all thir contrareis may þare balis bete.
As to the thrid poynt, all folk sould witt, but wene,
That all trew lufe removis fra [þ]e splene,
Quhilk makis his lufe of his will sum knawlege;
Than is the e the souerane messingere,
The quhilk discrevis hir beautie, far and nere;
Syne to the hart makis hir relatioun,
The quhilk declaris it to the witt commoun;
Than witt declaris, sayand hir suete blenking
Cummys fra þe hart, withouttin fenȝeing.
This is the first of gude takinynis, but were—

[Primus]

The ene ar ay the hartis messingere;
This is the first takin, and the best, but ȝe,
Off all lufaris, þe suete blenke of þare ee.
The secund takin is plesand commonyng,

Secundus

With lik[an]dnes and suete collationying,
And nocht till irk na thing, bot na way,
For gude lufe thinkis of ane ȝere bot ane day.
The thrid takin is to gif giftis, and tak,

Tertius

And drowryis kepe and were for his ladyis saik,
For euer trew lufe of guidis is liberale,
Or ellis it cummys nocht of trew hart and hale.
The ferd is quhan þai cum in lufe talking,

Quartus

Off all thare secreitis till haue commonyng,
For be hir secreit schawing he may se
Giff that scho luffis him best in all degrie;
For traist wele, quhare þe hartis secreit gais,
The hart is þare, and residence þare mais—
Quhare fenȝeand luffaris has no hope of hele,
The outwart schawis, and secrete ay counsale.
The fyft takin of gud luffe þis may be,

Quintus

To be ioyus quhan þai him ioyus se;
And quhan thai se him sad, and at malleis,
Quhare is na thing at þat tyme may þame pleis,
And settis þame at all þare gud powar
To sloke þare site, and mak thare myrthis mare.
The sext is quhan thai watt apperand skaith,

Sextus

Thay warne and lattis it, at þare powar baith;
And blaithlie to þare message makis gud chere,
Thare hors, þare hound, and thare falconner—
His hyne may persaue be þare welcummyng
Giff scho thare maister luvis oure all thing.
The sevint takin is of ane gude lovare,

[Septimus]

That for na thing will crab thame, late or are,
Na do na thing þame for to do malleis,
Bot all thing do that may þame eis or pleis;
And sone may be recounsellit in þare wraith,
Na beris nocht lang tyme havily þare braith,
And gif þai falt makis reklesly,
Thai mend it sone, with blaythnes reddily.”

[The] king [to] Merchiane efter þat him tais,
And thir questiounis followand till him mais:
“Into the first, quhidder luffaris has mare lake
In lufe to be forsakin or forsaik,
Or to thame quhilkis followis mare reprufe,
Or maist forfetture mais to the king abufe.
Ane wther syne at sum ansuring behus,
Quhidder þat fals sembland or ane plane refus
Is mare displesand till oure maiestie,
Till lele luffare, quhilk lippinis in lawtie,
And quhat punytioun þareto is requirit—
For sic thing sould be punyst as efferit.
The thrid, gif ane lady may but velany
Lufe may na ane vnfendȝeand lelely.”

The [Merchiane], þat wise was and persevand,
And sum part of his feil had vnderstand,
Said, “Treulie, schir, be my [discretioun],
Thare lyis þare-in gude knawlege of ressoun:
That is to say, be þare no caus quhy,
Than the forsaking has þare na velanly,
Bot, and he had made ony forfetture,
Than has he baith the lake and the dishonoure;
And thai that ar forsaiki[n] causles
Ar wourthy to stand in luffis grace.
As to the tothir, I ansure thus, schir king—
Oft-tyme grete gude cummys of dissemulling,
For gif ane luvar be sa hely sett
That he will de bot gif his bale be bett,
Than is it spedefull to put him in beleife,
For dout the malady of lufe him greife;
And alsua eftirwart sic aventure may fall
Scho may him lufe far better na thame all,
Or he may fall in sum vther luffing,
That hir refuse may hender him no thing,
Quhilk, had scho frawartlie gevin him refuse,
He had tholit dede, as mony vþer dois.
Bot, gif it war of luffe in full curage,
As wise wemen full sone may haue knawlege,
A schorte refuse is mare expedient,
Vnfenȝeandly to schaw him hir entent.
As to the thrid, I say ȝow ‘ȝa’ schortlie,
That wist scho twenty þat luffit hir lelely,
Scho wuld thame lufe, kepand hir-self, for lak,
And na disworschip to hir honoure take,
And nocht þane of ane vther witt, forthy,
And lufe þame all, but lak and velanly,
For ay the better woman, mare benyng,
Or ellis þai war nocht to ȝoure seruice ding:
The wourthiest ay, and gretest of degre,
Has maist of piete and benignitie,
For piete in ladyis hart is wele semand,
As in the gold ring is the diamand;
And hart [b]ut pietie likynnyt is, but dout,
As till ane gold ring quhan the stane is outt.
Bot piete in wourthy ladyis hart and [f]yne
Lyis richt fare doun, as gold dois in þe myne:
Thus wourthy ladyis may lufe mony ane
With gude trew lufe, and hald hir harte till ane,
And mak him nother falt nor forfature,
Baith saif hir womanhede and hir honoure.”

Than said Schir Cassamus, “Fare nevo dere,
Sen ȝe haue sperit þat to ȝow sould effere,
Now fallis ws ilkane to spere at ȝow,
Ilkane about, on raw as we sitt now,
And ȝe till ansure ws in [ve]ret[i]e,
For till a king it efferis nocht to le.”

Than sais the king, “Certis, I am content
For to declare efter my iugment
Off quhat thing that ȝow list to spere at me,
Eftir my knawlege and possibeletie.”

Than sayis Schir Cassamus, “Dame Ydea,
It fallis ȝow now the first demand to ma,
For ȝe war scho quhilk maid first ansuering;
Begynnys þarefore, and first demand the king.”

“I am content,” scho sayis, “and here for me,
For of demandis I haue all reddie thre.
And first of ane I spere at ȝow, schir king:
Sen ladyis sould kepe honoure in all thing,
And scho haue mony luffaris at behest,
And evir-ilkane is makand hir request,
And scho may nocht of all þai sloke þe fyre,
Till grante to everie man his grete dissyre,
Bot gif scho mak hir first luffe forfature,
And with þat hurt bayth wourschip and honoure,
Giff þai sould be content in þat degre,
To haue gude luffe for lufe in privatie,
And in presence apperit [f]re and fare calling,
And in absence gude worde and gude thinking.
Ane wþer questioun I will vnto ȝow cast,
Quhidder man or womannis lufe is mare stedfast;
For we se men oft-tyme change lufe,
And settis nocht by quha þareof þame repr[u]f[e],
And woman of þare luffis ar sa fervent
Thai wald neuer change þame to þare livis end—
Off quhat estate þat evere ane persoun be,
And thai be anys acquent in privatie,
All sett scho mycht haue bene ane princis pere,
Scho hatis him neuer, bot haldis him maist dere.
The thrid is this: quhilk maist displesand be
Till the King of Lufe, and till his maiestie,
Secrete dede, vnwittin of ony way,
Or publit name, but dede of velanly.”

“As to the first, I ansure ȝow bot glore,
And scho haue fermelie sett hir lufe before,
Scho may þame grant ilkane, and honoure saif,
Gude lufe for lufe, and wowit before þe laif
Nocht to rehers the names of the persouns,
Na make before folk na comparisouns,
Richt as before into þis place herd I,
Mak thame gud chere, and lufe but velany.
As to the tothir, becaus I am ane man
I man be sett as party; bot nocht þan,
Sen I am king, I sould nowther gap nor glois,
For of my chaplett þan sould þare fal a rois.
Tharefore I will say the gros veretie,
Suppois sum men may think percais I le:
I se few wemen parte with gude will
Quhan þai ar gevin with harte þare luffar till,
Quhare mony a man changis fra hand to hand,
And likis nocht bot þai be ay newand;
And ofter men findis caus of partitioun
Na women dois, without comparisoun,
And oft na dule þai mak at departing,
Quhen wemen makis ane mervellus murnyng,
And leiff to bide, and laith to part away,
And followis men quhare-euer þai went away—
Quhare þai luffe vele, þare hart remuffis neuer,
Na with thair will wald neuer fra thame dissever.

“As for the thrid, þocht evil dede be secrete
As for a tyme, ȝitt oppynnis it anys the ȝett,
And all dedis sall discouerit be;
And euer honour followis efter lawte,
For na demying may [be] comperd to dede—
Than sould we do wele, and na demyng drede.
Nocht þan, wise men suld attoure all thing
Kepe þame weil fra all caus of ill demying,
For men seis þat folk for ill renoun,
But caus in dede, ar bannyest of þe toun:
Tharefore, quha will vmbeschew ill cumpaney
And ill occatioun, may liff ay honerablie,
For ill renoun cummys neuer causles,
But sum occatioun and sum likelynes.
All þus me think, as best applesis me,
Erar na dede lat saikles demying be,
For sum wemen ar clene as innocentes,
Quhilk trowis na ill, na thinkis in þare ententis,
And vþer sum ar fals, suttell, and sle,
That can wele hide and cover þare prevatie:
Giff þai sould haue baith merit elike,
I war nocht wourthy to governe þis kinrik.”

Than said Cassamus, “Dame Ydory,
Now fallis ȝow to say ȝour verdory.”
The ladie sayis, “I am all reddie boun
Till ask declaring of my questioun:
At ȝow, schir king, I spere, sen best ȝe can,
Quhilk [ar] the thewis of ane gud women,
That garris men þame lufe and hald þame dere,
And makis a pure women a princis pere;
And with þat, all ill maneris and ill thewis
That followis euer þir fule women and schrewis;
And efter syne ȝoure counsale gif to me,
How madynnys in þare ȝouth sould gouernit be.”

Than sayis the king, “Þir questiouns ar grete—
I man study þai poyntis for to gett.
As to þe first, ȝe sould richt wele considder
That womannis honoure is mare tendir and sliddir,
And ethar for to bleke, be mekill thing,
As farast rois will sonest tak fading.
And woman ever sould schame haue, and raddoure,
Ewir dredand þe thing þat micht be dishonoure,
Ay full of pietie and humeletie,
And litill of langage, bot grete mystir be;
Nocht loude of lauchter, na of langage cours,
And euer be doand sum gude to the hous,
Nocht vsitt to sitt with tractilling in þe toun,
Na in þe rew with nane rouke and rovn,
Na favoure nane þat spekis dishonoure;
Excuce þe schame of everie creature,
Be nocht lefull all tratlingis for to here
Na to rehers, suppois sum vauld it spere;
To þare frendis obeysand for to be,
Off thingis þat may þame honoure and supplie;
Off clething nocht oure proude nor dilicate,
Bot efter as may a[ff]ere to þare estate;
Off mette or drink be nocht oure liccorous,
For lic[her]y oft followis, men sais thus;
Na drowryis gif, na giftis to ressave,
Na sangis of plesance for to gif na craif;
Nocht oure hed-strang, na fyry to hir freyndis,
Bot sobir and swete to all folk quhare scho leyndis;
Vse nocht ill langage, fliting, stourt, na striffe,
In hir defalt displeis nouther man na wiffe;
In hussychip striffe ay with hir nychtboure
Quha can maist thrifty be, but dishonoure;
In feist nor kirk nocht preis to sitt oure he,
Nocht euerilk day elike proude for to be;
Preis nocht to mend hir mak þat God has made,
Wenand to kepe þe farenes þat will fade—
Fra þai be passit [twenty] ȝeris and mare,
The langare ay we liff, þe laithliare.

“Kepe sacrefice quha may, and liff clenely,
Thank God of all, and loif him ythandly;
Off all pure folk þai sould be pe[t]eabill,
Do almes dede, and ay be cheritabill;
Giff neuer ill word to folk behind þare bake,
And lere to lufe all lede, and nane to lake.
Be sad of feris, of hed, of fute and hand,
Nocht oure oft in þe strete to be waverand;
Clene ferand ay, and lufe wele honestie,
Hir selff, hi[r] husband, and hi[r] hous menȝe,
Bot hald ay round and simpil plane manere.
Eite and play, collatioun hald with hir pere,
And fle ay fra defamit cumpaney—
Sic as þai hant, sic ar þai comounly.

“Lufe nocht oure mekill sleping and swernes,
For mekill ill cummys oft of ydilnes;
Nocht leist to leip to playis and gyglatryis,
Bot kepe þe feris of woman þat ar wise.
Kepe lawte till all luffaris, day and nycht,
Bot kepe hir part quhare scho has lawte hicht,
And change neuer lufe but grete caus manifest,
But ay the first trew lufe be luffit best,
That scho haue neuer of lele luffare reprufe
That scho be fals and vnkynd till hir lufe.
Ga to þai preiching ay gif ony be—
Fra drunkin folk and fra taverne fle.
Ga to þe mes gif þat scho gudlie may,
And loif hir God anys hartlie euer-ilk day;
Luffe wele to pray, and think on oure ending,
For mekill grace cummys ay throw gud praying.
And oure all thing, as vther tyme said I,
Fle ill repare and cankerit cumpaney.

“And langand thewis þat ar nocht commendabill,
Quhilk makis wemen till all vicis habill,
And garri[s] þame be lichtlyit and put abake,
Quhan þai throw þare misnurtour wynnis a lake,
I can nocht schaw ȝow thame mare propirlie
Na for to ken and knaw the contrarie
Off all gude thewis quhilkis I before haue schawne,
Syne kepe ȝow fra þame quhan ȝe haue þame knawin;
For ane contrarie is knawin be ane wther—
Quha knawis the tane, may lichtly knaw þe tother.

“As langand teiching of þir madinys ȝing,
How þai suld be led in vertew oure all thing,
Thare is nocht ellis bot cheis thame gud maistres,
Quhilk knaw þare thewis and vertewis, mare and les:
Hald thame in aw, and chaisty þame of cheild,
Quhill visdome cum, throw vse and witt of eild—
Tharefore ȝoung lordis ar put in curatry
Als lang as ȝouthhede has oure þame maistry.
Tharefore quha likis owthir lufe or lady cheis,
Behald first of quhat burgioun þat scho beis,
For gude mother, dochter gude is to presume,
Sa scho be kepit out of ill custume—
All ill custume cummys throw ill cumpaney,
That oft makis mony women vnwourthy,
Quhilkis, war þai quhare þai saw but gudlynes,
Na ill exampill, na ill likelynes,
Ay vnder aw quhill þai cum to þare age,
Teichit with wourthy woman of knawlege,
And ay wele chaistyd quhare-euer þai do amys—
And choulareȝ vantoun and oure rekles is—
Than sould þai be baith chaist and cheritable,
Wourth, wise, and till all vertewis abill:
Than wauld þai be wemen of grete valoure,
And do þare frendis wourschip and honoure.
And quha giffis þare bairnes nane instructioun,
Na for mysdede na punyssioun,
Bot favouris þame into þare vantones,
Quhilk bringis þame to vse of wikkitnes,
And makis þame hedestrang and incorrigibill;
And garris þare frendis haue punytioun horribill,
For as to Godwart, þai [haue] maist of þe wite,
And do þai wele, þe maist of þe merite.”

Than said Schir Cassamus, “Fare nevo king,
Me think ȝe mak richt gudlie ansuering.”
Syne said he till his nece, dame Phesonas,
“Now fallis ȝow say furth, for Goddis grace,
Sum gudlie thing, quhilk may ws luffaris lere,
To conforte ws, and schort ws in þis were.”
Than Phisonas sais, “Eme, me likis wele,
The best wise I may efter my fele;
And first I spere at ȝow, fare broder king,
Sen ȝe of lufe sould knaw all gudlie thing,
Ȝe wauld declare, þe best wise þat ȝe can;
Quhilkis ar þe thewis of a fare woman,
And how and quhare men sould þame knaw,
In quhat part of hir bodie, hie or law,
And how mony þai ar, and in quhat degre—
And for all questionis þus may suffice me.
Bot ȝitt I spere at ȝow, quha knawis þe cours,
Quhidder lufe has ma of plesance or dolouris.”

Than said the king, “Sister, by my fyance,
Thare is no man, fra Effeson to France,
Bot it sould stonys his ententioun
To ansure wele to sic ane questioun;
For nane till it may ansure suthfastlie
Bot he þat knawis þare beauteis propirlie;
And becaus þat men has mare vsance
For to cheis beautie be þare awne plesance,
I will ȝow first all my skill declare,
Be sys and trayis, how mony þat þai ar,
Thare hew, þare figure, and þare qualite,
To se quha best can find þe propertie.
In first, fare-hede þat is [in] propir plite
Suld haue thre thingis rede, thre thingis quhite,
Thre schort, thre lang, thre narrow, and thre brade,
Thre strate, thre large, þat langis woman-hede,
Thre hard, thre soft, thre hie, and thre law,
Thre grete, thre small, quha covatis þame to knaw;
Ȝitt mon þare be thre laichis and thre lewis—
Men knawis wele quhan blumand bewtie growis—
Bot efter þis thre motis mon þare be,
And als thre potis, þat ekis hir beautie:
Here traist I þare is foure and fyftie þan
Off beauteis langand to ane fare woman.
Now everie man say his ententioun,
Eftir his plesance and opinioun,
Quhilkis and quhare sould þir forsaid thingis be,
Quhat part of woman, and in quhat degrie.”

Quhan þai war bourdand into þis maner,
Sa come þare fast rynnand ane messingere,
Quhilk fra þe sege new cummyn was, fra þe chais [OMITTED]
Thre sonnys of Clarus, quhilk grete vowis had made
For till assalȝie þe toun but mare abaid
On everie side, vpone þe secund day.
And first ane mychty buschment sould þai lay
Nereby þe toun, about þe ȝettis to lay—
For Gaudefere wauld salȝe reddily—
To se gif þai micht conquest ony peris,
Out of þe toun to lous þare presonaris;
Syne efter þat ane buschment brokin had,
Than sould the king cum on, but mare abade,
To salt þe toun apoun þe wakest syde;
And syne sould cum into þe samyne tyde
His vthir tua sonnys, apoun þe tothir part,
Ilkane ane battall mychty and stalwart:
Claring, þe Prence of Dalmary, [h]e hicht,
His eldest sone, ane prince of mekill micht,
With him a prince was callit Donaciane,
That wourthy lordis had with him money ane.
His vther sone was callit Caleos,
Was Prince of Balmaryne and Famagos;
The thrid was callit Porrus, and was maist ȝing,
Quhilk had the buschment into governying,
With him ane prince was callit Synodus,
Quhilk was ane wourthy man and cheverlus.
Syne with the king, and vnder his baner,
The King of Nuby, with mony bachillere,
With mekill pride, pompe, and dignitie,
With mony wourthy prince of þat countray.

Quhan þat the messingere his tale had said
Till Cassamus, quhilk was litill affrayid,
Said to þe child, “Fare frend, quhat movis þe
To bring sic tythingis in þis wise to me?”
“Schir,” said the childe, “I am borne of ȝoure land—
My fader in þis ciete is wonnand;
I was takin with þame þis hinder day
Without the toun, and led with thame away,
And gart me swere þame for to serue treuly
As lang as I was in þare cumpaney;
Bot sen of þare seruice I am here now,
I mak na falt to þame, I dar avow.”

Than rais þe lordis, and drew to counsaleing,
That þai wauld send to Alexander þe king
In gudlie haist, and schaw him all the cais,
How Clarus and his sonnys purposit was,
And all þe fessoun for to mak him kend,
And prayand him sum succoure to þame send.
The messingere was furthwith send in haist,
And mete the king, was cumand with all caist,
With him ane message of Candus þe quene,
Quhilk with grete giftis at him oft-tyme had bene,
And tald him all þe cais, all halely,
How Cassamus and all his cumpaney
Was for tobe asselȝeit on þe morne,
Quhilk, bot he helpe, þe citie wauld be lorne.
Than chesit he out Dawclyn and Perdicas,
Caulus, with Lyconor and Arestas,
And with ilkane ane thousand knichtis kene,
And for to governe þame Emenedus,
With helpe of Gaudefere and Cassamus,
Quhilk to þe citie come þe nycht before;
And semblit all þe lordis him before,
And sett tua buschementis in þe foredawing,
To mete the cummying of Clarus þe king.
In ilk buschement five thousand þare was,
Nere by the maister portis of þe place,
And of þe tane Betis had governance,
Emenedus the tothir in ordinance;
And all þe laif was ordand for to salȝee
With Cassamus into þe grete battalȝee,
And Gaudefere sould bid into þe toun,
Ay tobe reddie with ane grete garnessoun,
For to supplie gif ony mister war,
Giff ony wauld assaleȝe oure alquhare.

Than Porrus, or ony day couth daw,
His buschement laid, tymely, þat na man saw,
Sen efter come hi[s] brethir seueraly,
Ilkane ane battalle with þame opinly;
Syne come þe king with ane grete multitude,
With mony wourthy prince and men of gude,
And everie man put to his governance,
As þai war ordand be þare first ordinance.
The salt past to þe toun on every syde—
With that the portis vp was cassin wyde,
And furth þare threw ane grete multitude,
With Cassamus, quhilk was ane chiftane gude,
That Clarus' men astonist was gretlie
Quhan þai saw cumand sic ane cumpaney;
And sone þai semblit at the poynt of spere,
And did þare dett as wourthy men of were.

Quhan þai war all þare fastast fechtand þus,
Than Porrus' buschement brak on Cassamus,
Apoun ane side and sidlingis in behind,
And with þat had the pouder and the wynd,
And sic a stoure of dust attoure þame draif
That þai micht nocht þare multitude persaife.
Than ȝoung Bites, quhilk in ane buschement lay,
Saw quhare his eme was sett in sic assay,
And he brak on apoun ane wther hand,
Quhare Porrus with his buschement was festand.
Than [fra] the ost þare rais vp sic ane scry,
Quhilk Clarus herd, and all his cumpaney,
And quhare he tocht for till haue gevin þe salt,
He left, and tocht his men wauld haue sum falt,
And changit place, and come to þare succoure,
With mony wourthy prince of grete waloure,
And tocht þare was na ma bot þat þai saw,
And presit þame quha first micht hidder draw;
And throw þare haist þai brak þare awne array,
For na dispair of wþer men had þai.
Than nere þareby ly Duke Emenedus,
And saw all sett apoun Schir Cassamus,
And tocht his tyme was cummyn, and gafe a schoute,
And followit on þame togidder in a route,
And loude þai cryit the senȝe of Macedone,
And ay on þe narrest straike þai on.

Quhan Clarus and his menȝe saw þat sicht,
Wend Alexander had cummyn, and tuke þe flicht.
Than Clarus' sonnys, that faucht with Cassamus,
Saw þat þare fader was fled and chasit þus,
And þai war sted in-till ane stalwart stoure,
And wauld haue bene away with small honoure,
And threw about, and wauld haue left þe pla[c]e.
Than Porrus, þat wicht man and wourthy was,
Stude still and straik, and baid the vterest,
Quhill Bites all þe laif away had chasit;
Bot efter þame so lang he helde þe chais
Quhill Caleoȝ him of his hors couth rais,
And to pavilliouns led him presoner.
Than Cassamus, quhilk saw Porrus cum nere,
He spurd his hors, and towart him he s[ter]de,
And hors and man he straik bayth to þe erde;
With that his men quhan he was strikin doun
The narrest gait drew to þe pavillioun.
Thus was þe feild discomfeist all and fled,
And all þe men fra vþer ilkane sched.
Than all the cumpaney with Schir Cassamus
Followit on to comforte Duke Emenedus,
The quhilk was proudlie fechtand in þe chais,
And mony a man had left on land lifeles,
And tane was mony a proude presonere.
Than semb[l]it þai þe force of þare power,
And all togidder to þe toun is gane,
And Porrus presonere with þame has tane.
Bot lorde! quhat ioy was þan into þe toun
Quhan þai saw cumand Duke Emenedoun,
And with him Cassamus, quhilk Porrus led,
And all þe laif war tane or slane or fled;
Bot for ȝoung Bites all men maid grete mayn,
For þai wist nocht quhidder he was slane or tane.

Than Clarus king, quhan he þis sorrow saw,
Begouth his berd to schaik and wissage thraw,
And wrang his handis, and sichand said “Allace!”
That euer he laid the sege to þat place,
And syne he send efter his sonnyis tua—
The thrid was tane, tharefore his hart was wa;
The King of Nuby, þe Prince of Pynkirnay,
Was with him þare, and fled full fast away.
Than semblit þai to tak counsale and rede,
How in þis thing was best to sett remeid,
For sic supprise had neuer Clarus tane,
And maid ane vow þat trety sould be nane.
Efter sone come Caleoȝ and Clarinus,
Quhilk for þare broder war wounder dolerous,
Sayand, “Fader, sped ȝow deliuerly,
And send for all ȝoure power haistalie,
For Alexander, þe King of Macedone,
With grete powaris is cumand ȝow apoun,
And his entent is sett for conquest hale,
And will here of na trety, but battalle—
Ȝone war his men þat made on ws sic chais,
Quhilkis war with Cassamus vp in þe place;
Ane grete powar is þare in garnesoun,
And Alexander lyis ȝitt beȝound Faroun,
And thinkis for to pas þe river sone.
Tharefore my counsale is ȝe send but hone
Oure all þe cuntrie sone ȝoure messingeris,
With counsale of ȝoure lordis þat now here is;
And þat ȝe wauld assay to mak tretis
To gett my broder Porrus for Bites,
For Merchiane and the Baudriane send hostage,
And siclyke men as þai of personage,
For þai ar wise and wourthy men of were,
To helpe þare fryndis, and þare fais to dere;
And to þe oist of Alexander spyis ȝe send,
Traistand throw battall þis were mon tak end.”
All þis was done as it devisit was,
And furth þai send message to ilk place,
And spyis to þe ciete send þai syne,
And als to Alexander of Daleryne,
To se þare purposis and thare maner hale,
The nowmber and þe for[c]e of þare battall.

Than in þe citie was grete ioy and gamyn,
Quhare lordis and ladyis oft was sittand samyn,
And oft in chalmer, quhare few vthir wist,
Thai had plesance and liking at thare list.
Sa it befell þat Porrus alanerlie
In-till þe pallas in his malancoly
Saw sittand pownys on Venus chalmer nuke,
To quhilk Schir Porrus ythandly couth luke;
Sa come ane child with stane-bow in hand,
With lanyn pellokis to avenand.
Than Cassamus, quhilk till him was cumand,
Saw þat he was in a study musand,
And, for to put him out of his pensee,
Say, “Tak þis bow—gif ȝe can schute, lat se.”
Than P[o]rrus tuke þe bow, and tasit anys,
And sett in ane of þe maist havy stanys;
Bot for to schute him tocht i[t] was foly,
Becaus the pownys belangit þe lady.

Than Cassamus sais, “Schute, schir, for Godis grace—
Thare is pownys ma than [twenty] in þis place.”
With that he ettillit, and drew with all his mycht,
And hitt þe powin apoun þe hede al richt,
Quhill doun he fell—þare was na dome bot dede,
For with þe stane all birsit was his hede.
Sa come þe ladie furth, dame Phisonace,
And said, “Schir, ȝe haue donn ane rekles case—
Ȝe haue brokin ȝoure sauf-conditt on me,
That þus but leif my foulis hes gart de”;
And tuke him þare into hir armes baith,
Sayand, “Sen I find ȝow into my skaith,
I will arrest ȝow as my presonere—
Ȝe mon pas with me and þir ladyis here”,
And into Venus chalmer þai him led.
The powne þai tuke, and to þe stewart bed
It sould be graithit and dicht to þe dyneris,
And thareat sould be all þe presonaris.

The feist was maid, þe lordis at þe deis—
Ane madin brocht þe powin at þe first meis,
And presentit it before Schir Cassamus,
As fader of armes, eldest and aventurus;
And excusit him, and said hir, “Nay,
Thare is here ane mare wourth alway”,
And bauld bere it to wourthy Arestes,
And syne to Porrus, quhilk ay wourthy was.
And thai excusit, and ay bad him begyn,
A[s] fader of armes of all þat was þarein.