Amoryus and Cleopes :: :: University of Virginia Library

Amoryus and Cleopes

Metham, John

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AMORYUS AND CLEOPES

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The prolog in the thyrd boke.

The prolog in-to the laste boke.

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The prolog in the thyrd boke.

(149)

Oblynd sky off oncunnyng! onys withdrawe,
Agytat off the, precyus modyr, synderesys
Fro the eyn off the endyter! Longe to soth-sawe
In this boke hath schadwyd the qwyght herys
Off sapyens; but Aqwilo nyl noght blow with hys syluer terys;
And neuer-the-les, I must procede to declare Uenus obseruauns,—
Qwereffore, O Lanyffyca! yit onys help me in this chauns.

(150)

Afftyr thise forsayd iustys and eke the solempnyte,
The desteny off inffortune drwe to the conclusyon;
For with-in Amoryus the sparkyl off loue so rootyd gan be,
That he sekynnyd and pale gan wax in parte.
But lothe he was to be aspyid, qwerefore be symylacion
Be-fforn folke, he peynyd hym to bere myry countenauns;
But none erthly myrth mygh[t] lesse hys penauns.

(151)

For euer the remembrauns off Cleopes so sore dyd hym inquiete,
That qwan he yede to rest and began to slepe,
He dremyd he sey her, or ellys that he with here schuld mete,
And with that abrayd owte off hys slepe and wepe.
As yff he had lost hys pray; and afftyr toke hym a cold or an hete
Off louys fevyr; that nowdyr mete, drynke, ner play
Myght ony maner hys pensyff-hed withdrawe awey.

(152)

And vndyr the lyke forme, Cleopes gan remembyr
A thosand tymys Amoryus, qwan sche was alone,
Syg[h]yng offtyn for hys sake; for euer louys feuyr
Here so scharply held, that offt sche made her mone
For hys absens, and be herselff bothe syghe and grone,
Seyng offtyn: “O Amoryus, alas! that I euer sey the;
Thy goodelynes my deth sone schal be.”

(153)

Thus day be day, her greuans thei dyd compleyn
Alone, but morwgh and euyn specyally;
For than theyr vse yt was, qwedyr yt dyd blowe or reyne,
Pryuyly to stele owte, that no man schuld them aspye
In-to the orteyerdys that to thayr fadyrrys placys dyd perteyne;
And ther her mone yche off odyr wold make pitusly
Vndyr a walle that dysseueryd bothe placys couertly.

(154)

Off this walle I spake in the fyrst boke,
That qwan the tempyl off Venus dyd falle
With the erthqwaue, in the myddys asundyr yt schoke,
That yn at a crany a man myght loke;
Saue that yt ouerschadwyd was ouer alle
With yuy and bowys, that thow a man had gone forby,
For thyknes off leuys, he myght noght yt aspye.

(155)

So yt beffyl on a morny[n]g, qwan Phebus schone brygh[t]
Cleopes, as sche had done be-ffore, sche toke her wey
In-to this ortyerd, qwan aslepe was jche wyght
Off here fadyrrys howsold; and as sche gan pray
To Venus for help, sodenly a glymyrryng lyght
Off the sunne yn the leuys on her face gan glyde,
That yt her astoynyd and made here abyde.

(156)

“Benedycyte, quoth sche, “fro qwens comyth this lyght?”
And fast the walle sche beheld; but long yt was
Or sche yt aspyid, thow sche applyid alle her myght,
That yn the buschys and brerys sche gan trace,
Wenyng that the goddes off Venus bryght
In sum yuy tre had apperyd for sum mystery;
That causyd her the faster thidir to hye.

(157)

But at the last with gret labour and bysynes,
Sche perseyuyd the crany, and than ful bysyly
Sche gan in loke; but the bowys and thykke gres
So full on the odyr halue grwe, that thru sche say noght veryly,
But wele the schadow off one sche gan asspye,
Offtyn wandryng to and fro, mornyng and syghyng;
And afftyr with pitous voyse hys greuauns compleyny[n]g.

(158)

And more and more, sche gan lyst to wyt qwat he sayd,
And with the wynde sche herd a compleynt
That one off her made, as on the ground hym layde,
Seyng, “O Venus dere! how I am now feynt
For Cleopes sake!” The qwyche wordys causyd her to abrayd
Thorw the buschys; and to wyt be hys voys ho yt was,
Sche thrwe ouer the bottum off a brokyn glas.

(159)

And he ther-with astoynyd, “Ho strowyth ther-in thus homely?
Be Venus he ys noght taught, qwat-sum-euer he be!”
And Cleopes hys voyse knw in hye,
Ansqweryd, “Mercy, dere hert, Amoryus!” quoth sche.
“Ho ys that? Cleopes,” quoth he, “ys yt ye?”
“Ye for serteyn,” sche sayd, “and none but I lone,
I meruyllyd ho so ther nowe made hys mone.”

(160)

“Alas!” quoth Amoryus, “myne hert wul breke a-too .ij.,
But yff I may speke with yowe, or ye hens wend.
Thys wal ys so thyk and so hye bothe too .ij.,
That I may noght. Alas! how schal I doo?”
“Here yow noght?” quoth sche, “nowdyr troubyl yowr mend
But come to the ryuyng off this same walle;
For here no man schal aspye yow at alle.”

(161)

“The ryuyng?” quoth he, “qwere ys that?” and forth thru thyk and thyn
He gan lepe; that nowdyr nettyl, busche, ner thorn
Myght hym let, tyl he was entryd in.
And qwan he had founde yt, he blyssyd that he was born,
Off that owre abydyn; and at ther fyrst beholdyng
Bothe to .ij. thei fyl on owdyr syde on sqwounyng.

(162)

And afftyr thei rose, and yche to odyr gan compleyn
With pytus voys her hertys greuauns;
And Amoryus thus fyrst gan to seyn,
“Myne hole hert, my lyfe, and my lady souereyn!
To serue yow be-ffore alle odyr with-owte repentauns
Is my hole entent; and euer to do yowre hertys plesauns,
Euery owre bothe day [and] nyght,
To serue yow be-ffore alle odyr my trwth I plyght.

(163)

“And ther ye say onys yea, schal I neuer say nay;
But euer do my bysynes, qwyl my lyfe wul endure,—
To be yowre trwe seruant qwat schul I more say?”
“Truly,” quoth Cleopes, “and I be-ffore euery creature
Yeue yow holy myn hert, myne owne knygh[t], be ye sure,
And to loue yow best only as myne owne hert dere;
With-owte repentauns I take yow fully for my fere.

(164)

“And he that an hows fyllyd with gold had youyn me
So joyfful schuld noght me a made, trost yt veryly,
As yowre wordys haue done; but sythyn that ye
Purpose to be trwe, I sqwere to yow feythffully,
That euer as trw and as stedffast to yow I schal be,
As ys possybyl, bothe in weltht and eke aduersyte.”

(165)

And Amoryus than so joyfful he myght noght speke,
But wepyng stylle for this nwe aqweyntauns,
Saue at the last thus he sayd, “Lady, and my hert schuld brek,
I must nede wepe for yowre trwe and feythfful plesauns;
But wold to Venus,” quoth he, “that nowe in this happy chauns
Thys owre the lenght off an hundryd .C. owrys myght be,
For to be with yow euer js my fulle felycyte.”

(166)

“Myne owne knyght,” quoth sche, “eke yt were myn entent
Euer with yow to dwelle; but be yowre prouydens
Ordeyn a tyme nowe be yowre fulle asent,
Qwan we may haue leyser, for the tyme ys now spent,
To speke anowgh: for ful grete sqweme for yowre absens
I schal haue, tyl we may mete a-yen.
Set ye an owre and I schal kepe yt serteyn.”

(167)

“Alas!” quoth Amoryus, “and must we nedys depart cumpany
So sone? qwy nyl noght fortune vs now socoure?
But trwtht yt ys, that euyl tungys be euer redy;
And qwat men wold sey, yf thei aspyid vs in this owre,
It ys oncerteyn: ther-ffore betyr yt ys, I k[n]owe yt veryly,
Penauns to soffyr for a tyme, than ony maner off suspycion
Schuld ryse off owre asstray walkyng or communycacion.”

(168)

Thus afftyr, as tellyth the proces off this story,
They endyd thayre delytfful communyng
Off ther nwe aqweyntauns, as I haue teld by and by,
And Amoryus prefyryd an owre off ther metyng
In the same place, and at her sqwemfful departyng,
Iche to odyr put thru the crany for a remembrauns
A ryng of gold, for trw louys euerlastyng contyuauns.

(169)

And than Amoryus thus sayd, “Madame, for yowre sake
To this walle I do my obseruauns,
And off yow, my lady, my leue I take.”
And than he kyssyd the walle, seyng, “For yowre remembrauns
And very tokyn of loue with-owte varyauns,
Thys insensybyl thyng I kysse in-sted of yowr persone.”
And Cleopes dyd the same, ful sqwemffully makyng her mone.

(170)

Thus thei departyd, for afftyr ther nwe aqweyntauns
Yede to her beddys joyfful off that mery morughtyde,
Kastyng in her mendys to and fro thar louely dalyauns;
But the more thei musyd yt, the more scharply yt gan glyde,
Thys sperkyl off loue to throwe alle odyr thyng asyde,
For only that yt causyd. But affter this metyng
To Palamedon come this meruulus tydyng:

(171)

Masyngerys were sent fro the cyte off Dorestere,
The qwyche marchyth vp-on Medys the regyon,
Bryngyng tydyngys that ferefful were to here,
Off an huge and an orybyl dragon;
The qwyche, as thei made relacion,
Had destroyd her catel; and eke an .C. men off the cyte
He had etyn, be-syde odyr harmys don in the cuntre.

(172)

“The qwyche dragan serra men calle,
That with hys breth hath enffectyd with sekenes
Nere off alle yowre cyte, bothe gret and smal;
That nowe yowre pepyl, for thought and heuynes,
So dyscumffortyd be; that but ye wul her nede redres,
They wul alle flee, and leue yowre cyte desolate,—
Ther stauys stond euyn at the yate.”

(173)

And Amoryus alle this wordys off ther talkyng
Perseyuid wele; but noght he sayd, tyl hys fader had spokyn.
“Qwat sey ye?” quoth Palemedon, “dare ye take this thyng?
Be wele auysud, for yt ys no chyldys pleyng
To fyght with sqwyche a deuyl; for yff yowre wepyn brokyn
Were in fyght, ye were but ded, thowe ye had for certeyn
As myche strenght, as to an .C. men myght perteyn.”

(174)

“Fadyr,” quoth Amoryus, “yff ye wul I schal asay
In specyal for yowre wurchyp and saluacion off the cyte,
I fere noght to fyght ther-with, ner neuer schal say nay,
To assay my-selff; for yff yt posybyl be
Me to ouercome yt, the wurchyp schal be to me
And to yow eke; for off Amoryus men wryte schal,
That he a dragon dyd sle be hys manhed in specyal.

(175)

“And yff yt fortune that he sle me in owre fyght,
The pepyl schal say, that Amoryus
Qwyt hym ‘for owre saluacion as a manful knyght,
That so manful was to fyght for vs.’
Qwerffore, by myn owne conseyt, I deme yt thus,
That bettyr I myght noght dye to haue remembrauns
Than in sqwyche a case, or sqwyche a chauns.”

(176)

“Welle,” quoth Palamedon, “ye wul do yt, yt semyth veryly.
Spede yow in hast, sythyn ye wul asay,
And puruey yow off sure harnes in hy;
It stondyth yow an-hand wysely yow to aray.”
“Myn harnes,” quoth Amoryus, “redy ys this day;
And the sunner that y be forward, the soner thei comfortyd schal be,
Than now in gret fere abyde in yowre cyte.”

(177)

Anone in the courte was proclamyd that Amoryus
Had takyn on hand to fyght with a dragoun,
For in hast Palamedon had comaundyd thus,
That the most manfful off housold to this forsayd town
Schul Amoryus conuey; and thus with a ful conclusyon
Thyse masyngerys yede to rest, glad off this promys,
And thus deseuerryd and endyd this entrete ys.

(178)

Qwan nyght come, and jche man was in rest,
Amorius wele had in mend, that this nyght
He muste with hys lady mete, for fulle ernest;
And to the crany he yede, and fond ther Cleopes bryght,
Abydyng hym, meruelyng as he had trowth plyght,
Come noght: but at the last ther thei met in fere,
And afftyr ther comunyng off loue, he told her this matere;

(179)

Howe he had take on hand to fyght with a dragoun,
And nedys he must erly take hys iurney,
And howe the masyngerys wyre sent fro that regyon
To hym in specyal. “Alas!” quoth Cleopes, “for sorow
Ye are but dede, for bettyr ye were to fyght with a lyon
Than with a serpent; for plate ner haburgun
May auayle; yff he onys hys venym on yow throw,
Ye schal dey, neuer odyrwyse, trow.

(180)

“But qwat serpent ys yt? qwat do thei yt calle?
For sum more esy be than sum as in fyght,
And less hurtyth the uenym off one in specyal
Than off anodyr; and wysdam wul that ye schuld be dyght
In sure harnes ther-afftyr, for clerkys wryte, off gret and smal,
Her namys and naturys, and qwere-in thei noy be kend natural,
And eke remedyis ayens ther dedly noyauns,
Yff the case dyd yt reqwire to make wyse purueyauns.

(181)

“For off summe off thise serpentys, the eyn so venymmus be
That with her loke thei slee yche erthly creature;
As thise cokatrycys,—and yit remedyi ys ther perde;
For with a wesyl men yt destroy, be kendly nature.
And the serpent clepyd draconia, that more ys in qwantyte
Than ony best on erthe, thow he be noght venymmus,
The myght off hys tayl the grete eleuant sleth most meruulus;

(182)

“Ayens hos powere men for an effectual remedy,
A panterys skin bere; and yff thei ther-with schuld fyght,
With the uenym of a tode or off arany,
They sone yt sle. And the serpent namyd jaculus, in hys flyght,
Qwat that he vppon fallyth, so venymusly he doth yt smyght,
That forth-with yt deyth, and yit a ston ys ther,
That the serpent may noght hym noght dere,

(183)

“The name off home serpentyne ys. And eke odyr sundry
Off odyr serpentys, so contraryus be to owre nature,
That affter summys bytyng or styngyn, men sodenly
Falle starke dede; but thei that fere thise chauncys to endure,
That in desertys must walke, thei puruey wysely
Remedyis off erbys and stonys; as I schal telle yow in hy.

(184)

“And be-syde thise, ther ys a dragon huge and cumbrus
Namyd aspys, most to be feryd for hys sotelte;
For enchauntement ner sleyght most ingenyus
Can noght bryng hym fro hys den for no neccessyte,—
For wele he knoweth hys blode ys medycynabyl;
He lyith in hys den a-day-lyght euer onmeuabyl.

(185)

“But at euyn yff he hap to mete with ony creature,
The venym owte off hys tayle in-to hys mowth
He drawyth anone, be kendly nature;
Thow yt gretly be meruulus and oncowth,
He, or a man be ware, throwyth yt fourty fote,
Ayens the qwyche plate off stele may noght bote.

(186)

“For as wax ayens the fyre meltyth, on the same wyse
Steele and yryn be dyssoluyd at the touchyng of that corrupcion;
Qwerffore men this proffytabyl gyse
Vse, a dry[n]k of jacynctys and orygaun;
The qwyche thei drynk for ther saluacion,
And anoynte ther skyn, to the qwyche this uenym hurtyth no more,
Than dothe leuke watyr or the fome off a bore.

(187)

“And be-syde thise rehersyd, ther be in the see
Meruulus dragonnys and monstrys also;
As thise chyldrynys, ydrys, and ypotamys ther be,
Hos bytyng be cured with the egestyon off bolys; and odyr mo
Dragunnys on erth ther be, but one in specyal most foo
To alle lyuyng thing; but to man most in specyal;
The qwyche an .C. fote ys longe, tayle and alle.

(188)

And serra cornuta yt ys namyd be clerkys.”
“O!” quoth Amoryus, “lady, that same dragun yt ys,
That I schuld fygh[t] with, orybyl and furyus in werkys.”
“In gode feyth,” quoth Cleopes, “and so hye Jouys me wyss,
I schal noght gab at alle; but telle yow the trwthys.
Strenght off man alone may noght preuayl with-owte charmys
Ayen this serpent; qwer-ffore but ye be reulyd be me,
Thow ye were as myghty as Sampson, ded ye schuld be.”

(189)

“Yys, lady,” quoth he, “noght only in thyngys prosperus,
Redy y am to obey; but eke thow they were to me contrary,
At yowre commaundement in chauncys ryght auenturus
My lyfe for yow in iuberte to put, qwy schuld I vary?”
“Wele,” quoth sche, “vndyr this forme than do ryght thus,
As I schal teche yow, and for no fere fere yt forgete;
For yff ye do, ye schal ther yowre lyffe lete:

(190)

“In the begynnyng loke that yowre harnes be sure for ony thing,
And abouyn alle curyd with rede;
And insted off yowr helme, set a bugyl gapyng.
A bryght carbunkyl loke ther be set in the forhed,
And in yowr hand halde that yche ryng
With the smaragd, that I here deliuerryd yow this odyr day;
Loke that the stone be toward hys eyn alwey.

(191)

“And at the begynnyng off your bateyl, loke that ye drynk
Thyse erbys with wyne and the poudyr off thise stonys;
Thus thei be namyd; loke that ye vp-on them thynke:
The fyrst ston, orytes namyd ys;
The secunde, lyguryus; the iij, demonius; the .iiij., agapys;
The .v., acates. And that ye schal noght fayl off thise same,
Send to Walter iwellere be this tokyn in my name.

(192)

“And thise be the erbys be schort conclusyon:
Modyrwort, rwe, red malwys, and calamynt mownteyn,
Oryganum, fenel, and dragauns; thus be opyn demonstracion
This confeccion off erbys and stonys for certyn
So sure maketh a man, as thei that haue preuyd yt seyn,
That alle venymmus thyng fleyth fro her breth;
In so mych that the watyr off ther mowth scorpyonnys sleth.

(193)

“And yff a man were bytyn so that he schuld dye
Off dragon or serpent, or poysunnyd yff he were,
And onys a sponfful off this confeccion he myght ocupy,
Yt schuld porge hym, that neuer yt schuld hym dere,
Therffore loke that ye vse this, and I dar sey sauely,
That ye schal come hole and sound with victory;
And afftyr qwyl ye lyue, be had the more in reputacion
Thys ys the fulle sentens off my counsel and conclusyon.”

(194)

And than Amoryus her thankyd a thousand-fold,
Be-sechyng her to telle qwy hys harnes red schuld be,
Supposyng that the coloure schuld make the serpent more bold.
“Yowre mocion ys ryght goode, trwly,” quoth sche,
“For sum bestys, as the sey, more wod thei be,
Qwan thei se rede; as thise eleffantys and odyr many;
But trwly serra that serpent red ferytht naturally.

(195)

“And qwy yt ys that ye the bugyl schuld bere,
Thys ys the cause; in fewe wordys I schal yow lere:

(196)

“The bugyl ys to the dragun serra specyal pray,
And qwan the bugyl sethe the serpent, he cryith with alle hys myght,
Knowyng wele he may noght skape awey;
And qwyl he cryith, the serpent a-sundyr the bak dotht byte,
And afftyr sqwolwyth yt in: and ther-ffore qwan ye
On the same wyse he wul asayl yow[r] portrayd bugyl;
But ther helpyth gretly in the forhed the carbunkyl,

(197)

“The nyght,” quoth sche, “pasyth, and to-morw ye must ryse erly.
It ys tyme now to go to yowre rest,
For ellys faylyng off slep wul make yow heuy.”
And Amoryus than ansqweryd: “Madame, ye say for the best;
But euer my desyre ys to be with yow trwly.”
“Veryly,” quoth Cleopes, “my dysyre ys the same; for trowe ye noght that I
Ful heuy am to departe fro yow yff yt myght odyr be?
Yis, truly; but wysdam wul to be ware, or ther come necessyte.”

(198)

Thus departyd they, as her vse was be-fforn;
Iche toke leue off odyr, kyssyng on oudyr syde the wal,—
Yede to ther rest. And Amoryus erly on the morn
Wysely purueys thise precyus stonys, and dyd hem brek smal
In a mortere off bras, and with iuse of the erbys alle
Made a drynk; and afftyr clad hys harnes in red velwet,
And a bugyl off blak corbe dyd set on hys helmet.

(199)

And hys fadyr had purueyd hym to conuey
XXit manfful men, besechyn[g] Mars tham spede.
And Amoryus hath taken hys leue and on hys jurney
He rydyth; and thise masyngerys with alle myrth dyd hym leede,
Conffortyng hym noght to dreede.
“Truly,” quoth Amoryus, “I fere yt noght; for yff I had,
Owte off the cyte ye coude noght me a lad.”

(200)

Thus at the last they entryd the cyte of Dorestere,
Receyuyd off the mayer and the communnys with alle solempnyte
Possybyl for the tyme, and with alle maner off chere
They hym conffortyd; that the day he entryd the cyte
Fesstful was off the mayre commaundid to be,
And euery man that he coude off myrth or pley
Schuld schewe yt honeste, this solempny day.

(201)

Qwan pasyd was the tyme off mete, Amoryus the knyght
A seruaunt commaundyd to the mayer to go in hy,
Enfformyng hym how he purposyd that same nyght
To take hys vyage, with the dragoun fyght fully;
Owdyr manffuly to bryng home the vyctory,
Or afftyr fortune for the pepyllys sauacion
Be manhod to dye, as ther altherys champyon.

(202)

And qwyl this masynger yede on this masage,
Alone in hys chambyr, fro the top to the too,
He anoyntyd hym ther-with, afftyr werryurrys vsage;
And afftyr vsyd hys drynke and made hym redy to go,
Armyd on the most sure wyse, and gan walk to and fro,
Abydyng hys masengere; and for he come noght redyly,
He toke hys stede, chargyng that forthte no man schu[l]d hym gy.

(203)

And in the myd cyte, as he rod thru the strete,
The mayer and the pepyl with hym mett,
And to the mayer he sayd, “Farewelle, mayere, for I wul mete
Thys nyght with yowre enimy. I wol noght let
At this tyme; for owdyr at onys I wold yow releue,
Or to dye for yow in this mysery and myscheue.”

(204)

And than this mayer and thys odyr folkys alle
Afftyr gan wepe for thise wordys pitously,
Seyng, “Sythyn that ye this day fyght schal,
Let vs go with yow and with yow dyi;
Or ellys afftyr fortune bryng home the vyctory.”
“Nay,” quoth Amoryus, “that were noght my wurchyp; that schal noght be.
No creature but I schal go owte off this cyte;

(205)

“For sythyn that I only am sent to this entent,
I be myn one schal bothe the sqwete and the soure
For yow endure; and ye that be here now present
Drawyth yow to the wal, or to sum toure,
And prayth to Venus and Mars omnipotent,
To fortune eke; for yowre welffare and prosperyte
Is in my uyage, yff I may uyctor be.”

(206)

Affter that word he prekyd hys steede owte off the toune
In-to the feld, qwere this meruulus dragon lay,
With schyny[n]g skalys, in uale or an eld dungun,
A lytyl be-syd the hy way.
And fro affer qwan he that serpent sey,
Hys phylatery with hys drynk he gan take,
Anoyntyd hys harnes with-owte, and gan alle redy make.

(207)

And Cleopes ryng forgate he noght,
But to hys fyngyr he bond yt surely;
With hert ful deuoute to hys goddys he besought
Hym to defend. Afftyr gan vp lepe fersly
On hys steede, and toward the beest he gan hy;
But off the dene off hys steede this dragon gan awake,
Lyfft vp hys hed, and a meruulus cry gan make.

(208)

Than Amoryus, as fast as he mygh[t], he dyd hym hy,
Or ther serpent rose, yt to wound
With hys spere; but the dragon sone yt gan aspye,
Alofft with hys wyngys reisyd fro the grounde
Hys hydus body, and turnyd hym round
With gapyng mouthe; as thow he at onys
Schul hym at the begynnyng deuour, both flesch and bonys.

(209)

But Amoryus sqwyftely with hys scharp spere
With-in the mouth so sore yt gan smyghte,
That yt brast, and left halff there;
And [s]qwyftly he drw hys sqwerd bryght,
Deffendyng hym-self as a manful knyght;
But the dragon, more wode aftyr than be-fore,
Lepe on hys stede and kylde yt with-oute more,

(210)

That Amoryus on fote must nede fyght.
But as yt appyd be fortune, in hys fallyng,
With the poynt off hys sqwerd, he smet oute the syght
Off the serpentys one eye; and euer he held Cleopes ryng
Ayen the todyr with the stone, and with-owte tarying
He lept aboute, hewyng on on euery syde:
With huge strokys hys sqweid on the skalys gan glyde.

(211)

But ho, trow ye, than was afferd but this folk on the wal,
Qwan thei sei Amoryus feld and hys steede sleyn?
“Alas!” quoth thei, “and cursyd be the owre that this case schul falle
Vpon yon wurthy knyght, for he comyth no more ayyen;
For manhod, strenght, ner sotel trayn
May now noght auayl. Alas! qwy yed he forth alone?
But alle to late now, as wantewyttys we make owre mone.”

(212)

Thus the ferfful folk on the wallys dyd compleyn
With many a salt tere, and wryn[g]yng off ther handys.
But qwat, suppose ye, that Cleopes feryd? Ye, certeyn,
Sche feryd that he schuld forgete her techyng;
That nowdyr mete, ner drynk, ner odyr thyng
Myght her comfort, for inward fere:
Sche toke yt so heuyly and at her hart dyd yt bere.

(213)

A thousand tymys, qwan sche was alone, sche gan say,
“My knyght Amoryus, alas! qwat chauns ys the befall?
I schal the neuer more see; qwerfore cursyd be that iche a day,
That this infortune or iuberte schul euer falle.”
And on the goddys alle
[S]che cryid, and most to Venus and fortune inspecyal;
“Thy uaryabyl squel,” quoth sche, “O fortune! brent myght be
With Pluto in helle, that thus sone has chongyd owre nwe felycyte.

(214)

“How schal I do qwan I hys fadyr see?
Brest must my hert, I knowe yt veryly.
The remembrauns off hys louely chere so enprendyd schal be
With-in my hart, that I schal nedys dy.
Alas!” quoth sche, “qwat on-happy fortune, or qwat mysery
Is me betyd, that am the most wofful creature
Lyuyng on ertht? O Amoryus, Amoryus! how schal [I] endure?”

(215)

But qwat Amoryus was saff, but offtyne in fere,
Herd strokys he had and stynke so orybyl;
That had noght hys posyon abe, he had dyid ryght ther
With-owte wound; for this dragun, as a deuyl,
Blwe flamyng venym owte off hys mowth, that impossybyl
Was beste or man to lyue that yt onys dyd touche.—
I may this wrytyng on the phylysophyr vouche.

(216)

And offte this serpent gan saute the bugyl blak
The qwyche vpon hys helmet stod, and bysyly
Yt beheld; but the ryby so bryght shone in hys ye,
That afferd he was, and confuse, and ofte turnyd hys bak.
For euer Amoryus the ryng held befforn the face bysyly
Off this dragun, and with hys sqwerd fast leyd on; as doth a smyth
Qwan he a brennyng hote yryn hath vp-on a styth.

(217)

But alle hys strokys stode to none auayl,
For hys skalys were so hard, that noght thei dyd yeld
Ayens hys [s]qwerd; but offtyn with hys tayl
He smet Amoryus to the grounde, wyde opyn in the feld;
And therto brak alle to pecys hys scheld,—
For had not a bene that precyus vngwent,
He had be slayn and on pecys rente.

(218)

But at the last this serpent, wode for ire,
Gan fersly Amoryus asayle, gapyng wyde,
Thrwe owte hys venym, as flamyng fyre;
But Amoryus yt asspyid and sodenly styrt asyde;
And this dragun affter sqwyfftely gan glyde:
But Amoryus, as fortune wold, to hys pocion,
Phyal and alle, thrw yt in the mowth of the dragon.

(219)

And forth-with the mowth closyd, as yt had be bound
With iryn chenys; and gan fast to schake the hed;
And afftyr fylle plat on the grounde;
Hys brystylyd mosel gan blwe wer, as ony led;
And qwan yt felt yt schuld be ded,
Yt gan asay to flye; but in the rysyng
Amoryus hys sqwerd to hyltys smet vndyr the wyng,

(220)

That yt thyrlyd hys hert; and so heuyly
Fyl doune, that as an erthen the ground schake;
And with that set vp so hydus a cry,
That the pepyl on the wal for feere gan schake;
And with brast in the myddys, and Amoryus hwe off the hed,
Leuyng that stynkyng body ther sterk ded.

(221)

And this pepyl on the wal, qwan thei sey
Amoryus hole and sound, thei lyff vp her handys to the fyrmament,
Iheryng Mars and fortune; pitusly thei gan sey:
“O blyssyd! O benyngne! O mercyful goddys omnipotent!
Wurchyp and preysyng be to yow, that vs socoure sent.
With bollys, rammys, and kydys eke
With-in yowre tempyllys, we schal yow feythffully seke.

(222)

And with-owte lettyng, doune and owte off the cyte
Thei yede, and on ther kneys fyl Amoryus beffore
With dyuyne wurchyppys; that wundyr yt was [to] see
Thys pepylys for gladnes wepyng, more and more;
And the mayer and odyr statys that ther wore.
A garlond off gold vp-on hys hed in sygne off vyctory
Thei empressyd, conueying hym in with alle maner of mynstrelsy.

(223)

Qwat schul I telle the gret presents that men gan hym yeue,
Sythyn that yche resonabyl wyght
May yt conceyue, that he that labouryd for her mysceue,
They must nedys hym magnyffy with alle her myght;
And hym excellent weryour and most hardy knyght,
Euer to name, qwyl that her lyuys wold endure,
To loue hym beforn yche erthly creature.

(224)

Thys dragon thus ded, as here ys wrytyn beffore,
Amoryus schop home hys wey as sone as he myght;
For the memoratyff dart had woundyd hym so sore
Off Cleopes bryght chere, with her frendly wordys qwyght,
That alle worldys felycyte was in maner as a derk nyght
To the prime oryent sparkyl off hys daunyng fyre,
Nwe radyffyid with the flame off ueneryan dysyre.

(225)

Thus in conclusyon, he toke hys vyage
To the cyte of Albynest, qwere he ful honorabylly
Was receyuyd off eld and yong off the nobyl lynage;
But qwo was than glad, deme ye yt ryg[h]tly?
Cleopes, I gesse, that in fere was so gretly;
For empres to a ben made, sche coud no more joyful a be,
That qwan sche hym lyuyng in helth gan see.

(226)

O lord! qwat joy that sche had, and how myri and glad
Sche gan be, qwan he with vyctory off that serpent
Was commyn with helt[h]! More joy sche had
Than Orphe, qwan he hys wyf receyuyd ayen for the rent
Off hys musycal melody, the qwyche in helle brent,
More glad than Parys off the rapt off qwene Eleyn,—
More gladnes in her hart sche had, the soth to seyn;

(227)

For clerk with penne, or tunge off retrycyan,
Or musyng hert can noght telle halff her felycyte.
But alas! this [s]qwete delyteful loue drawyth to the conclusyon.
Off the byttyr, peynful, and scharp endyng aduersyte,
I qwake for fere to wryte, yff yt myght odyr-wyse be
Off ther endys; but that endyter that wul a story take
He must as wele off the bytter as off the sqwete mencion make.

(228)

But to the proces, Amoryus that nyght determynyd fully
To haue with Cleopes hys lady the louely dalyauns,
As thise louerys haue the practyk, and knowyng fully
Off that sqweete and plesaunt obseruauns.
And as he purposyd, ryght so effectwally
He fulffyllyd in-dede; mete at the walle as thei dyd be-fore;
I trow than veryly that thei bothe myry wore.

(229)

But to the purpos off ther dalyauns, this was the conclusyon:
That thei schuld mete the nest mornyng
In a forest, that was fast by the toune,
In a certeyn erbere, be-fforn the dawnyng,
Iche alone qwan no creature were steryng,
And there to breke ther hertys off alle heuynes
Her louys eke, vndyr, a nwe forme to redres.

(230)

Thus thei departyd to ryse erly,
Yede to ther rest in fulle very trost,
The nest morw to expend ful delectabyly
In louys obseruauns; noudyr to spare for snowe ner frost;
Bysyly thei gan record ther speche that no tyme schuld be lost,
That thus and thus thei schul say; but alas! that yche qwyle
Dysseyuabyl fortune gan hym dysseyue and begyle.

(231)

But trwth ys sayd that God schapyth for the best,
He knwe at the begynnyng qwat the conclusyon schul be.
And to telle forth this story, qwan thei woke off ther rest,
Thei gan them fast aray, qwan thei gan se
The dauns off the systyrrys seuyn .vij.
Drawe toward the west part of heuyn.

(232)

But .viij. days be-fforn apperyd in the fyrmament
A lemyng sterre, that a comete ys clepyd in astronomy,
In the mylke qwyte gyrdyl. That euer doth represent
A gret chaunge; as the deth off princys, or pestylencys gret and hasty,
Gret bataylys, deth of kyngys, or gret penury:
The qwyche the same morw gan dysapere,
That this case fylle, as I wryte nowe here.

(233)

In this morw erly before the day,
Cleopes ful priuyly at a posterin yate,
Stale owte alone, and to the forest toke her wey;
For in her thowt sche feryd to a comyn to late;
And fast sche gan her hy in her iurney
Toward the erbere; and qwan sche come and se no creature,
“A!” quoth sche, “I fyrst am comyn, now am I sure.”

(234)

And in this erbere, as seyth my boke, ther was
A lusty, fresch, delectabyl spryng of water clere;
The qwyche ran smothly thru the chas
Off this forest owte off this foresayd erbere.
And Cleopes qwan sche sey Amoryus come noght nere,
To the water sche yed, and wysch both handys and face,
And her dryid and fast a-bowte gan gase,

(235)

And as sche lokyd about, sche aspyid comyng
An huge lyon; the qwyche that nyght to hys pray
Had deuouryd an hyinde, and afftyr hys fedyng
Erly come to drynke off that fresch spryng.
And Cleopes, ny fro her-selff for that soden affray,
Fled awey, as fast as sche myght renne;
And for fere styrt in-to a lyonnys denne.

(236)

And as sche ran, a kerchyff pennyd losely,
Fyl fro her hed awey vp-on the gres;
But for gret haste sche dyd yt noght aspy.
And forth in-to the erbere this lyoun come with mowth al blody;
But or he drank, afftyr hys nature, he gan hym dres,—
Wypt on the gres hys blody mowth; and in hys welteryng
Made alle blody Cleopes kerchyff in hys wypyng;

(237)

And afftyr rose vp and dranke off the water hys fylle.
Afftyr in-to the forest he yed be a-nodyr wey;
But Cleopes for fere lay ston stylle.
Sche lokyd alwey to a ben the lyouns pray.
And Amoryus nas noght longe; but with-oute delay
Hyid hym, as fast as he coude, and for surete
Hys [s]qwerd vndyr hys arme he bare for case off aduersyte.

(238)

But alas! qwy nas yt broke on pecys thre
Thys yche sqwerd, but qwat fortune wold so?
It was ther desteny; yt wold none odyr be.
But Amoryus and Cleopes must dye ther-with both to .ij.,—
Qwat schuld I yt prolonge; Y must be ordyr go,
For in ther chauncys; and so Amoryus entryd the erbere.
And thus it be-ffyl as ye schal afftyr here.

(239)

Qwan he was come to the erbere, fast he gan loke
Iff Cleopes had owte be styryng ther ere;
But sodenly he abaschyd and fyl in-to fere,
Qwan he this blody kerchyf sey lying there;
Hys hert gan cold and heuy wax as ony led.
“Thys ys Cleopes kerchyff,” quoth he, “in peyn off myn hed.”

(240)

And forth-with he stoupyd and vp the kerchyf gan take,
And lokyd vppon the merk, and fond for Cleopes a .C.
Wrowt with sylke; than euyn as an espys lef doth schake
Ayens the wynd, ryght so than dyd he,
Dyd qwake for fere, qwan he that lettyr gan se;
And at the fyrst word thus pitusly he gan crye,
“O hye Jouys, help! help, for now I dye.”

(241)

Encrese so sore began hys inward heuynes,
That as a lyoun wode for ire, ryght so he faryd
Nygh owte off hys mend; and in that gret dystres
Hys inward conseyt thus he had off Cleopes
With morny[n]g hert and pytus chere; thus he ys conseyt declaryd:
“O most trosty, most trw, most louyng!
Cursyd be that owre, that we gan trete off this metyng;

(242)

“For this ys trwth, experyens schewyth yt opynly;
And be this blody kerchyf I yt deme,
That for very trw loue sche keme hydyr ryght erly
Me to abyde. Alas, for sqweme!
And sum lyoun or tygyr come here forby,
The qwych for hys pray hath drawen her to hys caue.
Alas! qwy nas I here her to saue?

(243)

“O fers! O crwel! O wod, rauenus best!
Was ther none odyr pray to suffyse thi gredynes,
Off hert or hyinde, or odyr best walkyng in this forest,
But on that louely mayd, my lady Cleopes?
O hye Jouys! inclyne thine ere,, or that myne hert brest,
To my prayur; that as the thundyr dynt slow Companeus,
Ryght so this crwel best myght dye, that was so rauenus.

(244)

“Or ellys, or my wofful spyryt owte of the body pase,
I myght with that uermyne mete to venge Cleopes detht;
And yff yow nyl me here, thi brodyr I pray off grace,
That Pluto men clepe with fyry breth;
As at the sege off Thebes Ampyorax fro hys place
Fyl in-to helle alle qwyk, ryght so this foule best and vermyne
Myght falle thorw the erth to helle pyne.”

(245)

And at that word the cramp so sore gan hys hert hold,
That he nyst veryly qwat to sey;
But sodenly he gan to syghe, as hys hert brest wold.
And at the last cryid, “Allas and welawey!
Alas! how schal I doo? for sorow I dey.
O hert myne, Cleopes! O myne heuyn sqwete!
Alas! qwy schal I neuer more with yow mete?

(246)

“Alas! that I in prime loue thus beraft off my gladnes;
And yyt a mayd neuer louyd but one,
The qwyche fortune wyckyd hath slayn gylteles.
Allas! I, sorowfful wrecche, with-owte conffort alone
Nowe schal dye; and now to yow, furyis inffernal, I make my mone,
O yow helle hound, Tri-Cerberus, opyn thi yatys wyde,
And conioyne my spyryt on to my lady syde.

(247)

“For sythyn fortune nolde us suffyr here
To mete in felycyte, I must with sorowful hert ende
Owre loue begunne; for sche for me hath bought yt dere,
And Y as dere schal yt yeld, that I onkend
Neuer schal be found, in boke ner mend.
Lo, lytyl spryng! to the I compleyn with hert sore;
Ther schal neuer lyuyng creature with me speke more.”

(248)

And with that word hys sqwerd owte he drwe
With crwel chere, and scharp uoys gan sey;
“Farewele, knyghthed! farewele, auenturys nwe!
Farewele, lykyng lust! farewele, auenturys nwe!
Farewele, beutel farewele, fame and vyctory!
Farewele, alle lykyng dalyauns off alle worldys felycyte!
Farewele, myrth, welth, sporte, and pley; for alle ys pasyd with me!”

(249)

And with that word he lete downe glyde
The pomel off hys [s]qwerd, and held the poynte alofft,
And affter yt set to hys lefft syde;
With ferfful and grysely chere thise wordys rehersyd ofte:
“O Cleopes, my lady dere! my spyryte nyl nowt abyde;
But nedys yow folw, how sore sum-euery smert!”
And with that word, alas! he smet hym-selff to the hert.

(250)

And in that crwel dede so loude he cryid, “Farewele Cleopes!”
That sche hys voys herd, and styrt owte apase
Off this denn; but alle to late sche gan her dres,
For qwan sche come, he lay grouelyng on hys face.
And qwan sche aspyid that uery onhappy case,
Sche wept and wrange her handys, and sayd thus pitusly:
“Alas! myne owne knyght, qwy dye ye thus schamfully?”

(251)

And betwene her armys sche lyfft hym alofft,
And to hym sayd: “Alas! ys this oure metyng?
Ys this the loue that we haue musyd so offt?”
And qwan he herd her uoys, hys hert gan spryng.
With hors voys, as myne autour tellyth hys dying,
Amoryus her teld that he went be her kerchyff blodye,
Sum best had her deuouryd,—“This js cause that I thus dye.”

(252)

And Cleopes that word so sore toke to her hert,
That as an ymage off stone ryght so with-owte myght,
Sche fyl on sqwounyng; and longe tyme affter vp sche stert
Fro dethys crampe, and Amoryus vpward had turnyd the qwyght
Off hys eyn: this Cleopes than the most wofful wyght
That myght bere lyfe; qwan sche sey hym ded
Her chekys sche gan tere, and rent the here. of her hed.

(253)

And with that sche cursyd fortune, and the goddys alle,
As sche that lost had alle worldys felycyte;
And gan to sey: “O!” quoth sche, “sythyn that I dye schalle,
Qwerto prolonge I the tyme? sythyn yt must nedys be
That I schal dye; for I knowe neuer more to se
Hym lyuyng ayen, that for my sake ded ys;
I were to onkend afftyr to lyue, j-wys.”

(254)

And with-owte more sche gan kysse the ded body,
And afftyr seyd, “O Saturne! the I beseche
The soule off this knyght jn thi spere deyfy,
And eke be now oure soulys leche;
For hys loue on my-selff now I schal wreche.
Conioyne owre spyrytys, qwedyr thow wylt with joy or peyn;
For now I folowe, thow I be lothe to deyn.”

(255)

And Amoryus [s]qwerd than owte off hys grysely wound
Sche drwe owte; and thus affter sche gan say,
“O onhappy [s]qwerd! thow schalt me confound,
That fleemyd hast the lyfe off thi lord this day.
Cursyd be the oure that yow were made, and wele-awey!
O Jouys! my uyrgynyte to the I sacryfyse in this nede,
With the roseat blod off pure maydynhede.”

(256)

But sythyn yt yrkyth me to wryte
The dethys off bothe, I pase schortly;—
But Cleopes for certeyn her-selff dyd smyte
Thorow the body. Alas, that sche so schuld dye!
But alle this was but wrechydnes and foly.
Thow that in eld tyme paynymmys yt dyd for a memoryal,
I yt commend ryght noght at alle.

(257)

Thus thise storyis as thei fylle, as be my rudenes,
Bothe off her loue and off ther sqwemfful ende,
I haue wrytyn; and now to the folwyng proces
I my rude style in hast redres.
Alle be yt so, that I haue noght redy in mend
The termys off retricyannys, that so freschly schyne;
And thow I had, the tyme suffyse noght them to combyne.
And thow I had, the tyme suffyse noght them to combyne.