University of Virginia Library

Gij him answerd freliche:
‘Sir, ichil wel bleþeliche.’
In a kirtel of silk he gan him schrede,
Into chaumber wel sone he ȝede.
Þe kirtel bicom him swiþe wel,
To Amenden þer on was neuer a del;
Þe maidens biheld him feir & wel,
For þat he was so gentil.
Gij on his knes sone him sett,
& on hir fader half he hir grett,
& seyd he was þider sent
To serue hir to hir talent.
Felice answerd þan to Gij
‘Bieus amis, molt gramerci.’
& seþþe sche asked him in þe plas
Whennes he cam, & what he was.
‘Mi fader,’ he seyd, ‘hat Suward,
þat is þi fader steward,
þat wiþ him me haþ y-held
& forþ y-brouȝt, God him for-ȝeld!’
‘Artow,’ sche seyd, ‘Suward sone,
þat of al godenes haþ þe wone?’
Gij stode stille & seyd nouȝt.
Wiþ þat was the water forþ brouȝt:
þai sett hem to mete anon,
Erl, baroun, sweyn & grom.

Gij was bisy þat ich day
To serue wele þat feir may.
þat day Gij dede his miȝt
To serue þritti maidens briȝt;
Al an-amourd on him þai were,
& loued Gij for his feir chere.
þer of no ȝaf he riȝt nouȝt,
Al anoþer it was his þouȝt:
On Felice þat was so briȝt,
Gij hir loued wiþ al his miȝt;
So michel sche was in his þouȝt,
þat neye he was to deþ y-brouȝt,
He gan to wepe & sore siche,
& biment him wel reweliche;

& grete wonder he hadde y-wis
þat Felice so feir a creatour is.
Ac he no dar his loue keþe,
No sen hir wel vnneþe,
He is in so gret þouȝt,
His conseyl wil he schewe nouȝt.
Into þe maidens chaumber he is y-go,
At Felice he tok his leue þo,
& in his way he goþ apliȝt.
Vnto his chamber he went ful riȝt,
& wepe & made grete wo,
For he loued þat maiden so.
His men axed him on hy,
Whi þat he was so sori?
He hem answerd sone anon,
þat swiche iuel is comen him on
þat he weneþ his liif forgon,
Bote no tit him neuer non.
In þe court biment was Gij;
Mani man for him was sori,
For he was won to serue hem wel,
& ȝif hem mani a iuwel.
Now is Gij in gret tempest,
Sorwe he makeþ wiþ þe mest
Of Felice þat feir may;
For hir loue he sorweþ ay.
& grete wonder he haþ y-wis
Þat him so hard bifallen is;
He acursed þe time þat [he] hir say,
Felice wiþ hir eyȝen gray,
Hir gray eyȝen, hir nebbis schene:
‘For hir mi liif is miche in wene.
To hir ichil tellen al mi þouȝt,
Whi þat icham in sorwe brouȝt.
Tide me gode oþer qued,
Y nil it hele for no nede,
Riȝt to hir that y ne go
& schewe hir of mi miche wo.

Ac now to hir schewen y nille;
Allas, wreche, hou may i duelle?

For mi lordes douhter sche is,
& ich his nori, forsoþe y-wis;
Þerfore ich auȝt him treweþe bere,
& neuer more him to dere.
Ȝif ich hir loued, & it wist he,
& he miȝt ouer-take me,
He wald anon mine heued of smite,
Oþer heye hong, for that wite,
Oþer hewe me wiþ swerdes kene,
Ȝif ich hadde don him þat tene.
Allas, wreche, what may y do?
Y loue þing y no may com to!’

Now is Gij in sorwe ybrouȝt;
Of his liif nis him nouȝt.

He went and trent his bed opon,
So man þat is wo bigon;
He no may sitt no stonde,
No vnneþe drawen his onde;
Rest, no take slepeinge,
Mete ete, no drinke dringe;
No may him noman comforti,
Bot euer his song is wo & wi.
In so gret þouȝt was he þo,
& so gret sorwe toke him to,
Leuer him wer walk & wende,
& dye in trewe loue bende.

Þus [Gij] lay in grete turment
Til þat þe fest was al to-went.
Swiche an iuel is on him fast,
Þat he no may it of him cast;
He no wil noman his care schewe.
His sorwes ben euer aliche newe,
Þat he no may his loue haue,
Grete strengþe him doþ wiþ-drawe.
Þer-fore he seyd, ‘ichil hir schewe,
My peyne is euer aliche newe;
Of al mi sorwe nis hir nouȝt,
Ich wold ich were to deþ y-brouȝt.
Bitide me iuel oþer gode,
Ichil it held in mi mode;
& ȝif sche wil, sche may me spille,
Ac for al þat leten y nille.’