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Amoryus and Cleopes

Metham, John

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AMORYUS AND CLEOPES

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AMORYUS AND CLEOPES
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Thus ys the story off a knyght, howe he dyd many wurthy dedys be the help off a lady, the qwyche taught hym to ouercome a meruulus dragon, the qwyche was a .c. fote longe. And this knyght was clepyd Amoryus, the lady Cleopes.

1

The chauns of loue and eke the peyn of Amoryus, the knyg[h]t,
For Cleopes sake, and eke how bothe in fere
Louyd and aftyr deyd, my purpos ys to endyght.
And now, O goddes, I the beseche off kunnyng, that Lanyfyca hyght!
Help me to adornne ther chauns in sqwyche manere
So that, qwere this matere dotht yt reqwyre,
Bothe ther louys I may compleyne to louerrys dysyre.

2

In May, that modyr ys off monthys glade,
Qwan flourys sprede, the qwyche with-in the rote
In winter were clos, that than with floure and blade,
For Phebus exaltyng, with sundry hwys smellyd sote;
And byrdys a-monge leuys grene her myrthys made,
Qwan Nero, Asy gan subdwe to the empyre,
And besegyd the emperoure off Perse, kyng Camsyre.

3

For qwan this Romaynys gan to subdw
The regyon off Perse and off Medys,
Camsyr, kyng off that cuntre, hys pepyl to rescwe,
Agens this emperoure in the pleyn off Pansophyrys
Toke batel; qwere he was smet to deth at onys
With the ston off an engyne, and hys pepyl put to flyght.
Thus thise Romaynys became ther lordys with fors off fyght.

4

And for fere, the lordys off that regyon
Yeldyn the keys to the emperour off this forsayd cyte,
Yeuyng hym omage and possessyon
Off alle this forseyd regyon off Perse,
Besechyng hym vndyr trybute for to be;
And ther-vppon ther othe thei toke,
Sqweryng vp-on the tempyl boke.

5

But for that this cuntre was gret and populus
And feyth in thraldam ys selde seyn,
Be sad auysement the emperour wrought ryght thus:
He commaundyd to a counsel in certeyn
Alle erlys and barounys that to ther oste dyd perteyn;
In qwyche counsel for surenes to reule the cuntre,
They promotyd too .ij. lordys to be resydent in the chef cyte.

6

The qwyche lordys were Romaynys born,
That afftyr, for prudent port and gouernans,
Were crounyd kyngys off the remys namyd be-forn.
And so this emperour, with vyctoryus chauns,
Returnyd to Rome with hys oste and pysauns,
Thyse princys dwellyng in pes and rest
In the cheff cyte off Persys namyd Albynest,

7

Qwere thei despousyd wyuys off the lynage
Of Daryus, sumtyme emperour off that cuntre,
Multyplying the world, as seyth myn autour, Fyrage;
Qwere he tellyth the ryalte off ther maryage,
Remembryng the loue and eke the aduersyte
Off Amoryus and Cleopes, that were the chyldyr dere
Off thise lordys, how thei louyd and dyid in fere.

8

And the sempyl wryter besechyth off supportacion
For the rude endytyng off this story,
But euery word ys wrytyn vndyr correcion
Off them that laboure in this syens contynwally;
For fulle herd yt ys, I knowe yt veryly,
To plese the pepyl: but the [s]qwete frute schewyth the gentil tre,
And the mowth the hert; yt wyl none odyr be.

9

But cause qwy that I this boke endyght
Is that noqwere in Latyne, ner Englysch, I coude yt aspye;
But in Grwe Y had yt wrytyn lymynyd bryght
With lettyrrys off gold, that gay were wrowght to the ye,
That causyd me to meruel that yt so gloryusly
Was adornyd, and offten I enqwyryd of letteryd clerkys
Qwat yt myght be that poyntyd was with so merwulus werkys.

10

But alle thei seyd that yt was, be supposyng,
Grwe; but qwat yt ment, thei nyst ryght noght at alle.
And as yt fortunyd, ther come rydyng
To Norwyche a Greke, to home I schewyd, in specyal,
Thys forsayd boke; and he iche word, bothe gret and smal,
In Latyne yt expugnyd; and thus be hys infformacion
I had the trwe ground and very conclusyon.

Here endyth the prolog; and begynnyth the fyrst boke.

(11)

In Albynest, the chef cyte off the regyon of Parse,
Thyse lordys reulyd, the wyche excellent were off fame,
Be hos prudens, the cyteceynys were gouernyd in pes and equite
Be longe contynwauns, neuer founde in blame;
Nout-withstondyng ther charge was, in the emperourys name,
Alle maner off trespas to chastyse; but euer with rygh[t]ffulnes,
Thei coude alle materys reforme and redres.

(12)

And as myn autour doth in Grwe specyffye,
Tellyng yt for a specyal reme[m]berauns,
Seytht that thise lordys dwellyd so nyghe,
That be-twene ther placys ther was no more dystauns
Than that a ston wal made the dysseuerauns,
The qwyche dyuydyd ther courtys and closys,
And ther delectabyl gardyns in sesun spryngyng with lyliys and rosys.

(13)

And be ther namys myne autour doth expres,
Qwyche was the fadyr off Amoryus and off Cleopes eke,
Seyng off bothe: most had in reputacion of worthynes
Was Palemedon, Amoryus fadyr, the most myghty Greke,
Alle the regyon off Tessaly, thru-owte to seke,
Hos prudent poyntys off werre wer so dyuulgate,
That in the chauncys off Mars he stode makeles laureat.

(14)

Hos sone, as breuely be-fore I dyd expres,
Was Sir Amoryus, off home this story in especyal
Makyth mencion, hos beute and stature, bothe more and les,
Myne autour dothe declare, on this wyse in general:
Off mene stature was Amoryus, manful and strong with-alle,
With coloure bryght and herys broune, fulle of norture and curtesye;
And be hys wysdam, abyl an hole reme to gye.

(15)

And in hys gouernauns, so demure and dyscrete was he
That iche creature he coude reuerens be norturyd ientylnes
Affter ther degre; that off pore and ryche yn the cyte,
The fame of hys manhod and off hys loulynes
Was in ryfe; for as thei seyd alle, he was makeles
Hys age consydyrryd, hys byrth and nobyl lynage,
Be-sechyng Venus hym to fortune with lygkly maryage.

(16)

The fadyr off Cleopes, as seyth this story,
Was clepyd Dydas, hos wurchyp and fame
Was spred ful wyde; so that the cyteceyns for a memory,
Lete make a pyler off bras, ther-in wrytyn hys name
And hys beneffetys, more-ouer, hys ymage heldyng a frame,
In tokyn that be equite he reulyd the towne;
And eke that the tempyl was off hys fundacion.

(17)

My boke tellyth the cause off this remembrauns,
Seyng that qwyl Palemedon with the emperour was in batyle,
Dydas had off the cyte the hole gouernauns;
And, sodenly, ther come fro heuyn a thundyr and hayle,
That yt ouer-thrw the tempyl off Venus, top ouer tayle;
And Venus, with alle ymagys off gold, syluer, and bras,
Were smet to poudyr, bothe more and las.

(18)

Qwan the case off ther ymages were thus be-falle,
The cyteceynis for fere fled to Dydas palyse,
Bothe prest and seculerys, women, and alle,
For socoure and comffort and to here hys avyse;
For this thundyr rof stone wallys and housys, off meruulus wyse;
That the pepyl, dysmayd, ferffully on Dydas gan calle,
For loss off her godys and sauacion off ther lyuys in specyal.

(19)

They compleynyd that ther gref and pensyffhede
Was for ther tresour, the qwyche ordeynyd was, be polycye,
For sundry casys to helpe the communys in ther nede,
For reperacion off the tempyl eke, and ther lyberteys to fortyfye,
“The qwyche tresur,” qwoth thei, “vndyr this hydus skye,
Kofyr and alle, in the tempyl as yt lay,
Thus brent in-to aschys yt ys this day.”

(20)

And he ful comfortabylly to them ansqweryd, in this maner:
“Frendys, be noght abaschyd for this soden case.
I schal a nwe tempyl re-edyfye to owre goddes dere,
And yt as rychely aray as the elde tempyl was;
And eke as myche tresur as ye left, more or las,
I schal off my fre wyl restore; that ye no los schal haue.
Thys ys myne entente, so Iubyter my soule saue!”

(21)

For the qwyche, the pepyl on kneys be-fore hym dyd falle,
And gaue to hym praysyng, as thei aughte to do;
And for this beneffet fulfyl the pepyl, in specyal,
Lete make this pyler to Dydas Iuno;
And lykghly yt ys to be so,
Hos doutyr, aftyr myn autour hyght Cleopes;
And as I wryte, her beute he doth expres:

(22)

As Phebus in bryghtenes alle planetys excedyth, in general,
Ryght so in beute Cleopes yche erthly creature
Precellyd in fayrenes; that yn the reme, in specyal,
The fame off her beute was spred and off here stature;
For so womanly was sche, so benygne to yche creature
That lusty yong knyghtys gret parte wold make
To breke huge sperys, fersly, for Cleopes sake.

(23)

And breuely this proces for to trase,
Qwat that nature myght werke to beute in ony creature
Was wrought in the persone and in the louely face
Off this lady; for sche proporcion[y]d was in sqwyche mesure,
T[h]at sche sempt, be outeward apparens to pase nature,
Hos beute thus florysc[h]yng I omyt, as off the douter off Venus,
Contynwyng here fortunat fate vndyr Mars furyus.

(24)

But now off descrypcionnys I sese and forth this proces,
As myn autor dothe wryte, ryght so wul I,
Word for word, saue only a lenger progres
Yt nedyt[h] in Englysch; for in Latyne he that wrytyth most schortly,
Most ys comendyd: qwerfore that myn autour endytyth, in more and les,
Compendyusly he pasyth; and so I, in termys fewe,
The entent off myne autour purpos breuely to schewe.

(25)

For as me semyth, yt were a long dygressyon
To telle howe the nwe tempyl was jonyd of cem[e]ntaryis,
Or to speke off the hythe, or the brede, or off the facion,
Or the sumpte off goldyn vessellys, as chaudrunnys and fylateryis,
Or off Venus chaplet, howe yt was enamylyd with grene byris,—
To long yt were to wryte; for myn autour pasyth schortely,
And I to prolonge yt were but vanyte and foly.

(26)

In June, the qwyche the nest month ys aftyr May,
The yere reuoluyd; fro the tyme the olde tempyl fyl
The nwe was made and complet be xxti day
In alle ornamentys that longe to ther sacrifyce be ony skyl,
For the qwyche the gentylys alle and eke the commune pepyl
Be one asent dyd wryte to Palamedon, off hys deuocion,
Besechyng hym to come to ther nwe templys dedycacion.

(27)

And eke the bylle dyd specyfye that, yff yt to hys plesauns
None offens schul be, thei dysyryd to haue a syte
Off Amoryus, besechyng hys hynes noght to take to greuauns
That thei bold were on this wyse to wryte,
To accepte her feythffull entent in hys syte.

Off odyr thingys the bylle eke dyd specyffy,
The qwyche charge noght here to be browte to memory.

(28)

But this pepyl a masyngere to the emperour, in goodly wyse,
Sent in hast with this forsayd bylle;
The qwyche hys masage schewyd with ful sad auyse
Be mowthe, as he was taugh[t] off this pepyl
And aftyr delyueryd hys letter and held hym stylle,
Tyl Palamedon had red the ful sentens,
The qwyche vp-on this wyse he told in opyn audyens.

(29)

“Lordyis and frendyis,” quoth he, “owre cyteceynis of Albynest
Haue wryt to vs that to owre goddes ys fabryfyid
A nwe tempyl; to the qwych consecracion, at ther reqwest,
We muste hye; for in the bylle yt ys specyfyid
That alle ornamentys be alle redy to the solempnyte puryfyid,
And noght thei abyde but vs and yong Amoryus,—
The sentens of this bylle maketh mencion ryght thus.”

(30)

And qwan he had spokyn, the bariunnis that were in hys presens
Alowyd hys sentens and seyd yt was for the best
To enclyne that tyme to the pepillys sentens;
“For sythyn,” quoth thei, “oure lege is now in rest
Fro Marcyan labourys, he hath of werryowris the lesse brest;
Vs thynke best that ye informe hym, as sone as ye may,
To puruey yow homeward to-morow or the nest day.”

(31)

And sone a tyme oportune he had found,
Aspyid qwere the emperour was walkyng in a fresch herber,
Beforn hym on hys kne he fyl to the ground,
Schewyd hym the entent off hys comyng in benygn maner;
And qwan he had spokyn, the emperour, with debonayre chere,

Sayd to Palemedon: “Do in this matere as ye thinke best;
Ye knowe wele how owre empyre ys now in rest.

(32)

“And for yowre labour in werris that with vs ye haue be,
We thanke yow; and we wul, if ony case falle,
That yowre help in alle godely hast redy be.”
And qwan he had thus spokyn, hys styward forth he dyd calle,
Comaundyng hym to fecche that ryche purpyl palle,
That hym-selff had vsyd in Mars sacrifyse,
The qwyche he yaf Palamedon for hys trw seruyse.

(33)

For the qwyche yifft in parte to make recompens,
He louyd hym as prynce, Mars knyght most excellent;
And bothe he and Amoryus ful norturely toke ther lycens
Off the emperour and the courte; and faste thei be ment
To hast ther iurney to the forsayd entent;
For the qwyche knytys and odyr gan fast puruey,
The nest morow them toward Albynest to conuey.

(34)

An artyfycer nowe were nede to me
That coude a straunge style puryfye;
For my poyntel so rude ys, as ye may opynly se,
Yt can noght graue, ye may vt wele aspye,
Be the qwyche my rudenes I mene to endyte this storye;
But trwth ys seyd, blynd Bayard of no dowts doth puruey,
Tyl he hath fallyn in the myd wey.

(35)

Qwerfore fully I me excuse, or I ferther procede,
To yche dyscrete persone most in specyal,
And to the goddes that Fame hyght, now in this nede,
I beseche for help,—that qwere this boke in chambyr or halle
Be herd or red, sche lyst the syluer sqwete pype so smal
To sounde; that the brasyn trumpe of obloqui
For my rudenes mystune noght in no company.

(36)

And nowe my autour I muste folow in astronomy,
The qwyche dymme ys to onlernyd folk, I trowe verily.

(37)

But now I returne to Palamedon, the qwyche lay in rest
Abydyng sum tokyn, qwan Aurora schuld sprynge;
And as he lay wakyn, he herd a ruschyng off a chest,
For qwyche noyse he with-owte taryinge
Styrt vp to wyte yff ony creature were styryng
“Ho goth ther?” quoth he; and afftyr stylle he stode for to here,
Yff ony seruaunt had walkyd ther nere.

(38)

And to the mortere off wax he yed to aspye the wast,
To wete yff tyme were fore to ryse,
To knowe allso how fer the nyght was past;
And as he the brennyng off the mortere gan deuyse,
The nyght chauntour (the cok) hys fyrst salme dyd appryse,—
“A!” thought he, “this sygnyfyith mydnyght;
The cok none ere crwe; yt wul be long or yt be daylyght.”

(39)

Forth than to the wyndow he yed, to wyt how the day schuld preue;
And as he kyste vp hys eye to the fyrmament,
He aspyid Latona, how sche toke her leue
Off Jouys her loue, and howe Boetes gan dreue
Hys bryght plowgh of sterrys, and eke the systyrrys at ther stent,
The qwyche be namyd the sterrys seuyn .vij.,
Howe thei gan appere in the myddys off heuyn.

(40)

And as he hys chere turnyd to be-hold Pegasus,
The fyry goddes off the fyrmament gan to schew here face;
And qwan he hys lady aspyid, that namyd ys Venus,
With deuoute preyyer to beseche her off grace
On kneys doune hym set, and for this preysyng gan race
In magnyfying the gloryus chyualry stellygerat
In qwemyng off Venus and Mars, that than were at debat.

(41)

“O!” quoth he, “ye inmortal goddyis, alle incorporat,
The qwyche be pasyng off nature haue trancendyd this mysery,
Be fortunat fate eternally deyfyid and gloryfycat,
That ye the heuyn crystallyne illumyne and puryfye
Off yowre infynyte goodenes! Ye yowre wurchypperys deyfye
Be a prerogatyfe synguler, that thei that can yow feyt[h]fuly plese
Ye yeff them alle that ys to ther hartys ese.

(42)

“O hye Saturne! reulyng with the septyr off prudens,
Alle terrenal accionnys cyrcumscryuyst indeffycyentlye
Be the progeny deyfyid off thee, hauyng decens
In fyre, aer, lond, and see, be ther namys them thus to applye:
As Jouys, fyry; Juno, aery; Neptunus, wattry; Pluto, erthy;
The qwyche hauyng off thise elementys septrat powere.
Thy chyld were jheryid be thow and eke thei in fere.

(43)

“And eke, O Appollo! to hos bryght chere my goddys alle
Yeue sted; and euery lyuyng erthely creature
With erbe, floure, and frute the preyse in general;
And eke I thi seruaunt qwyl my lyfe wul endure.
In my iurny fyry, and noght wattery, do thi cure,
To appere, I the beseche. And I, on the most reuerend wyse,
A blake bole in the yle of Delfos schal to the sacrifyse.

(44)

“And O Mars! cheueteyn off nobyl weryouris,
With Venus and Lucyna (the mone) pesybyl be;
For masculyne furyus a-yens femenyn schouris
Amonge goddys ys ascryuyd but to crwelte.
And now howe gloryus and how blyssyd yt ys to se
Yowre deyifyid cherrys, O goddis and goddessys alle!
Jheryid ye myght be eternally with inffynyte memoryalle!

(45)

“And O eke ye nobyl deyfyid sygnys! abstracte
From erthly mancionnis to the asuryd fyrmamente;
Sum fyx and sum reuoluying to and fro, in maner of the cateracte,
Be-twene the poolys, bothe the qwyche namys thus represent,
The poole artyk and the poole antartyk at the goddys entent;
In sundry fygurys,—as summe stondyng, summe sittyng,
Sum deffendyng, summe lying, summe water poryng.

(46)

“And be the hye prouydens off yow, goddys colegyat,
Eyery sygne dysposyd ys be fatal ordynauns;
That yche regnyth a tyme, hys cours kepyng and estate,
Yche affter hys dysposycion reulyng with fortunat chauns
Them that born be vndyr ther dyuerse demenauns,—
As summe to prosperyte and ese; summe to trauel and gret vexsacion;
Sum to be leccherus; and sum onstabyl, affter the sygnys dysposycion.

(47)

Qwerefore, O Alua! wombe off the sagyttary off sterrys lucent,
My-selff I deprehend that in thyne exorte
I born was. O blyssyd sygne fortunat appere to myne entent!
And I thi gloryus fygure off pure gold, to thine apport,
Amonge my goddys schal fyx; and euer to the resorte
With sacryfyse and alle sygnys off the fyrmamente becaus[e] off the,
With-in my tempyl in ther lykenes made schal be.”

(48)

And Palamedon thus hys preyur than dyd conclude;
For off sqwetnes off deuocion half raueschyd was he,
Foryetyng hym-self: for trwe yt ys that loue dothe exclude
Bothe hete and cold, and causyth a man foryetful for to be;
For the sterrys so longe he beheld, descryuyng the mageste,

That the pepyllyng wynde made hys flesch for to quake;
That he styrt to hys bed and a-nwe rest be-gan to take.

(49)

Nowt longe tyme he had layn in the golden slepe,
That fro vndyr the erthe phyry Phebus
With hys glymerryng bemys in-to the chambyr gan lepe;
That thru hys bryghtnes he woke Amoryus;
And he in hast styrt vp and hys fadyr dyd clepe,
Seyng that yche man redy was to ryde,
Chafyng ther hors vp and doune be the court syde.

(50)

And be that tyme he redy was to take hys palffrey,
Lusty, fresch knygtys of howsold redy were
To conuey hym forth in hys iurney.
And qwan he the entent perseyuyd off hys frendys dere,
Off ther louyng entente he thankyd hem in benygn manere
Seying as herttyly, “I thanke yow in euery degre
As yff ye me conueyid home to owre cyte.”

(51)

But alle hys speche stod for noght, for certenly thei seyd,
They had sundry erendys in-to hys cuntre
And eke dyuerse messagys vp-on hem were leyd;
Also ther dysyre was to se the newe tempyl and the cyte.
And qwan Palamedon sey yt wold none odyr be
But forth thei wold, he thankyd them hertyly,
And toke hys palfray and forth rod myryly.

(52)

And qwan thei pasyd had the cyte but mylys thre,
A losty yonge knyght gan preke hys palfray
Toward Amorius. “Qwat sorow eylys the now,” quoth he,
“That thow thus sobyrly rydyst alle this day?
Be myne hed!” quoth he, “I trowe that thow hast lost thi pray
Off summe ientyl woman that dwellyth with the empres.
That ys now thi mornyng, as I gesse.

(53)

“But wotys thow qwat me thynkyth best?
Lern this lessun, if thow be wyse, off me:
Lete no fayre loke reue the off thi rest;
But them that thow knowyst hertyly loue the,
Loue them a-yen, qwydyr yt be he or sche.
And euer be-ware off fayre speche, fore many be ontrwe;
For trost in ontrwe hath made many a man to rwe.

(54)

“But nowe let alle this musyng matere pase,
And be auysyd off p[er]ellys ayens a-nodyr tyme.”
“Ye, brodyr,” quoth Amoryus, “I trowe that ye haue trodyn the trace
Off louys daunce, for of the kalendys ye muse the prime;
For he that hyest on that leddere dothe clyme
Deppest in-to wo fallyth, qwan he hat[h] lost hys pray.
But troste me, veryly, louyd I so no creature in-to this day.”

(55)

“Wele,” quoth this yonge knyght, “this matere longyth to sadnes;
But lete yt pase; and syng now sum songe for this sesunne.”
“I graunt,” quoth Amoryus, “be-gynne now your chauntes;
But go gete vs more felychyp.” “Ye! for God,” quoth he, “that ys resun.”
And forth he clepyd foure knytys hos ful deuocion
Was set in wor[l]dly plesauns, that with melydyus chauntyng
This song off loue with lusty voys thei gan to syng:

(56)

Qwan flourys sprede in May, of monthys myryest,
And euery byrde hath chosyn hys louely make,
For joye off the sesun amonge the leuys grene gan rest,
With myry notys syngyng; as I my walkyng gan take,
Vndyr a forest syde, I herd one, for hys ladyis sake,
To the goddes of loue he gan to compleyn,
And eke to fortune, for los off hys lady souereyn:

(57)

O fortune, alas! qwy arte thow to me onkend?
Qwy chongyddyst thow thi qwele causeles?
Qwy art thow myne enmye and noght my frend,
And I euer thi seruant in al maner of loulynes?

(58)

But nowe, off my lyfe, my comfort, and my affyauns,
Thowe hast me be-rafft, that causyth me thus to compleyn.
O bryghter than Phebus! O lyly! O ground of plesauns!
O rose off beute! O most goodely, sumtyme my lady souereyn!

(59)

But O alas! that thru summe enmye or sum suspycyus coniecte,
I throwyn am a-syde and owte off my ladiis grace;
Sumtyme in fauer, but now fro alle creaturys abiecte,
As offtyn sqwowny[n]g, as if remembyr her bryght face.
But now adwe for euer; for my ful felycyte
Ys among thise grene leuys for to be.

(60)

Thys was the dyte off ther fresch songe and the sentens
That thise yonge knytys dyd syng in the iurney,
In specyal for feiner loue and presens
Off Amoryus. And thus with myry songys and talys, day be day,
They schortyd the tyme with myrtht and with play;
And in alle ther myrthys Palamedon rode forth stylly,
Thynkyng alle but vanyte and foly.

(61)

But now I leue thise fresch gallauntys syngyng in ther lay
With mornyng joy in sqwetnes off songe, compleynyng
The absens off ther ladyis soueren in the sesun off May,
To returne to the cyteceynys; the qwych herd off ther comyng,
Nwe clad in a sute, with ful solen aray,
On horsbak with Dydas rydyn owte off the cyte,
Abydyng in a pleyn the dystauns off mylys thre,

(62)

Tyl off ther spye thei had sum tokynnyng.
And at hye none thayr masynger come rydyng a-pase,
Enfformyng Dydas how that thei come fast by.
Ther comyth myche pepyl; thei ocupy myche spase;
And than Dydas commaundyd yche man hys dystauns
To kepe fro odyr; and fast than he gan puruey
To mete with hym in alle godely hast on the wey.

(63)

And Dydas, ful norturely, with hys cumpany
Hym welcomyd as to hys oune cuntre,
And eke the emperourys knyghts by and by
Conueyng them forth in-to ther cyte;
Qwere thei receyuyd were, as thei aucte to be,
Off hys lady and odyr off the toune,
Ful solemply conueyid home to hys mancion.

(64)

The nest day folwyng Dydas and odyr sundry
Off the cyte come to Palamedon and hym prayd
To asyngne a day qwan the tempyl most conuenyently
Myght be dedycat. “Loke ye,” quoth Palamedon, “I held me payd,
Saue I wul se be-fforn how yt ys nwe arayd;
For yff ony thing schul lak that schuld the tempyl adorne,
I wold haue konnyng ther-of be-fforn.”

(65)

And forthwith he dyd clepe the emperour[ys] knyghtys.
“Wul ye,” quoth he, “se the nwe tempyl abought?”
“Ye, syr,” quoth they, “we come hydyr to se nwe sytys.”
And forth thei yede and fast beheld yt, with-in and with-owte.
Ther was castyng off perellys and meuyng off many a dowghte;
But at the last this was Palamedonnys sentens
Among them alle in opyn audyens:

(66)

“Trwly, brodyr Dydas,” quoth he, “this tempyl ys feyre,—
Venus do yow mede! and I purpose, in specyal,
For a rememberauns off owre goddys alle, a spere to repeyre
Off pure gold, to the symylytude as a bal,
Hauyng ther-in the goddys meuyng natural
And yche sygnys exort; and be meuyng yt schal represent
The cours off alle planetys off the fyrmament.”

(67)

And qwan he had thus spokyn, “Qwere ys,” quoth he, “Venus secretary,
The qwyche in crafftys mekanyk hath experyens,
As off dyuynacionnys, enchauntements, and off sorcery;
And offtyn in ars magyk hath wrowgt in my presens.”
But off hys woidys, or he had spokyn the full sentens,
Amonge he[m] was this forsayd prest off Venus;
For he knwe alle be-fforn by hys spyryt namyd Incoberus.

(68)

And qwan Palamedon had rehersyd this matere before,
“Syre,” quoth this secretary, “the labour ys cumbrus and grete;
But yff I haue stuff to performe yt, in lesse and more,
For my bysynes I purpose noght to lete;
So that this day ye wul the gold me gete,
Feythffully I dar promyse that, be this day seuynyght .vij.,
Iche image and cerkyl redy schal be dyght.”

(69)

“As for that,” quoth Palamedon, “schal be made no tarying.”
And he to hys styward anone yaff this commaundmente:
As myche gold as he wold ax thidyr for to bryng,
And eke ryche stonys afftyr the secretaryis entent.
“Anone,” quoth he, “thei were delyueryd qwyl I am present.”
And as he commaundyd, ryght so the styward dyd in-dede,
Preyng this nygromancyer hym in hys werk to spede.

(70)

And ther Palamedon, in open audyens,
Them off the cyte chargyd redy for to be,
On ther legauns and promysyd obedyens,
Alle present and absent that longe to the cyte
With-owte sesonabyl cause or gret specyalte,
Afftyr eght .viij. dayis, be the custummys olde,
The dedycacion off Venus and the tempyl to hold.

(71)

And than owte off the tempyl he yede and the knytys also,
Home to hys palyce to theyr refeccion,
Qwere I hem leue, carpyng off the tempyl, to and fro,
To returne to the secretary, the qwyche be coniuracion
Off spyrytys enchauntyth myghtyly, be dyuynacion
With spryngys off cydyr, qwyk colys, and encens,
Int[r]oducyng the spyrytys in-to hys cyrcumfferens.

(72)

And sone an huge pytte he gan mak be-syde,
Qwere he the gold, syluer, and precyus stonys
Thrw in to-gydyr; and afftyr gan abyde,
Tyl he had gadyrryd a multytude off mennys bonys
And thrwe hem in-to the pytte alle at onys;
For as clerkys wryte, the damnyd spyrytys haue delectacyon
Amonge tresur and ded mennys bonys to make ther mancion.

(73)

And redy anone he dyght hys sacrifyse,
Abydyng the oure off hys operacion,
Arayd in qwyght, hys cerkyl gan dyuyse
With carectyrs and fygurys, as longe to the dysposycion
Off tho spyrytys that haue that power in ther iurysdyccion.
And at hye mydnyght he entryd hys cumpas
With hys boke and sacrifyse coniuryng apase.

(74)

And with-in schort tyme, be excellent craft,
He had introducyd in-to this forsayd pytt
Seuyn .C. thousand spyrytys, or he lafft,
And fast ther bond them, that thei myght nogh flytt,
Thow thei had yt sqworn ther them he schytt;
And made tho spyrytys so meruulusly werk in fere,
That with-in thre ourys complet was the spere.

(75)

And now for to declare the werkyng off this spere
And eke to name the cerkyllys, fygurys, and sygnys,
The multytude off sterrys, namyd in panymmys manere,
Goddys off the fyrmamente, and eke the meruulus mevyngys
Off the planetys, causyng in thayr regne sundry thyngys
In werkyng off nature,—alle this this spere dyd represent,
As in frosty nyghtys ye may be-hold in the fyrmament.

(76)

In the este ende off this tempyl this spere apperyd alofft,
Fyue cubytys fro the ground, alwey meuyng;
Noudyr hangyng ner vndyr born, of herd ner off sofft,
But alone in the eyar, to euery mannys eye apperyng.
So meruulus a melody yt causyd to folkys heryng,
That halff thei raueschyd were be the sqwete armony
Off the qwyfft glydyng of thise cerkyllys, by and by.

(77)

And the ouer cerkyl in-cludying alle this huge werk
Afftyr astrologerys descripcion applanos hyght,
The qwyche vndyr heuyn empuror, as Haly the gret clerk
Doth specyfy, qwere he off constellacionnys doth wryght,
Ys nest; and so vysuually, to yche mannys syte,
Abouyn this spere enchauntyd apperryd ouer, more and les,
As liqwyde gold brennyng in a furnes.

(78)

But the secunde cerkyl, ther ys no lyuyng creature
That myght yt behold but gretly he schuld wondyr

Off the operacion and ryches off that meruulus fygure;
For in that the fyx sterrys were and sygnys meuyng asundyr;
Sum vprysyng and sum dessendyng vndyr;
The qwyche multytude in fere, afftyr paynymys opynyon,
Was clepyd the colege off goddys, afftyr poyyetys denominacion.

(79)

And in the fyrst fyx sygne the doutyr off Lycaon,
Clad in sterrys off gold, cumpasyng tweyn berys qwyght
With a saphyryne serpent, stedffastly stondyng in one,
The qwyche the north pole ye clepyd or Artos bryght;
Nest home Artophylax stondyng redy for to fyght
In the deffens off Arcton, clad in a palle smaragdyne,
Adornyd with sterrys off gold; to the centyr hys face declyne.

(80)

Vp-on hos schuldyr the garlond off Adryagne
Aperyd in the symylytude as a ryche topas;
Nest home stod kyng Hercules, that alle Asy wanne;
The skyn off a lyon in ryght arme dyd embras,
With a gleyue off gold dyuydyng the cerkyl or cumpas
Off somer; closyd in sterrys flamyng nynetene .xix.;
The qwyche in hys exorte off ast[r]ononerrys hyghly myght be sene.

(81)

And be Hercules the Harp musycal off Orphe
Was joynyd to the pole, off the qwych, as poyetys feyne,
Orphe with the sqwete melody from Plutoys fyry see.
As fro helle, hys wyffe he harpyd ayeyne;
And vndyr this harpe the Sqwan, that to Jouys dyd perteyne,
Was plumyd with oryent margarytys; and toward the Lesse Bere
Thyse goddys and goddessys conioynyd were.

(82)

Cephe and Casyep, fayre Andromece and semly Perse,
The kyng off Cryse nakyd Opylenk, inuoluyd with a serpent,
With the goldyn arow off Hercules, that the Egyl dyd sle,
The Egyl flying by, and the Dolphyn that in the spere ys resydent,
And wyngyd Pegasus that made in Boyse the welle oryent,
With the Tryangyl; qwyche imagys were made ther in her fygurys
Off sundry precyus stonys; as of carbunkyllys, dyamaunts, and saphyrys.

(83)

But for that this matere ys obscure and to onletterryd noght delectabyl,
I pase schortly; but sythyn I haue begunne to descriue the spere,
Breuely I schal conclude, omyttyng colourys; as off syluer and sabyl,
Asure, gold, goulys, and verd, the ennamyllyngys in sundry maner,
Off the vestyture off goddys, as thei wrowght were in fere
Be enchauntement; and now the resydu vp to descriue,
I pray yow off pacyens, I schal a do belyue.

(84)

And nest thise foresayd Phebus' twelue .xij. dwellyng placys
Sundryly apperyd, the qwyche be clepyd, in commune langage,
The twelue syngnys off the yere, kepyng there pacys
In this forsayd spere, closyd in oryent sterrys, as in a cage;
As the Ram, the qwyght Bole, the Tweyn Bredyr off Grekys lynage,
The Crab, the Lyon, the Vyrgyne, and the Weghtys,
The Scorpyon, the Sagyttary, the Capricorn, the Aqwary, and the Fysschys.

(85)

And southe in the spere toward the octyan,
The Qwalle was, hornyd Padus, the Hare, and Oryon

With the sqwyff Grehound; and fers Prochyon;
The Schyp off Argus; the Centaure or the monstyr off Chyryon;
The fygure off the Dorys off the Tempyl off Salomon,
With the serpent namyd Ydra, the Pese, and the Crow,
And the fysch clepyd Serus; thus thei namyd were arowe.

(86)

And as I haue here rehersyd in the spere nygromantyk,
Ryght so in the fyrmament the same fygurys be,
As asstrologerys wryte, fygurys to men and bestys lyke;
To the qwyche paynymys dyd sacrifyse for euery aduersyte,
Settyng them in charys off gold, that the pepyl myght them se;
In-to the qwyche wykkyd spyrytys entryd the pepyl to ludyfye,
To make them forsake God, and to turment her soulys euerlastyngly.

(87)

And in-to this owre the most part off the world ys so made blynd,
Thorowgh the sotel falsnes off the fend, that thei beleue,
To be tranlat in-to heuyn, qwere thei ther God schuld fynd;
For off euery sekenes thei wene the idol dyd hem releue.
Offtyn he talkyth to hem in ther langage, bothe morow and eue;
Qwan thei with sacriffyse beseche hym to be mercyfful,
He gladyth them with feyre promyssys at the fulle.

(88)

But ayen to returne to the spere and yt to conclude fynally,—
The seuyn .vij. planetys to descriue the qwyche be-neth thise odyr
Were resydent in ther tronys, reulyng bodyis of the erth myghtyly;
That for ther excellent power sum ys clepyd the fadyr
To them rehersyd beffore; and so dere and wurthy
To alle idolatrerys thei be, that huge templys to yche off thise syngulere
They edyffye to offyr in theyr sacrifyse and muse her prayyer.

(89)

And to sum thei sacriffyse for wysdam, as to Saturn,
The qwyche in the seuynt .vij. spere hath hys domyny;
To sum for prosperyte and wurchyp, as to Iubyter, that makyth returne
In the syxt .vj. cerkyl, or trone; and to Mars for vyctory
Off her aduersaryis, that the fyffte .v. trone reulyth myghtyly;
And to Phebus for ansqwere off auenturys how thei schul falle
In tyme foluyng, the qwyche the fourth .iiij. spere reulyth celestyal;

(90)

And eke to beuteus Venus, that femenyn ys off nature,
Lusty fresch galaunts to haue ther lykyng dysyre
To her beseche for help, qwan thei endure
Ony inffortune, or qwan thei brenne in louys fyre;
The qwyche goddes reulyth the empyre
Off the thryd trone, to home Dydas for pure deuocion
Bylyd the tempyl qwere the spere had the mocion;

(91)

And to Mercurry thei that marchaundyse ocupy,
As to god off fortune thei beseche for prosperus auenture,
The qwyche the secunde trone possedyth; and nest vs by
In the fyrst t[r]one, resedyth the goddes of Dyane, that the nyght obscure
Temperyth with her bryght chere, that femenyne ys off nature,
The qwyche thise paynymys clepe goddes off the see,
Preyng her with sacrifyse for the seeys tranquillyte.

(92)

And thus I ende this rwde descrypcion
Off goddys and the spere to speke off the secretary,
That had a fynauns and a fulle conclusyon
Off this meruulus spere be the spyrytys aery;
That fast than homeward gan hym hye,

Speryd the tempyl dorys and to hys chambyr yede;
Qwere I hym leve aslepe, yff he can, for he hath nede.

(93)

Fowre days afftyr that made was this werke,
This secretary had schewyd alle the spere
Vp-on a nyght to Palemedon, qwan the wedyr was derke,
Axyng hym yff ony he wold haue made, in priuy maner,
Be-syde that, to the reuerens off theyr goddes dere.
“Qwat,” quoth Palamedon, “made ye haue made be myne estymacion,
That no lyuyng creature but ye myght to this con clusyon.

(94)

“O Venus dere!” quoth he, “this werk ys so qweynt and meruulus,
That I am astoynyd to behold yt; meuyth so fast
Myn eyn dymme off the wundyrfful bryghtnes; yt ys so laboryus,
That my resun demyth that yt myght noght euer last;
For be my wytt I haue concludyd and caste,
That yff yche cerkyl were as thyk as a mylle post,
The scharp meuyng schul sone cause yt to be lost.”

(95)

“Be lost!” quoth the secretary, “nay, nay,” quoth [he], “that schal neuer be
Qwyl the world enduryth, trost that veryly.
Qwat wene ye that the cerkyllys were off that tresur that ye
To me delyuerryd? Nay, thynke yt nowt, that ys but a fantesy;
For one .j. cerkyl takyth more than yowre tresur drw holy.
But for a matere off counsel,” quoth this secretary, “in specyal,
I browte yow now hydyr; I schal noght gab at alle.

(96)

“Qwan complet was the spere, as yt ys this owre,
Sore I dysyryd to knowe how longe yt schuld endure;

And vp-on a nyght thys weke in my towre,
I sacriffysyd to Venus, prayng her to do her cure
To schewe me be reuelacion, to make me sure,
Yff yt schuld sone be destroyd, or late, or neuer;
Or yff the tempyl ouertrw, yff the cerkyllys schuld dysseuer.

(97)

“And as I lay, I fyl wondyrffully aslepe;
And sodenly, in a dreme I was and that a meruulus,
Me-thowt I sey Venus alle mornyng, as thow sche schuld wepe,
Punchyng me with her fote, to me seyd rygt thus:
‘Alas!’ quoth sche, `we goddessys may say, for sone to us
Is schape an vttyr exile; for here qwere we were wunt to abyde,
A crucyffyid man schal take possessyon, and vs put asyde.

(98)

“‘And were noght,’ quoth sche, ‘that this heuy case schuld falle,
The spere schuld euer endure ueryly;
But sythyn thus yt schal be, the same nyght breke yt schal,
That we arn drouyn hens; and thus alas! euerlastyngly
Owre wurchyp, owre power, and owre memory,
Owte off this cuntre, that crucyffyid man schal fleme.
Be-leue this veryly, loke that neuer odyr-wyse yow esteme.’

(99)

“No more sche sayd; but ayen sche yede fro thens sche come,
Wryngyng her handys, sodenly vanyschyd ewey;
And I with thaat woke and fast yede home
To my rest; and in my bed as I lay,
Sche efft apperred to me and on the same wyse dyd say,
As sche dyd be-ffore, and this ys cause,” quoth he, “that I
In specyal sent for yow thus hastyly.”

(100)

“Trwle,” quoth Palamedon, “this I wondyr; but yeff no credens
That yt schal falle; for we were mad owre god to for-sake
And to a crucyffyid man to do ony reuerens:

For that day that I a damnyd man to my god schal take,
Loke that heuyn schal falle and Venus a-nwe schal make.
But loke for rumour off the pepyl that yow yt counsel kepe;
Telle now no more, for I go home to slepe.”

(101)

Erly in the morw Phebus with hys golden chare
Hys cours toke to the cerkyl that Cherycos men calle,
Spredyng hys fyry bemys on hyllys and desertys bare.
On the heght .viij. day lymyt, qwan the dedycacion schul[d] falle
Off this tempyl, qwere iche man and woman, in specyalle,
For the fest and the sesun, affter ther costummys olde,
In her best aray yede to the tempyl this fest to hold.

(102)

Qwere alle this pepyl gadyrryd abydyng Palamedon,
Wondryng gretly off the sqwet melody
That owte off the tempyl come; and sone ther come anone
Thyse lordys; and off alle the cyte, the ryche and wurthy
In glytyryng gounys, that wrowt were meruulusly
Off pure gold and stonys; that wondyr yt was to se
The arayment off lordys in that solempnyte.

(103)

And qwan this secretary aspyid that thei come nye,
He lete opyn the dorys, commaundyng the prestys alle
Them to aray in ther slauennys in hye,
That no lettyng schuld be qwat case sum-euer falle;
“But as sone as Palamedon hath take hys stalle
Owre seruyse we may begynne and owre obseruauns:
For to spede the tyme to the peppyl ys most plesauns.”

(104)

And with that thise lordys entryd in-to the tempyl,
And eke the comunnys that sunnest myght;
But sodenly abaschyd the countenauns off the pepyl
In the beheldyng the wondyr fygure off the spere bryght,
Makyng sqwyche a melody, and flamyng with sqwych a lyght;
That the pepyl dysmayd, as schepe in a thundyr
Ryght so thei stode, and on the spere gan wondyr.

(105)

And qwan the pepyl had longe yt behold, the secretary
Commaundyd sylens, and to sese of ther jangyllyng;
And a-none began the holy obseruans and mystery
Afftyr paynymmys gyse. Thei gan meryly syng;
Than yche man drwe hym to prayere, with-owte more lettyng;
And afftyr, ther rammys, kyddys, and bolys, thei gan sacriffyse
To Venus, afftyr ther ollde abhomynabyl gyse.

(106)

Now leue I this int[r]oducyng matere in specyal,
To declare the substauns off the story
Off Amoryus and Cleopes, beyng at thise mysteryis alle
In that tempyl, fulle lytyl knowyng qwat fortune was them ny
Off louys chauns; for thow thei were born fast by,
Nowdyr off odyr had very knowlech: for as I before told,
Amoryus was fostyrryd in the emperourys houshold.

(107)

Thys Amoryus in the tempyl yed vp and downe,
Conueyd with thise fresch yonge knytys,
Carpyng off auenturys; for lytyl deuocion
They had in the seruyse, but alle ther delytys
Was to se the gentylwomen, kastyng to and fro ther sytys;
For one thei spake, fyllyng the champ yche to odyr;
But with ther mowth thei musyd one .j., and with ther hert anodyr.

(108)

And as syre Amoryus talkyd, he kyst hys ye couertly
To beheld thise ladyis, notyng thayre demenauns
And eke ther beute; hys eye be-gan sodenly
To be set on one .j. abaschyd in maner off that soden chauns,
Meruelyng gretly that sche with so goodely countenauns
Kyste here eye a-syde, qwan he her beheld stedffastly,
Reuoluyd in hys mende that bothe sche was beuteus and womanly.

(109)

But alwey he fyllyd the tale amonge them alle,
That no creature coude aspye that he was bysy
About sqwyche materys; but anone he gan calle
A seruaunt, byddyng hym hys prayur rolle to fecche in hye,
And a-yen turnyd to the knytys. “Ye ax cause,” quoth he, “that I
Am behynde off my deuocionys.” “Deuocionys!” quoth thei,
“Qwat! pray qwan ye ar elde, and talke now stylle be yowre fey.”

(110)

But at the last this seruant come with this rolle,
Delyuerryd yt to Amoryus and he wold no lenger lett.
“Adweȝ;” quoth he to the knytys, “I must grete daune Appolle
With thise deuocionnys,” and on hys kneys doune hym sette;
And that thei schuld here, loude thus Venus he gret:
“In thi preysyng, O god Appollo! my vowe recuyue gracyusly
To my comfort and encrese off thi glory.”

(111)

And vp he rose, for done was hys gret deuocion;
But with hys rolle a-brod he welk fro the este to the weste;
And wyse and ware he was that, be no maner off suspycion,
The starerrys a-boute schul perseyue, but deme for the best
That he so yede; and nere as he durst euer he yede forby the closet
Qwer Cleopes sat: but euer fere off tungys hym let,

(112)

But at the last nere he gan take hys trace,
And as godely as he coude, he couertly kyst hys ye
Vp-on this lady; and efft forth gan kepe hys pace,
As he had done be-ffore; and sche anone gan yt aspye,
But qwy he so her beheld, sche knwe noght ueryly,
Saue for because off hys godely chere
Sche dempt that he her louyd in frendly maner.

(113)

And with that sche gan remembyr hys manhed and fame
That in ryffe was, and eke hys amyabyl stature.
“O!” quoth sche, “this ys Amoryus for certen, this ys the same
That so manfful ys in bateyl and so louely to yche creature.
O Venus!” quoth sche, “deme I noght aryte that this wurthy weryour
Schuld cast a loue to me, that fostryd hath be among most beuteus
Off alle Rome; for certeyn yt ys noght thus.

(114)

“But for sum odyr cause he dothe me behold.”
And as sche this gan reuolue in her mende to and fro,
He come forby at her bak and forth hys cours gan hold;
And sche anone gan consydyr hys stature as he gan goo,
Comendyng hys semlynes; and sone the delectabyl woo
Off louys fyre had percyd here hert, that her ful cure
Was hym to loue be-ffore yche erthely creature.

(115)

And efft with hys rolle he come, as he dyd beffore,
In hope that comffortyd schuld be, yff he myght her behold;
And stedffastly he gan her behold, but euer lenger the more
He went to a-be holpyn, the more hys hert gan fold.
And as he yede, sofftely he syghyd; and so sche supposyd qwat he wold.
But ho was than joyfful but sche, qwan sche herd that syghyng;
For more plesauns yt was to here than ony erthly thyng!

(116)

There was no wytt than to seke, in sotheffastnes,
To conclude vndyr qwat form thei myght aqweyntyd be.
A thowsand weys thei kyst thayre loue to expresse;
But redy womannys wytt ys yn soden casys off necessyte;
And so Cleopes there schewyd, to make in loue an entry,

To saue her worchyp, and that Amoryus schuld haue knowyng,
Be a fygure the entent off her inward menyng.

(117)

There was, as seyth the story, a portrature meruulus
In a boke that Cleopes had to sey on her deuocionys,
Portrayd with gold and verd; the qwyche conseyt representyd thus:
There was an hynde lying as yt had bene on stonys
Holdyng an hert. The [portraiture] bordyryd was with trw louys,
Be-fforn qwyche depeyntyd was a knyght knelyng,
Holdyng in one hand an hart, in the odyr [a] ryng.

(118)

But qwy yt was portrayd ne fallyth me to telle;
But for the conseyt womannys wytt to expres,
Thys lady had caught an ymagynacion off that meruel,
That in lyke thingys the dome lyke schuld be, sche gan ges.
“And yff he wyse be, my menyng he schal perseyue in more and les.”
And as he yede forby, sche held alofft her boke, and bysyly
Her ymagys beheld, and prince Amoryus yt gan aspye.

(119)

But that he meruelyd that sche with so sad chere
Be-held her boke, and with-in hys hert purposyd fully
To wytt qwat yt schuld be be sum maner,
That sche with stedffast chere beheld so bysyly.
And as fortune wold, Venus was born foreby,
To hos reuerens iche man and woman on knys them set,
And prince Amoryus doune knelyd by Cleopes closet.

(120)

Fyrst, he dyd be norture obeychauns that straungely,
And sche hym rewardyd ayen with wordys sofft;
But qwat he seyd or sche, my boke makyth no memory,

Saue qwan that Venus was born alofte
Hys eye on Cleopes boke, he kyst ful offte,
And sche a-purpose made with made with her fynger demo[n]stracion
Askauns. Constrwe now, for off my meny[n]g this ys the entencion.

(121)

And he sone yt perseyuid and gan reuolue to and fro
In hys hert, but lenger than he dyd abyde;
But vp he rose, and forth in hys walk he gan go,
Reuoluying in hys mende to and fro.
The portrature that he had sene on euery syde,
Noght the imagys only, but off the beholdyng
That sche with chere and fynger made ther-to tokenyng.

(122)

But the seruyse endyd, thise knyghtys come in fere
To Amoryus. “Qwat!” quoth thei, “benedicyte! ye arn wunder holy to-day!
Ye haue sayd for alle this weke yow[r] preyyer.”
“Yee, yee!” quoth Amoryus, “sumtyme to sporte, and sumtyme to pray;
Yt ys expedyent; I-wus yit I haue thingys to say,
But now for schortnes off tyme,
Off the resydu I schal abyde tyl tomorgh prime.”

(123)

Nedys he must depart, but lothe was he,
Fro hys lady; and sche with sqwemfful chere
Gan hym behold; but qwan sche say yt wold none odyr be,
But nede thei must depart. “Farewele,” quoth sche, “my knyght entere.”
And he, “Farewele, my hole plesauns and lady dere.”
In her hertys thus thei ment, at hos partyng was a priuy peyn;
But at thayr metyng come myrth ayeyn.

(124)

Hom iche creature yede afftyr this forsayd solempnyte
To her reffeccion, and yche man gan hym hye
To the tornamentys, and most in specyal for to se
The iustys that proclamyd were, most especyally
At the reqwest off the emperourys knytys; the qwyche bysyly
Than gan them harnes, hying hem to the feld
Qwere the knytys off the cuntre abydyn with spere and scheld.

(125)

And Amoryus nas noght be-hynde; but yit or he toke hys stede,
A portrayer he clepyd, byddyng hym in alle the hast he may,
Steyn with colourys in a kerchyff off a qwarter brede
The same conseyt that in Cleopes boke he sey.
And this portrayer with-owte delay
Steynyd yt sone; and for he knw Amoryus myght noght abyde,
For hast ayeyns a fyre he dryid the wrong syde.

(126)

And Amoryus fast this kerchyf gan wynde
Aboute hys ryght arme, that men myght yt see;
And on hys steede he lepe. “Qwer ys my fadyr? ys he behynd?”
To hys men he sayd. “He abydyth yow,” quoth thei, “in the entre.”
“And the knytys eke abyde thei me?
Wele,” quoth he, “here goth ther-fore.” And fast he prekyd to the place,
Ther the seruaunts telde hym hys fadyr was.

(127)

And as he come, hys fadyr gan yt asspye
Fro ferre. “Qwat,” quoth he, “hath he yondyr? Yt ys sum nysete.”
As he come nere,—“Qwat haue ye ther? qwat maner jape or foly?”
“Fadyr,” quoth he, “this nyght, for a specyal tokyn off vyctory,
Venus apperyd, schewyng this fygure to me,

Byddyng me the symylytude to forme; with the qwyche with-owte fayl
I schuld haue vyctory in euery tornyament and bateyl.”

(128)

“God yeue grace,” quoth he, “yt be so.” And forth thei gan ryde
To this place, qwere the knytys abydyn armyd bryght,
Houyng on horsbak, perand aboute on euery syde,
Qwan Amoryus schuld come; and anone ryght
The pepyl gan crye, that come to be-hold that syght:
“Make rome fast; for he comyth, owre lord Palamedon;
Hys sone eke, and the emperour[ys] knytys euery-chon.”

(129)

Sone as the statys had takyn her stagys,
Eke the ladyis off the toune her setys had take,
In-to the place come rydyng the emperour[ys] knytys, makyng chalengys
Ayens alle that wold come party in iustys to make
That day in the feld, for here soueren ladyis sake;
And Amoryus this mowthyd to plese Cleopes,
For sone he had her aspyid among alle the pres.

(130)

None erthly creature than gladder was than sche,
Qwan sche sey this conseyt aboute hys armour;
Kastyng alle doughtys asyde, full joyfful sche gan be,
Blyssyng fortune off that owre
Abydyn; but more glad, qwan that he
Qwyt hym as a champyon that day in the feld.
“Mars,” quoth sche, “fro alle aduersyteys Amoryus scheld!”

(131)

And as myn autour dothe wryte, thise iustys contunyed
Heght .viij. days; qwere to conclude, thise knytys imperyal
In tho iustys offtyn were onhorsyd
Off knytys off the cuntre; for many a falle
They had and eke yowyn; but be lykenes the vyctory specyal

They off the regyon schuld an-had at the conclusyon,
Had noght Amoryus hym qwyt as a fers lyon.

(132)

But off alle thise .viij. dayis, knyght for knyght, non so manly
Hym qwyt as Amoryus; for noght onys he was reysyd
Owte off hys sadyl, and yit yche day he had the vyctory
Off alle that ayens hym rydyn: for off the cuntre the knygtys nomberyd
Seuyn .vij. skore, that notabyl werryourys offtyn had be preuyd;
And off the emperourys knytys, with alle odyr off the toune,
But to and fourty, be ful computacion.

(133)

Erly on the eght .viij. day qwan endyd was the solempnyte
Off Venus and the tempyl, Amoryus lete cry among the pepyl alle,
Ayens as many as wold come, he redy schuld be
For hys lady sake to iuste, ayens yche knygh[t] in general,
In hys owne persone; and qwat he were myght yeue hym a falle,
Schuld ryghtly hys coursere and trappere possede,
And hys harnes haue for hys mede.

(134)

Thys was the cry off Amoryus in opyn audyens,
The qwyche ful sore to her hertys yede that enuyus were,
But nowght ther grucchyng myght help; for or he yede thens,
In justys a nwe skole he gan hem lere.
For nas ther non so strong, but he dyd hym bere
Owte off hys sadyl, or hors and man yede both to ground;
That hys manhod hys aduersaryis abaschyd and confound.

(135)

And casually yt happyd, there come rydyng for-by
A knygh[t] auenterus, that for hys lady souereyn
Had foughtyn in kyngys londys sundry.
He off thise iustys had gret dysdeyn,

Qwan he beheld one .i. ouercome so many.
Sone off the pepil he enqwiryd, that stod hym by,
“Qwat ys he yon,” quoth he, “that thus fersly iustyth to-day;
That no knyght hym onhors may?”

(136)

“Syr,” quoth thei, “yt ys Amoryus, the lordys sunne off this cyte.
A more manful man off hys age we trowe, liuyth noght.”
“A!” quoth this knyght, “ys this Amoryus? Ys yt he?
Wele,” quoth he, “hys pride this day ful sore schal be bowght.”
And with-owte wordys moo he rode in-to the place,
And to Amorys thise wordys spake with sterne face:

(137)

“I chaleng the,” quoth the knyght, “qwat-sum-euer thow be,
To fyght with-in the lyst for thi lady sake,
At alle poyntys off armys, and yff yow dar mete with me,
Geue an ansqwer, for I none odyr day wul take.”
And Amoryus ful norturely sayd, “I,” quoth he, “for my lady sake
Redy am; but as ye may be resun consydyr,
To fyght on fote,—I am noght now arayd ther-affter.

(138)

But fyrst with scharp sperys one .j. cours let vs asay
And affter I schal chonge myne harnes to yowre entent.”
“I graunt in feyth,” quoth this knyght, “I schal neuer say nay;
But ho ys lord,” quoth he, “off this tornament?”
“My lord, my fader,” quoth Amoryus; “he syttys here present.”
“With hym wold I speke,” seyd the knyght. And with-owte more
He browt hym syre Palamedon be-fore.

(139)

To home, as knyghthod askyth, he yaf informacion
Qwat he was, and qwy he come, and off the chalenge
Made to Amoryus; and qwan he herd hys conclusyon,
Sumqwat asstoynyd; for hym thowt straunge and alenge
Off hys aray, for the colourys and qweynt facion;
But at the last he welcummyd hym goodely,
Grauntyng the effecte off hys dysyre fully;

(140)

Comaundyd eke to be led to hys palyce,
And with alle humanyte to be reffreschyd beffore hys labour;
But the knyght noght wold, for crwel hert and malyce,
Seyng, “I dysyre no reward off toune nere towre.”
“Wele,” quoth Palamedon, “begynne yowr fyght this same owre;
I held me payd.” But trwe that prouerbe than preuyd so,
That ouer-hasty man wantyd neuer woo.

(141)

But qwy I rehersyd be-ffore that Palamedon gan wondyr
Off this knytys aray, this was cause in specyal,
For a tokyn yt dyd schew; that men schuld knowe asundyr
The feld off tho kyngys armys alle
In hos kyngdams he had foutyn, bothe gret and smal:
For off yche regyon he bare the cheff coloure in hys harnes,
To notyffye the manhod off hys scharp iurneys.

(142)

For the kyngdam off Ethyop, hos kyng beryth a lyon rampand
Off goulys in a feld off sabyl, this forsayd knyght
Blak sabatouns weryd; and for Arge, hos kyng a lebard passaund
Off syluer in uerd bare, he vsyd greuys that with grene were dyght;
And for the regyon off Ynde, that in the este hat the syght,
That asure and gold gerundy bare, hys one cuschew blwe,
Hys odyr alle depeyntyd with yelwe;

(143)

And for the kyngdam off Arabe, hos gouernour
A gryffyn off golde in goulys dyd bere,
Thys knyghtys vambracys in coloure
Alle depeyntyd with red were;
And for the kyngdam off Lyby the qwyche a toure
Off syluer in asure bare, hys rerebracys
Were depeyntyd with blwe, hangyng ful of lacys.

(144)

And alle hys odyr harnes off bryght stele
With-owte depeyntyng; as hys rerebracys and hys gorget,
Hys basenet and hys gauntelettys; for he purposyd that cele
To a colouryd hys odyr harnes euery dele
With the armys off Perse; and so yt was qwan Amoryus with hym met.
He clad hym alle in goulys as I ges
Qwan ouerron with blod was alle hys harnes.

(145)

But schortly to conclude, Amoryus and this knyght
Her cours begunne, on courserys huge and mayn;
And at the fyrst metyng Amoryus this odyr gan smyght
Vp-on hys vmbrere; that the spere-hed lefft in hys brayn,
And so schet hym ouer hys hors on the pleynne
Dede,—as he must nedys, hos seruaunts thus pride doth reward,
That for hynes off hert at none odyr hath regard.

(146)

Thus endyd were the iustys and eke the solempnyte
Off the dedycacion and the laure off marcyan vyctory
Youyn was to Amoryus; and eke my boke tellyth, that qwan he
Had slayne this knyght, he rode for-by
Qwere Cleopes sate and odyr ladyis, salutyng them godely,
Seyng, “This iuberte haue I abydyn for my lady souereyn,
And yit nowdyr off vs knowyth odyr, I dar sauely seyn.”

(147)

And thei alle rysyn, thankyng hym norturely
That he hym so manly dyd qwyght;
And most in specyal Cleopes gan hym preyse, that he so honourly
Had hym born, besechyng Venus hym to deyfy in heuyn bryght,—
“For gret pyte yt were, that owght but goode schul on yow lyght.”
And Amoryus hys hed gan enclyne, seyng with goodely chere,
“God do yow mede, madame, for yowre goode prayere.”

(148)

And sone this tornament brake vp, and yche man yed ther wey
Thydyr fro thens he come; and the nest morw be pryme
The emperour[ys] knyghtys homeward fast schop ther jurney,
Thankyng Palemedon off hys gret chere offtyn tyme,
And eke off the ryche yifftys with the qwych he hem dyd lyme,
That to the emperour come sone with tydyng off Perse;
Qwere I them leue, floryschyng in prosperyte.

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.

The prolog in-to the laste boke.

(258)

Osunne off grace, that fro the heuynly trone
Descendyst in-to this world! alle off thi benygnyte,
Becomyng man, alle thise errourys to fordone;
The qwyche illumynyst synderesys off mannys sensualyte;
Namyd be ryght oryens sol iustycye;
Incomprehensybyl thi wysdam and domys be fynally,
That doyst and fordoyst, dysposyng alle to that ys necessary;

(259)

The bemys off thi wysdam yeuyng to thi chylder dere;
Withdrawyng them, qwere that may noght schyne,
As fro the hertys off them that worldely wyse appere;
That eke off thi inffynyte godenes fully to fyne
The thralle bond off adamyrgyk thi mageste bydyst enclyne,
In seruisabyl forme apperyng, vs to geyn by
Sofferyng the most schamffull deth vp-on the cros woldst dye.

(260)

And that the world schuld knowe the to be sauyd endelesly,
Wondyrrys thow wroutyst meruulusly in oure nature,
Alle sekenes releuyng; and yit more wonderffully
Ded bodyis makyng to lyue, that yche creature
Schuld wurchyp the for god with hert pure ;
And to thi trw seruaunts yeuyng power, more specyally,
For strenght off thi doctryne to reyse many a ded body.

(261)

Qwerffore, O eternal god! alle wurchyp and preysyng be to the
Off heuynly, erthly, and eke inffernall;
And yche creature in hys nature, bothe on erth and in see,
Qwedyr yt lyuy[t]h with spyryte or grennes, in generalle;
And eke alle thi handywerkys, bothe gret and smale,
Myght yeue the preysyng; and I now off thi hynes
Beseche the vp this story to redres.

(262)

Amoryus and Cleopes thus ded, as I rehersyd be-fore,
Yt happyd be the dyspensacion off God that mornyng,
An holy man to pase forby, hos name was Ore,
That an hermyte was; had in that forest hys dwellyng,
Gadyrryd that morw wyld applys to hys lyuyng;
Hard the scrykyng off Cleopes, qwan sche dyid,
And to wyte qwat was thidir fast hym hyid.

(263)

But for the qweyntenes off the fend,
The qwyche for fraude dothe make sqwyche cry
To inquyete holy lyuerrys to withdrawe ther mend.
Fro prayyere and contemplacion, this holy man broute to mend;
Or he yed ther-fore, he made hys prayyere deuoutely,
Besechyng God yff yt were for the best to abyde or go,
He myght haue knowyng, qwat were beste to do.

(264)

And as he lay in hys prayyer plat on the ground,
A soden lyght come fro heuyn, and ther-with a melody,
Makyng so meruulus a melody and so sqwete a sound,
That he halff raueschyd was be the [s]qwete armony;
And ther-with a uoys soundyd, the qwyche bad hym hy
Thydyr he was ment, for the soulys sauacion
Off the pepyl off the cyte and eke off the regyon.

(265)

Thys voys pasyd, and this forseyd lyght,
And this holy man rose hym to go;
And qwan he come nere and perseyuyd that ferful syght,
Gretly he was dyscomfortyd tho;
And fast gan kast in hys mend to and fro,
Qwat was best to do, and be hys reuelacion
He construyd that bothe were paynymmys be the conclusyon.

(266)

And with that he fylle on kneys, and vp hys handys gan hold
Toward the fyrmament, besechyng God off hys benygnyte,
Off hys hye mercy eke, that he wold
Hem turne to lyfe, yff thei krynsnyd wold be.
“For blyssyd Iesu, thow wotyst wele,” quoth he,
“That I onwurthy am, for my synful lyuyng
To beseche the off this gret and meruulus thing.

(267)

“But I beleue jff thow wyl them restore
To lyffe ayen, the pepyl off alle the cyte
Bothe men and women, lesse and more,
Schal fully be conuertyd and leue in the.
Now blyssyd Iesu, graunt yt may so be,
As thow dyidys for alle man-kend,
To redeme them that thralle were to the fend.

(268)

“And O qwene off mercy and modyr dygne!
Trone off God, my ful trost ys in the,
That comfort art off alle carful. Mayd most benygn,
Synguler joy and reffute in euery necessyte,
Be now my voket, as my trost ys the,
To thi blyssyd sone; for noght he wul the deny,
That thou besechyst, fore I knowe yt ueryly.”

(269)

And with that this holy man gan vpryse,
Yede to Cleopes, fast wepyng,
Drew owte the sqwerd on the best wyse
He myght, for more hurtyng
Thys wound allewey fast bledyng.
Vndyr this forme and lyke manere,
He reysyd thise bodyis, and ye schal now here:

(270)

“In hys name,” quoth this eremyte, “that boute mankend,
Kryst Iesu, yowre soulys in-to yowr bodyis
Entyr may ayen, fro the powere off the fend;
And thow I be noght wurthy, of my merytys,
Hole and sound, with-owte wemme off yowre woundys,
Nowe vp-ryse; and yeue hym preysyng with hole hert,
That delyuerryd yow hath fro peynys smert.”

(271)

And with that word bothe deede bodyis vp-brayd,
And with o .j. uoy[s] thei gan thise antune off owre lady,
Euyn as off one .j. mowth and tunge yt had besayd;
And euer thise wordys they gan multyply,
With many a tere that ran fro ther ye,
And pytus voyse, thei sange, “Salue, salue,
Salue, salue, regina mater misericordye!”

(272)

That ys to sey: Heyl, qwene and modyr off mercy!
Thus thei her preysyd with-owte sesyng,
Tyl this holy ermyt axid hem qwy
That thei contynwally rehersyd that preysyng;
They ansqweryd that ther soulys dampnyd in fyre euerlastyng
Amonge the fendys, at Maryis commaundement,
Were delyueryd and to the bodyis sent.

(273)

“And eke yowre-selff vs semd that ye ther were,
And for vs prayd to the lord, that for alle
Dyid on the cros; and hys angel this dyd vs lere
To preyse hys modyr, as empres celestyalle,
Byddyng vs euer for a memory[a]l
Thys orysun to sey, in presyng off that blyssyd lady,
That sche, ondeseruyd, schewyd vs her mercy.

(274)

“Qwerffore,” quoth thei, “for hys sake that vs dere hathe bougth.
Make vs krystyn, and teche vs the wey ryght
To serue that lord; for nowe we dowght nowght
That God ys none but one .j., that regnyth in heuyn bryght:
For alle-tho that we be-fforn dyd wurchyp apperyng godys to owre syght,
Dampnyd spyrytys be in helle euerlastyngly,
That haue vs begylyd be vanyte and foly;

(275)

“For alle thise goddys hys creaturys be,
And noght thei may do with-owte hys sofyrauns,
That owre myscheuus ende hath now browt to felycyte.”
“Wele,” quoth this ermyght, “than fully be ye
In purpose to forsake alle the custum and gouernauns
Off paynymmys secte; and now yff ye this forsake,
I schal yow baptyse and krystyn make.”

(276)

And anone he gan hem lerne, and teld hem in the begynnyng
How this world faryth as affeyre, euer onstabyl;
And how that deth ys oncerteyn, and qwat peyne ys at the endyng,
And qwat ther reward schuld be off joys incomperabyl
For soffyrrauns off thise transytory thingys onstabyl;
For Cryst seyth, that ful streyt yt ys
A wor[l]dely-wyse man to entyr heuyn blysse.

(277)

And off alle odyr thingys necessary,
Thys ermyght enfformyd them fully in the feyth;
And baptysyd them in that welle ryght deuoutely;
And afftyr, as myne autoure Fyrage seyth,
Thys ermyght axyd off qwat stok thei come, and qwy
Thei had so fordone them-selff, and how thei come in-to that place;
And thei teld hym, as I rehersyd be-ffore alle the case.

(278)

“Now trwly,” quoth this ermyght, “gret pyte yt had bene
That to .ij. so semly personys so schuld a dyid;
And more pyte, the los of yowre soulys to haue sene,—
But vertuus loue of God was neuer denyid.”
And this qwestyon this ermyte axid:
“Is the loue,” quoth he, “as gret now as yt was be-fore?
Or owdyr yt ys lessyd, or yt ys more.”

(279)

“For my parte,” quoth Amoryus, “as longyth to me,
My loue was neuer greter to this lady
Than yt ys at this owre, ner greter yt may be”
“How thinkyth yow?” quoth the ermyte to Cleopes, “sei your fantesy.”
“I am,” sche seyd, “so God plesyd be, with hert, wyll, and body
Goddys and this knytys; and qwat fortune so-suery endure,
Neuer to forsake hym for none erthly creatur.”

(280)

“Wele, dere soulys,” quoth this holy man, “yt ys hys wylle,
That hath yow restoryd to lyffe, that this meruelle
Be schewyd in the cyte; and for this skyl,
That the pepyl schuld hym knowe that haruyd helle;
And for this cause Y yt yow telle,
That the pepyl off the cyte for this myrakyl crystyd schal be;
Qwere ye afftyr the lawe despousyd schal be.”

(281)

But in this mene-tyme, myche sekyng ther was
Afftyr Amoryus, qwan he that day dyd noght appere;
For Palamedon thru the cyte dyd enqwire, off more and las,
Qwedyr Amoryus was gone; and on the same manere
Thei enqwyrryd affter Cleopes, fare and nere:
But nowdyr were founde, that causyd ther faderys care,
That no man coude telle qwydyr thei schuld fare.

(282)

Thus the rude pepyl with priuy langage ran to and fro
With qwysperyng speche, “A! qwere ys he and qwere ys sche?
Benedycyte! qwat aylyd them thus awey to go?”
But be Palamedonnys assent yt was commaundyd in the cyte,
That alle the communnys redy schuld be
In the tempyl off Venus to wete, be reuelacion off ther goddes,
Qwere were becomyn Amoryus and Cleopes.

(283)

And qwylys the pepyl in the tempyl lay in prayyere,
Thys holy man entryd in-to the tempyl,
Brynggyng with hym Amoryus and Cleopes; and to the spere
He toke hys wey; and with gret voyse cryid among the pepyl:
“O blynd pepyl! qwy knele ye here?
Qwy forsake ye yowre maker almyghty
And wurchyp this deuyl? qwy do ye this foly?”

(284)

Than this pepyl gretly astoynyd, but qwan thei sei
Amoryus and Cleopes ther, thei yede nere;
But fyrst Palamedon and Dydas to ther chylder dere
Yede in haste, with-owte more delay,
Enqwyryng qwere thei had ben alle that day.
And this ermyght toke this speche on hand boldely,
And teld them alle the chauncys by and by.

(285)

But qwan he reportyd how thei were dede,
And eke schewyd the tokynnys off ther woundys,
The pepyllys chere gan change, and pale as ony lede,
And than to syghe and wepe, and to wryng ther handys;
But qwan he teld the myrakyl, folwyng affter tho wordys,
That the God off krystemen had schewyd them hys godenes,
The hertys off alle the pepyl gan enclyne both more and les.

(286)

“But wulle ye wete,” quoth he, “qwat yowre goddes ys?
That Uenus ye clepe; for certeyne a deuyl off helle,
I schal schewe yt yow alle, so God me wys;
And so yeue credens to that I telle.
And this spere, that meuyth thus fast, in an ey-schel
I may yt put; for thow yt seme gold and schynyth rychely,
Alle ys but sotelte off the fend to blere yowre ye.”

(287)

Wyth this worde the pepyl gan schoute, and with .j. one voyse say,
“Perfforme thi wordys, and anone we alle
Conuertyd to thi lord schal be, and krystynnyd this day.”
So this ermyght off sylens than dyd them pray;
And he hys wordys schuld perfforme alle.
Thus he spake, as hys wordys I reherse here,
Fyrst to the ymage off Venus and than to the spere:

(288)

“O blynde spyryte, most enuyus! aungel off elacion,
Most froward and fals! that fyllyst fro heuyn for thi presumcion;
That thus longe hast japyd the creaturys off God be fals simulacion.
Thow orybyl, nakyd spyryte! In the vertu off hys passyon
That bought manke[n]d, breke nowe thi mansyon,
Thys ymage off Venus; that be opyn demonstracion
The pepyl may the se, that thow hast blyndyd be-forn,
To thi vtyr schame, conffusyon, and sckorn.”

(289)

Thys word nas sunner spokyn, but that the deuyl gan owte flye,
And brake the ymage on pecys; and ther odyr goddys alle,
And ther-with made sqwyche a noyse and sqwyche a cry,
That alle the pepyl for fere to the ground dyd falle.
And he commaundyd the spyryte, that no creature at alle

He schul noy; but to a desert qwere no creature were abydyng,
Hastyly to pase, ther to the day of dome to make hys abydyng.

(290)

And ther-with he seyd to the pepyl, “Qwy ly ye so?
Yowre gret enmy ys fled; ryse vp and se
More meruellys yit; for or we go,
Thys fantastyk spere for-done schal be.”
And with hys hand he bekynnyd the pepyl, bad them come nere.
“Fere ye noght, and here qwat I schal sey;
And put fro yowre hertys alle doutys awey.”

(291)

And so the pepyl dyd and he in opyn audyens
To the spyrytys thus seyd, that meuyd the spere:
“O dysseyuabyl spyrytys! qwy make ye resystens
Ayens yowre makere? qwy dysseyue ye that he hath bought dere?
But e[n]uye causyth yt, for that ye wold in fere
Them haue dampnyd with yow, in euerlastyng fyre;
I knowe that this ys yowre entent and yowre dysyre.

(292)

“Qwerffore, that alle this pepyl may knowe opynly
That ye hem dysseyue, this fantasye and ye now dyspere,
In hys name that sofyrryd the Iuys hym crucyfye;
And schewe opynly that this fantastyk spere
Is no thing materyal, but as the smoke off a fere.”
And noght soner this word was spokyn,
But this spere was vanyschyd and brokyn.

(293)

And noght apperyd noudyr gold, syluer, ner precyus stone,
But spyrytys fulle the tempyl wyngyd lyke larkys;
And qwan the pepyl sei the spere was vanyschyd and gone,—
“Thys ys in-nowe;” quoth thei, “we beleue alle thi werkys;
Anone vs kyrstyn make with-owte delay euery-chone.”

And this holy man the spyrytys commaundyd to wende
Owte off the tempyl, the qwyche bare yn ther gate the chyrchys ende.

(294)

And than this holy man gan them lere
The feyth off the chyrche, and towght them fully
To serue ther maker, qwyl thei were lyuyng here,
Tellyng them the peynys off helle, and eke the glory
Off heuyn, promysyng them that this blys to possede euerlastyngly,
Iff thei the commaundements off God kept; and than them alle
He crystynnyd,—men, women, and chylder, both gret and smale.

(295)

Thus was the proffecye fulffylly[d] off Venus, as be reuelacion
To her secretary schewyd, as I rehersyd be-ffore,—
How that a crucyffyid man schuld take possessyon,
And Venus and her felyschyp to exclude for euermore.
The qwyche ys Cryste crucyffyid of Iuys: made ther hys mancion,
Qwan thei crystynnyd were, and the tempyl dedycat,
Venus vttyrly excludyd, and Iesu fully possescionat.

(296)

Thus hath this sqwemfful morw a joe-ful euynyng;
Qwan this pepyl with gladnes home schuld wend,
Browte this ermyght in-to the cyte, myryli syngynge,
To Palamedonnys palyse; qwere he prayd them, at the end,
The neste morw to come to chyrche, and for this enspecyal,
To joyne Amoryus and Cleopes be lawe matrimonyal.

(297)

Thys pepyl off tho tydyngys, replete with joy and gladnes
Off that soden and hasty begunne maryage;
For most conuenyent thei thowt that Cleopes,
Affter ther consyderauns, was bothe of beute, byrth, and lynage
To be Amoryus fere, for bothe thei were off one age.

“And sythyn,” quoth the pepyl, “he wul her to wyue take,
Lete vs to-morow alle joy and myrth make.”

(298)

So this pepyl yed home to ther reste,
And on the morw, on the most solempne wyse,
They hem arayd; and to the palyse the worthyest
Off the cyte yede, to brynge to the chyrche afftyr the gyse
Bothe Amoryus and Cleopes; and qwat the pepyl coude deuyse
Off solempnyte or sport nas noght to seke,
That possybyl was for schortnes off tyme to eke.

(299)

Wyth alle melody that myght be found affter the vsage
Off that cuntre, thei led were to chyrche, and off this ermyght
In the tempyl despousyd; and eght .viij. days contynwaly after the maryage
Were kept in solempnyte and fest to the derke nyght,
To ryche and pore, that wold come or myght;
And to the dwellerrys off the same cyte
The fest was continuyd the mountenauns off wekys thre.

(300)

And affter this erhmyght ordynyd the pepyl to lere,
Prestys and clerkys to serue God continwally,
And thei stedffast in the feyth, he commyttyd them to God so dere;
And to the forest, qwere he wunnyd, he gan hym hye,
Days off hys lyfe expendyng in prayere solytary,
Euer preyng for pro[s]peryte off the pepyl in the cyte,
Tyl hys soule vp fley to eternal felycyte.

(301)

And syr Amoryus euer encresyd in goode fame,
Also in manhod, in joy, honour, and tranqwyllyte
With Cleopes hys lady; for euer ther gret loue was the same
As in the begynnyng; for euer ther owdyrys felycyte
Was iche in odyrys presens fore to be;
And many beuteus chyldyr thei had, that rychely
Were beset hauyng lordechyp off the regyon successyuely.

(302)

And afftyr longe felycyte, Amoryus and Cloepes on .j. one day
Yeldyd ther spyrytys to God; and togydyr in a graue
Ther chylder them byryd in a tumbe off marbyl gray,
Platyd with ymagys off gold; and superscrypcionys thei haue
In-to this day, as he that red them sqwore so God hys soule saue,
In the tempyl was, and red the scrypture that wrytyn ys
In langage off Percys;—and in Englysch yt ys this:

(303)

“Flowre off knyghthod, to the world a memoryal
Off trosty loue, syr Amoryus resstyth here,
Deffendsor off the cuntre, keper off pes contynwalle;
And be hys syde Cleopes hys lady dere,
Byrryid ys, exsampyl to alle women, fer and nere,
Off trwe loue, stedffastenes, and curtesy:
Vp-on hos soulys almyghty God haue mercy.”

(304)

Thys ys ther epytaffy wrytyn at ther fete
In a plate off laton; and yche notabyl dede
Off hys bateylys, and howe he with Cleopes dyd mete;
Grauyn be ther eke, that thei can may them esyly rede,
For a gret remembrauns; and thus this story I owte lede,
Meruelyng gretly that noght nowe, as in eld tyme,
Men do noght wryte knyghtys dedys; nowdyr in prose ner ryme.

(305)

But qwedyr encresyng off uexacion yt causyth onlye
Or defaute off cunnyng, with odyr causys moo,
I can noght deme; but I trowe, yff men ther wyttys lyst to applye,
They myght in Englond, and odyr cuntreys mo also,
As notabyl storyis off manhod and chyualrye,
Off knyghtys now lyuyng, as off them be-ffore a .cij. yere;—
And rather thei schuld fayle endytyng than matere.

(306)

And in Englond many notabyl knyghtys ther be
In sundry placys; but off one I make remembrauns,
The qwyche lyuyd in my days in gret prosperyte
In este Ynglond; the qwyche for prudent port off gouernans
And knyghtely behauyng in marcyis chauns
Wurthy ys in the world to be preysyd, with-owten ende,
Off wryter and endyter, for oblyuyon off mend.

(307)

But trwth yt ys, that a gret rootyd tre
Durabyl frute beryth: off this knyght I mene, nobyl off lynnage,
The qwyche decendyth off a gretyd aunsetre
Off nobyl werryourrys, that successyuely, be veray maryage,
The to .ij. and fyffty .l. knyght ys computate to hys age,
Home God hath induyd with alle maner off suffycyauns;
So dyscrete ther-with, that abyl he ys an hole reme to haue in gouernauns;

(308)

Wysdam euer settyng in yche werk be-ffore,
As Salomon in sapyens makyth remembrauns;
Prudens hys frend and systyr he namyd euermore,
With hos counsel he so demenyd hys gouernauns,
That iche wyse creature hym louyd with hertely affyauns;
Euer as a wurthy werryur in euery necessyte,
Hym qwyt for hys kynge, bothe on lond and see;

(309)

As at Waxham, qwere Gyldenerrys londyd to brenne the cuntre,
Thys excellent knyght bare hym as a champyon.
And the hole matere, that lyste to rede and see,
Rede the story that I endyght off kyng Cassyon,
And in the ende ye may yt fynde, affter the destruccion
Off Corbellyon, qwere I alle hys notabyl dedys bryng to remenbrauns,
Done wurthyly off hym in Englond and Frauns.

(310)

And ye that this story can noght fynde,
Seke them in the begynnyng off Alexander Macedo,
Or in Josue, or Josepus; for in thise storyis I brynge to mende
The knyght, Mylys Stapylton, and hys lady bothe to .ij.,
Now here I spare yow that yt be so.
I haue off hys dedys many to wryte;
I purpose in odyr placys in specyall them endyghte.

(311)

But this knyght despousyd had a lady,
Hauyng decens be ryght lynage
Off that wurthy and excellent stok lyneally,
That Poolys men clepe, to duke Wylyam as be cosynnage
Ryght nece,—that off Suffolk fyrst successyuely
Was bothe fyrst merkeys and duke; and be this remenbrauns
Ye may noght fayl, qwat kyng had than Englond in gouernauns.

(312)

And fore that thei, the qwyche be nowe onborne,
Qwan this lady ys pasyd, schal rede this story,
That thei for her schal pray on euyn and morne,
I alle the storyis that I endyght I wryte this memory,
That be her lyue thus sche was namyd communly,
Modyr off norture, in her behauyng vysyng alle gentylnes,
Euer redy to help them that were in troubyl and heuynes;

(313)

So beuteus eke and so benyngn, that yche creature
Here gretly magnyfyid, commendyng her womanhede
In alle her behauyngys, ireprehensybyl and demure,
And most to commende; that off thoughte sche toke gret heede
To the necessyteys off the pore, releuyng them at euery nede.
Off her beute and uertuys here I sese; for yt ys so,
I hem declare in Crysaunt, and odyr placys mo.

(314)

And yff I the trwthe schuld here wryght,
As gret a style I schuld make in euery degre,
As Chauncerys off qwene Eleyne, or Cresseyd, doht endyght;
Or off Polyxchene, Grysyld, or Penelope;
As beuteus, as womanly, as pacyent, as thei were wunt to be,
Thys lady was, qwan I endytyd this story,
Floryschyng the seuyn and twenty .xxvij. yere off the sext kyng Henry.

(315)

Go now, lytyl boke, and with alle obeychauns,
Enterly me comende to my lord and mastyr eke,
And to hys ryght reuerend lady, with alle plesauns,
Enfformyng them how feythffully I hem beseke
Off supportacion of the rude endytyng owte of Greke;
For alle this wrytyng ys sayd vndyr correcion,
Bothe off thi rymyng and eke off thi translacion.

(316)

For thei that greyheryd be, afftyr folkys estymacion,
Nedys must more cunne, be kendly nature,
In yche syens, qwere-in thei haue ther operacion,
Sythyn that crafft comyth be contynwauns in-to euery
Than he that late begynnyth, as be demonstracion,
My mastyr Chauncerys, I mene, that longe dyd endure
In practyk off rymyng;—qwerffore proffoundely
With many prouerbys hys bokys he rymyd naturally.

(317)

Eke Ion Lydgate, sumtyme monke off Byry,
Hys bokys endytyd with termys off retoryk
And halff chongyd Latyne, with conseytys off poetry
And craffty imagynacionys off thingys fantastyk;
But eke hys qwyght her schewyd, and hys late werk,
How that hys contynwauns made hym both a poyet and a clerk.

(318)

But nowe thei bothe be pasyd,—and affter schal I,
Qwer-ffor I make this schort orysun:
O welle off mercy, Iesu! that I be freelnes and foly
Haue the offendyd in dede or in ony jmagynacion,
Fully off foryeffnes I the beseche, with my hertys hole entencion,
Purposyng to amende alle that I haue done amys;
To me, Iesu, now thi mercy, ful necessary ys.

(319)

And thei that my sympyl wrytyng schal rede,
Off storyis off elde tyme, yff thei lyste, off ther godenes,
Qwere thei Ion Metham in bokes fynde, pray for hym to spede
In vertuys; for he off rymyng toke the besynes
To comfforte them that schuld falle in heuynes.
For tyme on-ocupyid, qwan folk haue lytyl to do,
On haly-dayis to rede, me thynk yt best so.

Here endyth the story off Amoryus the knyght and off Cleopes the lady.

University of Virginia Library

AMORYUS AND CLEOPES[_] Square brackets indicate supplied text.

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