1336 lines
68 KiB
C++
1336 lines
68 KiB
C++
// Text is an extract from The Canterbury Tales
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// Full text at http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext00/cbtls12.txt
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#include <avr/pgmspace.h>
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const char knightsTale[] PROGMEM = {
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" THE KNIGHT'S TALE <1>\n"
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"\n"
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"\n"
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"WHILOM*, as olde stories tellen us, *formerly\n"
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"There was a duke that highte* Theseus. *was called <2>\n"
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"Of Athens he was lord and governor,\n"
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"And in his time such a conqueror\n"
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"That greater was there none under the sun.\n"
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"Full many a riche country had he won.\n"
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"What with his wisdom and his chivalry,\n"
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"He conquer'd all the regne of Feminie,<3>\n"
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"That whilom was y-cleped Scythia;\n"
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"And weddede the Queen Hippolyta\n"
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"And brought her home with him to his country\n"
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"With muchel* glory and great solemnity, *great\n"
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"And eke her younge sister Emily,\n"
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"And thus with vict'ry and with melody\n"
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"Let I this worthy Duke to Athens ride,\n"
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"And all his host, in armes him beside.\n"
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"\n"
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"And certes, if it n'ere* too long to hear, *were not\n"
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"I would have told you fully the mannere,\n"
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"How wonnen* was the regne of Feminie, <4> *won\n"
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"By Theseus, and by his chivalry;\n"
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"And of the greate battle for the nonce\n"
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"Betwixt Athenes and the Amazons;\n"
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"And how assieged was Hippolyta,\n"
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"The faire hardy queen of Scythia;\n"
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"And of the feast that was at her wedding\n"
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"And of the tempest at her homecoming.\n"
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"But all these things I must as now forbear.\n"
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"I have, God wot, a large field to ear* *plough<5>;\n"
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"And weake be the oxen in my plough;\n"
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"The remnant of my tale is long enow.\n"
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"I will not *letten eke none of this rout*. *hinder any of\n"
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"Let every fellow tell his tale about, this company*\n"
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"And let see now who shall the supper win.\n"
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"There *as I left*, I will again begin. *where I left off*\n"
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"\n"
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"This Duke, of whom I make mentioun,\n"
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"When he was come almost unto the town,\n"
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"In all his weal, and in his moste pride,\n"
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"He was ware, as he cast his eye aside,\n"
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"Where that there kneeled in the highe way\n"
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"A company of ladies, tway and tway,\n"
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"Each after other, clad in clothes black:\n"
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"But such a cry and such a woe they make,\n"
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"That in this world n'is creature living,\n"
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"That hearde such another waimenting* *lamenting <6>\n"
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"And of this crying would they never stenten*, *desist\n"
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"Till they the reines of his bridle henten*. *seize\n"
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"\"What folk be ye that at mine homecoming\n"
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"Perturben so my feaste with crying?\"\n"
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"Quoth Theseus; \"Have ye so great envy\n"
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"Of mine honour, that thus complain and cry?\n"
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"Or who hath you misboden*, or offended? *wronged\n"
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"Do telle me, if it may be amended;\n"
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"And why that ye be clad thus all in black?\"\n"
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"\n"
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"The oldest lady of them all then spake,\n"
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"When she had swooned, with a deadly cheer*, *countenance\n"
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"That it was ruthe* for to see or hear. *pity\n"
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"She saide; \"Lord, to whom fortune hath given\n"
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"Vict'ry, and as a conqueror to liven,\n"
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"Nought grieveth us your glory and your honour;\n"
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"But we beseechen mercy and succour.\n"
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"Have mercy on our woe and our distress;\n"
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"Some drop of pity, through thy gentleness,\n"
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"Upon us wretched women let now fall.\n"
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"For certes, lord, there is none of us all\n"
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"That hath not been a duchess or a queen;\n"
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"Now be we caitives*, as it is well seen: *captives\n"
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"Thanked be Fortune, and her false wheel,\n"
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"That *none estate ensureth to be wele*. *assures no continuance of\n"
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"And certes, lord, t'abiden your presence prosperous estate*\n"
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"Here in this temple of the goddess Clemence\n"
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"We have been waiting all this fortenight:\n"
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"Now help us, lord, since it lies in thy might.\n"
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"\n"
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"\"I, wretched wight, that weep and waile thus,\n"
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"Was whilom wife to king Capaneus,\n"
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"That starf* at Thebes, cursed be that day: *died <7>\n"
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"And alle we that be in this array,\n"
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"And maken all this lamentatioun,\n"
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"We losten all our husbands at that town,\n"
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"While that the siege thereabouten lay.\n"
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"And yet the olde Creon, wellaway!\n"
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"That lord is now of Thebes the city,\n"
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"Fulfilled of ire and of iniquity,\n"
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"He for despite, and for his tyranny,\n"
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"To do the deade bodies villainy*, *insult\n"
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"Of all our lorde's, which that been y-slaw, *slain\n"
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"Hath all the bodies on an heap y-draw,\n"
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"And will not suffer them by none assent\n"
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"Neither to be y-buried, nor y-brent*, *burnt\n"
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"But maketh houndes eat them in despite.\"\n"
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"And with that word, withoute more respite\n"
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"They fallen groff,* and cryden piteously; *grovelling\n"
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"\"Have on us wretched women some mercy,\n"
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"And let our sorrow sinken in thine heart.\"\n"
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"\n"
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"This gentle Duke down from his courser start\n"
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"With hearte piteous, when he heard them speak.\n"
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"Him thoughte that his heart would all to-break,\n"
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"When he saw them so piteous and so mate* *abased\n"
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"That whilom weren of so great estate.\n"
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"And in his armes he them all up hent*, *raised, took\n"
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"And them comforted in full good intent,\n"
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"And swore his oath, as he was true knight,\n"
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"He woulde do *so farforthly his might* *as far as his power went*\n"
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"Upon the tyrant Creon them to wreak*, *avenge\n"
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"That all the people of Greece shoulde speak,\n"
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"How Creon was of Theseus y-served,\n"
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"As he that had his death full well deserved.\n"
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"And right anon withoute more abode* *delay\n"
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"His banner he display'd, and forth he rode\n"
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"To Thebes-ward, and all his, host beside:\n"
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"No ner* Athenes would he go nor ride, *nearer\n"
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"Nor take his ease fully half a day,\n"
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"But onward on his way that night he lay:\n"
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"And sent anon Hippolyta the queen,\n"
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"And Emily her younge sister sheen* *bright, lovely\n"
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"Unto the town of Athens for to dwell:\n"
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"And forth he rit*; there is no more to tell. *rode\n"
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"\n"
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"The red statue of Mars with spear and targe* *shield\n"
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"So shineth in his white banner large\n"
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"That all the fieldes glitter up and down:\n"
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"And by his banner borne is his pennon\n"
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"Of gold full rich, in which there was y-beat* *stamped\n"
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"The Minotaur<8> which that he slew in Crete\n"
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"Thus rit this Duke, thus rit this conqueror\n"
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"And in his host of chivalry the flower,\n"
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"Till that he came to Thebes, and alight\n"
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"Fair in a field, there as he thought to fight.\n"
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"But shortly for to speaken of this thing,\n"
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"With Creon, which that was of Thebes king,\n"
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"He fought, and slew him manly as a knight\n"
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"In plain bataille, and put his folk to flight:\n"
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"And by assault he won the city after,\n"
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"And rent adown both wall, and spar, and rafter;\n"
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"And to the ladies he restored again\n"
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"The bodies of their husbands that were slain,\n"
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"To do obsequies, as was then the guise*. *custom\n"
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"\n"
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"But it were all too long for to devise* *describe\n"
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"The greate clamour, and the waimenting*, *lamenting\n"
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"Which that the ladies made at the brenning* *burning\n"
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"Of the bodies, and the great honour\n"
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"That Theseus the noble conqueror\n"
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"Did to the ladies, when they from him went:\n"
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"But shortly for to tell is mine intent.\n"
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"When that this worthy Duke, this Theseus,\n"
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"Had Creon slain, and wonnen Thebes thus,\n"
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"Still in the field he took all night his rest,\n"
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"And did with all the country as him lest*. *pleased\n"
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"To ransack in the tas* of bodies dead, *heap\n"
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"Them for to strip of *harness and of **weed, *armour **clothes\n"
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"The pillers* did their business and cure, *pillagers <9>\n"
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"After the battle and discomfiture.\n"
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"And so befell, that in the tas they found,\n"
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"Through girt with many a grievous bloody wound,\n"
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"Two younge knightes *ligging by and by* *lying side by side*\n"
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"Both in *one armes*, wrought full richely: *the same armour*\n"
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"Of whiche two, Arcita hight that one,\n"
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"And he that other highte Palamon.\n"
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"Not fully quick*, nor fully dead they were, *alive\n"
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"But by their coat-armour, and by their gear,\n"
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"The heralds knew them well in special,\n"
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"As those that weren of the blood royal\n"
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"Of Thebes, and *of sistren two y-born*. *born of two sisters*\n"
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"Out of the tas the pillers have them torn,\n"
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"And have them carried soft unto the tent\n"
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"Of Theseus, and he full soon them sent\n"
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"To Athens, for to dwellen in prison\n"
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"Perpetually, he *n'olde no ranson*. *would take no ransom*\n"
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"And when this worthy Duke had thus y-done,\n"
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"He took his host, and home he rit anon\n"
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"With laurel crowned as a conquerour;\n"
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"And there he lived in joy and in honour\n"
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"Term of his life; what needeth wordes mo'?\n"
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"And in a tower, in anguish and in woe,\n"
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"Dwellen this Palamon, and eke Arcite,\n"
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"For evermore, there may no gold them quite* *set free\n"
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"\n"
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"Thus passed year by year, and day by day,\n"
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"Till it fell ones in a morn of May\n"
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"That Emily, that fairer was to seen\n"
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"Than is the lily upon his stalke green,\n"
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"And fresher than the May with flowers new\n"
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"(For with the rose colour strove her hue;\n"
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"I n'ot* which was the finer of them two), *know not\n"
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"Ere it was day, as she was wont to do,\n"
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"She was arisen, and all ready dight*, *dressed\n"
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"For May will have no sluggardy a-night;\n"
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"The season pricketh every gentle heart,\n"
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"And maketh him out of his sleep to start,\n"
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"And saith, \"Arise, and do thine observance.\"\n"
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"\n"
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"This maketh Emily have remembrance\n"
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"To do honour to May, and for to rise.\n"
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"Y-clothed was she fresh for to devise;\n"
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"Her yellow hair was braided in a tress,\n"
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"Behind her back, a yarde long I guess.\n"
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"And in the garden at *the sun uprist* *sunrise\n"
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"She walketh up and down where as her list.\n"
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"She gathereth flowers, party* white and red, *mingled\n"
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"To make a sotel* garland for her head, *subtle, well-arranged\n"
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"And as an angel heavenly she sung.\n"
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"The greate tower, that was so thick and strong,\n"
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"Which of the castle was the chief dungeon<10>\n"
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"(Where as these knightes weren in prison,\n"
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"Of which I tolde you, and telle shall),\n"
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"Was even joinant* to the garden wall, *adjoining\n"
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"There as this Emily had her playing.\n"
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"\n"
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"Bright was the sun, and clear that morrowning,\n"
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"And Palamon, this woful prisoner,\n"
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"As was his wont, by leave of his gaoler,\n"
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"Was ris'n, and roamed in a chamber on high,\n"
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"In which he all the noble city sigh*, *saw\n"
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"And eke the garden, full of branches green,\n"
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"There as this fresh Emelia the sheen\n"
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"Was in her walk, and roamed up and down.\n"
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"This sorrowful prisoner, this Palamon\n"
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"Went in his chamber roaming to and fro,\n"
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"And to himself complaining of his woe:\n"
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"That he was born, full oft he said, Alas!\n"
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"And so befell, by aventure or cas*, *chance\n"
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"That through a window thick of many a bar\n"
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"Of iron great, and square as any spar,\n"
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"He cast his eyes upon Emelia,\n"
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"And therewithal he blent* and cried, Ah! *started aside\n"
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"As though he stungen were unto the heart.\n"
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"And with that cry Arcite anon up start,\n"
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"And saide, \"Cousin mine, what aileth thee,\n"
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"That art so pale and deadly for to see?\n"
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"Why cried'st thou? who hath thee done offence?\n"
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"For Godde's love, take all in patience\n"
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"Our prison*, for it may none other be. *imprisonment\n"
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"Fortune hath giv'n us this adversity'.\n"
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"Some wick'* aspect or disposition *wicked\n"
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"Of Saturn<11>, by some constellation,\n"
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"Hath giv'n us this, although we had it sworn,\n"
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"So stood the heaven when that we were born,\n"
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"We must endure; this is the short and plain.\n"
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"\n"
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"This Palamon answer'd, and said again:\n"
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"\"Cousin, forsooth of this opinion\n"
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"Thou hast a vain imagination.\n"
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"This prison caused me not for to cry;\n"
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"But I was hurt right now thorough mine eye\n"
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"Into mine heart; that will my bane* be. *destruction\n"
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"The fairness of the lady that I see\n"
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"Yond in the garden roaming to and fro,\n"
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"Is cause of all my crying and my woe.\n"
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"I *n'ot wher* she be woman or goddess, *know not whether*\n"
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"But Venus is it, soothly* as I guess, *truly\n"
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"And therewithal on knees adown he fill,\n"
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"And saide: \"Venus, if it be your will\n"
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"You in this garden thus to transfigure\n"
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"Before me sorrowful wretched creature,\n"
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"Out of this prison help that we may scape.\n"
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"And if so be our destiny be shape\n"
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"By etern word to dien in prison,\n"
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"Of our lineage have some compassion,\n"
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"That is so low y-brought by tyranny.\"\n"
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"\n"
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"And with that word Arcita *gan espy* *began to look forth*\n"
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"Where as this lady roamed to and fro\n"
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"And with that sight her beauty hurt him so,\n"
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"That if that Palamon was wounded sore,\n"
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"Arcite is hurt as much as he, or more.\n"
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"And with a sigh he saide piteously:\n"
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"\"The freshe beauty slay'th me suddenly\n"
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"Of her that roameth yonder in the place.\n"
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"And but* I have her mercy and her grace, *unless\n"
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"That I may see her at the leaste way,\n"
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"I am but dead; there is no more to say.\"\n"
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"This Palamon, when he these wordes heard,\n"
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"Dispiteously* he looked, and answer'd: *angrily\n"
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"\"Whether say'st thou this in earnest or in play?\"\n"
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"\"Nay,\" quoth Arcite, \"in earnest, by my fay*. *faith\n"
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"God help me so, *me lust full ill to play*.\" *I am in no humour\n"
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"This Palamon gan knit his browes tway. for jesting*\n"
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"\"It were,\" quoth he, \"to thee no great honour\n"
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"For to be false, nor for to be traitour\n"
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"To me, that am thy cousin and thy brother\n"
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"Y-sworn full deep, and each of us to other,\n"
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"That never for to dien in the pain <12>,\n"
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"Till that the death departen shall us twain,\n"
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"Neither of us in love to hinder other,\n"
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"Nor in none other case, my leve* brother; *dear\n"
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"But that thou shouldest truly farther me\n"
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"In every case, as I should farther thee.\n"
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"This was thine oath, and mine also certain;\n"
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"I wot it well, thou dar'st it not withsayn*, *deny\n"
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"Thus art thou of my counsel out of doubt,\n"
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"And now thou wouldest falsely be about\n"
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"To love my lady, whom I love and serve,\n"
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"And ever shall, until mine hearte sterve* *die\n"
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"Now certes, false Arcite, thou shalt not so\n"
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"I lov'd her first, and tolde thee my woe\n"
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"As to my counsel, and my brother sworn\n"
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"To farther me, as I have told beforn.\n"
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"For which thou art y-bounden as a knight\n"
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"To helpe me, if it lie in thy might,\n"
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"Or elles art thou false, I dare well sayn,\"\n"
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"\n"
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"This Arcita full proudly spake again:\n"
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"\"Thou shalt,\" quoth he, \"be rather* false than I, *sooner\n"
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"And thou art false, I tell thee utterly;\n"
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"For par amour I lov'd her first ere thou.\n"
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"What wilt thou say? *thou wist it not right now* *even now thou\n"
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"Whether she be a woman or goddess. knowest not*\n"
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"Thine is affection of holiness,\n"
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"And mine is love, as to a creature:\n"
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"For which I tolde thee mine aventure\n"
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"As to my cousin, and my brother sworn\n"
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"I pose*, that thou loved'st her beforn: *suppose\n"
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"Wost* thou not well the olde clerke's saw<13>, *know'st\n"
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"That who shall give a lover any law?\n"
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"Love is a greater lawe, by my pan,\n"
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"Than may be giv'n to any earthly man:\n"
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"Therefore positive law, and such decree,\n"
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"Is broke alway for love in each degree\n"
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"A man must needes love, maugre his head.\n"
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"He may not flee it, though he should be dead,\n"
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"*All be she* maid, or widow, or else wife. *whether she be*\n"
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"And eke it is not likely all thy life\n"
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"To standen in her grace, no more than I\n"
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"For well thou wost thyselfe verily,\n"
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"That thou and I be damned to prison\n"
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"Perpetual, us gaineth no ranson.\n"
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"We strive, as did the houndes for the bone;\n"
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"They fought all day, and yet their part was none.\n"
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"There came a kite, while that they were so wroth,\n"
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"And bare away the bone betwixt them both.\n"
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"And therefore at the kinge's court, my brother,\n"
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"Each man for himselfe, there is no other.\n"
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"Love if thee list; for I love and aye shall\n"
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"And soothly, leve brother, this is all.\n"
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"Here in this prison musten we endure,\n"
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"And each of us take his Aventure.\"\n"
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"\n"
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"Great was the strife and long between these tway,\n"
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"If that I hadde leisure for to say;\n"
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"But to the effect: it happen'd on a day\n"
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"(To tell it you as shortly as I may),\n"
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"A worthy duke that hight Perithous<14>\n"
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"That fellow was to the Duke Theseus\n"
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"Since thilke* day that they were children lite** *that **little\n"
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"Was come to Athens, his fellow to visite,\n"
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"And for to play, as he was wont to do;\n"
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"For in this world he loved no man so;\n"
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"And he lov'd him as tenderly again.\n"
|
|
"So well they lov'd, as olde bookes sayn,\n"
|
|
"That when that one was dead, soothly to sayn,\n"
|
|
"His fellow went and sought him down in hell:\n"
|
|
"But of that story list me not to write.\n"
|
|
"Duke Perithous loved well Arcite,\n"
|
|
"And had him known at Thebes year by year:\n"
|
|
"And finally at request and prayere\n"
|
|
"Of Perithous, withoute ranson\n"
|
|
"Duke Theseus him let out of prison,\n"
|
|
"Freely to go, where him list over all,\n"
|
|
"In such a guise, as I you tellen shall\n"
|
|
"This was the forword*, plainly to indite, *promise\n"
|
|
"Betwixte Theseus and him Arcite:\n"
|
|
"That if so were, that Arcite were y-found\n"
|
|
"Ever in his life, by day or night, one stound* *moment<15>\n"
|
|
"In any country of this Theseus,\n"
|
|
"And he were caught, it was accorded thus,\n"
|
|
"That with a sword he shoulde lose his head;\n"
|
|
"There was none other remedy nor rede*. *counsel\n"
|
|
"But took his leave, and homeward he him sped;\n"
|
|
"Let him beware, his necke lieth *to wed*. *in pledge*\n"
|
|
"\n"
|
|
"How great a sorrow suff'reth now Arcite!\n"
|
|
"The death he feeleth through his hearte smite;\n"
|
|
"He weepeth, waileth, crieth piteously;\n"
|
|
"To slay himself he waiteth privily.\n"
|
|
"He said; \"Alas the day that I was born!\n"
|
|
"Now is my prison worse than beforn:\n"
|
|
"*Now is me shape* eternally to dwell *it is fixed for me*\n"
|
|
"Not in purgatory, but right in hell.\n"
|
|
"Alas! that ever I knew Perithous.\n"
|
|
"For elles had I dwelt with Theseus\n"
|
|
"Y-fettered in his prison evermo'.\n"
|
|
"Then had I been in bliss, and not in woe.\n"
|
|
"Only the sight of her, whom that I serve,\n"
|
|
"Though that I never may her grace deserve,\n"
|
|
"Would have sufficed right enough for me.\n"
|
|
"O deare cousin Palamon,\" quoth he,\n"
|
|
"\"Thine is the vict'ry of this aventure,\n"
|
|
"Full blissfully in prison to endure:\n"
|
|
"In prison? nay certes, in paradise.\n"
|
|
"Well hath fortune y-turned thee the dice,\n"
|
|
"That hast the sight of her, and I th' absence.\n"
|
|
"For possible is, since thou hast her presence,\n"
|
|
"And art a knight, a worthy and an able,\n"
|
|
"That by some cas*, since fortune is changeable, *chance\n"
|
|
"Thou may'st to thy desire sometime attain.\n"
|
|
"But I that am exiled, and barren\n"
|
|
"Of alle grace, and in so great despair,\n"
|
|
"That there n'is earthe, water, fire, nor air,\n"
|
|
"Nor creature, that of them maked is,\n"
|
|
"That may me helpe nor comfort in this,\n"
|
|
"Well ought I *sterve in wanhope* and distress. *die in despair*\n"
|
|
"Farewell my life, my lust*, and my gladness. *pleasure\n"
|
|
"Alas, *why plainen men so in commune *why do men so often complain\n"
|
|
"Of purveyance of God*, or of Fortune, of God's providence?*\n"
|
|
"That giveth them full oft in many a guise\n"
|
|
"Well better than they can themselves devise?\n"
|
|
"Some man desireth for to have richess,\n"
|
|
"That cause is of his murder or great sickness.\n"
|
|
"And some man would out of his prison fain,\n"
|
|
"That in his house is of his meinie* slain. *servants <16>\n"
|
|
"Infinite harmes be in this mattere.\n"
|
|
"We wot never what thing we pray for here.\n"
|
|
"We fare as he that drunk is as a mouse.\n"
|
|
"A drunken man wot well he hath an house,\n"
|
|
"But he wot not which is the right way thither,\n"
|
|
"And to a drunken man the way is slither*. *slippery\n"
|
|
"And certes in this world so fare we.\n"
|
|
"We seeke fast after felicity,\n"
|
|
"But we go wrong full often truely.\n"
|
|
"Thus we may sayen all, and namely* I, *especially\n"
|
|
"That ween'd*, and had a great opinion, *thought\n"
|
|
"That if I might escape from prison\n"
|
|
"Then had I been in joy and perfect heal,\n"
|
|
"Where now I am exiled from my weal.\n"
|
|
"Since that I may not see you, Emily,\n"
|
|
"I am but dead; there is no remedy.\"\n"
|
|
"\n"
|
|
"Upon that other side, Palamon,\n"
|
|
"When that he wist Arcita was agone,\n"
|
|
"Much sorrow maketh, that the greate tower\n"
|
|
"Resounded of his yelling and clamour\n"
|
|
"The pure* fetters on his shinnes great *very <17>\n"
|
|
"Were of his bitter salte teares wet.\n"
|
|
"\n"
|
|
"\"Alas!\" quoth he, \"Arcita, cousin mine,\n"
|
|
"Of all our strife, God wot, the fruit is thine.\n"
|
|
"Thou walkest now in Thebes at thy large,\n"
|
|
"And of my woe thou *givest little charge*. *takest little heed*\n"
|
|
"Thou mayst, since thou hast wisdom and manhead*, *manhood, courage\n"
|
|
"Assemble all the folk of our kindred,\n"
|
|
"And make a war so sharp on this country\n"
|
|
"That by some aventure, or some treaty,\n"
|
|
"Thou mayst have her to lady and to wife,\n"
|
|
"For whom that I must needes lose my life.\n"
|
|
"For as by way of possibility,\n"
|
|
"Since thou art at thy large, of prison free,\n"
|
|
"And art a lord, great is thine avantage,\n"
|
|
"More than is mine, that sterve here in a cage.\n"
|
|
"For I must weep and wail, while that I live,\n"
|
|
"With all the woe that prison may me give,\n"
|
|
"And eke with pain that love me gives also,\n"
|
|
"That doubles all my torment and my woe.\"\n"
|
|
"\n"
|
|
"Therewith the fire of jealousy upstart\n"
|
|
"Within his breast, and hent* him by the heart *seized\n"
|
|
"So woodly*, that he like was to behold *madly\n"
|
|
"The box-tree, or the ashes dead and cold.\n"
|
|
"Then said; \"O cruel goddess, that govern\n"
|
|
"This world with binding of your word etern* *eternal\n"
|
|
"And writen in the table of adamant\n"
|
|
"Your parlement* and your eternal grant, *consultation\n"
|
|
"What is mankind more *unto you y-hold* *by you esteemed\n"
|
|
"Than is the sheep, that rouketh* in the fold! *lie huddled together\n"
|
|
"For slain is man, right as another beast;\n"
|
|
"And dwelleth eke in prison and arrest,\n"
|
|
"And hath sickness, and great adversity,\n"
|
|
"And oftentimes guilteless, pardie* *by God\n"
|
|
"What governance is in your prescience,\n"
|
|
"That guilteless tormenteth innocence?\n"
|
|
"And yet increaseth this all my penance,\n"
|
|
"That man is bounden to his observance\n"
|
|
"For Godde's sake to *letten of his will*, *restrain his desire*\n"
|
|
"Whereas a beast may all his lust fulfil.\n"
|
|
"And when a beast is dead, he hath no pain;\n"
|
|
"But man after his death must weep and plain,\n"
|
|
"Though in this worlde he have care and woe:\n"
|
|
"Withoute doubt it maye standen so.\n"
|
|
"\"The answer of this leave I to divines,\n"
|
|
"But well I wot, that in this world great pine* is; *pain, trouble\n"
|
|
"Alas! I see a serpent or a thief\n"
|
|
"That many a true man hath done mischief,\n"
|
|
"Go at his large, and where him list may turn.\n"
|
|
"But I must be in prison through Saturn,\n"
|
|
"And eke through Juno, jealous and eke wood*, *mad\n"
|
|
"That hath well nigh destroyed all the blood\n"
|
|
"Of Thebes, with his waste walles wide.\n"
|
|
"And Venus slay'th me on that other side\n"
|
|
"For jealousy, and fear of him, Arcite.\"\n"
|
|
"\n"
|
|
"Now will I stent* of Palamon a lite**, *pause **little\n"
|
|
"And let him in his prison stille dwell,\n"
|
|
"And of Arcita forth I will you tell.\n"
|
|
"The summer passeth, and the nightes long\n"
|
|
"Increase double-wise the paines strong\n"
|
|
"Both of the lover and the prisonere.\n"
|
|
"I n'ot* which hath the wofuller mistere**. *know not **condition\n"
|
|
"For, shortly for to say, this Palamon\n"
|
|
"Perpetually is damned to prison,\n"
|
|
"In chaines and in fetters to be dead;\n"
|
|
"And Arcite is exiled *on his head* *on peril of his head*\n"
|
|
"For evermore as out of that country,\n"
|
|
"Nor never more he shall his lady see.\n"
|
|
"You lovers ask I now this question,<18>\n"
|
|
"Who lieth the worse, Arcite or Palamon?\n"
|
|
"The one may see his lady day by day,\n"
|
|
"But in prison he dwelle must alway.\n"
|
|
"The other where him list may ride or go,\n"
|
|
"But see his lady shall he never mo'.\n"
|
|
"Now deem all as you liste, ye that can,\n"
|
|
"For I will tell you forth as I began.\n"
|
|
"\n"
|
|
"When that Arcite to Thebes comen was,\n"
|
|
"Full oft a day he swelt*, and said, \"Alas!\" *fainted\n"
|
|
"For see this lady he shall never mo'.\n"
|
|
"And shortly to concluden all his woe,\n"
|
|
"So much sorrow had never creature\n"
|
|
"That is or shall be while the world may dure.\n"
|
|
"His sleep, his meat, his drink is *him byraft*, *taken away from him*\n"
|
|
"That lean he wex*, and dry as any shaft. *became\n"
|
|
"His eyen hollow, grisly to behold,\n"
|
|
"His hue sallow, and pale as ashes cold,\n"
|
|
"And solitary he was, ever alone,\n"
|
|
"And wailing all the night, making his moan.\n"
|
|
"And if he hearde song or instrument,\n"
|
|
"Then would he weepen, he might not be stent*. *stopped\n"
|
|
"So feeble were his spirits, and so low,\n"
|
|
"And changed so, that no man coulde know\n"
|
|
"His speech, neither his voice, though men it heard.\n"
|
|
"And in his gear* for all the world he far'd *behaviour <19>\n"
|
|
"Not only like the lovers' malady\n"
|
|
"Of Eros, but rather y-like manie* *madness\n"
|
|
"Engender'd of humours melancholic,\n"
|
|
"Before his head in his cell fantastic.<20>\n"
|
|
"And shortly turned was all upside down,\n"
|
|
"Both habit and eke dispositioun,\n"
|
|
"Of him, this woful lover Dan* Arcite. *Lord <21>\n"
|
|
"Why should I all day of his woe indite?\n"
|
|
"When he endured had a year or two\n"
|
|
"This cruel torment, and this pain and woe,\n"
|
|
"At Thebes, in his country, as I said,\n"
|
|
"Upon a night in sleep as he him laid,\n"
|
|
"Him thought how that the winged god Mercury\n"
|
|
"Before him stood, and bade him to be merry.\n"
|
|
"His sleepy yard* in hand he bare upright; *rod <22>\n"
|
|
"A hat he wore upon his haires bright.\n"
|
|
"Arrayed was this god (as he took keep*) *notice\n"
|
|
"As he was when that Argus<23> took his sleep;\n"
|
|
"And said him thus: \"To Athens shalt thou wend*; *go\n"
|
|
"There is thee shapen* of thy woe an end.\" *fixed, prepared\n"
|
|
"And with that word Arcite woke and start.\n"
|
|
"\"Now truely how sore that e'er me smart,\"\n"
|
|
"Quoth he, \"to Athens right now will I fare.\n"
|
|
"Nor for no dread of death shall I not spare\n"
|
|
"To see my lady that I love and serve;\n"
|
|
"In her presence *I recke not to sterve.*\" *do not care if I die*\n"
|
|
"And with that word he caught a great mirror,\n"
|
|
"And saw that changed was all his colour,\n"
|
|
"And saw his visage all in other kind.\n"
|
|
"And right anon it ran him ill his mind,\n"
|
|
"That since his face was so disfigur'd\n"
|
|
"Of malady the which he had endur'd,\n"
|
|
"He mighte well, if that he *bare him low,* *lived in lowly fashion*\n"
|
|
"Live in Athenes evermore unknow,\n"
|
|
"And see his lady wellnigh day by day.\n"
|
|
"And right anon he changed his array,\n"
|
|
"And clad him as a poore labourer.\n"
|
|
"And all alone, save only a squier,\n"
|
|
"That knew his privity* and all his cas**, *secrets **fortune\n"
|
|
"Which was disguised poorly as he was,\n"
|
|
"To Athens is he gone the nexte* way. *nearest <24>\n"
|
|
"And to the court he went upon a day,\n"
|
|
"And at the gate he proffer'd his service,\n"
|
|
"To drudge and draw, what so men would devise*. *order\n"
|
|
"And, shortly of this matter for to sayn,\n"
|
|
"He fell in office with a chamberlain,\n"
|
|
"The which that dwelling was with Emily.\n"
|
|
"For he was wise, and coulde soon espy\n"
|
|
"Of every servant which that served her.\n"
|
|
"Well could he hewe wood, and water bear,\n"
|
|
"For he was young and mighty for the nones*, *occasion\n"
|
|
"And thereto he was strong and big of bones\n"
|
|
"To do that any wight can him devise.\n"
|
|
"\n"
|
|
"A year or two he was in this service,\n"
|
|
"Page of the chamber of Emily the bright;\n"
|
|
"And Philostrate he saide that he hight.\n"
|
|
"But half so well belov'd a man as he\n"
|
|
"Ne was there never in court of his degree.\n"
|
|
"He was so gentle of conditioun,\n"
|
|
"That throughout all the court was his renown.\n"
|
|
"They saide that it were a charity\n"
|
|
"That Theseus would *enhance his degree*, *elevate him in rank*\n"
|
|
"And put him in some worshipful service,\n"
|
|
"There as he might his virtue exercise.\n"
|
|
"And thus within a while his name sprung\n"
|
|
"Both of his deedes, and of his good tongue,\n"
|
|
"That Theseus hath taken him so near,\n"
|
|
"That of his chamber he hath made him squire,\n"
|
|
"And gave him gold to maintain his degree;\n"
|
|
"And eke men brought him out of his country\n"
|
|
"From year to year full privily his rent.\n"
|
|
"But honestly and slyly* he it spent, *discreetly, prudently\n"
|
|
"That no man wonder'd how that he it had.\n"
|
|
"And three year in this wise his life be lad*, *led\n"
|
|
"And bare him so in peace and eke in werre*, *war\n"
|
|
"There was no man that Theseus had so derre*. *dear\n"
|
|
"And in this blisse leave I now Arcite,\n"
|
|
"And speak I will of Palamon a lite*. *little\n"
|
|
"\n"
|
|
"In darkness horrible, and strong prison,\n"
|
|
"This seven year hath sitten Palamon,\n"
|
|
"Forpined*, what for love, and for distress. *pined, wasted away\n"
|
|
"Who feeleth double sorrow and heaviness\n"
|
|
"But Palamon? that love distraineth* so, *afflicts\n"
|
|
"That wood* out of his wits he went for woe, *mad\n"
|
|
"And eke thereto he is a prisonere\n"
|
|
"Perpetual, not only for a year.\n"
|
|
"Who coulde rhyme in English properly\n"
|
|
"His martyrdom? forsooth*, it is not I; *truly\n"
|
|
"Therefore I pass as lightly as I may.\n"
|
|
"It fell that in the seventh year, in May\n"
|
|
"The thirde night (as olde bookes sayn,\n"
|
|
"That all this story tellen more plain),\n"
|
|
"Were it by a venture or destiny\n"
|
|
"(As when a thing is shapen* it shall be), *settled, decreed\n"
|
|
"That soon after the midnight, Palamon\n"
|
|
"By helping of a friend brake his prison,\n"
|
|
"And fled the city fast as he might go,\n"
|
|
"For he had given drink his gaoler so\n"
|
|
"Of a clary <25>, made of a certain wine,\n"
|
|
"With *narcotise and opie* of Thebes fine, *narcotics and opium*\n"
|
|
"That all the night, though that men would him shake,\n"
|
|
"The gaoler slept, he mighte not awake:\n"
|
|
"And thus he fled as fast as ever he may.\n"
|
|
"The night was short, and *faste by the day *close at hand was\n"
|
|
"That needes cast he must himself to hide*. the day during which\n"
|
|
"And to a grove faste there beside he must cast about, or contrive,\n"
|
|
"With dreadful foot then stalked Palamon. to conceal himself.*\n"
|
|
"For shortly this was his opinion,\n"
|
|
"That in the grove he would him hide all day,\n"
|
|
"And in the night then would he take his way\n"
|
|
"To Thebes-ward, his friendes for to pray\n"
|
|
"On Theseus to help him to warray*. *make war <26>\n"
|
|
"And shortly either he would lose his life,\n"
|
|
"Or winnen Emily unto his wife.\n"
|
|
"This is th' effect, and his intention plain.\n"
|
|
"\n"
|
|
"Now will I turn to Arcita again,\n"
|
|
"That little wist how nighe was his care,\n"
|
|
"Till that Fortune had brought him in the snare.\n"
|
|
"The busy lark, the messenger of day,\n"
|
|
"Saluteth in her song the morning gray;\n"
|
|
"And fiery Phoebus riseth up so bright,\n"
|
|
"That all the orient laugheth at the sight,\n"
|
|
"And with his streames* drieth in the greves** *rays **groves\n"
|
|
"The silver droppes, hanging on the leaves;\n"
|
|
"And Arcite, that is in the court royal\n"
|
|
"With Theseus, his squier principal,\n"
|
|
"Is ris'n, and looketh on the merry day.\n"
|
|
"And for to do his observance to May,\n"
|
|
"Remembering the point* of his desire, *object\n"
|
|
"He on his courser, starting as the fire,\n"
|
|
"Is ridden to the fieldes him to play,\n"
|
|
"Out of the court, were it a mile or tway.\n"
|
|
"And to the grove, of which I have you told,\n"
|
|
"By a venture his way began to hold,\n"
|
|
"To make him a garland of the greves*, *groves\n"
|
|
"Were it of woodbine, or of hawthorn leaves,\n"
|
|
"And loud he sang against the sun so sheen*. *shining bright\n"
|
|
"\"O May, with all thy flowers and thy green,\n"
|
|
"Right welcome be thou, faire freshe May,\n"
|
|
"I hope that I some green here getten may.\"\n"
|
|
"And from his courser*, with a lusty heart, *horse\n"
|
|
"Into the grove full hastily he start,\n"
|
|
"And in a path he roamed up and down,\n"
|
|
"There as by aventure this Palamon\n"
|
|
"Was in a bush, that no man might him see,\n"
|
|
"For sore afeard of his death was he.\n"
|
|
"Nothing ne knew he that it was Arcite;\n"
|
|
"God wot he would have *trowed it full lite*. *full little believed it*\n"
|
|
"But sooth is said, gone since full many years,\n"
|
|
"The field hath eyen*, and the wood hath ears, *eyes\n"
|
|
"It is full fair a man *to bear him even*, *to be on his guard*\n"
|
|
"For all day meeten men at *unset steven*. *unexpected time <27>\n"
|
|
"Full little wot Arcite of his fellaw,\n"
|
|
"That was so nigh to hearken of his saw*, *saying, speech\n"
|
|
"For in the bush he sitteth now full still.\n"
|
|
"When that Arcite had roamed all his fill,\n"
|
|
"And *sungen all the roundel* lustily, *sang the roundelay*<28>\n"
|
|
"Into a study he fell suddenly,\n"
|
|
"As do those lovers in their *quainte gears*, *odd fashions*\n"
|
|
"Now in the crop*, and now down in the breres**, <29> *tree-top\n"
|
|
"Now up, now down, as bucket in a well. **briars\n"
|
|
"Right as the Friday, soothly for to tell,\n"
|
|
"Now shineth it, and now it raineth fast,\n"
|
|
"Right so can geary* Venus overcast *changeful\n"
|
|
"The heartes of her folk, right as her day\n"
|
|
"Is gearful*, right so changeth she array. *changeful\n"
|
|
"Seldom is Friday all the weeke like.\n"
|
|
"When Arcite had y-sung, he gan to sike*, *sigh\n"
|
|
"And sat him down withouten any more:\n"
|
|
"\"Alas!\" quoth he, \"the day that I was bore!\n"
|
|
"How longe, Juno, through thy cruelty\n"
|
|
"Wilt thou warrayen* Thebes the city? *torment\n"
|
|
"Alas! y-brought is to confusion\n"
|
|
"The blood royal of Cadm' and Amphion:\n"
|
|
"Of Cadmus, which that was the firste man,\n"
|
|
};
|
|
const char knightsTale2[] PROGMEM = {
|
|
"That Thebes built, or first the town began,\n"
|
|
"And of the city first was crowned king.\n"
|
|
"Of his lineage am I, and his offspring\n"
|
|
"By very line, as of the stock royal;\n"
|
|
"And now I am *so caitiff and so thrall*, *wretched and enslaved*\n"
|
|
"That he that is my mortal enemy,\n"
|
|
"I serve him as his squier poorely.\n"
|
|
"And yet doth Juno me well more shame,\n"
|
|
"For I dare not beknow* mine owen name, *acknowledge <30>\n"
|
|
"But there as I was wont to hight Arcite,\n"
|
|
"Now hight I Philostrate, not worth a mite.\n"
|
|
"Alas! thou fell Mars, and alas! Juno,\n"
|
|
"Thus hath your ire our lineage all fordo* *undone, ruined\n"
|
|
"Save only me, and wretched Palamon,\n"
|
|
"That Theseus martyreth in prison.\n"
|
|
"And over all this, to slay me utterly,\n"
|
|
"Love hath his fiery dart so brenningly* *burningly\n"
|
|
"Y-sticked through my true careful heart,\n"
|
|
"That shapen was my death erst than my shert. <31>\n"
|
|
"Ye slay me with your eyen, Emily;\n"
|
|
"Ye be the cause wherefore that I die.\n"
|
|
"Of all the remnant of mine other care\n"
|
|
"Ne set I not the *mountance of a tare*, *value of a straw*\n"
|
|
"So that I could do aught to your pleasance.\"\n"
|
|
"\n"
|
|
"And with that word he fell down in a trance\n"
|
|
"A longe time; and afterward upstart\n"
|
|
"This Palamon, that thought thorough his heart\n"
|
|
"He felt a cold sword suddenly to glide:\n"
|
|
"For ire he quoke*, no longer would he hide. *quaked\n"
|
|
"And when that he had heard Arcite's tale,\n"
|
|
"As he were wood*, with face dead and pale, *mad\n"
|
|
"He start him up out of the bushes thick,\n"
|
|
"And said: \"False Arcita, false traitor wick'*, *wicked\n"
|
|
"Now art thou hent*, that lov'st my lady so, *caught\n"
|
|
"For whom that I have all this pain and woe,\n"
|
|
"And art my blood, and to my counsel sworn,\n"
|
|
"As I full oft have told thee herebeforn,\n"
|
|
"And hast bejaped* here Duke Theseus, *deceived, imposed upon\n"
|
|
"And falsely changed hast thy name thus;\n"
|
|
"I will be dead, or elles thou shalt die.\n"
|
|
"Thou shalt not love my lady Emily,\n"
|
|
"But I will love her only and no mo';\n"
|
|
"For I am Palamon thy mortal foe.\n"
|
|
"And though I have no weapon in this place,\n"
|
|
"But out of prison am astart* by grace, *escaped\n"
|
|
"I dreade* not that either thou shalt die, *doubt\n"
|
|
"Or else thou shalt not loven Emily.\n"
|
|
"Choose which thou wilt, for thou shalt not astart.\"\n"
|
|
"\n"
|
|
"This Arcite then, with full dispiteous* heart, *wrathful\n"
|
|
"When he him knew, and had his tale heard,\n"
|
|
"As fierce as lion pulled out a swerd,\n"
|
|
"And saide thus; \"By God that sitt'th above,\n"
|
|
"*N'ere it* that thou art sick, and wood for love, *were it not*\n"
|
|
"And eke that thou no weap'n hast in this place,\n"
|
|
"Thou should'st never out of this grove pace,\n"
|
|
"That thou ne shouldest dien of mine hand.\n"
|
|
"For I defy the surety and the band,\n"
|
|
"Which that thou sayest I have made to thee.\n"
|
|
"What? very fool, think well that love is free;\n"
|
|
"And I will love her maugre* all thy might. *despite\n"
|
|
"But, for thou art a worthy gentle knight,\n"
|
|
"And *wilnest to darraine her by bataille*, *will reclaim her\n"
|
|
"Have here my troth, to-morrow I will not fail, by combat*\n"
|
|
"Without weeting* of any other wight, *knowledge\n"
|
|
"That here I will be founden as a knight,\n"
|
|
"And bringe harness* right enough for thee; *armour and arms\n"
|
|
"And choose the best, and leave the worst for me.\n"
|
|
"And meat and drinke this night will I bring\n"
|
|
"Enough for thee, and clothes for thy bedding.\n"
|
|
"And if so be that thou my lady win,\n"
|
|
"And slay me in this wood that I am in,\n"
|
|
"Thou may'st well have thy lady as for me.\"\n"
|
|
"This Palamon answer'd, \"I grant it thee.\"\n"
|
|
"And thus they be departed till the morrow,\n"
|
|
"When each of them hath *laid his faith to borrow*. *pledged his faith*\n"
|
|
"\n"
|
|
"O Cupid, out of alle charity!\n"
|
|
"O Regne* that wilt no fellow have with thee! *queen <32>\n"
|
|
"Full sooth is said, that love nor lordeship\n"
|
|
"Will not, *his thanks*, have any fellowship. *thanks to him*\n"
|
|
"Well finden that Arcite and Palamon.\n"
|
|
"Arcite is ridd anon unto the town,\n"
|
|
"And on the morrow, ere it were daylight,\n"
|
|
"Full privily two harness hath he dight*, *prepared\n"
|
|
"Both suffisant and meete to darraine* *contest\n"
|
|
"The battle in the field betwixt them twain.\n"
|
|
"And on his horse, alone as he was born,\n"
|
|
"He carrieth all this harness him beforn;\n"
|
|
"And in the grove, at time and place y-set,\n"
|
|
"This Arcite and this Palamon be met.\n"
|
|
"Then change gan the colour of their face;\n"
|
|
"Right as the hunter in the regne* of Thrace *kingdom\n"
|
|
"That standeth at a gappe with a spear\n"
|
|
"When hunted is the lion or the bear,\n"
|
|
"And heareth him come rushing in the greves*, *groves\n"
|
|
"And breaking both the boughes and the leaves,\n"
|
|
"Thinketh, \"Here comes my mortal enemy,\n"
|
|
"Withoute fail, he must be dead or I;\n"
|
|
"For either I must slay him at the gap;\n"
|
|
"Or he must slay me, if that me mishap:\"\n"
|
|
"So fared they, in changing of their hue\n"
|
|
"*As far as either of them other knew*. *When they recognised each\n"
|
|
"There was no good day, and no saluting, other afar off*\n"
|
|
"But straight, withoute wordes rehearsing,\n"
|
|
"Evereach of them holp to arm the other,\n"
|
|
"As friendly, as he were his owen brother.\n"
|
|
"And after that, with sharpe speares strong\n"
|
|
"They foined* each at other wonder long. *thrust\n"
|
|
"Thou mightest weene*, that this Palamon *think\n"
|
|
"In fighting were as a wood* lion, *mad\n"
|
|
"And as a cruel tiger was Arcite:\n"
|
|
"As wilde boars gan they together smite,\n"
|
|
"That froth as white as foam, *for ire wood*. *mad with anger*\n"
|
|
"Up to the ancle fought they in their blood.\n"
|
|
"And in this wise I let them fighting dwell,\n"
|
|
"And forth I will of Theseus you tell.\n"
|
|
"\n"
|
|
"The Destiny, minister general,\n"
|
|
"That executeth in the world o'er all\n"
|
|
"The purveyance*, that God hath seen beforn; *foreordination\n"
|
|
"So strong it is, that though the world had sworn\n"
|
|
"The contrary of a thing by yea or nay,\n"
|
|
"Yet some time it shall fallen on a day\n"
|
|
"That falleth not eft* in a thousand year. *again\n"
|
|
"For certainly our appetites here,\n"
|
|
"Be it of war, or peace, or hate, or love,\n"
|
|
"All is this ruled by the sight* above. *eye, intelligence, power\n"
|
|
"This mean I now by mighty Theseus,\n"
|
|
"That for to hunten is so desirous --\n"
|
|
"And namely* the greate hart in May -- *especially\n"
|
|
"That in his bed there dawneth him no day\n"
|
|
"That he n'is clad, and ready for to ride\n"
|
|
"With hunt and horn, and houndes him beside.\n"
|
|
"For in his hunting hath he such delight,\n"
|
|
"That it is all his joy and appetite\n"
|
|
"To be himself the greate harte's bane* *destruction\n"
|
|
"For after Mars he serveth now Diane.\n"
|
|
"Clear was the day, as I have told ere this,\n"
|
|
"And Theseus, with alle joy and bliss,\n"
|
|
"With his Hippolyta, the faire queen,\n"
|
|
"And Emily, y-clothed all in green,\n"
|
|
"On hunting be they ridden royally.\n"
|
|
"And to the grove, that stood there faste by,\n"
|
|
"In which there was an hart, as men him told,\n"
|
|
"Duke Theseus the straighte way doth hold,\n"
|
|
"And to the laund* he rideth him full right, *plain <33>\n"
|
|
"There was the hart y-wont to have his flight,\n"
|
|
"And over a brook, and so forth on his way.\n"
|
|
"This Duke will have a course at him or tway\n"
|
|
"With houndes, such as him lust* to command. *pleased\n"
|
|
"And when this Duke was come to the laund,\n"
|
|
"Under the sun he looked, and anon\n"
|
|
"He was ware of Arcite and Palamon,\n"
|
|
"That foughte breme*, as it were bulles two. *fiercely\n"
|
|
"The brighte swordes wente to and fro\n"
|
|
"So hideously, that with the leaste stroke\n"
|
|
"It seemed that it woulde fell an oak,\n"
|
|
"But what they were, nothing yet he wote*. *knew\n"
|
|
"This Duke his courser with his spurres smote,\n"
|
|
"*And at a start* he was betwixt them two, *suddenly*\n"
|
|
"And pulled out a sword and cried, \"Ho!\n"
|
|
"No more, on pain of losing of your head.\n"
|
|
"By mighty Mars, he shall anon be dead\n"
|
|
"That smiteth any stroke, that I may see!\n"
|
|
"But tell to me what mister* men ye be, *manner, kind <34>\n"
|
|
"That be so hardy for to fighte here\n"
|
|
"Withoute judge or other officer,\n"
|
|
"As though it were in listes royally. <35>\n"
|
|
"This Palamon answered hastily,\n"
|
|
"And saide: \"Sir, what needeth wordes mo'?\n"
|
|
"We have the death deserved bothe two,\n"
|
|
"Two woful wretches be we, and caitives,\n"
|
|
"That be accumbered* of our own lives, *burdened\n"
|
|
"And as thou art a rightful lord and judge,\n"
|
|
"So give us neither mercy nor refuge.\n"
|
|
"And slay me first, for sainte charity,\n"
|
|
"But slay my fellow eke as well as me.\n"
|
|
"Or slay him first; for, though thou know it lite*, *little\n"
|
|
"This is thy mortal foe, this is Arcite\n"
|
|
"That from thy land is banisht on his head,\n"
|
|
"For which he hath deserved to be dead.\n"
|
|
"For this is he that came unto thy gate\n"
|
|
"And saide, that he highte Philostrate.\n"
|
|
"Thus hath he japed* thee full many year, *deceived\n"
|
|
"And thou hast made of him thy chief esquier;\n"
|
|
"And this is he, that loveth Emily.\n"
|
|
"For since the day is come that I shall die\n"
|
|
"I make pleinly* my confession, *fully, unreservedly\n"
|
|
"That I am thilke* woful Palamon, *that same <36>\n"
|
|
"That hath thy prison broken wickedly.\n"
|
|
"I am thy mortal foe, and it am I\n"
|
|
"That so hot loveth Emily the bright,\n"
|
|
"That I would die here present in her sight.\n"
|
|
"Therefore I aske death and my jewise*. *judgement\n"
|
|
"But slay my fellow eke in the same wise,\n"
|
|
"For both we have deserved to be slain.\"\n"
|
|
"\n"
|
|
"This worthy Duke answer'd anon again,\n"
|
|
"And said, \"This is a short conclusion.\n"
|
|
"Your own mouth, by your own confession\n"
|
|
"Hath damned you, and I will it record;\n"
|
|
"It needeth not to pain you with the cord;\n"
|
|
"Ye shall be dead, by mighty Mars the Red.<37>\n"
|
|
"\n"
|
|
"The queen anon for very womanhead\n"
|
|
"Began to weep, and so did Emily,\n"
|
|
"And all the ladies in the company.\n"
|
|
"Great pity was it as it thought them all,\n"
|
|
"That ever such a chance should befall,\n"
|
|
"For gentle men they were, of great estate,\n"
|
|
"And nothing but for love was this debate\n"
|
|
"They saw their bloody woundes wide and sore,\n"
|
|
"And cried all at once, both less and more,\n"
|
|
"\"Have mercy, Lord, upon us women all.\"\n"
|
|
"And on their bare knees adown they fall\n"
|
|
"And would have kissed his feet there as he stood,\n"
|
|
"Till at the last *aslaked was his mood* *his anger was\n"
|
|
"(For pity runneth soon in gentle heart); appeased*\n"
|
|
"And though at first for ire he quoke and start\n"
|
|
"He hath consider'd shortly in a clause\n"
|
|
"The trespass of them both, and eke the cause:\n"
|
|
"And although that his ire their guilt accused\n"
|
|
"Yet in his reason he them both excused;\n"
|
|
"As thus; he thoughte well that every man\n"
|
|
"Will help himself in love if that he can,\n"
|
|
"And eke deliver himself out of prison.\n"
|
|
"Of women, for they wepten ever-in-one:* *continually\n"
|
|
"And eke his hearte had compassion\n"
|
|
"And in his gentle heart he thought anon,\n"
|
|
"And soft unto himself he saide: \"Fie\n"
|
|
"Upon a lord that will have no mercy,\n"
|
|
"But be a lion both in word and deed,\n"
|
|
"To them that be in repentance and dread,\n"
|
|
"As well as-to a proud dispiteous* man *unpitying\n"
|
|
"That will maintaine what he first began.\n"
|
|
"That lord hath little of discretion,\n"
|
|
"That in such case *can no division*: *can make no distinction*\n"
|
|
"But weigheth pride and humbless *after one*.\" *alike*\n"
|
|
"And shortly, when his ire is thus agone,\n"
|
|
"He gan to look on them with eyen light*, *gentle, lenient*\n"
|
|
"And spake these same wordes *all on height.* *aloud*\n"
|
|
"\n"
|
|
"\"The god of love, ah! benedicite*, *bless ye him\n"
|
|
"How mighty and how great a lord is he!\n"
|
|
"Against his might there gaine* none obstacles, *avail, conquer\n"
|
|
"He may be called a god for his miracles\n"
|
|
"For he can maken at his owen guise\n"
|
|
"Of every heart, as that him list devise.\n"
|
|
"Lo here this Arcite, and this Palamon,\n"
|
|
"That quietly were out of my prison,\n"
|
|
"And might have lived in Thebes royally,\n"
|
|
"And weet* I am their mortal enemy, *knew\n"
|
|
"And that their death li'th in my might also,\n"
|
|
"And yet hath love, *maugre their eyen two*, *in spite of their eyes*\n"
|
|
"Y-brought them hither bothe for to die.\n"
|
|
"Now look ye, is not this an high folly?\n"
|
|
"Who may not be a fool, if but he love?\n"
|
|
"Behold, for Godde's sake that sits above,\n"
|
|
"See how they bleed! be they not well array'd?\n"
|
|
"Thus hath their lord, the god of love, them paid\n"
|
|
"Their wages and their fees for their service;\n"
|
|
"And yet they weene for to be full wise,\n"
|
|
"That serve love, for aught that may befall.\n"
|
|
"But this is yet the beste game* of all, *joke\n"
|
|
"That she, for whom they have this jealousy,\n"
|
|
"Can them therefor as muchel thank as me.\n"
|
|
"She wot no more of all this *hote fare*, *hot behaviour*\n"
|
|
"By God, than wot a cuckoo or an hare.\n"
|
|
"But all must be assayed hot or cold;\n"
|
|
"A man must be a fool, or young or old;\n"
|
|
"I wot it by myself *full yore agone*: *long years ago*\n"
|
|
"For in my time a servant was I one.\n"
|
|
"And therefore since I know of love's pain,\n"
|
|
"And wot how sore it can a man distrain*, *distress\n"
|
|
"As he that oft hath been caught in his last*, *snare <38>\n"
|
|
"I you forgive wholly this trespass,\n"
|
|
"At request of the queen that kneeleth here,\n"
|
|
"And eke of Emily, my sister dear.\n"
|
|
"And ye shall both anon unto me swear,\n"
|
|
"That never more ye shall my country dere* *injure\n"
|
|
"Nor make war upon me night nor day,\n"
|
|
"But be my friends in alle that ye may.\n"
|
|
"I you forgive this trespass *every deal*. *completely*\n"
|
|
"And they him sware *his asking* fair and well, *what he asked*\n"
|
|
"And him of lordship and of mercy pray'd,\n"
|
|
"And he them granted grace, and thus he said:\n"
|
|
"\n"
|
|
"\"To speak of royal lineage and richess,\n"
|
|
"Though that she were a queen or a princess,\n"
|
|
"Each of you both is worthy doubteless\n"
|
|
"To wedde when time is; but natheless\n"
|
|
"I speak as for my sister Emily,\n"
|
|
"For whom ye have this strife and jealousy,\n"
|
|
"Ye wot* yourselves, she may not wed the two *know\n"
|
|
"At once, although ye fight for evermo:\n"
|
|
"But one of you, *all be him loth or lief,* *whether or not he wishes*\n"
|
|
"He must *go pipe into an ivy leaf*: *\"go whistle\"*\n"
|
|
"This is to say, she may not have you both,\n"
|
|
"All be ye never so jealous, nor so wroth.\n"
|
|
"And therefore I you put in this degree,\n"
|
|
"That each of you shall have his destiny\n"
|
|
"As *him is shape*; and hearken in what wise *as is decreed for him*\n"
|
|
"Lo hear your end of that I shall devise.\n"
|
|
"My will is this, for plain conclusion\n"
|
|
"Withouten any replication*, *reply\n"
|
|
"If that you liketh, take it for the best,\n"
|
|
"That evereach of you shall go where *him lest*, *he pleases\n"
|
|
"Freely without ransom or danger;\n"
|
|
"And this day fifty weekes, *farre ne nerre*, *neither more nor less*\n"
|
|
"Evereach of you shall bring an hundred knights,\n"
|
|
"Armed for listes up at alle rights\n"
|
|
"All ready to darraine* her by bataille, *contend for\n"
|
|
"And this behete* I you withoute fail *promise\n"
|
|
"Upon my troth, and as I am a knight,\n"
|
|
"That whether of you bothe that hath might,\n"
|
|
"That is to say, that whether he or thou\n"
|
|
"May with his hundred, as I spake of now,\n"
|
|
"Slay his contrary, or out of listes drive,\n"
|
|
"Him shall I given Emily to wive,\n"
|
|
"To whom that fortune gives so fair a grace.\n"
|
|
"The listes shall I make here in this place.\n"
|
|
"*And God so wisly on my soule rue*, *may God as surely have\n"
|
|
"As I shall even judge be and true. mercy on my soul*\n"
|
|
"Ye shall none other ende with me maken\n"
|
|
"Than one of you shalle be dead or taken.\n"
|
|
"And if you thinketh this is well y-said,\n"
|
|
"Say your advice*, and hold yourselves apaid**. *opinion **satisfied\n"
|
|
"This is your end, and your conclusion.\"\n"
|
|
"Who looketh lightly now but Palamon?\n"
|
|
"Who springeth up for joye but Arcite?\n"
|
|
"Who could it tell, or who could it indite,\n"
|
|
"The joye that is maked in the place\n"
|
|
"When Theseus hath done so fair a grace?\n"
|
|
"But down on knees went every *manner wight*, *kind of person*\n"
|
|
"And thanked him with all their heartes' might,\n"
|
|
"And namely* these Thebans *ofte sithe*. *especially *oftentimes*\n"
|
|
"And thus with good hope and with hearte blithe\n"
|
|
"They take their leave, and homeward gan they ride\n"
|
|
"To Thebes-ward, with his old walles wide.\n"
|
|
"\n"
|
|
"I trow men woulde deem it negligence,\n"
|
|
"If I forgot to telle the dispence* *expenditure\n"
|
|
"Of Theseus, that went so busily\n"
|
|
"To maken up the listes royally,\n"
|
|
"That such a noble theatre as it was,\n"
|
|
"I dare well say, in all this world there n'as*. *was not\n"
|
|
"The circuit a mile was about,\n"
|
|
"Walled of stone, and ditched all without.\n"
|
|
"*Round was the shape, in manner of compass,\n"
|
|
"Full of degrees, the height of sixty pas* *see note <39>*\n"
|
|
"That when a man was set on one degree\n"
|
|
"He letted* not his fellow for to see. *hindered\n"
|
|
"Eastward there stood a gate of marble white,\n"
|
|
"Westward right such another opposite.\n"
|
|
"And, shortly to conclude, such a place\n"
|
|
"Was never on earth made in so little space,\n"
|
|
"For in the land there was no craftes-man,\n"
|
|
"That geometry or arsmetrike* can**, *arithmetic **knew\n"
|
|
"Nor pourtrayor*, nor carver of images, *portrait painter\n"
|
|
"That Theseus ne gave him meat and wages\n"
|
|
"The theatre to make and to devise.\n"
|
|
"And for to do his rite and sacrifice\n"
|
|
"He eastward hath upon the gate above,\n"
|
|
"In worship of Venus, goddess of love,\n"
|
|
"*Done make* an altar and an oratory; *caused to be made*\n"
|
|
"And westward, in the mind and in memory\n"
|
|
"Of Mars, he maked hath right such another,\n"
|
|
"That coste largely of gold a fother*. *a great amount\n"
|
|
"And northward, in a turret on the wall,\n"
|
|
"Of alabaster white and red coral\n"
|
|
"An oratory riche for to see,\n"
|
|
"In worship of Diane of chastity,\n"
|
|
"Hath Theseus done work in noble wise.\n"
|
|
"But yet had I forgotten to devise* *describe\n"
|
|
"The noble carving, and the portraitures,\n"
|
|
"The shape, the countenance of the figures\n"
|
|
"That weren in there oratories three.\n"
|
|
"\n"
|
|
"First in the temple of Venus may'st thou see\n"
|
|
"Wrought on the wall, full piteous to behold,\n"
|
|
"The broken sleepes, and the sikes* cold, *sighes\n"
|
|
"The sacred teares, and the waimentings*, *lamentings\n"
|
|
"The fiery strokes of the desirings,\n"
|
|
"That Love's servants in this life endure;\n"
|
|
"The oathes, that their covenants assure.\n"
|
|
"Pleasance and Hope, Desire, Foolhardiness,\n"
|
|
"Beauty and Youth, and Bawdry and Richess,\n"
|
|
"Charms and Sorc'ry, Leasings* and Flattery, *falsehoods\n"
|
|
"Dispence, Business, and Jealousy,\n"
|
|
"That wore of yellow goldes* a garland, *sunflowers <40>\n"
|
|
"And had a cuckoo sitting on her hand,\n"
|
|
"Feasts, instruments, and caroles and dances,\n"
|
|
"Lust and array, and all the circumstances\n"
|
|
"Of Love, which I reckon'd and reckon shall\n"
|
|
"In order, were painted on the wall,\n"
|
|
"And more than I can make of mention.\n"
|
|
"For soothly all the mount of Citheron,<41>\n"
|
|
"Where Venus hath her principal dwelling,\n"
|
|
"Was showed on the wall in pourtraying,\n"
|
|
"With all the garden, and the lustiness*. *pleasantness\n"
|
|
"Nor was forgot the porter Idleness,\n"
|
|
"Nor Narcissus the fair of *yore agone*, *olden times*\n"
|
|
"Nor yet the folly of King Solomon,\n"
|
|
"Nor yet the greate strength of Hercules,\n"
|
|
"Th' enchantments of Medea and Circes,\n"
|
|
"Nor of Turnus the hardy fierce courage,\n"
|
|
"The rich Croesus *caitif in servage.* <42> *abased into slavery*\n"
|
|
"Thus may ye see, that wisdom nor richess,\n"
|
|
"Beauty, nor sleight, nor strength, nor hardiness\n"
|
|
"Ne may with Venus holde champartie*, *divided possession <43>\n"
|
|
"For as her liste the world may she gie*. *guide\n"
|
|
"Lo, all these folk so caught were in her las* *snare\n"
|
|
"Till they for woe full often said, Alas!\n"
|
|
"Suffice these ensamples one or two,\n"
|
|
"Although I could reckon a thousand mo'.\n"
|
|
"\n"
|
|
"The statue of Venus, glorious to see\n"
|
|
"Was naked floating in the large sea,\n"
|
|
"And from the navel down all cover'd was\n"
|
|
"With waves green, and bright as any glass.\n"
|
|
"A citole <44> in her right hand hadde she,\n"
|
|
"And on her head, full seemly for to see,\n"
|
|
"A rose garland fresh, and well smelling,\n"
|
|
"Above her head her doves flickering\n"
|
|
"Before her stood her sone Cupido,\n"
|
|
"Upon his shoulders winges had he two;\n"
|
|
"And blind he was, as it is often seen;\n"
|
|
"A bow he bare, and arrows bright and keen.\n"
|
|
"\n"
|
|
"Why should I not as well eke tell you all\n"
|
|
"The portraiture, that was upon the wall\n"
|
|
"Within the temple of mighty Mars the Red?\n"
|
|
"All painted was the wall in length and brede* *breadth\n"
|
|
"Like to the estres* of the grisly place *interior chambers\n"
|
|
"That hight the great temple of Mars in Thrace,\n"
|
|
"In thilke* cold and frosty region, *that\n"
|
|
"There as Mars hath his sovereign mansion.\n"
|
|
"In which there dwelled neither man nor beast,\n"
|
|
"With knotty gnarry* barren trees old *gnarled\n"
|
|
"Of stubbes sharp and hideous to behold;\n"
|
|
"In which there ran a rumble and a sough*, *groaning noise\n"
|
|
"As though a storm should bursten every bough:\n"
|
|
"And downward from an hill under a bent* *slope\n"
|
|
"There stood the temple of Mars Armipotent,\n"
|
|
"Wrought all of burnish'd steel, of which th' entry\n"
|
|
"Was long and strait, and ghastly for to see.\n"
|
|
"And thereout came *a rage and such a vise*, *such a furious voice*\n"
|
|
"That it made all the gates for to rise.\n"
|
|
"The northern light in at the doore shone,\n"
|
|
"For window on the walle was there none\n"
|
|
"Through which men mighten any light discern.\n"
|
|
"The doors were all of adamant etern,\n"
|
|
"Y-clenched *overthwart and ende-long* *crossways and lengthways*\n"
|
|
"With iron tough, and, for to make it strong,\n"
|
|
"Every pillar the temple to sustain\n"
|
|
"Was tunne-great*, of iron bright and sheen. *thick as a tun (barrel)\n"
|
|
"There saw I first the dark imagining\n"
|
|
"Of felony, and all the compassing;\n"
|
|
"The cruel ire, as red as any glede*, *live coal\n"
|
|
"The picke-purse<45>, and eke the pale dread;\n"
|
|
"The smiler with the knife under the cloak,\n"
|
|
"The shepen* burning with the blacke smoke *stable <46>\n"
|
|
"The treason of the murd'ring in the bed,\n"
|
|
"The open war, with woundes all be-bled;\n"
|
|
"Conteke* with bloody knife, and sharp menace. *contention, discord\n"
|
|
"All full of chirking* was that sorry place. *creaking, jarring noise\n"
|
|
"The slayer of himself eke saw I there,\n"
|
|
"His hearte-blood had bathed all his hair:\n"
|
|
"The nail y-driven in the shode* at night, *hair of the head <47>\n"
|
|
"The colde death, with mouth gaping upright.\n"
|
|
"Amiddes of the temple sat Mischance,\n"
|
|
"With discomfort and sorry countenance;\n"
|
|
"Eke saw I Woodness* laughing in his rage, *Madness\n"
|
|
"Armed Complaint, Outhees*, and fierce Outrage; *Outcry\n"
|
|
"The carrain* in the bush, with throat y-corve**, *corpse **slashed\n"
|
|
"A thousand slain, and not *of qualm y-storve*; *dead of sickness*\n"
|
|
"The tyrant, with the prey by force y-reft;\n"
|
|
"The town destroy'd, that there was nothing left.\n"
|
|
"Yet saw I brent* the shippes hoppesteres, <48> *burnt\n"
|
|
"The hunter strangled with the wilde bears:\n"
|
|
"The sow freting* the child right in the cradle; *devouring <49>\n"
|
|
"The cook scalded, for all his longe ladle.\n"
|
|
"Nor was forgot, *by th'infortune of Mart* *through the misfortune\n"
|
|
"The carter overridden with his cart; of war*\n"
|
|
"Under the wheel full low he lay adown.\n"
|
|
"There were also of Mars' division,\n"
|
|
"The armourer, the bowyer*, and the smith, *maker of bows\n"
|
|
"That forgeth sharp swordes on his stith*. *anvil\n"
|
|
"And all above depainted in a tower\n"
|
|
"Saw I Conquest, sitting in great honour,\n"
|
|
"With thilke* sharpe sword over his head *that\n"
|
|
"Hanging by a subtle y-twined thread.\n"
|
|
"Painted the slaughter was of Julius<50>,\n"
|
|
"Of cruel Nero, and Antonius:\n"
|
|
"Although at that time they were yet unborn,\n"
|
|
"Yet was their death depainted there beforn,\n"
|
|
"By menacing of Mars, right by figure,\n"
|
|
"So was it showed in that portraiture,\n"
|
|
"As is depainted in the stars above,\n"
|
|
"Who shall be slain, or elles dead for love.\n"
|
|
"Sufficeth one ensample in stories old,\n"
|
|
"I may not reckon them all, though I wo'ld.\n"
|
|
"\n"
|
|
"The statue of Mars upon a carte* stood *chariot\n"
|
|
"Armed, and looked grim as he were wood*, *mad\n"
|
|
"And over his head there shone two figures\n"
|
|
"Of starres, that be cleped in scriptures,\n"
|
|
"That one Puella, that other Rubeus. <51>\n"
|
|
"This god of armes was arrayed thus:\n"
|
|
"A wolf there stood before him at his feet\n"
|
|
"With eyen red, and of a man he eat:\n"
|
|
"With subtle pencil painted was this story,\n"
|
|
"In redouting* of Mars and of his glory. *reverance, fear\n"
|
|
"\n"
|
|
"Now to the temple of Dian the chaste\n"
|
|
"As shortly as I can I will me haste,\n"
|
|
"To telle you all the descriptioun.\n"
|
|
"Depainted be the walles up and down\n"
|
|
"Of hunting and of shamefast chastity.\n"
|
|
"There saw I how woful Calistope,<52>\n"
|
|
"When that Dian aggrieved was with her,\n"
|
|
"Was turned from a woman to a bear,\n"
|
|
"And after was she made the lodestar*: *pole star\n"
|
|
"Thus was it painted, I can say no far*; *farther\n"
|
|
"Her son is eke a star as men may see.\n"
|
|
"There saw I Dane <53> turn'd into a tree,\n"
|
|
"I meane not the goddess Diane,\n"
|
|
"But Peneus' daughter, which that hight Dane.\n"
|
|
"There saw I Actaeon an hart y-maked*, *made\n"
|
|
"For vengeance that he saw Dian all naked:\n"
|
|
"I saw how that his houndes have him caught,\n"
|
|
"And freten* him, for that they knew him not. *devour\n"
|
|
"Yet painted was, a little farthermore\n"
|
|
"How Atalanta hunted the wild boar;\n"
|
|
"And Meleager, and many other mo',\n"
|
|
"For which Diana wrought them care and woe.\n"
|
|
"There saw I many another wondrous story,\n"
|
|
"The which me list not drawen to memory.\n"
|
|
"This goddess on an hart full high was set*, *seated\n"
|
|
"With smalle houndes all about her feet,\n"
|
|
"And underneath her feet she had a moon,\n"
|
|
"Waxing it was, and shoulde wane soon.\n"
|
|
"In gaudy green her statue clothed was,\n"
|
|
"With bow in hand, and arrows in a case*. *quiver\n"
|
|
"Her eyen caste she full low adown,\n"
|
|
"Where Pluto hath his darke regioun.\n"
|
|
"A woman travailing was her beforn,\n"
|
|
"But, for her child so longe was unborn,\n"
|
|
"Full piteously Lucina <54> gan she call,\n"
|
|
"And saide; \"Help, for thou may'st best of all.\"\n"
|
|
"Well could he painte lifelike that it wrought;\n"
|
|
"With many a florin he the hues had bought.\n"
|
|
"Now be these listes made, and Theseus,\n"
|
|
"That at his greate cost arrayed thus\n"
|
|
"The temples, and the theatre every deal*, *part <55>\n"
|
|
"When it was done, him liked wonder well.\n"
|
|
"\n"
|
|
"But stint* I will of Theseus a lite**, *cease speaking **little\n"
|
|
"And speak of Palamon and of Arcite.\n"
|
|
"The day approacheth of their returning,\n"
|
|
"That evereach an hundred knights should bring,\n"
|
|
"The battle to darraine* as I you told; *contest\n"
|
|
"And to Athens, their covenant to hold,\n"
|
|
"Hath ev'reach of them brought an hundred knights,\n"
|
|
"Well-armed for the war at alle rights.\n"
|
|
"And sickerly* there trowed** many a man, *surely <56> **believed\n"
|
|
"That never, sithen* that the world began, *since\n"
|
|
"For to speaken of knighthood of their hand,\n"
|
|
"As far as God hath maked sea and land,\n"
|
|
"Was, of so few, so noble a company.\n"
|
|
"For every wight that loved chivalry,\n"
|
|
"And would, *his thankes, have a passant name*, *thanks to his own\n"
|
|
"Had prayed, that he might be of that game, efforts, have a\n"
|
|
"And well was him, that thereto chosen was. surpassing name*\n"
|
|
"For if there fell to-morrow such a case,\n"
|
|
"Ye knowe well, that every lusty knight,\n"
|
|
"That loveth par amour, and hath his might\n"
|
|
"Were it in Engleland, or elleswhere,\n"
|
|
"They would, their thankes, willen to be there,\n"
|
|
"T' fight for a lady; Benedicite,\n"
|
|
"It were a lusty* sighte for to see. *pleasing\n"
|
|
"And right so fared they with Palamon;\n"
|
|
"With him there wente knightes many one.\n"
|
|
"Some will be armed in an habergeon,\n"
|
|
"And in a breast-plate, and in a gipon*; *short doublet.\n"
|
|
"And some will have *a pair of plates* large; *back and front armour*\n"
|
|
"And some will have a Prusse* shield, or targe; *Prussian\n"
|
|
"Some will be armed on their legges weel;\n"
|
|
"Some have an axe, and some a mace of steel.\n"
|
|
};
|
|
|
|
void setup() {
|
|
int i = 0;
|
|
uint8_t c;
|
|
Serial.begin(115200);
|
|
|
|
do {
|
|
c = pgm_read_byte_far(pgm_get_far_address(knightsTale) + i);
|
|
if (c) Serial.write(c);
|
|
i++;
|
|
} while (c);
|
|
|
|
i = 0;
|
|
do {
|
|
c = pgm_read_byte_far(pgm_get_far_address(knightsTale2) + i);
|
|
if (c) Serial.write(c);
|
|
i++;
|
|
} while (c);
|
|
}
|
|
void loop() {
|
|
}
|