按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Aboven al the remenant
That unto loves court poursuie。
Bot who that wol no Slowthe eschuie； 2020
Upon knihthode and noght travaile；
I not what love him scholde availe；
Bot every labour axeth why
Of som reward； wherof that I
Ensamples couthe telle ynowe
Of hem that toward love drowe
Be olde daies； as thei scholde。
Mi fader； therof hiere I wolde。
Mi Sone； it is wel resonable；
In place which is honorable 2030
If that a man his herte sette；
That thanne he for no Slowthe lette
To do what longeth to manhede。
For if thou wolt the bokes rede
Of Lancelot and othre mo；
Ther miht thou sen hou it was tho
Of armes； for thei wolde atteigne
To love； which withoute peine
Mai noght be gete of ydelnesse。
And that I take to witnesse 2040
An old Cronique in special；
The which into memorial
Is write； for his loves sake
Hou that a kniht schal undertake。
Ther was a king； which Oe5nes
Was hote； and he under his pes
Hield Calidoyne in his Empire；
And hadde a dowhter Deianire。
Men wiste in thilke time non
So fair a wiht as sche was on； 2050
And as sche was a lusti wiht；
Riht so was thanne a noble kniht；
To whom Mercurie fader was。
This kniht the tuo pilers of bras；
The whiche yit a man mai finde；
Sette up in the desert of Ynde；
That was the worthi Hercules；
Whos name schal ben endeles
For the merveilles whiche he wroghte。
This Hercules the love soghte 2060
Of Deianire； and of this thing
Unto hir fader； which was king；
He spak touchende of Mariage。
The king knowende his hih lignage；
And dradde also hise mihtes sterne；
To him ne dorste his dowhter werne；
And natheles this he him seide；
How Achelons er he ferst preide
To wedden hire； and in accord
Thei stode； as it was of record： 2070
Bot for al that this he him granteth；
That which of hem that other daunteth
In armes； him sche scholde take；
And that the king hath undertake。
This Achelons was a Geant；
A soubtil man； a deceivant；
Which thurgh magique and sorcerie
Couthe al the world of tricherie：
And whan that he this tale herde；
Hou upon that the king ansuerde 2080
With Hercules he moste feighte；
He tristeth noght upon his sleighte
Al only； whan it comth to nede；
Bot that which voydeth alle drede
And every noble herte stereth；
The love； that no lif forbereth；
For his ladi； whom he desireth；
With hardiesse his herte fyreth；
And sende him word withoute faile
That he wol take the bataille。 2090
Thei setten day； they chosen field；
The knihtes coevered under Schield
Togedre come at time set；
And echon is with other met。
It fell thei foghten bothe afote；
Ther was no ston； ther was no rote；
Which mihte letten hem the weie；
But al was voide and take aweie。
Thei smyten strokes bot a fewe；
For Hercules； which wolde schewe 2100
His grete strengthe as for the nones；
He sterte upon him al at ones
And cawhte him in hise armes stronge。
This Geant wot he mai noght longe
Endure under so harde bondes；
And thoghte he wolde out of hise hondes
Be sleyhte in som manere ascape。
And as he couthe himself forschape；
In liknesse of an Eddre he slipte
Out of his hond； and forth he skipte； 2110
And efte； as he that feighte wole；
He torneth him into a Bole；
And gan to belwe of such a soun；
As thogh the world scholde al go doun：
The ground he sporneth and he tranceth；
Hise large hornes he avanceth
And caste hem here and there aboute。
Bot he； which stant of him no doute；
Awaiteth wel whan that he cam；
And him be bothe hornes nam 2120
And al at ones he him caste
Unto the ground； and hield him faste；
That he ne mihte with no sleighte
Out of his hond gete upon heighte；
Til he was overcome and yolde；
And Hercules hath what he wolde。
The king him granteth to fulfille
His axinge at his oghne wille；
And sche for whom he hadde served；
Hire thoghte he hath hire wel deserved。 2130
And thus with gret decerte of Armes
He wan him forto ligge in armes；
As he which hath it dere aboght；
For otherwise scholde he noght。
And overthis if thou wolt hiere
Upon knihthode of this matiere；
Hou love and armes ben aqueinted；
A man mai se bothe write and peinted
So ferforth that Pantasilee；
Which was the queene of Feminee； 2140
The love of Hector forto sieke
And for thonour of armes eke；
To Troie cam with Spere and Schield；
And rod hirself into the field
With Maidens armed al a route
In rescouss of the toun aboute；
Which with the Gregois was belein。
Fro Pafagoine and as men sein；
Which stant upon the worldes ende；
That time it likede ek to wende 2150
To Philemenis； which was king；
To Troie； and come upon this thing
In helpe of thilke noble toun；
And al was that for the renoun
Of worschipe and of worldes fame；
Of which he wolde bere a name：
And so he dede； and forth withal
He wan of love in special
A fair tribut for everemo。
For it fell thilke time so； 2160
Pirrus the Sone of Achilles
This worthi queene among the press
With dedli swerd soghte out and fond；
And slowh hire with his oghne hond；
Wherof this king of Pafagoine
Pantasilee of Amazoine；
Wher sche was queene； with him ladde；
With suche Maidens as sche hadde
Of hem that were left alyve；
Forth in his Schip； til thei aryve； 2170
Wher that the body was begrave
With worschipe； and the wommen save。
And for the goodschipe of this dede
Thei granten him a lusti mede；
That every yeer as for truage
To him and to his heritage
Of Maidens faire he schal have thre。
And in this wise spedde he；
Which the fortune of armes soghte；
With his travail his ese he boghte； 2180
For otherwise he scholde have failed；
If that he hadde noght travailed。
Eneas ek withinne Ytaile；
Ne hadde he wonne the bataille
And don his miht so besily
Ayein king Turne his enemy；
He hadde noght Lavine wonne；
Bot for he hath him overronne
And gete his pris； he gat hire love。
Be these ensamples here above； 2190
Lo； now； mi Sone； as I have told；
Thou miht wel se； who that is bold
And dar travaile and undertake
The cause of love； he schal be take
The rathere unto loves grace；
For comunliche in worthi place
The wommen loven worthinesse
Of manhode and of gentilesse；
For the gentils ben most desired。
Mi fader； bot I were enspired 2200
Thurgh lore of you； I wot no weie
What gentilesce is forto seie；
Wherof to telle I you beseche。
The ground； Mi Sone； forto seche
Upon this diffinicion；
The worldes constitucion
Hath set the name of gentilesse
Upon the fortune of richesse
Which of long time is falle in age。
Thanne is a man of hih lignage 2210
After the forme； as thou miht hiere；
Bot nothing after the matiere。
For who that resoun understonde；
Upon richesse it mai noght stonde；
For that is thing which faileth ofte：
For he that stant to day alofte
And al the world hath in hise wones；
Tomorwe he falleth al at ones
Out of richesse into poverte；
So that therof is no decerte； 2220
Which gentilesce makth abide。
And forto loke on other side
Hou that a gentil man is bore；
Adam； which alle was tofore
With Eve his wif； as of hem tuo；
Al was aliche gentil tho；
So that of generacion
To make declaracion；
Ther mai no gentilesce be。
For to the reson if we se； 2230
Of mannes berthe the mesure；
It is so comun to nature；
That it yifth ev