The Siege of Thebes

Prologue

Whan brighte Phebus passed was the Ram
Myd of Aprille and into Bole cam,
And Satourn old with his frosty face
In Virgyne taken had his place,
Malencolik and slowgh of mocioun,
And was also in thoposicioun
Of Lucina, the mone moyst and pale,
That many shour fro hevene made avale;
Whan Aurora was in the morowe red,
And Jubiter in the Crabbes hed
Hath take his paleys and his mansioun,
The lusty tyme and joly fressh sesoun
Whan that Flora, the noble myghty quene,
The soyl hath clad in newe tendre grene
With her floures craftyly y-meynt,
Braunch and bough with red and whit depeynt,
Fletinge the bawme on hilles and on valys –
The tyme in soth whan Canterbury talys
Complet and told at many sondry stage
Of estatis in the pilgrimage,
Everich man lik to his degre,
Some of desport, some of moralite,
Some of knyghthode, love and gentillesse,
And some also of perfit holynesse,
And some also in soth of ribaudye
To make laughter in the companye –
Ech admitted, for non wold other greve –
Lich as the Cook, the Millere and the Reve
Aquytte hemsilf, shortly to conclude,
Boystously in her teermes rude,
Whan thei hadde wel dronken of the bolle;
And ek also with his pylled nolle,
The Pardowner, beerdlees al his chyn,
Glasy-eyed, and face of Cherubyn,
Tellyng a tale to angre with the Frere,
As opynly the storie can yow lere,
Word for word with every circumstaunce,
Echon y-write and put in remembraunce
By hym that was, yif I shal not feyne,
Floure of poetes thorghout al Breteyne,
Which sothly hadde most of excellence
In rethorike and in eloquence –
Rede his making, who list the trouthe fynde! –
Which never shal appallen in my mynde,
But alwey fressh ben in my memoyre,
To who be gove pris, honure, and gloyre
Of wel seyinge, first in oure language,
Chief registrer of this pilgrimage,
Al that was tolde, forgeting noght at al
Feyned talis nor thing historial,
With many proverbe divers and unkouth,
Be rehersaile of his sugrid mouth,
Of eche thyng keping in substaunce
The sentence hool withoute variance,
Voyding the chaf, sothly for to seyn,
Enlumynyng the trewe piked greyn
Be crafty writinge of his sawes swete,
Fro the tyme that thei ded mete
First the pylgrimes, sothly everichon,
At the Tabbard assembled, on be on,
And fro Suthwerk, shortly forto saye,
To Canterbury ridyng on her weie,
Tellynge a tale, as I reherce can,
Lich as the Hoste assigned every man,
None so hardy his biddyng disobeye.
And this whil that the pilgrymes leye
At Canterbury, wel louged on and all,
I not in soth what I may it call –
Hap or Fortune – in conclusioun
That me byfil to entren into toun,
The holy seynt pleynly to visite
Aftere siknesse, my vowes to aquyte,
In a cope of blak and not of grene,
On a palfrey slender, long and lene,
With rusty brydel mad nat for the sale,
My man toforn with a voide male
Which of Fortune took myn inne anon
Where the pylgrymes were logged everichon.
The same tyme her governour, the Host,
Stonding in hall, ful of wynde and bost,
Lich to a man wonder sterne and fers,
Which spake to me and seide anon, “Daun Pers,
Daun Domynyk, Daun Godfrey or Clement,
Ye be welcom newly into Kent,
Thogh youre bridel have neither boos ne belle.
Besechinge you that ye wil me telle
First youre name, and of what contre –
Withoute mor, shortly that ye be –
That loke so pale, al devoyde of blood,
Upon youre hede a wonder thred-bare hood,
Wel araied for to ride late.”
I answerde my name was Lydgate,
Monk of Bery, nygh fyfty yere of age –
“Come to this toune to do my pilgrimage,
As I have hight. I ha therof no shame!”
“Daun John,” quod he, “wel broke ye youre name!
Thogh ye be soul, beth right glad and light,
Preiying you soupe with us tonyght,
And ye shal han made at youre devis
A gret puddyng or a rounde hagys,
A Franch-mole, a tansey, or a froyse.
To ben a monk, sclender is youre koyse!
Ye han be seke, I dar myn hede assure,
Or late fed in a feynt pasture.
Lift up youre hed, be glad, tak no sorowe!
And ye shal hom ride with us tomorowe,
I seye, whan ye rested han your fille.
Aftere soper, slepe wol do non ille.
Wrappe wel youre hede clothes rounde about.
Strong notty ale wol mak you route.
Tak a pylow that ye lye not lowe;
Yif nede be, spar not to blowe!
To holde wynde, be myn opynyoun,
Wil engendre collis passioun
And make men to greven on her roppys
Whan thei han filled her mawes and her croppys.
But toward nyght, ete some fenel rede,
Annys, comyn, or coriandre sede,
And lik as I pouer have and myght,
I charge yow rise not at mydnyght,
Thogh it so be the moone shyne cler.
I wol mysilf be youre orloger
Tomorow erly, whan I se my tyme,
For we wol forth parcel afore pryme;
A company, parde, shal do you good!
What? Look up, monk! For by kokkis blood,
Thow shalt be mery, whoso that sey nay.
For tomorowe, anoon as it is day,
And that it gynne in the est to dawe,
Thow shalt be bound to a newe lawe
Att goyng oute of Canterbury toune,
And leyn aside thy professioun.
Thou shalt not chese nor thisilf withdrawe,
Yif eny myrth be founden in thy mawe,
Lyk the custom of this compenye.
For non so proude that dar me denye,
Knight nor knave, chanon, prest ne nonne,
To telle a tale pleynly as thei konne,
Whan I assigne and se tyme opportune.
And for that we our purpoos wil contune,
We wil homward the same custome use,
And thow shalt not platly the excuse.
Be now wel war; stody wel tonyght!
But for al this, be of herte light;
Thy wit shal be the sharper and the bet!”
And we anon were to soper set
And served wel unto oure plesaunce;
And sone after, be good governaunce,
Unto bed goth every maner wight.
And towarde morowe anon as it was light,
Every pilgryme both bet and wors,
As bad our Hoste, toke anon his hors
Whan the sonne roos in the est ful clyere,
Fully in purpoos to come to dynere
Unto Osspryng and breke there oure faste.
And whan we weren from Canterbury paste
Noght the space of a bowe draught,
Our Hoost in hast hath my bridel raught
And to me seide, as it were in game:
“Come forth, Daun John, be your Cristene name,
And lat us make some manere myrth or play!
Shet youre portoos, a twenty devel way!
Is no disport so to patere and seie.
It wol make youre lippes wonder dreye.
Tel some tale, and make therof jape,
For be my rouncy, thow shalt not eskape.
But prech not of non holynesse;
Ginne some tale of myrth or of gladnesse,
And nodde not with thyn hevy bekke.
Telle us somethyng that draweth to effekke
Only of joye. Make no lenger lette!”
And whan I saugh it wolde be no bette,
I obeyde unto his biddynge,
So as the lawe me bonde in al thinge,
And as I coude with a pale cheere,
My tale I gan anon, as ye shal here.

“Sirs,” quod I, “sith of your curteseye
I entred am into your companye
And admitted, a tale for to telle,
By hym that hath pouer to compelle –
I mene our Host, governour and guyde –
Of yow echon ridyng her beside,
Thogh that my wit barayn be and dull,
I wol reherce a story wonderful
Towchinge the siege and destruccioun
Of worthy Thebees, the myghty royal toun,
Bylt and begonne of olde antiquite
Upon the tyme of worthy Josue
Be dyligence of Kyng Amphioun,
Chief cause first of his fundacioun,
For which his fame which nevere shal away,
In honure floureth yit unto this day,
And in story remembred is and preised. . .

Prima Pars.

“Sirs,” quod I, “sith of your curtesye
I entred am into your companye
And admitted a tale for to telle
By hym that hath power to compelle
(I mene our hoste, governour, and guyde
Of yow echon ridyng her beside),
Thogh that my wit barayn be and dul,
I wol reherce a story wonderful,
Towchinge the siege and destruccioun
Of worthy Thebees the myghty royal toun,
Bylt and begonne of olde antiquitй,
Upon the tyme of worthy Josuй,
Be dyligence of kyng Amphioun,
Chief cause first of his fundacioun,
For which his fame which nevere shal away,
In honure floureth yit unto this day,
And in story remembred is and preised.
But how the wallys weren on heghte reised,
It is wonder and merveil forto here.
But if ye list, I shal yow platly lere
The maner hool shortly in sentence,
Under support of youre pacience,
As writ myn auctour and Bochas bothe two.
Rede her bookes and ye shal fynde it so,
How this kyng, thys prudent Amphyoun,
With the swetnesse and melodious soun
And armonye of his swete song
The cytй bylt that whilom was so strong,
Be vertue only of the werbles sharpe
That he made in Mercuries harpe,
Of which the strenges were not touched softe,
Wherby the walles reised weren alofte,
Withoute craft of eny mannys hond,
Ful yoor agon myd of Grekes lond;
Which is a thing of poetes told,
Nevere yseyn neither of yong nor old.
But as Bochas list to specifie,
Cler expownyng this derke poysye,
Seith Mercurye, god of eloquence,
Gaf be the myght of hevenly influence
Unto this kyng at his nativitй
Thorgh glade aspectes that he shulde be
Most excellent be craft of rethorik,
That in this world was non to hym lik;
Which signyfieth to hem that ben prudent
The musycal, the lusty instrument
(I mene the harpe most melodious),
Gove to this kynge be Mercurius;
And his song, this auctour can yow teche,
Was nothyng but the crafty speche
Of this kyng ycalled Amphioun;
Wherby he made the contrйs envyroun
To han such lust in his wordes swete
That were so plesaunt, favourable, and mete
In her eerys that shortly ther was noon
Disobeysaunt with the kyng to goon,
Whersoevere that hym list assigne.
His cheer, his port was outward so benygne
That thorgh his styring and exortacioun
With hym they went to byld first this toun
And forsook ecch man his contrй
Be on assent to make this cytй
Royal and riche that lich was nowher noon.
And thus the wallis made of lym and stoon
Were reysed first be syngyng of this kyng,
Lich as poetys feyne in her writyng,
Passyng rich and royal of entaille.
Her may ye see how myche may avaylle
The goodlihed and lownesse of a kyng,
And specealy in cher and in spekyng
To his lyeges and to bern hym fayre
In his apport and shewe hym debonayre
And nat to bene to straunge ne soleyn
In contenaunce outward be disdeyn;
Which causeth ofte, who that can adverte,
Grete hatred in the puples herte,
And therupon prively wol rowne,
Whan a prynce doth upon hem frowne,
Shortly deme for al his excellence,
Among hemsilf out of his presence,
Everych conclude lich his fantasye.
And thus ful ofte gendred is envye
In folkes hertes of soleyntй and pryde,
For swich as list nat onys loke asyde
To reward hem whan they lowe loute.
And ageyn kynde it is, out of doute,
That eny hed be recorde of the wyse
Shuld the foot of disdeyn despyse
Which bereth hym up, who so can take hede,
And susteneth in his moste nede
As his pyler and his sowpowayle.
For fynaly ne wer the porayle
Her berer up and supportacioun,
Farwel lordshyp and domynacioun
Thorghoute the world of every hegh estat!
Wherfor me semeth mor is fortunat
Of Mercurye the soote sugred harpe
Than Mars swerd whetted kene and sharpe,
Mor accepted with asspectis goode
Than is this god with his lokes woode.
For humble speche with glad contenaunce
May a prynce sothly mor avaunce
Among his puple hertes forto wynne
Of inward love which that wol not twynne,
Than gold, rychesse, pride, or tyranye,
Oyther disdeyne, daunger, or surquedye.
For of lordes – clerkes can reporte –
But that love her crowne do supporte,
The fyn ys nought in conclusioun.
I take record of kyng Amphyoun
That bylte Thebes be his elloquence
Mor than of pride or of violence,
Noble and riche that lik was nowher non,
And thus the walles mad of lym and stoon
Were reised first be syngyng of this kyng,
Lich as poetes feyn in her wryting.
But sothly yit some expositours,
Groundyng hem upon olde auctours,
Seyn that Cadmus the famous olde man
Ful longe afor this citй first began,
And the ground of the bieldyng sette,
And the boundes be compas out he mette
With thong outkorve of a boolys hyde,
Whych envyroun strecche myghte wyde
To get inne londe a ful large space
Wherupon to byld a dwellyng place,
And called was the soyle thus geten inne
Whylom Boece of the bolys skynne.
The name after into Thebes turned.
But Cadmus ther hath longe not sojourned,
Lik in story as it is compyled;
For shortly he from thennys was exiled,
Never after to dwelle in this toun,
Be the knyghthode of this Amphioun,
Which up parformeth riche for the noonys
The citй Thebes of myghty squar stonys,
As I yow tolde a litil heretoforn;
And Cadmus thus hath his kyngdam lorn,
Sceptre and crowne and his powere royal.
Now have I told unto you ground of al,
That ye wel knowe be informacioun
Cleerly the pith and exposicioun
Of this mater, as clerkes can you telle.
It were but veyn lenger for to dwelle,
To tary yow as in this matiere,
Sith my tale which that ye shal here
Upon oure waie wil lasten a longe while,
The space as I suppose of seven myle.
And now ye know first how Amphyoun
Bylt and began this citй and this toun,
Regnyng ther long aftere, as I rede.
Of hym no more, for I wil procede
To my purpoos that I first began,
Not tellyng here how the lyne ran
From kyng to kyng be successioun,
Conveying doun the stok of Amphyoun
Cereously be lyneal discent;
But leve al this, pleynly of entent,
To telle forth, in bookes as I rede,
How Layus be processe gan succede
To bere the croune in this myghty lond,
Holdyng the sceptre of Thebes in his hond,
Manly and wys duryng al his liff.
And Jocasta called was his wyff,
Ful wommanly the story seith certeyn,
For a tyme thogh she were bareyn,
Tyl Layus in ful humble wise
To have a child did sacrifise
Fyrst t’Apollo in his char so bright
And Jubiter that hath so gret a myght,
Besechyng hem with devout reverence
To graunt only thorgh her influence
That his request may excecuted be;
And specially to goddesses thre
He besoughte – Pallas and Juno
And Dyane – forto helpe also
That he be not defrauded of his bone.
And his preyere accepted was ful sone,
That fynaly thorgh his ryytys olde,
Evene lik as his herte wolde,
The queene Jocasta hath anon conceyved.
Which, whan the kyng fully hath perceyved,
He made in hast, hym lyst not to abide,
Thorgh hys kyngdom massageres ryde
Fro coost to coost the story can devyse,
For dyvynoures and phylosophres wise,
For such as weren famous physiciens
And wel expert astronomyens
To come in hast unto his presence
To fynde out shortly in sentence,
By craft only of calculacioun,
The chyldes fate and disposicioun
And therupon to geve a jugement,
The root ytake at the ascendent,
Trewly sought out be mynut and degrй,
The silfe houre of his natyvytй,
Not forgete the hevenly mansiouns
Clerly cerched be smale fracciouns,
First be secoundes, tiers, and eke quartes
On augrym stoones and on white caartes
Ypreved out be diligent labour,
In tables correcte devoyde of al errour,
Justly soght and founde out bothe twoo,
The yeeres collecte and expance also,
Consydred ek be good inspeccioun
Every hour and constellacioun
And eche aspecte and lookes ek dyvers,
Which were good and which also pervers,
Wher they were toward or ellys at debat,
Happy, welful, or infortunat.
And fynaly, in conclusyoun,
They founde Satourn in the Scorpioun,
Hevy-chered, malencolik and loth,
And woode Mars furious and wroth,
Holdyng his sceptre in the Capricorn,
The same hour whan this chyld was born,
Venus dejecte and contrarious
And depressed in Mercuryes hous;
That the dome and jugement fynal
Of thies clerkes, to speke in special,
Be fatal sort which may not be withdrawe,
That with his swerd his fader shal be slawe:
Ther may no man helpe it nor excuse.
On whiche thyng the kyng gan sore muse,
And cast he wolde on that other side
Agayn her doom for hymsilf provide,
Shape a way and remedy toforn,
Biddyng the queene whan the chyld were born,
Withoute mercy or moderly pytй,
That he be ded: that may non other be.
And in al hast lik as he hath sent,
She obeyed his comaundement.
With wooful herte and a pitous loke
And face pale, her yonge sone she toke,
Tendre and grene both of flessh and bonys,
To certeyn men ordeyned for the noonys
From poynt to poynt in al maner thing
To execute the biddyng of the kyng.
They durste not delay it nor abide,
But to a forest that stood fer besyde,
They took her wey and faste gan hem spede
The kyngges wille to parforme in dede,
Havyng therof passyng hevynesse.
But whan that they beheelden the fairnesse
Of the chyld and excellent beautй,
In her herte they hadde grete pytй
And pleynly cast – among hem was no stryf –
That the child shulde han his lif.
And anon ful hygh upon a tre,
In a place that no man myght se,
They henge hym up, the story kan reherce.
But first his feet thorgh they gan to perce,
And on bowes tendre, tough, and smale,
They knet hym up shortly (this is no tale),
Hym to preserve from bestys wild and rage,
And after that token her viage
Toward Thebes in alle the hast they may.
But of fortune thilke same day
With her houndes serchyng up and doun,
The huntes went of kyng Poliboun
Thorgh the forest game forto fynde,
Some aforn and some cam behynde,
And gan serch and seke wonder sore
Among the hilles and the haltes hore.
And as they reenge the trenchis by and by,
They herde a noyse and a pitous cry
Of thys chyld hangyng on the tre,
And all at onys drowe forto se,
And lefte not to they han hym founde,
And toke hym doune and his fete unbounde,
And bare hym hom unto Polyboun,
Kyng of Archadye, the famous regioun.
And whan that he first the chyld gan see,
Of his woundes he hadde grete pytй
To beholde his tender fete so blede,
And called hym Edippus, as I rede,
Which is to seyn (platly this no phage)
Bored the feete, as in that langage.
And first the kyng in his royal halle
Made his men an norys forto calle,
This yonge chylde to foster and to kepe
With her milk that he nat ne wepe;
And his leches he charged ek also,
Til he were hool her dever forto do:
Fully in purpoos, for the child was fair,
After his day to maken hym his hayr
For cause only, who so taketh hede,
Sone hadde he noon be lyne to succede;
And wher that he had a wif or noon,
I fynde not and therfor lat it goon.
But by processe of dayes and of yeeris,
This Edyppus among his pleying feeris
Was in his port passyng ful of pride,
That non with hym myght in pees abide.
In hert he was so inly surquydows,
Malencolik, and contrarious,
Ful of despyt and of hegh disdeyn,
That no wight durst shortly hym withseyn;
Til on a day he gan with oon debate
To whoom he hadde specyaly grete hate,
Which of rancour and of hasty tene,
As he that myght his pride not sustene,
Gan upon hym cruelly abrayde,
And unto hym felly thus he saide.
“Wherto,” quod he, “artow so proude of port,
Contrarie also ever in oure disport,
Froward and felle lastyng evere in oon,
As thow were lord of us everichon,
And presumest fully in wyrchyng,
Lik as thow were sone unto the kyng,
And descended of his royal blood?
But wher so be thow be wroth or wood,
Thow art no thing, and thow list take hede,
Appartenyng unto his kynrede
But in a forest founden and unknowe,
Whan thow were yonge. Therfor bere thee lowe!
And uttrely remembre, yif thee lyst,
Thy byrth and blood ar bothe two unwist.
This the fyne shortly of my tale.”
Wherwith Edippus gan to wexe pale,
And chaunge also cheer and contenaunce,
And gan apoint in his remembraunce
Word be word and feyned right nought,
And felly mused in his owne thought,
And cast he wold withoute more tarying
The trouth enquere of Poliboun the kyng.
And whan he saugh opportune space
And the kyng in a sycrй place,
He hym bysoghte lowly on his kne
To his request benignely to se,
And that he wolde pleynly, and not spare,
Of his byrth the trewe ground declare,
And make hym sure of this thyng anon
Yif he were his verrey sone or non.
And Polyboun only of gentilles,
Whan he beheeld the grete hevynesse
Of Edippus and the wooful peyne,
He gan dissimule and in manere feyne,
Lik as he had be verrely his heyre.
But mor and mor he falleth in dispeir
And doune on knees oft ageyn gan falle,
Hym conjuring be the goddes alle
To telle trouth and nothyng to hide,
Affermyng ek he wold nat abide
Lenger with hym but ryden and enquere,
Til tyme he may the verrey sothe lere
In eny part of hap or of fortune.
And for that he was so inportune
In his desire, the kyng without abood
Ceriously tolde how it stood,
In a forest first how he was founde
Upon a tre be the feet ybounde,
And how he caste, in conclusioun,
To make hym kyng of that regioun
Aftere his day shortly forto telle.
But Edippus wil no longer dwelle
But took lieve and in hast gan ryde
To a temple faste ther besyde
Of Appollo, in storie as is tolde,
Whos statue stood in a char of golde
Of wheles four boornyd bright and shene;
And within a spirit ful unclene,
Be fraude only and fals collusioun,
Answere gaf to every questioun,
Bryngyng the puple in ful gret errour,
Such as to hym dyden fals honour
Be rytys used in the olde dawes
Aftere custome of paganysmes lawes.
And Edyppus with ful humble chere
To Appollo maked his preiere,
Besechyng hym on his knees lowe
Be some signe that he myghte knowe,
Thorg evidence shortly comprehendyd,
Of what kynrede that he was discendyd.
And whan Edyppus be gret devocioun
Fynysshed hath fully his orysoun,
The fend anon withinnen invisyble
With a vois dredful and horrible
Bad hym in hast taken his viage
Toward Thebes wher of his lynage
He heren shal and be certefied.
And on his way anon he hath hym hyed,
By hasty journй so his hors constreyned
Day be day til he hath atteyned
Unto a castel Pylotes ycalled,
Rich and strong and wel aboute walled,
Adjacent be syyt of the contrй
And perteynent to Thebes the cytй:
Kyng Layus beyng ther present
Forto holde a maner tornement
With his knyghtes yong and coraious
And other folkes that were desyrous
To preve hemsilf, shortly forto telle,
Who by force oyther myght excelle
Or gete a name thorgh his hegh prouesse.
Everich of hem dyd his bysynesse
On horsbak and also ek en foote,
Al be that some founde ful unsoote
(Rather a pley of werre than of pees),
Wher Edyppus put hymsilf in prees,
As he that was ay redy to debat,
Enforsyng hym to entren at the gate,
Maugrй all tho that hym wolde lette.
And in the pres of aventure he mette
Kyng Layus and cruelly hym slogh,
Thow the story writ not the maner howh,
Ne no wight can of alle the companye
Be no signe verrely espye
By whos hond that the kyng was slawe;
For Edyppus in hast gan hym withdrawe
And kept hym coy of entencioun.
Gret was the noyse and the pitous soun
In the castel for slaughter of the kyng,
Dooel and compleynt, sorowe and wepyng.
But for they segh hevynesse and thoght
Ageynes deth vayleth lit or noght,
They ordeyne with ryytys ful royal
For the feste called funeral.
And lik the custom of the dayes olde,
The corps they brent into asshes colde,
And in a vessel rounde, mad as a bal,
They closed hem in gold and in metal.
And after that did her bysy cure
In Thebes to make a sepulture,
And richely, hem list no longer lette,
The asshen did they enclose and shette:
Of this matere ther nys no mor to seyn.
But to Edippus I wil retourne ageyn,
Which hym enhasteth ay fro day to day
Towardes Thebes in al that evere he may,
Brennyng in herte hoot as eny fire
The fyn to knowe of his fatal desire.
But for that he failed of a guyde,
Out of his way he wente fer beside
Thorgh a wylde and a waast contrй,
By a mounteyn that stood upon the see,
Wher that monstres of many dyvers kynde
Were conversaunt, in story as I fynde;
Amonges which sothly ther was on,
So inly cruel that no man durst gon
For drede of deth forby that passage.
This monstre was so mortal in his rage,
Which hadde also, be descripcioun,
Body and feet of a fers lyoun;
And lik a mayde in soth was hede and face,
Fel of his look and cruel to manace,
And odyous of countenaunce and sight;
And as I rede, Spynx this monstre hight,
Wors than tygre, dragon, or serpent.
And I suppose by enchauntement
He was ordeyned on the hyl t’abyde,
To sleen all tho that passeden besyde
And specially all that diden fayle
To expowne his mysty dyvynaile,
His problem ek in wordes pleyn and bare
Withoute avys opynly declare,
Or with the lif he myghte not eskape:
This verray soth platly and no jape.
And yif that he, be declaracioun,
Gaf therupon cleer exposicioun,
He shuld in hast – there was non other mene –
Sleen this monstre for al his cruel tene:
Ther may of mercy be non other graunte.
But of al this Edyppus ignoraunte,
This dredful hill stondyng on a roche,
Er he was war, gan ful nygh approche,
More perilous platly than he wende.
And sodeynly the monster can descende
To stoppen his way and letten his passage,
Thus abraydyng with a fel corage:
“I have in herte inly gret disport
That fortune hath broght thee to my sort
To make a preef yif thow mayst endure
The fatal ende of this aventure,
Set at a fyn sothly be daies olde.”
And by and by al the caas hym tolde,
Charging hym to be wel war and wise,
Gete the palme and bere away the pryse
Touchyng this thyng sette atwene us tweyn,
With lyf or deth which we shal dareyn.
And this monstre with a despitous chere
His problem gan thus, as ye shal here.
“Ther is a beest merveilous to se,
The which in soth at his nativytй
Is of his myght so tender and so grene
That he may hymsilve nat sustene
Upon his fete, thogh he hadde it sworn,
But yif that he be of his moder born.
And afterwardes be processe of age,
On foure fete he maketh his passage;
After on thre, if I shal not feyne,
And alderlast he goth upright on tweyne,
Dyvers of port and wonderful of cherys,
Til, be length of many sondry yeeres,
Naturely he goth ageyn on thre,
And sith on foure (it may non other be)
And fynaly (this the trouthe pleyn)
He retourneth kyndely ageyn
To the matere which that he kam fro.
Loo her is al my problem is ido.
Muse herupon withoute werre or stryff
It to declare or ellis lese thy lyff.”
And whan Edyppus gan this thing adverte,
Wel assured in his manly herte,
Gan in his wytt cerchen up and doun,
And of prudence cast in his resoun
Be grete avis what thyng this may be,
Seyng also that he may not flee,
And how ther was counsel noon ne rede,
But telle trouth or ellys to be dede,
And be ful good deliberacioun
Thus he answerd in conclusioun.
“Thowe Spynx,” quod he, “fals and fraudulent,
Thow vyle monstre, thow dragon, thow serpent,
Which on this hyl lich as I conceyve,
Lyst in awaite folkes to deceyve,
But truste wel, for al thy sleghty wit,
Thy fals fraude shal anon be qwyt.
Me list not nowe whisper neither rowne,
But thy problem I shal anon expowne
So opynly thow shalt not go therfro.
Loo, this it is – tak good hede therto.
Thilke best thow spak of hertoforn,
Is every man in this world yborn,
Which may not gon (his lymes be so softe),
Bot as his moder bereth hym alofte
In her armes, whan he doth crye and wepe.
And after that he gynneth forto crepe
On foure feet in his tendre youth,
B’experience as it is ofte kouth,
Aforn yrekned his hondes bothe two.
And by processe, thow mayst consider also
With his two fete, for al thy felle tene,
He hath a staf hymselven to sustene,
And than he goth shortly upon thre.
And altherlast, as it most nedes be,
Voyding his staf, he walketh upon tweyn,
Til it so he thorgh age he atteyn,
That lust of youthe wasted be and spent;
Than in his hond he taketh a potent,
And on thre feet thus he goth ageyn –
I dar afferme thow maist it not withseyn –
And sone aftere thorgh his unweldy myght,
By influence of Naturys right,
B’experience as every man may knowe,
Lich a child on foure he crepeth lowe.
And for he may no whyl here sojourne,
To erth ageyn he most in hast retourne,
Which he kam fro – he may it not remewe.
For in this world no man may eschewe
(This verray soth shortly and no doute)
Whan the wheel of kynde cometh aboute
And naturely hath his cours yronne
Be circuete, as doth the shene sonne,
That man and chyld of hegh and lowe estat,
It geyneth nat to make mor debat,
His tyme sette that he moste fyne,
Whan Antropos of malice doth untwyne
His lyves thred by Cloto first compowned.
Loo, her thy problem fully is expowned,
At oure metynge as I took on honde,
To the lawe that thow most nedes stonde
And in al hast of myn hondes deye,
But of reson thow can it ought withseye.”
And so this Spynx, awapyd and amaat,
Stood disamayed and dysconsolaat
With chier dounecast muet, pale, and ded.
And Edippus anon smote of the hed
Of this fende stynkyng and unswete,
And the contrй sette holy in quyete,
Wherby he hath such a pris ywonne
That his fame is every cost yronne
Thorgh al the londe that he the monstre hath slawe.
And lyneright to Thebes he gan drawe,
Wel receyved for his worthynesse,
For his manhode and his grete prouesse.
And for they segh he was a semly knyght,
Wel favoured in every mannys sight,
And sawh also Thebes the myghty toun,
Not only they but al the regioun,
Weren destitut of a governour,
Ageynst her foon havyng no socour
Hem to defend but the quene allon,
Among hemself makyng ful gret mon,
For heire was non, as bookes specifie,
The sceptre or crowne forto occupie,
For which the lordes all be on assent
Withinne the toun set a parlement,
Shortly concludyng, if it myghte ben,
Prudently to trete with the quene,
Namely they that helde hemsilf most sage,
To condescende be way of mariage
She to be joyned to this manly knyght,
Passing prudent and famous ek of myght,
Most likly man, as they can discerne,
The worthy cytй to kepen and governe.
And thorgh counsayl of the lordes alle
To her desyre pleynly she is falle
And accorded withoute mor tarying
That of Thebes Edippus shal be kyng
By ful assent – was non that seide nay.
And tyme set ageyn a certeyn day
Among hemsilf and finaly devysed,
The weddyng was in Thebes solempnyzed
Ful ryally, which nedes most unthryve,
Only for he his moder toke to wyve,
Unwist of both he was of her blode,
And ignoraunt, shortly, how it stode
That he toforn hadde his fadere slawe,
For which this weddyng was ageyn the lawe.
And tofor God is neither feire ne good
Nor acceptable blood to touche blood,
Which cause hath ben of gret confusioun
In many londe and many regyoun,
Grounde and roote of unhap and meschaunce,
The fyn concludyng alway with vengeaunce,
As men han seie by cleer experience.
And holy writ recordeth in sentence
How Herodes falsly in his lyff
By violence toke his brother wyf,
For she was faire and plesaunt to his sight,
And kepte her stille be fors thorgh his myght,
Al be to her he hadde title non;
And for her sake the holy man Seynt John
For his trouth in prison lost his hede.
Therfor I rede every man take hede,
Wherso he be prynce, lorde, or kyng,
That he be war t’eschewe such weddyng,
Er that the swerde of vengeaunce hym manace,
Lest he lese hap, fortune, and grace,
Takyng ensample in al manere thynge
Of Edyppus in Thebes crowned kyng,
Al be that he wroght of ignoraunce,
Ful derk and blynde of his woful chaunce.
And yif unwist he of innocence,
As ye han herde, fil in such offence,
For which he was punished and brought lowe,
What ar they worthy that her errour knowe
And fro the knotte list not to abstene
Of such spousale, to God and man unclene?
I can not seyn nor mor therof devise.
Demeth yoursilf that prudent ben and wise
And Edippus hath among in mynde,
Of whom the weddyng, lik as ye may fynde,
Unhappy was and passing odious,
Infortuned and ungracious.
I am wery mor therof to write;
The hatful processe also to endyte
I passe over, fully of entent.
For Ymeneus was not ther present,
Nor Lucyna list not ther to shyne,
Ne ther was none of the Musys nyne
By on accord to make melodye
(For ther song not be hevenly armonye),
Neither Clyo nor Calyopй,
On of the sustren in nombre thries thre,
As they dyde whan Philolegye
Ascendid up hegh above the skye
To be weddid, this lady vertuous,
Unto hir lord the god Mercurius,
As Marcian ynamed de Capelle
In his book of weddyng can you telle,
Ther concludyng in this mariage
The poete that whilom was so sage
That this lady, called Sapience,
Iwedded was unto Eloquence,
As it sat wel, by hevenly purveaunce,
Hem to be joyned be knot of aliaunce.
But bothe two, sothly, of entent
At the weddyng in Thebes were absent,
That caused after grete adversitй.
For fynal eende of that solempnytй
Was sorowe and woo and destruccioun,
Utter ruyne of this royal toun.
Ther may no man helpe it nor socoure,
For a tyme in joye thogh they floure.
But at this weddyng, platly forto telle,
Was Cerberus, chief porter of helle;
And Herebus, fader to hatrede,
Was ther present with his hool kynrede,
His wiff also with her browes blake,
And her doghtren sorow forto make,
Hydous-chered and uggely forto see,
Megera and Thesiphonee,
Allecto ek with Labour and Envie,
Drede and Fraude and Fals Trecherie,
Tresoun, Povertй, Indigence, and Nede,
And cruel Deth in his rente wede,
Wrechednesse, Compleynt, and eke Rage,
Ferful pale Derknesse, croked Age,
Cruel Mars as eny tygre wood,
Brennyng ire of unkynde blood,
Fraternal Hate depe sett the rote,
Save only deth that ther nas no bote,
Assuryd othes at the fyn untrewe:
All thise folk weren at this weddyng newe,
To make the towne desolat and bare,
As the story after shal declare.
But ay in Thebes with his walles stronge
Edyppus regneth many day and longe.
And as myn autour writ in wordys pleyn,
By Jocasta he had sones tweyn,
Ethyocles and also Polymyte,
And, in bokes as sondry clerkes write,
Doghtres two ful goodly on to se,
Of which the ton hight Antygone,
And that other called was Ymeyne,
Of her beautй inly sovereyn.
Edyppus, ay devoyde of werre and strif,
With Jocasta ladde a mery lyf
Tyl fortune of her iniquytй
Hadde envie of his prosperitй.
For whan he shon most riche in his renoun,
From her wheel she plonged hym adoun
Out of his joye into sodeyn wo,
As she is wonte frowardly to do,
And namely hem that setten her affiaunce
Of erthly trust in her variaunce.
For whan this kyng passing of gret myght,
Sat with the quene upon a certeyn nyght,
Casuelly whan his folk echon
Out of chambre sodeynly wer gon,
Or he was war Jocasta gan byholde
The carectys of his woundes olde,
Upon his fete enprented wonder depe,
Turnyng her face brast out forto wepe
So secrely he myght it not espie.
And she anon fille into a fantasie,
Ay on thys thyng musyng mor and more,
And in her bed gan to sighe sore.
And whan the kyng conceyveth her distresse,
He gan enquere of her hevynesse
Fully the cause and occasioun,
For he wil wite, in conclusioun,
What her eileth and why she ferde so.
“My lorde,” quod she, “withoute wordes mo,
Parcel cause of this sodeyn rage
Is for that I in my tender age
Had a lorde inamed Layus,
Kyng of this toune, a man right vertuus,
Be whom I hadde a sone wonder fair,
Likly tabene his successour and hair;
But by cause his dyvynours tolde
At his birthe sothly that he sholde,
Yif he have lyf, be fatal destanyй
Sleen his fader (it may non other be);
For which the king his fate to eschewe
Bad me in hast, as hym thoghte dewe,
To sle the childe and have therof no routh.
And I anon bad withoute slouth
To certeyn men, up peyne of jugemente,
To execute the comaundemente
Of the king, as I gaf hem in charge.
And forth they gon to a forest large
Adjacent unto this contrй,
Percen his fete, and honge hym on a tre,
Nat parfourmyng th’execucioun:
(On hym they hadde such compassioun),
Lefte hym ther, and hom resort ageyn,
Beyng in doute and in non certeyn
At theyre repeire, as they tolden alle,
Of this childe what afterward is falle,
Save they saide huntys han hym founde,
Which lad hym forth and his feet unbounde
But to what coost they coude not declare.
Which parcel is of myn evel fare,
Grounde and cause of myn hevy chere,
Considred ek the woundes that appere
Upon youre fete, and woot not what they mene.
And on thyng ay is at myn herte grene,
My lord, allas, but of newe date:
Kyng Layus slayen was but late
At a castel nygh by this contrй,
Upon youre comyng into this citй.
Al this yweied and rekned into on
Maketh myn herte hevy as a ston,
So that I can counsel non nor rede.”
And with that word the kyng lift up his hede,
And abrayd with sharpe sighes smerte,
And al this thing be ordre gan adverte,
Ceriously be good avisement,
And by signes cleer and evident
Conceyveth wel, and sore gan repente
It was hymsilf that Jocasta mente.
And whan the quene in manere segh hym pleyn,
By her goddes she gan hym to constreyne
To shewen out the cause of his affray,
And it expowne, and make no delay,
Crop and root shortly, why that he
Entred first into that contrй,
Fro when he kam and fro what regioun.
But he hir put in dilusioun,
As he had done it for the nonys,
Til at laste he brak out atonys
Unto the queene and gan a processe make
First how he was in the forest take,
Wounded the feet and so forth everythyng,
Of his chershing with Polyboun the kyng,
And hool the cause why he hym forsoke,
And in what wise he the weye toke
Toward Thebes as Appollo bad,
And of fortune how that he was lad
Wher that Spynx kepte the mounteyn;
And how that he slough also in certeyn
Kyng Layus at the castel gate,
Towardes nyght whan it was ful late;
And how to Thebes that he gan hym spede
To fynden oute the stok of his kynrede:
Which unto hym gan to wexe couth;
For by processe of his grene youth
He fonde out wel, be reknyng of his lif,
That she was both his moder and his wif.
So that al nyght and suing on the morow
Atwene hem two gan a newe sorowe,
Which unto me were tedious to telle;
For therupon, yif I shulde dwelle,
A long space it wolde occupie.
But ye may reden in a tragedye
Of moral Senyk fully his endynge,
His dool, his meschief, and his compleynyng,
How with sorow and unweldy age
This Edippus fille into dotage,
Lost his wit and his worldly delit,
And how his sones had hym in despit,
And of disdeyn tok of hym no kepe,
And bookes seyn his eyen out he wepe.
And as myn auctour liketh to devise,
As his sones rebuke hym and dispise,
Upon a day in a certeyn place
Out of his hede his eyen he gan race
And cast at hem, he can non other bote;
And of malice they trad hem under fote,
Fully devoide both of love and drede.
And whan Edippus for meschief was thus dede,
Withinne a pytte made in the erthe lowe
Of crueltй his sones han hym throwe,
Wers than serpent or eny tigre wood.
Of cursid stok cometh unkynde blood,
As in story ye may rede her toforn,
Al be the roos grow out of a thorn.
Thus of Edippus, whan he was blynd and old,
The wrecched ende I ha you pleynly told.
For which shortly to man and child I rede
To be wel war and to taken hede
Of kyndely right and of conscience
To do honur and dieu reverence
To fader and moder of what estat thei be,
Or certeyn ellis they shul nevere the.
For who that is not to hem debonayr
In spech, in port for to trete hem fair,
Hem to obeye in honestй and drede,
And to cherissh of what they han nede,
I dar afferme – exceptyng non astat –
That he shall first be infortunat
In alle his werk both on see and lond,
And of what thyng that he take on hond
Fortune froward to hym and contrayre,
Wayst of his good, pleynly and appaire,
Fynde plentй of contek, werre, and striff,
Unhappy ende and shortnesse of liff,
And gracelees of what he hath at do,
Hatrede of God and of man also.
Therfor no man be herof reklees,
But make youre myrour of Ethiocles
And his brother called Polymyte,
Which in such thyng gretlich were to wite,
As ye shal here of hem how it fil.
And whan we ben descendid doune this hil
And ypassed her the lowe vale,
I shal begynne the remnant of my tale.

Secunda Pars.

Passed the throp of Bowtoun on the Ble,
By my chilyndre I gan anon to se
Thorgh the sonne that ful cler gan shyne
Of the clok that it drogh to nyne
And saugh also the silver dropes shene
Of the dewe, lich peerlys on the grene,
Vapoured up into the eire alofte,
Whan Zephyrus with his blowing softe
The wedere made lusty, smoth, and feir,
And right attempre was the hoolsom eir –
The same hour all the hoole route
Of the pylgrymes rydyng round aboute,
In my tale whan I gan precede,
Rehercyng forth as it was in dede,
Whan Edippus buryed was and grave,
How his sones the kyngdam for to have
Among hemsilf be ful mortal hate
For the crowne gonne to debate
Which of hem justly shal succede
And the sceptre of the toune possede,
Advertyng nought neither to right ne wronge
But eche of hem to make her partie stronge
And his querele proudely to sustene:
From whoos hertes was devoyded clene
Of brotherhode the faithful alliaunce.
Fals covetise so made hem at distaunce,
Fully worchyng into destruccioun
And ruyne of this noble toun.
So hoote brente the hatred and envie
Of bothe two thorgh pompous surquedye
That nowther wold pleynly in a poynt
Other forbern; they stod in such disjoynte
How as they hadde of berthe be foreyns,
Tyl of the toune the noble citezeyns,
Knyghtes, barounes with many worthi lord,
Shope a way to mak hem of accord,
And to set hem in quyete and in pees.
But for his part this Ethiocles
Allegge gan that he was first yborn,
For which he oght of resoun go toforn
In the citй to be crowned kyng,
Sith be lawe ther was no lettyng.
For unto hym longeth the herytage
Be discent and be title of age.
But Polymyte of ful hegh disdeyn
Al opynly gan replie ageyn
And for his part seide, in special,
Reson was non that he shuld have alle
Regaly and domynacioun
And the lordship hooly of the toun,
And he right nought, out of the cytй
But lyve in exile and in povertй,
Ful concludyng, withoute feer and dred,
Rather than suffre that he wil be ded.
And thus, allas, thorgh her envious strif,
At the ende everich loste his lif,
At gret mischief as ye shal after here.
But thylke tyme the lordes al yfere
Ful bysily did her dyligence,
By gret avis and ful high prudence,
To setten hem in quyete and in reste,
Conseylyng hem pleynly for the beste,
To leve her strif of wisdam and resoun
And condescende to some conclusioun
Which to both myghte most availe;
That fynaly thorgh her governaile,
The lordes alle beyng tho present,
They han hem broght to be of on assent,
Of on hert as brother unto brother,
Everich of hem to regnen after other,
Yeer be yeer as it cam aboute,
So that the ton shal absent hym oute
Fully that yeer and hymsilven guye
Be his manhode and his chyvalrye,
Haunte hymself in dedys marcyal,
Whil his brother in his see royal
Holdeth his sceptre the citй to governe;
And whan the yeer his cours hath ronne yerne
And is come out, he shal ha repair
To regne in Thebes lik as lord and hair,
There to receyve fully his dignytй,
Whil the tother voideth the citй,
Paciently taking his aventure
To he ageyn his honure may recure.
Thus entrechaunge every yere they shal:
The ton ascendeth; that other hath a fal.
They most obeye of hert and take it wel,
Lich as the tourn resorteth of the whel.
For this was hool the composicioun
Atwene the bretheren and convencioun,
Ful knet up be gret avisement,
Tofor the goddys be oth of sacrament,
Never after to groche ne to varye
But acomplisshen shortly and not tarye,
Lich as th’acord enrolled in the toune,
From poynt to poynt made mencioun.
But alderfirst be reson of his age,
Ethyocles hadde th’avauntage
To regne aforn and to were a croune,
Polymyte hym hastyng out of toune
Duryng that yeer (it may non other be),
Whil his brother sat in his royal see
Ful richely upon fortunes wheel;
And rode hym forth armed bright in stele,
This Polymyte, sothly as I rede,
Hymsilf allone on a ryal stede,
Withoute guyde al the longe day,
Beyng aferd to kepe the heghe way,
In his herte havyng suspecioun
To his brother of malice and tresoun,
Lest he pursued thorgh fals unkynd blood
To have hym ded for covetise of good,
That he allon myght ha possessioun
Duryng his lif fully of the toun.
For which in hast, havyng no felawe,
Polymyte aside gan hym drawe
By a forest joynyng to the see,
Knowyng right nought the syyt of the contrй,
Ful of hilles and of hegh mounteyns,
Craggy roches and but fewe playns,
Wonder dredful and lothsom of passage,
And therwithal ful of beestis rage,
Holdyng his way of herte no thyng light,
Maat and wery to it drowe to nyght.
And al the day beholdyng enviroun,
He neyther saugh castel, toure, ne toun,
The whiche thing greved hym ful sore.
And sodeynly the se began to rore,
Wynde and tempest hidously t’arise.
The reyn doune bete in ful grisly wise,
That man and beest therof were adrad
And negh for fer gan to wexe mad,
As it sempte by the wooful sownes
Of tygres, beres, boores and lyounes,
Which for refut hemsilf forto save
Everich in hast drogh unto his cave.
But Polymyte in this tempest huge,
Allas the whil, fyndeth no refuge,
Nor hym to schrowde saugh nowher no socour
Til it was passed almost mydnyght hour
A large space that the sterres clere,
The clowdes voyde, in hevene did appere,
So that this knyght out of the forest large
Gan approchen to the londe of Arge,
Seyng a palays myghty of beeldyng,
Of which Adrastus called was the kyng,
A manly man riche and wonder sage
And ronne was somdel into age,
Born of the ile which called is Chysoun,
And whylom sone of the kyng Chaloun.
And for his witt, in story as is kouth,
He chosen was in his tendre youth
Of alle Arge to be crowned kyng,
Chief of alle Grece by record of wryting,
Not be dissent nor successioun
But al only of fre eleccioun
To holde of Arge the sceptre in his hond,
As most worthy of alle Grekes lond,
Loved and drad for wisdam and justice.
And as the story pleynly can devise,
This worthy kyng hadde doghtres two,
Passyng fair and right good also.
It were to longe her beautй to discryve.
And the eldest called was Argyve,
Deyfyle ynamed the seconde.
And Adrastus, lich as it is founde,
This worthy kyng hadde sone non,
To succede after he be gon,
For which he was duryng al his lyff
Trist in hert and passingly pensif.
But hool his trust and his hope stod
Be aliaunce of some worthy blood
Brought inne by mene of his doghtres tweyn,
That he shal be relesed of his peyne
Thorgh recomfort of some hie mariage.
And sothly yet ful high in his corage
He troubled was be occasion
Of a sweven and a vision
Shewed to hym upon a certeyn nyght.
For as hym thoght in his inward sight
Whyl he slept, by cleer inspeccioun,
A wylde boor and a fers lyoun
Possede shal, thise bestes in her rage,
His doghtres two be bond of mariage
In shorte tyme within a certeyn day,
Which broght his herte in ful grete affray.
But thing in soth that destinй hath shape
Her in this world ful hard is to eskape,
Eke merveylous a man t’eschewe his faate.
And Polymyte, of whom I spak late,
With the tempest bete and al bereyned,
Be grace only the citй hath atteyned,
Wher Adrastus ful statly of degrй
Thilke tyme helde his royal see.
The troubly nyght, myrk and ful obscure,
Hath brought this knyght only be aventure
Thorgh the citй, enclosed with a wal,
Unto the paleys chief and principal,
Wher as the kynge in his chambre alofte
Lay in his bed and slepte wonder softe.
Eke alle his folk hadde her chambres take,
Lik as Fortune peraunter hadde shape,
The silfe tyme because it was so late;
And casuelly no porter at the gate,
As it had be right for the nonys.
And in a porche bilt of square stonys,
Ful myghtely enarched envyroun,
Wher the domys and plees of the toun
Weren execut and lawes of the kyng,
And ther this knyght, without mor tarying,
Wery and maat from his stede alight,
Hangynge the rene in al the hast he myght
Uppon his arme surer hym to kepe,
And leyde hym doune and gan anon to slepe,
As hym sempte that tyme for the beste.
And whil that he lay thus forto reste,
Of aventure ther cam a knyght ryding,
The worthiest in this world lyvyng,
Curteys, lowly, and right vertuous,
As seith myn autour, called Tidyus,
Eurous in armes and manly in werkyng,
Of his byrthe sone unto the kyng
Of Calydonye, a londe of gret renoun.
And he, allas, out of that regioun
Exiled was for he his brother sclowe,
As Stace of Thebes writ the manere howe,
Al be that he to hym no malys mente.
For on a day, as they on huntyng wente
In a forest for herte and for hynde,
So as he stod under a grene lynde
And casuelly lete his arow slippe,
He slough his broder called Menalippe;
Thorgh mortal sort his honde was begyled,
For which he was banished and exiled,
As the lawe narowe sette his charge.
And for this caas he cam first to Arge,
Into the porche wher Polymyte slepe,
Of aventure ere he toke eny kepe,
The same nyght hidously beseyn
With the tempest of thonder wynde and reyn;
And filt also anoy and gret damage
Thorgh the forest holding his passage,
As Polymyte hadde do toforn,
In peryl ofte likly to be lorn,
With beestes rage set on every side,
Til of grace withouten eny guyde
He rode thorgh Arge the grete myghty toun,
Streght to the paleys and the chief dongoun,
Lich as I tolde wher Polymyte lay;
And at his comyng made a gret affray,
For he was blynde thorgh derknesse of the nyght
And hym to gwy he ne fonde no light
Whan he cam inne of priket nor of torche,
Til he unwarly entered the porche
And wold han take ther his herbygage.
But Polymyte stert up in a rage,
Sodeynly awaked as I rede,
With the nyinge of his proude stede.
And first of al, whan that he byhelde
A knyght yarmed upon his brest a shelde
And gan the maner of his aray adverte,
Of verrey ire upon his hors he sterte,
And cruelly gan tydinges enquere
Whennys he cam or what he dede there,
And bad in hast his answer to devise.
And Tydeus, in ful humble wise,
Answerd ageyn of verrey gentillesse
And seid in soth that of hegh distresse,
Of the tempest and the derke nyght,
He dryven was lich an erraunt knyght,
Of nede only and necessitй
And high constreynt of his adversitй,
To take loggyng wher so that he myght,
And in that courte therfor he alight
Withoute mor, thenkyng non outrage
Nor to no wight moving ne damage.
Than Polymyte of malys and hegh pride
Tolde hym shortly he shuld not abide
Nor logge ther, thogh he had it sworn.
“For I,” quod he, “toke it up toforn
And wil it kepe during al this nyght,
I seie thee platly maugrй al thy myght.”
Quod Tydeus, “That is no curtesie
Me to devoyde but rather vileynye,
Yif ye take hede that seme a gentil knyght.
And I suppose ye han no title of right
To this loggyng be way of heritage
More than have I, for alle youre felle rage.
And, pardй, yit it shal be no desese,
Til tomorowe thogh ye do me ese,
Of gentillesse only with youre leve;
To suffre me, it shal litil greve.”
But ay the more Tydeus spak faire,
Polymyte was froward and contrayre
And shortly seide it geyneth not to stryve,
That of force he shal devoide blyve,
Or uttrely atwen hem bothe two
This thyng to trie he most have ado.
And Tydeus, seyng no bettre mene,
Ful lik a knyght in steel yarmed clene,
Without abood faste gan hym spede
Wonder lyvely forto take his stede;
And thus thies knyghtes, pompous and ellat,
For litil cause fillen at debat.
And as they ranne togider on horsbak,
Everich on other first his spere brak.
And after that, ful surquedous of pride,
With sharpe swerdes they togyder ryde
Ful yrously thise myghty champiouns,
In her fury lik tygres or lyouns.
And as they hurtle that all the paleis shoke,
Kyng Adrastus out of his slep awoke,
And made in hast his chamberleynes calle
And thorgh the courte his worthy knyghtes alle,
Comaundyng hem to descende and se
And reporte what it myghte be,
This wonder noyse in his courte be nyght.
And whan they saugh two straunge knyghtes fight
In platys bright and in thikke male,
Withoute juge, they hadde grete mervale
And disamayed of this unkouth thing,
As they fond tolde to the kyng.
And Adrastus for derknesse of the nyght,
From his chambre with many torche light
Into the courte is discended doun,
All his meynй stondyng envyroun,
Of thyes knyghtes having ful gret wonder.
And of manhode he put hem first asonder,
Hem comaundyng lich a gentil kyng,
To leven her strif and sesen of fighting;
And entred inne with a knyghtly loke;
And first fro hem her swerdes both he took,
Affermyng ek, as to his fantasie,
It was a rage and a gret folye
So wilfully her lyves to juparte,
Withoute juge her querel to departe
And specialy in the derke nyght
Whan neither myght of other han no sight,
Charching hem upon peyne of her lif
To dissever and styntyn of her strif.
And Tydeus in al the hast he myght,
Ful humblely from his stede alight,
And right mekely with cheer and contenance
Put hym hooly in the governance
Of Adrastus in al maner thing.
And Polymyte mad ek no tarying
To light also and wolde not withsey
The kyngges biddyng lowly to obey,
So as hym ought with diew reverence.
And as thei stood both in his presence,
He gan enquere first of her estaat,
The cause also why they weren at debat,
Of her cuntrees sothly and her age;
He axed ek touching her lynage,
Be discent of what stok thei were born.
And Tydeus his answer gaf toforn;
Tolde pleynly and made no lesyng,
How that he was sone to the kyng
Of Caledoyn and rightful heir therto;
And of his exile the soth he told also,
As ye han herde in the storye rad.
And Polymyte, with cheer and face sad,
Unto the kyng touching his contrй
Seyde he was born in Thebes the citй,
And Jocasta, the grete famous quene,
His moder was withouten eny wene.
But of his fader whilom kyng and lord,
For verray shame he spak not a word,
Only for he (yif I shal not feyne)
His fader was and brother bothe tweyne:
The which, in soth, he was ful loth to telle.
And eke the kyng wold hym not compelle
Of gentillesse but bad, withoute blame,
Of his birth forto have no shame;
For hool the caas and maner every dell
Touchyng his kynne he knewe the ground ful wel,
Lich as it was, by ful clier report.
Enforsyng hym forto do confort
With all his myght and his bysy peyne,
This manly kyng to the knyghtes tweyne;
And to hem seide, aforn hym as they stood,
He wiste wel that of ful worthy blood
They were dyscended, touchyng ther kynrede;
And made in hast his officeres lede
The straunge knyghtes beyng at debat
Thorgh his paleys to chambres of estat,
Eche by hymsilf forto take his ese.
And everything, in soth, that myght hem plese,
Was offred hem lich to her estates.
And whan they weren disarmed of her platis,
Cusshewes, greves, and her sabatons,
Her harneys voyded and her habergons,
Tweyne mantels unto hem wer broght,
Frett with peerle and riche stonys, wroght
Of cloth of golde and velvyt cremysyn,
Ful richely furred with ermyn,
To wrap hem inne ageyn the colde morowe,
After the rage of her nyghtes sorowe,
To take her reste to the sonne arise.
And than the kyng in ful prudent wise
First of alle was not rekkeles
The knyghtes hertes for to sett in pees,
That ever after, I dar afferme it wel,
Eche was to other trew as eny stele
During her lif both in word and dede
Under a knotte bounde of brotherede.
And Adrastus the worthy kyng famous
A feeste made riche and plentevous
To thise knyghtes, hymsilf therat present.
And after mete ful goodly he hath sent,
This noble kyng, for his doghters dere
Of gentyllesse forto make chere
To the knyghtes come fro so ferre.
And lik in soth as Lucyfer the sterre
Gladeth the morow at his uprysing,
So thoo ladies at her incomyng,
With the stremes of her eyen clere,
Goodly apport, and wommanly manere,
Contenaunce and excellent fayrnesse,
To alle the court broghten in gladnesse.
For the frecchnesse of her hevenly cheres
So agreable was to the straungers
At her entrй that in special
Hem thoght it lik a thyng celestial,
Enhastyng hem in ful knyghtly wise
Ageynes hem goodly to arise.
And as they mette with humble contenaunce,
Ful konyngly did her observaunce,
Hem conveying to her sitting place.
But sothly I ha leyser non nor space
To reherce and put in remembraunce
Hooly the maner of her daliaunce.
It were to longe for you to abide.
But wel I woot that the god Cupide,
By influence of his myghty hond
And the fervence of his firy brond,
Her metyng first fortuned hath so wel
That his arowes of gold and not of stiel
Iperced han the knyghtes hertes tweyn
Thorgh the brest with such a lusty peyn
That ther abood sharpe as spere or launce,
Depe yfiched the poynt of remembraunce,
Which may not lightly raced ben away.
And thus in joye they dryve forth the day
In play and revel for the knyghtes sake.
And towardes nyght they her chambres take
At dieu tyme, as her fader bad;
And on her way the knyghtes han hem lad
Reverently up be many staire;
Takyng lieve gan anon repaire
To her logging in a ful statly toure,
Assigned hem be the harberioure.
And after spices pleynly and the wyn
In coppes grete wroght of gold ful fyn,
Withoute tarying to bed streght they gon.
Touchyng her reste, wher thei slepte or non,
Demeth ye lovers that in such maner thing
B’experience han fully knowlecchyng,
For it is nat declared in my boke.
But as I fynde, the kyng al nyght woke,
Thoghtful in herte, the story specifies,
Musing sore and ful of fantasies,
First adverting the grete worthynesse
Of this knyghtes and the semlynesse,
Her lusty youth, her force and her manhode,
And how thei weren ycome of royal blode.
Al this he ganne to revolve aboute,
Ay in his herte havyng a maner doute,
Atwene two hangyng in balaunce
Where he shulde maken an aliaunce
Atwene his doghtren and the knyghtes tweyn.
For on thyng ay his herte gan constreyn,
The remembrance of his avisioun,
Of which toforn I made mencioun,
Touchyng the lyon and the wilde boor
(It nedeth nat to reherce it mor),
Casting alway in his fantasie,
What it myghte cleerly signyfie,
This dirke dreme; this was hid and cloos.
But on the morowe Adrastus up aroos,
And to the temple the righte way he took,
And gan preie devoutly on his book
To the goddes his dreme to specefie.
And they hym bad homward forto hye
And to beholde in the knyghtes sheldys
The felle beestys peynted in the feeldys,
Which shal to hym, be cleer inspeccioun,
Ful pleynly make declaracioun
Of his dreme which he hadde in the nyght.
And Adrastus enhasted hym ful right
In her sheldes wisly to beholde,
Wher that he saugh, as the goddes tolde,
In the sheldes hangyng upon hokys
The beestes rage with her mortal lokys.
And to purpos, lik as writ Bochas,
Polymyte ful streght enbraced was
In the hyde of a feerce lyoun;
And Tydeus aboven his haberioun
A gypon hadde hidous sharpe and hoor,
Wroght of the bristels of a wylde boor.
The whiche beestis, as the story lerys,
Wer wroght and bete upon her banerys,
Displaied brood whan they shulde fight.
Wherof the kyng whan he hadde a sight
Att hys repeir in herte was ful glad,
And with a face ful demur and sad
With his lordes, that he about hym hadde,
To the temple he thys knyghtes ladde.
And whan they hadde with all circumstaunces
Of rytys olde don her observaunces,
Hom to the court they resort ageyn.
And in an halle riche and wel beseyn,
This worthy kyng of herte lyberal
Made a feeste solempne and royal,
Which in deyntys surly dyd excelle.
But it were veyn every cours to telle,
Her straunge sewes and her sotyltees,
Ne how they sat lik to her degrees;
For lak of tyme I lat it overslyde.
And after mete Adrastus toke asyde
The knyghtes two and lik a prudent man
In sykrй wise thus his tale he gan.
“Sirs,” quod he, “I ne doute it nought
That it is fressh and grene ay in your thoght
How that first by goddys ordynaunce,
And after next thorgh fatys purveaunce,
And be workyng of Fortunes hond,
How that ye weren brought into this lond
Bothe tweyn but now this laste nyght;
Of whoos comyng I am ful glad and light
First in myself, shortly to expresse,
Whan I considre and se the liklynesse
Of your personys with the circumstancys
And hool the maner of your governancys,
Seyng ful wel – wherto shuld I feyne –
Ye likly be herafter to atteyn
To grete estat and habundaunce of good
Thorgh youre birth and your royal blood:
Ye may not fayle but ye have wrong,
For ye are both manly and right strong.
And forto sette youre hertes mor at reste
My purpoos is I hope for the beste,
So that in you be no variance
To make a knotte as be allyaunce,
Atwixe yow and my doghtres two,
Yif youre hertes accorde wel therto.
And for I am fully in dyspeyr
To succede for to han an heir,
Therfor ye shal han possessioun
Duryng my lyf of half this regioun
Forwith in hond and hool after my day.
Ther is no man that therto shal sey nay.
And sothly after whan that I am grave,
Eche of yow shal his party have
Of this kyngdam, as I have provided;
This to seyn, it shal be devyded
Atwen yow two, everich to be crowned,
Youre pourparties be equytй compowned
So egally in every mannys sight
That ech of yow rejoyse shal his ryght.
And by your wit ye shul the lond amend,
And of manhode knyghtly it diffend
Ageyn oure enmyes and oure mortal fon.
And for the daies passed ben and gon
Of my desyres and my lusty youth,
I am ful set forto make kouth
That ye shal han lik myn opynyoun
The governaunce of this regioun.
To this entente me semeth for the beste,
Ye to governe and I to lyve in reste,
Fully to folowe the lust of my desyris,
Hunte and hauke in wodes and ryverys
Whansoever I ha therto plesaunce,
And for to han non other attendance
Unto nothing but unto myn ese.
For which shortly yif it agrй and plese
That I have seid to you that be so wis
And be according unto youre avis,
Delaieth not but in wordes pleyn
What yow semeth gif answere ageyn.”
And whan Adrastus hadde his tale fyned,
Tydeus with hed ful lowe enclyned,
As he that was a verray gentyl knyght,
With al his power and his fulle myght
Ful humblely thanked he the kyng
Touchyng his profre of so high a thyng
And for his parte seide he wolde assente
Fully of herte, nevere to repente,
To all that ever the kyng hath sayd.
And Polymyte was also wel apayd,
In the story as it is conprehendid.
And so they ben bothe condescendyd
The kyngges wille to fulfille in dede
From poynt to poynt and therupon procede,
Whersoever that they wynne or lese.
And Tydeus made his brother chese,
Of gentillesse and of curtesye,
Which that was most to his fantasye
Of the sustren for to han to wive.
And he in soth chosen hath Argyve,
Which eldest was ful wommanly to se.
And Tydeus tok Deyphylee,
Of her beautй most sovereyn excellent.
And Adrastus thorghoute his lond hath sent
For his lordes and his baronage
To be present at the mariage
Of the knyttes and make no lettyng.
And they echon cam at his bidding
In goodly wyse meke and ful benygne
Ageyn the day that he dide assigne.
And thyder cam ful many lusty knyght
Ful wel beseyn and many lady bright
From every coost and many frecssh sqwyer,
The story seith, and many comunere,
To byholde the grete ryaltй
And the maner of thys solempnytй.
But to telle all the circumstances
Of justes, revel, and the dyvers daunces,
The feestes riche, and the gyftes grete,
The pryvй sighes and the fervent hete
Of lovys folk brennyng as the glede,
And devyses of many sondry wede,
The touches stole and th’amerous lookes
By sotyl craft leyd doun lyne and hokes
The jalous folk to traysshen and begyle
In their awayt with many sondry wile –
Al this in soth descryven I ne can.
But wel wote I the newe fame ran
This menewhil with ful swift passage
Unto Thebes of this mariage.
And by report trewe and not yfeyned,
The soune therof the eeres hath atteyned,
Myn auctour writ, of Ethyocles,
Touchyng th’onour and the gret encres
Of Polymyte heghly magnyfied,
And how that he newly was allyed
With Adrastus in the londe of Arge.
The whiche thyng he gretly gan to charge,
Dredyng inly that this mariage
Shal after turne unto his damage,
Sore musyng and castyng up and doun
The grete power and the hegh renoun
Of Adrastus, the which of Grekes land
Hadde al the power soget to his hand,
Lest that he for Polymytes sak
Wold upon hym a newe werre make,
But yif that he, lik the convencioun,
At tyme sette delyvered the toun
To his broder by bond of oth besworn,
Be covauntes assured her toforn,
Yif ye remembre late as I you told:
Which he was nat in purpos forto hold,
But from his heste caste forto varye,
And therupon list no lenger tarye
Lich his desire to shape remedyes.
And first he sente for his next allies
In whoom he hadde most his affiaunce,
For his lordes that hadde governaunce
Of his kyngdom to come to hym anon.
And whan they weren present everichon,
He seide pleynly, wenyng for his best,
That his hert shal never lyve in rest
But in sorowe and in a maner drede,
Tyl his brother outrely be dede,
That he in Thebes in his royal sete
Myght allone regnen in quiete:
He mente hymsilf shortly, and non other,
Unperturbed of Polymyte his brother.
And at

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