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The Complete Works of William Shakespeare - Israel Gollancz William Shakespeare [1479]

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al sodeynly a-swowne.

This was no litel sorwe for to see;

But al was hust, and Pandare up as faste,

`O nece, pees, or we be lost,' quod he, 1095

`Beth nought agast;' But certeyn, at the laste,

For this or that, he in-to bedde him caste,

And seyde, `O theef, is this a mannes herte?'

And of he rente al to his bare sherte;

And seyde, `Nece, but ye helpe us now, 1100

Allas, your owne Troilus is lorn!'

`Y-wis, so wolde I, and I wiste how,

Ful fayn,' quod she; `Allas! That I was born!'

`Ye, nece, wole ye pullen out the thorn

That stiketh in his herte?' quod Pandare; 1105

`Sey "Al foryeve," and stint is al this fare!'

`Ye, that to me,' quod she, `ful lever were

Than al the good the sonne aboute gooth';

And therwith-al she swoor him in his ere,

`Y-wis, my dere herte, I am nought wrooth, 1110

Have here my trouthe and many another ooth;

Now speek to me, for it am I, Cryseyde!'

But al for nought; yet mighte he not a-breyde.

Therwith his pous and pawmes of his hondes

They gan to frote, and wete his temples tweyne, 1115

And, to deliveren him from bittre bondes,

She ofte him kiste; and, shortly for to seyne,

Him to revoken she dide al hir peyne.

And at the laste, he gan his breeth to drawe,

And of his swough sone after that adawe, 1120

And gan bet minde and reson to him take,

But wonder sore he was abayst, y-wis.

And with a syk, whan he gan bet a-wake,

He seyde, `O mercy, god, what thing is this?'

`Why do ye with your-selven thus amis?' 1125

Quod tho Criseyde, `Is this a mannes game?

What, Troilus! Wol ye do thus, for shame?'

And therwith-al hir arm over him she leyde,

And al foryaf, and ofte tyme him keste.

He thonked hir, and to hir spak, and seyde 1130

As fil to purpos for his herte reste.

And she to that answerde him as hir leste;

And with hir goodly wordes him disporte

She gan, and ofte his sorwes to comforte.

Quod Pandarus, `For ought I can espyen, 1135

This light, nor I ne serven here of nought;

Light is not good for syke folkes yen.

But for the love of god, sin ye be brought

In thus good plyt, lat now non hevy thought

Ben hanginge in the hertes of yow tweye:' 1140

And bar the candele to the chimeneye.

Sone after this, though it no nede were,

Whan she swich othes as hir list devyse

Hadde of him take, hir thoughte tho no fere,

Ne cause eek non, to bidde him thennes ryse. 1145

Yet lesse thing than othes may suffyse

In many a cas; for every wight, I gesse,

That loveth wel meneth but gentilesse.

But in effect she wolde wite anoon

Of what man, and eek where, and also why 1150

He Ielous was, sin ther was cause noon;

And eek the signe, that he took it by,

She bad him that to telle hir bisily,

Or elles, certeyn, she bar him on honde,

That this was doon of malis, hir to fonde. 1155

With-outen more, shortly for to seyne,

He moste obeye un-to his lady heste;

And for the lasse harm, he moste feyne.

He seyde hir, whan she was at swiche a feste,

She mighte on him han loked at the leste; 1160

Not I not what, al dere y-nough a risshe,

As he that nedes moste a cause fisshe.

And she answerde, `Swete, al were it so,

What harm was that, sin I non yvel mene?

For, by that god that boughte us bothe two, 1165

In alle thinge is myn entente clene.

Swich arguments ne been not worth a bene;

Wol ye the childish Ialous contrefete?

Now were it worthy that ye were y-bete.'

Tho Troilus gan sorwfully to syke, 1170

Lest she be wrooth, him thoughte his herte deyde;

And seyde, `Allas! Up-on my sorwes syke

Have mercy, swete herte myn, Cryseyde!

And if that, in tho wordes that I seyde,

Be any wrong, I wol no more trespace; 1175

Do what yow list, I am al in your grace.'

And she answerde, `Of gilt misericorde!

That is to seyn, that I foryeve al this;

And ever-more on this night yow recorde,

And beth wel war ye do no more amis.' 1180

`Nay, dere herte myn,' quod he, `y-wis.'

`And now,' quod she, `that I have do yow smerte,

Foryeve it me, myn owene swete herte.'

This Troilus, with blisse of that supprysed,

Put al in goddes hond, as he that mente 1185

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