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And in this wise I let them fighting dwell,

And forth I will of Theseus you tell.

The Destiny, minister general,

That executeth in the world o'er all

The purveyance*, that God hath seen beforn; *foreordination

So strong it is, that though the world had sworn

The contrary of a thing by yea or nay,

Yet some time it shall fallen on a day

That falleth not eft* in a thousand year. *again

For certainly our appetites here,

Be it of war, or peace, or hate, or love,

All is this ruled by the sight* above. *eye, intelligence, power

This mean I now by mighty Theseus,

That for to hunten is so desirous —

And namely* the greate hart in May — *especially

That in his bed there dawneth him no day

That he n'is clad, and ready for to ride

With hunt and horn, and houndes him beside.

For in his hunting hath he such delight,

That it is all his joy and appetite

To be himself the greate harte's bane* *destruction

For after Mars he serveth now Diane.

Clear was the day, as I have told ere this,

And Theseus, with alle joy and bliss,

With his Hippolyta, the faire queen,

And Emily, y-clothed all in green,

On hunting be they ridden royally.

And to the grove, that stood there faste by,

In which there was an hart, as men him told,

Duke Theseus the straighte way doth hold,

And to the laund* he rideth him full right, *plain

There was the hart y-wont to have his flight,

And over a brook, and so forth on his way.

This Duke will have a course at him or tway

With houndes, such as him lust* to command. *pleased

And when this Duke was come to the laund,

Under the sun he looked, and anon

He was ware of Arcite and Palamon,

That foughte breme*, as it were bulles two. *fiercely

The brighte swordes wente to and fro

So hideously, that with the leaste stroke

It seemed that it woulde fell an oak,

But what they were, nothing yet he wote*. *knew

This Duke his courser with his spurres smote,

*And at a start* he was betwixt them two, *suddenly*

And pulled out a sword and cried, "Ho!

No more, on pain of losing of your head.

By mighty Mars, he shall anon be dead

That smiteth any stroke, that I may see!

But tell to me what mister* men ye be, *manner, kind

That be so hardy for to fighte here

Withoute judge or other officer,

As though it were in listes royally.

This Palamon answered hastily,

And saide: "Sir, what needeth wordes mo'?

We have the death deserved bothe two,

Two woful wretches be we, and caitives,

That be accumbered* of our own lives, *burdened

And as thou art a rightful lord and judge,

So give us neither mercy nor refuge.

And slay me first, for sainte charity,

But slay my fellow eke as well as me.

Or slay him first; for, though thou know it lite*, *little

This is thy mortal foe, this is Arcite

That from thy land is banisht on his head,

For which he hath deserved to be dead.

For this is he that came unto thy gate

And saide, that he highte Philostrate.

Thus hath he japed* thee full many year, *deceived

And thou hast made of him thy chief esquier;

And this is he, that loveth Emily.

For since the day is come that I shall die

I make pleinly* my confession, *fully, unreservedly

That I am thilke* woful Palamon, *that same

That hath thy prison broken wickedly.

I am thy mortal foe, and it am I

That so hot loveth Emily the bright,

That I would die here present in her sight.

Therefore I aske death and my jewise*. *judgement

But slay my fellow eke in the same wise,

For both we have deserved to be slain."

This worthy Duke answer'd anon again,

And said, "This is a short conclusion.

Your own mouth, by your own confession

Hath damned you, and I will it record;

It needeth not to pain you with the cord;

Ye shall be dead, by mighty Mars the Red.

The queen anon for very womanhead

Began to weep, and so did Emily,

And all the ladies in the company.

Great pity was it as it thought them all,

That ever such a chance should befall,

For gentle men they were, of great estate,

And nothing but for love was this debate

They saw their bloody woundes wide and sore,

And cried