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What a miracle there befell anon

This fierce Arcite hath off his helm y-done,

And on a courser for to shew his face

He *pricketh endelong* the large place, *rides from end to end*

Looking upward upon this Emily;

And she again him cast a friendly eye

(For women, as to speaken *in commune*, *generally*

They follow all the favour of fortune),

And was all his in cheer*, as his in heart. *countenance

Out of the ground a fire infernal start,

From Pluto sent, at request of Saturn

For which his horse for fear began to turn,

And leap aside, and founder* as he leap *stumble

And ere that Arcite may take any keep*, *care

He pight* him on the pummel** of his head. *pitched **top

That in the place he lay as he were dead.

His breast to-bursten with his saddle-bow.

As black he lay as any coal or crow,

So was the blood y-run into his face.

Anon he was y-borne out of the place

With hearte sore, to Theseus' palace.

Then was he carven* out of his harness. *cut

And in a bed y-brought full fair and blive* *quickly

For he was yet in mem'ry and alive,

And always crying after Emily.

Duke Theseus, with all his company,

Is come home to Athens his city,

With alle bliss and great solemnity.

Albeit that this aventure was fall*, *befallen

He woulde not discomforte* them all *discourage

Then said eke, that Arcite should not die,

He should be healed of his malady.

And of another thing they were as fain*. *glad

That of them alle was there no one slain,

All* were they sorely hurt, and namely** one, *although **especially

That with a spear was thirled* his breast-bone. *pierced

To other woundes, and to broken arms,

Some hadden salves, and some hadden charms:

And pharmacies of herbs, and eke save* *sage, Salvia officinalis

They dranken, for they would their lives have.

For which this noble Duke, as he well can,

Comforteth and honoureth every man,

And made revel all the longe night,

Unto the strange lordes, as was right.

Nor there was holden no discomforting,

But as at jousts or at a tourneying;

For soothly there was no discomfiture,

For falling is not but an aventure*. *chance, accident

Nor to be led by force unto a stake

Unyielding, and with twenty knights y-take

One person all alone, withouten mo',

And harried* forth by armes, foot, and toe, *dragged, hurried

And eke his steede driven forth with staves,

With footmen, bothe yeomen and eke knaves*, *servants

It was *aretted him no villainy:* *counted no disgrace to him*

There may no man *clepen it cowardy*. *call it cowardice*

For which anon Duke Theseus *let cry*, — *caused to be proclaimed*

To stenten* alle rancour and envy, — *stop

The gree* as well on one side as the other, *prize, merit

And either side alike as other's brother:

And gave them giftes after their degree,

And held a feaste fully dayes three:

And conveyed the kinges worthily

Out of his town a journee* largely *day's journey

And home went every man the righte way,

There was no more but "Farewell, Have good day."

Of this bataille I will no more indite

But speak of Palamon and of Arcite.

Swelleth the breast of Arcite and the sore

Increaseth at his hearte more and more.

The clotted blood, for any leache-craft* *surgical skill

Corrupteth and is *in his bouk y-laft* *left in his body*

That neither *veine blood nor ventousing*, *blood-letting or cupping*

Nor drink of herbes may be his helping.

The virtue expulsive or animal,

From thilke virtue called natural,

Nor may the venom voide, nor expel

The pipes of his lungs began to swell

And every lacert* in his breast adown *sinew, muscle

Is shent* with venom and corruption. *destroyed

Him gaineth* neither, for to get his life, *availeth

Vomit upward, nor downward laxative;

All is to-bursten thilke region;

Nature hath now no domination.

And certainly where nature will not wirch,* *work

Farewell physic: go bear the man to chirch.* *church

This all and some is, Arcite must die.

For which he sendeth after Emily,

And Palamon, that was his cousin dear,

Then said he thus, as ye shall after hear.

"Nought may