Chapter 10

In Grece whilom was a king,Of whom the fame and knowleching[Tale of Jason and Medea.]Beleveth yit, and PeleüsHe hihte; bot it fell him thus,3250Hic in amoris causa ponit exemplum contra periuros. Et narrat qualiter Iason, priusquam ad insulam Colchos pro aureo vellere ibidem conquestando transmearet, in amorem et coniugium Medee Regis Othonis filie iuramento firmius se astrinxit; set suo postea completo negocio, cum ipsam secum nauigio in Greciam perduxisset, vbi illa senectam135patris sui Esonis in floridam iuuentutem mirabili sciencia reformauit, ipse Iason fidei sue ligamento aliisque beneficiis postpositis, dictam Medeam pro quadam Creusa Regis Creontis filia periurus dereliquit.That his fortune hir whiel so laddeThat he no child his oghne haddeTo regnen after his decess.He hadde a brother natheles,Whos rihte name was Eson,And he the worthi kniht JasonBegat, the which in every londAlle othre passede of his hondIn Armes, so that he the besteWas named and the worthieste,3260He soghte worschipe overal.Nou herkne, and I thee telle schalAn aventure that he soghte,Which afterward ful dere he boghte.Ther was an yle, which ColchosWas cleped, and therof arosGret speche in every lond aboute,That such merveile was non outeIn al the wyde world nawhere,As tho was in that yle there.3270P. ii. 237Ther was a Schiep, as it was told,The which his flees bar al of gold,And so the goddes hadde it set,That it ne mihte awei be fetBe pouer of no worldes wiht:And yit ful many a worthi knihtIt hadde assaied, as thei dorste,And evere it fell hem to the worste.Bot he, that wolde it noght forsake,Bot of his knyhthod undertake3280To do what thing therto belongeth,136This worthi Jason, sore alongethTo se the strange regiounsAnd knowe the condiciounsOf othre Marches, where he wente;And for that cause his hole ententeHe sette Colchos forto seche,And therupon he made a specheTo Peleüs his Em the king.And he wel paid was of that thing;1373290And schop anon for his passage,And suche as were of his lignage,With othre knihtes whiche he ches,With him he tok, and Hercules,Which full was of chivalerie,138With Jason wente in compaignie;And that was in the Monthe of Maii,Whan colde stormes were away.The wynd was good, the Schip was yare,Thei tok here leve, and forth thei fare1393300P. ii. 238Toward Colchos: bot on the weieWhat hem befell is long to seie;Hou Lamedon the king of Troie,Which oghte wel have mad hem joie,140Whan thei to reste a while him preide,Out of his lond he hem congeide;141And so fell the dissencion,Which after was destruccionOf that Cite, as men mai hiere:Bot that is noght to mi matiere.3310Bot thus this142worthi folk Gregeis143Fro that king, which was noght curteis,And fro his lond with Sail updraweThei wente hem forth, and many a saweThei made and many a gret manace,Til ate laste into that placeWhich as thei soghte thei aryve,And striken Sail, and forth as blyveThei sente unto the king and toldenWho weren ther and what thei wolden.3320Oëtes, which was thanne king,144Whan that he herde this tydingOf Jason, which was comen there,And of these othre, what thei were,He thoghte don hem gret worschipe:For thei anon come out of Schipe,And strawht unto the king thei wente,And be the hond Jason he hente,And that was ate paleis gate,So fer the king cam on his gate3330P. ii. 239Toward Jason to don him chiere;And he, whom lacketh no manere,Whan he the king sih in presence,Yaf him ayein such reverenceAs to a kinges stat belongeth.And thus the king him underfongeth,And Jason in his arm he cawhte,And forth into the halle he strawhte,And ther they siete and spieke of thinges,And Jason tolde him tho tidinges,1453340Why he was come, and faire him preideTo haste his time, and the kyng seide,‘Jason, thou art a worthi kniht,Bot it lith in no mannes myhtTo don that thou art come fore:Ther hath be many a kniht forloreOf that thei wolden it assaie.’Bot Jason wolde him noght esmaie,And seide, ‘Of every worldes cureFortune stant in aventure,3350Per aunter wel, per aunter wo:Bot hou as evere that it go,It schal be with myn hond assaied.’The king tho hield him noght wel paied,For he the Grekes sore dredde,In aunter, if Jason ne spedde,He mihte therof bere a blame;For tho was al the worldes fameIn Grece, as forto speke of Armes.Forthi he dredde him of his harmes,3360P. ii. 240And gan to preche him and to preie;Bot Jason wolde noght obeie,Bot seide he wolde his porpos holdeFor ought that eny man him tolde.The king, whan he thes wordes herde,146And sih hou that this kniht ansuerde,Yit for he wolde make him glad,After Medea gon he bad,Which was his dowhter, and sche cam.And Jason, which good hiede nam,3370Whan he hire sih, ayein hire goth;And sche, which was him nothing loth,Welcomede him into that lond,And softe tok him be the hond,And doun thei seten bothe same.Sche hadde herd spoke of his name147And of his grete worthinesse;Forthi sche gan hir yhe impresseUpon his face and his stature,And thoghte hou nevere creature3380Was so wel farende as was he.And Jason riht in such degreNe mihte noght withholde his lok,Bot so good hiede on hire he tok,That him ne thoghte under the heveneOf beaute sawh he nevere hir evene,With al that fell to wommanhiede.Thus ech of other token hiede,Thogh ther no word was of record;Here hertes bothe of on acord3390P. ii. 241Ben set to love, bot as thoTher mihten be no wordes mo.The king made him gret joie and feste,148To alle his men he yaf an heste,So as thei wolde his thonk deserve,That thei scholde alle Jason serve,Whil that he wolde there duelle.And thus the dai, schortly to telle,With manye merthes thei despente,Til nyht was come, and tho thei wente,3400Echon of other tok his leve,Whan thei no lengere myhten leve.I not hou Jason that nyht slep,Bot wel I wot that of the Schep,For which he cam into that yle,He thoghte bot a litel whyle;Al was Medea that he thoghte,So that in many a wise he soghteHis witt wakende er it was day,Som time yee, som time nay,3410Som time thus, som time so,As he was stered to and froOf love, and ek of his conquesteAs he was holde of his beheste.And thus he ros up be the morweAnd tok himself seint John to borwe,And seide he wolde ferst beginneAt love, and after forto winneThe flees of gold, for which he com,And thus to him good herte he nom.3420P. ii. 242Medea riht the same wise,Til dai cam that sche moste arise,149Lay and bethoughte hire al the nyht,Hou sche that noble worthi knihtBe eny weie mihte wedde:And wel sche wiste, if he ne speddeOf thing which he hadde undertake,Sche mihte hirself no porpos take;For if he deide of his bataile,Sche moste thanne algate faile3430To geten him, whan he were ded.Thus sche began to sette redAnd torne aboute hir wittes alle,To loke hou that it mihte falleThat sche with him hadde a leisirTo speke and telle of hir desir.And so it fell that same day150That Jason with that suete mayTogedre sete and hadden spaceTo speke, and he besoughte hir grace.1513440And sche his tale goodli herde,And afterward sche him ansuerdeAnd seide, ‘Jason, as thou wilt,Thou miht be sauf, thou miht be spilt;For wite wel that nevere man,Bot if he couthe that I can,Ne mihte that fortune achieveFor which thou comst: bot as I lieve,If thou wolt holde covenantTo love, of al the remenant3450P. ii. 243I schal thi lif and honour save,That thou the flees of gold schalt have.’He seide, ‘Al at youre oghne wille,Ma dame, I schal treuly fulfilleYoure heste, whil mi lif mai laste.’Thus longe he preide, and ate lasteSche granteth, and behihte him this,That whan nyht comth and it time is,Sche wolde him sende certeinlySuch on that scholde him prively3460Al one into hire chambre bringe.He thonketh hire of that tidinge,For of that grace him is begonneHim thenkth alle othre thinges wonne.The dai made ende and lost his lyht,152And comen was the derke nyht,Which al the daies yhe blente.Jason tok leve and forth he wente,And whan he cam out of the pres,He tok to conseil Hercules,3470And tolde him hou it was betid,And preide it scholde wel ben hid,153And that he wolde loke aboute,Therwhiles that he schal ben oute.Thus as he stod and hiede nam,A Mayden fro Medea camAnd to hir chambre Jason ledde,Wher that he fond redi to beddeThe faireste and the wiseste eke;And sche with simple chiere and meke,3480P. ii. 244Whan sche him sih, wax al aschamed.154Tho was here tale newe entamed;155For sikernesse of MariageSche fette forth a riche ymage,156Which was figure of Jupiter,And Jason swor and seide ther,That also wiss god scholde him helpe,That if Medea dede him helpe,That he his pourpos myhte wtnne,Thei scholde nevere parte atwinne,1573490Bot evere whil him lasteth lif,He wolde hire holde for his wif.And with that word thei kisten bothe;And for thei scholden hem unclothe,Ther cam a Maide, and in hir wiseSche dede hem bothe full servise,Til that thei were in bedde naked:I wot that nyht was wel bewaked,Thei hadden bothe what thei wolde.And thanne of leisir sche him tolde,3500And gan fro point to point enformeOf his bataile and al the forme,Which as he scholde finde there,Whan he to thyle come were.Sche seide, at entre of the pasHou Mars, which god of Armes was,Hath set tuo Oxen sterne and stoute,That caste fyr and flamme abouteBothe at the mouth and ate nase,So that thei setten al on blase3510P. ii. 245What thing that passeth hem betwene:And forthermore upon the greneTher goth the flees of gold to kepeA Serpent, which mai nevere slepe.Thus who that evere scholde it winne,The fyr to stoppe he mot beginne,Which that the fierce bestes caste,158And daunte he mot hem ate laste,So that he mai hem yoke and dryve;And therupon he mot as blyve3520The Serpent with such strengthe assaile,That he mai slen him be bataile;Of which he mot the teth outdrawe,As it belongeth to that lawe,And thanne he mot tho Oxen yoke,Til thei have with a plowh tobrokeA furgh of lond, in which aroweThe teth of thaddre he moste sowe,And therof schule arise knihtesWel armed up at alle rihtes.3530Of hem is noght to taken hiede,For ech of hem in hastihiedeSchal other slen with dethes wounde:159And thus whan thei ben leid to grounde,160Than mot he to the goddes preie,And go so forth and take his preie.Bot if he faile in eny wiseOf that ye hiere me devise,Ther mai be set non other weie,That he ne moste algates deie.3540P. ii. 246‘Nou have I told the peril al:I woll you tellen forth withal,’Quod Medea to Jason tho,‘That ye schul knowen er ye go,Ayein the venym and the fyr161What schal ben the recoverir.Bot, Sire, for it is nyh day,Ariseth up, so that I mayDelivere you what thing I have,That mai youre lif and honour save.’3550Thei weren bothe loth to rise,Bot for thei weren bothe wise,Up thei arisen ate laste:Jason his clothes on him casteAnd made him redi riht anon,And sche hir scherte dede uponAnd caste on hire a mantel clos,Withoute more and thanne aros.Tho tok sche forth a riche TyeMad al of gold and of Perrie,3560Out of the which sche nam a Ring,The Ston was worth al other thing.Sche seide, whil he wolde it were,Ther myhte no peril him dere,In water mai it noght be dreynt,Wher as it comth the fyr is queynt,It daunteth ek the cruel beste,Ther may no qued that man areste,Wher so he be on See or lond,Which hath that ring upon his hond:3570P. ii. 247And over that sche gan to sein,That if a man wol ben unsein,Withinne his hond hold clos the Ston,And he mai invisible gon.The Ring to Jason sche betauhte,And so forth after sche him tauhteWhat sacrifise he scholde make;And gan out of hire cofre takeHim thoughte an hevenely figure,Which al be charme and be conjure3580Was wroght, and ek it was thurgh writeWith names, which be scholde wite,162As sche him tauhte tho to rede;And bad him, as he wolde spede,Withoute reste of eny while,Whan he were londed in that yle,He scholde make his sacrifiseAnd rede his carecte in the wiseAs sche him tauhte, on knes doun bent,Thre sithes toward orient;3590For so scholde he the goddes pleseAnd winne himselven mochel ese.And whanne he hadde it thries rad,To opne a buiste sche him bad,Which sche ther tok him in present,And was full of such oignement,That ther was fyr ne venym nonThat scholde fastnen him upon,Whan that he were enoynt withal.163Forthi sche tauhte him hou he schal3600P. ii. 248Enoignte his armes al aboute,And for he scholde nothing doute,Sche tok him thanne a maner glu,The which was of so gret vertu,That where a man it wolde caste,It scholde binde anon so fasteThat noman mihte it don aweie.And that sche bad be alle weieHe scholde into the mouthes throwenOf tho tweie Oxen that fyr blowen,3610Therof to stoppen the malice;The glu schal serve of that office.And over that hir oignement,Hir Ring and hir enchantementAyein the Serpent scholde him were,Til he him sle with swerd or spere:And thanne he may saufliche ynowhHis Oxen yoke into the plowhAnd the teth sowe in such a wise,164Til he the knyhtes se arise,3620And ech of other doun be leidIn such manere as I have seid.Lo, thus Medea for JasonOrdeigneth, and preith theruponThat he nothing foryete scholde,And ek sche preith him that he wolde,Whan he hath alle his Armes don,To grounde knele and thonke anonThe goddes, and so forth be eseThe flees of gold he scholde sese.3630P. ii. 249And whanne he hadde it sesed so,That thanne he were sone agoWithouten eny tariynge.Whan this was seid, into wepingeSche fell, as sche that was thurgh nomeWith love, and so fer overcome,That al hir world on him sche sette.Bot whan sche sih ther was no lette,That he mot nedes parte hire fro,Sche tok him in hire armes tuo,3640An hundred time and gan him kisse,And seide, ‘O, al mi worldes blisse,Mi trust, mi lust, mi lif, min hele,To be thin helpe in this quereleI preie unto the goddes alle.’And with that word sche gan doun falleOn swoune, and he hire uppe nam,165And forth with that the Maiden cam,And thei to bedde anon hir broghte,And thanne Jason hire besoghte,3650And to hire seide in this manere:‘Mi worthi lusti ladi dere,Conforteth you, for be my troutheIt schal noght fallen in mi sloutheThat I ne wol thurghout fulfilleYoure hestes at youre oghne wille.And yit I hope to you bringeWithinne a while such tidinge,The which schal make ous bothe game.’Bot for he wolde kepe hir name,3660P. ii. 250Whan that he wiste it was nyh dai,He seide, ‘A dieu, mi swete mai.’And forth with him he nam his gere,Which as sche hadde take him there,And strauht unto his chambre he wente,166And goth to bedde and slep him hente,And lay, that noman him awok,For Hercules hiede of him tok,167Til it was undren hih and more.168And thanne he gan to sighe sore3670And sodeinliche abreide of slep;169And thei that token of him kep,His chamberleins, be sone there,And maden redi al his gere,And he aros and to the kingHe wente, and seide hou to that thingFor which he cam he wolde go.The king therof was wonder wo,170And for he wolde him fain withdrawe,He tolde him many a dredful sawe,3680Bot Jason wolde it noght recorde,And ate laste thei acorde.Whan that he wolde noght abide,A Bot was redy ate tyde,In which this worthi kniht of GreceFul armed up at every piece,To his bataile which belongeth,Tok ore on honde and sore him longeth,171Til he the water passed were.Whan he cam to that yle there,3690P. ii. 251He set him on his knes doun strauht,172And his carecte, as he was tawht,He radde, and made his sacrifise,And siththe enoignte him in that wise,As Medea him hadde bede;And thanne aros up fro that stede,And with the glu the fyr he queynte,And anon after he atteinteThe grete Serpent and him slowh.Bot erst he hadde sorwe ynowh,3700For that Serpent made him travaileSo harde and sore of his bataile,That nou he stod and nou he fell:For longe time it so befell,That with his swerd ne with his spere173He mihte noght that Serpent dere.174He was so scherded al aboute,It hield all eggetol withoute,He was so ruide and hard of skin,Ther mihte nothing go therin;3710Venym and fyr togedre he caste,That he Jason so sore ablaste,That if ne were his oignement,His Ring and his enchantement,Which Medea tok him tofore,He hadde with that worm be lore;Bot of vertu which therof camJason the Dragon overcam.And he anon the teth outdrouh,And sette his Oxen in a plouh,1753720P. ii. 252With which he brak a piece of londAnd sieu hem with his oghne hond.Tho mihte he gret merveile se:Of every toth in his degreSprong up a kniht with spere and schield,Of whiche anon riht in the fieldEchon slow other; and with thatJason Medea noght foryat,On bothe his knes he gan doun falle,And yaf thonk to the goddes alle.3730The Flees he tok and goth to Bote,The Sonne schyneth bryhte and hote,The Flees of gold schon forth withal,The water glistreth overal.Medea wepte and sigheth ofte,And stod upon a Tour alofte:Al prively withinne hirselve,Ther herde it nouther ten ne tuelve,Sche preide, and seide, ‘O, god him spede,The kniht which hath mi maidenhiede!’3740And ay sche loketh toward thyle.Bot whan sche sih withinne a while176The Flees glistrende ayein the Sonne,Sche saide, ‘Ha lord, now al is wonne,177Mi kniht the field hath overcome:Nou wolde god he were come;Ha lord, that he ne were alonde!’178Bot I dar take this on honde,If that sche hadde wynges tuo,Sche wolde have flowe unto him tho3750P. ii. 253Strawht ther he was into the Bot.179The dai was clier, the Sonne hot,The Gregeis weren in gret doute,The whyle that here lord was oute:Thei wisten noght what scholde tyde,Bot waiten evere upon the tyde,To se what ende scholde falle.Ther stoden ek the nobles alleForth with the comun of the toun;And as thei loken up and doun,3760Thei weren war withinne a throwe,Wher cam the bot, which thei wel knowe,And sihe hou Jason broghte his preie.And tho thei gonnen alle seie,And criden alle with o stevene,180‘Ha, wher was evere under the heveneSo noble a knyht as Jason is?’And welnyh alle seiden this,That Jason was a faie kniht,For it was nevere of marines miht3770The Flees of gold so forto winne;And thus to talen thei beginne.181With that the king com forth anon,And sih the Flees, hou that it schon;And whan Jason cam to the lond,The king himselve tok his hondAnd kist him, and gret joie him made.The Gregeis weren wonder glade,And of that thing riht merie hem thoghte,And forth with hem the Flees thei broghte,3780P. ii. 254And ech on other gan to leyhe;Bot wel was him that mihte neyhe,To se therof the proprete.And thus thei passen the citeAnd gon unto the Paleis straght.Medea, which foryat him naght,Was redy there, and seide anon,‘Welcome, O worthi kniht Jason.’Sche wolde have kist him wonder fayn,Bot schame tornede hire agayn;3790It was noght the manere as tho,182Forthi sche dorste noght do so.Sche tok hire leve, and Jason wenteInto his chambre, and sche him senteHire Maide to sen hou he ferde;The which whan that sche sih and herde,183Hou that he hadde faren outeAnd that it stod wel al aboute,184Sche tolde hire ladi what sche wiste,And sche for joie hire Maide kiste.3800The bathes weren thanne araied,With herbes tempred and assaied,And Jason was unarmed soneAnd dede as it befell to done:Into his bath he wente anonAnd wyssh him clene as eny bon;He tok a sopp, and oute he cam,And on his beste aray he nam,And kempde his hed, whan he was clad,And goth him forth al merie and glad3810P. ii. 255Riht strawht into the kinges halle.The king cam with his knihtes alleAnd maden him glad welcominge;And he hem tolde the tidinge185Of this and that, hou it befell,Whan that he wan the schepes fell.Medea, whan sche was asent,Com sone to that parlement,And whan sche mihte Jason se,Was non so glad of alle as sche.3820Ther was no joie forto seche,Of him mad every man a speche,186Som man seide on, som man seide other;187Bot thogh he were goddes brotherAnd mihte make fyr and thonder,Ther mihte be nomore wonderThan was of him in that cite.Echon tauhte other, ‘This is he,Which hath in his pouer withinneThat al the world ne mihte winne:3830Lo, hier the beste of alle goode.’Thus saiden thei that there stode,And ek that walkede up and doun,Bothe of the Court and of the toun.The time of Souper cam anon,Thei wisshen and therto thei gon,Medea was with Jason set:Tho was ther many a deynte fetAnd set tofore hem on the bord,Bot non so likinge as the word3840P. ii. 256Which was ther spoke among hem tuo,So as thei dorste speke tho.Bot thogh thei hadden litel space,Yit thei acorden in that placeHou Jason scholde come at nyht,Whan every torche and every lihtWere oute, and thanne of other thinges188Thei spieke aloud for supposingesOf hem that stoden there aboute:For love is everemore in doute,3850If that it be wisly governed189Of hem that ben of love lerned.Whan al was don, that dissh and cuppeAnd cloth and bord and al was uppe,Thei waken whil hem lest to wake,And after that thei leve takeAnd gon to bedde forto reste.And whan him thoghte for the beste,That every man was faste aslepe,Jason, that wolde his time kepe,3860Goth forth stalkende al privelyUnto the chambre, and redelyTher was a Maide, which him kepte.Medea wok and nothing slepte,Bot natheles sche was abedde,And he with alle haste him speddeAnd made him naked and al warm.Anon he tok hire in his arm:What nede is forto speke of ese?Hem list ech other forto plese,3870P. ii. 257So that thei hadden joie ynow:And tho thei setten whanne and howThat sche with him awey schal stele.With wordes suche and othre feleWhan al was treted to an ende,Jason tok leve and gan forth wendeUnto his oughne chambre in pes;Ther wiste it non bot Hercules.He slepte and ros whan it was time,190And whanne it fell towardes prime,3880He tok to him suche as he tristeIn secre, that non other wiste,And told hem of his conseil there,191And seide that his wille wereThat thei to Schipe hadde alle thingeSo priveliche in thevenynge,That noman mihte here dede aspieBot tho that were of compaignie:192For he woll go withoute leve,And lengere woll he noght beleve;3890Bot he ne wolde at thilke throweThe king or queene scholde it knowe.Thei saide, ‘Al this schal wel be do:’And Jason truste wel therto.Medea in the mene while,Which thoghte hir fader to beguile,The Tresor which hir fader haddeWith hire al priveli sche ladde,And with Jason at time setAwey sche stal and fond no let,3900P. ii. 258And straght sche goth hire unto schipeOf Grece with that felaschipe,And thei anon drowe up the Seil.And al that nyht this was conseil,Bot erly, whan the Sonne schon,Men syhe hou that thei were agon,And come unto the king and tolde:And he the sothe knowe wolde,And axeth where his dowhter was.Ther was no word bot Out, Allas!3910Sche was ago. The moder wepte,The fader as a wod man lepte,And gan the time forto warie,And swor his oth he wol noght tarie,193That with Caliphe and with galeieThe same cours, the same weie,Which Jason tok, he wolde take,If that he mihte him overtake.To this thei seiden alle yee:Anon thei weren ate See,3920And alle, as who seith, at a wordThei gon withinne schipes bord,The Sail goth up, and forth thei strauhte.Bot non espleit therof thei cauhte,And so thei tornen hom ayein,For al that labour was in vein.Jason to Grece with his preieGoth thurgh the See the rihte weie:Whan he ther com and men it tolde,Thei maden joie yonge and olde.3930P. ii. 259Eson, whan that he wiste of this,Hou that his Sone comen is,And hath achieved that he soughteAnd hom with him Medea broughte,In al the wyde world was nonSo glad a man as he was on.Togedre ben these lovers tho,Til that thei hadden sones tuo,Wherof thei weren bothe glade,And olde Eson gret joie made3940To sen thencress of his lignage;For he was of so gret an Age,That men awaiten every day,Whan that he scholde gon away.Jason, which sih his fader old,Upon Medea made him bold,Of art magique, which sche couthe,And preith hire that his fader youtheSche wolde make ayeinward newe:And sche, that was toward him trewe,3950Behihte him that sche wolde it do,Whan that sche time sawh therto.Bot what sche dede in that matiereIt is a wonder thing to hiere,Bot yit for the novellerieI thenke tellen a partie.194Nota quibus medicamentis Esonem senectute decrepitum ad sue iuuentutis adolescenciam prudens Medea reduxit.Thus it befell upon a nyht,Whan ther was noght bot sterreliht,Sche was vanyssht riht as hir liste,That no wyht bot hirself it wiste,1953960P. ii. 260And that was ate mydnyht tyde.The world was stille on every side;196With open hed and fot al bare,Hir her tosprad sche gan to fare,197Upon hir clothes gert sche was,Al specheles and on the gras198Sche glod forth as an Addre doth:Non otherwise sche ne goth,Til sche cam to the freisshe flod,And there a while sche withstod.3970Thries sche torned hire aboute,And thries ek sche gan doun louteAnd in the flod sche wette hir her,And thries on the water therSche gaspeth with a drecchinge onde,199And tho sche tok hir speche on honde.Ferst sche began to clepe and calleUpward unto the sterres alle,To Wynd, to Air, to See, to londSche preide, and ek hield up hir hond3980To Echates, and gan to crie,Which is goddesse of Sorcerie.Sche seide, ‘Helpeth at this nede,And as ye maden me to spede,Whan Jason cam the Flees to seche,So help me nou, I you beseche.’With that sche loketh and was war,Doun fro the Sky ther cam a char,The which Dragouns aboute drowe:And tho sche gan hir hed doun bowe,2003990P. ii. 261And up sche styh, and faire and welSche drof forth bothe char and whel201Above in thair among the Skyes.The lond of Crete and tho partiesSche soughte, and faste gan hire hye,And there upon the hulles hyheOf Othrin and Olimpe also,And ek of othre hulles mo,Sche fond and gadreth herbes suote,Sche pulleth up som be the rote,4000And manye with a knyf sche scherth,And alle into hir char sche berth.Thus whan sche hath the hulles sought,The flodes ther foryat sche nought,Eridian and Amphrisos,Peneie and ek Spercheïdos,202To hem sche wente and ther sche nomBothe of the water and the fom,203The sond and ek the smale stones,Whiche as sche ches out for the nones,4010And of the rede See a part,That was behovelich to hire art,Sche tok, and after that abouteSche soughte sondri sedes outeIn feldes and in many greves,And ek a part sche tok of leves:Bot thing which mihte hire most availeSche fond in Crete and in Thessaile.In daies and in nyhtes Nyne,With gret travaile and with gret pyne,2044020P. ii. 262Sche was pourveid of every piece,And torneth homward into Grece.Before the gates of EsonHir char sche let awai to gon,205And tok out ferst that was therinne;For tho sche thoghte to beginneSuch thing as semeth impossible,And made hirselven invisible,As sche that was with Air enclosed206And mihte of noman be desclosed.4030Sche tok up turves of the londWithoute helpe of mannes hond,Al heled with the grene gras,Of which an Alter mad ther wasUnto Echates the goddesseOf art magique and the maistresse,And eft an other to Juvente,As sche which dede hir hole entente.Tho tok sche fieldwode and verveyne,Of herbes ben noght betre tueine,4040Of which anon withoute letThese alters ben aboute set:Tuo sondri puttes faste by207Sche made, and with that hastelyA wether which was blak sche slouh,And out therof the blod sche drouhAnd dede into the pettes tuo;Warm melk sche putte also thertoWith hony meynd: and in such wise208Sche gan to make hir sacrifice,4050P. ii. 263And cride and preide forth withalTo Pluto the god infernal,And to the queene Proserpine.And so sche soghte out al the lineOf hem that longen to that craft,Behinde was no name laft,And preide hem alle, as sche wel couthe,To grante Eson his ferste youthe.This olde Eson broght forth was tho,Awei sche bad alle othre go4060Upon peril that mihte falle;And with that word thei wenten alle,And leften there hem tuo al one.And tho sche gan to gaspe and gone,And made signes manyon,And seide hir wordes therupon;So that with spellinge of hir charmes209Sche tok Eson inbothe hire armes,And made him forto slepe faste,And him upon hire herbes caste.4070The blake wether tho sche tok,And hiewh the fleissh, as doth a cok;210On either alter part sche leide,211And with the charmes that sche seideA fyr doun fro the Sky alyhteAnd made it forto brenne lyhte.Bot whan Medea sawh it brenne,Anon sche gan to sterte and renneThe fyri aulters al aboute:Ther was no beste which goth oute4080P. ii. 264More wylde than sche semeth ther:Aboute hir schuldres hyng hir her,As thogh sche were oute of hir myndeAnd torned in an other kynde.Tho lay ther certein wode cleft,Of which the pieces nou and eftSche made hem in the pettes wete,And put hem in the fyri hete,212And tok the brond with al the blase,And thries sche began to rase4090Aboute Eson, ther as he slepte;And eft with water, which sche kepte,Sche made a cercle aboute him thries,And eft with fyr of sulphre twyes:Ful many an other thing sche dede,Which is noght writen in this stede.Bot tho sche ran so up and doun,Sche made many a wonder soun,Somtime lich unto the cock,Somtime unto the Laverock,4100Somtime kacleth as a Hen,Somtime spekth as don the men:And riht so as hir jargoun strangeth,In sondri wise hir forme changeth,Sche semeth faie and no womman;For with the craftes that sche can213Sche was, as who seith, a goddesse,And what hir liste, more or lesse,Sche dede, in bokes as we finde,That passeth over manneskinde.2144110P. ii. 265Bot who that wole of wondres hiere,What thing sche wroghte in this matiere,To make an ende of that sche gan,215Such merveile herde nevere man.Apointed in the newe Mone,Whan it was time forto done,Sche sette a caldron on the fyr,In which was al the hole atir,Wheron the medicine stod,Of jus, of water and of blod,4120And let it buile in such a plit,Til that sche sawh the spume whyt;And tho sche caste in rynde and rote,And sed and flour that was for bote,With many an herbe and many a ston,Wherof sche hath ther many on:And ek Cimpheius the SerpentTo hire hath alle his scales lent,Chelidre hire yaf his addres skin,216And sche to builen caste hem in;4130A part ek of the horned Oule,The which men hiere on nyhtes houle;And of a Raven, which was toldOf nyne hundred wynter old,Sche tok the hed with al the bile;And as the medicine it wile,Sche tok therafter the bouele217Of the Seewolf, and for the hele218Of Eson, with a thousand moOf thinges that sche hadde tho,2194140P. ii. 266In that Caldroun togedre as blyveSche putte, and tok thanne of OlyveA drie branche hem with to stere,The which anon gan floure and bereAnd waxe al freissh and grene ayein.Whan sche this vertu hadde sein,Sche let the leste drope of alleUpon the bare flor doun falle;Anon ther sprong up flour and gras,Where as the drope falle was,4150And wox anon al medwe grene,220So that it mihte wel be sene.221Medea thanne knew and wisteHir medicine is forto triste,And goth to Eson ther he lay,And tok a swerd was of assay,With which a wounde upon his sideSche made, that therout mai slydeThe blod withinne, which was oldAnd sek and trouble and fieble and cold.2224160And tho sche tok unto his us223Of herbes al the beste jus,And poured it into his wounde;That made his veynes fulle and sounde:And tho sche made his wounde clos,And tok his hand, and up he ros;And tho sche yaf him drinke a drauhte,Of which his youthe ayein he cauhte,His hed, his herte and his visageLich unto twenty wynter Age;4170P. ii. 267Hise hore heres were away,And lich unto the freisshe Maii,Whan passed ben the colde schoures,Riht so recovereth he his floures.Lo, what mihte eny man devise,A womman schewe in eny wiseMor hertly love in every stede,224Than Medea to Jason dede?Ferst sche made him the flees to winne,And after that fro kiththe and kinne4180With gret tresor with him sche stal,And to his fader forth withalHis Elde hath torned into youthe,Which thing non other womman couthe:Bot hou it was to hire aquit,The remembrance duelleth yit.225King Peleüs his Em was ded,Jason bar corone on his hed,Medea hath fulfild his wille:Bot whanne he scholde of riht fulfille4190The trouthe, which to hire aforeHe hadde in thyle of Colchos swore,Tho was Medea most deceived.For he an other hath received,Which dowhter was to king Creon,Creusa sche hihte, and thus Jason,As he that was to love untrewe,Medea lefte and tok a newe.Bot that was after sone aboght:Medea with hire art hath wroght4200P. ii. 268Of cloth of gold a mantel riche,Which semeth worth a kingesriche,And that was unto Creusa sentIn name of yifte and of present,For Sosterhode hem was betuene;And whan that yonge freisshe queeneThat mantel lappeth hire aboute,Anon therof the fyr sprong outeAnd brente hir bothe fleissh and bon.Tho cam Medea to Jason4210With bothe his Sones on hire hond,And seide, ‘O thou of every londThe moste untrewe creature,Lo, this schal be thi forfeture.’With that sche bothe his Sones slouhBefore his yhe, and he outdrouhHis swerd and wold have slayn hir tho,226Bot farewel, sche was agoUnto Pallas the Court above,Wher as sche pleigneth upon love,4220As sche that was with that goddesse,And he was left in gret destresse.Confessor.Thus miht them se what sorwe it dothTo swere an oth which is noght soth,In loves cause namely.Mi Sone, be wel war forthi,And kep that thou be noght forswore:For this, which I have told tofore,Ovide telleth everydel.Amans.Mi fader, I may lieve it wel,4230P. ii. 269For I have herde it ofte seie227Hou Jason tok the flees aweieFro Colchos, bot yit herde I noghtBe whom it was ferst thider broght.And for it were good to hiere,If that you liste at mi preiereTo telle, I wolde you beseche.Confessor.Mi Sone, who that wole it seche,In bokes he mai finde it write;And natheles, if thou wolt wite,4240In the manere as thou hast preidI schal the telle hou it is seid.

In Grece whilom was a king,

Of whom the fame and knowleching

[Tale of Jason and Medea.]

Beleveth yit, and Peleüs

He hihte; bot it fell him thus,3250

Hic in amoris causa ponit exemplum contra periuros. Et narrat qualiter Iason, priusquam ad insulam Colchos pro aureo vellere ibidem conquestando transmearet, in amorem et coniugium Medee Regis Othonis filie iuramento firmius se astrinxit; set suo postea completo negocio, cum ipsam secum nauigio in Greciam perduxisset, vbi illa senectam135patris sui Esonis in floridam iuuentutem mirabili sciencia reformauit, ipse Iason fidei sue ligamento aliisque beneficiis postpositis, dictam Medeam pro quadam Creusa Regis Creontis filia periurus dereliquit.

That his fortune hir whiel so ladde

That he no child his oghne hadde

To regnen after his decess.

He hadde a brother natheles,

Whos rihte name was Eson,

And he the worthi kniht Jason

Begat, the which in every lond

Alle othre passede of his hond

In Armes, so that he the beste

Was named and the worthieste,3260

He soghte worschipe overal.

Nou herkne, and I thee telle schal

An aventure that he soghte,

Which afterward ful dere he boghte.

Ther was an yle, which Colchos

Was cleped, and therof aros

Gret speche in every lond aboute,

That such merveile was non oute

In al the wyde world nawhere,

As tho was in that yle there.3270

P. ii. 237

Ther was a Schiep, as it was told,

The which his flees bar al of gold,

And so the goddes hadde it set,

That it ne mihte awei be fet

Be pouer of no worldes wiht:

And yit ful many a worthi kniht

It hadde assaied, as thei dorste,

And evere it fell hem to the worste.

Bot he, that wolde it noght forsake,

Bot of his knyhthod undertake3280

To do what thing therto belongeth,136

This worthi Jason, sore alongeth

To se the strange regiouns

And knowe the condiciouns

Of othre Marches, where he wente;

And for that cause his hole entente

He sette Colchos forto seche,

And therupon he made a speche

To Peleüs his Em the king.

And he wel paid was of that thing;1373290

And schop anon for his passage,

And suche as were of his lignage,

With othre knihtes whiche he ches,

With him he tok, and Hercules,

Which full was of chivalerie,138

With Jason wente in compaignie;

And that was in the Monthe of Maii,

Whan colde stormes were away.

The wynd was good, the Schip was yare,

Thei tok here leve, and forth thei fare1393300

P. ii. 238

Toward Colchos: bot on the weie

What hem befell is long to seie;

Hou Lamedon the king of Troie,

Which oghte wel have mad hem joie,140

Whan thei to reste a while him preide,

Out of his lond he hem congeide;141

And so fell the dissencion,

Which after was destruccion

Of that Cite, as men mai hiere:

Bot that is noght to mi matiere.3310

Bot thus this142worthi folk Gregeis143

Fro that king, which was noght curteis,

And fro his lond with Sail updrawe

Thei wente hem forth, and many a sawe

Thei made and many a gret manace,

Til ate laste into that place

Which as thei soghte thei aryve,

And striken Sail, and forth as blyve

Thei sente unto the king and tolden

Who weren ther and what thei wolden.3320

Oëtes, which was thanne king,144

Whan that he herde this tyding

Of Jason, which was comen there,

And of these othre, what thei were,

He thoghte don hem gret worschipe:

For thei anon come out of Schipe,

And strawht unto the king thei wente,

And be the hond Jason he hente,

And that was ate paleis gate,

So fer the king cam on his gate3330

P. ii. 239

Toward Jason to don him chiere;

And he, whom lacketh no manere,

Whan he the king sih in presence,

Yaf him ayein such reverence

As to a kinges stat belongeth.

And thus the king him underfongeth,

And Jason in his arm he cawhte,

And forth into the halle he strawhte,

And ther they siete and spieke of thinges,

And Jason tolde him tho tidinges,1453340

Why he was come, and faire him preide

To haste his time, and the kyng seide,

‘Jason, thou art a worthi kniht,

Bot it lith in no mannes myht

To don that thou art come fore:

Ther hath be many a kniht forlore

Of that thei wolden it assaie.’

Bot Jason wolde him noght esmaie,

And seide, ‘Of every worldes cure

Fortune stant in aventure,3350

Per aunter wel, per aunter wo:

Bot hou as evere that it go,

It schal be with myn hond assaied.’

The king tho hield him noght wel paied,

For he the Grekes sore dredde,

In aunter, if Jason ne spedde,

He mihte therof bere a blame;

For tho was al the worldes fame

In Grece, as forto speke of Armes.

Forthi he dredde him of his harmes,3360

P. ii. 240

And gan to preche him and to preie;

Bot Jason wolde noght obeie,

Bot seide he wolde his porpos holde

For ought that eny man him tolde.

The king, whan he thes wordes herde,146

And sih hou that this kniht ansuerde,

Yit for he wolde make him glad,

After Medea gon he bad,

Which was his dowhter, and sche cam.

And Jason, which good hiede nam,3370

Whan he hire sih, ayein hire goth;

And sche, which was him nothing loth,

Welcomede him into that lond,

And softe tok him be the hond,

And doun thei seten bothe same.

Sche hadde herd spoke of his name147

And of his grete worthinesse;

Forthi sche gan hir yhe impresse

Upon his face and his stature,

And thoghte hou nevere creature3380

Was so wel farende as was he.

And Jason riht in such degre

Ne mihte noght withholde his lok,

Bot so good hiede on hire he tok,

That him ne thoghte under the hevene

Of beaute sawh he nevere hir evene,

With al that fell to wommanhiede.

Thus ech of other token hiede,

Thogh ther no word was of record;

Here hertes bothe of on acord3390

P. ii. 241

Ben set to love, bot as tho

Ther mihten be no wordes mo.

The king made him gret joie and feste,148

To alle his men he yaf an heste,

So as thei wolde his thonk deserve,

That thei scholde alle Jason serve,

Whil that he wolde there duelle.

And thus the dai, schortly to telle,

With manye merthes thei despente,

Til nyht was come, and tho thei wente,3400

Echon of other tok his leve,

Whan thei no lengere myhten leve.

I not hou Jason that nyht slep,

Bot wel I wot that of the Schep,

For which he cam into that yle,

He thoghte bot a litel whyle;

Al was Medea that he thoghte,

So that in many a wise he soghte

His witt wakende er it was day,

Som time yee, som time nay,3410

Som time thus, som time so,

As he was stered to and fro

Of love, and ek of his conqueste

As he was holde of his beheste.

And thus he ros up be the morwe

And tok himself seint John to borwe,

And seide he wolde ferst beginne

At love, and after forto winne

The flees of gold, for which he com,

And thus to him good herte he nom.3420

P. ii. 242

Medea riht the same wise,

Til dai cam that sche moste arise,149

Lay and bethoughte hire al the nyht,

Hou sche that noble worthi kniht

Be eny weie mihte wedde:

And wel sche wiste, if he ne spedde

Of thing which he hadde undertake,

Sche mihte hirself no porpos take;

For if he deide of his bataile,

Sche moste thanne algate faile3430

To geten him, whan he were ded.

Thus sche began to sette red

And torne aboute hir wittes alle,

To loke hou that it mihte falle

That sche with him hadde a leisir

To speke and telle of hir desir.

And so it fell that same day150

That Jason with that suete may

Togedre sete and hadden space

To speke, and he besoughte hir grace.1513440

And sche his tale goodli herde,

And afterward sche him ansuerde

And seide, ‘Jason, as thou wilt,

Thou miht be sauf, thou miht be spilt;

For wite wel that nevere man,

Bot if he couthe that I can,

Ne mihte that fortune achieve

For which thou comst: bot as I lieve,

If thou wolt holde covenant

To love, of al the remenant3450

P. ii. 243

I schal thi lif and honour save,

That thou the flees of gold schalt have.’

He seide, ‘Al at youre oghne wille,

Ma dame, I schal treuly fulfille

Youre heste, whil mi lif mai laste.’

Thus longe he preide, and ate laste

Sche granteth, and behihte him this,

That whan nyht comth and it time is,

Sche wolde him sende certeinly

Such on that scholde him prively3460

Al one into hire chambre bringe.

He thonketh hire of that tidinge,

For of that grace him is begonne

Him thenkth alle othre thinges wonne.

The dai made ende and lost his lyht,152

And comen was the derke nyht,

Which al the daies yhe blente.

Jason tok leve and forth he wente,

And whan he cam out of the pres,

He tok to conseil Hercules,3470

And tolde him hou it was betid,

And preide it scholde wel ben hid,153

And that he wolde loke aboute,

Therwhiles that he schal ben oute.

Thus as he stod and hiede nam,

A Mayden fro Medea cam

And to hir chambre Jason ledde,

Wher that he fond redi to bedde

The faireste and the wiseste eke;

And sche with simple chiere and meke,3480

P. ii. 244

Whan sche him sih, wax al aschamed.154

Tho was here tale newe entamed;155

For sikernesse of Mariage

Sche fette forth a riche ymage,156

Which was figure of Jupiter,

And Jason swor and seide ther,

That also wiss god scholde him helpe,

That if Medea dede him helpe,

That he his pourpos myhte wtnne,

Thei scholde nevere parte atwinne,1573490

Bot evere whil him lasteth lif,

He wolde hire holde for his wif.

And with that word thei kisten bothe;

And for thei scholden hem unclothe,

Ther cam a Maide, and in hir wise

Sche dede hem bothe full servise,

Til that thei were in bedde naked:

I wot that nyht was wel bewaked,

Thei hadden bothe what thei wolde.

And thanne of leisir sche him tolde,3500

And gan fro point to point enforme

Of his bataile and al the forme,

Which as he scholde finde there,

Whan he to thyle come were.

Sche seide, at entre of the pas

Hou Mars, which god of Armes was,

Hath set tuo Oxen sterne and stoute,

That caste fyr and flamme aboute

Bothe at the mouth and ate nase,

So that thei setten al on blase3510

P. ii. 245

What thing that passeth hem betwene:

And forthermore upon the grene

Ther goth the flees of gold to kepe

A Serpent, which mai nevere slepe.

Thus who that evere scholde it winne,

The fyr to stoppe he mot beginne,

Which that the fierce bestes caste,158

And daunte he mot hem ate laste,

So that he mai hem yoke and dryve;

And therupon he mot as blyve3520

The Serpent with such strengthe assaile,

That he mai slen him be bataile;

Of which he mot the teth outdrawe,

As it belongeth to that lawe,

And thanne he mot tho Oxen yoke,

Til thei have with a plowh tobroke

A furgh of lond, in which arowe

The teth of thaddre he moste sowe,

And therof schule arise knihtes

Wel armed up at alle rihtes.3530

Of hem is noght to taken hiede,

For ech of hem in hastihiede

Schal other slen with dethes wounde:159

And thus whan thei ben leid to grounde,160

Than mot he to the goddes preie,

And go so forth and take his preie.

Bot if he faile in eny wise

Of that ye hiere me devise,

Ther mai be set non other weie,

That he ne moste algates deie.3540

P. ii. 246

‘Nou have I told the peril al:

I woll you tellen forth withal,’

Quod Medea to Jason tho,

‘That ye schul knowen er ye go,

Ayein the venym and the fyr161

What schal ben the recoverir.

Bot, Sire, for it is nyh day,

Ariseth up, so that I may

Delivere you what thing I have,

That mai youre lif and honour save.’3550

Thei weren bothe loth to rise,

Bot for thei weren bothe wise,

Up thei arisen ate laste:

Jason his clothes on him caste

And made him redi riht anon,

And sche hir scherte dede upon

And caste on hire a mantel clos,

Withoute more and thanne aros.

Tho tok sche forth a riche Tye

Mad al of gold and of Perrie,3560

Out of the which sche nam a Ring,

The Ston was worth al other thing.

Sche seide, whil he wolde it were,

Ther myhte no peril him dere,

In water mai it noght be dreynt,

Wher as it comth the fyr is queynt,

It daunteth ek the cruel beste,

Ther may no qued that man areste,

Wher so he be on See or lond,

Which hath that ring upon his hond:3570

P. ii. 247

And over that sche gan to sein,

That if a man wol ben unsein,

Withinne his hond hold clos the Ston,

And he mai invisible gon.

The Ring to Jason sche betauhte,

And so forth after sche him tauhte

What sacrifise he scholde make;

And gan out of hire cofre take

Him thoughte an hevenely figure,

Which al be charme and be conjure3580

Was wroght, and ek it was thurgh write

With names, which be scholde wite,162

As sche him tauhte tho to rede;

And bad him, as he wolde spede,

Withoute reste of eny while,

Whan he were londed in that yle,

He scholde make his sacrifise

And rede his carecte in the wise

As sche him tauhte, on knes doun bent,

Thre sithes toward orient;3590

For so scholde he the goddes plese

And winne himselven mochel ese.

And whanne he hadde it thries rad,

To opne a buiste sche him bad,

Which sche ther tok him in present,

And was full of such oignement,

That ther was fyr ne venym non

That scholde fastnen him upon,

Whan that he were enoynt withal.163

Forthi sche tauhte him hou he schal3600

P. ii. 248

Enoignte his armes al aboute,

And for he scholde nothing doute,

Sche tok him thanne a maner glu,

The which was of so gret vertu,

That where a man it wolde caste,

It scholde binde anon so faste

That noman mihte it don aweie.

And that sche bad be alle weie

He scholde into the mouthes throwen

Of tho tweie Oxen that fyr blowen,3610

Therof to stoppen the malice;

The glu schal serve of that office.

And over that hir oignement,

Hir Ring and hir enchantement

Ayein the Serpent scholde him were,

Til he him sle with swerd or spere:

And thanne he may saufliche ynowh

His Oxen yoke into the plowh

And the teth sowe in such a wise,164

Til he the knyhtes se arise,3620

And ech of other doun be leid

In such manere as I have seid.

Lo, thus Medea for Jason

Ordeigneth, and preith therupon

That he nothing foryete scholde,

And ek sche preith him that he wolde,

Whan he hath alle his Armes don,

To grounde knele and thonke anon

The goddes, and so forth be ese

The flees of gold he scholde sese.3630

P. ii. 249

And whanne he hadde it sesed so,

That thanne he were sone ago

Withouten eny tariynge.

Whan this was seid, into wepinge

Sche fell, as sche that was thurgh nome

With love, and so fer overcome,

That al hir world on him sche sette.

Bot whan sche sih ther was no lette,

That he mot nedes parte hire fro,

Sche tok him in hire armes tuo,3640

An hundred time and gan him kisse,

And seide, ‘O, al mi worldes blisse,

Mi trust, mi lust, mi lif, min hele,

To be thin helpe in this querele

I preie unto the goddes alle.’

And with that word sche gan doun falle

On swoune, and he hire uppe nam,165

And forth with that the Maiden cam,

And thei to bedde anon hir broghte,

And thanne Jason hire besoghte,3650

And to hire seide in this manere:

‘Mi worthi lusti ladi dere,

Conforteth you, for be my trouthe

It schal noght fallen in mi slouthe

That I ne wol thurghout fulfille

Youre hestes at youre oghne wille.

And yit I hope to you bringe

Withinne a while such tidinge,

The which schal make ous bothe game.’

Bot for he wolde kepe hir name,3660

P. ii. 250

Whan that he wiste it was nyh dai,

He seide, ‘A dieu, mi swete mai.’

And forth with him he nam his gere,

Which as sche hadde take him there,

And strauht unto his chambre he wente,166

And goth to bedde and slep him hente,

And lay, that noman him awok,

For Hercules hiede of him tok,167

Til it was undren hih and more.168

And thanne he gan to sighe sore3670

And sodeinliche abreide of slep;169

And thei that token of him kep,

His chamberleins, be sone there,

And maden redi al his gere,

And he aros and to the king

He wente, and seide hou to that thing

For which he cam he wolde go.

The king therof was wonder wo,170

And for he wolde him fain withdrawe,

He tolde him many a dredful sawe,3680

Bot Jason wolde it noght recorde,

And ate laste thei acorde.

Whan that he wolde noght abide,

A Bot was redy ate tyde,

In which this worthi kniht of Grece

Ful armed up at every piece,

To his bataile which belongeth,

Tok ore on honde and sore him longeth,171

Til he the water passed were.

Whan he cam to that yle there,3690

P. ii. 251

He set him on his knes doun strauht,172

And his carecte, as he was tawht,

He radde, and made his sacrifise,

And siththe enoignte him in that wise,

As Medea him hadde bede;

And thanne aros up fro that stede,

And with the glu the fyr he queynte,

And anon after he atteinte

The grete Serpent and him slowh.

Bot erst he hadde sorwe ynowh,3700

For that Serpent made him travaile

So harde and sore of his bataile,

That nou he stod and nou he fell:

For longe time it so befell,

That with his swerd ne with his spere173

He mihte noght that Serpent dere.174

He was so scherded al aboute,

It hield all eggetol withoute,

He was so ruide and hard of skin,

Ther mihte nothing go therin;3710

Venym and fyr togedre he caste,

That he Jason so sore ablaste,

That if ne were his oignement,

His Ring and his enchantement,

Which Medea tok him tofore,

He hadde with that worm be lore;

Bot of vertu which therof cam

Jason the Dragon overcam.

And he anon the teth outdrouh,

And sette his Oxen in a plouh,1753720

P. ii. 252

With which he brak a piece of lond

And sieu hem with his oghne hond.

Tho mihte he gret merveile se:

Of every toth in his degre

Sprong up a kniht with spere and schield,

Of whiche anon riht in the field

Echon slow other; and with that

Jason Medea noght foryat,

On bothe his knes he gan doun falle,

And yaf thonk to the goddes alle.3730

The Flees he tok and goth to Bote,

The Sonne schyneth bryhte and hote,

The Flees of gold schon forth withal,

The water glistreth overal.

Medea wepte and sigheth ofte,

And stod upon a Tour alofte:

Al prively withinne hirselve,

Ther herde it nouther ten ne tuelve,

Sche preide, and seide, ‘O, god him spede,

The kniht which hath mi maidenhiede!’3740

And ay sche loketh toward thyle.

Bot whan sche sih withinne a while176

The Flees glistrende ayein the Sonne,

Sche saide, ‘Ha lord, now al is wonne,177

Mi kniht the field hath overcome:

Nou wolde god he were come;

Ha lord, that he ne were alonde!’178

Bot I dar take this on honde,

If that sche hadde wynges tuo,

Sche wolde have flowe unto him tho3750

P. ii. 253

Strawht ther he was into the Bot.179

The dai was clier, the Sonne hot,

The Gregeis weren in gret doute,

The whyle that here lord was oute:

Thei wisten noght what scholde tyde,

Bot waiten evere upon the tyde,

To se what ende scholde falle.

Ther stoden ek the nobles alle

Forth with the comun of the toun;

And as thei loken up and doun,3760

Thei weren war withinne a throwe,

Wher cam the bot, which thei wel knowe,

And sihe hou Jason broghte his preie.

And tho thei gonnen alle seie,

And criden alle with o stevene,180

‘Ha, wher was evere under the hevene

So noble a knyht as Jason is?’

And welnyh alle seiden this,

That Jason was a faie kniht,

For it was nevere of marines miht3770

The Flees of gold so forto winne;

And thus to talen thei beginne.181

With that the king com forth anon,

And sih the Flees, hou that it schon;

And whan Jason cam to the lond,

The king himselve tok his hond

And kist him, and gret joie him made.

The Gregeis weren wonder glade,

And of that thing riht merie hem thoghte,

And forth with hem the Flees thei broghte,3780

P. ii. 254

And ech on other gan to leyhe;

Bot wel was him that mihte neyhe,

To se therof the proprete.

And thus thei passen the cite

And gon unto the Paleis straght.

Medea, which foryat him naght,

Was redy there, and seide anon,

‘Welcome, O worthi kniht Jason.’

Sche wolde have kist him wonder fayn,

Bot schame tornede hire agayn;3790

It was noght the manere as tho,182

Forthi sche dorste noght do so.

Sche tok hire leve, and Jason wente

Into his chambre, and sche him sente

Hire Maide to sen hou he ferde;

The which whan that sche sih and herde,183

Hou that he hadde faren oute

And that it stod wel al aboute,184

Sche tolde hire ladi what sche wiste,

And sche for joie hire Maide kiste.3800

The bathes weren thanne araied,

With herbes tempred and assaied,

And Jason was unarmed sone

And dede as it befell to done:

Into his bath he wente anon

And wyssh him clene as eny bon;

He tok a sopp, and oute he cam,

And on his beste aray he nam,

And kempde his hed, whan he was clad,

And goth him forth al merie and glad3810

P. ii. 255

Riht strawht into the kinges halle.

The king cam with his knihtes alle

And maden him glad welcominge;

And he hem tolde the tidinge185

Of this and that, hou it befell,

Whan that he wan the schepes fell.

Medea, whan sche was asent,

Com sone to that parlement,

And whan sche mihte Jason se,

Was non so glad of alle as sche.3820

Ther was no joie forto seche,

Of him mad every man a speche,186

Som man seide on, som man seide other;187

Bot thogh he were goddes brother

And mihte make fyr and thonder,

Ther mihte be nomore wonder

Than was of him in that cite.

Echon tauhte other, ‘This is he,

Which hath in his pouer withinne

That al the world ne mihte winne:3830

Lo, hier the beste of alle goode.’

Thus saiden thei that there stode,

And ek that walkede up and doun,

Bothe of the Court and of the toun.

The time of Souper cam anon,

Thei wisshen and therto thei gon,

Medea was with Jason set:

Tho was ther many a deynte fet

And set tofore hem on the bord,

Bot non so likinge as the word3840

P. ii. 256

Which was ther spoke among hem tuo,

So as thei dorste speke tho.

Bot thogh thei hadden litel space,

Yit thei acorden in that place

Hou Jason scholde come at nyht,

Whan every torche and every liht

Were oute, and thanne of other thinges188

Thei spieke aloud for supposinges

Of hem that stoden there aboute:

For love is everemore in doute,3850

If that it be wisly governed189

Of hem that ben of love lerned.

Whan al was don, that dissh and cuppe

And cloth and bord and al was uppe,

Thei waken whil hem lest to wake,

And after that thei leve take

And gon to bedde forto reste.

And whan him thoghte for the beste,

That every man was faste aslepe,

Jason, that wolde his time kepe,3860

Goth forth stalkende al prively

Unto the chambre, and redely

Ther was a Maide, which him kepte.

Medea wok and nothing slepte,

Bot natheles sche was abedde,

And he with alle haste him spedde

And made him naked and al warm.

Anon he tok hire in his arm:

What nede is forto speke of ese?

Hem list ech other forto plese,3870

P. ii. 257

So that thei hadden joie ynow:

And tho thei setten whanne and how

That sche with him awey schal stele.

With wordes suche and othre fele

Whan al was treted to an ende,

Jason tok leve and gan forth wende

Unto his oughne chambre in pes;

Ther wiste it non bot Hercules.

He slepte and ros whan it was time,190

And whanne it fell towardes prime,3880

He tok to him suche as he triste

In secre, that non other wiste,

And told hem of his conseil there,191

And seide that his wille were

That thei to Schipe hadde alle thinge

So priveliche in thevenynge,

That noman mihte here dede aspie

Bot tho that were of compaignie:192

For he woll go withoute leve,

And lengere woll he noght beleve;3890

Bot he ne wolde at thilke throwe

The king or queene scholde it knowe.

Thei saide, ‘Al this schal wel be do:’

And Jason truste wel therto.

Medea in the mene while,

Which thoghte hir fader to beguile,

The Tresor which hir fader hadde

With hire al priveli sche ladde,

And with Jason at time set

Awey sche stal and fond no let,3900

P. ii. 258

And straght sche goth hire unto schipe

Of Grece with that felaschipe,

And thei anon drowe up the Seil.

And al that nyht this was conseil,

Bot erly, whan the Sonne schon,

Men syhe hou that thei were agon,

And come unto the king and tolde:

And he the sothe knowe wolde,

And axeth where his dowhter was.

Ther was no word bot Out, Allas!3910

Sche was ago. The moder wepte,

The fader as a wod man lepte,

And gan the time forto warie,

And swor his oth he wol noght tarie,193

That with Caliphe and with galeie

The same cours, the same weie,

Which Jason tok, he wolde take,

If that he mihte him overtake.

To this thei seiden alle yee:

Anon thei weren ate See,3920

And alle, as who seith, at a word

Thei gon withinne schipes bord,

The Sail goth up, and forth thei strauhte.

Bot non espleit therof thei cauhte,

And so thei tornen hom ayein,

For al that labour was in vein.

Jason to Grece with his preie

Goth thurgh the See the rihte weie:

Whan he ther com and men it tolde,

Thei maden joie yonge and olde.3930

P. ii. 259

Eson, whan that he wiste of this,

Hou that his Sone comen is,

And hath achieved that he soughte

And hom with him Medea broughte,

In al the wyde world was non

So glad a man as he was on.

Togedre ben these lovers tho,

Til that thei hadden sones tuo,

Wherof thei weren bothe glade,

And olde Eson gret joie made3940

To sen thencress of his lignage;

For he was of so gret an Age,

That men awaiten every day,

Whan that he scholde gon away.

Jason, which sih his fader old,

Upon Medea made him bold,

Of art magique, which sche couthe,

And preith hire that his fader youthe

Sche wolde make ayeinward newe:

And sche, that was toward him trewe,3950

Behihte him that sche wolde it do,

Whan that sche time sawh therto.

Bot what sche dede in that matiere

It is a wonder thing to hiere,

Bot yit for the novellerie

I thenke tellen a partie.194

Nota quibus medicamentis Esonem senectute decrepitum ad sue iuuentutis adolescenciam prudens Medea reduxit.

Thus it befell upon a nyht,

Whan ther was noght bot sterreliht,

Sche was vanyssht riht as hir liste,

That no wyht bot hirself it wiste,1953960

P. ii. 260

And that was ate mydnyht tyde.

The world was stille on every side;196

With open hed and fot al bare,

Hir her tosprad sche gan to fare,197

Upon hir clothes gert sche was,

Al specheles and on the gras198

Sche glod forth as an Addre doth:

Non otherwise sche ne goth,

Til sche cam to the freisshe flod,

And there a while sche withstod.3970

Thries sche torned hire aboute,

And thries ek sche gan doun loute

And in the flod sche wette hir her,

And thries on the water ther

Sche gaspeth with a drecchinge onde,199

And tho sche tok hir speche on honde.

Ferst sche began to clepe and calle

Upward unto the sterres alle,

To Wynd, to Air, to See, to lond

Sche preide, and ek hield up hir hond3980

To Echates, and gan to crie,

Which is goddesse of Sorcerie.

Sche seide, ‘Helpeth at this nede,

And as ye maden me to spede,

Whan Jason cam the Flees to seche,

So help me nou, I you beseche.’

With that sche loketh and was war,

Doun fro the Sky ther cam a char,

The which Dragouns aboute drowe:

And tho sche gan hir hed doun bowe,2003990

P. ii. 261

And up sche styh, and faire and wel

Sche drof forth bothe char and whel201

Above in thair among the Skyes.

The lond of Crete and tho parties

Sche soughte, and faste gan hire hye,

And there upon the hulles hyhe

Of Othrin and Olimpe also,

And ek of othre hulles mo,

Sche fond and gadreth herbes suote,

Sche pulleth up som be the rote,4000

And manye with a knyf sche scherth,

And alle into hir char sche berth.

Thus whan sche hath the hulles sought,

The flodes ther foryat sche nought,

Eridian and Amphrisos,

Peneie and ek Spercheïdos,202

To hem sche wente and ther sche nom

Bothe of the water and the fom,203

The sond and ek the smale stones,

Whiche as sche ches out for the nones,4010

And of the rede See a part,

That was behovelich to hire art,

Sche tok, and after that aboute

Sche soughte sondri sedes oute

In feldes and in many greves,

And ek a part sche tok of leves:

Bot thing which mihte hire most availe

Sche fond in Crete and in Thessaile.

In daies and in nyhtes Nyne,

With gret travaile and with gret pyne,2044020

P. ii. 262

Sche was pourveid of every piece,

And torneth homward into Grece.

Before the gates of Eson

Hir char sche let awai to gon,205

And tok out ferst that was therinne;

For tho sche thoghte to beginne

Such thing as semeth impossible,

And made hirselven invisible,

As sche that was with Air enclosed206

And mihte of noman be desclosed.4030

Sche tok up turves of the lond

Withoute helpe of mannes hond,

Al heled with the grene gras,

Of which an Alter mad ther was

Unto Echates the goddesse

Of art magique and the maistresse,

And eft an other to Juvente,

As sche which dede hir hole entente.

Tho tok sche fieldwode and verveyne,

Of herbes ben noght betre tueine,4040

Of which anon withoute let

These alters ben aboute set:

Tuo sondri puttes faste by207

Sche made, and with that hastely

A wether which was blak sche slouh,

And out therof the blod sche drouh

And dede into the pettes tuo;

Warm melk sche putte also therto

With hony meynd: and in such wise208

Sche gan to make hir sacrifice,4050

P. ii. 263

And cride and preide forth withal

To Pluto the god infernal,

And to the queene Proserpine.

And so sche soghte out al the line

Of hem that longen to that craft,

Behinde was no name laft,

And preide hem alle, as sche wel couthe,

To grante Eson his ferste youthe.

This olde Eson broght forth was tho,

Awei sche bad alle othre go4060

Upon peril that mihte falle;

And with that word thei wenten alle,

And leften there hem tuo al one.

And tho sche gan to gaspe and gone,

And made signes manyon,

And seide hir wordes therupon;

So that with spellinge of hir charmes209

Sche tok Eson inbothe hire armes,

And made him forto slepe faste,

And him upon hire herbes caste.4070

The blake wether tho sche tok,

And hiewh the fleissh, as doth a cok;210

On either alter part sche leide,211

And with the charmes that sche seide

A fyr doun fro the Sky alyhte

And made it forto brenne lyhte.

Bot whan Medea sawh it brenne,

Anon sche gan to sterte and renne

The fyri aulters al aboute:

Ther was no beste which goth oute4080

P. ii. 264

More wylde than sche semeth ther:

Aboute hir schuldres hyng hir her,

As thogh sche were oute of hir mynde

And torned in an other kynde.

Tho lay ther certein wode cleft,

Of which the pieces nou and eft

Sche made hem in the pettes wete,

And put hem in the fyri hete,212

And tok the brond with al the blase,

And thries sche began to rase4090

Aboute Eson, ther as he slepte;

And eft with water, which sche kepte,

Sche made a cercle aboute him thries,

And eft with fyr of sulphre twyes:

Ful many an other thing sche dede,

Which is noght writen in this stede.

Bot tho sche ran so up and doun,

Sche made many a wonder soun,

Somtime lich unto the cock,

Somtime unto the Laverock,4100

Somtime kacleth as a Hen,

Somtime spekth as don the men:

And riht so as hir jargoun strangeth,

In sondri wise hir forme changeth,

Sche semeth faie and no womman;

For with the craftes that sche can213

Sche was, as who seith, a goddesse,

And what hir liste, more or lesse,

Sche dede, in bokes as we finde,

That passeth over manneskinde.2144110

P. ii. 265

Bot who that wole of wondres hiere,

What thing sche wroghte in this matiere,

To make an ende of that sche gan,215

Such merveile herde nevere man.

Apointed in the newe Mone,

Whan it was time forto done,

Sche sette a caldron on the fyr,

In which was al the hole atir,

Wheron the medicine stod,

Of jus, of water and of blod,4120

And let it buile in such a plit,

Til that sche sawh the spume whyt;

And tho sche caste in rynde and rote,

And sed and flour that was for bote,

With many an herbe and many a ston,

Wherof sche hath ther many on:

And ek Cimpheius the Serpent

To hire hath alle his scales lent,

Chelidre hire yaf his addres skin,216

And sche to builen caste hem in;4130

A part ek of the horned Oule,

The which men hiere on nyhtes houle;

And of a Raven, which was told

Of nyne hundred wynter old,

Sche tok the hed with al the bile;

And as the medicine it wile,

Sche tok therafter the bouele217

Of the Seewolf, and for the hele218

Of Eson, with a thousand mo

Of thinges that sche hadde tho,2194140

P. ii. 266

In that Caldroun togedre as blyve

Sche putte, and tok thanne of Olyve

A drie branche hem with to stere,

The which anon gan floure and bere

And waxe al freissh and grene ayein.

Whan sche this vertu hadde sein,

Sche let the leste drope of alle

Upon the bare flor doun falle;

Anon ther sprong up flour and gras,

Where as the drope falle was,4150

And wox anon al medwe grene,220

So that it mihte wel be sene.221

Medea thanne knew and wiste

Hir medicine is forto triste,

And goth to Eson ther he lay,

And tok a swerd was of assay,

With which a wounde upon his side

Sche made, that therout mai slyde

The blod withinne, which was old

And sek and trouble and fieble and cold.2224160

And tho sche tok unto his us223

Of herbes al the beste jus,

And poured it into his wounde;

That made his veynes fulle and sounde:

And tho sche made his wounde clos,

And tok his hand, and up he ros;

And tho sche yaf him drinke a drauhte,

Of which his youthe ayein he cauhte,

His hed, his herte and his visage

Lich unto twenty wynter Age;4170

P. ii. 267

Hise hore heres were away,

And lich unto the freisshe Maii,

Whan passed ben the colde schoures,

Riht so recovereth he his floures.

Lo, what mihte eny man devise,

A womman schewe in eny wise

Mor hertly love in every stede,224

Than Medea to Jason dede?

Ferst sche made him the flees to winne,

And after that fro kiththe and kinne4180

With gret tresor with him sche stal,

And to his fader forth withal

His Elde hath torned into youthe,

Which thing non other womman couthe:

Bot hou it was to hire aquit,

The remembrance duelleth yit.225

King Peleüs his Em was ded,

Jason bar corone on his hed,

Medea hath fulfild his wille:

Bot whanne he scholde of riht fulfille4190

The trouthe, which to hire afore

He hadde in thyle of Colchos swore,

Tho was Medea most deceived.

For he an other hath received,

Which dowhter was to king Creon,

Creusa sche hihte, and thus Jason,

As he that was to love untrewe,

Medea lefte and tok a newe.

Bot that was after sone aboght:

Medea with hire art hath wroght4200

P. ii. 268

Of cloth of gold a mantel riche,

Which semeth worth a kingesriche,

And that was unto Creusa sent

In name of yifte and of present,

For Sosterhode hem was betuene;

And whan that yonge freisshe queene

That mantel lappeth hire aboute,

Anon therof the fyr sprong oute

And brente hir bothe fleissh and bon.

Tho cam Medea to Jason4210

With bothe his Sones on hire hond,

And seide, ‘O thou of every lond

The moste untrewe creature,

Lo, this schal be thi forfeture.’

With that sche bothe his Sones slouh

Before his yhe, and he outdrouh

His swerd and wold have slayn hir tho,226

Bot farewel, sche was ago

Unto Pallas the Court above,

Wher as sche pleigneth upon love,4220

As sche that was with that goddesse,

And he was left in gret destresse.

Confessor.

Thus miht them se what sorwe it doth

To swere an oth which is noght soth,

In loves cause namely.

Mi Sone, be wel war forthi,

And kep that thou be noght forswore:

For this, which I have told tofore,

Ovide telleth everydel.

Amans.

Mi fader, I may lieve it wel,4230

P. ii. 269

For I have herde it ofte seie227

Hou Jason tok the flees aweie

Fro Colchos, bot yit herde I noght

Be whom it was ferst thider broght.

And for it were good to hiere,

If that you liste at mi preiere

To telle, I wolde you beseche.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, who that wole it seche,

In bokes he mai finde it write;

And natheles, if thou wolt wite,4240

In the manere as thou hast preid

I schal the telle hou it is seid.

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