Chapter 36

[Cyrus and the Lydians.]To mochel ese is nothing worth,For that set every vice forth1356Hic loquitur qualiter regnum lasciuie voluptatibus deditum de facili vincitur.1357Et ponit exemplum de Ciro Rege Persarum, qui cum Liddos mire1358probitatis strenuissimos sibique in bello aduersantes nullo modo vincere potuit, cum ipsis tandem pacis tractatum dissimilans concordiam finalem stabiliri1359finxit. Super quo Liddi postea per aliquod tempus armis insoliti sub pacis torpore1360voluptatibus intendebant: quod Cirus percipiens in eos armatus subito irruit, ipsosque indefencibiles1361vincens sub imperio tributarios subiugauit.And every vertu put abak,Wherof priss torneth into lak,As in Cronique I mai reherse:Which telleth hou the king of Perse,That Cirus hihte, a werre haddeAyein a poeple which he dradde,Of a contre which Liddos hihte;Bot yit for oght that he do mihte4370As in bataille upon the werre,He hadde of hem alwey the werre.P. iii. 239And whan he sih and wiste it wel,That he be strengthe wan no del,Thanne ate laste he caste a wyleThis worthi poeple to beguile,And tok with hem a feigned pes,Which scholde lasten endeles,So as he seide in wordes wise,Bot he thoghte al in other wise.4380For it betidd upon the cas,1362Whan that this poeple in reste was,Thei token eses manyfold;And worldes ese, as it is told,Be weie of kinde is the norriceOf every lust which toucheth vice.Thus whan thei were in lustes falle,The werres ben foryeten alle;Was non which wolde the worschipeOf Armes, hot in idelschipe4390Thei putten besinesse aweieAnd token hem to daunce and pleie;Bot most above alle othre thingesThei token hem to the likingesOf fleysshly lust, that chastete1363Received was in no degre,Bot every man doth what him liste.And whan the king of Perse it wiste,That thei unto folie entenden,With his pouer, whan thei lest wenden,4400Mor sodeinly than doth the thunderHe cam, for evere and put hem under.1364(4600*)P. iii. 240And thus hath lecherie loreThe lond, which hadde be toforeThe beste of hem that were tho.[The Counsel of Balaam.]And in the bible I finde alsoA tale lich unto this thing,Nota hic1365qualiter fata bellica luxus infortunat. Et narrat quod cum Rex Amalech Hebreis sibi insultantibus resistere nequiit, consilio Balaam mulieres regni sui pulcherrimas in castra Hebreorum misit; qui ab ipsis contaminati1366graciam statim amiserunt. Et sic ab Amalech deuicti in magna multitudine gladio ceciderunt.Hou Amalech the paien king,Whan that he myhte be no weieDefende his lond and putte aweie4410The worthi poeple of Irael,1367This Sarazin, as it befell,Thurgh the conseil of BalaamA route of faire wommen nam,That lusti were and yonge of Age,1368And bad hem gon to the lignageOf these Hebreus: and forth thei wenteWith yhen greye and browes benteAnd wel arraied everych on;And whan thei come were anon4420Among thebreus, was non insihte,Bot cacche who that cacche myhte,And ech of hem hise lustes soghte,Whiche after thei full diere boghte.1369For grace anon began to faile,That whan thei comen to batailleThanne afterward, in sori plitThei were take and disconfit,So that withinne a litel throweThe myht of hem was overthrowe,4430That whilom were wont to stonde.Til Phinces the cause on hondeP. iii. 241Hath take, this vengance laste,Bot thanne it cessede ate laste,For god was paid of that he dede:1370For wher he fond upon a stedeA couple which misferde so,Thurghout he smot hem bothe tuo,And let hem ligge in mennes yhe;Wherof alle othre whiche hem sihe4440Ensamplede hem upon the dede,And preiden unto the godhiedeHere olde Sennes to amende:And he, which wolde his mercy sende,Restorede hem to newe grace.Thus mai it schewe in sondri place,Of chastete hou the clennesseAcordeth to the worthinesseOf men of Armes overal;Bot most of alle in special4450This vertu to a king belongeth,For upon his fortune it hongeth(4650*)Of that his lond schal spede or spille.Forthi bot if a king his willeFro lustes of his fleissh restreigne,Ayein himself he makth a treigne,Into the which if that he slyde,Him were betre go besyde.For every man mai understonde,Hou for a time that it stonde,4460It is a sori lust to lyke,Whos ende makth a man to sykeP. iii. 242And torneth joies into sorwe.The brihte Sonne be the morweBeschyneth noght the derke nyht,The lusti youthe of mannes myht,In Age bot it stonde wel,Mistorneth al the laste whiel.[Evil Example of Solomon.]That every worthi Prince is holdeWithinne himself himself beholde,4470Hic loquitur qualiter Principum irregulata voluptas eos a semita recta multociens deuiare compellit. Et narrat exemplum de Salomone, qui ex sue carnis concupiscencia victus mulierum blandimentis in sui scandalum deos alienos eolere presumebat.To se the stat of his persone,1371And thenke hou ther be joies noneUpon this Erthe mad to laste,And hou the fleissh schal ate lasteThe lustes of this lif forsake,Him oghte a gret ensample takeOf Salomon, whos appetitWas holy set upon delit,To take of wommen the plesance:So that upon his ignorance4480The wyde world merveileth yit,That he, which alle mennes witIn thilke time hath overpassed,With fleisshly lustes was so tassed,That he which ladde under the laweThe poeple of god, himself withdraweHe hath fro god in such a wise,That he worschipe and sacrifiseFor sondri love in sondri stedeUnto the false goddes dede.4490This was the wise ecclesiaste,The fame of whom schal evere laste,1372P. iii. 243That he the myhti god forsok,Ayein the lawe whanne he tokHise wyves and hise concubinesOf hem that weren Sarazines,For whiche he dede ydolatrie.For this I rede of his sotie:Sche of Sidoyne so him ladde,De filia Regis Cidonie.That he knelende hise armes spradde4500To Astrathen with gret humblesse,Which of hire lond was the goddesse:(4700*)De filia Regis Moab.And sche that was a MoabiteSo ferforth made him to deliteThurgh lust, which al his wit devoureth,That he Chamos hire god honoureth.De filia Regis Amon.An other Amonyte alsoWith love him hath assoted so,Hire god Moloch that with encenseHe sacreth, and doth reverence4510In such a wise as sche him bad.Thus was the wiseste overladWith blinde lustes whiche he soghte:Bot he it afterward aboghte.[Division of his Kingdom.]For Achias Selonites,Which was prophete, er his decess,Nota hic qualiter Achias propheta, in signum quod regnum post mortem Salomonis ob eius peccatum a suo herede diminueretur, pallium suum in xii. partes scidit, vnde x. partes Ieroboe filio Nabal, qui regnaturus postea successit, precepto dei tribuit.Whil he was in hise lustes alle,Betokneth what schal after falle.For on a day, whan that he metteJeroboam the knyht, he grette4520And bad him that he scholde abyde,To hiere what him schal betyde.P. iii. 244And forth withal Achias casteHis mantell of, and also fasteHe kut it into pieces twelve,1373Wherof tuo partz toward himselve1374He kepte, and al the remenant,As god hath set his covenant,He tok unto Jeroboas,Of Nabal which the Sone was4530And of the kinges court a knyht:And seide him, ‘Such is goddes myht,As thou hast sen departed hiereMi mantell, riht in such manereAfter the deth of SalomonGod hath ordeigned therupon,This regne thanne he schal divide:Which time thou schalt ek abide,And upon that divisionThe regne as in proporcion4540As thou hast of mi mantell take,Thou schalt receive, I undertake.And thus the Sone schal abieThe lustes and the lecherieOf him which nou his fader is.’So forto taken hiede of this,It sit a king wel to be chaste,For elles he mai lihtly wasteHimself and ek his regne bothe,And that oghte every king to lothe.4550O, which a Senne violent,Wherof so wys a king was schent,(4750*)P. iii. 245That the vengance in his personeWas noght ynouh to take al one,Bot afterward, whan he was passed,It hath his heritage lassed,As I more openli tofore1375The tale tolde. And thus therforeAristotiles.1376O Alexander, super omnia consulo, conserua tibi calorem naturalem.The Philosophre upon this thingWrit and conseileth to a king,4560That he the surfet of luxureSchal tempre and reule of such mesure,Which be to kinde sufficantAnd ek to reson acordant,So that the lustes ignoranceBe cause of no misgovernance,Thurgh which that he be overthrowe,As he that wol no reson knowe.For bot a mannes wit be swerved,Whan kinde is dueliche served,4570It oghte of reson to suffise;For if it falle him otherwise,1377He mai tho lustes sore drede.1378[Antonius.]For of Anthonie thus I rede,1379De voluptuoso Antonio.Which of Severus was the Sone,That he his lif of comun woneYaf holy unto thilke vice,And ofte time he was so nyce,Wherof nature hire hath compleignedUnto the god, which hath desdeigned4580The werkes whiche Antonie wroghte1380Of lust, whiche he ful sore aboghte:P. iii. 246For god his forfet hath so wrokeThat in Cronique it is yit spoke.Bot forto take remembranceOf special misgovernanceThurgh covoitise and injusticeForth with the remenant of vice,And nameliche of lecherie,I finde write a gret partie4590Withinne a tale, as thou schalt hiere,Which is thensample of this matiere.[Tarquin and his son Aruns.]So as these olde gestes sein,The proude tirannyssh RomeinHic loquitur de Tarquino nuper Rome1381Imperatore, necnon et de eiusdem filio nomine Arrons, qui omni viciorum varietate repleti tam in homines quam in mulieres innumera scelera perpetrarunt: set specialiter super hiis que contra Gabinos fraudulenter operati sunt tractare intendit.Tarquinus, which was thanne kingAnd wroghte many a wrongful thing,Of Sones hadde manyon,Among the whiche Arrons was on,Lich to his fader of maneres;So that withinne a fewe yeres4600With tresoun and with tirannieThei wonne of lond a gret partie,(4800*)And token hiede of no justice,Which due was to here officeUpon the reule of governance;Bot al that evere was plesanceUnto the fleisshes lust thei toke.And fell so, that thei undertokeA werre, which was noght achieved,Bot ofte time it hadde hem grieved,13824610Ayein a folk which thanne hihte1383The Gabiens: and al be nyhteP. iii. 247This Arrons, whan he was at homIn Rome, a prive place he nomWithinne a chambre, and bet himselveAnd made him woundes ten or tuelveUpon the bak, as it was sene;And so forth with hise hurtes greneIn al the haste that he mayHe rod, and cam that other day4620Unto Gabie the Cite,And in he wente: and whan that heWas knowe, anon the gates schette,The lordes alle upon him setteWith drawe swerdes upon honde.This Arrons wolde hem noght withstonde,Bot seide, ‘I am hier at your wille,Als lief it is that ye me spille,1384As if myn oghne fader dede.’And forthwith in the same stede4630He preide hem that thei wolde se,And schewede hem in what degreHis fader and hise brethren bothe,Whiche, as he seide, weren wrothe,Him hadde beten and reviled,For evere and out of Rome exiled.And thus he made hem to believe,And seide, if that he myhte achieveHis pourpos, it schal wel be yolde,Be so that thei him helpe wolde.4640Whan that the lordes hadde sein1385Hou wofully he was besein,P. iii. 248Thei token Pite of his grief;Bot yit it was hem wonder liefThat Rome him hadde exiled so.These Gabiens be conseil tho1386Upon the goddes made him swere,That he to hem schal trouthe bereAnd strengthen hem with al his myht;And thei also him have behiht4650To helpen him in his querele.Thei schopen thanne for his hele(4850*)That he was bathed and enoignt,Til that he was in lusti point;And what he wolde thanne he hadde,That he al hol the cite laddeRiht as he wolde himself divise.And thanne he thoghte him in what wiseHe myhte his tirannie schewe;And to his conseil tok a schrewe,4660Whom to his fader forth he senteIn his message, and he tho wente,1387And preide his fader forto seieBe his avis, and finde a weie,Hou they the cite myhten winne,Whil that he stod so wel therinne.And whan the messager was comeTo Rome, and hath in conseil nomeThe king, it fell per chance soThat thei were in a gardin tho,4670This messager forth with the king.And whanne he hadde told the thingP. iii. 249In what manere that it stod,And that Tarquinus understodBe the message hou that it ferde,Anon he tok in honde a yerde,And in the gardin as thei gon,The lilie croppes on and on,Wher that thei weren sprongen oute,He smot of, as thei stode aboute,4680And seide unto the messager:‘Lo, this thing, which I do nou hier,Schal ben in stede of thin ansuere;And in this wise as I me bere,Thou schalt unto mi Sone telle.’And he no lengere wolde duelle,Bot tok his leve and goth withalUnto his lord and told him al,1388Hou that his fader hadde do.Whan Arrons herde him telle so,4690Anon he wiste what it mente,And therto sette al his entente,Til he thurgh fraude and tricherieThe Princes hefdes of GabieHath smiten of, and al was wonne:His fader cam tofore the SonneInto the toun with the Romeins,And tok and slowh the citezeinsWithoute reson or pite,That he ne spareth no degre.4700And for the sped of this conquesteHe let do make a riche feste(4900*)P. iii. 250With a sollempne SacrifiseIn Phebus temple; and in this wiseWhan the Romeins assembled were,In presence of hem alle there,Upon thalter whan al was dihtAnd that the fyres were alyht,From under thalter sodeinlyAn hidous Serpent openly4710Cam out and hath devoured alThe Sacrifice, and ek withalThe fyres queynt, and forth anon,So as he cam, so is he gonInto the depe ground ayein.And every man began to sein,‘Ha lord, what mai this signefie?’And therupon thei preie and crieTo Phebus, that thei mihten knoweThe cause: and he the same throwe4720With gastly vois, that alle it herde,The Romeins in this wise ansuerde,And seide hou for the wikkidnesseOf Pride and of unrihtwisnesse,That Tarquin and his Sone hath do,The Sacrifice is wasted so,Which myhte noght ben acceptableUpon such Senne abhominable.And over that yit he hem wisseth,And seith that which of hem ferst kisseth4730His moder, he schal take wriecheUpon the wrong: and of that specheP. iii. 251Thei ben withinne here hertes glade,Thogh thei outward no semblant made.Ther was a knyht which Brutus hihte,And he with al the haste he myhteTo grounde fell and therthe kiste,1389Bot non of hem the cause wiste,Bot wenden that he hadde spornedPer chance, and so was overtorned.4740Bot Brutus al an other mente;For he knew wel in his ententeHou therthe of every mannes kindeIs Moder: bot thei weren blinde,And sihen noght so fer as he.Bot whan thei leften the Cite1390And comen hom to Rome ayein,Thanne every man which was RomeinAnd moder hath, to hire he bendeAnd keste, and ech of hem thus wende4750To be the ferste upon the chance,Of Tarquin forto do vengance,(4950*)So as thei herden Phebus sein.[The Rape of Lucrece.]Bot every time hath his certein,1391So moste it nedes thanne abide,Til afterward upon a tydeHic narrat quod, cum Tarquinus in obsidione Ciuitatis Ardee, vt eam destrueret, intentus fuit, Arrons filius eius Romam secreto adiens in domo Collatini hospitatus est; vbi de nocte illam castissimam dominam Lucreciam ymaginata fraude vi oppressit: vnde illa pre dolore mortua, ipse cum Tarquino patre suo tota conclamante Roma in perpetuum exilium delegati sunt.Tarquinus made unskilfullyA werre, which was fastebyAyein a toun with walles strongeWhich Ardea was cleped longe,4760And caste a Siege theraboute,That ther mai noman passen oute.P. iii. 252So it befell upon a nyht,Arrons, which hadde his souper diht,A part of the chivalerieWith him to soupe in compaignieHath bede: and whan thei comen wereAnd seten at the souper there,Among here othre wordes gladeArrons a gret spekinge made,4770Who hadde tho the beste wifOf Rome: and ther began a strif,1392For Arrons seith he hath the beste.So jangle thei withoute reste,Til ate laste on Collatin,A worthi knyht, and was cousinTo Arrons, seide him in this wise:‘It is,’ quod he, ‘of non empriseTo speke a word, bot of the dede,Therof it is to taken hiede.13934780Anon forthi this same tydeLep on thin hors and let ous ryde:So mai we knowe bothe tuoUnwarli what oure wyves do,And that schal be a trewe assay.’This Arrons seith noght ones nay:On horse bak anon thei lepteIn such manere, and nothing slepte,Ridende forth til that thei comeAl prively withinne Rome;4790In strange place and doun thei lihte,And take a chambre, and out of sihteP. iii. 253Thei be desguised for a throwe,So that no lif hem scholde knowe.And to the paleis ferst thei soghte,1394To se what thing this ladi wroghte1395Of which Arrons made his avant:And thei hire sihe of glad semblant,Al full of merthes and of bordes;Bot among alle hire othre wordes4800Sche spak noght of hire housebonde.And whan thei hadde al understonde(5000*)Of thilke place what hem liste,1396Thei gon hem forth, that non it wiste,Beside thilke gate of bras,Collacea which cleped was,Wher Collatin hath his duellinge.Ther founden thei at hom sittingeLucrece his wif, al environedWith wommen, whiche are abandoned13974810To werche, and sche wroghte ek withal,And bad hem haste, and seith, ‘It schal1398Be for mi housebondes were,Which with his swerd and with his spere1399Lith at the Siege in gret desese.And if it scholde him noght displese,Nou wolde god I hadde him hiere;For certes til that I mai hiereSom good tidinge of his astat,Min herte is evere upon debat.4820For so as alle men witnesse,He is of such an hardiesse,P. iii. 254That he can noght himselve spare,And that is al my moste care,Whan thei the walles schulle assaile.1400Bot if mi wisshes myhte availe,I wolde it were a groundles pet,Be so the Siege were unknet,And I myn housebonde sihe.’With that the water in hire yhe4830Aros, that sche ne myhte it stoppe,And as men sen the dew bedroppe1401The leves and the floures eke,Riht so upon hire whyte chekeThe wofull salte teres felle.Whan Collatin hath herd hire telleThe menynge of hire trewe herte,Anon with that to hire he sterte,And seide, ‘Lo, mi goode diere,Nou is he come to you hiere,4840That ye most loven, as ye sein.’And sche with goodly chiere ayeinBeclipte him in hire armes smale,And the colour, which erst was pale,To Beaute thanne was restored,So that it myhte noght be mored.The kinges Sone, which was nyh,And of this lady herde and syhThe thinges as thei ben befalle,The resoun of hise wittes alle4850Hath lost; for love upon his partCam thanne, and of his fyri dart(5050*)P. iii. 255With such a wounde him hath thurghsmite,That he mot nedes fiele and witeOf thilke blinde maladie,To which no cure of SurgerieCan helpe. Bot yit nathelesAt thilke time he hield his pes,That he no contienance made,Bot openly with wordes glade,4860So as he couthe in his manere,He spak and made frendly chiere,Til it was time forto go.And Collatin with him alsoHis leve tok, so that be nyhteWith al the haste that thei myhteThei riden to the Siege ayein.Bot Arrons was so wo beseinWith thoghtes whiche upon him runne,That he al be the brode Sunne4870To bedde goth, noght forto reste,Bot forto thenke upon the besteAnd the faireste forth withal,That evere he syh or evere schal,So as him thoghte in his corage,Where he pourtreieth hire ymage:Ferst the fetures of hir face,In which nature hadde alle graceOf wommanly beaute beset,So that it myhte noght be bet;14024880And hou hir yelwe her was tresced1403And hire atir so wel adresced,P. iii. 256And hou sche spak, and hou sche wroghte,And hou sche wepte, al this he thoghte,That he foryeten hath no del,Bot al it liketh him so wel,1404That in the word nor in the dede1405Hire lacketh noght of wommanhiede.And thus this tirannysshe knyhtWas soupled, bot noght half ariht,4890For he non other hiede tok,Bot that he myhte be som crok,Althogh it were ayein hire wille,The lustes of his fleissh fulfille;Which love was noght resonable,For where honour is remuable,It oghte wel to ben avised.Bot he, which hath his lust assisedWith melled love and tirannie,Hath founde upon his tricherie4900A weie which he thenkth to holde,Audaces fortuna iuuat.And seith, ‘Fortune unto the bolde(5100*)Is favorable forto helpe.’And thus withinne himself to yelpe,As he which was a wylde man,Upon his treson he began:And up he sterte, and forth he wenteOn horsebak, bot his ententeTher knew no wiht, and thus he namThe nexte weie, til he cam4910Unto Collacea the gateOf Rome, and it was somdiel late,P. iii. 257Riht evene upon the Sonne set,As he which hadde schape his net1406Hire innocence to betrappe.And as it scholde tho mishappe,Als priveliche as evere he myhteHe rod, and of his hors alyhte1407Tofore Collatines In,And al frendliche he goth him in,14084920As he that was cousin of house.And sche, which is the goode spouse,Lucrece, whan that sche him sih,With goodli chiere drowh him nyh,As sche which al honour supposeth,And him, so as sche dar, opposethHou it stod of hire housebonde.And he tho dede hire understondeWith tales feigned in his wise,1409Riht as he wolde himself devise,4930Wherof he myhte hire herte glade,That sche the betre chiere made,Whan sche the glade wordes herde,Hou that hire housebonde ferde.And thus the trouthe was deceivedWith slih tresoun, which was receivedTo hire which mente alle goode;For as the festes thanne stode,His Souper was ryht wel arraied.Bot yit he hath no word assaied14104940To speke of love in no degre;Bot with covert soubtiliteP. iii. 258His frendly speches he affaiteth,And as the Tigre his time awaiteth1411In hope forto cacche his preie.Whan that the bordes were aweieAnd thei have souped in the halle,He seith that slep is on him falle,And preith he moste go to bedde;And sche with alle haste spedde,4950So as hire thoghte it was to done,That every thing was redi sone.(5150*)Sche broghte him to his chambre thoAnd tok hire leve, and forth is goInto hire oghne chambre by,As sche that wende certeinlyHave had a frend, and hadde a fo,Wherof fell after mochel wo.This tirant, thogh he lyhe softe,Out of his bed aros fulofte,4960And goth aboute, and leide his EreTo herkne, til that alle wereTo bedde gon and slepten faste.And thanne upon himself he casteA mantell, and his swerd al nakedHe tok in honde; and sche unwakedAbedde lay, but what sche mette,God wot; for he the Dore unschetteSo prively that non it herde,The softe pas and forth he ferde4970Unto the bed wher that sche slepte,1412Al sodeinliche and in he crepte,P. iii. 259And hire in bothe his Armes tok.With that this worthi wif awok,Which thurgh tendresce of wommanhiedeHire vois hath lost for pure drede,That o word speke sche ne dar:And ek he bad hir to be war,For if sche made noise or cry,He seide, his swerd lay faste by4980To slen hire and hire folk aboute.And thus he broghte hire herte in doute,That lich a Lomb whanne it is sesedIn wolves mouth, so was desesedLucrece, which he naked fond:Wherof sche swounede in his hond,And, as who seith, lay ded oppressed.And he, which al him hadde adrescedTo lust, tok thanne what him liste,And goth his wey, that non it wiste,4990Into his oghne chambre ayein,And clepede up his chamberlein,And made him redi forto ryde.And thus this lecherouse prideTo horse lepte and forth he rod;And sche, which in hire bed abod,Whan that sche wiste he was agon,Sche clepede after liht anonAnd up aros long er the day,And caste awey hire freissh aray,5000As sche which hath the world forsake,And tok upon the clothes blake:(5200*)P. iii. 260And evere upon continuinge,Riht as men sen a welle springe,With yhen fulle of wofull teres,Hire her hangende aboute hire Eres,Sche wepte, and noman wiste why.Bot yit among full pitouslySche preide that thei nolden dreccheHire housebonde forto fecche5010Forth with hire fader ek also.Thus be thei comen bothe tuo,And Brutus cam with Collatin,Which to Lucrece was cousin,And in thei wenten alle threTo chambre, wher thei myhten seThe wofulleste upon this Molde,Which wepte as sche to water scholde.The chambre Dore anon was stoke,Er thei have oght unto hire spoke;5020Thei sihe hire clothes al desguised,And hou sche hath hirself despised,Hire her hangende unkemd aboute,Bot natheles sche gan to louteAnd knele unto hire housebonde;And he, which fain wolde understondeThe cause why sche ferde so,With softe wordes axeth tho,‘What mai you be, mi goode swete?’And sche, which thoghte hirself unmete5030And the lest worth of wommen alle,Hire wofull chiere let doun falleP. iii. 261For schame and couthe unnethes loke.And thei therof good hiede toke,And preiden hire in alle weieThat sche ne spare forto seieUnto hir frendes what hire eileth,Why sche so sore hirself beweileth,And what the sothe wolde mene.And sche, which hath hire sorwes grene,5040Hire wo to telle thanne assaieth,Bot tendre schame hire word delaieth,That sondri times as sche minte1413To speke, upon the point sche stinte.And thei hire bidden evere in onTo telle forth, and therupon,Whan that sche sih sche moste nede,Hire tale betwen schame and dredeSche tolde, noght withoute peine.And he, which wolde hire wo restreigne,5050Hire housebonde, a sory man,Conforteth hire al that he can,(5250*)And swor, and ek hire fader bothe,That thei with hire be noght wrotheOf that is don ayein hire wille;And preiden hire to be stille,For thei to hire have al foryive.But sche, which thoghte noght to live,Of hem wol no foryivenesse,And seide, of thilke wickednesse5060Which was unto hire bodi wroght,Al were it so sche myhte it noght,P. iii. 262Nevere afterward the world ne schalReproeven hire; and forth withal,Er eny man therof be war,A naked swerd, the which sche barWithinne hire Mantel priveli,Betwen hire hondes sodeinlySche tok, and thurgh hire herte it throng,And fell to grounde, and evere among,5070Whan that sche fell, so as sche myhte,Hire clothes with hire hand sche rihte,That noman dounward fro the kneScholde eny thing of hire se:Thus lay this wif honestely,Althogh she deide wofully.Tho was no sorwe forto seke:Hire housebonde, hire fader ekeAswoune upon the bodi felle;Ther mai no mannes tunge telle5080In which anguisshe that thei were.Bot Brutus, which was with hem there,Toward himself his herte kepte,And to Lucrece anon he lepte,The blodi swerd and pulleth oute,And swor the goddes al abouteThat he therof schal do vengance.And sche tho made a contienance,Hire dedlich yhe and ate lasteIn thonkinge as it were up caste,5090And so behield him in the wise,Whil sche to loke mai suffise.P. iii. 263And Brutus with a manlich herteHire housebonde hath mad up sterteForth with hire fader ek alsoIn alle haste, and seide hem thoThat thei anon withoute letteA Beere for the body fette;Lucrece and therupon bledendeHe leide, and so forth out criende5100He goth into the Market place1414Of Rome: and in a litel space(5300*)Thurgh cry the cite was assembled,And every mannes herte is trembled,1415Whan thei the sothe herde of the cas.And therupon the conseil wasTake of the grete and of the smale,And Brutus tolde hem al the tale;And thus cam into remembranceOf Senne the continuance,5110Which Arrons hadde do tofore,And ek, long time er he was bore,Of that his fadre hadde do1416The wrong cam into place tho;So that the comun clamour toldeThe newe schame of Sennes olde.And al the toun began to crie,‘Awey, awey the tirannieOf lecherie and covoitise!’And ate laste in such a wise5120The fader in the same whileForth with his Sone thei exile,P. iii. 264And taken betre governance.Bot yit an other remembranceThat rihtwisnesse and lecherieAcorden noght in compaignieWith him that hath the lawe on honde,That mai a man wel understonde,As be a tale thou shalt wite,Of olde ensample as it is write.14175130

[Cyrus and the Lydians.]

To mochel ese is nothing worth,

For that set every vice forth1356

Hic loquitur qualiter regnum lasciuie voluptatibus deditum de facili vincitur.1357Et ponit exemplum de Ciro Rege Persarum, qui cum Liddos mire1358probitatis strenuissimos sibique in bello aduersantes nullo modo vincere potuit, cum ipsis tandem pacis tractatum dissimilans concordiam finalem stabiliri1359finxit. Super quo Liddi postea per aliquod tempus armis insoliti sub pacis torpore1360voluptatibus intendebant: quod Cirus percipiens in eos armatus subito irruit, ipsosque indefencibiles1361vincens sub imperio tributarios subiugauit.

And every vertu put abak,

Wherof priss torneth into lak,

As in Cronique I mai reherse:

Which telleth hou the king of Perse,

That Cirus hihte, a werre hadde

Ayein a poeple which he dradde,

Of a contre which Liddos hihte;

Bot yit for oght that he do mihte4370

As in bataille upon the werre,

He hadde of hem alwey the werre.

P. iii. 239

And whan he sih and wiste it wel,

That he be strengthe wan no del,

Thanne ate laste he caste a wyle

This worthi poeple to beguile,

And tok with hem a feigned pes,

Which scholde lasten endeles,

So as he seide in wordes wise,

Bot he thoghte al in other wise.4380

For it betidd upon the cas,1362

Whan that this poeple in reste was,

Thei token eses manyfold;

And worldes ese, as it is told,

Be weie of kinde is the norrice

Of every lust which toucheth vice.

Thus whan thei were in lustes falle,

The werres ben foryeten alle;

Was non which wolde the worschipe

Of Armes, hot in idelschipe4390

Thei putten besinesse aweie

And token hem to daunce and pleie;

Bot most above alle othre thinges

Thei token hem to the likinges

Of fleysshly lust, that chastete1363

Received was in no degre,

Bot every man doth what him liste.

And whan the king of Perse it wiste,

That thei unto folie entenden,

With his pouer, whan thei lest wenden,4400

Mor sodeinly than doth the thunder

He cam, for evere and put hem under.1364(4600*)

P. iii. 240

And thus hath lecherie lore

The lond, which hadde be tofore

The beste of hem that were tho.

[The Counsel of Balaam.]

And in the bible I finde also

A tale lich unto this thing,

Nota hic1365qualiter fata bellica luxus infortunat. Et narrat quod cum Rex Amalech Hebreis sibi insultantibus resistere nequiit, consilio Balaam mulieres regni sui pulcherrimas in castra Hebreorum misit; qui ab ipsis contaminati1366graciam statim amiserunt. Et sic ab Amalech deuicti in magna multitudine gladio ceciderunt.

Hou Amalech the paien king,

Whan that he myhte be no weie

Defende his lond and putte aweie4410

The worthi poeple of Irael,1367

This Sarazin, as it befell,

Thurgh the conseil of Balaam

A route of faire wommen nam,

That lusti were and yonge of Age,1368

And bad hem gon to the lignage

Of these Hebreus: and forth thei wente

With yhen greye and browes bente

And wel arraied everych on;

And whan thei come were anon4420

Among thebreus, was non insihte,

Bot cacche who that cacche myhte,

And ech of hem hise lustes soghte,

Whiche after thei full diere boghte.1369

For grace anon began to faile,

That whan thei comen to bataille

Thanne afterward, in sori plit

Thei were take and disconfit,

So that withinne a litel throwe

The myht of hem was overthrowe,4430

That whilom were wont to stonde.

Til Phinces the cause on honde

P. iii. 241

Hath take, this vengance laste,

Bot thanne it cessede ate laste,

For god was paid of that he dede:1370

For wher he fond upon a stede

A couple which misferde so,

Thurghout he smot hem bothe tuo,

And let hem ligge in mennes yhe;

Wherof alle othre whiche hem sihe4440

Ensamplede hem upon the dede,

And preiden unto the godhiede

Here olde Sennes to amende:

And he, which wolde his mercy sende,

Restorede hem to newe grace.

Thus mai it schewe in sondri place,

Of chastete hou the clennesse

Acordeth to the worthinesse

Of men of Armes overal;

Bot most of alle in special4450

This vertu to a king belongeth,

For upon his fortune it hongeth(4650*)

Of that his lond schal spede or spille.

Forthi bot if a king his wille

Fro lustes of his fleissh restreigne,

Ayein himself he makth a treigne,

Into the which if that he slyde,

Him were betre go besyde.

For every man mai understonde,

Hou for a time that it stonde,4460

It is a sori lust to lyke,

Whos ende makth a man to syke

P. iii. 242

And torneth joies into sorwe.

The brihte Sonne be the morwe

Beschyneth noght the derke nyht,

The lusti youthe of mannes myht,

In Age bot it stonde wel,

Mistorneth al the laste whiel.

[Evil Example of Solomon.]That every worthi Prince is holdeWithinne himself himself beholde,4470Hic loquitur qualiter Principum irregulata voluptas eos a semita recta multociens deuiare compellit. Et narrat exemplum de Salomone, qui ex sue carnis concupiscencia victus mulierum blandimentis in sui scandalum deos alienos eolere presumebat.To se the stat of his persone,1371And thenke hou ther be joies noneUpon this Erthe mad to laste,And hou the fleissh schal ate lasteThe lustes of this lif forsake,Him oghte a gret ensample takeOf Salomon, whos appetitWas holy set upon delit,To take of wommen the plesance:So that upon his ignorance4480The wyde world merveileth yit,That he, which alle mennes witIn thilke time hath overpassed,With fleisshly lustes was so tassed,That he which ladde under the laweThe poeple of god, himself withdraweHe hath fro god in such a wise,That he worschipe and sacrifiseFor sondri love in sondri stedeUnto the false goddes dede.4490This was the wise ecclesiaste,The fame of whom schal evere laste,1372P. iii. 243That he the myhti god forsok,Ayein the lawe whanne he tokHise wyves and hise concubinesOf hem that weren Sarazines,For whiche he dede ydolatrie.For this I rede of his sotie:Sche of Sidoyne so him ladde,De filia Regis Cidonie.That he knelende hise armes spradde4500To Astrathen with gret humblesse,Which of hire lond was the goddesse:(4700*)De filia Regis Moab.And sche that was a MoabiteSo ferforth made him to deliteThurgh lust, which al his wit devoureth,That he Chamos hire god honoureth.De filia Regis Amon.An other Amonyte alsoWith love him hath assoted so,Hire god Moloch that with encenseHe sacreth, and doth reverence4510In such a wise as sche him bad.Thus was the wiseste overladWith blinde lustes whiche he soghte:Bot he it afterward aboghte.[Division of his Kingdom.]For Achias Selonites,Which was prophete, er his decess,Nota hic qualiter Achias propheta, in signum quod regnum post mortem Salomonis ob eius peccatum a suo herede diminueretur, pallium suum in xii. partes scidit, vnde x. partes Ieroboe filio Nabal, qui regnaturus postea successit, precepto dei tribuit.Whil he was in hise lustes alle,Betokneth what schal after falle.For on a day, whan that he metteJeroboam the knyht, he grette4520And bad him that he scholde abyde,To hiere what him schal betyde.P. iii. 244And forth withal Achias casteHis mantell of, and also fasteHe kut it into pieces twelve,1373Wherof tuo partz toward himselve1374He kepte, and al the remenant,As god hath set his covenant,He tok unto Jeroboas,Of Nabal which the Sone was4530And of the kinges court a knyht:And seide him, ‘Such is goddes myht,As thou hast sen departed hiereMi mantell, riht in such manereAfter the deth of SalomonGod hath ordeigned therupon,This regne thanne he schal divide:Which time thou schalt ek abide,And upon that divisionThe regne as in proporcion4540As thou hast of mi mantell take,Thou schalt receive, I undertake.And thus the Sone schal abieThe lustes and the lecherieOf him which nou his fader is.’So forto taken hiede of this,It sit a king wel to be chaste,For elles he mai lihtly wasteHimself and ek his regne bothe,And that oghte every king to lothe.4550O, which a Senne violent,Wherof so wys a king was schent,(4750*)P. iii. 245That the vengance in his personeWas noght ynouh to take al one,Bot afterward, whan he was passed,It hath his heritage lassed,As I more openli tofore1375The tale tolde. And thus therforeAristotiles.1376O Alexander, super omnia consulo, conserua tibi calorem naturalem.The Philosophre upon this thingWrit and conseileth to a king,4560That he the surfet of luxureSchal tempre and reule of such mesure,Which be to kinde sufficantAnd ek to reson acordant,So that the lustes ignoranceBe cause of no misgovernance,Thurgh which that he be overthrowe,As he that wol no reson knowe.For bot a mannes wit be swerved,Whan kinde is dueliche served,4570It oghte of reson to suffise;For if it falle him otherwise,1377He mai tho lustes sore drede.1378[Antonius.]For of Anthonie thus I rede,1379De voluptuoso Antonio.Which of Severus was the Sone,That he his lif of comun woneYaf holy unto thilke vice,And ofte time he was so nyce,Wherof nature hire hath compleignedUnto the god, which hath desdeigned4580The werkes whiche Antonie wroghte1380Of lust, whiche he ful sore aboghte:P. iii. 246For god his forfet hath so wrokeThat in Cronique it is yit spoke.Bot forto take remembranceOf special misgovernanceThurgh covoitise and injusticeForth with the remenant of vice,And nameliche of lecherie,I finde write a gret partie4590Withinne a tale, as thou schalt hiere,Which is thensample of this matiere.

[Evil Example of Solomon.]

That every worthi Prince is holde

Withinne himself himself beholde,4470

Hic loquitur qualiter Principum irregulata voluptas eos a semita recta multociens deuiare compellit. Et narrat exemplum de Salomone, qui ex sue carnis concupiscencia victus mulierum blandimentis in sui scandalum deos alienos eolere presumebat.

To se the stat of his persone,1371

And thenke hou ther be joies none

Upon this Erthe mad to laste,

And hou the fleissh schal ate laste

The lustes of this lif forsake,

Him oghte a gret ensample take

Of Salomon, whos appetit

Was holy set upon delit,

To take of wommen the plesance:

So that upon his ignorance4480

The wyde world merveileth yit,

That he, which alle mennes wit

In thilke time hath overpassed,

With fleisshly lustes was so tassed,

That he which ladde under the lawe

The poeple of god, himself withdrawe

He hath fro god in such a wise,

That he worschipe and sacrifise

For sondri love in sondri stede

Unto the false goddes dede.4490

This was the wise ecclesiaste,

The fame of whom schal evere laste,1372

P. iii. 243

That he the myhti god forsok,

Ayein the lawe whanne he tok

Hise wyves and hise concubines

Of hem that weren Sarazines,

For whiche he dede ydolatrie.

For this I rede of his sotie:

Sche of Sidoyne so him ladde,

De filia Regis Cidonie.

That he knelende hise armes spradde4500

To Astrathen with gret humblesse,

Which of hire lond was the goddesse:(4700*)

De filia Regis Moab.

And sche that was a Moabite

So ferforth made him to delite

Thurgh lust, which al his wit devoureth,

That he Chamos hire god honoureth.

De filia Regis Amon.

An other Amonyte also

With love him hath assoted so,

Hire god Moloch that with encense

He sacreth, and doth reverence4510

In such a wise as sche him bad.

Thus was the wiseste overlad

With blinde lustes whiche he soghte:

Bot he it afterward aboghte.

[Division of his Kingdom.]

For Achias Selonites,

Which was prophete, er his decess,

Nota hic qualiter Achias propheta, in signum quod regnum post mortem Salomonis ob eius peccatum a suo herede diminueretur, pallium suum in xii. partes scidit, vnde x. partes Ieroboe filio Nabal, qui regnaturus postea successit, precepto dei tribuit.

Whil he was in hise lustes alle,

Betokneth what schal after falle.

For on a day, whan that he mette

Jeroboam the knyht, he grette4520

And bad him that he scholde abyde,

To hiere what him schal betyde.

P. iii. 244

And forth withal Achias caste

His mantell of, and also faste

He kut it into pieces twelve,1373

Wherof tuo partz toward himselve1374

He kepte, and al the remenant,

As god hath set his covenant,

He tok unto Jeroboas,

Of Nabal which the Sone was4530

And of the kinges court a knyht:

And seide him, ‘Such is goddes myht,

As thou hast sen departed hiere

Mi mantell, riht in such manere

After the deth of Salomon

God hath ordeigned therupon,

This regne thanne he schal divide:

Which time thou schalt ek abide,

And upon that division

The regne as in proporcion4540

As thou hast of mi mantell take,

Thou schalt receive, I undertake.

And thus the Sone schal abie

The lustes and the lecherie

Of him which nou his fader is.’

So forto taken hiede of this,

It sit a king wel to be chaste,

For elles he mai lihtly waste

Himself and ek his regne bothe,

And that oghte every king to lothe.4550

O, which a Senne violent,

Wherof so wys a king was schent,(4750*)

P. iii. 245

That the vengance in his persone

Was noght ynouh to take al one,

Bot afterward, whan he was passed,

It hath his heritage lassed,

As I more openli tofore1375

The tale tolde. And thus therfore

Aristotiles.1376O Alexander, super omnia consulo, conserua tibi calorem naturalem.

The Philosophre upon this thing

Writ and conseileth to a king,4560

That he the surfet of luxure

Schal tempre and reule of such mesure,

Which be to kinde sufficant

And ek to reson acordant,

So that the lustes ignorance

Be cause of no misgovernance,

Thurgh which that he be overthrowe,

As he that wol no reson knowe.

For bot a mannes wit be swerved,

Whan kinde is dueliche served,4570

It oghte of reson to suffise;

For if it falle him otherwise,1377

He mai tho lustes sore drede.1378

[Antonius.]

For of Anthonie thus I rede,1379

De voluptuoso Antonio.

Which of Severus was the Sone,

That he his lif of comun wone

Yaf holy unto thilke vice,

And ofte time he was so nyce,

Wherof nature hire hath compleigned

Unto the god, which hath desdeigned4580

The werkes whiche Antonie wroghte1380

Of lust, whiche he ful sore aboghte:

P. iii. 246

For god his forfet hath so wroke

That in Cronique it is yit spoke.

Bot forto take remembrance

Of special misgovernance

Thurgh covoitise and injustice

Forth with the remenant of vice,

And nameliche of lecherie,

I finde write a gret partie4590

Withinne a tale, as thou schalt hiere,

Which is thensample of this matiere.

[Tarquin and his son Aruns.]So as these olde gestes sein,The proude tirannyssh RomeinHic loquitur de Tarquino nuper Rome1381Imperatore, necnon et de eiusdem filio nomine Arrons, qui omni viciorum varietate repleti tam in homines quam in mulieres innumera scelera perpetrarunt: set specialiter super hiis que contra Gabinos fraudulenter operati sunt tractare intendit.Tarquinus, which was thanne kingAnd wroghte many a wrongful thing,Of Sones hadde manyon,Among the whiche Arrons was on,Lich to his fader of maneres;So that withinne a fewe yeres4600With tresoun and with tirannieThei wonne of lond a gret partie,(4800*)And token hiede of no justice,Which due was to here officeUpon the reule of governance;Bot al that evere was plesanceUnto the fleisshes lust thei toke.And fell so, that thei undertokeA werre, which was noght achieved,Bot ofte time it hadde hem grieved,13824610Ayein a folk which thanne hihte1383The Gabiens: and al be nyhteP. iii. 247This Arrons, whan he was at homIn Rome, a prive place he nomWithinne a chambre, and bet himselveAnd made him woundes ten or tuelveUpon the bak, as it was sene;And so forth with hise hurtes greneIn al the haste that he mayHe rod, and cam that other day4620Unto Gabie the Cite,And in he wente: and whan that heWas knowe, anon the gates schette,The lordes alle upon him setteWith drawe swerdes upon honde.This Arrons wolde hem noght withstonde,Bot seide, ‘I am hier at your wille,Als lief it is that ye me spille,1384As if myn oghne fader dede.’And forthwith in the same stede4630He preide hem that thei wolde se,And schewede hem in what degreHis fader and hise brethren bothe,Whiche, as he seide, weren wrothe,Him hadde beten and reviled,For evere and out of Rome exiled.And thus he made hem to believe,And seide, if that he myhte achieveHis pourpos, it schal wel be yolde,Be so that thei him helpe wolde.4640Whan that the lordes hadde sein1385Hou wofully he was besein,P. iii. 248Thei token Pite of his grief;Bot yit it was hem wonder liefThat Rome him hadde exiled so.These Gabiens be conseil tho1386Upon the goddes made him swere,That he to hem schal trouthe bereAnd strengthen hem with al his myht;And thei also him have behiht4650To helpen him in his querele.Thei schopen thanne for his hele(4850*)That he was bathed and enoignt,Til that he was in lusti point;And what he wolde thanne he hadde,That he al hol the cite laddeRiht as he wolde himself divise.And thanne he thoghte him in what wiseHe myhte his tirannie schewe;And to his conseil tok a schrewe,4660Whom to his fader forth he senteIn his message, and he tho wente,1387And preide his fader forto seieBe his avis, and finde a weie,Hou they the cite myhten winne,Whil that he stod so wel therinne.And whan the messager was comeTo Rome, and hath in conseil nomeThe king, it fell per chance soThat thei were in a gardin tho,4670This messager forth with the king.And whanne he hadde told the thingP. iii. 249In what manere that it stod,And that Tarquinus understodBe the message hou that it ferde,Anon he tok in honde a yerde,And in the gardin as thei gon,The lilie croppes on and on,Wher that thei weren sprongen oute,He smot of, as thei stode aboute,4680And seide unto the messager:‘Lo, this thing, which I do nou hier,Schal ben in stede of thin ansuere;And in this wise as I me bere,Thou schalt unto mi Sone telle.’And he no lengere wolde duelle,Bot tok his leve and goth withalUnto his lord and told him al,1388Hou that his fader hadde do.Whan Arrons herde him telle so,4690Anon he wiste what it mente,And therto sette al his entente,Til he thurgh fraude and tricherieThe Princes hefdes of GabieHath smiten of, and al was wonne:His fader cam tofore the SonneInto the toun with the Romeins,And tok and slowh the citezeinsWithoute reson or pite,That he ne spareth no degre.4700And for the sped of this conquesteHe let do make a riche feste(4900*)P. iii. 250With a sollempne SacrifiseIn Phebus temple; and in this wiseWhan the Romeins assembled were,In presence of hem alle there,Upon thalter whan al was dihtAnd that the fyres were alyht,From under thalter sodeinlyAn hidous Serpent openly4710Cam out and hath devoured alThe Sacrifice, and ek withalThe fyres queynt, and forth anon,So as he cam, so is he gonInto the depe ground ayein.And every man began to sein,‘Ha lord, what mai this signefie?’And therupon thei preie and crieTo Phebus, that thei mihten knoweThe cause: and he the same throwe4720With gastly vois, that alle it herde,The Romeins in this wise ansuerde,And seide hou for the wikkidnesseOf Pride and of unrihtwisnesse,That Tarquin and his Sone hath do,The Sacrifice is wasted so,Which myhte noght ben acceptableUpon such Senne abhominable.And over that yit he hem wisseth,And seith that which of hem ferst kisseth4730His moder, he schal take wriecheUpon the wrong: and of that specheP. iii. 251Thei ben withinne here hertes glade,Thogh thei outward no semblant made.Ther was a knyht which Brutus hihte,And he with al the haste he myhteTo grounde fell and therthe kiste,1389Bot non of hem the cause wiste,Bot wenden that he hadde spornedPer chance, and so was overtorned.4740Bot Brutus al an other mente;For he knew wel in his ententeHou therthe of every mannes kindeIs Moder: bot thei weren blinde,And sihen noght so fer as he.Bot whan thei leften the Cite1390And comen hom to Rome ayein,Thanne every man which was RomeinAnd moder hath, to hire he bendeAnd keste, and ech of hem thus wende4750To be the ferste upon the chance,Of Tarquin forto do vengance,(4950*)So as thei herden Phebus sein.

[Tarquin and his son Aruns.]

So as these olde gestes sein,

The proude tirannyssh Romein

Hic loquitur de Tarquino nuper Rome1381Imperatore, necnon et de eiusdem filio nomine Arrons, qui omni viciorum varietate repleti tam in homines quam in mulieres innumera scelera perpetrarunt: set specialiter super hiis que contra Gabinos fraudulenter operati sunt tractare intendit.

Tarquinus, which was thanne king

And wroghte many a wrongful thing,

Of Sones hadde manyon,

Among the whiche Arrons was on,

Lich to his fader of maneres;

So that withinne a fewe yeres4600

With tresoun and with tirannie

Thei wonne of lond a gret partie,(4800*)

And token hiede of no justice,

Which due was to here office

Upon the reule of governance;

Bot al that evere was plesance

Unto the fleisshes lust thei toke.

And fell so, that thei undertoke

A werre, which was noght achieved,

Bot ofte time it hadde hem grieved,13824610

Ayein a folk which thanne hihte1383

The Gabiens: and al be nyhte

P. iii. 247

This Arrons, whan he was at hom

In Rome, a prive place he nom

Withinne a chambre, and bet himselve

And made him woundes ten or tuelve

Upon the bak, as it was sene;

And so forth with hise hurtes grene

In al the haste that he may

He rod, and cam that other day4620

Unto Gabie the Cite,

And in he wente: and whan that he

Was knowe, anon the gates schette,

The lordes alle upon him sette

With drawe swerdes upon honde.

This Arrons wolde hem noght withstonde,

Bot seide, ‘I am hier at your wille,

Als lief it is that ye me spille,1384

As if myn oghne fader dede.’

And forthwith in the same stede4630

He preide hem that thei wolde se,

And schewede hem in what degre

His fader and hise brethren bothe,

Whiche, as he seide, weren wrothe,

Him hadde beten and reviled,

For evere and out of Rome exiled.

And thus he made hem to believe,

And seide, if that he myhte achieve

His pourpos, it schal wel be yolde,

Be so that thei him helpe wolde.4640

Whan that the lordes hadde sein1385

Hou wofully he was besein,

P. iii. 248

Thei token Pite of his grief;

Bot yit it was hem wonder lief

That Rome him hadde exiled so.

These Gabiens be conseil tho1386

Upon the goddes made him swere,

That he to hem schal trouthe bere

And strengthen hem with al his myht;

And thei also him have behiht4650

To helpen him in his querele.

Thei schopen thanne for his hele(4850*)

That he was bathed and enoignt,

Til that he was in lusti point;

And what he wolde thanne he hadde,

That he al hol the cite ladde

Riht as he wolde himself divise.

And thanne he thoghte him in what wise

He myhte his tirannie schewe;

And to his conseil tok a schrewe,4660

Whom to his fader forth he sente

In his message, and he tho wente,1387

And preide his fader forto seie

Be his avis, and finde a weie,

Hou they the cite myhten winne,

Whil that he stod so wel therinne.

And whan the messager was come

To Rome, and hath in conseil nome

The king, it fell per chance so

That thei were in a gardin tho,4670

This messager forth with the king.

And whanne he hadde told the thing

P. iii. 249

In what manere that it stod,

And that Tarquinus understod

Be the message hou that it ferde,

Anon he tok in honde a yerde,

And in the gardin as thei gon,

The lilie croppes on and on,

Wher that thei weren sprongen oute,

He smot of, as thei stode aboute,4680

And seide unto the messager:

‘Lo, this thing, which I do nou hier,

Schal ben in stede of thin ansuere;

And in this wise as I me bere,

Thou schalt unto mi Sone telle.’

And he no lengere wolde duelle,

Bot tok his leve and goth withal

Unto his lord and told him al,1388

Hou that his fader hadde do.

Whan Arrons herde him telle so,4690

Anon he wiste what it mente,

And therto sette al his entente,

Til he thurgh fraude and tricherie

The Princes hefdes of Gabie

Hath smiten of, and al was wonne:

His fader cam tofore the Sonne

Into the toun with the Romeins,

And tok and slowh the citezeins

Withoute reson or pite,

That he ne spareth no degre.4700

And for the sped of this conqueste

He let do make a riche feste(4900*)

P. iii. 250

With a sollempne Sacrifise

In Phebus temple; and in this wise

Whan the Romeins assembled were,

In presence of hem alle there,

Upon thalter whan al was diht

And that the fyres were alyht,

From under thalter sodeinly

An hidous Serpent openly4710

Cam out and hath devoured al

The Sacrifice, and ek withal

The fyres queynt, and forth anon,

So as he cam, so is he gon

Into the depe ground ayein.

And every man began to sein,

‘Ha lord, what mai this signefie?’

And therupon thei preie and crie

To Phebus, that thei mihten knowe

The cause: and he the same throwe4720

With gastly vois, that alle it herde,

The Romeins in this wise ansuerde,

And seide hou for the wikkidnesse

Of Pride and of unrihtwisnesse,

That Tarquin and his Sone hath do,

The Sacrifice is wasted so,

Which myhte noght ben acceptable

Upon such Senne abhominable.

And over that yit he hem wisseth,

And seith that which of hem ferst kisseth4730

His moder, he schal take wrieche

Upon the wrong: and of that speche

P. iii. 251

Thei ben withinne here hertes glade,

Thogh thei outward no semblant made.

Ther was a knyht which Brutus hihte,

And he with al the haste he myhte

To grounde fell and therthe kiste,1389

Bot non of hem the cause wiste,

Bot wenden that he hadde sporned

Per chance, and so was overtorned.4740

Bot Brutus al an other mente;

For he knew wel in his entente

Hou therthe of every mannes kinde

Is Moder: bot thei weren blinde,

And sihen noght so fer as he.

Bot whan thei leften the Cite1390

And comen hom to Rome ayein,

Thanne every man which was Romein

And moder hath, to hire he bende

And keste, and ech of hem thus wende4750

To be the ferste upon the chance,

Of Tarquin forto do vengance,(4950*)

So as thei herden Phebus sein.

[The Rape of Lucrece.]Bot every time hath his certein,1391So moste it nedes thanne abide,Til afterward upon a tydeHic narrat quod, cum Tarquinus in obsidione Ciuitatis Ardee, vt eam destrueret, intentus fuit, Arrons filius eius Romam secreto adiens in domo Collatini hospitatus est; vbi de nocte illam castissimam dominam Lucreciam ymaginata fraude vi oppressit: vnde illa pre dolore mortua, ipse cum Tarquino patre suo tota conclamante Roma in perpetuum exilium delegati sunt.Tarquinus made unskilfullyA werre, which was fastebyAyein a toun with walles strongeWhich Ardea was cleped longe,4760And caste a Siege theraboute,That ther mai noman passen oute.P. iii. 252So it befell upon a nyht,Arrons, which hadde his souper diht,A part of the chivalerieWith him to soupe in compaignieHath bede: and whan thei comen wereAnd seten at the souper there,Among here othre wordes gladeArrons a gret spekinge made,4770Who hadde tho the beste wifOf Rome: and ther began a strif,1392For Arrons seith he hath the beste.So jangle thei withoute reste,Til ate laste on Collatin,A worthi knyht, and was cousinTo Arrons, seide him in this wise:‘It is,’ quod he, ‘of non empriseTo speke a word, bot of the dede,Therof it is to taken hiede.13934780Anon forthi this same tydeLep on thin hors and let ous ryde:So mai we knowe bothe tuoUnwarli what oure wyves do,And that schal be a trewe assay.’This Arrons seith noght ones nay:On horse bak anon thei lepteIn such manere, and nothing slepte,Ridende forth til that thei comeAl prively withinne Rome;4790In strange place and doun thei lihte,And take a chambre, and out of sihteP. iii. 253Thei be desguised for a throwe,So that no lif hem scholde knowe.And to the paleis ferst thei soghte,1394To se what thing this ladi wroghte1395Of which Arrons made his avant:And thei hire sihe of glad semblant,Al full of merthes and of bordes;Bot among alle hire othre wordes4800Sche spak noght of hire housebonde.And whan thei hadde al understonde(5000*)Of thilke place what hem liste,1396Thei gon hem forth, that non it wiste,Beside thilke gate of bras,Collacea which cleped was,Wher Collatin hath his duellinge.Ther founden thei at hom sittingeLucrece his wif, al environedWith wommen, whiche are abandoned13974810To werche, and sche wroghte ek withal,And bad hem haste, and seith, ‘It schal1398Be for mi housebondes were,Which with his swerd and with his spere1399Lith at the Siege in gret desese.And if it scholde him noght displese,Nou wolde god I hadde him hiere;For certes til that I mai hiereSom good tidinge of his astat,Min herte is evere upon debat.4820For so as alle men witnesse,He is of such an hardiesse,P. iii. 254That he can noght himselve spare,And that is al my moste care,Whan thei the walles schulle assaile.1400Bot if mi wisshes myhte availe,I wolde it were a groundles pet,Be so the Siege were unknet,And I myn housebonde sihe.’With that the water in hire yhe4830Aros, that sche ne myhte it stoppe,And as men sen the dew bedroppe1401The leves and the floures eke,Riht so upon hire whyte chekeThe wofull salte teres felle.Whan Collatin hath herd hire telleThe menynge of hire trewe herte,Anon with that to hire he sterte,And seide, ‘Lo, mi goode diere,Nou is he come to you hiere,4840That ye most loven, as ye sein.’And sche with goodly chiere ayeinBeclipte him in hire armes smale,And the colour, which erst was pale,To Beaute thanne was restored,So that it myhte noght be mored.The kinges Sone, which was nyh,And of this lady herde and syhThe thinges as thei ben befalle,The resoun of hise wittes alle4850Hath lost; for love upon his partCam thanne, and of his fyri dart(5050*)P. iii. 255With such a wounde him hath thurghsmite,That he mot nedes fiele and witeOf thilke blinde maladie,To which no cure of SurgerieCan helpe. Bot yit nathelesAt thilke time he hield his pes,That he no contienance made,Bot openly with wordes glade,4860So as he couthe in his manere,He spak and made frendly chiere,Til it was time forto go.And Collatin with him alsoHis leve tok, so that be nyhteWith al the haste that thei myhteThei riden to the Siege ayein.Bot Arrons was so wo beseinWith thoghtes whiche upon him runne,That he al be the brode Sunne4870To bedde goth, noght forto reste,Bot forto thenke upon the besteAnd the faireste forth withal,That evere he syh or evere schal,So as him thoghte in his corage,Where he pourtreieth hire ymage:Ferst the fetures of hir face,In which nature hadde alle graceOf wommanly beaute beset,So that it myhte noght be bet;14024880And hou hir yelwe her was tresced1403And hire atir so wel adresced,P. iii. 256And hou sche spak, and hou sche wroghte,And hou sche wepte, al this he thoghte,That he foryeten hath no del,Bot al it liketh him so wel,1404That in the word nor in the dede1405Hire lacketh noght of wommanhiede.And thus this tirannysshe knyhtWas soupled, bot noght half ariht,4890For he non other hiede tok,Bot that he myhte be som crok,Althogh it were ayein hire wille,The lustes of his fleissh fulfille;Which love was noght resonable,For where honour is remuable,It oghte wel to ben avised.Bot he, which hath his lust assisedWith melled love and tirannie,Hath founde upon his tricherie4900A weie which he thenkth to holde,Audaces fortuna iuuat.And seith, ‘Fortune unto the bolde(5100*)Is favorable forto helpe.’And thus withinne himself to yelpe,As he which was a wylde man,Upon his treson he began:And up he sterte, and forth he wenteOn horsebak, bot his ententeTher knew no wiht, and thus he namThe nexte weie, til he cam4910Unto Collacea the gateOf Rome, and it was somdiel late,P. iii. 257Riht evene upon the Sonne set,As he which hadde schape his net1406Hire innocence to betrappe.And as it scholde tho mishappe,Als priveliche as evere he myhteHe rod, and of his hors alyhte1407Tofore Collatines In,And al frendliche he goth him in,14084920As he that was cousin of house.And sche, which is the goode spouse,Lucrece, whan that sche him sih,With goodli chiere drowh him nyh,As sche which al honour supposeth,And him, so as sche dar, opposethHou it stod of hire housebonde.And he tho dede hire understondeWith tales feigned in his wise,1409Riht as he wolde himself devise,4930Wherof he myhte hire herte glade,That sche the betre chiere made,Whan sche the glade wordes herde,Hou that hire housebonde ferde.And thus the trouthe was deceivedWith slih tresoun, which was receivedTo hire which mente alle goode;For as the festes thanne stode,His Souper was ryht wel arraied.Bot yit he hath no word assaied14104940To speke of love in no degre;Bot with covert soubtiliteP. iii. 258His frendly speches he affaiteth,And as the Tigre his time awaiteth1411In hope forto cacche his preie.Whan that the bordes were aweieAnd thei have souped in the halle,He seith that slep is on him falle,And preith he moste go to bedde;And sche with alle haste spedde,4950So as hire thoghte it was to done,That every thing was redi sone.(5150*)Sche broghte him to his chambre thoAnd tok hire leve, and forth is goInto hire oghne chambre by,As sche that wende certeinlyHave had a frend, and hadde a fo,Wherof fell after mochel wo.This tirant, thogh he lyhe softe,Out of his bed aros fulofte,4960And goth aboute, and leide his EreTo herkne, til that alle wereTo bedde gon and slepten faste.And thanne upon himself he casteA mantell, and his swerd al nakedHe tok in honde; and sche unwakedAbedde lay, but what sche mette,God wot; for he the Dore unschetteSo prively that non it herde,The softe pas and forth he ferde4970Unto the bed wher that sche slepte,1412Al sodeinliche and in he crepte,P. iii. 259And hire in bothe his Armes tok.With that this worthi wif awok,Which thurgh tendresce of wommanhiedeHire vois hath lost for pure drede,That o word speke sche ne dar:And ek he bad hir to be war,For if sche made noise or cry,He seide, his swerd lay faste by4980To slen hire and hire folk aboute.And thus he broghte hire herte in doute,That lich a Lomb whanne it is sesedIn wolves mouth, so was desesedLucrece, which he naked fond:Wherof sche swounede in his hond,And, as who seith, lay ded oppressed.And he, which al him hadde adrescedTo lust, tok thanne what him liste,And goth his wey, that non it wiste,4990Into his oghne chambre ayein,And clepede up his chamberlein,And made him redi forto ryde.And thus this lecherouse prideTo horse lepte and forth he rod;And sche, which in hire bed abod,Whan that sche wiste he was agon,Sche clepede after liht anonAnd up aros long er the day,And caste awey hire freissh aray,5000As sche which hath the world forsake,And tok upon the clothes blake:(5200*)P. iii. 260And evere upon continuinge,Riht as men sen a welle springe,With yhen fulle of wofull teres,Hire her hangende aboute hire Eres,Sche wepte, and noman wiste why.Bot yit among full pitouslySche preide that thei nolden dreccheHire housebonde forto fecche5010Forth with hire fader ek also.Thus be thei comen bothe tuo,And Brutus cam with Collatin,Which to Lucrece was cousin,And in thei wenten alle threTo chambre, wher thei myhten seThe wofulleste upon this Molde,Which wepte as sche to water scholde.The chambre Dore anon was stoke,Er thei have oght unto hire spoke;5020Thei sihe hire clothes al desguised,And hou sche hath hirself despised,Hire her hangende unkemd aboute,Bot natheles sche gan to louteAnd knele unto hire housebonde;And he, which fain wolde understondeThe cause why sche ferde so,With softe wordes axeth tho,‘What mai you be, mi goode swete?’And sche, which thoghte hirself unmete5030And the lest worth of wommen alle,Hire wofull chiere let doun falleP. iii. 261For schame and couthe unnethes loke.And thei therof good hiede toke,And preiden hire in alle weieThat sche ne spare forto seieUnto hir frendes what hire eileth,Why sche so sore hirself beweileth,And what the sothe wolde mene.And sche, which hath hire sorwes grene,5040Hire wo to telle thanne assaieth,Bot tendre schame hire word delaieth,That sondri times as sche minte1413To speke, upon the point sche stinte.And thei hire bidden evere in onTo telle forth, and therupon,Whan that sche sih sche moste nede,Hire tale betwen schame and dredeSche tolde, noght withoute peine.And he, which wolde hire wo restreigne,5050Hire housebonde, a sory man,Conforteth hire al that he can,(5250*)And swor, and ek hire fader bothe,That thei with hire be noght wrotheOf that is don ayein hire wille;And preiden hire to be stille,For thei to hire have al foryive.But sche, which thoghte noght to live,Of hem wol no foryivenesse,And seide, of thilke wickednesse5060Which was unto hire bodi wroght,Al were it so sche myhte it noght,P. iii. 262Nevere afterward the world ne schalReproeven hire; and forth withal,Er eny man therof be war,A naked swerd, the which sche barWithinne hire Mantel priveli,Betwen hire hondes sodeinlySche tok, and thurgh hire herte it throng,And fell to grounde, and evere among,5070Whan that sche fell, so as sche myhte,Hire clothes with hire hand sche rihte,That noman dounward fro the kneScholde eny thing of hire se:Thus lay this wif honestely,Althogh she deide wofully.Tho was no sorwe forto seke:Hire housebonde, hire fader ekeAswoune upon the bodi felle;Ther mai no mannes tunge telle5080In which anguisshe that thei were.Bot Brutus, which was with hem there,Toward himself his herte kepte,And to Lucrece anon he lepte,The blodi swerd and pulleth oute,And swor the goddes al abouteThat he therof schal do vengance.And sche tho made a contienance,Hire dedlich yhe and ate lasteIn thonkinge as it were up caste,5090And so behield him in the wise,Whil sche to loke mai suffise.P. iii. 263And Brutus with a manlich herteHire housebonde hath mad up sterteForth with hire fader ek alsoIn alle haste, and seide hem thoThat thei anon withoute letteA Beere for the body fette;Lucrece and therupon bledendeHe leide, and so forth out criende5100He goth into the Market place1414Of Rome: and in a litel space(5300*)Thurgh cry the cite was assembled,And every mannes herte is trembled,1415Whan thei the sothe herde of the cas.And therupon the conseil wasTake of the grete and of the smale,And Brutus tolde hem al the tale;And thus cam into remembranceOf Senne the continuance,5110Which Arrons hadde do tofore,And ek, long time er he was bore,Of that his fadre hadde do1416The wrong cam into place tho;So that the comun clamour toldeThe newe schame of Sennes olde.And al the toun began to crie,‘Awey, awey the tirannieOf lecherie and covoitise!’And ate laste in such a wise5120The fader in the same whileForth with his Sone thei exile,P. iii. 264And taken betre governance.Bot yit an other remembranceThat rihtwisnesse and lecherieAcorden noght in compaignieWith him that hath the lawe on honde,That mai a man wel understonde,As be a tale thou shalt wite,Of olde ensample as it is write.14175130

[The Rape of Lucrece.]

Bot every time hath his certein,1391

So moste it nedes thanne abide,

Til afterward upon a tyde

Hic narrat quod, cum Tarquinus in obsidione Ciuitatis Ardee, vt eam destrueret, intentus fuit, Arrons filius eius Romam secreto adiens in domo Collatini hospitatus est; vbi de nocte illam castissimam dominam Lucreciam ymaginata fraude vi oppressit: vnde illa pre dolore mortua, ipse cum Tarquino patre suo tota conclamante Roma in perpetuum exilium delegati sunt.

Tarquinus made unskilfully

A werre, which was fasteby

Ayein a toun with walles stronge

Which Ardea was cleped longe,4760

And caste a Siege theraboute,

That ther mai noman passen oute.

P. iii. 252

So it befell upon a nyht,

Arrons, which hadde his souper diht,

A part of the chivalerie

With him to soupe in compaignie

Hath bede: and whan thei comen were

And seten at the souper there,

Among here othre wordes glade

Arrons a gret spekinge made,4770

Who hadde tho the beste wif

Of Rome: and ther began a strif,1392

For Arrons seith he hath the beste.

So jangle thei withoute reste,

Til ate laste on Collatin,

A worthi knyht, and was cousin

To Arrons, seide him in this wise:

‘It is,’ quod he, ‘of non emprise

To speke a word, bot of the dede,

Therof it is to taken hiede.13934780

Anon forthi this same tyde

Lep on thin hors and let ous ryde:

So mai we knowe bothe tuo

Unwarli what oure wyves do,

And that schal be a trewe assay.’

This Arrons seith noght ones nay:

On horse bak anon thei lepte

In such manere, and nothing slepte,

Ridende forth til that thei come

Al prively withinne Rome;4790

In strange place and doun thei lihte,

And take a chambre, and out of sihte

P. iii. 253

Thei be desguised for a throwe,

So that no lif hem scholde knowe.

And to the paleis ferst thei soghte,1394

To se what thing this ladi wroghte1395

Of which Arrons made his avant:

And thei hire sihe of glad semblant,

Al full of merthes and of bordes;

Bot among alle hire othre wordes4800

Sche spak noght of hire housebonde.

And whan thei hadde al understonde(5000*)

Of thilke place what hem liste,1396

Thei gon hem forth, that non it wiste,

Beside thilke gate of bras,

Collacea which cleped was,

Wher Collatin hath his duellinge.

Ther founden thei at hom sittinge

Lucrece his wif, al environed

With wommen, whiche are abandoned13974810

To werche, and sche wroghte ek withal,

And bad hem haste, and seith, ‘It schal1398

Be for mi housebondes were,

Which with his swerd and with his spere1399

Lith at the Siege in gret desese.

And if it scholde him noght displese,

Nou wolde god I hadde him hiere;

For certes til that I mai hiere

Som good tidinge of his astat,

Min herte is evere upon debat.4820

For so as alle men witnesse,

He is of such an hardiesse,

P. iii. 254

That he can noght himselve spare,

And that is al my moste care,

Whan thei the walles schulle assaile.1400

Bot if mi wisshes myhte availe,

I wolde it were a groundles pet,

Be so the Siege were unknet,

And I myn housebonde sihe.’

With that the water in hire yhe4830

Aros, that sche ne myhte it stoppe,

And as men sen the dew bedroppe1401

The leves and the floures eke,

Riht so upon hire whyte cheke

The wofull salte teres felle.

Whan Collatin hath herd hire telle

The menynge of hire trewe herte,

Anon with that to hire he sterte,

And seide, ‘Lo, mi goode diere,

Nou is he come to you hiere,4840

That ye most loven, as ye sein.’

And sche with goodly chiere ayein

Beclipte him in hire armes smale,

And the colour, which erst was pale,

To Beaute thanne was restored,

So that it myhte noght be mored.

The kinges Sone, which was nyh,

And of this lady herde and syh

The thinges as thei ben befalle,

The resoun of hise wittes alle4850

Hath lost; for love upon his part

Cam thanne, and of his fyri dart(5050*)

P. iii. 255

With such a wounde him hath thurghsmite,

That he mot nedes fiele and wite

Of thilke blinde maladie,

To which no cure of Surgerie

Can helpe. Bot yit natheles

At thilke time he hield his pes,

That he no contienance made,

Bot openly with wordes glade,4860

So as he couthe in his manere,

He spak and made frendly chiere,

Til it was time forto go.

And Collatin with him also

His leve tok, so that be nyhte

With al the haste that thei myhte

Thei riden to the Siege ayein.

Bot Arrons was so wo besein

With thoghtes whiche upon him runne,

That he al be the brode Sunne4870

To bedde goth, noght forto reste,

Bot forto thenke upon the beste

And the faireste forth withal,

That evere he syh or evere schal,

So as him thoghte in his corage,

Where he pourtreieth hire ymage:

Ferst the fetures of hir face,

In which nature hadde alle grace

Of wommanly beaute beset,

So that it myhte noght be bet;14024880

And hou hir yelwe her was tresced1403

And hire atir so wel adresced,

P. iii. 256

And hou sche spak, and hou sche wroghte,

And hou sche wepte, al this he thoghte,

That he foryeten hath no del,

Bot al it liketh him so wel,1404

That in the word nor in the dede1405

Hire lacketh noght of wommanhiede.

And thus this tirannysshe knyht

Was soupled, bot noght half ariht,4890

For he non other hiede tok,

Bot that he myhte be som crok,

Althogh it were ayein hire wille,

The lustes of his fleissh fulfille;

Which love was noght resonable,

For where honour is remuable,

It oghte wel to ben avised.

Bot he, which hath his lust assised

With melled love and tirannie,

Hath founde upon his tricherie4900

A weie which he thenkth to holde,

Audaces fortuna iuuat.

And seith, ‘Fortune unto the bolde(5100*)

Is favorable forto helpe.’

And thus withinne himself to yelpe,

As he which was a wylde man,

Upon his treson he began:

And up he sterte, and forth he wente

On horsebak, bot his entente

Ther knew no wiht, and thus he nam

The nexte weie, til he cam4910

Unto Collacea the gate

Of Rome, and it was somdiel late,

P. iii. 257

Riht evene upon the Sonne set,

As he which hadde schape his net1406

Hire innocence to betrappe.

And as it scholde tho mishappe,

Als priveliche as evere he myhte

He rod, and of his hors alyhte1407

Tofore Collatines In,

And al frendliche he goth him in,14084920

As he that was cousin of house.

And sche, which is the goode spouse,

Lucrece, whan that sche him sih,

With goodli chiere drowh him nyh,

As sche which al honour supposeth,

And him, so as sche dar, opposeth

Hou it stod of hire housebonde.

And he tho dede hire understonde

With tales feigned in his wise,1409

Riht as he wolde himself devise,4930

Wherof he myhte hire herte glade,

That sche the betre chiere made,

Whan sche the glade wordes herde,

Hou that hire housebonde ferde.

And thus the trouthe was deceived

With slih tresoun, which was received

To hire which mente alle goode;

For as the festes thanne stode,

His Souper was ryht wel arraied.

Bot yit he hath no word assaied14104940

To speke of love in no degre;

Bot with covert soubtilite

P. iii. 258

His frendly speches he affaiteth,

And as the Tigre his time awaiteth1411

In hope forto cacche his preie.

Whan that the bordes were aweie

And thei have souped in the halle,

He seith that slep is on him falle,

And preith he moste go to bedde;

And sche with alle haste spedde,4950

So as hire thoghte it was to done,

That every thing was redi sone.(5150*)

Sche broghte him to his chambre tho

And tok hire leve, and forth is go

Into hire oghne chambre by,

As sche that wende certeinly

Have had a frend, and hadde a fo,

Wherof fell after mochel wo.

This tirant, thogh he lyhe softe,

Out of his bed aros fulofte,4960

And goth aboute, and leide his Ere

To herkne, til that alle were

To bedde gon and slepten faste.

And thanne upon himself he caste

A mantell, and his swerd al naked

He tok in honde; and sche unwaked

Abedde lay, but what sche mette,

God wot; for he the Dore unschette

So prively that non it herde,

The softe pas and forth he ferde4970

Unto the bed wher that sche slepte,1412

Al sodeinliche and in he crepte,

P. iii. 259

And hire in bothe his Armes tok.

With that this worthi wif awok,

Which thurgh tendresce of wommanhiede

Hire vois hath lost for pure drede,

That o word speke sche ne dar:

And ek he bad hir to be war,

For if sche made noise or cry,

He seide, his swerd lay faste by4980

To slen hire and hire folk aboute.

And thus he broghte hire herte in doute,

That lich a Lomb whanne it is sesed

In wolves mouth, so was desesed

Lucrece, which he naked fond:

Wherof sche swounede in his hond,

And, as who seith, lay ded oppressed.

And he, which al him hadde adresced

To lust, tok thanne what him liste,

And goth his wey, that non it wiste,4990

Into his oghne chambre ayein,

And clepede up his chamberlein,

And made him redi forto ryde.

And thus this lecherouse pride

To horse lepte and forth he rod;

And sche, which in hire bed abod,

Whan that sche wiste he was agon,

Sche clepede after liht anon

And up aros long er the day,

And caste awey hire freissh aray,5000

As sche which hath the world forsake,

And tok upon the clothes blake:(5200*)

P. iii. 260

And evere upon continuinge,

Riht as men sen a welle springe,

With yhen fulle of wofull teres,

Hire her hangende aboute hire Eres,

Sche wepte, and noman wiste why.

Bot yit among full pitously

Sche preide that thei nolden drecche

Hire housebonde forto fecche5010

Forth with hire fader ek also.

Thus be thei comen bothe tuo,

And Brutus cam with Collatin,

Which to Lucrece was cousin,

And in thei wenten alle thre

To chambre, wher thei myhten se

The wofulleste upon this Molde,

Which wepte as sche to water scholde.

The chambre Dore anon was stoke,

Er thei have oght unto hire spoke;5020

Thei sihe hire clothes al desguised,

And hou sche hath hirself despised,

Hire her hangende unkemd aboute,

Bot natheles sche gan to loute

And knele unto hire housebonde;

And he, which fain wolde understonde

The cause why sche ferde so,

With softe wordes axeth tho,

‘What mai you be, mi goode swete?’

And sche, which thoghte hirself unmete5030

And the lest worth of wommen alle,

Hire wofull chiere let doun falle

P. iii. 261

For schame and couthe unnethes loke.

And thei therof good hiede toke,

And preiden hire in alle weie

That sche ne spare forto seie

Unto hir frendes what hire eileth,

Why sche so sore hirself beweileth,

And what the sothe wolde mene.

And sche, which hath hire sorwes grene,5040

Hire wo to telle thanne assaieth,

Bot tendre schame hire word delaieth,

That sondri times as sche minte1413

To speke, upon the point sche stinte.

And thei hire bidden evere in on

To telle forth, and therupon,

Whan that sche sih sche moste nede,

Hire tale betwen schame and drede

Sche tolde, noght withoute peine.

And he, which wolde hire wo restreigne,5050

Hire housebonde, a sory man,

Conforteth hire al that he can,(5250*)

And swor, and ek hire fader bothe,

That thei with hire be noght wrothe

Of that is don ayein hire wille;

And preiden hire to be stille,

For thei to hire have al foryive.

But sche, which thoghte noght to live,

Of hem wol no foryivenesse,

And seide, of thilke wickednesse5060

Which was unto hire bodi wroght,

Al were it so sche myhte it noght,

P. iii. 262

Nevere afterward the world ne schal

Reproeven hire; and forth withal,

Er eny man therof be war,

A naked swerd, the which sche bar

Withinne hire Mantel priveli,

Betwen hire hondes sodeinly

Sche tok, and thurgh hire herte it throng,

And fell to grounde, and evere among,5070

Whan that sche fell, so as sche myhte,

Hire clothes with hire hand sche rihte,

That noman dounward fro the kne

Scholde eny thing of hire se:

Thus lay this wif honestely,

Althogh she deide wofully.

Tho was no sorwe forto seke:

Hire housebonde, hire fader eke

Aswoune upon the bodi felle;

Ther mai no mannes tunge telle5080

In which anguisshe that thei were.

Bot Brutus, which was with hem there,

Toward himself his herte kepte,

And to Lucrece anon he lepte,

The blodi swerd and pulleth oute,

And swor the goddes al aboute

That he therof schal do vengance.

And sche tho made a contienance,

Hire dedlich yhe and ate laste

In thonkinge as it were up caste,5090

And so behield him in the wise,

Whil sche to loke mai suffise.

P. iii. 263

And Brutus with a manlich herte

Hire housebonde hath mad up sterte

Forth with hire fader ek also

In alle haste, and seide hem tho

That thei anon withoute lette

A Beere for the body fette;

Lucrece and therupon bledende

He leide, and so forth out criende5100

He goth into the Market place1414

Of Rome: and in a litel space(5300*)

Thurgh cry the cite was assembled,

And every mannes herte is trembled,1415

Whan thei the sothe herde of the cas.

And therupon the conseil was

Take of the grete and of the smale,

And Brutus tolde hem al the tale;

And thus cam into remembrance

Of Senne the continuance,5110

Which Arrons hadde do tofore,

And ek, long time er he was bore,

Of that his fadre hadde do1416

The wrong cam into place tho;

So that the comun clamour tolde

The newe schame of Sennes olde.

And al the toun began to crie,

‘Awey, awey the tirannie

Of lecherie and covoitise!’

And ate laste in such a wise5120

The fader in the same while

Forth with his Sone thei exile,

P. iii. 264

And taken betre governance.

Bot yit an other remembrance

That rihtwisnesse and lecherie

Acorden noght in compaignie

With him that hath the lawe on honde,

That mai a man wel understonde,

As be a tale thou shalt wite,

Of olde ensample as it is write.14175130

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