From Geoffrey Chaucer's "Troilus and Criseyde", Book II, lines 1044-1092

Previous:
From Troilus and Criseyde, Book II, lines 932-1043:
Pandarus tells Troilus that he has won Criseyde for him

Geoffrey Chaucer (1342 - 1400):
Troilus and Criseyde
Book II, lines 1044-1092: Troilus writes a letter to Criseyde

	This counseyl lyked wel to Troilus;
1045	But, as a dreedful lover, he seyde this:
	`Allas, my dere brother Pandarus,
	I am ashamed for to wryte, y-wis,
	Lest of myn innocence I seyde a-mis,
	Or that she nolde it for despyt receyve;
1050	Thanne were I deed, ther mighte it no-thing weyve.'

To that Pandare answerde, `If thee lest,

Do that I seye, and lat me therwith goon;

For by that lord that formed est and west,

I hope of it to bringe answere anoon

1055 Right of hir hond, and if that thou nilt noon,

Lat be; and sory mote he been his lyve,

Ayeins thy lust that helpeth thee to thryve.'

Quod Troilus, `Depardieux, I assente;

Syn that thee list, I will aryse and wryte;

1060 And blisful God preye ich, with good entente,

The viage, and the lettre I shal endyte,

So spede it; and thou, Minerva, the whyte,

Yif thou me wit my lettre to devyse:'

And sette him doun, and wroot right in this wyse. --

1065 First he gan hir his righte lady calle,

His hertes lyf, his lust, his sorwes leche,

His blisse, and eek these othere termes alle,

That in swich cas these loveres alle seche;

And in ful humble wyse, as in his speche,

1070 He gan him recomaunde un-to hir grace;

To telle al how, it axeth muchel space.

And after this, ful lowly he hir prayde

To be nought wrooth, though he, of his folye,

So hardy was to hir to wryte, and seyde,

1075 That love it made, or elles moste he dye,

And pitously gan mercy for to crye;

And after that he seyde, and ley ful loude,

Him-self was litel worth, and lesse he coude;

And that she sholde han his konnyng excused,

1080 That litel was, and eek he dredde hir so,

And his unworthinesse he ay acused;

And after that, than gan he telle his woo;

But that was endeles, with-outen ho;

And seyde, he wolde in trouthe alwey him holde; --

1085 And radde it over, and gan the lettre folde.

And with his salte teres gan he bathe

The ruby in his signet, and it sette

Upon the wex deliverliche and rathe;

Ther-with a thousand tymes, er he lette,

1090 He kiste tho the lettre that he shette,

And seyde, `Lettre, a blisful destenee

Thee shapen is, my lady shal thee see.'

Next:
From Troilus and Criseyde, Book II, lines 1093-1183:
Criseyde receives Troilus' letter from Pandarus and reads it

	To that Pandare answerde, `If thee lest,
	Do that I seye, and lat me therwith goon;
	For by that lord that formed est and west,
	I hope of it to bringe answere anoon
1055	Right of hir hond, and if that thou nilt noon,
	Lat be; and sory mote he been his lyve,
	Ayeins thy lust that helpeth thee to thryve.'

	Quod Troilus, `Depardieux, I assente;
	Syn that thee list, I will aryse and wryte;
1060	And blisful God preye ich, with good entente,
	The viage, and the lettre I shal endyte,
	So spede it; and thou, Minerva, the whyte,
	Yif thou me wit my lettre to devyse:'
	And sette him doun, and wroot right in this wyse. --

1065	First he gan hir his righte lady calle,
	His hertes lyf, his lust, his sorwes leche,
	His blisse, and eek these othere termes alle,
	That in swich cas these loveres alle seche;
	And in ful humble wyse, as in his speche,
1070	He gan him recomaunde un-to hir grace;
	To telle al how, it axeth muchel space.

	And after this, ful lowly he hir prayde
	To be nought wrooth, though he, of his folye,
	So hardy was to hir to wryte, and seyde,
1075	That love it made, or elles moste he dye,
	And pitously gan mercy for to crye;
	And after that he seyde, and ley ful loude,
	Him-self was litel worth, and lesse he coude;

	And that she sholde han his konnyng excused,
1080	That litel was, and eek he dredde hir so,
	And his unworthinesse he ay acused;
	And after that, than gan he telle his woo;
	But that was endeles, with-outen ho;
	And seyde, he wolde in trouthe alwey him holde; --
1085	And radde it over, and gan the lettre folde.

	And with his salte teres gan he bathe
	The ruby in his signet, and it sette
	Upon the wex deliverliche and rathe;
	Ther-with a thousand tymes, er he lette,
1090	He kiste tho the lettre that he shette,
	And seyde, `Lettre, a blisful destenee
	Thee shapen is, my lady shal thee see.'