| 645 | For which he wex a litel reed for shame, |
| Whan he the peple upon him herde cryen, |
| That to biholde it was a noble game, |
| How sobreliche he caste doun his yen. |
| Criseyde gan al his chere aspyen, |
| 650 | And leet so softe it in hir herte sinke, |
| That to hir-self she seyde, `Who yaf me drinke?' |
| For of hir owene thought she wex al reed, |
| Remembringe hir right thus, `Lo, this is he |
| Which that myn uncle swereth he moot be deed, |
| 655 | But I on him have mercy and pitee;' |
| And with that thought, for pure a-shamed, she |
| Gan in hir heed to pulle, and that as faste, |
| Whyl he and al the peple for-by paste, |
| And gan to caste and rollen up and doun |
| 660 | Withinne hir thought his excellent prowesse, |
| And his estat, and also his renoun, |
| His wit, his shap, and eek his gentillesse; |
| But most hir favour was, for his distresse |
| Was al for hir, and thoughte it was a routhe |
| 665 | To sleen swich oon, if that he mente trouthe. |
| Now mighte som envyous jangle thus, |
| `This was a sodeyn love; how mighte it be |
| That she so lightly lovede Troilus |
| Right for the firste sighte; ye, pardee?' |
| 670 | Now who-so seyth so, mote he never thee! |
| For every thing, a ginning hath it nede |
| Er al be wrought, with-outen any drede. |
| For I sey nought that she so sodeynly |
| Yaf him hir love, but that she gan enclyne |
| 675 | To lyke him first, and I have told yow why; |
| And after that, his manhod and his pyne |
| Made love withinne hir for to myne, |
| For which, by proces and by good servyse, |
| He gat hir love, and in no sodeyn wyse. |
| 680 | And also blisful Venus, wel arayed, |
| Sat in hir seventhe hous of hevene tho, |
| Disposed wel, and with aspectes payed, |
| To helpen sely Troilus of his wo. |
| And, sooth to seyn, she nas not al a fo |
| 685 | To Troilus in his nativitee; |
| God woot that wel the soner spedde he. |
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