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| In alle nedes, for the tounes werre, | |
| He was, and ay the firste in armes dight; | |
| And certeynly, but-if that bokes erre, | |
| 1775 | Save Ector, most y-drad of any wight; |
| And this encrees of hardynesse and might | |
| Cam him of love, his ladies thank to winne, | |
| That altered his spirit so withinne. |
| In tyme of trewe, on haukinge wolde he ryde, | |
| 1780 | Or elles hunten boor, bere, or lyoun; |
| The smale bestes leet he gon bi-syde. | |
| And whan that he com rydinge into toun, | |
| Ful ofte his lady, from hir window doun, | |
| As fresh as faucon comen out of muwe, | |
| 1785 | Ful redy was, him goodly to saluwe. |
| And most of love and vertu was his speche, | |
| And in despyt hadde alle wrecchednesse; | |
| And doutelees, no nede was him biseche | |
| To honouren hem that hadde worthynesse, | |
| 1790 | And esen hem that weren in distresse. |
| And glad was he if any wight wel ferde, | |
| That lover was, whan he it wiste or herde. |
| For sooth to seyn, he lost held every wight | |
| But-if he were in loves heigh servyse, | |
| 1795 | I mene folk that oughte it been of right. |
| And over al this, so wel coude he devyse | |
| Of sentement, and in so unkouth wyse | |
| Al his array, that every lover thoughte, | |
| That al was wel, what so he seyde or wroughte. |
| 1800 | And though that he be come of blood royal, |
| Him liste of pryde at no wight for to chase; | |
| Benigne he was to ech in general, | |
| For which he gat him thank in every place. | |
| Thus wolde love, yheried be his grace, | |
| 1805 | That Pryde, Envye, Ire, and Avaryce |
| He gan to flee, and every other vyce. |
| Thou lady bright, the doughter to Dione, | |
| Thy blinde and winged sone eek, daun Cupyde; | |
| Ye sustren nyne eek, that by Elicone | |
| 1810 | In hil Parnaso listen for to abyde, |
| That ye thus fer han deyned me to gyde, | |
| I can no more, but syn that ye wol wende, | |
| Ye heried been for ay, withouten ende! |
| Thurgh yow have I seyd fully in my song | |
| 1815 | The effect and joye of Troilus servyse, |
| Al be that ther was som disese among, | |
| As to myn auctor listeth to devyse. | |
| My thridde book now ende ich in this wyse; | |
| And Troilus in luste and in quiete | |
| 1820 | Is with Criseyde, his owne herte swete. |
| Next: From Troilus and Criseyde, Book IV, lines 1-28: Prologue |