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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 |