| Juge infernal, Mynos, of Crete kyng, |
| Now cometh thy lot, now comestow on the ryng. |
| Nat for thy sake oonly write I this storye, |
| But for to clepe ageyn unto memorye |
| 1890 | Of Theseus the grete untrouthe of love; |
| For which the goddes of the heven above |
| Ben wrothe, and wreche han take for thy synne. |
| Be red for shame! Now I thy lyf begynne. |
| Mynos, that was the myghty kyng of Crete, |
| 1895 | That hadde an hundred citees stronge and grete, |
| To scole hath sent hys sone Androgeus, |
| To Athenes; of the which hyt happed thus, |
| That he was slayn, lernynge philosophie, |
| Ryght in that citee, nat but for envye. |
| 1900 | The grete Mynos, of the which I speke, |
| Hys sones deth ys come for to wreke. |
| Alcathoe he besegeth harde and longe; |
| But natheles, the walles be so stronge, |
| And Nysus, that was kyng of that citee, |
| 1905 | So chevalrous, that lytel dredeth he; |
| Of Mynos or hys ost tok he no cure, |
| Til on a day befel an aventure, |
| That Nysus doughter stod upon the wal, |
| And of the sege saw the maner al. |
| 1910 | So happed it that at a scarmishyng |
| She caste hire herte upon Mynos the kyng, |
| For his beaute and for his chyvalrye, |
| So sore that she wende for to dye. |
| And, shortly of this proces for to pace, |
| 1915 | She made Mynos wynnen thilke place, |
| So that the cite was al at his wille, |
| To saven whom hym leste or elles spille. |
| But wikkedly he quitte hire kyndenesse, |
| And let hire drenche in sorwe and distresse, |
| 1920 | Nere that the goddes hadde of hire pite; |
| But that tale were to long as now for me. |
| Athenes wan thys kyng Mynos also, |
| As Alcathoe, and other tounes mo. |
| And this th' effect, that Mynos hath so driven |
| 1925 | Hem of Athenes that they mote hym yiven |
| From yer to yer hire owene children dere |
| For to be slayne right as ye shal here. |
| This Mynos hadde a monstre, a wiked best, |
| That was so crewel that, withoute arest, |
| 1930 | Whan that a man was brought in his presence, |
| He wolde hym ete; ther helpeth no defence. |
| And every thridde yeer, withouten doute, |
| They caste lot, and as it com aboute |
| On riche, on pore, he moste his sone take, |
| 1935 | And of his child he moste present make |
| Unto Minos, to save hym or to spylle, |
| Or lete his best devoure hym at his wille. |
| And this hath Mynos don, ryght in dispit; |
| To wreke his sone was set al his delyt, |
| 1940 | And maken hem of Athenes his thral |
| From yer to yer, whil that he liven shal; |
| And hom he sayleth whan this toun is wonne. |
| This wiked custom is so longe yronne, |
| Til that of Athenes kyng Egeus |
| 1945 | Mot senden his owene sone, Theseus, |
| Sith that the lot is fallen hym upon, |
| To ben devoured, for grace is there non. |
| And forth is lad this woful yonge knyght |
| Unto the court of kyng Mynos ful ryght, |
| 1950 | And into a prysoun, fetered, cast is he |
| Tyl thilke tyme he sholde freten be. |
| Wel maystow wepe, O woful Theseus, |
| That art a kynges sone, and dampned thus. |
| Me thynketh this, that thow were depe yholde |
| 1955 | To whom that savede thee from cares colde! |
| And if now any woman helpe the, |
| Wel oughtestow hire servaunt for to be, |
| And ben hire trewe lovere yer be yere! |
| But now to come ageyn to my matere. |
| 1960 | The tour there as this Theseus is throwe |
| Doun in the botom derk and wonder lowe, |
| Was joynynge in the wal to a foreyne; |
| And it was longynge to the doughtren tweyne |
| Of Mynos, that in hire chaumbers grete |
| 1965 | Dwellten above, toward the mayster-strete |
| Of Athenes, in joye and in solas. |
| Noot I not how, it happede par cas, |
| As Theseus compleynede hym by nyghte, |
| The kynges doughter, Adryane that highte, |
| 1970 | And ek hire syster Phedra, herden al |
| His compleynynge as they stode on the wal |
| And lokeden upon the bryghte mone. |
| Hem leste nat to go to bedde so sone; |
| And of his wo they hadde compassioun. |
| 1975 | A kynges sone to ben in swich prysoun, |
| And ben devoured, thoughte hem gret pite. |
| This Adryane spak to hire syster fre, |
| And seyde, "Phedra, leve syster dere, |
| This woful lordes sone may ye nat here, |
| 1980 | How pitously compleyneth he his kyn, |
| And ek his povre estat that he is in, |
| And gilteles? Now, certes, it is routhe! |
| And if ye wol assenten, by my trouthe, |
| He shal ben holpen, how so that we do." |
| 1985 | Phedra answerde, "Ywis, me is as wo |
| For hym as evere I was for any man; |
| And, to his help, the beste red I can |
| Is that we do the gayler prively |
| To come and speke with us hastily, |
| 1990 | And don this woful man with hym to come. |
| For if he may this monstre overcome, |
| Thanne were he quyt; ther is non other bote. |
| Lat us wel taste hym at his herte-rote, |
| That if so be that he a wepen have, |
| 1995 | Wher that he dar, his lyf to kepe and save, |
| Fyghten with the fend, and hym defende. |
| For in the prysoun ther he shal descende, |
| Ye wote wel that the beste is in a place |
| That nys nat derk, and hath roum eek and space |
| 2000 | To welde an ax, or swerd, or staf, or knyf; |
| So that, me thynketh, he shulde save his lyf. |
| If that he be a man, he shal do so. |
| And we shul make hym balles ek also |
| Of wex and tow, that whan he gapeth faste, |
| 2005 | Into the bestes throte he shal hem caste |
| To slake his hunger and encombre his teth; |
| And right anon, whan that Theseus seth |
| The beste achoked, he shal on hym lepe |
| To slen hym or they comen more to-hepe. |
| 2010 | This wepen shal the gayler, or that tyde, |
| Ful prively withinne the prysoun hyde; |
| And for the hous is krynkeled to and fro, |
| And hath so queynte weyes for to go -- |
| For it is shapen as the mase is wrought -- |
| 2015 | Therto have I a remedye in my thought, |
| That, by a clewe of twyn, as he hath gon, |
| The same weye he may returne anon, |
| Folwynge alwey the thred as he hath come. |
| And whan that he this beste hath overcome, |
| 2020 | Thanne may he flen awey out of this drede, |
| And ek the gayler may he with hym lede, |
| And hym avaunce at hom in his cuntre, |
| Syn that so gret a lordes sone is he. |
| This is my red, if that he dar it take." |
| 2025 | What sholde I lenger sarmoun of it make? |
| This gayler cometh, and with hym Theseus. |
| Whan these thynges ben acorded thus, |
| Adoun sit Theseus upon his kne -- |
| "The ryghte lady of my lyf," quod he, |
| 2030 | "I, sorweful man, ydampned to the deth, |
| Fro yow, whil that me lasteth lyf or breth, |
| I wol nat twynne, after this aventure, |
| But in youre servise thus I wol endure, |
| That, as a wreche unknowe, I wol yow serve |
| 2035 | For everemo, til that myn herte sterve. |
| Forsake I wol at hom myn herytage, |
| And, as I seyde, ben of youre court a page, |
| If that ye vouche-sauf that in this place |
| Ye graunte me to han so gret a grace |
| 2040 | That I may han nat but my mete and drynke. |
| And for my sustenaunce yit wol I swynke, |
| Ryght as yow leste, that Mynos ne no wight -- |
| Syn that he saw me nevere with eyen syght -- |
| Ne no man elles, shal me conne espye; |
| 2045 | So slyly and so wel I shal me gye, |
| And me so wel disfigure and so lowe, |
| That in this world ther shal no man me knowe, |
| To han my lyf, and for to han presence |
| Of yow, that don to me this excellence. |
| 2050 | And to my fader shal I sende here |
| This worthy man that is now youre gaylere, |
| And hym so gwerdone that he shal wel be |
| Oon of the gretteste men of my cuntre. |
| And if I durste seyn, my lady bryght, |
| 2055 | I am a kynges sone and ek a knyght. |
| As wolde God, if that it myghte be |
| Ye weren in my cuntre, alle thre, |
| And I with yow to bere yow compaignye, |
| Thanne shulde ye se if that I therof lye. |
| 2060 | And if I profre yow in low manere |
| To ben youre page and serven yow ryght here, |
| But I yow serve as lowly in that place, |
| I preye to Mars to yeve me swich a grace |
| That shames deth on me ther mote falle, |
| 2065 | And deth and poverte to my frendes alle; |
| And that my spirit by nyghte mote go, |
| After my deth, and walke to and fro, |
| That I mote of traytour have a name, |
| For which my spirit go, to do me shame! |
| 2070 | And if I evere cleyme other degre, |
| But if ye vouche-sauf to yeve it me, |
| As I have seyd, of shames deth I deye! |
| And mercy, lady! I can nat elles seye." |
| A semely knyght was Theseus to se, |
| 2075 | And yong, but of a twenty yer and thre. |
| But whoso hadde seyn his contenaunce, |
| He wolde have wept for routhe of his penaunce; |
| For which this Adryane in this manere |
| Answerde hym to his profre and to his chere: |
| 2080 | "A kynges sone, and ek a knyght," quod she, |
| "To ben my servaunt in so low degre, |
| God shilde it, for the shame of wemen alle, |
| And lene me nevere swich a cas befalle! |
| But sende yow grace of herte and sleyghte also, |
| 2085 | Yow to defende and knyghtly slen youre fo, |
| And leve hereafter that I may yow fynde |
| To me and to my syster here so kynde, |
| That I repente nat to yeve yow lyf! |
| Yit were it betere that I were youre wyf, |
| 2090 | Syn that ye ben as gentil born as I, |
| And have a reaume, nat but faste by, |
| Than that I suffered, gilteles, yow sterve, |
| Or that I let yow as a page serve. |
| It nys no profre as unto youre kynrede; |
| 2095 | But what is that that man nyl don for drede? |
| And to my syster, syn that it is so |
| That she mot gon with me, if that I go, |
| Or elles suffre deth as wel as I, |
| That ye unto youre sone as trewely |
| 2100 | Don hire ben wedded at youre hom-comyng. |
| This is the final ende of al this thyng; |
| Ye swere it here, upon al that may be sworn." |
| "Ye, lady myn," quod he, "or ellis torn |
| Mote I be with the Mynotaur to-morwe! |
| 2105 | And haveth hereof myn herte blod to borwe, |
| If that ye wole; if I hadde knyf or spere, |
| I wolde it laten out, and theron swere, |
| For thanne at erst I wot ye wole me leve. |
| By Mars, that is the chef of my beleve, |
| 2110 | So that I myghte liven and nat fayle |
| To-morwe for t' acheve my batayle, |
| I wolde nevere from this place fle, |
| Til that ye shulde the verray preve se. |
| For now, if that the sothe I shal yow say, |
| 2115 | I have yloved yow ful many a day, |
| Thogh ye ne wiste it nat, in my cuntre, |
| And aldermost desired yow to se |
| Of any erthly livynge creature. |
| Upon my trouthe I swere and yow assure, |
| 2120 | This sevene yer I have youre servaunt be. |
| Now have I yow, and also have ye me, |
| My dere herte, of Athenes duchesse!" |
| This lady smyleth at his stedefastnesse, |
| And at his hertely wordes and his chere, |
| 2125 | And to hyre sister seyde in this manere, |
| Al softely: "Now, syster myn," quod she, |
| "Now be we duchesses, bothe I and ye, |
| And sekered to the regals of Athenes, |
| And bothe hereafter likly to ben quenes; |
| 2130 | And saved from his deth a kynges sone, |
| As evere of gentil women is the wone |
| To save a gentyl man, emforth hire myght, |
| In honest cause, and namely in his ryght. |
| Me thynketh no wight oughte us herof blame, |
| 2135 | Ne beren us therfore an evil name." |
| And shortly of this mater for to make, |
| This Theseus of hire hath leve take, |
| And every poynt was performed in dede |
| As ye han in this covenaunt herd me rede. |
| 2140 | His wepne, his clewe, his thyng, that I have sayd, |
| Was by the gayler in the hous yleyd, |
| Ther as the Mynotaur hath his dwellynge, |
| Ryght faste by the dore, at his entrynge. |
| And Theseus is lad unto his deth, |
| 2145 | And forth unto this Mynotaur he geth, |
| And by the techynge of this Adryane |
| He overcom this beste and was his bane; |
| And out he cometh by the clewe agayn |
| Ful prively, whan he this beste hath slayn; |
| 2150 | And by the gayler geten hath a barge, |
| And of his wyves tresor gan it charge, |
| And tok his wif, and ek hire sister fre, |
| And ek the gayler, and with hem alle thre |
| Is stole awey out of the lond by nyghte, |
| 2155 | And to the contre of Ennopye hym dyghte |
| There as he hadde a frend of his knowynge. |
| There feste they, there daunce they and synge; |
| And in his armes hath this Adryane, |
| That of the beste hath kept hym from his bane; |
| 2160 | And gat hym there a newe barge anon, |
| And of his contre-folk a ful gret won, |
| And taketh his leve, and homward sayleth he. |
| And in an yle amyd the wilde se, |
| Ther as there dwelled creature non |
| 2165 | Save wilde bestes, and that ful many oon, |
| He made his ship a-londe for to sette; |
| And in that yle half a day he lette, |
| And seyde that on the lond he moste hym reste. |
| His maryners han don ryght as hym leste; |
| 2170 | And, for to tellen shortly in this cas, |
| Whan Adryane his wif aslepe was, |
| For that hire syster fayrer was than she, |
| He taketh hire in his hond and forth goth he |
| To shipe, and as a traytour stal his wey, |
| 2175 | Whil that this Adryane aslepe lay, |
| And to his contre-ward he sayleth blyve -- |
| A twenty devel-wey the wynd hym dryve! -- |
| And fond his fader drenched in the se. |
| Me lest no more to speke of hym, parde. |
| 2180 | These false lovers, poysoun be here bane! |
| But I wol turne ageyn to Adryane, |
| That is with slep for werynesse atake. |
| Ful sorwefully hire herte may awake. |
| Allas, for thee myn herte hath now pite! |
| 2185 | Ryght in the dawenyng awaketh she, |
| And gropeth in the bed, and fond ryght nought. |
| "Allas," quod she, "that evere I was wrought! |
| I am betrayed!" and hire her torente, |
| And to the stronde barefot faste she wente, |
| 2190 | And cryed, "Theseus, myn herte swete! |
| Where be ye, that I may nat with yow mete, |
| And myghte thus with bestes ben yslayn?" |
| The holwe rokkes answerde hire agayn. |
| No man she saw, and yit shyned the mone, |
| 2195 | And hye upon a rokke she wente sone, |
| And saw his barge saylynge in the se. |
| Cold wex hire herte, and ryght thus seyde she: |
| "Meker than ye fynde I the bestes wilde!" |
| Hadde he nat synne that hire thus begylde? |
| 2200 | She cryed, "O turn ageyn, for routhe and synne! |
| Thy barge hath nat al his meyne inne!" |
| Hire coverchef on a pole up steked she, |
| Ascaunce that he shulde it wel yse, |
| And hym remembre that she was behynde, |
| 2205 | And turne ageyn, and on the stronde hire fynde. |
| But al for nought; his wey he is ygon. |
| Adoun she fyl aswoune upon a ston; |
| And up she rist, and kyssed, in al hire care, |
| The steppes of his fet ther he hath fare, |
| 2210 | And to hire bed ryght thus she speketh tho: |
| "Thow bed," quod she, "that hast receyved two, |
| Thow shalt answere of two, and nat of oon! |
| Where is thy gretter part awey ygon? |
| Allas! Where shal I, wreche wight, become? |
| 2215 | For thogh so be that ship or boot here come, |
| Hom to my contre dar I nat for drede. |
| I can myselven in this cas nat rede." |
| What shulde I more telle hire compleynyng? |
| It is so long, it were an hevy thyng. |
| 2220 | In hire Epistel Naso telleth al; |
| But shortly to the ende I telle shal. |
| The goddes han hire holpen for pite, |
| And in the signe of Taurus men may se |
| The stones of hire corone shyne clere. |
| 2225 | I wol no more speke of this mateere; |
| But thus this false lovere can begyle |
| His trewe love, the devel quyte hym his while! |