Book II. She sits beside Jason; and while the company are eagerly listening to Hercules, the lovers are left to themselves. 508 And he assignet hir a seite, pat hir-selfe liket, With chere for cherys the chiualrus Knightes, As maner was of Maidones, with hir myld chere. His comaundment to kepe sho hir course held, 512 And Joynet by Jason iustly to sit; And he welcomed þat worthy as he well kouthe: ffor to mele with pat maidyn & hir mode here. 516 The Kyng with other knightes hade comford to speike Ercules of armes, & auntres to telle Of chiualry & chaunce, pat cheuyt hym before, þat no lede was lelly po louers betwene, 520 But þai might say by hom-self all pere sad wille. Medea excuses herself to Jason for speaking to him so freely. (fol. 10 b.) Such courtesy is due to him as a stranger. MEDEA. The woman was war þat no wegh herd, And vnder shadow of shame shewid forth hir ernd, With a compas of clennes to colour hir speche. 524 In sauyng hir-seluen and serche of his wille, "Now frynd," quod pat faire, "as ye bene fre holden, 528 Will ye suffer me to say, and the sothe telle? Voidis me noght of vitius, [ne] vilaus of tunge; Ne deme no dishonesty in your derfe hert, hof I put me pus pertly my purpos to shewe. Hit sittes, me semeth, to a sure knyghte, bat ayres into vnkoth lond auntres to seche, 532 To be counseld in case to comfford hym-seluyn, Of sum fre pat hym faith awe, & pe fete knoweth ; This curtysy he claymes as for clere det, And be chaunce may chere hym & cheue to pe 536 I wot ssir, ye are wight & a wegh nobill, AND JASON. A storre man of strenght & of stuerne will, That wilnes for to wyn this wethur of gold, 540 And puttes you to perell in pointis of armes, And likly for litle your lyffe for to tyne. Book II. 19 She pities Jason, and promises to I haue pittye of your person & your pert face, 544 pat causes me with counsell to caste for your helpe, And put you in plite your purpos to wyn, And my wille for to wirke, if I wele serue." TH[E] ONSUARE OF JASON TO MEDEA. I thanke you a thowsaund tymes in my thro 556 þat ye kythe me suche kyndnes withouten cause why; the golden fleece, if he will do as she desires. Jason thanks her a thousand times, And here I put me full plainly in your pure and submits to her wille, To do with me, damsell, as your desyre thynke, MEDEA. 560 Than saide pat semely to be sure knyght, 66 " pure will." (fol. 11 a.) Sir, wete ye not the wochis pat this wethir Unless he is zemes, The keping in case is vnknowen to yowe, And the truthe of the tale vntold to your ere? 564 The perlouse pointtes pat passe you behoues, thoroughly acquainted with all the difficulties he has Syn it is gate with a gode & no gome ellis, Wo shuld pas out of perell fro po proude exin, 3et turne your entent, & betyme leue; TH[E] ONSUARE OF JASON TO MEDEA. my The wegh at hir wordes wrathit a litill, Ere he fayne any faintes & be fals holdyn." MEDEA. Medea full myldly vnto pe mon said :— 596 AND JASON. "It is playnly your purpos to put you to dethe, And I shall fonge you to forther, & my faith 600 I will shunt for no shame of my shene fader, 604 But in dede for to do, as I desyre wille." Book II. 21 him determined, promises to aid him on one condition. JASON. "Moste worshipfull woman, wisest on erthe, What-euer ye deme me to do, & my days laste, Jason accepts I hete you full highly with hert to fulfille, 608 And your wille for to wirke: wittenes our goddes." MEDEA. ben Medea with mowthe motys pus agayne: the offer. "And ye wede me with worship & to wiffe holde, If he will wed Lede me with likyng into your lond home; 612 No gatis me begyle, ne to grem brynge, I hete you full hertely, pat I you helpe shall JASON. 620 "Ah! this glorius gyste & this grete mede, her, she will help him to get the fleece, and to overcome all his dangers. (fol. 12 a.) Jason praises Medea, and That ye hete me so hyndly to haue at my wille! promises to fulfil (Your-selfe, pat is sothely the semliest on lyue, And pe fresshist and fairest fed vpon erthe; 624 As the Roose in his Radness is Richest of floures, all her desires. In the moneth of May when medowes are grene, And help me to haue pat I hidur seche; As wyfe for to wede in worship and Joye: MEDEA. Medea was mery at this mene graunt, And to pat souerayn full soberly said o this wise :- "ffrynd, I am ffayne of þis faire heste, 640 And wele I hoope pu will holde pat pu here said: More suerty, for sothe, yet I sue fore;— Yow swiftly shall sweire vppon swete goddes, This couenaunt to kepe & for no case chaunge. 644 But this tyme is so tore & we no tome haue, We will seasse till, now sone, the sun be at rest, All buernes into bede on hor best wise, And yche lede, as hym list, lullit on slepe. 648 I wull send to you sone by a sure maydon : 656 All your gate and your gouernaunse graidly to |