Book II. Jason tells the purpose of his (fol. 8 a.) journey, and Eetes grants his wish. Dainties and wine are served in the hall, and Medea, daughter of Eetes, joins the company: her age, skill, &c. Through necromancy she had power over all things: thusFame declared, (fol. 8 b.) 376 All the cause of his come to Calcos was pan: ffor the flammond fles þat fele had desyrid, He hade wille for to wyn & away lede, By leue of the lord þat þe lond aght. After custome to kepe as the Kyng set, 380 Chethes full soberly & with sad wordes, Has grauntid godely pat he go shuld, Soiorne pere a season, assay when hym lyke. Be pan burdes were bred in the brade halle, 384 And po mighty to meite meuit belyue, 392 With all deintes on dese pat were dere holden; In grete goblettes of gold yche gome hade. 396 And kyndly hade conyng in the clene artis : 400 pere was no filisofers so fyn found in pat lond, Might approche to put precious apoint of her wit. THE CRAFTE OF MEDEA. Of nygramansi ynogh to note when she liket, 408 412 THE CRAFT OF MEDEA. To clere Sune into Clippis & the cloudes dym; Yong men yepely yarke into Elde, And the course agayne calle into clere youthe. hat suche ferlies shuld fall in a frale woman; And ilke a planet hase put in a plaine course, 424 pat turnys as pere tyme comys, trist ye non other. As he formed hom first flitton þai neuer ; 428 Than it lost hade the light as our lord wold, The gret tempull top terned to ground. (fol. 9 a.) Medea richly beside Jason, as the king commands. Book II. When Medea is set between her father and Jason she blushes for shame. With fear and longing she glances at each, till, quite overcome with love, she can neither eat nor drink. (fol. 9 b.) But she keeps it close in her heart, and speaks thus with herself: "I would yon worthy had wed me! At board and bed I were blessed. 444 And so likrus of loue in likyng of yowthe, And Mars the mighty pat pu mykill trist? 448 Agayne pe wyles of wemen to wer is no bote. THE SODEN HOTE LOUE OF MEDEA. When this mylde in hir maner was at þe meite set Betwene hir fader and pe freke, pat I first ment, Hir shire fface all for shame shot into rede, 452 And a likyng of loue light in her hert; -Hir Ene as a trendull turned full rounde, ffirst on hir fader, for feare pat she hade, And sethyn on pat semely with a sad wille; 456 Smale likyng of loue lurkit in hir mynde, And she light on pat lede with a loue egh; ffirst on his face fresshe to beholde, And his lookes full louely lemond as gold, 460 And all ffeturs to flynd fourmed o right. The sight of pat semely sanke in hir herte, And rauysshed hir radly pe rest of hir sawle, Sho hade no deintithe to dele with no deire meite, 464 And hir talent was taken for tastyng of wyne. Soche likyng of loue lappit hir with in, That euyn full was pat fre and no fode touchet 472 "I wold yonder worthy weddit me hade, MEDEA IN LOVE WITH JASON. So hardy, so hynd in hall for to se, 476 So luffly, so lykyng with lapping in armys; Well were that woman might weld hym for euer." As maner is of maydons pat maynot for shame, 480 ffor to languysshe in loue till þere lere chaunge: Shentyng for shame to shew furth pere ernd, As pai wylne to be woghit þere worship to saue. Mony burdys bene broght to paire bare dethe, 484 þat wondyn for wonderful paire wille for to shewe. Whan pe fest and þe fare was faren to the ende, 488 Be leue of pe lordes and pe ledys all. 492 The Knightes at the Kyng cachyn þere leue, Medea the mylde, þat I ment first, Wox pale for pyne in hir priuy chamber, 496 She compast kenly in hir clene wit ffor to bring it aboute & hir bale voide. Thus sho drof forth hir dayes in hir depe thoght, 500 Till it fell hir by fortune, as I fynd here, On a day, as the Dukes were ouer des set, Book II. 17 Medea retires to her own chamber, and in a longing of love seeks to compass her desire. (fol. 10 a.) One day, as the And comynd with the Kyng of Knighthode in King are Armys, Chethes for pat semly sent into chamber, cominuning, Eetes bids her come and sit by the knights to 504 Bade his doughter come doune to hir dere fader: solace them. And sho obeit his bone, & of boure come 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 pat worthy as he well kouthe: ffor to mele with þat 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 þere 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, Will ye suffer me to say, and the sothe telle? Voidis me noght of vitius, [ne] vilaus of tunge; 528 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, þat 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 bettur. 536 I wot ssir, ye are wight & a wegh nobill, |