540 AND JASON. A storre man of strenght & of stuerne will, And puttes you to perell in pointis of armes, I haue pittye of your person & your pert face, Book II. 19 She pities Jason, and promises to And 3enernes of 30wthe, pat 30mers in my hert, assist him to win 544 pat causes me with counsell to caste for your helpe, And put you in plite your purpos to wyn, 552 In dede for to do as I desyre wille, 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 hert, 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,— 44 pure will." (fol. 11 d.) "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 Book II. to overcome, she advises him to abandon the enterprise. Jason rejects such advice were he to follow it he would for ever be accounted a coward. (MS. has "ylke a") (fol. 11 b.) Hit is vnlike any lede with his liffe pas, And ye may strive with no stuerne but of your 568 Wo shuld pas out of perell fro po proude exin, bat with flamys of fyre han so furse hete? Woso bydis pere bir is brent into askys. Or þat dragon so derfe, as pe deuyll felle? 572 There is no gome vnder gode, þat hym greue may. And if ye highly haue het in your hote yowthe, And folily be ffaryn out of fer londes, 3et turne your entent, & betyme leuc; 576 Wirkes as a wise man, & your wille chaunge, ffor pere is doutles no dede but pe dethe thole." TH[E] ONSUARE OF JASON TO MEdea. The wegh at hir wordes wrathit a litill, I hope ye found me to fere & my faith breike; Shuld chose hym by chaunce to chaunge out of lyue, Ere he fayne any faintes & be fals holdyn." MEDEA. Medea, on finding Medea full myldly vnto pe mon said :— AND JASON. 596 "It is playnly your purpos to put you to dethe, 600 I will shunt for no shame of my shene fader, Ne no hede to my heale, pat I thee helpe shall; 604 But in dede for to do, as I desyre wille." 608 JASON. "Moste worshipfull woman, wisest on erthe, Book II. 21 him determined, promises to aid him on one condition. the offer. What-euer ye deme me to do, & my days laste, Jason accepts And your wille for to wirke: wittenes our goddes." MEDEA. ben Medea with mowthe motys þus agayne: 66 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, 616 yemys; I hete you full hertely, pat I you helpe shall JASON. 620 "Ah! this glorius gyste & this grete mede, That ye her, she will help him to get the fleece, and to overcome all his dangers. (fol. 12 a.) Jason praises 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. 628 632 636 In the moneth of May when medowes are grene, MEDEA. Medea was mery at this mene graunt, And to pat souerayn full soberly said o this wise: "ffrynd, I am ffayne of pis faire heste, 640 And wele I hoope pu will holde pat pu here said: 644 And yche lede, as hym list, lullit on slepe. 648 I wull send to you sone by a sure maydon: Bes wakond and warly; wyn to my chamber, here swiftly to sweire vpon swete (haloghes), All this forward to fulfill ye fest with your hond: So may ye surely & sounde to my-selfe come, With daliaunce to dele as your dere wyffe. 652 I will you faithfully enforme how ye fare shall, Your worship to wyn and þe wethur haue: 656 All your gate and your gouernaunse graidly to telle." AND JASON. JASON. The Knight was curtas, & kendly he said :- As ye wilne for to wirke & your wille folowe, 660 In dede be it done, as ye deuysede haue." The lady with loutyng pen hir leue tase, ffirst at hir fadir and other fre buernes, Past to hir priue chamber: & here a pas endis. Book II. 23 Jason consents, and Medea passes to her chamber. |