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: thus Fame declared, (fol. 8 b.) All the cause of his come to Calcos was pan: 380 Chethes full soberly & with sad wordes, 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 pat precious apoint of her wit. THE CRAFTE OF MEDEA. Of nygramansi ynogh to note when she liket, And the light make les as hir lefe thought; To clere Sune into Clippis & the cloudes dym; The Elementes ouerturne & the erthe qwake, fflodes with forse flow agayne the hilles; 412 Bowes for to beire in the bare winttur, ffor to florisshe faire & pe frute bryng; Yong men yepely yarke into Elde, And the course agayne calle into clere youthe. 416 All thies Japes ho enioynit as Gentils beleued, All thies maistres & mo she made in hir tyme, Als put is in poisé and prikkit be Ouyd, bat feynit in his fablis & other fele stories. 420 Hit ys lelly not like, ne oure belefe askys, þat suche ferlies shuld fall in a frale woman ; But only gouernaunse of God pat pe ground wroght, 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 ; Ne the clere Sune neuer clippit out of course yet, 428 Than it lost hade the light as our lord wold, The gret tempull top terned to ground. This Medea the maiden, þat I mynt first, 432 pat gay was in garmentes & of good chere, And als wemen haue wille in þere wilde youthe, 440 Wold assent to pat sytting þat hym sewet after, (fol. 9 a.) Medea richly beside Jason, as the king commands. 444 And so likrus of loue in likyng of yowthe, 448 452 THE SODEN HOTE LOUE OF MEDEA. When this mylde in hir maner was at þe meite set Betwene hir fader and pe freke, þat I first ment, And a likyng of loue light in her hert; And sethyn on pat semely with a sad wille; 464 468 472 meite, And hir talent was taken for tastyng of wyne. "I wold yonder worthy weddit me hade, 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, 488 492 496 shewe. Whan pe fest and pe fare was faren to the ende, Be leue of þe lordes and pe ledys all. The Knightes at the Kyng cachyn pere leue, Medea the mylde, þat I ment first, Wox pale for pyne in hir priuy chamber, ffor to bring it aboute & hir bale voide. Thus sho drof forth hir dayes in hir depe thoght, With weping and wo all the woke ouer, 500 Till it fell hir by fortune, as I fynd here, 504 Book II. Medea retires to her own chamber, and in a longing of love seeks to compass her desire. (fol. 10 a.) One day, as the On a day, as the Dukes were ouer des set, Armys, Chethes for pat semly sent into chamber, Bade his doughter come doune to hir dere fader: communing, Eetes bids her come and sit by the knights to solace them. 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 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, pat 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, 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, pof 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, |