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 pere lere chaunge: Shentyng for shame to shew furth pere ernd, As pai wylne to be woghit pere worship to saue. Mony burdys bene broght to paire bare dethe, 484 þat wondyn for wonderfful paire wille for to shewe. Whan pe fest and pe fare was faren to the ende, 488 Be leue of pe lordes and pe ledys all. The Knightes at the Kyng cachyn þere leue, voidet. 492 Medea the mylde, þat I ment first, Wox pale for pyne in hir priuy chamber, In a longyng of loue as the lowe hote, 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, 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 And comynd with the Kyng of Knighthode in King are Armys, Chethes for pat semly sent into chamber, 504 Bade his doughter come doune to hir dere fader: And sho obeit his bone, & of boure come 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, þat 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 þat faire, "as ye bene fre 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, 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. I haue pittye of your person & your pert face, Book II. 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 548 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. Jason was full ioly of hir iuste wordys, 552 And þat comly can clip in his close armes. He onswared hir onest[1]y opynond his hert,"Now louely and leell, for your lefe specho I thanke you a thowsaund tymes in my thro hert, 556 bat 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 hor wille, To do with me, damsell, as your desyre thynke, " pure will." MEDEA. 560 Than saide pat semely to be sure knyght, (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 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 strenght nobill. 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, 576 3et turne your entent, & betyme leue; TH[E] ONSUARE OF JASON TO MEDEA. The wegh at hir wordes wrathit a litill, 580 "A! damsell full dere, with your derffe wordlys, I hope ye found me to fere & my faith breike; And if destyny me demys, hit is dere welcum 584 Or it were knowen in my contry & costis aboute, That I faintly shuld fle and þe fight leue; Among knightes accounted coward for euer, Me were leuer here lefe & my life tyne, 588 pan as a lurker to lyue in (ylka) lond after. I wole put me to perell and my payne thole, Do my deuer yf I dar, & for no dethe wonde. ffor yche wise man of wit, þat wilfully hetis 592 Any dede for to do, and dernly avowes, 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 :— 596 "It is playnly your purpos to put you to dethe, I haue pitie full playn of your proude wille, 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." Book II. 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. pen Medea with mowthe motys þus 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, þat I you helpe shall her, she will help him to get the fleece, and to overcome all his dangers. (fol. 12 a.) JASON. 620 "Ah! this glorius gyste & this grete mede, Jason praises Medea, and all her desires. 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, |