In the moneth of May when medowes are grene,
So passis pi propurty perte wemen all)

And help me to haue pat I hidur seche;
628 Out of daunger & drede deliuer me too:
I wot me vnworthy pis wirdis to ffall.
He þat sadly for-soke soche a sure proffer,
And so gracius a gyste, þat me is graunt here,
632 He might faithly for-fonnet be a fole holdyn.
Wherfore I beqwethe me to your qweme spouse,
To lyue with in lykyng to my lyfes ende;

As wyfe for to wede in worship and Joye:
636 And þis forward, in faith, I festyn with hond.”

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 :
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:
Bes wakond and warly; wyn to my chamber,
bere swiftly to sweire vpon swete (haloghes),
All this forward to fulfill ye fest with your hond:
652 So may ye surely & sounde to my-selfe come,
With daliaunce to dele as your dere wyffe.
I will you faithfully enforme how ye fare shall,
Your worship to wyn and be wethur haue :
656 All your gate and your gouernaunse graidly to
telle."

The Knight was curtas, & kendly he said :—
"Most louesom lady, your lykyng be done!

As
ye wilne for to wirke & your wille folowe,
660 In dede be it done, as ye deuysede haue."
The lady with loutyng þen hir leue tase,
ffirst at hir fadir and other fre buernes,
Past to hir priue chamber: & here a pas endis.

Jason consents, and Medea passes to her chamber.

Medea longs for night.

(fol. 13 a.)

She sends a widow to guide Jason to her chamber.

Third Boke: how Medea enformed Xason to

get the Mese of Golde.

Here tellus pe tale, woso tentis after,
How the wethir was wonen, & away borne

The grete goldyn flese with a greke noble,
668 Thurghe wyles of [a] woman, þat þe wegh louet.
Whan Medea the maidon, þat I mynt have,
Was chosyn into chamber, & on hir charge thoght,
Of hir Janglyng with Jason & hir iuste wordys,
672 Hit neght to be night & the none past:

Sone the day ouerdroghe & the derke entrid, And all buernes vnto bed as hom best liked. Medea full myldly movede aboute, 676 Waynet up a window, the welkyn beheld, Persauyt pertly, with hir pure artis, When the dregh was don of pe derke night, hat all sad were on slepe, seruond & other. 680 ffayn was pat fre and forper ho went,

Waknet vp a wydow, pat hir with dwellit, And sent to pat semly, as ho said first. He busket from his bede & pe burde folowid, 684 Till he come thurghe a cloyster to a clene halle, pere Medea the mylde met hym hir one,

And with myrthe at pere metyng mowthet to gethir;

ben suet pai with solas into a sure chamber.

688 The old wedo on hir way wendys belyue,

And po louers ho leuyt lightly to-gedur.

Medea the maidon meuyt to be dore,

Barret it bygly on hir best wise;

692 pan she brought forth þe bold to hir bedde syde In solas full soberly he set hym peron.

She went from þat worthy into a wale chambur,

A triet Image she toke all of true golde,

696 Halowet was hertly in a highe nome

Of Joue, þat gentillis held for a iust god,
And broght to the buerne on pe beddis syde,
With light that was louely lemyng þer-In

700 of suergys semly, þat set were aboute.

pan wightly thies wordes to pat worthy ho

said:

Book III.

Medea brings an image of pure gold,

"Here I aske you hertely pat ye may het here, and asks Jason to

With a solemne sacrement on this sure gode,

704 All þe forward to fulfille, þat ye first made,

And po couenaundes to kepe with a clene hert; And for your felow & fere me faithfully hold, Euer from this owre to the ende of your lyffe ; 708 ffor no chaunce, pat may cheue, chaunge your wille :

And I heghly shall holde, I het you before."
Jason grauntede full goodly with a glad chere,
And swiftly he sware on pat (Shene) god;
712 All tho couenaundes to kepe, & for no cause let,
Whill hym lastes the lyffe: he laid on his hond.

swear that he will fulfil all his promises.

(fol. 13 b.)

(MS. has
"Shete.")

THE POETE.

But vnfaithfull freke, with pi fals cast,

þat such a lady belirt with pi lechur dedes, 716 pat put hur so plainly þi power vnto,

All þi wille for to wirke, pi worship to saue :
And pow hedis not the harme of þat hend lady,
Ne tentes not thy trouth pat pou tynt has.

On the falsity

and dishonour of Jason.

Book III.

To mar such a maiden, who forsook all for thee,

shame on thee, Jason! Thou art 'mansworne;' and a foul end awaits thee!

(fol. 14 a.)

And thou, Medea, where was then thy foresight, and skill in the arts?

They pass into an inner chamber.

720 Soche a maiden to mar þat þe most louet,
bat forsec hir fader & hir fre londe,

When the soile & pe Septur was sothely hur

awne,

And pe tresure she toke vntruly for thee 724 Auntrede hir to Exile euer for þi sake;

;

Wan be thy worship & wilfull desire: Keppit þe fro combraunse & fro cold deth, Storet thee to strenght & pi stythe londes, 728 And dawly hir distitur of hir dere fader. With shame may pou shunt fro pi shire othes, So fals to be founden, & pi faithe breike, To betraut soche a trew, pat pe trust In: 732 And þi god has pou greuit with pi grete filth. Wete for pi werke pat pe shall wo happyn, And myschefe full mekill, þou art mansworne : pou failes not in faith of a fowle end.

736

And pow Medea so mad, what myndes had pou pen?

Syn pou wist thurgh wit werdis to come,

What seruit it your sciense of pe seuon artes,

That pou sogh not your sorow, þat thee suet after? 740 But pou sothely may say þat your sight failed, And pow loket not large, for lust þat pe blyndit. And oft in astronamy hit auntres to falle,

hat domes men dessauis & in doute bringes.

744 ffor hit passis þe power of any pure mon,
All pe course for to know, pat is to cum after:
Saue God, þat all gouernes with grase of his honde.
Now turne to our tale, take þere we lefte.

748 When he swiftly hade sworne to pat swete

maidon,

pai entrid full evyn into an Inner chamber,
hat was rially arayed with a riche bede;

And bothe all bare busket pere-in.