Medea longs for night. (fol. 13 a.) She sends a widow to guide Jason to her chamber. Third Boke: how Medea enformed Lason to get the filese of Golde. Here tellus pe tale, woso tentis after, Sone the day ouerdroghe & the derke entrid, 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 pe dore, Barret it bygly on hir best wise; 692 pan she brought forth be bold to hir bedde syde 696 700 704 In solas full soberly he set hym þeron. She went from þat worthy into a wale chambur, A triet Image she toke all of true golde, Of Joue, pat gentillis held for a iust god, Of suergys semly, pat set were aboute. ban wightly thies wordes to pat worthy ho said : Book III. Medea brings an image of pure gold, "Here I aske you hertely þat ye may het here, and asks Jason to With a solemne sacrement on this sure gode, All pe 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 : 712 And I heghly shall holde, I het you before." swear that he will fulfil all his promises. (fol. 13 b.) (MS. has THE POETE. But vnfaithfull freke, with pi fals cast, All þi wille for to wirke, pi worship to saue : G 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, pou 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 þe seuon artes, That pou sogh not your sorow, þat thee suct after? 740 But pou sothely may say þat your sight failed, And pow loket not large, for lust þat þe 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 þe course for to know, þat is to cum after: 748 When he swiftly hade sworne to pat swete pai entrid full evyn into an Inner chamber, And bothe all bare busket pere-in. 752 þai solast hom samyn, as hom-seluon liket, Of Iff þe any thing have amyt abill me to, bat pe me faithfully informe, & let me fare 761 My deuer for to do & my deth voide; þat I might lede pe with luff into my londe home, Medea to pat mighty myldly answarit :— 768 "A! my lord & my loue, more lefe pan my I have mynde of youre mater most of all other : Book III. At daybreak (fol. 14 b.) 772 Ryse we now full radly, rest here no longer, haste 776 An ymage full nobill, þat he naite shulde, bat qwaint was & qwem, all of white siluer, holde. Hit was wroght all by wit & wiles to helpe, 780 And myghty suche mawmentry made to distroy: Sho bade hym kepe it full close on his clene body. him a charmed image, and bids him wear it next his heart. An oyntment þat was noble, anon she hym set, A noble ointment Book III. she then gives to destroy venom and fire: and a ring with a rich stone to destroy all poison or deadly power: and a large roll which he must read: and a glass containing liquor to be cast into the mouths of the monsters. (fol. 15 a.) He then takes leave of Medea. 784 Toke hit hym full tyte & tolde hym these wordes : "This strongly distroy shall be strenght of pe venym, And fade all the ffyr and pe furse lowe." Than ho raught hym a ring with a riche stone, þat no poison enpaire might, pe power is soche: 788 And if it borne were in batell on his bare flesshe, He shulde slyde forth sleghly & vnslayn worthe. Achates it calde is with clene men of wit, And in Cicill forsothe sene was it first: 792 Eneas it name & in note hade, Whan he to cartage come vnknowen with sight. And pan ho broght hym a bref all of brode letres, hat was comly by crafte a clerke for to rede; 796 And enformyt him fayre how he fare shuld, When he [h]is deuer hade done & drow to pe whethir, ffor to knele on his knes to the cold erth, And grete all his goddes with a good chere; 800 And the rolle for to rede or he rest thry, As with sacrifice to shew & seruice to goddes, þat hym grauntede of grace pat gifte for to haue, þat he might worthely it welde, & away beire. 804 And pan sho gafe hym a glasse with a good lycour, And bade whan he buskyt to the bolde Exin, 808 Ne neuer dere hym a dyse with no dede efte. pas: And pen lacches his leue & his loue kyst, 812 Past furth priuely and pat pert leuyt, |