In the moneth of May when medowes are grene, He þat sadly for-soke soche a sure proffer, As wyfe for to wede in worship and Joye: 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, here 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." JASON. The Knight was curtas, & kendly he said :- As Book II. 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 Lason to get the Mese of Golde. Here tellus pe tale, woso tentis after, The grete goldyn flese with a greke noble, 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, þat 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, bere 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 pe bold to hir bedde syde She went from þat worthy into a wale chambur, 696 Halowet was hertly in a highe nome Of Joue, pat gentillis held for a iust god, 700 of suergys semly, pat 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 þat 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." 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 : On the falsity and dishonour of Jason. Book III. To mar such a maiden, who forsook all for thee, shame on 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, 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 þat þe 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 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 pat pe blyndit. And oft in astronamy hit auntres to falle, pat domes men dessauis & in doute bringes. ffor hit passis þe power of any pure mon, All þe course for to know, þat is to cum after: Saue God, þat all gouernes with grase of his honde. Now turne to our tale, take pere we lefte. 744 748 When he swiftly hade sworne to pat swete maidon, pai entrid full evyn into an Inner chamber, And bothe all bare busket pere-in. |