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, 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. JASON PROMISES TO WED MEDEA. 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 pe 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, pat gentillis held for a iust god, 700 Of suergys semly, þat set were aboute. ban wightly thies wordes to pat worthy ho said: Book III. 25 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 pe forward to fulfille, pat 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." THE POETE. But vnfaithfull freke, with pi fals cast, All þi wille for to wirke, pi worship to saue : swear that he will fulfil all his promises. (fol. 13 b.) (MS. 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, 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 þe 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 scuon artes, That pou sogh not your sorow, pat thee suet 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, þat domes men dessauis & in doute bringes. 744 ffor hit passis pe power of any pure mon, 748 All þe course for to know, þat is to cum after: When he swiftly hade sworne to pat swete maidon, pai entrid full evyn into an Inner chamber, MEDEA INSTRUCTS JASON. 752 pai solast hom samyn, as hom-seluon liket, With venus werkes, þat hom well pleasid : bat sorily dessauis, & men to sorow bringes. Whan pe day vp droghe & the dym voidet, 756 Thus Jason full ioyfull to pat gentill said : "Hit is best þat we buske & of bede rise, Lest þe day vs be-daghe & our dedes knowen, And we founden in fere & oure fame loste; 760 And I vnformet in faith how I fare shall, dedes to do, as ye me dere heght. Of my 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 ; hat 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: (fol. 14 b.) And I shall tell you full tyte, & tary no thing." 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, Toke hit hym full tyte & tolde hym these wordes : 784 "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, bat 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 vnk nowen 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; And bade whan he buskyt to the bolde Exin, 808 Ne neuer dere hym a dyse with no dede efte. And pen lacches his leue & his loue kyst, |