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It was an heven up…on him for to see。
His helm to…hewen was in twenty places；
That by a tissew heng； his bak bihinde；
His sheld to…dasshed was with swerdes and maces； 640
In which men mighte many an arwe finde
That thirled hadde horn and nerf and rinde；
And ay the peple cryde； ‘Here cometh our Ioye；
And； next his brother； holdere up of Troye！'
For which he wex a litel reed for shame； 645
Whan he the peple up…on him herde cryen；
That to biholde it was a noble game；
How sobreliche he caste doun his yen。
Cryseyda gan al his chere aspyen；
And leet so softe it in hir herte sinke； 650
That to hir…self she seyde； ‘Who yaf me drinke？'
For of hir owene thought she wex al reed；
Remembringe hir right thus； ‘Lo； this is he
Which that myn uncle swereth he moot be deed；
But I on him have mercy and pitee；' 655
And with that thought； for pure a…shamed； she
Gan in hir heed to pulle； and that as faste；
Whyl he and al the peple for…by paste；
And gan to caste and rollen up and doun
With…inne hir thought his excellent prowesse； 660
And his estat； and also his renoun；
His wit； his shap； and eek his gentillesse；
But most hir favour was； for his distresse
Was al for hir； and thoughte it was a routhe
To sleen swich oon； if that he mente trouthe。 665
Now mighte som envyous Iangle thus；
‘This was a sodeyn love； how mighte it be
That she so lightly lovede Troilus
Right for the firste sighte； ye； pardee？'
Now who…so seyth so； mote he never thee！ 670
For every thing； a ginning hath it nede
Er al be wrought； with…outen any drede。
For I sey nought that she so sodeynly
Yaf him hir love； but that she gan enclyne
To lyke him first； and I have told yow why； 675
And after that； his manhod and his pyne
Made love with…inne hir for to myne；
For which； by proces and by good servyse；
He gat hir love； and in no sodeyn wyse。
And also blisful Venus； wel arayed； 680
Sat in hir seventhe hous of hevene tho；
Disposed wel； and with aspectes payed；
To helpen sely Troilus of his wo。
And； sooth to seyn； she nas not al a fo
To Troilus in his nativitee； 685
God woot that wel the soner spedde he。
Now lat us stinte of Troilus a throwe；
That rydeth forth； and lat us tourne faste
Un…to Criseyde； that heng hir heed ful lowe；
Ther…as she sat allone； and gan to caste 690
Wher…on she wolde apoynte hir at the laste；
If it so were hir eem ne wolde cesse；
For Troilus； up…on hir for to presse。
And； lord！ So she gan in hir thought argue
In this matere of which I have yow told； 695
And what to doon best were； and what eschue；
That plyted she ful ofte in many fold。
Now was hir herte warm； now was it cold；
And what she thoughte somwhat shal I wryte；
As to myn auctor listeth for to endyte。 700
She thoughte wel that Troilus persone
She knew by sighte and eek his gentillesse；
And thus she seyde； ‘Al were it nought to done；
To graunte him love； yet； for his worthinesse；
It were honour； with pley and with gladnesse； 705
In honestee； with swich a lord to dele；
For myn estat； and also for his hele。
‘Eek； wel wot I my kinges sone is he；
And sith he hath to see me swich delyt；
If I wolde utterly his sighte flee； 710
Peraunter he mighte have me in dispyt；
Thurgh which I mighte stonde in worse plyt；
Now were I wys； me hate to purchace；
With…outen nede； ther I may stonde in grace？
‘In every thing； I woot； ther lyth mesure。 715
For though a man forbede dronkenesse；
He nought for…bet that every creature
Be drinkelees for alwey； as I gesse；
Eek sith I woot for me is his distresse；
I ne oughte not for that thing him despyse； 720
Sith it is so； he meneth in good wyse。
‘And eek I knowe； of longe tyme agoon；
His thewes goode； and that he is not nyce。
Ne avauntour； seyth men； certein； he is noon；
To wys is he to do so gret a vyce； 725
Ne als I nel him never so cheryce；
That he may make avaunt； by Iuste cause；
He shal me never binde in swiche a clause。
‘Now set a cas； the hardest is； y…wis；
Men mighten deme that he loveth me； 730
What dishonour were it un…to me； this？
May I him lette of that？ Why nay； pardee！
I knowe also； and alday here and see；
Men loven wommen al this toun aboute；
Be they the wers？ Why； nay； with…outen doute。 735
‘I thenk eek how he able is for to have
Of al this noble toun the thriftieste；
To been his love； so she hir honour save；
For out and out he is the worthieste；
Save only Ector； which that is the beste。 740
And yet his lyf al lyth now in my cure；
But swich is love； and eek myn aventure。
‘Ne me to love； a wonder is it nought；
For wel wot I my…self； so god me spede；
Al wolde I that noon wiste of this thought； 745
I am oon the fayreste； out of drede；
And goodlieste； who…so taketh hede；
And so men seyn in al the toun of Troye。
What wonder is it though he of me have Ioye？
‘I am myn owene woman； wel at ese； 750
I thank it god； as after myn estat；
Right yong； and stonde unteyd in lusty lese；
With…outen Ialousye or swich debat；
Shal noon housbonde seyn to me 〃Chekmat！〃
For either they ben ful of Ialousye； 755
Or maisterful； or loven novelrye。
‘What shal I doon？ To what fyn live I thus？
Shal I nat loven； in cas if that me leste？
What； par dieux！ I am nought religious！
And though that I myn herte sette at reste 760
Upon this knight； that is the worthieste；
And kepe alwey myn honour and my name；
By alle right； it may do me no shame。'
But right as whan the sonne shyneth brighte；
In March； that chaungeth ofte tyme his face； 765
And that a cloud is put with wind to flighte
Which over…sprat the sonne as for a space；
A cloudy thought gan thorugh hir soule pace；
That over…spradde hir brighte thoughtes alle；
So that for fere almost she gan to falle。 770
That thought was this： ‘Allas！ Sin I am free；
Sholde I now love； and putte in Iupartye
My sikernesse； and thrallen libertee？
Allas！ How dorste I thenken that folye？
May I nought wel in other folk aspye 775
Hir dredful Ioye； hir constreynt； and hir peyne？
Ther loveth noon； that she nath why to pleyne。
‘For love is yet the moste stormy lyf；
Right of him…self； that ever was bigonne；
For ever som mistrust； or nyce stryf； 780
Ther is in love； som cloud is over that sonne：
Ther…to we wrecched wommen no…thing conne；
Whan us is wo； but wepe and sitte and thinke；
Our wreche is this； our owene wo to drinke。
‘Also these wikked tonges been so prest 785
To speke us harm； eek men be so untrewe；
That； right anoon as cessed is hir lest；
So cesseth love； and forth to love a newe：
But harm y…doon； is doon； who…so it rewe。
For though these men for love hem first to…rende； 790
Ful sharp biginning breketh ofte at ende。
‘How ofte tyme hath it y…knowen be；
The treson； that to womman hath be do？
To what fyn is swich love； I can nat see；
Or wher bicometh it； whan it is ago； 795
Ther is no wight t