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Criseyde； at shorte wordes for to telle；
Welcomed him； and doun by hir him sette；
And he was ethe y…nough to maken dwelle。 850
And after this； with…outen longe lette；
The spyces and the wyn men forth hem fette；
And forth they speke of this and that y…fere；
As freendes doon； of which som shal ye here。
He gan first fallen of the werre in speche 855
Bitwixe hem and the folk of Troye toun；
And of thassege he gan hir eek byseche；
To telle him what was hir opinioun。
Fro that demaunde he so descendeth doun
To asken hir； if that hir straunge thoughte 860
The Grekes gyse； and werkes that they wroughte？
And why hir fader tarieth so longe
To wedden hir un…to som worthy wight？
Criseyde； that was in hir peynes stronge
For love of Troilus； hir owene knight； 865
As fer…forth as she conning hadde or might；
Answerde him tho； but； as of his entente；
It semed not she wiste what he mente。
But natheles； this ilke Diomede
Gan in him…self assure； and thus he seyde； 870
‘If ich aright have taken of yow hede；
Me thinketh thus； O lady myn； Criseyde；
That sin I first hond on your brydel leyde；
Whan ye out come of Troye by the morwe；
Ne coude I never seen yow but in sorwe。 875
‘Can I not seyn what may the cause be
But…if for love of som Troyan it were；
The which right sore wolde athinken me
That ye； for any wight that dwelleth there；
Sholden spille a quarter of a tere； 880
Or pitously your…selven so bigyle；
For dredelees； it is nought worth the whyle。
‘The folk of Troye； as who seyth； alle and some
In preson been； as ye your…selven see；
Nor thennes shal not oon on…lyve come 885
For al the gold bitwixen sonne and see。
Trusteth wel； and understondeth me。
Ther shal not oon to mercy goon on…lyve；
Al were he lord of worldes twyes fyve！
‘Swich wreche on hem； for fecching of Eleyne； 890
Ther shal be take； er that we hennes wende；
That Manes； which that goddes ben of peyne；
Shal been agast that Grekes wol hem shende。
And men shul drede； un…to the worldes ende；
From hennes…forth to ravisshe any quene； 895
So cruel shal our wreche on hem be sene。
‘And but…if Calkas lede us with ambages；
That is to seyn； with double wordes slye；
Swich as men clepe a 〃word with two visages；〃
Ye shal wel knowen that I nought ne lye； 900
And al this thing right seen it with your ye；
And that anoon； ye nil not trowe how sone；
Now taketh heed； for it is for to done。
‘What wene ye your wyse fader wolde
Han yeven Antenor for yow anoon； 905
If he ne wiste that the citee sholde
Destroyed been？ Why； nay； so mote I goon！
He knew ful wel ther shal not scapen oon
That Troyan is； and for the grete fere；
He dorste not； ye dwelte lenger there。 910
‘What wole ye more； lufsom lady dere？
Lat Troye and Troyan fro your herte pace！
Dryf out that bittre hope； and make good chere；
And clepe ayein the beautee of your face；
That ye with salte teres so deface。 915
For Troye is brought in swich a Iupartye；
That； it to save； is now no remedye。
‘And thenketh wel； ye shal in Grekes finde；
A more parfit love； er it be night；
Than any Troian is； and more kinde； 920
And bet to serven yow wol doon his might。
And if ye vouche sauf； my lady bright；
I wol ben he to serven yow my…selve；
Yee； lever than he lord of Greces twelve！'
And with that word he gan to waxen reed； 925
And in his speche a litel wight he quook；
And caste a…syde a litel wight his heed；
And stinte a whyle； and afterward awook；
And sobreliche on hir he threw his look；
And seyde； ‘I am； al be it yow no Ioye； 930
As gentil man as any wight in Troye。
‘For if my fader Tydeus；' he seyde；
‘Y…lived hadde； I hadde been； er this；
Of Calidoine and Arge a king； Criseyde！
And so hope I that I shal yet； y…wis。 935
But he was slayn； allas！ The more harm is；
Unhappily at Thebes al to rathe；
Polymites and many a man to scathe。
‘But herte myn； sin that I am your man；
And been the ferste of whom I seche grace； 940
To serven you as hertely as I can；
And ever shal； whyl I to live have space；
So； er that I departe out of this place；
Ye wol me graunte； that I may to…morwe；
At bettre leyser； telle yow my sorwe。' 945
What shold I telle his wordes that he seyde？
He spak y…now； for o day at the meste；
It preveth wel； he spak so that Criseyde
Graunted； on the morwe； at his requeste；
For to speken with him at the leste； 950
So that he nolde speke of swich matere；
And thus to him she seyde； as ye may here：
As she that hadde hir herte on Troilus
So faste； that ther may it noon arace；
And straungely she spak； and seyde thus； 955
‘O Diomede； I love that ilke place
Ther I was born； and Ioves； for his grace；
Delivere it sone of al that doth it care！
God； for thy might； so leve it wel to fare！
‘That Grekes wolde hir wraththe on Troye wreke； 960
If that they mighte； I knowe it wel； y…wis。
But it shal not bifallen as ye speke；
And god to…forn； and ferther over this；
I wot my fader wys and redy is；
And that he me hath bought； as ye me tolde； 965
So dere； I am the more un…to him holde。
‘That Grekes been of heigh condicioun；
I woot eek wel； but certein； men shal finde
As worthy folk with…inne Troye toun；
As conning； and as parfit and as kinde； 970
As been bitwixen Orcades and Inde。
And that ye coude wel your lady serve；
I trowe eek wel； hir thank for to deserve。
‘But as to speke of love； y…wis；' she seyde；
‘I hadde a lord； to whom I wedded was； 975
The whos myn herte al was； til that he deyde；
And other love； as helpe me now Pallas；
Ther in myn herte nis； ne nevere was。
And that ye been of noble and heigh kinrede；
I have wel herd it tellen； out of drede。 980
‘And that doth me to han so gret a wonder；
That ye wol scornen any womman so。
Eek； god wot； love and I be fer a…sonder！
I am disposed bet； so mote I go；
Un…to my deeth； to pleyne and maken wo。 985
What I shal after doon； I can not seye；
But trewely； as yet me list not pleye。
‘Myn herte is now in tribulacioun；
And ye in armes bisy； day by day。
Here…after； whan ye wonnen han the toun； 990
Paraunter； thanne so it happen may；
That whan I see that I never er say；
Than wole I werke that I never wroughte！
This word to yow y…nough suffysen oughte。
‘To…morwe eek wol I speken with yow fayn； 995
So that ye touchen nought of this matere。
And whan yow list； ye may come here ayeyn；
And； er ye gon； thus muche I seye yow here；
As help me Pallas with hir heres clere；
If that I sholde of any Greek han routhe； 1000
It sholde be your…selven； by my trouthe！
‘I sey not therfore that I wol yow love；
Ne I sey not nay； but in conclusioun；
I mene wel； by god that sit above：'
And ther…with…al she caste hir eyen doun； 1005
And gan to syke； and seyde； ‘O Troye toun；
Yet bidde I god； in quiete and in reste
I may yow seen； or do myn herte breste。'
But in effect； and shor