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Of your good word and of your frendship ay。
For trewely； whyl that my lyf may dure；
As for a freend； ye may in me assure。
‘Yet preye I yow on yvel ye ne take； 1625
That it is short which that I to yow wryte；
I dar not； ther I am； wel lettres make；
Ne never yet ne coude I wel endyte。
Eek greet effect men wryte in place lite。
Thentente is al； and nought the lettres space； 1630
And fareth now wel； god have you in his grace！
La vostre C。'
This Troilus this lettre thoughte al straunge；
Whan he it saugh； and sorwefully he sighte；
Him thoughte it lyk a kalendes of chaunge；
But fynally； he ful ne trowen mighte 1635
That she ne wolde him holden that she highte；
For with ful yvel wil list him to leve
That loveth wel； in swich cas； though him greve。
But natheles； men seyn that； at the laste；
For any thing； men shal the sothe see； 1640
And swich a cas bitidde； and that as faste；
That Troilus wel understood that she
Nas not so kinde as that hir oughte be。
And fynally； he woot now； out of doute；
That al is lost that he hath been aboute。 1645
Stood on a day in his malencolye
This Troilus； and in suspecioun
Of hir for whom he wende for to dye。
And so bifel； that through…out Troye toun；
As was the gyse； y…bore was up and doun 1650
A maner cote…armure； as seyth the storie；
Biforn Deiphebe； in signe of his victorie；
The whiche cote； as telleth Lollius；
Deiphebe it hadde y…rent from Diomede
The same day； and whan this Troilus 1655
It saugh； he gan to taken of it hede；
Avysing of the lengthe and of the brede；
And al the werk； but as he gan biholde；
Ful sodeinly his herte gan to colde；
As he that on the coler fond with…inne 1660
A broche； that he Criseyde yaf that morwe
That she from Troye moste nedes twinne；
In remembraunce of him and of his sorwe；
And she him leyde ayein hir feyth to borwe
To kepe it ay； but now； ful wel he wiste； 1665
His lady nas no lenger on to triste。
He gooth him hoom； and gan ful sone sende
For Pandarus； and al this newe chaunce；
And of this broche； he tolde him word and ende；
Compleyninge of hir hertes variaunce； 1670
His longe love； his trouthe； and his penaunce；
And after deeth； with…outen wordes more；
Ful faste he cryde； his reste him to restore。
Than spak he thus； ‘O lady myn Criseyde；
Wher is your feyth； and wher is your biheste？ 1675
Wher is your love； wher is your trouthe；' he seyde；
‘Of Diomede have ye now al this feste！
Allas； I wolde have trowed at the leste。
That； sin ye nolde in trouthe to me stonde；
That ye thus nolde han holden me in honde！ 1680
‘Who shal now trowe on any othes mo？
Allas； I never wolde han wend； er this；
That ye； Criseyde； coude han chaunged so；
Ne； but I hadde a…gilt and doon amis；
So cruel wende I not your herte； y…wis； 1685
To slee me thus； allas； your name of trouthe
Is now for…doon； and that is al my routhe。
‘Was ther non other broche yow liste lete
To feffe with your newe love；' quod he；
‘But thilke broche that I； with teres wete； 1690
Yow yaf； as for a remembraunce of me？
Non other cause； allas； ne hadde ye
But for despyt； and eek for that ye mente
Al…outrely to shewen your entente！
‘Through which I see that clene out of your minde 1695
Ye han me cast； and I ne can nor may；
For al this world； with…in myn herte finde
To unloven yow a quarter of a day！
In cursed tyme I born was； weylaway！
That ye； that doon me al this wo endure； 1700
Yet love I best of any creature。
‘Now god；' quod he； ‘me sende yet the grace
That I may meten with this Diomede！
And trewely； if I have might and space；
Yet shal I make； I hope； his sydes blede。 1705
O god；' quod he； ‘that oughtest taken hede
To fortheren trouthe； and wronges to punyce；
Why niltow doon a vengeaunce of this vyce？
‘O Pandare； that in dremes for to triste
Me blamed hast； and wont art oft up…breyde； 1710
Now maystow see thy…selve； if that thee liste；
How trewe is now thy nece； bright Criseyde！
In sondry formes； god it woot；' he seyde；
‘The goddes shewen bothe Ioye and tene
In slepe； and by my dreme it is now sene。 1715
‘And certaynly； with…oute more speche；
From hennes…forth； as ferforth as I may；
Myn owene deeth in armes wol I seche；
I recche not how sone be the day！
But trewely； Criseyde； swete may； 1720
Whom I have ay with al my might y…served；
That ye thus doon； I have it nought deserved。'
This Pandarus； that alle these thinges herde；
And wiste wel he seyde a sooth of this；
He nought a word ayein to him answerde； 1725
For sory of his frendes sorwe he is；
And shamed； for his nece hath doon a…mis；
And stant； astoned of these causes tweye；
As stille as stoon； a word ne coude he seye。
But at the laste thus he spak； and seyde； 1730
‘My brother dere； I may thee do no…more。
What shulde I seyn？ I hate； y…wis； Criseyde！
And； god wot； I wol hate hir evermore！
And that thou me bisoughtest doon of yore；
Havinge un…to myn honour ne my reste 1735
Right no reward； I dide al that thee leste。
‘If I dide ought that mighte lyken thee；
It is me leef； and of this treson now；
God woot； that it a sorwe is un…to me！
And dredelees； for hertes ese of yow； 1740
Right fayn wolde I amende it； wiste I how。
And fro this world； almighty god I preye；
Delivere hir sone； I can no…more seye。'
Gret was the sorwe and pleynt of Troilus；
But forth hir cours fortune ay gan to holde。 1745
Criseyde loveth the sone of Tydeus；
And Troilus mot wepe in cares colde。
Swich is this world； who…so it can biholde；
In eche estat is litel hertes reste；
God leve us for to take it for the beste！ 1750
In many cruel batayle； out of drede；
Of Troilus； this ilke noble knight；
As men may in these olde bokes rede；
Was sene his knighthod and his grete might。
And dredelees； his ire； day and night； 1755
Ful cruelly the Grekes ay aboughte；
And alwey most this Diomede he soughte。
And ofte tyme； I finde that they mette
With blody strokes and with wordes grete；
Assayinge how hir speres weren whette； 1760
And god it woot； with many a cruel hete
Gan Troilus upon his helm to bete。
But natheles； fortune it nought ne wolde；
Of others hond that either deyen sholde。
And if I hadde y…taken for to wryte 1765
The armes of this ilke worthy man；
Than wolde I of his batailles endyte。
But for that I to wryte first bigan
Of his love； I have seyd as that I can。
His worthy dedes； who…so list hem here； 1770
Reed Dares； he can telle hem alle y…fere。
Bisechinge every lady bright of hewe；
And every gentil womman； what she be；
That al be that Criseyde was untrewe；
That for that gilt she be not wrooth with me。 1775
Ye may hir gilt in othere bokes see；
And gladlier I wole wryten； if yow leste；
Penolopees trouthe and good Alceste。
Ne I sey not this al…only for these men；
But most for wommen that bitraysed be 1780