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In alle haste and bad him go
Strawht unto Tyr； and for no cost
Ne spare he； til he hadde lost 510
The Prince which he wolde spille。
And whan the king hath seid his wille；
This Taliart in a Galeie
With alle haste he tok his weie：
The wynd was good； he saileth blyve；
Til he tok lond upon the ryve
Of Tyr； and forth with al anon
Into the Burgh he gan to gon；
And tok his In and bod a throwe。
Bot for he wolde noght be knowe； 520
Desguised thanne he goth him oute；
He sih the wepinge al aboute；
And axeth what the cause was；
And thei him tolden al the cas；
How sodeinli the Prince is go。
And whan he sih that it was so；
And that his labour was in vein；
Anon he torneth hom ayein；
And to the king； whan he cam nyh；
He tolde of that he herde and syh； 530
Hou that the Prince of Tyr is fled；
So was he come ayein unsped。
The king was sori for a while；
Bot whan he sih that with no wyle
He myhte achieve his crualte；
He stinte his wraththe and let him be。
Bot over this now forto telle
Of aventures that befelle
Unto this Prince of whom I tolde；
He hath his rihte cours forth holde 540
Be Ston and nedle； til he cam
To Tharse； and there his lond he nam。
A Burgeis riche of gold and fee
Was thilke time in that cite；
Which cleped was Strangulio；
His wif was Dionise also：
This yonge Prince； as seith the bok；
With hem his herbergage tok；
And it befell that Cite so
Before time and thanne also； 550
Thurgh strong famyne which hem ladde
Was non that eny whete hadde。
Appolinus； whan that he herde
The meschief； hou the cite ferde；
Al freliche of his oghne yifte
His whete； among hem forto schifte；
The which be Schipe he hadde broght；
He yaf； and tok of hem riht noght。
Bot sithen ferst this world began；
Was nevere yit to such a man 560
Mor joie mad than thei him made：
For thei were alle of him so glade；
That thei for evere in remembrance
Made a figure in resemblance
Of him； and in the comun place
Thei sette him up； so that his face
Mihte every maner man beholde；
So as the cite was beholde；
It was of latoun overgilt：
Thus hath he noght his yifte spilt。 570
Upon a time with his route
This lord to pleie goth him oute；
And in his weie of Tyr he mette
A man； the which on knees him grette；
And Hellican be name he hihte；
Which preide his lord to have insihte
Upon himself； and seide him thus；
Hou that the grete Antiochus
Awaiteth if he mihte him spille。
That other thoghte and hield him stille； 580
And thonked him of his warnynge；
And bad him telle no tidinge；
Whan he to Tyr cam hom ayein；
That he in Tharse him hadde sein。
Fortune hath evere be muable
And mai no while stonde stable：
For now it hiheth； now it loweth；
Now stant upriht； now overthroweth；
Now full of blisse and now of bale；
As in the tellinge of mi tale 590
Hierafterward a man mai liere；
Which is gret routhe forto hiere。
This lord； which wolde don his beste；
Withinne himself hath litel reste；
And thoghte he wolde his place change
And seche a contre more strange。
Of Tharsiens his leve anon
He tok； and is to Schipe gon：
His cours he nam with Seil updrawe；
Where as fortune doth the lawe； 600
And scheweth； as I schal reherse；
How sche was to this lord diverse；
The which upon the See sche ferketh。
The wynd aros； the weder derketh；
It blew and made such tempeste；
Non ancher mai the schip areste；
Which hath tobroken al his gere；
The Schipmen stode in such a feere；
Was non that myhte himself bestere；
Bot evere awaite upon the lere； 610
Whan that thei scholde drenche at ones。
Ther was ynowh withinne wones
Of wepinge and of sorghe tho；
This yonge king makth mochel wo
So forto se the Schip travaile：
Bot al that myhte him noght availe；
The mast tobrak； the Seil torof；
The Schip upon the wawes drof；
Til that thei sihe a londes cooste。
Tho made avou the leste and moste； 620
Be so thei myhten come alonde；
Bot he which hath the See on honde；
Neptunus； wolde noght acorde；
Bot altobroke cable and corde；
Er thei to londe myhte aproche；
The Schip toclef upon a roche；
And al goth doun into the depe。
Bot he that alle thing mai kepe
Unto this lord was merciable；
And broghte him sauf upon a table； 630
Which to the lond him hath upbore；
The remenant was al forlore；
Wherof he made mochel mone。
Thus was this yonge lord him one；
Al naked in a povere plit：
His colour； which whilom was whyt；
Was thanne of water fade and pale；
And ek he was so sore acale
That he wiste of himself no bote；
It halp him nothing forto mote 640
To gete ayein that he hath lore。
Bot sche which hath his deth forbore；
Fortune； thogh sche wol noght yelpe；
Al sodeinly hath sent him helpe；
Whanne him thoghte alle grace aweie；
Ther cam a Fisshere in the weie；
And sih a man ther naked stonde；
And whan that he hath understonde
The cause； he hath of him gret routhe；
And onliche of his povere trouthe 650
Of suche clothes as he hadde
With gret Pite this lord he cladde。
And he him thonketh as he scholde；
And seith him that it schal be yolde；
If evere he gete his stat ayein；
And preide that he wolde him sein
If nyh were eny toun for him。
He seide； 〃Yee； Pentapolim；
Wher bothe king and queene duellen。〃
Whanne he this tale herde tellen； 660
He gladeth him and gan beseche
That he the weie him wolde teche：
And he him taghte； and forth he wente
And preide god with good entente
To sende him joie after his sorwe。
It was noght passed yit Midmorwe；
Whan thiderward his weie he nam；
Wher sone upon the Non he cam。
He eet such as he myhte gete；
And forth anon； whan he hadde ete； 670
He goth to se the toun aboute；
And cam ther as he fond a route
Of yonge lusti men withalle；
And as it scholde tho befalle；
That day was set of such assisse；
That thei scholde in the londes guise；
As he herde of the poeple seie；
Here comun game thanne pleie；
And crid was that thei scholden come
Unto the gamen alle and some 680
Of hem that ben delivere and wyhte；
To do such maistrie as thei myhte。
Thei made hem naked as thei scholde；
For so that ilke game wolde；
As it was tho custume and us；
Amonges hem was no refus：
The flour of al the toun was there
And of the court also ther were；
And that was in a large place
Riht evene afore the kinges face； 690
Which Artestrathes thanne hihte。
The pley was pleid riht in his sihte；
And who most worthi was of dede
Receive he scholde a certein mede
And in the cite bere a pris。
Appolinus； which war and wys
Of every game couthe an ende；
He thoghte assaie； hou so it wende；
And fell among hem into game：
And there he wan him such a name； 700
So as the king himself acompteth
That he alle othre men surmonteth；
And bar the pris above hem alle。
The king bad that into his halle
At Souper time he schal be broght；
And he cam thanne and lefte it noght；
Withoute compaignie al one：
Was non so semlich of persone；
Of visage and of limes bothe；
If that he hadde what to clothe。 710
At Soupertime natheles
The king amiddes al the pres
Let clepe him up among hem alle；
And bad his Mareschall of halle
To setten him in such degre
That he upon him myhte se。
The king was sone set and served；
And he； which hath his pris deserved
After the kinges oghne word；
Was mad beginne a Middel bord； 720
That bothe king and queene him sihe。
He sat and caste aboute his yhe
And sih the lordes in astat；
And with himself wax in debat
Thenkende what he hadde lore；
And such a sorwe he tok therfore；
That he sat evere stille and thoghte；
As he which of no mete roghte。
The king behield his hevynesse；
And of his grete gentillesse 730
His doghter； which was fair and good
And ate bord before him stod；
As it was thilke time usage；
He bad to gon on his message
And fonde forto make him glad。
And sche dede as hire fader bad；
And goth to him the softe pas
And axeth whenne and what he was；
And preith he scholde his thoghtes leve。
He seith； 〃Ma Dame； be your leve 740
Mi name is hote Appolinus；
And of mi richesse it is thus；
Upon the See I have it lore。
The contre wher as I was bore；
Wher that my lond is and mi rente；
I lefte at Tyr； whan that I wente：
The worschipe of this worldes aghte；
Unto the god ther I betaghte。〃
And thus togedre as thei tuo speeke；
T