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Knew of here herte what it mente；
As he that was of double entente；
He made hem riht a glad visage；
And whanne he herde of the passage
Of him and hire； he thoghte guile；
And feigneth Semblant for a while
To don hem plesance and servise；
Bot he thoghte al an other wise。
This Nessus with hise wordes slyhe
Yaf such conseil tofore here yhe 2200
Which semeth outward profitable
And was withinne deceivable。
He bad hem of the Stremes depe
That thei be war and take kepe；
So as thei knowe noght the pas；
Bot forto helpe in such a cas；
He seith himself that for here ese
He wolde； if that it mihte hem plese；
The passage of the water take；
And for this ladi undertake 2210
To bere unto that other stronde
And sauf to sette hire up alonde；
And Hercules may thanne also
The weie knowe how he schal go：
And herto thei acorden alle。
Bot what as after schal befalle；
Wel payd was Hercules of this；
And this Geant also glad is；
And tok this ladi up alofte
And set hire on his schuldre softe； 2220
And in the flod began to wade；
As he which no grucchinge made；
And bar hire over sauf and sound。
Bot whanne he stod on dreie ground
And Hercules was fer behinde；
He sette his trowthe al out of mynde；
Who so therof be lief or loth；
With Deianyre and forth he goth；
As he that thoghte to dissevere
The compaignie of hem for evere。 2230
Whan Hercules therof tok hiede；
Als faste as evere he mihte him spiede
He hyeth after in a throwe；
And hapneth that he hadde a bowe；
The which in alle haste he bende；
As he that wolde an Arwe sende；
Which he tofore hadde envenimed。
He hath so wel his schote timed；
That he him thurgh the bodi smette；
And thus the false wiht he lette。 2240
Bot lest now such a felonie：
Whan Nessus wiste he scholde die；
He tok to Deianyre his scherte；
Which with the blod was of his herte
Thurghout desteigned overal；
And tolde how sche it kepe schal
Al prively to this entente；
That if hire lord his herte wente
To love in eny other place；
The scherte； he seith； hath such a grace； 2250
That if sche mai so mochel make
That he the scherte upon him take；
He schal alle othre lete in vein
And torne unto hire love ayein。
Who was tho glad bot Deianyre？
Hire thoghte hire herte was afyre
Til it was in hire cofre loke；
So that no word therof was spoke。
The daies gon； the yeres passe；
The hertes waxen lasse and lasse 2260
Of hem that ben to love untrewe：
This Hercules with herte newe
His love hath set on Eolen；
And therof spieken alle men。
This Eolen； this faire maide；
Was； as men thilke time saide；
The kinges dowhter of Eurice；
And sche made Hercules so nyce
Upon hir Love and so assote；
That he him clotheth in hire cote； 2270
And sche in his was clothed ofte；
And thus fieblesce is set alofte；
And strengthe was put under fote；
Ther can noman therof do bote。
Whan Deianyre hath herd this speche；
Ther was no sorwe forto seche：
Of other helpe wot sche non；
Bot goth unto hire cofre anon；
With wepende yhe and woful herte
Sche tok out thilke unhappi scherte； 2280
As sche that wende wel to do；
And broghte hire werk aboute so
That Hercules this scherte on dede；
To such entente as she was bede
Of Nessus； so as I seide er。
Bot therof was sche noght the ner；
As no fortune may be weyved；
With Falssemblant sche was deceived；
That whan sche wende best have wonne；
Sche lost al that sche hath begonne。 2290
For thilke scherte unto the bon
His body sette afyre anon；
And cleveth so； it mai noght twinne；
For the venym that was therinne。
And he thanne as a wilde man
Unto the hihe wode he ran；
And as the Clerk Ovide telleth；
The grete tres to grounde he felleth
With strengthe al of his oghne myght；
And made an huge fyr upriht； 2300
And lepte himself therinne at ones
And brende him bothe fleissh and bones。
Which thing cam al thurgh Falssemblant；
That false Nessus the Geant
Made unto him and to his wif；
Wherof that he hath lost his lif；
And sche sori for everemo。
Forthi； my Sone； er thee be wo；
I rede； be wel war therfore；
For whan so gret a man was lore； 2310
It oghte yive a gret conceipte
To warne alle othre of such deceipte。
Grant mercy； fader； I am war
So fer that I nomore dar
Of Falssemblant take aqueintance；
Bot rathere I wol do penance
That I have feigned chiere er this。
Now axeth forth； what so ther is
Of that belongeth to my schrifte。
Mi Sone； yit ther is the fifte 2320
Which is conceived of Envie；
And cleped is Supplantarie；
Thurgh whos compassement and guile
Ful many a man hath lost his while
In love als wel as otherwise；
Hierafter as I schal devise。
The vice of Supplantacioun
With many a fals collacioun；
Which he conspireth al unknowe；
Full ofte time hath overthrowe 2330
The worschipe of an other man。
So wel no lif awayte can
Ayein his sleyhte forto caste；
That he his pourpos ate laste
Ne hath； er that it be withset。
Bot most of alle his herte is set
In court upon these grete Offices
Of dignitees and benefices：
Thus goth he with his sleyhte aboute
To hindre and schowve an other oute 2340
And stonden with his slyh compas
In stede there an other was；
And so to sette himselven inne；
He reccheth noght； be so he winne；
Of that an other man schal lese；
And thus fulofte chalk for chese
He changeth with ful litel cost；
Wherof an other hath the lost
And he the profit schal receive。
For his fortune is to deceive 2350
And forto change upon the whel
His wo with othre mennes wel：
Of that an other man avaleth；
His oghne astat thus up he haleth；
And takth the bridd to his beyete；
Wher othre men the buisshes bete。
Mi Sone； and in the same wise
Ther ben lovers of such emprise；
That schapen hem to be relieved
Where it is wrong to ben achieved： 2360
For it is other mannes riht；
Which he hath taken dai and niht
To kepe for his oghne Stor
Toward himself for everemor；
And is his propre be the lawe；
Which thing that axeth no felawe；
If love holde his covenant。
Bot thei that worchen be supplaunt；
Yit wolden thei a man supplaunte；
And take a part of thilke plaunte 2370
Which he hath for himselve set：
And so fulofte is al unknet；
That som man weneth be riht fast。
For Supplant with his slyhe cast
Fulofte happneth forto mowe
Thing which an other man hath sowe；
And makth comun of proprete
With sleihte and with soubtilite；
As men mai se fro yer to yere。
Thus cleymeth he the bot to stiere； 2380
Of which an other maister is。
Forthi； my Sone； if thou er this
Hast ben of such professioun；
Discovere thi confessioun：
Hast thou supplanted eny man？
For oght that I you telle can；
Min holi fader； as of the dede
I am withouten eny drede
Al gulteles； bot of my thoght
Mi conscience excuse I noght。 2390
For were it wrong or were it riht；
Me lakketh nothing bote myht；
That I ne wolde longe er this
Of other mannes love ywiss
Be weie of Supplantacioun
Have mad apropriacioun
And holde that I nevere boghte；
Thogh it an other man forthoghte。
And al this speke I bot of on；
For whom I lete alle othre gon； 2400
Bot hire I mai noght overpasse；
That I ne mot alwey compasse；
Me roghte noght be what queintise；
So that I mihte in eny wise
Fro suche that mi ladi serve
Hire herte make forto swerve
Withouten eny part of love。
For be the goddes alle above
I wolde it mihte so befalle；
That I al one scholde hem alle 2410
Supplante； and welde hire at mi wille。
And that thing mai I noght fulfille；
Bot if I scholde strengthe make；
And that I dar noght undertake；
Thogh I were as was Alisaundre；
For therof mihte arise sklaundre；
And certes that schal I do nevere；
For in good feith yit hadde I levere
In my simplesce forto die；
Than worche such Supplantarie。 2420
Of otherwise I wol noght seie
That if I founde a seker weie；
I wolde as for conclusioun
Worche after Supplantacioun；
So hihe a love forto winne。
Now； fader； if that this be Sinne；
I am al redy to redresce
The gilt of which I me confesse。
Mi goode Sone； as of Supplant
Thee thar noght drede tant ne quant； 2430
As for nothing that I have herd；
Bot only that thou hast misferd
Thenkende； and that me liketh noght；
For godd beholt a mannes thoght。
And if thou understode in soth
In loves cause wh