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How that thi will thi maister is；
Thurgh which thin hertes thoght withinne
Is evere of Contek to beginne； 1320
So that it is gretli to drede
That it non homicide brede。
For love is of a wonder kinde；
And hath hise wittes ofte blinde；
That thei fro mannes reson falle；
Bot whan that it is so befalle
That will schal the corage lede；
In loves cause it is to drede：
Wherof I finde ensample write；
Which is behovely forto wite。 1330
I rede a tale； and telleth this：
The Cite which Semiramis
Enclosed hath with wall aboute；
Of worthi folk with many a route
Was enhabited here and there；
Among the whiche tuo ther were
Above alle othre noble and grete；
Dwellende tho withinne a Strete
So nyh togedre； as it was sene；
That ther was nothing hem betwene； 1340
Bot wow to wow and wall to wall。
This o lord hadde in special
A Sone； a lusti Bacheler；
In al the toun was non his pier：
That other hadde a dowhter eke；
In al the lond that forto seke
Men wisten non so faire as sche。
And fell so； as it scholde be；
This faire dowhter nyh this Sone
As thei togedre thanne wone； 1350
Cupide hath so the thinges schape；
That thei ne mihte his hand ascape；
That he his fyr on hem ne caste：
Wherof her herte he overcaste
To folwe thilke lore and suie
Which nevere man yit miht eschuie；
And that was love； as it is happed；
Which hath here hertes so betrapped；
That thei be alle weies seche
How that thei mihten winne a speche； 1360
Here wofull peine forto lisse。
Who loveth wel； it mai noght misse；
And namely whan ther be tuo
Of on acord； how so it go；
Bot if that thei som weie finde；
For love is evere of such a kinde
And hath his folk so wel affaited；
That howso that it be awaited；
Ther mai noman the pourpos lette：
And thus betwen hem tuo thei sette 1370
And hole upon a wall to make；
Thurgh which thei have her conseil take
At alle times； whan thei myhte。
This faire Maiden Tisbee hihte；
And he whom that sche loveth hote
Was Piramus be name hote。
So longe here lecoun thei recorden；
Til ate laste thei acorden
Be nihtes time forto wende
Al one out fro the tounes ende； 1380
Wher was a welle under a Tree；
And who cam ferst； or sche or he；
He scholde stille there abide。
So it befell the nyhtes tide
This maiden； which desguised was；
Al prively the softe pas
Goth thurgh the large toun unknowe；
Til that sche cam withinne a throwe
Wher that sche liketh forto duelle；
At thilke unhappi freisshe welle； 1390
Which was also the Forest nyh。
Wher sche comende a Leoun syh
Into the feld to take his preie；
In haste and sche tho fledde aweie；
So as fortune scholde falle；
For feere and let hire wympel falle
Nyh to the welle upon therbage。
This Leoun in his wilde rage
A beste； which that he fond oute；
Hath slain； and with his blodi snoute； 1400
Whan he hath eten what he wolde；
To drynke of thilke stremes colde
Cam to the welle； where he fond
The wympel； which out of hire hond
Was falle； and he it hath todrawe；
Bebled aboute and al forgnawe；
And thanne he strawhte him forto drinke
Upon the freisshe welles brinke；
And after that out of the plein
He torneth to the wode ayein。 1410
And Tisbee dorste noght remue；
Bot as a bridd which were in Mue
Withinne a buissh sche kepte hire clos
So stille that sche noght aros；
Unto hirself and pleigneth ay。
And fell； whil that sche there lay；
This Piramus cam after sone
Unto the welle； and be the Mone
He fond hire wimpel blodi there。
Cam nevere yit to mannes Ere 1420
Tidinge； ne to mannes sihte
Merveile； which so sore aflihte
A mannes herte； as it tho dede
To him； which in the same stede
With many a wofull compleignynge
Began his handes forto wringe；
As he which demeth sikerly
That sche be ded： and sodeinly
His swerd al nakid out he breide
In his folhaste； and thus he seide： 1430
〃I am cause of this felonie；
So it is resoun that I die；
As sche is ded be cause of me。〃
And with that word upon his kne
He fell； and to the goddes alle
Up to the hevene he gan to calle；
And preide； sithen it was so
That he may noght his love as tho
Have in this world； that of her grace
He miht hire have in other place； 1440
For hiere wolde he noght abide；
He seith： bot as it schal betide；
The Pomel of his swerd to grounde
He sette； and thurgh his herte a wounde
He made up to the bare hilte：
And in this wise himself he spilte
With his folhaste and deth he nam；
For sche withinne a while cam；
Wher he lai ded upon his knif。
So wofull yit was nevere lif 1450
As Tisbee was； whan sche him sih：
Sche mihte noght o word on hih
Speke oute； for hire herte schette；
That of hir lif no pris sche sette；
Bot ded swounende doun sche fell。
Til after； whanne it so befell
That sche out of hire traunce awok；
With many a wofull pitous lok
Hire yhe alwei among sche caste
Upon hir love； and ate laste 1460
Sche cawhte breth and seide thus：
〃O thou which cleped art Venus；
Goddesse of love； and thou； Cupide；
Which loves cause hast forto guide；
I wot now wel that ye be blinde；
Of thilke unhapp which I now finde
Only betwen my love and me。
This Piramus； which hiere I se
Bledende； what hath he deserved？
For he youre heste hath kept and served； 1470
And was yong and I bothe also：
Helas； why do ye with ous so？
Ye sette oure herte bothe afyre；
And maden ous such thing desire
Wherof that we no skile cowthe；
Bot thus oure freisshe lusti yowthe
Withoute joie is al despended；
Which thing mai nevere ben amended：
For as of me this wol I seie；
That me is levere forto deie 1480
Than live after this sorghful day。〃
And with this word； where as he lay；
Hire love in armes sche embraseth；
Hire oghne deth and so pourchaseth
That now sche wepte and nou sche kiste；
Til ate laste； er sche it wiste；
So gret a sorwe is to hire falle；
Which overgoth hire wittes alle。
As sche which mihte it noght asterte；
The swerdes point ayein hire herte 1490
Sche sette； and fell doun therupon；
Wherof that sche was ded anon：
And thus bothe on o swerd bledende
Thei weren founde ded liggende。
Now thou； mi Sone； hast herd this tale；
Bewar that of thin oghne bale
Thou be noght cause in thi folhaste；
And kep that thou thi witt ne waste
Upon thi thoght in aventure；
Wherof thi lyves forfeture 1500
Mai falle： and if thou have so thoght
Er this； tell on and hyde it noght。
Mi fader； upon loves side
Mi conscience I woll noght hyde；
How that for love of pure wo
I have ben ofte moeved so；
That with my wisshes if I myhte；
A thousand times； I yow plyhte；
I hadde storven in a day；
And therof I me schryve may； 1510
Though love fully me ne slowh；
Mi will to deie was ynowh；
So am I of my will coupable：
And yit is sche noght merciable；
Which mai me yive lif and hele。
Bot that hir list noght with me dele；
I wot be whos conseil it is；
And him wolde I long time er this；
And yit I wolde and evere schal；
Slen and destruie in special。 1520
The gold of nyne kinges londes
Ne scholde him save fro myn hondes；
In my pouer if that he were；
Bot yit him stant of me no fere
For noght that evere I can manace。
He is the hindrere of mi grace；
Til he be ded I mai noght spede；
So mot I nedes taken hiede
And schape how that he were aweie；
If I therto mai finde a weie。 1530
Mi Sone； tell me now forthi；
Which is that mortiel enemy
That thou manacest to be ded。
Mi fader； it is such a qwed；
That wher I come； he is tofore；
And doth so； that mi cause is lore。
What is his name？ It is Daunger；
Which is mi ladi consailer：
For I was nevere yit so slyh；
To come in eny place nyh 1540
Wher as sche was be nyht or day；
That Danger ne was redy ay；
With whom for speche ne for mede
Yit mihte I nevere of love spede；
For evere this I finde soth；
Al that my ladi seith or doth
To me； Daunger schal make an ende；
And that makth al mi world miswende：
And evere I axe his help； bot he
Mai wel be cleped sanz pite； 1550
For ay the more I to him bowe；
The lasse he wol my tale alowe。
He hath mi ladi so englued；
Sche wol noght that he be remued；
For evere he hangeth on hire Seil；
And is so prive of conseil；
That evere whanne I have oght bede；
I finde Danger in hire stede
And myn ansuere of him I have；
Bot for no merci that I crave； 1560