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Of faierie； and sore him dradde：
And Adrian eftsone gradde
For help； and cride and preide faste；
And he eftsone his corde caste；
Bot whan it cam unto the grounde；
A gret Serpent it hath bewounde；
The which Bardus anon up drouh。
And thanne him thoghte wel ynouh； 5010
It was fantosme； bot yit he herde
The vois； and he therto ansuerde；
〃What wiht art thou in goddes name？〃
〃I am；〃 quod Adrian； 〃the same；
Whos good thou schalt have evene half。〃
Quod Bardus； 〃Thanne a goddes half
The thridde time assaie I schal〃：
And caste his corde forth withal
Into the pet； and whan it cam
To him； this lord of Rome it nam； 5020
And therupon him hath adresced；
And with his hand fulofte blessed；
And thanne he bad to Bardus hale。
And he； which understod his tale；
Betwen him and his Asse al softe
Hath drawe and set him up alofte
Withouten harm al esely。
He seith noght ones 〃grant merci；〃
Bot strauhte him forth to the cite；
And let this povere Bardus be。 5030
And natheles this simple man
His covenant； so as he can；
Hath axed； and that other seide；
If so be that he him umbreide
Of oght that hath be speke or do；
It schal ben venged on him so；
That him were betre to be ded。
And he can tho non other red；
But on his asse ayein he caste
His trusse； and hieth homward faste： 5040
And whan that he cam hom to bedde；
He tolde his wif hou that he spedde。
Bot finaly to speke oght more
Unto this lord he dradde him sore；
So that a word ne dorste he sein：
And thus upon the morwe ayein；
In the manere as I recorde；
Forth with his Asse and with his corde
To gadre wode； as he dede er；
He goth； and whan that he cam ner 5050
Unto the place where he wolde；
He hath his Ape anon beholde；
Which hadde gadred al aboute
Of stickes hiere and there a route；
And leide hem redy to his hond；
Wherof he made his trosse and bond；
Fro dai to dai and in this wise
This Ape profreth his servise；
So that he hadde of wode ynouh。
Upon a time and as he drouh 5060
Toward the wode； he sih besyde
The grete gastli Serpent glyde；
Til that sche cam in his presence；
And in hir kinde a reverence
Sche hath him do； and forth withal
A Ston mor briht than a cristall
Out of hir mouth tofore his weie
Sche let doun falle； and wente aweie；
For that he schal noght ben adrad。
Tho was this povere Bardus glad； 5070
Thonkende god； and to the Ston
He goth an takth it up anon；
And hath gret wonder in his wit
Hou that the beste him hath aquit；
Wher that the mannes Sone hath failed；
For whom he hadde most travailed。
Bot al he putte in goddes hond；
And torneth hom； and what he fond
Unto his wif he hath it schewed；
And thei； that weren bothe lewed； 5080
Acorden that he scholde it selle。
And he no lengere wolde duelle；
Bot forth anon upon the tale
The Ston he profreth to the sale；
And riht as he himself it sette；
The jueler anon forth fette
The gold and made his paiement；
Therof was no delaiement。
Thus whan this Ston was boght and sold；
Homward with joie manyfold 5090
This Bardus goth； and whan he cam
Hom to his hous and that he nam
His gold out of his Purs； withinne
He fond his Ston also therinne；
Wherof for joie his herte pleide；
Unto his wif and thus he seide；
〃Lo； hier my gold； lo； hier mi Ston！〃
His wif hath wonder therupon；
And axeth him hou that mai be。
〃Nou be mi trouthe I not；〃 quod he； 5100
〃Bot I dar swere upon a bok；
That to my Marchant I it tok；
And he it hadde whan I wente：
So knowe I noght to what entente
It is nou hier； bot it be grace。
Forthi tomorwe in other place
I wole it fonde forto selle；
And if it wol noght with him duelle；
Bot crepe into mi purs ayein；
Than dar I saufly swere and sein； 5110
It is the vertu of the Ston。〃
The morwe cam； and he is gon
To seche aboute in other stede
His Ston to selle； and he so dede；
And lefte it with his chapman there。
Bot whan that he cam elleswhere；
In presence of his wif at hom；
Out of his Purs and that he nom
His gold； he fond his Ston withal：
And thus it fell him overal； 5120
Where he it solde in sondri place；
Such was the fortune and the grace。
Bot so wel may nothing ben hidd；
That it nys ate laste kidd：
This fame goth aboute Rome
So ferforth； that the wordes come
To themperour Justinian；
And he let sende for the man；
And axede him hou that it was。
And Bardus tolde him al the cas； 5130
Hou that the worm and ek the beste；
Althogh thei maden no beheste；
His travail hadden wel aquit；
Bot he which hadde a mannes wit；
And made his covenant be mouthe
And swor therto al that he couthe
To parte and yiven half his good；
Hath nou foryete hou that it stod；
As he which wol no trouthe holde。
This Emperour al that he tolde 5140
Hath herd； and thilke unkindenesse
He seide he wolde himself redresse。
And thus in court of juggement
This Adrian was thanne assent；
And the querele in audience
Declared was in the presence
Of themperour and many mo；
Wherof was mochel speche tho
And gret wondringe among the press。
Bot ate laste natheles 5150
For the partie which hath pleigned
The lawe hath diemed and ordeigned
Be hem that were avised wel；
That he schal have the halvendel
Thurghout of Adrianes good。
And thus of thilke unkinde blod
Stant the memoire into this day；
Wherof that every wysman may
Ensamplen him； and take in mynde
What schame it is to ben unkinde； 5160
Ayein the which reson debateth；
And every creature it hateth。
Forthi； mi Sone； in thin office
I rede fle that ilke vice。
For riht as the Cronique seith
Of Adrian； hou he his feith
Foryat for worldes covoitise；
Fulofte in such a maner wise
Of lovers nou a man mai se
Full manye that unkinde be： 5170
For wel behote and evele laste
That is here lif； for ate laste；
Whan that thei have here wille do；
Here love is after sone ago。
What seist thou； Sone； to this cas？
Mi fader； I wol seie Helas；
That evere such a man was bore；
Which whan he hath his trouthe suore
And hath of love what he wolde；
That he at eny time scholde 5180
Evere after in his herte finde
To falsen and to ben unkinde。
Bot； fader； as touchende of me；
I mai noght stonde in that degre；
For I tok nevere of love why；
That I ne mai wel go therby
And do my profit elles where；
For eny sped I finde there。
I dar wel thenken al aboute；
Bot I ne dar noght speke it oute； 5190
And if I dorste； I wolde pleigne；
That sche for whom I soffre peine
And love hir evere aliche hote；
That nouther yive ne behote
In rewardinge of mi servise
It list hire in no maner wise。
I wol noght say that sche is kinde；
And forto sai sche is unkinde；
That dar I noght； bot god above；
Which demeth every herte of love； 5200
He wot that on myn oghne side
Schal non unkindeschipe abide：
If it schal with mi ladi duelle；
Therof dar I nomore telle。
Nou； goode fader； as it is；
Tell me what thenketh you of this。
Mi Sone； of that unkindeschipe；
The which toward thi ladischipe
Thou pleignest； for sche wol thee noght；
Thou art to blamen of that thoght。 5210
For it mai be that thi desir；
Thogh it brenne evere as doth the fyr；
Per cas to hire honour missit；
Or elles time com noght yit；
Which standt upon thi destine：
Forthi； mi Sone； I rede thee；
Thenk wel； what evere the befalle；
For noman hath his lustes alle。
Bot as thou toldest me before
That thou to love art noght forswore； 5220
And hast don non unkindenesse；
Thou miht therof thi grace blesse：
And lef noght that continuance；
For ther mai be no such grevance
To love； as is unkindeschipe。
Wherof to kepe thi worschipe；
So as these olde bokes tale；
I schal thee telle a redi tale：
Nou herkne and be wel war therby；
For I wol telle it openly。 5230
Mynos； as telleth the Poete；
The which whilom was king of Crete；
A Sone hadde and Androchee
He hihte： and so befell that he
Unto Athenes forto lere
Was send； and so he bar him there；
For that he was of hih lignage；
Such pride he tok in his corage；
That he foryeten hath the Scoles；
And in riote among the foles 5240
He dede manye thinges wronge；
And useth thilke lif so longe；
Til ate laste of that he wroghte
He fond the meschief which he soghte；
Wherof it fell that he was slain。
His fader； which it herde sain；
Was wroth； and al that evere he mihte；
Of men of Armes he