That, what for hope and Pandarus biheste,
His grete wo for-yede he at the leste. 1330
Through more wode or col, the more fyr;
Right so encrees of hope, of what it be,
Therwith ful ofte encreseth eek desyr;
Or, as an ook cometh of a litel spyr, 1335
So through this lettre, which that she him sente,
Encresen gan desyr, of which he brente.
This Troilus gan to desiren more
Than he dide erst, thurgh hope, and dide his might 1340
To pressen on, as by Pandarus lore,
And wryten to hir of his sorwes sore
Fro day to day; he leet it not refreyde,
That by Pandare he wroot somwhat or seyde;
That to a lovere longeth in this cas;
And, after that these dees turnede on chaunces,
So was he outher glad or seyde ‘allas!’
And held after his gestes ay his pas;
And aftir swiche answeres as he hadde,
So were his dayes sory outher gladde. 1351
And pitously gan ay til him to pleyne,
And him bisoughte of rede and som socours;
And Pandarus, that sey his wode peyne,
Wex wel neigh deed for routhe, sooth to seyne, 1356
And bisily with al his herte caste
Som of his wo to sleen, and that as faste;
God woot that thy disese doth me wo. 1360
But woltow stinten al this woful chere,
And, by my trouthe, or it be dayes two,
And god to-forn, yet shal I shape it so,
That thou shalt come in-to a certayn place,
Ther-as thou mayst thy-self hir preye of grace. 1365
But tho that been expert in love it seye
It is oon of the thinges that furthereth most,
A man to have a leyser for to preye,
And siker place his wo for to biwreye; 1370
For in good herte it moot som routhe impresse,
To here and see the giltles in distresse.
That kinde wolde doon hir to biginne
To han a maner routhe up-on my wo, 1375
Seyth Daunger, “Nay, thou shalt me never winne;
So reuleth hir hir hertes goost with- inne,
That, though she bende, yet she stant on rote;
What in effect is this un-to my bote?”
On which men hakketh ofte, for the nones,
Receyved hath the happy falling strook,
The grete sweigh doth it come al at ones,
As doon these rokkes or these milne-stones.
For swifter cours cometh thing that is of wighte, 1385
Whan it descendeth, than don thinges lighte.
Ful lightly, cesse wind, it wol aryse;
But so nil not an ook whan it is cast;
It nedeth me nought thee longe to forbyse.
Men shal rejoysen of a greet empryse 1391
Acheved wel, and stant with-outen doute,
Al han men been the lenger ther-aboute.
A thing now which that I shal axen thee; 1395
Which is thy brother that thou lovest best
As in thy verray hertes privetee?’
‘Y-wis, my brother Deiphebus,’ quod he.
‘Now,’ quod Pandare, ‘er houres twyes twelve,
He shal thee ese, unwist of it him-selve.
Quod he; and to Deiphebus wente he tho
Which hadde his lord and grete freend ben ay;
Save Troilus, no man he lovede so,
To telle in short, with-outen wordes mo,
Quod Pandarus, ‘I pray yow that ye be
Freend to a cause which that toucheth me.’ 1407
In al that ever I may, and god to-fore
Al nere it but for man I love most, 1410
My brother Troilus; but sey wherfore
It is; for sith that day that I was bore,
I nas, ne never-mo to been I thinke,
Ayeins a thing that mighte thee forthinke.’
‘Lo, sire, I have a lady in this toun,
That is my nece, and called is Criseyde,
Which som men wolden doon oppressioun,
And wrongfully have hir possessioun;
Wherfor I of your lordship yow biseche
To been our freend, with-oute more speche.’ 1421
That thow spekest of to me thus straungely,
Crisëyda, my
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