And gret wel Chaucer whan ye mete,

As mi disciple and mi poete:

For in the floures of his youthe

In sondri wise, as he wel couthe,

Of ditees and of songes glade,

The whiche he for mi sake made,

The lond fulfild is overal.

Wherof to him in special

Above alle othre I am most holde.

Forthi now, in hise daies olde,

Thow schalt him telle this message,

That he upon his latere age,

To sette an ende of alle his werk,

As he which is myn owne clerk,

Do make his testament of love,

As thou hast do thi schrifte above,

So that mi Court it mai recorde.

It dulleth ofte a mannes wit

To him that schal it aldai rede.

This finde I write in Poesie:

CeÏx the king of Trocinie

Hadde Alceone to his wif,

Which as hire oghne hertes lif

Him loveth; and he hadde also 5

A brother, which was cleped tho

Dedalion, and he per cas

Fro kinde of man forschape was

Into a goshauk of liknesse;

Wherof the king gret hevynesse 10

Hath take, and thoghte in his corage

To gon upon a pelrinage

Into a strange regioun,

Wher he hath his devocioun

To don his sacrifice and preie, 15

If that he mihte in eny weie

Toward the goddes finde grace

His brother hele to pourchace,

So that he mihte be reformed

Of that he hadde be transformed. 20

To this pourpos and to this ende

This king is redy for to wende,

As he which wolde go be schipe;

And for to don him felaschipe

His wif unto the see him broghte, 25

With al hire herte and him besoghte

That he the time hire wolde sein

Whan that he thoghte come a?ein:

'Withinne,' he seith, 'tuo monthe day.'

And thus in al the haste he may 30

He tok his leve, and forth he seileth,

Wepende and sche hirself beweileth,

And torneth hom, ther sche cam fro.

Bot whan the monthes were ago,

The whiche he sette of his comynge, 35

And that sche herde no tydinge,

Ther was no care for to seche:

Wherof the goddes to beseche

Tho sche began in many wise,

And to Iuno hire sacrifise 40

Above alle othre most sche dede,

And for hir lord sche hath so bede

To wite and knowe hou that he ferde,

That Iuno the goddesse hire herde,

Anon and upon this matiere 45

Sche bad Yris hir messagere

To Slepes hous that <sc>he schal wende,

And bidde him that he make an ende,

Be swevene and schewen al the cas

Unto this ladi, hou it was. 50

This Yris, fro the hihe stage

Which undertake hath the message,

Hire reyny cope dede upon,

The which was wonderli begon

With colours of diverse hewe, 55

An hundred mo than men it knewe;

The hevene lich unto a bowe

Sche bende, and so she cam doun lowe,

The god of Slep wher that sche fond;

And that was in a strange lond, 60

Which marcheth upon Chymerie:

For ther, as seith the Poesie,

The God of Slep hath mad his hous,

Which of entaille is merveilous.

Under an hell ther is a cave, 65

Which of the sonne mai noght have,

So that noman mai knowe ariht

The point betwen the dai and nyht:

Ther is no fyr, ther is no sparke,

Ther is no dore, which mai charke, 70

Wherof an yhe scholde unschette,

So that inward ther is no lette.

And for to speke of that withoute,

Ther stant no gret tree nyh aboute

Wher on ther myhte crowe or pie 75

Alihte, for to clepe or crie;

Ther is no cok to crowe day,

Ne beste non which noise may;

The hell bot al aboute round

Ther is growende upon the ground 80

Popi, which berth the sed of slep,

With othre herbes suche an hep.

A stille water for the nones

Rennende upon the smale stones,

Which hihte of Lethes the rivere, 85

Under that hell in such manere

Ther is, which ?ifth gret appetit

To slepe. And thus full of delit

Slep hath his hous; and of his couche

Withinne his chambre if I schal touche, 90

Of hebenus that slepi tree

The bordes al aboute be,

And for he scholde slepe softe,

Upon a fethrebed alofte

He lith with many a pilwe of doun. 95

The chambre is strowed up and doun

With swevenes many thousendfold.

Thus cam Yris into this hold,

And to the bedd, which is al blak,

Sche goth, and ther with Slep sche spak, 100

And in the wise as sche was bede

The message of Iuno sche dede.

Ful ofte hir wordes sche reherceth,

Er sche his slepi eres perceth;

With mochel wo bot ate laste 105

His slombrende yhen he upcaste

And seide hir that it schal be do.

Wherof among a thousend tho

Withinne his hous that slepi were,

In special he ches out there 110

Thre, whiche scholden do this dede:

The ferste of hem, so as I rede,

Was MorpheÜs, the whos nature

Is for to take the figure

Of what persone that him liketh, 115

Wherof that he ful ofte entriketh

The lif which slepe schal be nyhte;

And Ithecus that other hihte,

Which hath the vois of every soun,

The chiere and the condicioun 120

Of every lif, what so it is:

The thridde suiende after this

Is Panthasas, which may transforme

Of every thing the rihte forme,

And change it in an other kinde. 125

Upon hem thre, so as I finde,

Of swevenes stant al thapparence,

Which other while is evidence,

And other while bot a iape.

Bot natheles it is so schape, 130

That MorpheÜs be nyht al one

Appiereth until Alceone

In liknesse of hir housebonde

Al naked ded upon the stronde,

And hou he dreynte in special 135

These othre tuo it schewen al:

The tempeste of the blake cloude,

The wode see, the wyndes loude,

Al this sche mette, and sih him dyen;

Wherof that sche began to crien, 140

Slepende abedde ther sche lay,

And with that noise of hire affray

Hir wommen sterten up aboute,

Whiche of here ladi were in doute,

And axen hire hou that sche ferde; 145

And sche, riht as sche syh and herde,

Hir swevene hath told hem everydel:

And thei it halsen alle wel

And sein it is a tokne of goode.

Bot til sche wiste hou that it stode, 150

Sche hath no confort in hire herte,

Upon the morwe and up sche sterte,

And to the see, wher that sche mette

The bodi lay, withoute lette

Sche drowh, and whan that sche cam nyh, 155

Stark ded, hise armes sprad, sche syh

Hire lord flietende upon the wawe.

Wherof hire wittes ben withdrawe,

And sche, which tok of deth no kepe,

Anon forth lepte into the depe 160

And wolde have cawht him in hire arm.

This infortune of double harm

The goddes fro the hevene above

Behielde, and for the trowthe of love,

Which in this worthi ladi stod, 165

Thei have upon the salte flod

Hire dreinte lord and hire also

Fro deth to lyve torned so

That thei ben schapen into briddes

Swimmende upon the wawe amiddes. 170

And whan sche sih hire lord livende

In liknesse of a bridd swimmende,

And sche was of the same sort,

So as sche mihte do desport,

Upon the ioie which sche hadde 175

Hire wynges bothe abrod sche spradde,

And him, so as sche mai suffise,

Beclipte and keste in such a wise,

As sche was whilom wont to do:

Hire wynges for hire armes tuo 180

Sche tok, and for hire lippes softe

Hire harde bile, and so ful ofte

Sche fondeth in hire briddes forme,

If that sche mihte hirself conforme

To do the plesance of a wif, 185

As sche dede in that other lif:

For thogh sche hadde hir pouer lore,

Hir will stod as it was tofore,

And serveth him so as sche mai.

Wherof into this ilke day 190

Togedre upon the see thei wone,

Wher many a dowhter and a sone

Thei bringen forth of briddes kinde;

And for men scholden take in mynde

This Alceoun the trewe queene, 195

Hire briddes ?it, as it is seene,

Of Alceoun the name bere.

To speke of an unkinde man,

I finde hou whilom Adrian,

Of Rome which a gret lord was,

Upon a day as he per cas

To wode in his huntinge wente, 5

It hapneth at a soudein wente,

After his chace as he poursuieth,

Thurgh happ, the which noman eschuieth,

He fell unwar into a pet,

Wher that it mihte noght be let. 10

The pet was dep and he fell lowe,

That of his men non myhte knowe

Wher he becam, for non was nyh

Which of his fall the meschief syh.

And thus al one ther he lay 15

Clepende and criende al the day

For socour and deliverance,

Til a?ein eve it fell per chance,

A while er it began to nyhte,

A povere man, which Bardus hihte, 20

Cam forth walkende with his asse,

And hadde gadred him a tasse

Of grene stickes and of dreie

To selle, who that wolde hem beie,

As he which hadde no liflode, 25

Bot whanne he myhte such a lode

To toune with his asse carie.

And as it fell him for to tarie

That ilke time nyh the pet,

And hath the trusse faste knet, 30

He herde a vois, which cride dimme,

And he his ere to the brimme

Hath leid, and herde it was a man,

Which seide, 'Ha, help hier Adrian,

And I wol ?iven half mi good.' 35

The povere man this understod,

As he that wolde gladly winne,

And to this lord which was withinne

He spak and seide, 'If I thee save,

What sikernesse schal I have 40

Of covenant, that afterward

Thou wolt me ?ive such reward

As thou behihtest nou tofore?'

That other hath his othes swore

Be hevene and be the goddes alle, 45

If that it myhte so befalle

That he out of the pet him broghte,

Of all the goodes whiche he oghte

He schal have evene halvendel.

This Bardus seide he wolde wel; 50

And with this word his asse anon

He let untrusse, and therupon

Doun goth the corde into the pet,

To which he hath at Þe ende knet

A staf, wherby, he seide, he wolde 55

That Adrian him scholde holde.

Bot it was tho per chance falle,

Into that pet was also falle

An ape, which at thilke throwe,

Whan that the corde cam doun lowe, 60

Al sodeinli therto he skipte

And it in bothe hise armes clipte.

And Bardus with his asse anon

Him hath updrawe, and he is gon.

But whan he sih it was an ape, 65

He wende al hadde ben a iape

Of faierie, and sore him dradde:

And Adrian eftsone gradde

For help, and cride and preide faste,

And he eftsone his corde caste; 70

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

It was fantosme, bot yit he herde 75

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 80

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,

And therupon him hath adresced, 85

And with his hand ful ofte 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 90

Withouten harm, al esely.

He seith noght ones 'grant merci,'

Bot strauhte him forth to the citÉ,

And let this povere Bardus be.

And natheles this simple man 95

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, 100

That him were betre to be ded.

And he can tho non other red,

But on his asse a?ein he caste

His trusse, and hieth homward faste:

And whan that he cam hom to bedde, 105

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 a?ein, 110

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

Unto the place where he wolde, 115

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. 120

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

Toward the wode, he sih besyde 125

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 130

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,

Thonkende God and to the ston 135

He goth and 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. 140

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,

Acorden that he scholde it selle. 145

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 iueler anon forth fette 150

The gold and made his paiement;

Therof was no delaiement.

Thus whan this ston was boght and sold,

Homward with ioie manyfold

This Bardus goth; and whan he cam 155

Hom to his hous and that he nam

His gold out of his purs, withinne

He fond his ston also therinne,

Wherof for ioie his herte pleide,

Unto his wif and thus he seide, 160

'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,

'Bot I dar swere upon a bok 165

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 170

I wole it fonde for to selle,

And if it wol noght with him duelle,

Bot crepe into mi purs a?ein,

Than dar I saufly swere and sein

It is the vertu of the ston.' 175

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 180

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,

Where he it solde in sondri place, 185

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 190

To themperour Iustinian;

And he let sende for the man,

And axede him hou that it was.

And Bardus tolde him al the cas,

Hou that the worm and ek the beste, 195

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, 200

To parte and ?iven half his good,

Hath nou for?ete hou that it stod,

As he which wol no trouthe holde.

This Emperour al that he tolde

Hath herd, and thilke unkindenesse 205

He seide he wolde himself redresse.

And thus in court of iuggement

This Adrian was thanne assent,

And the querele in audience

Declared was in the presence 210

Of themperour and many mo;

Wherof was mochel speche tho

And gret wondringe among the press.

Bot ate laste natheles

For the partie which hath pleigned 215

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 220

Stant the memoire into this day,

Wherof that every wys man may

Ensamplen him, and take in mynde

What schame it is to ben unkinde;

A?ein the which reson debateth, 225

And every creature it hateth.