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A thousend sithes he hire kiste；
Was nevere man that sih ne wiste
A sorwe unto his sorwe lich；
For evere among upon the lich
He fell swounende； as he that soghte
His oghne deth； which he besoghte
Unto the goddes alle above
With many a pitous word of love； 1080
Bot suche wordes as tho were
Yit herde nevere mannes Ere；
Bot only thilke whiche he seide。
The Maister Schipman cam and preide
With othre suche as be therinne；
And sein that he mai nothing winne
Ayein the deth； bot thei him rede；
He be wel war and tak hiede；
The See be weie of his nature
Receive mai no creature 1090
Withinne himself as forto holde；
The which is ded： forthi thei wolde；
As thei conseilen al aboute；
The dede body casten oute。
For betre it is； thei seiden alle；
That it of hire so befalle；
Than if thei scholden alle spille。
The king； which understod here wille
And knew here conseil that was trewe；
Began ayein his sorwe newe 1100
With pitous herte； and thus to seie：
〃It is al reson that ye preie。
I am；〃 quod he； 〃bot on al one；
So wolde I noght for mi persone
Ther felle such adversite。
Bot whan it mai no betre be；
Doth thanne thus upon my word；
Let make a cofre strong of bord；
That it be ferm with led and pich。〃
Anon was mad a cofre sich； 1110
Al redy broght unto his hond；
And whanne he sih and redy fond
This cofre mad and wel enclowed；
The dede bodi was besowed
In cloth of gold and leid therinne。
And for he wolde unto hire winne
Upon som cooste a Sepulture；
Under hire heved in aventure
Of gold he leide Sommes grete
And of jeueals a strong beyete 1120
Forth with a lettre； and seide thus：
〃I； king of Tyr Appollinus；
Do alle maner men to wite；
That hiere and se this lettre write；
That helpeles withoute red
Hier lith a kinges doghter ded：
And who that happeth hir to finde；
For charite tak in his mynde；
And do so that sche be begrave
With this tresor； which he schal have。〃 1130
Thus whan the lettre was full spoke；
Thei haue anon the cofre stoke；
And bounden it with yren faste；
That it may with the wawes laste；
And stoppen it be such a weie；
That it schal be withinne dreie；
So that no water myhte it grieve。
And thus in hope and good believe
Of that the corps schal wel aryve；
Thei caste it over bord als blyve。 1140
The Schip forth on the wawes wente；
The prince hath changed his entente；
And seith he wol noght come at Tyr
As thanne； bot al his desir
Is ferst to seilen unto Tharse。
The wyndy Storm began to skarse；
The Sonne arist； the weder cliereth；
The Schipman which behinde stiereth；
Whan that he sih the wyndes saghte；
Towardes Tharse his cours he straghte。 1150
Bot now to mi matiere ayein；
To telle as olde bokes sein；
This dede corps of which ye knowe
With wynd and water was forthrowe
Now hier； now ther； til ate laste
At Ephesim the See upcaste
The cofre and al that was therinne。
Of gret merveile now beginne
Mai hiere who that sitteth stille；
That god wol save mai noght spille。 1160
Riht as the corps was throwe alonde；
Ther cam walkende upon the stronde
A worthi clerc； a Surgien；
And ek a gret Phisicien；
Of al that lond the wisest on；
Which hihte Maister Cerymon；
Ther were of his disciples some。
This Maister to the Cofre is come；
He peiseth ther was somwhat in；
And bad hem bere it to his In； 1170
And goth himselve forth withal。
Al that schal falle； falle schal；
Thei comen hom and tarie noght；
This Cofre is into chambre broght；
Which that thei finde faste stoke；
Bot thei with craft it have unloke。
Thei loken in； where as thei founde
A bodi ded； which was bewounde
In cloth of gold； as I seide er；
The tresor ek thei founden ther 1180
Forth with the lettre； which thei rede。
And tho thei token betre hiede；
Unsowed was the bodi sone；
And he； which knew what is to done；
This noble clerk； with alle haste
Began the veines forto taste；
And sih hire Age was of youthe；
And with the craftes whiche he couthe
He soghte and fond a signe of lif。
With that this worthi kinges wif 1190
Honestely thei token oute；
And maden fyres al aboute；
Thei leide hire on a couche softe；
And with a scheete warmed ofte
Hire colde brest began to hete；
Hire herte also to flacke and bete。
This Maister hath hire every joignt
With certein oile and balsme enoignt；
And putte a liquour in hire mouth；
Which is to fewe clerkes couth； 1200
So that sche coevereth ate laste；
And ferst hire yhen up sche caste；
And whan sche more of strengthe cawhte；
Hire Armes bothe forth sche strawhte；
Hield up hire hond and pitously
Sche spak and seide； 〃Ha； wher am I？
Where is my lord； what world is this？〃
As sche that wot noght hou it is。
Bot Cerymon the worthi leche
Ansuerde anon upon hire speche 1210
And seith； 〃Ma dame； yee ben hiere；
Where yee be sauf； as yee schal hiere
Hierafterward； forthi as nou
Mi conseil is； conforteth you：
For trusteth wel withoute faile；
Ther is nothing which schal you faile；
That oghte of reson to be do。〃
Thus passen thei a day or tuo；
Thei speke of noght as for an ende；
Til sche began somdiel amende； 1220
And wiste hireselven what sche mente。
Tho forto knowe hire hol entente；
This Maister axeth al the cas；
Hou sche cam there and what sche was。
〃Hou I cam hiere wot I noght；〃
Quod sche； 〃bot wel I am bethoght
Of othre thinges al aboute〃：
Fro point to point and tolde him oute
Als ferforthli as sche it wiste。
And he hire tolde hou in a kiste 1230
The See hire threw upon the lond；
And what tresor with hire he fond；
Which was al redy at hire wille；
As he that schop him to fulfille
With al his myht what thing he scholde。
Sche thonketh him that he so wolde；
And al hire herte sche discloseth；
And seith him wel that sche supposeth
Hire lord be dreint； hir child also；
So sih sche noght bot alle wo。 1240
Wherof as to the world nomore
Ne wol sche torne； and preith therfore
That in som temple of the Cite；
To kepe and holde hir chastete；
Sche mihte among the wommen duelle。
Whan he this tale hir herde telle；
He was riht glad； and made hire knowen
That he a dowhter of his owen
Hath； which he wol unto hir yive
To serve； whil thei bothe live； 1250
In stede of that which sche hath lost；
Al only at his oghne cost
Sche schal be rendred forth with hire。
She seith； 〃Grant mercy； lieve sire；
God quite it you； ther I ne may。〃
And thus thei drive forth the day；
Til time com that sche was hol；
And tho thei take her conseil hol；
To schape upon good ordinance
And make a worthi pourveance 1260
Ayein the day whan thei be veiled。
And thus； whan that thei be conseiled；
In blake clothes thei hem clothe；
This lady and the dowhter bothe；
And yolde hem to religion。
The feste and the profession
After the reule of that degre
Was mad with gret solempnete；
Where as Diane is seintefied；
Thus stant this lady justefied 1270
In ordre wher sche thenkth to duelle。
Bot now ayeinward forto telle
In what plit that hire lord stod inne：
He seileth； til that he may winne
The havene of Tharse； as I seide er；
And whanne he was aryved ther；
And it was thurgh the Cite knowe；
Men myhte se withinne a throwe；
As who seith； al the toun at ones；
That come ayein him for the nones； 1280
To yiven him the reverence；
So glad thei were of his presence：
And thogh he were in his corage
Desesed； yit with glad visage
He made hem chiere； and to his In；
Wher he whilom sojourned in；
He goth him straght and was resceived。
And whan the presse of poeple is weived；
He takth his hoste unto him tho；
And seith； 〃Mi frend Strangulio； 1290
Lo； thus and thus it is befalle；
And thou thiself art on of alle；
Forth with thi wif； whiche I most triste。
Forthi； if it you bothe liste；
My doghter Thaise be youre leve
I thenke schal with you beleve
As for a time； and thus I preie；
That sche be kept be alle weie；
And whan sche hath of age more；
That sche be set to bokes lore。 1300
And this avou to god I make；
That I schal nevere for hir sake
Mi berd for no likinge schave；
Til it befalle that I have
In covenable time of age
Beset hire unto mariage。〃
Thus thei acorde； and al is wel；
And forto resten him somdel；
As for a while he ther sojorneth；
And thanne he takth his leve and torneth 1310
To Schipe； and goth him hom to Tyr；
Wher every man with gret desir
Awaiteth upon his comynge。
Bot whan the Schip com in seilinge；
And thei perceiven it is he；
Was nevere yit in no cite
Such joie mad as thei tho made；
His herte also began to glade
Of that he sih the poeple glad。
Lo； thus fortune his hap hath lad； 1320
In sondri wise he was travailed；
Bot hou so evere he be assailed；
His latere ende schal be good。
And forto speke hou that it stod
Of Thaise his doghter； wher sche duelleth；
In Tharse； as the Cronique telleth；
Sche was wel kept； sche was wel loked；
Sche was wel tawht； sche was wel boked；
So wel sche spedde hir in hire youthe
That sche of every wisdom couthe； 1330
That forto seche in every lond
So wys an other noman fond；
Ne so wel tawht at mannes yhe。
Bot wo worthe evere fals envie！
For it befell that time so；
A dowhter hath Strangulio；
The which was cleped Philotenne：
Bot fame； which wole evere renne；
Cam al day to hir moder Ere；
And seith； wher evere hir doghter were 1340
With Thayse set i