And hou he sitteth be the fyr
And claweth on his bare schanckes；
And hou he clymbeth up the banckes
And falleth into Slades depe。
Bot thanne who so toke kepe；
Whanne he is falle in such a drem；
Riht as a Schip ayein the Strem； 2730
He routeth with a slepi noise；
And brustleth as a monkes froise；
Whanne it is throwe into the Panne。
And otherwhile sielde whanne
That he mai dreme a lusti swevene；
Him thenkth as thogh he were in hevene
And as the world were holi his：
And thanne he spekth of that and this；
And makth his exposicion
After the disposicion 2740
Of that he wolde； and in such wise
He doth to love all his service；
I not what thonk he schal deserve。
Bot； Sone； if thou wolt love serve；
I rede that thou do noght so。
Ha； goode fader； certes no。
I hadde levere be mi trowthe；
Er I were set on such a slouthe
And beere such a slepi snoute；
Bothe yhen of myn hed were oute。 2750
For me were betre fulli die；
Thanne I of such a slugardie
Hadde eny name； god me schilde；
For whan mi moder was with childe；
And I lay in hire wombe clos；
I wolde rathere Atropos；
Which is goddesse of alle deth；
Anon as I hadde eny breth；
Me hadde fro mi Moder cast。
Bot now I am nothing agast； 2760
I thonke godd； for Lachesis；
Ne Cloto； which hire felawe is；
Me schopen no such destine；
Whan thei at mi nativite
My weerdes setten as thei wolde；
Bot thei me schopen that I scholde
Eschuie of slep the truandise；
So that I hope in such a wise
To love forto ben excused；
That I no Sompnolence have used。 2770
For certes； fader Genius；
Yit into nou it hath be thus；
At alle time if it befelle
So that I mihte come and duelle
In place ther my ladi were；
I was noght slow ne slepi there：
For thanne I dar wel undertake；
That whanne hir list on nyhtes wake
In chambre as to carole and daunce；
Me thenkth I mai me more avaunce； 2780
If I mai gon upon hir hond；
Thanne if I wonne a kinges lond。
For whanne I mai hire hand beclippe；
With such gladnesse I daunce and skippe；
Me thenkth I touche noght the flor；
The Ro； which renneth on the Mor；
Is thanne noght so lyht as I：
So mow ye witen wel forthi；
That for the time slep I hate。
And whanne it falleth othergate； 2790
So that hire like noght to daunce；
Bot on the Dees to caste chaunce
Or axe of love som demande；
Or elles that hir list comaunde
To rede and here of Troilus；
Riht as sche wole or so or thus；
I am al redi to consente。
And if so is that I mai hente
Somtime among a good leisir；
So as I dar of mi desir 2800
I telle a part； bot whanne I preie；
Anon sche bidt me go mi weie
And seith it is ferr in the nyht；
And I swere it is even liht。
Bot as it falleth ate laste；
Ther mai no worldes joie laste；
So mot I nedes fro hire wende
And of my wachche make an ende：
And if sche thanne hiede toke；
Hou pitousliche on hire I loke； 2810
Whan that I schal my leve take；
Hire oghte of mercy forto slake
Hire daunger； which seith evere nay。
Bot he seith often； 〃Have good day；〃
That loth is forto take his leve：
Therfore； while I mai beleve；
I tarie forth the nyht along；
For it is noght on me along
To slep that I so sone go；
Til that I mot algate so； 2820
And thanne I bidde godd hire se；
And so doun knelende on mi kne
I take leve； and if I schal；
I kisse hire； and go forth withal。
And otherwhile； if that I dore；
Er I come fulli to the Dore；
I torne ayein and feigne a thing；
As thogh I hadde lost a Ring
Or somwhat elles； for I wolde
Kisse hire eftsones； if I scholde； 2830
Bot selden is that I so spede。
And whanne I se that I mot nede
Departen； I departe； and thanne
With al myn herte I curse and banne
That evere slep was mad for yhe；
For； as me thenkth； I mihte dryhe
Withoute slep to waken evere；
So that I scholde noght dissevere
Fro hire； in whom is al my liht：
And thanne I curse also the nyht 2840
With al the will of mi corage；
And seie； 〃Awey； thou blake ymage；
Which of thi derke cloudy face
Makst al the worldes lyht deface；
And causest unto slep a weie；
Be which I mot nou gon aweie
Out of mi ladi compaignie。
O slepi nyht； I thee defie；
And wolde that thou leye in presse
With Proserpine the goddesse 2850
And with Pluto the helle king：
For til I se the daies spring；
I sette slep noght at a risshe。〃
And with that word I sike and wisshe；
And seie； 〃Ha； whi ne were it day？
For yit mi ladi thanne I may
Beholde； thogh I do nomore。〃
And efte I thenke forthermore；
To som man hou the niht doth ese；
Whan he hath thing that mai him plese 2860
The longe nyhtes be his side；
Where as I faile and go beside。
Bot slep； I not wherof it serveth；
Of which noman his thonk deserveth
To gete him love in eny place；
Bot is an hindrere of his grace
And makth him ded as for a throwe；
Riht as a Stok were overthrowe。
And so； mi fader； in this wise
The slepi nyhtes I despise； 2870
And evere amiddes of mi tale
I thenke upon the nyhtingale；
Which slepeth noght be weie of kinde
For love； in bokes as I finde。
Thus ate laste I go to bedde；
And yit min herte lith to wedde
With hire； wher as I cam fro；
Thogh I departe； he wol noght so；
Ther is no lock mai schette him oute；
Him nedeth noght to gon aboute； 2880
That perce mai the harde wall；
Thus is he with hire overall；
That be hire lief； or be hire loth；
Into hire bedd myn herte goth；
And softly takth hire in his arm
And fieleth hou that sche is warm；
And wissheth that his body were
To fiele that he fieleth there。
And thus miselven I tormente；
Til that the dede slep me hente： 2890
Bot thanne be a thousand score
Welmore than I was tofore
I am tormented in mi slep；
Bot that I dreme is noght of schep；
For I ne thenke noght on wulle；
Bot I am drecched to the fulle
Of love； that I have to kepe；
That nou I lawhe and nou I wepe；
And nou I lese and nou I winne；
And nou I ende and nou beginne。 2900
And otherwhile I dreme and mete
That I al one with hire mete
And that Danger is left behinde；
And thanne in slep such joie I finde；
That I ne bede nevere awake。
Bot after； whanne I hiede take；
And schal arise upon the morwe；
Thanne is al torned into sorwe；
Noght for the cause I schal arise；
Bot for I mette in such a wise； 2910
And ate laste I am bethoght
That al is vein and helpeth noght：
Bot yit me thenketh be my wille
I wolde have leie and slepe stille；
To meten evere of such a swevene；
For thanne I hadde a slepi hevene。
Mi Sone； and for thou tellest so；
A man mai finde of time ago
That many a swevene hath be certein；
Al be it so； that som men sein 2920
That swevenes ben of no credence。
Bot forto schewe in evidence
That thei fulofte sothe thinges
Betokne； I thenke in my wrytinges
To telle a tale therupon；
Which fell be olde daies gon。
This finde I write in Poesie：
Cei5x the king of Trocinie
Hadde Alceone to his wif；
Which as hire oghne hertes lif 2930
Him loveth； and he hadde also
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
Hath take； and thoghte in his corage
To gon upon a pelrinage
Into a strange regioun；
Wher he hath his devocioun 2940
To don his sacrifice and preie；
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。
To this pourpos and to this ende
This king is redy forto wende；
As he which wolde go be Schipe；
And forto don him felaschipe 2950
His wif unto the See him broghte；
With al hire herte and him besoghte；
That he the time hire wolde sein；
Whan that he thoghte come ayein：
〃Withinne；〃 he seith； 〃tuo Monthe day。〃
And thus in al the haste he may
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； 2960
The whiche he sette of his comynge；
And that sche herde no tydinge；
Ther was no care forto seche：
Wherof the goddes to beseche
Tho sche began in many wise；
And to Juno hire sacrifise
Above alle othre most sche dede；
And for hir lord sche hath so bede
To wite and knowe hou that he ferde；
That Juno the goddesse hire herde； 2970
Anon and upon this matiere
Sche bad Yris hir Messagere
To Slepes hous that sche schal wende；
And bidde him that he make an ende
Be swevene and schewen al the cas
Unto this ladi； hou it was。
This Yris； fro the hihe stage
Which undertake hath the Message；
Hire reyny Cope dede upon；
The which was wonderli begon 2980
With colours of diverse hewe；
An hundred mo than men it knewe；
The hevene lich into 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；
Which marcheth upon Chymerie：
For ther； as seith the Poesie；
The god of Slep hath mad his hous；
Which of entaille is merveilous。 2990
Under an hell ther is a Cave；
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；
Wherof an yhe scholde unschette；
So that inward ther is no lette。
And forto speke of that withoute；
Ther stant no gret Tree nyh aboute 3000
Wher on ther myhte crowe or pie
Alihte； forto 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
Popi； which berth the sed of slep；
With othre herbes suche an hep。
A stille water for the nones
Rennende upon the smale stones； 3010
Which hihte of Lethes the rivere；
Under that hell in such manere
Ther is； which yifth gret appetit
To slepe。 And thus full of delit
Slep hath his hous； and of his couche
Withinne his chambre if I schal touche；
Of hebenus that slepi Tree
The bordes al aboute be；
And for he scholde slepe softe；
Upon a fethrebed alofte 3020
He lith with many a pilwe of doun：
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；
And in the wise as sche was bede
The Message of Juno sche dede。
Fulofte hir wordes sche reherceth；
Er sche his slepi Eres perceth； 3030
With mochel wo bot ate laste
His