That such merveile was non oute
In al the wyde world nawhere；
As tho was in that yle there。 3270
Ther was a Schiep； as it was told；
The which his flees bar al of gold；
And so the goddes hadde it set；
That it ne mihte awei be fet
Be pouer of no worldes wiht：
And yit ful many a worthi kniht
It hadde assaied； as thei dorste；
And evere it fell hem to the worste。
Bot he； that wolde it noght forsake；
Bot of his knyhthod undertake 3280
To do what thing therto belongeth；
This worthi Jason； sore alongeth
To se the strange regiouns
And knowe the condiciouns
Of othre Marches； where he wente；
And for that cause his hole entente
He sette Colchos forto seche；
And therupon he made a speche
To Peles his Em the king。
And he wel paid was of that thing； 3290
And schop anon for his passage；
And suche as were of his lignage；
With othre knihtes whiche he ches；
With him he tok； and Hercules；
Which full was of chivalerie；
With Jason wente in compaignie；
And that was in the Monthe of Maii；
Whan colde stormes were away。
The wynd was good； the Schip was yare；
Thei tok here leve； and forth thei fare 3300
Toward Colchos： bot on the weie
What hem befell is long to seie；
Hou Lamedon the king of Troie；
Which oghte wel have mad hem joie。
Whan thei to reste a while him preide；
Out of his lond he hem congeide；
And so fell the dissencion；
Which after was destruccion
Of that Cite； as men mai hiere：
Bot that is noght to mi matiere。 3310
Bot thus this worthi folk Gregeis
Fro that king； which was noght curteis；
And fro his lond with Sail updrawe
Thei wente hem forth； and many a sawe
Thei made and many a gret manace；
Til ate laste into that place
Which as thei soghte thei aryve；
And striken Sail； and forth as blyve
Thei sente unto the king and tolden
Who weren ther and what thei wolden。 3320
Oe5tes； which was thanne king；
Whan that he herde this tyding
Of Jason； which was comen there；
And of these othre； what thei were；
He thoghte don hem gret worschipe：
For thei anon come out of Schipe；
And strawht unto the king thei wente；
And be the hond Jason he hente；
And that was ate paleis gate；
So fer the king cam on his gate 3330
Toward Jason to don him chiere；
And he； whom lacketh no manere；
Whan he the king sih in presence；
Yaf him ayein such reverence
As to a kinges stat belongeth。
And thus the king him underfongeth；
And Jason in his arm he cawhte；
And forth into the halle he strawhte；
And ther they siete and spieke of thinges；
And Jason tolde him tho tidinges； 3340
Why he was come； and faire him preide
To haste his time； and the kyng seide；
〃Jason； thou art a worthi kniht；
Bot it lith in no mannes myht
To don that thou art come fore：
Ther hath be many a kniht forlore
Of that thei wolden it assaie。〃
Bot Jason wolde him noght esmaie；
And seide； 〃Of every worldes cure
Fortune stant in aventure； 3350
Per aunter wel； per aunter wo：
Bot hou as evere that it go；
It schal be with myn hond assaied。〃
The king tho hield him noght wel paied；
For he the Grekes sore dredde；
In aunter； if Jason ne spedde；
He mihte therof bere a blame；
For tho was al the worldes fame
In Grece； as forto speke of Armes。
Forthi he dredde him of his harmes； 3360
And gan to preche him and to preie；
Bot Jason wolde noght obeie；
Bot seide he wolde his porpos holde
For ought that eny man him tolde。
The king； whan he thes wordes herde；
And sih hou that this kniht ansuerde；
Yit for he wolde make him glad；
After Medea gon he bad；
Which was his dowhter； and sche cam。
And Jason； which good hiede nam； 3370
Whan he hire sih； ayein hire goth；
And sche； which was him nothing loth；
Welcomede him into that lond；
And softe tok him be the hond；
And doun thei seten bothe same。
Sche hadde herd spoke of his name
And of his grete worthinesse；
Forthi sche gan hir yhe impresse
Upon his face and his stature；
And thoghte hou nevere creature 3380
Was so wel farende as was he。
And Jason riht in such degre
Ne mihte noght withholde his lok；
Bot so good hiede on hire he tok；
That him ne thoghte under the hevene
Of beaute sawh he nevere hir evene；
With al that fell to wommanhiede。
Thus ech of other token hiede；
Thogh ther no word was of record；
Here hertes bothe of on acord 3390
Ben set to love； bot as tho
Ther mihten be no wordes mo。
The king made him gret joie and feste；
To alle his men he yaf an heste；
So as thei wolde his thonk deserve；
That thei scholde alle Jason serve；
Whil that he wolde there duelle。
And thus the dai； schortly to telle；
With manye merthes thei despente；
Til nyht was come； and tho thei wente； 3400
Echon of other tok his leve；
Whan thei no lengere myhten leve。
I not hou Jason that nyht slep；
Bot wel I wot that of the Schep；
For which he cam into that yle；
He thoghte bot a litel whyle；
Al was Medea that he thoghte；
So that in many a wise he soghte
His witt wakende er it was day；
Som time yee； som time nay； 3410
Som time thus； som time so；
As he was stered to and fro
Of love； and ek of his conqueste
As he was holde of his beheste。
And thus he ros up be the morwe
And tok himself seint John to borwe；
And seide he wolde ferst beginne
At love； and after forto winne
The flees of gold； for which he com；
And thus to him good herte he nom。 3420
Medea riht the same wise；
Til dai cam that sche moste arise；
Lay and bethoughte hire al the nyht；
Hou sche that noble worthi kniht
Be eny weie mihte wedde：
And wel sche wiste； if he ne spedde
Of thing which he hadde undertake；
Sche mihte hirself no porpos take；
For if he deide of his bataile；
Sche moste thanne algate faile 3430
To geten him； whan he were ded。
Thus sche began to sette red
And torne aboute hir wittes alle；
To loke hou that it mihte falle
That sche with him hadde a leisir
To speke and telle of hir desir。
And so it fell that same day
That Jason with that suete may
Togedre sete and hadden space
To speke； and he besoughte hir grace。 3440
And sche his tale goodli herde；
And afterward sche him ansuerde
And seide； 〃Jason； as thou wilt；
Thou miht be sauf； thou miht be spilt；
For wite wel that nevere man；
Bot if he couthe that I can；
Ne mihte that fortune achieve
For which thou comst： bot as I lieve；
If thou wolt holde covenant
To love； of al the remenant 3450
I schal thi lif and honour save；
That thou the flees of gold schalt have。〃
He seide； 〃Al at youre oghne wille；
Ma dame； I schal treuly fulfille
Youre heste； whil mi lif mai laste。〃
Thus longe he preide； and ate laste
Sche granteth； and behihte him this；
That whan nyht comth and it time is；
Sche wolde him sende certeinly
Such on that scholde him prively 3460
Al one into hire chambre bringe。
He thonketh hire of that tidinge；
For of that grace him is begonne
Him thenkth alle othre thinges wonne。
The dai made ende and lost his lyht；
And comen was the derke nyht；
Which al the daies yhe blente。
Jason tok leve and forth he wente；
And whan he cam out of the pres；
He tok to conseil Hercules； 3470
And tolde him hou it was betid；
And preide it scholde wel ben hid；
And that he wolde loke aboute；
Therwhiles that he schal ben oute。
Thus as he stod and hiede nam；
A Mayden fro Medea cam
And to hir chambre Jason ledde；
Wher that he fond redi to bedde
The faireste and the wiseste eke；
And sche with simple chiere and meke； 3480
Whan sche him sih； wax al aschamed。
Tho was here tale newe entamed；
For sikernesse of Mariage
Sche fette forth a riche ymage；
Which was figure of Jupiter；
And Jason swor and seide ther；
That also wiss god scholde him helpe；
That if Medea dede him helpe；
That he his pourpos myhte winne；
Thei scholde nevere parte atwinne； 3490
Bot evere whil him lasteth lif；
He wolde hire holde for his wif。
And with that word thei kisten bothe；
And for thei scholden hem unclothe；
Ther cam a Maide； and in hir wise
Sche dede hem bothe full servise；
Til that thei were in bedde naked：
I wot that nyht was wel bewaked；
Thei hadden bothe what thei wolde。
And thanne of leisir sche him tolde； 3500
And gan fro point to point enforme
Of his bataile and al the forme；
Which as he scholde finde there；
Whan he to thyle come were。
Sche seide； at entre of the pas
Hou Mars； which god of Armes was；
Hath set tuo Oxen sterne and stoute；
That caste fyr and flamme aboute
Bothe at the mouth and ate nase；
So that thei setten al on blase 3510
What thing that passeth hem betwene：
And forthermore upon the grene
Ther goth the flees of gold to kepe
A Serpent； which mai nevere slepe。
Thus who that evere scholde it winne；
The fyr to stoppe he mot beginne；
Which that the fierce bestes caste；
And daunte he mot hem ate laste；
So that he mai hem yoke and dryve；
And therupon he mot as blyve 3520
The Serpent with such strengthe assaile；
That he mai slen him be bataile；
Of which he mot the teth outdrawe；
As it belongeth to that lawe；
And thanne he mot tho Oxen yoke；
Til thei have with a plowh tobroke
A furgh of lond； in which arowe
The teth of thaddre he moste sowe；
And therof schule arise knihtes
Wel armed up at alle rihtes。 3530
Of hem is noght to taken hiede；
For ech of hem in hastihiede
Schal other slen with dethes wounde：
And thus whan thei ben leid to grounde；
Than mot he to the goddes preie；
And go so forth and take his preie。
Bot if he faile in eny wise
Of that ye hiere me devise；
Ther mai be set non other weie；
That he ne moste algates deie。 3540
〃Nou have I told the peril al：
I woll you tellen forth withal；〃
Quod Medea to Jason tho；
〃That ye schul knowen er ye go；
Ayein the venym and the fyr
What schal ben the recoverir。
Bot； Sire； for it is nyh day；
Ariseth up； so that I may
Delivere you what thing I have；
That mai youre lif and honour save。〃 3550
Thei weren bothe loth to rise；
Bot for thei weren bothe wise；
Up thei arisen ate laste：
Jason his clothes on him caste
And made him redi riht anon；
And sche hir scherte dede upon
And caste on hire a mantel clos；
Withoute more and thanne aros。
Tho tok sche forth a riche Tye
Mad al of gold and of Perrie； 3560
Out of the which sche nam a Ring；
The Ston was worth al other thing。
Sche seide； whil he wolde it were；
Ther myhte no peril him dere；
In water mai it noght be dreynt；
Wher as i