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
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； 5070
Thonkende god； and to the Ston
He goth an 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。
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； 5080
Acorden that he scholde it selle。
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 jueler anon forth fette
The gold and made his paiement；
Therof was no delaiement。
Thus whan this Ston was boght and sold；
Homward with joie manyfold 5090
This Bardus goth； and whan he cam
Hom to his hous and that he nam
His gold out of his Purs； withinne
He fond his Ston also therinne；
Wherof for joie his herte pleide；
Unto his wif and thus he seide；
〃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； 5100
〃Bot I dar swere upon a bok；
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
I wole it fonde forto selle；
And if it wol noght with him duelle；
Bot crepe into mi purs ayein；
Than dar I saufly swere and sein； 5110
It is the vertu of the Ston。〃
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；
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； 5120
Where he it solde in sondri place；
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
To themperour Justinian；
And he let sende for the man；
And axede him hou that it was。
And Bardus tolde him al the cas； 5130
Hou that the worm and ek the beste；
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
To parte and yiven half his good；
Hath nou foryete hou that it stod；
As he which wol no trouthe holde。
This Emperour al that he tolde 5140
Hath herd； and thilke unkindenesse
He seide he wolde himself redresse。
And thus in court of juggement
This Adrian was thanne assent；
And the querele in audience
Declared was in the presence
Of themperour and many mo；
Wherof was mochel speche tho
And gret wondringe among the press。
Bot ate laste natheles 5150
For the partie which hath pleigned
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
Stant the memoire into this day；
Wherof that every wysman may
Ensamplen him； and take in mynde
What schame it is to ben unkinde； 5160
Ayein the which reson debateth；
And every creature it hateth。
Forthi； mi Sone； in thin office
I rede fle that ilke vice。
For riht as the Cronique seith
Of Adrian； hou he his feith
Foryat for worldes covoitise；
Fulofte in such a maner wise
Of lovers nou a man mai se
Full manye that unkinde be： 5170
For wel behote and evele laste
That is here lif； for ate laste；
Whan that thei have here wille do；
Here love is after sone ago。
What seist thou； Sone； to this cas？
Mi fader； I wol seie Helas；
That evere such a man was bore；
Which whan he hath his trouthe suore
And hath of love what he wolde；
That he at eny time scholde 5180
Evere after in his herte finde
To falsen and to ben unkinde。
Bot； fader； as touchende of me；
I mai noght stonde in that degre；
For I tok nevere of love why；
That I ne mai wel go therby
And do my profit elles where；
For eny sped I finde there。
I dar wel thenken al aboute；
Bot I ne dar noght speke it oute； 5190
And if I dorste； I wolde pleigne；
That sche for whom I soffre peine
And love hir evere aliche hote；
That nouther yive ne behote
In rewardinge of mi servise
It list hire in no maner wise。
I wol noght say that sche is kinde；
And forto sai sche is unkinde；
That dar I noght； bot god above；
Which demeth every herte of love； 5200
He wot that on myn oghne side
Schal non unkindeschipe abide：
If it schal with mi ladi duelle；
Therof dar I nomore telle。
Nou； goode fader； as it is；
Tell me what thenketh you of this。
Mi Sone； of that unkindeschipe；
The which toward thi ladischipe
Thou pleignest； for sche wol thee noght；
Thou art to blamen of that thoght。 5210
For it mai be that thi desir；
Thogh it brenne evere as doth the fyr；
Per cas to hire honour missit；
Or elles time com noght yit；
Which standt upon thi destine：
Forthi； mi Sone； I rede thee；
Thenk wel； what evere the befalle；
For noman hath his lustes alle。
Bot as thou toldest me before
That thou to love art noght forswore； 5220
And hast don non unkindenesse；
Thou miht therof thi grace blesse：
And lef noght that continuance；
For ther mai be no such grevance
To love； as is unkindeschipe。
Wherof to kepe thi worschipe；
So as these olde bokes tale；
I schal thee telle a redi tale：
Nou herkne and be wel war therby；
For I wol telle it openly。 5230
Mynos； as telleth the Poete；
The which whilom was king of Crete；
A Sone hadde and Androchee
He hihte： and so befell that he
Unto Athenes forto lere
Was send； and so he bar him there；
For that he was of hih lignage；
Such pride he tok in his corage；
That he foryeten hath the Scoles；
And in riote among the foles 5240
He dede manye thinges wronge；
And useth thilke lif so longe；
Til ate laste of that he wroghte
He fond the meschief which he soghte；
Wherof it fell that he was slain。
His fader； which it herde sain；
Was wroth； and al that evere he mihte；
Of men of Armes he him dighte
A strong pouer； and forth he wente
Unto Athenys； where he brente 5250
The pleine contre al aboute：
The Cites stode of him in doute；
As thei that no defence hadde
Ayein the pouer which he ladde。
Eges； which was there king；
His conseil tok upon this thing；
For he was thanne in the Cite：
So that of pes into tretee
Betwen Mynos and Eges
Thei felle； and ben acorded thus； 5260
That king Mynos fro yer to yeere
Receive schal； as thou schalt here；
Out of Athenys for truage
Of men that were of myhti Age
Persones nyne； of whiche he schal
His wille don in special
For vengance of his Sones deth。
Non other grace ther ne geth；
Bot forto take the juise；
And that was don in such a wise； 5270
Which stod upon a wonder cas。
For thilke time so it was；
Wherof that men yit rede and singe；
King Mynos hadde in his kepinge
A cruel Monstre； as seith the geste：
For he was half man and half beste；
And Minotaurus he was hote；
Which was begete in a riote
Upon Pasiphe； his oghne wif；
Whil he was oute upon the strif 5280
Of thilke grete Siege at Troie。
Bot sche； which lost hath alle joie；
Whan that sche syh this Monstre bore；
Bad men ordeigne anon therfore：
And fell that ilke time thus；
Ther was a Clerk； on Dedalus；
Which hadde ben of hire assent
Of that hir world was so miswent；
And he made of his oghne wit；
Wherof the remembrance is yit； 5290
For Minotaure such an hous；
Which was so strange and merveilous；
That what man that withinne wente；
Ther was so many a sondri wente；
That he ne scholde noght come oute；
But gon amased al aboute。
And in this hous to loke and warde
Was Minotaurus put in warde；
That what lif that therinne cam；
Or man or beste； he overcam 5300
And slow； and fedde him therupon；
And in this wise many on
Out of Athenys for truage
Devoured weren in that rage。
For every yeer thei schope hem so；
Thei of Athenys； er thei go
Toward that ilke wofull chance；
As it was set in ordinance；
Upon fortune here lot thei caste；
Til that Theses ate laste； 5310
Which was the kinges Sone there；
Amonges othre that ther were
In thilke yeer； as it befell；
The lot upon his chance fell。
He was a worthi kniht withalle；
And whan he sih this chance falle；
He ferde as thogh he tok non hiede；
Bot al that evere he mihte spiede；
With him and with his felaschipe
Forth into Crete he goth be Schipe； 5320
Wher that the king Mynos he soghte；
And profreth all that he him oghte
Upon the point of here acord。
This sterne king； this cruel lord
Tok every day on of the Nyne；
And put him to the discipline
Of Minotaure； to be devoured；
Bot Theses was so favoured；
That he was kept til ate laste。
And in the meene while he caste 5330
What thing him were best to do：
And fell that Adriagne tho；
Which was the dowhter of Mynos；
And hadde herd the worthi los
Of Theses and of his myht；
And syh he was a lusti kniht；
Hire hole herte on him sche leide；
And he also of love hir preide；
So ferforth that thei were al on。
And sche ordeigneth thanne anon 5340
In what manere he scholde him save；
And schop so that sche dede him have
A clue of thred； of which withinne
Ferst ate dore he schal beginne
With him to take that on ende；
That whan he wolde ayeinward wende；
He mihte go the same weie。
And over this； so as I seie；
Of pich sche tok him a pelote；
The which he scholde into the throte 5350
Of Minotaure caste rihte：
Such wepne also for him sche dighte；
That he be reson mai noght faile
To make an ende of his bataile；
For sche him tawhte in sondri wise；
Til he was knowe of thilke emprise；
Hou he this beste schulde quelle。
And thus； schort tale forto telle；
So as this Maide him hadde tawht；
Theses with this Monstre fawht； 5360
Smot of his hed； the which he nam；
And be the thred； so as he cam；
He goth ayein； til he were oute。
Tho was gret wonder al aboute：
Mynos the tribut hath relessed；
And so was al the werre cessed
Betwen Athene and hem of Crete。
Bot now to speke of thilke suete；
Whos beaute was withoute wane；
This faire Maiden Adriane； 5370
Whan