But ther-ageyns, thee to comforte, And with thy servise to desporte, Thou mayst ful glad and Ioyful be 2015 So good a maister to have as me, And lord of so high renoun. I bere of Love the gonfanoun, Of Curtesye the banere; For I am of the silf manere, 2020 Gentil, curteys, meek and free; That who [so] ever ententif be Me to honoure, doute, and serve, And also that he him observe Fro trespas and fro vilanye, 2025 And him governe in curtesye With wil and with entencioun; For whan he first in my prisoun Is caught, than muste he uttirly, Fro thennes-forth ful bisily, 2030 Caste him gentil for to be, If he desyre helpe of me.' Anoon withouten more delay, Withouten daunger or affray, I bicom his man anoon, 2035 And gave him thankes many a oon, And kneled doun with hondis Ioynt, And made it in my port ful queynt; The Ioye wente to myn herte rote. Whan I had kissed his mouth so swote, 2040 I had sich mirthe and sich lyking, It cured me of languisshing. He askid of me than hostages:-- I have,' he seide, 'taken fele homages Of oon and other, where I have been 2045 Disceyved ofte, withouten wene. These felouns, fulle of falsitee, Have many sythes bigyled me, And through falshede hir lust acheved, Wherof I repente and am agreved. 2050 And I hem gete in my daungere, Hir falshed shulie they bye ful dere. But for I love thee, I seye thee pleyn, I wol of thee be more certeyn; For thee so sore I wol now binde, 2055 That thou away ne shalt not winde For to denyen the covenaunt, Or doon that is not avenaunt. That thou were fals it were gret reuthe, Sith thou semest so ful of treuthe.' 2060 'Sire, if thee list to undirstande, I merveile thee asking this demande. For-why or wherfore shulde ye Ostages or borwis aske of me, Or any other sikirnesse, 2065 Sith ye wote, in sothfastnesse, That ye have me surprysed so, And hool myn herte taken me fro, That it wol do for me no-thing But-if it be at your bidding? 2070 Myn herte is yours, and myn right nought, As it bihoveth, in dede and thought, Redy in alle to worche your wille, Whether so [it] turne to good or ille. So sore it lustith you to plese, 2075 No man therof may you disseise. Ye have theron set sich Iustise, That it is werreyd in many wise. And if ye doute it nolde obeye, Ye may therof do make a keye, 2080 And holde it with you for ostage.' Now certis, this is noon outrage,' Quoth Love, 'and fully I accord; For of the body he is ful lord That hath the herte in his tresor; 2085 Outrage it were to asken more.' Than of his aumener he drough A litel keye, fetys y-nough,