+And mad the Lyf also of seynt Cecyle; +He made also, goon sithen a greet whyl, +Origenes upon the Maudeleyne; +Him oghte now to have the lesse peyne; +He hath mad many a lay and many a thing. 430 +'Now as ye been a god, and eek a king, +I, your Alceste, whylom quene of Trace, +I aske yow this man, right of your grace, +That ye him never hurte in al his lyve; +And he shal sweren yow, and that as blyve, 435 +He shal no more agilten in this wyse; +But he shal maken, as ye wil devyse, +Of wommen trewe in lovinge al hir lyve, +Wher-so ye wil, of maiden or of wyve, +And forthren yow, as muche as he misseyde 440 +Or in the Rose or elles in Creseyde.' +The god of love answerde hir thus anoon, +'Madame,' quod he, 'hit is so long agoon +That I yow knew so charitable and trewe, +That never yit, sith that the world was newe, 445 +To me ne fond I better noon than ye. If that I wolde save my degree, +I may ne wol nat werne your requeste; Al lyth in yow, doth with him as yow leste. +I al foryeve, with-outen lenger space; 450 +For who-so yeveth a yift, or doth a grace, +Do hit by tyme, his thank is wel the more; +And demeth ye what he shal do therfore. +Go thanke now my lady heer,' quod he. +I roos, and doun I sette me on my knee, 455 +And seyde thus: 'Madame, the god above +Foryelde yow, that ye the god of love +Han maked me his wrathe to foryive; +And yeve me grace so long for to live, +That I may knowe soothly what ye be 460 That han me holpe and put in this degree. +But trewely I wende, as in this cas, +Naught have agilt, ne doon to love trespas. +Forwhy a trewe man, with-outen drede, +Hath nat to parten with a theves dede; 465 +Ne a trewe lover oghte me nat blame, +Thogh that I speke a fals lover som shame. +They oghte rather with me for to holde, +For that I of Creseyde wroot or tolde, +Or of the Rose; what-so myn auctour mente, 470 +Algate, god wot, hit was myn entente +To forthren trouthe in love and hit cheryce; +And to be war fro falsnesse and fro vyce +By swich ensample; this was my meninge.' +And she answerde, 'lat be thyn arguinge; 475 +For Love ne wol nat countrepleted be In right ne wrong; and lerne that of me! +Thou hast thy grace, and hold thee right ther-to. +Now wol I seyn what penance thou shalt do +For thy trespas, and understond hit here: 480 +Thou shalt, whyl that thou livest, yeer by yere, The moste party of thy tyme spende +In making of a glorious Legende +Of Gode Wommen, maidenes and wyves, +That weren trewe in lovinge al hir lyves; 485