And if I schal more over this Declare what this vertu is, I finde write upon this thing Of Valentinian the king And Emperour be thilke daies, A worthi knyht at alle assaies, 6400 Hou he withoute Mariage Was of an hundred wynter Age, And hadde ben a worthi kniht Bothe of his lawe and of his myht. Bot whan men wolde his dedes peise And his knyhthode of Armes preise, Of that he dede with his hondes, Whan he the kinges and the londes To his subjeccion put under, Of al that pris hath he no wonder, 6410 For he it sette of non acompte, And seide al that may noght amonte Ayeins o point which he hath nome, That he his fleissh hath overcome: He was a virgine, as he seide; On that bataille his pris he leide. Lo nou, my Sone, avise thee. Yee, fader, al this wel mai be, Bot if alle othre dede so, The world of men were sone go: 6420 And in the lawe a man mai finde, Hou god to man be weie of kinde Hath set the world to multeplie; And who that wol him justefie, It is ynouh to do the lawe. And natheles youre goode sawe Is good to kepe, who so may, I wol noght therayein seie nay. Mi Sone, take it as I seie; If maidenhod be take aweie 6430 Withoute lawes ordinance, It mai noght failen of vengance. And if thou wolt the sothe wite, Behold a tale which is write, Hou that the King Agamenon, Whan he the Cite of Lesbon Hath wonne, a Maiden ther he fond, Which was the faireste of the Lond In thilke time that men wiste. He tok of hire what him liste 6440 Of thing which was most precious, Wherof that sche was dangerous. This faire Maiden cleped is Criseide, douhter of Crisis, Which was that time in special Of thilke temple principal, Wher Phebus hadde his sacrifice, So was it wel the more vice. Agamenon was thanne in weie To Troieward, and tok aweie 6450 This Maiden, which he with him ladde, So grete a lust in hire he hadde. Bot Phebus, which hath gret desdeign Of that his Maiden was forlein, Anon as he to Troie cam, Vengance upon this dede he nam And sende a comun pestilence. Thei soghten thanne here evidence And maden calculacion, To knowe in what condicion 6460 This deth cam in so sodeinly; And ate laste redyly The cause and ek the man thei founde: And forth withal the same stounde Agamenon opposed was, Which hath beknowen al the cas Of the folie which he wroghte. And therupon mercy thei soghte Toward the god in sondri wise With preiere and with sacrifise, 6470 The Maide and hom ayein thei sende, And yive hire good ynouh to spende For evere whil sche scholde live: And thus the Senne was foryive And al the pestilence cessed. Lo, what it is to ben encressed Of love which is evele wonne. It were betre noght begonne Than take a thing withoute leve, Which thou most after nedes leve, 6480 And yit have malgre forth withal. Forthi to robben overal In loves cause if thou beginne, I not what ese thou schalt winne. Mi Sone, be wel war of this, For thus of Robberie it is.