Hou Apemen, of Besazis[1091] Which dowhter was, in the paleis Sittende upon his hihe deis, Whan he was hotest in his ire Toward the grete of his empire, Cirus the king tirant sche tok, And only with hire goodly lok 1890 Sche made him debonaire and meke, And be the chyn and be the cheke [Sidenote: =P. iii. 149=] Sche luggeth him riht as hir liste, That nou sche japeth, nou sche kiste, And doth with him what evere hir liketh; Whan that sche loureth, thanne he siketh, And whan sche gladeth, he is glad: And thus this king was overlad With hire which his lemman was. Among the men is no solas, 1900 If that ther be no womman there; For bot if that the wommen were,[1092] This worldes joie were aweie: Thurgh hem men finden out the weie To knihthode and to worldes fame; Thei make a man to drede schame, And honour forto be desired: Thurgh the beaute of hem is fyred The Dart of which Cupide throweth, Wherof the jolif peine groweth, 1910 Which al the world hath under fote. A womman is the mannes bote, His lif, his deth, his wo, his wel; And this thing mai be schewed wel, Hou that wommen ben goode and kihde, For in ensample this I finde. [Sidenote: [TALE OF ALCESTIS.]] Whan that the duk Ametus lay [Sidenote: Nota de fidelitate Coniugis, qualiter Alcesta vxor Ameti, vt maritum suum viuificaret, seipsam morti spontanee subegit.] Sek in his bedd, that every day Men waiten whan he scholde deie, Alceste his wif goth forto preie, 1920 As sche which wolde thonk deserve, With Sacrifice unto Minerve, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 150=] To wite ansuere of the goddesse Hou that hir lord of his seknesse, Wherof he was so wo besein, Recovere myhte his hele ayein. Lo, thus sche cride and thus sche preide, Til ate laste a vois hir seide, That if sche wolde for his sake The maladie soffre and take, 1930 And deie hirself, he scholde live. Of this ansuere Alceste hath yive[1093] Unto Minerve gret thonkinge, So that hir deth and his livinge Sche ches with al hire hole entente, And thus acorded hom sche wente. Into the chambre and whan sche cam, Hire housebonde anon sche nam In bothe hire Armes and him kiste, And spak unto him what hire liste; 1940 And therupon withinne a throwe This goode wif was overthrowe[1094] And deide, and he was hool in haste. So mai a man be reson taste, Hou next after the god above The trouthe of wommen and the love, In whom that alle grace is founde, Is myhtiest upon this grounde And most behovely manyfold. Lo, thus Zorobabel hath told 1950