To sen thencress of his lignage; For he was of so gret an Age, That men awaiten every day, Whan that he scholde gon away. Jason, which sih his fader old, Upon Medea made him bold, Of art magique, which sche couthe, And preith hire that his fader youthe Sche wolde make ayeinward newe: And sche, that was toward him trewe, 3950 Behihte him that sche wolde it do, Whan that sche time sawh therto. Bot what sche dede in that matiere It is a wonder thing to hiere, Bot yit for the novellerie I thenke tellen a partie.[194] [Sidenote: Nota quibus medicamentis Esonem senectute decrepitum ad sue iuuentutis adolescenciam prudens Medea reduxit.] Thus it befell upon a nyht, Whan ther was noght bot sterreliht, Sche was vanyssht riht as hir liste, That no wyht bot hirself it wiste,[195] 3960 [Sidenote: =P. ii. 260=] And that was ate mydnyht tyde. The world was stille on every side;[196] With open hed and fot al bare, Hir her tosprad sche gan to fare,[197] Upon hir clothes gert sche was, Al specheles and on the gras[198] Sche glod forth as an Addre doth: Non otherwise sche ne goth, Til sche cam to the freisshe flod, And there a while sche withstod. 3970 Thries sche torned hire aboute, And thries ek sche gan doun loute And in the flod sche wette hir her, And thries on the water ther Sche gaspeth with a drecchinge onde,[199] And tho sche tok hir speche on honde. Ferst sche began to clepe and calle Upward unto the sterres alle, To Wynd, to Air, to See, to lond Sche preide, and ek hield up hir hond 3980 To Echates, and gan to crie, Which is goddesse of Sorcerie. Sche seide, ‘Helpeth at this nede, And as ye maden me to spede, Whan Jason cam the Flees to seche, So help me nou, I you beseche.’ With that sche loketh and was war, Doun fro the Sky ther cam a char, The which Dragouns aboute drowe: And tho sche gan hir hed doun bowe,[200] 3990 [Sidenote: =P. ii. 261=] And up sche styh, and faire and wel Sche drof forth bothe char and whel[201] Above in thair among the Skyes. The lond of Crete and tho parties Sche soughte, and faste gan hire hye, And there upon the hulles hyhe Of Othrin and Olimpe also, And ek of othre hulles mo, Sche fond and gadreth herbes suote, Sche pulleth up som be the rote, 4000 And manye with a knyf sche scherth, And alle into hir char sche berth. Thus whan sche hath the hulles sought, The flodes ther foryat sche nought, Eridian and Amphrisos, Peneie and ek Spercheïdos,[202] To hem sche wente and ther sche nom Bothe of the water and the fom,[203] The sond and ek the smale stones,