Where that I walked, plunged in the pytte Of great dispayre; and he than me mette. Alas! he sayde, me thinke ye lose your wytte; Tell me the trouth now, wythout any lete, Why ye demeane suche mortall sorow great. A voyde! quod I, you shall nothing it knowe, You can not helpe in the case I trow. But he suche reason and fruytfull sentence Dyd for him laye, that I tolde hym all. Whan he it knewe with all my diligence, He dyd me conforte than in specyall: Unto my minde he bad me to call, Who spareth to speke he to spede doth spare; Go tell your lady the cause of your care. By whose counseyle grounded in wysdome, To the entent I should spede the better, And ryght shortly I dyd than to you come, But drede alway made my sorowe greatter; After great payne the joyes is the sweter. For who that tasteth paynfull bytternes, The joye to him is double swetenes. And, therwythall, I did unto her brynge Councell my frende, and full right meke Dyd him receive as he was comynge; And of all thynges she did hym beseke, After her departinge, the same weke, To hast me forwarde to my journeyes ende. Therto, quod I, I do well condyscende. Fare well, quod she, I may no longer tary; My frendes wyll come; of that were I lothe: I shall retayne you in my memory, And they it knewe they wolde with me be wrothe. To love you best I promise you my trouthe! And than mine eyen great sorowe shewed, Wyth teres salte my chekes were endewed. Her eyes graye began to loke right reed, Her gaye whyte coloure began for to pale, Upon her chekes so the droppes were sprede Whiche from her eyen began to advale; Frome her swete herte she dyd the syghes hale; Never before, as I trowe and wene, Was suche departyng true lovers betwene. We wyped our chekes our sorowe to cloke, Outwardly faynyng us to be glad and mery, That the people should not perceyve the smoke Of our hote fyre to lyght the emyspery: Thoughe inwardly wyth a stormy pery The fyre was blowen, yet we dyd it cover, Bycause abrode it should nothyng perceyver. Out of the garden to an haven syde Forth he went, where as a shyppe ryght large That taryed there after the floynge tyde, And so than dyd there many a bote and barge. The shyp was great, fyve c. tonne to charge. La Bell Pucell ryght anone me tolde: In yondre shyp, whyche that ye beholde, Forthe must I sayle wythout longer delaye; It is full see; my frendes wyll come soone; Therfore I pray you to go hence your waye, It draweth fast now towarde the none. Madame, quod I, your pleasure shal be done. Wyth wofull herte and great syghes, ofte I kyssed her lyppes, that were swete and softe.