O Cupid, out of allë charity! O Regne that wilt no fellow have with thee! Full sooth is said, that love nor lordëship Will not, his thanks, have any fellowship. Well finden that Arcite and Palamon. Arcite is ridd anon unto the town, And on the morrow, ere it were daylight, Full privily two harness hath he dight, Both suffisant and meetë to darraine The battle in the field betwixt them twain. And on his horse, alone as he was born, He carrieth all this harness him beforn; And in the grove, at time and place y-set, This Arcite and this Palamon be met. Then changë gan the colour of their face; Right as the hunter in the regne of Thrace That standeth at a gappë with a spear When hunted is the lion or the bear, And heareth him come rushing in the greves, And breaking both the boughës and the leaves, Thinketh, “Here comes my mortal enemy, Withoutë fail, he must be dead or I; For either I must slay him at the gap; Or he must slay me, if that me mishap:” So fared they, in changing of their hue As far as either of them other knew. There was no good day, and no saluting, But straight, withoutë wordës rehearsing, Evereach of them holp to arm the other, As friendly, as he were his owen brother. And after that, with sharpë spearës strong They foined each at other wonder long. Thou mightest weenë, that this Palamon In his fighting were as a wood lion, And as a cruel tiger was Arcite: As wildë boars gan they together smite, That froth as white as foam, for irë wood. Up to the ancle fought they in their blood. And in this wise I let them fighting dwell, And forth I will of Theseus you tell.
The Destiny, minister general, That executeth in the world o’er all The purveyánce, that God hath seen beforn; So strong it is, that though the