What can now fairë Venus do above? What saith she now? what doth this queen of love? But weepeth so, for wanting of her will, Till that her tearës in the listës fill: She said: “I am ashamed doubtëless.” Saturnus saidë: “Daughter, hold thy peace. Mars hath his will, his knight hath all his boon, And by mine head thou shalt be eased soon.”
The trumpeters with the loud minstrelsy, The heralds, that full loudë yell and cry, Be in their joy for weal of Dan Arcite. But hearken me, and stintë noise a lite, What a mirácle there befell anon. This fierce Arcite hath off his helm y-done, And on a courser for to shew his face He pricketh endëlong the largë place, Looking upward upon this Emily; And she again him cast a friendly eye (For women, as to speaken in commúne, They follow all the favour of fortúne), And was all his in cheer, as his in heart. Out of the ground a fire infernal start, From Pluto sent, at réquest of Saturn, For which his horse for fear began to turn, And leap aside, and founder as he leap: And ere that Arcite may take any keep, He pight him on the pummel of his head, That in the place he lay as he were dead, His breast to-bursten with his saddle-bow. As black he lay as any coal or crow, So was the blood y-run into his face. Anon he was y-borne out of the place With heartë sore, to Theseus’ palace. Then was he carven out of his harnéss. And in a bed y-brought full fair and blive, For he was yet in mem’ry and alive, And always crying after Emily.
Duke Theseus, with all his company, Is comë home to Athens his city, With allë bliss and great solemnity. Albeit that this áventure was fall, He wouldë not discómfortë them all. Men said eke, that Arcite should not die, He should be healed of his malady. And of another thing they were as fain, That of them allë was there no one slain, All were they sorely hurt, and namely one, That with a spear was thirled his breast-bone. To other woundës, and to broken arms, Some hadden salvës, and some hadden charms: And pharmacies of herbs, and ekë save They dranken, for they would their livës have. For which this noble Duke, as he well can, Comfórteth and honoúreth every man, And madë revel all the longë