then with cloth of gold and with pierrie, And garlands hanging with full many a flower, The myrrh, the incense with so sweet odoúr; Nor how Arcita lay among all this, Nor what richéss about his body is; Nor how that Emily, as was the guise, Put in the fire of funeral servíce; Nor how she swooned when she made the fire, Nor what she spake, nor what was her desire; Nor what jewels men in the fire then cast When that the fire was great and burned fast; Nor how some cast their shield, and some their spear, And of their vestiments, which that they wear, And cuppës full of wine, and milk, and blood, Into the fire, that burnt as it were wood; Nor how the Greekës with a hugë rout Three timës riden all the fire about Upon the left hand, with a loud shouting, And thriës with their spearës clattering; And thriës how the ladies gan to cry; Nor how that led was homeward Emily; Nor how Arcite is burnt to ashes cold; Nor how the lykë-wakë was y-hold All thilkë night, nor how the Greekës play The wakë-plays, ne keep I not to say: Who wrestled best naked, with oil anoint, Nor who that bare him best in no disjoint. I will not tell eke how they all are gone Home to Athenës when the play is done; But shortly to the point now will I wend, And maken of my longë tale an end.
By process and by length of certain years All stinted is the mourning and the tears Of Greekës, by one general assent. Then seemed me there was a parlement At Athens, upon certain points and cas: Amongës the which points y-spoken was To have with certain countries álliánce, And have of Thebans full obeisánce. For which this noble Theseus anon Let send after the gentle Palamon, Unwist of him what was the cause and why: But in his blackë clothes sorrowfully He came at his commandment on hie; Then sentë Theseus for Emily.
When they were set, and hush’d was all the place And Theseus abided had a space Ere any word came from his wisë breast His eyen set he there as was his lest, And with a sad viságe he sighed still, And after that right thus he said his will. “The firstë mover of the cause above When he first