Chaucer and His Poetry (Poetry and Life Series)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1914 edition. Excerpt: ...she nome. And at the laste this Piramus is come, But al to longe, allas, at home was hee 1 The moone shone, men myghte wel y-see, And in his wey, as that he come ful faste, Hise eyen to the grounde adoun he caste; And in the sonde as he behelde adoun, He seigh the steppes broode of a lyoun; And in his herte he sodeynly agroos, And pale he wex, therwith his heer aroos, And nere he come, and founde the wympel tome. "Allas," quod he, " the day that I was borne 1 This o nyght wol us lovers bothe slee! How shulde I axen mercy of Tesbee, Whan I am he that have yow slayne, allas? My byddyng hath i-slayn yow in this caas! Allas, to bidde a woman goon by nyghte In place ther as peril fallen myghte! And I so slowe 1 allas, I ne hadde be Here in this place, a furlong wey or ye 1 Now what lyon that be in this foreste, My body mote he renten, or what beste That wilde is, gnawen mote he now my herte 11' And with that worde he to the wympel sterte, And kiste it ofte, and wepte on it ful sore; And seyde, " Wympel, allas 1 ther nys no more, But thou shalt feele as wel the blode of me, As thou hast felt the bledynge of Tesbe." And with that worde he smot hym to the herte; The blood out of the wounde as brode sterte As water, whan the conduyte broken is. Now Tesbe, which that wyste nat of this, But syttyng in hire drede, she thoghte thus: "If it so falle that my Piramus Be cornea hider, and may me nat y-fynde, He may me holden fals, and eke unkynde." And oute she comith, and after hym gan espien B6the with hire herte and with hire eyen; And thoghte, ' I wol him tellen of my drede, Bothe of the lyonesse and al my dede." And at the laste hire love than hath she founde, Betynge with his helis on the grounde, Al blody; and therwithal abak she sterte, And lyke the wawes...