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Ther saugh I first the derke imagining Of felonye, and al the compassing; The cruel ire, reed as any glede; The pykepurs, and eek the pale drede; The smyler with the knyf under the cloke; The shepne brenning with the blake smoke; The treson of the mordring in the bedde; The open werre, with woundes al bi-bledde; Contek, with blody knyf and sharp manace; Al ful of chirking was that sory place. The sleere of him-self yet saugh I ther, His herte-blood hath bathed al his heer; The nayl y-driven in the shode a-night; The colde deeth, with mouth gaping up-right. Amiddes of the temple sat meschaunce, With disconfort and sory contenaunce. Yet saugh I woodnesse laughing in his rage; Armed compleint, out-hees, and fiers outrage. The careyne in the bush, with throte y-corve: A thousand slayn, and nat of qualm y-storve; The tiraunt, with the prey by force y-raft; The toun destroyed, ther was no-thing laft. Yet saugh I brent the shippes hoppesteres; The hunte strangled with the wilde beres: The sowe freten the child right in the cradel; The cook y-scalded, for al his longe ladel. Noght was foryeten by the infortune of Marte; The carter over-riden with his carte, Under the wheel ful lowe he lay adoun. Ther were also, of Martes divisioun, The barbour, and the bocher, and the smith That forgeth sharpe swerdes on his stith. And al above, depeynted in a tour, Saw I conquest sittinge in greet honour, With the sharpe swerde over his heed Hanginge by a sotil twynes threed. Depeynted was the slaughtre of Iulius, Of grete Nero, and of Antonius; Al be that thilke tyme they were unborn, Yet was hir deeth depeynted ther-biforn, By manasinge of Mars, right by figure; So was it shewed in that portreiture As is depeynted in the sterres above, Who shal be slayn or elles deed for love. Suffyceth oon ensample in stories olde, I may not rekne hem alle, thogh I wolde. Ther saugh I first the derke imagining Of felonye, and al the compassing; The cruel ire, reed as any glede; The pykepurs, and eek the pale drede; The smyler with the knyf under the cloke; The shepne brenning with the blake smoke; The treson of the mordring in the bedde; The open werre, with woundes al bi-bledde; Contek, with blody knyf and sharp manace; Al ful of chirking was that sory place. The sleere of him-self yet saugh I ther, His herte-blood hath bathed al his heer; The nayl y-driven in the shode a-night; The colde deeth, with mouth gaping up-right. Amiddes of the temple sat meschaunce, With disconfort and sory contenaunce. Yet saugh I woodnesse laughing in his rage; Armed compleint, out-hees, and fiers outrage. The careyne in the bush, with throte y-corve: A thousand slayn, and nat of qualm y-storve; The tiraunt, with the prey by force y-raft; The toun destroyed, ther was no-thing laft. Yet saugh I brent the shippes hoppesteres; The hunte strangled with the wilde beres: The sowe freten the child right in the cradel; The cook y-scalded, for al his longe ladel. Noght was foryeten by the infortune of Marte; The carter over-riden with his carte, Under the wheel ful lowe he lay adoun. Ther were also, of Martes divisioun, The barbour, and the bocher, and the smith That forgeth sharpe swerdes on his stith. And al above, depeynted in a tour, Saw I conquest sittinge in greet honour, With the sharpe swerde over his heed Hanginge by a sotil twynes threed. Depeynted was the slaughtre of Iulius, Of grete Nero, and of Antonius; Al be that thilke tyme they were unborn, Yet was hir deeth depeynted ther-biforn, By manasinge of Mars, right by figure; So was it shewed in that portreiture As is depeynted in the sterres above, Who shal be slayn or elles deed for love. Suffyceth oon ensample in stories olde, I may not rekne hem alle, thogh I wolde.

Original Text

Modern Text

Ther saugh I first the derke imagining Of felonye, and al the compassing; The cruel ire, reed as any glede; The pykepurs, and eek the pale drede; The smyler with the knyf under the cloke; The shepne brenning with the blake smoke; The treson of the mordring in the bedde; The open werre, with woundes al bi-bledde; Contek, with blody knyf and sharp manace; Al ful of chirking was that sory place. The sleere of him-self yet saugh I ther, His herte-blood hath bathed al his heer; The nayl y-driven in the shode a-night; The colde deeth, with mouth gaping up-right. Amiddes of the temple sat meschaunce, With disconfort and sory contenaunce. Yet saugh I woodnesse laughing in his rage; Armed compleint, out-hees, and fiers outrage. The careyne in the bush, with throte y-corve: A thousand slayn, and nat of qualm y-storve; The tiraunt, with the prey by force y-raft; The toun destroyed, ther was no-thing laft. Yet saugh I brent the shippes hoppesteres; The hunte strangled with the wilde beres: The sowe freten the child right in the cradel; The cook y-scalded, for al his longe ladel. Noght was foryeten by the infortune of Marte; The carter over-riden with his carte, Under the wheel ful lowe he lay adoun. Ther were also, of Martes divisioun, The barbour, and the bocher, and the smith That forgeth sharpe swerdes on his stith. And al above, depeynted in a tour, Saw I conquest sittinge in greet honour, With the sharpe swerde over his heed Hanginge by a sotil twynes threed. Depeynted was the slaughtre of Iulius, Of grete Nero, and of Antonius; Al be that thilke tyme they were unborn, Yet was hir deeth depeynted ther-biforn, By manasinge of Mars, right by figure; So was it shewed in that portreiture As is depeynted in the sterres above, Who shal be slayn or elles deed for love. Suffyceth oon ensample in stories olde, I may not rekne hem alle, thogh I wolde. Ther saugh I first the derke imagining Of felonye, and al the compassing; The cruel ire, reed as any glede; The pykepurs, and eek the pale drede; The smyler with the knyf under the cloke; The shepne brenning with the blake smoke; The treson of the mordring in the bedde; The open werre, with woundes al bi-bledde; Contek, with blody knyf and sharp manace; Al ful of chirking was that sory place. The sleere of him-self yet saugh I ther, His herte-blood hath bathed al his heer; The nayl y-driven in the shode a-night; The colde deeth, with mouth gaping up-right. Amiddes of the temple sat meschaunce, With disconfort and sory contenaunce. Yet saugh I woodnesse laughing in his rage; Armed compleint, out-hees, and fiers outrage. The careyne in the bush, with throte y-corve: A thousand slayn, and nat of qualm y-storve; The tiraunt, with the prey by force y-raft; The toun destroyed, ther was no-thing laft. Yet saugh I brent the shippes hoppesteres; The hunte strangled with the wilde beres: The sowe freten the child right in the cradel; The cook y-scalded, for al his longe ladel. Noght was foryeten by the infortune of Marte; The carter over-riden with his carte, Under the wheel ful lowe he lay adoun. Ther were also, of Martes divisioun, The barbour, and the bocher, and the smith That forgeth sharpe swerdes on his stith. And al above, depeynted in a tour, Saw I conquest sittinge in greet honour, With the sharpe swerde over his heed Hanginge by a sotil twynes threed. Depeynted was the slaughtre of Iulius, Of grete Nero, and of Antonius; Al be that thilke tyme they were unborn, Yet was hir deeth depeynted ther-biforn, By manasinge of Mars, right by figure; So was it shewed in that portreiture As is depeynted in the sterres above, Who shal be slayn or elles deed for love. Suffyceth oon ensample in stories olde, I may not rekne hem alle, thogh I wolde.