THE KN1GHTES TALE. 137
And hast byjaped here duk Theseus,
And falsly chaunged hast thy name thus;
I wol be deed, or elles thou schalt dye.
Thou schalt not love my lady Emelye,
But I wil love hire oonly and no mo j
For I am Palamon thy mortal fo.
And though that I no wepne have in this place,
But out of prisoun am astert by grace,
I drede not that outher thou schalt dye,
Or thou ne schalt not loven Emelye.
Ches which thou wilt, for thou schalt not asterte.'
This Arcite, with ful despitous herte,
Whan he him knew, and hadde his tale herd,
As fers as a lyoun pullede out a swerd,
And seide thus : * By God that sit above,
Nere it that thou art sik and wood for love.
And eek that thou no wepne hast in this
place,
Thou schuldest nevere out of this grove pace, That thou ne schuldest deyen of myn hond. For I defye the seurte' and the bond Which that thou seyst that I have maad to the. What, verray fool, think wel that love is fre ! And I wol love hire mawgre al thy might. But, for as muche thou art a worthy knight, And wilnest to derreyne hire by batayle, Have heer my trouthe, to-morwe I nyl not fayle, Withouten wityng of eny other wight, That heer I wol be founden as a knight, And bryngen harneys right inough for the ; And ches the beste, and lef the worse for me. And mete and drynke this night wil I brynge Inough for the, and clothes for thy beddynge. And if so be that thou my lady wynne, i And sle me in this woode ther I am inne, Thou maist wel han thy lady as for me.3 This Palamon answerde: * I graunte it the.'