138 THE KKIGHTES TALE.
And thus they ben departed til a-morwe, When ech of hem hadde leyd his feith to bonve.
O Cupide, out of alle charitd ! 0 regne, that wolt no felawe ban with the ! Ful soth is seyd, that love no lordschipe Wol not, his thonkes, ban no felaweschipe. Wei fynden that Arcite and Palamoun. Arcite is riden anon unto the toun, And on the morwe, or it were dayes light, Ful prively two barneys hath he dight, Bothe suffisaunt and mete to darreyne The bataylle in the feeld betwix hem tweyne. And on his hors, allone as he was born, He caryeth al this harnes him byforn ; And in the grove, at tyme and place i-set, This Arcite and this Palamon ben met. Tho chaungen gan the colour in here face. Right as the honter in the regne of Trace That stondeth at the gappe with a spere, Whan honted is the lyoun or the bere, And hereth him come ruschyng in the greves, And breketh botbe bowes and the leves, And thinketh, i Here cometh my mortel enemy, Withoute faile, he mot be deed or I; For eyther I mot sleen him at the gappe, Or he moot sleen me, if that me myshappe:' So ferden they, in chaungyng of here hewe, As fer as everich of hem other knewe. Ther nas no good day, ne no saluyng \ But streyt withouten word or rehersyng, Everych of hem help for to armen other, As frendly as he were his owne brother ; And after that with scharpe speres stronge They foynen ech at other wonder longe. Thou myghtest wene that this Palamon In his fightynge were as a wood lyoun, And as a cruel tygre was Arcite : As wilde boores gonne they to smyte,