Trolius and Criseyde I.1-35

1    The double sorwe of Troilus to tellen,
2    That was the kyng Priamus sone of Troye,
3    In louynge how his auentures fellen
4    ffro wo to wele, and after out of ioie,
5    My purpos is, er that I parte fro ye.
6    Thesiphone, thow help me for tendite
7    Thise woful vers that wepen as I write.

8    To the clepe I, thow goddesse of torment,
9    Thow cruwel furie, sorwynge euere in peyne,
10    Help me that am the sorwful instrument
11    That helpeth loueres, as I kan, to pleyne;
12    ffor wel sit it, the sothe for to seyne,
13    A woful wight to han a drery feere,
14    And to a sorwful tale a sory chere.

15    ffor I, that god of loues seruantz serue,
16    Ne dar to loue, for myn vnliklynesse,
17    Preyen for speed, al sholde I ther-fore sterue,
18    So fer am I from his help in derknesse;
19    But natheles, if this may don gladnesse
20    To any louere and his cause auaille,
21    Haue he my thonk, and myn be this trauaille.

22    But ye loueres that bathen in gladnesse,
23    If any drope of pyte in yow be,
24    Remembreth yow on passed heuynesse
25    That ye han felt, and on the aduersite
26    Of othere folk, and thynketh how that ye
27    Han felt that loue dorste yow displese,
28    Or ye han wonne hym with to grete an ese.

29    And preieth for hem that ben in the cas
30    Of Troilus, as ye may after here,
31    That loue hem brynge in heuene to solas;
32    And ek for me preieth to god so dere
33    That I haue myght to shewe in som manere
34    Swich peyne and wo as loues folk endure,
35    In Troilus vnsely auenture.