DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.30698#0231
WILLIAM CAXTON,
203
[1475.]
the stable to hys horse, whome he louyd well. but ineontinent whan
he had ben there a litil and that he hadde perceyuid the two palfroyes
of the lady and of the damoiselle, him semed tliat he had scen them
tofore tyme. Thene he callyd the seruaut of the stable & demanded of
him to whom the two horses belonged, Thene the seruaut ansuerde
that they apperteyned to two damoiselles that were loggid there with
inne Truly frende saide Jason what damoiselles that euer they be
The two horses belonge to my lady best belouyd, & whan the good
aueient knighte vnderstood lason. he sayd to him, lason Remember ye
of your dreme I take hit on my life that your lady is in this hous, or
ellis the damoiselles ben here for her. the whiche shal saye to you
goode tydinges withoute ony other question or answere Iason departed
incontinent from the stable. and wente vnto the hostesse. and whan he
had boden to her goode morowe he sayd to her, Fair hostesse. know
ye the two Damoyselles that ben logged herein. Certes sir knight
ansuerde the hostesse, I knowe hem none otherwise but as me semeth
that they ben gentil women and comen of a good hows, Is hit possible
that I maye see hem saide lason. I wote neuer saide thostesse but I first
demande them. Fair hostesse said than Iason I require yow that I may
see them, And that ye wylle go saye that. here ys a knight their
seruaut, that hath grete desire to speke with them.’
* The goode liostesse for to do plaisir vnto Jason, wente vnto the
two Damoyselles and sayd to them. My fayr maystresses I come to yow
in the name and at the request of a gentil knight lie saying your
seruaut, the whiche requireth yow, that of your grace hit wolde plese
yow that he might speke with yow. And aduise yow what hit shal
plese yow that I answere to him. But incontinet that tlie Quene
Myrro had herd her hostesse speke of the requeste of the knight.
Certes the colour began to chauge meruaillously and her thought, that
alle her bociy was esprysed with fyre. But this notwithstanding she
held her contenaunce the beste wyse she myghte. And howe wel that
she doubted of the comyng of the preu Jason. and that she was then
in a traunce what she shold saye to her. yet she answerd and sayd.
Fair dame. who is that knight that hath sente yow hether, Certes sayd
the hostesse I sawe him neuer to fore that I wote of. But to my seming
he is the most gentil and the most well made of body and also most
curtois that ony man may or can finde or speke of. Dame sayde thene
the fayr Myrro, syn that he is so vertuous & so well accomplisshed as
ye saye, do him to come hether, With these wordes the goode hostesse
dide do Jason come vnto the chambre, And thenne assone as he cam
203
[1475.]
the stable to hys horse, whome he louyd well. but ineontinent whan
he had ben there a litil and that he hadde perceyuid the two palfroyes
of the lady and of the damoiselle, him semed tliat he had scen them
tofore tyme. Thene he callyd the seruaut of the stable & demanded of
him to whom the two horses belonged, Thene the seruaut ansuerde
that they apperteyned to two damoiselles that were loggid there with
inne Truly frende saide Jason what damoiselles that euer they be
The two horses belonge to my lady best belouyd, & whan the good
aueient knighte vnderstood lason. he sayd to him, lason Remember ye
of your dreme I take hit on my life that your lady is in this hous, or
ellis the damoiselles ben here for her. the whiche shal saye to you
goode tydinges withoute ony other question or answere Iason departed
incontinent from the stable. and wente vnto the hostesse. and whan he
had boden to her goode morowe he sayd to her, Fair hostesse. know
ye the two Damoyselles that ben logged herein. Certes sir knight
ansuerde the hostesse, I knowe hem none otherwise but as me semeth
that they ben gentil women and comen of a good hows, Is hit possible
that I maye see hem saide lason. I wote neuer saide thostesse but I first
demande them. Fair hostesse said than Iason I require yow that I may
see them, And that ye wylle go saye that. here ys a knight their
seruaut, that hath grete desire to speke with them.’
* The goode liostesse for to do plaisir vnto Jason, wente vnto the
two Damoyselles and sayd to them. My fayr maystresses I come to yow
in the name and at the request of a gentil knight lie saying your
seruaut, the whiche requireth yow, that of your grace hit wolde plese
yow that he might speke with yow. And aduise yow what hit shal
plese yow that I answere to him. But incontinet that tlie Quene
Myrro had herd her hostesse speke of the requeste of the knight.
Certes the colour began to chauge meruaillously and her thought, that
alle her bociy was esprysed with fyre. But this notwithstanding she
held her contenaunce the beste wyse she myghte. And howe wel that
she doubted of the comyng of the preu Jason. and that she was then
in a traunce what she shold saye to her. yet she answerd and sayd.
Fair dame. who is that knight that hath sente yow hether, Certes sayd
the hostesse I sawe him neuer to fore that I wote of. But to my seming
he is the most gentil and the most well made of body and also most
curtois that ony man may or can finde or speke of. Dame sayde thene
the fayr Myrro, syn that he is so vertuous & so well accomplisshed as
ye saye, do him to come hether, With these wordes the goode hostesse
dide do Jason come vnto the chambre, And thenne assone as he cam