Classic Poem

And right as the first water his flesh
Departed from his feet, so the second
Restored it, and made all whole and fresh:
And glad was he, and joyful that stownd
When he felt his feet whole were and sound:
A vial of the water of that brook
He fill'd, and fruit of the tree with him took.

Forth his journey this Jonathas held,
And as he his look about him cast,
Another tree from afar he beheld,
To which he hasted, and him hied fast.
Hungry he was, and of the fruit he thrast
Into his mouth, and ate of it sadly,
And of the lepry he purged was thereby.

Of that fruit more he raught, and thence is gone;
And a fair castle from afar saw he,
In compass of which heads many one
Of men there hung, as he might well see
But not for that he shun would or flee;
He thither him dresseth the straight way
In that ever that he can or may.

Walking so, two men came him again,
And saiden thus: Dear friend, we you pray
What man be ye? Sirs, quoth he, certain
A leech I am, and though myself it say,
Can for the health of sick folks well purvey.
They said him: Of yonder castle the king
A leper is, and can whole be for nothing.

With him there hath been many a sundry leech
That undertook him well to cure and heal
On pain of their heads, but all to seech
Their art was; 'ware that thou not with him deal,
But if thou canst the charter of health enseal,
Lest that thou leese thy head, as didden they;
But thou be wise: thou find it shall no play.

Sirs, said he, you thank I of your reed,
For gently ye han you to me quit:
But I nat dread to lose mine heed,
By God's help full safe keep I will it;
God of his grace such cunning and wit
Hath lent me, that I hope I shall him cure.
Full well dare I me put in aventure.

They to the king's presence han him lad,
And him of the fruit of the second tree
He gave to eat, and bade him to be glad,
And said: Anon your health han shall ye;
Eke of the second water him gave he
To drink, and when he those two had received,
His lepry from him voided was and weived.

The king (as unto his high dignity
Convenient was) gave him largely,
And to him said: If that it like thee
Abiden here, I more abundantly
Thee give wole. My Lord, sickerly,
Quoth he, fain would I your pleasure fulfil,
And in your high presence abide still.

But I no while may with you abide,
So mochill have I to done elsewhere.
Jonathas every day to the sea-side,
Which was nigh, went to look and enquere
If any ship drawing hither were
Which him home to his country lead might,
And on a day of ships had he sight.

Well a thirty toward the castle draw,
And at time of evensong they all
Arriveden, of which he was full faw,
And to the shipmen cry he 'gan and call,
And said: If it so hap might and fall
That some of you me home to my countree
Me bring would, well quit should he be.

And told them whither that they shoulden go.
One of the shipmen forth start at last,
And to him said: My ship and no moe
Of them that here been doth shop and cast
Thither to wend; let see, tell on fast,
Quoth the shipman, that thou for my travail
Me give wilt, if that I thither sail.

They were accorded. Jonathas forth goeth
Unto the king to ask him license
To twine thence, to which the king was loth,
And nathless with his benevolence,
This Jonathas from his magnificence
Departed is, and forth to the shipman
His way he taketh, as-swythe as he can.

Into the ship he ent'reth, and as blive
As wind and weather good shop to be,
Thither as he purposed him arrive
They sailed forth, and came to the citee
In which this serpentine woman was; she
That had him terned with false deceitis,
But where no remedy followeth, streit is.

Turns been quit, all be they good or bad
Sometime, though they put been in delay.
But to my purpose. She deemed he had
Been devoured with beasts many a day
Gone; she thought he delivered was for aye.
Folk of the city knew not Jonathas,
So many a year was past that he there was.

Misliking and thought changed eke his face.
Abouten he go'th, and for his dwelling
In the city, he hired him a place,
And therein exercised his cunning
Of physic, to whom weren repairing
Many a sick wight, and all were healed.
Well was the sick man that with him deated.

Now shop it thus that this Fellicula,
(The well of deceivable doubleness,
Follower of the steps of Dallida,)
Was then exalted unto high richesse,
But she was fallen into great sickness
And heard sain, for not might it been hid,
How masterful a leech he had him kid.

Messages solemn to him she sent,
Praying him to do so mochill labour
As come and see her; and he thither went.
When he her saw, that she his paramour
Had been he well knew, and for that debtour
To her he was, her he thought to quite
Or he went, and no longer it respite.

But what that he was, she ne wist nat.
He saw her urine, and eke felt her pous,
And said, The sooth is this plain and flat,
A sickness han ye strange and marvellous,
Which to avoid is wonder dangerous:
To heal you there is no way but one.
Leech in this world other can find none.

Aviseth you whether you list it take
Or not, for I told have you my wit.
Ah, sir, said she, for God's sake,
That way me show, and I shall follow it,
Whatever it be: for this sickness sit
So nigh mine heart, that I wot not how
Me to demean: tell on, I pray yow.

Lady, ye must openly you confess,
And if against good conscience and right
Any good han ye take more or less,
Beforn this hour, of any manner wight,
Yield it anon; else not in the might
Of man is it to give a medicine
That you may heal of your sickness and pine.