How frendly was medea to Iason In conqueryng off the flece off gold how falsely quyt he her trewe affection by whom vyctorye he gate as he wold how may thys man for shame be so bolde [5] to dysceve her that from hys deth and shame hym kept and gate hym so great pryce and name
for thowgh I had yow to morrow agayne I myght as well hold apryl from rayne as holde you to maken stedfast [10] all myghty god off treuthe the souerayne wher ys the truthe off man who hath yt slayne she that them loueth shall them fynde as fast as in a tempest ys a rotten maste ys that a tame beest that ys aye fayre [15] to renne away when he ys lefte agaste
yff yt be so that ye so creuel be that off my death yow lysteth nowght to retch that ys so trewe and worthy as ye se no more than of a mocker or a wretch [20] yff ye be suche yowr beaute may not stretch to make amendes off so crewel a dede avysement ys good before the nede
no worthe the fayre gemme vertulesse no worthe that herbe also that dothe no bote [25] no worthe the beaute that ys routhlesse no worthe that wyght that trede eche vnder fote and ye that ben off beauty croppe and rote Iff therwythall in yow be no routhe than ys yt harme that ye lyuen by my trouthe [30]
for loue ys yet the muste stormy lyfe ryght off hymself that euer was begonne for euer some mystrust or nyce stryfe there ys in loue some cloude ouer thy sonne thereto we wretched women nothyng come [35] whan to us ys wo but wepe and syt and thynyke our wreake ys thys our owne wo to drynke
Also wyckyd tonges by so prest to speake us harme eke men ben so vntrewe that ryght anon as cessed ys ther lest [40] so cesseth loue and forth to loue anewe but [ydo] ys donne who so yt rewe for thowgh these men for love the fyrst to rende ful sharpe begynnyng breketh ofte at end
And who that sayth that for to love ys vyce [45] or tharalldom thowgh he fele yn yt dystresse he ether ys envyous or ryght nyce or ys for suche maner folke I gesse [dyssamen] loue as nothyng off hym knowe they speken but they bente never hys bowe [50]