The which throuȝ Medee þe fleze wan
Off golde, for þe which soon afterwarde
He yafe hire right evill guerdon and harde.
Jason was a knyght of Grece, þe which went into strawnge cuntreis, that is to sey, into the Ile of Colcos, by the enortyng off his vncle Pelleus, the which of envy desired his deth. There was a chepe[[339]] þat hadde a flees of golde and it was kepte by enchauntment; but the conquest was so strong that non comme thedir but that lost there lyfe. Medee, the whiche was the kynges doughter of that cuntre, toke so grete loue to Jason þat by the enchauntmentes that sche cowde, off the which sche was a soueren maysteres, she made charmes and lerned Jason enchauntementis by the whiche he whanne the fleese of golde, wereby he hade worchip aboue all knyttes lyvynge, and by Medee was reserued fro deth, to whom he hade promysyd euer to be trwe freende. But efftyr he fayled of hys feyth and loued anothir and left hyr holy[[340]] and forsoke hir, notwithstondyng she was off soueren beaute. Therfor it is seyde to the good knyght that he shulde not be leke to Jason, the which was vnknowyn and to ontrwe to þat the which hade schewed hym mych goodenes.[[341]] Wherefor it is to veleyns a thyng for a knyght or any nobill person to be rekeles or evyll knowyng of goodenesse, iff any he hath reseyuyd, be it of lady or off gentylwoman or off ony othir persone; ffor he shulde euere thynke thereon and guerdon it vnto his powere. To this purpose Hermes seith, “Be not slowe ne delayyng to remembre of hym þat hath doone the goode, for thou shuldest euer thynkke thereopon.”
The good sperite shulde not be leke to Jason, the which was rekeles, ne vncunnyng of the benefices reseyvid of his Maker. And Seynt Barnarde seith opon the Cantecles that vnkunnyng is ennemye to the soule, a lesser of vertues and dispraysyng of meritis and a lessyng of beneficis, and allso ingratitude fareth as nowght,[[342]] the which dryeth the well of pete, the dewe of grace and the reuer of mercye. And to this purpose the wyse man seith, [“Ingrati enim spes tanquam hibernalis glacies tabescet et disperiet tanquam aqua supervacua.”][[343]]
LV.
Kepe the wele fro the serpent Gorgon; |f. 39.|
Be ware that thou looke not hyr[[344]] opon;
Haue good sadde mynde opon Percyualle,[[345]]
And he shall the tell the story all.