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Waterre wytches, crownede wythe reytes,1 Bere mee to yer leathalle tyde.

I die! I comme! mie true love waytes. 60 Thos the damselle spake, and dyed.

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flies,

Hiltring attenes the sunnis fetyve 35 And the hot fierie smothe17 in the wide face,12

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lowings 23 dies.

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appearance

2 beggarly; not like a gentleman

3 dress 4 brimful

5 beggar of alms gloomy; dejected dry; withered 8 the grave 9 accursed 10 chest coffin 11 sleeping 12 cold

13 grow 14 among

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45 His chapournette was drented with the

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reine,

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This is no season almes and prayers to give.

Mie porter never lets a faitour1 in; None touch mie rynge2 who not in honour live.''

And now the sonne with the blacke cloudes did stryve,

And shettynges on the grounde his glairie raie:4

And his pencte gyrdle met with mickle 70 The Abbatte spurrde his steede, and eftshame,"

He aynewarde tolde his bederoll' at the same.8

The storme encreasen, and he drew aside

With the mist almes-craver neere1o to the holme to bide.

His cope11 was all of Lyncolne clothe
so fyne,

With a gold button fasten'd neere his 75
chynne;

His autremete12 was edged with golden
twynne,13

And his shoone14 pyke15 a loverds16
mighte have binne;

Full well it shewn he thoughten coste
no sinne;

55 The trammels17 of the palfrye pleasde
his sighte,

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For the horse-millanare18 his head with 80 roses dighte.

"An almes, sir prieste!" the droppynge pilgrim saide;

"O! let me waite within your convente dore,

Till the sunne sheneth hie above our heade,

And the loude tempeste of the aire is

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soones roadde awaie.

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1 vagabond

2 hammer of the door

knocker

3 shooting

4 shining ray dressed; adorned

A short surplice.

as to his order, he

limiter, I.

was seen to be a e., friar licensed to beg within a certain limited area

а

16 thou arte

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Tis thyne; the Seynetes will give me
mie rewarde.'
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He left the pilgrim, and his waie
aborde.1

Virgynne and hallie Seynete, who sitte 5
yn gloure,2

Or give the mittee will, or give the gode
man power!

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sometimes expired. For fear, however, of depopulating his dominions and making his palace desolate, he but rarely gave way to his anger.

Being much addicted to women and the pleasures of the table, he sought by his affability to procure agreeable companions; and he succeeded the better as his generosity was unbounded, and his indulgences unre10 strained, for he was by no means scrupulous, nor did he think with the Caliph Omar Ben Abdalaziz, that it was necessary to make a hell of this world to enjoy Paradise in the next.

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For aye shall lyve hys heaven-recorded 25

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He surpassed in magnificence all his predecessors. The palace of Alkoremmi, which his father Motassem had erected on the hill of Pied Horses, and which commanded the whole city of Samarah, was in his idea far too scanty; he added, therefore, five wings, or rather other palaces, which he destined for the particular gratification of each of his senses.

In the first of these were tables continually covered with the most exquisite dainties, which were supplied both by night and by day according to their constant consumption, whilst the most delicious wines and the choicest cordials 30 flowed forth from a hundred fountains that were never exhausted. This palace was called "" "The Eternal or Unsatiating Banquet."

It

The second was styled "The Temple of 35 Melody, or the Nectar of the Soul." was inhabited by the most skilful musicians and admired poets of the time, who not only displayed their talents within, but, dispersing in bands without, caused every surrounding scene to reverberate their songs, which were continually varied in the most delightful succession.

Vathek, ninth Caliph of the race of the 40 Abassides, was the son of Motassem, and the grandson of Haroun Al Raschid. From an early accession to the throne, and 5 the talents he possessed to adorn it, his subjects were induced to expect that his 45 reign would be long and happy. His figure was pleasing and majestic; but when he was angry one of his eyes became so 10 terrible, that no person could bear to behold it, and the wretch upon whom it was fixed instantly fell backward, and

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cessors of Moham- 55

med, now claimed
by the Sultan of
Turkey. It com-
prehends the char-
acter of prophet,
priest, and king.

The palace named "The Delight of the Eyes, or the Support of Memory," was one entire enchantment. Rarities collected from every corner of the earth were there found in such profusion as to dazzle and confound, but for the order in which they were arranged. One gallery exhibited the pictures of the celebrated Mani, and statues that seemed to be alive. Here a well-managed perspective attracted the sight, there the magic of optics agreeably deceived it; whilst the naturalist on his part exhibited, in their several classes, the various gifts that Heaven had bestowed on our globe. In a word, Vathek omitted nothing in this palace that might gratify the curiosity of those who resorted to it, although he was

not able to satisfy his own, for he was of all men the most curious.

"The Palace of Perfumes," which was termed likewise "The Incentive to Pleasure, "consisted of various halls where the different perfumes which the earth produces were kept perpetually burning in censers of gold. Flambeaus and aromatic lamps were here lighted in open day. But the too powerful effects of this agreeable delirium might be avoided by descending into an immense garden, where an assemblage of every fragrant flower diffused through the air the purest odors.

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The fifth palace, denominated "The Retreat of Joy, or the Dangerous," was frequented by troops of young females beautiful as the houris1 and not less seducing, who never failed to receive with caresses all whom the Caliph allowed to approach 20 them; for he was by no means disposed to be jealous, as his own women were secluded within the palace he inhabited himself.

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Notwithstanding the sensuality in which 25 Vathek indulged, he experienced no abatement in the love of his people, who thought that a sovereign immersed in pleasure was not less tolerable to his subjects than one that employed himself in creating them foes. But the unquiet and impetuous disposition of the Caliph would not allow him to rest there; he had studied so much for his amusement in the lifetime of his father, as to acquire a great deal of knowledge, though not a sufficiency to satisfy himself; for he wished to know everything, even sciences that did not exist. He was fond of engaging in disputes with the learned, but liked them not to push their opposition with 40 warmth; he stopped the mouths of those with presents whose mouths could be stopped, whilst others, whom his liberality. was unable to subdue, he sent to prison to cool their blood, a remedy that often suceeeded.

Vathek discovered also a predilection for theological controversy, but it was not with the orthodox that he usually held. By this means he induced the zealots to oppose him, and then persecuted them in return; for he resolved at any rate to have reason on his side.

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The great prophet Mahomet, whose vicars the caliphs are, beheld with indignation from 55 his abode in the seventh heaven the irreligious conduct of such a viceregent. "Let

'Beautiful virgins of the Mohammedan Paradise.

us leave him to himself," said he to the Genii, who are always ready to receive his commands; "let us see to what lengths his folly and impiety will carry him; if he runs into excess we shall know how to chastise him. Assist him, therefore, to complete the tower which, in imitation of Nimrod, he hath begun, not, like that great warrior, to escape being drowned, but from the insolent curiosity of penetrating the secrets of Heaven; he will not divine the fate that awaits him."

The Genii obeyed, and when the workmen had raised their structure a cubit in the day time, two cubits more were added in the night. The expedition with which the fabric arose was not a little flattering to the vanity of Vathek. He fancied that even insensible matter showed a forwardness to subserve his designs, not considering that the successes of the foolish and wicked form the first rod of their chastisement.

His pride arrived at its height when, having ascended for the first time the eleven thousand stairs of his tower, he cast his eyes below and beheld men not larger than pismires, mountains than shells, and cities than beehives. The idea which such an elevation inspired of his own grandeur completely bewildered him; he was almost ready to adore himself, till, lifting his eyes upward, he saw the stars as high above him as they appeared when he stood on the surface of the earth. He consoled himself, however, for this transient perception of his littleness, with the thought of being great in the eyes of others, and flattered himself that the light of his mind would extend beyond the reach of his sight, and transfer to the stars the decrees of his destiny.

With this view the inquisitive Prince passed most of his nights at the summit of his tower, till he became an adept in the mysteries of astrology, and imagined that the planets had disclosed to him the most marvellous adventures, which were to be accomplished by an extraordinary personage from a country altogether unknown. Prompted by motives of curiosity he had always been courteous to strangers, but from this instant he redoubled his attention, and ordered it to be announced by sound of

1 In Oriental mythology, the genii are of a higher order than man, but lower than the angels. They are said to have governed the world before the creation of Adam. They were noted for their architectural skill, the Egyptian pyramids having been ascribed to them. The Persians called them peris and dives.

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