The tale starts with Cresseid being banished by her lover, Diomedes. She is heartbroken and returns to her father Calchas, the keeper of the temple of Venus.
She is angry at her cruel mistreatment and speaks ill of the Gods, Cupid and Venus. As punishment for her blasphemy, the Gods curse her with leprosy, which strips her of her beauty and makes her blind.
As a result, she is forced to beg and prostitute herself to survive. One day when she is begging, she once again meets her ex-lover, Troilus, who seems to recognize her despite her changed appearance. He takes pity on her and gifts her with everything he has on him of monetary value.
Cresseid then realizes that she treated him cruelly and was a selfish person, while Troilus is a good man who did not deserve her mistreatment of him. She then writes her testament and dies soon after.
